The cover illustration this week was was drawn by Solomon Hughes to accompany the story “A Legend Resurfaces,” by our own Bill Borders. Bill’s story was selected to be Idaho’s creepy contribution to an anthology of horror tales from every state called The Haunted States of America. If you’d like to hear Bill read from his story (from a cemetery, no less), get the details on Page 24.
It’s another chock-full 28-page edition this week, including three entire pages filled with letters to the editor. If you haven’t sent us your letter by now, it likely won’t make it inside the Oct. 31 edition. That space fills quickly before an election, so please don’t send us angry emails when we tell you your letter won’t make it. Send it earlier next time!
READER
111 Cedar Street, Suite 9 Sandpoint, ID 83864 208-946-4368
sandpointreader.com
Publisher: Ben Olson ben@sandpointreader.com
Editorial:
Zach Hagadone (Editor) zach@sandpointreader.com
My unique first name has inspired — or necessitated — many nicknames over the years. The first few came from my dad, a punk musician who has loose ties to normalcy, and thus were different from conventional toddler nicknames. First there was “Big Tall Baby,” my morally gray superhero alter ego, who was said to be “stronger than any fighting man.” This nickname came with a theme song written and composed by my dad, which went, “Fly through wind and outer space, fighting crime, producing waste into her methane-powered diaper. And if she does not like your face she’ll pound it up and then escape in her cherry red Dodge Viper.” When I outgrew “Big Tall Baby” I became “Mighty Moose,” my other superhero alter ego, which took inspiration from Seattle’s Mariner Moose mascot. “Mighty Moose” was far less impressive, as she preferred to run in circles like Naruto, rather than beat grown men to a pulp. My nicknames only got more boring as I got older; until, recently, when I once again assumed the moniker of a morally gray superhero — “Suckerpunch.” “Suckerpunch” originated in Idaho Pour Authority, when I was asked to come up with a professional wrestling name. Since then, she’s morphed into a mobster who moonlights as a journalist. I’m honored to be the Reader’s muscle [Editor’s note: This is no joke. FAFO]. This is my first nom de guerre — even having a coincidental line of merch in the form of “Suckerpunch” pickles, which also lend their brine to a downright disgusting beer: Destihl’s “Suckerpunch Dill Pickle Sour” gose. I’m honored to share its name and symbolically punch unwitting partakers in the mouth. With my own line of beer and pickles in hand, I think I can safely say I’ve reached nickname perfection. There’s nowhere to go but down.
a few thoughts on love
“Giving is the way we also learn how to receive. The mutual practice of giving and receiving is an everyday ritual when we know true love. A generous heart is always open, always ready to receive our going and coming. In the midst of such love we need never fear abandonment. This is the most precious gift true love offers — the experience of knowing we always belong.”
— Bell Hooks, All About Love: New Visions
Thanks for reading and supporting us. Don’t forget to buy a “Drink the Reader” beer at Matchwood Brewing Co. while supplies last. Every fourpack you buy supports the Reader. It’s a damn good beer, too.
Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey (emeritus) Cameron Rasmusson (emeritus) John Reuter (emeritus)
Advertising: Ben Olson ben@sandpointreader.com
Contributing Artists:
Solomon Hughes (cover), Ben Olson, Lukas Skjonsby, Micah Young, Ted Wert, Bob Betts, Debi Butler, Arie Sykes, Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey
Contributing Writers:
Zach Hagadone, Ben Olson, Soncirey Mitchell, Lorraine H. Marie, Brenden Bobby, Mark Sauter, Emily Erickson, Diana Dawson, Jennifer Ekstrom, Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey, Sandy Compton
Submit stories to: stories@sandpointreader.com
Printed weekly at: Tribune Publishing Co. Lewiston, ID
Subscription Price:
$185 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
SandpointReader letter policy:
The Sandpoint Reader welcomes letters to the editor on all topics.
Requirements:
–No more than 200 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
About the Cover
This week’s cover image by Solomon Hughes, which accompanied Bill Borders’ story “A Legend Resurfaces.” See Page 24.
‘At
the absolute 11th hour…
we
risk renewing litigation
after having years of it’ Camp Bay easement stalls during final approval
By Soncirey Mitchell Reader Staff
The public flooded into the Oct. 15 Bonner County board of commissioners meeting to witness what could have been the final step in achieving the Camp Bay public easement, which has been fiercely debated and litigated over the past two years. The commissioners dedicated the majority of the threehour meeting to deliberation and public comment on the issue, ultimately deciding to table their decision until a date to be determined, as of press time.
The previous board — composed of Dan McDonald, Jeff Connolly and Steve Bradshaw — approved a petition in April 2021 to vacate the last 2,550 feet of Camp Bay Road to Arizona-based developers M3 ID Camp Bay, LLC. Neighboring residents Fred and Jennifer Arn subsequently challenged the decision, arguing that the road provided public access to 50 feet of Lake Pend Oreille and, after legal review, the district court remanded the issue back to the commissioners.
The BOCC then voted against the road vacation in a second hearing in February 2022, sending the matter back to the court, which remanded the file back to the commissioners with its approval. The board held a marathon public hearing in December 2022 and ultimately approved the road vacation on the condition that M3 create and maintain a public trail on a “permanent, perpetual, non-exclusive pedestrian easement,” which guarantees access to a 50-foot-wide section of shoreline.
Given the previous board’s approval, Deputy Prosecutor Bill Wilson said that the Oct. 15 action item was “essentially a ministerial step.”
“After almost two years of litigation, the district court determined that this agreement was enforceable and valid, and so the purpose for the agenda item today is more of a formality because this decision has already been agreed to and approved by a previous board,” said Wilson.
“If we, for some reason, didn’t do this — I don’t believe we have a legal justification not to — I think we would
be subject to litigation quickly and we would lose,” he later added.
Wilson counseled the board that their only duty was to confirm that M3 completed the agreed-upon trail and sign the permanent easement declaration, allowing the developers to officially file the easement and open the trail, with a proposed date of Nov. 1. The declaration technically only requires the grantor’s — M3’s — signature; however, county legal counsel felt the addition of the board’s signatures would make the paperwork clearer for posterity.
“This is all part of being able to look back and make sure that we all know exactly what was agreed to and when and by whom,” said Wilson.
During deliberation, BOCC Chair Asia Williams initially pushed to open the trail early, questioning why the public had to wait until Nov. 1 if the board approved the easement Oct. 15. The official deadline for the developers to provide public access is February 2025.
M3 Co-Owner and Managing Partner William Brownlee said that the Nov. 1 date was meant to give developers time to pave the adjacent road, hydroseed and finish other projects that required heavy truck traffic, and, providing that all the tasks were complete, he agreed to open the trail early.
The opening date was later complicated by testimony from Sheriff Daryl Wheeler regarding Subsection 9 of the Permanent Easement Declaration, titled “Remedies,” which states that “Bonner County will police the Trail Easement in a manner fully commensurate with its general efforts through the County and in accordance with the Use Conditions.”
It goes on to state that, should members of the public violate the use conditions or stipulations in the declaration, M3 will provide written notice to the county and, if no action is taken after five notifications, “shall have the authority to take reasonable measures to remedy the same, including but not limited to employing private security, placing a gate and/or barriers or signage preventing the prohibited use, as may be reasonably required to enforce Grantor’s rights.”
As part of the agreed-upon use conditions, the public cannot visit at night, smoke, drink, litter, erect permanent or temporary structures, ride motorized vehicles or have any kind of open flame on the property.
“I just want to make clear that there is no statutory authority, either in state code or county code, for me or my deputies to enforce violations of this agreement, so that if there is a
dispute happening on that trail or at the water’s edge concerning some of those detailed facts in this agreement, the sheriff’s office will not be responding,” said Wheeler.
“If there is a crime occurring then we will respond and investigate.”
Wilson stated he did not believe that the language of the agreement required anything outside of the BCSO’s normal duties, and all other enforcement would be covered by typical trespass laws.
Both Williams and Commissioner Ron Korn requested further clarification from legal counsel to confirm that the language did not put a financial burden on the county or require law enforcement to overstep their authority.
“I can’t sign something that has me doing something that I don’t have the authority to do,” said Williams.
“If we need to negotiate those terms, I guess that’s something you can entertain. But, my concern is we risk — at the absolute 11th hour, 11 hours and 59 minutes — we risk renewing litigation after having years of it,” said Wilson, adding that he did not believe the county would incur costs from the agreement.
Williams asked Brownlee if, given that they were ahead of schedule, the board could table the decision until an unspecified date to give legal counsel time to further research the easement requirements and advise the commissioners.
Brownlee agreed to postpone, adding, “Even if I said no, I’m sure you could still go ahead and table it.”
The commissioners voted unanimously to table the decision. Bradshaw, the only sitting commissioner from the previous board, was absent from the meeting.
“It’s fostering relationships and making sure that, when we sign something that people are still not going to agree with — because people are not going to agree with this easement — that we’ve done our due diligence as a board to say, ‘We went through it. We had questions, we got the answers, and this is what we could come up with as the best response to this road vacation easement,’” said Williams.
Looking out at Lake Pend Oreille from shore at Camp Bay. Photo by Dan Eskelson.
Tango Cafe prepares for new ownership, rebranding to Marigold Bistro
By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff
Longtime Tango Cafe owner Judy Colegrove is preparing to hand over the keys to the eatery located in the atrium of the Sandpoint Center at 414 Church St., which has become a local hub for everything from business meetings and organizational events to social gatherings with a core of committed regulars.
Colegrove, who took the reins of Tango Cafe from founders Barney and Carol Ballard almost 15 years ago, will pass the baton to Cassandra Cayson, who many will remember as the proprietor of upscale waterfront restaurant Forty-One South, which closed in the fall of 2021 amid the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The pandemic also contributed to Colegrove’s decision to move on from Tango Cafe, albeit a few years after the end of the lockdowns and general disruption caused by the virus.
“I had kind of reached a burnout period, then COVID came along and it just kind of added to that — it changed the dining scene altogether,” Colegrove told the Reader. “I came back from the burnout a little bit; but, on the other hand, it was just a whole other animal to deal with. And I thought, ‘The market is looking pretty good, I’m going to put it up for sale and see what happens.’”
Colegrove said there were a few interested parties, but none felt like the right fit — until she spoke with Cayson.
“Cassandra and I have been friends since she came to town [in 2010]. I think we started pretty close to the same time. We’ve just stayed friends and always asked each other how it’s going in the business,” she said. “I happened to be talking to Cassandra one day and she said, ‘Are you still thinking about selling?’ and I said, ‘Are you thinking about buying?’ It was almost like a miracle.”
Colegrove’s last day at the cafe will be Thursday, Oct. 31, and Cayson will take over Friday, Nov. 1.
“I’m very excited. Judy and the team here have been great,” Cayson
said. “We’re already working with them and learning our systems, so it can be a really smooth transition.”
There will be a few changes, however, including a rebranding to the Marigold Bistro.
“We wanted something that wouldn’t necessarily define a style of food or level of service, so we could handle a broad spectrum of events, and I found out a couple of interesting facts about marigolds,” she said. “They’re considered ‘companion flowers,’ they’re usually planted with tomatoes and potatoes and they protect the plants.”
Cayson takes that as a metaphor for the community connection role that the space has played for so many people over so many years.
“My mom’s name was also Mary, so it just felt right,” she said, adding that the marigold is the symbolic flower of Día de los Muertos (the “Day of the Dead”), which takes place on Nov. 1.
Since the closure of Forty-One South, Cayson has run a catering business that she’ll continue separate from the Marigold Bistro. Meanwhile, the bistro will again be able to lease out the adjacent conference space in the Sandpoint Center for events and meetings, including on weeknights and Saturdays — something Colegrove hadn’t been able to do during the pandemic.
For Colegrove, the transition marks a turning point after 25 years of working in kitchens — dating back to her first employment with the Ballards when they owned the former-Beach House (better known today as the site of Trinity at City Beach).
She stayed on at the Beach House under the subsequent owners, then worked again for the Ballards at Tango before taking over from them on Jan. 1, 2010.
“Back in the day, Carol said, ‘I think you could do this, I think you can run it.’ I wasn’t so sure, but just having the customer base and the great
Transportation Department unveils updated concept for U.S. 95 expansion project
By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff
About a year after gathering feedback and sharing several design concepts with the public in November 2023, the Idaho Transportation Department has unveiled a new preferred concept for a sweeping redesign of the six miles of U.S. Highway 95 from Dufort Road to Lakeshore Drive.
Officials with the department most recently met with community members for an informational session Oct. 16 at Sagle Elementary School, where they shared details of the preferred plan, which includes widening U.S. 95 into a four-lane divided highway with two new interchanges, an underpass and frontage roads running parallel from Dufort to Lakeshore, where it transitions onto the Long Bridge.
Lanes running north and south would be 12 feet wide each, with 10-foot outside shoulders and a concrete median barrier. Frontage roads would feature two 12-foot-wide lanes with fivefoot shoulders and a 10-foot shared-use pathway.
Many residents had been anxious and even angry over another concept shared widely in April that envisioned expanding and rerouting the highway in a wide arc to the east, which would have run though numerous properties and more than a dozen homes, as well as near Sagle Elementary.
current
ITD stressed that no plan had been officially adopted and, on Oct. 16, shared that the new concept would keep the highway running along its
people to work with made it happen,” Colegrove said.
Speaking of those loyal customers, she said it has been “a real joy to cook for them over the years and get to know them and get to know their families. You get to be a part of a family in a way.”
Colegrove isn’t quite sure what’s next, but it’ll be something “completely different” from working in a kitchen.
“I don’t have a plan right at the moment. I’m probably going to be able to
According to the new map, the project would begin at Mile Post 465.2 with an interchange at Dufort Road. Frontage roads would run along the east and west sides of < see ITD, Page 6 >
take a short time off and dive into something new,” she said. “Maybe something outdoors — a different pace.”
While Colegrove is “still kind of in shock that it’s actually happening,” she has “100% trust in letting that go to someone like [Cayson], versus someone who’s just new to town and doesn’t know the ins and outs of it.”
Ultimately, “I feel really lucky to have been able to come in and carry this on for as long as I have,” she added.
Tango Cafe owner Judy Colegrove, left, will hand over the reins to Cassandra Cayson, right, and the cafe will be rebranded Marigold Bistro. Photo courtesy Tango Cafe.
The US-95 preferred concept as proposed by ITD. Courtesy image.
route.
< ITD, con’t from Page 6 >
the highway, with the eastern route connecting to Algoma Spur Road then running north to an underpass at Ivy Drive and U.S. 95.
Another underpass is envisioned where Gun Club and Monarch roads cross the highway — just north of Mile Post 469) — as well as an interchange at Brisboys Road about a third of the way between M.P. 470 and 471.
The preferred concept remains just that — conceptual — while the department continues to gather feedback until Thursday, Oct. 31 at itdprojects. idaho.gov/pages/us-95-dufort-to-lakeshore.
Before any dirt can be turned, however, ITD will also have to conclude an environmental review, as well as identify funding. Combined with the process of nailing down a final design and securing right of way, it’s estimated that the U.S. 95 Dufort-Lakeshore project could be as far as 15 years from its groundbreaking, according to previous statements from officials.
Meanwhile, as ITD refines its concept, it has taken public input to heart — including rethinking the eastward realignment that would have affected
so many property owners, eliminating a previously envisioned overpass at Bottle Bay Road, and changing the Gun Club/Monarch Road and Ivy Drive/Algoma Spur Road crossings from overpasses to underpasses.
Though the timeline on the project is long, the needs it is meant to address are pressing. According to ITD, based on the explosive growth trends in North Idaho, average daily traffic on U.S. 95 is projected to increase by 64% between 2045 and the present.
“As growth and congestion have increased, safety is an increasing concern,” the department stated in its frequently-asked-questions document. “This area of U.S. 95 has seen over 150 crashes in the last two years, including three fatalities. A four-lane divided highway is necessary to address both congestion and safety.”
Without action, traffic congestion would “reach unacceptable levels in future years.”
Officials also wrote that they were prioritizing the U.S. 95 project over widening the vehicle portion of the Long Bridge in order to lessen congestion in the corridor first, then address work on the bridge as it approaches the end of its lifespan, which after repairs in 2021 should extend to 2081 — 100 years after it was built.
While community members had asked ITD whether it would install more traffic signals or roundabouts on the stretch of U.S. 95 addressed by the project, the department stated that it had opted for interchanges as a way to control the flow of traffic onto and off the highway, while frontage roads are intended to separate local traffic from the higher-speed travel lanes.
“Because this is being designed as a controlled access facility, there will be no signals or roundabouts needed,” ITD stated.
In addition, the new bicycle and pedestrian pathways would be located on the west side from Ivy Drive to the Long Bridge and on the east from Algoma Spur to Monarch Road.
“ITD will continue to gather input and engage with the community and key stakeholders over the next several years as the design is refined, environmental re-evaluation approval is obtained and funding is secured,” the department stated.
For more info, call 208-243-9326 or email info@us95duforttolakeshore. org. Visit the project website at itdprojects.idaho.gov/pages/us-95-dufortto-lakeshore.
Bits ’n’ Pieces
From east, west and beyond
Trickle-down tax cuts over the past 50 years have only benefited the rich, according to a new study from the London School of Economics. A study author told CBS that the post-WWII era, when taxes were highest on the rich, “was also a period with high economic growth and low unemployment.”
The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act was former-President Donald Trump’s main achievement, aiming to slash corporate and income taxes for the rich through 2025. At the time, Trump claimed the cuts would result in corporations hiring more workers and a $4,000 boost in household income. In a counter-example to that, columnist and former-U.S. Labor Secretary Robert Reich wrote that AT&T’s federal tax bill dropped 81% but the company spent more on dividends and stock buybacks and cut more than 40,000 jobs. Other big corporations behaved similarly. According to various media, the $4,000 promised household income boost never materialized.
Since last fall the IRS, with additional funding, collected $1.3 billion in unpaid taxes from high-wealth tax dodgers, U.S. News wrote. Republicans have called for IRS funding to be cut.
Presidential candidates Trump and Kamala Harris say they will “fix” Social Security, depended upon by 68 million Americans. Failure to do so will result in benefit check cuts of up to 23% by 2034.
In a new report from the nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, funding for Social Security will go down if Trump wins. His policies include raising the retirement age to 69, cutting $1.5 trillion over 10 years and relying on blanket tariffs to shift the economy.
In 1983, the retirement age was slated for a gradual increase from 65 to 67, based on the assumption that there would not be income inequality to cripple the system. According to Reich, the working population is now earning less than in 1983, and is therefore paying less on their Social Security payroll taxes, so payroll tax has seen a decline that impacts the system’s stability.
Trump has broadened his anti-immigration stance, saying he would force more than 1 million people legally here under Humanitarian Parole or Temporary Protected Status to leave, he recently told Fox News. The American Immigration Council says it would cost
By Lorraine H. Marie Reader Columnist
more than $315 billion to return those people to their countries of origin.
Looking into “What kind of president would she be?” TIME magazine concluded Vice President Kamala Harris would be “more practical than ideological.” Harris’s proposals include: a $50,000 tax deduction for starting more small businesses (which provide close to half of American jobs); a $6,000 child tax credit for a baby’s first year; extending $35 insulin to all Americans; eliminating degree requirements for 500,000 federal jobs; investing in research and development for new manufacturing industries; trimming red tape for overhauling infrastructure; and $25,000 down-payment assistance for first-time home buyers, tax credits to incentivize builders and a pledge to build 3 million affordable housing units.
Harris’ aides say she retains a goal of affordable health care and a strong middle class. She’s also running on what she won’t do: trying to overthrow a free and fair election, stopping abortion rights, imposing blanket tariffs and mass deportations of immigrants, and no purging and replacing civil servants with MAGA loyalists.
Tech billionaire Elon Musk is offering $1 million a day until Election Day to a registered voter in key swing states if they sign a pro-First and Second Amendment petition. The BBC said winners are chosen lottery-style from petition signers, and the giveaway is limited to seven key battleground states.
Election law expert Rick Hansen says he believes Musk’s “offer” is “clearly illegal” under federal law, and can result in a $10,000 fine or five-years in prison. But, some media say there may be a loophole that favors Musk’s scheme. Musk has spoken numerous times with Trump, which The New York Times says is a violation of campaign finance laws that bar coordination between candidates and super PACs. Musk has so far donated $75 million to Trump’s presidential campaign.
Blast from the past: “People often say, with pride, ‘I’m not interested in politics.’ They might as well say, ‘I’m not interested in my standard of living, my health, my job, my rights, my freedoms, my future, any future.’ If we mean to keep control over our world and lives, we must be interested in politics.” — Martha Gellhorn, novelist and among the first female war correspondents (1908-1998).
Top left: Brush Lake near Bonners Ferry. Photo by Lukas Skjonsby.
Top right: Tari Pardini, Doug Jones and Jim Healey brought copies of the Reader to Santiago de Compostela in Spain where they’re pictured standing before the Santiago de Compostela Arch cathedral Basilica. Courtesy photo.
Middle left: Micah Young snapped this awesome shot of that stellar rainbow last week over Sandpoint City Beach.
Bottom left: Ted Wert spotted an old sunken rowboat in Gamlin Lake not normally visible except when the water is low.
Bottom middle: The famous rainbow over fall colors in Selle Valley. Photo by Bob Betts.
Bottom right: Pearls Moore, Marlene Rorke, Sally Loveless, Perky Smith-Hagadone and Julie Keaton sporting the fall season’s latest fashion. Photo by Debi Butler.
Bouquets:
• Following the close of the Sandpoint Farmers’ Market season Oct. 12, it’s a good time to give Bouquets to all the vendors and staff who make this possible. The market is an example of our community at its best. It’s a positive, healthy and fun institution that has connected people with local farmers since it was established in 1988. Thanks for the good times and we’ll see you all next season.
• There are few people I can think of who embody the Yiddish word mensch as much as our beloved Tim Henney. A mensch is “a particularly good person” or a “stand-up guy,” according to the dictionaries, but that only scratches the surface of Tim. Since starting this endeavor in 2015, Tim has been a regular benevolent presence in the Reader’s pages. He writes nostalgic and funny pieces about the quaint Sandpoint life he loves so much. He is always eager to prop up others and give compliments when they are due. His devotion to his wife, Jackie, to whom he has been married since 1957, is endearing. He even purchases giant ads in our newspaper encouraging people to donate and support the local news. About once every month or so, I receive an email or phone call from one of Tim’s many fans, looking for contact information so they can connect with the legend himself. He’s the youngest old man I’ve ever known and I hope we’re stuck with him for many more years, because Sandpoint with Tim in it is just a better place.
Barbs:
• Car alarms. I mean, what’s the point anymore? Nobody seems to put up much of a fuss when they go off, except to yell for a return to peace and quiet. It’s like we’ve all become habituated to the sirens and horns, which is the opposite of their purpose.
Steve Johnson has all the best tools to serve on the BOCC…
Dear editor,
I know Steve Johnson, how about you? Steve has been in this area for longer than he can probably remember. That is a plus, as he has a firm handle on the concerns and needs of our community, let alone being aware of our changing demographics.
If you know Steve, you know he has the most engaging personality and about as even-tempered as they come. Everyone is a friend and he is a great listener. Boy, are those great qualifications to be a Bonner County commissioner!
I know Steve has been busy interacting with county employees to become aware of their departments’ needs and concerns. What better way to improve efficiency and hopefully save money than to go directly to the source?
Remember, no matter where you live in the county, you can vote for all districts — but be sure to vote for Steve Johnson, Bonner County commissioner.
Sylvia Humes Sandpoint
Abortion shouldn’t be seen as ‘liberating autonomy and personal empowerment’…
Dear editor, Responding to Jen Quintano’s latest on the indispensability of abortion access [Perspectives, “The Lumberjill: Abortion is not a four-letter word,” Oct. 3, 2024]:
1)The “my body/my choice” argument falls apart when acknowledging this scientific fact: There are two distinct living human bodies present during a pregnancy, not one.
2)The core argument for abortion is that an obviously living human being can be denied legal and/or moral personhood.
3)This is exactly the same justification used for slavery, genocide and euthanasia: Human life itself is thus reduced to just another throwaway commodity.
4) Putting one’s personal autonomy ahead of fundamental human equality and the moral value of every and all human being(s) then leads to the “right” to a dead baby (who is completely defenseless and vulnerable).
5)Viewing this progression as liberating autonomy and personal empowerment actually results in exactly the opposite when human life has no inherent value and celebrating death is an acceptable norm.
6)Jen is, of course, entitled to the fervor of her opinions (though one wonders whether she is trying to convince herself or others of them). Likewise, those who disagree with her have the same rights to work toward creating a different version of what constitutes a just and compassionate society.
Michael Lang Sunnyside
Editor’s note: This letter writer plays fast and loose with the assertion that the “core argument” in favor of access to abortion is “exactly the same justification” for “slavery, genocide and euthanasia.” The “justification” for those historical concepts and actions was profoundly varied in time and place, and any argument conflating them is reductive. It’s also unclear what’s meant by the phrase “the ‘right’ to a dead baby.” No one wants that “right,” and I’m not sure where the writer is going with that phrase, as well as the notion that anyone is “celebrating death.”
Open
Dear editor, My experience with open primaries and ranked-choice voting is positive. I lived in Alaska for 36 years and am a Republican. Idaho’s Proposition 1 takes the Alaska system as its guide. The vast majority of Alaskans were skeptical, but now that they understand it, they trust and prefer it. The only people who don’t like it are people who supported a losing candidate and who now seek blame.
Sarah Palin lost the 2022 election to the U.S. House because she wasn’t the best candidate. This office was held by Rep. Don Young for 50 years. Some social media posts say that Rep. Young, being a Republican, lost his election to a Democrat due to ranked-choice voting. Don didn’t lose, he died in office. Palin was born in Sandpoint. Her dad Chuck Heath attended and then taught at SHS. A photo of Chuck adorns the athlete “Wall of Fame” class of ’57 in the cafeteria. When Chuck returns to Sandpoint he is a guest in our home.
George Miller Sandpoint
‘Karen
Dear editor,
Last week, I had the pleasure of door knocking with Karen Matthee to unaffiliated and Republican vot-
ers. It was a bit outside my comfort zone, if I’m honest.
But Karen put both me and many of the people we talked to at ease from the get-go. Rather than hammer them with her platform, she inquired about their concerns. And more often than not, she and they were able to find common ground on a number of issues, such as proper funding for public schools and the loss of doctors here in Idaho.
Perhaps it’s because of her extensive journalism background, but Karen builds bridges — something I strongly believe is needed now in Idaho. She is calm and reasonable in her messaging, drawing on solutions from both Democrats and Republicans.
And if we’re truly going to progress as a district and a state, and improve life for all Idahoans, that is what it will take. And that is why I’m voting for Karen Matthee for House Seat 1A on Nov. 5.
Lynda Gillham Sandpoint
Don’t let the minority rule — vote ‘yes’ on Prop. 1…
Dear editor,
Are you still wondering whether or not you should vote for Proposition 1? May I share my opinion? Yes, yes, yes!
Open primaries allow all registered voters a say. If Republicans hadn’t closed their primary some years ago, this would not be necessary. An open primary will give unaffiliated voters an opportunity to participate in the primary election. Regarding ranked-choice voting: Have you ever had a problem deciding which candidate to vote for? This gives you the perfect opportunity. Rank each candidate in order of your preference. If your No. 1 doesn’t hit the required number, your No. 2 just might. Rankedchoice voting encourages more people to vote because they really have a choice. Party bosses are the ones who don’t want more people voting. Think about that. A healthy democracy requires as many people participating in the vote as possible. Do not let the minority rule, vote yes on Proposition 1!
Sylvia Humes Sandpoint
life in Idaho will be preserved and enhanced. I believe that she will represent all of us — even ones who disagree with her. As a successful business leader, she knows how to solve problems and listen. And she is not tied to any special interests. Her main interest is the welfare of all residents of District 1 by supporting public education, invigorating small and medium-sized businesses and helping to solve the affordable housing crisis. She will also work to restore women’s health care by bringing back our doctors.
Jim Mellen
Sandpoint
‘Rigged elections’...
Dear editor,
Signs are popping up proclaiming “Rigged Choice Voting” and urging voters to vote “NO” on Proposition 1. Which election system is “rigged”? Is it “open primaries with ranked-choice voting” or our current “closed primary” system? I contend it is the current system, while Proposition 1 would give voters more choice.
The current primary system is controlled by county Republican central committees. They “vet” potential candidates and endorse one. Since many Republican voters heed this endorsement, they rig the outcome of the primary because only one Republican candidate advances to the general election. Therefore, a small number of party bosses control the election.
Under open primaries, more than one Republican candidate will advance to the general election and voters will decide who represents them.
Ranked-choice voting is not rigged. It is an instant runoff ensuring that the winning candidate gets a majority of the votes and reflects the wishes of most of his/ her constituents.
To learn about ranked-choice voting and the Alaskan experience, a free showing of Majority Rules — a 90-minute film sponsored by Veterans for Idaho Voters — will be at 2 p.m. on Oct. 26 at the Pearl Theater in Bonners Ferry.
Gray Henderson
Bonners Ferry
Larson will represent Dist. 1 with no ties to special interests… The only sensible vote on Prop. 1 is ‘no’…
Dear editor, I met Kathryn Larson recently and was impressed that she is not only highly qualified, but will work hard to ensure that our quality of
Dear editor, I am voting no on Prop. 1. I entered this world on Dec. 16,
primaries and ranked-choice voting have worked in Alaska…
Matthee builds bridges’...
1942. It’s been my observation that one suggests changing the rules because they haven’t developed a winning strategy.
The only sensible vote is no
Sincerely,
from Page 8 > this bill. They all opposed this bill and outlined the harm it would cause. Doctors continue to argue that the bill will increase teen pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases, drug abuse and mental health issues.
Carl Thomas Zmuda Sandpoint
Prop. 1 will ‘restore choice and accountability’ to Idaho voters…
Dear editor,
Why are so many Idahoans in favor of open primaries and instant runoff (ranked-choice) voting? The desire for voter reform in Idaho is due to our state’s government overreach. Until recently, we have had a Western state “do no harm, live and let live” tradition. Now we find ourselves saddled with culture war laws disastrously curtailing women’s reproductive rights, regulating professional librarians’ judgment, limiting LGBTQ residents’ choices and the list goes on.
The likely 2025 state legislators offered up to us by the primaries have an agenda that includes yet again trying to divert meager state education funding to private and religious schooling. The state allocates the least per capita funding among the states and has an on-time high school graduation rate far below the state’s own target.
In a recent local forum, a local political candidate said he knows Idaho voters, and we are Trump populists. No, not so. As I know them to be, Idahoans are independent thinkers with a long history of voting for the person, not the party. Open primaries and instant run-off voting will restore choice and accountability to us. We the people want that.
Christine Moon Sandpoint
‘Karen Matthee won’t criminalize doctors’…
Dear editor,
This year, Rep. Sauter voted for three bills criminalizing doctors for providing the best evidenced-based standard of care for their patients. The most controversial of these is S.B. 1329, which now requires youth 14-18 years old to obtain parental consent to access most medical care. It also requires providers to give a parent access to their minor children’s medical records in almost all circumstances. The repercussions for non-compliance are severe.
Health care providers testified during the committee hearings for
In addition, law enforcement officials testified against this bill because they know it will hinder reports of incest and rape that occur within families.
Lastly, Gov. Little cited these issues and more and asked for amendments in 2025 before signing the bill into law.
Unlike her opponent, Karen Matthee will never sign a bill that will cause harm, reduce a doctor’s ability to do their job and that will ultimately need to be rewritten. That’s why I am voting for Karen Matthee on Nov. 5.
Galen Hill Sandpoint
Attacks on Korn’s character are ‘dirty politics’…
Dear editor,
I’m writing to express my support for Ron Korn for B.C. commissioner District 3. Ron has been a volunteer and community leader for many years now. He has served as commander and president of the B.C. Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Team, as well as Scouts and Northside Fire. During the 2021 fire, Ron provided online updates and organized community meetings to provide reports on the status of the fires. Meetings included management teams from the fire services.
I have been extremely disappointed to see the recent attacks on Ron’s character. Certain people have been selectively picking parts of things he has done without providing the full facts. If you spend the time to research further or talk to Ron you will find these deceptive attacks are nothing more than the dirty politics that have polluted our elections.
Ron has not stooped to this level and has run a campaign with the same integrity and strong values in which he lives his life.
It is time to elect a candidate who believes in liberty, limited government and the protection of property rights and free speech.
Just because a liberal identifies as an Independent does not make them an Independent.
Glenn Baumann Sandpoint
Matthee is focused on school, libraries and health care for all…
Dear editor,
I urge all voters to join me in voting for Karen Matthee, Seat 1A representative. Having met Karen and spent time with her, she is genuine in her concern and support for all her constituents. She listens and candidly shares where she stands on issues. Her focus on public schools and libraries and bringing back our doctors to provide health care for all are topics that are near and dear to me.
In education, Karen wants to make more funds available, especially to rural school districts. Funding can come from the $5.2 billion in sales tax exemptions. She wants to keep public money in public schools; no vouchers for private schools with public money. Karen wants to review bond rules, making it easier to pass bonds for needed buildings. With libraries, Karen wants to reject H.B. 710, which has caused some libraries to close their doors to minors.
Karen wants to reject the criminalization of our doctors/health care providers. She believes doctors know their patients best to help them make the needed decisions and with adequate funding, including Medicaid reimbursement.
Read Karen’s website: kmattheeforidaho.com for more about her platform, including lowering the cost of living.
Jan Geren Sagle
‘Support
Mark Sauter, a good representative for both counties’...
Dear editor, I hope Boundary and Bonner County residents will join me in voting for Mark Sauter as our District 1 House legislator. Over the past two years, Mark has demonstrated that he is a strong representative for our two counties. Mark spends much time talking to county residents from all walks of life and is the only candidate who truly understands the many local issues with our schools, our jobs, our businesses and our health care system. Mark has backbone — he has demonstrated that he listens to his constituents and does not cave to the bullying by the phony Idaho Freedom Foundation. Mark, an honest man with integrity and dedication, will represent our two counties and make good, rational decisions. Vote to retain Mark Sauter.
Kennon McClintock
Moyie Springs
‘Karen Matthee won’t criminalize doctors’…
Dear editor, Childbirth no longer happens at Bonner General Health in Sandpoint; the Idaho Legislature has ruled that “a person in Idaho who performs an abortion may face 2-5 years of imprisonment.” Now all our local OBGYNs have left the state to practice elsewhere. Families must now travel out of state just to give birth. Medical emergencies happen, often quickly; families might not have the time or the money to find proper medical care in another state.
This makes second-class citizens of women, threatening health and safety. Three bills that criminalize doctors for practicing evidence-based medicine were passed in the 2024 legislative session. Karen’s opponent voted for all three such bills. When did legislators become more informed about childbirth issues than doctors?
Thomas Jefferson said, “In matters of style, swim with the current; In matters of principle, stand like a rock.”
Karen Matthee has character, is a mother and is not afraid to stand up for what is right — for everyone. Vote for Karen and bring equality to everyone — even women.
Lynn Pietz Sandpoint
Deciding between Matthee and Sauter…
Dear editor,
When late-night commentator/ entertainer John Oliver mocked Idaho legislator Mark Sauter for stating in an interview that he only recently had become aware of the pain surrounding issues about abortions, I wrote Oliver. Telling him abortion is exceedingly rare in Idaho, I said until legislators overruled the will of the majority to prohibit abortion in this state, the issue generally was not on Idahoans’ radar.
Mark’s devoted to the will of the voters, I wrote, and thousands of volunteers like myself have been trying to reform our election system with open primaries to give all voters the power to choose better representatives like Mark.
But after observing Karen Matthee’s devotion to open primaries, I hung onto my absentee ballot, conflicted about which excellent person to vote for in November.
When Mark did not support Proposition 1, I happily voted for Karen.
Sincerely,
Clarice
M. McKenney
Bonners
Ferry
‘Herndon defects’…
Dear editor,
Has Bonner County Republican Central Committee (BCRCC) Chairman Scott Herndon defected from his own party? Herndon, a newcomer to Idaho politics, first registered to vote in Idaho just eight years ago. He later rose to chair the BCRCC and served as state senator for the 2023’24 term. In this year’s May primary, Herndon was defeated by lifetime Republican Jim Woodward for the LD1 Senate seat. Accordingly, Woodward appears on the November ballot as the Republican Senate candidate.
Yet, in a recent public announcement, Herndon — chair of the local Republican Party — encouraged voters to stop the Republican candidate, Woodward, from winning the November election.
Is Herndon truly a Republican or does he have a mouthful of sour grapes?
Bev Kee Sagle
‘Schools need Mark Sauter re-elected’...
Dear editor,
Education is the backbone of our community. Rep. Mark Sauter has been consistent in his support of our public schools throughout his service as our District 1 representative. He has supported and voted for Career Technical Education, the Idaho LAUNCH program, facilities funding, etc.
He volunteered in the CARE program for over a decade, supporting our district students and teachers, helping with classroom activities, and is a regular at meetings and fundraisers for our schools. You will find him at every football game, flipping burgers in the Chuckwagon — something he helped design, build and raise funds for.
This year the LPOSD received $15 million for their facilities needs. This is the first time in decades the district has received this type of funding. Last year, the Legislature started a levy “buy-down” program and sent $1.4 million to LPOSD. These programs are very hard-fought and very helpful for the LPOSD.
As a trustee, I am involved and know the players and workers who make our school systems work. Mark Sauter is an integral part of it as he fights for us in Boise. Join me on Nov. 5 and vote to re-elect Mark Sauter.
Geraldine Lewis Sagle
Science: Mad about
thermoregulation
By Brenden Bobby Reader Columnist
There’s a sharp chill in the air. Fall breeze cuts through you like a knife and steals away precious warmth as a harbinger of frigid weather to come. Bundled up in layers of fiber, humans still tend to shiver amid the onset of autumn. How do naked animals persevere?
In the natural world, thermoregulation is king: The ability to keep warm, keep cool and switch from one to the other in a moment’s notice can be the difference between a thriving species and an extinct one.
Most organisms have an internal temperature of 95 degrees Fahrenheit. Humans are no exception. Humans have fewer built-in tools to deal with temperature fluctuations and instead rely primarily on our ingenuity and ability to manipulate our environment to maintain a stable temperature. This wasn’t always the case, and we still have a few natural tools to keep us warm or cool as the situation demands.
The human body is well equipped to cool off without external help. Sweating is one of the most effective ways we can reduce our body temperature. Evaporative cooling through sweat and other liquids helps effectively disperse heat into the surrounding environment and is the primary way humans have dealt with high temperatures for as long as we’ve been a species. Another linked process is respiration.
Everyone knows that dogs pant when they’re hot. Humans do it as well, but not until it’s very hot and sweat just isn’t cutting it anymore. Panting works as a form of
evaporative cooling aided by airflow. This is a bit of a last ditch effort for your body to maintain safe parameters and allow you an opportunity to seek a cooler environment, as at this stage the surrounding air has exceeded your internal body temperature. Sustained exposure to temperatures over 95 degrees Fahrenheit can have lethal consequences. Our greatest tool for cooling down is our energy-hungry brain. Humans have a keen understanding of our environment and how to exploit it. We understand air flow and how to design machines to manipulate air flow and temperature to benefit ourselves and those around us. Unfortunately, there’s no such thing as “free cooling,” so by developing things like air conditioners, we’re effectively displacing heat in the environment as well as heat that we’re generating, rather than simply cooling down the overall environment. This has been very clearly illustrated in dense urban areas that end up having an environment that’s considerably warmer than surrounding rural areas.
Creatures in nature have their own special adaptations for dealing with temperature extremes. The most obvious is fur. Fur itself isn’t the source of heat, nor is it even what directly provides the warmth. It acts as an insulator by trapping warm air from the body and not allowing it to move from the skin. This is the same principle behind a down comforter keeping you warm and toasty at night — it traps your body heat, which is being continuously produced, and is why it occasionally needs to be released before your blanket cocoon becomes a sauna.
Fat and blubber works similarly, but it keeps an animal’s internal heat on the inside, rather than allowing it to disperse via the skin. In places like the desert, this is a liability, yet fat reserves are still essential for animals to thrive in a resource-scarce environment. Camels solve this problem by lumping all of their fat into a single spot on their body: their hump. The hump provides more surface area for cooling, while also limiting the amount of internal insulation surrounding heat-producing organs like the heart and gut.
Sometimes an animal needs to rapidly adapt to its environment in order to survive. A special internal adaptation utilized by animals in the coldest reaches of the world is hidden beneath the surface. Penguins have a vascular system that allows heat transfer between warm arterial blood and cool venous blood and vice versa.
This functions close to how a liquid cooling setup lowers the temperature of a computer, in that a cool liquid is pumped through the system and runs through a radiator that is air-cooled. Another example of such a process is the one used by a radiator on the front of a vehicle. The cool liquid is pumped back over a metal plate covering the computer’s central processing unit that is generating heat, which is dispersed throughout the liquid that then cycles back through the radiator. Penguins effectively do this with their blood vessels being in such close proximity to help them survive brutally cold environments.
These are all examples of endothermic (or warm-blooded) organisms — but what about ectothermic (cold-blood-
ed) animals? Despite the colloquialisms of warm-blooded or cold-blooded, the internal body temperature of each remains very close; however, the methods of achieving this temperature are different.
Most reptiles are ectothermic and don’t have systems in place to preserve their body temperature during sharp fluctuations. This seems inefficient and dangerous, but it’s a well-suited adaptation unique to the creature’s environment. This requires fewer resources and less energy expen-
diture, which makes things like snakes or certain lizards very capable at navigating resource-scarce environments such as the desert. These animals require their environment to raise their body temperature, such as a lizard basking on a warm rock, or a snake that has gotten too hot slipping into a river or pond.
Thermoregulation also plays an important role in an animal’s ability to hibernate or slip into a state of torpor, but that’s a subject for another day.
Stay curious, 7B.
Random Corner
•Goats are related to sheep, but they have some notable differences. Goats are built a bit lighter, have shorter tails and their horns arch backward.
•Male goats are called a billy or buck and females are called a nanny or doe. Baby goats are called kids.
•Christopher Columbus brought goats to the Americas in 1493. They arrived alongside horses, sheep, pigs and other animals.
•One of two goats can provide enough milk to feed a family for a year. One goat is capable of producing anywhere from one to 10 quarts of milk every day.
•Cashmere is produced from cashmere goats, which originated from India’s Kashmir region. This type of wool is highly sought after because it is very warm.
•Both male and female goats have horns, which are used to regulate their internal temperature and defend themselves against threats.
•Goats have horizontal pupils, which give them better vision and help protect them while grazing, since the horizontal shape allows them to see predators approaching from all sides.
•Similar to dogs, goats can be trained to obey instructions.
•Both male and female goats have beards but no one really knows why. Their beards may help insulate them from cold weather or signal dominance when in a herd (also referred to as a “tribe” or “trip”).
•Goats don’t have upper front teeth. Instead, they have a dental pad to protect their gums. They have lower teeth and some upper teeth farther back in their mouths.
•The “fainting goat” is a domestic breed that stiffens when startled. Although the goat might fall over and appear to faint, it remains fully conscious in a state of myotonia, a delayed relaxation of skeletal muscles.
Sauter is a strong and effective advocate for local ag producers…
Dear editor,
Mark Sauter’s record of getting things done for North Idaho needs to continue. In 2024 he voted for six Idaho agriculture related bills that were signed into law. He co-sponsored legislation creating a depredation fund to cover livestock losses from wolves or grizzlies — both predators inhabit Boundary County.
Mark’s representation and common sense policy making benefit his ag constituents, important in these trying times. Prices for many commodities including locally produced barley, wheat, alfalfa, timothy and canola are low while input costs remain stubbornly high. The resulting farm financial pressures are very real for many of the 1,100+ farms and ranches run by 2,100+ producers in Boundary and Bonner counties.
Today farming/ranching or food production is a complex business. It is directly impacted by policy direction affecting inputs, environment, water, the community and markets. Mark has steadily worked on complex issues for Idaho, farmers and ranchers. He’s built legislative alliances needed to continue making progress. We need to send Mark Sauter back to Boise to keep working on taxation, health care, fire district funding, EMS funding and ag policy that impact us all here daily.
Jeff Hood
President of Hall Mountain Water Association, Idaho Grain Producers lifetime member Bonners Ferry
‘Democrats and Independents and Republicans, oh yeah!’…
Dear editor, I vote for candidates based on their qualifications, ideas and character — not parties — to lead.
Steve Johnson is well qualified to serve as District 1 commissioner. A lifelong resident of Bonner County with a wealth of experience in education, farming and business, Steve believes in traditional Idaho values. He is a fiscal conservative and believes in planned growth. Steve is a good listener. He will bring respect back to BOCC. His positions on financial accountability, comprehensive plan, freedoms, taxes and roads/bridges are at stevejohnsonforcommissioner.com.
Glenn Lefebvre is an excellent
choice for Dist. 3 commissioner. Glenn has long ties to Bonner County, is a good listener, approachable and aspires to preserve Idaho values. Planned growth, transparent practice in BOCC and property tax reform are his primary focus. Do your homework: glennforbonnercounty.com
Jim Woodward has an excellent track record as our state senator. Let’s bring back his common sense approach. He employs thoughtful consideration of ideas: listening, questioning, researching before making a decision for all his constituents. Responsible government, education, health care, natural resources, property taxes and infrastructure are the issues he wants to tackle: woodwardforsenate.org.
Elect Steve, Glenn and Jim, oh yeah! Many parties = balanced government.
Ann Giantvalley Sandpoint
‘Response
to Jenn McKnight’s Prop. 1 is “sus” LTE’…
Dear editor,
As a mother of four adult Gen Zs, I can tell you that the kids always roll their eyes when I use their slang. This case is especially true, because you know what else all of my kids roll their eyes at?
Having to declare themselves part of the Republican Party when they go to vote. As a matter of fact, they question things like being locked into a party just to vote. They talk of dreams to make a difference in their country to fix the problems like this that they see.
One way to begin fixing it is to vote yes on Prop. 1. Why? Because closing any election of the United States is the opposite of democracy.
So you don’t like RINOS? Then stop forcing us to declare ourselves part of your club just to fulfill our right to vote as a U.S. citizen. No matter how many times you cry, “but Republican primaries are for Republicans!” doesn’t make it true. They’re only “Republican” because you’ve closed them in an attempt to stifle our vote. Primaries are also for Gen Z adults who won’t conform to your club.
Oh. And these elections are for their parents, too. No cap.
Sandi Nizzoli Sandpoint
This Republican is voting for Kathryn Larson…
Dear editor, My family has been Republican ever since I can remember. The
values of the Party of Lincoln run strong. Yes — there were some bumps when the politics of Joe McCarthy dominated. But for the most part, we stayed on that common sense path that supported local institutions that promoted the general welfare and policies that opened the door to opportunity.
On Nov. 5, this third-generation Republican is voting for Kathryn Larson.
After meeting Kathryn at the Boundary County Fair and conversing about District 1 and our strengths and our dreams for our children and grandchildren, I came away confident that Kathryn will represent all of LD1.
Larson supports what we value: good schools, access to health care, small business and communities that pull together.
She is focused on us, not party bosses or the Idaho Freedom Foundation. Her pledge is to represent us.
Please join me in voting for Kathryn Larson for District 1 representative on Nov. 5.
Mary Ollie Bonners Ferry
Sauter has demonstrated the backbone to get things done for Dist. 1…
Dear editor, I am voting for Mark Sauter for LD1 representative 1A. Mark is one of the best legislators North Idaho has ever elected.
He listens to his constituents, does his own research and navigates the legislative path to best serve the citizens of LD1. Mark stands for sportsmen issues, public education, libraries and women’s health. His record is impressive, as indicated by the bills he has carried that arrived on the governor’s desk. Five bills are an unheard-of amount for any legislator, and he is about to carry another for the benefit of panhandle sportsmen.
His success reflects his willingness to work in all directions to bring the solutions that LD1 citizens want. Sometimes that means compromise is required.
It’s not easy being a traditional Republican in between Democrats and far-right Idaho Freedom Foundation legislators who believe it’s their way or the highway. It can be punishing at times; but, Mark Sauter has demonstrated common sense, character, backbone, persistence and a strong sense of doing what’s right in support of his constituents.
Re-elect Mark Sauter in November, he has earned your vote.
Tony McDermott Sagle
‘Joe
Biden has a visible breakdown’…
Dear editor,
Recently at a presidential town hall, Joe Biden swayed and sang for 39 minutes, lip-synced “Ave Maria” three times and danced to “YMCA.” His health records, seven years ago said, “high cholesterol and obese.” He won’t release current records. Visibly declining and deranged, he shouldn’t be running for president.
Wait a minute! Joe Biden? Darn it, I meant Donald Trump. Speaking of deranged, D.T. said he will send the National Guard or military after Americans who disagree with him — their First Amendment right — because they’re, “enemies within,” saying he’ll, “be a dictator for one day” and “one rough, nasty … violent day” will end crime.
Trump’s former chief of staff, General Milley, says Trump is “fascist to the core,” the opinion of hundreds of former Republican Trump supporters who have seen the light.
Trump plans 20% tariffs on imports. It’s illegal for the U.S. to collect tariffs from the exporter. Tariffs are collected at checkout.
D.T. sent COVID tests to Russia — paid for with your American tax dollars — while Americans couldn’t get them and were dying. How can anyone vote for this maniac?
Betty Gardner Priest River
Prop. 1 is confusing and distorts the electoral process…
Dear editor, I’m writing to highlight the misleading information surrounding Proposition 1. It’s being marketed as a measure for open primaries, but in reality, it seeks to implement rankedchoice voting under false pretenses. Groups like Idahoans for Open Primaries are misleading voters by claiming it increases participation, when it actually does the opposite.
This proposition allows some voters to have multiple votes in a race, while others may have their ballots “exhausted,” rendering their votes meaningless. Every voter deserves a counted ballot. This system not only confuses voters but also disenfranchises them, violating the principle of one person, one vote.
It is concerning that this proposition has reached the ballot, as it undermines the foundation of fair elections. Ranked-choice voting distorts our longstanding electoral process. Voters deserve transpar-
ency and fairness, not a convoluted system that diminishes their power. We must inform our community about the truth behind Proposition 1.Let’s not allow special interests to undermine our voices. Vote no on Prop. 1 on Nov. 5.
Kristen Dodd Priest River
‘Press forward’…
Dear editor,
Congratulations on your grant from Press Forward — you deserve it! In this last issue there is light being shown on humble happenings and political shadows in Sandpoint. Thanks especially to the very unenviable work of Zach and Soncirey for sitting through the local candidates forum (Oct. 15) then transcribing and publishing a palatable synopsis. Chronic pain (from an injury in the military) has prevented me from attending events where I have to sit for long periods, so I depend on your overtime hours each election so I can be informed. Your paper certainly unifies Sandpoint’s caring and curious community. Tim Henney is right, as usual, and I am almost as grateful as he is for the Sandpoint Reader Press forward!
Jodi Rawson Sandpoint
Larson puts ‘person above party’…
Dear editor, Kathryn Larson’s campaign postcard says it best: “You deserve to be represented.”
As many of you already know, Larson is running for District 1B state representative, and hopes to represent us in the Idaho Legislature next January. I believe she should be given that opportunity. As she herself has often said, it’s time to put person above party.
I’ve met and talked with Kathryn several times, and each time I’ve come away with a positive impression. She listens and she cares. She believes in many of the same things folks in District 1 believe in: affordable health care, excellent public schools and public lands to be enjoyed by all of us.
It’s time for a new face and voice to represent us in Boise. It’s time for Kathryn Larson.
Vote for Kathryn Larson as our new District 1 state representative. Vote early or at the polls Nov. 5, but vote!
Robin Lundgren Bonners Ferry
Following up — it’s what we need to do An update on Albeni Falls Dam operations
By Rep. Mark Sauter, R-Sandpoint Reader Contributor
The Lake Pend Oreille and Albeni Falls Dam problems we experienced earlier this year continue to be a serious concern for all of us. Our federal representatives, and most recently our governor, have called on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to fast-track their efforts. These calls for expediency appear to be unanswered. It is hard to understand why it will take longer to fix the gates than build the dam.
It is frustrating to watch this unfold. Our community has responded to similar situations by acting. Like the Sagle/ Highway 95 reroute issue several months ago, we can stand down or stand up. In the case of the highway issue, many of our residents reached out to the Idaho Transportation Dept and voiced their concerns. Last week I attended a roll-out of a new highway concept. The event was well attended. The reroute plan from last summer is no more.
At a meeting Oct. 7, the Corps offered an option for our residents to provide feedback to them and explain the impacts of the current Lake Pend
Oreille problems on residents. We believe all our residents should exercise this option. Residents and business owners can send their comments to afdpublicinput@usace.army.mil.
As your representative, I have been involved in an effort to evaluate the Lake Pend Oreille and Albeni Falls Dam problems from a state perspective since spring, for the benefit of the state and our residents. We are looking at everything from the foundational elements of the original agreements, to dam construction, ownership of the dam, the fiscal impacts of lake operations on our local economy and best practices for operating the dam.
Resolving this issue will take a collaborative effort by all our state officials and many other local entities.
Our Lakes Commission was formed many years ago to address the vital part the waters of Lake Pend Oreille play with flood safety, our local economy, recreation and the scenic beauty that the lake provides for our residents. Our local tribes also have a voice in our lake matters. Private business owners and contractors are involved as well. Downstream neighbors have concerns, too.
While waiting for results, we have distilled the LPO/AFD problems for our community and the state into three separate issues:
First the dam’s 70-year-old spillway gates must all be replaced ASAP, including new spare gates. The gates in place today and their associated engineering have stood the test of 70 seasons of flood risks. The spare gate being used now was built 70 years ago, too. We do not believe it should take a year to redesign something that has already worked well for 70 years. Let’s get the gate building work started now.
Second, with the history of the Army Corps’ decisions regarding lake levels and dam management, we question if this isn’t a water-based case of federal overreach? We have greater confidence in a system that acknowledges our local needs, manages risks in an appropriate manner and takes care of issues and problems in a timely way.
Our state has a right to the waters of Lake Pend Oreille. We believe this right is of critical importance to our local area and to the state. The state of Idaho should have a voice in the operational decisions of Albeni Falls
Dam and the water levels of Lake Pend Oreille.
State-level meetings and efforts will continue through the winter to find resolution to these problems.
We are in a gap period now. With the Corps’ plans to operate the dam in a limited capacity for several years and the next high-flow flood water period only six to seven months away, what are we doing to mitigate the limited access we have to Lake Pend Oreille for emergency responders and the boating community in spring? Local improvements should be made as soon as feasible for boat launch facilities and mooring facilities. We have already begun to make these demands of our state and federal authorities.
We will continue to follow up on this issue until it is resolved. Feel free to “Cc” me with your comments to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. For other questions and comments, contact me at msauter@house.idaho.gov.
Rep. Mark Sauter is a Republican legislator representing District 1A. He serves on the Agricultural Affairs; Education; and Judiciary, Rules and Administration committees.
PERSPECTIVES
Emily Articulated
Spooky things
By Emily Erickson Reader Columnist
The fog clings to the pavement, low and heavy — condensation wetting your jacket’s fabric before evaporating into the sky. Moonlight pierces the darkness. Nearly imperceptively, its sliver of a crescent is just bright enough to stretch shadows as you walk by. Tall trees loom at the woods’ edge, with every snapped branch and rustling leaf inviting you to imagine a lurking presence. A wolf howls in the distance. A sign creaks before you.
“Haunted House,” it reads, swaying on a phantom wind. You settle yourself with a deep breath, climb the rotting steps and push open the heavy door.
Inside, bright overhead lights blast your eyes. You squint to take in the scene before you: a modern farmhouse kitchen. Every inch of wall space is covered with quirky painted signs, reading, “Weekend Forecast: 100% Chance of Wine”; “I Cook with Wine, and Sometimes I Even Put it in the Food”; “Mind Your Own Biscuits and Life Will Be Gravy”; and “Life Is Better at The Lake.”
The smell of a cinnamon-apple Febreze diffuser fills the room, pumped through every outlet. A Hallmark movie blares from the wall-mounted TV — the main character is about to leave behind her bigcity dreams and move back to her childhood home.
A shudder runs down your spine.
You move quickly to the next room and find yourself in an airport. You’re dragging a carry-on that is clearly larger than the “Luggage Size Guide,” and your travel companion insists on a print-
ed ticket because they “don’t trust QR codes.”
At TSA, you fumble to pull out your laptop while juggling your shoes, inching closer to the front of the line. Just as you reach for a bin, you spot a sign: “Unpack your liquids.”
In a rush, you dig through your bag, only to lose your grip and spill everything onto the grimy, worn carpet.
The man behind you groans audibly.
Frantically, you scoop up your scattered belongings — somehow including every pair of underwear you packed. The TSA agent informs you that you don’t need to remove your liquids after all. You glance back in horror — the line has doubled waiting for you to finish.
Heart pounding, you stumble into the third room. It’s a restaurant; but, before you can enter, you have to parallel park in the only open spot — directly in front of the main entrance.
A group of onlookers watch as you fumble with the steering wheel.
Once inside, you spot your companions in the middle of sharing a long-winded, wildly inappropriate joke with the too-busy waitress. As the restaurant empties near closing time, they finally place their
order. After the meal, lights flicker on and the waitress loudly starts putting up chairs. Your companions finally put their credit cards on top of the bill asking, “Can you split these checks?”
Stomach in knots, you enter the fourth room. It’s empty except for a single computer screen. You’re directed to search Google for the cause of your headache and other health-related symptoms. As the results spill down the screen, escalating in their direness, your phone begins to ping. It’s a text from your significant other reading, “We need to talk.” Another text blips on the screen, “Call to schedule your appointment.” Emails pour in simultaneously, each with subject lines like, “Last Minute Request” and “Quick Question Before the Weekend.”
You shove your phone in your pocket and whirl toward the door.
Slamming into the last room, you look around. There are tables arranged as if for speed dating — but instead of potential partners, it’s various family members and acquaintances preparing to talk at you.
At one table, your uncle is poised to deliver a lecture on the downfalls of your diet as he carves his breaded, fried chicken. Your cousin sits at the next table, primed with grainy photos to disprove the moon landing and a printed blog post entitled, “10 Facts Proving COVID-19 Was a Media Hoax.”
A family friend’s daughter is next to him, just back from a semester studying abroad in “Barthelona,” and your sister’s boyfriend is waiting to tell you about his business that could “10x your social media engagement.” Finally,
your neighbor grins at you, a Fox News segment poised for regurgitation at the tip of his tongue. You turn and run. With fumbling fingers, you attempt to turn the doorknob. It’s locked, the house’s final scare emerging.
A touch screen materializes, asking you to update your password. Sweat beads on your brow. You try the old one. Incorrect.
The next attempt locks you out for 10 minutes.
The fog outside presses against the windowpanes and moonlight flickers like a dying bulb. Panic wells inside you as a voice crackles from the walls.
“Would you like to set up two-factor authentication?”
Happy Halloween.
Emily Erickson is a writer and business owner with an affinity for black coffee and playing in the mountains. Connect with her online at www.bigbluehat.studio.
Retroactive
By BO
Emily Erickson.
Water quality stewards stand up for Lake Pend Oreille
By Jennifer Ekstrom Reader Contributor
They say the world is changed by those who show up. With that in mind, we want to honor the 30 volunteer water quality stewards who show up month after month each summer, dedicating their time and energy to protecting Lake Pend Oreille and the Pend Oreille River. These volunteers are responsible for identifying “hotspots” of pollution as well as monitoring baseline conditions in our iconic lake and river. Everyone who enjoys and relies on our waters benefits from the work of these volunteers.
Water quality stewards, otherwise known as citizen scientists, have now collected thousands of data points and water samples for 13 years. These samples are analyzed at a certified lab for a number of pollutants (such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and E. coli), as well as at ICL’s Sandpoint office for dissolved oxygen and pH. Data collected in the field includes surface temperature and temperature at depth. All of this information tells a story about what is going on in our waters, and helps to warn us about areas that are at risk of toxic algae outbreaks, invasive weed beds and other
threats to water quality impairment.
We provide all of this information to the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality, which uses our data to complement theirs as they make management decisions to protect water quality. Water quality in Lake Pend Oreille remains good to fair — meaning it’s not terrible, but we hope to see improvements in coming years.
To provide some context behind the need for improvements, citizen concerns about increasing algae and aquatic plant growth in 2002 triggered the Clean Water Act requirement for a cleanup plan, called a total maximum daily load (TMDL), to be created.
The cleanup plan was developed for the area near the shoreline of Lake Pend Oreille, which is technically referred to as the “nearshore” area. The problems were found to be the result of excess phosphorus, leading to the TMDL stating that 9 micrograms per liter (µg/L) of phosphorus is the maximum amount the water can assimilate while still meeting beneficial uses like supporting aquatic life and swimming.
While water quality is fair to good in most places around the lake — and water quality being better in the deeper
areas — Boyer Slough is highly polluted. Preliminary data from this summer’s monitoring shows total phosphorus levels in Boyer Slough ranging from 75 to 327 µg/L, with an average of 216 µg/L. This pollution level is off the charts in comparison to the 9 µg/L target that would protect our uses of the water.
A primary cause of this pollution is that the Kootenai Ponderay Sewer District discharges wastewater into Boyer Slough from approximately October to May each year. Other pollution sources include excavation work near the shoreline that allows dirt to run off, lawn fertilizers and septic systems.
Despite the pollution in Boyer Slough being a problem for decades, we are very hopeful about its recovery. Due in part to citizen advocacy, KPSD has now successfully acquired all of the funding it needs to upgrade and add filtration to its treatment facility, and is hard at work putting its plan into action.
DEQ is close to completing the cleanup plan specific to Boyer Slough, which will ensure its long-term health. The data collected by our water quality stewards is helping to inform this plan. It will take some time for the slough to recover from decades of pollution
overload, but the process is on the right track. It’s proof that engaged community members can make all the difference by showing up, getting involved in citizen science, educating each other and holding decision makers accountable.
Lake Pend Oreille is the lifeblood of our community. With all of the life-giving and soul-nourishing benefits it offers, there comes a collective responsibility to learn about and care for it. Using the information gathered by water quality stewards through our citizen science water quality monitoring program, we aim to empower our community to engage in meaningful ways, when it really matters. Please join us in thanking our volunteer water quality stewards.
The Kootenai Bay Watershed Advisory Group is scheduled to meet on Wednesday, Nov. 20 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. to discuss the Boyer Slough TMDL. This is a stakeholder convening that has been ongoing for the past two and a half years. The meeting will be held at the University of Idaho extension office at the Bonner County Fairgrounds and is open to the public.
Jennifer Ekstrom is North Idaho director for the Idaho Conservation League.
Hidden Lakes Ladies Golf Club delivers donation to Sandpoint Area Seniors
By Reader Staff
The Hidden Lakes Ladies Golf Club recently shared a donation of $550 to the Sandpoint Area Seniors, Inc., helping support the nonprofit’s Fill the Gap Campaign to fund its senior meal program.
“This amazing group of women not only enjoys the companionship of their golf friends but also supports their community in a significant
way,” SASi Director Lisa Bond wrote in a news release.
The Fill The Gap Campaign ends on Thursday, Oct. 31.Meanwhile, an anonymous donor has pledged to match every dollar donated to the campaign — up to $20,000 — until the campaign ends.
“This means that the recent donation from the Hidden Lakes Ladies Golf Club now totals $1,100,” Bond stated.
“We are incredibly grateful
for the Sandpoint Community’s willingness to support the Senior Meal Program.”
“Every dollar counts,” Bond added, “and now, thanks to the anonymous donor’s pledge, every dollar counts double.”
Left to Right: Linda Bogdan, Lisa Bond, Sue Poppino, Alice Coldsnow, Loris Michael, Arleen Lothian and Deb Johnson.
Photo by Arie Sykes.
‘Blessings and peace to all’
After
25 years of service, Eureka Institute to close its doors
By Reader Staff
In a statement addressed to the residents of Bonner County and sent to local media Oct. 22, Eureka Institute Executive Director Steve Holt announced the closure of the organization, including Camp Eureka, which operated for 16 years before the foundation of the institute in 2011.
“[I]t’s been nearly 25 years of service, what a journey,” Holt wrote. “However, a minor insurance claim, along with my personal calling to a new chapter, has brought us to this difficult decision.”
He added that the organization is proud of the events and programs it has offered over the years, including Sandpoint SummerFest and Northwest Yoga Fest, as well as providing a gathering space for camps, weddings and other events.
In addition, the institute’s Construction Basics Initiative introduced hundreds of at-risk youth to the construction industry, while completing valuable community service projects including bus shelters for
SPOT, renovations at Kinderhaven, benches at the Senior Center and more.
“A special shout out to all those who have participated on a board level,” Holt stated. “Your expertise and drive to provide educational community oriented services is admirable. They also showed their integrity and compassion by creating our pandemic era Free Meal Initiative, providing meals for those in need at an extremely trying time even though it wasn’t necessarily within the scope of our mission.”
In addition, Holt applauded local and regional supporters, including volunteers, foundations and donors, whose contributions made the institute’s work possible.
“We couldn’t have done it without you. Thank you,” he wrote.
“On a personal note, my bones are feeling their age, my family is growing with the arrival of our first grandchild — special people enter your life — [and] maybe it’s just a call to the wild,” Holt added. “It’s been a beautiful, life-changing journey and I’m incredibly grateful to this incredible community. Blessings and peace to all.”
In support of Proposition 1
By Diana Dawson Reader Contributor
North Idaho Voter Services supports Proposition 1. Voting for Prop. 1 will help restore sanity to our struggling political system.
Idaho’s current system of closed primary elections began with a 2011 law. Passage of the law set off a chain of events: voter disenfranchisement, decrease in voter turnout and candidates elected by less than 10% of registered voters. Reduced participation has created a vacuum, making it easy to take over a political party, as is the case with our Republican Party.
Traditional, longtime Republicans are under assault and playing defense, while far-right Republicans use the Idaho Freedom Foundation playbook and focus on distracting ideologies instead of solutions to real problems.
Voters want solutions; but, under the current system, labels and ideology dominate campaigns. Voter turnout has plummeted to all-time lows — less than 30% statewide. Disgusted with the negative sandbox politics, citizens have decided their vote no longer counts and have opted out of our system.
Enter Prop. 1 — a grassroots endeavor with broad-based support from a variety of organizations. Prop. 1 addresses a main criticism of closed primaries: namely, that these do not benefit the voter but favor party elites. And this can lead to party corruption — regardless of party.
Our current system is one that benefits Republican Party elites and it is why we see vigorous opposition from Republican state leaders on Prop. 1.Idaho GOP Chair Dorothy Moon’s billboards reading “Don’t Californicate Idaho” are incorrect and insulting to voters.
Passage of Prop. 1 would make changes to the primary and the general election. For the primary, all candidates would appear on one ballot. This by itself will save money for the taxpayers. The four candidates with the highest votes would go to the general election.
For the general election, the winner must have 50% of the vote to win.
If there is no immediate winner, the ranked-choice or instant runoff provision comes into play. This guarantees that leaders selected have the support of and will represent a majority of Idaho voters.
It is not complicated, it can be audited and it will guarantee that all who are registered have a choice.
Research indicates that rankedchoice voting could greatly improve Idaho’s political system. Some states have already moved in this direction. Idaho is one of several states with a
similar initiative on the ballot for the general election.
Prop. 1 with open primaries and ranked-choice voting can:
• Increase voter turnout;
• Ensure majority representation;
• Create a system of power by the people — not power by the party.
At North Idaho Voter Services, we believe Prop. 1 result in more qualified candidates who are true public servants interested in serving the will of the majority and in fostering positive solutions for our state.
Please join NIVS in supporting Prop. 1. We encourage you to do your research to learn the facts. Former Idaho Supreme Court Justice and Attorney General Jim Jones writes about Prop. 1 on his website jjcommontater. com. For those wanting more, “Breaking the Two-Party Doom Loop,” by political scientist Lee Drutman, provides extensive documentation.
Our website at northidahovoterservices.com provides additional information on candidates and issues.
Early voting is in process and we are just days from the Tuesday, Nov. 5 general election. Do your homework and vote your voice. It really does count.
Diana Dawson retired to North Idaho after selling her marketing company — joining generations of her family who have lived in the state — and founded the nonprofit North Idaho Voter Services in 2018. She holds degrees in political science and an M.B.A.
“I pledge to bring respect, civility and
back to county government.”
OUTDOORS
An elk hunter’s circle of life
By Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey Reader Contributor
In my brief time as a parent, I’ve come to know that the ultimate joy of raising a small person is sharing things with them. So far, this sharing has mostly included taking my 15-monthold son, Liam, to places I love, giving him bites of the food I enjoy, playing him my favorite music and the like. He’s proven to be an ardent observer, and his recent use of “Whoa!” in relation to any new discovery makes it all the more satisfying for all involved.
On a recent afternoon following an elk hunt, I decided to share with Liam a classic animated film from my childhood: The Lion King. Boots off and babysitter sent on her way, I sat in my recliner and caught him at his most still — on the precipice of a nap, willing to cuddle pensively in my lap — and together we took in the iconic sights and sounds of the movie’s opening number: “Circle of Life,” featuring lyrics sung in Zulu and magnificent scenes of various animal species gathering around Pride Rock to welcome Simba, the kingdom’s new lion cub.
Amid the story’s many themes of leadership, power, friendship and family, the concept of the “circle of life” struck me hardest during my first post-childhood viewing — especially during hunting season.
In one scene, while on a walk around the “kingdom,” (the slice of African savanna that Simba’s father, King Mufasa, apparently rules) the elder lion explains how “everything you see exists together in a delicate balance.”
“As king,” he continues, “you need to understand that balance and respect all the creatures, from the crawling ant to the leaping antelope.”
“But Dad, don’t we eat the antelope?” Simba retorts.
“Yes, Simba, but let me explain,” Mufasa replies. “When we die, our bodies become the grass, and the antelope eat the grass. And so, we are all connected in the great Circle of Life.”
Of course, in The Lion King, the antelope and all the other animals hurry to kneel before and worship the lions at Pride Rock upon being summoned by song. I’m not quite sure how to square that circle of life, but I digress.
The idea that all beings are equal in their contribution to the circle rang especially true for me after a quiet
morning of reflection on my favorite hunting route.
I grew up involved in the process of harvesting game animals. It’s among my earliest memories, just as I hope it will be for Liam. As someone who prides herself on finding the words for most things, I’ve never felt especially well equipped to explain the dilemma of the good hunter: one who respects the sanctity of life while actively planning and working to kill.
I was raised by a gaggle of good hunters, the patriarch of which is my dad. Like Mufasa, my dad has always been happy to answer my questions; but, unlike his animated foil, my dad is more of an action-over-platitudes kind of guy. Through his actions, I learned how to deliver a kill shot; how to assemble a trusty, willing pack-out crew who will come assist at a moment’s notice; how to ensure the meat is properly stored until it can be processed; and how it should be packaged to guarantee a yearslong freezer life.
As for the dilemma that comes from the act of the kill, my dad taught me to envy the elk’s life. That elk knew true freedom, he’d tell my sisters and me. That elk got to live in the greatest place on Earth, with lake
views and plentiful feed and soft beds of duff. And while many of its counterparts will die of natural causes, or be eaten by mountain lions or wolves, this one — the one we harvested — will sustain us, and we are grateful.
While it isn’t exactly Mufasa’s “Circle of Life,” it is ethical game management; it is tradition; and it is delicious.
While I didn’t fill my tag this season, my dad did, harvesting a bull on opening day. Just over a week later, Liam looked on from his stroller as we
cut steaks and roasts from bone.
“So, knife next year?” my dad asked with a smirk, motioning toward Liam, who was hamfisting cheerios into his mouth with his eyes trained on the blades of the cutting crew.
“Maybe a butter knife,” I replied, rolling my eyes.
Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey is a writer, mother, hunter and editor emeritus of the Sandpoint Reader. She has contributed a story about elk season each October since 2017.
Above and right: The author on the hunt above Hope. Photos by Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey.
COMMUNITY
Nova H.S. and Panida present weeklong ‘Little Theater of Horrors’ haunted house
By Reader Staff
In celebration of the spooky season, Nova High School and the Panida Theater are partnering to turn the Little Theater venue into a haunted house experience, with frights designed for the young and slightly less young alike.
The “Little Theater of Horrors” runs Thursday, Oct. 24-Thursday, Oct. 31 from 5-8 p.m., with guests 14 and older guided through the Panida Little Theater (300 N. First Ave.), where creepy characters lay in wait to spring jump scares amid a sinister labyrinth.
Organizers promise “fog, flashing lights and lots of startling — not for the easily spooked.”
For fright fans 14 and under, the waiting area in the front of the theater will offer eerie experiences such as “spooky things to touch with your hands or see with your eyes,” all while enjoying hot apple cider and caramel corn.
Tickets are $5 for the 14-and-under crowd, $10 for those older than 14 and only available at the door. For more event info, visit panida. org. For more on Waldorf-inspired Nova High School, go to novahigh.org.
By Reader Staff
For the past 15 years, the Angels Over Sandpoint has given many grants to community nonprofits and other organizations involved in health, education and youth-oriented projects and services in Bonner County.
Given out in the spring and fall, this year a total of $13,000 has gone to 16 grants, providing support for everything from art supplies for children, various kitchen equipment for food prep for seniors, Toys for Tots, music programs, essential emergency financial aid, a computer, financial assistance for medical care, special school programs and even supplies to preserve “The World’s Longest Ski Hat.”
In addition, there have been grants for the purchase of food for various programs, such as Food for our Children, NAMI, the Sandpoint Teen Center and others.
local grants totaling $13,000
“Each grant is not a huge amount, but is much appreciated by the recipient as it enables them to purchase what they need to help others,” according to the Angels.
On top of the Community Grant Program, the organization has also designed and initiated a back-toschool program, which supplies students in grades K-12 whose families need the extra help with backpacks full of the necessary items to start the school year. This includes not only the Lake Pend Oreille School District and charter schools, but homeschool students, as well. Today, the program has grown to provide 800 backpacks filled with everything a student needs to start their school year.
The Angels Over Sandpoint has also assisted other nonprofits — including through the Navigation Services at Health and Welfare, which provides one-time rent and utility
help to people who are not otherwise eligible for public assistance. Meanwhile, Priest River Advocates for Women receives assistance to give emergency shelter to abused women and men, and the Bonner Community Food Bank receives a yearly stipend to purchase feminine hygiene products. Scholarships are given out for the trades, music and even for the ski program for kids.
Funds for all of the Angels’ community support programs come from fundraising events, including the annual charity golf tournament, The Follies variety show, raffles and by donations from individuals and institutions.
For more information, go to angelsoversandpoint.org, the Angels Over Sandpoint Facebook page, email at contactus@angelsoversandpoint.org or call 208-290-5895.
UCAN to host Halloween party fundraiser
By Reader Staff
The Unique Center for Athletes of All Needs will host a Halloween party and fundraiser Saturday, Oct. 26, starting at 5:30 p.m. The event includes a happy hour, dinner, live
auction, costume contest and DJ-led dancing. 113 Main will provide dinner and drinks from the bar, and Ester the Tiny Tap Truck from Matchwood will be on site.
Tickets are $90 per person or an
entire table is $1,166. All proceeds from the night will go to supporting the nonprofit, which empowers individuals with special needs through fitness and nutrition.
Learn more at ucansandpoint.org.
Send event listings to calendar@sandpointreader.com
Sip and Shop to benefit Rock Creek Alliance
5-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery
A portion of proceeds will benefit RCA, whose mission is to protect our lake from the proposed Rock Creek Mine
Paint & Sip w/ Nicole Black
5:30-8pm @ Barrel 33
$45 — includes all supplies
Game Night
6:30pm @ Tervan
Hogwire in concert (FREE show)
8:45pm @ The Hive
THURSDAY, october 24
IPAC Sandpoint Movie Night Fundraiser
5pm @ MickDuff’s Brewing, 220 Cedar St.
Join Idaho Panhandle Avalanche Center for a night of reconnecting with winter friends, watching fun movies and maybe win a brand new pair of QSXT Echo skis
Gideon Freudmann — Cellobop 7pm @ Panida Theater
A unique mini cello concert followed by screening of silent film Sherlock, Jr. starring Buster Keaton
Country music that rocks. Line dancing lessons 7:30-8:30pm ($10)
Live Music w/ Bright Moments Jazz
5-8pm @ Connie’s Lounge
Live Music w/ Hannah Meehan
6-8pm @ Idaho Pour Authority
Live Music w/ Kevin Dorin
6-8pm @ Baxter’s on Cedar
Live Music w/ Ken Mayginnes
6-9pm @ 1908 Saloon
Live DJ set w/ DJ OJ Trailblazer
9pm @ 219 Lounge
House, soul, jazz and early hip hop
Winter Welcome
1-4pm @ Pine Street Woods (rec center)
Join Sandpoint Nordic Club for their annual winter welcome. Enjoy s’mores and hot beverages around the fire pit
Live Music w/ Mason Van Stone
5:30-8:30pm @ Barrel 33
Live Music w/ Mike & Shanna
5-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery
Live Music w/ Jake Robin
6-8pm @ Idaho Pour Authority
Live Music w/ Chris Paradis
Live Music w/ Spunj
7pm @ 219 Lounge
FriDAY, october 25
Dust Off Your Costume Halloween Party
8pm @ Eichardt’s Pub
With live music by Headwaters! Celebrate Halloweekend with the pub crew
Little Theater of Horrors (Oct. 24-31)
5-8pm @ Panida Little Theater
Hosted by Nova High School and the Panida, this haunted house is off the hook! $10 14+, $5 under 14.
Live Music w/ They Call Me Trouble 6:30-9:30pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall
Live Trivia — $5/person entry fee 7pm @ Connie’s Lounge
SATURDAY, october 26
Pumpkin painting 11am-3pm @ Barrel 33 All supplies included for $35
Spooky Spirits Halloween Festival
6-9pm @ Pine St. Sled Hill
A mysterious walk in the dark woods to an original story, open dancing, moonwalk tutorial, costume contest and more. See kaniksu.org for info
Live Music w/ Corn Mash 9pm-midnight @ 219 Lounge Hoedowns, blues, rock, funk and more
SunDAY, october 27
Sandpoint Chess Club
October 24-31, 2024
Little Theater of Horrors (Oct. 24-31)
5-8pm @ Panida Little Theater
The Panida and Nova High School are bringing a spooky haunted house experience to the Little Theater. Suitable for the whole family. $10 for 14+, $5 for under 14. Runs every night until Halloween is over
Trivia Night 7pm @ Connie’s Lounge Bingo 6-8pm @ IPA
Fall Bingo Night
6-8pm @ North Summit Church Bingo, prizes, food. $18 for 10 cards. Proceeds benefit Valor Christian H.S.
‘A Legend Resurfaces’ reading 6pm @ Lakeview Cemetery
Bill Borders will read his spooky story “A Legend Resurfaces’ in the book The Haunted States of America (by a fire pit under the big tree)
The Rocky Horror Picture Show (film) 8pm @ Panida Theater
The cult classic film. Costume contest before the film starts
Live Music w/ Monarch Mountain Band
5-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery
UCAN Halloween party fundraiser
5:30pm @ UCAN, 1000 Superior St. Happy hour, dinner by 113 Main, drinks, costume contest and dancing. Funds go to support UCAN
Queen B. Halloween Drag Show 8pm @ Sandpoint Eagles Lounge
6-9pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall Karaoke 8pm @ Tervan Tavern
Special show with Eugene band playing jam band elements with pop, jazz and indie rock. $10/$12
Monday Night Blues Jam w/ John Firshi
7pm @ Eichardt’s Pub
Trivia Night
6-8pm @ Idaho Pour Authority
Live Piano w/ Jennifer Stoehner
5-7pm @ Idaho Pour Authority
Sandpoint Lions Club Trunk or Treat
4-7pm @ Lions Club: 609 S. Ella Ave
Trick orTreat at MCS
3:30-5pm @ Music Conservatory of Sandpoint
9am @ Evans Brothers Coffee Meets every Sunday at 9am
Magic with Star Alexander 5-8pm @ Jalepeño’s Up close magic shows at the table
Live Music w/ Ken Mayginnes
3-6pm @ Idaho Pour Authority
monDAY, october 28
Outdoor Experience Group Run 6pm @ Outdoor Experience 3-5 miles, all levels welcome
Night Owl: After Dark Social Hour
9pm @ Pearl Theater (Bonners Ferry) Cocktail hour with unique entertainment
wednesDAY, october 30
Open Mic Night
6pm @ Tervan Tavern
ThursDAY, october 31
Nosferatu Halloween movie
7pm @ Pearl Theater (Bonners Ferry)
MCS to host ‘spooky opera’
Bel Canto Opera presents Finger Food, Olivia’s Lament
By Ben Olson Reader Staff
The Music Conservatory of Sandpoint will host a seasonally appropriate spooky opera macabre this weekend just in time for Halloween. The Bel Canto Opera will reimagine this timeless art form with Finger Food, Olivia’s Lament on Saturday, Oct. 26 and Sunday Oct. 27, with the show beginning at 6 p.m. both nights at MCS.
“This event is unique because we’re actually dealing with a historic character, someone who was here in Sandpoint,” said MCS Director Karin Wedemeyer, who also sings with the Bel Canto Opera.
A little known fact is that there was a music conservatory in Sandpoint more than 100 years ago, which opened in 1908 when the city was still young. With the help of historian Nancy Foster Renk, Wedemeyer uncovered the story of Olivia Dahl, a
‘CelloBop’
Norwegian opera singer, who lived and performed in Sandpoint during the early 20th century.
“At that time, there were maybe five conservatories around the entire U.S., so it was unusual to have one here in Sandpoint,” said Wedemeyer.
“We found the original announcement of the first conservatory in 1908, and we found that we started our conservatory on the same exact day; Sept. 21.
“I’m also an opera singer and I’m the founder of MCS,” she added. “You have to pause and raise your eyebrows for a moment.”
The opera will be set in a funeral home, with all of the characters who knew Dahl coming to say goodbye to her in the form of arias. It’s a lighthearted and beautifully frightful operatic experience, created by a team of imaginative and enthusiastic singers and artists straight from the underworld.
Also joining the cast will be Abigail Young, Rory Creigh, Amelia Polocz,
inventor Gideon Freudmann brings mini-concert and film to the Panida
By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff
Virtuoso cellist and composer Gideon Freudmann is bringing an evening of multimedia entertainment to the Panida Theater on Thursday, Oct. 24, with a performance of his one-of-akind “CelloBop” style and a screening of the classic silent film Sherlock Jr., starring Buster Keaton.
Presented by the Pend Oreille Arts Council, Freudman is an internationally touring artist whose work has been featured on NPR’s All Things Considered and This American Life, as well as the TV series Weeds and several independent films.
His distinct creation CelloBop is described as “fusing classical, jazz, folk, rock, blues and funk” with an amplified cello, all while employing techniques such as loping and improvisation through foot-operated effect pedals.
Freudmann’s sound has been characterized by The Boston Globe as, “Taking a modern artist’s approach to the fourstringed instrument,” and bringing it “to a new realm.”
In addition, he’s a founding member of The Portland Cello Project and has released more than two dozen albums.
Following the Oct. 24 “mini-concert” at the Panida, the audience will screen Sherlock Jr. — the 1924 silent film starring Buster Keaton ranked 62nd among the 100 funniest films of the 20th century by the American Film Institute, with an original soundtrack created by Freudmann.
CelloBop at the Panida Theater
Thursday, Oct. 24; doors at 6 p.m., show at 7 p.m.; $10 students, $20 adults. Panida Theater, 300 N. First Ave., 208-263-9191, get tickets at panida.org, artinsandpoint.org/ cellobop or at the door. More info at cellobop.com.
Performing for more than 30 years,
“Don’t miss this special event, where Gideon’s musical mastery and creative compositions come to life, adding a unique dimension to the timeless charm of silent cinema,” organizers stated. “Experience the magic of live music and film fusion with a true innovator in the world of cello performance and composition.
Hero Hillabush, Jeff Eakle, Cody Moore, Jubilant Duvall and Brenda Rutledge. Daniel Hughes will serve as the accompanist and Ellen Weissman will play the part of the juggler.
“It’s a great story for a Halloween gig,” Wedemeyer said. “There will be some humor and a creepy finger food buffet as well.”
For more informa tion and to purchase tickets, visit sandpoint conservatory.org.
Norwegian opera singer Olivia Dahl in 1908. Photo part of the J. Willis Sayre Collection of Theatrical Photographs.
Bill Borders to read spooky tale at Lakeview Cemetery
By Reader Staff
Most people know Bill Borders in this newspaper as the author and illustrator of “Laughing Matter” on the last inside page of every edition of the Sandpoint Reader. Fans of his can also sit in on a special spooky reading of Borders’ story “A Legend Resurfaces” from the national anthology of scary stories from every state called The Haunted States of America.
Borders’ story, chosen by the book’s editors out of 1,200 submissions from around the country, shares a haunting tale about young Eliot and his dog Bo rowing his boat through the inky waters of Lake Pend Oreille at night, only to encounter the legendary lake monster the Pend Oreille Paddler. Or was it just a dream?
Borders and Julie McCallan will read “A Legend Resurfaces” at 6 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 25 at the Lakeview Cemetery (take Division St. all the way to the river). The reading will take place beside a roaring firepit under the big tree. All are invited and the weather is supposed to be cool, but dry.
Borders told the Reader in July that he wanted his story to mingle the local lore and truths from our region, which is why he chose the Paddler as a subject, included the main character with a bucket of fresh-picked huckleberries and even referenced the U.S. Naval Base Farragut located on the southern end of Lake Pend Oreille, calling it a “shadowy testing site,” to bring on the goosebumps. Despite the chills and thrills it elicits, Borders calls his story a “love letter about our wonderful lake.”
To purchase The Haunted States of America, check with Borders at the event, buy from local booksellers or pick one up online.
Sandpoint Nordic Club hosts Winter Welcome
By Reader Staff
The Sandpoint Nordic Club invites the community to its Winter Welcome — an annual fundraiser and membership drive scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 26 from 1-4 p.m. at Pine Street Woods. The event features an afternoon filled with drinks, s’mores, games, a bonfire and the opportunity to reconnect with old friends while meeting new faces. Attendees can also participate in a raffle.
The mission of the SNC is to provide accessible and affordable Nordic skiing opportunities for the Sandpoint community.
All funds raised during the Winter Welcome, along with membership dues, will go toward grooming the trails at Pine Street Woods and supporting SNC’s programs and operations, which include a free cross-country skiing field trip for elementary
school students, and the Youth Ski League, which offers an after-school program for youth aged 6-18.
SNC also provides adult clinics catering to all skill levels, as well as an affordable ski rental program through the Outdoor Recreation Center at Pine Street Woods. Additionally, the organization offers scholarships for families in need to make skiing more affordable.
Last year’s Winter Welcome raised more than $3,000 and welcomed more than 100 new members. This year, SNC hopes to double those numbers.
Members of the organization enjoy discounts at local businesses, including Syringa Cyclery, The Shed, Outdoor Experience, Evans Brothers Coffee, and Sandpoint Medical Massage and Bodyworks.
For more information on SNC’s 2024-’25 programming and learn about membership, visit sandpointnordic. com.
Bill Borders, above, will read from his story in the anthology
The Haunted States of America, right. Courtesy photos.
MUSIC
‘Join the BOOBment’
Shook Twins and friends’ all-female side project Sideboob to play sparkly Halloween ’90s night at The Hive
By Ben Olson Reader Staff
The world could always use a little more Sideboob. The band featuring Katelyn and Laurie Shook, of Sandpoint’s own Shook Twins, is one part side project, one part ’90s pop cover band, one part female empowerment project and a lot of sparkly fun. The group will play a special Halloween-themed dance party show at The Hive on Saturday, Nov. 1, starting at 9 p.m. with tickets available for $25 in advance or $30 the day of the show.
The group’s origins are almost as fascinating as their costumes. The Shook Twins were regulars at the Northwest String Summit, in North Plains, Ore.; but, in 2015, the event only booked a total of five women.
“So, Mimi Naja of Fruition, had the thought of having a little after-hours gal jam and she coined the term ‘Sideboob,’” Katelyn told the Reader
The band included Naja, both Shook Twins, Allie Kral from Yonder Mountain String Band, Bridget and Bonnie of Elephant Revival, and Kat Fountain.
“After that jam, we decided to encourage the festival promoters to book us a set the next year,” Katelyn said. “We drew such a huge crowd that
we proved that people do want to see women play together!”
In 2019, Sideboob headlined the main stage and invited 36 women to join the performance.
“That was the first time in 18 years that String Summit had ever booked a female-fronted band for a headlining set,” Katelyn said.
Since then, Sideboob has used its platform to not only play pop covers from the ’90s, but promote female-led bands in an industry where men still outnumber women on stage.
“The BOOBment is all about empowering women,” Katelyn said. “We’re not just a cover band! Sure, we do only play covers, but they are only songs by females and only women playing them on stage.”
Each show, Sideboob reaches out to every woman booked within bands that the Shook Twins played festivals with, inviting them to guest star with Sideboob on stage.
When they play Halloween shows, which are extra sparkly and filled with dance numbers, Sideboob reaches out to local women in bands to join on stage.
The core members of Sideboob have changed over the years, but the lineup now includes Katelyn and Laurie Shook, as well as Megan Letts of Mama Magnolia as lead vocalists, Kat Fountain, Liz Chibucos, Carmen Paradise and Andy Murphy rounding out the core band members. Local Sandpoint guests invited to play on stage at The Hive show will be Keely Gray, Alex Cope, Meg Turner, Sarah Edmonds, Cadie Archer and Kristy Osmunson — all females who either play music in or are from Sandpoint.
Sideboob’s set list always includes those popular female-led songs that everyone in the audience will know all the words to.
“We’re talking Paula
Abdul, Mariah Carey, the Cranberries, Cher and Spice Girls to name a few,” said Katelyn. “We try to learn a new setlist every year. ... These are the songs and artists that we millennials grew up on and inspired us to want to be singers/musicians in the first place. Plus, it’s just so much fun to have everyone in the crowd belting the lyrics at us (even the guys) since ’90s music lives deep in all of our brains.”
While Sideboob shows are about empowerment, they’re first and foremost about fun. The members dress in sparkly gowns and costumes, encouraging anyone attending the show to “dress in ‘90s sparkly attire.”
Come down and “join the BOOBment,” with Sideboob at The Hive. Purchase tickets at livefromthehive.com while they last.
A snapshot of notable live music coming up in Sandpoint
Moscow-based Corn Mash is coming back to the 219 Lounge for another round — its fourth, in fact, since January 2023 — bringing its medley of “original hoedowns, blues, rock, slinky, funky, happy, angry, pretty and sometimes dirty” tunes to the downtown hotspot.
Founded more than 20 years ago in Seattle and formerly of Missoula, Mont., Corn Mash is the project of singer/songwriter Bill LaVoie, who revels
This week’s RLW by Ben Olson
READ
I recently picked Denis Johnson’s novel Angels off my bookshelf again and sunk into the couch to read this interesting tale of the gothic West, which follows two degenerates who fall in love and the act of violence that shattered it all. It was Johnson’s debut novel, establishing him as a powerhouse writer lauded by critics throughout his career. What you may not realize is that Johnson lived near Bonners Ferry until his death in 2017. All of his books are brilliant, but there’s something special about Angels
LISTEN
Sometimes the algorithms get it right. While digging around for new music on Spotify, my girl and I found Drug Cabin. The band is one of those that popped up in 2015, made two excellent albums and disappeared. Their sound is an interesting twangy combo of indie rock, folk, alt-country with a touch of that Laurel Canyon sound exemplified by bands like Steely Dan and Fleetwood Mac. Their album Wiggle Room is top notch.
WATCH
Back in Sandpoint after playing the Sandpoint Summer Music Series in August, Eugene, Ore.-based band
Everytime Corn Mash has turned up at the Niner, it’s been a rip-roaring good old time, and we’ll gladly go for another.
— Zach Hagadone
9 p.m.-midnight, FREE, 21+.
The 219 Lounge, 219 First Ave., 208-263-5673, 219lounge.com, listen at reverbnation.com/cornmash.
Spunj is known for high-energy multi-genre sets that incorporate classic songwriting with improvisation and a heaping spoonful of good times. If you like to dance, you’ll like these guys a lot.
Spunj infuses jam band elements with pop, jazz, indie rock and, frankly, any other in swinging through the genres with an emphasis on “diverse music for the brain and the booty, with live shows heavily geared toward the booty.”
genre they feel like exploring.
The four-piece is one of those bands that can inject a ho-hum Sunday night with a shot of energy, so get your butts up off the couch and head downtown.
— Ben Olson
8-11 p.m., FREE, 21+. The 219 Lounge, 219 First Ave., 208-2635673, 219lounge.com, listen at spunjmusic.com.
I listened to the podcast Scamfluencers about a woman named Abby Lee Miller who was featured on a show I’d never heard of called Dance Moms. Miller ultimately went to prison for fraud and hiding her assets during bankruptcy. After the podcast, I decided to watch an episode of Dance Moms on YouTube and sat there with my jaw on the floor the entire hour. It was the most horrible hour of television I’ve ever seen, filled with drama, infighting and adults scarring pre-teen dancers for the rest of their lives. It’s a total trainwreck and I’ll be damned if I don’t want to watch another episode.
Sideboob performs at a past event. Courtesy photo.
From Northern Idaho News, October 24, 1911
BALDY PASS ROAD IS NOW ASSURED
The Baldy Pass road that will connect Sandpoint with the territory lying between here and the Halfway house on the Priest River road, is now assured. Within a few days D. M. Prater and E.H. Edgerton will make a final view of the road, in preparation for the survey. It is expected that as early as next week an official order will be made by the county commissioners, ordering the county surveyor to make a survey of the road.
Under the proposition made by the committee to the commissioners at their last meeting, the committee will arrange for paying all bills incurred in the survey, with the exception of that of the county surveyor. The road will be built to a large extent by public subscription. The people residing on the other side of the pass from Sandpoint are very enthused about the road and have signified their intention of aiding the committee in footing the expense of building it
At the present time the people who live in the vicinity of the Halfway house are compeled to travel 39 miles in order to get to Sandpoint, the county seat, while if the road was in operation the distance would only be 14 miles. There are many settlers living along the proposed road that are anxious for the road to be built as it will give them a much nearer market and will afford them many facilities that they are now compeled to go without.
BACK OF THE BOOK
On ‘stuff’
By Sandy Compton Reader Columnist
“Stuff” can be translated to mean many things, but this is a family newspaper, so “stuff” is what we will call stuff.
We’re all receiving stuff in the form of ugly, glossy flyers about how bad the other guy or gal is, or this idea or that cause. The flyers don’t even make good fire-starter. This newspaper works better. But, read the paper first. The flyers, not so much, though proponents and opponents of ballot questions and participants in candidates’ races use the “strategy”; an unfortunate waste of time, money and resources. Those who send these atrocities don’t garner respect. It seems they have nothing good to say about themselves, so they trash the opposition. They aim gut level — or lower — meaning to alienate, not consolidate. And don’t get me started on television ads. The truth doesn’t matter. Libel and slander laws don’t seem to apply. Modern politics is perfecting the art of prevarication.
Campaign reform idea No. 1: Proponents or opponents of ballot items and candidates can’t mention the other side. They can only tell voters why an idea is good or bad or what their candidate proposes to do to lead us forward.
Idea No. 2: Political action committees (PACs) must make donor lists public, especially major donors. (PACs are often responsible for nasty ads, but nobody wants to admit being purveyors of lies.) This could cut into
STR8TS Solution
the super-sized postcard business, but so be it.
Idea No. 3: A requirement of citizenship is to vote in all national elections. Kind of a radical idea, but if you live in these United States, you should give a “stuff,” right?
Idea No. 4: Think. Most ads, flyers, social media posts or whatever throwing negative stuff at you are designed to engage people on an emotional level by threat, innuendo and fear-mongering. You may wish to validate claims that activate your adrenal gland before you vote.
Enough of this stuff. We’ll have more than enough in the next few weeks.
In my dictionary quest, I stumbled across — and I mean stumbled — the noun redia; plural, rediae: A larva of certain trematodes that is produced within the sporocyst and that can give rise to additional rediae or to cercariae [New Latin, after Francesco Redi (1626-1697), Italian naturalist].
Naturalists must have big brains. I had to look up three words within the definition to get a vague idea of what a redia is. You can guess which ones. And before you start digging around in your dictionary, I warn you that you may not want to know. Ewww! Vague hint: After rabbit-holing “redia” (rabbit-holing may be a new compound verb), I’ve reconsidered my taste for escargot.
Francesco Redi may have had too much time on his hands, but scientists are always looking further in and farther out, trying to figure out what, when, where, who and sometimes
Sudoku Solution
why. They think about stuff.
I’m currently engrossed in the essays of scientist Loren Eiseley, an anthropologist of note during the mid-20th century. He’s one of the most beautiful writers I’ve ever read. You’ll learn more about him in future “Thoughts.” He was also a naturalist, and prescient, calling out the future of the planet by translating his findings of the past. He died in 1977, but saw clearly, protested and warned us about the human disregard for the nature that nurtures us.
One of his thoughts is that evolution continues unabated. We’re not done. The biota of the planet is not static. But as a species, humans may have the ability to determine the direction of their evolution.
Maybe we can, if we think about stuff.
If I was a father in a waiting room, and the nurse came out and said, “Congratulations, it’s a girl,” I think a good gag would be to get real mad and yell, “A girl!? You must have me mixed up with that dork!” and point to another father.
Solution on page 26
Laughing Matter
By Bill Borders
CROSSWORD
ACROSS
1.Grocery carriers
6.Expectorate
10.Circle fragments
14.Ready for anything
15.Flatfoot’s lack
16.Glance
17.Radiolocation
18.Scene
19.Regular hexahedron
20.Agitprop
22.Brute
23.Custom
24.Prepare leftovers
26.Be mad, angry, or furious
30.Half of a pair
31.One plus one
32.Distinctive flair
33.Fathers
35.Imps
[noun] 1. a person who has a strong love for trees and forests
Solution on page 26
Solution on page 26
65.Love intensely
7.Not in cursive
36.Calf’s meat
66.Composer
39.Let loose
41.Least difficult
43.Kind of farm
44.Male deer
46.Walking stick
Jerome ____
67.Advanced
71.Delicacy Word Week of the
“Never go on a hike with a dendrophile when you’re in a hurry. You’ll spend all day stopping to examine tree bark and forest canopies.”
Corrections: Nothing to note this week, friends. Don’t worry, we’ll screw up again soon and give purpose to the Red Pen Warriors. dendrophile / DEN-drə-fail/
