Reader february16 2017

READER Februrary 16, 2017 |

FREE

| Vol. 14 Issue 7

r l e a t v n i i n WCar

Due to the current storms, we are shoveling roofs to protect your home or business •Technical removals •Pruning to promote strong, healthy trees •Planting

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(wo)MAN compiled by

Susan Drinkard

on the street

Spokane’s Gonzaga Bulldogs men’s basketball team is the number one team in the nation—26-0.

Who is your favorite Zag, and why?

“I like Zach Collins because it’s fun to watch his evolution as a player. He is aggressive and is a team player.”

Will Venard Sculptor/Retired teacher Bonners Ferry

DEAR READERS,

Wow, thanks to all of you budding writers out there who have been flooding our inboxes with submissions. As many of you know, I’ll be out of the country from March 15 to April 15, so I’m eager to help fill the paper with articles written in advance so Cameron Rasmusson, my diligent editor, doesn’t implode.

Your submissions are as varied as the people who write them. One project that I am personally working on is interviewing Vietnam veterans so we can run a profile each week while I’m in Vietnam. So far, I’ve finished my first interview and set up another two. I’d love to find two more Vietnam veterans who would sit with me for an hour and talk about their experiences. If you or someone you know would make a good subject for a profile piece on this subject, please shoot me an email at ben@sandpointreader.com.

Sorry about the rain—it’s all my fault.

-Ben Olson, Publisher

T.J. Clary Special education/language arts Sandpoint Middle School Sagle

Zach Hagadone (emeritus) John Reuter (emeritus) Advertising: Jodi Taylor Jodi@sandpointreader.com

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That guy is the bomb. He is out there dominating and looks graceful doing it.”

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“Williams-Goss. He’s aggressive, yet he is a team player and steps up in clutch situations.”

Dave DeMers Athletic director/dean of students Sandpoint Middle School Sagle

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Contributing Writers: Cameron Rasmusson, Ben Olson, John Zierske, Stan Myers, Melissa Davlin, Brenden Bobby, Marcia Pilgeram, Suzen Fiskin.

Tonya Sparks P.E. teacher/basketball coach Sandpoint Middle School

“I would have to say Josh Perkins. He’s always smiling, has a good attitude, is one of the unsung heroes and one of the leaders.”

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

Contributing Artists: Kris Dills (cover), Ben Olson, Lori Reid, BCHS, World Relief.

“On the men’s team, Karnowski. On the women’s team it’s Elle Tinkle because she’s a good team player, she’s aggressive, and she knows how to see the floor.”

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We hope to provide a quality alternative by offering honest, in-depth reporting that reflects the intelligence and interests of our diverse and growing community.

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About the Cover This week’s cover features a painting

by Sandpoint artist and plumber Kris Dills. Dills owns and operates the Infini Gallery in Sandpoint. This piece, titled “Collision,” features mixed mediums and acrylic on canvas. See more of Dills’ work at the Infini Gallery on Cedar St. in Sandpoint.

A SandPint Tradition Since 1994 February 16, 2017 /

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Letters to the Editor Vote for Schools...

Dear Editor, I am writing this letter with the hope that you will continue seeing the impact of the Lake Pend Oreille School District levy on the potential future of Sandpoint. Coming from a community member that can more or less be defined by the levy’s contributions, I have realized more than ever in my brief absence from home the ways in which my participation in extracurricular service clubs, sports and organizations joined in high school have all uniquely shaped my successes post-graduation.

It’s interesting to consider the opportunities I took advantage of that, if I had not—or worse, had no access to—would have lessened my ability to acquire the skill(s). It took some time to come to the awareness, but I believe one of the most important concepts I learned in my ability to provide service through levy-funded activities was the power of community; and how lucky we were to self-witness and create the reality of its definition.

The thought of the future of Bonner County not having access to the same resources that I did is unsettling, and I do not wish it upon anyone. I have found value in the ability to apply skills [I] gained in critical thinking and communicating that I otherwise likely wouldn’t have had the ability to experience.

I think Sandpoint is pretty special, so we may as well do our best to honor its education system.

Sadie Nitcy Sandpoint High School Alum Student, University of Utah

Age Diversity Important – Vote Yes for Levy...

Dear Editor, One of the many life lessons my parents instilled in me is to value all ages of people who live in our community. This includes learning from my elders, honoring the men and women who serve our country, supporting local business owners, giving a hand up to young families, and supporting quality educational opportunities for the youth of our community.

I appreciate the wisdom of my parents and know that a sign of a healthy community is strong age diversity. We need to provide proper care to the elder population, respect to our veterans, support local merchants, keep housing affordable, grow an economy which provides job opportunities, and support our local public education system with a goal for students to become career/ 4 /

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college ready.

My fear for this great community that has given so much to me is that we will become void of age diversity.

Without a quality K-12 educational system families will move, the economy will struggle, and we will become a playground for people seeking seasonal recreation.

There is a movement to discredit our local school district, falsely claiming mismanagement of funds, excess opportunities for students, and fear of standards based curriculum. If you read information on social media, local press, or are being told sensationalized information that just does not seem to be right or leaves you wondering, please contact the LPOSD office or your local school administrator for answers to your questions.

Thank you for supporting your local schools on March 14, 2017.

Tom Albertson Northside Elementary and Sandpoint High School Alumnus Gold Creek

Schools Need Support...

Dear Editor, My ability to write this letter and thoughtfully read this paper is due, in large part, to the efforts of public school teachers. Not able to afford private schools, I am a public school graduate. I imagine most adults my age (retired, fixed income) have had jobs and careers made possible by basic skills they learned in school.

Idaho state funds allocated for public education, remain 6 percent below 2008 levels. Thus, each school district must find the means to support schools. March 14 is a levy election. Reviewing current county tax information, I contribute about $18/ month to our public schools. That is less than one tank of gas a month!

The replacement levy used to pay staff, support school activities, update curriculum and technology equals a 2-percent increase in property tax. So, in 2018 I pay $18.50/mo. and 2019 $19/mo. toward schools. This increase is 48-percent below the state average for school district levies. And it’s still not a full tank of gas.

Lake Pend Oreille District’s students and families deserve quality public schools. They deserve opportunities open to those who can read, write, calculate and think carefully about information that floods our lives. Let’s come together, making sure this American value- -access to public education--thrives in our community. Vote YES March 14th.

Mary Toland Sagle

For Our Children...

Dear Editor, I am the parent of a kindergarten student at Northside Elementary. In five years my youngest will also be there and I will have two kids in the Lake Pend Oreille school district. I am very committed to doing all I can to help my children and their schools thrive. This is why I will be voting yes for the supplemental levy.

This levy is to fund things that our children desperately need to have a successful school career. It goes towards all curriculum materials, full-day kindergarten (which I believe is very important), extracurricular activities (also important), and most importantly, one-third of all district staff. This is huge! There are 28 children in my son’s class. He needs his teacher, and he also needs their aid!

I know that not voting for this levy denies children the fundamental items that they require to excel in school. It is our responsibility, as a community, to help our children reach their full potential. To give them all the skills and tools they need to succeed in life and better our future. Reducing staff and increasing class sizes (things I assume would happen if the levy didn’t pass) will not benefit the children.

Our school needs the support of our community to grow a better tomorrow. The best place to start is with our future leaders, our children.

Thank you first your time.

Sincerely, Sara Pyle Sandpoint

Support the Environment...

Dear Editor, I indubitably support public lands.

I indubitably support wilderness. I indubitably support Greenprint. I indubitably support the Scotchman Peaks Wilderness.

I grew up in Texas where there is no public land to speak of and developers have cart blanche to make a piecemeal out of the environment, and I tell you with all my heart it sucks!

It’s savage. It’s immoral. It’s rape. It’s unhealthy. It’s culturally barbarian and it needs to be illegal. The ultraright-wing lawmakers in Idaho over the past 25 years want to do the same here. They want to turn our precious public lands over to the state which is cryptic for privatization and development. Imagine the absolute best part of this state (it’s public lands and wilderness) looking like the Houston suburbs in 50 years. Far, far we have come. No one seems to remember as recently as the 1970s. Do you have

any idea what they used to call this state on Capitol Hill in the 1970s?

“Liberal Idaho,” I swear it! Frank Church, Cecil Andros: people who actually cared about other people instead of this thickheaded lone cowboy “goberment ain’t going to tell me what to do” white privilege culture we see today. “We all know how liberal Idaho is going to vote” was the lighthearted joke on Capitol Hill. That all changed when George H.W. Bush the hero of the Reagan revolution rightfully lost to Bill Clinton in 1992, and America experienced the biggest right-wing reaction fallout in human history. Here we are today paying the unimaginable consequences.

I moved to the Northwestern United States 14 years ago for the public land. I am an avid hiker, backpacker, mountaineer, kayaker, snowshoer, skier and nature enthusiast. Public land to me is a godsend and wilderness is my Valhalla. I am beyond appalled and disheartened by the increasingly popular hostility towards public land and the bigoted, insidious hatred towards Mother Earth. There is absolutely no cons or negative repercussions of wilderness, and I’m sick of hearing that there are! It’s all pride, misinformation, ignorance and bravado. As for these conspiracy theorists, they’re just infinitely absurd! How could anybody even think of listening to them! I personally believe that public lands and wilderness should be a right not a privilege. I believe that the 28th Amendment to the United States Constitution should read: “All people and living beings shall enjoy the right to a clean, healthy, beautiful, spacious, intact environment.”

Jack Green Sandpoint

Take Scotchman’s Off the Auction Block...

Dear Editor, Now that a Scotchman Peaks Wilderness Bill has been introduced in Congress, the question is raised again, “How will this affect our community?”

Studies have reliably shown an economic benefit to communities located near designated wilderness. Does this mean large numbers of tourists from all over the world will descend on Scotchmans? Of course not. The economic advantage comes in part from people desiring the lifestyle of a community permanently and uniquely touched by a beautiful and free place left in its natural state.

Let me give you a few examples of how living with our wilderness neighbor has enriched and enhanced our community, in addition to the

protected traditional uses of hunting, fishing and hiking. It is a story about family and friends, and how shared values of special wild and free places are enshrined and preserved by our community. In addition to leading many summer and winter hikes through the wilderness, Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness (FSPW) has brought in inspirational naturalists, historians, geologists, trackers, and even, lichen and mushroom gurus to share their knowledge. Walking Jim Stolz, a legendary distance hiker and songwriter, came to the Hope School to inspire our youngest schoolchildren with the wonders of nature.

Each October, dozens of talented artists come to Hope, and spend the fall weekend painting in and around the Scotchmans, before sharing their labor of love with our community.

Led by FSPW in the summer, poets, writers, sculptors and painters put on their backcountry gear and go into the heart of the Scotchmans to enjoy and capture its beauty. Essays inspired by literally growing up with the Scotchmans in your backyard are written by seniors at Clark Fork High School for the annual scholarship contest. Each 4th of July the FSPW float and supporters roll through Clark Fork, and the sound of “This Land is Your Land” from our local marching band echoes off the mountains. For the past 12 years, free maps and newsletters are distributed throughout our community. There are many ways the wilderness presence enhances our community, even without putting much gear on.

The Scotchman Peaks area has been a wilderness for millions of years. It was a wilderness before the Native Americans arrived, and much later, the Europeans and Americans.

You may have heard of proposals to take away our federal land or even sell it to raise money. It’s time to take our Scotchmans wilderness permanently off the auction block, so that no matter how many generations follow us, Scotchmans will always be a wild and free place for all to enjoy.

Let’s all get behind Sen. Risch’s leadership in placing a Scotchman Peaks Wilderness Bill before Congress, and permanently protect our special place.

Neil Wimberley Board member, FSPW Hope, Idaho

Got something to say? Write a letter to the editor at letters@sandpointreader.com. Under 400 words, and please elevate the discussion.

OPINION

In support of Wilderness Wilderness proposal unacceptable

By John Zieske Reader Contributor As an avid hunter, hiker, backpacker, I enjoy spending time on our public lands with my wife. I am also a Christian, registered Republican, who leans conservative. I spent 20 years working in saw mills and understand the benefits of the timber industry in our communities.

In other words, I am not a “greenie.” Because I do not consider myself to be a “greenie” doesn’t mean I do not care about my environment. In fact, being a steward of the land is Biblical, and something I believe in strongly.

Since I enjoy the outdoors so much, I care about keeping as much public land public as possible. I have read about federal lands being sold or turned over to the states to manage, and I see that as one of the biggest threats to public lands being lost forever. A wilderness designation in the Scotchmans would ensure that the 14,000 acres in the northern panhandle of Idaho would remain public.

Doing so would set guidelines as to the usage of the area so people can always hunt, fish, hike, ride horseback and more.

While no vehicles would be allowed, could you imagine hiking or hunting in the Bob or the Frank Church wilderness areas and having roads or trails with vehicles driving around? It just wouldn’t be the Bob or the Frank Church anymore.

After reviewing the Wilderness Act of 1964, I found that preserving the Scotchman Peaks would safeguard the area for future generations in a more natural way. We are so lucky in the Northwest to have so much public land that is available for multi-use recreation, and I am a fan of that. I believe everyone

By Stan Myers Reader Contributor should be able to have a place to enjoy for each of their chosen forms of recreation.

For most of our protected public lands, motor bikers, offroad vehicle users, and bikers share the trail with hikers, backpackers, and horseback riders.

However, I feel there is a need for more remote and wild places that are only accessible by foot or horse. That is a major reason I support wilderness in the Scotchmans. On Saturday, you may want to ride your ATV on a designated trail but want to get away from the loud noise and hike or hunt in the wilderness on Sunday.

I feel that we all have the right to our own form of recreation, including the kind that is remote, quiet and as wild as possible. In fact, many of the areas on my bucket list require backpacking in an area that looks today as it did 100 years ago.

So, to all my mountain biking, motor biking and snowmobiling public lands advocates: If you have never been up trail 65, you’re really missing out.

Protecting the Scotchman Peaks as Wilderness will only enhance everyone’s experiences and open new windows of public lands opportunities to explore and enjoy. Consider taking a hike and see things for yourself.

No one is proposing wilderness for all of North Idaho, just 14,000 acres, which will ensure it remains public for our children and grandchildren to enjoy.

Dick Kramer in his Scotchman article (Reader, February 2) left out important information, mixed up some laws and missed some important points.

In the interest of accurate information regarding Scotchman, I will address the topics that Dick wrote on.

Dick stated that travel plans “show restrictions of motorized vehicles that in effect protect recommended wilderness.”

The current travel plan shows no restrictions, there are no prominent signs that show these restrictions and the 2015 Visitors map DOES show the area as OPEN for snowmobiling. We are told we must go find the forest plan to see these restrictions.

So, if you are cited for using a snowbike or terribly obtrusive wheeled game carrier in Scotchman, it would be like being pulled over for speeding, while going under the posted speed limit, but told the speed limit was changed decades ago, the signs haven’t been changed and it’s your fault for not knowing.

I was amazed to read that “logging and road building were prohibited in Scotchman because it would preclude wilderness designation,” because there are two areas with old roads and clearcuts included in this proposed wilderness! These are even outside the USFS “roadless” areas (because they are roaded), yet the USFS considered them worthy of wilderness, which is absurd.

How could there be any threats to the area from future logging if clearcuts can now transform into wilderness?

In all that detailed history of USFS public meetings and comments, Dick didn’t mention a single meeting in Clark Fork or other areas outside Sandpoint. He also didn’t mention 36CFR293.5, which instructs

the USFS to hold public hearings at locations affected by the actions (proposing wilderness).

Even though every visitor to Scotchman Peak drives through Clark Fork (I bet Dick did too, on those field trips he describes), the USFS apparently decided that it would not be affected by this. Dick blames local residents for not catching one of his “Sandpoint area” meetings years ago, but I blame the USFS for ignoring federal law.

FSPW apparently also never held a serious meeting in Clark Fork or other nearby locations to talk, listen and see what might be worked out (or not) . The recent Clark Fork meeting was held at the request of local concerned residents.

The “building understanding, acceptance and support for wilderness”, at the local level, are flat-out false. That is why the Clark Fork meeting was pretty much a complete rejection of this. We’ll see if they have more of these in Bonner County, outside of Sandpoint.

Dick apparently confused 36CFR261.57, which gives the USFS power to prohibit firearms specifically in wilderness areas, with other laws concerning safety and shooting near building, campgrounds and cities. The USFS makes this power clear in their shooting guide. No need for a good “government conspiracy theory,” Dick, it is simply the law. There is no requirement for analysis or public comment and you may say this will never happen, but we not interested in letting the USFS decide, forever for the future, which civil rights we get to enjoy in Scotchman.

Another serious concern, is the de facto wilderness created, north of Scotchman, on the east side of Lightning Creek.

Despite this being an area of great historical use, the USFS has decommissioned long-used roads without leaving ATV or foot trails, obliterated side roads, pulled bridges to block snowmobile access, and closed off miles of existing roads, all of which has formed a large border zone that you can well bet FSPW would love to grab and lock up next.

What if future generations want to log or manage the land?

The reality is, regardless of what wilderness supporters may claim, once a wilderness is designated, serious forest and wildlife management is over forever, thanks to either USFS non-management or lawsuits by environmental groups. Scotchman has large areas that are important for elk and mule deer during different seasons, but due to the current lack of management by the USFS, are being degraded by dying trees and fire.

The 2015 fire reduced this (it wasn’t a mosaic style fire) and threatened homes north of Clark Fork. There is opportunity in the future for the USFS (if they ever manage the forest again) to partner up with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and other conservation groups to carry out forest health projects in Scotchman, but this, assuredly, will not happen if this becomes wilderness.

If you agree that this wilderness, as currently proposed, is absolutely unacceptable, that the process has ignored local communities, that this will likely be the first step to something bigger and that the area and wildlife will need real management, then call the Bonner County Commissioners at 265-1438 and Senator Risch at 208-667-6130 and voice your opposition!

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The Inoculant

by Lori Reid

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Schools Deserve Support...

Dear Editor, I am really weary of Dan and Kathy Rose alleging our school administrators are committing fraud by asking the voters to approve a school levy. The bottom line is that schools cost money to operate, and the state of Idaho does not adequately fund our schools. Do we want second rate schools here in Sandpoint? That’s what we will get if we rely on state funding.

Some folks do not want to pay anything for public services, and will vote no for any tax or levy. I believe one of the great attractions of Sandpoint has been its excellent public schools, and I will be voting yes on the school levy.

Bouquets: ••Thank you to Mike and Robin who are paper carriers in the Hope area. With all of the challenging roads and driveways they deliver the paper on time and usually right at my doorstep. Incredible service.

-Submitted by Cynthia Mason.

•Wow, last week’s snowfall, followed by rain was one of the worst delivery days I’ve ever had on my bicycle. What made it tolerable was watching how the downtown business owners worked together to help each other dig out from the storm.

I’m talking about people like Nolan Smith from Ivano’s Ristorante, who I saw come to the rescue of Darian Kinney at Sunshine Goldmine and tackle the crusty, heavy snow in front of her store. I love when we come together, Sandpoint. Maybe it should storm everyday.

Barbs: •On that same train of thought, I’ve held my tongue about this all winter, but after the snowfall last week, I feel I have to hand out this barb. To the owner of the “Sand Creek Inn” on First Ave. and Pine St.: SHOVEL YOUR SIDEWALK! During delivery, I watched a 70-year-old woman struggle through your unshoveled, dangerous sidewalk. She almost fell at one point.. Yes, I know there is currently no one renting the space after La Rosa Club shut down, but I have not seen the sidewalk in front of this building shoveled all winter. There is just a narrow path that is full of ice and treacherous footing.

I know shoveling is hard work and annoying, but it snows in North Idaho. That’s life up here in the snowy north. If you can’t keep a basic pathway clear in front of your building, hire someone to do it for you.

Letters to the Editor

Georgia York Sandpoint

Talk to Congressman...

‘The Inoculant’ comic sponsored by: The

law firm of Elsaesser Jarzabek Anderson Elliott Macdonald.

Task Force accepting grant applications

By Reader Staff The Bonner County Human Rights Task Force Fund is seeking grant requests from organizations whose activities reflect commitment to the ideal that everyone is equal under state and federal laws and the U.S. Constitution, regardless of race, color, gender, religion, sexual orientation or disability.

Grants up to $8,000 will be considered, although in extreme or emergency circumstances this limit may be waived by the BCHRTF board of directors.

Grant requests will only be considered from Bonner County.

For more information or to apply, go to the ICF homepage (www.idcomfdn.org) and look under Deadlines. Deadline to apply is March 31.

Dear Editor, Congressman Raul Labrador (R) this week co-sponsored a bill by Thomas Massie (R-Kentucky) that would eliminate the U.S. Department of Education by 2018.

While the bill has been dubbed “largely symbolic,” it reflects the Congress’ new shotgun approach to legislation with the use of the Congressional Review Act; also lined up in its sights is the Every Student Succeeds Act which was enacted in 2016. President Reagan tried to dismantle the Department of Education in the early ‘80s, when he commissioned the National Commission on Excellence in Education to research the state of American education vis a vis the rest of the world. Confident in our superiority, Reagan was instead dismayed when the final report, “A Nation at Risk” (1983), asserted that U.S. students scored far worse than comparable students in the more advanced economies globally. Rather than dismantle the DoE, a rush to develop and fund programs occurred

instead, with the objective of bringing test scores up to the level of other nations such as Finland and Norway.

Along with focusing on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), the new narrative was an urgent need to increase the knowledge capital of the United States, resulting in funding to improve schools and a new accountability system (NCLB). The purpose of education was reframed to prepare American youth for college, career, and to become “the most productive workers in the world.” Unfortunately, 2015 PISA scores have shown that U.S. students have not risen far in the ranks; in addition, since NCLB did not result in the hoped for outcomes, Congress shifted the responsibility for school improvement and accountability to the states (ESSA), and rewrote the law to restrict the role of the Secretary of Education.

This was a drastic step, but it was far from the current proposal to completely abolish the agency, which would further promote the DeVos ideology of privatizing education and pushing American children into charter schools, a way of diverting tax dollars into the pockets of education enterprises whose competence is questionable. This will fragment education and can only reduce our global standing even further, as the academic record of private charter schools is dismal at best. How is this in our national interest? Even if you aren’t fond of public education, it is unimaginable that our youth will be better served by a cluster of corporations driven by profits.

The move toward localizing education has merit, especially if communities can participate in developing curricula and student conduct codes, but the national interest of the United States is not served by dismantling what progress we have made since 1983. Your Congressman needs to hear your thoughts on education.

Sincerely, Nancy Carre Clark Fork

FEATURE

An educated decision:

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff

The community takes sides on the LPOSD supplemental levy

Editor’s note: This is the first in a series of articles about the proposed 2017 supplemental levy.

The first installment presents an overview of the levy proposal, its critics and supporters and the role of levies in Idaho education funding.

There’s still a month to go before voters determine the fate of the 2017 Lake Pend Oreille School District Supplemental Levy on March 14, but debate is already heating up.

That, in itself, represents a shift from business as usual. For years, school district levies have been relatively uncontroversial affairs.

They passed with comfortable majorities—a 2015 vote cleared with 70-percent approval—and rarely raised the furor that often accompany community referendums.

This year, however, a much sharper disagreement is unfolding between levy supporters and an active contingent of opponents.

Energized by a victory over a $55 million plant facilities levy at the polls last year, LPOSD critics’ attention has turned to the supplemental levy. And what used to be a sure bet is now a battle fought via social media posts, newspaper editorials and letters to the editor.

Critics of the school district claim they’re merely calling for transparency and accountability.

Supporters and district administrators, on the other hand, believe the past two years of anti-levy campaigning are a concerted effort to undermine public confidence in the district’s good faith.

“There was so much misinformation over the summer for plant facilities levy, and it was such an organized effort, that the misinformation started breeding mistrust in the school district,” said LPOSD Superintendent Shawn Woodward.

If approved, the 2017 supplemental levy would draw $17 million—an increase from the $15,767,484 levy passed in 2015—over a two-year period

from property taxes within the district. District chief financial officer Lisa Hals said that amounts to a $0.50 per-month increase on a $250,000 property with a homeowner’s exemption, meaning a current annual levy bill of $264 would increase to $270 in fiscal year 2017-18 and $276 in fiscal year 2018-19. Although LPOSD became eligible this year to seek voter approval for a permanent school levy, the school board instead opted for a standard proposal with a two-year expiration date.

With Idaho ranking consistently near the bottom of all 50 states in per-pupil education spending, supplemental levies have become a commonplace method of back-filling funding gaps. According to Idaho Education News, 2016 saw 94 of Idaho’s 115 school districts collect more than $186.6 million in levy funds. The 2008 recession and subsequent cuts to state education spending dramatically increased districts’ reliance on local taxpayers—only 59 districts ran levies in the 2006-07 school year.

According to Woodward, LPOSD has benefited from levies for 17 years. The district’s tax rate is 48-percent below state average.

Woodward said the money will fund one-third of district staff— both full- and part-time positions— and all academic and athletic extracurricular activities. It also supports professional development for teachers, technology and curricular materials, student wellness programs and reduced class sizes.

If the school district does not succeed in passing a levy for the 2017-18 fiscal year, Woodward believes the levy will gut the quality of the district’s public education.

Consequences include the elimination of 300 full- and part-time staff positions, the consolidation of schools and the adoption of double-shifting schedules, the elimination of extracurricular activities, the increase of class sizes and the inability to update curriculum

Extra-curricular activities such as sports are especially vulnerable if the supplemental levy does not pass in March. Photo by Ben Olson. materials or technology.

Rural schools, given their smaller class sizes in comparison to the cost of staffing and maintenance, will be hit the hardest.

Smaller schools will likely close down and have student populations folded into larger schools.

Critics of the district believe it has misplaced priorities when it comes to school budgeting. Bonner County Commissioner Dan McDonald, in one of the many Facebook discussions on the subject, wondered why 100 percent of staffing wasn’t built into the district’s state funding.

“It appears the Supplemental Levy is being leveraged with items that should be part of the base or main budget,” he wrote.

“The Supplemental should be to fund things outside of basic educational requirements.”

LPOSD Board Chairman Steve Youngdahl, however, contends that the staffing funded through the levy is what makes beloved features like rural schools possible. While operating schools like Northside Elementary costs considerably more than consolidating student populations, the

institutions are consistently ranked highly by their communities.

Youngdahl added that rural schools are only one aspect of local education that hinges on the levy. For an idea of what local education with no levy would look like, he recommended researching local school quality during the 1990s when the district was “the laughingstock” of the state.

Other critics have pointed at the six-figure salaries of some high-level LPOSD administrators, particularly Woodward. According to data compiled by Idaho Education News, Woodward’s 2016 salary was $135,377.

Youngdahl said Woodward’s salary is somewhat misleading on paper. That’s because when he was hired in 2012, Idaho was moving toward a pay-for-performance model of education funding.

As such, Woodward’s salary is structured with a portion deferred for performance pay. And while Woodward makes considerably more than the average Bonner County resident, Youngdahl believes that using extra money to attract a highly qualified administrator is simply a smart leveraging

of limited resources.

“If there’s anywhere I’m going to spend a few thousand extra bucks, it’s on the guy who’s going to steer the ship,” said Youngdahl, who added that Woodward is the best superintendent he’s worked with.

The efficacy of that approach, Youngdahl added, is proven by the school district’s high performance. LPOSD is recognized both inside and outside Idaho as one of the highest quality districts in the state, he said. Schools have also added new programs in response to community feedback, including full-day kindergarten and a new home school academy.

Given the failure of the plant facilities levy last year, district administrators face a challenge to distinguish the supplemental levy’s purpose. Woodward is hopeful people with unanswered questions will reach out to the district. Informational meeting dates are available at www.lposd.org, but Woodward said he’s happy to sit down with people individually.

“I’m really proud of what we’re accomplishing as a school district,” Woodward said.

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NEWS

County commissioners pass counter-resolution on Greenprint

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff The Bonner County Board of Commissioners passed a resolution Tuesday discouraging the use of the Greenprint, a conservation planning document.

The resolution comes on the heels of the city of Sandpoint’s support for the document two weeks ago, which prompted controversy and a massive turnout at the City Council meeting. Commissioner Dan McDonald believes the resolution should address concerns that the city resolution reached beyond its territorial authority.

“The city felt the need to do what it felt best for the citizens of the city, while the county’s responsibility is to those in the county who felt this was a huge overreach that was not well thought-out [and] didn’t engage the affected parties of the county,” McDonald said.

A document compiled by several local organizations and public officials in cooperation with the Trust for Public Lands, the Greenprint prioritizes areas throughout the region based on their conservation value, recommending conservation easements as an option for private property owners.

At the council meeting, critics blasted the Greenprint’s data collection process, saying planners excluded more conservative opinions on land use policies. They also said the city’s support for the document stepped into the county’s jurisdiction, since data wasn’t contained to city limits. Some called the plan a part of a globalist agenda pushed by the United Nations.

Supporters, meanwhile, said that any conservation easements on private property were strictly voluntary on the part of the owner. They felt the report was a useful tool in maintain8 /

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Bonner County Commissioners Dan McDonald, left, Glen Bailey, center, and Jeff Connolly, right. Photo by Ben Olson.

ing the region’s natural beauty, which helps attract new business and tourism.

However, the county resolution warns of “unintended consequences” in selling off development rights through conservation easements. McDonald said there are stories of land owners entering into an agreement having secured permissions for cattle grazing, only for land trust groups to change terms after finding concerns of effluent running into nearby streams.

“Additionally, a little research shows that it’s common to have the easement rights sold to either the federal government or another land trust group who can choose to redefine the terms of the easement,” McDonald said.

The county resolution also backs its conclusions by stating that only 14 percent of Bonner County land is available for private development, reflecting a concern that conservation easements would limit the amount of land suitable for development. The resolution concludes that the Greenprint document will not “influence any of [the county’s] land-use planning decisions or recommendations.” “... The narrative that if you disagreed with this plan you were for dirty air and water was a bad play on the part of those promoting this,” McDonald said. “All they did was polarize and increase the

opposition to the plan.”

Despite the city and county taking opposing stances on the Greenprint, McDonald believes it shouldn’t create any animosity between the two governing bodies. He also said the county aims to host meetings with regional municipalities to improve coordination on multi-jurisdictional issues.

“We look forward to working with all of the other jurisdictions in the county to help find commonality and solutions to the issues facing all those who reside in Bonner County,” McDonald said.

This isn’t the first time the city and county have taken diametrically opposing stances on an issue. During the debate

over U.S. refugee policies in 2015 and 2016, Bonner County passed a resolution urging Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter to oppose refugee resettlement in Idaho.

In response, the city considered a resolution welcoming properly vetted refugees in Sandpoint, a proposal later squashed after a strong outcry from opponents.

City prepares for fiber service roll-out

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff

The greater Sandpoint region is inching closer to robust high-speed internet options following a series of actions by the Sandpoint City Council on Wednesday.

Sandpoint council members approved a memorandum of understanding with Bonner County to link their individually-owned networks together. In addition, the city approved fiber optic network fees, as well as lease rates for fiber network conduits, allowing private companies to install their own fiber and accelerate the next phase of the network build-out. Finally, council members approved a lease agreement with Ting Fiber, providing the company with space to house network equipment for its planned fiber optic network.

At the council meeting, Mayor Shelby Rognstad

thanked all city and county staff for their work in establishing the fiber network. Identified by local economic development experts as essential for growth, the fiber network has been a high city priority for years.

“I think we’re all excited to see high-speed internet come to Sandpoint like we haven’t had it before,” said Sandpoint Mayor Shelby Rognstad.

Private companies are already preparing to take advantage of the network, gradually rolling out high-speed internet service to businesses and residences throughout the region.

Monica Hubbard of Ting said that planning and design for its planned internet service is under way and likely to be completed within six months.

In the meantime, company personnel are working on commu-

nication with neighborhoods and individuals affected by the build-out. They’re also preparing new packages and pricing for businesses seeking different service from the standard options. The ultimate goal is to start construction in the summer with a hopeful completion date by November, prioritizing the areas of town with the highest demand.

Likewise, Jim Cost of Intermax said the company is prepared to offer a host of services throughout the surrounding areas. Cost said the company is looking forward to contributing to local economic development through promotions like high-speed data and managed IT, security and digital voice services.

FEATURE

Complaints pile up for Medicaid transport driversPart two

By Melissa Davlin For Idaho Reports Used by permission

Patty Earnest is trying to avoid knee surgery.

For that, the Sagle woman has depended on Medicaid-funded non-emergency medical transportation services for rides to physical therapy in a nearby heated pool.

Those appointments are staving off the need to replace both knees, Earnest said—a procedure that would cost taxpayers far more than the aquatic therapy.

Earnest lives on a steep hill, a route that requires four-wheel drive in the winter and a slow driver to navigate the turns. But some of the drivers dispatched for her transportation services weren’t equipped for the hill, or drove unsafely, she said. In one case, a driver asked her to meet her at the top of the hill so he wouldn’t have to drive down.

“The whole purpose of having this service is having door-to-door service,” she said. “There’s no way I can make it to the top of the hill.”

Drivers have also been rude, she said. Some have used foul language, and one inappropriately described a sexual encounter.

Customer service representatives aren’t helpful. “I have been hung up on. I have been sworn to.

I have been lied to,” she said.

Earnest’s complaints are some of hundreds received over Idaho’s non-emergency medical transportation services since July, when San Diego-based company Veyo took over the state’s contract to provide that transport. That frustration boiled over at a joint Health and Welfare committee hearing in January, where lawmakers heard testimony from patients, clinic employees, and local commercial transportation companies.

So what’s being done to address those complaints? And are all of those complaints Veyo’s responsibility?

A change in service Medicaid patients use non-emergency medical transportation to get rides to appointments like counseling, physical therapy,

chemotherapy and dialysis. Before 2010, local Idaho companies handled that transportation and billed Medicaid directly.

Six and a half years ago, the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare created a brokerage system that required patients to contact a central company to set up the rides. That broker then works with local Idaho-based companies to distribute rides.

In 2016, Veyo won the contract, outbidding former contractor AMR. Complaints over missed appointments started right away, according to public records obtained by Idaho Reports.

Josh Komenda, CEO of Veyo, acknowledged the company experienced a number of transition-related issues. The company was unfamiliar with Idaho, and would sometimes dispatch drivers to locations far outside of their areas, resulting in clients missing appointments.

Earnest said that was a problem in North Idaho. “(Veyo) does not know Bonners Ferry from Coeur d’Alene, and expects the transporters to make that distance within, say, a half-hour,” she said.

Veyo has largely ironed out those geography-related issues, Komenda said. While he couldn’t comment on specific instances, “I have not heard that complaint since, like, August,” he said.

Veyo is also adding improvements to its system to reduce late pick-ups, including GPS trackers that allow Veyo to dispatch additional drivers if they see someone is falling behind.

“We’ve put mechanisms in place to correct almost all of that issue,” Komenda said.

Room for improvement There were other issues as well. Hundreds of complaints, obtained from the Idaho Council on Developmental Disabilities via a public records request, paint a picture of consistent issues, including vulnerable children and adults being dropped off without supervision, vehicles unequipped for safe transport, and a rash of late arrivals that caused clients to miss critical appointments.

Each complaint results in a

Veyo investigation, Komenda said.

That could involve interviews with the driver, consulting GPS logs and collecting data on the ride. About half the time, those complaints are substantiated, and the company works on corrective actions. In extreme cases, Veyo has ended its relationship with local transportation companies over its service.

But sometimes, the complaints are the result of other factors, such as clients providing incorrect information, misbehaving employees of local transportation companies or issues that are outside of Veyo’s responsibilities.

Komenda wouldn’t comment on specific complaints, citing patient privacy laws. He did say that while safety is their biggest priority, “we’re not contracted to help supervise or become caregivers,” Komenda said.

Matt Wimmer, director of the Division of Medicaid at the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, said Veyo has worked with the state to improve service, and said the number of complaints received over Veyo is comparable to those received about AMR. Transition issues aren’t abnormal for a large vendor change.

And there were benefits; Because Veyo had bid less than what the state had initially budgeted for non-emergency medical transportation services, the governor’s budget recommendation for fiscal year 2018 includes a $1.4 million remittance.

“Medicaid is a program that’s expected to be cost-conscious,” Komenda said.

Still, Wimmer said there are areas in which Veyo needs to improve. The department has faced two corrective action requests from the department: one over customer service, and another for training for drivers who work with patients with special health needs.

“Even though we’ve seen some steady improvement, we think there needs to be more improvement,” Wimmer said.

Komenda agreed. “I think overall, our team is incredibly sensitive to any issues that take place, or any frustrations,” he said. “I do want to emphasize that we made a significant amount of progress,

Top: Patty Earnest at her home near Talache. Bottom: James Bayles, who told his story in the first installment of this series. Photos by Ben Olson. not only in the areas of kind of smoothing out from the transition, but also… progress from operating condition of the old contractor. So in many ways, we are delivering smoother services and more options to participants than they’ve ever received before.”

Fear of repercussions Earnest said she’s still concerned people aren’t complaining for fear of facing retribution and losing their transportation services.

She pointed to her own story as an example. After multiple complaints from Earnest involving two local transportation companies, a Veyo customer service representative allegedly told Earnest in September she would no longer receive rides to therapy, as the transportation

provider had looked into it and no longer considered it a Medicaid-eligible service.

Komenda said he can’t comment on individual clients’ cases, but did say Veyo does check to make sure appointments are covered by Medicaid.

“One of the responsibilities of the broker is to mitigate against fraud, waste and abuse,” Komenda said.

Earnest maintains her appointments are Medicaid-eligible, and said she now has an updated prescription for the therapy.

Meanwhile, the effects of missing physical therapy were beginning to show. “My body knows that it is not getting in the pool,” she said.

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Mad about Science:

By Brenden Bobby Reader Columnist After reading Jodi Rawson’s article on “Tilikum” in the Feb. 2 issue of the Reader, I felt inspired to learn a bit more about everyone’s favorite ocean mammal.

But Brenden, dolphins are everyone’s favorite ocean mammal.

Wanna know a secret?

Bottlenose dolphins and orcinus orca belong to the same family of delphinidae (oceanic dolphins).

Orcas are everyone’s favorite ocean mammal twice over!

Orcas are the largest member of the oceanic dolphin family, with males ranging from 23 to 32 feet long and weighing anywhere from six to 10 tons. That thing weighs more than a Ford F-150.

An orca can also swim almost 30 mph in open water, which is 30 m.p.h. faster than a Ford F-150 can drive in the same conditions.

To be fair, if you put the orca on a road, the truck would win by a landslide, but why would you want to put a whale on the road or a truck in the ocean?

Orcas have an incredible range, rivaling that of even humans (with some obvious restrictions). They’re found most often in the Arctic and Antarctic, but they cover an immense amount of distance while traveling: up to 100 miles a day, at least. That must take a lot of energy to move that much muscle that far every day.

Sure does, there’s a reason we call them killer whales (though “killer dolphins” would be more appropriate), and it’s not because they’re totally ripped. Nor is it because they attack humans, because they don’t unless you lock them up. If weird aliens one-ninth of your size locked you up, you’d probably try to attack them, too.

They are voracious eaters in the wild, highly evolved apex predators with only one creature above them on the food chain: humans.

Orca teeth are adapted to grip prey and shear flesh with ease.

Their front teeth tilt outward to 10 /

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Brought to you by:

orcas

project a restrictive force on prey and ensure it doesn’t get away, while sharpened rear teeth can fillet a seal with shocking dexterity.

Their diet consists of anything smaller than them, but mainly fish, squids and other cephalopods and crustaceans. They like their sashimi fresh and writhing. Awesome.

Being part of the oceanic dolphin family, orcas are crazy smart. They have complex social structures that we don’t fully understand, but we’ve figured out that their pods (groups of whales) have a very unique trait: They are led by an alpha female. Almost exclusively.

This is pretty cool because females are almost always much smaller than males.

Even more awesome, we’ve discovered that different whales have different dialects and accents, likely influenced by the incredible amount of distance they cover while still interacting. Their calls can change pitch and tone, but still mean the same thing, similar to when we say “Get in the car!” but someone from Boston might say “Get in the cah!”

They also seem to understand humans and our machines to a certain degree. They’re able to identify when we are a threat to them and when we’re just passing by. Similar to bottlenose dolphins and porpoises, we’ve seen pods of orcas racing speedboats for fun.

I mean, they were underwater and swimming with the speedboat, they weren’t in speedboats, though that would be totally awesome.

Their ability to communicate doesn’t start and end with acoustics. Anyone that has ever seen a cetacean knows that whales enjoy jumping out of the water and making a spectacle. This is called breaching. Scientists still don’t completely understand why it’s done, but several hypotheses exist.

One thought is that it’s a form

of showing off. Being able to fling your entire body out of the water with no land to push off from is like saying “Look how totally SHREDDED I am! #flex.” It takes a lot of energy and seems to happen most frequently in the presence of other cetaceans.

Another thought is that it could be a way for them to get air in rough seas. If the air near the top of the water is choked with spray and mist, it may be important to jump above the bulk of it to get a nice, deep breath. They are mammals, after all, and they need air.

Orcas also breach for food, unlike other cetaceans such as humpback whales. Seals and penguins may perch themselves on ice floes, thinking foolishly that they’re safe from the great shadow lurking beneath the waves, only for the beast to soar out of the water and grab them in one fell swoop.

Smaller orcas are capable of clearing twice their body length when leaping out of the water, if they so choose.

That would be like Yao Ming jumping 15 feet vertically.

Don’t believe me? Look it up, the pictures are astounding.

Their ability and intelligence while hunting is something of legend. Wolves ought to write this stuff down. Orca pods have been observed scattering and isolating smaller prey and unleashing an unrelenting chase that can last for hours. They communicate tactical formations and are even capable of using echolocation to calculate prey trajectories to create walls with their bodies to block off escaping prey. Seriously, I can’t make this stuff up. They corral dolphins with their bodies while one of them will pursue it for hours. They’re extremely fast and smart enough to adapt their plans on the fly. If something has been targeted and

isolated by a pod, its chance of survival is very slim.

They’ve been seen playing with the bodies of their food, oftentimes while it’s still barely alive. Orcas are sadistic, man.

Sea pandas (definitely not their scientific name) are truly majestic creatures. They are testament to the raw power of nature. While they are truly a spectacle to behold, their potential can only be realized in open water. An oversized aquarium is no place to keep one of these incredible creatures, and it is no place to learn about them. They are powerful and wildly intelligent, and if you want to learn everything you can about them inside of a tank, you aren’t going

to learn very much.

You would never see how they hunt, how they interact, how they stabilize the ecosystems around them.

How much would you learn about art from Van Gogh if you locked him up in a prison cell?

How much would you learn about football from Peyton Manning if you stuck him in a broom closet?

Brenden, you’re a damn dirty hippie!

Yes, yes, I may be with all of my ‘save the whales, save the trees’ I’m always spouting…

But don’t forget, I enjoy seeing a Killer Whale rip apart a sea lion as much as the next guy.

I just want to see it in the wild, not in a glass prison.

Random Corner S?

Don’t know much about the IR

We can help!

• The Church of Scientology obtained its tax exemption from the IRS by having P.I.s dig into the personal lives of IRS managers and initiating hundreds of lawsuits against IRS employees. Eventually, Scientology offered to drop all suits for religious tax exemption, and the U.S. government caved.

• The IRS ranks higher than Comcast in terms of customer satisfaction.

• When Willie Nelson’s assets were auctioned by the IRS, fans bought the items and gave them back to Willie. Nelson released an album in 1992 specifically made to pay off his debts to the IRS, entitled ‘The IRS Tapes: Who’ll Buy My Memories?’

• In 1987, 7 million American children vanished. The cause? The IRS started requiring the Social Security numbers of dependents on tax forms.

• The IRS has instructions for employees on how to collect taxes after a nuclear war.

• Every quarter, the IRS publishes a list of people who willfully revoke their citizenship. And the list is sharply growing.

• The IRS has tax rules about how to claim your child as a dependent if they have been kidnapped.

• The IRS requires you to declare sources of illegal income (i.e selling drugs) but they can’t prosecute you for the activity.

• The goodie bags given to guests at the Academy Awards are so expensive that the IRS categorizes them as taxable income.

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Chess Class 4pm @ Sandpoint Library All levels, including beginners come for 4 weeks of chess (Feb 2-23) Learn to dance the Country Two-Step 7pm @ Sandpoint West Athletic Club With instructor Diane Peters. 610-1770

Spokane Spring Quartet 6pm @ Panida Theater MCS hosts one of the Northwest’s premier string ensembles, with proceeds going toward the MCS Scholarship Program Live Music w/ John Hastings 5-7pm @ Idaho Pour Authority Live Music w/ Truck Mills 5-7pm @ Idaho Pour Authority Live Music w/ Scotia Road 7-10pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall This four-piece family band is made up of guitar, mandolin and upright bass mingling with the calm vocals and harmonies of the mother-daughter duo Live Music w/ Chris Lynch 6pm @ Arlo’s Ristorante

Girls Pint Night Out 5-7pm @ Idaho Pour Authority Cool Chicks! Great Beer! No Dudes! Join Vicki at the big table where she will be pairing Chocolate with 6 different beers Dollar Beers!

8pm @ Eichardt’s Pub

Parade of Lights 5:30pm @ Downtown Sandpoint The annual Winter Carnival parade, featuring wild floats, marching groups and a snow shovel brigade. The parade starts at 5:30 p.m. in the City Parking Lot, with the route winding along Church to First, then First to Cedar, up Cedar to Fourth, and back to the City Lot

Pre-219 Party 2:19pm @ 219 Lounge Come down for the Annual 219 Party, with live music from Marty Perron and Doug Bond, prizes and drink specials A Master Class 10am @ Music Conservatory Join the Spokane Spring Quartet in this exciting exploration of strings. This is an opportunity in mentorship held for intermediate to advanced chamber musicians.

All levels of students and the public are welcome to sit in and observe. 265-4444

Wildlife Le 2pm @ Cla Back by po tation brou Wildlife Fo Music Con 12-4pm @ M An open h ly Childho Handy, MC Cedar St. B 10am-2pm Come enjo spanning Sa

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Live Music w/ Brandon Watterson Annual 219 Party 8pm @ Eichardt’s Pub 2:19pm @ 219 Lounge Sandpoint Chess Club Beverages for $2.19 at 2:19pm! this 9am @ Evans Brothers Coffee special lasts all day and into the night!

Meets every Sunday at 9am. All are welcome Monday Night Blues Jam w/ Truck Mills 7:30pm @ Eichardt’s Pub Sandpoint Bulldogs Presidents’ Day Softball Clinic 8am-12pm @ Sandpoint High School SHS’s Bulldog Softball Program hosts a Presidents’ Day Soft ball Clinic from 8 a.m. until noon at SHS. Open to girls in grade 2 through 8, the clinic includes instruction on hitting, bunting Night-Out Karaoke throwing, catching, pitching, fielding and base running. Pre-reg 9pm @ 219 Lounge istration cost is $20, and registration at the door is $25

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Live Music w/ Alex Bouey 8pm @ Eichardt’s Pub Crafternoon – Found Art 2pm @ Sandpoint Library Free family fun with crafts to take home

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Live Music w/ Truck Mills 6-8pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall Chess Class 4pm @ Sandpoint Library All levels, come for 4 weeks of chess (Feb 2-23)

Rebelution live at The Hive 8pm @ The Hive Making their Hive debut, Rebelution will be bri ing some California reggae to Sandpoint. Ticket $25 in advance, and $30 at the door. Ages 21 an

Dollar Beers!

Dinner Hour Jazz at Trinity 8pm @ Eichardt’s Pub 5-7pm @ Trinity at City Beach Listen as MCS Jazz Ensemble grooves through the dinner hour. Enjoy a special $25 three-course menu specially prepare by Chef Thane. First 20 diners get free tickets to POAC’s presentation of Rob Verdi’s Take 5 at the Panida Theater

udes! Join e will be nt beers

e, featurd a snow 5:30 p.m. ute windto Cedar, City Lot

ful

February 16 - 23, 2017

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

A Taste of Music 4-7pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery Featuring the celestial sounds of Marj Cooke on the harp followed by string duet Sam Minker, cellist, and Tess Halverson, violinist

Live Music w/ Ben Olson 6-8pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall Ben Olson will play as part of MickDuffs’ Thursday Solo Series. Olson, who plays with Harold’s IGA, will play a bevy of songs he normally doesn’t get to play

Live Music w/ Ben and Cadie 5:30-8:30pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery Ben and Cadie of Harold’s IGA play a multi-instrumental duo of indie folk Live Music w/ Tennis 8pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall Tennis is one of Sandpoint’s favorite dance bands! Food truck! $5!

Live Music w/ Still Tipsy and the Hangovers 9pm @ 219 Lounge Great lounge trio with a unique sound Live Music w/ Chris Lynch 6pm @ Arlo’s Ristorante Campout with Understory 5pm @ Understory Coffee (120 Cedar St.) Enjoy the Winter Carnival by the fire, with complimentary s’mores, cool prizes, and delicious drinks

Wildlife Lecture Series: Non-Migratory Birds pm @ Clark Fork Library ack by popular demand, join us for a presention brought to you by the American Heritage Winter Carnival Cornhole Classic 1pm @ First Toss at MickDuff’s Beer Hall Wildlife Foundation Music Conservatory Open House Cornhole is back! This is the third annual Winter Carnival Corn2-4pm @ Music Conservatory hole Classic; last year a record 23 teams participated; this year, n open house highlighting the Earit’s capped to 16 teams so sign up early by calling 208-209-6700 Childhood Program with Michelle Computer Class: Digital Library andy, MCS program director 8:15am @ Sandpoint Library edar St. Bridge Public Market Find out how to access downloadable books, music, magazines 0am-2pm @ Cedar St. Bridge and much more - all available free to you as an EBCL patron. ome enjoy indoor shopping on the bridgeRegistration is required. Information: 263-6930 anning Sand Creek

9pm! this the night!

Let It Glow! Night Parade and Fireworks 7pm @ Schweitzer Mountain Resort celebrates Presidents Weekend with the Coca Cola Let it Glow! kids parade and fireworks show. 255-3081

c

Day Softs in grades g, bunting, g. Pre-reg5

KPND Ski & Board Party 5-9pm @ Trinity at City Beach Join the fun for great food and drink specials, plus fantastic prize giveaways from 95.3 KPND! Hiawatha Drum Circle! Unite the Tribes!

6:30-8pm @ Memorial Community Center (Hope) All ages welcome. Where spirit and fun collide. A drumming for peace, abundance, and the healing of Mother Earth. A journey through the spirit world (this is not a CLASS!) Absolutely FREE. Meets every Wednesday.

Questions/directions call Jack (208) 304-9300

Feb. 24 The Dating Game: Sandpoint Style @ The Panida Theater

Feb. 25 Weird and Wonwill be bringderful Winter nt. Tickets are Carnival Beer ges 21 and up Festival and Bar POAC presents Rob Verdi’s Take 5 Annual FSPW Sip and Shop Cra wl @ Downdt’s Pub 7:30pm @ Panida Theater 4pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery he dinner The Take 5 jazz quintet presents a var- FSPW will be sipping great town Sandpoint

ially pre- ied program of music spanning half wines, enjoying wonderful food POAC’s a century of jazz. Tickets $20/adults, from Bistro Rouge. Proceeds eater $13/ POAC supporters, $10/students benefit FASPW

located on the historic

CEDAR ST. BRIDGE in Sandpoint, Idaho

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2017 Winter Carnival has arrived!

One word: Rad. Photo courtesy Schweitzer Mountain Resort.

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff Of all the reasons to be outside on a chilly February night, it’s tough to find one more fun than the Sandpoint Winter Carnival.

Every year, crowds pack downtown Sandpoint for a series of shows, parades and entertainment. This year is no different, with several downtown businesses and organizations coordinating to show locals and visitors alike what Sandpoint winters are all about. Check out this week’s list of events, and keep an eye out for the second week’s offerings in next week’s issue.

Thursday, Feb. 16 Live Music There’s nothing like stringed instruments to make great wine taste even better.

Pend d’Oreille Winery aims to prove it when Marg Cooke plays the harp, followed

by Sam Minker on the cello and Tess Halverson on the violin. From 4-7 p.m., 10 percent of all sales will be donated to the Music Conservatory of Sandpoint’s scholarship programs.

Spencer Hendrickson will be performing live from 6-9 p.m. at Trinity at City Beach. And Ben Olson will play a solo set at MickDuff’s Beer Hall from 6-8 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 17 Parade of Lights sponsored by Washington Trust Bank: The Parade of Lights has long been a signature spectacle of the Sandpoint Winter Carnival. Certainly, it’s a chance to see local business staff and owners like you’ve never seen them before.

Participants compete to see who can put together the zaniest float or the craziest costumes. The parade starts 5:30 p.m. at the City Parking Lot and proceeds from Church to First, First to Cedar, Cedar to Fourth and back to the city lot.

Live Music Local favorite Tennis reunites once again to give fans a night of music they won’t soon forget. Be ready to dance at MickDuff’s Beer Hall starting at 8 p.m. when they take the stage. There is a cover charge of $5.

Meanwhile, Still Tipsy and the Hangovers, a fusion of swing, jazz and rockabilly that has quickly picked up fans, plays the 219 starting 9 p.m. Harold’s IGA plays the Pend d’Oreille Winery starting 5:30 p.m. Bruce Bishop plays Trinity at City Beach 6-9 p.m. And the Music Conservatory of Sandpoint hosts the Spokane String Quartet beginning 6 p.m.. at the Panida Theater. Tickets are $15 for adults and $5 for children.

Saturday, Feb. 18 Schweitzer activities Nothing says winter in Sandpoint like Schweitzer, and true to form, the resort is hosting a full day of snowshoe hikes, kids crafts, wine tasting and more. Be sure to check out the village campfire and catch music by Electric Cole Show at Chimney Rock or Devon Wade at Taps.

MickDuff’s Beerhall Cornhole Tournament: MickDuff’s Beerhall has developed a reputation as the preferred destination for serious cornhole players. Much of that

is due to its annual tournament, which puts the sharpest skills to the test against stern competition. Registration starts at noon with a $10 buy-in per team, and 100 percent of fees are paid out as cash prizes.

What’s more, MickDuff’s matches the cash pot up to $100 in gift cards, as well as a year of free membership to MickDuff’s Mug Club.

Annual 219 Party Everything is coming up 219 at the 219 Lounge. Starting at 2:19 p.m., the bar hosts $2.19 drink specials with brewery representatives from Ballast Point, Georgetown and Shilling Hard Cider on hand from 7-10 p.m. Catch live music from Marty Perron and Doug Bond from 8-11 p.m.

Sunday, Feb. 19 Let it Glow! Night Parade and Fireworks at Schweitzer The famous night parade, which sees a host of skiers snake down the mountain at night while carrying glow sticks, is a must-see spectacle and a centerpiece of the Winter Carnival. It doesn’t hurt that it’s followed by a celebratory fireworks show, either. If you feel like making a day of it, the same fun events on Saturday carry over into Sunday.

Wednesday, Feb. 22 Rebelution performs at The Hive Rebelution is sure to provide a hot end to a cool day when it brings its California-style reggae to The Hive, Sandpoint’s upscale dance venue. The show kicks off at 8 p.m., and tickets cost $25 in advance or $30 at the door. Check out www.livefromthehive.com for online tickets or a

list of local ticket providers.

KPND Ski Party You can look forward to great prizes, food and drink specials at the KPND Ski Party at Trinity at City Beach. The fun starts 5:30 p.m.

Check back next week for a full line up of 2017 Winter Carnival - Week Two.

WEIRD & WONDERFUL WINTER CARNIVAL

BEERFEST & PUB CRAWL

•219 Lounge •MickDuff’s Beer Hall •A&P Bar & Grill •Ol’ Red’s Pub •Eichardt’s Pub •Pend d’Oreille Winery •The Hound •Trinity at City Beach •Idaho Pour Authority

18 weird and wonderful beers!

Pick up glassware & tokens from 219, MickDuff’s and Trinity!

FOR MORE INFO: FB.ME/DINEAROUNDSANDPOINT February 16, 2017 /

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Taking refuge, one year later

Last year we visited World Relief in Spokane. We decided to check back in with the refugee resettlement organization.

By Ben Olson Reader Staff Editor’s Note: Over a year ago, after the Bonner County Commissioners passed a resolution opposing refugee resettlement, we visited World Relief in Spokane, a refugee resettlement agency. In light of President Donald Trump’s recent executive orders concerning refugee resettlement and immigration, we checked back in with World Relief to see how the changes have affected their day to day operations.

For World Relief in Spokane, President Trump’s executive order halting refugee resettlement in the U.S. has brought a level of uncertainty.

World Relief specializes in accepting and resettling refugees in Spokane from war-torn parts of the world after they have completed the vetting process which takes several years. For development director Johnna Nickoloff, Trump’s executive order hasn’t caused as much of a concern as has his overall reduction of refugees allowed into the U.S. “We went from expecting 110,000 refugees, which was the original cap that President Obama put for this year,” said Nickoloff. “Then President Trump put out a 50,000 cap coming to the U.S. This is the lowest the cap has been for several years. That’s is what is most affecting the refugees and our organization right now.”

Nickoloff said that the cap will be reached very soon, especially since a higher number of refugees came in last month.

“We’re close to our arrival cap,” she said. “If we continue at this pace, we won’t be resettling any more refugees this year.”

Last year, the U.S. took 16 /

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in 85,000 refugees, of which, World Relief settled 597.

“We represent a pretty small percentage,” said Nickoloff.

“We’re not a huge resettlement organization. Many cities like Seattle have multiple organizations, but here in Spokane, we’re the only ones right now.”

Nickoloff said that many of the newly arrived refugees have expressed concerns about the America they didn’t know about; one which seemingly didn’t want them.

“I’ve heard several people mention that it’s a different America than they thought,” said Nickoloff. “Some people who have come to the U.S. have questions that maybe it wasn’t such a good idea. I think they’re very disappointed. But, on the flip side, refugees as a whole have been through so much that they’re very resilient and they’re generally positive. I think they strongly believe that things will get better, as long as more people are educated on refugees and exposed to different religions.”

For many, the executive order’s disruption of the vetting process was more than just a delay; it was a complete setback.

“Many of the refugees are waiting to reunite with their family members,” said Nickoloff. “It’s really tearing people apart.”

The extensive vetting process, Nickoloff said, is a time sensitive process. If one part is delayed for any reason—be it a medical issue, or a delay in paperwork—the vetting process starts all the way at the beginning. With vetting taking an average of three years, this can be a major setback for a refugee who has almost completed the cumbersome process.

“Most, if not all refugees, are literally in danger of their life,” said Nickoloff. “When

you delay for 120 days or more, it’s not like they’re just waiting somewhere safe. They’re still in danger. It’s a significant problem.”

Danger is something that Pingala Dhital knows all about.

Ethnically Nepalese, Dhital was one of the thousands of the Lhotshampa ethnic group to be expelled from Bhutan and forced into refugee camps in Nepal. She spent 18 years in a ramshackle camp hut before finally being granted asylum in America with her family.

We spoke with Dhital last year about her experiences back home, being on the other side of the extensive vetting process and her resettlement in the U.S. A year later, Dhital is still working as an employment specialist for World Relief. After living for more than five years in Spokane, Dhital and her husband obtained U.S. citizenship.

In a follow up interview this week, Dhital said she can empathize with refugees who are still awaiting asylum in the U.S. “As a refugee, I feel sad,” she said. “Many people living in refugee camps were hoping to start their lives and may not be able to do that. It’s a hopeless situation. You are living in complete captivity and you feel like you are kind of forgotten by any human being.

Despite President Trump’s increasingly hawkish stance on refugees, Dhital remains optimistic about her newly adopted country: “I love this country. The country I was born in didn’t want to take me back.

This is the country that gave me a second chance to restart my life, to look out for my family.”

Dhital’s son Satya will graduate in May from Gonzaga University with a degree in civil engineering.

Come Nzibarega, originally from Burundi, is a college-ed-

ucated man who speaks five language. 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, Nzibarega was rescued by UN personnel a week later. Out of fear for his

Top: Pingala Dhital, a Bhutanese refugee who was resettled in Spokane through World Relief.

Photo by Ben Olson Bottom: Come Nzibarega came from the US from Burundi. He speaks five languages and is currently working as a French teacher at NW Christian School in Spokane. Photo by Ben Olson

< see REFUGEE, page 17 >

< REFUGEE, con’t from page 16 > and his family’s safety, he was relocated to a refugee camp, where he spent six years living before finally being granted asylum in the U.S. “It was horrible,” Nzibarega said last year of his kidnapping and abuse, “I don’t have the words to describe it.”

A year later, Nzibarega has found a job working as a French teacher at Northwest Christian High School in Spokane. Nzibarega is also going to school at Whitworth College at the same time.

Though President Trump’s defiant stand on the refugee program has caused some discomfort for World Relief, Nickoloff has confidence that the organization will continue its mission to resettle refugees.

“We do not think that there will be an end to our program at this point,” she said. “We anticipate staying open continuing to resettle refugees and continuing to connect and help those who have already arrived here in Spokane.”

However, due to the decrease in refugees being settled in the U.S., Nickoloff said World Relief has had to decrease

their staff size.

“We are not able to function in the capacity that we have in the past,” she said.

“We will move more toward relying on local churches and community support.”

President Trump issued the executive order on Jan. 27, calling for an immediate halt to admitting all people with non-immigrant and immigrant visas from seven countries—Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen— for 90 days. The order, referred to as a “Muslim ban,” caused disruption at airports around the world as hundreds of refugees and immigrants caught between communications between the White House and the Department of Homeland Security were stuck in limbo.

On Feb. 3, U.S. Federal District Judge James Robart issued a restraining order to immediately halt Trump’s executive order nationwide. An appeal was filed by the Department of Justice the next day, but three federals judges voted unanimously 3-0 to deny the DoJ’s bid for an emergency stay. This week, Trump expressed interest in filing an appeal to the decision.

For Pingala Dhital, who spent 18 years living in a refugee camp prior to

being admitted to the U.S., the key is to remain positive.

“Everything changes,” she said, “but I don’t think this country will change.

I believe in the law of this country, the Constitution and the government. It has a long history of helping people out, so I feel America is great.”

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 18 years awaiting resettlement in the US. Photo by World Relief.

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February 16, 2017 /

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Dark History

Old Sandpoint pushes back against prostitution

Part four

An elevated view looking east across Sand Creek at the early downtown days of Sandpoint, circa 1904. The houses across the creek in the top left of the frame are located on the current site of Trinity at City Beach and the Best Western Edgewater. Photo courtesy of Bonner County Historical Society.

By Ben Olson Reader Staff Editor’s Note: This is the fourth installment of the “Dark History” series, highlighting the rough-and-ready days of Old Sandpoint. These articles are meant as a companion piece to “The Dark Side of Sandpoint” exhibit at the Bonner County History Museum.

Around 1906, local townspeople began to push back against the scourge of prostitution in Sandpoint. Downtown began taking shape on the west side of Sand Creek, making it a necessity to clean up the notorious “cribs” where the town’s soiled doves plied their trade.

While town leaders were once content with simply “arresting” the prostitutes and assessing a $10 fine about once a month in lieu of taxing (therefore legitimizing) the trade, town leaders began seriously began cracking down on the illicit activities.

The headline for the Oct. 4, 1906 Pend d’Oreille Review read: “Chinese Opium Joint is Raided.”

Three prostitutes were given 30-day sentences after Sam Hing’s “Chinese dump on the lake flats” was raided. The establishment advertised “chop suey” and “noodles” on the sign, but, according 18 /

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to the article, “it has been known for some time that chop suey and noodles were not the only things that the wily Sam sold.”

Marshall Wilcox raided the place, arresting three ladies of the night, and “the heathen Chinese were bagged,” as well.

In May, 1907, Marshall Moran asked the Sandpoint city council to pass an ordinance taxing “clairvoyants, female masseurs, palmists” and other “seedy” occupations. Moran believed that women following these vocations were actually competitors for the “women who are paying fines to the city,” (i.e. prostitutes).

In an article dated two months later, Sheriff Doust was contacted by a brothel madame from Newport asking for assistance in keeping her girls in line.

“She complained to the sheriff that the inmates of her place went to the saloons of the old town and got drunk, and that she could do nothing with them, although she whipped a few of them,” read the article.

“She wanted the sheriff to make a trip to Newport and call upon her painted ladies ... to not be so boisterous in their conduct.”

It seems the appeal to Sheriff Doust was successful. An article dated a month later told of Doust’s visit to Newport.

“Sheriff Doust paid a visit to Newport Thursday, being called

there to make some of the gaudy girls in the old town behave themselves,” the article read.

By 1908, most of the cribs were relocated across to the “restricted district” along the east side of Sand Creek where they wouldn’t be so obvious to the townspeople. But it was not “out of sight, out of mind” across the creek; scandals and crimes still took place somewhat regularly.

In the May 22, 1908 Pend d’Oreille Review, a news article tells the story of how Josie Ellison, of the “restricted district” took her own life with carbolic acid.

“The woman was discovered on the floor of her crib by other women and was gotten to the Page hospital before the carbolic acid had resulted in immediate death,” read the article. “It appears the woman had been drinking heavily and had been in a state of intoxication for some time.”

The woman had been in Sandpoint for several years and “was well known in the local tenderloin,” the article read.

Ellison died the next day.

A month later, Sandpoint businessman W.F. Whitaker caused a ruckus during a Sandpoint City Council meeting on June 16, 1908.

Whitaker complained to Mayor Page that he had “positive knowledge there was a house of prostitution being con-

ducted right at or near the foot of the stairway leading from the city dock.”

Whitaker complained to the mayor that he had spoken with “every police officer in the city,” but nothing had been done except that the house, which was afloat, had been moved from one side of the city dock to the other.

“About this time Mayor Page told Mr. Whitaker that his petty grievances were becoming a nuisance and annoyance to the members of the council,” read the article. When Whitaker insisted on talking, Page told him that if he did not “shut up, he would have him ejected from the council chambers.”

In August, 1908, Chief of Police Stewart informed lodging house keepers in the city that “questionable conduct will not be tolerated and that women of bad repute must not be allowed in them.”

It was clear that by the end of the first decade of the 1900s, prostitution’s reign in Sandpoint was coming to an end. But some townsfolk wouldn’t let the issue drop.

In a Pend d’Oreille Review article from December 1914, two Sandpoint women went undercover to find out if a certain nightspot was selling sex.

“Two clever women,” read the article, “visited one of the ques-

tionable resorts of the city and satisfied themselves beyond all doubt that the place was being conducted for immoral purposes.”

The article continued: “The women dolled up in gaudy attire and adorned themselves with an abundance of borrowed jewelry so that when they made their entrance at the resort, they bore every appearance of being women of the under world.”

Following their visit, the women made a complaint to city officials, who later visited the establishment.

“They made a thorough inspection entering every room and even looking under the beds without finding the slightest suggestion of anything irregular,” read the article.

“By 1915, the ‘Historic Red Light District’ had lost its wild and raucous atmosphere and character,” wrote Dale Selle in the research project “Sandpoint Historic Red Light District Project.”

“The rowdy pioneer town became a quiet little city, catering to families and polite society,” wrote Selle. “The bawdy night life, while it still existed, was dispersed and driven underground.”

Visit the Bonner County History Museum’s “The Dark Side of Sandpoint” exhibit for more lurid tales of yesteryear.

STAGE & SCREEN

Panida to showcase acclaimed films

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

Film buffs will enjoy the next two weeks at the Panida Theater. The lineup has a little for everyone.

For over a decade, ShortsHD has proudly brought the Oscar-nominated short films to audiences across the globe. The films featured are divided into live action, animation and documentary.

Live Action films will be shown on Thursday, Feb. 16 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Feb. 19 @ 5:30 p.m. Animation shorts will be shown on Saturday, Feb. 18 at 1:30 p.m. and Sunday, Feb. 19 at 3:30 p.m. Part one of the documentary shorts will show Saturday, Feb. 18 at 1:30 p.m. and Sunday, Feb. 19 at 3:30 p.m., while part two showcases on Saturday, Feb. 18 at 3:30 p.m. and Monday, Feb. 20 at 5:30 p.m.

Tickets are $10 for each session for adults, $7 for 18 and under. If you’d like to see multiple films, $21 gets you an all-access pass for adults, $15 for students.

“Hidden Figures” is a biographical drama directed by Theodore Melfi that

has been held over for Saturday, Feb. 18 at 11 a.m. and Sunday, Feb. 19 at 1 p.m.

As the U.S. raced against Russia to put a man in space, NASA found untapped talent in a group of African-American female mathematicians that served as the brains behind one of the greatest operations in U.S. history.

The film is based on the unbelievably true story, and has earned a 92-percent rating on RottenTomatoes.com.

Also held over is “La La Land,” starring Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone.

The film was written and directed by Oscar-nominated Damien Chazelle and has been nominated for an astounding 14 Academy Awards, including best picture.

Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) and Mia (Emma Stone) are drawn together by their common desire to do what they love. But as success mounts they are faced with decisions that begin to fray the fragile fabric of their love affair, and the dreams they worked so hard to maintain in each other threaten to rip them apart.

Don’t forget to laugh

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

Do you need a laugh? You’re in luck.

The 219 Lounge is hosting a stand-up comedy night on Saturday, Feb. 25 at 8:30 p.m.

The big night of comedy will feature nationally touring stand-up comics Morgan Preston and Harry J. Riley.

Preston left the audience in stitches after a show the 219 hosted in 2015 which raised money for Team Laughing Dog and 24 Hours for Hank.

Riley, who hails from Spokane, has been making a splash on the comedy circuit of late, winning the Spokane Valleyfest PG Comedy Competition twice and placing in the semi-finals of the prestigious Seattle International Comedy Competition. He also landed a role in the cable TV series “Z Nation.”

Along with the hilarity, there will

“La La Land” will play Feb. 18 and 19 at 7:30 p.m. at the Panida Theater.

Finally, “Lion” is an undeniably uplifting story whose talented cast make it a moving journey that transcends the typical cliches of its genre.

A 5-year-old Indian boy gets lost on the streets of Calcutta, thousands of kilometers from home. He survives many challenges before being adopted by a couple in Australia; 25 years later, he sets out to find his lost family.

Starring Dev Patel, who is best known for his role in “Slum Dog Millionaire,” this film will play on Feb. 22 at 7:30 p.m., Feb. 25 at 3:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and Feb. 26 at 3:30 p.m.

For more information and ticket prices, please refer to www.Panida.org.

See you at the movies!

FEb. 16-19

oscar shorts check website for times - $10 Friday, Feb. 17 @ 6pm

SMC hosts spokane string quartet Feb. 18 @ 11am | Feb. 19 @ 1pm

“hidden figures” film

Feb. 18 & 19 @ 7:30pm

“La la land” film

Feb. 22 @ 7:30pm | Feb. 25 @ 3;30 & 7:30pm | Feb. 26 @ 3:30pm

“Lion” film Thursday, Feb. 23 @ 7:30pm 2017 poac performance series:

Rob Verdi’s ‘Take 5’ jazz show

A tribute to the legendary artists who gave the sax its unique voice in jazz

be drink specials and a festive atmosphere at everyone’s favorite dive bar.

The doors open at 8 p.m. and the show begins at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 in advance or $12 at the door and will include a Captain Morgan rum drink special.

Saturday, Feb. 24 @ 7:30pm

Winter Carnival Dating Game Sandpoint Style Come re-live the fun of the Dating Game as two bachelors and bachelorettes take the stage March 10-11, 16-18

“Once upon a mattress” musical coming soon: LION, THE indigo girls!

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FOOD

The Sandpoint Eater Gumbo Rules

By Marcia Pilgeram Reader Food Columnist

It’s that time again: a night or two filled with more fun than should be allowed. It’s not for the easily offended, but if you’re over 21 and looking for a night of adult humor and raucous entertainment, don’t miss the 15th annual production of the Follies, produced by Angels Over Sandpoint at the Panida, March 3 and 4. This year’s theme is “Fabulous Fifteen,” (as in “a formal” or quinceañera, so plan your over-the-top evening wear accordingly).

In past years, the Follies’ theme was associated with Mardi Gras, which isn’t surprising. Mardi Gras is the original celebration for communities to come together and share their cultures. Throw in some costumes, libations and authentic food, and you have an even better reason to throw an epic community party. Just say the words “Mardi Gras” and the first American city that comes to mind is New Orleans, right? Well it should be, Louisiana is the only state that declares Mardi Gras a legal holiday, and they’ve been perfecting their bash for nearly two hundred years.

I’ve seen New Orleans at her best during Mardi Gras, surrounded by crazy revelers, outrageous costumes and sampling her iconic foods: a sugared beignet and steaming Café au lait at Café Dumonde, buttery rich Banana’s Foster at Brennan’s, and bucketsful of BBQ shrimp from Acme’s 20 /

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(until my fingers literally bled from peeling them). I was there too, following Hurricanes Katrina and Gustav, so I’ve seen her at her worst: grocery stores without power filled with stench of rotting food, and shrimp boats washed miles ashore, littering highways and crop fields.

She’s a city filled with diversity and inclusiveness and larger-than-life personalities.

After the last beads of Fat Tuesday are swept from the streets, many of her dwellers gather and line up for the symbolic ashes that will be pressed to their foreheads on Ash Wednesday, signaling 40 days of lent and personal reflections. I can only

imagine this diverse flock is led by the bold spirit of their new pope, Francis.

Some of the most authentic people I’ve ever met hailed from the New Orleans area.

Many had lost their own homes, but they came to help others by cooking and serving meals at church-based relief centers.

Regardless of religion or orientation, everyone was embraced and fed. I became fast friends with a school teacher, Nina, whose home literally blew away. One of my most treasured possessions is a Christmas gift from her, a crystal she found on the beach, once part of a chandelier that hung in Nina’s home.

We’re still in touch, and I was

honored to host her in Sandpoint a couple of years ago. Another gift from Nina was her gumbo recipe, and every time I start a batch, I can hear her stalwart advice, “Miss Marcia, now don’t you be rushing that roux.”

It’s ironic that I learned the secret of good gumbo in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina because just a year prior I had offered Ryanne a trip anywhere (“always my practical child, I never had to preface it with “reasonable” when making offers to her) to celebrate her 25th birthday. She chose a cooking school in New Orleans, located in an old molasses warehouse in the heart of the French Quarter. For several months, I

eagerly corresponded with the school’s staff to finalize our mother-daughter trip and was devastated when the hurricane forced us to cancel. Though they quickly reopened and run a thriving business, we never managed to make it there. If you’re ever thinking about southern cooking classes, consider the New Orleans School of Cooking. It’s still on my mother-daughter bucket list.

If you’re thinking about the Follies, be sure and get those tickets, as they always sell out.

If you’re celebrating Mardi Gras, do try this gumbo and remember Nina’s learnt advice— don’t rush the roux.

Hurricane Gumbo Recipe

Serve with cornbread and honey. Serve Bananas Foster for dessert.

INGREDIENTS: •4 qts good chicken stock Roux; •½ cup peanut oil •1 cup unbleached all purpose flour

•1 tsp cumin •1 tsp paprika •1 tsp ground mustard •½ tsp chili powder •½ tsp cayenne pepper •2 tsp salt

•1 ½ lb (25-40 count) •2 green peppers gulf shrimp, peeled •6-8 stalks of celery and deveined with •1 yellow onion tails removed.

•2-3 jalapeño peppers •4 garlic cloves •1 tbs Filé powder •2 bay leaves •2 lbs fresh okra, •2 cups medium grain sliced* cooked rice. (Cook according to •6 chicken thighs, directions) dredged in flour •1 lb andouille *If you can’t find fresh sausages, sliced okra, use frozen (preferlengthwise into ably whole okra which quarters, then diced you will cut yourself. If you must, use cut frozen •1 tsp black pepper okra).

•1 tsp white pepper •1 tsp red pepper flakes

DIRECTIONS: In a large pot, bring the stock to a simmer.

Rinse and remove seeds from the peppers. Peel and crush the garlic. Finely dice all of the vegetables bay into large bowl, add whole bay leaves and set aside.

In another large bowl, combine cup of flour with half the spice mixture, whisk to mix.

Rinse the chicken and pat dry.

Season with salt and pepper and remaining spice mixture.

Dredge the chicken and set aside.

In a heavy large skillet, brown the chicken until brown on all sides. Using tongs, remove the chicken from skillet and place it into the simmering stock pot. Cover and reduce heat. Cook chicken until it is tender. Remove the chicken and toss in the andouille sausage, stir to brown, remove and add to stock pot.

Using a spatula, loosen the browned bits left behind from browning the chicken and sausage. Add ¾ cup of peanut oil and

slowly whisk in 1 cup of flour. Whisk the mixture constantly, watching carefully so as not to burn, until it turns a rich brown color. You’re getting close – make sure, now, that it doesn’t scorch! Quickly add all of the chopped vegetables to the roux, and stir with a wooden spoon until they are all coated. Continue to cook over medium high heat for about 10 minutes.

Add the roux/vegetable mixture to the chicken stock and simmer on low.

Cook on low simmer, for 1 ½ - 2 hours and stir often to prevent sticking.

15 Minutes prior to serving, turn the heat up, add the shrimp. Cook until pink and firm.

Mix enough Tabasco and file together, to make a thick paste and add to the gumbo.

Spoon rice into bowls and ladle on gumbo. Serve with cornbread and honey.

MUSIC

This week’s RLW by Ed Ohlweiler

Take 5 for jazz

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

A Taste of Music at the Pend d’OReille Winery Live Music & Fine Food. Enjoy the celestial sounds of Marg Cooke on the harp followed by Sam Minker on the cello, and Tess Halverson on violin. 10% of all sales between 4-7 pm will be donated the the Music Conservatory of Sandpoint scholarship programs.

PARADE OF LIGHTS - SPONSORED BY WASHINGTON TRUST BANK The wild ‘n crazy Parade of Lights arrives in downtown Sandpoint with its legions of zany floats, marching groups, and snow-shovel brigades! Parade starts at 5:30 pm at City Parking Lot, down Church to First, along First to Cedar, up Cedar to Fourth, and back to the City Lot (Awards Ceremony immediately following parade, near staging area).

Like baseball and apple pie, jazz in an American institution. Over the past century, the saxophone has played an important role in the development of this indigenous art form.

Lovers of jazz and the saxophone are in for a rare treat Thursday, Feb. 23, at the Panida Theater; Rob Verdi’s Take 5 tribute to legendary artists who gave the sax its unique voice in jazz. The show begins at 7:30 p.m. on the Panida main stage, and features a glimpse at some of the most unusual saxophones ever made. Our local student choir will join legendary saxophonist Rob Verdi for a night of Vaudeville jazz.

Tickets are $20 for general admission, $13 for POAC supporters and $10 for students. This show is part of Pend Oreille Arts Council’s 2017 Performance Series.

MICKDUFF’S BEERHALL ANNUAL CORNHOLE TOURNAMENT MickDuff’s Brewing Co. Beer Hall hosts and sponsors the King of the Cornhole Tournament. Registration starts at noon and first toss is at 1 pm. $10 buy-in per team, and 100% of registration fees are paid out as cash prizes. MickDuff’s matches the cash pot up to $100 in gift cards. Winners get complimentary Mug Club Membership until the next tournament champions are crowned. 21+ non-smoking, fun-and-games environment. 208-209-6700

ANNUAL 219 PARTY The 219 Lounge hosts the annual 219 party starting at 2:19 pm. There will be $2.19 drink specials, including beer and cider specials along with brewery representatives from Ballast Point, Georgetown and Shilling Hard Cider on hand from 7 to 10 pm. Lots of prizes and swag! Featuring live music with Marty Perron and Doug Bond from 8 – 11 pm. Free and open to all ages 21 and older; non-smoking environment.

Rob Verdi plays one of his unique saxophones that will be showcased on Thursday, Feb. 23 at the Panida Theater.

Courtesy photo.

She Said yes!

Have your wedding at the beautiful Heartwood Center!

“LET IT GLOW!” NIGHT PARADE AND FIREWORKS! Schweitzer Mountain and Coca Cola are celebrating over President’s Weekend with a kids parade and fireworks show! 6-8 pm.

KPND SKI PARTY @ TRINITY AT CITY BEACH Trinity at City Beach, 58 Bridge St., hosts the KPND Ski and Board Party starting at 5:30 p.m. Enjoy great prizes, food and drink specials, and lots of fun!

www.SandpointWinterCarnival.com to see the full schedule of events

If you subscribe to or read The Sun magazine, here’s what you get: no advertisements (not a one!), award-winning stories, non-fiction, poetry and photos, plus an ongoing relationship with quirky but dedicated staff writers like Sy Safransky (editor), Poe Ballantine, and Sparrow, in-depth interviews with humanitarians and great thinkers, and “Readers Write” where readers submit personal stories on a theme. Did I mention—no ads?

LISTEN

Sandpoint’s premier arts + entertainment venue 615 Oak St. • Sandpoint, ID

READ

•Our beautiful hall can seat up to 96 for a full sit down dinner.

•Conveniently located in town with plenty of parking.

•Elegant venue for weddings, receptions & rehearsal dinners

For more information or to schedule a visit call 208-597-0483 or 208-263-8699

In 1987, I was working at a college radio station when an album came in that floored us all. We knew nothing about it except that it was apparently produced by The Edge, and featured a woman with a vocal range and power that we’d never experienced before.

That woman was Sinead O’Connor (she was 20 and pregnant at that time) and the album was “The Lion and the Cobra.”

Of course, she’s gone on to greater fame, but this album still elicits goose bumps.

WATCH Idaho Public Television produced a show called The Color of Conscience: Human Rights in Idaho [2011, available online] which is mainly about how a small group of dedicated individuals were able to defeat the Aryan Nations and offers hope for us today. It also touches on a few other civil rights issues and even features footage and interviews from Bonner County (with residents you may recognize).

www.HeartwoodSandpoint.com

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Opening hearts and minds

What if we really liked ourselves?

By Suzen Fiskin Reader Columnist In working with coaching clients for more than two decades, some patterns of what keeps us stuck are clear. One of the most common is that so many people in our culture don’t like themselves very much. I’d talk about loving ourselves, but that’s just too big a leap from where most of us are starting from.

I’m still surprised at how pervasive being unkind to ourselves is across all sections of our society. Pick a demographic, any demographic - there are swaths of people everywhere who suffer from a range of internal angst that go from a vague sense that something’s wrong to feeling worthless and hopeless.

Here’s one story that hit my heart.

Maybe you’ll see some of yourself here.

A couple of months ago I was working with a delightful woman. She’s 69 and retired from her career as a vice president of a Fortune 500 company. Jean is smart, funny and has an active life doing pottery, yoga, a book club, and hanging out with a group of women friends who travel and play together.

Her marriage of 35 years is solid and loving, and they’ve literally traveled the world together in style. They share a beautiful home in a ritzy part of Los Angeles, and she continues to be a very supportive mother who adores her two 40-something children, both of whom are successful in their fields.

Now that she isn’t working, Jean’s a little bored and a lot unhappy. She’s been in therapy for decades and still hasn’t worked out why she feels so bummed out most of the time. She’s been on anti-depressants and, a few months ago, found

herself so depressed that she couldn’t get herself out of bed for days at a time.

When there seemed to be no hope for slipping out from beneath her plume of gloom, she decided to try happiness coaching.

Helping clients become aware of how they feel about themselves is an important part of this work. A couple of months ago, I offered her something to do when her mood was so dark that hope was a distant memory. ”Close your eyes and imagine that you’re sitting behind yourself. Now scooch up nice and close, and wrap your arms around your waist and hold yourself tight. Enjoy the closeness.” Tears began sliding down her cheeks. ”Now whisper in your ear, ‘It’s alright, I’ll never go away. I’m always here for you.’ ” Her eyes popped open suddenly, and she said, “I can’t do this.”

I asked her why, “I don’t like myself enough.” Her tears turned into sobs.

Here’s a woman who, to the outside world, has it made in the shade, yet she’s always felt herself to be a failure as a human.

The good news is that in the past couple of months she’s come a long way and is moving on the path of rewiring her brain to being a much happier human.

I share this story because most of us are a whole lot nicer to others than we are to ourselves, and that can change. I had a big aha moment when I realized that I unconsciously said things to myself daily that I’d never say to another person, no matter how angry I might be.

I also do everything in my power to keep my word to others, yet I’d break my promises to myself without giving it another thought. What’s up with that?

Somehow, many of us get our signals crossed when it comes to caring for ourselves. We’re told in our culture that it’s wrong to be self-ish, and that to be kind and supportive to ourselves is somehow wrong and takes away from society.

What’s wrong with this picture? Just about everything!

Here are some things that can help you move towards caring for yourself: 1. Become aware when you’re saying unkind things to yourself and stand up for yourself. Instead of “that was stupid,” you can say something like this instead: “Well, I learned something important here and did the best I could, so good on me!”

2. If you had a friend that consistently broke their word to you, you’d stop trusting them, yes? So start keeping your word to yourself. Start small and work your way up to bigger things. The important part is building trust in ourselves. We’re almost all ways better than we think!

3. Turn up the volume of feel-good thoughts.

4. When you get a compliment, look them in the eye and say thank you.

5. At night before you go to bed, write down three things that went well that day.

If I had a magic wand, and could have my way with the world, I would have everyone feel good about themselves.

I’m certain that this shift would morph the world into a much kinder and gentler place. What are we waiting for?

Suzen Fiskin is a Happiness Coach, marketing wiz, and inspirational speaker.

She’s also the author of the book, Playboy Mansion Memoirs. If you have any questions or comments, email her at: SuzenFiskin@yahoo.com.

Crossword Solution

Broken promises don’t upset me. I just think, why did they believe me?

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