Reader_May23_2019

Arts, entertainment, bluster and some news

May 23, 2019

Congr.atulations to Bonner.s F.er.r.1 fs Cason Neal, ldalio 1s winner. of tlie "CeleSr.ate tlie West ar.t contest

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Vol. 16 Issue 20

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Burgstahler, Terrell, Meyers win races Smelter foes gather at Pend Oreille ,Co. meeting May 22 declared Jerry Kramer Day What's New? A first look at Sandpoint newest businesses The Wow Wows release their first album

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(wo)MAN compiled by

Susan Drinkard

on the street

If you had the time to help one organization besides what you belong to now, what would it be?

“I am a religious volunteer in two prisons because the men have next-to-no access to explore spiritual development. I also take water samples on five different spots on a creek and test for five indicators for the purpose of monitoring water quality.”

Karen Riener Retired ecologist Richland, Ore.

“I am already helping with several organizations — Bonner County Gardeners Association, Ice Age Floods Institutes and with the Idaho State Federation of Square and Round Dancing.”

Jon Bair Retired teacher, logger Sandpoint

DEAR READERS,

First, let me thank the 16% of registered voters who turned out Tuesday for election day. Second, let me express my disappointment in the 84% of registered voters who didn’t bother to show up to the polls. This may have seemed like an unimportant off-season election day, but it wasn’t. They are all important.

Veterans have fought and died for the right to vote in this country. In other countries ruled by dictators, the populace would give anything to participate in their own government. And here we are in fat, happy America with less than one in six people actually taking a few moments out of one day of the year to cast their ballots in Bonner County. We need to do better, voters. We need to do better.

Change doesn’t happen until the apathetic pull their heads out of their butts and participate. Treat every election as important. Your vote always counts. Don’t let anyone ever tell you differently.

Sorry for the diatribe, but this issue really gets to me.

-Ben Olson, Publisher

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

www.sandpointreader.com Publisher: Ben Olson ben@sandpointreader.com Editorial: Cameron Rasmusson cameron@sandpointreader.com Lyndsie Kiebert lyndsie@sandpointreader.com Zach Hagadone (emeritus) John Reuter (emeritus) Advertising: Jodi Berge Jodi@sandpointreader.com Contributing Artists: Cason Neal (cover), Ben Olson, Bill Borders, Susan Drinkard, Google, Lyndsie Kiebert, Racheal Baker, Instagram.

Contributing Writers: Cameron Rasmusson, Ben Olson, Lyndsie Kiebert, Mayor Shelby Rognstad, Chantilly Higbee, Susan Drumheller, Brenden Bobby, Ammi Midstokke, Marcia Pilgeram Submit stories to: stories@sandpointreader.com Printed weekly at: Griffin Publishing Spokane, Wash.

Subscription Price: $115 per year

“I think I would help organizations that help children, such as Kinderhaven.”

Camille Bovey Barista Sandpoint

“I would like to help an organization that protects the environment. I’m in the Rock Creek Alliance, and I’m an inactive member of the Friends of Scotchman’s Peak.”

Bill Lamson Retired?

Sandpoint

“Salvation Army ... to preach the gospel.”

Sandra Peratos Cook Sandpoint

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 pa paper using soy-based ink.

Leftover copies are collected and recycled weekly, or burned in massive bonfires to appease the gods of journalism. Free to all, limit two copies per person.

Sandpoint Reader letter policy: The Sandpoint Reader welcomes letters to the editor on all topics.

Requirements: –No more than 400 words –Letters may not contain excessive profanity or libelous material. Please elevate the discussion.

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

Email letters to: letters@sandpointreader.com Check us out on the web at: www.sandpointreader.com Like us on Facebook.

About the Cover

This week’s cover was created by Bonners Ferry high school student Cason Neal, and was chosen winner for the Western Governors’ Association’s “Celebrate The West” contest.

Congratulations, Cason.

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NEWS

Burgstahler, Terrell, Meyers elected

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff

Tuesday was a night for incumbents as seats on the Pend Oreille Hospital District Board and East Bonner County Library District went to individuals with trustee experience.

In the most-followed election of the night, incumbent Dr. Scott Burgstahler won re-election to the hospital district board, besting opponent Spencer Hutchings in a 2,450788 vote. The election turned out 16% of registered voters.

Prior to this year, hospital district elections were a lit-

From left to right, library board candidates Joan Terrell and Judy Meyers and hospital district board candidate Scott Burgstahler won election in their races. Courtesy photos . tle-noticed election that largely played out as a matter of course.

That changed this year when Hutchings criticized a majority of board members for simul-

Rescue workers mobilize on Long Bridge

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff

Local emergency crews’ extensive training in aquatic rescues paid off last week when a man and a woman were pulled from the water near the Long Bridge.

According to Selkirk Fire, Rescue and EMS, both individuals were safely rescued around 10:30 p.m. Friday after an accident left them stranded in the water about a quarter-mile from shore.

Thanks to a two-pronged approach involving a firefighter and a rescue boat, the crew was able to pull off the rescue quickly and efficiently. The firefighter was lowered in a dry suit from the Long Bridge, while a rescue boat launched from City Beach to recover the 4 /

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Courtesy Selkirk Fire & Rescue. pair. They were both returned to shore via Selkirk Fire Boat 1. The agency didn’t disclose what cause the accident or how the man and woman fell into the water.

Bonner County Sheriff’s Office and Bonner County EMS assisted on the rescue, which caused both lanes of the Long Bridge to be shut down for the duration.

taneously holding seats on the hospital district board and the Bonner General Health board, calling it a conflict of interest.

A majority of voters ultimately

saw no issue with the arrangement, approving Burgstahler for another term.

Meanwhile, West Bonner County School District staff are

breathing a sigh of relief with the passage of a $3 millionper-year supplemental levy.

Representing about a quarter of the school district’s funding, the successful levy was a second attempt following a failed effort earlier this year. Nevertheless, it was a narrow victory with 1,023 in favor and 955 opposed.

Finally, incumbent Judy Meyers and Joan Terrell, who has prior experience as a trustee, will take two open seats on the East Bonner County Library Board. Terrell took 1,769 votes, Meyers took 2,106 votes and a third candidate, Robert Diderich, took 739 votes in the election.

Lawmakers rally for truckers

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff

A bipartisan effort by state legislators is under way on behalf of truck drivers facing charges for hauling industrial hemp.

Reps. Ilana Rubel, D-Boise, and Dorothy Moon, R-Stanley, delivered a petition with 12,000 signatures Tuesday to the office of Ada County Prosecutor Jan Bennetts asking her to drop charges against Andrew D’Addario, Erich Eisenhart and Denis Palamarchuk. The men were arrested and charged for hauling industrial hemp despite the cargo being legal for transportation in most of the country.

“Dropping these charges is a bipartisan issue,” Moon said in a statement. “These individuals will have a criminal record for the rest of their lives for doing what any working person in their position would

have done. They are truck drivers, not lawyers, and they should not have their lives ruined for not doing the legal research to discover that Idaho’s laws are out of step with the rest of America. Idaho’s archaic hemp laws are depriving our farmers of opportunity, they are punishing people for honest work, and they are wasting our tax dollars. The Legislature will hopefully fix the law next year, but in the meantime, the Ada County Prosecutor should show better judgment and drop these charges immediately.”

The petition, which was posted online by Tracy Olson, is an effort to correct a failure by the Idaho Legislature to update Idaho’s hemp laws this year. Hemp, a strain of cannabis, is still considered a drug by the state despite containing almost no THC, the intoxicating compound found in marijuana.

“These truck drivers are not

a danger to our state,” Rubel said in a statement. “Idaho is on the brink of committing a serious injustice. These men should not face prison time and a felony criminal record for doing their jobs. They did not come to Idaho with the intent to cause harm or create trouble, and we strongly urge the prosecutor to drop charges.

It is difficult to think of a worse way to spend taxpayer dollars than by prosecuting and imprisoning these gentlemen who were trying to make an honest living transporting harmless agricultural products.”

Ada County prosecutors and Idaho State Police show no signs of budging, the Idaho Press reports.

“Those of us who enforce Idaho’s laws are bound by the laws which currently exist, not those which may exist at some future date,” they said in a statement.

NEWS

Pend Oreille County hosts contentious rezone hearing

By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff Pend Oreille County Commissioners held a public hearing Wednesday evening at Newport High School to hear comments on four proposed Comprehensive Plan amendments, one of which captured most of the attendees’ comments — an amendment that would rezone all of the county’s “Public Lands” parcels.

That amendment, proposed by the county itself, would rezone all county property classified as “Public Lands” in order to allow uses currently restricted under that classification. The amendment application states “there is no mechanism … to allow for rezoning upon the transfer of the (public) property to a private entity,” adding that properties sold by a public entity to a private one “are heavily restricted when it comes to allowable uses.” The proposed amendment would eliminate the “Public Lands” zone classification from county code and replace it with “Public/Institutional Uses.”

The public hearing, which saw about 200 people, came after the Pend Oreille County Planning Commission voted 4-2 in March to deny Pend Oreille County’s proposed comp plan amendment.

However, when it comes to changes to the county’s comp plan, county commissioners have the final say.

Anti-smelter activists see the amendment as opening the door to the proposed PacWest silicon smelter and other industrial operations, while Pend Oreille County officials maintain it has nothing to do with the controversial proposal.

When asked if they had any conflicts of interest regarding the possible rezoning, Commissioner Steve Kiss acknowledged he owns property currently zoned under “Public Lands,” but said he “didn’t foresee” any financial gains should the amendment go through. Members of the audience were audibly upset with Kiss’ decision not to recuse himself.

Rich Eichstaedt, an attorney with the Gonzaga University legal clinic and representative of Responsible Growth Northeast Washington (RG*NEW), said he believed Kiss would financially

benefit should the amendment be approved and uses on “Public Lands” parcels be expanded. After several comments from concerned attendees, Kiss refrained to comment further.

Representatives from both RG*NEW and Citizens Against the Newport Silicon Smelter (CANSS) made comments during a more than two hour testimonial period, along with other opponents from Pend Oreille County, Sandpoint, Hayden, Spokane and beyond. Most opposed comments pertained to the possible negative environmental and health impacts should the smelter be built. Some pointed out the rezone’s noncompliance with the Washington Growth Management Act, which emphasizes fostering industries compatible with the landscape.

“I think this will give you the opportunity to back out of the corner that you’ve painted yourself in,” said RG*NEW cochair Phyllis Kardos directly to the commissioners, noting that the board seems to “lament” that 65% of Pend Oreille County is not able to be developed due to public land status. “That is not a curse, it’s a blessing to have these public lands. Public land is an asset, and if people want to live and work in an industrial, urbanized area, then

they should do so without attempting to swallow up what little rural lands are left.”

Supporters of the zoning amendment pointed toward the valuable tax revenue that could come from developing “Public Lands” properties. Some shared that they bought such land in hopes it would be rezoned and they could one day build a home on it, and the current situation left their futures in limbo.

“We need this zoning. We need that economic growth. We need to see a change this year,” said Kathy Fazendin, owner and operator of All Faz’s Bookkeeping in Newport. “Our kids are not going to survive unless we do something different.”

Comments regarding possible compromise were also shared during testimony. Alex Stanton, a local business owner, suggested rejecting the blanket rezone amendment but then quickly providing owners of “Public

Young Sandpoint citizens gather at the mic to share their opposition to the proposed zoning changes and silicon smelter. Photo by Lyndsie Kiebert.

Lands” a “fast track” for getting their property rezoned for residential purposes.

“Pivot, quickly, because zoning is a severe problem in this county,” he said.

The commissioners will make an official decision on whether to adopt the amendment at a future regular board meeting.

According to the Newport Miner, PacWest has been relatively quiet in 2019. Washington

Department of Ecology spokesperson Brooke Beehler told the Miner she hasn’t heard from PacWest since February, when the Canadian company rejected a $2 million bid from a contractor lined up to produce an Environmental Impact Statement for the smelter project.

Beehler told the Miner that DEQ and PacWest changed the scope of the EIS and a Request for Proposals will go out as soon as PacWest gives the green light.

May 22 declared Jerry Kramer Day Cars collide near Long Bridge

By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff

When it comes to local legends, no name has made as much noise in the past year as NFL legend Jerry Kramer, and for good reason.

Both Bonner County and the city of Sandpoint proclaimed Wednesday, May 22, “Jerry Kramer Day” in an effort to honor the Sandpoint native as he visited town to share his stories at the Panida Theater. Proceeds from the event benefit the DayBreak Center, which offers care for adults with memory-loss disorders and support for caregivers.

John Elsa, a volunteer with the DayBreak Center and coordinator of the Panida event, played a large part in making Jerry Kramer Day

happen. He spoke at the Bonner County Commissioners meeting Tuesday, pointing out that only 318 professional football players are in the NFL Hall of Fame, Kramer having been inducted last year.

“And there’s one who came from the town of Sandpoint, a town of about 3,000 people at that time,” he said. “That’s pretty remarkable.”

Elsa highlighted Kramer’s efforts to raise money for national and local causes, crediting him with helping to raise $40,000 for the DayBreak Center over the years.

The city of Sandpoint also acknowledged their own declaration of Jerry Kramer Day on Facebook Wednesday morning, noting that though Kramer moved to Sandpoint at the age of 9, he “recognizes Sandpoint as his hometown.”

A two-vehicle accident at the south end of the Long Bridge left a car on its side early Wednesday evening, partially blocking the road. Photo by Jodi Berge.

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COMMUNITY

Finan McDonald named Chamber Business of the Month

By Reader Staff

Bouquets: • Folks will often complain about potholes and crumbling sidewalks, but when they get fixed, I rarely see the compliments. This goes out to all those road crew workers who have been busy around town and the county making patches and fixes. I don’t know if it was because of the sewer work, or just pre-summer patching, but they’ve taken some awkward potholes and abrupt edges and made them smoother.

• This weekend, the folks at Bleeding Hearts Tattoo Emporium will be mounting their semi-annual clean-up effort on the Long Bridge. I think it’s really cool when local business owners step up to help beautify our surroundings. As anyone who has seen the Long Bridge’s bike/walk path after a heavy winter can attest, a clean-up is exactly what the doctor ordered. To help them out with this Herculean effort, join the Bleeding Hearts crew on Sunday, May 26. You can park either on the north or south end, but work starts at 9 a.m. on the north end of the Long Bridge. Safety vests, snacks and drinks will be provided.

Barbs • There’s a lot of construction going on around Sandpoint right now. This goes out to all of those hard-working construction crew members: remember when you are working downtown for a particular establishment, your actions affect that business. I watched with dismay as a halfdozen workers finished a cigarette break by tossing their butts right on the sidewalk near where they were working. In my head, I immediately had a negative view of the business for hiring people that so blatantly littered, but I realize that’s not entirely fair.

Construction workers: Please comport yourselves with respect when working on your client’s properties, especially when in the public eye downtown.

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The Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce recognized Finan McDonald as the May Business of the Month.

A long-standing business in the heart of downtown Sandpoint, Finan McDonald Clothing Co. was started in 1987 by Ben Tate as a 900-square-foot men’s clothing store. Ben named the store after a colorful Scottish trapper and explorer who first came to the area in 1807 and started many trading posts.

Ben married Rhonda a few years later, and soon after they added women’s clothing and footwear to their inventory. After growing out of numerous locations downtown, Finan McDonald Clothing Co. now occupies almost 5,000 square feet on the corner of First Avenue and Main Street.

Most of their employees have worked there for years and are considered family. Sandy HughesRose has worked at Finan McDonald for 22 years. The office manager, Susan Haynes, has been there 16 years; Kim Walby, over 14 years; Brittany Smith, nearly 10 years; and Leslie Wahlin, five years. They have recently added Kay Reifsnyder and Charann Briot to their staff and feel very lucky to have each one as a part of the Finan McDonald family.

The Tates have been long-time supporters of the community and local nonprofit organizations. Rhonda is an 11-year volunteer CASA Advocate — Court Appointed Special Advocate — helping numerous children and their families as they navigate the court systems and giving these children a voice in court.

“I was tasked with developing

partnerships in the Sandpoint area. Looking back at the history of event sponsors and donors, one was consistent year after year – Finan McDonald and the Tates,” said the Director of Development for CASA, Kristin Ludwig.

They are also generous supporters of Kinderhaven, Bonner Community Food Bank, PAFE, the Festival at Sandpoint, Bonner General Health, the Panhandle Animal Shelter, Community Cancer Services, Angels Over Sandpoint and the Pend d’ Oreille Bay Trail.

Ben and Rhonda are proud to live in Sandpoint and to be part of this extraordinary community.

THANK YOU TONS, LITERALLY

Museum hosting spring sale

By Reader Staff The Bonner County History Museum will be holding a spring shopping event and unveil a new exhibit.

The sale takes place Saturday, May 25 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Museum, 611 S. Ella Ave. in the Lakeview Park). There will be light shopping, refreshments, as well as the unveiling of the Museum’s newest exhibit, “We Came

by Rail.”

There are a bunch of new items in the gift shop, including insect repellent fashion scarves, tea

towels, new book titles, restocked bestselling items and much more.

Shop the sale table for savings of up to 50% off. Plus, enjoy their newest exhibit to learn more about the role the railroad played in shaping Bonner County.

Admission to the museum is free for this event for members. Non-members receive free admission with a purchase in the gift shop.

The Bonner Co. History Museum is open Tues.-Friday 10 a.m. 4 p.m. Admission is $4/adults, $3/ seniors, $1/6-18 year-olds, free for members and children under 6.

Chamber President and CEO Kate McAlister presents Finan McDonald owners Ben and Rhonda Tate with the Business of the Month Honor at the General Membership Luncheon on May 10. Courtesy photo.

For more information about Finan McDonald visit them at 301 N. First Ave, find them on Facebook, Instagram or on their website at www.finanmcdonald.com.

Last weekend, Bonner County residents contributed to an all-time high amount of donated food to our local food bank in response to Stamp Out Hunger, founded by the National Association of Letter Carriers.

Citizens dropped off groceries and left bags of food on porches and in mailboxes resulting in over a whopping 5,000 pounds of food for area families. Area stores including Safeway, Super 1, Winter Ridge and Yoke’s collected over 1,900 lbs. from customers generously donating. This is an all-time high for contributions from Bonner County residents, and your generosity is amply reflected on the Food Bank pantry shelves. Thank you to our advertisers, including Bonner County Daily Bee, the Reader, and Blue Sky Broadcasting.

Without your help, this phenomenal collection would not have been possible.

We are a strong, unique and giving community, and because of you, we will feed thousands! You are awesome!

Thank you from your local food bank and area letter carriers!

THE READER TRAVELS TO TASMANIA

Patty Ericsson and Preston Andrews took the Reader to Tasmania! They can be seen here on the Tessellated Pavement, a natural rock formation at Pirate Bay on the Tasman Peninsula.

PERSPECTIVES

Mayor’s Roundtable: The real story on education

By Mayor Shelby Rognstad Reader Contributor

Speaking with many of the leading employers in our region, I know that the number-one challenge for local business recruitment and retention is education. Because Idaho ranks next to last in state funding for public education, public perception is that Idaho is not the place to prepare your children for the competitive workforce of tomorrow.

Because of this, we lose good people that would contribute to our growing economy and educated workforce.

According to national school ranking site Niche (2016), LPO School District ranks high in our state, 19th out of 136; Sandpoint High School ranks 28th out of 171 and Forrest Bird Charter School ranks ninth out of 171. This puts the district and SHS in the 25th percentile nationally, while Forest Bird almost reaches the 10th percentile, beating 88.4% of all public high schools in the US. Even across the state, students perform slightly above the national average on reading, writing, math and science, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress (2016).

While the NAEP data compare academic performance across reading, writing, science and math, the Niche rankings also compare graduation rates, continuing education rates, entrance exam scores, access to extracurricular activities, athletics, student diversity, safety and student and parent satisfaction.

What is probably most impressive about these numbers is that our local schools have reached the top 25% of U.S. public schools while receiving roughly half the funding of other states in the top 25 percent. Our schools are doing a lot more with a whole lot less. Think of this next time we have a supplemental levy.

While these statistics are much to be proud of, we still have much to do to overcome the stigma that public education in Idaho is inferior. Partly because we as a community have to fight so hard every two years to maintain our paltry funding. Passing a levy is exhausting for our school system, parents, teachers and administrators not just because of the ongoing effort required to pass it but because of the insecurity

knowing that any given year it could disappear for good (as it happened in Boundary County).

It also makes it that much harder to retain great teachers which is where a good education begins. It is no wonder that we lost a great superintendent, Shawn Woodward, to Mead, where he doesn’t have to go Mayor Shelby Rognstad. through the ringer every two years just to pay district bills.

Imagine if all that energy the district wasted on politics every two years went into educating our youth. Where would we be then? What would teacher and administrator recruitment and retention look like?

So why is it that our schools are doing so well despite being the second worst in the nation in funding? Of course, our schools are only as good as our teachers.

We are fortunate to have many excellent, dedicated and creative teachers in the District that have stayed committed to this community when they could receive much better compensation across the border.

What is most unique about Sandpoint is the tremendous amount of community philanthropic support for education and opportunity that fills the funding gap.

Organizations like the Bulldog Bench make athletic programs accessible when they could not otherwise be funded through the school alone. They also provide scholarships supporting kids continuing on to college.

The city of Sandpoint’s partnership with the school district allows the district use of a class A athletic facility at Memorial Field reducing strain on the district budget. Its reconstruction was funded by taxpayers through the local option tax. The city’s partnership extends to Makerpoint and other community organizations that bring an incredible array of affordable educational and athletic programming to students and residents through the City Recreation Department.

Panhandle Alliance for Education (panhandlealliance.org) is a monumental example of grassroots philanthropy, creating a $3.5 million endowment over the last 16 years dedicated to expanding school curriculum and driving success in education

throughout the district. They have funded nearly $1.8 million since 2003 in teacher grants plus another $3 million is strategic programming district wide supporting everything from computer science to reading, math and the arts.

Rotary has also been a huge contributor as well. They host the CHAFE 150 (https://chafe150.org/) on June 15. It has grown into a nationally-recognized fundraising bicycle ride. Proceeds this year will go fund a child literacy program.

Booktrust (www.booktrust.org) is a national nonprofit that also supports early childhood literacy by giving underserved youth access and choice to books. We are so fortunate in that LPOSD is the only school district in Idaho in which they work.

North Idaho High School Aerospace Program (highschoolaerospace.org) is a homegrown anomaly at SHS that teaches kids ground aviation, pilot training, airplane construction and has now added drone construction and flight to their portfolio.

This program is only possible because of grant funding, support from local business, volunteers and philanthropists.

Inspire Idaho (http://www.inspireidaho.com/) is the brainchild of Innovation Collective whose mission is to prepare communities for the future of work.

Sandpoint again is fortunate to be one of the few communities in which they work.

This past Monday they hosted an introductory seminar at the East Bonner County Library. InspireID partners with University of Idaho and industry leaders like Apple, Inc. to provide coding education in the ever growing field of app development and computer programming.

These are just some of the examples that demonstrate how this community bootstraps local education, defies the odds and overcomes severe funding shortages to create real education and opportunity for our youth. The narrative that Idaho has inferior education is unfortunate and untrue. The real story is why education in Idaho, and LPOSD in particular, is so successful and resource efficient. We should be proud of our achievement, celebrate it and share it.

I hope that one day soon we can achieve a more sustainable funding model that doesn’t require supplemental levies every two years and can bring Idaho inline with the rest of the nation in public school funding. If we could achieve this, we could become not just a great school district in Idaho, but a great school district in the nation. This would be great for our economy and it would be great for our children’s future.

Laughing Matter

By Bill Borders

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Jerry Kramer...

Follow Denver’s Lead...

Dear Editor, In the Reader today (dated May 9, 2019) I read with some hilarity and I might add some pissiness, that the city of Sandpoint and the Historic Preservation Committee have approved the way for honorary street signs, the first to honor Green Bay legend and former Sandpoint resident, Jerry Kramer.

My husband, John Elsa, first approached the City Council last October with this idea to honor Jerry. He has fought tirelessly since then talking to everyone in town to accomplish this. He has gone to meetings, talked to the mayor and all city council members, got a facsimile sign made up and got prices for the signs and went before the Historic Preservation committee to achieve this. Finally, he has filled out all their paperwork, got signatures on their petition and by the way, paid the $650 fee… but I am glad to see the city has come up with this idea. Geez!

Dear Editor, We all want less drug abuse and addiction.

It’s true that some people ruin their lives on drugs, or even commit crimes because they are addicted and need more. Simply doing or possessing drugs, however, is not a crime (who is the victim, and which of their rights are you violating by peacefully possessing and using a drug?)

There is a huge influx of scientific research on the use of mushrooms that surprises me greatly. For example, did you know that it is physiologically impossible to get addicted to mushrooms? Michael Pollan (the “Omnivore’s Dilemma” guy) has a book that is a great intro to the subject and he appears on the Tim Ferris podcast to give an even more brief primer for those without a ton of time. The book is called “How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence” All I can say is everything you thought about mushrooms is probably wrong. The research is clear that there are many possible uses in a therapeutic setting and surprisingly almost no risk of negative side effects, physical or mental.

In the context of psychotherapy, psychedelic drugs can have unbelievable results at curing, yes I said curing, addiction in as few as two sessions. Drug abuse is a problem around here, a big problem if we include alcohol, which is certainly a drug just like marijuana, meth, mushrooms or tobacco.

Legalizing drugs is a bad idea for many reasons. Decriminalizing is the way to go, just as with vaccines, other forced medical procedures, forced or banned food items, or anything else, the government has no place telling anyone what they can put in or do with their body, period. That should be a “social” law so to speak that is determined by the culture. Portugal is the only case we have but they decriminalized all drugs and diverted money to rehab programs and rates of drug abuse absolutely plummeted.

Good on Denver for decriminalizing, not legalizing, mushrooms.

Sue Elsa Sandpoint

Scotchman Peaks...

Dear Editor, We keep hearing anti-Scotchman Peaks Wilderness rhetoric. Even after winning last year’s advisory vote, the opposers seem to have a need to justify their beliefs by keeping the misinformation and paranoid speculation flowing. Before last year’s vote they ginned up dire predictions about what wilderness designation would mean. These included eliminating guns and fire suppression from the area, the city Clark Fork burning in a wildfire and outright closure of the area to everyone.

Surely the sky would be falling with wilderness designation.

We also heard that the proposed wilderness area covered a “vast swath” of Bonner County, but a closer look shows that the proposed Wilderness covers only slightly over 1% the county. National Forest lands belong to all Americans so you would think that the anti-wilderness people could be happy with controlling “only” 99% of Bonner County.

The latest speculation is that proposing the area as wilderness is part of the Yellowstone-to-Yukon Initiative and the UN plan to take over Bonner County (and the rest of the west). They obviously haven’t heard that since Scotchman Peaks is not recognized sasquatch habitat, Y-to-Y and the UN are not interested.

The Scotchman Peaks and all designated wilderness areas are open to all people. The only restrictions are on motorized and mechanized transportation. Those restrictions have been in place in the Scotchman Peaks since the 1987 Forest Plan was finalized. We need to save some quiet places for the future as our world becomes ever more motorized.

Ken Thacker Sagle 8 /

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Matthew Smith Sandpoint

Dear Sandpoint Motorists...

Dear Sandpoint motorists, I am writing this as a city resident, a bicyclist, a walker and a driver who loves living and being an integral part of our dream city.

I have been observing (as a cyclist and a driver) our traffic behavior here and see that many of us are driving too fast, not stopping at our stop signs properly, and are cutting off the coming traffic on a regular daily basis. I saw this in my recent visit to the east coast, I saw this all the time there. So please, please let’s get real and relax a bit as there is no rush hour, or rush. We fortunately aren’t in L.A.,

Phoenix, D.C., Chicago, N.Y. or Baltimore (to say the least). Let us keep ourselves, our kids and our city safe and kind.

Please, let us keep the reason we are here, moved here, have family here and love to be here in the forefront when we drive here. For our lives, the lives for all of us let’s take the time to think about how we are being behind the wheel, especially as the summer season starts.

Love ya,

BY THE NUMBERS

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

Steve Berenson Sandpoint

Think About the Smelter...

Dear Editor, The fact that the Newport smelter nightmare has among its backers a number of unlearned, unaccomplished local yahoo activists is reason enough to stop it. In their ignorance and greed, these secular supporters must realize that, if built, a smelter and countless industrialized copycats would forever obliterate the quality of life in Sandpoint and neighboring communities.

However, if they do realize it, they just don’t seem to give a rat’s ass. Obviously, these folks have never lived in modern Southern California, where developers and corporate marauders have turned a once pristine — even hallowed, when I grew up there -— region into an angry, forlorn example of “too many rats in a cage.”

For billionaires SoCal remains a haven (think La Jolla, gated Rolling Hills in Palos Verdes, Santa Barbara, Brentwood, Beverly Hills, Bel Air, etc.) but for regular folks it is a jam-packed, polluted, expensive, frantic maze of inhumane humanity. And it could happen here. All it takes is the wrong people, elected or otherwise, who seek to fatten their egos and wallets at the expense of others, to wreak havoc on a culture and a community.

Customarily they promote such malfeasance as “progress.”

One intellectually-challenged smelter fan is alleged to have advised those opposed to the nightmare to simply “move somewhere else.”

Really? If such counsel was in fact given, he or she was just kidding, right? However, if that represents the primitive mentality typical of smelter advocates, which I can’t believe, then I suggest they hie themselves off, bag and baggage, to suburban L.A. , where the damage has long since been done. They’ll feel right at home. As a Korean war USAF vet I first heard the term, “don’t crap in your mess kit.” That’s great advice.

Tim Henney Sandpoint

Got something to say? Write a letter to the editor. We accept letters under 400 words that are free from libelous statements and excessive profanity.

Please elevate the conversation.

nEARLY 8X

Per capita, Spokane County has filed nearly eight times as many drug possession charges as King County last year, as well as double the rate of Pierce, Clark and Snohomish counties (Washington’s most populated counties).

$2.5 billion

Money for California’s high-speed rail project that the Trump administration is threatening to take back – on top of the $929 million that it already canceled last week. The state already spent the $2.5 billion.

14 out of 33

States where medical marijuana is legal and patients are protected from employment discrimination either through legislation or rulings.

51st state

While many think the 51st state could be the District of Columbia or Puerto Rico, there’s also a push to make it Chicago.

Eight Illinois lawmakers, all Republicans, have cosigned a statehood resolution.

1,000%

Amount by which Teva Pharmaceuticals USA Inc. is accused of inflating some drug prices. More than 40 state attorneys general are suing the drug company.

53%

Voting-age population that cast a ballot in the 2018 midterms, which is a 12-point increase from the 2014 midterms.

30%

Average amount of the 1998 tobacco settlement, worth $246 billion, that states spent on health care. Nearly as much – 23 percent – went to cover budget deficits.

Settlements from opioid companies, sued for their role in the opioid crisis, are starting to roll in.

ENVIRONMENT

Volunteers kick off eighth water quality monitoring season with Waterkeeper

By Chantilly Higbee Reader Contributor

A team of dedicated water stewards wrapped up training sessions in April and May, and will now be kicking off their 8th season monitoring water quality on Lake Pend Oreille and the Pend Oreille River. In the past few weeks, citizen science volunteers learned how to measure a variety of water quality parameters; ranging from surface temperature and pH to nutrients and bacteria.

Altogether, this team of 24 volunteers will collect surface water samples and other site-specific information from 15 locations in the Clark Fork/Pend Oreille watershed within the framework of the Lake Pend Oreille Waterkeeper Water Quality Monitoring Program.

Filled sample bottles will be sent to SVL Analytical Labs in Coeur d’Alene for analysis after each monthly sampling event. Those data will then be reviewed

by LPOW staff to inform advocacy strategies around the health of the watershed.

This information can then be shared with the appropriate authorities when water quality impairment is suspected, or as otherwise needed.

As a small grassroots nonprofit, Lake Pend Oreille Waterkeeper leans heavily on these dedicated citizen scientists to monitor the lake and river each year from May through September. Their passion for understanding and protecting the Clark Fork/Pend Oreille watershed is

apparent in their contagious enthusiasm and commitment; Sandpoint and surrounding communities are fortunate to benefit from their efforts.

“This summer will be our fourth one volunteering,” said Ally Unzen, who monitors Garfield Bay. “We’ve participated in quite a few beach clean-ups also. We love our lake!”

The 15 sites, which have been monitored annually since 2012, span several bays, backwater sloughs, wastewater outfalls, recreation areas and river channels. They vary in their unique physical and chemical characteristics, and in how they are influenced by human activity; this is one reason why LPOW elected to monitor these locations, specifically.

Water quality parameters at these sites change seasonally and annually; the goal of the program is to track changes, inform the public of site-specific conditions, provide data that can aid authorities as they manage land and water resources, and to otherwise prompt or inform conversations aimed at restoring and protecting local waterways.

Citizen science-driven monitoring programs are quickly becoming one of the most sought-after ways to answer ecological questions at local, regional and national levels. Such programs are cost-effective and empower communities by enabling better understanding and active stewardship of natural resources.

Across the Panhandle, similar volunteer groups monitor other major waterways;

including Priest, Cocolalla, Spirit, Twin, Hauser and Fernan lakes. The Idaho Department of Environmental Quality hosts the Citizen Volunteer Monitoring Program, wherein these groups share their local knowledge and work together to identify trends and solve water-quality problems.

A map showing LPOW monitoring sites around Lake Pend Oreille.

Image courtesy Google Earth.

Chantilly Higbee is the project manager and volunteer coordinator for the LPOW Water Quality Monitoring Program.

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Mad about Science:

By Brenden Bobby Reader Columnist They’ve blown up aliens, they’ve shot out of other aliens’ eyes, they’ve been tied to shark’s frickin’ heads. Lasers!

Since their first application in 1960, lasers have helped the public for all sorts of things.

We’ve used it for innumerable applications, not just melting stuff or making cool laser swords.

Believe it or not, laser is actually an acronym standing for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation, because laser sounds way cooler than labseor.

While we generally imagine a cool red beam of death or the dot your cat foolheartedly chases around, those are only a few basic lasers. Lasers can be focused to produce certain colors of light based on their wavelength, or no visible light at all such as is the case with ultraviolet lasers, infrared lasers or gamma-ray lasers. Trust me, you don’t want that last one pointed at you.

A laser beam is formed when light passes through a gain medium, which can be one of many things from certain crystals with precise chemical makeup that causes amplification and diffusion of light (making that cool glowy effect), glass or semiconductors with glass (a metal that has an electrical conductivity between metals like copper and things like glass.). Things like your cat toy use less expensive, less dangerous materials, while things like university particle lasers tend to use things you probably can’t buy at the store.

So what are some of the fun 10 /

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Brought to you by:

lasers

things we can do with lasers, other than blow stuff up?

Optical drives, namely for CDs, DVDs and Blu-Rays, use precisely-tuned lasers that are able to pick up microscopic deviations in the surface of a reflective disk, then relay that information to a computer that will decipher the data and create sound and/or a video image. If you’ve ever seen single or dual layer disks and wondered what this meant, this is when the laser can become more focused to read through the first semi-translucent layer of data and read into the second, allowing for more storage space. Interestingly enough, most standard computer hard drive disks, or HDDs, don’t use a laser, but use a spindle somewhat similar to a vinyl record player, if that record player were also capable of altering the data on the vinyl record. We’ll talk about computer components another day, if you’re curious.

On the more destructive side of laser technology, the military has spent untold amounts of money trying to develop mounted laser weapons designed to debilitate aircraft and, more importantly, missiles without detonating the device, or detonating it in a controlled manner. Mounting these things on aircraft have proven to be a ludicrously difficult and expensive thing to do, but we’ve seen some success on stationary anti-air (AA) vehicles that can have motors that swivel and turn the laser, guided by a computer to make precise strikes.

Look out, Empire! We’re coming for your Death Star!

We’ve also discovered that lasers can make for phenomenal cameras. Using a special laser, scientists developed a sort of

camera that can track movement at speeds even flashy Hollywood slow-mo cameras balk at. While no one wants to watch Keanu Reeves move at 1 trillion frames per second, people do want to know more about the subatomic particles that make up our world and how they move, which often move so quickly that we need to use light (such as with a laser) to track their movements.

Speaking of subatomic particles, lasers are the primary way scientists are able to manipulate individual atoms to perform incredibly advanced experiments that could change the way we live as a species.

These are called optical tweezers, and while taking minutes to move the individual atoms of a cinder block from point A to point B might seem as pointless as mailing individual LEGOs to your cousin to build a scale replica of the Empire State Building, it’s an important step towards our future. Within a couple of years of humans figuring out how to manipulate individual atoms on a massive scale, anything becomes possible. We’re talking robot bodies, painless prostheses, matter transference; yeah, trekkies, beam me up!

Working hand-in-hand with that exciting science news, we’re also using lasers in laboratories to create stars on Earth.

You won’t find these stars taking any selfies on the ‘gram, because these are hydrogen factories like the beast swinging us around space like a tether ball.

This is exciting because it is the start of fusion energy. As the sun has shown us, “free” energy has been flung at our Earth like Pontiacs from Oprah, and

it’s been doing that for the past 4.6 billion years with relatively little complaint. Compared to energy sources like petroleum or other ethanol-based fuels that eject byproducts into the air with untold side effects, fusion energy makes heavier elements, up until iron. If you contain the fusion generator, those elements won’t be spilling out into the world while you use the heat from it to superheat water into pressurized steam to spin tur-

bines, all with the help of lasers containing it all.

That’s all I have room for today, so the next time you’re teasing your cat, just imagine that you’re lassoing some hydrogen to build a brighter future for mankind.

Or keep tormenting that poor apex predator. He sits on your head while you’re asleep, anyway.

Random Corner rlin Don’t know much about the Be

wall?

We can help!

• The Berlin Wall was a guarded concrete barrier that physically and ideologically divided Berlin from 1961 to 1989. Constructed by the German Democratic Republic (GDR, East Germany), starting on 13 August 1961, the Wall cut off (by land) West Berlin from virtually all of surrounding East Germany and East Berlin until government officials opened it in November 1989.

• The Berlin Wall was more than 87 miles long.

• Around 5,000 people attempted to escape over the Berlin Wall, with an estimated death toll ranging from 136 to more than 200. In 1963, an East German soldier stole a tank drove it through the Berlin Wall to escape. The last person who died at the Berlin Wall attempted to escape in a hot air balloon but fell to his death.

• The Berlin Wall was torn down by mistakenly-empowered citizens after an East German spokesman misspoke at a press conference and mentioned immediate border crossing privileges for every citizen. The Berlin Wall’s actual demolition did not happen in 1989. It began in the summer of 1990 and was not completed until 1992.

• David Bowie performed at the Berlin Wall in 1987 while East Germans gathered to listen behind. You could hear them cheering and singing along from the other side.

•Olympic runner Usain Bolt owns a three-ton piece of the Wall.

• In 1989, Margaret Thatcher pleaded with Mikhail Gorbachev to keep the Berlin Wall up.

• The East German government claimed that the Berlin Wall was an “anti-fascist protective rampart” intended to dissuade aggression from the West, but it was mostly to prevent their citizens from fleeing to West Berlin.

BUSINESS

? w e n s ’ t Wha

s e s s e in s u b t s e t la ’s t n A first look at Sandpoi

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff

Editor’s Note: New businesses are springing up all over Sandpoint this summer, and here at the Reader, we’re making an effort to introduce them to the community. Are you a new business owner in the greater Sandpoint area? Contact Cameron Rasmusson at cameron@sandpointreader. com to be included in future articles.

Shakapaw Pet M arket

corporation and consequently changes their formula to cut costs. Certain brands she stocks even have a code customers can scan to know exactly where the ingredients were sourced and how they were prepared for Fido’s consumption.

That healthy sheen shows in Ferguson’s own rat terrier, Indi, who will often greet customers when they enter the store. Her terriers come from a long line of competition champs, some of whom have even performed in Westminster. Her knowledge will help guide customers toward the diet right for their pet and their pocketbook.

She’s also delighted to be a new member of the downtown Sandpoint business community. The availability of the 120 Cedar building was a big motivator in her decision to open up shop.

“It became available, and I knew I had to go for it,” she said.

the moment the order is placed, the Burger Dock crew takes every step to ensure diners have a juicy, succulent burger ready for them.

“I love to see that excitement people have when they realize it’s the same food from the trailer,” Clark said.

While the Old Tin Can was popular as a food wagon, Clark said the opportunity to open a brick-and-mortar establishment was too good to pass up. With the switch came a new name and a new identity, but don’t think that locals will miss the convenience of the mobile restaurant. Rebranded under the new name, the Burger Dock trailer is ready to haul up Schweitzer or to other special events as needed. It’s the best of both worlds, Clark said.

“I think it’s every food truck’s dream to become a brick and mortar,” she added.

Tawni Sullivan Cosmetics

The Burger Dock Everyone wants the best for their pets, and that’s exactly what they get at Shakapaw Pet Market Located in the former Petal Talk building at 120 Cedar St., the new pet shop is to pets as a candy store is to kids. Your favorite furry friend will be in heaven eyeballing all the chews, jerkies, toys and food options in stock.

“Who doesn’t like to give their dog snacks?” asked owner Jennifer Ferguson.

Ferguson knows a thing or two about providing dogs with a high-quality diet. A professional with experience in breeding and showing rat terriers in competition, she knows that a healthy, nutrient-rich diet of high-quality, all-natural ingredients is important to keeping a pet happy and healthy. While she prefers a raw diet for her animals, she keeps tabs on all varieties of pet food and only stocks brands across a variety of price ranges that maintain high product standards.

“What I have is a selection of foods from companies I’ve researched, and I know they’re reputable,” she said.

Thanks to her research, she knows when a brand is purchased by a massive

saves time and money otherwise spent on cosmetics. According to the Sullivans, the process of applying permanent makeup is comfortable since it only affects the outer layer of the skin, and the business can also handle corrections or removal.

The services don’t stop there. Also on offer is professional makeup, lash extensions, digital microblading for eyebrows and more. It’s the perfect stop for beautification, whether it be for a special occasion or simply to treat oneself.

“I usually try to excuse myself (when clients stop by) because they do the girl talk thing,” said Douglas. “It’s like a barber shop for women.”

The Sullivans are excited to be starting their new business in the Cedar Street Bridge just as the summer begins to ramp up. With the Cedar Street Bridge full for the first time in years, it could be the beginning of a new era for downtown Sandpoint retailers.

“We want to turn this into something bigger,” said Douglas.

Tawni Sullivan Cosmetics is located in suite 210B at Cedar Street Bridge. Contact the business at (208) 304-8052.

Photos by Cameron Rasmusson.

One thing is for sure: The Burger Dock is aptly named.

Positioned near Bridge Street on 116 N. First Ave., the restaurant is convenient to the Sand Creek docks and can even run burgers out to waiting boats in the summertime. The Burger Dock is an evolution of the Old Tin Can food trailer, and as fans of that mobile restaurant can confirm, expect one hell of a great burger. OK, maybe that’s two things for sure.

What’s the secret to The Burger Dock?

According to owner Savannah Clark, it’s locally-sourced ingredients and a lack of shortcuts in preparing the food. The meat is straight from Woods Processing, the organic buns are from Montana and the milkshakes use real hard ice cream. From

The future is looking bright for the Cedar Street Bridge, and that extends to one of its newest businesses, Tawni Sullivan Cosmetics.

Started by Douglas and Tawni Sullivan, the business is a new start for the couple after a personal tragedy. In that respect, it’s a perfect next chapter in their lives. According to Tawni, there’s nothing better than seeing a customer leave happy after a great appointment.

“I enjoy building relationships with my clients,” she said. “It feels great to be helping people.”

One of the business specialties is permanent makeup. Think of it as a semi-permanent tattoo — it usually fades after a year, but until then, it saves entire steps in the makeup process. Permanent makeup can be applied to everything from eyebrows to lip lining and more, and it May 23, 2019 /

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ART

BF student wins statewide art contest 20 western states and territories compete in June for first place

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

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It’s not everyday the governor recognizes you on social media. That’s just what happened to Bonners Ferry student Cason Neal, whose artwork was chosen as the state winner for the Western Governors’ Association’s 4th annual “Celebrate the West” High School Art Competition.

Neal, a homeschooler in the 12th grade, submitted his piece “Mountain Beauty” after learning about the art contest from a Twitter post by Gov. Little a few months ago.

“I was very surprised and glad that the governor was pleased with the painting and was supporting me in the contest,” Neal said.

The “Celebrate the West” contest challenges participants to create an original, two-dimensional piece of artwork inspired by their state or informed by living in the West. Winning artists will receive cash prizes, as well as have their work displayed at a WGA Governors’ meeting in Colorado in June. The contest is open to 20 states and territories, with the first place winner receiving $1,200, second place $750 and third place $500, as well as $200 awarded to the remaining state finalists.

Neal said he’s been an artist about four years, working primarily in graphite pencils and acrylic paints.

“My favorite art subject is wildlife and more specifically birds,” Neal said.

An avid birder and also a hunter, Neal chose to create a piece of art to depict the mountain bluebird, which is the state bird of Idaho.

“One of my favorite birds in Idaho is the mountain bluebird,” Neal said. “Early this spring, at my house, I was able to observe several mountain bluebirds at close distance. This largely inspired me to pick the mountain bluebird as my subject for the contest. Also, the background mountains are the Sawtooth Mountains down in southern Idaho.” / May 23, 2019

Top: “Mountain Beauty” by Cason Neal, which was selected as Idaho’s winner in the “Celebrate the West” high school art competition.

Bottom: Cason Neal.

Neal made a special point to mention his grandma, Tami Neal, as an inspiration to his work.

“I would like to mention my grandma, Tami Neal, who has encouraged me very much in fine tuning my artistic abilities,” Neal said. “Also, I would like to mention and congratulate my friend Tawya Thompson who won, in the same contest, for the state of Montana.”

Cason Neal’s artwork “Mountain Beauty” will be judged at the WGA Governors’ meeting in Boulder, Colo. June 12.

OPINION

By Susan Drumheller Reader Contributor With the Fox in the White House, the fourth estate is in shambles.

As products of the enlightenment, our founding fathers established our democratic republic on the bedrock of reason. They believed that a free press (sometimes referred to as the fourth estate) would serve the public by providing a check on politicians and empower citizens to make informed decisions.

But now, that ability to critically evaluate our government has been gravely undermined due to the lack of a healthy marketplace of ideas or civil discourse.

The polarization we find in our politics today is the result of two forces – political and commercial.

Politicians bent on consolidating political power combined with the profit motives of privately held news organizations have fueled a toxic atmosphere where media organizations are accusing each other of peddling misinformation and our own president labels the media the “enemy of the people.”

Central to this dysfunctional information system is Fox News, which has evolved as the closest thing our country has ever had to a state propaganda machine.

Things started to go downhill after President Reagan eliminated the Fairness Doctrine, which was a federal policy requiring broadcast media using the public airways to devote some of their programming to controversial issues of public importance and to air opposing views on those subjects.

It also required media outlets to allow candidates a chance to respond to endorsements of their opponents or personal attacks.

The repeal of that doctrine is largely credited for the rise of cable news programs that lack balanced reporting.

The devolution of a civil and balanced news media was exacerbated by the rise of the internet, which spelled the slow death of newspapers and the dwindling number of daily beat reporters and

Musings on the Media

investigative journalist who unearth the facts that inform our news. (I am one of those casualties – having worked at the Spokesman-Review newspaper for 15 years when that paper had the resources to maintain offices in Coeur d’Alene, Pullman, Boise and Sandpoint.)

This amplified internet’s echo-chamber effect, which is the experience of having our own views — sometimes misinformed — constantly reinforced by a select few sources, such as blogs, Facebook pages and online news outlets and ads.

Now we live in a world of competing news outlets with radically different ideologies and points of view — with a handful that occupy the middle. Many independent measures of media bias place traditional media outlets, such as the Washington Post, Wall Street Journal and New York Times, along with National Public Radio and PBS — somewhere in the middle of the spectrum of bias, while the cable news shows — Fox News and MSNBC occupy the right and left respectively.

And while independents and Democrats tend to go to a variety of news sources, a greater percentage of registered Republicans (40 percent) almost singularly rely on Fox News for their information, according to a 2017 study by the American Press Institute. In contrast, the study found that 30 percent of Democrats turn to CNN more often than other sources.

When President Obama was in office, Fox News behaved more like a watchdog. Now, Fox News is part of the power structure. Last summer, Trump appointed Bill Shine his deputy chief of staff.

Shine is the former co-president of Fox News and is close friends with Sean Hannity, the prominent Fox News host.

Several journalists have reported that the president talks regularly with key people at Fox News, especially Sean Hannity. The president is reportedly an avid fan of Hannity’s hour-long show, recording it to watch later if he can’t catch it live, reports Gabriel Sherman, who covers the White House for Vanity Fair. Trump then regularly tweets

on what he hears on Hannity’s show or “Fox & Friends.”

While certain Fox personalities have excellent access to the White House, the rest of the press corps is largely left in the dark. The White House has abandoned the practice of daily press briefings.

Briefings are now held once very few months. Meanwhile, Shine has removed at least one journalist from the White House Press Corps for asking tough questions.

The Washington Post has reported that White House advisors call Hannity the “Shadow Chief of Staff,” but Hannity has no public policy training or experience. He’s a high school graduate whose professional career has been in talk news radio and television. Cable news and talk radio rely on ratings, and rating go up with outrage, fear-mongering and controversy.

This is in sharp contrast to the view of the press held by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Louis D.

Brandeis, who said, “It is the function of speech to free men from the bondage of irrational fears.”

Hannity has devoted his professional career to getting a rise out of people. The kind of radio and television that Hannity delivers is the kind that propagates polarization, tearing our nation’s diverse fabric apart. Fox News used to cloak itself with the motto “Fair and Balanced,” but that motto, along with the pretense, was abandoned in 2017 — even though Fox News hosts still try to paint themselves as more credible than their rivals. “‘Fox & Friends’ was a fun show, but it was not a news show,” former Fox co-host Alisyn Camerota told The New Yorker magazine recently. “It regularly broke the rules of journalism,” and culled “far-right, crackpot websites” for content, she told the magazine.

Yet, the level of influence the network has is astounding. For instance, when the Trump adminis-

tration favored the criminal justice overhaul bill that was pending in Congress last fall, the White House asked Fox to issue a statement in favor of the bill in order to get Republicans in Congress on board, according to the New York Times.

Because Fox has so much power to influence the base of Republican voters, Republican Congressmen seem loath to get on the wrong side of the network’s editorial leanings.

Unfortunately, it appears that things are about to get worse before they get better. Russian bots and internet trolls are waging cyberwarfare on our country by planting phony news stories on social media, hacking networks, and attacking the foundation of reason that guides our government.

Instead of uniting us against that common enemy, Trump, Fox and the fringe news media play into Russia’s hands, amplifying unsubstantiated reports that feed a narrative of a country torn asunder and on the verge of chaos.

For Fox, it’s always been about the bottom line. The Murdoch family — which owns Fox — has become one of the richest in the world by fanning the flames of fear and hatred. (They are doing the same in Australia with their Sky Australia network and in Great Britain with their tabloid newspapers.)

When you see the term “libtard” pop up on a Facebook feed, you are witnessing the fruits of our current media climate.

When you hear our president calling the press the “enemy of the people,” can you hear the seismic shifting in the foundations of our democratic principles?

Journalism does have a few rules. Three hard-fast ones are to 1) tell the truth, 2) check your sources (and don’t rely on just one source) and 3) be fair and balanced. If we all try to live by those rules, we might just survive democracy’s dark times yet.

Susan Drumheller, a long-time North Idaho resident and graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism, is a former reporter/editor who now works as a grant writer.

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Tap Takeover and Kaniksu Land Trust benefit 6-9pm @ 219 Lounge With live music by Colorado-based high energy blu grass/Americana band Laney Lou and the Bird Do and a fundraiser for Kaniksu Land Trust, which r cently finalized the purchase of the Pine St. Woods

Evergre 8:30pm 10-piece ‘Sylvia’ 7pm @ H Cade Pro Gurney’s is silly, s

Live Music w/ Chris O’Murcho 5-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery Blues, jazz and Latin guitar Live Music w/ Truck Mills 6-9pm @ Matchwood Brewing Co. Smooth, easy listening blues by the man Live Music w/ Ron Kieper jazz trio 5-7pm @ Idaho Pour Authority

Live Music w/ BareGrass Super Smas 5-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery 1:30-9pm @ A unique blend of string tomfoolery Compete for Mugs and Music w/ Jake Robin IPA 6-Year Anniversary Party $250 in pot 6-8pm @ Laughing Dog Brewery 2-7pm @ Idaho Pour Authority DJ Skwish Live Music w/ Lavoy IPA is celebrating six years! Live mu8:30pm @T 9pm-12am @ 219 Lounge sic from Josh Firshi from 2-4pm and No cover ch Spokane-based 5-piece alt-pop indie Harold’s IGA from 5-7pm. Complen‘Sylvia’ play Live Music w/ Brian Jacobs tary appetizers, raffle prizes, and si7pm @ Hear 8-10pm @ The Back Door lent auction benefiting the Food Bank Great Scott! Ragtime Sandpoint Chess Club Live Music w/ Ken Mayginnes 5pm @ Pend d’Oreille 9am @ Evans Brothers Coffee 4-6:30pm @ Matchwood Brewing A playlist of music sh Sip and Stretch w/ Brietta Karaoke Night ing the timeless music 5pm @ Matchwood Brewing Co. 8-close @ Tervan of Ragtime. $40/gener

Blues Night w/ Big Phatty & the Inhalers 6:30-9:30pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall

m o n d a y

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Live Music w/ Heat Speak 9pm-12am @ 219 Lounge Spokane-based blend of rootsy Americana, indie, folk and gypsy fusion Live Music w/ Mostly Harmless 6:30-9:30pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall Join Kelly, Jeff and Ali for a night of live music, dancing and fun

s a t u r d a y

t u e s d a y

Live Music w/ The Hasslers 7-10pm @ Eichardt’s Pub Great tunes, dollar beers... what more could you ask for?

Trivia Takeover Live 6-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery Family friendly interactive trivia

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Monday Night Blues Jam w/ Truck Mills 7:30pm @ Eichardt’s Pub Night-Out Karaoke 9pm @ 219 Lounge Join DJ Pat for a night of singing, or just come to drink and listen Wind Down Wednesday 5-8pm @ 219 Lounge With live music by blues man Truck Mills and guest musician Carl Rey Dollar Beers!

8pm @ Eichardt’s Pub Good until the keg’s dry Yappy Hour 4-7pm @ Evans Bros.

Animal Shelter benefit

Triva Night 7pm @ MickDuff’s Show off that big, beautiful brain of yours

Magic Wednesday 6-8pm @ Jalapeño’s Enjoy close-up magic shows by Star Alexander right at your table

‘Sylvia’ p 2pm @ H Matinee s

Rock n’ Roll Bingo 8-close @ Tervan Free to play, win prizes

Djembe class 5:45-7:30pm @ Music Conser Join Ali Thomas for this djemb

Wednesdays with Benny 5:30-8pm @ Connie’s Lounge A weekly music event hosted by Benny Baker, with this week’s special guest Sheldon Packwood

Thursday Night Solo Series w/ Joshua Walters 6-8pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall Twinge of country and a shot of bluegrass Open Mic Night w/ KC Carter 9pm @ A&P’s Bar

Sandpoin 3-5:30pm Locally gr crafts and

by Ponder

Story Pour4-5pm @ M This one is ation of s books! Coo but don’t fo

ful

May 23 - 30, 2019

benefit

energy bluee Bird Dogs t, which reSt. Woods

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

Thursday Night Solo Series w// Kerry Leigh 6-8pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall Neighborhood Storytelling 7-8pm @ Matchwood Brewing listen to your courageous friends and neighbors share the stories they’ve been working on during the Storytellers’ Workshop

Canine Companions presentation 12:30pm @ Sandpoint Library Lilly Mitsui will give an introduction about the volunteer puppy raising program with her canine guest in training.

Sponsored by teh Friends of the Library

Evergreen Afrodub Orchestra DJ Skwish (no cover) Pint Night fundraiser 8:30pm @ The Hive 9pm @ A&P’s Bar 5-8pm @ Matchwood Brewing Co. 10-piece afrobeat orchestra concert Support Farmin Stidwell Elementary School with pint night, ‘Sylvia’ play live music, s’mores by the campfire, a silent auction and more.

7pm @ Heartwood Center Cade Prophet Memorial Productions presentation of A.R. Live Music w/ Kevin Dorin Gurney’s Sylvia, an award-winning Broadway comedy that 8-10pm @ The Back Door is silly, sophisticated and occasionally salty

Dance into Summer per Smash Bros. Tournament Sip & Stretch w/ Brietta 30-9pm @ Uptown Bagel Co. 5-6pm @ Matchwood Brewing Co. 7-10pm @ Spt. Community Hall mpete for cash prizes, including Join Brietta Leader for simple Waltz lessons at 7pm, followed by genstretches outside next to firepit on eral dancing from 8-10pm. Refresh50 in pot bonuses ments, door prizes - singles, couples mats. wildcoremovement.com Skwish and all levels of experience welcome 30pm @ The Hive Karaoke Night Sandpoint Farmers’ Market cover charge! Re-entry allowed 8-close @ Tervan 9am-1pm @ Farmin Park ylvia’ play Come get your produce, starts, crafts and more!

DJ Exodus (no cover) m @ Heartwood Center Live music by Kathy Colton and the Reluctants 9pm @ A&P’s Bar ! Ragtime Music of Scott Joplin Granary Arts District Local Artists Showcase d d’Oreille Winery 12-5pm @ Granary District music showcasing and celebratEnjoy local music, dance, and theater to benefit Music Bridges Boress music of Scott Joplin, master ders Cultural Enrichment and Exchange Program. Free. Located at $40/general, $15/students Evans Bros/Matchwood ‘Sylvia’ play 2pm @ Heartwood Center Matinee showing

ic Conservatory of Sandpoint this djembe (drum) class

4th annual MCS All Stars Student Concert 7pm @ Panida Theater This talented show is comprised of the very best of the Music Conservatory of Sandpoint.

Watch these talented young musicians and witness the best of their repertoire. Tickets $10/adult, $5 for 18 and under. 208-265-4444

Sandpoint Farmers’ Market Remote Employees Night 6pm @ Matchwood Brewing Co. 3-5:30pm @ Farmin Park Locally grown produce, starts, Do you work remotely in Sandpoint? Meet crafts and more! Live music fellow telecommuters and network Northside Elementary Fundraiser

by Ponderay Paradox 5-8pm @ Idaho Pour Authority ory Pour-y Hour: Staff Favorites Support Northside Elemn. School with 5pm @ Matchwood Brewing Co. Pelican Brewing beer on tap. Enjoy his one is for kiddos - a compli- raffle prizes and silent auction items, on of staff favorite children’s plus complimentary appetizers will be oks! Cookies and milk provided, served. Live music w/ Marty and Doug t don’t forget pajamas and pillows

June 1 Basin Trail Festival @ Schweitzer Roundabout June 1 Sandpoint Art Market @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall June 1 Grateful - A Tribute Band in Concert @ The Hive

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OUTDOORS

Summer is the season to claim your trail

Hikers, hike leaders, trail ambassadors and trail crew are getting ready for the season

By Reader Staff The high country is melting off in the rugged Scotchman Peaks, and soon the paths into the heart of the West Cabinets will be open for adventurous lovers of the outdoors — all the way to the top. It’s hiking season, and time to claim your trail.

There are a number of ways to do that.

Dave Kretzschmar is an avid lover of trails, particularly in the Scotchmans. “I love the Scotchman Peaks,” he said. “I’ve been rambling their trails ever since I arrived here. They are rugged and wild, and the hand of man is light on the landscape. I love backpacking, hiking, skiing and foraging in the Peaks. I love bringing people to visit and hike to the top.”

Kretzschmar also likes working on trails.

As a Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness volunteer and employee of Kaniksu Land Trust, he claims his trails by helping line them out and teaches high school and elementary school kids the basics of trail building as well.

FSPW offers several opportunities to claim your trail: join one of their group

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hikes, lead a hike as a volunteer, become an FSPW trail ambassador or join the FSPW Allstar Trail Team.

The Trail Team has exciting projects this summer, including badly-needed maintenance on the Goat Mountain trail in Idaho and a weekend on the Star Gulch trail in Montana.

The FSPW Trails Training Day is June 1 at Eddy Creek Campground in Montana, and will include training for cross cut certification using the new Forest Service National Saw Policy.

Trail Ambassadors will be on the Scotchman Peaks trail to educate other hikers about dealing with wildlife — particularly mountain goats — Leave No Trace and the Scotchman Peaks. Training day for Ambassadors is June 8 at the Scotchman Peak trailhead.

Being a hiker or hike leader is always a good way to claim your trail. FSPW has openings for both.

Trail season is upon us and the Scotchman Peaks are open for many ways to claim your trail.

Sign up today at www.scotchmanpeaks. org/volunteer

COMMUNITY

Shop, support and stay a while

The Cottage celebrates 10 years of supporting Panhandle Special Needs, Inc.

By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff

Everyone should spend an hour with Lois Miller.

You might laugh. You might learn a lot. You might even share too many personal details about yourself, just because it feels right.

Maybe it’s the power of Miller, or maybe it’s the power of the Cottage, the thrift store located in a house just next door to Panhandle Special Needs, Inc. on Boyer, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary this month.

Miller told me, as she gave me a tour, that she thinks it’s the store and its many volunteers that make people so comfortable that they sit down, enjoy some coffee and share their stories.

“People come in here and they love this place because we see them. People will come in and tell us their whole life story,” she said. “It’s just great — what other retail store do you go into that that ever happens?”

Miller had the idea to start a thrift store to support PSNI during the recent recession, and once they secured the house, everything else fell into place.

“People just helped out — it was like a snowball,” she said.

Right now, the Cottage has just over 20 consistent volunteers, but Miller said they desperately need a few more. Volunteers work three-hour shifts, either 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. or 1-4 p.m. Monday through Saturday, sorting and pricing donated items.

While the Cottage does not accept clothing, mattresses or electronics, any other donations of home or garden items are greatly appreciated. The rooms of the store are separated like in a true house — kitchen items in the kitchen, craft items in the craft room. Volunteers leave their own stylistic mark on displays throughout the shop.

“That’s what makes it so unique, is everybody has their own little touch,” she said as we made our way from room to room.

We headed over to PSNI’s main building, and Miller beamed with pride as she said hello to clients, described the various activities happening in each room and detailed the many renovations the building has gone through over the years, oftentimes thanks to her dedication and help — though she’d never frame it that way. Whether

it’s finding local jobs for the developmentally disabled, teaching them life skills or providing them an important social outlet, PSNI has been hard at work for more than 30 years, and Miller has been an active PSNI board member and advocate for 15.

Right now, PSNI serves more than 100 individuals with a range of disabilities.

“The community does not know all that goes on (at PSNI),” she said. “It’s really important for them to know.”

PSNI Executive Director Trinity Nicholson said the Cottage has had an immeasurable positive impact.

“Since introducing the Cottage to our program 10 years ago, we have not only been able to increase our income to support our programs, but have experienced a true feeling of community,” she said. “Our staff and clients are creating disability awareness with our customers, and we are building community relationships with our many volunteers who are the heart of the Cottage.”

There’s no doubt Miller is the driving force behind that heart, and she shows no signs of slowing down.

“I’m only 91 and a half,” she said with a smile after giving me a full tour of PSNI’s facilities. We then headed back to the Cottage, where we shared a cup of coffee and just a couple of life stories.

Top: (From left to right, back row) Amelia Boyd, Sandy Dufault, Karen Bowers, Jacquelyn Knechtges and Jacquelyn Henney. Front row: Camille McKitrick, Sandi Rodgers, Bonnie Aitkin and Lois Miller. Bottom left: An exterior photo of the Cottage on a bright sunny day. Photos by Lyndsie Kiebert.

Celebrate the Cottage on Saturday, May 25, during regular business hours, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The day will feature cake, punch, special discounts and the chance to win a gift certificate.

To learn more about the shop, the celebration or about volunteering at the Cottage, call 208-255-7800. To learn more about PSNI’s services and how to help, visit panhandlespecialneeds.org.

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y c a c o v d a f o t The ar utive director of the Pend nnah Combs is named exec

Ha

By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff

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The Pend Oreille Arts Council has been without an executive director for a couple of years now. With the position in limbo, Arts Administrator Hannah Combs and a handful of others operated behind the scenes, bringing visual and performing arts opportunities to the Idaho Panhandle.

When the executive director slot was originally left open in early 2016, POAC’s Board of Directors asked Combs if she’d be comfortable filling it. At the time, her answer was a solid “no.” Having joined the organization in August 2015, she said she didn’t feel prepared.

“I was really glad at that point that I was honest with myself and with them,” she said.

“That would not have been the right time, but since then I’ve learned so much about POAC and what we really do in the community.”

It may not have been the right time then, but the board’s vision recently came to fruition: Combs officially stepped into her new role as executive director of POAC last month.

It’s the latest stride on a journey highlighted by art in many forms. Combs said her parents made sure she had the opportunity to pursue any artistic endeavor she set her mind to, from painting to sewing and beyond.

“In high school I went through so many phases,” she said. “I wanted to be an architect, I wanted to be a fashion designer, a painter, and finally settled on costume design.”

Combs studied theatrical design and technology with a focus on costume design in college, and came to Sandpoint after graduation to stay with her aunt for a few months. After leaving briefly for a summer job on the east coast, Combs came back to North Idaho under the impression she’d apply for jobs in places like Portland or Seattle. She was surfing the Department of Labor website when a part-time position with POAC popped up, and she applied.

“It was so serendipitous,” Combs recalls with a smile.

As she pursued costume design in college, Combs said many of her supporters shared visions of her working in New York, Europe and other metropolis areas with / May 23, 2019

Oreille Arts Council

glamorous, large-scale theater scenes. Combs, who grew up in a small town in Indiana, said she’s glad things have panned out differently.

“That would be wonderful, but I love being in a small town where you can see the impact of what you’re doing, and you actually get to know the people who are participating in the programs you’re working with,” she said. “That is far more special.”

Those programs are plentiful, from supporting local artists to bringing educational art programs into area schools and providing scholarships.

POAC also hosts several events throughout the year, including a Performing Arts Series, ArtWalk, Arts and Crafts Fair and more.

“I’m really impressed with the artists in our community, (and) with the advocates on the Arts Commission, POAC, the Panida — all of the organizations who work together to make things happen here and make this a great place to live, and do that with relatively few resources,” she said. “I like being able to be in a role to help make that happen.”

According to POAC Board President Carol Deaner, Combs is the perfect person to direct the organization.

“Hannah combines the intellect, the enthusiasm and the background in art that fits perfectly with the position of executive director for POAC,” Deaner said. “I hope to be able to continue to work with her for a number of years as we continue to grow POAC and the cultural services it offers to our community.”

Though it doesn’t feel like much has changed yet, Combs said she knows being the director will mean playing a more visible role in POAC’s operations.

“It’s definitely still surreal,” she said. “I

Hannah Combs, the newly-appointed executive director of the Pend Oreille Arts Council. Photograph by Racheal Baker.

have the great fortune to meet and work with a lot of passionate people who have built and are currently building the community that we live in, which is such a privilege.”

Combs said she’ll always be grateful to the POAC board for granting her the extra time to grow into her new role.

“Now, I’m finally at a point where I can be that advocate,” she said.

POAC’s next event is the annual Art Party, this year held Saturday, June 1 at the Heartwood Center. Find more information and purchase tickets at artinsandpoint. org. Also visit POAC at their new office, located at 110 Main Street Suite 101, in the same building as the Music Conservatory of Sandpoint.

ART

Local Artists Showcase to benefit music exchange program

By Ben Olson Reader Staff For the seventh year, a cultural enrichment and exchange program known as Music Bridges Borders run by Elinor and Rick Reed has exchanged musicians between Sandpoint and Northern Baja, Mexico. The program offers a cultural experience to study music abroad for the music students.

To help support this annual program, the Granary Arts District is throwing an inaugural fundraising event called the Local Artists Showcase. The free event will take place from noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday, May 25, on the outdoor stage between Evans Brothers Coffee Roasters and Matchwood Brewing Co. There will be live music, dance, theater, performances on the outdoor stage next to the firepit. Performers will include Alex Cope, Muffy and Vienna Nye,

Troy and Heather Olson, Chad Patrick, Mike Clarke, Chika and Liam Orton, Nichol and Max Reed, Keegan and Toren Camino and more.

There will also be a silent auction of local fine art and crafts, as well as food and events. Evans Brothers and Matchwood Brewing will donate a portion of their proceeds May 25 to Music Bridges Borders to help aid their exchange program.

Creations will also be on hand to do face-painting for the kiddos.

Attendees are encouraged to bring a lawn chair and enjoy a day full of performances, including live music by Stone Cloud 4 and Crooked Tooth, which will keep the party going from 5:30-7:30 p.m.

If you can’t make the event but want to donate to the exchange program, search “Music Bridges Borders” on GoFundMe. com.

WEIRD NEWS

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

STOLEN VAN RETURNED 42 MINS AFTER BEER CO. OFFERS ‘KEG PARTY’ A North Carolina brewery posted a promise for a free keg party in exchange for the return of a van that had been stolen.

Only 42 minutes later, the vehicle was located. That’s the power of beer.

The Unknown Brewing Co. in Charlotte, N.C. wrote, “Who ever finds (the van), Brad will buy you a key party! If you stole it and bring it back, you will also get a get party (smile for the camera).”

The brewery said the post was immediately shared hundreds of times, which lead to more than a dozen tips called about the van. A photo of the stolen vehicle’s whereabouts was posted on Instagram 42 minutes after the brewery’s Facebook post.

“We wanted to thank all of you for helping us get our van back,” the brewery wrote after the van had been located. “This week we will brew Van Theft Auto, when it releases, we will be selling it for 25 cents a pint (to cover taxes). That’s as close to a free keg party as we can do for you, Charlotte.”

All bow to the power of free beer.

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OUTDOORS

Like North Idaho trails? Thank the Pend Oreille Pedalers

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

If you enjoy biking or hiking the many trails scattered around North Idaho, chances are you have the Pend Oreille Pedalers to thank.

The nonprofit volunteer club dedicated to maintaining, protecting and expanding trail access turns 15 this year. Since May is National Bike Month, and because their work often goes unrecognized, I sat down for a beer with a founding father and former president of the club Chris Bier, current president Mike Murray and secretary Susan Drumheller to ask a little about what the Pedalers do and how the club came to be.

“It started on a bike ride,” Biers said. “It was myself and Mark Saverise, the first president, and Sandy Thomas, the president after me, and we decided there were enough mountain bikers in Sandpoint that we needed an organization and a voice in trails.”

Then and there, Biers and Saverise decided a bike club would be formed. They began telling all their friends and before long, a couple dozen mountain bikers and trails enthusiasts were on board, paying dues and hungry to help trail projects.

The club’s first project was the Sherwood Forest trail system located between Sandpoint and Dover.

“We rallied with the Kubiaks to use their land and a trail crew came out,” Biers said. “On any given day a work party of a dozen people were out there with picks and shovels. It was a lot of fun.”

All told, the Sherwood Forest trail system now encompasses seven miles of trails on 140 acres.

“We crammed a trail in everywhere we could make a trail,” said club secretary Susan Drumheller.

“The original trail crews were like caterpillars moving across the mountain. The guy in front would be chipping weeds, the guy in back smoothing the path. We’d

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A Pend Oreille Pedalers trail crew chips away at the Uleta Ridge section of the Watershed Crest Trail. Courtesy photo. put in 100-200 yards of trail a day.

Many hands make light work.”

While the original focus of POP was to build and maintain trails for the burgeoning mountain biker population in North Idaho, a noted side effect was reaching non-bicyclists as well.

“These trails don’t just serve bike riders,” Drumheller said. “I go out and run a lot. There’s a gal I see out there, she’s a birder and is always out with her binoculars and dog treats. There are dog walkers. These trails serve lots of purposes.”

Current president Mike Murray said one benefit of working hard on trails up front is the limited amount of maintenance it takes to keep them active.

“The maintenance is minimal,” Murray said. “It’s mostly just windfall we have to worry about. The trail is built so that it drains. We build trails that should sustain themselves.”

Biers said the club hit an apex in the early 2010s with about 175 members.

“When Coldwater Creek left, we lost a lot of members,” Biers

said. “We’ve been fluctuating between 125 and 140 members the last 2 or 3 years. Honestly, we have a lot of members who aren’t bike riders, but hikers who appreciate the trails. ” Biers said a healthy membership is beneficial to the club: “If we can go someplace and say we have 200 people in this club and apply for a grant, it has a lot of sway.”

Another trail system the Pedalers took on was the Lost Lake trail system near Mineral Point and Green Bay. “That was a really good project,” Biers said. “We did a lot of work with the Forest Service on that one. We came and flagged it, then they came out with chainsaws and tweaked it from there.”

Drumheller said POP member Larry Davidson “adopted” that trail system: “He was involved with helping a connector trail from Mineral Point to Green Bay, and a little connector point to the road and to the Mud Lake/Lost Lake trail. It’s a nice 8-mile.”

The next big system the Pedalers will tackle is the Watershed Crest Trail located in

the Schweitzer Basin watershed area. The trailhead for this future system will be located at the Schweitzer roundabout, with the upper portions offering beargrass and huckleberry meadows with killer views of the lake.

“It’s a concept at this point,” Drumheller said. “The plan this summer is to GPS.” The first phase of the Watershed Crest Trail is Uleta Ridge.

POP has been chipping away at the high point part of the trail for the past four years, according to Drumheller, with the goal to connect the systems this summer.

Another project in the works is the new Pine St. Woods in Sandpoint. The Pedalers plan to connect the Sherwood Forest trails system to the Pine St. Woods eventually.

Murray said one of the hardest challenges in the club is not necessarily swinging a pick on trail crew, but navigating bureaucracy.

“We work with private landowners, the city of Sandpoint, Schweitzer, the Independent Highway District,” Murray said. “It’s a

lot of work, but it’s worth it.”

All agreed that a healthy trail system is a boon for a town like Sandpoint, where tourists often come for the recreational opportunities.

“It’s a draw for businesses,” Bier said. “Look at companies like Kochava. They’re looking to get younger people here, and having access to good mountain trails is a no brainer. This is a recreational town. And you can grow red tomatoes here. How many resort towns can you say that about?”

“I don’t want to tell you how many years I’ve been mountain biking, but it’s been a long time,” Drumheller said. “A lot of the trails I ride were built by the Pedalers. It’s a big part of my life.

For me, It’s kind of my tribe.”

“Biking has been a part of my life for a long time,” Murray said. “The reason I’m part of this club and have been for a long time, is that I love getting people out and doing things. It’s gratifying.”

“The reality of Sandpoint is, we’re a huge recreational community,” Biers said. “People are moving here to play on the mountain and the trail.”

How can you support the Pend Oreille Pedalers? The simplest way is to become a member. For only $20 per year, or $35 for a family, members will rest easy knowing their dollars contribute toward trail maintenance and plans to build new trails in the future. Even if you’ve never ridden a mountain bike, chances are the trails you love to hike were built or maintained by the Pedalers, so consider giving back a little.

The Pedalers are throwing a Basin Trail Festival and work party June 1 to ride and improve the Lower Basin Trails, which can be ridden top to bottom from the roundabout on Schweitzer.

Read more about it on page 22.

To sign up for a membership, or to learn more about the Pend Oreille Pedalers, check out www.PendOreillePedalers.org.

STAGE & SCREEN

‘Sylvia’ finds the funny side of dog ownership

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff

They don’t call dogs a man’s best friend for no reason.

“Sylvia,” the latest play from Cade Prophet Memorial Productions, takes that basic truth to its most hysterical and heartfelt conclusion. The cast and crew of the play, set for three performances this weekend at the Heartwood Center, are ready to demonstrate just how far a person will go for his or her pet.

All that entertainment is for a good cause, as proceeds from the event go toward Panhandle Animal Shelter.

“Since this is our second Memorial Day show and all proceeds go to the animal shelter, I try to find a show about animals,” said Cade Prophet Memorial Productions director Dorothy Prophet.

An animal — a dog, more precisely — is the eponymous heart of “Sylvia.” The play follows a married couple, Greg (played by Seneca Cummings) and Kate (played by Becky Campbell), entering into their twilight years. The kids are out of the house, and they can finally begin enjoying a little free time. At least, that was the case, until Greg adopts a dog,

Sylvia, against his wife’s wishes. The new pet leads to marital friction and outrageous comedy as Kate begins to believe her husband loves his dog more than her.

“It becomes a tug of war for his attention and even, in some cases, his affection,” Prophet said.

Campbell and Cummings play the domestic dispute with the light hand and comic timing they’ve developed over many years in local theater.

“I love working with Seneca. He’s a strong performer and very versatile,” said Prophet. “... And Becky makes rehearsals so fun. She’s always on top of things.”

The other cast members have their own challenges.

Meredith Field plays the title role Sylvia, and much of the play’s comedy comes from her knack for adopting the behavior and personality of the lovable pooch.

“She has really embraced her inner dog,” said Prophet.

Eric Bond, another recognizable face in local theater, plays no less than three roles.

Capturing the essence of three separate characters is no easy task, but Prophet said he carries it off with panache.

“He has managed to find all three character and flesh them out and make them real,” she said.

Like previous Memorial Day weekend shows, all proceeds from “Sylvia” go to Panhandle Animal Shelter.

Prophet set up the production

company in memory of her late son, Cade Prophet, who was known for his love of animals.

“I do this to honor my son,” she said. “It gives me a real reason to do what I’m doing.”

Catch “Sylvia” 7 p.m.

Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at the Heartwood

The “Sylvia” cast, from left to right, is Eric Bond, Becky Campbell, Meredith Field and Seneca Cummings.

Center. Tickets are available at Eichardt’s, online at Brown Paper Tickets or at the door.

Due to some strong language, audience discretion is advised.

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COMMUNITY

Best-selling author to read Chamber welcomes North Idaho Dental Group in Bonners Ferry

By Reader Staff

The Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce welcomed North Idaho Dental Group with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Wednesday, May 1.

North Idaho Dental Group is celebrating its first year in the Sandpoint area. Drs. Gates, Landers and Mickelson collaborate to provide you with excellence in a full spectrum of general dentistry, ranging from full mouth rehabilitation, wisdom tooth extraction, Invisalign orthodontics, root canal therapy, implants and implant-supported dentures, to cosmetic services like veneers, whitening and Botox therapy.

Please join the Greater

Delia Owens, author of ‘Where the Crawdads Sing,’ will read from her novel at Bonners Books May 31

Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce in welcoming North Idaho Dental Group to our community.

Their Sandpoint office is located at 30336 Hwy 200, Suite A in Ponderay. Office hours are Tuesday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. For more information or to schedule

Photo from L to R: Ricci Witte, Dr. Chace Mickelson, Dr. Ben Gates, Dr. Paige Landers, Bob Witte, Kate McAlister, Vicky Jacobson, Connor Currie. an appointment call (208) 2551255 or visit northidahodentalgroup.com.

Idaho Pour Authority celebrates 6 years

By Reader Staff It seems hard to believe there was a Sandpoint without Idaho Pour Authority, but it’s true, it did exist.

The hybrid beer shop and pub will be celebrating their sixth anniversary Saturday, May 25, with a day full of festivities.

There will be live music with John Firshi from 2-4 p.m. and Harold’s IGA from 5-7 p.m., raffles held all day long, beer swag on the tables, and complementary appetizers.

There will also be a raffle for a donated bicycle and a silent auction, with proceeds benefiting the Bonner Community Food Bank.

Owner Jon Hagadone said when he first opened IPA six years ago, his vision was for more of a beer store instead of a pub.

“It morphed into a pub/store, even though I never really wanted to be a bartender,” Hagadone said.

“I wanted to sell beer to go and deal with beer geeks who are interested in all kinds of beer.”

Hagadone said one main draw

was to provide Sandpoint beer enthusiasts with the opportunity to try styles of beer not normally available in this area.

“It just turned into a kind of social craft beer pub,” Hagadone.

On top of the craft beer love Hagadone and his diligent crew dole out, IPA has provided a venue for nonprofit “pint for a cause” fundraiser nights that have continued to be popular over the years.

“We started doing them once a month on average, but after people caught on and the nonprofits started contacting me, we are now twice a month minimum, except during the summer,” Hagadone said.

For each nonprofit night, Hagadone pairs a local nonprofit organization and a regional brewery, with a portion of proceeds benefiting the local causes.

Looking back over the half dozen years, Hagadone said he is thankful not only for his loyal customers, but staff as well.

“We have some of the best employees in the community,” Hagadone said. “Every one of them loves beer and want to learn more about it. Money is part of why you work for someone, but most of the people who work for us do it because they love working here. It’s a fun job.”

Help ring in six years Saturday, May 25 at Idaho Pour Authority, 203 Cedar St., from 2-7 p.m.

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By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff I picked up Delia Owens’ debut novel just last week, driven by rave reviews from friends and celebrities alike to find out what, exactly, made “Where the Crawdads Sing” such a success.

I am several chapters in, and I now know.

Owens blends exquisite descriptions of nature with a compelling storyline to transport her reader to the marshes of coastal North Carolina. Have I ever been there? No. But when I hold Owens’ novel in my hands, I smell the wet earth and the boat fumes. I hear the birds and insects all around. I feel the curiosity and despair that young Kya — the book’s protagonist — feels as she navigates life without anyone reliable left in her family’s swamp shack. All the while, alternating chapters unveil a murder mystery that I’m sure will blow my mind.

Like I said, I’m only about a quarter of the way into “Where the Crawdads Sing,” but I’m starting to understand all the excitement around Owens’ work. In December, it was announced that Reese Witherspoon will be producing the movie adaptation of “WTCS,” so it seems as though everyone will

Delia Owens, right, with actress Reese Witherspoon.

Photo courtesy Delia Owens Instagram.

hear or watch this page-turner of a story at some point.

What makes Owens’ rising fame all the more fun is that her current home base is a ranch in North Idaho. Now, fresh off a national book tour, Owens is scheduled to read from “WTCS” next Friday, May 31, at Bonners Books in downtown Bonners Ferry.

Owner and operator John O’Connor said the Bonners Books team is happy to see Owens’ novel do so well, and said the book “captured the energy of the contemporary Me Too, women’s empowerment movement in a charming historical novel, set in place exotic to most of us.”

“We feel lucky to be the bookstore at the right place and time to present her to the North Idaho public,” O’Connor said.

Hear Owens read on May 31 starting at 6:30 p.m. at Bonners Books, located on Main Street in Bonners Ferry. Those with questions can call the bookstore at 208-267-2622.

HEALTH

A grain of salt

A health column... sort of

Summer in Sandpoint: One long booze session

By Ammi Midstokke Reader Columnist

Let’s be clear on some basic facts before we disappoint our readers today: There are nearly zero scientifically-proven health benefits to drinking alcohol.

I know. I read that piece about a glass of wine being the same as an hour at the gym, too. If you want that kind of anti-oxidant punch, you can get it in anything labeled “super food” or a squeeze of lemon on your salad.

Without the brain damage, immune suppression, depression, dehydration or blood sugar dysregulation.

We never really say we drink because of the antioxidant properties anyway.

We drink to: relax, enjoy ourselves, come down after a long day, laugh with friends, partake, because we like the taste, because our children don’t stop talking, because we don’t want to engage in our relationships, because it has become a coping tool that meets a number of valid needs in our lives.

At least, that’s why many of us started consuming alcohol. The truth of alcohol and how it works in the brain, though, is that it is an addictive substance and so we tend to drink more of it, more often and then we only notice when we try to discontinue or reduce our intake. We go on Whole 30 challenges and Dry February and declare ourselves non-addicts because we can give it up if we want to. But none of us really wants to.

No one (or at least not this author) is suggesting that society become teetotalers. The righteous path of following rules is rather droll, and they always have cheap sparkling water at weddings anyway. Just have the champagne. That being said, on the cusp of our Community Season of Cocktails, I invite each of you to observe with curiosity your relationship

with alcohol. Do you like that relationship? What would you change about it, if anything?

When people in my practice begin drinking less, whether prescribed for health reasons or of their own curiosity, they return with observations and new understandings that apply to their entire lives, not just their wine tastings.

What I hear most often is this: “I am more particular about what I spend my time doing and with whom I spend my time.” When we do not numb ourselves to the shallow conversations of the partially (or mostly) inebriated crowds, we may realize that we’d much rather be spending our time doing something different.

Like truly connecting. Or finishing some yard project. Or reading that book we are enjoying. If you wouldn’t have fun at an event because you aren’t drinking… plan something (or someone) you like more.

I also hear: I sleep so much better. I wake up refreshed. I make better food choices. My skin is healthier. I connect to my children more. I set better boundaries with said children so they don’t make me think I want to drink. I have better orgasms. (That one alone should be a motivator.) I am less depressed. I crave less sugar. I waste less time.

Studies show that people who complete 30-day alcohol-free stints actually have long-term reductions in their alcohol consumption, suggesting that even a single extended stint of cognitive questioning and self-awareness about consumption can have lasting health benefits. Studies also show that life-long consumption of alcohol is associated with brain degeneration, liver damage, oxidative stress, depression and on and on.

Now that summer is approaching, the social engagements and boat outings are plentiful. But that doesn’t mean we have to obliterate our livers or shrink our brains for the next three months. Think in terms of moderation, explore what it is like to not drink alcohol at a party. Hydrate between drinks. Make mocktails.

Take your B vitamins. Avoid those sugary cocktails (they disrupt glucose levels and lead to more drinking).

In the very least, ask yourself why you think you want alcohol and if you have a different need that should be met.

Needing to relax. Needing to disconnect. Needing to laugh, let go, live a little — these are all valid. Surprisingly, beer doesn’t actually do any of that and the true need risks never getting met.

And precisely that is how we develop an unhealthful relationship with the placebo of mojitos. Grab some kombucha and see if the sex gets better. The research says it will…

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FOOD

The Sandpoint Eater

Oh, you blushing beauties!

By Marcia Pilgeram Reader Food Columnist My favorite girl, dressed in a blush of pink, is back! No, it’s not one of my granddaughters, but if you happen to follow me on Facebook (or have read past Reader columns), you know that I am nearly as enamored when spring arrives, along with the burst of first buds of rhubarb, peeking through the soil (sorry, sweet grand girls).

I have several plants, but it’s an ongoing love affair with my favorite plant, which was my mother’s.

She’s old, sturdy and productive.

Over the past 40 years of life, I have dug her up and replanted her wherever life took me. For a while, she was uprooted so many times I was not sure she would survive. But now she has lived for years, in the same warm and sunny spot alongside my house, where she thrives, bringing me familial comfort and consistently delivering bumper crops.

It’s a hardy, frost-resistant plant that can tolerate partial shade and needs a period of frost in the winter to produce the best stalks.

Rhubarb should be planted in late autumn, and though it can be grown from seed, most of us buy a young plant (or beg a bud from a friend’s established plant). It’s good for us, too, containing essentials like calcium, fiber, vitamins K and C, iron and magnesium. In ancient times, rhubarb was eaten raw, the tonic for “spring cleansing of the blood and body.”

For a fair-weather gardener like myself, rhubarb is one of the easiest crops to grow (and brag about).

It flourishes with little attention and provides the first taste of summer when little else has matured in the garden, and you’re aching to build a fresh fruit pie. Later in summer, she’s a willing partner, 24 /

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layered under a tender pie crust, with strawberries, blueberries, peaches or huckleberries.

Rhubarb’s closest kin is sorrel, though unlike sorrel, the leaves of rhubarb should never be eaten.

Both the leaves and the roots contain a toxic poison called oxalic acid. Unlike it’s close kin, rhubarb mostly makes an appearance in pies, cobblers, syrups and jams, so we naturally think of it as a fruit, though it is a vegetable.

That said, next spring I am taking a local group of ladies to Ireland, which reminded me, my treasured rhubarb also reigns supreme there (with the perfect wet, cool climate, it thrives).

Often, it is served savory-style, stewed, along with spices, onions and meats, especially chicken,

adding a satisfying tang to piquant dishes. For their sweet spot, I’ve seen Irish cooks poach it in liquor, soften up for bread pudding; and many years ago, at Lettercollum House, Timoleague, County Cork, I tasted the most sublime rhubarb crème brûlée, a rich and creamy sweet custard, with a wee-bit of pucker fruit in the perfect last bite.

If you don’t have your own lovely little patch of rhubarb, you can pick some up at Farmer’s Market. Look for young, tender, medium-sized stalks. There are several varieties, but in my opinion, the brighter, red stalks are the tastiest.

The best way to store rhubarb is to remove the leaves, wrap it, and keep in the vegetable crisper of the fridge for up to three weeks.

For longer, tougher stalks, I

remove the strings with a vegetable peeler before chopping. For freezing, I wash and dry thoroughly, slice into 3/4-inch slices, lay on parchment paper-lined cookie sheets and freeze. Once frozen, I fill into gallon-sized freezer bags.

When cooking rhubarb for sauce or compote, I use four-parts rhubarb to one-part sugar, then add a dash of fresh lemon juice to hold the color. Rhubarb is filled with water, so I don’t add any. Toss the rhubarb in sugar to coat, sprinkle with the juice and toss again.

Cook in a covered pan on low heat and shake often so it doesn’t stick, cooking just until tender. I avoid using a spoon so the pieces will stay intact. Sometimes, I add a little grenadine for a prettier shade of red. Once cooled and covered,

Rhubarb Crème Brûlée Rich smooth custard with a nice, tart finish at the bottom.

Six servings (best with overnight chilling)

INGREDIENTS:

DIRECTIONS:

Cut rhubarb stalks into • 2 lbs. trimmed rhubarb ½-inch pieces. Add to a medium • 6 tbs granulated sugar skillet with 6 tbs. sugar and • 1 tbs lemon juice lemon juice. Cook on medium, shaking pan (don’t stir), for about • 5 large egg yolks • ½ cup granulated sugar 15 minutes, until rhubarb is tender. Set aside.

• 1¾ cups heavy cream Preheat oven to 325°F. In a • 1 vanilla bean pod, large bowl, whisk together egg seeds scraped out yolks and ½ cup sugar. In a me• 2 tbs. fine baking sugar dium saucepan, heat cream and

it will keep in the refrigerator for about 5 days.

When making cocktail syrup, sometimes I infuse the syrup with cinnamon sticks, vanilla bean, lemon or orange peel, cardamom, juniper berries, or a dash of nutmeg. For the little ones and non-imbibers, you can make a rhubarb soda, using the syrup and soda water- or add a splash of cream for an Italian rhubarb soda or, my favorite, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream to craft a masterpiece blushing rhubarb float! Top them off with a thin rhubarb stalks (sans leaf).

About the Rhubarb Crème Brûlée – I tried to recreate the sublime recipe, but I think it will take another visit to Ireland to perfect.

Stay tuned, folks.

Rhubarb Simple Syrup

Add a dash to champagne for mimosa’s, or make your

vanilla seeds over medium-high un- favorite cocktails with vodka, rum or gin! Cheers! til it reaches a simmer. Add cream a little cream mixture to egg yolks in a slow, steady stream, whisking Combine all ingredients in saucepan, • 4 cups water continuously until mixed. Don’t bring to a simmer, stirring frequently. Cook • 2 cups sugar add too much at a time, or eggs for five minutes. will scramble! Once all added and *Strain through cheese cloth or • 4 cups chopped jelly bag. Pour syrup into glass jar and creamy, return to pan and whisk rhubarb stalks refrigerate for up to two weeks. If so on low, for three more minutes, • 2 tbs fresh inclined, infuse the syrup with your favorite stirring continuously. If there are enhancement, like lemon or lime peel, lemon juice ant solid bits, strain, otherwise, lavender, vanilla bean, cinnamon or mint set aside. before refrigerating, Chill overnight. *Reserve the pulp and serve it warm Divide rhubarb filling among or cold over ice cream, pound cake, waffles six small, ovenproof dishes. or scones.

Carefully pour custard evenly over top. Put ramekins in a bake proof pan. Carefully pour enough boiling water into the pan to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins.

Loosely cover with foil and bake in middle of oven until just set, 45 to 50 minutes (don’t overbake)!

Transfer custards to wire rack to cool. Refrigerate, loosely covered with plastic wrap, overnight, or up to 4 days.

Before serving, sprinkle 1tbs fine baking sugar evenly over top and caramelize with a kitchen torch.

INGREDIENTS:

DIRECTIONS:

MUSIC

The Wow Wows release first album

By Ben Olson Reader Staff With the release of their first album, “River Dolphin,” last week, Sandpoint band The Wow Wows have established themselves firmly as a musical force to be reckoned with.

The band formed after frontman Hunter Jones met and began a relationship with frontgal Casey Calhoun a couple years ago.

Hailing from Rathdrum originally, Jones followed his heart and moved to Sandpoint, and the two began experimenting with a new sound, Jones on vocals and electric guitar, Calhoun on the vocals and bass.

Jones’ friend Dylan Darrington joined on the rhythm guitar and contributing vocals, and drummer Jeremy Kleinsmith of the band Tennis recently rounded out the band to make it a quartet.

Jones describes the band’s sound as “alternative indie psych rock,” which is about as close as words can come to classify their music. Their songs usually lay

Top: the album art for “River Dolphins.

Right: Dylan Darrington, left, Casey Calhoun, center and Hunter Jones, right.

Not photographed is drummer Jeremy Kleinsmith. Courtesy photo.

down an even, driving bass line that maintains the foundation for Jones’ electric guitar work fluctuating between rhythm chords and lead lines. Adding in a synthesizer and pedal-driven sounds throughout, the Wow Wows achieve a perfect balance of hard-edge that is easy to listen to. Darrington’s distorted hollow body guitar rhythm chords add a mysterious backing to the songs, while Kleinsmith’s flawless, dynamic drum lines keep your foot tapping throughout.

Jones and Calhoun take turns

leading songs, each of their voices adding a unique signature to the mix. In the second track, “Whatsoever,” Jones’ catchy guitar riffs and mousy voice build a soundscape that makes the listener feel as if they are suspended in ether. Or like that goo inside a lava lamp. Calhoun’s sultry, smoky voice drive songs like “Blue Van” and “Denture Queen” to a smooth finish.

“She’s My Lover” has a Lou Reed vibe to it, with succinct guitar solos blending the mix perfectly, and “Too Bad” is sort of a

melancholy punk dirge that grows on you more with every listen.

Recorded in Sandpoint by Kevin Dorin, “River Dolphins” is a great first effort from this Sandpoint band offering a fresh breath of different style to the sometimes stagnant Sandpoint music scene. Their next show is June 1 at the 219 Lounge. Buy the album and play it on a quiet back road drive during the next solar eclipse – the world will make more sense that way.

You can also stream the album online with Spotify.

Laney Lou and the Bird Dogs to play KLT benefit

By Ben Olson Reader Staff Fans of high energy folkrock/bluegrass will not be sorry they checked out Laney Lou and the Bird Dogs at the 219 Lounge tonight — Thursday, May 23 — from 6-9 p.m. The Bozeman-based band will be playing as part of a benefit for Kaniksu Land Trust, which just finalized the purchase of the Pine St. Woods in Sandpoint.

The award-winning Laney Lou and the Bird Dogs combine four-part harmonies with a rocking drive, blending influences of bluegrass, folk rock, indie, country and Americana. They’ve

shared the stage with some notable bands, including The Travenlin McCoury’s, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, the Jeff Austin Band, Leftover Salmon, Blitzen Trapper and more.

The five-piece string band consists of Lena (Laney) Schiffer, Matt Demarais, Ethan Demarais, Brian Kassay and Josh Moore. They released “Sweet Little Lies,” their first full-length studio album in Feb. 2019 but have been impressing audiences far and wide with their breakneck style since forming and hitting the road in 2013.

The show is free, so come on down to listen to some great Americana while supporting

This week’s RLW by Cameron Rasmusson

READ

N o v e l ist Herman Wouk died last week at the age of 103. His sprawling novels “The Winds of War” and “War and Remembrance” are no light read at nearly 2,000 pages in total, but they offer a gripping narrative of World War II as experienced by the Henry and Jastrow families. From the Nazi invasion of Poland to Pearl Harbor to the Holocaust, the major events and figures of World War II add historic weight to a fictional drama spanning continents.

The books were adapted into two excellent miniseries starring Robert Mitchum in 1983 and 1988.

LISTEN

I dabbled in Portugal.The Man’s music in college but lost track of their output shortly afterward.

A few months ago, I caught myself up with their albums over the past half-decade, and I found some the best hook-heavy indie rock I’ve enjoyed in a while. “Evil Friends” in particular seems designed in a lab to cram as many ear worms as possible into 48 minutes.

WATCH

This year’s Oscars ceremony was a disaster for a variety of reasons, but the biggest crime was how many of 2018’s masterpieces were almost completely ignored. One such movie is “First Reformed.”

If star Ethan Hawke is bitter about not receiving a best-actor nomination, I don’t blame him. He gives a heartbreaking performance as a struggling minister increasingly frustrated by his church’s unwillingness to take a stand on vital moral issues.

Kaniksu Land Trust in the process. Score.

Laney Lou and the Bird Dogs bring the ruckus. Courtesy photo.

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From Northern Idaho News, June 18, 1937

DOCK WORK HITS ANOTHER BOULDER Work on the new city dock is halted temporarily, at least, until the city irons out some of the difficulties which have presented themselves during the past 10 days.

From the engineering department of the Northern Pacific Railway company came word the other day that the city has no authority to do any excavating on N.P. property. In reporting to the city, Engineer Young of the N.P. said that the railroad company contemplates putting in a double track and a dock roadway would interfere with the rail company’s right of way.

Explaining the city’s negotiations with the rail company to the city council Wednesday night, Mayor M.C. McKinnon said that Engineer Young had indicated that there are several objectionable reasons to excavating on N.P. property.

Engineer Arthur Tiggelbeck, requested by the city to make a survey of the work already done on the project, admitted a written report to the mayo. It was estimated that the cost per yard for moving dirt had been $2.03 and the mayor declared that the figure was too high. It was estimated by Tiggelbeck that 5,168 cubic yards of dirt are required to complete the fill at the new dock. In the meantime, the city is contacting companies that specialize in dredging to see how much could be saved by the dredging system. Several encouraging communications have already been received.

Mayor McKinnon said that the project will no doubt stay at a standstill until fall, as few men are available now for the project.

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Ride, work and kickoff party planned for Lower Basin Trails

By Susan Drumheller Reader Contributor Not all trails appeal to all mountain bikers.

Some prefer the adrenaline rush of flying downhill and catching air – freeride.

Others prefer the security of tires on dirt.

Some riders also enjoy the uphill challenge as much as the downhill.

All stripes of off-road riders are invited to participate in the Basin Trail Festival, scheduled for National Trails Day on June 1st to ride and improve the Lower Basin Trails, which can be ridden top to bottom from the roundabout on Schweitzer Mountain Road.

The Festival runs all day – from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. – and participants can help build and maintain trail, as well as ride the trails. In addition, the Pend Oreille Pedalers bike club will be offering a barbecue at the roundabout, and Syringa Cyclery will have Pivot mountain bikes available for demo.

The Basin Trail Festival was the brainchild

of Mike McCoy, an avid downhill rider. McCoy wants to bring the resources of the bike club together with the expertise of downhill riders to build and repair some of the features on the downhill trail, while also making sure some needs are met on the easier-going cross-country trails that generally follow the road down the mountainside in the lower Schweitzer basin, below the roundabout.

While some jumps and features will be built on the downhill trails, McCoy said, the cross-country trail will get some loving too: “We want to put in some switchbacks and make the cross-country trail more fun to go up.”

The trails are mostly on city of Sandpoint property in the city’s watershed and were originally rogue trails built by mountain biking enthusiasts. The city has worked with the bike club, however, to allow the trails as long as the Pend Oreille Pedalers agree to maintain them in a way that protects the city’s water quality.

McCoy, who has visited bike parks across the U.S. and Canada, also plans to have some new signage ready for installation to make the

trails safer to use. The warning signs “will look a lot like what you see in a bike park,” McCoy said. “We are collaborating with Schweitzer and the Selkirk Recreation District to make the signage consistent from the top of Schweitzer Bike Park to the bottom of the Lower Basin Trail network.”

The Basin Trail Festival is sponsored by the Pend Oreille Pedalers, with the support of numerous partners, including Schweitzer Mountain Resort, the city of Sandpoint, Alpine Shop, Selkirk Powder Guides, Keller Williams Reality, the local bike shops, Selkirk Recreation District and Ride 7B Facebook group.

The event is free and open to the public, and will take place rain or shine. Participants who plan to work are encouraged to wear closed-toe shoes and bring work gloves. No previous trail-building experience necessary.

The POP barbecue will begin at 11 a.m.

“If all you want to do is come out and ride, no problem,” McCoy said.

Crossword Solution

Sometimes I think the so-called experts actually are experts.

Copyright www.mirroreyes.com

CROSSWORD ACROSS 1. Challenger 6. Hens make them 10. Steals 14. Betel palm 15. German for “Madam” 16. Wicked 17. Standards 18. Tumbled 19. A goddess of healing 20. Enteric 22. Varieties 23. Killer whale 24. Catch in a net 26. Happy 30. Abet 31. Born as 32. Cartoon bear 33. C C C C 35. Prank 39. Make “not smooth” 41. The infliction of pain 43. A drama set to music 44. Streetcar /im-ped-UH-men-tUH / 46. Beers 47. Antlered animal [plural noun] 1. baggage or other things that retard one’s progress, as supplies 49. Consumed food of the carried by an army.

50. Young girl 51. Dark purple plum “The couple missed their flight because their impedimenta 54. Jests slowed their progress through the airport.”

56. 1 1 1 1 Corrections: I wrote an incorrect date in the article about SummerFest last 57. Bowels week. The date was correct in the article, but I wrote “May” instead of “July” 63. Sandwich shop in the italics at the end. My bad. -BO 64. Urarthritis 65. Something to shoot for

impedimenta

Word Week

Solution on page 26 66. Margarine 67. Male deer 68. Plant life 69. Observed 70. You (archaic) 71. Boggy

DOWN 1. Hindu princess 2. Press 3. Green 4. Cap 5. Lariat 6. Efficacious 7. Explosive device

8. Big party 9. Glum 10. Belonging to a regiment 11. Small egg 12. Swindles 13. Gash 21. Small amount 25. Close 26. Greek sandwich 27. Coil 28. Chills and fever 29. Wandering from the main path 34. Figurine 36. A city in western Russia

37. Angers 38. To tax or access 40. Angel’s headwear 42. Portents 45. Ecstasy 48. Chess piece 51. Blockheads 52. Anoint (archaic) 53. Donnybrook 55. Rigid 58. Ark builder 59. Doing nothing 60. A noble gas 61. Acquire deservedly 62. Kill

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