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/ October 1, 2020

PEOPLE compiled by

Susan Drinkard

watching

“What’s a skill you’re trying to learn that you’re most excited about?” “I am excited about learning how to reload pistols and rifles, in general.” Rob Pemp Mechanical foreman II Burlington Northern Hayden

“I have to put an element in my stove and replace my kitchen faucet. I have always enjoyed learning how to fix things. My motto is ‘There has to be a way.’” Judith Miller Vendor at Bonners Ferry Farmers’ Market Bonners Ferry

“Faith and trusting that things are the way they’re supposed to be, and going with the flow.” Larry Stevens Radiologic technologist Sandpoint

“Right now I’m in cosmetology school learning how to do hair, and to make people feel beautiful.” Mikayla Ford Student Sandpoint

“I’m learning to fetch sticks at the lake but the waves are a little scary sometimes.” Xiao mei (means Little Sister) Pronounced Shal May Fetching for treats in Beyond Hope

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

www.sandpointreader.com Publisher: Ben Olson ben@sandpointreader.com Editorial: Zach Hagadone (Editor) zach@sandpointreader.com Lyndsie Kiebert (News Editor) lyndsie@sandpointreader.com Cameron Rasmusson (emeritus) John Reuter (emeritus) Advertising: Jodi Berge Jodi@sandpointreader.com Contributing Artists: Jen Heller (cover), Ben Olson, Bill Borders, Lyndsie Kiebert, Susan Drinkard, George Loustalet, Karen Hempstead, Leighty, Cassie Price. Contributing Writers: Zach Hagadone, Ben Olson, Lyndsie Kiebert, Lorraine H. Marie, Emily Erickson, Brenden Bobby, Ranel Hanson, Cassie Price, Scott Taylor. Submit stories to: stories@sandpointreader.com Printed weekly at: Tribune Publishing Co. Lewiston, ID Subscription Price: $115 per year Web Content: Keokee The Sandpoint Reader is a weekly publication owned and operated by Ben Olson and Keokee. It is devoted to the arts, entertainment, politics and lifestyle in and around Sandpoint, Idaho. We hope to provide a quality alternative by offering honest, in-depth reporting that reflects the intelligence and interests of our diverse and growing community. The Reader is printed on recycled paper using soy-based ink. Leftover copies are collected and recycled weekly, or burned in massive bonfires to appease the gods of journalism. Free to all, limit two copies per person.

Sandpoint Reader letter policy: The Sandpoint Reader welcomes letters to the editor on all topics. Requirements: –No more than 300 words –Letters may not contain excessive profanity or libelous material. Please elevate the discussion. Letters will be edited to comply with the above requirements. Opinions expressed in these pages are those of the writers, not necessarily the publishers. Email letters to: letters@sandpointreader.com Check us out on the web at: www.sandpointreader.com Like us on Facebook. About the Cover

This week’s cover photo was taken by Jen Heller. It’s a different angle of Chimey Rock taken from the Priest Lake side. Thanks for the great shot! October 1, 2020 /

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NEWS

Bonner County objects to city’s fee request in gun suit By Lyndsie Kiebert and Zach Hagadone Reader Staff Bonner County filed an objection in district court Sept. 30 in response to the city of Sandpoint’s request for almost $94,000 in costs and legal fees accrued in the lawsuit between the two municipalities regarding The Festival at Sandpoint’s weapons policy. Kootenai County District Judge Lansing L. Haynes ruled Sept. 2 in favor of the city, with a decision that detailed what the judge described as an “unpersuasive” argument by the plaintiffs — Bonner County and Sheriff Daryl Wheeler — that a ruling was necessary in order to avoid an impending and possibly violent protest at The Festival gates. “In actuality, law enforcement should always be equipped and trained for any crowd control eventualities, regardless of the reason,” Haynes stated in his decision. “Plaintiff’s fears of future harm are without merit and do not confer standing.”

The city filed a motion Sept. 16 requesting recovery of costs and fees from the case, and the county had two weeks to respond. In a statement on behalf of Bonner County emailed to the Sandpoint Reader, attorney Amy Clemmons of Davillier Law Group wrote Sept. 30 that while this suit may be settled for the time being, the issue as to the legality of The Festival’s gun ban is still in question — an issue set to rear its head again as a group of private citizens and gun lobbyist groups take the issue to court in a case scheduled for a February trial. “In effect one player has been sent to the locker room, but the game goes on,” Clemmons said. “No one has won, and all parties lose if clarity on the law is not provided before the next Festival. Clear guidance on the law is the only thing that was sought in this suit to provide law enforcement necessary guidance before further injury occurred.” The statement from the county’s counsel also asserted that “law enforcement officials from both the City and the County

agreed that a protest and unrest are likely if the ban continues, and therefore, wanted the court to clarify the law.” City officials told the Reader Sept. 30 that “city law enforcement officials have neither requested nor agreed that the court should clarify the law. The City of Sandpoint does not regulate the possession of firearms on public property. Furthermore, City law enforcement officials do not agree with Sheriff Wheeler’s assertion that there will be a protest and it is likely to turn violent or result in a riot.” The county’s counsel also suggested that the city sought to postpone a decision in the declaratory action, rather than win on the merits of the central legal question: Whether a municipality can convey the power to regulate firearms on public property to a private lessee. “The Sheriff received legal direction to use his discretion, and the City has not gained any ground on the fight to allow lessees to ban firearms, but it succeeded in opting to fight the legal battle at hand with the Sec-

ond Amendment Alliance in lieu of Bonner County,” the county wrote in its objection. The city pushed back at that assertion, as well, writing, “At no time has the City of Sandpoint through its legal counsel argued that the case should be postponed. In fact, the City’s position has been continually misrepresented by the County and its legal counsel.” City officials said that “Bonner County officials were warned that they had no standing to pursue this claim,” and added that “the court’s decision to dismiss this case due to lack of standing was not a technicality.” In the county’s official objection filing, counsel stated that Bonner County shouldn’t be “punished” via payment of the city’s legal fees for seeking legal clarification, which the county asserts the city will need to research and defend anyway in its other lawsuit regarding The Festival’s gun policy. Further, the county’s lawyers argued that Haynes actually did provide clarity for the county. According to the county’s filing,

“Sheriff Wheeler may exercise all of his options consistently with his view on the legality of the Festival’s gun ban, even if the correct view is not clear under the law.” “[Th]ere is no clearly prevailing party,” the objection states. “The City’s Policy has not been found to be lawful and the statutory and constitutional challenge continues.” Should the judge rule in favor of the city’s request for reimbursement, that decision would push Bonner County’s price tag for the suit near $240,000 — the total spent to date on its own legal fees being $145,529.65, according to a records request obtained Sept. 18. City officials told the Reader that they anticipate the court to consider its motion for financial recovery “in the next 30 to 60 days.” “We look forward to the court finding in our favor for repayment of attorney’s fees and saving the City of Sandpoint taxpayers continued expense,” city officials stated.

Bonner County COVID cases rise, following state trend By Reader Staff Bonner County experienced a notable upswing in COVID-19 cases through September, adding more than 120 cases from Sept. 1 to Sept. 30 for a total of 350 confirmed and probable cases since the pandemic began in mid-March. Two dates in 4 /

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the month accounted for the so-far largest single-day case count since health officials logged 22 cases on July 24. According to Panhandle Health District, 15 new cases were recorded on both Sept. 22 and Sept. 30. According to the Associated Press, Idaho appears to be heading into a “third wave” of coronavirus infections, as case

numbers rise amid the opening of the 2020-2021 academic year. Boise-based KTVB-TV reported Sept. 27 that Dr. David Pate, a member of the Idaho coronavirus task force and former St. Luke’s Health CEO, said, “I think we are a week into our third spike that is going to be bigger than either of the ones before.” The state added 614 confirmed and probable cases Sept. 30, bringing the total since spring 2020 to 42,048. So far, 469 Idahoans have died as a result of COVID-19 infection — 56 deaths having occurred in the

Panhandle Health District, which includes the five northernmost Idaho counties. No one has died, as yet, as a result of COVID-19 in Bonner County. The Associated Press reported Sept. 29 that Idaho is ranked 11th in the nation by Johns Hopkins University for new confirmed COVID-19 cases per capita. According to PHD, 48 new cases were reported district-wide on Sept. 30, with 28 individuals currently hospitalized. Meanwhile, closed cases number 3,063, denoting individuals who are no longer being actively monitored for the virus.

Benewah, Bonner, Boundary, Kootenai and Shoshone counties remain in the “yellow” risk assessment category, which determines whether and how schools may remain open. Lake Pend Oreille School District facilities are currently maintaining their shortened schedules and social distancing and face covering policies. Health officials such as Pate forecast more illness going into November, as the typical cold and flu season ramps up.

NEWS

Containment increasing Details on the constitutional amendment HJR4 being considered by Idaho voters on local fires By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff

By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff Following a wet late-September weekend, fire managers report that the two largest blazes in the Bonner County area — the Bernard and Callahan fires — are 75% and 72% contained, respectively. Crews have worked both fires for weeks, after the Bernard fire sparked Sept. 7 and Callahan fire on Sept. 8. High Labor Day weekend winds whipped the blazes into conflagrations. The Bernard fire, which is human-caused but still under investigation, has reached 1,375 acres burning in steep timber and brush southeast of Bayview at Echo Bay. Crews checked the Bernard fire at its perimeter before the wet weather moved in. Thirty-four personnel are working the fire, as of Sept. 30. The Callahan fire also swiftly grew to 1,276 acres, burning in rugged timber and brush terrain south of Smith Mountain about nine miles southwest of Troy, Mont. on the Idaho side of the border. The cause of the fire remains unknown and under investigation with an estimated full-containment date of Saturday, Oct. 31. The West Branch Fire, first reported Sept. 16 about nine

A burn scar at the Bernard fire. Photo by USFS. miles west of Coolin on the Washington side of the border, is 20% contained at 113 acres, as of Sept. 30. A total of 27 personnel are working the fire, which officials reported is minimally active with some creeping and smoldering. The complexity of the terrain has been a challenge, as fire bosses noted that falling snags and burned trees have contributed to the spread of the blaze. Its cause is under investigation. Weather conditions in the Sandpoint area call for temperatures between the mid-40s and low- to mid-70s through the week with no rain but some haze and fog through the morning of Sunday, Oct. 4. For more fire information and updates, visit inciweb.nwcg.gov. For weather, see nws.noaa.gov.

In an historic election shaped by COVID-19 social distancing restrictions and allegations — unfounded — by some including the president that the attendant mail-in voting will result in compromised results, Idahoans are being asked to weigh in on a constitutional change directly related to voting. House Joint Resolution 4, passed by the Legislature in February, removes language in the state constitution to establish the number of Idaho voting districts at 35, making it impossible to alter that number without a further amendment. House Speaker Scott Bedke, R-Oakley, introduced the legislation, which House members approved 65-3, with two members absent, and Senate members passed 34-4. Idahoans will see HJR4 on their 2020 election ballots, but many have already expressed some confusion about its significance. Bedke said the legislation is intended to create stability and remove a point of contention that erupts every 10 years when the state’s non-partisan redistricting commission meets to apportion districts across the state. According to the ballot language: “If the number of districts is set by law, the commission would not need to determine the number of districts, eliminating a potential point of conflict be-

tween the commissioners.” Bedke also argued that the amendment is necessary to ensure that urban and rural areas of the state remain balanced in their representation and Idaho is able to grow its franchise with a burgeoning population. As it stands, the Idaho Constitution allows for as few as 30 legislative districts. Bedke said Idahoans are better served by more, not fewer, voting districts — particularly when it comes to rural districts, which with growing population could come to encompass unwieldy geographic regions and swathes of the electorate. “This is not a huge change,” Bedke said in February, according to the Idaho Press. “It’s certainly something that we’re all used to for the last 30-plus years. But our Constitution allows for fewer legislative districts, and I think we’d be well served going forward pegging that at 35.” Opposition to the ballot measure has made for some strange bedfellows. In the House, Ultra-conservative Reps. Heather Scott, R-Blanchard, and Priscilla Giddings, R-White Bird, voted against HJR4, alongside Garden City Democratic Rep. John McCrostie. Scott in her Sept. 24 newsletter urged voters to oppose the amendment, writing, “I voted against this proposed amendment in session because I found it unnecessary, I believe it hurts rural areas, and I would like to eventu-

ally see one Senator per county to balance the state’s rural vs. urban community representation.” Scott also criticized the cost of a constitutional amendment — between $200,000 and $300,000 — that she said isn’t even needed given that the current law caps the number of districts at 35. Giddings told Boise-based KTVB-TV that she opposed the measure because it doesn’t meet the Idaho Republican Party’s resolution that the Legislature establish no fewer than 35 and no more than 45 legislative districts. McCrostie, meanwhile, voted “no” on the amendment in protest that the Idaho Constitution continues to include a ban on marriage equality, telling KTVB that until the ban is removed he won’t be supporting any constitutional amendments. In the Senate, Democrats Cherie Buckner-Webb, Maryanne Jordan, Mark Nye and Michelle Stennett stood against the measure. There are no known proposals to reduce the number of legislative districts to the constitutionally allowed minimum of 30, but — again — Bedke said it’s a matter of thinking about the future. “If we have fewer districts, then they will have to get larger geographically, and we have some right now that span from nearly Oregon clear to Montana,” Bedke told KTVB.

Bonner County to pave all gravel RR crossings By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff Railroad crossings on gravel roads across Bonner County are about a year away from a major makeover, as the county plans to spend federal grant money to pave 100 feet of road on either side of each crossing. Bonner County Road and Bridge Staff Engineer Matt

Work on all 19 locations set for 2021

Mulder requested approval from commissioners Sept. 29 to move forward with the design and engineering contract for the project, which includes collaboration with four railroad companies at 19 gravel crossings around the county. The county is also planning to paint roadway signals that a crossing lies ahead, along with flashing signage. The goal, Mulder said, is

to improve safety for drivers, as well as for Road and Bridge employees performing regular maintenance near the crossings. “The idea behind this was to get our graders and operators off of having grade right up to the tracks,” Mulder said. “It would also provide better stopping and acceleration traction for drivers coming up on these railroad crossings on gravel roads.”

Money for the project is coming from a federal grant administered by Idaho’s Local Highway Technical Assistance Council. The more than $1 million grant, known as the Local Highway Safety Improvement Program, is “aimed at eliminating Fatal and Serious Injury (Type A) crashes on the roadway system,” according to LHTAC. Bonner County commissioners

unanimously approved Mulder’s request to move into Phase 2 of his department’s contract with JUB Engineers in order to finalize designs, bid documents and cost estimates before seeking a contractor to complete the work. Mulder said paving and signage on all 19 gravel railroad crossings in the county are expected to be completed around the same time in 2021. October 1, 2020 /

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NEWS Agencies approve EIS for Columbia River System Operations

By Reader Staff The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Bureau of Reclamation and Bonneville Power Administration signed a joint Record of Decision on Sept. 28, committing the agencies to ongoing operations, maintenance and configuration of 14 federal dams that compose the Columbia River System. The plan includes actions that support continued, reliable water resource benefits and balances the purposes of the federal dams while specifically supporting ongoing and new improvements for species listed under the Endangered Species Act. The signing of the joint ROD accomplishes a priority item in the Presidential Memorandum on Promoting the Reliable Supply and Delivery of Water in the West issued in October 2018. The ROD provides the agencies’ reasoning for selecting the preferred alternative published in the Columbia River System Operations final environmental impact statement as the alternative for implementation, and affirms the agencies’ commitment to implement the National Marine Fisheries Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 2020 biological opinions. One alternative, which would have lowered Lake Pend Oreille by three feet in the summer months, was not chosen as part of the final CRSO plan. “This selected alternative provides the best balanced and flexible approach to meeting the needs of the human and natural environment in the basin, both now and into the future,” said Brig. Gen. D. Peter Helmlinger, commander of the Corps of Engineers’ Northwestern Division. “Our decision benefits the public interest, treaty resources and iconic fish species of the Pacific Northwest.” Through her assessment, Reclamation Regional Director Lorri Gray has determined that, “The selected alternative meets the purpose and need of the action and a 6 /

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A map of the dams on the Columbia River System. Image courtesy US Army Corps of Engineers. majority of the EIS objectives, balancing the co-lead agencies’ abilities to meet statutory project obligations while also complying with the requirements of the ESA, Clean Water Act and other applicable laws.” Key to the EIS process was the identification of mitigation actions to offset adverse impacts of the measures in the selected alternative and operation of the Columbia River System consistent with its congressionally authorized purposes. For example, BPA will fund additional protection and mitigation actions and will include those actions in its existing Fish and Wildlife Program. “This process reflects our commitment to understanding all of the needs and interests related to the Columbia River Basin,” said acting BPA Administrator John Hairston. “We believe our decision today carefully balances the region’s needs for clean, reliable energy, supports the economic vitality of the communities that depend on the rivers, and includes durable actions that offset impacts on fish and wildlife affected by the Columbia River System.” The co-lead agencies now are planning for implementation to ensure continued coordinated management of the system in a manner consistent with the selected alternative. The agencies will use the information garnered through the EIS development process to guide future decisions. According to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officials, the NEPA process and the EIS were completed with the input and assistance of many cooperating agencies with special expertise and/or authority over the lands and resources evaluated and with robust public and stakeholder engagement. Independent reviews of the EIS were also completed during the process. The recorded virtual signing ceremony, final EIS and joint Record of Decision are available on the project website: crso.info.

Bits ’n’ Pieces From east, west and beyond

East, west or beyond, sooner or later events elsewhere may have a local impact. A recent sampling: President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court justice pick is Judge Amy Coney Barrett, age 48. Barrett is favored by gun rights interests, anti-abortion activists, and leans right on immigration and discrimination, The New York Times reports. Senate Republicans hope to have her serving before Election Day, with a Senate vote tentatively scheduled for Oct. 22. Time allotted for the hearing process has been cut by about twothirds. Why such a quick confirmation? Both Trump and Vice President Mike Pence have said that election “chaos” from the extended time required for counting mail-in ballots could result in the Supreme Court deciding who the next president is, The Washington Post pointed out. As well, a week after the election the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear a case that could dismantle the Affordable Care Act. For households with annual incomes of $3 million or more, that could mean an average tax cut of $198,000, according to Americans for Tax Fairness. For 20 million others that would result in loss of health care coverage, as well as charging women more for coverage, and higher charges for 12 million seniors’ prescription drugs. ATF suspects that is another reason Trump wants to quickly confirm a new Supreme Court member. As Stacey Abrams pointed out recently in TIME magazine, “If our vote didn’t count, the forces trying to take it away would not be so desperate, such as using voter purges and lengthy vote lines.” The Pennsylvania state Supreme Court has ruled that “naked ballots” there must be discarded. Those are ballots that are not submitted in their interior security envelope. There may be as many as 100,000 such ballots, The Washington Post reported. At a White House briefing, when asked if he would peacefully leave the White House if Joe Biden wins, Trump refused to say yes. Rather, he cast doubt on mail-in voting and stated “get rid of the ballots and you have a very peaceful — there won’t be a transfer, frankly. There will be a continuation.” The Federal Election Commission Commissioner responded: “we do not ‘get rid of’ ballots. We count them.” The only Republican to disagree with Trump’s statement was Mitt Romney, who said it was “unthinkable and unacceptable.” Historian Dr. Heather Cox Richardson said the comment served to distract media

By Lorraine H. Marie Reader Columnist

from the release of Biden’s presidential platform, which contrasts with the Republican’s lack of a platform for Trump’s second term. Comparison of tax plans: Trump’s 2017 tax law primarily benefitted the rich and corporations, impoverishing federal revenues by $2 trillion, according to Americans for Tax Fairness. Challenger Biden’s plan calls for repealing Trump’s tax cuts for the rich, and investing the $4 trillion into Social Security, health care, education, infrastructure and green energy. ATF said Biden’s plan will not directly increase taxes on households with incomes under $400,000, and Trump’s tax cuts have led to efforts to find other funding via cutting Medicare, Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act, education, housing, transportation and other “vital” services. The number of confirmed U.S. COVID-19 deaths has passed 200,000, The Guardian reported. COVID-19 cases are on the rise in 21 states. Data compiled by the American Academy of Pediatrics shows hospitalizations and deaths from COVID-19 for children and teens rising faster than for the general public. The New York Times released findings on Trump’s tax returns, including: debt of $300 million to debtor/s unknown; most years paying no taxes to the U.S., but paying elsewhere, such as $156,000 to the Philippines and $145,000 to India; and using daily living expenses, such as housing and hairstyling as tax deductions ($70,000 for hair). A former inspector general for the Justice Department said that if Trump loses the election, once out of office he will face numerous charges of fraud (bank, tax, mail, wire). Trump called the report fake news; CNN said he could prove it was fake by releasing his tax statements. Blast from the past: Studies of voter fraud show alignment. In the past 20 years the conservative Heritage Foundation has found a rate of 0.00006% voter fraud for mail-in votes. The rate found by the Brennan Center for Justice was between .0003% and .0025%, meaning that an American is more likely to be “struck by lightning” than to impersonate another person at the polls. Trump’s voting integrity commission documents found “no evidence to support claims of widespread voter fraud.” Trump may not have read the report, since in July he proposed delaying the elections due to the possibility of vote-by-mail voter fraud. The conservative Federalist Society’s co-founder said that statement was “grounds for the president’s immediate impeachment … and his removal from office by the Senate.”

PERSPECTIVES

Emily Articulated

A column by and about Millennials

Legacy and imagination By Emily Erickson Reader Columnist

If I’m being honest, I haven’t spent that much time throughout my life considering with depth the role of gender equality on my unique experience navigating the world around me. Because in my little world, it had never felt as though there were barriers in front of what I could accomplish, or caps on what I could achieve. I didn’t feel pressured into living one kind of life over another, and the plights of the feminist cause always felt distant; too far away, too far removed, or too long ago to affect me personally. And although little granules of understanding would seep into my experience, the collective weight of them never seemed to quite register in a clear enough way. As a girl, I’d tighten the laces of my well-worn soccer cleats, pull the stretchy fabric of a basketball jersey over my head, and ratchet the spikes into my cross country flats, all while my mom watched on the sidelines wondering what sports she would have played if there had been a women’s athletics program at her school. And when I laughed at her poor attempts at dribbling a ball, I couldn’t quite draw the conclusion that her lack of proficiency was because she had never had the opportunity to learn. As a teenager, I filled out college applications, filtering my choices by which schools had the highest scholarship potential and academic and athletic programs that aligned with my goals. I wrote essays,

Emily Erickson. crammed for exams and touted my extracurriculars while my grandma quietly whispered that she would have liked to attend college, but “it wasn’t really something girls like her did back then.” As I showed her my acceptance letter, I couldn’t quite grasp that, to her, it was something exceptional. As a young adult, I applied for my first line of bank credit, fumbling with my paycheck stubs and highlighted year-end statements, rehearsing how I’d describe that I was hoping to use the money to consolidate the remainder of my student loan debt, all while my aunt beside me was remembering the day she was able to open a credit card in her own name. And when she shared with me the pride that comes from financial independence, I couldn’t quite recognize that it hadn’t always been this way. Throughout my life, I’d been categorizing women’s rights as something worth championing, but mostly for the benefit of women whose experiences were different from, or more challenging, than my own. But this past week, after the

passing of Ruth Bader Ginsburg and the incredible mark on the timeline of gender equality in the United States she’s left behind, I dug deeper into her legacy, and reflected more honestly upon my personal experience with women’s rights. I listened to audio clips from RBG’s early court cases while she worked for the ACLU, hearing her speak to the importance of breaking the stereotype that men and women were fundamentally different, and formally recognizing that gender-based break under the law. Case after case, she chiseled away at societal perceptions, set on expanding the breadth of the 14th Amendment, guaranteeing that “all citizens equal protection under the law,” also applied to women. I read more about the cases she presided over as a Supreme Court justice, taking note of the timeswhen she addressed the public from her stand, intentionally encouraging people to pay attention to the positive ways our society, and gender roles within that society, were changing. After spending time putting the milestones of RBG and other champions of gender equality into the context of recent decades, I was finally able to recognize with newfound clarity the feat those collective accomplishments achieved. With each equally-granted right fought for by these amazing women, there was a consequential shift in the perception of young girls on their own capacity for accomplishment. With each barrier these leaders worked to break down, the imaginations of girls and wom-

en like me were cleared, free to explore the endless possibilities of achievement, without the roles of gender narrowing our vision for our own futures. By continually seeing women in positions of power and as catalysts for change, we’ve had no problem understanding that we’re capable of doing the same. My ignorance of the incredible privileges I carry as the direct result of the women

who came before me was a gift; a boundless ability to picture myself as becoming anything I wanted to become. And while I can recognize all the work left to be done, and that the privileges I enjoy don’t apply to every woman, everywhere, I want to reflect with gratitude on the legacy of the women who came before me, with excited anticipation for all that the girls following after will most certainly achieve.

Retroactive

By BO

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OUTDOORS

Dirt-y Secrets

Tips for prepping your outdoor space for winter

By Ranel Hanson Reader Columnist

October is transitional. There is lots to do but we will do it in cooler weather. We can get warm, sunny days or frost. And rain, hopefully. So, be ready. Watch the weather and cover tender plants when frost is predicted. And, remember, there are lots of different weather pockets in Bonner County. If you live higher than 3,500 feet, you’ll likely have earlier frost. You can buy frost cloth or use newspaper or an old sheet. Be prepared. Now is the time to cut back shrubs, perennials, (peonies, hydrangeas, phlox, for example) and pull out annuals that are finished for the year. Save radical haircuts on trees for early spring, but some shaping is fine. Shrubs can take a more severe cut, depending on the look you want. Before you put the beds to bed, remove weeds and use mulch for protection against cold and wind. Straw is good, but leaves tend to turn to a slimy mess come spring. It helps to run over leaves and break them up with the lawn mower. Grass clippings will do, but they usually contain quite a few weeds. Don’t use herbicides; birds and insects are counting on you to keep them safe from poisons. When the weather turns colder, move tender plants and houseplants inside — spray with organic insecticide soap first so that the outdoor critters don’t come and make a home in your indoor plants. Save your favorite seeds for next

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year. Be sure they are dry before storing and a paper envelope is best. They tend to mold in plastic. Cosmos, zinnias, hollyhocks, marigolds are some that have seeds that are easy to save and very viable. Make sure they are kept dry. This is a transition month for birds and bees, too. Leave their favorites in the ground until activity stops. Birds are either getting ready for long flights or fattening up for the winter. Bees are getting ready to overwinter and need sustenance. If you have a bird feeder, September is a good time to start stocking it for our year round birds. Next year, plan to plant more bird/bee friendly varieties. Bee balm, all the mints, cosmos, sunflowers. Also, milkweed for monarch butterflies. As I have mentioned before, I love mason bees. They pollinate like crazy, don’t sting and don’t make honey. They are “easy keepers.” Since July, my bee eggs have been sleeping in their houses in my garage. They have been busy making cocoons . It is now time to take the cocoons out of their bee houses and store them for the winter. I put the cleaned cocoons in my refrigerator crisper for the winter. Yep, right there in the crisper (in a little bee humidifier). You must check them periodically to be sure they stay moist but otherwise, as I said, “easy keepers.” More on bees in April. Quick note: If you are interested in mason bees, they need early bloomers to feed. Fruit trees are usually too late so I find crocus to be a good early spring blossom for bees. You need to plant them

soon for April bloom and near where you plan to put your mason bee house. East side seems ideal because they need morning sun to wake up and afternoon shade to stay cool. October is the best time to plant bulbs but November works too, provided the soil is workable. Remember, deer love tulips. Don’t plant them where deer can reach them. The same is true for lilies, except daylilies. Deer don’t usually eat daffodils but will if they are hungry enough. Now is also the time to lift dahlia and gladiolus bulbs. You must keep them from freezing all winter. After I pull up my glads, I just bury the bulbs

A hibiscus, in all its glory. Courtesy photo.

in dry soil or straw. No need to cut the tops off but do keep them absolutely dry. Garages are ideal. Dahlias are trickier and I admit I am not an expert here. But you can google dahlia care and get the scoop. Tip Recap: watch the weather for frost; trim trees and shrubs, but not too much; save seeds; weed and mulch; plant bulbs; care for birds and bees; lift and store gladiolus and dahlia bulbs.

OPINION

What happened to the party of Teddy Roosevelt?

As the planet runs out of time, Republicans have betrayed their party’s conservationist past

By Cassie Price Special to the Reader My dad was a lifelong Republican, farmer and logger. He believed in small government and fiscal responsibility, and most importantly, conservation of natural resources. Two of my earliest memories of him growing up in the ’80s were going with him to vote on Election Day and planting hundreds of trees every spring. Back then I didn’t see any conflict between Republican beliefs and planting trees. Ten-year-old me just thought it made good sense — log some timber, plant some replacements. Taking me to vote taught me the importance of voting at an early age. In my more than 20 years of voting, I’ve only missed a handful of local elections and never a presidential election. Planting trees taught me the lessons about giving more than you take and making sure you have something in the future. I don’t know what the Republican Party stands for anymore, but it’s not conservation. It’s not the environment. Somehow, in just over the 100 years since Teddy Roosevelt created five new national parks; 18 National Monuments; 51 bird preserves; four game preserves (including the National Bison Range, three hours away in Charlo, Mont.); and 150 national forests, the Republican Party today scoffs at the mention of the word environmentalism. As many as 98% of actively publishing climate scientists believe climate change is man-made and causing our planet to warm up. The other remaining percentage consists of contrarian studies that cannot be replicated or contain errors. Yet it’s the doubters — who aren’t even scientists — drawing enough press that if you weren’t paying attention it could lead you to believe that climate change was a hoax. The only parties interested in perpetuating a climate change hoax are fossil fuel companies. The jury is no longer out. If you’re not living in a media echo chamber, everyone is in agreement that the planet is warming and it’s caused by humans. It’s easy to see in the summer when our air is choked with smoke. But I feel it in the winter, too, when it’s 33 degrees and raining on our snow. I know California is a dirty word in North Idaho, but California’s catastrophic wildfires are what’s next for us. Everything we love about North Idaho is at stake. Rain all winter, and none of it amounting to significant enough snowpack to prevent fires. Drying

up by May. Imagine the fires starting in June and the smoke and heat all summer long. Our tourism will wither. Our property values will sink. Who wants to visit a place choked with smoke, much less live there? And if we have no snow, we have no skiing. That is what is coming to us if we don’t start addressing climate change. If you didn’t like COVID lockdown, you sure as hell aren’t going to like carbon lockdowns — as in we are only allowed to drive certain days of the week to ration the carbon we are allowed to put into the air. Burning up the planet while we dither is worse. Don’t get me wrong here, it’s not like the Democrats are doing much better, but at least some of them pretend to care. While the West was on fire, they quietly removed climate change and Green New Deal references from the agenda at the DNC convention. The climate clock was unveiled last week in New York for Climate Week, showing that we only have a little more than seven years to take significant measures to reduce carbon emissions and keep global temperatures from rising fewer than 2 degrees Celcius from pre-industrial temperatures. Two degrees Celcius doesn’t sound like much, but it’s actually 35.6 degrees Fahrenheit. Imagine 115 degrees summers up here. The Global Day of Climate Action was scheduled for Sept. 25 and I kept hoping someone else was going to set up an event for Sandpoint and no one did. There was an event in Hayden and one in Spokane. But I don’t want to live in a place that doesn’t take our future seriously, so I set one up. A good metaphor for activism and life itself. I created a Facebook event and registered with Friday for Futures and reached out to as many people as I could. It didn’t

seem like it was getting much traction, and I was preparing myself mentally to sit on the corner of Fifth Avenue and Cedar Street alone and be harassed. Then Ammi Midstokke reached out and said she would join me. So I mentally prepared for the two of us to stand out on the corner for hours and be harassed. But at least I wouldn’t be alone. I set the time for 11 a.m., but I was running late because I needed emergency supplies to keep all the signs from getting ruined in the downpour. By the time I got them covered and got to the spot, it was 11:20 a.m. Imagine my surprise and delight when I showed up and 10 people were already there. Another five or so showed up over the course of the morning. Many of them are regular protesters. One woman shared she had been protesting for the environment before I was born. Most of them showed up because someone from 350 Sandpoint shared the event. It was a good reminder of the power of community. I left around 1 p.m. because I was soaked to the bone with rain running down my arms and pooling in the elbows of my rain jacket. I’m glad we showed up. I don’t want Sandpoint to be known for white supremacy and stupidity. But even if no one else saw our signs, I no longer feel alone in the fight for climate change. Climate change isn’t a Democratic or Republican issue. It’s an American issue. It’s an every-human-on-this-planet issue. We are all on this planet together. We are planning on making our protests a regular thing. Check the Reader, 350 Sandpoint and Fridays for Future website for updates and join us.

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Tell Idaho senators to delay Supreme Court nomination…

Bouquets: • I know I say this a lot, but I can’t say thanks enough to our generous readers who donate to the Reader. This job is a soul-crusher some weeks. I don’t know if I would have been able to hold onto my sanity as well as I have these almost six years since the Reader came back without such a constant show of support. Your words of encouragement and donations always remind me that we are not just throwing ink on a page. It reaffirms the fact that a fair number of you appreciate the hard work that we do. Our entire staff would like to thank you all for your kindness over the years. GUEST SUBMISSION: • On behalf of local writers I want to thank the Reader and local booksellers, Vanderfords and the Corner Bookstore, for their support and interest in our work. “This Open Window” is a lovely regular section in this paper featuring poetry and prose of local writers. Here you also find the occasional book review. While our books may be available online, I encourage book buyers to patronize local businesses. Our community is richer for these resources. — Submitted by Mindy Cameron Barbs: • The debate. Golly, what a complete and utter dumpster fire. It was 90 minutes of toxic bullshit, pardon the language, mostly coming from President Donald Trump. Neither side won this debate. Rather, the American people lost. We lost faith in the dignity of the office. We lost interest as Trump badgered, interrupted, lied and bickered with former Vice President Joe Biden like a 7-year-old bully on the playground. We lost the admiration from our allies overseas. We lost so much in those 90 minutes; but, most of all, we lost our self-respect as a nation. We are better than this, America. A national presidential debate isn’t a reality TV show where we throw chairs and lob childish insults. I can already hear those of you who sycophantically defend the president say, “There he goes again, picking on Trump.” I don’t care. I call it like I see it: This debate was total garbage. 10 /

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Dear editor, Without respectfully mourning Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s untimely passing, blatantly hypocritical Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has announced the practice he imposed against President Obama, disallowing hearings of a Supreme Court nominee nine months prior to a presidential election, will not apply to Donald Trump, less than seven weeks prior to the next presidential election. I encourage constituents of Idaho’s U.S. senators to call-in or write expressions of dismay and dissatisfaction of the disrespectful disregard for Justice Ginsberg’s dying wish and the conspicuous partisanship of McConnell’s reversal of a practice he implemented only four and a half years ago. Please use the text of my letter if you can’t find your own words. To our two U.S. senators, I’m sending the following: “Dear Senator … , I am a constituent of yours. I oppose the hypocrisy and blatant partisanship of Mitch McConnell’s disregard for the very policy he imposed in 2016, with regards to holding hearings for nominees to the Supreme Court in the year prior to a presidential election. We are less than seven weeks away from the 2020 presidential election. urge you to stand against such a hearing, following the passing away of Supreme Court Justice Ginsberg, until after the inauguration of the next duly elected president. If you are an honorable gentleman you will stand for fair procedural consistency. Sincerely, ... ” Our Idaho Senators are: Mike Crapo, 239 Dirksen Senate Building, Washington, D.C. 20510; telephone: 202-224-6142 (D.C.), 208-664-5490 (Coeur d’Alene); and James Risch, Russell Senate Office Building, Rm. SR-483, Washington D.C., 20510; telephone: 202-224-2752 (D.C.), 208-667-6130 (Coeur d’Alene). If our Idaho U.S. senators are honorable gentlemen they will listen to their constituents. George Edward Priest River

Perplexed… Dear editor, The same men who believe that wasting a quarter million dollars (in local taxes on a frivolous opinion) is justified are the same men telling me it’s fine and dandy that a mysterious SpaceX station has appeared in my county. I am perplexed by this madness — am I alone? Jodi Rawson Sandpoint

Dixon is a statesman... Dear editor, There are those who enter office not to keep the promises they make their constituents in order to get elected, but to gain power and prestige and the various perks that come along with it. You know the ones; they’re all over D.C. pretending to care about us every election cycle. And then there are true public servants who honor the commitments they make during election season, and respect their constituents whom they regard as their employers. Sage Dixon is one such statesman. You won’t see Rep. Dixon all over social media touting his achievements and patting himself on the back. No, he quietly goes about his work, sans fireworks and streamers, of furthering freedom for all of us, and doing whatever he can to grow our economy, champion school choice and innovation, protect our constitutional rights and see to it that our voices — often overlooked down south — are heard in Boise. Representatives like Dixon are few and far between, and when one comes along, we should support and reward their efforts at preserving our freedoms: from free speech, to the right to self-defense, to the protection of property and privacy rights, Rep. Dixon has fought to keep government small and unobtrusive. And that’s why I ask that you cast your vote to re-elect Sage Dixon — a statesman; not a politician — on Nov. 3. Steve Wasylko Sandpoint

Vote against Heather Scott, vote for health care access… Dear editor, With the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the Senate is rushing to confirm a very conservative justice against Justice Ginsburg’s wishes. I am pro-life for all life, so let us examine what this rush to a “justice” will mean for Idaho. The Supreme Court is reconsidering eliminating the Affordable Healthcare Act because it had previously found one section unconstitutional. Back then, the court left the bulk of Obamacare intact, but with this new justice only Republicans have a voice. Eliminating Obamacare will remove protections for preexisting conditions like pregnancy and remove young people’s insurance through their parents. This will cause tens of millions of people, especially pregnant women, to lose their health care during a pandemic. Next up is overturning Roe

v. Wade. In 2017 in the U.S., the ninth-highest cause of deaths of women age 20 to 44 was pregnancy/childbirth. IF Roe v. Wade is overturned, each state will decide the legality of abortion. In Idaho there is only one abortion clinic. A law would go into effect that would make abortion illegal except in cases of rape, incest and the life of the mother. The mother would not be jailed. Heather Scott introduced a bill that would make all abortions illegal including to save the mother’s life and imprison the woman. A woman without health care, whose life is not protected, must go out of state for an abortion. She certainly would not talk to a pro-life person for advice and risk imprisonment. What can we do? Vote out Heather Scott. Gail Bolin is a middleof-the-road Idahoan with common sense who will protect everyone’s health care when Obamacare falls. Sincerely, Mary Haley Sandpoint

You can go home again. And it’s good for you… Dear editor, I grew up on our 80-acre family farm in Sagle at the end of Beers Humbird Road. It was Home, and it was full of Love and Life. I left My Home several times — for college, for work, for adventure. But I’ve always come back. Back to the place I consider Home. And whenever I do, it feels good. It’s true that over the years things have changed. The old buildings are gone. The barn with the cedar shake roof where my brothers and I milked our Guernsey cows collapsed under the weight of the snow in the winter of ’68. The old machine shed that didn’t have a foundation just gradually sunk into the ground and was removed 20 years ago. The chicken house and outhouse are gone. Even the old house that was filled with life and love is gone. But this place is still Home. The Big Rock is still in the same spot, even though the little jack pine trees where Richard and I built our “fort” are full sized now. The “Old Black Stump” that was up in the woods is now part of my front yard. Our little herd of beef cattle still graze the same pasture. And when I stand on Flat Rock in the Old Hayfield I can still see Butler Mountain. This Land, this place called Home, is part of who I am. It is a big part of my Past and my Present, and yes my Future. Buildings come and go, people

come and go. But this Land, this Place is an anchor, a Certainty in a changing world. And I am Home again. It feels Perfect. Steve Johnson Sagle

The Republican Party has stopped caring about you… Dear editor, To my dear friends and neighbors, I care for all of you and wish you continued access to health services. Therefore, I do not understand why so many of you are voting for Republicans in this election. Are you immune to all disease, accidents and chronic conditions? Good for you. Will you remain immune forever? Perhaps you are wealthy enough to write a check for $100,000 or more to pay for surgery. Again, good for you. How many times can you do it? Do you have any pre-existing conditions? Do you receive your health care through Medicare or Medicaid or the Affordable Care Act? These programs are all threatened if we re-elect President Trump, Senator Risch and Russ Fulcher. The president has promised to permanently remove the payroll taxes on employed persons. Guess what? Your Medicare and Social Security will cease to be funded, and will soon cease to exist. The Affordable Care Act is before the Supreme Court and could disappear. There is no replacement plan. The Republican Party has stopped caring about you and your health issues. Oh, and must I remind you we are in a pandemic? I’m not seeing Republicans doing anything to mobilize the public to employ safe distancing or other measures, or to assist those who are suffering from lengthy job losses and closing businesses. Instead, they will all enthusiastically vote for more tax cuts for the ultra wealthy. Then, as usual, they will cry of overspending, which makes them want to take away even more services that provide for the public good. I’m a registered Republican, but the only way I see to get out of this impending disaster is electing people who will ensure that every American has access to health care. For your own sake, vote for Democrats in this election. Ann Warwick Sandpoint

Rights and responsibilities... Dear editor, Having the right to do something does not automatically make that particular thing the right thing to do.

One has the right to lick lavatory door knobs, but that doesn’t mean that is the right, or smart, thing to do. With rights come responsibility. You may feel you have the right to not wear a mask at the store to protect the old, infirm and those with compromised immune systems, but is that the right thing to do? COVID-19 is not the Tooth Fairy or the Easter Bunny or Santa Claus. Whether you believe in it or not, it still comes to visit our homes and community, and its gifts are not welcome by anyone. Pierre Bordenave Sandpoint

Choose between Trump and America… Dear editor, In the Sept. 24 edition of the Reader, Ben Olson posed the question, “Will we ever bridge this divide?” I believe we can, but only by voting this election. And the choice is clear and simple: Trump or AMERICA! Len Krause Sandpoint

We all need to defend our institutions… Dear editor, In a recent opinion piece in the Bee, Ms. Fallat declared we would not want to live in Hitler’s Germany or Stalin’s USSR. I couldn’t agree more! She described life in Hiltler’s Germany as one with no freedoms and targeted brutality. Hitler was legally appointed chancellor, then used Depression-era turbulence to become dictator. His supporters included major industrialists; it was a capitalist system whatever he called it. But it was the rule of one man, who maneuvered to have laws changed to give him unlimited power and no term limits. Hitler was a nationalist, power hungry and ruthless. Our constitution and institutions are stronger, and we likely can resist a power-hungry politician who would turn us into an autocracy. But, the bedrock of our insti-

tutions is us. We need to resist any attempt to undermine elections, prevent votes being counted or to ignore outcomes. Whatever our differences, we all love the U.S. and need to defend it. Molly O’Reilly Sandpoint

Johnson will bring a new dynamic to BoCo commission… Dear editor, Why should you care about voting for Bonner County commissioner District 1? Because the three commissioners make influential decisions that impact all of us, overseeing more than 20 departments including courts, DMV, elections, EMS, property tax matters, and road and bridge. Because ideally they cooperate with other organizations protecting our health and safety, such as Panhandle Health. Because they are charged with spending our tax dollars wisely. Because if you need to appear before them for a hearing, you deserve to be treated fairly, seriously and with respect. Fortunately, there is a candidate who meets these expectations: Steve Johnson. Steve is a lifelong Bonner County resident. He graduated from Sandpoint High School and the University of Idaho with a degree in education and a master’s in administration. Steve spent more than 40 years in education, as a teacher and then as a principal. His experience in working cooperatively will serve him well. Steve believes in treating everyone with respect, planning carefully for growth and that the “commissioner’s job is to manage the county infrastructure, not to squander time and money on ideological battles.” I admire him because he is a decent, caring person who will work for all of us. He seeks to bring unity and transparency to county government. Electing Steve to replace Steven Bradshaw would dramatically change the dynamic of how the commission functions. In pre-COVID times I attended a fair number of their meetings, witnessing a familiar pattern: Dan McDonald and Bradshaw on one side of the issue, Jeff Connolly on the other. The two votes carry the day. Connolly is running for re-election unopposed. Steve Johnson would be a second independent voice. You can learn more at his website: johnson-

forcommissioner.com. I hope you will join me in making the wise choice to support Steve Johnson. Rae Charlton Sandpoint

Removing political signs on private property is a crime...

Dear editor, I would like to thank Betty Gardner for her recent letter to the editor regarding the legality of stealing political signs from private property. About two weeks ago our Biden/ Harris sign was stolen from our property on Sagle Road after only three display days. Who stole my sign? I would guess that it was a 20- to 30-year-old Caucasian who believes strongly in the right to bear arms and the right to shoot someone who trespasses on his property and steals his property, but does not believe in freedom of speech — at least not mine. How else could we stereotype this individual? His education? His state of inebriation? The length of his voting record? I can only be hopeful, because without hope there is only despair, that he will eventually grow up and become a valued contributor to our community and our country. However, there is some good that has come out of the trampling of my constitutional rights: I am making an additional contribution to the Democratic Party. I challenge the “Stealer of My Sign” to make a contribution to the Republican Party. Tony Lewis Sagle

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Mad about Science:

Brought to you by:

faster than light By Brenden Bobby Reader Columnist Set the Tesla to ludicrous speed, because like Sonic the Hedgehog, we’re about to go fast! Traveling insurmountably huge distances is the ultimate dream of the scientific mind. Imagine the bygone days of the American pioneers, scooping up farmland, homesteading and building communities — except on a planet very far away from the merciless slaughter of indigenous inhabitants and blood feuds with the neighbors. To realistically reach other planets, human beings need a way to travel very fast. The nearest star to us, excluding the sun, is Proxima Centauri, approximately 24,984,092,897,478 miles away — which would take about four and a half years to reach if we were to be traveling at the speed of light. The real kicker is that we aren’t sure that Proxima Centauri has any planets that would be safe for us to live on. Luckily for the traveler, this discovery wouldn’t be incredibly problematic if they were traveling at the speed of light. That is because, due to Einstein’s theory of relativity, the faster an object travels, the shorter the duration of time passes for the traveler… Sort of. This is an extremely complicated subject. If we fully understood it, you’d probably be reading this on your 12G tablet from Neptune, as there would be very little boundaries left for humankind. 12 /

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The complicated nature of faster-than-light (FTL) travel is just one obstacle to our dominance of space and time. It takes an immense amount of energy to fight gravity and travel quickly. The closer an object comes to reaching the speed of light, the more energy that object requires to accelerate, eventually requiring an infinite amount of energy to travel at the speed of light. An object moving at this speed encountering any form of friction, be it colliding with gasses or other solid objects, would likely tear the object apart and convert the matter into heat energy, similar to what your car brakes do. It is impossible for matter to travel through time and space at the speed of light, but it may be possible to alter spacetime to make spacetime — already moving at the speed of light — “carry” matter. In our case, a spacefaring vessel. The basis of the warp drive from Star Trek is that it creates a “fold” in spacetime, allowing ships to travel at conventional speeds within a pocket. Think of it this way: If you were to place a single sea monkey (a form of brine shrimp often kept as an aquarium pet) at the bottom of a plastic pool, then fill the pool with water, the sea monkey would expend a lot of effort to swim to the surface through the water. However, if you add soap to the water to create bubbles, the sea monkey could catch a ride inside of a bubble and rise to the surface much more quickly and with far less effort than if it were to swim. This science fiction idea is

rooted in science fact. Most scientific vacuums are created by using magnetic fields and lasers, allowing specific atoms such as gold, to travel at incredible speeds through a vacuum tube to impact other atoms, without being slowed by things like oxygen and nitrogen. Another form of FTL travel popularized by mainstream science fiction is the use of hyperspace, from Star Wars. The premise of hyperspace is that a ship has a device that can push the ship into another dimension to create shortcuts through spacetime. On paper, multiple dimensions are as simple to calculate as adding a number to an equation, yet interacting with one in the real world is obscenely complicated. Imagine wrapping a globe in silk and driving a Hotwheels car across the surface. You could drive your toy car around the globe, navigating the traditional dimensions, or you could cut a hole in the silk and push it through to the other side of the globe, reaching the destination much faster and with far less energy expended. The final type of FTL travel in popular media I will highlight comes from the game franchise, Mass Effect. In the games, there are huge structures in space called “mass relays” that look like big calipers. When a ship gets close to the relay, the pilot punches in some numbers and poof! The ship has traveled across a huge amount of space in seconds. This method is closely related to the warp drive from Star Trek, in that the relays create

a field of mass-neutral space, giving the ship a channel to fly through. To an outside observer, the ship would appear to elongate and move very quickly, but to people on the ship, it’s like driving through a short tunnel. I have always found this idea to be fascinating, as I feel it best mimics human travel by creating two anchored ports that remain consistently connected.

It’s basically the pneumatic tube you put your money in at the bank. The tube is a vacuum that quickly transports objects from one side to another by minimizing friction and creating a “rail” from which energy can’t be easily wasted, as opposed to something like an open warp drive or a hyperspace drive that’s punching holes into the universe. Stay curious, 7B.

Random Corner ns? piter’s moo

Don’t know much about the ju

• Jupiter has 79 known moons. Called the Jovian moons, the four largest are Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto, known as the Galilean satellites because they were first seen by Galileo Galilei in January 1610. • Most of Jupiter’s moons are quite small, with about 60 of the satellites being fewer than 6.2 miles in diameter. • With a mass greater than 300 times that of Earth, Jupiter’s size plays a big role in how many moons are captured in its orbit. • Jupiter also has the strongest magnetic field of any planet, so anything passing near enough to it — including asteroids — are either destroyed by gravitational tides or captured in its orbit. Earth has only one moon because it lacks the strong gravitational field and mass necessary to hold another satellite in orbit. • Jupiter’s moons have orbital periods ranging anywhere from seven hours to almost three Earth

We can help!

years. Some orbits are nearly circular, but the moons farthest from Jupiter have more irregular orbital paths. The outermost moons actually orbit in the opposite direction in which Jupiter spins, which is unusual and indicates the moons were probably asteroids sucked into Jupiter’s orbit after the initial system was formed. •Galileo’s discovery of Jupiter’s four largest moons, which he referred to as I, II, III and IV, was a pivotal point in the history of astronomy as his observations revealed that not all celestial bodies revolve around the Earth. •Eight satellites, including the four Galilean and four smaller moons, are closer to the planet and provide the dust that makes up Jupiter’s rings. • Io, the first moon discovered by Galileo, is the only celestial body in the solar system besides Earth to have volcanic activity. It also has sulfur dioxide snowfields, leading to its characterization as a moon of fire and ice.

The weather has been stunning lately. Here are a few shots from nature, as well as two photos of a recent rally and vigil held in Sandpoint. To submit a photo for a future edition, please send to ben@ sandpointreader.com.

Top left: Serenity on Comeback Bay. Photo by George Loustalet. Top right: Looking south from above Kilroy Bay. “My husband Steve Smith and I followed the game trail. It was an amazing hike with stunning views.” Photo by Karen Hempstead. Bottom left: A vigil was held outside the Bonner County Courthouse on Saturday, Sept. 26 for Craig Johnson, who was killed by a Bonner County Sheriff’s deputy in 2017 while deputies attempted to serve him a felony arrest warrant. Photo by Leighty. Bottom right: A group of climate change activists gathered at the corner of Fifth Avenue and Cedar Street in Sandpoint on Friday, Sept. 25. Photo by Cassie Price.

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ELECTION

CANDIDATE QUESTIONNAIRE 2020 General Election

We believe strongly in informing the community about candidates running for public office. As part of our commitment to this effort, we present this questionnaire for candidates running for office. In this week’s edition, we focus on local candidates. Next week we will publish candidate information for state and national races. SandpointOnline.com is also a great resource for election information, as well as the Bonner County Elections Page. Finally, don’t forget to vote Tuesday, Nov. 3 if you haven’t voted by mail already. Polls are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Bonner County Commissioner District 1 Steve Johnson, Democrat 1. What Bonner County issues are most important to you? How would you improve the county, given the opportunity as county commissioner? The most important issues to me are:

Age: I have loved our home here in Bonner County for 62 years. Birthplace and residence: Marguerite and I raised our four children on our family farm in Sagle and plan to live here on the farm for many years to come. We have enjoyed immensely all the 4-H activities, building our own log home, keeping our 80 acres of woods and fields in good shape and our combined 60+ years of being educators here in Bonner County. Some of our proudest moments are seeing our students lead productive, happy and successful lives. I was very proud to be on the East Bonner County Library Board of Trustees when the new libraries were built in Sandpoint and Clark Fork. Education: I received my bachelor’s degree in education from the University of Idaho in 1972. I earned my master’s and specialist degrees in administration in 1982 and 1986 from the University of Idaho. Fun fact: I attended Southside Elementary School in Cocolalla from 1957 to 1964 and it was then I decided I wanted to be an educator. Years later my dream was fulfilled when I was able to return to Southside as a teacher and the principal. 14 /

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1) Return unity and cooperation to our Bonner County community. All individuals and groups deserve respect. No more divisive frivolous taxpayer funded lawsuits. 2) Respect and follow the medical advice of Panhandle Health District and our local health care professionals. 3) Maintain the rural character of Bonner County. Encourage and provide for public input in every decision on land use. No industry in rural or residential areas. 4) Respect and support our welltrained and accountable law enforcement. They can handle whatever problems come up. There is no need to request assistance from any other group. 5) Support our local established businesses and recruit new businesses. The need for high-quality education is a major factor in the economy and well-being of our Bonner County community. 2. The board is currently facing criticism for pursuing a lawsuit against the city of Sandpoint regarding The Festival at Sandpoint’s weapons policy, a suit which the judge deemed they had no standing to bring forth and which also cost taxpayers in the county and city more than $200K.

What is your opinion of this ongoing issue? The lawsuit that has cost Bonner County taxpayers over $200,000 should never have been filed. If the two commissioners who voted for it felt that strongly they should’ve filed it as individuals using their own money, not taxpayer money. 3. There are growing tensions between the county’s planning department/planning and zoning commission and the general public, especially regarding a few specific projects (i.e. the Sagle asphalt plant, the Selle Valley SpaceX site). Why do you think things have become so contentious? What would you do, as a county commissioner, to help sooth these tensions? Every land use decision must include a great deal of public input. We live here because we love it here and any changes must be approved by the general public. No industry in rural or residential areas. 4. What sets you apart from your opponent? What is your vision for Bonner County growth? My vision for the future of BonnerCounty includes sharing our little piece of paradise with others who are looking for a community that respects everyone, maintains a rural character and provides a clean environment and

a thriving economy. My vision includes high quality education, well-maintained county roads, industry in designated areas only and an attitude that reflects and supports one of my favorite sayings, “We are all in this together.”

Steven Bradshaw, Republican (incumbent)

DID NOT PARTICIPATE Publisher’s note: Incumbent Steven Bradshaw was sent questions by the Sandpoint Reader, but responded that he is declining to participate in this candidate questionnaire.

ELECTION

CANDIDATE QUESTIONNAIRE 2020 General Election

Bonner County Prosecutor Louis Marshall, Republican (incumbent, running unopposed)

Age: 48 Birthplace and residence: Buffalo, NY / Dover, ID How many years lived in Bonner County?: 19 Government service: Bonner County Prosecuting Attorneys Office 2002- present. City of Ponderay Attorney 2005-present. Profession: Prosecuting Attorney. Education: Hobart College BA, University of Idaho Law School JD. Family: Wife Angela, three children: Nick, Lauren, Liz. Two grandchildren: Charlotte, Ted. Fun fact: Learned how to be a trial attorney from TV show, Matlock.

The issue that means the most to me is the children of our community. I have dedicated my career to helping child victims and punishing offenders. It is a very difficult road for many, many reasons. The justice system is far from perfect and makes holding offenders accountable sometimes impossible. It takes a heavy toll on the police officers, detectives, prosecutors and victim advocates helping these kids. Fortunately we have opened the LillyBrooke Family Justice Center and have utilized Ken, the Courthouse Facility Dog. These were true gamechangers. Our partnership with Kaniksu Health continues to grow and through these strides it is my hope we will help many more children in the future and prepare better cases against offenders. I want people to understand the direct correlation between the abuse of narcotics and child abuse. Drugs are not a victimless crime when children are being abused and neglected. Finally I want to say how proud I am to have served this wonderful community for so long. I have a great job!

Bonner County Commissioner District 2 Jeff Connolly, Republican (incumbent, running unopposed)

Age: Birthplace and residence: How many years lived in Bonner County?: Government service: Profession: Education: Family: Fun fact:

DID NOT PARTICIPATE Publisher’s note: Incumbent Jeff Connolly, who is running unopposed, was asked to provide a short statement and biographical info, but did not respond with the info at press time.

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ELECTION

CANDIDATE QUESTIONNAIRE 2020 General Election

Bonner County Sheriff Daryl Wheeler, Republican (incumbent) 1. Many in the community are concerned about the price tag for the lawsuit against the city of Sandpoint, which the judge ultimately ruled the county had no standing to bring to the court. What would you say to those with monetary concerns? There would have been no suit if the City of Sandpoint would have followed the law. Age: 62 Birthplace: California How many years lived in Bonner County?: 22 years Government service: Continuous since 1981. Profession: Elected Bonner County Sheriff, three terms. Education: Law Enforcement (Basic, Intermediate, Advanced, Supervisor, Management and Executive P.O.S.T. Certificates) Family: Married 40 years. Four children, six grandchildren. Fun fact: I like to sing. Some people call me the singing sheriff!

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1a. Do you plan to continue pursuing the issue in the judicial system? No. 2. Also regarding the lawsuit against the city — in your declarations in the case, you repeatedly asserted that an armed protest was “imminent” should the judge fail to rule on the issue. Judge Haynes did not seem convinced of this argument. What was your reaction to his ruling? I don’t count it a loss for me. The judge addressed my question about my ministerial duties in managing the jail. Judge Haynes did rule that I have a full range of discretion. I will use my discretion. I count that as a win!

3. You have described yourself as a “constitutional sheriff.” What does that mean and what does that mean for the functioning of your department? The bylaws of our nation are contained in Constitution of the United States. I follow those bylaws. 4. What role, if any, do armed private citizens play as a useful law-keeping force? Most people understand that the Second Amendment to the Constitution recognizes the God-given right of every individual to protect themselves. Below is a sample of what the Founders had to say about an armed citizenry: “To disarm the people…[i]s the most effectual way to enslave them.” – Father of the Bill of Rights George Mason, referencing advice given to the British Parliament by Pennsylvania Governor Sir William Keith, The Debates in the Several State Conventions on the Adoption of the Federal Constitution, June 14, 1788. “The right of the citizens to keep and bear arms has justly been considered, as the palladium of

the liberties of a republic; since it offers a strong moral check against the usurpation and arbitrary power of rulers; and will generally, even if these are successful in the first instance, enable the people to resist and triumph over them.” – Chief Justice Joseph Story, Commentaries on the Constitution of the United States, 1833. “For it is a truth, which the experience of ages has attested, that the people are always most in danger when the means of injuring their rights are in the possession of those of whom they entertain the least suspicion.” – Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, Federalist No. 25, Dec. 21, 1787. 5. In more than a decade as Bonner County Sheriff, what have you learned about your constituents and community? I am blessed to work with such highly dedicated and professional first responders and live in such a beautiful county with people who love and support law enforcement.

ELECTION

CANDIDATE QUESTIONNAIRE 2020 General Election

Bonner County Sheriff Cindy Marx, Democrat (write-in) 1. Why are you running for sheriff? To restore trust and faith in the office. 1a. What would you say to those concerned you don’t have enough/ the right experience to hold the position? The office is an admistrative position. The highly trained members of the departments overseen by the office will continue thieir work with Age: 63 better opportunities for training and Birthplace and residence: Born in New Kensing- the tools they need to do the job. ton PA Resident of Bonner County since 1990. My experience in human resources, budgeting and business management How many years lived in Bonner County?: 30 will help make the business side of Government service: West Side Fire Comthe office more efficient. missioner Former volunteer EMT, Emergency Planning Committee member and chair and 2. What role do you see the sherSearch and Rescue. iff’s office playing in local politics? Profession: Executive Director nonprofit. The sheriff works for the people Education: Bachelor of Science Sports Fitness & Leiseure Studies with minors in biology and of Bonner County. The office should business from Salem State Uiversity Salem MA. not be playing in local politics or state politics. Family: Husband, cat and two dogs. Fun fact: I like mountain biking and kayaking.

3. As sheriff, how would you improve Bonner County? Name your top three issues.

• Provide training for all department personnel, integrating local mental health providers where and when possible. • Provide needed equipment rather than tell the media what the department lacks. • Figure out why we have such long lines in licensing and get the personnel or tools to solve the problem. 4. What role, if any, do armed private citizens play as a useful law-keeping force? The second amendment states: “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” To me well regulated would mean that the local law enforcement agencies are familiar with the individuals and have faith in the ability of these citizens to assist rather than escalating dangerous situations. Without training with the local agencies and some article of clothing or other means of identification I don’t know how they expect to be distinguised from the “bad guys” if something

goes wrong and law enforcement has to step in. 5. How do you envision your relationship with your constituents if elected? I would want every citizen to feel that the departments overseen by the office of sheriff are there to serve them. I would also want the citizens to understand that the personnel of the departments have a lot of training to do a diverse number of things but we can’t expect them to know how to do everything. Every time a deputy goes on a call they put their life at risk. The citizens need to understand that too. 5a. How would you make yourself available to them? I would have regular office hours where people could call or come to the office to talk and would be happy to come out to events to answer questions or talk about neighborhood issues that the department might be able to help with.

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COMMUNITY

Trinity named Idaho Business of the Month

By Reader Staff

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Owner Justin Dick talks with customers on the deck at Trinity at City Beach. The photo was taken pre-COVID, in summer 2018. Photo by Ben Olson.

Idaho Republican Sen. Jim Risch, a member and former chairman of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, announced Sept. 14 the selection of Trinity at City Beach in Sandpoint as the Idaho Small Business of the Month for September 2020. Trinity will be recognized for its contribution to the Sandpoint community in the Congressional Record of the U.S. Senate. Established by Justin Dick, Trinity moved to its City Beach location in 2009 and has been an integral part of the Sandpoint community for more than a decade. Named after the holy trinity of peppers, onions and celery found in traditional Creole cooking, Trinity attracts tourists and locals alike and has developed a reputation for its quality food, service and one-of-a-kind views of Lake Pend Oreille. In addition to serving up Southern eats, the restaurant also provides dozens of jobs in the local area and has enhanced the cultural richness of North Idaho through its day-to-day service and steady participation in community events. In recent months, Trinity has done its / October 1, 2020

part to reduce the spread of COVID-19, offering carry-out and dine-in eating to the Sandpoint community while safely maintaining CDC social distancing and face covering guidelines. Additionally, Dick and his team have raised money and collected food to be donated to nonprofit organizations and health care centers in the Sandpoint area to help ease the burden on frontline workers. “Justin’s years of service to the Sandpoint community is another example of how small businesses in Idaho are more than just places to eat and shop,” Risch said. “From providing quality service to being an active member in the community, I’d like to thank Justin for his contributions to the Gem State. “Congratulations to Justin and all of the employees at Trinity at City Beach on being selected as the Idaho Small Business of the Month for September 2020,” Risch continued. “You make our great state proud, and I look forward to your continued growth and success.” Each month, Risch selects an Idaho small business that exemplifies the Idaho values of hard work, entrepreneurial spirit and exceptional commitment to community.

COMMUNITY

Friends of the Library hosts October book sale By Reader Staff

The Friends of the Library is resuming book sales, with its next sale scheduled for 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 3 at the Sandpoint branch of the East Bonner County Library District. Due to COVID-19, masks will be required and, due to space constraints, the FOL cannot guarantee social distancing will be practiced. The sale will be held in the meeting rooms and the FOL book room only. Because it has been so long since the last book sale, the FOL are loaded with

books they have never offered before. A broad range of categories will be available. “As usual, we will be really glad to see you,” the group wrote in a press release. “Unfortunately, because of COVID, we won’t be able to hug you even though we want to.”

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FEATURE

Another day at the office Lake Pend Oreille Cruises offers views, historical knowledge of North Idaho’s beloved backyard

By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff Last weekend, this humble reporter and lifetime Hope resident experienced Lake Pend Oreille as it’s meant to be experienced: seated on the bow of a double-decker boat with a cold huckleberry cream ale in hand, the Green Monarch Mountains stretched to the right and the Scotchman Peaks towering on the left — everything drenched in autumn sun and feeling, if only for as long as it takes to get from Ellisport Bay to the Clark Fork Delta, absolutely perfect. The vessel departed Kramer’s Marina at 12:30 p.m. destined for a tour of the delta — a three-hour trip that’s 20 /

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just one of a trio of tours that Lake Pend Oreille Cruises offers in the fall. Linda Mitchell has been part of Lake Pend Oreille Cruises for 25 years — an adventure that launched when her husband, Curtis, spotted a retired San Diego ferry boat on the Pend Oreille River. The Mitchells bought it and Curtis got to work stripping it down to the aluminum. “He knew that that hull would be really great for Lake Pend Oreille,” Mitchell said. “You know, this lake can really pack a wallop.” The boat — which the Mitchells dubbed the “Shawnodese,” a Native American word meaning “Spirit Keeper of the South” — took two years to restore and saw its maiden voyage on Lake Pend Oreille in October 1995. The

Mitchells hosted private and public charters together until her husband retired a decade ago. Mitchell then manned the Shawnodese with a cast of different captains until two years ago, when Eric Jensen — now known as Captain E.J.

— purchased the business. Mitchell remains on the crew as first mate and lead historian, along with two other regular crew members. Even more than the spectacular views of the cliffs along the Clark Fork Delta or

the bird life spotted along the way, Mitchell’s succinct and passionate history lesson steals the show on each cruise. With wooden pointer in hand and a relaxed, confident cadence in

< see CRUISE, page 21 >

< CRUISE, con’t from page 20 >

her speech, Mitchell’s story begins thousands of years ago, as the glacial floods shaped the steep mountainsides and gaping water features surrounding the passengers upon the Shawnodese. Her story finds its way to explorer David Thompson, who established the first trading post in Hope, and eventually to the formation of the railroad and Bonner County’s modern towns. She shares her knowledge of the local wildlife and answers questions from passengers, all while keeping perfect balance as the boat rocks lightly on the waves — Mitchell’s sea legs are well established, as is her understanding of the lake she loves. “It never, ever tires me,” Mitchell said while watching the Green Monarchs drift by through the parlor windows. “It’s just so beautiful, and every day is totally different.” A trip up to the captain’s quarters just before docking at Kramer’s Marina confirmed that the Mitchells’ love of the lake is safe with the next generation. Jensen, a man of few words, kept his eyes on the water as he shared what inspires him to get out of bed every day and board the

Shawnodese. “I mean, look at my office,” he said, making a sweeping gesture toward the Cabinet Mountains, the sun soaked marina and the expanse of shimmering blue connecting it all. “It speaks for itself.” Learn more about Lake Pend Oreille Cruises and find a schedule of upcoming tours at lakependoreillecruises.com. The Shawnodese is currently offering cruises of the Clark Fork Delta, Hope Islands and a 3G Tour: Green Bay, Garfield Bay and the Green Monarchs. Private charters are also available. Reach Captain Eric Jensen at 208-255-5253.

Top of facing page: The view looking toward Hope as the Shawnodese enters the Clark Fork Delta. Scotchman Peak No. 1, the tallest peak in Bonner County, is visible on the far right. Bottom of facing page: The Shawnodese docks at Kramer’s Marina. Top left: Linda Mitchell delivers her customary history lesson on the formation of Lake Pend Oreille. Top right: A captain figurine surveys the waters of the Clark Fork Delta. Middle right: A view from the bow, looking back at the captain’s quarters. Bottom right: One of many life preservers on the Shawnodese. Bottom middle: The stern of the mighty Shawnodese. All photos by Lyndsie Kiebert.

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events October 1-8, 2020

THURSDAY, October 1

7th Annual Hoptoberfest • 6-8pm @ Idaho Pour Authorit • (Oct. 1-3) Specialized glassware for sale all weekend. Stout release party Thursday, live music Friday, Hoptoberfest taster tray and live music and fun games Saturday.

FriDAY, October 2

Live Music w/ Bright Moments Jazz 6-8pm @ Idaho Pour Authority

Live Music w/ Lisa Landucci and Steve Peavey 5-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery Also with artist reception for Stan Kwiatkowski from 4-7pm

SATURDAY, October 3

Sandpoint Farmers’ Market 9am-1pm @ Farmin Park The Market is back at Farmin Park!

2020 Post Quarantine Poker Chip Run All day @ Downtown Sandpoint bars Hosted by A&P’s, with over 20 participating locations where customers will draw a poker chip. At 9pm at A&P’s, chip values will be drawn and cash prizes awarded. Hickey Farms Harvest Festival 10am-5:30pm @ Hickey Farms U-pick pumpkins, crafts, live music, produce and more. Weekends in October. Magic by Star the Magician from 12-3pm

Live Music w/ So What 6-8pm @ Idaho Pour Authority Live Music w/ John Daffron 2-5pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall Live Music w/ Benny Baker 6:30-9:30pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall Live Music w/ Nights of Neon 7:30pm @ Eichardt’s Pub Live Music w/ Jason Perry • 5-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery A range from jazz standards to ‘70s singer-songwriter classics to modern rock Sandemonium (Oct. 3-4, 10-11, 17-18 • Online @ Sandemonium7b.com This year, Sandemonium will take place online. Join in the celebration of all fandoms and nerd communities: anime, comics, sci-fi, fantasy, table-top gaming, video games and more. Guest speakers include Racquel Belmonte. Check the link above for info

SunDAY, October 4

Piano Sunday w/ Annie Welle 7-9pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery

Hickey Farms Harvest Festival 10am-5:30pm @ Hickey Farms Live music w/ Chris Lynch & Lauren Kershner from 12-3pm

monDAY, October 5

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

Monday Night Run Posse (free) 6pm @ Outdoor Experience

Lifetree Cafe 2pm @ Jalapeño’s Restaurant “When He Becomes She: A Transgender’s Journey,” film.

tuesDAY, October 6 wednesDAY, October 7

Sandpoint Farmers’ Market • 3-5:30pm @ Farmin Park

ThursDAY, October 8

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COMMUNITY

Hope boat launch to close in November for renovations By Reader Staff The Bonner County Recreation and Waterways Department will close the Hope boat launch Monday, Nov. 2 for renovations. Renovations will include taking out the current ramp and replacing the broken precast panels with thicker and wider panels. These new panels have a better finish for traction control and durability should last much longer than the current ones. With the new panels the

launch will be a bit longer with the intention to make it easier to launch during the winter months. Officials say the Hope launch will be closed Nov. 2 until Dec. 15. Alternative launches are Pringle Park Launch in Hope, Bonner Park West in Priest River, Garfield Bay in Sagle and Laclede Launch. Questions or concerns should be directed to Bonner County Recreation and Waterways Department at 208-255-5681, extension 4, or recreation@bonnercountyid.gov.

Sandpoint Parks and Rec offers October programming By Reader Staff Sandpoint Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces will be offering the following programs in October: • CPR/AED with optional First Aid on Oct. 12 — online registration deadline Oct. 8. • Beyond Beginning Ukulele (ages 12-adult) starting Oct. 5 running Mondays through Oct. 26 — online registration deadline Oct. 2.

• Salsa Boot Camp (musicality) starting Oct. 5 running Mondays through Oct. 26 — online registration deadline Oct. 2. • Outdoor Shooting Range will have October dates and hours of operation posted online Oct. 1. For class details and to register, visit the Sandpoint Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces web catalog at sandpointidaho.gov/ parksrecreation, visit the P&R office located at 1123 Lake St. or call 208-263-3613.

STAGE & SCREEN

Complex creatures

My Octopus Teacher is a great film; the weird dialogue surrounding it is disappointing

By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff

Midway through my first semester as a grad student in history I’d had enough of complexity. Reading about 1,000 pages a week, grading papers for 70+ freshmen and participating in three weekly three-hour seminars — on top of thesis research and writing, plus the normal business of having a family consisting of two little kids — I found it hard to maintain “happy warrior” status when contemplating Geertzian “webs of significance” and Foucauldian power dynamics. I almost lost it one afternoon when a professor in historiography class asked — with a smile — “Why let it be simple when it can be complicated?” Don’t get me wrong, I’ll happily wander into the weeds on any number of cultural, academic and artistic subjects. I am an unashamed tweed-wearing egghead, but the notion of complexity for complexity’s sake makes me nap with exhausted rage. That’s how I felt when I read some of the cultural criticism surrounding Netflix documentary My Octopus Teacher. At the center of this gorgeous film is a simple idea: a man gets burnt out with his filmmaking career and retreats to his home on the Atlantic Coast of South Africa. Swimming in the nearby kelp forest, he “meets” an octopus. The two form an apparent bond, as the man — Craig Foster — returns day after day to visit his “friend” and explore her world. Of course, what has people so entranced by this film is the “lesson” taught by this octopus teacher: Foster felt removed from the natural world and wanted to feel a part of it. The octopus showed him — or reminded him — that he and by extension we are already always of this place, cephalopod and human alike, but we too often forget by focusing on our differences. As Foster says in the film, “she was teaching me to be sensitized to the other.” That is a complex idea made simple; what Albert Einstein described as the goal of genius. Alas, rather than genius

we have Twitter, which has taken this simple, powerful snapshot of life on Earth and complicated it with a tortured, quasi-academic sexual analysis that unintentionally proves the point of My Octopus Teacher. A host of publications have weighed in on this phenomenon — from The Guardian to Wired magazine — all scratching their collective heads over how anyone could watch this documentary and come away with the idea that Foster had a romantic, sexual relationship with an octopus. Yet that is exactly what many thousands of people have done, prompted in part by Twitter user Sophie Lewis, who is apparently a social scientist with a lot of time on her hands. She described the film as “a flawed but moving documentary about a straight man who has a lifechanging erotic relationship with a female octopus.” You can imagine how far and fast the so-called “Twitterati” ran with that nugget of snark. OK, there are many flaws in this movie. For one, I found myself annoyed at how nebulously rich Foster seems to be that he can be the student of an

octopus in the first place. It bothered me that his family seemed to exist as a blank support structure for what Foster himself described as “an obsession.” His entitled sense of connection with the octopus was also galling at times; that he could equate filmmaker burnout with the immediate life-and-death struggles of an octopus was silly. I wasn’t there in the water every day, though in general it’s hard not to come away with the feeling that Foster is kind of a silly man and the octopus is rightfully the star of this show. No matter what, in no way was there a sexual over- or undertone to their relationship. Yet, the kind of analysis joked at by Lewis is very important — we should look at the ways humans interact with humans and humans interact with animals, and ideas of sexuality, gender and reproduction most certainly play a part in those analyses. Hell, My Octopus Teacher ends with the octopus giving birth and promptly dying (sorry, that was a spoiler, but I think we all know that octopuses, like salmon, shuffle off their mortal coils after they replicate themselves).

Craig Foster swims with the common octopus he befriended in My Octopus Teacher. Courtesy photo. Sophie Lewis’ “contribution” to the conversation surrounding My Octopus Teacher (being called “octopusgate”) is pernicious at best. On the surface, she made an internet joke that the internet then amplified into sound and fury signifying nothing. As a person with social science training, however, it frustrated me to see the legitimate tools of cultural analysis being dinked with to make tentacle porn jokes. Any academic worth a damn can look at that and, in their heart of hearts, recognize that “this is why they hate us.” Beyond all that, “Twitter’s Sexual Fascination With a Not-Sexual Octopus Movie,” as Wired put it, reveals that we have alienated ourselves so profoundly from the normal functioning of life that when we see the normal functioning of life, our first inclination is to freight it with all the weirdness at our internet-enabled disposal. Watching My Octopus Teacher, and viewing the larger discussion surrounding it, mollusks look far less alien than we, who are more complicated than necessary. October 1, 2020 /

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OUTDOORS

Autumn Wings birding tour planned for Libby, Mont. LPOSD’s Walk to By Reader Staff 9 a.m. (Mountain Time) at Riverside Park ones whenever possible. School Day Oct. 7 As Albert Camus said, “Autumn is a second spring, When every leaf is a flower.” It’s also when many birds are again on the move. Though fall birding migrations are not as intense as spring migrations, they do offer opportunities to scope for and spot birds of prey, waterfowl, shorebirds, songbirds and woodpeckers that may be migrating, exhibiting irruptive migratory behavior or are resident birds. On Saturday, Oct. 3, Libby Base Camp Hostel will sponsor a fall migration birding tour, with participants meeting at

in Libby, Mont. Located on the northeast side of Libby — just before the Kootenai River Bridge heading northeast on Highway 37 — the group will meet in the parking lot adjacent to the Log Pavilion. This will be a road tour with a few short walks into viewing sites. Organizers ask that birders come prepared for the day with full gas tanks, spotting scopes, binoculars, birding field guide books, proper layers for the weather, lunch, water, snacks, cameras and a sense of humor. This will be a COVID-19 safe tour, with participants driving their own vehicles and carpooling with friends, family or loved

KRFY hosts online fundraiser By Jim Healey Reader Contributor Hunkered down for a while? Looking for a new way to pass time on the internet? Well, saunter over to 88.5 KRFY’s benefit online auction and browse the items up for bidding. The auction bidding begins on Saturday, Oct. 10, and closes on Sunday, Oct. 18. Items can be previewed beginning on Monday, Oct. 5, on the auction website: biddingforgood.com/KRFY. The auction can also be accessed by going to KRFY’s website at krfy.org. Many local businesses have made generous donations to the auction: Floating Restaurant, Hallans Gallery, 7B Gym, Ivano’s, Campfire Couture, Finan McDon-

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ald and Sherrie Daily Massage. Community members have donated homemade apple pies, sushi dinner for 10-12 people, two gallons of Schweitzer huckleberries, evergreen wreaths, an afternoon sail on Lake Pend Oreille and a handmade musical blocks quilt. Some big-ticket items include a weekend luxury condo at Schweitzer with eight lift tickets; Seattle Seahawks 2021 pre-season tickets and onenight stay at the W Hotel; and a stay at an ocean-front penthouse on Grace Bay, Turks and Caicos. For more information visit krfy.org, email krfyradio@gmail.com or call 208265-2992.

Classes will be limited to 10 people total. On short walks into viewing sites, individuals will keep a minimum of six feet apart at all times. Senior citizens are encouraged to participate. Out-of-town participants in need of accommodations are encouraged to check out Libby Hostel Base Camp on 427 Thomas Street in Libby, and visit airbnb.com for more information. Participants will also be given learning aid sheets with birding tips and wrap up will be at 3:30 p.m. For information on how to register, email b_baxter53@yahoo.com or call 406291-2154.

By Reader Staff The Lake Pend Oreille School District Safe Routes to School invites local families to join students for Walk to School Day on Wednesday, Oct. 7. Walk to School Day events raise awareness of the need to create safer routes for walking and biking and emphasize the importance of issues such as increasing physical activity among children, pedestrian safety, traffic congestion and concern for the environment. This event builds connections between families, schools and the broader community. For more information on this event contact erin.billings@lposd.org and to learn more about Walk to School Day visit walkbiketoschool.org.

MUSIC

On the side

By Ben Olson Reader Staff Exhausting the musical catalogs of our favorite musical artists, we are often left yearning for more. However, with a bit of research, chances are you’ll learn that those artists have branched off from their main work to join forces with other notable musicians. These “supergroups” and side projects often offer fans a glimpse of a different side of the artist, while also providing listeners with the fix they crave when listening to an album on repeat for many moons. Here are some of our favorite side projects and supergroups over the years. Jonny Greenwood (Radiohead) Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood has infused this band of bands with a textural quality that speaks volumes. Over the years, however, Greenwood has lent his talents to a couple of totally different genres: orchestral work and movie scores. His love for classical music stems from starting out as a viola player, studying musical interests such as Messiaen and Ligeti. Aside from the viola and guitar, he plays piano, recorder and harmonica, and has expressed a particular love for the ondes martenot, an early electronic piano-type instrument that creates a “wavering” sound similar to a theremin. To date, Greenwood has penned a number of classical works, and was hailed as a featured composer at the Southbank Centre’s Ether Festival in 2005. Greenwood entered the movie score realm when sections of one of his compositions — Popcorn Superhet Receiver — was later worked into a soundtrack for the Oscar-winning film There

Will Be Blood. The soundtrack itself was not considered eligible for an Oscar as the majority of the music was not composed specifically for the film, but Greenwood later scooped up a Best Film Score award at the 2007 Evening Standard British Film Awards for his efforts. Other film score credits include the films Norwegian Wood, We Need To Talk About Kevin, The Master and Inherent Vice. Traveling Wilburys (Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, George Harrison, Jeff Lynne and Roy Orbison) The Traveling Wilburys were a supergroup that served as a side project for some of the biggest names in music in the late 1980s. The idea originated when George Harrison (The Beatles) was in studio sessions with Jeff Lynne (Electric Light Orchestra) for his 1987 album Cloud Nine. The band ultimately formed a year later, adding Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison and Tom Petty into the mix. The Wilburys released two albums, with songs like “Handle With Care” and “End of the Line” topping the charts. It would sadly be Orbison’s last musical effort, as he died of a heart attack in 1988, but the music lives on in our hearts as a fantastic collaboration between rock icons. case/lang/veirs (Neko Case, k.d. lang and Laura Veirs)

When Neko Case, k.d. lang and Laura Veirs announced

This week’s RLW by Lyndsie Kiebert

Musical side projects and supergroups often allow well-known artists to explore other realms they were joining forces as a supergroup to produce an album called case/lang/veirs in 2015, music lovers were overjoyed at the raw talent each member brought to the table. The album received positive reviews, with many comparing it to the Trio album in 1987 featuring Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris. When asked if they would follow with another album, lang said it was destined to be a “one-off record,” but what a record it turned out to be. Each of these performers lent their powerful voices and sensibilities to make this work a creation of pure joy. Temple of the Dog (Chris Cornell, Jeff Ament, Eddie Vedder, Stone Gossard, Matt Cameron and Mike McCready) Temple of the Dog formed in Seattle in 1990 — directly amid the emergence of the grunge rock movement. Soundgarden’s Chris Cornell conceived the idea as a tribute to his friend Andrew Wood, the late lead singer of the bands Malfunkshun and Mother Love Bone. The supergroup consisted of Cornell, Stone Gossard (Pearl Jam), Jeff Ament (Pearl Jam), Mike McCready (Pearl Jam) and Matt Cameron (Soundgarden and later Pearl Jam). Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder also staged several guest appearances to provide some lead and backing vocals. The band released only one eponymous album in 1991, but it was not widely recognized until a year later when Pearl Jam became a household name. The song “Hunger Strike” is the clear hit on the album, placing fourth on the U.S. charts in 1991. The members of Temple of

the Dog reunited in 2016 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of their self-titled album, but the single album remains their only output. Ben Gibbard (Death Cab for Cutie) Music in the early 2000s owes a lot to Ben Gibbard’s iconic voice and songwriting. Most known for his work with Death Cab for Cutie, which has released nine studio albums to date, his side work has often shown a different side to the indie rocker. Gibbard joined with Jimmy Tamborello of the band Dntel to produce an exploratory electronica album under their side project named The Postal Service. Jenny Lewis of the band Rilo Kelly also provided backing vocals for this critically-acclaimed supergroup which helped define the music of millennials in the 2000s. After their debut album Give Up went platinum, The Postal Service was inactive from 2005 to 2013 when they toured in support of its 10th anniversary re-release. Some had high hopes for a sophomore album from The Postal Service, but Gibbard announced in 2013 that the band would permanently disband after the last show of the reunion tour. Gibbard also created a studio album One Fast Move or I’m Gone: Jack Kerouac’s Big Sur in 2009 in collaboration with Jay Farrar of Son Volt and Uncle Tupelo. Lyrics on the album are based on the prose of Keourac in his novel Big Sur. Gibbard and Farrar also recorded several songs for a feature-length documentary of the same name.

READ

...all the books you already have. This is a PSA for all you bookworms who are good at collecting and not so good at reading — myself included — to shop from your bookshelves first. I cleaned off my dresser and bedside table last weekend and found 15 half-read books, leading to this shameful and clarifying realization. The key isn’t to find another good book — it’s to find a chunk of day where you can read what you’ve already collected.

LISTEN

The more music RaeLynn releases, the more I grow to love her. She is unapologetically herself, which is a feat in the contemporary country music scene, and she’s capable of putting her name on songs about everything from honkey-tonk parties to grave heartbreak. Her breakout single “Love Triangle” — about having divorced parents — put her on the map as a serious songwriter, and her new EP Baytown is another collection of fun and profound tracks.

WATCH

We’ve been cruising through Turn: Washington’s Spies in my household this past week. Despite the show’s slow pace, the character development and surprise twists have made it hard to turn off. It follows the story of the Revolutionary War’s patriot spies, who join the fight both willingly and unwillingly, passing intelligence and even posing as double agents to get Washington’s troops a leg up at the start of the resistance.

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BACK OF THE BOOK The

From Northern Idaho News, Oct. 5, 1906

PIANO PLAYER FRANK DIES VERY SUDDENLY The piano player of the Stockholm saloon died Wednesday night in the saloon, and strange as it may seem, after working at the place for six months, no one knew his real name. He was called Frank, but further seems that no one appears to know him. He had laid down on the saloon floor, where he had slept for many weeks, and owing to the fact that he did not snore, caused the proprietors of the saloon to look into the case and found him dead. The body was removed to Brower’s undertaking establishment, where he was prepared for burial. The proprietors of the Stockholm saloon asked for an inquest and Justice E.W. Wheelan, in absence of the county coroner, conducted one. The inquest found no known quarrels Frank had with any one so that there was no cause for any blows being given the man. He stated that the man drew his pay every night so that there was nothing due him from the firm. Paul Arnett testified that he found the man dead, but knew nothing of him further than his name was Frank and that he had worked for him for six months. Undertaker Brower stated that he found clotted blood in the heart but that it was natural to be there after a person had been dead four or five hours. The jury returned a verdict that the man had come to his death from causes unknown to the jury. It has developed that this is the same man who played the piano at the K.P. hall during the performances of “Under Two Flags.” The body was buried yesterday. 26 /

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Late Night Buddhist

Making a case for empathy

By Scott Taylor Reader Columnist My grandpa used to have a small sign hanging in his woodshop with a quote that read: “Everyone you meet is in some way or another your superior.” He also displayed others that said, “Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” — A. Lincoln; “You can always tell a German, but you can’t tell him much”; and, “Don’t criticize your wife’s judgment; look who she married.” I often thought about that quote while I was building shelves, boxes and toy wooden ships — and listening to Elton John or CSNY — and would mentally take inventory of various people I knew and in what ways I viewed them as my superior. One example was my neighbor across the street, only a few years younger than I, who had been born with severe mental disabilities and some physical limitations. Everyone in our tiny town knew him and viewed him with empathy and kindness, but I wonder if anyone considered him “superior” to them in any way. What I noticed was that he was almost always happier than anyone else. I definitely looked up to him in that respect. (The yang to this yin is that that means everyone you meet is also in some way your inferior. This may sound

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contrary to developing good relationships with others, but I found it useful to remind my adolescent students of this because low self-esteem and lack of confidence are major stumbling blocks at that age.) One area of life in which I find myself being quite critical — usually in a “film/ art/food critic” kind of way, but sometimes in a “somebody put that band/ singer/fiddler out of their misery” kind of way — is regarding the musical world. I find myself critiquing and developing suggestions for ways that musical acts could improve their performances: “The lead guitar is too busy”; “They should make more use of their harmonies”; “The singer needs to show more enthusiasm (but not too much!)”; “The bass player shouldn’t come to gigs looking like he just rolled out of bed. It offends my aesthetic sensibilities.” I think this all stems not from thinking myself superior to anyone (how could I possibly critique Yonder Mountain String Band? But I wish their bass player would wear a hat; dude you’re blinding me), but from extensive experience and my desire to always strive to be better at what I’m doing. I can guarantee you nobody is more critical of me than me. In a world that has become hypercritical — where everything we say, every

thought we express, every position we hold, every misjudgment or error we commit is scrutinized and attacked by those who are ready and willing to claim their superiority — it would do us all some good to remember this: Every time we criticize someone else, we are in effect saying, “I’m better than you in that regard.” One of my favorite newer artists, Tyler Childers, expressed what others have pointed out: Right now many of us are lacking empathy toward others and their point of view. Maybe before we pounce on our children, neighbors and coworkers for not being as “smart” as us; before we come to a city council or county commissioners’ meeting to bitch and moan and personally attack them; before we denigrate someone for their political or religious beliefs, we could examine ourselves and try to see the world through their eyes. And we could all decide to choose happy!

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Broken promises don’t upset me. I just think, why did they believe me?

Solution on page 26

Laughing Matter

cachinnate

Woorf tdhe Week

CROSSWORD ACROSS By Bill Borders

/KAK-uh-neyt/

[verb (used without object)] 1. to laugh loudly or immoderately.

“He did not laugh so much as cachinnate after watching ‘Schitt’s Creek.” Corrections: In my Bouquets and Barbs column last week, I accidentally spelled Jon Knepper’s name wrong. This is especially embarassing because he’s also friend of mine. Sorry Jon! I owe you a cold one. – BO

1. Become narrower 6. Arithmetic 10. On the road 14. Avoid 15. Reflected sound 16. A coniferous tree 17. Comedian 18. Tall woody plant 19. Writing fluids 20. A seven-string lyre 22. ___ slaw 23. Stage 24. Public transit vehicles 25. One who colors cloth 29. Set up for use 31. Golden 33. Speech 37. Brigand 38. Smear 39. Smiled contemptuously 41. Chevrotain 42. Earwax 44. Visual organs 45. Got up 48. A Biblical measure 50. Decant 51. A supplementary part 56. Celestial bear 57. Glove 58. Roof overhangs 59. Mongrel 60. Away from the wind 61. Sideshow attraction 62. Being

Solution on page 26 63. German for “Mister” 64. Canvas shelters

DOWN 1. Engineering school 2. Found in some lotions 3. A device that moves fluids 4. Modify 5. Summary 6. Gaseous fuel 7. Crosswise

8. To that 9. Tilled 10. Beekeeping 11. Drunkards 12. Foot joint 13. Affirmatives 21. Chirp 24. Hold responsible 25. Applies lightly 26. Basic unit of money in China 27. Sea eagle 28. Re-beautify 30. Insecticide 32. Broadcast 34. Lazily 35. Curved molding

36. Catches 40. Malleable 41. Polemist 43. Grumble 45. Foam 46. A ring-shaped surface 47. Kicks out 49. Larceny 51. Nanny 52. Filly’s mother 53. Not odd 54. Tidy 55. Sounds of disapproval

October 1, 2020 /

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GENERAL ELECTION Nov 3, 2020 VOTING RECOMMENDATIONS

Recommendations are based on candidates statements on addressing impact of climate change This ad is paid for by 350Sandpoint and has not been reviewed or sponsored by any candidate. CANDIDATES FOR COUNTY OFFICES COUNTY COMMISSIONER FIRST DISTRICT - 4 year term

Steve Johnson

versus: Stephen R Bradshaw (incumbant)

COUNTY COMMISSIONER FIRST SECOND DISTRICT - 2 year term

Jeff Connolly

unopposed

COUNTY SHERIFF FIRST DISTRICT

Cindy L. Marx

versus: Daryl Wheeler (incumbant)

COUNTY PROSECUTER Louis E. Marshall (incumbant)

CANDIDATES FOR LEGISLATIVE

DISTRICT OFFICES

ID Legislative District 1

Boundary Cty & Bonner Cty EXCEPT precincts S of Long Bridge AND E of Hwy 95 - Gamlin, Sagle, Southside, Careywood, Lakeside

LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT 1 STATE SENATOR

_Jim Woodward

versus: Vera Gadman

Gail Bolin

versus: Heather Scott (lncumbant)

LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT 1 STATE REPRESENTATIVE POSITION B

Steve Ho wlett

versus: Sage Dixon(lncumbant), Dan Rose

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LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT 7 STATE

i .; : JT1blJn_t1 _ _ ____

LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT 1 STATE REPRESENTATIVE POSITION A

ID Legislative District 7 The part of Dist 7 in Bonner Cty includes precincts S of Long Bridge AND E of Hwy 95Gamlin, Sagle, Southside, Careywood, Lakeside

SENATOR

Carl Crabtree

unOJ)£05Sed

LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT 7 STATE REPRESENTATIVE POSITION A

Pricilla Giddings (lncumbant)

LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT 7 STATE REPRESENTATIVE POSITION B

Charlie Shepherd (lncumbant)

CANDI DATES FOR UNITED STATES OFFICES PRESIDENT

Joseph R Biden Kamala Harris, VP

versus: Kanye West, Don Blankenship, Rocky Dela Fuenta, Jo Jorgensen, Brock Pierce, DJT I ncumbant

UNITED STATES SENATOR

Paulette Jordan

versus: Jim Risch (lncumbant), Ray J Writz, Natalie M Fleming

REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FIRST DISTRICT

Rudy Soto

versus: Russ Fulcher (lncumbant), Joe Evans