What we’ve taken to calling “Reader 1.0” first published in late December 2004, and “Reader 2.0” launched in January 2015, so the paper could be considered a winter child. However, the month of July holds an outsized number of significant dates in the history of this publication. I pitched the idea for an arts-and-culture alternative weekly newspaper to fellow co-founders John Reuter and Chris DeCleur during a drunken birthday party for the former at the end of a dock in McCall in mid-July 2004, so we could call that date its true inception. I returned as editor-in-chief in early-July 2019, this year marking my fifth anniversary back in the fighting chair. Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey — our stalwart former-news editor — left us a year ago in mid-July ahead of the birth of her son, Liam, who celebrated his first trip around the sun last week. Shortly thereafter, in the July 27, 2023 edition, we unleashed Soncirey Mitchell on Sandpoint, adding her to the staff in what has turned out to be among the best decisions we’ve ever made. In a month that so far has been among the most inauspicious in recent memory, those are some auspicious events I’m happy to mark.
inauspicious times
Speaking of inauspicious times, the feeling of this month — and really these past two weeks — is best summed up not by me, but William Butler Yeats, in his poem “The Second Coming” (1920):
Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer; Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world, The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned; The best lack all conviction, while the worst Are full of passionate intensity.
Surely some revelation is at hand; Surely the Second Coming is at hand.
The Second Coming! Hardly are those words out
When a vast image out of Spiritus Mundi
Troubles my sight: somewhere in sands of the desert
A shape with lion body and the head of a man,
A gaze blank and pitiless as the sun, Is moving its slow thighs, while all about it
Reel shadows of the indignant desert birds. The darkness drops again; but now I know That twenty centuries of stony sleep
Were vexed to nightmare by a rocking cradle, And what rough beast, its hour come round at last, Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?
DEAR READERS,
Welcome to the first week of the Festival at Sandpoint, arguably the highlight of the community’s social and artistic calendar.
We’ve got you covered with everything you need to know before you go (see Page 14), an interview with Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors (see Page 19) and a full list of the performers playing during the first week (see Page 21). There’s even a Festival Bingo card on Page 13. Go get some good times.
We’re supposed to get a break from the super hot weather this weekend, but it looks like the thermometer will crawl back into the mid-90s next week.
Drink plenty of water, don’t drink and drive, finish your dinner plate, call your mom, open doors for people, cancel your social media account, don’t interrupt people, put your phone away during meals, don’t tailgate on the road, tip your servers well and be nice.
That should about cover it.
– Ben Olson, publisher
READER
111 Cedar Street, Suite 9 Sandpoint, ID 83864 208-946-4368
Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey (emeritus) Cameron Rasmusson (emeritus) John Reuter (emeritus)
Advertising: Ben Olson ben@sandpointreader.com
Contributing Artists:
Racheal Baker (cover), Ben Olson, Dillion Jordan, Jordan Awan, Fern Meuff
Contributing Writers: Zach Hagadone, Ben Olson, Soncirey Mitchell, Lorraine H. Marie, Brenden Bobby, Brad Smith, Marcia Pilgeram
Submit stories to: stories@sandpointreader.com
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The Sandpoint Reader is a weekly publication owned and operated by Ben Olson and Keokee. It is devoted to the arts, entertainment, politics and lifestyle in and around Sandpoint, Idaho. We hope to provide a quality alternative by offering honest, in-depth reporting that reflects the intelligence and interests of our diverse and growing community.
The Reader is printed on recycled paper using soy-based ink. Leftover copies are collected and recycled weekly, or burned in massive bonfires to appease the gods of journalism. Free to all, limit two copies per person
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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
About the Cover
This week’s cover by Racheal Baker. Check out more of Racheal’s work at rachealbakerphotography.pixieset.com
The very first edition of the Sandpoint Reader from Dec. 2004.
Dems push back against Herndon’s ‘misinformation’
Outgoing Dist. 1 senator’s FB posts about Army Surplus arson investigation
By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff
There is no known motive for the alleged arson that destroyed the Army Surplus 1 store on July 4, but that hasn’t stopped many commentators from indulging in speculation.
Jennifer S. Meyer is suspected of setting the blaze just as the public fireworks display at City Beach was concluding, ultimately destroying the building at the corner of Oak Street and Fifth Avenue in a dramatic fire that set off an unknown amount of ammunition and resulted in the loss of a reported $500,000 in merchandise — as well as numerous personal belongings of owner Cornel Rasor and his family.
Meyer appeared in court for the first time July 17 before Magistrate Judge Luke Hagelburg, but refused to communicate — first declining to appear on a video conference call from the jail and then, having been brought to the courthouse in person, placing her head on the table at which she was seated and staying silent.
Hagelburg set a bond of $1 million, citing fears that Meyer would flee if released prior to trial. If found guilty of first-degree arson, she faces up to 25 years in prison, fines of up to $100,000 or both. Meyer is scheduled to appear next at a pretrial hearing Wednesday, July 31.
Investigators have underscored that they have not identified a motive, and while much of the public has responded with sympathy and support for Rasor and his family, an undercurrent of politically charged rhetoric emerged even as the blaze was being extinguished by first responders.
Much of the social media chatter has come in the form of unfounded speculation that the suspected arson was a form of “leftist” political
violence committed against Rasor, who is a longtime leading figure in local conservative politics and current Republican candidate for the District 1B seat in the Idaho House of Representatives.
Rasor did not respond to a request for comment, but has said in the past that he doesn’t know Meyer, and in numerous social media posts has avoided making any speculative statements regarding what could have led Meyer — should she be found guilty — to set alight the business that he spent more than 40 years managing and later owning.
“She is clearly distraught, mixed up and devastated at least as nearly as I can tell by what she now realizes is the complete destruction of her life,” Rasor wrote in a Facebook post following Meyer’s initial court appearance. “I wish that upon no one. I was not given an opportunity to talk with her. But my prayer will be that she hears the gospel and responds to it.”
Most recently, District 1 Republican Sen. Scott Herndon — who lost his primary bid against Jim Woodward in May and will leave office January 2025 — added grist to the rumor mill when he posted a pair of videos on July 17 and July 18, purporting to reveal an “interesting documented connection” between Meyer and Steve Johnson, the latter a current Democratic candidate for the Dist. 1 Bonner County commissioner seat.
Herndon also serves as the chair of the Bonner County Republican Party, and in a comment on his first video post wrote that Army Surplus had “essentially been Bonner County Republican headquarters for years.”
While stating that he was not leveling any accusations, he went on in both videos to show that filings with the Idaho Secretary of State’s Office identify the principal address for Meyer’s sign printing and
publishing company Bonner Media as the same location as Johnson’s family farm in Sagle, where he has lived for decades. In relaying the details of those filings, Herndon repeatedly identified Johnson’s physical address.
In addition, Herndon stated that Bonner Media also shared a phone number with Johnson’s farm, as shown on a third-party website.
While stating that he did not know why those apparent connections existed, Herndon went on to say that Meyer had other dealings with local Democrats via her sign business and noted that the Bonner County Democratic Party gave Johnson’s campaign a large donation days after the July 4 fire.
The Reader also found the apparent connections between Johnson and Meyer during its reporting on July 17, and asked Johnson to explain how his address came to be listed in Meyer’s business filings with the state.
In a story published online the evening of July 17 — and in print on the morning of July 18, before Herndon posted his second video — Johnson went on record that Meyer rented a room from him between 2017 and 2019, and, “I haven’t had any interaction with her since.”
“I don’t know why she would have kept this address, because it doesn’t make any sense,” he told the Reader at the time. “She hasn’t lived here for over four years.”
Johnson said that the police had already contacted him regarding the apparent connection, and SPD Chief Corey Coon confirmed to the Reader that Johnson had told investigators what he also related to the Reader
Coon added that, “Senator Herndon has not been in touch with the SPD in reference to the information he has gathered.”
As the investigation is
called ‘baseless accusations’ and ‘ridiculous’
ongoing, SPD has repeatedly called on members of the community to offer any information they may have regarding Meyer’s activities on July 4, or anything else that might help officials build a clearer picture of the case.
“If you know her, if you associated with her, if you have any information that can help us in our investigation, don’t be afraid to call us,” Coon said at the July 17 meeting of the Sandpoint City Council, noting that tips are made anonymously.
Call 208-265-1482 with any information that might aid in the investigation.
Johnson added that while Meyer lived on his property she never displayed any erratic or unusual behavior, nor did she indicate any drug or alcohol abuse, and “was not political whatsoever — at least not that I ever saw or heard.”
Since 2019, Meyer has listed Ponderay and Sandpoint P.O. boxes, as well as a physical address in Ponderay, in her business filings. The search warrant served by authorities was to her residence on Oak Street in Sandpoint — not far from the former Army Surplus building.
Meanwhile, Meyer has worked with Democratic can-
didates to provide campaign signage, but she has also been hired by Republicans — including current Dist. 3 Bonner County commissioner candidate Ron Korn and Dimitry Borisov, who lost to Korn in the May 2024 Republican primary.
The Reader asked Herndon if he was aware that SPD had already contacted Johnson regarding the address filing, or if he had been aware of Johnson’s explanation given to police and the Reader prior to making his second video. He did not respond.
Herndon also did not respond to questions related to what precise evidence he has linking the Bonner County Democrats to Meyer or whether he reported his “interesting documented connection” to SPD.
The Bonner County Democratic Party issued a statement on July 18 condemning the alleged arson and rejecting the “misinformation” that the organization said Herndon was trafficking with his social media posts.
“[W]e are disappointed that Mr. Herndon has chosen to release baseless accusations and misinformation, and we feel that it is important to set the record straight,” the Democrats stated. “To conclude that Bonner County Democrats were in collusion with the alleged arsonist simply because we did business with Bonner Media is ridiculous. Bonner Media is a sign printing company, and works for a variety of businesses and campaigns as a matter of business, including Republicans Dimitry Borisov and Ron Korn. In our commitment to promoting opportunity as a way to strengthen our community, Bonner County Democrats have worked with numerous small, local businesses over the years.”
The statement added that Johnson has rented to a number of other tenants over the
A screenshot from a recent video Sen. Scott Herndon posted to his Facebook page making suppositions about the motives for the July 4 Army Surplus 1 Fire. Courtesy Facebook.
years in order to help provide affordable housing in the county.
“Rather than speculate about why there is any confusion about her address, we defer to the dedicated professionals working to uncover the truth of the case to release the facts at the appropriate time,” the party stated.
Regarding the donation to Johnson, Bonner County Democrats Chair Linda Larson wrote that the central committee gives money to all of its candidates.
“We would hope that the Bonner County Republican Central Committee would be similarly proud to announce that they have given contributions within the limits of state campaign finance law to Republican candidates,” she stated.
The statement thanked the SPD for its work on the case and underscored the importance of allowing investigators to do their job “without publicly promoting rumors, manufacturing controversy and speaking about a different party candidate’s home address during an ongoing investigation into a shocking crime.”
In addition, the statement continued, “We would hope our responsible Republican neighbors would agree that there is no place for this type of behavior in our community, and we reject Mr. Herndon’s efforts to further divide us,” while hoping for a conclusion in the case that would “determine the truth and bring closure for Mr. Rasor during this difficult time.”
In a July 20 article in the Bonner County Daily Bee, Herndon called that statement, “an example of the Democrats arguing against a straw man when there are some inconvenient and interesting documents pertaining to members of their party.”
He did not respond to a request from the Reader to clarify what he meant by a “straw man” in that context.
Chief Coon told the Reader in an email July 22 that his department, in conjunction with the Idaho State Fire
Marshals and the ATF division, is continuing the investigation and, in the meantime, “We aim to address several unresolved investigative questions and avoid drawing unsupported conclusions. We are working to promptly answer questions regarding the motive in this case and whether an accelerant was used.”
In another statement to the Reader, Sandpoint Mayor Jeremy Grimm wrote that while he had no comment on Herndon’s Facebook posts, he emphasized “that we have a transparent, robust and fair judicial system, and that all are presumed innocent until proven guilty.”
Democrat Kathryn Larson, who is challenging Rasor for the House 1B legislative seat in the November election, wrote in a statement to the Reader that, “Scott Herndon needs a time out. He is wasting people’s time and energy and trying to sow seeds of anger, fear and divisiveness. Let’s let the police do their work.”
In addition, she wrote, “A local business was burned down. We don’t know why. I’m thankful that the fire department responded so effectively. The fire could have spread and caused more damage and harm. I appreciate the professionalism of our local law enforcement. They did their work and caught a suspect quickly. Scott would like to turn this into a dangerous political game where he doxes good community members and tells a false narrative.”
Johnson also provided a statement to the Reader, writing, “My sincere condolences to Cornel Rasor and his family as they recover from the total destruction of their business in the recent fire. All of us feel their loss. ...
“In regards to the divisive and dishonest videos Scott Herndon put on Facebook, it is his desperate attempt to be relevant after his landslide loss to Jim Woodward in the May Republican primary,” Johnson added. “Sadly, Scott Herndon does not understand the Idaho values of honesty, respect or integrity.”
NEWS
City Hall approves preliminary 2025 budget Workshop set for Aug. 7, final
By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff
Budget season is off to a start at Sandpoint City Hall, with council members voting unanimously July 17 to approve the preliminary Fiscal Year 2025 budget and establish dates for a workshop, public hearing and adoption in August.
The proposed maximum budget for FY25 is $50,499,054, which is $2,475,215 less than the FY24 budget, representing an overall 4.67%. According to Finance Director Sarah Lynds, the reduction is due in large part to Sandpoint’s withdrawal from the Selkirk Fire joint powers agreement, which took place over the course of the spring and early summer.
That move accounts for just under $2 million of the FY25 budget decrease.
Meanwhile, the proposed budget includes “a significant increase” in spending on capital projects — specifically the design and planned upgrades/ replacements to the wastewater treatment plant, with those projects funded through utility user fees.
Other projects include a short-term rehabilitation of the Bridge Street bridge; Phase 3 of the downtown revitalization project focused on rebuilding First Avenue from Bridge to Lake streets, as well as improvements to Superior Street; realignment of Ontario Street at Highway 2 to improve visibility and shorten crossing distances for pedestrians at the intersections; sidewalk and bike path projects along Fourth Avenue south of Superior to Pacific Street; reconstruction of Cedar Street from Division to Lincoln Avenue; high-dollar improvements to the Great Northern corridor; and a range of street projects, among others.
Based on the preliminary budget, Sandpoint estimates it will levy $5,131,368 in property taxes in FY25, representing $336,649 more than FY24.
decision could come Aug. 21
Preliminary new construction is valued at $58,810,689, with 90% of that value available for levy purposes, resulting in projected property tax revenues of $138,017.
“That’s about double what we’ve seen in past years,” Lynds said, pointing to an ongoing upswing in local growth and development.
The proposed budget also includes levying $51,794 of the total $399,493 available foregone property tax from prior years for the purchase of public safety vehicles, though the exact amount may change after the 2024 net taxable value is released. That figure, as well as the final levy rate to be used for the new construction calculation, is expected to be solidified before the next City Council meeting at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 7, which will feature a workshop on the budget.
General fund expenditures would increase by $1.21 million from FY24, attributed in part to the budget for reconstruction work on Great Northern Road, while special revenue funds will go down $7.31 million — representing the completion of the James E. Russell Sports Center at Travers Park.
City employees would receive a 2% pay increase to keep pace with regional agency benchmarks and account for increased health insurance costs that may go into effect on Jan. 1, 2025. The budget also includes step increases for
employees based on the city’s salary policy.
The proposed budget reflects a number of administrative changes over the past fiscal year. Overall, expenses among city departments and divisions would go up because of either one-time projects or changes to employees’ department or division classifications, or they would remain the same from FY24.
Among the exceptions to that would be the removal of the Administrative Services budget — a result of the elimination of the city administrator position — and establishment of the Community Planning and Development Administration and Russell Center operations budget. Meanwhile, the Parks and Recreation Planning and Arts, History and Culture Services budgets would be transferred to CPD Administration.
A special meeting will follow the Aug. 7 workshop if a second gathering is needed ahead of the public hearing and final adoption, both of which are scheduled to take place at the Wednesday, Aug. 21 council meeting in the City Hall Council Chambers (1123 Lake St.).
View the online budget book, which includes narratives of FY25 projects, maintenance and operations — along with a one-year plan of capital improvement projects over $75,000 — at bit. ly/467YXVg.
Photo by Ben Olson.
Trustee Reinbold resigns from WBCSD
By Soncirey Mitchell Reader Staff
West Bonner County School Board Trustee Troy Reinbold has tendered his resignation, citing work and family obligations.
WBCSD Board Chair
Margaret Hall announced Reinbold’s departure at the regular July 17 school district meeting. West Bonner officials will officially accept his resignation and declare his position vacant in a special meeting scheduled for Wednesday, July 31.
“Unfortunately, I’m greatly saddened to say that Trustee Reinbold has decided to resign because of work and family obligations. They were just too much,” said Hall at the beginning of the July 17 meeting.
Reinbold did not respond to a request for comment.
Reinbold initially made headlines as one of three trustees — including former-Chair Keith Rutledge and former Vice-Chair Susan Brown — who voted to hire former-Idaho Freedom Foundation senior education policy analyst Branden Durst as the district’s superintendent.
Durst, who lacked a critical certification from the Idaho State Board of Education needed to hold his position, drew widespread opposition from the community and agreed to “seek an amicable and fair exit” from the district on Sept. 25, 2023. He has since filed a tort claim against the Idaho State Board of Education and Department of Education with the intent to sue for $1.25 million because they did not grant him an emergency waiver to continue serving as superintendent.
He has further argued that the letter announcing his “exit” was not a resignation, and that the board “intentionally misrepresented the nature and purpose” of the statement. He filed a legal complaint against the district in
February asking for more than $100,000 in damages in addition to the cost of his legal fees.
Reinbold was the last remaining member of the board who had supported Durst, following the successful recall of Rutledge and Brown in an Aug. 29, 2023 special election.
“Trustee Reinbold’s written resignation will be before the board to accept at the July 31 special meeting and a vacancy for Zone 3 will need to be declared,” wrote Hall in a July 23 email to the Reader. “The expectation is that, on the 31st, the board will approve an application process to fill the position as has been done in the past.”
“I would like to thank Trustee Reinbold for his service over the last four years. He brought to the table an important, valuable and unique perspective,” she later added.
Reinbold’s resignation comes at a time of unprecedented hardship for the WBCSD after the failure of a $4.65 million school funding levy in May forced the board to shutter Priest River Junior High School and move the incoming seventh- and eighthgrade students into one half of the Priest River Lamanna High School.
WBCSD has partnered with the Innovia Foundation to raise the additional $1,073,800 needed to prevent future closures by covering the cost of salaries, transportation, maintenance, curriculum and technology. To donate, visit goinnovia.org/wbcsdfund.
The board voted July 17 to hold an online survey to determine if the community would support the $4.65 million levy if it is added to the November 2024 ballot. Residents of the WBCSD can visit forms.gle/WVJzHiABQgb9fEMM6 or follow the link on the district’s Facebook page to cast their vote.
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:
After showing confusion and signs of infirmity at the June presidential debate with Donald Trump, President Joe Biden, 81, announced July 21 that he will not run for re-election, various media reported. He has endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris, 59, to replace him as the Democratic nominee. Biden had been under pressure from party leaders to step aside, and plans to complete his term of office.
Harris has been flooded with endorsements and donations and has more delegate support than is required for securing the nomination. Speaking to supporters, she referred to her experience as a prosecutor taking on “perpetrators of all kinds,” such as those who “abused women ... ripped off consumers [and] who broke the rules for their own gain. So hear me when I say I know Donald Trump’s type.”
Newsweek reported that a Republican group that stood behind Nikki Haley in her primary challenge to Trump quickly pledged its support for Harris. Trump, 78, is now the oldest presidential nominee in U.S. history, various media reported.
New Jersey Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez has been found guilty on 16 charges of accepting bribes that benefitted Egypt and Qatar. According to NBC, he faces a maximum prison sentence of 20 years.
A faulty software update earlier in July from the cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike caused computer system crashes around the world, particularly affecting banks, air flights, hospitals and government services, various media reported. A year ago, The Lever wrote, Microsoft resisted regulators investigating risks posed by cloud service companies.
CNN fact-checked statements at the recent Republican National Convention, where Trump accepted the party’s presidential nomination. Among the false or misleading claims were that Biden has “eroded” American energy dominance. Rather, fossil fuel production has increased. As well, contrary to the wishes of environmentalists, Biden approved controversial drilling and pipeline projects.
The claim of “dramatic increases” in violence, crime and drugs due to Democrats’ policies is also false:
By Lorraine H. Marie Reader Columnist
FBI data shows violent crime dropping significantly under Biden (down 13% for murders, which could be the fastest decline ever). The violent crime level is now below Trump’s last year in office. There is no proof or corroboration of the claim that prisons are being “emptied” so migrants can come to the U.S. Rather, prison populations have increased worldwide. Neither is it true that minority unemployment is greater under Biden than Trump — it was 5.3% during Trump’s administration, and is now 4.8%.
While inflation peaked post-COVID at 9.1% in mid-2022, this June it was down to 3%.
Trump’s election fraud claims were labeled “nonsense” that lacks evidence, and the claim of a House vote to give access to the ballot for millions of people who are in the country illegally is false — there was no such vote — and it’s already illegal for noncitizens to vote in federal elections.
Finally, one RNC speaker lamented WWII heroes who “faced down communism” and do not recognize the country anymore. Historians’ correction: The U.S. fought fascism, not communism during the Second World War.
An RNC “first”: on stage wrestler Hulk Hogan hollered, “So all you criminals, all you lowlifes, all you scumbags... whatcha gonna do when Donald Trump and the Trumpmaniacs run wild on you, brother?!” He then tore off his shirt to reveal a Trump-Vance shirt.
Despite the recent assassination attempt against Trump — and due to pro-gun Wisconsin laws — the RNC was prohibited from banning most guns in the “soft security zone” surrounding the convention center. However, glass bottles and tennis balls were prohibited, According to The Lever reported.
Newsweek reported that Trump has not released his medical records following an assassination attempt at a rally earlier this month, raising questions about his overall health. Trump’s personal physician once wrote he was “the healthiest individual ever elected to the presidency.” But the doctor later told CNN that Trump dictated the letter to him.
Blast from the past: “The willingness to change one’s mind in the light of new evidence is a sign of rationality, not weakness.” — Stuart Sutherland, British psychologist and writer (1927-1998)
Troy Reinbold. File photo.
Sandpoint council does away with city administrator position Mayor Grimm: ‘Department heads function for our city the best’
By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff
Sandpoint has ended its eight-year stint with a city administrator form of government, as City Council members voted 5-1 on July 17 to eliminate the position.
Mayor Jeremy Grimm fronted the ordinance removing the job from the city’s organizational chart, and championed a return to a City Hall managed by department heads — including the addition of directors of Planning and Community Development, Public Works and Central Services. Those positions — all confirmed by the council on July 17 — would join other appointed functions such as treasurer, fire and police chiefs, and the city attorney, the latter serving under a contract appointment.
Getting rid of the city administrator function was one of Grimm’s primary campaign planks during his run for mayor in 2023, which resulted in the resignation of City Administrator Jennifer Stapleton following his victory at the polls and swearing in at the beginning of January. Stapleton had served as the city administrator since 2016. The position was created by a vote of the council in 2015.
“True to my campaign objectives, we have either put in place or are about to hire the seven department heads who will run the city with direct reporting to the council and myself,” Grimm said on July 17. “By making these positions appointed ... it in my opinion gives the ability for these positions to speak truth to power without the fear that the mayor’s going to fire them. I think it’s super important that the department heads can speak freely and without that fear of conflict with their ‘boss.’”
Officials who hold appointed positions with the city cannot be fired without the consent of the council. Jason Welker is Planning and Community Development director and Cheryl Hughes serves as director of Central Services. City Hall is still recruiting to fill the Public Works director job.
Council President Deb Ruehle objected to the move — and made the lone dissenting vote — saying that she would rather retain the position but neither fill nor budget for it.
“I feel you as the mayor need to prove that the [department head] system is going to work first, and so I want us to have a backup plan because it’s most important to me that we take care of the taxpayers of the city,” she said, adding later that Sandpoint has experienced dramatic growth since the last time it operated on a department head-led structure, and a city administrator may be necessary to provide full-time leadership over the complexities facing City Hall.
Ruehle said she would also favor redefining the powers and responsibilities of the city administrator role, “because I do think that there was an imbalance of power that occurred.” She worried that a future mayor may not be as engaged with day-today operations as Grimm has been, thus leaving too many aspects of city management to department heads and potentially opening the way for inefficiencies and unethical hiring and firing practices.
Councilor Justin Dick also raised concerns with the proposed ordinance.
“I do worry that we may not get a mayor with the same sort of work ethic that you’ve put in so far. ... I think siloing of the departments is a real thing, especially when you’re moving back to part-time hours and I think that puts you in a position where you’re reactive, and you’re finding out after issues and problems have already happened,” he said.
“If we did want to bring back a city administrator, I think they provide sustainable leadership and continuity for the staff,” Dick added. “I do worry that we may get a department head that doesn’t gel with the rest of the group or may bulldoze or railroad their way through into getting what they want.”
Dick ultimately voted in favor of the ordinance, along with Councilors Joel Aispuro, Pam Duquette, Rick Howarth and Kyle Schreiber.
“You ran on a platform of reforming the way that this city ran,” Howarth said, later adding that “before joining this council, I can tell you there were numerous people in my circle of influence that were very disappointed in the prior structure, and therefore voted for you and your platform.”
The only public testimony came
from Planning and Zoning Commissioner Amelia Boyd, who mounted an unsuccessful bid for City Council in 2023 and aligned herself as an ally and friend of former-Administrator Stapleton. She said that Grimm’s victory at the polls was the result of “a popularity contest — that’s how all these elections go,” and added that he is an “unqualified individual who doesn’t have the experience and wherewithal to actually run an entire organization with multiple moving pieces.”
“The mayor’s previous experience as a city planner has given him a glance of what it takes, but certainly doesn’t qualify him for what a city administrator or a city manager does,” she said, referring to Grimm’s previous eight years as Sandpoint city planner.
“I have already witnessed employees — five to date — who have left in just under six months of figuring things out without a city administrator,” Boyd said. “I stand in front of you to tell you that more are going to leave and that is
a guarantee. Why? Because your city administrator knew how to do her job during her tenure. ...
“If those of you on the dais think otherwise, then you are living in a fairytale,” she added.
Grimm underscored his support for the department head organizational format, applauding its “transparency, the interface, the questions, the direct access, the unfettered comments, the lack of an [unelected] individual having the narrative over the city.”
“I’m pretty adamant that department heads function for our city the best,” he said. “I don’t subscribe to the belief that there was siloing. I was here for eight years, and I saw a lot of collaboration. ... It engages the council, it requires the council to do work and ask questions, and frankly, for the history of Sandpoint since 1901, we’ve functioned as a department head city except for all but a few years, and I think the proof is in the pudding.”
Cities should pitch in for BTAA…
Bouquets:
• Three cheers to the stage crew and staff at the Festival at Sandpoint. It was surely a hot few days erecting the stage at War Memorial Field. If you attend the shows — even from outside the fence — please give a nod to the many, many people it takes to make it happen.
Barbs:
• Sen. Scott Herndon gets yet another Barb this week for his ill-conceived “just asking questions” videos posted to social media after the Army Surplus 1 arson suspect was arrested. Because the suspect, Jennifer Meyer, once rented a room five years ago from Steve Johnson (who has run for office registered as a Democrat and an Independent), Herndon recorded two repetitious videos in which he made several suppositions and innuendos about a political connection to the arson. In the videos, he claimed he was “merely raising interesting connections.” Never mind that those “interesting connections” had already been investigated by police and reported in the Reader, complete with an actual explanation from Steve Johnson himself.
I’m so over the whole “I’m just asking questions” schtick. It’s lazy and it doesn’t add anything to a story except fear, uncertainty and doubt. People who “just ask questions” are really phrasing their beliefs as a question in an intellectually dishonest attempt to appear unbiased. Asking questions is fine, but one must be willing to accept the answers when they are given, not just pump more nonsense into the ether to keep the ignorant base frothy. Also, it’s important to ask the right questions of the right people, not idly speculate based on half-cocked “research” without context.
To be clear: There is no evidence that supports a suspect lighting the fire for political reasons. When/if there is a motive to report we will certainly hear from our competent local law enforcement and relay the story accordingly. Unlike Herndon, journalists actually source their stories with facts, not just wild theories grown out of their neckbeards. Perhaps Herndon should concentrate on finishing his lame duck term as senator.
Dear editor, This letter is written in support of the ongoing efforts of Better Together Animal Alliance in taking care of the stray animal problem in Sandpoint and all of Bonner County. In the past, BTAA has had to absorb the bulk of the costs of taking care of strays brought into their facility by Bonner County and the cities of Sandpoint and Ponderay. Payment to BTAA from those three entities — for the physical care, medical care, housing, etc., of the strays — has been minimal, at best, and doesn’t come close to covering the expenses incurred.
BTAA has been covering the preceding costs through donations from local citizens; donations that could have gone to covering all the wonderful programs that BTAA offers to all the people and animals of this county. For the city of Sandpoint to start up a shelter to hold animals for five days before euthanizing them, is leaving the city open to potential lawsuits for killing an animal when, for example, a family goes out of town on a trip and their animal (specifically a dog) gets away from whoever is caring for it. The family comes home to find their pet family member has been killed because they didn’t claim it within five days.
BTAA should continue to provide services for strays, but the two cities and county they are in need to come up with reasonable financial support, so that BTAA can continue providing all the care these strays may need. It would be a good way for those entities to avoid potential lawsuits as well as being supportive of the BTAA no-kill policy.
Respectfully,
Gail and Michael Harmelin Sandpoint
‘Haying time’...
Dear editor,
After the morning dew is off I fire up the tractor and swather and move across the field. Summer green windrows appear as I inhale the fresh cut balm of alfalfa and timothy.
An anxious doe at the field’s edge reminds me of the spotted fawns that are oftentimes bedded down in the tall, thick grass.
I make the turn towards the
creek and start to accelerate… then desperately hit the clutch and brake as the little one leaps up and dashes away.
Relief and gratitude for all three of us.
Steve Johnson Sagle
‘Think about it’...
Dear editor,
In the front-page article of the July 20 Daily Bee, Scott Herndon says he’s “merely raising interesting connections,” regarding the Army Surplus 1 store fire and a political candidate’s possible connection. He’s at it again folks, doing his best to divide people, through his normal use of innuendos, finger-pointing and smearing of an individual who doesn’t believe the same way he does.
Everyone should watch the movie, The American President. At the end of the movie, the character of the president, played by Michael Douglas, states, “All he cares about is making you afraid of it and who’s to blame for it.” That’s how he gets elected, regarding the character of Sen. Rumson, played by Richard Dreyfuss (substitute Herndon for Rumson).
Herndon is someone that doesn’t care about our freedoms and our rights; all he cares about is his agenda and dictating to the Bonner County Republican Central Committee his beliefs. He’s been instrumental in helping take away some of our rights: censorship through House Bill 710, women’s loss of their reproductive rights, etc.
Divide and conquer are words he must live by.
Michael Harmelin, Vietnam veteran Sandpoint
‘There’s your sign’…
Dear editor,
In 68 years, 46 in North Idaho, I’ve learned a few things. Spotting when someone is lying to me isn’t hard. When someone says, “I’m merely presenting some interesting information,” at the end of a series of baseless rumor mongering and inelegant “connecting the dots” accusations, there’s your sign.
When someone says, “There are interesting documented connections,” but the connections turn
out to be the fact that someone used a local business that employed someone, or someone rented a room or an apartment or space from someone local, there’s your sign.
When someone makes a lot of statements in the form of questions and then says, “I am not accusing or saying a person is a [fill in the blank]; I’m just asking the question and looking for answers.” There’s your sign.
People who say the words “I’m just sayin’ …,” there’s your sign.
Not that the above was related to anyone, or any recent misrepresentations by anyone who lost their state senate primary race, but I do want to remind the chair of the local Republican Party that he should know that Kathryn Larson is not challenging Mr. Rasor for the state representative seat. Mr. Rasor is not an incumbent being challenged. It is an open seat, and they are both running for that open seat equally. Just a little pesky basic civics lesson there, Mr. Chair.
Pierre Bordenave Sandpoint
‘Sandpoint’s greatest assets’...
Dear editor, Sandpoint is fortunate to have many great assets that enhance our community. Location and infrastructure contribute to our standard of living, but often don’t receive their due. Accordingly, as a former environmental engineer, I want to acknowledge the vital contribution of our water and wastewater treatment facilities.
Kudos and sincere appreciation to the men and women who are dedicated to their operation.
As Sandpoint grows, let’s ensure that we support these staff and facilities to meet the future commitment to clean water and wastewater treatment.
Victor Kollock Sandpoint
Send letters 300 words or less: letters@sandpointreader.com. Trolls will not be tolerated. Please elevate the conversation.
Chamber honors Syringa Cyclery as July Business of The Month
By Reader Staff
The Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce recently announced Syringa Cyclery as its July Business of the Month.
Syringa Cyclery launched the Idaho Panhandle Gravel Series in 2023, which was the brainchild of owner Charles Mortensen. The series comprises three races: the ¾ Minus Cykeltur, the CHAFE 150 and Monarch Grind. The proceeds of the ¾ Minus race benefit the Pend Oreille Pedalers. CHAFE 150 benefits the Panhandle Alliance for Education. The Monarch Grind proceeds benefit KRFYPanhandle Community Radio and POP.
“Syringa Cyclery is a great
example of a local business that is passionate about being fully engaged in the community in which it conducts its business,” the chamber stated in a news release.
In the 1990s, the Northwest was a battleground for what came to be known as the “Timber Wars.” While the fiercest fights over timber sales and environmental protection occurred in Washington and Oregon, Idaho was not immune. Activists chained themselves to trees to halt the Cove Mallard Timber Sale in the Nez Perce National Forest, drawing national media attention. This era of intense conflict left a legacy of appeals and litigation that severely hampered timber harvests on the Idaho Panhandle National Forests, which fell to a mere 17.6 million board feet in 2009.
By the early 2000s, it was clear to the timber industry representatives, forest resource-based communities and environmental groups that the status quo was unsustainable. Legal battles were costing jobs and stalling forest management, while environmentalists saw diminishing support for the protection of endangered species and proposed wilderness areas.
Amid this impasse, a groundbreaking dialogue began. Groups like The Lands Council and the Idaho Conservation League sat down with timber companies such as Idaho Forest Group to explore collaboration and compromise. Their goal was to identify zones of agreement and support each other’s objectives within those zones.
In 2010, this spirit of cooperation gave rise to the Panhandle Forest Collaborative. This initiative brought together a diverse group of stakeholders, including representatives from the forest industry; conservation organizations; recreational groups; state, local and tribal governments; and other community members. The PFC’s mission was to enhance forest management, improve fish and wildlife habitats, increase recreational opportunities and protect special areas through land designations like wilderness.
However, the PFC faced significant challenges in its early years. The Forest Service’s initial reluctance to collaborate with the public was a major obstacle. Agency staff believed they knew what was best for the land and viewed public collaboration as inefficient and ineffective. Tensions came to
a head during a contentious meeting at the Sandpoint Ranger Station, where a shouting match erupted between Forest Service personnel and representatives from the timber industry and conservation groups.
A turning point came with the appointments of Mary Farnworth as the supervisor of the IPNF and Chad Hudson as the district ranger in Coeur d’Alene. The PFC was critical of a proposed project in the Little North Fork Coeur d’Alene River called the Bottom Canyon Project. In response, Farnworth and Hudson challenged the PFC to come up with a better proposal. This project became the catalyst for the PFC’s eventual success.
The group proposed a comprehensive plan that included more than 4,000 acres of timber harvest to improve forest health, the removal of nearly 90 miles of unneeded roads to enhance water quality and fish habitat, and the protection of old-growth timber.
Since then, the PFC has led numerous other successful projects within the portions of the Priest Lake, Sandpoint and Coeur d’Alene ranger districts in Bonner and Kootenai counties. Thanks to the collaborative efforts of the PFC and similar groups in the region, timber harvest on the IPNF increased from 17.6 million board feet in 2009 to more than 90 million board feet last year. While appeals and lawsuits have not disappeared, their number has greatly decreased over this time period.
As the Panhandle Forest Collaborative celebrates its 15th anniversary, the future looks bright. The group has already achieved remarkable successes and is poised to accomplish even more. With continued collaboration and a commitment to finding common ground, the PFC is well positioned to further benefit public lands, fish and wildlife habitats, recreational opportunities and the local economy.
The story of the PFC is a testament to the power of dialogue and partnership. In an era often characterized by division and conflict, the PFC stands as an example of what can be achieved when diverse groups come together with a shared vision and a willingness to compromise. As we look ahead, the lessons learned from the PFC’s journey will continue to guide us toward a
more sustainable and harmonious future for our forests and communities.
For more info on the Panhandle Forest Collaborative, visit sites.google.com/view/ panhandleforestcollaborative/home
Brad Smith is conservation director of the statewide Idaho Conservation League, which he formerly served as North Idaho director.
Volunteers at work in the woods
Courtesy photo.
Science: Mad about
speed reading
By Brenden Bobby Reader Columnist
I’ve always been a slow reader. I’m the kind of person who has to digest every bit of information I read; and, if my brain goes elsewhere mid-sentence, I have to start back at the beginning of the sentence and reabsorb what I just read in its entirety. This makes reading for pleasure a wonderful and imaginative experience, in which I can live out a richly detailed world built by the author. It also makes reading to learn take far longer than it should.
A number of my friends claimed to plow through the entire Harry Potter series over a weekend multiple times per year. It turns out that there are a number of methods for speed reading, though the notion that anyone can read in upward of 1,000 words per minute with perfect recollection is dubious at best. One of the principles of speed reading is snagging key bits of information and allowing your brain to fill in the rest based on context.
The human brain is immensely good at detecting patterns and making connections to fill gaps in those patterns. It’s exceptionally talented at doing this with language, but only after adequate practice. The more practice someone has at reading, the better they’ll be at speed reading.
It’s unclear if genetics play any part in the ability to speed read. Reading, like most acquired skills, may have some benefits related to genetics, but those benefits don’t outweigh practice and application. This means someone who actively reads more will better comprehend what they’re reading than someone who may have a genetic predisposition for reading and understanding language,
but doesn’t spend much time exercising those skills.
Similarly, someone who spends an hour a day running will be a better runner than someone who comes from a family of runners, but prefers playing World of Warcraft for 14 hours a day.
The process of skimming and scanning is commonly applied to speed reading dense informational text. Humans need context and syntax to grasp linguistic meaning, but our brains are able to fill in a lot of the gaps. An interesting example of this is presented in the cold open of The Office, Season 8, Episode 2, when Kevin begins to contract his sentences in order to save time, only serving to frustrate and confuse his coworkers.
Kevin knows exactly what information he needs to know while contracting sentences into nonsensical clusters of words, yet it befuddles everyone else when they’re trying to decode his phrases. Interestingly, scanning dense informational texts causes your brain to mirror much of what Kevin was doing, by cutting out unnecessary syntax in favor of important key information. As the information is written down, you’re more easily able to understand if the text is telling you to see the world or SeaWorld.
This idea is also applied to chunking, whereby your brain gathers blocks of information and groups them together for later recall. It’s easier for our brains to recollect chunks of information than individual pieces, and this is likely due to our knack for pattern recognition. This is especially helpful for recalling long chains of numbers.
Numbers in a seemingly random configuration can be grouped into a more recognizable form that helps us remember them. If I asked
you to memorize the number 1,224,192,603,292,240 and recite it to me in 30 minutes, do you think you could do it? What if you turned it into a date format: 12-24-1926, or December 24th, 1926; and 0329-2240, or March 29th, 2240?
This is done through decoding and recoding the information — repackaging it into something we can more easily recall. We use dates all of the time, but we don’t commit long strings of numbers to memory, as that data can become very easily corrupted. This form of data management and encoding takes a lot of practice, just like effective speed reading.
Meta guiding is a common speed reading technique that gives the reader a point of reference to follow. A page of text by itself is a referential desert, and it’s easy for our eyes and brains to get lost and end up on a line we’ve already read. Use your finger as a guide and suddenly it’s much easier to fly through the pages. Though it takes more energy to tell your finger to guide your eyes while simultaneously processing the information, that extra mental juice helps us avoid reprocessing information we’ve already absorbed and ultimately speeds up our rate of reading.
Our brains use three methods for reading: subvocalization, auditory reading and visual reading. Subvocalization is what I described toward the beginning of this article. Your inner voice is reading, just like your parents read to you as a child. It’s the slowest form of reading, but it’s also one of the best ways for us to become totally immersed in whatever writing we’re consuming.
Auditory reading, while similar to subvocalization, is a faster form of reading that allows your brain to connect
sound to words. Someone who stops to mentally sound out the word “pulchritudinous” is using subvocalization. Someone who recalls Brenden saying the word “pulchritudinous” in a conversation one time is using auditory reading.
Visual reading is a little more complicated than the other two forms. This is the ability to see a word and recognize its meaning without “reading” it with subvocalization or even recalling it. It’s also keyed in to how your brain can differentiate two words that are spelled the same, such as in the example: “Joey liked to read since his parents read to him as a child.”
Visual reading has expanded in the age of social media to incorporate images into our ability to read. Contextual clues expand beyond the words on the screen to pair with images that permeate our digital lives. The woman-yelling-at-a-cat meme is immediately recognizable and relatable, yet adding different words to it changes the way you process the information as a whole, which is a form of visual reading.
I bet you didn’t think that memes were connected to a higher form of learning, yet here we are.
Stay curious, 7B.
Random Corner
• Fast food restaurants earned a combined total revenue of $278.6 billion in 2021. There are approximately 200,000 fast food restaurants in the U.S., meaning each restaurant averaged $1.39 million in sales annually.
• The most ubiquitous fast food restaurant is McDonald’s, with 39,000 locations spread across 118 countries and territories. It’s estimated that McDonald’s sells about 75 hamburgers every second.
• According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about one-third of American adults eat fast food every day. That’s 84 million people. The same data shows that 36% of youths between the ages of 2 and 19 consume fast food daily. Only 4% of people reported never eating fast food in the past year.
• On average, a fast food meal is worth 37% of your daily calorie intake, 42.6% of your daily carb intake, 33.6% of your daily fat intake and 15.4% of your daily protein. The average menu item today is 12% lower in calories than it was in 2013.
• Proportionally, hash browns have more fat and calories than a cheeseburger or Big Mac.
• What’s the most eaten vegetable? Potatoes (because of french fries).
• On average, people spend $148 on fast food each month. Millennials spend more than $214 every month on fast food — three times as much as Baby Boomers.
• One in four Americans rate McDonald’s fries the best, followed by Burger King (12%), Chick-fil-A (9%), Wendy’s (7%) and Arby’s (6%).
• According to a Public Health Nutrition study, those who eat fast food regularly are 51% more likely to develop depression than those who don’t.
• In 2010, a New York photographer put a McDonald’s hamburger and fries in a jar. Five months later, the food still looked edible, while KFC fries bought on the same day were white and furry with mold.
Rex Theater fundraiser to showcase restoration
By Reader Staff
Kick off Priest River’s Timber Days at the Rex Theater for films and live music from 4-10 p.m. on Friday, July 26. The event will feature the Annual Nell Shipman Film and Music Festival and showcase the Rex Theater Foundation’s completion of Phase I of its historic restoration project.
Inside, organizers will show archival films of Priest River’s logging industry.
Outside, rock to the music of Conor Yarbrough from 4-6 p.m. and Miah Kohal from 7-10 p.m. on Main Street. Beer, wine and other beverages will be available for purchase. The event will also feature a repeat of last year’s successful wine tasting and
fundraiser benefiting the Rex Theater, located at 113 Main St., in downtown Priest River.
Get more information about the Rex Theater at rextheater.org. For more on the 2024 Priest River Timber Days, go to visitpriestriver.com.
A historic photo of the Rex Theater in Priest River. Courtesy photo.
dumb of the week
By Ben Olson Reader Staff
Usually, the Dumb of the Week column points its highly tuned antennas to a specific act of dumbness; but, this week, our cup runneth over.
‘Proof of life’
Right-wing Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert — whose name sounds as ridiculous as she is — went off-thecharts dumb this week after President Joe Biden announced he was dropping out of the 2024 presidential race. Biden released a statement July 21 claiming that while it was always his “intention to seek reelection,” he believed it was in the “best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and focus solely on fulfilling my duties as president for the remainder of my term.”
Boebert took to social media July 22, suggesting that Biden might not be “aware” that he had dropped out.
“I demand proof of life from Joe Biden today by 5 p.m.,” Boebert wrote. “He needs to get in front of some camera and discuss if he’s aware that he dropped out. ... Hiding is completely unacceptable.”
Does Boebert think Biden was kidnapped by a drug cartel? ‘Proof of life?’ Give me a break.
Her foolish demands were mostly ridiculed, but the usual cast of characters from her ideological corner took to social media with baseless conspiracies that ranged from laughable to downright insane. Turning Point USA activist Charlie Kirk and far-right activist Laura Loomer both claimed Biden was already dead. Billionaire hedge fund boss Bill Ackman suggested Biden’s signature wasn’t real on the letter, writing on X, “If this were a hostage situation, that letter would not qualify as proof of life.”
Dozens of right-wing news pundits from Fox News to Newsmax echoed the delusion, asking, “Where is Joe Biden?” though he hadn’t made a public appearance in just one or two days. Fox News host Laura Ingraham even claimed we were in some sort of Weekend at Bernie’s scenario.
Donald Trump’s vice presidential pick J.D. Vance joined the fray, telling his rally crowd, “The idea of selecting the Democrat[ic] Party’s nominee because George Soros and Barack Obama and a couple of elite Democrats got in a smoke-filled room and decided to throw Joe Biden overboard, that is not how it works.”
This from the guy who referred to Trump as a “moral disaster,” a “total fraud” and even “America’s Hitler.”
Biden spoiled everyone’s fun after isolating with COVID-19 for a few days, telling news reporters July 23 that he was “good.”
Jumping the shark
It’s obvious Republicans are pissed that Trump was impeached twice. They have since filed seven (yes, seven) impeachment resolutions against Biden, some even before he took office. All of them have failed to leave the ground. Now, they’re going after Vice President Kamala Harris.
Shortly after Harris became the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., filed articles of impeachment against her, accusing Harris of high crimes and misdemeanors for her role as “border czar” in the Biden administration. Ogles argued that Harris has shown “extraordinary incompetence” in enforcing immigration laws.
It’s worth noting that Harris has never served in any capacity as a “border czar.”
This isn’t the first time Ogles has targeted Harris with impeachment efforts. He tried the same thing last summer, but that effort also fizzled. In addition, Beetlejuice-fan Boebert filed an impeachment resolution targeting Harris, but no one really understands why. It’s possible Boebert doesn’t either.
Moment of Zen
The final Dumb of the Week goes out to the writer of a recent snarky letter addressed to me at the Reader office. I get a fair amount of hate mail, usually after I write something negative (i.e. true) about Trump. Between false premises and Boomer projections, the author makes what I consider their most hilarious statement: “Do you even have the journalistic backbone to include [my anonymous letter] in an editorial for your readers?”
Let that sink in for a second.
This person, who sent an anonymous letter, is questioning my journalistic integrity if I don’t publish it. To state the obvious: We don’t publish any anonymous letters or opinion pieces. If you believe in something strongly enough, why must you write it anonymously? Put your name on it. We do. We have been doing this since the first edition of the Reader published in 2004. If an opinion or stance is worth a damn, it’s worth bearing your name.
But thanks for playing!
Festival at Sandpoint: Know before you go
By Reader Staff
The Festival at Sandpoint summer concert series is back, and whether you’re a first-timer or have attended the iconic shows since the Reagan administration, there are always a few things concertgoers need to be aware of before the first band takes the stage.
Tickets
Tickets are available for purchase at festivalatsandpoint.org. They are digitally delivered five days before the performance, directly to the email inbox used to purchase them. If there are any issues receiving tickets, visit etix. com/ticket/resend or visit the venue box office from 4-9 p.m. on the day of shows. Please note: There are general admission tickets and sponsor tickets, so be sure to stand in the correct line. Sponsor gates
open at 5:45 p.m. and general admission/season pass gates open at 6 p.m.
The ‘no’s’
There is no re-entry; no rolling or hard-sided coolers, wagons or strollers; no glass (no exceptions); no cash or check; no drugs; and no weapons allowed inside the venue.
Parking/shuttle
The SPOT shuttle provides fast, free transportation to and from the venue at War Memorial Field during the entire concert series. The shuttle operates from 4-11 p.m. each performance date. To use the shuttle, park your vehicle at the Sandpoint High School lot (410 S. Division Ave.) and a bus will take you right to the front gates of Memorial Field. After the show, the bus will take you back to your vehicle at SHS.
To dance or not to dance?
Shows are classified as either as a standard or a seated configuration. On standard shows, the front area in front of the stage is designated standing room only. In seated show configuration, the same area is dedicated to low-back chairs and blankets. Please respect the configuration of the evening.
Food and Drinks
New to the Festival this year are two on-site bars operated by Sweet Lou’s. There will also be a full-service bar on the waterfront side of the grandstands for cocktails, beer on tap and wine. Finally, if you’re just looking for a beer, wine or canned drink, the Grab & Go bar is located on the lakeside of the stage.
Festival Street is the collection of food vendors offer-
ing dinner options. This year, vendors include The Burger Dock, The Cajun Kettle, Opa! Greek Cuisine, GT Gourmet Grilled Cheese, Sweet Treats, You Say Potato, Tacos Andale, Good Dilla Quesadillas, Evans Brothers Coffee, Felker’s Northern Smoke BBQ and Mountain Food Co.
Grand Finale and Tasting Schedule
Gates will open for the grand finale on Sunday, Aug. 4 at 5 p.m., with free face painting from 5-5:45 p.m.; a
Taste of the Stars, featuring pours from the region’s finest breweries, wineries and distilleries from 5-7 p.m.; and the music starting at 7 p.m.
For more information visit festivalatsandpoint.org.
Photo by Racheal Baker.
Angels Over Sandpoint celebrates 22nd annual Back to School program
By Reader Staff
Local nonprofit Angels Over Sandpoint will mark its 22nd annual Back to School event this summer, which initially involved collecting school supplies for donation to local schools, but thanks to community contributions has since grown to include backpacks and other classroom necessities.
Each year, Angels volunteers gather at Farmin Stidwell Elementary School to receive, unpack, count and organize supplies. This year, however, the Angels have also introduced a number of new locations, all with their own times and dates, for pickup.
The items are then sorted into totes for distribution.
Farmin Stidwell Elementary (1626 Spruce St., in Sandpoint) will serve as a pickup site Wednesday, Aug. 14 from 4-7:30 p.m. and Thursday, Aug. 15, from 9 a.m.-noon.
Pickup will continue Aug. 15, from 5-7 p.m., at Clark Fork Junior/ Senior High School (502 N. Main St.); Sagle Elementary (550 Sagle Road); and the Priest River Kaniksu Community Health Clinic (6509 U.S. 2).
In a news release, the Angels stated that they are looking for additional volunteers, and those interested in joining the Back to School effort can do so by emailing back2school.aos@ gmail.com.”
“Additionally, we accept donated supplies from local organizations, such as bulk items like backpacks, headphones and toothbrushes,” the Angels stated. “Each donation, whether monetary or in kind, contributes significantly to our mission.”
The Angels’ annual risque variety show The Follies is instrumental in raising funds to support this and other programs the nonprofit sponsors.
They also rely on monetary donations and collaboration with Staples in Ponderay to provide essential supplies.
The Back to School initiative has supported up to 1,000 children annually in the community, offering a selection of backpacks and school supplies.
“Our aim this year is to assist 1,500 children, made possible through the dedication of Angels Over Sandpoint, Staples in Ponderay and our generous donors and volunteers,” organizers stated.
To streamline the registration process, the Angels have transitioned to a digital signup platform. To register, visit bit.ly/ AngelsOverSandpoint.
Participants can also call 208352-6462 and leave a voicemail to register. The registration deadline is Thursday, Aug. 1.
To donate, please visit our website and click on the donation link: angelsoversandpoint.square.site.
Cedar Hills Church spearheads community service projects
By Ben Olson Reader Staff
In lieu of their weekly church services, Cedar Hills Church members will head into the community Sunday, July 28 to participate in various service projects.
“We have about 16 projects that we’ll be working on that day,” said Cedar Hills Church member Michele Murphree.
Murphree said there will be a food drive to support the Bonner Community Food Bank; woodcutting and stacking at the VFW and the Firewood Rescue woodlots; work on the Pine Street Sled Hill and the orchard in memory of Sprouts near the bottom of the hill; yard work at the Bonner General Health Healing Garden, Sandpoint Middle School and the Forrest Bird Charter Schools; a cleanup of the grounds and the main auditorium at the Bonner County Fair-
grounds in preparation for the fair; deep kitchen cleaning and yard work at the Sandpoint Senior Center; cleanup at the Bonner General Health Healing Garden; and more.
“We want to be a church that’s known for what we’re for,” stated Lead Pastor Eric Rust. “To let the city know that not only are we for them; but, more importantly, Jesus is for them. And so we’re gonna show up, we’re gonna group up, and we’re gonna head out in teams
of people and just love on the city in which we live.”
Murphree told the Reader about 150 volunteers have already signed up and the church expects at least 100 more.
“Our intent and goal is to be for Sandpoint and the community on that day,” she said. “We want to express our love and appreciation to this community and the surrounding area, so we will have teams of all ages serving Sand-
point, Ponderay and Kootenai.”
The church has coordinated with 13 local nonprofit organizations during the project to identify specific needs within the community.
“It has been really fun and interesting to talk to a lot of nonprofits in our area,” Murphree said. “And to organizations who fund and help our nonprofits. ... One thing is for sure: This is an incredible town filled with people who have just huge hearts.”
Ribbon cutting celebrating the grand opening of Big Toy Condos
By Reader Staff
The Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce joined Big Toy Condos in celebrating the grand opening at 425 Schweitzer Cutoff Road.
Co-owners Craig Cozad, Derick Driggs and Todd Kaufman welcomed staff, business partners, family, chamber staff and board members with a ribbon cutting.
The owners’ original intent for the property was to build apartments, but due to some complexities with the close proximity of the Sandpoint Airport, their plans had to change. So they pivoted, and decided
to pursue an emerging trend of creating a storage community.
There are 101 units available and more than 30% have already been purchased. The condos can be customized as the owner prefers. The units are insulated, have electricity, lighting and heat. The property has secure, gated access. It offers a basketball court, soon-to-be-completed pickleball court
and an on-site clubhouse with a common area for lounging, a kitchenette, restrooms with shower facilities, an office space and conference room.
Big Toy Condos is a first-of-itskind business in Bonner County, and the owners plan to open two more locations soon in Kalispell and Missoula, Mont.
Wednesday Morning Women’s Golf League raises $13K+ for CCC
By Reader Staff
The Wednesday Morning Women’s Golf League recently held a golf tournament to raise funds for the Community Cancer Center, breaking the fundraising record in the group’s long-running event.
“Through the generosity of our many sponsors and participants, we were able to give the Community Cancer Center a check in the amount of $13,100,” the league stated in a news release.
Chairwomen Mary Stevens, Rochelle Baxley
and Mary Beth Childers spearheaded the tourney. “Without the hard work of these dedicated women and their ‘helpers,’ this event would not happen,” league representatives stated.
Courtesy photo
Chairwomen of the event: Mary Stevens, Rochelle Baxley and Mary Beth Childers. Courtesy photo.
Crazy Days bids farewell to Panida scholarship fundraiser
By Soncirey Mitchell Reader Staff
Sandpoint is gearing up to celebrate its 37th annual Crazy Days sale Saturday, July 27, which will treat shoppers to unmatched deals and provide a boon to local businesses. More than 30 members and friends of the Sandpoint Shopping District will host sidewalk sales throughout downtown from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., including the Panida Theater, which will hold the 35th — and final — Play It Again fundraiser.
“It’s the very last chance. Every album and CD is $2. I brought a whole [Subaru] Forester full of them up from Spokane’s Four Thousand Holes and Coeur d’Alene’s The Long Ear,” said Steve Garvan, former Panida board member and longtime volunteer who has managed the fundraiser for the past 15 years.
The sale will include donated records, CDs, DVDs, cassettes and stereo equipment, with all proceeds benefiting the Panida’s Performing Arts Scholarships to help local students continue
their education.
The Play It Again fundraiser will run from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, and will continue to accept cash and music-related donations Thursday, July 25 and Friday, July 26, from noon to 6 p.m. at the Panida (300 N. First Ave., in downtown Sandpoint).
Garvan emphasized his gratitude for all the donors and volunteers who have made the annual event possible — especially the aforementioned record stores, Better Together Animal Alliance, Kris Kurrus, Marcella Nelson and Elissa Wadds.
Courtesy photo.
Send event listings to calendar@sandpointreader.com
Festival at Sandpoint: Blues Traveler
7:30pm @ War Memorial Field
THURSDAY, July 25
An evening of blues-rock, folk and alt-rock with the return of the iconic Blues Traveler. Gates open at 6pm
Reptile Man
7pm @ Sandpoint City Beach
40-min interactive show
Game Night 6:30pm @ Tervan
Festival at Sandpoint: Violent Femmes
7:30pm @ War Memorial Field
The seminal alt-rockers bring their hits to the Festival! Gates open at 6pm
Live Music w/ BTP
5-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery
Live Music w/ Truck Mills
5:30-8:30pm @ Barrel 33
Festival at Sandpoint: Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue with Big Boi
7:30pm @ War Memorial Field
A night of jazz, soul, R&B and hip hop. Gates open at 6pm
Crazy Days
11am-6pm @ Downtown Sandpoint
A downtown of sales and fun. Back for its 39th year. Get out and shop!
Live Music w/ Truck Mills
5-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery
Live Music w/ Mike Wagoner
5:30-8:30pm @ Barrel 33
Live Music w/ Karen Atkins Trio
6pm @ Connie’s Lounge
Free Food Distribution
11am-1pm @ 1900 Pine St.
July 25 - August 1, 2024
Free food at Christ Our Redeemer Lutheran Church
Music Bridges Borders: Free Family Concert
11:30am-12:30pm @ Tango Cafe
FriDAY, July 26
Live Jazz w/ Bright Moments
7-10pm @ 1908 Saloon
Live Music w/ Justin Lantrip 8-10pm @ Baxters Back Door
Live Music w/ Copper Mountain Band
8:30pm @ The Hive
Opener Third Avenue @ 8:30pm, Copper Mountain Band @ 9:30. Country $15
SATURDAY, July 27
Live Jazz w/ Bright Moments
6-8:30pm @ Arlo’s Ristorante
Live Jazz w/ The Cole Show 4-7pm @ Crow’s Bench (Schweitzer)
Live Music w/ Steven Wayne 8-10pm @ Baxters Back Door
Live Music w/ Ken Mayginnes 6-9pm @ 1908 Saloon
Dog House: Festival after party 10pm-1am @ Baxters Back Door
Featuring DJ Trailblazer
SunDAY, July 28
Festival at Sandpoint: Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors +
The National Parks
7:30pm @ War Memorial Field
A night of jazz, soul, R&B and hip hop. Gates open at 6pm
Monday Night Blues Jam w/ John Firshi
7pm @ Eichardt’s Pub
Festival at Sandpoint: Maren Morris
7:30pm @ War Memorial Field
Leading pop singer-songwriter. Gates open at 6pm
Sandpoint Farmers’ Market
3-5:30pm @ Farmin Park
Open Mic Night
6pm @ Tervan Tavern
Festival at Sandpoint: Lee Brice
7:30pm @ War Memorial Field
Country music star on the Festival stage Gates open at 6pm
Game Night
6:30pm @ Tervan Bingo Night 6-8pm @ Idaho Pour Auth.
Bingo Night 6-8pm @ Idaho Pour Auth.
Rex Theater fundraiser event
4-10pm @ Rex Theater (Priest River)
Live music, films, eats and drinks to support the Rex Theater restoration
Museum Historic Walking Tour
10 & 2:30pm @ 212 N. First Ave.
Shadow Puppet workshop 9am-3pm @ Bonner Co. History Museum
Free! Only a few spots left
‘Summer Sizzle’ dance
7-10pm @ Sandpoint Community Hall One-hour West Coast Swing lesson, followed by general dancing 8-10pm. All welcome. $8/person donation
Bingo at the Senior Center 12:30pm @ Sandpoint Senior Center
Sandpoint Farmers’ Market 9am-1pm @ Farmin Park
Music Bridges Borders: Free Family Concert
6pm @ First Presbyterian Church
Talented student musicians from the orchestras of Mexico
Magic with Star Alexander 5-8pm @ Jalepeño’s
Sandpoint Chess Club 9am @ Evans Brothers Coffee Meets every Sunday at 9am
monDAY, July 29
Outdoor Experience Group Run
6pm @ Outdoor Experience 3-5 miles, all levels welcome
Cottage Market
10am-4pm @ Farmin Park New vendors welcome: 509-319-9493
Irish Folk Jam 3-6pm @ Idaho Pour Authority Trivia Night 6-8pm @ Idaho Pour Authority
wednesDAY, July 31
Pinochle Wednesday
9:30am @ Sandpoint Senior Center
Live Piano w/ Bob Beadling 5-7pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery
Benny on the Deck concert series
5-7pm @ Connie’s Lounge
Featuring guest Reese Warren
In a Landscape: outdoor piano 6-7:30pm @ Pine St. Woods See Page 19
US Poet Laureate speech (livestreamed) 6pm @ Sandpoint Library
The library will livestream a speech by Joy Harjo, the 23rd U.S. Poet Laureate (and first Native American to hold the position).
ThursDAY, August 1
Wild Robot Final Party
1pm @ Sandpoint Library
Trivia, robot building, lawn games, tie dye and ice cream. Geared for ages 5-12 but all are welcome
Live Jazz w/ Bright Moments
5-8pm @ Pearls at Beyond Hope
Live Music w/ Tim Snider 8pm @ Eichardt’s Pub
Won’t you be my Neighbors?
The Reader chats with Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors
By Ben Olson Reader Staff
Growing up in Memphis, Tenn., and later moving to Nashville, Drew Holcomb has been steeped in regional musical traditions his whole life.
“I grew up like a lot of kids in the ’90s, listening to rock radio and not paying much attention to the musical history of my town,” Holcomb told the Reader. “When I moved to Nashville after college, I was just blown away by the magnet of talent that the town has.”
It was among this pool of talent that Drew Holcomb met his wife and connected with future bandmates Nathan Dugger and Rich Brinsfield, as well as Ian Miller and Will Sayles. Together, the five musicians would form Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors, so named because everyone lived in the same zip code.
The band developed a sound that lives comfortably between genres, incorporating elements of Americana, alternative rock, indie folk and even a dash of alt-country.
Twenty years later, the five-piece has dropped nine studio albums, along with a handful of side projects, EPs and holiday songs along the way.
Holcomb’s latest album, Strangers No More, dropped in 2023. Songs like “Find Your People” and “Dance With Everybody” captured the joy — and disorientation — of post-pandemic life.
“My writing coming out of the pandemic was very slow at the beginning,” Holcomb said. “Despite all the tragedies we went through during that time, a lot of good self-reflection came out of it, too. I have three children and I’d been touring and traveling for 16 years at that point, so it was the first time I was home a lot.”
The recording process was so prolific — with the band laying down 24 tracks in just two weeks in the studio — that Holcomb said the next album will actually be a Strangers No More Vol. 2, scheduled to release in September.
“That particular record spans a lot of genres for us,” Holcomb said. “We allowed ourselves to breathe musically and not create too many rules.”
Holcomb said many of the themes of his songs center on the togetherness we feel with our loved ones, especially
during hard times.
“It’s all about finding your people,” he said. “I just wrote it about my friends. We can stand inside the weirdness of this bizarre and unprecedented cultural season we find ourselves perpetually in now.”
For Holcomb, music remains a uniting force.
“We need music to be something that reminds us of each others’ humanity,” he said. “I think music has the capacity to bring people together.”
Holcomb recalled one night a year after the pandemic when he was playing with country music legend Willie Nelson in South Carolina.
less of your point of view, a song can speak to you.”
“In the front row, there was a couple head-to-toe in Trump MAGA gear sitting right next to a lesbian couple head-to-toe in rainbow gear. Both couples were singing along with every word to Willie’s songs,” he said. “That’s the power of music. Regard-
Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors will play the Festival at Sandpoint with The National Parks on Sunday, July 28, with gates opening at 6 p.m. and the show starting at 7:15 p.m. Visit festivalatsandpoint.org to buy tickets and listen at drewholcomb.com.
Piano al fresco
In a Landscape concert brings the classics outdoors
By Reader Staff
The Music Conservatory of Sandpoint is teaming up with Kaniksu Land Trust to present In a Landscape: Classical Music in the Wild, an outdoor classical music concert on Monday, July 29 from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Pine Street Woods (11915 W. Pine St., in Sandpoint).
The unique performance will feature Portland, Ore.-based concert pianist Hunter Noack, who travels to scenic landscapes throughout the West with a Steinway grand piano. The Pine Street Woods concert is one of 52 such performances that will take place throughout the Pacific Northwest this year.
Listening with wireless headphones, attendees can explore the surrounding environment while listening to the music through wireless headphones,
creating an immersive experience that fosters a connection with the music, nature and one another.
In a Landscape will benefit Kaniksu Land Trust, which has completed more than 30 conservation projects, protecting nearly 4,000 acres of special places in the Kaniksu region.
Gates open at 5 p.m. and tickets to the all-ages event are $40 per person. Attendees are encouraged to bring a picnic and beverages, but are asked to leave pets at home. Eichardt’s will be on site with a no-host bar. Parking is limited at Pine Street Woods, so a special arrangement has been made to shuttle attendees from the Sandpoint High School parking lot (410 S. Division Ave.) starting at 4:45 p.m.
Full details and tickets are available on the Eventbrite listing at kaniksu. org/happenings or sandpointconservatory.org.
Photo by Dillion Jordan.
By Marcia Pilgeram Reader Columnist
When Sandpoint’s Dillon family opened Panhandle Cone and Coffee, I recall their new storefront having a lot of quiet days. Like many food startups, I wasn’t sure they were going to make it (and there may have been days they thought the same).
But now, most hot summer days you’ll find folks queued up, with the line snaking out the door and down the sidewalk. Even my impatient self has been known to line up for an orange and dark freckles chocolate cone (and a third of my grandchildren can vouch for the same lines at the Moscow location). I love seeing this hard-working family succeed and my clan is doing their best to keep it that way (and I’m never at a loss for gift-giving. Gift cards purchased at Panhandle Cone and Coffee in Sandpoint can also be redeemed at the Coeur d’Alene and Moscow shops).
My gang likes ice cream all year long, but gosh, these long, hot summer days especially scream for ice cream. And whether you’re buying a bulk tub of Blue Bunny vanilla or a $20 dollar pint of an artisanal Catalan crème, chances are you’ve already had your share of a creamy frozen confection this summer.
Long before ice cream
The Sandpoint Eater Pucker up
making was discovered, clever people looking to beat the heat with a frozen treat discovered sorbet. Even more than ice cream, sorbet is among my favorite summer quenchers. I like sherbet too, but sorbet is lighter and more tart. The other noticeable difference is sherbet contains dairy, while sorbet is basically fruit juice, sugar, water and a bit of zest.
I am not 100% sure of its provenance, but I think we can thank the Italians for perfecting the art of combining fruit juices with
sugar to create this frozen dessert, known in Italy as sorbetto. It’s similar to Italian ice, though sorbet’s smooth texture is achieved by churning/blending the mixture as it freezes, while Italian ice is not blended once it’s in its partially frozen state, so it’s more granular.
Last spring, along the Amalfi coast of Italy — in picturesque villages like Ravello, Positano and Minori — I had my choice of local vendors, who lined the cobblestone streets selling lemon sorbet in frozen
lemon shells. The scent of the yellow citrus confection was intoxicating and refreshing. On a warm day nothing cools the palate like the sweet/tart taste upon your tongue.
On this same visit, I discovered sgroppino, a light and tart cocktail made with lemon sorbet, chilled vodka and prosecco. Oh, how I wish I had discovered this libation about 40 years sooner. And, once again, we can thank the creative Italians for perfecting this fine cocktail. I honestly can’t think of a more perfect cocktail to
Tart and light lemon sorbet and sgroppino cocktail
A lovely palate cleanser between courses.
INGREDIENTS: DIRECTIONS:
Sorbet:
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 3 tbsp finely grated lemon zest
• ¾ cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice
Sgroppino cocktail:
• 2 cups (one batch) of lemon sorbet
• 4 oz Tito’s Vodka, chilled
• 8 oz chilled prosecco
• Lemon zest
Sorbet:
Place sugar and water in a small saucepan; bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 2 minutes. Cool completely. Pour into large bowl of standup mixer.
On low speed, pour in lemon zest and juice and mix for a minute. Freeze in mixing bowl, until firm, about 1 ½ hours.
Return bowl to mixer and use whisk attachment, on low, for a minute or two — incorporating more air results in a lighter sorbet. Freeze until firm, about 4 hours.
Serve — or move to a pre-chilled freezer storage container with a tight-fitting lid — until ready to use.
Garnish each serving with a twist of lemon peel, mint or fresh berries.
Sgroppino cocktail:
In a cocktail shaker, whisk together 2 cups of sorbet and a splash of prosecco until fully incorporated. While whisking, slowly pour in the
serve in the summer.
I’m not sure sgroppino will rival Reader Staff Writer Soncirey Mitchell’s Lord of the Rings cocktails (featured in last week’s Reader), but I’ll let you know after I’ve had a chance to sample all of her cocktails. Be patient, dear readers. It’s a big job but someone has to do it.
Meanwhile, as you wait with great anticipation, go ahead and whip up a batch of sorbet so you’re ready, at a moment’s notice, to serve your friends a fine batch of sgroppino.
Makes 2 cups
chilled vodka, then the remainder of the prosecco. Shake well. Serve in a chilled martini glass or coupe. Garnish each drink with lemon zest. Serve immediately while still icy.
Photo by Fern Meuff.
Week 1 of the Festival at Sandpoint
Here’s who’s taking the stage during the opening run of 2024
By Soncirey Mitchell Reader Staff
The Festival at Sandpoint returns Thursday, July 25 for its 41st annual concert series, featuring a host of performers whose music runs the gamut from hip-hop to punk to country. For the first year, the Festival has added a special Wednesday show, making for a grand total of nine unforgettable nights.
Below is a breakdown of the acts for opening week. Tickets are available at festivalatsandpoint.com.
Thursday, July 25
Blues Traveler w/Justyn Priest
With 15 full-length albums to date, the members of Blues Traveler have managed to amass a Grammy, three gold-selling records, one platinum LP and a six-time platinum record, Four. Though specializing in all things rock — be it blues, folk or alternative — the band also draws inspiration from classic hip-hop and pop trends, which helps Blues Traveler appeal to a wide audience. Whether playing hit originals like “Run-Around” and “Hook,” or pieces from the Great American Songbook, the band has proven that it’s the perfect blend of innovation and nostalgia to remain in the public eye for almost 40 years.
This is a standard show, meaning the area in front of the stage is standing room only. General admis-
sion tickets are $59.95 before taxes and fees. Gates open at 6 p.m. and the music starts at 7:30 p.m.
Friday, July 26
Violent Femmes
A vital fixture of the ’80s folk punk and alternative rock scenes, the Violent Femmes have been influencing the evolution of American indie rock, grunge and emo music for more than four decades. In honor of the 40th anniversary of the band’s avant-garde masterpiece Hallowed Ground, these fan-favorite rockers are slated to perform the first two of their 10 albums from cover to cover — with a few additional hits to round out the night. The show will begin with the upbeat sounds of the Violent Femmes’ first self-titled album — which nonetheless embodies the ethos of disenchanted youth — before moving into their later experimental songs that incorporate traditional elements of country, gospel and blues.
This is a standard show. General admission tickets are $59.95 before taxes and fees. Gates open at 6 p.m. and the music starts at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, July 27
Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue w/Big Boi
From taking the stage at the ripe age of 6 to performing at the White House a total of five times and on Sesame Street (alongside his very own Muppet alter ego), Troy “Trombone Shorty”
Copper Mountain Band, The Hive, July 26
Is there anything more country than the Copper Mountain Band? Only Reba McEntire riding a horse through Dollywood. The talented members of CMB have spent the past 17 years winning over audiences both at home and abroad with their classic country hits like “Just Like Jesse James” and “Cowgirl Like Me.” Their quintessential sound is ideal for 21+ fans of Amer-
Andrews has enjoyed a career that would make any musician jealous — and he’s only 38. This Big Easy-based musician has shared the stage with giants like Lenny Kravitz, Bruno Mars and Ringo Starr, just to name a few, meanwhile developing a unique sound that combines funk, soul, R&B, psychedelic rock, pop and hip-hop. Shorty is taking a break from leading his own Mardi Gras parade and running his studio to share his addictive songs, which embody the phrase, Laissez les bons temps rouler (“Let the good times roll”).
This is a standard show. General admission tickets are $59.95 before taxes and fees. Gates open at 6 p.m. and the music starts at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, July 28
Drew Holcomb and The Neighbors w/The National Parks
After spending the past 15 years on a non-stop global tour, it’s clear that Tennessee folk-rock outfit Drew Holcomb and The Neighbors have mastered all things Americana. The band’s Festival performance celebrates its ninth and most recent album, Strangers No More, which encapsulates the feeling of togetherness and optimism that Holcomb and The Neighbors evoke at each concert. It’s easy to see why NPR, Entertainment Weekly, Billboard and more than 75 TV shows have all shone a spotlight on the band’s uplifting folky rock ’n’ roll jams. For an
shows
in-depth look at the band, see Page 19.
This will be a seated show, meaning the area in front of the stage is for general admission, short chair and blanket seating. General admission tickets are $54.95 before taxes and fees. Gates open at 6 p.m. and the music starts at 7:15 p.m.
Wednesday, July 31
Maren Morris w/Delacey Maren Morris’ style may be rooted in country — attested to by her 10 Academy of Country Music and Country Music Association awards — but her music is also heavily influenced by pop, R&B and hip-hop. Singles like “The Bones” and sixtime platinum-certified “The Middle” have endeared her to a wide variety of music fans, earning her a Grammy win in addition to 17 nominations. Morris is also a vocal advocate for inclusivity and uses her free time and platform as a member of The Highwomen to fight misogyny and racism in the music industry and beyond.
This will be a standard show. General admission tickets are $74.95 before taxes and fees. Gates open at 6 p.m. and the music starts at 7:30 p.m.
See festivalatsandpoint.com for full biographical information about each artist and check the Aug. 1 edition of the Reader for a summary of Week 2 performances.
Steven Wayne, Baxter’s Back Door, July 27
This week’s RLW by Zach Hagadone
READ
My latest fascination is with Julia Boyd’s 2022 book A Village in the Third Reich: How Ordinary Lives Were Transformed by the Rise of Fascism. Though she’s not an academic historian, I admire Boyd’s deep sourcing, eye for intimate details and gripping writing style as she looks past the bombast of the Nazis and reveals the real people living real lives in a town that looks and sounds an awful lot like a certain North Idaho resort community I know. Find it where books are sold.
LISTEN
icana who want to shake a leg or just put their cowboy boots up and listen to a mix of rockin’ originals and timeless covers.
— Soncirey Mitchell
Doors at 8 p.m., music at 8:30, $10 online or $15 at the door, 21+. The Hive, 207 N. First Ave., 208-920-9039, livefromthehive. com. Listen at coppermountainband.com.
For those not attending the Festival at Sandpoint, there are a plethora of alternative live music options around the area. For instance, local artist Steven Wayne will bring his talent and range to Baxter’s Back Door for a live show on Saturday, July 27.
Wayne has performed his guitar-led tunes all over town, playing both the familiar and obscure. His rendition of Jeff Buckley’s cover of “Hallelu-
jah” by Leonard Cohen is the best we’ve heard in a long, long time.
Stick around when Wayne finishes his show for an Aftival night of dancing with DJ Trailblazer from 10 p.m.-1 a.m.
— Ben Olson
5-8 p.m., FREE, 21+. Baxter’s Back Door, 109 Cedar St., 208229-5211, baxtersoncedar.com.
Wikipedia says the “song of the summer” idea goes back at least to 1910, when the New York Tribune referred to “the summer song” (which at the time was “My Wife’s Gone to the Country! Hooray! Hooray!”). Really, though, it wasn’t until the maturation of mass media in the late-20th century that any one song could become the nation’s earworm. Multiple sources claim that the 2024 summer song is “Espresso” or “Please Please Please,” both by Sabrina Carpenter. True to form, you can’t avoid either, so don’t bother looking for them. They’ll find you.
WATCH
Six episodes into its second season, the Game of Thrones spinoff/prequel House of the Dragon on Max (a.k.a. HBO) has finally settled into itself with a fine-honed balance of action and exposition. I will not lie: The first three episodes of the current season — and the bulk of the episodes in the first season — left me cold. That started to turn around a few weeks back, when the dragons’ claws came out. If you were like me (or listened to me in previous lukewarm reviews) and wavered on HotD, maybe give it a second look. New episodes on Sundays.
A snapshot of notable live music coming up in Sandpoint
From Kootenai County Republican, July 26, 1901
WATER SYSTEM FOR SANDPOINT
L. D. Farmin informed a Republican reporter this week that negotiations are pending for the establishment of a system of waterworks in Sandpoint, and assures us that the enterprise is likely to be a reality within 60 days. The parties to the deal are well known Spokane men, whose names Mr. Farmin does not wish to divulge at present.
The plan is to bring the water down from Sand creek, a mountain stream about three and threefourths miles north of town; in a six or eight-inch pipe. This stream has its source in the mountains and is supplied by numberless springs along its course. The water is of finest quality and in quantity sufficient for a town many times the size of Sandpoint. The fall from the creek to town is said to be not less than 150 feet, which will give it force enough for all practical purposes.
It is to be hoped that the plans now under consideration will be carried out, for good water is certainly a boon to any community and Sandpoint is no exception. The well water here, the same as water everywhere when found too near the surface, is too hard and too impure for the health of the community. Another advantage which should not be lost sight of in this connection is the protection against fire a good system of waterworks will afford. In case of fire, Sandpoint would at present be practically helpless, as water for such emergency can not be stored in sufficient quantity to be of any practical use.
BACK OF THE BOOK Cheeseburger capitalism
By Ben Olson Reader Staff
It’s being called the “summer of food deals.” I call it the “summer when fast food restaurants realized they had squeezed their customers dry and tried to win them back.”
Food costs rose exponentially around the world during and after the pandemic. With the “supply chain” buzzword used as rationale for charging several times more for an item than it cost a year or two before, fast food restaurants have been on an absolute tear the past four years.
On average, customers today pay about twice as much for a fast food combo meal than they did in 2014, and about 32% more since the pandemic. That means a meal that cost around $7 now fetches a price of $15 — leaving many consumers scratching their heads, wondering why they’re paying sit-down-restaurant prices for a crappy burger, fries and a Coke.
Price increases were also attributed to inflation, which rose sharply during the pandemic. However, after the inflation rate decreased from a high of around 9% in June 2022 to a more manageable 3% in June 2024, corporations didn’t throttle back their profit-generating engines. Instead, they went ride-or-die with the higher menu prices and quickly found that many consumers had walked away, replacing fast food with cook-from-home options that stretched their food dollars much further.
In early 2024, quick-service restaurants took note of their shrinking customer base. People were sick of paying exorbitant prices and the sales reflected this.
Enter the food deals.
STR8TS Solution
McDonald’s launched a $5 deal for one sandwich, a small fry, a fourpiece McNugget and a small drink. Burger King introduced a sandwich, value fries, four chicken nuggets and a value drink for $5. Taco Bell offered a box with a chalupa supreme, a beefy five-layer burrito, a double-stacked taco, chips and nacho cheese sauce and a medium drink for only $7, marking a 55% discount from what those items would have cost a few months ago.
Compared to prices over the past few years, these seem like smoking deals. Instead of jumping for joy at these discounts, however, customers furrowed their eyebrows. The new lower prices actually helped highlight how much more expensive the companies’ other options have gotten over the years. Consumers began asking how a corporation is able to offer the same menu items for less than half what they cost before while still making a profit.
Fast answer: It’s because quick-service restaurant corporations saw the inflation and supply chain increases as an opportunity to raise menu prices, chasing high profit margins. Simply put: They were greedy.
We shouldn’t be applauding these companies for giving consumers “relief.” Rather, we should be shaking our fingers at them for taking advantage of us for years.
For an example of how a corporation is not fleecing their customers, look no further than Arizona Beverages’ co-founder and Chairman Don Vultaggio’s recent comments to “TODAY.”
When asked how Arizona was able to continue offering its iconic 23-ounce cans of iced tea for 99 cents
Sudoku Solution
more than 30 years after releasing them, Vultaggio offered refreshing common sense.
“People say, ‘How do you do that?’ We make it faster. We ship it better. We ship it closer. The cans are thinner. We’re successful. We’re debt-free. We own everything,” he said. “Why? Why do people who are having a hard time paying their rent have to pay more for our drink? Maybe it’s my little way to give back.”
We need more of that. There are companies who have made enough profits to pad their coffers for generations, yet it never seems to be enough.
Sure, we’re able to snag a cheaper meal this summer at fast food restaurants, but what happens when all the meal deals expire?
Helaine Olen at MSNBC said it best: “Customers had reached a breaking point. The bill for years of hiked prices and record profits is coming due.”
Crossword Solution
It makes me mad when people say I turned and ran like a scared rabbit. Maybe it was like an angry rabbit, who was running to go fight in another fight, away from the first fight.
Solution on page 22
Laughing Matter
By Bill Borders
/ih-LEV-uhn-ziz/
Week of the Corrections:
1. a midmorning break for refreshments
“During elevenses, the hikers rested and refueled with some fruit and nuts before continuing their trek.”
CROSSWORD
ACROSS
1. Adhesive
6. A body of matter
10. Affirm
14. Surplus
15. Flatfoot’s lack
16. Fern clusters
17. Assumed name
18. Asterisk
19. Identical
20. Full of twists and turns
22. Marsh plant
23. Luau souvenirs
24. In a wryly humorous way
26. Expectorated
30. Play a role
31. Our star
32. Zero
33. Coarse file
35. Sail supports
39. Endure longer than
41. Someone who has lost a limb
43. Color of most grasses
44. River in Spain
46. Rubber wheel
47. Mayday
49. Hearing organ
50. Dispatch
51. Vomitive
54. Jewish month
56. Adopted son of Claudius
57. Overthrow of a government
63. Short cut
64. Culminating point
65. Fondle
Solution on page 22
66. Behold, in old Rome
67. We are (contraction)
68. Cigarette remains 69. Earl Grey and orange pekoe
70. Not more
71. Leavening agent
DOWN
1. A leguminous plant 2. Spindle 3. Arouse
Snare
5. Artist’s stand 6. Chew 7. Performers or painters
