(208) 265-5700 320 S. Ella Ave. www.IdahoVet.com
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(wo)MAN compiled by
Susan Drinkard
on the street
How are you and winter getting along? “Not good because I have had influenza twice and I have been late to work twice because of the snow.” Francie Weeda Self check-out host Oldtown
DEAR READERS,
As the snow flies and temperatures drop, it’s tempting to cozy up inside, pull on your jammies and let Netflix reel out reruns of Parks and Rec until the spring thaw. Alas, this is no time to hibernate in the glow of your favorite streaming service. There’s a lot going on even amid the onset of real North Idaho winter weather. This week saw a number of events related to the ongoing Sandpoint Parks Master Plan effort, with residents weighing in on concepts for City Beach, the Downtown Waterfront and Sports Complex of Travers, Centennial and Great Northern parks. The plans envision some big, big changes. Read more about them on Page 4. Meanwhile, we have a report on the upcoming Women’s March, a news feature on what’s happening with a challenge to the validity of the recent LPOSD levy vote, another installment of Publisher Ben Olson’s seagoing photo essays and more, including your full rundown of literature, arts and entertainment for the week. Set your TV clicker to stun and get out there. Just stay safe (and warm).
-Zach Hagadone, editor-in-chief
Thom & Coley Friday, January 24 @ 7:30 p.m.
“I like it because I can snowboard on the mountain.” Enoch Rawson Fifth-grader at Northside Elementary Bonner County
Dinner served at 6 p.m. 207 Cedar St.
dilunas.com
If you like Country & Western music this concert is for you. Trop Rock Music Association and People’s Choice Awards Duo of the Year Thom Shepherd and Coley McCabe Shepherd were both working for Nashville publishing companies in the same building when they met. Today they are a full-time traveling duo, singing songs that make people laugh and cry, everywhere from Key West to Seattle and abroad. This a show not to be missed.
Tickets $18 in advance and $20 day of show “I’m loving it. I want more snow. I‘ve found a new sport — fat biking.” Arlene Spinosa Therapist Sandpoint
“We have a farm and all the equipment needed for plowing our quarter-mile road. My husband plows into our field to give room to the cows. We don’t look at this negatively because we are able to manage it. He plows very wide lanes in anticipation of more snow. It’s just so beautiful; it’s not brown and dead like in the Midwest. The snow lightens things up and if I go outside at night, the air is fresh and clean.” Theresa Didion Cake decorator Colburn-Culver
“I love it, but finding the ball is much more challenging right now.” Otter Sandpoint
Call Di Luna’s at 263-0846 for reservations. OPEN 11:30 am
GAME ROOM UPSTAIRS
ith w b u The P ty! i l a n o Pers
DESCHUTES BREWERY NIGHT
TONIGHT see back cover for details 212 Cedar Street Downtown Sandpoint
208.263.4005
READER 111 Cedar Street, Suite 9 Sandpoint, ID 83864 (208)265-9724
www.sandpointreader.com Publisher: Ben Olson ben@sandpointreader.com Editorial: Zach Hagadone (Editor) zach@sandpointreader.com Lyndsie Kiebert (Staff Writer) lyndsie@sandpointreader.com Cameron Rasmusson (emeritus) John Reuter (emeritus) Advertising: Jodi Berge Jodi@sandpointreader.com Contributing Artists: Woods Wheatcroft (cover) Contributing Writers: Zach Hagadone, Lyndsie Kiebert, Lorraine H. Marie, Shelby Rognstad, Brenda Hammond, Brenden Bobby, Cameron Rasmusson, Ben Olson, Marcia Pilgeram Submit stories to: stories@sandpointreader.com Printed weekly at: TPC Commercial Printing Lewiston, ID Subscription Price: $115 per year Web Content: Keokee The Sandpoint Reader is a weekly publication owned and operated by Ben Olson and Keokee. It is devoted to the arts, entertainment, politics and lifestyle in and around Sandpoint, Idaho. We hope to provide a quality alternative by offering honest, in-depth reporting that reflects the intelligence and interests of our diverse and growing community. The Reader is printed on recycled paper using soy-based ink. Leftover copies are collected and recycled weekly, or burned in massive bonfires to appease the gods of journalism. Free to all, limit two copies per person.
Sandpoint Reader letter policy: The Sandpoint Reader welcomes letters to the editor on all topics. Requirements: –No more than 400 words –Letters may not contain excessive profanity or libelous material. Please elevate the discussion. Letters will be edited to comply with the above requirements. Opinions expressed in these pages are those of the writers, not necessarily the publishers. Email letters to: letters@sandpointreader.com Check us out on the web at: www.sandpointreader.com Like us on Facebook. About the Cover
This week’s cover photograph was taken by Sandpoint photographer Woods Wheatcroft of Katie Cox and her daughter Willow biking in the winter glory of North Idaho.
A SandPint Tradition Since 1994 January 16, 2020 /
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NEWS
Parks of the future
By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff The city of Sandpoint hosted several open houses on the Parks Master Plan ahead of a workshop Jan. 15 at the regular City Council meeting, gathering input on concepts related to three sites included in the plan: City Beach, Downtown Waterfront and the Sports Complex, which comprises Travers, Centennial and Great Northern parks in west Sandpoint. Led by Tom Diehl of consultant firm GreenPlay and Parks and Recreation Director Kim Woodroof, the Jan. 15 workshop covered the entire plan, rather than a site-bysite analysis. “We haven’t made any final decisions; that’s the purpose of this workshop and all of the public engagement meetings we’ve had in the past two days,” Diehl said at the workshop, emphasizing that the plan is intended to inform decisions as far as 50 years into the future — not immediate actions dictated by a five- or 10-year timeframe. Rather, he shared four high-level goals intended to steer the thrust of the plan and underpin its priorities: providing integrated and comprehensive parks and recreation facilities to the city; supporting and improving recreation programs and services; improving organizational efficiencies; and increasing financial opportunities to fund parks and rec. facilities, services and programs. The overall plan and conceptual designs are still undergoing revision, with GreenPlay consultants shooting for March or April when they’ll return to the City Council with final draft documents. Feedback gathered at the open houses, and through a variety of surveys and online public engagement via the city’s opentownhall. com portal, will guide revisions to the concepts — the most high-profile of which, after the Memorial Field plan finalized by council before the new year, has been City Beach.
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City Beach The concept plan for City Beach emphasizes “more types of recreation, parking and a dedicated event space to promote economic vitality within the downtown core.” Specifically, the plan calls for an improved boat launch on the Sand Creek side of the park currently home to the Sand-Idaowned RV park. Securing the land necessary to realign the boat launch to the RV park site would require a land swap with Sand-Ida, which also owns the adjacent Best Western Edgewater Hotel. The swap would transfer the grassy area in front of the hotel from city ownership to Sand-Ida in exchange for the RV park parcel. That plan has sparked some pushback from residents who argue that the public space in front of the hotel is too valuable to trade away for a boat launch and parking lot. The city and Sand-Ida, meanwhile, have said since summer 2019 that an appraisal of the properties is forthcoming, yet no word on when it will be completed. City officials and concept planners say the realignment would add more than 130 parking spaces beyond the number of spaces at the existing boat launch, plus make way for a splash pad and larger playground. What’s more, the City Beach plan identifies a potential home for the Carousel of Smiles adjacent to the existing main parking area. Other big changes could include a hard surface area roughly equivalent to the size of a professional hockey rink where large-scale events such as a music festival could be hosted. In addition, it’s possible the surface could be equipped with the necessary components to convert it into an ice-skating rink during the winter, “in order to activate City Beach as a year-round destination,” according to planners. Some aspects of the City Beach concept have come in for pointed questioning, including concerns about loss of green space related to the potential land swap and the assertion that users will be required to pay to park at the beach.
City hosts public workshops on Parks Master Plan
Woodruff argued repeatedly that the city will maintain its waterfront in front of the current hotel site and would actually increase its linear footage of waterfront at the expanded boat launch. What’s more, he said removing the city shop at the beach, shrinking the asphalt behind the snack shack and clearing away some trees in the core of the park will broaden access to green spaces. Regarding the suggestion that parking would no longer be free, City Administrator Jennifer Stapleton said that was a “misunderstanding.” “There’s been no discussion about a charge for using the amenities for City Beach and we haven’t even gotten to the point of looking at fees and the analysis for whether there’s a charge for launching a boat or parking a car,” she said. Downtown Waterfront Envisioning the future of the Sand Creek frontage east of First Avenue, planners have come up with a concept that incorporates a public plaza immediately north of Bridge Street and extending the boardwalk from its current alignment between the Sandpoint Marina and Farmin’s Landing to Bonner General Health. Running beneath the Cedar Street Bridge, the lengthened
boardwalk would feature additional boat tie ups as well as an expanded dock into the creek to create another public gathering place. A section of boardwalk is also envisioned on the opposite bank of Sand Creek, running from the water’s edge at the existing parking area under the bypass and connecting to City Beach. The Carousel of Smiles could also be sited at the current parking lot on the east side of the creek. Though some potential commercial and/or private development spaces are included in the plan, the biggest component is improved stormwater management and treatment, as Sand Creek represents the single-largest runoff site from the downtown core. Sports Complex The concept for the Sports Complex includes a dramatic expansion of the skate park and the tripling of available parking at Travers to accommodate 230 vehicles. A complex of four new tennis courts relocated from Lakeview Park and City Beach is envisioned immediately north of the Travers parking lot, next to 16 pickleball courts to be constructed in two phases of eight courts each. The BMX bike area could be expanded adjacent to a micro soccer and softball warm up area,
The conceptual plan for City Beach is intended to incorporate a variety of recreational activities, expanded parking and facilitate more events. Image courtesy of the city of Sandpoint/GreenPlay. which could possibly be surfaced with artificial turf. Likewise, two new artificial turf softball fields are envisioned to replace the current three natural turf softball fields immediately west of the existing playground and picnic area. Finally, the plan includes a relocated natural grass little league baseball field at the northern edge of Centennial Park, alongside two natural grass soccer fields. Great Northern Park, which city officials stated is in the best condition of any of the city-owned fields, would not receive significant redevelopment in the plan, though improvements to drainage are anticipated there. “This plan has been a dream of mine for a long, long time and I couldn’t be happier about it,” Woodruff said at the workshop, describing it as “a guiding, living plan.” “I’m super excited about it,” Woodruff added. Visit opentownhall.com/portals/287/Issue_7920 to see all the conceptual parks plans.
NEWS
N. Idaho Women’s March 2020 By Reader Staff
Looking ahead to what’s sure to be a critical election in 2020, the N.Idaho Women are preparing for their fourth annual Women’s March, set to take place Saturday, Jan. 18 in Sandpoint. The event will begin with a rally at the Sandpoint Middle School, 310 N. Division St., with doors opening at 11 a.m. The theme of this year’s event is “Take Action!,” with three speakers scheduled to address the marchers. The first speaker will be Reclaim Idaho Executive Director Rebecca Cleveland-Schroeder, whose organization launched the successful citizen initiative campaign to pass Medicaid expansion in Idaho, and is currently leading a new “Invest in Idaho” ballot initiative for funding K-12 education as the answer to a statewide underfunding problem that ranks spending on Idaho schools near the bottom in the nation. Also on the speakers’ list is Nancy Harris, a fourth-gener-
ation Idahoan running for the United States Senate nomination to oppose incumbent Republican Sen. Jim Risch. According to a statement from N.Idaho Women, “There’s no time more critical than now to remove complacent, corporate-funded lawmakers.” Harris is also expected to address solutions to the climate crisis that offer entrepreneurial opportunities and good-paying jobs. According to Harris, “just as we have eradicated diseases, landed on the moon and found a cure for cystic fibrosis, we can also fix global warming, save endangered species from extinction and feed a rapidly growing population.” Finally, Laura Tenneson of the Western States Center will take on the issue of human rights — specifically, white supremacy and white nationalism in North Idaho. Citing the distribution of hate materials in neighborhoods, stores and on students’ vehicles, Tenneson’s talk is geared toward offering concrete ways that citizens can effectively oppose hate-
ful messaging from spreading. Human rights groups from Bonner, Boundary and Kootenai counties, as well as other local organizations, will have tables at the event offering direct actions for marchers. “Love Lives Here” signs will also be available for a donation. According to organizers, the march and rally are opportunities “for women to join other women in an uncompromising renewal to human rights and progressive social change.” That said, march organizer Rebecca Holland stated that all are welcome to participate: “Yes, our good brothers and families are welcome to march with us. We all need to stand firm together.” Millions of others will participate in “sister marches” across the nation, as they have since the first Women’s March on Jan. 21, 2017 — the day after the inauguration of President Donald Trump and the biggest one-day protest in American history. Organizers say the N.Idaho Women’s march “will raise
strong voices for positive changes in our government. For three years, citizens have resisted attacks against diversity, against the environment and public lands, against cuts to social programs supporting citizens’ basic needs. This women-led movement is a bonding nationwide of ordinary hard-working, principled individuals who are determined to move the nation toward a more caring, peaceful existence.” Marchers are encouraged to come with signs “expressing their feelings in PG-rated terms,” as well as bring rhythm instruments, small drums and shakers. The march will follow the paved “Community Trail,” safe from traffic with Sandpoint police protecting a peaceful demonstration. The N.Idaho Women’s Facebook page offers pre-registration for free admission. Donations to the grou’s GoFundMe or at their welcome table at the event will help cover basic costs for facility, permit fees and printing.
KLT announces Pack River conservation partnership By Reader Staff The Kaniksu Land Trust recently announced a voluntary conservation partnership that will protect 10 parcels of land adjacent to Pack River. Lenny and Carole Thorell, who purchased their first parcel in 1978, have spent more than 40 years steadily stitching back together the fragmented remnants of land around their home, ultimately rejoining the 10 contiguous parcels comprised of 65 acres of hay meadows, carefully tended forestland and streamside wildlife areas. “We have sensed for many years that this property is unique,” Lenny stated in a news release announcing the partnership. “The past 40 years have given us time to reflect on its importance.” Drawing on community support, Kaniksu Land Trust — the organization behind the Pine Street Woods project, which opened to the public in fall 2019
— assisted the Thorells in ensuring their Pack River land remains undeveloped while still being functional for hay production, timber and wildlife. “It’s truly remarkable what Lenny and Carole have accomplished here,” stated KLT Conservation Director Regan Plumb. “Conserving this portion of the Pack River will pay many dividends in the future, from protecting our clean water and healthy forests to providing scenic beauty to people and space for animals. It’s been such a pleasure to assist them in this process.” As with all land conserved with Kaniksu Land Trust, the property remains in private hands and traditional land uses are preserved. The Thorells continue to own and manage their land and are free to sell, gift or lease it to others. According to Lenny, “Unchecked development in rural America deserves greater awareness. I have pretty strong feelings about the paving of paradise.”
This is one of many projects in which Kaniksu Land Trust has helped private landowners to accomplish their conservation goals. Based in Sandpoint, KLT has worked extensively along the Bull River and other areas of Sanders County, Mont., as well as in Bonner and Boundary counties in Idaho. Nearly 4,000 acres of stream corridors, working farms and ranches, natural areas, and wildlife habitat have been now conserved with the organization since it was established in 2002. In addition to providing conservation tools to private landowners, KLT offers community programming and opportunities for people of all ages to learn and play outside. KLT is a nonprof-
A portion of the land along Pack River that will be protected from development by a conservation partnership between the Thorells and Kaniksu Land Trust. Courtesy of KLT.
it organization that is funded through community support and private foundations. For more info on KLT or questions about conservation partnerships, call 208-263-9471 or email info@kaniksu.org.
Comments requested on Buckskin Saddle Project By Reader Staff The USDA Forest Service is seeking public input on the draft environmental assessment for the Buckskin Saddle Restoration Project located on the Sandpoint Ranger District of the Idaho Panhandle National Forests. The public comment period is open now through Friday, Feb. 7. Public feedback on the draft EA provides suggestions and identifies concerns to help the Forest Service finalize the environmental effects of the proposed project and alternatives. The document, project information and instructions on how to comment are available at fs.usda.gov/project/?project=52563. The 50,600-acre project is located east of Lake Pend Oreille and south of the Clark Fork River. Most of the forest stands in the area are currently very congested, predisposing large portions of the forest to drought in the summer; decreasing the overall forest health; and hampering its resilience to disturbance from insects, diseases and wildfire. Large wildfires could directly affect residents in the Kilroy Bay area, as well as threaten high-voltage power lines, roads, fish habitat and recreation areas. Objectives include restoring forest health conditions, reducing hazardous fuels near private land and infrastructure, maintaining road and trail systems, as well as improving big game and fish quantity and habitat quality. The proposal includes about 13,400 acres of timber harvest, 5,090 acres of prescribed burning, 912 acres of pre-commercial thinning, 135 acres of fuels reduction and 331 acres of whitebark pine habitat restoration. About 173 miles of road maintenance is proposed, along with a quarter-mile of road reconstruction. The Buckskin Saddle project has been developed collaboratively with input from the Panhandle Forest Collaborative, the Coeur d’Alene Tribe, local landowners and recreation groups. For more information, contact Michelle Norton, at michelle.norton@usda. gov or 208-265-6667. January 16, 2020 /
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NEWS
Carpenter pleads not guilty Trial in Ramey murder tentatively set for June
By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff Judith Carpenter, the Coeur d’Alene woman accused of shooting and killing 79-year-old Hope resident Shirley Ramey in 2017, pleaded not guilty Jan. 13 to a charge of first-degree murder. Bonner County District Court Judge Barbara Buchanan requested Carpenter’s plea during the Jan. 13 arraignment and went on to ask legal counsel on both sides for a tentative trial date. Representing Carpenter, attorney Joseph Sullivan said a June date would be best, seeing as they are still waiting for some key DNA evidence to come back from the state forensics lab in Boise. “We’re in limbo regarding what kinds of experts we’d need to bring on board,” Sullivan said at the hearing. Bonner County Prosecutor Louis Marshall agreed to the June date, requesting at least eight days to complete the trial.
Judith Carpenter. Buchanan then set Tuesday, June 9 as the date to begin Carpenter’s trial. A pre-trial hearing is set for May 22 at 9 a.m. at the Bonner County Courthouse. Case information was filed in October 2019 — more than six months prior to the June trial date, — meaning the defendant must waive her right to a “speedy trial,” Buchanan said. Carpenter agreed during the Jan. 13 hearing to waive that right.
Sandpoint Teen Center now open on Fridays after school By Reader Staff The Sandpoint Teen Center has expanded its hours, now open Monday through Friday 2:30-5:30 p.m. and at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. The center, located at 221 S. Division St., offers Bonner County students aged 12 to 19 a safe place to spend their afternoons, complete with healthy snacks and hot meals — often prepared by the teens themselves. In addition, the center pays for adult-supervised teen bowling and pool at Huckleberry Lanes every day, featuring weekly bowling tournaments with prizes. Meanwhile, the calendar is packed with a range of other activities, including opportunities to volunteer and take part in community service projects, trivia contests, “Adulting 101” classes in which participants can learn new skills, and more. Because the center follows the local school schedule, it will be closed 6 /
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Monday, Jan. 20 in observance of Martin Luther King Day. A short walk from both Sandpoint Middle and High schools, teens can otherwise now drop in every day after school. Founded in 2004 with between 10 and 15 students per day, the center became a 501(c)(3) in 2010 and has since grown to serve an average of 25 students per day. The addition of Fridays to the Sandpoint Teen Center’s schedule has been made possible by annual end of year donations and grants. The nonprofit organization paid special note of support from the Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation, BNSF Foundation, Panhandle Health and Walmart Foundation, which contribute to the Healthy Teens After School program. For more info visit sandpointteencenter.com or facebook.com/SandpointTeenCenter, or call 208-946-1087.
Bits ’n’ Pieces From east, west and beyond
East, west or beyond, sooner or later events elsewhere may have a local impact. A recent sampling: Creating a microbiota vault: A program at Rutgers University aims to preserve ancestral microbes for future generations, so they won’t go instinct in light of modern-day diets. Most babies “inherit” their microbiome — a mix of bacteria, viruses, fungi and protozoa — from their mother’s birth canal. Yet, Time magazine reports that changes in today’s microbiome are linked to rises in obesity, asthma, food allergies and inflammatory conditions in the brain and intestines. Meanwhile, researchers at the University of Chicago released a study that suggests cancer immunotherapy success depends in part on a patient’s microbiome, and how it can — or cannot — enhance immune system response. The problem is that some antibiotics can destroy helpful microbes, and an immune system that’s over-stimulated can trigger autoimmune disease. Study authors noted that human microbiome studies can provide significant insights for cancer treatment. In 2019, close to 40% of farm income came from the federal government — a portion from payments to offset China’s retaliatory tariffs. Axios.com says the farm bailout cost more than double the 2009 auto industry bailout. Move over bees: Neonicotinoid pesticides are blamed for the compromised health of honey bees. Now new research says neonics may also harm white-tail deer and migrating birds. The Environmental Working Group reports that scientists in South Dakota are suspecting neonics are causing birth defects in white tail deer. While the European Union has banned the pesticide due to concerns about impacts on pollinators, the EWG says the United States “is still caving to the pesticide industry.” The New York City Bar Association has called for what seems to be a “first ever” for any bar association: asking Congress to investigate the U.S. attorney general. According to the NYCBA, U.S. Attorney General William Barr shows evidence of political bias, making him unable to “act impartially” as the nation’s top law enforcement official. Rather, Bloomberg reports, Barr is both enabling and encouraging “political partisans willing to use the levers of government to empower certain groups over others.” From The Wall Street Journal: President Donald Trump told “associates” that he was pressured to “deal with” Iranian General
By Lorraine H. Marie Reader Columnist
Qasem Soleimani (whose assassination he ordered in early January) by Republican senators he regarded as significant to his expected impeachment trial in the Senate. According to a report from The Washington Post, Microsoft tested a four-day work week in Japan and found that sales per employee rose 40%. What’s more, electricity use fell 23% and 94% of employees said they were satisfied with the change. A Gallup poll released in September found that Americans rank the pharmaceutical industry as the “worst” of 25 major U.S. business sectors. The Trump administration’s planned cuts to food assistance are expected not only to affect recipients, but also the economy. The administration defends the cuts, saying they will save close to $8 billion over 10 years. But critics writing in The New York Times argue that does not take into account declines in “health and wellbeing of many of the country’s 14.3 million ‘food insecure households.’” Studies have linked use of food assistance with a $1,400 decrease in health spending annually per person as well as lower risks of hospitalization among Medicare and Medicaid enrollees. At least 85 environmental regulations have been rolled back under the Trump administration, The New York Times reports, including standards for water pollution, toxic substances and factory farms. Sandworm, Andy Greenberg’s non-fiction book about cyber security, reveals why knowledge of the topic is “necessary to civil literacy.” Forbes.com remarked that the book illustrates not just election hacking techniques, but how malicious software caused $10 billion in damages in 2017. The House of Representatives, currently controlled by Democrats, passed 400 bills since 2018. But, according to Vox. com, most have not received a vote in the Republican-controlled Senate. Of those that were voted on, 10 were for renaming federal facilities. In a typical year, Congress passes up to 250 bills. Blast from the past: “The most brilliant propagandist technique will yield no success unless one fundamental principle is borne in mind constantly and with unflagging attention. It must confine itself to a few points and repeat them over and over.” — Adolf Hitler, writing in Mein Kampf, 1925. And another blast: “A time comes when silence is betrayal.” — Martin Luther King, Jr., in an April 1967 speech against U.S. involvement in Vietnam.
PERSPECTIVES
Mayor’s Roundtable:
Planning progress for Sandpoint’s future
By Mayor Shelby Rognstad Reader Contributor
opportunities for the public to weigh in on the plan during the week of Feb. 23. UpIf ever there is a time to dates will be posted have a direct impact on the on Engage Sandpoint future of your hometown, and on the city’s it is now. The city of Facebook page as the Sandpoint is in the midst date near. Expect to of six master planning see a draft plan subefforts that will directly mitted to council for impact the future livabiliapproval by May. ty of your community for Sandpoint’s Comgenerations to come. Mayor Shelby Rognstad. prehensive Land Use After nine months of development, the Parks Master Plan is Plan is also underway. The first two of seven surveys on Opentownhall nearing completion. The final public have closed. Citizens provided input workshops took place Jan. 15 at the on jobs and economic development, Little Panida downtown and at City public facilities, utilities and services. Hall. They presented the conceptual The survey addressing housing and plan to the public and invited feedback. While these were the last sched- neighborhoods is still open until miduled public workshops for refining the night, Saturday, Jan. 18. I encourage plan, there will still be an opportunity you to log on to Engage Sandpoint, on our website or on the mobile to provide comments when the City app, to complete the survey. Council considers the plan for adopYour input affects how the tion in March. city approaches housing View the conceptual plans on affordability and how our our website: opentownhall.com/porneighborhoods will look and tals/287/Issue_7920. There, you can feel far into the future. Next provide comment or suggestions on week’s survey will address the plans. If the plan is approved by community character and council, the next steps will be to find funding and then develop engineering design (Jan. 19), followed by growth and land use plans for the specific site improve(Jan. 26) and natural rements at City Beach, downtown sources (Feb. 2). waterfront and the Sports Complex. I am very grateful to Right now, there is no timeline for all those that took time to this process. respond to these surveys. The Multimodal Plan has been Your input is valuable and underway since September. As many appreciated. Some of the as 168 people participated in the first public survey on the city’s Opentown- surveys were uncomfortably long — for that we hall platform, which ended at the end apologize. We are doing of December. The survey assessed the best we can to use these how people get to their destinations surveys to get the most in Sandpoint, how easy it is to use different modes of transportation, and information possible to make informed decisions what the city can do to improve access and accessibility for all modes of for Sandpoint’s future. Also under developtransportation. There will be multiple
ment are the City’s Water Master Plan, Stormwater Plan and Watershed Master Plan. The Water draft plan is nearing completion and will be brought to City Council for adoption in March. Consultants inventoried existing pipes, storage facilities, hydrants, treatment components and other aspects of the system to determine what improvements will be necessary to continue serving quality drinking water in perpetuity. The Stormwater Plan is still being developed as data is collected throughout this year to determine where clear water is entering our wastewater system. This data will inform the city how to best invest in future repairs and — if we are successful — dramatically increase the efficiency and effectiveness of our wastewater treatment facility. The Watershed Master Plan is
Laughing Matter
scheduled for adoption in August. An environmental consultant is currently gathering and reviewing all available data in the area to inform the planning process. The goal of this process is to provide a framework and standards for how we go about being good stewards by preserving the land, protecting water quality, reducing fire hazards and providing for other uses like recreation and forestry in a responsible, sustainable manner. Please join me to discuss these issues at the Mayor’s Roundtable on Friday, Jan. 17, 5:30 p.m. at City Beach Organics (117 N. First Ave.). In an effort to make the Roundtable more accessible to participants, I have moved the time to the third Thursday of the month at 5:30 p.m. so most people can attend after work.
By Bill Borders
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WEIRD NEWS By Ben Olson Reader Staff
COMMUNITY
Think positive...
Chamber Welcomes Trademark Mechanical
THOUSANDS OF 10-INCH ‘PENIS FISH’ WASH UP ON CALIFORNIA BEACH
Steve Brixen Sandpoint
By Reader Staff
When it rains penis fish, it pours penis fish. Residents of Drakes Beach, Calif., north of San Francisco were surprised last month when thousands of 10-inch “penis fish” washed up on the beach after winter storms. Technically known as Urechis caupo, a species of marine spoon worm, the wriggling animals are commonly known as the “fat innkeeper worm” or “penis fish” because of their... suggestive shape. Bay Nature first reported the phenomenon, writing that the creatures are quite common along the west coast of North America. However, because they live in U-shaped burrows under the sand, most beachcombers are unaware of their existence. When winter storms battered the northern California coast, they exposed thousands of the worms after powerful waves washed away several feet of sand. The worms can live for up to 25 years and considered cuisine in Korea and China. 8 /
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Dear editor, I read George Will’s opinion column in the Dec. 26 Spokesman-Review. His opening line is, “As this shabby year, and with it a dispiriting decade, sags to an end….” It must be horrible to go through life with this ungratefully miserable attitude. I’m so fortunate to be an American, and Mr. Will should be, too. God bless America, and God bless our military.
The Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce welcomed new member Trademark Mechanical Heating and Air Conditioning with a ribbon cutting ceremony at the company’s Nov. 19 grand opening. Trademark Mechanical has been providing heating and air conditioning services throughout North Idaho since 2004, maintaining a customer base in Sandpoint, which will now be served from its location on Lake Street. As a factory authorized dealer, Trademark Mechanical partners with leading manufacturers such as Carrier, Generac and Mitsubishi.The firm offers free estimates and remains on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a
year for emergency service. For the sixth year in a row, Trademark Mechanical has donated a new HVAC to a family in need in the greater Sandpoint area through its Give the Gift of Warmth campaign. After accepting nominations through November and December, the deserving family has been chosen and will receive its new heating system later this month. Trademark Mechanical is currently hiring for its Sandpoint location. For more information and to apply visit trademarkmechanical.com. The Trademark Mechanical office in Sandpoint is located at 608 Lake St. Connect with the company on Facebook, its website or by calling 208-2650590.
CHAMBER BIZ OF THE MONTH
Don’t believe Medicaid expansion naysayers... Dear Editor, Megan Blanksma (R-District 23, a huge district in the southwest corner of Idaho) published an op-ed claiming that Medicaid Expansion would take health insurance away from 15,000 Idahoans. But Idaho’s private insurance exchange says that you can decline Medicaid coverage and enroll with Your Health Idaho. However, you will not be eligible for any type of cost savings and will be expected to pay your full monthly premium, deductible and any co-pays (yourhealthidaho.org/ medicaid-expansion#156461202933 4-f312f303-8ff4 accessed Jan. 6.) This means that people who qualify for Medicaid have a choice of whether to go with free Medicaid or buy private insurance. Who could ask for more? Forty-two thousand Idahoans were enrolled in expanded Medicaid in November. A friend of mine stopped me the other day to tell me that her son, who lost his coverage on his parent’s policy when he turned 27 last year, qualified for Medicaid. She was intensely grateful to Reclaim Idaho for passing the expansion, because neither she nor her son could afford to purchase private insurance without an Obamacare subsidy. Neither made enough money to qualify for a subsidy. Do you know anyone who is losing their coverage? If so, please let them know they have a choice. Medicaid expansion extends coverage to our families and our friends. Don’t let anyone tell you any different. Nancy Gerth Sagle
First Amendment reminder… Chamber Board Chair Bob Witte presents Sweet Lou’s owners Meggie and Chad Foust with the chamber’s Business of the Month honor on Jan. 9, 2020
Dear Editor, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise
thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” First Amendment reminder. Thursday, a group of dedicated individuals assembled peaceably by the Bonner County Courthouse to oppose a war with Iran. We received the call 24 hours in advance, joining 370+ such gatherings across the U.S. We were honored to assemble in the frigid air to speak our minds through signs and represent others who could not join on short notice. We had many thumbs up, peace signs, agreeing honks. Some of what we witnessed was embarrassing for U.S. citizens — and humans. Most people who didn’t agree didn’t make eye contact. Fine. Some gave a thumbs down. OK.There were the usual one-finger salutes (their IQ?) WHO raised you? A few yahoos drove by in oversized trucks revving their engines. Explains the oversized truck. One teenage passenger yelled, “White power!” Really? I waved at everyone, doing my best to respond with, “We love you!” to those who opposed us. Then, there was the consummate idiot, who, in his giant truck purposefully swerved on the icy road toward us. Luckily, he didn’t slide and hit anyone. Thank heavens we know where to stand. Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to get a license plate to report his recklessness to authorities. What has happened to Sandpoint and Bonner County? I moved here in the early 1980s to a quaint, lakeside town with a terrific sense of community. I had friends galore who lived out in the county just wanting a piece of land to build a home on, raise their kids, grow fruit and veggies, lead a life of quiet independence and self sufficiency. People loved the community. People respected each other and their ideals. It was OK to be a Republican, a Democrat, an independent. Where is that Sandpoint and Bonner County? Where is my USA? I am saddened by the lack of tolerance and divisiveness that has seeped into the fabric of Bonner County as well as many parts of our nation. “Come on people now / Smile on your brother / Everybody get together / Try to love one another / Right now.” With respect for all, Ann Giantvalley Sandpoint
Go something to say? Send a letter — 400 words or less — to letters@sandpointreader.com.
PERSPECTIVES
An American dream By Brenda Hammond Reader Contributor “I have a dream … deeply rooted in the American dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed – we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal… “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” These words are from the most-quoted speech by Martin Luther King — a speech delivered in 1963 on the centennial of the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. It was the keynote address of the March on Washington D.C. for civil rights. However, we have much more to learn from Dr. King. His vision was about more than civil rights. He devoted his life to speaking out about racism — but also about poverty and war. His commitment to nonviolence drove the Civil Rights
Movement, but he saw if from an individual perspective that can help us create connections across the deepening political and ideological division in our current culture. “Compassion and nonviolence help us to see the enemy’s point of view, to hear his questions, to know his assessment of ourselves — for from his view we may indeed see the basic weaknesses of our own condition, and if we are mature, we may learn and grow and profit from the wisdom of the brothers who are called the opposition.” In this day also income inequality continues to grow and to eat away at the fabric of our society — resulting in poverty that is an embarrassment in a nation that is accustomed to privilege and excess. To again quote Dr. King: “I have the audacity to believe that peoples everywhere can have three meals a day for their bodies; education and culture for their minds; and dignity, equality and freedom for their spirits. I believe that what self-centered men have torn down,
Dr. Martin Luther King’s message can help us make connections across the political divide other-centered men can build up.” As we commemorate this Martin Luther King Day, on Monday, Jan. 20, his words give us much to contemplate and inspire us as we strive toward the realization of what Dr. King said he could see from the mountain top. “Let us rise up tonight with a greater readiness. Let us stand with a greater determination. And let us move on in these powerful days, these days of challenge to make American what it ought to be.” Brenda Hammond is the current president of the Bonner County Human Rights Task Force. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
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Mad about Science: By Brenden Bobby Reader Columnist Man’s best friend hasn’t always been about the head rubs and tail wags — like everything humans touch, canine history has been complicated. Canine use in warfare, peacekeeping and sentry duty has been recorded as far back as 600 BCE. One of the earliest breeds used for war was the Molossus from Greece, believed to have been bred into today’s mastiffs. The Molossus may have been one of the progenitors of the Rottweiler, famously used by the Roman legions as a dog of war and as guard dogs that protected valuable cattle during long campaigns. In the ages before refrigeration and dehydrated MREs (meals ready to eat, used by contemporary militaries), cattle were driven behind marching armies and butchered daily to feed the soldiers. Cattle, being relatively unintelligent and vulnerable to all manner of predators — including humans — had to be controlled on the move. The most effective means to do this without wasting valuable manpower was to employ trained dogs with a natural herding instinct. This must have been a pretty sweet gig for the dogs in most cases, as the cattle butchery left behind plenty of bones, hides and scraps for all of their effort. The Romans didn’t stop with herding duty. It is believed that they employed units of several war dogs to charge enemy ranks to disrupt a formation’s cohesion long enough for 10 /
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War dogs infantry to swoop in and put down their opponents. The role of dogs seemed to have waned during the Dark Ages and the medieval period, as horses rose to prominence in the open field and castle walls became too difficult and complex for dogs to effectively attack. Though they have been depicted in portraits and tapestries made during the Middle Ages, it’s believed they were used more often for hunting and protection among the noble class. Dogs must have been expensive to maintain during those times, and raising dozens of them just to see most of them felled by arrows before an infantry charge would have been a devastating waste of time, resources and — most important to the medieval 1% — money. War dogs saw a resurgence of popularity in World War I, acting as mascots for squads and platoons, as well as sentries, couriers and effective prisoner-takers. Dogs even acted as engineers during WWI, where they would carry communication cables between allied posts as their human counterparts continued fighting. Dogs were smaller and faster targets than people, which made them far more difficult for enemy soldiers to see and attack. The most famous war dog during WWI was Sergeant Stubby, a pit bull that filled a number of roles from warning system to spycatcher. Dogs are still in use in the military. Possessing a sense of smell up to 33 times more acute than that of a human, they’re capable of sniffing out trace materials used to create
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Battle between Cimmerian cavalry, their war dogs and Greek hoplites. Depicted on a Pontic plate. Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
IEDs (improvised explosive devices), drugs, hidden ammunition and secret passageways and hiding spots of enemy combatants. Despite reconnaissance being their primary function, they’re fully trained for combat and are even armored similarly to our troops, with protective vests to protect their vital organs from shrapnel and gunfire. All of the features that make dogs great wartime companions also make them powerful tools for law enforcement. K-9 units undergo weeks — and even months — of specialized training. Not every K-9 unit is trained to sniff out bombs or narcotics; each of these requires its own specialized training course. One of the things law enforcement agencies and K-9 trainers look for in puppies is a natural curiosity and high prey drive, which manifests in puppies that stop at nothing to catch what they are chasing. Because of this, if you’re breaking the law and a K-9 unit is in your presence, just give up. That dog is going to get you and I promise you won’t like the end result. K-9 units are very expensive to procure and maintain. In the cases I researched, the average cost of a K-9 unit is around $23,000 per dog, including training. This cost goes up with veterinary maintenance, including when the dog needs to have damaged teeth replaced with titanium implants. These dogs are vital investments for the police forces they are a part of, and are sworn officers. They are capable of serving for five to seven
years, and are allowed to retire after they’re done. Because of the difficulty of maintaining a former K-9 unit, they generally need someone well versed and capable of owning a highly energetic, driven dog with strong predatory instincts to take care of them in retirement. Usually this means the handler, a former handler or another officer
that is familiar with this type of animal that can anticipate its needs. After researching this article, I’m very happy that my dogs have the luxury of lazily lounging about my house and not having to chase down bad guys — though if they did, I’m sure they’d tackle them and lick them into submission.
Random Corner Don’t know much about teeth? • Your teeth are uniquely yours. They’re like your fingerprint, which is why dental records are sometimes used to identify human remains. Even identical twins don’t have identical teeth. Bonus: Your tongue also has a unique “tongue print.” • About two-thirds of each tooth is underneath the gums. This is why keeping your gums healthy is as important as brushing and flossing. Gums should always be pink in color and firm. • Humans have 32 teeth; eight incisors (front teeth), four canine teeth, eight premolars and 12 molars. A man in India set a Guinness World Record for most teeth with 37. • Tooth enamel is the hardest part of your body. The enamel — the outermost layer of teeth — is like a hard shell whose purpose it is to protect the rest of the tooth. Enamel is made of calcium and phosphate, like bones, but is stronger because of the specific proteins and crystallites that form it. Sugars and acids — like those found in soft drinks — interact
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with bacteria in your mouth to attack enamel, which marks the beginning of tooth decay. Soft drinks are particularly damaging when drunk often or slowly throughout the day. • Dentin grows, enamel doesn’t. Dentin is the layer that lies beneath the enamel. It’s also harder than your bones. It’s made up of small channels and passageways that transmit nerve signals and nutrition through the tooth. While enamel is basically static, dentin continues to grow and change throughout a human’s life. • Your mouth is home to 300 types of bacteria. Plaque contains millions of bacteria, with up to 300 different species existent. If plaque isn’t removed regularly by brushing and flossing, it can harden and develop into tartar. • The human body produces about 10,000 gallons of saliva over a lifetime, which averages to about a quart every day. Saliva makes food easier to swallow and jumpstarts digestion, as well as washing away food particles.
NEWS FEATURE
LPOSD to oppose indefinite levy challenge By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Contributor
A supplemental school levy has been in place since Lake Pend Oreille School District became its own district in 1999, requiring administrators to return to voters every two years for approval on another round of local education funding. While the idea of a supplemental levy is to make school funding simpler, running a levy election is anything but simple. According to district officials, each election cycle locked up hundreds of staff time hours — hours spent compiling data, crafting presentations and attending meetings to pitch the district’s worthiness for continued funding. The option to ask voters for an indefinite levy has always been available to the LPOSD school board. For many years, however, officials set it aside in favor of regular levy measures at the ballot box. Following the departure of previous district Superintendent Shawn Woodward and the installation of replacement Tom Albertson in 2019, the board deployed the previously unplayed card. Voters approved the $12.7 million request in November by a narrow margin, with 4,256 in favor and 4,034 against. Despite a slim 51% majority, the matter appeared settled. At least it did until late December, when local property owner Don Skinner challenged the validity of the election by pointing out that LPOSD officials didn’t disclose the average annual levy cost on the ballot. The school board announced Jan. 9 it would contest the challenge. While Albertson said he was limited in what he could say about ongoing litigation, the school district released a statement on the matter: “We remain focused on and committed to the education and success of our students. We
appreciate the support of the community and look forward to the Court’s decision on this matter so we can move forward with clarity.” The heart of the disagreement between opponents and defenders of the indefinite levy vote rests with a state rule requiring ballot language to describe a general taxpayer cost. Established in July 2019, the regulation requires ballot language to list the taxpayer cost per $100,000 of property value. According to the LPOSD statement, “We feel the results of the election would not have been different had the per $100,000 tax cost been included on the ballot itself, and that the will of the majority should not be overturned for what was a technical error.” In the weeks following the November election, state officials confirmed that the omission of required ballot language opened the school district to a legal challenge. The question is whether a court will determine that vot-
ers were sufficiently misled by the absence of that information to run afoul of the rule. The opposition to the election validity is organized primarily around Facebook group Idaho Tax Watch. Because the challenge is initiated by private citizens, legal costs are primarily being covered through crowdfunding. Supporters are seeking donations to cover the legal fight through social media. Idaho Tax Watch did not return a request for comment by press time. However, the organization rallied support through Facebook posts following LPOSD’s decision to contest the challenge. “The LPOSD has elected to fight Mr. Skinner’s challenge to their November levy, which they admit violated Idaho law,” the post reads. “We believe this is a terrible message to send our children about integrity and respect for the law.” The school district’s legal defense argues that district officials made every effort to make that information available.
“The District acted in good faith to put the question to the voters,” LPOSD argued in its statement. “The levy, its use, and impact to our taxpayers were shared over the past year through public forums, mailers to voters, radio interviews and public presentations.” Furthermore, court documents filed by attorneys representing LPOSD indicate that in determining election validity, the burden of proof lies on the challenger. It’s up to the plaintiff to establish that the election would have gone the other way if the ballot language included tax estimates. The school district’s case also depends on precedents where Idaho elections were upheld despite technical defects. “Significantly, [Idaho Code] contains no provision directing that omission of the information invalidates the election,” court documents state. “Therefore, omission of such information would fall under the general rule for election defects, which is that they must be shown to
Based on analysis of federal data by Education Week, the vast majority of Idaho school districts rank below average per-student spending in the United States. Screenshot, npr.org.
have altered the result.” Opponents of the election results argue that the school district has a legal responsibility to be in full compliance when drafting ballot language. But LPOSD attorneys counter that the real question is whether the technical error subverted the will of the voters. If the defense gets its way, the challenge will be dismissed by the court with prejudice, putting an end to the matter. “The Idaho Supreme Court, and other states’ cases … reject the theory that strict statutory compliance is required after an election has been held,” the defense’s court documents state. “Thus, Plaintiff cannot show by clear and convincing evidence that the ballot defect affected the results of the election.”
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event t h u r s d a y
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3rd Thursday Women’s Meetup 7:45pm @ Matchwood Brewing Co. Make connections with other local women. Open to all
Edgar Cayce Study Group 9-11am @ Gardenia Center Meets every Thursday
Sandpoint Literary Collective Open Mic 6-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery Recite a favorite poem or share an original story
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Girl 5-7p Coo Dud and
Banf Live Music w/ Turn Spit Dogs Live Music w/ Crooked Tooth 4-7p 5-7pm @ Idaho Pour Authority 9pm @ 219 Lounge Craft Live blues Singer-songwriter Kevin Garrett - rock, acoustic sic, d Live Music w/ Colby Acuff Live Music w/ Devon Wade Duo 5:30-8:30pm @ Matchwood Brewing Co. Li 6:30-9:30pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall 5-8 CDA-based folk and country singer Devon and his dad Mac on drums Bl Live Music w/ Nights of Neon 9pm @ 219 Lounge Rowdy 5-piece bringing funk, hip hop, reggae
s a t u r d a y s u n d a y
Dollar Beers! 8pm @ Eichardt’s Pub Good until the keg’s dry
Live Music w/ Red Blend 6:30-9:30 @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall Mix of all your favorites in one night
Live Music w/ Sweet Tooth 5-7pm @ Idaho Pour Authority Larry Mooney & Ali Thomas Sandpoint Chess Club 9am @ Evans Brothers Coffee Meets every Sunday at 9am
N. ID Women’s March 2020 11am @ Sandpoint Middle School Three powerful speakers will ignite the energy to march and sing from SMS through Sandpoint. Bring a sign that expresses your passion (in PG-rated terms).Yes, our good brothers are welcome to join us! Fire & S’mores 3-6pm @ Matchwood Brewing Co.
Gardenia Sunday Service 10am @ Gardenia Center Speaker Jeanelle Shields on Barnyard meditations
Outdoor Experience Monday Night 6pm @ Outdoor Experience A chill, three-mile(ish) group run with o beverages to follow. Headlamps recomm
Monday Night Blues Jam w/ Truck Mills 7:30pm @ Eichardt’s Pub Night-Out Karaoke 9pm @ 219 Lounge Join DJ Webrix for a night of singing, or just come to drink and listen
Trivia Night 7pm @ MickDuff’s Show off that big, beautiful brain of yours
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Wind Down Wednesday 5-8pm @ 219 Lounge With live music by blues man Truck Mills and guest musician Carl Rey
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Dollar Beers! 8pm @ Eichardt’s Pub Good until the keg’s dry
EHS-Idaho Meeting 1:30pm @ Recreation Ha Discussing the health, saf of 5G
Djembe class 5:45-7:30pm @ Music Conservatory of San Join Ali Thomas for this djembe (drum) clas
Parents Grieving a Child Support Group 5pm @ Turning Leaf Counseling Free. Grandparents are also welcome
Magic Wednesday 6-8pm @ Jalapeño’s Enjoy close-up magic shows by Star Alexander right at your table
SHS Science Class Fundraiser 5-8pm @ Idaho Pour Authority Class Dominican Republic Coral Re fundraiser with UTARA Brewing be by Marty Perron and Doug Bond. Sil raffle prizes. Complimentary appetize
Edgar Cayce Study Group 9-11am @ Gardenia Center Meets every Thursday
Live Trivia 6-8pm @ Pend d’O Free. Prizes given to
ful
Jan. 16-23, 2019
Girls Pint Out 5-7pm @ Idaho Pour Authority Cool Chicks! Great Beer! No Dudes! Vicki will be tasting Weird and Unusual Beer Styles
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
14th Annual Art For Human Rights Exhibit 5:30-7pm @ Evans Brothers Coffee Presented by POAC and Bonner County Human Rights Task Force. In each artwork on display, art students from Sandpoint High School have interpreted one of the articles of the International Declaration of Human Rights
Banff Film Festival Downtown Pre-Party 4-7pm @ Outdoor Experience Craft beer, wine, classic outdoor games, music, deals, giveaways
g Co. Live Music w/ Truck Mills & Carl Rey 5-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery Blues, American roots
Live Music w/ DJ Shanner 9pm @ A&Ps Fireball Promo Party 8-midnight @ A&Ps Karaoke 8-close @ Tervan
Banff Film Festival Downtown Pre-party e the en- 4-7pm @ Outdoor Experience through Craft beer, wine, classic outdoor games, mu- Live Music w/ DJ Kevin 9pm @ A&Ps ses your sic, deals, giveaways No cover ur good Live Music w/ Ken Mayginnes 2-4:30pm @ Matchwood Brewing Co.
Live Music w/ Justin Lantrip 5-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery Folk, independent
eeting All Day Brewery Brunch reation Hall, 468800 Hwy 95, Sagle 10am @ Matchwood Brewing Co. health, safety and privacy concerns Open all day for brunch!
day Night Run
ort Group
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Sign up for a subscription! email ben@sandpointreader.com
to ask how
Karaoke 8-close @ Tervan
run with optional ps recommended
ory of Sandpoint drum) class
Piano Sunday w/ Peter Lucht 3-5pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery
Want to show your love for the
Paint & Sip w/ Holly Walker 5:30pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery $35 ticket includes supplies, instruction & wine
ome
aiser rity Coral Reef Restoration Project ewing beer on tap. Live music Bond. Silent Auction items and y appetizers will be served
ia Pend d’Oreille Winery es given to winning teams
Live Music w/ Dwayne Parsons 4-6pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery Local pianist and songwriter
JoJo Rabbit Movie Showing 7:30pm @ The Panida A WWII satire about a German boy who discovers his single mother is hiding a young Jewish girl in their attic
Jan. 25 6th annual Fatty Flurry Fest @ Round Lake State Park Jan. 30 Gerry Mulligan All Stars Concert @ the Panida
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FEATURE
To cross an ocean
A pictorial essay on crossing the Atlantic Ocean By Ben Olson Reader Staff
By Ben Olson Reader Staff The most common question friends asked us after returning from our transatlantic voyage in a 39-foot catamaran was, “Did you get seasick?” The next question was usually, “Did you see any big weather or waves?” The answers: No, none of the crew had any seasickness and, yes, you bet we saw big weather and waves. Weather patterns over open water are quite different than those that form on or around land. There are no mountains or valleys to circulate air or break the flow of high pressure, so weather systems generally move as isolated beings across the water, bashing into anything they come into contact with. From a distance, a rain squall looks like an enormous jellyfish with rain falling like its tentacles. During the daytime, we could track and monitor these systems by sight, sometimes running into them and feeling the wind freshen or change, followed by a 10- to 20-minute spurt of rain before the system 14 /
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moved on. It was at night when the weather got scary. Squalls appeared like fried eggs on our radar, with the dense “yolk” being the rainy pocket and the greenish areas around it representing the edge of the storm. These squalls would run up behind and overtake us, sometimes moving as fast as 20 to 25 knots. Looking out at the darkness, you wouldn’t notice any change unless it was a starry night and the stars suddenly became cloudy and disappeared. The trade winds usually blow east across the Atlantic at 20 to 25 knots; but, for some reason, we had entered a high pressure bubble and the trades were quiet. It was all we could do to keep up five knots — the speed of a lazy jogger — with the engines running and the jib set. Each time I went below to sleep for the night, I expected the next morning to feel that warm trade wind coming from the Sahara Desert in Africa, but day after day it eluded us. It became a problem when our captain noticed that our fuel reserves were dwindling. At the rate we were burning diesel, we would run out before we were a quarter of the way
across, so we stopped at the Cape Verde Islands off the west coast of Africa to refuel and re-provision, then take a westerly course across to Antigua in the Caribbean. The sight of land after eight days of horizon was an event in itself. As the land grew closer, we saw that Cape Verde was a dry, barren place with brightly colored shacks and clapboard homes dotting the barren hillsides. Commercial vessels and some sailing yachts could be seen in the main harbor, so we headed that way, pulled up to the fuel dock and took on the supplies we’d need to make the crossing. We spent the evening on shore drinking Strela, the local beer and eating freshly caught mahi mahi, which we were unable to catch on the trip over. We did, however, manage to catch and eat several tunnys, which are a small tuna. Our provisions and fuel stocked, we set out again for the open ocean, motoring past the last point and catching a strong tailwind that soon spirited us away from land yet again, bound for 2,000 miles of open sea until we were home in the Caribbean. More next week, dear readers.
Page 14 – Top: Ben Olson watches the headsails as the crew flies wing-and-wing using a jury-rigged whisker pole (center bottom of photo). Wing-and-wing refers to when both headsails (jib and the panther) open like wings when the wind is directly behind the boat. It’s a cranky, yet beautiful way to sail. Photo by Cadie Archer. Bottom right: Cadie Archer writes in her log while at the helm as Gary Quinn rigs a cushion for our bare feet. In 25 days, we didn’t wear shoes once while on board. Page 15 – Top left: One of the many fish we caught while motoring and waiting for the trade winds to pick up. This was a tunny, a small tuna fish with a strong fight. We cooked the steaks black and blue, which means searing each side and keeping the middle raw - excellent eating. Middle left: Captain Chris White, Gary Quinn and Ben Olson work on the correct technique for tying a bowline knot. The bowline, along with the clove hitch and sheet bend, were the knots tied and used most on board. Photo by Cadie Archer. Top right: Gary Quinn and Ben Olson rig an alarm system so the crew had notification of when a fish was on the hook. The line ran through a piece of sport tape and attached to a pole on the starboard stern and a beer can with several nuts inside of it to make a rattle. When the fish took the hook, the string would break the weak tape, sending the can flying down to the deck with a rattle. It took us hours to perfect this system, but we were on the ocean for 25 days, what the hell else were we going to do? Photo by Cadie Archer. Middle Right: Captain Chris White and Gary Quinn share stories at the helm while Gary sits at watch. Bottom Right: Gary Quinn stands on the bow and watches Cape Verde Island appear. It was the first land we saw in nine days, and we only came to port there because we were low on diesel fuel due to low winds. The island was named Cape Verde, but none of us successfully located anything green on the island whatsoever. Photos by Ben Olson unless otherwise noted. January 16, 2020 /
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LITERATURE
Write, share and listen
Sandpoint Literary Collective to host pop-up open mic and poetry workshop
By Reader Staff
Local writers of all stripes have the opportunity to share their work and pen more this week as the Sandpoint Literary Collective hosts a pop-up open mic Thursday, Jan. 16 and a poetry workshop Friday, Jan. 17-Saturday, Jan. 18. The open mic, the latest installment in SLC’s ongoing pop-up series, is at 6 p.m. at the Pend d’Oreille Winery. Writers are invited to read from their original work for up to five minutes. Admission is free and everyone is welcome, and the winery will be selling its award-winning wine and appetizers. Seattle poet Carolyne Wright will be the guest host of the open mic, as well as the leader of an SLC poetry workshop Friday, Jan. 17 continuing into Saturday, Jan. 18. The theme of Wright’s workshop is “The Poet Strikes Back.” Have you ever wanted to talk back to someone you love, hate, admire or strongly disagree with? Often the most effective — and
subversive — method is to use that person’s own words and rhetorical strategies to argue with or persuade them, or even beat them at their own verbal games. Poetry offers the means to strike back by writing back, and also engage in poetic dialogue across the borders of time and culture. Using various strategies, attendees will write replies to poems by other poets, making use of elements of that poet’s style. The workshop, held in the Sandpoint Library’s Conference Room B, is 5-7:30 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday. There is no need to submit writing
before the workshop, as all work will be generated in class using prompts. Those with questions about either event or who want to register for the po-
Courtesy Unsplash. etry workshop must contact Lost Horse Press at losthorsepress@mindspring. com or 208-255-4410.
New Sonnichsen book explores Catholic Church pedophile scandal By Reader Staff
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Like many other Catholics, Richard Sonnichsen had the discomforting experience of witnessing one of the foundation blocks of his life disintegrate before his very eyes, as the Church has suffered scandal after scandal related to widespread sexual abuse of minors by clergy members. Rather than stand by, however, he has written a book, A Church in Peril: Watching Catholicism Collapse, recently published by Heron, Mont.-based Blue Creek Press. The book is a deeply researched study of the current state and history behind the forces threatening to crumble the moral authority of the Catholic Church. A longtime observant churchgoers, writing this indictment was a difficult endeavor for Sonnichsen, who laments not seeing the problems of blind faith much earlier in life. He also acknowledges that the book is incomplete nearly by default, as more crimes of the priesthood — and other faith institutions as well — are being revealed almost daily. About A Church in Peril, Sonnichsen / January 16, 2020
Richard Sonnichsen. writes: “We are watching a gigantic, rogue ocean wave of evil and moral decay crash on the shores of the Catholic Church and the powerful, ensuing undertow is sucking the sanctity out of the house of God.” Sonnichsen is also the author of All Fish Have Bones — A Recovering Catholic’s Advice on Living a Good Life Without Religion and A Leaf in a Stream — Surviving Childhood, Catholicism, Conscription, Career and Cancer. Sonnichsen’s books are available at Sandpoint bookstores, at bluecreekpress. com or from Amazon. Write to books@ bluecreekpress.com or call 208-290-1281 for more information.
STAGE & SCREEN
Nature and narrative
The Aeronauts and The Lighthouse offer two visions of humans in conflict with their surroundings
By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff As decades of language arts teachers have told us, there are four central forms of conflict inherent in any narrative: character vs. character, character vs. society, character vs. self and character vs. nature. While almost every story by definition features conflict between characters, some of the best zero in on nature as a motive force. Though diametrically opposed in theme and style, The Lighthouse and The Aeronauts do a better job of evoking the high anxiety of humankind’s struggle against the elements than any others since maybe The Revenant in 2015. (And if you haven’t seen The Revenant yet, which features Leonardo Di Caprio’s Oscar-winning performance as Hugh Glass in his epic contest with the Montana wilderness circa 1823, then set aside a few hours to be gloriously harrowed.) Different though they may be, The Lighthouse and The Aeronauts share some crucial elements: they focus on two mismatched individuals put in a situation of environmental extremis, where they’re forced to come to grips not only with the world around them, but their own internal landscape — for good or, as in the case of The Lighthouse, very much for ill. Here’s our take: The Aeronauts (PG-13) Don’t let the feel-good, odd-couple disposition of this Amazon original fool you. It comes off as a bit flabby in the characterization department — Eddie Redmayne’s earnest, sciencey misfit set against Felicity Jones’ daring-yet-damaged woman-ahead-of-her-time is just a bit too pat. That doesn’t really matter, though, as the half-baked personal dynamics are overshadowed by the setting of the film.
It takes place over the course of only one day in the 1862 as the inspired-by-true-events characters of meteorologist James Glaisher (Redmayne) and fictional pilot Amelia Wren (Jones) rise upwards of 36,000 feet above southeast England in a record-breaking balloon ascent. Look past the dull — and ultimately failed — attempts at making these characters interesting as people and revel in the breathtaking skyscapes, let yourself be taken by the sense of wonder and terror at the notion of dangling in a wicker basket beneath a bladder of burning gas, and thrill to the death-defying heroism involved in surviving an environment in which no human being should by any rights ever find themselves. There’s been a bunch of humbugging online about The Aeronauts’ fast-and-loose usage of history. The character of Amelia Wren was invented out of thin air — so to speak — replacing balloonist Henry Coxwell, who in actuality flew alongside Glaisher in their history-making flight. But, again, it hardly matters. The first and last reason to watch The Aeronauts is its environment. As the old saying goes, “as above, so below,” and one of the most interesting aspects of the film is how much sailing through the clouds is freighted with the same rigors as sailing on the sea. Yet, transferring the characters of Glaisher and Wren from the balloon basket to the deck of a ship — even throwing them into the same squalls and sending them into the same riggings — wouldn’t be nearly so gripping. This one’s a visual treat well worth the watch, but don’t go looking for deep interpersonal truths. The Lighthouse (R) We cannot stress enough that this movie earns its R rating. Seriously: Do not watch this
Still from The Aeronauts. Courtesy of Amazon Studios. film unless you’re prepared for disturbing imagery, the darkest of humor, soul-rending madness, animal rage and irredeemable depravity. For as sunny, airy and brisk as The Aeronauts is, The Lighthouse is dark, wet and absurdly dangerous. Directed by Robert Eggers (whose acclaimed debut The Witch in 2015 knocked critics and audiences on their heels with its beautiful malevolence), The Lighthouse is one of those movies that feels drawn out of time — not only because of its setting on a wind- and sea-shattered island somewhere off the coast of New England in the 1890s, or its sumptuous black-and-white aesthetic, but because it’s just so damn smart, scary and good. In other words, they don’t make ’em like this (very often) anymore. The bulk of what studios have deemed big-screen-worthy in the 21st century have been vehicles market-tested and designed to generate fandoms, which in turn feed on themselves to create billion-dollar media franchises. The Lighthouse, meanwhile, is an honest-to-god film lover’s film, starring Willem Dafoe in a perverse inversion of his role in Platoon and Robert Pattinson giving every single piece of his essence to overpower and out-intensify his legendary counterpart (insiders say Dafoe had to appeal to Eggers at least once to break filming because Pattinson was scaring him on set). No plot summary does the film justice: Two guys, one young
Still from The Lighthouse. Courtesy of A24 Films.
and the other old, are stuck together tending a lighthouse. They (maybe) go crazy as they contend against blasts of North Atlantic weather, battling storms in their heads and outside — all the while beset by whiskey- and later turpentine-soaked hallucinations conjuring all the horrors of the depths, both watery and human. Not for the squeamish — every bodily fluid comes
into play, along with tentacles, copious farting and utter contempt for hygiene — it’s Herman Melville-meets-H.P. Lovecraft-meets-Carl Jung in this jaw-dropping tone poem that would turn us on to lamp oil cocktails if it wasn’t so subversively funny and perfectly horrifying. Available for purchase, though not rent, on Amazon.
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OUTDOORS
Fat biking in North Idaho By Ben Olson Reader Staff Chances are you’ve seen someone biking around town or on snowy trails with a fat-tire bicycle. If you’ve ever wondered what they are all about and how you might go about joining the fat bike aficionados, read on friends.
What the heck are fat bikes? This winter sport emerged several years ago, providing bicyclists and adventurers a new way to tackle the great outdoors in the winter. Fat bikes have 3.8-inch-wide tires — or wider — that are inflated to extremely low pressure. This combination allows the bike to gain a greater-than-normal amount of traction on snow and ice, allowing riders a way to access areas in winter conditions they never thought possible. “Fat bikes are great exercise and a way to keep fit during the winter months,” said Brian Anderson, of Greasy Fingers Bikes ’n’ Repair. It doesn’t take long to get used to riding a fat bike. While road bikes grip the pavement tightly and knobby mountain bike tires cruise over rocks and gravel with ease, fat bikes have a looser feel to them. After two minutes on a fat bike, you’ll be riding like a pro. “Relax, seriously,” Anderson said. “Keeping your upper body loose will let the bike find the natural path on the trail. Also, making nice easy pedal rotations will keep your tire contact consistent and provide better overall traction.” Anderson said proper air pressure in the tires is key to enjoying the experience. While road bikes operate between 80 and 130 pounds per square inch and mountain bikes around 30 PSI, fat bikes hold considerably less. “Conditions will dictate pressure, but if you are riding in fresh, slushy or loose conditions, the lower the better — typically 3 to 5 PSI,” he said. “When conditions are frozen and harder you can take air up to 6 to 7 PSI.” 18 /
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The best spots to try this growing winter sport
Where to try fat bikes Those interested in checking out fat biking can rent bikes per day to see if it’s a sport that appeals to them. Greasy Fingers rents Salsa Mukluk bikes with 4.6-inch-wide tires for $45 per day, and they have helmets available. Though it has already passed, you can also demo fat bikes as part of the Idaho Free Ski and Snowshoe Day held in early January each year on the Indian Creek groomed trails near Priest Lake. The sixth annual Fatty Flurry Fest will take place on Saturday, Jan. 25 at Round Lake State Park in Sagle. The trails will be cleared, packed and marked for easy riding, and demos will be offered in the morning, with group rides taking place in the afternoon. Afterward, refreshments will be served by the fire with evening rides and camping. Last year, more than 60 participants took part in the event. Schweitzer Mountain Resort also offers rentals for its various trails for only $15 for 90 minutes. Those looking to purchase fat bikes can check in with any of our local bike shops — Greasy Fingers, Bonner County Bicycles, Syringa Cyclery and Sandpoint Sports.
Where to RIDE There are ample places to ride fat bikes in North Idaho, from beginner to advanced terrain. For beginners, Farragut State Park has a collection of easy trails — a state park pass is required. Schweitzer opens all 20 miles of its nordic trails to fat bikes for a $15 day pass. These trails provide lots of ups and downs, making it a great place for all skill levels. Western Pleasure Guest Ranch
Bikers enjoy the snowy outdoors during last year’s Fatty Flurry Fest. Photos courtesy of Brian Anderson.
offers a unique opportunity with the Selkirk Mountains and Schweitzer as a backdrop. You can access more than six miles of intermediate to advanced terrain for a $10 nordic pass. Don’t forget to grab a hot drink in the lodge after the ride. Priest Lake State Park (Indian Creek) is an excellent network of easy to intermediate trails, some of them groomed by park staff, with lots of additional groomed snowmobile trails. Those seeking more advanced terrain, or to better simulate a true mountain bike experience, can check out any of the summer mountain biking trails, which are often kept open and packed through the winter months thanks to snowshoers and the growing number of fat bikers using them. Round Lake State Park offers approximately six miles of varied trails —
a state parks pass is required. The Syringa trail system’s intermediate to advanced trails go on for miles and miles, offering bikers a chance to get lost in the winter wonderland. Access depends on winter snow levels. Finally, the new and exciting Pine Street Woods boasts more than three miles of narrow fat bike-specific groomed trails, offering opportunities for riders from beginner to intermediate skill levels. Imagine singletrack, but in a snowy landscape. These trails can connect to the Syringa trails, as well. “Fat biking is bound to put a smile on your face,” Anderson said. “And let’s face it, fat bikes look a little funny, so you can’t really take things too seriously.” For more information about fat biking, give Brian and the gang a call at Greasy Fingers, 208-255-4496.
OUTDOORS
Friends of Scotchman Peaks hosts winter hikes By Reader Staff The Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness is inviting area residents to explore their wild backyard in a snowshoe hike through the landscapes of eastern Bonner County and Lincoln County, Mont. This season, FSPW has hikes to the Ross Creek Cedars and in the East Fork of Blue Creek, plus a trek on Goat Mountain. The former are in the moderately strenuous range, while the latter offers a hearty cardio workout. The first snowshoe outing is scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 18, with a sojourn led by Phil Hough and Deb Hunsicker up the Lightning Creek Valley to the Regal Creek trail. The moderate-intensity hike travels along a steady ascent for a few miles, breaking for lunch and to take in the views of the valley. Meet at Yokes in Ponderay at 8:30 a.m. or Clark Fork High School at 9:15 a.m.
On Friday, Jan. 24, FSPW will host a moderate- to strenuous-intensity hike along six round-trip miles on old roads and cross country forest land between the east and west forks of Blue Creek. Led by Sandy Compton, the meet-up site for this hike is 124 MT-200 in Heron, Mont. Snowshoes are advised, though skis will work under the right conditions. On Saturday, Feb. 8, strap on your snowshoes for the annual hike to Ross Creek Cedars. It’s a moderate to strenuous foray led by Randi Lui and Deb Hunsicker, meeting on West Bull Lake Road near National Forest Road 398 over the border in Montana. Bring lots of water and food, and plan for a full day of winter-time adventuring. Finally, on Saturday, March 28, join leader Jim Mellen for the 14th-annual seven-mile round-trip, 4,500-vertical-foot ascent up Goat Mountain. Organizers stress that this is a hike only for experienced, fit hikers — yet, while
it is a challenging trek, the views are stunning and well worth the work in achieving them. Meet at 489 E. Mountain View Road in Clark Fork and bring your hiking A-game. Participants must sign up in advance at scotchmanpeaks.org/ hiking/current-hiking-schedule. For those interested in proposing to lead a hike in the Scotchmans, go to scotchmanpeaks.org/ hiking/leading-hikes and fill out the form.
Winter transforms the world of the Scotchmans at the top of Star Peak. Photo by Carey Chisholm.
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FOOD
The Sandpoint Eater Get out of the kitchen By Marcia Pilgeram Reader Columnist I’m heading to Chicago soon and, while my primary purpose is serving as a booth host for Tahiti Tourism at the Travel and Adventure Show, I can hardly hide my excitement (and good fortune). The travel show overlaps with the 13th annual Chicago Restaurant Week. Talk about icing on the proverbial cake! I’ve already scored coveted reservations at a couple of my favorite eateries: Sepia and Hutch American Bistro. Back in the days of attending fancy food shows to search for new and interesting food products for my well-heeled (and well-fed) clients, I discovered Restaurant Week in Chicago, and I’ve attended most of them since. People often ask why I would leave the snow and cold just to head to more snow and cold. Really? If the airport is open, there’s no weather that can keep my taste buds away from this annual gastronomic pilgrimage. I’ve also been lucky enough to pull up a chair at the table in other great cities, like San Francisco, Seattle and New York, to experience their week of restaurant mania. Restaurant Week was the brainstorm of Tim Zagat (of the restaurant guide fame) and Joe Baum (restaurateur of the World Trade Center’s Windows of the World). The first event was held in New York in 1992. They planned it to coincide with the Democratic Convention, mostly to be sure the city was able to efficiently feed throngs of reporters with fabulous, prix fixe food and pricing. It was wildly successful, and the concept has since worked its way west to other major cities. Now, you’ll find some version of restaurant showcasing almost anywhere you can buy a bite to eat. These events provide varied 20 /
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dining experiences, but the concept is the same. Often, restaurants partner with chambers of commerce or tourism offices to show off not only food but destinations and special events happening in their respective locations. Prix fixe menus, specialty items, contests and special pricing are often the lures to get you in the front door, and restaurateurs count on gastronomic fare and fantastic service to keep you coming back. My friend Erin Peterson, a culinary arts advocate, blogger and founder of the Spokane Culinary Arts Guild, thinks eaters in our region are becoming more adventurous all the time, allowing chefs brandishing esoteric ingredients and flaunting culinary talent to convert diners into loyal fans. I am such a creature of habit that I rarely try anything new
when eating locally, relying instead on my favorite dishes at my favorite eateries. I am confident to say I have probably eaten liver and onions at the Hydra more times than anyone else who’s ever crossed their threshold. Other tried and trues that top my local repertoire include The Hoot Owl’s green eggs and ham, curried chicken salad at Tango, salt and pepper (bone-in) wings at Sweet Lou’s, Fiesta Bonita’s chili relleno, calamari at McDuff’s, Thai Nigiri’s Panang curry, corn and crawfish chowder with a grilled Caesar at Trinity, Ivano’s lasagna, and fish and chips at Eichardt’s. I often intend to be adventurous, but rarely do I try anything else scribed on the menu or even the promising specials, proudly pitched by pleasant servers. That’s not to say I don’t have
an adventurous palate. To me, a favorite part of traveling is experiencing the sights, scents and tastes of new foods. Whenever I go, I eat whatever dish is presented by the host (more than once, I was extremely grateful it was served with copious amounts of alcohol). That’s why l look forward to Restaurant Week — so many sensational foods that otherwise might not have floated past my eager palate: ballotine of pheasant, buttery foie gras with pineapple coulis, poached tangerines, apple and celery root soup and mussels roasted with Thai sausages. I admire the chefs who go boldly into the kitchen, fusing techniques and ingredients, hopeful they’re creating the next James Beard award-winning dish. We’re not short of great chefs and restaurateurs right here in
Sandpoint. I know from personal experience that it’s not an industry for the faint of heart. After food and labor costs, there’s not much left to cover overhead (or emergencies, like a failed piece of crucial equipment), let alone a profit. Keep an eye out for local, dine-around promotions, because I heard a couple eateries are cooking up some great deals! Get out of the kitchen — visit your favorite eatery or venture out for a new and different experience and sample something that will surprise and delight your taste buds. Besides my local dine-out preferences, I also have a favored dish or two that I habitually prepare at home to comfort and nourish me. Stirring up a big hearty batch of New England clam chowder is guaranteed to warm my soul. I hope it warms you right up, too.
Hearty Clam Chowder with bacon This chowder will serve you well in chilly weather pair it up with a handful of oyster crackers and a red wine blend.
INGREDIENTS:
DIRECTIONS:
• 4 slices of bacon • 2 celery stalks, cut in half length wise and chop fine • 1 carrot, peeled and diced • 1 large onion, diced • 1 garlic clove, minced • 2 large Russet potatoes, peeled and cubed • 2 bottles (8 ounces) clam juice • 1/2 tsp white pepper • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour • 2 cups half-and-half, divided • 2 cans (10 oz. each) whole baby clams, undrained
In a Dutch oven, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove to paper towels to drain; set aside. Saute celery, carrot and onion in the drippings until tender. Add garlic; stirring, cook 1 minute longer. Add potatoes, clam juice and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, until the potatoes are tender. In a small bowl, combine flour and 1/2 cup half-and-half until smooth. Gradually add another 1/2 cup, then stir into the soup. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in clams and remaining halfand-half; heat through, stirring often (don’t let scorch!). Crumble the cooked bacon; sprinkle over each serving.
Makes 6 servings
MUSIC
‘That small town feel’ By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff
From writing No. 1 radio hits to earning recognition as performers in their own right, Thom Shepherd and Coley McCabe have seen every side of the country music scene. The Reader caught up with Shepherd ahead of the duo’s show at Di Luna’s Friday, Jan. 24. Reader: You and Coley started your careers in songwriting for other artists, correct? How did you make the transition to performing your own music together? Thom: Coley started her career as an artist on RCA Records, she had a hit single with Andy Griggs called “Grow Young With You” that was in the Natalie Portman film Where the Heart Is, and she wrote the top five platinum selling SheDaisy hit “Lucky 4 You.” I wrote the No. 1 hits “Riding with Private Malone” and “Redneck Yacht Club.” Coley and I had offices in the same building on Music Row [in Nashville]. We started dating in 2011, [and] got married in 2015. I have always been a performer, that’s what I moved to Nashville to do and ended up being more known as a writer. I moved to Texas to be a full-time touring artist, and that’s what we’ve been doing ever since. SPR: For people who haven’t heard your music, how would
you describe your sound?
A conversation with Thom Shepherd of country music duo Thom & Coley
singer-songwriter/Texas music kind of festival. And we just released our album Shotgun last year [find it on Spotify]. I really think it’s our best project to date. It’s a mix of beachy songs, cowboys songs, story songs and drinking songs. One of the songs, “New York to Montana,” has been turned into a novel and is coming out soon on audible.com. We recently wrote a song about Idaho that we cannot wait to record! We would really like to do some kind of songwriter festival in Sandpoint in the near future, and of course perform at The Festival at Sandpoint at some point.
TS: We are both country singers. We do mostly songs we’ve written, a mix of fun songs and serious songs. As Coley likes to say at shows, “We’re gonna have you laughing and crying, laughing and crying.” We hope after you see our show, you’ll feel like you know us and you’ve made a couple new friends. After being in Texas I guess you could call us Red Dirt artists, too. And over the years we’ve built a huge Parrot Head following in the Trop Rock world — my song “Always Saturday Night” gets a ton of airplay on Radio Margaritaville — and at the big Meeting of the Minds Festival in November in Key West we just won Duo of the SPR: You guys are known Year, Female Vocalist of the Year, to travel quite a bit to play Singer-Songwriter of the Year and shows, but always make it back Event of the Year to Sandpoint a for our Lone couple times a Star Luau music year to perform. Friday, Jan. 24; 7:30 p.m.; Tickets festival. What about this $18 in advance, $20 at the area is special to SPR: Any door. Di Luna’s Cafe, 207 Cerecent or updar St., 208-263-0846, dilunas. you? coming projects com. Listen at thomandcoley. TS: My son is you want to com. Call Di Luna’s for tickets 15 and lives in and dinner reservations. highlight? Sandpoint. My first wife is from TS: The Lone the area, so I’ve been coming up Star Luau that we put on happens to Sandpoint to visit since the very soon and is almost sold out early ’90s ... We decided this year — Feb. 6-9 in Marble Falls, Texas to move to the area so we can [lonestarluau.com]. It’s a trop-rock/
Thom & Coley
Thom & Coley. Courtesy photo. see my son all the time and it has been so great. He and I have been skiing a lot. We live in Ponderay now and are really loving the area’s small-town feel, so I guess you could call us locals now. We really love how much music there is going on in Sandpoint on any given night, and we were very excited to line up the date at Di Luna’s. After all these years of coming to town I finally went to see [Reader Publisher] Ben Olson play a show there, and just loved the singer-songwriter vibe of the place. Coley and I have played at the legendary Bluebird Cafe in Nashville and it kind of has that feel. We love doing “listening room” type shows, and telling the stories behind our songs. Connecting with our audience is the most important thing to us.
A snapshot of notable live music coming up in Sandpoint Sweet Tooth, Jan. 18, Idaho Pour Authority Variety is the spice of life, and it’s also the spice of local guitar teacher Larry Mooney’s musical repertoire. Along with local multi-instrumentalist percussionist Ali Thomas, the duo is known as Sweet Tooth. A Mooney set is known to showcase acoustic guitar in flavors from smooth jazz to spicy Latin rhythms to groovy blues to classic folk sounds. The longtime jazz trombonist-turned-guitarist is also known for his large catalog of Beatles tunes, so a Sweet Tooth show is sure to cover a lot of ground. Learn more about Mooney’s music teaching endeavors at sandpointguitar.com. — Lyndsie Kiebert 5-7 p.m., FREE, 21+. Idaho Pour Authority, 203 Cedar St., 208-5977096, idahopourauthority.com. Listen at sandpointguitar.com/Booking-Info.
Colby Acuff, Jan. 17, Matchwood Brewing Co.
Described as a “country boy with southern roots,” Colby Acuff got his start in the music biz at the tender age of 11, when he first took the stage in his hometown of Coeur d’Alene. A May 2019 graduate of the University of Idaho, Acuff was much in demand as a house show artist among the college crowd and also appeared at the Knitty Factory in Spokane — notably alongside the Josh Abbott Band in 2017. Imbued with a musical sensibility drawing on influences including Hank Williams, Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson, Acuff is also an accomplished songwriter. His debut album, Life of a Rolling Stone, is due to be released this month, officially launching him on the road to achieving his musical dreams. — Zach Hagadone 5:30-8:30 p.m., FREE. Matchwood Brewing Company, 513 Oak St., 208-718-2739, matchwoodbrewing.com. Listen at colbyacuff.com.
This week’s RLW by Ed Ohlweiler
READ
Orion magazine features some of the world’s finest nature writers, poets, artists and photographers — a list of authors would sound like name-dropping and fill this entire column. Rejoice in natural beauty this year and support a high-quality publication that is both nonprofit and refreshingly free of ads.
LISTEN
Since winter is here and we live in a ski town, I heartily recommend visiting the Moth podcast featuring Warren Miller, who passed away one year ago this January. His 17-minute talk elicits a full spectrum of emotions as it bespeaks humility, gratitude, freedom and his trademark joie de vivre — including references to 1940s Sun Valley.
WATCH
When I saw the trailer for Welcome to Marwen I anticipated a movie that might change the future of movies in the way of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon — the use of breakthrough technology for something magical, which adds to storytelling and not just special effects. You can decide if cinema was advanced or not; but, if not, I bet you’ll enjoy the ride.
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COMMUNITY
Firewood Rescue just heating up By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff
From Pend Oreille Review, Jan. 9, 1920
BIGGEST MOONSHINE STILL RAID YET PULLED OFF IN COUNTY The biggest moonshine raid yet pulled off by the sheriff’s office occurred Wednesday night a mile west of Kootenai when Sheriff Spoor, Deputies Pickett and Stewart and Deputy Game Warden Heathershaw swooped down on a log building belonging to Isaac J. Miller of Kootenai and found 11 50-gallon barrels of mash, two stills of 50-gallon capacity, two galvanized gasoline barrels and other articles for making liquor. The mash was of corn and rye. Miller was arrested shortly after the raid of the log cabin being found asleep at Kootenai. Miller was living with his family at Kootenai and had a ranch a mile from town. The officers found four gallons of very good moonshine hidden away in a box in the hogyard on the Miller premises. Miller had been suspected of making moonshine liquor for some little while and the officers suspect that a brother of Miller disposed of the stuff here as rapidly as Miller manufactured it. The paraphenalia was taken possession of by the sheriff’s party and was added to the sheriff’s collection of moonshine stills. Miller furnished a $1000 bail bond in Judge Whitaker’s court for his appearannce for preliminary hearing next Monday morning in probate court. 22 /
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When it comes to finding a monumental way to help your neighbors, all it takes is a spark. In the case of Firewood Rescue, that spark was Paul Krames. When he became aware of a program through the VFW that delivered wood at no cost to local veterans, Krames got to thinking: What about seniors, people with disabilities, people who are seriously ill or in dire circumstances due to factors beyond their control? With the help of local nonprofit Planted Roots Foundation, Krames began Firewood Rescue in 2018. Firewood Rescue, which is now an officially registered nonprofit, is “dedicated to providing a one-time delivery of firewood to individuals and families who are in need, on an emergency basis,” according to the group’s mission statement. Thanks to generous donations of wood from the community, Firewood Rescue has provided a heat source for a wheelchair-bound amputee, the family of an individual who suffered severe injuries in a car crash, an elderly woman with holes in her roof and a wood stove as her only heat source, a man with a broken hip whose wife is on dialysis and many others. Krames said that when he started Firewood Rescue, those were the types of situations in which he envisioned assisting. Firewood Rescue board member Eileen Esplin is one of about 43 volunteers who stepped up this year to support the program. “For me, it was great that I could
participate in something so simple,” Esplin said, referring to the straightforwardness of stacking wood. But no matter how simple the task, Esplin said being a part of Firewood Rescue brings with it a plethora of major benefits. “For some of us it’s physical exercise, but you’re also getting to help somebody else out,” she said. Firewood Rescue sees thankful participants on both the giving and receiving ends of the organization’s work: people who need the wood and those who help to cut, stack and deliver it. It’s something Krames loves about the group’s dynamic. “Imagine that,” Krames said. “Many volunteers [have] thanked me for allowing them to be part of this effort. They’re the ones running chainsaws, hauling wood, loading and unloading trucks, and making deliveries — often in the cold and rain — and they’re thanking me. It’s humbling and a little unbelievable.”
Firewood Rescue volunteers, from left: Dan McLaughlin, Pat VanVolkinburg, Mel Dick, Mike Nunke, Margie Bush, Dan Devoy and Dallas Cox. Courtesy photo.
Crossword Solution
To volunteer, donate firewood or reach out for assistance, email Eileen Esplin at firewoodrescue2020@gmail. com. Firewood Rescue can also be reached through the Sandpoint Community Resource Center, Community Action Partnership or Facebook.
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CROSSWORD ACROSS
Woorf tdhe Week
bon vivant /bawn vee-VAHN/
[noun] 1. a person who lives luxuriously and enjoys good food and drink.
“We can’t go out with Ian, he’s a bon vivant who spends too much!” Corrections: Last week, we reported that the BNSF train derailment on the Kootenai River had “not affected Bonners Ferry’s public water intake area on the river.” While the derailment did not affect the water source the city currently had in use, fuel from the derailed train did reach the city’s back-up water source on the river. However, no contaminated water was consumed, as the city was not using that source at the time. —LK
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