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(wo)MAN compiled by
on the street
Ben Olson @ Eichardt’s Pub
If I could grant you three wishes right now, what would they be? “One thing I’ve always really wanted is to walk through an entire field full of kittens. I’d like one foot plus of snow, and finally, uninterrupted sleep.” Erin Bowman Server @ Eichardt’s Sandpoint “I want a car. Anything that keeps me warm in the winter. I’d like a big piece of land away from a lot of people and society. I’d also like another couch at Eichardt’s so there’s another place to sleep.” Joe Heki Cook @ Eichardt’s Sandpoint “First, I’d like 10 more wishes. Second... actually, my other two wishes are too dirty.”
DEAR READERS,
After a brief reprieve for the holidays, the refugee issue has reared its ugly head yet again. At this week’s spirited City Council meeting in Sandpoint, outgoing Mayor Carrie Logan’s last official act was to read a resolution outlining support for tolerance in Sandpoint with regards to the Syrian refugee resettlement issue. The resolution, taken over by newly sworn Mayor Shelby Rognstad, attempted to counter those offered by Bonner and Boundary County commissioners, which both called for a halt to the program because of fear of terrorist attacks. After heated discussion from the public, the motion was tabled for the next council meeting set to take place on Jan. 21. I ask you, dear readers, to take note of these elected officials who are promoting such a fear-mongering, xenophobic, Islamaphobic position and remember them on election day. Remember what they stand for, and what they represent. Both in Bonner and Boundary Counties, the resolutions were passed unanimously. These are the commissioners: Bonner County: Glen Bailey, District 1; Todd Sudick, District 2; and Cary Kelly, District 3. Boundary County: LeAlan Pinkerton, District 1; Walt Kirby, District 2; Dan Dinning, District 3. Add Governor Otter to that list, as well as Bonner County Sheriff Daryl Wheeler. Nothing personal, guys, but I don’t stand for this hateful rhetoric and I’m ashamed to see my state and county sponsoring it. I can still remember the days when North Idaho was equated with Ruby Ridge, with Richard Butler and the Aryan Nations. Is this really who we are? How can we live in such a beautiful place and harbor such ugliness inside? Some of the comments at Wednesday’s council meeting were disgusting. The public was out of order for much of the meeting, rudely commenting and yelling at speakers they didn’t support and directing accusations at the councilmembers. One even called the council “treasonous” if they passed the resolution. Though this was a city council meeting, the majority of the opposition stemmed from those who lived outside of city limits. It’s time we take a stand here in North Idaho and stop this bullshit once and for all. I’m all for intelligent debate, but in this case, I think misinformation and fear have taken the driver’s seat. I’m ashamed and embarassed by these positions built upon fear. I urge you all to stand up for the moral high ground. -Ben Olson, Publisher
Reese Warren Cook @ Eichardt’s Sandpoint
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READER 111 Cedar Street, Suite 9 Sandpoint, ID 83864 (208)265-9724
www.sandpointreader.com Publisher: Ben Olson ben@sandpointreader.com Editor: Cameron Rasmusson cameron@sandpointreader.com Zach Hagadone (emeritus) John Reuter (emeritus) Contributing Artists: Greg Rakozy (cover), NIMSEF, Daniel Cape, Sandpoint Nordic Club, Julien Grimard. Contributing Writers: Cameron Rasmusson, Ben Olson, Louie de Palma, Jen Heller, Sandy Compton, Marcia Pilgeram, Dion Nizzi. Submit stories to: stories@sandpointreader.com Printed weekly at: Griffin Publishing Spokane, Wash. Subscription Price: $75 per year Advertising: Jen Landis jen@sandpointreader.com Clint Nicholson clint@keokee.com 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.
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Check us out on the web at: www.sandpointreader.com Like us on Facebook. About the Cover This week’s cover photograph taken by Greg Rakozy. Two lovers kissing on New Year’s Eve... can anything be cuter?
info@thebernd.com January 7, 2016 /
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COMMENTARY New Year’s traditions, sexual advances from prisoners and other North Idaho fun
By Louie de Palma Reader Road Warrior Two days into the new year I found myself parked at the Dairy Depot drive-through while a very belligerent customer of mine loudly demanded a can of chew, a tall Pabst Blue Ribbon and three condoms. He then informed the nervous clerk the condoms were indeed to be used on me, for his intentions were to use his last free night “wearing me out” before going to prison for a year the very next morning. It was then I realized my mistake in cutting corners with my New Year’s good luck traditions. You see, New Year’s Day I substituted eating black eyed peas for listening to the Black Eyed Peas, and instead of eating collard greens, I had a green Tabasco-flavored Slim Jim. Having hardly slept in a few days catering to the holiday rush, this was the best I could do. Clearly it had not worked in bringing me good luck or fortune. This was not the first time I’ve had to deal with sexual advances while sleep-deprived in my cab. Like all humans who deal with bullshit for money I am practiced at grinning and bearing, bearing and grinning, while skirting a near-disastrous situation with ease and comedy. I informed the clerk that the gentleman was not my type and that I had a latex allergy, so the condoms were not necessary. Everyone laughed, and the situation relaxed. My customer asked me if I wanted a juice. I declined, and he called me a homo. That was that, and we were on our way. Another time, I was waiting 4 /
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for a woman to finish her business with her probation officer. I found myself chatting with my client’s sister who chose to wait with me. She was a dapper lady whose mullet and overalls were on point. At first the conversation was mild as she commented on the man mowing the snow with his snow mower and how she was a registered ninja. I was impressed to say the least. Then she told me a story about how she was jumped once at a bus stop and stabbed twelve times in the head with an ice pick and did nothing to defend herself. We both agreed that her sensai would be ashamed of her. But her main concern was that she might leak water out of her head when she drinks. I comforted her and assured her I had seen nothing leaking so far. Suddenly the mood changed and she became very complimentary, informing me of my handsome wiles and how strong my name is. I tried to ignore it, but then the conversation took a jiggly turn. She informed me of her fantasy to take someone like me hiking someday, fill a sleeping bag with jello and do the deed out in the woods. I couldn’t help but ask: What kind of Jello? She didn’t care. So I politely informed her I was more of a pudding guy, and that I didn’t think it would set right out in the hills. She still insisted on giving me her address and telling me her door was always open any time day or night. I was able to evade these two customers fairly easily. The jail bird dude managed to sneak a few kisses on my cheek as he called me a little b!#ch, but I honestly think he was just trying to get psyched up for a new lifestyle and culture. It was very brave of him, however unsuccessful he was, to try some
research before entering the prison culture. The advances have not always stopped with these humorous sexual encounters. I’m getting assaulted on spiritual fronts as well, the most common being New Age crystal meth tweakers incorrectly telling me my astrological sign and mis-charting my aura and good energies. They all say they can sense that I am a great person with a super mellow vibe and that good karma and great things are coming my way, even if they have my sign wrong. It seems somehow these people got mixed up in their New Age beliefs, mistaking crystal meth for one of the earthly crystals with healing properties. These hybrid beings all seem to have one tragic flaw. They believe fully that if they have good vibes and project happy feelings, the world will work things out for them. However, they also do a lot of drugs. That inhibits them from doing normal adult stuff like holding down a job or maintaining relationships. They’re ultimately unable to grasp what’s happened to them because none of it was in their astrology chart. This doesn’t stop them from being super complimentary and insisting on telling you absolute astrological truths about yourself. In addition to New Age spiritual assault, I get a lot of standard Christian, Mormon and Jehovah’s Witnesses spiritual assault. It really isn’t as bad as the tweaker nonsense. They are usually a lot less self-pitying, and they tend to ramble more. It’s mainly very rehearsed stuff that requires little response, making it easy to tune out. One sweet lady, on a plus side, had been to speaking directly with Jesus about me. I don’t want to give anything away or risk it not happening, so I can’t talk about it, but it’s sounding like things
are gonna be pretty good for me, she says. I can’t say if I’m 100-percent positive it was my botched New Year’s good luck tradition that made this stuff happen to me. I mean, it could be construed as good fortunes and getting lucky, but I somehow doubt it. Next year, I’m definitely eating
regular black eyed peas and collard greens. In the meantime, I’m thinking I’m going to need a bodyguard to collect money for me and protect my assets. I’m accepting applications now, preferably someone like Kevin Costner from “The Bodyguard.”
••LETTERS•• Say No To Oil Trains... Dear Editor, Living in Sandpoint, I am no stranger to freight trains. Like many of you, I can hear the rumble of an approaching train at any hour of the day or night, and my windowpanes rattle as one passes. Trains in Sandpoint seem to be a fact of life – but did you know that a crude oil terminal proposed for Vancouver, Wash., would bring at least four more oil trains a day through our town? The health impacts of train traffic on those of us who live nearby are well known, and go far beyond being awakened in the middle of the night. The combination of sound and vibration can raise blood pressure and stimulate stress hormones. This exposure isn’t temporary, or something we get to choose: Our county and state don’t even have a say in hazardous rail traffic that affects us. Concerned about having yet more explosive oil trains forced through our community? On Jan. 14 we have a chance to speak up at a public hearing about the Vancouver Energy oil terminal. The hearing is at the Centerplace Regional Event Center in the Spokane Valley. Please show up and make your
voice heard. We can choose to dream of better alternatives – we don’t have to put up with a waking nightmare! Sincerely, Forrest Maxfield Denise Dombrowski Sandpoint
Thanks to Nick Gier...
Dear Editor, Thank you for the conscientious research of Nick Gier. He inspires compassion for the world. Jodi Rawson Sandpoint
Reader Milestone...
Dear editor Congratulations on your first-year anniversary publishing the Reader! Keep up the good work! “I can see a lot of light in you.” I’m glad I can help deliver to Bonners Ferry. Happy new year to you both and to all the other writers at the Reader! A big shout to Candy, Julie, Katie, Gretta and all my friends in Bonners Ferry. Chris Smith Bonners Ferry
Thanks Chris! We appreciate your hard work in bringing the Reader to Bonners Ferry. [BO]
PERSPECTIVES
Stay away from killer toasters By Jen Heller Reader Contributor
This morning, I woke up and immediately subjected myself to some very risky behaviors. I made toast. I drove to work. And I walked up two steps to unlock the front door of the office. I recently learned in a foreign policy article that the innocent faced little toasters lurking in our kitchens kill more Americans every year than hometurf Islamic terrorists. Cars are the top cause of accidental death in the U.S., as everyone who’s ever heard of the CDC’s WONDER database knows. Tens of thousands of people die from falls every year, and according to research by John Templer of MIT, it’s the short sequences of stairs—those one or two steps plunked at entryways and exits — that really do us in (I tried presenting this research to my boss yesterday. His response was that I can use the side door if I need to, but a fear of the front steps is no excuse for not showing up on time). I’ve been researching the concept of risk a lot recently, particularly real threats versus perceived threats. Partly because, in the myth of my own intelligence, I tend to think other people worry about entirely the wrong sorts of things. It turns out risk is a volatile subject. We study probabilities and climate change and stock market predictions, all in the quest to calculate risk. Even so, everyone’s got different ideas on which of those risks are important to talk about, because different people see risks differently. As we age, we tend to be wary of dangers that were taught to us, either by the bruises of personal experience, or the words of those people we designate as “wise.” In fact, multiple studies in the 1980s by psychologists such as R. E. Nisbett and Lee Ross demonstrated that we fight incredibly hard to defend our perspectives of what is truly “risky.” Like any matter of strong emotional import, people tend to reject new information
about risks if it doesn’t match what they already believed to be true, with the complete certainty that it must have been produced incorrectly or, even worse, deceptively. So. It seems we keep the threats we choose close to us, like pets, or like our personal faiths. This how a mechanic can wear safety glasses while working under a car every day for 40 years, but not fasten his seat belt on his drive to the shop. A risk only becomes risky once we perceive it to be so. It begs the question, of course: If we don’t see a threat, is it still there? Well, yes, of course. I don’t honestly see the stairs at my workplace as a risk. Most days I don’t notice them at all. But that doesn’t mean The Danger isn’t there. If I ignore a visible threat, will it not materialize? Maybe. But maybe not. Last year, someone parked their Oldsmobile sedan in front of our office with a fullgrown sheep standing in the backseat. It stood there bleating out the side windows for 45 minutes. Was the driver at risk of having his sedan seat littered with sheep droppings? Um... yes. His inability to calculate that risk didn’t mean any effects wouldn’t apply. Two weekends ago, I strapped on my classic skis and punch slogged my way along the powdered tackiness of the lake shore to get some exercise. I was risking the dangers of mud, fatigue, and cold to ward off the risks of heart disease, midwinter depression and a cabin-fevered Lab mix who was about to pace a path in the carpet. These were the most obvious threats. But, that’s just the obvious risks. By staying in my cozy living room on the couch, I would have risked not seeing the planted brush marks of heron wings spread out in the snow from a hasty takeoff, with the funny Morse code drag marks from long legs hoisted up in slow dips. I would have risked not experiencing the chance encounter with a similarly sweaty skier who smiled and stopped for a
dose of conversation. For every known risk, there’s a plethora of unknown risks. We like to say that curiosity killed the cat, but I’ll wager that a lack of curiosity has often killed the cats’ owners. In 2016, my hope is to educate myself a little better on the risks I see, and the risks I don’t see. I’m doing this in a few ways. For example, I’ve decided that when I feel threatened by an idea, I should probably go read a book defending that point-of-view, to see if I can learn anything by challenging myself a little bit. I checked out a book at the library from a political standpoint that would have been illegal in our house when I was a kid. I’m keeping an eye on the book cover over my laptop screen as I type... I think it intends to eat my drapes when I’m not looking. Sometimes I’d like to get all preachified and tell some of the people around me stretch the outlines of their risks a bit. It’d be pretty exciting to see the Bonner County Republican Women invite a practicing Muslim woman in a hijab to speak at one of their next gatherings. Likewise, some of the more liberal members of our community could take up a habit of hanging out at the Pack River and Elmira stores. However, people are gonna do what people wanna do. I just need to make it my job to befriend the people I have a hard time handling, and trust the rest of the world to do their best (eventually). After all, the key with risk seems to each one of us testing the edges of our own anonymous fears—to see if they materialize into something real, or if they dissipate like Sandpoint winter fog to reveal something stunningly beautiful.
••LETTERS•• The Descent of the Republican Party
Dear Editor, As we head into the presidential elections, a useful and insightful book to read about presidential character is a “Team of Rivals” by well-respected historian, Doris Kearns Goodwin. This acclaimed book is a detailed study about Abraham Lincoln and his cabinet. In the introduction, Lincoln is described as having “kindness, sensitivity, compassion, honesty and empathy...” Besides being gifted with great humor, he was lenient, gracious and magnanimous. He would listen to his critics and neither was vindictive, revengeful nor carried grudges. He assumed responsibility for the failures of his subordinates and easily shared credit with them. He was self-confident, but he learned from his mistakes. Often he wrote apologies to those he felt he had slighted. When the Civil War ended, he was not triumphal or boastful. And he truly felt the pain and agony for the fallen soldiers on both sides of the war. Before becoming the president, he helped build the Republican Party, which was based upon not extending slavery into the new territories. As President (1861-65), he proclaimed his Emancipation Proclamation—an executive order abolishing slavery in the Confederacy. And to his everlasting credit, he was able to get Congress and the Union to pass the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery forever in the United States. Finally, he and the new Republican Party passed a number of historic bills: The Homestead Act: Western public-lands were opened for settlement (notwithstanding
the impact on Native-Americans). The Morrill Act: Established public, land-grant colleges like the University of Idaho. The Pacific Railroad Act: Provided an infrastructure development for the transcontinental railroad. The Legal Tender Bill: Created paper money needed to support the economy. The Internal Revenue Bureau: A first in American history, whereby a federal income tax was levied so that the government could support the needs of the country. Perhaps unintended by the author, I began to realize the descent of the Republican Party. Today’s party has supported the wealthiest 1 percent, and the deregulation of Wall Street and the big banks, which brought on the Great Recession. They are trying to undo Social Security, Medicare and programs for those in need. They are also trying to restrict the right to vote. Finally, in comparison to Lincoln’s eloquent rhetoric, Mr. Donald Trump’s language has dropped political discourse to a disgraceful low, with its crude, insulting and disrespectful nature. In his seemingly egocentric and scape-goating display, there lies a danger to our political system. I take no pleasure to note that this language is too chillingly reminiscent of the extreme, right-wing rhetoric in 1930s Europe. The character of the Republican Party of today is not that of the party that Lincoln helped create, and Mr. Trump is no Abraham Lincoln. Philip A. Deutchman Sandpoint
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NEWS Council tables resolution supporting refugees By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff
It’s been years since Sandpoint City Hall saw a turnout like this Wednesday. About 150 bodies packed the building for the debate over a proposed council resolution welcoming refugees. So many people attended the public meeting that city staff had to shut a few dozen late-comers out of the City Council chambers. Newlysworn-in Mayor Shelby Rognstad presided over a doubtlessly memorable first council meeting as dozens shared their thoughts. Despite the lively comments, council deliberation ended anticlimactically with members choosing to table the issue. “I wholeheartedly stand by my commitment to human rights, but after hearing everything tonight … I cannot in good conscience vote either way on this issue tonight,” said Councilwoman Deb Ruehle. Like the meetings in which Bonner and Boundary county commissioners passed resolutions urging the halt of refugee resettlement, the sizable majority of comments opposed refugees. The majority of commenters also lived outside the city limits. “I ask you give the same weight to county residents as city residents because the decision you make here affects all of us,” said Dan McDonald. If the meeting was the most well-attended in years, it was also the most unruly. Requests by city officials and Sandpoint Police Chief Corey Coon to stop clapping, heckling and speaking out of order went unheeded. Some commenters chided the chaotic behavior in particular. “A lot of you do not have the simple respect and civility to let someone speak,” said Michael McLaughlin, who supported the resolution. “That is what fears me the most.” Comments opposing refu6 /
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gees tended toward their financial needs, saying they would burden the welfare system and require jobs the county couldn’t support. Another large portion focused on Islam, claiming the religion’s goal was to infiltrate societies and transform them from the inside out. “I have lived with, ate with slept with and fought with and against people of this culture for most of my adult life,” said Matthew Reese, citing his military service. “They are not of our culture, not of our ideology.” Some who gave testimony appeared to believe the city resolution was an action approving the resettlement of refugees in Sandpoint. In fact, both the proposed city resolution and approved county resolution are political statements with no impact on resettlement, which is a federal program. There are no plans to resettle refugees in Bonner County. Many opposed to the resolution took particular umbrage with one particular section, which states that many responses to refugees brought to mind “thoughts of Nazi Germany, Japanese internment camps [and] McCarthyism.” Many found the passage inflammatory. “When I find my own government addressing me as a Nazi, I am worse than offended,” said Anita Aurit. However, when Rognstad voiced his thoughts that excising the section would resolve many concerns, he was met with a chorus of nays from the crowd. Attendees also grew perturbed at the one-minute time restriction to publicly comment, resulting at one point in a wave of booing. Bonner County Commissioner Glen Bailey visited the meeting to briefly comment on the county resolution opposing refugee resettlement. He said just as the city resolution was a symbolic measure, the county resolution was a symbol supporting an improved vetting process. “I’m assuming the mischar-
The City Council chambers soon filled to capacity Wednesday night, with dozens of citizens overflowing into the city hall space. Photo by Ben Olson. acterizations … are intentional,” he said. “I’m assuming that because I can’t ask you questions.” While resolution opponents outnumbered supporters, a significant minority stood in favor of the resolution. They focused on the importance of upholding traditional American values like tolerance and freedom of religion. “Without the principles and ideals for which I think I fought [in the Vietnam War], we have
little to stand for that is worthy,” said Barney Ballard. Others pointed out the need to present Sandpoint as welcoming community. Jeremy Grimm, while neutral on the resolution, said one of Sandpoint’s most generous community contributors, Rafat Saied, was a Muslim. Furthermore, he said a local reputation for friendliness is good for local businesses. “What is important is the image you’re trying to convey
here portraying Sandpoint as a friendly, accepting, loving place,” he said. “I think it’s very important for our businesses here.” While council members voted to table the issue, the controversy is far from over. They will pick up the resolution again on Jan. 20 and potentially take final action to adopt or reject the measure.
crowd. The meeting served as Logan’s last public meeting in eight years of public service at city hall. The next order of business was the swearing in of Sandpoint’s new mayor, Shelby Rognstad. Rognstad won the city election in November with 1,126 votes as compared with 628 votes for his opponent Mose Dunkel. Rognstad has lived in Sandpoint since 1999, where he owned and operated the coffee shop Common Knowledge for 10 years before closing the business this fall to run for office.
Councilmen Eddy and Aitken, as well as Councilwoman Ruehle all took the oaths of office for new City Council terms. The three incumbents ran unopposed in the 2015 election. Councilwoman Shannon Williamson was elected City Council president by unanimous vote (Councilman Camp was absent from the meeting due to ill health). Williamson took office as a city councilwoman in 2014 and has served as executive director of the Pend Oreille Waterkeeper since 2011.
Rognstad sworn in as mayor
By Ben Olson Reader Staff
Wednesday’s city council meeting saw several changes to Sandpoint’s city government, including a new mayor, a new council president and a farewell to a longtime public servant. Outgoing Mayor Carrie Logan was lauded by members of the council for her public service and compassion before stepping down as acting mayor of Sandpoint. “I guess that’s all,” she said, leaving the chamber to applause from the capacity
FEATURE
Eight Years at City Hall:
A look back at Mayor Carrie Logan’s public career
By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff
Leave it to Carrie Logan to finish her mayoral term with a bang.
The Sandpoint mayor and former councilwoman had an eventful final City Council meeting Wednesday thanks to her mayoral proclamation welcoming refugees. The proclamation and subsequent council action attracted a large crowd to City Hall for yet more political theater in the contentious national drama. According to Logan, the proclamation and resolution were more a coincidence than a deliberate mayoral swansong. “That was just how the timing played out,” Logan said. “There wasn’t any strategy behind it.” Even so, it’s a fitting capstone to Logan’s eight years of public service. As an action placing the city in contrast with the more conservative actions of the Bonner County Board of Commissioners, the proclamation is yet another example of Sandpoint’s distinct political and civic identity among North Idaho governments. It’s an identity Logan has played no small role in shaping. Logan, who previously worked in Sandpoint as a mental health specialist before her involvement in local politics, began public life on the Sandpoint Planning and Zoning Commission. Logan’s political involvement truly took off, however, when she contributed to the drafting of the Sandpoint Comprehensive Plan, a 20-year map for the town’s development and growth goals. “This was something I knew I wanted to have an influence on,” she said. In 2007, Logan put her name forward as a candidate for the Sandpoint City Council. The subsequent campaign was an intense one, with eight candidates vying for three open four-year seats and another three office seekers competing for one two-year seat. Ultimately, Logan won her seat alongside Stephen Snedden and Doug Hawkins Jr. as four-year council members and Michael Boge in the two-year seat. As a member of the council, Logan saw some high-profile issues land on council agendas. The financing of the water treatment facility on Sand Creek required a major public push, especially after the first attempt at securing voter approval for a water bond failed at the
polls. Logan said that, like the Memorial Field sales tax passed on a second attempt, the council learned a lesson about the importance of information campaigns when pitching the water bond to voters. Logan’s support for efforts like the Pend d’Oreille Bay Trail and the protection of residents from discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender expression were yet more defining moments in Sandpoint’s political development. Introduced by Snedden and John Reuter, respectively, the measures helped set priorities to distinguish Sandpoint as a welcoming and amenity-rich community. On the other hand, Logan led plenty of other signature issues, including the preservation of the Sandpoint Train Depot. Brought to council attention by then-Historic Preservation Committee member Aric Spence, the effort to keep train service at the historic site saw Logan and Public Works Director Kody Van Dyk leading negotiations with Amtrak and BNSF Railway. Logan credits the success to the relationships she built with Amtrak and BNSF representatives over months of work. “Relationship-building is huge for success in city government,” she said. If there’s one issue Logan regrets during her time on council, it was her inability to stop the the de-fluoridation of Sandpoint’s water. A public health measure to reduce tooth decay, water fluoridation is nevertheless controversial among people who believe it carries harmful side effects. Despite a lack of scientific research backing this claim, the council voted to remove fluoride from public water in 2010. “That’s the one thing I wish Reuter
and I managed to save,” Logan said. In 2011, Marsha Ogilvie was elected mayor of Sandpoint, and Logan reclaimed her council seat for a second term. However, tragedy struck in 2013. Ogilvie found herself unable to continue her work as mayor due to aggressive lung cancer. In October, she asked Logan to take over as interim mayor and privately requested she take the job permanently if the worst happened. She passed away months later in January 2014.
Mayor Carrie Logan. Photo by Ben Olson.
For Logan, the transition was awkward. Staff used to working with Ogilvie found a new person in the mayor’s chair difficult to take. Even so, Logan gave them assurances that business would go on as usual. “My first conversation with department heads and staff was that nothing was going change,” she said. The transition to mayor carried with it a learning curve, but Logan said her years on the council helped prepare her. Even so, the greater emphasis on diplomacy—playing the mediator between council members, disgruntled residents or the city’s business partners—took some adjusting. So too did the minimization of her contributions to council debates. “As a council member, there’s an
expectation that you’ll actively participate in debate,” Logan said. “As mayor, you’re not expected to participate in debate. I found that to be a real challenge. I like to put in my two cents’ worth.” Indeed, Logan is nothing if not outspoken and committed to her vision— traits that sometimes raised controversy. In December 2014, the city took heat when resident Randy Stolz was not permitted entry into a meeting about coal and oil trains. Logan later defended the choice, saying it was a closed meeting only meant to provide information for regional officials. Her choice to use a mayor-appointed selection committee and limit public contributions to the hiring of the new city administrator position was similarly controversial. The decisions helped fuel the 2015 mayoral campaign of Mose Dunkel, who claimed the city was too closed off and not responsive enough to the public. Logan said criticisms like those are inevitable when shaping public policy. Sometimes that takes the form of outright ugliness, and Logan said she’s received plenty of it over the refugee proclamation and resolution. Over the course of eight years, she’s learned to filter out the vitriol. “I have learned to take the valid points of the criticism and respond or deal with those and discount those that are baseless, mean-spirited or flat-out rude,” she said. As she prepares to take a break from public life, Logan is satisfied with her accomplishments. Having weathered the Great Recession and enacted some milestone policies, she believes the city is in better shape than it was eight years ago. “We got a lot done,” she said. “We’re in very good financial shape. We have a competent dedicated staff. We’ve always got a lot to show for [our work].” As for what the future holds, it’s always possible that we haven’t seen the end the Logan’s public career. For the present, however, she’s turning herself to more pressing concerns. “I want to learn to wolf whistle,” she said. “There are a lot of YouTube videos about it out there, and I think I can do it.”
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Volunteer Spotlight:
Jeff Rouleau and NIMSEFputting kids on skis for 5 years
By Ben Olson Reader Staff Bouquets: •Outgoing Mayor Carrie Logan deserves a bouquet for all that she has done for this city. Carrie has showed through her tireless efforts that Sandpoint is a special place. We at the Reader wish her luck in her retirement from public office. Thanks Carrie, for standing up for what’s right and good in our city, and for ending your term the same way you began it; with passion. •A bouquet goes out to law enforcement in eastern Oregon. They have handled the “standoff” situation with an armed militia that have occupied a federal building in the remote Malheur National Wildlife Refuge with absolute perfection. Instead of rushing in and laying seige to the militia’s occupation of this outpost in the middle of nowhere, the law enforcement members have chosen to wait them out and react with no reaction. Perfect. My favorite development of late is the militia members pleading to the public to send them snacks and supplies through the U.S. Postal Service. Wait, so an anti-government militia is begging for snacks, snow camo and Red Bulls to be sent using a government service? That, coupled with new information surfacing about Amman Bundy taking out a $530,000 federal loan, seem to paint these “milita” members with the brightest shade of hypocrisy in the Crayola box. Militias these days. Barbs: •There have been a rash of new websites popping up around North Idaho claiming to be “news” organizations. Reading their “stories” is like reading a Tea Party playbook to the letter. Here’s a little note to help identify whether you can trust a “news” website or not: If you can’t find a contact name, address, phone number or any other identifying marks, it’s pure garbage. If you believe in what you say, attach your name to it. Why the secrecy?
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Five years ago, Schweitzer ski instructor Jeff Rouleau received a thank you letter that changed everything. “Schweitzer does this great deal with local schools where they give every 4th grader a free day of skiing every year,” said Rouleau. “This thank you note ended up in our locker room and I remember it having a huge impact on me.” The note, written by a 4th grader, read: “Thank you for the best day of my life. I probably won’t see any of you ever again. So goodbye.” “Here’s this kid who is a local and never had or will have the opportunity to get on the mountain,” said Rouleau. Three weeks later, Rouleau was up skiing with some friends and ended up taking the wrong lift. While waiting in a lift line, he had a second encounter that sealed the deal. “I ended up talking with some other friends while I was waiting,” said Rouleau. “They said, ‘This is our only day of the year to be up here, we can’t afford to come any more than this.’” Rouleau began formulating the plan for an organization to help kids get access to this amazing mountain at our fingertips. “I thought this isn’t fair that some people can’t afford to enjoy the mountain,” said Roulea, “even if they have regular jobs, sometimes they can’t make it work.” Roulea skied to the administration building and went in to talk to Schweitzer President and CEO Tom Chasse. “He said, “Make it happen, we’ll help out,’” said Rouleau. The result? The North Idaho Mountain Sports Education Fund, or NIMSEF for short. “The resort and the community have such a symbiotic relationship,” said Rouleau. “You can’t have one without the other. I thought it would be great to open up the possibilities to kids, to get them on the
A group of kids learn downhill skills from a Schweitzer instructor. Photo courtesy of NIMSEF.
hill learning these skills that they’ll use all their life.” The goals of NIMSEF are simple: Get kids on the mountain. They offer a program that gives a greatly reduced tuition to enroll a number of kids into an 8-week a scholarship program. All children aged 7-17 who qualify based on economic need and live in Bonner or Boundary Counties can receive a season pass, bus pass, free lessons and equipment rental via Schweitzer and NIMSEF. The tuition schedule is formatted to allow first-timers a low-risk way of starting their lifelong love of winter sports. First-year children pay a tuition of $50, which includes the pass, rental, lessons and bus fare. Each year after, the tuition goes up $50 per year until they reach the cap of $250 in their fifth year. “The first year, we had 22 kids sign up,” said Roulleau. “The last four years we’ve had around 70 each year.” As an additional learning opportunity, NIMSEF requires kids to earn their tuition. “We believe that anything that is earned is valued more,” said Rouleau. Kids can earn money toward their tuition in a variety of ways, including helping at home, doing chores for neighbors and friends. Some humorous methods, which kids put on their applications, include “cleaning the cat litter box forever,” “telling jokes,” and “doing whatever you throw at me.”
“I think it teaches the children the value of a dollar if they earn it on their own,” said Rouleau. “They come in with Mason jars full of change sometimes. It’s great.” Rouleau points out that he is only one part of a group of volunteers and organizations that help make this nonprofit a success. “Michael Boge is on our board of directors and he really does a lot for us,” said Rouleau. “A lot of local businesses donate prizes. The Ski and Ride Center at Schweitzer has given us a lot of equipment over the years. Without Kirk Johnson in the rental shop, this program wouldn’t be as successful as it is.” For Rouleau, the program is more than just getting kids on skis. It’s about improving the fiber of our youth by offering healthy, drug-free alternatives. “It gives kids an elevation of self esteem when they can ski,” said Rouleau. “A lot of social workers direct their kids to us because they see the benefits of skiing. They see introverts come out of
their shell. They see kids building their own self confidence, doing better in school. Plus, when the older kids are up skiing, they’re not out causing trouble.” When asked why he does the work he does, Rouleau was quiet for a few moments, perhaps thinking back to that first thank you letter that started it all. Choking up, he said, “I feel I get a lot out of this community, so I want to give back. That’s all.” Though the enrollment period for 2016 has already passed, you can help the nonprofit succeed by donating money or equipment. Contact Nimsef.com for more information.
Jeff Rouleau. Photo by Ben Olson.
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Dollar Beers! 8pm @ Eichardt’s Pub Good until the keg’s dry Monarch Open Mic 6-8pm @ Monarch Mountain Coffee House Held on the first and third Thursday of every month, open to all
Contra Dance 7-10pm @ Sandpoint Community Hall Contra dancing is community dancing for all ages, in the New England tradition, featuring live music with local and regional bands and lively callers. bring comfortable clothing, clean, soft-soled shoes and a water bottle. Suggested $5 donation at the door Live Music w/ Brian Jacobs 6:30-9:30pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall Live Music w/ Nu Jack City 8pm @ Panida Theater Nu Jack City is the Inland NW’s #1 Americana, dance and party band playing the sounds of Motown, blues, R&B, soul, a little bit of rock, and country hits
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Live Music w/ Chris Lynch 6pm - 9pm @ Arlo’s Ristorante Game Night at the Niner 9pm @ 219 Lounge Take part in game night with Racheal Sandpoint Chess Club 9am @ Evans Brothers Coffee Monday Night Blues Jam w/ Truck Mills 7:30pm @ Eichardt’s Pub Trivia Night 7pm - 9pm @ MickDuff’s Karaoke Night 10pm - Midnight @ 219 Lounge Bingo Night 6:30pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall
“Theeb” film 7:30pm @ Panida Theater The movie is set in the Ottoman province of Hijaz during World War I, where a young Bedouin boy experiences a greatly hastened coming of age as he embarks on a perilous desert journey to guide a British officer to his secret destination
Art fo 5-7pm An ex Rights Count tion of Live 5-8pm Great
9pm @ 219 Loun FSPW Sponsored Hike Country music on 8:30am @ Trailhead Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness hosts a mod views of Lightning Creek, likely about 6 to 7 mil incline for the first 3 miles then a moderate grad (FSPW has some to lend if needed). Space is limi Scotchmanpeaks.org to find out carpool and locatio Super Smash Bros Tournament 4pm @ Evans Brothers Coffee Signups begin at 3:30pm. 946-8468 “Darkness, Light, and How to Be Happy” 10am @ the Gardenia Center A discussion hosted by Suzen Fiskin
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Seven Hills Wine Dinner 6pm @ Forty-One South Seven Hills founder and winemaker Casey McClellen will special event, where five of the winery’s premier wines wil alongside a full five-course dinner. Cost is $75 per person ( ing tax and gratuity). Seating is limited; reservations @ 208
Bike Movie Night 6pm @ Greasy Fingers Bikes n’ Repair Feel free to bring your own refreshments
Dollar Beers! 8pm @ Eichardt’s Pub Good until the keg’s dry
“Theeb” film 7:30pm @ Panida Theater The movie is set in the Ottoman province o World War I, where a young Bedouin boy expe ly hastened coming of age as he embarks on a journey to guide a British officer to his secret
Live Music w/ Bob Evans 7-9pm @ La Rosa Club Live Music Cornhole Tournament 5:30-7:30p 1pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall Register at noon, first toss at 1pm. Cash Singer/song prizes and a $10/team buy-in Live Music w/ D
Live Music w/ Bright Moments Jazz 5-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery
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Art on the Go with Jules 4-7pm @ Idaho Pour Authority Join Julie Ellis for a few fun hours creating a from recycled materials Pool League @ the Niner 7pm @ 219 Lounge
Throwback Thursdays at the 219 7-11pm @ 219 Lounge Featuring live music with Brian Jacobs and friends, $2 domestics and $3 crafts. Join in playing in this informal open mic night setting every Thursday night
The Conversation 6-8pm @ Ivano’s Rist What could Sandpoin munity? Come and gi from our last Decemb out your ideas that wi
ful
january 7 - 14, 2016
province of Hijaz during n boy experiences a greatbarks on a perilous desert his secret destination
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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
Country Two Step Dance Class 7pm @ Sandpoint West Athletic Club Diane Peters teaches country two step on Thursdays in January at SWAC, at 7 p.m. This is a fun, feel good dance that gives you a nice gentle aerobic workout even if you don’t like country music
Live Music w/ Marty Perron & Doug Bond Art for Human Rights Exhibit 5-7pm @ Idaho Pour Authority 5-7pm @ POAC Gallery An exhibit sponsored by the Bonner County Human Come down and listen to your favorite picking Rights Task Force featuring the work of Bonner duo Marty and Doug County students inspired by the Universal Declara- Live Music w/ Ken Mayginnes 7pm @ La Rosa Club tion of Human Rights. On display through Jan. 28 Live Music w/ Chris Lynch DJ Music @ the Niner Live Music w/ Patrice Webb 6pm - 9pm @ Arlo’s Ristorante 9pm @ 219 Lounge 5-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery Great Americana from a North Idaho gal Featuring DJ Josh Adams
ive Music w/ Justin Lantrip :30-7:30pm @ Idaho Pour Authority inger/songwriter from Sandpoint
usic w/ Devon Wade 219 Lounge y music on a Saturday night osts a moderate hike with great 6 to 7 miles roundtrip. Steady erate grade. Bring snowshoes ce is limited; sign up early at nd location info
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Winter Trails Day All day @ Schweitzer Mountain Resort Enjoy complimentary access to Schweitzer Mountain Resort’s Nordic trails, plus cross-country and skate ski lessons and equipment rentals. Schweitzer.com. 208-255-3081
Learn to XC Ski Free Day All day @ the Roundabout on Schweitzer Free cross country skiing demos and lessons on specifically groomed beginner trails. Free rentals are available on a reservation basis, and free beginner Classic Skiing and Skate Skiing instruction will be offered. 255-3081
Jan. 15 Friends of ScotchFree First Saturday at the Museum man Peaks Wilder10am - 2pm @ Bonner County History Museum ness 11th Anniversary Party @ Little ppy” Kaniksu Land Trust Benefit Panida Theater. 5-8pm @ Idaho Pour Authority Featuring Sierra Nevada Brewing beer. Live music with Marty PerJan. 15 ron and Doug Bond. Raffle prizes and complimentary appetizers Keith Lee Morris Open Mic Night re ading and signing 7-10pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall ellen will attend this Open Mic Night is hosted by Crooked Fingers, new book “Travelwines will be paired Rick Price and Mark Remmetter. All local artists ers Rest” @ Bernd r person (not includ- over 21 years of age are welcome for a fun and Barrel. ons @ 208-265-2000 open night of playing at the Beer Hall Jan. 16 Native American Jazz n’ Java Drum Circle @ Gar6-8pm @ Monarch Mountain Coffee creating art All players welcome! Sit in with a rhythm section, play denia Center. solo ... or just come to listen! The event features some Jan. 16-18 of the area’s best players. Hosted by Larry Mooney, MLK Weekend @ jazz vocalist and guitarist; amps and PA provided Schweitzer. Lots of rsation fun, beer, skiing and ano’s Ristorante all the other importSandpoint look, sound and move like as a vibrant art and business comant things in life. me and give input on a mural that we will create showcasing our visions
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-laurelThey heard faint cries of a bird or a kitten of that they were not sure. Then under the rails they found me abandoned, just a little ball of fur. Two tiny teeth were no match for their fare, so spooned warmed milk was fed with care. And as we traveled the route of the old NP, much of the crew had their eye on me. I was a lucky little kitten, they came to kiss and cuddle and hold. But claim was laid by boss of the train, her words were firm and bold, “Twas my bosom that warmed him as he lay weak, my berth where he did sleep, I cleansed him with a gentle hand and now he’s mine to keep.” Nine years, not lives, have passed us by on the shores of Pend Oreille My life is laps and tuna and treats, I’m happy every day. I own the boss, I own the house, I own the kitchen sink and from this perch I stretch and purr, a damn fine life I think. Laurel P.
weekdays from 6am - 10am
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OUTDOORS Winter Trails Day at Schweitzer says the magic word: FREE By Ben Olson Reader Staff
Who said you can’t get anything for free anymore? As part of Snowsports Industries of America’s (SIA) Winter Trails Day, Schweitzer will be offering free access to Nordic and snow shoeing trails on Saturday, Jan. 9. SIA is a national organization that aims to provide access to winter sports for people across the nation. Last year alone, more than 4 million people participated at over 100 events held for Nordic skiing. According to their mission statement, “Winter Trails offers children and adults across the country the chance to try snowshoeing and cross country skiing and to discover the great fitness benefits of these easy-to-learn sports.” The first aspect of Winter Trails Day involves snow shoeing, which, in my experience, is one hell of a workout, and grants you access to pristine backcountry areas. The festivities kickoff at 10 a.m. with an interpretive (nature-based) hosted snowshoe hike until 11:30 a.m. At noon, a half-hour class will be offered with an introduction to snowshoeing hosted hike. Another nature-based hosted snowshoe hike will be offered from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. The hikes and introductions are absolutely free, but you must have a pass to access the trails. You can pick up a free pass at the Activity Center, Guest Services or the Ski and Ride Center at Schweitzer. Reserve a space for the snowshoe hikes by contacting the Activity Center at 255-3081. The other main attraction of Winter Trails Day involves Nordic skiing. “There are a lot of people who, when they hear the word skiing, just think of alpine or downhill,” said Dig Chrismer, marketing director at Schweitzer. “This is another way to look at skiing.” The Sandpoint Nordic Club and Schweitzer Mountain Resort have teamed up to teach all those interested how to cross-country ski. All day on Jan. 9 there will be free Nordic skiing demos and lessons on specifically groomed beginner trails. Free rentals are also available on a reservation basis. In addition, when you receive your free rentals, you will also get a coupon for a $35 lesson package, which includes rental, lesson and trail fee for select future dates. Val-
id dates are: Jan. 18, Jan. 24 or Feb. 20. According to Vicki Longhini, president of Sandpoint Nordic Club, cross-country skiing is widely recognized as one of the best workouts you can give your body. “The highest fitness levels are found in Nordic skiers,” said Longhini. “Alpine skiing is more of a recreational sport, whereas in Nordic skiing you have to use your upper and lower body. It’s also a great social sport to do. There are a lot of community and social aspects to the sport. Nordic skiing is a way for people to strap on skis and be skiers in a less intimidating and costly level.” Both Classic Skiing and Skate Skiing instruction will be offered, with all the action taking place at “The Roundabout” on the road up to Schweitzer. Contact the Ski and Ride Center to reserve equipment. Reservations fill up fast, so be sure to contact them early. Note, you will not need to pick up a pass for skiing at “The Roundabout.” Scheduled activities take place as follows: 8:30-9:15 a.m. – Fitting for Session 1 9:30-11 a.m. – Session 1 lessons and free skiing 11-11:45 a.m. – Fitting for Session 2 12-1:30 p.m. – Session 2 lessons and free skiing 1:30-2:15 p.m. – Fitting for Session 3 “Striker Session” 12-18 years old only. 2:30-3:45 p.m. – Session 3 “Striker Session”
Top: A group of Nordic skiers try to curb their enthusiasm on the mountain. Bottom: a skate skier from Sandpoint Nordic Club’s junior race team. Photos courtesy Sandpoint Nordic Club.
Sandpoint Nordic Club will have 17 instructors on hand Saturday, and Longhini expects well over 100 people to turn out for the free day. “This is the perfect way to introduce people to Nordic,” said Chrismer. “We have 32 kilometers of trails up here. They’re the same trails people like to mountain bike, hike and run in the summer. This is another way to explore those trails.” What are you waiting for? It’s fun for the whole family, it’s good exercise… and did we mention that it’s free? To learn more about Winter Trails Day, contact Schweitzer at 263-9555. To learn about how to become a member of the Sandpoint Nordic Club, go to www.sandpointnordic.com.
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Bordering on Complete Sanity: Don’t forget to say ‘I Love You’ often... even while getting a colonoscopy
Spirtual seminar discusses Papal letter
By Sandy Compton Reader Columnist
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but I didn’t believe it would change the results of the colonoscopy. They would either find cancer or they wouldn’t. In spite of that, I prayed that they wouldn’t. In the six weeks between receiving that letter and going to my date with the doctor, there came a heightened sense of appreciation for small things. When my mom died earlier in the summer, I took the computer I had given her home with me. The desktop picture folder is full of images of adventures, with and without her, as well as family photos from long ago, when we siblings were children and our old-fashioned, anachronistic grandparents still lived in their log house up the farm drive across the highway. Poignancy was preloaded on the very machine upon which I began writing this. Taking the dog to the river wasn’t just an exercise in exercise any more. Reverting to childhood games, I started skipping rocks between tennis ball launches. And playing “cut the devil’s throat,” in which flat rocks are thrown in such a manner that they enter the water on edge, with nearly no splash and a satisfying “galoomph.” I began indulging myself with massage from a friend who is very good at the art. I began consciously telling friends, in one manner or another, that I loved them. It became very important not to procrastinate. About anything. The colonoscopy was Sept. 9. With my sister in the passenger seat ready to drive me home, we went up Highway 56, following Bull River. The fires had calmed a bit, and through the smoke we could see both the East and West Cabinets reclining on their respective sides of the river. I counted peaks and ridges I have been on, and made myself promises about a few more. There was another sprinkling of irony in the fact that we were headed for Cabinet Peaks, the medical center
By Reader Staff
Illustration by Daniel Cape
Twenty-sixteen. We’re gifted with a whole ’nother year to play with; 365 whole days. Oops. 366. It’s Leap Year! We get an extra. Hooray! I will try to use it wisely. Joyfully. Gracefully. Gratefully. I commend this to you as well. In spite of its travails—sometimes, even because of them—life is good and sweet. Results of my annual physical were different in 2015. Generally, it’s “You’re fine. Keep up the good work.” This time, I got a letter from the doctor including a highly ironic use of the word “positive.” There’s not much positive about being told that one of the tests shows an abnormal result. A colonoscopy was recommended. Strongly recommended. Oh, boy! I thought. First I get to drink some revolting slime designed to make me poop my brains out. Then, I get to starve for a day or so. Then, someone I have never met is going to maneuver a probe up into my lower gut to take a sample of my colon to see if it’s cancerous. Snip. And, then I get to eat again while I wait to find out what they found out. While I was thinking this, none of it had happened yet. It was a remote event in the future; not very far into the future, but still. In the meantime, I had my teeth cleaned and bought a car—on time; two very hopeful acts, I thought. I didn’t tell the loan officer about the impending procedure. Didn’t want to jinx the deal. Either one of the deals, for that matter. In fact, I hardly told anyone about the impending procedure. I found that on some levels, as much as I expose myself through this sort of endeavor— writing—I’m a very private person. I wasn’t telling anybody until I got results. Asking for prayer came to mind, but prayer seems to be one of those pre-surgery kind of things; pre-whatever-kind-of-treatment kind of things. I could pray all day—and my friends with me—they wouldn’t find cancer,
in Libby, which, I would learn, is a fine facility with a great staff. There was no moment when I felt fear about anything having to do with the operation. They got me ready, moved me into the operating room, put a port in my arm, attached a tube from a bottle of something, and I woke up in an easy chair tucked into a nice warm blanket, feeling like I’d just had the best nap of my life. We should all do this. A few minutes later, the doctor stuck his head into my cubicle. “No cancer,” he said, and a few other things I missed completely. All I could do was laugh. I can only think of one set of words I hold more dearly than that announcement and that is, “I love you.” Say it often, friends. Every day. Happy New Year.
“Laudato Si! On Care of Our Common Home,” the acclaimed and controversial pastoral letter by Pope Francis is the subject of a discussion seminar hosted by St. Joseph Catholic Church. The letter addresses the root causes of environmental degradation and climate change, their impacts on the poor, and what we can do about it. This is a spiritual seminar, not a political discussion. The document is written to all people of good will living on the planet, not just Catholics or other Christians. Pope Francis calls the world to acknowledge the urgency of our environmental challenges and to join him on embarking on a new path. The sessions will be held on six consecutive Mondays from Jan. 11 to Feb. 15 at St. Joseph Catholic Church on the corner of Ontario and Lincoln, Sandpoint. A morning session will be held at 10:30 a.m. and an identical evening session will be held at 7:00 p.m. The sessions are free and open to everyone. Phone 208-263-3720 for more information and to reserve your copy of the document.
STAGE & SCREEN
Panida fundraiser features Americana band
By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff
The Panida Theater is ready to celebrate the new year with a little help from popular party band Nu Jack City this Saturday. And when it comes to a good fit, it’s tough to beat the combination of the band and venue. An Americana band through and through, Nu Jack City reaches into the historic sounds of Motown, blues, R&B, soul, rock ‘n’ roll and country for its style. But the self-described Americana party band isn’t one to leave butts in the seats, instead inspiring all the energy you’d expect from a proper shindig. They should pair well, then, with the Panida Theater, an institution similarly committed to honoring history while celebrating the joy of art. Sponsored by Over the Edge Productions Northwest and the Panida Theater, this “Party at the Panida” event should be dynamic enough to
LIVE MUSIC
turday Friday & Sa Beer Hall N ight @ t he BINGO WEDNESDAY @
Beer Ha ll
Friday, Jan. 8 @ 6:30pm
The GROVE BLACK Saturday, Jan. 9 @ 6:30pm
BRIAN JACOBS Plus Cornhole Tournament @ 1pm
Tuesday, Jan. 12 @ 7-9pm
OPEN MIC NIGHT Hosted by Crooked Fingers BREWERY & BEER HALL 220 Cedar St. 209-6700
shake the newly-restored plaster on the ceiling. Nu Jack City is fronted by Max Daniels and Monee Hamm, veteran musicians who know a thing or two about keeping a party going. And if you’ve seen them perform before, it’s worth taking a second look, because the band is constantly adding new songs to their rotation. “When you see a Nu Jack City performance, prepare to be moved as the band shuffles through various musical styles, genres and eras,” the band says on its Facebook page. “Whether it’s old or new, Motown, soul, classic rock, blues, R&B, Top 40 or disco, Nu Jack City delivers a highly entertaining and energetic show that always gets the crowd dancing and wanting more.” The event doubles as a celebration of the new year and a way to support the Panida Theater. If you’ve ever ap-
preciated the historic venue’s contributions to local arts and culture, consider picking up some tickets for a one-of-akind experience.
chased at www.panida.org, Eichardts, Pend Oreille Arts Council, Eve’s Leaves or at the door. The doors open at 7 p.m. and the show starts at 8 p.m.
Tickets are $16 and can be pur-
Jan. 7 & 8 @ 7:30pm
“theeb”
In the Ottoman province of Hijaz during World War I, a young Bedouin boy experiences a greatly hastened coming of age as he embarks on a perilous desert journey to guide a British officer to his secret destination
Saturday, Jan. 9 @ 8pm
Nu Jack City in concert
the Inland NW’s #1 Americana, dance and party band
FRIday, Jan. 15 @ 7:30pm
Michael Seward in concert A panida benefit concert Jan. 21-23 @ 7pm
Banff Film Festival World Tour 2016 Banff Film Festival World Tour is back in Sandpoint tickets available in advance for $16 at panida.org
FAMILY FRIENDLY BREWPUB 312 First Ave.
255-4351
January 7, 2016 /
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FOOD
The Sandpoint Eater Oh Cheeses!
By Marcia Pilgeram Reader Food Columnist I’ve been a devout cheese lover for as long as I can remember. And like any good love story mine comes with some ups and downs. Once I was banned from using the stove when my mother wasn’t home. It didn’t stop me from being innovative in the kitchen, and that’s when I learned that one cannot make a grilled cheese sandwich in the toaster. Who knew the cheese would melt and ooze onto the heating element, causing an electrical short in the toaster (which rendered it useless)? Knowing my affinity for all things cheese, my family just gave me a plethora of professional cheese making supplies. It’s the best Christmas present ever, and I can hardly wait to get started. The last cheese making experience in my house was twenty years ago, and it wasn’t pleasant. We’d acquired a milking nanny goat (that’s another story, brought on by displaced ranch kids who caught me in the weakest moment ever). We didn’t have a lot of use for goat’s milk, and as the milk accumulated in the fridge, Ryanne decided she could turn it into goat cheese. We had no rennet, but a visiting relative told her to just set it in a warm spot near the furnace and let it curdle. Once it curdled, Ryanne hung it from cheese cloth in the garage, with a pan below to catch the whey. The odor was so foul that for months even the car avoided the garage. Ryanne was hard pressed to find anyone, including her own mother, 16 /
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who would sample her wares or whey. We were headed to San Francisco that Christmas, and Ryanne carefully wrapped the disc of goat cheese and delivered it as a Christmas gift to our hostess Amanda (a true food hero), who graciously took a small nibble or two and sang the praises of my young cheese maker. Since then I’ve had many wonderful cheese opportunities and experiences. I once designed food and wine tours for Smithsonian Travel and in my research toured small dairies and tasted every wonderful artisan cheese the Portland area had to offer. I’ve lead cheese tours through Pike Place Market where my small class would learn about local cheeses which we’d take back to their private rail cars for them to sample with Washington wines as the train headed east to Chicago along the route of the Empire Builder. In Chicago I had a wholesale account at a European import market that specialized in cheeses. For many years, I’d carefully select a couple of wheels of cheese to bring back here for my holiday entertaining, always sending a nice wedge home with each guest. A few years later, since Casey was living in Chicago, she took over the task of picking up the eight to twelve pound wheels, packing them into her checked luggage and hauling them home to my waiting arms. As luck would have it, the year her luggage went missing for two days, her holiday wardrobe was sharing space with a luscious wheel of a ripe, triple cream beauty. When Casey was reunited with her luggage and I with my cheeses, it was clear that her days as my cheese mule were over. Turns out there is no way to get the
pungent aroma out of garments that have been co-mingled with over-ripe cheese. Speaking of ripe cheese, after a lovely trip to Paris, Ryanne and I were waiting to board our plane back home, and I had a few Euro burning a hole in my pocket, so I headed into the duty-free shop. I selected a nice little round of Camembert which the clerk officially sealed into a plastic bag with my other duty-purchases. Once we were airborne and had been served wine, I produced my sealed bag of “farewell to France feast,” a baguette, cheese, pate and cornichons to share with Ryanne. As soon as I unwrapped the Camembert and began to spread the oozing cheese onto the crusty bread
Ryanne shot me the “Pilgeram girl look.” While I may have originated that look, it is Ryanne who perfected it. “Mom, put that cheese away,” she commanded. “It smells awful!” It was not as I had envisioned our special girl-time on the flight home. Ryanne stuck her head in an over-sized magazine while I shamefully turned toward the window and ate my cheese in complete silence. I almost always bring back cheese from my travels: Burren Gold from the Aillwee Cave in Ballyvaughan Ireland, Parmigiano Reggiano from Parma, Italy and Menonita Queso from Chihuahua, Mexico are some my most memorable souvenir cheeses. Seems folks are happiest when I do the cheese
hauling and they can just enjoy these pungent cheeses in the privacy of If traveling with cheese seems daunting, you may want to try your hand at cheese making. Locally, proprietor Sherri Remmers of Your Complete Wine Shoppe in Ponderay carries an impressive line of Mad Millie cheese making equipment and supplies. To get started, you’ll find a great selection of raw goat and cow’s milk at Winter Ridge (along with organic rennet). I’ll keep you posted on my progress. Meanwhile, here’s a wonderful winter soup to warm you, Pub House Potato and Cheddar with Guinness.
Pubhouse Potato and Cheddar with Guinness Serve with crusty bread and a Guinness. Or two.
Serves 6
INGREDIENTS: •2 Tbs butter •2 Tbs olive oil •1 medium onion, chopped •2 stalks celery, diced small •6 russet potatoes, peeled and chopped •3 cups chicken (or vegetable) stock •1 cup Guinness extra stout •1 cup *tempered cream
•1 tsp dried thyme •1 tsp salt •½ tsp white pepper •1 cup grated extra sharp cheddar cheese •1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika •Chopped chives for garnish
DIRECTIONS: •Melt butter and olive oil on medium heat in a large, thick-bottomed pot. Add the onions and celery, stir often and cook until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. •Add the diced potatoes to the pot. Add the stock, Guinness extra stout, and thyme. Bring to a simmer, lower the heat, partially cover, and simmer until the potatoes are tender and easily fall apart, about 15 to 20 minutes. Add the cream, salt and white pepper and combine. •If you have an immersion blender (recommended), add the cheese slowly
and blend until creamy and smooth. If not follow these instructions: Remove the pot from the heat. Pour potato mixture into a bowl and let cool for a few minutes. Working in small batches, ladle the soup into a blender, filling the blender bowl only a third full at a time. Add a portion of the grated cheddar to the blender bowl as well. Blend in small batches to purée the soup. •Hold the lid of the blender down (to keep the hot liquid from erupting out of the blender), pulse until smooth. Return
the smooth purée to the soup pot. •Stir in the smoked paprika. Taste for salt and add more if necessary. •Garnish with chopped chives. *I always temper (warm) any cold liquids before I add to a hot pot, it will prevent curdling.
STAGE & SCREEN Banff Mountain Film Festival By Dion Nizzi Reader Conbtributor Since 1976, the Banff Mountain Film Festival has been known as a showcase for the worlds best footage on mountain subjects, sports and adventure. Most film festivals keep things close to home. Cannes stays in Cannes, Sundance stays in Sundance and thus far, the Sandpoint Film Festival remains a local event. In 1986, the Alberta, Canada-based film festival started an outreach program to bring the festival to cities around the globe for those film fans who might not have the opportunity to travel to the mountain area in the Canadian Rockies. Doing so has provided a world class film experience in many local theaters in small towns around the world, including our own. This weekend, for the 19th straight year, Sandpoint has the honor of hosting the event at the Panida on Jan. 21-23. Along with the opportunity to view some of the worlds best sporting and nature lifestyle films, the festival affords the opportunity to contribute to and benefit local and worldwide organizations. A film festival that gives back to the community it visits is a rarity and such rarities deserve to be supported. The best opportunity to support our community through this film festival comes with attending, of course. A part of the proceeds from the three day event, according to the press release, will be directed to help support the North Idaho Mountain Sports Education Fund (NIMSEF) which gives 71 local kids in the North Idaho community the opportunity to ski at Schweitzer. Proceeds also have a bit of a worldwide influence as proceeds also go to support The Sapito Kids Project which funds 37 school age children from Peru with an elementary school education. If three days of world classcaliber mountain sport and nature films supporting local and worldwide organizations isn’t enough, the festival will provide an opportunity for each participant to take home a little festival swag. Jeff Rouleau and staff
from NIMSEF will be on hand running a raffle with some pretty sweet prizes and every person in attendance will be able to take home a packet of “the Kick Ass blend of coffee from award-winning Canadian coffee company Kicking Horse. Some of the films featured are as follows: Thursday night opens with the film “Curiosity,” about ultra-marathoners training for the Ultra-trail du Mont Blanc, a single stage, 104-mile ultra marathon that takes place yearly in France. It’s followed by “Women’s Speed,” a film that focuses on two women shattering the women’s speed record for the ascent on El Capitan. “Voyagers Without Trace” looks to be a fascinating account of a 1938 kayak exploration of the Green and Colorado rivers made by three Parisians who filmed what is considered to be one of the first color adventure films. “The Rocky Mountain Traverse” is showcased as well, a stunning look at paragliding and traversing the Canadian Rockies. Friday night starts with “Darklight,” the sequel to the award-winning ski film “Afterglow.” This time, it’s about winter biking. “Denali” covers an emotional goodbye to an adventurous friend. “The Last Dragons” is an intimate look at an ancient salamander, the Hellbender, slowly disappearing from North America. Friday’s Best Film showcase is “Reel Rock 10: A Line Across the Sky” which follows two climbers traversing the iconic
FIDDLIN’ RED Music Store
Instruments Repairs Lessons
READ
Last year, “Discontent and Its Civilizations: Dispatches from Lahore, New York, and London” showed up on the new acquisitions shelf at the library. It’s a collection of essays and articles by Mohsin Hamid, a US-raised Pakistani who loves all three of his homes. Browse with your thinking cap and a sense of humor: he’s got everything from an account of the weekend “Avatar” opened in Pakistan, to a thorough examination of American drone policies.
A biker spots his landing in the film “Builder.” Photo by Julien Grimard.
skyline of Cerro Fitz Roy for the first time over a period of five days. Another Best Film selection is “Eclipse,” a film about a nature photographers quest to capture a photo of a skier in front of the 2015 solar eclipse in a northern European country. Closing the night is “Bluehue,” winner of a 2014 Women in Adventure Film competition about connecting with nature by swimming nude year-round in mountain lakes in Wales. Closing the festival Saturday night is “The Warmth of Winter,” an artistic shelter from the storms and cold of winter. “The Important Places” is the award winning Best Short Mountain Film that uses old 16-mm film footage to tell the story of protecting the important places in our lives. “Builder” is a fun romp that keeps childhood dreams alive and follows adults as they create some awesome mountain bike trails and tricks. “Unbranded”,
This week’s RLW by Jen Heller
the closing night People’s Choice winner, follows four men and 16 wild mustangs on a journey from the American West to Canada. Crowds, community support, creative films and caffeine: What could be better? No matter your natural or sporting inclinations, or even if you simply appreciate well-made films, there will be something for everyone. The Banff Mountain Film Festival hits the Panida Theater Jan. 21-23, 2016. Tickets are $15 in advance and $19 at the door and are available in Sandpoint at Eichardts, The Outdoor Experience and Burger Express, as well as Zip’s Drive-In in Bonners Ferry. Online tickets can be purchased on the Panida Theater website (www.panida.org) and at the door the night of the events. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. with films starting at 7:00 p.m.
Crossword Solution
LISTEN
I heard my first Ben Howard song at the 2013 Banff film festival, so I think of him every time the event rolls back into town. (“The Wolves” was a cheery soundtrack for some sweet bike stunts by Danny Macaskill). Howard has a knack for making all types of memories beautiful and meaningful, from summer days in “Old Pine” to an untimely death in “Follaton Wood.” Try either of his CDs for a public-appropriate moodlift on a winter workday.
WATCH
Ever looked out the window while idling at the Canadian border and asked yourself, “how does the border stay so brush free—in a line across forests and freaking mountains?” Type “helicopter tree trimming” into your search engine, sit back, and enjoy the show. Aerial side-trimmers answer the question of what would happen if we applied zombie warfare techniques to tall trees, if you’re the kind of person who wonders such things.
111 Church St., Spt, ID (208)946-6733 WWW.FIDDLINREDSIMPSON.COM January 7, 2016 /
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w o N & Then compiled by
Ben Olson
Each week, we feature a new photograph taken from the same vantage point as one taken long ago. See how we’ve changed, and how we’ve stayed the same. Historical information provided and verified by Bonner County Museum staff and volunteers. The Museum is located at 611 S. Ella — (208) 263-2344.
The house on the corner of Church and Fourth streets in Sandpoint, submitted by homeowner Alan Barber. The house was built in 1915 by Charles Olson, owner of the White Swan Bar on First Avenue. This photo was taken by the Long Family.
CROSSWORD
Copyright www.mirroreyes.com
c. 1950
ACROSS
The same house today, over 65 years later.
2016
salubrious
Woorf tdhe Week
/suh-LOO-bree-uh s/
[adjective] 1. Favorable to or promoting health; healthful.
“Many of us begin the new year on a salubrious foot, only to sink back into the same bad habits.”
Corrections: Nothing that we found to report, but that doesn’t mean something didn’t go wrong. 18 /
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1. Contributes 5. Small amount 10. Counterfoil 14. Farm building 15. Serf 16. Prong 17. Decorative case 18. Designed to be filled with air 20. Dawdler 22. Artist’s workroom 23. Obtain 24. Interprets written material 25. The distribution of forces 32. Extraterrestrial 33. Love intensely 34. Not bottom 37. Applications 64. An analytic literary 38. Hot composition 39. Overhang 65. “Iliad” city 40. What we sleep on DOWN 41. S-shaped moldings 42. Master of ceremonies 1. Cain’s brother 43. Belongings 2. Information 45. Something of value 3. Medication 49. Children’s game 4. Catches eels 50. Endurance 5. 30 53. Griever 6. Cleave 57. Chopper 7. Alien Life Form 59. Relating to aircraft 8. Soft drink 60. At one time (archaic) 9. French for “State” 61. Earthquake 10. Not fresh 62. Badgers 11. Leg bone 63. Oceans
Solution on page 17 12. Lacking leadership 13. Ales 19. Brusque 21. Many millennia 25. Apply 26. If not 27. Multicolored 28. Flowing tresses 29. Borders 30. Like the Vikings 31. Attempt 34. Meal in a shell 35. Baking appliance 36. P P P P 38. Since 39. Emigree
41. Sight-related 42. Brother of Jacob 44. Tempestuous 45. Fire residues 46. Cubic meter 47. Chip dip 48. Gives forth 51. Schnozzola 52. Mimics 53. Plateau 54. Close 55. Therefore 56. Optimistic 58. It is (poetic)
People were always talking about how mean this guy was who lived on our block. But I decided to go see for myself. I went to his door, but he said he wasn’t the mean guy, the mean guy lived in that house over there. “No, you stupid idiot,” I said, “That’s my house.”
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