On a recent Wednesday deadline, I found myself in Seattle, sitting by a blooming rhododendron bush, eating strawberries instead of finalizing that week’s paper. Despite the chirping birds and sunshine, my Reader “spidey-sense” was tingling — I think they call that “anxiety” — and the idyllic setting just felt wrong. That’s because no matter where we go, what we do or who we’re with, Reader staff will always feel a restless stirring on deadlines. Naturally, I texted Reader Editor Zach Hagadone and Publisher Ben Olson to see if they needed anything, and was immediately chastised for trying to work on vacation. It’s not easy to sit and relax when I’m used to spending morning, noon and night every Wednesday slowly descending into madness with my work buddies, so what was I to do alone in Seattle at lunchtime? Well, obviously, I grabbed a bánh mì, found the biggest cemetery in the area and started looking for headstones with the names “Ben” and “Zach.” The notat-all-weird plan was to text the Reader crew pictures and say something like, “Thanks for having lunch with me.” That’s an enjoyable and sane message to get from your coworker.
Little did I know that the 144-acre Evergreen Washelli Memorial Park — which has a massive military wing as well as special Jewish and Russian Orthodox sections — has somehow never met a corpse by the name of “Zach.” I spent several hours looking for “Zach,” “Zack,” “Zachary” or even “Zechariah”; and, instead, found 21 Clarences and myriad names previously lost to the ages. I must have read more than 500 graves before I called it quits and walked back to my car with my head hung low. Some of my personal favorite names were Mount Cloud Lord, Burwell Spurlock, Nute, Seymour Titus, Aslaug, Eleuteria, Luninging, Bjartmar, Math, Waldo and George Bush. Though I failed to find a Zach, I had resounding success finding several Bens, including Sergeant Ben Olson, who lived from 1883 to 1949. From what little information I could find about him, it appears that he was deployed to Alsace-Lorraine during World War I and may have been involved in the Spanish-American War when he was no more than 15 years old. Also, I happened to visit him less than a week before his birthday.
Sandpoint’s Ben Olson was less excited about my serendipitous meeting with his namesake doppelgänger. Apparently, opening your phone to a picture of a gravestone with your full name on it — making you confront your own mortality at 3 p.m. on a Wednesday — is unsettling. Oh well.
DEAR READERS,
If you caught any of that amazing snow on Schweitzer last weekend, bully for you. Sunday was probably one of my top three days of the season, with nine inches falling the night before and several more throughout the stormy day. Nothing hits quite as nice as a March snow storm.
But, the flip side of that coin is that weather events cause some of us to get into trouble on the roadways. While driving north on Highway 95 March 14 I waited about 20 minutes while they cleaned up after an accident near Selle Road only to get stopped again a few miles up the road for a second collision. I had an up-close view of this one, and I have to give props to the law enforcement, firefighters and EMS first responders who show up when the call goes out. It was fascinating watching each of them quickly do their jobs so traffic could resume with as little interruption as possible. Drive safe out there.
– Ben Olson, publisher
READER
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We welcome letters to the editor on all relavant topics. Please, no more than 300 words, no excessive profanity or libelous statements and no trolls. Please elevate the discussion and stay on topic. Letters will be edited to comply with the above requirements. Opinons expressed in these pages are those of the writers, not necessarily the publisher. Send to: letters@sandpointreader.com
About the Cover:
This week’s cover was made by Cora Murray to celebrate the first day of spring. We love your vibe on our covers, Cora.
Publisher’s note: Yikes! Photo by Soncirey Mitchell
Dist. 1 lawmakers Sauter, Woodward attend Sandpoint town hall
By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff
Idaho District 1 Rep. Mark Sauter, R-Sandpoint, and Sen. Jim Woodward, R-Sagle, gathered with constituents March 15 for what may be the last local town hall of the 2025 legislative session.
About 80 area residents turned out for the event at Sandpoint VFW Post No. 2453, which included brief updates from Sauter and Woodward followed by a lengthy question-and-answer period.
Rep. Cornel Rasor, R-Sagle, did not attend, which drew criticism from resident Tari Pardini, who said, “I can’t believe Cornel’s not here — he’s a coward,” to which the crowd responded with applause.
Town halls with both state legislators and members of Congress around the country have been tense in recent weeks, including in Kootenai County where a constituent was forcibly removed from a town hall by security personnel in February, making headlines around the country for alleged rights violations.
The mood was congenial at the Sandpoint town hall, with Bonner County Democratic Party leader Karen Matthee thanking Sauter and Woodward for being available to constituents.
“Our lawmakers are receptive even when we’re not in agreement,” she said.
Legislators highlighted a few of the major bills already signed by Gov. Brad Little or still in the process, including House Bill 40 — a major tax cut measure signed by Little on March 6 — H.B. 93, which allocates $50 million in state money to be used for private school tax credits and was also signed by Little in February; and H.B. 368, which is working through the Statehouse
and would eliminate a number of seats available to Idaho in the five-state WWAMI Regional Medical Education Program.
Both Sauter and Woodward voted against H.B. 93, and also opposed H.B. 368.
Sauter said that while the Legislature had hoped for an adjournment on Friday, March 21, it is likely that the session will go on for “at least” three more weeks, considering some of the state’s largest budgets have yet to be set.
Meanwhile, the 2025 Legislature has produced nearly 900 bills — a flurry of activity amid continued uncertainty about how federal spending and policy changes might affect Idaho.
“One thing that’s happened this year that hasn’t happened in previous years — the federal government is moving on a lot of things, too,” Sauter said. “This session, particularly, there’s been a hurry to get tax bills passed before federal policy [is made].”
Woodward noted that he was one of two Senate Republicans to vote against H.B. 40, citing his concern that its $250 million reduction in state revenue cuts too deep and threatens other budgets.
“If there’s a tax cut, you have to balance that with reduced expenditures,” he said, noting that the bill lowers the state’s income tax by almost 0.4%, likely making it impossible to allocate dollars to the Public Education and Budget Stabilization funds, and even fund firefighting efforts at a level previously called for by Little.
Woodward also took issue with a provision in H.B. 40 that removes capital gains and losses for precision metal bullion from income taxation. Noting that it would primarily affect one company in the state that donates heavily to some lawmakers, Woodward
called it, “dirty politics; I didn’t want to be a part of that.”
Sauter voted in favor of H.B. 40, and in response to an audience question said, “I felt in general I’d rather have some tax relief than not.”
However, he added, “I didn’t like the gold part.”
Sauter and Woodward were also asked about H.B. 243, which seeks to address the child care shortage in Idaho by eliminating certain regulations and making the licensing of providers a state level responsibility.
Sauter said he voted for the bill after being “won over by the argument of, ‘Is it worth a try?’”
Woodward voted against H.B. 243, arguing that the regulatory structure should not be with the state but local levels of government.
“[W]e’re trying to make decisions in the wrong spot,” he said, adding that decisions should be made “as close to home as possible.”
Sauter said that the Leg-
islature has “pulled a lot of things back in” to state control, presenting a challenge to local decision making. Meanwhile, he said the mood in the Statehouse is one of “suspicion of authority” and reluctance to approve expenditures on “almost anything.” If that indicates a desire among some lawmakers to convert to a fulltime Legislature, Sauter said, “I do not share that view.”
Asked about his vote in favor of H.B. 364 — creating an Idaho Department of Governmental Efficiency task force, mirroring the DOGE efforts at the federal level — Sauter said, “I thought some evaluation of state departments was worthy. ... I didn’t see a problem with the spirit of it.”
Woodward, however, said that while he’s also in favor of efficiency, “I see this a little bit as a bandwagon.”
Other legislation brought up by attendees included H.B. 345, which seeks to change state law to allow the carrying of concealed weapons on public property, regardless of
whether it is being used by a private party under a lease agreement. If signed by the governor, it would reverse earlier court decisions stemming from a legal challenge over the Festival at Sandpoint’s no-weapons policy.
Sauter voted against H.B. 345 because, “I knew it was a Sandpoint issue,” he said, referring to the yearslong legal battle that resulted in the Festival and city of Sandpoint prevailing with the argument that private leaseholders have the right to set their own policies and rules on public property during the term of their lease. Woodward also indicated that he would oppose it in the Senate.
Listen to a recording of the full town hall at krfy.org.
Rep. Mark Sauter, left, and Sen. Jim Woodward, right, address constituents at the Sandpoint VFW Post No. 2453 town hall meeting on March 15. Photo by Ben Olson
Judges rule Bonner County and Spokane sheriff’s offices can no longer censor critical Facebook comments
By Soncirey Mitchell Reader Staff
Two federal judges recently ruled in favor of activist Jim Leighty, formerly of Bonner County, in his lawsuits against Spokane and Bonner counties’ sheriff’s offices for violating his First Amendment rights by censoring Facebook comments made by him. Both departments are now barred from hiding or deleting critical Facebook comments on their official pages, which are considered public forums and therefore protected speech.
Idaho Chief District Judge David Nye awarded Leighty $125,000, stipulating that the BCSO can no longer block anyone from its page and must turn off comments for all posts while still allowing users to “like” or otherwise interact with the information. U.S. District Court
Judge Thomas Rice likewise ordered SCSO to pay Leighty $58,000 and keep all comments turned off until a future court order says otherwise, or until the end of Sheriff John Nowels’ term in December 2026.
“I filed my lawsuits because I believe it is wrong for the government to silence people who disagree with them — especially when it allows law enforcement to control the narrative unchecked,” Leighty told the Reader
Leighty is a Spokane-based civil rights advocate whose nonprofit, Citizen Nine26, works to make public records and resources more available and help “people who have experienced injustices as a result of government misconduct,” according to the organization’s mission statement. He began his advocacy after the death of his friend, Craig Johnson, who
was shot by Bonner County Sergeant Shawn Deem in 2017 during a wellness check.
“Like many, I was raised to trust law enforcement’s version of events. However, after submitting multiple public records requests, I discovered that the Bonner County Sheriff’s Office had been spreading misleading, inaccurate and dishonest information about Craig’s death,” said Leighty.
According to the lawsuit, the majority of Leighty’s censored comments on the BCSO’s site pertained to Johnson’s death and spoke critically of the department’s officers.
“‘Detective’ Stella, remember when you and your team killed Craig Johnson on 9/26/2017? The missing phone message, the lack of fingerprints, DNA, and dirt on a gun you claim he had, and the lies that Johnson was ‘aggress-
ing toward’ your hidden snipers when they shot him in the back. A lot of interesting stuff when it comes to forensics,” Leighty wrote on the BCSO’s Facebook post announcing that staff members would appear on the show Forensic Files.
BCSO subsequently hid that comment, alleging that it violated the pages’ terms of use. According to the lawsuit, BCSO reserved “the right to remove comments” that contained personal attacks or did not relate to the posted topic, among other limitations; however, Leighty’s suit argued that the BCSO failed to enforce these standards for all comments. The BCSO eventually blocked Leighty on Facebook altogether.
Leighty made a similarly critical comment on the SCSO page regarding Sergeant Clay Hilton, who was charged with
Federal, state and county officials discuss aquatic noxious weeds, invasive species
By Soncirey Mitchell Reader Staff
Representatives from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Idaho Department of Agriculture and Bonner County Noxious Weeds joined forces March 13 for a public update on the status of aquatic and riparian noxious weeds and invasive species in Idaho, as well as upcoming treatment plans. The organizations currently prioritize the eradication of Eurasian watermilfoil, curlyleaf pondweed, flowering rush and yellow flag iris, and efforts to keep quagga and zebra mussels from Lake Pend Oreille.
“The take-home message that I tried to convey in my capacity as the meeting moderator was that ‘noxious weeds’ and ‘invasive weeds’ are not interchangeable,” Bonner County Noxious Weeds Director Chase Youngdahl told the Reader. “While noxious weeds can be invasive — and in many
cases are — ‘noxious’ is a legal designation and is defined in Idaho statute.”
Idaho Code 22-2402 defines noxious weeds as “any plant having the potential to cause injury to public health, crops, livestock, land or other property,” and that has been identified in Idaho Administrative Procedures Act Code 02.06.09. These species are “targeted by government agencies using taxpayer funds”; however, invasive species that aren’t considered noxious should be dealt with by property owners, according to Youngdahl.
ISDA’s presentations by Program Specialists Jennifer Roman and Ryan Hanna stated that Idaho currently has 160 listed invasive species and 71 noxious species. In addition to those listed above, ISDA prioritizes management of the riparian Japanese knotweed and purple loosestrife.
To help identify and contain noxious species, ISDA coordi-
nates an annual Idaho Aquatic Noxious Weed Survey. In 2024 alone, organizers conducted 5,185 surveys throughout Lake Pend Oreille, 962 of which uncovered noxious weeds.
Invasive and noxious aquatic species are primarily spread by contaminated watercraft coming from neighboring areas, released aquarium pets and the use of store-bought live fishing bait, according to Hanna. To combat this, watercraft users should visit any ISDA checkpoint for a free inspection and hot water decontamination.
During the 2024 season, the ISDA performed 21,355 inspections in the Bonner Soil and Water Conservation District, discovering 21 watercraft contaminated with noxious weeds before they reached the water.
Idaho watercraft users going into the 2025 season must contend with even more stringent regulations following changes passed during the 2024
the assault of 63-year-old Kevin Hinton. Hinton suffered eight broken ribs, a punctured lung and a concussion. The SCSO hid this comment.
Nye and Rice independently ruled that these actions violated Leighty’s right to free speech. Both sheriff’s offices agreed to federal injunctions and settled with Leighty, who used part of his $183,000 winnings to fund Citizen Nine26.
“The First Amendment is the foundation of our democracy — without it, dissenting voices are silenced, and unchecked power prevails. We cannot stand idly by while our rights are violated,” Leighty told the Reader “I am committed to holding law enforcement accountable and ensuring that no government agency can silence the public without consequence,” he added.
Legislature. The state’s new “pull-the-plug” law requires watercraft users to remove and clean all drain plugs. Additionally, I.C. 22-1905A requires that users exiting the water immediately remove “all visible vegetation” and drain all water from their crafts, “including but not limited to water in the hull, ballast tanks, bilges, livewells and motors.” All nonresidents must also have their watercraft inspected and purchase an Invasive Species Fund sticker from the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation.
According to presenter Taylor Johnson, the Corps’ chief of Natural Resources at Albeni Falls Dam, herbicide treatments will begin on the Corps’ property around the lake in early April. Experts employ a combination of chemical, mechanical and manual treatment methods, including the use of ProcellaCOR for submerged Eurasian watermilfoil, Aquastrike and Reward
for submerged flowering rush and Imazapyr for bare-ground flowering rush and milfoil.
Johnson emphasized that herbicides containing glyphosate are not used on submerged plants and will only be applied to the Clark Fork Driftyard boom.
The Corps will apply dewatered treatments from April through May at the Driftyard, Oden Bay, Morton Slough, Riley Creek, Mallard Bay, Hoodoo Creek and the Pack River Delta, covering approximately 19.92 acres. To protect the bull trout population, submerged treatments will occur between July 15 and Aug. 31 at the Driftyard, Pack River, Oden Bay, Morton Slough and Riley Creek, likely covering 42.25 acres. Neighboring properties will receive written notifications before applications begin. For more information on invasive species and noxious weeds, visit invasivespecies. idaho.gov.
Sandpoint takes first step toward shrinking area of impact
Reduction based on new state law would limit region for future growth
By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff
The city of Sandpoint is looking to reduce its area of impact — shrinking the region for potential future expansion to a total of three square miles and limited to within two miles of city limits.
Members of the Sandpoint Planning and Zoning Commission voted unanimously March 18 to recommend adopting the new area of impact, which will next be considered by the City Council before going to the Bonner County commissioners for final approval.
The adjustment is the result of a law change approved by the 2024 Idaho Legislature, which sought to curtail the authority of cities to grow into their surrounding counties.
“The state of Idaho literally took cities out of the ‘area of city impact’ and changed the name to ‘area of impact,’” Sandpoint Planning and Community Development Director Jason Welker told P&Z commissioners. “[T]here’s very little jurisdictional authority of a city within an area of city impact or an area of impact. In fact, there’s no jurisdiction for cities within the areas of impact — this is a pure planning exercise. It’s about envisioning potential future expansion or growth.”
The proposed new area of impact is 75% smaller than the existing area of city impact, which covers a total of 12.3 square miles and contains swathes of land that the city could not realistically serve with utilities.
“[These are] very rural areas that are not only unlikely but not even able to ever be served by city utilities,” Welker said, later adding that residents covered both by the current ACI and proposed A.I. should not expect to see any future moves toward annexation.
“Nothing would change for people living in this area; there’s no imminent annexation, it’s just
the ability to possibly someday grow into this area and really that’s almost always citizen initiated — that would be at the request of residents of these neighborhoods, of these parts of rural Bonner County,” Welker said. “The city of Sandpoint has no intent to grow or annex these properties; it’s just if any of these property owners in the future desired to have city services, this is the framework by which that process would take place.”
According to City Attorney Fonda Jovick, the legislation was driven by the Idaho Association of Counties, which sought to address a number of legal disputes related to design and buildout activities around the state.
“The attempt was to create legislation that made it a little more clear and also reduced the cities’ ability to, if you will, overreach,” she said. “There were a lot of cities who had very expansive areas of city impact and the legislation was designed to force the cities to really look at that. ... [I]t was really intended to force the cities to eliminate these overlapping areas of impact and have the county maintain authority and jurisdiction over the planning and development outside of the city jurisdictional boundaries.”
The deadline to have the new area of impact in place is Dec. 31. Meanwhile, Welker stressed repeatedly that the city has no plans to expand even into the smaller area of impact — in large part because of constraints stemming from Sandpoint’s outdated wastewater treatment plant.
“In five years we’re not going to have a wastewater plant built that can serve any new development,” he said. “We currently can’t serve new development with our wastewater plant — everybody here knows that that’s the biggest infrastructure challenge that we face, so no, I would not expect that we’ll be serving sewer in any new areas.”
Bits ’n’ Pieces
From east, west and beyond
President Donald Trump recently told Congress that some of the money “saved” by DOGE budget cuts would be sent to taxpayers. But the Congressional Budget Office sees no savings. In its monthly budget review, the CBO found federal spending in February to be $605 billion — higher than it was a year ago, which was $567 billion. The deficit is also $11 billion more than last year.
Are we in a constitutional crisis? Some say not yet, others say “yes” and others say we are on the cusp. From various media: A federal judge ordered evidence from the White House about whether the administration is violating court orders regarding deporting migrants via airplane with little to no due process. The response from various Trump administration officials, as reported by Fox: “These rogue judges have to stop. This is an executive decision.”; “We’re not stopping. I don’t care what the judge thinks, or the left thinks.”
Trump’s Department of Justice said it would not appear in court or provide information about deportation flights. Trump told reporters a federal judge was “putting himself in the position of the president,” failing to acknowledge that the judiciary is a coequal branch of the government. The president can appeal a lower court decision to the Supreme Court, which, as of this writing, did not occur. That dovetails with his Vice President JD Vance saying, in February, that “judges aren’t allowed to control the executive’s legitimate power” — another negation of the judiciary being a coequal branch.
Should the U.S. Supreme Court rule against Trump in a future case, Vance said Trump should say that the Supreme Court needs to enforce the ruling, implying Trump won’t comply with a coequal ruling.
Bayer, maker of Roundup weed killer, has been lobbying lawmakers to block cancer victims from suing the company for not properly disclosing Roundup’s health risks, The Lever reported. Bayer has paid more than $10 billion to settle 167,000 claims regarding Roundup’s glyphosate and its link to lymphoma.
Six ways to bring manufacturing back to the U.S., from the Made in the USA Foundation:
By Lorraine H. Marie Reader Columnist
• Require Army and Navy PXs to buy American, which could create 100,000 manufacturing jobs (those stores currently buy mostly imported products);
• Reduce income taxes for domestic manufacturers;
• Modify the WARN Act to require closing factories to offer the factory for sale to domestic entities (and provide funding to help save those factories);
• Require all advertising to include country of origin information (surveys show people willing to pay more for “Made in the USA”);
• Require product displays at stores to include prominent country of origin labeling (such as for appliances and furniture);
• Enforce product labeling laws on the internet.
In recent remarks to the Department of Justice, numerous media reported that Trump declared that negative news coverage of his administration is “really corrupt ... What they do is illegal.” He called both The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times “fake news” outlets, and, without providing evidence, said they are conspiring with Democratic officials.
Trump said he was concerned that the critical coverage is influencing judges, adding, “It has to stop. It has to be illegal.” Furthermore, he said that lawyers who oppose his agenda are “horrible people, they’re scum, and you have to know that.”
Blast from the past: “To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or that we are to stand by the president, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public.” — Republican Theodore Roosevelt, 26th U.S. president (1858-1919)
Another blast from the past: Oligarkhia is an ancient Greek word meaning “rule by the few.” In the fourth century B.C.E., philosopher Aristotle described it as a system of power in which “men of property have the government in their hands.” In medieval Venice, the leader of the oligarchy ruled for life and used the title “doge.”
Idaho Legislature prepares highest number of bills in last five years
Some Idaho GOPers trying to expand a state government office to handle volume of legislation
By Clark Corbin Idaho Capital Sun
The Idaho Legislature has introduced so many new bills this year that some Republicans are trying to expand a state government office in order to handle the onslaught of new legislation.
According to data compiled by the Idaho Legislative Services Office, the Idaho Legislature has prepared and introduced more bills this legislative session than any session over the previous five years.
Through March 14 — the end of the 10th week in the 2025 legislative session — staff had prepared 890 pieces of legislation this year. That compares to 793 pieces of legislation prepared over the same 10-week time period in 2023, and 784 pieces of legislation from the same time period in 2022.
House Minority Leader Ilana Rubel, D-Boise, said she has noticed a huge shift in the volume of bills since she was appointed to the Idaho Legislature 2014.
Rubel blamed an influx of out-of-state form legislation on the increased number of bills. Form legislation, or model legislation, is where a group or an organization creates bill templates that can be shopped around state legislatures across the country once a lobbyist or legislator makes a few minor wording changes to localize a bill, the Sun has previously reported.
Examples include bills that block transgender athletes participating in women’s sports and the Texas-style immigration bill that surfaced as House Bill 83 in Idaho this year.
Groups including the Alliance Defending Freedom and the Foundation for Government Accountability have been involved in form legislation in Idaho or worked with Idaho legislators.
“A lot of this is being driven, frankly, by these out-of-state bill mills,” Rubel said in an interview March 18.
Rubel said she thinks the increase in out-of-state form legislation dovetails with the
introduction of a new bill, H.B. 378, that seeks to increase transparency by asking legislators to self-disclose any out-of-state government travel for government purposes that legislators did not pay for themselves.
“The reality is a lot of people are going to these right-wing think tank conferences where they have these cookie-cutter, boilerplate bills that they’re trying to shop in every red state of America,” Rubel said. “And you see the same bill, basically, that’s introduced in Texas on Monday, in Arkansas on Tuesday, and Idaho on Wednesday and Tennessee on Thursday. And they are not tailored to what we need in Idaho. They are not driven by any desires of the people of Idaho, or any needs of the people of Idaho. They are being driven by an ideologue, often 2,000 or 3,000 miles away, who are just cranking these bills out and just shopping them everywhere.”
Two Republicans seek to expand government office that drafts bills
On March 18, Rep. Josh Tanner, an Eagle Republican who often tries to reduce budgets and spending, made an unsuccessful attempt to expand the Legislative Services Office to hire a bill drafting attorney.
During the March 18 meeting of the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee, Tanner tried to add one full-time position and $128,500 in additional state spending to the Legislative Services Office. Tanner’s request was above what the LSO and Gov. Brad Little requested.
Six days earlier, Tanner led the effort to zero out funding to expand a popular physicians recruitment program to help doctors working in underserved Idaho cities and towns. On March 12, Tanner asked, “Where is enough enough within some of these programs?”
But on March 18, Tanner said he had taken a close look at the increased workload bill drafters face and decided that the one new employee he requested probably still was not enough.
“I thought at least going with
one was a necessary thing to make sure that our staff is being taken care of,” Tanner said. “Whether it is the workload that we are pushing on them, there is no law out there that says we cannot bring a bill forward or go ask questions to them.”
Tanner’s motion failed on a deadlocked 10-10 vote.
Rep. James Petzke, R-Meridian, voted against the increased funding and the new bill drafting attorney position after saying JFAC should follow its own guidance to produce efficient, lean budgets.
“This is making me really uneasy,” Petzke said.
“I believe that we need to eat our own cooking,” Petzke added. “We’ve done a really good job as a committee this year of limiting every budget. We’ve cut tens of millions of dollars, including we just cut a whole bunch out of [the Idaho Transportation Department].
We’ve cut dozens of [full-time positions] out of all agencies across the state. We made [the Division of Financial Management] eat their own cooking on the 3% cap. I think that we need to hold ourselves to a similar standard.”
Idaho legislators hoping to wind down 2025 session
from adjourning.
Number of pieces of legislation prepared through 10 weeks in session, by year:
2025: 890
2024: 873
2023: 793
2022: 784
2021: 794
2020: 775
Even as legislators hope to wind down the legislative session, new bills have been introduced this week.
Republican leaders set a nonbinding target to adjourn the 2025 legislative session on Friday, March 21. However, JFAC has fallen behind and has not set many of the major fiscal year 2026 budgets for state agencies, delaying legislators
There is no requirement to adjourn an Idaho legislative session by any certain date, but most last for 75 to 90 days. However, the 2021 legislative session — which was marked by extended recesses and a COVID-19 work stoppage — ran for 311 days, became the longest legislative session in state history and did not officially adjourn until Nov. 17. March 18 marked the 72nd day of the 2025 legislative session.
This story was produced by Boise-based nonprofit news outlet the Idaho Capital Sun, which is part of the States Newsroom nationwide reporting project. For more information, visit idahocapitalsun.com.
City launches survey on the state of Sandpoint’s parking facilities
By Reader Staff
As the city of Sandpoint continues the process of developing a new parking management plan, City Hall is asking for feedback on the state of public on-street and off-street parking facilities in downtown Sandpoint and City Beach.
A survey has gone live at sandpointidaho.gov/parking, with the goal “to gauge the broader community’s satisfaction with both the availability of public parking downtown and at City Beach and the condition of the city’s parking infrastructure, and to solicit questions and feedback for staff to consider as they refine the draft parking management plan in preparation for a presentation to City Council later this year,” according to a news release.
City staff has presented draft plans for changes to the city’s parking policies at public meet-
ings throughout January and February — including instituting a range of fees at a number of city-owned parking facilities, such as the downtown lot between Oak and Church streets, the Pend d’Oreille Bay trailhead and City Beach.
In addition, the current draft plan calls for fees at the City Beach and Memorial Field public boat launches.
The purpose of the fees — which range from $15-$30 for resident and nonresident parking passholders, respectively, and $10-$15 per boat launch for Idaho residents and outof-state users — is to generate revenue to be reinvested in improving parking facilities. The city estimates that it could raise nearly $370,000 a year, based on the currently proposed rates.
Drafts of the plan have gone before the Planning and Zoning Commission twice, the Pedestrian and Bicycle and Sustain-
ability committees, and the Parks and Recreation Commission.
Public engagement has continued through March, with meetings between city officials and local merchants at the Greater Sandpoint Area Chamber of Commerce and Downtown Business Association.
City and non-city residents are invited to complete the survey, which will remain open through the end of March.
For those interested in learning more about parking in Sandpoint, the history of the city’s public parking facilities, the costs of maintaining and improving them, and the challenges in managing demand across on-street and off-street parking, contact Planning and Community Development Director Jason Welker at jwelker@sandpointidaho.gov or 208-255-1738.
Responses intended to inform development of new parking management plan
Bouquets: GUEST SUBMISSION:
• “Huge kudos are due for Avista’s repair people, Chris, Aubrey and Reese from Ron’s Electric! A limb from my willow tree fell on the power line to my house and ripped apart one of the wires. What a scare! They came immediately, fixed it quickly and I’m so grateful!”
— By Ellen Weissman
Barbs:
• I was livid last week when I saw someone hand-feeding a moose on a downtown sidewalk. I hollered at him to stop, informing him that we aren’t supposed to feed wild animals. He just blinked at me before preaching religious jibberish, then saying, “If I don’t feed it, it will starve.” There have been numerous reports urging town residents not to feed or interact with the baby moose, but people still feel it’s their duty to intervene. Why shouldn’t we feed wild animals? For a lot of reasons. Food conditioning is when animals begin to depend on humans for food, and it can lead to sickness, starvation or death. The more humans feed them, the greater risk they have of starving. Also, wild animals that get too accustomed to people can lose their fear and become aggressive. Moose are already more dangerous to humans than bears. Finally, wild animals carry diseases that can be spread to humans who carelessly feed them. Long story short: Don’t feed wild animals Let them remain wild. Some of us think we have a duty to intervene in nature, but that’s just arrogance compounded with ignorance. If you really love wildlife, the best thing to do is to allow them to continue living a wild life. Leave them the hell alone.
‘High prices and forced labor’…
Dear editor,
The other day I found myself at the grocery store throwing what amounted to a $9 can of beans in my cart, shaking my head and wondering, “How can it get worse?”
It’s no surprise that inflation is out of control, and it is affecting both consumer behavior and attitudes. It is quite common to spend hundreds of dollars on maybe a week’s worth of groceries.
Sure, you get to fill as many non-recyclable bags as possible to make yourself feel like you are getting value, but the truth is the prices are higher, the packages are smaller and the quantities significantly less. A person must wonder, who is making money here? It most certainly isn’t the employees, because there sure seems to be less of them around to do the job of serving the customers.
To add insult to injury, you go to check out the groceries and suddenly there is a checker shortage and the registers that were once operated by an actual paid employee have been replaced with an oversupply of self-checkout registers. Apparently, the store found it cost effective to create a specialized position to herd customers like sheep to the selfcheck register and suddenly turn them into slave labor and check out their own damn groceries.
I just want to know, where’s my employee discount? Since when is customer service now the customer’s responsibility? I don’t work here!
Frank Gruden Sandpoint
‘A
mentor and a teacher’...
Dear editor, Some time ago, the elementary “country schools” in Bonner County were grades one through eight. I attended Southside Elementary in Cocolalla and was fortunate enough to have a wonderful teacher and an inspirational mentor for both seventh and eighth grade, Mr. Jim Stoicheff.
It was in his classroom that we first heard the news that President Kennedy had been shot and killed. It was Mr. Stoicheff as our teacher and principal who took the entire school outside, first thing in the morning around the flagpole, and led us in the Pledge of Allegiance.
It was Mr. Stoicheff who made U.S. history come alive with his personal stories. One of the most memorable
lessons was during a unit on civil rights. He told us that when he was in the military and stationed in the segregated South, he and several of his comrades went into a restaurant wearing their uniforms. One of them was Black. They all sat down at the counter and all the soldiers except for one was served water by the waitress.
One of the soldiers mentioned to the waitress about their fellow soldier not getting a glass of water. She said, “Oh, we don’t serve colored folks here.” Mr. Stoicheff and the rest of his comrades got up from their seats. As they exited the restaurant they said, “Then you won’t be serving us, either.”
That was more than 60 years ago, but I remember it plain as day. It was that kind of character and behavior that made Mr. Stoicheff the wonderful teacher and mentor that he was.
Steve Johnson Sagle
‘Sagle inch worm’...
Dear editor,
This is what I call the experience we all have driving the 4.2 miles between Sandpoint and Sagle. We are all attempting to go the speed limit of 55 after leaving the 45 zones at either end. As we do, the traffic speeds up, stretches out, then crunches up, slowing down. This happens a few times before somewhat settling down.
Along with being dangerous it’s frustrating. I’m pretty sure that if we left the speed limit at 45, this inch-worm effect would go away and we could flow along. Why must we go 55 in this short section of U.S. 95, pinched between two 45 zones north and south?
On the north end, coming from Canada, the 45 zone starts a good distance north of Ponderay at Bronx Road and continues to the south end of Sandpoint. At the south end, it begins in Algoma, where we are required to decelerate from 65 to 55, then to a slow-feeling 45 in Sagle with five lanes.
Past the wonderful stoplight at Sagle Road, we are requested to speed up at the end of the now-four lanes merging into two. Thus begins the Sagle Inch Worm section.
ITD determines our speed limits depending on the concentration of intersections. In this problematic distance of 2.8 miles — which excludes the Long Bridge — there are 16 named intersecting roads and another six permitted driveways:
22 in 2.8 miles, just shy of one for every 10th of a mile.
Isn’t that enough to warrant a 45 mph zone, which would reduce accidents and eliminate the Sagle Inch Worm? We were just informed by ITD that all this goes away when U.S. 95 is upgraded between Dufort and the Long Bridge. Estimated groundbreaking in 15 years.
Paul Dukes Sagle
‘What did you do last week?’…
Dear editor,
The March 4 edition of the Idaho Statesman had an opinion piece asking our congressional delegation, “What did you do last week?” They had a response deadline of March 6. Other newspapers statewide also carried this piece.
To date, I’ve seen nothing in the newspapers or on TV that indicates any word from any of the four. I’m led to believe that none of our congressmen could come up with an answer.
Is it because they haven’t done anything for Idaho, or are they afraid to raise the ire of the toddler president?
This week might tell us the answer. Will they kowtow to the bully snake-oil salesman or help the state and nation by becoming the livable power that Congress is supposed to be?
Every GOP member of Congress is in daily violation of their oath of office and the U.S. Constitution by cravenly genuflecting before the Executive Branch.
I do know that they’ve made us unsafe with their capitulation to Elon “The Terminator” Musk, with his firing of USFS personnel. Idaho forests are more than 60% federal lands. Trust me, wildfire season won’t stop just because there are no USFS firefighters.
Be careful what you wish for — you just might get it.
Gil Beyer Sandpoint
Dear editor, I just returned from almost four weeks of heavenly travel in beautiful New Zealand and cheery Australia. When I travel, I consider myself to be an ambassador for the United States. So, in that role, I offer peace stickers to the many people I meet along the way: waitstaff, tour guides, store employees, shop owners, baristas… And, if you
know me, you know I like to engage everyone in a conversation. You may even be a recipient of one of my peace stickers: 3,800 dispersed in the past two years.
The 100-plus people with whom I conversed — Kiwis, Aussies and other international travelers — are horrified by Trump and his short-sighted policies and practices. A group of four Estonians fear Trump’s cozy relationship with Putin and the havoc it will wreak on their country. Many locals felt sorry for our situation. Our standing with democratic countries is not looking good.
On another note, I would venture to say most Americans say we need to cut some fat from the government (and many corporations). However, using a scalpel vs. a machete (or in the case of Musk, a chainsaw) might be a better practice. Musk is adding to the unemployment numbers while evading his secure contracts with the U.S. government.
BTW: When are those grocery prices going down? I thought Trump said Day 1...
With respect for a government of, by and for the people,
Ann Giantvalley Sandpoint
‘Your choice’...
Dear editor,
A message to those of you who aspire to become a politician: There will come a day when you hear that knock on your door and there stands a group or an individual offering you more money than you’ve ever seen. They only ask in return “for your soul.” Your choice!
Jo Reitan Sandpoint
‘Scéal iontach’…
Dear editor, To Reader Senior Writer Soncirey Mitchell: Scéal iontach faoi mhiotaseolaíocht na hÉireann. sláinte
Ulliam Grá Pointe gainimh
Great story on Irish mythology. To your health, Bill Love Sandpoint
Send letters to the editor to letters@sandpointreader.com. Please keep them under 300 words, refrain from libelous statements and elevate the conversation. Trolls will not be tolerated.
Codes giving city planner sole power to reduce development’s parking spaces must change
By Bonner County Republican Women, Inc. Reader Contributors
In late 2024, without input from the City Council or the public, Sandpoint Community Planning and Development Director Jason Welker — with support from Mayor Jeremy Grimm — approved plans to reduce the number of parking spaces for the resort hotel to be developed at City Beach by Averill Hospitality from 245 to 144.
At the time, the resort plans included:
• 181 guest rooms;
• event space (to host weddings or conventions);
• two restaurants;
• recreational equipment rentals;
• curated retail spaces.
There would not have been
enough parking to support the facility. The average ratio of parking spaces per hotel room in the United States is 1.24 parking spots per room. The resort at City Beach would have a .82 ratio of hotel rooms vs. parking spaces.
Making matters worse, Welker announced that the high school parking lot would be used for resort parking overflow.
Members of Bonner County Republican Women, Inc. spoke out against those plans. Subsequently, Brian Averill, of Averill Hospitality, asked to meet to discuss our concerns. He shared the current development plan, which includes developing parking per national standards (1:1). Furthermore, he agreed to work with private businesses to lease parking spots rather than utilize parking lots funded by Sandpoint taxpayers to manage overflow.
We’re impressed and appreciate that
Averill Hospitality listened to community feedback and changed their plans. But we may not be so lucky in the future. We must ensure that City Code is updated. Here’s why:
The parking demand analysis, which demonstrated parking could be reduced from 245 to 144, was flawed. The author assessed parking utilization during October. To mimic peak season demand, a 50% ratio was added. Summer sees 50%-100% more visitors than fall for towns like Sandpoint in the Pacific Northwest. A 50% ratio was insufficient, but Welker blindly accepted the analysis.
After we expressed concerns, he informed us that by paying a more significant parking in-lieu fee, Averill Hospitality could have further reduced the number of off-street parking spaces it would create to only 71.
Thank goodness Averill Hospitality cares about this community.
However, we may not be so lucky with developers in the future. The planning director cannot be trusted as the sole authority to reduce parking without the City Council or public input.
Bonner County community members, regardless of political affiliation, please write to your local paper and contact the City Council. Their contact information can be found at sandpointidaho.gov. Tell them to update City Code. At a minimum, City Council must approve the acceptance of parking demand analyses and parking in-lieu fees to reduce parking development.
Bonner County Republican Women, Inc., include: Victoria Quinn, president; Anita Aurit, vice president; Thea Few, treasurer; and board members Sandra Rutherford, Dianne Houts, Debbie Keeley and Jennifer Cox.
Science: Mad about
strange birds
By Brenden Bobby Reader Columnist
Birds are fairly odd creatures, but among the odd are the oddest — strange and wacky evolutions that perfectly suit their ecological niche while appearing alien and unusual to the human eye. Avians have had nearly a quarter of a billion years to evolve and do whatever it is they want to do, so they were bound to go off the rails at some point.
Sword-Billed Hummingbird
Hummingbirds are unusual to begin with, wielding pointy proboscis-like beaks and freaky little alien tongues. They’re also one of the few birds that has the capability to hover like a helicopter by beating their wings extremely quickly in a figure-eight pattern. Their immense energy expenditure means they can never go for long without a high-calorie source of food — the sugar-rich nectar of flowers — and they have the ability to descend into a neardeath state of hibernation when the temperature drops for the evening.
Swordbills are unique in that their bill can exceed the length of the rest of their body, excluding their tail which acts as a counterbalance to the massive bill. Native to the Andes Mountain range in South America, they are a non-migratory species, which stands in stark contrast to the hummingbird species we see around here during the summer including the rufous and calliope. Also unique to the swordbill is how it preens. Most birds use their beaks to preen to spread oil over their feathers and remove parasites,
but this is impossible for the swordbill to do. Instead, it has to use its feet to preen. Imagine if you couldn’t use your hands to brush your teeth because your arms were too long, so instead you had to use your feet.
Vulturine guineafowl
Chances are, you’ve seen or heard a guineafowl if you’ve lived in Bonner County for a few years. Farm and feed stores will even stock guinea chicks during the spring for homesteaders to purchase. They’re already an odd bird, appearing as a poor man’s peacock, which makes sense as they belong to the same order: Galliformes. Included in this order are turkeys, quail and pheasant.
The vulturine guineafowl is a whole different beast with elaborate black, white and blue plumage and a bald vulture-like head that sports two crimson red eyes. They are native to central Africa similar to most other guineafowl. Strangely, vulturine guineafowl will run rather than fly when startled. Aspiring homesteaders can raise their own vulturine guineafowl for the low cost of $1,875 for a breeding pair.
Magnificent frigatebird
Attention-seeking is a key reproductive aspect of birds. It’s a bit of a gambit, as attention-seeking behaviors also lead to higher rates of predation. Standing at the edge of a jungle clearing and shouting: “Look at me! Look at how large and beautiful I am!” is a fantastic way to get eaten by a leopard.
The magnificent frigatebird has no such fear of leopards, as it inflates something called
a gular sac attached to its chest. This is a skin cavity attached to the bird’s mandible, which it forces full of air to act like a balloon, expanding into a magnificent and horrifying red display to attract mates. This is relatively common in birds and is something that the common sage grouse will do while courting as well. What’s very unusual about the magnificent frigatebird is its behavior: bullying other birds into vomiting so that it may eat their regurgitation.
Kea
Kea are parrot-like birds from New Zealand. At first glance, there’s nothing particularly special about the Kea. It looks like a green and tan parrot with brown lacing on its feathers. Get a little too close to the Kea’s territory and its strangeness becomes startlingly apparent.
Kea are perhaps some of the most intelligent birds in existence, capable of solving logic puzzles to retrieve food. They are also extremely bold and known to attack backpackers and rummage through their belongings for food and shiny objects. They’re a bit of a pest to New Zealand’s farmers, going as far as attacking livestock as large as sheep, but they’re a protected species and there is very little that can be done about the annoying birds.
Hilariously, Kea chicks look a little bit like Muppets.
Long-wattled umbrellabird
Perhaps the most visually strange bird on this list is the long-wattled umbrellabird. This is a black bird endemic to the Pacific cloud forests of Colombia and Ecuador. It sports a pompadour-style crest
that would make any greaser-wannabe jealous during Lost in the ’50s, and an unusual feathered wattle that hangs from its keel that can sometimes exceed the length of the bird’s body.
This bird’s mating patterns resemble that of human males in their 20s, gathering in large groups and awaiting a solitary female to select a preferred mate. This is called
lek mating, in the event you want to mock a friend group for preening and moving like a flock of male birds.
After a female has laid and hatched an egg, she becomes the sole caregiver for the chick and will feed it bits and pieces of fruit and insects until it grows large enough to leave the nest.
Stay curious, 7B.
Random Corner
• Stonehenge’s Stone Circle was built around 2,500 B.C.E., but activity at the site has been recorded as far back as 8,000 B.C.E. Before late-Neolithic people erected the structure, researchers believe that pine posts were installed into the ground for ritualistic purposes.
• The full Stonehenge World Heritage Site is very large, measuring more than seven times the size of Central Park in Manhattan. Despite being its most famous feature, the Stone Circle itself measures just 300 feet in diameter.
• Many items from the Roman Empire have been discovered in Stonehenge, leading scientists to believe that the Romans must have frequently visited the site from 43 C.E. Architect Inigo Jones, who surveyed and studied Stonehenge in the 17th century, incorrectly claimed the ancient Romans constructed the site.
• Nobody knows for sure who built Stonehenge or for what
purpose. Some theories suggest indigenous people of ancient Britain called “Ancient Britons” built it, while others claim it was the Druids, though little historical evidence supports this claim.
• In December 2024, British media claimed that scientists had discovered Stonehenge’s true purpose: They claimed the central altar stone had been transported from Scotland to help unite the people of the United Kingdom. Other theories claim Stonehenge was a “computer” used to predict solar and lunar eclipses or that it was used as a place of healing.
• Stonehenge was privately owned until 1918. The Antrobus family owned Stonehenge for years until they sold it at an auction in 1915 to Cecil and Mary Chubb. In 1918, the Chubbs donated Stonehenge to the U.K. They received an expression of appreciation from both the king of England and the prime minister. Stonehenge is now in the care of English Heritage.
The magnificent frigatebird in flight near Galapagos, Ecuador. Courtesy photo
To submit a photo for a future edition, please send to ben@sandpointreader.com.
Bottom middle: Personnel with the Sandpoint Police Department and Idaho Fish and Game corral the baby moose that has been a nuisance around Sandpoint the past week. IDFG Regional Supervisor Carson Watkins told the Reader the moose was showing a lack of fear around humans and even walked into a business. “So we’re going to gather it up and take it to a spot closer to its natural environment,” Watkins said, adding that it’s never a good idea to feed wild animals because it habituates them to humans and can also draw in predators. Courtesy photo.
Top left: Sandpoint locals chill with the Reader in Río Peñas Blancas, Costa Rica.
From left to right: Rich Del Carlo, Meghan Yeats, David Yeats, Mary Armstrong and Ross Fulmer.
Top right: Women dressed from The Handmaid’s Tale protest outside of The Sandpoint Center where the Bonner County Republican Central Committee hosted its annual gala. Photo by Rebecca Holland.
Middle left: A vintage tractor in Priest River. Photo by Albert DeArmas.
Bottom left: Lucy the dog was getting wild out on the lake when it was frozen. Photo by Joey Renk.
Bottom right: Gary Pietsch signs posters for the film The Sled Hill, which was screened at Alpine Vista Apartments on March 2.
State revenue funds the building blocks of a strong economy and protects our quality of life. Public schools and career training prepare the next generation. The Idaho State Police, firefighters and emergency responders keep us safe. Medicaid ensures kids, Idahoans with disabilities and vulnerable seniors get the care they need. But these essential services are at risk with a reckless bill that guts revenue at a precarious moment.
How we collect revenue says a lot about our values. In Idaho, members of the Republican supermajority have made theirs clear: protect those at the top, shift the burden downward and hope no one notices.
When you add up state and local taxes, Idahoans working paycheck to paycheck pay a greater share of their income than the top 1%. It’s already upside down, and the Legislature
keeps making it worse. Since 2022, Republican-backed tax cuts have delivered an average of $15,000 in savings to the ultra-wealthy while giving just $27 to families earning the least.
House Bill 40 doubles down on this failed approach. The top 1% can expect an additional $5,358 tax break on average. Middle-class families? A mere $127. Idaho’s lowest-income families?
Just $26. And, while corporations enjoy a tax rate of 5.3%, Idaho fami-
lies will keep paying a 6% sales tax on groceries, diapers and medicine.
At more than $250 million, the bill costs 2.5 times what Gov. Brad Little allocated for tax reduction. It was so reckless that even two Republican senators [Sens. Jim Guthrie, R-McCammon, and Jim Woodward, R-Sagle] broke ranks to vote against it.
And it won’t stop here.
Two more bills are already in motion to permanently strip another $150 million from the state budget. Even Little sounded the alarm. He pointed to looming federal funding cuts that will leave Idaho responsible for filling the gaps. His administration released a report showing state revenue took a nosedive in January and February as the economy reeled from the Trump-Musk agenda of illegal mass firings, unlawful funding holdbacks and erratic tariffs that have thrown businesses into chaos.
Nevertheless, when it came time to act, Little caved. He signed the bill and refused to comment.
The consequences are already here.
Republican legislators eliminated $15 million to jumpstart workforce housing as rents and home prices soar. They also cut a rural physician loan repayment program, worsening Idaho’s doctor shortage. And we can expect harsher clawbacks when revenues fail to cover the state’s needs.
Reckless revenue cuts happen because Republican lawmakers put party loyalty and the wealthiest ahead of the people they were elected to serve.
The Democratic legislators who voted against this misguided giveaway understand real fiscal responsibility, balancing budgets while protecting the services Idahoans rely on.
If we want leaders who put working families first, we need more Democrats.
Lauren Necochea is chair of the Idaho Democratic Party and a former District 19 legislator. Necochea spent a decade leading nonprofit programs dedicated to research and advocacy in tax policy, health care and children’s issues.
Museum hosts Sunday School Saloon: Lionhearted Ladies of Bonner County
By Reader Staff
To celebrate Women’s History Month, the Bonner County Historical Society and Museum will host a special installment of its Drink In History series titled “Sunday School Saloon: Lionhearted Ladies of Bonner County.” The in-depth presentation on the area’s historical women will take place at 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 22 at The Hive (207 N. First Ave.) and will include a no-host bar with a signature themed cocktail.
The event’s name comes from the story of pioneer and ear-
ly Sandpoint resident Ella Mae Farmin, who ran a Sunday school out of a saloon until the first local schoolhouse could be built in 1894. She and a fellow devotee of education, Delta Merritt — who famously crossed the Pend Oreille River every week on horseback to teach music lessons — will be two of the 20 inspiring women who the historical society will shine a light on. Tickets are $25 for adults and $10 for youth 18 and under at bit. ly/Sunday_School_Saloon. For more information, go to bonnercountyhistory.org.
Panida accepting scholarship applications from Bonner County high school seniors
By Reader Staff
The Panida Theater is accepting applications for the 2025 Panida Theater/ Laurel Wagers Memorial Scholarship. This scholarship is open to any high-school senior graduating in 2025
in Bonner County and entering college with an interest in pursuing a career in theater, film, stage production, music or related arts.
Organizers stated that, “If you or someone you know has a desire to inspire cultural enrichment, education
and entertainment through the arts for all generations,” they should visit panida.org and click on the scholarship application link. The application can also be found at bit.ly/PanidaScholarship.
The application deadline is Thursday, April 10.
Lauren Necochea. File photo
Nell K. Irion, left, was the first female superintendent of schools in the county, the first women to serve on Sandpoint City Council and the first woman nominated for U.S. Congress from Idaho. Photo courtesy of the Bonner County History Museum.
Oat milk and the truthfulness paradigm
By Mariela Rebelo Reader Contributor
I’ve been thinking about truthfulness a lot lately. Mainly because lying and being lied to is apparently being normalized now, and we are at risk of losing accountability, trust and the basic notion of reality.
I caught myself lying recently; and, what’s worse, I didn’t immediately realize I was being untruthful. I was so focused on getting my way that I didn’t register that I was, plain and simple, manipulating another person through a lie.
A couple of months ago my husband and I were hanging out at home with our good friends and their baby. We had had dinner and were watching a movie when their one-and-a-halfyear-old started asking for milk.
At that point, even though she was talking with plenty of words, she would default to baby sign language when she was tired. It was about 8 p.m. and she had refused to go to bed; she is an incredibly sociable baby, and she’d rather fall asleep on her feet than going to bed and missing out on a visit.
She was sitting next to me when I noticed her little hand open and close, symbolizing milk.
My husband and I are millennials. We’d take an avocado toast over basically any other breakfast food, we share a clear nostalgia for the ’90s and I’m still bummed about the whole skinny jean situation. So it’s not surprising we only had oat milk at home.
My friend asked me if we had any milk; I offered to make fresh oat milk from scratch.
A couple of years ago, I fell victim to Instagram advertising and bought the ridiculously overpriced Almond Cow — a machine with a built-in filter that, at the press of just one button, makes fresh plant-based “milk.” No additives, preservatives or sugars, just add water and you have your favorite nut or cereal — a millennial dream.
Even though the baby had never had oat milk before, my friend gave me the green light to try. So I got up, baby followed me and I proceeded to make the best oat milk yet: equal parts filtered water and organic oats; a splash of organic, imported, 100% vanilla extract; and a date for sweetness. With baby in one arm, I proceeded to mix the ingredients and press the button. I had a quick moment of ap-
preciation for parents out there doing anything whilst holding a baby. Seriously, wow.
The warm, frothy oat milk was ready. It would have paired heavenly with a coffee. I was sure baby would love it.
The tiny hand kept opening and closing. I reassured her that milk was coming. I poured it in a glass and added a plastic-free straw. We headed back to the couch and I handed it to her.
She took a sip.
Her little hand, again, opening and closing.
“That’s your milk, girl,” I said.
She looked at me, confused.
The little hand, still, opening and closing. A slight pout.
“Drink your milk, baby. That’s milk,” I doubled down.
And there it was: the lie.
The yogic philosophy talks about the importance of truthfulness, and it calls it Satya. Satya is one of the foundations of yoga: It refers not only to truthfulness toward others and the world that surrounds us, but also to truthfulness toward ourselves.
Truthfulness is the pillar for everything else: Without an honest look at ourselves and where we’re at — at our values, needs and desires — there’s absolutely no room for curiosity, learning and, ultimately, growth.
Satya invites us to be still, silent, to observe and reflect. Satya asks us to think, act and speak in ways that are absolutely consistent with our essence, our core, our souls. Satya is the basis for an honest, compassionate, respectful interaction with others. Without our awareness rooted in Satya, we’re at risk of falling victims to Maya — the illusive, deceiving world in which people are prevented from seeing the truth by their self-centeredness and own existence.
Without Satya, we end up convinced that billionaires have our best interest at heart. Without Satya, transgenic and transgender are interchangeable. Without Satya, we send ICE to our neighbors’ homes. Without Satya, we are tamable, manipulable, playable. Without Satya, we are convinced we are the best in the world and that everyone should act and look like us. Without Satya, we are deceived into supporting, defending and fighting for the very things that hurt us.
I’m sure most of us would identify as honest — truthful — people. But are we, though?
I actively tried to lie to a baby. Luckily, she called me out. She can’t be deceived; she’s too unjaded, she’s brand new, her entire existence is nothing but truthfulness. She acts exactly how she feels, she asks exactly for what she needs, she hasn’t yet realized she can lie. All she knows is truthfulness.
Her little hand opened and closed one more time. I decided to come clean. I apologized to her and let her eat the paper straw she was working on. There’s been nothing but real milk in our fridge since, just in case.
That’s the beauty of Satya. It’s subtle, yet loud and deep: truthfulness, all the time, in all situations, big or small, always.
I looked into her eyes, and she seemed a bit sad. I felt it, too. I was truly sorry I couldn’t give her the kind of milk she needed. I was sad I tried to force my definition of milk on her and I was disappointed in myself for trying to gaslight a baby into believing something that’s simply not true, and I knew it.
An honest look toward ourselves leads to an honest look at our world. If we can take in reality for what it is and get rid of the illusion, leaving no room for Maya, then our existence and experience in this world will be nothing but peaceful. But, for that, we need to focus our attention on truthfulness.
We need to make honesty non-negotiable, we need to stand and defend our experience in this world; because, at the end of the day, oat milk is just simply not milk. Not to Baby Sloane, at least, and that is the truth.
Mariela Rebelo is a Sandpoint resident.
FEATURE
Casting for a cause
By Ben Olson Reader Staff
Sometimes, inspiration comes from unexpected places. When Jess Westbrook had the idea to use fly fishing as a tool to support children in foster care, it came from how he used the sport as a therapeutic tool to manage his own anxiety after he and his wife Laura’s son, Kase, was born in 2014. Westbrook found himself having anxiety attacks, leading to significant weight loss and frequent absences from work, as well as distancing himself from loved ones.
“A friend that I admired kept getting me out on the river to fish, and I found that when I was on the river I forgot about everything but fishing,” Westbrook said. “When we are fly fishing we are so concentrated on casting, mending, presenting good drifts, etc., that we forget about everything else around us.”
Westbrook and his wife, Laura, founded The Mayfly Project in 2015 in Arkansas, with the plan to take local group home children fly fishing. Westbrook then reached out to famous fly fishing artist Andrea Larko, who created a logo for The Mayfly Project — an elegant line drawing of the organization’s namesake flying insect.
The logo then caught Kaitlin Barnhart’s eye. Born and raised in Sandpoint and a 1999 graduate of Sandpoint High School, Barnhart started fly fishing after college while working as a mental health professional — including with a lot of kids in foster care in Sandpoint.
“I would use fly fishing as my coping mechanism with dealing with the crazy foster care system,” she told the Reader. “For me, it was a time to decompress and relax. I thought, ‘Why are we not taking these kids fly fishing?’ I started taking them out on my own and eventually saw The
Mayfly Project sticker online and messaged the artist, who told me some guy in Arkansas is taking kids fly fishing for therapeutic purposes. I freaked out! Some guy is doing what I was doing.”
Barnhart got on the phone and, before long, she and Westbrook were aligned with a plan: Turn The Mayfly Project into a national program and help as many kids in the foster care system as possible.
“We started with two projects in Arkansas and Idaho,” said Barnhart, who is based in Coeur d’Alene. “Ten years later, we have 66 projects in the U.S. and we also started a separate nonprofit in the U.K. two years ago.”
The reception and growth of The Mayfly Project has warmed Barnhart’s heart.
“It’s been amazing,” she said. “The fly fishing community is such a generous group of people. Most of us are into fly fishing because it gives so much back to us.”
Each local program is separated into projects designed to teach fly fishing, conservation and provide opportunities for mentees to experience the outdoors with a safe mentor. Every session is organized
Sandpoint-born
co-founder of The Mayfly Project helps foster kids learn to fly fish
around the premise that mentors are there to provide fun, build up foster children’s self-esteem and give as much encouragement as possible.
The projects are characterized by the five parts of the life cycle of a mayfly: the “egg stage” begins with an introduction to fly fishing, the fly rod and the mentors; the “nymph stage” moves on with an introduction to casting, knot tying, and catch and release; the “emerger stage” instructs mentees to set a hook, provides conservation education and gives time to fish; the “dun stage” teaches participants to read the water, mend line, roll casting and fish more in the wild; and, finally, the “big catch stage” is all about a final fun day, fishing a special location on a float trip, and mentees receiving a fly rod and gear of their own.
Projects take about two to three weeks with around 10 kids participating, and are funded using private donations from the communities in which they are located.
Barnhart said fly fishing is a natural fit for a therapeutic activity for a number of reasons.
“You have to move around a lot while fly fishing,” she
said. “You look at the river, the crossings, look to see what bugs are hatching. It’s an involved procedure. You’re not just sitting there waiting. That’s what we love for our kids to experience — a chance to decompress where they aren’t thinking about their stressors or where they’re going next. Our goal is to help them build self-esteem by talking them up and trying to make it a fun experience. ... When you put your waders on for the first time you feel like a badass.”
Barnhart said it’s also a worthwhile program because it introduces kids to the natural side of where they live.
“It makes you be in nature, takes you to different places you can go see all the time if you want to,” she said. “In Idaho, our kids don’t always know about public lands, so this is a way to connect these kids who don’t have a home to places they can call home. In Idaho, there’s so much public land, so there’s plenty of space for them to find their own little spot on the river.”
Barnhart said one of the most rewarding parts of the program is seeing the transformation that occurs in kids afterward.
“They’ll show up and be really nervous, not wanting to kill a fish,” she said. “The second we get into casting, we visibly see them relax; and, once we get into the fishing part, we see a huge difference.”
The Mayfly Project mentors not only teach the kids how to fish, but also imbue them with conservation-minded education that will hopefully stick with them throughout life.
“We make sure kids learn catch and release, to pick up after ourselves and to be mindful of invasive species,” she said.
Mentors take kids to a variety of fishing holes throughout the project, which includes the WaterLife Discovery Center and Silverwood, where the owner lets kids fish from his specially stocked pond.
Those interested in mentoring or participating in The Mayfly Project can visit themayflyproject.com or email Barnhart at kaitlin@themayflyproject.com. Mentors are given thorough background and reference checks to ensure they are a solid influence for kids in the program. There are currently 2,000 mentors serving < see MAYFLY, Page 15 >
Top left: The Mayfly Project co-founder Kaitlin Barnhart, back left, with mentees on a project. Top right: A mentor works with one of the project participants in the field. Courtesy photos
the 66 projects throughout the U.S.
“We want to make sure all of our mentors are good,” she said. “We never cancel an outing and will never cancel on any kids because they’re so used to being canceled on.”
Barnhart said the Coeur d’Alene chapter of The Mayfly Project is made possible thanks to North40, Got Fishing, North West Outfitters, Adamsbuilt Company, Silverwood, Idaho Fish and Game, Sandpoint Waterlife Discovery Center, the CDA Rotary Club, Idaho Fish and Wildlife, and the generosity of the fly fishing community. Barnhart also wanted to thank Emily Skinner and Wayne Wakkinen for helping develop the North Idaho project.
“It takes a village,” Barnhart said. “Other ways people can help is by donating snacks or lunches, or helping us find new places for our kids to experience the best fishing.”
Those wanting to support the project can donate individually, through a business or directly sponsor a child to participate in the program.
Another part of the program that Barnhart is especially proud of is seeing mentees graduate and go on to become mentors for foster kids that come after.
“That’s one of the most rewarding things, hearing about someone who was out fishing and ran into their mentors,” she said. “We have some mentees who have aged out of foster care and have come back to work as mentors, too.”
When asked why she chose to cater the program toward kids in foster care, Barnhart said it’s because they often need the most guidance.
“More people should be aware of kids in foster care and support them in their journey,” she said. “I think they benefit from it more than anyone. These are kids with some of the most trauma and they need people to step up and help lead them to the outdoors to find themselves and take a break.”
For Barnhart, it’s also a beneficial project because it reaches kids who are having trouble fitting in.
“Some kids find their identity while fly fishing,” she said. “It’s really hard for them to be in sports, maybe, but a few kids would always go back to school and brag, saying, ‘I’m a fly fisher.’”
Learn more at themayflyproject.com.
The Mayfly Project is partnering with North 40 to host the IF4 Fly Fishing Films on May 10 at the Panida Theater. Tickets will be sold at North 40 in April.
COMMUNITY
Ponderay Rotary selling hanging flower baskets to benefit scholarship fund 88.5 KRFY Community Radio to host annual meeting
By Reader Staff
For the fifth year, the Rotary Club of Ponderay is selling hanging flower baskets to fund educational opportunities.
The large baskets feature a variety of flowers, which organizers estimate would cost about $70 at a retail store but Rotary is selling for $45.
“The club enjoys this fundraiser because the customer is usually very happy to bring home beautiful flowers, and it reminds us that spring is here,” stated Ponderay Rotary member Tiffany Goodvin.
Baskets have sold out in past years, so those interested in making a purchase are urged to place their order soon at ponderayrotaryclub.com or by mailing a check to
Ponderay Rotary Club, P.O. Box 813, Ponderay, ID 83852
Purchased baskets will be available for pickup on Wednesday, May 7, with more details to come.
Sales go to benefit the Rotary Club’s service work, which includes supporting scholarship opportunities for local high-school graduates and those who wish to continue their education. The club distributed $43,000 in scholarships last year alone.
Students wishing to apply for a Ponderay Rotary Scholarship should check the website and the Sandpoint High School website for the application. Applicants are not limited to college, and may include those interested in trade schools and certifications.
To make a donation to the Scholarship Fund, go to the Ponderay Rotary website and become a sponsor. Rotary thanked local businesses that have already made a donation toward the fund, including: Avista, Evergreen Realty, Granite Aviation, Kochava and Sandpoint Super Drug.
By Reader Staff
The KRFY Board of Trustees invites the community to 88.5 KRFY’s annual meeting at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 25 at Evans Brothers Coffee Cafe (524 Church St., in Sandpoint).
Members of the public can stop by and meet local KRFY broadcasters, staff and board, and find out how KRFY meets its mission to “provide programming that educates, informs, entertains and enriches the lives of its listeners.”
KRFY is a commercial-free, nonprofit, listener supported community radio station serving North Idaho at 88.5 FM and available via streaming at KRFY.org.
“Find out what’s happening at the station and find out why KRFY is an important and vital voice in our community,” station officials stated.
Courtesy photo
dumb of the week
By Ben Olson Reader Staff
Perhaps, in a decade or two, we’ll look back on this time period and shake our heads softly, saying, “It was a strange time to be alive.” But, to quote Editor-in-Chief Zach Hagadone after a particularly troubling weekend in Las Vegas about 20 years ago, “Sure, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, but what happens when you’re still in Vegas?”
The Dumb on display over the previous week or two is almost legendary at this point.
President Donald Trump literally hawked Teslas in front of the White House to support Elon Musk’s car company after the latter complained his numbers were suffering due to public backlash at his chainsawing of the U.S. government. It’s getting so bad for Musk right now that some Tesla owners are buying other car company’s logos and affixing them to their Teslas to avoid having swastikas keyed into their vehicles. I never had “president sells cars in front of the White House” on my Doom Bingo card.
The S&P 500 has lost about 9% or $4 trillion in value since inauguration day, down from its all-time high reached in February. The market has been dragged down by Trump’s unnecessary trade wars and tariffs, which have continued to create uncertainty. For historical context, Trump has repeatedly tied the performance of the stock market to the current president, either taking credit for market highs or blaming rivals for market lows.
Meanwhile, the president continues to berate our longtime ally Canada, calling it the “51st state,” while Canada imposed retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods. Ontario Premier Doug Ford threatened to cut off his province’s supply of electricity to the U.S. if the trade war continues to escalate. Meanwhile, Canadians have united to eschew American products altogether, causing the U.S. to lose out on billions of dollars now and likely trillions over the next decade.
The U.S. has also paused negotiations with Canada on a management plan that governs flood control, water supply and hydropower in the shared Columbia River Basin as Trump continues to escalate his trade war and threaten Canada’s sovereignty. Because the Pacific Northwest relies on hydropower for electricity, this will
Now with more fascism!
likely impact us over the following months.
Trump Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, who robotically promotes Trump’s talking points with a dash of vitriol, told reporters, “The president has made it clear he believes Canadians would be better served economically, militarily, if they were to become the 51st state of the United States of America.”
On the homefront, the Idaho House passed H.B. 358, which would establish an Idaho Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE. The Musk-led federal DOGE has been plagued with lawsuits and unrest after almost a quarter million federal workers lost their jobs and countless federal programs remain in limbo after funding was frozen by the Trump administration, Elon Musk and DOGE. The bill heads to the Idaho Senate where, if passed into law, it would bring the federal firings, fund withholdings and other nonsense home to Idaho to target state agencies, as well.
Get ready for state workers to start losing their jobs, because apparently under the Trump administration, increasing the unemployment rate is patriotic.
In another installment of “You Can’t Make This Shit Up,” five Minnesota Republicans authored a bill that would define so-called “Trump derangement syndrome” as a mental illness, leading to the assumption that, if passed, seemingly anyone who disagrees with the president can be legally considered to have a mental illness. The bill faced significant pushback, as opponents claimed it trivializes mental health care. Minnesota Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy called it “possibly the worst bill in Minnesota history.”
Another snag came on March 18, when Minnesota state Republican Sen. Justin Eichorn, one of the bill’s co-authors, was arrested after allegedly trying to solicit sex from a 16-yearold girl, who turned out to be a police detective working undercover. Eichorn was arrested and his felony charges are pending as he remains in custody.
I wonder if he’ll be able to bond out to vote on this important bill.
Hug your loved ones, pet your dog and buckle up — there’s a lot of Dumb out there.
COMMUNITY
Sandpoint Chamber names business and volunteer of the month
By Reader Staff
The Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce named Paul Gunter as March volunteer of the month and 113 Main as the March business of the month.
Born and raised in Sandpoint, Gunter is well known throughout the community for his decades of involvement with a variety of local organizations and institutions — from producing pre-K school programs, events and concerts; to providing music, equipment and DJ services for pre-K and elementary school functions; to donating percussion instruments to area preschools and volunteering in class.
As Production and Education Manager for the Festival at Sandpoint, Gunter provides free music classes for four area pre-K schools, donates production services to local events and functions, and sits on various community and educational committees.
In addition to volunteering when he sees an opportunity to improve a local event — such as the chamber’s holiday tree lighting — Gunter donates his time and talents in many other ways. For instance, he offered his time to provide lights and sound, in cooperation with the Festival and the Pend d’Oreille Winery, for this year’s block party after the Winter Carnival Parade of Lights and has dedicated years to supporting the Angels Over Sandpoint, Lost in the ’50s and the Panida Theater in a variety of ways.
113 Main owner Justin Dick has also been an integral part of the Sandpoint community for many years. Dick and the 113 Main team, led by General Manager Hallie Payne, provide a dining experience with Sandpoint history sprinkled throughout.
With classic and original cocktails and scratch-made dishes featuring local products, “113 Main is a welcome addition to our historic downtown,” the chamber stated.
The restaurant also serves the community by supporting local events and initiatives that bring the community together and help spur economic development in the area.
113 Main supports the Rotary Club of Sandpoint’s two cycling events: the CHAFE 150 Grand Fondo and the WaCanId (Washington, Canada, Idaho) Bike Tour, which follows the Selkirk Loop. The 113 Main team spends the night in town in order to be up before dawn to prepare nutritious breakfasts for the cycling participants to fuel up before their bike ride events.
The restaurant has also supported Sandpoint Chamber events such as Leadership Sandpoint’s Cinco de Mayo block party in May 2024, the Summer Sampler and Beerfest.
Meanwhile, Dick recently joined the board of directors of the SPOT Bus regional public transportation and he is a member of Sandpoint the City Council, including serving as the liaison for the Arts, Culture and Historic Preservation Commission.
Paul Gunter, left, was named March volunteer of the month while 113 Main, owned by Justin Dick, right, was named March business of the month. Courtesy photo
POAC presents Missoula Children’s Theatre’s Snow White
By Reader Staff
Audiences are invited to venture into the perilous Black Forest when the Missoula Children’s Theatre brings two presentations of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves to the Panida Theater (300 N. First Ave.).
The performances, which feature more than 50 local students in an original musical adaptation of the classic tale, will take place at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. on Saturday, March 22. Tickets are $5 for youth and $20 for adults, available at the door, panida. org, artinsandpoint.org/mct or the Pend Oreille Arts Council office (313 N. Second Ave., Ste. B, in downtown Sandpoint). Doors open an hour before each showing.
The iconic fairy tale centers on a young princess, Snow White, who finds herself in peril when her stepmother — the queen — is told by her Magic Mirror that the princess is fairer than she. Aided by her two henchmen and a band of evil bats, the queen plots to get rid of Snow White. She escapes from the queen and her Black
Forest minions with help from Witless the Woodsman, and finds a home with the seven dwarves. When the queen learns of Snow White’s whereabouts, she attempts to poison her; but, the sinister queen’s plans are thwarted when Snow White’s fearless forest friends, her father King Backwards, the dwarves and the prince come to her rescue.
The production is part of the MCT’s international touring project and is presented locally by the Pend Oreille Arts Council.
“We value our decades-long relationship with the Missoula Children’s Theatre and know that local children and their families look forward to their return each year,” stated POAC Executive Director Tone Lund. “The amount of work they do with the kids all week, and all the fun the participants have is truly remarkable.”
For more info on Missoula Children’s Theatre, go to mctinc.org. For more on the Pend Oreille Arts Council, visit artinsandpoint.org.
Idaho Teen Film Festival seeking submissions
By Reader Staff
Since its foundation 20 years ago, the Idaho Teen Film Festival has received almost 500 films and awarded more than $50,000 in prizes. The Idaho Falls-based festival is accepting submissions from Tuesday, March 18-Sunday, April 13 before its Saturday, May 3 red carpet event and film festival awards ceremony.
Submissions are open to any Idaho teens aged 13-19 years old. This year, seven $300 category prizes will be awarded, as well as a $1,000 grand prize.
Categories include action/drama, comedy, sports, short subject, commercial, documentary and music video.
Visit idahoteenfilmfestival.org for more info.
Send event listings to calendar@sandpointreader.com
Paint & Sip w/ Nicole Black
5:30-8pm @ Barell 33
$45 includes supplies and instruction
Cribbage double elimination tournament
6pm @ Connie’s Lounge
Live Jazz w/ Bright Moments
6-8pm @ Baxter’s on Cedar
Live Music w/ Son of Brad
5:30-8:30pm @ Barrel 33
Live Music w/ Justin Lantrip
6-8pm @ Idaho Pour Authority
Live Music w/ Holly & Michael
6:30-9:30pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall
Live Music w/ Ponderay Paradox
5:30-8:30pm @ Barrel 33
Live Music w/ Picked Up Pieces
6-8pm @ Idaho Pour Authority
Live Music w/ Oak Street Connection
5-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery
Live Music w/ Double Shot Band
6pm @ Connie’s Lounge
Live Music w/ Right Front Burner
9pm-midnight @ 219 Lounge
Synth, rock, funk and groove
Live Music w/ Chris Paradis
6-9pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall
Sandpoint Chess Club
9am @ Evans Brothers Coffee Meets every Sunday at 9am
Live Music w/ Fiddlin’ Red
1-4pm @ Barrel 33
THURSDAY, march 20
Sip & Shop for Albion Soccer Club
4-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery
A percentage of winery profits will benefit ASC in Sandpoint
FriDAY, march 21
Live Music w/ Pamela Benton
5-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery
Live Music w/ Jason Perry
5pm @ Connie’s Lounge
Live Music w/ Steve Livingston
6-8pm @ Smokesmith BBQ Texas-style blues
Live Music w/ Ken Mayginnes
6-9pm @ 1908 Saloon
SATURDAY, march 22
Drink in History
3pm @ The Hive Celebrate women’s history month by learning about more than 20 fearless Bonner County women of the past. $20
Carson Bankson Benefit
3:30pm @ Bonner County Fairgrounds $20/person - carsonbenefit.com.
Sandpoint Lions Poker Night
5:30pm @ Lions Den, 609 S. Ella Texas Hold’em poker night
SunDAY, march 23
Magic with Star Alexander 5-8pm @ Jalapeño’s Up-close magic shows at the table
Live Music w/ Kerry Leigh 3-5pm @ Idaho Pour Authority
monDAY, march 24
Monday Night Blues Jam w/ John Firshi
7pm @ Eichardt’s Pub
Outdoor Experience Group Run 6pm @ Outdoor Experience 3-5 miles, all levels welcome
tuesDAY, march 25
Live Music w/ Coloso & Collection of Lone Souljahs
8pm @ Mitzy’s Bar, 807 N. Fifth Ave.
One night only, a reggae-rock band from the Pacific NW and Hawaii. $10 entry
Roxy’s Karaoke
9pm-1am @ Roxy’s, 215 Pine St.
Live Piano w/ Malachi
5-7pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery
Live Trivia ($5/person)
7pm @ Connie’s Lounge
Brim, Band & Sip
5:30pm @ Barrel 33
Trivia w/ Marsha 6-8pm @ Idaho Pour Authority
Live Piano w/ Jennifer Stoehner 5-7pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery
wednesDAY, march 26
Family Hour at Matchwood
5-7pm @ Matchwood Brewing Co.
Live music, food, beer and more
ThursDAY, march 27
Cribbage double elimination tournament
6pm @ Connie’s Lounge
March 20-27, 2025
Play: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
7pm @ Sandpoint High School auditorium
$12 tickets w/ student performers
Empty Bowl fundraiser 11:30-2pm @ Marigold Bistro
Raise money to combat food insecurity in Bonner Co. w/ SHS pottery students making and donating 200 bowls. First come, first served. $25
Equinox Community Drum Circle 5:30-6:30pm @ Phi Center Dome (Clark Fork)
Karaoke Night (Fri/Sat/Sun) 8pm @ Tervan Tavern
Sandpoint Writers on the Lake contest 9:30am @ Sandpoint Library
Three categories: Ages 5-12; ages 1318; 19 and up. Entry registration begins at 8:30am. All are welcome to participate or attend
Missoula Children’s Theater: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
1 & 4pm @ Panida Theater
Dance and country two-step lesson
7-10pm @ Sandpoint Community Hall Lesson at 7pm, general dancing 8-10pm. All are welcome. $10
Pool Tournament ($10 entry fee) 6pm @ Connie’s
A day of custom hat making. $95
Anti-fascist films that hit just right
By Ben Olson Reader Staff
Publisher’s note: This article contains spoilers.
Perhaps it was Elon Musk’s Hitler salute at President Donald Trump’s inauguration. Maybe it’s the endless waves of authoritarian rhetoric coming from the White House these days. Whatever the case, despite fighting a world war against fascism and Nazism, America is wading through a particularly ugly period where extreme ideology is creeping into our national identity. Whether it takes hold for good or we send it running as we did 80 years ago, it’s important to understand what fascism actually is and how to resist it.
Hollywood has a long history of resisting fascism through art, with films that continue to shed a harsh — and sometimes humorous — light on the consequences that occur when we allow dictators to gain power. Here are some of the best efforts over the past 100 years of cinema.
The Great Dictator (1940)
Released a year before the U.S. entered World War II, The Great Dictator is a political satire and black comedy that was written, directed by, produced by and starring Charlie Chaplin as his first “talkie” after a career in silent movies.
The film served as a striking backhand to the German and Italian dictators Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini, as well as fascism itself as a political movement. The movie became Chaplin’s most commercially successful film, and has since been selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the U.S. National Film Registry as being “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant.”
Chaplin’s career took a hit afterward, however. The FBI compiled a 1,900-page file on him and, when he left the U.S. for a trip to England in 1952, his reentry papers were revoked unless he agreed to an immigration and naturalization inquiry into his moral and political character. Chaplin refused and chose to spend most of the rest of his life living in exile. He only returned to the U.S. in 1972 to collect an honorary Academy Award.
American History X (1998)
One of the most troubling — and prescient — films made over the past 40 years, American History X follows
the story of Derek Vinyard, a violent neo-Nazi played by Edward Norton who is convicted of murder after brutally killing a Black man who tries to steal his car. Vinyard experiences a transformation after meeting and becoming friends with a Black inmate, changing his life and attempting to convince his former skinhead friends to see the error of their ways. Though beautifully filmed, the violence in American History X makes it a film you’ll probably only watch once, but it’ll definitely make a lasting impact.
District 9 (2009)
District 9 is an odd film to include in this list, but if the jackboots fit...
Blending sci-fi with mockumentary satire, District 9 showcases a military operation in South Africa to relocate a refugee camp built for aliens who have invaded Earth. The way the humans view the aliens — as loathsome, non-native drains on resources which they refer to as “prawns” because they resemble shrimp — is eerily similar to South Africa’s forcible removal of non-white residents from Capetown’s District Six during the apartheid era, as well as how Trump portrays immigrants in the U.S.
Inglourious Basterds (2009)
In the first of his films offering unique alternate histories, Quenton Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds is a righteous film that takes back the power. Set during World War II and starring an ensemble cast, Tarantino’s film follows a ragtag group of soldiers who are, as Brad Pitt’s character explained, “in the killin’ Nazi business. And cousin, business is a-boomin’.”
If nothing else, it’s a film to watch in celebration of the once agreed-upon notion that Nazis are always the bad guys. I especially enjoyed Tarantino’s crescendo when the entire Nazi leadership burns to death inside a cinema.
Minority Report (2002)
Based on Philip K. Dick’s 1952 novella of the same name, this cyberpunk film explores Dick’s concepts of a technocratic authoritarian government of the future featuring a police state that is said to detect crimes before they happen. With rapid advances in AI continually shoved down our throats, Dick’s novel was well ahead of its time when it was written in the 1950s and the film adaptation matches that energy.
Starship Troopers (1997)
Paul Verhoeven’s film was such an effective satire that many critics misinterpreted the film as a full-throated endorsement of authoritarianism, missing the heavily-laden satire the Dutch director is known for. Everything about the film — including the super dumb, super hot actors; the gleeful displays of orgiastic military violence; the austere costumes; and dialogue
that seems lifted directly from Nazi propaganda — oozes with satire that paints a clear picture that authoritarianism isn’t that great. “Would You Like to Know More?”
Porco Rosso (1992)
The only animated film on this list, Porco Rosso was written and directed by Japanese filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki. Set in 1929, seven years after Mussolini took power, an Italian World War I ex-fighter pilot experiences a curse that causes him to have a pig’s head (“porco rosso” means “red pig” in Italian). While flying to Milan to have his seaplane serviced after defending an ocean liner from airborne pirates, Porco Rosso’s plane is shot down by an American pilot, with whom he later duels in an epic dogfight.
The best line occurs when an Italian officer invites him back into the Italian Air Force with a prominent position. Porco scoffs and replies, “Thanks for the offer, but I’d rather be a pig than a fascist.” Yes.
Charlie Chaplin in The Great Dictator. Courtesy photo
By Marcia Pilgeram Reader Columnist
Good morning, Vietnam!
Good morning, Sandpoint, from Southeast Asia’s faraway and exotic setting, where I’m aboard a river boat cruising on the Mekong Delta from Vietnam to Cambodia. I have been to Vietnam before (touring by land), not too long after our esteemed Publisher Ben Olson and his partner Cadie visited this region, and I have been looking forward to returning ever since.
Like Ben, my travel companion Jennifer Leedy and I also had the privilege of dining with good friends and former Sandpoint residents Greg (it turns out Jennifer was his preschool teacher) and Tuyen Vanderford. I am drawn to these people, their culture and their sublime food, which I can never get enough of before departing.
Lucky for Jennifer and me, Tuyen was born and raised in Ho Chi Minh City (a.k.a. Saigon), so she was not only able to order our magnificent dinner in her melodic native language, but also answered our endless string of questions and shared fascinating insights into her family life. She gave us lifesaving tips for navigating as a pedestrian, maneuvering among thousands of morning scooter commuters (keep moving!). And, of course, we talked politics at length — theirs and ours.
Too soon, our dinner and endless chatter about everything Sandpoint and Saigon were over. We passed along a
The Sandpoint Eater Good morning, Vietnam
package from Greg’s parents and a few treats Jennifer and I brought along (including huckleberry jam). We bid farewell to Greg and Tuyen, promising to one day reunite, here or there.
The next day, we joined our fellow river cruise passengers and our Saigon guide, Thomas, to tour the city. We weaved through lively and noisy markets with hawkers offering delicacies from smoked duck embryos to roasted cashews in the husk (another major export commodity). We sampled moonshine made from rice and fermented in an oversized vessel alongside a longdead cobra snake.
After an obligatory sip, I searched for a trusty iced coffee — my favorite Vietnamese beverage.
Coffee drinks are very popular in Vietnam and coffee stands are on nearly every
corner. Specialty beverages include caramel, egg and Vietnamese iced coffee. I was surprised when Thomas told us Vietnam is the world’s second-largest coffee producer. I had no idea and wasn’t even sure I believed him. But, sure enough, with a bit of research I learned that, indeed, Vietnam is behind only Brazil in coffee production.
The coffee beans grown in Vietnam are primarily robusta, an important bean exported and used worldwide in instant coffee manufacturing. Robusta coffee also plays a vital role in the Vietnamese economy and culture. Vietnamese people are very proud of their coffee and are big drinkers of this product rather than drinking imported coffee.
When I was in Vietnam last time, I sampled a myriad of coffee drinks, including egg coffee. It was delicious
but a little too rich for my taste. During my current visit, we stayed at the Sofitel Saigon Plaza, and I learned the legend of Vietnamese egg coffee. Ironically, it was created at our luxury hotel in 1946 during the Anti-French Resistance War. The city was rapidly running out of milk and, even back then, the Sofitel catered to a discerning clientele, and the demand for milk was high.
An ingenious bartender at the hotel, Nguyen Giang, experimented to find a way to create a creamy coffee drink similar to café au lait that someone could prepare without any lait. He discovered that a whipped egg yolk made a light and delicate foam, and his popular new drink — Vietnamese egg coffee — was born. With the success of his original beverage, Giang opened his coffee shop, Café Giang. Today, the business is
Vietnamese coffee
operated by his son, Tri Hoa Nguyen. Most Vietnamese coffee drinks, like egg coffee and my favorite iced coffee (cà phê sữa đá), also contain sweet condensed milk.
Tomorrow, we will embark on a new adventure in Siem Reap, Cambodia. We will meet up with another friend, Da Kriel. Da is a handsome and bright young lad I befriended on a different trip years ago. He’s finally recovering from the economic crisis caused by COVID-19 and will be our guide.
We’re looking forward to a sunrise visit to Angor Wat and sharing a meal in the countryside with his family. I don’t know what beverages we’ll discover in Siem Reap, but hopefully, I’ll find an iced coffee.
Keep this recipe handy for your refreshing beverage when summertime comes to Sandpoint.
There are many versions and variations of Vietnamese coffee. This one pleases most all palates. Yields 4 glasses of sweet and delicious iced coffee.
INGREDIENTS: DIRECTIONS:
• 4 cups freshly brewed coffee
• ⅔ cup sweetened condensed milk
• Cubed ice
Make your favorite strong coffee, preferably with a French press. Pour the coffee into a heat-proof pitcher. Fill four tall glasses with ice cubes. Pour hot coffee over ice cubes and stir briskly with the long-handled spoon to chill the coffee. Add the sweet condensed milk. Stir again until well blended and serve.
MUSIC
Festival announces Neon Trees for summer concert series
By Reader Staff
The Festival at Sandpoint recently released another lineup announcement with Neon Trees set to play Thursday, July 24, with tickets on sale for $55.50. Member pre-sale tickets are available Thursday, March 20 from 10 a.m.-11:50 p.m., after which general admission tickets will be offered.
The synth pop and indie rock band from Provo, Utah, has gained a following for testing the line between pop and rock.
Since releasing its debut album, Habits (2010), Neon Trees has established itself as a dynamic, engaging band, performing at major festivals like Coachella, Bonnaroo, Life Is Beautiful and Bottle Rock. Opening for artists ranging from My Chemical Romance to Maroon 5 and Taylor Swift — as well as headlining sold-out tours of its own — Neon Trees has amassed 1 billion streams and recently logged more than 40 million views on TikTok.
With acclaim from Rolling Stone, Entertainment Weekly and USA Today, the band continues to push upward with each subsequent release.
“If you’re going to do
something, do it with all you’ve got,” said Tyler Glenn (lead vocals, piano, keys).
That sensibility typified Neon Trees’ fifth studio album, Sink Your Teeth (2024).
“Our last album came out during the pandemic, and it was a terrible time to put out an album,” Glenn said. “So I focused on what I could control. Most of us were out in orbit, spiraling, but writing music was something I could do. I wrote by myself, I wrote with other artists and this collection of songs came from that.
Like all of Neon Trees’ work, the album explores a balance between the dark and the light.
“The question was, ‘How do I capture that energy and that feeling of anxiety, but not make it solely about a period of time in our lives or make people only reflect on that when they listen?’”
Glenn said of the album.
“The songs do contain some of the anxiety and existential crisis I was feeling, but there’s also a thread of hope. It’s not wrapped neatly in a bow at the end, but there’s still a hopefulness.”
Coloso and Collection of Lone Souljahs, Mitzy’s Lounge, March 25
Coloso and Collection of Lone Souljahs will bring a bit of Hawaiian flare to Mitzy’s Bar Tuesday, March 25, performing their original reggae-rock music. Lead singer Kevin Coloso, of Maui, Hawaii, brings the laidback island vibes with his ukulele. He offers a softer counterpart to bandmates Joshua Schardt, Wil “Willy Nilly” Veale, Riley Curtis, Domenick Presto, Kevin LeBaron and Chris Capka, whose heavy instrumentation leans
The album’s debut single, “Favorite Daze,” acts as a bridge between what Neon Trees has done on past albums and how the band has evolved. The track, which started as a poem, was a collaboration between Glenn and Joe Janiak and features a frenetic, fast-paced rock vibe with an anthemic chorus.
“It was a perfect entry point because it sounds like something classic you would hear from us, but then the chorus explodes into a more
Their music is reminiscent of Stick Figure with a 2010s emo flare that blends the tropics with the band’s homebase of Vancouver, Wash. Stop by for an energizing evening that blends cultures as well as genres.
— Soncirey
Mitchell
This week’s RLW by Ben Olson
modern, slicker vibe that we haven’t always played with,” Glenn said. “It feels like something new. But I’m also being really specific and explicit in the lyrics. I’m speaking honestly and directly to the listener, and I want them to feel that — not just on this song, but on the entire album.”
General admission tickets for Neon Trees at the Festival at Sandpoint go on sale Friday, March 21 at festivalatsandpoint.com.
Oak Street Connection, Pend d’Oreille
Winery, March 22
It doesn’t get much more local in the local music scene than duo Chrystle Horvath and Sam Cornett, a.k.a. Oak Street Connection. The pair of Sandpoint High grads (1998 and 2000, respectively) have roots in choir and have been honing their craft for decades since.
Specializing in an impeccably practiced blend of jazz, R&B, blues, rock, pop and other modern stylings, their more rock.
talents shine with the warmth of expert vocal harmonies and top-tier piano and guitar chops. It’s hard to imagine a better accompaniment to a Saturday night at the winery.
5-8 p.m., FREE. Pend d’Oreille Winery, Pend d’Oreille Winery, 301 Cedar St., 208-2658545, powine.com. Listen at reverbnation.com/oakstreetconnection.
READ LISTEN
The New York Times article titled, “These Words Are Disappearing in the New Trump Administration,” is something we should all read right now. It’s about how Trump has purged federal websites of hundreds of terms he feels are inappropriate, including “women,” “trauma,” “female,” “disability” and dozens more. Remember, “Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past.” George Orwell is turning over in his grave right now.
David Bazan is perhaps better known for his artist name of Pedro the Lion, or the electronic pop group Headphones. A Seattle fixture of the indie rock scene since the late ’90s, Bazan has since launched a solo career that marries his esoteric, thoughtful lyrics with a grungy electronic indie sound that always hits just right. I’m a big fan of his 2017 album Care Listen on Spotify, Bandcamp or other streamers.
WATCH
My partner never watched Parks and Recreation, so I’m enjoying watching the series with her from start to finish. If you’re fans of The Office, you’ll love Parks and Recreation. The characters are all humorous in their own ways, the writing is sharp and witty and it’s the perfect show to watch when you don’t really want to watch anything else. Stream all seven seasons on Peacock.
Courtesy photo
From Northern Idaho News, March 23, 1909
WESTMOND SCENE OF A SHOOTING
Alex Enos of Westmond shot his wife through the left arm last Saturday night as she was standing in the doorway between the barroom and living rooms of the Traveler’s Home, of which Enos is the proprietor, with a 32 Smith and Wesson leveled at him.
The trouble which consumated in the shooting started at the dance given Saturday night at the new dance hall at Westmond, which was attended by both Mr. and Mrs. Enos. According to the story of a bystander, who attended the dance and saw the whole trouble, Mrs. Enos became highly incensed over the fancied attention of her husband to one of the neighborhood girls at the dance. Both Mr. and Mrs. Enos were, to some extent, under the influence of liquor. Mrs. Enos returned to her home alone, shortly after midnight and when Mr. Enos came home she met him at the door of the barroom with a revolver and told him that she would shoot his head off. Enos calmly told her to go ahead and shoot, but Mrs. Enos was four-flushing and the two entered the saloon together where Mrs. Enos laid the gun she was carrying on the bar and shoving it towards her husband asking him to shoot her.
Mrs. Enos finally consented to going to their rooms, but as she passed the end of the bar she picked up another revolver lying there and as soon as she reached the doorway, turned and was in the act of leveling it at her husband when he saw her and shot at her gun hand, the bullet passing through the fleshy part of the left arm. No arrests will be made.
BACK OF THE BOOK ‘Hey, Rube’
By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff
When I was a cub reporter at the Associated Press, stationed in the bowels of the pre-renovation Idaho Capitol, circa 2003, we had a CRT TV bolted to a wall in the office, à la prison rec room. On the TV that night, I saw George W. Bush standing on the deck of an aircraft carrier.
He said: “Mission accomplished,” ostensibly declaring victory in the “War on Terror” that began under such ludicrous and mendacious auspices with the “shock-and-awe” bombing of Iraq as a proxy target for the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on our biggest buildings of banking, finance and military-industrial might.
One of my coworkers, the lategreat AP Idaho Bureau reporter Chuck Oxley, swiveled in his squeaky chair toward me on that day and asked, “Whose mission?”
It was an honest newsman’s question — devoid of partisan animus or editorializing. I was 22-going-on-23, and Chuck was in his early 40s. He died in a car crash in 2009 at the age of 47. Meanwhile, he was one of the finest journalists that Idaho has ever had, and I was lucky to learn at his elbow. (He was also the first person to tell me “journalism is the first draft of history” in earnest.)
His question, “Whose mission?” has haunted my understanding of everything that has happened in this shitheap of a century, which I’ve had the dubious opportunity to experience almost entirely as a working reporter.
I have not altogether enjoyed that experience, nor always been as good a reporter as Chuck — he was among
STR8TS Solution
the tail-end members of a news business that held objectivity as a lodestone. I learned a lot from him, and also from my many other mentors — all of whom are or were better reporters than me.
Hunter S. Thompson is one of those — sort of — and he was keenly aware of the answer begging after Chuck’s question.
If you’ve sat at the bar with Reader Publisher Ben Olson and me for more than a few sessions, you’ll have heard of the time we drove through the night from Sandpoint to L.A. to meet HST at what turned out to be his second-tolast book signing. It was for Hey, Rube — his last (and mostly mediocre) offering, which was a collection of essays he’d written for ESPN on the subject of “sport.” It was his last book because he shot himself in February 2005.
That’s a whole other story, and it doesn’t bear repeating. TL;DR: We didn’t meet him, but did receive a salutary “Fuck you!” shouted by the great man to the crowd gathered at the steps up the backend of Book Soup on West Sunset Boulevard.
What’s important is that any passing fan of Thompson knows he applied the notion of “sport” to every avenue of human endeavor. Especially politics, and the twain often did meet.
I re-read his “author’s note” to Hey, Rube the other day, and it struck me as it always does as a time capsule of Cassandra-like prescience — the kind of canary-in-a-coal mine insight that journalists work so hard to cultivate, but which no one ever seems to listen to.
Buy your own copy and read the whole thing; but, I’ll quote a bit for you for free: On “rubes,” Thompson
Sudoku Solution
wrote that they are defined as: “Suckers, Hicks, Yokels, Johns, Fish, Marks, Bums, Losers, Day traders in Portland, fools who buy diamonds from gypsies and anyone over the age of nine in this country who still believes in his heart that all cops are honest and would never lie in a courtroom.
“These people are everywhere,” he wrote. “They are Legion, soon to be a majority, and 10,000 more are being born every day.”
Thompson went on to pontificate on P.T. Barnum — the bullshitter-in-chief of U.S. history, unsurpassed until the present occupant of the White House — and connected his impulse to bamboozlement with the then-imminent reelection of George W. Bush to his second term in 2004.
“How long, O lord, how long?” he wrote. “This blizzard of shame is getting a little old, isn’t it? Just how long do we have to fall before the voters catch on?”
Then he went right for the jugular: “Indeed. How many times can a man be robbed — on the same street, by the same people — before they call him a Rube?”
Every person who ever cast a vote for Donald J. Trump must, if they hope to retain whatever intellectual and moral integrity they have left after even considering such an intellectually and morally bankrupt act, ask themselves that question.
I suspect that an honest answer would reveal “whose mission” they’ve been serving and the rubes they’ve been to do so. As HST wrote, it’s getting a little old.
Laughing Matter
Solution on page 22
By Bill Borders
/uh-LEE/ [adverb] 1. away from the wind
Word Week of the
“When the weather is frightful and the ship’s deck is cold and slippery, stand alee to provide to some relief from the wind.”
Corrections:
We’re in the clear this week, folks. Check back next week. What dreams may come.
People laugh when I say that I think a jellyfish is one of the most beautiful things in the world. What they don’t understand is, I mean a jellyfish with long, blond hair.
CROSSWORD
ACROSS
1. Fire residues
6. Bigot
11. Nictate
12. Unventilated
15. Light-haired
16. Protect against cold
17. Once around the track
18. Wrap with bandages
20. The collection of rules 21. Ear-related
23. 5280 feet
24. Excavates
25. Bingo relative
26. Double-reed woodwind
27. Extent
28. Border
29. Animal companion 30. Twisty turns 31. Fetches
34. Freshwater fishes 36. C
37. At any point 41. Smooth or level
42. Seafarers
43. One less than 10 44. Noggin
45. French Sudan, today
Kiddies
Appropriate
Ships’ kitchens
Downwind
Blissful
Contrive
Set up
Solution on page 22
Solution on page 22
Direct
Malice
DOWN
Removed by eroding
Slanting
Hebrew liquid
Stops
Misrepresent
8. Not false 9. Addition 10. Appreciate 13. Levels
