Happy Fourth of July!
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PEOPLE compiled by
Susan Drinkard
watching
“What’s your favorite dish to bring to a potluck?”
“I love massaged kale with drizzled olive oil and vinegar. You don’t cook it. You get more of the nutrients when it’s massaged. You can add fresh green onions and sweet fruit and vegetables such as apples and carrots.” Kelli Burt Manager of Farmers’ Market Sandpoint “Watermelon with basil and feta. For a winter potluck, barley casserole with onion and garlic.” Colleen Mooney Farmer/teacher Bonners Ferry
“I like to take a dessert, generally bread pudding with a rum sauce.” Sandy Babin Retired Proprietor of Sandy’s Sunnyside Farm “We like to take green chili enchilada dip, also known as ‘crack dip.’ You brown one pound of burger with a small onion, add a small can of cream of mushroom soup and add a soup can of milk. Cook with a brick of Velveeta cheese and add two cans of green chilis.” Wendee Moon Schweitzer Brandon Moon W. Bonner Co. School District tech. building maintenance Sandpoint
“Homemade apple pie. I like to use Sweet Sixteen apples or Macintosh apples.” Asante Christen Farmer Sandpoint Farmers’ Market vendor Pend Oreille County, Wa.
DEAR READERS,
Happy 244th birthday, America. This nation was founded on a set of guiding principles, which include checks and balances, popular sovereignty, equality, liberty and freedom of religion, speech and assembly, among others. While reasonable people can disagree about how to honor and practice these rights bestowed on us by the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights, I think most of us can agree that these rights were put in place for a good reason by our Founding Fathers. That reason is to rise to the challenge and become a better nation. Of better people. It is up to each and every one of us to put our best foot forward and honor these freedoms we have been given by respecting our fellow countrymen and women. I leave you with a quote from Alexix de Tocqueville from his book Democracy in America published in 1835: “Nothing is more wonderful than the art of being free, but nothing is harder to learn how to use than freedom.” – Ben Olson, publisher
READER 111 Cedar Street, Suite 9 Sandpoint, ID 83864 (208)265-9724
www.sandpointreader.com Publisher: Ben Olson ben@sandpointreader.com Editorial: Zach Hagadone (Editor) zach@sandpointreader.com Lyndsie Kiebert (News Editor) lyndsie@sandpointreader.com Cameron Rasmusson (emeritus) John Reuter (emeritus) Advertising: Jodi Berge Jodi@sandpointreader.com Contributing Artists: Ben Olson, Lyndsie Kiebert, Idaho Conservation League, Bonner County History Museum. Contributing Writers: Zach Hagadone, Ben Olson, Lyndsie Kiebert, Lorraine H. Marie, Brenden Bobby, Katie Botkin, Marcia Pilgeram, Sandy Compton. Submit stories to: stories@sandpointreader.com Printed weekly at: Tribune Publishing Co. Lewiston, ID Subscription Price: $115 per year Web Content: Keokee The Sandpoint Reader is a weekly publication owned and operated by Ben Olson and Keokee. It is devoted to the arts, entertainment, politics and lifestyle in and around Sandpoint, Idaho. We hope to provide a quality alternative by offering honest, in-depth reporting that reflects the intelligence and interests of our diverse and growing community. The Reader is printed on recycled paper using soy-based ink. Leftover copies are collected and recycled weekly, or burned in massive bonfires to appease the gods of journalism. Free to all, limit two copies per person.
Sandpoint Reader letter policy: The Sandpoint Reader welcomes letters to the editor on all topics. Requirements: –No more than 300 words –Letters may not contain excessive profanity or libelous material. Please elevate the discussion. Letters will be edited to comply with the above requirements. Opinions expressed in these pages are those of the writers, not necessarily the publishers. Email letters to: letters@sandpointreader.com Check us out on the web at: www.sandpointreader.com Like us on Facebook. About the Cover
This week’s cover illustration we found on one of our favorite stock sites. Wishing you all a safe and happy Fourth of July. July 2, 2020 /
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NEWS
Idaho remains in Stage 4 of reopening, decisions to move local Idaho code dictates cities, health districts and health and welfare officials can impose restrictions
By Lyndsie Kiebert and Zach Hagadone Reader Staff Idaho Gov. Brad Little announced June 25 that Idaho would remain in Stage 4 of the Idaho Rebounds reopening plan — which was set to expire the next day — due to an inability to meet certain COVID-19 case number criteria. As case numbers continue to rise, Little said the state will soon transition to a regional response system, by which agencies at the local level will make future calls about pandemic-related restrictions. The cumulative number of confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases statewide reached 6,370 on July 1 — a 119.2% increase over the total a month ago on June 1. The Panhandle Health District reported a total of 341 novel coronavirus cases in the five northern counties on July 1, of which 219 were active. While Bonner County cases increased 40% from June 1 to June 13 — rising from five to seven during that time — that number ramped up to 32 from June 13 to July 1: an increase of 357.14% in the 18 days following Stage 4 reopening. Of those 32 local cases reported July 1 in Bonner County, 25 were active. The decision makers In his June 25 press conference in Boise, Little said that moving forward, restrictions might be put in place by “a mayor, the health districts, or by the [Idaho Department of Health and Welfare] director or myself.” According to Little’s press secretary, Marissa Morrison, the omission of the words “counties” or “county commissioners” was not an accident. She referred to sections of Idaho Code that give cities, health districts and the director of IDHW the authority to impose restrictions during a public health crisis. “[Counties] may have jurisdiction, but I am not aware of the Idaho Code that outlines that,” Morrison told the Reader. Scott Graf, a spokesperson from the Idaho attorney general’s office, confirmed Morrison’s findings, or lack thereof. While some municipalities and government 4 /
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agencies have the ability under Idaho law to coordinate a pandemic response, counties do not. This is of particular interest to residents of Bonner County, where some members of the board of county commissioners have been vocal about their opposition to Little’s actions during the coronavirus pandemic. The board issued a proclamation May 28 that alleged the governor’s Stay Healthy order for Stage 2 — and, likely, subsequent orders — was unconstitutional. Commissioners Dan McDonald and Steve Bradshaw voted in favor of the proclamation while Commissioner Jeff Connolly voted against, arguing the board was making too many “assumptions” about the governor’s intent. More recently, Bradshaw shared an open letter to Little with the Reader on June 25 that stated Little had “caused many to lose all they had and spent their lives to build and save,” and asked the governor to either “become the honorable leader we elected you to be or step down and pass the torch to a true leader.” Asked whether the commissioners were aware that Idaho Code granted the county no jurisdiction over local pandemic response — and that the cities and health district would instead be the entities making decisions — McDonald told the Reader in an email June 30 that he was aware, and that it “concern[ed]” him that “county elected officials don’t have similar authority.” However, McDonald made note that Bonner County — along with four other northern counties — fund the Panhandle Health District, which does have the ability to enact health orders. “So we do have some indirect authority, and the ability to look at the funding level if we believe the PHD is not looking at a balanced approach for businesses and individuals in the county as a whole,” he wrote. According to McDonald, an unbalanced approach by PHD might be “threatening a business that they feel is not complying.” He added that when the governor’s order was first put in place, the county received reports of health inspectors who “had al-
legedly made threats to a number of businesses in that they couldn’t enforce the governor’s order, however, they would find some other violation to shut a business down that they felt wasn’t complying.” McDonald told the Reader that he “followed up with PHD and had them correct the behavior.” In response to McDonald’s comments, PHD spokesperson Katherine Hoyer told the Reader in an email July 1: “PHD is working closely with our community partners and the public to provide guidance and answer questions related to the Governor’s staged approach to keep Idaho opened. We work collaboratively with our city and county elected officials and will continue to coordinate with them as we monitor local disease trends and health care capacity related to COVID-19.” Sandpoint city officials did not respond to a request for comment by presstime, though City Administrator Jennifer Stapleton delivered a detailed COVID-19 update at the July 1 regular meeting of the City Council. Noting the dramatic increase in confirmed cases of the virus in Bonner County, and the state as whole, Stapleton said citizens have been contacting City Hall with questions about why the city doesn’t revert to Stage 3 reopening. Of critical importance is health care capacity and, following a conference call with Little during the afternoon of July 1, the state has between 40 and 50 hospitalizations, 10-20 individuals in intensive care and between five and 10 patients on ventilators. “That’s far below our capacity,” Mayor Shelby Rognstad added. “We still have a lot of bandwidth there.” Given that, Rognstad said that “the governor made it very clear, over and over, that he’s handing it over to the local health districts” while PHD Executive Director Laura Whalen also “made it very clear that they’re monitoring four data points.” Those include active and community spread cases, the number of cases among health care workers, cases in long-term care facilities and the number of ICU beds.
“[PHD] are the one who are going to be providing leadership on this,” Rognstad said, and based on the four criteria, “I wouldn’t expect any action from PHD at this point.” Still, he expressed concern not only over the rise in active cases but the potential for many more as Sandpoint swings into the summer season and asked council members to weigh in with their thoughts on how the city should respond. “I see other communities around us that have pulled the [Fourth of July] event or have discontinued gatherings of over 50 people,” Rognstad said. “How do you feel about this and what do you think is the best path forward?” Councilwoman Kate McAlister, who also serves as president and CEO of the Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce, cautioned that if the city reverts to Stage 3 businesses will fail “and more than we could possibly think. Our economy would really fail.” As far as allowing large events such as the Fourth of July to continue, or go ahead with city-sanctioned recreation programs in the summer, McAlister said the key is for residents to take personal responsibility for their health, first by practicing social distancing and wearing masks in public places. She also noted that the Angels of Sandpoint are not participating in this year’s Independence Day parade due to concerns over COVID-19. Councilmen Joel Aispuro, John Darling and Andy Groat all focused on “personal responsibility” for ensuring public health, opposed the idea of instituting the rollback of Stage 4 reopening protocols and expressed enthusiasm for upcoming summertime events, including the Fourth of July. “Let’s get ’er going,” Groat
A graph showing the trend of confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases in Idaho. Courtesy Idaho Health and Welfare. said. Councilwoman Shannon Williamson was not present, but Councilwoman Deb Ruehle voiced grave concerns over responses to the recent growth in cases. “If we don’t take action now, then the economic viability is going to be affected to an even greater degree and we might lose some of our citizens,” she said. “I do believe we need to shut down our recreation [programs] and return to Phase 3 and close our council meetings to the public at this time and participate remotely until we move through this pretty huge spike in cases.” Citing the proximity of Kootenai County — which Rognstad noted has the third most COVID-19 cases in the state, behind Ada and Canyon counties in southern Idaho — Ruehle added that “I do believe we are headed down the path of overwhelming our health care capacity … [and] it’s short-sighted to believe that just because we only have a few cases here that this will not blow up significantly.” Public testimony on the COVID-19 response included one area resident who argued that “there’s an agenda behind [mask-wearing and other COVID-19 restrictions] and it’s really sad.” Another said that antiviral herbs, vitamins and foods — as well as sunshine and fresh air — can kill or mitigate the virus, respectively. Others who spoke at the meeting pushed back at those assertions, with one resident cautioning the community to “follow actual science” and encouraging the
< see COVID, page 5 >
NEWS
Council hears public testimony on BLM, ‘militias,’ ‘Love Lives Here’ By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff It was another emotionally-charged, marathon meeting of the Sandpoint City Council on July 1, as council members and an overflow crowd navigated two public forum sessions that bookended the three-hour meeting. Testimony covered charged topics ranging from the Black Lives Matter movement, to the notion of community “divisiveness” and Mayor Shelby Rognstad’s “Love Lives Here” proclamation adopted at the June 17 meeting, and disagreements over the role that armed individuals should — or shouldn’t play — amid protests. The discussion was teed off by a message issued by the city earlier in the day, and which Rognstad read aloud, beginning with the statement: “The past several weeks and months a growing amount of divisiveness has gained a foothold in our community and this pains all of us to witness.” The statement went on to call for citizens to come together, putting aside partisan political differences
< COVID, con’t from page 4 > City Council to take a vigorous approach to handling the rise in cases — up to and including “at least some kind of mandate” to use face masks. Rognstad made it clear that no such mandate is being considered in Sandpoint. Several other residents supported Ruehle’s cautionary note, all expressing the opinion that precautions should be taken now — while caseloads remain relatively small — to avoid even greater spread and longer-term impacts. “I’m very surprised at the council members who seem to have forgotten that lesson already,” Sandpoint resident Matt Nykiel said. Around the region Elsewhere in the state, local authorities are already putting in place their own responses to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Boise State Public Radio reported June 30 that the city councils of Hailey and Moscow voted to mandate mask wearing in public places. The mayor of Moscow went further, also mandating six-foot social distancing via an emergency
that have come to a boil on the heat thrown especially by the presence of armed “vigilantes,” as the mayor called them at the June 17 meeting, who converged on a local BLM demonstration June 2 and later patrolled downtown Sandpoint ostensibly to protect local businesses from potential unrest or property damage stemming from the march. The Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection, based at the Georgetown Law Center, sent a letter June 19 to Bonner County Commissioner Dan McDonald and Shelby Rognstad, suggesting that “militia members’ conduct in Sandpoint appears to have violated Idaho law” during the protest. In its letter, ICAP offered to provide legal counsel to determine whether the presence of armed individuals was indeed illegal, though the city’s statement of July 1 made it clear that the center’s services will not be accepted. According to the city’s statement: “[W]e have our own legal counsel at the City who serves as our chief legal advisor to ensure we are acting lawfully and protecting the rights of our citizens, business and property owners and visitors. We are confident
in the advice we receive and will not be pursuing additional outside assistance at this time.” Numerous residents provided often heated testimony on the ICAP letter, as well as the mayor’s Love Lives Here proclamation and the statement of “common ground” read at the July 1 meeting. Several speakers thanked the mayor and council for declining ICAP’s offer of legal advice, but still took Rognstad to task for his June 17 proclamation. One resident called it “petty and childish and has no place in adult society” while another speaker called both the proclamation and the initiative which it supported “politicized sentiment” representing the “political weaponization of worry.” Other residents stuck up for the proclamation while expressing disappointment that the city would not be contacting ICAP. Sandpoint resident and lawyer Michael Waldrup told the council he was “absolutely appalled by the racism and intimidation” from the “armed militia” at the June demonstration and had been asked by organizers of that march — who were mostly teenagers and
twentysomethings — to read a message on their behalf. “We are your children, we have something to share: Our purpose was solely to peacefully protest against the injustices against people of color,” he read from the statement. “Our intent and our protest was peaceful.” However, the message added, the “armed militia,” which the authors of the statement said were marshalled by Commissioner McDonald via a Facebook post — an allegation he has denied vehemently to the Reader — were “not wanted, not needed and 100% intimidating.” What’s more, the organizers said that despite claims by some of those who turned out bearing arms on June 2 that their presence was appreciated by demonstrators, “This is not true at all. … They followed us, they loitered around town for hours.” Waldrup also relayed the marchers’ experiences with being called racial epitaphs by the armed men — what one speaker later said was an example of a few people having “bad mouths” — and said, “The city of Sandpoint needs to do a lot better” in discouraging
that kind of harassment. Still others said the so-called “militia” members prevented harm on June 2, whether to people or property. “They did absolutely nothing but apparently scare some kids and maybe say some inappropriate things,” said Bonner County resident Jan Gore, adding that by using terms like “vigilante” to describe those individuals, Sandpoint “continues to show why the ‘Love Lives Here’ is a joke.” More than one young person delivered passionate testimony about the need to address what one speaker called “gaslighting” by those who claim to stand against division while intimidating others with firearms. “Threats and actions of violence cannot go unnoticed,” said one young speaker, who added that as a Hispanic person, she has been told to “go back” to her country, despite being a native-born U.S. citizen. “There comes a time when silence and apathy becomes betrayal,” she said. “Do not take our words and frustrations with a grain of salt.”
order, effective this week. In Hailey, city officials voted to require that masks be worn in retail businesses, government offices and outdoor spaces where people congregate. The Hailey mandate carries with it a $100 fine and labels failure to comply as an infraction. BSPR also reported that city leaders in Bellevue and Ketchum — located in Blaine County, along with Hailey, where Idaho experienced its first widespread outbreak of COVID-19 in March — are also looking at ordinances mandating the wearing of face masks in public. According to the Idaho Falls Post Register, the Eastern Idaho Board of Health cast a wary eye on the Boise area to the west during its meeting June 29, noting that while the region under its jurisdiction is still “a matter of weeks behind” the surge in COVID-19 cases seen elsewhere in the state, health officials said they would consider mandating mask-wearing in public in situations when people can’t otherwise practice social distancing. Speaking at a weekly AARP
Idaho call-in on June 30, Little put a finer point on how he views the recent upswing in cases. “It is alarming the way the numbers are going up,” he said, according to the Idaho Press, while adding that with Stage 4 reopening, “almost every business in the state that wanted to open could open.” “We knew this was going to happen,” he said, referring to the spike in cases. “We were hoping it would happen to a lesser degree than it is happening now.” While the governor has shied away from calling outright for a state-level rule on mask-wearing — because “it’s just maybe not the best practice to mandate something if you know nobody is going to do it” — Boise-based KTVB reported that he didn’t completely foreclose the possibility of a statewide rule, should caseloads demand it. “If our numbers continue to go up, we’re going to have to continue to emphasize and we may mandate it, but we really don’t have the police force to enforce it,” he said. Meanwhile, the Spokane Regional Health District logged
back-to-back record-high numbers of new COVID-19 cases June 29 and June 30, with 78 and 79 cases, respectively. The Spokesman-Review reported June 29 that cases in Spokane County have risen more than 50% since it entered Phase 2 of its reopening plan on May 22. Across the border in Idaho, the cumulative number of confirmed
cases in PHD rose from 123 on June 15 — the Monday after Stage 4 reopening — to 341 as of July 1: an increase of 177.2% in a little more than two weeks. As Little said at the AARP Idaho call-in on June 30: “We had really good numbers three weeks ago, and I think a lot of people dropped their guard down.”
By Reader Staff
beach, and prohibited activities include drinking any kind of intoxicating beverage; shooting off any variety of fireworks, including non-aerial fireworks such as pop-its, sparklers, firecrackers and others; overnight camping; and feeding the birds, including waterfowl. Parking will be strictly enforced, according to the city, underscoring that vehicles must park in designated stalls — between the lines — which limits oversized vehicles such as motorhomes. Single vehicles parked in designated trailer parking will be ticketed.
City underscores beach rules before Fourth of July Ahead of the long Fourth of July weekend, the city of Sandpoint issued a reminder about the do’s and don’ts at City Beach, as well as provided more info on parking. Access to the beach by vehicles will be limited starting at 7 p.m. on Saturday, July 4, with overflow parking available at the city parking lot, located at the intersection of Church Street and Third Avenue. In addition, no dogs or glass containers are allowed at the
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NEWS
Tribal group, enviros seek a win in Rock Creek Mine suit By Reader Staff Environmental groups are pressing a Montana federal judge to issue a decision to prevent federal regulators from further authorizing a copper and silver mine project until they comply with the Endangered Species Act. The Ksanka Kupaqa Xa’lcin, a tribal group linked to the Ksanka Band of the Ktunaxa (Kootenai) Nation, in conjunction with several environmental organizations, are seeking an order to set aside U.S. Fish and Wildlife and U.S. Forest Service approvals for the Rock Creek Mine and vacate determinations saying the project will not jeopardize protected bull trout and grizzly bears. The mine is intended for the Cabinet Mountains of northwest Montana, which are sacred to the Ktunaxa people and home to one of the last grizzly bear populations in the lower 48 states. The bears and bull trout hold spiritual and cultural importance to the Ktunaxa people, according to the suit. Accompanying groups, including the Rock Creek Alliance, Earthworks and the Montana Environmental Information Center, accuse the agencies of failing to
renew ESA consultation to consider the impacts on grizzly bears and challenge the Forest Service’s record of decisions authorizing Phase I of the mine, which the groups said would involve blasting a 6,300-foot underground to access the mineral deposit and generate 90,000 tons of waste. They also claim the FWS’s 2017 bull trout biological opinion for the mine is unlawful because, months into the litigation, the agency withdrew an incidental take statement, according to the complaint. The ESA requires the FWS to issue an incidental take statement whenever it concludes a proposed action will not jeopardize a species but will result in “take,” or unintentional but not unexpected harm, kill or collection, according to the groups. Challenges to the Rock Creek Mine go back two decades and have sparked litigation and judicial intervention to correct “repeated unlawful approval for the mine,” the groups said. The case is Ksanka Kupaqa Xa’lcin et al. v. United States Fish and Wildlife Service et al., case number 9:19-cv-00020, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Montana.
Bonner County pursues broadband expansion Funding made available under the CARES Act Idaho Commerce Broadband Grant Program By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff Bonner County Commissioners gave the go-ahead for planners and area internet providers to move forward with a grant application to secure funds for expanding local broadband access through the CARES Act Idaho Commerce Broadband Grant Program. Mike Kennedy, president of Coeur d’Alene-based Intermax Networks, told commissioners at the BOCC business meeting June 30 that the impetus for the broadband expansion is to provide better access to “distance learning, working from home and telehealth visits” for rural Idahoans. The state is allocating $50 million to the project. The grant application, which was made available June 29, must be submitted by a government agency, such as Bon6 /
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ner County, while the actual infrastructure and risk will fall on Intermax’s shoulders. “It’s an opportunity to get to places we haven’t gotten to in the past,” Kennedy said. Kennedy said that because the application is due July 13 and grant funds must be spent within the calendar year, Intermax is “on a ridiculously short timeline” to expand, upgrade and improve area broadband. The Bonner County Planning Department will work with the Panhandle Area Council to expedite the permitting process to comply with grant requirements. Commissioners voted unanimously in favor of pursuing the state funds for expanding local broadband access. “I think it’s a real step forward,” said Commissioner Jeff Connolly. “I’ve been behind this from the beginning.” Learn more about the CARES Act Idaho Commerce Broadband Grant Program at commerce.idaho.gov/broadband.
Electronic signatures get green light for Reclaim Idaho initiative Court makes decision after governor, secretary of state refuse to choose between two options
By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff A federal judge is cracking down on the state of Idaho after Gov. Brad Little and Secretary of State Lawerence Denney chose not to follow a June 23 court order in a lawsuit regarding the ballot initiative process. It’s the latest move in an increasingly complex lawsuit brought June 6 by grassroots group Reclaim Idaho against Little and Denney, after the state didn’t give the group a way to continue its Invest in Idaho ballot initiative signature drive amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill ruled June 23 in favor of Reclaim Idaho, giving the state two options: approve the initiative as is — with the signatures already submitted — for the November ballot, or provide a chance to collect signatures digitally with an extended deadline. The state had until the end of the day on June 26 to make its choice, but didn’t — instead requesting a stay. Winmill denied the request for a stay of proceedings June 30 and went one step further. Rather than give the state two options to choose from — as he had in his previous ruling — he made the choice himself: mandating that Reclaim Idaho be given the chance to circulate its petition online. “I know everyone says they’re not surprised [by what the state did], but we have to maintain the capacity to be surprised by these decisions,” Reclaim Idaho co-founder Luke Mayville said in a live Facebook video just hours before the judge’s June 30 decision. “The state
simply refused to obey a court order — we have to be shocked by that.” The Invest in Idaho initiative, which would annually allocate about $170 million in taxes on Idaho’s wealthiest to fund K-12 education, had already amassed more than 30,000 signatures when the group ceased activities March 18 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Reclaim Idaho alleged that the state had violated its volunteers’ First Amendment Rights by not offering an alternative to in-person signature gathering, and Winmill agreed. In a joint statement to Idaho Education News directly following the judge’s initial decision, Little and Denney characterized it as “a surprising exercise of judicial activism” and confirmed that they plan to appeal to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court. For now, the next clear deadline in the case is July 9, at which time the petitioners and state must “reach an agreement ... to set up a process for collecting authentic e-signatures,” according to a Reclaim Idaho newsletter. Once such arrangements are made, organizers estimate they can have an electronic petition ready by July 13 and anticipate an Aug. 25 deadline to have all signatures turned into the state for verification. Mayville wrote in a newsletter following the judge’s latest decision that while an electronic signature drive will pose some major challenges, he remains optimistic. “This won’t be easy,” he wrote, “but with the enthusiasm of thousands of supporters all across the state, we are confident that we can get this done.”
Idaho is now a ‘hands free while driving’ state
New law took effect July 1, but tickets won’t be issued until next year
By Ben Olson Reader Staff Idaho joined Indiana and South Dakota on July 1 to become the 22nd state in the U.S. to prohibit hand-held cell phone use while driving. The law passed the Idaho Legislature earlier this year, and took effect July 1, requiring that all electronic devices be in hands-free mode while driving — even when stopped at a red light or stop sign. Activation of GPS, voice-to-text and making or receiving calls will now be
permitted only with voice command in hands-free mode. Included in the bill, introduced by Rep. Joe Palmer, R-Meridian, was a stipulation that prevented any city or county from passing their own local laws addressing the issue, according to the Idaho Statesman. ISP told the Statesman that law enforcement officers will issue warnings until Dec. 31 to educate drivers about the new law. Citations will be issued starting Jan. 1, 2021.
PERSPECTIVES
The language of freedom By Katie Botkin Reader Contributor
Would you be shocked if I told you that conservatives and liberals speak different languages, in an almost literal sense? It’s true. There are certain words and phrases each group uses that are entirely foreign to the other — and just for example, many so-called “Antifa” posters circulating around the internet calling for violence were easily spotted as fake for this reason. Additionally, conservatives and liberals use the same words to mean opposite things. Although they use the same dictionaries — standard U.S. English — the context and subtext of the words are vastly different. Conservatives use words to speak about top-down authoritarianism and duty, and liberals use the same words to talk about individual self-determination. Consider the word “sovereign,” for example. Conservatives often say that “God is sovereign,” and leftists talk about their “sovereign bodies” during meditation retreats. Conservatives tend to see sovereignty as being handed down to the chosen people; liberals talk about sovereignty as belonging to Indigenous nations or to individuals. Additionally, words like “antifascist,” “power,” “obedience,” “constitutional” and even “love” are used differently in different circles. “Thug” might be code for “Black guy” or it might — somewhat tongue in cheek — mean “police in riot gear.” “Anarchist” might mean “violent looter” or “person committed to feeding the homeless,” depending on who you ask. The word “violence” itself means different things to
different groups of people. The phrase, “We practice non-violence,” is likely to proceed to different ideas, depending on your political leanings. Choose your own adventure: Far right: “… only if we’re cucks.” Traditional conservative: “… until you push us too far.” Traditional liberal: “… because love is always the answer.” Far left: “… because dismantling the tools of oppression is non-violence.” Another example comes from the claim that, “If you don’t love our country and our freedom, you’re a traitor and don’t deserve to be here.” Of course, everyone loves freedom — saying “you don’t love freedom” is akin to saying “you don’t love oxygen.” However, in this context, “freedom” is a stand-in word for “loyalty,” or perhaps, “the previous amount of people who have been killed overseas fighting in our uniforms, and the ones who will probably die if we deploy more of them.”
This is the antithesis of how the word is used in leftist circles. If we were going to write accurate definitions for how the different groups use the words, it would be something like this: Freedom (conservative) 1. Under constant threat of being lost if the other party wins. 2. Gained by soldiers fighting overseas. 3. Ingrained in American ideology since the inception of America. 4. Associated with sacrifice, loyalty, and death. Freedom (liberal) 1. Your innate state of being. 2. Gained primarily by domestic struggle against oppression: civil rights, literal emancipation, etc. 3. More present now for a wider variety of people than in 1776. 4. Associated with self-expression and self-determination.
won by heroes,” conjures up different images in the minds of conservatives and liberals — either a bloody Marine charging into battle or someone like Rosa Parks, refusing to budge. Which is more historically accurate? Well, traditionally, freedom included freedom of thought. For more than 1,000 years, dating back to when it was pronounced “freodom,” the word referred to self-determination, free will. It is highly unusual for a word to maintain such a strong single definition for a millennium, and in the Old English form we see the emancipation that centuries of slaves dreamed of. At a minimum, freedom means being able to formulate your own opinions. It means, for example, that it’s impossible to be classified a traitor merely for disagreeing with the government. If you can be a traitor for disliking the choic-
es of the ruling class, then by definition, we aren’t in a free country; we’re in a dictatorship where the First Amendment no longer applies. Yes, people have died to maintain the literal freedom of the United States. The last time that happened was in World War II, when a loudmouthed dictator insisted on his God-given right to invade other countries and make war on inferior races. Adolf Hitler was supported by his countrymen — the ones singing their love for their own people and their country, as well as their keen displeasure with past hardships. Hitler was also supported by the quiet ones who just went along with it. Katie Botkin is a linguist and the editor-in-chief of MultiLingual magazine, which covers language and culture around the world.
In a nutshell, “Freedom is
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We need a mayor, not an activist...
Bouquets: • The long-awaited summer edition of the Sandpoint Magazine was released last week. The publication was delayed from its usual May appearance around town due to COVID-19. Every summer and winter, I am continually impressed by this publication’s wide breadth of stories about the arts, recreation and culture of North Idaho. If you haven’t snagged one yet, they’ve been distributed around town at the usual locations where you find free publications. • I’d like to single out the folks at the Bonner County History Museum for their excellent work the past few months providing us — and our readers — with excellent stories about the history of our area. This dedicated group of staff and volunteers are always available when we need to check historical facts, or dig up a historical record that we can’t locate. If you haven’t donated to the museum lately, consider doing so the next time you’d like to give back to a worthy local organization. They’re worth supporting. Barbs: • Know how I’m going to celebrate the Fourth of July? I’ll be hanging out with a small group of friends around a bonfire, far from the city. What I won’t do is attend a cluster of events aiming to draw hundreds of people together while our state (and county) sees an unprecedented surge in COVID-19 cases. Such an event, in my opinion, is not responsible right now. We had five confirmed cases in Bonner County on June 1. On July 1, we had 32. That’s a 540% increase just in our county over the past month. You are all free to make your own choices, readers, but I’ll celebrate my country’s birthday with people I love in a quiet place. Be safe, wash your hands and wear a mask. 8 /
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Dear editor, Mayor Shelby Rognstad began his campaign of division on the first day of his first term as mayor, with his proclamation referring to those who did not share his opinions as bringing to mind “thoughts of Nazi Germany, Japanese internment camps, McCarthyism and the Ku Klux Klan.” The violence of BLM and Antifa are of great concern and yet the mayor aligns himself and publicly supports these groups while referring to peace keeping citizens as “vigilantes.” He was tone deaf to the many comments expressed not in alignment with his agenda at the June 17 City Council meeting, nor did he heed or acknowledge the impassioned words of Donald Draper. Code 1-7-1 Code of Ethics, city of Sandpoint: “The people have a right to expect that every public official and employee will conduct himself in a manner that will tend to preserve the public confidence in and respect for the government he represents. Such confidence and respect can best be promoted if every public official and employee, … will uniformly: A.Treat all citizens with courtesy, impartiality, fairness and equality under the law; and, B. Avoid both actual and potential conflicts between their private self-interest and the public interest.” The mayor is behaving like an activist and sowing seeds of division in this community and does not treat all citizens with courtesy, impartiality, fairness and equality, nor does he avoid conflicts but incites them. Sandpoint deserves better than this. Anita Aurit Sandpoint
Constitutional issues… Dear editor, I agree with Luke Mayville, “that no citizen should be forced to sacrifice their constitutional rights in the wake of a [perceived] pandemic.” [News, “Reclaim Idaho comes out on top in federal case,” June 25, 2020]. The extent of constitutional violations attached to Mayville’s statement is lengthy. I agree with Rep. Jake Ellis, D-Boise, that the homeowner exemption should not be capped and further tied to inflation. [Opinion, “It’s time to restore fairness to
our property taxes,” June 25, 2020.] I also agree to increase the circuit-breaker for seniors and veterans with disabilities. I disagree with Ellis’ representation of required constitutional provisions of state education funding. Ellis did not include “uniform” with “free and thorough,” as is described in the Idaho Constitution, Article IX, section 1, and further in Article VII, section 5. Additionally, I support Article I, section 20, which states that indebtedness elections (school levies) may be restricted to land owners. The term “uniform” regulates the Legislature to make state education expenditures in a way that does not disadvantage certain communities, for a variety of reasons. Mayville’s Invest in Idaho initiative petition is, as it states when only the wealthy are taxed, a socialist redistribution of wealth scheme. Does the initiative describe a level(s) of wealth? As an elected official, I challenge all the elected to state public opposition toward this initiative petition, again and again. The Constitution exists to identify rights within Idaho. Article III, section 27 and Article IV, section 9, in combination, need to be invoked, contrary to District 1B Rep. Dixon’s action — the only one of four Bonner County state representatives, who abdicated his duty to “represent” [at the “extraordinary session”] in Boise on June 23. Dan Rose Samuels
Seeing an agenda in everything… Dear editor, I find it incredibly disheartening that some people have to see a political agenda in everything. I have been watching the Fourth of July celebration unfold (from the outside) and have seen nothing but a totally open invitation to everyone to join the activities. Nor have I seen or heard anyone say anything against the Lions Club. And I believe we will see all these people throw their support behind the Lions Club next year. I, too, am a Sandpoint native like my father before me. Linda Lacy Sandpoint
‘Lift the curtain’ on BLM… Dear editor, It’s time the curtain is lifted on what Black Lives Matter is about, specifically for the group of naïve young people who felt compelled to hold a rally in solidarity with this organization. It seems that they, the Sandpoint mayor and the lot of Sandpoint Indivisibles see no evil and hear no evil when it comes to this organization. Rooted in hate and violence, BLM’s past slogans of “What do we want — dead cops!” and “Pigs in a blanket, roast like bacon,” now appear mild compared with the destruction, murder and mayhem perpetrated by BLM now on city after city run by pathetic, cowardly Democrat mayors across the country. As of this writing, the BLM leader just vowed publicly to “burn America down” if their wild demands are not met. How does this dovetail with the Sandpoint mayor’s professed “hate has no place here,” and his dutiful reading of the Sandpoint Indivisibles’ proclamation at the recent City Council meeting, which claims that “Love Lives Here” and affirmed their commitment to, “uphold and protect the civil and human rights of all individuals”? How is it that the mayor is fine with BLM and their violent activities, past and present, but sees Nazis, racists and KKK members around every corner while demonizing peaceful, law-abiding citizens as “vigilantes” just because they showed up downtown worried about a BLM protest getting out of hand, as has been so often the case in other cities. Perhaps it hasn’t occurred to him that the visibility of the law-abiding citizens may have prevented just that. Chris Anderson Sagle
Editor’s note: The references to BLM’s “past slogans” come from chants during demonstrations in Baton Rouge, La. (bit.ly/2BTBAVH) and St. Paul, Minn. (cbsn. ws/31vPPL5) in 2014 and 2015, respectively. The notion that BLM has “perpetrated” “destruction, murder and mayhem” across the country is misleading. There have been instances of violence and property damage amid BLM demonstrations – the vast majority of them, however, have been peaceful. It is
also impossible and without basis to equate individuals engaging in those acts as representing the BLM movement as a whole. The reference to “the BLM leader” vowing to “burn America down” is incorrect. The full quote, from Hawk Newsome, chairman of BLM of Greater New York, was delivered June 24 in an interview with Fox News: “If this country doesn’t give us what we want, then we will burn down this system and replace it.” Newsome went on to say, “I don’t condone nor do I condemn rioting” and, “This country is built upon violence ... So for any American to accuse us of being violent, it’s extremely hypocritical.” Regarding the notion that “the visibility of the law-abiding citizens may have prevented” instances of property damage and rioting at the BLM solidarity march on June 2 in Sandpoint, Police Chief Corey Coon has repeatedly stated that no threats from any group ever existed to threaten the demonstration.
We are a village… Dear editor, Here’s a message to all of us at any age — something to think on, if you haven’t as yet: President Donald Trump has endangered America and the world, people-wise, economic-wise, climate-wise, education-wise and preparedness-wise. He is not a leader for our county or the world. When the going gets tough, he has shown us he doesn’t know how to lead our country, our families, our communities or our health defenses. Think about this: We are a village. Let’s stand up for ourselves, our families, our friends, our checks and balances, our wellbeing and our future. Most of us, fortunately, haven’t had our pop, mom, granddad or grandma die of COVID-19. Let’s keep it that way. Be vigilant, be kind, be safe. Steve Berenson Sandpoint
‘Take away’... Dear editor, If you take away all caring, kindness and respect, Take away curtesy and gentleness, Take away forbearance and forgiving, Forsake beauty, Ask yourself, What is left? Sandra Deutchman Sandpoint
Cancel July 4 events... Dear editor, In light of the recent surge of COVID-19 in northern Idaho, I am asking you to please urge the citizens and government officials of Bonner County to cancel all Fourth of July events in the city of Sandpoint. Spokane, Coeur d’ Alene and Hayden have all canceled such events. I think it is the responsible thing to do. People are now not social distancing nor wearing masks, although strongly urged to do so by government officials and health care experts. Since Memorial Day weekend and the opening of Stage 4 [reopening], COVID-19 cases have increased at an alarming rate; I shudder to think what the July 4 long weekend will bring. People will converge upon Sandpoint to celebrate, patronize bars and restaurants, and will act irresponsibly by not social distancing or wearing masks. Then the citizens of Sandpoint and those who are older or at health risk will be subject to community spread, the likes of which we haven’t seen. Beth Allen Sandpoint
‘Hidden agendas’ field goose removal at City Beach… Dear editor, The Canada geese are gone from City Beach. Thanks to a few that hold office in Sandpoint — namely, the city administrator and Parks and Recreation director. The time and date were not given to the public. Public servants have the responsibility to inform the public of the correct time and date on such issues. One hundred and twenty-seven geese were captured and banded at 4 o’clock in the morning of June 25. This portrays another bad example of the hidden agendas that are kept from the public — who have the right to know what is going on in our city. There are those in office that need to be replaced when they believe service to self is the norm. These peaceful creatures were terrorized in the process of being captured during their most vulnerable molting time, when they were unable to fly. They were relocated — but they will come back — as they always do. Who do you think you are imposing this absurd rule? People are disgusted and amazed by it. Open the beach park to dogs on leashes instead of this cruelty. Evie Leucht Sandpoint
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: Lacking statehood, the nation’s capital operates under taxation without representation. Last week the U.S. House voted 233 to 180 to grant D.C. 51st state status. If enacted, D.C. would add two senators and one representative to Congress — Democrats, most likely. President Donald Trump told The New York Post that adding Democrats to Congress would be “very, very stupid.” D.C.’s 700,000 residents serve on juries, in the military and pay taxes, but have no say on congressional issues. A 60 Minutes TV segment scheduled for Sunday, July 5 will review evidence that inaccurate COVID-19 tests from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention were knowingly released, and the faulty test results led local and state officials to respond inappropriately to the virus, causing more deaths. Former FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb says there’s been an increase in younger people contracting COVID-19 as opposed to those over 65. Numerous media sources point out that younger people believe they won’t suffer from COVID-19, so are less inclined to take protective measures. That, coupled with states prematurely reopening, has driven a recent surge in COVID-19 cases. The CDC says there is likely 10 times the number of COVID-19 cases than what testing shows. The COVID-19 acceleration is also prompting removal of immigrant children from overcrowded detention facilities. New U.K. research shows those severely afflicted with COVID-19 can suffer strokes, damage related to dementia, heart attacks, amputated limbs and permanent brain damage. Russians linked to assassination attempts and destabilizing the West are now also linked to secretly offering cash bounties to the Taliban for killing coalition forces in Afghanistan — including U.S. troops. Breaking stories came from The New York Times and the Wall Street Journal, with confirmation from The Washington Post and the Associated Press, with other outlets sharing new info daily. Trump has denied being informed about bounties and suggested it’s a hoax. “It’s hard to overstate what a major escalation this is from Russia,” a Times reporter tweeted. “Election meddling and the occasional poisoning are one thing. Paying the Taliban to kill American troops, that’s something entirely new.”
By Lorraine H. Marie Reader Columnist
To Trump calling the story a hoax, Connecticut Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy said he reviewed the intelligence and it is not a hoax. “[I]f you continue ignoring the facts, more soldiers and marines are going to die,” he said. Republican Sen. Ben Sasse said his Nebraska constituents (29% registered Dems, the rest primarily Republicans) are “livid.” Meanwhile, former National Security Adviser John Bolton stated that he personally briefed Trump on the info, the AP reported. Investigations indicate the White House knew about the bounty situation for more than a year. Taking $2.5 billion from the Pentagon to build the U.S.-Mexico wall violates the Appropriations Clause of the U.S. Constitution, according to a ruling from the 9th U.S. Circuit Court, as reported by The Hill. The U.S. death toll from COVID-19 was 126,161 as of June 30, according to The New York Times. Between June 22 and June 29, the U.S. added 6,187 confirmed and probable deaths from the virus, The Times reported. Adoption of de-escalation training for police is occurring in Europe and several U.S. locations, The Week reported. De-escalation relinquishes control via intimidation and force in favor of allowing subjects to explain themselves; police then communicate with them “clearly and emphatically.” There are 1,100 deaths annually from U.S. police actions, significantly higher than in comparable nations. Blast from the past: Slavery was in full swing while the Founding Fathers hammered out guidelines for a new freedom-loving nation. Historical accounts show that a number of Founders were hesitant to grant rights to slaves, and kicked that can down the road until it burst into the Civil War. Some deny the war had anything to do with slavery, but documents defy that: South Carolina called for “A Confederacy of Slaveholding States.” Georgia’s state Declaration included, “The prohibition of slavery in the territories is the cardinal principle of the organization.” In Mississippi, their Declaration to part ways with the U.S. said “… a blow at slavery is a blow at commerce and civilization,” and regarded slave ownership as “the greatest material interest in the world.” Texans’ reasons for disengaging from the Union included a statement about Black slaves being justified as the will of the Creator, “as recognized by all Christian nations.” And Virginia decided to secede because “Lincoln’s opinions and purposes are hostile to slavery.”
‘Know Before You Go’ By Reader Staff
As the Fourth of July holiday approaches, the Idaho Panhandle National Forests is reminding visitors that fireworks, and the possession of fireworks, are prohibited on National Forest System lands, regardless of weather conditions or holidays. Exploding targets and other pyrotechnic devices, such as Tannerite, are also prohibited on public lands administered by the Idaho Panhandle National Forests. For a safe recreational experience this Fourth of July, here are a few additional tips: • Visitors to the forest are asked to be very careful with fire. If camping, be sure to pack a shovel and a bucket for extinguishing your campfire. Practice good sense by using caution with fire and smoking at all times, and in all places. Never leave your campfire unattended and, before leaving your campsite, douse the fire with water, stir and check your campfire for heat with your bare hand. All fires must be “dead out” when left unattended and before leaving the site. • When camping, store food in hard-sided vehicles or bear-proof containers. The Bonners Ferry, Priest Lake and portions of the Sandpoint ranger districts all have food storage requirements in place. For more information, read the Forest’s Food Storage Order at fs.usda.gov/ main/ipnf/home. • Stay on designated motorized routes. Visitors should carry a Motor Vehicle Use Map, available for free at any IPNF offices, and observe all off-highway motorized travel laws and regulations when exploring the forest on motorized equipment. • Pack out your garbage and clean up your site before you leave. For more information on the Idaho Panhandle National Forests, contact your local ranger station.
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Mad about Science:
Brought to you by:
tomatoes By Brenden Bobby Reader Columnist The world’s favorite berry is a curious fruit. Or is it a vegetable? You may find it interesting to know that, despite the tomato being a staple of their cuisine, Italians actually believed the tomato to be poisonous until the 16th century. That’s because tomatoes are part of the nightshade family, of which belladonna, sometimes called “deadly nightshade,” is a member. Belladonna is extremely poisonous and had been used by numerous European peoples from the Romans to the Germans to create poison-tipped weaponry and deadly additions to noble dinner feasts. Lucky for us, despite being a cousin to belladonna, tomatoes are not poisonous to humans. Its stem and leaves do contain similar toxic alkaloids as belladonna, but in a vastly smaller quantity. These alkaloids are responsible for the tomato plant’s funky smell, which the plant uses to deter pests and predators. While my chickens have not been put off by the aroma of tomato plants and have eagerly snacked on leaves and tender stems, the deer seem happy to leave them alone — especially once the plants have grown taller than me and begin to perfume the entire garden with that telltale smell. This odor doesn’t simply exist because of the presence of the alkaloids in the plant; these substances are actively secreted by glands called trichomes on the plant’s stem and leaves. They are the fuzzy “hairs” you see on tomato plants, and they serve multiple purposes. Trichomes help reduce water lost from the stem and leaves by evaporation, as well as having the ability to become roots when 10 /
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the plant is buried — though this trait varies from plant to plant. Some tomatoes will just grow roots from the stem if the stem is buried, regardless of the placement of trichomes. Tomatoes were first cultivated as food by humans in South America around 700 CE, and were believed to have been introduced to Europe by the Spanish armies that conquered and pillaged the continent. Oddly enough, the English grew tomatoes ornamentally as houseplants throughout the 16th and 17th centuries, but they didn’t often consume the fruit. Most people have lived their entire lives having only eaten three varieties of the tomato fruit. Beefsteak tomatoes are the most common, frequently sliced and placed on hamburger patties at summer barbecues and fast food joints. Cherry tomatoes, which are most closely related to the very first tomatoes cultivated by humans, are used most often in garden salads. Finally, Roma tomatoes are a medium-sized fruit that have a denser flesh than beefsteak tomatoes and are used primarily for sauces and pastes. It may surprise you to know that this represents less than oneone thousandth of the total variety of heirloom tomato breeds in cultivation today. Including hybrids and commercial plants, there are at least 15,000 different types of tomatoes worldwide. How many have you tried? My personal favorite of the hybrid variety is the Lemon Boy, a plump and sweet yellow tomato with brilliant yellow flesh. Seriously, it looks like a lemon, but tastes like a tomato. What more could you want? Sun Sugar tomatoes are another fantastic hybrid of the cherry variety, producing
clusters of small and very sweet tomatoes. These are best enjoyed when mixed with other varieties of cherry tomato, especially red variants that tend to be more acidic to balance the sweetness of the Sun Sugar. I have a number of favorite heirloom breeds, including the Black Krim, hailing from the Black Sea and the Crimean Peninsula for which it is named. These tomatoes produce inky black to deep purple fruit and have soft and flavorful flesh. They have a similar shape to the beefsteak tomato, but the consistency of a Roma. Tomato plants are an excellent choice for first-time gardeners, as well as experienced horticulturists. They are hardy and easy to grow, as well as being capable of growing to monumental proportions. Depending on what type of tomato it is, the plant can grow up to 12 feet tall and produce fruit regularly throughout a growing season. I’ve had a few plants reach eight feet before being assassinated by Jack Frost. Heirloom tomato seeds are easy to gather and save for the following year. Once the fruit is ripe, simply cut up the fruit and strain the pulp to extract the seeds, then let the seeds dry. Some people swear on letting the pulp ferment before extracting seeds, others will simply let it dry before picking them out, but I believe the method of extraction is all personal preference. It’s important that you only harvest heirloom seeds — don’t try to harvest the seeds from a fruit you bought at the supermarket. Not only can this land you in a mountain of legal trouble if the producer finds out, but this opens the possibility of a new disease taking root in your plants and then jumping to agricultur-
al stock, which could cause a cataclysmic chain reaction that ends in the scrapping of an entire breed of plant. Seriously, just stick to the tried-and-true heirlooms. Heirloom plants require diligent gardeners willing to cultivate seeds so that future generations may enjoy tomatoes for decades to come. If you’re curious about jumping on the home gardening
bandwagon, it’s not too late. Stop by the library before your trowel hits the dirt and learn everything you need to know from our small town’s massive collection of gardening books. A few short years ago, I counted myself lucky to collect a colander of fruit. Now, I have to build a root cellar to house all of the sauces my wife will make this autumn. Stay curious, 7B.
Random Corners? unding father
Don’t know much about the fo
• Gouverneur Morris, who authored the preamble to the U.S. Constitution, was once bet a sumptuous dinner if he would approach George Washington, slap him on the back and offer him a friendly greeting. He wanted to show people how “close” he was to the “chief.” Morris carried out the bet, but later admitted that after seeing the cold stare from Washington, he wouldn’t do it again for a thousand dinners. • Of the Founding Fathers who became president, only Washington did not go to college. John Adams graduated from Harvard, James Madison graduated from Princeton and Thomas Jefferson attended the College of William and Mary. • Washington’s inauguration speech was the shortest in American history, with only 133 words, delivered on March 4, 1793. William Henry Harrison gave the longest at 8,443 words on March 4, 1841. Harrison’s inauguration took place on a cold and blustery day in Washington, D.C., and when he died a month later of a severe cold, some speculated that the long speech and bad weather did him in. Not true, but it made him the shortest-serving
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president in U.S. history. • Washington Irving described James Madison as “a withered little applejohn” and his wife Dolley as a “fine, portly, buxom dame.” • Jefferson died broke. Before his death, the third president was able to alleviate part of his financial problems by selling his book collection to Congress for $25,000. Those books were used to begin the Library of Congress. Friends even tried to organize a lottery to sell part of his land to help, but it wasn’t enough. • Washington was supposed to be buried beneath the rotunda floor under the dome of the U.S. Capitol. He died before the rotunda was finished, and in 1828 the crypt was covered up. • Rather than suffer handshakes, Washington bowed to guests at presidential receptions. The tradition lasted through the presidency of John Adams. Washington’s method: rest one hand on a sword, hold a hat in the other and bend at the waist. Jefferson ended the tradition by shaking hands when greeting people.
FEATURE
‘Sticking to the science and the data’
Panhandle Health District’s Facebook page is a wealth of COVID-19 information, minus the politics
By Ben Olson Reader Staff When the reality of the COVID-19 pandemic hit North Idaho in March, there was a brief period when the majority of the community rallied together to follow the advice of health professionals to limit the spread of the deadly disease. However, as the weeks wore on, more and more segments of the population began questioning the science behind the decision to lock down the state to help reduce cases of the virus and “flatten the curve” of infection. While many of the local forums on Facebook were rampant with misinformation campaigns attempting to label COVID-19 a “hoax” or comparing it to the seasonal flu, one page has continued to stand as a clearing house of data-driven information that stayed above the political fray: the Panhandle Health District. Every day around noon, employees with PHD release COVID-19 information that encompasses their district, which includes Boundary, Bonner, Kootenai, Benewah and Shoshone counties. The posts include useful information about how many cases have been added, how many COVID-19 patients have been hospitalized, how many have recovered and a variety of other answers to the robust comments section that follows each post. Scrolling through the comments on PHD’s latest posts, it’s clear that the district has embraced its mission to stick to the science and data in responses to users’ comments while avoiding political discussions as a rule. That tack has been mostly applauded by those who use the site, looking for useful, accurate and timely information without descending into the ongoing political discussion about COVID-19. PHD Public Information Officer Katherine Hoyer said communicating information through Facebook and answering comments from the public has been a 24/7 job. “We are working around the clock,” Hoyer said. “It’s a lot.” Hoyer handles the daunting task of updating the public on weekdays, while Program Manager Kim Young has stepped in to take care of weekend posts. They are just two of the 130 employees at PHD, which has been in operation since about 1970. Both say the data-driven approach on their Facebook page has been by design. “We try to expand our posts to include the information that people are asking for,” Hoyer told the Reader. “But obviously, we could write a book on that subject. It’s
important to answer the questions in comments, as well. It can get a little repetitive, but if we continue to do that, we can keep the public informed, which is our goal.” Hoyer said direct feedback through comments has helped PHD provide more complete information to the public. “I provide a list of FAQ’s to the staff, and that’s what our call center uses to answer these questions,” Hoyer said. “We also use data from the CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] and WHO [World Health Organization], and our clinicians here are great resources, and our epidemiologists are great sources for how contract tracing works.” PHD Public Information Officer Katherine Hoyer. “Kate has made it really simple for anyone on staff to help her out because she’s so knowledgeable about having a con- communicable diseases — there are over 70 sistent message to follow,” Young said. communicable diseases in Idaho that we do “We always try to answer as soon as we contact tracing for.” can, but for our own mental stability we Hoyer said PHD often checks in with the do have to walk away from our devices,” person to see how they’re doing, if they’re Hoyer said. feeling better or worse, if they need medical Both Hoyer and Young said they often attention. Contact tracing is always voluntake deep breaths, go outside, walk with tary, and Hoyer said thus far they haven’t their pets and spouses, and work in their had much of a problem with people refusing gardens to help alleviate the stress of the to participate. ongoing information cycle. “The hardest part is when we can’t get Hoyer said one commonly asked quesa hold of somebody,” she said. “Mostly tion whenever a new case comes up in the people are compliant. … We rely on the area is to ask where the patient worked, person’s willingness to help us and we or where they may have exposed others. explain to them that they’re helping us by While this might be helpful information protecting their friends and loved ones they to the general public, the Health Insurance may have had close contact with.” Portability and Accountability Act, which Another common comment PHD gets is protects patient privacy, prohibits PHD from people suggesting that the recent spike from sharing any private information about in COVID-19 numbers in the district is due COVID-19 patients’ medical history. to an increase in testing. Hoyer said it’s not “We always try to keep HIPAA in that simple. mind,” Hoyer said. “We’re always think“Overall, in Idaho, there has been an ing of the patient themselves, too. Nobody increase in testing,” she said. “In our area, wants to be outed that they have a commuthere has been a slight increase in testing, nicable disease. … There is a delicate balbut that doesn’t mean we’re not seeing ance between patient privacy and providing outbreaks in social settings.” information to protect the public.” Hoyer said an increase of cases are As many parts of the COVID-19 pancoming from wherever people are gathering demic have become bones of contention in public — especially bars. among some members of the community “We can remain open but we have to — an example being resistance to contact do so safely,” she said. “That’s how we’re tracing as an invasion of privacy — Hoyer going to keep our businesses open.” said it’s important to remember that PHD Some on social media argue that allowhas been conducting voluntary contact tracing a larger segment of the population to ing for years before this pandemic. contract COVID-19 will lead to herd immu“Sometimes the public doesn’t comnity. Again, Hoyer said it’s not that simple. pletely understand what PHD does,” Hoyer “Herd immunity would require a said. “We’re contact tracing year round with large population to be infected,” she said.
PHD Program Manager Kim Young. “The problem for that is, we don’t have a treatment for COVID-19, and there’s no vaccine. That’s especially frightening if we just allowed it to run rampant. One death is too many. One hospitalization is too many. People are becoming severely ill nationwide and people are dying, and I don’t think anyone wants to take that chance.” When some compare COVID-19 to the seasonal flu, Hoyer said it’s an invalid comparison. “In the beginning, they wanted to compare it to the flu … you can’t,” she said. “Looking at the mortality rate of the flu, that’s not possible because there are vaccines and treatments for the flu, but we don’t have that for COVID-19.” Another obstacle Hoyer said that sometimes makes PHD’s job more difficult is when elected officials attempt to convince the public that COVID-19 isn’t as serious as it is. “It certainly doesn’t make our jobs easier,” Hoyer said. “But we continue to reiterate the guidance we’ve been saying from the beginning. We’re listening to the CDC and WHO, we’re sticking to the science and the data.” Moving forward, Hoyer said the main thing she’d like to see on the PHD Facebook page is for people to stop attacking one another. “We can handle the attacks on us, but when I see people attacking each other, it’s disheartening,” she said. “People come to our page to find information, so if we could all stick to the facts, that would be great.” July 2, 2020 /
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FEATURE
From Yarnell to Hope
The Sam Owen Fire District honors the 19 fallen Granite Mountain Hotshots on the anniversary of their deaths
By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff With Lake Pend Oreille stretched out before them, six Sam Owen Fire District firefighters gathered on a foggy Hope hilltop June 30, standing in silence save for birdsong and the drizzle of rain through the branches of nearby trees. Rising from one of the firefighters’ cell phones came the crackle of a recorded radio transmission: the final communications from the Granite Mountain Hotshots. Static and call signals drifted in and out, and when it ended, the six firefighters held a moment of 12 /
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silence as the bird sounds, pattering rain and a mutual respect for the job filled the space between them. Tuesday marked seven years since the Yarnell Hill Fire in Yavapai County, Ariz., which killed 19 firefighters from the same hotshot crew, based in the city of Prescott, Ariz. Only one member survived. The fire — ignited by lightning — overran the men, cutting off their escape route. They died June 30, 2013. This year, Sam Owen Fire District volunteer firefighter Cecil Jensen, along with fellow volunteer Austin Theander, planned a memorial hike to the gravesite of Sam and Nina Owen on the Hope
Peninsula — about a half-mile trek that ends at the final resting place of the couple, who donated the land to the U.S. Forest Service. Jensen thought it was the perfect way to honor the Granite Mountain Hotshots. “I usually take a moment every year to remember,” he told the Sandpoint Reader, “but this year, I knew others wanted to remember, also, so I decided we should do it together.” Prior to the hike, Jensen placed 19 markings along the trail with information about each of the hotshots who died. While the rain had done some damage, the papers remained legible, and the
Sam Owen crew stopped at each stake along the way to learn a little about each of the fallen. Fathers, sons, brothers — tenacious young men who worked hard to be on the premiere hotshot crew in their region. Each of the markings had photos, names, ages and background information on the men who died. About a dozen stops into the hike, Jensen took a noticeably longer pause at the marker for 21-year-old Grant McKee. “I said I wouldn’t get emotional,” he said, “but this kid was just a kid.” The hike and thoughtful display of remembrance for the Granite Mountain Hotshots is a fit-
ting example of the type of person Jensen is — for the fire district, and for the community as a whole. The father of three receives his fair share of good-hearted flak for his unmatched enthusiasm, and his passion for firefighting is front and center. The 2013 hotshot tragedy struck and has stuck with him. “I had just graduated fire school and was actively looking to get on [with] a big department, and then a month later the Granite Mountain Hotshots experienced their tragedy,” he said. “It really hit me hard that this is a very serious job. Most of the guys that died were right around my age, and they died doing something I was trying to do.
That makes you step back and have a lot of respect for the job.” Cultivating that respect for the job was one of the reasons Sam Owen Fire District Co-chief Stuart Eigler felt the hike was worthwhile. While the Sam Owen department is primarily responsible for structure protection, the volunteers are often first on the scene of local wildfires until Forest Service or Idaho Department of Lands personnel arrive. “Remembering these guys who went before, who were very well trained and knew what they were supposed to be doing — it makes us realize that we can get into trouble very quickly,” Eigler said. Jensen echoed that sentiment, saying that in firefighting, it’s a tradition to remember those who died in the profession in an effort to “learn and grow, and also never let their deaths be forgotten.” “If you’ve been in the fire service long enough, at some point you reflect on a call you’ve been on and think about how close it was that you almost died,” he said. “To hear of those that didn’t make it home is a really hard thing to think about.” On a Tuesday evening in the woods of Hope, as the names of the Granite Mountain Hotshots were read aloud in the rain, Jensen made that a little easier. In memory of the Granite Mountain Hotshots: Andrew Ashcraft; Robert Caldwell; Travis Carter; Dustin Deford; Christopher MacKenzie; Eric Marsh; Grant McKee; Sean Misner; Scott Norris; Wade Parker; John Percin, Jr.; Anthony Rose; Jesse Steed; Joe Thurston; Travis Turbyfill; William Warneke; Clayton Whitted; Kevin Woyjeck; Garret Zuppiger. They are survived by their friends, families and fellow Hotshot Brendan McDonough.
Facing page: A memorial marking for Granite Mountain Hotshot Robert Caldwell, who died seven years ago in the Yarnell Hill Fire. Top right: Sam Owen firefighters gather around the Owen gravesite. Middle: Sam Owen firefighters, left to right: Shawn Finnerty, Cecil Jensen, Tim Sanders, Cody Lofland, Jack Leaverton and Stu Eigler. Bottom photos: The Sam Owen crew hikes Sam Owen Trail #4 on June 30. Photos by Lyndsie Kiebert. July 2, 2020 /
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HISTORY
The Fourth of July through the years
A photo essay of Independence Day celebrations in Sandpoint throughout history
By Ben Olson Reader Staff Like most small towns across the nation, Sandpoint has celebrated our country’s independence on July 4 over the years with a great show of patriotism and mirth. We reached out to the Bonner County History Museum and asked them for a few photos of Fourth of July festivities throughout history and they delivered with these poignant black-and-white photos from celebrations over the years. Special thanks to the museum for the photos.
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Top right: Cecil McConnel on “Colburn,” a bicycle decorated as a parade float, while the July 4 parade in 1938 was forming on Fourth Street in Sandpoint near the Presbyterian Church. Bottom right: A float and group of nurses marching in the July 4 parade in 1919. The bulk of the parade that year was made up of veterans and nurses celebrating the end of WWI. Bottom left: An undated July 4 parade photo, most likely from the early 1960s. Top left: A July 4 parade in Sandpoint on Pine Street in 1906. Photos courtesy Bonner County History Museum.
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events July 2-9, 2020
THURSDAY, JUly 2 FriDAY, JUly 3
Live Music w/ Bright Moments Jazz Live Music w/ Sara Brown Duo 6-8pm @ Idaho Pour Authority 5-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery Featuring Arthur Goldblum and Peter Lucht Blues, rock, pop and funk Live Music w/ Brenden Kelty Trio 8-11pm @ Eichardt’s Pub
SATURDAY, JUly 4
Happy Fourth of July!
Sandpoint Farmers’ Market 9am-1pm @ Farmin Park The Market is back at Farmin Park!
Bonner County History Museum’s Free First Saturday 10am-2pm @ Museum, 611 S. Ella Admission is free for all – sponsored by Hay’s Chevron.
SunDAY, JUly 5
Piano Sunday w/ Annie Welle • 3-5pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery Solo jazz, improvisations and standards
monDAY, JUly 6
Monday Night Blues Jam Lifetree Cafe 7pm @ Eichardt’s Pub 2pm @ Jalapeño’s Restaurant “Confronting Evil: One Man Takes a Stand” featuring a filmed interview with Peter Ash Live Music w/ Reese Warren 7-10pm @ Eichardt’s Pub
wednesday, july 8
COMMUNITY
Art bear gets needed repairs during library closure By Reader Staff The art bear at the Sandpoint Library got some touchup work done recently while the library was closed. One of several fiberglass molded bears issued to local artists in Bonner County over 20 years ago, the art piece was showing some wear. As the third art bear in the series, the artist named him “ArtC.” The piece was originally painted by Mary Levy, with assistance from several of her students from when she used to teach art in the basement of the Gardenia Center. The artistic theme emulates the works of famous artists. “I asked [my students] if they wanted to participate,” Levy said. “They embraced the idea and with some brainstorming, came up with the idea of painting a bear covered with recognizable paintings from the Masters.” The head and shoulders of ArtC are covered with Van Gough’s starry night, Levy said. “Embracing his torso were body parts borrowed from the Sistine Chapel,” she said. “Michaelangelo donated the hands of God and Adam on ArtC’s chest pointing to Salvador Dali’s melting clock. Traveling down his legs and down to the base, Monet’s lily pad garden took over.” The bear has been the object of much admiration over the years, as an attraction for selfies and little hands. The attention it has received has resulted in some damage to the original artwork. With the library being closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Library Director Ann Nichols decided that
Mary Levy with “ArtC” bear at the Sandpoint Library. Courtesy photo. this would be the perfect time for the artist to come in and work on it. While sprucing up the artwork, Levy added a few more artistic references, including some of Picasso’s drawings and a bust of “David.” “It has been my honor to reunite with ArtC,” Levy said. “He was indeed showing signs of abundant love. It is my hope that he now can forge ahead for the next 20-plus years (me too).”
SHS Class of 1970 reunion slated for Sept. 18
By Reader Staff
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The Sandpoint High School Class of 1970 50th reunion has been scheduled for September 18 at Matchwood Brewing Co. Event organizers wrote that “to keep safe in social distancing this could change in location - check your emails.” The Sept. 19 event has been changed / July 2, 2020
due to social distancing to the Bonner County Fairgrounds. For any questions or if you have not registered, please contact debaphillips2000@yahoo.com. Registration forms are also available at Larson’s Department Store, both at the Sandpoint and Bonners Ferry locations.
Paint, hide, find, repeat
Local rock painter Nancy Schmidt hides her creations for others to find — a pastime well loved in N. Idaho
By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff Nancy Schmidt didn’t know she was a rock person until she moved to Bonner County from Pittsburgh about 14 years ago. “And now I have rocks everywhere in my house,” she said. She began painting her beloved rocks about three years ago, then hiding them out in the world for people to find. But how does a rock find its way to Schmidt’s home and eventually beneath her brush? “I don’t pick just any rock — in fact, I am very judicious about it. If I pick the rock up, it’s coming home with me because I feel like I have a connection with it once I touch it,” she said, pausing for a moment, then laughing. “It’s kind of weird.” Lately, Schmidt’s rock creations have been abstract, but she’s also been known to paint animals and cartoon characters. Her day job as a suicide prevention advocate in area schools has also influenced her rock art, as she’s been painting the suicide prevention hotline on several and distributing them. “The rock tells you what it needs painted on it, to be honest with you,” she said. “It really does.” Schmidt is an avid runner and frequents area trails, so her rocks often find their hiding places in the woods. However, she’s been known to leave them in local parks, as well. “I usually find someplace that is not too far off the beaten path,” she said, “because I want people to find them.” Entire online communities have been built in recent years to share and celebrate the finding of painted rocks. Bonner County Rocks and North Idaho Rocks Boundary & Bonner Co. are just a couple of Facebook pages dedicated to local rock enthusiasts. Oftentimes, rocks feature instructions on them for people to post pictures on a specific Facebook page sharing the location where it was found. All the pages encourage the person who found the rock to rehide it for someone else to
find. As the rocks travel, their stories are shared online. Tana Amaral, who runs the North Idaho Rocks Facebook page, said she’s been happy to see others get excited about “art abandonment” — the term for creating a work of art, and leaving it out in the world for others to find. “I think what makes it fun and worthwhile is putting your own artistic style out into the world for an unsuspecting person to find, and potentially sparking an artistic fire inside of them — or at least hopefully brightening their day,” she said. There’s also a sense of generosity and accomplishment in the work of rock painting, Schmidt said. “When you’re done and you have a smooth rock that’s just painted, that feeling — it just feels good in your hand. Sometimes I take my rocks and I just hold them,” she said with a laugh. “I’m telling you — I’m a nutbag with rocks, I really am.” Jokes aside, Schmidt said painting and distributing rocks is a form of meditation for her. “You know if you’ve done it,” she said. “You’re in another world where you’re not worrying about anything, you’re not concerned about stuff, you’re not worried about what you have to do next — you’re just present. When you’re painting a rock, you’re present.” To get involved in local rock painting efforts, join one of the above Facebook groups, paint a few rocks, hide them and continue the cycle.
Top: Nancy Schmidt enjoying a game of pickleball between rock paintings. Left and bottom: Some of the many rocks Schmidt has hand-painted and deposited throughout the community over the years. Courtesy photos.
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FOOD
The (pot)luck of the draw By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff
With age comes a more intimate understanding of the events and happenings of adult life. Potluck dinners are one of those events that seemed to occur out of thin air as a kid, and which now require forethought and active participation. Gripes about responsibility and long-lost casserole pans aside, it’s potluck season, and these iconic family gatherings deserve their due. The term potluck was first used in the 16th century to mean whatever is available to eat or whatever is already in the pot when an unexpected guest arrived around mealtime. It’s also been used as a catch-all term for taking a chance when faced with unknown options. Potluck gained its modern meaning — a gathering to which attendees bring a dish to share — sometime in the 19th century. While a true, traditionally defined potluck is free of pre-planning and depends completely on fate to determine whether the buffet table fills up with only desserts or a smattering of various potato salad recipes, I tend to take the “luck” out of my own potlucks. This usually begins with an innocent group text message to everyone attending the get-together, sent about a week in advance: “I’ll be providing the main dish, please let me know what you’ll be bringing!” This allows me to know what else I might need to prepare, and prevents potato-salad overlap. The quicker you respond, the higher likelihood you can bring your signature dish before someone else snags it. If all goes according to plan, a couple of family matriarchs will volunteer to churn out the more demanding staples like macaroni salad and coleslaw, while
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Photo courtesy Unsplash. aunts, uncles, siblings and friends offer up various sweets and finger foods. Of course, there is always one cheeky sibling quick to reply in the group message: “I’ll bring myself,” accompanied by a sly smiling or winking emoji. Cute — now please, for the love of all that is edible, just bring some chips or something. When I’m not the host, I tend to jump on a dessert option. Peanut butter cookies or a crisp of some kind are my easy crowd pleasers, but seeing as my backyard has become somewhat of a favorite location for such events, I more often find myself buying hot dogs, buns and plastic cutlery in bulk.
Despite the planning, stress and frantic serving-spoon-searching it takes to get to dishing up, I’ve never met a potluck table I didn’t like. As long as there’s a deviled egg and a slice of dessert with my name on it, potluck success has been achieved. That’s because in the end, no matter what types of food might have made its way from the kitchens of loved ones onto my mid-shelf paper plates, it’s the people I sit down to eat it with who matter. Yes, even the sister who brings nothing but herself — I can only hope she one day has a backyard of her own, where I’ll arrive with Doritos in hand.
STAGE & SCREEN
America at the movies Patriotic films that go beyond propaganda By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff Since the first decades of the 20th century, Americans have received the bulk of their self understanding as a national community from cinema and TV screens. A small but revealing anecdote: During a brief stint as a substitute teacher about 16 years ago, I sat in a darkened room with 25 or so eighth-grade social studies students at Sandpoint Middle School and watched the same hour of The Patriot six times. It’s beyond debate that we are a nation of screen junkies. In the 1930s, as much as 65% of the U.S. population went to the movies every week. During the World War II years, Americans spent almost a quarter of their recreational dollars on watching movies, with more than 90 million going to the cinema each week. In 1950 there were 3.9 million households with a TV; today, that number has risen to about 120 million — accounting for 96.1% of all U.S. households. As of April, according to IndieWire, the average American streams eight hours of content per day and subscribes to at least four streaming services. Shot through all that content has been “patriotic” material, intended in various ways to extoll virtues, inspire pride and, in rare cases, educate Americans on their
own past and present. Yet, we are a double-faced nation: our cruelty only matched by our kindness, our greed by our open hand, our brutality by our humanity, our arrogance by our insecurity, our wisdom by our prideful ignorance. How you define those qualities and measure between the two is what’s going to define “patriotism.” In that spirit, and in recognition of this Fourth of July week, here are a few “patriotic” movies that explore the complex, dualistic nature of our nation and rise above the ham-fisted jingoism and hokey revisionism of The Patriot.
this antebellum period piece based on the diary of Solomon Northup plumbs the horrors of slavery while celebrating a spirit of resistance and resilience in the ever-ongoing fight for freedom. Lincoln Daniel Day-Lewis won Best Actor for his title role in 2012 and for good reason: His portrayal went beyond the Great Man to show how he balanced an essential humanity with political guile, navigating between idealism and pragmatism.
Last of the Mohicans This 1992 film treats the Revolutionary War period with more nuance than most, exploring the fluid lines between patriot and partisan, Indigeneity and invasion, loyalty and treachery in the backcountry of New York.
Meet John Doe It’s a jump from the 1860s to the 1940s, but Frank Capra’s 1941 film explores the razor-thin margin between populism and fascism — and the role played by mass media is tipping that balance. Also maybe the first film to approach the issue of “fake news.”
John Adams Chronicling the life of the second U.S. president from the pre-Revolution to his death on July 4, 1826, this seven-episode HBO miniseries illustrates how and why the Founding Fathers fought amongst themselves even more than they did the British.
Malcolm X The 1992 biopic starring Denzel Washington is a gritty, complex portrait of both the controversial Black leader and the broad sweep of the Freedom Movement going back to the 1940s. It’s inspiring, frustrating and uncompromising. Just like us.
12 Years a Slave The Best Picture of 2013,
Good Night, and Good Luck Released in 2005, this film
Daniel Day Lewis plays Honest Abe in Lincoln. Courtesy photo. portrays how newsman Edward R. Murrow squared off with — and bested — Sen. Joseph McCarthy at the height of his Red Scare powers. I’ll throw in the 2005 biopic Trumbo, as well, which takes a slightly revisionist approach to how the titular Hollywood screenwriter pushed back against the red-baiting and black-listing of the 1950s. All the President’s Men The best political thriller ever focuses on the Watergate scandal that took down President Richard Nixon in 1972. Reporters Woodward and Bernstein face long odds, but through dogged investigation put the pieces together. Norma Rae The Best Picture of 1979, the film stars Sally Field as the
eponymous true-life textile worker who struck for workers rights in 1973. It’s another entry in the David-and-Goliath theme, illustrating how freedom and equality are gained by coming together against large forces that threaten to subvert those values. Charlie Wilson’s War The last entry in this list — because we’re still reaping the whirlwind of the events it portrays — this 2007 film goes inside U.S. involvement in the Afghan-Soviet War from 1979 to 1989 from the perspective of the flamboyant, flawed Texas Democratic Rep. Charlie Wilson. As an allegory for the U.S. writ large, Wilson works with what he has and tries to be better than he is, even if the ultimate “victory” ends up being hollow.
Batman Begins playing at the Panida By Ben Olson Reader Staff There have been a lot of great movies in the Batman franchise. There have also been some real doozies. Batman Begins, released in 2005 and directed by Christopher Nolan, succeeded in bringing the film series back from the brink of disaster after Batman Forever (1995) and Batman & Robin (1997) received poor critical response for the ham-handed storylines and poor casting choices evident in both films. Batman Begins aimed for a darker, more realistic tone to the previous films and Nolan knocked it out of the park. Fifteen years lat-
er, it’s landing a revival screening at the Panida theater on Friday, July 3 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $6 each and this will show one night only. The so-called Dark Knight Trilogy, which began with Begins, followed by The Dark Knight in ’08 and ended in 2012 with The Dark Knight Rises, benefited greatly from its stellar casting. Christian Bale’s Bruce Wayne gave the character more depth and pathos than actors who portrayed Wayne in previous films. Michael Caine playing Wayne’s butler and foster father, Alfred, was the perfect choice, as Caine’s gravitas and playful humor rounded out the character into someone we’d all want as our trusted advisor and friend.
In Begins, Liam Neeson’s casting as Henri Ducard/Ra’s al Ghul, the leader of the ancient society the League of Shadows, was an excellent move. Neeson’s character is one of the most complex and successful of Batman’s villains, as his motivations aren’t so obtuse as previous villains, but steeped in the idea that he was not so much bent on revenge, but on healing the world (albeit while using draconian means to do so). The plot follows billionaire playboy Wayne as he relocates to Asia after his parents are killed. There, he is mentored by Henri Ducard/Ra’s al Ghul on how to fight evil. After learning of a plan to wipe out evil in Gotham City by Ducard/al Ghul, Wayne prevents
this plan from getting any further and heads back home, doing what Batman does best: striking fear in the hearts of would-be Gotham criminals. In 2005, when Batman Begins was released, there weren’t a lot of films utilizing the origins angle of comic book characters. The result is a pristine film where we understand exactly what drives these characters, turning them from two-dimensional archetypes to flesh-and-blood humans driven by complex emotions.
If not for the incredible cast and story in The Dark Knight, Batman Begins would easily be the best of all the many attempts to bring Batman to the silver screen. As it stands, Begins occupies a close second place to Heath Ledger’s powerhouse portrayal of The Joker, for which he received more than 20 awards for actor, including an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, that he received posthumously. The Panida will screen The Dark Knight on July 10 and the final installment of the trilogy, The Dark Knight Rises on July 17. July 2, 2020 /
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FOOD
The Sandpoint Eater Mix and mask By Marcia Pilgeram Reader Columnist It’s hard to wrap my head around the past few months — silly me, thinking this COVID-19 pandemic that blew into our lives, wreaking havoc on a blustery day in early spring, would only be a fleeting inconvenience. Yet here we are, summer is a new season and, still, there is no end in sight to this insidiousness. Instead, we try to cope and carry on, gathering new family tales (to be embellished a bit, no doubt) before they’re passed down to future generations. The travel business, along with the rest of the hospitality industry, has been hit hard — like a runaway train passing through hurricanes, fires and earthquakes. Heck, we could even throw a volcano or two into its path. Nearly every phone call or email that came my way in March and April was a trip cancellation. Now, a whole new round of these calls is coming — and it looks like we’ll be going nowhere, fast, for the remainder of 2020. Even though I’ve lost more than 80% of my income for 2020 (and nearly as much sleep), there are many things I’ve learned to embrace in this masked world that is now mine. I spent time in Chicago in May with toddler-grandson Sammy, teaching him how to crack an egg, grate Parmesan and lick the batter from a beater while we waited to welcome his baby sister, Runa, into the world. Returning home from my epic road trip, I was able to stop at my son’s farm in eastern Montana, where daughter Ryanne and her family were also gathered. Alongside granddaughter Miley (my baking protégé), I offered advice as she crimped the crust on a tart, rhubarb pie. We bottle-fed calves, walked fence lines and gathered around a bonfire before bedtime.
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The next morning, I supervised as she whisked flour into a blonde roux for creamy gravy that we ladled over sausage patties and homemade biscuits — her dad’s favorite dish. Filling hungry mouths along the way has become second nature to me. This peripatetic lifestyle suits me so well that I’m planning another Chicago road trip soon. In preparation, I still don’t venture far from my microbubble/pod, which can get a little bit lonesome; but, last week, I had a “family fix” provided by Ryanne and her family, who drove up from Moscow. Our usual Sandpoint routine would include some beach time, sampling our merry way through the Saturday Farmer’s Market, a gelato stop at Cedar Street Bridge, followed soon thereafter by an ice cream stop at Panhandle Cone and Coffee, then taking turns choosing our favorite eateries for lunch and
dinner. My 10-year-old grandson, Will, is most like me. He loves to pop into every shop in town, he desperately misses hugs from friends and is always ready to whip up a themed dinner party on a moment’s notice (which might include costumes or formal dinner attire). Since we couldn’t get far from “Camp Mimi,” we did lots of cooking at home, including a Thai dinner with an Asian tablescape created by Will. After the chopsticks were placed around the table, I sent Will and his younger sister, Fern, to pick cilantro, mint and bright little Johnny Jump-ups for our spring roll mix, which was deftly rolled by their older brother, Alden, and served alongside spicy curry and a pickled cucumber-ginger salad. Man cannot live by curry alone, so after five years of idle conversations about hiking to
Snow Creek Falls, we finally made our way there. It was a perfect day and an easy hike for everyone on well-groomed trails. We were rewarded with not one, but two beautiful waterfalls. Afterward, we found a mountain meadow and lingered over our picnic spread — all while keeping our eyes peeled for bears, as a nearby sign warned we should do. With more time to do less, my family is creating a new normal that undeniably includes a slower pace and, though Will and I long for a larger pod, we know — for now — that we’ll embrace this time and space as necessary and special. I long for and look forward to their visits that will always include helpers in my kitchen and fancy “cottontail” requests (we’ve never had the heart to correct Fern, so at my house, five o’clock libations will forever be known as cottontails). If kids in the kitchen seem
daunting, start with easy tasks and simple recipes so everyone can offer a helping hand. Besides being one of the most stellar volunteer trail groomers in Bonner County (along with her husband, Howard), my friend and BNE (best neighbor ever), Coni Shay, makes the most delicious granola in the world and, yes, we are a family of experts. She shared her recipe with me many years ago and we’ve been making it ever since. My youngest, Casey, uses it as an ingredient in cookies and the grandkids love it on top of their breakfast parfaits. If you are a true granola fan — and have paid up to $15 for a pound at the market — you know it’s nearly worth its weight in gold. So mask up and head to town for a few basic ingredients. Grab some bored kids to help mix it up and bake a batch for your “bubble.”
Coni Shay’s Tasty Granola
Yields four cups
My only advice: Make lots (but don’t double this recipe, as the oats don’t get well coated). I usually make 2-3 separate batches and combine/store after it’s cooled.
INGREDIENTS: • 1 cup whole almonds, divided • 3 cups old-fashioned oats • 1/2 teaspoon salt • 1/3 cup brown sugar • 1/3 cup honey • 3 tablespoons coconut oil • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract • 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a food processor or blender, pulse half of the almonds until they are very finely chopped. Pour them into a large bowl. Then chop the other half of the almonds coarsely and pour them into the same bowl. Pour the oats, salt, and brown sugar into the bowl with the almonds and stir to combine. In a small microwaveable bowl, combine honey and coconut oil, and heat for 40 seconds. Stir to dissolve the coconut oil, and add the vanilla and almond extract. Pour the honey mixture over the oats and stir so that they are evenly coated. Pour the oat mixture evenly onto a Silpat or parchment-lined baking sheet (helpful if it has sides). Bake for 5 minutes, then stir and spread back to an even layer. Return to the oven for 5 more minutes or until golden brown
around the edges. Pour the granola onto a piece of wax paper to cool. Spread it out into a thin layer — about 1/2 inch thick.
After it cools completely, break the granola into clusters and store in an airtight container.
MUSIC
Fourth of July jams By Ben Olson Reader Staff Independence Day is a time of year that brings out the love for your country. Over the years, a number of musicians have penned anthems that have provided us with tons of options to play at backyard barbecues and cookouts on the Fourth of July. Here are some of my favorites: Neil Young: ‘Keep On Rockin’ in the Free World’ Ranked No. 216 on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, Neil Young’s alt-patriotic rock hit is sure to get your foot stomping on the Fourth. Released in 1989 on his album Freedom, this tune was actually released in two versions: the gritty electric guitar arrangement most of us know and love, and an acoustic version with a bit more subtlety. Young said he wrote the song while on tour with his band The Restless in February 1989 after learning that their planned concert tour in the Soviet Union was not going to happen. Young’s guitarist Frank “Poncho” Sampedro said, “We’ll have to keep on rockin’ in the free world,” and Young’s ears perked up. By the next morning, he had written the lyrics
To this day, “Keep on Rockin’ in the Free World” has stood proudly as an patriotic grunge anthem that captures the freewheeling style of rock ’n’ roll in America. Ray Charles: ‘America the Beautiful’ Among all the patriotic songs that have graced our airwaves, Ray Charles’ cover of “America the Beautiful” has always sent pleasant shivers up my spine. Charles’ smooth, emotive voice and his confident hand on the piano breathed new life into this classic during America’s Bicentennial in 1976, when his version peaked at No. 98 on the U.S. R&B chart. The original lyrics came from the poem “Pikes Peak,” written by Katharine Lee Bates and first published in the 1895 Fourth of July edition of a church periodical called The Congregationalist. The periodical re-titled the piece, “America.” Church organist and choirmaster Samuel A. Ward, of Newark, N.J., composed the music having already written “Materna” for the hymn “O Mother dear, Jerusalem,” in 1882, though it wasn’t published until 1892. When Ward’s music was combined with Bates’ poem and published in 1910 under the title, “America the Beautiful,” the song started its history as one of the
What are the best songs to play on America’s birthday?
most popular of the many U.S. patriotic songs. Fun fact: Bates and Ward never met one another. Ward died in 1903, never realizing the popularity of the song for which he penned the tune. Woody Guthrie: ‘This Land is Your Land’ Arguably one of the most prolific and influential folk singers of all time, Woody Guthrie’s folk songs during the Dust Bowl period and World War II era helped define those parts of history in America. One of his most popular songs, “This Land is Your Land” was actually based on the melody of a Carter Family tune called “When the World’s on Fire,” which itself was based on a Baptist gospel hymn called “Oh, My Loving Brother.” Guthrie originally wrote the lyrics to his song as a critical response to Irving Berlin’s “God Bless America,” which Guthrie tired of hearing on the radio in the late 1930s. He had originally titled the song “God Blessed America for Me” before renaming it “This Land is Your Land.” Some of the verses were considered radical at the time, since they were interpreted as a protest against the vast income inequalities that existed — and still exist — in the U.S., as well as a statement
about the sufferings of millions during the Great Depression. In the song, Guthrie insists that America was made — and could still be made — for you and me. Even though it’s considered a patriotic song, it also highlights Guthrie’s lifelong struggle for social justice. In 2002, the song was one of 50 recordings chosen that year by the Library of Congress to be added to the National Recording Registry. Simon & Garfunkel: ‘America’ Paul Simon wrote and composed “America” after a fiveday road trip he took with his then-girlfriend Kathy Chitty. It was performed by Simon & Garfunkel and released on their fourth studio album, Bookends, in 1968. Telling the story of two young lovers hitchhiking their way across the U.S. in search of “America,” in both a literal and figurative sense, this song has been regarded as one of Simon’s strongest songwriting efforts. A 2014 Rolling Stone readers’ poll ranked it the group’s fourth best song. My favorite lyrics are: “Kathy, I’m lost, I said though I knew she was sleeping / And I’m empty and aching and I don’t know why / Counting the cars on the New Jersey Turnpike / They’ve all come to look for America.”
Phoebe Bridgers’ Punisher is just what the doctor ordered By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff Phoebe Bridgers’ June 19 release Punisher is poised to set the queen of melancholy on the path to widespread fame, which is bittersweet for those of us who have loved the L.A.-raised singer-songwriter since she issued ex-mentor Ryan Adams the ultimate burn with her breakout single “Motion Sickness.” Punisher differs from Bridgers’ 2017 debut LP Stranger in the Alps in the way it incorporates more upbeat tracks like “Kyoto” and “ICU,” but don’t be fooled — the sunny overtone overlays lyrics about break-ups, anxiety and strained familial relationships. Bridgers’ lyrics also pack a
new punch on Punisher. “I hate living by the hospital, the sirens go all night/ I used to joke that if they woke you up, somebody better be dying,” she sings on the ethereal, string-plucking track “Halloween.” This brand of dark humor defines Bridgers’ precarious status as both a sad folk artist and a funny millennial. She crafts heartbreaking songs about loss and identity while also sporting the Instagram handle @_fake_nudes_, a clear trolling of the Boomer-loved phrase “fake news.” It all adds up to a 25-year-old making sense of the world the best way she knows how: creat-
ing her own. Punisher — which received a rating of 8.7 from renowned music review website Pitchfork — is another chapter in Bridgers’ ongoing construction of a reality that listeners can entirely immerse themselves in and rediscover over and over with each listen. “I Know The End,” the final track on Punisher, is Bridgers at her best. The two-part song begins as a soft manifesto about home, and grows into a roaring confession about how it feels to leave. The build-up is peppered with imagery of driving into the sun with
the windows down, singing along to an “America First rap-country song” while slaughterhouses, outlet malls, slot machines and a billboard reading “The End Is Near” fly by. The song culminates in soaring horns and Bridgers’ distorted screams, leaving you breathless, surrounded by a type of quiet you didn’t know existed. Bridgers’ Punisher is timeless, while at the same time serving as a perfect soundtrack for these chaotic times. There is no better way to cope with 2020 than to assume the fetal position with some sound-canceling headphones, play “Moon Song” on repeat and achieve ultimate catharsis. Learn more about Phoebe Bridgers and hear her music at phoebefuckingbridgers.com.
This week’s RLW by Zach Hagadone
READ
Sometimes an adult, overwrought by the stresses of the world, needs to collapse into escapist fantasy — often that means reading books intended for a much-younger audience. Consider The Chronicles of Prydain, a five-novel series by Lloyd Alexander published between 1964 and 1968, following the hero’s journey of assistant pig-keeper Taran and his quirky companions. If you remember Disney’s The Black Cauldron, you know what I’m talking about.
LISTEN
New Zealand pop star Kimbra has been on the scene for a decade, yet American audiences don’t seem too familiar with her. That’s a shame. Her oeuvre mingles R&B, jazz and rock with a distinct, faintly electro-pop feel. Lyrically inventive, she’s at her best when channeling a hint of Amy Winehouse on tracts like “Settle Down,” “Good Intent” and “Look into My Head.”
WATCH
Every streaming show these days comes with the promise of being “binge-worthy,” but the new Amazon original series Upload delivers — big time — on that now-tired bit of marketing. The premise asks: What would life be like if, when you died, your consciousness was uploaded into a virtual world controlled by multinational corporations and still very much tethered to the terrestrial world? The result is dark satire, comedy, romance, existential tragedy — almost an overload.
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on patriotism By Sandy Compton Reader Columnist
From Northern Idaho News, July 6, 1926
MANY CELEBRATE THE FOURTH WITH LIQUOR MORE DRUNKS IN TOWN SATURDAY THAN ANY MONTH FOR OVER YEAR BUT NO FIGHTS Evidently many of the visitors to the Sandpoint celebration thought the proper way to celebrate the glorious Fourth was to get gloriously drunk for on Saturday there were more drunken men seen on the streets than there has been during any month for over a year. However they were fairly orderly and no fights resulted from the liquor consumed. Quite a few of them were placed in the jail to sober up an others were sent home. Monday a lumberjack under the influence of liquor went to the beach with the idea of taking a swim. He started to remove his clothes and the officers were called before he had got them all off and took him to the city jail where he sobered up and was allowed to go this morning with a lecture. The only bad accident resulting from liquor occurred Saturday when Ida Jean McLean, Charles Ferrier and Matt Clark had a bad accident a mile north of Colburn which resulted in Jean getting a badly injured back and who is in a serious condition, the rest with bruises and scratches. 22 /
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In the film Night at the Museum II, museum guard Larry Daley (Ben Stiller) and comeback-to-life Amelia Earhart (Amy Adams) lead enlivened historical characters in a battle against evil pharaoh Kahmunrah inside the Smithsonian museum in Washington, D.C. As Earhart and Daley enter the Aeronautical Museum, she is saluted by ghostly Tuskegee Airmen — black and Caribbean flyers of the 332nd Fighter Group and 447th Bombardment Group during World War II — for helping open the door to flight for them. The camera follows them through a history of American aviation, during which we meet the Wright brothers and Able, a monkey who rode an Atlas rocket in 1959 in a test to see what effect space might have on primates. We also witness the “one small step for man” Neil Armstrong made in July 1969. During the ’50s and ’60s, the space program was of great interest to an idealistic kid with big ears and a tendency to daydream too much. At a time when “space” and “race” were tied together in reference to our relationship with the big, bad Soviet Union, it kept my attention away from issues like racial equality and the Vietnam War. Since those bright moments of youth — when I thought the United States could do no wrong, and proudly and blithely saluted the flag each morning along with every school kid in America — I have witnessed a depreciation in the valuation of patriotism, and perhaps rightly so. The term, defined in part as “vigorous support for one’s country” is often used today as an indictment against groups of people who view our country as inviolably correct in all actions just because we are the United States of America. As I watched that 2009 movie scene Sunday night, sadness overtook me; reflecting the sense of loss I feel as our country wades through the quagmire of 2020. We face COVID-19; violent racial confrontation; continuing arguments over gender identity, women’s rights and the place of guns in society; and
STR8TS Solution
a reeling, capricious economy. On top of that, we are aboard a storm-driven, derelict ship of state with a captain who seems dangerously deluded about what’s important and real. Today, July 2, is two days short the anniversary of the ratification of the Declaration of Independence. Twelve score and four years later, the world watches to see if a nation “so conceived and so dedicated” can last. I wonder myself, given our divisiveness. Scenes in the movie reminded me of Abraham Lincoln’s 1858 paraphrase of Mark 3:25: “A house divided against itself cannot stand.” We are certainly divided, and those in power keep us apart by encouraging us to blame each other for problems they create. In the meantime, they sell us down the river. We participate in the sale by agreeing to the sellers’ terms. Political and economic power in the U.S. are married — certainly in bed together. The regime of the wealthy is aided unabashedly by politicians. It is the money of the corporate world that perpetuates their power, and we pay for it. Twice. Our taxes are used as subsidies, to protect interests in foreign investments and rescue companies who are “too big to fail.” Then, we buy the products and services of those same companies, often without thinking or blinking, many times to enhance our image in our own eyes. In his song, “Way Back Then,” John Prine sings, “I am out undoing all the good things I’ve done.” That could be the theme of the U.S. right now. Many of the best ideas and mandates of the past 60 years are being dismantled or ignored. Those who cheer these developments don’t seem to understand — or care — that their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren will pay for gains this generation achieves by abandoning environmental and social responsibility; trading a balanced ecology, an equitable economy and true equality for short-term gain and personal aggrandizement. As I watched the movie, another thought came to me; a supposition, really. Suppose that what we are all angry and divided over is the loss of our collective dreams about the
future of our country. Maybe many of us are that kid who thought Sandy Compton. the U.S. could do no wrong, and are now disillusioned and uncertain of where we are now, how we got here and where to go from here. Whether we admit it or not — and no matter what our personal politics are — how many of us feel increasingly lost, scared and angry? There is nothing wrong with being a patriot — vigorously supporting our country. But our patriotism can’t be blind. Patriotism is not about waving the flag or our guns or yelling at each other over religion, race or sexual orientation. It is not defined by genomic structure or our personal view of Spirit. Patriotism is wanting the best for the place in which we live and by extension, all those who live there with us. We cannot quash a segment of society and be patriotic to a nation whose founding document says very clearly, “that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights. ” Quibble about the word “men” all you want, or the intention of the writers, but my thought is we needn’t second-guess the document. We need to live up to it, which means working together to make this country worthy of our vigorous support.
Crossword Solution
Sudoku Solution
We used to laugh at Grandpa when he’d head off and go fishing. But we wouldn’t be laughing that evening when he’d come back with some whore he picked up in town.
By Bill Borders
Solution on page 22
CROSSWORD
Copyright www.mirroreyes.com
Laughing Matter
Solution on page 22
ACROSS
bight
Woorf tdhe Week
/bahyt/ [noun] 1. a bend or curve in the shore of a sea or river. 2. The loop in a bent part of a rope.
“Keep your foot out of the bight when working on a boat deck.” In our story “COVID-19 cases spike in Idaho as lawmakers convene, businesses close and public events go forward” (News, June 25, 2020), we had a bit of bad arithmetic. In the story, we reported that the number of confirmed cases of the virus had increased “more than 73%” statewide in the 10 days prior to press time. Thanks to a sharp-eyed reader, we ran the numbers again and realized we messed up our calculations: The correct number would have been 36.3%. Apologies readers, and especially to math teachers everywhere. — ZH
1. Splines 6. Rehabilitation 11. Light purple 12. Eternal 15. Against 16. Evolve 17. Donkey 18. Pillar 20. Uncooked 21. Cook 23. Canvas dwelling 24. Does something 25. Part of a foot 26. You (archaic) 27. Brother of Jacob 28. Cocoyam 29. Yes (slang) 30. Thai currency units 31. A nervous wreck 34. Shorthand 36. Cap 37. Flat float 41. Container weight 42. Engineering school 43. Affirm 44. “____ and crafts” 45. Nib 46. Cry of pain 47. Smidgen 48. Square dance 51. Gibbon 52. Versions 54. Inflamed 56. Renters
Solution on page 22 57. Mistake 58. Effusive 59. Fret
DOWN 1. Splashed 2. Flaxseed 3. Altitude (abbrev.) 4. Tropical tuber 5. It forms on a wound 6. Pillaging 7. Excrete 8. “Darn it!” 9. Anagram of “Ail” 10. Raccoon-like carnivore
13. Condition 14. Stitches 15. Stockpile 16. They keep dozing off 19. Aromatic solvent 22. Blossoms 24. It holds cigarette debris 26. Apprentice 27. Hearing organ 30. Shower alternative 32. In song, the loneliest number 33. Nutcase 34. Big step 35. Making lace
38. Flyer 39. Fatuity 40. Thick woolen fabric 42. Very small 44. Incite 45. Kiosk 48. Ancient units of liquid measure 49. Exclamation of relief 50. Infamous Roman emperor 53. Letter after sigma 55. Arrive (abbrev.)
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