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Featuring Laughing Dog brews!
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DEAR READERS,
on the street
What is on your spring “to-do” list?
“To build a garden shed.” John Ellis Retired engineer Sandpoint
“Drink more wine while doing spring cleaning.” Nathan and Tanyia Oulman Realtor at Caldwell Banker and professional photographer, respectively Sagle
This outstanding property features water views and some of the nicest deeded water community access. Mature trees, changing topography, beautiful granite outcroppings. Accessed from a county maintained road and the community dock area is clean and nicely shaded. Four doc slips provide ample boat parking in docks the summer. You are close enough to town for easy access, but just private enough to enjoy country living. common area
MLS#20173616 • $75,000
Carol D. Curtis (208) 290-5947 www.sandpoint.com ccurtis@sandpoint.com
It’s the first week of spring! It’s amazing how fast the transformation happens. Weren’t we just shoveling snow a few days ago? Does this issue feel a little heavier in your hands than usual? That’s because it’s yet another 28-page issue chock full of candidate profiles, news stories, local opinions about a bevy of issues, arts and entertainment galore, a guide to logical fallacies and more. We also published the results of our annual Media Survey, which showed that yet again the Reader is the #1 most read local publication. We appreciate the love! In fact, to thank you, here’s a flower. A tulip, of course, because it’s spring after all. Happy happy.
-Ben Olson, Publisher
“Homework. I am a college student at North Idaho College taking classes here in Sandpoint. I want to eventually become a geologist.”
OPEN 11:30 am
GAME ROOM UPSTAIRS
Amanda Berntsen Barista Sandpoint “The biggest thing is getting through a benefit we are doing for Hunter Jacobson, a 14-yearold who was injured in a motorcycle accident on Dec. 2. There will be food, an auction, and live band: 5 to 11 p.m., Saturday, March 31 at Bonner County Fairgrounds.” Carmen Daugherty Stay-at-home mom Sagle
“To find my forever home.” Avery Two-year-old male Panhandle Animal Shelter
THE BEAT DIGGERS
6:30-9:30pm
Food by Edelwagen Food Truck
MUFFY & THE RIFFHANGERS
The Psounbality with Per
6:30-9:30pm
HAROLD’S IGA
6:30-9:30pm
FRESH FOOD LIVE MUSIC THE BEST NW BREWS
READER 111 Cedar Street, Suite 9 Sandpoint, ID 83864 (208)265-9724
www.sandpointreader.com Publisher: Ben Olson ben@sandpointreader.com Editor: Cameron Rasmusson cameron@sandpointreader.com Zach Hagadone (emeritus) John Reuter (emeritus) Advertising: Jodi Berge Jodi@sandpointreader.com Contributing Artists: Michael Williams (cover), Ben Olson, Susan Drinkard, Jako Lucas. Contributing Writers: Cameron Rasmusson, Ben Olson, Lyndsie Kiebert, Nick Gier, Scarlette Quille, Brenden Bobby, Lexie de Fremery, Mike Wagoner, Molly McCahon. Submit stories to: stories@sandpointreader.com Printed weekly at: Griffin Publishing Spokane, Wash. Subscription Price: $95 per year Web Content: Keokee The Sandpoint Reader is a weekly publication owned and operated by Ben Olson and Keokee. It is devoted to the arts, entertainment, politics and lifestyle in and around Sandpoint, Idaho. We hope to provide a quality alternative by offering honest, in-depth reporting that reflects the intelligence and interests of our diverse and growing community. The Reader is printed on recycled paper using soy-based ink. Leftover copies are collected and recycled weekly, or burned in massive bonfires to appease the gods of journalism. Free to all, limit two copies per person.
Sandpoint Reader letter policy: The Sandpoint Reader welcomes letters to the editor on all topics. Requirements: –No more than 400 words –Letters may not contain excessive profanity or libelous material. Please elevate the discussion. Letters will be edited to comply with the above requirements. Opinions expressed in these pages are those of the writers, not necessarily the publishers. Email letters to: letters@sandpointreader.com Check us out on the web at: www.sandpointreader.com Like us on Facebook. About the Cover
212 Cedar Street Downtown Sandpoint
208.263.4005 A SandPint Tradition Since 1994
This week’s cover was drawn by artist and restaurateur Michael Williams, who owns Loaf and Ladle with his family. Thanks for the cool cover, Michael! March 22, 2018 /
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NEWS
Hecla hit with bad actor violation By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff Proposed mines in the Cabinet Mountains are under fire after Montana Department of Environmental Quality hit Hecla Mining Company and its CEO, Phillips S. Baker Jr., with a violation of its bad actor laws. The violation spells trouble for the proposed Rock Creek and Montanore Mines in Montana, which have been dogged by legal challenges from conservation organizations. Opponents in Montana and Idaho fear toxic discharge from the mines will infiltrate regional waterways and flow into Pend Oreille-region rivers and lakes. “DEQ does not issue this violation letter without careful consideration,” wrote Tom Livers, director of Montana DEQ, in his letter to Hecla. “DEQ is well apprised of the high reputation Hecla has earned for safety and its commitment to minimizing the environmental impact of its proposed projects. Hecla’s cooperation with, and commitment to, the State of Montana are appreciated. Nonetheless, DEQ will enforce Montana law regardless
of a company’s reputation.” The conflict centers on Baker and his history with Pegasus Gold, a mining company that declared bankruptcy in 1998. As a result, the company defaulted on its environmental restoration obligations at its Zortman-Landusky, Beal Mountain and Basin Creek gold mines. The state of Montana was forced to step in and oversee cleanup of the toxic mess instead, a process that has cost state taxpayers $2 million per year and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. To date, Montana has spent more than $74 million on cleanup efforts. Montana DEQ alleges that mining operations under Baker’s oversight are a violation of the state’s bad actor laws, which rule that an individual cannot oversee a mining or exploration operation if he or she forfeited obligations on a previous project. To correct the violation, Montana DEQ told Hecla that it must reimburse the state the cost of reclaiming the forfeited mines, as well as pay any penalties and interest the state deems necessary. Alternatively, it can demonstrate that Baker will not
be a part of any mining operations within Montana. “The ramification of the Pegasus bankruptcy continues to be felt in the state of Montana in the form of expenditure of millions of dollars of environmental work each year in perpetuity,” Livers’ letter states. “... In this instance, (amendments to the Metal Miner Reclamation Act) bar Phillips Baker from involvement in any mining or exploration activities in Montana unless the statute’s remedial steps are completed.” Conservation groups like Earthjustice, which requested that the state enforce its bad actor laws against Baker, see the decision as a major victory. For years, activists have challenged the proposed mining operations, saying its environmental impacts will seriously damage the health and welfare of Montana and Idaho’s citizens and environment. “Today’s decision establishes that Hecla and Phillips Baker cannot charge ahead with damaging mining proposals in Montana’s Cabinet Mountains unless and until they deal with the toxic legacy Baker’s former company, Pegasus Gold, left behind,” said Earthjustice attorney Kather-
ine O’Brien in a press release. “DEQ’s action represents just what Montana’s ‘bad actor’ laws are intended to do — protect our state’s land, water and communities from mining companies that
Top: The Zortman-Landusky gold mine, where numerous spills - including one where over 50,000 gallons of cyanide was spilled - contaminated local waterways. The mine was ultimately shut down in 1998. The company then filed for bankruptcy and left the state of Montana without proper reclamation of the land. Photo courtesy Facebook. Left: A photo of Swift Gulch, which runs through the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation, taken before treatment facilities had come online. Photo courtesy Indian Law Resource Center.
abuse the privilege of operating in Montana.”
Indoor shooting range approved in Ponderay Two gun-related marches in Sandpoint Saturday By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff
The Ponderay City Council approved a special use permit for an indoor shooting range Monday. It will be the first range of its kind in Bonner County. The facility will be an extension of Wrenco Arms, the armory on Boyer in Sandpoint. It will serve as a new retail space, repair shop and gathering place for instructional and group gathering purposes. “The biggest benefit I see is it’s a place for the safe application of firearms,” said Wrenco Arms owner Brandon Terry. “It gives people a safe venue to come and train.” 4 /
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The new shooting range will be located on Highway 95, south of Bronx Road. As of right now, Terry said he believes the range will be somewhere between 9,000 and 10,000 square feet, with 10 firearm Wrenco Arms in Sandpoint. Photo by Ben Olson. shooting lanes and five archery lanes. He said the constant sound of gunshots in nearest shooting range of that the neighborhood, Ponderay size and modernity is in the Post Planning and Zoning assured Falls/Spokane area. residents that the facility would Terry noted the range will contain most firearm noise and also be useful for local law enkeep any escaping noise within forcement, who will train there. city decibel limits. In response to concerns The range will tentatively that the range would mean the open later this year or early 2019.
By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff The nationwide gun debate is coming to Sandpoint Saturday, as groups organize to march both in favor and against strengthening the country’s gun control legislation. In solidarity with the “March For Our Lives” happening in Washington, D.C. and in other cities around the world, community members — specifically, Sandpoint High School students — who favor stronger gun laws will gather at City Beach at 10 a.m. and march through town. “Our Sandpoint community is invited to join in support of tack-
ling this critical issue,” reads a widely-circulated Facebook post about the March For Our Lives event. “Now is the time!” Also at 10 a.m., others will gather at the Long Bridge Bar and Grill and march the long bridge during March For Our Rights — a demonstration defending current gun ownership policies. “Once again, students are being manipulated by the gun control left to further their agenda,” reads the “March For Our Rights” Facebook event page. “Our gun rights are not up for discussion and this march is to show support for our Second Amendment rights.”
NEWS
LOR Foundation funds Sandpoint, Ponderay projects
By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff
For the city of Ponderay, the Field of Dreams park project has been years in the making. Likewise, Sandpoint residents have pursued the development of a recreation center for more than a decade. Both projects took a significant step forward last week when the LOR Foundation announced it proposed grants toward their development. LOR stands for “liveability, opportunity, responsibility” according to the organization’s website. The foundation, which works to improve rural quality of life in Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico and Wyoming, supports a $100,000 grant for the development of the Field of Dreams initiative and is prepared to commit an additional $400,000 as it advances. The organization has also proposed a $500,000 grant to purchase a portion of the University of Idaho’s Boyer property, where the city of Sandpoint hopes to build a recreation center. Ponderay officials have long considered the Field of Dreams to be the key for its ambition to create robust parks and recreation opportunities within the town. Local officials envision the 50-acre site off U.S. 95 will one day hold multiple soccer fields, baseball diamonds and other recreation attractions. Ponderay purchased the property in 2011 and formed a parks and recreation committee months later to pursue development opportunities. “It is impossible to come up with the words to express our appreciation for what the LOR Foundation has given our community,” said Ponderay Mayor Steve Geiger in a press release. “We have been trying to come up with a vision for the Field of Dreams property, and now, with a generous gift from LOR, we
will be able to turn the dream into reality. Our area and community as a whole has desperately needed a recreation facility for all ages and for many decades. This project, in addition to future plans for a potential recreation center in Sandpoint will only benefit our communities as a whole.” Sandpoint residents have been just as tenacious in pursuing opportunities for a recreation center. However, there were few likely properties suitable for the project until the University of Idaho announced its intentions to sell its 75acre property located off Boyer Avenue. Originally dedicated to agricultural science, the property later became a beloved recreation site for cross-country skiers, cyclocross fans and other outdoor activities. Sandpoint officials hope to maintain that tradition with a recreation center on the southern end of the property. “The city is incredibly grateful to the LOR Foundation,” said Sandpoint Mayor Shelby Rognstad in a press release. “This extraordinary gift will seed Sandpoint’s long-time vision for a community recreation center. We hope to acquire approximately 25 acres to be designated for a recreation center and will continue our efforts to pursue other partnership opportunities for the entire 75-acre property in order to see the broader community vision realized.” According to LaMonte Guillory, chief communications officer of the LOR Foundation, the two Bonner County projects represent a perfect encapsulation of the foundation’s mission, which is to increase quality of life in small western communities.
Reclaim Idaho halfway to signature collection goal
Hope resident Ellie Lizotte pens her name on the Medicaid for Idaho petition during the Dec. 16 signature collecting event. Photo by Lyndsie Kiebert. By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff
An aerial view of the University of Idaho Extension campus on North Boyer. Courtesy Google Earth.
“At LOR we talk about how we can strengthen the livability of a community,” said Guillory in a press release. “What makes a family want to thrive and grow in a town? What is important to residents? With recreation resonating among residents, we see it is a component of livability in the greater Ponderay and Sandpoint area, and one we’d like to work with the communities to advance.”
Reclaim Idaho co-founder Luke Mayville announced in an email Sunday that his grassroots political group has collected 29,000 signatures for their Medicaid for Idaho campaign — more than half of what they need to get Medicaid expansion on the 2018 ballot. Those signatures were collected exclusively through a volunteer effort, he said. “The volunteer-led, volunteer-supported nature of our effort makes Medicaid for Idaho an extraordinary campaign, and all of us should be proud of that,” he wrote. To collect the remainder of the needed signatures — about 27,000 — Mayville said Reclaim Idaho will use paid signature gatherers through the Fairness
Project, a non-profit that helped Maine get Medicaid expansion on the ballot, to collect signatures in a few “key locations” around Idaho. Mayville said they have six weeks to collect the remaining signatures. He said with the combination of the ongoing volunteer effort and the paid signature gatherers, Reclaim Idaho is “poised for victory.” “We’ve always said that our goal is not just to fix our healthcare system, but also to revive our democracy,” Mayville wrote. “Together, our statewide campaign is proving that democracy still matters; that real change can be won through collective action; that the powers that be are no match for we the people.” To learn more about Reclaim Idaho and their Medicaid for Idaho campaign, visit reclaimidaho.org.
Second rail bridge public hearing set for May 23 By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff The Idaho Department of Lands has officially set a date for the public hearings on the BNSF Railway Co. application to construct a second train bridge across Lake Pend Oreille and Sand Creek. There will be two public hearing sessions, both on May 23. The first is at 8 a.m. at the
Ponderay Events Center, and the second is at 6 p.m. in the Sandpoint Middle School gym. BNSF must obtain a permit from IDL under the Idaho Lake Protection Act, which regulates activities on, in or above Idaho lakes. IDL extended the initial comment period for the proposal, which now ends the day of the
hearings. Comments on BNSF’s proposal can be e-mailed to comments@idl.idaho.gov, or submitted through the IDL web site at idl.idaho.gov/comment.html. Access the proposal and received public comments at idl.idaho. gov/lakes-rivers/lake-protection/ index.html. March 22, 2018 /
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COMMENTARY
University “shared governance” and faculty discontent By Nick Gier Reader Columnist “What faculty governance? I thought that was what we were for.” —A former member of the UI Board of Regents The Constitution of the University of Idaho states that the faculty are charged with “the immediate government of the university,” but the UI Board of Regents “reserves to itself the power to act on its own initiative in all matters affecting the institution.” The resolution to these competing powers was the principle of “shared governance” among faculty, administrators, and regents. In the 1960s faculty senates emerged as the agents for the “immediate government” of the nation’s colleges and universities. The assumption was that presidents and boards would generally sign off (with some modifications of course) on faculty recommendations. This arrangement appeared satisfactory until about 1980. Columbia University did a survey and found that there had been a dramatic shift in faculty perceptions. In 1970, 64 percent of those polled believed that “shared authority” adequately described governance on their campuses, but by 1980, that percentage had dropped to 44 percent. A study done by the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) in the late 1970s indicated that the faculty viewed their participation as “below consultation.” In 2010 the Association of Governing Boards recommitted itself to the principle of share governance with a focus on the role of college and university presidents. Their report stated that “leadership in higher education rests on a fundamental expectation that authority will be shared,” and that presidents should “exert a presence that is purposeful and consultative, deliberative, but decisive.”
With regard to tenure, the primary protection of academic freedom, these presidential decisions have been, in too many instances, more decisive than consultative. A 2003 survey revealed that they had rejected tenure recommendations 34 percent of the time. These professors had been vetted and approved by their departments and college committees, but their careers were then disrupted by executive fiat. Denial of tenure usually results in a oneyear terminal contract. Faculty discontent has continued over the decades and on most campuses. A 2017 survey at the University of Idaho found that only 51 percent viewed shared governance positively, an increase of 6 percent from the previous year. On a related question, only 41 percent felt good about the UI’s senior leadership, 70 percent of whom thought they were doing a great job! The dissatisfaction was summed up concisely in one comment: “It does not matter what faculty committees do, because senior leadership will ignore them.” Over the 45 years that I’ve handled faculty grievances throughout the state, I have seen many examples of administrative stalling, evasion or outright veto.
In 1975, the faculty at four Idaho campuses voted (2-1 at UI) for collective bargaining legislation, but administrations and the board ignored their decision. In 1977, the UI faculty voted 99-51 to give due process to non-tenured faculty. Some board members admitted that it was morally right to do so, but they said that they had to follow their attorney’s advice on the matter. In 2003, UI art professor Glenn Grishkoff passed his third-year review by a unanimous faculty vote, but his dean fired him instead. An appeal to the provost, backed by letters from 30 national peers, was rejected. In 2009, trying their best to share authority, an ISU appeals board voted 4-1 against the termination of award-winning engineering professor Habib Sadid. ISU President Arthur Vailas, whose anti-faculty positions were always backed up by his board, fired him anyway. In 2010, Vailas abolished the ISU faculty senate, and in June 2011, the AAUP voted to sanction the ISU administration for violating the principle of shared governance. In 2013, a faculty appeals board voted 3-2 to overturn the dismissal of former professor Sanjay Gupta. The UI administra-
tion refused to respond to the decision, and the faculty union eventually got a $400,000 settlement for Gupta. In 2014, the UI faculty voted 176-0 to grant free speech rights for those involved in faculty governance, but UI President Chuck Staben vetoed the measure. After pressure from the faculty senate and the faculty union, a compromise was reached. In 2015, a faculty appeals board voted unanimously to reverse a negative decision against a faculty member in the College of Natural Resources. The dean and provost refused to reconsider and kept disciplinary actions in place. In 2017, a faculty appeals board voted unanimously against the termination of a popular LCSC business professor. Undermining shared governance, the dean and the president vetoed the decision. Is it any surprise that so many Idaho faculty believe that “shared governance” is a joke? Nick Gier is President of the Idaho Federation of Teachers, AFT/AFL-CIO. Read the full version at www.nickgier.com/ SharedGovernance.pdf. He can be reached at ngier006@gmail.com.
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Worst Terrorist Organization in the World... Dear Editor, What is the worst terrorist organization in the world? ISIS, per the CIA. There is an estimated 80,000-100,000 members. ISIS has killed about 2,100 people outside of Iraq and Syria AL Qaeda/Taliban have about 200 to 1,000 core members, but possibly tens of thousands of followers. Between 1992 and 2008 they have killed about 4,500 people worldwide, including 9/11. In the U.S., about 80 million people are members of the NRA (about 6 or 7 percent of the population). We kill about 15,000 ANNUALLY. More Americans have been killed by guns since 1968 than all of the wars the U.S. has been involved in. Every four years we kill more people than we lost in seven years of Vietnam. How does this connect to the NRA? This does not mean that NRA members are killers. How many NRA members commit crimes is irrelevant. The guns are in circulation because of the NRA. Guns are poorly monitored because of the NRA. Guns are easy to buy because of the NRA. Guns are easy to lethally modify because of the NRA. Guns are used to kill people because of NRA lobbying against any measure that might protect people. NRA membership of mostly older white men, may not be the worst killers, but their guns end up in the hands of killers. So the world’s largest terrorist organization, based on numbers, the NRA wins by a large number. So the score for the last 25 years stands at: NRA: 375,000; Al Qaeda: 5,000; ISIS: 1,200 Just wanted to state the facts. Marty Stitsel Sandpoint
Not a Partisan Issue... Dear Editor, If you are sick, or injured, and you seek the medical help you need, nobody will ask you what your political beliefs are. They will ask you, though, if you have any health insurance. For many people in Idaho,
the answer is still no. The Medicaid expansion petition is an attempt to help low-income families become insured. Please show your compassion. Sign the petition at Women’s Health Care, 1215 Michigan St, Suite C, or Sandpoint Art Glass Studio, on Pine Street, at Euclid. Sincerely, Lee Christensen Sandpoint
Don’t Blame the NRA... Dear Editor, Knee-jerk reactions following a school shooting, while understandable, are counterproductive. Lip service by politicians or phony concern from the vacuous media will not get us within a thousand miles of a resolution. Like my car, any rifle I possess will not cause harm by itself. The fixation on blaming the NRA is irrational hyperbole at its frenzied best… no NRA, no murders, problem solved. There were 37,461 auto accident fatalities in 2016, including around 2,000 kids under sixteen. Applying anti-NRA logic we should ban cars. However, blaming Ford or GM seems as silly as blaming the NRA for nine school shooting deaths (two were suicides) in that same year. FBI data for 2014, 15, and 16: Rifle/long gun-caused deaths averaged - 294. Knife-caused deaths averaged 1,581. Blunt object-caused deaths averaged - 451. Hand/foot-caused deaths averaged - 627. Obviously we must ban knives, hammers, bats, hands and feet. Why did the founders, in their infinite wisdom, pen the Second Amendment? Do the homework. God bless America, and God bless our military. Steve Brixen Sandpoint
Advisory Vote... Dear Editor, Commenting on the March 8, 2018 story, “No change to advisory vote after county discussion.” Commissioner Connolly’s contradicting statements. First comment, “I think there was a lot of input” to
the ballot question. Second comment, commissioners have “been working on the question for weeks with little to no input until the end of the process.” Commissioner Connolly, which was is it? I suggest one-sided input. Eliminating from the original question “federal wilderness designation” was a purposeful advantage Commissioners Bailey and Connolly provided to facilitate the seizure of Idaho land by the federal government. What is undeclared is Connolly’s conflict of interest. As a long-time timber associate Connolly has long-standing affiliations to Idaho Forest Group (IFG). As Commissioner, Connolly is the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) representative to Panhandle Forest Collaborative (PFC). Bob Boeh, Phil Hough and others also belong to both IFG and PFC. Boeh has established the back-door “deal” where environmentalists will not challenge certain timber cutting in Bonner County in exchange for support of the “federal wilderness designation.” Hough is the environmentalist director of Friends for Scotchman Peaks. The ballot question was designed with input from two people… above and beyond the BOCC discussions, Hough and myself. Hough was in constant communication and did present at the public meeting. Connolly verbally claimed I was invited, but he has failed the veracity challenge, as the BOCC admits they have no documentation of such invitation. Commissioner Bailey deserves the most blame, as he controlled invitations and the deciding vote. Hough stated, “including the word ‘federal’ in the question, it would imply that Congress could enact land designation in non-federal form.” Is this twisted logic or quoting? If the question is identified as “federal wilderness designation” than the designation of wilderness is being enacted clearly by federal entity and non-federal entities are irrelevant! My attempts to provide clarity to the question, supported by Clerk Rosedale, emanate from my position as an election poll judge. Questions that attempt to circumvent the easiest understanding may promote poll talk when the question is recognized as being evasively worded. Voters of all ages understand that a “federal wilderness designation” is a seizure of lands that would never… [emphasis] be returned, if and when
the federal gov’t should return lands rightfully belonging to Idaho under the equal-footing doctrine. The “Must Vote Election on Tuesday, May 15th” invites many votes against the federal land seizure. Dan Rose Samuels
Gratitude... Dear Editor, I would like to give a thank you to Tim French’s letter to the editor concerning “Dogs and Restaurants.“ Please publish my gratitude in the letters to the editor, so others will read and learn from his article. Thank You, Nannette Heintzelman Sandpoint
Fallibility of Mankind... Dear Editor, I noticed an interesting commonality that is seen in Mar 15 issue and that is human error. Having acknowledged the mistake of using the wrong name of the police officer and promising to beef up copy editing, the date is wrong (Mar. 15 2015). The fallibility of mankind is evident all around us. In the Bible, Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. We are all in error with no way to redeem ourselves as we are born into sin. Only God can save us from our impending doom, only He. God came and dwelt amongst us and He is Jesus the Christ, our Lord, our God, our Savior.” Jesus said, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Receive Jesus is to receive Life.” Matthew Reese Sandpoint
You Want to Ban the AR-15...? Dear Editor, So you want to ban the AR-15 rifle? Let me tell you what you’re up against, and what you keep doing to hurt your cause. You’re up against the National Rifle Association’s five million members, all paying at least $30 annual dues. That’s $150 million annually. Many contribute more or, like me, are life members. Most are single-is-
sue voters, for the Second Amendment, and they write letters, phone and email their/our representatives. There is not a single gun control group that has this level of financial support or individual dedication. Know what you are talking about. A “clip” is not a “magazine;” look it up. One hears Rep. C. McCarthy describing a barrel shroud as “a shoulder thing that goes up;” no it’s not, look it up. You are going to need the support of at least some gun owners; you lose them when you talk nonsense. Ban “large capacity magazines” for the AR-15? Limit all magazines to 10 rounds? A standard capacity magazine for an AR-15 is 30 rounds. Ban all 10-plus round mags? Many, if not most pistols have a standard mag. capacity of over 10 rounds, so now you have alienated many handgun owners. You ask gun owners to compromise, but what are you willing to compromise on? Agree to national reciprocity (look it up)? Agree to suppressors’ removal from NFA rules (look it up)? No? Then what? Many of today’s gun control groups started as gun ban groups. H. Clinton said the “Australian example” of gun control should be considered (10/16/15), which was compensated confiscation, so when you say that you don’t want to take our guns, you are not believed. Imagine that you have banned the AR-15 (5.56MM)? What about the AR-10, a larger (7.62mm), more powerful cartridge, but otherwise just like an AR-15? Ban that too? How about the various AKs in 7.62mm produced by the tens of thousands here? What about the wooden-stocked Ruger Mini-14 also in 5.56mm? Exactly the same ballistics as the AR-15. This is the “slippery slope” to a gun ban that concerns gun rights supporters. It is estimated that Australia removed about 50 percent of their targeted firearms. In the USA, that would still leave an estimated 150 million firearms, an estimated 4-8 million AR-15-style rifles remaining. Chris Mielke Sagle
Got something to say? Write a letter to the editor at letters@sandpointreader.com. Under 400 words, and please elevate the discussion. March 22, 2018 /
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COMMUNITY
Another farmers’ market in North Idaho By Reader Staff Bouquets: • A Bouquet goes out to all the wonderful people who work at our various county libraries. I’ve found that librarians are often some of the nicest, most helpful people around. My staff writer told me a story about one of the Clark Fork librarians (Sharon Wallace) who had a patron ask for tax advice the other day. While acknowledging she was no expert, Sharon walked the gentleman through the basics of tax preparation and helped him navigate the ins and outs of tax code. I’ve also found librarians to be accessible anytime, understanding and knowledgeable. Next time you’re in the library, give them a pat on the back. Barbs • I like several features of the new two-way downtown street layout in Sandpoint, especially the blinking yellow lights in left turn lanes. This speeds up traffic quite a bit and is completely logical for the flow of traffic. Now if only people could understand how to use them. I can’t count the amount of times I’ve been behind a driver who camps at the intersection under a blinking yellow when they are clear to turn, only to lose their opportunity and sit through the next light cycle (with a frustrated group of drivers behind them). A few tips: Treat this blinking yellow arrow as a yield sign. If traffic is clear, and no pedestrians are in the crosswalk, you can turn. Just imagine the yellow arrow isn’t there at all for a moment. That’s how you should treat it: just like any old left turn, except this one has a time limit. Also, if you see a gap three or four cars down the road that will allow you to turn left, don’t be afraid to use your Jedi timing skills and edge into the intersection while the gap reaches you. Drivers behind you will appreciate the head start on beating the light. Just don’t get stuck high and dry when the light turns red. 8 /
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The ABC Farmers Market will be back for a second season, with opening day scheduled for Friday, May 11. The market, serving the North Idaho communities of Athol, Bayview and Careywood, will be held at the Athol City Park Friday afternoons from 2-6 p.m. The market is a rain or shine event running through the season until October. Formed by a group of area growers and producers, the market will offer locally-grown fruits and vegetables, fresh eggs, garden plants, artisan foods, specialty coffees, and handcrafted items. Located midway between the cities of Sandpoint and Coeur d’Alene, the market strives to serve the rural areas along the Highway 95 corridor and provide a seasonal attraction for tourists visiting Lake Pend Oreille and Farragut State Park. “Our forming group met at a farm workshop two years ago, where we expressed interest in starting a new farmers market”,
said Julie McKerracher, ABC’s President. “After several organizational meetings and a partnership with the city of Athol, things came together and we’re really excited about creating a new community marketplace to benefit both producers and consumers.” Farmers markets are growing in popularity across the country as people become more aware and concerned about where their food comes from. Products sold at farmers markets are typically produced within a limited proximity of the market and help to provide an economic boost for smaller communities and local farmers. The ABC Farmers Market welcomes new vendors for the coming season and offers a variety of flexible rate options. For more information please contact Julie McKerracher at (208) 818-0208, email abcfarmersmarket@gmail. com, or visit the market’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/ABCFarmersMarket.
Make a difference in the local crime rate By Reader Staff Want to prevent crime where you live? Join our community neighborhood watch program. Sheriff Daryl Wheeler is pleased with how the program has decreased crime. Deputies like seeing the signs on gates, posts, trees, lawns and in windows of homes or businesses as they patrol the community. The deputies have praised the program, saying it is a deterrent to crime, and that people in the program are reporting more often and giving better descriptions of vehicles, suspects and suspicious activities. If law enforcement isn’t aware of a problem, they can’t help – that’s why it is so important to call the Sheriff’s Office when you see suspicious activity or a crime in progress. If you see something that doesn’t seem right, say something – report it to Sheriff’s dispatch at (208) 265-5525. For a crime in progress or other emergencies, call 911. When you have neighborhood watch it can eliminate opportunities for criminals. Neighbors working together can deter crime and it will let the criminals know they are being watched. In Bonner County the three top crimes are theft, drugs
and simple assault. The population is growing in the county and now, more than ever, we need people to get involved or volunteer. We now have almost 700 neighborhood watch members, 35 groups and 53 watch captains. If you are interested in preventing or lowering crime rates in your community, please call Sheryl Kins, administrative assistance at the Sheriff’s Office (208) 263-8417 ext. 3049. Sheriff’s Office neighborhood watch volunteers will come to your residence or place of business and tell you about the program, hand out a packet that contains information on how to form and maintain a program, home security evaluation, preventing vehicle prowling, websites for block/ neighborhood watch, suspicious activity log, property inventory list, rural crime prevention and other pertinent information. The volunteers will ask about your concerns and what problems you may have in your neighborhood or business. The neighborhood watch signs are free to those who become members in the program. Let’s all help to make our community a safer place.
Benefit for Clark Fork woman Corie Castle By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff
There will be a benefit for Clark Fork native and long-time Yoke’s employee Corie Castle this Saturday. Castle graduated from Clark Fork High School in 1992 and has been serving the community ever since by volunteering and being a foster parent. Castle was recently diagnosed with Scleroderma, a chronic connective tissue disease that gradually hardens every organ in the body. She has been in and out of the hospital since August, and recently moved into a life-care facility. To help with the loss of work and medical expenses, Clark Fork residents will host a benefit for her Saturday, March 24, at The Center in Clark Fork. There will be a no-host bar from 3-4 p.m., during which attendees can preview silent and live auction items, including overnight stays, local artwork and
Corie Castle. handmade goods. There will then be a $10 dinner 4-7 p.m. with the live auction happening at 5:30 p.m. The learn more, call Vicki Bennett at 208-266-1698. Those who want to donate but can’t attend the event can send donations to Corie Castle Benefit, c/o The Center, P.O. Box 171, Clark Fork, Idaho 83811.
‘Morning Show’ kicks off primary coverage By Reader Staff The 2018 primary election will be May 15, with contested local races for two county commission seats, county assessor and state legislature, plus a ballot question for local voters. To help voters sort out all the candidates and issues, KRFY Community Radio is devoting each Wednesday edition of its “Morning Show” beginning March 28 up to the election to “Local Decision 2018,” a series covering each of the contested primary races. The Morning Show airs 8-9 a.m. on 88.5 KRFY, and in each contested race the candidates are invited in for the live broadcast to tell of their qualifications and discuss the issues on the air. Here is the lineup of broadcasts: March 28: District 7 Legislative candidates, House and Senate. April 4: Scotchman Peaks Wilderness ballot question; District 1 House Seat 1 A Democrats Bob Vikaryous and Ellen Weissman.
April 11: District 1 House Seat A Republicans Mike Boeck and Heather Scott. April 18: District 1 Senate Republicans Danielle Ahrens, Scott Herndon and Jim Woodward. April 25: Bonner County Assessor Republicans Dennis Engelhardt, Donna Gow and Richard Miller. May 2: Bonner County Commission District 3 Republicans Carol Kunzeman and Dan McDonald. May 9: Bonner County Commission District 1 Republicans Glen Bailey, Steven Bradshaw and G. Bruce Hollett. KRFY Morning Show hosts Chris Bessler and Suzy Prez will interview and moderate for each program. Voters are invited to submit questions they’d like to pose to candidates, in advance of the show, via the station’s website at www.KRFY.org. For listeners who cannot catch the show live at 8 a.m., a recorded podcast of each show will be posted to the KRFY.org website by afternoon.
HUMOR
S
pring is the most misrepresented season of all. For decades humans have been passed down the notion that spring is all about baby chicks, budding flowers and new beginnings. We anxiously await the snow melt and the soothing sounds of rushing creek beds and song birds. This pleasant picture is nothing more than a carefully crafted facade deceptively lulling the common folk into a sense of false security. The truth is, spring is the hormonal rage of Mother Nature shedding her womb’s lining. Mudslides, floods, the presence of snow one day and then a hot flash: There is no predictability. Take a good look at yourself while you stand in six inches of mud on a balmy day of 50 degrees happy that winter is over. Then remember there is no certainty whatsoever that it’s not going to start snowing in 45 minutes. Spring is the season that comes complete with all kinds of cute little distractions to keep us hopeful and productive. Perhaps the most ridiculous of all of these is “spring cleaning.” Spring cleaning isn’t a choice. It’s not a fun activity that you can choose to engage in to welcome a new season. In North Idaho, spring cleaning is something you have to do every day because your car, your carpet, your shoes, your entire house will be a pit of mud should you not start a voracious cleaning assault at the first sign of snow melt. It is a task that has replaced snow removal with heavier, nastier debris. The snow has melted and revealed things in your yard that were not there
March Madness prior to snowfall — or were they? Two pairs of kids’ shoes, sporting equipment, a rake, a sled, 200 pounds of dog shit and a deer carcass all in the front yard. I feel like I would have noticed the deer at least, but 15 hours of darkness and the constant dumping of snow conceals a multitude of seasonal travesty. My yard is not a budding green oasis. It’s more like a cemetery where all the souls of productivity and good intention are laid to rest after they fail. Once the snow coffin melts, your ignorance and laziness have been laid bare for all to see. It’s a humiliating act of vengeance from Mother Nature, payment for listening to everyone bitch about being cold all winter. Spring is the sound of her last nerve snapping. Despite knowing all of this I succumbed momentarily to the perpetuated falsehood: spring is a gentle season full of promise. I was lured outdoors by a balmy 50 degree temperature. I must have been a bit high from experiencing 12 hours of daylight, for the first time in month. I felt the need to do something “springy.” Maybe some yardwork would make the emerging hellscape around my house a bit less obvious. After surveying the carnage, I decided to pick up the 85,000 sticks that were in my yard and start a burn pile. Productive, but not as daunting as animal carcass removal or disgusting as how much two dogs can shit in three months. Somewhere around hour two of stick removal, I felt a sharp sting in my right hand. I dropped my stick pile, where it
remains today, and looked at my hand to see what the hell had happened. There were two tiny holes in the crease between my thumb and palm, and the pain was vaguely familiar. A bee sting? But there was no bee to be found. I went inside, washed out the wound and chalked it up to maybe a sharp stick. The wound was slightly puffy, but other than that not such a big deal. Roughly eight hours later, the small red marks had turned into an itchy, swollen, puffy area. Twenty-four hours after the initial poke/ sting/bite, my hand was swollen into what can only be described as a crab claw, twice the size of my other hand, immovable and lacking any of the normal features one might find on a hand. Such as knuckles. It was Monday morning when the seriousness of my spring cleaning injury became apparent. I decided to call in late to work and make a trip to the nearest urgent care. On this Monday, calling in late to work was risky as my co-workers would naturally assume I was still hung over from St. Patrick’s Day. As unidentified insect attacks are not common this time of year, I sent a picture text of my horrifying appendage for verification and sympathy should I die or lose a hand. Through my doctor’s visit, I learned that whatever creature that bit me had a bite that was both poisonous and had caused a bacterial infection. The doctor said the bite was likely spider or a “lethargic wasp.” I was given antibiotics, a shot in the ass and a stern warning about
what I should do if my symptoms did not improve within 24 hours. I am always a bit of a hot mess on a Monday, but never have I been hopped up on steroids, with a crab claw for a hand and a stingy ass. I contemplated taking the rest of the day off. The thought of creepy killer bugs made me feel like work might be a better choice. As I walked to my car, suddenly the sun became obscured and the shrieking of large birds in distress distracted me. There on Second Avenue in Sandpoint, roughly 20 feet from my car door, was a full blown EAGLE fight going on. Yes. Two bald eagles and one golden eagle were engaged in battle, and shrapnel was falling from the sky. Maybe it was curiosity or newfound bravery from the adrenaline and steroid combination, but I decided to investigate the scene, and maybe get a good picture for social media purposes. It wasn’t until the dismembered body parts of some sort of water fowl started falling from the trees that I realized that the eagles were really warning me to stay the hell inside until summer. I covered my head and ran to my car. There are no longer any safe places. Lethargic poisonous bugs, cannibalistic giant birds and a severed duck head are all the signs I need. I will wait till Mother Nature is done with her cycle. Somebody please get her a glass of wine and a heating pad. Happy Spring. XOXO Scarlette Q
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ELECTION COVERAGE State Senator race District 1
Profile of Danielle Ahrens
By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff Editor’s Note: Danielle Ahrens is running as a Republican in the State Senate District 1 race. Sandpoint Reader: Thanks for talking with us today, Danielle. To begin, how would you describe the differences between you and your opponent to voters? Danielle Ahrens: I think the differences are that I’m pro-life — I’m on the board of directors at Life Choices Pregnancy Center — so that is a really important issue to me, because that’s one of our three pillars. You protect life, liberty and property. If you get one of those wrong, to me, you get them all wrong. The other thing is I’m very strong pro-Second Amendment,
Danielle Ahrens AT A GLANCE AGE: 58 BIRTHPLACE AND RESIDENCE: Glendale Air Force base in Arizona. My Dad was a Captain with the U.S.Public Health service a branch of the Army. I live on a ranch in Samuels. GOVERNMENT SERVICE: County Sheriff Deputy, Correctional Officer. PROFESSION: Community Volunteer. Board of Directors for Life Choices Pregnancy Center, Bonner County Farm Bureau Government Affairs Chairman, Sandpoint Community Resource Center, former Bonner County Republican Central Committee Chairman. Currently Legislative District One Republican Chairman. EDUCATION: B.A. Psychology, A.A Business, P.O.S.T. certificate Police Academy, Correctional Officer Academy, University of Idaho Non Profit leadership certification (working on). FAMILY: Large family of 30+ in the area. Due to respect for privacy I won’t put their names in the paper. FUN FACT: The first campaign I worked on was Ronald Reagan’s as a member of the College Republicans at my University and my family’s name is Barlow and we’ve been in Idaho since the 1800s. 10 /
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particularly when it comes to law enforcement. But I think everyone has an inherent right to defend themselves and their families. I don’t see that the Second Amendment right to defend yourself should be infringed in any way. So I’d say those are the two biggest issues. The other factor is I think I can be much more effective at bringing our voice to Boise, because we’re not heard outside the great state of Ada. When you get there, you need a seat at the table. For the last 10 years I went down there and worked for Sen. Sheryl Nuxoll during her session as a senator, so I’ve written legislation, gotten co-sponsors, helped pass it. I’ve worked on those relationships where you’re working with people down there or helping on their campaigns to get in. The best way to get something done down there is by consensus. … You need to be able to say, “I honor you for where you are, not where I expect you to be.” SR: What are the biggest issues you’ve been hearing from voters as you’ve been campaigning? DA: The Second Amendment. Illegal immigration. The economy is humming along really nicely, and it seems like most people who want a job have one. The educational system is still a concern — it’s not being funded adequately. That, to me, is a failure of the Legislature, because the according to the Idaho Constitution, we are supposed to be funding the education system. The fact that the schools have to go to their communities and beg on a continual basis, which causes in-fighting in a community, is inexcusable.
SR: On the subject of in-fighting, we’ve been seeing a lot of it in politics and in the political parties. It’s the same in this primary, where many view you as the conservative candidate and your opponent as the moderate candidate. Do you think that’s a fair way to look at the election, or does it over-simplify things? DA: I think the best way for
voters to pick a candidate is to talk to them and access them and say, “This is my opinion. What do you think about that?” They should also look at what they’ve done in the community. There’s a saying: “Your actions speak so loudly, I can’t hear what you’re saying.” Rhetoric is just that: rhetoric. And it’s usually empty.
SR: Legislators like our own Heather Scott have made waves pursuing what they call the Freedom Agenda. Some support this approach, while others feel it is too ideologically driven. What are your thoughts on this? DA: I admire anyone who stands up for their beliefs and values and principles. For how I will be, I will go in and represent my constituents, and I will stick to our founding documents because there are certain rules, processes and procedures you follow, particularly in the Senate. When I’m considering legislation, those are the first things I look at. SR: Where do you see the campaign itself? How are you making connections with voters?
DA: For me, it’s old-fashioned shoe leather. I’m out 8 in the morning to 8 at night at least five days a week. I make sure I go to each community, no matter what size. Anyone can call me. I’ll go out for coffee. I’ll be at their meetings, their events, wherever they want me to listen or speak. Again, I look at this as a job, and I’m applying for it with each person I meet. SR: What are your thoughts on local issues? For instance, the smelter proposed in Washington has everyone talking. Do you see that as being an issue the Idaho Legislature can address? DA: Per the Tenth Amendment and states’ rights, this is a smelter that is being built in Washington and going through that permitting process, which is actually stricter there than on a federal level. Since it’s being built there, we have very limited ability to affect it, if any at all. I talked to (the head of Idaho
Courtesy photo.
Department of Environmental Quality), so he’s aware of it. (The head of the Coeur d’Alene DEQ office) is aware of it. Gov. Otter is aware of it. So it’s all being monitored. If and when that toxicity comes downwind … then we can get involved with DEQ. … The smelter has enormous hurdles to get through, but I’m still very concerned about it, particularly given the increased traffic coming in on our roads. We the taxpayers will bear the brunt of the cost.
SR: Given that North Idaho is sometimes overlooked in Boise, is there any particular issue you think the state should be doing more to address? DA: The roads. As far as Highway 95 and 2 go, you aren’t seeing the money get up here to repair our roads, and we have Canadian heavy trucks coming down hear and beating up our roads. So we really need to get more funding up here for our highway. The county roads are doing a great job.
SR: Let’s talk a bit about the political climate out there. Personally, I’m seeing less venom out there than I have in past election cycles, but it’s still out there. Do you think we’re getting better when it comes to discuss-
ing politics, or do we have a lot of work to do yet? DA: My number-one advice (for candidates) is that people are sick of the fighting and division. This is a job interview: You get your qualities out there and let them choose what they want. But this constant negativity does nothing. All it does is drive us further and further away from solutions.
SR: Is there any issue we haven’t yet covered that you want to highlight? Any particular message you want to get out to voters? DA: My message is (look at me) if you want an effective, experienced leader who you know is going to work very hard for you. I’m retired. This is what I do. It’s my hometown mission, my way of serving people. I feel it’s my duty. I love it. I enjoy it. And if you want someone to work hard for you, where this is their passion, elect me. I have served the public over the years from being in law enforcement, being the PTA director in many schools and being on the board of directors in many organizations. I do all that as a volunteer because I care.
ELECTION COVERAGE State Senator race District 1
Profile of Scott Herndon By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff Editor’s Note: Scott Herndon is running as a Republican in the State Senate District 1 race. Sandpoint Reader: What is your background in North Idaho? Scott Herndon: I moved here from San Francisco, where I met my wife. The minute we started having children — we had our first in San Francisco — we wanted to get to somewhere rural. My brother bought land in the Selle Valley in 2004, and he said “Hey, you should go check out Sandpoint,” so I flew up here in March 2004 and in one weekend bought a piece of land. We bought a house in town in April 2004, and the land we’re currently living on in June 2004. I built our home, and I actually am a homebuilder now. We’ve been doing that for customers since about 2007. I had never built a home in my life until I built mine. I got all the books, watched some videos and learned how to do it. SR: What inspires you to run for office? SH: I have a lot of friends that are legislators, in this state and in other states. It’s almost like, “Why not?” In other words, if you’ve got strong ideas for government and you can present them well and you get along with people and you can work with people and try to navigate them toward some of your positions, and you actually care about some of their positions, then I think it’s a good idea to get involved — especially if you have the time or the inclination. SR: What are your top three issues? SH: My number-one issue is constitutional government, especially in relation to the federal
government. The federal government is supposed to be a lot smaller than it is, but it’s pretty much in every aspect of our lives. It’s very big in regards to the budget, and very big in regards to reach. A lot of states just implement federal policy — it’s almost like the states have become policy implementers of federal policy. It’s taken states that could be unique and made them all homogeneous. For people who have really strong political ideas about how a state should be run, there’s no state that best represents them because they’re all becoming the same. So, if you really liked a certain ideology and Washington had a better representation of it, it seems to me you ought to be able to move to Washington. Number two would be state sovereignty: the idea that the federal government was meant to serve a very limited role, and that the states were meant to serve everything else. The way to do that is states don’t go back to the federal government and ask permission for everything. They can simply just do it. I don’t think people understand that state sovereignty is an actual constitutional thing under the Tenth Amendment and that states can navigate their own way. My number-three issue in Idaho is the expense of Idaho government. Right now it’s growing. Our general fund expenditures, for example, grow at six to nine percent a year. The economy is only growing (at a) three-and-ahalf-percent (rate). It’s almost as if there is no overarching view of the growth of government, or people trying to restrain the growth of government to what can actually be supported by the economy. SR: If you’re elected, how will you aim to serve all your constituents, especially now, when it feels like we’re in a very polarized political situation? SH: What’s interesting is some people think of the left as very
different from the right. I’m a constitutional conservative, so I would get labeled way over on the right. However, what’s interesting — can I use your notepad here? — I think that most people view ideologies in government as a bell curve, where there’s a small group on the way left and a small group on the way right, and most people are in the middle. I view it like this. (Herndon draws a circle with two nearly connected ends, and labels one end the “left” and the other the “right”). We actually have a lot in common, those of us that are extremely passionate. For example, we all shop at the same organic foods stores and do yoga and care about CBD oil. I think the way to get along is to go ahead and find the topics we are right next to each other on. We have to respect each other at least for the fact that we’re willing to go out and say things about what we care about. You just have to influence each other politely over time. SR: A lot of people find your methods of persuasion when it comes to anti-abortion protests disturbing, and they’re concerned about where you decide to demonstrate. What do you have to say about that, especially now that it’s been happening for a while? SH: You know what’s funny is I’m hardly ever out doing stuff like that, but there is a group of people that does, and I totally support their right to do that. I’ve been out with them, and I think abortion is one of those things that is like human slavery, in that it’s a human rights violation, so it’s a civil rights question. I hope it’s one of those things in the future that we look back and we realize how repugnant the notion was. The abolitionists of slavery were very disruptive because they were trying to upset the whole economy, and a whole way of life. Unfortunately, when you’re trying to change some of the really big ideas, it disrupts a whole culture.
It’s upsetting to people because it threatens their whole worldview. Abortion is something I care very much about, but it’s not my number-one issue because I don’t think we’re going to overturn and abolish abortion right away until we get other ideas in place.
Courtesy photo.
Scott Herndon AT A GLANCE AGE: 50 BIRTHPLACE AND RESIDENCE: Born in
SR: What else do you want people to know about you?
Richmond, Va. Moved to S. Division in Sandpoint in 2004 and to 15 acres on Otts basin in Sagle in 2006.
SH: We have a lot of ideologies in District 1. A lot of people wonder how I’ll represent the whole district, and the reality is that I don’t think a legislator can perfectly represent a whole district because they’re bound by their oath to uphold the constitution. If, say, the whole district wanted something that wasn’t constitutional, then the legislator is going to have to hold the line. But a good legislator would explain to the district why they can’t do x, y or z. I will represent everyone in the district, and I’ll have an open phone. I would say there are people around here that would be surprised that I would take some of their ideas very seriously and introduce them to the Legislature.
GOVERNMENT SERVICE: Worked for the USFS in college as a firefighter. Then worked for UC Berkeley and the Los Angeles County Office of Education for a total of four years as a computer programming contractor implementing Peoplesoft Financial Systems.
PROFESSION: Previously accounting and finance and 10 years as a computer programmer. He has been a home builder in residential construction in Bonner and Boundary County as Scott Herndon Homes for 11 years.
EDUCATION: BS in Finance from Arizona State University, 1989.
FAMILY: Married to his wife, Arlene, for 20 years. They have eight children together ranging in age from 4 to 21.
FUN FACT: At Arizona State University, Herndon was president of the Skydiving Club and accumulated 492 jumps while in college, including over 8 hours of freefall. March 22, 2018 /
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Mad about Science: By Brenden Bobby Reader Columnist Once upon a Reader dreary, while I pondered curious and hungry... Ravens have long been a curiosity in human culture. We’ve often speculated they may be some of the most intelligent birds on the planet and have shown the unique ability of performing interspecies communication, similar to dogs. We’ve noted them holding grudges and even identifying humans they like. Ravens are basically just large crows, members of the genus corvus. They tend to feed off scraps and carrion, making them some of the most efficient garbage disposal systems in the natural world. Could you imagine if your garbage collector could fly? Despite this unique and highly beneficial trait, humans have looked at their nature as death-eaters to be ominous and dreadful. As with any bird, ravens are capable of spreading disease from the air, though it might surprise you that they’re more sanitary than ducks and other waterfowl, which are the primary incubators and spreaders of influenza. The importance of a raven’s job as a carrion-eater cannot be overstated. It might be gross, but they’re the unsung heroes of the natural world. While watching a raven dig into a bloody pile of road pizza might be disgusting, could you imagine a world where they didn’t exist? Pestilence and disease would run rampant. Our roadways, forests, lakes, alleyways,
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Brought to you by:
ravens
virtually every surface we look out on would be covered in decaying meat. Though I’m sure “World of Decay” would have made for a sweet Black Sabbath album, it’s not the kind of world we want to live in, and thanks to ravens, it’s one we don’t have to worry about. Have you ever been outside and heard the same three ravens cawing over and over and over again? Ever notice they do it at the same intervals with similar spaces between each caw? This isn’t random behavior. We believe they’re positioning themselves into specific places they’ve found food before within earshot of other members of their murder (a gathering of ravens). Each time they caw, they’re checking in with the other ravens. If the line of communication changes or breaks, other members of the murder know where something has changed. Maybe there’s danger near Dave, or maybe Betty found something and is investigating. This kind of behavior is what put humans on top of the evolutionary chain. Not our ability to wield tools, but our ability to effectively communicate over distances. Scientists have tested ravens and found even more interesting behavior related to their ability to hold grudges. Ravens appear to be capable of ignoring an immediate reward for promise of something greater in the future. Scientists tested this by offering ravens bits of bread. The raven could eat the bread right away, or the raven could bring the piece of bread to a scientist and exchange it for a tastier piece of
nevermore!
cheese. In almost every case, the raven would trade the bread for cheese. They even appeared to teach other ravens that if they were willing to be patient, they’d get a better reward. I’ve known several humans that can’t grasp that concept. If the scientist slighted the raven by taking the cheese and the bread, the raven wouldn’t return to trade with that scientist again. It might surprise you that there is influence of the raven’s ability to communicate in human speech, especially in the Pacific Northwest. There are words in the Lushootseed language, spoken by several Native American tribes from the coastal Northwest, that mirror the clicking sounds made by ravens when interacting with humans (called “clapping”) Want an example? Seattle is a romanization of Chief Seattle of the Suquamish Tribe. The double-T is the closest thing Europeans had to replicating the sound, which almost sounds like a tiny horse galloping. Ravens have been observed intentionally making as many as 33 different sounds and calls. There’s a reason ravens have earned the reputation of tricksters in mythology. They’re intelligent animals, smart enough to require mental stimulation to avoid boredom and mental breakdown. In Canada, they’ve been observed waiting on the roof of a supermarket for people to pass under before pushing snow off on them. They’ve been seen teasing grown wolves and even playing with wolf pups.
They’ve also tricked larger predators into doing their dirty work, mimicking the call of a wounded animal to draw wolves, bears or foxes to come in and eviscerate a thickskinned corpse so the birds can feast. I learned so many cool things about these birds, and I ran out of room before I could even get to the mythology that surrounds them. If you’re
curious and would like to learn more about ravens, we have several books and films at the library about them. The next time you chase one away on the street, just remember they can live up to 40 years in the wild and are notorious pranksters. Don’t do anything you might regret for the next four decades! Be nice to the birds, man.
Random Corner Don’t know much about beer?
We can help!
• At any given time, 0.7 percent of the world is drunk. So 50 million people are drunk right now. Woo hoo. • Cenosillicaphobia is the fear of an empty beer glass. • The strongest beer in the world has a 67.5-percent alcohol content. • Amsterdam pays alcoholics in beer to clean streets: five cans of beer for a day’s work, plus 10 Euros and tobacco. • Beer was not considered an alcoholic beverage in Russia until 2013. • At the Wife Carrying World Championships in Finland, first prize is the wife’s weight in beer. • In 1963, Albert Heineken created a beer bottle that could also be used as a brick to build sustainable housing in impoverished countries. • The Wat Pa Maha Chedi Kaew temple in Thailand was constructed with 1 million bottles of Heineken and a local beer. • More Guinness beer is drunk in Nigeria than Ireland. •In Argentina, political parties have their own brands of beer. • Norway’s first aircraft hijacking was resolved after the hijacker surrendered his weapon in exchange for more beer. • When scientist Niels Bohr won the Nobel Prize in 1922, the Carlsberg brewery gave him a perpetual supply of beer piped into his house. • 162,719 pints of Guinness beer are wasted each year due to mustaches. • President Jimmy Carter signed a bill that created an exemption from taxation of beer brewed at home for personal or family use, opening the door for today’s craft brewers. • Beer cans in Japan have braille on them so blind people don’t confuse alcoholic drinks with soft drinks. • Table beer (1.5 percent alcohol) was served in Belgian schools until the 1980s. • In 1956, the U.S. exploded atomic bombs near a few beers to see if they are safe to drink. They are indeed.
PERSPECTIVES
Feds playing games with Idaho agriculture By Rep. Mat Erpelding and Sen. Jim Patrick Reader Contributors
Washington politicians are taking aim at Idahoans again from our farmers, ranchers and dairymen to our technology workers. They are threatening the jobs of more than 128,000 Idahoans linked to agribusiness and thousands more in the tech sector. The stakes are too high not to speak up and tell those politicians to keep their hands off Idaho’s economic future. The issue is the future of the North American Free Trade Agreement or NAFTA. This pact between the United States, Mexico and Canada was conceived, negotiated and signed over the course of Republican and Democratic administrations – from Reagan to Clinton. While the pros and cons continue to be debated nationwide, it has been a game-changer for Idaho. Since 1994, the year NAFTA went into effect, exports from Idaho to Canada and Mexico have shot up 800 percent. Nearly half of our farm and food exports went to Mexico and Canada last year. Idaho’s dairy
countless other Idaho companies. With so much on the line for Idaho, threats to terminate NAFTA are setting off alarm bells all over the state. Should Mexico and Canada retaliate, the effects could be devastating to thousands of Idaho families. Mexico and Canada could take their business elsewhere and leave Idaho holding the bag. We understand NAFTA is not perfect. As profitable as it’s been for our agricultural industries, Rep. Mat Erpelding. Sen. Jim Patrick. there continue to be problems with sugar and potatoes. An agreement that complex between countries whose combined exports have doubled over the last decade. population is nearly half-a-billion people As a result, the men and women who work requires ongoing care. What worked during our land and process food and beverages the age of beepers and flip-phones doesn’t contribute to industries that make up about necessarily work today. Making changes to 20 percent of Idaho’s economy. One out of the deal that preserves the gains made by every seven jobs in Idaho is tied directly or Idaho businesses, while helping industries indirectly to the agribusiness field. that have suffered is prudent. NAFTA continues to boost Idaho’s Idaho continues to struggle with a lowtechnology companies too. Micron and wage economy and an inability to fill thouHewlett-Packard have done billions of sands of good-paying jobs. We leave hundollars of business with our NAFTA partdreds of millions of dollars in unclaimed ners over the last 15 years. They employ thousands of Idahoans and do business with wages on the table every year. However,
our food and tech industries are bright spots in our economy. We value security and hard work just like you all do. Those Idaho values will continue to serve us well as we work to grow our economy and provide our children with the skills they need to prosper for generations to come. While we have our eye on Idaho’s future, we cannot turn our backs on the men and women helping Idaho grow today. Our trade negotiators could learn a thing or two from Idahoans – be diligent in the promotion of fair trade, not just free trade, and carefully address wage, environmental and food quality concerns, without dumping a treaty that has overwhelmingly benefited Idaho’s agricultural sector. Walking away from NAFTA would spell trouble for Idaho’s export industries, our communities and our families. Representative Mat Erpelding is the House Democratic Leader. He is serving his third term and represents District 19 in Boise. Senator Jim Patrick is Chairman of the Senate Commerce & Human Resources Committee. He is serving his third term and represents District 25 in Twin Falls.
New BNSF bridge would ease congestion and benefit trade in PNW
that slows the transport of goods. It should be noted the Last spring, BNSF Railway proposed rail upgrades will help announced it would be moving manage train traffic to minimize forward on a proposal to add crossing delays and lower the a second rail bridge over Lake impacts in surrounding commuPend Oreille in Sandpoint. nities. The new line will result Simply put, we have a botin shorter wait times on nearby tleneck that must be resolved roads and streets that cross along this major trade route for BNSF tracks. Obviously safety Commissioner Glen Bailey. the Northwest, and for all of us is a top priority for a major who benefit from it. company like BNSF, and they are willing to This is, first and foremost, a free comspend millions to support their safety efforts. merce issue. The railroads are here to facilBecause railroads have become the most itate trade in this region. The project will efficient means of moving freight by land, we provide a second mainline track across the often forget that a good portion of the comlake that would run adjacent to the existing modities carried by rail might otherwise be rail bridge. Doing so would increase capaci- shipped on our highways. I can’t imagine how ty for what has become a vital link between many semi-trucks would have to cross the communities stretching from the Pacific Long Bridge if BNSF doesn’t find a way to Ocean to the Midwest, and the family-wage increase it’s rail capacity. Shippers will need jobs that come with it. to find new ways to get their goods to market, Each day, BNSF trains carry thousands and that likely means putting them on semiof products that we use in our everyday trucks. On average, trains are four times more lives: Food, medicine, equipment and efficient than trucks, so we would do better household goods. This expansion is needed investing in rail infrastructure than adding to to ensure those goods continue to reach the traffic congestion on our highways. markets both here at home, in the NorthFinally, BNSF is actively taking steps to west, and all over the world. Without it, our protect our natural environment. The raileconomy will be negatively impacted, along road has worked with our county Emergenwith our quality of life. Creating additional cy Management team to create a detailed capacity will help decrease our bottleneck geographic response plan that identified By Commissioner Glen Bailey Reader Contributor
environmentally sensitive areas like Lake Pend Oreille and the Kootenai River and is committed to the priority actions needed to protect those areas. I would encourage readers to take a careful look at BNSF’s proposal and what it means not just for our community, but for the entire region. We just can’t ignore that we are a primary trade route in the western United States. Infrastructure investments are crucial to encourage growth and support trade in the Pacific Northwest. This project represents a significant business investment to modernize the rail network. It will impact everything in our daily lives: food, medi-
cine, consumer goods and more. Rail remains the lifeblood of Idaho’s tradebased economy. Ignoring the need for growth in our trade infrastructure would be irresponsible and shortsighted. It could hamstring us competitively, impacting key industries like manufacturing and agriculture. Last but not least don’t forget the jobs – and tax revenue – that come when business rolls on. Glen Bailey served on the board of the Bonner County Economic Development Corporation and is Chairman of Board of the Bonner County Commissioner.
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Dollar Beers! 8pm @ Eichardt’s Pub Good until the keg’s dry
John Craigie in Concert 7:30pm @ Di Luna’s Cafe Join John Craigie in one of the best listening rooms in Sandpoint. Part stand up comic, part cathartic songwriter, a John Craigie show will often make you laugh and cry. (208) 263-0846 if any tickets are left. Justin Landis will be the opening act
Cla 3pm Enj an hom
Live Music w/ Mostly Harmless Live Music w/ The Andy T Band Live Music w 6-8pm @ Cedar St. Bridge Wine Bar 7:30pm @ Eichardt’s Pub 9pm @ 219 Lo Live Music w/ Bright Moments Jazz A potent new blend of blues talent Formerly cal Live Music at the Farmhouse tion, Trego is b 5-7pm @ Idaho Pour Authority 6-8pm @ Farmhouse Kitchen by popular dem Jazz and beer - a perfect combination Live Music w/ the Beat Diggers Live Music w/ Monarch Mountain Band 6:30-9:30pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall 5-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery Great Americana from this Sandpoint group Ear candy harmonies, and epic rock and roll Live Music w/ Oak St. Connection 2,400 Feet of Schweitzer 6-8pm @ Cedar St. Bridge Wine Bar Sunrise @ Schweitzer Mountain Resort Live Music w/ Brian Jacobs This unique fundraiser for 24 Hours For Hank ta 5-7pm @ Idaho Pour Authority at sunrise at Schweitzer. Ski the longest giant slal Live Music w/ Devon Wade world, all for a good cause. Find out more at Schwe 9pm @ 219 Lounge Turkuaz in Concert Birds of Winter Outing Top 40s country rock from 9pm @ The Hive 10am (PST) @ Heron Comm a hard working Sandpoint A nine-piece powerfunk band Join Brian Baxter on a w musician. from Brooklyn. Think Sly and outing at the Heron Co Live Music w/ Kerry Leigh the Family Stone merged with Center. Examine riverside, 8-10pm @ Back Door Bar the Talking Heads. Awesome. and timbered edge habitat Live Music w/ Muffy & the Riff Hangers suit of spotting birds of pre 6:30-9:30pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall fowl, woodpeckers, and s Join this rambling crew of pickers and dreamers for a Super fun and educatio night of bluegrass, Americana and good brews Sign up at ScotchmanPeak Sandpoint Chess Club Tour de Thrift • All day @ Area thrift store 9am @ Evans Brothers Coffee Visit your area thrift stores and get a passpor After “Sunday Solution” at the Winery grand prizes for weekend getaways! For more 12-7pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery Monday Night Blues Jam w/ Truck Mills Free Teen Center Program • 3:30pm @ San A library-sponsored game or STEAM activit 7:30pm @ Eichardt’s Pub Gariepy. For this week’s theme, call Morgan
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Night-Out Karaoke 9pm @ 219 Lounge Join DJ Pat for a night of singing, or just come to drink and listen
Trivia Night 7-9pm @ MickDuff’s Grab a seat early, they go fast! Test your useless knowledge!
Wind Down Wednesday 5-8pm @ 219 Lounge With live music by blues man Truck Mills. Relax together with friends and colleagues at the end of the day
VIP (Volunteer Idaho Panhandle) Find Your Perfect Match 12-1pm @ Community Resource Center Get connected to find or list volunteer opportunities
Open Mic 5-8pm @ SKåL Taproom Musicians and comedians welcome! Open mic is held every Wednesday
Wind and Storm Safety 6-8pm @ Ponderay Event Michael Richardson of Sky you ways of reducing the wind storms as well as prot
Trivia Takeover Live Dollar Beers! 5:30pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery 8pm @ Eichardt’s Pub Teams encouraged but not required. Good until the keg’s dry Wine and beer specials, prizes as well. Takes place the last Thursday of every month. Free and open to the public
Fake News: Media Li 6pm @ The Heartwoo What are the limits o limits? Join NIC journ Reader for this Ethics
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March 22-29, 2018
Clark Fork Crafternoon 3pm @ Clark Fork Library Enjoy free family fun with an artisitic craft to take home! 208-266-1321
A weekly entertainment guide to keep you on your toes. To list your event free, please send an email to calendar@sandpointreader.com. Reader recommended
LEAP Update: Workshop for Loggers 8am-3:30pm @ Ponderay Events Center More than 1,500 Idaho loggers have taken the University of Idaho Extension program on forest ecology, silviculture, and water quality, titled Logger Education to Advance Professionalism (LEAP). LEAP Update is an opportunity for graduates to build on that professional development in forestry. Pre-register by March 13; $45 fee. (208) 263-8511
Music w/ Trego John Craigie in Concert @ 219 Lounge 7:30pm @ Di Luna’s Cafe merly called Folkincep- The final night to see CraiTrego is back at the Niner gie! Ben and Cadie will be opular demand the opening act Spring Equinox Event all 6-8pm @ Embody (823 Main St.) and roll An inner journey of great intention
Celebration of Community: Northern Stars Rising 7pm @ The Heartwood Center POAC Performing Arts Series’ first-ever showcase of local talent celebrates the quality and diversity of performing artists in our community. The evening begins with a reception to thank POAC’s supporters in the community, followed by a performance featuring musical, vocal, dance, and spoken word talent
Yoga on Tap Fly Fishing Film Tour 11am @ Laughing Dog Brewery 7pm @ Panida Theater r Hank takes place A night of films honoring fly fishing, One hour class that ends with the group having giant slalom in the brought to you by North 40 Fly Shop and a beer together. $12 includes your first beer e at Schweitzer.com the Panhandle Chapter of Trout Unlim- Presentation on “Plant Communication” ited. Lots of raffle and door prizes, pro- 9:45-11:30am @ Sandpoint Community Hall Outing eron Comm. Center ceeds benefitting Trout Unlimited and Explore scientific findings, old and new, about er on a winter bird the Pend Oreille Water Festival. Tickets the many complex ways that plants interact with Heron Community are $12 and available at North 40 Fly one another competitively and cooperatively riverside, wetland, Shop and Eichardt’s, or $15 at the door Furry Tales ge habitats in pur- Ain’t Misbehavin’ Book Launch Party 11am @ Panhandle Animal Shelter irds of prey, water- 10am-12pm @ Kokanee Coffee Enjoy pet stories, dog training demos, a behinders, and songbirds. Check out the new book by local author the-scenes shelter tour, and volunteer projects. educational, too! Jennifer Lamont Leo set in roaring twenFor more information 263-6930 ext. 1211 ties Chicago. hmanPeaks.org Organic Seed Saving hrift stores a passport. Collect stamps, win one of three 1pm @ Sandpoint Library Organic gardening and seed saving For more information, (208) 263-0706
pm @ Sandpoint Teen Center AM activity hosted by Morgan l Morgan at 208-263-6930 ext. 1245
Lifetree Cafe 2pm @ Jalepeño’s Mexican Restaurant An hour of conversation and stories. This week’s topic – Do Good Dogs Go to Heaven?
anhandle) Geezer Forum 2:30-4pm @ Columbia SFN Movie Night: “Soylent Green ce Center Bank volunteer Join Paul Graves and Elder 7pm @ Panida Little Theater Advocates for this free forum Catch a free screening of the sci-fi classic
m Safety ray Event Center son of Skywalker Tree Service will teach ducing the danger of falling trees from well as protecting your property from fire.
Crafternoon: Dragon Craft 2pm @ Sandpoint Library All are welcome to enjoy free family fun with an artistic craft to take home
Media Literacy in the Information Age Series - Ethics in Media Heartwood Center e limits of free speech? How has mass media and technology challenged those NIC journalism professor Geoff Carr and Cameron Rasmusson of the Sandpoint his Ethics in Media presentation. Free and open to the public. (208) 265-2665
March 30 Used Bike Garage Sale @ Greasy Fingers March 31 Laughing Dog Brewery Taproom Anniversary Party! March 31 Harold’s IGA @ Eichardt’s Pub
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OUTDOORS
TALISMAN
By Lexie de Fremery Reader Contributor
M
y route was planned in advance, as I knew the distance I wanted to hike. The day was mixed, cloudy with sun breaks and occasional drizzle. This was an area I frequented, and it was spectacular: The trails took me through meadows and forests and up to ridges that offered on clear days vistas of other mountain ridges, creek drainages, and the Pacific Ocean. I started on the loop trail and then took the side trail I favored because of the magic spot where the giant Sitka spruce and sword ferns lined both sides. The trail then connected with another one and I started to lose the elevation I had gained. My heart was happy; my feet moved rhythmically and steadily on the forest floor. There were occasional bird songs but a complete absence of the baby salamanders I had observed in prior years. I caught movement to my left in the meadow below, and my eyes settled on two magnificent bull elk. I controlled my reaction so as to not spook them. They were aware of me; only a gnarly system of blackberry vines separated us. The bigger bull turned his head to look my way and then returned to bobbing his head up and down. His massive, dark grulla neck and head contrasted with a buckskin body, large and well-muscled. His rack, like him, was impressive. But the other bull — a bit smaller — had only one antler. He was shaking his head in no particular pattern. Both bulls seemed agitated, but not with each other, and my presence seemed not to be a factor, so I carefully pulled my phone out of my pocket and shot three photos. Soon the smaller bull pivoted and transitioned into a breathtaking trot, followed by the second elk who cantered elegantly behind him. They turned away and plunged into deep shrubbery. Imbued with the wildness that had played out in front of me, I continued on my route, and it wasn’t too much later that I returned to that now special spot, but from the opposite direction. My eyes reviewed the meadow, but there was no
The Woodward Family: Jim, Brenda, Avery and Anna, celebrating 23 years of marriage.
The author’s cat, “Good Boy,” to provide scale for the elk antler sheds. Courtesy photo. trace of the bulls. Except one. A single antler lay on the ground. It beckoned me, and I obliged, making my way down through the brambles. The terminal point was planted into the ground. The graceful curve of the antler and its points softened the ruggedness and utter masculinity of this natural work of art. I picked it up with wonder; it felt like grainy wood. It was solid but not too heavy for me to carry several miles. I noted the white pad at the beginning of the antler was dotted with red specks, confirming the newness of its separation from the elk. I moved it from my right side to my left, working out how I would carry it. I scrambled back up to the trail with a sense of exhilaration amplified by urgency: urgency because I was now going to be late for dinner. What a comical picture we must have made: this antler swinging beside me or wrapped around me as I quickly walked and ran in my hiking boots. At the car I placed the antler carefully in the trunk. Still overcome with a sense of vitality and purpose, I noted the time and guessed that I would be only a few minutes late for the delicious crabcake dinner. My boyfriend and his mother were awestruck by the story but even more so
by the antler. It was when I showed them the photos that I realized that neither bull had a single antler remaining! The whole antler rubbing ritual had played out while I was watching them! This meant that there were three antlers somewhere in that vicinity. One was a mate to the antler I already claimed. After the rain eased up I returned the next day to the special spot. Once I descended to the meadow, I caught sight of a second antler. Close inspection revealed that it was probably the mate. This was satisfying, but nothing like the prior day’s adventure. There was no surprise. No being a witness. No sharp sense of belonging to something much bigger than me. Nevertheless, I lingered, looking here and there, hoping to find the rack from the bigger bull. Without success, I returned to the house with the antler that proved to be the mate. Reunited, they are spectacular. Will I go back to look for more antlers? Maybe. And maybe I’ll simply savor the mystery. Lexie de Fremery is a 19-year resident of Sagle. This winter she has spent several months at the Oregon coast exploring the beach and coastal hills to avoid the snow.
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•TRANSPORTATION: Secure funding to improve safety and efficiency of our roads, bridges and airports. •EDUCATION: Adequately fund education and integrate vocational education to meet work force needs. •JOBS: Retain and expand our current resource jobs and promote jobs in emerging industries. •NATURAL RESOURCES: Expand the multiple use of our forests and protect our precious waters. •CONSTITUENT SERVICE: Listen to constituents and address the “things that matter” to them.
www.MikeBoeckForIdaho.com
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COMMUNITY
Fishing for education
Lake Pend Oreille Idaho Club offering scholarship for graduating seniors
By Reader Staff Attention all Lake Pend Oreille Idaho Club (LPOIC) members, anglers and, more importantly, mothers and fathers. Lake Pend Oreille Idaho Club is always looking for ways to improve our lake, our fishery, our club and now our community. For a club that started some 70 years ago, the community of Sandpoint has been a big supporter of the LPOIC and our activities. This year, we’ve decided to give back to our community and the students who help to make our community a great place to live, work and play. This year, the LPOIC will be awarding a $500 Scholarship to a graduating senior from Lake Pend Oreille School District, which includes Sandpoint High School, Lake Pend Oreille Alternative School and Clark Fork High School. We hope in the coming years to expand our Scholarship Fund to include another $500 scholarship that will expand outside of Bonner County, especially because we have so many members and anglers from out of the area. In addition, if we can raise enough donations, we will offer two continuation scholarships for students who continue onto their sopho-
The Lake Pend Oreille Idaho Club board of Directors (left to right): back row - Kevin Elmore, Grant Hillen, David Gillespie, Clint Nicholson. Front row - Dale Greene, Barbara Gillespie, Dave Ivy, James Mullen. Courtesy photo. more year in college. If you have a son or daughter interested in advancing their education, please feel free to fill out the application, which can be found on our Facebook page, and our website, www.LPOIC.org under the News tab. If you are interested in making a donation helping us meet our goals for future scholarships, please feel free to speak to
any LPOIC board member, or you can send your generous donation to Lake Pend Oreille Idaho Club, P.O. Box 1589, Sandpoint, Idaho 83864. Thank you to all who have already donated and in advance to any others that are considering it. The investments we make in our children today will bear fruit in our futures.
Sustainable is attainable:
Mixed bag ballroom dancing
By Molly McCahon Reader Contributor
By Reader Staff
Monthly tips from the Sustainable Living Committee
Prevent street and sidewalk flooding If you see that your neighborhood storm drain (usually located on the corner) is blocked by snow, ice or debris, remove with a shovel, rake or call the city to report the problem. If your sidewalk is flooding direct water away from street or storm drain and into a vegetated area. Bring your own bags when out shopping. Any bag is fine: plastic, canvas, paper. Reusing bags reduces waste and conserves energy and natural resource use. Open your blinds on a sunny day to warm your home and turn the heat down. Close the blinds when the sun goes down to keep warm air in and cold air out. This could reduce your electric bill.
Walk or bike to work or school when and if you can. This can dramatically cut down on your fuel costs and it’s fun! Save water! When waiting for sink water to get hot – fill a container with the cold water and use to water plants or other household uses. The purpose of the Sandpoint Sustainability Committee is to act in an advisory capacity to the mayor and the city council to aid in the process of effective, responsible and efficient government, with the goal of enhancing connectivity, promoting good stewardship, ensuring resilience and fostering socioeconomic health. The goal of the committee is to make recommendations that allow the city to meet the needs of the present, without compromising the ability to meet the needs of future generations. The committee meets the fourth Wednesday of every month at the Sandpoint City Hall at 4 p.m. The public is always welcome.
Have you got that dancing feeling? Come to mixed-bag ballroom dancing! Those present will vote on dances to practice and/or learn that evening. An on-site coordinator is available to suggest, demonstrate and teach new and unique skills or you can share your fun skills with the class in a variety of ballroom, Latin, and country-western dances. The hall has a large, beautiful hardwood floor with lots of space to move so come practice with us. Monthly sessions are every first and third Thursday of the month from February through May at the Sandpoint Community Hall from 6 – 7 p.m. The fee is $10/month/person. A minimum of four participants is needed to offer each monthly session. This session’s classes are April 5 and 19. Call (208) 263-3613 for more info.
Love the outdoors? Have a hunger to learn and to observe the natural world? Want to be a volunteer scientist and educator? Become a Master Naturalist!
We are starting a series of classes March 23rd and 24th and then two classes a month for six months. Learn about local geology, plants, animals and fish. Sponsored by the Idaho Fish and Game. For more details, contact us at imn.sandpoint@gmail.com Space is limited. March 22, 2018 /
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HEALTH
Want to create awareness? Set a world record By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff
Plant Positive’s cancer prevention campaign launches this weekend
If running 100 miles in full firefighting gear sounds crazy, it’s supposed to. The founders of the nonprofit Plant Positive, Gwen Le Tutour and Katie Adams, want it to be crazy, because sometimes in order to create widespread awareness for an issue, you have to set a world record. That issue is cancer prevention — something Le Tutour and Adams have been studying, and something they wish others would pay a little more attention to. “Fifty percent of most cancer can be prevented. That’s a lot,” Le Tutour said. “Every year, half a million people in the U.S. die from cancer. That means a quarter million people don’t have to die every year.” Le Tutour is a volunteer firefighter in Sandpoint and said firefighters take cancer very seriously. Entering a burning house full of plastics can be a serious health risk due to all the carcinogens in the air, Le Tutour said, and it’s a health risk that is well researched by the American Institute for Cancer Research. AICR categorizes carcinogens according
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to how harmful they are, Le Tutour said, and he said some people might be surprised by the research. For instance, processed meat is a group one carcinogen. Le Tutour and Adams found that the AICR has 10 tips for cancer prevention, and knew they wanted to help share that knowledge with others. With the platform of their healthy living non-profit and background in ultrarunning, it seemed only natural to combine firefighting with running an obscene distance. It just so happened that such a bizarre feat would mean setting a world record. “We thought, ‘We like to do crazy things, let’s do something to get people’s attention,’” Le Tutour said. On April 28, Le Tutour will run between the Sandpoint and Dover fire stations — a distance of about three miles — until he completes 100 miles. He’ll start at 8 a.m. and continue to run through the night and into the day Sunday. During that time, the Sandpoint fire station will be open to the public so they can learn more about the cancer prevention initiative. Right now, he has no clue when he’ll finish the 100th mile.
“If I have to walk the last 60 miles, I’ll walk. If I have to crawl the last 20 miles, I’ll crawl. I have to be humble and know that it’s a very difficult thing, and unexpected things do happen,” he said. “I will give it my everything.” To kick off the campaign, Adams and Le Tutour will be at Evans Brothers Coffee Friday, March 23, at 6:30 p.m. There will be healthy snacks and refreshments, and the couple will talk about their goal to “encourage and promote a healthy lifestyle to prevent cancer within our community.” While there, people can also learn how to volunteer the day of the 100-mile run. Le Tutour said he knows sometimes people can resist change — especially when they’re told their choices might be leading to higher cancer risk — but he hopes people will be open to learning. He said 30 years ago, most firefighters
Gwen Le Tutour runs in firefighter gear to train for his upcoming world record attempt. Courtesy photo. didn’t wear breathing apparatuses on fire calls. Today — now that they know it can save their lives — wearing a breathing apparatus is common practice. “We’ve always seen resistance to positive change, but it happens,” Le Tutour said. “Slowly people are going to realize that (their lifestyle) is worth taking a look at.”
STAGE & SCREEN
F3T: Not just for diehards By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff Do you fly fish? Do you want to learn more about the sport? Did you feel something deep in your soul stir when Brad Pitt’s character died in “A River Runs Through It?” All are valid reasons to attend Sandpoint’s seventh annual Fly Fishing Film Tour this weekend. Among other great reasons to attend are the chance to win several raffles and door prizes, like a $500 Simms gift card, the chance to support local initiatives like Trout Unlimited and the Pend Oreille Water Festival, and the chance to see films about one of America’s fastest growing recreational activities. Fly fishing has the highest rate of new participants according to the Outdoor Foundation, which reports that almost 13 percent of participants were new to it in 2014. The sport is also aiming for more inclusivity, as brands like Orvis are hoping to end the gender split in fly fishing by 2020. Right now, women make up nearly a third of all fly fishers. The Outdoor Foundation reports that in 2016, more than two million women took
part in the sport — an increase of nearly 142,000 from the previous year. “It’s substantial,” said Reg Crawford, who works with Trout Unlimited. She said now is the time for those curious about fly fishing to explore the sport, and that the Fly Fishing Film Tour is a perfect way to get started. “My favorite thing about (the event) is the energy. It hits at the right time of year when people are getting excited about spring and excited about fishing,” Crawford said. “The energy just gets elevated.” Catch F3T at the Panida Theater Saturday, March 24. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the show will begin at 7 p.m. Crawford said the Mayfly Project – a nonprofit that teaches foster children how to fly fish – will be there. This is first time they’ve tabled at the Sandpoint event. Learn more about the nonprofit at themayflyproject.com and check out their table on Saturday. F3T is brought to Sandpoint by North 40 Fly Shop and the Panhandle Chapter of Trout Unlimited. Buy tickets in advance for $12 at the North 40 Fly Shop in Ponderay, Eichardt’s Pub or online at flyfilmtour.com. Tickets are $15 at the door the night of the show.
For the most up-to-date information, find the “2018 Fly Fishing Film Tour Sandpoint, ID” Facebook page. Whether you’re a regular Norman Maclean or just like being outside, Crawford said the film tour is worthwhile. “It doesn’t matter if you fly fish or
An African tiger fish, caught in Tanzania. Photo by Jako Lucas. not,” she said. “The locations are beautiful. It’s about being outdoors and enjoying that.”
SFN Movie Night: ‘Soylent Green’ By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff Come by SFN movie night next week to enjoy a true sci-fi classic: the 1973 post-apocalyptic thriller “Soylent Green.” It may be best remembered for a single line of dialogue, but there’s impressive world building and style in this outing directed by Richard Fleischer and starring Charlton Heston. See it on the big screen at a showing hosted by Sandpoint Filmmakers Network, then stick around afterward to discuss the movie. In a future devastated by pollution, poverty, overpopulation, euthanasia and depleted resources, the majority of America’s population is out of work and surviving on rations produced by the Soylent Corporation. In this bleak society, New York City Police Department Det. Frank Thorn investigates the murder of a wealthy man that leads him to uncover a
“SFN Movie Night! I would never miss it!” disturbing secret. SFN Movie Night takes place 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 27, at the Little Panida Theater. It is free to attend, but a suggested $5 donation is recommended to help cover the cost of the theater rental. Beer and wine is offered for sale by the Panida Theater. Although a private event, it’s simple and free to join SFN: simply go to http://www.sandpointfilmmakers.net/join or sign up at the screening.
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PERSPECTIVES
How to argue (without sounding like an idiot)
By Ben Olson Reader Staff
W
e’ve all been there. You’re at the bar having a beer with friends and that loud blowhard comes in looking to change your mind about something. A friend on Facebook tears apart your post, making it about something completely irrelevant to the issue at hand. At the family dinner table, you are seated next to Uncle Larry, who loves to push your buttons. Let’s face it, we love to argue — especially nowadays when there is so much to argue about. But what if there was a way to arm the general public with the knowledge to navigate the most predictable traps that come up during day to day arguments? My second year of college, I took a class on logic and critical thinking. Though it was an 8 a.m. class on Monday morning, I never had to drag myself out of bed to attend. It was absolutely fascinating. We spent weeks going over logical fallacies, which are errors in reasoning that undermine the logic of an argument. We discussed how to debate effectively, how to identify when someone is trying to pull the wool over our eyes and, most importantly, how to respond with intelligence instead of emotion. Inspired by comments I’ve read on social media lately (which have been loaded with logical fallacies), I thought I’d crack open my old notebooks and share some of the gems that stuck with me. What follows is the first of a multi-part series designed to teach you to identify logical fallacies in everyday usage. I’ll also include real examples of how these fallacies have been used in the news today. The ultimate goal here is to teach you to argue more effectively. Many of the examples in this series come from quotes gathered from President Trump’s administration. It’s not my intention to attach any political agenda to this article, but the sheer volume of examples of logical fallacies being used by Trump has made this a rather easy research task. It is my hope you, dear readers, will overlook any partisan bias and focus on the fallacies at hand. 22 /
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Slippery Slope You’ve heard this term before, I’m sure. A slippery slope fallacy works by starting from a relatively innocuous premise, and working through a small number of steps to an extreme and improbable outcome. Just as the name implies, take one step on the slippery slope, you’ll slide all the way down. That isn’t to say that any logical pattern of conclusions is false just because it ends with an extreme outcome. Some causal chains are completely reasonable. But a slippery slope fallacy suggests that an unlikely and oftentimes ridiculous outcome is likely, despite the lack of evidence suggesting that conclusion. It’s very difficult to prove something has or hasn’t happened. To prove a series of events will happen is next to impossible. Unless you moonlight as “The Amazing Kreskin,” nobody can predict the future. When a slippery slope fallacy is used, the culprit broadly assumes the future without proving that any of the proposed steps lead logically to one another. An example of a logical chain of events: “My math teacher told me if I miss one more quiz, I’ll get an F in the class. If I get one more F, my parents said I would be grounded all summer. If I’m grounded all summer, I won’t be able to hang out with my friends and build that tree fort we’ve been planning.”
An example of a slippery slope fallacy: “If you miss one more quiz, you’ll fail this class, drop out of school, start huffing paint, get kicked out of the house, turn to prostitution, start living on the street and will die alone and bloated before you turn 26.” A real-world example of a slippery slope fallacy: In August, 2017, during the turmoil involved with the issue of Confederate statues being removed from public spaces, President Trump told NPR’s Robert Siegal: “This week it’s Robert E. Lee. I notice that Stonewall Jackson’s coming down. I wonder; is it George Washington next week, and is it Thomas Jefferson the week after? You know, you really do have to ask yourself, where does it stop?” Explanation: See how President Trump started with a reasonable premise (that people are calling for Robert E. Lee’s statue to be removed from public spaces because of the Confederacy’s practice of slavery)? He then followed with a slippery slope fallacy by stat-
ing that if we are willing to remove a Confederate general’s statue (who fought against the Union), we would also be willing to remove our founding fathers’ statues, such as Washington and Jefferson. The conclusion is not supported by the chain of logic.
Ad Hominem fallacy
When two people argue about an issue, often one or both decide to personally attack the speaker instead of debating the issue at hand. When one personally attacks the speaker and not the issue, this is referred to as an ad hominem (literally, “against the man”) fallacy. An ad hominem fallacy is a common method of diverting attention away from what might be a weak argument by ignoring the debate points and instead focusing all the attention on the speaker. It can be summed up by the phrase, “You’re wrong because you’re stupid.” In politics, we refer to this sort of fallacy as “mudslinging,” and it is all too prevalent. It’s also one of the easiest fallacies to recognize.
An example of an ad hominem attack: “My opponent wants to raise your taxes and leave you without health insurance. That figures, since my opponent grew up in the Deep South and therefore has the intellect of a toddler.”
A real world example of an ad hominem fallacy: President Trump’s almost daily Twitter takedowns of those he sees as his opponents are glaring examples of ad hominem fallacies. His use of nicknames such as “Crooked” Hillary Clint, “Lyin’” Ted Cruz and “Failing” New York Times are all glaring ad hominem attacks. Explanation: By attacking the person instead of the issue, Trump has (successfully) convinced you that the person couldn’t possibly be right about their viewpoint because they are (fill in the insult blank). By telling you how they are lacking before even exploring their viewpoint, Trump has effectively shut the argument down and reduced it to those who agree or disagree with him, debate be damned.
Part 1
Straw Man fallacy This is another fallacy people use quite often, yet don’t realize it. In the straw man fallacy, someone attacks a position their opponent doesn’t really hold. A straw man fallacy occurs when an opponent’s position is misrepresented to make it easier to tear down. This is oftentimes effective because by attacking the straw man, it creates the illusion that the argument has been refuted when the issue at hand hasn’t even been addressed. Straw man fallacies go hand in hand with ad hominem attacks, especially in politics.
An example of a straw man fallacy: Betty said there would be less violent gun deaths in America if there were universal background checks imposed before purchasing a firearm. Betty’s opponent Jack claims that Betty wants to outlaw the Second Amendment and “take our guns away.” Instead of attacking Betty’s argument (whether universal background checks could reduce the amount of violent gun deaths in America) Jack has attacked a straw man version of Betty – it kind of looks like her, maybe has the same color blouse on, but it’s an extreme of her original argument that isn’t valid. But, it’s easier for Jack to defeat the straw man’s claim than Betty’s actual claim.
A real world example of a straw man fallacy: One of President Trump’s past advisers, Anthony Scaramucci, was comparing climate change science with the “science” in favor of Flat Earth theory (which is a modern-day attempt to convince people that the earth is not round, but flat): “There was an overwhelming science that the Earth was flat, and there was an overwhelming science that we were the center of the world” in Galileo’s day, he said. “We get a lot of things wrong in the scientific community.” Explanation: While every science teacher or advocate reading this just threw up in their mouth a bit, Scaramucci actually used a very clever straw man fallacy. The “science” that he refers to in regards to the earth being flat was not science at all, but doctrine of the Catholic Church. It is a fact that most scholars, from the ancient Greeks on, believed in a spherical model of the earth. Everyone today (except for those pesky, baffling Flat Earthers) knows the earth is not flat, but round, so this clever argument by Scaramucci tricks us into agreeing with him that science is, indeed “flawed,” that it made a mistake once and it could do it again – especially when referring to climate change.
MEDIA SURVEY
Media Survey results are in!
Check out what Sandpoint is - and ISN’t - reading and listening to
By Ben Olson Reader Staff Last month, for the third consecutive year, we reached out to media consumers in the region to inquire about their media habits. This annual survey helps us keep tabs on what media you, our dear readers, are consuming on a regular basis. It also helps us show advertisers in the region how to get the most bang for their advertising buck. A total of 1,033 people responded to this year’s survey, which is a great result. While we don’t claim this survey as a 100-percent scientific result, we made an effort to promote it widely via Facebook and various websites and editorial spaces, as well as in person through random street surveys. We asked participants about their print, radio, television and social media habits. For print, the Reader placed first with almost 65 percent of respondents claiming they read it regularly (woo hoo!). Here’s a breakdown of the field. Of the 1,025 people who responded to the question, this many said they read the said publication regularly: Reader - 64.78% Sandpoint Magazine - 61.78% Bonner County Daily Bee - 48.27% Co-Op Roundup - 36.78% Pacific Northwest Inlander - 31.90% Living Local Magazine - 25.46% The Spokesman-Review - 20.88% Neighbors (Daily Bee) - 9.37% Out There Monthly - 5.56% SHS Cedar Post - 4.49% Wise Guide - 4.2% Northern Journeys - 2.83% River Valley Beacon - .78% In the radio category, KPND 95.3 FM took top billing, with 32.68 percent of the 1,025 that responded listening regularly. Here’s the whole breakdown: KPND 95.3 - 32.68% KRFY 88.5 - 22.24% KPBX Spokane Pub. Radio - 21.27% K102 Country - 18.73% KPND 106.7 - 15.61% ROCK 103 - 14.05% KSPT 1400 AM - 8.49% KBFI 1450 AM - 1.27% For local television, only 3.02 percent of those who responded said they watched Northland/CC Channel 5 regularly. For the web, SandpointOnline.com placed at the head of the pack with more than 51 percent of those who responded logging in regularly. Here’s the full breakdown: SandpointOnline.com - 51.32% BonnerCountyDailyBee.com - 38.73% SandpointReader.com - 27.12% Sandpoint.com - 20.10%
SandpointLivingLocal.com - 7.32% Survey results also showed that most people prefer to get their news in print, followed closely by websites and social media. More than two-thirds of survey takers also claimed they rarely or never use the phone book anymore. Now that you have this information, how will you intend to use it? Advertising is not an exact science, but it makes the most sense to put your ads where people will have the most likelihood of seeing them. All things considered, would you rather advertise in a publication that reaches two thirds of the reading public, or one that only reaches one-quarter? The comments we received also help us determine the pulse of the community regarding local media. While some are too colorful to publish, comments help suggest story ideas, as well as advice for how to be better. Here are a few: “I would read the local newspaper if it weren’t so incredibly biased in its reporting.” “The mental health problem in Bonner County is bad and needs to be addressed, also we need drug & alcohol treatment centers/inpatient.” “Medicare funding, environmental issues.” “I feel the liberal side of the story is covered in Sandpoint. Where is the counterpoint?” “I would read the Reader more often if it were a little more balanced and inclusive of a variety of opinions.” “Daily Bee has multiple grammatical errors and spelling mistakes - makes us look like country bumpkins.” “I would like to see more political candidate evaluations for both local and state positions on the ballot. I like the Reader’s coverage, but need more.” “Kudos in Bonner Bee - very behind on submission to delivery.” “The Reader covers issues the Daily Bee should have all along, but never did. Good to have both now, but being 15 miles out of town, I wish we could get a paid Reader delivery option.” **(you can - call us!) “From the small towns I’ve lived in, (Sandpoint) appears to do a far better job than most of providing up to date local coverage of news and events through a wide variety of media.” “Daily Bee would be a logical choice for daily news but they seem more interested in selling ads than reporting and investigating news. The Reader gives us much more depth, but only come out once a week.” “I would like news presented in such a way that I can’t tell the political leanings of the author.” “We need to be given more advance info on ALL topics the city council is discussing and voting on. Much is decided behind closed doors that affect us.” “I’d like to see the Reader do more news reports rather than columns written by community members. The Inlander is an excellent model.” “The local media doesn’t have a heartbeat. When I think of the Daily Bee I think of an old-looking website and a paper with typos. ... I like the radio because there is a voice behind the words. There’s nothing living about Living Local.”
March 22, 2018 /
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ART
Wildwood Grilling donates cedar planks to local art class By Reader Staff The popular grilling planks made right here in Sandpoint are becoming art canvases in a local classroom. These imperfect wooden planks didn’t meet the quality standards to be sold as a premium product, but are getting a new life in Amy O’Hara’s art class at Forrest M. Bird Charter School. After O’Hara’s students requested wood surfaces, O’Hara mentioned it to a friend who works at Wildwood Grilling, and the first few boxes of wooden planks traded hands. “They were instantly excited; they started going through them so quickly, I thought I was going to have to ration them,” O’Hara said of her students’ response. The grilling planks have found their way into each area of the art classroom. “We can paint on it, we can collage on it. We can do pretty much everything,” said O’Hara. One student is building a planter with painted planks for a Mother’s Day gift, and another is using planks to construct a model of a modern house. A mixed-media artist herself, O’Hara said her students appreciate having access to quality materials, like those a working artist would use. Getting supplies donated allows tight budgets to stretch further. “I can spend my money even more judiciously,” O’Hara said. When she has enough supplies to go around and doesn’t have restrict usage, the students have more room to experiment: “Abundance makes it easy to imagine lots of possibilities,” she said. O’Hara is continuing to think of new uses for the cedar planks. She’s planning an installation piece using the planks for her students to collaborate on for the school’s Night of Culture coming up in April. “Responsible forestry is one of our key values at Wildwood Grilling,” said Wildwood Grilling General Manager Craig Wikoff. “When the materials we can’t use can end up supporting education, and stretching the budget of a local school, that is an all-around win.” Wildwood Grilling is a manufacturer of wood grilling products, such as 24 /
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planks, smoking chips, grilling wraps and skewers. All of the products are locally sourced and produced in Sandpoint with a team of over 60 employees. The products are featured in grocery stores, restaurants and other shops nationwide, and also internationally.
Forrest Bird Charter School - a free public school is now accepting new students for the 2018/2019 school year. Deadline for paperwork pape is March 28. Limited seating in grades 6 through 12. ID Code 33-5206 (11)
614 S Madison Ave. (208) 255-7771 forrestbirdcharterschool.org
Left: A finished work of art on a donated Wildwood Grilling plank. Right: Forrest M. Bird Charter School art teacher Amy O’Hara. Courtesy photos.
MUSIC
This week’s RLW by Ben Olson
Turquaz: a funky Brooklyn nine-piece
READ
As a companion piece to my story about logical fallacies on page 22, check out “Crimes Against Logic: Exposing the Bogus Arguments of Politicians, Priests, Journalists and other Serial Offenders,” by James Whyte. Blending a classic British wit with invaluable information about logic, Whyte’s book should be required reading for anyone who wants to expose logical fallacies in everyday arguments and help increase critical thinking.
LISTEN
By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff It’s hard to imagine a funkier place to be than The Hive this weekend when Turkuaz returns to Sandpoint. The colorful nine-piece band from Brooklyn, N.Y., will keep your feet moving in a show that promises a marriage of many musical genres with an infectious energy. In the words of the New Yorker, Turkuaz “delivers horn-filled funk incorporating elements of R. & B., psyche-
delic pop, gospel, Afro-pop, New Wave, classic rock, and just about any genre that gets people dancing.” It’s a fusion of influences that Turkuaz calls “powerfunk,” and the infectious, danceable energy it harnesses is evidenced by the following the band has picked up since its formation. A band with a rigorous touring schedule, Turkuaz has criss-crossed the U.S. rocking audiences with sets that blend the tradition of Sly and the Family Stone and
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Talking Heads. The Talking Heads influence is deeper than the songwriting, too— Talking Heads band member Jerry Harrison produced Turkuaz’s latest single, “On the Run.” Turkuaz’s ability to attract the attention of a music legend is more evidence of a “rapid ascension to relevance (that) can be aptly compared to how fast and focused they play onstage,” according to Relix Magazine. As with any high-energy, show, Turkuaz will be well
served by the top-notch sound and lights and generous dance space at The Hive. Turn out for the fun on Saturday, and make your weekend a little funkier. Turkuaz plays The Hive Saturday, March 24. Doors open at 8 p.m., and the show begins at 9 p.m. The show is restricted to ages 21 and up. Pick up tickets at Eichardt’s, Pucci’s Pub or on show day at The Hive. For more information, email info@LiveFromTheHive.com.
One of my favorite bands just released a new album, and it’s a good one. Yo La Tengo has been doing indie rock since most indie rockers were still in Pampers. Their 15th album, “There’s a Riot Going On,” is an album that feels like a sanctuary from the chaos of the present age. Intended as a subdued, emotional political protest album, “Riot” is filled with Yo La Tengo’s ethereal soundscapes, methodically paced song structures and lyrics that scream silently about the state of affairs. Non-offensive and pleasant to listen to on a drizzly Monday morning, “Riot” is definitely worth checking out on Spotify.
WATCH
If you’ve never caught John Oliver’s “Last Week Tonight,” you’re missing out on one of the best and funniest news satire programs out there. While Oliver sticks to a format that maximizes humor, he also has an uncanny knack for explaining complex issues with ease – especially to the increasingly shortened attention span of today’s smartphone news gatherers. Usually, a show announcing it will spend the next 25 minutes talking about cryptocurrency or kidney dialysis will see a rush of people to click something, anything else. Not so with Oliver. His shows not only explain subjects with ease, but his subject matter is often far from the regularly-covered material. March 22, 2018 /
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ART
POAC shines spotlight on northern stars By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff From Northern Idaho News, Feb. 8, 1916
COUNTY BRIDGE IS DAMAGED BY ICE Friday morning wind caused considerable damage to the long wagon bridge south of the city when some 22 piles just north of the draw span were sawed off at the water line by ice which had been broken loose near the Northern Pacific trestle and driven down stream by the high wind. The first intimation that the structure was in danger came from Deputy Sheriff John Mulcahey who, in crossing the bridge on his way to Cocolalla, found that some 400 feet of the trestle was swaying under his team. With Bridge Tender D.S. Budd an investigation was made which revealed the loosening of 20 piles on the up-stream side of the bridge and two of the inside piles. Several of the piles had dropped from the deck and others were hanging loose, held only by the drift bolts. The floor of the bridge was still intact and except for a slight sag on the east side, the damage was not apparent to the casual observer. Word was at once sent into the city and spread rapidly, many ranchers from the south who were in town on business becoming anxious about their return. Later in the day, however, it was learned that the damage was such that prompt work would restore the bridge to service in a short time and many of the farmers left their rigs in town and proceeded home a-foot. One or two attempts were made to get teams across but the bridge was soon closed to wagon traffic, foot passengers being allowed to cross at any time. Those having business on the other side of the river drove as far as the break and leaving their teams finished the journey on foot, several local people having made this trip since the accident. 26 /
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You’ve never seen some of the community’s talented locals like you’ll see them at Pend Oreille Arts Council’s Northern Stars Rising show. The latest showcase of artistic talent by POAC, the event is somewhat of a departure from the arts organization’s recent offerings. According to Hannah Combs, POAC director of events, the council’s events have lately focused on bringing in out-of-town acts, from dancers to folk musicians and more, that community members wouldn’t otherwise have a chance to see. With Northern Stars Rising, POAC officials aimed to create an event that highlighted local talent. “We realized the last couple years that one of the ways we weren’t fulfilling our mission was … we never put a big emphasis on showcasing local performers,” Combs said. Seven weeks ago, POAC officials held auditions to find local performers for Northern Stars Rising. The result is a diverse collection of performers highlighting the best in local musical, vocal, dance and spoken word talent. “The lineup we put together is pretty exciting,” Combs said. Jazz, opera, classical, blues and folk are among the musical genres covered throughout the night, while local dancers will perform pieces they recently honed for competitions. The performers include a host of recognizable faces and acts, like Pend Oreille Piano Trio, Truck Mills, Paranormal Daves, Bel Canto Opera, Piano Jazz Annie and Gems Company Dancers. For Combs, Northern Stars Rising is both a celebration of local artists and a thank you to the community for supporting POAC. When it comes to keeping Sandpoint a vibrant arts town, local support is the lifeblood that brings in extraordinary music, movies, performers and artists from around the world, she said. To that end, Northern Stars Rising begins with a reception as a show of gratitude to POAC supporters. Pend Oreille Arts Council’s Northern Stars Rising is a night you won’t soon forget, and it all takes place Friday, March 23, at the Heartwood Center, 615 Oak St.,. The reception begins at 6 p.m., while the performance itself begins at 7 p.m.
Tickets are $20 for adults, $13 for POAC supporters and $10 for individuals 18 years of age or under. Visit artinsandpoint.
org for tickets or more information, or call 208-263-6139.
Crossword Solution
Main Street, Bonners Ferry
267-2622
I guess I kinda lost control, because in the middle of the play I ran up and lit the evil puppet villain on fire. No, I didn’t. Just kidding. I just said that to illustrate one of the human emotions, which is freaking out. Another emotion is greet, as when someone kills someone for money, or something like that. Another emotion is generosity, as when you pay someone double what he paid for his stupid puppet.
Copyright www.mirroreyes.com
CROSSWORD ACROSS
Woorf tdhe Week
messan
/MES-uh n/
[noun] 1. lap dog; small pet dog.
“The lady fed strips of beef into her purse to her messan.” Corrections: We made a couple of small errors in reporting correct dates in last week’s issue. In the summer camp feature, the correct dates for the Sandpoint Waldorf School’s “Back in the Day on Lake Pend Oreille” camp are August 6 - 17. Also, John Craigie’s show is at Di Luna’s March 22 and 23, with Justin Landis opening on the 22nd. Also, finally, the dateline for last week’s issue read March 15, 2015. You haven’t time traveled - it’s still 2018. Sorry about that. Whew! -BO
1. As a result 5. Dull pain 9. Backtalk 13. Sharpen 14. Exotic jelly flavor 16. Chocolate cookie 17. Send forth 18. Made a mistake 19. End ___ 20. Thaws 22. Besmirch 24. “What a shame!” 26. Water vapor 27. The easing of tensions 30. Surpassingly good 33. Vigors 35. Grave marker 37. Pelt 38. Follow as a result 41. Not against 42. Snares 45. Boulders 48. Bring out 51. Permit 52. Boys or men 54. Location 55. Cellars 59. Curses 62. Not closed 63. Come together 65. Half-moon tide 66. Lease 67. Grain storage buildings 68. Annul
Solution on page 26 69. Cocoyam 70. Stitches 71. Immediately
DOWN 1. Not us 2. “Where the heart is” 3. One-sided 4. Colonist 5. Years 6. Coagulated milk 7. Rabbits 8. Happenings 9. Epicurean 10. Constellation bear 11. 3 in a yard
12. Not aft 15. French farewell 21. Warbled 23. Openings 25. Anagram of “Ties” 27. Adroit 28. Habituate 29. Poetic dusk 31. Purification 32. Voting groups 34. South southeast 36. Backside 39. Website address 40. Twin sister of Ares 43. Salad pepper 44. Fraud 46. Corrosive
47. Lockjaw 49. Blockage of the intestine 50. Wimbledon sport 53. Attendance counter 55. Drill 56. Copied 57. Transmit 58. Put away 60. Nil 61. Smudge 64. S
March 22, 2018 /
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