Sandpoint schedules springtime citywide branch pickup

hicles year-long and areas only available to seasonal over-snow vehicle use to reduce effects to sensitive wildlife habitats. Following the 30day comment period, the forest will consider public comments, prepare a finding and draft a decision notice, which will be subject to a pre-decisional objection process. According to IPNF, “Only those who submit timely and specific written comments regarding the proposed project during a public comment period are eligible to file an objection.”

In the meantime, forest officials plan to host a virtual town hall to answer questions regarding the project. This event is scheduled for Wednesday, April 12 from 4-6 p.m. Additional information on joining the meeting will be emailed to the project mailing list and posted to the project webpage before the meeting date.

By Reader Staff

Spring has sprung and it’s time for Sandpoint’s citywide branch pickup, scheduled for Monday, April 10-Friday, April 14.All branches must be in place by April 10. City crews will not come through a second time.

City officials ask that residents stack all brush and branches lengthwise in the street or along the curb — do not place branches on lawns. No leaves or bagged leaves will be picked up.

The maximum branch diameter is four inches and no longer than six feet. Larger branches or stumps will not be picked up.

Finally, residents are asked not to mix brush piles with other items such as leaves, grass clippings, building materials, timbers or commercial contractor generated tree waste. Crews will not remove mixed piles.

As a reminder, residents should prune branches that might overhang sidewalks to keep walkways clear and usable. Trees should also be trimmed a minimum of seven feet above the sidewalks and streets.

Bouquets: GUEST SUBMISSION:

•“Ben, a Bouquet to you and the Reader staff. Thanks for the indepth coverage and commentary about BGH ending its maternity care. Zach’s reporting was spot-on, Lyndsie’s personal voice was brave and so welcome and Jen Jackson Quintano is an important voice for feminists of all ages.”

— By Mindy Cameron

Barbs:

• I received a bevy of voicemail messages the other day that made me glad I wasn’t in the office when the caller decided to go on an extended rant about our coverage of Bonner General Health ending its maternity services. In their own press release, BGH stated that highly respected physicians are leaving because of “Idaho’s legal and political climate,” among other reasons. As I’ve stated before, I don’t blame them. Who wants to be charged with a felony after providing life-saving care to a patient? The caller, on the other hand, shouted all sorts of names at us and claimed we were “politicizing” the issue, along with every other newspaper around the world which covered the story. They also claimed “anyone” could deliver a baby, so it’s not that big of a deal that health professionals are exiting Idaho in droves because of our political extremism. Yikes.

I’ve just about had it with ignorant people attempting to revise history or lie right to my face. I used to put a high value on hearing from multiple viewpoints on any particular issue because it better informs our opinions if we hear how others see it. But, in this post-truth world we live in today, I really couldn’t care less to hear one more uninformed, angry, accusatory and nonfactual opinion. To quote one of my own songs: “You’re free to live in your own reality, but I can’t meet you there.”

Dear editor,

1.Where women have no real rights to their own bodies.

2.Where county commissioners decide on an RV Park versus Justice Department. Here’s an idea: the Fair Board and the sheriff should sit down together and see if they can make a decision that they agree on, without interference from he-who-thinks-he-knows-what’s-best-for-all.

3.Where the “Couplet” idea of five lanes is thrown in the trash can where it belongs.

4.Where parents expect librarians at the library to determine what is appropriate reading material for their children. Don’t forget your mind-reading cap, and here I thought it was the parents’ responsibility to teach their children what is or isn’t appropriate for them. Don’t forget to burn the books you, as parents, feel are inappropriate. What country did this happen in during WWII?

5.Where our Legislature has gone off the deep end, instead of representing all the people of their respective area, they represent only that minority that agrees with their own personal philosophy. Lies and deception helped put some of you in office, what a sham.

6.Where greed and rapid development, not infrastructure and common sense, rule.

Michael Harmelin Sandpoint

‘What happened to Bonner County, Idaho?’… Out of Idaho...

Dear editor,

Just a quick note of agreement with Beth F. Allen’s letter in last week’s edition [Letters, “‘Tipping point’…,” March 30, 2023]. If my situation were different and I was a young man, I’d join an exodus from Idaho and start a new life in a moderate state.

As a born-and-bred native, I no longer recognize this area and pity the younger people who may not have the option of fleeing the pathetic state this state has morphed into.

The rabid right-wing inmates are truly running the asylum.

Lawrence Fury Sandpoint

Dear editor,

As intelligent citizens we all know that education and health care are the building blocks of a skilled labor force and solid economy. These factors are also the primary considerations for families looking to relocate for work and raising a family. However, the efforts of this legislature and “Freedom Party” are clearly working to ensure a dearth of qualified medical practitioners, as well as a lack of a skilled labor force.

As of Tuesday, our legislators have decided that government is needed to interfere with any medical or educational decisions facing families.

Medical: They have banned all abortions with no exceptions. They have also declined to extend postpartum Medicaid expansion as well as slashing Medicaid by $150 million. In this past session they have also cut funding for child care and family support. The pro-birth party has zero interest in promoting the health and wellbeing of families past the birth canal.

Education: Our voices and choices are also in jeopardy with the proposed ballot initiative restrictions, book bans and an ongoing effort to dismantle North Idaho community college. The legislature also wants to interfere with child rearing by banning gender affirming care for trans youth. The most deeply personal family decisions are being legislated by the “personal freedoms” party.

But thankfully we’ll be able to goose step while brandish- ing our weapons during the Fourth of July parade. Thanks to the “don’t tread on me” and “body autonomy for adult males” banner wavers, we’ve stamped out all sense of sanity and common sense.

If only they’d make a law against lunatic fringe.

Jeanelle Shields Sandpoint

Dear editor,

Remember when the Union Pacific train came through town right where the pedestrian-bike path is now? Well, guess what? Thanks to the city of Sandpoint and [Idaho Transportation Department] it’s coming back in the form of a couplet! Once again you can experience blocked or closed intersections! Don’t bother trying to cross Pine at Boyer — it will be closed to the south. Don’t try to use Oak or Church to get downtown. They’ll be closed, too, to let one or two lanes of traffic travel on the old right of way. Nice, huh? Kinda makes you want the train back. At least you could cross the tracks!

Carrie Logan Former Mayor of Sandpoint Sandpoint

Dear editor,

What if the real truth is that no one really has their act together? I mean you, me, neighbors, all the way up to elected phony politicians, their advisors, generals and even the President of the United States?

Imagine the leaders of the countries all around the world are, in reality, just like yourselves: questioning, insecure, just pretending to know what is going on, but as insecure and doubting even their own perception of reality, and hoping that everyone else will “buy their act.”

Isn’t that really what all of us do when we get up and leave our houses: hope that everyone we meet with will “buy our acts,” not admitting or showing that none of us know what it all really means and how many days we have left, and presenting ourselves to others as though we have it all figured all out.

“I’ll buy your act. You buy mine?” Then we all live together harmoniously, break no laws and never show our doubts about the meaning of it all.

I don’t know any sane person who wants to miss sunrises and sunsets while smelling the flowers and trees and nature. We all want to look up at the sun directly and yell “I am free! And, I am alive!”

And, I will never do anything to harm another living being that will put me in jail. I look forward to Earth Day.

James Richard Johnson Clark Fork