Put your money where your microphone is

KRFY Panhandle Community Radio to host membership drive

By Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey Reader Staff

In a time when North Idahoans are more conscious than ever of supporting locals, it’s a perfect moment to be reminded about one of the most local resources of all: community radio.

In Sandpoint, that’s 88.5 KRFY Panhandle Community Radio — available on local airwaves at 88.5 FM, or always online on the krfy.org livestream.

“Community radio is made by that community and designed to serve that community,” said Associate Station Manager Jack Peterson. “KRFY isn’t like any other radio station in the country.”

For more than a decade, KRFY has been dedicated to offering up news — both local and syndicated — as well as music and other programming meant to give listeners a sense of their place in the world, both at home and within the larger national (and international) context.

“The beauty of a broadcast signal is that everybody can get it, and everybody can get it for free,” Peterson said — but that’s not to say that appreciative listeners can’t pitch in every now and then.

KRFY will host a membership drive Monday, June 5 through Saturday, June 10, all in an effort to bring more community-minded radio enthusiasts into the fold. A gift of any size will entitle the donor to a KRFY membership.

To cap off the drive, Peterson said KRFY will set up a mobile studio at the Music Conservatory of Sandpoint (110 Main St.) on Saturday, June 10 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. and welcome passersby to get involved.

“If they want to, they can become members of the station by donating, or they can just watch live radio happen,” Peterson said.

KRFY depends on donations to cover operational costs, which experienced a spike last year when the station was forced to relocate its broadcast antenna after the tower where it was previously located had to be removed. The signal relocation cost around $18,000, which KRFY is still working to recoup.

“We are realizing an even better and wider broadcast signal since the move to the new tower,” Station Manager Suzy Prez told the Reader in April.

Aside from donating and becoming station members, locals can also get involved by volunteering at the station. Those interested in hosting their own program can attend a training session later this summer, while those less eager to share their radio voices can offer up other talents.

“A lot of people like to just volunteer for the station without being on air,” Peterson said. “At least half of the volunteers for the station are never in front of a microphone.”

However, for those with something to share, community radio might just be the perfect place. Peterson said he would bet that nearly all active local nonprofits have had the chance to share their missions on KRFY over the years. Local musicians have broadened their audiences thanks to the station. All in all, Peterson said community radio should feel like a place for everyone.

“I love putting people on the air who might never otherwise have that chance,” he said.

Those interested in becoming a member of 88.5 KRFY can do so by donating at krfy.org, calling 208-265-2992 or sending a contribution to KRFY 88.5 Panhandle Community Radio, P.O. Box 2465, Sandpoint, ID 83864. To inquire about volunteering — on or off the air — email KRFYradio@gmail.com.

A snapshot of notable live music coming up in Sandpoint

LeRoy Bell and His Only Friends, The Hive, June 3

After years working as a young songwriter penning hits for iconic artists like the Temptations, Rita Marley and Elton John, LeRoy Bell broke out into his own musical career and found acclaim not only from the critics, but fans as well.

With his band LeRoy Bell and His Only Friends, Bell comfortably embraces a wide variety of genres, such as soulful rhythm and blues, powerful blues rock and acoustic folk soul.

Aaron Golay and The Original Sin, 219 Lounge, June 3

Bell’s live performances are hailed as intimate and powerful. He’s performed with many of the greats, including Van Morrison, Sheryl Crow, B.B. King, Etta James and more.

— Ben Olson

6:30-10 p.m., $20-$25, 21+. The Hive, 207 N. First Ave., 208-920-9039. Get tickets at livefromthehive.com. Listen at leroybell.com

Sandpointians have had a couple of opportunities to see Aaron Golay and The Original Sin — once at Idaho Pour Authority in 2021, another time at the 219 Lounge last June and again in lateApril at the Heartwood Center.

That’s a somewhat uncommon regularity for a Boise-based band; and, lucky for us, the soul-rock-Americana power trio of Golay on lead vocal and guitar, Darcy Erickson on bass and vocals, Michael Tetro on drums and vocals are returning Saturday, June 3 for another gig at the Niner.

If you’ve somehow missed any of those other chances to catch these weekend road warriors in action, now’s the time to repent and get yourself right.

— Zach Hagadone

9 p.m., FREE, 21+. 219 Lounge, 219 N. First Ave., 208-, 219.bar. Listen aarongolaymusic. com.

Haruki Murakami’s writing is nothing if not original. His fiction is a sort of magical realism that feels like a mystery is unfolding in front of you, except that many of his mysteries remain just that: mysterious. He may not be everyone’s cup of absinthe, but a good way to find out is to read The Elephant Vanishes (which is by far his best collection of short stories) before jumping into his longer, rabbit hole-esque novels.

Read Listen

If it’s true, as singer-songwriter John Craigie says, that bad politics make for good music, then the stage was already set for Raye Zaragoza when she showed up at Standing Rock with a bunch of home-crafted folk songs. I can only imagine her winning everyone over with her beautiful, and sometimes cutting, songs of protest. Her 2020 album, Woman In Color, represents her trajectory from then until now, and the way she delivers her message often manifests itself as ear candy.

Watch

Brazilian artist Sebastião Salgado traveled the world as a photographer for 40 years, sometimes on a shoestring budget. His photographs are powerful and his life and art are the subject of The Salt of the Earth. The 2014 documentary film doesn’t shy away from things like his parental absence, nor does it avoid the larger issues of war, famine and exploitation, which are often at the heart of his photos. Co-directed by his son Juliano and Wim Wenders, it received quite a few honors and, if you’re a pre-digital shutterbug, you’re not gonna want to miss it.

From Pend Oreille Review, June 1, 1923

SHERIFF WM. KIRKPATRICK SHOT BY PONDERAY HOTEL BANDIT LAST NIGHT

Sheriff William Kirkpatrick was shot in the back shortly before midnight last night while engaged in trailing down two men who held up and robbed the Ponderay hotel a few minutes before.

The shooting took place just west of the Northern Pacific depot and in the vicinity of the Humbird mill.

Sheriff Kirkpatrick was shot but once, the bullet entered his right side and penetrated the body, later being found in his clothes at the City hospital.

As the Review goes to press it is the belief of the attending physicians Drs. Page and Wallentine, that the patient will recover unless complications set in and these are not looked for.

A few minutes after the shooting posses that were quickly organized made a sweeping search of the jungles where the shooting took place.

The holdup of the hotel was staged by a tall man, very dark complexioned. It is also known that a short man kept guard while the holdup was being carried out and it is this man who is believe to have shot the sheriff.

Additional posses were organized and all trains entereing and leaving the city were closely watched. It is believed that the men implicated in both crimes are hiding in or near the city as it was impossible for either to leave without being apprehended.