Since I’m not from a religious household and I’ve never attended church, I grew up with a simplistic, scientific understanding of sex. I knew that Christians valued virginity and preached abstinence, but I didn’t realize the lengths to which adults went to scare teenagers into wearing promise rings until I made it to sex education at Sandpoint High School. One fine fall morning, my teacher handed over the class to two women from a local church who were there to teach us “another perspective” on sex — i.e., not the biological facts we’d been learning. They charged in, all smiles, with a family-sized bag of Skittles. They went down the rows of students one by one, handed each of us a candy and instructed us to hold it until the coating melted.
“Each of these Skittles is an STD. If you got a green Skittle, you now have gonorrhea,” they said, describing in detail what each disease entailed and, when possible, showing pictures.
Then, they told us to pass our melted, sweaty Skittle to the person in front of us and repeat the process. Eventually, each row was covered in an increasing amount of colorful goop and the front-row kids were left holding eight balls of slime each.
“So, you decided to have sex outside of marriage,” said the presenters. “Now you have an STD. Then, you have sex with another person who’s had sex twice, so now you have an STD from your first partner and two STDs from your second. You see where this is going?”
The gist of the argument was that the first time you have sex outside of marriage, you automatically get an STD. Then, every time after, you get one or more STDs (depending on how many partners your partner had) until, like the poor front row, you have eight diseases and are covered in every kind of pustule known to man.
At this point, they passed the Skittles bag around and invited everyone to partake of the sugary goodness that was herpes, the clap, etc.
It didn’t stop there, though, because — according to these ladies — everyone was also born with a finite amount of happiness.
“Imagine this as a big, sparkly pie in your chest,” they said.
When you get married, you pledge each other your pies, and everyone lives happily ever after. However, if you have sex outside of marriage, you cut your happiness pie in half and give it to the other person, who then eats it or absconds with it or something. (The math doesn’t make sense here, since when you give up your slice, you should also get theirs, making for a whole pie that’s like half apple, half pumpkin, but I guess that’s not how happiness pies work.) So, you cut your pie in half every time you sleep with a new person until, eventually, you have no pie left, and you’re suicidal. And you have eight STDs.
Huzzah.
Since a student in that class got pregnant shortly after, I’m not sure their sugary metaphors did the trick. They did, however, ruin Skittles for me.
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About the Cover
This week’s beautiful cover photo taken by Jim Mullin.
BoCo Republicans to meet on whether Commissioner Bradshaw has ‘vacated’ his seat
By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff
The Bonner County Republican Central Committee has outgoing Dist. 1 Bonner County Commissioner Steve Bradshaw in its sights, with BCRCC Chair Scott Herndon announcing that the committee will gather for a special meeting Tuesday, Nov. 19 to consider whether Bradshaw is still a resident of Idaho and therefore eligible to continue serving in office.
to serve out the remainder of Rep. Sage Dixon’s term, who also stepped down.
Both Korn and Rasor won their primary and general election bids to serve in those respective offices.
shaw wrote, referring to Herndon. “I have a contract to stay at my previous Cocolalla address until Jan. 31, 2025. Seeing he has no letter of resignation with my name or signature, he once again is making a fool of himself. The new owner is Cocolalla Bible Church. Feel free to speak to Pastor Steve Brown.”
the property.”
He went on to tell the Reader that, “Any agreement between Cocolalla Bible Church and Steve Bradshaw would have been arranged by their leadership. We have not had any communication regarding the matter from either party.”
“It has come to my attention that Bonner County Commissioner Steve Bradshaw has sold his Bonner County property and has moved to the state of Texas with the intention of making Texas his permanent home,” Herndon wrote in a Nov. 7 email addressed to BCRCC Vice-Chair Mat Macdonald, BOCC Chair Asia Williams, Dist. 3 Commissioner-elect Ron Korn, Bradshaw, Bonner County Prosecutor Louis Marshall, Bonner County Clerk Michael Rosedale and local media.
Herndon went on to write that the property at 4281 Cocolalla Loop Road listed as the location of Bradshaw’s residence and the former-Cocolalla Cowboy Church — for which he served as pastor — were now owned by North Summit Church, Inc., which was backed up by real estate records indicating a transfer of property in late August.
On a drive past the property, Herndon also noted that the home appears to be vacant and the church is undergoing a remodel.
What’s more, Herndon alleged that Bradshaw had visited county offices “to bid his farewell” and had “discussed this with me personally in August and said at that time that he would be resigning by Oct. 1. That has never happened.”
Herndon cited Idaho Code 59-901, which states that an
elective civil office is considered vacant if the office holder ceases to be “a resident of the state, district or county in which the duties of his office are to be exercised, or for which he may have been elected.”
I.C. 34-107 further defines “residence” as “the principal or primary home or place of abode of a person,” and goes on in I.C. 34-107(5) to state that, “If a qualified elector moves to another state, or to any of the other territories, with the intention of making it his permanent home, he shall be considered to have lost his residence in this state.”
According to Herndon’s email of Nov. 7, “In my opinion, statute is clear that if Steve has abandoned residency in the state, he has vacated the position of Bonner County commissioner.”
Following that interpretation, the BCRCC intends to convene Nov. 19 at 6:15 p.m. — ahead of its regularly scheduled meeting at the Ponderay Events Center (401 Bonner Mall Way) — to propose three nominees to Idaho Gov. Brad Little, who has up to 15 days to select a replacement to serve out the remainder of the vacant term.
The same process has been employed more than once since September: first to appoint Korn to the Dist. 3 BOCC seat left vacant by former-Commissioner Luke Omodt’s resignation, and later to appoint Cornel Rasor
Bradshaw, however, opted not to run for reelection in the May 2024 Republican primary, instead mounting a campaign to challenge incumbent Sheriff Daryl Wheeler. Wheeler won that election and went on to the general election unopposed.
Meanwhile, Republican Brian Domke won the general election for the Dist. 1 BOCC seat and will take office in January 2025.
In a thread on social media platform X on Nov. 8, Herndon reiterated the BCRCC’s position that Bradshaw had “effectively vacated the position” by moving to Texas, and, in response to another user’s comment, wrote that Domke would “be on the top of the list” of nominees to the governor.
In a reply Nov. 7 to Herndon’s initial email, Bradshaw wrote that he had “not established residency anywhere at the present time.”
“If owning a piece of real estate in another state is an issue, then I guess half of our county and the state legislators have an issue,” Bradshaw added. “I have not declared residency other than Bonner County, Idaho. But good try Scotty boy.”
The Reader asked Bradshaw in an email to clarify whether he had indeed moved to another state and, if so, to where, when and for what purpose — and additionally, whether he had indicated to Herndon that he intended to step down from the BOCC effective Oct. 1.
“He is full of shit!” Brad-
Clerk Rosedale confirmed to the Reader in an email that his office had not received a letter of resignation from Bradshaw, nor had his office ever received communications from Bradshaw that he intended to step down from his seat prior to the end of his term in January.
The Reader reached out to Brown but did not receive a response by press time. However, Bradshaw forwarded an email from Brown dated Nov. 8, informing him that Cocolalla Bible Church had “just closed escrow and [are] now taking ownership of the church and property (10 acres) on South Cocolalla Loop Road that you previously owned.”
What’s more, Brown told Bradshaw in the email that, “As a courtesy, we are honoring the free lease and residency of your home to you and Cindi that you had with the previous buyer, North Summit Church until Jan. 31, 2025.”
North Summit Church
Lead Pastor Kyle Bostock confirmed to the Reader in an email Nov. 13 that his church had purchased the property and residence from Bradshaw at the end of August with the intention of establishing a campus there under Brown’s leadership.
However, Bostock wrote, “During the launch process Steve Brown communicated his desire to plant an independent church, now Cocolalla Bible Church, and asked if we would sell him the property. That sale is now finalized, we signed on Nov. 8, 2024, and we are no longer the owners of the church or residence on
In his Nov. 8 thread on X, Herndon fielded questions regarding the process of replacing Bradshaw, including whether it was necessary for the BOCC to declare a vacancy before identifying replacement nominees, and if County Prosecutor Marshall had “signed off” on initiating the replacement process.
Herndon replied to both questions that state statute did not require the central committee to wait for either the BOCC or Marshall before acting to fill a vacancy.
Marshall did not respond to a request for clarification on the interpretation of I.C. 34-107(5) cited by Herndon and its potential bearing on Bradshaw’s continued status as an elected official.
In a follow-up email Nov. 12, Herndon told the Reader that the BCRCC intends to go forward with the Nov. 19 meeting and wrote that, “No information has been provided that Steve Bradshaw remains a resident of Idaho as defined in Idaho Code.”
“Mr. Bradshaw is welcome to attend and present evidence and answer questions as to his residency,” Herndon added. “If he proves he is a resident, then we would not proceed to send nominees to the governor.”
The Tuesday, Nov. 19 special meeting of the Bonner County Republican Central Committee will take place at 6:15 p.m., prior to the regular meeting, at the Ponderay Events Center (401 Bonner Mall Way).
Additional reporting by Soncirey Mitchell.
Steve Bradshaw, left, and Scott Herndon, right. Courtesy photos.
Rape, kidnapping case dismissed on motion that defendant ‘is not the correct suspect’
By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff
The rape and kidnapping case against 20-year-old Josue E. Vado-Urbina has been dismissed with prejudice, according to court documents dated Nov. 6, which include a motion from the Bonner County Prosecutor’s Office stating that the wrong person had been arrested.
The motion was “made in the interests of justice as evidence has surfaced to indicate that this defendant is not the correct suspect
in this case,” according to the filing, signed by Chief Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Daniel Rodriguez.
Magistrate Judge Tera Harden signed the order of dismissal on Nov. 6, granting the state’s motion and further ordering that “any and all warrants in this case shall be quashed; any and all hearings shall be vacated”; and all bonds still on file be exonerated and returned to the individual who posted them.
Vado-Urbina, identified in a Nov. 4 city of Sandpoint press release as “of Nicara-
gua,” had been scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing Nov. 13 before Magistrate Judge Justin Julian, facing felony charges of rape and second-degree kidnapping stemming from an arrest Nov. 2 following reports that an alleged victim was being held against her will and had been sexually assaulted.
According to the city of Sandpoint release, police arrested Vado-Urbina after an unidentified individual alerted officers that she’d received a text from the alleged victim. Court records
indicate a search warrant was issued for the K2 Motel on Fourth Avenue in Sandpoint.
In addition to taking Vado-Urbina into custody, Sandpoint police also made contact with two other males, who were unnamed in the news release, but have been identified by various sources on social media that could not be verified as accurate by the Reader
Those individuals were transported by border patrol agents to verify their immigration status, according to the city’s news release.
Officials with the U.S. Border Patrol station in Spokane did not respond to a request for comment or to provide any additional information.
Vado-Urbina had been held at the Bonner County Jail on a bond of $250,000, but no longer appeared on the inmate roster as of press time.
Sandpoint Police Chief Corey Coon told the Reader in an email Nov. 13 that the case remains “an active investigation, and we are not releasing any public statements at this time.”
Sandpoint City Hall seeking applicants for P&Z, Arts and Culture, and ADA advisory positions
By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff
The city of Sandpoint is seeking applicants for a number of advisory positions, including on the Planning and Zoning Commission; Arts, Culture and Historic Preservation Commission; and Americans With Disabilities Act Advisory Committee.
Three positions are available on P&Z, which typically meets on the first and third Tuesday of each month to make recommendations to the City Council on requests and applications related to a wide range of land use and code-related issues, including updates to the Comprehensive Plan. Members of the commission also serve on the Development Impact Fee Committee, which meets on an as-needed basis.
At the Nov. 6 meeting of the City Council, Sandpoint Mayor Jeremy Grimm noted that several members of the P&Z Commission have in the past gone on to serve on
the council and as mayor.
“It is an excellent stepping stone opportunity for those who may be considering a run for political office in Sandpoint, or for anyone who may have land-use related experience or expertise that they would like to share, or for someone who is simply civic-minded and interested in taking on this role and serving the community,” he said.
P&Z members are drawn from Sandpoint residents, but one county resident may be considered for appointment, provided they live within the Sandpoint area of city impact.
Meetings of the P&Z Commission are at 5:30 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers at 1123 Lake St.
The Arts, Culture and Historic Preservation Commission is an “active board,” Grimm said, which meets monthly to advise and assist the mayor, council and city staff to “develop, coordinate and promote visual,
performing and literary arts and heritage programs and policies.”
City residents are encouraged to apply, but applicants outside the city limits would be considered provided they meet certain requirements under City Code.
Finally, the city is also looking for individuals who live within Sandpoint city limits and are interested in serving on the Americans With Disabilities Act Advisory Committee.
“With at least one more eligible in-town application, we are very close to being able to make appointments and convene this committee,” Grimm said.
Members of Sandpoint’s various advisory committees, commissions and boards
serve three-year terms. For more information and to apply for any of the available positions, go to
sandpointidaho.gov/commissions-and-committees.
Sandpoint City Hall.
Photo by Ben Olson.
IDL specialist to Sandpoint council:
spongy moth detection ‘very unlikely to result in any problem’
By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff
While the detection of spongy moth in Sandpoint recently raised concerns for some, a specialist with the Idaho Department of Lands told the Sandpoint City Council at its Nov. 6 meeting that there’s nothing to worry about yet.
“We don’t anticipate this to be a huge problem,” said IDL Forest Health Specialist Erika Eidson, who works as an entomologist.
“The detection is very unlikely to result in any problems because it was detected so early,” she added later.
Eidson gave a presentation to the council, in which she said that a single male specimen of the insect — formerly known as the “gypsy moth” — was captured in September at a location near the corner of Oak Street and Division Avenue. It was the first spongy moth detected in the area since the period from 1986-1990, and the insect was considered to be eradicated locally in 1991.
Regardless, IDL will begin expanded trapping efforts around the detection site in 2025, “to see if there are any more moths in the area or if this was just a one-off hitchhiker, which we believe it was,” Eidon said.
Native to Europe, spongy moth is an invasive pest in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic states, where the insect was released by an amateur entomologist in the 1860s in a failed attempt at establishing silk production. Spongy moth do not spin silk, but their caterpillars do feed on broadleaf trees such
Bits ’n’ Pieces
From east, west and beyond
According to Salon, a high number of Trump voters voted for abortion rights, a higher minimum wage, paid family and sick leave, and banning employers from forcing employees to endure anti-union or right-wing meetings. All appear poised to be targeted by the new Trump administration.
The Washington Post showed that prior to the election, voters “overwhelmingly” favored Kamala Harris’s policies to Trump’s when they did not know which candidate represented those policies. A Republican strategist told NPR, “when I ask voters in focus groups if they think Donald Trump is an authoritarian, the No. 1 response by far is ‘What is an authoritarian?’” Media Matters faults disinformation campaigns for misleading voters.
as oak, causing millions of dollars of damage in areas they’ve infested.
While the species is concentrated in the eastern U.S., it can and does leave that region on firewood, RVs and campers, furniture or anything else that people travel with — which Eidon said IDL suspects is what occurred with the specimen found in Sandpoint.
To confirm that, the department will install 36 traps per square mile in the four-square-mile area of the initial capture, with placement in the summer and evaluation in the fall of 2025. The traps are green in color and armed with a sticky interior and a pheromone lure meant to attract males. The traps are designed specifically to attract males so they don’t inadvertently invite potentially reproducing females from other areas.
IDL, the U.S. Forest Service and Idaho Department of Agriculture have a longstanding spongy moth trapping program that dates back to the 1970s, with nearly 3,500 traps around the state.
“IDL’s monitoring plan has worked,” Eidson said, later adding, “It’s very unlikely that there’s an infestation that’s been happening any longer than this year.”
For more information or to ask questions about the spongy moth and trapping operations, contact the IDL Forest Health team at 208-769-1525 or foresthealth@idl.idaho.gov.
Uber-wealthy Elon Musk may have a Trump administration position overseeing slashing the federal budget. Fidelity warns about Musk’s business skills: he bought Twitter two years ago (now X), and its value has fallen 80%. Musk has a track record of ruthless layoffs: he cut 80% of the staff at X, eliminated trust and safety teams and facilitated X content with hate speech and “unchecked misinformation,” CNN reported. For offing government employees, Musk says he’ll offer twoyears severance pay. But, according to CNN, his own employees have been denied vast sums of their exit packages.
Musk says he plans to cut at least $2 trillion from the federal budget. Bloomberg reported that’s more than Congress spends annually on government agency operations, including defense, and would likely result in cuts to Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and veterans’ benefits.
Dawn’s Early Light, written by Project 2025 “chief architect” Kevin Roberts, is due for release. Project 2025 has been described as a roadmap for the next Republican president. In the book, Roberts writes that to make America flourish again, burning down the system is preferable to reform, and a “nice start” would include “every Ivy League college, the FBI, The New York Times, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the Department of Education” and the Boy Scouts.
While Trump distanced himself from Project 2025 during the campaign, after his win The Guardian reported that numerous Trump promoters agreed with author and podcaster Matt Walsh, who posted on X, “Now that the election is over I think we can
By Lorraine H. Marie Reader Columnist
finally say that yeah actually Project 2025 is the agenda. Lol.”
Former-Labor Secretary Robert Reich says a second Trump administration will not be similar to the first, during which Trump encountered internal resistance. This time non-loyalists have been purged, Trump has control of the Supreme Court and is now only surrounded by “yes” people. He also has the Project 2025 playbook, which, with his win, his party regards as a “mandate.” It includes abortion surveillance, gutting overtime rules, jailing teachers and librarians over banned books, using the Insurrection Act to shut down protests and deploying National Guard units against blue states resisting the agenda.
Numerous polls showed people were familiar with Project 2025, and did not like it. There is speculation that Trump voters believed him when he said he knew “nothing” about Project 2025.
According to The Guardian, blue state leaders are making plans for negating Trump’s most extreme policies, such as targeting climate initiatives, gun safety and health programs, and instituting mass deportations.
Trump says he wants “recess appointments,” which bypass Senate advice and consent when considering Cabinet nominees. A handful of Republicans question the need for haste, particularly regarding Trump’s more controversial picks. CBS quoted Trump saying “we need positions filled IMMEDIATELY.”
The Senate this week will consider the Stop Terror-Financing and Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act, The Intercept reported. The Stop Terror-financing portion of the bill is opposed by 125 organizations, including the ACLU, which says the bill “is about stifling dissent.” If enacted, the bill would allow the treasury secretary to tell a nonprofit they are a “terrorist supporting organization,” without evidence. The organization can attempt a defense. If that fails under the Trump administration, they can’t function as a nonprofit, including loss of bank services. Also at risk: NGOs that do charity work in war zones where terrorists operate. The bill includes “few guardrails,” and new powers for the federal government, which could target peace, environmental and pro-choice groups.
Blast from the (very recent) past: At her concession speech, Vice President Kamala Harris said, “This is not a time to throw up our hands. This is a time to roll up our sleeves.”
A spongy moth monitoring trap in Sandpoint. Officials ask that residents leave the traps alone and call the number listed on the traps with any questions or concerns.
Photo by the Idaho Department of Lands.
Four women challenge Idaho’s abortion ban in court
Lawsuit seeks to clarify medical exceptions to Idaho’s abortion restrictions
By Mia Maldonado Idaho Capital Sun
At 16 weeks pregnant, Rebecca Vincen-Brown received devastating news. Her fetus had multiple structural defects, including a dangling choroid plexus in the brain, a heart rotated on its axis, a horseshoe kidney, no detectable bladder or diaphragm, a displaced stomach and missing digits on the right hand.
Her options were limited. She could continue the pregnancy, risking serious health complications like preeclampsia or hemorrhaging, face a miscarriage that might jeopardize her fertility or seek an abortion.
Vincen-Brown chose an abortion, but Idaho’s strict abortion bans left her with no choice but to travel out of state for care. After the first day of the procedure, her pregnancy ended in the bathroom of a Portland hotel, where she gave birth to the fetus while her toddler was in the room next door.
On Nov. 12, Vincen-Brown testified before Ada County Judge Jason Scott, sharing her experience as one of four women suing the state of Idaho over its strict abortion bans that forced her to seek care out of state.
“If it was in Idaho ... I would have been able to get into the car first thing when I first started contracting, drove down to the hospital, been with the doctors whom I trusted, been in an environment that I knew,” Vincen-Brown told the court. “It would have been covered by health care that I had, and I wouldn’t have been giving birth while my 2-year-old daughter was on the other side of the wall.”
The hearing marked the start of arguments in a weeklong jury trial for Adkins v. State of Idaho, a lawsuit filed
in September 2023 by the Center for Reproductive Rights. The case represents four Idaho women denied abortions despite facing serious pregnancy complications; two Idaho physicians; and the Idaho Academy of Family Physicians, a medical association.
The lawsuit aims to clarify and broaden the medical exceptions to Idaho’s abortion bans, ensuring that physicians can provide necessary abortion care to protect a pregnant person’s health and safety, including in cases of fatal fetal diagnoses.
Center for Reproductive Rights, State of Idaho give opening statements
The first day included opening statements from both sides.
Gail Deady, an attorney with the Center for Reproductive Rights, said the outcome of this case has broader implications, as they represent not only the plaintiffs but also the hundreds of Idahoans who have been forced to travel out of state for abortion care.
Jim Craig, a division chief at the Idaho Office of the Attorney General, began his opening statement saying unborn children have a fundamental right to life.
“The evidence will show that every successful abortion results in the death of an unborn child,” Craig repeated throughout his opening statement. “Idaho has the right to protect those lives.”
Craig said there is no right to abortion in Idaho, and it doesn’t matter how much plaintiffs try to articulate that.
“They are relying on hypotheticals and speculation on what might happen to people,” he said.
Four women share how Idaho’s abortion ban impacted their pregnancies
Jennifer Adkins, the lead
plaintiff in the lawsuit, began her testimony by sharing the joy she felt upon discovering she was pregnant. But she explained that she later sought an abortion after learning her pregnancy was likely to end in a miscarriage, or put her own health at risk.
Like Adkins, Jillaine St.Michel told the court she was thrilled when she discovered she was pregnant, excited at the thought of giving her toddler a sibling. However, at her 20-week ultrasound, she was devastated to learn that her child had severe anomalies, with organs and tissues measuring weeks behind normal development.
“I knew that remaining pregnant was inherently more risky than not being pregnant, and so deciding to remain pregnant with a fetus or a baby that stood no chance of survival seemed like an unnecessary risk to take,” St.Michel said.
St.Michel and her family traveled to a clinic in Seattle after contacting 20 clinics in surrounding states. She had to attend the appointments alone. Her husband stayed home to care for their child.
“It was the worst four days of my life, I can’t describe it any other way,” St.Michel said in court. “Each day was worse than the last.”
Kayla Smith, the fourth woman named in the lawsuit, discovered she was pregnant with a child on Mother’s Day of 2022. After a complicated first pregnancy, she told the court she was excited to have a second baby.
However, 18 weeks later, an ultrasound revealed that her fetus had severe heart defects. Continuing the pregnancy would not only put her own health at risk, but also involve watching her child struggle to breathe, as the heart defects would affect lung development.
“If I were to continue the pregnancy, not only would I be risking my life of developing preeclampsia, but I was not willing to watch my son suffer and essentially gasp for air,” Smith told the court.
Ultimately, no doctor would perform the surgical interventions needed to help her fetus survive. And even if a surgeon would take it on, her child would need a heart transplant before the age of 4 or 5.
“I think all could have been prevented,” Smith said, sobbing on the stand during the trial, referring to what might have been different if she had been able to get an abortion in Idaho.
First day of trial ends with testimony from Boise OB-GYN
The Nov. 12 trial day ended with testimony from Dr. Emily Corrigan, an OB-GYN at Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in Boise, who is also a physician plaintiff. Corrigan discussed various kinds of pregnancy complications and situations in which abortion is used as a standard of care.
Idaho’s abortion ban says physicians must use “good faith medical judgment based on the facts known to the physician at the time, that the abortion was necessary to prevent the death of the pregnant woman.”
Corrigan said that Idaho’s abortion ban is unclear because it does not use medical terminology. She has since met with legislators, testified before them and ultimately filed this lawsuit to address her concerns about the ban.
The trial is scheduled to end on Thursday, Nov. 21.
This story was produced by Boise-based nonprofit news outlet the Idaho Capital Sun, which is part of the States Newsroom nationwide reporting project. For more information, visit idahocapitalsun.com.
The Ada County Courthouse in Boise. Photo by Otto Kitsinger, Idaho Capital Sun.
Bouquets:
GUEST SUBMISSION:
• “Sometimes it’s the seemingly very little things in life that keep me going. Thanks to the person who mended the approach to the third bridge up on the Greta’s Segway trail (I assume Pend Oreille Pedalers are the ones to thank for that). No longer do I pucker when riding up on that bridge. It’s smooth sailing now! And while I’m here, thanks to Ben and everyone at the Reader for creating a quality weekly paper that I trust and rely on!”
— By Janenne Russell Barbs:
GUEST SUBMISSION:
• “For the last five Sundays the Daily Bee has left out the Sunday Funnies. The person who answers complaints blames it on ‘Those people in Coeur d’Alene.’”
— By Diane Newcomer
• Hey Trumpers: We get it, you won. You won the presidency, the House and Senate. You control the U.S. Supreme Court and will for probably the next half century. You control Idaho politics, legislative politics, county politics. You got it all. A clean sweep. Now, instead of spending your time taking endless victory laps and dunking on people on social media, how about showing a little grace and stop being sore winners? Maybe take your campaign signs down and fold up your dumb “Hillary for Prison” flags from 2016? We’re all a bit sick of the endless campaign. After nearly a decade of calling anyone left of the extreme right every name in the book — including “retarded,” “vermin,” “lunatics,” “sick,” “Marxists,” and “deranged,” to name a few — it’s hard for some to “come back into the fold,” especially when they are continually made to feel as if they aren’t wanted and/or don’t belong. I’m curious if Republicans will continue to play victims and blame everything on Democrats, as they have for the past decade or more. That trick doesn’t really work anymore; you’re in control now. Next time I hear a Republican complaining about anything, I’m just going to tell them, “Talk to the people in charge, bub. Oh wait, that’s you.” Perhaps, instead of just “owning the libs,” you might try governing?
Pieces selected for six-month cycle of Sandpoint’s ‘Silver Box’ art-on-loan program
By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff
Select Sandpoint street corners will be home to new sculptures in the city’s Silver Box public art-on-loan program, after council members approved a trio of entries at their regular Nov. 6 meeting.
Now in its seventh year, the public art project invites creators to submit their works for consideration by the Arts, Culture and Historic Preservation Commission, which provides three recommendations for approval to the City Council.
Following adoption, the winning pieces are installed at specially built decorative pedestals located at the the corner of Fifth Avenue and Oak Street, Fourth and Oak and Fourth and Church Street.
While in the past the program featured art on a year-long basis and solicited in a nationwide call, this time around the city opted to focus on local submissions and introduce a six-month cycle from fall to spring, after which it will revert to the previous yearly schedule.
“It was a quick call — we did it in about two weeks,” said Arts, Culture and Historic Preservation Officer Heather Upton.
Even with that swift turnaround, three artists submitted pieces for consideration.
The council unanimously approved all three, which included entries from Bonners Ferry artist Anna Lee Harris, as well as Dave Gonzo and Denny Henson, both of Sandpoint.
Each artist will receive a $500 honorarium — reimbursed to the city from the Sandpoint Urban Renewal Agency — and if any pieces are sold during their period of exhibition, the city would receive 10% of the proceeds.
Harris’ sculpture measures 48 inches by 20 inches by 20 inches and is fabricated of powder-coated iron and granite titled “Proud Fillies.” The piece depicts a pair of bald eagles in contest atop a spiraling frame of green-painted metal, rising above the outlines of trees with a core of granite pieces evoking the roots of a mountain.
Gonzo’s work — “Living in Color” — is still in the process of completion, but will represent a monstera plant constructed from steel and flame painted copper measuring 36 inches by 36 inches by 24 inches. The final piece will then be clear coated for protection
from the elements.
Both Harris and Gonzo were selected artists for the previous round of Silver Box sculptures, with Harris’ “At Rivers Edge” installed at Fifth and Oak and Gonzo’s “The Spirit Tree” at Fourth and Oak.
Upton said the city was pleased to see both artists back in the program, as well as welcome local wood carver Henson and his piece “Quiet Descent,” which depicts a mountain lion making its way down an elevated landscape feature.
Carved in western red cedar and measuring three feet by four feet by 18 inches, the sculpture will be finished and colored using transparent stains and acrylic paint, as well as employ shading using a torch. It will then be sealed to protect it from weather and ultraviolet rays.
“He does this beautiful torch tech-
nique that blackens some of the portions of the wood. It’s really exciting to see this medium put forth,” Upton said.
With a proposed installation date of Friday, Nov. 22, “Proud Fillies” is slated for Fourth and Church, “Living in Color” will be located at Fifth and Oak and “Quiet Descent” will call Fourth and Oak home until the next cycle of submissions.
“It’s just a great way to recognize our art community, celebrate them and get the word out,” Upton said.
Meanwhile, the sculpture “Natural Wavelength,” which was featured in the most recent round of the Silver Box Program, has been donated to the city by Cincinnati-based artist Ursula Roma and will be installed at a to-be-determined location.
“It’s just another way that this program has been very fruitful for our community,” Upton said.
PERSPECTIVES
The fight for our freedoms and our futures goes on
By Rep. Lauren Necochea, D-Boise Reader Contributor
Idaho Democrats are underdogs fighting for underdogs. We want strong public schools in every neighborhood, not just affluent towns. We want the next generation to have career opportunities with household-sustaining wages in every zip code. We want homes, child care and other necessities to be affordable. We want fair taxes for working families, not more cuts for the ultra-wealthy. We want girls and women to have access to the medical care they need and not have intimate decisions dictated by politicians.
As underdogs, we must outwork the competition. And boy, have we! This election cycle, we knocked on doors 144,000 times, called 133,000 voters and made “get-out-the-vote” efforts in every county in Idaho.
Unfortunately, our candidates were swept up in a national wave that leaned heavily toward MAGA Republicanism, pushing results several points beyond polling expectations and costing us races that should have been within our grasp.
The diligent work of Idaho Democrats curbed the Republican surge in key districts. On the bright side, Sen. Ron Taylor and Rep. Steve Berch won tight races and will continue their excellent work for their constituents. Nevertheless, Democrats lost three seats in the Legislature and some close county races. This included heartbreaking losses where we had 49% or 48% of the vote.
Our battleground races were always going to be tight. Presidential election years favor Republicans and bring out voters who are less familiar with local candidates. The recent influx of conservative migration has shifted Idaho’s electorate further right, beyond traditional conservative values. Compounding this, out-of-state, billionaire-backed groups poured hundreds of thousands of dollars into misleading attack ads against our candidates because we oppose wasteful school voucher schemes.
I’m deeply grateful to the Idaho Democrats for volunteering, running for office and donating in historic numbers. We do this not because the task is easy but because we know what’s at stake: The future prosperity of Idaho. LAUNCH scholarships propelling the next generation into good jobs with good wages are at risk of being eliminated by the GOP supermajority. We face the threat of costly voucher schemes ripping resources away from under-fund-
ed neighborhood schools. Republican lawmakers appear determined to repeal Medicaid expansion, taking health care away from 84,000 Idahoans. At least four women have died due to extreme abortion bans like Idaho’s, yet Republican politicians refuse to budge.
Most Idahoans agree with Democrats on major issues, even if we didn’t get their votes. We must all raise our voices and advocate for better policies than the GOP supermajority intends to deliver.
In politics, wins and losses aren’t permanent. We will redouble our efforts and come back stronger. The fight for our freedoms and our futures is far from over.
Rep. Lauren Necochea is the House assistant Democratic leader, representing District 19 in Boise on the Environment, Energy and Technology; Resources and Conservation; Revenue and Taxation; and Ways and Means committees.
Science: Mad about
convergent evolution
By Brenden Bobby Reader Columnist
Have you ever thought about the similarities between a cow and a triceratops?
Certainly, there are huge differences between these two creatures that have been separated by a gulf of 66 million years, but the similarities between the two are more shocking than the differences.
Both animals were/are herbivorous quadrupeds grazing low-lying shrubs and grasses for sustenance, and both developed horns to defend themselves. Despite their similarities, their last common ancestor was probably a unicellular organism. So what gives?
This is a form of convergent evolution, whereby animals adapt to their environment over many generations to develop similar traits to completely unrelated animals.
It’s a difficult concept to wrap one’s head around, as it takes hundreds, sometimes thousands of generations to occur. It’s believed that in most cases in the natural world, female animals seek attributes in males they believe will lead to better offspring that have a higher chance of survival. It’s possible that the animals don’t completely understand this process in the way that you or I do, but that some kind of instinct may be guiding them toward producing more efficient offspring.
Think about this in humans for a moment, as it mirrors the natural world. A human female has aspirations for both herself and her future children. She may value having athletic children that are exceptionally skilled at running and gaining fame and prowess by competing against other
humans at sports. Perhaps wealth and status is something she desires for her children to either obtain or to pass down and ensure the familial line continues to be wealthy and influential. Either way, she will likely seek out a mate that offers the highest chances of producing offspring that will fulfill those ambitions.
Of course, this is a gross oversimplification of the human experience, particularly in this age. However, it was on clear display throughout history, particularly among the wealthiest and most powerful families in the world. Aristocratic families often married and procreated with the intention of long-term dynastic rule or to retain a bloodline that often ended up being at odds with one another, as incestuous relationships are never healthy for the survival of a family line.
It’s likely that much of this oversimplification is what many animals seek in mates. In birds, a male with wings that are slightly longer than his rivals may be more desirable to a female, as the young could be more likely to inherit that trait to fly more effectively, therefore outcompeting other birds. This seems odd when examining a single lineage as a sample set, but really begins to make sense when examining a species as a whole across thousands or even millions of breeding pairs across hundreds or thousands of generations.
Nature likes to play numbers. The commonality between chickens and cockroaches and their incredible ability to survive has little to do with intelligence and everything to do with flinging huge numbers of eggs and offspring into the world in hopes
that the line will continue. In many cases this works, and is another form of convergent evolution.
In the case of the cow and the triceratops, the appealing traits that led to their convergent evolution were almost certainly directly linked to their environment. Due to their size, cows and buffalo have few natural predators — particularly if they have plenty of room to run and trample threats to the herd. Horns allow for the cow to deliver the full energy of its charge into a singular point of contact against a threat. It’s likely the triceratops developed horns for this identical reason.
Meanwhile, both creatures needed to grow to great sizes in order to stay safe from predators, which meant their weight needed to be dispersed across four legs. The teeth and jaw structure of a cow and a triceratops are similar, as well, which is most likely because of the grassy diets of both creatures.
Convergent evolution isn’t a trait unique to animals. It is common in plants, too. Interestingly, while animals — and particularly female animals — are capable of choosing their mates to pass on desirable traits to their offspring, plants are left to the mercy of the wind and other animals like pollinators to spread their genetics. Few plant species are strictly clonal, as species that clone themselves over long periods of time become susceptible to disease and environmental changes.
To overcome the absence of choice, plants rely on raw numerical advantage and rapid reproductive cycles in order to evolve effectively, both reflecting and directly shaping the environment in which
they exist.
One of the most obvious forms of convergent evolution in plants is the annual lifecycle. Annual plants — those which exist for a single growing season before dying — are a common staple at nurseries and home and garden stores around the world, yet they only represent about 6% of all plants, yet it has been estimated that as many as 120 different species developed this trait independently from
one another. This means that the annual lifecycle is a direct response to a hostile environment in which the plant cannot exist for a certain portion of the year, instead investing its full energy into the seeds to continue its genetic lineage.
A subject spanning millions of years and countless generations of life isn’t done justice in a few hundred words, but it sure is fun to think about.
Stay curious, 7B.
Random Corner
• Olive oil is one of the world’s most popular oils and has been around for thousands of years. It’s also produced on six continents, but the country that produces the most is Spain, followed by other Mediterranean countries such as Greece and Italy.
• Olive oil was discovered in the Middle East and people used it for medicines, skin treatment and to light their lamps. The first written records of olive oil come from 400 B.C.E., when traders began keeping track of their goods in ancient Europe.
• It takes three to five years for an olive tree to begin producing olives, which grow throughout summer and fall and are ready for harvest from fall through to winter. When they ripen, olives fall off the tree naturally.
• The name “Kalamata olive” has protected status in the European Union. These dark purple and black olives are produced in the city of Kalamata, Greece. The E.U. gave them “Protected Designation
of Origin” status, which means only olives that come from this specific region of Greece can be called Kalamata olives.
• One of the more obscure writing prizes is the Ranieri Filo della Torre prize in Italy, which is an international award given to the writer who best captures the essence of extra virgin olive oil in their work.
• Speaking of virgins, what makes an olive oil “extra virgin” instead of “virgin?” According to the International Olive Oil Council standards, both are extracted by using only mechanical methods (no heat or solvents are allowed), and graded after the extraction process. If the oil is found to be fruity, has no defects and has a free acidity that is less than or equal to 0.8 grams per 100 grams, it is graded as extra virgin. If the oil has minimal defects and is found to have a free acidity between 0.8 and 2.0 grams per 100 grams, it is graded as virgin. (Just wait; this will be a trivia question someday and you’ll totally nail the answer!)
Top left: “I’m not normally one to laugh at others’ mishaps, but if you break the law and damage property, well then it seems fitting,” wrote photographer Grey Davis, who took this picture of a bench on the Long Bridge that had been “clobbered with a motorcycle,” leaving “plastic dirt bike parts strewn about.” It’s worth noting that there are no motorized vehicles allowed on the walking portion of the Long Bridge.
Top right: In honor of National Nurse Practitioner Week, Nichole Grimm (left) and Cynthia Dalsing (right) met with Sandpoint Mayor Jeremy Grimm (center). “There are more than 385,000 licensed NPs in the U.S. where they provide high-quality primary, acute and specialty health care services while emphasizing health promotion, disease prevention, health education and counseling,” Dalsing wrote. “NPs provide more than 1 billion visits across the country.” NPs play a vital role in delivering exceptional care, particularly in rural areas where 50% of health care is provided by ARNPs. Please thank your NP for their dedication, expertise and commitment to improving the health and well-being of our community.
Middle left and right: “My cousin came to visit his mom (my aunt) and brought his son and this model train car he just bought in Sacramento because it matches ours in Lakeview Park,” wrote Karenmarie Moran.
To submit a photo for a future edition, please send to ben@sandpointreader.com.
Bottom left: Autumn leaves, as seen from the boat. Photograph by Jim Mullin.
Bottom right: “Snow Ghost” trees on top of Scotchman Peak, taken on Oct. 30. Photo by John Harbuck.
COMMUNITY
Do you have old copies of the Reader lying around? Looking for missing editions to help archival process
By Ben Olson Reader Staff
Thanks to support from the community, Bonner County Historical Society and the East Bonner County Library District, the Reader has begun archiving the editions that hit Sandpoint shelves each week from 2004 to 2012 — during the first iteration of the paper — and again from 2015 to present day. Soon the museum will have print copies safely stored in archival boxes and preserved for posterity.
However, several years ago I noticed a member of the public rifling around in our “morgue” area, where we keep past editions of the Reader Despite the giant sign telling people not to access the morgue, this guy was casually pulling copies from the shelves. I asked what he was doing and told him to stop — that those were archived copies. He said, with chagrin, that he’d been pulling copies from those shelves for months. Apparently
he thought it was his own personal stash of firestarter, and months of pillaging left no copies remaining of certain editions, sometimes an entire month at a time.
It wasn’t a malicious action — just a dumb, dumb mistake. But the damage was done and we’re now missing several dozen print editions from the morgue.
This is where you come in, dear readers.
I know this is a longshot, but are there any of you out there who have kept any of these old editions of the Reader? We’d like to supply the museum with a clean archival record that isn’t missing any copies. Since it will be an astronomical cost to pay our printer to replate and print a single copy of each of the missing editions, I’d like to start by asking our readers if anyone happens to have any of the following editions in their possession:
• 2017: July 20, Sept. 28, Nov. 2 and Nov. 9;
• 2018: May 3, May 10, Aug. 16, Aug. 23, Aug. 30 and Dec. 20;
• 2019: Jan. 17, May 16, May 23, May 30, June 13 and Oct. 31;
• 2020: April 16, June 18, June 25, July 2, Sept. 4, Sept. 11, Sept. 18, Sept. 25, Nov. 12 and Dec. 17;
• 2021: April 22 and May 12
If anyone reading this possesses any of the editions listed above, I’m very interested in connecting with you so we can fill these massive gaps in our archives. In the meantime, please stay the heck out of our morgue. If you’re looking for firestarter, we always have dead copies from the week before. Just email and ask and I’d be happy to meet you to hand them over.
Any help you can offer will be greatly appreciated.
Contact ben@sandpointreader.com if you locate any past editions we’re missing and he’ll coordinate picking them up from you.
A ‘cozy’ fire?
By Todd Wendle Reader Contributor
It was 8:30 p.m. on a Tuesday, in the low-40s and threatening rain.
“Dear, what do you think about building us a fire in the fireplace? It would be the first of the year. We just bought a cord of wood and it’s stacked right outside the front door. I can open a bottle of wine and we can sit by the fire. Wouldn’t that be nice?”
“That sounds perfect. I’ll go get the kindling, some paper and some bigger pieces. I’ll have your fire going in no time! One question though: Did you get the chimney cleaned last spring? I am sure we’re OK, but just curious?”
“Let me think a minute. No I did not. It slipped my mind. I am sure we will be OK. We’ll keep it small. We didn’t have that many fires last year anyway.”
10:30 p.m.: “Dear, do you smell smoke? Do you hear that roaring sound? What is that?”
“I’m not sure. I’ll go check. Maybe someone else has a fire.”
11:11 p.m.: “911, what is your emergency?”
“Please help! There are flames shooting out of my chimney and smoke coming from the eaves! Please hurry!”
11:13 p.m.: The call went out and Northside Fire in Ponderay responded. Sam Owen Fire was called in as well. The quick response saved the house. No one was injured. But the beautiful home was in ruins. The ceiling torn down, the rock fireplace and chimney laying scattered. Water dripping from what remained of the ceiling. Carpets soaked. And in every room? That deep-rooted smell of stale smoke.
And the saddest part of the story? It all could have been prevented.
If this couple had remembered to clean their chimney, they would have drank their wine and fallen asleep to the last glowing embers in the fireplace. Instead, they were treated to the sound of sirens and the flashing redand-white lights of the fire trucks.
There are two primary causes of chimney fires: the first is incorrect installation; the second is not having the chimney or stove pipe cleaned periodically.
There are other contributors, as well. Burn only dry, seasoned wood. Do not damp down the stove to keep a fire all night. Burn your fires hot. If you have recently built or in-
stalled a new stove or fireplace, have it inspected by a professional. It is recommended to ask around and find a professional that has a good reputation. The fireplace or stove may look fine to you, but it’s the inner workings of the ceiling, walls, attic and roof you cannot see that can cause a major problem.
This holds true for old fireplaces and chimneys. Over time, they can crack or even break. Have your stove or fireplace inspected regularly. This can be done when you get it cleaned.
When a fire burns in a contained area, creosote is created in the burning process. This black material travels up and usually out of your stove pipe or chimney. If it has time to cool down, it can and will attach to the inside of the stove pipe or chimney. These deposits slowly build up and effectively reduce the size of the pipe or chimney.
At some point, the heat from a fire or an ember will ignite the material. As the fire builds in the narrow space, it pulls more and more oxygen from below, resulting in instant flames shooting out of the top of the pipe or chimney with internal temperatures soaring. The pipe glows red, the lining untouchable. Any wood or other material next to the pipe or chimney can and will burst into flame, spreading the fire quickly to the chimney space, attic and roof.
This material needs to be cleaned out of your pipe and chimney regularly. Once a year is recommended; but, if you constantly burn, twice a year would be better.
And while you are having it cleaned — or it’s brand new — have that stove or fireplace inspected professionally.
Cleaning a stove pipe or chimney can be done DIY. The box stores and
hardware stores carry the necessary supplies. Keep in mind it is a very dirty process, so close off the stove or fireplace below to prevent soot, ash and creosote from filling your living room. Remember: This story does not need to be repeated at your house. It is 100% preventable. Inspections, periodic cleaning, dry firewood and hot fires will keep you and your home safe with no nighttime calls to 911. Want to learn more? Head to YouTube and or Google and search “chimney fire.” You’ll get more than enough information and videos.
This is the first article in a new periodic series contributed to the Reader from the Sam Owen Fire Department, focused on actionable fire and highway safety information. Sam Owen Fire is located in Hope. It is one of many of our local volunteer fire departments in our area. If there is a subject you would like to see covered, please email the author at twendle55@gmail.com.
Courtesy photo.
OUTDOOR
O Brother, Where Art Thou? features as Panida $5 film
By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff
Among the movies that came to theaters in the early 2000s, O Brother, Where Art Thou? could be regarded as one that approaches perfection.
Written and directed by brothers Joel and Ethan Coen — with inspiration from the tale of Ulysses, by ancient Greek writer Homer — O Brother is the tale of three escaped convicts on the trail of a treasure in the Depression-era Deep South.
Starring George Clooney as silver-tongued (and well-pomaded) ringleader Ulysses Everett McGill, Tim Blake Nelson as dull-witted but goodhearted and loyal Delmar O’Donnell, and John Turturro as the ragefilled hillbilly Pete Hogwallop, the film has it all: good and evil, love and hate, seedy politicians, river maidens, demonic lawmen, prophecies and even a cataclysmic flood.
The 21st-century mythological homage is by turns wickedly funny and absurd, ominous and affecting, and — most notable — features a soundtrack of old-timey tunes so good that it made its fictional Soggy Bottom Boys band a bona fide hit, earning multiple platinum-selling status and an armload of Grammys in 2002 — including for Best Country Collaboration for “Man of Constant Sorrow.”
With supporting performances from Holly Hunter, John Goodman, Charles Durning, Wayne Duvall, Stephen Root and Daniel von Bargen, it’s a jewel box of a film stacked with kooky, unforgettable characters in a sepia-hued setting that dares audiences not to get swept away.
The Panida Theater will feature O Brother, Where Art Thou? as its $5 movie on Friday, Nov. 15, with doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the show at 7 p.m. Get tickets at panida.org or the box office at 300 N. First Ave., in downtown Sandpoint.
FEATURE
Simulation sheds light on the reality of living in poverty
Community Resource Envision Center hosts ‘Cost of Poverty Simulation’
By Ben Olson Reader Staff
Sometimes, the best education comes from experience. The Community Resource Envision Center hosted a unique event Nov. 13 titled “The Cost of Poverty Simulation,” where about 50 participants were grouped into family units and sent out to navigate “real-life” scenarios with limited budgets.
The simulation was designed to give a hands-on understanding of the many challenges that arise from living with insufficient resources.
“For some, this experience will be an accurate view of how life is every day,” said Kalynn Raugh, with the Community Action Partnership. “For others, this experience will prove to be just a little too much to handle.”
Before the simulation began, Raugh told participants some alarming statistics about poverty in the United States.
“There are currently 41 million Americans living at or below the federal poverty line,” she said. “That’s 12.6% of the U.S. population.”
Raugh outlined a scenario that might sound familiar to many in Bonner County: a family of three living under the poverty line would have to earn less than $25,820 per year, which is roughly $2,150 per month, not including taxes. Working full-time, this translates to about $13.45 per hour. Minimum wage in Idaho is currently at $7.25 per hour, where it has remained since 2009, when it was increased from $6.55 per hour.
“A two-bedroom apartment would take up 59% of that monthly income, leaving about $882 per month for everything else,” Raugh said. “That is food, car expenses, gas, insurance, health care, clothing, day care.”
After the introduction, participants began the expe-
rience. My “family” included Lindsay Morgan, who works with CREC, and Rebekah Little, with Bonner Homeless Transitions.
Morgan played “Jennifer,” a 27-year-old high school dropout who got pregnant at 17 years old. Jennifer is a stay-at-home mom and just learned she is pregnant again.
“I’m the nonprofit resource specialist, and prior to this position, I worked as an advocate for the courthouse in Kootenai County, so I already have a heart for advocacy,” Morgan told the Reader when asked why she was participating.
“With Bonner Homeless Transitions, this is what we do every day,” Little said. “I wanted to attend so I could have a deeper knowledge of our community’s impact by homelessness and poverty.”
Little played “Chris,” the 30-year-old father who works at a fast-food restaurant.
Both parents struggle with alcohol and other addictions and are in various treatment programs. They receive food stamps and medical assistance, have no vehicle and are experiencing marital issues.
I played their 10-year-old child, “Dominick,” who has ADHD and asthma and has to sleep on the couch of the family’s one-bedroom apartment. Dominick is starting to act out his frustrations at school and is angry his mother is pregnant because it will mean he will have less of his own space at home.
The simulation was divided into “weeks,” where families took part in real-world scenarios, with more than 20 volunteers stationed at booths making up a “town” complete with a gas station, bank, school, grocery store and more.
If a family had a car, they needed to pay for gas. If they walked or took the bus, they needed to apply for a pass or vouchers. If they were in line
to receive financial assistance and the whistle blew — signifying the end of the week — they did not receive services that day. Families also start the event off with assets that can be sold to the pawn shop when they fall short of the bills.
At the end of the first week, organizers pointed out to the participants that most every family failed to buy food at the grocery store, so most went without food for an entire week. My own family unit was unable to obtain food stamps after forgetting to obtain a walking voucher. Plus, young Dominick was contacted by the police for wandering around unsupervised after school. Chris was late to his job and was warned that one more late arrival meant termination.
As the weeks went on, the most obvious lesson to come out of the experience wasn’t that poverty exists, but that those living at or below the line must endure hardship after hardship, with events sometimes compounding the difficulties.
To make matters worse, organizers issued “fate” cards,
which simulate life events that can be either good or bad — anything from your car breaking down to participation in a medical study for lowcost drugs.
As the simulation continued, some families managed their responsibilities, but most fell short. Some were arrested. Some kids were expelled from school. My own family had to choose to buy Dominick’s asthma medication, leaving the ADHD pills for next week because there wasn’t enough to cover both.
For Morgan and Little, the experience was illuminating, but also highlighted the form of poverty that we see in North Idaho, which can sometimes appear different from that in more populated areas. Many of the “hidden homeless” in rural areas live in their vehicles or in tents pitched out of town. Some work jobs, but are unable to live comfortably because of the desperate need for affordable housing.
“It’s not like big-city homelessness,” Little said. “This summer we supported six families who were living
on Forest Service land, and we were able to get five of the families into permanent housing — the other family chose to continue living in the woods.”
By the end of the experience, all the participants took off their name badges to return to their own lives, which is the stark difference between poverty as a simulation versus poverty as a reality. In real life, those living in poverty can’t just take off their nametags. They live it every day.
“Poverty is so much more complex than just finances,” Raugh said. “‘The Cost of Poverty Simulation’ is just a small glimpse at the life of those living below the poverty line every day in our community. It’s just a glimpse of the obstacles faced that impact these families every single day.”
To learn more about Community Resource Envision Center, visit crecidaho.com.
Participants meet with Poverty Simulation volunteers in the mock town to receive services to help them make ends meet.
Photo by Ben Olson.
NAMI Far North opens Clubhouse
By Reader Staff
In the span of just 11 months, NAMI Far North has successfully planned, built and opened the Sand Creek Connections Clubhouse, a life-changing project that follows the evidence-based, data-driven Clubhouse International model.
NAMI Far North opened the doors of the Clubhouse located at 513 N. Fourth Ave., in Sandpoint, on Nov. 5.
Sand Creek Connections provides a safe, comfortable space for adults of all ages; allows for opportunities to connect, find purpose and thrive; and offers free, lifetime membership.
Initial hours of operation will be Mondays from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., as well as Thursday/Friday from noon-6 p.m.
“We invite you to visit and meet with our launching director Summer Berman and learn more about this transformative program,” NAMI Far North wrote in a news release. “Your support has made this possible, and we are deeply grateful to our stakeholders, donors and the entire community for this commitment to improving lives.”
NAMI Far North is a nonprofit organization with a mission to provide support, education, advocacy and awareness for mental health and illness in Bonner and Boundary counties. There will be a grand opening celebra-
tion held in spring 2025.
NAMI Far North wanted to give special thanks to their board of directors: Dawn Mehra, Steve Klatt, Catherine Perusse, Victor Vosen, Joe Wassif, Deb Osborn, Nancy Schmidt, Kimberly Kempton, Rebekah Little and Cindy Hall.
Also, they wanted to recognize Clubhouse founders Maria Corsini, Rebekah Little, Donna Brundage, Shelley Switzer, Dawn Mehra, Robert Pierce, Catherine Perusse, Sharon Bistodeau, Cynthia Mason, Lenny Guerrero, Jenn Straub, Clark Richman, Shawna Prummer, North Idaho Neurology team and Darby Pierce.
For more on the Clubhouse project, visit namifarnorth.org/sand-creek-clubhouse.
Santa Claus is coming to craft Annual Christmas Craft Fair returns
By Reader Staff
Santa is returning to Sandpoint for the annual Christmas Craft Fair at the Bonner County Fairgrounds (4203 N. Boyer Ave.) on Saturday, Nov. 16 and Sunday, Nov. 17, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The massive event will include live music, a gingerbread house contest and more than 100 vendors.
Get in some early holiday shopping — and snacking — at dozens of booths hosted by local artisans working in glass, wood and even cookie dough. If you get peckish, stop by Truck’n Delicious, Pascendi’s Italian Ice or Kokanee Coffee for a hearty meal or tasty treats.
Anyone feeling crafty can also enter the gingerbread house contest for a chance to win mystery prizes.
KNPS program ‘Bugs, Crud and Critters’ looks at threats to forest
By Reader Staff
Learn about the many factors that affect local forest ecosystems with the Kinnikinnick Native Plant Society program “Bugs, Crud and Critters,” scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 16 at 10 a.m., in-person only at the Sandpoint branch of the East Bonner County Library (1407 Cedar St.).
Presented by Idaho Department of Lands Forest Health Specialist Isabella Valdez, the program will explore how insects, diseases and animals can all cause damage to trees. Though some are native to the area, many are considered pests. However, understanding the patterns, life cycles, signs and symptoms of these “damage agents” can assist with management efforts.
Valdez holds a degree in forest and rangeland stewardship from Colorado State University and has worked with IDL since moving to the state in 2022.
Her work includes identifying, managing, and monitoring forest in-
health
sects and diseases. She presents forest health training to private landowners and agency personnel; coordinates insect surveys; and provides technical assistance to state foresters, industrial land managers and forest landowners.
Prior to working for IDL, Valdez worked as a plant health care technician in Colorado and Wyoming, as a noxious weeds sprayer for the U.S. Forest Service in Colorado and as a timber sale preparation forester in Wyoming. She also worked in a forest pathology lab at Colorado State University and as a GIS analyst for a private firm in Denver.
Coffee, tea and treats will be available at the “Bugs, Crud and Critters” event starting at 9:30 a.m. The program is co-sponsored by East Bonner County Library District and Sandpoint Parks and Recreation, and is free and open to the public.
For questions about the program, contact Preston Andrews at KNPS. Tech@gmail.com.
Bring your masterpiece to the main building Friday, Nov. 15, for judging on Saturday. The fair will announce the winner on its social media pages.
Kids can also write a letter to Santa and drop it off at the North Pole mailbox or visit Old Saint Nick himself on the central stage. While you’re there, give Santa a helping hand by dropping off donations for the Sandpoint Lions Club Toys for Tots drive and the Bonner Community Food Bank. The Sandpoint Rodeo Committee will accept gifts of cash, toys and non-perishable food items on the organizations’ behalf.
For more information or to see a complete list of vendors, visit bonnercountyfair.com.
The Sand Creek Connections Clubhouse at 513 N. Fourth Ave. in Sandpoint. Courtesy photo
Courtesy photo.
LPOSD plans $18.5 million improvements to Sandpoint Middle School
District leaders also envision construction of new career technical education building
By Soncirey Mitchell Reader Staff
Lake Pend Oreille School District Superintendent Dr. Becky Meyer met with families before the regular school board meeting Nov. 12 to answer questions on planned renovations to Sandpoint Middle School, as well as construction of a new career technical education building.
The district will pay for the $18.5 million improvements with a combination of grants and funds from the state, she said.
The state awarded LPOSD $15.1 million from the School Modernization Facilities Fund — which House Bill 521 established in 2024 to address Idaho’s school infrastructure problems — in addition to $1.397 million annually from House Bill 292, to make improvements to the district.
LPOSD received another $3.5 million from Idaho Career Ready Students to build the new CTE building.
“The state sold bonds. Everyone who got their initial 10-year plan in, it had to be approved by the board and submitted and then approved by the Idaho Department of Education. We were like the
second in the state [to submit] so we were all over it,” said Meyer at the Nov. 12 “coffee klatch” event, which took place at The Bernklau in Sandpoint.
After vetting multiple bids, the school board chose Longwell + Trapp Architects to spearhead construction of the CTE building and the renovation of the existing middle school. LTA has renovated multiple schools throughout the area and designed Winton Elementary School in Coeur d’Alene and Kootenai Technical Education Campus in Rathdrum.
The board is currently considering three bids for the project’s general contractor, who will work with LTA to determine which of the improvements requested by the board, staff, students and parents can be accomplished within the current budget. The board plans to make a decision on the general contractor during the Dec. 10 board meeting.
See a draft of the district’s 10-year plan, complete with the desired improvements to SMS, at bit.ly/40MeIka.
“We’re continuing it to be a draft [plan] because, after COVID, the cost of things
Annual CASA Purse Party benefits advocacy for local kids
By Reader Staff
The local CASA organization is hosting its annual Purse Party on Thursday, Nov. 14, from 4-6:30 p.m. at the Pend d’Oreille Winery (301 Cedar St., in downtown Sandpoint), where attendees are invited to participate in an evening of purse shopping, raffles and a silent auction.
Sponsored by Finan McDonald, all proceeds from the event go to benefit the Bonner County CASA team, which works to support advocates for area children who are victims of abuse and neglect.
“Your participation will
has gone up so significantly, so you put something out there, and then a year later, it may actually cost more. So I just wanted to keep the word ‘draft’ so that people wouldn’t think there was no deviation from this plan,” said Meyer.
Top priorities at SMS include replacing the building’s plumbing, HVAC system, 1950s-era electrical wiring and outdated windows.
“My biggest concern is safety. If you’ve seen those windows, they go into the classroom, so if there were a need to evacuate, we’d have to break the windows and then the metal bars. To do an evacuation from that building right now is very unsafe, in my opinion,” said Meyer, adding that she would also invest in 3M bullet-resistant film for the windows around the building’s perimeter.
The district is also looking to allow more natural light into the building and reconfigure the interior walls to regulate classroom sizes.
Parents at the Nov. 12 gathering raised concerns over accessibility, the flow of traffic in and out of the campus, and the size of both the cafeteria and the students’ lockers, among others.
The new CTE building, which will be located on the south end of the Sandpoint
High School campus, will be the district’s first project.
“It’s going to be similar, probably, to a shop. It’s going to have two bays for residential carpentry and, hopefully, automotive eventually — that’s what I wrote the grant for — and then a few classrooms and a lab for, like, health occupation,” said Meyer.
Once the project is contracted and underway, workers will begin updating the middle school in sections in an effort to keep the campus open through the entire process, which is estimated to be complete by fall 2027.
With so many proposed changes, some parents
questioned why the district wouldn’t simply construct a new building.
“A new middle school for that amount of students would be $50 million, so that gives you an idea,” Meyer said.
“As we’re talking about all of this, the architect is going to have to figure out the highest priorities that we can get done for $18.5 million.”
LPOSD’s 10-year plan, including proposed improvements to SMS, is available at: bit.ly/40MeIka.
help raise essential funds for training and supporting these child advocates, ensuring they can continue their crucial work in the courtroom,” the organization stated.
New this year, attendees get in free if they bring a purse or handbag to donate.
On top of all that will be the opportunity to gather with friends and enjoy wine and appetizers. Win a drink ticket with any purchase over $10.
“Whether you’re a regular attendee or a newcomer, we welcome you to make a difference for children in need,” CASA stated.
Teen Center hosts line dancing
By Reader Staff
Local teens are invited to join line dancing on Tuesday, Nov. 19 from 3:30-5 p.m. at the Sandpoint Teen Center, located in the community room at the First Lutheran Church (526 S. Olive Ave.)
Middle- and high-school teens from any public, private or homeschool are invited and no line dancing experience needed, with a professional dance teacher on hand to teach participants the ropes. Healthy snacks and refreshments will be provided,
and registration is $7 per teen.
For those who don’t want to dance, the center will offer its normal Teen Center activities, including board games, cards, art, cooking classes and more.
For more info on line dancing and other upcoming events, contact Sandpoint Teen Center Program Director Dannette Carnegie at 208-603-7064 or visit sandpointteencenter.com.
Sandpoint Middle School. Courtesy photo.
Send event listings to calendar@sandpointreader.com
THURSDAY, november 14
CASA Purse Party
4-7pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery
An evening of community, purse shopping, wine and apps while raising money for child advocates
Live Music w/ Wiebe Jammin’
6-8pm @ Smokesmith BBQ
Reggae / covers
Live Music w/ Truck Mills
6-8pm @ Idaho Pour Authority
Live Music w/ Jason Perry
5pm @ Connie’s Lounge
Live Music w/ Pamela Benton
5-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery
Live Music w/ Jake Rozier and Crew 9pm-midnight @ 219 Lounge Bluegrass, country, blues and grunge
Live Music w/ They Call Me Trouble
6-9pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall
Live Music w/ Mason Van Stone
6pm @ Connie’s Lounge
Live Music w/ Zach Simms
5-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery
Live Music w/ Monarch Mountain Band
5:30-8:30pm @ Barrel 33
Live Music w/ Kjetil Lund, Josh Hedlund and friends
6-8pm @ Idaho Pour Authority
Sandpoint Chess Club 9am @ Evans Brothers Coffee
Magic with Star Alexander 5-8pm @ Jalepeño’s
Live Music w/ Fiddlin’ Red 1-4pm @ Barrel 33
Monday Night Blues Jam w/ John Firshi 7pm @ Eichardt’s Pub
Dogsmile Adventures annual celebration, auction 6:30-8pm @ bit.ly/DogSmileAuction Storytelling and testimonials from the water at this online activity. Register at URL above
FriDAY, november 15
Firshi Friday live music w/ John Firshi
5:30-8pm @ Matchwood Brewing Co. Every first and third Friday
Live Music w/ Son of Brad 5:30-8:30pm @ Barrel 33
Paint, Plant and Sip ($55)
5:30-7:30pm @ Barrel 33
Paint a pot for your new pathos plant
Live Music w/ Ken Mayginnes
6-9pm @ 1908 Saloon
SATURDAY, november 16
Panida 97th Birthday concert with Raquel Rodriguez and more 7:30pm @ Panida Theater
A night of funk, soul and R&B. See Page 21 for more info
Annual Rocketry Event: Build and Launch 9am @ Sandpoint Middle School Intro by Dr. Weiser at 9am, build at 9:30am, launch at 10:30am SOLD OUT
‘Bugs, Crud and Critters’ 10am @ Sandpoint Library Free Presentation by IDL’s Forest Health Specialist Isabella Valdez
SunDAY, november 17
MCS Fall Serenade
5-7pm @ Little Carnegie Hall (MCS) MCS musicians perform music written by great masters. Funds raised benefit student scholarships
monDAY, november 18
Outdoor Experience Group Run
6pm @ Outdoor Experience
Lifetree Cafe • 2pm @ Jalapeño’s “Saving Jesus Redux: The Kingdom of God”
Line Dancing class for teens
3:30-5pm @ First Lutheran Church
$7. 526 S. Olive Ave.
Family Night at Matchwood
5-7pm @ Matchwood Brewing Co.
Live music from rotating artists
Live Piano w/ Sean Bostrom
5-7pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery
Live Piano w/ David Speight
1-3pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery
Game Night 6:30pm @ Tervan Tavern
3-5 miles, all levels welcome
tuesDAY, november 19
Live Piano w/ Jennifer Stoehner
5-7pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery
wednesDAY, november 20
TalkSoup Dinner and Talk 5pm @ Memorial Community Center (Hope)
The best inside jokes in the history of television Sometimes
By Ben Olson Reader Staff
Television shows have often been filled with cliches, tropes and overt jokes written for a broad audience. Even the plotlines to some shows are so overdone, the mere inclusion of a certain narrative commonplace is enough to elicit eye rolling.
How many times have we seen a main character wrestle with having two dates in one night and, rather than reschedule them, they go to the same restaurant with both and try to pull it off? Or two characters sharing a living space and dividing it down the middle with tape? Or dragging out a budding romance for years only to have their first kiss interrupted by a knock at the door, a phone call or another character entering the scene?
These might make for funny scenes, but TV audiences of today are (generally) too smart for low-hanging plot devices like these.
Enter: the callback.
For savvy viewers, there’s nothing that hits quite the same as an inside joke, callback or internal allusion that only those who pay attention will understand.
For a stand-up comedian, a callback might refer to a joke told earlier in their set. For sitcom writers, it might refer to a situation alluded to in an earlier episode, or it might go back even further than that.
Here are some of the best inside jokes and callbacks in television history.
Paul Rudd pranks Conan O’Brien for 20+ years
Actor Paul Rudd is a pretty likable guy with an “everyman” appeal that has even earned him a spot as People magazine’s “Sexiest Man Alive” in 2021 (Rudd later claimed he was getting business cards made with that as his job description).
However, Rudd’s running gag with late night talk show host Conan O’Brien has put him in a whole other category.
Back in 2004, Rudd made an appearance on Late Night with Conan O’Brien to promote his appearance in the upcoming series finale of Friends Rudd told Conan he’d smuggled out a secret clip of his scene and explained to the audience and Conan what they were about to see.
Instead, Rudd rolled a clip from the 1988 film Mac and Me showing a kid
the best laughs require a little background
in a wheelchair roll off a cliff into a quarry (with an obvious ragdoll double used in the falling shot), followed by an animatronic alien raising his eyebrows afterward.
It’s one of those clips that probably makes sense in the film; but, taken out of context, was enough to cause Conan’s audience to crack up.
That wasn’t the end of it, though. Oh, no. Rudd proceeded to bring that same clip to every subsequent appearance made on Conan’s various late night shows, always with a deadpan delivery. To make the joke even better, Conan always seemed to be taken by surprise by it.
There’s a video on YouTube that compiles the entire 20-year chronology of Rudd’s ruse, which culminates with pranking Conan twice in a row during his final week. Somehow, the clip just gets funnier and funnier the more you watch it.
‘Apologies to Matt Damon, but we ran out of time’
The titular host of Jimmy Kimmel Live! has waged a “feud” with actor Matt Damon that goes all the way back to 2005, when he jokingly said at the end of a taping, “Apologies to Matt Damon, but we ran out of time,” when Damon wasn’t even scheduled to be on the show.
Over the years, Kimmel and Damon have continued to egg on the “feud,” often enlisting other celebrities to help prank each other publicly.
The initial mention by Kimmel was just a gag after a particularly bad show in which he was trying to think of an A-list star that they wouldn’t bump for any reason. Kimmel then continued to end his show with that same comment, and, a couple years later, Damon played into the gag with his first appearance on Kimmel — only to have Kimmel introduce Damon and quickly cut him off to end the show. Damon
then cussed and screamed his way off stage, causing many fans to believe his reaction was genuine.
The gag has run for nearly 20 years, with each keeping it alive in good fun.
The Schrute graveside weddings
In an Season 3 episode of The Office (U.S.) Rainn Wilson’s character Dwight Schrute explained that the Schrute family usually gets married standing in their own graves, saying, “It makes the funerals very romantic, but the weddings are a bleak affair.” Six years later in the series finale, Dwight and Angela get married while standing in their own graves.
Better call Cinnabon
In the penultimate episode of Breaking Bad, Saul Goodman (played by Bob Odenkirk) tells Walter White (Bryan Cranston), that he’s no longer his lawyer and, “if [he’s] lucky, a month from now, best-case scenario, [he’s] managing a Cinnabon in Omaha.” During the opening scene of Better Call Saul — a spinoff of Breaking Bad that takes place years before the events of the latter show — we see Saul (wearing a nametag that says he’s “Gene”) indeed running a Cinnabon in Omaha.
George and Jerry’s conversation
In Seinfeld, the famous “show about nothing,” George and Jerry (played by Jason Alexander and Jerry Seinfeld, respectively) begin the first episode of a nine-season run with a conversation about George’s shirt: “The second button literally makes or breaks the shirt,” Jerry tells him. “Look at it, it’s too high. It’s in no man’s land.” In the series finale, all four main characters share a jail cell and the camera pans away as Jerry launches into the same conversation about George’s shirt button being “too high,” bringing this critically acclaimed show to a close with an obscure callback specially catered to superfans.
The alien from the 1988 film Mac and Me in Rudd’s hilarious clip. Courtesy photo.
Dwight Schrute and Angela Martin getting married while standing in their own graves. Courtesy photo.
By Marcia Pilgeram Reader Columnist
I recently met three longtime friends for breakfast at Connie’s. We’d barely turned in our standard order or broached our recent travels when the conversation turned to cooking. When the weather turns, we all fall back to our hunter-gatherer instincts. For me, the gathering instinct includes hitting all local grocery stores for winter baking sales. Sadly, I was traveling and missed the big sale at Super One. But, lo and behold, I came home to a cupboard laden with three types of flour, sugar, brown sugar, myriad baking chips and a freezer full of butter. That’s what friends are for.
Food and travel go naturally hand in hand, and each journey to new soil offers a unique chance to learn about other cultures, people and their foods. Many top-rated television series are now taking a deep dive into exploring cultures that were once unfamiliar to us, so we now have the opportunity to “know before we go.”
Hands-on food experiences abound throughout the world. There are walking tours, shopping and cooking tours, and even multi-day gastronomic events in which you can observe or participate. My favorite experiences always include visiting a local home to cook or share a meal with the resident Auntie or Mama. I’m fascinated by the delicious and abundant foods prepared in their sparse and straightforward kitchens.
On a recent trip to Tahiti, our culinary adventures were vast and varied. I found myself eating an array of raw fish at snack shacks located on dreamy blue lagoons. These shacks are mostly frequented
The Sandpoint Eater One world
by the locals, who are there to grab a snack and pick up the local gossip, referred to as “Coconut Radio.”
Poisson cru is offered almost everywhere and is an absolute favorite of mine: fresh tuna, lime juice, chopped onion and freshly squeezed coconut milk are tossed quickly and served chilled. It’s a favorite for locals, too. Fafaru is another island dish, just as traditional, but the aroma made it difficult to get past my nose and into my mouth. Raw tuna brines for three to four hours in a glass jar of crushed shrimp and saltwater that has been fermenting for two to three days. Culinarians, beware!
We ate and danced through a traditional Polynesian feast that included a dozen types of fish, exotic fruits and vegetables, and lots of French and
Tahitian-influenced pastries and puddings. We also dined at an acclaimed Michelin-rated restaurant, Le Lotus, which again featured raw fish, albeit elevated to a whole new level was swordfish gravlax, sliced paper thin, rolled in black curry and served on soy sprouts.
Most of the food in Tahiti is a fusion of Tahitian, Chinese and French, and it’s not unusual to find a French baguette filled with savory meats, a sweet spread, pickled veggies and lots of ramen noodles — and it’s quite a tasty little sandwich.
I wonder if many of their recipes are committed to paper. Instead, I think they have mostly been handed down and memorized for generations. Often, when someone shares a recipe, they speak of learning from grandparents long ago,
when they were younger. And not just recipes but other vital lessons, like when to choose a piece of fruit for ripeness; how to peel a coconut shell with your teeth or make a sturdy plate from fronds; and which leaves, plants and herbs can cure almost any malady. I love how revered the older generations are in their cultures; valuable and seemingly somewhat youthful in their societies. We are but one world when it comes to honoring the wisdom of our mothers, and theirs.
I was lucky to spend some time on and off living near my grandmother, Irma, and her wisdom still reigns in my mind. There was nothing she couldn’t do. I cherish her hand-scrawled recipes, and I’m honored to be the keeper of her legacy. It’s this time of year when the chilly weather
Molasses crinkle cookies
These cook hot and fast for the traditional crackle texture. Fresh baking soda is a must. Yields 3½ dozen.
INGREDIENTS: DIRECTIONS:
• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled into cups)
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground cloves
• ½ tsp fresh grated nutmeg
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• ¼ cup Crisco shortening
• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• ½ cup dark molasses
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Whisk the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and salt together until combined. Set aside.
In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, Crisco and sugar together on high speed until creamy and combined, about 2 minutes. Add the molasses and beat until combined. Then add the eggs, one at a time, and beat. Add vanilla and beat until combined. With spatula, scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
On low speed, slowly mix the dry ingredients, a couple batches, into the wet ingredients until combined. The cookie dough will be slightly sticky. Scrape bottom, cover dough for at least two hours, or overnight.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
Remove cookie dough from the refrigerator. Roll dough, or use small scoop, into 1 ½” balls. Roll top of each in granulated sugar and arrange 3 inches apart on the baking sheets (they will spread). Sprinkle with a few drops of cold water. Bake for 10-11 minutes or until edges appear set. If the tops aren’t appearing cracked, remove the baking sheet from the oven and gently tap it on the counter a couple times. This will cause warm cookies to spread a bit and crack on top. Return to the oven for 1 additional minute. Remove from the oven and allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Cookies will stay fresh, tightly covered at room temperature 2-3 days. Or wrap well and freeze for up to a month.
calls for me to pull them out of the aged recipe box and carefully finger through them. Many of the recipes are fall and winter-ish stews, but there are also all the well-remembered desserts. Sometimes, you have to read between the lines because, aside from the scrawled ingredients, there are few directions. I’ve made most of them enough over the past half a century to do without the instructions, but many would be difficult for others to decipher.
The recipe for Irma’s molasses cookies is one that I’ll revive in detail for everyone. It may not be that popular with the masses anymore, but it’s definitely a favorite at our house; and the aroma as they bake makes it hard to wait for them to come out of the oven.
I hope your family will enjoy some, too!
MUSIC
The Panida turns 97
Theater to throw party with R&B performer Raquel Rodriguez and more
By Ben Olson Reader Staff
For a 97-year-old, the Panida Theater looks pretty darn good. The historic theater and “living room of Sandpoint” will throw a special birthday party on Saturday, Nov. 16 at 7:30 p.m. in the main theater with two topshelf bands, Raquel Rodriguez with opening act Lucas Brown and the Night Mayors. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m.
Rodriguez is a versatile artist from Los Angeles known for her soulful sound, authenticity and ability to transcend
musical boundaries. A singer, producer, songwriter and performer, Rodriguez creates music that feels both nostalgic and fresh, while pushing boundaries within the R&B genre.
Rodriguez’s introductory album The 310 featured the single “Mile High,” which helped establish her as a rising star in R&B and has earned more than 4.5 million streams. Her follow-up album Sweet Side has generated more than 30 million streams worldwide and includes collaborations with artists and producers such as MXXWLL, Ill Camille, Matt Johnson (Jamiroquai), Amber
Navran (Moonchild), Steve Swatkins (Allen Stone), Nigel Hall (Lettuce) and more.
Currently, Rodriguez is preparing to release Housewife, an album that challenges stereotypes of womanhood and parallels the overlooked labor of housewives and independent artists.
Opening for Rodriguez will be Lucas Brown and the Night Mayors, a Spokane-based funk and soul party band that includes prominent local players in the scene, including Lucas Brown, Shawn Stratte, Josh Fry, Nickolaus Harner and Matty Davenny.
This will be a dance show with vibes of R&B, soul, funk and rock. Tickets for the event are $20 and can be purchased at panida.org or at the door (300 N. First Ave.) on the day of the show. All ticket purchasers will receive one free raffle ticket for a full season pass at Schweitzer donated by Schweitzer. More raffle tickets can be purchased inside the show. Also, Rainier beers will be on special for only $2 each.
A snapshot of notable live music coming up in Sandpoint
We’ve described Spokane-based Mason Van Stone as feeling like he belongs in the Sandpoint music scene. Now, we’re pleased to report that he’ll be bringing his reggae- and R&B-infused brand of easygoing alternative folk-rock and soul back to town with a Saturday, Nov. 16 show at Connie’s Lounge.
Welcome Van Stone on his return visit and see (or hear) for yourself why this Inland
Northwesterner is carving out his own niche of “mountain town rasta,” as we put it back in January, when last we wrote him up. As then, we’re still super impressed with his tight grooves and smooth, polished, radio-ready sound.
— Zach Hagadone
6 p.m., FREE. Connie’s Lounge, 323 Cedar St., 208-255-2227, conniescafe.com. Listen at masonvanstone.bandcamp.com and at soundcloud.com.
What does it mean to “defy genres” as a musician? Jake Rozier and his band have earned the descriptor by taking intricate folk and bluegrass string playing — à la Mumford and Sons — and combining it with one of the most unique voices you’ll hear in music today.
Rozier’s singing has the growl of grunge and rock paired with an intense, fast
This week’s RLW by Ben Olson
READ
When the world serves us shitburgers, I tend to seek out my spirit animal, Dr. Hunter S. Thompson. Lately, I’ve been rereading The Proud Highway, the first of two volumes of Thompson’s letters to (and from) some of the most notable figures in literature, politics and entertainment. It’s a beautiful backstage view into the early days of his career and how he muscled himself into the world of journalism, reinventing it to serve his own needs.
LISTEN
vibrato that’s downright indescribable. Listen to his most recent EP, Bulletproof, to see what I mean and get a taste of his powerful storytelling.
— Soncirey Mitchell
9 p.m., FREE, 21+. 219 Lounge, 219 N. First Ave., 208-263-5673, 219lounge.com. Listen on jakerozier.com or most streaming services.
Fans of Radiohead looking for more might delve deeper into frontman Thom Yorke’s solo projects. Yorke has been performing on movie soundtracks occasionally, but he’s also contributed some high-quality albums as a solo artist, including the 2006 release of The Eraser and Anima from 2019. Yorke famously hates his hit song “Creep,” but oddly recorded a nine-minute remix called “Creep (Very 2021 Rmx)” that’s worth checking out.
WATCH
It didn’t do well with the critics or at the box office, but the 1990 film Taking Care of Business with James Belushi and Charles Grodin is always a nostalgic treat to watch when I’m feeling blue. The story is an overused trope of mistaken identity between Belushi as the wild prison convict and Grodin as an overworked yuppie. The plot has enough holes to drive a bus through, but there’s an endearing quality to the film that saves it in the end.
Left: Raquel Rodriguez. Courtesy photo. Right: Lucas Brown and the Night Mayors. Courtesy photo.
From Northern Idaho News, November 13, 1924
BURGLARS GET $25 FROM ECONOMY STORE SATURDAY
Burglars on Saturday night robbed the R.B. Himes photo studio of $8 and the Economy grocery of about $25. The same methods were used in both instances and the sheriff’s force believes the robberies to be the work of professionals, although the breaking was crude in both instances, and the robbers were heard getting in. Entrance to the Himes studio was gained by breaking out glass in the rear of the building and the $8 was taken from the cash register. At the grocery store, the combination on the safe was successfully worked without the use of explosives. Mr. and Mrs. Himes heard the thieves getting in but through the noise was from the rear of the restaurant next door the studio and thought nothing of it. The Himes home is on Second avenue at the rear of the studio which faces on First avenue.
At the Economy store on Second entrance was made by breaking out a window in the rear of the store. The safe, which was open, was rifled of all it contained, about $25, while the cash register was opened and other parts of the store were ransacked. It is believed the robbery took place between 3 and 4 o’clock Sunday morning, as Mr. and Mrs. H.E. Krebs, owners of the building and Mr. and Mrs. Duncan Morrison, tenants of one of the apartments, heard the marauders breaking in and prowling about.
BACK OF THE BOOK
On Nov. 6 at 8:30 a.m.
By Sandy Compton Reader Columnist
When I was young, I had a book, I Have Five Pennies, in which a young boy is sent to the store by his mom for groceries. She gives him five pennies for himself, and as he goes, he sings, “I have five pennies to spend on candy; all for myself! Isn’t that dandy?”
Along the way, though, he meets five creatures searching for life basics. I can’t remember all of them, but one is a hungry squirrel, and another is a robin searching for nest-building materials. All are in some sort of need.
On display at the store is a big, intricately decorated lollipop — priced at five cents. The boy is about to buy it when he remembers he isn’t the only creature in the world, and realizes need is more important than want. So, he spends his pennies on nuts for the squirrel and yarn for the robin and whatever it is the other creatures need. He then runs happily home, giving his friends good gifts as he goes.
As things seem to work out in kid’s books, he gets home to discover that the grocer has secretly put the lollipop in the bottom of the bag as reward for his unselfish generosity. What’s interesting is that even if the grocer hadn’t given him the lollipop, the boy would have been happy with how things turned out by taking care of his friends.
He had transcended “me first.”
Today, we seem to be living in a “me first” world, where ordinary cour-
STR8TS Solution
tesy is abandoned and it doesn’t seem to matter what others need, only what we want. We have become a nation of selfish scofflaws and spoiled children. It’s as if we never left first grade. We can’t even bring ourselves to pay attention to traffic laws. First and fastest seems to be the only way some can drive — or do anything. We adore instant gratification; exchanging our futures and those of our children for toys we can’t afford. We idolize violence in movies and print. We embrace titillation in exchange for factual reporting. We choose leaders who will take us deeper into divisiveness, anarchy and the “me first” way of acting (note that I almost wrote “thinking”) instead of leading us to heal differences, learn to get along and take care of each other. I had a dream last night — a ramble through places I know only in dreams, spots on the foggy edges of real life recognizable only because I’ve visited them before. I remember these details: I was to clean areas next to a friend’s barn with a weed whacker, I had an appointment at a dream-familiar medical clinic and I had another appointment at a hospital. Because of the appointments, I never got around to weed whacking. I went to one appointment at the wrong time, and so missed both. I’m not sure what this had to do with anything real, but the central themes were uncertainty and confusion.
As a country, we’ve made an appointment with a very uncertain future and a bunch of confusion. I won’t dwell on what I see as disastrous
Sudoku Solution
possible outcomes. They may manifest soon enough, and some Americans will be kicking themselves in that very pocketbook they voted for with their short-sighted, xenophobic, cheaper-gas-and-groceries decisions. That’s my opinion, and I’m hoping I am completely wrong, but I doubt it.
Maybe “me first” is what the American dream has become. But when those groceries arrive at home, my guess is that they won’t be much cheaper, and there will certainly be no lollipop in the bottom of the bag.
Sandy Compton will be signing a new book, Something About Miracles, at Vanderford’s Books (321 N. Second Ave., in Sandpoint) on Saturday, Dec. 14.
Crossword Solution
I remember how, in college, I got that part-time job as a circus clown, and how the children would laugh and laugh at me. I vowed, then and there, that I would get revenge.
Solution on page 22
Laughing Matter
CROSSWORD
By Bill Borders
ACROSS
1. Old Jewish scholars
6. Police officers
10. “Oh dear!”
14. Young
15. River in Spain
16. Backside
17. Mistake
18. French for “Black”
19. Be aware of
20. Full of twists and turns 22. Principal 23. Most bad 24. Sorceress 25. Blabs
29. Experienced
Solution on page 22
Solution on page 22
Week of the
/kap-uh-PEE/ [adverb] 1. from head to foot
“The knights were dressed cap-a-pie in armor, ready for battle.”
Corrections: We tried, but there are no corrections to report this week.
31. What the volcano did 33. Court awards 37. Hereditary 38. Discern
39. Kneecap
41. Absolute quiet
42. Traditional
44. Appear to be 45. Thick-growing
48. Prison-related 50. By mouth
51. Chief plotter
56. Location 57. Rear end
58. Love intensely
Clutter
Stops
Made a mistake
DOWN
Drill
Prickle
8. Not in cursive
Achy 10. Abhors 11. Associated with the moon
Loft
Rock
55. Anagram of “Dear” 61. A Finnish steam bath
34. Heredity unit 35. Behold, in old Rome 36. Flower stalk 40. Painkiller 41. Chorale members 43. Detected
