Reader december3 2015

DECEMBER 3, 2015 /[Ifffi/ VOL. 12 ISSUE 46

A LOOK INSIDE THE LIFE OF A REAL REFUGEE

BONNER COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OPPOSE REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT

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(wo)MAN compiled by

on the street

Susan Drinkard “How do you feel about the refugee situation? Do you feel we should close our doors to refugees out of fear of terrorist attacks, or should we continue to resettle them in the U.S.?”

“I think we should welcome them with open arms and make them feel like this is their home as best we can.”

Brian Taylor Twin Eagles Wilderness School Sandpoint “Keep them where they’re at in Europe. I don’t think we have any use for them. We have enough to take care of now.”

DEAR READERS,

Cameron and I traveled to Spokane Wednesday to talk with World Relief, a refugee resettlement center. It was important to both Cameron and myself to put a human face to this issue, which is what we’ve done in this edition of the Reader.

We were honored to meet and talk with two individuals who have endured more hardship than you can imagine; Come, a college-educated refugee from Burundi in Africa, who speaks five languages, and Pingala, a Bhutanese woman who spent 17 years living in a refugee camp in Nepal with her family before finally being allowed to resettle in the United States.

Both Come and Pingala told us the stories of their lives and how they ended up in Spokane. They are amazing stories from amazing people.

This week’s cover features a photograph of Pingala. I’m proud to feature her on the cover of our newspaper. I’m proud to support the refugee program across the entire United States. I believe the 18 to 24 month vetting process is a safe way to ensure we only allow hard-working, honest and downright good people to become Americans.

-Ben Olson, Publisher

Contributing Artists: Ben Olson (cover), Contributing Writers: Cameron Rasmusson, Ben Olson, Nick Gier, Scarlette Quille, Donna Brundage, Dion Nizzi, Melannie Wurm, Drake the Dog

Web Content: Keokee

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“I don’t think most of them want to come here, except the terrorists. I think we should help the European countries that are housing them.”

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“Please tell your commissioners and your governor that I still mean it.”

www.sandpointreader.com Publisher: Ben Olson ben@sandpointreader.com

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“The only thing we have to fear is fear itself. ‘Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.’”

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Don Wallace Retired Air Force Sandpoint

“I think it is appalling that we would even consider closing our borders to refugees, especially when most of our terrorism is perpetrated by white American Christian males. We can choose to be afraid of everyone or we can choose to seek solutions. Racial and ethnic profiling is not going to protect us from violence and terrorism. France tried that anti-immigration tactic. I don’t recommend it.”

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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.

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About the Cover This week’s cover features a photograph of Pingala, a Bhutanese refugee who lived for 17 years in a refugee camp in Nepal before being resettled in Spokane with her husband and two children.

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COMMENTARY Let’s welcome Syrian refugees to the Palouse

By Nick Gier Reader Columnist

On Nov. 21, an estimated 700 people participated in a “Rally for Solidarity with Refugees in Idaho” at the Statehouse. A friend who attended said that “the crowd enthusiastically cheered the speakers, and a large number of donations seem to have been collected for the refugees.”

Meanwhile in Greensboro, N. C., English Professor Diya Abdo received permission from the Guilford College administration to welcome Syrians to her campus. The Quaker college sheltered run-away slaves and also welcomed Japanese-American students during World War II. A daughter of Palestinian refugees, Abdo knows what it is like to be a stranger in a strange land. So far about a dozen colleges and universities have expressed interest in Abdo’s “Every Campus a Refuge” idea.

Immigration is a federal prerogative and President Obama has full authority to process refugees and accept those who pass the most stringent vetting procedures in the world.

A local Democratic politician has this to say about why terrorists would not choose the refugee route: “So you’re an ISIS terrorist wanting to sneak into the United States, and you decide to choose the refugee program, a two-year process involving repeated interviews, registering with the FBI, registering with Homeland Security, clearance from the CIA, and one that

(anti) War Films...

Dear Editor, In the Reader’s salute to veterans issue (November 12, 2015) where the editor and publisher listed their favorite war films, I think it would have been more meaningful if the Reader had also solicited a veteran’s choice for war films.

As a U.S. Army veteran here are my two unsolicited picks for war films that should be seen (especially by those who never served in the military): 1) “Johnny Got His Gun” (1971) by Dalton Trumbo and 2) “The Burmese Harp” aka “The Harp of Burma” (1956) a Japanese film directed by Kon Ichikawa.

In 1976 I was eight years outta the army when I went with my girlfriend and another couple to see “Johnny Got 4 /

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only admits a tiny number of military-age males.”

About 785,000 refugees have come to the U. S. since the 9/11 attacks, and only three have been arrested for terrorist activities. About 750,000 refugees have poured into Europe (38 percent Syrian), and of those screed so far only nine of have been found to have terrorist connections. The Syrian passport found on one of the Paris attackers was a fake, so it does not prove that he was either a Syrian or a refugee.

With regard to the 23,000 Syrians who have applied for asylum, 7,000 were interviewed overseas, and 2,165 were accepted for entry (53 were Christians).

Half of this number is children and the rest are divided almost evenly between older women and men. The Washington Post reports that “only two percent are single males of combat age.”

The second largest number of refugees coming to Idaho were from Iraq. Considering the fact that Bush II’s invasion of Iraq is the primary cause of the rise of Al Qaeda and ISIS, it is absolutely shameful to learn about the small number of Iraqis who have been allowed to come to our shores.

Rep. Heather Scott from North Idaho has called for a special session of the Legislature to stop this “invasion of our country.” She is convinced that “Muslim refugees will press the Islamic agenda of domination and takeover.”

But, according to Jan Reeves, the direc-

tor of the Idaho Office of Refugees, the “invasion” has already begun, and there is nothing that Scott and other Islamophobes can do about it.

At a recent public meeting, where most of 60 present were supportive, Reeves said that “Idaho received 35 refugees from Syria in the past six months, 20 of them children.” Among the 1,062 refugees who entered Idaho in 2014, the largest number (26 percent) were from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The DRC has been a hot bed of terrorist activities with both Muslims and Christian Hutu battling each other. We should trust the United Nations and our own immigration service that these Africans have been fully vetted, a process that takes 18-24 months.

Reeves was very concerned about Rep. Scott’s alarmist views: “It’s disturbing that this kind of opinion exists in our Legislature. We hope that with good, accurate information and data that we can present a different perspective on refugees in our communities.”

Across the nation 18 mayors have declared their cities open to Syrian refugees. Mayor Mike Rawlings of Dallas said that he was more afraid of domestic, not foreign, terrorists.

In setting up the Office of Immigrant and Multicultural Affairs, Baltimore’s Stephanie Rawlings-Blake has been especially proactive. This office helps immigrants get through bureaucratic red

His Gun.” For a good ten minutes following the film none of us were able to speak as we were in shock. Anyone who is pro-war and/or thinks there is glory in war should be forced to watch this film every day for the rest of his or her life.

Trumbo was one of those blacklisted in Hollywood because of the 1950s McCarthy witch hunts (“Trumbo,” a recently released film, is about Trumbo’s ordeal and stars Bryan Cranston, Diane Lane, Louis C.K., John Goodman and Helen Mirren).

“Johnny Got His Gun” removes the false glory from war like no other film has ever done.

“The Burmese Harp” is easily the most spiritual anti-war film yet made.

It takes place in Burma at the end of World War II and focuses on private Mizushima (Shôji Yasui) who embarks

on a spiritual journey of selflessness by taking on the task of burying every dead Japanese soldier he finds as he travels throughout Burma.

In the film there are scenes where Mizushima and his former comrades communicate via a parrot, which is simply sublime, and at the end of the film a letter written by Mizushima is read to his former comrades (who are on a boat back to Japan) where he states that he cannot return to Japan until he has buried the last dead Japanese solder he finds in Burma.

A DVD of “The Burmese Harp” can be found at the East Bonner County Library and I have requested that they order a DVD of “Johnny Got His Gun.” Lee Santa Sandpoint

tape and makes sure that they get their $288 monthly state benefits. These last only eight months so the city has a jobs training program for them to ease their transition.

I have written University of Idaho President Chuck Staben and asked him if it is possible that our campus can be used to house Syrian refugees. At press time there was no response. Let us remember the words on the Statue of Liberty—“Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free”—and former Governor’s John Evans’ motto “Idaho is too great for hate.”

Nick Gier of Moscow taught religion and philosophy at the University of Idaho for 31 years.

PERSPECTIVES

Black Friday: The Holiday portal to Hell It’s cold outside.

This morning, I walked out to my car and my nipples immediately protested by slicing through a padded bra and several layers of fabric. Try telling your boss that’s why you are late for work.

To make matters worse, this time of year is depressing. I go to work when it’s dark out, and I drive home in the dark. It just doesn’t seem right. Waking up when the sun hasn’t even made an appearance seems brutally unfair and against the laws of nature. The powers that be saw this injustice and tried to sugar coat it by making it “holiday season.” I suppose they thought throwing a couple of holidays into the cold, dark, freeze-yourass-off months would help save lives and sanity. It’s basically a divine therapeutic intervention. So the “patients” are sad?

Let’s help them by creating a social expectation with a focus on gratitude and being nice to others. It will soothe their soul.

Even though I am not a holiday person, I see that the intention was good.

Sadly, this good intention was somehow sabotaged by the corrupt forces that created Black Friday, which is basically the portal to hell. Fridays are supposed to be happy, like TGIF! However, this particular Friday is completely devoted to the acquisition of material goods and money, and it brings out the evil. Seriously, if you “need” to save $200 off a big screen TV so badly that you

physically harm another human being, maybe, just maybe, you really shouldn’t be purchasing it. Is saving a couple hundred dollars worth your soul? Is there anything at Walmart that is going to guarantee happiness if purchased? Society is saying yes, yes it’s worth it. We named the day Black Friday because we would like to just “black out” after it happens.

It’s important to the economy: That’s always the argument.

Well, why wouldn’t retailers sell items at an affordable price yearround? That would sure eliminate some stress and chaos for a lot of people.

Whatever. This column isn’t really about business, or money. It’s more about the freezing dark portal that occurs at the end of November that is poised to seize your soul.

I think.

Shall I provide a personal story to support my point of view?

Yes. Yes I will.

This Black Friday, a friend of mine purchased a parrot.

Yes, you read that correctly: a parrot. I can understand how one would make a such a

reckless decision on a day like Black Friday. Picture this: You wake up on Black Friday with a severe tryptophan hangover.

Then you are systematically coerced into shopping, because unless you work in the service industry, you have the day off (coincidence? I think not). You can’t spend any time outdoors because of the sub-arctic temperature, and you can’t bear to spend one more hour lying in your house. You realize that you must leave when you consider intravenously injecting leftover stuffing because walking to the fridge and dirtying another plate seems like far too much work. You take a chance and go out on Black Friday in an attempt to rejoin society.

You end up parking at the pet store because it’s the only parking space open within two miles. You walk into the pet store, make the mistake of staring into the eyes of a devil bird and are instantly bewitched. I can see how that could happen.

I actually think I met a husband of mine the same way.

The point is, because of Black Friday, I will now live my life in constant fear of the feathered monstrosity plot-

This morning, I walked out to my car and my nipples immediately protested by slicing through a padded bra and several layers of fabric. Try telling your boss that’s why you are late for work.

ting my demise. It is living a mere staircase away from a place that I regularly slumber, observing my patterns and weaknesses. The bird already has a taste for blood and jewelry, as one of its first tactical missions was to steal the jewel out of its owners ear and then bite his girlfriend. When I close my eyes at night, I know even though the bird can’t see me, it senses that it would be a perfect time to fly down and tear my eyes out.

I am trying really hard to work on my bird fear. I have made some therapeutic advances by realizing not all birds are vile. I allow my children to raise chickens. They are nice.

I don’t touch them, or eat their eggs, but I see the value in their abilities to be humorous and control the insect population. I am slightly afraid of chickens, but I can handle them because my chickens don’t fly and can never speak in human language.

Why do parrots have the ability to speak? It’s not for self preservation. It’s a gift given by some dark god in thanks for millions of their ancestors doing his dirty work. Of all the birds, the ones that speak human scare me the most. I know there is something fishy about their ability to acquire language without lips or teeth. Seriously, why can’t monkeys talk? It just doesn’t make sense on a basic level.

Armed with this knowledge, I decided to face the devil bird.

I walked upstairs and instantly

heard the clicking of talons from at least six feet away.

There it was, hanging upside down as it turned its head 190 degrees toward me. It was the most terrifying 10 seconds of my life. I tried to act casual, like it was a normal pet that just licks its junk and looks at you with hopefulness. I tried.

But this animal appeared in my life on Black Friday. The universe is warning me to stay far away from it.

I casually asked the bird’s slaves about its lifestyle, hoping to get some sort of clarity on why they brought it into their lives willingly. As I made small talk, the bird walked around his male slave’s shoulders, looking for the perfect place to dig into a jugular. It was terrifying.

I left quickly, but the image of his beady eyes continues to haunt my dreams. It probably will for decades to come, because I think the life expectancy of one of Satan’s feathered minions is 100 years or something. It will likely outlive all of us, enjoying Black Fridays and human flesh for years to come.

Black Friday: Is it the beginning of the holiday season or the end of humanity?

Hopefully the bird can’t read yet.

SQ

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NEWS Bonner County Commissioners opposes refugee resettlement

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff It didn’t take long for disorder to break out at Tuesday’s Bonner County Board of Commissioners public hearing.

Perhaps it was inevitable that the meeting, in which commissioners unanimously voted to oppose Syrian refugee resettlement, would be tense and emotionally fraught. But when the first speaker, Mary Haley, suggested the resolution would invite comparisons to North Idaho’s history of white supremacy movements and “do nothing but paint a Nazi symbol on our foreheads,” the boos and catcalls were immediate.

“You called us Nazis!” one man shouted. “[Muslims] hate Christians!” another yelled. “We’re all Christians!”

It was the most chaotic moment in a meeting filled with dozens of public comments.

More than 100 turned out to hear the commissioners, who ultimately decided to support Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter in opposing refugee resettlement.

They cited their backgrounds in the military and reasoned that, while many refugees are likely good people, Bonner County’s safety is at risk. They also noted radical Islam represents a particularly pernicious threat to the country.

“I do have a heart,” Commissioner Glen Bailey said.

“I am a Christian. I believe in loving my brother. However, as an elected official, I do have a responsibility.”

Their decision followed about an hour of public comment. The two opposing statements, one by Haley and the other by Steve Lockwood, centered on North Idaho’s national reputation as a haven for racists. Even if the reputation is unfair, any action reinforcing it could hurt tourism from Spokane and Canada, where many refugees are being resettled.

And since the county lacks au6 /

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thority to halt refugee resettlement, they called the resolution a toothless political action.

The majority of attendees, however, called for officials to protect Bonner County from potential terrorist attacks. Some said the resolution didn’t go far enough.

“I would like to see something a little more powerful, a little more gutsy,” said Glenn Rohrer. “[You should] refuse to allow this program to continue.”

Bonner County Sheriff Daryl Wheeler received resounding applause when he reiterated his opposition to refugee resettlement in Idaho. He first weighed in on the issue two weeks ago with a letter to Otter urging cessation of the program.

“When I see a potential threat to this community, I am obligated to do everything in my power to expose that threat,” he wrote in the letter.

“The resettlement of Syrian refugees is a plausible threat and must be prevented.”

Many expressed beliefs similar to state legislators like Heather Scott, R-Blanchard, who claims Muslims seek to infiltrate rural communities, reproducing until they can enact Sharia, or Islamic law.

“Islam is not a religion—it

A crowd of over 100 people at the Boundary County Commissioner’s meeting Monday. Photo by Ben Olson. is a culture, a way of life,” said Danielle Ahrens. “Sharia law is their constitution.”

One woman said Dearborn, Mich., which houses a prominent Muslim community, has already established Sharia law and officials are sentencing residents to floggings, amputations and stonings. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, this is a rumor based on a satire article. She also claimed the U.S. government is

purchasing guillotines, presumably for planned beheadings.

Others held to the conspiracy theory that President Barack Obama is working with the Muslim Brotherhood to transform American society.

Several of the meeting attendees also turned out for a Boundary County Board of Commissioners meeting Monday morning. Like in Bonner County, more than 100 people packed into a small room with

the majority urging commissioners to oppose refugee resettlement. Commissioners delayed a decision until next week, with Commissioner Dan Dinning cautioning against any action targeting one particular religion.

“Once you start for a specific religious group, you open it up to curve potentially into any religious group,” he said.

“I want to be careful that we’re not picking out a religion.”

Van Dyk announces retirement City to revamp billing policy Sandpoint Public Works Director Kody Van Dyk announced he will be retiring in March.

The longtime city department head gave his notice this week, opening up the office that oversees engineering, water treatment, city streets and local building activity. Van Dyk said with his 62nd birthday coming up in March, the time was right to transition into retirement.

“It made sense to my family for that to be the time to retire,” he said.

He leaves with some major local projects under his belt, including the construction of the new water treatment plant.

After retirement, Van Dyk

The Bonner Community Food Center’s hefty two-month sewer bill won’t be lowered—at least not yet.

For the second time, the Sandpoint City Council voted Wednesday against lowering the nonprofit’s sewer bill. The decision followed a rare proposal to rescind the original ruling in November.

According to Sandpoint City Councilman Shelby Rognstad, it’s still possible the bill will be retroactively addressed. Before that can happen, however, members must develop a new policy to ensure fairness, he said. [CR]

Kody Van Dyk plans to involve himself in water projects within the developing world. He also aims to put time into building a mandolin, playing with his band the High Drive Drifters and brushing up on his Spanish. [CR]

Input needed for highway corridor The city invites the public to participate in crafting a vision for the Highway 2/200 Corridor. Public open houses will be held Dec. 9-10, from 5-7 p.m. at the The Sandpoint Center at Columbia Bank, 414 Church Street. A four-day workshop is also planned at the same location Dec. 8-11.

FEATURE

Taking Refuge:

A look inside the life of a refugee

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff

The 13 steps it takes for a refugee to be resettled into the United States

Refugees must pass through a rigorous process of steps aimed at insuring they will not pose a security risk to the United States.

Step 1:

Refugee status

In most cases the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) determines that the individual qualifies as a refugee under international law. A refugee is someone who has fled from his or her home country and cannot return because he or she has a well-founded fear of persecution based on religion, race, nationality, political opinion or membership in a particular social group.

Step 2:

Referral to the U.S.

A refugee that meets one of the criteria for resettlement in the United States is referred to the U.S. government by UNHCR, a U.S. Embassy, or a trained Non-Governmental Organization.

Step 3: Resettlement Support Center

Pingala Dhital with her husband Kamal, daughter Trishna and son Satya, just one day after arriving in Spokane from a refugee camp in Nepal, where she had lived for 17 years awaiting resettlement. Pingala was carrying a pressure cooker because she was unsure she would be able to cook her lentils without one. Photo by World Relief.

Between fliers for citizenship classes and support groups, a print-off of Psalm 16 greets visitors of the World Relief Spokane office. “Keep me safe, my God, for in you I take refuge,” reads the first verse.

For many walking into that office, those are no doubt words of comfort. They represent the end of potentially decades of suffering and the hope for a better future.

Come Nzibarega, originally from Burundi, felt that relief after six years in a refugee camp. And Pingala Dhital and her family, natives of Bhutan, spent 18 years in a ramshackle camp hut before finally being granted asylum in America.

These are just a two of the innumerable stories Mark Kadel, director of World Relief Spokane, has encountered throughout his career. But dramatic stories are inevitable when assisting people who have fled to America for their lives.

“These are people who have a well-founded fear they cannot return to their home country without facing life-threatening conditions,” he said.

Consider Nzibarega, a college-educated man who speaks five languages.

He was targeted by anti-government rebels because of his work with the United Nations peacekeeping initiatives. After being kidnapped by armed rebels and tortured for information, he was rescued

by UN personnel a week later. Out of fear for his and his family’s safety, they relocated him to a refugee camp.

“It was horrible,” Nzibarega said of his kidnapping and abuse. “I don’t have the words to describe it.”

For Dhital and her family, the circumstances were different, but the suffering was the same. Ethnically Nepalese, Dhital was one of the thousands of the Lhotshampa ethnic group to be expelled from the country and forced into refugee camps in Nepal. A teenager at the time, Dhital would go on to marry and raise a family in a dirt floor shelter, her children receiving the barest of educations.

“I had a normal life until 16 or 17 years old, but my children didn’t have any of that,” she said. “I started feeling guilty about giving birth.”

This is a daily reality for untold numbers of refugees, Kadel said. Shelter is minimal, with most sleeping on the ground. Daily caloric intake is often less than half the recommended value.

Refugees come from all walks of life. Some are illiterate, and some hold PhDs in their country of origin. They are bakers, barbers, doctors and scholars.

Unable to obtain work permits, refugees spend months of inactivity waiting for aid that may or may not ever arrive.

“The richest places in the world are refugee camps, because there is so much trapped potential there,” Nzibarega said.

Sometimes, refugees’ only common characteristic is the danger to their lives.

The nature and severity of their persecu-

tion factors into resettlement considerations. For instance, although Christians make up only 6 percent of the Iraqi population, Kadel said 38 percent of Iraqi refugees are Christians because they’re more frequently targets of violence.

According to Kadel, refugees spend an average of 17 years waiting for acceptance into a program. Nzibarega and Dhital both recall the joy they felt when they learned they’d been approved for consideration.

see REFUGEE, page 8

A Resettlement Support Center (RSC), contracted by the U.S. Department of State, compiles the refugee’s personal data and background information for the security clearance process and to present to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for an in-person interview.

Step 4:

Security Clearance

With information collected by the RSC, a number of security checks are conducted. The State Department runs the names of all refugees referred to the United States for resettlement through a standard CLASS (Consular Lookout and Support System) name check. In addition, enhanced interagency security checks were phased in beginning in 2008 and applied to all refugee applicants by 2010.

Step 5:

Security Clearance

Certain refugees undergo an additional security review called a Security Advisory Opinion (SAO). These cases require a positive SAO clearance from a number of U.S. law enforcement and intelligence agencies in order to continue the resettlement process. When required, this step runs concurrently with Step 4.

Step 6:

Security Clearance

Refugees who meet the minimum age requirement have their fingerprints and photograph taken by a trained U.S. government employee, usually on the same day as their DHS interview. The fingerprints are then checked against various U.S. government databases and information on any matches is reviewed by DHS.

Step 7:

In-person Interview

All refugee applicants are interviewed by an officer from DHS’s U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). A trained officer will travel to the country of asylum to conduct a detailed, face-to-face interview with each refugee applicant being considered for resettlement. Based on the information in the refugee’s case file and on the interview, the DHS officer will determine if the individual qualifies as a refugee and is admissible under U.S. law.

Continued on Page 8 Come Nzibarega from Burundi is a college graduate who speaks five languages. Photo by Ben Olson.

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REFUGEE, con’t from page 7 “I had to check my name [on the list] 10 times to make sure it was real,” Nzibarega said.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees refers refugees selected for U.S. resettlement to the appropriate authorities, which kicks off the American screening process.

Bouquets: •What a surprise I had when Unlike many European counchecking the mail earlier this tries, the U.S. screening process week and saw a letter contain- is an enhanced and lengthy joint ing a donation from Pam and procedure between the DepartMalcom Kinney to the Reader. ment of State and the Department of Homeland Security.

That was so nice of them! Please It involves several interviews, go down to Sunshine Goldmine background checks and health and show Pam your support for inspections. Nzibarega, for helping us out so generously. example, was vetted over a •Last week, my girlfriend 12-month period, with authoriwent hiking with her cousin ties grilling him for inconsistenon the Syringa trails and saw a cies or gaps in his story. couple leaving with a chainsaw “Some questions were on their shoulder. Further down very tough,” he said. “I had to the trail, she saw how these nice remember specific dates and people took the time to hike in places.” with the saw to cut up a couple Once approved for travel to of trees that had fallen across America, the U.S. government the trail. She didn’t get the cou- issues refugees a loan to cover ple’s name, but wanted to say transportation costs. Dhital still thank you for helping keep such remembers the night that, after a great trail clear for everyone a long series of flights, she and to use. her family found themselves looking down at Spokane.

Barbs: “Look at the lights,” she •This refugee resettlement told her children. “One of those issue has become a black mark lights is our home.” on not only our American valRefugees are then referred to ues, but our values as humans. organizations like World ReI, for one, am ashamed of the lief, which provide them with comments I’ve heard from our housing, cultural orientation and two northern counties in a se- temporary public assistance. ries of meetings with county “The first thing we do is commissioners, and doubly provide them a hot meal of ashamed that our Bonner Coun- something they can recognize,” ty Commissioners passed a Kadel said. “They sometimes resolution to reject refugee re- don’t recognize airplane food.”

The next step is to find them settlement. During the meeting in Bonners Ferry on Monday, employment, which happens around 100 concerned citizens through either job service packed into a room and asked programs or direct interviews. their county commissioners Nzibarega began work stocking to enact resolutions to end the shelves at Walmart—after years resettlement program. Some in a refugee camp, he was eager of the comments in the crowd for any job available.

Five years after arrival, refcalled for banning all Muslims from entering the state of Idaho. ugees are able to earn U.S. citIt was even worse at the Bonner izenship, which Dhital and her husband have accomplished.

County meeting Tuesday.

I’m embarassed by my state, She spent the evening in tears by my governor, by my com- as Washington State dignitaries missioners and by my fellow offered their congratulations.

“This government picked us citizens for reacting to this situup out of the trash and gave us ation with fear and xenophobia.

Before you attack me for respect,” she said. “Who else being biased, know this: I’m a would have done that?”

Now staff members of World human before I’m a newspaper Relief, Nzibarega and Dhital publisher. help Kadel in managing new cases, including the controver-

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The refugee process continued:

Step 8:

DHS Approval

If the USCIS officer finds that the individual qualifies as a refugee and meets other U.S. admission criteria, the officer will conditionally approve the refugee’s application for resettlement and submit it to the U.S. Department of State for final processing.

Conditional approvals become final once the results of all security checks (Steps 4, 5, and 6) have been received and cleared.

Step 9: Medical Screening

Pingala and her husband Kamal recently obtained United States citizenship after more than five years living in Spokane as resettled refugees. Her son Satya attends Gonzaga and is studying civil engineering, while her daughter Trishna is currently a senior at Ferris High School.

sial Syrian refugee resettlement.

So far, the organization has settled one family, with two more anticipated.

According to Jan Reeves, Idaho state refugee coordinator for the Idaho Office for Refugees, Idaho is slated to accept 1,000 individuals for the 2015 fiscal year—700 in Boise and 300 in Twin Falls. He said his office has battled huge amounts of misinformation since the November Paris terror attacks prompted a huge backlash against the program.

“Refugees are contributors to our economic vitality,” he said. “They go to work, they pay taxes, they start businesses.”

Critics of resettlement often cite FBI director James Comey’s Congressional testimony in November, during which he couldn’t guarantee absolute security in the Syrian vetting process. This is primarily because Syrian databases are weaker compared to those from Iraq or other countries with a more dominant U.S. presence.

“If someone has never made a ripple in the pond in Syria in a way that would get their identity or their interest reflected in our database, we can query our database until the cows come home, but there will be nothing show up because we have no record of them,” Comey said.

On the other hand, there’s never any guarantee of purely noble intentions from newcomers, Reeves said. He believes potential terrorists would likely find other methods of entry into the country easier.

“What is the risk of someone coming in as a tourist and ... doing harm to Americans?” he

said. “It certainly isn’t zero.”

Officials opposing resettlement also question the ease of Muslim integration into American society. According to a 2009 Harvard Kennedy School study, there are indeed difficulties in reconciling Muslim and Western cultures. But they are not insurmountable and become less pronounced over time.

“In the long-term, the basic cultural values of migrants appear to change in conformity with the predominant culture of each society,” the study reads.

“Cultural differences are a potential fault line that demagogues can exploit to inflame hatred between groups,” the study continues. “But there is nothing inevitable about cultural conflict. Depending on conditions, diversity can be seen either as threatening or as a positive contribution towards the innovation and creativity that makes society and economies adapt successfully to new challenges in a globalized world.”

For his part, Reeves worries that rejection of Syrian refugees poses the true threat. When people feel ostracized by society, they seek solace elsewhere and become more vulnerable to radicalization. By abandoning national principles out of fear, Reeves believes we’ve handed terrorists a victory.

“Fearful language and rejection of people based on their religion is exactly what ISIS wants us to do,” he said.

All refugee applicants approved for resettlement in the U.S. are required to undergo medical screening conducted by the International Organization for Migration or a physician designated by the U.S. Embassy.

Step 10: Matching Refugees with a Sponsor Agency Every refugee is assigned to a Voluntary Agency in the U.S., such as the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI).

USCRI will place refugees with a local partner agency or office that will assist refugees upon their arrival in the U.S.

Step 11: Cultural Orientation In addition, refugees approved for resettlement are offered cultural orientation while waiting for final processing, to prepare them for their journey to and initial resettlement in the United States.

Step 12: Security Clearance Prior to departure to the U.S., a second interagency check is conducted for most refugees to check for any new information.

Refugees must clear this check in order to depart to the U.S.

Step 13: Admission to U.S. Upon arrival at one of five U.S. airports designated as ports of entry for refugee admissions, a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer will review the refugee documentation and conduct additional security checks to ensure that the arriving refugee is the same person who was screened and approved for admission to the United States.

12 - 18 months:

The average time it takes for a refugee to be processed from start to finish. If a refugee passed the process but fails to travel to the U.S. within three months of screening, he or she must start the process all over again at the beginning.

59.5 million:

The total number of forcibly displaced people worldwide.

17 years:

The average amount of time a refugee spends in refugee camps before being resettled.

51%:

The percentage of refugees worldwide that are children below 18 years, the highest percentage in a decade.

Information obtained from U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants.

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Thursday Night Football Party 5pm @ Laughing Dog Brewery

Sandpoint Friends of the Library Holiday Party 12-2pm @ Sandpoint Library

Monarch Open Mic 6pm @ Monarch Mountain Coffee Held on the first and third Thursday of every month, hosted by Scott Reid Dollar Beers!

8pm @ Eichardt’s Pub

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Throwback 7-11pm @ 2 Featuring liv domestics an ments and j open mic nig

Backcounty Film Festival Live Music w/ Marty Perron & Doug Bond 7pm @ Panida Theater 5-7pm @ Idaho Pour Authority A fundraiser for Selkirk Outdoor Leadership and Education (SOLE). This event supports Women’s Shopping Night the SnowSchool Experience Program held Downtown Sandpoint and the Sandpoint Shop at Schweitzer Mountain where they put over ping District host a Women’s Shopping Nigh 250 youth from our local area schools on the featuring late-night shopping, in-store events snow last winter. Tickets $10 adv, $12 DOS refreshments and complimentary gift wrapping

POAC’s Christm Live Music w/ Josh Hedlund Live Music w/ Ben and Cadie 10am - 6pm @ PO 7pm @ La Rosa Club 5-7pm @ Idaho Pour Authority Featuring fine ar Come see Sandpoint’s favorite Cribbage Tournament ry, handmade orn songwriter in a cool, intimate 2pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall setting. Tip: get the blood or- Grab your lucky pegs and come to win! and headbands, w signs, 7B signs, ange martini... it’s to die for ArtWorks Gallery much more Sandpoint Waldorf School Christmas Faire Holiday Reception Festival of Trees 10am - 4pm @ Waldorf School 5-8pm @ ArtWorks 5:30pm @ Bonne Waldorf School is transformed by the magic of ChristGallery A Kinderhaven mas with children’s crafts; a puppet show; local artisan Come enjoy wine, County Fairgrou and craft vendor booths; a hot chai stand; homemade food, dessert and a Gala. Proceeds b lasagna and soups; dessert cafe; the Crystal Cave; parchance to visit with ents-only silent auction; music and more simple joys local artists who Live Music w/ C of the season! Free admission and open to the public display their work 6pm - 9pm @ Arl Sandpoint Chess Club Global Fat Bike Day +1 9am @ Evans Brothers Coffee 10am - 1pm @ Schweitzer Roundabout Meets every Sunday at 9am. All are welcome In its 4th year, Global Fat Bike Day is just lik Board Game & Football Night to celebrate and ride fat bikes. FREE Surly Fa 8pm @ 219 Lounge Eugene Ballet’s “The Nutcracker” Christmas Magic Show 7pm @ Panida Theater 6pm @ Sandpoint Library Enjoy Clara’s journey through the dazzling Monday Night Blues Jam w/ Truck Mills the Land of the Sugar Plum Fairy with this 7:30pm @ Eichardt’s Pub Art On The Go with Jules Pa Trivia Night 4-7pm @ Idaho Pour Authority 11: 7pm - 9pm @ MickDuff’s Join Julie Ellis for a few hours of recycled art crafting Pre Karaoke Night and make your own masterpiece from recycled products 9pm - Midnight @ 219 Lounge Avalanche Workshop: “A Dozen More T 3D Printing Workshop for Adults 6pm @ Forest Service Building (1602 Onta 4pm @ Clark Fork Library - 266-1321 Charley Packard & Friends Idaho Conservation League fundraiser 7:30pm @ Eichardt’s Pub 5-8pm @ Idaho Pour Authority Bingo Night With Deschutes Brewing Company, and featuring 6:30pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall live music with Marty Perron and Doug Bond. The most fun you can have with y Raffle prizes and complimentary appetizers. clothes on. Plus, there’s beer Sip & Shop Thursday Night Football Party The Conv 4-7pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery 6-8pm @ K 5pm @ Laughing Dog Brewery Fundraiser with 10% of proceeds Rock 103 Thursday Night Foot- Get out of to benefit the Festival at Sandpoint, ball Party hosted by Tracy Bell community along with the annual board meeting featuring the Minnesota Vikings ideas, artic Dollar Beers! as artists to at the Arizona Cardinals 8pm @ Eichardt’s Pub All artists f

ful

December 3 - 10, 2015

rowback Thursdays at the 219 Lounge 11pm @ 219 Lounge aturing live music with Brian Jacobs, $2 mestics and $3 crafts. Bring your instrunts and join in playing in this informal en mic night setting

A weekly entertainment guide to keep you on your toes. To list your event free, please send an email to calendar@sandpointreader.com.

Reader recommended

“Love the Coopers” film 7:30pm @ Panida Theater Destined to become a holiday classic Flight Night at the Bernd Barrel ­— 5-7pm @ The Bernd Barrel A weekly wine event featuring guest pourers from the region’s wine distributors. This week’s guest:Melissa Dawson from Southern Wine & Spirits

Live Music w/ Marshall McLean Santa at the Bonner Mall 10am - 3pm @ Bonner Mall and Justin Landis Santa will be making a special visit every weekend in 6:30pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall Two of the best musicians playing in December until Christmas. Photos will be available oint Shop- Sandpoint today. Don’t miss it! Holiday Silent Auction — 12/4 & 12/5 ing Night DJ Josh Adams All books, magazines and audio books read between Sept. 1 re events, 9pm-12am @ 219 Lounge and Dec. 4 earn bidding dollars for the silent auction at the wrapping Shake shake shake Clark Fork branch of the Library s Christmas Arts & Crafts Sale 6pm @ POAC Gallery (302 N. 1st Ave.) Alison Barrows-Young art show ng fine art photography, unique jewel- 3-6pm @ Hope Outskirts Gallery dmade ornaments, wreaths, hats scarves Support your local artists! Head on out to Hope and stop into dbands, wooden Christmas trees, rustic the funkiest little art gallery this side of the Selkirks B signs, glass and fibre art and much Santa at the Bonner Mall ore 10am - 3pm @ Bonner Mall l of Trees - Grand Gala Santa will be making a special visit every weekend in De@ Bonner County Fairgrounds cember until Christmas. Photos will be available “Love the Coopers” film derhaven fundraiser at the Bonner 7:30pm @ Panida Theater Fairgrounds featuring the Grand Destined to become a holiday classic roceeds benefit Kinderhaven Holiday Ball ­— 7-10pm @ Sandpoint Community Hall usic w/ Chris Lynch Wear your holiday best and come at 7 p.m. for a Tango lesson taught by expm @ Arlo’s Ristorante perienced dance instructors. Following the lesson will be general dancing to a DJ, refreshments, door prizes, ice breakers, line dances, and fun! bout Free First Saturday and Holiday Shopping is just like it sounds, a day 10am - 2pm @ BoCo History Museum E Surly Fat Bike demos All are welcome to visit the museum free, made possible by Boyle, Platte and Kee, LLP. ker” Also, the museum is offering a discount on he dazzling fantasy world of store merchandise, as well as curator tours of y with this holiday tradition the “Tales from the Wardrobe” exhibit, free gift wrapping and much more!

Dec. 11 Paris to Pend Oreille Climate Connection Community Day @ 11:30am - 1pm @ Columbia Bank Auditorium Schweitzer $10 tix fting Presentation coinciding with the Paris climate change conference ducts Dec. 11-13 Beer Hall Open Mic Night n More Turns” 7-10pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall Holiday Arts and 1602 Ontario St.) Hosted by Crooked Fingers, MickDuff’s is excited to

ond

riends ub

Beer Hall ave with your beer

welcome all local artists over 21 years of age

Jazz ‘n’ Java 6-8pm @ Monarch Mountain Coffee All players welcome! Sit in with a rhythm section, play solo ... or just come to listen! Hosted by Larry Mooney

The Conversation ‘How to Create an Artist Community” -8pm @ Kyoto (Cedar St. Bridge) Get out of the cold and come share your hot ideas on how Sandpoint’s ommunity of artists could create a unique art community. Bring your deas, articles about other art communities, and list on what we need to do s artists to support a financially vibrant community for business and ART. All artists from the Sandpoint area are invited to come to this FREE event

Crafts Show @ Bonner Mall

Dec. 11, 13 Pend Oreille Orchestra and Chorale Clas sical Concert

Dec. 18 The Lil’ Smokies @ The Hive

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

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This is my pet rooster, Puff. For reasons beyond my comprehension, he believes himself to be a noisy parrot that likes to leap from the ground, up onto my shoulder without me so much as hunching over. I stand at 6’1”, so this is no easy feat for an animal barely past the center of my shin. He refuses to peck me while he’s up there, and just likes to hang out.

As a little background on him, he’s a White Crested Black Polish rooster, and a pretty friendly one at that. He’s hovering around 7-8 months or so, and we’ve raised him since he was just a baby chick. He is the head of a flock of 13 other birds, including two ducks, and plays the role of a noisy little peacekeeper. He’s never been mean, but he will make a fuss if he feels like his girls are threatened.

I live in a pretty rural area, where he’s too far away to bother any neighbors. I just started raising these silly birds this year, and they’ve officially fit themselves into my family. The girls lay some of the most delicious eggs I’ve ever eaten in my life, they naturally compost any produce we throw out there for them, and their ‘leavings’ sent my garden into overdrive. I would definitely suggest them to anyone interested in a unique and inexpensive pet, allergic to dogs or cats or looks forward to delicious eggs every day. As a fair warning, though, when raising them from chicks, they are VERY messy for the first few months!

Brenden Bobby Sandpoint

OUTDOORS

y t i n u m m o c e h t g Impactin

By Donna Brundage Reader Contributor

It is sometimes overwhelming for an organization created to defend against discrimination, irrationally based hatred and open bigotry to function within an orchestrated culture of fear. While the role of the Bonner County Human Rights Task Force (BCHRTF) has evolved over the past two decades, sadly, its mission is as important today as it has always been.

The BCHRTF provides support and guidance to those who feel targeted by discrimination, while attempting to also provide education and raise awareness of human rights issues. The Task Force maintains a regularly monitored phone number and email where people can seek advice. Contact information is also available on our website, BCHRTF.org.

Collaborating with community organizations, the Task Force has held numerous events to bring the issue of human rights awareness to the community. Recent projects have included: sponsoring a production of “The Vagina Monologues”; showing the documentary “Add the Words” twice; sponsoring the annual student art exhibit “Art for Human Rights” at the POAC gallery; sponsoring the annual presentation of the “Young Audiences New York Literature to Life Series” at the Panida and assisting with the International musical exchange program between the Music Conservatory and young Mexican musicians.

We have also co-sponsored the “100,000 Poets for Change” event for the past three years and have held an open mic night for Martin Luther King Day. We feel it is important to expose the Sandpoint community to educational and cultural experiences to promote acceptance and understanding.

We also annually donate money to organizations that support human rights through our donor advised grants administered by the Idaho Community Foundation. Recent grant recipients have included: POAC, The Sandpoint Music Conservatory, Team Autism, The University of Idaho, The Lost Horse Press, The Model UN Program, Priest

ting ries highligh e s t r a p e e ts r Human Righ Part II of a th ty n u o C r e n t Bon nity the work tha r the commu fo s e o d e c r o Task F

River High School, Sandpoint Middle School, the Sandpoint Presbyterian Church for their Peace Pole project, and Panhandle Special Needs. Please see www.idcomfdn.org for details about applying for a grant.

We believe that youth are a most valuable resource and actively support human rights within the school system.

In addition to funding, the BCHRTF mentors the Sandpoint High School Human Rights Club and has two active members of the club on our board. The SHS Human Rights Club, even though it is only in its third year, after being revived by interested students, has already had an impact on our community. They have placed a peace pole, held mask projects at Blue Haven Shelter and held a fundraiser for local charities.

The Task Force also offers the Darby and Amber Campbell scholarship each year for students throughout Bonner County that support human rights.

Regularly, the Human Rights Task Force holds a retreat to review our mission and develop a plan of action.

Through use of an outside facilitator, we have been able to grow and expand our own awareness. Following last year’s retreat, we hosted an online survey to see what Bonner County felt our role should be and where we should focus. Overwhelmingly, the issues of discrimination against the mentally ill and the LBGQT community were mentioned in the surveys. At our annual meeting, results of the survey were shared with the Task Force membership, who validated the survey results by expressing agreement about where our focus should be.

As a result, the Task Force collaborated with NAMI and recently donated over $5,000 to help fund the new crisis intervention hotline that will be active January 2016. The Task Force also has board members assisting the fledgling PFLAG group restarting in Sandpoint.

In addition to showing the “Add the Words” documentary, we funded travel for the director to attend and present the film at Outfest in Los Angeles, a

preeminent venue within the LBGQT community, where it won awards and received the opportunity to go into national distribution.

The BCHRTF is a member of the Northwest Coalition for Human Rights, an organization consisting of several prominent human rights groups.

Through participation in this coalition, we have access to some of the most experienced and renowned human rights leaders in the nation. At a recent conference held at the University of Idaho, Brenda Hammond, past president and current board secretary, sat on a panel discussing hate crimes. Relationships garnered through networking outside

Cedar Street Bridge

A piece of student artwork for the “Art for Human Rights” exhibit at Evans Brothers.

of our community have proven to be invaluable resources for the Task Force.

The Bonner County Human Rights Task Force maintains the website – BCHRTF.org, which contains information about how to contact us, how to become a member and how to make donations. We also host an active Facebook page which presents articles of interest as well as news of upcoming events www.facebook.com/bonnercountyhumanrights. We invite you to like and share our page.

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Backcountry Film Festival supports snow school for area youths

A group of snow school participants. Looks like they’re having absolutely no fun at all, doesn’t it? Photo by SOLE.

By Ben Olson Reader Staff It’s very appropriate that the first big snow of the year has hit this week. It’s almost as if Mother Nature realized the Backcountry Film Festival was hitting the Panida Theater Friday, Dec. 4 and wanted there to be a white blanket of snow covering the mountains surrounding Sandpoint.

In its third annual appearance at the Panida Theater, the Backcountry Film Festival is a venture put on by Winter Wildlands Allliance, a national nonprofit organization based in Boise dedicated to promoting and preserving winter wildlands and a quality human-powered snowsports experience on public lands.

Teaming up with Winter Wildlands Alliance is local nonprofit organization Selkirk Outdoor Leadership & Education (SOLE), whose mantra is to provide transformational experiences that empower participants to become active learners and responsible stewards of their community and its environment.

Proceeds from the Backcountry Film Festival will benefit the Snow School Experience program, the nation’s largest on-snow outdoor science program. Snow School hosts over 29,000 participants 14 /

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at 55 sites across the U.S., and we’re lucky enough to have one of those sites here at Schweitzer Mountain Resort.

Every fifth-grader in Lake Pend Oreille School District gets to experience Snow School, thanks to the efforts of SOLE’s founder and executive director Dennison Webb.

“It gives kids a sense of place,” said Webb. “They get to

go out in the field all day and get to understand the watershed, where our fresh water comes from.”

According to Webb, 80 percent of our fresh water comes from snow pack, which is why it’s important for school children to learn how snow pack affects the climate, and subsequently the habitats of regional wildlife.

“We cover a lot of different

A group of local fifth-graders dig a snow pit at last year’s Snow School. Photo by SOLE.

subjects,” said Webb. “We talk about tracking in the snow, we dig snow pits and take profiles of the snow, the hardness, the layers and crystal types.”

One of the most important studies the children partake in at Snow School is determining the Snow Water Equivalent (SWE), the amount of water contained within the snowpack. It can be thought of as the depth of water that would theoretically result if you melted the entire snowpack instantaneously.

“At the fifth-grade level, we are taking measuring cups and determining how much will be left when it melts,” said Webb.

“They take actual samples in the field and weigh it out on a scale.”

Webb said that SOLE then encourages the kids to compare their results to historical results, and to mark any trends that exist over the last half a century.

“They’re finding these scientific trends on their own, and understanding that a lot of our snow pack is reducing over time,” he said. “They’re doing real science-based readings and plotting these real world problems.”

Of the 250 kids that SOLE puts on the snow annually, Webb said that at least 50 percent had never been on snowshoes or in the winter backcountry before.

“We’re aiming to get 350 kids to participate this year,” he said, adding that SOLE

educates close to 500 individuals throughout the year in all respects.

The main goal of the Backcountry Film Festival this year is to raise enough money to fund an expansion to the program that includes junior and senior high school children also.

“It’s important to create a sense of belonging to the place in which you live,” said Webb.

“The snow is a big part of our way of life here. Snow School helps kids build a connection to themselves, their peers, their community, and their local watershed. We want to create environmental stewards. The goal of this is to give kids more accountability.”

The films generally cover the backcountry winter experience, and are directed by filmmakers from all over the world.

The Backcountry Film Festival kicks off at the Panida Theater on Friday, Dec. 4 at 7 p.m. The doors open at 6 p.m., and there will be a holiday silent auction and rockin’ raffle.

Tickets are $10 if you buy in advance at Evans Brothers, Eichardt’s, Alpine Shop or online at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2413711. If you wait until the day of the show, they’ll run $12 each, and $20 will get you admission and three free raffle tickets.

STAGE & SCREEN

The Nutcracker ents...

POAC Pres

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff

What could be better than a cherished holiday tradition, “The Nutcracker,” joining forces with a cherished local institution, the Panida Theater?

Not much, if ticket sales are any indication. Since coming to town more than 20 years ago, the Eugene Ballet’s “The Nutcracker” has been one of the most popular annual Sandpoint productions.

Presented by the Pend Oreille Arts Council, this year’s production should be no exception. POAC board member Debbie Love says tickets are already nearly gone.

“We sell out every year,” she said.

“It’s expensive to bring in a ballet, so it’s nice to have a sell out each year.”

That’s not too surprising, considering the show’s double whammy of professional dancers supported by a cast of local youth. Thanks to the Eugene Ballet’s unique approach, locals can enjoy both the pride of seeing their kids on the big stage and the prowess of expert dancers.

The fact that Sandpoint was one of the first towns to host the ballet further deepens ties to the community.

“We were one of the first towns, and we’ve been a partner ever since,” Love said.

For POAC, the youth involvement is key, since one of its goals is to bring the arts to students. Each year, the cast is finalized when a Eugene Ballet representative works with local Becky Lucas to hold auditions. The selected cast members then begin weekly rehearsals in September until the night of the big show.

This year, the cast includes third- through sixth-graders from Kootenai, Hope and Southside elementary schools. They’ll be rounding out the cast as everything from angels to mice to bonbons.

In addition, check out student artwork on the Kaleidoscope project, which will be on display at the POAC gallery, 302 N First Ave., from 5-6:30 p.m.

“The Nutcracker” requires careful preparation, with the ballet arriving the day beforehand and 12 volunteers helping to set up. Since the Panida has a smaller stage compared to some venues, dancers also have to calibrate their performances to the space they have. The result is spectacular, with costumes, music and, of course, the dancing combining into an unforgettable evening. Love needs no

time to remember her favorite moment.

“I love the scene when the Nutcracker fights the Mouse King,” she said. “It’s pretty intense.”

The one night performance will be held on Monday, Dec. 7 at the Panida at 7 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

The event is close to sold out, so if you want tickets, you’d better act fast. Tickets cost $25 for adults, $20 for POAC members and $10 for children 18 years old and younger.

They can be purchased at POAC Gallery and Office, 302 N. First Avenue; Eichardt’s Pub, 212 Cedar Street; Eve’s Leaves, 326 N. First Avenue; Winter Ridge Natural Foods, 793 Lake Street and online at www.artinsandpoint.org.

For more information call POAC’s office (208) 263-6139.

Thursday, Dec. 5 @ 7:30pm Saturday, Dec. 5 @ 7:30pm

“love the coopers” film

Audiences loved it! Held over by popular demand!

friday, Dec. 4 @ 7pm

SOLE's Backcountry Film Fest Celebrating the human-powered experience Monday, Dec. 7 @ 7pm

Eugene Ballet’s “The Nutcracker” Presented by POAC

Enjoy Clara's journey through the dazzling fantasy world of the Land of the Sugar Plum Fairy with this holiday tradition

Friday, Dec. 18 @ 7pm

Shop Hard then Kill the Chill after Men’s Night Shopping in the Panida Little Theater —$3 drafts and free movies—

“die Hard” @ 5:30pm “die Hard II” @ 8pm

Banff tickets on sale now on our website!

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The Straight Poop:

o ah d I th or N n i es s es n i us b The quest for dog-friendly

By Drake the Dog Reader Pet Columnist

Where am I taking my humans today?

We are getting ready to “See the USA in our Chevrolet” and venture over the river and through the woods. The Red Sled needs some slip and slide, so we’re off to Taylor and Sons Chevrolet, 47651 Hwy 2 in Ponderay.

Scott greeted us in the service drive and generated the paperwork for the oil change.

He took us to the service lounge where we snuggled into the comfy leather chairs. We discovered the complimentary coffee and snacks. “The Today Show” was on the big screen TV, just like at our house. The Missus was focusing on her iPad. And me? Well, I was the center of the conversation with the other guests. We were all chatting up a storm, sharing stories about our four-footed family members. And then, everyone started sharing pics on their hand-held devices. So much for the iPad work stuff!

Recently, Brett Taylor challenged his staff to define the “most unique characteristic” of Taylor and Sons service department. The most creative answer was (wait for it, wait for it) dog-friendly! All of the employees have dogs and encourage everyone interact with all of the guests. Four-footed friends are always welcome.

Hence their owners don’t have to make pet-sitter arrangements.

The dealership creates a relaxed atmosphere so folks are more likely to chill and wait for their vehicle. Taylor and Sons is my new home away from home!

Jeff Doughty, the awesome service manager, told me that folks are loyal customers. They come back because the service lounge is 16 /

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so comfortable. It’s cool in the summer and warm in the winter. The dealership serves a wide range of geography, from North Idaho to the Canadian border.

Taylor and Sons Chevrolet started in the downtown Sandpoint location in 1988, and moved to Ponderay, May 30, 2011.

Laurel Taylor has been on the board of the Panhandle Animal Shelter for the past three years. The dealership collaborates with the shelter on a regular basis. She has been the point person for the annual Taylor and Sons summer Yappy Hour (ah, memories!). She knows how to throw a barkin’ good party across the street on the half-acre lot. It’s on my Google calendar already. Who would want to miss the music, food, fun folks and all of the four-footed families?

If you get lucky, be on the lookout for Greg Taylor. Rumor has it that he has a pocket full of treats. Pawsitively yummy!

When you visit Taylor and Sons Chevrolet, please abide by the rules of the Chevy road: 1. Get along well with other dogs.

2. Use the pet friendly rooms—there is plenty of grass!

3. Bring your speaking voice, not your yelling voice.

4. Wipe the grease off your paws.

5. If you want to take a test drive, you must be a licensed driver.

Jeff Doughty, left, service manager, and Brett Taylor, right, general manager pose with Drake (he’s the furry one).

MUSIC

A phalanx of voices

By Melannie Wurm Reader Contributor

In our modern world of pop rock and Justin Bieber, of repetitive lyrics and commercialization and Spotify, it is easy to forget that music can also be complex and challenging. That it can inspire real passion and draw people from miles around for no other reason than to perform Mozart, Bach, and Schubert.

Next weekend, when Mark and Caren Reiner lead the Pend Oreille Choral and Orchestra in their annual Christmas concert, music will do just that. The performance will take place at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church on South Lincoln Avenue, Dec. 11 at 7 p.m. and Dec. 13 at 3 p.m.

Both are free of charge.

The Reiners, both of whom have advanced degrees in music, founded the Pend Oreille Choral and Orchestra twenty-one years ago after moving to Sandpoint from California.

“I was working as a substitute teacher when I realized that if there was going to be any serious music here, we would have to make it ourselves,” says Mark.

So, in 1994, he and his wife Caren formed their own choral group. The orchestra was added soon afterward.

Today the Pend Oreille Choral and Orchestra features 35 singers and 28 musicians.

It is, according to Mark, the only true community group of its kind in the area. Unlike other local choirs and orchestras, they are never joined by professional Spokane musicians, or “ringers” as Mark calls them. Instead, the Reiners’ organization is made up entirely of passionate enthusiastic volunteers, ordinary

The Pend Oreille Choral and Orchestra holds their annual Christmas concert

This week’s RLW by Ben Olson

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Let’s talk about the Brits this week. One of my favorite British authors, hands down, has got to be Charles Dickens. One should not shy away from Dickens just because he wrote long books a long time ago. Most of his novels are very accessible, especially “Oliver Twist” and “Hard Times.”

Dickens has a great sense of character and place, and has a way of keeping the reader entertained with his fantastical arrangements. He also has a great humanity about him that I’ve always respected.

LISTEN

people who travel from as far away as the Canadian border to be part of the Pend Oreille Choral and Orchestra.

“I don’t advertise,” said Mark, “so people come because they hear we do a really good job.”

Performers who sang in high school or college have the chance to get back to high-quality compositions.

“It is a challenge, and when they succeed, it makes them very happy,” said Mark.

“They gain a lot of self-respect.”

However, Mark feels it is the love of music more than anything else, that keeps his musicians coming back.

The 63 enthusiastic Pend Oreille Choral and Orchestra volunteers work with a wide variety of music. Next week’s hour-long concert will span four centuries of composition and include choral, orchestral and combination pieces.

Four soloists will be featured during Mozart’s “Regina Coeli.” Then, during two Christmas pieces, the group will be joined by young students from the Waldorf School.

Lately, I’ve been really digging English indie rocker Damon Gough, who plays under the name Badly Drawn Boy. You may have heard his music on the Hugh Grant film “About a Boy” (which is also a Mark and Caren Reiner at home. Photo by Jodi Rawson. great film).

Gough’s arrangements are fun, unique and off-kilter, with a magical The Reiners themselves will olic Church Friday or Sunday childhood quality to them that resonext week not only for a taste nates well. But, there is a great well alternate between directing and adding their voices to the of the holiday spirit, Christof emotion hidden beneath his memas music invigorated by choir. lodic songs, and a melancholy that Mark and Caren give their singing children, but also to he paints with flashy special thanks to the Seventh see true passion for serious colors.

I Day Adventist Church, which composition, a love of mudig it, you has provided the Pend Oreille sic for music’s sake. Watch should too. the performance of men and Choral and Orchestra with a

rehearsal space free of charge for more than 20 years. They are also grateful to the concert venue, St. Joseph’s Catholic Church. It is the best place in town for a musical event that draws 400-500 people, often with standing room only.

Stop by St. Joseph’s Cath-

woman, who have dedicated themselves to perfecting voices and instruments for no WATCH other reason than the joy of it.

One of my favorite British films will always be “Snatch,” written I would take that over another rendition of “Jingle Bell and directed by Guy Ritchie.

Starring an ensemble cast—inRock” any day.

Crossword Solution

cluding Brad Pitt, Benicio del Toro, and Jason Statham—and bumbling through the underworld of London’s criminal world, “Snatch” started a trend of smart, sharp, witty comedies with rapid fire action.

My favorite is Brad Pitt, an Irish boxer who speaks with such a thick Irish brogue, he is in fact unintelligible throughout the entire film.

Watch the sister film, “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels” for a wild day, indeed.

December 3, 2015 /

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/ 17

w o N & Then compiled by

Ben Olson

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

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

Main Street / Highway 95 in Bonners Ferry during the Kootenai River flood of 1961.

Photo taken by Robert Deubel.

The same view today. You can see the bridge has changed quite a bit, and none of the cars have fins anymore. Pity.

2015

pandiculation

Woorf tdhe Week R

/ December 3, 2015

ACROSS 1. You (archaic) 5. Weight loss plans 10. God of love 14. Stitched 15. In base 8 16. Verdant 17. Region 18. Conjuring up the dead 20. Sequoia 22. Dimensional 23. Arrive (abbrev.)

24. Condemn 25. Of this earth 32. Chills and fever 33. Reddish 34. A spider spins this 37. Anagram of “Snob” 38. Forbidden 39. Filly’s mother 40. South southeast 41. Slop 42. Hostel 43. Torment 45. Hawaiian veranda 49. French for “Friend” 50. Letter 53. Submissive 57. Kill 59. Operatic solo 60. Sow 61. Heathen 62. Chinese mafia 63. Alleviate 64. Sound of contempt 65. Terminates

/pan-dik-yuh-LEY-shuhn/

[noun] 1. The act of stretching oneself.

“After teaching her morning pandiculations, the yoga instructor broke the class early for milkshakes.”

Corrections: Could it be? Another issue without any major malfunctions? Perhaps Salvador Dali said it best when he said, “Have no fear of perfection you’ll never reach it.”

18 /

CROSSWORD

Copyright www.mirroreyes.com

1961

DOWN 1. Russian emperor 2. Not there 3. Was indebted 4. Unexpectedly 5. Givers 6. Frozen 7. And so forth 8. Sailors 9. Swill 10. Gladden 11. Anagram of “Incur” 12. Academy award 13. Timidly 19. Frantically 21. Mining finds 25. Bronzes

26. Prima donna problems 27. Country bumpkin 28. Path 29. Russian currency 30. Graven images 31. Fuss 34. Dry riverbed 35. Therefore 36. Existed 38. Pair 39. Incite 41. Metalworker 42. Tibetan monk 44. Ability 45. Rental agreement

Solution on page 17 46. Breathing problem 47. 9 9 9 9 48. Comment to the audience 51. What we kiss with 52. Dash 53. Sun 54. Weightlifters pump this 55. A region of SE Pakistan 56. Crones 58. Yore

I’d like to see a James Bond movie where James Bond gets behind financially and maybe has to take out a bill consolidation loan, because even when he’s applying for the loan he’s still real smart-alecky.

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