Reader May 3 2018

May 3, 2018

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Vol. 15 Issue 18

City Council passes resolution requesting EIS for second rail bridge Reclaim Idaho surpasses signature goal by 4,000 Election profiles: Glen Bailey Dennis Engelhardt Donna Gow Richard Miller READER hosts candidates forum

SPOT Bus to take over Schweitzer shuttle route Farmers' Market opens for the season Aerospace students host open house Bridges Home releases CD

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(wo)MAN compiled by

Susan Drinkard

DEAR READERS,

on the street

Nothing is perfect, except for maybe _______. “... a summer day filled with music and joyous laughter.”

Abby Daily 11th at Lake Pend Oreille High School Sagle

“... caring and being kind.”

Jeff Keenan English teacher at LPOHS Selle Valley

•TRANSPORTATION: Secure funding to

improve safety and efficiency of our roads, bridges and airports.

•EDUCATION: Adequately fund education and integrate vocational education to meet work force needs.

•JOBS: Retain and expand our current resource jobs and promote jobs in emerging industries.

•NATURAL RESOURCES: Expand the

multiple use of our forests and protect our precious waters.

•CONSTITUENT SERVICE: Listen to constituents and address the “things that matter” to them.

“What I think is perfectly imperfect is the human brain because it is so complex, but it can break down.”

Cheyenne Holliger Senior at LPOHS Cocolalla

“... a warm spring day in May on a North Idaho stream with mayflies and cutthroat trout rising to the surface.”

Ed Welch Math teacher LPOHS Sagle

www.MikeBoeckForIdaho.com

In last week’s issue, we erroneously identified opinion writer Tony McDermott as “former chairman of the Idaho Forest Group” when he was actually the former commission chairman of Idaho Fish and Game. We apologize for the error.

Tom Schulz, VP of Government Affairs and Community Outreach at Idaho Forest Group sent in this statement to further clarify Idaho Forest Group’s position: “I just wanted to clarify that Tony is not now nor has he ever been affiliated with Idaho Forest Group (IFG). The viewpoint that he expressed in the Reader is counter to IFG’s position on this important issue. IFG supports and participates in forest collaboration. We support full forest plan implementation through strong working relationships with all involved stakeholders. We participate and conduct our deliberations with full transparency at open public meetings. Finally, we support the designation of the Scotchman Peaks Wilderness and will vote in favor of it.

Regards, Tom Schultz Idaho Forest Group” Check out next week’s issue for a full length feature article that covers everything you need to know about the Scotchman Peaks advisory vote.

-Ben Olson, Publisher

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

www.sandpointreader.com Publisher: Ben Olson ben@sandpointreader.com Editor: Cameron Rasmusson cameron@sandpointreader.com Zach Hagadone (emeritus) John Reuter (emeritus) Advertising: Jodi Taylor Jodi@sandpointreader.com Contributing Artists: Mary Boyer (cover), Ben Olson, Susan Drinkard, Lyndsie Kiebert, VisitIdaho.org Contributing Writers: Cameron Rasmusson, Ben Olson, Brenden Bobby, Ammi Midstokke, Marcia Pilgeram.

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

Subscription Price: $95 per year Web Content: Keokee The Sandpoint Reader is a weekly publication owned and operated by Ben Olson and Keokee. It is devoted to the arts, entertainment, politics and lifestyle in and around Sandpoint, Idaho.

We hope to provide a quality alternative by offering honest, in-depth reporting that reflects the intelligence and interests of our diverse and growing community.

The Reader is printed on recycled paper using soy-based ink. Leftover copies are collected and recycled weekly, or burned in massive bonfires to appease the gods of journalism.

Free to all, limit two copies per person.

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

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

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

Email letters to: letters@sandpointreader.com

“... those moments of pure happiness when you have good connections with others.”

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

About the Cover

This week’s cover features a buffalo skull painted by local artist Mary Boyer. You can look at more of Mary’s work hanging at Idaho Pour Authority.

Destiny Leiber Junior Kootenai May 3, 2018 /

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NEWS

Council passes resolution requesting ES for second rail bridge

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff The Sandpoint City Council passed a resolution Wednesday requesting that BNSF Railway be required to draft an environmental impact statement for its proposed new rail bridge across Lake Pend Oreille.

Citing past instances of train derailments and concern over the potential for hazardous materials to leak into Lake Pend Oreille, the city resolution asks the U.S. Coast Guard to require the statement to analyze the “full scope of direct, indirect, and cumulative impacts” associated with the proposed bridge. It was passed unanimously by the Sandpoint City Council with the exception of Council President Shannon Williamson, who recused herself due to her professional statements against the bridge as the director of Lake Pend Oreille Waterkeeper.

In a presentation prior to the vote, Matt Nykiel of the Idaho Conservation League laid out an argument in support of an impact statement. Nykiel said that according to BSNF’s proposal application, the project would be a $100 million investment constructed over three years. A project of that scope would impact the community in innumerable ways, he said, and without a full environmental impact statement, many of those impacts would be unforeseen.

“Let’s get a better understanding of what those impacts might be, and let’s educate the public and create the opportunity for dialogue,” Nykiel said.

The city resolution states that the BNSF proposals are a part of the greater Sandpoint Junction Connector project, which plans for the construction of three new bridges: one across Bridge Street, one across Sand Creek and a mile-long bridge across Lake Pend Oreille.

“I would think an EIS for a project this large would be mandatory rather than optional,” said Councilman Tom Eddy during deliberations.

Given the size of the project, the resolution expresses concern over disruptions to local economic and recreational activity, dam4 /

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ages to public health, safety and the environment, increased rail traffic leading to transportation and emergency response delays and an increased likelihood of train derailment.

Supporting its concerns, the resolution points to recent derailments: one in March 2017 derailing 50 empty coal cars and one locomotive, another in May 2017 derailing 25 rail cars and spilling grain and yet another in August 2017 causing 30 rail cars to spill coal along the Clark Fork River near Noxon, Mont. The resolution also cites other derailments outside the area that led to environmental crises, including an Oregon derailment that spilled 47,000 gallons of crude and forced the evacuation of 100 residents.

In addition to requesting the environmental impact statement, the resolution requests that the Surface Transportation Board use its authority to ensure that the cost

of carrying hazardous materials doesn’t fall on local communities, other rail users and taxpayers. Finally, it asks that the Federal Railroad Administration share its expertise “on the relationship between rail safety and public/environmental safety with the U.S. Coast Guard,” which would review the bridge proposal.

The Sandpoint Junction Connector proposal remains controversial. While many public officials oppose it along the lines expressed in the resolution, others support it for BNSF’s claims that it will reduce wait times at railway crossings.

They also point out that freight coming along railways might otherwise be transported along

A promotional video uploaded to YouTube by BNSF showing an artist’s rendition of a possible second rail bridge over Lake Pend Oreille. Courtesy BNSF Youtube. highways, resulting in other risks and problems.

Regardless of one’s opinion, Nykiel believes an environmental impact statement will help the

public be better informed.

“I think in general increasing public involvement is a good thing, and that’s what EIS is all about,” he said.

County wake workshop gets turbulent

By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff The Bonner County Waterways Subcommittee hosted a public workshop Monday to gather opinions on possible solutions to local wake damage, but the discussion revolved largely around placing blame on the real wake-creating culprits.

Currently, there is a 200-foot no-wake zone law in Bonner County. Despite the regulation, lakefront homeowners are still seeing the effects of wake on their properties, some reporting tens of thousands of dollars in continued damage.

Bonner County Parks and Recreation Director James Shannon explained possible solutions discussed by the subcommittee and then administered a survey of the audience to record their support or opposition to each solution.

The subcommittee presented suggestions like: • Emphasis patrols, where Bonner County Sheriff Marine vessels patrol “trouble areas” • “Fix-it” tickets, where boaters

can avoid fines by going to a class • Adding 10 more mobile buoys to area waterways • Further fund the “Ride the Core” campaign, which encourages boaters to stick to the center of waterways rather than the shore • Establishment of “wake surf areas,” which would confine wake-enhancing sports to certain areas • Increase of no-wake zone distance • Prohibition of wake surfing on the river west of Dover.

Shannon noted that the subcommittee has not come to a unanimous decision on any solution, and wants to hear different ideas from the public.

Results of the survey displayed opinions across the board. Prohibiting wake surfing west of Dover exemplified the opposing sides at the meeting, as the “strongly agree” and “strongly disagree” responses were nearly split down the middle. Those who couldn’t attend the meeting can take the survey at www.bonnercountyid. gov/recreation.

Concern about lack of en-

forcement on all local waterways — particularly the Pend Oreille River — dominated early public comment.

Lakefront property owner Brent Leedle said he was concerned about the lack of marine patrol near his home. He said he’s observed that people follow the wake law when BCSO boats are present, but the good behavior doesn’t last.

“As soon as the lake nanny goes away, everybody does what they want,” he said.

Lt. Ed Jochum, head of the marine division, said it’s no secret that the sheriff’s boats are easy

to see from a distance and laws are not always followed when no one’s watching.

“These things are hard to enforce because we have one or two boats on a 26-mile river,” he said.

“We have these big boats that you can see from two miles away, so of course everybody behaves.”

Conversation at the workshop also focused around what was causing the wake damage in the first place. Though most agreed wake-enhancing boats were a problem, some argued cabin cruisers and storms were to blame.

Tempers flared at several points during the workshop, during which times an outside facilitator and Shannon had to get things back on track.

“The problem is well established, so let’s talk about solutions,” Shannon said.

Those with questions and suggestions for further solutions to the county’s wake issue should call the Parks and Waterways Department at (208) 255-5681 ext. 4, or email james.shannon@ bonnercountyid.gov.

NEWS

Reclaim Idaho surpasses Medicaid expansion signature goal

By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff The fate of Reclaim Idaho’s Medicaid for Idaho campaign is now in the hands of county clerks across the state. On May 1, the group submitted more than 60,000 signatures for verification.

They needed 56,192 to qualify Medicaid expansion for Idaho’s November ballot.

Reclaim Idaho announced on their Facebook page Monday that they’d well surpassed the ballot initiative requirement of gathering signatures from 6 percent of Idaho voters and 6 percent of voters in at least 18 districts.

“This initiative would bring

health care coverage to those who need it the most, and it will allow Idahoans to decide what we want in our healthcare system, no matter what politicians in Boise or Washington, D.C. do,” said Emily Strizich, co-founder of Reclaim Idaho.

Medicaid expansion is estimated to bring health care to nearly 62,000 Idahoans, according to Reclaim Idaho.

County clerks have until June 30 to validate the signatures and all petitions must be submitted to the Secretary of State July 6.

If the initiative qualifies, voters throughout Idaho will see it on the general election ballot on Nov. 6.

Reclaim Idaho volunteers and supporters gather at Sandpoint City Beach to celebrate surpassing the signature goal.

Photo by Rebecca Holland, ALL-STAR PHOTO.

SPOT Bus to take over Schweitzer shuttle service

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff

Next winter season at Schweitzer, skiers and boarders using the bus to head up to the slopes are being put on the SPOT. The Selkirks-Pend Oreille Transit bus service, better known as SPOT, is taking over the Schweitzer’s bus service following an announcement this week by organization and resort officials. A partnership long in the making, the transportation arrangement will allow both entities to maximize services for their client bases.

“Reliable bus service from town to Schweitzer has been a goal of ours for years,” said Schweitzer CEO Tom Chasse in a press release. “Parking is challenging at the resort, and having this service in place will make it easier for our guests to access the mountain and reduce the environmental impact at the same time.”

The new service brings several improvements for winter sports enthusiasts accustomed to Schweitzer’s previous in-house shuttle

from the Red Barn. For one thing, rides will now be free. The new system will also integrate directly into SPOT’s Mountain Route service, meaning that a rider can hop aboard a bus at any route stop in town to reach Schweitzer Village.

“We are really excited about this partnership,” said SPOT Board Member and Treasurer Clif Warren. “SPOT will be providing the same service that Schweitzer has provided. The ‘Mountain Route’ service will follow the 2017-2018 season schedule with the identical departure times from the Red Barn and the village. One difference will be will be new and bigger SPOT buses similar to the buses currently in use.”

As long as those new buses arrive in time, the SPOT service will debut at the beginning of the 2018-19 ski season. SPOT and Schweitzer officials will then watch service performance to evaluate the potential addition of new runs and service directly from town. It’s all possible thanks to a grant from Schweitzer which makes the resort the largest SPOT

Idaho company implements fullpaid parental leave

By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff

contributor among the services many partners. Other key SPOT funders include the cities of Sandpoint, Ponderay, Dover and Kootenai.

“With Schweitzer’s contribution and grant money, the cost of this endeavor is covered for the next two seasons,” said Warren.

“Schweitzer’s infusion of cash will make the resort the biggest contributor to SPOT. Schweitzer’s funding goes toward the purchase of the new buses and operations.”

SPOT riders board the bus in Sandpoint. Photo courtesy SPOT bus.

According to Warren, the transportation partnership is the result of many discussions with Schweitzer over a long period of time. It’s one of many ways service officials are looking to enhance current offerings. For instance, last year SPOT launched the gold route connecting Bonner and Boundary counties.

Chobani, an American yogurt company with its production plant in Twin Falls, now offers six weeks of 100-percent paid parental leave for all employees – including dads.

The paid leave is offered to parents of any gender who’ve given birth, adopted or fostered a child, according to KTVB-Boise.

The Idaho factory is the world’s largest yogurt production facility at more than a million square feet, according to Curbed, and is home to more than 1,000 employees. Twin Falls Mayor Shawn Barigar told Curbed economic analysts estimate that for every job Chobani creates within the factory, six jobs are created in supporting industries like transport and dairy farming.

Grace Zuncic, an adviser on Chobani’s new parental leave policy, told KTVB that the company’s founder, Hamdi Ulukaya, took parental leave in April.

“We want employees to know that this is important to the company and the best way to do that is by example,” she said.

Energy Optimization / Footprint Reduction Residential - Commercial - Industrial

Design20FIRST.com

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COMMUNITY

Bike to School Day: two wheels, one goal Panhandle Eats arrives, parks and starts cooking

Eclectic “mobile” dining experience opens at Panhandle Animal Shelter

By Reader Staff

By Reader Staff

Lake Pend Oreille School District Safe Routes to School invites your family to join students nationwide on Wednesday, May 9, for Bike to School Day. The top priority on Bike to School Day is safety. Please select a safe/age appropriate route for you and your children.

Each school has available an area map for those who may wish to park and ride a shorter distance. There will be signs near the schools alerting drivers to be cautious of student bikers. Know how long it takes for your children to travel, and what distance they are able to ride before your Bike to School Day departure – nobody wants students to be tardy or exhausted when they arrive at school.

LPOSD suggests a trial ride before Bike to School Day. All riders are strongly encouraged to wear helmets. Safe Routes to School program has some helmets available to those who still need one.

LPOSD encourages participants to travel single-file on the right-hand edge of the roadway with the flow of traffic. Please display brightly colored clothing and/or a bike flag.

Redefining the food truck trend, Panhandle Eats brings eclectic, affordable global flavor to the community. Panhandle Eats is a cooperative of entrepreneurial and independent mobile eateries located at the Panhandle Animal Shelter. The vision was to create a destination in Ponderay that provides the community a location to gather, eat great food, shop and engage with one another and the animals of the shelter.

Pete Hicks, chef of Curry in a Hurry and owner of 7B Bistro, said that their goal was to foster community engagement in Ponderay and the county: “Affordable good food is good for business, which is good for the community. Partnering with the Animal Shelter and their Thrift Store adds to the destination’s appeal. Grabbing a bite to eat is now a complete experience.”

The Eateries include Taco Tacos, which is operated by Jimmy Lomeli and features true Mexican food. Jimmy has been the anchor food truck at the Shelter and has been on-site for several years developing a devoted following. Pete Hicks launched Sandpoint Curry in a Hurry as a very successful pop-up enterprise last year, satisfying the taste buds of all those curry

Darwin Hurst

Certified Family Nurse Practitioner •Accepting New Patients •All Ages Welcome •Wellness Visits •Chronic Disease Care •Sports Physicals •Same Day Sick Appointments Available

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Families will be easier seen by drivers if traveling in a larger group, so meet up with other families to make it a group event. Each school celebrates a little differently depending upon its location relative to ease of biking to school.

Check in with each individual school to see how they’ll be celebrating biking to school this year. When strapping on the helmet, please remember to obey the rules of the road, respect motorists and pedestrians, ride smart, stay alert and have fun!

lovers in North Idaho. The Curry in a Hurry business model was so successful he wanted to provide others with the same opportunity. He created 7B Bistro, the first restaurant incubator in the area. By offering his kitchen two to three days a week to fellow entrepreneurs he lowered the barriers to starting a restaurant. Tony Frontado’s Ponderay Aloha Grill jumped at the opportunity and is excited to bring flavorful, saucy Hawaiian delights to the community. Rounding out the eateries is Aaron Seitz. He is instantly recognizable by his dashing kilt and braided beard. Aaron operates the Twisted Kilt Black Iron Grill and offers yummy sweet and savory waffles, and awesome Guinness Beef Stew.

The grand opening of Panhandle Eats is May 4-5. Friday festivities span from 4-8pm and include menu specials from all the eateries, a beer garden and live music.

The Panhandle Animal Shelter and Thrift Store will remain open, so visitors can enjoy and interact with the adoptable animals and shop for great deals.

Saturday’s activities go from 11 a.m.4:30 p.m. There will be live music, face painting and other child-friendly activities.

For more information please check out Panhandle Eats facebook page.

Vote Yes for Scotchman Peaks...

Dear Editor, The Forest Service developed its proposed Scotchman Peaks Wilderness by engaging the public in an open, transparent process, and the resulting recommendations are ones that I have long supported.

This May 15, Bonner County voters will be asked if this area should be designated by Congress as wilderness. I believe it should.

The Wilderness Act of 1964 creates a National Wilderness Preservation system that will be managed naturally, without intervention. These places remain open to those who wish to hike, fish and hunt. It says that mankind is a visitor only. Fire occurs naturally across both managed landscapes as well as wilderness areas. The Forest Service can, and does, fight fires in both.

Designation would not take the land away from the public. This area has been, and will remain, under the management of the Forest Service. Local residents and elected officials have a seat at the table to discuss and refine the current and future management plans. Designation simply protects this land in its natural state. I have always believed that there is a place in life for just about anything and everything, but not every place is for everything man wants to do.

As a former county commissioner, I sat on multiple committees and boards reviewing and analyzing many of the management plans proposed by the Forest Service. I noticed that often the voices that were the loudest were those who wanted motor vehicle access in remote and largely inaccessible terrain.

While I support those who enjoy that type of adventure, I had to also represent the constituency who preferred a different type of recreation, one that did not include vehicular traffic.

There is a place for every lifestyle and recreation. Can we respect that our choices may differ, but our common goals are to keep Idaho and her beauty protected?

Scotchman Peaks is a place to protect in its raw beauty! I hope that you will vote to protect this pristine area and not let fear and hysteria sway you. Vote on May 15 in favor of the Scotchman Peaks Wilderness designation!

Marcia Phillips Careywood

Ellen Weissman for State Rep...

Dear Editor, Ellen Weissman exemplifies the values we all cherish. She has served the needs of families and youth as a teacher.

She is currently serving our seniors as director of the Sandpoint Area Senior Center. Ellen as always focused on the personal needs of each individual, regardless of age, political or other organizational affiliation.

Judge a candidate by their past actions. Examine what they have done to help make positive changes in a person’s life. Ellen stands out as the only candidate who has proven to be worthy of your vote.

Sandra Deutchman Sandpoint

Montana Makes Sense...

Englehardt For Assessor...

Dear Editor, It appears Montana is ahead of Idaho in recognizing that we need to start managing our forests before we lose all of them to fire! U.S. Senator Steve Daines and U.S. Congressman Greg Gianforte, both of Montana, are working to bring back forest management on our National Forests, with a bill that passed the U.S. House of Representatives and is now being reviewed by the U.S. Senate.

The bill cuts red tape, reduces predatory litigation, accelerates common sense fire reduction projects, modernizes how we pay for catastrophic wildfires and forces the Forest Service keep it’s promise to manage our public land. The Forest Service estimates there are 6.3 billion dead trees now in 11 western states, setting the stage for increased catastrophic fires. Last year, Montana lost 1.2 million acres to wild fires, and Idaho lost 686,000 acres. According to the two legislators, decades of mismanagement, environmental lawsuits and excessive red tape have kept responsible forest management projects from moving forward on much of our public land.

The fires in Idaho have burned over the last five years, on average more than 2.5 times that which had burned in the first five years after 2000. To think that we are considering more wilderness in Idaho, land that will assuredly never be managed, is beyond comprehension. It is time to come to our senses and put a stop to this.

Bonner County needs to defeat the proposed Scotchman Peaks wilderness on May 15 and send a message to Sen. Risch that more wilderness is the last thing Idaho needs. What we really need is the federal government to actively manage the forests entrusted to them!

Please join me on May 15 and vote NO

Dear Editor, After speaking to and reading about the candidates for Bonner County Assessor, Engelhardt is the clear choice. He is thoughtful, listens and understands our frustrations with the assessor’s office.

He understands the roll of the Assessor is that of an administrator as opposed to an appraiser. Engelhardt’s management and administrative experience far exceeds that of the other candidates and his advanced education is relevant to the responsibilities of the assessor. When it comes to the assessor’s office, the employees and the public they serve need a new start and that will come with the election of Dennis Engelhardt on May 15.

Russell Schenck Clark Fork

Regarding S.P.O.R.T.S...

Dear Editor, My comments are regarding Lawrence Fury’s statement that people with police and military pensions are “on the public dole” (re S.P.O.R.T.). Perhaps he would be less offended if he changed his view of these pensions to deferred compensation for those who spent their lives doing a job most people are not willing to do. Law enforcement and military personnel have high suicide and divorce rates due to constant stress, years of being deployed overseas, family separation, forced moves every few years to places around the globe that are not quite as nice as Sandpoint, and pay much lower than a career in the private sector. There is simply no comparison between these type of hard-earned pensions and unearned public welfare.

Fortunately, most Americans value this service and don’t begrudge those blessed enough to have survived these careers our pensions.

Brent Bidus, USAF Retired Sandpoint

Art and Lu Ann Fouts Sagle

Vote For Englehardt...

Dear Editor: I will be voting for Dennis Engelhardt for Bonner County assessor on May 15.

After reviewing campaign material from the three Republican candidates, and attending one of the Farm Bureau candidate forums, I am convinced that Dennis is the clear choice for this important public office.

Dennis has managed hundreds of county employees and handled multi-million dollar budgets for decades.

The culture of our current assessor’s office can only be changed by electing a competent manager from the outside. A manager who is not biased. A manager who will be fair and honest with the employees of the office, as well as the property owners of Bonner County.

The only candidate who possesses the skills and attitude to accomplish this change is Dennis Engelhardt.

Please join me in voting for Dennis on May 15th.

Sincerely, Tracy Keith Sagle

McDonald Keeps Promises...

Dear Editor, Politicians making empty promises of which they can never deliver are a dime a dozen. And it describes Dan McDonald’s Republican primary opponent.

The smelter is a hot topic in all of Bonner County. All the facts surrounding the project are not yet available, but Carol Kunzeman has raised her hand in opposition regardless. She hasn’t waited for pertinent information on which to make an informed decision, but rather has promised her potential constituents that she’ll stop it in its tracks. The problem is: the project is in an adjoining state. So promising to affect the outcome of a decision that will be made

by Washington rings hollow. Would she make decisions as commissioner without all the relative facts?

She’s also promising to pave roads in Bonner County. And while, heck, ev-

eryone wants decent roads, particularly those of us whose path home is dirt or gravel, a candidate for county office must understand that making promises like “more paved roads” comes with a price: namely, hefty tax increases for you and me. Again, it’s an empty promise that feels good, but won’t come to fruition, at least not without significant financial pain to all of us.

If you want a candidate who’s kept his realistic campaign promises — reducing expenditures while preserving services, accessibility, and respect for the taxpayer — your candidate is already holding office. Please vote for Dan McDonald on May 15.

Sandra Rutherford Sandpoint

Weissman is Democrat of Choice...

Dear Editor, Two registered Democrats are running for Idaho State Representative Seat A. Bonner County Democrats have guiding principles that they believe in and work for. These include, but are not limited to, the belief that Idaho has a responsibility to educate all students for success, that the role of government is to create and support conditions that allows all people the opportunity to succeed, and that there is a natural resources policy that provides recreational and economic opportunities while protecting this legacy for future generations.

Ellen Weissman is an educator and senior citizen advocate who understands and supports the Guiding Principles of the Bonner County Democrats and is the clear choice for State Representative.

Bob Vickaryous holds beliefs very different from those of Democrats. He is a Democrat in name only.

Ken Meyers Sandpoint

Vote Kunzeman, Woodward, Boeck...

Dear Editor, The primary election is approaching on May 15, when our elected officials are most often chosen. Idaho is a predominantly Republican state. The contested races tend to be in the Republican primary. The winner of the primary usually goes on to win the general election in the fall. For that reason, it’s important that everyone vote in the primary election if you care about good government.

If you are an unaffiliated voter (not registered with either party), you can request the Republican ballot at the Primary Election. (Most Democratic races are uncontested — so the races that matter are on the Republican ballot.)

What races matter? All of them.

But we are in desperate need of elected officials who listen to the concerns and needs of all citizens. We need respectful and thoughtful leadership now more than ever that protects and enhances North Idaho’s economy, health, education and quality of life.

These capable candidates will lead

with integrity: Carol Kunzeman, former Ponderay Mayor who is running for Bonner County Commissioner in District 3; Jim Woodward who is running for Idaho State Senate, District 1; and Mike Boeck, running for the state House of Representatives, District 1A. Please support these candidates in the May 15 primary election.

Jacinda Bokowy Sandpoint

No on Scotchmans...

Dear Editor, May 15 could be our last chance to save the Scotchman Peaks area from being permanently locked up into Federally restricted wilderness. This would prevent future generations from having any say in the management as conditions change. This wilderness movement is being led by and funded by some out of state and late arrival misguided environmentalists. They selfishly want to make this their private playground, effectively locking out the rest of us.

Led by the Wilderness Society in Washington D.C., over 9 percent of the total land in Idaho, 4.8 million acres, is already Federally designated wilderness.

And they want more. Fires in wilderness areas are very difficult to fight and often get out of control, with disastrous results. Streams and lakes get polluted by the runoff. Countless homes and many lives have been lost.

This land belongs to all of us and we need to protect our rights. To preserve traditional North Idaho values, please join me in voting AGAINST this proposal on May 15. Our children and grandchildren will thank us.

Dave Reynolds Hope

Vote Englehardt for Assessor...

Dear Editor, It isn’t very often that a person of Dennis Engelhardt’s caliber is willing to step into public office. Dennis has committed his adult life to his fellow citizens, beginning with the US Marine Corps followed by a long and rewarding career in law enforcement.

He was the administrator of large operations and in charge of over 200 employees and developed and implemented multi-million dollar public budgets.

Dennis is ethical, honest and dedicated to serving the public. He is educated and has a wealth of leadership experience in county government.

We will be well served with Engelhardt as our Assessor, he is the right person to be Bonner County Assessor.

Vote Engelhardt on May 15.

Sincerely, Lesley S. Roberts Sagle

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Brad Little For Lt. Gov...

Dear Editor: In this upcoming election, there is only one clear choice for the next Governor of Idaho. Brad Little is far and away the most qualified candidate in this race and will provide the leadership Idaho needs moving forward. As a rancher and businessman, Brad understands the proper role of government to allow for economic opportunity and prosperity.

He has taken his background in private industry into government to ensure good, strong conservative leadership for the state. As a senator and lieutenant governor, he is the only candidate with both legislative and business experience, which will be key in assuring success as Idaho’s chief executive.

Brad Little is the only candidate to release specific, tangible education initiatives that will benefit Idaho. Brad will ensure Idaho maintains its responsibility to public education by promoting more access to career technical education, increasing dual credit opportunities, raising teacher pay, and ensuring all kids are reading proficiently by the end of third grade. Brad Little is serious about improving education in Idaho, and that is exactly the mindset we need from our next governor.

We all served in the Idaho Senate with Brad Little and respect his ability to make government work efficiently for the citizens of Idaho. Brad knows the state of Idaho, from north to south and east to west. We applaud Brad’s dedication and work developing Idaho’s economy as lieutenant governor and strongly support his commitment to create job opportunities and a quality of life that keeps Idahoans in Idaho!

Please join us in voting Brad Little on May 15.

Sen. Shawn Keough Sen. John Goedde Sen. Jim Hammond Sen. & Lt. Gov. Jack Riggs, MD

Vote in Favor of Wilderness...

Dear Editor, Impressed by magnificent mountains, forests and waterways, we moved to Bonner County in 2004. Having lived all across the country, we were drawn here by the abundant public lands.

We read in the Daily Bee about Forest Service public planning meetings which had been going on for a year. We attended regularly, learning that the Forest Service is required by law, rules and regulations to make recommendations on areas to manage as proposed wilderness in a way that does not degrade their wilderness character.

We also learned from fellow citizens.

From John Finney and Mark and Matt Linscott we were introduced to concerns of folks who valued motorized access in parts of the forest. The concepts that guide multiple use managements, which include areas for wilderness as well as for timber harvest and motorized recreation, became clear to us 8 /

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from both Forest Service employees and other citizens.

We learned that a small spot on the map, yet a huge presence for Bonner County, was recommended for wilderness designation. This small spot, Scotchman Peaks, is less than half of one per cent of the over 2.5 million acre forest. It looms high over our towns and rural areas, providing the stunning backdrop to Lake Pend Oreille.

Attending those open public meetings for two years was a very enriching experience, and we remember agreeing that the planning process was truly “democracy in action.” Please join us to vote in Favor of the Scotchman Peaks on May 15.

Irv and Carol Jenkins Sagle

Idaho Gives...

Dear Editor, Idaho’s largest day of online giving – is coming up on May 3. With so many nonprofits doing so much great work in our area it can be tough for donors to decide where their dollars are most needed and will do the most good.

When I was younger and had more free time than funds I tried to volunteer whenever I could to make a difference in that way. As the years passed and I heard more and more stories about big business “nonprofits” I became more focused on making sure I knew where and how my dollars were being spent.

Now I find myself working in the world of nonprofits at Community Cancer Services in Sandpoint. I’m trying to stretch each dollar that comes in the door as far as I can, get as much done in as little paid time as I can, and wondering how best to connect to a new generation of donors online.

As a cancer survivor myself I truly understand what our clients are going through. Being able to lighten the burden of worrying about how they are going to pay for gas to get to treatment is one small but amazing thing we can do to support them. Often times the most important interaction I have with a client is to say that I’ve been through what they are going through.

Idaho Gives can be a great platform for nonprofits like ours to raise funds, and we’ve had success with it in past years. This year we are teaming up with a group of other area nonprofits to try to get the word out a bit louder. We’ll be at Evans Brothers Coffee from 8-10 a.m. and Idaho Pour Authority from 4-8 p.m. on Thursday, May 3.

These events will be an opportunity for individuals to meet people from local nonprofits and/or pick up some literature about them so donors can make more informed choices about where they direct their dollars. There will also be some prizes and give away items as well as awesome coffee or beer depending on which venue you visit.

I encourage everyone to visit IdahoGives.org on May 3 and learn more

about the organizations doing amazing work in our community. Bonner County nonprofits raised over $13,000 last year through Idaho Gives, and I know we can do even better this year!

Sincerely, Cindy Marx Sandpoint

Consider the Future of Public Lands...

Dear Editor, The ballot for the upcoming May 15 primary election will include an Scotchman Peaks Wilderness “advisory” question, as follows: “Do you favor Senator Jim Risch’s proposal for congressional designation of a 13,960-acre Scotchman Peaks Wilderness Area in Bonner County.” Although non-binding, the results potentially have a significant impact on the chances for legislation.

Bonner County voters now have a very important opportunity to demonstrate the strong and diverse support the Scotchmans have earned over the decades. Regardless of political affiliation, all residents of Bonner County can, and should, vote on this measure.

While the Wilderness Act does limit certain types of activities in designated areas, we are fortunate in North Idaho to have vast acreages of public lands open to a variety of uses in some of the most beautiful landscapes in the country.

Wilderness designation of the Scotchman Peaks area would not eliminate opportunities for traditional uses of public lands in the region and would set aside a small piece of our public lands to be preserved in a relatively pristine state.

As an avid mountain biker, bicycle shop owner and board member of the local bike club, the Pend Oreille Pedalers, much of my life is devoted to riding in beautiful, wild places and helping ensure that opportunities to ride in these areas are maintained. Some of my most memorable mountain bike rides have been in the wild and rugged backcountry of North Idaho. We are fortunate to have abundant areas of public land in north Idaho for mountain biking and other activities, and where the mountain biking community can develop and maintain cycling opportunities. There is enough room on the landscape for both backcountry mountain bike riding and for protecting certain special places as Wilderness — the Scotchman Peaks Area is one those places.

So, I urge voters to vote in the May 15 primary and pay special attention to the Scotchman Peaks Advisory question at the end of the ballot. I plan to vote in favor, and I hope others will carefully consider the future of our public lands when they cast their votes.

Charles Mortensen Sandpoint

Vote for Richard Miller...

Dear Editor I would like to express my support for Richard Miller as the next Bonner County assessor. Richard is a valued

member of our community. He is well known for his self-starting, problem-solving work ethic. He holds a master’s degree and is greatly esteemed by his peers and customers alike.

Contrary to the notion that is circulating on the airways, you do need to know the subject matter in order to properly manage the assessor’s office, and Richard does know his subject matter.

Bonner County has made a department head out of someone who had no experience in the field he is managing.

Let’s not make the same mistake in the assessor’s office. Vote Richard Miller on May 15.

Thank you!

Sheriff Daryl Wheeler Hope

Idaho Gives...

Dear editor, Steve Lockwood, candidate for the Bonner County Board of Commissioners, is a strong believer in transparency and doesn’t think our current elected county officials are practicing it today.

“Today’s county commission is making decisions privately, before public meetings, and not making it easy for voters to follow their actions,” says Lockwood, who is running in the Democratic primary election for District 3.

A 19-year resident of Bonner County, Steve has the background and experience needed for this important job. After retiring as an operations manager for AT&T, he was elected to Sandpoint’s City Council, chaired Sandpoint’s Planning and Zoning Commission and is currently on its Urban Renewal Board. He also served on the Lake Pend Oreille School Board.

Lockwood cites the need to preserve the clean air, water and public lands that make our county special to live in and attractive for businesses and employees. He also stresses the need to promote moderately-priced housing and create strategies that attract jobs paying a living wage for a family.

Be sure to vote for Steve Lockwood in the primary May 15 and in the general election on Nov. 6.

Jim Ramsey Sandpoint

McDonald is the Best Choice...

Dear Editor, Boredom is not a reason to run for office. And neither is gender. But a willingness to serve your fellow citizens, dedication to the demands of the position and a commitment to excellence and honesty are. Also required is an unyielding understanding that “the best government is that which governs least.” In his first term in office, Dan McDonald has displayed all of these characteristics and then some.

As others have noted, in his first term Dan saved taxpayers millions of dollars without a reduction in services, fostered a positive work environment

between the commissioners and county employees and implemented a system of self-insurance that’s resulted in significant premium savings and an increased responsibility for risk-management among county employees. And just as importantly, Dan understands that the top-down, dictatorial approach to governing that his opponent proposes is toxic, and that his bottom-up approach that respects and carefully considers the needs of the governed first and foremost affords the best results.

Dan isn’t running out of a personal need to quell restlessness or on politically correct identity politics that have so polluted our nation. Just as with his first campaign, he’s running on efficiency, transparency and respect for the Bonner County taxpayers, whom he regards and reveres as his employers.

He’s kept his word and promises to continue those commitments in his second term. Please vote for Dan on May 15.

Jenn Carter Sandpoint

No to Donna Gow as Assessor...

Dear Editor, I listened to the KRFY radio broadcast on 4/25/18 with the three candidates for Assessor. All three were asked questions about themselves, the position and their goals.

One of the statements made by Donna Gow stood out from all the rest.

Her description of the Motor Vehicles division of the Assessors office was particularly offensive and speaks to her management style. Her comment about the Department of Motor Vehicles being “…poor, ugly step-sisters of the Assessors Office…” was in poor taste and uncalled for.

Management attitudes like this foment discord and animosity toward the county and open the door to lawsuits.

Do we, Bonner County taxpayers, want a manager like this?

Jim Hopkins Sagle

Englehardt is Best Choice...

Dear Editor, A vote for Dennis Engelhardt is a vote for fair assessments and experienced leadership.

Engelhardt’s ethical standards are above reproach. He is honest, with an unyielding commitment to doing what is right.

He listens to both sides of an issue and engages parties before making a decision.

Given Engelhardt’s experience with county budgets and managing large numbers of employees, he is the most qualified candidate to administer the Office of Bonner County Assessor.

May 15th vote Dennis Engelhardt for Bonner County Assessor. Sincerely, Michael Silsby Sagle

More letters to the editor on page 21.

ELECTION COVERAGE Bonner County Commissioner District 1

Profile of Glen Bailey

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff Editor’s Note: Glen Bailey is running as a Republican in the District 1 Bonner County Commissioner race, a position he currently holds.

Reader: Since being elected to the board of commissioners, what accomplishments are you proudest of?

Glen Bailey: As Bonner County and the Panhandle region has recovered from a severe economic depression and a lack of jobs, we’ve been challenged to update and restructure the pay and compensation plan for our county employees. I’m pleased with the way the board of commissioners has been able to work with our human resources department to bring our pay back in line with the job market and allowed us to keep our well-trained and experienced employees.

As county commissioner I’ve had the opportunity to serve on several boards and committees that provide great services and benefits for county residents. Working on the Panhandle Forest Collaborative I helped increase our forest harvest from 28,000 million board feet to 65,000 mbf, and we’re moving towards 123,000 mbf. We’re still far short of the 220,000 mbf we saw in the ‘80s, but each 1,000 mbf of log production generates 18 direct and indirect jobs for North Idaho, so our efforts have created or enhanced some 660 jobs in the Panhandle.

SR: What are some things you still want to accomplish?

GB: Unfortunately, the cost of quality healthcare for our employees and their dependents continues to rise.

I want to ensure they have the best healthcare available at a reasonable insurance premium cost. We are having our insurance broker research and provide us with the best option that can be put into place for FY 2019.

We are also working to build EMS facilities on Kootenai Cutoff road and across from the county administration building on S. Division Avenue that would provide faster ambulance service to Ponderay, Colburn-Culver and the Dover-Laclede areas of Bonner County.

SR: Between you and your opponent, what would you say are the biggest differences?

GB: I have proven my executive management and leadership skills and experience as a Bonner County commissioner for over five years now and I also had great experience as a military squadron commander for 3.5 years and a detachment commander for three years.

SR: In your mind, what are the most important roles of county government?

GB: The primary role of county government is to provide for the safety, health and welfare of county residents.

That’s why we fund and support our Bonner County Sheriff’s Office and our well-trained paramedics and EMTs staffing ambulances in our Emergency Medical Services department. We also provide essential county road infrastructure to provide means for county residents to travel to work and schools. This is for their personal “welfare” that is defined as a state of doing well in respect to happiness, well-being and prosperity.

SR: Getting into specific issues, what are your thoughts on the restructuring of the planning department and process a few years ago?

Those were changes that concerned some residents.

GB: I believe that the restructuring and new leadership in our planning department has been a breath of fresh air. We’ve been able to simplify and update our land management plans and regulations. We’ve made it easier and less costly to divide your property. This has helped our residents pass property to family members in a more cost-effective manner. We’ve also been able to reduce the fees for building location permits One of our biggest planning projects is to update the County Comprehensive Plan and create sub-area plans throughout the county. We started in Sagle and Selle Valley and now in Blanchard. These projects invite the local residents to be directly involved in the planning for future growth and the potential need for zoning changes.

SR: Even though it’s not being built in Bonner County, do you have any thoughts on the Newport smelter and how it might impact the county?

GB: I think most of us agree that we live in one of the most beautiful areas in the Northwest. We enjoy the ability to breath fresh air, swim in clean, unpolluted blue waters and hike or ski on the mountains around us. We want to keep these natural resources as unsullied and well managed as possible. Numerous people have encouraged us to “vote against the smelter.” The fact is that as a Bonner County Commissioner I have no vote on whether the state of Washington approves or denies the permits that HiTest Silicon is pursuing. I have been concerned enough to conduct my own research and I continue to follow the permitting process and the litigation brought by its opponents. I think it’s critical that all of us carefully research this smelter proposal and that we differentiate fact from fiction before we decide to support or oppose it.

SR: What about the second rail bridge? Are you for or against that project?

GB: I do support a second rail bridge to relieve the single bridge choke point that’s creating congestion and causing trains to stop and wait their turn to cross our bridge.

The new line would result in shorter wait times on nearby roads and streets that cross BNSF tracks. Because railroads have become the most efficient means of moving freight by land, we often forget that a good portion of the commodities carried by rail might otherwise be shipped on our highways. I can’t imagine how many semi-trucks would have to cross the Long Bridge if BNSF doesn’t find a way to increase its rail capacity.

SR: The Scotchman Peaks Wilderness proposal is certainly a major issue this primary election.

What are your thoughts on it?

GB: During the last two years the issue of whether the people of Bonner County support Scotchman Peaks becoming a federal wilderness has generated a lot of discussion and arguments both for and against.

I applaud this discussion and encourage people to research the good and the bad of having a “wilderness” just north of Clark Fork. A year ago the Clark Fork City Council was unanimous in their vote against a wilderness next to their community.

I respect their decision, and it has caused me to reflect on why I should or should not continue to support Scotchman Peaks as wilderness.

To better understand the public’s attitude on Scotchman Peaks the commissioners have authorized an “advisory vote” ballot for the May 15 primary election.

The advisory vote will state: “Do you favor Senator Jim Risch’s proposal for congressional designation of a 13,960 acre Scotchman Peaks Wilderness Area in Bonner County?”

SR: What would you say are your greatest strengths that benefit your work as commissioner?

GB: During my military experience commanding both an Air Refueling Squadron and an Air Force Office of Special Investigations Detachment I was successful because I based my decisions on the most current and accurate intelligence: facts and not speculation or assumptions. That pattern of decision making continues to be my greatest strength. I listen carefully to the subject matter experts, ask questions to clarify the issues and determine the facts then I make my decision based on those facts.

SR: Is there any specific message you want to send to voters prior to the election?

GB: I have the knowledge, experience and proven integrity of 5

years’ public service as your county commissioner. I ask for your vote again on May 15.

Editor’s Note: This concludes the election profile series. Find this and every election profile on SandpointReader.com and click on “Special Features” tab.

Glen Bailey

AT A GLANCE AGE: 62 BIRTHPLACE AND RESIDENCE: Born in Ocala.

Fla. GOVERNMENT SERVICE: 22 years of service USAF, retirement in 2002 as a Lt. Col. Worked as civilian contractor for Montana Air National Guard 2003-2008. Hired as Bonner County court bailiff in Aug 2008. Bonner County Commissioner District 1 from March 2013 to present PROFESSION: Bonner County Commissioner EDUCATION: BS History Utah State University, MS Business Systems Management University Southern California. Air Command and Staff graduate USAF FAMILY: Married to Cheryl Bailey (Willford) who was born and raised in Cocolalla. We have six children and 15 grandkids.

FUN FACT: I enjoy helping wife breed, raise and train sport horses, and I like to hunt and fish when time allows.

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COMMUNITY

Aerospace students host open house Bouquets: • A bouquet goes out to Luke Mayville and the whole crew at Reclaim Idaho, who achieved their goal to put Medicaid expansion on the ballot in 2018.

Reclaim Idaho was able to gather over 60,000 signatures from all across the state, proving that this issue does indeed have widespread support.

• Here’s a self-serving bouquet for my awesome editorial staff.

We attended the Idaho Press Club Awards Banquet last weekend, which is basically a giant room full of salty journalists talking shop and drinking booze. Or, as former Reader owner and editor Zach Hagadone calls it, “nerd prom.”

This year, editor Cameron Rasmusson received a secondplace award in the category “religion reporting” for his story “The role of religion in the American Redoubt.” Staff writer Lyndsie Kiebert received a second-place award for her work in the Univ. of Idaho publication “Blot” for her story “Toeing Life’s Line.”

Finally, publisher Ben Olson received a first-place award in the “serious feature” category for his story “From Ruby Ridge to Redoubt: The politics of North Idaho.” Nice job, team!

Barbs • It might just be me, but I’ve noticed car alarms going off in Sandpoint more often this year.

In fact, one is currently going off on Cedar St. while I write this now, and has been for the past 10 minutes. Car alarms are annoying, ineffective and contribute so much noise pollution to our otherwise peaceful city. Think about it, how many times did you come running to the aid of someone whose car alarm was going off?

Never? Same here. There could be a guy actively breaking into a car with the alarm going off and passersby would just think he was just trying to get his keys out of a locked car. Bottom line: Don’t be a douche. Turn off your car alarm in Sandpoint.

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By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff The skill of piloting is paving career paths for Bonner County students thanks to the High School Aerospace Program.

Now the public has a chance to see student progress for themselves, as well as participate in aviation skill-building exercises for themselves. On Saturday, May 5, from 11 a.m.-2 p.m., the public is invited to Sandpoint Airport Hangar 1817 for an open-house demonstration of all the progress students have made in aviation. And starting 9 a.m., students can meet aviators and aviation business professionals.

Attendees will be able to check out the Zodiac aircraft students built themselves, as

well as the Taylorcraft airplane they are working on now. They can also see whether they have any budding pilot skills of their own, as the flight simulator that students use will be set up and ready for visitors to use. All in all, the day will be an excellent opportunity to view aircraft on display, observe the aircraft building process, meet Sandpoint pilots and aviation business leaders and grab some free food.

For younger students interested in aviation, there’s also no better opportunity to learn about joining the program.

The High School Aerospace Program has been invaluable for students seeking to kickstart their careers in aviation. It has allowed them to build up flight training hours at a significantly

The Zodiac airplane built by local students takes off for a test flight. Courtesy photo. reduced cost compared to traditional flight school, while other students learn the nuts and bolts of aircraft construction, maintenance and repair, opening up a

separate branch of careers.

To learn more about the open house or program details, email ken@imaxmail.net.

Schweitzer passholders donate to Bonner Community Food Bank

By Reader Staff Schweitzer Mountain Resort donated over $5,000 to the Bonner Community Food Bank last week. The donation came as Schweitzer Mountain a result of the silent auction held Resort President during the Schweitzer Passholder and CEO Tom Chasse Appreciation Party on April 14. presents a check to Schweitzer President and CEO the Bonner Community Food Bank for Tom Chasse presented the check $5,101 last Friday. in person to the food bank last From left to right: Friday.

Steve Temple, Tom “The food bank helps out so Chasse, Debbie Love many people in our community, and Judy Thompson.

Courtesy photo. including our own Schweitzer friends and families,” said Candidates’ Forum Chasse. “Our 2018 primary election passholders really went the Tuesday, May 8, 2018 distance with 5:30 p.m. their bids knowing that all the Sandpoint High School money raised Auditorium went to such a good cause.

Can’t thank them enough for their generosity.”

Elect Stephen F. Howlee Idaho State Representaave District 1 Seat B Stephen Supports: • Agriculture.

• Property Tax Reduccon.

• Economy that works for Idaho.

• Access to Healthcare.

• Invessng in Educaaon.

• Mullple use of Public Lands.

Paid for by Howlett for the House

Vote November 6, 2018 for Stephen F. Howlee District 1 Seat B ssowleeoridahodistrict1b.com

ELECTION COVERAGE Bonner County Assessor

We asked the three candidates running for Bonner County Assessor a few questions: 1.) What, in your view, are the most important responsibilities of the county assessor?

4.) What should be the priorities of the office moving forward?

Republican DENNIS ENGLEHARDT

1. Well if you are referring to Idaho state statutes, the most important County Assessors operational responsibility are: First, conduct valuations of taxable properties within their county following Idaho statutes and rules. Second, as an agent of the Department of Transportation, to title and register vehicles and collect related fees and taxes. It is also in this capacity that the assessor assists with the sale and registration of boats and other recreational vehicles on behave of the State Parks and Recreation Department.

However, if you are referring to day-to-day activities, then the most important responsibilities of the county assessor are those of an administrator, establishing and executing policies, budget development and management, development and AGE: 66 maintenance of BIRTHPLACE AND RESIDENCE: Milwaukee, Wis., -Sagle healthy employGOVERNMENT SERVICE: United States Marine Corps, 30 years law enforcement, ee relations. It is Bonner County Waste Management Advisory Board, Sagle Fire District Board of also the assesCommissioners sor’s responsibility to promote an PROFESSION: Law enforcement, retired open and trusting EDUCATION: Associate degree in criminal justice; bachelor degree in vocation relationship education, training and development; multiple supervisory, management, with the public, admin and budget-related certifications; negotiations and critical incident local government management certifications. and members FAMILY: Wife Dana, six children, and 12 grandchildren. of the business FUN FACT: For actions taken while deployed in Vietnam, Dennis was awarded the community.

Navy Achievement Medal with combat “V” for leadership of his Marine squad which, When conflict while on patrol, discovered and destroyed a six-story enemy bunker. arises, it is the responsibility of Republican the assessor to use the law, facts present-

DONNA GOW

1. Of course one of the most important responsibilities is to ensure assessments are fair and equatable using Idaho State Code, State Tax Commission rules, and the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice guidelines. Also, since a lot of different agencies, such as Realtors, title companies and insurance companies depend on information from the assessor’s office, it is important to have the most accurate information.

Know how to work with lawmakers, and professionals in the field. It is also essential to hire the right person for a position whether it be in the apAGE: 66 praisal division or BIRTHPLACE AND RESIDENCE: Born in Redlands, Calif. Resided in Hope the department of since 1980 motor vehicles division. Turnover PROFESSION: My profession is currently lead commercial, industrial of employees cost appraiser for Bonner County Assessor’s Office money.

EDUCATION: I am a high school graduate and have taken many classes through junior college. I have over 500 hours appraisal education.

2. Unlike FAMILY: I have been married to my husband, George, for 44 years. We my opponents, I have two grown, married sons and four grandsons have a working FUN FACT: My husband and I like to camp in our RV with our little dog, knowledge of the and I love history

2.) What are your qualifications for the job?

3.) What motivated you to get into the race?

5.) Is there any specific message you want to send to voters prior to the election?

ed by all parties and common sense to mediate and resolve the matter. Without experienced administrative leadership, operational responsibilities suffer and county liability increases.

2. Happy to share, but a statement of qualifications is only helpful if there is an understanding of what skill sets the job requires. In the course of campaigning, I realized there is a perception that the terms appraiser and assessor are synonymous when in fact there are not.

An appraiser collects and records data to help comply with one of the areas for which the assessor has overall administrative and operational authority and responsibility. Regarding the comprehensive skill set required, the two jobs are so unrelated that Idaho State statute exempts County Assessors from certification as appraisers.

Now to answer your question. The assessor is the administrative head of a county department. I have decades of management and administrative experience at the county government level dealing with budgets, personnel matters and contract and labor relation negotiations. I have a bachelor degree in vocational training and development which allows me to step into an organization, identify and analyze employee tasks to ensure they comply with law and agency policy, and if not develop the needed changes and training to bring them into compliance. I have real world experience managing a budget of $23 million and leading a staff of over

mechanics of the assessor’s office. I have 27 years experience in the assessor’s office, over 500 hours of appraisal education, and I have appraised residential, mobile and manufactured homes, condos, commercial and industrial properties. Having served under five different assessors, I have learned what type of management style works in the assessor’s office and what does not. I also know some of what is involved with the DMV. This gives me the advantage of training, guiding and mentoring the assessment staff without relying on others, as is the current situation in the assessor’s office. Because of this background, from day one I will be involved in the day to day operations of the office, (not necessarily out in the field) and not be a bureaucrat sitting behind a desk all day.

3. I have seen and heard the concerns of residential property owners regarding their treatment by management and the effect of existing policies on the value of their property. I have

260. As an experienced manager, I will ensure the employees of the office are doing things right, as an experienced leader, answerable to the communities of Bonner County, I will ensure they are doing the right thing.

3. I view the office of assessor as more of an administrator’s job than a partisan political position, one who is obligated to ensure equitable service to everyone. Being aware that, due to a combination of unfortunate circumstances and challenges not uncommon to an agency of its size, the office was having problems, and I thought the kind of support I have to offer could be of benefit. In discussing the prospect with friends and acquaintances, I became aware of the perception that the assessor’s office did not have much regard for the concerns and issues of property owners. Real estate and other business professionals expressed similar feelings.

Whatever the reason, it was clear there was a disconnect between the office and the public they serve. So I, as you say, got into the race.

4. There is a division within the office and a great deal of apprehension about the future. As assessor one of my priorities will be to bring a sense of unity of purpose to office personnel.

Policies and procedures need to be revised or establish that standardize effective operations based on statute and the real world collective experiences of current employees. (Prelude to a fiveyear business plan.)

also witnessed the frustration of the staff knowing things are not being done properly and either being dismissed or ignored by the management.

I have wanted to run for the assessor’s position for several years, but was unable to due to Bonner County policy. Some of the existing policies in the assessor’s office are detrimental to the public and employees. I know what policies need to be changed.

4. The most important priority is communication. I already have an open-door and open-ear policy and will extend this policy through the office. I may not always agree with your opinion, but I will always listen.

Second is to change the existing improper policies currently utilized in the assessor’s office. With these changes, property owners can feel more confident that assessments are fair and equatable.

5. Experience and knowledge are important for any job. I am sure that neither one of my opponents would

A culture of public service needs to be promoted in the office, and we need to change the public’s perception by actively engaging the general public, business community and taxing district authorities, with informative and constructive dialogue. This can be done through personal contact, forums, media and a much-improved website enhancing the knowledge and image of the assessor office.

5. Voters will hear a lot about the experience of assessor candidates in this race: 27 years as an appraiser, 40 years experience as a developer in the Los Angels area and Bonner County.

Experience is a good thing to have, but it’s great when it is relative to the job at hand. In the case of county assessor, that means leadership experience. I had my first experience at 15 when my dad would leave me to supervise construction workers doing site prep. At 18 I was leading a squad of combat Marines in the mountain jungles of Vietnam and more than 20 years of the 30-year career in law enforcement were in leadership positions. Leaders translate intention into reality while focusing on vision, mission, and values. The office of assessor is too important to be used for on-the-job leadership training; I have the experience and education to bring leadership to the assessor’s office on day one.

Please vote Dennis Engelhardt for Bonner County Assessor on May 15.

hire a supervisor without experience in that field. Bonner County voters have always been smart enough to elect a sheriff with a law enforcement background, and I am confident that the voters will elect an assessor with an appraisal background.

If given the opportunity, intelligent people learn from others knowledge and experience, and the current assessor’s office is full of intelligent people. I will give these people the opportunity to learn from my knowledge and experience.

Please check page 13 for Richard Miller’s candidate profile.

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about

Brought to you by:

Agriculture

By Brenden Bobby Reader Columnist

domestic geese

It’s that time of year again!

Raise your hands if you saw an adorable gosling at the feed store and just had to have it.

Fast forward a few weeks, you have a loud, obnoxious dinosaur that won’t fit anywhere but your tub.

Speaking from personal experience, I’ve got some news for you: They aren’t getting any smaller.

There are reasons we domesticated geese, and they can prove to be a useful pet and companion for decades to come. Oh yeah, buddy. You’re in it for the long haul.

Domesticated geese come in a number of varieties, from the Grey Toulouse to the White Chinese and the African. These are the most common you’ll see around here, but specialized breeders can sell you a Buff Goose, which gets its name from its buff color and not its killer biceps, or the Sebastopol, which looks like an accessory from a Katy Perry concert.

Before I go any further, if you got a goose and you’re living in town, you’re going to want to find it a good home somewhere else. Geese are NOT town pets. They’re loud, they’re protective and they live up to 30 years. If you don’t live in town and this is your first experience with geese, then this article is right up your alley!

Raising geese is a lot like raising ducks for the first few weeks. They’re loud, they’re filthy and they need a lot of water that they end up splashing

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all over everything. They might stink, but it’s very important to socialize with them during this time. Geese are a lot smarter than ducks, and they have rigid social interactions and hierarchies. If you don’t pick up on these cues early on, you won’t be a part of the flock, and you’ll likely end up on the wrong side of a goose’s bill.

Gently wrap your gosling up in a towel to keep it warm, and sit very still with it while you’re watching TV or something that doesn’t require a lot of movement. They’ll poop all over the towel and probably try and climb all over you, but it will help you bond. Be sure to bribe it with treats while you do this. Leafy greens work best, as their diet is mostly grass and other greens.

You may notice after a while whenever you approach your gosling, it will extend its neck and make noise at you. It almost appears to be bowing. This is a greeting, and they find it very rude if you don’t respond. Some people say you’re supposed to mimic their action, but I’ve found just repeating a familiar tone or phrase or offering treats is usually good enough.

Geese use a lot of body language to communicate, as well as verbal cues. The head bowing is a greeting. If you see a goose flap its wings and wiggle its butt, be a little cautious.

This is dominant behavior.

The goose is saying: “I’m the boss!” If you see it lower its head and keep it lowered, be very cautious. If this is accompanied by a hiss, your goose is mad.

Most geese have a repu-

tation for being mean, but a more accurate descriptor is “protective.” They aren’t some overlord hellbent on wiping out half the universe with some shiny rocks — they’re just trying to protect themselves and their flock. If your goose shows signs of protective behavior, keep small children behind you. A goose bite sucks for an adult, but it can be traumatizing for a small child. This sort of behavior crops up during the spring, when the ganders (males) are protecting the hens (females) and their eggs or goslings. It’s normal behavior, but if you have other animals like ducks or chickens, you’ll want to do your best to house them separately during this phase.

If you bought a single goose a few weeks ago, consider purchasing one or two more.

They’re very social animals, and keeping them without other waterfowl can cause the goose to become depressed, aggressive or develop OCDlike behavior such as nonstop preening to the point that they’re pulling their own feathers out. When purchasing goslings with an age gap of two weeks or more, keep them separated if in a small space, but able to see and interact with one another. In smaller spaces, older goslings may accidentally trample smaller ones. In larger brooders, this isn’t as much of an issue.

So what are the perks of owning geese? First and foremost, they make great guard dogs. If something is amiss on your property, you’re going to know about it right away. Their

The Sebastolpol Goose. Photo courtesy of Creative Commons. large size and protective nature make them a deterrent for smaller predators like martens and some raccoons. They also lay pretty big eggs, but even heavy producers only give about 50 per hen per year. Geese are mostly raised for meat, as a single bird can weigh up to 25 pounds at the time of slaughter.

In my opinion, they’re also a load of fun to watch.

Most domestic geese are too heavy to fly, so they aren’t

leaving in winter. That means they need adequate protection from the elements: Four walls, a roof, and most importantly: no drafts.

If you want more detailed information, stop by the library sometime. We have a lot of poultry books (Storey’s “Guide to Raising Poultry” is one of my favorites) that can help you out. I’m also pretty crafty myself, so if you have questions, you know where to find me.

Random Corner ration? ig m rd bi t ou ab h uc m ow kn t Don’ We can help!

• At least 4,000 species of bird are regular migrants, which is about 40 percent of the total number of birds in the world. This percentage will undoubtedly likely increase as more is learned about birds in tropical regions.

• Birds can reach great heights as they migrate. Bar-headed geese are the highest-flying migratory birds, regularly reaching altitudes of up to five and a half miles above sea level while flying over the Himalayas in India.

But the bird with the record for the highest altitude ever is the Ruppel’s griffon vulture, which collided with a plane at 37,000 feet (seven miles!) in 1975 and was unfortunately sucked into its jet engine.

• The Arctic tern has the longest migration of any bird in the world.

These black-capped, red-billed birds can fly more than 49,700 miles in a year, making a round trip between their breeding grounds in the Arctic and the Antarctic, where they spend their winters. Over its lifespan of more than 30 years, the flights can add up to the equivalent of three trips to the moon and back.

• Speaking of long distances, the northern wheatear travels up to 9,000 miles each way between the Arctic and Africa, giving it one of the largest ranges of any songbird. What makes this an amazing feat is that the tiny bird weighs less than an ounce, on average.

• To prepare for the extremely taxing effort of migration, birds enter a state called hyperphagia, where they bulk up on food in the preceding weeks to store fat, which they’ll later use for energy on their long journeys. Some birds, like the blackpoll warbler, almost double their body weight before flying 2,300 miles non-stop for 86 hours.

• The award for fastest bird goes to the great snipe: It flies around 4,200 miles at speeds of up to 60mph! No other animal travels at such speeds for such long distances.

ELECTION COVERAGE Bonner County Assessor

We asked the three candidates running for Bonner County Assessor a few questions: 1.) What, in your view, are the most important responsibilities of the county assessor?

4.) What should be the priorities of the office moving forward?

RICHARD MILLER

Republican

1.

• Accuracy of assessments valuations.

• Reviewing legislative actions that affect property owners, businesses, timber and agricultural valuations.

• A well-trained staff working together as a team with the assessor and updated software support are critical.

• Improve communications with property owners.

2.

• I offer over 40 years of administrative, finance, personnel training and team-building experience.

• I know how to budget and allocate limited resources from working with my customers throughout my career.

• I understand property values and have worked hands-on in many aspects of property management, development and construction which gives me a unique perspective in valuating

HOURS: 3pm to close Mon. through Sat.

LIVE MUSIC

SATURDAY, May 5 @ 8-10pm

Jake Ryan

2.) What are your qualifications for the job?

3.) What motivated you to get into the race?

5.) Is there any specific message you want to send to voters prior to the election?

and assessing all stages of building and the quality of the structures.

3. I am aware of how difficult it can be to make a living in Bonner County. Assessed valuations directly affect property owner’s budgets.

As your assessor, I will work hard to bring in accurate assessments and reduce costs for the county and homeowners.

I believe it is my time to give back to the community where I have lived, worked and raised my family for over 20 years.

4.

• Improving communications with property owners and business concerns.

• Keeping property owners updated on any pending legislation, regulation, or changes in codes that will affect their interests.

(208) 610-7359 111 Cedar St. (lower level)

5. The perception of some property owners in Bonner County is that they are not being heard. This needs to change now.

This assessment process needs to be equitable for all Bonner County property owners without regard to regional or economic bias. It will be my mission, as your assessor, to advocate for you with the utmost respect and equitability possible.

My core belief is government is to serve the people.

Voting is a privilege where we get to choose whom we believe will best represent us. This is a job interview, and I would like to encourage you to look at the qualifications needed for this position and vote for me May 15.

Editor’s Note: We are only featuring candidate profiles for those running in contested races. We’ll feature profiles again during the general election with primary winners.

(208) 265-5700 320 S. Ella Ave. www.IdahoVet.com

AGE: 65 BIRTHPLACE AND RESIDENCE: Born in Alton, Ill., lives in Sagle.

PROFESSION: Specialty building contractor and craftsman DBA Dr. Splinter’s Woodworks.

GOVERNMENT SERVICE: I have been filing and paying taxes since I was 15 years old.

EDUCATION: Master’s degree FAMILY: Married to Susan Arima for 25 years and have one daughter.

FUN FACT: Board member Life Choices Pregnancy Center. Board of Directors of Injectors Car Club.

Enjoys building hot rods from vintage trucks.

Not enough litter boxes in the house? here is your sign.

Coffee house and melodic pop Cinco de Mayo drink specials all night!

call north Idaho animal hospital We are open for business wed thru sun 4-9pm

Check out our Mothers Day Brunch Buffet for $17.95!!

View the menu at www.ChopWaterfrontBarAndGrill.com

Hours: 4pm to 9pm Weds. - Sunday • (208) 264-0443 • Hope, ID

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event

Open for dinner Wednesday – Sunday

Do You Need Your Carpets Cleaned?

We clean windows.

Professional quality, affordable prices

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The Third Annual Clothing Swap 5:30pm @ Cedar St. Bridge Swap, Sip, and Network with 7B Women. Clean out your closet and stock it with new finds! All proceeds benefit Priest River Ministries, Advocates for Women. Register at 7bwomen.com

Idaho Gives nonprofit day fundraiser 5-8pm @ Idaho Pour Authority Your chance to give to your favorite Idaho nonprofit. Complimentary appetizers Dollar Beers!

8pm @ Eichardt’s Pub

Mast 5:30p (111 C This believ eryon

Live Music w/ Brian Jacobs Live Music w/ Truck Mills band May the Four 5-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery 9pm @ 219 Lounge 5-7pm @ Idaho Acoustic rock and soul Truck and his 4-piece blues band!

With live musi Live Music w/ Harold’s IGA Live Music w/ Devon Wade na Thompson 8pm @ Eichardt’s Pub 6:30-9:30pm @ Indie rock originals and covers Live Music w/ Mike MickDuff’s Beer Hall Pints for a Cause First Fridays with Sandpoint 6-8pm @ Cedar St. 4pm @ 219 Lounge Mike Johnson, Denis country star Devon Wade Featured Silver City Brewery on tap Live Music w/ Zach Cooper Band 9pm @ 219 Lounge 5-piece prog blues/rock band Live Music w/ Justin Lantrip 5:30-7:30pm @ Idaho Pour Authority Soulful singer/songwriter Blues Night at the Beer Hall 6:30-9:30pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall Featuring Steve Rush, Kevin Dorin and Chris Paradise. Food by Edelwagen Live Music w/ Jake Ryan 8-10pm @ The Back Door Coffee house and melodic pop

FutureBirds in Concert 9pm @ The Hive Indie rock band from Athens, Ga. Known for thei high energy shows and country rock infused soun Live Music w/ Ethereal in E 6-8pm @ Cedar St. Bistro Wine Bar A unique experience, handpan player

Healing Garden cleanup day 10am-12pm @ Healing Garden (next to BGH) Pitch in and help clean the Healing Garden nex to Bonner General Health in this work day. Re freshments served. Please bring your own rake

Sandpoint Chess Club 9am @ Evans Brothers Coffee Meets every Sunday at 9am

Monday Night Blues Jam w/ Truck Mills 7:30pm @ Eichardt’s Pub

Lifetree Cafe • 2pm @ Jalepeño’s Mexican Restaurant An hour of conversation and stories. This week’s topic: “Doubts About God”

Primary Candidates’ Forum N 5:30-8pm @ Sandpoint High School Auditorium 9p A primary candidates’ forum hosted by Sandpoint Reader, SandpointOnline and KRFY Jo 88.5 FM. For legislative and county candidates, including advocates for the Scotch- ni man’s vote (both sides). All contested legislative candidates have confirmed. Free Wind Down Wednesday 5-8pm @ 219 Lounge With live music by blues man Truck Mills and bassist Drew Browne

Bridges Home CD Release Concert 6:30pm @ The Heartwood Center The Bridges Home trio plays this premier live performa their new CD. Guest artists include Bruce Bishop, Truc and Fiddlin’ Red Simpson. $5 donation at the door. Fir Cards Against Hu Trivia Takeover Live Open Mic w/ Kevin Dorin 6-8pm @ MickDu 5:30pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery 6-9pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall Come as a group Wine and beer specials, plus prizes!

Open to local artists over 21, all of each round win Dollar Beers! level of performers welcome.

Must be 21+ 8pm @ Eichardt’s Pub Food by Edelwagen Good until the keg’s dry

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May 3 - 10, 2018

Mastermind - Genius evening 5:30pm @ The Back Door (111 Cedar St. lower level) This is for Sandpoint business owners who believe that there is more than enough for everyone, that everyone gets to be prosperous

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

BGH Community Hospice Adult Grief Support Group 6pm @ Bonner General Health classroom Meet to share stories and feelings, and support one another in an understanding and caring environment. Group members frequently find solace and comfort in the recognition that there are others going through similar experiences.

Contact Lissa at (208) 265-1185 for an application

the Fourth be With You POAC Spring Artist m @ Idaho Pour Authority Member Exhibit live music by Mike and Shan5:30-7pm @ Power House Gallery hompson featuring artworks focused on the ic w/ Mike Johnson Jazz Trio many forms and interpretations of a “Structure.” All are welcome to this Cedar St. Bistro Wine Bar son, Denis Zwang and Nate Baker free event

wn for their used sound

t to BGH) arden next k day. Reown rake

urant pic:

Museum Free First Saturday 10am-2pm @ Bonner County History Museum Enjoy the museum free of charge at this monthly event sponsored by Hays Chevron in Clark Fork Reader Appreciation Concert 7:30pm @ Di Luna’s Cafe Di Luna’s Cafe hosts an appreciation concert for the Reader, with Browne Salmon Truck playing live. Proceeds benefit the Reader Aerospace students open house 11am-2pm @ Sandpoint Airport Fly their simulator, see the planes they built, meet area pilots, see airplane display. Free Hot Dogs at noon courtesy of Z·AERO

Thursday Night Solo Series 6-8pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall Featuring Jake Robin, a Sandpoint singer/songwriter with an acoustic easy going style Firkin Friday 5pm @ Laughing Dog Brewery Pints are $3 until the Firkin runs out

Sandpoint Farmers’ Market OPENING DAY 9am-1pm @ Farmin Park The Farmers’ Market is back! Shop for locally grown produce, shop artisan wares, and enjoy live music by Ben and Cadie at the pavilion Yoga on Tap 11am @ Laughing Dog Brewery One hour class that ends with the group having a beer together. $12 includes your first beer Cinco de Mayo Fundraiser 4:30-8:30pm @ Trinity at City Beach Proceeds benefit Kaniksu Land Trust’s Pine Street Woods and Angels Over Sandpoint. Live music, an auction, raffles, a taco bar, games

Candidates’ Forum 2018 primary election

Tuesday, May 8, 2018 @ 5:30 p.m.

Sandpoint High School Auditorium

The following candidates have confirmed they will appear: Jim woodward Danielle Ahrens Scott herndon

dan mcdonald carol kunzeman steve lockwood

heather scott mike boeck ellen weissman

dennis engelhardt donna gow richard miller

sage dixon stephen howlett

Also, we will have representatives on both sides of scotchmans issue: Phil hough stan myers

glen bailey steven bradshaw patricia wentworth

This is a moderated forum. Audience members are encouraged to write questions and submit them to individual candidates. This will also be live-streamed on SandpointOnline.com and KRFY 88.5 FM

Unplug, Be Outside, Be Active (May 8-10) Various - Sandpointidaho.gov for info Step away from the electronics, and join Sandpoint Parks and Recreation and many local clubs and organizations to get unplugged

Narrative Textiles from Idaho Newcomers 5:30-7:30pm @ First Luthern Church Night-Out Karaoke BCHRTF hosts presentation from artists from Iraq and Afghanistan. Part of “Story Quilt Project” 9pm @ 219 Lounge KRFY Join DJ Pat for a The Conversation Scotch- night of singing 6-8pm @ Ivano’s Ristorante ree “Techniques in Telling Your Story on Video” with Writer/Filmmaker John Maio. FREE! Canine Companions fundraiser 11am-9pm @ Baxter’s on Cedar performance of the songs from Baxter’s will donate a portion of all day’s sales hop, Truck Mills, Dennis Coats to Canine Companions, a service dog training e door. First come, first seated organization. Meet service animals there!

Against Humanity Tourney Sandpoint Farmers’ Market Bike to School Day @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall 3-5:30pm @ Farmin Park LPOSD encourages s a group or single. Winner Buy produce, listen to live mu- students to choose a round wins glory and prizes. sic, shop local artisan wares. It’s safe route to bike to 21+ all good at the Farmers’ Market school this day

May 11 Full Draw Film Tour @ Panida Theater May 12 Beatles Tribute concert @ Panida Theater May 12 Cyclofemme de Sandpoint @ Greasy Fingers Bikes n’ Repair

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OPEN 11:30 am

New menu items!

Come see what we have!

GAME ROOM UPSTAIRS

COMMUNITY

BGH Volunteer Council awards scholarship

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

By Reader Staff

Located on the Historic Cedar St. Bridge Sunday - Monday 7am - 5pm Tuesday - Saturday 7am - 9pm 208-265-4396 • www.cedarstbistro.com

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212 Cedar Street Downtown Sandpoint

208.263.4005 A SandPint Tradition Since 1994

The Bonner General Health Volunteer Council presented Cienna Roget with a $500 scholarship from the Education Fund.

Cienna is a senior at Sandpoint High School who is graduating this June and will attend Chapman University in Orange, Calif.

Margo Johnson, chairperson of the BGH Volunteer Council, presents Cienna Roget, center, with a $500 scholarship, with Kim Courser, BGH Retail & Volunteer Services Manager, right, looking on. Courtesy photo.

Cienna became a junior volunteer with the Volunteer Council in August of 2015 and has volunteered over 300 hours in the Bonner General Health Dietary department.

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COMMUNITY

Same market with a fresh twist:

The Sandpoint Farmers’ Market is back this weekend with new leadership and big plans

By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff There’s a delicate balance to strike when taking over a long-standing Sandpoint tradition.

Kelli Burt and Emma Stanford are well aware of that balance, so in taking over the Sandpoint Farmers’ Market, they said it’s all about keeping the market’s core values strong while kicking everything up a notch.

“We’re really enthusiastic about breathing new life into the market,” said Burt, the Market Manager.

Burt said the Sandpoint Farmers’ Market is a producer-based market, meaning the farmers and artisans have been with their products — whether they sell produce, jewelry, bread, etc. — from start to finish.

Burt said it’s important to the integrity of the market that vendors aren’t selling goods they didn’t produce.

“No one is opposed to change within the market, but we’re definitely keeping our core values of being producer based and keeping high-quality goods,” Burt said. “All of these farmers have been with their vegetables since the beginning. It’s really special to shake the hand of the people growing the food you buy.”

When it comes to breathing in “new life,” Burt said she and Stanford are focused largely on new live music and food vendors.

The idea, she said, is to make the market a one-stop-shop for produce, entertainment and a quick bite.

“We absolutely want the musicians who have been playing there for years and years, but we also want to incorporate new options because there are a lot of new bands in Sandpoint,” she said. “And vendor-wise, we want more food vendors. We want (the market) to be a place you can come with your family, sit down and eat.”

Stanford, the market’s Community Outreach Manager, said she’d encourage anyone who wants to be a vendor to apply.

As of now, 70 vendors are signed up for this season, but Burt said she anticipates 100 will participate at the height of summer.

Stanford said part of freshening up the market is getting new producers involved.

“We have lots of long-term goals, which is exciting,” Stanford said. “Not all of them will happen this market (season), but we’re looking forward and looking to grow with Sandpoint.”

The Sandpoint Farmers’ Market is every Wednesday and Saturday at Farmin Park starting May 5 and ending Oct. 13. Wednesday markets are 3-5:30 p.m. and Saturdays are 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

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incorporated. This Saturday, for instance, is a “Welcome to Spring” celebration. Sandpoint Waldorf School will host a May Pole starting at 9:30 a.m. and Ben Olson and Cadie Archer will provide the music. Other key dates are Customer Appreciation Day on June 9, the market’s 30th anniversary on July 14, Kid’s Day on Aug.18 and Taste of

Market on Sept. 8. For a full list of updated special events, as well as the vendor application, visit www.sandpointfarmersmarket. com “It’s a chance to sit down and see everyone in town,” Stanford said. “It’s a great way to get a taste of the community.”

Above. The Farmers’ Market in full swing around the town fountain. Right: Some local artisan wares for sale at the Farmers’ Market. Photos courtesy Sandpoint Farmers Market.

‘Unplug, Be Outside, Be Active’

By Reader Staff

Join Sandpoint Parks and Recreation and a host of local clubs and organizations to get unplugged from May 8-10.

The following programs are all free, fun and help promote outdoor activities during after school hours.

Tuesday, May 8: Tennis Clinic @ Sandpoint City Beach from 4-6 p.m. Meet at the tennis courts. Parental presence required for ages 10 and under. Ages 4-7: 4-4:30 p.m., ages 8-12: 4:30-5 p.m., ages 13-16: 5-5:30 p.m. Sponsored by Sandpoint Parks and Recreation.

Obstacle Course @ Lakeview Park at 4:30 p.m. Join Boy Scout Troop #111 at the jungle gym to test your skills.

Mountain Biking Skills @ U of I extension land from 6-7 p.m. Kids ages 8 and up join instructor Marty Andrews for an instructive skills class on mountain biking. Bring a bike and a helmet.

Wednesday, May 9: Challenge Course @ Sandpoint City Beach from 3-4 p.m. Sponsored by the Schweitzer Activity Center, test yourself on the slack line, jumpy balls, hula-hoops and more. The first 25 kids get a free Jr. Summer Lift Ticket from Schweitzer Mountain.

Ski Fitness Training @ Traver’s Park from 3-4 p.m. Sponsored by the Sandpoint Nordic Youth Ski Club, join ski coaches for ski specific strength, agility and fitness training for ages 8 through adults.

Meet near the jungle gym.

Arboretum Tour @ Lakeview Park at 3:30 p.m. This fun and educational tour is sponsored

by Kinnikinnick Native Plant Society. Open to all ages.

Ultimate Rugby @ Travers Field #2 from 5-6 p.m. Fifth grade and older can join the Sandpoint Rugby Club for a pickup game. No experience required - game will be played with flags and no contact.

Thursday, May 10: Nature Story and Scavenger Hunt @ Lakeview Park Picnic Shelter at 3:15 p.m. Sponsored by Sandpoint Library Youth Services.

Rhythmic Gymnastics @ Sandpoint Community Hall from 4:45-5:30 p.m. Participants age six and older can learn basic skills with ribbons, hoops, balls and rope, sponsored by Sandpoint P&R. Salsa and Swing @ Sandpoint Community Hall from 6-7 p.m. Instructors Chika Orton and Muffy Nye will help teach new skills and dances.

Ultimate Frisbee @ Great Northern Park from 6-7 p.m. Sponsored by Sandpoint P&R, this local pick-up game for ages 14 and older is a blast. Wear appropriate shoes (cleats are recommended but not required).

Youth Participant Prize Drawing: Each youth that collects event leader signatures on their passport by attending three or more events during the week is eligible for fun prizes. Participants receiving prizes will be notified by 5 p.m. May 16.

For more information, check out SandpointIdaho.gov/parksrecreation, or call (208) 263-3613.

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HEALTH

IN FINE FETTLE

Making room for kindness and naps as clean as that time we got talked into a 30-days-to-perfection I was running on a trail this challenge. We should weekend alongside a stranger be sleeping eight who said his name was Mike hours. Taking our and that he’d slid down that vitamins. Doing our slippery slope of not exercising breathing exercises. and then not eating right then And don’t leave out boozing more. It’s a seductive all the investment slide with which we’re all fain personal growth miliar. He couldn’t have been Ammi Midstokke with Freya the Brown Dog. either. And family that gluttonous - we were on time. And sex. And starting that garden. mile 25 of a 31 mile mountain run.

And recycling.

“I’m gonna get serious after this race It seems as though it may be unrealthough,” he was telling me. “Me too,” I istic to expect ourselves to be all things said as I inwardly told my right foot to all the time. By having this expectation, suck it up and stop cramping, we only we’re setting ourselves up for failure. had a couple more hours to go. “I’m Even worse than the failure is the anticgoing to be super duper kind to myself ipation of it. Spending most of our days for a change.” trying to narrowly escape self-flagellaTraining season, which sounds a lot tion does not appear to be particularly more serious than I actually take it, is healthy of body or spirit. a time of the year when I have some When I’m training hard for somepending commitment to run, ride, climb thing, it’s not really possible for me to or otherwise suffer for specific distance not eat cookies. There has to be some or periods of time. The commitment sort of balance to my mental suffering. adds a level of pressure to my life that is Sure, I’ve got to eat some steak and questionably healthy. salad to nourish my body, but it’s the pie I have to get up earlier than I want. I that nourishes my soul after a really hard have to run in the rain, sleet, and snow. day. Humans need that bit of kindness. It I chew on vitamins like “branched doesn’t have to come in pie either. It can chain amino acids” because I think be massages, pedicures, trash television they’ll magically make me awesome or sleeping in. (there’s some science to support this, So for the foreseeable future, I’m but most people don’t swallow them going to to nourish my soul and replenish with red wine). by body. It has done its job well. It trained I typically combat this training load hard, it staved off most illness. It climbed and physical stress with a free-pass for Kilimanjaro in the middle there somecarbohydrate consumption in the form of where. And then it ran far and somehow scones glazed with self-pity, justification didn’t even get blisters. Thank you, body. and cranberries. Then I lecture myself Thank you, stubborn Norwegian genes of like I’ve got a winged Oprah on my left determination. Let me show my gratitude shoulder and Richard Simmons kicking by spending more time in the garden, my head on the right side. eating a few less cookies, and sleeping in Oprah is holding my hand and on the weekends. preaching self-compassion. Richard is As you’re planning your summer of telling me I’m going to have to sweat being and doing all-the-things, rememthat pastry out to the tune of some Beach ber to leave some space for kindness.

Boys song.

Just because the days are longer doesn’t There is some sort of human nature mean you have to fill them. But if you or perhaps cultural pressure that drives must, fill them with the occasional afterus to a forced peak performance all the noon nap. time. We must be exercising like we were that one year when we were trainAmmi Midstokke can be contacted at ing our hardest. We should be eating ammi@twobirdsnutrition.com

By Ammi Midstokke Reader Health Columnist

Supporting the arts in Sandpoint for 30 years

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Mark Perigen Product Specialist

Jennifer Krueger Product Specialist

Heidi Haas Product Specialist

Garrett Kulczyk Product Specialist

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Scott Lies Service Advisor

John Roche Service Advisor

WWW.TSCHEVY.COM

LOCAL: 208.263.2138 TOLL FREE: 800.866.2138 476751 Highway 95, Ponderay 20 /

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Gow is a No Go...

Dear Editor, On Wednesday, April 25, I listened to the Morning Show on KRFY 88.5 FM which was featuring a discussion with the Republican candidates for Bonner County assessor. I was concerned when I heard candidate Donna Gow launch a deliberate and senseless attack on the qualifications of her boss, Assessor Jerry Clemons, and his management staff, none of whom are candidates in the current race.

However, I was appalled when I heard Donna Gow use the public forum to refer to the almost-exclusive female staff of the DMV, as “ugly stepsisters.” The DMV office is part of the assessor area of responsibility, and Donna Gow wants us to give her control of it after making disparaging and sexist comments about it’s employees? I think not!

I thank KRFY for hosting the show and providing us with an illuminating preview of the character of the candidates. In the case of Donna Gow it made clear she has no concept of diplomacy or decorum, and if elected assessor she would just be a lawsuit waiting to happen. This forewarning is enough for me to decide that GOW IS A NO GO. DL Henninger Sagle

Fulcher Can Be Trusted...

Dear Editor, Is there an Idaho Citizen statesman that we can truly trust in Congress? Yes, one! Russ Fulcher! He has invaluable experience in international affairs working for Micron Tech in 26 countries, including Arab countries. By personal experience in the Netherlands, he is keenly aware of how socialism destroys the economy. And years ago, he gave up a high-paying job with Micron to come back to Idaho to be present to his family.

When in Senate leadership in Idaho a few years ago, Russ courageously stood for Idaho with our Christian heritage and Constitutional principles against the Obamacare exchange which forced Idahoans into buying health insurance with abortifacients. Sometimes, he stood all alone in leadership to protect our individual rights. His speaking expertise clearly explains his position without causing reactionary statements.

A keen statemen, an astute businessman, courageous, humble. Vote Russ Fulcher for Congress.

Sheryl Nuxoll Cottonwood, ID

Re-Elect Dan McDonald...

Dan McDonald has done an outstanding job in his role as County Commissioner. As part of the Bonner County Republican Central Committee, I get to hear reports from the commissioners and other county and city officials during monthly meetings.

I have been impressed with Dan’s businesslike approach to managing the County, and how much he has accomplished. Additionally, I have personally noticed several times someone asking Dan a question on Facebook, or tagging him with a question in a discussion, and he has joined in to give good, solid information or answers to those in the discussion. This has been well outside the normal business day, showing how seriously he takes his role in the county. We need more like Dan in our local government. Let’s start by keeping Dan in his current role as commissioner, and then try to get more like him! Vote to re-elect Dan McDonald.

Lisa Keseloff Sandpoint

Vote for Kunzeman...

Dear Editor, In the almost 40 years that I’ve lived in Bonner County, having voted for numerous candidates to serve on the Bonner County Commission, there have only been two women elected to represent my interests of fairness, cooperation, sustainable growth and spending, and sound leadership. They included Susan Macleod, a Democrat, and Marsha Phillips, a Republican.

In my mind, there is something essential about having a woman leader in the County Commission.

Not only do they represent the voices of half of the population here – women – but they also listen to the men, as well. Women truly bring a different, more cooperative energy to the table. They are good listeners. They aren’t just the run of the mill “good old boys” that we’ve seen a lot of this past decade, who run roughshod over the public good.

It’s really time to elect a woman like Carol Kunzeman to the Bonner County Commission. She is seasoned for the job. I may not agree with all of her issues, but at least I can have a decent conversation with her, and she considers my opinion, something I cannot say about her opponent, Dan McDonald, one of the worst commissioners I’ve seen over the decades, rivaled only by Todd Suddick and Cornel Rasor, who the electorate eventually removed from office. Please join me in voting for a woman leader, for a real sea change. Vote for Carol Kunzeman.

Jane E. Fritz Sandpoint

Keep Scotchman Wild...

Dear Editor, Prior to my retirement, I spent my career working as a forester for the Idaho Department of Lands managing state endowment lands, selling millions of board feet of timber to make millions of dollars for public education. I am therefore, a strong supporter of resource use. However, some special places deserve to remain undisturbed. The proposed Scotchman Peaks Wilderness is such a place.

Some of what has been said about the proposal is misleading or wrong. For example, this is not a federal land grab; the proposed area has been National Forest land since the Panhandle National Forests were created over 100 years ago. The issue at hand is whether this area should be protected in perpetuity as wilderness. For the record, that is not a new idea. The area was proposed for wilderness designation in the local forest plan in 1987.

So why wilderness? Beyond the quiet, solitude, and natural beauty, wilderness is a place that challenges. You have to get there under your own power. And once you are there you have to survive under its terms, without the aid of the internal combustion engine. It is difficult — that’s part of the point. It is important to preserve some places like that so future generations have a chance to challenge themselves in such a wild setting. We have the chance to preserve a fantastic landscape for future generations in a largely untrammeled state right in our own backyard.

I have had the good fortune to spend a fair amount of time in the Scotchmans. It is some of the most difficult country I have ever wandered through, especially if you travel off-trail. I know at some point I will be too old to do that anymore, but I certainly will not begrudge those that can. I will be glad that the quiet, beauty and challenge of wilderness is available to them.

If it were not for a few forward-looking individuals over the last 140 years we would not have national parks, monuments, wildlife preserves and wilderness areas. I feel so grateful to those people every time I visit one of those special places. Be

one of them. Please show your support for the proposal by voting “In Favor” on the ballot initiative on May 15, 2018.

Ed Robinson Sandpoint

Grain Growiers for 2nd Bridge...

Dear Editor, The Montana Grain Growers Association supports BNSF Railway’s proposal to build a second parallel bridge over Lake Pend Oreille.

This bridge project is important to agriculture in a large portion of the United States, from North Dakota to Kansas, from Washington to Minnesota, and beyond. Due to the nature of global commodity markets, shipping costs and restraints have a profound effect on all farmers’ receipts. Montana is a state with vast resources and few consumers. We rely on long-distance transport of our goods for delivery to our customers. Eighty percent of our wheat crop is exported, and most of that traverses Lake Pend Oreille. We cannot overstate our interest in eliminating the bottleneck created by a single lane bridge.

BNSF Railway has been making great strides towards increasing the efficiency of its northern route. They have invested millions in upgrades over the past five years, and we are impressed with their commitment to efficient service. Their willingness to invest in Idaho track should be applauded. Imagine the frustration and inefficiency if everyone who takes a passing interest in this project were to encounter a single lane bridge on their drive to work each day. We think the public would ask, “How soon can we fix this?” rather than “Should we fix this?

The Sandpoint Junction Connector project makes sense to Montana Grain Growers, and we ask that all entities work together to expedite the

permitting process.

Lola Raska, MGGA Executive Vice President Great Falls, MT

I Like Mike Boeck...

Dear Editor, I LIKE MIKE! Mike Boeck is the most qualified to serve as our District One Representative. Mike is a common-sense conservative who will fight for the needs of North Idaho. He has a proven track record of generating the kind of results we need.

More jobs, quality education, and good transportation are priorities for him.

As a professional in the forest industry, Mike treats our natural resources with respect. He knows that a healthy forest creates healthy communities.

While Scott complains about public lands and tells our voters that the timber and ag businesses “have gone by the wayside,” Mike has used his skills to ensure more of our public lands are managed by the state, resulting in more jobs, more recreation, and future uses for our children. He has supported timber and agriculture with real solutions that have created new jobs and protected old ones.

Mike is pro-Idaho, pro-Second Amendment and pro-liberty — all the old fashioned Idaho way. From his service in the military to being a Republican since he could vote, Mike just does it. And yes, he has supporters who are not only Republicans, but Independents and Democrats. Why? Because Mike has integrity and respect. His supporters know that he is conservative and balanced and able to find common ground and good solutions for all of North Idaho.

Diana Dawson Sagle

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HEALTH / OUTDOORS

SWAC leads the way in local water safety

Route of the Hiawatha bike trail celebrates 20 years

By Reader Staff

By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff Sandpoint West Athletic Club is a community hub for fitness enthusiasts of all types, but swimmers in particular — from beginners to veterans — can find a home there.

Last week, the pool echoed with rambunctious pre-teen banter as Sandpoint middle schoolers took part in SWAC’s middle school swim safety program.

“It’s pretty hectic, but these guys are really fun to work with,” said SWAC Aquatics Director Mike Brosnahan during one of the in-pool sessions. “They have a lot of great energy.”

Brosnahan said each spring, every student goes through a safety seminar in the classroom and then gets to practice safe swimming in SWAC’s pool. SWAC owner Don Helander said the lessons are free for the students thanks to funding from the Long Bridge Swim.

“SWAC works closely with the Long Bridge Swim, Lake Pend Oreille School District and the City of Sandpoint Parks and Recreation Department toward

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Sandpoint Middle School students practice saving a “distressed swimmer” at SWAC last Thursday. Photo by Lyndsie Kiebert.

achieving our common goals of helping non-swimmers learn to swim, teaching water safety, eliminate needless drownings and promoting swimming as a life sport,” Helander said.

Brosnahan said the middle school program is particularly important because it may be his last chance to help a local child gain the knowledge they need to recreate safely.

“Once they’re in ninth grade, I’ll never know if they don’t know how to swim or not,” he said. “This way we can target the kids who don’t know how to swim, get them swim lessons.”

SWAC offers swim lessons for people of all ages and skill levels. To keep up to date on the lesson schedule, visit sandpointwest.com/health-and-wellness/aquatics/swim-schedule or call the front desk at (208) 263-6633.

Celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Route of the Hiawatha Trail on June 22-23 in Wallace.

This family-friendly event will highlight the trail’s rich history, the community effort that made it the “crown jewel” rail-trail that it is today, as well as look ahead to its long-term sustainability.

A wide range of events are planned including historic presentations on development of the trail, a commemorative ceremony and bike ride, vendor fair, parade and more.

This celebration is also in recognition of the 50th anniversary of the National Trails System Act and the important role that recreation trails play in our communities.

The scenic, all downhill, 15-mile Route of the Hiawatha Trail straddles the Idaho/Montana state line in the Bitterroot Mountains. The trail winds through the St. Joe Ranger District of the Idaho Panhandle National Forests along the abandoned Milwaukee Railroad grade through the 1.7 mile St. Paul Pass Tunnel, additional tunnels and over seven highsteel trestles. Trailside signs enhance the experience, telling the story of the railroad and the area’s rich history.

Helmets and lights are required to ride the trail, which is open from 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m., May 26, through Sept. 3.

Rental equipment is available for adults and children. For more information, go to RideTheHiawatha.com.

Bicyclists travel down the Route of the Hiawatha Trail.

Photo courtesy VisitIdaho.org.

Nordic Club kicks off Summer Youth Fitness Program

By Reader Staff

Just because the snow is disappearing for the season doesn’t mean the Sandpoint Nordic Club goes dormant.

The Nordic Club is offering a Summer Youth Fitness Program for kids ages 8-18 years old who want to improve their overall fitness and strength for skiing and other school sports.

The eight-week program starts June 11 and meets Monday and Thursday mornings. Kids will run, climb, bike and participate in a variety of strength training exercises.

Information can be found at SandpointNordic.com under the Youth Program tab. Early registration fee deadline is May 20.

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FOOD

The Sandpoint Eater

Appurtenance Aplenty

By Marcia Pilgeram Reader Food Columnist After reading “The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning: How to Free Yourself and Your Family from a Lifetime of Clutter,” I was inspired to doing some serious cleaning and organizing as I didn’t want the duty to fall (unexpectedly) to my children. Author Margarete Magnusson instructed me to spend quality time with my clutter: reflect and then dispose. I awoke early last Saturday eager to get started. By evening, I’d barely made it through the napkin ring drawer. That’s right, folks, the napkin ring drawer. I emptied the entire contents on the dining room table and began spending quality time with the clutter.

Some of the sets came with matching salt and pepper shakers or place-card holders (the silver-plated peapod set includes both!). I have dozens of sets, collected for years, from every corner of my world. Most come in groups of eight, though I have a couple sets of twelve and many sets of two, purchased as samples for clients that now grace my tables-for-two.

I can remember (almost) the provenance of each set. My favorite set are antique silver rings I bought in Ireland to match the engraved starter pair given to me by my grandmother Irma, some forty-plus years ago. The original set are engraved with a fancy MM and were previously owned by Irma’s grandmother, Maggie McBride. I’ll never part with those.

One of the things I unburied last Saturday was a collection of my old writings, and they immediately called for my undivided attention. Armed with the wrinkled old folder and a steaming cup of coffee, I curled into my favorite leather chair and spent a couple hours reading the forgotten works of a young ranch wife. Ironically, 24 /

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one of the carefully-typed pages was about my kitchen and all the treasures it held. Though it was written more than 30 years ago, some things never change.

I wrote about my copper collection. It started as a few pieces on a wedding registry of a hopeful bride and has grown to a collection that spans 39 years and well over 39 pieces. I wrote of my then-new oak shelving that housed my cookbook collection (ever-growing, and still treasured to this day). I reread of my appreciation for Grandmother’s pewter collection — she gave it to me as a wedding gift. The more time I’ve spend with these pieces, the more I’ve grown to love them.

I am here to report that, for me, it was a futile exercise. These beloved treasures aren’t going anywhere.

Since I am not parting with these things, I decided to leave notes for my children so they’ll

know the value of “their” collections. Yes, children, you will need three paella pans. Besides the huge pan of Valencia Paella for your Spanish feast, you’ll need an extra pan to prepare some for the vegetarian guest(s), and you may need another to prepare the dish without shrimp, to accommodate a best friend with seafood allergies.

Stored in my kitchen and garage are more than three dozen assorted bread pans in every shape and size. Yes, children, you will need all of these, at least once a year, for holiday baking. Speaking of baking, man does not live by bread alone. Depending on the dough I am working with — rolls, cookies or pastries — I’ll always have a need for at least half of my dozen rolling pins. I’m not sure yet how to impress the importance of these in a note to the children…

I do know when I die there will

be totes of linens (sorted by seasons, color and size) stored under my bed, along with runners, overlays and banquet-length tablecloths, all carefully folded, all ready for the next big soiree. Children, think twice before you get rid of these — before you know it, there will be graduations and weddings – or even a catering gig. These are very expensive to replace.

Upstairs at my house, you’ll find totes and drawers and closets filled with lovely wrappings, ribbons, fine paper and classy pen sets. Children, I found such joy in packaging the little surprises I baked or bought and sent to you.

Oh, how I cherished the memories of your children, dragging out these supplies to carefully craft beautiful cards for me (or you)!

Surely, you’ll want to save all this for your own grandchildren (remind them not to press so hard

on the pen tips).

I’m sure Magnusson would be disappointed in my efforts, but it was a rewarding weekend for me.

With a new appreciation, I’m embracing my clutter and all its sweet memories — forever. There was even a little reward in my labor-intensive weekend! On the table of clutter, I thought I was unwrapping even more of the peapod napkin rings only to discover a set of eight fish-shaped napkin rings, beautifully etched in pewter, provenance unknown. Though baffled by their origin, I was thrilled by the find and dashed off to the store to find a fish worthy of a table set with these little treasures. They shared the table alongside Grilled Salmon with Lime Butter Sauce (served on one of my four fish platters).

Salmon with Lime Butter Sauce Recipe You can also cook the salmon on an outdoor grill, either way – don’t overcook!

You’ll have leftover lime butter – store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Warm up to baste or, chilled as compote butter, for fish, chicken breasts, or vegetables.

INGREDIENTS:

DIRECTIONS:

• 2 – 7-8 oz salmon filets, center-cut (about 1 inch thick, with skin)

Preheat oven to 325

• 1 1/2 tsp lime zest,

Purée garlic and ginger with lime juice, salt, and pepper in a blender or food processor until smooth.

• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice

Prepare lime butter sauce

•2 garlic cloves, crushed and chopped

With motor running, add melted butter and blend until emulsified, about 30 seconds.

•1 tsp fresh ginger, peeled and chopped

Makes 3/4 cup.

•1 tsp salt • 1/2 tsp cracked pepper • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

Serves Two

Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or foil, place fillets skin down on pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour 2-3 tsp of lime butter over each filet and pat to cover filet.

Bake for 15 – 20 minutes, pull pan from oven – turn oven to low broil,

and while waiting spoon a little more lime butter over the filets – broil for just a minute or two –

remove from oven, sprinkle with lime zest and serve.

MUSIC

This week’s RLW by Jen Heller

Bridges Home releases new album From left to right: Paul Gunter, Tami Belzer Gunter and Dave Gunter.

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

Thursday Night Solo Series w/

JAKE ROBIN

6-8pm

DEVON WADE 6:30-9:30pm

Food by Edelwagen Food Truck

BLUES NIGHT

w/ Steve Rush, Kevin Dorin and Chris Paradise

6:30-9:30pm

When it comes to variety of live music in Sandpoint, there’s a little slice of heaven for everyone, it seems. No matter what your proclivities, show up at the right venue on the right night, there’s sure to be a band playing your jams.

Then there are those special bands that give you a little bit of everything. Bridges Home is one of those bands.

Bridges Home can be roughly encapsulated by the styles of folk, Americana, Celtic, singer-songwriter, roots, rock and indie. In other words, the kitchen sink.

The Sandpoint trio of Dave Gunter, Tami Belzer Gunter and son Paul Gunter have been playing live music in North Idaho for years, and have gained a loyal following for their mutli-instrumentation, soothing harmonies and catchy songs.

Bridges Home will be holding a CD release concert at The Heartwood Center on Wednesday, May 9, at 6:30 p.m. to celebrate the release of their fourth album. The doors open at 6 p.m., so be sure to show up early to ensure a seat.

The self-titled album features a dozen tracks — all but one traditional song are originals written

by Dave — that span the gamut of their ever-evolving sound.

“We started recording in December,” said Dave. “We got together every Sunday morning

and played live.”

The live recordings, especially the three-part vocal harmonies, are truly a keystone of the album, which sounds like you’re listening to the band in a warm, cozy living room. Bridges Home captures that “high lonesome” sound you’re always hearing about, but not so lonesome thanks to the special inclusion of some “ringers” that added a bit of extra zest to the mix.

The Gunters were joined by Fiddlin’ Red Simpson on the fiddle and mandolin, Bruce Bishop on the Weissenborn guitar, Truck Mills on the slide guitar, Terry Ludiker on the fiddle and Dennis Coats on the guitar. Rob Kincaid mastered the album.

“I’ve played with a lot of these guys and done some recording with or for a couple of them,” said Dave. “It was one of those, ‘Hey, wanna come play with us?’ kind of situations.

Everybody said yes.”

All the special guests will join Bridges Home on stage at The Heartwood Center except Ludiker, who lives in Spokane and can’t attend because of work reasons.

The trio plans to play the album through from beginning to end, but if I know them they’ll probably add a handful of traditional folk songs, older originals and other random ingredients to the stew.

One of the things I like about Bridges Home is their dedication to finding different sounds. In

this album alone, they feature the ukulele, banjo, Celtic harp, accordion, mandolin, bodhran, whistles, bass guitar and foot percussion — not to mention all the additional instruments added by their special guests.

The second track, “C’mon Liza,” is a humorous song about a tractor that will have you singing the hook long afterward.

“Everybody Loves Me (Why Don’t You?)” takes the band in a bluesy direction, driven by Truck Mills’ slide guitar and smoky vocals by Dave. Tami’s pleasant vocals help establish harmonies on some songs, but on tracks she leads, like “Joni Mitchell Days,” it’s virtually impossible to distinguish Tami’s voice from Mitchell’s.

There are footstomping bluegrass songs driven by fiddles, reflective ballads and Celtic rhythms underscored by Paul’s prowess on the bass. Overall, it’s a great album to take away the rainy day blues or to help highlight a sunny road trip into Montana.

Audience members at next week’s show can pick up the album there, or if they can’t attend, they can purchase it on iTunes, CDBaby.com and Amazon.

The Bridges Home CD Release Concert will be Wednesday, May 9 at 6:30 p.m. A suggested donation of $5 gets you in the door, and the concert is family friendly.

Catch up with the band at www.

BridgesHomeMusic.com.

READ

Most of us have at least heard of the asbestos contamination that rocked Libby during the past two decades.

Our near neighbor has been one of the EPA’s most expensive Superfund sites, as well as the EPA’s first and only designated site of a “public health emergency” (in 2009).

Last month, I finally read “An Air That Kills.” It was published in 2004 by two of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer reporters who first broke the story of corporate corruption in the former mining area. The book is thorough, disturbing, reads like a movie screenplay, and gets you on Google wondering, “What happened next?”

LISTEN

So, “listen” may be the wrong verb, but gapminder.org certainly gives us the opportunity to “listen” to how others live in this vast world of ours. Ever wonder what a toothbrush looks like in the average global citizen’s home? How does the life of a chicken differ between India and the U.S.? Does wealth affect book ownership? This interactive, photo-driven website is easy to use and quickly sucks hours of your time. “See how people really live” in over 50 countries, in one simple activity.

WATCH

If you’re looking for a truly entertaining movie that doesn’t require too much gray matter, you can’t do much better than “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle.” Yes, it’s a sequel movie. No, you don’t have to see the original — this movie stands on its own unique feet.

A story of body-swapping featuring Kevin Hart, Jack Black, and a surprisingly funny Dwayne Johnson, there’s laughs for all age groups and nothing that should offend your grandma. A perfect prescription to brighten up those mid-spring soggy evenings.

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Crossword Solution

Candidates’ Forum 2018 primary election

Tuesday, May 8, 2018 5:30 p.m.

From Sandpoint News Bulletin, August 18, 1933

THIEF TAKES PANTS WHILE OWNER SLEEPS “Oh, where oh where, can my trousers be” might have been the tune A.K. Bowden would be a’singing Friday morning as he rushed to the house from his summer sleeping quarters in a best to tell a tale of how he had been robbed during the night.

Hanging his trousers over the back fo the bed Thursday night, Mr Bowden “hit for the hay,” but not withhout first taking his billfold, which contained $12 and tucking it under his pillow. During the night he heard a disturbance but through that it was perhaps a big friendly toad that has made his residence at the tent.

As he went to dress the next morning, however, he discovered the trousers were missing “and certainly the toad couldn’t be blamed for stealing my pants,” he added. Bowden said that he later learned that the prowler had cuased the dogs of the neighborhood to bark.

“Anyway, I still have my $12 and the tramp has my trousers,” Bowden concluded. ____________________________ SPONSOR EVENT ______________ The Selle 4-H Sewing club gave a play and sold ice cream at the Selle school house Friday night for the purpose of earning enough money to send members to the short course at Moscow next year.

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Sandpoint High School Auditorium

You know how to paint a room real fast? Just put paint rollers on your feet and somehow figure out how to skate up the walls and across the ceiling.

Copyright www.mirroreyes.com

CROSSWORD ACROSS 1. Units of land 6. Be furious 10. Diminish 14. Conflict 15. Dwarf buffalo 16. Female sheep (plural) 17. Bread from Heaven 18. Awestruck 19. Frolic 20. Kirk’s starship 22. Not pre-recorded 23. Trudge 24. A list of names 26. Backside 30. Anagram of “Wee” 31. Chatter 32. Gingerbread palm 33. Offers support an informed community 35. Clobber 39. Heartwood 41. Business executive Want to support us? Donate a buck a month!

43. Shorthand www.patreon.com/sandpointreader 44. Storm 46. Schnozzola /ken/ 47. Feline [noun] 49. Calypso offshoot 1. knowledge, understanding, or cognizance; mental e 50. A neutral color of th perception.

51. Fine wheat meal “It’s beyond my ken how uncivil the world has become.”

54. Certain ball-and-socket joints 56.

Jump Corrections: I misidentified opinion writer Tony McDermott as a “former chairman of the Idaho Forest Group.” Tony is actually the former commis- 57. A written record 63. Largest continent sions chairman of Idaho Fish and Game. Apologies for the error. -BO

READER

Word Week

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Solution on page 26 64. An indefinite period 65. King 66. The bulk 67. 1 1 1 1 68. Tarsus 69. Type of sword 70. Probabilities 71. “Beau ___”

DOWN 1. Highest point 2. Family group 3. Deliver a tirade 4. Feudal worker 5. Not dull 6. Giving birth to pigs

7. Unassisted 8. Swabs 9. Diner 10. An abundant source 11. Expect 12. Audacity 13. Glacial ridge 21. Academy freshman 25. Horse feed 26. Contributes 27. Defeat decisively 28. Certain 29. Liberate 34. Sleekness 36. Smell 37. Plateau

38. Quarry 40. Groan 42. Some tides 45. Disgraced 48. Skin pattern 51. Blaze 52. Writer 53. Lift 55. Scrawny one 58. Peel 59. Graphic symbol 60. Varieties 61. Fur 62. Tall woody plant

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"Having decades of management and administrative experience at the county government level, I can offer common-sense leadership and management to benefit both property owners and the employees of the Assessor's Office."