Reader_Dec23_2021

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PEOPLE compiled by

Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey

READER

watching

On the meaning of Christmas

“What is your favorite thing about Christmas?”

“Family and snuggling my dog.”

Nellie Lutzwolf Sandpoint

“My favorite thing about Christmas is the kickoff of pow season.”

Jenny Curto Sandpoint

“Quality time and traditions with friends and family that you don’t get to see the rest of the year.”

Brian Ailor Priest Lake

“Playing silly card games with my mom until she cries laughing.”

Leslie Kiebert Wrenco

“Watching my wife force my dad to play games. He hates it and she loves it.”

Tyler Warner Kootenai

By Sandy Compton Reader Contributor

A

s I’ve grown older, the glistening promise of the winter holiday has become a little tarnished. That’s not to say I haven’t had wonderful Christmases, because I have, but there have been some horrendous ones, as well.

I think that’s true of many people. Presence of the celebration during a time of trial serves to highlight any misery we might be suffering, especially if we are alone. There are also the expectations of the season perpetrated on us by marketers, our sense of tradition and even our own greed; expectations that cannot be realistically met much of the time.

The result might be a vague, is-that-all-there-is feeling we get at 11 o’clock Christmas morning, sitting in a room knee-deep in wrapping paper, piled high with the booty of the season of giving — or is it “getting”?

A friend teased me once that he already knows my life story from reading my writing. What he doesn’t know is that I often write for my own entertainment and education; as if my fingers know something that I don’t; as if they have access to ideas that are stored someplace other than the outer edges of my brain.

The words sometimes seem to flow out of my hands, and even I am surprised at what appears on the page.

That is a gift — a true gift — one that I can be grateful for Christmas morning or any morning; and it didn’t come wrapped in ribbon and colored paper, but in the complicated spiral of acids and proteins that is my DNA. We all have gifts like that, packed within us when we arrived, blessings to be unwrapped as we delve deeper into ourselves and discover who we truly are.

The greatest gift that we can get, then, is one we can give ourselves, and that is a sense of gratitude for who and what we are. The greatest gift we can give others is that representation of ourselves that most truly expresses the good gifts we were given.

It hasn’t much to do with red and gold paper and credit cards, does it?

As we begin to see our own gifts, we also begin to see gifts that others have received and have to offer; a sense of humor, patience, a loving nature, a beautiful smile, lovely eyes, a sense of balance, good health, a delight in living. Physical, spiritual or emotional grace. Eyes to see, ears to hear, a tongue to extoll the wonders of the Universe, a God to pray to, hope, faith and love.

The list is hardly original. These are the gifts that we have in common with all people from all time. In the time and place we live, we also have the opportunity to make the most of them. Here, in these United States of America, we are probably the most blessed generations of people who have ever lived on the face of this planet.

Consider that the great freedoms we enjoy are nothing more than an accident of birth; that the spirit dwelling within each of us could just as easily inhabit a body in Iraq, Somalia or a slum in India. Yet, on Christmas morning, how many of us will be disappointed because we got a pair of socks or a tie or yet another paperback? How many children will be devastated because that specially marketed toy they had high hopes set upon — and yet would find completely boring by one o’clock Christmas afternoon — is not there?

In the Christian world, the promise of the season is the Christ child, the infant savior. But, there is something deeper to find in the symbols of birth and seasonal turning point and stars hovering above a miracle; something beneath the questions of faith, dogma and just whose child that child is. After all, we are all children of the Universe.

Perhaps the message of Christmas is that each child born, with its own unique gifts, has the capacity and the potential to be a savior; perhaps not for an entire race, but certainly for some of the many people they will encounter in their lifetime.

Maybe we should try expecting nothing on Christmas morning, and let each small moment be a gift, and each person we encounter, and each thing that we discover within ourselves that might make a difference in our poor, old world should we take the time and the chance to share it with others.

Merry Christmas, friends, and Happy New Year. May your personal gifts shine year around.

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

www.sandpointreader.com Publisher: Ben Olson ben@sandpointreader.com Editorial: Zach Hagadone (Editor) zach@sandpointreader.com Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey (News Editor) lyndsie@sandpointreader.com Cameron Rasmusson (emeritus) John Reuter (emeritus) Advertising: Jodi Berge Jodi@sandpointreader.com Contributing Artists: Ben Olson, Bill Borders, Tricia Florence, Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey Contributing Writers: Zach Hagadone, Ben Olson, Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey, Lorraine H. Marie, Brenden Bobby, Sandy Compton, Emily Erickson, Maria Finlay Larson, Sandra Rasor, Amy Craven, L.S. Jones, Brenda Hammond, Kaleb Keaton Submit stories to: stories@sandpointreader.com Printed weekly at: Tribune Publishing Co. Lewiston, ID Subscription Price: $155 per year Web Content: Keokee The Sandpoint Reader is a weekly publication owned and operated by Ben Olson and Keokee. It is devoted to the arts, entertainment, politics and lifestyle in and around Sandpoint, Idaho.

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About the Cover

We hope you think this week’s cover is an a-moose-ing way to wish you all a merry Christmas. Seasons greetings, happy Hannukah, happy Festivus and happy day.

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NEWS

Citizen committee opposes ‘extremism’ in Idaho Legislature

Vows to push back against ‘conspiracy theories, fringe views and cheap political theater’

By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff As the 2022 Idaho legislative session approaches, with lawmakers expected to convene Monday, Jan. 10 in Boise, the pushback against the “extremism” of some members is already ramping up.

In a media release Dec. 14, a group of prominent former Idaho officials announced the formation of the Take Back Idaho Committee — a citizens’ effort “to restore reason and responsibility to the Idaho Legislature.”

Many of the leading names will be familiar to Gem State politics watchers, including former House Speaker Bruce Newcomb, R-Burley; former Secretary of State Ben Ysursa; former Senate President Pro Tem Bob Geddes, R-Soda Springs; and former Attorney General and Idaho Supreme Court Justice Jim Jones.

Blackfoot rancher and former Idaho Cattle Association President Jennifer Ellis will serve as chair of the committee, stating in the announcement that, “the recent disruptive legislative sessions have pointed to the desperate need to replace dangerous extremists in the Legislature.

“Instead of putting forward positive ideas to improve the everyday lives of Idahoans, these politicians waste valuable time and taxpayer money,” she added.

“This vocal minority has replaced civility and common sense with conspiracy theories, fringe views and cheap political theater.”

The committee singled out recent efforts to tighten requirements for bringing citizen initiatives to the ballot — efforts that have been roundly rejected by the courts as unconstitutional — as well as furor over alleged (though so far unproved) “student indoctrination” in Idaho schools and systematic underfunding of public education.

Recent legislative sessions, especially amid the COVID-19 pandemic, have generated much sound and fury. In 2020, farright conservative activist — and current Republican gubernatorial candidate Ammon Bundy — had to be trespassed from the State4 /

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house more than once for disruptive behavior, while others on the right-wing of the Idaho GOP tried and failed to assemble a quorum that summer to oppose and overturn Republican Gov. Brad Little’s coronavirus orders.

The 2021 Legislature then sat for an historic length of time, from January until May, followed by another failed attempt at a special session in August. The House and Senate officially reconvened for a three-day special session in November — again targeting vaccine and testing mandates — but resulted only in a strongly worded letter of opposition to President Joe Biden.

“The extremists have tried to strip local control, undermined our public education system and made our great state a laughingstock in the eyes of the nation,” Newcomb stated.

This isn’t the first foray by former Idaho officials to raise the alarm about what they consider to be political elements — particularly within the Idaho GOP and the Idaho Freedom Foundation — that are detrimental to the steady governance of the state.

In March, Jones and other Idaho legal experts announced the formation of the Committee to Protect and Preserve the Idaho Constitution, which aimed to expose and oppose legislation before it landed in the courts as unconstitutional.

The new Take Back Idaho Committee leveled most of specific criticisms against the IFF, which describes as its mission, “to make Idaho into a Laboratory of Liberty by exposing, defeating, and replacing the state’s socialist public policies. Many lawmakers and Idaho politics observers have long said the organization operates more as a right-wing lobby group with outsized sway over a number of ultra-conservative legislators.

“Too many of the GOP legislators have become ardent followers of the Idaho Freedom Foundation, which thrives on creating discord and havoc,” Geddes stated. “They have lost sight of the fact that they

were elected to represent the people, not a dark-money think tank.”

What’s more, added Ysursa, who ran Idaho’s elections as secretary of state from 2003 to 2015, the IFF “has irresponsibly raised questions about Idaho’s election integrity.”

The IFF, for its part, has labeled critics such as Newcomb “statists” and doubled down on its various campaigns against so-called “critical race theory” in schools, as well as jabbed at higher education and blasted lawmakers for “fail[ing] to protect Idahoans from forced vaccinations” and “medical tyranny.”

The Take Back Idaho Committee also announced it will

An aerial photo of the Idaho State Capitol in Boise. Courtesy Take Back Idaho Facebook. undertake a program of outreach to voters highlighting “the disruptive actions of the IFF and its legislative followers,” as well as “oppose candidates who refuse to act responsibly.” Ellis stated the committee will support those “dedicated to educating our children, working together to solve our chronic problems, and restoring a sense of community and common purpose in Idaho.”

For more information visit takebackidaho.com.

FSPW reaches 10,000 Friends

By Reader Staff Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness, a local grassroots nonprofit, recently made their 10,000th Friend. This a major milestone in keeping the Scotchman Peaks area wild and roadless for future generations. These 10,000 “Friends” of the Scotchmans have all signed their name in support of designating the Scotchman Peaks as Wilderness.

The Scotchman Peaks proposed Wilderness is 88,000 acres — about the same size as Lake Pend Oreille. The area spans North Idaho and northwestern Montana, crossing into Bonner, Lincoln and Sanders counties. Iconic destina-

tions in the proposed wilderness include Star Peak, Little Spar Lake, the Ross Creek Cedar Waterfalls and Scotchman Peak.

Since the 1970s, the land has been managed as wilderness by the U.S. Forest Service. This means it is roadless and undeveloped. But the Scotchman Peaks lack protection from future development.

That’s why the Friends are working to pass a bill in the U.S. Congress, ensuring that the area remains wild for future generations.

“As the number of quiet, wild places shrink, Scotchman Peaks Wilderness will become even dearer,” said Friend of the Scotchmans and Bonner County local Molly O’Reilly.

Efforts to make Scotchman Peaks a wilderness began in 2005 in the communities surrounding the Scotchmans. Since then, support has quickly grown in towns and on the trails. The Friends lead people on hikes, build trails and teach outdoor education to local students. All of this work is to ensure more people can get out and explore the Scotchmans.

“One hike at a time, we are introducing people to their wild backyard,” said Phil Hough, executive director from FSPW. “Slowly but surely, more and more people are discovering that the Scotchmans are exceptionally wild and well worth saving.”

An overwhelming majority of FSPW’s Friends are from Idaho and

Montana, living in the communities surrounding the Scotchmans. They are bow hunters from Libby, backcountry horsemen from Rathdrum, mountain bikers from Sandpoint and everyone else in between.

FSPW’s official 10,000th friend was Lesly Starling, resident of Libby, Mont. As a nurse, she deeply values her time spent in nature as a source of rejuvenating self-care.

“I believe that our wildlands need protection and I really love the idea of a community and volunteer driven grassroots collaboration working towards that outcome,” said Starling.

To learn more about FSPW or become a Friend of the proposed Scotchman Peaks Wilderness, visit scotchmanpeaks.org.

NEWS

Project 7B releases ‘story map’ depicting Bonner County growth

By Reader Staff

Amid an era of extreme growth in Bonner County, local government meetings are frequently dominated by discussions of zoning laws and regulations related to development.

Making sense of the sometimes arcane processes and verbiage related to what gets built where, how and why can be a challenge, which is why community organization Project 7B recently undertook the creation of a so-called “story map” that illustrates past, present and future growth and development trends.

Project 7B partnered with Bozeman, Mont.-based Gage Cartographics to create the interactive online presentation, which is available at storymap. project7b.org, and was paid for by grants from the Equinox Foundation and Union Pacific Foundation, as well as individual donors to the nonprofit group.

“The slickly produced presentation combines graphics and concise facts to detail why the public should care about the

county’s planning and zoning policies,” Project 7B stated in a news release.

The organization, founded in 2016, states as its goal to get citizens educated about and involved in land use planning in order to support policies and practices “based on locally shared values and aspirations,” as well as encourage collaboration between governmental agencies, elected officials, NGOs and citizens.

The story map emphasizes the rural character of the county, underscoring the role played by the Comprehensive Land Use Plan in defending that quality.

Meanwhile, the narrative states, “Applications for zoning changes have dramatically increased with the booming real estate market. Nearly all changes have resulted in higher density — so more houses can be squeezed onto the landscape.”

Timed to coincide with the update of the county’s Comp Plan in 2022, and with the intention of getting citizens involved in the rewrite, the story map

draws on a wide range of data sets — most sourced from publicly available databases but others manually compiled to capture the most recent zoning changes. It specifically targets policies put in place in recent years that make it easier for property owners to divide land into smaller and smaller parcels — referred to as “minor land divisions,” which are approved administratively and therefore do not go through a public process. These divisions, Project 7B argues, have opened the door to dramatic “up-zoning” of formerly agricultural- and forest-zoned lands into swathes of residential development inappropriate under the Comp Plan’s objective to preserve rural character in the county.

Beyond the current state of county zoning, the story map also presents images of what the area could look like if all private

land along county roads and zoned ag/forest was broken into the five-acre parcels allowable under the minor land division process, as well as addresses potential impacts of higher-density development, including increased traffic and wildfire risk.

“We can’t shut the gate on growth in our community — but there are areas in the county more appropriate for higher density,” the story map narrative states, later adding that studies

An aerial view of Selle Valley, looking south toward Lake Pend Oreille. Photo by Max Zuberbuhler. show that “sprawl — the spread of higher density to areas further and further from urban centers and services — is more costly to homeowners and taxpayers.

“Good planning directs growth to areas where it’s more efficient to provide services, and where more modes of transportation are available.”

IDL presents nearly $55 million to Idaho public schools

By Reader Staff

The Idaho Department of Lands presented a record-setting $54,798,000 check to Idaho’s public schools on Dec. 21, which is more than $2 million than the department gave to schools last year.

Total distributions to all beneficiaries in fiscal year 2022 total $88,076,500, according to an IDL media release, with 62% going to the public school beneficiaries. The distributions are the result of increased endowment land revenue combined with revenue from investments.

“Through timber harvest and excellent endowment land management practices, along with prudent investing, we are

proud to be able to give Idaho public schools this record amount of funding,” said Idaho Gov. Brad Little. “This speaks to the commitment of the Idaho Department of Lands staff and the Endowment Fund Investment Board who are committed and work hard on behalf of our children and the other beneficiaries.

It also shows the Land Board’s commitment to education and the school children of Idaho.”

Superintendent of Public Instruction Sherri Ybarra called the funds “critical to Idaho schools.”

“We want to thank our educators for their hard work and dedication this year,” she continued, “and hope they recognize the Land Board’s commitment to continue these distributions to schools with

our ongoing prudent management of endowment land assets and investments.”

The Land Board has approved an increase in distributions next year, with a 12% increase for public schools and an overall increase of 14%.

There are nine endowment beneficiary funds that include Idaho’s public schools, universities, state hospitals for the mentally ill and charitable institutions such as the state veterans homes, the Idaho School for the

Deaf and Blind and Idaho’s juvenile corrections system.

The Land Board is made up of the governor, secretary of state, attorney general, controller and superintendent of public instruction.

Gov. Brad Little and other members of the state’s Land Board present a check for nearly $55 million to Superintendent of Public Instruction Sherri Ybarra and students from Capital High School at the Idaho Capitol Rotunda on Dec. 21.

Courtesy photo.

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NEWS

Crisis standards of care lifted in North Idaho

Health officials share warnings of omicron variant as Idaho continues effort to stop federal COVID-19 vaccine mandates

By Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey Reader Staff The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare deactivated crisis standards of care for the Panhandle Health District on Dec. 20 — nearly a month after rescinding the resource-saving measure in all other health districts across the state.

IDHW shared in a media release that, while the number of COVID-19 patients remains high, “the surge is currently no longer exceeding the health care resources available.”

“While this is good news for Idaho, we’re still watching the omicron variant very closely, because this is a precarious time,” said IDHW Director Dave Jeppesen. “Omicron seems to spread more easily between people, and we all need to keep taking precautions against COVID-19 by getting vaccinated or getting a booster dose, wearing masks in crowded areas, physically distancing from others, washing our hands frequently and staying home if we’re sick to avoid overwhelming our health care systems again.”

According to IDHW, “it will be some time before health care systems return to full, normal operations,” and “it also will take time for the health care systems to work through the many delayed surgeries and other medical treatments” that were pushed off due to strained hospital capacities amid the pandemic.

Bonner General Health officials told the Reader Nov. 19 that the local hospital was no longer operating under crisis standards. However, “this could change if our volumes increase again,” said BGH spokesperson Erin Binnall.

IDHW also reported Dec. 20 that “the state will continue to provide resources including health care personnel via FEMA and existing federal contracts until the situation further stabilizes.”

In other state coronavirus news, Gov. Brad Little announced Dec. 20 that Idaho joined 26 other states in 6 /

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filing an emergency motion to reinstate the stay in the U.S. Supreme Court on President Joe Biden’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration vaccine mandate, after the Sixth Circuit dissolved the stay Friday, Dec. 17. The mandate prescribes that employers with 100 or more employees require their workers to be vaccinated against the virus, or undergo weekly COVID-19 testing.

“We are doing all we can to put a stop to Biden’s unprecedented government overreach into the private sector,” said Little, who throughout the pandemic has been an ardent supporter of the COVID-19 vaccines as well as consistent in his message of personal responsibility over government mandates.

“The majority of the nation’s governors oppose Biden’s damaging and ineffective vaccine mandate policies, but he continues to push them on citizens, businesses and the states,” he added. “Thankfully, two other vaccine mandates remain stayed, and collectively the states will give a voice to the millions of Americans being coerced and cornered by the president.”

Meanwhile, Biden announced Dec. 21 that the U.S. government has plans to purchase and provide 500 million free at-home COVID rapid testing kits to Americans, who will be able to use a website to order the tests and have them mailed directly to their homes. According to the Associated Press, this effort will officially launch in January, and the 500 million number could increase depending on how the pandemic continues to impact the country.

Bonner General Health’s local coronavirus testing site has been relocated to 400 Schweitzer Plaza Drive in Ponderay. Testing site hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. The site will be closed Thursday, Dec. 23 and Friday, Dec. 24, as well as on Friday, Dec. 31. A provider’s order is required to receive a COVID-19 test at this location.

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: Ping-pong: After a federal judge paused a nationwide workplace vaccination mandate, a federal appeals court panel voted two to one to allow the mandate to move forward. An appeal is planned. The Biden administration estimates that over six months the workplace rule could save 6,500 lives.

Sen. Joe Manchin plays Lucy-style football: Due to failure to approve by all Senate Republicans and democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, there have not been enough votes to pass the Build Back Better Act this month, which includes social infrastructure like the Child Tax Credit, free preschool, capping Medicare prescription costs at $2,000, extending free Medicaid healthcare, capping childcare costs at 7% of income, addressing housing shortages and home health care issues. Manchin had firmly promised in November to sign if the original bill was halved. It was; Sunday he told Fox News he won’t sign. Manchin’s cost concerns were based on a CBO analysis that did not apply to the bill in its current form. Democrats say they will continue to pursue an avenue for activating BBB. Sources talking to Huffington Post say that, off the record, Manchin maintains parents will use CTC money to buy drugs. BBB includes addressing climate change, and Manchin gets a half million a year from coal stock dividends, Business Insider reports.

The United Mine Workers, which includes coal workers, is asking Manchin to reconsider his “no.” Motives for Manchin’s stance appear to be large donations from corporate interests that don’t like BBB, and supposed worries about inflation and the national debt, (the bill is designed to be paid for by tax increases on the wealthy and big corporations). Manchin claimed concerns about BBB and inflation, but 17 Nobel Prize economists said even if all the BBB programs were extended for 10 years, they can be fully paid for with the bill’s taxation plan. According to climate experts, failure to implement the bill and its climate provisions will destroy the world’s hope for avoiding catastrophic climate change. Information from numerous sources.

Due to Manchin’s “no” on BBB, Goldman Sachs cut its quarterly Gross Domestic Product forecast, Newsweek reported.

GS says failure to pass BBB has “negative growth implications.” Recent Monmouth polling for BBB shows 64% approval, up from 61% in June.

Family’s Christmas miracle: A Kentucky woman who tucked her 3-month and 15-month-old grandchildren into a bathtub with bedding and a Bible just before a

By Lorraine H. Marie Reader Columnist

tornado hit this month said the tub was lifted out of her house before the house was demolished. The children were found in good condition in the yard under the upside-down tub. Death count from December’s 40 tornadoes: 90 people.

The House Select Committee is now indicating a text of interest sent to Mark Meadows, Trump’s Chief of Staff, came from Rick Perry, Trump’s energy secretary. CNN confirmed the text was sent from Perry’s texting device the day after the election (he denies sending the text). The text suggested not waiting for all election results and appointing Republicans’ own electors instead, which would have prompted a presidential decision by the Supreme Court. Trump had previously said the Court, to which three new Justices were added under his administration, would favor him.

Other House Select Committee events: Roger Stone has taken the Fifth Amendment to avoid self-incrimination, and Rep. Jim Jordan, who sought to serve on the committee but was rejected, is now identified as an individual who offered a plan to have the vice president reject Biden electors to favor a win for Trump. The Oath Keepers, who provided security for Stone, are cooperating with the House investigation.

Floridian Robert Palmer, who assaulted a police officer with a fire extinguisher, has been sentenced to five years in prison — the longest sentence so far. Over 700 people (of 800 involved) face charges for participation in the insurrection attempt. Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell told Spectrum News the Jan. 6 Capitol attack was “horrendous” and “what they’re seeking to find out is something the public needs to know.” Sources include The Guardian, NBC and The New York Times.

Another House Committee investigation, the Coronavirus Crisis report, stated that the Trump Administration abandoned efforts to stop the spread of the virus and let it spread unhindered to pursue herd immunity. Trump’s COVID-19 response coordinator, Deborah Birx, said she could not be part of the “herd” idea and that resulting higher deaths amongst minority groups were unacceptable. The report noted there was evidence Trump had interfered with CDC recommendations.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention figures show a nearly six-fold increase in Omicron COVID-19 infections; in some areas it’s responsible for 90% of new infections.

The CDC is not advising use of the J&J COVID vaccine. New data shows blood clotting from the J&J vaccine is rare but can result in death, and clotting occurs at a rate of one per 100,000.

PERSPECTIVES

Emily Articulated

A column by and about Millennials

All I want for Christmas

By Emily Erickson Reader Columnist All I want for Christmas is a purpose-driven life — a succession of choices strung together by the clarity of a common goal.

I seek depth in my endeavors, sparks of inspiration igniting the flames of creativity, passion, connection and fulfillment. I’ll wield the measuring stick of my success against the feelings stirred up by the process of laboring, and the impact of my fruits on the people that will consume them.

All I want for Christmas is a charitable spirit — a way of being generous with my time, my resources and my energy, whenever possible. I crave the humility that casts me as my neighbors’ equal; that seeks to understand the storied pasts of the people around me and how those pasts shape their presents and futures. By leaning into empathy, I’ll search for the glowing bits of good that shine through veils often worn by those otherwise misunderstood.

All I want for Christmas is health and wellness for the people I love — the limitlessness of possibility for bodies and spirits devoid of pain and illness. I hope for an abundance of vibrancy, movement, play and vitality, and the absence of fear, anxiety, stress and sickness for those I hold dear. I’ll savor this strength of constitution for myself, and my family and friends, as long as we are afforded it.

All I want for Christmas is a community connected — a group of people living not only in proximity, but also on the common ground of kindness. I yearn for the camaraderie of my peers and of strangers, of neigh-

Emily Erickson. bors aligned in our dedication to care for and elevate one another with consistency, intentionality and immovability. Small gestures like a wave or a smile will be raised by large gestures of support and love when there’s distress faced by one of our own.

All I want for Christmas is a lens of gratitude — a perspective on the world that’s colored by understanding how very lucky I am to live this life.

I strive to seek pleasure in the things I already possess, to never choose tangible substitutions for intangible things and to recognize the myriad, complex ways in which a person can be blessed. I’ll turn away from numbness, opting instead for the ever-present choice to feel.

All I want for Christmas is the experience of wonder — to be struck with awe in as many ways, and with as much frequency, as possible. I wish for the courage to witness beauty derived from the pursuit of grand things, and to maintain an ability to be amazed by simple, sweet and everyday

occurrences. I’ll chase sunrises and sunsets, rainbows and mountain tops, paintings and parlor songs, and recognize the incredible miracle that is being out of breath.

All I want for Christmas is permission to grieve — to mourn the absences in my life carved out by loss. I long for space to unload the burden of unmet expectations and the weight of those who have let me down or left too soon. I’ll move toward peace within myself, sitting with memories like messages in a bottle, unrolled and rerolled with each passing year.

All I want for Christmas is

unabridged learning — an insatiable curiosity, a winding drive to find broader horizons and enriched points of view. I pine after the kind of knowledge printed on pages, and also the lived experiences passed along by actions, work and generations of stories.

Through inquisitiveness and attention, I’ll revel in the infinite lessons an open mind can find.

All I want for Christmas is a reason to hope — a beam of sunlight to break through the tumultuousness of our present-day lives. I

wish for flickers of encouragement, for ropes of reprieve to be strategically thrown to anyone who feels like they might soon drown. I’ll search for reminders of humanity, for glimmers of progress and for signs that brighter days are just around the corner.

Merry Christmas and happy holidays to you and yours. This season, and every season, I hope you get all the things you want — and that those gifts come to you in beautiful, wonderful and unexpected ways.

Retroactive

By BO

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Vote the ‘Idaho way,’ not the ‘IFF way’…

Bouquets: • There are so many wonderful people in this community who deserve a mention. Doug Jones sent me a present with a laminated copy of that old cartoon Sandpoint map he drew. I mentioned to him how much I enjoyed these maps when I was a kid and saw one waiting for me on my desk after returning from vacation last weekend. Tom and Tracy Gibson have also been very kind supporters of the Reader over the years, and it was a nice surprise to see a pack of Baileys and a thoughtful card with some mad money intended for the editorial staff. Thanks Tom and Tracy! Also, after going through the foot-thick pile of mail I left unattended, it was filled with cards, notes, donations and tidings of good will. Thank you all so much.

Barbs: • It’s been fascinating watching some of the Jan. 6 insurrectionists receive jail sentences in recent weeks for their actions on that ugly day in Washington, D.C. More than anything, I’m pleased to see some accountability again. Robert S. Palmer, a 54-year-old Florida man, received a 63-month sentence. After watching his own actions on video in court, the man said, “I’m really, really ashamed of what I did.” Video shows Palmer holding a sign that reads “Biden is a pedophile” at the rally before joining in the fighting, hurling a fire extinguisher at Capitol police, then attacking officers with a wooden plank and finally a five-foot pole. Also, Gracyn Dawn Courtright, a college student from West Virginia, was sentenced to one month in jail. Courtwright bragged on Instagram about storming the Capitol, writing, “Infamy is just as good as fame. Either way I end up more known. XOXO.” When asked by the judge why she entered the Capitol with other rioters, Courtwright sobbed and said, “I went into the Capitol because I just followed the crowd.” Boo hoo. It’s funny how these rioters sing a different tune when actual jail time is dangled in front of them. This goes to show the danger of “following the crowd” instead of making your own decisions in life. I hope their time in jail is a learning exerpience.

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Dear editor, The Bee reported Dec. 12, “Kids left in unsafe homes despite dozens of complaints.” How could this occur in Idaho — a state with a “surplus” of over $1 billion dollars?

Look no further than the Idaho Freedom Foundation. Funded by sources linked to out-of-state corporations like the Koch Brothers, the IFF opposes all support for the common good, even when it means sacrificing our children. The same IFF who is out to dismantle our public schools.

The IFF “Freedom Index” is wielded as a weapon. Idaho legislators who vote the IFF way are rated more points on their website, and get more funding and training. What is the IFF way? Voting for tax bills giving breaks to the wealthy while starving programs that serve Idahoans. Legislators who don’t vote the IFF way put their political future in jeopardy.

When candidates refer to Freedom Index scores, it’s time to look more closely at their voting records.

This last session, voting the IFF way hurt Idaho’s children, depriving them of full-day kindergarten and pre-K programs. New tax laws removed 4,000 elderly Idahoans from the property tax reduction program, jeopardizing their right to age in homes they have lived in for decades. In the past two years Idaho taxpayers have been forced to pay over $3 million to defend laws found to be unconstitutional.

We have a choice in the upcoming May primary to choose the Idaho way. Please support responsible Republican candidates who understand the value of investing in Idaho’s children.

Nancy Gerth Sandpoint

Fly a different banner…

Dear editor, I visited a friend who was having a birthday party for her four-year-old. There was a group of high energy young children there who were the classic picture of excitement and anticipation and innocence.

Parked directly across the street was a pick up with a huge

banner that said “F**K Biden.”

Do you think for at least the holiday season you could fly a different banner?

Steve Johnson Sagle

Hallmark Christmas movies…

Dear editor, I love Hallmark Christmas movies! I dream of a Christmas like the sugary sweet, happy ending movies. Then I realized my wish has come true (well, partially). See if this sounds familiar: a beautiful small town is being destroyed by developers.The developers are coming to modernize and capitalize on the appeal of small-town America. However, greed prevents them from seeing that their plans will kill the very essence of what draws people to the town in the first place. In the end a handsome hero swoops in with an idea that will maintain the beauty and charm of the town, while allowing for growth.

Alas in my real-life version, so far, there is no hero on the horizon.

In Ben Olson’s play, The Hunt for the Pend Oreille Paddler [produced in 2013] there were developers who would build condos and gentrify the town. Apparently, Ben has a crystal ball, or is a time traveler, because here we are eight years later and everything he wrote is coming to pass. (We have not seen the Paddler lately — too many bad tasting folks in the

water. Internal rot leaves a nasty after taste).

Let’s hope Hallmark has a crystal ball of their own because the town is always saved. There is usually a concession for some wellplanned growth, but never are the people priced out of their homes.

Restaurants and stores are not shut down and the slice of Americana that everyone loves (even the outsiders) is saved. Hometown is more important than greed.

It’s time to rally, folks!

Together look for solutions to the challenge of growth and save the quality of life we have been lucky enough to experience in Sandpoint. Brainstorm ideas. The answer is out there, we just have to find it. Complaining doesn’t solve anything, action does. They say it takes a village!

Dorothy Prophet Sandpoint

Stop selling off Sandpoint to the highest bidder Dear editor, I, along with pretty much everyone else in town, have been watching the prices of property and rentals skyrocket out of control. Who’s to blame? Who knows. Is it out-of-state investors, locals selling their homes for as much as they can get? I’m sure there isn’t any one answer that we can pigeonhole the problem into. However, what I don’t get is the “luxury condos” on Fifth and Cedar. You’ll have a view of a gas station, a hotel and a small strip mall of sorts. Is that really worth

millions?

I’m not sure who is responsible for the selling off of Sandpoint and Bonner County to the highest bidder. Is it city council, P&Z, the county commissioners or greedy landowners? Whoever it is it needs to stop now before Sandpoint becomes another Vail or Sun Valley. We need to be more concerned with how the local population will be able to afford to live here than how many more multi-million dollar condos can we build on the lake shore.

I’m all for progress and bringing in companies that pay a wage big enough so a family doesn’t need three or four jobs just to survive. But at the same time growth needs to be controlled so infrastructure keeps up with the population growth. We need to concentrate on affordable housing for the year round residents and not the seasonal residents who only spend a few months here.

We need to stop selling off Sandpoint piece by piece to the highest bidder.

Jeff Bohnhof Sandpoint

Got something to say?

Write a letter to the editor.

We accept letters under 300 words. Please refrain from making libelous statements and using excessive profanities. Send to letters@sandpointreader.com

PERSPECTIVES

Mayor’s Roundtable:

By Mayor Shelby Rognstad Reader Contributor I wish everyone a merry Christmas and a happy holiday season. When your elected representatives return in the new year it will be to swear in two new council members and select a new City Council president. The city also has three new Planning and Zoning Commission members, who were approved

by City Council last week. I thank the council for confirming their appointments.

These groups have important work ahead as we move into the Comprehensive Land Use Plan revision and manage the region’s unprecedented growth. I’m confident our elected leadership team and the P&Z Commission are the right team to preserve the best of Sandpoint while managing challenges brought on by growth.

As the new year kicks off I will be appointing eight members to the new Arts, Culture and Historic Preservation Commission. This commission is a merger between the former Historic Preservation Commission and the Arts Commission.

Last year the city approved its first ever Arts, Culture and Historic Preservation Master Plan. It puts forth a compelling vision and provides the spark for imagi-

Merry Christmas!

nation and creativity to make Sandpoint a compelling destination for heritage and the arts.

Convening the commission and implementing the plan is critical at this time, as Sandpoint sees new residents and growth pressures that bring change. The commission will be instrumental in helping to preserve our local culture and heritage so that we retain the best of who we are in the face of these changes.

I’m thankful the council approved two funding requests I brought forward last week. I have served in the Academy for Community Health for the past year.

This is a mayor’s program created by the Blue Cross Foundation of Idaho to empower mayors to improve community health across Idaho. As a participant, BCF awarded me $20,000, which I will apply toward improving workforce housing in Sandpoint. This funding will provide needed staff support for the Workforce Housing Task Force and provide for a land use study to support the Comprehensive Land Use Plan and manage growth into the future.

The second request for $2,000 is the city’s contribution toward representation

in the Idaho Legislature. Currently, resort cities don’t have a persistent voice at the statehouse and as a result our interests are often overlooked. This funding will provide for Sandpoint, along with other Idaho cities, a lobbyist who advocates for our interests in the Legislature.

We have a lot to be thankful for in Sandpoint. I want to share my gratitude for our city staff, who have gone through a very challenging year with COVID and a major remodel at city hall, among other challenges. Our dedicated city staff work so hard to keep our streets plowed and provide the services we all expect.

I want to thank the Bonner Community Food Bank, their staff and volunteers who work hard to help feed those in need through this holiday season. Winters can be long and cold and there are hungry people in our community. I also want to thank those that have donated to the food bank and other charities. Your generosity makes our community stronger.

I encourage everyone this holiday season to donate time and any resources that you can to the food bank to help those most in need.

Lastly, I want to thank mother nature for delivering plenty of fresh powder and a very white Christmas. I always appreciate the beauty and joy that snow brings to us locals. I wish you all the happiest of holidays!

There will be no Mayor’s Roundtable discussion this week due to the holiday.

Nordic Club announces holiday hours

By Reader Staff The Sandpoint Nordic Club announced holiday hours for the Rental Center inside the Outdoor Recreation Center at Pine Street Woods.

The Rental Center will be closed Christmas Day, but will be open Sunday, Dec. 26 and all week long through Sunday, Jan. 2.

The Rental Center offers cross country ski and snowshoe rentals for both children and adults. There is also hot cocoa available, too.

Hours for the Rental Center are 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Check sandpointnordic.com for more information and pricing.

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Mad about Science:

Brought to you by:

furby

By Brenden Bobby Reader Columnist To truly appreciate the absurdity of Furby, you have to fall into a certain age range.

My generation, in particular, happened to be the biggest beneficiaries of the mysterious Furby, while our parents… well, not so much.

Anyone under the age of 20 or over the age of 60 is probably asking: “What in the hell is a Furby?”

You’re about to find out.

Furby was a toy that was first released in 1998. Much like the Cabbage Patch Kids of 1982, Furby took America by storm for the holiday season leading to some incredibly bad behavior by parents in a mad rush to appease their children for just a few minutes of peace and quiet. If only they had known what they were getting themselves into.

Furby was a form of automaton — a non-living object that is capable of moving around and doing things on its own.

This is much easier to wrap our heads around now than in 1998. We didn’t have Roombas and self-driving cars back then.

We paid thousands of dollars for computers that had 32 megabytes of random access memory (RAM) in 1998.

Furby acted as a unique cultural touchstone, and was the first major step toward bringing things like Roombas, Teslas and Alexa into our homes. It made robots seem less like Terminators and more like Gizmo (sorry sub-20 crowd; I’m a dinosaur and I act like it).

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How a Furby worked was somewhat mysterious. It could wink, blink, open and close its mouth, wiggle its ears, and move up and down. It was also capable of speaking and, if you put it in a group of other Furbies, they would all start communicating. A new Furby spoke mostly “Furbish,” which was an unusual collection of nonsensical syllables, but over time it would appear to pick up fragments of English speech and repeat them, much like a parrot.

Similar to many animals, you could also train your Furby.

Petting your Furby would encourage behavior, while throwing or yelling at your Furby would discourage behavior and cause it to make an irritating noise. Sometimes, the machine would be a little bit confused by these actions and would start laughing and dancing.

Perhaps the most interesting thing about the Furby, in retrospect, was that it managed to exhibit all of this surprisingly advanced, almost organic behavior on a chip with 80 kilobytes of read-only memory (ROM) and only 128 bytes of RAM. The most stripped-down version of the first generation iPhone, released just nine years later, had 4GB of read/write storage and 128 megabytes of RAM. That’s like comparing a bicycle and the Starship Enterprise.

Some of you are probably wondering how it works. It’s shockingly simple. A chip stores and controls the commands for the motors and the speaker.

These commands were pre-set by the designers to emulate things like dancing, blinking or winking with the knowledge

that humans would react to this thing that appears to be alive — particularly if the actions were somewhat randomized.

The ability for the automaton to “learn” English was actually an illusion. The Furby’s full vocabulary was programmed into it from the very start, but it used contextual clues to mimic the appearance of organic learning over time. Petting the Furby after it used a word in English would trigger it to use that word more frequently. The microphone inside of the Furby would pick up loud tones (intended to be from yelling, dogs barking, car horns and so on) to trigger a prompt that would make the Furby appear startled and avoid behavior that was associated with the loud noise.

Finally, the Furby had an infrared sensor in its forehead that allowed it to invisibly communicate with other Furbies. This would trigger it to “accelerate” its learning or break into a spontaneous dance party. This is the same technology that your TV remote uses to communicate with your television, and it was also the same technology used to make remotes for the Nintendo Wii work. Our eyes can’t see the infrared spectrum, but specially designed sensors can — that way, it appears to be magic when these things work invisibly from across a room.

Illusion and human ignorance were the core facets of Furby’s appeal. The “toy” was intentionally designed with a touch of randomness to trick us into believing that it was alive, possessed or marching head-

first into Westworld.

In the years after its zenith, Furby has picked up traction in the community of circuit benders, people who alter circuit boards with pliers, chisels or other tools to see what sort of new effects might spring up from the chaos. Furbies are plentiful for this cause, with more than 40 million Furbies having been sold between 1998 and 2001. Most of them ended up in landfills or the

ocean, but there’s still a market out there for collectors who have placed an arbitrary and inflated value on their variants all these years later.

It’s curious to think that had it not been for that obnoxious and unnerving toy, you might never have known what it’s like to command an electronic plinth in your living room to deliver coffee to you on a whim.

Stay curious, 7B.

Random Corner s reindeer?

a’ Don’t know much about sant • Santa’s reindeer are part of the Christmas tradition today, but the first reference to these woodland creatures pulling a sleigh didn’t come until 1821 when New York printer William Gilley published a collection of seasonal poems for children, including poetry referencing a reindeer pulling a sleigh.

• The poem, called “Old Santeclaus with Much Delight” mentioned “rewards” delivered on Christmas Eve, rather than Saint Nicholas Day on Dec. 6. Neither the author nor the illustrator of this poem is known.

• Two years after “Old Santeclaus” was published, an author anonymously released “A Visit from St. Nicholas,” which became commonly known as “The Night Before Christmas.” The author finally claimed authorship of this work about 14 years later, revealing his name as Clement Clarke Moore. It was the first time multiple reindeer had been named in a Christmas story. Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Dunder and Blixem were the names Moore used.

• Somehow the names of

We can help!

“Dunder” and “Blixem” (which mean “thunder” and “lightning” respectively in Dutch) morphed to “Donner” and “Blitzen” over time.

• The addition of Rudolph to Santa’s reindeer team didn’t come until more than 100 years later when, in 1939, a department store in Chicago asked a member of their staff to write a children’s book to invent a “cheery” new character.

Despite his wife being terminally ill with cancer, Robert Lewis May took on the challenge and, after about 50 hours of work, created Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Millions of copies of the new book were bought and given away to customers.

• Singer-songwriter Johnny Marks wrote the song about Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer in 1949, a decade after his brother-inlaw’s 1939 book. Marks’ song was introduced on New York radio by Harry Brannon. Chuck Berry wrote his own song, “Run, Run Rudolph” in 1959, and an animated series was released the following decade, cementing Rudolph into Christmas tradition from then on.

PERSPECTIVES

Christmas socks A Sandpoint story of holiday kindness

By Maria Finlay Larson Reader Contributor Last year, as I was painting the winter windows in downtown Sandpoint, I had an experience that — at the end of a chaotic year — reaffirmed my faith in the goodness of the human heart.

I was on my ladder painting near the front door of Finan McDonald Clothing Company when I became aware that a young man was standing in the entryway.

In his hand he held an expensive looking pair of wool socks. He ripped off the tags and proceeded to put the socks on his dirty, bare feet. At this point I realized there were no shoes in sight.

“This guy just stole those socks,” I thought to myself, “and what should I do about it?”

As I was deciding what to do, the somewhat ragged, beleaguered and unpleasantly fragrant gentleman got the socks pulled onto his feet and, leaving the tags scattered on the ground in the entry, headed down the sidewalk. At the same time, I started down my ladder to alert someone in the store.

To my great relief, a clerk from inside bolted out the door and, in a loud and urgent voice, shouted after the man. As I began to relax, knowing the clerk was

now in charge and I was off the hook of responsibility, the woman again shouted.

“Sir,” she yelled, and I was certain her next words would be “did you pay for those socks?” or perhaps “I’m going to call the police,” but that’s not what happened.

Instead, to my awe and amazement, the clerk said: “Sir, do you need some shoes?”

The question hung in the air. After a slight pause, the young man sheepishly replied, “I can’t pay for them. I have no money and I’m homeless.”

“Well,” the clerk responded, “I think we have some shoes that will just fit you.”

The three of us stood frozen for a moment while he processed her question.

The clerk then turned back toward the door of the store and motioned for the man to follow her inside, which, after some hesitation, he did. As they disappeared into the store I stood there on my ladder, tears running down my face, absorbing the incredibly beautiful act of kindness I had just witnessed.

Later, after I finished painting, I put my supplies away and went inside to

hand them the bill for my work. The same female clerk was behind the counter.

“Did you actually give shoes to that young man earlier?” I asked.

“Yes,” she humbly replied.

I thanked her profusely and told her how amazing it was to be party to such a lovely act of charity.

If I hadn’t seen this with my own eyes, I would have thought it was a fictional scene out of a sappy Hallmark movie. However, it was very real. That homeless young man’s need was real and it happened in our beautiful little town of Sandpoint.

I, as well as a lot of us, tend to forget that homelessness is everywhere — even here. I want to thank Finan McDonald and that kind store clerk for helping someone in need and for renewing my faith in the power of human kindness. I intend to pay it forward somehow and follow the example I was shown. I also intend to support Finan McDonald and other local businesses whenever possible, as they support the weakest in our community.

Merry Christmas.

CAL RESTARTS GIFT PACKAGES TO SENIOR CENTER Sandpoint’s Community Assistance League has, for several years, delivered gift packages to every senior who is part of the Senior Center’s Meals-on-Wheels program. With the pandemic suspending the 2020 installment, CAL was so excited to restart this beloved project. The number of seniors receiving this service has increased dramatically this year, so the women of CAL, with their Christmas elf caps on, rose to the task and wrapped 108 gifts. These presents, along with meals, will be delivered by the Meals-on-Wheels drivers before Christmas. Assisting Sherry Fulton with this Christmas cheer are pictured, left to right: Jamie Erdt, Marnie Easly, Mary Daubersmith, Lin Otey and Esther Inselman. Photo submitted by CAL publicity specialist Carol Visger.

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FOOD

Baked with love

Community Loaves, a bread-baking volunteer organization, launches hub in Sandpoint to benefit local food bank

By Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey Reader Staff Ann Neal, former bakery manager at Winter Ridge Natural Foods in Sandpoint and an avid baking hobbyist at home, heard about Community Loaves from a friend in Bellingham, Wash., where she used to live.

“I looked it up and I thought, ‘this is a match for me.’ It’s volunteering. I love to bake. I don’t really want all my baked stuff sitting around the house for me to eat,” Neal said with a laugh.

“It’s a way for us to support our local community.”

Community Loaves launched in the greater Seattle area in April 2020 in an effort to provide freshly baked bread to overwhelmed food banks.

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Founders call it a “grassroots bread brigade,” made up of volunteer bakers who use Community Loaves’ signature honey oat sandwich loaf recipe to supply food pantries with fresh, nutritious bread. According to the organization’s website, Community Loaves has, to date, donated more than 54,000 loaves of bread to 28 food bank partners throughout Washington, Oregon and Idaho.

Community Loaves also currently lays claim to 861 volunteers spread throughout 58 “hubs” — or, coordinator headquarters — in the northwest.

“When I realized there were two hubs in southern Idaho but there wasn’t a hub in Sandpoint, I decided we should start a hub here,” Neal said.

Sandpoint’s Community

Loaves hub officially launched in November, and currently boasts two volunteers — one being Neal. The loaves baked locally are donated to the Bonner Community Food Bank in Sandpoint.

“Our hub has donated 10 loaves of fresh, homemade honey oat bread to date,” Neal shared Dec. 21. “That translates to 70 sandwiches for our local families.”

In practice, being a Community Loaves volunteer means signing up for an info session through the organization, and then committing to baking every other weekend. Becoming a part of Community Loaves entitles volunteers to the group’s signature honey oat recipe — a bread that Neal called a “beautiful loaf,” made from locally sourced and natu-

ral ingredients.

“Now that I know all the steps in the process, it just flows so much easier than the first time I baked [for Community Loaves],” she said.

Neal said the organization also provides great resources to volunteer bakers, who are welcome to bake the bread for themselves and their families as well.

“The nice thing about the website is, once you’re registered and you’re a volunteer, you have access to these beautifully done videos of every stage in the process of baking the bread,” Neal said.

While it is a “commitment,” Neal said, she believes that volunteer bakers can receive a lot from the Community Loaves process as well: the opportunity to network, hone baking talents

Left: Four of Community Loaves’ signature honey oat sandwich loaves.

Right: Bonner Community Food Bank Director Debbie Love, right, accepts a bread donation from Community Loaves volunteer Ann Neal, left.

Courtesy photos.

and feel good about supporting the food bank.

“Even if you’re not a baker and you want to learn, this is a wonderful opportunity to learn how to bake bread and donate it,” she said. “So, you can learn a skill at the same time. Your life can be enriched.”

Learn more about Community Loaves and sign up for an info session by visiting communityloaves.org. Those with questions can reach Sandpoint Community Loaves hub volunteer Ann Neal at annealevi@ gmail.com.

LITERATURE

This open Window

Vol. 6 No.6 poetry and prose by local writers edited by Jim mitsui

new york city, march 2019 Rob and I are in the dress circle foyer of the Met during the first intermission of Handel’s Agrippina he goes to get a glass of champagne while I ponder for the thousandth time why I don’t drink anymore and get a sip of water from a fountain I’m wearing a white lacy top, pearl earrings, and a long black straight skirt I have heels on and my feet hurt but I pretend I don’t care My sensible shoes are stuffed into my big purse because we walked from our hotel near Carnegie Hall I’m looking around at all the people under the lights, shocked how even most New Yorkers don’t dress up for the opera anymore although there is a stunning young woman wearing a green silk sheath and coral colored shoes My gaze falls upon a group of women of a certain age, or should I say, about my age and good god, there of all people is Holly Hall who attended Manhattan School of Music with me back in 1980 and sang at Brick Presbyterian Church on 92nd and Park Avenue with me as well I look at Holly and remember taking the bus with her after a church service one Sunday we’re on the Broadway 104 and a woman with severe facial deformities gets on at 96th Street Holly blurts out, “God, she’s the ugliest I’ve ever seen!” I shush her and turn my mortified face to look out the window Tonight on this March evening I don’t have an inkling of desire to talk to Holly or meet the companions she’s with My face feels hot in tandem with the old forty-year-old emotion of shame and I fear that the ensuing years have aged me too much for comfort I back away and ask my husband if he’d like to step over to the railing and look down on the Sputnik-like chandeliers — Amy Craven Although Amy is originally from the East Coast she’s a steadfast resident of Sandpoint. A retired music teacher, pianist and singer, Amy loves birds — especially owls — and writes poetry while working on a novel.

don't buy a parrot (Musings written just as Covid-19 made its presence undeniable) Too many emails to bear I spend time in my junk mail instead blocking, deleting, opening, despite that little thrill of fear that a virus will infect my computer.

Better that than the new virus, the one that made me say to my husband “I would shave my head if you died.”

I would, and let it grow back as it wished, white by the roots of it.

I prefer neither of us die but if it could happen to (insert latest person to die of Covid here) anything is possible.

There are homes for sale in my junk mail.

I look at floor plans take virtual tours of very expensive houses feeling a little guilty an imposter with no intention of buying.

I begin to accept the facts there are so many to face now days: I will never own a house overlooking a lake, I won’t have granite countertops, marble floors or a maid to keep them shiny.

My dogs whine at my feet and I wonder if, at my age, I’ll ever have another.

A puppy is out of the question and certainly not another cat, they live too long.

I can’t bear the thought of an aging cat, homeless and confused when the owners pass away.

I planted seedlings in my Covid confinement I have a fold out table full of small containers of dirt for my trouble.

The smell of potting soil hovers in the air like smoke from a Cuban cigar. I won’t be going to Cuba that’s for sure but if you die I’m pretty sure I really WILL shave my head.

— Sandra Rasor, March 16, 2020 Sandra is that rarity, a Sandpoint native. She recently retired and we can look forward to an increased production of her work.

only the wind knows Leaves spin past my window in a whirlwind as I warm my backside by the stove.

I contemplate walking the dog then turn to see through swirling snow the white-tipped waves on Lake Pend Oreille.

My mind changes as quickly as weather.

Like a photographer waits for just the right moment, light & color, I wait for the elements to align before heading out the door and down the road even though the Idaho skies are not a constant to depend on.

— L.S. Jones Linda says living on Fry Creek with a view to the lake is better than any media weather report: “A quick look at the outdoor thermometer tells me how warm to dress and my umbrella is ready to grab by the front door if necessary.”

Send poems to: jim3wells@aol.com

the rememberer Remembering is one of the functions I fulfill in our family.

“Has anyone seen my glasses?

— on the table by the bed “I set some pills out this morning, but I don’t remember taking them…”

— they’re by the toaster “Mom, do you know where my ski pants are?”

— on the floor of your closet “I’m looking for a yellow envelope — It has a phone number on the back.”

— look in the basket of mail This morning I lay in bed thinking about the holiday just past. All the kids were home, and I was re-playing Christmas morning — but I couldn’t remember my gift from my youngest daughter. I remembered last year’s gift — a Southwest cookbook and Hatch chili from New Mexico.

The year before — a carving of an old Inuit woman.

I could picture myself unwrapping this year’s present — red paper with a white bow, “I love you, mom” written in her distinctive hand. I even recalled her saying, “I wanted to get you something from Alaska.”

But the memory of the gift was replaced by a growing panic.

I got out of bed and went to the kitchen, still bedeviled by forgetting.

While the coffee dripped into the pot it came to me — a blue ceramic platter shaped like a flounder.

Relief flowed softly down from my head, over my shoulders, to the cold that lay in the pit of my stomach.

What will happen when more of my memories slip through my fingers like silvery fish.

— Brenda Hammond Brenda is an active member of the Bonner County Human Rights Commission. This poem reminds many of us about our elusive memory as a member of the human condition.

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COMMUNITY

Ponderay announces purchase of lakefront property extending the Bay Trail

By Susan Drumheller Reader Contributor The city of Ponderay announced Dec. 22 plans to use local option tax revenue to purchase waterfront property, expanding public access to Lake Pend Oreille.

At 2 p.m. on Jan. 1, 2022, the city will open the gate at the current Pend d’Oreille Bay Trail’s end and celebrate the purchase agreement with a public ribbon-cutting and party, complete with hot chocolate and a warming fire on the waterfront.

The property is just over an acre in size with 100 feet of lake frontage, and sits between current city of Ponderay waterfront property and “Black Rock,” the site of a former lead smelter.

The city has been talking with the Wolters family about the potential purchase for years, but until recently, it was premature, explained Erik Brubaker, Ponderay’s director of community development and parks.

“We needed to know that we could afford the property and also that we were likely to

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see clean-up of the neighboring mining contamination at Black Rock,” Brubaker said.

The passage of the penny tax in 2019 and the award of an Environmental Protection Agency Brownfields Multipurpose Grant to clean up the smelter site made the purchase possible, Brubaker said.

“The voters expressed lake access was a top priority and the city is making good on that promise,” he said.

Idaho Department of Environmental Quality’s work on the EPA-funded environmental assessment has shown that Wolters’ property is not contaminated with lead or other heavy metals.

So far, the penny tax is raising approximately $2.5 million per year and will expire in 2025.

The funds are designated for lake access and for the Field of Dreams sports complex, which is currently under design and development.

The Wolters purchase won’t be completed until later in 2022 but, in the interim, the Friends of the Pend d’Oreille Bay Trail secured a public easement from Wolters, which allowed time for

the city to finalize the purchase.

“We are absolutely thrilled to be celebrating the expansion of the Bay Trail and to be contributing to increased public access to the lake,” said Dallas Cox, president of the Friends of the Pend d’Oreille Bay Trail, a private non-profit organization.

“One of the most common questions we get from trail users is, when will that gate be coming down?” he said. “Well, now we have an answer: New Year’s Day!” Cox thanked the businesses and organizations that sponsor the Bay Trail Fun Run for helping raise the $50,000 for the easement, even when the event had to be cancelled due to COVID. “The voters, the supporters of the trail, city officials and Idaho DEQ — we all need to pat each other on the back for making this happen,” Cox said.

The purchase does more than just extend the trail; its location adjacent to Black Rock will also improve access for cleanup operations.

Black Rock and the upland property are privately owned, but the city is also in discussions to purchase that property. The

city already owns property on the east side of Black Rock, which has historic mining contamination as well.

The city’s $800,000 EPA brownfields grant can only be used for cleanup on publicly owned property, however. A second gate, separating the newly acquired property and Black Rock, will remain until the city owns the property and it is safe for public use.

The cleanup and property purchases are part of Ponderay’s Front Yard Project, which encompasses the brownfields cleanup and remediation of the shoreline for public recreation, but also the construction of a pedestrian and bike passage under the railroad tracks to provide access to the lake from Ponderay’s neighborhoods and commercial district.

The city received a $1.4 million federal BUILD planning grant in 2020, which will fund the design and engineering of the underpass, as well as environmental studies and necessary connecting infrastructure from Highway 200. The city recently awarded the contract to design and engineer the underpass to Coeur d’Alene-based Welch

Driftwood on the shore on Lake Pend Oreille next to the Pend d’Oreille Bay Trail. Photo by Susan Drumheller.

Comer Engineers.

Public outreach to solicit input on the underpass design and brownfield remediation plans will be forthcoming, Brubaker said. In the meantime, the public can learn about the Front Yard Project at cityofponderay.org/ the-front-yard-project.

For now, city officials and Friends of the Bay Trail say it’s time to celebrate another milestone in creating a Front Yard for Ponderay that everyone can enjoy.

The “Toast the Trail” celebration takes place from 1:30-3:30 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 1. Until the underpass is constructed, the only legal and safe access is from the Sandpoint end of the trail. The gate is a two-mile hike from City Beach in Sandpoint.

Party-goers are reminded to dress appropriately, and consider bringing poles or traction devices for their shoes in the event the trail is icy. If driving to the event, guests should plan to park at the Windbag Marina, City Beach or the Creekside Trailhead.

To submit a photo for a future edition, please send to ben@sandpointreader.com.

Right: Hope Elementary students stand with just a portion of the 1,500 pounds of food they collected for the Clark Fork-Hope Food Bank. School librarian Cindy Kiebert and her sixth-grader elves transported it all to the food bank on Dec. 14. Courtesy photo.

Bottom left: “I woke up to pee and before I knew it I’m outside in bare feet taking photos. A night like this is an inspiration. I thought I’d share.” Photo by Tricia Florence.

Bottom right: Students at Hope Elementary enjoy a bluebird day on the playground Dec. 17. Photo by Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey.

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PERSPECTIVES

A Sandpoint Festivus

By Kaleb Keaton Reader Contributor Seinfeld was a sitcom that took the ’90s by storm. It approached society with a unique look on the human condition and the behaviors to which we can relate on a comedic level, providing relief from the mundane nuances of culture with a refreshing, witty spin.

Within its final season, an episode named “The Strike”’ aired, coming with it a made-up holiday dubbed Festivus, which was from staff writer Dan O’Keefe’s actual childhood. Essentially, Festivus was created as a way to have a holiday that was secular and not burdened by the commercialism of the holiday season. The bizarre traditions of Festivus fit well within the Seinfeld universe, and it wasn’t long before fans took it on as an opportunity to celebrate, each Dec. 23, the show and what it stands for (nothing).

Seinfeld has been off the air for some time, but with syndication and recent absorption via Netflix, it has found a resurgence in its fan base with Festivus being a significant cultural reference to this day.

My friends and I have been celebrating Festivus consistently for more than 20 years. It is an occasion that we look forward to and take seriously. Being born

and raised in Sandpoint, tradition is something you learn at an early age. Unfortunately, with so much changing in Sandpoint and the world as of late, tradition is something that starts to get lost within the haziness of transition. In order to support our community and help those who currently feel lost in the mix, I’m presenting some tradition and insight on Festivus in hopes that it provides inspiration to partake in this cherished holiday.

The Aluminum Pole Frank Costanza, Seinfeld’s father of Festivus, chose the aluminum pole as the symbol of Festivus because of its strength to weight ratio. Additionally, he found tinsel to be distracting. Much as the holiday itself, the pole represents a no-thrills approach to counter the excessive materialism we find during this season. Although seemingly simple, aluminum poles are not always the easiest to find. If needed in a pinch, a simple used toilet paper dowel wrapped in aluminum foil can be an effective symbol of “not putting much into this.”

Airing of Grievances Forget the shallow, unauthentic gift exchange of materialistic rubbish. Do we really enjoy family and friends that much? Or

for the most part, do they upset us in ways that others can’t? Let go of the facade, speak from the heart and tell them all the ways they have disappointed you over the past year. It’s great to get things off your chest, especially toward people you care about. It might be temporarily awkward, but with truth and bitterness out there, at least you don’t have to waste any more energy on feigned gratefulness.

Seinfeld Script Reading If there’s one thing Festivus isn’t, it’s selfish. So why are you hogging it all to yourself? Take it to the streets going door to door.

So many residents and businesses are harassed this time of year by obnoxious carolers who go around singing the same old song, making awkward eye contact with the poor schmucks who mistakenly answer the door. Festivus has a version of this that consists of doing the same thing except you read and act out Seinfeld scripts. It keeps things fresh, lively and best of all, it’s so much more entertaining for the audience.

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Feats of Strength Festivus ends with the Feats of Strength: a barbaric ritual in which two combatants wrestle for superiority and dominance. Until someone is deemed the victor by pinning their opponent, Festivus cannot come to a close. Usually, by this time, everyone is pretty sick of Festivus, so the onlookers will likely take sides and aggressively demand for a ceremonious end. I won’t lie — this event can get pretty ugly. A playful rollaround quickly becomes bloody noses and hurt feelings when pride is on the line. But hey, nothing says the holidays like physical altercation.

Festivus Miracles Lastly, the most important thing to keep in mind are Festivus Miracles. Now, the word “miracle” itself tends to make the mind shift in unrealistic and eventually disappointing ways. If we reach exceedingly high in the miracle department (world peace, chronical illness cures, blah blah blah) we are also bound to be disappointed. Festivus Miracles

The author and friends participate in the Feats of Strength, “a barbartic ritual in which two combatants wrestle for superiority and dominance.” Courtesy photo. simplifies the miracle notion and attaches it to far less exaggerated events. For instance, an ideal parking spot would be an appropriate Festivus Miracle. Perhaps acquiring a coupon that matches something on your grocery list.

Such are the acts that one can’t help but notice on Dec. 23 that truly demonstrate the magic that comes with Festivus.

Even with this content presented, something to keep in mind behind the meaning of Festivus is this: There are no rules. Festivus is whatever you make it, with creativity at its heart. Above all, Festivus is an excuse to get together with the friends and family you may not get to see during the regular holidays. Spreading laughter and cheer in an awkward context can be the most liberating experience you ever encounter. Do yourself a favor Sandpoint — embrace the odd and go have yourself the best Festivus ever.

HOLIDAY

2021 Gift Guide Shopping local at the last-minute

By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff True to form, I have procrastinated on most aspects of this season — including everything from the mustering of holiday spirit to the writing of this article. I suspect I’m not alone and, if you’re like me, you find yourself scrambling this time of year to do important things immediately before other important things are supposed to happen (all for which you’re unprepared).

In my case, it’s writing this with a quickness before I’m meeting my mom for lunch, then picking up my kids from a half day of school, then cleaning my house, then packing before we get on the train in the predawn hours to spend a few days with family on the Oregon Coast.

Suffice it to say, I am woefully unready for any of this; yet, Christmas always occurs this way for me — I doesn’t “unfold” as an “experience,” it lands on me like a meteorite that I’ve known for months has been hurtling toward me, but is somehow still a surprise when it lights the atmosphere on fire before burying me in a smoking crater.

Last-minute gift buying is mostly the only kind of gift-buying I do, so I know a thing or two about how best to channel that frantic, 11th-hour purchasing energy (pro-tips: always, always, always shop local — the internet will not help you at this time — and never, never, never make a “coupon” for someone that promises you’ll do something you should be doing anyway).

Without further ado, because we’re running short on time, here are only a few suggestions that I hope will help: Local schwag For a lot of people, living in Sandpoint is one of the defining features of their existence. I have no beef with that — I was born into it — and there’s no better way to flaunt that identity than sporting clothing or raising a glass that bears the logo of any of our cherished local institutions.

Some of my favorite items that telegraph locality are coffee

mugs from Evans Brothers (I have two that I use religiously at home) and, in a recent discovery, little glass snifters from The Fat Pig. The former are hefty and utilitarian, the latter are dainty yet sturdy.

I’ll offer a few other words on those Fat Pig glasses — for real, these are a fabulous gift for anyone. They’re just big enough to hold a hefty shot of booze or a healthy snort of port, plus they’re tastefully etched with the Fat Pig logo and (critically) the place name of “Sandpoint, Idaho.” This would be just as suitable for a close loved one or a work pal.

Other places with especially high-quality schwag are Idaho Pour Authority, which boasts a wide range of clothing items including hats, and MickDuff’s, which inside the main entrance of its brewpub on Second Avenue displays a huge selection of items.

As stated already, these are just a few suggestions — explore downtown and you’ll find that lots of them have items on offer to show local pride and, super huge bonus, no matter what you buy you’re supporting local business. That’s what a real local does, after all.

Adventuring kits This is something cool that I just noticed the other day: Outdoor Experience, on First Avenue, not only sells some of the finest goods for all kinds of adventuring, but even offers “bundles” of gifts specially curated for various interests.

For instance, OE has the cross-country ski package, with top-notch mittens, a Merino wool beanie and ski maintenance products. There’s also a climbers’ bundle (with guide book, chalk, tape, a lotion bar and bouldering brush); the “camp chef” bundle with a portable stove and fuel, mug, spoon, dehydrated meal and vegetarian backpacking cookbook; and a “casual hiker” bundle, with local guide book, HydroFlask water bottle and a pair of binoculars. Beyond that, there are also bundles for runners, bikers and more.

There is no better gift for a last-minute gift buyer than having someone else do all the thinking and thoughtfully build a complete package of gifts that pretty much anyone around here would love. Seriously, this is next-level gifting.

Local art It can sometimes be easy to forget, but when we’re sitting in our favorite local restaurant or bar, oftentimes the art on the walls is not only for sale but made by local creatives. Talk about doing good with your giving, buy a piece of local art and you’re enriching (literally and figuratively) everyone involved in the transaction.

And that’s not to mention the numerous galleries we have around here, including but not limited to the Pend Oreille Arts Council space on Main Street and Second Avenue, the Ross Hall Collection on Cedar Street and the work of local legend Ward Tollbom at his space on First Avenue. Spread your

The “Camp Chef” gift bundle at Outdoor Experience. Courtesy photo.

dollars even further and check out the Hope Marketplace, which has a great variety of locally created art pieces to fit any taste.

Sandpoint prides itself on being an “art town,” which means that if you’re looking for it you can find art for sale just about anywhere. Buying last-minute gifts is an artform in itself; why not elevate it with some actual (local) art.

Books by local authors Much like local art, local writing is an enrichment for us all.

As Sandpoint and surrounds are renowned for their fine arts, this is also an amazingly literary area, especially for its population size.

We can claim big-name, award-winning novelists like Marilynne Robinson (a PEN and Pulitzer winner), Emily Ruskovich (an O. Henry and Dublin International Literary Award winner), Patrick McManus (beloved writer on the outdoors and humorist) and Allie Brosh (whose blog and subsequent books have been viral and critical sensations).

We also have a deep field of local writers whose names might not be as big, but that’s only because The New York Times Bestseller folks haven’t heard about them yet.

Some especially notable names (as far as we’re concerned) are Sandy Compton — a local literary institution with a broad catalog of work at Blue Creek Press — and Ryanne Pilgeram, whose sociological study

focused on Dover (Pushed Out: Contested Development and Rural Gentrification in the U.S. West) has become a regional sensation among professional social scientists and “regular people” since it was published earlier this year.

We also recommend the works of authors and retired educators Dick Cvitanich and Marianne Love.

You can find various of these local authors’ books (and others’) at Vanderford’s on Cedar Street, The Corner Book Store on Fourth Avenue and, as already state, online; but, of course, that’s not going to help you if you’re only now hitting the bricks for gifts.

Donation made in their name Finally, perhaps the best gift you can give is literally giving — that is, donating cash to any number of local organizations.

Some suggestions: the Panida Theater, the Bonner Community Food Bank, Kinderhaven, 101 Women, POAC, The Festival at Sandpoint, Sandpoint Area Seniors, Rotary, Angels Over Sandpoint… the list goes on. And if you need a list, find a directory of community and service groups on sandpointonline.com.

If you have someone on your list who already has everything (thus you’re still running around trying to buy for them even as Santa is readying for takeoff) give a gift that gives to more than one individual and truly support the community with a donation in that loved one’s name.

Now that’s the spirit.

Novels by local authors, from top to bottom: Stardust and the Bitter Moon by Dick Cvitanich; Lessons with Love by Marianne Love; Pushed Out by Ryanne Pilgeram; and The Dog with His Head on Sideways by Sandy Compton.

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events

December 23-30, 2021

THURSDAY, december 23

Are You Yeti for Christmas?

All night @ Downtown Sandpoint Shops The Yeti will be wandering town reminding people to get their last minute shopping done and passing out treats, coupons and little gifts. The Yeti will also be at the Pend d’Oreille Winery from 2-2:30 p.m. if kids would like to stop in for a photo. Shop local!

Santa visits Schweitzer (Dec. 23-24) @ Schweitzer Santa hits the slops for his annual visit to Schweitzer, then stopping at the Selkirk Lodge on Christmas Eve. Check times and locations at schweitzer.com

You get, we

give

FriDAY, december 24

Christmas Eve Candlelight Service • 5:30pm @ Bonner County Fairgrounds Sponsored by the Sandpoint Church of the Nazarene. A celebration of the birth of Christ. For more information, visit sandpointnaz.org Christmas Eve at Cedar Hills Church 1pm, 2:30pm, 4pm, 5:30pm @ Cedar Hills Church Join us for Christmas Eve, live or online. Cedarhillschurch.com

SATURDAY, december 25

Merry Christmas! wednesDAY, december 29

Live Music w/ Okay Honey 6-8pm @ Idaho Pour Authority

Order Ting Internet and you’ll get free standard installation and a free router with your super-fast fiber internet.

With every new order, we’ll donate $25 to Bonner Community Food Bank. This holiday season, get the best internet in town and give back to those in need!

Ting Fiber 1000 Gigabit Internet

89/mo

$

Up to 1,000 Mbps upload and download speed Connect 20+ devices seamlessly Unlimited data

Order at tinginternet.com/giving 18 /

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STAGE & SCREEN

Christmas with the grumps Everyone has a grump in their lives. Here are some Christmas movies to melt their cold hearts

By Ben Olson Reader Staff We all have some grumps in our lives. Maybe it’s your dad or your significant other (side note: If you don’t have any grumps in your life, you’re the grump, bub).

There’s nothing that bothers a curmudgeon more than a syrupy, heartwarming Christmas movie filled with joy and good will. Yuck.

In that spirit, here are some movies that even the most ardent Christmas scrooges will enjoy.

The Long Kiss Goodnight Geena Davis owned the ’90s. With such memorable roles in Beetlejuice, Thelma & Louise, A League of Their Own and more, Davis was certainly a familiar face in pre-millenium cinema.

One lesser-known film Davis starred in with Samuel L. Jackson was The Long Kiss Goodnight, which is the kind of movie someone would enjoy who also thinks Die Hard is a Christmas movie (side note: It is).

This entertaining action movie takes place during Christmas and makes great ironic use of the holiday music and imagery throughout.

Davis plays a schoolteacher and single mother living an average suburban life until she begins having strange memories of violence she can’t explain. She also notices that she has physical skills such as knife handling and martial arts she never knew she had before. She then hires a private detective named Mitch Hennessey — played

by Jackson — who delves into her past and discovers she’s a well-trained government assassin who went missing after having an episode of insomnia. When her government employers want her back in their service, she does everything in her power to avoid them.

It’s a bit of a corny plot, but show me a ’90s action movie that isn’t. Davis and Jackson make an unlikely pair, feeding off of each other’s comedic instincts well for this fun holiday action romp. If you’re looking for the spirit of Christmas, go watch something else, but if you want to watch some explosions and yuletide ass-kicking, you’re home.

Geena Davis in The Long Kiss Goodnight.

Courtesy photo.

Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale When it comes to Christmas movies, I guarantee most of you have never heard of the Finnish cult classic Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale.

This strange effort flips the folklore of Santa Claus into a darker reality than usually attached to this holiday.

The film opens when a young boy and his friend in northern Finland believe that a secret mountain drilling project near their home has uncovered the tomb of Santa Claus. However, this is no cheery old Saint Nicholas like we’ve encountered before.

When the young boy’s father captures a wooly old man in his wolf trap, the man may hold the key to why reindeer are being slaughtered and children disappearing.

This film is equal parts scary, silly and totally insane, joyfully destroying the comfortable image of Santa Claus to introduce this deranged monster onto an unsuspecting film audience. The best advice is not to take it too seriously and enjoy the ride.

Die Hard I’m not even going to waste any time describing the plot or action of Die Hard.

If you haven’t seen it, put down this paper, go online and find where you can stream it.

It is the quintessential ’90s action movie, which just happens to occur on Christmas.

If you have seen it, there’s always room for another trip into Nakatomi Plaza.

Yippee ki yay.

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FOOD & DRINK

Holiday cheer(s)

By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff Among the oldest communal celebrations occur during the winter months, when people are huddled together inside for warmth.

The crops have all been harvested and put away, the wood has been split and stacked, and there’s hardly enough daylight to do anything productive outside anyway.

So it’s no surprise that this part of the year has for millennia been marked out for communal feasting — and that has long included great quantities of extravagant libations, frequently shared in vast punch bowls and served by the ladle-full.

In that spirit, so to speak, here are a couple of time-honored tipples with which to toast your holidays, harkening to long traditions that may become part of yours. Regardless, happy holidays and cheers!

Wassail Thanks to the old song, we’ve all heard of wassail (the noun) and wassailing (the verb), and most of us are probably even aware that it refers to an alcoholic beverage to be consumed while wandering around and loudly toasting your neighbors. However, it may be surprising just how old this tradition really is.

According to most sources, the term “wassail” comes from the pre-Christian Anglo-Saxons (circa 1,600 years ago), who gathered with their lords to ring in the new year with mighty toasts of waes hael (“good health”), taken from the even older Norse phrase ves heill.

Of course, back then this holiday took place on Jan. 17 by the Julian calendar — otherwise known as Twelfth Night or “Old Twelvey.” When Britain adopted the current Gregorian calendar in the 1750s, Twelfth Night moved to Jan. 6 and, by the Victorian Era, wassailing had turned into an activity for poor people to literally sing for their supper, rather than beg in the streets.

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ber and started being referred to as carolling.

Though the recipes varied widely through the ages — and depending on the financial means of the wassailers — the presence of apples seems to have remained constant for centuries, as the original practice was to thank the orchards for their produce and secure future harvests.

This recipe comes from almanac.com and (because wassail is meant to be consumed by a group) serves eight to 12 drinkers.

Reduce as needed.

• 5-6 large baking apples • 1 cup sugar • 2 quarts of strong beer or ale (a bock is recommended) • 2 cinnamon sticks (halved) or 2 tsp. ground cinnamon • 1 tsp. ground ginger • Zest of 1 lemon • 1½ cups sherry or sweet red wine Preheat the oven to 400° Fahrenheit. Peel, core and cut the apples into thick slices. Layer the slices in a deep dish, making sure to sprinkle sugar on each layer.

Cover and bake for 30 minutes.

Heat the beer, spices, lemon zest and leftover sugar slowly in a large saucepan, bringing it to a simmer — do not let it boil. Once hot, pour in the sherry or other sweet red wine and bring it back to a simmer — still not a boil.

Remove the baked apples from the oven (they should be soft and puffy), place them in a large punch bowl and pour the now completed wassail over them.

Serve hot and waes hael.

Some sources will replace the beer with alcoholic cider and/or substitute rum or brandy for the wine.

Eggnog Despite their reputation for quiet piety, Medieval monks spent a considerable amount of their time writing about, preparing and consuming alcoholic drinks.

Among them was “posset,” which some sources date to the 1200s and consisting of warm ale, whipped eggs and figs. At the same time, milk and wine punches were also popular, and (about 400

Traditional drinks recipes for spirited celebrations

years later) records indicate that sherry had replaced ale as the base booze.

Fast forward to the American colonial era, when cheap slave-produced Caribbean rum made for a readily available alternative to highend wines or brandies, and you start to see the contours of our contemporary holiday ’nog.

(The name, by the way, may trace to the Old English word nog, meaning “strong beer,” or perhaps Americans combined the phrase “eggand-grog” into “eggnog,” as it first appeared in print in the late 1700s.)

Eggnog or other drinks like it are not unique to the English-speaking world. Jewish communities in Poland drink something similar called “kogel mogel”; in Puerto Rico they add coconut juice; in Mexico it’s “rompope,” with cinnamon and vanilla; and in Peru they use pisco, which is the national brandy.

This is how no less than Martha Stewart suggests you mix your own “original eggnog” (albeit for a group of 26 — we strongly suggest halving or even quartering this recipe): • A dozen eggs, separated • 1½ cups sugar (superfine) • 1½ quarts heavy cream • 1 quart whole milk • 3 cups bourbon • ½ cup dark rum • 2 cups cognac • Grated nutmeg Beat the egg yolks until they’re thick, gradually adding sugar. Beat in the milk and 1 quart of cream with a whisk, then add the booze.

Make sure to stir constantly.

Immediately prior to serving, beat the egg whites until they’re stiff, then fold into the mixture.

Whip the leftover ½ cup of cream until it’s stiff, then fold it in, too.

Sprinkle the nutmeg on top and serve in a large punchbowl.

Fun fact: This is pretty close to George Washington’s preferred recipe, though he also threw in a quarter pint of sherry. And we wonder why his teeth fell out.

Courtesy photo.

Feuerzangenbowle Anyone who’s seen It’s a Wonderful Life more than a few times remembers guardian angel Clarence’s peculiar drink order: “a flaming rum punch.” The bartender looks at him like he’s a lunatic, and roughly suggests he order a “hard drink” and stop trying to provide “atmosphere” to the joint.

Little did that barkeep understand, a flaming rum punch is anything but “soft.”

The kind of punch familiar to Clarence during his mortal life in the mid-1800s would likely have been a heady mixture of wine, rum, spices and fruit with enough alcohol content to ignite when exposed to open flame.

There are many recipes for various flaming rum punches, but among the most interesting — and fun to say — is feuerzangenbowle, literally “fire tongs punch,” which is a staple of traditional German Christmas celebrations.

A relative of glühwein — which is itself descended from Roman conditum paradoxum (“surprise spiced wine”) — feuerzangenbowle takes mulled wine to another level, and has been a feature of German culture at least to the 18th century (and even featured in plays and films into the 1940s).

Here’s how to feuer it up, according to germanfoods.org (serves about 10): • 2 oranges • 2 lemons

• 2 750 ml. bottles of dry red wine • 1 cinnamon stick • 5 cloves • 1 pinch of ground ginger • 1 loaf or cone of sugar • 2 cups of high-proof (54% or higher) dark rum Wash and dry the oranges and lemons, then cut them into wedges. Combine in a large pot with the wine, cinnamon, cloves and ginger.

Heat the mixture slowly — never bringing to a boil. Once simmering and giving off steam, transfer to a low-heat source like a fondue set or small burner.

Place a long slotted metal spoon or pair of metal tongs (the eponymous feuerzange) across the top of the pot. Place the sugar loaf or cone onto the spoon or tongs and saturate it with rum.

Once soaked through, light the sugar on fire and let it begin melting and dripping into the wine mixture. As it reduces in size, and the flames die down, slowly add small amounts of rum until all the sugar is burned off.

Stir gently and serve in any receptacle that’s not going to burn your hands.

If you end up loving this and want to make it every holiday season, consider investing in a specially designed feuerzangenbowle set, which consists of a metal pot and burner, tongs and glasses. You can find these in high-end kitchen stores and from a variety of online retailers.

MUSIC

POAC offers winter session for popular youth drama program

By Reader Staff Local children ages 9-14 with an interest in learning about the dramatic arts — while having fun with their peers — are now able to sign up for the winter session of the Pend Oreille Arts Council’s popular after school theatre program: Sandpoint Showstoppers.

This program is offered tuition-free to all students as part of POAC’s local educational mission.

Once a week classes will be offered Jan. 10-March 4, from 3:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m. with a choice of Mondays or Fridays.

Pend Oreille Arts Council’s newest educational outreach is designed to provide students with an understanding of the dramatic arts before they have the opportunity to audition for a Showstoppers play in the future. The ultimate goal of the program is to present annual theatrical performances involving local students in all aspects of the productions.

“We are excited to offer our third session of this educational program with instructor Courtney Roberts, who brings a wealth of theatrical experience and a passion for working with young people,” said POAC Executive Director Tone Lund.

“Kids will enjoy expressing

This week’s RLW by Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey

READ

… the reviews. December is undoubtedly the biggest shopping month for Americans. If you’re buying online (though I do hope you try to buy local first), be sure to scroll past the perfect photos and specifications to see if real people actually like the product, and think it is worth its value. Pro tips: Don’t buy anything with a suspiciously low number of reviews. That probably means the seller has relisted it to avoid the bad ones. And, if given the option, choose to list reviews by most recent, in order to see what the latest customers are saying, not customers from five years ago.

LISTEN

themselves creatively and have fun learning new skills.”

In addition to in-class activities, students will keep a drama journal to track lessons and complete small homework assignments given at the end of each class.

“I have been overjoyed at the initial response to our Showstoppers program last spring and this fall,” said Roberts. “Partnering with the Pend Oreille Arts Council to create our Sandpoint Showstoppers program has given young people the opportunity to break

out of their shell, build new friendships and embrace their creative side. It is a dream come true to provide this opportunity for youth in Sandpoint.”

POAC is dedicated to providing quality educational experiences in the performing arts for students who may otherwise not have these opportunities. While this program is free and open to all Bonner County students ages 9-14, class size

Local youths participate in POAC’s Sandpoint Showstoppers program.

Courtesy photo. is limited, with registration acceptance on a first come, first served basis.

Applications are available online at artinsandpoint. org, or at the POAC Office at 110 Main Street, Suite 101 in downtown Sandpoint. For more information, call 208263-6139.

Okay, Honey, Idaho Pour Authority, Dec. 29 Having officially joined forces as the duo Okay, Honey in January of 2020, Spokane-based guitarist Joel Haugen and fiddler Sarah Jean, formerly of Coeur d’Alene band The Powers, are familiar with the tough realities of being working musicians throughout the ups and down of the pandemic.

Lucky for Sandpoint and the other Inland Northwest towns that Okay, Honey frequents, Joel and Sarah Jean just so happen to be really good at

what they do, and have found a way to build a reputation as one of the area’s most beloved brewery bands.

The duo is known for using simple instrumentation — a guitar and a fiddle — along with dynamic vocal harmonies to create a full, rich and memorable alternative folk sound.

— Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey

I stumbled on the podcast Sounds Like A Cult and promptly binged nearly every episode during a house cleaning marathon.

Hosts Amanda Montell and Isa Medina are funny and sound like real women just having a casual chat about “the modern-day ‘cults’ we all follow,” according to the pod’s description. Are flat earthers a cult?

What about the NFL? People who are into astrology? Each episode features an “expert” guest and a game of some sort. All in all, Sounds Like A Cult is all in good fun.

WATCH

People in all facets of my life are obsessed with Paramount’s TV series Yellowstone to some extent, and honestly, it’s for good reason. Kevin Costner plays John Dutton, owner of the largest ranch in Montana, always at odds with developers, Indigneous peoples and, occasionally, his own children. As alliances are formed and broken, and the popular show enters its fourth season, the violence and raunch that is Yellowstone just seems to get better and better.

6-8 p.m., FREE. Idaho Pour Authority, 203 Cedar St., idahopourauthority.com.

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BACK OF THE BOOK

The art of nothingness

Learn to turn off the world, or it will take you down

From Pend Oreille Review, Dec. 24, 1915

SHERIFF RAIDS GAMBLING ROOMS A wholesale round-up of gamblers of the city was accomplished by Sheriff Remer and his deputies Monday night. Sixteen offenders, for the greater part professionals who had come into the city in the past few months, were caught in the dragnet and, with the exception of two who received immediate attention, are awaiting trial now, some in jail and some out on $100 to $100 bail.

All the parties were arrested during raids first at the Pend d’Oreille hotel and the DeLisle rooms in the basement under the Walker store, then at the Wisconsin house and the John Bode saloon.

Under instruction from county officials, two detectives from the Swain agency, Ted Drury and R.F. Williams by names, have been at work securing evidence against the gamblers in the city for the past two weeks, and when the raid was made it was not so much to capture all who might be found at the card tables, but to take red handed the certain professionals whom the detectives had spotted, and who have been doing the city proper.

It was about 10 o’clock when Sheriff Remer visited the Pend d’Oreille hotel on Railroad avenue.

They had placed guards at both bridges leading from Railroad avenue to First avenue and also cut the telephone lines connecting with the hotel, to the end that warning might not be sent out to the other resorts after the first raid. Four of the men wanted were secured at the hotel. It is said that while the officers were raiding the Pend d’Oreille hotel, one inmate escaped by sliding down a drain pipe at the rear of the building and vaulting across the creek bottom. He was evidently too frightened to think of warning the First street resorts, thinking only of making good his own escape.

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/ December 23, 2021

By Ben Olson Reader Staff There is an art to doing nothing. In this workaday world dominated by how many items we can cram into our daily lives, some might confuse the art of nothingness with laziness. That couldn’t be further from the truth.

Philosophers from Jean-Paul Sartre to Martin Heidegger have grappled with the concept of nothingness to form their own disparate philosophies. My version of nothingness is quite simple: It involves beer, Mexico, some books to read and a laptop.

A few months ago, Cadie and I searched for cheap airfare for a quick trip we could take in December. We were both feeling the monotony build up and craved a quiet place in which to escape and fill our time with all the nothing we desired.

We settled on a small fishing village south of Puerto Vallarta in Mexico, booked our tickets and an Airbnb rental and disappeared for nine days.

Leading up to our trip, our rental host pitched several adventures and excursions in which we could partake; fishing for durados, whale watching, botanical gardens to visit and many others. Cadie and I generally aren’t the “tour” kind of people, so we left everything up in the air until our arrival.

Once we landed and met our driver Rafael, he scooped us up and promptly stopped at a tienda so we could pick up beers to drink on the 45-minute drive south to our village. Along the way, Rafael told us of all the wonderful things we could do in Mexico, but we demurred and said we’d let him know if we wanted to book anything.

Really, we both just wanted a place where we could sit in the sun, drink beer and tequila all day and practice the hobbies and passions we are unable to find time to do while living our lives in the work world back home.

Cadie refined her drawing skills, picking

STR8TS Solution

out random scenes to practice perspective. I opened a novel I’d started writing years ago and began right where I left off, happy to again be writing something creative of my own instead of journalism for the Reader.

Here’s how an average day went: We’d wake somewhat late (it was two hours ahead of our usual time zone) and eat some fruit. Then we’d wander down to one of the half dozen places to eat and have breakfast.

Cadie would often walk over to a sand bar under a tree we called “The Greatest Tree” and work on her drawing or spend the afternoon reading or applying henna tattoos to the local children who always flocked to her. I would return to the room and write on the balcony until the sun got too hot, then I’d move inside and continue.

We’d break again for lunch, then maybe take a hike around the bay to a couple of hidden beaches to swim in the cool ocean.

At some point, we would begin drinking for the day. To avoid hangovers, we instituted a rotation that started with a glass of water, then a shot of chilled tequila mixed with fresh lime juice, then a cold beer, then repeat. Our system worked well, as we only really suffered a hangover the second to last night when we met a local hairdresser and stayed up howling at the moon with him a bit later than usual.

We both read voraciously; Cadie an obscure Hemingway novel, me a trashy legal thriller from the plane ride and a book by Paul Auster with a little more substance.

We slept with the balcony doors open and never turned on the TV or air conditioner once.

Occasionally Rafael would appear and ask if we wanted to drive to a nearby town or book a whale watching tour, but we would just shift the box of fresh Pacificos in our arms, shake our heads and walk back up the hill to the room with dumb smiles. He must’ve been so confused.

The only stress of the trip, in fact, was the very last day when Rafael was late driving us back to the airport and we had to sprint through the terminal like it was Home Alone to make our flight after a COVID test needed to be administered a second time. We made the flight with just minutes to spare.

We returned home and were pleased to see winter had finally arrived. Both of our creative wells had been filled and we were ready to take on the workaday world once again, comforted by the fact that we both spent nine days practicing the art of nothingness and succeeded.

You don’t have to go to Mexico to embrace nothingness. You don’t have to go anywhere, in fact, but it’s easier when you’re away from the comfortable patterns of work and home life.

What you do need is the ability to confidently stick to your plan for nothingness.

Don’t worry about the fear of missing out, or the crazy efforts to pack in as much as you can on your vacation or weekend. Just do nothing. You’ve earned it. Let your mind and body relax, or they will stage a coup.

Life is more than existing in a state of constant busyness. Find comfort in nothingness. You’ve earned it.

Crossword Solution

Sudoku Solution

The crows seemed to be calling his name, thought Caw.

Solution on page 22

Solution on page 22

anorak

Woorf tdhe Week

By Bill Borders

/AN-uh-rak/ [noun] 1. a hooded pullover jacket originally made of fur and worn in the Arctic, now made of any weather-resistant fabric.

“He pulled the anorak over his head before exiting the warmth of the cabin, shuddered in the cold and trudged off to have a beer at the pub.”

Corrections: In the story “Full moon mountain culture” in our Dec. 16 edition, we accidentally called the Portland band that came to play the Granary District “Cedar Tooth” in a couple of places. The band’s name is actually Cedar Teeth, and they are really great. Check them out. —LKC

Copyright www.mirroreyes.com

Laughing Matter

CROSSWORD ACROSS 1. Magma 5. Filched 10. Does something 14. Former spouses 15. King with a golden touch 16. Certain 17. Nefarious 19. Smudge 20. Anagram of “Led” 21. Strict 22. Liabilities 23. Demesnes 25. Task 27. Aye 28. Apparition 31. Not drunk 34. Clairvoyants 59. Show respect 35. Ribonucleic acid towards 36. As a result 60. Offensively 37. Honor malodorous 38. Ardor 61. “___ we forget” 39. Pain 62. Unlocks 40. Assists 63. Conservative 41. Welsh dog 42. Great apes DOWN 44. Loving murmur 45. Not fulfilled 1. Embankment 46. A woman’s sleeveless 2. Angles of a branch undergarment or leaf 50. Yesteryears 3. Open grassland 52. Wearing footgear 4. American Sign 54. A state of SW India Language 55. Hurt 5. Hits 56. Middleman 6. Prongs 58. Small songbird

Solution on page 22 7. Smell 8. Catapults 9. S 10. Declare with confidence 11. Attendant 12. Gait faster than a walk 13. Collections 18. Daisylike bloom 22. Puts on 24. Yeses 26. Not soft 28. Anagram of “Paste” 29. Catch 30. French Sudan 31. Male deer 32. Buckeye State

33. Cattails 34. Sometimes, a garment factory 37. Skilled 38. Whiz 40. Charity 41. Female students 43. Purpose 44. Shouts of approval 46. Part of the large intestine 47. Snow house 48. French for “Sister” 49. Not late 50. Part of a rachet 51. Unit of land 53. Sharpen 56. Which person?

57. Abaft

December 23, 2021 /

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