Reader august20 2015

READER

Zounds! It’s the...

August 20, 2015 / free / Vol. 12 issue 31

too quiet.

it’s another deadline night at the sandpoint reader... it’s quiet.

What’s that in the sky?

it’s the reader signal light...

There must be breaking news afoot!

It’s from Marcy at the Library!

It must be time... for...

It looks like it’s emanating from the sandpoint library.

Sandemonium!

SCOTT BORTZ

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(wo)MAN

Susan Drinkard on the street compiled by

Who is your favorite cartoon superhero?

“Spider-Man. I like how he swings from webs.”

Jordan Paterson 9th grade Sandpoint and Alberta, Canada

“Superman! He inspires hope that there is good in all of us and that everyone has weaknesses.

He is one of the only superheroes with a weakness.”

DEAR READERS,

I’m always impressed with the level of cultural output this small mountain town can generate. It’s not exactly the Village in NYC, but it stands up strong.

This year, instead of driving to Heron to see Montana Shakespeare in the Parks, we now have our very own stop on their busy summer tour, thanks to Christine Holbert at Lost Horse Press. The popular free show will feature “The Taming of the Shrew” with a Wild West theme. There will also be a medieval village, juggling, live music and all sorts of fun. It takes place Friday, August 21 at the Bonner County Fairgrounds and is free to all. See the ad in this week’s Reader.

From Shakespeare to Sandpoint, local playwright Chris Herron has delivered another original work called “No Service” opening August 28 at the Heartwood Center.

Herron’s plays are always entertaining and cathartic, so go check it out!

Last but not least, a week from Saturday sees another first in Sandpoint: our very first fandom event. Sandemonium takes place at the Sandpoint Library and is also sponsored by the Reader and the Panida Theater. It will feature gaming, music, cosplay, art, expert panelists and workshops. It will take place Saturday, August 29. See today’s story for more information.

-Ben Olson, Publisher

www.sandpointreader.com Publisher: Ben Olson ben@sandpointreader.com Editor: Cameron Rasmusson cameron@sandpointreader.com Zach Hagadone (emeritus) Contributing Artists: Ben Palmer (cover), Ben Olson, Susan Drinkard, Angelo Trani, Dion Nizzi Contributing Writers: Cameron Rasmusson, Ben Olson, Louie de Palma, Fawn Miller, Dion Nizzi, Scout Anatricia, Marcia Pilgeram

Printed weekly at: Griffin Publishing Spokane, Wash.

Subscription Price: $75 per year

“Robin of ‘Teen Titans Go’ because he is funny and acts like the boss of the group and like he knows everything.”

Advertising: Jen Landis jen@sandpointreader.com Greg Larson greg@sandpointreader.com Clint Nicholson clint@keokee.com

Haley Bowman 6th grader at Washington Elementary Kootenai

Web Content: Keokee

The Sandpoint Reader is a weekly publication owned and operated by Ben Olson and Keokee. It is devoted to the arts, entertainment, politics and lifestyle in and around Sandpoint, Idaho.

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

The Reader is printed on recycled paper using soy-based ink.

Leftover copies are collected and recycled weekly, or burned in massive bonfires to appease the gods of journalism. Free to all, limit two copies per person.

“Incredible Hulk because he cares about his team and he just smashes stuff.”

Keegan Nelson 7th grade Sandpoint

Linda Edwards Sandpoint

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

Submit stories to: stories@sandpointreader.com

Catherine Morton Cashier Kootenai

“Yogi Bear because he swipes picnic baskets from picnic tables.”

READER

New Approach Idaho Initiative: 1) Legalize Medical Marijuana 2) Decriminalize 3 ounces or less 3) Allow Idaho Farmers To Grow Hemp

Sandpoint Reader letter policy: The Sandpoint Reader welcomes letters to the editor on all topics.

Requirements: –No more than 500 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

in November, 2016 “Batman because my husband thinks he IS Batman!”

Brandi Wendlandt Cashier Kootenai

You may sign at the following locations: •Eichardt’s Pub •Vapor Planet •Vapor Depot

Let’s all be part of Idaho’s shift to common sense. www.legalize208.org

Check us out on the web at: www.sandpointreader.com Like us on Facebook.

About the Cover This week’s cover of the Reader was drawn by Missoula-based artist Ben Palmer. This is the second Reader cover Palmer has done for us. If he doesn’t watch out, we’re going to hire him. Palmer also donated a lot of his original art to the Sandemonium poster and story in this week’s Reader.

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COMMENTARY Our resident cab columnist tells of his recent trip to Africa

By Louie de Palma Reader Road Warrior An African street scene. Photo by the author.

If you have ever found yourself thinking that you might seriously be dying of dysentery while being tossed around down the road as you pass by hundreds of horned mammals and unfamiliar natives, you are either traveling the Oregon Trail in a wagon or traversing through Africa in a taxi van. The latter is true for me, and let me tell you, it felt a lot like the Oregon Trail—luckily with less water crossing.

If you noticed a hiatus in my Reader articles of late, it was because I was in fact in Ethiopia. While there, I enjoyed the privilege of helping the nonprofit Uraydis Village establish permaculture for orphanages. On the side, however, I was researching the way cabbies in Africa drive so that I might better serve our dear community.

And let me tell you: If you can drive in Africa, you can drive anywhere.

This is because driving in Africa is dangerous. The ability required to skirt the infinite danger variables is some next level water buffalo shiz to say the least.

These taxi drivers make any left-turning NASCAR star look like pimply 12-yearold in a go-kart.

If you recall my previous article about hitting animals on the road, well, it’s sort of like that times a million. Not only do you have to worry about the wild animals such as ibex and hyenas darting into your path—you’re also on the lookout for children and their farm animals. Kids seem to constantly be on the side of the roadway herding their livestock in mixed herds of goats, sheep, donkeys and cows. These animals often escape the tiny stick-wielding 4-year-old 4 /

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ushering them along the highway (this forever changed the way I hear that Kid Rock song, “So you want to be a cowboy baby?” These really are cowboy babies) and go careening into traffic, causing taxi drivers to swerve into other taxi drivers. On another occasion, a man carrying water got pushed by a fugitive cow into traffic with similar results. All of this happens constantly as drivers zoom down the road at 80 kph, creating minute-by-minute almost-near-death experiences.

If it seems chaotic, that’s because it is. But slowly, I picked up on a system that allows the drivers to navigate the chaos. When encountering a goat, child, chicken, dog, hyena or any other or all of the above, the driver in front puts on his flashers to alert the driver behind that he slowing. They also flash any drivers coming at them with their brights, blinding them in the process.

The oncoming driver turns on his wipers to show he has been effectively blinded and is also aware of the danger, then he blinds you back with brights and everybody honks like mad. All of this allows these driving wizards to narrowly escape multiple deaths and injuries through last-second instinct and decision-making while scattering everything out of the road. It did not seem to be that effective, however, since most of the vehicles looked damaged and many people appeared maimed.

For me, this made it very difficult to sleep at all due to stress most of the trip. Every time I would start to doze, I’d awake in a panic from a horn blast just in

time to get blinded by brights and catch some wiper movement and the ass-end of an animal or human scurrying away.

If it wasn’t that, it was the occasional cabbage being thrown at my window accompanied by loud yelling.

It took me a while to discern why I was getting pelted with cabbages and berated with insults I could not understand.

At first I thought they figured I was in dire need of food due to my skinny nature and pale sickly skin. Eventually I learned it was because of the Ethiopian taxi system itself.

There are four types of taxis in Ethiopia. The first are tiny, three-wheeled go-karts with cages that can haul three to nine people depending on how you stack them. They’re typically blue, remain near the city limits and don’t often venture onto the highways between villages.

Next are the old ‘60s Peugeot sedans that seat three to 15 people depending on size and stack ability, which cover a wider range than the three-wheeled counterparts.

The third variety are motorcycles that I once saw carry four people. Another time, I saw one with one passenger carrying two 20-foot steel poles protruding on either side.

Finally, there are vans that specialize in running people from the nearby villages to get clean water and supplies.

These vans are hold between six and 30 people—the limit has never been verified, but I saw an amazing amount of people pile out with live goats on top to boot. This is the type of van we rented and the reason for the hateful words and cabbage throwing.

You see, it doesn’t go over well when people desperately want a ride at the end of a long day lugging water and see what appears to be a nearly empty van of eight cruise past them without stopping. This became exceedingly stressful when the van slowed in villages and would be rushed by people shouting, “You, you, you!” or, “Money, money, money!” The driver expertly showed me this is handled by furious honking and a refusal to stop. All in all, it was not so different than my taxi at home, except people are wanting to give me money, the “yous” are replaced with “taxi!” and we really only fit six people.

Taking time off had me worried that I might lose my edge upon my return and be ill-prepared for the Festival season. I couldn’t have been more wrong. The last two Festival weekends, I found that I was able to apply the skills I gained from my Ethiopian friends and drive like I never have before. I weaved through foreign Canadians lugging water who screamed and rushed towards me outside the Festival gates. I blasted my horn, threw on my flashers and switched on the brights, dodging dogs the whole time. If I could have stacked ‘em 30-high with the old goats on top, I would have, but I just don’t know how to charge for that. And you can bet come St. Patrick’s Day, I’ll be expecting a few thrown cabbages.

This article was written in satire, but if anyone would truly like to know more about the work that Uraydis Village does for orphanages, please visit them at www.uryadisvillage.org and support the cause any way you can. Thank you.

PERSPECTIVES Re-discovering your inner dreamer

By Fawn Miller Reader Contributor

Remember when you had limitless dreams about what your life would be like someday? You know what I’m talking about—those dreams about becoming that one thing that lit you up like a firefly by merely thinking about it.

Those days when you fantasized about doing something that truly fulfilled you and fueled your fire.

Those colorful visions that inflated you with passion and zest and gusto and practically beamed out of your pores.

Those yearnings for experiences that you promised yourself you would have: exotic travels, adventures with friends, living in a beautiful home or rustic mountain cabin, running a successful business doing what you love, making a difference in the world, laughing and singing around bonfires and dancing beneath the moon.

Remember those kinds of dreams?

You may have to close your eyes and reeeally dust away some cobwebs, but I know they’re in there somewhere.

And did you (like so many of us) lose sight of those dreams? Set them on the back burner and forget that they were cooking? Get caught up in the hustle and bustle? Have some major setbacks? Lack the support you needed? Feel too scared or too small or too inexperienced or too inadequate to actually go for them?

Chances are, they’re still around, peering out of the shadows, giving you that solemn, puppy-dog stare. Or perhaps they’re like a siren, wailing, “Hey you! Yes YOU! Remember me?! I’m

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your dream! We used to hang out all the time! We had so much fun! In fact, I thought we were in love!? What the heck happened?!”

If so, take a deep breath, I’m about to tell you a few things that might strike a chord. Ready? One: You’re not alone.

Two: Your dreams are still possible.

Three: They are waiting for you to make them into a reality. And four: You CAN make them into a reality!

Now, you’re probably thinking something along the lines of, “Oh gosh, there’s just no way. I’ve got this and that and the other thing keeping me from even knowing where to begin, let alone reaching my dreams!” And to that I would like to tell you (with all due respect) that I don’t believe you. Not one bit. I’m not buying it. And I mean this in the nicest way possible. How can I make such bold claims? Because I truly believe that you can achieve your heart’s desires and that deep down, you know how important they are to your life’s story. I place my bets in your favor that with some vision, clarity, strategy, and determination, you can be bounding down the path to designing your dream life in no time.

Still doubtful? What if I told you that there is (almost) always a way to create what you want regardless of your conditions or circumstances? That according to historical fact, some of the most prosperous people and greatest world-changers of all time took their dreams by the horns for the first (or hundredth) time in their 50’s, 60’s and upward, and that oth-

EHS follow-up...

Dear Editor, Thank you so much for covering the story of electrohypersensitivity [July 30, Vol. 12, Issue 28].

As a follow up to the happenings of it in my life, the new meter; a non-two way communicating I-tron meter was put in, but I’m still feeling pressure in my inner ears, and getting headaches after being in the house a while.

Hopefully it will be possible to exchange this alternative meter with the

ers came from dire circumstances that most of us cannot even fathom. Most experienced countless successes as well as failures. They dared to dream, and they dared to chase those dreams. Now it’s your turn.

And so I boldly ask you: what would you love? What dream, passion, purpose or calling stirs within you? Play with these questions throughout the next couple of weeks and let your imagination run wild. The first step in building a dream is to know what the dream is, to feel it, to see it clearly in the mind’s eye.

In my next article I will talk about what to do once the dream is rekindled.

To your dreams!

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Fawn Miller, C.P.C. Fawn Miller is a Sandpoint native and professional life coach serving people who are ready to jump-start their lives, connect with their passions, align with their purpose, experience true prosperity and have a positive impact on the world. She would love to hear your questions, comments and stories. Fawn can be reached at: fawn@fawnmillercoaching www.fawnmillercoaching.com

A book by Allan Bopp one that we have before all this started happening; a non-electric analog meter.

If you think you may be experiencing electrohypersensitivity please contact EHSidaho@gmail.com.

Much appreciation, Krista Hess-Mills Oldtown, ID Want your voice to be heard? Address letters to the editor to: letters@sandpointreader.com. Please try to keep them under 400 words and don’t use profanity or libelous material. Happy writing!

If you are unafraid to question yourself this book may change your life "Here are to be found timeless questions that loop round and round like an infinity symbol. Pick up the book, open to any page and read a question. Close the book and think about your answer. Here's one taken at random: "Is God separate from His creation?" Hmmm... It’s good mental Rinso."

-Rapid Lightning Reader “Unexpectedly cool and insightful.”

-Richard Lane, Amazon Review Now available at Vanderford’s, Common Knowledge, Bonner’s Books and Amazon www.watermelonskin.com August 27, 2015 /

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NEWS

Wildfire conditions continue to tax state resources

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff All you need is check out the smoky skies these days to know forest fires are still a problem in North Idaho. Nevertheless, U.S. Forest Service officials aren’t taking any chances. Stage II fire restrictions are now in effect in the Coeur d’Alene and Grangeville dispatch areas.

According to Forest Service officials, the predicted conditions for the next few days aren’t looking bright. Between the sunny, smoky conditions on Wednesday and the expectation of temperatures in the 80s throughout the next few days, conditions are primed for wildfires. Things look especially bad for Thursday and Friday, when strong winds, high temperatures and low humidity all contribute to extremely danger-

ous conditions.

The Parker Ridge fire, for instance, covers 6,139 acres at latest count and is still zero percent contained. Evacuations are in effect in the Westside Road area and structure protection operations are under way. Wednesday saw fire crews begin stubble burning as a fire suppression technique.

Between a heavy and light helicopter and 117 personnel, firefighters are hitting the site hard, but the extent of Idaho wildfires has offered a significant challenge this year.

“With all the wildfires spread across Idaho and other western states, firefighting resources are stretched to the very limits,” Forest Service officials said in a press release. “...With the national preparedness continuing at its highest alert level, virtual-

Idaho changes 420 mile marker to 419.9 to thwart stoner thieves

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

Stoners, your days are over for decorating your walls with 420 mile marker signs.

Idaho transportation officials said the iconic mile marker sign has now been replaced with 419.9 signs to thwart would-be stoner thieves.

The sign is located just south of Coeur d’Alene, and now reads “MILE 419.9.”

It goes without saying, Idaho isn’t alone in this problem.

States like Washington and Colorado have also replaced 420 signs with 419.9 after consistently having to replace them.

Adam Rush of the Idaho Transportation Department told Fox News that this is the only 420 sign the department has replaced in Idaho, a state well-known for being strict on marijuana despite the proximity to recreational use and medicinal use states.

“Having a sign removed from a highway is pretty rare,” Rush said. “In Idaho, people will shoot at them or write on them 6 /

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before stealing them completely.

We spend more time mending signs than replacing them.”

In Washington, two highways are long enough to feature 420 mileposts, which have been plagued by thieves over the years. Three years ago—the same year the state legalized pot—officials replaced one of the signs with 419.9 along Highway 20 near the Idaho border. The other sign on Highway 12 remains missing, with no immediate plans to be replaced.

I guess it’s time to take a trip down to Weed, California.

ly all firefighting resources are out and assigned to wildfires.”

Even in areas of the state where fire restrictions aren’t in effect, residents should use every caution to prevent the spread of fires, including the avoidance of campfires, smoking near flammable materials and operating motor vehicles off designated roads and trails.

Residents should also take care when exposing themselves to smoky air for long periods of time. The Idaho Department of Environmental Quality has issued an “unhealthy for sensitive groups” warning for Sandpoint.

Young children or people with lung or heart disease should take particular care when going outside.

Spokane based firefighter Kyle Menke is just one of the many heroes who have toiled on the fire line to combat the terrible 2015 fire season.

Photo by Ben Olson.

City Council passes budget It was no muss, no fuss this week for the Sandpoint City Council, which passed its $31 million budget for the coming fiscal year without comment from the public.

The lack of public interest in the budget public hearing is somewhat surprising, considering most residents opposed to a proposed addition of a city manager position object on budgetary grounds. A possibility the council first considered

back in July, a city manager would handle economic development for the city. The fact that the job commands a high salary—most extend well into the six figure range—didn’t sit well with some residents.

Otherwise, the budget vote was a rather rote affair. This year represents a small decrease altogether, with the $31.8 million bottom line replacing the 2014-15 budget of $32.2 million. [CR]

Renovations under way at Pine Street Park If you’re a fan of baseball, you’ll be pleased to know that Pine Street Park will continue hosting a lot of it in the years to come.

The city of Sandpoint sent out a big thank you this week to Dr. Jeff Johnson, who organization a series of much-needed renovations at the heavily used baseball diamond. Baseball fans young and old teamed up with

Sandpoint Parks and Recreation to give the Pine Street Park baseball diamond a timely round of renovations. [CR]

BGH hosts grand opening Saturday

The Bonner General Health and Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce would like to welcome area residents and businesses in celebrating the grand opening of Bonner General Health’s newly expanded health services building on Saturday, Aug. 22, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at 423 N Third Avenue in Sandpoint.

The grand opening will start with the dedication of the Jack Parker Sky Bridge to Better Health and then the ribbon cutting with the Chamber. Bonner General Health and the Chamber invite community members to come out and learn about the hospital’s commitment to excellent healthcare and wellness services throughout the region.

There will be live music

by Ben and Cadie and refreshments and hand-scooped ice cream by Ben & Jerry’s will be available throughout the event.

For more information, call 208-263-2161 or visit www. sandpointchamber.org.

Rand Paul to speak at NIC Even out-of-the-way North Idaho isn’t escaping the furor of the upcoming presidential election. Supporters of Sen. Rand Paul announced the libertarian-favored Republican is scheduled to speak in Coeur d’Alene at North Idaho College.

Then again, maybe we shouldn’t be too surprised that the Paul clan is taking an interest in North Idaho. Back in 2012, Ron Paul drew a huge crowd for a campaign rally in the greater Sandpoint area.

Could say it runs in the family.

The “Stand with Rand” event will take place Wednesday, Aug. 26 starting 6:30 p.m. at the Schuler Performing Arts Center of North Idaho College in Coeur d’Alene. [CR]

FEATURE

The two faces of the Oath Keepers

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff

In just over five years, the Oath Keepers have acquired something of an iconic public image.

You’ve no doubt seen it in media photos and broadcasts of news events ranging from the Cliven Bundy Ranch standoff to the recent Ferguson riots: burly men, often outfitted in camo and military-style gear, wielding conspicuous firearms in full sight of federal officials or police officers.

The image cut by members of the Oath Keepers of Bonner County, on the other hand, makes for a startling contrast. Preparing for an interview and photo session, we asked them to arrive wearing the clothes and accouterments that best represent the Oath Keepers organization. It’s something of a surprise, then, when the members—a mix of men and women of diverse ages—show up in casual clothes without a gun to be seen.

The confounded expectations are perhaps emblematic of the Oath Keepers’ dueling identities, both in terms of public perception and within the group itself. On a national scale, the Oath Keepers are often seen by media or members of the public as a far-right paramilitary organization fueled by anti-government sentiment.

Local group members say the reputation is unfair, instead positioning Oath Keepers as a community-focused group teaching self-reliance and emergency preparation techniques like wilderness survival, canning and knot-tying.

“We are an apolitical organization,” said Jerrod Garcia, a founding member of the Oath Keepers of Bonner County.

“We want to be all-inclusive.

We want to be there for the whole community.”

While Oath Keepers officials describe the organization as apolitical, it’s undeniable that the group is a favorite among conservatives, particularly those who subscribe to Tea Party val-

Members of the Sandpoint Oath Keepers (from left to right): Carolyn Whaley, Ken Pedevilla, Nancy Larned and Jarrod Garcia.

ues. Garcia says that’s likely due to their positions on constitutional rights, especially when it comes to gun, property and speech rights.

It’s also evident in the causes in which Oath Keepers chooses to intervene, which tend to focus on perceived overreaches by the federal government.

“These are causes we believe in,” Garcia said. “We don’t want to see people’s constitutional rights eroded.”

Garcia himself mobilized for a stand-off in Oregon with the Bureau of Land Management at the Sugar Pine Mine earlier this year. Mine owners requested Oath Keeper involvement after the federal agency issued a stop-work order.

Another clash with government officials took place in Lincoln, Mont., this month when Oath Keepers organized against the U.S. Forest Service.

The agency, they said, was unlawfully halting mining operations. In response, Oath Keepers teamed up with III% Idaho —a reference to the number of colonials that fought in the Revolutionary War—to perform security operations.

Closer to home, Oath Keepers were among the crowd protesting for Priest Lake veteran

John Arnold’s gun rights after the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs found him unfit to own a firearm. The victim of a stroke, Arnold saw his home become a hotbed of political protest after District 1 Rep. Heather Scott organized a demonstration.

Bonner County Sheriff Daryl Wheeler also brought his office into the mix, saying he would resist any weapons seizure.

Whether the Oath Keepers’ demonstrations are a productive addition to these government disputes is up for debate.

Certainly, Southern Poverty Law Center senior fellow Mark Potok doesn’t think so. He believes the presence of armed activists causes undo agitation.

“In my opinion, they’re just pouring fuel onto a very hot fire,” Potok said.

Oath Keepers of Bonner County members disagree. To them, these cases involve citizens whose constitutional rights are being attacked and who have no recourse but to seek their help.

They’re also extemely effective publicity for the organization, local member Nancy Larned said.

“It’s helping people become aware of Oath Keepers,” she said. “We’ve gained thousands of new members [through these events].”

In staging these confrontations, Oath Keepers spokespeople say they aren’t seeking violent clashes with the government, even when many members arrive armed and geared up. The organization’s code of conduct states they do not seek or support an armed uprising against the U.S. government.

Their codes also emphasize that they will not fire their weapons unless fired upon.

Garcia says the group takes pains to weed out any individual espousing virulently racist or violent attitudes.

“We work with any militia group that is willing to work with us, and what we do is to ensure they’re not crazies,” retired U.S. Army Sgt. Maj. Joseph Santoro told the Missoulian during the Lincoln standoff. “Because we know there are some folks like that in the militia groups that just want to pull the trigger on somebody, we vet them, make sure we don’t get felons or people that just want to shoot a policeman or authority figure.”

However, Oath Keepers also include among its policies a list of government orders they refuse to follow. These include the imposition of martial law, the blockading of American cities “thus turning them into giant concen-

tration camps,” the invasion of states that assert sovereignty, the establishment of detention camps in addition to many others.

For Potok, the list of orders reveals an undercurrent of paranoia built upon conspiracy theory. Organization founder Stewart Rhodes, for instance, has been hosted many times by Alex Jones, a broadcaster advocating conspiracy theories like the New World Order. Potok said the group’s emphasis on preparedness and survival ties into a fear of imminent martial law and despotism, and it’s no coincidence Rhodes formed the group shortly after President Barack Obama won his 2008 election.

“You can see the orders they won’t obey fall deeply into those kind of [conspiracy theories],” Potok said.

For their part, Oath Keepers of Bonner County members say that teaching preparedness skills isn’t based so much on a fear of martial law as good sense, and they’re happy to share that knowledge for free to anyone regardless of political affiliation, race, country of origin or any other identifying factor. They believe recent wildfires that have threatened North Idaho residences or the potential for mass power outages are reason enough to know how to can food, harvest resources and hunt, trap and dress game.

“The fact is we do have disasters—both man-made and natural,” said Larned.

“If there’s a big disaster, there’s just not enough government to go around,” added Garcia.

And just as many group members emphasize self-reliance in the case of disasters, so too do they advocate an independence from government in their lives.

“A lot of government agencies would have us be dependent,” Larned said. “I refuse.”

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Bouquets: •I am reminded, on almost a daily basis, how much bringing the Reader back in print has meant to Sandpoint. When toying with the idea to bring it back to life, we could only hope for the recognition that we’ve received thus far. Thank you to all the kind people who shout words of encouragement out their car windows, thank me with handshakes and pats on the back when we’re out and about in town, and generally make me feel good about trading in all my spare time for this worthy cause. You rock, Sandpoint!

Don’t ever change.

•A bouquet goes out to all those dog-friendly businesses out there who allow your best friends inside. There’s something so small-town perfect about going into a bar like the 219 and seeing a lazy dog lift his head at your arrival, yawn and deem you unworthy to chat with. Or hanging out at Laughing Dog with the great pooches that accompany their owners for their daily brews.

Barbs: •The website AshleyMadison. com is a pretty vile example of the direction the world and the Internet has taken. If you don’t know, it’s a website whose sole purpose is to promote cheating on your spouse. The tagline? “Life is short. Have an affair.” Now comes the great part; some time ago, the hacker group Impact Team stole all kinds of data for people who had signed up for the site. They threatened to release the data, exposing the cheaters.

The time has come. Hackers claim to have released more than 32 million names, credit card transactions, email addresses and sexual preferences of its members. Poetic justice? You betcha.

Got a bouquet or barb you’d like to offer? Write me at ben@ sandpointreader.com with “BB” in the subject line.

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By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff The world of geekdom isn’t what it used to be.

Only a few decades ago, the word was a social death sentence.

Teenagers across the world wore the clothes, listened to the music and attended the parties they figured would separate them as far as possible from the world of the nerd.

What a difference a few years make. Today, the titans of the entertainment industry don’t just cater to nerd culture—they more or less dance to its tune. The Marvel Cinematic Universe’s comic book-based movies chart box office numbers that rival the GDP of small countries. The video game industry has staged some of the biggest launches of any entertainment medium. Genre fiction like fantasy and sci-fi have produced some of the mega-hits of TV, film and literature, like George R.R. Martin’s “A Song of Ice and Fire” series and its accompanying “Game of Thrones” HBO series.

“I like the diversity and the culture of the fandom [world],” said artist Allison Wier. “There is really a bit of everything for everyone, and that makes it all unique and a lot of fun. Also, the art and the stories are great!”

Even as nerd cultural and its individual “fandom” communities have driven industry growth, it’s simultaneously opened into a more welcoming social experience. There is perhaps no better example of this than the convention. Popularized primarily by the annual San Diego Comic-Con, which draws 130,000 fans, journalists and industry professionals for four days of all things pop culture, these events are a chance for fans to enjoy a high-energy experience sharing their passions with like-minded people. Fandom conventions modeled after Comic-Con have popped up all around the country.

This year, Sandpoint enters the fray with its own convention: Sandemonium. Set for Saturday, Aug. 29 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at Sandpoint library, the free event brings local fans together in a celebration of pop culture.

“I’m really excited about Sandemonium,” said Sarah Alli Brotherton, who coordinated content planning for the event. “I have been going to conventions in Seattle and

Portland for years, so it’s been really fun using that experience to try to build something I know people will really enjoy.”

A joint effort between East Bonner County Library District, the Reader, the Panida Theater and dozens of community members, Sandemonium is designed to provide local fan communities with a safe and enjoyable venue to enjoy their favorite movies, comics, video games, TV shows and anime. Event planners hope the convention will help centralize local fandom culture—a process already begun through new businesses like the Another World tabletop gaming store—and provide a venue for people to make new friends with similar interests.

“I’m thankful for all the people I’ve gotten to meet in the process of planning this event, and meeting people really is the point of a con!” said Brotherton. “I think we’ve made something we can really be proud of and I hope everyone can come and see that.”

The single-day convention will feature a host of events, including informative panels, workshops, demonstrations, video game tournaments, art spaces, contests, board games, pen-and-paper role-playing games, vendor booths, movies and much more. It’s an event with something for just about everyone, from kids to adults and hardcore devotees to casual fans.

“There is a magic and fun to comic-cons, and I’m happy to be a part of bringing that to Sandpoint,” said Patricia Walker White, Panida Theater executive director. “The movies are an important part of this fun, and the Panida is working on some classics.”

A defining feature of any fan convention is cosplay, or the practice of dressing up as your favorite fictional characters. In the past several years, cosplay has evolved into an artform in its own right, with the best of the best designing costumes so accurate, you’d swear they were stolen from the wardrobe department on a movie set. Sandemonium is yet another event where fans are encouraged to unleash their cosplay imaginations. Not only will contests for both purchased and homemade costumes encourage an extra spark of creativity—multiple workshops will also help attendees master dif-

Finally a use for that funny northern part of the state. Illustrations by Ben Palmer. ferent materials and techniques in costume crafting.

Cosplay is just one example of the intense creativity that surrounds fan communities, and Sandemonium aims to provide a forum for that creativity. To that end, the event also engages writers and artists with workshops on their favorite medium.

There’s even a planned showcase on the nuances of designing convincing fight choreography for stage and screen productions.

Of course, there’s plenty of time for fun and games, too, and the event is designed so attendees can move seamlessly between workshops and panels to ongoing games and entertainment. For instance, gamers will want to check out a gaming room in the library’s new property next to the main building. Several stations featuring the popular Nintendo fighting game “Super Smash Bros. Brawl” will test the sharpest reflexes, with an official tournament during the day determining the first Sandemonium Smash Bros. champion. “Magic: The Gathering” players should find plenty of opponents to match decks against, and there are no shortage of board games available to keep others busy. Role-players aren’t forgotten, either—gaming maestro Andrew Sorg is coordinating a team of gamemasters on role-playing campaigns throughout the day.

Sandemonium’s first year grew out of the East Bonner County Library District’s summer reading program. With superheroes the theme of the year at their national association, library program development director Marcy Timblin

and young adult services librarian Morgan Gariepy figured a con-style event could fill an empty space in the community. They quickly recruited a few community partners in the endeavor, including the Reader and the Panida Theater.

“Our original idea was to celebrate the superhero-themed national summer reading program with a comic con-style event, but our community partners very quickly took it to the next level,” Timblin said.

With only a few months to plan the festivities, planners are debuting Sandemonium as a small, single-day event. As for the future, however, community interest is the only limit to potential growth. Depending on response, planners hope the convention will eventually feature multiple days of events along with presentations by headlining guest authors, artists and more.

“Our hope is that it will become the next big draw event for our region and for fandom enthusiasts,” said Timblin.

Sandemonium takes place Saturday, Aug. 29 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at Sandpoint library. The event is free to the public and suitable for all ages. To learn more, find event details on Facebook at www.facebook. com/sdptsandemonium

Must... eliminate... oxford commas...

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event t h u r s d a y

Dollar Beers!

8pm @ Eichardt’s Pub Good until the keg’s dry Cyrano de Bergerac 6pm (MST) @ Trout Creek Park (MT) Come see Montana Shakespeare in the Parks at this FREE showing of “Cyrano de Bergerac”

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f r i d a y s a t u r d a y

Live Music w/ Harold’s IGA 9pm - 12am @ 219 Lounge North Idaho indie rockers fueled by whiskey and dollar tips. Come out and sit on the patio, drink and be merry

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s u n d a y m o n d a y

Sandpoint Farmers Market 9am - 1pm @ Farmin Park Live music by Möbius Riff

Live Music w/ Bright Moments Jazz 7pm @ La Rosa Club Live Music w/ Dave Walsh 8pm @ Eichardt’s Pub Latin-inspired Flamenco guitar player

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t u e s d a y w e d n e s d a y t h u r s d a y

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Monarch Open Mic 6pm - 9pm @ Monarch Mountain Coffee Hosted by Scott Reid. Come one, come all DJ Cakemix at the Niner 9pm - 12am @ 219 Lounge DJ Cakemix will be spinning your favs

Montana Shakespeare in the Parks presents “The Taming of the Shrew” in Wild West format 6pm @ Bonner County Fairgrounds Lost Horse Press and Montana Shakespeare in the Parks brings Shakespeare to Bonner County. Always a popular event in Heron for many years, this marks the first appearance of the FREE show in North Idaho. There will be a medieval village, live music, and loads of events.

Alcohol allowed. FREE! Gates open at 2pm for festivities.

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Class of 1975 Re 5pm - 8pm @ Ida Forty year reuni 1975. Will there b A

Summer Sounds 4pm - 6pm @ Park Place Stage Featuring music from Bridges Home Live Music w/ Chris Lynch 6pm - 9pm @ Arlo’s Ristorante

Monday Night Blues Jam w/ Truck Mills 7:30pm @ Eichardt’s Pub

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Live Music w/ D 6:30pm - 9:30pm

Artists’ Studio Tour The 11th annual self-guided driving tour of working studios through North Idaho. Visit 33 artists in 20 studios around the Sandpoint area as they create their art - painting, sculpture, furniture, jewelry, fiber arts, photography, ceramics, pottery and glass art

Live Music w/ Truck Mills 9pm - 12am @ 219 Lounge Blues master at work on the patio

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Life Fest 7B — Cedar Hills Church Live music, free food, giveaways & more

Trivia Night 7pm - 9pm @ MickDuff’s Finally, a place to showcase how much useless stuff you know. Finally, a purpose!

Pi 9p Th in G lo

Live M 5:30 Singer you. H Live M 5:30pm Quick

Sandpoint Chess Club 9am @ Evans Brothers Coffee Meets every Sunday at 9am. All are welcom Live Music w/ Bridges Home 4pm - 7pm @ Ivano’s Del Lago (Hope) Music on the lawn with great food

Karaoke Night 9pm - Midnight @ 219 Lounge

Sandpoint Farmers Market Bingo Night 3pm - 5:30pm @ Farmin Park 6:30pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall Live music by Mike Ross Bingo, beer, popcorn, friendly bar- KPND Pint Night tenders, a nice courtyard. Seriously, 5pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall what else do you need?

Prizes, drink specials, good times

Charley Packa 7:30pm @ Eich Come on down the only, Charl back, baby!

KRFY Radio Beach Party Picnic 4pm - 7pm @ Sandpoint City Beach Pavilion All are welcome to join in this fun appreciation beach party with members, underwriters, teers and broadcasters. This is a potluck, so if your last name begins with A - I bring a sa R bring a dessert; S - Z bring an appetizer. KRFY will supply drinks, burgers, dogs, condi eating utensils, and cups; vegetarian options will be available. Sorry, no dogs or alcohol a

ful

August 20 - 27, 2015

n Coffee , come all!

ur favs

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

Ride Idaho 2015 Approximately 350 bicyclists ride through Sandpoint as part of the Ride Idaho 2015 event. Watch the cyclists, and enjoy their company as they hang out in the region for a couple days!

usic w/ Devon Wade - 9:30pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall

f 1975 Reunion pm @ Idaho Pour Authority ear reunion for Sandpoint High School class of Will there be disco? Come find out Artists’ Studio Tour

National Radio Day Celebrate National Radio Day by tuning into your favorite local stations and spending some quality time with your favorite deejays Cards Against Humanity 7pm - 9pm @ Neighborhood Pub

Bike In Movie Night 7pm @ Greasy Fingers Bikes n’ Repair An outdoor evening showing of a classic bicycle movie. Bring a chair or blanket

Live Music w/ Chris Lynch 6pm - 9pm @ Arlo’s Ristorante Live Music w/ Ken Mayginnes 7pm @ La Rosa Club Pimps of Joytime with Dimestore Prophets Live Music w/ Bridges Home 9pm @ The Hive 5:30pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery This Brooklyn-bred quintet’s sound mirrors the diversity of our era’s wide musical tastes, like mashing up ‘70s funk with a house beat, or memorable hooks infused with three-part vocal harmonies.

General admission tickets are $15 and VIP booths are available. Buy tickets at TicketsWest.com, and locally at 7B Boardshop, Eichardt’s, and on show days at The Hive; ages 21 and older

Live Music w/ Justin Lantrip 5:30 - 7:30pm @ Idaho Pour Authority Singer/songwriter with a great ability to move you. Honest lyrics, great talent on the axe Live Music w/ Mike & Shanna 5:30pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery Quick picking duo on the Bistro Rouge patio Live Music w/ Brian Jacobs 6:30pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall

are welcome

King of the Cornhole Tournament 1pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall

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UPCOMING EVENTS

Hope) d

Aug. 28-29 - “No Service” an original play presented by Unknown Locals Aug. 29 - Sandemonium! Sandpoint’s first comic-con @ the Library Aug. 30 - Trout and About Festival @ Eureka Center Sept. 4-5 - “No Service” play written by local Chris Herron Sept. 5-7 - Fall Fest at Schweitzer Mountain Resort

ley Packard & Friends pm @ Eichardt’s Pub e on down and see the one, nly, Charley Packard. He’s baby!

erwriters, volunbring a salad; J ogs, condiments, alcohol allowed

BGH Grand Opening of new Health Services Building 10am - 2pm @ Bonner General Health The Bonner General Health and Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce would like to welcome area residents and businesses to join us to celebrate the Grand Opening of BGH’s newly expanded the Health Services Building. There will be live music by Ben and Cadie, and refreshments and handscooped ice cream by Ben & Jerry will be available throughout the event

sandpoint’s premier

Reggae Wednesday at the Niner 9pm - 12am @ 219 Lounge Hang out on the patio for hump night, listen to some good reggae tunes

Yappy Hour 4pm - 7pm @ Evans Brothers Coffee Bring your furry friends over to Evans Brothers and watch as they quickly make more friends than you. Featuring live music, drinks, good times

Live Music w/ David Walsh 5:30pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery Come out on the patio to listen to some great Flamenco guitar ripping

Cards Against Humanity 7pm - 9pm @ Neighborhood Pub Dollar Beers!

8pm @ Eichardt’s Pub Good until the keg’s dry

Why is this man frowning?

The Hallans Gallery 323 North First Ave. Sandpoint, Idaho

208.263.4704

www.rosshallcollection.com August 27, 2015 /

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Photo Caption Contest Winner Congratulations to Mike Peck for providing the winning caption to our photo caption contest on Facebook earlier this week. Mike has won a $25 gift certificate to Eichardt’s Pub for his winning caption. Stay tuned to our Facebook page each Friday for a new photo caption contest, with the results being posted in the Thursday print edition of the Reader. Think you have a photo that might work for a caption contest? Send it to ben@sandpointreader.com.

To submit your own pet photos, please send a photograph and a little bit of information about your special friend to ben@sandpointreader.com.

Please put “PET PHOTOS” in the subject line.

Photo by Doug Harder of Schweitzer Mountain Resort.

“Just a friendly reminder... only you can prevent forest fires.”

Honorable mentions:

Submitted by Mike Peck

“Hey guys, it’s me, Fluffy... why are you screaming?”

Submitted by Leigh-Ann Coleman

“Excuse me, sir do you have a moment to talk about our lord and savior?”

Submitted by Nicholas Wolf

-bey abbiThe name of this photo is “Bey Abbi Laughs.”

Bey Abbi was an Egyptian Arabian that was my therapy horse and best friend. She and I had many adventures together and she was the keeper of my secrets. As you can see, she also had a great sense of humor. She passed away in 2011, and I still miss her every day.

Krista Aman-Widgren Clark Fork, ID

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National Radio Day a time for recognizing community stations

By Dion Nizzi Reader Contributor It took a little over four years for KRFY to get from a group of friends talking about the idea of community radio in North Idaho to flipping the switch on, beginning its first on-air broadcast in late January 2011.

In a small town whose identity is, in a large part, identified by its sense of community, Panhandle Community Radio, or KRFY Radio (88.5 FM) is in a unique position on the local airwaves. With today being National Radio Day, the Reader took the opportunity to sit down with some key members of the station to talk about the evolution and future of community radio here in the 7B. The concept of community radio is a little different than the standard commercial radio process. As opposed to being financed strictly by commercial advertisers, community radio is sponsored by underwriters—individuals and businesses that believe in the concept and help support the financial needs of through grants and contributions. The same load is also carried by individual contributors, or “members.”

They’re a big part of the heart of community radio, supported by the same people it serves.

“Our goal is to be aware of our community so we can be the voice of our community,” said station manager Suzy Prez. “We needed to find a group of businesses and

individuals willing to put down some money as a promise. Not only financially, but a group of volunteers came forward and we started putting things into place. A lot of people stepped forward.”

Board member Charlie Parrish, who was key in initial financing and seed money, agreed. “We were and are a different voice in the community,” he said. “The number of underwriters has increased significantly in the last couple of years.”

With a song library of over 80,000 tunes, the programming is constant and varied, ranging from politics and jazz in the mornings to weekend gospel, reggae, blues and garden shows. Local events, notables, musicians and artists are often featured in interview formats and live performances.

DJ and technician Gerry Warren suggested that “the more people who get involved with the station, the more people will listen.” Being involved with and for the community are driving factors in the success of the station, and it shows in the enthusiasm.

Showcasing seven original shows that are produced locally, the station runs on original content, which is always on the drawing board. Among these shows is “Thinking Outside the Box,” hosted by Ken Casler.

“The show is about ways the community can hear and take ideas from around the world and possibly use them to benefit our community,” said volunteer broadcast-

Some of the KRFY crew in the studio (from left to right): Doug Jones, Suzy Prez, Julie Perchynski, Elissa Wadds and Gerry Warren.

er Jackie Henrion, host of the Sunday evening show “Songs, Voices and Poems.”

Henrion is very excited about the potential of the station.”To paraphrase Emily Dickenson,” she said, “we dwell here in possibility.”

Another show, “Between the Notes,” features live interviews with local and passerby musicians playing live and talking about their journey.

A real opportunity for the community to help support the efforts of KRFY is coming

together in October, when the station will be hosting an online auction as a fundraiser. The first week of October is the kick off of the procurement period for donations of items and services to help raise funds to keep the station going strong. The online auction itself runs from the Oct. 17-25. A fundraising party is being held at the Idaho Pour Authority on Oct. 21, where supporters can participate and bid for items online to help fund the continued success of Sandpoint community radio.

Blue Sky Broadcasting celebrates 35 years on the air

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff

You don’t stick around for 35 years without becoming something of a local institution.

In the case of KPND and the rest of the Blue Sky Broadcasting family, that holds as true as ever. With six stations housed within a new suite of facilities, company owner Dylan Benefield is still in celebration mode for their 35th anniversary back in May, and he’s anticipating plenty more to come. According to Benefield, it’s been a challenge but also a privilege to maintain its local emphasis even as the broadcasting company’s reach extended well into Washington.

“As KPND has grown, we’ve had to make sure we didn’t leave our heritage listeners and community at bay,” Benefield said.

As the founding station of what would become Blue Sky Broadcasting, KPND kicked off in 1980 as an FM license to Sandpoint. Billed as “progressive radio for the Inland Northwest,” the Adult Album Alternative station served up listeners a broad range of rock music, along with all the news and entertainment you would expect from a professional radio

station.

“That [variety] is really the grand picture of KPND,” Benefield said.

It’s also what distinguishes the station, as well as the other Blue Sky Broadcasting offerings, from Internet-based streaming services, which Benefield describes as “online jukeboxes.” You get your music to your preferred device, sure, but it doesn’t come with the emphasis on local happenings, the personalities of the DJs and the heart and soul that makes radio an important community player.

“These streaming services don’t really affect local radio if you’re a good broadcaster,” said Benefield.

As KPND grew, the team had to make a tough call: Should they maintain the Sandpoint focus or branch out into a more regional station? Turns out the answer was, “both.” Both KPND and K102 Country broadcast at two different signals, with one (106.7 FM) serving the local Sandpoint population and the other (95.3 FM) reaching out to the greater Inland Northwest region.

Joining the two KPND stations and two K102 Country stations in the Blue Sky Broadcasting family are KSPT-

Dylan Benefield, the owner of Blue Sky Broadcasting. Photo by Ben Olson.

AM, which serves Bonner and Boundary counties with news, talk and sports radio, and ROCK 103. The latter was implemented for musical tastes that veer more toward rock of the hard or classic variety.

The six stations are headquartered in a new 5,000-square foot studio and recently added the ability to broadcast in HD, allowing pristine digital radio for

listeners with the right tuner. As a voracious event promoter (KPND presents more shows in Spokane than any other station, Benefield said) and a professional staff (Diane Micahels recently earned honors as a top musical director at a recent Adult Album Alternative conference), Benefield is hopeful the next 35 years will be as good as the first.

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Healing Garden seeks volunteers

By Ben Olson Reader Staff Have you ever been down to the Healing Garden by Bonner General Health and noticed how beautiful the landscaping looks? Chances are, you are admiring the work of a small handful of dedicated volunteers that have kept this Sandpoint jewel sparkling since its inception twelve years ago.

Now entering its twelfth year, the Healing Garden continues to provide patients, employees and passersby with a place to be at peace with themselves. It’s a place where the weight of the world can feel a touch lighter.

“Our philosophy has been that we started it for the nurses and doctors that didn’t really have anywhere to go,” said Linda Plaster, who has done everything from raising money to sitting on the committee, to pulling weeds at the Healing Garden. “It’s nice for them to have a private place to talk to patients, or if they lose someone. We built it for that reason.

That’s why we built the Chapel.”

The Garden provides a serene, comfortable setting for pregnant women to walk around waiting for their babies to come or for people who have lost their spouses. People have taken graduation and wedding pictures there.

“People bring out-of-town guests

there to show it off,” said Plaster. “People often say, ‘We can feel the spirit there.’ It was built for the people who needed it from the committee’s heart and the community’s heart.”

Since the beginning, the Healing Garden has always been a community effort, relying on help from a variety of sources. The granite boulders were donated by Dick Villelli and Larry Peak. Lippert’s Heavy Equipment and Johnnie Schell chipped in to help haul the heavy boulders. Bestway Tree Service spent days hauling away piles of debris cleared from the banks of Sand Creek. Manny Finney delivered yards of topsoil. Tom Runa provided landscape design expertise by gathering ideas and conceptualizing them in a formal drawing. Home Depot has donated several thousands of dollars worth of landscaping materials.

Keller Williams Realty came in and gave a day of work to the garden. My own mother, Val Olson, while employed with Bonner General, was also instrumental in the development of the Garden.

“I’m so pleased with what the people have done to help us,” said Plaster.

But, of all the assistance the Garden has received, one area that is falling short is volunteer gardeners. Plaster, along with fellow volunteers Mary Ann Jeffres and Sharon Rench-McCormick, have spearheaded the upkeep for many

years, and could use a hand.

“It’s non-stop,” said Jeffres. “The upkeep is constant; weeds, watering. We hardly have time to do fun things, changes, to be creative. We are just doing the stuff that’s necessary.”

Jeffres would like to see some new faces volunteering to take some of the workload at the Healing Garden.

“I’m the youngest of our gardening crew and I’m 62,” she said. “It’s time for some young blood.”

According to Jeffres, the ideal scenario they’d prefer is to have people commit to whatever size area they would feel comfortable with, and they would take care of the upkeep in this area.

Jeffres is quick to point out that people don’t necessarily have to be master gardeners to volunteer.

“We would show them how to do it, what we expect,” said Jeffres. “If they can’t be there for any reason, you find

A pair of chairs at the Healing Garden painted and restored by Debbie Hackworthy, a nurse at BGH.

someone else to be. That’s the ideal scenario. We need people who are willing to get their fingers dirty.”

But, Plaster is adamant about the fact that the Healing Garden will get by with whatever help they can get from the community.

“We’re not down and out,” said Plaster. “We’re just getting older.”

Kelly Price circles her way back home with art show

By Scout Anatricia Reader Intern

Artist Kelly Price stands before one of her colorful creations.

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If you have a smartphone, you’re probably familiar with the circular button that takes you to your home screen.

In the same way, Kelly Price finds that every circle brings us back to home, and there is a cycle to all things. Her artwork is all about finding that place of balance and home.

Starting out with a conventional view of what it means to be focused and balanced and beautiful, Price started with one medium of art. Yet, realizing that the true nature of balance is spontaniety and creativity, she continued to many new art mediums.

Each painting provides an iconic circle set up like a target of some sort for the eye to “come home” to. From a viewers perspective; each painting really does bring forth a sense of

calm and understanding. Similar to the feature on my phone; each piece seems to barely hesitate and then send me home.

Price has created a mindset that manifested into a body of art, but similarly, the art inspired her mindset. She has created collective pieces that you will find have a similar theme as well as pieces that don’t fit into any category or pattern but still somehow contain a circular theme and provide balance by being wacky and different. Her collection comes together as a whole.

“I have created a body of work which is all about coming home,” said Price. “Home to the moment. Home to ourselves.

Home to a sense of tranquility and stability.”

Perched up in the old mayor’s office next to the Music Conservatory, Price works on her art. She occassionally sells a piece to an admirer and now she is ready to come out and

showcase some of her new pieces in public. From silks to large canvases to kattywampus, found-object assemblages, there will be many different mediums for the art connoisseur to choose from.

Evan’s Brothers Coffee will be hosting the art show for Price, opening on Aug. 23 from 4-6 p.m.

If you love one of her pieces but aren’t ready to commit to getting the real thing, then be sure to stop by Winter Ridge or Zero Point where you can pick up reproduced images of her art in the form of greeting cards.

To check out some of her art before the show you can visit www.kellypriceart.com or follow her on Facebook at Silk Spirit.

For additional information contact Price at kellyispriceless@gmail.com

STAGE & SCREEN

Unknown Locals’ ‘No Service’ play to hit the stage

By Scout Anatricia Reader Intern

It’s one of those topics that make people’s increasingly wrinkly palms sweaty and forms a knot in the pit of their ever-aging gut.

The inevitablitity of it is profound and apparent but rarely explored as deeply as Chris Herron dares. Herron’s up-andcoming play, “No Service,” digs deep into the raw emotion of the final days of a salty, sarcastic, sickly old woman.

Death itself doesn’t seem so bad, but leaving behind a life of memories, regrets, and love is one of people’s greatest fears. Herron exposes this idea through his witty and bitter main character, Ann. Ann, a terminally ill woman only days away from death, has isolated herself from the world and plans on coming to her end that way. Things change when one of her old friends discovers via Facebook that she is sickly and decides to visit. It has been 12 years since their last interaction, and there is more than a hint of cynicsim and bitter emotion as Ann says

she would much rather be cremated with her friend yelling, “Burn the bitch!” than suffer through her own funeral service.

The truths of human nature surface through Ann’s interaction with her old friend and friend’s grown daughter, as well as eventually with her own estranged daughter. “If I can time it right I want my last words to be ‘I think I’m feeling much better,’” says Ann to her worried visitors.

The whole womanly rendevous is profane, witty, funny and honest.

Speaking of honest, raw lettuce isn’t that great. But if you toss in some apples and sunflower seeds and cheese and cov- The cast of “No Service” (from left to right): Becky Campbell, C.J. Dowling, Kate McAlister, Madeline Elliot, Chris Herron (playwright). er it in ranch dressing then suddenly, the sence of human relationships,” she said. lettuce loses its bitter taste and becomes into reflecting upon our own lives and Whether or not you are ready to consomething enjoyable. Likewise, the play deaths. front the imminent, impending certainty is smothered in sarcasm to cover raw “No Service,” an Unknown Locals of death, it would be a mistake to pass-up emotions. Just look at the following di- production, stars Kate McAlister with attending the lively performance of “No alogue: Madeline Elliot, Becky Campbell, and Service.”

“I don’t remember RSVP-ing to your C.J. Dowling in supporting roles. These opinion party.” women appreciate that they are able to “No Service” will be playing at the “Well I don’t remember inviting you!” develop their characters and McAlister Heartwood Center Aug. 28-29 and again Through witty anecdotes and sarcas- has deep admiration for Herron’s writing.

Sept. 4-5. Tickets are $12 for general adtic truths, Herron uses his characters to “He really does have a lot of depth mission, $10 for seniors/students. connect with the audience and ropes us into human emotion and he nails the es-

Auditions held for Nutcracker play

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

Is it too early to start thinking about the holidays? Not according to Pend Oreille Arts Council. They are holding open auditions for this winter’s performance of Eugene Ballet’s “The Nutcracker.”

The performance, which will take place on Monday, Dec. 7, 2015 at the Panida Theater, is always a favorite for the holiday season as it highlights the abilities and talent of the local ballet dancers.

Auditions will take place on Tuesday, Sept. 3 at Danceworks Studio (409 N. 4th Ave.) in Sandpoint. Each age group will have a specific time in which to audition: •Baby Mice

— Ages 5-7 — 4 to 4:30 p.m.

•Angels

— Ages 7-9 — 4:30 - 5 p.m.

•Bon Bons — Ages 9-11 — 5 - 6 p.m.

•Party Children — Ages 11-15 — 6 - 7:30 p.m.

Students are asked to arrive at least 20 minutes prior to audition times to fill out a registration form. There will be a $5 registration fee collected, payable to “Eugene Ballet.”

At least one year of ballet is required for all roles except Baby Mice.

Ballet Mistress from Eugene Ballet will direct the audition and select the children for various roles in the production. Choreography will be taught by Becky Lucas, a local dance instructor, and she will conduct weekly rehearsals until the performance date.

Audition or rehearsal questions? Call Becky at 263-9186.

Tickets for the performance will be on sale after Oct. 1 at POAC office (302 N. First Ave.). Ticket prices are $20 for POAC members, $25 for nonmembers, $10 for youth under 18.

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FOOD

The Sandpoint Eater Montana getaway with the family

By Marcia Pilgeram Reader Food Columnist

I’ve just returned from my annual family retreat. We came, we gathered and we delighted in one another’s company. And before my last child was safely home, we had secured the date and placed the down payment for next year’s return. When we first rented this little haven in the woods, we weren’t looking for a place without technology; but we found it, and it’s wonderful to disconnect from technology and reconnect with one another. It would be complicated to say we’re simple people, but we sure loved the simple pleasures we carve out of our week, nested in the mountains of Montana. We are content to sit by an icy creek, play badminton in the yard, pan for gold, go on long, lazy hikes, compete in a fierce pie eating competition, or just cheer on babies who are nearly ready for their first steps.

Our family is four pairs of

(plus a few more “like family”) adults and seven adorable children who range from eight months to ten years. Through some creative process, we manage to accommodate the gang in five little log cabins. Throughout our week in the mountains, we become even more creative as a sundry of friends or relatives pop in for visit, a meal or even an overnight stay.

The meals aren’t elaborate, but they’re the foods my children and their children love, and it’s my contribution to our gathering.

In preparation, I begin planning, baking and freezing months in advance. We have a few favorites that always show up, like homemade pickles, potato salad, macaroni and shrimp salad, fruit breads, rhubarb pie and lots of homemade cookies. I try hard not to disappoint, but along with carefully laid plans comes room for the unexpected meal. This year, my son managed to arrange a fishing trip to our old ranch, where there’s a pristine lake with the best fishing holes ever. No one came home empty handed, and I have priceless photos of two pride-filled grandsons with their first catch.

Naturally, these fresh trout were served at the next meal. Dusted

with a little cornmeal and salt, fried in a sizzling cast iron skillet, I delivered them, accompanied with homemade Remoulade sauce, to my hungry little anglers.

Sometimes, when I whip up something like Remoulade Sauce, my children accuse me of going overboard. It’s true—I spend a lot of time in the kitchen, but it’s by choice. The kitchen is my haven, cooking is my craft and since I love to cook as much as they love to eat, I think it’s a great arrangement. Food has such a way of connecting people, and throughout the week I have some great one-on-one time as assorted helpers wandering in and out of the kitchen, pitching in to chop an onion, dice a pepper or stir a batch of cookie dough with a sturdy wooden spoon. I’m most approachable in this environment, so it’s also where someone might come in, pull up a stool and share what’s on their mind.

Just outside the kitchen, when the door is open, I can hear my two sons-in-law get to know each other a little better each time they turn and baste chicken, ribs and steak over the smoking grill. Just beyond the grill is a fast running stream where we store perish-

ables in mesh laundry bags. Retrieving goods from the stream is a task that falls to the children who are highly skilled at retrieving fruit for their lunch, or limes for our bottomless pitchers of rhubarb margaritas.

My kids would say the hub of activity is the over-sized screened porch on the main cabin, where they gather every night after the young ones are asleep. I usually manage an hour or so with them, but I tend to keep a schedule not unlike the grandchildren because morning comes early. I have the only bedroom in the main lodge, and even through a couple of solid old wood doors, I hear the muffled sounds as they catch up, cut up and amuse one another, just as they’ve done their entire lives.

With the exception of my early rising son, I won’t see another adult for hours, but every morning I am greeted by my two eight-year old grandsons, who are inseparable cousins. Our ritual begins with cups of steaming hot chocolate and reliving their tent adventures from the previous night while I warm up the oven and grills for breakfast. If it were up to these two boys, breakfast would always consist of either pancakes

Remoulade

Macaroni and Shrimp Salad INGREDIENTS:

•1 lb box of medium shell macaroni •1 ½ lb gulf shrimp, peeled and deveined •1 cup of Remoulade sauce •(up to) 1 cup of mayonnaise •(up to) ½ cup milk •6 hard boiled eggs, peeled and chopped •1 bunch finely chopped green onions •1 cup finely chopped celery •1 cup frozen petite peas •sprig of fresh thyme •1 tsp salt and dash of white pepper 16 /

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Remoulade originated in France and is a mayonnaise based combination that closely resembles tartar sauce. It’s delicious on fresh fish, crab cakes, as a dressing for macaroni and shrimp salad and it makes a great fry sauce.

DIRECTIONS:

Cook the macaroni in lightly salted water according to package directions.

Drain and rinse under cold water to cool.

Set aside.

Bring a 2 qt pot of water to boil, add 1 tsp Old Bay seasoning, pinch of salt and lemon rinds (left from Remoulade sauce). Add shrimp and cook until pink.

Rinse cold and chop into thirds (save a couple pretty ones for garnish, and cut them in half lengthwise).

Mix the macaroni with the Remoulade, and as much mayonnaise and milk as needed to get the right consistency (it’s best to have it kind of “wet,” as the

or French toast (who knew thirty years ago when I first flung a pancake across the room to see if I could land it on my son’s plate, a new game, “Kitchen Sports,” would not only be born, but live on through another generation of French toast and pancake-catching enthusiasts?). Sometimes it’s a couple of hours before the last riser is fed, the kitchen is readied for the next meal and the left over pancakes are torn and tossed to chipmunks and horses.

That’s our week. We laugh and play and eat and drink and repeat. Before we know it, it’s time to clean up and line up for tearful hugs goodbye.

As soon as I have unpacked the last box of supplies, I’ll be thinking of next year’s menu, which will always include macaroni and shrimp salad. Every year Ryanne bemoans the fact I’ve never committed this recipe to paper, and implores me to take a minute to measure everything I am tossing into the bowl.

This recipe is for you, Ryanne, and everyone else who loves macaroni and shrimp salad. If you have time, make the Remoulade sauce the day before.

macaroni will absorb liquid). Stir until thoroughly mixed. Add the shrimp, eggs, onions, celery and peas and thyme leaves and combine. Add the salt and pepper, taste and correct the season-

ing. Chill overnight or at least 8 hours.

Enough to feed one large, happy family and a few friends.

1 cup mayonnaise ¼ cup Dijon mustard 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley 1 small shallot, minced 1 garlic clove, minced 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice 2 teaspoons lemon zest 1 teaspoon hot sauce ½ teaspoon paprika ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper ¼ teaspoon garlic powder salt Mix all the above ingredients in a glass bowl.

Store covered, in refrigerator, for up to a week.

MUSIC

This week’s RLW by Ben Olson

Pimps of Joytime return to rock the Hive

By Scout Anatricia Reader Intern The Festival may be over but the music is not.

Once wasn’t enough for the Pimps of Joytime. They are back and ready to extend the summer of music for Sandpoint on Friday, August 21 at The Hive.

If you weren’t able to catch them the first time you will want to make sure you get tickets to party, dance and slide-baby-slide with this upbeat, funky soul band.

Pimps of Joytime is a collection of expressive individuals who jam some great soul music and tease a sonic playground full of grooves, vocals and harmony.

With band members from Brooklyn as well as New Orleans they have a distinct but playful sound. After six years on the road they have discovered ways to utilize a variation of instruments from tambourines, to electric and acoustic guitars to the bongos to create a unique and upbeat vibe.

Their third and newest album produced in early 2015, “Jukestone Paradise,” can be described as good ol’ blues, funk,

Tickets are officially for sale for two great shows taking place this fall at the Panida.

In October, MarchFourth Marching Band (M4) returns to the Panida after wowing the audiences last time they played here.

If you can find a more energetic, unique band than these guys, I’ll eat my hat. They have an energy and style that takes a live concert and transforms it into something akin to theater. Word of mouth and Internet scuttlebutt currently ranks

We did a feature on Suzen Fiskin’s book “Playboy Mansion Memoirs” a few issues back. With the book in my office, I tore through it on deadline night while waiting for Cameron to correct all of the copy errors for the Reader.

Fiskin’s insight into this closed culture is unique, and her stories about her romps with household names like Robin Williams, Warren Beatty and the man himself, Hugh Hefner, are priceless.

If you haven’t checked it out yet, give it a read.

LISTEN

and rock ‘n’ roll with an electronic twist. The band members seem to really love their music, as each song contains spirit and a hint of inspiration from every genre, which makes them a very likeable band.

Not everyone lives under a rock, but for those of you who do, I would suggest checking

Last week, I think Vetiver stole the show at the Festival’s Super Saturday. I’d be willing to bet quite a few people returned home after that show and listened to them on Spotify.

Of all their The Pimps of Joytime playing live. Photo by Angelo Trani. albums, the sophomore reout some of their music videos etswest.com as well as at 7B lease “To Find at www.pimpsofjoytime.com. I Boardshop and Eichardt’s Pub. Me Gone” has promise they will have at least Day-of purchases can be made always been a song or two that makes you at The Hive ticket booth. The my favorite. want to get up and dance, or at show starts at 9 p.m., and IDs But every album is extremely listenleast tap your foot. If you are a will be checked at the door for able. Filled with tonal variances and indie rock sensibilities, Vetiver is fan, you can also like them on 21 and over. one of those sleeper bands that have Facebook and stay updated. earned the critical acclaim they’ve Tickets can be purchased received over the past decade. prior to the show at www.tick-

Tickets go on sale for two great shows in the fall

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

READ

MarchFourth Marching Band as a “best kept secret,” and “what everybody’s talking about.”

They get extra props for their vintage marching band uniforms.

For November, a double bill at the Panida features two great bluegrass bands; Head for the Hills and Trout Steak Revival.

From Telluride Bluegrass Festival to SxSW, Head for the Hills has created a sound based in bluegrass that reaches into indie rock, jazz, hip hop, world and folk to stich together fresh songs that bridge the divide between past and future acoustic music.

Called “Colorado’s next great bluegrass band,” Trout Steak Revival has performed to sold-out audiences, won the Telluride Bluegrass Festival Band Competition and has even won an Emmy for a soundtrack with PBS. Both concerts are promoted by Too Far North Productions.

MarchFourth Marching Band takes place at 8 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 2.

Tickets are $27 and worth every penny.

The Head for the Hills and Trout Steak Revival concert is on Wednesday, Nov. 18 at 8 p.m. Tickets

are only $15.

You can purchase tickets for both shows at Eve’s Leaves, Eichardt’s

WATCH

Let’s talk viral videos for a second. There’s one on YouTube called “Man vs. Canada Goose” that Pub, The Long Ear makes me lose it every time. in CDA, or online at It’s a simple video: office workPanida.org or Tick- ers are filming outside their second etsWest.com. floor window while people walk up to work. There is an angry, protective goose out there that has apparantly been attacking people coming into work for the day.

Enter Man. He’s walking up with a little hangdog pep in his step, ready for another day, when the goose goes on the attack. For over a minute, the man battles the goose with a rolled up newspaper while the office workers filming the video safetly inside laugh hysterically.

Watch it, please. The laughing workers are almost funnier than Man’s battle with Canada Goose.

Crossword Solution

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w o N & Then compiled by

Ben Olson

Each week, we feature a new photograph taken from the same vantage point as one taken long ago. See how we’ve changed, and how we’ve stayed the same.

Historical information provided and verified by Bonner County Museum staff and volunteers. The Museum is located at 611 S. Ella — (208) 263-2344.

Connie’s Cafe on the southeast corner of Cedar Street and Fourth Avenue.

Darrel and Lyle Perry are the two gentlemen painting the front. Photo from the News-Bulletin. Note the beveled entrance of the cafe on the corner.

The same location today. The beveled front has now been squared off, and aesthetic work has been done on the outside walls. The sign, however, is still the original. The front handful of booths are enclosed now, where the bevel used to be.

2015

Corrections: Nothing to report in this little box of doom this week... perhaps next week we’ll screw up.

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Copyright www.mirroreyes.com

c. 1960s

CROSSWORD ACROSS 1. Narrow fissures 6. Among 10. Calamitous 14. Papal court 15. Greek letter 16. Midmonth date 17. Ignorant 19. Views 20. Having a mast 21. Historic period 22. Cover with asphalt 23. Ringworm cassia 25. Metalwares 26. Shopping center 30. Speaks 32. Opposed 35. Stretchable 39. A natural resin 40. Mountain range 41. Armory 43. Retirement benefit 44. Jettison 46. Male offspring 47. Religious fathers 50. Cereal and soup _____ 53. Buttocks 54. Eastern Standard Time 55. A musical interval of eight tones 60. A Maori club 61. Loud 63. Lascivious look 64. Roman emperor 65. Planet 66. Being 67. At one time (archaic) 68. Infections of the eye

DOWN

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When I shake hands with a man, the first thing I do is look him right in the eye. Then I start poking my hand around in the air, pretending like I can’t find his hand. Then, if the guy’s still there, I finally shake it.

and World’s Finest

An educational children’s band

Dubgrass

Rain or Shine (BYO Chairs) • Great raffle and door prizes Fun Activities about our region’s watersheds and trout fisheries Food and beverages from Eichardt’s, Jupiter Jane and Evans Bros.

Adults $3.00 // Kids FREE! (Tickets available at door)

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