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GOOD NEWS
from 2021
This was another tough year for most of the world, but here are a few stories of good things that happened in 2021. People Watching will return Jan. 6. • Since the first jab was given in Dec. 2020, there have been almost 9 billion COVID-19 vaccinations administered around the globe. It is estimated that by spring 2022, over 75% of the world’s population will have at least received their first dose. • A human mind was wirelessly connected to a computer in March 2021, which could serve as a breakthrough for paralyzed people to use robotic prostheses in their own homes instead of just in a lab setting. • In June, the World Health Organization declared that China was free of malaria after decades of targeted actions to eradicate the disease. Eighty years ago, China reported about 30 million malaria cases annually. In 2020, the country reported four consecutive years of zero cases. There are an estimated 240 million cases of malaria in the world every year, with around 600,000 dying from the disease annually. • NASA’s Perseverance Rover successfully converted some of Mars’ carbon-dioxide-rich atmosphere into oxygen in April 2021. NASA said the move “could pave the way for science fiction to become science fact.” • United flew the first passenger aircraft with 100% sustainable fuel in December 2021. The fuel was made from sugar water and corn, and was said to have burned 75% cleaner than petroleum-based fuels. • Scientists revealed that cheese actually isn’t that bad for you. One scientist in February 2021 told WIRED that “There’s almost no evidence that cheese causes weight gain — and in fact, there’s evidence that it’s neutral at worst.” Huzzah!
DEAR READERS,
I hope you skiers and snowboarders out there got to experience Schweitzer last week, because it was epic. There are few things that bring me as much joy as howling down the mountain in thigh-deep champagne powder. Sure, it was cold and windy, but you have to work for these small joys in life, right? Be sure to ski with a friend to stay safe. It was a shame to hear of the young man who lost his life after getting lost at Schweitzer earlier this week. This is our last edition of the Reader in 2021, filled with both a look back at the year in review and a look forward for some of our predictions for next year. Looking back over the past year, I am reminded at how important you, our dear readers, are in the big scheme of things. We create this newspaper every week for you, and we appreciate so many of you picking it up every week. Some read it cover to cover, others just scan the calendar pages or do the crossword. Whatever you use the Reader for, we appreciate you and wish you all a happy and prosperous 2022.
– Ben Olson, publisher
READER 111 Cedar Street, Suite 9 Sandpoint, ID 83864 (208) 946-4368
www.sandpointreader.com Publisher: Ben Olson ben@sandpointreader.com Editorial: Zach Hagadone (Editor) zach@sandpointreader.com Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey (News Editor) lyndsie@sandpointreader.com Cameron Rasmusson (emeritus) John Reuter (emeritus) Advertising: Jodi Berge Jodi@sandpointreader.com Contributing Artists: Ben Olson, Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey, Bill Borders, Rebecca Sanchez Contributing Writers: Zach Hagadone, Ben Olson, Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey, Lorraine H. Marie, Rebecca Sanchez, Mike Wagoner, Steve Holt, Brenden Bobby, Cameron Rasmusson, Marcia Pilgeram Submit stories to: stories@sandpointreader.com Printed weekly at: Tribune Publishing Co. Lewiston, ID Subscription Price: $155 per year Web Content: Keokee The Sandpoint Reader is a weekly publication owned and operated by Ben Olson and Keokee. It is devoted to the arts, entertainment, politics and lifestyle in and around Sandpoint, Idaho. We hope to provide a quality alternative by offering honest, in-depth reporting that reflects the intelligence and interests of our diverse and growing community. The Reader is printed on recycled paper using soy-based ink. Leftover copies are collected and recycled weekly, or burned in massive bonfires to appease the gods of journalism. Free to all, limit two copies per person.
Sandpoint Reader letter policy: The Sandpoint Reader welcomes letters to the editor on all topics. Requirements: –No more than 300 words –Letters may not contain excessive profanity or libelous material. Please elevate the discussion. Letters will be edited to comply with the above requirements. Opinions expressed in these pages are those of the writers, not necessarily the publishers. Email letters to: letters@sandpointreader.com Check us out on the web at: www.sandpointreader.com Like us on Facebook.
• Donald Trump was banned from Twitter just two days after glorifying the violence surrounding the storming of the U.S. Capitol by his supporters on Jan. 6. December 30, 2021 /
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NEWS
BoCo refuses FAA grant
Commissioners cite ARPA fund source, mask policy as grounds for refusal
By Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey Reader Staff Bonner County commissioners voted Dec. 28 to refuse grant funding from the Federal Aviation Administration, expressing concerns about the source of the money as well as the requirement that entities that accept the grant enact mask policies at their airports. In all, the county refused $22,000 for the Priest River Airport and $32,000 for the Sandpoint Airport, offered through the FAA Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriation Act Grant. “This was an elective thing,” said Commissioner Dan McDonald, “not an airport improvement thing to keep the airport certified.” Commissioners have for months felt pressure from attendees at their weekly business meetings to limit the use of federal grants — something that the board has repeatedly shared would be almost impossible
in a rural county like Bonner. However, in the case of the FAA Coronavirus Response and Relief money, commissioners decided that the airports could go without the funds in order to avoid the mask policy requirement. Commissioners also tied their refusal to the fact that the FAA money in question comes from American Rescue Plan Act funds. While the county has been allotted its own tranche of ARPA funds — about $9 million — there have been questions in recent months about whether that money comes with “strings attached,” in the words of Sheriff Daryl Wheeler. According to commissioners, the prosecutor’s office is looking into whether accepting and spending ARPA funds could tie Bonner County to federal executive orders — particularly any regarding the COVID-19 vaccine. “This was ARPA funds, and we elected [to say] ‘no,’” McDonald said. “Two or three months ago, we had a deadline coming up and we had to apply, and if it turned out to be ARPA
funds, we were going to deny it. We’re formally just saying that we’re not going to take it.” The FAA Coronavirus Response and Relief grant requires that those who accept the funds enact a face covering policy at each airport “to combat the spread of pathogens.” “There were two triggers,” McDonald said. “The first one was ARPA funds … and two,
the requirement of masks at the airport — it’s like, c’mon. “We’ve never required masks here,” he added, referring to county property. “We won’t ever require masks here.” Commissioner Steve Bradshaw moved that the county not accept the funding, and Commissioner Jeff Connolly seconded the motion. Commissioners voted unanimously to refuse the
An aerial view of the Sandpoint Airport. Photo courtesy Bonner County. FAA Coronavirus Response and Relief grant funds. “We just thought it was something we didn’t even want to wade into,” McDonald said. Airport Director Dave Schuck, who was not present at the meeting to present the grant item, did not reply to a request for comment before press time.
COVID-19 quarantine guidelines altered CDC announces new, shorter isolation protocol
By Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey Reader Staff The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced new coronavirus guidelines Dec. 27, stating that individuals carrying asymptomatic cases of COVID-19 can shorten their isolation period from 10 to five days. According to the Associated Press, health officials said that the change is in “keeping with growing evidence that people with the coronavirus are most infectious in the two days before and three days after symptoms develop.” The change comes as cases rise 4 /
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due to the omicron variant, which, while appearing to be extremely contagious, “may cause milder illnesses than earlier versions of the coronavirus,” the AP reported. However, also according to the AP: “[T]he sheer number of people becoming infected — and therefore having to isolate or quarantine — threatens to crush the ability of hospitals, airlines and other businesses to stay open, experts say.” Those who develop symptoms while positive for COVID-19 are still encouraged to follow previous isolation guidelines. Under the new protocol, asymptomatic people are able to re-
sume regular activities — while wearing a mask — five days after testing positive. Another CDC guideline change applies to people who have close contact with someone who tested positive for the virus: unvaccinated people and those who have not yet had a booster shot are asked to quarantine for five days following contact, and can then resume activities but wear a
mask for five days after that. Only those who have received a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine are exempt from quarantine, the CDC stated. Some health officials are calling the changes “reckless,” according to a PBS report. Critics
point to the lack of a negative test requirement to exit isolation as particularly dangerous. The CDC likely did not include this requirement, PBS reported, because rapid at-home tests are difficult to come by amid the busy holiday travel season.
NEWS
County treasurer rescinds resignation
Cheryl Piehl decides not to retire the day before replacement nominees were to go before commissioners
By Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey Reader Staff Bonner County Treasurer Cheryl Piehl offered her resignation Sept. 21 to the county Board of Commissioners, sharing that her retirement from more than 30 years in the treasurer’s office — 20 of those as county treasurer — would go into effect Jan. 5, 2022. On Dec. 28, Piehl rescinded that resignation. “The timing just wasn’t right,” Piehl told the Reader on Dec. 29. Her reversal came just one day before Bonner County commissioners were scheduled to interview nominees for her replacement. Those nominees came from the Bonner County Republican Central Committee, as per Idaho code, which states that the central committee representing the party of the current treasurer offer three nominees to the county board for its consideration. Piehl said that she’s had a
Cheryl Piehl. File photo. change of heart since her resignation announcement. “It’s been over three months and I do have some concern for the care of my office,” she said, “and only having four working days before a new person is appointed.” Piehl noted that her department is in the thick of processing December’s tax collection — what
she called a “very busy time in the office.” The Bonner County commissioner’s office shared with the Reader the names of the three candidates nominated by the BCRCC, who were set to attend the canceled interviews: Grant Dorman, Jacob Farley and Spencer Hutchings, the latter who is most known locally for operating Sheepdog Supplies in Sagle, running for the Pend Oreille Hospital District Board of Trustees in 2019 and appearing in a widely-shared social media video in which he verbally accosted a server at the Farmhouse Kitchen in Ponderay in 2018. BCRCC Chair Scott Herndon said the turn of events will leave a lasting impression on how the central committee proceeds in such cases in the future. “Idaho Code certainly allows for county elected officials to change their minds about planned resignations,” he said. “We will
however, in the future, likely wait until a resignation actually occurs before we commence any efforts to send nominees to the BOCC, since Idaho Code always gives us that option.” Asked if she had a timeline for any future retirement announcement, Piehl said: “Not at this point, no.” Herndon told the Reader in an email Dec. 29 that Piehl met with the central committee in November to educate members on the responsibilities of the county treasurer, and that “her assurance was helpful to our committee since she knew the effort it would require of us, all volunteers for the Republican Party, in a holiday and winter month to help fill the position with a well-qualified candidate.” He added: “It was Cheryl’s stated desire to fill the position before her departure so that she could participate in cross-training. Idaho Code provides for this opportunity, and we were more
than happy to assist Cheryl in her goals by executing our statutory responsibilities.” According to Idaho statute, if a county elected official “rescinds his notice of intent to resign by notifying the board of county commissioners in writing prior to the effective date of his resignation, all actions taken by either the county central committee or the board of county commissioners to fill the anticipated vacancy, shall be null and void.” “Regardless, we are appreciative to have gained much more information about the position of elected county treasurer and fully anticipate vetting candidates for the position for the May 17 Republican primary,” Herndon said. “It is our plan as a committee to create a recommended slate of candidates for all of the important elected offices that will be on that May Republican primary ballot, including the position of Bonner County treasurer.”
City seeking grant to improve portion of Division Ave. Funds would go toward rebuilding sidewalks, bike lanes near SHS and SMS
By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff Among the items on the agenda at the Dec. 15 meeting of the Sandpoint City Council — its last of 2021— was authorization for an application to seek $250,000 in grant funding to improve one of the most heavily traveled stretches of road in Sandpoint, especially by school kids. According to data presented by Sandpoint Infrastructure and Development Director Amanda Wilson, more than 2,000 local children attend schools on Division Avenue, which also sees more than 6,600 vehicle trips per day as well as serving as a truck route. Meanwhile, the east side of Division between Superior Street to the north and Highway 2 to the south is woefully inadequate — especially when it comes to sidewalks and bike lanes. “That sidewalk is functionally unusable,” Wilson told the council,
referring to the berms of snow that end up covering the pathway following snowplowing, which crews can’t avoid as there is no buffer between the sidewalk and the onstreet bike path. Meanwhile, according to a December 2020 road safety audit prepared for the city by national transportation consulting firm Fehr and Peers, most cyclists avoid the current bike lanes on Division anyway — which offer no buffer from the vehicle traffic — choosing instead to ride on the sidewalk and further constricting the amount of available space for pedestrians. “There are a long list of issues with this corridor,” Wilson said, going on to describe it as “the area with the greatest number of issues by sheer quantity.” Among the most dire problems with that particular section of roadway is how many crashes occur on it. The report indicated that between 2015 and 2019 there were 26 crashes affecting property
only, three minor injury crashes and four serious injury crashes — the latter representing 12% of all crashes, three times higher than the statewide average. The percentage of property-only crashes ran to 79% of the total, compared to 63% statewide. By far the highest density for collisions occurred at the intersection of Division Avenue and Pine Street. Based on the recommendations in the report, proposed redesigns could include narrowing drive and turning lanes to between 11 and 12½ feet in width to accommodate planting strips, which would separate widened pedestrian and bike lanes from the street. Some planting strips could be up to eight feet wide and others no more than three feet wide, while sidewalks and bike lanes would be expanded to six feet in width. In addition to pedestrian and cyclist safety, “we need the buffers for snow, [a place] to put the trash cans,” Wilson said.
Ultimately, performing all the work necessary to improve the entirety of Division Avenue would cost more than $10 million; but, using $250,000 under the Children Pedestrian Safety Program of the Local Highway Technical Assistance Fund — as well as $50,000 in general fund dollars already budgeted for sidewalk improvements — would be a relatively quick yet substantive action to take on a critical piece of the corridor before embarking on other projects, such as reconstruction on the west side of Division.
“It is a really clear case to make that this project would absolutely positively impact pedestrians who are kids,” Wilson said. Council members agreed, with a unanimous vote to authorize applying for the funds. The city should know if it has been awarded the grant by March 2022 and, if so, plans to award the contract by the summer. Noting that the suggested design is not complicated, Wilson said substantial completion could be completed as early as October. December 30, 2021 /
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NEWS
Albertson to retire from LPOSD
Superintendent held several positions with the district over 35 years
By Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey Reader Staff Tom Albertson, superintendent of the Lake Pend Oreille School District, announced his retirement at the district’s board of trustees meeting Dec. 14, marking the end of a 35-year career as a teacher and administrator with LPOSD. Albertson told the Reader in an email Dec. 29 that he decided he wants to “spend time on other interests and passions.” “This includes spending more time on the family ranch in the Northside area,” he said, referring to the property his family bought in 1916 and settled in 1923. “Over the last nine months I have had two surgeries on my neck, which reminded me I am not getting any younger. This played a big part in my decision.” Albertson attended Northside Elementary and Sandpoint High School — a trend followed by his son and two grandsons. He served in positions from math teacher to principal at Sandpoint High School over the years, until his appointment to superintendent in 2019. “Each of these positions has been rewarding and allowed me to meet and build relationships with so many people,” said Albertson, who also served as activities director at SHS. “At the end of the day, the most important part of each position was trying to make somebody’s day a little better, all the while preparing students to achieve their goals.” There is no doubt that Albertson’s tenure as superintendent came at a difficult time, with the COVID-19 pandemic altering school operations starting in March 2020. “Yes, navigating the operations of
Tom Albertson. File photo. schools during a pandemic has been challenging,” he said. “Tough decisions have been made that not everyone can agree upon. I am honored that the school board has trusted me to lead the school district over the last three years, and I have no doubt they will hire a great leader to continue leading LPOSD.” Albertson’s retirement will officially take effect in July. “I believe the children in our community deserve the opportunities we provide them in our local schools, providing the pathway to contribute successfully to society,” he told the Reader. “I am amazed at the community of learners that the LPOSD teachers and support staff create every day for students. It all starts each morning with the bus drivers, food service employees, the friendly faces at each front office and the adults in the classroom. Finally, thank you to the patrons of LPOSD for your continued support.”
VA visit to Priest River rescheduled By Reader Staff
The visit from Bonner County Veterans Service Officer Bryan Hult on Tuesday, Jan. 11 has been rescheduled in Priest River for Wednesday, Jan. 12. Hult will be at VFW Post No. 2909, located at 113 Larch St. in Priest River between the hours of 9 a.m.-noon on Jan. 12. Hult will be there to answer questions about current veteran’s benefits, assist 6 /
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with ongoing claims, and take new claims for benefits for eligible veterans and their dependents. Attendees are asked to schedule an appointment to ensure quality assistance by calling Mary Lindgren at 208-255-5291. If there are no appointments scheduled for this outreach, or if winter weather conditions prohibit travel, the outreach will be canceled.
Bits ’n’ Pieces From east, west and beyond
Here is a special “Peace on Earth” Bits and Pieces edition: According to a report in Scientific American, intensive regenerative grazing produces the beneficial impact herds of buffalo once created: formation of some of the planet’s most fertile soils. How it’s done: cattle are moved to new grazing grounds frequently, so they don’t crop vegetation too close to the ground. The remaining plants grow more quickly when they are not nubs. This allows more photosynthesis and accumulation of more carbon for soil storage. Research indicates regenerative grazing could cancel out most of the greenhouse gases released by standard beef production practices Purdue University engineers have come up with a (patent-pending) charging station capable of recharging certain electric vehicles in fewer than five minutes. Motor Trend magazine is calling the new R1T EV truck “unmatched” for off-road capability and on-road “finesse.” Production began in September and manufacturers have a long waiting list. BMW says it will cease construction of internal combustion engines at the company’s Munich plant in 2024. Plans include reducing plant emissions to zero. The U.K. has about 40 offshore wind farms with output equal to 10 nuclear power plants, according to American Prospect. The U.S. has one small wind farm off Rhode Island, but has numerous other projects pending and close to 100,000 miles of suitable coastline for more wind farms. Battery breakthrough: readily available iron, salt and water are vying for a place in the market for renewable energy storage, CNBC reported. Making the batteries a success would be a “significant milestone for grid-scale energy storage.” No more barnyard ammonia? German scientists have demonstrated that cows can be potty-trained, so to speak. If rewarded with a molasses drink and given in a specific location, they will learn to go there to urinate. According to The WEEK, cows urinate up to 8 gallons of urine a day. If it’s not allowed to mix with feces, ammonia will not be released, resulting in better water quality and less acid rain. There are currently some 4 million
By Lorraine H. Marie Reader Columnist
solar cookers that impact 14.3 million people, according to Solar Cookers International. Together, those cookers prevent 5.8 million tons of CO2 emissions annually, equal to taking 1.25 million cars off the road. The cookers also reduce the need for risky journeys away from home to gather scarce wood fuel, reduce cataracts from smoke exposure, and free up time for mothers and children to pursue education and ways to earn a living. SCI hopes to distribute more solar cookers to the world’s 3 billion people who still cook over open fires. A study of ducklings and how they trail after their mothers in the water may lead to redesigning ocean vessels. Researchers at University of Strathclyde in the U.K. found ducklings take advantage of their lined-up locations to avoid destructive wave interference. Vessel redesign could take the form of trains of vessels that require less fuel consumption. Iceland has erected a facility that vacuums carbon from the air, mixes it with water and ejects it into the ground; it’s said to be safe and leak-proof. Mother Jones estimated the cost would run to $5 trillion a year if the goal is 10 gigatons annually. According to Bloomberg. com, several wealthy individuals are giving the project a boost and subsidies to alternative clean energy should include carbon vacuums. Is “renewable natural gas” clean, as the industry claims? The Los Angeles Times reported that the methane gas, captured from landfills, wastewater and dairy manure may have less carbon, but it still has methane, which has 80 times more warming power in the atmosphere. Blast from the past: The Civilian Conservation Corps began in 1933 and put people hit hard by the Great Depression back to work. They were paid $1 a day, and given meals and a bed in exchange for building more than 100,000 miles of roads, fighting wildfires, constructing thousands of bridges, creating campgrounds, building dams and laying telephone lines; three billion trees were also planted, and programs were initiated to save topsoil blown away in the Great Dust Bowl. President Franklin D. Roosevelt cherished the program as valuable for the moral and spiritual value of the works accomplished.
PERSPECTIVES
Voices in the Wilderness:
Exploring our wild backyard whenever we can
By Rebecca Sanchez Reader Contributor My father grew up in a town on the outskirts of Zurich, Switzerland with his sister and five brothers. The lucky boy had the Alps at his fingertips. He often spoke of the adventures he took with his older siblings, wandering from one mountain village to the next. He would hike to his heart’s content and then take the PostAuto bus or the tram back to his hometown. Listening to his adventurous tales of exploring the Swiss countryside, I often dreamt of being there, too. In my mind I could see the pointy mountains, the glacier-fed rivers, the lush meadows where wildflowers thrived and high alpine lakes that called my name. It wasn’t hard to envision the beauty and taste the freedom that he spoke of with such fondness. For some peculiar reason, as an adult, my dad ended up being a cowboy in northern Alberta. I would have preferred it if he had become a mountaineer but, alas, he chose rolling hills and tundra as his landscape of choice. It was still beautiful, but it lacked intrigue. There were no mountains to conquer, no cascading waterfalls to explore and no perfectly blue alpine lakes to tantalize the eye. When I expressed interest in going camping in Jasper or Banff, my father’s response was, “Why would you go there when you can camp here?” It always baffled me how a man who had traveled across some of the most beautiful mountains in the world could think that setting up camp in the pasture was the same thing as resting one’s head in a lush remote mountain basin. Having that desire to experience what my father undertook as a child in the Alps, I quickly set out on my own journey. A couple of days after reaching adulthood, I left everything I knew behind. With only a suitcase in hand, I was dropped off in Jackson Hole, Wyo. I had found me some mountains and I loved it! Here I ran barefoot and free along the Snake River, getting close (but not too close) to the wild bison and the river otters. It was magical. I longed for more. Fueling the appetite to be in the wild, my next adventures took me to the northern Sierras, New Zealand and interior Alaska. These places fulfilled my dreams of being out in the mountains, exploring
hard to reach places and seeing incredible beauty. However, what truly rooted me into the mountains was my final stop here in North Idaho. From my first trip up Scotchman Peak on a perfectly beautiful early spring day, I was hooked — its solitude, ruggedness and panoramic views beckoned further exploration. Through the years, these mountains have provided endless opportunities to explore rocky crags, raging creeks, hidden basins and arduously hard to reach peaks. Today, I get to share these wild places with my own children. The call of the mountains has come full circle. From my father’s childhood wanderings to seeing my children make their own way through these wild spaces, I find such great joy. They are living and breathing the mountain air, learning invaluable lessons all along the way. Theirs is not just the dream of adventure, but a reality. I hope it remains that way not just for my children, but for many generations to come.
The Sanchez kids playing in the mountains. Photo by the author. to encourage and support other families as they make their own way into the great outdoors.
Voices in the Wilderness is a storytelling project by Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness. The series of wild stories are written by locals living in North Idaho and northwest Montana. If you have an adventurous tale to tell based in the wild, write to info@scotchmanpeaks. org for guidelines or just send it along. Rebecca Sanchez is a Canadian native who appreciatively calls North Idaho home. With the Cabinet Mountains in her backyard, she rarely finds a good excuse to not go out and explore. When she isn’t outside seeking adventure, she stays busy homeschooling her three kids and remains active in the community. Her passion is December 30, 2021 /
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Flashes of fascism…
Bouquets: • When it comes to downtown retailers, we have a great group of people in our mix. I enjoy going into Larson’s and seeing my buddy from high school Lindsey Larson running the business that has been in her family name since the 1940s. I always enjoy dropping into Outdoor Experience to see Jenny Curto’s smiling face as she helps answer any questions I have when looking at the next big outdoor gear purchase. Lyn at Secret Thai has earned a special place in my heart for her authentic Thai cooking and positive attitude when I arrive to pick up my weekly order. I like chatting with the ladies at the Sandpoint Liquor Store whenever I have to replenish my stock of rye whiskey. Of course, everyone at the Sandpoint Post Office is super helpful and friendly, no matter how busy they are. I like saying hello to Marcia and Tom Vanderford whenever I have to pop over and buy some stationary at Vanderford’s on Second and Cedar. I went to school with their sons and often get caught up on their doings while at the counter. These are just a few of the many small-town heroes we encounter on a regular basis. Thanks for continuing to brighten our days. Barbs: • I love when it snows. But one thing the freshly fallen snow reveals is that there are a lot of both residential homes and businesses that fail to shovel their sidewalks on a regular basis. It’s not a big deal when you miss a morning or two, but there are some I’ve noticed that never get out the shovel and clear the walk (and I also hear from our readers about it occasionally). It’s especially frustrating for our elderly population to struggle walking on snow-covered sidewalks when 10 minutes of effort will clear the path for them. I know shoveling gets tedious, especially toward the end of the season, but think of those who have trouble getting around in the winter. If you can’t handle the job, I’ll bet there’s a young neighbor who would love to work for a small fee, or even free if there are cookies involved. 8 /
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Dear editor, The Jan. 6 attack upon our U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters — following a rally where then-President Trump promoted the “Big Lie” of a stolen election — was an act of political violence. This attempt to stop the electoral vote counting by Congress, should be a recognition of how dangerous Trump is to our democracy. We are learning from the House Select Committee investigating this atrocity that Trump refused to intervene for about three hours while watching it on TV. The courageous vice-chair of this committee, Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., publicly excoriated Trump for dereliction of his duty to defend our Constitution. From documents, she was led to ask: “Did Donald Trump, through action or inaction, corruptly seek to obstruct or impede Congress’s official proceedings to count electoral votes?” This was a close reading of a federal, criminal statute that can impose a fine, imprisonment or both upon a perpetrator. Even more, texts show there was contact between some White House officials and some congressional Republicans to change electoral votes in Trump’s favor. Wouldn’t this be an attempted coup against our government? And, to it’s discredit, the Republican Party has become an anti-democracy party by attacking voting rights through gerrymandering, state voter suppression laws and handing election power to state Republican partisans. Also, the national party is silent about criticizing Trump and, instead, repeats his divisive rhetoric. History records that the famous American journalist William L. Shirer, while living in Germany, chronicled Hitler’s rise to power. He then wrote his Berlin Diary. He referred to the obedient followers, behaving like a mindless herd as, “the little men of Germany.” In today’s Republican Party, will the “little congressmen and little congresswomen of America” allow fascism to destroy our democracy? Phil Deutchman Sandpoint
Our seniors need help… Dear editor, I was encouraged to read that the “Toys” campaign exceeded its goal this year. One thing about this community is its giving spirit and generosity. As a member of the board for the Sandpoint Senior Center, we
recently sent out a holiday letter asking for support and have received many donations. We are not able to reach the entire community with our letter and would ask that you let the good people of Sandpoint know that the Senior Center’s needs have never been greater. The need for our home-delivered meals increased from 2,200 to more than 2,700 per month and the food costs are escalating. The seniors of our community also need your help. Checks can be sent to: Senior Center, 820 Main St., Sandpoint, ID 83864 Loris Michael Sandpoint
Whose best interest?… Dear editor, I’m wondering if anyone else was concerned about Pat Gunter’s letter to the editor in the Daily Bee on Nov. 21 in regards to the question of who the county commissioners really work for. If so, I suggest you access 50feet.net online and read about the commissioners’ decision to abandon 2,550 feet (2.93 acres) of Camp Bay Road, which would deny the public access to the lake. Giving this section of the road to the developer was said to be in “the best interest of the public.” Development plans there are to allow a 400+ acre gated lakefront subdivision. Whose best interest? I also want to share my appreciation to the Arns, who brought this to our attention and prevailed in requesting a judicial review of the issue. Pam Duquette Sandpoint
A New Year’s toast… Dear editor, Here’s a toast to overcoming the COVID virus, which somehow is affecting everyone for more than two years on this planet called Mother Earth. And here’s a toast to everyone who has lived on this planet for more than 70 years, as I have. And a toast to the great music and musicians and actors, comedians, authors and television shows we’ve enjoyed from the ’50’s, ’60, ’70, ’80, ’90 and on into this new century. Here’s a toast to all of us at this age still alive but are now seeing so many we have loved passing slowly away. And here’s a toast to all of my fellow Vietnam veterans who made it home from serving our nation in the crazy 1960s. God bless all who are still with us and those who have passed on. Here’s a New Year’s Eve toast to
By Mike Wagoner Reader Contributor
Mother Nature’s mad
Well it’s becoming pretty obvious that Mother Nature is tryin’ to kill us… some of us anyway. It’s a hurtful thing, but if you think about it you can kinda see where she’s comin’ from… there’s so many of us now. It’s at the point where we’re straining the basic life-giving systems that have historically sustained us over the ages. You’ve probably seen the graph. Our population has become… I guess you could say “ridiculous” — an ascending growth curve as steep as the face at Schweitzer. Wouldn’t be so bad if we were more like other species and didn’t generate such an impact on the planet. What other species leaves tons of garbage behind? Well… no need to go on about the obvious… we know. It’s kind of ironic how on the one hand we’re fighting her with the best science we can muster yet on the other we’re helpin’ her out: airplanes. What would it be? Maybe 99.9% of human history we didn’t have
everyone in free America and all the rest of the nations’ people who are free in their hearts. And a final toast to all other living things on this planet who help keep life on Earth alive. They are, truly, the wind beneath our wings. Cheers, James Richard Johnson Clark Fork
A warm farewell… Dear editor, I write this letter to the East Bonner County Library District community and all those who utilize it. My last day of employment at the library will be Dec. 31, 2021. I’ve worked at the library for 14 years, where I’ve learned valuable skills, achieved things I am proud of and experienced situations I never would have imagined, as well. The most enjoyable part of this experience though is having been able to serve and come to know the incredible people of this library community. It has been an honor, a pleasure, and a most extraordinary experience. I leave with many colorful memories, friendships and hopes that everyone in Sandpoint and the
any planes. Historically when a pathogen raised its ugly head it ran its course in relative secrecy. Made life miserable for some; but, since populations were generally geographically isolated from one another, that was about it… it faded away or at least stayed home. Not now. Now it can be everywhere in 24 hours and, to rub salt in the wound a little more… the atmosphere takes it on the chin every day from all that exhaust. How many flights are there per day now? Well… a lot. I wonder how many could be called “essential” compared to all the ones that occur mainly for recreation. So, cut way back on air travel… it can only be at times where it is deemed real important… a complete physical before anyone boards… I’m I nuts? I’m just sayin’ this might be one of those times where the mom chimes in with, “You can’t always get what you want.”
surrounding areas will discover all that can be had in the world of the East Bonner County Library. I thank you all and will remember you with smiles for many, many years. Most Sincerely, David Oliver Sandpoint
Headlights save lives… Dear editor, Please let people know the dangers of not turning on their vehicle headlights in these snowy dark days. There have been a number of times I have entered Highway 95 and could not see the white, gray black or any color of vehicle due to poor weather and no lights. Or driving up on a vehicle with no tail lights. The vehicles with automatic running lights are not bright enough and do not show tail lights. If you see a vehicle flash their headlights, it might be me and it is to warn you to turn on your lights. There is no excuse good enough to drive dark. Sue Koller Cocolalla
PERSPECTIVES
Waterkeeper: Trestle Creek Marina project will do irreparable damage By Steve Holt Reader Contributor As I’ve mentioned in previous articles, the Lake Pend Oreille Waterkeeper is not against development or growth per se; however, if you are going to construct a project — especially along the waterfront — it needs to consider all the factors and be performed with the utmost care to protect water quality and wildlife habitat. Then, every once in a while, there are projects that simply cannot overcome the hurdles and consequences related to either the initial development or the sustained negative effect on the environment and simply should not be allowed to happen, at all. Unfortunately this is how we see the Trestle Creek Marina project. You simply cannot develop seven homes and park 120-plus boats, with associated boat fuel issues — not to mention car trips, fertilized lawns, etc. — right at the mouth of the most prolific bull trout spawning stream in the Pacific Northwest and not anticipate the negative long-term effects. Bull trout are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act in the lower 48 states and are a barometer for water quality in that they themselves require clean cold water to survive. This property has changed hands several times with various proposals over the past decade. Unfortunately, many of the issues with the process I feel lie with the agencies that we so often look to protect the environment, and us, form poorly conceived projects. The Environmental Protection Agency, Idaho Department of Environmental Quality, U.S.
Army Corp of Engineers, Idaho Department of Lands, Bonner County, etc. — not one of these agencies, with the possible exception of Bonner County, was in full support of the project as submitted and all of them, including another dozen or so entities and organizations, all expressed multiple concerns. Unfortunately, as is so often the case, each permitting agency has its boxes to check, and with a best management practice here and a mitigation measure there, you’ve complied and have acquired a permit. In the case of Trestle Creek, you can’t excavate 14,000 cubic yards of material from the lake, reconstruct the entire shoreline, remove an entire branch of the creek (north branch) and mitigate your way out of it. This project will do irreparable harm, and there are simply no best management practices available to perform the miracle. This is a special place. Countless people visit Trestle Creek each year, including many children who love to watch the spawning kokanee and bull trout. There is an active eagles nest and a recently constructed beaver dam on the island slated to be removed — all will be gone. This is prime wildlife habitat. A project of this magnitude, which poses multiple threats to water quality and wildlife, should be left for another location. This property should be held in trust for the benefit of fish, wildlife and the public, in perpetuity. Whether it’s an outright purchase from the developer or a land swap with agencies owning other lakefront property, we should be focusing on making that happen instead of trying to mitigate our way through an impossible task.
The Lake Pend Oreille Waterkeeper, Idaho Conservation League and Center for Biological Diversity are presenting on the topic of the Trestle Creek Marina project at the next Lakes Commission meeting, scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 6 at 10 a.m. in the West Bonner Library (118 Main St. in Priest River). The meeting will also be streamed on Zoom, with the link made available at LPOW.org and facebook.com/LakePendOreilleWaterkeeper. This is an extremely complicated project and process, and we will do our best to boil it down, giving a historical review as well as where we are
today. If you have any questions or would like to discuss the matter prior to the meeting, please feel free to contact our office at any time (334 N. First Ave., Ste. 212, 208-597-7188). Hope to see you there.
An aerial view of the proposed project at Trestle Creek near Hope. Courtesy photo.
Steve Holt is executive director of the Lake Pend Oreille Waterkeeper.
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Mad about Science:
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automata By Brenden Bobby Reader Columnist Humans like to put labels onto things and organize them neatly into their own little boxes, from which they are never allowed to escape. However, being the silly blood bags that we are, we tend to argue about how big that box should be and how much of Item A should go into Box F, and how much of it needs to go into Box G. Automatons, and robots in general, are a great example of this. What is an automaton? Does it think and feel? Does it wish to eradicate all of humankind? First, it’s important to note the distinction between an automaton or robot and a computer. These appear interchangeably in science fiction movies as hordes of killer robots like Terminators and Cylons that roll over poor, helpless humans with ease. However, a robot wouldn’t be much without a computer, just like our body wouldn’t be very much without a brain. Computers, like brains, have come in a huge variety of forms over the last several thousand years, from counting sticks and abacuses to the personal computer on which I wrote this article or the cellphone on which you ordered lunch. They are the closest approximation to a brain for a machine that we have created. Moving on from computers, we largely consider the mechanical bodies controlled by electronic computers to be robots. Your Roomba is a robot that’s being controlled by a computer. What about if the computer controlling the robot isn’t electronic, but mechanical? Non-electronic computational 10 /
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devices are so rare in the Information Age that it might be a little bit hard to wrap one’s head around what that could mean. A good example that almost everyone can recognize from movies is a pressure plate trap. The hero steps on the plate, which releases a deadly boulder or poison-tipped arrows. Believe it or not, this is a form of mechanical computational device. The plate requires an input exceeding a value of X in order to trigger event Y. If the variable input (weight) is below the required value to push down the plate, the event (releasing traps) can’t occur. What if the robot you’re trying to create isn’t a lethal trap, but a piece of moving art to impress your friends or a small robot designed to serve you food? This is the best example of an automaton. Automata are usually differentiated from robots in that they aren’t programmed by an electronic computer, but by mechanical inputs. This may sound like some crazy steampunk nonsense, but automata have been around for potentially thousands of years. It’s believed that the ancient Egyptians built automata in the shapes of their gods, then sought guidance from them. They would ask these constructs questions and wait for a reply, in which the automaton would shake its head or gesture, giving the person their answer. This, of course, wasn’t a sign that the automaton was cognizant of what was being asked, it was simply doing what it was mechanically programmed to do based on whatever input it was given. These were the precursors to the Magic 8-Ball. There are even references to automata in the Torah and Old Testament. It was said that
King Soloman’s throne had gilded animals that reacted to his presence and aided him up his throne when he would take his first step toward it. This matches the prevalence of surprisingly complex automata utilized around 900 BCE throughout the Middle East. Asian societies also had a number of remarkably complex automata including the famous and creepy karakuri puppets of Japan, which serve tea to guests. Ancient China was believed to have some of the most complex and lifelike automata in the world, with some records stating that they could fool the nobility into believing they were humans — an early form of the “Turing Test.” These interactions were likely physical displays and simple sounds like whistles, as human speech is notoriously difficult to replicate for non-humans. The most common form of automata still seen today comes in the form of cuckoo clocks, or more precisely the figures that emerge from the clock. Do you want your own automaton at home? Before you pull out your wallet and start throwing your money into the ether, you can make a basic automaton of your own with a paper cup, a bamboo skewer, some galvanized wire and cardboard boxes. The basis is that you will put the skewer through the bottom of the cup and have it laying horizontally to create a crankshaft, just like in your car. Wind the wire around the opposite end of the skewer and form a Z-shape at the end. Now whenever your crankshaft turns, it will spin that Z to make anything attached to it move. At this point, you’re free to make whatever you want and see how
it interacts. Experiment to optimize your automaton: Try adding fins to the paper cup, then blow a fan at it or leave it outside to see if the wind will turn the crankshaft. You can create gears that interact with the crank that turn other cardboard devices, or you can simply slap a silly looking art piece at the end that appears to be turning the crank any time the wind blows. Automata make for great
family science projects, providing a creative and constructive educational experience that’s actually fun. Given the low level of skill required to begin creating and the limitless possibilities and uncapped complexity that can be realized, parents can learn right alongside their children. At the very least, it’ll get everyone off their phone for 30 minutes. See you next year, and stay curious, 7B.
Random Corner ilyn monroe? Don’t know much about mar
• Marilyn Monroe’s real name was Norma Jeane Mortenson and she was a surfer before she became an actress. • Monroe was discovered by Army photographer David Conover while she was working on the Radioplane assembly line in 1945. He photographed her working on the OQ-3 model, the world’s first-ever remote-controlled drone, which was used in World War II. He thought she had potential as a model, which led to her first screen test. • Monroe was naturally a brunette. To make herself more employable, she straightened her hair and dyed it blonde. • Monroe had synesthesia. Synesthetes can taste sounds, smell colors or see scents. • Monroe’s signature breathy voice was a strategy to conceal her stutter. • In 1955, the Mocambo nightclub in West Hollywood wouldn’t book Ella Fitzgerald until Monroe said she would take a front table every night that Fitzgerald played, which launched the jazz artist’s career. Fitzgerald also later in her career helped
We can help!
Monroe become a better singer. • Peter Lawford, brother-in-law of John F. Kennedy and one of the last people to see Monroe alive, introduced her as “the late Marilyn Monroe” before her infamous “Happy Birthday Mr. President” performance in May 1962. It was most probably a play on her being habitually late. She died in August 1962. • On the last day of filming The Misfits (1961), Clark Gable said regarding Monroe, “Christ, I’m glad this picture’s finished. She damn near gave me a heart attack.” On the next day, Gable suffered a severe coronary thrombosis. He died in hospital from a heart attack just 10 days later. • Hugh Hefner published nude pictures of Monroe without obtaining her permission in the first edition of Playboy magazine. She posed for photographer Tom Kelley out of “desperation” and signed the waiver “Mona Monroe,” in the hopes she wouldn’t be connected to them. Hefner purchased the photos later and published them. Hefner also purchased the crypt beside Monroe’s, even though they had never met in life. He is now buried next to her.
COMMUNITY
Auditions open for 2022 Follies By Reader Staff After a COVID-related cancellation in 2021, the long-awaited 2022 Angels Over Sandpoint Follies is back on, scheduled for Friday-Saturday, March 4-5. But before then, the Angels are hosting auditions for acts in the hilarious R-rated variety show, with proceeds benefiting local families, individuals and community projects. Auditions are scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 8 and Sunday, Jan. 9 from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. both days. The location is kept confidential to avoid prying eyes, so if you have an act that you’d like to bring to the Follies stage, call 208-290-7685 or send a private message to facebook.com/angelsoversandpoint to schedule your tryout slot. The theme for the event is “Studio 54 — The ’70s,” so would-be participants as well as attendees are encouraged to dig deep into their closets for era-appropriate (or inappropriate, as the case may be) accoutrements. As organizers say, “Being a part of the Follies Family is even more fun than coming to the show! Make this the year you finally audition!! There is no show without YOU!!” Founded in 2002, Angels Over Sandpoint is a local nonprofit organization whose mission is to raise money for grants and scholarships that support continuing education, assist families with
You get, we
give
back-to-school supplies, support young artists and reward community service. For more information on the Angels and their programs, visit angelsoversandpoint.org.
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FEATURE
The year in re- and preview
What has been and (maybe) will be as we face down 2022
By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff
As has become our custom, we like to set aside some time and space at the end of the year to reflect on the events of the previous 12 months and offer some (sometimes baseless) predictions for what may await us in the future. One thing is for certain: 2021 threw us some curveballs, but there were a few things we got right. In the Dec. 31, 2020 edition of the Reader we correctly prophesied that the legal hubbub over the Festival at Sandpoint’s no-weapons policy would finally be put to rest in the city’s favor. That happened in June 2021, when a judge ruled that, “There are no genuine issues of material fact” as to whether the Festival or the city violated any laws or constitutional rights by allowing a weapons ban at War Memorial Field during the annual concert series. We were also correct that local businesses would be faced with a dizzying number of challenges as the COVID-19 pandemic continued, and that some of our favorite and longstanding merchants wouldn’t make it through the end of the year. While we got the broad strokes of that one right, we hadn’t anticipated the worker shortage and its subsequent ripple effects on supply chains and business both here and elsewhere. As it turned out, that struggle locally had much to do with another prediction that we got (mostly) right: “More newcomers will stream into Sandpoint as a result of factors ranging from COVID-19 to remote work opportunities,” and result in “driving up prices in an already razor-thin residential market.” The dramatic growth that has exploded over Bonner County in the past 20 or so months seemed 12 /
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Idaho Legislature, rather than citizen protest groups (maybe the latter were tuckered out after trying to destroy democracy in Washington D.C. last January). Idaho lawmakers sat for an historically long session, convening in January but not fully adjourning until November — in the meantime seeing a cadre of particularly far-right legislators tilting at federal vaccine and testing requirements. Despite a special session in November (and a failed attempt at one in September), not much came of those efforts: White Bird Republican Rep. Priscilla Giddings, who is running for lieutenant governor, was censured for her actions in publicizing the identity of a former staffer who accused disgraced former-Lewiston Republican Rep. Aaron von Ehlinger of rape, and state leaders drafted a letter to the Biden White House pledging to oppose vaccine and testing mandates. That’s a handful of things that were — now what about the things that will (or might) be?
to have ramped up by mid-year 2021, when prices — even for the most modest of properties — routinely topped $400,000 and frequently could be seen rising into the $600,000-$800,000 range. Heading into the end of the year, there are now multiple homes within Sandpoint city limits selling for prices in the millions of dollars, showing no signs of a downward trend (let’s call that prediction No. 1). We were right to predict upward swings in both population and real estate prices — frankly it was pretty obvious — but we were wrong that new census data released in 2021 would push Sandpoint over the 10,000-population mark. We came darn close,
though, with an overall 10-year increase of 17.3% to 8,639, but as city officials noted, those numbers don’t include the influx of newcomers who’ve come to the area during the pandemic era. “[I]t feels like we’re at that 17.3% growth just from last year to this year,” City Administrator Jennifer Stapleton said at the time. Surpassing the 10,000-population mark would have posed a serious challenge for the city of Sandpoint, as it would have meant losing resort city status and the ability to leverage funds through the resort city local option tax. City Hall beat the drum hard for a 1% local option tax primarily to help fund design
and construction of a range of projects described in the Parks and Recreation Master Plan, but the ballot measure didn’t achieve the necessary supermajority to pass. Here’s another prediction (which feels more than safe): the 1% LOT will return in some form sooner rather than later. Other news items we speculated on in 2020 included major reconstruction work at City Beach and surrounds — which didn’t come to pass, but we predict will finally get underway in 2022 — and the heightening of “COVID unrest,” as we called it. Regarding the latter, we were pretty spot on but didn’t suspect that much of that unrest in the Gem State would come from the
‘Turning downtown around’ As the city of Sandpoint proceeds with efforts to get its various Parks and Rec. Master Plan projects underway, we predict that the role of the so-called “Downtown Waterfront” area, roughly from Bridge to Main streets on the west bank of Sand Creek, will become the impetus for a major realignment of the downtown core itself. Provided the city can secure the necessary funding to proceed — and gets the go-ahead from elected officials for a critical piece of code revision allowing construction further into the waterway — the creekside redevelopment would offer a range of pedestrian and watercraft amenities, from a plaza and gathering space to extended moorage and walkways.
< see REVIEW, Page 13 >
< REVIEW, con’t from Page 14 > More than that, though, we speculate that some major real estate deals will start to be made public pertaining to various buildings along the east side of First Avenue, starting immediately north of the Panida Theater and extending all the way to the Cedar Street Bridge. High ranking city officials, both past and current, have already stated that huge changes are in the offing for downtown, with the goal of literally “turning downtown around” so that structures on the east side of First Avenue face both the street and Sand Creek. On top of that fairly sweeping prediction we also anticipate some forward momentum on construction of a parking structure at the current city parking lot — something we speculated might happen in 2020, but received confirmation in summer 2021 is due to undergo study. How much dirt will get turned on these projects is hard to guess, with so many disruptions to global supply chains affecting the availability and cost of building materials, but we feel confident that they will be big stories in the coming year. Workforce and affordable housing If you eavesdropped on local conversations in Sandpoint’s restaurants, bars and coffee shops at any point in 2021 you probably heard someone hashing out the sky-high prices for residential purchase and rent, and how it affects the ability of prevailing wage-earners to afford to live in the area. What more than one local official has come right out and called a “crisis” over the past 12 months has clearly come home (literally and figuratively) for a wide swath of local workers — from restaurant and retail employees to managers at some of Sandpoint’s largest employers who have found their rentals either sold out from under them or their monthly payments go through the roof, and/or discover that they’ve been completely priced out of the market for purchasing a home anywhere within 100 miles of town.
Beyond the fact that it’s occurring, the major conversation point has been what to do about it. Developers point to a lack of housing supply driving up prices, and have pushed for an escalating number of new subdivisions pretty much anywhere they’ll fit, but have frequently run afoul of neighbors and even some Planning and Zoning commissioners who contend both that vanishingly few of those new units will in fact be “affordable” and that in a rush to solve the problem too many corners are being cut with city code. Meanwhile, others argue that short-term rental conversions and out-of-area investor purchases should be regulated more tightly to protect existing housing stock, while still others suggest that employers themselves will need to step in and provide some relief for their workers if they want them to remain. Schweitzer recently made news with the opening of a workforce housing development in town, further hinting that it’s just the first in a number of projects intended to provide below-market rate options for employees who need accommodations. We predict that while the tension felt by housing-stressed residents isn’t going away, we also think Schweitzer won’t be the only big area employer to unveil something similar in 2022. COVID politics persist Every time we seem to think we’ve gotten a handle on the spread of COVID-19 infections, a new variant crops up and case numbers start to rise anew. While North Idaho hospitals have lifted crisis standards of care, Idaho remains designated as “high” community transmission by the CDC even as the state has the lowest vaccination rate in the country with only 51.9% of the population 5 years and older having been fully vaccinated. In the Panhandle Health District, that number is even lower, with only 42% of the population aged 5 and older receiving full vaccination and 39.5% having also received a booster shot. Given this data, it seems like a no-brainer to predict that we won’t see the “end” of the
Bradshaw, whose constituencies pandemic in 2022 and should plan on hearing a lot more about may find themselves overlapping on many federal key issues.) vaccine reNew conspiracies in 2022: the Ultiquirements mately, we in the little blue discs you put in your predict that next few toilet tank are actually tracking Idaho GOP months. devices; using your turn signal unity will Of course, this broadcasts your VIN to the recep- be preserved as will transtors installed on smart garbage an increaslate into cans, where the data is harvested ing number another of Repubseason of for targeted telemarketing by licans from storm and vehicle warranty companies; the rockfury in the rubbing sidewalk ice melt on your ribbed old Idaho Legislature, as skin prevents the spread of a host guard to the self-delawmakers of viruses; the last real apples scribed return disappeared in the early-2000s “reasonfrom their rump when Big Pharma replaced them able” moderates have session in with lab-produced facsimiles that come to November enlarge the amygdala in order to be almost full of existentialvigor to be trigger fear response. ly worried seen fightabout the ing the outsized influence exerted by feds — especially four months libertarian think tank/lobby ahead of what will be a raucous group Idaho Freedom Founprimary election in May 2022. dation and its partisans in the House and Senate. Elections In fact, we predict the May As noted above, the May 2022 primary will be as much a 2022 primary — specifically referendum on IFF’s chilly grip the Idaho Republican primary on the Legislature as it is on the — will be off the chain. With a candidates themselves. deep slate of candidates vying That said, we anticipate Little for statewide offices, the runup and Bedke will go on not only to to Election Day has and will secure their party’s nomination, continue to be dominated by the contest between incumbent Gov. but win in November — though, in an interesting twist, the NoBrad Little and his insurgent Lt. vember partisan contest will be Gov. Janice McGeachin, who between Little and Sandpoint’s has launched a challenge for own Mayor Shelby Rognstad, Little’s job from the far reachwho will almost certainly be es of their shared party’s right wing. Next to that race in terms of rhetoric is between House Speaker Scott Bedke, R-Oakley, and White Bird Republican Rep. Giddings for the lieutenant governor’s office. In both cases the outcome of the primary will speak volumes about the various rifts within the Idaho GOP: the traditionalists represented by Little and Bedke and the firebrand ultra-conservatives like McGeachin and Giddings. (This is not to mention the effects on the race of other gubernatorial candidates like celebrity anti-government activist Ammon Bundy and Bonner County Commissioner Steve
the Idaho Democratic contender for governor (which also brings us to another prediction that it won’t be Rognstad’s last foray into state-level politics). Last words In an effort to inject a little levity into this exercise — though, honestly, there wasn’t a whole lot to be light-hearted about from the first week of January 2021 onward — here are a few random predictions: • Betty White will continue to grace us with her presence until at least 2023. • There will be one, maybe two ultra-billionaires who do not go to space in 2022. • Amazon will rebrand itself as Leviathan, Apple will change its name to iBuy and all video on demand streaming services will be rolled into one platform called YouBinge. • New conspiracies in 2022: the little blue discs you put in your toilet tank are actually tracking devices; using your turn signal broadcasts your VIN to the receptors installed on smart garbage cans, where the data is harvested for targeted telemarketing by vehicle warranty companies; rubbing sidewalk ice melt on your skin prevents the spread of a host of viruses; the last real apples disappeared in the early-2000s when Big Pharma replaced them with lab-produced facsimiles that enlarge the amygdala in order to trigger fear response. • Elon Musk will bare knuckle box Bernie Sanders, but Bernie Sanders will win.
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BEST OF THE YEAR
Favorite book: Our Country Friends channels Chekhov for the pandemic era By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff Gary Shteyngart is the only contemporary author whose work I have actively followed over the decades. Starting with his debut novel The Russian Debutante’s Handbook (2002), and continuing through his other four other novels and one memoir, his work has always made it to the top of my reading list whenever possible. Likewise with his latest novel, Our Country Friends, published in November 2021 — just in time to be labeled my favorite book of the year. I’m not alone in this assessment. Look at any of the perennial bookish “best of” lists and you’ll find Shteyngart (sometimes just below John Grisham — the Grisham Ceiling being almost impervious to breakage). Shteyngart’s work is always special: wry, absurdist and bemused; by turns satiric and
angry; self-eviscerating yet warm; and, critically, always at its core humane even as it revolves around vice- and foible-ridden characters. Our Country Friends is even more unique in that it brings a Chekhovian sensibility — bordering on homage — to our host of present-day crises. Rather than set in crumbling Eastern Europe, a crazed fictional Middle East oil dictatorship or a hyper-acquisitive future-tech dystopia, this novel plops its city-dwelling characters onto a friends’ 100-acre rural compound in Upstate New York where they gather in bungalows to wait out the COVID-19 pandemic as it unfolds over the first six months of 2020. Suffice it to say, things get… complicated. The author is no stranger to societal collapse. Born in the Soviet Union in 1972 and emigrated to New York with his parents in 1979, Shteyngart’s earlier books could be described as “impish,”
packed to the crannies with a young outsider’s devilish, subversive humor. Now on the cusp of his 50s and by all measures a successful American author, Our Country Friends turns a load of satyrs loose on the Hudson Valley. Unlike his earlier characters, these pandemic refugees (or “colonists,” as he often calls them) are middle-aged and boozy, almost all wealthy, mostly still attractive and successful in various ways and to various extents, and wildly rutting through what they suspect might be the End of Days. These people didn’t panic-buy toilet paper, they stocked up on exotic meats and cheeses and gorged on nightly feasts of Russian and Mediterranean delicacies. They didn’t lock their doors, put on their comfy pants and anxiously binge through the entire Netflix catalog; they retreated to a 100acre private compound that didn’t even have a TV and barely even a WiFi connection.
On the surface this is a very different pandemic to the one endured by nearly everyone else, but in Shteyngart’s hands it becomes a microcosm of the collective trauma of the country. Cooped up for months, even people who think they’ve known each other for a lifetime uncover secret loves and betrayals. Even people who think they know themselves discover that they are far from the people they thought they were or would be. Many critics call Our Country Friends the first true “pandemic novel,” but it’s as much or more about class, culture and belonging; love and envy; regret, hope and aging; and — ultimately — friendship and family.
It’s Shteyngart’s best yet and, for my rubles, the best of a bad year.
Favorite album: Julien Baker’s Little Oblivions shows the artist at her most vulnerable — and most versatile By Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey Reader Staff The first time I listened to Julien Baker’s Little Oblivions, it was a bluebird day in North Idaho. I chose a favorite backroad and went for a slow, snow-packed drive. Nowhere to be, no one needing me. This is how you listen to a Julien Baker album. Baker is an artist who came of age shortly before her fame, making a name in the indie rock scene as the hardcore, queer, Christian teen who could take a simple guitar riff, pair it with the perfect turn of phrase and absolutely devastate her listeners. The 26-year-old continues to hone her craft and, on Little Oblivions — her third release and undoubtedly my favorite of 2021 — Baker has allowed herself to expand her soundscape beyond piano and acoustics and into 14 /
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something that, I can decidedly say, is what feelings sound like. She navigates a number of complicated relationships in her lyrics — with people, alcohol and her faith. All of this, combined with her persistent (sometimes painful) honesty, create a salve for the emo kid’s soul. On opening track “Hardline,” Baker details her self-destructive, sabotaging ways. A plodding guitar falls into a building percussion line until it all crashes into mayhem after the line: “I’m telling my own fortune/ Something I cannot escape/ I can see where this is going/ But I can’t find the brake.” Baker is constantly on the precipice of believing that people have given up on her, while also knowing that maybe things would be easier if they did — a gut-wrenching feeling that few do a better job putting into words than her. “How long/ Do I have until/
I’ve spent up/ Everyone’s goodwill?” she asks, matter-of-factly, on “Favor.” Different from her previous work, Little Oblivions sees no resolution. The final track, “Ziptie,” calls out the real culprit causing all this pain — “human nature” — and Baker lays the album at its feet: “Oh, good God/ When you gonna call it off/ Climb down off of the cross/ And change your mind?” No swelling bridge. No tidy ending. Baker knows being human can be so ugly, so exhausting, so unfair. On Little Oblivions, she seems at peace with this — for now. Maybe she’ll find some answers on her fourth album, or maybe she’ll continue being OK with presenting art without the wise conclusions. Baker is figuring it out, and her ability to share her journey so keenly, and with such craftsmanship, is a gift. We are all fortunate to be on the receiving end.
Courtesy photo.
BEST OF THE YEAR
Favorite film: The Matrix Resurrections By Ben Olson Reader Staff It was a tough year for new film releases. With the COVID-19 pandemic lingering like an unwanted visitor, theaters haven’t exactly been the happening places they were before the world changed. Despite the challenges, there were some excellent films released in 2021. Both Nomadland and Judas and the Black Messiah are likely picks for top releases of the year, but my favorite flick came out just a week before the end of the year. It probably won’t win any Oscars, but The Matrix Resurrections — the long-awaited fourth installment of The Matrix Trilogy — was everything fans of the film franchise wanted. First introduced in 1999 and directed by Lana and Lilly Wachowski, formerly known as the Wachowski Brothers, the original Matrix blew our minds as we watched Keanu Reeves’
character Neo fall down the rabbit hole to discover the world was a simulation invented by machines that have enslaved the human race. When the sequel, Reloaded, premiered in 2003, it was well-received by critics. Not so much when Revolutions finished the trilogy. For Resurrections, Lana Wachowski returns to solo-direct, also bringing back familiar characters with Reeves playing Neo/Thomas Anderson, Carrie-Anne Moss returning as Trinity/Tiffany and Jada Pinkett-Smith returning to play Captain Niobe. Notably absent are Laurence Fishburne playing Morpheus and Hugo Weaving’s iconic Agent Smith. New faces include Yahya Abdul-Mateen II playing a rebooted (younger) version of Morpheus, Neil Patrick Harris playing The Analyst and Jonathan Groff breathing new life into Neo’s archenemy Agent Smith. (Warning: Spoilers follow). Set 60 years after the events of the third film, Resurrections pres-
ents Neo living again as Thomas Anderson, now a successful video game developer whose greatest creation is a hit game called... you guessed it… The Matrix. Reeves’ memories from the first movie are actually video game cutscenes that fans have elevated to cult status. Harris plays Anderson’s analyst, feeding him blue pills and keeping his dream life from spilling over into reality. Audiences are left wondering if the entire Matrix trilogy was really just a dream that Anderson came up with to make a video game. Contrary to the Matrix brand of heavily stylized fight sequences, which sometimes drip with way too much CGI, Resurrections instead relies on a calmer, more contemplative style to propel the movie forward. It still retains the cyberpunk gothic coolness of the Matrix films, but succeeds in staying away from Transformers-like action sequences that often leave viewers’ heads spinning. Most importantly, Resurrec-
Courtesy photo. tions achieves a bit of the magic the first film conjured, bending reality in just the right ways and planting the question in our minds over what’s really real. The film makes the best impact in its self-awareness, both poking fun at sequel-driven Hollywood but also gladly taking your money, even if it’s just a portion of your monthly HBO Max subscription. A key scene in the film depicts
game designer Anderson forced by his parent company — which is also Warner Bros. — to churn out a sequel to his video game, a tongue-incheek nod to the fourth film itself. It may not be the best film ever made, but Resurrections achieves its goal of bending the moviegoers’ experience and creating a lasting impression as they walk out the door. I’m already thinking of what the fifth film would entail.
Favorite game: Disco Elysium, a fine balance of philosophy, politics and action By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Contributor Video game violence is easy. Politics and philosophy? That’s a little trickier. And it’s exactly what makes Disco Elysium: The Final Cut a modern masterpiece. It’s easy to understand why video games, even the most primitive, lean heavily on combat. Violent power fantasy is a simple and viscerally thrilling concept to interpret through gameplay mechanics. There’s not necessarily anything wrong with that, either. Action games, as much as action movies, are terrific entertainment if recognized for the fantasies that they are. Disco Elysium takes a different approach. That’s not to say violence is nonexistent in the game — the plot centers on a murder mystery, after all. But, rather than gamifying violence, the narra-
tive-driven RPG turns ideology, philosophical worldviews and cognitive processes into gameplay mechanics. Inspired by the 1999 masterpiece Planescape: Torment, Disco Elysium is set in Elysium, a fantasy realist world with its own history and technological development. The player takes the role of an amnesiac detective, who awakens in a trashed hotel room with the world’s worst hangover. After meeting his long-suffering partner Kim Kitsuragi downstairs, the detective learns they’ve been sent to investigate a murder behind the hotel. What follows is a story of political intrigue among Elysium’s religionists, liberals, communists and fascists. Like most RPGs, Disco Elysium uses statistics to represent the likelihood of success on any given task, whether it be investigating a crime scene, intimidating a witness or parsing the nuances of
ultra-liberalist philosophy. In addition, character interactions and story events can internalize thoughts that grant additional abilities — an understanding of racism, the constitution to inspect rotting bodies or an ambition to become the world’s greatest homeless cop. This typically takes place through dialogue trees — a lot of dialogue trees. Granted, they’re trees full of wonderfully crafted and often hilarious prose, but if you aren’t prepared for some reading, this game is not for you. It’s a bit of a cheat to name
Courtesy photo. Disco Elysium my 2021 game of the year, as it technically came out in 2019. But this year saw the release of The Final Cut, a substantial update featuring new content, enhanced mechanics and full voiceovers for the game’s immense script. It’s the perfect way
to play a game unlike any other. Disco Elysium: The Final Cut is available on basically everything: Windows, macOS, Playstation 4, Playstation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch and even Google Stadia. December 30, 2021 /
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FOOD
Taking health to heart
Yafay Wellness, a business collective featuring organic food and beauty services, opens on Second Ave.
By Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey Reader Staff Those looking for healthy alternatives and ways to incorporate more self care into their lives in the new year are likely to find something to fit the bill at Yafay Wellness — a new collective of businesses in Sandpoint focused on providing a hub for health. “We’re trying to create a space for the community where people can come in and feel a sense that we want to offer everything healthy and everything wellness, from the products you use on your body to the food you consume,” said Yafay founder Jen Dillon, who also owns natural beauty brand Earthlab Cosmetics. “You are what you eat, and your skin is your largest organ — it absorbs the products that you use.” Yafay Wellness, located at 202 N. Second Ave., opened Dec. 21 and currently features 16 /
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the Northern Squeeze coldpressed juice bar and vegan breakfast menu; the Rawlicious Organic Bistro, led by head chef Ethan Dillon, serving lunch; a full lineup of natural beauty products; massage therapy; and Dr. Brooke Heather, a naturopathic and holistic doctor of alternative medicine with experience in biofeedback. Dillon already hopes to grow Yafay, which she said is the Hebrew word for “beautiful.” Aside from more services, including organic manicures and pedicures, she also plans to recruit more local artisans. “I want to bring in more products from locals that fit with our wellness initiative,” Dillon said. “We want everything to be as clean as possible — non-toxic products.” One such local entity joining forces with Dillon at Yafay is Northern Squeeze, a cold-pressed juice bar and vegan eatery previously located in the
Oak Street Food Court. Callie Kellogg, who launched the business in 2021 with her mom Tamra, said that Northern Squeeze wasn’t easy to operate from a truck; processing produce and pressing juice is more conducive to the kitchen at Yafay. “So it’s really nice to be in a building,” she said with a laugh, noting that the Northern Squeeze truck will likely come back into use as an extension of the brick-and-mortar location. Kellogg said she is excited to be a part of Yafay to continue “giving people a healthy alternative.” [We’re] showing people that there are ways to stay healthy, especially right now,” she said. “People are so quick to run to the doctor and they’re scared to go out, but we offer a lot of awesome services that will keep you feeling good.” Dillon said she is actively seeking local products, just like Northern Squeeze juices and
Bonner Boocha — a kombucha business also featured at Yafay — to enhance the variety of products at the collective. “There are so many unique small businesses that aren’t getting exposure,” she said, “and they can’t afford to lease a 3,000- to 4,000-square-foot building.” While Dillon has been busy with Earthlab, she said that launching a collaborative effort featuring food and health services has always been her goal. With Yafay Wellness, that dream is being realized. “This was really what I envisioned for many, many years — a collective of like-minded people offering really clean
Left: Owner Jen Dillon works the tea bar at Yafay Wellness. Top Right: The Greek chicken pita, available at Rawlicious Organic Bistro inside Yafay Wellness. Above Right: A sampling of Yafay Apothecary products. Photos by Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey. products and food to our community,” she said. To learn more about Yafay Wellness, or to contact Jen Dillon about participating in the collective, visit yafaywellness. com. Yafay Wellness is open 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. The Northern Squeeze juice bar is available during all open hours. The Rawlicious Organic Bistro is open for lunch 11 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Place to-go orders by calling 208-627-5335.
COMMUNITY
Sandpoint Parks and Recreation programming for January By Reader Staff Sandpoint Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces will be offering the following programming in January 2022. Online Registration is currently open for: • Youth basketball (grades 3-6): Our focus is on fun and fundamentals. Play is split into 3rd-4th grade girls, 3rd-4th grade boys, 5th-6th grade girls and 5th-6th grade boys. Games are held on Saturdays at Sandpoint Middle School. Play will begin Feb. 5 and run through March 12. There will be a coach’s meeting before play begins. All coaches will be contacted. Registration deadline is Sunday, Jan. 9. The player fee is $34.50, as well as a $5.25 non-resident fee. Scholarships and sibling discounts are available for all youth league sports. Inquire at 208-2633613 prior to online registration. Adult volunteer coaches are needed for this program. Sign up during program registration. Parks and Rec has resources to share coaching techniques, skills and drills upon request. A desire to coach the philosophies of fun, fundamentals and sportsmanship are the only true requirements.
the special child in your life. We have a complete step-by-step guide and a coordinator to help with drills and keep everything running smoothly. A red and white nylon mesh reversible sports jersey will be required for both the Youth Basketball and Little Dribblers program. They may be purchased online or at the Parks & Recreation Department if you do not already have one. We also allow red and white reversible jerseys from other organizations to be used in our leagues. Jerseys cost $14.50. Ongoing and Upcoming Events: • Open gym basketball for adults and youth: Open gym is held on Sundays at the Sandpoint High School Gym
410 S. Division through March 13. (No open gym on Feb. 6). Adults play 4:306 p.m. and pay a two-dollar player fee at the door. Youth (grades 3-12) play 3-4:30 p.m. for free. • Community Garden Plots: Last year’s plot tenants in good standing receive first right of refusal on their plot for the upcoming 2022 season. Online reservation opens for remaining Community Garden Plots on Jan. 11. The community garden located at Highway 2 and Lake Street offers both 4’x8’ plots for $26 and 7’x7’ plots for $31.50. Supply is extremely limited. Make your reservation on the Sandpoint Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces website: sandpointidaho.gov/parksrecreation.
• Little Dribblers basketball (grades 1-2) with new dates and times: This clinic style program is designed to introduce kids to the sport of basketball, teaching the basics of the game with a heavy emphasis on dribbling and ball handling. It’s a fun and engaging program that the kids love. Play is on Wednesdays, Feb. 23-March 30 at Kootenai Elementary School from 4-5:30 p.m. (1st grade) and 5:30-7 p.m. (2nd grade). Register by Jan. 17.The player fee is $34.50, as well as a $5.25 non-resident fee. Scholarships and sibling discounts are available for all youth league sports. Inquire at 208-263-3613 prior to online registration. Volunteers are needed for this program. Sign up to volunteer during online registration. No special basketball background is needed, just a genuine desire to engage with December 30, 2021 /
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events
December 30 - January 6, 2021
THURSDAY, december 30
FriDAY, december 31
Live Music w/ BTP 5-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery Baker, Thomas and Packwood help ring in the new year with classic rock favorites Live Music w/ Jason Perry Band 9pm-late @ 219 Lounge A NYE to remember, with deep funk, improv rock and dance music. 21+ no cover Live Music w/ Nights of Neon 10pm @ Sandbar New Year’s Eve live music at the Sandbar
Live Music w/ John Firshi 7pm @ Eichardt’s Pub John has been playing the NW for 12 years and has a wide range of influences New Year’s Eve Tubing at Schweitzer @ Schweitzer Tubing, snacks, hot cocoa, twinkie roasting and sparklers to pass around!
SATURDAY, January 1 Live Music w/ Alex & Steven 6-8pm @ Idaho Pour Authority Sandpoint Polar Plunge 11am @ Boat ramp at City Beach This longtime event sees locals diving into the frigid lake to ring in the new year. Changing tents, warming stations and hot cocoa/coffee for participants and spectators. Take the plunge! Toast the Trail celebration 1:30-3:30pm @ Pend d’Oreille Bay Trail Meet at the gate at the end of the PO Bay Trail for a celebration of the purchasing of property by the city of Ponderay to extend the Bay Trail north into Ponderay
Live Music w/ Samantha Carston 11am @ The Fat Pig Call to reserve a table for New Year’s brunch, with live music by Samantha First Day Hike 10am-12pm @ Farragut State Park A guided hike or snowshoe. Meet at visitor center. All ages welcome, dress for the weather. History presentation
SunDAY, January 2
Sandpoint Chess Club 9am @ Evans Brothers Coffee Meets every Sunday at 9am
monDAY, January 3
Monday Night Blues Jam w/ John Firshi 7pm @ Eichardt’s Pub
Group Run @ Outdoor Experience 6pm @ Outdoor Experience 3-5 miles, all levels welcome, beer after
Lifetree Cafe • 2pm @ Jalapeño’s Restaurant A filmed interview with humorist and GP Dr. Brad Nieder, who entertains thousands across teh country with his medical-related humor.
tuesDAY, January 4 wednesDAY, January 5 Live Piano Music 5-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery
Hootenanny Family Open Mic Night 6:30-8:30pm @ City Beach Organics Join Fiddlin’ Red for an evening of food and friends. Play a song, read a poem or just come to watch and listen
ThursDAY, January 6 18 /
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STAGE & SCREEN
Portrait of the artist as an old man Kurt Vonnegut: Unstuck in Time is a time capsule of a friendship, rather than a true documentary
By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff
Digging through the Reader morgue, I found the obituary of sorts we wrote for Kurt Vonnegut in the April 12, 2007 edition — one day after he died in Manhattan of brain injuries he suffered following a fall. He was 84. In our piece, we self-indulgent 20-somethings bylined the piece “By Some Unqualified Guy for SPR” and wrote about Vonnegut’s “doctrine of humanity and kindness and self-deprecation” in the face of an insane world and a universe that — by prevailing evidence — is frequently even worse. “Themes of an unfeeling, unthinking God and a purposeless universe haunt many of his 14 novels,” we wrote, “a lurking fear informed by his experience as a prisoner of war in Dresden, Germany during the fire bombings of World War II.” Though he often presented himself as a “happy warrior,” cutting capers amid and about human frailty, we noted, “increasingly as he aged, it was cause for bitterness, disappointment and disgust.” In other words, Vonnegut was a grouch, but who can blame him? Certainly not Robert Weide, who we learn from the “new” documentary Kurt Vonnegut: Unstuck in Time (currently streaming for rental on Amazon), was not only a dear personal friend of the author but tried and failed over the course of almost 40 years to bring his Vonnegutian panegyric to the screen. Weide, of course, is the Emmy-winning director of the first few seasons of Curb Your Enthusiasm and also well known for his documentaries about the Marx Brothers and W.C. Fields, among others. As it turns out, Weide was well-nigh obsessed with Vonnegut as a student in the early 1980s — himself a preening 20-something — going so far as to organize his own student-run seminar on his works while still in college and writing the kind of letter that all fans dream of: One that is answered by the
object of their adulation. Weide and Vonnegut became collaborators of sorts, as the former launched a frankly aimless attempt at documenting the latter’s final 25 years — turning on the camera here and there whenever they found themselves together, giving the resulting documentary a distinctive “time capsule” feel. We see both men age, though one does so more gracefully than the other, as they commune together about life, memory and art, along the way constructing a truly compelling portrait of Vonnegut’s genius, which he seemed to wear with a puzzled sense of aggrieved gratitude. (Not going to lie: My wife and I both found ourselves misting up over a few of the scenes.) Most charming are the audio snippets of Vonnegut’s many answering machine messages to Weide over the years, revealing him to be the kind of buddy who gets lonely and just wants to hear your voice. Meanwhile, the viewer gets the sense that the documentarian has too much material to work with, and so the narrative structure takes the meandering track of an
old pal poring over boxes of ephemera and remembering as he goes along. To be clear: You must be a pretty serious Vonnegut fan to get much pleasure out of this exercise. Rogerebert. com gave the film three stars, noting that it feels more than anything like a wake (albeit more than 13-and-a-halfyears after the fact), insofar as it can be rambling and haphazard at times. “[T]he raw sentiment coursing through every moment of the affair, however heartfelt, can be overwhelming,” wrote critic Matt Zoller Seitz, “especially if you didn’t know the deceased as well as the folks memorializing him.” That tracks 100% with my experience watching the film. By turns Vonnegut is lionized and revealed for the flawed character that he was — though sometimes those flaws seem rather uncomfortable for Weide to really unpack, which leaves curious silences in the archive. For instance, we get hints that Vonnegut wasn’t the best dad in the world (by a long shot) and a la Hemingway perpetrated an act of
A screenshot from Kurt Vonnegut: Unstuck in Time. Courtesy image. profound treachery against the wife who nurtured his life and talent through his critical early years. Yet this aspect of his character goes mostly unexplored. That’s fine, so long as Kurt Vonnegut: Unstuck in Time is understood for what it is, and that is a hagiography, rather than a work of unflinching portraiture. (One example: Vonnegut repeatedly downplays the impact of his experiences in Dresden on his life and writing, a statement at which Weide and others, including the writer’s daughters, seem to doubt in the way that any kid knows when “dad’s full of crap.”) By the end of its two-hour runtime, the film clearly has as much to say about its creator as it does its subject, with Weide taking frequent center stage — even as he admits from the outset that he’d prefer not to be so intimately involved with the structure of the story he’s telling, he fairly shrugs it off. To borrow a phrase from his friend, “So it goes.” December 30, 2021 /
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FOOD
The Sandpoint Eater
Tasting nostalgia
By Marcia Pilgeram Reader Columnist
A friend from Montana recently called, asking about dining reservations for her upcoming ski trip to Sandpoint. Sadly, I shared with her, some of my favorite spots have gone dark. Besides the food, I miss the prospect of taking up space in a beloved corner or booth. Some people say a song takes them back. For me, a cozy table (or stool at the bar) in an old haunt takes me back to my first bite there — and a taste of nostalgia. There is something incredibly soothing in the savoring of food memories. I can still remember the first time I held a menu in my hand and ordered my meal instead of (as the youngest) receiving “an extra plate.” Though almost 60 years ago, I can still recall that order: half a crispy, spring-fried chicken and a Shirley Temple, filled right to the brim of a tall Collins glass, topped with a couple of extra Maraschino cherries and placed on a fancy cocktail napkin. Through countless life moves and purges, I still have that faded napkin and the sweetest memories of Mr. Holmes, the kind gentleman who treated me and my classmate, Jill (his daughter), to my birthday dinner at Jorgenson’s Holiday Inn in Helena, Mont. Though I am no longer a regular, I’m grateful this restaurant still exists. I ate my first soft-shelled crab there. Until Mom could no longer leave her assisted-living quarters, they’d set up a nice table for two in the lounge, and my mom would nibble away at a chilled shrimp cocktail. For me, it was always a soft-shelled crab po-boy. I can’t count the number of banquets 20 /
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(my first Minnesota wild-rice stuffed Cornish game hen) and receptions I attended there, but different ones pop up in my memory bank every time I visit. My children question my savant-like ability to remember almost every dining experience I’ve ever had when, daily, I can’t even find my car keys. But I have an uncanny recall for most of life’s fine morsels. It could also be true that I’ve planned entire vacations around restaurant experiences. But, unfortunately, it’s not as easy to phone for a reservation nowadays. Instead, many restaurants direct us to use an app, like Open Table, and I am not a fan. I have favorite restaurants scattered throughout the country and favorite tables, so I prefer to speak to a human who (likely rolling
their eyes throughout the call) can jot down some specific notes about my pending reservation, that likely includes a celebration requiring a surprise dessert. And yes, there are the times I regress, taking up time to talk about my last fabulous dining experience there, possibly in 2016? Earlier this month, I called the Palm Court at the Davenport. Though the gentleman on the phone first directed me to Open Table, I was fortunate that he kindly took my Christmas Day reservation request for five, at a fireplace table in the lobby, including a highchair. Our family has had many holiday meals at the Davenport, and I was excited to share this ritual with Casey’s young family (still residing in temporary housing in Spokane). Sadly, due to the damn omicron
virus spike, we had to alter plans, and I ended up at a fireplace table for one (the kids joined me later in the evening, in my room). After four action-packed days in Moscow, I was more than content sitting alone before the fire, sipping Champagne in solitude and savoring a favorite meal of crab louie. The small corner table stirred up 20 years of memories — pre-wedding spa stays, pregnancy declarations, new job announcements, and casual get-aways with friends or family. Serendipitously, a familiar face took my order: favorite long-time waitperson, Mary. We gossiped about the hotel’s new ownership and fondly reminisced about past gatherings with friends and family. The next day I was anxious to get home to start prepping a
Boxing Day dinner for a family of dear friends. Like me, the matriarch of their clan was a former resident of Missoula, so I thought it would be fun to start with the first course from another bygone favorite, Curley’s Broiler. Curley’s was a Montana mainstay for more than 40 years — part bar and grill and, through another entrance, an upscale diner. Once guests were seated in the dining room, a delicious crock of chicken bisque soup was served and savored with cocktails. Sadly, Curley’s closed and was dismantled several years ago. Still, it only takes a spoonful of chicken bisque to take me there again. I hope the coming year fills you up with lots of good food and great memories to savor. Happy New Year, dear friends and readers.
Chicken bisque soup
Serves 8 Worth the effort to start with a fresh chicken (you’ll have left over chicken for some tasty chicken salad.) When I have time, I cook the chicken the day before, so I can chill and skim the fat from the broth, otherwise just ladle off most of the fat.
INGREDIENTS:
DIRECTIONS:
• 1 3-pound chicken • 1 cup minced celery • 1 cup peeled, minced carrots • 1 onion finely chopped • 3 tablespoon salt • 3 tablespoon butter • 1/4 cup flour • 1/2 cup chopped pimientos • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper • 1 tbs cooking sherry
Place chicken in a large pot and cover with water — about 3 quarts. Season with a tablespoon of salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until chicken is tender and separates easily from the bone. Remove chicken from stock and, when cool, chop finely and refrigerate until needed. Strain stock, chill and skim fat. Reheat stock and add celery, carrots and onion. Cook until vegetables are tender, about an hour. To make the roux, melt butter in a 3-quart saucepan over low heat. Stir in flour and cook for 2-3 minutes, then slowly add to the simmering stock. Bring to a low boil and whisk until smooth. Simmer until soup takes on a
light glaze, about 15 minutes. Add the jar of chopped pimientos, 1 cup shredded chicken and ground pepper. Simmer for a few
minutes, stirring constantly. Finish with the sherry. Serve in heated bowls.
MUSIC
The origins behind the New Year’s song ‘Auld Lang Syne’ By Ben Olson Reader Staff Every year, as the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve, a familiar song is often heard crooned by half-drunk party goers as they ring in the coming year. But how did “Auld Lang Syne” earn its place as the official song most of us sing after the champagne pops and the ball drops? It can elicit tears from many, and most probably don’t know most of the words, but this nostalgic song has been firmly cemented with New Year’s traditions for several centuries. The song is credited to Scottish poet Robert Burns, who is most known for his poem “Comin’ Thru the Rye.” Despite Burns’ association with it, “Auld Lang Syne” actually originated as a ballad by James Watson well before his time. Watson’s original first verse and chorus in 1711 read: Should Old Acquaintance be forgot and never thought upon; The flames of Love extinguished, and fully past and gone: Is thy sweet Heart now grown so cold, that loving Breast of thine; That thou canst never once reflect On old long syne. (Chorus:) On old long syne my Jo, On old long syne, That thou canst never once reflect, On old long syne. When Burns sent a copy of his poem to the Scots Musical Museum in 1788, he noted that he had “collected” some of the lyrics, rather than composing the poem from scratch. In 1793, Burns sent the song to James Johnson, who was assembling a book of old Scottish folk songs. He wrote to Johnson, “The following song, an old song, of the olden
times, and which has never been in print, nor even in manuscript until I took it down from an old man.” By the time the book was published in 1796, Burns was dead and would never know his words would eventually become the song most sung to usher in the new year. The translation of “Auld Lang Syne” is also a bit ambiguous, with some claiming the words mean, “times gone by,” “old time’s sake,” “long long ago” or “once upon a time.” The most commonly accepted translation is “for old time’s sake,” which is close enough, since the word-for-word translation is “old long since.” The tune we sing today is different than the original, which one can listen to in 2008’s Sex and the City movie, of all places. The version we sing today was used at the suggestion of music producer George Thompson, who thought the original song was “mediocre,” so he printed “Auld Lang Syne” with music to a traditional Scottish melody. Why has “Auld Lang Syne” become so entrenched with New Year’s Eve? The best guess is that in 1929, when bandleader Guy Lombardo played the song as transitional music while performing at New York City’s Roosevelt Hotel during a New Year’s Eve
The Fat Pig is open for New Year’s Day brunch on Saturday, Jan. 1 — a good inducement not to party too hard the night before. Along with the stellar food, brunch customers will enjoy the sounds of Samantha Carston and Drew Browne from 11 a.m.-2 p.m., both longtime members in the Sandpoint band Browne Salmon Truck. Carston’s powerful voice
and delightful ukulele tunes pair well with Browne’s dynamic bass lines. There isn’t a better duo to listen to over mimosas and hopeful talk of the new year. Reservations for brunch are recommended. — Ben Olson 11 a.m-2 p.m., FREE. The Fat Pig, 301 Cedar St., 208-2657675, sandpointfatpig.com.
READ
Not only is the Smithsonian a (literal) U.S. institution, it turns out an excellent magazine. Covering everything from arts and culture to science news and history, Smithsonian Magazine presents a taste of its famous collection and expertise both in print and online. Heading into the new year, Smithsonian put together a list of 99 of the most interesting archeological finds of 2021 — from prehistoric jewelry to Crusader coins to rediscovered masterpieces, find the full round-up at smithsonianmag.com.
LISTEN
An engraved vintage illustration drawing of the celebration of “Auld Lang Syne” on New Year’s Eve, from a Victorian book dated 1854. Courtesy photo. broadcast just after midnight, it was heard over radios and televisions, inadvertently spawning a global tradition. Today, “Auld Lang Syne” is sung after the ball drops on New Year’s Eve, but it’s also played at funerals, celebrations and, in Japan, as a warning that closing time approaches. This year, as you raise a glass to your friends and loved ones on New Year’s Eve, take heart knowing that the words you mumble and struggle through are likely sung by hundreds of millions of others, all in dedication of the times gone by.
A snapshot of notable live music coming up in Sandpoint Samantha Carston & Drew Browne, The Fat Pig, Jan. 1
This week’s RLW by Zach Hagadone
Jason Perry Band, 219 Lounge, Dec. 31
For a year that’s been nothing short of funky for most of us, what better way to shake your booty into the new year than to the sweet, funky sounds of the locally loved Jason Perry Band? Blending elements of funk, jazz, blues and rock, Spokane-based guitarist and singer-songwriter Jason Perry makes his way across the Inland Northwest year round, playing energetic shows both solo and with his rock band quartet. Perry just dropped a five-track
EP on all major streaming apps — his first appearance on that platform — titled “Picnic Before the Apocalypse.” That material, along with that band’s trusty standbys, are sure to keep the lounge party hopping into 2022. No cover, must be 21 or older. —Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey
Sometimes in cooking a good strategy is to mix two things that are good on their own, but you wouldn’t think of as palatable together. Same goes for music. Take traditional Russian music and surf rock, roll them together with vintage horror and sci-fi sounds and you have St. Petersburg, Russia-based duo Messer Chups. Active since 1998, the band’s most recent release, Mondo Harp, came in 2019. It’s all strange in the best way.
WATCH
A lot of people have opinions about Don’t Look Up, the new film on Netflix starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Meryl Streep and a constellation of other A-list stars. Ostensibly about two astronomers (DiCaprio and Lawrence) who discover an extinction-level comet headed straight for Earth — and their failure to get anyone to take the threat seriously — it’s really a grim satire about climate change inaction. Your thoughts on that subject will likely determine your thoughts on this film. Critics don’t like it, but climate scientists give it two thumbs up.
9 p.m.-late, FREE. 219 N. First Ave.; 208-263-5673; 219.bar. Listen at facebook.com/jasonperrymusic or on major streaming platforms. December 30, 2021 /
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BACK OF THE BOOK
Home(s) for the holidays
The distinct joy of having many families
From Northern Idaho News, Dec. 25, 1928
ROBBERS CUT GLASS AND ROB EAGLES CLUB TAKE CIGARS, CIGARETTES, CANDY AND OTHER MERCHANDISE TO THE VALUE OF OVER $150 Thursday night burglars went to the back of the Eagle club rooms on First avenue and cut a hole in the glass in the transom. The hole was oblong in shape and looked as if a ruler had been placed on the glass along which a diamond had been run to cut the glass. Gaining entrance they tok about 1,500 cigarettes, a shipment of about 1,000 cigars, 50 pounds of candy, flashlights and other merchandise. This loot they placed in bags which they took from chairs belonging to L.G. Moon and made their escape in the same manner they entered. Ed Welo, custodian of the club, left the rooms about 1:30 after locking everything up. Bakers working in the City bakery heard glass fall to the floor about 1:45 but they thought the members were still in the club and did no investigate. It is thought the robbers were concealed nearby watching for Welo to close up and as soon as he was safely away burglarized the place. 22 /
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/ December 30, 2021
By Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey Reader Staff The end of December is when many return home for dinners, gifts and gatherings of varying formality. No family looks the same and, often, the rituals and traditions start to look different over the years. In 2021, I gained a whole new family: my husband’s. Granted, while 2021 included our wedding, this year’s holiday gathering hardly felt like a change of pace from the past five years, which I’ve also spent with the Careys. My second family is loud, fun and endlessly generous. We celebrated together on Christmas Eve — as per tradition — with copious snacks, beverages, presents and a campfire. We went to bed full and happy, though extremely aware of just how quiet our daily existence is in comparison to Christmas Eve at the Careys’ home. Christmas morning looked as it has the past few years, with me, my husband and my three sisters all converging on my parents’ house for a relaxed breakfast and gift exchange. My dad makes his grandmother’s famous pancake recipe — cooking mine crepe-style with jam, because he loves me — along with sausage and eggs. We each take turns opening presents, then — if it’s one from my mom — an entire story unfolds on how and why that particular gift was chosen. My sisters and I have made a concerted effort to spoil my mom in recent years, with many of those gifts including origin stories, so it appears that the tradition will continue in earnest. Between my nuclear family Christmas and the in-law Christmas Eve celebration, I am a lucky gal. To add to that good fortune, there is my third Christmas. For this, I drive a few miles to the east, right outside Clark Fork. I pull into the
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driveway and greet Griz, the appropriately grizzled black lab, offering him a cheesy tortilla chip and chin scratch. I walk through the front door without knocking, hang my coat and set my boots next to a pile of a dozen other pairs in varying sizes. The house is warm, buzzing with activity. The sliding door onto the deck opens and closes frequently. “Where are my gloves?” “Can I have another cookie?” “Lyndsie’s here!” This is the Wolds’ house, full of grandchildren and grown children — one of which is my closest childhood friend, Heather. It is the day after Christmas. I’ve come without a timeline and with only an offhanded text as an invitation. I don’t need one. I know I’m always welcome. I have been a part of the Wolds’ family functions with such consistency that one of Heather’s nephews just recently discovered I was not, in fact, his cousin. I’ve been walking through the door without a knock for more than half my life now — eating at the table, lounging on the couch, singing “happy birthday” alongside actual blood relatives of the 2- and 3-year-old kids who are now approaching middle school age. I visited the Wolds this year to see everyone, but mostly, to see Jessie Mae. Heather’s first child, she’s taken to calling me TT — short for “auntie” — and is, without a doubt, the light of my life during the wacky past two years. Standing by the fire, sipping a beer, watching Jessie Mae make memories in the snow with her big cousins, it occurred to me that I live with the distinct blessing of a third family. They’ve been gracious to me since childhood, accepting in my many phases and have extended that acceptance to my husband.
Jessie Mae and the author get into the holiday spirit with some baking. Courtesy photo. Those of us lucky enough to count ourselves among three families are particularly lucky during the holidays. Cheers to the Wolds, the Careys and the Kieberts. I’m happy to be yours.
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If God dwells inside us, like some people say, I sure hope He likes enchiladas, because that’s what he’s getting!
Solution on page 22
Solution on page 22
inspissate
Woorf tdhe Week
By Bill Borders
/in-SPIS-eyt/
[verb] used with or without object 1. to thicken, as by evaporation; make or become dense.
“The sauce was inspissated by butter and crème fraîche.”
Corrections: Nothing to report this week. Wishing you all a happy new year!
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Laughing Matter
CROSSWORD ACROSS 1. Warms 6. Drive 11. Provide 12. Dispute 15. Frolic 16. Demonstrable 17. Avenue (abbrev.) 18. A ludicrous folly 20. Not in 21. Scrabble piece 23. Vipers 24. Boorish 25. Cause surfeit through excess 26. Craving 27. ___ Kong 28. Hoopla 29. One or more 30. Thermionic tube 31. Quick-tempered persons 34. French for “Love” 36. In song, the loneliest number 37. Layer 41. Anagram of “Crab” 42. Debauchee 43. Feudal worker 44. Skin disease 45. Abominable Snowman 46. Wander 47. Mesh 48. Greek goddess of fertility
Solution on page 22 51. Cover 52. Held up in the air 54. Whim 56. Featured 57. Muse of love poetry 58. Fall guy 59. Seminal fluid
DOWN 1. With great force 2. Enfold 3. Pother 4. Territory 5. Bristle 6. A written version of a play
7. Sweetie 8. Covetousness 9. Estimated time of arrival 10. Ricochet 13. Gunk 14. French for “Head” 15. Apprehend 16. Sneaked 19. Razz 22. Blight 24. Adult male chicken 26. Den 27. Hasten 30. To endure (archaic) 32. Tavern 33. A northern people
34. Admit 35. Seductive looking woman 38. Set apart 39. Encircle 40. Slender 42. Curative 44. Rectum 45. Affirmatives 48. Soil 49. Nights before 50. Unusual 53. Genus of macaws 55. A leg (slang)
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