When I was a young writer in my early 20s, I wanted nothing more than to get out in the world and experience what it had to offer. Searching for characters to drop into my novels (which, like many journalists, are all unfinished and live incomplete lives inside my hard drive), I embarked on hitchhiking adventures around the West on a regular basis. While I don’t advocate for anyone to do the same (it was, after all, 15-20 years ago), it was a great way to meet people you might not normally come across — and most of them are a bunch of weirdos.
There was Larry the Mill Worker, who picked me up in Montana still wearing safety goggles on his head. Larry was covered in sawdust and had a Coors tallboy between his legs (otherwise known as a Montana Road Soda). As he sped back onto the highway, the wind came in through the open windows and blew the sawdust around in a persistent cloud that made driving difficult. “See them fool’s grouse?” he pointed suddenly to a couple of birds on the shoulder. All I could see was sawdust. “Know why they call them that?” he asked, and without waiting for a reply, he swerved onto the shoulder and squashed all three birds, who had failed to get out of the way. “That’s why,” he said with a quick nod, sipping his beer.
Then there was Kimmy the Drunk. She picked me up in the Cascades about two hours east of Seattle after a day and a half of slow going through the center of Washington. She drove an old Volvo and smelled like a bar threw up in an ashtray. Before long, I realized she was in no shape to drive, so I asked her to pull over and I took the wheel, driving her safely into the city. After pulling into a city parking lot, I was unable to wake her, so I just left the keys in her lap and walked off, hoping she’d wake up after she sobered up and get home.
I’ve been picked up by drunks, racists, kindly old gentlemen and religious zealots. I’ve gotten rides from cops, hunters, jailbirds and one amorous fellow who tried every trick in his arsenal to woo me into a tryst but finally let me off on the side of the road disappointed when I told him he was barking up the wrong tree. My longest voyage took me from Ohio back to Sandpoint after my college roommate’s wedding. That took a couple of weeks, including the three days I was stuck in a podunk Colorado town, forcing me to call a friend who lived in Park City for a ride out of there. My hottest voyage was through Mexico, from Puerto Escondido to San Cristobal de las Casas where half the time we rode with pigs and trash in the back of asthmatic trucks over jungle mountains and desert plains.
It was an exhausting habit that could be dangerous at times, but I’ll never regret my days on the road.
quotable
“Everyone would like to behave like a pagan, with everyone else behaving like a Christian.”
— Albert Camus
DEAR READERS,
Like most of you, I was shocked by the news of the attempted assassination of former-President Donald Trump on July 13. It’s a sad time for our country right now. There is never a place for political violence in America, no matter what.
It’s time we all turn down the temperature, folks. Full stop. That means all of us, whether you’re commenting on a social media post or standing across the counter discussing news with a neighbor, we all need to do better. The trajectory of the past decade is not taking us anywhere we want to be. There is so much division, so much vitriol and anger inside so many people. It needs to change.
But, I’m no fan of Donald Trump. He’s an authoritarian, a liar, a threat to democracy and he influenced an actual attempted coup on Jan. 6, 2021. Still, he has the right to run for political office and people have the right to support him and vote for him (or neither support nor vote for him) without experiencing violence.
Violence begets violence. Rhetoric designed to ostracize and instill fear is dangerous because it takes hold inside of people and doesn’t let go. There’s a saying on my partner’s wall that I often think of in times like these. It reads, “Be gentle to yourself, be gentle with others.” It’s a simple mantra that doesn’t take much work to implement on a daily basis. We all need to be a bit gentler with one another.
On another note, kudos to law enforcement officials for making an arrest in the suspected arson incident at Army Surplus 1 on July 4 (see Page 4 for a full story). We’re following this story as it develops, so check back in later editions for more information.
Finally, it’s one week until the Festival at Sandpoint kicks off and we enter the musical portion of our summer. We’re stoked for this year’s lineup and will see you all at Memorial Field.
Happy birthday, Liam!
READER
111 Cedar Street, Suite 9 Sandpoint, ID 83864 208-946-4368
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About the Cover
This week’s cover is a photo of a special door in Sandpoint. Can you guess where it’s located? If so, you deserve some garlic fries and a beer.
Suspect in Army Surplus arson makes first appearance in court Judge sets $1
By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff
Fewer than two weeks after a fire destroyed the Army Surplus 1 store at Oak Street and Fifth Avenue during a dramatic July 4 blaze, Sandpoint police announced July 16 that they had identified a suspect in what has been classified as arson.
Jennifer S. Meyer, 50, of Sandpoint was interviewed by the Sandpoint Police Department on July 16 and arrested on suspicion of first-degree arson. She made her first appearance before Magistrate Judge Luke Hagelberg on the afternoon of July 17, where he set her bond at $1 million, citing “great concerns with regard to flight.”
If convicted, Meyer could face up to 25 years in jail, fines of up to $100,000 or both.
The motive for the fire remains unknown, and the investigation is ongoing.
Officials ask anyone who may have spoken with Meyer on July 4 or have any other information to contact the Sandpoint Police Department at 208-265-1482.
Her appearance before the court had been intended as a video conference from the Bonner County Jail, but after being led into the room where the Zoom call was to take place, she could be heard saying, “I can’t do this — no — I can’t do this on video. ... I can’t do video.”
Despite jail personnel urging her to sit for the hearing, Meyer refused to reenter the room, repeating, “I just can’t do this.”
Hagelberg then directed jail personnel to bring Meyer to the courtroom in person
and, after a delay of about 20 minutes, during which two other cases were heard, she arrived in a yellow jumpsuit, wearing orange rubber shoes, and cuffed at both the ankles and wrists.
Upon being seated and asked by the court for her name, Meyer lowered her head onto the table in front of her and refused to communicate.
Surrounded by bailiffs, Meyer remained in that position as Hagelberg indicated that since the court had heard her speak and interact in the video from the jail, “I feel that you can in fact hear.”
Hagelberg read the maximum penalties for first-degree arson and the notification of Meyer’s rights, saying that while, “I do not see that you are communicating with the court,” noted that she had already signed a notification, which explained her rights.
Given Meyer’s uncommunicative posture — and based on her inability to pay — Hagelberg then stated that she qualified for a public defender.
Bonner County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Katie Sherritt lined out the “significant concerns” relevant to the case.
According to Sherritt, Meyer had lived in multiple states and residences and, while no prior criminal record had been found, posed a high likelihood of fleeing the state.
Sherritt said that when a search warrant was served at Meyer’s residence, authorities discovered a bag near the door containing about $1,000, a 9 millimeter handgun and ammunition, $1,200 in silver, vehicle titles,
million bond for Jennifer S. Meyer
passport, birth certificate and college transcript.
Beyond the flight risk, Sherritt pointed to the nature of the crime and the “devastation” it caused to the Rasor family’s lives and livelihood — as well as the grave public danger posed by the fire itself, which in addition to destroying merchandise and personal items caused an unknown, though large, amount of ammunition to explode inside the building.
“She lit this fire at approximately 10:15 p.m. [on July 4] ... which is probably one of the busiest times in Sandpoint,” Sherritt said, underscoring that the blaze took off just as “hundreds or thousands of people are getting ready to walk past that building.”
Deputy Public Defender Jeremy Reagan stated that, “It sounds like she was cooperative,” noting that Meyer went willingly to be interviewed by police.
Hagelberg imposed standard conditions of release, and noted that there were no drug or alcohol allegations against Meyer in connection to the case.
“It is really a miracle that no one was seriously injured or worse,” he said.
Meyer only lifted her head from the table when it was time to rise and leave the courtroom.
Her next court appearance is scheduled for Wednesday, July 31 for a preliminary hearing.
Approached by local media outside the courthouse following the hearing, Rasor said he had no further comment at the time, though posted on his Facebook page later in
the afternoon, in part, that, “If she did this, she needs to pay the penalty for it. It was the wanton destruction of an entire lifetime of work of someone whom I think she did not know. At least that’s my initial assessment because I don’t know her.”
However, he added that he hoped Meyer would find faith in Jesus Christ, “cast her sins upon Him, repent and trust Him to forgive her. I have done this by the grace of God and I know true peace. I would that she would know that kind of peace.”
Speaking to Meyer’s lack of response and communication in the courtroom, Rasor continued, “She is clearly distraught, mixed up and devastated at least as nearly as I can tell by what she now realizes is the complete destruction of her life. I wish that upon no one. I was not given an opportunity to talk with her. But my prayer will be that she hears the gospel and responds to it.”
Outside of Meyer’s business — Bonner Media, a sign and printing company she has owned and operated since
late 2020 — there is scant publicly available information about her.
According to the Idaho Secretary of State’s Office, Meyer’s business lists a mailing address in Sandpoint and registered agent address in Ponderay. However, its principal address is given in Sagle and corresponds to the home address of Steve Johnson, a longtime local resident, former education and political candidate seeking the District 1 Bonner County commissioner seat as a Democrat in the November 2024 general election.
Prior Bonner Media business records available through the Secretary of State’s Office indicate Meyer’s registered office/agent addresses have also included Cocolalla and — from Nov. 30, 2022-Nov. 30, 2023 — Johnson’s address. Johnson told the Reader that he’d already been in contact with SPD about the apparent connection, and said that Meyer rented a room at his family farm between 2017 and 2019, “and when she was here she was
The booking photo of Jennifer S. Meyer. Photo courtesy BCSO.
an earthy-type person; she had quite a garden” and was involved in area farmers’ markets.
“A little over four years ago she kind of quit doing that, so she left the farm and I haven’t had any interaction with her since,” Johnson said.
“I don’t know why she would have kept this address, because it doesn’t make any sense,” he added, referring to the business filings with the Secretary of State. “She hasn’t lived here for over four years.”
During the time that she did live on Johnson’s property, he said he was aware that she’d spent some time in Arizona and never noticed any erratic or otherwise unusual behavior.
“To my knowledge, I never saw or had any indication that she did any drugs or anything,” he said. “It’s just one of those things and you read about it in the paper and you go, ‘Wow, that doesn’t fit with that person.’ If she’d been doing any of those things we wouldn’t have rented to her.”
Johnson added that Meyer “was not political whatsoever — at least not that I ever saw or heard,” and reiterated that she was an “earthy-type person” and “didn’t seem interested in politics at all.”
“It’s just real out of character, unless something really terrible has happened in her life,” he said.
According to the July 16 announcement, Sandpoint police received several tips from community members, which detectives spent days assessing alongside hours of surveillance footage from the incident.
Those tips, video and “good old-fashioned police work” resulted in the identification of Meyer, SPD stated.
According to a previous news release from the city of Sandpoint, footage showed an individual — now suspected to be Meyer — heading east on Oak Street at about 10
p.m., then walking through the parking lot behind Army Surplus and into the alley, where she stopped halfway down the building and approached its south wall.
“After a short period, a flame on the south wall is observed,” the city stated. “The individual is observed stepping back from the flame before walking east to Fifth Avenue and leaving south.”
The recordings shared with the public and media do not depict the start of the fire.
SPD is assisting the Idaho State Fire Marshal’s Office and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with investigating the fire, which authorities announced on July 8 had been classified as arson.
Sandpoint Mayor Jeremy Grimm applauded the Sandpoint Police and Fire departments at the regular July 17 meeting of the City Council, singling out Police Chief Corey Coon as “the man of the hour.”
“Great work Chief Coon on the identification of a suspect in the arson,” he said. “Just tremendous work, thanks to your crew and all those out there protecting us.”
Coon said SPD staff “has done a fantastic job of stepping up, working late hours trying to resolve that case.”
He reiterated that the investigation is ongoing and encouraged the community to assist in gathering information.
“If you know her, if you associated with her, if you have any information that can help us in our investigation, don’t be afraid to call us,” he said, later confirming that tips are made anonymously.
“It helps kind of paint a picture of what’s happening and what’s going on,” he said.
Those with information about the July 4 fire are asked to contact the Sandpoint Police Department at 208-265-1482.
Sandpoint Council approves updated Comp Plan
Revised plan brings city up to date from previous plan, adopted in 2009
By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff
The city of Sandpoint has its first updated Comprehensive Plan in 15 years, after City Council members unanimously approved the final draft of the document at their regular July 17 meeting.
“I am very proud. We all stand on the shoulders of people who have worked on this for years,” Mayor Jeremy Grimm said prior to the vote, which was met with a round of applause from council members.
According to Idaho statute, comp plans must be updated every 10 years so that they retain their relevance to the communities whose growth and development they guide. The effort on the previous plan took 20 months between 2008 and 2009. Achieving the most recent update, however, took much longer.
According to the staff report provided to council members, the process of revising the Comp Plan began in October 2019 — “right within the timeframe described by state law” — and included the swift adoption of a new chapter on the Sandpoint Airport in December 2019.
The project continued at “a fever pace” into the first months of 2020, until the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in the spring of 2020 resulted in a pause that lasted for the following two years. At the same time, “turnover on city staff further stinted progress on the effort,” the staff report stated.
The Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council restarted the project in 2022, with a series of open houses, workshops and even
a full public hearing following in 2023.
The council came close to approving the final draft in October 2023, but tabled the decision to seek further feedback and allow for the new mayor and council members to work on the document.
Town hall-style workshops took place in winter 2023 and spring 2024, alongside three joint working sessions with members of the council and P&Z, during which officials went through the document chapter by chapter, and often paragraph by paragraph.
Those efforts resulted in the final draft approved July 17.
According to a presentation from Community Planning and Development Director Jason Welker, whose appointment to the position by the mayor was confirmed by the council later in the meeting, the plan came to fruition after eight community events; 11 online activities; 31 interviews with stakeholders; 26 meetings of boards, commissions and steering committees; and 1,145 survey responses.
“This draft has seen a lot of refinement,” he said.
The plan consists of about 140 pages including chapters covering community vision, character and design; land
use and growth; housing and neighborhoods; multimodal transportation; parks, recreation and trails; public facilities, services and utilities; jobs and economic development; the airport; and natural resources and hazards.
Welker ticked off the components, noting that the document contains 45 goals, more than 200 objectives, and 60 projects and other plans growing out of those goals and objectives — and were also informed by the city’s various master plans — intended to provide a 20year vision for the future of Sandpoint.
Among the highlights of the updated plan compared to the previous version, Welker noted, was greater emphasis on inclusivity, community engagement, sustainability and resilience, population projections (with a “conservative estimate” of 15,000 residents by 2040), land use and housing, economic diversity and responsive government.
“Since this new council started there’s been a height-
< see PLAN, Page 6 >
Sandpoint City Hall. Photo by Ben Olson.
Belwood Building renovation to receive Orchids and Onions award
By Reader Staff
For the past
47 years, Preservation Idaho has hosted the Orchids and Onions awards, which honor individuals and organizations that have made positive contributions to historic preservation (Orchids) as well as bring awareness to projects that have shown insensitivity to the state’s cultural history (Onions).
The 2024 ceremony will take place on Saturday, Aug. 10 in Pocatello, and include a nomination from Sandpoint. The Belwood Building renovation received an Orchid for Contribution to Historic Preservation, which is “awarded to projects that have been successful in the tasteful restoration, addition or remodel of an existing building (residential or commercial).”
The Belwood Building (located at 301 Cedar St., in downtown Sandpoint) served a lot of purposes in its lifetime. The original building was erected in 1909 and served as a dry goods and grocery store before the St. James Hotel and Williams Mercantile opened on the bottom floor in 1910. The building began its long life displaying furniture in 1916 when Golden Rule Clothing & Furniture opened. It was also a cigar store and a pool hall before the Furniture Exchange opened
on the lower level in 1935.
After several transfers of ownership over the years, Ernie Belwood purchased the building in 1975 and opened Belwood’s Furniture. In 2011, Belwood sold the building to Pend d’Oreille Winery founders Steve and Julie Meyer.
It was the Meyers who spearheaded the renovation project, which preserved several historic elements, including an old mural on the west side of the building, exposed bricks and beams, and recycled scrap metal.
The Belwood Building is the only awardee from Sandpoint and one of only two from North Idaho. Tickets to the awards ceremony in Pocatello are $20 for members, $25 for non-members and must be purchased in advance.
For more information, visit preservationidaho.org.
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:
According to The Guardian, the Group of 20 summit in Brazil this month will consider activating a minimum tax on the super-rich. At 2% percent, $250 billion could be raised annually.
New data from Oxfam, reported by Axios, shows there are now fewer low-wage workers in the U.S. Currently 13% of workers earn fewer than $15 an hour, compared to 31.9% two years ago.
The Republican National Convention, which ends Thursday, July 18, began July 15 with former-President Donald Trump announcing Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, 39, as his pick for vice president. Fox News reported that Vance once stated Trump might be “America’s Hitler.” Historian Heather C. Richardson reports that the VP pick approves of a no-exceptions federal ban on abortion, has said people should stay in violent marriages, praises Project 2025, is pro-Russia, believes the 2020 election was stolen and is backed by the NRA.
A Trump-appointed judge has dismissed the classified documents case against Trump, which included 40 federal charges, ruling the U.S. attorney general had no power to appoint Jack Smith as a special counsel in the case. Other federal courts had explored that argument and dismissed it. Smith is expected to appeal, Newsweek reported. Trump had not turned over the classified material to the National Archives and Records Administration, where they’re required to be deposited, claiming, “It’s not theirs, it’s mine.”
ened emphasis on community engagement,” Welker said, later adding, “The responsive government side is huge.”
Overall, according to one slide shared by Welker, “While the 2009 plan focused on preserving Sandpoint’s small-town charm and managing growth within compact urban centers, the 2024 plan envisions a more inclusive, sustainable and resilient future with a strong emphasis on community engagement, economic diversity and sustainable development principles.”
The council did make a few changes prior to adoption, includ-
ing stressing the urgency of moving forward on upgrades to the wastewater treatment system by making it a short-term priority, creating a separate portion in the implementation plan for the Little Sand Creek Watershed Master Plan and adding the definition of a “heritage tree” to the index.
“This plan represents a unifying document,” Grimm said, later adding that it “represents, in my opinion, our marching orders — all elected officials and employees of the city.”
View the document at bit. ly/3OaBXxH.
According to a wide range of media sources a would-be assassin’s bullet from an AR-15 rifle grazed Trump’s ear July 13 at a political rally in Butler, Penn. One rally attendee died while two others were critically injured. Trump was initially covered by Secret Service agents, but raised his fist and shouted “fight, fight” to the crowd before being taken to a hospital. He was discharged four hours later.
The gunman was identified as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, who shared a home with his parents in an affluent suburb an hour from the rally location. He was killed by agents at the site, where he’d gained a vantage point on a roof fewer than 500 feet from Trump.
Crooks was described as being a staunch conservative who loved history, was bullied in school and mostly wore
By Lorraine H. Marie Reader Columnist
hunting garb. He had no criminal record and was a registered Republican. Several rally-goers had noticed Crooks’ suspicious behavior, as had some in law enforcement. Full investigations have been promised by the Department of Justice and House Speaker Mike Johnson.
President Joe Biden spoke to Trump after the shooting. He said he was grateful Trump was “safe and doing well” and that the rally “should have been able to be conducted peacefully.”
Before there was info on the shooter, numerous Republican politicians blamed Biden, who has pointed out Trump’s authoritarian leanings, which are now more noticeable with the release of Project 2025. Politicians on both sides, and worldwide, have condemned the shooting
Just months before the Trump assassination attempt, Republicans in the Pennsylvania Legislature blocked a ban on the type of weapon Crooks used, and refused to reinstate a nationwide assault weapons ban. Nine states ban AR-15s. Gun massacres fell 37% when the federal assault weapons ban was active, then rose 183% after it expired in 2004.
CNN reported that the U.S. warned Germany that Russia had plotted to kill the CEO of a German defense firm. The firm has produced artillery shells and military vehicles for Ukraine. Germany took action and derailed the plot. For six months, Russia has engaged in a “shadow war” across Europe, including recruiting local arsonists to attack warehouses linked to arms for Ukraine, and to sway public support against Ukraine.
Blast from the past: Prior to his first presidential run, Trump wrote that he supported the ban on assault weapons, as well as “a slightly longer waiting period to purchase a gun.” As president, he and fellow Republicans did not reinstate the nationwide ban on the use of certain automatic weapons. Earlier this year Trump told the NRA that “no one will lay a finger on your firearms” if he’s re-elected.
And another blast: A recent Guardian opinion piece noted Trump’s own supporters have frequently attacked protestors and members of the media, including the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol attack where five people died. At that event, a gallows and noose for Vice President Mike Pence was erected, with a crowd chanting “Hang Mike Pence.”
< PLAN, con’t from Page 6 >
The Belwood Building, after renovation in 2015. Courtesy photo.
Idahoans for Open Primaries initiative qualifies for November ballot
Idaho Secretary of State’s Office announces open primary initiative meets legal requirements for minimum signatures for Nov. 5 general election
By Kyle Pfannenstiel Idaho Capital Sun
A ballot initiative to end Idaho’s closed primary elections and create a rankedchoice voting system for the general election has enough signatures to appear on the ballot for the Nov. 5 general election, the Idaho Secretary of State’s Office announced July 10.
In Idaho, ballot initiatives are a form of direct democracy where the people vote on whether or not to pass a law, independent of the Idaho Legislature.
To qualify for the November election, supporters needed to gather signatures from at least 6% of registered voters statewide and from at least 6% of voters in at least 18 of the state’s legislative districts. To meet the statewide total, open primary supporters needed about 63,000 signatures in total.
Signatures for the ballot initiative were first verified by Idaho county clerk’s offices, according to a news release. Members of the Idahoans for Open Primaries coalition submitted their signatures to the Idaho Secretary of State’s Office for final verification on July 2.
The Idahoans for Open Primaries coalition includes Reclaim Idaho, Mormon Women for Ethical Government, Veterans for Idaho Voters, Republicans for Open Primaries and thousands of volunteers.
“It’s a tremendous achievement for our campaign. Over 2,000 volunteers worked to make this happen. They did it because they believe that all voters, regardless of party affiliation, should be able to participate in every Idaho election,” Idahoans for
Open Primaries spokesperson Luke Mayville told the Sun in an interview.
Arguments in favor and against the initiative are due to the Secretary of State’s Office by 11:59 p.m. (Mountain Time) on Saturday, July 20, the agency stated in a news release. The initiative’s language and selected pro and con arguments will be in a voter pamphlet, which Idaho voters will receive before the general election, according to the release.
The Idaho Republican Party is officially against the initiative.
How does the open primary ballot initiative work?
Under a 2011 state law, political parties do not have to allow anyone who is not formally affiliated with their party to vote in their primary elections.
The initiative seeks to end the closed primary election law that allows political parties to keep independents and other voters from voting in their primary elections. The law also allows parties to choose to open their primary election to other voters if they notify the Idaho Secretary of State’s Office, but only the Democratic Party has opened its primary election.
The Republican, Constitution Party and Libertarian primary elections were all closed, the Idaho Secretary of State’s Office has previously said.
Instead of closed primaries, the initiative would create a single open primary election that all candidates and all voters would participate in. Under that open primary system, the four candidates that receive the most votes would all advance to the general election, regardless of party affiliation.
“We are confident that once voters learn the facts about this initiative, they will be eager to vote for it. We’ve been at events in every region of the state. And everywhere we’ve heard the same thing, which is that it’s not right for voters to be forced to join a party just to exercise their right to vote,” Mayville said.
The ballot initiative would also change Idaho’s general elections by implementing a ranked-choice voting system that is sometimes referred to as an instant runoff.
Under that system, voters would pick their favorite candidate and have the option of ranking the remaining candidates in order of preference — second, third and fourth. The candidate with the fewest votes would be eliminated, and their votes would instead be transferred to the second choice candidate on those voters’ ballots.
That process would continue until there are two candidates, and the candidate receiving the most votes would be elected the winner. Under that system, voters would only vote once.
Idaho Republican Party opposes open primary initiative
The Idaho Republican Party came out in opposi-
tion to ranked-choice voting during the secretive Idaho Republican State Convention last month in Coeur d’Alene. Meeting behind closed doors, delegates updated the Idaho Republican Party’s platform to specifically oppose ranked-choice voting. The platform reads: “The Idaho Republican Party opposes ranked-choice voting and any other iterations of ranked-choice voting such as STAR voting, ballot exhaustion and instant runoff.”
Idaho Republican Party Chairwoman Dorothy Moon could not be immediately reached for comment.
But in a July 3 editorial, Moon said ranked-choice voting “undermines the American concept of ‘one person, one vote,’” and “lacks the transparency needed to ensure our elections are secure.”
“Leftists have long been frustrated that Idaho is a conservative state. Having given up on changing hearts and minds with persuasive arguments, they now want to change the rules of the game. This is part of a long pattern of an insatiable thirst for power: mass mail-in ballots, gerrymandering, unmonitored drop boxes, and even allowing noncitizens to vote,” Moon wrote.
Moon wrote that she’s “confident that Idaho voters will reject this radical scheme in November.”
Even though the Idaho Republican Party voted to oppose ranked-choice voting in the party platform, not all Republicans oppose the initiative. Former Gov. Butch Otter, former Speaker of the Idaho House Bruce Newcomb and more than 100 Republican former office holders and voters have endorsed the ballot initiative.
“Ranked-choice voting is a common-sense reform that gives voters more choice and more voice. The ranking process is really as simple as counting to four. Wherever it’s been implemented, voters have found that it’s simple and easy to understand,” Mayville said.
This story was produced by Boise-based nonprofit news outlet the Idaho Capital Sun, which is part of the States Newsroom nationwide reporting project. For more information, visit idahocapitalsun.com.
Supporters of the Idaho open primary initiative submitted signatures in support of the ballot initiative to the Idaho Secretary of State’s Office on Tuesday, July 2. Photo by Kyle Pfannenstiel/Idaho Capital Sun.
Bouquets: GUEST SUBMISSION:
• “Kudos to Yoke’s Fresh Market in the Bonner Mall and all its employees: Dave, Kathy, Lori, Wendy and all the other employees in the Bakery Department; Yvette, Mandy, Sunny and the rest of the crew in the Deli; Jerry (Produce Manager), and his staff in Produce; Jaime in Health Foods; Tim in Freezer Department; Carla, Jodi, and all the other checkers and baggers. You all provide great service to your customers. One thing about Yoke’s, if you’re looking for a specific item and can’t find it, ask one of the employees in that department if they might have the item you’re looking for in the back. They’ll either know the answer about what’s in their inventory, and/or go check in the back for your item. You all provide great customer service. Thank You, — Michael Harmelin
• A Bouquet goes out to ITD and the Bonner County Sheriff’s Office. I drove across the Long Bridge on July 11 and saw that some moron dumped about 500 aluminum cans along the shoulder of the southbound lane. It looked awful and I resolved to walk that stretch of shoulder with a Hefty bag and pick up all the cans, but I called the sheriff’s office first to inquire if it was legal to walk on the shoulder along the bridge. They told me it had already been called in and ITD was on it. Sure enough, a couple hours later as I returned across the bridge, a work crew was out in the sweltering sun picking up the cans. Nice work!
Barbs:
• I couldn’t help but laugh at the handful of whiners who went onto our Facebook page to cry about the fact that we had pride flags on the cover of last week’s edition. I’ve never been concerned with what bigots think about anything. I’m not about to change now.
Reading comprehension...
Dear editor, Opposition and protests against Idaho’s Library Act Number 710 leave me baffled and wondering if the opposition has actually read the law. Have you?
Opponents shout transphobia and homophobia as drivers of the law. The law makes no mention of transgender and only scant reference to the latter and only in the context of stating materials displaying images or details of sexual conduct, either hetero or homosexual in nature, are inappropriate materials for the children section of the library. Do you disagree with the idea that a 4-year-old should not be able to randomly find such images in the children’s section of a school or library? These same people accuse the law of being a form of censorship, which is either an intentional misrepresentation or proof of their ignorance of the actual law. Not a single item will be removed from a library as a result of this law. This law is about age appropriate materials and is no more about censorship than laws limiting access to cigarettes, alcohol, or firearms to minors are about violating human rights. Thirdly, opponents say they trust their librarians. Why? Are not librarians human beings with varying views and with the potential to foster agendas either to the left or the right? Should parents and the public not have a check on such? If a parent wishes to instruct their 5-year-old on various sexual positions, sadomasochism, or torture, they are free to borrow such materials from the adult section of the library and share them with their children. This law does nothing to interfere with this possibility. Rather it gives the public the ability to request such materials not be available in the children’s section.
David Barnes Sandpoint
Editor’s note: According to House Bill 710, “obscene materials” include “any act of … homosexuality,” alongside a list of other acts up to and including “sexual intercourse” that could be applied equally to any individual or group of individuals regardless of their sexual or gender identity. In fact, while the term “transgender” does not appear in the legislation, neither does “heterosexual.” That the law specifically identifies “any act of … homosexuality” as constituting “obscene
material” is open to broad interpretation. “Any act” of “homosexuality” is exactly what it indicates: from hand-holding among same-sex couples to kissing to getting married. The specific inclusion of the term “homosexuality” in the law only serves to target library materials related to the LGBTQ+ community. That is homophobia. Furthermore, adults — including parents — are not free to “instruct their 5-year-old on various sexual positions, sadomasochism or torture” by sharing such materials with them. Idaho Code 15-1515 makes it a crime if an individual “knowingly gives or makes available to a minor or promotes or possesses with intent to promote to minors, or he knowingly sells or loans to a minor for monetary consideration” materials that include “nudity, sexual conduct or sado-masochistic abuse.” Which is why those materials are not found in the children’s sections of school or public libraries. Finally, there are already long-standing policies in place to challenge library materials on any number of grounds, but lack the profit motive in the form of litigation contained in H.B. 710, which has the result of producing a chilling effect on library procurement. Removing a book from the library based on this law is functionally no different from refusing to put it on the shelves in the first place for fear of legal action rooted in subjective and overly broad definitions of “obscene materials.”
That is censorship.
Support for BTAA…
Dear editor,
This letter is in support of the continued efforts of Better Together Animal Alliance (BTAA) in managing the stray animal population in Sandpoint and in greater Bonner County.
In our experience with BTAA, we have been impressed and appreciative of the professionalism, the compassion, the competence and the knowledge of the BTAA staff. They provide a much needed service, not only to animals but also to the owners of the animals, in our city and county.
Since there is legislation in effect mandating the humane treatment and management of strays in the area, it only makes logical and financial sense to retain BTAA as the provider of such services.
Please contact the representatives below to support BTAA:
Asia Williams: asia.williams@ bonnercountyid.gov
Luke Omodt: luke.omodt@bonnercountyid.gov
Steven Bradshaw: steven.bradshaw@bonnercountyid.gov
You can also contact BTAA to get further information and letter templates: 208-265-7297.
Thank you,
Orlan and Robin Dove Sandpoint
Dear editor, I’ve been out of town for a year and a half and only occasionally have been able to read it online.
But I read the July 11 edition cover-to-cover and was amazed at the continuing excellent journalism.
Kudos! And thank you.
Bill Stuble Dover
More perspective on ‘Society vs. boys’…
Dear editor, Responding to Conor Baranski’s distressing but true column “Society vs. boys” [Perspectives, July 3, 2024]:
For perspective, Susan Faludi’s book Stiffed, The Betrayal Of The American Man is quite illuminating regarding the post WWll economic and social changes that reverberate to this day. Not a quick read, and I despair that many these days will be willing to put in the work to look at the long view of even, to me anyway, recent history. But it’s there to be found. From Harper/Collins, 1999.
Rich Holub Hope
Dear editor,
To support our LGBTQ+ community during the Pride Festival my 9-year-old daughter and I rode around City Beach with a rainbow Pride flag hanging off the back of my bike. A couple of men in a maroon pickup honked, throttled their engine and yelled the worst imaginable stuff at us in public. Shame on you cowards. You’re on the wrong side of history.
Tyler Quintano Sandpoint
BY THE NUMBERS
By Ben Olson Reader Staff
4
The number of votes by which eastern Idaho candidate Ben Fuhriman defeated incumbent Rep. Julianne Young, R-Blackfoot, in the 2024 primary after a recount. Yes, voting does, indeed, matter.
42
The number of Clean Water Act violations that California gold miner Shannon Poe has committed in Idaho since 2014 by dredge mining without obtaining a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit. The 10-year legal battle ended this week after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear Poe’s petition to review a lower court ruling, ultimately fining him $150,000 and banning him from dredge mining in Idaho without the proper permits.
$4 billion
The estimated cost of the proposed 2034 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. By comparison, Russia spent $51 billion on the 2014 Olympics in Sochi and South Korea spent $12.9 billion for the 2018 Games in Pyeongchang. The International Olympics Committee is expected to announce Salt Lake City as the 2034 host at a July 24 meeting.
29%
The share of U.S. households with incomes higher than the federal poverty level, meaning they don’t qualify for government aid programs, yet do not earn enough to pay for basic expenses such as rent, food and child care.
‘Wrong side of history’…
‘The Reader’…
By Emily Erickson Reader Columnist
Emily Articulated
Sandpoint Pride
The first thing I noticed was the security wall which, in all honesty, was a relief. Because, in North Idaho, at an event like Pride, safety doesn’t feel like a guarantee. I sat with that feeling and acknowledged my privilege in only experiencing it fleetingly, and even still, second-hand. Something as unthreatening as a group of people gathering to share in celebration — in pursuit of acceptance and joy — required contemplation of safety. As an ally, it was a brief moment in which I absorbed a fragment of the sentiment many people live with regularly, just for being themselves.
The wraparound security fence was accompanied by Sandpoint Pride’s six-step safety plan and a list of community agreements, including everything from reporting suspicious behavior to refraining from engaging with protestors. These measures proved effective, as there were no incidents throughout the weekend-long event. But more than their effectiveness, these safety measures gave people permission to fully immerse themselves within the event — to be present in their celebration, making even the few protestors’ attempts at shaming attendees pale in comparison to the outpouring of support within the walls.
The next thing I saw was the event’s flag, stirred to fullness by a breeze. The flag featured an eagle, its talons digging into an inclusivity badge.
The eagle, its bird-of-prey nature on full display, had a banner clutched between its beak reading, “To the polls ye folks of pride.” And below it all were the words “Queering Democracy.”
This flag and its symbolism felt significant: a reclamation of the American champion of freedom, repurposed from its often generic and exclusive use to a decree that only those who have felt their freedom threatened can authentically cry.
The flag was designed by former-Sandpoint resident and artist Nellie Lutzwolf, with the concept of “Queering Democracy” described in a statement by the Sandpoint Pride organization.
It read, “We believe people who have been forced to live marginalized lives by a hostile political climate, culture and/or government are better suited to teach others the value and meaning of freedom, safety, and belonging.
“Democracy is not just something that happens on Election Day. It’s how we live in a pluralistic, multicultural society, powered by skills that we learn in order
to facilitate communication, understanding, connection and freedom.”
The last thing I took in before melting into the celebration was the assembled crowd. Teens and 20-somethings lined the front of the large stage, giving way to a mix of families, middle-aged folks and seniors alike. What seemed like hundreds of people gathered in anticipation of the headline event — a Queen B Collective Drag Show — their energy and excitement unifying the otherwise diverse gathering.
Beyond the stage was a sea of booths, food trucks and vendors, stretching the full length between Matchwood Brewing and Evans Brothers Coffee.
On this fourth anniversary of Sandpoint Pride, Event Director Andrea Marcoccio described the sheer force of the community that collaborated in the event. This year, she said, Pride “ attracted more than 90 volunteers and had developed partnerships with everyone, from community members and local businesses to Sandpoint police.”
To maintain the momentum of the event and create a year-round impact, the organization gave away 250 inclusivity flags and called on community members to fly them under the initiative “Operation Rainbow.”
“We ask everyone who takes one of these free flags to hang it in solidarity with the LGBT community throughout our town,” Marcoccio explained. “By doing so, we can demonstrate how bright, vibrant, caring and kind this community is, creating a
safer, more visible and aware environment year-round.”
As the performances began, the energy, bravery and meaning of the event were on full display. With every high kick and powerful lyric, the performers declared themselves unapologetically, taking up the space they so richly deserve.
And in a scene that remains etched in my memory, the crescendo of music, dancing and cheers from
the crowd culminated in a haze of love and community support. Above it all, one attendee hoisted a flag bearing words as determined and important as the person holding it: “Sandpoint, we are here to stay.”
Emily Erickson is a writer and business owner with an affinity for black coffee and playing in the mountains. Connect with her online at www.bigbluehat. studio.
Retroactive
By BO
Emily Erickson.
Science: Mad about
huckleberries
By Brenden Bobby Reader Columnist
Idaho’s state fruit is a thing of natural wonder. Steeped in a sense of legendary mysticism, you hear locals talking about hucks (but never sharing their picking patches) and visitors leaning in to eavesdrop on any juicy details about the delectable morsels.
Did you know that students from Southside Elementary in 2000 were responsible for pitching the huckleberry as the state fruit to legislators? I’m pretty sure I was powerleveling my Feraligatr in Pokémon Silver on Gameboy Color at that time, but you know, priorities!
The Huckleberry is a truly unique plant. Believe it or not, there are actually a wide variety of huckleberries throughout the United States. The particular variant in our backyard is Vaccinium membranaceum, commonly called thinleaf huckleberry, tall huckleberry, big huckleberry, mountain huckleberry and black huckleberry. None of these other names are wrong, so if you hear folks arguing about the etymology of our local berry, let them go at it: that gives you plenty of time to pick more for yourself.
Huckleberries, particularly the kinds that grow around here, are tricky to domesticate. They are very particular plants and require a specific set of conditions to thrive. Huckleberries love acidic soil, which is found in literal spades around here. They also require adequate snowfall to insulate their roots from hard freezes, but like a long cold period to stimulate bud growth. Additionally, they take as long as 15 years to produce their first crop. Blueberries, meanwhile, can go from seed to production in fewer than five years. Economically, it
makes very little sense to produce large-scale domesticated huckleberries unless people are willing to pay an arm and a leg for something they could acquire for free in the wild.
Keeping all of that in mind, a responsible huckleberry picker is one that only gathers what they can realistically consume in order to save enough berries for wildlife and other people. Collecting huckleberries with the intent to sell is strictly prohibited. It’s also bad practice to strip a bush bare, as that will reduce the chance the bush will survive, thrive or propagate new generations of huckleberry into the future. As is true of everything in nature, take only what you need.
Huckleberries ripen during the summer. Unlike blueberries or June-bearing strawberries, hucks will vary their time of ripening throughout the season with fruit at the lowest elevations ripening as early as June, and higher elevations as late as September. This ensures plenty of food for birds and bears throughout the season and gives the plants a wider range.
If you’re ever in doubt when it comes to huckleberries — where to find them, how many to pick or what safety precautions you should take while searching and picking — stop by your local Forest Service ranger station. The rangers have all of the most up-to-date information about huckleberries and the animals that eat them. You can find the Sandpoint Ranger Station on 1602 Ontario St., open between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. every weekday. They’ll give you much better information than anything I could share in this article.
Huckleberries exist in different forms all over the U.S. Eastern huckleberry is largely found south and east of the Mississippi River, while
western huckleberry is unsurprisingly found throughout the Rockies and most of the West Coast. Red huckleberry, V.parvifolium, can be found in British Columbia, California, Oregon and Washington, and is known to be more bitter than the hucks found around here. Evergreen huckleberries, V.ovatum, are found along the Pacific Coast, though their bushes aren’t nearly as plentiful as the ones you find in the Idaho panhandle. This variety produces a dark black fruit in the fall that’s loaded with antioxidants.
Some plants masquerade as huckleberries to the untrained eye. Black nightshade berries are approximately the same size as your average huckleberry with a midnight-black skin. These berries are edible for some, but always carry the possibility of an allergic reaction. The plant looks similar to deadly nightshade, which should never be consumed.
One piece of advice every successful mushroom forager will tell you rings true for berry picking as well: If you’re not 100% certain of what it is, don’t put it in your mouth!
Black nightshade isn’t native here, and has been introduced from Eurasia. An easy way to differentiate black nightshade from huckleberries is to look at how the fruit grows. Huckleberries cluster close to the stem like blueberries, while black nightshade produces little stalks that lift the berry away from the stem. These stems sometimes have a leafy crown around the top of the black nightshade berry.
You may be wondering at this point if huckleberries aren’t economically farmed and you can’t commercially sell what you gather, how do so many huckleberry products end up on shelves? How are huckleberry shakes so popular?
It’s very likely that, despite the huckleberry sale ban, lots still sneak through and end up feeding local economies. Large quantities of mass-produced items like jams and syrups are more likely to be artificially flavored. Artificial flavoring is a tricky thing to talk about in the U.S. Technically, you can create something with “natural flavors” that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re eating what you think you’re eating.
A great example of this is castoreum, a natural flavoring that is used to give raspberry flavor to various things like syrup or yogurt. It’s a natural flavor in the sense that it comes from a natural source — the anal glands of beavers
— but it doesn’t end up in the food naturally, it’s artificially collected and placed there.
Many flavors are artificially synthesized from raw chemicals that are slapped together to simulate the flavor profiles of natural sources. Vanilla can be artificially synthesized, though castoreum is often used instead of chemicals. Despite some digging, I couldn’t discover the chemical origins of synthetic huckleberry flavoring. Much like 3-D printing resin, manufacturers keep chemical compositions close to the vest as trade secrets.
I guess if we want natural flavors, we’ll just have to keep munching on beaver butts.
Stay curious, 7B.
Random Corner
• Abibliophobia is the fear of running out of reading material.
•Harvard University houses four law books that are bound in human skin, which is called anthropodermic bibliopegy. There are several other examples of books bound in human skin, which was mainly done by doctors.
•President Theodore Roosevelt claimed that he read one book every day of his life.
•The longest sentence in English literature belongs to Jonathan Coe, who created a 13,955-word-long monster in his novel The Rotter’s Club. The Guinness Book of Records lists the longest “proper” sentence as one from William Faulkner’s novel Absalom, Absalom! (1,287 words).
•One average tree can make up to 50 books.
•The most expensive book in
the world is Codex Leicester by Leonardo Da Vinci. It was purchased by Bill Gates for $30.8 million dollars in 1994 (worth more than $65 million in today’s value).
•A study by Robert S. Wilson at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago posits that those who read regularly are 2.5 times less likely to be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in later life.
•Like the smell of old books? It’s called bibliosmia.
•J.M. Barrie, who wrote Peter Pan, gave the Great Ormond Street Hospital the rights to his iconic book. The hospital still receives royalties from its sale and licensing, providing an ongoing benefit to the many lives it saves.
•Anywhere from 500,000 to 1 million new books are published annually around the world. If you include self-published titles, that number is closer to 4 million.
Mass voter turnout needed in Nov. election to avoid Trump’s ‘Day 1’ dictator promises
By Gil Beyer Reader Contributor
Voting in the upcoming general election is even more important now than it was before July 1. This November may be the last chance we have to correct the hugely egregious errors made by Congress in 2020 and 2021. If Congress had acted on behalf of the country rather than on party, we would not even have the possibility of having a convicted felon becoming our president.
A president who can now — thanks to the Supreme Court’s July 1 opinion — take bribes in exchange for pardons, could have SEAL Team 6 assassinate a political rival, could order U.S. armed forces to suppress protests or stage a military coup to overturn an election, without any legal consequences to himself.
The Senate had the oppor-
tunity to find the then-president guilty of high crimes and misdemeanors not once but twice — Feb. 5, 2020 and Feb. 13, 2021.
In an astounding display of spinelessness 43 GOP senators voted “not guilty” in the 2021 trial, followed by a veritable word salad of specious justifications of their votes. Idaho’s senators were among that number.
If any 10 of the 43 senators had found the former president guilty on that day in February — just over a month after the MAGA mob’s attack on our Capitol — we wouldn’t be in this cesspool.
Let us not forget our state Legislature, which is directed by the Idaho Freedom Foundation. Not the legislators’ constituents. IFF is a member of the State Policy Network, which is active in all 50 states and its affiliates are especially influential in GOP-con-
trolled states. The results are found in such odious bills as near-total ban on abortions for any reason.
In addition to abortion, Idaho further violates our personal freedoms with bills like H.B. 710. This bill — now an Idaho law — subjects school and public libraries to a potential $250 fine and other legal costs if they refuse to isolate a book into a place where no minors could ever access it, based on anyone (even out-of-staters) finding its contents offensive for any of a wide range of reasons.
When did we give up our freedom of free speech? I have always believed that libraries are meant to expand people’s knowledge horizons — not limit them.
This November may very well be the last time we get to vote. If the former president is re-elected, we should have no doubt that he will do ev-
erything he has said he would on Day 1 of his new term. He is a pathological liar, a narcissist, a misogynist and a convicted felon, but when it comes to doing things to his benefit he will act.
But this cannot be limited to simply defeating the felon candidate. No, voters must go for all the enablers that led to
this mess. Democracy is not a spectator sport. We need to see every registered voter on Nov. 5, 2024 voting in every contested race to make our outrage known. The choice is yours. For your children’s future please choose wisely.
Gil Beyer is a Sandpoint resident.
Sam Owen Fire District holds annual pancake breakfast fundraiser
By Reader Staff
The Sam Owen Fire District will host its 22nd annual Summer Pancake Breakfast from 7:30-11:30 a.m. on Saturday, July 20 at the Sam Owen Fire Station No. 1, located at the junction of Highway 200 and Peninsula Road in Hope. Participants are encouraged to park across the highway at Hope Elementary School (255 Hope School Road).
This family friendly event is a major fundraiser for the Sam Owen Fire Department.
The cost for the breakfast is $5, but donations are greatly appreciated. Proceeds will be used to help purchase firefighter equipment, training equipment and other needs throughout the year.
Courtesy photo.
PSNI sets Cottage’s grand opening event
By Kathy Hubbard Reader Contributor
If you haven’t been out to see Panhandle Special Needs, Inc.’s unique thrift store, now is the time to do it.
The Cottage, full of every household item you could possibly want or need, has moved across the street from its previous location, and the PSNI staff, volunteers and developmentally disabled clients are holding a grand opening on Saturday, July 20 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the new 1407 N. Boyer Ave. location.
Lemonade and cookies will be served while customers shop for slightly used furniture, kitchen tools, china, flatware, clever gifts, books, knickknacks and lots of other unusual items for their homes. For every purchase, attendees will be entered to win a special prize.
Revenue from The Cottage goes to support the special needs population in Bonner and Boundary counties.
Developmentally disabled clients work
at The Cottage to learn all aspects of retail sales. From learning how to display merchandise to helping customers carry out larger purchases, PSNI clients are taught skills that help them become independent members of society. The organization helps more than 200 clients each year learn to live, work and play more independently.
The new location for The Cottage is the first part of the first phase of developing a service complex for the future needs of PSNI. As the nonprofit begins implementing a capital campaign, shoppers at The Cottage will contribute to the effort.
The Cottage is always looking for donations of usable household items, though does not accept mattresses or clothes. Donations can be delivered to 1407 N. Boyer Ave. To get more information and make monetary donations, go to panhandlespecialneeds.org.
PSNI residents celebrate the new location of The Cottage thrift store. Courtesy photo.
Schweitzer announced July 12 that it had purchased Selkirk Powder’s guided backcountry snowmobile and cat ski operations, which gives guests access to additional backcountry terrain just off the backside of the mountain.
“Since the early 2000s, Selkirk Powder has laid the groundwork in crafting unique backcountry experienc-
es just beyond our resort’s boundary,” stated Tom Chasse, president and COO of Schweitzer, in a news release. “We can’t wait to build upon what’s already been established and take the operation to the next level for the upcoming winter season.”
The purchase from Selkirk Powder includes year-round access to the 4,350 acres of backcountry terrain that runs adjacent to the resort’s western boundary. Previously, the company
operated through a long-term concession agreement with Schweitzer and a lease from the Idaho Department of Lands, offering guests snowcat and snowmobile tours that departed from Schweitzer’s summit.
IDL’s land lease has been transferred to Schweitzer and will be used for guided snowcat and snowmobile tours for the 2024-’25 winter season. The six-mile snowcat road provides drop zones to more than 75 west-facing
fall line trails that feature untracked powder fields and glades for intermediate to expert skiers and riders.
Selkirk Powder will continue operating out of a new location near Priest River, accessing a new zone of the Selkirk Mountains: Atlasta-Casey.
More details about the operations will be announced closer to winter opening day, scheduled for Nov. 22, 2024.
Rotary Club of Sandpoint awards $73,000 in scholarships to 35 students
By Reader Staff
The Rotary Club of Sandpoint awarded $73,000 in scholarships to 35 area students in June, distributing funds to support a mix of academic and career technical education. The recipients by school are listed below:
Clark Fork High School — Sarah Flanigan, Wyatt Mintken, Amari Printz-Hay and Eloise Shelton Lake Pend Oreille High School
Harper, Jorden Sheldon and
Sandpoint High School — Noah Arrin, Kody Bocksch, William Clark, Berkeley Cox, Emele Dillion, Ryan Doko, Hailey Fisher, Klein Fragoso, Lillian Giles, Kasten Grim, Keane Haesle, Rylie Hancock, Priscilla Hester, Jett Longanecker, Bret McBrayer, Devin McDaniel, Riley Meyers, Gavin Nicholson, Aurla Palmer, Vivian Platte, Neva Reseska, Damien Rhodes, Grace Rookey, Shane Sherrill, Via Vachon
Update on NAMI Far North Sand Creek Clubhouse
By Reader Staff
The Sand Creek Clubhouse project of NAMI Far North will soon equip a kitchen with support from the Community Assistance League, Angels Over Sandpoint and Selkirk Association of Realtors.
In addition, the clubhouse — which will be Idaho’s first Clubhouse International-affiliated facility providing post-hospitalization care for those living with serious mental illness in Bonner and Boundary counties — will receive furnishings donated by Washington Federal Bank and Winter Ridge Natural Foods.
NAMI’s Sand Creek Clubhouse will be located at 513 N. Fourth Ave. (just north of the K2 Motel), and operate as a day facility with the ability to serve 80-100 individuals in the first year. The opening date for the clubhouse is slated for November 2024.
Clubhouse International is a community-based service that supports and empowers people living with mental illness using psychological rehabilitation and offering a collaborative, restorative environment where members can recover by gaining access to
opportunities for employment, socialization, education, skills development, housing and improved wellness.
NAMI Far North is a local nonprofit organization dedicated to helping improve the lives for those affected by mental illness.
Key contributors to the Sand Creek Clubhouse project include Dawn Mehra, Maria Corsini, Rebekah Little, Catherine Perusse, Cynthia Mason, Sharon Bistodeau, Clark Richman, Lenny Guerro, Donna Brundage, Robert Pierce, Shelley Switzer, Steve Klatt, Victor Vosen, Nancy Schmidt, Kimberly Kempton, Cindy Hall, Joe Wassif, Carla Kirby and Darby Pierce. Kate Mansur, Kailee Stevens and Amy Flint have contributed as grant writers.
“Your trust and belief in our mission are deeply appreciated,” NAMI wrote in a statement. “Our success depends on the ongoing support and feedback from professionals, law enforcement, businesses, grantors, donors and community members like you. ... Thank you for your continued support in making Sand Creek Clubhouse a reality.”
To learn more about NAMI Far North and the Sand Creek Clubhouse project, visit namifarnorth.org.
“Congratulations to these outstanding students, and best wishes to them and all of our area students.”
Kaiden
Quinn Smith
and Noah Wagner North Idaho College — Jada South University of Idaho — Maggie Russel Rotary stated in a news release:
Courtesy photo
OUTDOOR
Bill Borders included in anthology of scary stories from each state
By Ben Olson Reader Staff
The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators recently released an anthology containing a scary story that hails from each of the 50 states in the U.S., plus one each from Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico — and included among them is a contribution from local writer and illustrator Bill Borders.
Illustrated by Solomon Hughes and published by Godwin Books, The Haunted States of America features a diverse range of authors sharing dark, mysterious stories from their home states, each with their own shade of horror. Subjects include haunted bridges, spooky camping outings and paranormal activities sure to give you goosebumps.
Borders, who contributes the “Laughing Matter” comic in each edition of the Sandpoint Reader (see Page 23), was tapped for Idaho’s entry in the scary anthology. Borders’ story “A Legend Resurfaces,” is all about Lake Pend Oreille’s famous monster, the Pend Oreille Paddler.
In his story, Borders shares a haunting tale about young Elliot and his dog Bo rowing his boat through the inky waters at night, only to encounter the legendary lake monster. Or was it just a dream?
When SCWAI announced it would publish an anthology of each state’s scary stories, Borders said the choice of a subject was easy.
“Of course, I thought of the Pad-
dler,” he told the Reader. “That’s the story I wrote. I think they got about 1,200 entries from all around the country and they picked one from each state.”
Borders said he wanted his story to mingle the local lore and truths from our region, so he included details such as the main character carrying a bucket of huckleberries and tidbits about the “shadowy testing site” at the U.S. Navy base south of town. Most of all, it’s a bit of a love letter about our wonderful lake.
“We have such a giant lake and so many people don’t know about it,” he said.
Writing scary stories for a young adult market is a bit like threading a needle, Borders said, because the writer can’t be too graphic or dark, but
Sandpoint Soccer Association hosts Gala for Goals fundraiser
By Reader Staff
The Sandpoint Soccer Association is inviting the community to celebrate and support local soccer players with Gala for Goals, which will raise funds for SSA’s programs and the Field of Dreams sports complex in Ponderay.
Scheduled for Wednesday, July 24 at 6 p.m. at The Homestead Barn at Dover Bay, the event will feature a night of food, entertainment and fundraising.
“Come dressed to impress and enjoy live music, delicious food and exciting auction items,” the nonprofit SSA stated in an event announcement. “We will
also have some riveting entertainment from the sky so stay tuned for more.”
All proceeds will go to supporting the SSA’s goals of promoting youth soccer in the community and fund the goals needed for the Field of Dreams, opening this summer.
SSA encourages attendees to mingle with fellow soccer enthusiasts, meet coaches and support two local athletic causes.
“Let’s come together to kick off a memorable adult-only evening and score some goals for our local soccer association,” the organization stated.
must also produce goosebumps.
“It’s not a picture book meant for 4- to 6-year-olds,” he said. “It’s meant for eighth- to 12th-graders, so you can dial it up a little bit.”
This isn’t Borders’ first foray in children’s literature. His book A Horn is Born came out in 2020 and followed the story of Old Shoehorn, who lived a humble life backstage in a room where musicians prepared for their performances.
To purchase The Haunted States of America or A Horn is Born, check with your local booksellers, or visit online book merchant sites such as amazon.com.
Bill Borders, above, is an author and illustrator who contributed to The Haunted States of America, right. Courtesy photos.
Courtesy photo.
All other photos on page: Scenes from Sandpoint Pride on July 13 at the Granary Arts District. All photos by Racheal Baker.
Top Right: A vintage wooden boat motors under the Bridge Street bridge during the Sandpoint Antique and Classic Boat Show on July 13. Photo by Rich Milliron.
Minvasion
By Ben Olson Reader Staff
Sandpoint will see up to 1,000 MINI vehicles July 19 as road rally passes through town
Sandpoint] they’ll grab a slice of pizza, an ice cream cone, coffee or simply stroll through the downtown area.”
Bigger isn’t always better, but what about a whole heck of a lot of a small thing?
Fair warning to Sandpoint residents and business owners: Friday, July 19 will see upwards of 1,000 MINI vehicles descend on Sandpoint as a cross-country road rally passes through town around lunchtime.
The biennial MINI Takes the States is an 11-day road rally that starts in Albuquerque, N.M. and ends in Seattle. It’s the ninth time this unique rally for MINI owners has taken place, and up to 1,000 vehicles and 1,400 participants are expected to make an informal pit stop in Sandpoint en route from Missoula to Spokane.
“Our participants are encouraged to stretch their legs in Sandpoint before continuing into Spokane,” said Experiential Director Jamey Burrell. “[In
The rally will leave Missoula on the morning of July 19 and is expected to reach Sandpoint around lunchtime before continuing onto Spokane for the evening.
“There isn’t a designated stop point in Sandpoint, but I have reason to believe a lot of our owners will stop on their own in Sandpoint,” said Rob Duda, spokesperson for MINI.
“They’ve probably done their research and realized Sandpoint is a cool town to stop, grab some groceries, check out the local restaurants and bars, antique shops and gas up before heading out.”
The MINI rally is a highly organized event with participants researching parking areas ahead of time, but maybe this would be a good day to leave your vehicle at home and walk to work if you can.
“While many events surely take
place in the Sandpoint area throughout the year, and we’d likely be far from the biggest, we certainly didn’t want ours to catch any businesses off guard or unprepared,” Burrell said.
Translation for business owners: It might be good to keep an extra person on staff around lunchtime on July 19 when the “minvasion” hits.
Duda said while MINI Cooper is the most well known model of the wee cars, there are actually a half dozen different models spectators can see in the rally, including some really small pre-2000 models that were imported from overseas.
“We’ve been doing this every other summer since 2006,” Duda told the Reader. “We take a different route each time. It’s a great way for us to get all of our owners together and rally for a cause.”
The designated charities for the 2024 rally are Keep America Beautiful and the American Camp Association.
For more information about the MINI Takes the States rally, visit minitakesthestates.com.
Ribbon Cutting celebrating new location of Spears Insurance
By Reader Staff
The Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce joined Spears Insurance in celebrating the grand opening of a new location at 100 Vermeer Drive, Suite B, in Ponderay.
Courtesy photo.
Owner Carey Spears welcomed friends, family, clients, staff, chamber ambassadors and a chamber board member with a reception and ribbon cutting.
The 2024 MINI Takes the States rally kicks off in New Mexico. Photo courtesy MINI.
Help us archive the Reader
By Ben Olson Reader Staff
There’s an old saying declaring the news is the “first rough draft of history.” Day by day and week by week, journalists keep track of the constant march of history, be it arts and entertainment events, important news stories, impactful insights and everything in between.
A vital local resource — not only for journalists, but for anyone interested in history — is the historic newspaper archives maintained by the East Bonner County Library District, which contains a digital catalog of past newspapers that stretches from the late 1800s to (almost) the present day. These archives are easily accessible at ebonnerlibrary.org and provide a snapshot of life in Bonner County as it happened during the first draft of history. They can also be quite entertaining.
Another important historic record is kept by the Bonner County Historical Society and Museum, which preserves physical copies of newspapers so they aren’t lost to time.
Recently, Museum Executive Director Hannah Combs reached out to the Reader and asked if we were interested in preserving each edition of the paper for the historic record, starting with Reader 1.0, which lasted from 20042012, as well as the current iteration of the Reader from 2015-present.
It’s an enormous project that will likely take the next year to complete, as well as a modest financial investment. Which brings me to the reason I’m writing this article.
The Reader is looking for local businesses, organizations or individuals who would like to help us cover the costs for archiving the paper. The total amount we’d like to raise is $1,000, which will hopefully cover the cost of expensive archival boxes, as well as labor for an intern to dig through our “morgue” of past editions, collate them according to publication date and finally to hand them over to the museum so they can preserve the editions once and for all before they are destroyed or have grown yellow with age.
Grassroots initiative Library Love Letters focuses on the good
By Soncirey Mitchell Reader Staff
Members of Bonner and Boundary counties have come together in a grassroots effort, Library Love Letters, to lessen the political divisiveness surrounding Idaho’s libraries. The program gives community members the opportunity to share personal stories and letters of gratitude with local libraries, which will then be sent to the librarians and volunteers who work diligently to provide knowledge, gathering spaces and opportunities to learn.
public about our librarians and volunteer board members — which is really a thankless job.”
Larson and fellow organizers Jo Len Everhart, Amy Brown, Clarice McKenney and Nancy Wycoff hope to highlight the programs and amenities that make libraries popular gathering spaces — like tutoring, outreach programs, and free internet and computers — in addition to all the work they put into curating their collections.
Anyone interested in contributing to this project can call Publisher Ben Olson at 208-946-4368 or email ben@ sandpointreader.com. Patrons will have their names, businesses or organizations listed as permanent sponsors for the project whenever it is accessed by the public, and will also be recognized in the Reader for their contributions.
Who knows? Maybe 100 years from now, a future journalist will dig through the digital archives for their own weekly dive back in history to see what people in the 2000s, 2010s and 2020s were up to.
As a bonus, when the Reader begins collecting physical editions for the museum’s archival boxes, we will also collect and distribute our digital copies to the East Bonner County Library District so that the archive will be available online to any and all who want to read it.
Special thanks to Combs at the museum, as well as newly-hired EBCL Executive Director Vanessa Velez, for offering assistance with this project.
“There’s a trend right now, in my opinion, attacking anyone that’s an expert,” said organizer Kathryn Larson, whose campaign fund for the Idaho House 1B seat paid for the program. “We want to shift the stories away from the negative, from planting seeds of doubt in the minds of the
“I want people’s sense, when they think about the libraries, to be incredibly proud in the sense that our libraries are so vital,” said Larson, later adding, “I want to shine a light on, and water, the good things so that we grow more and more, because that’s what our libraries do — they grow our community.”
Visit bit.ly/SendALibraryLoveLetter (this link is case sensitive) to submit your personal story.
Send event listings to calendar@sandpointreader.com
Danceworks Performance
7pm @ Panida Theater
The annual spring/summer performance by Sandpoint dance troupe
Danceworks. Get tickets at door
Game Night
6:30pm @ Tervan Bingo Night 6-8pm @ Idaho Pour Auth.
Live Music w/ AP Collective
5-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery
Live Music w/ Traveling Huckleberries
5pm @ Connie’s Lounge
Live Music w/ Ian Newbill
5:30-8:30pm @ Barrel 33
Live Music w/ Jim Tilden Brown
8pm @ Eichardt’s Pub
Live Music w/ Lost Ox 9pm-midnight @ 219 Lounge Funk, psych, jazz, prog rock and more
Live Music w/ Brian Jacobs
5-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery
Live Music w/ Mobius Riff
5:30-8:30pm @ Barrel 33
Live Music w/ John Minton Trio
6pm @ Connie’s Lounge
Live Jazz w/ Bright Moments
6-8:30pm @ Arlo’s Ristorante
Sandpoint Chess Club
9am @ Evans Brothers Coffee Meets every Sunday at 9am
THURSDAY, July 18
Paint and Sip
5:30-8:30pm @ Barrel 33
Join instructor Nicole Black, who will walk you through a beautiful painting while you sip on wine and snack! $45
July 18 - 25, 2024
Rock Creek Alliance annual party and fundraiser 5-8:30pm @ Matchwood Brewing Co.
A celebration and update on the battle to protect Lake Pend Oreille. Live music w/ Headwaters. Food/drinks
Live Music w/ John Daffron 6-8pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall Rock, folk, classic
FriDAY, July 19
Yoga Feast (July 19-21) @ Eureka Center in Sagle eureka-institute.org
Live Music w/ Bruiser 8:45pm @ The Hive
Live Music w/ Justin Lantrip
7-9pm @ Idaho Pour Authority
Live Music w/ Ken Mayginnes
6-9pm @ 1908 Saloon
SATURDAY, July 20
Sandpoint Farmers’ Market 9am-1pm @ Farmin Park
Live Music w/ Dimestore Prophets 8:45pm @ The Hive, ($5, 21+)
Live Music w/ BTP 6-9pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall
Live Music w/ Scott Reid
7-9pm @ Idaho Pour Authority
Live Music w/ Jim Tilden Brown 8pm @ Eichardt’s Pub
Friends of the Panida yard sale 8am-1pm @ 814 Cedar St.
SunDAY, July 21
Magic with Star Alexander 5-8pm @ Jalepeño’s Up close magic shows at the table
Cottage Market
Monday Night Blues Jam w/ John Firshi
7pm @ Eichardt’s Pub
Tuesday Mystery at the Arboretum: Moths
9am-noon @ Arboretum at Lakeview Park
Hunt for clues about our native moths and their important role as pollinators
Pinochle Wednesday
9:30am @ Sandpoint Senior Center
Sandpoint Farmers’ Market
3-5:30pm @ Farmin Park
Line Dancing Lessons
6:30pm @ The Hive $10 at the door. 21+
Museum History Tour
2:30pm @ 212 N. First Ave. Bonnercountyhistory.org for info
Fireside Dance w/ Lindsey Hoyer
7-9pm @ Pine St. Sled Hill
Live Music w/ Kosta La Vista 6-8pm @ Smokesmith BBQ Classic rock and electric blues
Northwest Winefest July 20-21 @ Schweitzer
Natural Connections classes/workshops 10am-3pm @ Sandpoint Library 10am: Connecting via Two-Way Radio; 12pm: Water! Slow It, Spread It, Sink It; 2pm: Meeting the medicine all around you. ebonnerlibrary.org
Live Music w/ TJ Kelly 6-8pm @ Smokesmith BBQ Americana, rock
10am-4pm @ Farmin Park
New vendors welcome: 509-319-9493
monDAY, July 22
Outdoor Experience Group Run 6pm @ Outdoor Experience 3-5 miles, all levels welcome
7pm @ Sandpoint City Beach 40-min interactive show
Game Night
6:30pm @ Tervan Bingo Night 6-8pm @ Idaho Pour Auth.
Live Music w/ Kerry Leigh 3-5pm @ Idaho Pour Authority
Weekly Trivia Night 6-8pm @ Idaho Pour Authority
Bottle Painting Class
5:30-7:30pm @ Barrel 33 With Creative Soul Collective. $40
Live Piano w/ Annie Welle
5-7pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery
Lovely jazz melodies
Live Music w/ John Firshi 8pm @ Eichardt’s Pub
ThursDAY, July 25
Festival at Sandpoint: Blues Traveler
7:30pm @ War Memorial Field
An evening of blues rock, folk and alt-rock with the return of the iconic sounding Blues Traveler. Gates open at 6pm
Gala for Goals, SSA 6pm @ Dover Bay barn
A fundrasier for Sanpdoint Soccer Assoc. at the Homestead Barn at Dover Bay. $75
Panida tees up Caddyshack for $5 film series
By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff
It’s been 44 years since Caddyshack swung into theaters and, while it didn’t exactly hit a hole-in-one with some critics — earning a nomination in The Stinkers Bad Movie Awards for Sarah Holcomb’s “Most Annoying Fake Accent” — it has remained a steadfast fan favorite.
The film stars Michael O’Keefe as Danny Noonan, who works as a caddie at the snooty Bushwood Country Club to raise money for his college education. Noonan is angling for a scholarship
reserved for caddies, but first needs to gain votes to be considered. To boost his popularity, Noonan volunteers to caddie for the influential — and uber-snobby — Judge Elihu Smails (Ted Knight). That might be the overarching plot, but the film is stolen again and again by Rodney Dangerfield as the boisterous and uncouth Al Czervik, who clearly doesn’t belong among the hoity-toity members of Bushwood, and Chevy Chase as the eccentric playboy and New Age-y golf guru Ty Webb, whom Noonan enlists to help him up his caddie skills.
Finally, there is Bill
Murray’s immortal performance as the semi-deranged groundskeeper Carl Spackler, who carries on a personal war with a destructive and apparently sentient gopher that escalates with disastrous consequences.
Co-written and directed by the late-Harold Ramis, Caddyshack was among Ramis’ first major film projects, setting the stage for a career that included some of the most classic comedies of the late 20th century, like Stripes, Armed and Dangerous, the Ghostbusters franchise, Groundhog Day, Analyze This and its sequel Analyze That.
See the iconic Caddyshack
on the Panida Theater big screen Friday, July 19 as part of its $5 film series. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the
Friends of Hope Cemetery hosting live music at the Old Church in Hope in July, August
By Reader Staff
Over the course of four Saturdays in July and August, Friends of Hope Cemetery will host a concert series benefiting the nonprofit’s efforts to ensure the future of the cemetery through large-scale projects and improvement efforts.
Each of the four live music events will take place at the Old Church in Hope (532 Wellington Place), and begin at 7 p.m. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. each evening.
The Keith Parsons Project — a new collaboration featuring a woven tapestry of original piano and poetry by Lawrence Keith and Dwayne Parsons — will kick off the series on Saturday, July 20. Many will recognize Parsons from his regular piano performances at the
Pend d’Oreille Winery; and, Lawrence, a Hope resident and former poet laureate, will have some of his books available for sale at the concert.
On Saturday, July 27, Wild Oatz — featuring local musicians Andrea Stoffels, Mark McDaniel, Lenny Thorell and Deb Willis — will perform familiar folk and light rock tunes. On Saturday, Aug. 3, the Keith Parsons Project will return to the church stage. Finally, on Saturday, Aug. 10, Mobius Riff will wrap up the series with its signature blend of “eclectic funk ethnic fusion jazz, sprinkled with original seasonings.” The band currently features Denis Zwang on horns, Tom Dubendorfer on strings, Larry Guldberg on percussion and Grae O’Higgins on bass cello.
Due to limited seating, attendees are encouraged to register for the live music events at friendsofhopecemeteryidaho. org under the “Events” tab. Admission is by donation, and funds raised will be used to further FOHC’s efforts to maintain and improve the
including continuing work on Columbaria Park — a section of the cemetery featuring a walking path, retaining walls, benches, memorial plaques and niches for cremated remains. The project began in response to the limited burial space remaining
in the historic Hope Cemetery, and FOHC intends to build on these efforts in the years to come with the help of generous community donations.
To learn more and register for the concert series, go to friendsofhopecemeteryidaho.org.
Northwest Winefest returns to Schweitzer
By Reader Staff
Oenophiles of North Idaho unite! The annual Northwest Winefest returns to Schweitzer on Saturday, July 20 and Sunday, July 21 where attendees can sample wines from around the Pacific Northwest while taking in the views from atop the mountain.
This casual two-day tasting event is a fan favorite for wine
enthusiasts. Attendees can purchase taste tickets and glassware, giving them access to 10 tasting tents and 20 wineries from around the region. Twoounce tasting tickets are available for one for $5, five for $20 and 10 for $30. A custom 15-ounce glass is also available for $45, which includes six two-ounce tasting tickets.
In addition to the tasting, live music will be ongoing
throughout the weekend. Village activities will be in full swing and there will also be chairlift rides to the summit.
The Northwest Winefest hours of operation and a breakdown of events is listed to the right.
Sat. July 20
11 a.m.: Activities open Noon: Wine tasting opens Noon-2 p.m.: Live music w/Sydney Dale 2:30-4:30 p.m.: Live music w/General Mojos 5-7 p.m.: Live music w/Alec Shaw 7 p.m.: Tasting event closes
Sun., July 21
11 a.m.: Activities open Noon: Wine tasting opens Noon-1:30 p.m.: Live music w/AP Collective 2-3:30 p.m.: Live music w/The Sweet Lillies 4-5:30 p.m.: Live music w/The Lowest Pair 5 p.m.: Tasting event closes
Volunteers who helped with a recent Hope Cemetery cleanup. Photo by Jim Howes.
Hope Cemetery,
movie starts at 7 p.m. Get tickets at panida.org or at the door (300 N. First Ave., in downtown Sandpoint).
Courtesy photo.
FOOD & DRINK
Two parts liquor, one part literary criticism
Cocktails to cry into while reading The Lord of the Rings
By Soncirey Mitchell Reader Staff
The Lord of the Rings is my colloquial “Roman Empire” — I’ve thought about it every day since the winter of 2007 and I have no intention of stopping. As I’ve grown up and experienced all the milestones and pitfalls that that entails, my understanding of the story, characters and themes has evolved.
In honor of my long-standing obsession, I challenged myself to use my privileges as a 20-something nerd to see LOTR through an entirely new, adult lens: alcohol. Below are my attempts at synthesizing the essence of Tolkien’s characters into tastes and experiences to develop an even deeper understanding of my favorite story.
Please drink responsibly.
Legolas Greenleaf
“I will leave, I will leave the woods that bore me; / For our days are ending and our years failing. / I will pass the wide waters lonely sailing. / Long are the waves on the Last Shore falling, / Sweet are the voices in the Lost Isle calling...”
— The Return of the King
Ingredients:
2 oz vodka
1 ½ oz nectarine juice
1 oz simple syrup
Fresh rosemary to muddle and garnish
Directions:
Combine ice, vodka, nectarine juice and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker. Using the
back of a knife, crush a small sprig of rosemary to release the flavor, then add to the mix.Shake well and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a sprig of rosemary.
Development:
Legolas is a prince of the Woodland Realm, which is made up of both dark forests and underground halls that are buffeted by Sauron’s villainous forces. The earthy, pine taste of the rosemary evokes his origins in Mirkwood, but its powerful flavor is balanced by the fresh, summer-y taste of nectarine. Though he hails from Mirkwood, Legolas longs for the sea and the eternal summer of the Undying Lands. The nectarine therefore represents his final journey across the sea to Valinor, which marks the end of his time on Middle-Earth.
Aragorn son of Arathorn
“I have had a hard life and a long; and the leagues that lie between here and Gondor are a small part in the count of my journeys. I have crossed many mountains and many rivers, and trodden many plains, even into the far countries of Rhûn and Harad where the stars are strange.”
— The Fellowship of the Ring
Ingredients:
2 oz gin
1 oz fresh lemon juice
½ oz pomegranate liqueur
½ oz honey syrup
Jalapeño to muddle and garnish
Directions:
Combine ice, gin, lemon juice, pomegranate liqueur and
honey syrup in a cocktail shaker. Add a small slice of jalapeño (with or without seeds depending on spice preference) and shake well. Strain and serve in a rocks glass over ice. Garnish with a slice of jalapeño.
Development:
Aragorn’s ascension to kingship marks a resurgence of Middle Earth’s great kings and redemption for the race of men after they succumbed to selfishness and evil 3,000 years prior. Not only is he a member of the Dúnedain — an ancient division of men with extended lifespans — but he was also raised among the immortal elves, meaning he has an inextricable tie to history and legend. His heritage is echoed in the use of pomegranate, which is thought to have been domesticated as early as the fifth century B.C.E. and has featured prominently in the myths of many different cultures. The spice and prickly-ness of the jalapeño, in contrast, represents his hardened exterior, developed over years spent among the Dúnedain as a ranger, roaming the wilderness, protecting the innocent and attempting to escape his forebear’s legacy of failure.
Samwise Gamgee
“The one small garden of a free gardener was all his need and due, not a garden swollen to a realm; his own hands to use, not the hands of others to command.”
— The Return of the King
Ingredients:
2 oz vodka
1 oz pear juice
½ oz fresh lemon juice
½ oz elderflower liqueur
½ oz simple syrup
Lemon slice or edible flower for garnish
Directions:
Combine ice, vodka, pear juice, elderflower liqueur and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker. Mix well and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a lemon slice.
Development:
Sam’s lower status compared to his companions — as well as his boundless optimism and loyalty — often paint him as naive to the pessimistic reader. Nothing could be further from the truth. Sam’s strength lies in his unwavering hope and love with which he is able to save Frodo and withstand the horrors and temptations of his journey. The mix of the autumn flavor of pear with the spring flavor elderflower — both seasons of transition — represents Sam’s consistency and adaptability throughout the perils of the journey to Mordor. Likewise, the light, refreshing flavors not only evoke his vocation as a gardener, but the hope he carries even in the face of certain death.
Frodo Baggins
“I tried to save the Shire, and it has been saved, but not for me. It must often be
so, Sam, when things are in danger: some one has to give them up, lose them, so that others may keep them.”
— The Return of the King
Ingredients:
2 oz whiskey
1 oz apple cider
½ oz fresh lemon juice
½ oz honey syrup (1 part honey, 1 part water)
Hearty dash of Angostura bitters
Apple slice for garnish
Directions:
Combine whiskey, apple cider, lemon juice, honey syrup and bitters in a cocktail shaker. Shake well and serve over ice in a rocks glass. Garnish with an apple slice.
Development:
The deep, intense flavors of Frodo’s cocktail reflect the depth of his sacrifice and the intensity of his quest. The warm flavors of apples, honey and whiskey are deeply rooted in the colder months, especially the transitional period of autumn, during which Frodo undergoes his most life-altering experiences. His journey begins in September when he first comes of age, and later when he departs from the Shire with the One Ring. The flavor of honey evokes the comfort of the Shire and the love of his friends, but that sweetness is balanced with Angostura bitters, which speak to the difficulties of his quest. After Mordor’s destruction, Frodo is unable to find peace in Middle Earth and therefore must depart to the Undying Lands on Sept. 29, sharing a bittersweet goodbye with his friends. The balance of dark and light flavors echoes Frodo’s inherent kindness, as well as his bodily and spiritual sacrifice to save Middle Earth.
MUSIC
The National Parks merges music and the outdoors
By Ben Olson Reader Staff
Some bands sound perfect in a dark, sweaty dive bar. Others are complemented by solitude and a pair of headphones. When it comes to The National Parks, they always sound best out in the great, wide open.
The four-piece band from Utah will play the Festival at Sandpoint Sunday, July 28 in a dual headline show with Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors.
According to frontman Brady Parks, the “outdoors” sound of his music was inspired by his own penchant for getting outside.
“I’ve always loved using nature metaphors in my songwriting,” Parks told the Reader “I grew up outside of Denver and have lived the last 13 years in Utah, so I grew up in the outdoors. It’s always played a huge part in my life. ... We want to be a band that inspires people to get outside with our music, use it for road trips or camping.”
Parks’ songs are wide and expansive, with a warm sound that is the sonic equivalent of your favorite flannel shirt. They touch on various themes, but always embody a love for everything natural and beautiful.
Parks plays guitar and sings, along with writing the songs, while his wife Megan plays violin and bandmates Sydney Macfarlane and Cam Brannelly join with keyboards and vocals, and drums, respectively.
The harmonies of Parks and Macfarlane give the band solid footing in the Americana scene with their special brand of indie folk and a touch of pop added for good measure.
Parks said he started playing music after his mom bought him an old guitar for $10 at a garage sale when he was 13 years old.
“I became obsessed,” he said. “I didn’t learn any other songs, I just learned chords and started writing my own songs immediately.”
After meeting friends while attending Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, Parks kicked off the band’s career in 2012, quickly earning accolades for their clean, accessible sound. After a name change to The National Parks, the band released albums every couple of years, starting with Young in 2013, followed by Until I Live, Places, Wildflower and 8th Wonder. In 2014, their single “As We Ran” — written for the documentary film Love in the Tetons — launched them on a tour around the country.
Parks said he’s thankful for so many opportunities.
“Last year we played Austin City Limits and that was a dream come true,” he said. “We were up on stage and said, ‘Man, this is what we’ve always dreamed about.’ Then we stepped off the stage and saw Maggie Rogers backstage, and The Lumineers played that night. It was really cool to be surrounded by your inspirations.”
Parks said he’s always been
a fan of playing outdoor venues like the Festival at Sandpoint.
“For us, as a band, outdoor shows are what we’ve meant to do,” he said. “There’s something to be said about inside shows when it’s a small room filled to capacity — there’s an incredible energy that comes from that, but our music is meant for wide, open spaces.”
The National Parks recently released the title track from a forthcoming album titled Wild Spirit, and Parks said the band is currently in the midst of its first world tour to support the album, set to release later this year.
The Festival at Sandpoint show will see The National Parks paired with Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors, who are no strangers to Parks.
“We released a song together before we went on tour with them and we got to play it every night,” he said. “Drew Holcomb is one of our heroes and we’re excited to hop up and play on stage with him again.”
While The National Parks
can be classified in the Americana genre, Parks said the band incorporates various elements to its sound, merging indie folk with pop and singer-songwriter storytelling.
“Our new record does dip its toes in country a little bit, too,” he said. “We’re across the board.”
Parks said he’s excited to play his first show in North Idaho.
“It’ll be our first time in Sandpoint and we’re so excited,” he told the Reader. “It’s one of those places when we found out we were going to play there, we were stoked.”
The National Parks will play the Festival at Sandpoint Sunday, July 28 with the general admission gates opening at 6 p.m. and the concert beginning at 7:15 p.m. Visit festivalatsandpoint.com to buy tickets and for more information.
Lost Ox, 219 Lounge, July 20 Dimestore Prophets, The Hive, July 20
Based in Portland, Ore., four-piece Lost Ox traces its sonic roots to the heyday of the 1990s jam bands, as well as the revolutionary psychedelic folkrock of the ’60s. That covers a lot of ground, and it’s no wonder that the band describes itself as “genre-blending,” with everything from funk, psychedelia and jazz to Americana and progressive rock informing its sound. Established in 2017, Lost Ox has released four fulllength studio albums, with the
most recent being Tale of the Fool, which dropped in May, and played hundreds of shows over thousands of miles around the country.
The forecast for Saturday, July 20 has temps pushing 100, so the back patio of the Niner will be the place to cool down and jam out.
— Zach Hagadone
9 p.m., FREE, 21+. 219 Lounge, 219 N. First Ave., 208-263-5673, 219lounge.com. Listen at lostox.com.
The dog days of summer are in full swing and the Dimestore Prophets are headed up from Moses Lake to deliver the quintessentially beachy vibes this weather’s calling for. This three-piece reggae, groove and rock band dole out dance beats that combine a nostalgic, late’90s/early-2000s sound with a Caribbean rhythm and flare — think Third Eye Blind with sand between their toes.
This week’s RLW by Soncirey Mitchell
READ
There’s a misconception that “fantasy” is synonymous with lowbrow writing — R.F. Kuang proves that notion wrong within the first pages of Babel, or the Necessity of Violence. Set in an alternate version of 1830s England, the novel follows linguistic students at the University of Oxford as they learn the magic of silverwork — which has taken the place of coal in the empire’s industrial revolution — and come to understand academia’s complicity in British imperialism. Overall, it’s a stunning critique of racism, colonialism and capitalism.
LISTEN
The indie folk band Birdtalker has become a recent favorite of mine for its intricate lyrics, which reward both casual listening and close reading. Songs like “Blue Healer” and “Heavy” evoke a sense of intimacy and emotional understanding that is often lost in modern music, and the deceptive simplicity of the melodies only heightens the experience.
WATCH
If you’re over 21, grab a drink and hit The Hive’s dance floor Saturday, July 20 for a good, old-fashioned summer party. It’s the perfect end to a day at the beach.
— Soncirey Mitchell
Doors at 7 p.m., music at 8:45 p.m., $5, 21+. The Hive, 207 N. First Ave., 208-920-9039, livefromthehive.com. Listen on Spotify.
I thought Brad Pitt put a stake through the heart of Interview with the Vampire in 1994, yet AMC has managed to bring it back from the dead with a visually stunning and emotionally charged TV adaptation. The show uses historical politics and bigotry — which still haunt our present — to delve into issues of race, sexuality and abuse. Sam Reid and Jacob Anderson are masterful and craft some of the most complex characters on TV today. Watch it on Amazon Prime.
A snapshot of notable live music coming up in Sandpoint
The National Parks. Courtesy photo.
From Northern Idaho News, July 21, 1908
DROWNED IN SAND CREEK
A sad drowning occurred last night at about seven o’clock at the trestle where the transfer track crosses Sand creek just above the city.
Henry Hanson, a lad of seventeen, while in bathing is supposed to have taken cramps while in about six feet of water and drowned. He and two other younger companions were bathing and the younger boys said he attempted to cross the channel of the creek when he went down. He rose the second time and at that they started for the city to summon help.
Word was soon spread and Dr. McKinnon had a rig from the City Stables make the drive to the scene as soon as possible. When the doctor arrived the body had been taken from the water and he did all he could to restore life but too much time had elapsed after going down. Coronor Knapp was also present. After working over the body for some time it was evident that life was extinct so the undertaker was notified. He responded and took the body to the parlors where it was cared for.
The young lad was born in Norway where his parents still live, but has two brothers in this city. The funeral will be held tomorrow at 2:30 o’clock from the Brower undertaking parlors.
BACK OF THE BOOK
Together in the graveyard
By Soncirey Mitchell Reader Staff
There’s a patch of shade behind my house hidden under the drooping boughs of ocean spray shrubs. The only markers now separating it from the surrounding forest are the foxgloves that spring up to paint the patch pink each year, but when I was a child there was a graveyard there.
The dogs belonged to the previous family and must have died 20 years before I was born. By the time I was old enough to remember, the wooden stakes marking their graves had all but rotted away, though one still showed the remnants of the name “Rusty.” As a child, I would often visit them and lay a flower on their resting place — careful not to step on them. I even took my dogs to meet Rusty and his unknown friend to make sure they weren’t lonely.
The dogs were part of my home’s history, and even though I knew nothing more than the fragment of a name, that history was alive for me. Those dogs had loved and been loved, and my 6-year-old mind understood that enough to respect them where they lay long after their families were gone.
We don’t emphasize that connection enough when we learn about our shared human history.
In high school, they showed us pictures of lynchings and men burning themselves alive. We were taught that people died horribly because of racism, colonialism or political differences, but even as we studied their lives, we stripped them of their humanity. They were little more than statistics to
STR8TS Solution
memorize for the midterm.
When we treat our history as a compilation of emotionless facts entirely separate from ourselves, we lose sight of the purpose of remembrance.
We don’t study humanity’s atrocities because we want a good grade, or because we want to make someone feel bad, we study them because we have to remember that every single person who came before us was a human being who loved and listened to music and ate breakfast. They were a neighbor, a spouse, a coworker.
If we forget that they were human, then we’re blindsided when history repeats itself.
When we’re taught to reduce the My Lai massacre or the Shoah to the number of dead, it becomes second nature to do the same with the Israel-Hamas war and any future horrors. Then, even as history unfolds before our eyes, we maintain an emotional distance that allows us to justify inaction.
The fact is the same whether we remember someone as a villain or a victim. We can use words like “monster” to describe Hitler and Stalin, but we have to remind ourselves that they weren’t mythical embodiments of evil sitting on flaming thrones — they were human, and that’s far more terrifying.
When we imagine that the perpetrators of atrocities are inhuman or somehow other, we ignore the warning signs shown by our contemporaries because surely they can’t be evil if they’re a regular at my coffee shop or a member of my community. If they were evil, they’d have devil horns as a tail.
But evil isn’t always obvious. It
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can be mundane. It can even sound appealing, because the uncomfortable truth is that evil is as natural to our species as love. Pretending otherwise is a soothing illusion that welcomes tragedy with open arms and closed eyes.
We are, all of us, together in the graveyard of our history. We have a choice to either see ourselves and our loved ones in the dead, or to pretend that the past, present and future are entirely separate and cannot influence one another. The decision will save or doom us.
If a child can empathize with pets who passed long before she was born, surely in our adult lives we can come to understand the pains and crimes of our ancestors and remember that, due to our shared humanity, we are capable of either continuing or breaking the cycle.
Crossword Solution
If you ever go temporarily insane, don’t shoot somebody, like a lot of people do. Instead, try to get some weeding done, because you’d be really surprised.
Solution on page 22
Laughing Matter
By Bill Borders
CROSSWORD
ACROSS
1.Pertaining to the sun
6.Unit of land
10.Gloomy atmosphere
14.Licoricelike flavor
15.Implored
16.Dogfish
17.Stairs
18.Heap
19.Throw
20.Declutter
22.Regulation
23.Sully
24.Drill
25.Arm or leg
29.Experienced
31.Without a weapon
33.Cravings
37.Yell
38.Visible
39.Movie house
41.Permission
Word Week of the
[adjective] 1. not open to question; indisputable
“Despite Trump’s incessant attempts to paint the 2020 presidential election as a ‘hoax,’ the incontrovertible facts are that it was a free and fair election.”
Corrections: In the news story “East and West Bonner library districts look at redrawing boundaries” in the July 11 paper, we misattributed a quote to EBCL Board Trustee Judy Meyers that was actually spoken by Trustee Joan Terrell. We apologize for the error.
42.Indicates
44.Exploit
45.Uncouth
48.Relating to audible sound
50.Sword handle
51.Cleaning
56.Against
57.Skin disease
58.Audio communication
device
59.Millisecond
Solution on page 22
Solution on page 22
60.Eager
61.Vogue
62.Benefit
63.Where the sun rises
64.Asp or viper
DOWN
1.Cummerbund
2.Aware of
3.In place of 4.Cobras
5.Adjust again
6.Put on
7.Customer
8.Associated
9.Biblical garden
10.Treated condescendingly (British. sp.)
11.Illicit sexual relationship
12.Fine thread
13.Kind of beam
21.Neanderthals
24.Early computer language
25.Craving
26.2.53 centimeters
27.Female horse
28.Stick-shaped roll
30.Go back to
32.Couples
34.Ancient alphabetic character
35.Lack of difficulty
36.Sleigh
40.A skin disease
41.Not strict
43.1000 kilograms
45.Winner
46.Washer cycle
47.Change
49.Grocery carriers
51.Rice wine
52.Mountain pool
53.Thought
54.Pig sound
55.Connecting point
JULY 25 Blues Traveler with Justyn Priest
JULY
JULY 27 Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue with Big Boi
