Reader_Dec22_2022

The week in random review

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

instant karma

While waiting at the light on Fifth Ave. and Larch St., I saw an instant karma moment that made me laugh. The Mitzy’s Lounge parking lot borders that intersection, so drivers often bypass the traffic light to cut through the lot and head west toward Super 1. This is a traffic violation in Idaho, as it is in most other states, but I rarely see anyone get pulled over for it. For me it’s always been one of those things that tells me exactly what I need to know about the impatient driver. On the day in question, it had just snowed heavily the night before. A long line of cars was waiting in the right lane of Fifth Ave. A few cars behind me, I saw the driver of a big truck grow impatient and pull into the parking lot to bypass the light. Except this time, the snowplow that cleared the Mitzy’s parking lot had stacked all the snow against the egress that the traffic light cheaters use to get onto Larch St. The truck reached the berm and stopped. The engine revved like a trapped animal. Then he sadly turned around and tried to enter back onto Fifth Ave., except everyone saw his move and didn’t let him back in. The last I saw, he was still stuck there, head in hands, waiting for the traffic to clear. Legend has it he’s still there. The moral of the story: just wait for the damn light to clear, or instant karma might get you.

remember the trolley?

Does anyone remember the Round Town Trolley in Sandpoint? During its run, from the early 1980s to the early 2000s, this free horse-drawn trolley carried tourists and locals alike around the downtown corridor. Some of my earliest memories are boarding the trolley with my sisters and petting the horses. The story of how the trolley ended up in Sandpoint is quite interesting. It was first used at the Spokane World’s Fair in Spokane in 1974 (also called the Expo). When the Expo ended, the trolley sat unused for about a decade at the Kootenai County Fairgrounds until a Sandpoint man named Alex Fraser purchased it. Fraser had a Belgian horse team that could pull it and planned to use it as a novel way for people to get around Sandpoint. While towing it home to Sandpoint, the trolley was destroyed in a vehicle accident, but was eventually repaired and brought into use in 1983 as a free horse-drawn trolley. It went out of service around 2004, but during those two decades, it was a common occurrence to hear the quaint clip-clop of horses’ hooves through downtown Sandpoint.

quick hot toddy

‘Tis the season for my favorite hot drink: the hot toddy. Simply heat some water in a kettle, pour rye or bourbon whiskey into a mug, add honey and lemon juice, then pour the hot water in to mix all the ingredients. Finish with a cinnamon stick and you’ve made the ultimate winter libation.

quotable

“It is the wretchedness of being rich that you have to live with rich people.”

— Logan Pearsall Smith, British essayist and critic

DEAR READERS,

This will be our last edition before Christmas, so here’s wishing you all a wonderful holiday. For those looking for last-minute gift ideas, check out our story on Page 20. Also, if you still need some wrapping paper, we printed a full double truck (that’s newspaper speak for two facing pages) of wrapping paper for you to use on Pages 12-13. If you’ve already wrapped all your gifts, just save this for next year!

I meant to fill each of our December editions with free wrapping paper like this, but we had several stories that took precedence each week. By the way, I always enjoy hearing stories about how people use the Reader for wrapping paper. It’s a great feeling to know our paper is used for multiple purposes — not just something for you to swear at! This week’s covers are also donated to the wrapping paper gods. Enjoy!

To all of our readers out there, we wish you a wonderful holiday season. Cuddle up against these cold nights with the ones you love, increase your tolerance for the ones you don’t and, above all, try to embrace a little joy in life. Merry Christmas!

–Ben Olson, publisher

111 Cedar Street, Suite 9 Sandpoint, ID 83864 (208) 946-4368

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We hope to provide a quality alternative by offering honest, in-depth reporting that reflects the intelligence and interests of our diverse and growing community. The Reader is printed on recycled paper using soy-based ink. Leftover copies are collected and recycled weekly, or burned in massive bonfires to appease the gods of journalism. Free to all, limit two copies per person

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About the Cover

This week’s cover is wrapping paper. Use it!

County approves Camp Bay Road vacation in third hearing

Public comment limited to discussion of developer’s proposed public pathway

By Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey Reader Staff

In its third bout before the Bonner County commissioners, the board voted unanimously to approve an application to vacate the last 2,550 feet of Camp Bay Road to developer M3 ID Camp Bay, LLC during a nearly fivehour public hearing on Dec. 19.

Bonner County originally ruled the vacation “in the public interest” — the determining factor under Idaho law — in April 2021. Camp Bay Road residents Fred and Jennifer Arn filed a petition to review that decision, and it was remanded back to the county for another hearing in February 2022.

Commissioners denied the file at the second hearing on the grounds that it was unclear whether the end of Camp Bay Road provided public access to Lake Pend Oreille. M3 took the issue to court in March, and in September a judge remanded the file back to the commissioners again.

In its third iteration before the board, the application to vacate Camp Bay Road featured promises of a “natural dirt trail measuring between four feet to six feet in width” which would start at the end of the road’s proposed public termination and lead to a 50-foot-wide piece of shoreline in the corner of the bay — the same width that proponents of existing public access allege they already have rights to in the form of county right-of-way.

Commissioners and county legal counsel made repeated requests that those testifying at the Dec. 19 hearing limit their comments to whether the proposed trail was in the public interest, and to refrain from discussing the terminus point of the road or whether public access already exists.

M3 owner Bill Brownlee, in his presentation to the board, called the public access debate

“an unknown issue at this time that has not been litigated to finality.” He said M3 hoped to offer the walking path alternative as a way to obtain the vacation “in exchange for guaranteed and undisputed public access to the lake,” and estimated the trail’s cost would be between $100,000- $200,000.

Citing local polls on trail usage and the goals of the Bonner County Trails Plan, Brownlee said that M3 was considering connecting the proposed Camp Bay pathway to existing trails in the area, calling it “a significant public benefit and certainly within the public interest of Bonner County.”

“We should be trying to find a resolution that works for everybody,” he said. “We should be trying to find something that provides the county and ourselves an entitlement that works for the residents of Bonner County, and we think that we’re providing that in this proposal.”

The path proposal saw mixed support from the hearing’s packed audience, with many opponents expressing concerns about the lack of accessibility for the county’s oldest and youngest residents, as well as for kayakers and other water sports enthusiasts who could not realistically haul their equipment down and back up a half-mile dirt trail. There were also questions about trail maintenance, hours, waste disposal and safety due to the proposed public beach’s proximity to large, private docks proposed in the M3 development.

Others questioned the validity of the staff report and its conditions of approval at the time of the hearing, as suggestions by Bonner County Road and Bridge had not been taken into account or published for public review prior to the hearing.

Boise attorney Preston Carter, representing the Arns, said the proposal was not in the public’s

interest, but entirely in M3’s interest.

“This proposal is a way for M3 to get what it has always wanted, which is a private road, but you can only vacate that road if it’s in the public interest,” he said.

Carter also stated that if M3 wanted to use polling data to gauge public opinion toward trails, that the county should also consider public opinion toward “this specific proposal.”

“This proposal is not, ‘Should the county create a new trail?’ This proposal is, ‘Should the county vacate an existing road?’

The relevant data are the public comments, which are overwhelmingly in opposition to this proposal,” he said. “If we’re going to look at public sentiment, don’t look at general public sentiment about trails — look at public sentiment about this actual proposal, and the public sentiment on this actual proposal is negative.”

Jennifer Arn called the trail proposal “a carrot they’re dangling so that we’ll go for this and they can have what they really want.”

The idea that M3’s proposed pathway was “generous” came up frequently during the hearing, which also saw several residents in favor of the vacation. Commissioners ultimately echoed many of those talking points, with Chairman Dan McDonald stating during deliberation: “I like this plan.” As to whether approving the vacation would possibly mean losing the disputed public access, McDonald said, “We’re not losing. We have plenty. There’s a lot of public property. There’s lots of public access.”

“I see this as a huge benefit to the public,” he added, “more so than the public access that we’re not really sure exists or not.”

All three members of the board balked at the idea of postponing the vote to a hearing at a later date to allow for proper public notice of the additional condi-

tions proposed by Bonner County Road and Bridge. It was noted that, come mid-January, both McDonald and Commissioner Jeff Connolly would be replaced in office by new commissioners elected in November.

“We’re the people who have been here from the beginning,” Connolly said. “We have sat through hours and hours of testimony. Is anyone more qualified to make this decision than the three of us sitting up here? Absolutely not.”

Commissioner Steve Bradshaw emphasized that he would “defend private property rights” with his “dying breath.”

“What would you have me do? Compromise your personal property rights, or grab hold to something that is guaranteed in your best interest that gives you access to Lake Pend Oreille?” he said.

Commissioners voted unan-

A drawing showing the public access trail proposed by M3, which leads to Lake Pend Oreille. Courtesy image.

imously to approve M3’s application to vacate the road as was presented at the time the staff report was published, excluding any changes to the original trail proposal or additional conditions of approval stemming from the comments by Bonner County Road and Bridge.

“The only thing I can say is I hope the applicant is willing to still have those discussions and still work with the county, and I believe that they will,” Connolly said just before the vote. “I truly believe they will.”

Those interested can watch the Dec. 19 hearing on the Bonner County Planning YouTube channel by clicking on the “live” tab.

BoCo remands Dufort zone change back to planning department

‘Holes’ in development agreement put rezone, meant for potential future gas station, on hold

By Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey Reader Staff

Bonner County commissioners voted unanimously Dec. 21 to send a zone change application for 11.8 acres at the intersection of Dufort and Vay roads back to the planning department, encouraging the applicants to apply for a Comprehensive Plan map amendment and add more detail to their development agreement for the site, which is the intended home of a gas station and convenience store.

The rezone, applied for by property owners Sean and Laura Hammond, would change the property from its current Rural-5 designation to Rural Service Center. The Bonner County Zoning Commission recommended approval of the file in October.

Jeremy Grimm of Whiskey Rock Planning and Consulting, presenting on behalf of the Hammonds at the Dec. 21 hearing, said the owners were seeking the rezone “because,

having raised a family in the area since 1993, they’re very familiar with the lack of services in this region.” He also pointed to the multiple subdivisions and nearby homes, stating that the property “is not a wilderness oasis by any means.”

“My clients see this as a chance to enhance the neighborhood and provide services, as is called out in the Comprehensive Plan for this designated zone,” Grimm said, adding later: “Like anything, not everyone is going to be happy with change, but they just want to make a go at this and see this as a real opportunity for themselves and their family to live and work and build this convenience store and associated commercial activities on this parcel.”

The hearing saw dozens of comments from residents largely opposed to the zone change. Among their concerns, they cited a potentially dangerous increase in traffic; threats to the neighborhood’s rural character; possible fuel tank leaks,

runoff and risks to local wells; the property’s proximity to the already existing Vay store; the lack of a Comp Plan map amendment, which typically accompanies a proposed zone change; allegations of “spot zoning”; and uncertainty surrounding possible boat storage proposed at the site, which hadn’t been addressed prior to the hearing.

“This is not something that the residents want,” said hearing attendee Jennifer Garwood. “It’s creating a danger that we don’t need to have at that particular intersection.”

Grimm addressed the spot zoning accusations during rebuttal, noting that the Comp Plan map is meant to be a guiding document, not a literal zoning map, giving the commissioners the ability to make amendments as long as they align with county code.

“Unfortunately, most folks don’t understand planning because they don’t do it everyday,” Commissioner Dan McDonald said. “For some of these

people, this is probably the first planning meeting that they’ve ever come to, so it’s important that we explain why someone telling them this is spot zoning is actually incorrect.”

During deliberation, commissioners expressed concern over the applicant’s development agreement, created at the recommendation of the zoning commission.

“As I look at it, I just think this thing has a huge amount of holes in it,” said Commissioner Jeff Connolly. “I think if you’re going to make an agreement I want to know exactly what you’re agreeing to with that parcel and property.”

He recommended that the Hammonds work with planning staff to “get down to the nitty-gritty” of what would be allowed on the property following the zone change. McDonald concurred.

“I think it’s a good project,” he said. “However, the development agreement is giving me enough pause to say, you know what, let’s remand it back to

the planning department, have the applicant file for a Comp Plan [map] amendment as well — that way it’s clean and simple and there’s less potential that [county legal counsel] has to jump through hoops to defend it in court, and let’s get the development agreement tightened up.”

McDonald emphasized that overwhelming public sentiment against the zone change did not weigh into the board’s decision.

“What we’re looking for is a legal premise we can hang our hat on,” he said. “‘I don’t want it’ is not a legal premise. In fact, ‘I don’t want it’ means you want us to deny someone their property rights, and if the tables were turned and your private property rights were being diminished, you would have a problem with it.”

The board, including Commissioner Steve Bradshaw — who commented very little during deliberation — voted unanimously to remand the file back to the planning department.

Donations bolster Panida Century Fund

By Reader Staff

With this season of giving providing inspiration, individuals donated $2,695 to the capital campaign for the Panida Theater’s Century Fund this week — which, thanks to the match by Ting Internet, means $5,390 was gained and the fund total is now $230,473.77.

“This generosity from our community is just an indication of how important the Panida is

to so many,” said Panida Board Chair Jim Healey. “We’re closing on our goal for this first year, and for that I can only say ‘thank you’ again to our donors.”

This first-year, Phase 1 goal of the five-year Century Fund campaign is to raise $273,100. The major need it will address is to replace the theater’s aged and leaking roof.

With little more than a week before the new year rings in,

Healey noted that the Panida is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, which means donations are tax deductible for many. Plus, he pointed out, the campaign has gotten a huge boost from Ting, which has pledged to match individual donations of $5,000 and under, up to a total of $200,000 over the fiveyear campaign.

“For anyone who is able to donate, not only is there a potential tax savings, but thanks

to Ting, your donation actually gets doubled,” Healey said. “With some grants we have under way, we’re determined to get to our goal to replace that roof, and we are so grateful for all the support for this treasured gem of our community.”

To donate, or see detailed plans for the campaign’s itemized expenses, go to panida.org.

Proposed rule would strip Idaho Republican women, youth of member votes on state committee

By Kelcie Moseley-Morris Idaho Capital Sun

The Idaho Republican State Central Committee will consider adopting a rule in January that would strip the Idaho Young Republicans, the College Republicans and the Idaho Republican Women’s Federation of voting rights on the party’s state executive board.

The Idaho Republican Party Executive Board includes nine members who are elected by the delegates at the party’s convention every two years, including the state party chair, two vice chairs and region chairs. The members representing Republican youth and women are considered auxiliary members who are not selected by the convention delegates, but from within the groups.

The rule was submitted by Linda Yergler, a member of the Shoshone County Republican Central Committee, and the Shoshone committee voted to recommend the rule to the state central committee in mid-November. Yergler could not be reached for comment.

The Idaho Republican Party’s state central committee will meet Jan. 6 and 7 to consider changes to party rules, including some that were recommended by GOP convention delegates in July. While the convention is made up of about 750 delegates and party officials, the state central committee is a smaller group of 240 people, including the state executive board, county chairs, state and youth committee members and legislative district chairs.

The state central committee has its own rules committee, where the rule will be presented in January. If it passes, the full central committee will vote on whether to officially adopt it for the Idaho Republican Party.

Shoshone State Committeeman and Sen. Phil Hart, R-Kellogg, and Dan Bell, Kootenai Youth Committeeman, will present the proposed rule at the winter meeting.

Bell was the Region 1 Youth Director of the Idaho Young Republicans until late July, when former Idaho Young Republicans Chairman Daniel Silver said two of the group’s members were expelled. Silver did not confirm if Bell was one of the two, but his name was removed from the website shortly after the announcement, according to previous reporting from the Coeur d’Alene Press. Bell could not be reached for comment.

‘Young Republicans are the sole vote that represents the voice of the youth,’ group chair says

Jake Miller, chairman of the Idaho Young Republicans and former spokesperson for the Idaho Republican Party, said this is not the first time a rule change has been proposed

to make those three members “ex-officio” or non-voting members. Past attempts have been defeated, he said and he hopes the same outcome will happen this time.

Idaho Young Republicans were given a vote on the state executive board in the 1970s, during a nationwide movement to include more young voters after the voting age was lowered to 18, Miller said. The Young Republican National Federation also received a vote on the Republican National Committee’s executive committee around the same time.

“That was basically an acknowledgement that the youth vote was important,” he said. “Young Republicans are the sole vote that represents the voice of the youth. If you look across campaign staffs or some of the boots on the ground, the Young Republicans are the ones that folks call when they need someone to knock doors or make calls or distribute campaign signs.”

On Idaho’s committee, there are currently 12 members who can vote on action items, including:

• Idaho Republican Party Chair Dorothy Moon

•First Vice Chair Daniel Silver

•Second Vice Chair Mark Fuller

•National Committeeman Damond Watkins

• National Committeewoman Cindy Siddoway

•Secretary Maria Nate

•Treasurer Steve Bender

•Region Chairs: Bjorn Handeen, Clinton Daniel, Marla Lawson, Mark Johnson, Wayne Hurst, Terrel Tovey and Doug Ricks

•Idaho Federation of Republican Women President Tracey Wasden

•Idaho Young Republicans Chair Jake Miller

•College Republicans Chair Farhana Hibbert

•Finance Chair Vicki Keen

There are seven members of the executive board who are members but do not have a vote, including the most recent state chairman, which would be Tom Luna.

Chair: Those who are concerned should reach out to state central committee members

Miller said he wants Republicans who are concerned about the proposed rule change to contact members of the 2023 Rules Committee and members of the state central committee. The state central committee will meet from 4-7:30 p.m. Jan. 6 and from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Jan. 7 at the Riverside Hotel in Garden City.

“People should … advocate against the proposed rule change across every channel possible,” Miller said.

This story was produced by Boise-based nonprofit news outlet the Idaho Capital Sun, which is part of the States Newsroom nationwide reporting project. For more information, visit idahocapitalsun.com

Bits ’n’ Pieces

From east, west and beyond

East, west or beyond, sooner or later events elsewhere may have a local impact. A recent sampling, with a focus on glad tidings: Investor, entrepreneur and tech billionaire Mark Cuban told TIME he has invested in Cost Plus Drug Company “to f-ck things up.” The for-profit pharmacy plans to undercut the healthcare industry by selling generic drugs at a fraction of the normal price. Cost Plus prices will cover manufacturing and a 15% markup. The aim: to become America’s biggest low-cost provider of medication — or, to pressure the big corporations to price their products more realistically. Either result is fine with Cuban. Expansion plans include building a manufacturing plant near Dallas.

The Canadian government’s approach to gaps in the economy due to aging Baby Boomers leaving the workforce is to welcome more new immigrants. BBC reports that Canada intends to welcome eight times more than the U.K. and four times more than the U.S.

Creative housing: When hotels shut down due to the coronavirus, a Los Angeles company turned the empty spaces into affordable housing units, Optimist Daily reported. Example: a Missouri Days Inn became studio and one-bedroom apartments, with rent starting at $495 in 2020.

Some 190 countries just approved a U.N. plan to protect 30% of the planet’s land and oceans by 2030 to stop loss of biodiversity, which is occurring at a rapid rate, The New York Times reported.

The U.S. now has enough solar capacity to power almost one in every ten homes, according to Environment America. Tip: don’t put panels on your roof in snow country, unless you like climbing on snowy roofs to clear snow. If placed on a south-facing deck, snow can easily be removed from panels.

After a fracking company came to Pennsylvania, residents in Dimock found their water contaminated and unsafe. Due to 14 years of organized citizen resistance, Coterra now owes $16.2 million, to be used for construction of water infrastructure for those affected. Plus, Food and Water Watch says, Coterra will be paying the water bills for 75 years.

Washington Post: The National Labor Relations Board ruled last week that companies that illegally fire or demote unionizing workers can be held responsible for those worker’s financial losses.

An Australian mining billionaire, who has turned toward environmental advocacy,

By Lorraine H. Marie Reader Columnist

has started an investment fund to help Ukraine rebuild, BBC says. What the Russians have destroyed can be rebuilt with the “latest, most modern green and digital infrastructure,” Andrew Forrest stated.

The House Jan. 6 Committee’s final “exhaustive” report, about 1,000 pages, was released this week. The Committee voted to refer Trump to the Dept. of Justice for at least four criminal charges, various media reported. The charges: obstructing an official proceeding, conspiring to defraud the U.S., conspiracy to make a false statement (about the false elector scheme), and inciting, assisting or providing aid and comfort to an insurrection. The report stated “none of the events of Jan. 6 would have happened without him.”

A QAnon fan, one of the first to enter the U.S. Capitol building Jan. 6, was handed a five-year sentence, Axios said. The Iowa man was armed with a three-inch knife and led a mob in chasing an officer. Dept. of Justice records say some 900 people have been arrested for Jan. 6-related crimes.

For $99 each Donald Trump offered digital NFT cartoon playing cards that portray the former president as a superhero, astronaut, sheriff, cowboy and other characters. Those purchasing 45 or more were “guaranteed” a ticket to attend a Trump gala dinner. Purchases also offered chances for a meet-and-greet with Trump, an hour-long golf game with him, and a 10-minute zoom call. The sales site said the cards sold out in less than 24 hours, for a total of over $4 million.

Three members of the Wolverine Watchmen, who planned to kidnap Michigan’s governor and kill police and elected officials in 2020, were sentenced to 7 to 12 years in prison, the Detroit News reported.

President Joe Biden signed into law the Respect for Marriage Act recently. The law, which had bi-partisan support, protects interracial and same-sex marriages.

Blast from the past: The Fight for $15 fast food strikes began 10 years ago. Initially the effort was discredited as unrealistic. But a National Employment Law Project report says in the last decade 26 million workers have won higher pay. That has resulted in the addition of an average of $87.6 billion annually for the economy, which has resulted in the creation of more than 450,000 jobs per year.

And another blast: “True peace is not merely the absence of war, it is the presence of justice.” — Jane Addams, pioneer settlement social worker, 1860-1935

Shoshone County Republican Committee recommended rule to state central committee

Emily Articulated

A column by and about Millennials

This is not a Christmas gift

By Emily Erickson Reader Columnist

I love the experience of gift giving. I revel in the days of warm rumination about the people I care about, letting thoughts of their life and my relationship to them consume me as I consider what might bring them joy, make their life easier or spark moments of inspiration or indulgence in their day-to-day.

For me, giving a gift is an act of witnessing someone’s uniqueness, of considering who they are and what they like, and creating meaning through an object, an experience or a thoughtful expression. And being on the receiving end of a good gift is like being seen.

So when my partner stomped off his boots on our entry rug and blurted, “Could you get me a trash can for Christmas?” it felt like a cold needle piercing my warm, fuzzy, gift-loving balloon.

I spent days thinking about his request — about this trash can — turning it around in my head and trying to understand what exactly about it was off-putting to me. First, I wondered if what was irksome was the straightforward nature of it. I turned to my peers to ask about their thoughts on practical versus meaningful or experiential gift giving.

They responded with clear perspectives, most of which I wholeheartedly agreed with. One person shared, “Sometimes people really just need something, and getting them anything else can be less thoughtful than a simple, practical item they can’t afford to get themselves.”

I can remember so many holidays and birthdays where all I needed in the world was a card full of cash — and receiving that felt like a recognition of my situation and my priorities at that moment in time. Despite its practical nature, cash was the most thoughtful gift in the world.

Affirming this line of thinking, another person reflected, “My dad got us a ladder last year. We use it so much. It’s a constant reminder of him. He’s a practical guy and it’s fitting he got a practical gift.”

So, I knew it wasn’t the practicality of the trash can that bothered me. Although I’ll always prefer experience or emotion-based gifts, there are some instances where the most thoughtful version of gift giving is understanding and reflecting a person’s circumstances.

I then turned my thought-inspection to the fact that my partner’s need for a trash can wasn’t witnessed, but rather, requested. Maybe him having to ask me for the gift stripped it of its considerateness, leaving behind only the trappings of obligation and inherent con-

sumerism wrapped up in the holiday season.

According to the National Retail Federation, Americans will spend an average of $1,455 each this holiday, contributing to a national spending total set to match or surpass last year’s $899 billion. There’s no denying that people feel obligated to give and receive gifts during the holidays, often conflating making a purchase (of any kind) with being thoughtful.

I again turned to my peers, asking “Do you have opinions on the enterprise-nature of the holiday season?” to which many responded with statements about “opting out” of the spending expectation and gift giving as an obligation around the holidays.

One person shared, “We’re boycotting — handmades gifts and travel plans only this year,” while another described, “When it comes to gifting for adults, I’ve declined to participate. It was met with resistance, but the responsibility of all the gifting fell on me and I never knew what to get and was receiving gifts I didn’t want or need. I’d much rather someone just get me a gift because they saw something and thought of me rather than doing it out of obligation because a specific holiday says gifts should be exchanged.”

And finally, someone shared, “I ask for lasagna from my aunt who otherwise gives me weird shit only she likes.”

These responses got me closer to the heart of my aversion to the trash can gift. I didn’t like the idea of it, not because it was practical, or even that it was explicitly requested, but because it would

be purchased from a place of holiday gift-giving obligation — our household need conveniently close to the time of year in which we’re expected to exchange items. A trash can would be a self-serving purchase (as much for my benefit as a spare toilet paper) and I’d rather consciously opt out of gift giving than reduce the experience to putting a bow on top of items on our grocery list. Still chewing on my feelings about it all, I loaded the new

trash can into the trunk of my car, a note reading, “This is not a Christmas gift,” already written and taped to its lid. Next to it was my carefully wrapped, painstakingly considered package with its tag, “To: Reid, with love” next to a bright, tidy bow.

Emily Erickson is a writer and business owner with an affinity for black coffee and playing in the mountains. Connect with her online at www. bigbluehat.studio.

Emily Erickson.

Retroactive By BO

Bouquets:

•I always appreciate our postal workers a little extra during this time of year when they are flooded with packages and holiday cards. My dad used to work for the post office, so I know how difficult their job can be — even when it’s not the busy season. Take a moment to think about the magic that is the post office: We can send something important and it will travel thousands of miles before ending up right on the recipient’s doorstep in a matter of days, all for less than the price of a cup of coffee. Amazing.

•Here’s to neighbors who own snowblowers. I ducked out of work a bit early on Tuesday to get some of that storm skiing at Schweitzer (it was amazing), and ended up having to pull a couple of cars out of the ditch because the snow was so heavy. By the time I made it home, I was exhausted from powder skiing and pulling cars out of the ditch. I dumped my snowboarding gear in the house and came out with my shovel, fully prepared for the hourlong effort it takes to shovel out our garbage cans and driveway. Then my neighbor Otto came rumbling by with his snowblower and made short work of my task. Needless to say, I was very pleased to have that chore taken care of in mere minutes. I see this happen a lot when walking around after a snowstorm — neighbors helping neighbors. It always makes me feel good. So here’s to you, snowblower owners who help out your neighbors. It’s never expected, but always appreciated.

•If you’re looking for last-minute gift ideas for yourself, don’t forget to think of our local nonprofits before the end of the year. If they are 501(c)(3), your charitable donations are tax deductible, so make sure you send your support before the end of the year to count it on your 2022 tax return. There are so many wonderful organizations out there that aim to make life better for us all.

No barbs this week, Scrooge.

We need public education…

Dear editor, We need public education. We Americans need institutions like public education to keep us together. There are practices that tend to keep us apart. We get our news from different sources with different views. We live in areas that are labeled conservative or progressive. We practice our faith in churches, temples or synagogues or in our own private ways. We all live in the United States of America, but far too many of us live in our own little segment, our own little island.

Is it important to consider the consequences of these individual divisions? Can our people and our country and our republic survive if there are not commonalities and institutions that we all experience and share? Where will we get our understanding and respect for our heritage and our country?

Public education brings us together and provides free and universal opportunities to appreciate, examine and learn the complex, controversial and brilliant experiment of our multicultural, multiethnic and multiracial democratic republic. Public school classrooms are the learning centers for equality, inclusion, respect, understanding, tolerance and appreciation. Where else do we have the opportunities to meet others on a daily basis and learn from each and every one how important we all are?

It’s truly amazing how four- and five-year-olds will share, learn, play and laugh with other four- and fiveyear-olds, regardless of how they look, where they come from or how they dress. Isn’t this the essence of the society we want to maintain, of the country we want to pass on to our children? Public education brings us all together.

Steve Johnson Sagle

Dear editor, Every week or two the Bee or the Reader publishes a lengthy screed from a posturing letter writer who apparently feels compelled to publicly denounce haters, lest someone think they’re one. The message is always the same: “If you don’t take a stand against haters, then you’re probably a hater.” Sometimes they spice it up by using “hate-filled” in place of “hate.” Riveting prose, in any case.

It set me to thinking. Those of you old enough to remember the Gerald Ford presidency may also remember the WIN (Whip Inflation Now) buttons

he pushed for a short period of time. It was short-lived, because it was so effective. Once the buttons caught on inflation dropped precipitously.

So why not “I hate the haters” buttons? It would save newspaper ink, attract a larger audience (everyone in the grocery store would know where you stood), and it would expose the haters (those not wearing IHTH buttons) to quick arrest and incarceration. Problem solved.

Why do I have to think of everything?

Dave Mundell Sandpoint

Dear editor,

In respect to James R. Johnson’s letter in last week’s Reader about the Orion space capsule splashdown, thank you for your service in Vietnam. You may not have asked for the duty, but stepped up when called. I was an age that I just missed duty there and I’m now going on 67, not 80, but no spring chicken and am on social security, working part time for now.

My father was a tank driver with Patton in WWII and I knew his PTSD first hand. Both you and he fought for an America that dreams, then makes those dreams come true — not only us, but a future for the human race.

That said, we just spent $3+ trillion on the Middle East in the last 20 years for a conflict that has been fought and refought for centuries. We’re spending nearly $800 billion this year on the military. The annual NASA budget is a fraction of that.

What I’m saying is, how much did the ancient Egyptians spend on the pyramids? Or the Spanish on Columbus, Leif Erickson and all the rest?

We are always going to have social problems, at least for the time being, but we can’t stop dreaming and hoping for something beyond our day-to-day lives.

Then there is the technological advancements brought about by the space program, which has helped us a thousand fold. Your computer, the smartphone you use, medical advancements, even velcro; all from the space program. Bottom-line: let the young people dream of a challenging and positive future that doesn’t just depend on our current mundane struggles.

If you have children and grandchildren, give them hope, a goal, a frontier to explore and boldly go where no one has gone before. Maybe it’ll be the salvation of the human race.

Lawrence Fury Sandpoint

Dear editor, We look forward to the Reader each Thursday. I particularly enjoy the letters section. Loved the letter a few issues back related to the need for folks to open carry their firearm [‘Look what’s goin’ down,’ by Seth Phalen, Page 8, Reader, Nov. 10, 2022]. This week’s article about sidewalk snow removal hit a chord when I was walking past Safeway to Napa Auto Parts. I should say trying to walk past Safeway since the section of sidewalk in front of Safeway is not shoveled/ plowed. In fact it’s a total mess. Who is responsible for that sidewalk section in our walking town?

Transportation related, it’s time to create/install a roundabout at the corner of First Ave. and Superior St. Traffic has increased, and the intersection is odd and dangerous. Anyone else see the same thing?

No offense intended, Ben [Olson], but your Barb related to the PPP loan repayment sounds like an “entitled” rant. I have no knowledge of how those things work or what went on in applying for the “loan.” In fact, it sounds like there’s a news/feature story there for an industrious journalist. Perhaps a little red “whine” would help you feel better Thank you.

Shannon May Sandpoint

Dear editor, Thursday, Dec. 16 at 2:30 p.m., I stopped by the library with a shopping bag full of ornaments to place on the “Take an Ornament, Give an Ornament” tree in the lobby. I was surprised to see teens on the benches, teens at the tables, teens sprawled on the floor. The noise level would break the sound barrier. I had to push away backpacks to set down my bag. I selected the most energetic teen and asked her to assist me in hanging the ornaments.

I just received a letter from the Sandpoint Teen Center which is closed this year due to a lack of a location. They are raising funds to find their own permanent location. The goal/vision would include a large rec room, a study room, a craft room, office space, storage, an eating area and a commercial kitchen. The teen center had been seeing 50-70 teens each afternoon from 2-5 p.m.

The Teen Center has a goal of raising $50,000 by year’s end. Equinox Foundation and Bonner

County Human Rights Task Force are matching any gifts. Please consider a donation at this time so the end of the year goal can be met and to assure that Sandpoint area teens have an active and safe place to hang out.

Thank

you,

Constance Walters Sandpoint

Monday, Dec. 19 was a sad day for the rule of law! We assembled in our county offices for a hearing advertised to be about the proposed Camp Bay walking path. Over four hours of testimony was interrupted often to keep the subject matter limited to discussion of the path but, in the final minutes of this hearing we got the old bait and switch. In rebuttal after the public comment segment had ended, the applicant was allowed to discuss the subject at the heart of the matter, which we had all been specifically shut down on: does Camp Bay road provide public access to the lake?

According to the applicant, there is a miniscule sliver of unbuildable private land between the end of the road and the water and therefore the public has no access at that point. According to the initial narrative statement submitted by the applicant on Feb. 3, 2021 it was public access, just too narrow (50feet. net) to be viable and the county had no plans to develop it. According to the judge who sent this case back to the commissioners, the 1908 road does access the lake. This issue was not supposed to be discussed at this hearing and yet this issue was central to the deliberations that culminated in the commissioners agreeing to vacate the public road.

This and many other procedural issues are a gross violation of open meeting law. We deserve better representation and due process. This criminal neglect of duty cannot be allowed. The blatant contempt for the people and the law shown by these lame duck commissioners is not acceptable! If you think this was a choice between what kayakers want and what bike riders want you are seriously missing the point. We are all getting the shaft here!

Kristina Kingsland Sandpoint

‘I hate the haters’ button needed…

Teens deserve an active, safe place to hang out…

‘Blatant contempt’...

‘Give them hope’...

Snow removal, new roundabout and Ben’s ‘whining’…

Once upon a time, we had a client named Elaine. Once upon an earlier time, she was something of a painterly powerhouse. She was capital-S “Someone.” She had a large sphere of influence. She created beautiful things and guided a multitude of others to create beautiful things.

That once-upon-a-time happened long before I met her.

The once-upon-a-time in which I met her found her somewhat stranded way out Bottle Bay. With a failing mind and a body full of betrayals. Surrounded by her art but unable to create more. Not in the company of family, but with people paid to occasionally make sure her meager needs were met.

She once told me, “When you hit 80, do yourself a favor and die. Nothing good happens in life past 80.”

She said this while sucking on a Marlboro for dear life. She said this while pushing a glass of scotch my way, despite the fact that I was there to operate chainsaws and heavy equipment. She said this while looking so fiery and full of life, it was hard to imagine her calling it quits more than a decade earlier. At the time, she was 93.

We worked for Elaine multiple times. There were several instances wherein she forgot that she’d hired us, and since the work had been completed by someone else, we would just chat. Because she needed that. And our schedule was suddenly open.

Sometimes, her eyes were rheumy with forgetting. Sometimes, she was sharp, observant, still the artist at work.

While clearing branches from

her deck one day, she stopped me.

“Your profile, my dear. It’s striking. Has anyone ever drawn you? I would have loved to draw you.”

One day, she invited me up to her bedroom to look at a vine gone feral that was blocking her window view. She wanted it reined in. Once in her room, she lost track of why we were up there. She forgot who I was. Yet, in her forgetting was an awareness of how lonely such forgetting was. Her expression looked pained as she again studied my face for the lines she’d once have set to canvas.

“Elaine,” I ventured, unsure of what I was saying until I said it. “Do you want a hug?”

She dissolved into tears. She melted into my arms. She held on for dear life. For a very long time. And I wondered, When was the last time someone embraced Elaine?

Who knows? It could have

been years. It could have been yesterday. But in that moment, it seemed there had been no previous hugs, and this one was the only one of consequence.

I often think back to that hug and wish I’d had the bigness of heart to return regularly— weekly, monthly, anything — to repeat it. It just meant so goddamn much to her.

But I didn’t return. And Elaine died this fall at the age of 96. There will be no further opportunities to comfort her and help her feel seen.

Reader columnist Emily Erickson wrote of Elaine years ago. She quoted the artist as saying, “When you look at things, really taking the time to see them in their entirety, you learn to look at them with love.”

I wish I had looked at Elaine more often. Really looked at her. In a way that made her feel seen — perhaps even loved — if only for a moment.

Instead, I spent the ensuing years pushing full steam ahead with running a business. I focused on money-making and bill-paying and daughter-raising and house-holding. Instead, I kept my nose to the grindstone, because that’s what we’re supposed to do. Seeing things in their entirety — with love — is ancillary to that.

Working and raising a family is all-consuming. It’s easy to lose track of the wider world. It’s easy to lose perspective. It’s easy to prioritize the transactional over the reciprocal.

I wish my relationship with Elaine had been more reciprocal, less transactional.

I wish there had been more

cowbell.

Remember that classic SNL skit with Will Farrell, wherein Blue Oyster Cult is recording “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper,” and Farrell is on cowbell as Gene Frenkel? The band is rather fed up with the cowbell, but the music producer (Christopher Walken) demands, “I gotta have more cowbell!” Confidence thus bolstered, Gene goes for it with the cowbell. He is all belly-bouncing exuberance. The band, however, in their nose-to-the-grindstoneness is like, Oh my god, enough with the cowbell.

They tell Gene it is distracting. They say he is being selfish. But the producer prevails upon Gene.

“I’ve got a fever, and the only prescription is more cowbell.”

The band acquiesces. They lean into it. And, thus, a hit is born. With a whole lotta cowbell.

This, dear readers, is a metaphor for life.

We should all be living as Gene Frenkel, ebulliently beating the shit out of our cowbells. Not because the song — or our lives — need it, but because it brings us joy. And it brings joy to those around us.

It may seem selfish or distracting to the workhorses around us, but… so what?

Spontaneously — and then repeatedly — embracing a lonely woman. That’s more cowbell.

Extravagantly tipping your server. That’s more cowbell.

Taking an interest in the life of your mechanic/hairdresser/ grocery checker/pharmacist. That’s more cowbell.

Sending a handwritten letter. Complimenting a stranger.

Making something beautiful and giving it away. Cowbell. Cowbell. Cowbell.

Blue Oyster Cult probably would have had a hit without the cowbell. But guess why we still remember “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper” nearly five decades later.

Here’s the deal: Sandpoint is growing. You are less likely to recognize a face on Cedar Street now than you were even five years ago. Sandpoint, now, is also more expensive. Your nosing-tothe-grindstone is suddenly buying you less beer, fewer tacos and no housing. Today’s Sandpoint is also (sadly) the Idaho town with the highest aggravated assault rate. None of this speaks of joy and reciprocity, community and communion. This is all of us with our heads down, forgoing perspective in an effort to find one’s own singular way, finding that way to be exceedingly hard.

Sounds like Sandpoint has a fever.

Know what cures that?

Yep.

My final memory of Elaine is her waving at us from her front porch, 13 years past her self-imposed expiration date, but bolstered by a single hug.

If one embrace can help a woman forget her despair, what might your heart be capable of?

Bang that cowbell, Sandpoint.

It may not pay the bills, but it’s worth it.

Jen Jackson Quintano writes and runs an arborist business with her husband in Sandpoint. Find their website at sandcreektreeservice.com. See more of Quintano’s writing at jenjacksonquintano.com.

Jen Jackson Quintano.

Science: Mad about

By Brenden Bobby Reader Columnist

Injection molding touches all of our lives, whether we realize it or not, yet it’s a process that not many people have ever been exposed to. Unless you’ve worked in a milling shop or factory that manufactures plastic goods, chances are you’ve never even heard of the process, which has been used to create virtually everything in your daily life — from plastic cookware to your office chair and even your phone case.

It all begins with plastic pellets. Plastic pellets are refined from crude oil after a number of involved steps we’ll talk about another day. Often, a factory will purchase a huge amount of plastic pellets from a manufacturer or a recycler, depending on their need. There are a wide range of plastics out there, and not all of them can be recycled to the specifications required for production.

Today, we’re going to talk about a form of production near and dear to my heart: the production of miniature figurines. Companies like Games Workshop, which develops figures for Warhammer Fantasy and Warhammer 40,000, are the most recognizable, though there are many other companies out there that produce minis for things like D&D or Pathfinder.

High impact polystyrene, or HIPS, is used in the production of minis. This is a durable and impact-resistant form of inexpensive plastic that can be dissolved in acetone and limonene, a substance from citrus peels that gives them their fresh aro-

ma, and is also used in flavoring some foods.

The HIPS pellets are poured into the hopper of the injection molding machine and heated up to around 220 degrees Celsius, or 428 degrees Fahrenheit.

Then, the liquefied plastic is injected into an aluminum or steel mold to form its final shape.

This mold is specially designed by engineers and accounts for a number of factors. Channels in the mold direct the molten plastic to the spaces it needs to fill to form the item. As the liquid will always follow the shortest path and the one of least resistance, engineers have to be careful to balance the mold properly or it may end up with gaps and defects that could require a new mold.

Additionally, engineers need to account for the air inside of the mold as it’s heated up and pushed out by the molten plastic. As the air heats up, it expands, which can cause an explosive force inside of the mold. Over time, this will deal irreversible damage to the mold, though a well designed mold should be able to withstand hundreds of thousands of injections.

After the mold has been filled, it is cooled, often using water in a closed circuit, somewhat similar to the radiator of your car or the liquid cooling of a high-end computer. The water is cycled through pipes and hoses, drawing the heat from the mold and the plastic before it’s flushed to a cooling tower to disperse the heat and start the whole process again. After about 30 seconds, the plastic cools, the mold separates and ejection pins push out the plastic sprue, where it will fall into a collection bin or a conveyor to

be sorted later.

If your finished product is defective, you can often throw it into a grinder to break it down into pellets to be reused. While this is true of thermoplastics like HIPS, PLA or PET, there are other plastics called thermosets that will not melt after being subjected to heat. Epoxy, silicone and polyurethane are examples of thermosets and are much more expensive to manufacture if there’s a defect in the process.

The truly impressive part of this process is the creation of the mold. This usually begins with a computer assisted design (CAD) program. Engineers design the mold in the computer and then send that design to a computer numerical control (CNC) machine equipped with a milling tool that will bore out a perfect replica of the computer design.

When it comes to minis, this mold is usually carved from an aluminum block due to its malleability in comparison to steel. The drawback is that aluminum isn’t as strong as steel and will often need to be replaced sooner. You can almost think of this process as 3-D printing in reverse — rather than adding material, the computer is carving it away to create a void for the plastic to mold to. This is the stage where engineers need to factor in efficient design that won’t lead to failures or the destruction of the mold from explosive gasses. Depending on the size of the mold, these aluminum blocks can cost anywhere from a couple of hundred dollars to a couple of thousand. This means that even minor failures in the creation of the mold can be very costly.

This also means that your

first sprue is very expensive, but each subsequent product becomes cheaper and cheaper.

If you’re like me and learn more from watching a process than reading about it, consider checking out Goobertown Hobbies’ video “How Models are Made: Injection Molding Hard Plastic Sprues — HIPS” on Youtube. While this process isn’t completely universal for

all products, it’s close enough to get an understanding of how manufacturers create things like phone cases, the plastics on staplers and even plastic furniture. This particular application is interesting because of the detail involved with the process, which is often skipped for the other products in our day-today lives.

Stay curious, 7B.

injection molding Random Corner

Don’t know much about christmas? We can help!

•There is no mention of Dec. 25 in the Bible and many historians actually believe Jesus Christ was born in the spring. Some historians believe the date of Dec. 25 was chosen because it coincided with the pagan festival of Saturnalia, which honored the agricultural god Saturn with celebrations and gift-giving.

•The Coca-Cola company is often credited with creating the red-coated modern image of Santa Claus, but this isn’t exactly true. Most of Santa’s modern image was actually put together by Thomas Nast in the 1870s. Nast was a German-born cartoonist, often considered the “Father of the American cartoon.” Along with Santa’s image, he also created the elephant symbol for the Republican Party.

•Christmas in Japan is... different. The Japanese treat it as a secular holiday, since less than 1% of the Japanese population identifies as Christian. When KFC launched its “Kentucky for Christmas” marketing campaign in 1974, it was an instant hit and now KFC is a popular choice for Christmas

dinners in Japan.

•The song “We Wish you a Merry Christmas” was originally sung as a mild threat. The English folk song from the 1500s was often sung by crowds of servants on the doorsteps of their masters, demanding alcohol during the festive season. The lyric, “We won’t go until we get some” was quite literal — they often wouldn’t leave until the figgy pudding and booze was brought out.

•While it seems every Christmas song has been covered to death over the years by hundreds of different artists, one song reigns supreme: “Silent Night.” This song is the most-recorded Christmas song in history, with 733 different versions copyrighted since 1978.

•The eight tiny reindeer have actually been called lots of different names over the years. Rudolph also went by Rollo or Reginald. And his crew had lots of other names: Flossie, Glossie, Racer, Pacer, Scratcher, Feckless, Ready, Steady and Fireball.

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Coolin development threatens rare peat bog at Priest Lake

By Jennifer Ekstrom Reader Contributor

We have some pretty amazing wild spaces up here in North Idaho. Massive lakes. Sparkling rivers. Diverse landscapes ranging from rainforests to rocky crags. And peat bogs. Yes, peat bogs. I didn’t know how cool they were, or that we had them in North Idaho, until just a few weeks ago.

Peat bogs are archives, containing ancient plant spores, pollen and fossils which can provide great insights into our region’s distant past. These bogs also act as immense holders of carbon dioxide, and worldwide they are said to store an estimated 15-20% of our planet’s carbon reserves. They are rare, and very sensitive to small changes in water chemistry and hydrology, so are susceptible to problems when development or other alterations happen nearby or directly in them.

North Idaho is home to several of these bogs, and a couple of the most important are found along the shores of Priest Lake. One commonly referred to as the Coolin-Chase Lake wetland complex is designated by Idaho Fish and Game as “Class 1” — an area of highest conservation priority. According to a study prepared for the Idaho Panhandle National Forests: “These small, overlooked sites support the richest rare plant diversity of any habitat in Idaho.”

The one near Coolin is unfortunately at the center of great controversy due to a long-fought development proposal. Developer Clifford Mort and his corporation, Tricore Investments, took ownership in 2021 after a five-year legal battle with basketball legend John Stockton and local resident Todd

Brinkmeyer, who were trying to preserve the wetland. The developer won in court, and proceeded to divide the Coolin bog into 35 lots, circumventing the required public process and subdivision standards in Bonner County. They rubber stamped all of the lots without an approved development plan, community input or any design standards, like requiring sewer hook-ups.

Mort then tried to acquire sewer hook-ups for the individual lots, delivering applications and payment for hook-ups in one batch to the Coolin Sewer District staff, who had clearly explained they needed a development plan before the application process. Due to this abnormal request and uncertainty around capacity, the district implemented a moratorium for any new hookups. This decision was supported by the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, which sent a letter to the district stating, in part, that these wetlands “play a crucial role in protecting/improving water quality, water retention, erosion control, soil and nutrient trapping, supporting a food web for many species of wildlife, and are valuable in providing movement corridors for a variety of wildlife species. Additionally, wetlands help extend stream flow during droughts and aid in preventing damaging floods.”

Although Mort was reportedly not pleased by being denied the sewer hook-ups, he was not deterred.

Despite having no plan for his development’s sewage waste, one newly deeded owner recently secured a permit from the Army Corps of Engineers to fill in a portion of his property with dirt to create a road and building pad

for a 4,080 square foot shop. The shop may be intended as a staging area for the development of other parcels.

The permit this property owner secured is called a “general permit,” which is a permit that allows filling a wetland of less than one half acre total. It does not require public notice and is very easy to acquire. Had the Army Corps done their job, they would have recognized the intent to fill and develop all 35 parcels and would have required a more robust, public permitting process.

Since the Army Corps followed Bonner County’s lead and pulled out their proverbial rubber stamp, the Idaho Conservation League, with support from Selkirk Conservation Alliance and Lakes Commission, are asking the Corps to revoke this permit. Not only does the Army Corps have authority and responsibility to revoke this ill-conceived permit, they also have authority to exclude certain areas or classes of waters — like Class 1 wetlands — from the general permit process entirely. We are asking them to do exactly that.

We must protect these amazing peat bogs and the history they hold, the resilience and habitat they offer, and the timeless beauty they provide. It would be foolish to let it all be taken away on our watch.

There will soon be opportunities for the community to weigh in on this topic of great consequence, from which we have been effectively excluded thus far. Please stay tuned for these opportunities as the saga evolves.

Sign up for action alerts at ida-

hoconservation.org/take-action.

Jennifer Ekstrom is the North Idaho Lakes Conservation Associate for Idaho Conservation League.

The Coolin wetlands. Photo by Dr. Robert Bond.

Mayor’s Roundtable:

Investing in infrastructure to meet the housing demand

By Mayor Shelby Rognstad Reader Contributor

Last week I introduced the Leland Report that was presented to the city council on Dec. 7. The purpose of the report was to help guide the city’s land use policy to support housing affordability and economic vitality. One of the major themes on which the report was focused was the city’s utilities, water and wastewater infrastructure.

Leland stressed that the increase in demand for housing far outpaces the supply. If Sandpoint is to meet the future demand for housing and thereby halt further escalation of housing prices,

it needs to provide the infrastructure to support that growth.

Water and wastewater infrastructure is expensive to build and maintain. Extending city services is only cost effective when there is sufficient density to pay for it. Therefore, future extension of services will favor urbanized development like multifamily, attached housing and mixed use commercial rather than the less dense single-family developments. This development approach will provide more affordable housing types benefitting lower income residents and those that employ them.

There are serious challenges to Sandpoint’s utilities infrastructure. Our wastewater treatment plant is a relic of the Farragut Naval Base built in the 1940s. At 80 years old, it is famously beyond its useful life, which is why the city is in the process of replacing it. In fact, the city council recently approved a request to submit a letter of intent to the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality to request funding for a new plant. The conveyance system of pipes and pumps also requires significant upgrades.

Over the last 15 years, Sandpoint has spent over $6 million rehabilitating sewer lines throughout the city to ease pressure on the plant and protect water quality in the river. In addition, 25% of the sewer laterals have been replaced across the city over that time period, with that cost mostly borne by homeowners. These critical improvements to the system work together to reduce the inflow and infiltration of non-wastewater into the system that goes a long way toward improving the function and life of our plant. Yet, more investments need to be made to meet future demand.

The water system also has a critical role in supporting growth throughout the region. Sandpoint has plenty of

capacity with the Lake Treatment Plant (built in 2012), which currently serves about half of our potable water, and could double its capacity. However, there are real challenges to delivering that water everywhere it is needed. This is due to physical constraints like elevation, distance and pressure as services are extended. It is also due to political challenges like service agreements and jurisdictional boundaries.

Leland recommends Sandpoint invest in infrastructure improvements to meet future growth demands. This will necessitate the implementation of intergovernmental agreements to support utility expansion across jurisdictions. This includes updating the city’s utility service policy that considers cost-benefit analysis as well as fair and sustainable funding and collection strategies for each city.

Growth will happen where there is water service. If Sandpoint is to grow responsibly, water and wastewater service need to go hand-in-hand. If we do otherwise, we encourage sprawl, longer commutes, lower levels of service and we end up proliferating septic systems that can threaten the quality of our water. DEQ has already seen signs of this consequence in the Sagle Aquifer.

If Sandpoint is to achieve affordability for all of its residents, it will necessarily be in part through dense development and efficient use of resources. Careful planning and improvement of utility infrastructure is a critical component of affordability, environmental health and quality of life.

Sandpoint is committed to rebuilding the wastewater treatment plant to serve the needs of future growth in and around the city. It is also committed to providing the water and wastewater infrastructure necessary to support continued growth in our region. At the same time, the city is working with local jurisdictions to ensure that the appropriate agreements are in place to support our critical infrastructure in a manner that is efficient, fair and equitable to taxpayers and ratepayers for years to come.

A boost for the brainy

By Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey Reader Staff

Sage Saccomanno, a 2020 graduate of Sandpoint High School, is entering the world of entrepreneurship in hopes of spreading the philosophy that smart is stylish.

Now studying biochemistry at Bard College in New York, Saccomanno is combining her passions for education and fashion to create Bigger Brain: a brand focused on empowering young people to embrace their intelligence. The first Bigger Brain collection is called Smart in Style, and features a series of black-and-white, eco-friendly T-shirts with designs representing some of the brain’s most essential chemicals, including dopamine, serotonin, glutamate, melatonin and norepinephrine.

“As my artist and I first started brainstorming ideas for Bigger Brain’s first collection, I knew that I wanted it to be chemistry related and educate people while providing style,” Saccomanno told the Reader. “Seeing as the name of my brand is Bigger Brain, I thought it fitting to focus on chemicals our brains need in order to function and thrive.”

Each shirt comes with an information card meant to teach the purchaser “what the chemical is, why it’s important, how to get it in a healthy way and more facts,” according to the Kickstart-

er campaign meant to fund the Smart in Style collection. As of Dec. 21, the campaign had seen pledges totaling $16,074 of its $27,300 goal.

The campaign is set to end on Friday, Dec. 30.

Seeing as Kickstarter campaigns are “all-or-nothing,” Saccomanno hopes that her hometown can help push Bigger Brain over the threshold.

“I have hope and confidence that we can still reach this goal in time, but I need the Sandpoint community’s help,” she said. “Whether you can pledge [and] buy a shirt or simply share the project with friends and family, anything helps.”

Looking toward the future, Saccomanno said Bigger Brain will be a source of “comfortable and versatile clothing” beyond T-shirts, and, once making a profit, she plans to invest in scholarship funds and after-school programs to further the brand’s positive influence on youth.

“More often than not, I meet young

individuals — especially those navigating high school and adolescence — who doubt their intelligence or feel as though it’s uncool to be smart,” Saccomanno said. “With Bigger Brain and starting with the Smart In Style collection, I hope to change this reality and shift the mindsets of young students to ultimately better our world’s future through education.”

Learn more at mybiggerbrain.com. Access the Smart in Style Kickstarter at kickstarter.com/projects/biggerbrain/ smart-in-style-collection.

Free documentary at Panida explores a life devoted to prayer

By Reader Staff

Throughout history, religious monks across the world have been viewed with an air of mystery, as many have never been given a behind-the-scenes look at their monastic worlds. Living Prayer in Christianity, a film presented by Axis Mundi, hopes to lift the veil on this secretive world with a free screening of the documentary film Thursday, Dec. 22 at 7 p.m. at the Panida Theater.

Living Prayer in Christianity

This deeply moving film will take viewers into the lives and practices of the monks at some of the most revered monasteries in Chrisianity, including the legendary St. Catherine’s near the foot of Mount Sinai and at the site of the burning bush witnessed by Moses.

Thursday, Dec. 22; doors open at 6:30 p.m., show begins at 7 p.m.; FREE. Panida Theater, 300 N. First Ave., 208-263-9191, panida.org.

The one-hour film will provide a look into what a life devoted to decades of prayer and contemplation leads to, as the words and demeanor of the monks radiate a peacefulness that is palpable.

Living Prayer in Christianity is not commercially available, and will provide never-seen images of the life lived by these monks. It’s a film that reminds us that the life of prayer, lived within the context of icons and liturgy, is an essential human activity resonating in harmony with nature and the universe.

This film is the first in a series of documentaries to be shown at the Panida in coming months focusing on spiritual events and themes. Stay tuned for notices of the next films in this series, which will explore other religions such as Buddhism, Islam and those practiced by Native Americans.

SHS graduate Sage Saccomanno launches Bigger Brain clothing brand

Sage Saccomanno stands with Bigger Brain’s first collection. Courtesy photo.

By Mike Wagoner Reader Contributor

N-Chops

Remember the first time you saw the Periodic Chart of all the elements? Maybe not since many of us have successfully blocked out the memory of high school all together and this would most likely have been your initial exposure to it. Anyway, it’s a fairly imposing yet im pressive chart that lists all the different kinds of basic stuff that is in this world in which all of us find ourselves.

Most of the elements are like “organic man” but a few have been synthesized in a lab by, of course, us. They’re listed at the bottom. Near the top you’ll find a few that are of particular significance with regards to life. Nitrogen, carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, phosphorus and sulfur. A handy way you can remember them is to just say “N-Chops.”

the water, air, soil, rock

… and us. We are, except for a few minor additives, fundamentally composed of them, so whatever or whoever created us used material that was already here. When we pass is when we pay back the loan — give back the atoms of those elements that the Earth let us, as well as all other life, use for a while. They will then be utilized again and again. The natural world recycles everything. Maybe someday we will, too.

Even though I was only 8, I still remember the blizzard in January of ’49

I remember when the warm Nebraska wind gave way to gales they say of 65 to 70 miles per hour

This open Window

Vol. 7

No. 7

edited by Jim mitsui

I remember that it blew and blew for days on end bringing this great blizzard

I remember that the snow drifted and the temperature dropped, they say from 32 down to -3

I remember there was no way out of this, no school, no church, no radio, no electricity — no one but us six kids and our parents, stuck in the house

It was bonding time for family, time for playing games of canasta, pinochle, monopoly and Chinese checkers

I remember Mother sharing tales of winters past, of walking through drifts to attend class in her one-room schoolhouse

I remember no hunger as our cupboards were stocked with Grandma Flossie’s peaches and pears

I remember when the storm eased and we opened the windows on the second floor to walk out across the crusted snow

Then one day the quiet ended and noises returned — the radio, the train’s whistle, the revving of engines, the clanging of church bells, the noon whistle, the barking dogs

And as suddenly as it had come, the storm left and our parents were able to resume their lives

We were alone again

Not their photograph but their caption. That’s what got me.

That praising paragraph of their leadership on every club, Board, committee, organization, for-profit and non-profit on the Chamber of Commerce power list.

The strong heart and gritty guts of our fair city. Vitally, viscerally important.

Always a three-quarter smiling portrait but Step back Jack she’s a kicker. You won’t stand straight for a week.

Powerful!

Oh how I wanted to matter like that!

What an impressively useful life, so sprawlingly publicly accoladed and honored!

So I joined a group. Sopping wet behind the ears. Slappably eager smile.

I never saw them coming or going but I nursed the wounds of evidence that they had cruised close.

I was boarder-walled, blocked, benched.

And so smiled-at, it took me years to notice I hadn’t moved. More to know I never would.

I was not one of them. They knew. I didn’t. And that was why I could never become one of them.

Oh.

But did they really have to be such bloody dagger back-stabbers about it?

Horrible people! Wait. What?

A wiser lifetime later my caption is shorter but I am taller. I can’t remember their names.

Dear Carol, I want to tell you about my new interest in quilting and send you pictures of what I have created; I want to ask you questions about your quilting journey. I would send you funny sewing memes and jokes. Tell you about my burgeoning interest in vintage sewing machines, Singers and, if you promised not to tell Nathan, I would tell you exactly how many I have acquired and of my constant and enjoyable search for more.

I want to tell you about the satisfyingly green kitchen cabinet I got at half price at the thrift store, how cleverly it’s designed with places for cookie sheets and pot lids.

I want to tell you about Gypsy’s operation for a bladder stone and how well she’s recovering. How she is at this very moment purring and curled up in my lap.

I want to send you the pictures of Lacey’s dog, Ruby, in the magazine Paws of the Northwest and about Sandpointed the book that was just published that includes some of MY poetry.

I want to tell you about how winter’s short days and long stretches of darkness are bringing my spirits down, making Christmas seem like more of a chore than a celebration. And how I found a full spectrum light to sit in front of at my desk in hopes of combating the lack of sun all winter. And Carol, more than any of that, I want to tell you I miss you and about how much I would love to hear your voice.

Sincerely yours, Sandra

all I wanted for Christmas was a typewriter

I scoured the Sears Roebuck and Montgomery Ward catalogs eagerly reading words, like return carriage, bell, smooth & easy. I begged my mom and showed her the pictures, “This is all I want Mom, you can even skip my birthday (late November), but

I really need a typewriter, don’t get me anything else, it’s okay.”

This truly would have been a perfect gift for a budding writer but I was only 7 years old and had never even seen a typewriter except in the movies, maybe. There were only 4 siblings so far to buy for but we’d just moved into a new house and dad wasn’t a foreman yet. Christmas morning I came down the stairs and there, under the tree with my name on a tag, there stood — a brand new Flexible Flyer. I had never had a new sled, we didn’t even have a sled. I had never even imagined getting something so grand as a sled in my whole life. It was so beautiful and all mine — but where was my typewriter?

There was a letter attached to the sled:

“Dear Reeny,” it said. “I know you wanted a typewriter, but you are a little young yet, so I brought you this sled. The snow on the school hill is just right and it’s time you don’t have to borrow rides on other kid’s sleds.”

And it was signed by SANTA CLAUS himself!

With a small pang I let the idea of the typewriter go (I’d be 30 before I got my own).

Mom tied a tow rope on my sled, extra-long like I asked.

I got Kathy next door and we went to the school. She was miffed I had my own sled and that I wouldn’t have to give her my Christmas candy to ride on hers. But it was sunny and crispy cold and the hill was perfect.

I did a grand belly whopper dive, stepped on the rope, flew over the sled and mashed my nose.

I got to brag for weeks about the biggest nosebleed ever seen.

It was the best Christmas, ever.

A musician and writer, Maureen grew up in Minnesota, where she experienced the kind of winter that we are now experiencing.

poetry and prose by local writers

inspired by captions

— Teresa Pesce

— Maureen Cooper

— Loris Michael

— Sandra Rasor

Teresa is an actor, writer and is on the board of the Panida Theater.

events

December 22-29, 2022

THURSDAY, december 22

Holiday family event and live piano

3-5pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery Cookies, cider, hot cocoa and piano by Bob Beadling for the whole family

Stabat Mater — Bel Canto Opera 6pm @ Little Carnegie Hall, MCS A special Christmas concert at MCS, with donations accepted. By the Bel Canto Opera

Living Prayer in Christianity free film • 7pm @ Panida Theater

A free film and first in a series of films showing a contemplative life as practiced within traditional religions around the world. Free entry and open to all

FriDAY, december 23

Live Music w/ Jona Gallagos 6-8pm @ Matchwood Brewing Co.

Festivus at the Panida

7:30pm @ Panida Theater

Made popular thanks to Seinfeld, Festivus will feature airing of grievances, poetry, feats of strength and much more! A fun night featuring Sandpoint locals on stage

Live Music w/ Lauren and Chris 6:30-9:30pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall

Live Music w/ One Street Over 5-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery Rock, electronic, romantic and pop Rex Theater Open House 4-7pm @ Rex Theater, Priest River Check out the interior of this historic theater before revitalization begins

Live Music w/ Right Front Burner 9pm-midnight @ 219 Lounge Sandpoint’s funk and groove band

Live Music w/ Harold’s IGA 3-6pm @ Taps at Schweitzer

SATURDAY, december 24

Live Music w/ Bright Moments Jazz 4:30-7pm @ Barrel 33

Schweitzer activities Various @ Schweitzer

Ski with Santa on Dec. 23-24 between 1-3:30pm on the mountain. Balloon parade Dec. 24 at 1:45pm down Midway

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Monday Night Blues Jam w/ John Firshi 7pm @ Eichardt’s Pub

SunDAY, december 25 monDAY, december 26 tuesDAY, december 27

Group Run @ Outdoor Experience 6pm @ Outdoor Experience 3-5 miles, all levels welcome, beer after

Craft Beer Trivia

6-7pm @ Utara Brewing Co. Drink, food, fun, friends and prizes!

wednesDAY, december 28

Live Piano w/ Annie Welle

5-7pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery Pleasant energy and jazz favorites

Live Music w/ John Firshi

7pm @ Eichardt’s Pub

One of Sandpoint’s most prolific musicians

Industry Night

3-8pm @ Utara Brewing Co.

If you work in the food & beverage industry, ask for discounts on food/drink/merch

Winter Fun Days

9am-2:30pm @ Pine Street Woods Kaniksu Land Trust invites kids 8-13 years to enjoy a fun-filled day of winter play. Sledding, games, exploring, building snow forts, bonfire and treats. Also offered Dec. 30. $30/each, includes lunch, snacks, cocoa, s’mores and fun. kaniksu.org

Trivia Night

5-8pm @ Paddler’s Alehouse Prizes include free beer, apps and swag

ThursDAY, december 29

Live Music w/ Fern Spores

8-10pm @ 219 Lounge No cover! 21+

AChristmasStoryChristmas is more a rumination on mortality than a holiday romp

By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff

A Christmas Story is, to a certain population, among the quintessential ruminations on the seasonal experience — at least from the perspective of a couple of smart-aleck kids, one of whom has a hyper-active imagination.

So of course, we’re now treated to a retread, with the HBO Max sequel A Christmas Story Christmas, featuring many of the same characters (including Peter Billingsly as Ralphie Parker, who famously — almost — shot his eye out with a coveted Red Ryder BB gun on Christmas Day, 1940).

In this version of the tale, Ralphie is in his mid-40s and it’s the 1970s, in all its avocado-and-mustard-colored glory. He’s married to the slightly exasperated but ultimately supportive Sandy (Erinn Hayes), and has two kids of roughly the same age as he was during the legendary Red Ryder BB gun Christmas.

Ralphie is clearly in some kind of major mid-life slump. As the often-stilted narration (courtesy of Billingsley) informs the audience at the outset, Ralphie and Sandy have agreed to save up enough money to give him a year off from the amorphous “rat race” to write a novel and get it published. That’s OK, but there’s a bizarre caveat that if he isn’t able to place the manuscript with a publishing house, he has to quit his dream of ever becoming a writer. Ever.

When we meet sad-sack Ralphie, he’s jumpier than a jackrabbit on a date, as the calendar pages fall away toward the self-imposed deadline at the end of the year, and he’s been rejected by damn near every publisher in Chicago, where he now lives.

Sandy and the kids are giving him the side eye as his sci-fi epic novel has swollen to more than 2,000 pages, and the bookish gatekeepers are slamming doors in his face. Into this morass of holiday stress, Ralphie gets a call from his long-suffering mother (in this version played by Julie Hagerty, because the original Mrs. Parker, Melinda Dillon, is 83 years old and retired). It’s bad news: His dad, known mostly as The Old Man, has died, and the Ralphie Parker family has to come home to Cleveland Street in the fictional town of Hohman, Ind.

Played in the 1983 original by the inimitable Darren McGavin — fun fact: born in

Spokane in 1922 — The Old Man loomed large, with his obscenity laced furnace fighting, longtime battle with the neighbors’ smelly hound dogs and “major award” of a bordello-style lamp shaped like a woman’s leg in fishnets, which has itself become a subversive symbol of the season.

McGavin died in 2006 at age 83, so he doesn’t appear in A Christmas Story Christmas in any form other than old photographs; yet, his presence is everywhere animating the plot (including its end). Ralphie feels like a failure, his family looks at him like a dopey dreamer and suddenly he has to become “The Old Man,” who delivers a magical Christmas despite his mourning. What’s worse, he’s tasked with writing the obituary for the local paper because, of course, he’s “the writer in the family.”

What does he do? Hits the bar, a lot, owned by his childhood pal Flick (Scott Schwartz) and haunted by cheapskate barfly and fellow Cleveland Street running partner Schwartz (R.D. Robb).

They’re all rundown to varying degrees — though Flick, honestly, seems to be doing better than most of them — and rally around Ralphie to prop him up.

Mad-cap escapades ensue, bullies are confronted, family relationships are strained and mended, and lessons are learned.

A Christmas Story Christmas has many of the same parts and pieces as its

predecessor, down to including many of the same actors, but it exerts a kind of depressing weariness. Maybe that’s because Jean Shepherd wrote the source material, In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash, from the perspective of kids on the cusp of wise-assery and wide-eyed wonder, and A Christmas Story Christ-

mas revolves around the desperation of a middle-aged man whose ambition flows from inferiority, dread and regret.

That’s life, I guess, but it certainly doesn’t explode with the heart and humor of the original. And how could it?

Peter Billingsley, right, reprises his role as Ralphie Parker in A Christmas Story Christmas. Courtesy photo.

Last-minute gift guide 2022

By Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey Reader Staff

Each Christmas edition for the past couple of years, the Reader has published a last-minute gift guide for those locals who, as one Facebook meme I saw today put it, “waited until Mary’s water broke to go shopping.”

Of course, the silver lining of gift procrastination is the natural consequence of having to shop locally. Amazon is good, but not Christmas-is-two-days-away good.

I pride myself on finding the perfect balance between supporting makers and business owners that I admire and buying gifts that my friends and family will enjoy. This is achieved by actually using and consuming local products year round, so that when December arrives, I feel equipped to purchase gifts I’m proud to give.

Perhaps the greatest hack of last-minute gifting is to look inside oneself. More likely, it’s not to overthink it.

Here are some of my favorite local goods to give, and where to find them.

Really incredible soap

It is impossible to overstate how quality soap has changed my life. Since I started using handcraft-

ed, natural bars, the entire shower experience has been elevated. From the aroma to the gentleness on my skin, I must stop short of writing a love poem to good soap: one of my life’s simplest and most transformative joys.

Hope Soaps are absolute luxury in a small, sustainable package. While I may or may not have a direct line to the maker and ordered several soaps ahead of time to mail to friends across the country, last-minute shoppers can get their fix by visiting Azalea Handpicked Style (322 N. First Ave.) or Annie’s Orchard Antique Store (54029 Highway 200 in Clark Fork).

Hope Soaps’ seasonal line just arrived in time for Christmas, featuring such varieties as Chocolate Orange and my personal favorite, Winter Woods: fir, rosemary, lime and spearmint.

Believe me when I say that you cannot go wrong in giving really, really good soap.

Something to eat

The older I get, the more excited I get when given something that, firstly, I would have never thought to try, and secondly, that won’t end up collecting dust once it’s gone.

Enter: pickled goodies.

I finally made my way into The

Pickled Kitchen (312 N. First Ave.) on a recent snowy night and successfully purchased gifts for five people on my list. I was pleasantly surprised by the variety, which expanded beyond just traditional pickles or pickled vegetables. Other local makers are also represented at the store, offering a selection of other canned goods (hello, pepper jelly) and handmade kitchen items.

The jars I got at The Pickled Kitchen will keep if the recipients want to save their pickled present in the pantry for a rainy day, or they can be easily shared in a holiday setting. For my own sake, I hope they share.

Something to drink

It’s no secret that Sandpoint is pretty much the ideal location for holiday shoppers who want to bequeath their loved ones with the gift of craft beer. Either canned or growlered, there’s no shortage of breweries to choose from, and beer rarely falls flat with the hardto-buy-for men in my life. The same can be said for wine, which I’ve been thankful to receive on occasion, especially when the giver is supporting a winery they personally love.

My personal local pick for those hoping to inject a little liquid fun into Christmas would be to make a mixed pack of brews at Idaho Pour Authority (203 Cedar St.) and tailor it specifically for the beer lover on your list. For those who crave variety, jump around the coolers and make it funky. For those less adventurous (as in, my own light-beer-loving husband), grab a couple craft pilsners, lagers and blondes to encourage some holiday boldness.

Of course, not everyone partakes, and it’s not always safe to assume they do. For those people, I recommend a local coffee. You can’t go wrong with a bag of Evans Brothers (524 Church St.) or, my personal favorite, Scotchman’s Coffee (302 E. 4th Ave. in Clark Fork).

A piece of old North Idaho

If you haven’t yet made it into the Bonner County Museum Guild (300 N. First Ave. in the Panida’s north storefront), consider this

shopping excursion your ultimate opportunity. The shop offers lots of handmade items (candles, ornaments, toys, stockings) and, perhaps setting it apart from other downtown shops, vintage and historical items that help tell the story of North Idaho. The guild is likely to be a shoo-in for finding gifts for tried-and-true locals on your list — plus, all sales benefit the museum’s mission to preserve our area’s history.

An actual need Everyone knows that it’s been an expensive year. It’s possible that

some people on your list would appreciate having a basic need filled. I know I’d be more than happy to receive a gift card for gas or groceries, or maybe a certificate for an oil change or hair cut. Never be afraid to ask, especially those closest to you, what they might actually need this year. Besides, this is last-minute shopping. Make it easy on yourself.

Top: Bread and butter pickles and sweet baby corn from The Pickled Kitchen in Sandpoint. Above: Hope Soaps’ Merrymint variety. Photos by Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey.

MUSIC

Raised on Rosie O’Donnell Christmas

And it wasn’t as bad as it sounds

By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff

The Rosie O’Donnell of my childhood made Christmas music.

I think her role in the 1992 film A League of Their Own existed somewhere in the recesses of my mind, but her comedic and talk-show-host stardom were not on my radar in any major way during my early youth. Her 1999 and 2000 Christmas albums — titled A Rosie Christmas and Another Rosie Christmas, respectively — were, however, a staple of my family’s annual holiday traditions.

I confirmed with my mom while writing this article that she did, in fact, purchase the CDs herself. She did, she said, because she thought they’d be “fun.”

That is one descriptor I think we can safely say still applies to these Christmas songs, which succeed thanks to O’Donnell’s humor and ability to attract some of the biggest musical talent of the preceding decades. Cher, Billy Joel, Celine Dione, Sugar Ray and Smash Mouth only scratch the surface of the collaborations, which feature both classic and original Christmas tunes.

Listening now, many of the songs hold up. We used to mock my notoriously naughty little

sister with the song “Nuttin’ For Christmas,” while “Merry Christmas From The Family” — a live rendition featuring The Chicks — is the kind of hokey hillbilly holiday song that kids from North Idaho enjoy. A well-produced track titled “I’m Gonna E-Mail Santa” was truly cutting-edge for its time.

Still, I can’t help but laugh at O’Donnell’s absolute audacity at certain points on both albums. In “White Christmas,” Sir Elton John himself belts the first several verses until O’Donnell enters with her flat, timid vocals. I’m not sure whose idea it was to layer a drum machine over audio of O’Donnell and Sesame Street character Elmo talking between verses of “Do You Hear What I Hear,” but the results are equal parts creepy and endearing.

Traditional reviews of A Rosie Christmas and Another Rosie Christmas are not readily available online. Amazon reviews are, by and large, positive, with many listeners expressing shock. If I hadn’t been indoctrinated so early in life, I might be shocked at the albums’ collective excellence as well.

But, as it stands, Rosie O’Donnell’s Christmas albums are a staple of my early life. They informed my understanding of holiday music right around the time that I decided “Hey Ya!” By OutKast was the greatest song ever written (a small piece of me still believes this).

Despite O’Donnell’s reputation as a problematic loose cannon in recent years, there’s no disputing that her all-American, funny gal demeanor at the start of new mille-

nia worked for her — at least well enough to attract world-renowned musical talent for two Christmas albums. I also believe her intentions were pure.

At the top of her version of “Little Drummer Boy,” a distinctly R&B number featuring Ms. Lauryn Hill, O’Donnell offers a monologue.

“This record is for all the kids out there who dream of a life better than the one they’re living now,” she states as a groovy drumline kicks in. “May God grant you the strength to know it gets better as you go on. You gotta believe in yourself and know that life is a great thing. Cherish it, and you, and God. Stay positive.”

The cringe is real, but so is the sincerity. As a kid with a good life living in a largely agnostic household, I didn’t identify with O’Donnell’s words in a literal sense, but the human desire to create and share something that might spread some hope and joy came across clear as a bluebird winter day.

That, combined with the pure fun achieved with each album, perfectly reflect what Christmas means to me.

Those willing to give Rosie O’Donnell’s Christmas albums a try can find them on Spotify.

A snapshot of notable live music coming up in Sandpoint

READ

By now, most people have probably heard of the Krampus — the old Germanic entity that rides shotgun with Santa to punish the bad kids — but there are loads of other weird myths, characters and long-gone practices surrounding the biggest holiday of the year. Learn more with the charmingly bizarre and fascinatingly illustrated Christmas Curiosities: Odd, Dark and Forgotten Christmas, by John Grossman, available at the Sandpoint library.

LISTEN

People like to get as “traditional” as possible around Christmas time, and there’s no better way to do that than by getting Medieval on the holiday — that is, musically. The YouTube channel “Musica Medievale” has loads of top-quality recordings of music from around the world, all dated from the Middle Ages. This month, the channel’s creators have been curating Christmas music, some of which will be familiar, some not so much, but all worthy of making it into the festive playlist (one cannot live on Mariah Carey alone, after all).

WATCH

For whatever reason, it seems like Right Front Burner (a.k.a. RFB) brings its powerhouse brand of funk, disco and rock out to play more often in the winter months — which is perfect for heating up those cold, dark nights.

So consider it an early Christmas present that the trio of Paul Gunter, Dave Pecha and Alvah Street will hold down the stage and bring the party to the 219 Lounge on Friday, Dec. 23. Whether you

have holiday cheer or not, you’ll cheer for RFB, and no matter if you’re in the Christmas spirit, the Niner has spirits aplenty.

— Zach Hagadone

9 p.m.-midnight, FREE, 21+. 219 Lounge, 219 N. First Ave., 208-263-5673, 219.bar. Listen at reverbnation.com/ theofficialrfb, more info at facebook.com/rightfrontburner.

It is easy during the Christmas season to become caught up in the constant repetition of what most radio stations and streaming platforms bill as classic holiday music. For those plum tired of the onslaught of Bing Crosby and Mariah Carey, local talent is prepared to offer Christmas entertainment that takes “classic” to a new level, as the Music Conservatory of Sandpoint’s Bel Canto Opera presents Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater.

This Stabat Mater, written in

1736, is a vocal performance paying homage to a 13th-century hymn about Mary suffering during Jesus’ crucifixion.

Organizers hope community members will fill the Little Carnegie Concert Hall to join in celebrating the season of giving.

— Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey

6 p.m., FREE, donations accepted. Little Carnegie Concert Hall at Music Conservatory of Sandpoint, 110 Main St., 208-265-4444, sandpointconservatory.com.

A lot of people revel in defining Die Hard as “a Christmas movie,” but not as many feel the same way about Lethal Weapon, which falls within a similar time period (being released in 1987) and is also packed with action. That’s a shame. Don’t believe me? No less than Good Housekeeping lists it among its “38 Forgotten Christmas Movies You Should Watch Right Now.” Beyond the fact that Lethal Weapon takes place during the holidays, what could be more in keeping with the season than the phrase, “I’m too old for this sh*t”?

This week’s RLW by Zach Hagadone

Right Front Burner, 219 Lounge, Dec. 23 MCS and Bel Canto Opera, Little Carnegie Concert Hall, Dec. 22

A Rosie Christmas and Another Rosie Christmas, which are most likely available on the rack at any thrift store across America. Courtesy photos.

From Northern Idaho News, Dec. 25, 1903

YOUNG MAN LOSES AN ARM WHILE TRYING TO BOARD A FREIGHT

John Omelia, a young man who has been working in the Selles camp, was run over by a through freight in the yards here Monday about 5 o’clock and his left arm was ground off just below the elbow.

Omelia was drunk at the time. A few minutes before the accident he appeared at the depot window and wanted to know when the first train easy arrived. A few minutes later a through freight pulled through the yard and after it had gone out some passerby saw a man trying to get up from beside the rails. On going to him Agent Coons found the fellow who had asked about a train a few minutes before. Dangling from his left side was the mangled arm. The young man was taken to Dr. Page’s office and the physician amputated the arm just below the albow.

When he came out from the influence of the anaesthetic Omelia could remember none of the circumstances of the accident. He remembered that he was intending to go to Missoula, but had no recollection of trying to board the train. He said he was a native of Flasherton, Ont. and that his parents were alive there a year ago when he last heard from them.

Omelia was taken to Rathdrum Monday night to be cared for at the county’s expense.

BACK OF THE BOOK

The soft underbelly of a humbug

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

Maybe it’s because I was born the day after Christmas that I became a humbug. Throughout my childhood, Christmas always loomed before my birthday; the annual eclipse that left my “special day” a mere afterthought somewhere in the darkness.

While my schoolyard chums held birthday parties at the roller skating rink or Silverwood, my birthdays were always a slight inconvenience — a quiet street after the parade, strewn with the wrappings from Christmas presents that were given with the usual statement, “Uh, this is for your birthday, too.” (Fellow late-December-born will know exactly what I’m talking about — “There are dozens of us. DOZENS!”)

As a result, my skin began to grow thick in winter. The day after Thanksgiving, when Christmas songs began their tireless loops at malls and stores, I would roll my eyes and prepare for the usual humbuggery.

To be fair, my mom has always gone out of her way to celebrate my birthday separate from Christmas. To this day, she mails me separate cards, proving that mothers are the eternal antidote to darkness.

The notion that humbugs dislike Christmas isn’t accurate, though. We actually quite enjoy this time of year. Winter is my favorite season, after spring, summer and fall. I love the bitter cold, the thigh-deep snow and the quiet melancholy of a winter morning before you shovel the driveway for two-and-a-half hours.

I enjoy the way Sandpoint quiets down in the winter, but walk through the right doorway and it’s hopping just as much as any summer night.

What I disliked was the obligatory gift-giving, the often-forced sentiment and the commercialization of a holiday that is supposed to be about love, hope, joy and

togetherness — not stressed-out shopping trips and hectic family gatherings that end in sullen door slams and arguments.

As I grew older, I started a tradition of my own around Christmas: I stopped participating. I stopped stressing about if I forgot to give someone a gift, or if I got them something useless. I stopped spending money I couldn’t afford to spend on trinkets and baubles, just to prove to someone that I cared about them.

Armed with my new salt-encrusted winter skin, I would go on to celebrate the holiday stress-free. If I saw something that made a perfect gift for someone, I’d buy it. If I didn’t, I didn’t. I kept expectations low and was often rewarded because of it.

It reminds me of an old Calvin and Hobbes comic strip where Calvin’s mom comes into his room in the first panel and says, “Why, look! You made your bed without even being told to! That’s wonderful, Calvin!” In the next panel, Calvin’s imaginary tiger Hobbes says, “Gee, your mom sure is nice when you help her.” In the next, Calvin answers, “Yeah, that’s the reason I usually don’t. I like Mom to be impressed when I fulfill the least of my obligations.”

And so it went for many years. I set the bar low and never had trouble crawling over it. After college, while I lived in Los Angeles working about 60 hours a week, I always spent Christmas alone. I’d skateboard down to Venice Beach, loving the quiet boardwalks, the light traffic and the absence of people. It was like I had been set free.

One Christmas remains a strong memory. I boarded a Greyhound bus in downtown L.A. on Dec. 22, expecting it to arrive in Sandpoint the next day, but because they were overbooked, a second bus was assigned to the overflow passengers. This second bus didn’t go north, but straight east into Arizona, then north into Denver and Salt Lake City, with long overnight stops at each city.

Sudoku Solution STR8TS Solution

The trip took three full days. Anyone who has spent more than an hour on a Greyhound knows what I’m talking about. Now imagine three days of it.

Christmas day was an hour-long stop at a gas station diner in a podunk roadhouse in central Montana. I didn’t have enough to buy a meal at the diner where all the other passengers ate in stunned silence, like survivors of nuclear winter. A Christmas song played on the radio, but it sounded haunted, as if the cassette tape playing it was one step away from breaking. Instead of a diner meal, I purchased a frozen burrito, cooked it in the microwave and ate outside on the curb.

The bus driver exited the diner and saw me. He asked why I wasn’t eating and I told him I couldn’t afford a full meal. He then frowned, walked back inside and emerged a few moments later with a hot meal in a box: turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes and a slice of apple pie.

“Nobody should eat a gas station burrito on Christmas day,” he said, walking back to the bus.

This man, who probably didn’t have much more money than I did, went out of his way to buy a stranger a Christmas meal. It brought tears to my eyes and I’ll never forget it.

So here’s to that bus driver, and to all of those who remember the less fortunate ones on Christmas.

Humbugs might seem like grumps this time of year, but scratch their soft underbelly and you’ll discover the sentiment never left; it might’ve just gone dormant, beaten into submission by the callous corporate effort to fleece as many people out of their hardearned money as possible before the sacred day. Humbugs still cherish this season. We just love it for what it’s really about.

Here’s wishing you all love and joy this holiday season.

Even the humbugs.

Solution on page 22 Solution on page 22

CROSSWORD

You might think that the favorite plant of the porcupine is the cactus, but it’s thinking like that that has almost ruined this country.

1.Snare 5.Chooses 9.Units of land 14.Bygone era 15.Verruca 16.Thither 17.Looter 19.On edge 20.Gentry 21.Nobel honoree 23.Share 25.Exam monitor 28.Central 29.Fifty-two in Roman numerals 32.Roomy sleeve 33.Female chicken 34.Await judgment 35.Look at flirtatiously 36.Primitive percussion instrument 38.Egg-shaped 39.V V V 40.Except 41.Ancient ascetic 43.S 44.Camp bed 45.Certain insects 46.Confident 48.Extracting metals by heating 50.Pub game 54.Locate 55.Body process

DOWN

1.Sort 2.Turn over 3.African sheep 4.Stars with 5 points 5.Be in debt 6.Sitting room

33.Shack

Copyright www.mirroreyes.com Solution algorithm /AL-guh-rith-uhm/ [noun] 1. an ordered set of instructions applied repeatedly to data to solve a problem or accomplish a task. “Even the most difficult problems can be solved by following every step of the algorithm.”

on page 22 7.Delicacy 8.Rhythm guitarist 9.Wait on 10.Swindle 11.Let out 12.Celtic language 13.Observe 18.Triangular formation 22.Santa’s team 24.Large oared boat 25.Put to the test 26.Goes ballistic 27.Looks at lustfully 29.Stage

later in time