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(wo)MAN compiled by

Susan Drinkard

on the street

What fun activities are you doing this summer?

“We live on the lake in Sagle, so we spend a lot of time kayaking, and we play with the water toys with the kiddos; we have two young daughters.”

Brittany Beebe Stay-at-home mom Sagle

DEAR READERS, It’s Thursday, so dive on in to another issue of the Reader.

There are some fun events going on this weekend. Today (Thursday) is the Summer Sampler, where foodies can check out the latest creations by local chefs. Friday, there’s a beer festival at the 219 honoring veterans, live comedy at the Hive, a free concert at the Panida and tons of live music at our local venues in town. Don’t forget about the Radius Film Festival this Saturday at the Panida ­— a festival all about regional filmmakers. Speaking of the Panida, Ben Stein will be giving a special presentation at our historic theater next Wednesday. Check out page 21 for more information.

This week marks the second to last issue Cameron Rasmusson will be sitting editor. Zach Hagadone will take the editor’s chair starting July 5. Again, I want to thank Cameron for all the integrity he brought to this newspaper. We will miss you around the office on a daily basis, but have no fear, dear readers, Cameron’s byline will continue to grace the Reader on a regular basis.

-Ben Olson, Publisher

“We are doing a lot of mountain biking on the basin XC, which has recently been improved with new bridges and porta potties by volunteers from Pend Oreille Pedalers. We love Travers Park, spending time at Creations — if you have kids, it’s a great place to go — and we enjoy experiencing the farmers market when the bagel guy comes on Wednesdays.”

Mike McCoy Real estate for Keller Williams Sandpoint “We swim at City Beach and go camping at Farragut and Round Lake state parks. And we take a bike ride every night because we are close to the great bike trails around Sandpoint.”

Matt Williams Software engineer Sandpoint

“Camping and watching my brother play baseball. We will go to the waterpark at Silverwood. I also like to rollerskate on the sidewalks.”

Sienna Williams, going to 1st grade in the fall. Lives near Sandpoint “Bible camp and jumping on the trampoline with my sister with the sprinklers going.”

Aubrey Inge, age 5, Sagle

111 Cedar Street, Suite 9 Sandpoint, ID 83864 (208)265-9724

www.sandpointreader.com Publisher: Ben Olson ben@sandpointreader.com Editorial: Cameron Rasmusson cameron@sandpointreader.com Lyndsie Kiebert lyndsie@sandpointreader.com Zach Hagadone (emeritus) John Reuter (emeritus) Advertising: Jodi Berge Jodi@sandpointreader.com Contributing Artists: Ben Olson, Lyndsie Kiebert, Bill Borders, Jodi Rawson, Bonner County Historical Society.

Contributing Writers: Cameron Rasmusson, Ben Olson, Lyndsie Kiebert, David Phillips, Emily Erickson, Brenden Bobby, Cricket Windsong, Scott Taylor, Lorraine H. Marie, Mayor Shelby Rognstad, Charles Mortensen, Gary Buck, Ammi Mistokke, Tim Bearly, Jodi Rawson, Drake.

Submit stories to: stories@sandpointreader.com Printed weekly at: Griffin Publishing Spokane, Wash.

OPEN 11:30 am

GAME ROOM UPSTAIRS

Julee Miller Nanny Sandpoint “Lots of youth baseball and men’s softball and on our off time we go swimming at City Beach.”

READER

The Psounbality with Per FRESH FOOD LIVE MUSIC THE BEST NW BREWS

Subscription Price: $95 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 400 words –Letters may not contain excessive profanity or libelous material. Please elevate the discussion.

Letters will be edited to comply with the above requirements. Opinions expressed in these pages are those of the writers, not necessarily the publishers.

Email letters to: letters@sandpointreader.com

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Check us out on the web at: www.sandpointreader.com Like us on Facebook.

A SandPint Tradition Since 1994 June 27, 2019 /

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NEWS

ICL report details Idaho wastewater plant crisis

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff

Sandpoint was among 87 Idaho communities to receive a failing grade in an Idaho Conservation League report analyzing the health of the state’s wastewater treatment systems.

According to the report, Sandpoint’s treatment facility reported 20 violations of its wastewater discharge permit. The violations indicate instances in which levels of bacteria, chemicals, toxic metals or other contaminants exceeded the standards allowed by its Environmental Protection Agency discharge permit.

“Sewage plants are required to meet EPA’s water quality standards before discharging into Idaho waters,” said Austin Walk-

ins, ICL’s senior conservation associate. “But when nearly eight out of every 10 fail to meet these standards, that means that the water we, our families, our pets and Idaho’s wildlife drink, swim and recreate in may seriously harm or endanger health.”

While Sandpoint received a failing grade, its infractions don’t hold a candle to the worst offenders in the state. According to the ICL report, Inkom topped the list at 161 violations. Hagerman followed with 133 violations.

Driggs had 116 violations, Wilder had 95, Plummer had 74, Genesee had 71, Nezperce had 59, Kendrick had 50, Council had 48 and Worley had 45. Those 10 offenders accounted for nearly half the violations in the state, with the top three located in southern

Idaho.

“Idahoans feel very strongly about their right to clean water for drinking, fishing and swimming,” the report reads. “Municipal wastewater treatment plants are really the front line for protecting water quality and human health. ... Yet, just 24% of the sewage treatment plants reviewed for this report are operating without violating their pollution discharge limits.”

By contrast, only 27 Idaho facilities reported no violations.

Passing communities in North Idaho include Bonners Ferry, Post Falls, the Kootenai-Ponderay Sewer District and Dover.

“Achieving 100% compliance with one’s NPDES permit is not an accident,” the report reads.

“These communities deserve

Council approves rezoning request

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff Sandpoint City Council approved a request last week to rezone part of a property near Sandpoint Airport from Industrial Technical Park to Residential Single Family.

The decision was a compromise in an ongoing debate over property development near the airport. Those who support residential development argue the town is sorely in need of more affordable housing but has few properties suitable for development. Others worry that development near the airport presents safety risks and may eventually lead to conflict with state and federal regulations.

Council members ultimately approved about four acres for rezoning of the eight-and-a-halfacre property on Mountain View Drive and Boyer Avenue. The rezoned portion falls outside of the airport’s Lateral Safety Zone, a restricted area due to its proximity to the runway.

The decision is a concrete decision by the city after months of debate surrounding several rezoning requests near the airport.

“We do have a comp plan goal that directs us to ensure that land 4 /

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use around the airport is compatible,” said Aaron Qualls, Sandpoint city planner, told council members at the meeting. “What that means is a little bit of a struggle at times.”

Both sides had their say in a comment period prior to council deliberation. Marty Taylor, a land use planner for J.A. Sewell and Associates representing the applicant, said the zoning request was in line with existing city code.

That is the basis by which council members should judge the request, he said.

“I find it extremely problematic that there is information being submitted from the Idaho Transportation Department, from the Idaho Air Land Use Guidelines, none of which is applicable,” he told council members. “This project is governed by Sandpoint City Code.”

“It is not appropriate to use tomorrow’s standards for today’s projects,” he added.

Dave Schuck, Sandpoint Airport manager, opposed the rezoning request, citing potential safety issues. He noted that the Lateral Safety Zone wasn’t a direct dividing line that separated local residents from the noise and dangers of an airport. Rather, it denoted a general area where

those factors might be a concern.

“We believe (Industrial Technical Park) is the correct zoning for this parcel,” he said.

Council members walked a delicate line in keeping public safety a top priority while also recognizing that Sandpoint badly needed additional residential development. The compromise a majority voted upon was to allow the rezoning on just over half the property outside the Lateral Safety Zone. While Qualls said it was an uncommon approach to zoning, it was a valid option for the council.

“I’m trying to take a holistic view of this whole thing and recognize that there’s health and safety issues here, there’s areas of the property that could be amenable to single family, and come up with some kind of compromise,” said City Council President Shannon Williamson.

After the vote, Taylor said he believed the compromise should be workable for everyone involved.

“I think we can work with roughly four acres and some change,” he told council members. “We’ll keep the west half for light industry, and that’ll help out the airport board and Dave’s concerns.”

praise for prioritizing clean water.”

The city of Sandpoint already has a plan to address its wastewater issues.

With the existing wastewater treatment plant strained by age and increased capacity demands, Sandpoint City Council members approved a plan to expand it over the coming years. The upgrades will dramatically expand capacity and meet the EPA’s latest purity standards.

Map courtesy Idaho Conservation League

Altered Idaho code republished

By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff Idaho Governor Brad Little is all about keeping it simple.

He’s made it his mission to wield scissors to bureaucratic red tape, and when faced with reviewing all 8,200 pages of Idaho Administrative Code, he and his team “cut or simplified” 40 percent of the state’s regulations, according to a statement from Little last week.

At the end of each legislative session, Idaho lawmakers sign what’s commonly referred to as the “going home” bill, keeping Idaho’s rules in effect through the following year. That is, until the 2019 session, when a disagreement between the legislative bodies left the bill unsigned, leaving it to the governor’s office to make sure all code didn’t expire July 1.

Little and his team, along with all of the state’s rulemaking agencies, then had the chance to comb through the code themselves, something the governor said “was not something I asked for and didn’t necessarily want at first.”

Now, however, the governor sees it as an opportunity to transform Idaho code “into a set of rules that are easier for Idahoans to understand and navigate.”

Little’s office “allowed rules that were obsolete, unnecessary, or unenforceable to expire.” One such rule, which Little said exemplified the “silliness that made its way into our laws over time,” stated that the state’s deputy veterinarian “must be attired in neat, clean and correct clothing” and “at all times have proper behavior, be alert, animated, agreeable and have pleasant manners.”

“I am sure our state deputy veterinarian will be glad to know he won’t be breaking the law from now on if he comes to work with an untucked shirt!” Little wrote in a statement June 19 outlining just how he and his team went about cutting nearly 900 pages of regulations.

To review the proposed compilation of more succinct rules, visit adminrules.idaho.gov and look under the “Bulletin” tab for the document published June 19.

Each section gives guidelines and deadlines for public comment depending on the department to which those rules pertain.

“It is really that simple to make a difference,” said Rep. Heather Scott, R-Blanchard, in a call-to-action email Monday. “Complaining and getting angry with government will not fix government; only involvement and civil communication will.”

NEWS

Wrenco dump closure stirs resident concern

By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff When the Board of County Commissioners voted June 11 to close the Wrenco solid waste refusal site, they noted the county would be taking suggestions for a new site in that general area.

Still, without the promise of an alternative and with a general sense they’d been left out of the conversation, many residents are speaking up.

Randy Daniels of Wrenco Loop read about the dump site’s impending closure after the fact in a news article and said he immediately sprang into action. Word spread throughout the neighborhood and several Wrenco-area residents resolved to attend the regularly scheduled Solid Waste Advisory Committee meeting Monday. Daniels said the meeting drew a packed audience, the bulk of whom wondered why they hadn’t been warned that their dump was under consideration at a prior committee meeting for closure. With the shutdown of the Laclede site in 2016, Wrenco is considered the dumping locale for a large span of residences along Highway 2 west of Sandpoint.

“I would have put a notice out

on the dumpsters that said they were having this advisory committee meeting considering whether they were going to close Wrenco and get some public input,” Daniels said, emphasizing the impressive response seen at the Monday meeting after having only had a couple days to clue his neighbors into the issue. “There would have been a lot of public interest in it.”

Solid Waste Director Bob Howard described the site, which is unattended, as a “nuisance,” and said it needs cleaned up on a consistent basis due to careless and unlawful dumping. He said that without counting the planned expense of having Waste Management haul the site’s garbage, additional care and maintenance of the site costs $12,000 annually.

The closure reflects a larger desire to move away from unattended sites across the county. The hope is that manning a new site would mitigate the misuse that results in that extra spending.

In an analysis of the Wrenco site as part of the recently released 10-year improvement plan, Great West — a company the county contracted to create a long-term strategy for Solid Waste — acknowledges “the site occasionally

becomes dirty and requires maintenance.” Under the portion titled “Proposed Improvements” the plan reads “Closure or relocation of the site is in question.”

After a recommendation from the Solid Waste Advisory Committee, Howard brought the closures of both the 11 Mile and Wrenco dump sites before the BOCC June 11. Though they voted unanimously to permanently close the problematic 11 Mile site — which had been temporarily closed due to safety issues since the start of the year — commissioners split on the Wrenco issue: Commissioners Dan McDonald and Steven Bradshaw voted in favor of the closure, while Commissioner Jeff Connolly dissented, citing lack of public involvement.

McDonald insisted during that meeting that several residents had complained about the site’s misuse, and that Selkirk Fire officials had “recommended closure.”

In a letter to Howard dated May 23, 2017, Selkirk Fire Assistant Chief Dale Hopkins shared “some issues in relation to the

Strong Creek Bridge to remain closed through mid-July

By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff The Strong Creek Bridge in Hope will remain inaccessible to cars over the upcoming holiday, as crews work to completely replace the nearly century-old structure.

Original estimates of a completion date for the project set aim at the Fourth of July.

Idaho Transportation Department spokesperson Megan Sausser said crews just finished pouring the concrete bridge deck Tuesday, and that it will take a minimum of 10 days to cure. She said she doesn’t anticipate the bridge being open to vehicular traffic for another two or three weeks.

“We are aiming to get one lane open as soon as possible before opening to two lanes,” she said, though noted only the walking bridge will be open over the

The Wrenco solid waste site. Photo courtesy Bonner County. dumpsters on Wrenco loop” presented in a seven-bullet list. Some of the issues included dumpster looting, disposal of appliances and other items not accepted at the site, inappropriate disposal of hazardous waste and other safety issues. The fire department owns the property where the dump site is located.

“We understand this site is valued by the local residents,” the letter concludes. “The Fire Department does not desire to be blamed for removal of the dumpsters, but unfortunately the site is being abused to the point something different should be considered for the local collection of trash.”

Something different might be in the works, according to Howard. He said the county currently

has a couple prospects for a new dump in the same general location as the Wrenco site, though nothing is solidified. Ultimately, he said he only needs an acre in order to fence and place an attendant at a kitchen-only site, but part of the challenge lies in the fact that people rarely want to live next to a dump site.

For now, based on concerns from citizens like Daniels, closing the Wrenco site might be postponed until another trash refusal option is secured for those between Sandpoint and Laclede. Though the closure date was originally set for July 31, McDonald said Tuesday that there is “a very good possibility” that the site may remain open until the county secures a new dump location for the area.

Sam Owen Fire District bans fireworks

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

The Strong Creek Bridge under construction Wednesday. Photo by Lyndsie Kiebert.

Fourth of July holiday.

The Strong Creek Bridge, built in 1924 and last seriously improved in 1974, is located on the Idaho Highway 200 business route through Hope near the post office.

Once completed, the new structure will feature a concrete sidewalk —

rather than the original wood one — and accessible ramps.

The project was slated to begin in February, but was postponed to March due to heavy snow.

For more information and updates on the project, visit www. itdprojects.org.

The Sam Owen Fire District Board of Commissioners declared a state of severe fire danger to exist in the district last week.

The declaration stemmed from “potential uncontrollable forest fire and wildfire potential from current low humidity and potential high temperatures,” according to a statement.

As a result, the board unanimously passed a resolution stating, “It shall be unlawful for any person to use any fireworks as defined

by Idaho Code ... within the Sam

Owen Fire District from June 15, 2019 until November 1, 2019.”

Violation of this resolution will result in an infraction, the board wrote.

The Sam Owen Fire District covers approximately 7,000 acres, providing fire protection to residents located between mile marker 41 and mile marker 53 along Highway 200 east of Sandpoint.

“The Board of Commissioners of the Sam Owen Fire District and Co-Fire Chiefs are asking for everyone’s cooperation to ensure a safe and forest fire-free Fourth of July and summer season of 2019.”

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COMMUNITY

Lions Club honoring volunteers with annual parade

By Ben Olson Reader Staff Bouquets: • There are so many wonderful people who donate to the Reader.

I try not to dwell too much on this topic, since it can come across as me fishing for donations. But I have to thank all of you who donate to our Patreon account, to our PayPal account and to all of those who stop by our office and drop off a check to support the Reader. We honestly couldn’t make it without you, folks, and for that I am eternally grateful.

• Every time I hike around Round Lake, I am thankful for the wooden bridges that were built on the swampy side of the trail. Before these bridges, we used to have to slog through ankle-deep water and navigate fallen logs. Now, it’s a breeze. The bridges were installed as a Boys Scouts of America Eagle Scout Service Project by Troop #104 in 2015 and 2016. A number of local businesses also donated lumber and materials to help make this happen. Thanks again from just one hiker of many • Dave Scherbarth at MickDuff’s is one of those guys everybody likes. I was bummed to hear that Dave is planning to move out of Sandpoint this week to be closer to family in Kansas City. We’re going to miss you, Dave, but we wish you luck in KC. Thanks for all the great beer!

Barbs • Bullies have been around forever, and they probably won’t go away (some have even achieved the highest office in the country).

It’s important to stand up to them from time to time — otherwise they’ll think they can get away with treating people like garbage.

When standing up to a bully, make sure you speak in a calm, safe manner. Do not escalate the situation, but make your position known that you will not tolerate being treated that way. Like trolls, bullies seem to be happiest when they get your goat, so don’t give it to them. Hold your head high and live a life of honor and respect instead of being just another one of those jerks.

Trust me, life is better that way.

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If you like the festivities surrounding the Fourth of July, thank the Sandpoint Lions Club. For more than a half century, this local philanthropic organization has made it their mission to help those in need, as well as helping our community celebrate our nation’s independence with a parade and fireworks show.

This year, the Lions say the fireworks show will be one for the record books.

“We had phenomenal feedback from last year, saying it was the best fireworks show they’d ever seen,” said Janice Rader, Sandpoint Lions Club vice president and head of publicity. “We increased our budget this year, so it should be a really amazing show.”

The annual fireworks show at Sandpoint City Beach is funded each year by the Sandpoint Lions Club raffle. Usually, the raffle is for an ATV or side-by-side, but

this year they’re changing things up and raffling off a 2019 Seadoo worth over $7,000 with a trailer.

Tickets will be on sale Mondays at Yokes, Tuesdays at Co-Op, Wednesdays at Walmart, Thursdays at Super 1, Fridays at Yokes, Saturdays at Walmart and Sunday at the Hoot Owl. Volunteers are usually selling from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

They will also be selling tickets during the Independence Day Parade, and later on the Fourth at Sandpoint City Beach, with winning tickets drawn right before the fireworks.

The second place prize will win $2,000 in Bonner County bucks, while third place takes home a cool $1,000 in cash.

The Fourth of July will kick off with a Kids’ Parade at 9 a.m. in downtown Sandpoint, followed by the Grand Parade at 10 a.m. Those running floats in the parade will register and pick up their number in the Bizarre Bazaar parking lot at Fifth Avenue and Church Street.

Applications are available by

emailing sandpointlions@gmail. com.

Radar said the Lions chose the theme “Volunteering in Bonner County” to honor all of the wonderful men and women who give back to their community.

“Without all of our volunteers, we wouldn’t have a Lions Club,” Rader said. “It’s such an important part of giving back to our community.”

Grand marshals will be three women who have given outstanding volunteer service in Bonner County: Marsella Nelson, Joyce

STEM in the Park

By Reader Staff Join Sandpoint Library and Parks and Recreation for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) in the Park on July 10 and 24 from 12-1 p.m. at the Sandpoint City Beach. Partic-

ipants are asked to bring a lunch and come do science and building projects. This program is geared towards youth in grades First through Fifth, but all are welcome, and it’s 100% free.

For more information, call Suzanne at East Bonner Library -

Youth Services at (208) 263-6930 or Sandpoint Parks and Recreation at (208) 263-3613. Visit Sandpointidaho.gov/ parksrecreation to learn about more programs.

Accepting Applications for Kids Day at Farmers’ Market

By Reader Staff Got entrepreneurial-minded kiddos? Kids Day is a unique opportunity for kids to sell their handmade wares at Sandpoint Farmers’ Market on Aug. 17. Find the (super easy) application on our website sandpointfarmersmarket.

com.

Also, the Market will celebrate their 31st anniversary on August 13! We’ll be joined by magician Star Alexander, face painters from Creations for Sandpoint Inc., Belly Dancers, musical guests Muffy and the Riff Hangers, and a crafting station for kiddos.

This year’s raffle grand prize: a 2019 Seadoo jetski worth over $7,000.

Courtesy photo.

Spiller and Cindy Chenault.

The parade will be followed by fireworks at dusk at the Sandpoint City Beach.

To learn more about the Sandpoint Lions Club and all of their great philanthropic events, including Toys for Tots, hearing and vision screening for local schoolchildren, diabetes prevention and more, check out the Sandpoint Lions Club at www.SandpointLions.com.

PERSPECTIVES

WEIRD NEWS

Engage Sandpoint: One year later

By David Phillips Reader Contributor About a year ago, I wrote in the Reader about the new Engage Sandpoint service and my initial impressions. Those impressions were generally positive, as it seemed city administrative personnel were actually reading the submitted issues and getting things resolved. I also wrote that the challenge going forward would be to continue authentic engagement and thus keep the public interested in the service.

(While I believe there are several opportunities to improve the seeclickfix. com application itself, my focus here is about how the city is using the application. I will point out, however, there is a limitation in the application when it comes to viewing archived items, which made referring to specific examples in this piece infeasible.)

I think that if I were to have given the city a grade for the launch and initial response, that grade would’ve been a B+ or even an A-, as in “very good” to “exceptional.” After a year of using Engage Sandpoint and observing the city’s ongoing responses, I’d have to go with a C or C+, as in “adequate but in danger of failing.” Granted, issues are still getting resolved, but I’m referring to the general pattern of response and its implications for future public engagement.

Most service patterns are driven by some sort of management directive. The problem is that, much like our “interesting” block of Pine Street between 4th and 5th, the downstream effects of a directive aren’t always foreseen.

A side trip here: A while ago I was director of engineering at a software company in Seattle. Our teams (design, engineering, QA) were really struggling with delivering projects on time. Those of us on the ground felt the problem was a combination of unrealistic scope and duration, but upper management felt it was a motivation problem.

Their solution was to launch an employee bonus program tied to projects getting

delivered on time. The bonus program proved highly effective in that projects were suddenly getting finished by their deadlines. The “completed” projects, however, while they contained the full scope of features required, were buggy and failed constantly.

In systems-speak, “the employees had optimized their effort to maximize their bonuses.”

I bring the story up because, “Your request has been closed. Thank you for using Engage Sandpoint,” is, in my opinion, getting stamped on issues all too frequently without any resolution being provided. When people take the time to report an issue, I think it’s fair to say they have an expectation to be informed as to how the city addresses their issue. In the technology sphere, closing an issue in a tracking system without providing a resolution is simply not allowed, period.

I suspect someone in the city administration determined that a perpetually nearly empty “open” queue was a good indicator of success. It’s a legitimate metric, true, but if that closure leaves the public in the dark about what was actually done — or worse, if the closure was stamped without any actual resolution just to clear the issue out of the queue, that action is defeating the fundamental purpose of the service, which is, really, collaboration and communication between the city and the citizenry.

On other issues (for example, the garage sale signs at Cedar and Boyer), the issue was reported a year ago, closed prematurely, then re-opened, then closed again with a vague statement about the city finding a good solution. A year on, the issue hasn’t been resolved (only “closed”) and the city has been mum about any action. Some current issues, like the abandoned furniture between Church and Oak (https://seeclickfix.com/ issues/6009446), are getting re-opened because the solution the city described doesn’t appear to have been implemented.

Keeping an issue open while several status updates are provided by the city until the issue is addressed and resolved,

then closing the issue, is a far more logical and productive methodology.

Finally, if the city is honestly interested in their citizens staying engaged with this service, I think some form of moderator is going to be needed at some point to keep the conversations civil and constructive. The trolling “go back to where you came from if you don’t like it” response to an issue is hardly helpful, and for a lot of people, a comment like that will mean they won’t ever report an issue again.

While the trolls will be perfectly happy with that result, to have reporting drop off or even stop, I can’t imagine the city is of the same opinion.

Engage Sandpoint is a powerful tool, and we’ve seen some positive results since its launch. I think there’s a lot more good that can come from keeping this tool useful and relevant. It’s worth the effort for the city to truly engage with its citizens and keep us informed.

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

BULLDOG SWALLOWS 19 BABY PACIFIERS Ever wonder where all those pacifiers go around the house?

One Boston family found out when they brought their family bulldog into the vet after he stopped eating.

The vet clinic found 19 baby pacifiers in the dog’s stomach.

The owners of Mortimer, as he is called, noticed the 3-year-old bulldog started getting nauseous before meals. His vet prescribed him medication to help with this problem, but it persisted until, at a subsequent visit, the vet conducted an x-ray and discovered the pacifiers.

The objects were removed without requiring surgery and ol’ Mortimer is doing just fine.

David Phillips is a technology consultant/photographer/filmmaker who arrived in Sandpoint from Colorado by way of Seattle and points further west.

Laughing Matter

By Bill Borders

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Appalled at Goose Plan...

Dear Editor, I am appalled by what I have heard and read about the removal and eventual killing of the Canada geese at City Beach because of the droppings they leave behind. Of course goose droppings are unpleasant, but there are many other methods of discouraging them then killing them. The mayor and city council have barely scratched the surface.

Besides, this is NOT who we are.

We all live here because we love the natural world. You know the world that sustains all life? This is the town that, during the Festival, foregos the fireworks because the ospreys have young in the nest at Memorial Field.

The people here respect wildlife and no one has ever come down with any sickness because of goose droppings. I have never heard any friend or neighbor even mention it. This is a ridiculous idea and a great scare tactic to use by the council as another excuse to take these drastic measures.

As far as relocating, it’s nice for the council and the mayor to tell everyone that they are just “giving them a new home” when many won’t likely survive the trip, especially the goslings. Also Canada geese return to the same nesting grounds year after year, and as this so-called new home is not their territory, they WILL come back. And then they will kill them.

How dare they decide to take this totally inappropriate and extreme action for the community when they didn’t give anyone a chance to even vote on it? The fact that the council is not very communicative about the full plan of euthanizing, i.e. killing, the geese when they come back is very revealing indeed.

Even if they do kill them all, more will eventually return as geese have been coming here for hundreds of years, way before we came on the scene, and they belong here.

We all know what this is about: kowtowing to tourists and resort companies like the Marriot, which is rumored to be building another (I am sure huge) hotel where Trinity Restaurant now stands. Just as they allow people like my next-door neighbor to build three houses on a lot hard pressed to support two. More tax money for the town, more money from the tourists. Sandpoint is losing its soul to money. What are we turning into?

Cynthia LC Wood Yvonne Deering Sandpoint

Jazz...

Dear Editor, This July will mark the 5th anniversary of the killing of a mentally disturbed woman by Sandpoint city 8 /

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police. Jeanetta Marie Riley was a 100-pound pregnant Native American woman who was shot to death outside the Bonner General Hospital July 8, 2014. About three bullets hit the hospital behind Jeanetta who was armed with only a small steak knife.

This killing by the police was totally unnecessary and reckless and caused the murder of Jeanetta’s unborn child.

We’ve all heard about the 21-foot rule. After viewing the video of the shooting on YouTube (Jeannette Riley killed by Police 1), it is clear that it was the police officers who were closing the 21-foot distance much more so than Mrs. Riley. Also, the video clearly shows the officers did absolutely nothing to try and de-escalate the situation.

It was these officers who actually escalated the situation by yelling at and aggressively approaching Riley.

Sandpoint police could learn a lot from a YouTube video (UK cops disarm man wielding a machete) showing the disarming of a large, 200-pluspound machete-wielding man by police in London, England.

I would like the Sandpoint Police Department to know that a friend of mine (who was a medic in Vietnam) and two of his coworkers would routinely disarm angry MEN with knives in a Seattle hospital’s battered women’s ward where my friend worked as a nurse. They never used lethal force to disarm them.

Lee Santa Sandpoint

Roundabout Sculpture...

Dear Editor, Regarding your article this week on the new Schweitzer Sculpture and Roundabout — what a complete and utter waste of money at $110,000 in total. Money that could have been used to aid the homeless, abused, orphaned, malnourished — you name it — people of Sandpoint and outlying areas. Shame on you all for giving this amount of money to a needless and worthless cause (no disrespect to the sculpture or creater).

Martelle Holland Sandpoint

Sandpoint Gas Prices...

Dear Editor, As of Tuesday, June 25, the price of a gallon of gas in Coeur d’Alene is $2.55, Spokane is $2.64, Bonners Ferry $2.77, and Sandpoint is still over $3 a gallon, according to gasbuddyidaho.com. In April and May of this year, I had to travel to Spokane daily for nine weeks for medical treatments, and became painfully aware of the noticeable price differential. In early May, I watched the price of gas in Post Falls drop below $3 a gallon, while in Sandpoint, it increased to

COMMUNITY

BGH receives $132k to fund Ear, Nose and Throat Clinic Bonner General Health Foundation Board members presented Bonner General Health a check for $132,000.00 to fund equipment for Bonner General Health’s new Ear, Nose and Throat clinic that opened in February 2019.

The funds were raised at the Foundation’s 11th Annual Heart Ball held on Saturday, February 16. For more information about Bonner General Ear, Nose and Throat and the BGH Foundation, go to BonnerGeneral.org.

Pictured from left to right: Margi Gunter, Carol Davis, Dr. Susan Anderson, Grant Simmons, Amanda Drake, Justin Dick, Brittany Thomas, Valerie Dressel, Chris Chambers, Allen McClelland, Georgia Simmons, Matt Mire and Debbie Heiser.

Junior tennis programs offered

By Reader Staff There’s a lot of tennis fun going on right now in Sandpoint.

Registration for 2019 Youth Tennis has begun. Visit Sandpoint Parks and Recreation to register (partial scholarships are available).

Each age group listed below has multiple sessions offered.

Tennis for Tiny Tots (ages 4-5) will utilize special training techniques and toys to keep your tots smiling and having fun. Lessons will be held at Lakeview Park Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8-8:45 a.m. The class fee is $15 $3.18. Throughout May, gas steadily decreased in Coeur d’Alene, Post Falls and even in Spokane, while remaining high in Sandpoint. Needless to say, during those weeks of commuting, I made it a point to always fill up in Coeur d’Alene or Post Falls.

How many 7B license plates does one see filling up at The Coeur d’Alene Costco? What will it take for Sandpoint residents to get a fair shake at the gas pumps here? Next time you get gas in Sandpoint, ask the manager.

Bob Camp Sandpoint

Got something to say? Write a letter to the editor. We accept letters under 400 words that are free from libel or profanity.

Please elevate the conversation. Send to letters@sandpointreader.com

($2 city resident discount).

Tennis for Hot Hitters (ages 6-7) will employ training with age appropriate techniques, toys and a healthy dose of fun. Lessons held at Lakeview Park, Mon. and Thurs. from 9-10 a.m. Fee is $26 ($3 city discount).

Tennis for Beginner Youth (ages 8-12) will introduce beginner players to sound tennis fundamentals. Sessions held at Lakeview Park Mon. and Thurs. from 10-11 a.m. Fee is $26 ($3 city discount).

Tennis for Intermediate Youth (ages 8-12) will teach fundamentals, strategy and play to intermediate players. Beginning lessons or play experience is required.

Sessions held at Lakeview Park Mon. and Thurs. from 11 a.m.-12 p.m. Fee is $26 ($3 city discount).

Tennis Teen Skill Develop-

ment (for Middle and High School JV players) will build upon basic fundamentals to improve players games and help them take it to the next level. Players will work on stroke refinement, movement on the court and strategy. Sessions at Lakeview Park Mon. and Thurs. from 12-1 p.m. Fee is $26 ($3 city discount).

Tennis Teen Intensive Skill Development (for High School Varsity) is for players with previous play experience. These sessions will feature intensive work on stroke refinement, movement and strategy for what it takes to be a varsity level play. Sessions Mon. and Thurs. from 12-1 p.m. Fee $26 ($3 city discount).

Visit the Sandpoint Parks and Recreation website for detailed session information.

North Branch Gold Trail 111 closed for repairs

By Reader Staff The North Branch Gold Trail 111, located on the Sandpoint Ranger District, in the Lakeview area on the south side of Lake Pend Oreille, will be temporarily closed to protect public health and safety as this well-used trail is improved and repaired. The trail closure is expected to be in effect for up to four weeks as crews work to replace bridges, repair the trail surface, and improve trail drainage features.

Forest Service employees from the Sandpoint and Bonners Ferry

Ranger Districts, volunteers, the Idaho Conservation Corps and the Youth Conservation Corps will be assisting with the work. The Sandpoint Ranger District recognizes that this is a popular trail and will try to expedite the work so the trail can be open for use by the end of July. While the entire length of Trail 111 will be closed during the reconstruction project, there will still be access to Dixie Queen Trail 677. For additional information or questions about this project, please contact the Sandpoint Ranger Station at (208) 263-5111.

PERSPECTIVES

Emily Articulated

A column by and about Millennials

Trolls

By Emily Erickson Reader Columnist

I ran my fingers through her bubblegum hair and across her cold, tan skin, thumbing the jewel that rested where her belly button should be. She had round, bright eyes, a smile that stretched across the entirety of her face, and she wore green swim trunks that fell just above her ankles. Her name was Ellie, and she was my perfect, prized troll doll.

Trolls, like Ellie, have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember, with each of their iterations having particular significance in the various stages of my growing up.

Ellie was around for my imaginative play years, when games didn’t have pre-planned scripts or need to be downloaded. We’d visit the worlds that existed between the peeling yellow wallpaper and the fluffy shag carpet of my bedroom, using the Tonka truck we’d borrowed from my brother to collect the hair clips we’d steal from my sister.

But more than any other game Ellie and I would play, we loved to invent stories; ones that oozed with unexpected twists and turns, and numerous characters containing all of the depth a 5-year-old mind could muster. She was my confidant and my partner in crime, and helped me learn the joy of living with imagination.

The next troll to enter my life was one from a storybook, and was critical in my “becoming” years.

I found the book when I was

Emily Erickson. helping my grandpa clean out the drawers in his living room cabinet below a sign that read, “I’m not stubborn, I’m just Norwegian.” It had fake gold lettering and was bound with ribbon, titled “Three Billy Goats Gruff.” It read, “translated to English” on the cover and went something like this: This troll was repugnant, living under the bridge that connected two grazing pastures, looming over an expansive and powerful river. On one side of the bridge resided the Gruffs, a family of three goat brothers, who were a few years apart in age.

Much to the Gruffs’ despair, the side of the bridge on which they lived was far from being the grass-filled field it once had been, and they were growing hungrier by the day. They knew they had to cross the bridge to get to the grassy meadow on the other side to survive, but the troll that lived there was notorious for eating anything that tried.

So they fashioned a plan. The youngest brother, who was the smallest goat, went first over the bridge. As he approached, the troll lunged, ready to attack. But before he could, the little goat

yelled, “WAIT! I’m the smallest of my brothers, the next goat to pass will be even bigger than me and you must be hungry.” So the troll, in his greed, let the smallest brother pass.

The middle brother crossed next and was confronted by the troll. But before he was eaten, he yelled, “WAIT! I’m just a medium-sized goat, my brother is bigger and will make a far more satisfying meal than me.” So the greedy troll let him pass as well.

Finally, the third and biggest brother entered the bridge, and he too, was confronted by the troll. When the troll exclaimed, “I’ll gobble you up!” the third brother lowered his great horned head and knocked the troll into the river below, watching as the greedy troll bobbed out of view.

The Three Billy Goats Gruff lived happily ever after in their grassy meadow, never to be bothered by the terrible troll again.

I carried this story with me through my formative years, understanding (in addition to the toxicity of greed) that sacrificing present opportunities at the promise of future ones can be slippery, and that nobody, even the biggest, strongest, and most formidable among us are promised tomorrows.

The final troll to enter my life has been a collective one, emerging in the last two years.

Since I’ve become a writer, I’ve encountered internet trolls, or people that negatively comment or reply to the things I create without any semblance of constructiveness, but rather, as crafted jabs at my character.

Initially, these trolls loomed as large on my confidence as the troll that lived under the bridge, keeping me from even attempt-

ing to reach the meadow on the other side. But, after living with them for a while longer, I’ve realized, like the Gruffs, that these trolls aren’t as impenetrable as they seem. I’ve learned that internet trolls don’t actually care about me at all, but instead seek opportunities to stir emotions in

themselves by stirring emotions in others.

And it’s one of my many privileges in having a public voice that I get to be trolled at all. So, if you need me, I’ll just be over the bridge eating my fill of grass.

Retroactive

By BO

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Mad about Science:

Brought to you by:

the Lord of the rings

By Brenden Bobby Reader Columnist You know, I’ve always thought Ben did a great job in naming this article.

Mad About Science sounds a lot better than Brenden Writes Bad Book Reports.

Full disclaimer to the students of 7B: before you plagiarize this article, make sure your teacher doesn’t have a copy of the Reader on their desk!

You wouldn’t think of science when you think of “The Lord of the Rings,” with its magic and orcs and Gimli-tossing. But there are actually some neat scientific fields that were either inspired by or forecasted by J.R.R. Tolkien decades before they would ever become a thing.

First and foremost, one could argue that “The Lord of the Rings” has one major theme at its heart: conservationism. I mean, the trees literally get up and start whoopin’ orc booty when Saruman oversteps and starts to tear down the forests. Tolkien was notoriously anti-industrialist, especially later in life, and with good reason. He was a veteran of World War I. He witnessed first hand the carnage wrought by technology humans didn’t understand how to control. He lived through World War II, humankind’s tragic mulligan at trying to harness absolute destruction with mechanical efficiency.

While I would argue that his hatred for industrialization was somewhat misplaced, it’s easy to see his point. Indus10 /

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trialization has gotten us into the quagmire we’re in now, and now we’re not sure we can return the world to a Shire-like state in time before everything looks like Mordor.

At the same time, it wasn’t just a 900-page ragetweet at industrialization. It was also commentary on human ambition and power. The One Ring symbolizes power: no matter what your intentions are, be they noble or selfish, an end will always have a means. And the means will tear away what makes us human. The characters that survived relatively unscathed were those that rejected the notion of trading any part of themselves for power.

How is that relevant to us?

How much of yourself do you sacrifice when trying to raise your ‘gram followers over that magical 1M? Is it really you posting those glam selfies, or just the person you know people want to see?

Religion was also a major theme of the book series, and it’s something I don’t often touch on in Mad About Science/Brenden Writes Bad Book Reports. Science and religion have had a notoriously difficult time finding common ground (thanks, Galileo! Seriously, read about his story at the library). It’s also something that I feel is a very personal thing to each individual person. After being told I’m going to hell after so many times, you have to forgive me if I just stop talking about it in public.

That said, “The Lord of the Rings” touches on it masterfully, personally and almost

ethereally.

The genius about how Tolkien portrayed his belief and his faith was that he didn’t cram it down your throat. He gave you examples, he showed you how characters would betray those examples and what would happen to them when they did, but he never forced it upon you.

There was an ironic twist to this approach. It inspired C.S. Lewis to write “The Chronicles of Narnia,” which Tolkien later chastised for being too forceful and direct with its symbolism.

Dude… Bro… Tolkien has also been scrutinized in a way similar to other authors of the 20th century. Some would argue that “The Lord of the Rings” has racist elements in it; humans are good and orcs are bad, for example. I don’t believe this.

I see it as a conflict of two natures that coexist in humanity: flawed but ultimately good people trying to survive versus a force intent on destroy everything in its way. The Nazgul weren’t a race — they were men that gave up their humanity and became destroyers of everything. Well, except for Nazgullio, who recorded the smash hits “Dark Lord’s Paradise” and “Baggins, Shire.”

As Tolkien was a veteran of one of the most destructive and senseless wars in the history of mankind, it’s understandable that he might have a perspective we don’t have; not on race, but on what makes people do terrible things for reasons that aren’t their own.

In some ways, you could argue that “The Lord of the

Rings” was allegorical to World War I and World War II as a whole.

Actually, that’s an interpretation some have made and Tolkien refuted. But that’s the beauty of the story.

There is no real wrong or right answer, it’s all about what

you want to believe.

Aw, man. I ran out of words before I could talk about “The Fellowship of the Ring,” better known as “400 Pages of Tom Bombadil’s House”.

You know where you can check the books out. See you in the Shire.

Random Corner Don’t know much about food?

• Ounce by ounce, nutritious food costs up to 10 times more than junk food.

• Chicken contains 266% more fat than it did 40 years ago.

• There is a food substitute intended to supply all daily nutritional needs, known as “Soylent.” This isn’t “Soylent Green,” of course. Yikes.

• Coconut water can be used (in emergencies) as a substitute for blood plasma.

• Honey is the only food that will never rot. It can last 3,000 years.

• Cheese is the most stolen food in the world.

• An average person in the U.S. eats 35 tons of food in a lifetime.

• Fortune cookies are not a traditional Chinese custom. They were invented in early 1900 in San Francisco.

• Eskimos use refrigerators to stop their food from freezing.

• Eating fast food regularly has the same impact on the liver as hepatitis.

• 49% of U.S. adults eat one sandwich a day.

We can help!

• Octopuses are eaten alive in Korea (nobody uses “octopi” BTW).

• Almost 70 percent of the red meat eaten globally is goat meat.

• Casu marzu is a traditional Sardinian sheep milk cheese that contains live maggots inside.

• Since 2015, throwing away food is illegal in Seattle. Those who don’t compost their food scraps will be given two warnings, then fined.

• 100 years ago, most Americans used to spend 43% of each day working just to get food. Now, it’s just 7%.

• Norman Borlaug, an agricultural scientist, developed new strains of crops which yielded four times as much food. He is said to have saved the lives of over a billion people, making him one of the most influential men in human history.

• Microwaving food does not diminish the nutrients. When done right, it’s actually one of the most nutritionally sound methods in food preparation (I verified this fact from three different sources. It’s actually true).

• Cashews are not nuts. They are drupes. What’s a drupe? Basically, it’s a stone fruit.

PERSPECTIVES

The Reader’s devilish journey

By Cricket Windsong Reader Contributor It’s not difficult to figure out which country the Reader traveled to, based on these photos. And if you know your animals, you may also be able to identify which Australian state Mark Cochran and Cricket Windsong visited. Yep! Mark’s close encounter with a Tasmanian devil gives it away.

Cricket is seen feeding another animal found only in Tasmania: a Tasmanian forester kangaroo, a sub species to the eastern gray kangaroo found on Australia’s mainland. The main difference between the two is the skull size. Even then, there is only 1% difference in the DNA between the two kangaroos.

Although some are lucky to see these in the wild, Cricket and Mark saw these specific animals — and many more — at the Tasmanian Devil Unzoo, located on the stunning Tasman Peninsula, 5.5 miles from Port Arthur. The Unzoo promotes natural habitats for their special animal guests, and their mission is two-fold. The first is to study animals in as close to their native habitat as possible in order to glean info that would help humans learn how to best protect them in the wildlife. The second is to educate the public and to give visitors a chance to observe animals in their natural habitat and interact with them, when possible.

Tasmanian devils are the world’s largest carnivorous marsupials. Although typical life spans are 3-5 years, some live up to a ripe age of 8 years in the wild. Due to their poor eyesight in daylight, these nocturnal animals are quite active at night and sleep during the day. They are primarily forest scavengers, similar to America’s vultures, in that they eat anything dead lying around.

With their magnificent jaws, they can devour all parts of a carcass, thus leaving the surrounding ‘meal’ area pristine. Tasmanian Devils can travel up to 10 miles a day for food and will eat live prey when the need arises: mostly marsupials such as wombats, bettongs (rat- kangaroo) and potoroos (kangaroo-like marsupial the size of a rabbit), that are rich in fat.

Marsupials are mammals that carry their young in a pouch, with the most well-known being the kangaroo species. But what is unique about Tasmanian devils is, instead of the pouch opening facing towards the mother’s face as found with kangaroo moms, their pouch faces in the opposite direction towards the tail. This helps them protect their young from forest debris the moms could easily collect if they had forward facing pouches, due to their close proximity

to the ground.

Their screeching sound when Tasmanian devils interact with one another or when they feel threatened most likely encouraged their ‘devilish’ name. And because they are nocturnal, you can just imagine how those initial screeching sounds, especially when heard at night, would induce fear and ignite people’s wildest imaginations. But they truly do not hunt humans and are not to be feared.

When one family member recently asked Cricket and Mark what they genuinely thought about the ‘devils’, they both replied in unison, “They’re so cute!” And if you get a chance to see them in person, you might agree!

Top left: Mark Cochran’s close encounter with a Tasmanian Devil. Top right: Cricket Windsong feeds a Tasmanian Forester Kangaroo.

Courtesy photos.

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PERSPECTIVES The

Late Night Buddhist

Don’t just do something, sit there!

By Scott Taylor Reader Columnist

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Meditation. Many people’s view of it is probably something like this: something flakey new-agers do while sitting cross-legged on a pillow in front of a bunch of candles and photos of weird, sari-wrapped Indian guys, hands resting on their knees, thumbs and fingers making the “OK” sign while they chant unintelligible syllables that probably have Satanic origins, truth be known.

We’ve all heard of it, some of us have tried it. We’ve heard friends, acquaintances, teachers and celebrities talk about it.

Jerry Seinfeld, who is far from flakey or new-age, is a big proponent; Phil Jackson, who coached Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls to a basketball dynasty, credits his success to his practice of meditation and study of Buddhism, and passed the practice on to Jordan, who said, “This Zen Buddhist stuff really works!” Clint Eastwood has done it for 40 years. We tend to believe there’s just no time to meditate what with work, kids, eating, sleeping (unless we wake at some un-godly pre-dawn hour, but we’re late-night Buddhists, so...), beer drinking and skiing. But many of us don’t realize the opportunity to meditate is often present in our normal routines: Standing at the sink washing dishes?

We can meditate. Sitting in a deer stand?

Meditate. Beating out a rhythm on a drum?

You’re already meditating. Driving a log truck in heavy traffic? Don’t meditate! Pay attention, for goodness’ sake! Knitting, crocheting, painting, splitting wood? You’re probably already meditating, whether you know it or not.

I recently got on a plane from Chicago to Spokane, and as passengers filed onto the plane, I noticed with consternation that there were no less than five infants on board. (If you’ve never been on a plane with infants and young children, you should try it; it’s a great way to lose that unwanted hair and learn how to cross and uncross your eyes). As we took off, most of the babies cried or whimpered, but after we leveled off they all thankfully quieted down, except the one directly in front of me. I had no idea it was physically possible / June 27, 2019

for a human, let alone a 6-month-old, to scream bloody murder for almost four hours and not exhaust their lungs or vocal chords. The parents tried to comfort her, flight attendants expressed sympathy, fellow passengers offered helpful suggestions, and you could see everyone on board trying to withstand the onslaught with various strategies.

I first tried to watch a movie, but being presented with the choice of listening to a screaming child or watching John Cena try to act, I chose the screaming child. I then remembered a story I’d read about a woman who was very excited to travel to a Buddhist monastery she’d heard about where she could practice meditation and be surrounded with the peace, solitude and holiness of nature. To her dismay, she found there were roosters crowing, goats bleating and construction improvements going on around the grounds. Frustrated, she went to the head monk and said, “How can I be expected to meditate with all of this noise, hubbub and confusion going on around me?”

To which the monk replied, “My good lady, how can you not? It’s precisely these times that we need to meditate the most.”

And so I sat up straight, concentrated on my breathing, and tried to “push” the noise and cabin stress level away, focusing on good thoughts and blessings for the plane and each passenger on it. This did not work. This child’s screaming could’ve scared Satan out of hell. I put my earbuds back in, turned up some music and doodled on a napkin. When we finally deplaned in Spokane, the most common comment I heard from fellow passengers as they fled into the terminal was, “Thank God!” (And I’m pretty sure a couple of these were atheists). Everyone looked like they’d just been rescued from a terrorist kidnapping, their brains having been fried like bits of crispy bacon.

So, the next time you find yourself doing something repetitive, sitting in a quiet place or flying in a plane with an infant banshee, try to clear your mind and meditate. (But maybe it’s best to check with the airlines before booking). And be happy!

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: Facial recognition technology, being adopted by law enforcement, “has a racial bias problem,” the ACLU states. Studies by experts show the technology does not perform well when trying to identify people with darker skin tones, or if they are women, youth, trans or gender non-conforming people. That became obvious when faces of 28 members of Congress were falsely matched with mugshots.

“How dry I am” could have been the theme song at a recent far-right Music Fest in Ostritz Germany. The BBC reported that to avoid problems from the neo-Nazis-alcohol mix, both the police and local citizens worked to make sure the beer aisles in grocery stores were empty.

The Republican tax cut for U.S. workers that was promised to be $4,000 extra has manifested as an actual $28, according to a report from the non-partisan Congressional Research Center.

As well, the U.S. Treasury says the tax cuts led to a 31% decline in corporate tax revenue in 2018. Politico reports there appears to be an additional 9% revenue decline so far in 2019.

Recent donations to Solar Cookers International allowed the placement of 300 solar cookers in a refugee camp in Kenya.

The low-cost cookers significantly reduce smoke from wood burning; they also reduce malnutrition, since food does not have to be sold to buy fuel. As well, the risk of violence from going outside camp to collect firewood is reduced.

Nineteen ultra-wealthy people recently signed a letter in Medium stating they want all presidential candidates to support a wealth tax on the ultra-rich: a two cent tax on every dollar of assets over $50 million, and another penny on assets over $1 billion.

The signers said the tax burden should not fall on middle- or lower-income people.

Rather, “…it is the patriotic duty of all Americans to contribute what they can to the success of the country, and the wealthiest are no exception.” They recommended the taxes address things like climate change, student debt relief, and the opioid crisis.

Wildlife listen to survive, but that’s become a problem in the Olympic National Forest in Washington State. The natural noise level is 25 decibels, described by High Country News as “whisper quiet.” But when a Navy “Growler” jet flies over, that rises to nearly 70 decibels. Acoustic ecologist Gordon Hempton says, “This is a national park, and natural quiet is on the list of protected

By Lorraine H. Marie Reader Columnist

natural resources,” joined also by features such as dark night skies and native plants.

But the Federal Aviation Administration has jurisdiction over airspace, not the Park Service. Hempton has launched Quiet Parks International, which certifies what places are least likely to be sources of unnatural noise.

The University of San Francisco says it’s achieved zero net carbon emissions, AKA carbon neutrality. First, solar water heaters were installed in 1981. To deter gasoline usage, there is no student parking; students are instead given public transportation passes, or they can build their own bicycle at no cost.

To overcome other travel emission problems, the university engages in carbon offsets.

“Zoomies” isn’t a breakfast cereal; it’s another name for Frenetic Random Activity Periods, a.k.a. “bonkers,” seen in dogs.

There’s a sudden burst of energy: dashing around or circling. Online veterinarian columnist Dr. Karen S. Becker says it appears to indicate feelings of happiness and good health, or, the release of pent-up energy. Rarely does it result in injury or property damage.

Worldwide, tobacco use kills over 7 million people a year, and is the largest preventable cause of death, says Corporate Accountability. They caution that consumers should not be fooled by Big Tobacco’s recent “no smoking” campaign, which would still maintain a consumer base of nicotine addicts.

The Trump Administration recently went to court seeking to back their stance that asylum-seeking children in detention can be denied soap and toothbrushes, and that sleeping on cold concrete floors is permissible. The San Francisco Chronicle reported that the Circuit Court judges hearing the case said the request did not qualify as safe and sanitary per the Flores settlement.

Blast from the past: National discussion recently highlighted the difference between a concentration camp and a death or extermination camp. Andrea Pitzer, author of “One Long Night: a Global History of Concentration Camps,” points out that in a concentration camp there may be “little targeted violence.” Instead, people held in those camps can die from poor planning, overloaded facilities, lack of medical care, poor food quality, contagious diseases, and an unwillingness of administrators to reverse inadequate policies.

As Esquire noted, “Things can be concentration camps without being (Nazi Germany’s) Dachau or Auschwitz.” Auschwitz had a population of 1.3 million, and an estimated 1.1 million were murdered there before liberation by Soviet soldiers in 1945. Dachau opened as a concentration camp for the Nazi party’s political prisoners. Of an estimated 188,000 inmates, 41,500 there were killed; it was liberated by U.S. soldiers in 1945.

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Yappy Hour 4-7pm @ Greasy Fingers Bikes Beverages and furry fun, with live music w/ the Baldy Mountain Boys Live Music w/ Molly Starlite & The Sputniks (rockabilly) 6:30-9:30pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall Live Music w/ Mobius Riff 7-10pm @ Eichardt’s Pub Live Music w/ Bright Moments Jazz 5-7pm @ Idaho Pour Authority Live Music w/ Bum Jungle 9pm-12am @ 219 Lounge Sandpoint’s classic rock band!

Live Music w/ BareGrass 6-9pm @ Matchwood Brewing Co.

Trivia Takeover Live 6-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery Family friendly interactive trivia Live Music w/ Pamela Benton 8-11pm @ 219 Lounge Indie rock, groove jazz, folk, blues

f

Wild Idaho Su 7-8pm @ Matc Part 1: Mounta thy from Long cine, leads com Camp Firebal 6pm @ Lakevi

Live Music w/ The 6:30-8:30pm @ Mi Featuring Brandon Stoddard, and KC C Live Music w/ Echo Elysium Live Music 5-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery 8-10pm @ T A nuanced and dynamic electric and Progressive acoustic guitarist from Spokane hell of a nic

Fox and Bones in concert 8pm @ The Panida A free concert!

The Wildcrafters in concert VFW Beer Festival Live Music w/ Larry Mooney 5-8pm @ 219 Lounge 9pm @ Utara Brewing Co. 5-7pm @ Idaho Pour Authority Support veterans and the c Utara After Hours presents the Live Music w/ Naughty Pine ty.

Beer from Mad Bomber Wildcrafters at the Brewery 9pm-12am @ 219 Lounge Co. and live music

by John Richland-based reggae inspired Karaoke Night Sandpoint Rad Live Music w/ Turnspit Dogs 8pm-cl @ Tervan @ The Panida T 6:30-9:30pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall Live Music w/ Dustin Drennen Film blocks at 1 Rockin’ blues Mugs & Music w/ Crooked Fingers 5-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery Centered aroun Cow-poke, folk, alt-country 6-8pm @ Laughing Dog Brewery makers. Sandpo Sandpoint Chess Club 9am @ Evans Brothers Coffee Meets every Sunday at 9am

Sip and Stretch w/ Brietta 5-6pm @ Matchwood Brewing Co. Free family-friendly event

Monday Night Blues Jam w/ Truck Mills 7:30pm @ Eichardt’s Pub Rock n’ Roll Bingo 6-8pm @ Tervan

Piano Sunday 3-5pm @ Pend Stories and mu

Lifetree Cafe 2pm @ Jalepeño’s Mexican Restaurant An hour of conversation and stories. This week’s topic: “Blowing the Whistle on Abuse”

O 6 A ti

Night-Out Karaoke Game of Thrones Trivia Night in Hope 9pm @ 219 Lounge 4-6pm @ Davis Grocery Join DJ Pat for a night of singing, or just Show off your knowledge, Frodo come to drink and listen Djembe class Trivia Night 5:45-7:30pm @ Music Conservatory of Sandpoint 7pm @ MickDuff’s Join Ali Thomas for this djembe (drum) class Show off that brain, man

Wind Down Wednesday Magic Wednesday Sandpoint Farmers’ Market Wedn 5-8pm @ 219 Lounge 5-7:30 6-8pm @ Jalapeño’s 3-5:30pm @ Farmin Park With live music by blues Enjoy close-up magic Locally grown produce, Join B man Truck Mills and shows by Star Alexan- starts, crafts and more! Live ly mu guest musician Andrew der right at your table music by Ian Gaddie week’ Browne Fourth of July festivities Li Live Music w/ Harold’s IGA @ Downtown Sandpoint 11 9pm-12am @ 219 Lounge The Sandpoint Lions Club brings you a Join indie-rock trio Harold’s IGA for a A day of Independence Day fun, with a Kid’s July 4th show at the Niner. Originals and wi Parade at 9am, the Grand Parade at 10am, covers to shake that money maker to ne and fireworks at dusk at the City Beach

ful

June 28 - July 3, 2019

Idaho Summer Series m @ Matchwood Brewing Co. 1: Mountain Medicine. Katie Lurom Longleaf Wilderness Medieads community workshop. Free! p Fireball interactive story @ Lakeview Park

sic w/ The Groove Black 0pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall Brandon Watterson, Jason and KC Carter ive Music w/ Kevin Dorin 10pm @ The Back Door rogressive blues by one ell of a nice guy

A weekly entertainment guide to keep you on your toes. To list your event free, please send an email to calendar@sandpointreader.com.

Reader recommended

Festival at Sandpoint Youth Music Camp Finale Concert 6pm @ Panida Theater Students of the Festival at Sandpoint’s Youth Music Camp perform

Summer Sampler 5-8pm @ Farmin Park 14th annual foodie event

Neighborhood Storytelling 7-8pm @ Matchwood Brewing Co. Friends and neighbors share stories

Sepiatonic in Concert 9pm @ The Hive Sepiatonic is a live and electronic music and dance experience from Portland, Oregon! “Brass, bass, beats, belly dance, and burlesque: We are Electro-Vaudeville!” Doors open at 3pm, tickets needed at 8pm

Tap Takeover 5-9pm @ A&P’s Bar & Grill Hosted by New Belgian, Fat Tire and Odem Beverages DJ Exodus 9pm-cl @ A&P’s Bar & Grill Chris Sebster and Nina Gerber 7:30pm @ Di Luna’s (SOLD OUT)

Sandpoint Farmers’ Market Live Music w/ Chris Lynch val DJ Skwish 9am-1pm @ Farmin Park unge 8-10pm @ The Back Door and the communi- Come get your produce, starts, Listen to Chris rock the piano 9pm-cl @ A&P’s Bar Live Comedy at the Hive w/ Jessa Reed d Bomber Brewing crafts and more! Live music 9pm @ The Hive w/ Bright Moments Jazz c by John Firshi Welcome Jessa Reed and Sam Miller, hostFamily Fun in the Forest point Radius Film Festival 1-4pm @ Lakeview Park Shelter ed by Morgan Preston. $15/adv, $20/door Panida Theater blocks at 1pm, 4pm and 7pm. Review common and largely preventable problems encountered in outdoor ed around Northwest film- activities. Sponsored by Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness and Sandpoint Parks and Recreation. Free and open to all ages s. Sandpointradius.com

o Sunday w/ Dwayne Parsons m @ Pend d’Oreille Winery es and music for your delight

nt

This buse”

Hope

int

or a and

Karaoke Night 8pm-cl @ Tervan

#No2ndBridge Outreach 9am & 1pm @ 3rd and Main St. to Beach WildIdahoRisingTide.org for more info

Outdoor Experience Monday Night Run 6pm @ Outdoor Experience A chill, three-mile(ish) group run with optional beverages to follow Bonner Mall Seniors Day 9am-12pm @ Bonner Mall All are welcome to come walk the Mall, plus there will be a featured speaker or entertainment, free refreshments, games and a drawing

Wednesdays with Benny 5-7:30pm @ Connie’s Lounge Join Benny Baker for this weekly music event, featuring this week’s guest Kyle Swaffard.

Train Watch Workshop 5pm @ Sandpoint Library Led by 350 Seattle. WildIdahoRisingTide.org for more information

Ben Stein’s Day Off 7pm @ The Panida Theater An evening and a lifetime of stories with actor, author, speechwriter and lawyer Ben Stein. This will be a televised show and seating is limited. $20 tickets

Live Music w/ Jennifer Stoehner 11am-2pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall A Fourth of July backyard party with piano player Jennifer Stoehner on the lawn!

Live Music w/ Jake Robin 7-10pm @ Eichardt’s Pub Soulful songs by Jake Robin

July 5 Sandpoint Art Market @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall

July 7 Bonner County Garden Tour

July 11 Festival at Sandpoint Poster Art Unveiling @ Dover Bay

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PERSPECTIVES

Mayor’s Roundtable: Growing pains less live-able for all of us.

On the other hand, increased residential growth around the Sandpoint is growing. The airport is problematic. Stanpopulation grew 5.1% in 2017, dards established by the Federal far above the 1.2% annual averAviation Administration and age. We are seeing development the ID Department of Transthroughout the city in residential portation Aeronautics Division and commercial. This is good discourage residential use in for the economy, creating more the neighboring vicinity of the jobs, opportunity and services, Mayor Shelby Rognstad. airport. Residential uses within it also comes with some growing 1,000 feet of the runway are pains. incompatible because this area, called the Perhaps most noteworthy, several “lateral safety zone,” is considered unsafe request for zone changes in the area of the due to potential aircraft crashes. The airairport have recently been considered by port also generates a significant amount of City Council. In all of these cases, the land noise throughout the day and night that is owner has requested to up-zone the proper- incompatible with residential use. ty to allow for more residential use.

Unfortunately, our current ComOn one hand, it is great that we are see- prehensive Land Use Plan and zoning ing an uptick in residential development. don’t provide adequate guidance for the The increase in housing supply helps to Commission or the Council to address reduce the cost. Limited housing and high this conflict. To aid the Council in these cost have been identified by business leaddecisions, I have required all zoning ers as two key obstacles to business growth changes to residential use in the Airport and ability to hire and retain a workforce.

Overlay District to go through a public High cost of housing also make Sandpoint hearing before City Council in addition to

By Mayor Shelby Rognstad Reader Contributor

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the Planning and Zoning Commission. This ensures that the public has every opportunity to be informed about the proposed zoning change and to provide needed input to council. In this way council can make the most informed decision possible. This was standard practice for all zoning change applications just a few years ago, but it is still a great practice for any controversial proposals like increased residential use around the airport.

The significance of the airport as an economic driver can hardly be overstated.

It brings in over $33 million in annual revenue (in 2008), is home to Quest, one of the county’s largest employers, and is ground zero for the region’s growing aerospace industry.

As such it is critical that the City is careful not to jeopardize its funding or its viability through hasty planning decisions.

The Sandpoint Airport is reliant on federal grant funding for ongoing maintenance and improvements. Allowing incompatible uses within the safety zone signals to the FAA that Sandpoint does not place a high value on its airport and public safety which

could disqualify the airport from receiving essential grant funding. This can have a catastrophic impact not just on the airport but on our regional economy which is increasingly bolstered by the success of the local aerospace industry.

Sandpoint needs a thoughtful plan which accommodates future growth responsibly and doesn’t unnecessarily jeopardize the airport or the economy. Toward that end, the city will be updating its Comprehensive Land Use Plan next year which will guide future development. Special focus will be given to the Airport Overlay District and to the Area of City Impact, the areas into which the city is anticipated to grow in the future. This updated plan will address and resolve potential conflicts of use.

The city is also developing an Infrastructure Master Plan and a Transportation Master that will ensure efficient and timely allocation of resources that can support future growth. Collectively, these efforts will lead to a plan for growth which is clear, easy to follow and promotes good development.

Trails under construction in Pine Street Woods

By Charles Mortensen Reader Contributor After nearly a decade of dreaming, trails are coming to Pine Street Woods, and they’re coming quickly. Kaniksu Land Trust, which purchased the 160 acres of woods following a two-year capital campaign, got right to work following their March closing date to develop a collaborative trails plan with input from an array of community stakeholders. Now, just eight weeks later, construction is underway.

The vision for Pine Street Woods involves offering a range of recreational experiences, especially for beginner and intermediate users. This will be a safe place for those who have never before wandered the forest, ridden their bike on a trail, or explored on cross country skis or snowshoes.

To that end, initial design plans will incorporate a network of “wide” trails to accommodate social hikes, school groups, picnickers and cross-country skiers, in addition to “narrow” trails for hikers, mountain bikers and snowshoers.

Kaniksu Land Trust has created four advisory sub-committees to aid in implementation of KLT’s vision for the Woods. These include Infrastructure, Forestry, Program-

ming and Trails/Recreation. Infrastructure prepares the canvas, Forestry helps maintains the beauty and health of the palette, Programs are the essence of KLT’s vision, and Trails are the arteries that provide access to that vision by the public.

“The collaborative planning process around trails has been deeply satisfying, and also productive,” said Regan Plumb, interim executive director at KLT. “It’s been critical to assemble all the parties from the get-go, and make sure we are well-aligned before breaking ground. We want to get this right the first time, because these trails will be here for generations.”

Representatives from Pend Oreille Pedalers (POP), Sandpoint Nordic Club (SNC), Idaho Trails Association (ITA) and casual naturalists recently gathered around the table with KLT staff and Jeff Thompson of Rocky Mountain Trail Resources (RMTR).

The fruits of their efforts were recently approved by the Trails sub-committee, composed of KLT staff, board and community members. KLT has engaged RMTR to conduct the narrow trail construction, and POP has generously donated the use of their mini-excavator as well as dozens of hours of volunteer support.

Thompson and POP are currently

‘I’m not in a hurry’

By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff

Laurie Clauson is in the middle of walking across the United States. With her she carries a modest pack containing water, snacks, rain gear, a fold-up stool and a knife, which she’s already had to use a couple of times — to peel fruit.

She’s been walking for two years, though not every day. A week at a time, with the help of rental cars and a knack for planning, Clauson is taking the cross-country expedition in bite-sized chunks as to give herself time to recuperate and work her day-today job as an accountant. It’s not the most conventional way to see the country, but for Clauson, it comes down to a simple love for walking.

“I’m not in a hurry,” she said. “I find that you notice so much more when you’re going on foot. I can drive through a place at 20 miles an hour and miss all kinds of things, but when I walk through I see so much more.”

So far, Clauson has done 10 one-week stints of walking, starting in Vancouver, Wash. outside the hospital where she was

constructing a narrow trail intended for beginners that will extend approximately two kilometers (or 1.2 miles) and connect to the existing Greta’s Segway and Little John trails of the adjacent Sherwood Forest property.

KLT’s Trails sub-committee anticipates significant expansion of narrow trails in 2020.

The wide trails will be developed on existing old logging roads and the plan is to complete 5 to 7 kilometers (or approximately 3 to 4.3 miles) in 2019, starting in July.

The Nordic club has provided significant input regarding the design of this network.

“The majority of work will involve pruning overhead branches, removing encroaching brush, removing a few trees, and some grading work”, said Ross Longhini, SNC President. “The Trails sub-committee will be soliciting volunteers to help with this work.”

Those interested in helping can check the KLT website (https://kaniksulandtrust. org/) for opportunities to get involved as plans develop. The land trust anticipates the network of wide trails to provide avenues through the forest for a variety of KLT programs and recreational opportunities, as well as constitute a Nordic ski trail network to be maintained with assistance from SNC. The formal opening of Pine Street Woods

is planned for later this summer, after the completion of road upgrades, sign installation, trail construction and other infrastructure. In the meantime, the land trust requests that users refrain from accessing the property until the official opening, so that the work can be completed in a timely manner and without endangering public safety.

Drive-in access will be via a ¾ gravel approach off of West Pine Street beyond the sled hill. There is no access from Pine Street Hill. Hikers and mountain bikers will also be able to access the property via the Greta’s Segway trail through the Manning Buffer, or from the Syringa Trails system at discrete locations.

Kaniksu Land Trust’s implementation of its vision for trails in Pine Street Woods creates a crucible, of sorts, by which various trails-oriented groups and enthusiasts can work together under KLT’s direction to implement a coordinated plan that benefits the Sandpoint community as a whole.

As Sandpoint and its surroundings continue to be discovered as an area known for its natural beauty, access to nature and recreational opportunities, trails become an increasingly important part of the picture.

Stay tuned to the KLT web site for further developments and volunteer opportunities.

Laurie Clauson, a woman walking across America, reached her 500th mile in North Idaho this week

born. She started her 11th walking week Monday in North Idaho, and reached mile 500 of her journey in Hope. This week is the first time Clauson has someone shuttling her to where she left off walking — most weeks, she drives the rental car to her halfway mark for the day, then retraces her steps, effectively walking across the U.S. twice on most legs of the trip.

One thing is certain: that’s going to be a long walk. So what does Clauson, who lives in Phoenix when she’s not on the road, do to pass the time? Aside from picking up change and keeping track of the running tally — about $23 as of Monday — Clauson simply walks, observes and thinks.

“I find that I like just being alone with myself and my inner thoughts,” she said.

“Sometimes it’s just, ‘Geez, my feet hurt,’ and other times it’s, ‘Wow, it’s just so beautiful here, and I’m so happy.’ I think about a lot of things. I replay moments of my life, think about future moments. Stuff like that. I never get bored, and I’m surprised at that myself.”

All of that walking and thinking is then geared toward writing a journal entry each night, which Clauson then emails to a list of about 50 friends. She recounts the discov-

eries and reflections of the day, partly for her audience’s benefit but also for her own.

Each journal entry serves as a time capsule she hopes to open years from now.

“They are what I am going to read when I can’t walk anymore,” she said, “so I can relive the experience.”

It’s an experience largely still in the making, as Clauson uses those weeks when she’s not walking to plan exactly where she’ll go next. The route is mostly uncertain, though she knows she wants to see the Badlands, Mount Rushmore and ultimately end up in Bangor, Maine. For now, she’s working her way through western Montana one day at a time.

“If anyone reading this is driving east on Highway 200 into Montana, they should throw out their loose change on the north side of the road, because I get a thrill with every coin I find,” she said. “But don’t throw it at me if you see me. Just go seed the shoulder.”

Jokes aside — though she would genuinely enjoy adding to her roadside change total — Clauson is seriously in it for the long haul. It’s a prologue to her impending retirement, which will consist of exactly

Laurie Clauson clocked her 500th mile in Hope Monday. Courtesy photo. what she’s doing now, just without such long breaks.

Clauson wouldn’t have it any other way.

“It’s a great way to stay healthy, see the country and amuse myself,” she said. “And to be honest, I’m having just a hell of a good time.”

If you’d like to follow Clauson’s journey, email lyndsie@sandpointreader.com and she will get you connected.

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PROFILES

Tolerance is not a dying virtue

Sandpoint man Gary Buck looks back on a life of respecting his fellow man in Sandpoint

By Ben Olson Reader Staff In the mid-1950s, a 7-year-old Gary Buck witnessed an act of compassion that stuck with him all his life. His father, a truck driver that had lived in Sandpoint since he was 10 years old, saw a black hobo standing on the side of the road on his route.

“He was holding a half-eaten apple that someone had thrown at him from a moving car,” Buck said.

Instead of driving by, Buck said his father stopped and helped the man. He gave him a lift and drove him through Sandpoint to “Bum Jungle,” so the man would be safe.

Later, he and the whole family returned with a load of groceries and supplies to help the man get to his family in Chicago.

“My dad drove for the Hedlund Lumber Co. right here at the poleyard (in Sandpoint),” Buck said. “He would’ve been fired, just for the guy being in his truck. I think he had a sense of fairness.”

Buck said his father was worried about the hobo’s safety because of racist attitudes evident in those days.

“This was when, in the 1950s, there was a sign that hung on the end of the beach that read, ‘N----s don’t let the sun set on your black ass in this town.’” Buck said. “It was signed by the Posse Comitatus. People would tear the sign down, but it was put back up repeatedly. This was a great town, a great place to grow up, but we just didn’t have any exposure to black folks. No exposure to other cultures.”

After the incident with the hobo, Buck began writing poetry to make sense of the injustice he saw in life. Themes often centered on equality, fairness and shedding light on injustice and intolerance.

“I felt helpless,” Buck said. “It feels like writing is all you can do sometimes.”

After high school, Buck spent three years fighting forest fires for the U.S. Forest Service before joining the Army National Guard, serving from 1969-1975. After the National Guard, Buck worked in Alaska with the pipeline before returning to his hometown of Sandpoint to work construction – a field he remained in for the rest of his career. One of his jobs was to build numerous homes inside the Coeur d’Alene Indian Reservation.

“I met the love of my life there: Martha,” he said. “They took me into their family. It was my first exposure being a minority, actually.”

Buck and Martha, a member of the Coeur d’Alene Tribe, remained together

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from 1986 to recently, sharing 17 grandchildren together.

In the late 1970s, Buck had a chance encounter with Richard Butler, the head of the erstwhile Aryan Nations compound in Hayden. The meeting left an indelible mark on Buck.

“I was at the Owl Cafe in Hayden having lunch with my Native American crew,” Buck said. “We walked in the door, and everybody in the place jumped up. I realized who it was and made a point to walk around him. We paid our bill and I told my crew, ‘Let’s get out of here.’ His people were just glaring at me, letting me know that I was with somebody who looked different.”

Buck memorialized the experience with a poem called “The Owl Cafe,” which ends with the chilling line, “Hearts black as coffee at the Owl Cafe.”

“We used to drive by their compound on Rimrock Road,” Buck said. “It had a big sign on the driveway that said, ‘Race is our Religion.’ Not long after that, a woman was driving by the compound with her son and her car backfired, so these idiots that I’d seen at the Owl Cafe left the compound, chased the car and shot her tires out. They thought the backfire was gunfire.”

Buck said this incident led to a lawsuit by the Southern Poverty Law Center, which culminated with Butler losing his Aryan Nations

compound and the hate group moved on.

But Buck doesn’t necessarily see the race problem going away entirely, either in the country or the region.

“I went back to school in 1988 and I noticed, during the ‘90s, that people were still going to school with ‘White Power’ on their clothing,” Buck said. “I just don’t understand it.”

Tolerance seems to have run in the Buck family, as a matter of fact. Buck’s grandpa was a horse logger, yarding logs out of the woods with Clydesdales. His grandma cooked for the logging crew. Gary’s son, Gerod, shared a story about his grandmother that exemplified another instance of compassion.

“Grandma was ruthless when it came to racism,” Gerod said. “She was a lunch chef at a school in Spokane. One of the kids did something cruel to a black kid’s bike, so the next day she did the same thing to the mean kid’s bike and presented it to him.”

Over two years ago, Buck was given a heartbreaking medical diagnosis.

“It started out with prostate cancer, then got into the bones right away,” Buck said.

“I had an operation two years ago, and they popped right back. They gave me six months, but that was two and a half years ago.”

Currently in Hospice care, Buck lives in an apartment that overlooks the Lincoln

Gary Buck in front of the old Lincoln School where he attended first through sixth grade.

Photo by Ben Olson.

School where he attended first through sixth grade. He now spends as much time as he can with his two sons, Gerod and Jordan, as well as traveling to play pinochle with his mother when he can.

Looking back on a life spent respecting his fellow man, Buck could only offer words of inspiration instead of dwelling on his medical situation.

“I always treated people with respect and pretty much got it back,” he said. “I found out that many of the differences weren’t really there. Just respect people and put yourself in someone else’s position.

That’s all I ever had to do to understand somebody. Some of us are aware right now, and some of us are just too set in their ways.

I feel blessed to have grown up here, but I would rather see race relations get better.

I’m afraid I’m seeing more fracture.”

To honor Gary Buck, we will be publishing a handful of his poems in future issues, only one of which has ever been published.

The first poem is titled “A Trucker’s Story,” which is about the story of Buck’s father aiding a black hobo on his way to Chicago.

It is printed on the next page.

A Trucker’s Story

By Gary Buck Reader Contributor

I

remember the story... vividly after all these years.

Dad drove truck back then... his time was precious.

But as he crossed into Idaho from Spokane He took the time to watch a black hobo leave his hitch-hiking Stumble to the ditch... bend low... and come up with A half-eaten apple.

Watching in the rear-view... tears welled at its devouring.

Dad stopped the big rig... backed it up and coaxed the hobo “Get in fella... maybe I can give you a lift.”

He learned that the man was headed to Chicago and family.

Maybe work... a roof... a full stomach... a sweet dream.

A nice, ripe apple.

During the trip into Sandpoint... trying to show some respect Dad warned the hobo... as to the local attitudes.

They called themselves the Posse Comitatus back then.

They’d posted warnings entering town... always ripped down.

But back up again... persistent.

Bad apples.

The Long Bridge across Pend d’Oreille entered Sandpoint From the south. Also crossing to the east was a rail bridge.

Dad slowed to a stop... dropped his rider... explained his route.

“Hurry past the beach until you reach the trees to the north.”

Bum jungle. Though Dad wouldn’t say it.

“Be careful.”

Riders weren’t allowed. Not with this hobo’s dark, weathered face.

The company would can his ass for sure... jig time.

Dad promised to check up... after unloading later Duties parked.. at home... family gathered in the car.

We shopped as a group... Mom, Dad, me and my two brothers.

Thankful.

Mother looked at the bounty... wieners, rolls, beans, apples Coffee, cigarette papers... a pouch of tobacco.

She smiled knowingly... shaking her head.

We crossed the narrow bridge at the end of Cedar Street Past the train depot... into the woods... parking near a campfire.

Hopeful.

My brothers and I had never seen a black face until then.

We wondered why this man... became our father’s friend.

Why did he continue to shake his hand... and cry?

And why would Dad... then reach into his pocket.

Giving money we would sorely miss?

Why so charitable?

Dad said he was helping his friend get back home... we understood.

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HEALTH

A grain of salt

A health column... sort of

Personal growing ourselves to death

By Ammi Midstokke Reader Columnist Don’t get me wrong, I love Brené Brown just as much as the next self-actualizing woman, but I’d like to know how many yoga classes, trauma retreats, hours of therapy, detoxes, morning meditations, pages of journaling and self-help books it is going to take until I actually arrive.

At which age, and after how many turned-down desserts, will we look in the mirror and think we are good enough? Do we have to try all the diets and all the time management tools first?

Do we have to wake up at five, take probiotics consistently?

In a world of constant improvement and every app to track every success and failure we might encounter in a day, from water consumption to bowel movements to minutes of mindfulness, I am beginning to suspect we have left little space to simply accept ourselves as we are. Every tool, metric, diet, measurement is merely another way in which to assess our near-escape from perceived failure, or vilify ourselves

further as unworthy with a healthy dose of blame and shame to go with it.

What would happen if we spent a fraction of this critical energy on celebrating ourselves and sleeping in? If we could replace our hobbies of perfectionism and the pursuit of a pant size with something that was truly making us happy, what would we choose? I doubt we would concentrate on growing our careers while shrinking our bodies.

Today, I chose gardening and tuning my bike. I chose watching my daughter make us grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch over being keto and fearing bread. During this kitchen episode, I

learned that penguins have knees, that she has been learning Danish so she can work at the Lego headquarters someday and that the more butter you put in the pan, the better that bread tastes.

It is easy to get sucked into the bigger, exciting world. It looks sexy from the outside. Our cultural narrative suggests that we should have stable jobs and join an MLM on the side for real success. We are using words like “influencer” and “value add” as labels of actual humans in meetings, secretly hoping we’re seen as either or both.

And after we’ve caused a paradigm shift in the industry, stalled aging with a single vitamin, fed our children organic dinners, gone to bed without our phones, initiated passionate love making with our spouse, slept a minimum of eight hours, and woken up to do it all again with a smile and Brazilian Blowout, we’ll be enough.

Good enough to be loved. Thin enough to be kind to ourselves. Informed enough to have value. Mindful enough to not lose control of emotions and swear at the Starbucks kid who jacked up an order and guaranteed a two-day migraine. Maybe if we read another book, introspect ourselves inside out, we’ll be worthy.

Or we could just take pause to ask the real question: Where did we learn that we weren’t enough to begin with?

Unravel that ball of yarn, and use it to knit yourself a new story. One in which you lean back and appreciate everything you’ve been blessed with, including the very moment you are in.

If you are going to embrace personal growth, start at your roots. You might just discover that you’ve been amazing all along.

Ammi Midstokke will be presenting at the 7B Women’s Luncheon on July 9th, where she will be exploring ways in which labels and limiting beliefs keep us from being our authentic selves.

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STAGE & SCREEN

Ben Stein turns the tables

Sandpoint’s famous resident will give a live presentation of stories at the Panida

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff

Of all Sandpoint’s famous residents, Ben Stein might just be the most prolific around town.

The speech writer, lawyer, actor, author and part-time Sandpoint local is a common summertime sight at local hotspots and restaurants. He frequently mentions Sandpoint when writing columns or making media appearances. It’s fitting, then, that he chose Sandpoint’s historic Panida Theater when selecting a venue for his latest live show, “Ben Stein’s Day Off.” “Ben Stein is a part-time resident here and always talking to people when he’s out and about, so he’s another one of our local boys,” Panida Theater director Patricia Walker said.

And this isn’t just any live show. It’s a taped event that will eventually be turned into a special production for television and Netflix. According to Walker, it’s a thrill to see the theater in a co-starring role with Stein.

“It brings us a little extra exposure nationwide and worldwide,” she said.

The possibility first came up when Mike Visser, the show’s producer, mentioned the Panida to Walker as a potential venue. He’d seen a show at the theater previously and loved its historic atmosphere. After Visser and Stein narrowed potential venues down to a few final choices, the Panida emerged a clear winner.

Visser and Stein turned to

local talent to bring the show together. Local resident Mark Watson worked to coordinate the event, while Becky Revak handled the set and logistics.

The show itself will center on a conversation with Stein

that covers the lifetime of stories he’s collected through a career in politics and entertainment. According to Walker, there will be a few special guests appearing throughout the night whose identities are a secret even to Panida officials. So show attendees can expect a few surprises throughout the night. What’s more, proceeds from ticket sales will benefit veterans and the Panida Theater itself.

Buy tickets for “Ben Stein’s Day Off,” set for 7 p.m., July 3, at Eve’s Leaves or online at www.panida.org. There will be limited seating for the show, and it’s expected to sell out, so act quickly if you intend to go. Need another reason to get out to the Panida Theater? At 3:30 p.m. June 30, 5:30 p.m.

July 5 and 7:30 p.m. July 6, the Panida Theater will screen “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” which features perhaps Stein’s most famous movie role.

Junior sailing for beginners

By Reader Staff

Sandpoint Parks and Recreation and the Sandpoint Sailing Association will be offering two more sessions of junior sailing for beginners ages 10-18.

Session 2 will be July 15–18 from 10 a.m.–12 p.m., and Session 3 will be July 15–18 from 1–3 p.m. The registration deadline for sessions 2 and 3 is July 7. The class fee is $49 per person ($4 city resident discount) and class fees are all-inclusive.

Students will learn sailing and safety basics and then head out on the water for lots of

hands-on experience. Personal flotation devices are required for this class, but students should also be comfortable in deep water. Participants are to meet at Fred’s Deck at the Windbag Marina.

A swim test will be administered at the City Beach Lifeguard headquarters at 2:30 p.m. on Friday July 12 for sessions 2 and 3.

To register, or for other activities offered by Sandpoint Parks and Recreation, visit sandpointidaho.gov/parksrecreation or visit the office located at 1123 Lake St.

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HISTORY

? e m a n a What’s in

Part 5

s of our local placenames

ing the origin An ongoing series explor

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

after William A. White, the first postmaster in 1903 who owned land on the north side of town.

In 1908, after train lines began running through the area, White was renamed Blanchard after Joe Blanchard, an early settler.

Blanchard owned a homestead on a nearby creek which also bears his name.

This is the fifth and final installment of a series exploring the origins of where we got some of our placenames from.

Last week, we covered Travers Park, Dufort, Culver, Ellisport Bay, Westmond and Samuels.

This has been a great experience researching these placenames and talking with local historians. Thanks for all the great feedback.

Whiskey Jack / Rock There is not much information about whom or what Whiskey Jack Road east of Sandpoint was named for. No mentions of this term are found in the digital newspaper archive until 1970 when a housing community project was built and marketed for sale just east of Kootenai alongside Lake Pend Oreille. The project concept originally called for the construction of 250 condo units and 150 mobile home sites along Boyer Slough. Located on the east side of Lake Pend Oreille, Whiskey Rock’s etymology is also murky. One tale shared by historian James Carl Dahl claims the name was given because of a bet made on a swimming match with the winner to receive a jug of whiskey.

Another story suggested that the name was given because two men were forced to stay there with only their bedding and a jug of whiskey after being caught in a storm on the lake.

As with many instances involving whiskey, we may never know the difference between fact and fiction.

Dover This community west-southwest of Sandpoint was originally named Welty. Dr. O.S. 22 /

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The A. C. White Lumber Co. mill at Dover in late 1920s. Courtesy Bonner County Historical Society.

Welty was the president of the Dover Lumber Co. which laid out a mill town in 1906. Four years later, the town’s name was changed to Dover to match the lumber company’s name, as well as to commemorate the Canal Dover, Ohio origins of the principle stockholders of the company. The Dover Lumber Co. closed in 1920, but the community saw new life when a spectacular fire claimed the Laclede sawmill in 1922.

Laclede’s owner A.C. White chose to purchase the defunct Dover mill instead of rebuilding in Laclede. Since Dover didn’t have enough housing for mill workers, White arranged to have 55 buildings barged to the Dover townsite, including an 80- by 200-foot warehouse.

Careywood Located about five miles south of Cocolalla, the settlement of Careywood was first known as King’s Spur. In 1907, a Helen and Charles Severance bought 160 acres and estab-

lished a post office, renaming the settlement Severance. A small sawmill was also located in Severance, employing about 60 men. In 1910, the Michigan Land and Lumber Co. bought Severance’s original 160 acres along with other tracts of land in the area. The company’s owners were John and Clarence Carey, who planned to develop a new town and name it Careywood. The company built a new sawmill in 1911, but the town’s development was arrested just two years later when the Michigan Land and Lumber Co. declared bankruptcy. Despite the economic failure of the company, a hotel and post office remained in Careywood.

Carr Creek According to Nancy Foster Renk’s book “Driving Past,” in 1892, just after the Great Northern Railway line was completed along the Pend Oreille River, government surveyors met a man named Carey Carr who lived in a cabin on the north

bank of the river. Carey and Arthur E. Carr had staked adjoining homestead claims which extended along the river and back into the hills, following the creek west of Sandpoint that now bears their name.

Garfield Bay The bay on Lake Pend Oreille was named in honor of the 20th president, James A. Garfield. A settler named Charles Flatz apparently greatly admired the president, who shared his Ohio roots. Renk believes Flatz probably named the bay at some point in the 1890s.

Bottle Bay Obviously, this bay was named because its shape resembled a bottle.

Blanchard This small settlement in the Spirit Valley was likely formed earlier than 1888, when a one-room school house was constructed. The settlement was originally called White

Coolin This small town located on the southern tip of Priest Lake was originally named for Andy Coolin, a man who arrived to the area at some point before 1892. By 1896, government surveyors had noted a few houses, a barn, a post office and a Brown Brothers store. Coolin was later renamed Williams while Walt Williams served as postmaster, but the name eventually reverted back to Coolin as it’s still known today.

Special thanks to local historians like Nancy Foster Renk, James Carl Dahl and Bob Gunter, whose work I have checked to verify my conclusions. Also, very special thanks to the Bonner Co. Historical Society and Museum for keeping history alive.

Check out Renk’s book “Driving Past: Tours of Historical Sites in Bonner County, Idaho” for a treat. Also, “Bonner County Place Names” by James Carl Dahl was a great resource - both available at the Museum.

Final thought: The best way to keep history alive is to donate to the Bonner Co. History Museum. Their staff and volunteers are all passionate about honoring our region’s storied history. Please consider your next charitable contribution to go toward the Museum.

PERSPECTIVES

A

las, this is the mind-numbing monotony of everyday life: the alarm beside your bed rings, you hit the snooze button, wake up again, go to work, clock in, take orders from those above, give orders to those below, clock out, enjoy a few minutes of leisure time in the evening — rinse and repeat. You’re a gregarious and agreeable representative; you always go the extra mile, and that’s because you must obey the first law of customer service: the customer is always right. With your nose to the grindstone, you have no time for creative work — no time for existential questions. But occasionally, like a robot from an Isaac Asimov novel, you ask yourself: “Do I have a soul?”

“Or am I merely a biological machine?” You wonder.

“It can’t be true,” you contest. “Because, unlike a machine, I have free will.”

But is your sense of free will, as philosopher Baruch Spinoza asserted, just an illusion?

In Spinoza’s words: “Experience teaches us no less clearly than reason, that men believe themselves free, simply because they are conscious of their actions, and unconscious of the causes whereby those actions are determined.”

Ask yourself: what control did you really have over the stardust that you were composed of? And what about your DNA? (Did you get to configure your genetic information, like an avatar, before you started the game?) Did you get to

choose your parents or the environment that you were brought up in? How about the trillions of cells in your body or the concoction of chemicals that flow through your brain? To what degree are all of these components — like the circuitry of a positronic brain — determining your thoughts and actions?

Despite not having any control over these factors, we still vehemently feel as though we have free will; however, an argument for or against something should not be based on mere feelings — we must contend with the evidence. I felt like I was five feet in the air when I landed that kickflip on my skateboard but based on the photographic evidence my board was only a couple inches off the ground.

Psychologists and neuroscientists have removed the blanket from Descartes’ proverbial “ghost in the machine” and revealed that there is, in fact, no mind-body duality. We now know that our thinking comes from our brains; our brains are biological systems, and biological systems are physical systems — as such, it stands to reason that our thoughts and actions are under the yoke of the laws of nature.

For some, like cognitive scientist Daniel Dennett, the notion of free will and the belief in determinism are not mutually exclusive. Dennett, who contends that determinism does not imply inevitability, considers himself a compatibilist.

Although we may be at the mercy of external factors which are beyond our

control, compatibilists believe that we still have free will because we have, they argue, “the freedom to act according to our own motivations.”

But that argument begs the question: what are the underlying causes of our own motivations?

As philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer put it: ”Man can do what he wills but he cannot will what he wills.”

Sam Harris, who has written and lectured extensively on the topic of free will, used similar words: “You can do what you decide to do — but you cannot decide what you will decide to do.”

Confused? Don’t feel bad — your confusion is perhaps just another link on an infinite chain of prior causes and effects

that you had no control over.

To say that we have free will because we can choose to do what we want to do — when what we want to do is determined by external causes (natural selection, etc) — is a bit like saying that an android has free will, so long as it acts in accordance with the parameters of its programming.

If pursuing that which you desire has been predetermined, does pursuing that which you desire really mean that you are free? Or — like a marionette with the laws of physics pulling the strings — are you merely a sentient robot?

Have a good night. Sleep well. Recharge your battery. I’ll see you at the office tomorrow — bright and early.

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FARMER PROFILE

A legacy of rooting for our community

Ronnigers Organic Farm in Bonners Ferry shares stories of the land

By Jodi Rawson Reader Contributor “We welcome a new story as each one ends,” says Simon Ronniger, when asked about the year in the life of a farmer. “The wintertime in the warehouse is long, cold and dark, and then we feel invigorated to start planting, but by the end of the season in the fall we are sick of the dirt and sick of the outside and we want to be in the cellar where it isn’t freezing. Each season brings a welcome change.”

The Ronnigers grow mostly root crops.

They sell them at the Bonners Ferry Super 1 Foods down to the Moscow Food Co-Op and all the independent health food stores in between. Annually, they harvest around 70,000 pounds of potatoes, 15,000 pounds of beets, 15,000 pounds of carrots, 6,000 pounds of cabbage, 5,000 pounds of onions and another 3,000 pounds of crops specifically sold at the Sandpoint Farm-

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ers Market. This year, they sold the last of their root harvest in April, which was perfect timing.

David Ronniger began farming on their rich 60 acres (nestled on a south facing slope, Northeast of Moyie Springs) in 1987 when he was a park ranger and Simon was just a 1-year-old. Simon remembers “helping” Dad when he was around four.

It wasn’t until Simon was 20 that the real farm work began. David’s expectations were high, but Simon chose the work. Today, when asked if he would ever consider other work, Simon responds that farming is “all there is. It’s an enjoyable job.”

A decade ago, an unexpected fertilizer came in the form of a beautiful woman.

Marqui Ronniger has the natural beauty of cover girl Meghan Markle. She has style, too, but she is a practical and humble farmer and currently a driving force of Ronnigers’ farm. “We grow organic food because we are passionate about it, and we want to share it with the community. We like the job itself. There are so many reasons why we do it and love doing it,” said Marqui.

“I am from California and I wasn’t farming there, but I was taking some college classes that lead me into learning about WWOOFing (“Willing Workers on Organic Farms”), which is the internship program that we use still,” says Marqui.

“So, I came as an intern for a full season internship. I had never really been on a farm. I had gardened, but this was my first real farm experience. I fell in love with this farm the first day, and I fell in love with Simon a little later.”

“I really had a lot to learn when I got here,” Marqui says, “but it has been ten years now and I feel a lot steadier on my feet with farming. We have made a lot of mistakes, and we have grown a lot, and I think that is a big part of farming — you can never know it all, and that is why I love it. Each summer is a new adventure to see what Mother Nature and our family will throw our way.”

The youngest Ronnigers are Strummer, age 8, and Shepherd, age 5. They ride their bikes around the farm and skateboard in the massive, earth covered, concrete cellar. “We are trying to cultivate a positive image for them,” said Simon, who isn’t expecting any work out of his sons.

“It’s hard,” Simon says about balancing

family and farming, “because we are trying to find ourselves in the world and it is time for us to be hustling, but we have our kids. We could grow the business a little more, but right now we want to spend time with the kids. We only have about five more years and then they probably won’t want to hang out with us.”

Simon admits that he witnessed his Dad work a little too hard and maybe grow the business too large. While he is committed to farming for life, he imagines doing less as he grows old.

“David had a unique way,” says Marqui, who was mentored by the late Ronniger for her first couple years. “He just loved to work, and he threw himself into work. He was always figuring out a better way to do things, or his own way to do things. Farming was definitely his passion.”

I met Simon and David Ronniger in 2007, right after we moved to Sandpoint. Too proud to go to the food bank and struggling with our new transition and very young children, I was humbled and eternally grateful when I purchased a few things on the Ronniger farm, and Simon casually loaded me up with around 300 pounds of cull potatoes.

Ronnigers’ farm fed my family that first long winter, and I will never forget it.

David moved to Hot Springs, Mont., in 2011, where my husband and I would visit him after hours of soaking. He started an organic shop that is a success to this day.

David sold his delicious kimchi, fresh produce from his Hot Springs garden or his legacy farm in Idaho, fresh bakery goods and all the other products one might hope to buy in a natural food store. Every time I was around David, I learned something: what minerals the soil needed, how to make kimchi, the benefits of Jerusalem ar-

Top: Marqui, Shepherd, Strummer and Simon Ronniger. Planting Season, 2019. Photo by Jodi Rawson.

Bottom: Simon and David Ronniger in the potatoes around 1990. Courtesy Photo.

tichokes and much more.

Tragically, David passed away in 2017, from cancer related causes.

“David built this whole entire farm, and everything we do we try to honor him,” said Marqui.

The Ronnigers have a ton of planting to do, so we won’t see them at the market again until July. Let’s root for their season!

MUSIC

Utara After Hours: The Wildcrafters

Local string band to bring “foot-stompin’ fun” to Utara June 29

By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff

When it comes to the Wildcrafters, the band’s name couldn’t be more accurate. Hilary Petterson and her sister Chloey Davis crossed paths with future bandmate Josh Walters thanks to a common interest in creating with materials found in nature — also known as “wildcrafting.”

The trio first connected at a primitive skills gathering, and ended up playing together around the campfire.

“It’s about being connected to the land, being self-sufficient, getting our sustenance from nature,” Petterson said of wildcrafting. “That’s where a lot of our music comes from — nature connections and just getting outdoors.”

While Petterson and Davis grew up playing mountain music in their family band, Walters became the final piece to their current project. Though the Wildcrafters haven’t played shows consistently for about a year, Petterson said they’re excited to jump back into things with a number of local gigs including an After Hours show at Utara Brewing Saturday and an appearance at SummerFest 2019, an annual music festival in Sagle happening July 12-14.

Petterson described the trio’s sound as “folk fusion,” combining elements of traditional string-band bluegrass, old-time style and singer-songwriter folk set to lyrics largely about their love for building a lifestyle in the mountains.

“A lot of that old mountain music is so connected with place,” Petterson said. “A lot of what we write about is our connection to the land … It just seamlessly flows into that because it’s part of our hearts.”

This week’s RLW by Lyndsie Kiebert

READ

I picked up Brene Brown’s “Braving the Wilderness” last year thanks to a suggestion from a friend who felt everyone should read it. Brown eloquently shares a refreshing take on the seemingly basic human need to belong and helps to answer the questions: How can we belong without being sucked into the cycle of us vs. them? And where can we find the self-assuredness it takes to stand alone when necessary?

LISTEN

J u l i a Jacklin has one of those voices that stays with you.

Her song “Don’t Know How To Keep Loving You” is what hooked me, and the entirety of her 2019 album “Crushing” only deepened my adoration for her breathy, timeless vocals. Jacklin’s brand of indie flirts with alt-country and even 70s folk rock, and her lyrics are femininemeets-fed-up. Fans of Lucy Dacus, Sharon Van Etten and Soccer Mommy will find something to love in Jacklin.

WATCH

Petterson and Walters alternate between playing the guitar and mandolin while Davis is a seasoned banjo player with a degree in bluegrass and oldtime music and having once been crowned the Arizona State Banjo Champion. Petterson said the Wildcrafters also recently acquired a stand-up bass player, rounding out a band whose shows Petterson called “foot-stompin’ fun.” She said some of the Wildcrafters’ tunes are more soulful, while others feel like “sitting on a back porch barefoot on a hot summer night.”

“If even just one song touches one person, that’s magic for us,” she said. “We write these songs

from our heart and want people to have a good time and connect.”

Utara Brewer David Kosiba said all live music at the brewery is “After Hours” in an effort to separate a regular visit from the intention to take in a live show. In Kosiba’s words, “You always get what you expect.”

“No closures for private parties. No getting asked to leave or pay a cover during normal business hours. No having to shout over the band playing in the corner that you didn’t come for,” Kosiba said. “Not saying there’s anything wrong with any of those things, they are pretty commonplace actually. We just wanted to do something different.”

The Wildcrafters making beautiful noises. Courtesy photo.

Kosiba said all proceeds from After Hours shows go to the band and its promoters.

“Utara wants to do what we do best — serve beer and provide a warm and welcome place to do so,” he said, adding that all the music heard at After Hours shows is original. “We’re very in to supporting original artists and providing them a venue to augment their efforts.”

The Wildcrafters will play Utara’s After Hours series at 9 p.m. Saturday, June 29. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at utaraidaho.com or at the brewery.

I wasn’t ready. When I finally sat down to watch the Bradley Cooper/Lady Gaga magic unfold in “A Star Is Born,” I was far from prepared. Yes, the music is superb. Yes, Cooper’s directional debut is surprisingly well executed. But above all, “A Star Is Born” brings to light the incredible frustration and vulnerability surrounding addiction. I expected a sickeningly over-thetop tale of a pop star with a few minor bumps in the road, but was faced with a gripping, catastrophically devastating story. Will I ever recover?

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The Straight Poop: The quest for dog-friendly businesses in North Idaho

Bizarre Bazaar

From Pend Oreille Review, June 22, 1917

TWO BOOZE CARS TAKEN BY SHERIFF The business of grabbing booze-laden cars goes merrily on.

Sheriff Remer has a Ford and a Case car seized under the new prohibition law which authorizes the officer to take into possession for sale cars loaded with contraband liquor.

Last night, four men in a Case automobile were apprehended, their arrest being made at the Palace hotel by Deputy Sheriff Reem. In the evening former County Commissioner John McDuffy telephoned the jail that a car laden with four men had taken some booze from the brush along side the Great Northern right of way, near the poor farm.

Deputy Reem started forth with his “tin lizzie” and hit the trail forthwith following the track to the Palace hotel where he found two sacks of liquor cached and took the occupants of the suspected car into custody. The arrested men gave their names as William Young, J.G. Campbell, Ray Miller and Louis Zilka. Campbell’s residence was given as Spokane and the other three as Hillyard and it is claimed they are all Great Northern railroaders.

At the jail this morning the four stoutly maintained their innocence, claiming that they came overland from Coeur d’Alene yesterday and that they had no booze with them. County Attorney McCall this morning made out complaints against them charging them with transporting liquor into dry territory.

The Clarksfork ferry was the scene of the second haul within a few weeks on Wednesday night when Constable Gorden Daugherty apprehended a Ford car at the ferry laden with booze. The men in the car were arrested.

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By Drake the Dog Reader Staff Where am I taking my humans today?

As the dog days of summer approach, I’m laying down a paw where: •Most of the staff are dog parents, and they bring their fur-babies to work!

•All team members are volunteers and they have a desire to contribute to the well-being of our community.

•The sales floor and stock room boasts over 3,000 square feet.…each.

•The organization will be celebrating it’s 40th anniversary this year.

•It’s often called “Sandpoint’s Hidden Treasure.”

•These folks can be seen wearing red, white and blue in the 4th of July parade every year.

•The name of this place means “strikingly out of the ordinary, a place for the sale of articles especially for charitable purposes.”

So where do dogs go when they loose a tail? A Retail Store! Paws up for Bizarre Bazaar, which is “An Upscale Resale Shop,” staffed by over ninety volunteers in Community Assistance League.

The shop is located at 502 Church Street.

CAL was founded 1979, and today boasts over 200 members. This place is so dog friendly! All of the aunties (and one uncle) couldn’t wait to pet me. So we started with the barkin’ pup-a-razzi pics.

Everyone wanted to sit next to me. I was diggin’ the musical chairs routine ‘cause they all had TREATS, and TREATS and more TREATS! Bizarre Bazaar’s mission is to raise money year round to support Bonner County grants and scholarship programs. In the early days, the group had a sale once a year in the Sandpoint Community Center.

Joyce Spiller and Cindy Chenault’s dream was to open a store to take advantage of donations that were stored all year. Their goal was to increase the amount of money available to fund grants year round. Last year was a standout, as $140,000 in scholarships and grants was given to Bonner County.

CAL continues to raise funds throughout the year for the Senior Center, Community Cancer Services, and Kinderhaven.

This upscale resale ‘boutique’ store is

designed to fill the niche between thrift and a retail store.

They take just about everything, including men’s and women’s clothing, jewelry, household goods, furniture, books, dog accessories and sporting goods. Things they can’t sell they send to auction, or they pass onto other charitable organizations, hence nothing is wasted. Patty Duke’s costume jewelry has even been spotted there! There is a team of folks that research pricing guides, eBay and different websites in order to price donated articles so customers can find high-quality items and treasures at great prices. Koko Chewnel would be proud of them! Folks from CDA, Montana and even Canada make special trips to the shop to ‘see what’s new in the box.’ And gift certificates are available. All proceeds are returned to the community in the form of grants and scholarships.

CAL members take turns working the store, and some will bring their dogs.

Cherie Warber’s dog, Zeke, a 2-yearold Plott hound, is still learning the ropes. Bizarre Bazaar’s founder Joyce Spiller, brings her Jack Russell, Freddie every Saturday afternoon. His job is to guard the back. Cooper, Sherry Fulton’s labradoodle, checks the inventory once a month on Wednesday afternoon to ensure everything is in its place. There is even a side driveway entrance to drop off donations during store hours. Wait, wait, wait for it…. Bizarre Bazaar has been nominated for FOUR categories in the Best of Bonner County. The finalists will be announced the week of 6/27. According to the Bark Street Journal, next year they should be nominated for the BEST DOG-FRIENDLY store! I was having so much fun, and the cookies and the people were so warm and fuzzy, I did not want to leave. I’ll be back.

Bizarre Bazaar Dog Rules: Well behaved pooches only Leashes please You must be friendly with children The landscaping has been watered by every dog in town, so do your part

Seated from left to right: Susan Black, Janet Rogers, Marie Valentine, Patty Rechniger. Standing from left to right: Rose Chaney, Sherry Ennis (President), Cherie Warber, Judy Dabrowski, Bonnie Lackey. Courtesy photo.

Come on in — do not let your owners leave you in the car.

For more info call 208 -263-3400, or visit their website www.calsandpoint.com

Crossword Solution

Basically, there are three ways the skunk and I are a lot alike.

The first is we both like to spread our “stink” around. The second is we both get hit by cars a lot.

The third is stripes.

Copyright www.mirroreyes.com

CROSSWORD ACROSS

Woorf tdhe Week

lulu

/LOO loo /

[noun] 1. Any remarkable or outstanding person or thing.

“Watch out. That new movie is a lulu. It’ll leave you spellbound.”

Corrections: No flubs, no gaffes, no blunders, missteps, snafus or misprints to note this week. Whew. -BO

1. Not the ceiling 6. Fraud 10. Beige 14. Scoundrel 15. Puncture 16. “Oh my!”

17. Heart artery 18. Dwarf buffalo 19. Was a passenger 20. Unsupervised outside 22. Russian emperor 23. Adhesive strip 24. Not these or those 26. Large mass of ice 30. Gender 31. A spider spins this 32. Arab chieftain 33. Moving within 35. Lampblacks 39. Illness 41. Instinctive 43. Metal 44. Accomplishes 46. Roman emperor 47. Dike 49. Cook in hot oil 50. An amount of medicine 51. Environment 54. Enemies 56. Nameless 57. Audit 63. Day 64. Murmurs 65. Claw

Solution on page 26 66. Rectum 67. Loyal (archaic) 68. Make improvements 69. Untidyness 70. Countercurrent 71. Genders

DOWN 1. German for “Madam” 2. Diving bird 3. Monster 4. In baseball, 3 per inning 5. Respond 6. Pointed 7. Discourse

8. Found in some lotions 9. Field 10. Lacking wit or imagination 11. Near 12. Radiolocation 13. Utilizers 21. Fertile area in a desert 25. Check 26. What we sleep on 27. Send forth 28. Ascend 29. Excessive desire for wealth 34. In a burdensome manner

36. Chocolate cookie 37. Sailors 38. Blackthorn 40. Wings 42. Heretofore (2 words) 45. Not legal for streets 48. Brawn 51. Gentlewoman 52. Absurd 53. Water lily 55. Locations 58. College girl 59. What a person is called 60. Holly 61. Area 62. Concludes

June 27, 2019 /

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