WILDWOOD GRILLING IS A RAPIDLY GROWING, INNOVATIVE LOCAL COMPANY. We’re on the hunt for an extraordinary person, but it’s got to be the right extraordinary person. Are you that person? If you are, we have a compelling career opportunity. If you can answer “yes” to all of these questions, keep reading.
Do you have strong communication skills? Like, seriously strong. Do you excel at Microsoft Excel? Are you a self-starter? Do you have a sense of humor? Can you come to work looking like a professional? Can you say “no”? Can you take direction? Do you love food? Do you ask interesting and engaging questions? Is your spirit intrepid, mind logical & palate adventurous?
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Susan Drinkard on the street compiled by
Who is your favorite local artist?
“Leata Judd, because her artwork is wild and fun, like her personality. You can count on the unexpected, and she is always coming up with something new. She made my 9-foot puppet, Andorra.” Becky Luther Lab Assistant Bonner General Health Garfield Bay
“I’ve always admired Ward Tollbom’s paintings for their precise details.” Orin Miller Building contractor Sagle
“I like Don Fisher’s photographs of our region.” Brittney Blomquist Stay-at-home mom Sandpoint
“Zabrielle Dillon. She’s the glass-blowing and pottery teacher at Sandpoint High School.” Isaac Bennett SHS Junior Ponderay
“There are so many that it is hard to say ... I think my favorite local artist is Amy Tessier. I also like artwork by Diana Schuppel, Catherine Earle, Leata Judd and Robby [‘Biscuit Street Preacher’ Martin].” Elise Boyce Mental health provider/student Sandpoint
“Leata Judd because her work makes you smile.” Susan Bates-Harbuck Librarian Sandpoint
DEAR READERS,
Working as a journalist in this day and age has become increasingly difficult. We are held accountable for every word we write. If the story we are reporting on runs contrary to a certain individual’s opinion, we are labeled “biased” or that we have an “agenda.” It seems—in this era of people seeking out the news source that merely confirms their own longheld beliefs—that factual reporting no longer occupies the same hallowed ground it once held. These are dangerous times. I’m referring to the story that has blown up all over the Internet about the incident that took place in Twin Falls on June 2. When right-wing news sites like World Net Daily (which once ran a six-part series on why soy is “making kids gay”) and InfoWars (run by hysterical conspiracy theorist Alex Jones) began running headlines stating that “Three Syrian refugees rape little girl at knifepoint in Idaho,” it set off a firestorm of anti-Muslim and anti-immigration comments that has yet to wane. We called the Twin Falls Police Department to investigate. We also called Grant Loebs, the Twin Falls prosecutor. He told us what he told every other news outlet that bothered to reach out and verify the story: “There was no gang rape, there was no Syrian involvement, there were no Syrian refugees involved, there was no knife used, there was no inactivity by the police,” said Loebs. Now, please calm down, we’re not claiming that an incident didn’t happen. There very clearly was an incident involving three boys aged 7, 10 and 14, who are reportedly from Iraq and Sudan. One of the boys allegedly had inappropriate conduct with a 5-year-old girl. Of course we feel for the family of the victim. For anyone to be subjected to an innapropriate sexual advance, whether a child or an adult, is a terrible thing and we would never condone such an action. But the fact that this story somehow entered the “telephone” game and came out the other side more false than it was real is a disservice to journalism professionals around the globe. What I’m trying to get at is this: We have no agenda. We’re not trying to influence or change anyone’s mind. We’re not part of some dark communist or right/left wing conspiracy. We’re simply trying to give you a compelling newspaper to read with integrity, factual reporting and (hopefully) no typos. We are not part of some large conspiracy of “controlled media outlets.” Nobody tells us what to publish. We are simply a small town newspaper trying to make it in the world the same as all of you. When a story comes out that is blatantly misleading—regardless of the politics involved—I feel compelled to speak out. I stand by this decision, because if we can’t trust facts, who and/or what can we trust?
-Ben Olson, Publisher
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www.sandpointreader.com Publisher: Ben Olson ben@sandpointreader.com Editor: Cameron Rasmusson cameron@sandpointreader.com Zach Hagadone (emeritus) John Reuter (emeritus) Contributing Artists: Unsplash photo stock (cover), Ben Olson, Susan Drinkard Contributing Writers: Cameron Rasmusson, Ben Olson, Louie de Palma, Alexandra Blackwood, Zach Hagadone, Tim Henney, Jim Mitsui, Brenda Hammond, Karen Seashore, Amy Craven, Beth Weber, Brenden Bobby, Laurie Brown, Marcia Pilgeram. Submit stories to: stories@sandpointreader.com Printed weekly at: Griffin Publishing Spokane, Wash. Subscription Price: $95 per year Advertising: Jodi Taylor jodi@sandpointreader.com Clint Nicholson clint@keokee.com 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 400 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 photo features a photo I pulled off a free stock photo site called Unsplash. I don’t know the photographer’s name, but it made me feel summery when I saw it. -BO
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COMMENTARY YOGA... TAXI STYLE By Louie de Palma Reader Road Warrior
Oftentimes I find myself on a beach during sunset, out gallivanting in glorious nature or perched next to a scenic cliff hundreds of feet above the ground. During these times, I think, “Ah damn, Louie, I’m vibing this place so hard. I gotta do a limber yoga pose here and post it later with a super inspirational caption. I have to inspire the people.” My go-to pose is without a doubt downward dog facing away from the camera because it captures my good side. Sometimes I can’t quite pull it off. Other times the camera auto-timer catches me jumping in the air being super silly. I would never call myself a trend-setter, but I’m pretty positive I had something to do with this catching on. It’s becoming quite popular, which is great. We all could use a little more exercise and inspiration. It’s easy to see why it has taken off. Not only is yoga inspiring and fulfilling, but you can take it with you anywhere. Whether it’s on a cliff, beach, forest, cityscape, bridge or a carpet, it always looks good.
Inspired by a Community... Dear Editor, My husband, myself and my 15-month old traveled back home to San Diego from Sandpoint this weekend, 6/18-6/19 and while my husband bravely drove on and my son took his all but too brief naps, I read the Reader published 6/16. I’m inspired by a community. I will say, inspiration started it’s hold upon my first arrival to Pend Oreille’s shores last summer. This Reader gave yet another shot to my inspiration intoxication with the community. Mind you, I was already tipsy due to the mountains, the air, the water, the trees, the bald eagles, the farmers market, the people, the genuine 4 /
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Can it be dangerous? Yes. I have it on good authority that a woman at a zoo recently was doing a yoga pose in front of a gorilla exhibit. Word has it she was trying to get a photo and inspire people to get the monkey off their back. At the same time, her child went into the cage to get a jump photo with the gorilla. In the end, the gorilla lost his life, but maybe it’s for the best. In an odd M. Night Shyamalan twist, it is believed he was working with ISIS. This makes the child and his mother American heroes. All this to say, impromptu yoga is risky but well worth it. The craze is spreading quickly. Even the interior of my taxi isn’t safe. Clients are now begging to make up their own poses, holding them for uncanny durations while in transit. They are bucking the trend of taking pictures and posting them with quotes later. These fair fare-payers are instead speaking their inspirational words live. I will give a few examples of the poses they have invented and the words they chose to match with them in order to inspire. Downward-facing Gummers This was invented by a woman in the 50- to 80-year range. This pose is more complex conversation, the food, the coffee, the beer, the quote by Margaret Mead on the bench plaque at city beach (I snapped a picture and made it my phone’s lock screen); “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” And with that run-on sentence already in the blood, I was put over inspirations edge. I wrote the below the night we arrived home: The word “terrorist” is being used to define a culture, a race, nations. It’s a hurtful word, an “ouch” word, as Jim Healey so greatly defined in the call to action in his article. It’s a negative term. And as Suzen Fiskin
than others and should only be attempted in a vehicle if you are very limber, have extra vertebrae or have bones turned into the consistency of a hot dog by meth consumption. My client demonstrated the pose by bending at the waist with her tail bone firmly planted against the back of the seat. Her chin rested at the end of the seat spaced equally between her knees, legs wide like a dog on a couch. Her arms extended to the floor, hands bent backwards. Her dentures were grasped firmly in her left hand. Inspirational quote: “**** you! You pecker head. I’ll just take my antique lanterns somewhere else. I’d have paid you after I sold ‘em, or I’d have pawned my antique pukka shell necklace. **** you.” As you come out of pose, raise your middle finger high. This particular quote brought tears to me eyes, it was so deep. Her quick wit at coming up with it on the spot when I asked for payment blew me away. I take it to mean that one can find value in something, even if it seems old and battered. You have value, Gummers. You do.
65-year-old biker in flexible leathers. To begin, have someone carry you to the cab door. Then gracefully arch your back and put your chin to your chest. Then fall face-first into the bench seat. Remain buried there with one arm tucked like a chicken and the other hanging dead in front of you, one finger barely touching the floor like God and Adam on the Sistine Chapel ceiling. Keep your feet outside the door so it will not close, and hold the pose while the driver takes you to your hotel. Do not acknowledge the cold wind from the open door. Inspirational Quote: “Make America grape again.” Beautiful. Grape, for the flavor of America. Alexander the Grape is my favorite Otter Pop flavor. Viva the grape revolution. Sow the seeds of flavor.
it. Made in China.” I believe it to be a reference to the Chinese I Ching hexagram 49 regarding shape-shifting and transformation. Whoever that shoe used to be, he or she is pure zen and magic. Inspiring.
Rising son of anarchy: This was invented by 55- to
Shoevasana This was invented by a twoseason-old Nike running shoe. Lie stealthily under the seat for days. Take on a gray-with-neongreen hue. Let your aura slowly seep until it fills the cab and you are found. Ultimately create a sense of bewilderment as those around wonder how someone could walk away with one shoe. Inspirational Quote: “Just do
All of these are analogies to the difficulties of doors throughout the journey of life. Fall through them, then close them, then repeat. Wherever your doors bring you, never forget to take a picture doing a yoga pose while inspiring someone else. Or just jump in the air. Stay active, people. Pose gracefully and carry a huge selfie stick.
so wonderfully brought quantum physics to the forefront; yes, by now, quantum physics have taught us thought is material energy. Thought makes waves. A negative, causative thought “through-line” is extremely pervasive, from the top-down, side-to-side. We as humankind seem to naturally feel (and perpetuate) many of these emotions in the negative thought spectrum: anger, fear, doubt, shame, guilt, resentment, regret, need I go on? Have we created a very inviting home for these words in our thoughts, through our actions against one another? Against humankind and consequently, ourselves? That “terrorist” quite possibly began a negative, causative thought
“through-line” when a bomb fell on a small school where a brother, sister, cousin, niece, nephew was currently studying, where that man—already incensed by his own childhood—shot a gun into a crowd of people where a grandmother, daughter, son, friend, wife, husband was standing. The cycle goes on and on. By these examples, I am not strictly referring to our current planet situation. I am referring to the long history of humankind’s actions of hostility towards humankind. This history is a giant tsunami of genetically ingrained pain, and irrespective of where it came from—some might say we inflicted it on ourselves if you subscribe to the biblical story of
Adam and Eve—we must learn together to objectively identify these negative thought waves and to collectively, resolutely, dissipate them. We are unable to send the tsunami back from whence it came, but we can learn anew on the land of the aftermath, allowing the wave to once again come to balance, a big ocean with a gentle tide. Thank you for the love and inspiration, Sandpoint. Gratefully yours,
Tipsy pickup balancing sticks: This is the most-copied pose in taxi culture. Its origins are unknown. It begins by falling out of the cab to get limber. Slowly raise yourself up, planting your feet firmly together to minimize balance. Bend at the waist and reach for the door handle. Attempt several times to close the door. Hold for $0.75-worth of time on the meter or until the driver closes for you. Inspirational quotes: “I can’t work the door.” “Slam it like pogs.” “Just pull it out then slide it over.” “Don’t Hodor it.”
Elizabeth Iha San Diego, Calif. Elizabeth, Thanks for the thoughtful letter. Come back soon.-BO
PERSPECTIVES
The Beast With Human Eyes By Alexandra Blackwood Reader Contributor
Editor’s note: the following article was written by a 15-year-old teenager in Sandpoint who we’ve given a pen name to protect her privacy. We asked Miss Blackwood to talk about important issues like depression and disconnection with reality from her own perspective. Here is the third submission from this young writer. Winds rupture a valley of shrouded darkness, as an invasion of wood cascades upon the splintered depths of the world. A frosted glade seeps before my withered fingers, as I beckon a shadow of the dark. A crystal pool lay before my empty gaze, lapping among a cloudless sky. Reluctant, I drew nearer, as at once, the sunken figure stood before me in a disfigured illusion. Uncertainty welled within me, as the reflection danced its faded image. Peering into the misted smog of the night, I saw but one thing. I saw a human. And somehow, that was everything. Humanity. It is, undoubtedly, a species like no other. It shares many characteristics of its less evolved kin, and yet, it differs greatly from God’s other creatures. Physically, the human race may embody many similar structures of it’s furry counterparts. However, outward appearance may not compose all meaning within mankind. The question of just what differentiates humanity from the beasts of this world an old one, most probably as old as the species itself. Some of the strongest of arguments center on the essence of morality:
good versus evil. And humanity itself is divided between two categories of individuals. Society determines whether an individual is good or bad by his or her deeds. Murder, robbery, dishonesty: These are the deadly sins of the world, the acts that define one as either good or bad. However, to generalize humanity into categories of two, to divide the world into black and white, is an unfortunate delusion. The stories possessed by the rulers of this realm, by mankind, are perhaps what define us as different. The stories that create us, for better, or worse. The behavior of an individual is often what characterizes one as good, or evil. Behavior. How one behaves, how one presents his or herself, does not determine the title of said person. Good and bad people do not exist. This theory is merely a disfigured thought. Good and bad decisions, however, do exist. But, contrary to popular belief, these decisions do not determine the identity of the individual. I suppose many ask themselves, what is it that differentiates the beasts from mankind? Many would suggest that man possesses a characteristic animals lack: the ability to reason. So how is it that animals thrive? How do they maintain function? Primal instinct. Instinctive actions often characterize humanity from other creatures, as primitive beings rely primarily on instinct for survival. However, is the ability to reason one elements that
separates humanity from the animals? Or is the definition of mankind a greater conception? Although the human ability to create logical decisions greatly surpasses many creatures, others strongly suggest emotion is the largest compound of humanity. Emotion is, oftentimes, considered an intangible concept. Many, in fact, consider it a useless quality, preferring instead logic and reason. Emotion has long been ridiculed, commonly associated with the female gender. However, such beliefs have recently been reexamined over the course of both the previous and current century, as emotion exists in both male and female genders, in ways central to the natural function of a healthy being. A creature that may possess the mere capability of reason will never be considered human. It would be nothing more than a withered shell, an empty vessel of a soulless creation. Humanity differs from its primitive kin, in one subtle, yet pivotal concept. The ability to feel. The ability to empathize. To cry, to laugh, to fear. To churn with frothing rage, to obliterate upon shadowed images. It is this that determines our humanity. Beasts of the world rely primarily upon a primitive, instinctual guidance, of which allows for survival. Though humanity and its animal counterparts do require similar necessities of survival, such as sustenance and shelter, mankind requires a further need, a need which is not always fulfilled. Many do not accept
emotion as a crucial factor of survival, and it is they who must be pitied. For emotion is one of the greatest of necessities to the human race, a necessity of proper survival. Connections. Healthy direct contact with emotion. These are a necessity to thrive among the human race. When one is raised upon lack of emotion, without a foundation of correct emotional contact, many find difficulty in directly confronting both emotions and emotional outbursts. This behavior commonly leads to emotional instability, simply due to improper care upon emotions. Correct emotional contact must be developed within childhood, and the lack of such connectivity may lead to ill-behaved decisions. To deny one’s emotions is to deny one’s humanity. To surrender one’s primal instincts. Emotional characteristics are a healthy function of mankind, and without it, many are doomed to wander the world as hollowed vessels, darkened by their own pride, a common misfortune. Shameful, yet true, we are all of bestial nature. The creatures lurk among us, beckoning within our own wholesome humanity, to concoct a falsehood, a pale illusion of their shattered dreams. It seeks for us to deny our own wondrous treasures, the gifts we’ve been given. For, so many times it has been said, pure evil only comes from the corruption of something purely good.
Rebuttal to ‘Coming Out’... Dear Editor, I agree with Jim Healey on one thing: We should love people for who they are, not for what we want them to be. But that’s about where my agreement ends. While there remains zero evidence in the “born gay” mantra, the bigger issue is inevitably lost in every discussion. The gay community has a higher rate of disposable income (privilege) but it also boasts higher than average mortality, STDs, domestic violence and substance abuse. There are reasons for this and it has nothing to doing with the lack of acceptance by heterosexuals. It has to do with lifestyle which is often accompanied by high-risk sexual behaviors (anonymous sex partners or lack of protection for example). No matter how you spin it, the gay lifestyle is anything but rainbows and pride parades. The best thing we can do for our children is to love them unconditionally and steer them toward healthy behavior. Don S. Otis Sandpoint June 23, 2016 /
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NEWS
Interfaith Alliance complaint against Scott surfaces
By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff An alleged January confrontation between Rep. Heather Scott, R-Blanchard, and an Interfaith Alliance of Idaho board member resulted in the organization filing a complaint against her. The letter of complaint, recently obtained by the Sandpoint Reader, claims that Scott clashed with Joseph Kibbe, an Interfaith Alliance board member and LGBT rights advocate. In a statement within the letter, Kibbe alleges that Scott took him aside and used homophobic language against him. When reached for comment, Scott sharply denied that she used any inappropriate language.
while checking on demonstrators, he saw Scott engaging some of group’s young members. When Kibbe decided to stop the “escalating exchange,” Scott allegedly pulled him aside and into a corner. According to Interfaith Alliance of Idaho board president Judy Cross, saw the “tense” initial interaction between Kibbe and Scott and watched her take him into the corner. However, the conversation that followed was heard only by the Rep. Heather Scott. two of them. Kibbe claims Scott opened According to the complaint, the conversation with, “I know the Interfaith Alliance organized you, you are one of the queers,” a hallway demonstration outside and, “You are one of the gays a Jan. 14 anti-Islam presentation who should burn in hell.” by Pastor Shahram Hadian in “She then moved closer to the Boise Statehouse Lincoln me and began telling me about Auditorium. Kibbe said that how we rape and harm people
and I needed to come into the room and learn the truth how Muslims want to rape us, kill us, murder gay individuals,” Kibbe wrote. Scott denies using any inflammatory language toward Kibbe, a position she’s maintained since responding to the Interfaith Alliance’s complaint. She said Kibbe’s allegations are an “outright lie” and that he has a record of exaggeration known by legislative leadership. Idaho Speaker of the House Scott Bedke, to whom the letter of complaint was addressed, did not return phone and email requests for comment on the incident by press time. According to Cross, Interfaith Alliance of Idaho leaders decided at the time to quietly file a complaint.
“We didn’t want to make this a big issue at the time and mainly just wanted to get this on her record,” Cross said. Cross said her main concern at the time was the safety of the demonstrators on both sides. She worried in the complaint that if someone had lost their temper, the situation could have escalated out of hand. “Our intent in sharing this with you [Bedke] is not to make a big public issue of this, but to call to your attention, behavior which is unbecoming a Representative of the people of the State of Idaho,” Cross wrote in the complaint. “Had this been directed at someone less able to maintain composure, the scene could have become very serious, and even violent.”
Ford announces write-in sheriff campaign
Twin Falls assault sparks national outcry
By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff
An alleged sexual assault case involving minors in Twin Falls went national last week after city authorities decried its reporting on Internet blogs as inaccurate. According to Twin Falls County Prosecutor Grant Loebs, the assault of a 5-year-old girl, initially reported by sites like InfoWars as a gang rape at knifepoint by Syrian refugees, was misrepresented in most of its details. There was no knife, no Syrian refugees and no gang rape. Most of the incident details, including the perpetrators’ legal status, are sealed by the court, a standard practice for crimes involving juveniles. “I don’t know how this story got so distorted, whether people are just passing stories along or whether it’s deliberate,” he said. Loebs said a group of three boys, ages 7, 10 and 14, were involved in an incident in which the youngest had sexual con-
Despite a defeat in last month’s primary election, Terry Ford is hoping the second time might be the charm. The sheriff’s candidate announced this week he is running as write-in in the November general election against incumbent Sheriff Daryl Wheeler. According to Ford, his concerns about the state of the Bonner County Sheriff’s Office are too great to ignore, the long-shot odds of a write-in campaign notwithstanding. “It’s time to bring honesty and integrity back to the sheriff’s office,” Ford said. Ford said that troubling signs within the sheriff’s office continue to go unaddressed. Chief among them is the phony website Wheeler’s former undersheriff, David Hale, created to represent Ford. An incident under investigation by the Ida6 /
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Terry Ford. ho Attorney General’s Office, the website scandal resulted in Hale’s resignation but has prompted no other comment from Wheeler. According to Ford, the volunteers that helped manage his primary election campaign are back for the write-in effort. The original team is bolstered by some newcomers who identified with his campaign message during the primary. Ford hopes the general
election, buoyed this year by a high-profile presidential election, will turn out voters that stayed home during the primary election. He also noted that his primary campaign achieved bipartisan support, but only Republicans could vote within the closed system. The open general election may shift some of those numbers his way, he said. If elected, Ford aims to focus on drug use and trafficking, which he said is a major source of local crime. He’s also concerned about reports of crime not being investigated in a timely or thorough manner and said he will prioritized reform. Finally, he promises strong relationships with local schools and an open door policy at his office. “My record as an Idaho State Police officer for over 25 years in northern Idaho stands on its own merit,” he said in a press release. “It would be an honor to serve you for the next four years, as your sheriff.”
By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff
tact with the girl. Two boys of Sudanese and Iraqi decent are in custody following the assault. Loebs also denied claims of slow police response, a citywide cover-up or that the perpetrators’ families celebrated the attacks. News broke this week that the families of the boys were being evicted from the apartment complex where the alleged assault took place. “The system is working exactly as it’s supposed to,” he said. The Internet debates did not die down once several mainstream media outlets declared the story “false.” Many commenters opposed to refugee resettlement felt the details didn’t matter so much as the fact that an attack of some kind took place. For Loebs, the most important message is that the situation is being treated with the gravity it warrants. “I don’t want it to be lost that this is a serious incident, and we’re treating it as a serious incident,” he said.
FEATURE
The Kids Aren’t Alright Health officials in Idaho have no means to adequately track birth defects By Zach Hagadone Boise Weekly
The babies were born without brains and no one knew why.
Between 2010 and 2014, dozens of infants in three central Washington counties died of anencephaly, a typically rare birth defect. The gruesome disorder results in underweight, undersized newborns lacking large portions of their brain and skull. Almost all babies born with the condition die shortly after birth. Only three pregnancies in every 10,000 result in anencephaly each year in the U.S., so when more than 40 mothers in Benton, Franklin and Yakima counties reported losing children to the defect, public health officials were perplexed. Lacking much data on birth defects in general, and anencephaly in particular, the state’s response came under criticism. According to a December 2015 Seattle Times report, “health officials tasked with solving the mystery may have missed opportunities for answers.” “They have not contacted most of the women who lost babies to anencephaly,” the Times reported. “They have not collected samples or conducted tests that could reveal potential genetic or environmental links to the problem.They have not reached out as effectively as possible to tell families how the disorder might be prevented. The Washington birth defect cluster is still a mystery, as are a great number of birth defects: The Centers for Disease Control estimates as many as 3 percent of all births suffer a defect of one kind or another. The causes of many are unknown. Unknowns typify every aspect of birth defects. Of the “thousands of different birth defects,” according to the Na-
Illustration by Nancy Cerra.
tional Institutes of Health, “birth defects go untracked—even unnoticed—in most states,” wrote researchers at the USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism. Considering that birth defects are a parent’s worst nightmare, the paucity of systematic, national tracking of their occurrence is baffling. Dr. Penny Beech, chief clinical officer for the Family Medical Residency of Idaho agrees. Beech worked as a family doctor in Canyon County for Terry Reilly Health Services from 2001 to 2010 and during that time, she delivered 600 babies. Of them, she said “I couldn’t even tell you” how many were born with defects, but could recall five off the top of her head. “I will tell you, when I was in
practice out in Canyon County, I felt like I was just this unlucky doctor because I would see all these kids with problems, and I knew it wasn’t the care I was providing,” Beech said. Beech and her staff of community health workers practiced both obstetrics and pediatrics with a focus on serving the Latino communities in the western Treasure Valley farm country. “Just my general sense working out in that area, in the farm area, is that there was a higher prevalence of birth defects,” she said. “I wonder a lot about pesticide exposure in that population that could be triggering birth defects.” After consulting with her staff, Beech said she heard reports from others noticing the same thing: babies were suf-
fering from disorders including transposition of the great arteries (in which the heart “gets connected totally backwards”) and bowel disorders (notably conditions where the bowels don’t form right so there is a blockage in the intestines). Thrown in were vitamin deficiencies and a host of other complications. “Those cases are all heartbreaking,” she said. Concerned about what she and other health workers were seeing, Beech started researching trends to track down a cause and, hopefully, come up with a plan to prevent further incidents. When she went to access historic data, however, she came up short. “It was really hard to research,” Beech said. “It hasn’t been, like, there’s tons of data out there. I kind of hit a brick wall.”
As it turns out, her supposition was backed by the data. According to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, 24 non-Hispanic babies were reported to have died in Health District 3, which includes Canyon County, in 2014. Of those, 23 were white and one was black. In that same timeframe, 13 Hispanic babies died—a “significant difference in the rates of ethnicity based on the 95 percent confidence interval,” IDHW Research Analyst Supervisor Pam Harder wrote in an email. Having ready access to that kind of data would be “really useful” to Beech. “I could figure out whether my supposition could be totally wrong,” she said.
see BIRTH, page 8 June 23, 2016 /
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BIRTH, con’t from page 7 The trouble is, that data is not readily accessible. Idaho is one of six states that do not have a birth defect registry—a system whereby specific birth defects are catalogued, the children are tracked for years to assess what kinds of interventions are most effective, and the conditions surrounding their birth are analyzed and reported to national birth defect data clearinghouses like CDC and the National Birth Defect Prevention Network. In total, 44 states have some kind of registry in place, including Puerto Rico. Idaho received an “F” for its state monitoring program from the Trust for America’s Health. “Despite the effectiveness and value of birth defects registries, too many states do not have adequate programs,” the organization wrote. Granted, that report was authored in 2002, but nothing has changed in Idaho since then. “I’ve noted that Idaho is one of probably six states that have basically never done anything to set up a registry,” said University of South Florida professor Dr. Russell Kirby, who serves on the executive committee of the NBDPN. Meanwhile, according to IDHW numbers, Idaho’s infant mortality rate from birth defects has exceeded the national average 12 of the 16 years from 1999 to 2014, peaking in 2002 when the infant mortality rate of 241.3 per 100,000 births was nearly 100 deaths higher than the U.S. average. In 2014, the most recent data available, that number was 135.4 deaths per 100,000—16.4 higher than the average. While Idaho’s number of total birth defects is within the national average, its infant mortality is not. Much of that has to do with the rural nature of the state and its attendant health care challenges. Idaho has long suffered a shortage of doctors in its more sparsely populated areas, “and that has to weigh into it,” said IDHW spokesman Tom Shanahan. “There would be value there [to setting up a registry],” he said. “Seriously, it would be nice to participate.” That’s where the politics enter the maternity ward. “The registry would undoubtedly be valuable, there’s no 8 /
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question,” Shanahan said. “But the question is could we afford it and what would be the actionable items we could do from the registry?” Kirby has helped set up 20 state registries and while it is a boon to researchers to have such robust amounts of data with which to analyze occurrence, type and result of birth defects, he bemoans the fragmented nature of the system. “What basically happened with birth defects is there were some methodologies that had been developed by individual states, and many earlier programs modeled their program after the CDC’s Atlanta [Ga.] program, which is really the oldest comprehensive program in the country,” he said, “[but] few states were willing to allocate enough resources to implement the metro Atlanta approach comprehensively. … So we started having a whole variety of less comprehensive methodologies being established.” To date, 14 states operate birth defect reporting systems funded at least in part by CDC. Idaho, though it received upwards of $600,000 from CDC between 2010 and 2015 for birth defect-related efforts (including early hearing screenings), is not one of them. In other words, while most states have some kind of birth defect reporting mechanism, the state-by-state approach is still a hodgepodge—so much so that it’s unclear even at the national level how many children are born with birth defects, much less how to prevent them. Kirby said his organization is asked to investigate birth defect clusters on a regular basis, including in Florida, where concerns about the Zika virus, which frequently causes microcephaly—similar to anencephaly that it affects brain growth—are well founded. Still, lack of reliable data is a hurdle.
“Those kinds of things [investigations into birth defect clusters] are really hard to come up with any definitive conclusions,” he said. “The public has a right to know and we want to give them an answer, but it rarely works out that we can give a definitive answer.” In the end, it all comes down to funding. Kirby makes a parallel to cancer data registries, on which birth defect registries have been modeled. Prior to 1990, only a few states had reporting systems to gather crucial data on the many varieties of the disease. Then between 1990 and 1992, CDC received funding from the U.S. Congress to disperse as grants to the states, setting up cancer registries to be guided by a set of standardized rules. “Twenty-five years later, they have an established structure that works well,” he said. “We have never had the resources that cancer has had.” Kirby isn’t complaining—he understands more people will contract cancer than will suffer birth defects—but, “in the general scheme of things, the resources to actually do birth defects justice have not been there.” Darkly, Kirby suggested pro-life politics may be in part to blame. Speaking of the anencephaly cases in Washington state, he said, “In our country there’s a certain antipathy to abortion. Well, one of the conditions that people are most likely to get an elective termination for after having prenatal diagnosis is anencephaly. After all, you’re dealing with a fetus that basically has almost no brain, is definitely going to die. Would you want to carry that pregnancy to term? Some women decide no, they don’t, and so they have a termination. Our birth defect surveillance is not geared up to catch those cases, so we don’t really know what the baseline is.” The sparseness of coherent data is also due partially to the birth defect community itself. Kirby said unlike cancer, which is addressed in a global sense—
Idaho is one of six states that do not have a birth defect registry.
that all cancers must be tracked, treated and prevented—the birth defect community is as fragmented as its monitoring systems. “Families who have a child with a birth defect identify with support groups for that particular birth defect and not globally with the idea of birth defects in general,” he said. “So it’s been with the Spina Bifida Association … they were able to advocate before Congress and got several programs set up for spina bifida. Likewise, there are programs supporting Down syndrome, more recently congenital heart disease. But the programs that end up being funded from those are specific to those particular conditions, and they don’t support the more general activity of birth defect surveillance. Somehow, with cancer, the American Cancer Society and other advocacy groups have been able to make a more coherent case for public health programs for cancer over all.” The issue, ultimately, rests with the Idaho Legislature. Shanahan, at IDHW, said Idaho health policy experts have looked at establishing a registry in the past, but it was a non-starter because of budgetary concerns. “We did look at the registry pretty carefully because there was interest in it, but I think, honestly, the expense of it and the resource intensiveness of it for the people it would require is fairly high. It’s much like a cancer data registry, only on a smaller scale,” he said. “If you look at some of the states that are doing it and doing it well, they’re following these kids into their teen years, and that’s what you really need to do. We looked at it and we didn’t know how we would support that budget-wise.” According to House Minority Leader John Rusche (D-Lewiston), who is also a doctor, “The Legislature has been hesitant to develop registries at all. Whether it’s illness based studies or illness results of medications, due to concerns over privacy and cost.” Part of that cost is setting up the structure under which birth defect data gathering would be conducted. Rusche said that while 95 percent of all births take place in a hospital, with detailed record keeping, not all
birth defects are immediately diagnosable—meaning birth defect tracking is a multi-year process, and one that Idaho has been reluctant to pursue in large part due to politics. “Some of us have been pushing for better health care data for years and years, but [it] never gets anywhere,” he said. “This is more a concern about interference with personal freedom and personal information.” The fragmentation—the inherent uncertainty of birth defects—has also been a barrier. “Another thing we were concerned about is that the surveillance methods used by states are all different. … Some of them were just phenomenal. New Jersey, California, they really did just a super job. Other states were fairly minimal and they didn’t verify data,” Shanahan said. “There’s no aggregate to show nationally what we’re looking at, and that is something Idaho would have been really interested in, for us to all do it the same way so we could use aggregate data.” Until then, state health officials, like parents, will have to cross their fingers that everything turns out alright. Recalling an epidemiology class he taught in the early ’90s, Kirby told a story about a colleague who delivered a guest lecture in which he asked students to imagine if they were “the king of Siam.” What would they do to organize health care in their country? “If I was the king of Siam and could organize birth defect surveillance,” Kirby said, “there’s a couple of things that are problematic. One of them is that we have states and each state has its health authority unto itself. We need national standards. We basically need to change the paradigm for birth defect surveillance to where everything comes from CDC. They provide the funds but the states have to follow their procedures and protocols to collect the data. Now, that’s not what we have.” This story was previously published in the Boise Weekly and used by permission to publish in the Sandpoint Reader.
Schweitzer opens summer season with 7B Sunday By Ben Olson Reader Staff Now that the dog days are officially here, Schweitzer Mountain Resort will be kicking off their summer season with 7B Sunday on June 26. The annual start to the summer season features live music, free chairlift rides, tons of fun activities and great food and drinks. “7B Sunday becomes the perfect opportunity for visitors and locals to learn about all the wonderful things we have in our backyard,” said Schweitzer’s Marketing Manager Dig Chrismer. “Bonner County … is such a vibrant place, and this is our chance to celebrate everything that’s unique about our area.” For families on a budget, or for those of you who haven’t been up to the hill in awhile, 7B Sunday is a great chance to check out breathtaking views and to listen to live music free of charge. There will be unlimited free chairlift rides all day long from 11 a.m.-5 p.m., giving access to the summit where you can see Montana, Washington and Canada all without craning your neck. “There are so many people still in Sandpoint who haven’t been up to Schweitzer in like 30 years, or they’ve never been,” said Chrismer. “7B Sunday is the perfect excuse. The chairlift is free so you can come and explore.” Also, it’s a good chance to check the progress on the newest addition at Schwetizer: the Summit Lodge, due to be completed by the end of the year. In addition to activities on the summit, all the usual village activities will be going off in full force, including the Monkey Motion air jumper, zip line, climbing wall, sluice box mountain biking, hiking, geocaching and tennis. For those feeling less adventurous, grab your blankets and lawn chairs and claim a spot on the lawn for three different local bands providing live music. Monarch Mountain Band will be playing from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Brown Salmon Truck plays from 1-2:30 p.m., and the Flying Dookie Brothers wrap up the event from 3-5 p.m. Did we mention it’s free? There will be plenty of food vendors on hand, but folks are welcome to bring their own picnic lunches (as long as you share your cookies with Schweitzer staff). Chrismer noted that this year will be a good time to try out the new Chimney
Rock Grill menu. “We hired Bret Wieman as our new food and beverage director, and that’s pretty exciting because he’s been changing up the Chimney Rock menu,” said Chrismer. “It’s always neat to have a different flavor arrive.” Wieman worked as assistant food and beverage director in Telluride before making the move to Schweitzer, replacing longtime food and beverage director Michael Williams. Williams recently opened his own restaurant in Sandpoint called Loaf and Ladle. “We’re so thrilled for Michael and his new venture,” said Chrismer. “He’s been with us for years. He’s a really great guy.” Free chairlift rides, fun activities in the village and on the summit, great music and food all around—sounds like another great day on Schweitzer. See you there! 7B Sunday is Sunday, June 26 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The summer season at Schweitzer spans from June 26 – September 5. For more information about Schweitzer’s summer activities and 7B Sunday, visit schweitzer.com or call 1-877-487-4643.
Top: The top of the Great Escape Quad on Schweitzer Mountain Resort. Middle: The village is alive with the sound of music. Bottom: Some happy pint-sized customers. Photos courtesy of SMR. June 23, 2016 /
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OPINION Not all billionaires are bad dudes Bouquets: •I’d like to give a bouquet to the man you see to your right (not the Monopoly man, the steely-eyed sailor). Having a guy like Tim Henney writing regular material for the Reader is a dream come true. From his first article, I realized that we had a bonafide character on our hands. I enjoy his dry humor, his kindness, his nostalgic looks back at the glorious past and the way he comes in and visits the office instead of relying solely on email for communication. We’re always happy to receive your submissions, Tim. Keep up the good work. Barbs: •I think those who honk their horns for punitive reasons ought to have their horns replaced with a button that drops a gallon of stale urine on their heads. Allow me to elucidate: earlier this week I saw a woman pull onto Church Street out of the busy Post Office parking lot. There was a male driver already pulling away from the stop sign on Fourth Ave. who was surprised by the woman’s pulling into traffic. Noticing her timing, the woman then braked and allowed the male driver to pull away from the stop sign (even though technically she had the right of way). She even waved him through politely. The male driver—in pure pig-headedyou’re-not-from-here-are-you fashion—then laid on the horn for an ugly six-second blast as he made his way through the intersection. I stood watching him as did everyone else on the street. How could we miss the blaring ugly sound of a punitive horn honk? Horns are very useful for warnings. They’re supposed to say “Hey-hey-hey, look out!” instead of “HEEEEY, you screwed UPPPP!” Do yourselves a favor, stop making so much useless noise. Save the horn for when you really need it. 10 /
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/ June 23, 2016
By Tim Henney Esteemed Reader Contributor
A longtime friend, a California Republican—as I was back when the Grand Old Party was an organization of pride rather than impropriety and prejudice—was bitching recently to me about the bombastic buffoonery of his party’s presidential candidate. He yearns, as I do, for the years when Republicans like Nelson Rockefeller of New York, Michigan’s George W. Romney, Everett Dirkson of Illinois, and Mark Hatfield and Tom McCall of Oregon held office. When Republicans like Earl Warren of California, Fiorello La Guardia of New York City, Ike, Maine’s Olympia Snow, Iowa’s Jim Leach, Utah’s Jon Huntsman Jr., and former Secretary of State Colin Powell were the Grand Old Party’s headliners. The hate-mongering philistine who represents it today has so incensed my west coast buddy that he doesn’t even like rich people anymore. And he and his spouse are far from impoverished. They were when I was best man at their Berkeley nuptials in 1956. But hey, who wasn’t? Gas for a British ragtop roadster was the only necessity. “What is it with all these super rich guys that makes them so self-serving and disgusting?” my pal griped to me recently. A late ‘50s graduate of Cal-Davis and a retired veterinarian, he and his lunch bunch of well-heeled active and retired M.D.s find themselves in an unaccustomed
quandry. Solid citizens and educated lifelong GOP voters, they are today embarrassed by their political affiliation. And my friend—I can’t speak for his buddies— finds himself curiously angry at all financial heavy hitters. A supporter of success as our culture defines it his entire adult life, he has become demoralized by the recent Republican presidential campaign. The Donald’s threat-filled, repulsive ravings have shoved my once logical Republican pal over the edge. Suddenly, because of this goofball, anyone with really big bucks is a bad dude. But think again, old friend. There are 526 American billionaires, including 21 women, according to my scholarly, in-depth research (Google). It is my suspicion, after many years of NYC-based corporate laboring and observing, that most of the 526 are considerably less bilious than Trump. And most could afford to buy and sell Trump and all his glossy buildings without even breaking stride. Moreover, it appears most give considerably more to charities than Trump does. No one really knows The Donald’s financial worth. It’s a secret. But Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, number 393 on Forbes’ list of richest Americans with a mere $4.2 billion, is richer than Trump, says Forbes. Bill Gates with $79 billion, Warren Buffett with more than $66 billion, Jeff Bezos (Amazon) and Larry Ellison (Oracle) with
over $63 billion each, and youngster Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook) with $51.2 billion, make Trump look like what he calls his opponents: losers. So do New York’s Michael Bloomberg with $41.6 billion, Sergey Brin (Google) with $37 billion, and hedge fund giant George Soros with a piddling $24.5 billion. Someone should send George food stamps. None of the above, so far as I know,, have announced plans to deport all Muslims, build a wall on the Mexican border or slandered an American judge because of a Mexican parent. None have praised war, blamed the Orlando massacre on President Obama personally, lauded the nasty, fearsome NRA as a really swell organization, or boasted about their penises on TV. And all are major philanthropists. In the area of charitable giving, even if inspired by businesslike tax write-offs, they make Trump look like a sycophantic tightwad. The GOP’s nominee says women love him. National polls say otherwise. We’ll see in November. Meanwhile, billionaire Oprah Winfrey, an enthusiastic Obama fan, has
endorsed Hillary. Millions and millions of American women admire and listen to Oprah and fellow female philanthropists Melinda Gates, Angelina Jolie, Meryl Streep, George Clooney’s wife Amal, and Ellen Degeneres. Among others. It’s a safe bet that none of them are so impressed by Trump’s big mouth, tiny hands, or allegedly massive ancillary parts that they’ll vote for him. Ellen, of course, is proudly gay. My guess is that Trump doesn’t want her vote anyway. As President he’d probably deport her.
A talk and touch erapy at integrates mind, body and emotions SOMA
Body-Centered Psychology and the Rubenfeld Synergy Method The Rubenfeld Synergy Method (RSM) is a Body-Centered Psychology method that uses talk and conscious touch to foster body-awareness, vitality and body-brain integration.
Keely Brannigan is a Sandpoint native. She received her bachelor's degree in biomedical sciences, dance and movement therapy from Evergreen State College in 2012. She is a certiied yoga instructor with Yoga Alliance. Currently, she is a Licensed Professional Counselor Intern with an emphasis in Body (Somatic) Psychotherapy. She completed her training as a Rubenfeld Synergy Method practitioner in the Spring of 2016 and isnow ooering services to the Sandpoint community.
Keely.brannigan@talkandtouchpsychology.com www.talkandtouchpsychology.com (208) 946-0057
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Dollar Beers! 8pm @ Eichardt’s Pub Good until the keg’s dry
Throwback Thursdays at the 219 7-11pm @ 219 Lounge Featuring live music with Brian Jacobs and friends ULTIMATE Frisbee 5:30pm @ Great Northern Field Fast-moving, fun, non-contact sport with a Frisbee! Teens and adults welcome
Live Music w/ Marty Perron Sandpoint Farmers’ Market 9am - 1pm @ Farmin Park and Doug Bond 5-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery Local produce, good eats, arts and crafts and Acoustic duo onguitar and man- more! Live music with Doug Bond + Fab 5 dolin that always aim to please Medicinal plant identification walk Live Music w/ Jacob Cummings 2-5pm @ Mickinnick Trailhead parking lot 6:30pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall Free! Hosted by James Flocchini Singer/songwriter Update on the Clark Fork Delta Live Music w/ Chris Lynch 9:45-11:30am @ Sandpoint Community Hall 6pm - 9pm @ Arlo’s Ristorante Kathy Cousins, Idaho Fish and Game, will discuss restoration work on the Clark Fork Delta Summer Sounds Project. Free admission, public welcome 4-6pm @ Park Place Stage The outdoor stage at First and Reader Reels presents “The Lobster” 8:30pm @ Panida Theater Cedar featuring Truck Mills! Don’t miss this off-kilter film. Rated-R Sandpoint Chess Club 9am @ Evans Brothers Coffee Meets every Sunday at 9am. All are welcome
Monday Night Blues Jam w/ Truck Mills 7:30pm @ Eichardt’s Pub
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Beach Business Blast 11am-3pm @ City Beach Lisa Howard Coaching sponsors a Beach Business Blast. For more information, visit EventBrite.com or call 509-842-6281
B 7 U v S p t
Live Music w/ Bright Moments Jazz Live Music INBC Blood Drive 5-8pm @ Pe 10:30am-2pm @ Bonner General Health 7-10pm @ Eichardt’s Pub One of the easiest ways to give back is to Great free form jazz, featuring special Guitar melo new age tou give blood. Call Robin at 265-1123 with guest Maya Goldblum Latin, rock, questions or go to INBCsaves.org Live Music w/ Ron Greene Live Music w/ Chris Lynch 6:30-9:30pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall 6pm - 9pm @ Arlo’s Ristorante An intimate stage presence from this passionate sing
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Trivia Night 7pm - 9pm @ MickDuff’s
Karaoke Night 10pm - Midnight @ 219 Lounge
Sandpoint Farmers’ Market 3-5:30pm @ Farmin Park Local produce, good eats, arts and crafts and more! Live music with Emily Baker
Live Music w 5-7pm @ Idah
June Bug Ba 7-10pm @ Sa This ‘70s the p.m. with a Hu with general d freshments, do Used Book S 10am-2pm @ Buy ‘em chea DJ Cakemix 9pm-12am @ Up in the clu
Hope for 10am @ G An inspiri and spirit Learn to dance the Swing – 7pm @ SWAC Learn the Triple Time East Coast Swing from Diane Peters. 610-1770 for info Game Night at the Niner 9pm @ 219 Lounge
Make It at Winter Ridge Speaker Series 3-4:30pm @ 6pm @ Winter Ridge Kids creat Learn how to choose the oils you may duinos, ne need for specific health issues, then mix other proje your own blend!
Idaho Walk Bike Alliance fundraiser DJ J 4-8pm @ Idaho Pour Authority 9pm Featuring Sockeye Brewing Co. beer on tap. Silent auction, complimentary appetizers and live music with Marty Perro Bond. There will also be a pre-event ride with the Pend Oreille club leaving from IPA and traveling along USBR 10 starting a
Live Music w/ Ben Olson (solo) 7-9pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall A collection of B-sides from Ben Olson of Harold’s IGA Yappy Hour 4-7pm @ Pine St. Bakery PAS benefit with live music, drinks and great furry fun
Summer Sampler 5-8pm @ Farmin Park Come down to Farmin Park and see the great selections from Sandpoint’s annual Summer Sampler (formerly known as the Taste of Sandpoint). Free to attend, samples $3-7. Bon appetit!
Throwback Thurs 7-11pm @ 219 Lou Featuring live musi and friends, $2 dom Join in playing in mic night setting ev
ful
st each oaching usiness nformaite.com 1
June 23 - 30, 2016
A weekly entertainment guide to keep you on your toes. To list your event free, please send an email to calendar@sandpointreader.com.
BGH Volunteer Council Annual Scrub Sale 7am - 5pm @ Bonner General Health classrooms Uniforms & More from Spokane will provide a variety of scrubs, shoes and more during the Scrub Sale. A 10% discount applies to all purchases, with proceeds going to the BGH Employee and Volunteer Education Fund
ve Music w/ Electric Cole Show 8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery uitar melodies and solos blended with a w age touch through the genres of jazz, tin, rock, blues, fun and world
onate singer and musician
e Music w/ David Walsh pm @ Idaho Pour Authority
Reader recommended
Live Music w/ Harold’s IGA 9-12pm @ 219 Lounge Sandpoint indie rock band playing on the patio, which now features a giant tent and heaters, so no worries about the rain!
Trivia Night at the Museum Live Music w/ John Firshi 5-8pm @ Bonner Co. History Museum 5-7pm @ Idaho Pour Authority Guests will have one hour to absorb as much information as possible by wandering through the museum before competing with their team of 4-6 people for the title of “Best Local Historians” plus enjoy snacks, drinks and a great prize! Please RSVP with your team name. $10/public, $5/members Reader Reels presents “The Lobster” 8:30pm @ Panida Theater
“Singing with the Angels” Chili Cook-Off e Bug Ball 3:30pm @ Panida Theater 0pm @ Sandpoint Community Hall A young woman at a crossroads in life re- (June 25-26) ‘70s themed dance will begin at 7 flects on her decision to join the Mormon 10:30am-4pm @ with a Hustle Dance lesson, followed Tabernacle Choir and how it strengthened Trinity at City Beach general dancing from 8-10 p.m. Re- her through its challenges. $5 Adult, $4 Come watch or compete in this International Chili hments, door prizes, and more Student & Senior, $3 Child Society sanctioned event. d Book Sale Stashbusters Extravaganza Cash prizes to the winm-2pm @ Bonner Mall 9:30am-3pm @ Memorial Community ners of up to $1,500 and a ‘em cheap, sell ‘em fast! Center (Hope) Hosted by the ladies of Clark Fork Valley chance to attend the world Cakemix Quilters. Shoppers will find fabric, books, finals to win $25,000! You m-12am @ 219 Lounge patterns, various supplies, finished goods can be a judge for $2, and in the club, out in the patio! and maybe even some pre-started proj- the proceeds go towards Hope for Humanity BGH Community Hospice ects. Free admission. 208-264-5375 10am @ Gardenia Center An inspiring presentation of science Schweitzer 7B Sunday 11am - 5pm @ Schweitzer Mountain Resort and spirituality by Suzen Fiskin The grand kickoff of the summer season at Schweitzer. Free chairlift Sunday in the Park @ SWAC rides, free music, food and arts and crafts vendors, all the village activi1-5pm @ Farmin Park wing from ties and more! Come on up for a great day on the mountain Live music and fun!
Make It at The Library -4:30pm @ Sandpoint Library Kids create with robotics, Aruinos, needlework, Legos and ther projects
DJ Josh Adams 9pm @ 219 Lounge auction, raffle prizes, arty Perron and Doug d Oreille Pedalers bike starting at 3:30 p.m.
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Preschool Storytime 11am @ Sandpoint Library Weekly program at 11 a.m. for children ages 2 to 5 Mother Goose 10:15am @ Sandpoint Library For children 0 to 3
July 1 Bllitzen Trapper playing with Frontier Ruckus @ The Hive July 1 Linda Hackbarth Lecture Du ke Evers Band @ 7pm @ Bonner Co. History Museum Local author and historian Linda Hack- The Panida Theater barth will speak about the Pend Oreille Ju ly 4 area in the 1860s, the topic of her book, Fo urth of July cele“Trail to Gold.” Free Admission bration! Dollar Beers!
Live Music w/ Bob Evans & Co. 8pm @ Eichardt’s Pub Great tunes, great food, great beer, great Scott I love this place! Crafternoon – Duct Tape Gaming 1:30pm @ Sandpoint Library
ck Thursdays at the 219 @ 219 Lounge live music with Brian Jacobs s, $2 domestics and $3 crafts. aying in this informal open setting every Thursday night
8pm @ Eichardt’s Pub
June 23, 2016 /
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Independence Day Celebration July 4, 2016
Support the fourth of july by purchasing raffle tickets on this Polaris side-by-side!
calendar of events Monday, July 4
•9 a.m. - Kids parade •10 a.m. - grand parade with grand marshall Wendy Sater
•DUSK - FIREWORKS @ CITY BEACH
READER support an informed community
Listen in Sandpoint to KPND @ 106.7 in HD 14 /
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/ June 23, 2016
LITERATURE my rooster's name is faye
This open
Window poetry and prose by local writers
edited by Jim mitsui
Just as some artists carry a small sketchbook with them wherever they go, so too should a writer have a journal with them during the day. At night, a good place to keep it is on your nightstand—just before falling asleep is a rich time to jot down ideas, the day’s noteworthy activities, some miscellaneous images, an interesting person or encounter. I always encourage my students to keep a journal; nothing too fancy—an expensive leather-bound, gilt-edged, parchment paper volume makes you think you need a calligraphy pen to write perfect sentences or lines. No! Get something functional, practical. At the UW we ended up using an organic lab notebook; it was inexpensive, had medium lines, page numbers and lasted several months. The idea of writing a rough draft of a poem in a lab manual was ironic. Be sure to write on the backs of pages, like a book—and no spiral notebooks. Too easy to tear pages out. Anything can go into it; your wife’s to-do list, things that you love and hate, the great key lime pie you had at Baxter’s, the thing you found on the sidewalk, the most old-fashioned object in your house, your opinion of something hi-tech. If you get stuck, just do a free-write for 5 or 10 minutes. Write furiously without pausing (no stopping to think)—your thoughts should be transcribed on the page. If you can’t think of anything to write, write “I can’t think of anything to write, I can’t think of anything…” over and over until you do think of something to say. This is not your high school essay, everything correct, organized and following a plan. What you are actually trying for is what is in front of all of your thoughts. Maybe something mundane, or the ache of your arthritic wrist, or the smell of your wife’s spaghetti wafting up from the kitchen. Don’t be afraid if you jump around; we do not think in complete sentences or paragraphs. Our minds dart back and forth, up and down, and back to a previous thought. If you write steadily for 10 minutes you will easily fill up one page, or maybe more. Good. Come back to what you wrote, later, with a highlighter and mark images, phrases, sentences, small narrative possibilities that may turn out to become your next poem, story, memoir or article. Don’t worry about being perfect, skip punctuation, don’t check how to spell “Sheriff,” and get out of the habit of writing paragraphs that you wrote for Miss Browiak, your sophomore English teacher. More about journals in future columns. Please consider sending me poems, anecdotes, memoirs, etc. I keep expecting to get a submission from high school students. You don’t have to be 21 to get published here. Submit to: Jim3wells@aol.com. Interested in a creative writing workshop? Contact me.
farm life
by Brenda Hammond
by Amy Craven
Not because he isn’t manly. He is a fine specimen, who proudly oversees the entire flock of hens, ducks and guineas. His head is topped with a tall red comb, He holds it high and puffs out his full chest of dark red, black and iridescent green feathers that match the plumage of his magnificent tail. He struts about with a John Wayne stance because of the long spurs on his legs, fully in charge. Faye crows loudly from early morning until right before dusk—so often my grand-daughters have decided he’s an international bird—crowing to welcome the sun in every time zone. But once he was a fuzzy chick—purchased from the feed store with eleven others labelled “Rhode Island Red pullets.” I believed the sign-so that when he began to have longer legs, fuller tail and a bigger comb than the others, I maintained he was just developing early-like Faye—the girl in 6th grade who wore a bra and a see-through nylon blouse to prove it, when most of us were comfortable in tee-shirts. She was the class expert on the mysterious topic of menstruation, and enlightened us in huddled groups at recess about what the well-worn chapter in the classroom encyclopedia called, “Reproduction,” a topic about which Faye, the rooster, is also an expert.
would I be able to rise at five a.m. to do whatever one does that early to milk the cow— leaning my head into her warm flank and smelling the hayness and cowness of her searching her deep eyes and her animal consciouness feeling the spray of her milk as it hits the inside of the pail and then as the sun edges itself out of the sleepy cornfields, heading into the kitchen and putting the fresh warm eggs into one of my grandmother’s yellow bowls rolling out the dough for biscuits, the flour from my hands making little storms over the landscape of the formica counter there would be the inevitable match-up between me and the boy from the neighboring farm all those dances at the high school gym and the Grange and then our prom — his skin tanned from haying and his muscles bound within a tuxedo too tight my silver high heels clinking over the running board of his Dodge truck all of this to become fodder for my writing from my apartment in Chicago, Minneapolis, or Cincinatti — knowing that the farm life was far, far behind me but would forever fill my dreams
Brenda Hammond works in Sandpoint as a Mental Health Specialist for Early Head Start, and a therapist at North Idaho Children’s Mental Health. She has four grown children and four grandchildren, and is being honored this year as a Woman of Wisdom.
june cloudburst on jewell lake by Beth Weber
Amy Craven is a singer, songwriter, poet and retired teacher. She was born in Pittsburgh, grew up in Baltimore, lived in New York, and fell in love with a Sandpoint native. She lives in Sandpoint with Rob (the native) and their dog, Hazel. She hopes that some of you will fall under the spell of poetry, either while reading or writing it.
low turnout
by Karen Seashore
Starbursts in leaves of red water shield, aquamarine damselflies attached head to tail, drift
the centers of their circles. My hair clings to my cheek. Drops
Like a dear firing line, six women smile at me when I barge through the door. All around this building there’s a strong stench of natural gas I announce.
past my yellow kayak. Water from my paddles glistens, drips through thick summer air.
slide. Scalloped lily pads quiet themselves. Red winged blackbirds
Outside, the maple trees have finally given it up. Crisp yellow carpet of leaves four inches deep. I could see my breath if I forced it.
Shade overtakes. I see, feel, then hear its tiny wet feet. Cow lilies turn percussive.
sing again. A thrush. On smooth water I’m doubled, upside-down with everything around me.
Trying for the sky, a million water spouts defy gravity then return to
Beth Weber lives in Cocolalla, directs youth orchestras, kayaks the Pack River and can name just about any bird or flower that you see around you.
Someone else said that earlier Sally says. They discuss if it’s safe to call on a cell. I wonder if I’m the one they would expect to unsettle the calm.
As required, Sue, sitting behind the P-through-Z placard, asks my name. I fill four boxes with my x: mayor, council members, a vote for new bleachers. The wooden floor gleams. They’ll be alone again when I leave. Grace takes my ballot & calls out Karen Seashore has voted. Karen Seashore grew up in land-locked Utah, lives in Sandpoint, rides her bike just about anywhere regardless of the season, and currently is sailing the Canadian Gulf Islands with her husband, Tom.
Want to see your poetry in the Reader? Send in your submission to: jim3wells@aol.com. June 23, 2016 /
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Gardening with Laurie: ICF awards $85k to area nonprofits
Attracting beneficials
By Reader Staff
The Idaho Community Foundation (IFC) recently awarded more than $85,000 to Bonner and Boundary County nonprofits. Three separate funds within ICF have awarded the funds. The North Idaho Action Fun, the Bonner County Endowment Fund for Human Rights and Bonner County Fund for Arts Enhancement awarded $85,350 to more than a dozen nonprofits. The North Idaho Action Fun supports organizations and projects working to improve the accessibility and quality of behavioral health programs in the two northern counties. They awarded $50,000 to four organizations: Bonner County Partners in Care Solitary Bee, Anthidium, which, thankfully, does exist in Idaho. Photo courtesy of WikiCommons. Clinic, Inc. ($30,000); Community Not all insects you find outside are like alyssum, yarrow, cilantro, fennel, Coalition for Families ($5,000); harmful to you or your garden. Most are Queen Anne’s lace, dill, parsley—even Panhandle Health District #1 indifferent, just sharing space, but some tansy has a use as lacewings can live ($5,000); and Underground Kindare very beneficial. Some are pollinaon it! Ladybugs live on many of the ness ($10,000). tors, while others help rid the garden of same plants as lacewings, as well as on The Bonner County Endowment pest insects. I like to encourage as many veronicas, penstemons and sunflowFund for Human Rights is for orbeneficial insects to come to my garers. Hoverflies—those things that look ganizations whose activities reflect den as possible—the more of them, the like teensy wasps but don’t sting—like
By Laurie Brown Reader Columnist
fewer aphids, mites and other nasties you have, and the more pollinated fruit trees you have. Bees, ladybugs, lace wings, praying mantis, braconid wasps (they parasitize hornworms and other pests) and more all help control the pest population. How do you invite them in? First, you’ll have to suspend the use of chemical insecticides. Sprays will obviously kill anything they touch, good or bad, and most leave residue. Systemics are even worse; they move from the roots to the tops of the plants and will poison even the flowers/fruit, which is why they are not used on edible crops. It also cannot be washed off; it persists for weeks. This is the problem with some plants from some large nurseries; the plants are treated before being shipped out to retailers with chemicals that kill bees and other good guys. If you have enough beneficials, they do a pretty good job of keeping pests in check, but until the population is built up, you’ll have to do low-impact pest control, such as hand-picking caterpillars and blasting aphids off with water. Next, you’ll need a large variety of plants. Monocultures are notorious for developing pest problems. If you have roses, you should have companion plants that attract aphid predators, 16 /
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asters, ajuga, astrantia, lavender, lobelia, mints including bee balm, sedum, thyme and zinnias, along with all the above mentioned plants. Some beneficials need pollen; in the larval stage, many eat plant material. They can actually defoliate plants to a degree, so plant enough cilantro for salsa and the bugs. Because of the need for pollen sources, there should be a succession of bloom. Never let there be a gap in food sources, or they’ll either go elsewhere or die off. A mix of perennials, annuals, and herbs provides a good environment. Herbal companion plants work well in the vegetable garden in part because they provide homes and food for the beneficials. Let the dill and cilantro go to seed; just do another seeding of it for yourself and for later generations of good bugs. Provide a source of water for the good insects, too. They don’t need much; a bird bath or even a saucer of water will work. This is especially needful if you have a xeriscape that depends on rainwater. If you overhead water, they will probably get enough water from that sitting on leaves. The hardworking good bugs may not be as visually enchanting as butterflies and birds, but they are essential to a good garden ecosystem.
commitment to the ideal that everyone is equal under our state and federal laws and constitution, regardless of race, color, gender, religion, sexual orientation or disability. It distributed $14,600 to four nonprofits: Arts Alliance, Inc. ($2,000); Bonner Partners in Care Clinic, Inc. ($8,000); Idaho Mythweaver ($1,600), and the Panida Theater ($3,000). The Bonner County Fund for Arts Enhancement is for projects that demonstrate how the arts encourage creative and critical thinking, stimulate economic vitality and enhance the quality of life in a community. It distributed $17,750 to five nonprofits: Academy of Northwest Writers and Publishers ($1,750); Festival at Sandpoint ($2,500); Music Conservatory of Sandpoint ($2,500), the Panida Theater ($4,500), and Pend Oreille Arts Council ($4,500). For more information, check out www.idcomfdn.org.
Summer Sampler shows off Sandpoint cuisine By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff It’s not quite summer in Sandpoint until the Summer Sampler rolls around. The 11th annual event, hosted by the Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce, is the perfect chance to taste Sandpoint’s many excellent culinary offerings. Set to begin 5 p.m. Thursday, June 30, at Farmin Park, the Summer Sampler brings local restaurants together in one place. By buying tickets, attendees can sample a variety of dishes, beers and beverages. What’s more, every 10 tickets purchased earns a chance to win a prize. According to chamber president Kate McAlister, this year’s Summer Sampler promises to live up to the event’s strong reputation. More than a dozen local restaurants, breweries and distilleries are participating. Thanks to changes in city code, those with alcoholic beverages are no longer cordoned off to the pavement, as was the case for most of the Summer Sampler’s history. Those partaking in beer or wine are now welcome to find some shade in
Farmin Park and cool off. Be sure to check out the famous Summer Sampler cook-off sponsored by Litehouse Foods, which starts 5:30 p.m. This year, chef Stefhanie Royer defends her title against a similarly skilled challenger. It will be up to the judges to decide who walks away with the 2016 championship.
Diners, start your sample forks. Photos courtesy of Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce.
MUSIC
Raising a Ruckus By Ben Olson Reader Staff
Michigan band Frontier Ruckus to play the Hive July 1
One of the best parts about my job is when I get to interview people that have made an impact upon my life. One such musician is Matt Milia, co-founding member and driving force behind the Michigan-based folk rock band Frontier Ruckus that will be playing the Hive on Friday, July 1 with Blitzen Trapper. If you’ve never heard their music, Frontier Ruckus is a hard band to explain (as are most innovative bands). At first glance you would pigeonhole them as string-based, with elements of alt-country and bluegrass. You would then realize you were wrong. The lyrical work by Milia is intricate, nostalgic, cryptic and accessible all at the same time. He weaves accurate portraits of suburban life, while unafraid to allow the pathos to ring through, even if jacketed with melodic changes and pop ballads. Milia and Banjo ripper and band co-founder Davey Jones have great musical chemistry as Jones brings catchy rolls and trills throughout the band’s four albums. Zach Nichols adds a dash of exotic flavor to each track, peppering in meaningful trumpet lines, musical saw tracks and lines on the melodica that stick with you. Finally, Anna Burch’s vocal harmonies are natural and warm, giving the band the final piece to conquering the world, one folk rock song at a time. This term has been bandied about relentlessly, but in the case of Frontier Ruckus, they are indeed the best band you’ve never heard of. Period. I gave Milia a call this week and talked about art, music, his Detroit roots and their surprise new album due to be released in October. BO: So you’re playing with Blitzen Trapper at the Hive next week. MM: It’s funny, we just got a brand new van for the tour and when we took it for the inaugural ride, Blitzen Trapper came on the radio. I thought it was a good sign. A new van or just an upgrade? Well, it’s the third van we’ve had and the first that was made in this millennium … we were going to go
Frontier Ruckus is (from L to R): Zachary Nichols, David Jones, Anna Burch and Matthew Milia. Courtesy photo. with a Sprinter, but I’ve heard they’re like twice as hard to get repaired … so ours is like an American Sprinter. We’re from Detroit, you know.
process of translation, even though I’m talking about very specific things in Michigan, the condition of life is the same anywhere.
Speaking of Detroit, there’s a proud history of music that has stemmed from Michigan. Like Motown. But recently, artists like Sufjan Stevens and yourself have created this thoughtful folk rock. How did growing up in Michigan affect your songwriting choices?
You had a poetry background, right?
We’re a very locationally based band. As a writer, I try to do a documentation of the very specific places that have any significance to who I am or what shaped me. A lot of that came from our very suburban background. Davey [Jones, co-founder and banjo player for Frontier Ruckus] and I met as high school kids in suburban Detroit. My albums have been very specific chronicles, topographical documents of the places we grew up. ...When I’m writing so specifically about my own experience, I’m not a vague writer, I really reaffirms my belief that the purpose of my writing is that I feel like the universal stuff really resides within particulars. That’s why I write specifically. Everyone has this
That’s what I studied in college. I turn to that whenever there is a lull in Frontier Ruckus activity. And I’ve also been doing visual works. It’s important for me to have separate outlets, they tease out different modes of expression for me, and help me arrive at different feelings. When you get sick of one medium, you just hop onto another, like a fresh start? Yeah, but at the same time they’re all related. Everything I do falls under this personal mythology umbrella. It’s all connected in some tenuous way. Do you think of yourself as a documentarian? Yeah, there’s a lot of that, but I really do believe it’s mythology. That’s what I think is the beauty of mythology; it’s very factual, autobiographical material but I inject so much creative license and exaggerate things for effects and for
aesthetic. It’s a collision of imagination and factual raw real life content, which is kind of how we process life internally anyway. It’s never a perfect document of exactly what happens. I’m just trying to reflect this weird, warped-ness of reality. When you look at the band arrangement you have, just by listening to you play, I can tell that you and Davey have been playing together for a long time. You just click. Yeah, absolutely. Even the whole band, we formed in 2005, at Michigan State, Anna [Burch, vocal harmonies] and Zach [Nichols, trumpet, musical saw and melodica] who are still our bandmates. We’re all best friends. I can’t believe our fifth album is coming out this fall. Wait, what? A new album? Yeah, it’s coming out in October. It’s called “Enter the Kingdom.” I actually haven’t told anyone that, so I guess you’re getting the scoop. Ben in Sandpoint, Idaho is getting the album scoop before anyone else. We did the record in Nashville last summer, recorded with Ken Coomer, who is the original drummer for Wilco and he played drums
see RUCKUS, page 19 June 23, 2016 /
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Mad about Science: By Brenden Bobby Reader Columnist Where is everybody? This was a question popularized by Italian physicist, Enrico Fermi, one of the members of the Manhattan Project that created nuclear weapons for the U.S. military in the 1940s. It’s a pretty simple question, and it’s the root of everything involving the subject we’re going to discuss today. Aliens! But wait, Brenden. Aliens aren’t scientific. We’ve never had empirical evidence of any kind proving their existence. Absolutely nothing! This is true, and something out of science fiction seems very out of place in a science article, but hear me out. At the very least, you may learn something about human behavior from this article, and that’s scientific! So what’s the Fermi Paradox? Basically, it’s the question we’ve already asked: Where is everybody? If there are 100 octillion (29 zeros) stars, and provided even 1 percent of them have planets that can support life, over the 13.4 billion year lifespan of the universe, that leaves at a bare minimum 1 octillion (27 zeros) potential planets that could harbor life. If even 1% of those had sentient life, that’s still 10 Septillion (25 zeros there) sentient worlds drifting about the cosmos. Surely we would have heard from somebody by now. There are more factors at play here than just numbers, and looking at our own technological history, we can make comparisons as to why we might not have heard from anyone. First, space is huge. Insanely huge. It takes our light-based communications to our nextdoor neighbor, Mars, anywhere from 3 to 22 minutes. That’s as fast as it gets without bending the rules. Our future colonists will have the most frustrating Skype conversations ever. Once you leave the solar system, you begin dealing with a new unit of measurement: Light years. It’s 18 /
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Brought to you by:
Kids’ summer art classes offered
By Reader Staff
The Fermi Paradox actually more complex than this, but everyone is familiar with the concept of a light year. How many miles is a light year? Just shy of 6 quintillion miles. That’s 6 more zeros than a trillion. This means that if a civilization just 110 light years away from us that sent a message saying “Tacos, bro?” 100 years ago, we wouldn’t see it for another 10 years. They would have sent us a message about tacos while we were fighting World War I. Our listening instruments haven’t even existed for that long, so if time-sensitive messages had already been sent and passed us, we wouldn’t even know about it. Even if we did get a message and sent one back, they wouldn’t receive it for another 110 years. I’m sure the tacos will be long cold by then. There are some more complications to this problem, ones that major physicists like Stephen Hawking have voiced in recent years: Should we really be shouting into a void that we don’t know a whole lot about? Sure, we may understand how it was formed, how matter works, and the idea of how to engineer an entire planet, but we know absolutely nothing about what kinds of political entities may exist out there, or who we’re yelling at. Could we be calling out to passive, scientific races seeking to spread knowledge and joy throughout the galaxy, or are we giving free coordinates to the Xenomorphs from the “Alien” series? Think of it this way: You’re trapped on an island with 15 years worth of food and a radio. You know that in 15 years, you will run out of food and die. It’s delicious food, so you’ll live pretty well up until the end. If you decide to use the radio, there are three different things that can happen. You could contact a cruise liner filled with retirees and enough food, booze and games to last you forever as you
All Seasons holds benefit for Sandpoint Teen Center
become a part of a new community at sea. You could contact a military cruise ship, whose motives are completely unknown. They may be beneficial, or they may try to harm you. You could contact a pirate ship whose only objective in the world is to find people stuck on islands with stockpiles of food and radios to hone in on their location. The catch is you have absolutely no idea who you’re talking to until they’ve already landed on your island. This means there’s a 2-in-3 chance that you’ll be rescued, and also a 2-in-3 chance that you’ll be killed and all of your stuff will be taken. Is that a risk you’re willing to take? That may be one we’re taking right now. Another unique problem we face is that we aren’t even sure other species are using the same forms of communication that we are. If we’re late bloomers to the party, and another race is 5,000 years ahead of us, do you think they’re still using radios? I’m sure that, based on the way technology advances, after 5,000 years we’ll find radios to be fairly obsolete. It’s like we’re trying to get a hold of our buddy, Jake, with a walkie-talkie, but his parents bought him a new Nokia last week, so he can’t hear you. You’re using two completely different forms of communication. The Fermi Paradox is an interesting, multi-faceted problem (that I can’t fully cover in under a thousand words) that helps illuminate human nature just as well as it enlightens us about the unknown. The objective of the paradox is not to solve it and get a right or wrong answer, it’s to better understand the world and the universe we live in. It’s designed to make you think and wonder… Is the truth out there?
Most of us, when we turn 19, can’t wait to leave our teen years behind and enter adulthood. In the case of All Seasons Garden & Floral, they can’t wait to give back. All Seasons will be celebrating their 19th anniversary with a BBQ and special event on Saturday, June 25 at their location in Kootenai (31831 Hwy 200 E). From 9 a.m.-6 p.m., All Seasons will donate 10 percent of their sales to the Sandpoint Teen Center. The BBQ will take place between 11 a.m.-1 p.m. and there will be some prizes given away also. “Each year we’ve always chosen one local nonprofit as part of our anniversary sale,” said Nancy Hastings, who owns All Seasons with her husband John. “It made sense that since we’re leaving our teens that we’d give back to the Sandpoint Teen Center. The things they do there are just so valuable. If they could buy that property it would be excellent. It’s so strategically placed. Kids can walk there right from the bus stop.”
By Reader Staff Kid’s Summer Art classes begin Tuesday, June 28, at The Pottery Bug, 819 Highway 2, Suite 103. The classes will feature pottery, fused glass, acrylic paints and canvas painting. These fun classes are just $24 per student and will run every Tuesday and Wednesday, from 1-2:30 p.m. throughout the summer. Pop into the studio to view all of their fun projects or visit their website at www.potterybugstudio.com to sign up. Class space is limited so get your kiddos registered as soon as possible.
Random Corner toilets
toilet from time to time. Everyone experiences a e right now. Arm yourHell, you could be on on information about selves with some random lain throne. everyone’s favorite porce
•The average person spends three months of their lifetime sitting on the toilet. •Computer keyboards can carry more than 200 times as many bacteria as a toilet seat. •1 billion people still defecate in the open, in the absence of a toilet. •Americans spend 5 cents per day by flushing their toilets. •More people in the world have mobile phones than toilets. •The inhabitants of ancient Rome had a sewer goddess, a toilet god and a god of excrement. • You can save 2,190 gallons of water per person per year by only flushing the toilet once a day.
RUCKUS, con’t from page 17 on the whole record and produced it. I’m super excited about it. It’s a little more streamlined and shorter, a little less indulgent, I guess. … It’s a little more orchestral. We brought in a string section. I mean, Wilco’s drummer’s played on it, so it kinda has a “Summerteeth”-era Wilco vibe—poppy and melodic and upbeat. The thing I’m trying to mix together is an upbeat, poppy, melodic, catchy sound, but with really sad content. … You put a little sugar on the medicine. A lot of it is about very real domestic tales of time taking its toll on family life, the disintegration of our cohesive home, the places that our memories and home life were, the sacred falling by the wayside over time, which is a very recurring overarching theme in all of our stuff, but I really feel like it comes to a head on this record. Do you think that’s why a lot of your fans identify with your lyrics, because there’s this suburban background that you’ve painted and they say, “It could’ve been my life?” It’s such a common thread. I try not to pander to it or exploit that sentiment, but it just happens to be the sentiment and feeling that is consumed to me the most, the beauty and pristiness of our memories and the tendency to feel perfection in the past and how utterly it disintegrates as you pass into adulthood. “Enter the Kingdom” the title, references an attempt to reenter that place where things seemed more intact. When someone that has never heard Frontier Ruckus asks to describe the sound, it’s always tough. But one of the common responses I give is that the songwriting and lyric choices are fantastic, but also the vocal harmonies. Did that come natural with Anna, or did you guys have to work at it? Anna and I live together and we’re best friends. We’ve been best friends since we met in college. We did briefly have a different team of vocalists in this band for like two shows and Anna was heartbroken about that. … but Anna wanted to be in the band from the get go. We’ve always had this brother/ sister antagonism which has strengthened our relationship the whole way through. I deprived her from being in the band at first because I was a jerk. Then I finally gave her a chance and walked across the quad and brought my precocious folder of the songs I had written that said “copyright Matthew Milia” on the cover, and she still chides me to this day that she thought it was hilarious that I had assumed she was going to steal my songs. From very early on, it was evident that she had the
most natural ear for harmony. … I’ve never met anyone that can harmonize so effortlessly as she can. I also love the musical saw and the melodica work. Yeah, what Zach brings is such a robust world of texture. He did all the string arrangements on this record. It was the first time having violin on a record and not fiddle, if you know what I mean. He’s just a musical phenomenon. He has this great energy, he’s downright manic. Watching him trying to give direction to these very composed Nashville pros was a hilarious collision of worlds. Davey, too, the banjo is an interesting thing. Davey and I started the band. He played banjo before Mumford & Sons, before it was a thing. He grew up playing the banjo. He played because his dad was from Georgia and he got made fun of in elementary school because he listened to bluegrass and played the banjo. When I met him in high school it just changed my world and totally informed my whole appreciation of music and what kind of songs I wanted to write. It’s been the biggest part of our DNA that made Frontier Ruckus what it was early on. It became a trend and a stigma and we’ve rolled through all of it, it’s something our various managers told us to be conscious of. They’d say it’s a good thing, a bad thing, to dial it back. But we never pay attention to that bullshit.
Frontier Ruckus to a lot of people, we’re the “Eternity of Dimming” Frontier Ruckus to some of the people who had a lot of patience to sit through that whole record. … And, in addition to our shows, we’ve been playing these secret living room shows, which are much more intimate, and the requests we get these people want to hear songs from these old records, some of which I don’t even know how to play anymore. OK, I have to admit, I often cover your song “Darkest Autumn Hour” in my band. Oh, do you? I’ll never be able to forget that one. It’s weird that that’s our hit. It’s a sad, droning song where the chords never change, but that’s the song that has over 1 million plays on Spotify. Go figure. It’s a great jam song, too. You just tell people, “Stick on these chords and you’ll be fine.” That really means a lot to me, thank you so much. Thanks for the time and talking with me. I look forward to seeing the show at the Hive. Yeah, we’ll see you all in Sandpoint. Frontier Ruckus will be playing with Blitzen Trapper at the Hive on Friday, July 1. www.LiveFromTheHive.com
It’s funny, you’re from Detroit, but listening to your albums, I would make the assumption that this band was from a rural town. What gives? Rolling Stone wrote about us and they said something like “If Neutral Milk Hotel’s Jeff Mangum had been raised in a log cabin” or something. I’m trying to take that as a compliment. That’s something that people have missed about us, because of the banjo and the harmony and old-timey sound. I think rebelling against that pigeonhole has been a major reason why I’ve written so much about suburban topics, that’s the real experiential stuff I’m trying to get at. Growing up in the middle class, still an adult with financial hardships, to depict the reality of suburban life, which is obviously not as perfect as people paint it as being. Do you find yourself being pigeonholed more as you become betterknown? That happens to anyone who has been around long enough. But like I said, we’ve eluded mainstream success. Putting out four records so far, each record has its own disparate fan base. We’re the “Deadmalls and Nightfalls” June 23, 2016 /
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FOOD
By Marcia Pilgeram Reader Food Columnist Whether I am happy or sad, I find great comfort in cooking and feeding others. This past month, it seems I’ve spent a lot of sad time in kitchens, and not just my own. I helped a crew of restaurateurs and heartbroken friends take over Ivano’s kitchens to organize and serve mountains of donated food so the staff had time for grieving and sharing memories with the Lippi clan, the Ivano’s family and the seven hundred-plus friends who attended Jim Lippi’s life celebration. That evening, I was humbled to bear witness to our community’s magnificent outpouring of generosity and love. I’d barely caught my breath before I was rocked to my knees by the massacre in Orlando. Numb, bewildered, sad and angry, I watched, heartbroken, as a regional photo of my 8-year-old grandson Alden attending a Moscow vigil went viral. I saw his little grief-stricken little face appear in People Magazine Online, CNN News and the CBS Morning Show. I saw the pain too, etched and creased upon the faces of all the other attendees at our own vigil for Orlando at Farmin Park. Still, it’s the hurt and anxiety in Alden’s expression that renders me to tears every time I see his photo. How do I explain such horrible atrocities, not only to this sweet little face, but the other six adorable mugs in my clutch of grandchildren? 20 /
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The Sandpoint Eater As I express concern to friends, I hear the same fears echoed, worry and angst. We are helpless because there is no longer a safe haven for our children and grandchildren. Baking cookies for Angels Over Sandpoint’s CHAFE 150 station was good therapy, though as I baked, I learned of a neighbor with cancer, so I cooked some more, hoping my homemade soup and bread would satisfy and heal. Like many others in our community, I’ve cooked a lot of meals to lend a helping hand whenever needed, and that afternoon I gave pause, thinking of the many recipients and their stories. Some with happy endings. Some not. Finally, from hours of worry and darkness came light. After
a nearly missed Facebook post, a chance to visit a menagerie of farm-yard critters and a cheese-making class at a small farmstead near Sagle gave me reason to get out of my kitchen for a little rural therapy. Upon arrival, I was greeted by a small herd of cloven-hoofed creatures and handed a puppy-sized newborn goat to cuddle. The little guy burrowed into my neck, nuzzled my face and sucked my earlobe. Clearly disappointed that I could offer no nourishment, he gave off a pitiful wail and was whisked away for a bottle. We peeked in on droves of piglets darting behind their protective mothers, aging horses complacent to graze, and a gentle, brown-eyed Jersey cow, hopeful for a handout.
Since childhood, my world has revolved around animals, and to me there’s something quite cathartic about being surrounded by all critters, large or small. Finally, on that warm Sunday afternoon, I felt my fractured heart begin to mend. After our tour of barnyard creatures, we milked a goat and got acquainted with one another while we waited for the milk to curdle and cool and the whey to separate from the curds. It was time well-spent, and when I took stock of my surroundings, I realized that while all may not be right with this world of ours, goodness and love do abound. While I didn’t need the goat therapy or cheese-making class to bring you this delicious recipe for Savory Cheese Pan-
cakes, I’m real grateful for that barnyard time. I’m also grateful to live in an environment where we care for one another in a variety of ways. Beyond friendships, we have a generous community, providing resources like the Healing Garden, music, and amazing biking and walking trails that connect us to ourselves and each other. There are dozens of local organizations you can join, such as Angels Over Sandpoint, PFLAG or Community Assistance League to make a difference. Choose something—anything—and make a difference! Continue to spread love and kindness, and maybe even some home-cooked food.
Savory Cheese Pancakes These light-as-air, cheese pancakes make a wonderful side dish component accompanied with oven roasted potatoes, for any meat— but especially lamb. You can replace either the feta or the goat cheese with the Farmer’s cheese (and you know how I feel about feta, so go right on over to Yoke’s deli for Pasture of Eden). You can also make these smaller and serve on crostini, as an appetizer.
INGREDIENTS: •1 cup salted goat cheese •1 cup feta •4 eggs •¼ cup cream •Fresh finely chopped rosemary •Fresh finely chopped chives •½ teaspoon sea salt •2/3 cup all-purpose flour •Vegetable oil for frying
DIRECTIONS: Heat ½ inch of oil over medium heat in heavy skillet to approximately 350ºF. Place cheeses in bowl and crumble fine with fingertips. Mix with eggs, cream and salt. Stir in herbs, reserving some for garnish. Mix well with wooden spoon. Add flour and mix until all ingredients are well blended. Spoon ¼ cup batter into oil; fry until golden brown on both sides, approximately 3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels. Serve hot with sour cream or Greek yogurt. Garnish with herbs and sea salt.
Yield: 12-14 small pancakes
MUSIC
This week’s RLW by Cameron Rasmusson
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By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff Blitzen Trapper is no stranger to changing up the formula. Since forming in 2000, the Portland, Ore., band has experimented with a variety of alt-country and rock sounds, drawing inspiration from a suite of influences. Three years ago, the band embarked on yet another change, jumping from the music label Sub Pop Records to Vagrant Records. Since then, the members have released two albums. The most recent, 2015’s “All Across This Land” will be the star of the show when Blitzen Trapper plays The Hive on Friday, July 1. Blitzen Trapper announced “All Across This Land” last summer with words to get any fan excited: “Really hope you guys enjoy this one—we think it’s our best yet.” Released in October, “All Across This Land” is crafted as the ideal live album. According to Blitzen Trapper frontman and songwriter Eric Earley, every aspect of the writing and recording process was informed by how it would play on stage. “There are certain things that just work well on stage, especially when it comes to arrangements and harmonies,” Earley said. To that end, “All Across This Land” is perhaps Blitzen Trapper’s most classically rock ‘n’ roll album to date. The songs are built upon sturdy electric guitar hooks that do the likes of Bruce Springsteen and Neil Young proud. “That was just the thing I was wanting to do—create a bigger-sounding record,” Earley said. “All of our records are guitar records, really. I just wanted this record to reflect that approach even more.” The record came together with remarkable ease, Earley added. The process was a flurry of creative energy as the band completed the musical compositions for Earley’s lyrics. Recording followed just as seamlessly, with mixing handled by the band’s partners in New York. Not long after “All Across This Land” was released, the band hit the road to support it. They started with a smaller series of shows, followed by a more intensive tour this year, which includes the band’s first performance in Sandpoint. There won’t be much time to rest afterward, as Earley has a storyteller tour planned. The tour is themed around Blitzen Trapper’s story songs along with covers of story songs from other artists. For now, the band’s focus is completing the “All Across This Land” tour. The reception so far has been very positive, and to hear the fans tell it, “All Across This Land’s” focus on live-friendly music comes through loud and clear. According to Earley, the band itself is also in a place
Live at the Hive July 1, 2016
My most anticipated upcoming TV show is easily “American Gods,” adapted for the Starz premium cable network by visionary showrunner Bryan Fuller. The show is due for a 2017 release, which means now is the perfect time to dive into Neil Gaiman’s Hugo-winning 2001 novel. Set in modern America, “American Gods” portrays a world where gods exist through the belief of their followers, and their power is determined by the collective strength of that belief. Shadow, a recently released convict, stumbles into this world after being hired by mysterious conman Mr. Wednesday. In turns thrilling and funny, “American Gods” paints an image of America you won’t soon forget.
LISTEN
Each person has a few albums that never go more than a few months without a spin. For me, “Doolittle” by Pixies ranks high on that list. Commonly regarded as the influential alternative band’s strongest work, the album is remarkably cohesive despite frequent shifts in tone and style. From the dark-yet-catchy “Here Comes Your Man” to the blistering chaos of “Gouge Away,” every piece of “Doolittle” fits into a satisfying whole.
where it can truly embrace the stage. After 15 years, the members have built up enough material that they can really have fun with their sets, mixing in covers or reviving old songs with new arrangements. “I think in certain ways our set can travel all over now,” Earley said. “[That’s mostly because] we have so many records and songs now.” Of course, to get the full effect, there’s no better opportunity than to catch Blitzen Trapper live at the Hive. The band plays hits the venue for the first time Friday, July 1, along with fellow alt-country outfit Frontier Ruckus. The doors open at 8 p.m., and the show begins at 9 p.m. The show is restricted to ages 21 and up.
Blitzen Trapper is (left to right): Brian Adrian Koch, WATCH Erik Menteer, Michael Van Pelt, Eric Earley and Marty As much as I can’t wait for Bryan Marquis (sitting). Photo by Jason Quigley. Fuller’s take on “American Gods,”
Crossword Solution
I’m still in mourning for his previous series, the dearly departed “Hannibal.” A new take on the infamous Hannibal Lecter of Thomas Harris’ novels, “Hannibal” explores the relationship between the serial killer and FBI profiler Will Graham. While NBC canceled “Hannibal” after three seasons due to poor ratings, Fuller still finds a satisfying ending to the most visually striking TV series in recent memory. You can watch the first two seasons with an Amazon Prime membership, and the third season probably isn’t far behind.
Get tickets online at www.livefromthehive.com or locally at Evans Brothers Coffee, 7B Boardshop, Eichardt’s or show day at The Hive. VIP booths are also available—email VIP@LiveFromTheHive.com for more information. June 23, 2016 /
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w o N & Then compiled by
Ben Olson
Each week, we feature a new photograph taken from the same vantage point as one taken long ago. See how we’ve changed, and how we’ve stayed the same. Historical information provided and verified by Bonner County Museum staff and volunteers. The Museum is located at 611 S. Ella — (208) 263-2344.
The First National Bank, as published on a postcard by Crescent Pharmacy. This building was located on the NW corner of Second Ave. and Cedar St.
The same corner today. Today, the old bank building is buried inside the Frontier building on Second and Cedar. Eichardt’s Pub is to the left of the frame.
2016
Wortdhe of
Week
cunctator
/kuhngk-TEY-ter/
[noun] 1. A procrastinator; delayer.
“The cunctators in us all love to push the limits of the deadline.” Corrections: In the Tamarack piece last week, we erroneously attributed the photo of the airplane to the wrong photographer. It was actually taken by Haldan Gates. Sorry about that, Haldan. -BO 22 /
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CROSSWORD
Copyright www.mirroreyes.com
c. 1950
ACROSS 1. Potato 5. Small island 9. L L L L 13. Sea eagle 14. Scrimp 16. 17 in Roman numerals 17. Bankrolls 18. Usually 30 or 31 days 19. Layer 20. Stairs 22. Swift falcon 24. Police action 26. Bog hemp 27. Tiredness 30. Allow 33. Students 35. Mortise and _____ joint 37. Request 38. Earthquake 41. Twosome 42. Lines of verse 45. Doubters 48. Religious residence 51. Lawlessness 52. Slips 54. Module 55. Well-defined 59. Women of loose morals 62. Hubs 63. Church officer 65. River of Spain 66. Cain’s brother 67. Motherless calf 68. Farm equipment
Solution on page 21 12. “Your majesty” 15. Motif 21. Anagram of “Sing” 23. Encircle 25. Membership fees DOWN 27. Flutter 1. Stitches 28. Fable writer 2. Buttocks 29. Before, poetically 3. Mortician 31. Liable to be 4. Hopelessness accused 5. Belief 32. Make physical 6. Cease contact 7. A protective covering 34. Female sib 8. Catch 36. Prying 9. Uttermost 39. Calypso offshoot 10. 57 in Roman numerals 40. List of options 11. Mortgage
69. An amount of medicine 70. Used to be 71. Stitched
43. Rocket 44. Only 46. Shallow metal containers 47. Certain arm muscles 49. Governed 50. Lemon or canary 53. Marsh plant 55. Attired 56. Vagabond 57. Frosts 58. A doe or stag 60. Get bigger 61. Scattered 64. Type of whiskey
It’s funny how annoyed people get when you carry around a bullhorn all the time, even if you don’t use it that often.
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