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PEOPLE compiled by
Susan Drinkard
watching
“Name some sounds that seem sacred or delight your heart.” “Waterfalls, wind, animals. The sounds of nature ensure us that we are alive.” Jimmy Junior Sandpoint
DEAR READERS,
Our indefatigable News Editor Lyndsie Kiebert is taking this week off because she’s getting married on July 24! We’re so happy for you, Lyndsie and Alex. Here’s wishing you guys decades of happiness together. It always makes me feel warm and fuzzy when I see two good people find each other. The countdown to the Festival at Sandpoint has officially begun, with crews beginning to set up the tent, stage and floor plates starting as early as July 23. Next week we’ll have a full section on how to navigate the Festival, how to use their new cashless app and a reminder of all the great shows we have in store for us. Until then, here’s hoping for clear skies.
– Ben Olson, publisher
READER 111 Cedar Street, Suite 9 Sandpoint, ID 83864 (208)265-9724
www.sandpointreader.com Publisher: Ben Olson ben@sandpointreader.com Editorial: Zach Hagadone (Editor) zach@sandpointreader.com Lyndsie Kiebert (News Editor) lyndsie@sandpointreader.com Cameron Rasmusson (emeritus) John Reuter (emeritus) Advertising: Jodi Berge Jodi@sandpointreader.com
“Bird songs, a babbling brook, church bells, the laughter of a child.” Elisabeth O’Meara Lifetime Girl Scout, teacher, Hospice volunteer Sandpoint
Contributing Artists: Sally Park (cover), Ben Olson, Bob Payne, Susan Drinkard, Otto Kitsinger, Jim Healey. Contributing Writers: Zach Hagadone, Ben Olson, Lyndsie Kiebert, Lorraine H. Marie, Emily Erickson, Brenden Bobby, Jen Jackson Quintano, Adrian Murillo, Mike Wagoner, Ranel Hanson, Patty Hutchens, Kelcie Mosely-Morris. Submit stories to: stories@sandpointreader.com Printed weekly at: Tribune Publishing Co. Lewiston, ID
“Elk bugling, organ music and the sound of a waterfall.” Buck Roop Director of nurses Lakeside Assisted Living Cocolalla
“The sound of a snowboard on fresh powder, creeks, the sound of rain and the sounds of performers I heard in Whitefish (Montana) during the three-day festival this past weekend — Colter Wall, The White Buffalo, Tyler Childers, Billy Strings and The Lil Smokies.” Abby Dyk BSU freshman nursing student Sandpoint “The sound of my new tractor running. In the mornings we enjoy the sound of the mourning doves; that is the most relaxing, calm sound there is.” Frank Cafferty Water district operator, farmer Sandpoint
Subscription Price: $135 per year Web Content: Keokee The Sandpoint Reader is a weekly publication owned and operated by Ben Olson and Keokee. It is devoted to the arts, entertainment, politics and lifestyle in and around Sandpoint, Idaho. We hope to provide a quality alternative by offering honest, in-depth reporting that reflects the intelligence and interests of our diverse and growing community. The Reader is printed on recycled paper using soy-based ink. Leftover copies are collected and recycled weekly, or burned in massive bonfires to appease the gods of journalism. Free to all, limit two copies per person.
Sandpoint Reader letter policy: The Sandpoint Reader welcomes letters to the editor on all topics. Requirements: –No more than 300 words –Letters may not contain excessive profanity or libelous material. Please elevate the discussion. Letters will be edited to comply with the above requirements. Opinions expressed in these pages are those of the writers, not necessarily the publishers. Email letters to: letters@sandpointreader.com Check us out on the web at: www.sandpointreader.com Like us on Facebook. About the Cover
This week’s cover of a classic “lost my ice cream cone” moment at City Beach was painted by Sally Park. July 22, 2021 /
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NEWS
‘Turning downtown around’
City presents code changes to clear the way for Sand Creek redevelopment
By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff At its regular meeting July 20, the Sandpoint Planning and Zoning Commission heard a presentation from senior administrators as well as brand-new staff members on sweeping plans for “turning downtown around,” as City Administrator Jennifer Stapleton put it — literally reorienting the downtown core away from First Avenue and toward Sand Creek. Stapleton said that while the city’s purchase of the waterfront property from Bridge Street to Gunning’s Alley in 2016 was first fronted as an effort to improve stormwater management, it also presented the opportunity for redeveloping the space hitherto used as parking into a “park-like setting” for downtown — a vision outlined in the city’s Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Master Plan, approved by the Sandpoint City Council last year. “Our focus and priority with downtown was to treat our downtown as a park, with businesses in it, with residential in it,” Stapleton said. That means, she added, “turning the downtown around so that it faced the byway, it faced Sand Creek, instead of having this single orientation toward First Avenue.” In the presentation, interim Planner Daren Fluke cited a slide with the phrase “Sandpoint = recreation,” stating that the plan encompasses more than the city’s acquisition of Gunning’s Alley, and truly extends from Cedar Street south to Superior Avenue. “Both the city and the community have a keen interest in further improving the west side of Sand Creek,” Fluke said. As interim planner, Fluke follows the brief tenure of Susan Lauinger, formerly of Kirkland, Wash., now of Sandpoint (who served in the position from early-May to mid-June), and Aaron Qualls, who left City Hall after a long career as a P&Z commissioner, City Council member and planner in late-2020. Meanwhile, Stapleton intro4 /
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duced Tess Cooper, currently of Whidbey Island, Wash., though in the process of moving to Sandpoint, who will serve as senior planner with almost 10 years of city and county planning experience. “I’m really excited about … the code revisions and changes that are coming up,” said Cooper. Those changes, however, are a “problem” facing the waterfront project, as Fluke said, in that City Code is getting in the way of the plan — specifically, that Title IX, Chapter 2, Section I-4 doesn’t allow structures to be built within 25 feet of the vegetative buffer from the high water mark of Sand Creek. and the definition of “structure” is too vague, encompassing, as Director of Infrastructure and Development Amanda Wilson cited from current code, “that which is built or constructed,” meaning “pretty much everything on this [map of proposed waterfront redevelopment] would not be possible.” That includes Cedar Street Bridge, she noted. That’s why city staff is proposing amendments to City Code, which would allow for a range of redevelopment projects between Bridge and Cedar streets, from a “plaza gathering area with terraced seat walls” to a “dock/ deck for gatherings” extending about 25 feet into the watercourse to an extended boardwalk with boat tie-up in front of the former Arlo’s restaurant site immediately adjacent to Cedar Street Bridge. Plans also suggest extension of the boardwalk under the bridge to Bonner General Health. On the opposite bank, the plan envisions converting the current parking area south of Bridge Street as either a potential commercial development or — as is preferred by both planners and organizers — the site of the Carousel of Smiles. “The vision of the community is to treat downtown as a park, therefore we need a code that is flexible and thoughtful to integrate buildings into a park-like urban fabric,” Fluke said. “This is fairly common among cities, especially
in the West. … We turned our back on the water.” Wilson nodded to other communities that have developed their waterfronts into park-like amenities, referring specifically to San Antonio, Texas; Napa, Calif.; and Portland, Ore. “You see it around the country,” she said. “It doesn’t scare me at all to change it,” said Maeve Nevins-Lauter of the City Code section. Stapleton announced Nevins-Lauter’s hiring as the new parks planning and development manager at the July 20 meeting. The former will work alongside longtime Parks and Rec. Director Kim Woodruff, but report to Stapleton on matters related to development projects. Nevins-Lauter recently moved to Sandpoint from Anchorage, Alaska, where she also worked on development and planning. Stapleton said that, as a result of the city’s master planning efforts regarding waterfront redevelopment, “We’re starting to see properties changing hands.” P&Z Commission Chairman Welker, in a phone conversation with the Reader, said he wasn’t privy to which properties in that area were on the market. Stapleton likewise told the Reader that “the city has not received any official applications” for the properties in the area, though added that developers are “coming in with our concept and saying, ‘We see alignment with this’ … That plan was also about
spurring economic development.” Some of those applications are anticipated by the city to come to the forefront “within the next six months or so,” Stapleton said. Wilson underscored the attraction of the downtown plan, telling the Reader, “I literally have realtors call me and ask for the master plan.” What that means for existing First Avenue merchants remains to be seen. While city officials said extensive outreach has been conducted among downtown businesses from 2009 to 2019 — expressing support for the waterfront portion of the plan — “it is very reasonable that we will see redevelopment occur,” Stapleton said, referring to the properties on the east side of First Avenue. Asked how waterfront redevelopment might affect parking downtown, Stapleton said the city plans to launch a parking study “in the next few months, and we are going to be looking at parking options and a parking structure at our city parking lot” — an idea long discussed by city planners. “City administration recognizes that parking is a growing challenge around downtown and we need to get moving quickly on some solutions to remedy it,” Stapleton said. Meanwhile, Fluke said, “This is the heart of the town and the regulations are rightfully very rigorous for developing within the Commercial A zone.” Regardless, those regulations
A concept drawing of proposed changes to the Sand Creek waterfront in downtown Sandpoint. Courtesy image. are “outdated,” according to Nevins-Lauter, for the current plan. Planning and Zoning Commission Chairman Jason Welker asked, “Basically none of this could be done with the 25-foot setback?,” to which city staff answered, “Yes.” Welker asked what the city plans to do to protect itself against flood damage, which has occurred repeatedly in Sandpoint’s history. Wilson responded, “I’ll give you the sound bite answer: We’re going to build it correctly.” P&Z Chairman Welker, in an interview with the Reader after the meeting, said the plan, if executed, will “change the character of downtown forever,” and stressed that citizens should be involved with the upcoming public hearing. “There shouldn’t be a rush,” he said. “The urgency of all of this is what concerns me.” The next steps in the process include fine tuning and drafting the text of the code amendments, which will then be noticed prior to a public hearing before Planning and Zoning on Tuesday, Aug. 17. Following that, the proposal will go before the Sandpoint City Council at its regular Wednesday, Sept. 1 meeting at City Hall (1123 Lake St.). In the meantime, city staff stated that full documents will be posted on the city’s website — sandpointidaho.gov — on Tuesday, July 27.
NEWS
Bonner County files complaint against Sagle RV park developer
Summons alleges land owner operated without proper permits and destroyed vegetative buffer zones
By Ben Olson Reader Staff Bonner County issued a complaint for declaratory and injunctive relief against developer Craig Hermsmeyer on July 13 for the landowner’s unpermitted RV park development on Camp Peine Road in Sagle. The complaint alleges that Hermsmeyer has constructed and is operating a multi-space RV park in a residentially zoned area without obtaining any permits from necessary agencies, which include Bonner County, Idaho Department of Lands, Army Corps of Engineers and the Panhandle Health District. The property in question is located on Camp Peine Road in Sagle, near Morton Slough. The Bonner County Planning Department took action after receiving a formal complaint with photos that outlined the construction, including a dock/pier and a new sandy beach, neither of which are allowed under County Code. Count 1 of the complaint alleges that Hermsmeyer has constructed rental spaces designed to accommodate RVs, in violation of zoning ordinances. Count 2 alleges that Hermsmeyer violated the “vegetative buffer management” area on the property, which requires developers to leave a 40-foot buffer zone on any shoreline, as well as requires the landowner to leave non-invasive vegetation intact. The complaint alleges Hermsmeyer destroyed non-invasive vegetation to construct a sandy beach on the property.
Count 3 of the complaint seeks a mandatory injunction for Hermsmeyer to cease operation of the RV park and return the vegetative buffer management area to its pre-existing natural state. Bonner County Planning Director Milton Ollerton told the Reader that Hermsmeyer was served with two stop work orders on June 23 and June 30, both of which were ignored as work continued. Ollerton said obtaining the correct permits prior to building is not only a lawful activity, but helps ensure future developments do not negatively impact the environment. “The permits ensure the project is designed properly and ultimately built according to design,” Ollerton said. “The permits ensure that projects to be built will not cause additional impact [to] the sensitive nature of the environment. For example, when one changes the absorption rate of the soil by removing vegetation and putting in gravel or even a roof, it increases the rate of runoff into the lake or onto another property. The purpose of the design is to slow the runoff so soils and other potential contaminants don’t wash into the waterbody. “Failing to obtain a permit does not allow the design to be studied to ensure compliance with these ordinances,” he said. When asked how Bonner County’s push for “light regulations” regarding building affects developers going rogue without permits, Ollerton said, “Bonner County has always been light on regulation since the county eliminated the
building codes and department in 1997. However, the county has only increased its regulation in the area of wetlands and shoreline setbacks and shoreline buffer. The county has also recently increased its regulation when building on steep slopes.” Neighbors complained about Hermsmeyer’s development, claiming his actions have the potential to set a dangerous precedent if not held in check by the county. “The owner wiped out an inlet off the river at the waterfront,” wrote Bob Payne on a Sagle Facebook forum. “He brought in heavy equipment to destroy the natural aquatic life and vegetation and dredged the inlet so to speak with equipment while the water was down. He then replaced what was dug out with hundreds of yards of sand to create a beach along the entire frontage of the property. No permits of any kind through IDL or Army Corps of Engineers to do so.” Ollerton said if Hermsmeyer ignored the injunction, as he ignored the two previous stop-work orders, “it becomes a contempt of court claim and that carries its own penalties. Additionally, the county could file additional charges and even consider a criminal complaint. Finally, any judgment will include a provision stating that if the defendant violates it in any way or fails to clean the property as directed, the county can unilaterally do the work and bill him for that service.” Hermsmeyer was contacted at his painting company — which has a California business
A new sandy beach has been installed over
license listed, but a Sandpoint non-invasive vegetation at the Sagle property. Photo courtesy Bob Payne/Facebook. mailing address — but did not parts of the property classified reply by press time. “residential.” A staff report filed by the Payne wrote on Facebook Bonner County Planning Departthat the developer must be held ment on Sept. 17, 2020 estabresponsible for violations of lishes that Hermeyer’s property codes and laws. “borders the Pend Oreille River “There needs to be a clear to the west and has lake wetlands message sent that it is not and freshwater emergent wetlands present.” The report claims acceptable to lie and disrespect every law and agencies the applicant requested a width involved from city, county to variance change for the lots on state laws to create whatever the property. development desired,” Payne The report also classifies wrote. “If this [is] allowed then the zoning to be Rural-5, noting that the north part of the anyone with this type of money can move in and build whatevproperty is classified “Camp Peine Church of Jesus Christ of er they want.” LDS,” and the east and south July 22, 2021 /
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NEWS
Rain brings slight relief to area wildfires By Ben Olson Reader Staff
Intermittent smoky skies continue to limit views in North Idaho, as fire crews work to contain a series of wildfires started by lightning that have been burning up Trestle Creek since July 7. A series of thunderstorms blew over North Idaho July 19-20 but no new starts have been reported. Much-needed rain and cooler temperatures blanketed the region on the morning of July 21, bringing some relief to firefighter crews. Air quality was measured in the “good” range, but shifts in wind patterns can cause smoke plumes to quickly move into or out of an area. As of press time, the Trestle Creek Complex fires have burned a combined 436 acres, with a total containment listed at 31%. The Trestle 1 fire is estimated at 97% contained and 27 acres. Trestle 2-5 fires have been listed at 100% contained, and the Trestle 6 fire is still 0% contained with 250 acres burned. More than 130 personnel are currently assigned to the Trestle Creek Complex fires, including eight hand crews and three water tenders. Fire fighting airplanes have also been active on the fires in recent days. According to the Nevada Type 3 Incident Management Team, crews are engaged in line production on Trestle 6, creating fuel breaks along Lighting Creek Road. Mastication is a fuel reduction treatment method that reduces the fuel source along the road to slow the ability of the fire from crossing the road and creek. Because endangered fish species like bull trout call mountain streams and creeks home, crews have taken special
care to keep the fires out of the creeks. Water tenders are required to use fish filters on their hoses when they draft water from the streams to protect native fish species. Trestle Creek Road has been closed just above the Huckleberry Campground and Lightning Creek Road has been closed just above the junction of Rattle Creek Road. Please stay out of these areas and do not go past the closure barriers. North Idaho is currently under Stage 2 fire restrictions, which bans building, maintaining, attending or using a fire, campfire or stove fire. It also prohibits smoking except within an enclosed vehicle or building, a designated recreation site or while stopped in an area at least three feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable materials. Furthermore, Stage 2 restrictions prohibit operating motorized vehicles off designated roads and trails. The Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation implemented a ban on campfires and propane-fueled fire rings within all Idaho State Parks effective immediately. Some of the smoke seen in the region can be attributed to the Burnt Peak Fire located approximately nine miles southwest of Troy, Mont. This lightning started wildfire began on July 7 and has burned a total of 2,104 acres. It is currently listed at 13% containment, with recent cloud cover and high relative humidity reducing fire activity slightly, according to InciWeb. The forecast through next week calls for continued warm weather with little to no chance for rain.
New Fire Chief Gavin Gilcrease welcomed by City Council By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff The city of Sandpoint welcomed its new fire chief July 21 at the regular meeting of the Sandpoint City Council, with Gavin Gilcrease due to take over full-time responsibilities by early-August. “We had over 20 highly qualified candidates from all over the country apply to be our fire chief,” said Sandpoint City Administrator Jennifer Stapleton, adding that, “Gavin was one of the four candidates that we interviewed.” Despite the interview taking place over Zoom, Gilcrease won the wholehearted approval of members of the hiring committee, which included city staff, elected officials and regional fire chiefs. 6 /
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“All of the members of the hiring process were incredibly impressed with Gavin’s qualifications,” Stapleton said. Councilmember Kate McAlister, who served on the hiring committee, told Gilcrease “your sincerity, your experience — it was a pleasure to interview you.” Gilcrease will serve as chief of the Selkirk Fire Rescue and EMS Services, which oversees fire services in the city, Sagle Fire District and Westside Fire District. He and his family will relocate to Sandpoint from Johns Island, S.C., where he served as assistant chief of the St. John’s Fire District. “I just want to say thank you for the opportunity,” he told the council. “I’m truly honored to be here and take the reins as the new fire chief … It’s going to be a very exciting time.”
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: Massive flooding in Europe took more than 200 lives last week when, in some areas, two months worth of rainfall descended in 24 hours. There were landslides, collapsed bridges, washed-out roads, collapsed dikes and destroyed homes, The Washington Post reported. Politicians called for an escalation in efforts to address climate change, noting that such events were likely to increase in intensity and frequency, as climate scientists have stated for years. How climate change causes flooding: Warmer air holds more moisture, making it more likely that a storm will drop more precipitation, according to The New York Times, which explained that every one degree Celsius of warming causes air to hold 7% more moisture. Some scientists think that may cause storms to linger longer. Another possible factor: impacts from rapid Arctic warming that influence the jet stream and weaken Earth’s river of winds, leading to stationary flooding. As well, developments near rivers displace natural absorption of run-off while run-off infrastructure can be inadequate. The Netherlands had less rainfall damage; in the 1990s that country began a Room for the Rivers program to reduce flooding. Europe was not alone. Flash flooding from monsoon rains fell in the Southwest U.S., leaving some city streets mired in muddy waters. In southern Oregon, the Bootleg Fire is so large that it generates its own weather. The blaze, covering roughly the same land area as Los Angeles, has spawned lightning strikes, fire whirls and dangerous downdrafts, The Times reported. From January to mid-July 2021 there were 33,935 wildfires in the U.S., as compared to 27,770 fires during the same time period in 2020, The Guardian reported. Two new studies indicate that having had a case of COVID-19 can provide protection for about a year, according to a report in The WEEK. That protection may span a lifetime, if, like Donald Trump did before leaving office, one volunteers for a COVID-19 vaccination. The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is less effective at preventing the Delta variant, but remains “highly effective” at preventing hospitalization, Politico reported, citing data from both the Israeli health ministry and the U.K. After declining, COVID-19 cases in southwest Missouri began rising in late May. Springfield’s Mercy hospital in five weeks ended up with more COVID-19 patients
By Lorraine H. Marie Reader Columnist
than it had over five months of last year. Cox Medical Center now only has beds available when someone dies. The Atlantic reported that 95% of COVID-19 cases are due to the super-contagious Delta variant, lack of mask use, resisting vaccination (between 20% and 40% are vaccinated), traveling and engaging socially in crowded settings. ICUs are now seeing people in their 20s, 30s and 40s, many with no underlying health conditions and sicker than patients they saw last year. The majority are unvaccinated. The upside: health workers have protective gear. The downside is they are exhausted, with many feeling angry or resentful that they’re putting themselves in harm’s way by those choosing not to protect themselves. There is also resentment that deferred health care is further delayed, with elective patients becoming sicker. Another frustration: Most patients don’t realize that COVID-19 treatments cannot perform miracles, and anyone sick enough to go to the hospital may not come out. As much as 50% of the Missouri’s population remains unvaccinated, but the twoweek process of developing full immunity is likely to be outpaced by the spread of the Delta variant. Now doctors fear a “twindemic” of flu and COVID-19 next season. The National Nurses Union is urging the CDC to reinstate recommendations for using face masks in public or physical proximity to others, even if fully vaccinated for COVID-19. President Joe Biden has proposed major investments in child-care funding and universal pre-kindergarten. Some say mothers should stay home with their kids. The WEEK pointed out that only 14% of American children have a stay-at-home mom. Most families would prefer more home time, but lack of a spouse or low spouse wages necessitate working. Some Republicans have proposed “generous cash donations” to help families, while Democrats are pushing for a higher minimum wage and improved medical safety net, allowing a family to survive on one parent’s income. Blast from the past: Federal government-funded child care programs in the U.S. are not new. During WWII the Lanham Act provided child care for more than half a million children with working mothers. The centers were staffed by well-trained and well-paid educators. Class sizes were limited to 10. Health checkups were provided on site by doctors and nurses. Mothers were even sent home at the end of the day with prepared dinners.
NEWS
Rep. Priscilla Giddings to face ethics committee in August for two complaints The public hearing will be held at 9 a.m. Aug. 2 at the Idaho Capitol in Boise By Kelcie Moseley-Morris Idaho Capital Sun
According to the Idaho Legislature’s House Journal, the House Ethics Committee has received two complaints against Rep. Priscilla Giddings, R-White Bird, alleging conduct unbecoming of a representative which is detrimental to the integrity of the House as a legislative body. The journal states the committee conducted a preliminary investigation and found probable cause exists that misconduct may have occurred regarding a portion of each complaint. The complaints, which were obtained by the Idaho Capital Sun through a public records request, were filed in April and May. The first complaint was filed by Rep. Greg Chaney, R-Caldwell, on April 19 stating Giddings revealed the name and photo of the 19-year-old legislative staffer who accused former-Rep. Aaron von Ehlinger, R-Lewiston, of rape. Giddings posted a link to her Facebook page with the woman’s information. Chaney also wrote that Giddings misled the public by writing “Follow the money!” on her Facebook post and implying misconduct on the part of the Ethics Committee representatives and House leadership. The second complaint, which was filed on May 3, lists two reasons for conduct unbecoming — the first was Giddings’ actions in revealing the legislative intern’s information, and the second was misrepresenting her actions when she appeared before the ethics committee during von Ehlinger’s hearing. Giddings denied posting the information on Facebook and would not
answer when asked if she was the administrator of the page, and the complaint says she can be held in contempt of the committee. The second complaint is signed by many more legislators, including Chaney. In total, 15 Republicans and seven Democrats in the House signed their names, including Speaker of the House Scott Bedke, R-Oakley, and Majority Caucus Chair Megan Blanksma, R-Hammett. “We are looking forward to a transparent and fair hearing,” the members who signed the complaint said in a statement. “We respect the committee’s process and are looking forward to seeing it through to the end.” Giddings announced she would run for lieutenant governor in May, and Bedke announced his own run for lieutenant governor in June. Giddings issued a statement via Facebook on Tuesday afternoon saying the move was “dirty politics” by Bedke as her opponent in the Republican primary election. “It comes as no surprise that Speaker Bedke, who recently announced he is running for Lt. Governor, is trying to use his position and perhaps tens of thousands of your hard-earned tax dollars in a blatant attempt to defeat me, his primary opponent,” Giddings wrote. Annie Hightower, who represented the staffer who was identified by Giddings, told the Sun the committee made the appropriate decision. “People who experience sexual violence choose the majority of the time not to report it for many reasons, one of those reasons being that they are scared for their safety, particularly if it’s someone in a position of power who assaulted them,” Hightower said. “So if
we’re really invested in making sure victims feel safe to come forward, then Rep. Giddings’ behavior needs to be investigated and there needs to be some accountability for it.” Von Ehlinger said he did nothing wrong but resigned his seat after the Ethics Committee voted to have him suspended. Boise Police Department spokesperson Haley Williams told the Idaho Capital Sun on Tuesday that the findings of the criminal investigation of the rape allegation have been referred to the Ada County Prosecutor’s Office for a decision on charges. Emily Lowe, spokesperson for the Ada County Prosecutor’s Office, said the office has received the police reports and further investigation is ongoing. No charges have been filed. Boise State Public Radio also reported an email showed the Air Force Academy was looking into complaints against Giddings, who is a fighter pilot, an academy graduate and a major in the Air Force Reserves. The committee will hold a public hearing on both partial complaints at 9 a.m. Aug. 2 at
the Idaho Capitol in Boise, and if necessary, the hearing will continue on the following day. This story was produced by the Idaho Capital Sun, an independent, nonprofit online news organization delivering in-depth coverage from veteran Idaho reporters on state government and policy. The Idaho Capitol
Rep. Priscilla Giddings, R-White Bird (left) and Rep. Tammy Nichols, R-Middleton, talk at the Idaho Capitol on April 6, 2021. (Otto Kitsinger for Idaho Capital Sun) Sun is part of States Newsroom, a national nonprofit funded by tax-free donations in 22 states. Learn more and follow daily updates at idahocapitalsun.com and statesnewsroom.com.
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CRT flap is propaganda…
Bouquets: • It was a blow when I read that The Longshot will be closing Friday, July 23 after two years of operation. This place has been a refuge for many locals who have enjoyed a quiet refuge from the crowds. It’s one of my favorite places play live music, the silent disco parties were always epic and the staff were always great to chat with. I know how difficult it is right now for everyone, but I just wish I could stop things from changing so fast. Head down and check them out for their last night on Friday. Thanks Brandon and crew for all the good times. Barbs • I keep seeing comments blowing up on social media regarding locals being not-sofriendly to out-of-towners. Some claim to have had soda cups thrown at their cars, others claim the words “Go home” were written on their windshields. I heard with my own ears a woman bellowing “Go back to California,” to an entire parade float on the Fourth of July. I know we’re all a bit frustrated right now, and a little grumbling between friends is not a big deal, but that’s where it should end. Don’t mess with other’s vehicles or make a spectacle of yourself. You don’t have to lay out the red carpet and bow down to anyone who is visiting here, but we should all be respectful of our neighbors, no matter where they come from or why they’re here. I get it; this place is changing at a rapid pace and a lot of the attitudes we’re seeing around town are from the newcomers. But I see attitude coming from locals, as well. That’s not cool. Lead by example. Show people what small town living is all about. Show your class, Sandpoint, and respect everyone until they give you a reason not to. Just because our little town has been discovered doesn’t mean we have to abandon our class. 8 /
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Dear editor, When you ask people about Critical Race Theory, most cannot describe it. Those that do, come up with something that is completely wrong. This is deliberate and it shows the extent to which people respond to propaganda. Christopher Rufo, who brought this obscure academic area of study into the spotlight, made no secret of his intentions. “We have successfully frozen their brand — ‘critical race theory’ — into the public conversation and are steadily driving up negative perceptions. We will eventually turn it toxic, as we put all of the various cultural insanities under that brand category,” Rufo wrote. “The goal is to have the public read something crazy in the newspaper and immediately think ‘critical race theory.’ We have decodified the term and will recodify it to annex the entire range of cultural constructions that are unpopular with Americans.” There it is. Take a phrase and hijack the meaning. Turn it into something so scary that it distracts and divides us. Rinse and repeat. How many will continue to fall for this? Maybe instead of fighting over misleading words, we should be talking to one another and working together. Be sure to seek out pro-education candidates when voting in November and in the years to come. Sylvia Humes Sandpoint
CRT doesn’t mean what some think it means… Dear editor, When I read about discussions of Critical Race Theory I am reminded of the story “The Emperor’s New Clothes.” People are talking about something that does not exist in the way they think it does. What people are saying about CRT would not even be recognized by those who study it. CRT has taken on a strange and menacing meaning and almost supernatural power. Opponents of it claim it can indoctrinate children and lead to the destruction of our country. Like the description of the emperor’s new clothes, the claims about CRT become more and more embellished. The reason for this is the same as in the children’s story. The “Emperor’s New Clothes” is about two swindlers who took advantage of a vain ruler. Others bought into the lie because they did
not want to appear foolish. The truth about Critical Race Theory is that it is not being taught to children but rather is a body of legal scholarship more than 40 years old. Let’s see it for what it is and not be tricked by those who are using it for their own political advantage. Rae Charlton Sandpoint
Two-and-one-half minutes... Dear editor, “Slow down, you’re in North Idaho.” So let’s slow down to 45 miles per hour between Sagle and Dog Beach. Approximately 4.2 miles in total, subtract the Long Bridge, there is a lot going on in that southern section of ~2.8 miles. Many people already drive these busy sections at 45 MPH out of fear, I hear. Just two signs tell us to speed up to 55 MPH — one after southbound traffic merges before entering the Long Bridge. Remember it is 45 MPH clear to Bronx Road! Near the end of the confining bridge, driving intensifies at Lakeshore Drive and stays that way until you arrive at the slow-down to 45, four lanes in Sagle. The other 55 MPH sign is northbound out of Sagle’s four-lane 45. We have been flying along at 65 MPH for miles, suddenly, four lanes appear and a 55 MPH sign. We have barely achieved that when, whoa partner, a 45 MPH sign! Worry not, speed up, the 55 MPH sign blares as we jockey into single file. Enter the ~2.8-mile gauntlet with 16 named roads before the bridge. I’ve been informed that ITD guidelines deem there is not enough traffic to warrant a slower speed limit in this congested section of U.S. 95. Are you kidding me! I like the bridge, however it’s a bit narrow to gawk much at the water with its wind-generated waves or the Selkirk Mountains and the overnight snow levels, both indicators of the flavor of a morning’s adventure at Schweitzer. My calculations indicate that fewer than three minutes are added to our journey at 45 MPH. Let’s make it official: “Slow down, you’re in North Idaho.” Only two 55 MPH signs to change to 45 MPH, the rest is attitude. Paul Dukes Gold Mountain, Sagle
Seeing the good things in our little town… Dear editor, I wanted to let you know how
much my family loves the Reader. It’s the best and has been for years, we look forward to it every Thursday. At this point I wanted to compliment the gentleman Eric Whitworth for his wonderful positive outlook regarding our area. In the “People Watching” section of last week’s paper [July 15, 2021] he focused on the good, 25-cent ice cream, $2 corn dogs and City Beach. He is what I believe Sandpoint is all about. I would rather see a touch of kindness from us than what I have felt has been going on lately. I know it’s not easy to see certain things that make us unhappy, but I really don’t want us to forget just who we are. Things are a little iffy right now with this old world of ours, but we’re very strong people here and I do think we are special. Maybe we could take a little advice from Mr. Whitworth, he’s what I call a special resident here. I’d like to think that people could see more of that in our little town and point out the good things. It would be nice to know that outsiders could go away with a good feeling after leaving here. Sincerely, Shirley Holt Sagle
Obscene flag displays shouldn’t be tolerated... Dear editor, Thank you, Bill Krause for your letter r.e. obscene flags in the July
15 Sandpoint Reader. While I don’t know all the laws or constitutional rights in our country, it seems absurd that you have the right to publicly say or display any obscene thing that you want. I, too, have witnessed the pickup truck and motorcycle doing repeated laps through downtown to assure himself that everybody can see his flags. Would our local police and sheriff be OK with a similar display advocating similar attitudes at them ? I think not. It seems that the new attitude toward anything is that I can do anything that I want to, no matter how obscene it is. We as a society should not accept that. I’m guessing the obscene flag wavers are enjoying the attention they are getting. My initial reaction was to break off his flag pole and beat him with it, like his kind did to the Capitol police on Jan. 6 in D.C., but I’m guessing that he is armed and that he would shoot me. Rather, I will continue to donate money to human rights organizations (Southern Poverty Law Center, Bonner County Human Rights Task Force or other similar organizations) every time I see those obscene flags. Thanks to these morons I am helping fill the coffers of human rights organizations. Is the local law enforcement and citizenry going to just sit on their hands and do nothing? Can we yell fire in a crowded theater? Marty Stitsel Sandpoint
August Parks and Recreation programming By Reader Staff Sandpoint Parks and Recreation will be offering the following programming in August, with online registration currently open for: Adult Doubles Tennis League Subs. The League plays through Sept 22. Warm up begins at 5 pm. Match play begins at 5:30pm. Fee: $5 ($1 non-resident fee) to join the sub list. Ultimate Frisbee League (ages 16+). League play began June 24 and will continue through Oct. 28. Play is 5:30-7pm every Thursday and will take place at either Memorial Field or Great Northern Field 8, depending on weekly scheduling. Fee: $20. Jr. Lifeguarding (ages 12-15). Level 2 meets Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, Aug. 2-13 at the City Beach Lifeguard Shack from 9-10:30am. The class is tailored for 12- to 15-year-olds who are both
strong swimmers and comfortable in deep open water. It will provide an opportunity to learn water safety and guarding basics in an open water environment, while improving swimming ability and stroke mechanics. It will also include “shadowing” of lifeguard staff so participants can gain firsthand knowledge of what it is like to be a lifeguard. Registration Deadline: Sunday, July 25. Fee: $27 ($3 non-resident fee). The city of Sandpoint Outdoor Shooting Range, located at 113 Turtle Rock Road, is open for the season. Range hours of operation are available on our web site on the most currently posted range calendar. For Parks and Rec. program registration, shooting range hours of operation and other community programs visit the Sandpoint Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces website at sandpointidaho.gov/parksrecreation; visit the Parks and Rec. office at 1123 Lake St.; or call 208-263-3613.
PERSPECTIVES
Emily Articulated
A column by and about Millennials
Alaska By Emily Erickson Reader Columnist I spent the past two weeks touring Alaska — chasing clear, sunny days and plotting map points in coastal fishing towns, quirky backpacking communities, state parks, national parks, reserves and small urban centers. Borrowing a friend’s converted camper truck (a custom platform built into the bed of an old pickup), sleeping anywhere we could squeeze four wheels, my partner and I were granted long adventure days, made even longer by the gift of the midnight sun. We crossed boulder fields in pursuit of incandescent turquoise alpine lakes, strung climbing ropes from broad mountain faces, shimmied through slot canyons ending in gushing waterfalls, strapped crampons to our feet and — ice tools in hand — scaled glacier walls, topping off our evenings with steep hikes to vast mountain views. More than pursuing recreation, the two weeks out of regular routines and rhythms of daily life — gazing into the swirl and of campfire flames or meandering along slow, curving roads — afforded space for contemplation, perspective and gentle curiosity. The thoughts bred from our wideopen days are just
Emily Erickson. as much etched into the memories of our trip as the mountainscapes and coastal vistas. Travel can bring out the worst in people, like the guy who dismissed the unwritten rules of deplaning, shouldering his way up the airplane’s aisle well before the people in the rows in front of him had a chance to stand up. I also noticed how travel can bring out the best in people, like the lady in the seat next to me, who chatted in excited, nervous wonder about places she’d never been, but soon would see. I wondered what it was about being surrounded by untouched
land and rugged beauty that fills people with that specific cocktail of awe and humility. As a mama grizzly padded the dirt next to our transit bus, a fierce protectiveness in her eyes for her shaggy blonde cub waddling at her side, I thought it had to do something with not being at the top of the food chain. As the waves crashed against the sides of our water taxi, I thought it also had something to do with being at the mercy of a world so much bigger and more powerful than ourselves. I thought about the lack of development in the area, begetting heartier humans; how the further from amenities we are, the more self-sufficient we must be. Watching a toddler embrace the chill of a glacier-fed river — with a beaming, shivering, smile on her face — I realized heartiness wasn’t always as obvious as being skilled with a fishing pole or knowing the correct way to interact with wildlife. I was reminded that generosity breeds generosity and stillness is required for rest. In the gifts of a bed for a night, directions to a local’s-only trail-
head or a picked-up beer tab, I was filled with the warm desire to repay people for gifts that aren’t easily repaid. By slowing down to watch the boats coming into the harbor, their steady cadence only disrupted by the playful paths of sea otters, I felt the rare clarity and ease of an empty, contented mind. Finally, our time spent, the open schedules and an untethered compass made me appreciate the comforts of home. Driving over the Long
Bridge, with the mountain backdrop looking smaller but somehow mine, I felt the familiar framework of my regular life falling back into place. As we pulled into our driveway, our little black cat greeted us with anticipatory meows and our dog’s head poked into our bedside window. In a final moment of vacation, I thought about all the beauty wrapped inside travel and adventure, and the easy bliss of returning home. It feels good to come home.
Retroactive
By BO
July 22, 2021 /
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Mad about Science:
Brought to you by:
magic
By Brenden Bobby Reader Columnist We’ve all seen at least one magic performance in our lives. It may be difficult to explain, but it happens reliably again and again for our entertainment. If you think about it, performing entertaining magic tricks is a lot like the internet in that regard: difficult to explain, but easy to enjoy. Any trick that has been performed has not broken any laws of physics or it wouldn’t have been performed at all. This statement should not be confused with the idea that performing magic is entirely safe, but anything can be dangerous with enough applied force. Magic as a performing art has a long history, being first recorded around 2700 BCE in Egypt, though it’s likely it was performed to some degree well before anyone started writing it down. Some of the earliest forms of magic tricks are reflective of what we still see today, albeit some variations were considerably more macabre. While the “cups and balls” routine likely hasn’t changed much in 5,000 years, animal illusions certainly have. It’s common now for magicians to showcase an empty hat to the audience, and then suddenly release birds or a rabbit from within. The illusionists of ancient Egypt would decapitate the animal, replace the head and it would mysteriously return to life — though it’s believed this was largely played up in the record to make the magic seem more miraculous 10 /
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and fantastic. In the centuries following the fall of the Roman Empire, which would come to be known as the “Dark Ages,” the practice of magic as entertainment fell into steep decline. The spread of the Catholic Church’s influence throughout Europe, widespread superstition and a general fearfulness of the unknown led to cries of witchcraft in many things related to the illusory arts. Instead, much of what was known of performance magic began to slip into theater performances, which would become more elaborate into the Medieval period, and especially during the Renaissance and Enlightenment, respectively. It was in the early 1700s that magic acts became extremely popular and profitable for some, as famed magician Isaac Fawkes would begin to incorporate contortionists into his acts. At the time of his death, he had accrued a small fortune of ten thousand pounds, which would be over a million dollars today — not too shabby for a performer. The invention of the camera revolutionized and revitalized the art of magic. Harry Houdini would go on to perform a number of tricks on the silver screen, paving the way for today’s titans such as Penn and Teller, David Copperfield and Criss Angel, who have all gone on to take the theatrics and spectacle to new heights. I’m sure you’re reading through this, just waiting for me to spoil all of the tricks. You’ll have to wait a bit longer for that.
The great Harry Houdini. Courtesy photo.
At its heart, magic is performance. It’s a spectacle designed to bewilder and entertain us. Every trick is a theatrical story arc, with dramatic build-up, mystery, and sometimes the macabre. In fact, the tricks that promise to be the most gruesome are often the ones people love the most. Who among us isn’t familiar with the act of a magician sawing through his box, and presumably, his assistant? We know it is safe, but some primal part of our brain still fears and relishes the idea that there may be horrible bloodshed. To my understanding, it’s the same reason most people watch NASCAR. In order for magic to bewilder, it needs a few elements to come together. Your view must be obfuscated in some way and your attention must be misdirected — some skillful performers will feign forgetfulness or distraction of their own to break your attention on the trick just long enough for it to be performed to perfection. It’s a ruse, but it’s always for your entertainment and enjoyment. “So Brenden,” you may ask, “where are you hiding the science of the tricks? When will you tell me how they work?” Well, put simply: I won’t… but the library will. Head into the nonfiction section, specifically the shelves housing 793.8 in the Dewey decimal system, to find a slough of instructional books on the illusory arts. If you’re looking into these just to spoil the tricks, then I feel sorry for you. The fullest enjoyment of these books comes from learn-
ing the tricks and dazzling those around you with skillful displays of roguish guile. I’ll do you one better. Would you like to see an actual magic show, from a nationally acclaimed magician? The Clark Fork Library will be hosting Bob Fellows on Thursday, July 29 at 5:30 p.m. He’s going to saw someone in half, which is certainly something you don’t get to see every
day. If you’re a visitor to the area that hasn’t been through Clark Fork yet, you won’t want to miss this event! The drive along Highway 200 is one of the most beautiful and scenic stretches of road in the country. Clark Fork has some great food, you’ll get to see where I went to school and you’ll even get a free magic show out of the whole deal, so don’t miss out! Stay curious, 7B.
Random Corner Don’t know much about legos? • A Danish carpenter named Ole Kirk Christiansen suffered huge losses after a fire broke out in his woodworking shop where he made furniture. He descended into bankruptcy and decided to start making small wood items in 1932, including toys. He even renamed his company to leg godt (“play well”), which became LEGO. Coincidentally, the Latin word “LEGO” means “I put together.” • LEGO didn’t invent interlocking bricks — the company copied them from a toy that wasn’t patented in Denmark. The original interlocking bricks didn’t include the central bar on the bottom, so they didn’t connect as well. This new innovation by Christiansen is exactly why LEGO was more successful. • LEGO bricks are very consistent, with only 18 bricks out of every 1 million considered defective. The design and manufacture of bricks is also consistent enough to allow bricks manufactured today to interlock with those manufactured in 1958. • LEGO has no military-related sets because the inventor’s policy was to not want to make war seem like child’s play.
We can help!
• In 1997, nearly 5 million LEGO pieces fell into the sea when a huge wave hit the Tokio Express cargo ship, pushing 62 containers overboard. One contained more than 4.7 million pieces of LEGO, much of it sea-themed. Those LEGOs are still washing up on beaches all over the world. • There was once a LEGO video game in devolvement that would allow people to make anything they wanted out of LEGO bricks, but it was never completed because they couldn’t stop people from making penises, even with a dedicated “dong detection” team. • The LEGO Company has a secure, fireproof, temperature and climate-controlled underground vault in Denmark containing every LEGO set ever developed by the company. • Professionals who walk over hot coals and broken glass have confirmed that walking over LEGO bricks is more painful. • LEGOs Minifigures were originally yellow to avoid assigning a specific ethnicity to allow fans to assign their own roles to the Minifigures.
PERSPECTIVES
We make money off dying trees and wildfire-ravaged landscapes. Business booms when there are windstorms and droughts. We are disaster capitalists. Some days, I’m not sure how I feel about this. I love trees and forests. I don’t wish ill upon them, but their loss is a boon to my bank account. How do I reconcile these two opposing realities? We first got into the arborist business partly due to our reverence and respect for trees. Tyler’s first word as a baby was “tree.” In my 20s, I worked for nonprofits trying to stop deforestation. The reality now, though, is that we kill trees on a daily basis. While some of our jobs involve pruning trees, making them healthier and more beautiful, we mostly get calls to remove trees — for the sake of new construction, better views, perceived safety or to remedy the annoyance of falling leaves, needles and fruit. (“Can you inject it with something that will stop it from fruiting?” we were once asked about a mulberry. “The berries stain my driveway.” We injected it with a chainsaw, and that worked wonders.) Calls related to safety and fear have increased since Sandpoint became windy. Prior to the two big windstorms during the summer of 2014, wind didn’t seem to be a factor in people’s landscaping decisions. Coexisting with big trees was a part of living in North Idaho. Now we find ourselves proactively taking out many large, healthy trees in the county because people find it unnerving to sleep beneath a
Jen Jackson Quintano. towering, breakable behemoth. I don’t blame them. In recent years’ windstorms, I’ve seen countless trees topple that previously gave no indication of susceptibility to wind damage. If we can’t absolutely guarantee that a tree won’t come down in a storm — and who can? — clients often want the tree removed. I hate the windstorms. I hate seeing south Sandpoint lose all its stately conifers. I hate being a part of those conifers disappearing. I hate counting the rings and seeing that a tree predated Sandpoint entirely. But here I am, making a tidy sum off of those winds and trees. (Insert hackneyed phrase about how somebody has to do it here.) Interestingly enough, when I was in college, I worked for a nonprofit trying to stop logging on public land. For real. With little knowledge of logging or chainsaws and an idealistic
devotion to forests, we interns would solemnly whisper to one another about how trees scream when you cut them down. I can now attest, with more experience, that I’ve never heard a tree’s tortured moan… but maybe I couldn’t hear through the chainsaw noise. In any event, I somehow went from an uncompromising forest guardian to a serial tree killer. Life is strange like that — the detours we take — but I admit that there is still a bit of that idealist in me, someone who wants to see intact and thriving forests, places where we just leave the trees be. Yet, the other side of our business is also antithetical to thriving forests… at least the kind that will thrive in our lifetimes. We fight wildland fire. When the West is ablaze, our crew is dispatched to help. And this summer is setting up to be a busy one for our water truck, with 72% of the West in “severe” drought and the “Heat Dome” an all-too-recent and disagreeable event. I fear that this is Sandpoint’s summer to join the television footage of devastated forests and gutted neighborhoods. I fear that the disaster that pays our bills may hit a bit too close to home. It turns out that banking on disaster in the American West in 2021 is a good business plan. With a changing climate (I mean, if you believe in that sort of thing), wind, drought and fire will only become more common. This is not the time for Tyler and I to return to our starving-artist roots. This is prime time to…
ummm… profit from climate change? Ick. The sentiment is a terrible one. Is this where I again mention that somebody has to do it? We do what we do because we love being outside. We love the landscapes and treescapes of the West. We do what we do because it is exciting and engaging. And we do it because it makes us some money. In the process, we utilize many internal combustion engines, we burn a lot of fuel, we clear a lot of ground. We are, in our own small way, complicit in the winds and droughts and fires battering our landscapes… if you believe in such complicity. Which I do. So, how does a person hold all that? Where does someone store such complicities and conflicts? Why is it that our depths are always so murky? My idealistic 20-year-old self might be disappointed with her 40-year-old counterpart’s career trajectory. She might cringe at all the tree killing and forest burning and fossil-fuel-guzzling. But
I think she would also delight in the adventure and time spent amid those trees and forests. I think she’d be having fun. Like I am. I think she’d feel more connected to this place. Like I do. I think she’d be a little bit proud… before admonishing me about all the arboreal murder and screaming of trees. As they say (“they” being Voltaire, I think), “Perfect is the enemy of the good.” If I had spent the past 20 years in pursuit of purity and perfection — zero tree killing, zero emissions, zero capitalizing on disaster — I wouldn’t feel complicit. I wouldn’t feel conflicted. But would I be happy? Would life be this good? I am not perfect, but I am well. And that — especially in the midst of wind, fire and drought — counts for a lot. Jen Jackson Quintano writes and runs an arborist business with her husband in Sandpoint. Find their website at sandcreektreeservice.com. See more of Quintano’s writing at jenjacksonquintano.com.
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OPINION
Inspired by pride By Adrian Murillo Reader Contributor I had the unexpected honor of opening Sandpoint’s first Gay Pride Day event with a poem and the backstory to the poem which was a composite portrait and tribute to the drag queens of my youth and the queer streets kids I worked with in my early 30s on the streets of Hollywood. In my late teens I was running the streets of Hollywood and the only ones who had my back were the drag queens of color even though drag wasn’t my thing. I realized the courage, heart and strength it takes to be a drag queen on the city streets. It’s performance art. In 1985 I got a job as Youth Coordinator for the Gay and Lesbian Community Services Center in Hollywood in part because I wasn’t afraid of street life. I was doing street outreach about HIV education and prevention to scores
of homeless, runaway, gay kids on the streets. Listening to their stories, bearing witness to the ways they intuitively banded together to solve their problems, knowing that their personal struggles connected to public issues, collectively organizing to support each other, advocate for each other, keep each other safe, advancing and doing it with spirit, creativity, style, tactical intelligence, enduring harsh street life (pimps, pornographers, drug dealers, assaults, gang rapes) with shimmering resilience and refusing to be isolated, I had a revelation. This culture, this society, every school board in the nation needs to regroup and recognize queer youth as gifted children and treat them accordingly. Give them the respect, space and education they need to flower and we’ll all be blown away by what they contribute to society, by what we learn about creating a society of the heart. The heart is the place where land and community,
love and freedom, intersect. I had to tell this backstory because the way things are going, if certain people have their way, these are histories youth will never learn in school. The personal responses I received afterwards were humbling and deeply gratifying because as a performance poet this is what I seek to do — address anger and injustice in ways that inspire people to keep the faith, stay engaged and not give up on love. People know the truth when they hear it. To paraphrase Wilhelm Reich, it arouses a love reflex. I was met with an outpouring of effusive handshakes and thank yous. I heard a sense of isolation dissolving, that they were understood, felt relief and gratitude for me saying what they have long felt, known, needed to hear. These beautiful people bore their wounds with dignity, amazed to realize the time has finally come for coming out as
Panida Theater Committee announces scholarship winners By Reader Staff
The Panida Theater Committee has announced the 2021 winners of the Laurel Wagers/Panida Performing Arts Scholarship. Each student will receive $1,000 toward their education goals. Scholarship recipient Katherine Mellander, a 2021 graduate of Sandpoint High School, has been dancing since she was 3 years old and will be attending Gonzaga University in Spokane to pursue a career in civil engineering or architecture with a minor in dance. Fellow recipient Conagher McCown, also a graduate of SHS class of ’21, plans to attend University of Idaho where he will study creative writing and film. All funds for the scholarship come from the Play It Again Panida Record and CD Sale, which takes place as part of Crazy Days the last Saturday in July. This year’s sale will be inside and in front of the Little Theater, 302 N. First Ave., on Tuesday, July 31, from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. 12 /
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a community in a real way, as friends and neighbors, creative collaborators, so the wounding finally ceases and future generations grow up never knowing what it means to be defensive about who they are, who they love. Witnessing the beautiful love and energy at the dance unleashed when people cut loose from the bonds of self-doubt and self-consciousness is awe inspiring. This is the nonviolent power for justice and change, healing and reconciliation we all need. I heard so many people say they thought they would never see this day happen in Sandpoint, it’s Idaho, after all, etc. This is because we keep waiting for someone to step up, a hero-leader to make it happen, when the answer lies within each of us to collaborate together like
those queer kids I knew on the streets of Hollywood to make things happen, be the change we want to see. What I learned from the queer kids on the streets is queer spirit internalizes a total indifference to abusive authority. It is a constellation of traits too large and fluid for the narrow containers of gender. It is love supreme. I recently quit a job that lifted me out of the poverty level for the first time in my long life because it meant moving to Spokane. But I don’t want to leave Sandpoint. This is a healing place, a sacred place, and it seems to me that is in part not just because of the amazing ecology but also because of the loving, cultural undercurrent of women and queers who don’t get the recognition they deserve. I love you Sandpoint.
Regional Idaho state parks ban campfires and propane-fueled fire rings By Reader Staff
Left: Conagher McCown. Right: Katherine Mellander. Courtesy photos.
Panida seeking managing director By Reader Staff
The historic Panida Theater in downtown Sandpoint is seeking an individual to fill the position of managing director. For a complete job description
go to Panida.org/news. Submit letters of interest and resumes to: Panida Search Committee, PO Box 1981, Sandpoint, ID 83864 or email board@panida. org.
As areas of Idaho move to Stage 2 fire restrictions — and the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality implemented open fire bans due to poor air quality — the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation has issued a ban on campfires and propane-fueled fire rings. As of July 15, all state parks in the northern region of Idaho are banning campfires and propane-fueled fire rings. Propane grills and cooking stoves are still permitted at this time. The southern portion of the state moved to Stage 1 fire restrictions on July 16. “We are acting in accordance with the Department of Environmental Quality air quality restrictions and regional Forest Service/Idaho Department of Lands fire bans,” Chelsea
Chambers, public information specialist at IDPR, stated in a media release. “This is being implemented to help protect our resources and quality of life.” Current parks with campfire and propane-fueled fire ring bans include: Dworshak State Park, Farragut State Park, Hells Gate State Park, Heyburn State Park, McCroskey State Park, Priest Lake State Park, Round Lake State Park and Winchester Lake State Park.
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By Mike Wagoner Reader Contributor
women I heard John Lennon’s tune “Woman” the other day and it got me thinkin’. Women are cool. Not only did a woman go to the trouble to bring me here — which by the way is an awesome planet; I really like it… it could have been a lot worse — she was the one who fretted over me, dealt with the million little things that needed addressing when I was real new. I noticed the way my own daughter, when she was old enough to walk with me, how she would go about removing any little living thing off the sidewalk and put it in the grass on either side so they wouldn’t get
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stepped on. Those worms after a rain kept her especially busy. I remember thinkin’, now that is a genuine instinct for the stewardship of the world. Christmas time, who’s the one that brings out the old tattered boxes containing decorations? Those handed-down special ornaments that represent continuance and family tradition? I’m bettin’ it ain’t the dude. Women are the ones that really perpetuate so much of the personal and meaningful aspects of a culture. Besides, they smell nice. Yeah, women are cool.
Sandpoint experienced its first ever Pride Festival last weekend. It was a great turnout! To submit a photo for a future edition, please send to ben@sandpointreader. com.
Top left: A few attendees in fabulous attire at the Sandpoint Pride Festival on July 17. Photo by Jim Healey. Top right: Two more attendees at the Pride Festival on July 17. Photo by Jim Healey. Bottom left: The Pride Festival was a fun community event with only a few protestors, which showed up with big signs like these to tell everyone just how they felt. Nobody paid them much mind. Photo by Jim Healey. Bottom right: A sunny day on the lake hanging out by the petroglyphs in Hope. Photo by Austin Goldberg. July 22, 2021 /
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OUTDOORS
Dirt-y Secrets Welcome summer!
By Ranel Hanson Reader Columnist
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As I write this, we have had hot weather for more than three weeks. And, the forecast calls for 90-degree temperatures for the foreseeable future. This is unprecedented in North Idaho and challenging for gardeners, and everyone else. So, it’s all about water. Unless you have rigged up automatic drip lines to your hanging baskets, water twice per day. Your landscape plants can get by on less frequent watering and this is where all that good mulch you put down last month really earns its keep. Water at night or early morning for best results and less water waste. And, if you water a lawn, do it only at night or early morning — not midday at 90 degrees. That just wastes water and doesn’t do your lawn any good because evaporation is real. Trees need deep watering, and plenty of it. Let your hose drip for several hours at the base of your trees. This will not only keep them healthy and disease resistant, but also make them more resistant to fire, which we all fear with these conditions. No campfires, no brush burning and no fireworks, for goodness sakes. If we are all responsible, we can hopefully lessen fire danger. Deadheading is essential right now in order to have more blooms later. Roses, Oriental poppies, lavender (cut back when dry), bachelor buttons, petunias, delphiniums and Shasta daisies are just a few who benefit from this treatment. When cutting back your Oriental poppies, cut the spent stalks down to the dirt, water and watch the new sprouts come up to bloom later in the summer. Fertilizer is important now. Regular feeding will encourage longer blooms and healthier plants. I use a lot of fish emulsion but there are other organics that are effective. Regular use is key. I fertilize hanging baskets once a week, pots every other week and in ground / July 22, 2021
plants once or twice a month. Keep the mulch in place and replenish when necessary. There is quite a lot to eat for wildlife right now, but grass is dry and your garden plants are so attractive. Deer love sunflowers. And lilies. And, if they are hungry, anything else. After they chomped a few of my lilies, I got serious. So far, I have been successful at saving the sunflowers and the remaining lilies. I have scattered blood meal and spread my very prolific mint all around each plant. I think it is working, but maybe the deer are just waiting until they bloom. The very best plan is to plant deer food behind a fence. A tall fence. And, don’t forget to plant your tulip bulbs the same way. They are deer candy. One good thing to happen with the heat is a definite decrease of mosquitos. Swallows and bats do their part, but the hot, dry weather is the most helpful. Empty standing water though, because the ones left are busy laying eggs. Mosquitos are a nuisance for sure but wasps are a whole other thing. They are vicious! I was stung, while minding my own business and watering a week ago and wow! Not only was it very painful, but then they swelled up and now they are still swollen and itch like crazy! They want water, like all the other
Watering the plants is a task anyone can enjoy. Courtesy photo. inhabitants of the planet and will find it wherever they can. In my case, under our deck. Then they can ambush you from the cracks between boards. Despite my no-poison rule, I admit to spraying them. I feel guilty (they are pollinators, too) but these guys are mean! And, I sure don’t want visitors to be stung. Plus, I don’t want a second helping. I want to rant a bit about Roundup. It is deadly for weeds and weed eradication is tempting. Weeding is hard work and, while satisfying at the time, recurring. But, that stuff is deadly for everything else, too. Insects, birds, pets and humans. It gets into our water and food and collects in our bodies. Many European countries are banning it as well as a huge list of other countries and we should, too. Glyphosate is the key ingredient and the culprit. It is proven to cause cancer and is implicated in other diseases. Don’t use Roundup or anything else that contains glyphosate. Jump in the lake, have a cold one (or two). Enjoy our awesome assortment of great restaurants and live music. Visit the incredible Farmer’s Market. Enjoy summer in Sandpoint!
Festival at Sandpoint unveils 2021 poster
By Reader Staff
The Festival at Sandpoint unveiled their 2021 concert poster July 14 by local artist Connie Scherr. The work is titled, “Sharing the Spirit.” Scherr was originaly selected as the 2020 poster artist, but after the annual concert series was canceled due to COVID-19, the Festival were finally able to unveil her work for this year’s series. Scherr said she visited New Mexico a number of years ago where there were paintings of both former and current residents of the area. She saw the connection between the past, present, and future and wanted to embody this in her art. When conceptualizing the poster art, Scherr thought about Sandpoint’s community both past and present, including the Native American tribes, early explorers and settlers who may
have camped along the shores of Lake Pend Oreille and shared the same sense of community and tradition Scherr experiences in Sandpoint. Scherr said she imagines early residents and visitors trading, sharing food and drink, swapping stories and playing music. Scherr thinks the Festival is the current embodiment of this history. “We have been in Sandpoint for so long, and when we go to the Festival, we get the opportunity to see people from my husband’s high school, and friends we haven’t seen in years. We get to come together again and share food, drinks, stories, listen to music under a tent and enjoy our beautiful surroundings,” Scherr said. Signed prints of the poster are now on sale to the public for $10. The original artwork’s bidding has begun and will continue through the Festival until the winning bid is announced at the Grand Finale on August 8. July 22, 2021 /
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events July 22-29, 2021
THURSDAY, July 22
Live Music w/ Weibe Jammin’ 7pm @ Matchwood Brewing Co. Trivia Night at the Longshot 7pm @ The Longshot Live Music w/ Benny Baker 6-8pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall
Sandpoint Summer Music Series 6pm @ Farmin Park See this free show at Farmin Park featuring Heels the the Hardwood. Presented by Mattox Farm Productions
FriDAY, July 23 Live Music w/ Harold’s IGA 6:30-9:30pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall Indie rock originals and covers
Live Music w/ Steve Rush & Chris P. 5-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery
Bart Budwig and Long Shot’s last day 8pm @ The Longshot Come celebrate the last night at the Longshot with Bart Budwig and Jen Borst in an outdoor concert on the front lawn
SATURDAY, July 24 Live Music w/ Josh Field 7:30pm @ Eichardt’s Pub Music Bridges Borders performance 7pm @ The Gardenia Center Music Bridges Borders will host youth musicians from Mexico for this annual music exchange program Live Music w/ Crooked Tooth 9pm-midnight @ 219 Lounge
Live Music w/ Bright Moments Jazz 6-9pm @ Trinity at City Beach Live Music w/ Mountains in the Sea 5-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery Sandpoint Farmers’ Market 10am-1pm @ Farmin Park Live music w/ Ponderay Paradox Live Music w/ Turn Spit Dogs 6:30-9:30pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall
SunDAY, July 25
Sandpoint Chess Club 9am @ Evans Brothers Coffee Interactive Bingo at the Winery 6-7:30pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery
Pet-iquette and Safety Class 7:30-9am @ Pine Street Woods
Live Music w/ Max Reed on violin 3-5pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery
monDAY, July 26
Outdoor Experience Monday Night Group Run – All levels welcome 6pm @ Outdoor Experience Lifetree Cafe • 2pm @ Jalapeño’s Restaurant “How to Stop Doing What You Hate: Taming Your Mind”
Monday Night Blues Jam w/ Truck Mills 7pm @ Eichardt’s Pub
wednesDAY, July 28 Songs of Joy and Hope 7pm @ The Heartwood Center An evening of cello and piano music w/ Biana d’Avila and Simon Pranaitis. $20 Sandpoint Farmers’ Market 3-5:30pm @ Farmin Park Live Music w/ Oyster Collision
Benny on the Deck - Live Music 5-7:30pm @ Connie’s Lounge patio Weekly live music with Benny Baker. This week’s guest: Brian Jacobs Live Music w/ John Firshi 7:30pm @ Eichardt’s Pub
ThursDAY, July 29 Trivia Night to support Trout Unlimited 7pm @ Matchwood Brewing Co. Support the Panhandle Chapter of Trout Unlimited with trivia, door prizes and free fun
Festival at Sandpoint - St. Paul and the Broken Bones 7:30pm @ Memorial Field Kickoff show to the Festival at Sandpoint
Yappy Hour • 4-7pm @ Ponderay PetSafe Dog Park (870 Kootenai Cutoff Rd.) Enjoy local beer and music. Benefits the Better Together Animal Alliance 18 /
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COMMUNITY
Bonner General Health Foundation honors its donors By Patty Hutchens Reader Contributor
When the Bonner General Health Foundation Board strategized on maximizing its fundraising efforts for the Bonner General Health Emergency Department remodel, its members came up with a unique idea. Why not acknowledge those who have supported the foundation’s efforts with a permanent place of honor in the hospital? “Being a critical-access, nonprofit hospital, we rely heavily on our generous donors’ support to provide exceptional healthcare close to home,” said Molly Behrens, Community Development coordinator for Bonner General Health. “We wanted to honor the donors who made the Emergency Department remodel possible by including them in a permanent work of art in the waiting room. In addition, we created the donor wall to be portable, so it will remain a part of BGH history as the hospital continues to remodel and expand in the years ahead.” During the Foundation’s campaign that ran in conjunction with the Heart Ball earlier this year, 19 donors gave a minimum of $5,000, two of whom gave $10,000 or more. “Of the $200,000 donated to Bonner General Health’s Emergency Department from the Bonner General Health Foundation, $105,000 was raised through the donor wall,” said Behrens. There was much thought and effort that went into the design of the wall; the end product is a beautiful tribute to the donors and the beauty of Sandpoint. Anyone who has been to the BGH campus knows the hospital loves to showcase local artists. So when the foundation and the Community Development Department started discussing the idea of a new donor wall, they knew they wanted it to be a work of art rather than a list of names on a plaque. “We researched online for other examples, and two things became apparent: We wanted to highlight our town’s beauty, and we wanted it to be made locally,” said Behrens. The foundation landed on incorporating the outline of Lake Pend Oreille into the design; working closely with Jen Meyer of Bonner Media, who suggested
that they use photo placeholders for additional plaques that may be filled later. “We loved the idea of showcasing more of our beautiful town, adding an extra pop of color and allowing other donors to be listed after production,” said Behrens. For Meyer, it was an honor to be involved in the project. “The donor board was a really special project for our business because we had only been up and running for about six weeks when our name was referred to BGH to submit a design idea,” she said. Realizing there was an emphasis on using Lake Pend Oreille, Meyer designed it as the center focal point of the entire piece using polished acrylic and a high-end blue metallic vinyl that catches the light. Meyer, who spent a great deal of time on the project, designed and cut the main panel to resemble a mountain range along the top. Her time included designing and mockup, selecting the suitable materials, sourcing all the components, having all the pieces cut and polished, creating all the donor plaques, then assembling them and mounting them on the wall. “The entire production took nearly two months, but at least a month of that was spent waiting our turn to have all the acrylic pieces cut by a fabrication shop because they were booked solid with work,” Meyer said. “I’m so pleased that the finished piece ended up as designed without having to stray much from the original design and layout.” Justin Dick, president of the Bonner General Health Foundation Board, said many people are not aware that the hospital is a nonprofit and hopes that others will continue to support BGH for years to come. “It’s essential to us that we recognize our donors,” said Dick of not just those on the donor wall but all of their supporters. “Those who contributed to the recent remodel have forever changed the landscape of the Emergency Department, and for that, we are grateful,” he said. If you would like to be listed on the BGH donor wall, contact Molly Behrens at 208-265-1005.
STAGE & SCREEN
Getting the wood out Big Timber on Netflix takes a close look at the difficult logging industry today
By Ben Olson Reader Staff
The Wenstob family in Netflix’s Big Timber. Courtesy photo.
Logging is a tough job. Whether it was a century ago, when loggers skidded the old growth out of the woods with horses, or today with technical advantages that streamline production, it’s always been a difficult task getting the wood out. A new reality show on Netflix called Big Timber aims to bring viewers into the woods with an independent logging outfit on Vancouver Island led by Kevin Wenstob and his family. The premise is essentially the same as the History Channel’s Ax Men, which started its 10-season run in 2008, highlighting the work of several logging crews throughout the Pacific Northwest and Alaska: A camera crew follows loggers as they cuss and yell their way through choking logs, skidding them onto the landing and driving them down the mountain. While Big Timber suffers from the same drama-fueled narration and plotlines that made Ax Men an acquired taste, it takes a slightly different spin by focusing solely on Wenstob’s logging outfit, diving a little deeper into the operation, from felling the trees to milling and selling the lumber. Wenstob and his crew focus mostly on top-quality cedar logs, which can fetch upwards of $30,000 each depending on the quality. With close access to this difficult work, Big Timber shows how the crews get the wood out, the perils they face along the way and — as usual — the interpersonal drama between outspoken and often ego-driven loggers who work hard and hate being told what to do. Down the mountain, the series then looks at the independent mill operated by Wenstob, whose son Erik is tasked with fixing the second-hand equipment, which is constantly breaking. Sarah Wenstob, the matriarch of the family, runs the mill with a
firm hand, keeping the egos at bay, lining up lumber buyers and ensuring everything runs as smoothly as possible. If viewers can stomach the reality TV drama injected into the series, it’s actually a great view of what it takes to be a logger in the world of today. Between battling equipment breakdowns, crew problems and financial struggles, the viewer can watch these rough-and-ready men and women do their tough jobs from the safety of their couches. One highlight of Big Timber is listening to the loggers talk. They speak with a woodsy, Canadian vernacular that always entertains. Several characters in the show let their dry sense of humor fly, which adds flavor to this workplace reality TV show. In one episode, Sarah discovers a rat swimming in the toilet at the mill so she sets a trap for it. Finding one dead the next day, she casually parades around the mill showing off the dead rat to her family members and employees. The show doesn’t paint the characters in a flattering light at all times, though. Kevin Wenstob is a hard-working man with a lot of pressure to deal with, but he often lets his temper fly when an employee — often a family member — doesn’t perform to his satisfaction. The temper tantrums are nothing compared to the blowouts that occurred on every episode of Ax Men, but they show that working in the timber is not a job for the faint of heart. At best, Big Timber provides the viewer with the opportunity to see how difficult it is to wrangle these behemoth logs out of the woods to provide us with milled lumber to build our homes. At worst, it’s another drama-fueled reality TV show with corny efforts to make every situation a little more dramatic than it should be. But it’s worth watching if you’ve ever been curious about what it takes to be a logger. July 22, 2021 /
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OUTDOORS
FSPW ramps up trail season with July dates By Reader Staff With months to go before the fall sets in, there’s no shortage of chances to make our wild backyard better for everyone. Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness volunteers have done a great job improving trails and educating hikers this season. If you haven’t had a chance to do your part yet, don’t worry. There are still plenty of dates coming up to pitch in while enjoying that clean air and water. With trail work, volunteer Bernard Sheldon said, “you get to see immediate results and get familiar with trails you might otherwise not know. It motivates me to get in better shape and spend more time on trails in the area.” Feel like swinging a pulaski? FSPW has trails that need some tender loving care. The next trail
date is a doozy for adventurous souls: two back-to-back days at Star and Napoleon Gulch starting Friday, July 16, to Saturday, July 17. Those who wish can camp overnight for both days, or turn out for one. Next up is a trail day at Ross Creek set for Sunday, July 25. Then comes more work at Star and Napoleon Gulch on Friday, July 30. August looks to be just as busy for FSPW trail crews. Saturday, Aug. 7, will see work on Star Peak. Another is scheduled for Morris Creek from Saturday, Aug. 21, to Sunday, Aug. 22. Once again, volunteers can turn out for one day or camp overnight and do both. Then it’s back to Morris Creek on Friday, Aug. 27. Finally, Goat Mountain gets a little love on Saturday, Sept. 25. Enjoy the late summer weather while spending time with fellow
wilderness lovers. Trail crew volunteers are vital to guaranteeing wilderness is open and accessible for everyone. You can’t climb a mountain without a well-maintained trail. Our volunteers have already been busy, handling 55 trees, digging 1,200 feet of tread, clearing 90 drains and brushing a total of seven miles. “I absolutely love doing this,” said volunteer Perky Smith-Hagadone. For a different kind of volunteer effort, consider becoming a trail ambassador. FSPW ambassadors hit the trails to remind people that wildlife is best appreciated from a distance. Mountain goats, in particular, seem friendly, but they’re really just after hikers’ salty sweat. When a human-goat encounter goes awry, people can get hurt — and that can mean trails get closed.
Sam Owen Fire District pancake breakfast is back By Reader Staff Last summer just wasn’t complete without seeing neighbors and friends at the annual Sam Owen Fire District pancake breakfast. Things are looking up this summer, because it’s back on this year on Saturday, July 24. Let the volunteer firefighters cook you a delicious breakfast of pancakes, eggs, sausage, biscuits and gravy — all for only $5. Breakfast will be served from 7:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. A scenic drive along Highway 200 will take you to the Sam Owen Fire Station No. 1, located at the junction of Peninsula Road and Highway 200 in Hope. Enjoy breakfast, then tour the station and its trucks. This is the major community event and only fundraiser for the Sam Owen Fire District. The funds raised are used for supplies for the fire house, including 20 /
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uniforms, communication devices and important fire fighting equipment. More than 60 volunteers, plus the firefighters and fire chief spend many hours collecting donations, cooking the meal and serving a delicious breakfast. The Sam Owen Fire District is committed to providing the highest level of fire protection
Kids enjoying a ride in the Sam Owen Fire District engine. Courtesy photo. and emergency services to all its residents, businesses and visitors. The district’s volunteer staff — made up of local residents of various ages and backgrounds — has been trained and equipped for both structure and wildlands firefighting as well as rescue operations.
Trail ambassadors are on the job to make sure people give the goats their space. In the process, they’ve met hundreds of hikers — 80 in one day alone — and spotted dozens of goats, including 12 on one outing. Visit scotchmanpeaks.org for
Whether you sign up for a trail crew or the ambassadors program, you’re sure to see some spectacular sights. Photo courtesy FSPW. volunteer opportunities, events and entertainment.
MUSIC
Listen to the (free) music
Sandpoint Summer Music Series is back, offering free concerts at Farmin Park
The band released its debut self-titled album in September 2014 and followed up with There is no free lunch in life; sophomore effort Love Versus Tragedy in February 2017. but, in Sandpoint, there is free The Sandpoint Summer live music. Music Series is made free thanks After a year off due to to the support of local sponsors the pandemic, the Sandpoint Washington Trust Bank, POAC, Summer Music Series is back, KPND, The Mycelium Collecoffering free concerts at Farmin tive, 7B Grooves, Selle Design Park in Sandpoint. Group, Upside Kombucha, The series kicks off ThursK102, Evans Brothers, the Sandday, July 22 at 6 p.m. with a concert by Seattle band Heels to point Reader, The Novas-Evergreen Realty and the Gaddass the Hardwood. family. “They’ve got kind of an Talbott said he’s worked hard Americana rock thing going on to offer a wide range of music with a soulful vibe,” said Robb with this year’s concert series. Talbott, whose Mattox Farm “There’s one band that’s kind Productions presents the free of rock/country/folk, one that’s concert series. “I’ve been trying got a little soul, one with more to line something up with these of a pop/soul/Motown sound and guys for a few years now, so it’s another that’s more bluegrass/ nice to be able to make it work blues/swing/roots music.” out.” Spokane band Super Sparkle Heels to the Hardwood is a is tapped to play the series on five-piece band that commands Thursday, Aug. the stage with 12. Inspired by powerhouse voSandpoint Summer pop and soul mucals, expressive Music Series w/Heels sic of the 1960s, and honest lyrics, to the Hardwood Super Sparkle intricate guitar Thursday, July 22; 6 p.m.; FREE. riffs, smooth Farmin Park in Sandpoint, mattox- blends groovy beats, infectious notes of keyboard farm.com. Listen to the band at heelstothehardwood.com. energy and a Moand pedal steel, town feel to their and pulsating live shows. back beats that will keep your The Stillhouse Junkies will toes tapping and feet stomping.
By Ben Olson Reader Staff
play Farmin Park on Thursday, Aug. 26. Hailing from Durango, Colo, this three-piece bluegrass band are up and comers on the scene, playing high-energy bluegrass on stand-up bass, guitar and fiddle. The Sandpoint Summer Music Series is free to all ages. Eichardt’s Pub will serve beer, wine and non-alcoholic drinks and there will also be a few vendors. Farmin Park will be fenced off and Oak Street will be closed to vehicle traffic to allow concertgoers to wander across the street to the Oak St. Food Court for food options. Audience members are allowed to bring their own food and drink, but alcoholic beverages
Heels to the Hardwood will open the Sandpoint Summer Music Series July 22 at 6 p.m. at Farmin Park. Courtesy photo. must be purchased on site. “Feel free to bring blankets and chairs, or whatever it is that makes you feel comfortable hanging out in the park, listening to free music,” Talbott said. “The community seemed to have such a good response to it last time and, this year, on such a short lead time, the response has been amazing — even better than I thought it would be so far. “It’s something I feel the community wants,” he added. “It’s something we want our kids to be able to do as they grow up, so it seemed like it was worth the effort to bring it back.”
A snapshot of notable live music coming up in Sandpoint
Bart Budwig, The Longshot, July 23 Though it opened its doors at the corner of Boyer Avenue and Highway 2 as recently as 2019, The Longshot has, during its relatively short life, become a beloved local hub for food and drink (including natural wine), live music and events, and — most important — good times in a great atmosphere. All that is coming to an end, as Longshot owners announced July 19 that they’d be closing
their doors: “It’s with an incredibly heavy heart that we announce this Friday [July 23] will be The Longshot’s last night of service,” according to a Facebook post. “It’s been a wild two years, and we’re planning on going out with a bang.” First though, on Thursday, July 22, will be trivia with host Maddie Hare starting at 7 p.m. (doors open at 4 p.m.).
The main act, on Friday, July 23 at 8 p.m., will be Bart Budwig and Jen Borst in an outdoor concert on The Longshot’s front lawn. It doesn’t get much better than Budwig even in the best of times, but for a swan song gig — especially at The Longshot — there’s no beating this “soul singer with a cosmic country band.”
“We hope to see you there,” Longshot owners said. “Thank you to everyone who has supported The Longshot along the way." — Zach Hagadone
This week’s RLW by Lyndsie Kiebert
READ
It’s that time of year when the first reading I do in the morning is on various wildfire tracking websites. It seems that everyone has their go-to source for following wildfire developments in Idaho, but a few of my favorites are the Idaho Department of Fish and Game’s Fire Map (idfg.idaho.gov/ifwis/maps/realtime/fire) and InciWeb (inciweb. nwcg.gov). Most sources give you updates on acreage burned, details about firefighting efforts and the time of last update. The best way to be in the know, when it comes to wildfire, is to find some trusty sources, bookmark them and check in periodically.
LISTEN
Australian indie rock duo Holy Holy is at a place in their career where anything is possible and, based on the group’s latest singles, they are ready to make an impression. The tone behind new songs “How You Been” and “Believe Anything” is upbeat, urgent and shares a passionate side of the band’s songwriting that deserves to be at the forefront of their music. If the newest tracks are any indication, Holy Holy’s fourth full-length release — due to drop Aug. 20 — is sure to stun.
WATCH
Netflix recently released the third season of Virgin River, which follows a nurse practitioner who moves to a tiny California mountain town and proceeds to form relationships with all the wacky local characters. The show attempts to be goofy and wholesome, while also dark and sexy. It doesn’t always work but, when it does, the resulting storyline and aesthetic are addicting. Watch Virgin River if you’re craving a decent love story, medical emergencies and undertones of “aw-shucks” smalltown life.
8-10 p.m., FREE. The Longshot, 102 S. Boyer Ave., longshotsandpoint.com. Listen at bartbudwig.com or bartbudwig. bandcamp.com. July 22, 2021 /
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BACK OF THE BOOK
On marriage By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff
From Northern Idaho News, July 25, 1907
SUNDAY EVENING’S STORM A BAD ONE ON LAKE; ONE BOAT CAPSIZED A strong gale on Sunday made navigation difficult for a number of the lake craft and resulted in at least one vessel capsizing. One boating party who spent the day in the mouth of Clarkfork river returned to Sandpoint with the greatest difficulty through the heavy seas. Mr. and Mrs. Young, Mr. and Mrs. Pauline and O. Baker, all of Spokane, were taken to Granite creek for the day by W. Catlin. When the storm arose they were obliged to remain over till Monday before returning. A more exciting adventure awaited George Jonas, who attempted to reach his home across the channel and south of town late Sunday night in a sail boat. When some distance west of the Northern Pacific bridge he was struck by a strong gale which turned his vessel over. After considerable effort he succeeded in righting the vessel and anchoring it. He then tried to swim to shore but was forced to turn back to the swamped vessel. The rear of the boat was submerged and it was only by clinging to this that he kept himself above the driving waves. A strong pair of lungs proved his strongest asset in this predicament and his cries for help rang through the howling blast. Lee Bennett and Dr. Phinney heard the shouts and hunted a row boat to search for the man in distress. They pushed through the choppy sea and found Mr. Jones, all but his head submerged and his teeth chattering an uncanny music to the road of the elements. He was soon rescued and rowed with strong hands to safety. Once in a dry suit he was little the worse for his hour of danger and exposure. 22 /
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A couple of weeks ago, I was fiddling with my laptop in bed while a dog snoozed against my leg, a man snored on my right and a cat slept somewhere in the mix, flirting with the fine line between tight snuggles and outright suffocation — just the way he likes it. This is a run-of-the-mill scene in my house after about 8 p.m. Not yet ready to sleep but happy to join the family cuddle puddle, I find myself answering a few emails or browsing YouTube until my eyelids get heavy and it’s time to set the computer aside and assume my precarious position on the edge of the bed with legs delicately bent so as not to disrupt the sleeping dog, and certainly not to be the one responsible for suffocating the cat. On this particular night, the man — my fiancé, Alex, who will become my husband on Saturday, July 24 — was restless. Likely because of the heat and maybe, just maybe, because of the limited capacity of our queen-sized bed, he began to huff and puff and wiggle and squirm. Several times, on his back, he bent his knees and attempted to flop them over onto me. After two or three gentle nudges, the situation required some more aggressive intervention. “Nope,” I said the fourth time, scooping his legs up and lightly flinging them onto his side of the bed. Alex, still in a deep sleep, came back with more force. This time, there would be no casual flinging. I stood up at the end of the bed, grabbed his legs and shoved them (a little harshly) the other way. “No thanks, bed hog,” I said, the irrational anger of sleepiness setting in. Luckily, that time, it worked. I settled back onto my side of the bed and had to laugh. Is this marriage? People
STR8TS Solution
joke that life is just saying, “next week, things will slow down,” over and over until you die. Is marriage saying, “no thanks, bed hog,” over and over again until you die? From what I’ve heard, it’s not far off. If I’m being honest, I have no idea what marriage will hold for us. We have plenty of married couples in our lives to look to for guidance, each of them possessing qualities we aim to emulate and others we hope to avoid. We’ve collected plenty of advice along the way, most having to do with communication and truthfulness. We’ve learned in three years of cohabitation that it is definitely better to go to bed angry than to argue in circles. We’ve raised a damn good dog together, and created a home full of love and good food and lots of ridiculous dancing. Still, I don’t know what our married life may hold beyond the journey we’ve already tackled so far, and it’s more than a little daunting. What I do know is that Alex is an incredible friend. He is unequivocally the person I most want to see at the end of the day. He is kind to everyone, and gracious always, thanking me for completing mundane household chores. He is also capable of absolutely anything — especially when left alone with some tools, an air compressor and a radio. He knows how to make me laugh, help me let go and remember what is truly important. I found a quote right around the time we moved in together, and promptly wrote it on a piece of scrap paper. It still hangs on the refrigerator today, and means more to me now than it did back then: “There will be dozens of people who will take your breath away, but the one who reminds you to breathe is the one you should keep.” In the face of wedding grandeur and the adulting required to legally bind yourself to
Alex, Lyndsie and Mac take a break for an uber-cute photo while hunting. Courtesy photo. another human being, I am thankful to be able to say that Alex is the one who reminds me to breathe. I think I’ll keep him, bed hog tendencies and all.
Crossword Solution
Sudoku Solution I bet when neanderthal kids woud make a snowman, someone would always end up saying, “Don’t forget the thick, heavy brows.” Then they would get all embarrassed because they remembered they had the big, husky brows too, and they’d get mad and eat the snowman.
Solution on page 22
Solution on page 22
Laughing Matter
toplofty
Woorf tdhe Week
By Bill Borders
/TOP-LAWF-tee/ [adjective] 1. condescending; haughty.
“He was born into wealth, but there is nothing toplofty about his attitude.” Corrections: In the article “Septic Situation: County risks approving unbuildable lots without health district review” (Feature, July 15, 2021), the author mistakenly cited an incorrect number of minor land divisions approved in Bonner County last year. The accurate figure is 103. So far this year, 114 minor land divisions have been approved, creating 333 lots, according to the county planning director.
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CROSSWORD ACROSS 1. Not drunk 6. Not stiff 10. Serene 14. Small egg 15. Largest continent 16. Buckeye State 17. The language of Persia 18. Chinese mafia 19. Tidy 20. A moderately quick tempo 22. Walking stick 23. Infamous Roman emperor 24. Complex in design 26. Hairless 30. One time around 31. Mountain 32. Chills and fever 33. Beers 35. Tucks away 39. Pike (fish) 41. Pondered 43. Ancient Celtic priest 44. Oppose 46. District 47. Smidgen 49. Directed 50. Lascivious look 51. Erase 54. Falls behind 56. Winglike 57. Primary 63. 6th Greek letter
Solution on page 22 8. Pepper____ 9. Chinese temple 10. Abstract 11. First 12. Tropical vine 13. Motor hotel 21. Pass-the-baton race 25. Along with DOWN 26. Prostitute 27. Food thickener 1. Couch 28. Humdinger 2. Egg-shaped 29. Careful 3. Singer Ives 34. Pennants 4. If not 36. Brute 5. Rule 37. “Whoopee!” 6. Passed sideways 7. Variant of an element 38. Sun 64. Use a beeper 65. Eagle’s nest 66. Send forth 67. Pitcher 68. Noodles 69. Eat 70. Concludes 71. Drive
40. Modify 42. Row of shrubs 45. Asserted 48. A Native American tent 51. Stupified 52. Lacquer ingredient 53. Language of ancient Rome 55. Breaks 58. A field of grass 59. Nipple 60. Backside 61. Liturgy 62. 365 days
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