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PEOPLE compiled by

Ben Olson

watching

SOCIAL DISTANCE EDITION: “How are you?

“Great. I wash my hands a lot and I am not going to restaurants. I am not visiting my mother or my grandmother.”

Nora Kair Clerk at the Mercantile Clark Fork

“I am just praying.”

R.C. Retired Ponderay

DEAR READERS,

Now that we’ve seen a confirmed case of the COVID-19 virus reported in Bonner County, it’s more important than ever to keep practicing social distancing and stay at home unless going out for essentials or exercising in the open air.

Again, I’d like to thank all of those who have taken it upon themselves to donate to the Reader in this time of need, as well as our advertisers that have been able to keep placing ads. We really appreciate you sticking with us. We’re hanging in there, and with the passage of the stimulus package, it’s looking like we’ll be able to file for some assistance to cover payroll costs for the next two months. Thank you to our U.S. members of Congress who banded together to pass this historic bill that will provide stability when we need it most. It’s not a perfect package, but it’s a step in the right direction, which we need right now. I urge all small business owners who have been impacted by the economic downturn from the coronavirus outbreak to investigate how they can apply for assistance as well. There’s a story on page 14 with more info.

While the future remains uncertain, it is my hope to bring my staff back to fulltime employment in the next week or two so we can provide greater coverage than I’ve been able to do by myself these past two issues. I thank you all for your patience with me as I continue to keep the pages coming out and the news reaching you uninterrupted. It’s a daunting task, but I have a lot of assistance from our regular writers and contributors who have helped fill the pages. Thank you all for your help.

A couple weeks ago, I put out a call for people to show some solidarity (and mirth) to go out onto their front porches or backyards at 6 p.m. to bang on pots and pans, drums or play a musical instrument. I was so tickled when our neighborhood erupted in a cacophony of noise at 6 p.m. Last week, I was so swamped I forgot to ask you all to make it a weekly effort and do it again. I’ve had numerous people ask me to remind us to do it again, so here’s my reminder: at 6 p.m. on Friday, April 3, make some noise. It can be to support health care workers, truck drivers, policemen and women, fire fighters, delivery drivers, grocery store clerks – anyone you’d like to honor for continuing to go to work so we can still have essential functions during this pandemic. Thank you all, everyone who practices social distancing. Let’s do it every Friday at 6 p.m. until the world returns to normal.

Wishing you all a safe and healthy week ahead. Thanks for reading.

-Ben Olson, Publisher

“I’m great! Taking advantage of social distancing by hosting a tabletop RPG game online with friends!”

Brenden Bobby Professional mover at We Haul Moving And Services Hope

“Learning about inside sanitizer (wine) while avoiding the DUI checkpoint on the corner of the hallway and kitchen.”

Phyllis Foro Fashion Consultant Sandpoint “I am feeling grateful for this time with my daughter! I approach each day with the intention to make this a time she will remember positively in 30 years, not as a time of panic and fear.”

Jason Welker

Executive Director of Pend Oreille Pedalers, Econ. Teacher Sandpoint

READER 111 Cedar Street, Suite 9 Sandpoint, ID 83864 (208)265-9724

www.sandpointreader.com Publisher: Ben Olson ben@sandpointreader.com Editorial: Zach Hagadone (Editor) zach@sandpointreader.com Lyndsie Kiebert (Staff Writer) lyndsie@sandpointreader.com Cameron Rasmusson (emeritus) John Reuter (emeritus) Advertising: Jodi Berge Jodi@sandpointreader.com Contributing Artists: Jeanelle Shields (cover), Ben Olson.

Contributing Writers: Ben Olson, Brenden Bobby, Sandy Compton, Regan Plumb, Gabrielle Duebendorfer, Danielle Packard.

Submit stories to: stories@sandpointreader.com Printed weekly at: Griffin Publishing Spokane, Wash.

Subscription Price: $115 per year Web Content: Keokee The Sandpoint Reader is a weekly publication owned and operated by Ben Olson and Keokee. It is devoted to the arts, entertainment, politics and lifestyle in and around Sandpoint, Idaho.

We hope to provide a quality alternative by offering honest, in-depth reporting that reflects the intelligence and interests of our diverse and growing community.

The Reader is printed on recycled paper using soy-based ink. Leftover copies are collected and recycled weekly, or burned in massive bonfires to appease the gods of journalism.

Free to all, limit two copies per person.

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Requirements: –No more than 400 words –Letters may not contain excessive profanity or libelous material. Please elevate the discussion.

Letters will be edited to comply with the above requirements. Opinions expressed in these pages are those of the writers, not necessarily the publishers.

Email letters to: letters@sandpointreader.com Check us out on the web at: www.sandpointreader.com Like us on Facebook.

About the Cover

“Donkeys Bella, Pip Squeek, Mica and Miss B are exercising physical distancing and personal protection during a recent farm visit!” Photo by Jeannelle Shields. Thanks Jeannelle – this is just what we needed.

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NEWS

Bonner Co. case ‘not community transmission’

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

The coronavirus pandemic hit home on March 29 when Panhandle Health District announced the first positive case in Bonner County. The patient is a male in his 60s who is self-isolating at home.

Though at first the case was first reported to be acquired through community transmission, later investigation revealed that wasn’t the case.

“The Bonner County case had direct contact with a confirmed case outside of our area,” said Panhandle Health District public information officer Katherine Hoyer. “It was not community transmission.”

Hoyer confirmed that community transmission was evident in neighboring Kootenai County.

“Community transmission is happening in Kootenai County, but we have not iden-

tified that in other counties [in the Panhandle Health District] yet,” Hoyer said.

As of Wednesday, April 1 at 7 p.m., Idaho has reported 669 cases of coronavirus across 29 counties, with 9 deaths attributed to the virus statewide. Over 7,200 people have been tested for the COVID-19 virus, according to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. Over 215,000 cases have been reported nationwide.

BGH public information officer Erin Binnall said the hospital has sent out over 100 tests.

“Our Emergency Department is scheduling curbside testing for people with a provider’s order,” Binnall wrote. “If one has COVID concerns and feels they need to be tested, please call ED ahead of time at 208-265-1020. As always our Emergency Department is available for ALL emergent needs.”

Binnall said BGH is continuing to

accept donations from the community for the following items: Nitrile exam gloves, surgical masks, mask covers, bouffant caps, isolation gowns, N95 masks, hand sanitizer, plastic/vinyl gloves for dietary staff use and any hand-sewn mask covers in all sizes.

“We want to thank all of our community members and business owners who have donated supplies, food, coffee and are working on sewing masks, gowns and

scrub hats,” Binnall said.

Hoyer stressed how important is is for everyone to follow CDC guidelines to help fight the spread of COVID-19.

“We strongly urge the public to practice what the Governor’s stay-home order is asking,” Hoyer said. “Stay home as much as you can, do not go to work if you are sick, keep distance between yourself and others (6 feet) and wash hands and sanitize routinely.”

6.5 mag. quake hits near Challis

By Ben Olson Reader Staff A 6.5 magnitude earthquake struck about 78 miles west of Challis, in southern Idaho, just before 5 p.m. on Tuesday, March 31. It was followed by dozens of aftershocks, the biggest measuring 4.6 magnitude. No major

damages were reported.

The quake was felt far and wide, with reports coming from Canada, Montana and even as far as California.

It was the largest earthquake in Idaho since 1983, when two children were killed in Challis, Idaho by falling debris after a 6.9 magnitude quake struck.

How to navigate filing for unemployment

By Ben Olson Reader Staff The state of Idaho reported about 25,000 employees have filed for unemployment benefits between Jan. 2020 and March 27, 2020. Over 750 people in Bonner County alone have filed for benefits as of March 27, representing a 3.7% unemployment rate, not including an adjustment to exclude seasonal unemployment.

On a national level, the numbers are staggering. Last week alone, over 3.3 million people filed for unemployment benefits, up from 282,000 the week prior.

It’s likely that many reading this now have filed or are in the process for filing for unemployment benefits for the first time.

Here are a couple of frequently asked questions and answers, provided by the Idaho Department of Labor.

How can I file for unemployment benefits?

The best way is to file online at labor. idaho.gov/claimantportal. If claimants require assistance or do not have access to a computer, they may call the claims center at 208-332-8942. Before filing, gather the following information: your work history information for the last two years, including employer name(s), addresses, phone numbers, supervisors and dates of employment; your current contact information, driver’s license or state ID number and work authorization information, if applicable; your bank account number and bank 4 /

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routing number, if you choose direct deposit to receive payments; the date your employer states you will be returning to full-time work, if applicable.

Will workers qualify for UI if the coronavirus causes an employer to temporarily or permanently shut down operations?

Yes. If an employer shuts down operations and no work is available or reduces an individual’s hours due to a drop in business, the Idaho Dept. of Labor considers this a lay off due to lack of work and the individual may be eligible for benefits.

If my employees received unemployment benefits as a result of a coronavirus-related business shutdown, will my UI account be charged?

It depends. Part of Gov. Little’s emergency proclamation provides that experience rated employers (most businesses) will not be charged for unemployment claims attributed to COVID-19. There is no change to cost reimbursed employers. Cost reimbursed employers include nonprofit and government employers.

Are employees required to look for work?

It depends. If they are unemployed due to COVID-19 related reasons and the employer plans to have them return to work, employees are not required to register for work or seek work. Make sure they answer “yes” to the question asking if they are

returning to work within 16 weeks on the UI application.

Can an employee work part time and still receive unemployment?

Yes. They can receive some or all of their weekly unemployment payment if they work part time. Gross earnings must be reported on the weekly certification during the week earned (not when paid).

Are independent contractors or self-employed workers covered?

No, they are generally not covered. Employees must have worked for an employer covered by the Employment Security Act within the past 2 years to potentially be

eligible.

How long will workers receive benefits? How much will they receive?

Amounts range from $72 to $448 per week for 10-20 weeks.

How long does it take for someone to receive their first payment?

First payments can range from 1 to 10 weeks, depending on pending issues requiring additional information to determine eligibility. The governor’s emergency proclamation waived the standard waiting week for claims filed on or after March 8, 2020 until further notice.

Ting establishes free public WiFi zone

By Ben Olson Reader Staff During times of crisis, when many of the locations where the public accesses WiFi have been closed to help stop the spread of coronavirus, a couple of organizations have stepped up to offer a free, safe place to access the internet.

Ting has worked with the city of Sandpoint and Matchwood Brewing Co. to make sure everyone has access to critical communications infrastructure. Together, they have activated a public drive-up wifi location in Sandpoint so people can access the internet from their vehicle.

Ting Park & Wi-Fi is live now and located

at the city parking lot, directly east of Matchwood Brewing Co. (between the brewery and Army Surplus) where free public WiFi will be available between 6 a.m. – 10 p.m.

Ting asks that all users remain in their vehicles, minimize social interactions and maintain social distance protocals.

To help the community in this time of need, Ting also announced it would be donating $2,000 to the Bonner Community Food Bank, as well as donating to Food for Our Children, the Sandpoint Senior Center and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. They announced they would be giving away gift cards to local businesses throughout the month of April. See the Ting Sandpoint Facebook page for more details on how to participate.

NEWS

Gov. Little signs anti-transgender bills into law

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

Gov. Brad Little signed two bills into law March 29 that opponents have argued could lead to legal challenges.

Little signed HB 500 and HB 509 after they passed the Idaho House and Senate during 2020 legislative session, making Idaho the first among more than 40 states that have introduced such legislation this year to enact them.

HB 500 will require high school girls to prove their gender to participate in high school sports through a genital exam, a testosterone level test, or a DNA exam.

HB 509 will ban all Idahoans from changing the gender marker on their birth certificate.

The ACLU of Idaho immediately issued a statement condemning the decision.

“The ACLU of Idaho condemns Governor Brad Little’s

decision to sign discriminatory, unconstitutional, and deeply hurtful anti-transgender bills into law,” the ACLU wrote to the Reader.

“Leaders from the business, faith, medical, education and athletics communities will not forget this decision or what it says about the governor’s priorities during a global pandemic. The ACLU will see the governor in court.”

Little’s signature comes after Idaho Attorney General Assistant Chief Deputy Brian Kane released an opinion Feb. 25 outlining “concerns about the defensibility of the proposed legislation” for HB 500.

Kane detailed several points of weakness in the measure, including the fact that it never addresses whether transgender females – should they be excluded from women’s sports – would have an opportunity to participate on men’s or coed sports teams. He also wrote that the draft bill failed to define “biological sex” or who is

qualified to “dispute” that student’s sex, leaving student athletes open to invasive examinations on the grounds that anyone – even a peer or parent of another student athlete – could dispute their gender.

Kane added that requiring gender identification for only some athletes, not all, is “constitutionally problematic” and that methods for establishing the athlete’s sex – including analysis of the student’s genitalia – do not match up with the legislative findings, which list only testosteronse levels as linked to athletic ability.

Proponents of the bill argue that the law was needed because transgender female athletes have physical advantages over their peers.

Little’s signature on HB 509 ignores a 2018 federal court order that a past law barring transgender people from making the birth certificate changes violated the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution.

“There’s an injunction that already absolutely forbids this policy, and the government can’t enforce this law without violating a court order,” said Peter Renn of Lambda Legal, the law firm that represented two transgender women whose lawsuit led to the 2018 court ruling.

Renn said the court could impose fines and even hold top officials at the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare responsible should the court order be violated.

Supporters of the legislation said the federal court was wrong, and the law is needed so Idaho has accurate birth records.

“Idaho’s governor can no longer say he’s ‘not a discrimination guy,’” said Jennifer Martinez, campaign manager at ACLU of Idaho. “His actions prove otherwise. Each of these bills do nothing to enhance our communities, but rather they expressly ‘other’ transgender people for different

‘separate but equal’ treatment, which is the very definition of discrimination. That is why these bills will not hold up in the inevitable court challenge.”

CAL grants extended

By Ben Olson Reader Staff The Community Assistance League offers an annual grant for area nonprofits, with a typical deadline due during the month of March. With the coronavirus pandemic altering daily life, CAL has decided to extend its application deadline to April 7 to help give local organizations more time to compile grant applications.

Download the grant application from CALSandpoint.org. Any questions can be directed to Tracy Gibson at CALSandpointGrants@ gmail.com.

May primary voting to be absentee ballot only

By Ben Olson Reader Staff Idaho Secretary of State Lawrence Denney announced April 1 that all Idahoans will vote in the May primary using absentee ballots.

“In order to keep Idahoans safe amid the growing global health pandemic and protect their right to vote, Idahoans will vote in the May primary exclusively from home using absentee ballots,” Denney wrote in a release. “If you want to vote in the election, you will need to request your ballot online at Idahovotes.gov or contact your local county clerk.”

Denney claimed that due to the growing number of coronavirus cases in Idaho, it was not safe for voters, election workers or the larger community to hold in-person voting for the May primary.

“Having Idahoans request an absentee ballot and vote from home will protect the health of Idahoans, slow the spread of COVID-19, allow the election to move forward as scheduled and ensure that everyone can still exercise their right to vote,” Denney wrote.

To vote in the May 19 primary, Bonner County voters must request their ballot from the Bonner County clerk or online through the Idaho Secretary of State’s website by May 19. Once the ballot arrives at a voter’s home, they may simply fill it out and mail it

Gov. Little declares all Idahoans must vote by mail for May 19 primary

bank using a pre-addressed envelope.

“We will be sending an absentee ballot request to every registered voter that has NOT already requested a ballot for May, so if you can’t acces IdahoVotes.gov, you don’t need to worry,” Denney wrote. “We will send you a request form to your registered address by mail in the next roughly 10-14 days.”

Denney urged voters not to way until May 19 to request a ballot or to vote.

“You can start today,” he said.

Voters who would normally request assistance for voting or who have accessibility concerns should directly contact the Bonner County clerk’s office to discuss what accommodations may be available.

The Bonner County clerk’s phone number is 208-265-1432.

The filing deadline has passed for the May primary election, leaving only two contested local races.

Incumbent Bonner Co. Commissioner Steven Bradshaw, a Republican, will face three challengers in May for the District 1 commissioner race. Joining Bradshaw on the Republican primary ticket are Jason Giddings and Butch Horton. Steve Johnson has filed as a Democrat.

Giddings, a Republican is a Ponderay resident who is the CEO and President of TransluSense, which manufactures glass keyboards.

He has served in the U.S. Army.

Horton, a Republican, is campaigning on “clear vision and good judgment,” calling

for “more cooperation and accountability and less conflict.” Horton is a former U.S. Navy operations specialist and current business owner who listed natural resource management and responsible land use planning as some of his main policy targets.

Republican incumbent Bradshaw is nearing the end of his first term as a Bonner County Commissioner after beating out incumbent Glen Bailey in the 2018 primary election.

He is a pastor at the Cocoalla Cowboy Church who lists as his main issues, “pro-life, pro-Second Amendment, pro-common sense, pro-limited government and pro-God.” District 2 incumbent commissioner Jeff Connolly, a Republican, is running unopposed.

Also running unopposed in Bonner County are incumbent Prosecuting Attorney Louis Marshall and incumbent Bonner County Sheriff Daryl Wheeler, who will be seeking his fourth term in office.

Three Republicans have filed to run for the seat vacated by eight-term Representative Paul Shephard, R-Riggins in legislative District 7, which spans from Salmon River country all the way to the northern Panhandle in Idaho.

Shephard’s son Charlie Shephard, a Republican, has filed for the District 7 Seat A race. Shephard is a longtime coach at Salmon River High School.

Also on the primary ballot for District 7 is Orofino Republican Dennis Harper and

Sandpoint Republican Cornel Rasor, who previously served four years as a Bonner County commissioner who claims to be a “staunch defender of individual property and Second Amendment rights.”

City announces branch pickup dates

By Reader Staff The recent windstorm left a substantial amount of downed trees and branches throughout the greater Sandpoint area. The city of Sandpoint will hold its annual branch pickup from April 13-17. All branches must be in place along the curb no later than April 12 for pickup, as city crews will not make a second pass.

Guidelines for pickup include: — Stack all brush and branches lengthwise along the curb. Any branches left on lawns will not be picked up. No leaves or bagged leaves will be picked up.

— The maximum diameter for branches to be picked up will be four inches wide, with a maximum length of six feet long.

— Don’t mix brush piles with other items such as leaves, lawn clippings, building materials, timber or commercial contractor generated tree waste.

Check the city of Sandpoint’s site sandpointidaho.gov for more information.

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NEWS

Rent deferral offered

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

The Idaho Apartment Association announced a plan last week to help renters cope with the economic impacts of coronavirus. CDC guidelines have led to reductions in working hours and wages, creating financial hardships for renters, who now must balance financials obligations such as utilities, rent, food and transportation needs on a potentially reduced income.

To accommodate renters in a financial crisis as a result of coronavirus, IAA is promoting rent deferment plans for the month of April, 2020.

“We encourage all property managers to adopt programs that are appropriate for them,” IAA wrote in a release. “These plans allow renters to qualify for rent deferment by demonstrating that their financial status has been directly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.”

According to IAA, qualifying renters must demonstrate financial impacts due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“When renters qualify, landlords and

management companies may provide plans to defer a portion, or potentially all, of April’s rent payment, to be paid at a later date,” IAA wrote. “Such deferments may allow April rent to be paid over the course of several months or in one lump sum at a later date.”

IAA urged renters who can pay rent to continue doing so, as federal relief money sent to individuals will help ease this burden.

“We recognize property managers may choose to implement rent deferral programs differently,” IAA wrote, “but encourage them to focus on finding a win/win and enabling tenants who agree to a payment plan to stay. We also ask property owners to avoid filing evictions for non-payment due to qualifying reasons in April, when renters communicate and sign rent deferral agreements.”

More information on rent deferment programs including suggested qualification and a rent deferment addendum are available on the IAA website: www.iaahq.com/ covid-19.html.

Downtown work continues

By Ben Olson Reader Staff Deemed “essential,” the Downtown Phase II construction work continues along Sandpoint’s downtown corridor amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Along First Avenue, between Main Street and Second Avenue, sidealks have been removed. The section of road was closed to vehicles on March 30 and will remain closed to vehicles for several weeks.

The closure will enable improved efficiences, but more importantly will limit access by the public to help meet CDC guidelines

relating to employee safety. Deliveries will be accommodated.

The city of Sandpoint reports that the contractor is “on schedule” and will be placing swales and concrete sidewalks beginning at Finan McDonald’s and working north as weather permits. Concrete form work will be protected to prevent impalement haxards, however, conditions will change daily and pedestrians are encouraged to use extreme caution or find an alternate route where possible. Electricians will also be installing conduits and backfilling completed areas.

Tax deadlines delayed

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

Both the Federal government as well as the state of Idaho have delayed their tax filing and payment deadlines due to the coronavirus.

Gov. Brad Little announced March 23 that Idaho citizens and businesses now have until June 15, 2020 to file their state income taxes and make any state income tax payments. Little also set a June 15 deadline to apply for the Property Tax Reducation, Property Tax Deferral and 100% Service-connected Disabled Veteran Benefit 6 /

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programs.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin announced March 19 that individuals and trusts may now file returns and defer payments of up to $1 milion of their outstanding 2019 federal tax liability until as late as July 15, 2020 without extending their returns - and not be subject to penalties or interest. Corporations can defer even larger payments until July 15.

Estimated federal tax payments due the first quarter of 2020, normally due by April 15, will also not incur penalties or interest if made prior to July 15.

Council will continue with Memorial Field project

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

The Sandpoint City Council held a virtual meeting Wednesday, April 1 at 5:30 with a sparse agenda.

Sandpoint Mayor Shelby Rognstad recognized that he had received numerous letters on the feasibility of continuing with the turf project at War Memorial Field in light of the coronavirus pandemic. Rognstad said he had received letters in support of continuing the project, as well as some wanting the construction to halt in fear that it would not meet the July 31 completion date.

Rognstad recognized a central theme in many letters that there was a misunderstanding of how the 1% sales tax applied.

“Those 1% funds can only be used for infrastructure at Memorial Field and other parks projects,” Rognstad said. “The priority is first for Memorial Field. They can’t be used for an emergency.”

Councilwoman Deb Reuhl recognized several concerns voiced to her from constituents about the project moving forward in a situation where news changes daily.

“I do have concerns relative to the field, labor and where our construction employees are coming from,” Reuhl said. “What if the governor shuts down the border statewide?

Where does that leave us?”

The Sandpoint City Council accepted the bid from J7 Contracting, Inc. based in Bonners Ferry to install the natural rubber, cork and sand mix infill and turf system at Memorial Field on March 18, with a projected start date of April 1. The field replacement is scheduled to be mostly completed by July 21, with a final completion date of July 31.

The Festival at Sandpoint, which leases the field from the city, begins August 6.

The Festival Board of Directors issued a statement last week expressing concerns that construction could be held up while in the midst of the health crisis.

“Understanding the city is currently facing unprecedented circumstances, we hope they will reconsider the decision to prioritize the non-essential artificial field project in the face of so many unknowns,” the board wrote in the statement.

“The Festival has been working closely with the city since September of last year to accommodate the Festival on a new surface,” the Festival board wrote. “Though we are prepared and have plans in place to do so, if unforeseen circumstances arise from the COVID-19 outbreak such as the ability to secure labor, materials, or a shelter-inplace mandate for all non-essential businesses, an uncompleted project would have huge ramifications on the Festival.

Rognstad said it was in the best interest for the taxpayers that the city continues on with the plan they’ve committed to.

“If it were to be delayed another year, our ability to afford that project would possibly be at risk,” he said.

He noted that he spoke with Gov. Brad Little’s office earlier in the day and confirmed that the contractors are apprised of the most current protocols around social distancing.

“In a time where there’s tremendous economic uncertainty, a lot of people are losing their jobs,” Rognstad said. “I think it’s quite valuable that we’re able to continue employment and maintain financial security for these workers. There is that benefit we receive by keeping people employed.”

Rognstad concluded that all the vendors and suppliers still had “high confidence” that they would be able to follow through with the delivery of those resources they need for the project.

City administrator Jennifer Stapleton gave a brief update on COVID-19 in Bonner County, noting that City Hall continues to function in a virtual capacity and that the issuance of building permits and virtual inspections hasn’t slowed.

“We are on pace for issuance of building permits at least for what we had last year, which was a record year for the city,” Stapleton said.

Stapleton announced that soon Sandpoint residents will be able to open utility accounts electronically instead of having to come directly to City Hall. The feature will launch by the end of the week, Stapleton said.

In response to a survey the city has offered to local businesses, Stapleton said 44 businesses reported they had closed completely in Sandpoint as a result of the CDC guidelines and Gov. Little’s stay-athome order issued last week.

“We’re sharing the survey results with the police,” Stapleton said. “Chief Coon announced his staff have gone to 12 hour shifts, and we’re doubling up our staffing on night patrols and security checks in response to the number of closures, checking that doors are locked, making sure people aren’t present where they shouldn’t be present.”

The council then voted to approve the Timber Creek Subdivision Preliminary Plat as recommended by the Sandpoint Planning and Zoning Commission. The Timber Creek Subdivision is an approximately 4.37-acre parcel located at 2230 Ontario St. just west of the Ontario St. and Northview Dr. intersection. The application to subdivide the parcel into 22 lots with a minimum lot size of 5,000 sq. ft. was unanimously approved by the council and the meeting was adjourned.

PERSPECTIVES

Emily Articulated

A column by and about Millennials

Revelations from adversity “Arguably the most important, this is an opportunity to sit with ourselves,” Windju wrote.

“This comes in many different forms; in meditation, on Netflix, eating meals, [and] exercising.

In all of the above, perhaps besides meditation, we are still with our thoughts. Let this be a time to dive deeper into both singular and collective consciousness.”

By Emily Erickson Reader Columnist Of the many things supposed about the repercussions of this time in our lives, one idea that particularly struck me is that this virus – and all of its current and future implications – could be the defining tragedy of my generation. Never having been drafted, lived through a world war, or felt the financial strain of a Great Depression, this collective adversity is something new to us. Different from individual trauma, collective adversity – and how we navigate, react and recover as a generation – has the power to shape our identities, and alter the lenses from which we view the world.

Just as I laughed at my grandma for storing her 15-yearold ketchup bottle and bags of chicken bones in the freezer “in case we need them someday,” I wonder if future generations will poke fun at our incessant sanitization or our preference for face-to-face interaction, because, “back in my day, we had to have all of our happy hours via Facetime.”

Personally, I’ve appreciated the many ways in which this situation has forced us to confront our own humanity, reimagining what it means to be connected within our own circles, and with the world around us. Spending time in isolation has made me appreciate how significant the smallest interactions are, with the quick conversation in a coffee shop line or the unplanned meeting of a friend on the sidewalk being the secret, energizing fuel for creativity and productivity.

And from this particular iteration of adversity, I feel a new-

Emily Erickson. found clarity about what defines community; understanding that the ways we can come together and support each other are only limited by our imaginations.

But, I’m not the only voice of my generation. With so many of my peers having such significant things to say in private messages, on their social media feeds, and over phone conversations, I wanted to share a few of the other beautiful revelations from adversity I received: “It is both a privilege and a blessing to be alive in 2020,” Courtney Windju wrote. “What is happening in the world right now is a lift in collective consciousness. It’s an opportunity to realize all that we rely on, and a deeper reflection as to what’s really important. . . This is a time to acknowledge our own health and wellbeing and to support our neighbors. It is a time to act consciously, responsibly, and compassionately. It provides a moment, or many, to be grateful with what we have right now; a loved one to lean on, a furry friend to cuddle, a stocked pantry, technology to e-socialize, an able body and mind— the list goes on.

“I do not believe that everything happens for a reason [or] that everything is ‘meant to be,’” Jamie Terry wrote. “I believe that whatever happens, we have an opportunity to make meaning, to transform, and to live in the absolute truth that God works out all things for good. Humans around the world are re-remembering with new flavor the meaning in connection, and finding new ways to make that happen.

Let’s keep looking for the ways in which this time of uncertainty and grief will be transformed into good. Let’s keep looking for ways to participate in the good.”

is going to happen tomorrow.

Whether there’s a virus or not, tomorrow has never, and will never be, completely guaranteed. I’ve seen some crazy sh*t happen to people one day, when the previous day they had no idea it was coming. Life, in and of itself, is completely crazy and is a true gift. Enjoy every d*mn day, every moment, every breath you take on this earth. Because tomorrow, it could all just be a dream.”

Whether or not this will be the great tragedy of our time, it has already been significant.

These past weeks have shaken the systems we previously understood as absolutes, have forced us to examine our values and what we expect out of leadership, and have caused widespread individual introspection and reflection.

So regardless of what happens next, at least we know for sure, that nothing is for certain.

Retroactive

By BO

“This experience has made me more present,” Elisa Weiss wrote. “Instead of obsessing over all the things I could have, I am realizing all of the wonderful things I do have. All the trivial things I used to worry about seem much less important now that there are much bigger things, with global implications, happening all around me.”

“You know what this whole virus situation made me realize?

We should live everyday like it’s our last. Because it could be, virus or not,” Bryan Deiffenbach wrote. “We should shoot to be the best version of ourselves every day and enjoy every moment. We don’t know what

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The Challenge...

Bouquets: • I’d like to thank Spokane’s KHQ-6 news director Kelly Hatmaker for reaching out last week to offer any assistance to the Sandpoint Reader during this time of hardship. KHQ-6 covered the story about the Reader having to lay off staff members on their news broadcast Thursday, March 26. Really appreciate our fellow journalists caring about the welfare of this little newspaper.

• A Bouquet is heartily given to all of those wonderful volunteers who shuttle home-delivered meals to homebound seniors through the Sandpoint Senior Center and the Bonner Community Food Center.

Many elderly folks rely on these meals every day, so way to go SASi and the Food Bank.

• One segment of the population we owe a lot to right now are truck drivers, whose hard work during this crisis has helped keep the supply chains open and functioning.

Just imagine for a moment how much this situation would be made worse if we were unable to receive supplies via semi trucks. I, for one, am grateful for them. If you know a trucker, tell them thanks for keeping our supply line open.

Barbs • It’s downright shameful the way a few members of our community have attempted to label this outbreak a “hoax,” one of them being our elected representative Heather Scott, R-Blanchard. When the dust settles and this is all in the rear-view-mirror, I do hope we remember those who did the right thing and chose the health of a community as the top priority. Also, I’m confused about the amount of posts from locals which attempt to downplay the virus, citing statistics about the seasonal flu as if this is no worse. Most of the comparisons I’ve seen are like comparing trucks to sandboxes. Let’s knock off the b.s. and focus on banding together to get through this period of struggle as quickly as possible – which means practicing social distancing and accepting reality.

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Dear Sandpoint, This is a challenge to everyone reading the Reader.

If you have ever written a letter to the editor here – please donate to the Reader.

If you have ever bought something from based on an ad in the Reader – please donate to the Reader.

If you have ever advertised in the Reader – please donate to the Reader.

If you have ever had your picture in the Reader – please donate to the Reader.

If you have seen your child’s name or your friend’s child’s name – please donate to the Reader.

If you have ever read an article in the Reader that made you smile – please donate to the Reader.

If you have ever read an article in the Reader that made you mad – please donate to the Reader.

If you have ever grabbed a copy to start your fireplace – please donate to the Reader.

If you have ever lined your birdcage with it – please donate to the Reader.

If you lived in Bonner County and remember the dark days between the original Reader and Reader 2.0 – please donate to the Reader.

In these times we need to have a reliable, trustworthy local news source that is informative and entertaining, the Reader is all of that and more! Please donate to the Reader!

I have donated since 2018 and have just increased my monthly pledge, paid effortlessly through the Reader’s Patreon account.

Dave Wood Sandpoint

state. We may or may not eventually experience such cataclysmic suffering. But many local businesses and families are sinking, right now.

Unless things turn around, and soon, many are bound to go broke.

Incomes, for many, have ended. This newspaper, the Reader, among them.

If there were ever a time to lift ourselves up by lifting others, it is today. Think about sending a check, no matter how small, to a neighbor, to a school, to a favorite store, café, church or local charity. Think about it, then lift yourself up and do it.

This plea opened with a quote and will close with another. As one who grew up with and reveres Winnie The Pooh and his pals, the following from Pooh’s pal Piglet seems more than merely appropriate at this moment: “You can’t stay in your corner of the forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes.” Now is the time to go to them.

Michael Spurgin (and fellow Tango Cafe Breakfast Roundtable) Sandpoint

Reducing the Federal Budget...

Dear editor, As it has been statistically established that the geezer population suffers the greatest number of fatalities, it becomes obvious that the coronavirus outbreak has been orchestrated by Trump and his Republican minions to reduce Social Security and Medicare payments, this allows them to spend even more money on the wall or any other boondoggle he can dream up.

Ted Wert Sagle p.s. If you’re reading this and you still have a job make a contribution to the Reader. It’s free but its bills are not.

Lift Yourself Up...

Public Education is a Gift...

Dear editor, A modest banner on a wall at Di Luna’s restaurant on Cedar Street in Sandpoint reads: “If you want to lift yourself up, lift someone else up.”

Because of the virus, Di Luna’s, like just about every enterprise in North Idaho, has shut down.

Schools, churches, cafes, bars, stores, theaters, factories, parties, athletic events, rehearsals, our library, have closed their doors.

Life at large has taken leave. We in North Idaho are not, as a community, as desperate as California, New York or neighboring Washington

Dear editor, My thanks to Jason Welker for his thoughtful column “In Defense of Civil Society.” One of the greatest gifts of my life was a free public education. In my day, you could be a working class kid, go to a state supported four year college and graduate without debt. Unless we value and support our educational institutions, what hope do we have of being an educated society and an engaged democracy?

I’m so tired of the small cadre of local folks who imply that our school district is cheating and dishonest

when the district attempts to pass a school levy. I believe our school officials are trying to provide quality education to our community.

Thank you to all those administrators, teachers, and support staff for soldiering on despite the lack of support from the State of Idaho.

Georgia York Sandpoint

Lack of Concern...

Dear editor, In regard to COVID-19 and our country’s lack of taking this disease seriously, probably based on president Trump’s lack of concern, backed up by our own state governor Brad Little being on the same page with Trump. All of this is contrary to the true experts – i.e. doctors and scientists on this disease. Let ask you, who do you trust to keep you healthy and alive? The politicians or the doctors and scientists?

Marty Stitsel Sandpoint

Living the Dream...

Dear editor, Boy, are we all being challenged now. Boy are we so fortunate living here, raising families here, jumping in the lake here, skiing here, playing music here, discovering ourselves here, and discovering this special community here.

So now our dreams and our reality are being challenged.

So let’s be vigilant about the 6 feet of separation, gatherings, skateboard parks with too many kids on top of each other, basketball pickup games. Lets be vigilant which is thoughtful, kind, respectful for each of us so we can go back to: Hugging, dining, music, partying, dancing, sporting events, team events, weddings, divorces, knitting bees, quilting circles, yoga, spinning, swimming, bowling, biking! Let’s keep living the dream here and prosper together in our community and our world with love and compassion. We don’t want to live in a nightmare.

Steve Berenson Sandpoint

Why we Should Shelter-in-Place now...

President Trump is promoting the idea that the cure is worse than the disease – that hurting the economy is worse than people dying.

Although I hate to admit it, I have had those thoughts too. After all, a

bad economy kills people too. Are we just so scared of death that we can’t stand letting the virus take its course?

I returned from California last week so I thought about the virus while I was there, and visiting family, and thought about what I was going to do when I came home.

We left last Monday, March 16 and they slammed the door behind us – it was the day the shelter-in-place order took affect for the whole San Francisco metropolitan area. I decided the only ethical course of action was to isolate myself for 2 weeks when we got back to Sandpoint. It wasn’t that I am so scared of getting sick, it’s that I didn’t want to bring it back to anyone else.

The trip made it clear to me. It’s not just about the economy and the calculation of how many will die – it’s about compassion. It’s looking out for my Sandpoint community and it’s looking out for the medical community and all the other essential workers who are keep us going.

If we don’t “flatten the curve” we are putting the people on the front lines at even greater risk. The more time they have to spend without the proper equipment, the more chance that they will get sick and unknowingly spread to others. And then they won’t be there if I do get sick.

This will be a different story when we have adequate testing and equipment. But we don’t. The only thing we can do right now to mitigate the crisis is to stay away from each other and follow Governor Little’s order. We are getting different stories from our politicians, so I would add that we need to educate ourselves.

Here is a website that spells out why we should act now. There is still time in Idaho to avoid the worst. https://covidactnow.org/map Jean Gerth Sandpoint

Arrogant and Deranged...

Dear editor, How is it possible for our elected Representative Heather Scott to be so arrogant and deranged as to tout the idea that this global pandemic in which tens of thousands of people have died is the work of a few godless liberal elites? Who continues to elect this woman anyway?

Marilyn McIntyre Bonner County

OUTDOORS High school seniors: submit wild essays to Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness

By Reader Staff For over a decade, Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness has given high school seniors a chance to show their love for wild country. This year, the FSPW scholarship competition will award scholarships in Sanders, Lincoln and Bonner Counties for the best essays on the theme “A most memorable wilderness experience.” Now is the time to submit an essay. The April 10 deadline for submission is approaching.

Entries are judged on the power of the story, passion of the writer, sticking close to the theme and writing skill. Over the years, wild tales of life-changing days, heartwarming events, harrowing adventures and moments of sublime peace have been submitted. Many previous entries can be viewed at scotchmanpeaks.org/category/ voices-in-the-wilderness/ or scotchmanpeaks.org/category/blog/ Winners receives a certificate and a check for $250. This is paid directly to the winner upon graduation, and may be used as they see fit. This scholarship has no minimum GPA. It doesn’t require a commitment for college, though FSPW hopes winners will continue on in school.

The essay may be about a first-hand experience of the author or a story related to the author. The experience can happen in any wild place and portray traditional wilderness activities such as backpacking, camping, hunting, fishing, berry picking, or horseback riding.

Deadline for entries is Friday, April 10, 2020. Download the entry form at https:// www.scotchmanpeaks.org/pdfs/FSPW2020ScholarshipApplicationForm.pdf

A tale of two Col(l)ins

By Regan Plumb Reader Contributor It seems implausible enough that a contemporary outdoor recreation center could be pulled together in a matter of months with little advance notice during Sandpoint’s peak construction season. Add the fact that the two principal contractors involved had virtually the same first name (and last initial), and the story takes on an extraordinary quality. Extraordinary is a good way to describe the contributions of local builders Colin Burnett and Collin Beggs to the new Pine Street Woods Outdoor Recreation Center.

When Kaniksu Land Trust and Sandpoint Nordic Club approached Colin Burnett, co-owner of Idagon Homes (Idagon. net), in the spring of 2019 about the project, he responded that all of his project managers were booked for the season. Then he offered to oversee the project personally.

With the ground breaking pushed into September, and a requirement that grant funds awarded in April be expended by early November, time was short to complete the 1,900 square-foot building. But Burnett was committed to seeing the project through because he recognized its intrinsic value to the Pine Street Woods property and to the broader community: a sheltering space to be open all year, ski and snowshoe rentals in the winter, and year-round children’s programming like school trips and ski lessons.

“The project was a great opportunity to contribute to community based groups that have done so much to enhance outdoor opportunities for people of all ages in Sandpoint,” Burnett said.

He donated countless hours of personal time to ensure the success of the project, while also encouraging subcontractors and suppliers to offer discounts so the building could be completed within a limited budget.

But one thing was missing. To be complete, the building needed a beautiful porch

to provide shelter from the elements and an inviting bridge between the indoors and the outdoors. Enter Collin Beggs Design Build Timber Framing (collinbeggs.com), a long time Sandpoint-based timber framer, and his talented staff. Beggs’ crew carefully cut and notched the timbers for a stunning porch in their workshop, then raised them on a gray January day, all at no cost to the project.

When asked about his contribution to the project, Beggs said “I know the impact that the built environment has on individuals and communities. Our work is a gift to everyone who comes to Pine Street Woods, and to the land itself, a gift that embodies our dreams, values and aspirations for our community. We hope everyone who visits is

Collin Beggs, left, and Colin Burnett stand in front of the outdoor recreation center at Pine St. Woods. uplifted and inspired.”

The porch timbers were derived from trees with a long history in Sandpoint: an aged elm that lived out its natural life on Elm Street, and a massive walnut that shaded a farmhouse on Gooby Road. How fitting that these wizened old trees should continue to shelter the residents of Sandpoint. And also that two of our community’s master builders should partner on a legacy project that will continue to serve our residents for many years to come.

Regan Plumb works for Kootenai Land Trust.

CrossFit Sandpoint announces online program

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

In the wake of the coronavirus, businesses are having to pivot and evolve more than ever. Kenny and Jenn Markwardt of CrossFit Sandpoint are unveiling a new online training program for their clients during the coronavirus pandemic.

“We’re matching each client up with one of our professional coaches and providing them a training plan that keeps them moving forward,” owner Jenn Markwardt said. “They’ll receive daily check-ins from their coach, a detailed workout plan and a

lot of accountability. In some ways this new challenge has really become an opportunity to get to know our members even better.

Because we don’t know how long this environment is going to last, it’s important to keep your routine, we don’t want our clients to wake up two months down the road realizing they put their goals on hold. We want them to see this as an opportunity to change things up, get back to basics, work on new things and come out of this stronger.”

Contact CrossFit Sandpoint at crossfitsandpoint.com to learn more.

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Mad about Science:

Brought to you by:

educational gaming

By Brenden Bobby Reader Columnist

Some folks are going on week three of self-isolation and social distancing. There’s only so much Tiger King you can watch on Netflix before you feel your brain start to seep from your ears.

So what can we do to keep our minds sharp, stay engaged with our friends and not go crazy with cabin fever?

Educational games, obviously!

I know what you’re thinking: obnoxious games that try to force learning down your throat that aren’t really fun – relics from the classrooms of the early 2000s.

That couldn’t be farther from the truth, and I’ll show you why.

Here is a list of some titles I’ve sampled specifically for their entertainment value, and learned some stuff along the way. I know most of the area is out of work in the middle of the pandemic, and can’t afford to squander precious funds on entertainment – myself included. So if buying one of these understandably isn’t an option, browse some videos on Youtube about these for free. I’ve linked up with a lot of other gamers and content creators that I admire by perusing their videos on games just like these. Who knows, you might make a new friend across the country – and that’s some great social distance.

Kerbal Space Program - $9.99 Kerbal Space Program is a game about building rockets and launching men into space. The game utilizes real-life orbital physics and atmospheric simulations to provide an experience that’s so authentic, NASA has used it to run exercises. If this sounds completely daunting and overwhelming, don’t worry, Kerbal Space Program is a game at its heart and there is zero ramifi10 /

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cation for you strapping dozens of rockets to a command module and seeing what happens.

In fact, quirky behavior is encouraged as it will often lead to curiosity. My initial intentional failures (and some accidental successes) led to a desire to push farther, see how much higher I could get my rocket. Eventually, I decided to tackle a moon landing.

Sadly, poor Bob Kerman didn’t have enough fuel to make it back home, but he made it to the moon!

Kerbal Space Program is safe to use in a classroom setting and can be used as a powerful tool for teaching kids and adults the basic principles of orbital physics and aeronautics.

Universe Sandbox - $29.99 Universe Sandbox is exactly what it sounds like: a powerful universe simulation tool. Designed to teach users about how celestial bodies interact in the vacuum of space, it presents intensely complicated science in a way that anyone from fifth grade to adult can understand and appreciate.

The game comes loaded with dozens of premade scenarios like our own solar system – where you can see what would happen if a black hole swallowed our sun – to the collision of the Milky Way and Andromeda galaxies.

My personal favorite experiment in the game is to create very large stars with large solar systems, then trying to create a number of habitable planets and just seeing how the solar system evolves over its life. It’s also fun to see what happens if two planets collide, or if a star reaches its final life stages and goes full supernova.

Sid Meier’s Civilization VI - $59.99 Often abbreviated by fans as “Civ 6”, this game provides a unique experimental and learning experience best enjoyed by

multiple people at once – easy to do while isolated as it comes with online play!

The Civilization franchise has been used by teachers for years ranging in subjects from histories to humanities to social studies.

The premise is the players share a world from the viewpoint of a major historical leader, such as Cleopatra. The players then go on to try and win the game under certain victory conditions, be it through global domination, the spread of culture and religion or scientific mastery. The game allows for the creation of dynamic alliances to oppose threats of other players and to mutually bolster scientific or cultural growth.

Many classrooms saw shifts in social dynamics between students playing the game, where students that had been bullied would rally together to form an alliance and beat back the aggressive nation that belonged to the very bully that had been tormenting them in the school halls just moments before.

The game also contains a massive library of historical facts about the leaders, locations, buildings, wonders and units within the game.

Cities: Skylines - $5.99 Similar to the SimCity franchise from the 1990s, Cities: Skylines is a game about urban development and planning. Utilizing realistic traffic simulations, your city’s efficiency is gauged by its layout and the ease in which your citizens can travel from home to work to play (in addition to your tourists).

One of the most interesting things I’ve found in Cities: Skylines was a map of the Sandpoint/ Ponderay/Kootenai area devoid of buildings, developed by a dedicated player online. So if you are griping about the traffic revisions in town, give this map a whirl and see what kind of bustling metrop-

A screenshot from Cities: Skyline. olis you could turn Sandpoint into.

The game even comes with a limited editor so you can design specific buildings to pop up in lots. You could even build the Panida theater and slap it onto an airport if you so desired.

That’s all for now. I have kingdoms to conquer upon my throne of isolation!

Stay curious, 7B.

Random Corner paper? don’t know much about toilet We can help!

• The first recorded use of toilet paper was was in medieval China in the 6th century, during the Tang Dynasty. The modern toilet paper, which was also perfumed, was made in 1391 during the Ming Dynasty and was made for the Chinese Emperor family’s needs. The toilet paper made and produced for the Chinese royalties were in an enormous size of 2-foot by 3-foot sheets.

• About four billion people don’t use toilet paper, which accounts for about 70% of the world’s population.

• In 1973, a shortage scare in toilet paper happened in America because of a joke made by Johnny Carson during The Tonight Show which caused throngs of people to rush to grocery stores and hoard.

• In an average household, the average roll of toilet paper lasts approximately five days (helpful math to calculate exactly how many months worth of toilet paper you may have from panic buying).

• Consumers use approximately 8–9 sheets of paper per toilet use, and around 57 sheets per day. The average person uses 100 rolls of toilet paper per year • It takes about 384 trees to make the toilet paper that one person uses within their lifetime.

• An average tree weighs 1,000 pounds which would yield 450 pounds of bleached chemical pulp, assuming a 90% converting yield, approximately 810 rolls of toilet paper would be produced from a single tree.

• The average production of toilet paper is about 83,048,116 rolls per day.

• Toilet paper is often used for making dresses.

• Seth Wheeler’s patent for perforated toilet paper in 1891 may finally solve the debate on the correct way to hang toilet paper: Wheeler’s patent shows the toilet paper hanging up and over, not over and under.

PERSPECTIVES

Is the coronavirus a ‘hoax’?

By Gabrielle Duebendorfer Reader Contributor I recently read “The Contagion of Fear”

by Chuck Baldwin on Idaho District 1 Rep. Heather Scott’s face book page. The article claims coronavirus is a hoax creating panic leading to more government and loss of First Amendment liberties. I was curious to learn more and decided to look at another post – by Dr. Shiva (Ph.D. in biological engineering from MIT in systems biology). He claims that viruses (including COVID-19) don’t harm or kill. Death is being caused by immune systems weakened by pollution.

Deep State is to blame for fear-mongering which profits big industry and government.

Conspiracy theories like these strongly influence policy makers who are inclined to not base their decisions on science-based evidence, which undermines scientists and health officials/providers, who are globally trying to stop the pandemic from overwhelming the health systems. Let’s take a closer look.

Conspiracy theories always have an important underlying value – in Mr. Baldwin’s case First Amendment rights. Freedom is a global human value but also a uniquely

American one, currently threatened by sweeping government actions. This is partly why I live here instead of in Germany, though people there seem to be more willing to give up one’s freedom in exchange for public health measures that save lives.

The kernel of truth in this conspiracy is the profiteering of Big Pharma. This is indeed a big problem as seen with the opioid crisis. However, to take this as a rationale to decry the epidemic as a hoax is misrepresenting true facts to validate and protect a particular viewpoint – in this case using the fact of Pharma profiteering as evidence for the CDC, deliberately attacking our freedom by fear-mongering. Big corporations by nature are profit oriented, but that does not mean they are intent on destroying the economy or our health by inventing an epidemic.

Dr. V.A. Shiva reflects a similar conspiracy while focusing on the underlying value of the sanctity of our bodies and planet.

As a naturopathic physician, I support this sanctity as well as the kernel of truth that government agencies and appointed officials are influenced too much by the petroleum and pharmaceutical industries, profiteering from rather than reducing

pollution. However, using this to decry the epidemic as a hoax is unconscionable. He obviously wants to get elected to the Senate as evidenced by his inflammatory language designed to appeal to emotions.

In order to do so he also uses a false dichotomy, which incorrectly assumes that there are only two possibilities. By proving one right, the other one is proved wrong or vice versa. He asserts that pollution is the cause of a weakened immune system, and then claims that focusing on healthy living will keep us from getting killed by the COVID-19 virus. He neglects to mention clear evidence that different microbes have different virulence (ability to infect and kill) and that this virus is a new coronavirus (not the regular flu/cold virus). To claim that improving one’s thyroid, digestion,and micro-biome is going to make one immune to the virus is an outright misrepresentation of scientific facts.

Naturopathic medicine has for centuries addressed what we call the “terrain” with patients – without denying the impact of microbes! A new strain can have disastrous impacts (e.g. measles in the New World, Spanish Flu, Ebola). Hand washing is prov-

en to prevent infections and deaths! There is an interconnection between the terrain and the disease agent, which needs to be supported by strong community health policies in an epidemic.

While his explanation of the immune system being way more complex than just antibodies is accurate and while I sympathize with his frustration with the pharmaceutical industry focusing primarily on vaccines and anti-viral drugs, he is not accurate with claiming that cytokine storms as with COVID-19 are the inevitable outcome in dysfunctional immune systems only. This is a false conclusion.

As a naturopathic physician I have always educated my patients to nurture their terrain but not at the expense of addressing virulent microbes and honoring public health measures such as social distancing and hand washing. I would hope that our Repr. Heather Scott would be supportive of such a view.

Dr. Gabrielle Duebendorfer is a licensed naturopathic physician who values freedom and sanctity but is greatly concerned about people ignoring public health measures in this pandemic.

Fire cutting permits waived April 1-June 1

By Ben Olson Reader Staff Personal firewood cutting will be free to the general public from April 1 through June 1 on Idaho Panhandle National Forests. No permit will be required during this time period.

Woodcutters can take up to 12 cords of firewood for personal use. A cord is the amount of split and piled wood in a stack 4-foot high by 4-foot wide by 8-foot long.

Personal use firewood cutting allows the public to remove downed timber or to cut standing dead trees. Forest officials request woodcutters follow these requirements: • Do not fell green (live) trees. Do not cut cedar or Pacific yew.

• Do not cut standing dead trees or down logs with signs, tags or paint pmarks on them.

• Firewood gathering is prohibited in all developed recreation areas, campgrounds and wild and scenic river corridors.

• Firewood gathering is prohibited within timber sale units or other areas signed or shown on the firewood gathering area map (if provided) as being closed to firewood gathering.

• Trees or logs must NOT be felled or skidded across live streams, lakes, or reservoirs. If a tree is accidentally felled into a waterway, leave the entire tree.

•Firewood gathering is prohibited within 150 feet of any running stream, pond, lake, marshy or wet area.

•The following activities are prohibited: using over-the-terrain vehicles for skidding, yarding or skidding systems in excess of 100 feet, log trucks for hauling, or vehicles driven off roadways to gather firewood.

• Six feet is the maximum length piece that may be removed under the firewood program.

Call your local ranger station for more information.

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COMMUNITY

Home-delivered meals to seniors continues

Sandpoint Senior Center reports no disruptions to their meals program for homebound seniors

By Ben Olson Reader Staff The coronavirus has affected just about every aspect of daily life here in North Idaho, but one organization is holding strong. The Sandpoint Area Seniors, Inc., which has provided home-delivered meals for homebound seniors for decades, has not seen any interruptions to their delivery service from the coronavirus outbreak.

“Most of the drivers are cooperating and everything is going really good so far,” said Mary McGinnis, who has coordinated the program through the Sandpoint Senior Center for more than 20 years. “In fact, we added a few people. The last 7 days, we got 4 or 5 more.”

McGinnis said anywhere from 30 to 60 people take advantage of the home-delivered meal program on a daily basis. The volunteer drivers service Sand-

point and surrounding areas such as Kootenai, Priest River, Sagle and Samuels as well.

The meals are provided free of charge to any homebound senior over 60 years old, though they do ask for a suggested donation if patrons are able to contribute. The program is made possible partially through government funding, but most comes from fundraising and grants, as well as through the Area Agency in Coeur d’Alene.

Those interested in signing up for home-delivered meals should call McGinnis at the Sandpoint Senior Center at 208263-6860. Those who qualify for home-delivered meals also include if someone is fresh from the hospital and can’t provide for themselves.

McGinnis said the meals sent out for delivery are the same as the regular meals they make at the Senior Center, but they are frozen so homebound seniors

can pop them in the oven and enjoy a hot meal.

“When the drivers send the bags of meals out, they get 6 frozen meals and a hot meal for the day,” McGinnis said. “They also get a cold tray and milk.”

Along with home-delivered meals, the Sandpoint Senior Center continues providing

Grab-n-Go meals to their regular clientele that normally dines at the center for lunch. Though the center has closed to help fight the spread of the coronavirus, McGinnis said pick-up options are available.

“We have a walk-up so they can pick up a meal, too,” McGinnis said.

SASi staff offers a Grab-n-Go meal to one of their clients. Courtesy photo.

Pickup options for regular clientele is between 12-12:30 p.m.

For more information, call the Sandpoint Senior Center at 208-263-6860.

Food Bank seeking volunteers to deliver food The nonprofit is looking for people to pack food boxes and deliver to those in need

By Ben Olson Reader Staff One of the biggest struggles right now during the coronavirus pandemic is making sure those in need continue to have those needs met. The Bonner Community Food Center is working overtime to make sure their regular clients have uninterrupted access to food in this time of crisis.

Executive Director Debbie Love said the Food Bank has had to modify its food distribution a bit to help meet health guidelines issued by the CDC. “We’ve suspended market shopping and are creating monthly food boxes now,” Love said.

“We’re serving those on the outside of our building, since we’re not allowing the public inside.”

The undertaking is an enormous one. Food Bank staff and volunteers are tasked with taking 12 /

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all the food off the shelf and categorizing it into monthly food boxes to make sure everyone has the staples they need for home.

Also, the Food Bank receives “grocery store rescues” which are perishable items picked up from stores every morning that are taken off the sales floor.

“We’re letting clients come weekly for those items, which include dairy products, eggs, bakery items and produce,” Love said. “So they can get monthly food boxes and pick up perishable items weekly now.”

The monthly food boxes include mostly canned items that are shelf stable, such as canned foods, vegetables, pastas and sauces.

The Food Bank serves over 500 seniors, Love said, which means they are seeking volunteers to help deliver the food boxes to their doorsteps. Anyone interested in helping can contact the Food

Bank at 208-263-3663 or email info@foodbank83864.com.

“Our hours for clients are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., but we are here Mondays and Fridays packing boxes for the week,” Love said.

“We’re looking for volunteers to help with that as well.”

Love said the Food Bank has seen an increase in those seeking food assistance – a sign that the coronavirus pandemic has reached every corner of the community.

“Another thing is, with restaurants moving to take out, we’ve had quite a few servers coming in needing services,” Love said.

“That’s when I knew it was hitting home here, when your favorite server walks through the door.”

Love said the Food Bank takes protective measures to ensure groceries from local stores – which she said have been very

supportive of the Food Bank – are safe to distribute to their clients.

“All our volunteers have gloves, masks and safety glasses,” she said. “The practice we are telling our volunteers and seniors in their homes is to leave the box on their doorsteps to ensure we’re practicing physical social distancing.”

Love said she’s been heartened at seeing how many people have come forward to help during this time of crisis.

Tim and Savannah Clark, owners of The Burger Dock in Sandpoint, bring sack lunches they donated to the Food Bank to distribute to area families. Photo courtesy Bonner Community Food Center.

“We’ve had an outpouring of help from the community,” she said. “People are stepping up, as we knew they would.”

Call the Food Bank for more information: 208-263-3663.

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COMMUNITY

What the stimulus means for you

By Ben Olson Reader Staff The historic passage of the $2 trillion stimulus bill will provide aid to Americans in the time of COVID-19 crisis, but what specifically does it mean for you? Here’s a brief analysis of how the stimulus can help you and your business. For more information and advice for how to best take advantage of the package, consult with your tax professionals.

Direct checks Taxpayers making $75,000 and below will receive a check for $1,200, while married couples making $150,000 or below will receive $2,400. Individuals and couples under this earnings limit will also receive $500 per child age 16 or under. The rebate will reach approximately 140 million households, according to estimates from the Tax Foundation, constituting about 93% of all taxpayers in the U.S. The money will not count as taxable income. Checks will phase out for incomes above $75,000 a year, with rebates declining $5 for every $100 above the income cap. The payment will stop altogether for single people earning $99,000 or married people with no children who

earn $198,000. You can’t get a payment if anyone claims you as a dependent, even if you’re an adult. No action is necessary, as the IRS will transmit the payment via direct deposit, using bank account information from the taxpayer’s 2018 or 2019 return.

Unemployment benefits The stimulus plan includes far more workers than are usually eligible for unemployment benefits, including those that are self-employed and part-time workers. While normal state unemployment benefits earn workers an average or about 50% of their former pay, the goal of this program passed with the stimulus package is to fill the gap to ensure workers are making nearly what they made before the coronavirus outbreak.

Eligible workers will receive an extra $600 per week on top of their state benefit for up to four months, covering added unemployment benefits until July 31.

Student loans The federal government has issued an automatic payment suspension for any student loan held by the federal government until Sept. 30. The bill states that interest “shall not accrue” on the loan during the suspension period.

Small business loans and payroll protection The stimulus package includes over $370 billion in government-backed bank loans that – in some cases – borrowers won’t have to repay. Issued by your local bank and backed by the Small Business Administration, the Paycheck Protection Program loans are intended to pay for basic expenses like payroll, rent, utilities and more. It’s best to talk with your banker or tax professional to see which of the numerous assistance package is best for you, but generally, business owners won’t have to provide personal guarantees as collateral, and there are no fees associated with the loans. Interest rates are capped at 4%.

The program comes with some restrictions: loans are limited to $10 million, to businesses with 500 employees or less.

Businesses that have recently laid off workers would be required to repay a larger portion of their loans, and loans covering salaries of over $100,000 a year wouldn’t qualify for forgiveness. Businesses would not have to repay loans covering up to an 8-week period beginning with the origination of the loan – which means the amount a borrower spends for eligible costs (payroll, mortgage payments, rent, utilities, etc.) will be forgiven, but you have to spend it during the 8 weeks and must retain the same number of employees until June 30 to be eligible for loan forgiveness.

There are a lot of moving parts with this section, so be sure to speak with your local banker or tax professional to see which plan is best for your business. * * *

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Locally, the Bonner County Economic Development Corporation announced they have resources available to local business owners needing a push in the right direction.

The team has reached out to business owners the past two weeks to learn their thoughts on the crisis. Loss of revenue topped the list of concerns, according to Andrea Marcoccio, executive director of Bonner County EDC. “Business owners are worried about their ability to weather the crisis when revenue is diminished or even nonexistent,” Marcoccio said.

Marcoccio encouraged anyone seeking help navigating the stimulus package to consult www.bonnercountyedc.com daily for resources, including overviews of what the stimulus might mean for your business.

All business owners are asked to complete a survey at bonnercountyedc.com so the team can have a clearer understanding of how the pandemic has affected our local businesses. / April 2, 2020

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EDUCATION

Education in the time of coronavirus

Simple ways to help your child, and yourself, through distance learning in Bonner County

By Danielle Packard Reader Contributor As we move out of our spring break, such as it is, parents may be overwhelmed by the prospect of homeschooling for at least another two weeks as local schools remain closed. This is a stressful time for work, families and our children. As a classroom teacher and parent of two kids between 5 and 8 years old, I’d like to share some methods that have helped my husband and me when helping our kids learn amid the uncertainty stemming from the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. It’s a challenging time, but it can be rewarding for parents and kids alike.

Figure out a schedule and a learning space that works for you — and stick to it When my husband and I took home a schedule from our son’s wonderful second-grade teacher, we tried to follow it exactly… and failed the first day. Our prep time was nil, the concepts were new and our son was resisting our attempts to guide him through the material — all a recipe for disaster in a classroom teaching environment. So we looked at what was most important: the learning.

We still work through the content with our kids but in a much-simplified way. For instance, our son melts down when he has to write any time after noon, but can do math all day long. So we do all his writing work in the morning and use math as a reward afterward. The lesson here: Don’t be afraid to rework a schedule and tailor it to your kid’s strengths.

We also learned early on that giving everyone a designated space was key for our collective sanity. We’ve used curtains and sheets to clearly define space for parents working and kids doing school work.

The key here is to make sure your kid has a designated spot in which to work and not to deviate from the routine. It’s calming and helps everyone focus.

Our kids like to work at the kitchen table, so we use plastic bins to hold their school work. When school is over, they put everything back in their bin and the class table reverts to the dinner table.

Be flexible and forgiving — of yourself and your child Don’t let perfection be the enemy of the good. For example, your kid loves English but hates math. She wants to spend an hour writing a journal piece and your schedule says 20 minutes. Go with it.

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Giving kids the time to pursue their interests and passions is something teachers wish we could do more in the classroom.

Yet, often we are restrained by schedules and planning. As a new homeschooling parent, you don’t have to be.

Let your kid set the pace — if they’re happy with what they’re learning, let them continue. Most of the secondary teachers in Bonner County are offering whole weeks online so students can block an entire day for a class or an hour each day. As much as you can, honor their preferences. Spending time learning each day is the most important goal. If (or maybe when) the first hour of the first day brings on an emotional meltdown, take a break, watch a show and come back to it when you can.

Reward learning — a lot You’re stressed and your kid is stressed.

Every good teacher knows that behavior management is 80% of learning success, so don’t neglect it. Come up with rewards for any and all kinds of positive behavior. Now is not the time to skimp on the treats.

Set up a system so your kid gets lots of praise and encouragement, and is working toward a reward throughout the learning day.

Some strategies that work well in the classroom include putting up points or giving out “tickets” whenever we see a kid on task.

This is a quick and easy way to praise your student(s). For younger kids, try marbles or rocks — younger kids love to see their good behavior build up. Your kid sits in their seat: they get a ticket. Your kid does a math problem without whining: that’s worth two tickets. Finally, give your kid a reward when they reach a certain number of tickets/points/ marbles (10 is usually a good amount).

What kind of rewards? Try treats, TV time, video time, whatever will help your kid focus on the task at hand. Every bit as important: While you’re at it, give yourself some tickets, too. You’re here and trying and you deserve some candy (or a beer, glass of wine, mindless smartphone scrolling… whatever helps you unwind and reset).

A note on the breaks: Even if your kid is in total defiance mode — maybe especially if they are resisting to the point of total shutdown — do not skimp on the breaks.

Your child’s teacher knows that a kid’s attention span is about their age times four (on a good day). That means your 10-yearold can focus for 40 minutes before they need a break.

That said, don’t try to rush through everything. As teachers, we also use timekeepers like phone alarms or cooking timers

to let kids know when they have worked for five minutes or have 10 minutes left until break. This helps to keep them motivated.

Respect your kid’s attention span and your own. They can always earn extra break time, but don’t take the time away. Besides, you need the breaks as much as they do.

Use online learning resources — but don’t get overwhelmed There are so many online resources available to us, which is great. However, decision fatigue is real and crippling. In their podcast, Life Kit: Tips for Homeschooling During Coronavirus on NPR, Anya Kamenentz and Corey Turner talk about the slew of pdfs, links and free education sites circulating among teachers, friends and social media, and how overwhelming it all is to parents. Don’t get lost down the rabbit hole of online education sites and don’t let all the choices keep you from picking one or two and ignoring the rest — regardless of how forceful others’ recommendations might be. Focus on your kid’s needs and interests, not what everybody on Facebook says is “the best.”

Pick one or two that seem to address your kid’s learning needs and ignore the rest (see the sidebar on this page for some suggestions). Also, let your school do the work for you. Your child’s teacher has also probably given you passwords to certain websites they use in the classroom. Start there, as your kid is already familiar with the learning format.

Communicate — for any reason As teachers, we miss your kids, we miss teaching, we’d love to talk to you and to your kids. We want to help you through this chaos even as we’re trying to navigate it, too. Email us and have your kids email us, even if it’s just to say “hi.” Many teachers have set up online formats (like Zoom or Google Meets) so you and your kid can ask questions or say hello “face-to-face.”

So what are the big takeaways here? Be flexible and forgiving of yourself and your kids. Try to consistently set up a location and break times each day. Be sure to reward any and all positive behavior, no matter how small.

Finally, if all you can do is lay on the sofa and read together, or work while they read, you’ve done something. Give yourself a treat — you’ve earned it.

Top Free Educational Resources Khan Academy (khanacademy.org): While Khan academy has long been a great resource for math, it also features videos; quizzes; and schedules for English, social studies and science.

You can access everything for free and without a password. Good for all ages, but especially upper elementary through high school.

Scholastic Education (classroommagazines.scholastic.com/support/learnathome.html): Scholastic is offering free online access to books, lesson plans, quizzes and tips for kindergarten-ninth grade. There is a wide variety of offerings and lots of popular books to choose from. This is a great site for daily reading time.

Epic Books (getepic.com): Epic offers online books for ages 5-12. The site is also offering free remote student access until the end of the school year. Email your child’s teacher, as all free accounts are by teacher invitation. Epic is slick and easy to navigate with options for kids to read or to listen to the book (perfect for engaging younger kids so you can check email).

East Bonner County Library Online (ebonnerlibrary. org/index.php/52-ebooks-eaudiobooks): Though the libraries are closed, you can still access many e-book and e-audiobooks with your library card.

There are selections for all ages and Overdrive (the online rental system) is easy to navigate once you enter your library card online. The library also has a digital learning site with free access to all sorts of learning platforms (in case it’s time to finally realize that dream of learning French).

Life Kit: Tips for Homeschooling During Coronavirus (npr.org/2020/03/23/820228206/6-tips-f or-homeschooling-during-coronavirus): In this quick and engaging podcast, Anya Kamenentz and Corey Turner discuss ways to keep your sanity and help your kids through homeschooling.

This source is definitely for you rather than your kid, but is full of easy-to-use tips.

Websites: Khan Academy (https://www.khanacademy.org/) Scholastic Education (https://classroommagazines.scholastic.com/support/learnathome.html) Epic Books: (https://www.getepic.com/) East Bonner County Library Online (https://ebonnerlibrary.org/index.php/52-ebooks-eaudiobooks) Life Kit: Tips for Homeschooling During Coronavirus (https://www.npr.org/2020/03/23/820228206 /6-tips-for-homeschooling-during-coronavirus)

MUSIC, STAGE & SCREEN

FSPW launches podcast ‘Your Wild Place’

By Reader Staff Social distancing. Working from home. Teleconferencing. The workstyle may change, but the goal of saving our wild backyard stays the same.

To help flatten the curve while still getting the wilderness word out, Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness is starting a podcast.

Named “Your Wild Place,” the first episode is available to download or stream right now through the platform of your choice at www. scotchmanpeaks.org/podcast.

“Your Wild Place” tells personal stories that bring out the humanity in wilderness. The first episode follows longtime FSPW staffer Sandy Compton as he reflects on a childhood of growing and learning in his wild place. And next week, FSPW staffers Britta Mireley, Ray

Brown and Autumn Lear will talk to their kids about the region’s many iconic birds. Upcoming episodes will follow a similar track, exploring our relationship to wilderness from many different perspectives.

The podcast is a community

effort from pre-production to publication. It is sponsored by Blue Creek Press. The theme music is written and performed by Ben Olson and Cadie Archer. And regional community members lend their voices and stories that bring wild places to life.

Follow FSPW on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Soundcloud to catch “Your Wild Place” when new episodes are released.

And check out www.scotchmanpeaks.org for news and updates.

Friday Panida introduces ‘virtual cinema’ Night Live

By Ben Olson features Reader Staff new lineup Nearly everyone has had to

restructure their business due to the economic impact of the coronavirus. The Panida Theater is introducing a new virtual cinema program to help support the historic community theater during this period of uncertainty.

The Panida is working with several distributors who have reached out to help arthouse cinemas during the coronavirus pandemic. The Brazilian film Bacurau was originally slated to show at the Panida in April, but has had to be canceled along with most other social events.

“They reached out to us to allow us to still get the film to our patrons,” Panida executive director Patricia Walker wrote.

“If ordered through the Panida’s link, the theater will receive half of the ticket proceeds.”

Walker said another distributor offered the same for their upcoming film, Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands. Walker recommends patrons to view the trailers and ratings for both films

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

Film posters for Bacurau, left, and Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands. as they may not be suitable for all ages.

“During this difficult time we are seeking ways to help our patrons as well as a way to continue to meet the theater’s expenses,” Walker said. “Financial challenges with no way to generate revenue are at the forefront of our minds. The Panida has served as a beacon of hope during other dark times in our history and we hope to continue to be that.”

Walker said as more titles are offered, they will expand the virtual cinema experience.

View all virtual listings on the Panida’s website: www. panida.org, or sign up for the Panida’s weekly newsletter to learn more.

The prices should roughly equal what it would normally cost to attend a showing at the Panida Theater – around $12 – and once downloaded, the virtual experience is good for 72 hours.

Last week, the inaugural Friday Night Live music video podcast launched with Cedar and Boyer, Harold’s IGA and Josh Hedlund each playing a 30-minute set of live music from their homes.

Over 50 people tuned in live, and hundreds have viewed it since.

We aim to keep producing a live streamed music series each Friday night until this period of social distancing ends.

Friday, April 3 features a new line-up of local musicians.

Local guitarist Scott Taylor will play from 7-7:30 p.m., followed by Samantha Carston from 7:30-8 p.m. Matt Donahue will conclude the evening with a set from 8-8:30 p.m.

The concert goes live on the Sandpoint Reader Podcast Series channel on YouTube Friday, April 3 from 7-8:30 p.m. Check the Reader Facebook page at 6 p.m. for the link to take you directly to the live stream page.

This week’s RLW by Lyndsie Kiebert

READ

During the hustle and bustle of everyday life, I tend to fall into the same pattern of meals: tacos, spaghetti, tater tot casserole, repeat. Meanwhile, cookbooks collect dust in the corner of my kitchen. I’ve made a concerted effort to open them more often in recent days, and the results have been more varied dinners and less waste — I’m actually using what I have, rather than running to the grocery store.

LISTEN

I love Phoebe Bridgers. Her new single, “Garden Song,” is the first taste of her upcoming LP, which will no doubt be my musical highlight of 2020. Bridgers is a gifted lyricist, painting scenes of contentedness and angst all at once. “Garden Song” highlights her airy vocals layered on top of soft synth and guitar. It’s a dream. Check it out.

WATCH

My recent infatuation with the Fast and Furious franchise is three-fold. First, the original movie is a nostalgia-inducing snapshot of early-2000s Los Angeles — the fashion, the cars, the vernacular. Second, I may or may not be completely sucked in by the franchise’s basic premise: It’s fun to go fast, and especially in a really cool car. And third — Paul Walker was so, so fine.

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...on spring, muddy feet and rainbows From Northern Idaho News, Oct. 29, 1918

“FLU” SITUATION SLIGHTLY BETTER REGULATIONS TO PREVENT SPREAD ARE STILL RIGIDLY ENFORCED AND WILL BE MADE STRICTER IF NECESSARY – CROWDS MUST NOT CONGREGATE OR LOITER IN THE STORES The influenza situation is slowly improving, according to Dr. M. McKinnon, the county health officer, this afternoon.

Fewer cases were reported during the past week than the week before. The death of John McDonald, which occurred at the City hospital was the only one recorded the past week.

There are still a great many cases, probably a hundred or so in Sandpoint and surrounding territory, and it is not known how many there are in surrounding towns.

Among those who are reported as ill are Dad Hartman the barber, Mrs. L.D. Farmin, Mrs. Benton, Mrs. C.H. Pike, Mrs. R.E. Johnson, and Mrs. Kelley. One of the new cases was that of the Great Northern section foreman, who was brought in last night.

Dr. McKinnon today received a telegram from the state board of health giving him authority, if the situation requires it, to close stores at 6 o’clock. This measure does not seem necessary at this time, but Dr. McKinnon wishes it to be known that the congregating of people continues the danger of the situation and wherever measures are necessary will be taken to prohibit.

Sandpoint and Idaho have gotten off much easier in the epidemic than many other parts of the country.

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annas and everywhere in between.

Being informed March 29. I am 69 is good, but being years and four days old, over-informed and wonder why I feel isn’t so great. like I’m much youngBeing thoughtful er — at least mentally, is a necessity, but emotionally and spirioverthinking is an tually. Physically, not exercise in “what so much. Sometimes it if,” which, in my hurts to get out of bed. experience, always And don’t get me startleads to “We’re all ed about splitting wood. gonna die!”

Sandy Compton.

But, I can still do both.

That, by the way, That is enough reason to celebrate. is correct, but let’s take the exclamation It’s really and finally spring today. point off and just admit that every one of The dog and I went for a walk — a us is eventually going leave our creaturely great method of self-isolation — and shell behind to dissipate into that great got our feet good and muddy while mass of molecules, energy and empty taking joy in the delicious odor of sun space that is the universe. What then exposed buckbrush (Ceanothus velutibecomes of our spirit — that innate, lively nus). It is beginning to suck life out of something-or-other that is quintessentially newly-thawed soil and release its sweet, “us” — is up for debate. I have my own pungent esters into the air. thoughts about that, but that is neither The world made a switch today, here nor there to this purpose. from lingering winter to progressive I’m retiring day after tomorrow, and spring. I was pleased and honored to the travels I anticipated and the people I witness it. I anticipate a time when we planned to visit are, evidently, going to make a similar switch from this strange have to wait. Two weeks of skiing every and scary time of personal isolation — day — maybe next year. The big retiremore frightening and trying for some ment party — not on your life, or anyone than others — to a more normalized else’s, for that matter. The trip to Alaska version of life, when every other human — ha. The road trip with a friend we had might not seem to be a threat. planned for this week — toast.

There are a lot of theorists expoundBut today, the dog and I took a raming a lot of theories about the uncerble around, got our feet good and muddy tain future of life as we know it, from and had a sweet whiff of resurrecting craven paranoiacs to escapist Pollybuck brush. I said hello to my brother

By Sandy Compton Reader Columnist

STR8TS Solution

and sister, had phone calls with a new friend, an old friend, and the really good friend who won’t be taking that road trip with me. I got a couple of stellar emails, one of which was so good it made me cry. And, at the end of the day, as we were approaching home with muddy feet, a rainbow appeared at the end of my brother’s driveway, reminding me of the promise God made Noah at the end of the flood, the bridge via which the Valkyries will take some of us to Asgard and the universal magnificence of physics.

Like getting out of bed and splitting wood, all of those are reasons to celebrate. Don’t forget. And watch for rainbows.

Crossword Solution

Sudoku Solution To me, boxing is like a ballet, except there’s no music, no choreography, and the dancers hit each other.

By Bill Borders

CROSSWORD

Copyright www.mirroreyes.com

Laughing Matter

Solution on page 14

Solution on page 14

ACROSS

BILL HOUSTON

Please contact your son through Facebook.

moue Woorf tdhe Week

/MU /

[noun] 1. a pouting grimace.

“Little Timmy made a moue of disappointment after playtime was canceled. ” Corrections: None to report this week. Whew! -Ben Olson, publisher.

1. Rile 6. Unit of land 10. Shopping place 14. Two-door car 15. Drudgery 16. A long way off 17. Map within a map 18. Polish 19. Bloodsucking insects 20. Obstinate 22. Angers 23. In baseball, 3 per inning 24. Possessors 26. Chancel 30. Cry of disgust 31. Russian fighter 32. Egg-shaped 33. Lacquered metalware 35. Floral leaf 39. A certain cut of meat 41. Aristocracy 43. Slumber 44. Breaststroke 46. X X X X 47. Chap 49. Big fuss 50. Purges 51. Laud 54. Abominable Snowman 56. Indian music 57. Abridge 63. Norse god 64. Slender 65. Dental filling

Solution on page 14 66. Platter 67. A city in western Russia 68. French for “Storehouse” 69. A few 70. Scream 71. Units of medicine

DOWN 1. Corrosive 2. Not a single one 3. Burst of wind 4. Type of sword 5. Backward-looking 6. Cherished desires

7. Advise 8. Abundant 9. Kingdom of the elves 10. Slacker 11. All excited 12. Formula 1 driver 13. Amount of hair 21. Muslim jurist 25. Sponge 26. Head honcho 27. Wicked 28. Filly’s mother 29. Devotion 34. Related to the skin 36. Cab 37. Ripe

38. Not more 40. Creative work 42. Overact 45. Bill of lading 48. Frothy 51. Goads 52. Audio communications 53. Discrimination against the elderly 55. Overgrown with ivy 58. Color of the sky 59. Within 60. “Oh my!”

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