Reader_Dec28_2023

2 / R / December 28, 2023

DEAR READERS,

The week in random review

By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff

Bouquets of barbs

Every once in a while, the internet does what it’s supposed to and reveals some bit of information that people didn’t know they needed. Case in point: the concept of the “insult bouquet,” which apparently was a thing during the Victorian era. According to a few pages from The Language of Flowers, which was apparently published in the mid- to late-1800s and occasionally makes the rounds on Reddit and social media, you can give someone a selection of flowers that are intended as a warning, containing oleander to signify “beware,” white flytrap for “deceit,” rhododendron for “danger is near,” and dandelion or thistle seed head for “depart.” Then there’s the “rebuke” bouquet, which telegraphs that, “Your frivolity and malevolence will cause you to be forsaken by all.” To put that one together, you’d need London pride to express “frivolity,” lobelia for “malevolence” and laburnum for “forsaken.” As the book states, “The flowers should be bound together with a fading leaf.”

Finally, there’s the pièce de résistance: the “impertinence” bouquet, representing in no uncertain terms that, “Your insincerity and avarice make me hate you.” To really stick it to someone, give them cherry blossom or foxglove to convey “insincerity,” scarlet auricula for “avarice” and, to top it off, Turk’s cap, which means “hatred.” A rose by any other name might smell as sweet, but the same might not be said for these arrangements.

husband of the year

I have to give myself a pat on the back for pulling off what became the sleeper hit of the holiday gift-giving ritual in my immediate family: “husband” pillows. Does anyone else remember these things? I certainly do, and it seemed like you couldn’t visit a home in the 1980s into the mid-’90s that didn’t have at least one of them. Yet somehow they’ve apparently disappeared. Well, not at my house. I purchased three of them — one each for my wife, son and daughter — and for such a simple thing, they have accomplished what all fine gifts should: made the receivers’ lives just a little better. In case you’re unfamiliar, a “husband” pillow (or “boyfriend” pillow or, less offensively named, “reading” pillow) is a pillow with a seat back and arm rests. According to some sourcers, these ergonomically engineered amenities have indeed made somewhat of a comeback as a “secret work-from-home” hack (at least that’s what GQ wrote in 2020) and, while they might look a little silly, they’re well worth (re)discovering.

feasting for the new year

I was reminded the other day about something I wrote back in January 2021 about foods you should eat for good luck in the new year. I did a little more reading, and found a further list of foods that supposedly bring good fortune: donuts, black-eyed peas, soba noodles for longevity, pork for prosperity, pomegranates for good fortune, and lentils for both prosperity and success. And don’t forget to toast with something bubbly and have a happy new year.

We’re in that nebulous space that exists between Christmas and New Year’s Eve. It’s like we pressed a snooze button that lets the holiday feelings linger in our minds an extra week before going back to the grind.

The promise of a new year ahead might bring hope for some, while it seems foreboding to others. It’s a time of reflection and dreams, of goal-setting and taking stock of the parts of your life that make it better.

As we wrap up this final edition of the year, I have made it a goal to appreciate those who tread lightly amid the foot-stampers who have risen in number. I long for a gentler, kinder world, where we respect one another a little more.

Sadly, the skeptic in me feels that’s not in the cards for us in 2024. If it’s anything like this year, we have an interesting journey ahead of us.

Most of us have probably heard the old Chinese proverb, “May you live in interesting times,” which some call a “curse” due to the negative potential of a word like “interesting.” What if I told you that’s not an ancient proverb. It’s not even Chinese. It’s a fugazi. Something wholly made up 30 or 40 years ago somewhere in America and spread through pithy sidebars of newspaper articles and book prefaces ad nauseam until its real origins are forgotten, only the phony story remains. Perhaps there’s nothing more American than that.

A more appropriate Chinese expression translates to, “Better to be a dog in times of tranquility than a human in times of chaos.”

I can get behind that.

Let’s all be dogs of tranquility together.

Here’s wishing you a wonderful new year ahead. The year 2024 will mark two decades since Vol. 1, No. 1 of the Reader hit the streets (though with a hiatus of a couple of years), and our ninth year since coming back from the dead in 2015.

We couldn’t have kept this going all these years without the support from our advertisers, contributors and readers. From the entire staff, we thank you all for another year. We’ll see you in the next.

– Ben Olson, publisher

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sandpointreader.com Publisher: Ben Olson ben@sandpointreader.com Editorial: Zach Hagadone (Editor) zach@sandpointreader.com Soncirey Mitchell (Staff Writer) soncirey@sandpointreader.com Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey (emeritus) Cameron Rasmusson (emeritus) John Reuter (emeritus) Advertising: Kelsey Kizer kelsey@sandpointreader.com Contributing Artists: Ben Olson (cover design), Bill Borders, Patty Ericsson, Marlene Rorke, Ted Wert Contributing Writers: Zach Hagadone, Ben Olson, Soncirey Mitchell, Lorraine H. Marie, Brenden Bobby, Rep. Mark Sauter, Sen. Scott Herndon, Rebecca Holland, Marcia Pilgeram, Helen Newton Submit stories to: stories@sandpointreader.com Printed weekly at: Tribune Publishing Co. Lewiston, ID Subscription Price: $165 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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Requirements: –No more than 300 words –Letters may not contain excessive profanity or libelous material. Please elevate the discussion.

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Email letters to: letters@sandpointreader.com Check us out on the web at: sandpointreader.com About the Cover

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by Ben Olson. Have a safe and happy New Year’s Eve. See you in 2024.

December 28, 2023 / R / 3

NEWS

Jennifer Stapleton will resign as Sandpoint city administrator

News comes ahead of Mayor-elect Grimm’s administration, which promised to eliminate her position

By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff Among the biggest news to come out of Sandpoint City Hall in a year filled with hefty headlines was the pre-holiday announcement by City Administrator Jennifer Stapleton that she would resign her position effective at the end of the working day, Wednesday, Jan. 3.

In a letter to Sandpoint Mayor Shelby Rognstad and members of the City Council dated Dec. 21, Stapleton wrote, “It has been my greatest honor and privilege to work for and with you and former councilors since 2016 to serve the Sandpoint community. I deeply respect every one of you and admire your commitment and dedication to our community and staff.

“My decision to resign has been made with deep sadness; however, our incoming mayor ran on a clear platform to serve without a city administrator and remove me from my position. That would take a majority vote of the council,” she added, referring to Mayor-elect Jeremy Grimm, who will take office in the first part of January. “Rather than allow this to be a distraction to the business and success of the city, I have chosen to resign and wish him success in his term.”

In an email to the Reader on Dec. 27, Grimm wrote to wish Stapleton “the very best in her future endeavors and thank her for her service to the city of Sandpoint.”

However, he added, “I believe the present situation further illustrates the shortcomings of running a small town under a city administrator structure. The decision to eliminate department heads and consolidate administrative duties and management of critical tasks to one individual is now our greatest weakness in the absence of such an individual.”

In her resignation letter to the current mayor and council, Stapleton expressed her gratitude to city staff.

4 / R / December 28, 2023

Jennifer Stapleton will resign effective Wednesday, Jan. 3. File photo.

“I have enjoyed working with each of you and am proud of the many accomplishments we have achieved together over the past eight years,” she wrote. “I have no doubt that you will continue to serve Sandpoint citizens, businesses and visitors well moving forward due to your deep commitment to this community.”

Mayor Shelby Rognstad wrote in a statement to the Reader on Dec. 26 that, “Jennifer’s service to the city of Sandpoint is immeasurable. She has consistently demonstrated herself to be one of the most dedicated, hard working, intelligent and professional people I have ever met.”

Rognstad will leave office in January after two terms — during both of which Stapleton served as city administrator — and added that, “What the city has accomplished with her leadership over the last eight years is beyond impressive. The city is far better positioned to respond to changes internally and externally, to manage growth and build a prosperous future for Sandpoint residents. I know I speak for council and city staff when I say that it has truly been an honor and pleasure to work with her.”

Stapleton also highlighted a number of the biggest projects undertaken, issues addressed and challenges confronted during her time at City Hall, noting in her

Dec. 21 letter that elected officials and staff “leaned in and embraced strategic planning” that “broke down the silos that existed in our organization and created a culture and structure centered around teamwork, collaboration, accountability, professionalism and performance.”

In his statement to the Reader, Grimm took specific aim at the organization of City Hall during Stapleton’s tenure.

“This structure has created a single point of failure for the city and I welcome the opportunity to revert Sandpoint back to the stable and balanced department head structure that served us so well for decades,” wrote Grimm, a former Sandpoint city planner and development consultant who repeated that theme throughout his mayoral campaign.

Among the other accomplishments Stapleton cited in her letter were increasing transparency and citizen engagement via the city’s online financial tool/checkbook and Engage Sandpoint online platform, which since its launch has enabled the city to address more than 1,800 citizens’ requests, as well as running 29 surveys conducted over the past eight years garnering more than 5,300 responses. That transparency and accessibility continued — and was improved by facilities upgrades — throughout the COVID-19 pandemic from 2020-’21 and to the present day.

In addition, Stapleton wrote that the city “tackled some of the toughest long-standing issues that took away our credibility with the community,” such as absorbing some elements of the unpopular Business Improvement District, doing away with the contract with a private parking enforcement company, restructuring the downtown parking plan and implementing a community resource officer program.

Stapleton wrote that a facility plan is now in place for a new wastewater treatment plant that will undergo its final design and

initial construction in 2024, and the successful implementation of an increased visitor tax has boosted the budget for street reconstruction from $250,000 to $1 million each year, and annual sidewalk investment from $25,000 to $250,000.

Finally, referring to some of the largest undertakings in recent Sandpoint history, Stapleton touched on construction of the Cotton Barlow Grandstands and changes to War Memorial Field — which included the conversion from natural to artificial grass and drew deeply divided opinions from the community — as well as Phases I and II of a downtown revitalization project, which has also prompted differing assessments, especially related to parking and traffic flow.

Then there was the land swap at City Beach, which opened the way for a new hotel to be constructed on the site of the Best Western and expanded public parking and boat facilities on the southern portion of the beach, as well as a bevy of master planning documents covering everything from transportation to the Little Sand Creek watershed; parks and recreation; arts, culture and historic preservation; and urban forestry.

“Ms. Stapleton has overseen the development, adoption and implementation of several master plans that have laid the groundwork for a future that protects what its residents value most about Sandpoint,” Councilor Jason Welker told the Reader in an email Dec. 24. “Our infrastructure, from sidewalks and streets to the wastewater plant and parks, are seeing more investment today than ever before.”

Councilors Joel Aispuro, Justin Dick, Kate McAlister and Deb Ruehle — the latter whom won reelection in the November election — did not respond with a statement by press time.

Coming closer to the present day, Stapleton referred in her letter to the ongoing reconstruc-

tion work at Travers Park, which will include the indoor tennis and pickleball James E. Russell Sports Center, as well as an expanded skate park, bike skills park, all-inclusive playground renovation and expansion, and splash pad.

Those projects are being paid for with $9.5 million in mostly grants and donations — notably from the Russell family, which gifted the city $7.5 million for the facility.

“Outside of the utility treatment plants, this is the largest capital improvement project the city has undertaken,” Stapleton wrote. “It will benefit the broader community and generations to come for decades.”

That said, the process of approving the site for the facility and subsequent removal of a number of mature shade trees earlier in 2023 spurred vigorous opposition among many, including protests at the park and vocal criticism of the city’s perceived refusal to listen to citizens’ concerns.

Coming as it did near the November election, the furor over the Travers Park projects — as well as other issues related to downtown redesign and more — contributed to the mood in the electorate that delivered Grimm a victory of 1,176 votes over outgoing City Council President McAlister, who drew 781 votes for the mayor’s office. The election also saw new Councilors Pam Duquette and Kyle Schreiber elected to office, both of whom joined Grimm in the opinion that the city would be better off without a city administrator position.

“While the election results showed that not everyone in Sandpoint is for the progress our city administrator was overseeing, I am confident that with the right person in that position we will continue to succeed in advancing Sandpoint’s community-informed strategic plan,” Welker told the Reader in his Dec. 24 email, “and

< see STAPLETON, Page 5 >

NEWS

Public involvement sought for Travers Park playground, downtown design codes

By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff The city of Sandpoint is offering a number of opportunities for public feedback on a pair of big-ticket items on the 2024 agenda: the inclusive playground and splash pad at Travers Park and revisions to downtown design codes.

A survey is ongoing for the Travers Park concepts, available at surveyhero.com/c/TraversParkInclusivePlayground, which asks respondents to weigh in on the project that will include portions of the existing playground incorporated into the new play area designed along a number of themes: “Sandpoint Stories,” “Splash,” “Rapids” and “Into the Woods.”

The themes refer to local stories and legends; the city’s connections to its lake, streams and creeks; and opportunities for playground users of all abilities to climb and explore on logs and boulders.

The existing swings will be relocated, with the potential for additional elements if the budget allows. The work is being paid for with a 50% local match of $561,000, and 50% from federal sources, for a total of about $1.1 million.

According to a presentation before the City Council on Dec. 20, the results of the survey will be included when staff brings the concept back for consideration of the final design and request for approval at the regular Wednesday, Jan. 3 meeting at City Hall.

Numerous aspects of the design came from input gathered

< STAPLETON, con’t from Page 4 > I’m looking forward to working with the new council and mayor to recruit and hire the next Sandpoint city administrator.”

In the meantime, Grimm wrote that he has “planned for and will be working full-time at City Hall to fill the administrative responsibilities resulting from this news, and in the coming weeks I will be coordinating with the council to

from about 75 students at Washington Elementary, Sandpoint Waldorf School, Farmin-Stidwell Elementary School and Sandpoint Junior Academy, as well as a Nov. 28 community open house.

Looking ahead, the plan calls for development of the construction drawings during the winter of 2024, with construction in the summer of 2024.

“We had enough input that we could have done a hundred different parks and a thousand acres of playground,” said Mike Terrell, principal and landscape architect with MT-LA, which is working on the project. “So our goal is to whittle that down and get the most important things in it.”

Meanwhile, also at the Dec. 20 meeting, Sandpoint Arts and Historic Preservation Officer Heather Upton and City Planner Amy Tweeten walked council members through the priorities and process for putting in place the downtown design code changes envisioned by the final report that resulted from the downtown waterfront design competition, which wrapped up in the fall.

The three central issues to be addressed first will be downtown building design guidelines, historic preservation guidelines, and zoning codes in the First Avenue and Cedar Street downtown core.

“All of these projects have synergy and they need to be looked at holistically to ensure that the code that we’re bringing forth — that the community has been a big part of — can be lasting through all of these ebbs and flows that we go through,” Upton said. “Things not limited to but that this will address will be things like build-

ing heights, setbacks, scale and materials, and then protection.”

Tweeten said that one of the upshots of the design competition came with the recognition that there are “different character areas of downtown and how do we create codes that are overlays and represent the different character on First and Cedar versus the Granary area or even Pine Street.”

Those new codes will establish the exact boundaries of overlays that will direct development, including offering protections for identified historic properties.

“The design report was the starting point and now we really

review both interim and permanent solutions.

“We have very well-qualified staff who are passionate about their work and I have no doubt that residents and businesses will feel minimal if any interruption to the services provided by the city of Sandpoint,” he added.

Stapleton concluded her letter to city officials by thanking them

for choosing her to serve as city administrator, “and for the trust and confidence you have placed in me over the past eight years.”

“What I treasure most in my time with the city are the relationships I have developed with you and the city staff, business owners and the many community members I have come to know and call friends,” she added.

need to get more community input into these areas,” Tweeten said.

Several rounds of public engagement will take place in January, February and March — the first being a survey launched the week of Monday, Jan. 8, followed by a public workshop on Tuesday, Jan. 23 and a joint workshop with City Council and the Planning and Zoning and Arts, Culture and Historic Preservation commissions on Wednesday, Jan. 24.

A second survey will launch on Monday, Feb. 12, with follow-up workshops on Tuesday, Feb. 27 and Wednesday, Feb. 28.

Finally, a third survey will be made available starting Monday, March 11 with workshops on Tuesday, March 26 and Wednesday, March 27 — on the latter date, during the regular City Council meeting, councilors will be asked to consider approving the historic district boundaries and overlay.

After that, the city will produce its historic preservation guidelines, then draft code language

City residents gather in November to weigh in on amenities at Travers Park. Photo courtesy of city of Sandpoint. and design guidelines, with the code adoption process expected in April. “[W]e believe moving from the work GGLO already has done and with their support, that while aggressive this would be achievable with their assistance and we’d be happy to be working with them,” Tweeten said, referring to the team that won the design competition in the fall.

Upton said the ultimate goal is to provide developers and the public alike a concrete idea of “exactly what the community is looking for when they come into any type of development.”

“It’s really a huge gift that we’re giving them,” she added.

“The historic preservation guideline book, that’s also a generous gift that we’re providing anybody to help them understand what local historic preservation means.”

December 28, 2023 / R / 5

NEWS

Utilities Commission accepting comments on increased water hook-up fees in Blanchard

An aerial view of the Stoneridge area in Blanchard. Screen capture.

By Reader Staff

CDS Stoneridge Utilities, based in Blanchard, is asking the Idaho Public Utilities Commission for permission to raise the rates it charges customers for new water hook-ups in the community it serves just east of the Idaho-Washington border in southern Bonner County.

According to the utility, which stated in its filing with the IPUC that it performed 69 new connections from 2020-’23, it no longer has in-house contractors who are able to perform new hook-ups, while costs from third-party bids have increased dramatically in recent years, requiring an “emergency increase” to its fees allowed by the commission. Specifically, the utility company stated that costs had risen “in excess of 20%, especially considering parts/ materials, labor and fuel oil.”

The charge for a complete installation would increase to $9,000, up from $3,500. CDS Stoneridge Utilities told the commission that most new homes in the area typically request one-inch service meters, rather than the ¾-inch meters that had been used, and the new rates are for both ¾- and one-inch hook-ups.

Other charges include $6,000 for excavation or horizontal boring across roadways (up from $1,800); $5,500 for pit setter and meter only (an increase from almost $3,000); $5,000 for tap main and installation service to the curb (up from $1,512); and $2,000 for meter installation and water turn-on only (increased from $533).

6 / R / December 28, 2023

Applicants requesting a connection larger than one inch would pay actual construction costs.

According to the application, CDS Stoneridge Utilities took in nearly $49,000 in new connection revenue in 2022 but installation costs rose to more than $70,000.

Written comments are being accepted until Feb. 15, 2024. Comments are required to be filed through the commission’s website or by email, unless computer access is not available. To comment electronically, visit puc.idaho.gov. Click on the “Case Comment Form” link on the upper left side of the page and complete it using case number SWS-W-23-02. If filing by email, comments are required to be submitted to the commission secretary at secretary@puc.idaho.gov and CDS Stoneridge Utilities at utilities@stoneridgeidaho.com.

If computer access is not available, comments can be mailed to the commission at Commission Secretary; Idaho Public Utilities Commission; P.O. Box 83720; Boise, ID 83720-0074 or CDS Stoneridge Utilities at Teresa Zamora, Administrative Assistant; CDS Stoneridge Utilities, LLC; P.O. Box 298; Blanchard, ID 83804. For express mail, address comments to Idaho Public Utilities Commission; 11331 W. Chinden Blvd.; Building 8, Suite 201-A; Boise, ID 83714.

Additional information is available at puc.idaho.gov/case/Details/7208.

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: The verdict on the 118th Congress: “The most unproductive in decades,” according to NPR and multiple other media sources. As of Dec. 21, only 27 bills passed by the body — primarily non-controversial — had become law. Axios noted that productivity has been hampered both by partisan division and infighting among House Republican majority members, which routinely brought legislative business to a halt. Additionally, ousting and attempting to replace the House speaker added to delays.

By comparison, the 104th, 112th and 113th Congresses, in which Republicans controlled one or both chambers with a Democrat president, passed more than 70 laws.

Inflation is still falling, according to U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis data.

Meanwhile, gross domestic product grew at an annual rate of 4.9% in the third quarter of 2023. A decline in gas prices meant that, overall, November’s price drops were the first since April 2020.

President Joe Biden noted that forecasters said a year ago it would require “a spike in joblessness and a slowdown to get inflation down.” Instead, unemployment has stayed below 4% for 22 months and more people have jobs than before the COVID-19 pandemic began. But Biden’s administration sees more to be done, such as reducing prescription prices, tackling hidden junk fees and “calling on large corporations to pass savings on to consumers as their costs moderate.”

The U.N. Security Council recently approved a surge in aid for people in Gaza, along with a pause in fighting for delivering humanitarian assistance. The 15-member council voted 13-0, with the U.S. and Russia abstaining, according to the Associated Press. Aid groups faulted the efforts as too weak for addressing the scope of the needs in Gaza.

Following Israel’s assault on Gaza’s al-Shifa Hospital, The Washington Post found no proof of Israel’s claim that the health care center housed a hidden Hamas command center.

A representative of the international nonprofit Action Against Hunger, stated, “We are experiencing an emergency like I have never seen before,” with about 2

By Lorraine H. Marie Reader Columnist

million people in need of aid, including surgery, antibiotics and drugs, food, sanitation and sanitation, according to The Guardian. The U.N. reported that 80% of households in northern Gaza and half of those displaced in the south are experiencing days without food.

Citing the 14th Amendment, the Colorado Supreme Court found that former-President Donald Trump is not eligible to be on the state’s 2024 election ballot because of his involvement with political insurrection. The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear an appeal of Colorado’s decision.

More than 2,600 journalism jobs in the U.S. were lost this year, and newsrooms have shrunk by at least half since 2008, Mother Jones wrote. The magazine noted that, “It’s no coincidence that during this same time, disinformation and propaganda have come to dominate our politics.”

The U.S. Senate recently passed a defense policy bill authorizing the biggest raise for troops “in more than two decades,” PBS reported.

Blast from the past: “During these short, dark days and long nights let’s remember that ancient knowledge that illumination always follows darkness, and that with love and compassion we will relight our nations and lives.” — Excerpt from Thom Hartmann’s Radio and TV program.

And another blast: Fifty years ago, President Richard Nixon signed the Endangered Species Act into law on Dec. 29. At the time, only an estimated 400 bald eagles were left in the lower 48 U.S. states, largely due to the use of DDT, which weakened the chicks’ eggshells.

One year before the ESA was signed, DDT was banned. Combined with ESA protections, that allowed the national bird population to soar to about 316,000.

The birds were removed from the Endangered Species list in 2007. Other ESA accomplishments include preventing the extinction of 99% of the species on the ESA list, and helping more than 50 other species to recover enough numbers to be taken off the endangered species list.

While ESA protections have been invaluable to some species’ survival, the new challenge is climate change and political conservatives’ efforts to weaken or even abolish the Act.

NEWS

2024 Idaho legislative session kicks off Jan. 8 Key dates to keep in mind as 2024 elections loom

By Clark Corbin Idaho Capital Sun

Idaho’s 2024 legislative session begins Jan. 8, kicking off a nearly yearlong political season that will be driven by elections at the local, state and federal levels.

Idaho’s Legislature meets every year at the Idaho State Capitol in Boise beginning on the second Monday in January, as required by the Idaho Constitution.

During the session, 105 legislators elected from across Idaho come together to set the state budget for the upcoming fiscal year and consider new laws and administrative rules.

In 2024, all 105 seats in the Idaho Legislature expire and will be up for election, which is likely to play a role in the length of the session and drive some of the policy discussions. The legislative primary elections are May 21. As a general rule during election years, legislators look to adjourn the legislative session

well before the primary election so that they can return to their home districts and run for re-election.

With the start of the legislative session less than three weeks away, here are some important dates to watch for on the government and political calendars in 2024.

The State of the State address and all legislative hearings will be streamed live online for free using the Idaho in Session service.

• Jan. 4, 9 a.m. — The Idaho Legislature’s Economic Outlook and Revenue Assessment Committee meets in the Lincoln Auditorium at the Idaho State Capitol in Boise.

• Jan. 5, 10 a.m. — The Idaho Legislature’s Economic Outlook and Revenue Assessment Committee meets in the Lincoln Auditorium at the Idaho State Capitol in Boise.

• Jan. 5, 10 a.m. — New Idaho Supreme Court Justice Cynthia Meyer will

take the public oath of office at the Idaho Supreme Court in Boise.

• Jan. 8, The 2024 Idaho legislative session convenes at the Idaho State Capitol in Boise.

• Jan. 8, Gov. Brad Little delivers the annual State of the State address at the Idaho State Capitol in Boise.

• Jan. 9, 8 a.m., Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee holds its first meeting of the session in Room C310 at the Idaho State Capitol in Boise.

• Jan. 10, respectful workplace training for legislators at the Idaho State Capitol in Boise.

• Feb. 20, target date for JFAC to begin setting the fiscal year 2025 budget.

• March 2, Idaho Republican Party’s 2024 presidential nominating caucus.

• March 8, target date for JFAC to finish setting the fiscal year 2025 budget.

• March 22, target date to adjourn the 2024 legislative session.

• May 1, deadline for Idahoans for

Open Primaries to submit signatures for their ballot initiative to the State of Idaho.

• May 21, Idaho primary elections for legislative, congressional and county primary elections. Polls will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. local time.

• May 23, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. local time, Idaho Democratic Party’s 2024 presidential nominating caucus.

Nov. 5, Idaho general election, featuring elections for the U.S. president, the U.S. House of Representatives, the Idaho Legislature and county offices. Polls will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., local time.

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

For more information, visit idahocapitalsun.com.

Judge temporarily blocks Idaho law on gender-affirming care for transgender youth

Federal judge says House Bill 71 likely violates 14th Amendment, halts enforcement until lawsuit settled

By Mia Maldonado Idaho Capital Sun

Transgender youth in Idaho can continue to legally seek gender-affirming care — for now — after a federal judge on Dec. 26 blocked a controversial law from taking effect until the lawsuit is settled.

Idaho Gov. Brad Little signed House Bill 71 into law in April, with an effective date of Jan. 1.

Before the Dec. 26 decision, the law would have punished Idaho doctors who prescribe puberty blockers, hormones and other treatments to transgender youth with up to 10 years in prison.

But, the families of two transgender teens receiving gender-affirming care, who sued the state of Idaho, have secured a court order preventing enforcement of the law.

In Poe v. Labrador, the families allege House Bill 71 violates the 14th Amendment’s guarantee of equal protection under the law. On Dec. 26, Federal Judge B. Lynn Winmill granted the families’ request for a preliminary injunction — thus blocking the law from going into effect until the lawsuit is settled.

The lawsuit names Attorney General Raúl Labrador, Ada County Prosecutor Jan Bennetts and members of the Idaho Code Commission. Winmill dismissed the members of the Code Commission from the lawsuit on Dec. 26.

In his decision, Winmill said the plaintiffs’ claims have “a strong likelihood” of prevailing in court, and that House Bill 71 likely violates the 14th Amendment.

“Time and again, these cases illustrate that the 14th Amendment’s primary role is to protect disfavored minorities and

preserve our fundamental rights from legislative overreach,” Winmill stated in the decision. “That was true for newly freed slaves following the Civil War. It was true in the 20th century for women, people of color, interracial couples and individuals seeking access to contraception. And it is no less true for transgender children and their parents in the 21st century.”

In the decision, Winmill addressed critics who might say his ruling to block the law is “anti-democratic.” But his role in the judiciary is exactly how a constitutional democracy works, he stated.

“The authors of the 14th Amendment fully understood and intended that the amendment would prevent state legislatures from passing laws that denied equal protection of the laws or invaded the fundamental rights of the people,” he wrote.

The lawsuit was filed by the Ameri-

can Civil Liberties Union; the ACLU of Idaho; Wrest Collective; Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP; Groombridge, Wu, Baughman & Stone LLP; and the two Idaho families.

“This victory is significant for Idaho transgender youth and their parents, and will have an immediate positive impact on their daily lives,” said Leo Morales, executive director of the ACLU of Idaho, in an emailed statement. “This judicial decision is a much-needed ray of hope for trans people amid a yearslong onslaught against their rights to access health care and ability to navigate the world around them. Everyone should be free to live and thrive in their authentic identity, which means transgender people should not be shut out of accessing medically sound health care.”

December 28, 2023 / R / 7

Life imitates art?…

Bouquets: • A Bouquet to businesses that stay open on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Not everyone has a place to go or a family to spend time with, so kudos to these business owners who provide them a warm place to eat, drink and be merry on the holiday.

Barbs: • One of our readers recently contacted me to ask if I’d write something about drivers who idle their engines in parked cars for long periods of time. I’ve seen this quite a bit as well, as many prefer to keep their cars warm while inside a store shopping. “Diesels are the worst,” the reader wrote. “How could these noxious fumes not be noticed as a health and environmental hazard? A car thief could clean house!” I know there are extenuating circumstances for every situation, but if you’re an excessive idler, perhaps consider turning the vehicle off in 2024.

• I’m giving myself a Barb this week for my dumb mistake in last week’s edition of the Reader. We ran the same news headline twice on Page 4, which would have normally been caught by Zach and Soncirey during their extensive last edits before deadline, but we had an unusually long Sandpoint City Council meeting with 19 agenda items on Dec. 20 that caused some last-minute issues. Because of my haste to get the paper off to the printer, Zach and Soncirey were not able to proofread this final story on the page and, by the time we caught the mistake, the printer had already started the press. As much as I’d love to actually shout the words, “Stop the presses!” it would’ve cost us about $900 to fix the mistake, so we let it go.

Apologies for the dumb error. We try so hard to ensure our copy is as clean and error-free as possible, and I screwed it all up.

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BCRCC’s April 2023 vote of no confidence in Sauter. The Dear editor, prerequisite was his unworthy I’ve been rereading the masterRepublican work product. piece novel Catch-22 and enjoying Rebuttal to the Dec. 21, it thoroughly. Did Joseph Heller 2023 Reader article, “BOCC foresee Donald Trump’s convoluted alters code of conduct for thought process? Pick it up and see meetings.” BOCC Chairman what you think.

Omodt claims to advocate for First Amendment rights, yet Ted Wert his recent meeting rules, susSagle pended public comment and his overused “recesses” prove otherwise. Additionally, Omodt’s Dear editor, authority as chair allows him Now that the Christmas wrap exclusive agenda ability to seek has been put away, it’s time to try financial investigation of the the new games that arrived. alleged embezzlement/grand Let’s all play “Boogeyman”! theft crimes in fairground The aim of the game is to come operations for the years up with a three-letter combination 2020-2022, and an apparently that represents a boogeyman. improper attempt to grant an Never mind that the boogeyman employee a $60,000 severance does not exist. It serves only to in- bonus, stopped in the 11th spire fear and anger. Extra points hour by public objection and can be earned by conjuring up an exposure of the facts. “extra scary” boogeyman because Deceit, misrepresenthose are the kind that suck all tations and nonfeasance, rational thought out of the brain. arguably, plague CommissionBonus points can be earned by er Omodt’s decision-making coming up with a boogeyman that record. is actually beneficial.

BCRCC Chairman Herndon The following examples will and his “disciples” — self-idenhelp players get started: tified affiliates of the local CRT — critical race theory; a political Christian organization graduate level systems approach that is known by various not taught in K-12 schools. names to keep secret their orSEL — social emotional learnganizational leadership and oping; the deportment side of the erations, comprising ⅔+ of the old-fashioned report card.

BCRCC membership (let’s call ESG — environmental, social them “Fight Club,” you know and governance; considerations Rules #1 and #2) — solicit and for investing that follow prudent select political candidates from investing principles. their religious clan, or attempt RCV — ranked choice voting; to convert non-clan candidates allows for an instant runoff so the with the leverage of premawinning candidate has the support turely bestowing a prized of the largest number of voters.

BCRCC recommendation/enDEI — diversity, equity and dorsement, contrary to IDGOP inclusion; principles underlying Rule Article IX, Section 1. progress, invention and survival.

The political tribulation And… IFF — the Idaho Freefinds two female BCRCC dom Foundation? Now that’s a Board officers, with exemplareal threat! ry organizational service, to For 2024 it’s game on! How be the second and third “rapmany boogeymen can you find? tures” in as many months, nearly securing the Fight Mary Ollie Club’s power grab.

Sandpoint What is Herndon’s apparent hangup with dedicated, intelligent and productive women?

Dear editor, Surfacing adages: authorRebuttal to the Dec. 21, 2023 Reader article, “Dist. 1A Rep. Mark ity exposes true character; Sauter to seek a second term.” The serving dual masters; rules Bonner County Republican Central for thee, but not for me; dark-side governance! 2024 Committee’s 2022 endorsement, hand-to-forehead! which was withheld from Sauter, is not a prerequisite for the Dan Rose Sagle

‘Let’s all play Boogeyman’…

A rebuttal…

PERSPECTIVES

It’s called the rule of law, not the rule of emotions

By Helen Newton Reader Contributor A lawyer friend once told me that property issues were a surefire money maker for any lawyer. “Kids and dirt,” he said. “Dirt and kids.” Seldom does either side end up 100% happy, but the lawyers get paid regardless of the outcome.

Change is inevitable. Do you hear that as often as I do? That may be, we say to ourselves, but what happens when we don’t like the changes? We’re likely to get cranky and maybe even try to change things back to the way they were before.

If you’ve lived in Bonner County for any time at all, you have come to realize that property disagreements are nothing new — especially when it comes to developers wanting to turn multiple acres of farmland or forest into high-density building sites.

There is no one left now who experienced Sandpoint when the town was all on the east side of Sand Creek, but thanks to men like R.B. Himes, and later Ross Hall, we do have pictures of our fair city throughout the decades. In the earliest days, a foot bridge of logs and planks spanned the creek and when you crossed over to the west bank you were in forests. There were only trails. Once the town became established on the west side, the streets were narrow and either dusty or axle deep in mud, according to the season. As more people arrived, they watched Sandpoint grow and grow some more. Up to a point, this made residents (and certainly the chamber of commerce) happy, but attitudes began to shift.

As the population grew it became apparent that unmanaged growth created problems. Planning and zoning became a thing — and a constantly changing thing. Its place in our lives is intended to decide where growth is best suited to occur and, in the best of worlds, that is in close proximity to established townships.

I grew up on a 240-acre dairy farm on Colburn Culver Road in the 1940s and ’50s. Just like everyone here now, my parents moved to Bonner County from “somewhere else,” but they bought land, kept it a family operated farm and didn’t sell to someone who wanted to make changes. However, years passed and ultimately someone bought it who did want to make changes — or, at least, make money. The “bottom land” of our former farm is now part of a 700-acre parcel zoned for potential growth.

The rest is dotted with at least a dozen homes sitting on 10 or 20 acres.

By the 1950s, the chamber of commerce had really gone to work to attract

tourists to the lake. When Schweitzer opened in the 1960s, word spread quickly that this was a desirable location to raise a family. Build it and they will come — and they have.

Sandpoint’s population fluctuated between the 1940 and 1980 censuses, but hovered right around 4,000 for five decades. It now stands at more than double that. We were discovered alright, and when you get marketed as one of the most beautiful small towns in America (or now the “coolest small town in Idaho”), things tend to change quickly.

In the 1950s, Sandpoint’s city limits were Baldy Road and Division. The “new” high school (now middle school) was “out in the county” on a dirt road.

Plots of land that were meadows, hay fields or forests are now the Moran Addition, Northshore, Maplewood, Westwood, Mountain Meadows and Ponder Point. Dover Bay was a former mill site and Condo Del Sol a wetlands.

And when we think about it, most of those developments have a one road ingress and egress.

We had a picnic at the City Beach at my 10th class reunion in 1969. I remember sitting with classmates looking across at Bottle Bay Road. We pondered whether or not houses could ever be built there.

We didn’t think so. We were wrong.

As long as there is a willing seller and an eager buyer, growth will continue. And NIMBY (“not in my backyard”) is always going to be a part of the process. Once we’ve found our piece of paradise, we don’t want to be disturbed.

Private property rights are always a hot-button topic. Sometimes we have to remind ourselves that those rights also apply to those who are developing property in our neighborhood and perhaps not in a way we like. It boils down to the laws: comprehensive plans and zoning ordinances. They require constant review to ensure that safety features and open space are key required elements in every new development. It’s difficult to accept changes when they’re happening in our backyards but elected officials must make their decisions based on current law, not on emotions. To do otherwise would lead to utter chaos.

As Pat Gooby wrote in a letter to the Bee on Oct. 1, “Want to stop development? It’s simple. Buy it.” Unfortunate but true. We have to be paying attention before proposals have reached the final decision stage. Vigilance is the key.

Always vigilance. Let’s all be more vigilant in the coming new year.

Helen Newton served as Sandpoint city clerk for 24 years and was on the Sandpoint City Council for four years.

PERSPECTIVES

Looking ahead to the 2024 Idaho Legislature Potential priorities and issues to look for at the state Capitol in January

By Rep. Mark Sauter, R-Sandpoint Reader Contributor Happy New Year and I hope all is well with you and your families.

As one of your District 1 representatives, it’s an honor to go back to Boise to ensure our voice is heard for state governance.

The No. 1 priority and duty of the Legislature is to establish and pass a balanced state budget. Gov. Brad Little and his staff have been reviewing current conditions and operations since the Legislature recessed last April and have spent considerable time building their recommendations.

Next week, before the session starts on Monday, Jan. 8, there will be several economic and financial presentations in the Capitol. These opportunities for district representatives (like me) are very informative and serve as a foundation for upcoming decision making.

The Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee (JFAC) is made up of 10 representatives each from the House and Senate.

This 20-member group’s primary duty is to review the recommended budgets of the individual state departments, listen to the presentations of such, and then develop recommendations for approval by the full House of Representatives and the Senate.

The other work of the Legislature is that of policy making. Each year, legislators and the governor (and state staff) draft bills for the session to address shortfalls of current policy, changes to conditions in our state or forecasted problems. Cutting regulations also happens during this process.

The following are some of the issues

Rep. Mark Sauter. File photo. and conditions that I believe will have an influence on the upcoming session: Tax policy is always an issue. Many of our residents have experienced a reduction in their property taxes this fall. Those changes came from the work of the Legislature last session. Unlike last year, it doesn’t appear a large budget surplus is available for tax cuts or investment in state infrastructure. It’s anticipated there will be new ideas about our state property tax policy.

Averaging the assessments over three- to five-year spans, indexing the homeowners exemption for inflation and/or capping the amount a tax can increase are all subjects of discussion.

Funding education takes a substantial amount of the state budget. The Idaho Constitution directs the state to do so. Last year the Legislature considerably increased

the K-12 funding and improved a program that assisted graduating high school seniors into career technical education (a.k.a. Idaho Launch). The Legislature will most likely be faced with votes to continue these important efforts.

School facilities are also a state-wide issue. Our three school districts all need help.

While they have been able to pass some of their maintenance and operations (M&O) levies, they have not been as successful passing school bonds (facility improvements). I’m told addressing our school facilities will be a priority this year. This money could be dedicated to building new schools, replacing obsolete/dilapidated buildings or improving existing school facilities. I will continue to support funding for our schools.

No doubt, there will be disagreements.

Community health care is an integral part of the state budget. Medicare and Medicaid spending keep our hospitals, pharmacies and health care providers funded. I un-

derstand there are several bills being drafted to change how our state provides for our health care programs and for policy issues.

I’m unaware of the content but I’m very interested in the substance and impacts, as our district relies upon it. More to come as this evolves.

It’s difficult to know what lies ahead before the legislative session begins. I will continue to write articles to keep our residents informed. If you have questions, comments or thoughts for Dist. 1 or for state governance, please email me at msauter@ house.idaho.gov See you around town this weekend.

Cheers, and here’s to a good 2024!

Rep. Mark Sauter is a Republican legislator representing District 1A. He serves on the Agricultural Affairs; Education; and Judiciary, Rules and Administration committees.

December 28, 2023 / R / 9

Mad about Science:

Brought to you by:

donuts

By Brenden Bobby Reader Columnist There is an irreparable rift in our country. On either side of the aisle, voices are raised, fingers are pointed, insults are thrown.

It’s doughnut! No, you fool, it’s a donut!

America’s favorite break room treat has a long history.

Akin to apple pie, our country’s preferred fried confection doesn’t actually originate from the stars and stripes. There is a historical record of a donut-like stuffed cake that is fried and filled originating from the 1485 German cookbook, Küchenmeisterei, or Mastery of Cooking.

However, the donut as we know it likely didn’t first appear until around the 1600s.

The pilgrims famously made a transatlantic voyage to America aboard the Mayflower in 1620. A lesser known detail of the pilgrim’s journey is that the group of religious separatists spent several years near Amsterdam before returning to England to board the Mayflower. During their stay in Leiden, they lived and worked with the Dutch, who taught them how to create olykoek, or “oil cake.”

Olykoek is considered to be the grandfather of the donut.

It’s a ball of fried dough that’s stuffed with filling. In Amsterdam, olykoek was often filled with diced apples to create a handheld apple pie. It was common to soak the fruit in brandy for a full day before stuffing the dessert. These cakes are actually still produced in the Netherlands, but they’re largely viewed as a specialty baked item with recipes passed down from generation to generation and baker to baker.

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Olykoek gained more prominence in the areas where Dutch settlers put down roots in North America in the 1700s.

These cakes still appeared more as handheld pies or the jelly donuts we’d recognize today, as an efficient method for creating the donut ring had not yet been invented.

You may be wondering why we’ve been calling them “donuts” or “doughnuts,” when the logical etymological progression should have been “oil cakes” or “oily cakes.”

Well, as it turns out, most recipes may not have been written down very often for hundreds of years; or, if they were, they were quickly lost to time and the rigors of an active kitchen.

One of the first instances of the doughnut being referred to as such appears to be a transcription of an oral recipe that described olykoek as “dow-nuts,” “dough nuts” and simply “nuts.”

There is a tremendous amount of speculation as to why these phrases were chosen. Due to the cakes being fried and left with a fruit filling center, they may have been crisp and crunchy like a nut but soft and doughy in the center. “Nut” was often used as a descriptor in English confectionery baking to describe a number of things, from actual nuts to a brown walnut-like appearance of a dessert.

While we don’t know exactly why they came to be known as “doughnuts,” we do know that it was first transcribed by someone listening to someone else speak, likely without asking for clarification of the terminology.

Whether you’re in the “doughnut” or “donut” camp, you can stop pointing fingers at each other because you’re

all wrong — it’s obviously “downut.”

Are you planning on really frustrating your friends and solidifying yourself in the group as the resident word nerd? In Scotland, they’re referred to as “doughrings,” while folks from Northern Ireland call them “gravy rings.”

Try stopping by the bakery and ordering a baker’s dozen of gravy rings. Go on, roll the dice and see what happens!

America’s obsession with donuts came to a head through a curious collision of events and cultures in 1917, amid the nation’s entry into the First World War. Soldiers fighting in the trenches endured some of the most vicious combat and deplorable conditions for weeks on end. Volunteers of the Salvation Army sought to alleviate the mental rigors of a seemingly unwinnable war by bringing a little taste of home to soldiers on the front lines. Equipped with gas masks, .45 caliber revolvers and a whole lot of dough, these women braved the horrors of trench warfare to bring freshly fried donuts to the boys at the front.

It’s believed that shortly after World War I, with the introduction of more affordable machinery used outside of lethal combat, the modern ring donut began to emerge in the United States. A special machine could grip dough, fry it and fling it onto a conveyor belt, which left a hole in the middle by the gripper.

Rather than appearing as a defect, this became a novelty for American consumers and proved to be an effective way to hold the oily cake without getting grease all over their hands.

These machines aren’t as commonplace outside of very large commercial bakeries anymore, yet the ring donut persists as a culinary staple that appears in offices all over the world.

As a final bit of donut-related trivia, President John F. Kennedy was once mistakenly quoted as saying:”I am a jelly donut,” or, directly, Ich bin ein Berliner. A Berliner is a form of jelly donut coated in powdered sugar that’s closely related to an olykoek.

However, these confections are only referred to as a Berliner outside of Berlin. If JFK had instead said, Ich bin ein Pfannkuchen (a.k.a., “pancake”), this would be a very different discussion.

As soon as I can find a glutenfreier (“gluten-free”) Pfannkuchen that tastes wunderbar (c’mon, we all know that means “wonderful”), I’ll be all set.

Stay curious, 7B.

Random Corner ar’s?

Don’t know much about new ye • The first New Year’s celebration dates back more than 4,000 years in Mesopotamia, but records indicate it was celebrated alongside the new moon following the spring equinox in mid-March. The “new year” didn’t become Jan. 1 until Roman dictator Julius Caesar reorganized the calendar in 46 B.C.E. He then named the month after Janus, the Roman god of doors and gates. Janus had two faces — one looking forward and one looking back — which is an apt metaphor for the changing of the year.

• Almost half of all Americans make New Year’s resolutions. The top ones are: to lose weight, get organized, to spend less and save more, to stay healthy and to quit smoking cigarettes. It’s worth noting that 25% of those who make resolutions give them up by the second week of January.

• There are a few New Year’s food traditions that are still enjoyed today.

One holds that the more leafy greens a person eats, the more prosperity he or she will experience. Another says that legumes bring prosperity because beans and peas look like coins (fun fact: no they don’t).

We can help!

• Americans will drink close to 360 million glasses of sparkling wine during New Year’s.

• The famous ball drop at Times Square in New York City first came about because of a ban on fireworks. The first ball was introduced in 1907 and weighed 700 pounds.

It was lit using 100 25-watt lights.

The current ball weighs 11,875 pounds and is 12 feet in diameter, lit by 32,000 LED lights.

• The song “Auld Lang Syne,” that is traditionally sung at the end of New Year’s parties was written by Scottish poet Robert Burns in 1788.

• Tradition has it, if a couple doesn’t kiss to celebrate the new year, their relationship is doomed.

• The idea of Baby New Year is actually quite an old concept. It has been a symbol of the holiday since 600 B.C.E., starting in ancient Greece when an infant was paraded around in a basket in celebration of Dionysus, the god of fertility and wine. The baby represents a rebirth that occurs at the start of each new year.

PERSPECTIVES

Reflections on the 2023 Legislature and goals for 2024 Property taxes, public and private school support among top issues

By Sen. Scott Herndon, R-Sagle Reader Contributor Happy New Year! Last year at this time we faced a forecast that the state of Idaho had $1.4 billion of expected tax collections above planned expenses.

Unfortunately, some state budgets grew four times the rate of inflation, and legislators seemed unwilling to keep those in check.

We added the new Idaho Launch program for $80 million a year, which will put $8,000 in every high school graduate’s pocket. The caveat is that a council appointed by the governor determines which careers receive the money.

The majority of Republicans opposed the new program, arguing it was a form of corporate welfare. There will be many who laud this post-graduate assistance. However, consider that Idaho is giving this annual taxpayer money to high school graduates to be trained to work for corporations that are making record profits in Idaho.

The money used for Launch was originally set aside to help K-12 education, and there remain huge challenges for aging public school facilities throughout the state. I preferred the money be used to solve those ongoing issues and will attempt to find ways to help solve the ongoing school facilities challenges this session.

Fortunately, we did funnel some new money to school facilities through House Bill 292

Sen. Scott Herndon. File photo.

(H292). When I got my property tax bill last month, I enjoyed an almost 17% cut in those taxes because of H292. Those tax cuts will continue in future years, though the amounts saved will be different each year.

H292 also provides new funding every year to public school facility maintenance. This year, LPOSD received $1.4 million, Boundary schools received $515,000 and West Bonner got $422,000. State funded teacher pay raises are $6,359 for the year; and, in the new session, I will attempt to bake those increases permanently into the career ladder.

In the last session I sponsored a bill that passed the Senate that would provide every public school teacher direct reimbursement for incidental costs they are currently paying themselves to equip their classrooms with materials.

For example, a teacher may acquire books at a library book sale.

Teachers tell me they usually pay hundreds of dollars a year for these incidental expenses necessary to their classrooms, and there is no reimbursement from their schools. I have discussed my Teacher Spending Account bill with the House and Senate and see a path for it to succeed in this new session.

Idaho enjoys strength with our protections for education options.

We expanded public charter school assistance last year and passed open enrollment. Many parents also enjoy their ability to send their kids to private schools or to privately home school. In fact, some have moved to our state because we have had for decades such excellent protections for private education.

Both Republicans and Democrats respect those freedoms, so I will be introducing a constitutional amendment to add the right of parents to cause their children to be privately educated. This will ensure for generations that Idaho enjoys the same level of private education freedom as we do today.

Even with the passage of some property tax relief, homeowners are still asking for additional protections from rising property tax costs for older homeowners who are on a fixed income. In recent years, there has been a shift of property tax burden from commercial and agricultural taxpayers to residential taxpayers. I will continue to return the burden to a

more historical balance.

After several years of record federal debt-financed spending in Idaho related to the pandemic response, Idaho will see a major drop-off in federal stimulus in this next session. Idaho’s own projected tax collections versus planned expenses mean we will have far less new money to spend this year. Many COVID-related grant programs that have impacted all agencies of state government will go away after this next session’s budget cycle.

But, Idaho enjoys continued growth in our population, and the

business environment is healthy despite the past several years of inflation. I trust Idaho will continue to succeed as a state that enjoys natural beauty, low taxes and low regulation.

Please contact me if you need anything as I represent you in Boise these next few months.

Sen. Scott Herndon is a Republican legislator representing District 1. He serves on the Education and Joint Finance-Appropriations committees. Contact him at SHerndon@senate.idaho. gov or call 208-610-2680.

Pend Oreille Economic Partnership announces leadership workshops

By Reader Staff The Pend Oreille Economic Partnership, which serves as Bonner County’s nonprofit economic and community development organization, will host the first in a series of entrepreneurship and leadership workshops on Tuesday, Jan. 9, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Community Resource EnVision Center conference room at 130 McGhee Road, Ste. 220, outside Kootenai.

The workshops are sponsored and free to existing businesses, start-ups and aspiring entrepreneurs, with the first event focused

on “Fundamentals For Enduring Success.”

Attendees will be treated to a lunch and private follow-up session for those who would like one.

Seating is limited and advance registration is required, which is available by contacting PEP Executive Director Brent Baker at brent@pepidaho.org or 208-2907752.

A leadership workshop is planned for March of 2024, and further workshops are planned to be once per quarter going forward.

Get more info about the organization at pepidaho.org.

December 28, 2023 / R / 11

PERSPECTIVES

Travers Park’s next phase of planning

By Rebecca Holland Reader Contributor

Elections have consequences or, as some say, deliver results. After former-Mayor Carrie Logan and much of the fire department’s personnel went on record against City Administrator Stapleton’s tight controls, Sandpoint voters essentially voted her out of her six-figure job when Jeremy Grimm won the election for the city’s top executive position as mayor.

Local residents know the grandiose makeover plans for Travers Park and the removal of the Travers family’s ashes were Stapleton’s doing, while the outgoing mayor and much of City Council generally acquiesced to her lead. Following the playground’s sudden destruction, several council members admitted their outreach to the community had been subpar. Not even an informational sign at the park had been erected before the fencing went up.

In hindsight, as a lesson learned, they agreed to seek more public engagement in the future.

The city’s next phase of planning is now being teed up. At the Dec. 20, 2023 council meeting, city planners presented concept drawings for a $1 million playground and summer splash

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pad. On Wednesday, Jan. 4, planners say they’ll ask council to vote on acceptance of these plans. Meanwhile, residents have just two weeks to look online at what’s proposed.

While many interesting ideas are being floated, several issues need to be addressed. Our community’s previous investment in play equipment, valued between $25,000-$30,000 is not incorporated into the plans, other than a set of swings and plastic hills. The large metal structure with ADA-access platform, three slides, monkey bars and large spinners was enjoyed by many active kids.

Second issue, locating play equipment close to the parking lot and next to two softball fields needs reconsideration. This is a real problem for parents of young children that councilors are aware of. Moving it all back farther to the north is the answer for avoiding any more confining chain-link fencing.

Sandpoint’s new mayor and two councilors asked the council not to pass anything further substantial in nature, until they take office Thursday, Jan. 4. Certainly, the time has come for being respectful of their new members and for recognizing the public deserve more than a brief survey tucked into a busy holiday season regarding Travers Park’s next big plans.

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

Top left: Patty Ericsson and Preston Andrews of Sandpoint with their German grandchildren in the Bavarian Alps near Schliersee. “It was fun to use a copy of the Reader that had my photo on the front cover!” Patty told the Reader.

Top right: Baldy Mountain “all dressed for winter,” according to photographer Marlene Rorke.

Top right: A view of Lake Pend Oreille at dawn from Schweitzer Mountain. Photo by Ted Wert.

December 28, 2023 / R / 13

FEATURE

YEAR IN REVIEW 2023 The word of the year: ‘pushback’

By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff We’ve been doing these retrospectives every year since 2020, and so far the ’20s have lived up to their reputation for being “roaring.” Just reading the list of big stories that dominated our news coverage over the course of 2023 is exhausting.

Other media outlets and various institutions try to wrap up the year with a word. This time around, dictionary.com has decided “hallucinate” sums things up.

Meanwhile, Merriam-Webster’s dictionary reckons “authentic” to be our central theme, citing searches for the word reaching “new heights,” according to the Associated Press.

Finally, the venerable Oxford English Dictionary went all Gen Z with its word of the year, selecting “rizz,” which, for those of a more aged vintage, is what the kids mean when they’re saying someone or something has “charisma.”

Reader Publisher Ben Olson and I chatted for a few minutes on a misty Friday morning ahead of the holiday and decided that our word of the year would be “pushback.” As he put it, “People are just not happy this year.”

Our list of top stories confirmed that sentiment. Just in the 50 or so pieces we published this year about the weekly Bonner County board of commissioners meetings, headlines included terms like “hostilities,” “battle,” “concerns,” “serious concerns,” “infighting,” “controversy,” “tensions,” “drama,” “boiling point,” “spar,” “hotly debated,” “contested” and “tussle.”

The mood surrounding — or directed at — City Hall has been likewise, though slightly less so, prickly coming from the public. Following that, one of our biggest stories came at the 11th hour, with the announcement dated Dec. 21 by Sandpoint City Administrator Jennifer Stapleton that she would resign from her position, effective Wednesday, Jan. 3. We’ll save that one for Page 4 of this week’s paper, since we’re only now reporting it.

So let’s dive in.

Board of Bonner County chaos The current BOCC, which includes Commissioners Steve Bradshaw, Luke Omodt and Asia Williams, came in like a lion in January 2023. For example, for14 / R / December 28, 2023

and outright malfeasance that have been flung in various directions from and toward the Fair Board, BOCC, Clerk’s Office, Prosecutor’s Office and Sheriff’s Office on everything from financial auditing to public records handling to Robert’s Rules of Order (not to mention numerous lawsuits, an unsuccessful censure of Omodt and Bradshaw by the Bonner County Republican Central Committee, and even a protective order granted to Williams against Bradshaw for a threat of physical harm), and you have the ingredients for our current stew of dysfunction.

We’ll leave the predictions for how this all might play out to a future article; but, for now, it’s a mess so messy that I want to take a shower after even summarizing it.

Above: Two “Retroactive” comics from 2023 by Ben Olson illustrate some of the pushback feelings over a variety of issues in Bonner County, including the chaos at weekly Bonner County board of commissioners meetings and the return of “The Curve.” mer-News Editor Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey wrote on Jan. 26 about “one of the longest and most well-attended Tuesday business meetings in recent memory,” which has turned out to be a major trend. The issue that riled everyone up then is still one that animates a lot of emotion and conflict about a year later: open meeting procedures and public comment.

As recently as the Dec. 21 edition of the Reader, we had yet another article about public comment and how commissioners’ meetings are conducted, with current Chair Omodt laying down 10 rules that are intended to keep the peace. The reasons why this has been felt necessary are too numerous and detailed to adequately unfold here, but the shorthand explanation is that our current commissioners get along like a literal house on fire — that is, a structural blaze — and there are a few dozen county residents whose sole purpose in life, at least on Tuesday mornings, seems to be to pour fuel on it.

Again: The situation is too complex for this space, but we feel pretty confident in summarizing it as a battle of wills pitting Omodt and Bradshaw against Williams, with the former framing their stance as keeping the “business” in “business meetings” and the latter crusading for what she phrases as “transparency” and accountability. Behind them are certain elements of the county bureaucracy, alternately fighting for power and attempting to keep their names

out of lawsuits, as well as county political factions that have myriad interests in keeping “their” people or person at the helm.

Among the many issues animating that battle is the ongoing fallout from an investigation into alleged fraudulent financial practices at the Bonner County Fairgrounds, during the onset of which the former-fair director, Darcey Smith, apparently took her own life in October 2022.

The fairgrounds and its managing body the Fair Board have been at the center of much of the county’s politics for more than a year, dating back to what many have described as a “land war” over a portion of the property that Bonner County Sheriff Daryl Wheeler thinks has been, and should be, earmarked for expansion of the justice center. Others have argued that it could and should be put to use as an ice rink (that idea has passed into history) or, more recently, an RV park.

The latter idea also seems to have been put on the shelf, in large part because of the utter chaos at the county administration building scaring off the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation, which had extended a grant opportunity to the county for pursuing the RV park concept, but pulled it back, citing “serious concerns” about the county’s ability to actually pull off the project given its incessant infighting.

Layer onto that the accusations and counter-accusations of dereliction of duty

Designing downtown The unease and downright unrest at the county has been mirrored in a somewhat more minor form at Sandpoint City Hall over the past year, with citizens butting heads with elected officials and staff — rather than electeds and staff going to battle with each other — over ideas of public involvement, transparency, accountability and the unsettling sense that growth and development have been allowed to run amok through a pattern of bureaucratic mission creep that many argue has put the city out of touch with its residents.

As with the county, the parts and pieces that go into this sentiment are too various to examine in full, but one mounting community issue started with the city’s longtime goal of managing stormwater on the west bank of Sand Creek, which over time morphed into a full-scale redevelopment of the entire downtown core, resulting in an expensive “design competition” that even its supporters on the council came to question at its conclusion in the fall. The winning team’s concept delivered a bunch of colorful images of future Sandpoint and the recommendation to do some more study on code changes.

“Further study? … [T]he deliverable we expected was language” to be adopted in code, Councilor Jason Welker said in October 2023, later adding, “We could do this ourselves, why do we need another study?”

City Administrator Jennifer Stapleton and Don Stastny — an architect from Portland, Ore., contracted by the city to run the project — both reiterated that the design competition was intended to be a “framework” for further discussion about how to

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redevelop downtown, and meant to provide a “vision” that could inspire future discussion and provide clarity for developers. Not before dividing public opinion on its many aspects, which more than a few residents considered “over the top” in terms of scale and general grandiosity.

Lifelong Sandpoint resident, retired Sandpoint city clerk and former councilor Helen Newton summed up the feelings of many in the community on the usefulness of the design competition, when she said in November, “I do not give two hoots about accommodating the economic feasibility for developers and I don’t think the City Council should either.”

to avoid exposure to the novel coronavirus.

Ultimately, the city heard what its citizens were saying and backed away from the Curve concept, deciding in April to go with a less dramatic option for improving traffic flow on U.S. 2, Pine Street, Superior Street and First Avenue. As of today, the idea is to realign Pine back to two-way traffic; move the signal from Church Street to the intersection of Fifth Avenue and Pine; and eliminate truck routes on Pine, First and Superior.

Despite that course correction, the sense of disconnection with City Hall felt by some vocal members of the community continued, with yet more civic controversies to come.

A Curveball Another municipal tempest kicked up in the spring when the city of Sandpoint highlighted concepts in the Multimodal Transportation Master Plan — adopted in 2021 amid the COVID-19 pandemic — that envisioned an “East-West Connection,” realigning U.S. Highway 2 to provide a direct connection from a new intersection east of where Pine Street and Boyer Avenue currently meet, then north along the former railroad right of way, and joining U.S. 95 at Fifth Avenue and Cedar Street.

Longtime locals remembered a similar idea nicknamed “the Curve,” which was shot down by the community more than 10 years ago, and seeing it return in 2023 elicited widespread opposition. So much so that the Reader hosted a public town hall meeting on the topic at the East Bonner County Library Sandpoint branch in March, to which about 100 residents showed up — the vast majority expressing deep concern about the potential impacts of the highway realignment and widening.

Shot through the pushback directed at the reanimated Curve was the sense among many in the public that they hadn’t been adequately consulted about the concept being included in the transportation master plan — nor that they’d been fully in the loop on the plan itself, having gone through the approval process during a time when most people were hunkered down in their homes

Throwing the babies out with the bathwater State and federal politics have also had dramatic effects on local goings on, most notably with hardline legislation banning almost all abortions in Idaho in the wake of the 2022 U.S. Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade and its constitutional guarantee of access to abortion.

Almost immediately after the federal ruling, Idaho and other ultra-conservative states put into place “trigger laws” that dramatically curtailed access to abortion, with Dist. 1 Republican Sen. Scott Herndon positioned as among the most committed anti-abortion lawmakers in the state.

The Idaho Supreme Court in January 2023 ruled the trigger laws to be constitutional and, in March, Bonner General Hospital announced that because of the “legal and political climate” in the state, it couldn’t attract or retain qualified physicians to work in its labor and delivery services.

That news hit Bonner County residents hard, and drew national and international headlines.

“Highly respected, talented physicians are leaving. Recruiting replacements will be extraordinarily difficult. In addition, the Idaho Legislature continues to introduce and pass bills that criminalize physicians for medical care nationally recognized as the standard of care,” the hospital stated in a March 17 news release. “Consequences for Idaho physicians

providing the standard of care may include civil litigation and criminal prosecution, leading to jail time or fines.”

Regional hospitals pledged their support, offering to take patients from BGH’s service area in need of labor, delivery and general obstetrics procedures.

Beyond the immediate, potentially life-threatening lack of critical services, the news also affected residents emotionally, realizing that for the first time in anyone’s living memory, Idaho politics had made it so that no babies would be born at the local hospital.

The culture wars come for the library While the culture wars played havoc with local health care institutions, they also threatened local institutions of learning with a hotly contested race for the East Bonner County Library Board of Trustees that drew one candidate whose campaign centered on eliminating so-called “obscenity” from library materials.

Challenger Stacy Rodriguez, a lawyer who moved from San Diego in 2016, raised eyebrows in April when she spoke at a candidates’ forum at the Sandpoint library where she said that “things at the library” “reflected a one-sided political agenda, one that doesn’t match the values held by most of Bonner County’s voters.”

Specifically, she said that “progressive themes” prevailed, and “rarely did I see a display that showed a conservative author that talked about conservative viewpoints.”

What’s more, she alleged that the library housed “obscene material” used to “cudgel and to sexualize children” under the “radical dictates” of the American Library Association and its “Marxist lesbian” leader.

Rodriguez also opined on the definition of a “drag queen,” claiming that “a grown man who wants to dress as a woman” is “not transgender usually because they still have a package,” and suggesting that Shea favored bringing “drag queens” to the library.

Finally, in a particularly despicable statement, Rodriguez also suggested that Shea supported putting “stripper poles” in the

Left: Locals show their support for pro-choice legislation after Bonner General Health announced it would discontinue OBGYN and prenatal services.

Courtesy photo.

Right: Branden Durst prepares for an interview with the press at a West Bonner County School District board meeting in September. Photo by Ben Olson. library, which of course the latter did not.

About a week before the May 17 election, the library filed a report with Sandpoint police citing an online threat to staff over supposed “obscene” materials being allegedly made available to minors. That uproar followed Idaho Gov. Brad Little’s veto of House Bill 314, which put in place penalties for libraries and library staff found to have made such material available, and the unsuccessful attempt by conservative legislators to overturn the governor’s kibosh.

Amid all that, and despite a vigorous and highly visible campaign by Rodriguez, voters pushed back and incumbent Susan Shea retained her seat with a whopping 59% of the vote in the May 2023 election.

Big politics in West Bonner County Another right-wing politician made big news for trying — and failing — to hijack a local learning institution, with the saga of the West Bonner County School District’s ill-advised hiring of unqualified former lawmaker and one-time Idaho Freedom Foundation “education policy analyst” Branden Durst, sometimes of Boise, to serve as superintendent.

Durst started out his political life as a Democratic legislator in the capital, but switched to the GOP and continued to grow more hardcore in his conservatism over the years, including a failed run for state superintendent of public instruction in 2022.

His hiring by the WBCSD Board of Trustees in June 2023 — over the more qualified Susan Luckey, who had served as an educator and administrator in the district for decades, including as interim superintendent since 2022 — drew howls of opposition from patrons of the district.

Those howls turned into a dramatic

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December 28, 2023 / R / 15

< REVIEW, con’t from Page 15 > organized opposition that united residents from across the political spectrum, who all agreed that Durst had no business running their schools and, furthermore, that two of the trustees who advocated for him should be removed from their seats on the board.

Board Chair Keith Rutledge and ViceChair Susan Brown both found their names on a recall petition that turned into a ballot measure in a special election in August 2023, in which they were resoundingly turned out from their positions by far wider margins than elected them in the first place.

About a month later and on the tail of numerous highly charged public meetings, Durst announced he would seek an “amicable and fair exit” from the job, which he’d spent the previous several months trying to negotiate into the sweetest deal possible — from a hefty six-figure salary to mileage reimbursements, housing and relocation money, the option to do sideline work as a speaker and legal coverage for his wife, to free lunches at all the district schools and other contract items that onlookers around the state considered outlandish, especially considering that he lacked a critical qualification for the position: that of actually having worked in a classroom.

Those in the “Recall, Replace, Rebuild” effort who managed to oust Rutledge and Brown, and ultimately pave the way for Durst’s departure, celebrated their victories. Just before the November election, the board hired Joe Kren as interim superintendent and appointed Paul Turco and Ann Yount to the board. At the polls, however, incumbent Trustee Margaret Hall — who had been an opponent of Durst’s hiring — retained her seat while fellow anti-Durst Trustee Carlyn Barton lost to challenger Kathy Nash. Incumbent Troy Reinbold, who had supported Durst when he actually attended meetings, also won reelection.

In the meantime, the hubbub in West Bonner has made big waves as far afield and as recently as the Dec. 11 edition of Vanity Fair.

Travers Aparkalypse and the 2023 city election Another major project grabbed the public’s attention in the form of the James E. Russell Sports Center — an indoor tennis and pickleball facility made possible by a $7.5 million gift from the Russell family in 2022 — which the city of Sandpoint broke ground on in October amid vigorous protests by citizens who objected to its location at Travers Park, necessitating the removal of dozens of mature shade trees. (Though with replacements to be planted.)

A handful of residents were so angered by the city’s decision to cut down the trees and relocate the playground at the park in favor of the facility, that they chained themselves to a willow tree for a week in opposition. The groundbreaking ceremony 16 / R / December 28, 2023

took place anyway in mid-October, with the protesters (including members of the Travers family) being moved to an area in the parking lot behind a chain-link fence, where they chanted and generally made their displeasure known.

City officials stated repeatedly that the public had ample opportunity to sound off on the Russell facility’s location in the 18 months prior to groundbreaking. However, Councilor Andy Groat had an 11th-hour change of heart, stating that he regretted his decision to vote in favor of locating the facility at Travers Park because he hadn’t been aware at the time of the long and personal association of the Travers family with the park that bears their name.

“Is this body willing to reconsider?” he asked the council Oct. 19, referring to selecting another, less sensitive location for the sports center.

Noting that he did not expect the body to go back on its decision, Groat then resigned mid-meeting.

That left a vacant seat, which the council didn’t fill ahead of the 2023 election, in which Groat hadn’t planned to run.

That election turned out to be something of a referendum on the direction of city leadership, with former City Planner Jeremy Grimm handily winning the race for mayor over outgoing City Council President Kate McAlister, and Pam Duquette and Kyle Schreiber both winning council seats on a shared platform of increasing citizen involvement and participation with city decisions. In candidates’ forums and questionnaires, Grimm, Duquette and Schreiber all indicated that they would also like to see the position of city administrator eliminated in favor of a return to department heads under the direct management of the mayor and council, which the city moved away from in 2015 with the hiring of Stapleton to fill the role. (Again: See Page 4.)

Councilor Deb Ruehle retained her seat, which means the council will consist of incumbents Joel Aispuro, Justin Dick, Duquette, Ruehle, Schreiber and Welker beginning in January 2024. Current Mayor Shelby Rognstad decided not to run for a third term.

Lightning round We could go on and on (and have), but there’s only so much retrospection that anyone can bear, and I’m about ready for a long winter’s nap after this exercise. However, there are a few other stories from 2023 that bear mentioning.

First of all, there was the huge news in early June that Alterra Mountain Company would purchase Schweitzer — signaling a major development not only for Sandpoint’s signature piece of property, but representing a power play between mega resort conglomerates Alterra and Vail Resorts, which through their holdings and Ikon and Epic passes (respectively) have “turned the ski industry into a duopoly,” Powder Magazine wrote in 2018.

Meanwhile, Schweitzer has undertaken

a range of developments and improvements for the 2023 season and beyond, including a new high-speed detachable quad, which marks the first phase of the new Schweitzer Creek Village project. That larger effort will include a 1,400-space parking lodge, day lodge, improved access to the mountain, and expanded beginner and intermediate terrain. In addition, the mountain welcomed the Cambium Spa to its offerings, and celebrated a new employee housing project representing a $22 million investment.

One thing’s for certain going into 2024: Schweitzer has moved to a new elevation.

Another community icon underwent a profound change in 2023, with the announcement in late July that the Festival at Sandpoint would retire its famous big white tent in favor of a pop-up stage venue. The reason for that: The dual-peaked tensile fabric tent had outlived its useful life, in large part because technology had improved and made the system unsafe. In short, if even one of the cables had snapped, it would have been a disaster.

No matter, festival goers and organizers alike reported a successful 2023 concert series — more than that, a record-breaking season for attendance and revenues, which go to support the nonprofit organizations year-round arts programs.

In other Festival news, earlier this summer the benighted gun suit finally, finally ended, putting to a close a yearslong legal battle over whether the organization could ban weapons from publicly owned War Memorial Field, which it leases from the city. The kerfuffle started in 2019 when now-Sen. Herndon and fellow county resident Jeff Avery tried to get into the Festival with their sidearms. They were told to leave their guns in their vehicles or be trespassed,

Molly McCahon chained herself to a willow tree at Travers Park for several days to protest the city of Sandpoint’s decision to cut down 20 mature trees for the installation of a new indoor sports complex for pickleball and tennis players. Photo by Ben Olson. triggering (so to speak) a whole heap of legal challenges on which we’ve already expended tens of thousands of words.

Super long story short: The Idaho Supreme Court on June 22 dismissed an appeal from Herndon, upholding what the city of Sandpoint had been saying all along, that the power and responsibility to manage the field rested with the Festival as a lessee, and any prohibition on weapons came from the organization, not City Hall, and therefore did not violate Idaho’s firearms preemption law.

Meanwhile, we all got to learn an awful lot about Idaho lease and firearms laws, and spend a couple hundred thousand dollars of tax money so various lawyers could get some practice in the courtroom.

Beyond all that, we had another year of goose hunting at Sandpoint City Beach (though as of press time it’s unclear how the 2023 hunt went), which included all the pushback that anything related to the Canada goose population in Sandpoint elicits; the second train bridge opened over Lake Pend Oreille; and residents got up in arms about big developments throughout the county, including one at Trestle Creek, where the Idaho Club is angling to build luxury homes and a community dock, which opponents claim will threaten sensitive bull trout populations and supporters say will actually help the fish.

How any of that shakes out is anyone’s guess. In the meantime, have a happy new year and here’s to another 12 months of “interesting times.”

FOOD & DRINK

HappyMocktail Faux Year recipes for those going on the wagon in 2024

By Ben Olson Reader Staff With New Year’s resolutions on a lot of our minds, it’s inevitable that some may try to go off the hard stuff in 2024, whether for good or a period of time. It’s always great to prove that our less-than-healthy habits don’t rule our lives.

With that in mind, here are a handful of mocktails to spirit you into the New Year:

Fill a glass with ice and pour in a pomegranate-flavored soda to about ¾ full.

Hansen’s used to make a lovely one, but Super 1 stopped carrying it. Winter Ridge sells Izze brand pomegranate drinks and San Pelligrino also has that flavor in its lineup. Next, add a splash of orange juice and a drizzle of Luxardo maraschino cherry juice (this replaces the red wine to give the drink some color) and plop in a cherry.

Lemon lavender mocktini

Crodino spritz

Frosty the Lemonade

cranberry juice. Let sit in the fridge for a couple hours to let flavors mingle and chill.

Add cold ginger ale and serve immediately.

Blueberry Moscow mule mocktail

The leaded version of this drink is known as an Aperol spritz. It’s a bubbly, refreshing drink that tastes like Italy in the summertime. The alcohol-free version is called a Crodino spritz.

It has the same sunset orange color and refreshingly bittersweet flavor profile, but you can drink several and still operate a vehicle. If you can’t find Crodino, a decent alternative is San Bitter from San Pellegrino, or any Italian soda with a bitter taste.

Fill a serving glass with ice cubes and pour the Crodino into the glass until about halfway full. Add tonic water and some freshly squeezed orange and lemon juice.

Add sparkling water for effervescence. Stir with a spoon and garnish with a slice of fresh orange and mint leaves.

Wine-free spritzer This is a drink my partner and I developed to drink on hot days camping in the woods. The version we make has red wine added, but you can make a N.A. drink out of it that tastes just as good.

This refreshing, not-too-sweet drink combines the lemon zest with the earthy goodness of lavender. It requires lavender simple syrup, which you can make by combining ½ cup water, ½ cup sugar and 1 tbsp dried lavender in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then turn off the heat and let mixture cool in the pan before straining out the lavender. Combine in a shaker with ice, ¼ cup of fresh lemon juice, 1 ½ tbsp of lavender simple syrup, ¼ tsp grenadine and three dashes of bitters. Shake until cold and top off with club soda. Garnish with fresh lavender. If you add a drop of Luxardo juice, it will add a touch of purple to the drink.

Pineapple-mint mojito mocktail This is a great fauxito for those who love the island flavors, but don’t want the hangover.

In a cocktail shaker, muddle mint leaves with simple syrup or sugar. Add ¼ cup pineapple juice, 1 juiced lime and ice, shake vigorously and strain into a tall glass filled with ice. Top with club soda. Garnish with a sprig of mint or a slice of fresh pineapple if you have some on hand.

Is it a shake? Is it a smoothie? No, it’s Frosty the Lemonade. This concoction is fun for the whole family.

Place ½ cup fresh lemon juice and ½ cup sugar in a pitcher until the sugar is fully dissolved. Add 2 cups of water to dilute and chill. Place the lemonade mixture into a blender, add 6 cups vanilla ice cream and blend until smooth. Garnish with slices of lemon. This is a recipe for 3-4 drinks, so reduce by half if it’s just you and a friend.

Mock winter sangria Sangria is a wonderful concoction from Latin countries that combines wine and fruit, but you can make it all alcohol-free with this recipe.

Combine the following ingredients into a large pitcher: 1 diced pear, 1 sliced orange, 1 cup fresh cranberries, ¼ cup fresh raspberries, 2 cups pineapple juice and 2 cups

While many Russians would give you the side-eye if you give them a drink sans vodka, this isn’t Russia and we’ll do what we want, spasibo very much.

Add ¼ cup fresh blueberries to a shaker with ½ lime-worth of wedges and 1 tsp sugar. Muddle and transfer the blueberry mixture to a copper mug with fresh ice.

Pour in ginger beer and stir. Garnish with fresh blueberries on a skewer resting on top and a wedge of lime.

December 28, 2023 / R / 17

events

STAGE & SCREEN

Send event listings to calendar@sandpointreader.com December 28, 2023 - January 4, 2024 THURSDAY, december 28 Happy Hour at Matchwood 4:30-5:30pm @ Matchwood Join family and friends at Matchwood Brewing for happy hour. Live music with Buster Brown and shareable platter

Sushi Rolling and Saketini Pairing with My Sushi Sensei Game Night 6-8pm @ The Hive 7pm @ Tervan Tavern Bingo night Join My Sushi Sensei owner Isaac Cunnington for a special 2-hour 6-8pm @ Idaho Pour Authority rolling experience where you’ll learn the tricks of the trade, paired with saketinis and a curated cocktail menu. Come hungry! $100/person includes everything you need for the class plus an alcoholic beverage.

Come with a group or solo and we’ll partner you with a group. 21+

Live Music w/ Harold’s IGA 6:30-9:30pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall Indie rock originals and covers Live Music w/ Truck Mills 6-8pm @ Idaho Pour Authority

FriDAY, december 29

Live Stand Up Comedy with Ben Burke 7pm @ Connie’s Lounge

Nearly New Year’s Night 1: The Last Revel 9:30pm @ The Hive See Page 21 for more information

Live Music w/ Weibe Jammin’ 5-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery Pop, rock and looped sounds Live Music w/ Headwaters 5pm @ Matchwood Brewing Co. Mountain string music Karaoke 8pm @ Tervan Tavern Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday

Live Music w/ Doug and Marty 6-9pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall Rock / bluegrass local duo

Live Music w/ Two Girls One Problem 6-8pm @ Idaho Pour Authority Featuring Rosa Fosselman & Cadence Knepper

NYE Music w/ Benny Baker 7pm @ Connie’s Lounge Live Music w/ Justin Lantrip 6-8pm @ Idaho Pour Authority Magic with Star Alexander 5-8pm @ Jalepeño’s Up close magic shows at the table

NYE Party w/ Nights of Neon 7pm @ Eichardt’s Pub Tickets available at Eichardt’s Sandpoint Chess Club 9am @ Evans Brothers Coffee Meets every Sunday at 9am

Fresh Pop-Up Event 7-11pm @ Bluebird Bakery Natural wine flights paired with amazing food by Alana Joy (founding chef at The Bank)

SATURDAY, december 30

Sandpoint Christmas Bird Count All birding levels welcome. Contact Rich Del Carlo for more info: 208-290-1405 Legally Blond The Musical Auditions Nearly New Year’s Night 2: The Rub 6-9pm @ EnVision Center 9pm @ The Hive Live Music w/ The Sevens This ensemble leans deep into focused show8-10pm @ Baxter’s on Cedar manship and spot-on covers of all your favorites.

Dinner specials until 8, drink Tickets $15/$20, doors at 7pm, show at 9pm. 21+ specials until 10 Live Music w/ Stoney Holiday 8:30-11:30pm @ Eichardt’s Pub $10 cover

Live Music w/ Steven Wayne 7-9pm @ The Back Door

New Years Eve Eve Dance 7-10pm @ Sandpoint Comm. Hall Starts with 1-hour basics of nightclub twostep lesson, followed by general dancing from 8-10pm. All levels of dancer welcome. $8/each Live Music w/ Kristy-O of Bomshel 5-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery Sandpoint local Kristy Osmunson returns from Nashville to play hits from her band Bomshel, which has landed on the Country Top 40 with several singles. There will be fiddle

SunDAY, december 31

NYE Music w/ Jason Perry Band Taps New Year’s Eve 9pm-midnight @ 219 Lounge For tickets and info: schweitzer.com Matchwood Brewing’s annual New York New Year’s Eve @ Matchwood Brewing Company A free beer toast at 9pm PST alongside a livestream of New York’s countdown and ball drop. Drink specials and a NY strip steak food special. Free, first-come, first-serve. No RSVP needed

monDAY, January 1

Monday Night Blues Jam w/ John Firshi Outdoor Experience Group Run Trivia Night 7pm @ Eichardt’s Pub 6-8pm @ Idaho Pour Authority 6pm @ Outdoor Experience 3-5 miles, all levels welcome Polar Plunge 11am-12pm @ Sandpoint City Beach The time-honored tradition of jumping in frigid water on New Year’s Day is here again. Are you tough enough? Sponsored by Boy Scout Troop No. 111. Food donations accepted for Food Bank

tuesDAY, January 2

Tipsy Trivia Tuesday • 5:30-7:30pm @ The Back Door Every Tuesday. First glass regular price, second glass only $5

wednesDAY, January 3 Legally Blond The Musical Auditions 6-9pm @ EnVision Center 18 / R / December 28, 2023

ThursDAY, January 4 Legally Blond The Musical Auditions 6-9pm @ EnVision Center Come audition for LPO Rep’s spring 2024 production of Legally Blonde The Musical, held at the Community Resource EnvVision Center

Bingo night Game Night 6-8pm @ Idaho Pour Authority 7pm @ Tervan Tavern

LPO Repertory Theatre holds auditions for Legally Blonde: The Musical

By Soncirey Mitchell Reader Staff

Lake Pend Oreille Repertory Theatre hosts general auditions for its main-stage production of Legally Blonde: The Musical on Saturday, Dec. 30 and Wednesday-Friday, Jan. 3-5 from 6-9 p.m. at the Community Resource EnVision Center (130 McGhee Road, Ste. 220, in Sandpoint).

This Broadway take on the comedic classic starring Reese Witherspoon features a variety of roles — both with and without singing and dancing — suitable for ages 14 and older.

“Overall, we’re looking for seven female leads and five male leads — although we’re open to gender-blind casting, depending on the role,” said Music Director Katie Skidmore, adding that there are many more supporting roles.

Performers should prepare a one-minute monologue and 60-second, or 32-bar, song.

“This show is so great because even with all the upbeat numbers, comedy bits and throwbacks to the movie, there’s also an important message: Give yourself permission to be your authentic self, even if your authentic self might not be what others expect,” said Skidmore.

For more information, visit: lporep.com.

STAGE & SCREEN

2023 on the big screen

A roundup of some of the highlights of the year in film

By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff Even if my only job at the Reader was to watch movies and TV series, there would be no way to catch them all. I only saw about 20 of the more than 1,000 films released in 2023 — at least according to IMdb.com — but, as the film review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes tells me, a good proportion of them were among the best of the year.

One of the highlights included M3GAN, a techno-horror movie about an artificially intelligent doll that goes murderously haywire as it tries to “protect” the real-life little girl it has been programmed to serve as a companion.

That premise might sound threadbare, but dark ruminations on the role of hyper-aware technology are vital right now, and M3GAN had the bonus of featuring stellar performances and an utterly convincing antagonist.

I also managed to see John Wick: Chapter 4, though only because my wife has a medium-sized obsession with the series and its title character, played by Keeanu Reeves. The setup is straightforward: an assassin lays waste to an ever-expanding circle of bad guys who have done him dirty on every level — including killing his beloved dog. It’s a smorgas-

bord of glorious fight and chase scenes, with Reeves doing what he does best (and it’s not necessarily dialogue).

Among my favorite experiences at the theater in 2023 were with my kids. The first came in March, when we took in Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, which as I wrote in a review in the spring, was one of the purest, goofiest, slap-happiest swordsand-sorcery adventure flicks I’ve seen this side of the late-1980s.

My 11-year-old son and I had an equally enjoyable time in the summer watching Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. The (supposed) final installment in the decades-long Indiana Jones franchise with Harrison Ford at its center, the Dial of Destiny puts the titular bad-boy archaeologist in some of his strangest scenarios to date, literally.

As for further family viewing, we also caught The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Spiderman: Across the Spider-Verse and Haunted Mansion.

Of those, Super Mario Bros. fell the most flat with us. It turns out that no amount of animated kiddie-pop song-and-dance can cover up for the fact that a full film about a really old Nintendo game just doesn’t have much mental caloric content.

The third installment of the Guardians of the Galaxy movies also didn’t land too well (at least with my young viewers), who were put off (as was I) by the uncharacteristically grumpy mood of the film and often alarming forays into disturbing images of animal abuse. We’re no prudes, but very little of the humor, vim and heart — especially of the first film — were to be had in the 2023 iteration. Even the soundtrack eschewed the poprock bangers of the ’70s and ’80s for a more angsty, even dour selection of grungy and borderline emo ’90s tunes.

Haunted Mansion was so-so — not unlike the thin source material, stemming from a pretty lackluster ride at Disneyland, so Spiderman: Across the Spider-Verse therefore represented the biggest hit among my focus group, with its dimension hopping action and host of endearing protagonists.

Now, here comes my big confession: I didn’t get a chance to see Barbie. My wife and kids did, and all thought it was great, which based on what I’ve been able to absorb from other reviews and cultural reactions tells me that it probably was/still is great. If Ben Shapiro hated it and my kids liked it, I know where I’m probably going to stand, too.

I don’t just watch movies with

my kids, though, so I saw a handful of other flicks that stood out to me during the year. Among them was Asteroid City, from auteur Wes Anderson, which I am sad to report I found far too twee to fully recommend.

But, because you can’t mention Barbie without bringing up Oppenheimer, I will note that I did see the latter. I’m not sure exactly what I was expecting of it, and I’m still not sure what I eventually gleaned from the experience. I will jump on the bandwagon and say Cillian Murphy should and probably will get an Oscar for his performance as the eponymous scientist, often described as the “father of the atomic bomb.” His masterful capturing of the deep complexity of both the times and the man who helped animate them is going to go down as one of the great roles in film history. And much of the same can be said for Robert Downey Jr., whose turn as the conniving antagonist is clearly his best work since Chaplin in 1992.

I also deeply admired Joaquin Phoenix in his role as another figure of world-historical importance in Napoleon and, when you think about it, both Oppenheimer and Napoleon had a more-thanpassing resemblance. Both central characters were as profoundly flawed as they were brilliant, both

found themselves (or thrust themselves) in the midst of radically transformative time periods and both of their legacies are fraught, to say the least. Heroes or villains? It depends on who you ask; but, again, there’s going to be a Murphy-Phoenix faceoff at the Academy Awards.

While I had great appreciation for both those big-budget, blockbuster spectacles, I have to submit that my favorite film of the year focused on a character from history was El Conde (“The Count”), the Chilean Spanish-language comedy horror movie that imagines the late-dictator Augusto Pinochet as a centuries-old vampire whose vileness is only rivaled by the bloodsuckers in his own household.

There were other movies in 2023 that caught my eye, including the guilty pleasures of Renfield, starring a particularly unhinged Nicolas Cage; The Meg 2: The Trench, with Jason Statham doing battle with a series of prehistoric megalodon sharks; and The Pope’s Exorcist, a pretty darn good horror-drama/conspiracy film starring Russell Crowe. Get out the popcorn for those ones.

All in all, it was a helluva year at the movies, and here’s wishing for continued happy viewing in 2024.

December 28, 2023 / R / 19

FOOD

The Sandpoint Eater Aw shucks

By Marcia Pilgeram Reader Columnist

I was raised a middle-class Irish Catholic, but my grandmother Irma (Gram) still laid some pretty lovely food on our holiday table, and one of my favorite food memories is supping buttery, creamy oyster stew on Christmas Eve. Those bivalves were not of the fresh variety but came to us in small, shelf-stable tins as Blue Cove Oysters. Then, I couldn’t imagine anything more delicious.

After opening the can, Gram would drain the juice in a saucepan, to which she added heavy cream and placed it on the stove at a low simmer. After the liquids were reduced and steaming hot, she’d add the oysters, salt and pepper, and loads of butter. When I was young, I was a bit tentative about eating the oysters, but it didn’t stop me from slurping up more than my share of the luxuriously rich liquid that bathed them.

Earlier this month, I was in France, where you’ll find fresh oyster stalls at every Christmas market and featured in every restaurant. Like me, Parisians are crazy for fresh oysters (half of them eaten in France are consumed between Christmas and New Year’s), so it seemed a likely place to purchase a sturdy new oyster knife. At the boutique culinary shop, E. Dehillerin, there were more than a dozen knives from which to choose. I speak no French, and with his limited English, the clerk helped me select a sleek steel knife with a sturdy 20 / R / December 28, 2023

wooden handle. With great anticipation of the upcoming holidays, I could hardly wait to get it home.

I’m so grateful that Gram introduced me to holiday oysters; they’ve been a tradition for our family ever since.

We’re fortunate to be somewhat close to the coast, and we can have an excellent shipment of Washington or Oregon oysters delivered fresh on ice within a day or two of ordering. I usually choose a variety; the smallest will get shucked to be eaten fresh on their half shell, and the larger ones are shucked and saved for classic Oysters Rockefeller.

The original recipe for Oysters Rockefeller was created in 1889, far from the Pacific

Coast, at the iconic Antoine’s Restaurant in New Orleans.

It soon became synonymous with indulgence and festive gatherings.

According to legend, toward the end of the 19th century, Antoine’s was under the leadership of second-generation owner Jules Alciatore. Seeking to create a luxurious and distinctive dish, Jules drew inspiration from France’s popular escargot, and Oysters Rockefeller was born, replacing hard-to-comeby snails with luscious Gulf oysters. Jules infused the dish with rich flavors like butter, garlic and green herbs.

The recipe for Oysters Rockefeller remains a secret at fifth-generation-owned Antoine’s, the oldest restaurant

in New Orleans. The dish is shrouded in mystery and tradition, though it always features oysters on the half shell, topped with a lush, verdant mixture of finely chopped herbs such as parsley, green onions and celery. The pièce de résistance is the creamy sauce pooled around the oyster.

New Year’s Eve, synonymous with grand celebrations, became the perfect stage for Oysters Rockefeller. The dish’s association with this festive occasion lies not only in its luxurious ingredients and decadent preparation, but also in the traditions that families create around it. (I’m not even sure where my Montana family originally sourced oysters for this dish — maybe they came

Oysters Rockefeller

from a can, too!)

I hope as we raise and clink our glasses this week to welcome the new year, the richness of family and friendships, and great food and drink, will serve as a reminder of the importance of savoring life’s indulgences with those we love.

My recipe for these savory oysters is not secret, so whether embracing loving family traditions or creating new ones, you don’t need to be rich or a Rockefeller to enjoy this timeless holiday classic. So please share a platter of Oysters Rockefeller with your loved ones as we wave farewell to the old year and greet the new one with joyous anticipation.

Cheers!

Serves 8-10 people

This dish is rich and decadent; serve with brut Champagne.

Many recipes call for spinach, I prefer green kale as it gives the mixture more dimension in the shell.

INGREDIENTS: • 1 bunch green onions, finely minced, using top ⅓ of the greens • ½ cup butter, cubed • 1 tbs fresh parsley, minced • 1 cup finely chopped green kale • 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese • 1 tablespoon lemon juice • ⅛ teaspoon white pepper • 3 dozen medium-sized fresh oysters in the shell, washed (before shucking) • 2 pounds kosher salt

DIRECTIONS: In a large skillet, saute onion in butter until tender. Add kale and parsley, stir and cook until wilted.

Remove from the heat; when cool, stir in cheese, lemon juice and pepper.

Line 2 sheet pans with foil and cover/spread with a layer of kosher salt. Shuck the oysters, carefully reserving the liquid in the bottom shell. Lightly press half the oyster shells, per pan, down into the salt to keep them level.

Top each oyster with 2 tsp of the t mixture.

Bake, uncovered, in preheated oven, at 450° F 6-8 minutes. Oysters should be plump and fragrant.

Don’t overcook! Garnish with lemon wedges and fresh kale. Serve immediately.

MUSIC

RevelAmericana in the sound trio The Last Revel to play The Hive Vincenzio “Vinnie” Donatelle employ refreshing three-part harmonies layered atop their combination of acoustic guitar, upright It’s a glorious time to be bass, fiddle and five-string banjo. a musician. Gone is the strict Their songs are approachable adherence to genres and narrow and catchy, walking the line becreative lanes, replaced with the tween genres with confidence. realization that performers can “When we first started, it felt make whatever type of music like people didn’t know how to that strikes their fancy. label us in the sphere of AmeriMinneapolis trio The Last cana music — too indie for blueRevel is set to bring its unique grass, too bluegrass for indie,” musical offerings to The Hive’s Acker said.

“But now I feel that Nearly New Year’s Weekend people are way more accepting presented by Ting Internet at of bands that sit between two 9:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 29. unique genres.”

“I think the entire music While the band began in Minindustry is a genre melting pot nesota, the pandemic ended up going on right now and music scattering the members around fans expect and appreciate it,” the country for a few years, band member Ryan Acker told which Acker said has its advanthe Reader. “No one is sticking tages and disadvantages. to their lanes anymore, and I “One major benefit of living think it creates a much healthier in separate locations is managand creative music scene.” ing touring logistics,” he said.

According to Acker, the “Usually a tour band’s sound has start in one always been a Nearly New Year’s will of our home basunique blend of Weekend with es so it’s hugely bluegrass, AmerThe Last Revel beneficial having icana and indie transportation and Friday, Dec. 29, doors at 7 rock, drawing inp.m., Buster Brown opening at housing resources fluence from their 8:30 p.m., show at 9:30 p.m., already in place.” salt-of-the-Earth $15/$20. Presented by Ting After a fiveInternet. The Hive, 207 N. First Midwest ethos. year hiatus, The Ave., livefromthehive.com. Listen Acker, along at thelastrevel.com.

Last Revel decidwith bandmates ed to start playing Lee Henke and

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

If you’re looking for the party, you’ve found it. Whether playing solo, with the Evergreen Afrodub Orchestra or with his funk quartet, Spokane’s Jason Perry knows how to get a crowd on its feet.

The Jason Perry Band will play a New Year’s Eve show at the Niner, bringing its brand of funk and neo-soul into the new year. With a stage energy that never seems to dwindle, Perry and his cohorts have brought the house down at the

219 Lounge many nights before, earning themselves a bit of a following from those seeking music that moves through you.

There’s no cover for this show, but you have to be 21 or over to attend.

—Ben Olson 9pm-midnight, FREE, 21+.

219 Lounge, 219 N. First Ave., 208-263-5673, 219.bar. Listen at facebook.com/jasonperrymusic.

READ

Jean Rhy’s Wide Sargasso Sea is a vivid, heartbreaking story of colonialism and femininity that employs two central figures from Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre — published 119 years before its prequel. Rhys wrote her gothic masterpiece from the point of view of Antoinette, a Creole heiress forced into an arranged marriage with an Englishman. Antoinette must try to hold on to her Jamaican heritage while bowing to the controlling, patriarchal culture of her husband, or risk losing her home, sanity and life.

LISTEN

shows again and ultimately released Dovetail, a full-length album recorded at a family cabin in northern Michigan.

“This is our third album we recorded there, and our fifth album as a band,” Acker said. “[Dovetail is a] deeply collaborative album. More so than ever before we helped each other put the finishing touches on this batch of songs.”

The Last Revel’s show at The Hive is part of the band’s 2023-

Courtesy photo. ’24 album release tour, which will take it from Sandpoint all the way to the East Coast. Earlier in the bandmates’ careers, Acker remembers playing “at a small brewery in Sandpoint,” but feels like this is a true local debut for The Last Revel. Before the main show, Sandpoint local Buster Brown will open the show, starting at 8:30 p.m.

A snapshot of notable live music coming up in Sandpoint Jason Perry Band, 219 Lounge, Dec. 31

This week’s RLW by Soncirey Mitchell

Kristy Osmunson, Pend d’Oreille Winery, Dec. 30 Nationally acclaimed musician Kristy Osmunson — founder of the duos Bomshel and American Young — will bring her lively vocals and fiddle playing to the Pend d’Oreille Winery for an evening featuring her best hits.

Though she grew up and began her life of music in Sandpoint, Osmunson’s artistic career took off in Nashville when several singles by Bomshel made Billboard’s chart,

“Hot Country Songs.” The duo’s song, “The Power of One,” was even featured in Steve Carell’s film Evan Almighty. Come see why this hometown multi-instrumentalist is a favorite of country-lovers from across the U.S. — Soncirey Mitchell 5-8 p.m., FREE. Pend d’Oreille Winery, 301 Cedar St. Ste. 101, 208-265-8545, powine.com.

Spotify recently released its 2023 Wrapped, which shows users how many minutes they spent listening to music, as well as their most played artists and songs. I listened to 32,702 minutes — about 22 days — worth of music, and a large portion of that was Florence & The Machine.

Florence Welch is an incredible indie-rock artist who delivers complex, mesmerizing lyrics and melodies. You’ve probably heard her 2009 hit “Dog Days are Over,” but I recommend listening to “Free” and “King” to understand the heart of her ethos.

WATCH

The dark winter months are the best time to cozy up with a family classic that makes you go “squee!” (internally or externally, depending on preference). The 2007 movie Stardust — based on the Neil Gaiman book of the same name — is just that movie. I’ve likely seen it well over 50 times, and this fantastic fantasy about a young man traveling through a mythical land to kidnap/rescue a fallen star (played by Claire Danes) gets better with each watch. Find it on Amazon to see Michelle Pfeiffer, Robert De Niro, Charlie Cox and Henry Cavill like never before.

December 28, 2023 / R / 21

BACK OF THE BOOK

Sing, arachnid, sing From Pend Oreille Review, December 27, 1921

CHRISTMAS TREE BURNS AT HOTEL, LOSS ABOUT $400 “Billy,” son and heir of C.B. Broen, proprietor of the Ponderay hotel, in an enthusiastic effort to show a young friend how to light a candle on a Christmas tree, caused a large amount of excitement in the hotel lobby Monday night.

The head of the match flew off and dropped into some cotton batting and for the next few moments things happened so fast that it was almost impossible to tell the story.

The flames spread quickly through the branches of the elaborately decorated tree, singeing the walls and damaging three of the large lace curtains, the blaze finally being extinguished by the assistance of a number of the patrons of that popular place.

The damage will run close to the $400 mark, fully covered by insurance.

22 / R / December 28, 2023

By Soncirey Mitchell Reader Staff Kids are the creators and caretakers of humanity’s wisdom. Without their innocence, curiosity and ability to dream, none of our great creations or feats would exist. I was recently reminded of just how smart kids are when I met a wise girl named Eleanor, who summed up in one ghost story a lesson I’ve spent my life learning and relearning.

Singing is the secret to overcoming fear.

In her story, she talked about how she avoided death at the hands of a disgruntled ghost by singing her heart out until she could escape. While I’ve never intentionally serenaded a spirit, I have sung in the face of another danger many times: spiders.

I developed a reputation for being a popsicle as a child, since my body grew up far faster than it grew out. Swimming was a challenge without any meat on my bones, because not only would I sink immediately, it only took about 20 minutes for my lips to turn blue from the cold in an indoor pool.

Seeing as I live near a massive lake, staying dry wasn’t really an option in the summer, so one year my mom gave me her old scuba suit made to withstand freezing ocean temperatures. It was bright red with ridiculously thick padding that made me look like an off-brand version of DC’s The Flash. Moreover, once it was wet it was impossible to get off without the help of at least two adults.

On one occasion after I’d been sufficiently vacuum-sealed into my scuba suit

following a beach day, my friend decided that she and I were going to walk back to my house using what she dubbed “the shortcut” — about half a mile uphill over crumbling slate and through dense underbrush. A summer storm had coated the lower half of the mountain in a thick layer of dust, revealing swaths of hobo spider nests so thick they completely covered the grass in patches.

Halfway to heatstroke in 25 pounds of wet neoprene, my face and hands torn from the brush, I decided two things: I hated my friend and I was going to die singing. We sang every camp song either of us could remember, using the lyrics to distract from the cobwebs in our hair. “Da Moose” — about a hungry moose that dies and gets eaten — was our personal favorite. It just felt timely.

It wasn’t until my final year of college, under eerily similar circumstances, that I remembered what I’d learned on that fateful summer day. While in Greece, I had the privilege and misfortune of studying under a professor who was from New York and so did not fear death. He forced our class to hike to the top of Sphacteria — one of the few spots in Greece without tourists since it’s nicknamed “Spider Island.”

The overgrown trail was blanketed on all sides by webs, wherein thousands of spiders competed to capture a precious few bugs and unwitting undergrads. I counted 307 spiders before we reached the trail’s end. The gorgeous view of the Mediterranean was absolutely not worth it.

We were free to set our own pace on the way back, so we sacrificed the tallest among us and made a run down the hill.

STR8TS Solution

Sudoku Solution

Even with a six-foot-two-inch-tall boy at the front, brandishing a stick — as the Spartans might have nearly two and a half thousand years earlier during the slow parts of Peloponnesian War — we still took web after web to the face.

With the caboose of our party on the verge of tears, we all came together to sing breathless renditions of “Only Happy When It Rains”

by Garbage and hits from Green Day’s American Idiot.

We were out of tune, half of us forgot the words and we had to pause every so often to spit out bugs.

For me, singing — especially horrible, heartfelt singing — is the only way to make it through the terrifying absurdity of life. Without music and a bit of humor, we’re left exposed to our fears, and they grow all the more insurmountable.

Next time I’m consumed with a feeling like I’m climbing a mountain of spiders, I’ll remember Eleanor’s wisdom, and sing until I’ve bested my fear.

Crossword Solution

It’s interesting to think that my ancestors used to live in the trees, like apes, until finally they got the nerve to head out onto the plains, where some were probably hit by cars.

Solution on page 22

Solution on page 22

By Bill Borders

kenspeckle /KEN-spek-uhl/

Woorf tdhe Week

[adjective] 1. conspicuous; easily seen or recognized.

“The kenspeckle neon sign outside the store attracted customers from afar.”

Corrections: Yep, we accidentally ran the same headline twice on the news page. The Sandpoint City Council meeting had 19 items on its agenda on deadline night, and we were scrambling to put the paper to bed on time, but it was a dumb mistake. Apologies. — BO Calendar update from Dec. 21: The Sevens are playing at Baxters on Cedar — upstairs from The Back Door — for a special no cover show at 8 p.m. — ZH

Copyright www.mirroreyes.com

Laughing Matter

CROSSWORD ACROSS 1. Blackball 5. Defeats 10. Not this 14. Puncture 15. Imps 16. Scarce 17. Forerunner 19. Intentions 20. On behalf of 21. Drama set to classical music 22. Explode 23. Movie promo 25. Settles down 27. Offer 28. Located 31. Early computer language 34. Trail 10. Injury 59. Pee 35. Cheer 11. Hairdo 60. Dam 36. Lyric poems 12. Upper limbs 61. Once, long ago 37. Type of body fluid 62. Aromatic 13. Exam 38. Otherwise 18. Infant’s illness compound 39. Angry 22. Indistinct image 63. Countercurrent 40. Mothers 24. Nile bird 41. Woody plants 26. “Smallest” DOWN 42. Wrist ornament particle 44. Life story 1. Rotating mechanism 28. Brisling 45. Fables 29. Lack of difficulty 2. Respect 46. Longhand 30. Colors 3. Extreme 50. Unable to see 31. Explosive device 4. Born, in bios 52. Brusque 32. Jewish month 5. Tooted 54. Dike 33. Druggings 6. Patriarch 55. Long, long time 34. School terms 7. Assert 56. A young unmarried woman 8. Stubborn 37. Period of 58. Bingo relative 9. Supersonic transport discounted prices

Solution on page 22 38. Anagram of “Sore” 40. Blend 41. Rubber wheels 43. Is unable to 44. More hectic 46. Hag 47. Twiddled one’s thumbs 48. Legitimate 49. File 50. Make a cake 51. Lascivious look 53. Broadcast 56. Expected 57. Female sheep

December 28, 2023 / R / 23

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