Wildwood Grilling is proud to announce a new member of our growing team.
Cheers to Yarrow! The Wildwood Grilling Sales Coordinator position was posted far and wide, which makes it that much more exciting for us to announce that we chose the strongest applicant, who happened to be a local. We are happy to welcome Yarrow Frank as our Sales Coordinator. Yarrow’s particular strengths in sales, coaching, and operations (along with her sparkling demeanor) make her a fit for our company. Congratulations to Yarrow on landing the job!
wildwoodgrilling.com
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Locally owned and operated.
(wo)MAN compiled by
Susan Drinkard
on the street
READER
DEAR READERS,
111 Cedar Street, Suite 9 Sandpoint, ID 83864 (208)265-9724
How are you spending your spring break?
www.sandpointreader.com Publisher: Ben Olson ben@sandpointreader.com
“I am hanging out with my cousin, Jenessa, from Spokane. We are going on walks, going shopping in Sandpoint, and we went to see the movie ‘Beauty and the Beast.’” Jenessa and Isabella Bennett Seventh grade Boundary County Middle School Bonners Ferry
“Enjoying the spring weather, going down to the skate park, and just hanging out.” Tyler Cochran Twelfth grade Sandpoint
Editor: Cameron Rasmusson cameron@sandpointreader.com Zach Hagadone (emeritus) John Reuter (emeritus)
Lights are installed at the corner of Church and Fifth in anticipation of the traffic changes. Photo by Chris Bessler We’re on the cusp of a major change in Sandpoint. Before we know it, many downtown streets will be changing to two-way traffic. No doubt we’ll all have some growing pains as we adjust to the transition. At this point, the timing of the street changes is still a bit murky. I reached out to city officials for a possible news story this week, but there wasn’t yet any official comment on the subject. We already know the changes are contingent upon the weather, so it remains to be seen precisely when this is going to happen. Here’s hoping when the transition does roll out, drivers will be attentive and patient with one another as we all become accustomed to the new system. No doubt there will be more developments on this story soon. In the meantime, enjoy that spring weather, Sandpoint! You can complain about the rain if you want, but remember that summer heat is just around the corner. -Cameron Rasmusson, Editor
“Playing basketball with friends, my sister and my dad, and going swimming at the health club. We went to see ‘Boss Baby.’ It’s funny.” Oliver Shipton Third grade Farmin-Stidwell Sandpoint
“I went hiking with friends up Mickinnick. We got to the top but took lots of breaks. It was really pretty and not very muddy.” Glacier Meador Eighth grade Sandpoint Middle School Sandpoint
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“I go to the library a lot and have fun on the computer—reading, listening to music, watching videos and playing games.” Austin Ivy SMS seventh grade Sandpoint
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Advertising: Jodi Taylor Jodi@sandpointreader.com Contributing Artists: Shepard Fairey (cover), Ben Olson, Susan Drinkard, Mitch McConnell, Cort Gifford, Phil Longden, Katie Botkin, Jake Sullivan, Coral Rankin Photography. Contributing Writers: Cameron Rasmusson, Ben Olson, Nick Gier, Mindy Cameron, Desire Aguiree, A.C. Thompson, Cort Gifford, Brenden Bobby, Dr. Gabrielle Duebendorfer, Jim Mitsui, Beth Weber, John Pasternak, Suzen Fiskin, Katie Botkin, Tom Eddy, Dianne Smith, Drake the Dog. Submit stories to: stories@sandpointreader.com Printed weekly at: Griffin Publishing Spokane, Wash. Subscription Price: $95 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 pa 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.
Sandpoint Reader letter policy: The Sandpoint Reader welcomes letters to the editor on all topics. 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
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Check us out on the web at: www.sandpointreader.com Like us on Facebook. About the Cover This week’s cover by renowned artist Shepard Fairey to commemorate the Women’s March on Jan. 21.
April 6, 2017 /
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COMMENTARY
UI athletics is $1 million in the red By Nick Gier Reader Columnist
In 1982 I circulated a petition on the University of Idaho campus asking that state-appropriated funds not be used for athletics. My main argument was that these funds should be used solely for academics. A resolution supporting this petition was passed by the Faculty Senate and sent to the UI administration. For four years (1983-87) the Vandals, presumably without a subsidy, won five Big Sky football championships. I especially enjoyed the times in which the Vandals beat the Broncos. With Don Monson’s superb coaching, UI basketball also excelled during this period. In 1981 and 1982 the team, also without subsidies, won two Big Sky championships. They then went to the NCAA play-offs, losing in the first round in 1981. In 1982 the Vandals made the Sweet Sixteen, but they lost to Oregon State 60-42. In 1987 the State Board of Education (SBOE) authorized
Life saver... Dear Editor, My car died recently—I’m talking crossing the oily rainbow bridge died. My credit union wouldn’t help me with an auto loan, so I went over to P1FCU. Nick managed to get me approved in an hour, and even bent over backwards the next day to make sure the entire process was easy enough for me to tackle over my lunch break. He was professional, friendly, downto-earth and an awesome help. I’m very happy at my new credit union in my new car! Thanks, Nick! Brenden Bobby Hope
Trump approval...
Dear Editor, Despite what Donald Trump says about “fake news,” the latest Gallup poll finds his job approval rating among Americans has 4 /
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$665,500 in appropriated funds for UI athletics, which has now has grown to $949,500. This is still not enough to balance the athletic budget. UI Finance Vice-President Brian Foisy estimates a deficit between $900,000 and $1,000,000. The athletics department is now asking $1 million a year for four years to bring the budget out of the red. I have urged the UI Faculty Senate to reject this request. UI athletics has received benefits that no other university unit has. In 1995 then President Robert Hoover gained approval for an unprecedented transfer of $500,000 from the UI Foundation to finance the move to the Division I-A Football, where the UI has been ranked at the bottom, with few exceptions, ever since. At the same time, UI athletics was given a reduction to 1 percent from the 6-percent administrative fee that each campus unit was charged. The reason offered was that UI teams promote the university’s “brand.” (Don’t our academic departments do that
as well?) This fee for academic units has now risen to 10 percent, but the fee for athletics has been waived completely because of their current financial crisis. UI President Chuck Staben has made a wise decision in returning football to the Big Sky Conference. (The other teams returned in 2014.) The principal disadvantage would be the loss of some substantial games guarantees that come with playing (and usually losing badly) to big-name schools. Moving back to the Big Sky has, however, two major advantages: travel expenses would be reduced dramatically and attendance would most likely increase. Many more fans from regional teams would come to home games, and more locals would come to see the Vandals play traditional opponents such as Eastern Washington, Montana, Montana State, Portland State, and Idaho State. Personally, I have had very little desire, for example, to attend UI-Louisiana State games.
President Staben has received criticism from some Vandals fans, but the Spokesman Review reports “that about two-thirds of the unsolicited emails he received before the decision came from people who favored it and that a small group of new donors have cited the jump to the Big Sky as their reason to start giving.” A few, however, have vowed that they will stop their donations and no longer attend Vandal games. In his superb investigative report, UI student Zach Lien has not only updated national studies that show that donor contributions and student enrollment drop off after teams stop winning, but he also done an in-depth survey of student opinion about UI athletics. Lien found that when students learned that athletics was not profitable, only 2.7 percent supported increasing student fees to fund the teams. Read his report at www.NickGier.com/AthleticsZach.pdf. UI athletics has proposed a 3 percent student fee increase to help reduce the deficit, but
the student fee committee has approved 1.2 percent. At WSU, where the athletics department is facing a $13 million loss, student opinion appears to be running against a $100 annual increase in student fees for athletics. At its April 19-20 meeting the SBOE will decide whether to grant UI athletics an extra $4 million for the next four years. In 2004 I urged the UI Faculty Senate to reduce the subsidy to $300,000, but with then UI President Tim White arguing against the idea, the senators rejected my proposal unanimously. The current Faculty Senate has refused to put the issue on the agenda. I have urged Zach Lien and his fellow students to make a presentation to the SBOE and attempt to convince the board that this money is badly needed for academics not athletics.
dropped further to 37 percent. This is lower than at any time during President Obama’s eight-year term. This was followed by FBI Director Comey’s testimony Monday to a Congressional panel that Trump’s own “fake news” that Obama had wiretapped Trump Towers was pure fiction. There was “no evidence” to support Trump’s tweets. Also, the FBI director announced publicly that an investigation is ongoing into possible connections between the Russian government and Trump campaign officials to influence the 2016 Presidential election. In that election, Trump was the first president since 1876 to lose the popular vote by more than 2 percent and still win an electoral college majority. He achieved that victory by winning five swing states with less than 50 percent of the vote. From the initiatives in the first months of his office (his proposed immigration ban remains suspended by the courts) you would think
he was ruling from a great majority of the votes. Since he is not, we could hope, that instead of campaigning for reelection in 2020 as he has been doing, he could listen to the concerns of some of the people that did not vote for him.
movement declaring her to be the world’s best woman director as she did not appreciate being put in a gender box. Simply put, Wertmüller considered herself to be a director, not a woman director. Wertmüller’s films reflect her own political leanings, with characters who are anarchists, communists and/or atheists centered on stories of political or socioeconomic conflicts. Our East Bonner County Library has the film “Swept Away” as well as my favorite Wertmüller film, “Seven Beauties.” In “Seven Beauties” there is a great scene where the main character is being transported to prison by train. He is put in a compartment with another prisoner being transported to the same prison and is surprised to learn that this person was sentenced to 28 years when he was given only seven years for a gruesome murder. He then asks this other prisoner what he had done to get 28 years with the response being “political.” The “Trump’s and
Mussolini’s” of the world hate and fear original thinking and ideas. The voice over for the intro to “Seven Beauties” runs over vintage footage of Hitler, Mussolini and WW II and makes several dedications, e.g., “For the ones who don’t enjoy themselves even when they laugh. Oh yeah. For the ones who worship the corporate image not knowing they work for someone else. Oh yeah. For the ones who should have been shot in the cradle. Pow! Oh yeah. For the ones who believe Christ is Santa Claus as a young man. Oh yeah. For the ones who believe in everything, even in God. Oh yeah. For the ones who keep going just to see how it will end. Oh yeah.” “Seven Beauties” is on my list as one of the 10 greatest movies ever made.
James W. Ramsey Sandpoint
‘Swept Away’ ... Dear Editor, For those of you who don’t know, Ben Olson’s “W” recommendation (RLW column) of the film “Overboard” (1987) is a Hollywood remake of the far superior Italian film directed by Lena Wertmüller, “Swept Away” (1974). “Swept Away” is a masterpiece, “Overboard” is not, and it earned the ire of orthodox feminists, which was Wertmüller’s desired response. “Swept Away” was Wertmüller’s angry reaction to the feminist
Nick Gier of Moscow taught philosophy at the University of Idaho for 31 years. Read the long version at www.sandpointreader. com.
Lee Santa Sandpoint
OPINION
pack river store or bust A couple of weeks ago my handsome bearded gentleman caller invited me to stay over at his house on a school night. My day job involves a 45-minute drive to and from work. Staying the night anywhere other than my home involves planning, packing and the ability to plan for the unforeseeable circumstances that may arise on any given day. When you commute to work and forget s something vital like your laptop, there is no running home to get it. I’m not good at this intense level of prior planning. That is why my car typically looks like a homeless person has taken up residence inside of it. There were several reasons why I couldn’t say no to this offer: 1. My children were at their Dad’s likely eating cake, playing poker and staying up all night. 2. He lives near the Pack River Store, which means that I get to swing by there on my way to work and have my choice of the most delicious food in North Idaho. I don’t know what they put in those brownies, and I don’t care. You can eat your kale and gluten-free “food.” I’m going to stuff my face full of marshmallow, chocolate, and peanut butter chex mixed
together in bar form because I love myself. 3. Did I mention the beard? Anyway, I woke up the next morning sleepy and positive that I had made the best choice of my life. Soon I would be driving the back country roads with a handful of delicious homemade treats, singing along to a power ballad. I rolled out of bed and groped around for my “overnight” bag in the wretched darkness that accompanies 6 a.m. in early March. I slipped into the bathroom to shower and get dressed, careful not to wake the peaceful bearded angel. It was after this shower that I had discovered I had made a critical packing error. I remembered my work gear. I remembered a sweatshirt, make up and three different deodorants. I had another bag containing two coats, a ball of yarn, seven sharpies, and four pieces of rock-hard licorice. However, neither bag or my car contained one extremely vital item. I was missing a bra. I had arrived at my current destination braless. I don’t feel the need to explain why I was braless on my way there. I just was. It happens. There are some activities where bras are
optional, even considered an unnecessary obstacle. However, work is not one of those activities. Bras are a standard expectation at most jobs. It’s part of the fine print that doesn’t exist for anyone other than women, and especially women who have larger busts. We are expected to strap our breasts down and run a strict cleavage check, just in case an unsuspecting male in our workplace catches a glimpse and becomes unable to perform due to an unexpected erection. Nip slips and unconfined cleavage are often directly responsible for serious workplace issues. Why else would dress codes address the female gender so thoroughly and specifically? Think about it. I was in trouble. I had to turn on the lights and check the room thoroughly in case it slipped out of one of my many bags. I flipped on the lights and started searching for any bras I may have dropped, or left behind on other excursions. No luck. Time was not on my side. If I didn’t leave his house by 7, my hopes and dreams of the Pack River Store would be over. There was no way I could make it home and then to work on time. I considered calling in late to work, but I have recently taken up
only telling the truth when I am late. I’m pretty sure the truth would somehow seem unprofessional. I could bring my boss one of the delicious snacks. Then I could explain the beard to her while she was eating it. That would at least buy me some understanding. The voice in my head— the one that usually gets me in trouble—started screaming at this point: NO, NO, NO. I’m not going to share my snacks and be late for work just because the world can’t handle free breasts. I’m going to go to work on time, and BRALESS, because I am a fearless female, and the world is open to people walking around with pink pussy hats on. My breasts have the right to exist freely. I gave myself that speech, and then put on two shirts and a light jacket. If that didn’t conceal the girls, I could always resort to crossing my arms over my chest if there was a sudden chill. I’m not going to lie. The ride to work was glorious, like being topless in a gourmet cake factory that plays a soundtrack of your favorite songs. Work was a little different. I spent most of the day in a constant sweat. It was like I was cutting weight so I could wrestle in a lower weight class. I
literally had beads of sweat on my face during a weekly meeting, my coworker asked me if I was sick, because I was “so flushed… but obviously freezing”. I didn’t dare take off one of my four layers, because despite my feminist episode earlier that day, I was uncomfortable. My breasts felt unsupported like they couldn’t look anyone in the eye. I mumbled that maybe I was sick, or something. I have learned two very important things from this incident. The first is that I will now stash an emergency bra in various locations. Just in case I have to use one and forget to replace it, I may need several back ups. Number two: Wearing a bra to work, for me, is like superman putting on his cape. It’s a necessary part of my costume for comfort, and practical purposes. This has nothing to do with the expectations of society or “the man.” I will support anyone else on their personal journey into the braless world. That said, if I go braless to work ever again, it will be on purpose during a cold snap. XOXO Scarlette Quille April 6, 2017 /
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COMMUNITY
BNSF seeks rail safety through technology and planning By Courtney Wallace Reader Contributor
Rail is the backbone of the Northwest economy. For well over a century, BNSF has moved goods to and from the Northwest in a safe and environmentally friendly manner. BNSF trains travel through Sandpoint and North Idaho every day. These trains are carrying grain to our ports, automobiles, plane fuselages and containers full of clothes, perishable food, TVs, computers, packages and many other products to consumers here and across the nation. Railroads also haul hazardous materials, including chlorine that keeps our water supplies safe, ammonia used to make agricultural fertilizer and crude oil that is refined to make gasoline and jet fuel. We recognize the tremendous responsibility that comes with hauling hazardous materials, and we take extraordinary measures to ensure their safe transport. Rail transport is safer today than at any time in history – and it’s safer than any other ground transportation alternative. We are always looking for
ways to reduce risk in our operations, and we strive to prevent every accident before it occurs. Yet, we must be prepared in the uncommon event that an accident might occur, and we are committed to being ready and able to respond. BNSF‘s extensive emergency preparedness and planning program involves year-round preparation, training, equipment acquisition, exercises and coordination with local partner agencies. BNSF has response plans for different scenarios and cargos, maintains specialized equipment, trains our hazmat responders, and works with specialty contractors to be able to deploy resources at a moment’s notice. More than 250 highly-trained BNSF hazmat responders and spill-response contractors are always on-call throughout our network. BNSF maintains highly-detailed geographic response plans that identify environmentally sensitive areas (such as Lake Pend Oreille and the Kootenai River) and the priority actions needed to protect these areas. To serve North Idaho, we have staged resources and equipment in
Sandpoint and in Bonners Ferry. We also have response equipment in Missoula, Troy, Libby and Whitefish, Montana; and Everett, Seattle, Vancouver, Longview, Wishram, Bingen, Pasco and Spokane, Wash. We recognize the importance of training and supporting local emergency responders. BNSF typically trains thousands of emergency responders every year, including approximately 950 in Idaho and Washington in 2016. These responders are taught how to gather incident information, how to assess incidents and sites, and how to deploy emergency response equipment. BNSF provides additional intensive training free of charge to first responders who wish to attend a three-day crude-by-rail seminar conducted at academies in Colorado or Texas. New technologies are also improving coordination between BNSF and response agencies. Two new technologies – AskRail and SECURETRAK – provide immediate access to real-time data about individual rail cars, cargoes, and location information for first responders. The AskRail
itoring, and control – all the while avoiding “landings” in wilderness. Wilderness should not be made the “fall guy” in the recent lawsuit. The Forest Service and the Idaho Department of Fish and Game should work closely on a mutually-acceptable comprehensive plan for scientifically-based management of wildlife in the Frank Church-River of No Return and Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness Areas. Management actions should be compatible with the protection of Congressionally-designated Wilderness values. The Forest Service should then accommodate the state agency while making sure it fulfills its role as the steward of these special areas. Both agencies should fully involve the public in the decision-making process. The best way to avoid a future legal challenge is to do the job right from the very beginning. Idaho’s Wilderness includes
places where wildlife thrives. As the wolf recovery coordinator it was my duty to insure that the Fish and Wildlife Service conducted the business of wolf recovery within the bounds set by federal law and executive-branch regulation. Obviously we accomplished that goal, and wilderness was not an impediment to success. Future wildlife management in wilderness can successfully accomplish its goals in the same way.
mobile app, developed by the rail industry, provides first responders with railcar-specific data for hazmat contents and railroad contacts during an incident. BNSF’s SECURETRAK, which is a real-time, web-based Geographic Information System tracking program, is available to state and/ or regional fusion centers. BNSF has long been an integral part of growing our
local economy here in the Inland Northwest, and nothing is more important to us than safely operating through the communities that we serve. That is a commitment that has not and will not waver.
for her work in the Idaho Legislature this year. As co-chair of the Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee, Senator Keough was a key player in renewing funding for our state’s effort to stop the spread of invasive, non-native species to our waterways. Of particular concern is the potential introduction of Quagga and Zebra mussels, and slowing the spread of aquatic noxious weeds on boats being moved between waterways. Stopping the two alien mussel species is particularly important to us here in Bonner County. Once established, these invaders could dramatically reduce the numbers of game fish in our lakes, including Lake Pend Oreille. This has already happened in the Great Lakes and the lower Colorado River system. The mussels are prolific breeders with individual females producing up to a
million eggs per year. Their huge numbers consume most of the tiny plants and animals that are the basis of the food chains that ultimately support the large game fish species. They are also known to create toxic algae blooms and fowl beaches with sharp, smelly shells. Sen. Keough’s leadership was important in passing legislation that provides the State Police with an extra patrol position and increases the State Department of Agriculture’s boat inspection budget by 40 percent. All of us should appreciate Senator Keough’s good work and can tell her so at her website: http://www.shawnkeough.com/ ContactUs.htm
Courtney Wallace is the Pacific Northwest Regional Director of Public Affairs for BNSF.
Letters to the Editor Wilderness.. Dear Editor, Opponents of wilderness are using the recent lawsuit in Federal District Court regarding collaring elk and wolves in the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness to claim that wildlife can’t be managed in wilderness. Hogwash! Nothing is further from the truth. For 33 years I worked for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and in the last five years of my career (1995-2000) I oversaw the wolf recovery program in Idaho. I was also the assistant field supervisor of the Snake River Basin Office in those years. I became familiar the requirements of The Wilderness Act, and we, with the able assistance of the Nez Perce Tribe, successfully conducted wolf recovery consistent with those requirements. That included capture and collaring, mon6 /
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Roy Heberger Fish and Wildlife Service, retired Boise, Idaho
Thank you, Keough... The people of Sandpoint and Bonner County owe Sen. Shawn Keough a significant “thank you”
Ken Thacker Sagle
FEATURE
The curse ofThethescourge modern Medusa of internet addiction
By Jodi Rawson Reader Contributor
Medusa was a Gorgon—a monster with snakes for hair— but there is debate about what her face looked like. Some think she was hideous. Others claim that her beauty was used to draw people into her gaze. Her fame stems from her superpower: eye contact with Medusa would turn you to stone. Today, on the streets, there are people turned to stone. They are looking down at mini internet devices, unaware of surroundings, addicted to the modern Medusa. By “turned to stone,” I mean that a person no longer appears to be vibrant and growing. They have been halted into sedentary living, unaware of the present, appearing depressed. In a study conducted by Andrew Lepp and his colleagues upon college students, “ heavy users of the internet had lower levels of cardio-respiratory fitness and were more inclined toward sedentary behavior”... they were turned to stone. The majority of people affected by IAD (internet addiction) are males in their teens, twenties and thirties. Usually addicts are mindlessly surfing the internet for entertainment rather than utilizing the information stream. With its range of distractions from compulsive spending and gambling, extensive research on celebrity gossip and negative political news, the ability to collect “likes” and look at “eye candy” including porn, the internet has it all. It is normal for people to cradle their devices while walking down the street or driving in their car (distractions are the leading cause of car accidents.) A 2012 article in Current Psychiatry Reviews notes that
Internet Addiction “ruins lives by causing neurological complications, psychological disturbances, and social problems.” Recently, 1,041 teenage students in China were evaluated for the effects of pathological or uncontrolled internet usage. None of the students had any mental health problems at the beginning of the study, but after nine months, 87 of the students were diagnosed with depression and eight had significant anxiety. As a result of this study, researchers hypothesize that people addicted to the internet are “2.5 times more likely to develop depression than teens who are not addicted to the internet.” In China there are rehabilitation camps designed to wean addicts from the internet. According to a 2012 report in China Daily, there are 1,500 counselors licensed to treat internet addiction. According to the internet blog Gawker in the article “How the Internet Causes Depression,” it is often a vicious cycle of people looking to the internet in their depression, and given more fuel for their depression as a result. “Social media presents us with the kind of collective-action problem you see in authoritarian systems, and the powerlessness, the small narcissism of being alone and being right, are all classic manifestations of depression.” Social media accounts for more than 70 percent of internet usage. I tried Facebook for a couple years, but I disabled my account a year ago. I was using Facebook to be encouraging to “friends” and to share inspiration. With my limited internet usage it was no addiction, but it still made me feel depressed. My last day on Facebook was at the library for just 15 minutes, and it altered my good day
to a crappy day, but I couldn’t explain why. Later, I learned the origins of Facebook. As a Harvard undergraduate in 2003, Mark Zuckerberg was rejected and frustrated by a girl, and wrote “Jessica A---- is a bitch. I need to think of something to take my mind off of her,” on his blog. Hours later he hacked into the Harvard’s online directory and posted pictures of classmates next to pictures of farm animals on his new site called “Facemash.” Students could rate which picture was better looking. Not very much has changed since Facebook’s frat boy origins, and maybe that is why, despite my limited use and vows to be positive, I eventually felt slimy for participating. People tell me that I may have to surrender and have the internet in my house some day, that I may need a gadget with internet capabilities, but I know the power of the internet. I feel that inviting the internet into my life/home would be like inviting Medusa to be my roommate, and I would be paralyzed into a sedentary life as a result. I don’t have a TV either. I actually love the internet, similar to how I loved morphine when I had surgery: Some things are better in limited doses. The internet is my tool about three hours a week, and most of this is at our awesome local library. I can search the fast connection for free (without having to fret about any computer issues), print information and images (or paste them onto my thumb drive) and check and write e-mails in under the allotted 90 minutes per day. After that, I can get busy living. Some people need to do a lot more research than me. Some people can be on social media for hours each day and still focus on the posts that bring them
Artwork by Jodi Rawson. joy. Other people are on the internet for their work. Obviously the internet doesn’t operate just like Medusa. The modern Medusa is not as instantaneous or predictable to all of its victims. Everyone has to evaluate their
own internet usage. With each click, we need to ask ourselves “Am I growing?” If the answer is “no,” then Medusa may pop out, like a cookie virus, disabling us into stone.
Facts about internet addiction • There is a 25 percent increase in the size of the internet every 3 months. • Stanford University did research via telephone in 2006 which showed that one out of every eight of those surveyed had at least one problem due to too much use of the internet.
internet. • Eight percent: That’s the percentage of people who say that they use the internet as a way to escape from their problems. • The percentage of people who say that they feel like they are addicted to the internet: 61 percent.
• About nine percent of people tried to hide needless internet use from their bosses, friends and family.
• Only 39 percent of people say that they’d be able to quit using the internet today if they wanted to do so.
• In the 13-17 age demographic, up to three out of every four kids could be considered addicted to the
• One out of two workers today has a severe occupational impairment because of their internet addiction. April 6, 2017 /
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NEWS
Candidate withdrawals reshape school board election
By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff
Two candidates have withdrawn in the race for new Lake Pend Oreille School Board trustees, leaving an even distribution of two candidates per district. Both Zone 3 candidate Brad Bluemer and Zone 5 candidate Mose Dunkel announced they removed their names from consideration. That leaves Gary Suppiger and Richard Miller vying for the Zone 2 seat, Victoria Zeischegg and Lonnie Williams competing for the Zone
3 seat and Anita Perry and Cary Kelly contending for the Zone 5 seat. According to Bluemer, he decided to withdraw once it was clear that there was sufficient interest in the school board position. He said his intention wasn’t to mire himself in a heated election campaign but instead to ensure there was at least one person in the district willing to do the job. When two others filed their names for consideration alongside him, he decided a lack of interest wasn’t a problem.
“I want to make sure the school board is full of concerned and caring people, and that was my only objective,” he said. Dunkel withdrew after meeting with Kelly and realizing their ideas for the school board were largely aligned. Rather than split the vote over two very similar visions for the future of Lake Pend Oreille School District, Dunkel decided to advocate for Kelly’s candidacy. He said Kelly has the time and experience as a former Bonner County commissioner
to serve the district well. In the meantime, Dunkel plans to encourage stronger commitment to activities funding, facilities needs, improved communication between the district and voters. He is also weighing the possibility of calling for a permanent supplemental levy, removing the need for regular information campaigns and votes. “Most importantly, [I want] to try to make the district be seen in a different light by opening new paths of communication,” Dunkel said. “I see Cary as an asset
to the district, and I believe he has the willingness to help things progress to being a leader in education, not just in Idaho but the country.” With candidates set for the race, residents are already speculating on social media that the school board race will take on a similar tone to the recent supplemental levy referendum, with one side seeking gradual improvements to existing district policies and the other looking for significant shifts in a more conservative direction.
District 1 legislators reflect on 2017 session accomplishments
By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff
With the Idaho Legislature wrapping up its 2017 session last week, we caught up with District 1’s Sen. Shawn Keough, R-Sandpoint, and Rep. Sage Dixon, R-Ponderay, to gather their impressions. Rep. Heather Scott, R-Blanchard, did not respond to our requests for comment. Sandpoint Reader: How satisfied are you with the accomplishments in this year’s session? Shawn Keough: There were some positive things accomplished in this year’s state legislative session including another huge investment of state tax dollars in our public K-12 schools, increased attention to and funding for efforts to combat invasive aquatic species and a constituent-driven issue that resulted in successful legislation. Sage Dixon: I am satisfied with the accomplishments of this year’s session. I was hoping for more tax relief for Idaho’s citizens, but the disastrous winter, combined with the governor’s 8 /
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appetite for new programs, curtailed most efforts to head in that direction. I was not eager to change from the Education Committee to the Finance and Appropriation Committee, but I enjoyed my new committee, and look forward to serving there next session.
SR: What are the most significant achievements, in your opinion? SK: The increase—$100 million in new money—to our public K-12 schools is significant as the Idaho Legislature continues to keep its pledge to implement the five-year plan envisioned by the Governor’s Education Task Force. This is year three of that plan, and every dollar sent from the state level is one less dollar that local school districts feel compelled to ask the local voters for on the supplemental levies. We were also able to sizably increase funding for career technical (professional technical, vocational technical) education for the second year in a row. This will help students who don’t plan to go on to a four-year college program to obtain training
in skills that will put them right to work in good-paying jobs here in Idaho. The other significant achievement I’ll list here is the funding from the state’s general fund to make certain that the boat inspection stations get opened this spring and continue operating for the remainder of this year and into the spring of next year. This funding also expanded locations and operating hours for boat stations. With the discovery of quagga mussel larvae in neighboring and upstream Montana there is a heightened alarm and desire to take necessary steps to try to prevent Idaho’s precious water and waterways from becoming infected with this and other aquatic invasive species. Over $ 4 million dollars of state general fund money will go into this increased effort this calendar year which is an historic amount. SD: The most significant achievements this session were the will of the Legislature to remove the tax from groceries and the transportation funding package which will address both immediate and long term needs. I also think that the asset forfeiture
bill was a strong move as well.
SR: Is there anything you wish was addressed this year that wasn’t? SK: Every year there are bills that don’t make it through for one reason or another and this year was no exception. We were not able to find a way to help people who make too much money for the Affordable Care Act subsidies but can’t afford the rising costs of insurance policies. Even with the uncertainties of the system in D.C. there are things we can do on the state level to assist as we ultimately pay for those costs through our emergency rooms and our county catastrophic and indigent systems, not to mention the human toll of lack of access to health care. SD: I had a list of legislation that I had hoped to have addressed, but my time was rapidly diminished by learning my new committee and the workload associated with it. The few items I was able to pursue were shown to need a bit more work, and I anticipate moving forward with them in the future.
SR: Is there anything else you’d like to add? SK: I was pleased to cowrite, introduce, and advocate for successful passage of [Senate Bill] 1141 which uses $ 52 million dollars in ‘surplus’ tax dollars for repairs of damages from the extreme winter weather that we saw here and across the state. Should the Governor sign this into law that money will go to help fix some of the winter weather damage especially to roads some of which were completely obliterated. I’m also hopeful that the Governor will sign into law the repeal of the sales tax on food. As Co-Chair of the budget committee I am well aware of the fiscal impact on our state budget, but, for me, it is not morally correct to tax the very thing needed to sustain life – food. SD: I am grateful that our Bonner County Prosecutor, Louis Marshall, had an idea for legislation that I was able to carry in the House. Although it may seem like a simple bill, to allow facility dogs on the witness stand, often these bills can have an important impact long term.
FEATURE
An interview with artist By Kevin Penelerick Reader Art Columnist
Weezil Samter is as unique a character as his name. He is an artist who recycles the world around him into his creations and has a desire for sharing his lifetime of knowledge with others. A love of the arts was imbued in Weezil from his early childhood, his mother being a painter who used oil on canvas. As a young adult in the ‘60s, he traveled around doing beadwork, selling his creations in various shops and teaching others his techniques in exchange for food or lodging. In his 40s, Weezil’s son asked him to craft a set of armor he could use for full-contact fighting in the SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism), which is an international organization dedicated to researching and re-creating pre-17th-century European history. This led to a connection with the local Medieval Society that has become a central part of Weezil’s artistry. He attended camp-outs and tournaments with his son, setting up an armor repair station on the edge of the battlefield. Many children were in attendance with their parents and would gather around to watch him work. He soon realized there was little for these young ones to do, so he would give them a hammer and a piece of metal and set them about the task of ‘Cold-Forging.’ “Kids and hammers go really well together,” Weezil said with a smile. They would create their own hammered copper rings.
Weezil Samter
Before he knew it, he was coming up with projects to keep a variety of ages of children busy. They learned they could change one thing into something else and Weezil learned how fulfilling sharing his knowledge was. Weezil is mostly self-taught, starting out sketching designs in middle school, inspired to create by the work of M.C. Escher. He would also cast his own toy soldiers as a child. He was given a book by a librarian on how to make wire jewelry. One chapter, in particular, inspired him to learn the craft of twisting copper wire into rings. As he made connections in the Medieval Society, friends would share with him things they learned, such as how to make Egyptian Links from wire. These can be used to make things like the coin belts belly dancers wear. Weezil traveled for his job with the railroad and would take his projects on the road with him. Setting up at farmer’s markets and craft fairs in the different towns he found himself in. Here, too, he would set up a children’s table and teach them how to make the very creations he was selling. His passion to teach and share, often over-riding his time spent making money. For years, he worked in an environment where he saw things being thrown away and said, “I could do something with that.” He collected items he thought would be useful, and
in time these items have been recycled into his projects. For instance, he cuts a piece off an old copper pipe, which he repurposes into a hammered ring. Living in North Idaho has influenced him to make items that are both creative and useful. He takes old horns and turns them into Viking drinking horns. They look cool and are functional to boot. Is it art or craft that he does? Some define art by asking, “Does it create an emotional response from within?” For Weezil, creating is an emotional response to his environment. By taking cast-off materials and re-purposing them into functional and useful items, he creates recycled art, born out of his passion for creating. Since the emotional response of one person to art differs from the next, one can only say in this case, the creator of the art is filled with passionate emotion. If Weezil had the opportunity to create a piece of art for the community, it would be like his life: Instead of creating something tangible, he would like to share his knowledge. He would love to educate people on the geological history of our region. This includes things like how the Selkirk mountains came to be or how the fossils below the swinging bridge at Kootenai Falls outside of Libby, Mont., are some of the oldest fossils known. Weezil Samter is a passionate and creative man with knowl-
Weezil Samter demonstrates his unique artistic method and styles of craftsmanship. Courtesy photos edge he is excited to share with all who take the time to show an interest. He occasionally teaches a Ring Making & Wire Working Class at the Sandpoint Library. The next one is April 13. Check the library’s web page for more information.
Are you an artist or do you know someone who is creating something unique and different in our community? Shoot me an email at kevin@grivantepress. com for consideration as a future interview subject for this column. April 6, 2017 /
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agriculture By Brenden Bobby Reader Columnist It’s almost Easter, and everyone knows what that means. Rabbits galore! Who doesn’t love a rabbit? They’re fluffy and cute and usually pretty gentle. They’re also plentiful this time of year, and the symbolism of the rabbits at spring goes back thousands of years. They, like eggs, represent fertility and, confusingly, purity at the same time. Anyone that’s ever owned a couple of rabbits knows why this is the case. Start with two rabbits, pass Go and collect 200 rabbits. Every year, rabbit sales explode at Easter. Children and adults alike can’t resist the cute fuzzy little faces. Turns out, the weeks and month following Easter are also when the largest amounts of rabbits are set loose. That’s bad juju. If you don’t know anything about a rabbit you’re buying, you don’t know what you’re sending out into the world. That thing could cause a chain reaction of events that creates a new ecosystem. I’m not even being hyperbolic: Look up Bunny Island, Japan. Trust me, you won’t regret it. If you’re thinking about succumbing to the cuteness this year, I have some knowledge to help arm you for the battle to come. I kid. Rabbits are incredibly easy to care for as long as you’re prepared. First, how old is the rabbit? Babies and juveniles can fit into the palm of your hand and they really shouldn’t be separated from their mothers while they’re this small. Wait until they’re bigger and look more like an adult rabbit. At this point they’ll be able to eat solid food and not rely on their mother’s milk. It only takes a couple of months for them to get this big. One very important piece of information you’ll want to know is the sex of the rabbit, especially if you’re getting more than one. Unless you want a hundred rabbits, you’re going to want to keep
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rabbits males and females separated. If you’re not able to differentiate gender on your own (this is called sexing, and it’s pretty easy to do with adult rabbits), watch the person you’re buying from and make sure they actually look and don’t just assume. They should tilt the bunny back, spread its legs and check what appears to be its bum. If they don’t do that at all, you should reconsider buying from them. If they aren’t willing to sex the rabbit, they probably aren’t keeping a record of any diseases or ailments the rabbit could have. When you’re ready to learn how to sex rabbits on your own, we have plenty of books at the library with picture guides, as well as access to websites that show a step-by-step on what to look for. Another important piece of information about the rabbit you’ll want to know is the breed. If the person you’re buying it from is offering a pedigree, this is hugely beneficial and can be a requirement for entering the rabbit into shows. The pedigree shows the rabbit’s recent ancestry and what breeds were involved in making it. There are lots of different breeds serving lots of different purposes. As an example, there are several breeds of rabbit called a Lop, all of which have ears that hang down instead of pointing straight up like other breeds. This is a trait unique to Lops and is the product of selective breeding over many generations. A Rex, meanwhile, was bred primarily for meat. If you have the time and patience, raising Angora rabbits can yield fur that can be turned into clothing comparable to Cashmere, and makes for the most luxurious socks you can imagine. You don’t have to kill them, just be gentle in gathering its fur and don’t pull its skin or shear it naked. Other than having a cute pet, what are some of the other reasons to own a rabbit?
The biggest reason to own lots of rabbits, other than keeping a cute pet, is to eat them. Cue gasp! Rabbits are one of the most efficient sources of lean white meat available. They’re incredibly easy to raise, kill, butcher and store, and they breed fast enough that you can keep a freezer full pretty easily. They make delicious soups and are a staple of French and frontier cuisines. Their pelts are also very attractive, and if you fancy yourself a tanner you could make some very comfortable clothing… Provided you have enough matching rabbits, that is! There is another profitable aspect to owning rabbits, one you wouldn’t realize right away. It turns out the rabbit isn’t most valuable for what you can turn it into, but for what comes out of it. Rabbit poo, which one could mistake for a pile of cocoa puffs (We call them cocoa puffs, bunny berries, brown-gold nuggets, etc…), is one of the best fertilizers out there. Unlike chicken poo, it won’t sear your plants into a charred husk when applied directly to the soil. It benefits greatly from composting, but I’ve had great luck dumping it under struggling roses. Just don’t pour it into the vegetable garden if you plan on eating anything from it for 90 days (our whole growing season.). When it isn’t composted, the bacteria from the poo can be infused into the growing plant and its fruit, which can make us very ill. Also, gross. As for housing them and caring for them, that’s the easy part. Most farm and feed stores sell hutches you can keep them in, but they don’t like being cooped up all of the time. If you give them a fenced area to run around in, they’re much happier. Just like any other animal, make sure that they have shelter from the elements, food and water. Unique to rabbits and most small mammals, you’ll want to give them alfalfa or
straw to chew on a regular basis. Their teeth grow quickly and they need to file them down by chewing. If you don’t give them something to do this with, their teeth will continue to grow until they can’t eat properly anymore and will eventually starve to death. If this happens, you can trim their teeth yourself, or if you’re not comfortable with it, ask your vet. The easiest cure for overgrown teeth is prevention and straw is cheaper than a vet visit. Rabbits are naturally prey animals. The only thing they’re above on the food chain is the vegetables and grass they eat. That means anything that eats meat loves the taste of rabbit. That also means that owners need to take a little extra
care to protect their pet. If you bury fencing or hardware cloth about a foot below the base of their area, this will prevent most dogs, cats and raccoons from digging in and the rabbit from digging out. Likewise, you can cover the canopy of their area with bird netting or hardware cloth (welded wire mesh: It’s durable enough that raccoons can’t break into it) to keep climbers and birds out. If that’s not an option, you’ll always struggle with climbers like dogs and raccoons, but you can deter raptors by hanging old CDs or spent glass bottles above the area. The sun reflecting off the shiny surface messes with Raptors’ depth perception and forces them to abort a dive. Works well in a chicken yard, too! This is especially helpful, because it’s a federal offense to kill a bird of prey. Just don’t do it. Rabbits can be a fun pet, especially if you have a plan to make the rabbit work for you. If your kids have been bugging you for a dog, but you don’t think they’re ready, a rabbit might be a good test of responsibility. If they take good care of it, maybe they’re ready for the next big step. If they don’t, well… At least you’ll have dinner readily available.
Random Corner Don’t know much about Bugs
bunny?
We can help!
• Bugs Bunny was originally “Happy Rabbit”. He also used to be white instead of gray and they alternated between giving him huge buck teeth and no teeth at all. • Bugs Bunny, along with Mickey Mouse, were the first two animals to get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. • Mel Blanc actually ate carrots while voicing the iconic character. • Bugs Bunny is a U.S. Marine. At the end of the 1943 short “Super-Rabbit,” Bugs wears a USMC blue uniform. As a result, they made Bugs an honorary private of the corps. Throughout WW II, Bugs continued to be promoted in rank until he retired as a master sergeant. • Bugs’ name came from his animator. In 1938, Ben “Bugs” Hardaway was redesigning a new rabbit character. A fellow employee casually referred to the drawing as “Bug’s Bunny” (which was written above the illustration) and the name stuck ever since. • As of Jan. 2013, he has appeared in more films than any other cartoon character. More than 175 films, to be exact. • Bugs Bunny was the first cartoon character to ever appear on a stamp. • Charlie Chaplin inspired Bugs Bunny’s personality.
OPINION
Outdoorsmen speak for public lands By Scott Taylor Reader Contributor For two decades, the world’s largest trade exhibition of outdoor gear manufacturers, the Outdoor Retailer (OR) show, has met twice a year at the Salt Palace Convention Center, bringing an estimated 50,000 people and $45 million to Salt Lake City and the state of Utah. But this year will be the last, as Emerald Exhibitions, the company that owns and promotes the show, says it will not consider SLC for future shows due to Utah’s stance on federal public lands. Utah’s Republican leadership, in a state known for its natural beauty and vast outdoor recreation opportunities, much of which are on federal public land, has become one of the most vocal and active proponents of removing that land from federal control and turning it over to the states. Governor Gary Herbert, Senator Orrin Hatch, House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Rob Bishop, and Representative Jason Chaffetz have led the movement to switch control of millions of acres of public land from federal to state control. (Chaffetz introduced HR621, a bill to sell off and “dispose of 3.3 million acres of public land deemed useless to taxpayers.” Hunters and sportsmen deluged him with disapproval, so he announced on Instagram that he would withdraw the bill. However, as of Feb. 10, it has not been withdrawn.) Hatch, Herbert, and Bishop have made it clear that they intend to seek the reversal of President Obama’s designation of the Bears Ears area in southern Utah as a National Monument. Obama used the Antiquities Act, an act signed into law by none other than Teddy Roosevelt, to protect over 500 million acres as national monuments. “The greatest good for the greatest number also applies to the number within the womb of time, compared to which those now alive form but an insignificant fraction,” said Roosevelt. “Our duty to the whole, including the unborn generation, bids us restrain an unprincipled present-day minority from wasting the heritage of these unborn generations.” Following the lead of Patagonia—one of the most recognizable and respected outdoor manufacturers in the world—other outdoor gear manufacturers, including Arc’teryx and Utah-based Black Diamond and Kuhl, said they would also forego the OR show if it was held in Utah. “As an industry, we’re all about defending public lands,” said Patagonia’s CEO Rose Marcario. “Because of the hostile environment they have created and their blatant disregard for Bears Ears National Monument and other public lands...Patagonia will no longer attend the OR show in Utah.” Peter Metcalf, the founder of climbing
gear maker Black Diamond followed suit. “Utah is the birther of the most anti-stewardship, anti-public-lands policy in the country...If we can’t affect policy by staying, then the next step is leaving.” But the puffy jacket, fleece-wearing, Subaru-driving crowd isn’t the only population up in arms over the anti-federal land movement. The Carhartt- and camo-clad, and truck-driving crowd are also speaking up, touting the heritage and benefits of public land availability for hunters and fishermen, and voicing their disapproval of recent “takeovers” of federal land. Mark Heckert, from Washington, a member of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers (a group dedicated to keeping public lands accessible and public), speaking about the incident at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, said “It’s a bald-faced grab at the lands that belong to all of the people of the United States ...what that means is, pretty soon they’ll be saying ‘you can’t come on this land to hunt because it’s ranch land and it’s not safe for the cattle’...” Ed Putnam, another member of BHA, from Oregon, said “[For] public lands, there needs to be a balance in how we manage them and who has the right to use that land. This [takeover] was a bad idea.” Hal Herring, writing in Field and Stream, said “Our national monuments provide some of the greatest hunting opportunities in the world. They will remain so as long as hunters get involved, and stay involved, in the public process.” And hunters are doing just that. It was hunters from Utah who convinced Jason Chaffetz to withdraw his bill, and hunting industry manufacturers like Weatherby, Yeti, Hoyt, Kifaru and Mountain Ops, as well as retailers such as Sportsman’s Warehouse, have joined in, even sponsoring country music concerts in support of public land at hunting industry trade shows. One of the culprits targeted by outdoor groups as driving Utah’s anti-public-lands policy is the oil and gas industry. That industry was, unsurprisingly, a major campaign contributor to Gov. Herbert and Rep. Chaffetz, and the largest contributor to Bishop’s campaign. Patagonia says outdoor recreation in Utah amounts to $12 billion and 122,000 jobs, while oil and gas industries in Utah account for only $2.4 billion and less than 7,000 jobs. The Salt Lake Tribune estimated that if Utah were to take over control of federal lands, it could gross $311 million per year. However, it would cost the state $280 million to manage those lands, leaving it with a net income of $31 million. Currently, under federal management, Utah receives $185 million/yr for these lands. That’s $154 million more than it would take in under its own control. The Tribune dubbed the effort
to do away with federal control “quixotic.” What does any of this mean to Idaho? Idaho has 16 million acres of public land, and the movement to transfer that to state control has caught on here, too. But states rarely have the financial resources to manage those lands when it comes to fire control, road maintenance, law enforcement, etc. If there were major forest fire outbreaks, pest invasions or other natural disasters, it’s estimated that Idaho could face a possible $111 million dollar deficit if it tried to manage the lands that are now under federal control. And if that happens, the state’s only solution will be to start selling off those lands to the highest bidder, meaning they probably won’t be available to the public anymore. Examples of this can already be seen in the proposed IDFG sell-off of a stand of large, mature red cedars on Sunnyside Peninsula, and Oregon’s planned sale of Elliot State Forest. Finding a common cause among the many and varied groups that have an interest in keeping recreation lands open to the public has created an unlikely, albeit unspoken, alliance among outdoor enthusiasts. Although the backpacking, hiking, granola-eating crowd and the hunting and fishing community have often found themselves on opposite sides of land use issues, this is one issue Montana governor Steve Bullock says all outdoor users can get behind. “Whether you’re a Democrat, Republican, Libertarian or vegetarian, these lands belong to you.”
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Poem in Your Pocket Learn to dance the Country Two-St 12 pm @ Sandpoint Library Rude Girls Room 7pm @ Sandpoint West Athletic Club Share your favorite poem with the Friends of With instructor Diane Peters. 610-177 the Library for National Poetry Month, or just listen!
April Gallery Opening 5-8pm @ Infini Gallery Catch new art, refreshments and live music by Brandon Watterson. Live Music w/Bright Moments Jazz 7-10pm @ Eichardt’s Pub Spring Treats on Your Feet 1-4pm @ Super 1 Foods Purchase a $20 ticket at Super 1, then walk to downtown locations for special spring treats. Benefits Bonner Homeless Transitions. Call 255-4074. Cedar St. Bridge Public Market 10am-2pm @ Cedar St. Bridge Come enjoy indoor shopping on the bridge spanning Sand Creek
Celebrate National Beer Day 9pm-12am @ 219 Lounge Come celebrate National Beer Da First Ave. Tap Takeover by repre and 2 Towns Cider. Beer and cid and more. Live music with Righ “Jumanji” screening 2pm @ Panida Theater Kinderhaven presents a free showing of the action-adventure family film “Jumanji” in the Panida Theater, 300 N. First Ave. This movie is rated PG, but it could be scary for small children because it shows aggressive wild animals.
Live Music w/ John Craigie 7:30pm @ Di Luna’s Jenny Anne Mannan opening. starting 5:30pm. 263-0846. Organic Seed Saving c Puppy Power Hour 1pm @ Sandpoint librar 12pm @ Pend Oreille Pet Lodge Call 263-6248 for more Puppies enjoy an hour of supervised play for $5. 255-7687 Sandpoint Chess Club 9am @ Evans Brothers Coffee Meets every Sunday at 9am. All are welcome
Night Out Karaoke 9pm @ 219 Lounge
Ray of Hope Luncheon 12pm @ Tango Cafe RSVP to this free luncheon and hear an inspiring teen speaker. www. northidahocasa.com/2017roh.html
Bonner County Democrats Monthly Meeting 5:30pm @ Sandpoint Library The Bonner County Democrats meet the second Wednesday of each month Dollar Beers! 8pm @ Eichardt’s Pub Good until the keg’s dry
“Resilience” screening 6-8pm @ Panida Theate Catch this free documen preventing childhood tra
Hiawatha Drum Circle! Unite the Tr 6:30-8pm @ Memorial Community Ce A journey through the spirit world. No to bring your own drum. For more info (208) 304-9300 or memorialcommuni
Open mic night with Doug Bond and Kevin Dorin 6-9pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall Come out for a positive environment to share your passion or j come to take it all in! All levels of performers are welcome. Th set will be recorded live and artists will have access to the audi
ful
April 6 - 13, 2017
ry Two-Step etic Club s. 610-1770
Live Music w/Brandon Watterson 6-8 pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall Catch a longtime local with a great sound you’ve heard in many bands.
er Day ge al Beer Day at the 219 Lounge, 219 N. r by representatives of Rogue Brewing er and cider specials, prize giveaways with Right Front Burner.
e n-
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A weekly entertainment guide to keep you on your toes. To list your event free, please send an email to calendar@sandpointreader.com. Reader recommended
Live Music w/ Marty Perron and Doug Bond 5:30-7:30pm @ Idaho Pour Authority Live Music w/ Chris Lynch 6pm @ Arlo’s Ristorante
Live Music w/ John Craigie 7:30pm @ Di Luna’s Comedy and folk music in one great performance. Little Wolf opening. Dinner served starting 5:30pm. 263-0846. Live Music w/ Browne Salmon Truck 5:30-8:30pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery Enjoy a fusion of modern and aged jazz and blues from the talented Truck Mills and Samantha Carston
Craigie
opening. Dinner served -0846. Saving class oint library for more information
creening da Theater documentary about dhood trauma.
nite the Tribes! munity Center (Hope) world. Not a class! Try more info contact Jack communitycenter.com
New Beer Eve 219 Lounge All craft beers will be $1 off and it is Ski and Board Appreciation Day -- so bring in your ski pass or ski area employee ID and get a shot and a beer for $4. Live Music w/Riff Hangers 6:30-9:30pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall Live Music w/Jake Robin 6-8pm @ The Wine Bar, Cedar Street Bridge
More than a store, a Super store!
HAPPY ! R E T S A E
Music w/ DJ Josh 9pm-12am @ 219 Lounge Get your groove on with hip hop, reggae and electro vibes Live Music w/Brian Jacobs and Chris Lynch 6:30-9:30pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall This fun duo with a great sound that will have you on the dance floor. Live Music w/ Chris Lynch 6pm @ Arlo’s Ristorante Live Music w/ Bright Moments Jazz 5-7pm @ Idaho Pour Authority
Game Night at the Niner 9pm @ 219 Lounge Monday Night Blues Jam w/ Truck Mills 7:30pm @ Eichardt’s Pub Pizza Fundraiser Night for DayBreak Center All day @ Papa Murphy’s Turn in a flier (call 263-6860 or 265-8127 to request one), and Papa Murphy’s will donate a portion of your pizza sale to the DayBreak Center Northside Elementary PTO fundraiser 5-8pm @ Idaho Pour Authority Enjoy Twelve String Brewing beer on tap, live music, complimentary appetizers and raffle prizes
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SATURDAY, APRIL 7: Beer Daa! TAP TAKEOVER BY ROGUE BREWING 2 TOWNS CIDER HOUSE + OTHERS r 9 PM RIGHT FRONT BURNER �rsa Eve
Aprii 7, 1933 Enn tt prohibitioo Woohot
“Frantz” screening 7:30pm @ Panida Theater assion or just Catch this artistic French film about a German widow in the lcome. The wake of WWI at 7:30 p.m. April 13, and 3:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. o the audio! April 15.
Feb. 4 Comedy for a Cause @ The Panida Theater
w o h e e s d n a n i n o Hop d e r e v o c u o y t o g we've for Easter:
! e r lo a g y d n a -C s t e -Easter bask ns io t a r o c e -D s it k g in y -Egg d -Much more!
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National Beer Day is here! By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff If there’s anything that can unite us in these divided times, it’s beer. Good thing a national celebration of everyone’s favorite after-work beverage is just around the corner. That’s right: National Beer Day arrives to satisfy a thirsty country on April 7, giving everyone a reason to appreciate their favorite lager, porter, IPA or stout. What’s more, Sandpoint is getting in on the action, with county establishments offering specials for local observers. “We were looking for a lot of different ways to promote the 219 when we came across National Beer Day,” said Mel Dick, among the first to popularize the holiday in Sandpoint. “We thought, ‘Jeez it’s out there, but no one here is doing this yet.’” The roots of National Beer Day run deep into American history. April 7, 1933, is the day that the Cullen-Harrison Act, which legalized beer and wine sales in the U.S. following the failure of Prohibition, was first enforced in the country. Upon signing the bill, President Franklin D. Roosevelt famously quipped, “I think this would be a good time for a beer.” Americans agreed, lining up outside their favorite bars and breweries and consuming 1.5 million barrels-worth of beer within the first 24 hours of the act’s enforcement. Later that year, on Dec. 5, 1933, the 21st Amendment of the U.S. Constitution was ratified, officially ending Prohibition and legalizing all alcohol across the country—not just the low-alcohol beer and wine authorized by the Cullen-Harrison Act. Despite the welcome cause for celebration, it would be nearly 80 years before April 7 and beer became linked in the public consciousness. In 2009, 14 /
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Justin Smith of Richmond, Va., made a Facebook page declaring April 7 National Beer Day. The page became unexpectedly popular, generating media attention and popular recognition. Soon, bars, breweries and individual beer lovers were planning events in recognition of the holiday. “It started out more as a joke than anything,” said Dick. This year, National Beer Day achieved something approaching official recognition—at least in Virginia, the state of its birth. Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe formally declared April 7 “National Beer Day is an opportunity to celebrate the Commonwealth’s craft beer and the business and community leaders working to grow the industry,” McAuliffe said in certificate of recognition. Local establishments plan on celebrating the day in style. The 219 Lounge is featuring a tap takeover by Rogue Brewing, with several of their great beers balanced by selections from 2 Towns Cider House. There will also be live music by Right Front Burner, who are bringing a varied selection of covers with them. Likewise, Idaho Pour Authority, MickDuff’s Beer Hall, Eichardt’s and The Wine Bar at Cedar Street Bridge will all feature live music that night. And Laughing Dog Brewing and MickDuff’s Beer Hall will both have commemorative glasses from Idaho Brewers United available while supplies last.
Congratulations to
Barbara Waterous Thank you, Barbara, for being such a valuable member of the team! Employee of the Month - April 2017
520 N. Third Avenue • Sandpoint, ID 83864 • 208-263-1441 • BonnerGeneral.org
Employee of the Month is Sponsored by
One thing vampire children have to be taught early is, don’t run with a wooden stake.
LITERATURE
This open Window
again, sky
by Amy Craven I wore my sunglasses on our afternoon walk at 2:00 as the sun made its way westward behind the houses on First Avenue All was brisk, the crisp air blew around me and the dog I held my jacket to my throat And the sky — was the blue of a jay’s feather the blue of the hyacinths from a childhood walk through the two old ladies’ garden, somewhere in Wheeling, West Virginia the blue of the dress I pined for when I was twelve
Vol. 2 No.7
poetry and prose by local writers edited by Jim mitsui
A French blue Why do the French get their own blue? my husband asks I don’t know and I ponder aloud if there are Turkish greens, Brazilian purples, or Chinese yellows The French just do, I say They do get blue, bleu,
bleu,
blue
right side out
by Brenda Hammond Before I smooth his warm tee-shirt on the dryer top I turn it right-side out---the way he says he takes them off, bring the seams together till they touch. My hands caress the wrinkles feel his shoulders in the sleeves, his arms hard with work---smell his smell. Remember--pinon turquoise sky, sweating together--The sun stood still above the tent the day our child was born. Most days I pull the tee-shirts from the dryer with a shake, fold them in mid-air. It’s been this way for thirty years, he hasn’t caught on yet--The times I feel most tender, loving, I turn his tee-shirts right-side out. -Brenda Hammond Brenda is a long-time member of the Board of the Bonner County Human Rights Task Force. She’s making plans to work less and spend more time with her four beautiful grand-girls.
-Amy Craven This week I thought I’d just let these poems speak, and show us what they have to say. I’m hoping that spring will invigorate the writer in you so we receive more submissions. Especially with prose memoirs, which convey so many rich memories of the past. Send your work to Jim3wells@aol.com and join the fun! Share your stories and give us a glimpse into your life and ours.
Amy, a retired voice teacher, lives in Sandpoint with her husband, Rob, and Hazel, the 14 year old Labradog. She hopes that you, too, will fall under the spell of poetry.
Thanks, Jim Mitsui
a better name
by Beth Weber Lynn turns sixty this August day. She kayaks with me, the outline of Round Lake. Pond Lily pads flash her back to summers of her youth, canoeing Pattison Lake, near Lacey, paddling across broad heart-shaped leaves, just to hear the swishing song they whisper against a shiny hull.
And we must approach it to see inside, the dimpled disc it offers us, a golden host fringed in a ruffle of denim red. And peering in, Lynn comments “We never called them Cow Lily or Wocus, but I can’t remember what.” And her mind sneaks back in time. “I had a parakeet. What was his name?
Pond Lilies sit shy with inhibitions, demure wallflowers, crowded along the perimeter. Some label them Cows. Yellow Cow Lilies. Klamath Indians named them Wocus. The lessreticent lily specimens reach up a green arm, with a gift, clutched in a bright yellow fist that never fully opens but to a careful cup shape.
He was the exact same color as that flower. Even his green belly feathers matched the bottom edge of the petals where they connect to the stem. His beak was red as the denim fringe. Spatter Doc! That’s it. I named him that after this flower. That’s what we always called it. Spatterdock.”
-Beth Weber Beth, a regular in this column, lives in Cocolalla, gives violin lessons in her home, and hands us a good idea of what it’s like to go kayaking in our local rivers and lakes.
Send poems to: jim3wells@aol.com
of microwave popcorn and memories by Maureen Cooper
A bag of popcorn in the microwave, what could be easier Already seasoned, poured steaming into the waiting bowl Settle down on the couch with your movies Easy… Three little girls, eleven, nine and four no fancy popper back then Mom’s biggest kettle a little oil on the bottom, heating on the stove no lid yet exactly 3 kernels in the pan, no more or less, one for each Wait, wait, is it ready will it” YES! three lively puffs leap from the pan, eagerly chased across the kitchen with squeals of joy the oil is hot enough Kit carefully pours the rest of the kernels in Pat tells her how to do it right Mom puts the lid on Pat and Kit take turns shaking the pan, sounding like darkfall on the 4th of July, the lid rises on a surge of white. butter, then salt (Don’t let Pat put the salt on!) Three little girls in a row, giggling and munching, a special treat to eat there on the couch, careful not to spill, scrambling after the old maids to suck off every bit of salty butter grinning with popcorn hulled teeth when the bowl is empty and they are filled.
a mid-winter's night
by Jeanette Schandelmeier Stars like pinpricks in a blackout curtain form a familiar shape in the northern sky and Alaska’s state song plays in my mind: Eight stars of gold on a field of blue, may it mean to you…I’m transported back to fourth grade, Miss Enati’s class. Tony standing in front of the room coached by the teacher while we all wait. The song has impossible high notes by the time you get to blue, but Tony can almost hit them when he starts lower. We all shift in our seats while Tony’s voice goes hoarse. I count the stars in the dipper. There are seven, making the North Star, Polaris, number eight. Tonight the blackness of the sky swallows the stars---and memories as I walk into the light. -Jeanette Schandelmeier Jeanette, a regular in this column, lives on Talache Road but remembers her Alaskan roots. Memories like this one of Tony and Miss Enati are a good source of writing material.
-Maureen Cooper Maureen lives in Sagle on Muskrat Lake. Her mother wrote poetry and she was surprised that no everyone does. Those in the audience who are younger, with a microwave in the kitchen, have been deprived of this old ritual—maybe even on a woodstove. April 6, 2017 /
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Tapping into Genius By Suzen Fiskin Reader Columnist What do Thomas Edison, Salvador Dali and Albert Einstein have in common? Of course they were geniuses in their fields. However, I’m going to go with a more obscure answer: They were all power nappers. What does napping have to do with high achievement, you may wonder? I’m so glad you asked! I’ve always been fascinated with brains and how to get the most from them. To every purpose, there is a brainwave. In the Beta frequency, a person is awake and alert with a brain wave cycle of 14 to 28 cycles per second. Think every-day life. Alpha (7-14 cps) is a state of deep relaxation where daydreams and many meditators live. Think about watching the first robin of spring hop along your railing while imagining kayaking in the warmth of the sun. (ahhh . . .) Next on our way down is the Theta brain wave state (4-7 cps), which creates deeper relaxation as the mind begins to tap into the unconscious, as in a light dream state or under hypnosis. The lowest and slowest are Delta waves that vibrate between 0-4 cps and are the state of deep sleep. I’ve been a meditator since I was 18. I’ve explored yoga meditations,
Transcendental meditation, mentally run a spectrum of sounds and colors through my body, counterculture commodity induced meditations and more. I’ve even got a light/sound machine which meditates me! I put on a pair of goggles that flashes colored lights in time with the music I listen to while the wearing headphones. I choose what wave(s) I want my brain to vibrate at and my little machine sends an audio signal a bit above that ideal frequency to my left ear and a signal a bit below that frequency to my right. My brain fills in the blank and tunes into the ideal state of mind I’m after. There is also music available with these tones embedded called “Hemisync.” Voila, instant meditation! I’m a true believer in power naps. So was Eleanor Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, and John Kennedy as well as Charlie Rose, Arianna Huffington and Margaret Thatcher. Comedian Carrie Snow said, “No day is so bad that it can’t be fixed with a nap!” If you’re an Abraham Hicks fan, he suggests that if you’re having a rough day, a nap will reset your vibrational frequency. Nice! There are times in my life when sleep is very scarce and precious. These are the times when naps become absolutely essential. In twenty to thirty minutes, I can go from too tired to think to zooming with new ideas and energy. I often get my best creative ideas when I meditate or nap. So what does this twilight sleep state have to do with Edison, Dali and Einstein? They were all well-known nappers who each developed tech-
niques for taking breaks that allowed them to go into a Theta state but no further. It is a very creative state of mind, and they all had their own unique vision of the world. Edison, rumor has it, used to hold ball bearings while resting his hands over a metal pail. As he drifted off from twilight to sleep, the clunk of the metal ball hitting the pail would wake him up when his dreamy state got too deep. Dali did micro naps for a few seconds while holding a key that would hit his hard surfaced floor. Da Vinci took 15 minute naps every four hours to keep his mind fresh. What do these people have in common? They knew that when their minds calmed down and silent enough, they could begin to tap into the place where all knowledge and information exists. Those of a spiritual bent call Oneness, and those of a more scientific orientation refer to as The Field. Need some inspiration, creativi-
ty and genius in your life? Consider making meditation and/or power napping a regular practice. By getting yourself used to being in a Theta brain wave state, you can tap into the vast stores of knowledge and information available to us all. It’s all about tapping into The Field. It’s SPRING and everything is beginning to buzz with life. You, too, can be tuned in, tapped in and turned on. Go for it! Suzen Fiskin is a happiness coach, multi-media marketing maven, and inspirational speaker. She’s also the author of the book, Playboy Mansion Memoirs. If you have any questions or comments, email her at: suzenfiskin@ yahoo.com
Listen in Sandpoint to KPND @ 106.7 in HD 16 /
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Museum membership matters for Bonner County history
By Cameron Murray Reader Contributor History creating community: Three simple words that when put together spell out the mission of the Bonner County History Museum. The museum infuses this mission into everything it does – from educational and electrifying exhibits to dazzling events. How does it achieve all this? Through the support of individuals and businesses in our community who value our collective history. Being a member of the museum means that you become a part of this unique community of people who believe that history is not only about recognizing and valuing our past, but also about making that past as enjoyable and interesting as possible. While membership is a crucial part of ensuring that the museum is able to protect our local history, being a member also does great things for you. Museum membership means belonging to something social. Not only does the museum host great public events like Movie in the Park, where it transforms Lakeview Park in to an outdoor venue to watch great movies like “The Princess Bride,” and their Annual Trick-or-Treat at the Museum and Halloween Party, when the entire museum is decked out in its spookiest best; but it also has exclusive, members-only events. These include behindthe-scenes tours of the museum, and the upcoming first Annual Historic Pub Crawl, which will
take place this summer. Museum membership means belonging to something engaging. Museum members receive free admission to the museum, as well as two guest passes so you can bring friends—or get visiting inlaws out of the house! And while you may think that one visit to the museum is enough, the museum presents new exhibits every four to six months, so your annual membership means getting to see three to six new exhibits annually. And don’t forget that these membership dollars that help make it possible for them to design and install these unforgettable exhibits of Bonner County history. Museum membership means belonging to something beautiful. Museum members get a 10 percent discount on the merchandise in the gift shop, which includes great items to decorate your space, as well as vintage toys and games, jewelry from local artists and much more. Members also have access to the museum’s collection of over 70,000 of local vintage photographs, which are another amazing way to beautify your life. Museum membership means belonging to something lasting. The Bonner County History Museum has been part of this community for over 40 years, and they are just as dedicated to preserving our rich local history now as they were then. Being a member of the museum means that you’re joining a group
dedicated to making sure that the museum’s collection of over 1 million artifacts, photographs, books and archival materials will be protected for future generations to appreciate and enjoy. It also means that you’ll know all the best old stories about our area – great for dinner parties and water cooler conversations. Membership at the museum is affordable, and it’s easy to join. Membership starts at just $25 a year, which is less than the cost of one cup of coffee per month, and you can become a member online, at www.bonnercountyhistory.org, by mail, or in person at the museum- their favorite method; so they can meet you and show you around. Membership comes at several levels, all of which include free admission for one year, two guest passes, a 10-percent discount in the gift shop, a quarterly newsletter, priority notice for all museum events and admission to exclusive member-only events. Senior memberships are $25. Individual memberships are $30. Dual memberships, which include benefits for two people, are $40. And household memberships, which include benefits for four people, are $50. They also offer “Expand” level memberships, which start at $150 and offer increased benefits. For more information on membership, visit their website, give them a call, or just stop by. You’ll be glad you did.
‘Resilience’ paints a picture of hope The Region 1 Behavioral Health Board’s Children’s Mental Health sub-committee presents “RESILIENCE” at the Panida on April 11 at 6 pm. A panel discussion will follow at 7:15. “RESILIENCE” is a film that highlights the national
movement to prevent childhood trauma and improve the health of future generations. This film is free to the public. Please come to the screening and then join the conversation about what our community is doing about childhood trauma and how you can be a part of
our efforts to improve outcomes for the youth impacted. This free community event is funded by OPTUM IDAHO; The Children’s Mental Health Board and North Idaho Children’s Mental Health
Getting to know our wonderful nonprofits By Dianne Smith Reader Columnist There are so many great local not for profits that support the local community. We are definitely blessed to live in a community that offers so much both for the community as well as for volunteers to share their time and talents. There is a passion for everyone from the land to animals to children in need. The Panida Theater, whose mission statement is “inspiring cultural enrichment, education and entertainment through the arts, for all generations,” is another great nonprofit. The Panida brings some of the best entertainment to Sandpoint along with providing a venue for other organizations to showcase their art. Saved from destruction in 1985, the Panida is on the National Register of Historic Places. With 500 seats and acoustic perfection, it provides a wonderful opportunity to experience the arts without having to drive. Bonner Community Food Bank’s mission is to “assist persons in our community with emergency non-medical resources in a time of personal crisis.” The Food Bank is a food resource for low income families, disabled individuals, children and seniors to receive a ‘helping hand’ in a time of emergency. They also work with local schools with the backpack program which provides food for over the weekend for students who might otherwise go hungry as well as their Christmas gift match program. Once a month they are able to provide diapers and
Part 2 of 4
The Panida Theater before the Follies. Photo by Ben Olson. formula to families who have infants. Another great place to volunteer if you are interested, with people donating over 500 hours of volunteer time each month to help so that people in the community don’t go hungry. Kaniksu Land Trust is a not-for-profit organization that promotes healthy lands and healthy communities and looks for ways to connect the two many programs that encourage people of all ages to get outside and play. Their K-12 outdoor learning program provides science curriculum to hundreds of area school children on a weekly basis and the County Park Rx Program, partners with medical providers to prescribe outdoor activity as a treatment for chronic illness. Kaniksu believes that being outside enjoying nature promotes healthy people and you couldn’t find a prettier place to be outside than our local community. April 6, 2017 /
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IN COUNTRY Vietnam Veterans living in Sandpoint
Part 4: BARNEY BALLARD, USAF
By Ben Olson Reader Staff Author’s Note: This is the fourth in a five-part series highlighting the stories of Vietnam Veterans living in Sandpoint. In this week’s installment, I sat down with Barney Ballard, a combat pilot who flew over 90 missions in Vietnam. I grew up with Barney’s daughters and have known him and his wife Carol for years while working as employee at their restaurant Dock of the Bay. We thank everyone who has given service to their country in any form. Born in Colorado, Barney Ballard spent his formative years in Los Angeles, graduating high school in 1965, several years after year the U.S. entered the Vietnam War. Most important to Ballard was education, so he enrolled in Occidental College in Eagle Rock, Calif. and started out as a philosophy major. “My freshman year I received word that the head of the philosophy department had committed suicide and he had always been living with his mother,” said Ballard. “So I thought, ‘I don’t really want to explore philosophy in that department,’ so I switched to anthropology and it was a mind-opening experience to other peoples and cultures.” Ballard took part in sports during his college years, playing for the football and rugby teams. An encounter with the famous football coach Jim Mora, Sr. helped put Ballard on an affordable path for college. 18 /
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“I told him I didn’t have the funds to go to Occidental, and asked if there was any way he could help out,” said Ballard. “But he said they didn’t allow athletic scholarships, but he could get me a room underneath the bleachers.” The room, known as the TQ, or Training Quarters, was a 16-bynine-foot cell with no heat. But it was free, and Ballard lived there with a roommate throughout the remainder of college. Along with his studies and sports, Ballard had been following the building conflict in Vietnam and felt an obligation to serve. He joined the ROTC program and began preparing to enter the military. “I thought if I believed in any of these altruistic principles as stated by our country, then I felt I needed to serve,” he said. “Especially because I also knew that given my socio-economic position, I could get out of a lot of things with deferments, or just have a doctor write a note and say you have a bone spur on your heel, like a guy we know.” Ballard was influenced by a man he met in ROTC named Cpt. Conran who was a pilot. “I wanted to fly,” he said. “I thought that it would be really a challenging thing to do.” His senior year, Ballard took and failed the physical for flight school five times. One eye did not have perfect 20/20 vision; a prerequisite for flight school. It was suggested to him to apply to be a personnel officer; a position that would almost guarantee he would stay stateside during the war. “I didn’t really want to do anything but fly,” he said. “Not that I wanted to go to Vietnam, but I wanted to fly.” Ballard met another person who left a lasting impact on him. Tech. Sgt. Robert Albert knew of Bal-
lard’s predicament and told Ballard he would look into the situation to see if there was any way to help. It was when a letter came from Sgt. Albert that Ballard first knew he was going to get his wings. “He wrote me a letter, which I still have today,” said Ballard. “He said ‘This is a special deferment that I have obtained for you. You’re allowed to enter pilot training wearing glasses and you’re to report to Vance Air Force Base in Enid, Okla. on Dec. 8, 1969.” Sgt. Albert wrote the reason that he had helped was because he respected how Ballard had gotten through school, that he was a working class person like himself. “He wanted to give me a hand,” said Ballard. “He just said to pay it forward. He said I’d meet some of his guys someday and even though I’ll be an officer, reach out and give them a hand if they ever needed it.” Airborne
Ballard took to flight training as he did most things in life: with gusto. “I loved it,” he said. “I was competitive from my background in college sports. You’re just totally consumed by what you’re doing.” Always a man who aimed high, Ballard set his sights on the tip of the spear in aviation: fighter jets. “It was the hardest thing to get to, so I wanted to do it,” said Ballard. During his training, Ballard remembered living and breathing flight school. He would fly acrobat maneuvers blind under a hood, relying on instrumentation alone. He took difficult positions inside intricate formations, working out flying routines in his head to music. “When you’re flying instrument approaches you enter a holding pattern, then you’re cleared
to come down,” said Ballard. “That’s called ‘penetration.’ When I was flying those maneuvers, I had Three Dog Night in my mind, going, ‘Penetrate, penetrate, flyyy to the music.’” Over 53 weeks, Ballard flew everything from prop-driven Cessna T-41s, T-37s, then to the T-38s. The class started with 96 people and only 62 made it to the end. Upon graduation from flight school, there were 260 men in a pool with only five spots in fighters available. Ballard applied to fly the A-1, a prop-driven radial engine relic built in the WWII era. “I wanted to be in close air support and support helicopter rescues,” he said. “I have a romantic spot in my heart for those old radial engine airplanes.” Ballard started training in the A-1 but the assignment was changed to an F-100 at Luke Air Force Base outside of Phoenix, Ariz.. The F-100 was a single engine, single seat supersonic fighter built in the mid-1950s. He was pleased with the chance. “I enjoyed flying because most of the time I flew by myself,” he said. “I liked having my own airplane.” There was one drawback to flying the F-100, however; it was built for a man much smaller than Ballard. “I literally couldn’t turn around and do all those things you need to do with switches on either side of you,” said Ballard. “So I memorized the panel and would reach under my arm to move the switches. I was actually worried, since I’m a bigger guy, I knew if I ever had to punch out of the airplane, I’d probably need to roll the plane over, blow the canopy and kick out.” Overseas... to Korea
Ballard was sent to Fairchild Air Force Base in Spokane, Wash., to complete the basic survival training that was usually the last step before being sent to combat. “Then my assignment got changed again,” he said. “The Air Force said right now they needed guys with fighter experience to fly the Cessna 337, which was a propeller-driven airplane. I was pissed.” Ballard wasn’t happy with the twin engine civilian-built airplane that had less protection than military grade jets. They carried rockets and flares, and white phosphorous rockets for marking targets, and generally acted as a liaison between ground forces and fighter jets. Ballard received more training in Florida before finally being sent overseas, but not to Vietnam. “They sent me to Korea,” he said. While in Korea, as part of his assignment as a Forward Air Controller, or FAC, he was to act as a liaison between Army units and the 19th Tactical Air Support Squadron. “You went on Army exercises and had to explain what the airstrikes were like,,” he said. “But we also had to realize what was happening with the ground pounders and their critical situation on the ground that we were hopefully seeing correctly from the air.” Eager to apply his anthropology background, Ballard volunteered to live with a Korean army unit up above the 38th parallel in the mountains. “I was living and working with Korean fighter pilots, all of them black belts in taekwondo,” he said. Always happy to further his learning, Ballard carried a Korean dictionary in his flight pocket and learned how to maintain a conversation and love kimchi, thoroughly
< see BALLARD, page 19 >
< BALLARD, con’t from page 18 > enjoying his relations with his Korean counterparts for 11 months. To the fight
In 1972, the North Vietnamese Army invaded South Vietnam in three different locations. Nixon had expanded the war two years earlier into Cambodia, leading to fierce anti-war protests stateside. By 1972, US military personnel in South Vietnam had declined as more and more troops were being pulled out. The fighting intensified in the spring of 1972 with the siege of An Loc and there was an immediate need for FACs to enter the combat zone. Both the South Vietnamese and the remaining U.S. troops were in retreat. “So I got sent down there for a three-month period,” he said. The day Ballard arrived in Saigon, he was told to stow his bags and was immediately sent out on a night mission with the Vietnamese in a C-119 gunship over the Mekong Delta. “I thought, geez, nobody even knows I’m here yet,” he said, as he remembers flying over tracers and heavy fighting below. “It was a strange introduction. I had one ride in an airplane with the Vietnamese, and one ride with a check pilot in the Cessna 337 ‘O2A’, and I was assigned to go and fight.” Ballard began conducting air strikes in support of the U.S. troops on the ground, as well as the South Vietnamese, who were forced into the town of An Loc south of the Parrot’s Beak of the Cambodian border. “There began a period of a siege of about 68 days,” he said. “Because we didn’t have ground troops, we brought in lots of air support. A lot of airplanes and a lot of helicopters were shot down.” After his years of training, the Siege of An Loc became Ballard’s immersion into a live-fire combat situation. “First of all, I was scared,” he said. “I knew that if I was going to survive any of this, I had to be disciplined, so I actually didn’t drink in Vietnam. I was flying almost every day and sometimes we’d fly again at night. I knew the odds may not be great that I would live, but I was most scared about getting captured.” While flying, Ballard carried a .45 sidearm and always told himself he’d save a bullet for himself in case he needed it.
A vision Over the next three months, Ballard flew an estimated 92 combat missions, most over An Loc. The missions involved heavy anti-aircraft fire, low flying, and air strikes laid with precision next to friendly forces. He also conducted air strikes over Tay Ninh, close to the Parrot’s Beak of Cambodia where there was a major NVA incursion point. One day, three of Ballard’s fellow FACs were shot down by surface-to-air missiles. “The next day I was out over An Loc again and saw the surfaceto-air missile signature, which was like a little donut,” he said. “I said oh no.” Ballard had already worked out in his mind the maneuvers he would take to avoid getting shot down. Immediately, he pulled power from the engine and flipped open his cowl flaps, which cooled the engine and made less of a target for the heat seeking missile. He dove right at the spot on the ground that the rocket had come from and had a vision that remains with him today. “I heard the Virgin Mary, and she said, ‘Don’t worry, it’s not your time. Do what you need to do and it’s going to be OK,’” he said. “It’s always been in my mind as to why in the heck did I make it and somebody else didn’t. So I thought that if there’s anything that you need to do with your life, it’s to seek to serve.” Because the NVA had retreated due to heavy casualties involved in the air strikes against them, Ballard was now nearing the end of his TDY. After three months of heavy combat, Ballard’s tour was up and he was sent home, left with the eternal questions as to his purpose. Shortly after, he was sent back to Korea, attained the rank of captain and became an instructor and check pilot for the remainder of his time overseas. Stateside and on the ground
When Ballard was sent stateside, the nation was rife with anti-war protests. After he completed his duty with the Air Force and entered civilian life, he began searching for a way to make sense of what he’d seen. Ballard said that 98 percent of the guys he went to school with got deferments or stayed in school through the war, and one man he knew was jailed for being a con-
scientious objector. “I had a great admiration for people who put something on the line and were conscientious objectors to the war,” he said. “I also felt that those who had gone to Canada had really given up something. Little did I know how beautiful Canada was.” Ballard, who had a deep love of flying, was faced with a soul-searching moment. “I was of the ‘fellowship of the air’ feeling. That whole idea that it was a noble thing,” he said. “When I got out of the Air Force, I never flew again. I took this thing that was a loving passion, and the way in which I used it, I was bothered by.” So, Ballard embarked on a new life on the ground. He toyed with the notion of entering law school, working full time in a restaurant in Boulder, Colo. Eventually, he was asked to go in as a partner and take over a restaurant. While installing ceiling tiles on a three-tiered scaffold during renovations, a woman named Carol walked in to interview for a job. “I saw her walk in and I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, I want to go interview her,’” he said. “So, anyway, I scrambled down from that scaffolding and went over and I ended up hiring her. The rest is history. She was the best person I had ever met, and I knew it at that moment.” Barney and Carol Ballard have been together since 1976. During his time in basic survival training at Fairchild AFB, he remembered hearing about a town farther north called Sandpoint. So the Ballards moved to Sandpoint in 1983 and bought a house on Boyer Ave. They have three children; Maureen, Natalie and Anna. In 1984, the Ballards opened a restaurant called The Cupboard in the 305 sq. ft. space just north of the Panida Theater. The restaurant opened the day before Ivano’s Ristorante opened. After establishing themselves in the restaurant business, they later opened Dock of the Bay in Hope, and finally Tango Cafe in the Columbia Bank Building before retiring. While he doesn’t fly anymore, Ballard remains an advocate for aviation, especially locally. He is involved with the High School Aerospace Program, which outreaches to local students to prepare for careers in aviation. The
Top: Ballard standing next to a F-100 during training. Bottom: A group of Korean army soldiers wearing their martial arts uniforms. Photo by Barney Ballard. Inset, opposite page: The Ballard Family, from left to right: Natalie, Barney, Maureen, Carol, Anna (front). students are even in the process of building their own plane. Ballard sees aviation as a key pillar to supporting Sandpoint’s economic development. He also believes that hands-on experiential skills in building and flying an aircraft are something that not many get to experience. “My passion is to keep promoting what we do with aviation and this program,” he said. “When you look at Sandpoint, we’ve got a lot of great things happening here in
aerospace. The Tamarack winglets are here. Cygnus has established itself as a leader in parts manufacturing with the attitude that ‘we get it right.’ You look at how unique the Quest Kodiak airplane is, and also how Timberline has been remanufacturing Blackhawk helicopters, both for business and humanitarian purposes—this is all happening in Sandpoint. It’s really neat.”
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Living Life:
Childhood resilience
By Dianne Smith Reader Columnist Why do some children bounce back from what the mental health community calls adverse childhood experiences and others are so affected that it continues to negatively impact them into their adult years? Then, there is the question of what can be done to help so that children can thrive in spite of stressors and negative childhood experiences? How do we help support those who are struggling in our community? The Region 1 Behavioral Health Board’s Children’s Mental Health Sub-Committee is hosting an upcoming showing of the film “Resilience: The Biology of Stress & the Science of Hope” at the Panida on April 11 starting at 6 p.m. After the movie there will be a panel discussion with local experts, discussing how stress impacts local families which impacts the entire community. Most importantly they will be discussing what we as a community can do to help our youth thrive in spite of the many adversities in today’s society. Adverse childhood experiences are more common than many think as they are often hidden. According to the film: 28 percent of children have experienced physical abuse, 27 percent have experienced substance abuse in the family, 13 percent have experienced domestic violence and 20 percent have experienced sexual abuse. Sometimes having to go to bed hungry and not knowing where you are going to live can be an adverse experience. As the new documentary “Resilience” reveals, toxic stress can trigger hormones that wreak havoc on the brains and bodies of children, putting them at a greater risk for disease, homelessness, prison time, and early death. The movie also highlights the birth of a new movement among pediatricians, therapists, educators and communities, who are 20 /
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using cutting-edge brain science to disrupt cycles of violence, addiction and disease. The challenge is what the community can do to prevent the toxic stress and help youth grow into contributing members of the community. With the recent increase in youth suicide in the community, now is the time to wrap the youth of the community with love and care in the philosophy of it takes a village to raise healthy children. If we care for them now we can prevent many problems as they enter into adulthood including: decreasing the prison population, decreasing drug addiction and preventing chronic disease. If you interview many of the prison population the statistics are staggering on how many grew up in violent, toxic, traumatic environments with no strong adults to mentor them. There are many ways that people in the community work to support positive experiences, even when they have struggles of their own. You see this every day on local Facebook pages where people reach out to help others. The more every one can emotionally support themselves and others the stronger the community can to provide a place where youth can thrive. Join the panel of local experts as they discuss things we can do to provide a more caring, supportive community. In 2010, Walla Walla, Wash., launched the Children’s Resilience Initiative with the goal being to raise awareness around the impact of adverse childhood experiences and to foster resilience through educating all of the adults who impact children’s lives. This film and panel, which includes members from both Bonner and Boundary Counties will give community members a chance to see how adverse childhood experiences impact the entire community and what can be done to promote healing. With the lawsuit of Jeff D versus the State of Idaho coming to the forefront of children’s mental health,
prevention and early intervention is the focus at both the state and the federal level. If we continue to focus on creating great community support, we can continue to provide a supportive community for youth to thrive and grow. The more caring adults who can give back to the youth community, the more the youth community thrives. One significant adult, one significant interaction can make all the difference in the life of a youth. Dianne Smith is a licensed counselor with offices in Bonners Ferry and Sandpoint. She can be reached at 951-4400982
“Growing Up Smith”
A tribute to childhood heroes, first love, and growing up in Small Town, America...in simpler times.
ission
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Children’s Behavioral Board presents:
RESILIENCE
“Franz” ALLEN JAMES TEAGUE: PIANO CONCERT “YARN”
This week’s RLW by Ben Olson
Insuring The North Idaho Way Of Life!
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Supporting the arts in Sandpoint for 30 years
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Sandpoint – Ponderay
920 Kootenai Cutoff Rd. Located just northeast of Walmart.
LISTEN
If you like The Cure, you’ll probably like Doves, a British indie rock band from the ‘90s and ‘00s. I really love their debut album “Lost Souls” for the cool, sleek feel it has. Blending analog sound with a host of beautifully strange effects, this album is full of highs and lows. While Doves never really caught on with the mainstream, they have a cult following that remains strong to this day. Too bad they’re on hiatus.
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One of the most intriguing books I’ve read recently is “Remembering Smell” by Bonnie Blodgett. A writer who lost and later regained her sense of smell, Blodgett explores all things olfactory. Packed with fascinating tidbits (who knew women had a sharper sense of smell than men?), this sciencey memoir is unexpectedly engrossing.
WWW.TSCHEVY.COM
Sometimes it’s fun to delve back into the deep recesses of Netflix and see what you come up with. It’s always entertaining. I recently watched an episode of “Quantom Leap” starring Scott Bakula and Sam Beckett and truly enjoyed the experience. It’s like time traveling and watching a show about time traveling. Complete with ‘80s synthesizer music and awful hairstyles, “Quantum Leap” was always one of those shows I watched 10 minutes of when I was younger and flipped to another. Now, it’s just ridiculous enough to be retro cool.
LOCAL: 208.263.2138 TOLL FREE: 800.866.2138 476751 Highway 95, Ponderay April 6, 2017 /
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John Craigie returns to Di Luna’s for two nights of music By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff If you’ve never seen a John Craigie show, you can be sure you’ve never seen anything quite like it. Ostensibly a folk music artist, Craigie also has the easy rapport and charm of a stand-up comedian, ensuring that audience members are laughing as often as tapping their feet. A year out from his
Crossword Solution
last double show at Di Luna’s, Craigie returns to a similar format at the popular restaurant. Booked for Saturday, April 8, and Sunday, April 9, Craigie is bringing separate sets and opening acts to each night, so fans have ample reason to catch both shows. Little Wolf (featuring Josh Hedlund and Justin Landis) plays Saturday, while Jenny Anne Mannan opens Sunday. The show starts 7:30 p.m., but drop by starting 5:30 p.m. for dinner at Di Luna’s. “I just did a two-night run in South Dakota, and it’s great to have the extra flexibility [in putting together a set] that it brings,” said Craigie. A prolific songwriter and touring musician, Craigie has amassed a huge back catalog of songs and a healthy population of fans, some of them quite famous. A recent addition to the Craigie fanbase is Jack Johnson, the famed professional surfer-turned-singer songwriter. After turning out for a Craigie show several months ago, the two artists became acquainted and have hatched a plan for a joint tour later this year. According to Craigie, Johnson has been a valuable influence since their
meeting. A veteran of the music business since the late ‘90s, Johnson brings a wisdom and an insider’s perspective on the seismic shifts the industry has endured throughout the growth of the internet and the popularization of the streaming distribution model. Craigie arrives in Sandpoint with a brand new album, “No Rain, No Rose.” It’s a riff on the popular Buddhist maxim “no mud, no lotus,” and the songs reflect on the idea of personal growth through hardship and endurance. Despite the contemplative theme, the album has a light-hearted and congenial tone. Craigie set out to capture the feeling of musicians having a friendly jam session after a good meal, so that’s exactly how he and producer Bart Budwig recorded it. “I was really happy with how it came out, and people have actually responded to [that vibe,]” said Craigie.
John Craigie is excited to return to Sandpoint this weekend. Courtesy photo
FREE MEDICAL CARE FOR THOSE IN OUR COMMUNITY UNABLE TO AFFORD IT Bonner Partners in Care Clinic provides high quality Health Care to the Community without charge. We provide a health care safety net for those in our community unable to afford Medical Care. Prescription Medications included. We treat general health disorders such as Hypertension, Diabetes, Respiratory Infections, and other minor Medical Care as well as assistance with some diagnostic testing and imaging. FREE Clinic.
We are located in The Panhandle Health Care Building at 2101 Pine Street 208.255.9099 Appointments not needed, we operate on a first come, first serve basis For more information please visit our website www.bpicc.org
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A Fitting Tribute
Teen center finds new director The Sandpoint Teen Center is pleased to announce that Claire Honsinger has joined the organization as its executive director. Joan Avery, who has been with the Teen Center for over a decade will continue on as Program Director. “I am excited to have Claire on our team. She is energetic and engages well with the teens,” says Avery. “Claire’s focus will be to use her grant writing skills to add new programs for the teens, obtain much needed kitchen equipment, act as primary spokesperson for the center and will help us find funding and support for buying the building.” “The Teen Center often has a reputation as being the spot for ‘at-risk’ youth,” states Jim Payne, president of the Teen Center Board of Directors. “But, the reality is that all teens are at risk and we want to offer a place for all of them to feel challenged and important. Hiring Claire as our executive director will help us continue with that mission.” Honsinger brings many years of non-profit experience to the Teen Center as well as strong background in education and teen programing. “My goal as executive director is to focus on three major areas: to offer consistent quality programming, to increase the partnerships between the Teen Center and the rest of the community, and to meet fundraising goals for building acquisition and program operations,” Honsinger says. “Being a teenager has its challenges for sure, but it can also be a wonderful time of discovery. Sandpoint is a fantastic town and the teenagers who live here are awesome individuals that I am happy to be getting to know.” “We are thrilled to have her here and look forward to continuing to provide a great place for our Sandpoint teens,” Avery adds.
asomatous
Woorf tdhe Week
/ey-SOH-muh-tuh s/
[adjective] 1. having no material body; incorporeal.
“The asomatous voice came from around the corner.” Corrections: I made an editing error in Art Piltch’s climate article last week, where “two inches” and “six inches” should have read “feet.” Sorry, Art! -CR
CROSSWORD
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Doors tribute band Alive She Cried rocks the Panida over the weekend. Photo by Daniel Strauss
ACROSS 1. Tall structure 6. Spheres 10. Rodents 14. Rink 15. Vice President 16. Notion 17. Conducts 18. If not 19. Food from animals 20. Sanctify 22. Lack of difficulty 23. Blowgun missile 24. Selected 26. Animal foot 30. Compete 31. Embrace 32. Arab chieftain 33. Countercurrent 35. Hoax 39. Set free 41. Forage plant 43. Beginning 44. Alike 46. “____, and it’s gone” 47. In what way 49. Evil spirit 50. Command (archaic) 51. Colorful wrap 54. Dregs 56. Greenish blue 57. Distortion 63. Dry 64. Indian dress 65. Carried 66. Ascend 67. Black, in poetry
Solution on page 22 68. Construct 69. Sow 70. Breathing organ 71. Thorny flowers
DOWN 1. Tall structure 6. Spheres 10. Rodents 14. Rink 15. Vice President 16. Notion 17. Conducts 18. If not 19. Food from animals 20. Sanctify 22. Lack of difficulty
23. Blowgun missile 24. Selected 26. Animal foot 30. Compete 31. Embrace 32. Arab chieftain 33. Countercurrent 35. Hoax 39. Set free 41. Forage plant 43. Beginning 44. Alike 46. “____, and it’s gone” 47. In what way 49. Evil spirit 50. Command (archaic) 51. Colorful wrap 54. Dregs
56. Greenish blue 57. Distortion 63. Dry 64. Indian dress 65. Carried 66. Ascend 67. Black, in poetry 68. Construct 69. Sow 70. Breathing organ 71. Thorny flowers
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In Case You Haven’t Heard,
Because You Get all Your News From The Reader!
The Festival officially announces two headliners coming to Sandpoint this Summer…
FesTival aTsandpoinT The
augusT 3 - 13, 2017
For our Country Fans:
Saturday, August 5
Jake Owen
All Tickets $74.95 For our ClASSiC roCk Fans:
Saturday, August 12
GeOrGe ThOrOGOOd And The desTrOyers rock Party Tour WiTh
The White Buffalo All Tickets 74.95 $
And More to Come for EvEryonE with our full announcement on April 29th.
you can still purchase your Festival at sandpoint early Bird season Passes for only
249until they’re gone!
$
*Plus sales tax and city parks fee.
For more informatio and tickets visit us at
www.festivalatsandpoint.com or call: (208) 265-4554