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DEAR READERS,
The week in random review
By Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey Reader Staff
6,200
The number of thoughts researchers estimate that the average person has each day. Other experts have found that those thoughts are more robust and better informed when one reads the Sandpoint Reader. I’m the other expert.
to crush a bowling ball
Grizzly bears have some of the strongest jaws out there, capable of delivering more than 1,000 pounds of pressure per square inch in a single bite. This fact is enough to remind me to pack a bell and bear spray on my hikes this summer. Polar bears actually have the strongest bite of all bears, clocking in closer to 2,000 PSI. May it bring you comfort that you won’t run into any of those in our local woods.
newlywed gift idea
Wedding season is upon us. Last year, a friend gifted my husband and me four bottles of wine, each with handmade labels for different occasions, such as “First Dinner Party” and “First Big Purchase.” This was meaningful, clever and in the affordable range for most people.
lyrically speaking
“Someday, we must return the movies in our brains/ And these moments we can’t fake/ The angels never leak the expiration date.” — Mt. Joy, from the song “Bathroom Light.” The band’s new album, Orange Blood, is out now. They’ll also be playing the Festival at Sandpoint on Saturday, July 30.
overheard in the newsroom
If you’re new here — welcome. You now live in the most gorgeous and sacred place on Earth. It is certainly where my heart and soul live, and have lived since birth. It is easy to understand why you came, and I’m happy you’re here. My happiness will subside if I don’t see you doing your part to make this place livable for all. I overheard one of my colleagues describe some new residents as acting “entitled to a good time” in North Idaho. I am here to tell you that you’re entitled to nothing. I, a fifth-generation local, am not entitled to anything. We are stewards of the community we want to live in. Act like it.
And just like that, it’s summer. I’ve heard a wide variety of comments on our cooler spring this year — everything from anger at the summer being “cut short” to relief from those who have endured season after season of abnormally high temperatures and smoky skies from aggravated fire seasons. Count me in the camp of people who appreciate the gentle ramp into summer. Remember at this time last year, the highs were around the mid90s and we were already seeing some haze in the air from regional wildfires. Looking back to my childhood, this was what summer was like in North Idaho; cool and sporadically rainy and stormy through June, with July and August popping off into the proper summer. This trend of reaching the 80s and 90s by May that we’ve experienced the past decade is far from normal. Whatever your feelings are, it’s great to see the sun shining and warm weather approaching. Wishing you all a great summer.
– Ben Olson, publisher
READER 111 Cedar Street, Suite 9 Sandpoint, ID 83864 (208) 946-4368
www.sandpointreader.com Publisher: Ben Olson ben@sandpointreader.com Editorial: Zach Hagadone (Editor) zach@sandpointreader.com Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey (News Editor) lyndsie@sandpointreader.com Cameron Rasmusson (emeritus) John Reuter (emeritus) Advertising: Jodi Berge Jodi@sandpointreader.com Contributing Artists: Kirk Fisher (cover), Ben Olson, Jen Heller, Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey, Jill Trick, Cynthia Mason, Bill Borders Contributing Writers: Zach Hagadone, Ben Olson, Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey, Lorraine H. Marie, Brenden Bobby, Emily Erickson, Toby Walrath, Ranel Hanson, Jim Mitsui, Sandra Rasor, Maureen Cooper, Brenda Hammond Submit stories to: stories@sandpointreader.com Printed weekly at: Tribune Publishing Co. Lewiston, ID Subscription Price: $155 per year Web Content: Keokee The Sandpoint Reader is a weekly publication owned and operated by Ben Olson and Keokee. It is devoted to the arts, entertainment, politics and lifestyle in and around Sandpoint, Idaho. We hope to provide a quality alternative by offering honest, in-depth reporting that reflects the intelligence and interests of our diverse and growing community. The Reader is printed on recycled paper using soy-based ink. Leftover copies are collected and recycled weekly, or burned in massive bonfires to appease the gods of journalism. Free to all, limit two copies per person.
Sandpoint Reader letter policy: The Sandpoint Reader welcomes letters to the editor on all topics. Requirements: –No more than 300 words –Letters may not contain excessive profanity or libelous material. Please elevate the discussion. Letters will be edited to comply with the above requirements. Opinions expressed in these pages are those of the writers, not necessarily the publishers. Email letters to: letters@sandpointreader.com Check us out on the web at: www.sandpointreader.com Like us on Facebook. About the Cover
This week’s cover photograph of the Cedar St. Bridge was taken by Kirk Fisher. June 23, 2022 /
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NEWS
‘This isn’t the way we do business here’
Cedar Street Bridge merchants facing closures amid ‘chaos’ spurred by ownership change
By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff A few months after Florida-based investor Jim Gissy purchased the Cedar Street Bridge in late 2018, it was hailed as “a new golden age” for the iconic retail space over Sand Creek. That renaissance continued — even weathering the COVID-19 pandemic — with the bridge consistently attracting new tenants and patrons. In recent years, it seemed like the Cedar Street Bridge had recaptured its central place in the downtown retail landscape after more than a decade during which it functioned primarily as a picturesque backdrop for photos of the Sandpoint waterfront. Now, owners of the 24 small businesses located inside the bridge are worried about the future, after L.A.-based 215219 Larchmont Boulevard LLC purchased the building in May and — according to some merchants — immediately instituted an untenable spike in rents, altered rental agreements to include a raft of new expenses and gave short-term leaseholders the option to either sign five-year agreements at the higher rates or move out by June 30. “It’s just terrible, honestly,” said Staci Schubert, who has owned and operated Sandpoint Laser Works on the second floor of the bridge for the past four years. Schubert said she had already been planning to sell her business and, in August, move to Manhattan, where her son has been accepted into an exclusive high school. Because of her pre-existing plans to be out of her space by July 28, Schubert had been on a month-to-month lease. Her first communication with the new owners — Claire and Frank Fox, both attorneys with The Law Firm of Fox and Fox in Los Angeles — came in the 4 /
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form of a new lease agreement that raised her rent; required her to pay 4% of property taxes, insurance, trash disposal, common area utilities, building repairs and maintenance; and required her to extend the terms of her lease for five years with further annual increases. When Schubert wrote back explaining that she had planned to sell her business and leave by the end of July, she said she received a response from Claire Fox on June 15 that a number of other prospective tenants were lined up to take her space, her rent was “substantially below market rate” and she’d have to get out by June 30. “I’m like, ‘What? I can’t do that,’” Schubert said. “That’s impossible. I couldn’t even physically do it. There’s no way.” What’s worse, that threw her plans to sell her business into turmoil. “I don’t even know what would happen if I sold my
business. Would she [Claire Fox] even sign a lease with that new person?” Schubert said. “The scariest part for me is selling a business to someone and they’re just doomed for failure because this person is so unpredictable. … “I don’t know what’s going to happen,” she added. “If I do not sell it, then I will have to liquidate everything I own there. And then put the rest in storage, I guess. And how would I possibly do all of that in 15 days? That’s not reasonable.” A phone call to 215-219 Larchmont Boulevard LLC at its 217 Cedar St. Apt. 209 address — the same location as the UPS Store — went unanswered. A message left with a representative of The Law Firm of Fox and Fox at its L.A. office on Wilshire Boulevard was not returned by press time. As previously reported elsewhere, and confirmed by public records, 215-219 Larchmont Boulevard LLC is registered
in Delaware with Corporation Trust Company as its agent. Corporation Trust Company is a subsidiary of Netherlands-based Wolters Kluwer, which provides a range of corporate services, from software solutions to accounting and legal to compliance. CTC provides compliance to 1.6 million business entities, acting as registered agent in order for those entities to remain in good standing. 215-219 North Larchmont Blvd. in L.A. is the principal address for the LLC of the same name — as of November 2021 a two-story building housing the Rhodes School of Music; a skin care, waxing and massage salon; Burger Lounge; and unidentified store front. Its mailing address is 4262 Wilshire Blvd., L.A., which is the same address as The Law Firm of Fox and Fox, which lists attorney Frank O. Fox as its registered agent. According to the Bonner County Assessor’s Office, Frank
The historic Cedar St. Bridge in Sandpoint. Photo by Ben Olson. and Claire Fox executed a quitclaim deed to 215-219 Larchmont Boulevard LLC for the Cedar Street Bridge property on June 2, as well as another quitclaim deed on the same date for the 25,102-square-foot Lot 1 of the Shoong Plaza property east of McGhee Road in Kootenai. Both were recorded on June 7. The 2022 assessment of the Cedar Street Bridge put its total value at $2,309,419. A sale price is not available, as Idaho is a non-disclosure state. Meanwhile, the Spokane Journal of Business reported in March 2020 that 215-219 Larchmont Boulevard LLC purchased the 27,900-square-foot Hayden Creek Plaza property “as an investment,” and the company remains the owner, ac-
< see BRIDGE, Page 5 >
< BRIDGE, con’t from Page 4 > cording to the Kootenai County Assessor’s Office. For Cedar Street Bridge tenants like Schubert, the labyrinthine business structure and inability to communicate directly with the new owners has been a source of anxiety and frustration. “It was coming toward the end of the month and the new people had not even sent me an email,” she said. “No one communicated with me at all at that point, and I didn’t even know where to send my check.” Junior Solis has been doing business on the bridge for eight years, formerly with a sushi restaurant and currently as CBD wellness products retailer Bodhi Elements. Like Schubert, he said his first communication with Claire Fox came when he received a new lease with similar terms to Schubert’s, as well as a 20% rent increase. When he emailed Fox and asked to meet, he was likewise told to be out by the end of June. Meanwhile, “She hasn’t met any of us,” he said. According to Schubert, Solis and other bridge tenants the Reader spoke to, the only communication that has occurred so far with the new owners has been in the form of emails — often sent in the middle of the night and frequently with the word “spam” in the subject lines. “If you’re going to kick us out, come down and kick us out — don’t do this shady thing of hiding your emails as ‘spam,’” Solis said, adding that the current situation is untenable not only because of the onerous lease terms, but the instability that comes simply from not knowing what the incoming landlords have planned. “We don’t know what she’s [Claire Fox] planning because she won’t talk to us,” he said. Taylar Francis and her husband, Tyler, took on the former-Cedar Street Bistro in spring 2020, renaming it Taysty’s Eatery and Wine Bar. Since then, they’ve built a robust clientele and served as a welcoming point of entry immediately inside the front entrance of the bridge.
Now their rent is set to increase 150%. “There’s no way we can commit to those terms,” Taylar Francis said. “We’re being forced out.” Francis told the Reader that she’s anticipating a notice to depart on Thursday, June 24, which will hopefully give her and Tyler 30 days to figure out what to do next, but that’s going to be a challenge. “If we would have known in a timely manner and fashion, we would have had time to find an alternate location,” she said. As it is, Taylar and Tyler Francis — like their fellow Cedar Street Bridge merchants Schubert and Solis — are left scrambling while simultaneously being left in the dark about what’s going to become of their space. “I know literally nothing other than they have bigger plans,” she told the Reader on June 22. “Everybody is in jeopardy; that’s the new news today. It’s really sad.” City Hall has taken notice of the furor surrounding the bridge since Adam Wegman — who owns Stonehouse Jewelry Studio on the bridge — posted a long message June 17 on Facebook that said in part, “The bridge has been sold ‘down the river.’” Sandpoint City Administrator Jennifer Stapleton told the Reader in an email June 22 that she had just been made aware of the issues and concerns from bridge merchants on June 21, and said “we are looking into questions business owners have raised with the city.” In the meantime, “We are unaware of any future plans for the building,” she added. “We have not been contacted by the new property owner, nor received any building or planning applications. We value our downtown businesses, their owners and families, and are concerned about the rumors.” Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce President Kate McAlister, who also serves as president of the Sandpoint City Council, told the Reader in a June 22 email that, in her capacity as leader of the chamber, she recently spent time listening to business owners on the bridge about the situation they are facing. “To be fair, I haven’t had
an opportunity to talk to the new owner of the Cedar Street Bridge. However, I am concerned about all the businesses on the bridge and the fact that some will be losing their livelihood and years of hard work,” she wrote. “How will they support their families now? It isn’t as easy as setting up somewhere else. The bigger question is who has the money to do that and where would they go?” McAlister underscored that the Cedar Street Bridge has become a vibrant hub of activity downtown over the past five years, representing “a pivotal component to the economic vitality of Sandpoint” — including as a de facto business incubator for many small businesses, which start out on the bridge but later expand into larger spaces elsewhere in the community. “I am dismayed, in this instance, that the new owner is not taking into consideration our culture of supporting and lifting up our local business owners,” she wrote. “The Chamber of Commerce’s vision statement is, ‘Succeeding Together,’ and we embrace it completely.” Putting an even finer point on it, McAlister added: “My heart breaks when I talk to the owners who are being told they need to vacate in 15 days. This is not a good way to do business in our community. The lack of compassion for the small business owners is astounding. In small communities it’s not all about the money — it truly is about ‘Succeeding Together.’” Following that, McAlister as well as bridge merchants emphasized that “boycotting” the bridge over the situation — as some have suggested online — isn’t going to do anything other than harm tenants. “Please don’t do that to the current business owners,” McAlister wrote. “They need our support more than ever — especially if they are being asked to leave. Do any of you have any ideas as to where some of them could relocate? What can we do to help them keep their livelihood and support their families?” “That’s not the answer,” Schubert said of the suggested
boycott. “That’s hurting the businesses, that’s not hurting the owners.” The emotional aspect of what’s happening on the bridge hasn’t been lost on any of the merchants there, who again and again return to the close-knit relationships they’ve built among one another over the years. That community feeling has been badly shaken in both big and small ways in recent weeks — from the shock of the new lease terms to policies like prohibiting dogs on the bridge and the installation of keypad locks on the bathrooms. “It’s taken decades, but finally you’ve got a thriving community — the ‘bridge family’ — and now it’s just absolute chaos,” Schubert said. “You’re messing with people’s livelihoods and lives. It’s not cool.” Solis agreed, noting that “the bridge was dead” a dozen or so years ago, but enough people had faith in the downtown landmark to bring it back to life. “We’ve always loved the
The interior of the Cedar St. Bridge in 2019. Photo by Ben Olson. bridge. My kids have been playing there for 14 years; they grew up on it. I called them the ‘B-Kids.’ It’s always been a big staple in our family,” he said. “We’ve watched it evolve into this great thing … It’s this vibrant community of local merchants, but now it’s being compromised for financial gain.” “We are like a little community on the bridge,” said Marsha Lutz, whose rent on her photography studio on the second floor of the bridge is set to increase more than 100% — in addition to the extra expenses required for “community area maintenance.” She has no choice but to close down and move out by the end of the month. “I just hope Sandpoint doesn’t get rolled over — this isn’t the way we do business here,” she said. “We’re a community and we have to stick together.” June 23, 2022 /
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NEWS County enacts 500-foot no wake zones Temporary extension applies to all navigable waterways while flood threat continues By Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey Reader Staff
Bonner County commissioners voted unanimously June 21 to declare a local disaster emergency regarding possible flooding, effectively extending no wake zones on all county waterways to 500 feet. The emergency stems from snow melt, warming temperatures and rain leading to “forecasted flooding” posing a “threat to life and property” in Bonner County, according to the resolution authorizing the no wake zone extension. “We implemented the [temporarily extended] No Wake Zone because of high water levels and a lot of floating debris,” Bonner County Emergency Management Director Bob Howard told the Reader. “Also, no wake will assist in preventing additional damage to shorelines. Lastly, it is about boater safety on our navigable waters.”
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Under regular county code, the no wake zones are 100 feet on most local rivers and 200 feet on lakes and the Pend Oreille River. The 500-foot rule will remain in effect until flooding “is no longer an issue,” according to the June 21 resolution. “Until further notice, the wake zone is extended to 500 feet from any dock, shore or structure, due to high water levels that are projected to continue rising,” the Bonner County Sheriff’s Office shared on its Facebook page. “It is important for boaters to recognize the potential dangers associated with large wakes during these conditions that can cause water to flow onto shore, causing an increased risk of personal injury or property damage. “More importantly, boaters should remember they can be held liable for damages caused by their wakes,” the BCSO post continued. Apart from the shoreline damage that can happen during runoff periods, Lake Pend Oreille may also be more susceptible to debris in the spring as aggressive inflows from the Clark Fork River and other waterways bring tree limbs and other hazards downstream. The Army Corps of Engineers has detected a breach at the Clark Fork Driftyard, where booms have dislodged and allowed logs and other debris to enter the lake. “The sheriff’s office can mark large hazards. However, there is a lot of debris that cannot be marked,” BCSO officials shared online. “Please remember [the] U.S. Coast Guard regulations require every boater maintain a proper lookout to avoid damage or injuries sustained during collisions with other vessels or objects in the water.” Local authorities request that boaters report any large hazards to the sheriff’s office by calling 208-265-5525 or emailing marine@bonnercountyid.gov. As of June 22, Idaho’s panhandle region had 1,241% of its average snow-water equivalent as compared to historical data on the same date, indicating that there is still more water due to enter the lakes and rivers as runoff continues. Also on June 22, Lake Pend Oreille hovered just below summer pool level, which is considered 2,062 feet.
Bits ’n’ Pieces From east, west and beyond
East, west or beyond, sooner or later events elsewhere may have a local impact. A recent sampling: Swedish manufacturer Modvion is making wind turbines out of wood. Their first prototype was 100 feet tall; they’re now working on a 300-foot model. Components include laminated veneer lumber. By not using steel, the lumber is expected to slash production of carbon emissions by 90%. The laminated boards are said to be better able to withstand high humidity, Optimist Daily reported. A sketch of the third Jan. 6 House select committee hearing held June 16: Citizens of the U.S. having the right to choose their leaders, the decision is not made by just one person. Retired federal Judge Michael Luttig, highly regarded in conservative legal circles, stated that Donald Trump’s plan was to destroy democracy and overturn the rule of law. That danger has not passed. Significant testimony came from within the ranks of those who formerly served in high positions in the Donald Trump administration. It revealed that instead of following the Electoral Count Act of 1887, Trump wanted Vice President Mike Pence to toss out votes for Joe Biden, under a plan developed by law professor John Eastman. Eastman himself called his own plan illegal in October 2020, and told Trump as much. The vice president does not have any right to throw out votes by calling them “disputed,” and there is no historical or legal precedent that the vice president can instead certify any proposed “alternative electoral slates.” Regardless, testimony revealed continued efforts to create a second slate of pro-Trump electors, despite numerous White House players calling Eastman “crazy” and his plan legally indefensible. A Trump attorney testified that the former president’s attorney Rudy Giuliani agreed that Eastman’s plan could not stand up in court; however, Giuliani later told the crowd at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 that Eastman’s theory was correct, then falsely claimed Thomas Jefferson had even used it. Trump pressured Pence to play along, but the vice president refused; yet, Trump tweeted that he and Pence were in “total agreement” about changing the election outcome. Trump continued to badger Pence, to which Pence responded that his oath to support and defend the Constitution prevented him from determining which electoral votes should be counted and
By Lorraine H. Marie Reader Columnist
which should not. After violence broke out at the Capitol, Trump tweeted that Pence “did not have the courage to do what needed to be done,” and the violence increased. Pence and his family were evacuated. A Proud Boys member testified that, had Pence been found, he would have been killed. Rioters missed finding Pence by 40 feet. Eastman persisted with his election-altering plan even after Jan. 6, and was advised that he would need a “great effing criminal defense attorney,” at which time Eastman put it in writing that he wanted a pardon. Deposed by the House committee, Eastman took the Fifth Amendment against self-incrimination more than 100 times. In her upcoming book, former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos writes that she and other cabinet members talked about invoking the 25th Amendment to remove Trump from office, MSN reported. She resigned Jan. 7, 2021, stating Trump’s rhetoric was at fault for the Jan. 6 riot that resulted in nine deaths. Ukraine-Russia headlines: “U.S. sending $1 billion more military aid to outgunned Ukraine”; “Russian journalist sells Nobel Prize for Ukrainian children”; “Kremlin claims captured American vets not protected by rules of war.” Blast from the past: 50 years ago this month, evidence of a burglary at the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate building in Washington, D.C., triggered an investigation that resulted in the resignation of President Richard Nixon. The burglars were actually Nixon operatives intent on installing wiretaps in the DNC headquarters. The break-in occurred before the 1972 election and the story failed to gain traction, as Nixon won re-election. The story shifted when one of the burglars wrote to a judge that he’d been pressured to protect government officials, and therefore lied. The judge made the letter public and White House counsel began cooperating with prosecutors. Soon after, three of Nixon’s top advisers resigned and nationally televised hearings began, revealing that Nixon had discussed the burglary more than 30 times. Then the existence of White House tapes was discovered, which Nixon refused to share. Firings and resignations followed, but eventually the tapes were released. Articles of impeachment were passed in late July 1974 and Nixon resigned in early August 1974. Gerald Ford became president and granted Nixon a pardon.
PERSPECTIVES
Emily Articulated
A column by and about Millennials
By Emily Erickson Reader Columnist I pride myself on being an active participant in the world around me, keeping a finger on the pulse of the things that matter to my community, my life and the people everywhere being pushed to the margins by their lack of access to one form of power or another. But, participation comes at a cost. The more I engage in the issues we’re collectively facing, the more I get swept up in the “glass half empty” of it all. Gloominess is not a natural disposition for me, as I consider myself, on the whole, an optimistic person. Generally, I believe things often work out if we allow them to, that others are often willing to help if we know how to ask and that we have a lot of agency to create our own realities. But over the past few years, I’ve felt my worldview warp. Maybe it’s the media and a grand scheme of divisiveness by the powers that be. Maybe it was a global pandemic conditioning me to be leery of people getting too close. Maybe it’s just being 30 and the late-onset anxiety (is that a thing?) that grows as naivete fades into an understanding of how the world works. I’ve found, however, that the remedy to the “glass half empties” is actively seeking examples of people being good to one another — harnessing the power of positivity to change my way of thinking. With that in mind, I asked my friends on Facebook and Instagram to share recent moments of kindness or joy from their own lives. The responses flipped my heart. A traveler shared, “On my
Glass half empties
Emily Erickson. flight to North Carolina, I sat next to a mother and daughter from Mexico who didn’t speak English. They seemed disoriented, like maybe they hadn’t flown much, and as we landed, I could see the mother scrambling to understand where we were and how to deplane following the ‘proper etiquette.’ The woman across the aisle from me helped them with their bags. “In the terminal, the daughter was desperately seeking help from a gate employee in finding their next flight. The employee just kept saying, ‘Check the screen,’ which, of course, they couldn’t understand or read. As if choreographed, the same woman from across the aisle and I converged on the distressed mother and daughter, figuring out which of the several Mexico City flights were theirs, and delivered them to their gate. “Walking back to our respective terminal locations, the woman and I shared stories of our own travel disorientation and being saved by the kindness of others. As we parted, tethered together by the experience, the woman observed, ‘There’s still goodness in the world, even in an airport.’” A teacher shared, “Our high
school baseball team was playing in the state championship semi final — a big deal for the team and the community. The game descended into a pitchers’ battle, and suddenly, we were losing 2-1 at the bottom of the seventh inning. A freshman stepped up to the plate with two outs on the count and the weight of the game riding on his young shoulders. He struck out. “Head visibly hanging, he trudged back to the team, slumping with defeat. But, before he could even get to the dugout, a senior — whose high school career was now over — met him on the field and wrapped him in a big hug. He whispered inaudible words of encouragement to the freshman, whose face transformed with relief. That kind of leadership, kindness toward someone who was suffering, is a reminder that the best examples of humanity are all around us if we just pay attention long enough to see it.” Finally, a mother shared, “I was heading into the grocery store when I noticed a man in rough shape sitting on a duffel bag near the entrance. He had dark skin, waist-long black hair and looked so weary. As I reached the doors, I saw two middle-aged men approach him, and my hackles raised, nervous they were going to hassle the man (a stereotype I admittedly formed from their general appearance). “I held back and pretended to mess with my cart for a second, in case the situation escalated. But, instead, the two began to earnestly ask the man about his situation, how he got to town, if he had a place to live and if he had family in the area. They were calm and kind and really listened to the man’s responses.
“Afterward, they both shook his hand, stating that everyone goes through tough times, and that they’d have a room waiting for him at the hotel down the road for a week. They explained they’d take care of the logistics after they finished grocery shopping and all he’d have to do was give his name at the desk. They also shared that if he wanted work in town, they could help, ‘But no pressure,’ they said. The man with the duffel got visibly emotional and thanked them
‘from the bottom of [his] heart.’ “The entire interaction caught me off-guard with its kindness. It was a wonderful real-life reminder to check my prejudices and preconceptions, show compassion and kindness, and pay it forward whenever possible.” Emily Erickson is a writer and business owner with an affinity for black coffee and playing in the mountains. Connect with her online at www.bigbluehat. studio.
Retroactive
By BO
June 23, 2022 /
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Who would you cheer for?…
Bouquets: • Like many of you, perhaps, I was moved to tears while watching Day 4 of the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. In the first half of the hearing, we learned more about how former President Donald Trump and his allies tried to overturn the 2020 election. This includes putting forward fake pro-Trump electors in key battleground states and pressuring state elections officials to “find” the votes he needed to win. The shining moment of the hearing, however, came when Atlanta elections worker Wandrea “Shaye” Moss testified about how she and her mother Ruby Freeman were targeted by Trump and his lawyer Rudy Giuliani, the latter who repeatedly claimed the elections workers were, “quite obviously surreptitiously passing around USB ports as if they are vials of herion or cocaine. It’s obvious to anyone who is a criminal investigator or prosecutor that they were engaged in surreptitious illegal activity.” The claims were, of course, false. Moss testified the item she passed to her mother was nothing more than a ginger mint. Moss and Freeman both shared how their lives have been turned upside down since Trump and Giuliani falsely accused them of voter fraud and they became the targets of death threats, hate campaigns and racism. Moss said she felt “helpless,” gained 60 pounds and doesn’t leave the house anymore. Her mother lived in hiding for two months after the FBI told her she wasn’t safe at home. Moss’ elderly grandmother’s home was also invaded by protesters claiming they were there to issue a “citizen’s arrest” on Moss. These courageous election workers get my Bouquet this week. We hear a lot about patriotism, usually from those who are lacking it. These women are the true patriots. They did their jobs as election workers and were cruelly targeted by Trump and his allies for doing so. Just imagine the stress of having the most powerful man in the world target you by name, calling you a “professional vote scammer,” a “hustler” and “known political operative” who “stuffed the ballot boxes” — all of it 100% false. This isn’t a game. This isn’t “politics as usual.” This is a testing moment for our nation. Will we pass the test, or continue down this dark path? Time will tell. 8 /
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Dear editor, A big hurrah to the Coeur d’Alene cops for apprehending 31 Patriot Front racists about to invade a Pride in The Park gathering on June 13. One assumes (hopes?) Sandpoint officers would be as responsible and nimble should hate-filled, camo-clad armed misfits come clumping over the Long Bridge to sabotage a peaceful Sandpoint protest — a not unpredictable possibility. Here’s a thought: Rather than uneducated Patriot Front knuckle-draggers attacking a Coeur d’Alene Pride gathering, what if they — the goons — had staged their own protest against, say, those who believe in the rule of law; who consider heinous the sale of murderous AR-15 rifles to anyone, anytime; who promote public education; who equate Trump, his cadre and today’s sadistic GOP and NRA with Adof Hitler and the early Nazi Party? (This eerie and accurate parallel causes historians and elders to shiver.) To protest against these fake patriots, let’s say 30 or so LGBTQ people sidled up to the 31 snarling social deviants. Comparatively, the former are educated, talented, civic-minded, law-abiding, non-violent, gainfully employed, tax-paying, unarmed, responsible, democracy-proud citizens. Not intimidating, but LGBTQ or their allies. Au contraire, the knuckle-draggers are cerebrally challenged, anti-everything-America, bored with life, loud, unloved and vicious. For which group, dear reader, would you cheer? Wait — let me rephrase that: Which way do you vote? Tim H.Henney Sandpoint
‘A rainbow a day keeps the hate away’…
Dear editor, Pride is back in town, brighter than ever, as evidenced by the rainbow of colors adorning our shop windows downtown. Last year we had so much Pride that members of the LGBTQIA+ community in faraway cities came by charter bus to support us! Today, in response to the domestic terrorists trying to rain on our parades, it’s time to show those bullies who’s boss. We can celebrate the “gay days” with “flags and drags,” but real Pride lasts all year long. We are a town of artists and I ask the community to join me in painting a rainbow across Sandpoint’s sidewalks and crosswalks. I also propose hanging a rainbow banner across First Avenue to welcome everybody
to our city every month of the year.
A rainbow a day keeps the hate away!
Kenny Fearer Cocolalla
Which companies are supporting ‘big lie’ lawmakers?… Dear editor, Are you doing business with or patronizing corporations that have donated to Republican lawmakers who voted to overturn the 2020 election results? Turns out I have. In the month of April 2022, “Fortune 500 companies and trade organizations gave more than $1.4 million to members of Congress who voted to not certify the election results. … “AT&T led the pack, giving $95,000 to election objectors.” AT&T has provided service to me for my cellphone. You’ve probably heard of some of the others: Home Depot, UPS, General Motors and FedEx. If you’re curious about the entities that are supporting legislators who push the Big Lie, please read Alex Kingsbury’s opinion piece, from which I quoted above, in the June 15, 2022 edition of The Washington Post. Mr. Kingsbury is a member of its editorial board. It’s noteworthy that further research revealed 85 companies that have held their commitment to not fund those legislators who voted to
overturn the election: for instance, PepsiCo, Nike, Zillow, Lyft, Cisco, Prudential, Marriott and Target are names you probably know.
Sincerely, Lexie de Fremery Sandpoint
OPINION
Voices in the Wilderness Hunting, trapping and fishing are multi-generational ways of life By Toby Walrath Reader Contributor Keeping a canoe moving smoothly on a calm morning requires nothing more than the person in front pulling in unison with the person in the back — unless the person in the front is 8 years old and determined. Then it’s more like continuous paddle flipping while zig-zagging and yelling out directives like a football coach. Finally accepting that the relaxing morning I planned had suddenly shifted to little more than controlled chaos, I found contentment with the consolation prize of beautiful scenery. My Granddad was a fur trapper, so was my Dad and it didn’t take much to get me out into wild places when I was my son Kaden’s age. Hunting, trapping and fishing have been a way of life for me since I was born. Many photos I have of Kaden as a toddler are outdoors. Some are of him riding on my back as I set traps, hiked into remote mountain lakes or carried wild meat out of the backcountry. My own childhood photos are mostly outdoors with a few notable exceptions of me and hound dogs lying on my bed. It is with this enriched family history that Kaden and I paddled along a remote stretch of river on this early spring morning. “Dad, look!” Kaden yelled with his finger pointing at the muddy river bank. Several yellow perch hovered near the surface with damaged tails. River otter tracks, fresh and distinct in the mud, told the story. River otters don’t always catch fish on the first bite. We had to stop and investigate. Kaden came up with several theories about what may have happened. We looked at the sign and, like detectives, made a conclusive statement. Whether it was right or not didn’t matter because soon we were pushing off and heading upstream again. Muskrats swim along the edge of river banks climbing onto anything sturdy enough to hold them. There they leave droppings — lots of droppings. So many that dark piles of stool acting as a territory marker visually stands
out even from mid-river. It is at one of these markers that Kaden placed a trap the day before. As the canoe brushed the bank he was already running toward the log. “Dad, look!” Kaden yelled as he held up a furry muskrat. His broad smile and excitement filled the morning air with joy. Minutes later the recent ice melt revealed a winter-killed western painted turtle on the river bottom. This discovery meant more questions and investigation. Soon satisfied, we moved on to a grassy point on the river where Kaden made a grass shelter before eating lunch and taking a short nap in the sunshine. The ride out was easier with the river moving us along toward home. Kaden was tired from all the hard work of a trap line and his paddle laid across the bow for most of the journey out. “Dad, look!” Kaden yelled, pointing excitedly to the launching area. “I wonder what we’ll catch tomorrow.”
Toby Walrath. Courtesy photo.
Toby Walrath is an avid outdoorsman now living in northwestern Montana with his wife and son, where wild places are right out his front door. His motto is, “Just get outdoors and bring a kid with you.” June 23, 2022 /
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Mad about Science:
Brought to you by:
more wild ocean facts By Brenden Bobby Reader Columnist Akin to the tide rolling in, I’ve returned with more weird and wild facts about the ocean. We already know about lava vents hot enough to instantly scorch a steak and the millions of pounds of pressure that can crush us at the bottom of the Mariana Trench, so how much crazier could it get? Black holes. In astronomy, black holes are incredibly massive objects with such an intense gravitational pull that they can manipulate everything from matter to light. Photons that pass through part of a black hole will curve their trajectory and create a “bubble” effect around the black hole, which allows us to identify them even though we can’t directly see them. They don’t reflect light, but they can warp it. It turns out that the ocean contains a very similar effect to these astronomical phenomena. There are a number of major currents that run through the world’s oceans, with the most prominent being the Gulf Stream, which begins along the equator and follows the Atlantic Coast of North America before rushing towards the British Isles, Iceland and the Arctic Circle. This is one of those self-regulating temperature systems we learned about last week. As water reaches its terminus in the Gulf Stream, it begins to break away and create spinning eddies that become extremely powerful. These eddies act similarly to a black hole, grabbing everything they pass through and locking them securely within their spiraling borders. These eddies are huge structures with diameters of up to 93 miles. Their force is so powerful that they won’t allow water within their borders to escape to the surrounding ocean and are capable of creating temperature differences inside and outside of their 10 /
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boundary. The eddies will carry microorganisms such as plankton and tiny shrimp, as well as spilled oil and human trash like plastics as they drift about the ocean. Scientists discovered that these giant eddies seem to have some mitigating factor on melting Antarctic ice by transporting warm salty water away from the continent. It’s not enough to slow climate change on its own, but it’s interesting to see some of the builtin failsafes that Earth has when facing massive climate change. While the idea of a giant swirling vortex seems like a terrifying prospect, these eddies are important for transporting food sources for larger marine biology like whales and other filter feeders, while also regulating the global climate. Not everything about the ocean is all doom and gloom. There’s an immense amount of gold in the ocean. So much gold, in fact, that if it were all harvested and distributed evenly between every human on the planet, each person would receive about 4 kilograms — an amount worth $247,485.01. Before you buy a dinghy and a trawling net, you should know that the vast majority of this gold is tiny particulate matter — we’re talking parts per trillion in the water. There is a huge amount of undiluted gold at the bottom of the ocean, but there’s no way to reach it. The pressure would crush most mining equipment faster than an
elephant making origami cranes. Do you happen to know what the tallest waterfall in the world is? I see you pulling up Google on your phone! Your mind might shoot straight to Niagara Falls, but at 325 feet tall, North America’s most famous falls are tiny compared to the 2,904-foottall Victoria Falls in Zambia and Zimbabwe, or the 4,209-foot Angel Falls in Venezuela. Neither of those two even come close to the Denmark Strait cataract, with its 11,500-foot plunge. But here’s the kicker: While the Denmark Strait cataract is the biggest waterfall in the world, it’s actually underwater. How does that work? A ridge of rock in the Denmark Strait — between Greenland and Iceland — separates two bodies of water: cold water on one side flows toward the warmer water because, as you may know, warmth rises and cold sinks. The result is a magnificent spectacle of water falling beneath the waves. As you may know, the farther down you travel in the ocean, the darker it becomes, as light cannot penetrate past a certain density of water. After 656 feet down, you wouldn’t be able to see much at all. This waterfall drops 11,500 feet, making most of the plunge a terrifying lightless experience. While all of these facts may seem interesting, the most awesome feature of this waterfall —
in the literal sense of leaving your jaw agape and mind blank from its sheer magnitude — is the sheer volume of water passing through it. Every second, 123 million cubic feet of water passes through the Denmark Strait Cataract — 50,000 times the amount that pours through Niagara Falls. The world’s great ocean is an incredible and mysterious thing. More humans have walked on the moon than have set foot in the Mariana Trench. It’s a powerful and precious thing, and something we should
really try to take better care of. Don’t forget to take some time to read this summer. Exercise your brain, earn some prizes from the library no matter your age and maybe you will be the one to figure out how to siphon up that gold from the ocean. If you figured out how to do that, you’d be the first multi-quadrillionaire with a bank account worth $1,955,131,579,000,000. Regardless, always tip your servers. Stay curious, 7B.
Random Corner Don’t know much about chuck • Carlos Ray “Chuck” Norris is best known for his martial arts moves and decades-long acting career, as well as a popular series of humorous memes such as, “Chuck Norris, a man so fast, he can run around the world and punch himself in the back of the head.” • In 1958, Norris became an Air Policeman for the U.S. Air Force. He was posted to Osan Air Base in South Korea, where he acquired the nickname “Chuck” and also began learning the martial art Tang Soo Do. • After his discharge from the Air Force in 1962, Norris moved to Torrance, Calif. and opened a martial arts studio, creating his own form of martial art called Chun Kuk Do, which means “Universal Way.” • Norris won several martial arts competitions in the late 1960s, ultimately being awarded the Karate Triple Crown for having the most tournament wins in a year in 1969.
norris?
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• Norris’ first credited film role was 1971’s Way of the Dragon, appearing alongside Bruce Lee as his nemesis. • By 1990, after starring in several popular action movies including The Delta Force, Missing in Action and Firewalker, Norris’ films had altogether grossed more than half a billion dollars worldwide. • Norris starred as Walker in the series Walker, Texas Ranger from 1993-2001. Norris and his brother ultimately bought ranches in Texas where they both lived while Norris filmed the series. • Chuck Norris “facts” started appearing on the internet around 2005 and the memes became a major part of popular culture. Norris claimed his favorite one was, “They wanted to add his face to Mount Rushmore, but the granite is not hard enough for his beard.” • This author’s favorite: “Chuck Norris does not sleep. He waits.”
To submit a photo for a future edition, please send to ben@sandpointreader.com.
It has been a glorious spring for wildflowers in North Idaho, and our readers have been busy sending in pictures from their recent hikes. Below: Claytonia sibirica, also known as the pink purslane or candy flower. Photo by Jen Heller. Middle: Camassia quamash, or camas, a perennial herb native to western North America. This one was photographed near Cusick, Wash. Photo by Jill Trick. Right: Cypripedium montanum, known commonly as the large lady’s slipper or mountain lady’s slipper, as well as the moccasin flower. This speciman was photographed on the Pend d’Oreille Bay Trail by Cynthia Mason.
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COMMUNITY
BCHRTF announces scholarship winners
The Bonner County Human Rights Task Force recently announced its annual slate of scholarship recipients, drawn from among local graduating high-school seniors. Anna Auld and Mirabella Nizzoli, of Sandpoint High School, and Sam Barnett, of Clark Fork High School, were awarded a combined $2,500 from the Darby and Amber Campbell Memorial Scholarship. Trey (Spencer) Clark, of Sandpoint High School, received $1,500 from the Erik Bruhjell Memorial Scholarship. “BCHRTF appreciates the way each student embraces human rights in their lives and we wish them well in their academic pursuits,” the organization stated. — Reader Staff
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OUTDOORS
Dirt-y Secrets
Have patience in June and don’t give up on garden tasks
By Ranel Hanson Reader Columnist “Wherever you are planted in life, bloom with courage and grace.” — adapted from Saint Francis de Sales (1567-1622) I can think of two people who epitomize this sentiment. Sadly, I recently learned of the passing of one of them: Jeffrey Rich, known to all as “Sprouts.” I only knew him enough to say hello and talk about pruning fruit trees (he was an expert) or making dried plums. He was well educated and smart, but the best, most wonderful thing about Sprouts was his kindness. A Vietnam War veteran, his mantra was, “War is not the answer.” I, along with his many friends, will miss him at the Farmers’ Market and anywhere music is played, but we will certainly feel his presence. Farewell to a good man. The second person who blooms where planted is familiar to many: Valle Novak, who is the youngest 90-plus person I know. She only recently retired from sharing her gardening
and cooking wisdom in a local newspaper column. She knows so much about so many subjects, but birds and plants are her main loves. She has “bloomed with courage and grace,” and I thank her for sharing not only her knowledge, but her love of the natural world — and for setting a wonderful example for the rest of us humans. My sunflower seedlings are in the ground. I tucked them in wherever I had a blank space. I am hoping to have a riotous gang of tall, yellow cheerleaders for Ukraine by July. I can’t think of much else to do in order to support those suffering people except to plant lovely flowers. Most of the spring bulbs are spent by now, but you should leave them in the ground until their leaves turn brown. They are storing nutrients for next year’s blooms. In the meantime, think about what bulbs you would like to add next year. I was just introduced to Camas bulbs (native to our area and an ancient source of food for Indigenous peoples). They are a beautiful blue, unattractive to deer and gorgeous among yellow daffodils. Meanwhile, those beautiful
Tree Cookie Tuesdays during July at the Arboretum By Reader Staff During the month of July, join the Kinnikinnick Native Plant Society at the Arboretum in Lakeview Park next to the Bonner County History Museum each Tuesday morning (July 5, 14 /
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12, 19, 26) for Tree Cookie Tuesdays. Drop by the KNPS shed anytime between 9 a.m. and noon to solve a different mystery each week. Join the fun as you learn about native trees, native plants and their pollinators, and collect your very own “tree cookie.”
hanging flower baskets will stay lush and lovely if you keep them watered, deadheaded and fertilized. They need a weak dose of fertilizer every other watering. I use one of these methods: fish emulsion, worm castings (either dissolved in your watering can or top-dressed) or any organic fertilizer designed for blooms. Now is not the time to give up on weeds. All of our recent rain is just what makes them grow big and strong and suck water and nutrients away from your landscape plants. Dig them out, spray a solution of vinegar and dish soap, burn ’em out… but no chemicals, please. If our precious lake could talk, she would say, “Thank you very much.” Don’t give up on discouraging slugs, either. Mix your crushed eggshells with epsom salts and spread liberally around your vulnerable plants: sunflowers, geraniums, hosta, etc. Peonies are bursting open. They need the support of cages or stakes because the weight of their blooms will pull them down with summer rain and wind (by the way, peonies are fine with no added fertilizer). You may need to support hydrangeas, too. They need a good
balanced, organic fertilizer and an acid soil. I use coffee grounds in the soil around them and fish emulsion at the drip line. Fertilize lightly now and in July. They bloom best when they are a little hungry for nutrients. What would summer be without hummingbirds? Keep that food coming! Soon, they will disappear for a bit to nest and raise their young (some overachievers might already have gone), but keep your sugar water fresh and plentiful until then. Don’t despair if they disappear, they are raising babies and will be back with children following along. They teach the next generation where to find food and they will find your feeder next year, after their long migration. I want to mention a couple of late-comers to the garden. Wisteria takes a loooong time to establish — you must be patient. But, when they get around to it, the blooms are spectacular. I almost dug mine up last year,
Jeff “Sprouts” Rich, smiling at Farmin Park. Photo by Lee Santa. thinking they had died, and now they are thriving. Hardy hibiscus are also late to the spring party. Every year, I think they may have died over the winter and then, about the first of June, they surprise me with a couple of tiny shoots that, by August, turn into big, gaudy blooms. In gardening, patience is necessary. Until July.
Amateur Radio Club hosts field day exercises By Reader Staff Members of the Bonner County Amateur Radio Club will take part in the national amateur radio Field Day exercise Saturday, June 25-Sunday, June 26 at Forrest Bird Charter School. Since 1933, ham radio operators across North America have established temporary ham radio stations in public locations during Field Day to
showcase the science and skill of amateur radio. This event is open to the public and all are encouraged to attend. There will be several activities June 26, including CW (Morse code) Bingo, Satellite communication and tours of the radio stations. The Radio Club will be in radio contact with two other field day locations: Bonner County Amateur Radio Emergency Services at Edgemere Grange and the Kootenai
Amateur Radio Society event near Post Falls. The event June 25 will take place 11 a.m.-6 p.m., and on June 26 from 7 a.m.-1 p.m., including a pancake breakfast from 8:30-9:30 a.m. Forrest Bird Charter School is located at 614 S. Madison Ave. in Sandpoint.
LITERATURE
English Teachers
a prompt from Jim Mitsui
This open Window
Vol. 7 No.3 poetry and prose by local writers edited by Jim mitsui
Submissions to this column have been lagging lately, so here’s an old prompt that I updated a little to see if it would encourage some of you to write a poem that emulates this format. Use a former job and start thinking of idiosyncrasies that are typical of this profession. Utilize a repetition of “They” and, staying away from clichés, write what you know — traits of the job, so to speak. Be sure to utilize some humor and just write what your personal experience was like.
Send poems to: jim3wells@aol.com from the land of slightly cloudy waters, northern Minnesota, the mid-sixties My dad, Jean, finds a second hand bottle capper when he stops to let Mom catch a yard sale. He and his buddy Winston decide to brew beer. spending many happy hours tinkering, arguing hops, water and mash. Bent bottle caps punctuate the learning curve for that stubborn old bottle capper, Weeks of sour odors assault us through the heat vents, until the darksome delight is done, the bottles filled and capped. Only time is needed to complete this yeasty, fermenting, work of art. I lay awake late at night all that long winter waiting for the erratic patter of beer bottle caps bouncing off of the basement ceiling as the fine brew enthusiastically ages in the cellar. When they judge the batch is ready, (and the basement floor is hosed down) manfully they each drink a bottle, declaring it the best beer any man had ever brewed, go to the IGA, (for smokes they said), but come back with a case of Hamm’s beer. They play pinochle until the wee hours boasting not-so-soberly of their brewing talents, the bold aroma and robust flavor of their masterpiece but drinking the Hamm’s.
. .
haystacks and water Lilies 1 24 22 At the Chicago Institute of Art I walk through room after room of Monet’s haystacks and water lilies. Haystacks heaped in snow, or dry and baked in summer sun. Looking down at water lilies from a bridge or across the pond. Vivid pastels at noon or muted by afternoon shadows. What was he seeking to express? The labels don’t indicate: The Final Haystack, or The Ultimate Water Lily. Did he finally get it right? Or was he making a simple statement: Everything depends on the conditions that surround it. It is different, changing every day — every hour. Just like each of us. — Brenda Hammond Brenda Hammond was born in Michigan, won a small Hopwood Award at the University of Michigan, emigrated to New Mexico and settled here in Sandpoint where she is active in the Bonner County Human Rights Commission.
The bottle capper languished in the dark corners of Dad’s basement workshop the rest of Dad’s half of the beer quietly disappeared one laundry day leaving only a yeasty miasma staining the musty basement air along with a few inebriated spiders weaving crookedy webs around the sink legs near the basement sump gorged on drunken fruit flies and Jean & Winston’s best Iron Range brew. — Maureen Cooper, spring, 2022
— for the editor who rejected this poem, saying his wife, an English teacher, had told him, “It ain’t so.”
They hate automated phone calls, snow blowers, and every kind of meeting. They sweat, meet at the 318 Tavern for burger baskets, and fall out of trees & boats. They never make it all the way down slides at faculty parties and grouse their way through long lines. They were in high school when Buddy Holly’s plane crashed in Clear Lake, Iowa. They wear casino t-shirts, cook paella to relax, and like settings that are out of context. They collect desert rocks, green beach glass and spill wine on their lesson plans. Never volunteer, never use red ink on papers, and never correct people’s grammar on sidewalks. They own 1/8 of a racehorse, prefer Tsing Tao beer and cannot explain the rhetoric of nuclear devices. They avoid trendy restaurants, and hike around Tiger Mountain to leave run-on sentences behind. They work their classrooms like Jimmy Kimmel, make fun of flavored coffee and talk to their Chinese pugs about the politics of poetry. They boycott the faculty room and stick Far Side cartoons all over their bulletin boards. They force principals to exercise their authority, and their desks resemble a recycle bin. They prefer diner cooking, old rock & roll, and triples to home runs. They keep promising to stop swearing, practice mean looks in their mirrors, and love wastebaskets. — James Masao Mitsui Instructions: Think back to a job or profession that you had, and use that as your title. Then write your poem, emulating the format of my poem. Come up with a series of characteristics, qualities, habits, things that are surprising but human. We tend to stereotype people like school principals, the clergy, loggers, librarians, police chiefs, actors and artists. Break the stereotype and reveal the real person behind the façade.
don’t Buy a parrot
(Musings written just as COVID-19 made its presence undeniable.)
Too many emails to bear I spend time in junk mail instead, blocking, deleting, and sometimes opening, despite that little thrill of fear “will a virus attack my computer”? Better that, than the new virus, the one that made me say to my husband “I would shave my head if you died.” I would too, and let it grow back as it wished, white by the roots of it. I prefer neither of us die but if it could happen to John Prine and Joe Diffie? There are homes for sale in the junk mail folder, so I look at floor plans, take virtual tours of very expensive houses. I feel a little guilty an imposter with no intention of buying. I begin to accept the facts, there are so many: I’ll never own a house overlooking the ocean, I won’t have marble countertops, real wood floors, or more importantly, a maid to keep them shiny. My dog, Freddie, whines at my feet he’s still young and I wonder if I’ll ever have another dog. A puppy is out of the question and certainly not a cat they live too long. I planted flower seeds the first of March, a card table and my windowsills are crowded with little cardboard pots. I peer into them each day hoping for signs of life, the smell of potting soil is acrid, like smoke from a Cuban cigar. I won’t be going to Cuba that much I know, but if he dies, I’m pretty sure I really will shave my head. — Sandra Rasor June 23, 2022 /
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COMMUNITY
CAL supports local students, organizations ‘A Celebration of Giving’ recognizes scholarship and grant recipients
By Ben Olson Reader Staff The Community Assistance League met June 20 for “A Celebration of Giving,” the organization’s annual gathering to recognize those who have received grants and scholarships. About 100 people packed into the Sandpoint Organic Agricultural Center meeting room to celebrate another season of giving for CAL. Scholarship Committee Chairperson Heather Hellier introduced the annual scholarships awarded to deserving Bonner County students. “This is a really tough job,” Hellier said. “We had 68 applicants, all who were worthy, but we only had $55,000 to give away. We wanted to select fewer so we could give more meaningful scholarships to people.” Hellier listed all recipients of CAL scholarships, including from Sandpoint High School: Anna Auld, Emma Brown, Ethan Butler, Spencer Clark, Sophie Dignan, Madison Duke, Adriana Foxx, Piper Frank, Shane Griffin, Ben Jordan, John
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Keegan, Nicolas LaMana, McKenzie Lindley, Jessica Lotze, Ava Mazzilli, Kate McGregor, Mason Mikolas, Mirabella Nizzoli, Blake Sherrill, Aiden Smith and Amanda Steiner. From Clark Fork High School: Sam Barnett, Katelyn Matteson, Taylor Staley, Grace Yancey and Caiya Yanik. From Priest River Lamanna High School: Bowen Fegert, Shane Gambler and Brady O’Brien. Raney Hazan from Forrest M. Bird Charter School also received a scholarship. Students who received delayed or renewed awards include: Darren Bailey, Bryce Beason, Taylor Beauchene, Connor Bird, Ellen Clark, Gabrielle Hicks, Elaine Huang, Annaby Kanning, Shelby Mohler, Sage Saccomanno, Mikayla Schoening and Kaya Wright. Three SHS graduates were invited to introduce themselves, including Ben Jordan, who said he’ll be heading to Arizona State University in the fall where he’ll major in computer science at the Fulton School of Engineering. Fellow SHS grad John
Keegan — who is also a National Merit Scholarship finalist — said his plan is to attend the University of Idaho in Moscow to study either mechanical engineering or computer science. Ava Mizzilli plans to attend Gonzaga University in the fall, where she’ll start studying nursing. CAL Grants Team Chairperson Jan Harrison next announced all organizations that had received CAL Grants in 2022. “This year, we got to give away $151,000,” Harrison said. “There was one organization we wanted to give to, but couldn’t, and that’s Kinderhaven. Due to legislation that has [made it] very difficult for them to operate, they have decided to cease to exist and this breaks 200 CAL hearts. I’m sure that the volunteers at Kinderhaven will find a way to be a significant force in our community.” Grant recipients were announced one at a time, with a brief explanation of what the donations will be used for. The Angels Over Sandpoint received support for its annual Back To School program. The Arts Alliance grant will help support the Creations space in the Cedar Street Bridge. The Bonner General Health Healing Garden received a grant to help repair an aging fountain. Longtime CAL grant recipient Bonner Community Food Bank distributed more than 800,000 pounds of food during 2021. Their award will help further the mission to keep food on the table for area residents. The Bonner Community Housing Agency grant will pay for a year’s worth of propane for one of its homes. The Bonner County Gardeners Association accepted funding for its program building gardens at elementary schools. The Bonner Soil and Water District will use its grant to provide an educational program in summertime, which last year visited 14 schools and 430 students. Bonner Partners in Care Clinic is available to provide free clinics, lab work and access to doctors for those who are uninsured or underinsured. The Carousel of Smiles also received a grant to help fund renovations. Clark Fork-Hope Senior Services received a grant to purchase a new range, since its current one is 17 years old and has a gas leak. Community Cancer Services
provides assistance for needs that health insurance doesn’t cover, such as fuel, lost wages and child care. The Sandpoint Farmers’ Market received a grant that will help support its Double Up Food Bucks program, which matches EBT dollars to help encourage better eating habits while supporting local farmers. The Festival at Sandpoint received a grant to assist three programs: the Festival Youth Orchestra, the Elementary Outreach Program and the Pre-K Outreach Program. Firewood Rescue provides firewood for those who are unable to gather it themselves. The CAL grant helped fund a log splitter, a utility trailer and a storage shed. Food for Our Children’s grant will help provide midday snacks and weekend food for elementary school children in need. Helping Hands Healing Hearts received funding to help provide clothing, furniture and financial assistance for both adults and children. Idaho Hill Elementary School in Oldtown received a grant to help purchase books for its students. Idaho Panhandle Habitat for Humanity received money to purchase a 40-foot shipping container, as well as two gas-forced air furnaces to keep its warehouse warm in the winter. The Music Conservatory of Sandpoint accepted funding to pay for the final purchase of the Bösendorfer grand piano played at MCS daily by students. North Idaho High School Aerospace Program received a grant to purchase a plane kit from Kansas City, Mo. The Panida Theater was awarded a grant to help pay for vital roof repairs, while the Pend Oreille Arts Council received funding to help with its Kaleidoscope Art Program in elementary schools.
Three recipients of CAL’s annual scholarships (from left to right): Ben Jordan, John Keegan and Ava Mazzelli. Photo by Ben Olson. The Priest River Food Bank accepted a grant to help supplement its pantries after weather-related crop shortages resulted in food shortages. Priest River Ministries received funding to upgrade to its HVAC system, which has failed. The Sagle Fire District obtained a grant to help pay for a special extractor to clean contaminated fire suits. The Sandpoint Area Seniors acquired a grant to fund new flooring in its office area, which has become a tripping hazard. Sandpoint High School received assistance to help fund its annual finance fair. The Sandpoint Nordic Club provides free use of cross-country and snowshoe equipment for third- to sixth-grade students. Selkirk Conservation Alliance monitors water quality in Priest Lake and funding will help pay for lab samplings, analysis and reporting. Southside Elementary received a grant to help fund its STEM programs. The Unique Center for Athletes of All Needs received funding to help their programs giving better access to fitness and activities for special needs children and adults in Bonner County. Washington Elementary School accepted a grant to help with two projects — one to buy clay for art projects and the second being tables for holding outdoor classes to help with attention and information retention. Finally, the Sandpoint VFW Post accepted a grant to help pay for new siding on its building.
COMMUNITY
Sandpoint man promoted to brigadier general By Reader Staff More than 26 years after commissioning into the Idaho Army National Guard at the Idaho State Capitol, Ryan Robinson returned June 2 as Gov. Brad Little promoted him to brigadier general. “I am truly honored and humbled to be selected for this position,” Robinson said. “I love being a citizen-soldier and proudly serving my state and country in times of need. I look forward to serving at this level of responsibility, leading the organization and making strategic decisions, while taking care of soldiers and airmen.” Robinson will serve as the director of the joint staff for the Idaho Military Division. He resides in Sandpoint and has spent most of his career in the National Guard working in North Idaho as a part-time citizen-soldier while balancing his career in corporate finance. He has deployed to Iraq twice and, in 2011, earned the Bronze Star for meritorious service in a combat zone. “This is a great day, not only for Brig. Gen. Robinson and his family, but also for the Idaho National Guard and the state of Idaho,” said. Maj. Gen. Michael Garshak, adjutant general of Idaho. “Brig. Gen. Robinson is clearly the best qualified officer to lead our joint staff, whose mission is to prepare for and respond to domestic operations in support of civil authorities. His career as a traditional Guardsman makes him uniquely qualified for this mission.” Robinson earned his commission in May 1996 through Boise State University, after graduating high school at Lake Stevens High School in Lake Stevens, Wash., where his parents still live. He became a quartermaster officer and was assigned as a platoon leader with A Company, 145th Brigade Support Battalion in Caldwell, Idaho. From 1997 to 2001 he served in the Washington Army National Guard. He transferred back to the Idaho Army National Guard in 2001 and spent the next 15 years of his career in various positions in North Idaho. He was the 116th Engineer Battalion’s logistics officer in Lewiston from 2001 to 2003. He was then appointed commander of C Company, 116th Brigade Engineer Battalion in Post Falls, which required him to become qualified as an engineer officer. In that role, he
prepared his company for the 116th Cavalry Brigade Combat Team’s 2004 deployment to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom III and was promoted to captain. An injury sustained while training prevented him from deploying with the company, though he joined up with the brigade in Iraq as the battalion’s communications officer and was assigned as the economic development officer for northern Iraq. While deployed, Robinson used his civilian skills and expertise in finance and economic development to advise Iraqis on how to build and run a business center and a separate micro-finance center. He later returned to Iraq in 2006 to work with the Department of State and to help build six additional business centers. He deployed to Iraq again in 2010 in support of Operation New Dawn, after the 116th Engineer Battalion transitioned to the 145th Brigade Support Battalion. As a major, he was assigned as the battalion’s executive officer and served as the garrison command’s resource manager in Baghdad. While deployed there, he oversaw more than $200 million in government contracts for base life support and other activities of three large forward operating bases. He also assisted with closing several bases and the redeployment
of equipment as the U.S. began withdrawing from Iraq. He was appointed the 145th Brigade Support Battalion’s commander in 2011 and promoted to lieutenant colonel in 2012. As a battalion commander, he oversaw more than 600 soldiers in multiple companies located throughout North Idaho and participated in training exercises in Canada and Cambodia. After battalion command, he attended the United States Army War College and held various posi-
Pints for Paws benefits cats, dogs, and the people who love them By Reader Staff
A new community event pairs our region’s love of local brews with our love of our pets. Better Together Animal Alliance is partnering with Laughing Dog Brewing for a fundraiser to support cats and dogs in need.Pints for Paws brings together local breweries and performers for good brews, tunes and a lot of fun. The event is Friday, July 1 from 5-7 p.m. at Laughing Dog Brewing in Ponderay. While the Pints for Paws is free to attend, Laughing Dog is donating 10% of the proceeds to BTAA, which will host a raffle for a brand new kayak. Live music from the Turn-Spit Dogs and lawn
games will add to the fun leading into the Fourth of July weekend. “We’re really excited to bring a fun, new event to the community,” said Joel Akins, BTAA volunteer and events coordinator. “It’s a great opportunity for us to connect with fellow animal lovers and provide ways for the public to learn about what we do and give them a new avenue to support people and animals in our community.” BTAA currently has two Pints for Paws events planned, the second will take place in September at Matchwood Brewing Company. To learn more about Better Together Animal Alliance or view animals available for adoption, visit bettertogetheranimallalliance. org.
tions within Joint Force Headquarters-Idaho in Boise. He was appointed commander of the Installation Support Unit in 2017 and promoted to colonel in 2018. After his command tour ended, he became the chief of the joint staff, Idaho National Guard. He also served as the director of domestic operations and has completed the Defense Support to Civil Authority Course, the Joint Task Force Commanders Course and the Dual Status Commanders Course and graduated from the National Defense University. The joint staff proactively coordinates, plans and exercises for notice and no-notice events that would
Son Ben and wife Cassie pin silver general officer stars to the shoulders of Brig. Gen. Ryan Robinson at the Idaho Capitol June 2. Courtesy photo. adversely affect the population and facilities in the state of Idaho. The director of the joint staff provides timely and appropriate Idaho National Guard capabilities to respond to incidents and mitigate suffering and loss, deliberately and safely mobilizing, deploying, redeploying and demobilizing joint task forces. The director of joint staff also supervises and directs the state partnership program, counterdrug and the 101st Civil Support Team.
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events June 23 - 30, 2022
COMMUNITY
Ting sponsors esports gaming lab
THURSDAY, June 23
Live Music w/ Brian Jacobs 6-8pm @ The Back Door
Live Music w/ Chris Lynch and Lauren Kershner 5:30-7:30pm @ Drift (in Hope)
FriDAY, June 24
Live Music w/ Ponderay Paradox 5-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery Classic rock, pop and catchy originals Live Music w/ Kevin Dorin 7-9pm @ The Back Door Karaoke at the Tervan 8pm-closing @ The Tervan Live Music w/ Headwaters 6pm @ Matchwood Brewing Co. Formerly known as BearGrass
Green Monarchs vs. CDA Idahoans 7pm @ War Memorial Field The Green Monarchs will play an exhibition match with the CDA Idahoans, with a special appearance from the Sandpoint Soccer Youth Camp. Free to attend! POAC 6th annual Art Party 5pm @ Sandpoint Organic Ag. Center artinsandpoint.org for more information
Touch a Truck event 10am-1pm @ Hope Memorial Comm. Ctr Fun for all ages. Explore a variety of vehicles; ambulance, fire truck, police command center, etc. and browse through arts and crafts fron the area Sandpoint Farmers’ Market 9am-1pm @ Farmin Park Fresh produce, artisan goods, live music by Bella Noté students and instructors Utara Brewing’s 4th Anniversary party 3-9pm @ Utara Brewing Co. We’ll be partying all day with a special anniversary beer. All pints of Simcoe IPA $4 Garlic Scape Days (June 25-26) 11am-4pm @ Snow Valley Garlic Farm Two days of food and fun at the largest garlic farm in Idaho. Priest River
Dance and waltz lesson 5-10pm @ Ponderay Event Center Doors open at 4:45pm, starting with an intermediate waltz workshop, followed by a 6pm dinner and 7pm intro beginner lesson, then general dancing til 10pm Live Music w/ Justin Lantrip 5-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery Singer-songwriter playing soulful songs Live Music w/ Chris Lynch 6-9pm @ Arlo’s Ristorante Live Music w/ Steven Wayne 7-9pm @ The Back Door
SATURDAY, June 25
Karaoke at the Tervan 8pm-closing @ The Tervan
SunDAY, June 26
Sandpoint Chess Club 9am @ Evans Brothers Coffee Meets every Sunday at 9am
Karaoke at the Tervan 8pm-closing @ The Tervan
monDAY, June 27
Monday Night Blues Jam w/ John Firshi 7pm @ Eichardt’s Pub Pride Films: A Fantastic Woman 7:30pm @ Panida Theater Free event sponsored by BCHRTF
Group Run @ Outdoor Experience 6pm @ Outdoor Experience 3-5 miles, all levels welcome, beer after
tuesDAY, June 28
Pride Films: Sublet • 7:30pm @ Panida Theater Free event sponsored by BCHRTF
wednesDAY, June 29
Live Music w/ Samantha Carston 6-8pm @ The Back Door Open Mic 6-10pm @ The Tervan Sandpoint Farmers’ Market 3-5:30pm @ Farmin Park
Benny on the Deck 6-8pm @ Connie’s Lounge (patio) Weekly music with Benny Baker. This week’s special guest: Sheldon Packwood
ThursDAY, June 30
Summer Sampler @ Farmin Park Enjoy samples from Sandpoint’s best restaurants. Live music and more!
Free STEM event hosted by Library 3-5pm @ Pine St. Woods Kids can experience hands-on nature disLive Music w/ Chris Lynch & Lauren Kershner covery using binoculars, microscopes and other STEM equipment. 208-263-6930 5:30-7:30pm @ Drift (in Hope) 18 /
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By Reader Staff Sandpoint High School saw the installation of a brand new esports gaming lab in late May. Ting and partner, Generation Esports, worked together to supply the 11-computer gaming lab, which will assist SHS implement an elective program to help students learn more about careers in STEAM (science,
From L to R: Kiya Kraushaar, Elliott Lowman, Shirley Kin (SHS Esports Secretary-Treasurer), Kari Saccomanno (Ting), Jaden Bakeberg, Olen Neu (SHS Esports President), Jack Stierle, Dalton Hawkins, Logan Lindley, Garret Woullet, Marissa Urban (Generation Esports), Brenden Wilson, Christian Amador (SHS Esports-Vice President), Harvey Craig, Jaden Stiles. Courtesy photo. technology, engineering, arts and math), including computer programming.
STAGE & SCREEN
Panida hosts second week of Pride-themed films By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff The second of four films in the Panida Theater’s Pride Month series will screen Monday, June 27 and Tuesday, June 28. Made possible through a grant from the Bonner County Human Rights Task Force, the free showings this week begin June 27 with A Fantastic Woman at 7:30 p.m. The 2017 Spanish-language film, directed by Sebastian Lelio and written by Lelio and Gonzalo Maza, is set in Santiago, Chile and centers on Marina (played by transgender actress Daniela Vega), who waits tables and also performs as a nightclub singer. Marina’s life takes a tragic and chaotic turn when her lover Orlando (Francisco Reyes) dies suddenly. Though his death occurred naturally — and Orlando and Marina had a committed romantic relationship — Marina ends up being suspected as a sex worker who may have killed Orlando in a scuffle. She is then
forced into the humiliating position of proving otherwise. From there, Marina is subjected to instance after instance of bigotry, rejection and denial of her basic humanity (much less her privacy and identity as a woman) as she tries to mourn her deceased partner. The drama had a big impact when it was released, earning a Silver Bear for Best Screenplay and Teddy Award for Best Feature Film — given to films with an LGBTQ+ theme — at the Berlin International Film Festival, where it premiered. It also won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film in 2018 — the first Chilean film to do so — and helped spur the Chilean government to enact laws that allowed trans citizens to alter their official documents to reflect their gender identity. A Fantastic Woman earned a 94% on Rotten Tomatoes, while rogerebert.com gave it threeand-a-half stars, highlighting the sophistication of its themes: “What does it even mean to be ‘a
fantastic woman’? What does that look like? Does Marina know?” Sublet is next, screening Tuesday, June 28 at 7:30 p.m. The Israeli-American film, which premiered in the U.S. in 2021, centers on middle-aged New York Times travel writer Michael (John Benjamin Hickey) who — as the title suggests — sublets a room in the Tel Aviv apartment of much-younger Tomer (Niv Nissim). Michael has enjoyed a successful career as an author, rooted in his experiences in New York City during the height of the AIDS epidemic in the mid-1980s. Tomer, however, comes from a much different social, economic and generational background, setting up the pair for a series of personal and philosophical disagreements that transform into a perspective-enhancing relationship for both. Critics applauded the smart, provocative exploration of the characters’ differing views on what it means to be a gay man in the 21st century — parsing
through the legacy of older gay men like Michael who helped pave the way for the younger generation to which Tomer belongs — but took a dimmer view of the romantic elements that evolve out of those conversations. Rotten Tomatoes has Sublet with a 91% rating, though rogerebert.com only gave the film twoand-a-half stars, mainly because the attraction between the two leads didn’t feel believable. Directed by Israeli filmmaker
A scene from Sublet, playing June 28 at the Panida Theater. Courtesy photo. Eytan Fox and written by Fox and Itay Segal, the general consensus among critics was that Sublet is well-acted, beautifully shot and intelligently written, but mostly falls within the category of a “midlife crisis story” that favors “convention over risk-taking,” though does address important themes. All films are free and doors open at 7 p.m.
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FOOD & DRINK
Big sky beers Honeymoon brewery hopping in Montana By Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey Reader Staff My husband Alex and I did not go on a honeymoon immediately following our wedding in July 2021. Having hosted the ceremony and reception at our home — and taken time off to prepare everything — we decided we’d rather wait until the following summer to leave town. We briefly considered something traditional; a trip to Hawaii, or some other beach, seemed like the thing to do. But after a bit of soul searching, I proposed we do something I always wanted to do: see dinosaur bones. And that we did, road tripping to the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman, Mont., and stopping to stay in other towns along the way. Aside from the dinosaurs, the rest of the itinerary was pretty simple: eat food and try new beers. Our idea of a good time is
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dining out and drinking craft beer. To do that for four days? A dream. Our first stop was Highlander Beer in Missoula, thanks to recommendations from a beer-loving friend and my well-traveled sister. Easy parking and a spacious seating area — even on a Saturday — immediately left a good impression. We ordered a flight at the bar in our typical fashion: two IPAs (my favorite) and two less-hoppy picks for Alex. This selection produced some real mixed opinions, as recorded in my phone’s notes app with beer names and emojis. For the winners, we had the supremely juicy Galactic Approach IPA on my side of the wooden, Montana-shaped flight board, while Alex ended up buying a sixpack of the Pocket Cowboy Cerveza. The Grapefruit Jumbo IPA gets an honorable mention, while the Strawberry Wheat earns the award for Beer That Tastes Most Like Bubbly Strawberry Milk.
The next day, some trial and error led us to a taproom near our hotel that wasn’t stuffed to the gills with Sunday beer drinkers: Bozeman Brewing Company. Alex, not normally one to enjoy an amber, had nothing but nice things to say about the Bozone Amber Ale. As for me, the Haze Trip Hazy IPA was as smooth and light as the barkeep said, earning a satisfied smile emoji in my very official phone notes. The EcoStar IPA however, received a frog emoji. If green has a flavor, it is this beer. Without a doubt, Bozeman Brewing featured the friendliest and most helpful staff — one guy, despite a busy bar, took the time to describe every IPA to me in detail. Our final beer mission took us to Butte Brewing Company, where the atmosphere (a brand new two-story building featuring a refrigerated copper strip on the bar top and a breathtaking view of the valley) far outplayed the beer.
After an underwhelming flight, Alex found solace in the Ore Digger Ale and I took a chance on the Mountain Haze IPA. It was cold and paired well with the incredible Mediterranean pizza. All in all, Highlander took the cake for good beer; Bozeman had the best service; and Butte, the coolest location. Of course, the best part about
A taster flight at the Highlander Beer taproom in Missoula, Montana. Photo by Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey. every brewery is the guy next to me at the bar, willing to try anything and give me his opinion. Cheers to him, and adventurous husbands everywhere.
MUSIC
B-B-B-Benny on the Deck
Weekly music series kicks into summer at Connie’s Lounge
By Ben Olson Reader Staff As one of Sandpoint’s most prolific musicians, Benny Baker has spent decades honing his craft. Whether playing solo, with his numerous bands around Sandpoint or shredding the “Star-Spangled Banner” at the Festival at Sandpoint, if you’ve listened to live music downtown, you’ve probably heard Baker’s tunes. Baker returned for his fifth season to play a weekly concert series on the back patio at Connie’s Lounge. Called Benny on the Deck (you just hummed the Elton John song, “Benny and the Jets,” didn’t you?), this series promotes a casual, fun atmosphere to turn the mid-week blues into rock ’n’ roll. The shows are also a who’s who of the Sandpoint music scene, as Baker invites a different special guest each week. “The best thing to expect is the unexpected,” Baker told the Reader. “I love bringing in new people I’ve never played with before and see if there’s chemistry or not.” Baker usually begins each show with a set, then the special guest follows with a set of their own. “Then, we’ll try to play a few songs together at the end,” Baker
said. “To me, that’s what I love most about this show — you get to play an arrangement with someone you may have not heard before.” Benny on the Deck takes place every Wednesday night, with the music going from 5-7:30 p.m. on the back patio at Connie’s Lounge (323 Cedar St., in Sandpoint). The next show will be Wednesday, June 29 with Sheldon Packwood as special guest. “If you want a good seat, it’s best to get there between 4-5 p.m.,” Baker said. “If you show up at 5 p.m., you probably won’t get a seat.” Baker said the weekly show is always one of his favorite gigs, mainly due to the cool atmosphere on the patio and the fact that he gets to connect with local musicians, many of whom are close friends and bandmates. “Take Kyle Swafford, from The Other White Meat,” Baker said. “Him and I have played music together for 33 years now. You can totally read each other’s minds. I guess sometimes that’s not a good thing, but musically it usually is. There are also some longtime regulars, Sammy Eubanks, Steve Livingstone from Spokane and so many more.” Baker said he usually tries to book primarily Sandpoint musicians, but occasionally will pull in some talent from Coeur d’Alene
Spokane-based Okay, Honey is described as one of the region’s “premier brewery and winery bands.” Fitting then, that the duo should be performing in Sandpoint at MickDuff’s Beer Hall. Composed of Joel Haugen on guitar/vocals and Sarah Jean on fiddle/vocals, puts on a heckuva fun-loving, good-time show, full of up-tempo folk-inspired covers and originals. There’s also a certain indie-pop sensibility to the band’s sound, buoyed by its members’ infectious chemistry
and dynamic harmonies. And it’s no surprise that Okay, Honey should be a sought-after act: Sarah Jean was named Top Instrumentalist at the Inland Northwest Country Music Awards in 2021. We didn’t know there was such a thing as “brewery and winery bands,” but if Okay, Honey is indicative of the type, then we’re here for it. — Zach Hagadone 6:30-9:30 p.m., FREE. MickDuff’s Beer Hall, 220 Cedar St., 208-290-6700, mickduffs.com.
READ
Capt. Bill Collier, USMCR (ret.) is one of the most prolific writers I’ve seen from this area. Collier wrote two books about his experiences flying combat missions in Vietnam, and later with Air America — both of which highlighted his flying stories in a self-deprecating, informative and humorous manner. Collier’s third book, The Worldwide Adventures of a Helicopter Pilot... The Rest of the Story, covers his life flying helicopters after leaving the Marine Corps. Collier will be reading from his book at 2 p.m. on Saturday, July 2 at Vanderford’s in Sandpoint.
LISTEN
Courtesy photo.
and Spokane to spice things up. Under new ownership, Connie’s has launched into several improvements that Baker said has made a positive impact. “I really like the new owners Lars and Chris’ whole attitude,” Baker said. “It’s so positive, and they’re putting a lot of energy back into the bar. They are actually improving it by the week. They took out a big center post in the bar, re-did some of the lighting, got some new tables inside and outside. Plus, they just re-did that super cool iconic sign out front, which looks great. If you haven’t seen it yet, you gotta stop by and check it out.”
Benny on the Deck schedule of special guests 5-7:30 p.m. every Wednesday
6/29 7/6 7/13 7/20 7/27 8/3 8/10 8/17 8/24 8/31 9/7 9/14 9/21 9/28 10/5
— Sheldon Packwood — Oak St. Connection — Sydnie Knepper — Ron Criscione — Scott Taylor — Ponderay Paradox — Chris Lynch — Reese Warren — Jacob Robin — Ali Maverick Thomas — BTP — Miah Kohal — Kevin Dorin — Kerry Leigh — Ben Olson
A snapshot of notable live music coming up in Sandpoint Okay, Honey; MickDuff’s Beer Hall; June 25
This week’s RLW by Ben Olson
Bella Note students and instructors, Farmin Park, June 25
Sandpoint is rich with musical opportunities. From almost nightly performances to one of the premiere music festivals in the West, live music is held up as a pillar of Sandpoint’s rich art scene — a scene made accessible even to the community’s youngest members. Some of those members — students of the local Bella Note Music Studios — will show off their hard-earned musical skills at the Sandpoint Farmers’ Market on Saturday, June 25. Live music is a main feature of the weekly
event, which plays host to dozens of farmers and makers in Farmin Park. Bella Note students and instructors will provide the ambiance this Saturday, filling the outdoor stage with the sounds of learning brought to life. — Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey 10 a.m.-1 p.m., FREE. Farmin Park, Third Avenue and Oak Street in Sandpoint. Learn more about Bella Note at bellanotesandpoint.com. For a list of other Sandpoint Farmers’ Market performers this summer, go to sandpointfarmersmarket.com.
Open mic nights are some of the best places to check out the up-and-coming talents in your community. The newest open mic night in Sandpoint is hosted by Maya Goldblum and takes place at Bluebird Bakery on Thursday, June 23 at 7 p.m. It’s a listening room, which means people come to hear the music or poems shared. If you’d like to participate, or just to watch, head down to the bakery and say hello.
WATCH
I’m a firm believer in attaining the knowledge to do anything, even if I’ll never actually have the chance to do it. That’s why I’ve learned many skills via YouTube but have yet to actually practice any of them. One notable feat I’d love to achieve someday is sailing on a square-rigged ship. The number of people who know how to sail these beautiful old ships is dwindling every day. Like a language, their skills may be lost someday unless preserved. Check out “How to Sail a Full-Rigged-Ship — The Sørlandet” on YouTube if you’d like to see these ships in action. The awful ’80s sitcom music is pretty distracting, but power through it.
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BACK OF THE BOOK
The Jan. 6 hearings are reminding us what the truth sounds like From Pend Oreille Review, June 22, 1917
1400 NORTH IDAHO LOGGERS WALK OUT The loggers’ strike, which began in a small way last week when the men of two of the Humbird camps, numbering about 200, walked out, since has assumed large proportions. In the Idaho panhandle alone there are close to 1,700 men out, according to the strike secretary located at the I.WW . . headquarters in this city. It is claimed at the headquarters that the strike is to be as widespread as the I.WW . . organization extends. It is a general strike for an 8-hour day, and better provisions and camp conditions. According to circulars issued officially by the Lumber Workers’ Industrial union, these demands are the issue of the year 1917, throughout the lumbering districts from northern Michigan to the Pacific coast. According to a bulletin board posted at the I.WW . . headquarters, the camps and number of men out, in the territory under jurisdiction of the local organization, are as follows: Humbird, 3 camps, 300 men; Bolin, 1 camp, 60 men; Dover, 2 camps, 140 men; White, 1 camp, 60 men; Sage, 1 camp, 30 men; Addie, 1 camp, 75 men; Lane, 3 camps, 90 men; Bonners Ferry, 4 camps, 500 men; Elk, 2 camps, 120 men; Spirit Lake, 250 men. In the lower Pend d’Oreille district, including St. Maries, 700 men are out. The demans of the strikers are in substance: 1. 8-hour day 2. Minimum wage of $60 per month with free board. 3. Wholesome food 4. Sanitary sleeping quarters. 5. Free hospital service. 6. $5 per day for river drivers. 7. Pay twice a month. 8. No discrimination against IWW 22 /
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By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff It’s a singular feeling watching the proceedings of the House Select Committee to Investigate the Jan. 6 Attack on the United States Capitol. After years of being gaslit and bullied, screamed over and bludgeoned with bald-faced lies, distortions and flagrant criminality, the committee is finally cutting through the mental miasma emitted by ex-President Donald Trump and his legions of braying MAGA-hatted asses. Anyone with the merest rational capacity could see from the beginning the rank odiousness of the Trump presidency and the filthy cult of personality he cultivated among the weakest-minded Americans. Anyone with even a passing grasp on reality could see that every word that came out of that man’s mouth was a lie; and, that anyone who believed him, in doing so committed daily offenses against basic intellectual and moral honesty. Yet, for years, rationality was stamped and spit on. People who opposed Trump, who pointed out the bare truth of his unfitness, unworthiness and the grievous damage he inflicted on the republic on an hourly basis, were made to feel crazy. The fabric of the truth itself can be counted among the most tragic casualties of the Trump era. It has been a period in which some of the most shameless liars, sycophants and opportunists in our entire history have weaponized the lazy arrogance of millions of fools and almost brought down the entire edifice. That’s what makes the Jan. 6 hearings so unique: They are a publicly performed affirmation of sanity. They are proof that the past six years have not only been as shameful as they seemed to people of good faith and firm reason, but actually worse. We were not crazy. We were never crazy. Trump and his supporters really were as
STR8TS Solution
grave an existential threat to the functioning of our society as they appeared — and they remain so. These have been historic hearings, not just in the sense that they are unprecedented, but they represent one of three times in our history when we’ve been asked in the clear light of day to define and defend the critical foundations of our system of government — the other two being the American Revolution and the Civil War. That is not hyperbole. Testifying before the committee June 16, retired federal Judge J. Michael Luttig said Trump’s attempts to overturn the 2020 election threatened to trigger a “revolution within a constitutional crisis,” which “would have been the first constitutional crisis since the founding of the republic.” Jan. 6 Committee Chair Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., in his opening statement June 21 said Trump’s schemes to cling to power despite a clear loss in 2020 represented an attempted “upending of American democracy.” Committee Vice-Chair Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., urged those watching the hearings to focus on the evidence: “Don’t be distracted by politics. This is serious. We cannot let America become a nation of conspiracy theories and thug violence.” The evidence, as it has been meticulously presented over the course of four two-hour hearings so far, underscores what any person with eyes to see and ears to hear has known all along: there was no widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election; the election was not “stolen” nor “rigged” at any level; the ex-president lied and flailed and fomented a deadly riot and insurrection against the United States government in its seat of power; that he and his supporters were and are a “clear and present danger” to the security of the nation, in Judge Luttig’s words. The “steal” was a lie then and it’s a lie
now. Yet the “big lie” persists. Even now, with all the evidence — most of it supplied by Trump’s own former lawyers and advisers, even his own family members — the ex-president’s knowing falsehoods are “corrupting our democratic institutions,” Rep. Thompson said on June 21. “People that believe that lie are now seeking positions of public trust.” While the Jan. 6 hearings have been a welcome statement of the truth in an era of noxious lies, it remains that the nation faces an even bigger threat in the parroting of Trump’s twisted rhetoric. If the individuals now running for office in November win on a platform that puts their oath to the public beneath their commitment to the lie of election fraud, “we won’t have close calls; we’ll have a catastrophe,” Thompson added. Speaking on Dec. 1, 2020, Georgia Secretary of State COO Gabriel Sterling said publicly, “It has all gone too far. All of it. … This is elections. This is the backbone of democracy, and all of you who have not said a damn word are complicit in this.” In case we’ve forgotten, that’s what the truth sounds like.
Crossword Solution
Sudoku Solution
If you go parachuting, and your parachute doesn’t open, and your friends are all watching you fall, I think a funny gag would be to pretend you were swimming.
Solution on page 22
Solution on page 22
jubilant
Woorf tdhe Week
By Bill Borders
/JOO-buh-luhnt/ [adjective] 1. showing great joy, satisfaction, or triumph; rejoicing; exultant.
“Becky tossed her graduation cap in the air with a jubilant cry to the heavens. She became the first member of her family to receive a college degree.” Corrections: Such emptiness...
Copyright www.mirroreyes.com
Laughing Matter
CROSSWORD ACROSS 1. Wed 6. Drama set to classical music 11. Manila hemp 12. Spin 15. Insult 16. Building wing 17. Possessed 18. Rolled oats 20. Central 21. Dry 23. Genuine 24. Documents 25. French for “End” 26. Formal dance 27. Sea eagle 28. Labels 29. 3 in Roman numerals 30. Doesn’t go 31. A social science 34. Suns 36. Hurried on foot 37. Suckling spot 41. Not difficult 42. Rodents 43. Notion 44. Wan 45. Distribute 46. Junkyard dogs 47. Employ 48. Splendor 51. Feline 52. Tacitly approved
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54. Spin 56. Intestinal 57. Angered 58. Perspiration 59. Distributes
DOWN 1. Protozoal infection 2. Tolerating 3. Label 4. Reflected sound 5. Information 6. Tough going 7. Foot lever 8. Wicked
9. Decay 10. Payment to an ex 13. Articulates 14. Stops 15. Rotating mechanism 16. Improved 19. Railroad 22. Illness 24. Forceful 26. Lives, in brief 27. And more 30. Transgressions 32. Weep 33. Couples
34. Time of the year 35. Natural abilities 38. Train 39. Oxygenates 40. Flavor 42. Refuse 44. Purple shade 45. Craze 48. Extra 49. Curtail 50. Bygone era 53. Morning moisture 55. Make lace
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