Reader_Oct5_2023

The week in random review

By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff

et tu?

You might have run across the recent internet trend/ phenomenon/meme/whatever-it-is that originated on TikTok and runs something like: “Women had no idea that the men in their lives think about the Roman Empire on a more than regular basis. OMG.” Media outlets from The New York Times and Washington Post to TIME magazine, CNN and TeenVogue have keyed into this apparent quirk of the masculine mind. Some theories are that dudes are into the pomp of cool-looking helmets, leather skirts and short swords. That is, they love the Russell Crowe Gladiator film. Others claim it’s a white nationalist-coded nod to Eurocentric traditionalism. I’ve read analyses that suggest there’s a crisis of male insecurity that drives guys to hero worship the original macho dictators of Western civilization. Still others point out the popularity of Meditations, by Emperor Marcus Aurelius, 121-180 C.E., which sold more than 100,000 copies in 2019 and is apparently all the rage among particularly pedantic tech-bro types. Not that anyone has asked, but I think about the Roman Empire a lot. I mean, like, all the time. At least 10 times a day. I told my wife about this and she laughed. Then she told me that she, too, thinks about the Roman Empire just as often as me. She’s not alone. The pan-gendered contemplation of the Romans has also been reported by the likes of The Times, USA Today, Buzzfeed and others. I even saw some “statistical analysis” that showed there’s no discernable difference between the frequency with which men and women alike ruminate on the Romans. What gives? Could it be, perhaps, that we’re all thinking about an empire riddled with internal divisions, kleptocratic elites, self-indulgent habits and militarism? Or maybe that we should be?

good news, everyone!

Here is an estimated list of the asteroids that have passed near to Earth this year (organized roughly largest to smallest, as described by various media around the world): one “city killer”; one the size of two Titanics; one the size of one Titanic; one “the size of a bridge”; one hotel-sized; at least three plane-sized; two house-sized; at least three bus-sized; one the size of a “box truck” or “minibus”; and, as of Oct. 3, one “the size of around 1,000 capybaras” — that last one from The Jerusalem Post, which in September described another near-Earth asteroid as “around the size of 81 bulldogs.” If that seems like a lot of big-sized things whizzing over our heads, don’t worry. A study reported in May by the MIT Technology Review stated that it’s unlikely any large asteroids will hit the planet for the next 1,000 years. After the year 3000, though, all bets are off.

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Sandpoint City Hall tables Comp Plan vote

Councilors will seek further public feedback at future town hall, public hearing

By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff

An update to Sandpoint’s Comprehensive Plan hasn’t reached the finish line yet, but it’s getting close. After four years of work — interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic — councilors were poised to make a decision on the final draft of the document at a public hearing Oct. 4, but near the end of the threehour meeting pulled back to table the vote until after an upcoming town hall-style workshop to gather additional feedback.

“I feel like we’ve only had four days to dive into it,” said Councilor Welker, who made the motion to table.

“This is literally the most important planning document that we’re about to adopt for the next 20 years,” he added. “This shouldn’t be the last opportunity for public feedback.”

The council voted unanimously to approve Welker’s motion, opening the way for the future public workshop, which would be followed by a council workshop and another public hearing — all with dates to be determined.

The current Comp Plan hasn’t been revised since its adoption in 2009, and, despite the update effort being put on hold by the pandemic in 2020-2022, City Planner Amy Tweeten said that “the engagement both before the pause and after the pause has resulted in consistent direction from the community in terms of vision, plans and priorities. While it seems to have dragged out, I believe the product before you is truly comprehensive and covers all the required elements.”

Miriam McGilvray, a community planner with Colorado-based consultancy firm Logan Simpson, has worked with the city on the Comp Plan update since 2019 and guided the council through an overview of the document, which she described as a “practical but aspirational long-term guide for the city.”

Broadly speaking, the plan

provides, “A vision for the future, defined goals and policies and desired future land use character,” according to McGilvray’s presentation.

Using the 2009 plan as a template, the revisions focused on a number of elements that have not only changed since its adoption 14 years ago, but even since 2019. Among them, revised objectives related to urban forestry, neighborhood preservation and mixed-use development, housing affordability, coordinating water services with other jurisdictions and more.

“We really just updated the information, reaffirmed the vision and direction,” said McGilvray, “and acknowledged changes in community values since 2009.”

The biggest sticking point for councilors — and the primary reason for the decision to table the decision Oct. 4 — was first addressed during the comment period of the public hearing by residents Kyle Schreiber and Jeremy Grimm, who are running for City Council and Sandpoint mayor, respectively.

Schreiber noted that the updated document did not include language from the 2009 plan that denied the extension of urban services for low-density development within the area of city impact in order to push urban and urban-type development away from rural areas and toward incorporated cities.

“Many folks support that policy and I believe it is the way to responsibly manage growth,” he said, adding later that, “a lot of people are unhappy” about the city’s decision earlier in the summer to provide water to the 117-lot Providence Subdivision despite it being located within Kootenai’s area of city impact.

Grimm agreed, saying that the extension of urban services into the county “can accelerate urban sprawl” and spur growth in areas where it can’t be efficiently served.

Welker cautioned the community to be “overly aggressive about the removal of this language” and suggested the furor over the Providence Subdivision is the result of

“a failure of the city of Kootenai, not the city of Sandpoint.”

Still, he recognized that it has “been a really hot button issue for the last couple of months” and it needs to be hashed out in a conversation with the public in order to explain exactly why or why not that language should be included in the updated Comp Plan.

“It’s going to come back to haunt us if we don’t have this conversation in this part of the process,” Welker said.

During both the public forum and the comment portion of the public hearing, multiple residents spoke passionately about urban forestry and the city’s commitment to protecting trees. A group had gathered at City Hall at 4:30 p.m. to protest the council’s decision Sept. 28 to approve the final contracts for the James E. Russell Sports Center at Travers Park, construction of which will result

to “heritage trees” and providing for flexibility in zoning codes that would grant incentives for their preservation.

Local architect Reid Weber said a Comp Plan goal related to heritage trees should be “more than just an action item” in the interest of being proactive and addressing the kinds of frustrations expressed by those who spoke — or tried to speak — regarding Travers Park.

To the idea of providing incentives to protect heritage trees, Tweeten said, “While that sounds simple, when you’re creating incentives or waivers to zoning for something that is living and you’re allowing a deviation from a structure and the next owner comes and they decide they don’t want to preserve that heritage tree, those are the kinds of things we really need to think about … It’s more of a challenge than it sounds.”

Ultimately, underpinning most of the public comment throughout the meeting was frustration that citizens felt that they haven’t been adequately informed of or involved in high-profile decisions such as the James E. Russell Sports Center and the Comp Plan.

in the removal of about 20 trees.

Though city officials have responded to outcry over the placement of the $7.5 million enclosed tennis and pickleball facility at Travers and subsequent tree removal by stating that three times as many trees will be replanted, many others have continued to push back on a number of fronts, with a majority pressing for a reconsideration to relocate the sports center to an area that won’t require removing the trees.

Sandpoint Mayor Shelby Rognstad cut short any further testimony on that item during the public forum, citing rules that comments can’t be directed toward matters already decided by the council. Still, the issue came up again and again in the context of greater public involvement in city decisions and, regarding the Comp Plan, which calls for inclusion of specific language related

“I sometimes feel like we are a voice not to be heard,” said resident Ann Giantvalley. “Bring us to the table; we need to have our voices heard.”

“We have longevity and we have history here, and history is in the making,” said resident Sally Moon, whose family she said came to the area in 1904. “I would just appreciate it if we had a voice in that.”

“I’ve lived here for almost 48 years and I love this place and the people in it,” said resident Beth Pederson. “And I just request that the general public is listened to.”

Additional details regarding the date and time of future public involvement opportunities related to the Comp Plan update will be published when they are known. Check sandpointidaho.gov, the city of Sandpoint’s Facebook page and sandpointreader.com for updates.

A member of the public reviews components of the comp plan at a previous workshop at City Hall. Photo by Zach Hagadone.

DEQ seeking comment on Black Rock cleanup plan

Soil remediation work would mark the first stage of bringing Bay Trail extension to Ponderay

By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff

It’s been a long time coming, but the effort to connect Ponderay with its Lake Pend Oreille waterfront is teeing up to enter the first stages of coming to fruition.

The Idaho Department of Environmental Quality is seeking comment on a draft work plan to clean up contaminated soil at the former site of the Panhandle Smelting and Refining Company, located at the current endpoint of the Pend d’Oreille Bay Trail.

Popularly known as Black Rock, the site sits on five parcels of lakeshore left polluted by past lead and silver ore refining. The cleanup plan calls for excavating the contaminated soil and capping the former slag pile.

Comments on the plan are being accepted through 5 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 12, and can be submitted online at bit.ly/3tphDAA; emailed to Voluntary Cleanup Program Manager Derek Young at derek.young@deq.idaho.gov; or mailed to Young at 1410 N. Hilton St., Boise, ID 83706.

The plan can be viewed online at the comment submission webpage, or in person at DEQ’s Coeur d’Alene Regional Office (2110 Ironwood Parkway) or Ponderay City Hall (288 Fourth St.).

Cleaning up Black Rock is a critical step toward a longer-term — and long-planned — extension of the much-used Pend d’Oreille Bay Trail, including establishment of a park area at Black Rock and ultimately connecting the shoreline to the city of Ponderay via an underpass beneath the Burlington Northern-Santa Fe railroad line — what Ponderay city officials call the Front Yard Project.

“The idea behind the Front Yard Project is that nobody knows that Ponderay even has a waterfront, because historically they haven’t had any access to it, so we want to bring that to the people,” said Ponderay City Planner and Project Manager KayLeigh Miller.

The DEQ’s cleanup plan has

to happen before all that, and officials emphasized that the current comment period is focused solely on the environmental aspects of the project — not the design components of the trail and park, nor the eventual railroad underpass.

Officials also said the entire cleanup project is being funded by the EPA, DEQ and city of Ponderay, and estimated to cost about $3 million — including everything from planning documents and reports to equipment both big and small and site infrastructure.

According to the draft plan, the design and bid package were finalized in September. The next step is to gather comments on the plan and, following that, to begin tree felling and removal, as well as grading, to prepare the site for further remediation work.

With that completed, a notice to proceed with construction will happen — possibly after this month, according to the plan — and will roll out in phases.

The first phase will include putting in place best management practices for erosion and sediment control, along with improving a road by which to haul in the necessary equipment. After that, crews will further clear and grub the site, perform more grading and excavation, put in stormwater

controls, and build the slag pile cap and breakwater.

The final phase will be to install clean fill, finish grading, revegetate and do reclamation work on the haul routes.

According to the plan, construction is estimated to be complete 12 months from the start date, with work scheduled to accommodate lake levels. Monitoring, control and final completion report plans will round out the project. However, factors such as regulatory review and compliance, material availability, funding changes and weather delays may affect the timeline.

“The hope is that we would get out to bid to contractors this winter,” Miller told the Reader.

That the cleanup portion of the overall Front Yard Project is primed to finally proceed is a major achievement for Ponderay and surrounding cities, with concepts and planning dating back more than a dozen years, when the city of Sandpoint secured $400,000 to buy the first parcel of property that would become the trail from the Hall family — heirs to late-photographer Ross Hall. The Halls agreed to sell their four parcels of shoreline property for a total of $1.6 million, providing the foundation for what today has

grown into a 1.5-mile public trail stretching from Sandpoint City Beach to Black Rock.

Meanwhile, Ponderay has been working to extend the trail even further and better connect it with residents — part of a much larger vision encompassing area cities and nonprofits, including the Friends of Pend d’Oreille Bay Trail, which has been instrumental in promoting, advancing and maintaining the trail.

“The city of Ponderay and Friends of the Pend d’Oreille Bay Trail are committed to creating a permanent public waterfront that extends to Black Rock connecting the communities of Kootenai and Ponderay to Sandpoint and creating a stunning two-mile trail for everyone to enjoy,” the city states on its Front Yard Project webpage.

In 2019, voters in Ponderay approved a 1% local option sales tax with a portion of revenues specifically earmarked for buying additional lakeshore and supporting the construction of a railroad underpass.

By December 2021, the city had gathered enough revenue from the tax to purchase the critical property necessary to bring the project to its current stage. The further portions of the Front Yard Project will be funded in part

under a separate U.S. Department of Transportation grant, though additional funding will be needed for both the park area and underpass. The city of Ponderay recently applied for a new grant for construction on the later stages of the Front Yard Project, and is awaiting a response.

As it is, “all the land from the beginning of the trail in Sandpoint to Ponderay is publicly owned,” Miller said.

“The significance of this project overall can’t be overstated,” she added. “You just don’t hear about communities purchasing large swaths of lakeshore property to preserve as community space too often. When we get the site cleaned up it will be a crown jewel of open space on the north end of the Ponderay Bay Trail that is safe for our community to enjoy.”

To learn more about the Front Door Project, visit cityofponderay. org/the-front-yard-project. For more on the Pend d’Oreille Bay Trail, visit pobtrail.org. To see the DEQ draft work plan and submit comments, go to bit.ly/3tphDAA.

Left: An aerial view of the Black Rock site location.

Right: Black Rock from the shoreline in winter. Courtesy photos.

Candidates’ forum scheduled for Oct. 17

Sandpoint mayor and city council candidates, LPOSD trustee candidates invited

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

The Sandpoint Reader, KRFY 88.5 FM Panhandle Community Radio and Sandpoint Online will host a candidates’ forum Tuesday, Oct. 17 at 5:30 p.m. at the Sandpoint Community Hall (204 S. First Ave.).

Candidates for Sandpoint mayor and City Council have been invited, as well as board of trustees candidates from Lake Pend Oreille School District No. 83.

In the Sandpoint mayoral race, Jeremy Grimm, Kate McAlister and Frytz Mor have been invited to attend.

In the Sandpoint City Council race, the following candidates were sent an invitation: Amelia Boyd, Pam Duquette, Deb Ruehle, Kyle Schreiber, Grant Simmons and Elle Susnis.

Finally, LPOSD candidates from Zone 1 include Jenn McKnight and Scott Wood. Incumbent Zone 4 Trustee Geraldine Lewis has also been invited, but is running unopposed.

As is the custom before an election, these forums are free to attend and open to all who would like to learn more about their

Bits ’n’ Pieces

From east, west and beyond

East, west or beyond, sooner or later events elsewhere may have a local impact. A recent sampling:

By Lorraine H. Marie Reader Columnist

candidates’ positions on issues that affect the community.

Each candidate will be given time for an opening statement, which will be followed by a question-and-answer period. Moderators will read questions aloud submitted via notecard at the forum.

Candidates will give closing statements before the end of the forum at 7:30 p.m.

For those unable to attend, KRFY will stream the event live on KRFY.org and will also air it on 88.5 FM. Those wishing to submit questions for candidates but will not be able to attend the forum are invited to send their questions in advance to publisher Ben Olson at ben@sandpointreader.com with the word FORUM in the subject line.

The Reader will publish a candidate questionnaire in the Thursday, Oct. 12 edition, prior to the forum, which will include questions and answers from candidates in the aforementioned races, as well as those running for seats on the West Bonner County School District Board of Trustees.

For more information about the November election, please visit Election Central on sandpointonline.com.

Judge upholds ban on use of student IDs as voter ID

By Kevin Richert IdahoEdNews.org

A judge has upheld a new state law that bans the use of student IDs as voter identification.

The League of Women Voters and BABE VOTE, an advocacy group, sought to toss out the 2023 laws — which also created a free voter ID to replace the use of student ID. They argued the laws disenfranchised young voters.

Ada County District Judge Samuel Hoagland was not sold.

“Plaintiffs seek to equate student identification cards as [a] form of age discrimination against younger voters, but not all young people are students and not all students are young people,” he wrote in his ruling Oct. 2.

Hoagland also said the state has a valid interest in making sure voter IDs are consistent — one of the arguments legislators made in support of the laws.

Attorney General Raúl Labrador’s office defended the laws on behalf of Secretary of State Phil McGrane, the state’s chief elections officer.

“This was a meritless lawsuit from the beginning,” Labrador stated in a news release Oct. 3. “Rather than encouraging young people to obtain their free state voter IDs, advocacy groups took legal action against the state, alleging age discrimination.”

“We are of course disappointed with this result but are closely reviewing the court’s decision and will be deciding in the coming weeks whether to appeal,” BABE VOTE said in a statement Oct. 3 to Idaho Reports.

Kevin Richert writes for Idaho Education News, a nonprofit online news outlet supported by grants from the J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Family Foundation, the Education Writers Association and the Solutions Journalism Network. Read more at idahoednews.org.

President Joe Biden signed a stopgap bill to avert a government shutdown, CNN reported. Bipartisan House and Senate majorities voted 335-91 to keep the government open through Friday, Nov. 17. The compromise keeps natural disaster aid intact but has no new funding for Ukraine. The action angered the House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s hard-right faction, which sought to end all military aid to Ukraine, closed door meetings on shrinking Social Security and Medicare, and various spending cuts. In a historic first, Oct. 3, enough members of the House voted in favor to oust McCarthy as speaker.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has tried in court to stop the Biden administration’s Medicare drug pricing negotiations, but a federal judge in Ohio denied the Chamber’s request.

House Republicans’ impeachment inquiry against President Joe Biden has begun. According to CNN, expert witnesses said Republicans have not provided evidence for their accusations, which center on claims that Biden was involved with his son Hunter’s overseas business dealings.

Lamenting the lack of a promised “mountain of evidence” against Biden, Fox News pundit Neil Cavuto stated, “Where there was smoke, today we just got a lot more smoke.” New York Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin’s staff brought in 12,000 pages of the impeachment committee’s bank records, and stated “not a single page shows a dime going [from Hunter] to President Joe Biden.”

Hunter Biden has sued former-President Donald Trump’s attorney Rudy Giuliani for “total annihilation” of his digital data. The suit claims defendants “manipulated, altered and damaged” the data from a laptop before copying and sending it, and there was “illegal hacking and tampering.”

Democratic Sen. Diane Feinstein died last week at the age of 90. She was the first woman to represent California in the U.S. Senate and the longest-serving female senator. Laphonza Butler, a former labor leader and president of Emily’s List, was appointed by California Gov. Gavin Newsom to replace Feinstein.

Russia may be prepping to test an experimental nuclear-powered cruise missile with a possible range of thousands of miles — or has already done so — according to satellite imagery and aviation data, The New York Times reported.

Safety policy changes by Elon Muskowned social media network X (formerly

Twitter) have increased the reach of Russian propaganda, according to a yearlong study by the European Commission. Prior to Musk’s control, the company labeled and de-amplified Kremlin-affiliated accounts. That policy was dropped in April, Business Insider reported. Other social media companies have also failed to adequately reign in Russian propaganda.

The World Health Organization recently named aspartame a “possible human carcinogen.” Diet soda makers are attacking the decision, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest.

Trump and the Trump Organization responded to a business fraud trial earlier this week by significantly overvaluing assets and net worth to acquire financing while doing business in New York. The AG who initiated the case said Trump owed at least $250 million for committing fraud. The judge may order relinquishment of profits from “fudged” financial statements. The trial is scheduled to continue to address allegations of six remaining “causes of action,” numerous media reported.

In just the two years, 14 states have proposed or enacted laws that weaken child labor protections, according to the Economic Policy Institute.

The second primary Republican presidential debate, at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, featured seven candidates Noticeably lacking wasTrump, who also did not attend the first debate, The New York Times reported. Viewership of the second debate was down 25%, Nielsen ratings showed. There was still drama, even without Trump. According to Axios, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis attacked Trump and Nikki Haley attacked DeSantis. A number of candidates criticized fellow candidate Vivek Ramaswamy for his lack of political and foreign policy experience. One post-debate poll showed the missing candidate still leading over all the others.

Blast from the past: “To those who followed Columbus and Cortez, the New World truly seemed incredible because of the natural endowments. The land often announced itself with a heavy scent miles out into the ocean. Giovanni di Verrazzano in 1524 smelled the cedars of the East Coast a hundred leagues out. The men of Henry Hudson’s Half Moon were temporarily disarmed by the fragrance of the New Jersey shore, while ships running farther up the coast occasionally swam through large beds of floating flowers.” — Frederick W. Turner, historian and author of Beyond Geography: The Western Spirit Against the Wilderness (1937-present)

IN ROTARY WE (BOOK) TRUST

The Rotary Club of Sandpoint presented a check for $87,500 to Lake Pend Oreille School District’s Book Trust program, which enables all first- and second-grade students to purchase their own books on a monthly basis during the school year for reading in the classroom or at home.

Pictured from left to right are Dr. Becky Meyer, Sherri Hatley, Natassia Hamer, Karen Quill, Brad Williams and Emma Keverkamp.

Sandpoint Rotary’s donation to LPOSD has become an annual tradition, using funds raised from the popular CHAFE 150 Gran Fondo bike ride earlier in the summer.

Keep an eye out for an article in a future edition of the Sandpoint Reader highlighting the advocacy of the Rotary Club of Sandpoint.

— Words by Ben Olson, photo courtesy of David Keyes

Bouquets:

GUEST SUBMISSION:

•“Extreme gratitude and appreciation to the Kaniksu Land Trust and any other factions and volunteers responsible for the creation of the Syringa Heights Trail System. I hike or bike there daily and never cease being awed at the magnificence of it all. I have been lost more times than I care to admit but invariably a sign appears letting me know where I am. I’m so glad I moved here!”

— By Donna Brosh

Barbs:

GUEST SUBMISSION:

• “Attached [is a] photo taken this morning from the City Parking Lot at Main Street and Third Avenue. I don’t know what it is, but this really bothers me. Stay within the lines. How hard is this?

Just back up and try again to get between the lines. I shudder to think what these drivers do with parallel parking!”

— Jim Healey

• The U.S. Congress approved a last-minute bill that would stave off a government shutdown until mid-November, which was largely supported by both sides of the aisle. Both Idaho Sens. Jim Risch and Mike Crapo, as well as Rep. Mike Simpson, voted in favor of the bill to avert the shutdown, but Rep. Russ Fulcher was one of 91 House Republicans who voted against it. As a result, Fulcher gets the Barb this week, for playing politics at a time when people’s livelihoods are at stake. Fulcher claimed he voted against the bill because, “the most recent continuing resolution does not address these pressing matters my constituents want addressed,” meaning the bill didn’t do enough to fund immigration policies concerning the southern border. I’ve grown tired of obstructionists like Fulcher always gumming up the works with their ideological bugaboos.

Dear editor, Herndon’s nonsensical view of open primaries and ranked voting in the Sept. 30 edition of the Daily Bee should be taken at its face value: a lot of nothing. He spoke words but nothing he said made a bit of sense. It reminded me of my father, who in his last year or so of life with dementia would talk in circles; random words strung together that I tried to figure out what they meant, but was never sure what he was trying to get across. Herndon’s words are nothing but gibberish. This person needs replacing in the next election.

Lawrence Fury Sandpoint

Dear editor,

In a recent article, our Dist. 1 Sen. Herndon wrote, “Idaho used to have open primaries in the early 2000s … A federal court enjoined Idaho from having open primaries.”

[Daily Bee, “Voting Initiative Sparks plenty of conversation,” Sept. 30.] He also wrote, “The initiative is not actually for an open primary.”

Everybody used to be able to vote in whichever party primary they chose, but only in one. Now, we can’t vote in the Republican primary unless we are registered Republicans. The Idaho GOP has changed its registration requirements, making it harder to vote in its closed primary.

The Open Primaries Initiative does not reopen the closed Republican primary. Rather, it makes a single primary ballot and opens it to every candidate who qualifies to run regardless of party. It opens the primary to all voters, including the many unaffiliated voters.

The top four vote-getters go on the general election ballot. That’s more choices for voters.

Government works better when there is more participation and support from voters. That’s why I signed the Open Primaries Initiative.

Please join me in supporting this initiative, so we can truly say we are a “government of the people, by the people and for the people.”

Nancy Gerth Sagle

Reinbold, Brown and Rutledge, New Superintendent Durst

Now finds himself adrift

Perhaps out of town

Someone could give him a lift, Priest River schools will No longer be a plantation With overseers from the Idaho “Freedom” Foundation

Ted Wert Sagle

Dear editor,

Selkirk Conservation Alliance is a small, nonpartisan, grassroots, environmental nonprofit organization that works to protect and conserve the land, air, wildlife, forests and waters of the lower Selkirk Mountains. SCA is the only environmental nonprofit whose sole focus of funds, time, expertise, research and advocacy encompasses the Priest Lake and Priest River watersheds.

Selkirk Conservation Alliance was established in 1987 and has been operating out of Priest River, Idaho for the past 36 years. We are a small (one staff member) organization that is primarily “powered” by our community volunteers.

SCA has three “pillar” programs: Environmental Education, Environmental Advocacy and Scientific Research. Under each of these programs we have projects furthering SCA’s mission to, “Engage the public in southern Selkirk resource and land management issues through cooperation, scientific inquiry, education and economic diversification.”

Our pillar programs support projects associated with rural education, rural conservation and preservation, and rural health.

SCA seeks to cultivate an environmentally conscious public that is empowered to be active stewards of our local and regional natural resourc-

es, including land, air, wildlife and water resources, keeping the rural Mountain West livable.

Please join us and Bale Breaker Brewing Company for a pint night fundraiser for SCA at Idaho Pour Authority on Tuesday, Oct. 10, 5-7 p.m.

Pam Duquette SCA Board secretary Sandpoint

Dear editor,

The U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate passed a bill on Sept. 30 that, at the very last minute, averted a government shutdown. We came within a few hours of having an unpaid military, an empty Disaster Relief Fund and hungry children without food.

Dear editor,

Why would we vote Kate McAlister for mayor? She’s a person who got us on the country’s map as Rand McNally’s “Best small town in America,” along with USA Today. Please don’t vote her in, we’re having enough growth and trouble as it is.

Jeremy Grimm was knee deep in the Comprehensive Plan in 2013. He did not help us then, why would he help us now?

Please get out and vote, but not for these two or for any other person who hasn’t lived here for at least 10 years.

Barbara Hennessy Sandpoint

Idaho’s two U.S. Sens. Mike Crapo and Jim Risch and U.S. Dist. 2 Rep. Mike Simpson voted to keep the government open. U.S. Dist. 1 Rep. Russ Fulcher — our representative in North Idaho — voted with the MAGA Republicans against the bill.

Fulcher‘s vote continues his pattern of supporting disruption, as he did when joining the attempted insurrection on Jan. 6 and later joining legal action that attempted to overturn the presidential election.

We need to do better than Fulcher, who sees breaking the system as a solution. We don’t have to destroy the system to fix it: just vote. It works.

Jean Gerth Sandpoint

Herndon’s view of open primaries makes no sense…

ode to West Bonner County…

Vote ‘none of the above’ for Sandpoint mayor…

‘We need to do better than Fulcher’…

‘An open question’...

Selkirk Conservation Alliance is worthy of support…

Idaho Conservation League celebrates 50 years BY THE NUMBERS

By Brad Smith Reader Contributor

The Idaho Conservation League was founded in 1973 to be the voice for conservation in the Idaho Legislature. Conservation activists and local groups from around the state recognized that they could not effectively engage lawmakers in faraway Boise. So local environmental organizations like the Panhandle Environmental League and Kootenai Environmental Alliance came together at the urging of Ken Cameron to form ICL, and hired a lobbyist to represent them in the capitol.

By having a voice in the Statehouse, conservationists were able to convince the Legislature to pass the Land Use Planning Act, create the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality, blocked the construction of coal-fired power plants in Idaho, and successfully opposed efforts to seize public lands during the Sagebrush Rebellion of 1980 and more recent efforts in 2012.

Like any fledgling organization, the early years were hard. The board of directors and staff struggled to keep the lights on and make payroll. The League almost failed to endure, but when late-Idaho Sen. Frank Church called upon ICL to organize support for federal legislation to protect the River of No Return Wilderness in central Idaho, it gave the organization the boost it needed to survive. The wilderness campaign and other issues of the day caused the breadth of ICL’s work to grow beyond the Legislature.

Today, ICL has a staff of 34 committed conservation advocates. ICL’s public lands team works to protect wilderness areas like the Boulder-White Clouds and Owyhee Canyonlands, and ensure that our forests and deserts are managed sustainably. Our salmon team works to restore Idaho’s salmon and steelhead by advocating for breaching the four lower Snake River dams. ICL’s climate team is convincing utility compa-

nies to divest from fossil fuels and invest in clean sources of renewable energy. Our wildlife program seeks to conserve healthy populations of both game and nongame species, while staff in southern Idaho work to clean up pollution from dairies and agriculture in the Snake River.

Although the Idaho Conservation League is no longer an umbrella organization for small environmental groups around the state, the organization has and always will remain committed to North Idaho.

ICL co-founder Mary Lou Reed of Coeur d’Alene wouldn’t have it any other way. In the early years of ICL, she walked into ICL’s office in Boise and placed a plaque in the executive director’s office that has outlived anyone to serve in that capacity. It reads, “Remember North Idaho!”

The accomplishments of ICL staff, members and volunteers in North Idaho over the past 50 years are too numerous to count. My apologies to the people, the stories and the accomplishments that I am failing to list, but some that I recall include the successful efforts of Will Venard, Jerry Pavia and the Boundary Backpackers to save Long Canyon and its old growth

trees from logging. The work of Susan Drumheller, Nancy Dooley and the Friends of Pend d’Oreille Bay Trail protected the shoreline between Sandpoint and Ponderay from becoming a string of condos and private beaches.

As the Idaho Conservation League enters its next 50 years, it is clear that there will always be a need for our presence in North Idaho. The lakes and waterways that define our region of the state face greater threats than ever.

The Idaho Club, whose logo ironically features a moose, is proposing to dredge and fill wetlands at the mouth of Trestle Creek despite the harm that it will cause to water quality, bull trout, eagles, beavers and other wildlife. Meanwhile, pollution from coal mines in southeast British Columbia is contaminating the Kootenai River and undermining efforts of the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho to recover sturgeon and burbot.

These kinds of threats prompted ICL to launch our North Idaho Lakes and Waterways program in 2022.

Public lands and wildlife will continue to be a priority of our work in North Idaho. As our population grows, there’s a need to sustainably manage recreation.

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

$20

The new per-hour minimum wage for fast food workers in California starting in 2024 after a new law signed Sept. 28 by Gov. Gavin Newsom. The state’s $15.50 minimum wage for all other workers is already among the nation’s highest.

$7.25

That’s why we are partnering with snowmobilers and backcountry skiers to craft a winter recreation plan for the Sandpoint, Priest Lake and Bonners Ferry Ranger Districts. ICL will also continue to advocate for the protection of our remaining wildlands like the Scotchman Peaks, Selkirk Crest and Long Canyon, and promote responsible management of our national forests.

I may not be part of ICL’s team when the time comes to celebrate 100 years, but both you and I can rest assured, knowing that ICL has established a strong foundation. When I say ICL, I’m not only referring to our devoted staff and board of directors, but also to the numerous members and supporters who steadfastly stand with us every step of the way.

Whether it’s today’s challenges or those looming on the horizon 50 years from now, ICL will forever be a voice for conservation across the great state of Idaho.

The current Idaho state minimum wage. The minimum wage jumped from $5.15 in 2007 to $7.25 in 2010, largely due to the Great Recession. It has remained at $7.25 since 2010. Accounting for inflation, $7.25 in 2010 would be worth $10.21 in 2023 dollars. Washington’s state minimum wage will rise to $16.28 per hour starting Jan. 1, 2024 — an increase of 54 cents from the current $15.74 rate.

$749,000

The median listing home price in Bonner County as of August 2023, according to Realtor. com. This number is trending down 3.2% from the year before. The current median home-sold price was $455,000.

1,269

The number of individual attempts to ban books in Idaho during 2022, according to the American Library Association. Challenges to books are increasing rapidly, with 729 attempts logged in 2021 and 156 in 2020.

79.11 years

The average life expectancy in the U.S. in 2023, which usually rises about 0.8% per year. In 1980, the average life expectancy was 73.7 years.

Brad Smith is the North Idaho director of the Idaho Conservation League in Sandpoint.

ICL members Jude Hawkes, Patsy Batchelder and Janet O’Crowley attend an ICL meeting in the 1980s. Photo by Andy Wiessner.

Science: Mad about

By Brenden Bobby Reader Columnist

I know what you’re thinking: “Why is the science guy writing about science fiction?”

I have an answer for that. Similar to the communicators of Star Trek, the blasters of Star Wars and the flying cars of the Jetsons, science fiction is rapidly becoming science reality. To understand our confusing, overwhelming reality, it’s good to look into the fiction of the past to understand what’s happening with technology today so that we might avoid some of the terrible mistakes our leaders are eager to make.

Cyberpunk is a blended genre that has roots in the style of New Wave science fiction from the 1960s and ’70s. New Wave writers aimed to move away from their pulp roots and explore the psychological and societal effects of technology in ways of which their predecessors never dreamed. Cyberpunk mixed much of the New Wave style with the punk subculture that came to prominence in the 1970s and ’80: anti-authoritarian, rebellious and loaded to the brim with spikes.

Much that is explored in cyberpunk is often a bleak core wrapped in a veneer of technological prowess. Popular imagery is of the grungy underbelly of huge and shiny corporatized cities in which greed and authoritarianism rules, and the struggles of the people who have been cast off by higher society while still utilizing the tools presented to them.

The noir style and detective genre are other core influences of cyberpunk, which is particularly evident in Ridley Scott’s 1982 film Blade Runner. This iconic film was essentially a hard-boiled noir detective film stuffed into a

sci-fi wrapper.

The human struggle is at the core of all cyberpunk, be it stemming from substance abuse, loneliness or a feeling of oppression. The technological aspects, though front-and-center as the core aesthetic, are almost exclusively secondary to the true themes and nature of the genre.

This hits close to home, especially now.

Functionally, there is little difference between our dependence on smartphones and the “always on” interconnected nature of an invasive “everywhere internet” presented in many works. The same goes for the advancement of artificial intelligence, which pushes into our lives and eliminates jobs while ballooning the bank accounts of corporate monsters — going so far as to literally steal work from creatives, repackage it and claim authority over anything it produces without consent.

Cyberpunk often explores an element of transhumanism — evolving past what it means to be human by augmenting oneself with technology, such as cybernetic limbs. As recently as 15 years ago, this seemed like a wild and impossible fantasy. Now, it’s fully possible to 3-D print replacement parts for prosthetic limbs in just a few hours.

Advancements in our ability to make computers smaller and more powerful, particularly related to arduino tech and smartphones, have allowed us to place computer components into places they never existed before. If your dog is lost and returned to a shelter, the shelter employees are able to scan a radio frequency identification chip (RFID) and easily look up your information to alert you of your dog’s whereabouts.

If you’re worried about longrange government tracking of these devices, you shouldn’t be,

as they only operate at very close ranges to avoid accidental crossover or intentional abuse.

Another startling technological advancement that’s explored frequently in the cyberpunk genre is brain-machine interfacing (BMI). This involves placing a tiny computer into an organic brain, with the intention of using the electrical signals in your brain to control the computer into performing tasks, such as moving a prosthetic arm.

This has been popularized by Elon Musk’s company, Neuralink, but the actual study of brain-machine interfaces goes back to at least 1924, with the development of electroencephalography (EEG). You’ve seen EEG in your favorite hospital drama, when someone has a hat with a bunch of diodes placed on their head to read the electrical signals created by the brain during its regular processes.

The benefits of BMI have the potential to completely revolutionize human society — for better or worse. Imagine being able to control a robotic arm as easily as you use your own hands; now imagine this being utilized by a world-class surgeon from thousands of miles away to perform a life-saving operation without needing to expend fuel on transportation. Similarly, imagine being able to signal your home to start prepping your dinner for you while you’re en route from work.

While mind control is highly unlikely, the potential for a bad actor to create something like an electrical surge to incapacitate or even kill a user is present. The long-term goal behind BMI is to be able to directly interface with an AI that could help us be more efficient, happier and potentially even make better decisions.

Eventually, it is hoped that

humans can digitize their consciousness using this technology, creating a “backup” that can be “reloaded” following death.

All things considered, our existence isn’t that far from our favorite works of cyberpunk. Titles such as Blade Runner, Judge Dredd and Westworld all draw inspiration from the human experience, and our consumption of these artworks help influence how we build our future to create

a funky media feedback loop. Personally, I’ve been hoping for some body-hopping hacker shenanigans ever since I first watched the 1995 anime classic Ghost in the Shell. If you have no idea what I’m talking about in this article, it might be a good idea to blow the dust off your library card and stop by your favorite branch.

Stay curious, 7B.

cyberpunk Random Corner

•Nobody knows who invented the first wheelchair, because the person’s name didn’t survive history. The earliest records of “wheeled furniture” are an inscription found on a stone slate in China and a child’s bed depicted in a frieze on a Greek vase, both dating to the 6th century B.C.E. However, the first known wheelchair was invented in 1595. It was a basic chair with wheels and was designed for King Philip II of Spain, who had gout.

•The first folding wheelchair was invented in 1932 by Harry C. Jennings, who was a friend of a man with a spinal cord injury. The design changed everything, allowing wheelchairs to be more portable and fold into a car trunk.

•Wheelchair basketball was invented by WWII veterans from the U.S. who had spinal cord injuries. The first official game was played in 1946 and the sport went on to become a popular Paralympic event.

•The Guinness World Record for the fastest wheelchair speed is held by Heinz Frei from Switzerland, who clocked 25.25 miles per hour in 2011.

•In 2013, Aaron “Wheelz” Fotheringham became the first person to successfully complete a backflip in a wheelchair.

•There have been many notable people in history who have used wheelchairs, including physicist Stephen Hawking, actor Christopher Reeve and artist Frida Kahlo.

•Torn apart by decades of civil war, Angola has the largest physically disabled population per capita in the world. Estimates run as high as 20%.

•The 32nd president of the United States, Franklin D. Roosevelt, was paralyzed from the waist down due to polio and used a wheelchair, though he never wanted his photo taken in a way that would disclose that fact.

Growing old gracefully

It’s easier said than done

By Dick Sonnichsen Reader Contributor

I love that title phrase. If only it were true.

Sadly, it isn’t. Not even close. It’s an oxymoron, a myth, a preposterous impossibility, a delusional figment of imagination. It’s a disingenuous expression often expressed when greeting an old friend, when what we really think is that they have been prematurely embalmed.

Growing old is inevitable. Doing it gracefully is not. The haunting reality is that the experience is actually graceless, awkward, annoying and disheartening. The aging crisis is an apocalyptic adventure that profoundly alters both mind and body.

At some time in life, we are boldly confronted with the unnerving truth of the vulnerability of our fragile and failing body, susceptible to those pesky hints of mortality that during adolescence and middle age were on the outskirts of our thoughts.

Many display a shell-shocked unwillingness to acknowledge and engage with the troubling notion of terminal decline. We become scared, confused, concerned and overwhelmed. We struggle with discordant feelings of faltering health and cognitive impairment. In this situation, denial is a popular mental attitude to embrace, but the body continues to deteriorate regardless of any cerebral gymnastics on our part.

The Greek philosopher Heraclitus believed that the only constant in life is change. He is credited with the famous notion that, “You cannot step twice into the same river,” meaning that both you and the river have changed. Heraclitus’ profound metaphor represents the impermanence of life and the insidious nature of aging.

As an octogenarian with comorbidities, I have become somewhat of an au-

thority on aging. I have a specialist doctor for most of my organs and sufficient medications that I need a pill box to keep them organized. My most significant health fear is catching something else. Three of my doctors have advised me that I will not die from the problems they are treating but more probably from something else. Something else is apparently lethal.

Signs of aging are obvious. Our once athletic gait begins to resemble a camel walking on glass shards. Falling down is a major fear. Getting up is a major feat — an exercise in patience and ingenuity. Our steel trap brains begin rusting. Short-term memory loss is an unwelcome visitor, as I vaguely recall.

The sudden appearance of facial wrinkles is a miserable indicator that the ravages of aging have commenced. Sagging is a particularly annoying problem. Replacement of body parts becomes routine as we age. A vein from my leg, formerly used to drain blood from my extremities, is now employed to bypass clogged arteries in my heart. My aortic heart valve function has been reconstructed thanks to a bovine refurbishing. I feel slightly guilty eating steak now, thinking it might be one of my relatives.

The antidotes available to grapple with the labyrinth of aging are limited. We can deny it’s happening, develop some method of resistance or attempt to control it. Some find spiritual solace in religion, which promises improved conditions on the other side, although I have never met anyone eager to test that hypothesis. Alcohol is a popular, temporary diversion from the reality of aging but it’s only a short-term sensation and often with unpleasant side effects.

Surgical interventions, retinol creams and contouring treatments are fashionable, but they are expensive and often result in unintended consequences.

Birthdays — which once defined cultural rites of passage toward adulthood — have morphed into miraculous, treasured milestones. They have become precious collectibles, and the more of them we celebrate the happier we are.

Having birthdays is significantly more enjoyable than not having birthdays. As we drain the last celebratory flute of champagne for one birthday we immediately start anticipating the next, hoping we can evade the Grim Reaper and preserve our mind and body for one more year and achieve another celebration.

Experts tell us the elderly should exercise, eat a healthy diet, stay hydrated, engage in mental exercises, visit friends, limit alcohol consumption and stay busy. Just reading that sentence

makes me want to lie down and take a nap. Naps are mandatory for the elderly.

As we age, our mindset ping-pongs between hope and despair, joy and sadness. Recalibrating our mental outlook is essential. Confronting the inevitable takes courage and a healthy dose of humor.

To survive this arduous endeavor — and possibly even flourish — requires first embracing the process or at least acknowledging it, then developing some nimble, pragmatic rituals and behaviors that can assist in navigating the end game of life. It takes determination, some luck, a loyal support group and a positive attitude.

We all know how it ends. The journey is important; the destination, not so much.

Dick Sonnichsen. Courtesy photo.

CATalyst grant funds feline care and research through Better Together Animal Alliance

By Reader Staff

CATalyst Council, a national organization focused on enhancing the quality of life for cats and their people, awarded Better Together Animal Alliance its inaugural grant to support BTAA’s helpline and national Home to Home program. The goal of the partnership is to support pet owners who encounter issues with house soiling among their felines, which is the most common reason felines are surrendered to animal shelters.

Established in 2022, the grant program was created to increase access to care and subsequent medicalization of companion cats. BTAA was selected for a $20,000 grant to enhance data collection of its helpline services, to assess the impact of telehealth options on reducing the surrender of cats to the shelter, and to serve as a model for other helpline services.

As part of the grant, BTAA’s direct animal care team completed the American Association of Feline Practitioners’ Cat Friendly Veterinary Professional certificate program, which will assist BTAA medical staff in assessing house-soiling behavior to determine whether to refer to a veterinarian and make suggestions to help stop it if environmental and behavioral components are involved.

“We’ll be measuring how many people contact our helpline with this concern about their felines, documenting the intervention we provide, and what the outcome is,” stated BTAA Executive Director Mandy Evans. “This effort will

be in conjunction with a larger data collection process that will capture national trends via our Home to Home program.”

While local pet owners will speak directly to a BTAA veterinary technician to assist with their questions, national pet owners will now have access to a free telehealth service through whiskerDocs to help assess their needs.

The goal of the partnership and research is to reduce the number of cats that are surrendered to shelters or rehomed each year for issues that could be easily addressed at home with some assistance from a professional.

“CATalyst Council is delighted to award our inaugural grant to Better Together Animal Alliance,” stated Dr. Jane Brunt, executive director of CATalyst Council. “The opportunity to collect data and report outcomes while collaborating across communities is an important concept for lifelong cat health and welfare..”

For more info visit catalystcouncil. org, bettertogetheranimalalliance.org or home-home.org.

Photo by Allison Turcotte Photography.

Celebrating autumn at the Dover Harvest Festival

By Soncirey Mitchell Reader Staff

Stop by the second annual Dover Harvest Festival from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct 7 to ring in the start of fall with food, live music and goods from local vendors. Artisans and farmers offer up everything from wine to handcrafted linen — perfect gifts for the upcoming holiday season.

Some booths will offer an educational element, allowing festivalgoers the opportunity to learn more about the unique crafts being sold. Kids can also visit the Small Farm Agricultural Education Booth to meet some animals.

While sipping local wine samples or specialty lemonade, enjoy music from both the Priest River Lamanna High School Band and Buddy Tetreault, a.k.a. “The Guitar Guy.” Tetreault is an expert in a range of diverse musical styles — including country, celtic and flamenco — which he plays on his guitar and banjo.

For more than a decade, Tetreault has brought his skillful performances to venues throughout North and Central America, as well as Europe, and has even played for the president of the Republic of Panama. Festival attendees won’t want to miss his skill

and passion for his craft.

This family-friendly festival is the perfect way to say goodbye to summer and come together as a community before the cold weather truly sets in. Come for an hour, or spend the whole day among friends.

OCTOBER 5:

The Harvest Festival runs from 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 7 at the intersection of Railroad Avenue and Fourth Street, in Dover. Admission is FREE. For more information, or to listen to Buddy Tetreault, visit cityofdover.id.gov and buddyguitar.com.

A Jacksonville, Fla., gas station owner is quite pissed that people keep warming their urine in her station’s microwave.

“They walk in off the street, microwave urine containers, then leave,” said Parlu Patel, who owns the convenience store called, no joke, On the Fly.

According to WLTV news in Florida, the store is within walking distance of a LabCorp drug testing facility, which is probably why so many people are warming urine in Patel’s microwave. Often, if someone is trying to pass a drug test when they know their urine will show drug use, they will substitute their own with someone else’s, and that urine needs to be at body temperature.

Patel has posted a sign on the microwave that reads, “Only for food use. Do not warm Urine.”

It makes one think twice about warming up their burrito.

Want to take your own adventure with a Florida Man? It’s simple: Just type “Florida Man” and your birthday into a search engine and prepare to be entertained by the results. For this new column, we will plug in the date of the edition and share with our readers what follows.

Buddy Tetreault will play the Dover Harvest Festival Oct. 7. Courtesy photo.

A Florida gas station owner wants people to stop warming their pee in her microwave

No one walks alone Local NAMIWalk for mental health awareness and support

By Soncirey Mitchell Reader Staff

The National Alliance on Mental Illness

Far North Idaho hosts its second annual walk along the Sandpoint Dover Community Trail on Saturday, Oct. 7, as part of the

nonprofit’s mission to provide advocacy and education on the topic of mental health.

NAMIWalks take place across the country and present opportunities to learn, share stories and enjoy the outdoors with fellow community members while raising funds to support local outreach initiatives. All dona-

tions earned from the walk will go toward free NAMI support and education programs in the community.

“We ignite hope and connections for everyone impacted by serious mental health conditions,” stated Board Member Catherine Perusse in a news release.

One in five adults in the U.S. live with mental illness, and for one in 25 that condition is severe. Preserving mental health is a unique challenge in places like Bonner and Boundary counties, which don’t have access to the same funding or resources as more urban areas.

As one of 1,000 affiliate members in the national nonprofit organization, NAMI Far North Idaho was founded to lessen that disparity and break the taboo surrounding discussions of mental illness.

“If we can destigmatize mental health issues in this tight-knit community, open dialogue can help people seek help without fear of judgment,” Dr. Dawn Mehra — president of NAMI Far North and co-founder of the VCA North Idaho Animal Hospital — told the Reader.

For instance, NAMI Far North partnered with VCA NIAH this year to raise awareness of the enormous benefits that pets can have on people’s lives.

“We want to highlight the heartfelt bond between humans and their animal companions, whether they are emotional support animals, service animals or simply cherished furry friends,” Mehra said. “This idea of nurturing the reciprocal relationship between pets and people resonates strongly with us; we take care of them, they take care of you.”

Leashed pets are welcome to join the Oct. 7 walk, and attendees are invited to tour the VCA NIAH facilities to learn more

about how animals are cared for.

The free community event also includes raffles, awards and live music from veterinarian Dr. Robert Pierce’s band One Dog Down. Local businesses and community members have donated the prizes and Evans Brothers Coffee will provide drinks.

NAMI Far North is grateful for presenting sponsor Ting and other local supporters — including Winter Ridge Natural Foods, VCA North Idaho Animal Hospital, Sandpoint Super Drug, Ponder Pickle Pad, and North Idaho Neurology and Bonner General Health — for making the walk possible.

The NAMIWalk begins at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 7 at the VCA North Idaho Animal Hospital. The event is FREE but donations are encouraged. For more information, call NAMI Far North at 208-597-2047 or visit namifarnorth.org.

Dawn Mehra and Eric Ridgway participate in a previous NAMIWalks event. Courtesy photo.

I hang tomato plants upside down in the windows of my cabin just before the frost, allowing all those green ones to slowly ripen as the late fall kicks in. It works pretty well… sort of a North Idaho way to extend the growing season.

I picked the last little bunch yesterday and then proceeded to take the lonely vines down. I had each plant fastened at the top of the windows with a little nail, which I pulled out one by one. As I reached up with the claw hammer and yanked on the last one, it launched out… I heard it land somewhere on

By Mike Wagoner Reader Contributor

It came to me

my kitchen floor. I couldn’t find it no matter how meticulously I searched… finally I just let it go.

The days passed until I thought, time to sweep a little… I grabbed the broom from the corner and there it was…

It was just a little nail, but it got me thinkin’ about how sometimes things reveal themselves to us on a schedule all their own. Those things we all yearn for… satisfaction, contentment, love.

When I decided to quit trying to force it… just let it be… it came to me.

STAGE & SCREEN

The Thrillusionist comes home

By Soncirey Mitchell Reader Staff

Sandpoint’s own Thrillusionist, David DaVinci, returns to the Panida Theater on Saturday, Oct. 7 for a night of thrilling escapes, magic and leather pants.

“We often spend nearly 300 days a year on the road but love coming back home to Sandpoint,” DaVinci told the Reader. “It truly is the most beautiful place on Earth.”

The show is a benefit for the Panida, with doors open at 6 p.m. and the performance at 7 p.m. Tickets are $30, including taxes and fees.

According to the theater, “You’ll laugh, you’ll cheer, your jaw will hit the floor.”

DaVinci became enamored with magic at just 4 years of age — when he stole his brother’s kit — but his true passion blossomed from his love of birds. Though it started with a dove act, DaVin-

ci and his wife now incorporate trained parrots with his illusions.

“To get a parrot into a show like this, they have to be OK with loud sounds, pyrotechnics and lots of strangers … none of which comes naturally to them,” DaVinci said. “It involves an incredible amount of training, and because of that, there are not many magicians working with birds.”

Though the parrots are synonymous with his brand, some of DaVinci’s favorite moments come from simply interacting with his audiences around the world.

“You never know what you’re going to get, and it provides so many fun opportunities to improvise and make the audience laugh,” he said.

Saturday, Oct. 7; doors at 6 p.m., show at 7 p.m.; $30. Panida Theater, 300 N. First Ave., 208263-9191, get tickets at the door or panida.org. For more information, visit daviddavinci.com.

Litehouse

YMCA hosts free community open house

By Reader Staff

Litehouse YMCA is celebrating the season with a free family-friendly event 5:30-7:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 6 at Litehouse YMCA (1905 Pine St., in Sandpoint).

There will be games and prizes, gym activities, a bounce house, crafts, face painting and more (activities may vary by location).

Photo ID will be required at check-in for adult non-members. Membership joining fees will be waived Friday, Oct. 6-Sunday, Oct. 15.

To learn more about upcoming events, visit ymcainw.org/events.

David DaVinci will perform his show at the Panida Theater on Saturday, Oct. 7. Courtesy photo.

Ashes to ashes, grapes to wine

What climate change could mean for Idaho’s wine industry

By Soncirey Mitchell Reader Staff

Idahoans feel the impact of climate change every summer when temperatures skyrocket and fire season fills the air with smoke. Rising temperatures around the globe are affecting long-standing wine regions, going so far as to drive French Champagne houses to buy property in England’s cooler climate. If this trend continues, regions like the Sonoma and Napa valleys could eventually become inhospitable to all but the hardiest grape vines; and, even then, the quality of their wine would deteriorate.

What’s bad news for California may be good news — momentarily — for Idaho vineyards, which have long been overlooked due in part to the state’s harsh winter conditions. Longer and hotter seasons could mean more successful vintages for Idaho winemakers.

“Unlike some other regions, Idaho has plentiful water and ideal growing conditions because of our warm summer days and cool nights,” said Moya Shatz Dolsby, executive director of the Idaho Wine Commission.

This temperature variance, called “diurnal shift,” helps to balance the wine by maintaining acidity. Coupled with Idaho’s position at 43 degrees latitude — the same placement as the famous Rhône Valley in France — the state becomes an enticing location for planting vineyards. As of 2017, the Idaho wine industry already represented $63.3 million in labor income and $209.6 million in business revenues, according to the IWC.

If temperatures continue to rise, U.S. winemakers will have no choice but to move their vineyards farther north. Grapes exposed to excessive heat can stop ripening, burn or develop a surplus of sugar come harvest time. The higher the sugar content, the higher the alcohol content, and the less balanced the wine.

These temperatures can also destroy the grapes’ malic acid — which gives them their tartness — and result in what’s known as “flabby” wine. Though the extreme heat hit California’s wine country first, if the trend continues, even regions as far north as Idaho will eventually feel these effects. Climate change, population growth and irrigation practices have already begun to take a toll on the state’s water supply, as discussed at the Governor’s Water Summit in August.

“The IWC is also supporting research at the University of Idaho to find soil amendments that will improve water retention and filtration in Idaho soils to aid vineyards,”

Shatz Dolsby told the Reader

Idaho’s growing industry may tax the already declining water supply if steps aren’t taken to protect the state’s natural resources and the health of the soil.

Idaho is already home to more than 1,300 acres of vineyards, 75 wineries and three American Viticultural Areas: Snake River Valley AVA, Eagle Foothills AVA and the Lewis-Clark Valley AVA as far north as Lewiston. The oldest AVA in Idaho — Snake River — was only recognized in 2007, but it’s worth noting that the state’s history with winemaking goes back to 1864 and the first wineries in the Pacific Northwest.

“We do anticipate more AVAs in Idaho as our industry continues to grow,” said Shatz Dolsby.

Consumers and fellow winemakers are paying more attention to Idaho as the state’s wines and vineyards fill the pages of top publications like Wine Enthusiast.

“Idaho wine is growing increasingly popular recently. While for the past few decades we’ve been written off as a place where great wine could never be produced, the Snake River Valley area specifically has started to prove that idea very wrong,” Barrel 33’s wine expert Ammon Ollerton told the Reader

The local tasting room Barrel 33 specializes in regionally sourced wines with grapes grown either in-state or in eastern and

central Washington. Most wineries in North Idaho use Washington grapes, given the proximity and limited supply in their home state — a fact that could change as Idaho establishes more AVAs and the existing ones develop a reputation for quality wine.

Including an AVA on a label indicates the wine’s quality and can lead to major price increases if a region becomes famous for a specific variety. Think Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.

The U.S. Tax and Trade Bureau determines the boundaries of AVAs using weather patterns and geographic features that give the wines from that area distinctive characteristics.

These factors, when combined with the agricultural practices and soil types of specific vineyards, create terroir — a word that describes both the environment affecting the wine and the unique profile of the wine itself. Quality winemakers will almost always showcase the terroir on their labels, as the evocative descriptions give the wine a sense of place and help it sell.

“Making great wine comes naturally here. Literally. Mother Nature herself gifted Idaho with things like a diurnal shift and rich, diverse soils, which produce wildly flavorful grapes. Add in a passionate community of wine-loving experts and you get something truly spectacular,” said Shatz Dolsby, describing Idaho’s terroir and wine culture.

When you buy a good wine, you’re also buying into the image of the vineyard, therefore growers and winemakers take great care when making aesthetic choices about their brand. Idaho’s natural beauty easily feeds this fantasy, and that is why the IWC’s 2023 Tour Brochure speaks to the state’s “breathtaking wilderness” when showcasing the wines.

Despite the potential benefits of warmer summers, wine grapes are still susceptible to the wildfire smoke that plagues the West Coast during fire season each year. Grapes exposed to the ash and hazardous air conditions develop “smoke taint” from volatile phenols and sulfurous compounds, affecting the smell and taste of the wine, according to Wine Australia.

Australian winemakers saw the effects of extreme levels of smoke when catastrophic bushfires ravaged the country from 2019-2020, and vineyards from California to Idaho now face similar hazardous air conditions each summer.

Wine Australia explains that tainted wine can taste like ash, disinfectant, smoked meat, leather or salami — nothing worth drinking. As with purified water, winemakers can use molecular reverse osmosis machines to filter

< see WINE, Page 18 >

A vineyard perched on a hillside above Lewiston. Photo courtesy Idaho Wine Commission.

events

October 5-12, 2023

Live Music w/ Steven Wayne

6-8pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall

Alternative

Live Music w/ Devon Wade

6:30-9:30pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall

Sandpoint country artist

Live Music w/ The Meat Sweatz

9pm @ The Hive

Sandpoint’s own Meat Sweatz

Live Music w/ Fern Spores

9pm-midnight @ 219 Lounge

Northwestern rock and soul

Live Music w/ Jordan Pitts

6-9pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall

Live Music w/ Matt Lome

5:30-8:30pm @ Barrel 33

Live Music w/ Big Phatty and the inhalers

9pm-midnight @ 219 Lounge

Live Music w/ Chris Paradis

5-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery Banjo, mandolin, guitar, bass

Live Jazz w/ Bright Moments

7-9pm @ The Back Door

NAMIWalks and Open House

THURSDAY, october 5

Pottery Class w/ Angela Drew • 5-8pm @ Barrel 33 Make a spooky styled mug or something to use everyday for coffee of other beverags

FriDAY, october 6

Live Music w/ Riley Anderson

5:30-8:30pm @ Barrel 33

Sandpoint grad, now up-and-coming artist in Spokane, Riley plays everything from soul to rock

MCC Date Night Dance Workshops

7-8:30pm @ Hope Memorial Comm. Center, 415 Wellington Pl.

Beginning rumba on Oct. 6

Bingo Night at IPA

6-8pm @ Idaho Pour Authority

For the Love of Idaho

5-8pm @ Matchwood Brewing Co.

A night of celebration to commemorate the 50th anniversary of ICL, Idaho’s leading voice for conservation. Free event

Live Music w/ Mike Wagoner Trio

5-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery Rock and country favorites

SATURDAY, october 7

Kaniksu Folk School

Beginning Family Foraging

9am-1pm @ Sled Barn, 11735 W Pine

Traditional skills classes for adults, a fun day of exploring nature and basics of foraging as family. $55

David DaVinici Thrillusionist

7pm @ Panida Theater

Mind-boggling illusions and jaw-dropping magic from this talented performer. $25.42 panida.org

9am-12pm @ North Idaho Animal Hospital, 320 Ella Ave. With your support and high spirits, NAMI intends to make an unprecendented impact on mental health in our community. For more information about this annual event, please contact cmperrusse@gmail.com

Sandpoint Chess Club

9am @ Evans Brothers Coffee

Meets every Sunday at 9am

Friends of Library Book Sale

10-2pm @ Sandpoint Library

Monthly book sale. Large selection of genres. Great selections of coffee table and military books. Proceeds support the library

Selkirk Fire Open House

Free Food Distribution

11am-1pm @ Christ Our Redeemer Lutheran Church

Drive in and get loaded up with a variety of free food. Annual event. Please don’t arrive early as this causes traffic jams. 1900 Pine St.

Live Music w/ Truck Mills

6-8pm @ Idaho Pour Authority

Friends of Library Book Sale

10-2pm @ Sandpoint Library

Monthly book sale. Large selection of genres. Great selections of coffee table and military books. Proceeds support the library

11am-2pm @ Selkirk Fire Station, 1123 Lake St.

Live demos, truck tours, free lunches, kids’ interactive activities and hands-on CPR instruction. Fire prevention week is 10/8-10/14

Live Jazz w/ Big Phatty and the Inhalers

9pm-midnight @ 219 Lounge

out some contaminants; however, to many in the industry, altering wine on the molecular level borders on sacrilege.

Drink in History: ‘Lore of the Lure: Tall Fish Tales and Other Nonsense’

2:30pm @ The Hive, 207 N. First Ave.

Join guest speakers from LPO Idaho Club as they delve into the history and actively seek to protect our waters. Doors at 2:30, presentation at 3, social hour follows until 6. Full no-host bar. $25 tickets.

SunDAY, october 8

Magic with Star Alexander

5-8pm @ Jalepeño’s Up close magic shows at the table

Monday Night Blues Jam w/ John Firshi

7pm @ Eichardt’s Pub

Lifetree Cafe • 2pm @ Jalapeño’s

“Compassion: The Heart of Jesus’ Ministry”

Selkirk Cons. Alliance fundraiser

5:30-7:30pm @ Idaho Pour Authority

Tap Takeover w/ Bale Breaker. A fundraiser for Selkirk Conservation Alliance

Live Piano w/ Dwayne Parsons

5-7pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery

Live Music w/ Tim G.

6-8pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall

Artist Reception: Scott and Francis Switzer

5-7pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery

Come meet the artists and appreciate their artwork

POSTPONED

Sandpoint Jr. Academy Fall Festival • 3-7pm @ SJA, 2255 Pine St. Raising money for SJA Pathfinders. Good food, dunk tank, hay rides, pony rides, petting zoo, face painting, bounce house and more

monDAY, october 9

Outdoor Experience Group Run

6pm @ Outdoor Experience

3-5 miles, all levels welcome

Weekly Trivia Night

6-8pm @ Idaho Pour Authority

With rotating hosts

TuesDAY, october 10

Collage Night at Woods Wheatcroft Studio • 5-8pm @ Woods Wheatcroft Studio, 104 S. Second Ave.

Dive into the creative process. Instruction starts at 5:15. Some supplies provided. Own supplies encouraged. Hang w/ friends, make art. Great group vibe. BYOB. $20-25 sliding scale. Class limit 15 people

wednesDAY, october 11

ThursDAY, october 12

Idaho Mythweaver event: According to Coyote

7:30pm @ Panida Theater

Join the celebration of Idaho Mythweaver’s 35th anniversary with this immersive experience in live, creative storytelling starring Nez Perce actor Kellen Trenal telling the traditional stories featuring a hero of American Indian mythology. $25/adult, $15/kids available at panida.org

Live Music w/ Boot Juice at the Heartwood

7:30pm @ The Heartwood Center

Inspired by the likes of The Band and Railroad Earth, Boot Juice hails from the Sierra Nevadas in California and plays an intensely energetic show reminiscent of the Talking Heads. Doors open at 6:30 and music starts at

7:30. Tickets $15/advance, $20/door for adults, $8/ages

6-17 and free for age 5 and under. Tix: mattoxfarm.com

The Associated Press reported Sept. 28 that scientists from Oregon State University, Washington State University and the University of California, Davis “are working together to meet the threat, including developing spray coatings to protect grapes, pinpointing the elusive compounds that create that nasty ashy taste, and deploying smoke sensors to vineyards to better understand smoke behavior.”

As of yet, there’s no guaranteed method to salvage the tainted wine.

Idaho may benefit from warmer summers in the interim, but if left unchecked, fires and blistering temperatures will eventually destroy the U.S. wine industry.

“The smoke from the fires can also ruin grapes up to 100 miles away, making the wine they produce undrinkable,” Reuters reported in September 2022, citing a study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, which indicated that should temperatures increase by 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit, “viable wine-growing regions could shrink by more than half.”

While the root cause remains, no amount of research or new protection measures can salvage the delicate flavors of well-crafted wine grown from a healthy planet.

The obvious solution is to combat climate change — if for no other reason than to ensure the privilege of drinking bad wine by choice, not necessity.

A bunch of Idaho-grown grapes. Photo courtesy Idaho Wine Commission.

STAGE & SCREEN

El Conde gives Augusto Pinochet the Count Dracula treatment

By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff

The best art always depicts things we think we understand but in ways that make us think again. The moody 2023 film El Conde from Chilean director Pablo Larraín — streaming since early September on Netflix — does just that with the satirical conceit at the center of its dark heart: Imagine the late-dictator Augusto Pinochet as a 250-year-old vampire, rotting away in forgotten anonymity on the grotty grounds of a decrepit ranch on the wind-blasted plains of Patagonia.

Lest that sound silly, consider what are authoritarians but vampires, who glamor the weak-minded, cultivate toadies and suck the life — literally and figuratively — from the communities on which they prey?

In the real world, Pinochet rose to the rank of commander-in-chief of the Chilean Army before seizing power in a U.S.backed right-wing military coup in 1973. Installed as president after the betrayal of the left-leaning Salvador Allende, Pinochet ruled as a dictator for 17 years, during which time his ultranationalist regime murdered thousands of opponents and tortured tens of thousands more. In his post-presidency years, Pinochet faced hundreds of charges of human rights violations, but died in 2006 at the age of 91 — never having been convicted of any crimes, and suspected of extracting an ill-gotten fortune of more than $28 million along the way.

Essentially, he got away with it.

Director Larraín expects audiences to come to El Conde already knowing at least some of the actual history of Pinochet’s time as head of the Chilean state, but he diagnoses the roots of the president-general’s malicious influence far before the 20th or even the 19th centuries.

Rendered in lurid black-and-white under a perpetually rain-bruised sky, the Spanish-language El Conde (“The Count”) imagines the one-day dictator beginning life as a foot soldier in revolutionary France with a taste for human blood (which he slakes in one particularly vivid scene on the blade of the guillotine under which Marie Antoinette had been lately beheaded).

This “Pinoche” is discovered as a vampire, but soon escapes after faking his own death — not for the first time — and spending the next 200-ish years enlisting wherever and whenever he can in order to quash revolution and rebellion.

Pinoche becomes Pinochet in South

America, reckoning Chile to be easy hunting grounds, and from that point on lives the biography of the true-life strongman (albeit, with regular midnight outings in which he flies through the air, his signature cape flapping over his jack boots, as he alights onto his unsuspecting countrymen to eat their hearts).

However, in his 91st year, Pinochet only pretends to die again and we find him in his drafty, derelict hideout alongside his grasping, shrewish wife and loyal (or maybe not-so-loyal) butler, whom he has turned into a vampire/ familiar/slave as reward for his many years of service leading the death squads.

Pinochet is not satisfied with this low-rent living death and wishes to finally die for real; however, his wife is desperate for him to bite her first and grant her immortality, while his greedy, useless children descend on him to get their hooks in his hidden treasure before it’s too late.

Into this rat’s nest comes a nun, posing as an accountant in order to help straighten out the mess of secret accounts and clandestine real estate holdings, but really sent by her French sisters to end the scourge of El Conde once and for all. Things get even more complicated (and bloody) than that.

The plot could get farcical in the wrong hands, but Larraín layers so much gloom and gore, the atmospheric high tension of a constant string-heavy soundtrack intermingled with the howling of ill winds, and extracts such a sinister performance from Jaime Vadell as the title character, that it remains macabre, unsettling and beguiling throughout — even into a somewhat flabby third act that is saved by the black-humored revelation of Pinochet’s actual lineage.

Truth is not only stranger than fiction, it’s often more horrible than horror, which El Conde deftly teases out through its satire — at turns somber and gleefully subversive — in one of the few truly creative retellings of the otherwise threadbare vampire genre as you’re likely to find.

El Conde airs on Netflix. Courtesy photo.

By Marcia Pilgeram Reader Columnist

I’m home from two weeks in sunny Spain, and just finished sorting all the bits of paper I came home with/gathered everywhere I went: menus, postcards, receipts, ticket stubs and maps. Once I separate the receipts that I can use for my taxes (deductible for my travel business), I put all the rest in a large plastic zip-type bag, date it and add to my vast collection. I have 30 years’ worth of these bags (including ones from train trips I used to oversee).

Though it might seem like an odd thing to collect, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve dug through those bags, putting me back in touch with someone I met or connecting a friend or client to a contact.

I found this ephemera-ofsorts especially valuable during the COVID-19 lockdown times, and reached out to many past connections in other countries to check on their well-being, rekindling some great relationships.

Plenty of wine-stained menus and folded paper place mats rest in these bags, too, and I can fondly recall nearly every meal. On this trip, in Toledo, Spain, one of my favorite meals was a bowl of Castilian soup (sopa Castellana), and I savored it to the last spoonful.

This traditional peasant’s soup originated in the Castile region and was a staple for the shepherds and farmers who spent long days herding sheep and swine and working endless hours tending field crops.

It’s a simple soup of rich broth flavored with ham and local paprika, garlic and onion, and lots of crusty bread. Just before

The Sandpoint Eater Soup’s on!

serving, it’s topped with an egg that cooks in the broth, adding some additional protein nourishment. It’s common to find bread as a mainstay ingredient in many soups (French onion, for example), and the first known concoction was “sop” — a primitive dish of liquid poured over slices of bread.

We do love our soup. Here in the U.S., we sip more than 10 billion bowls yearly, which sounds like a lot but doesn’t come close to China’s consumption of 320 billion bowls annually.

The origins of soup fascinate me, and some of the best soups we love today came from humble beginnings; leftover scraps and culled fish that weren’t worthy of markets were shared among fishermen for their suste-

nance in stews like Italian cioppino and French bouillabaisse. Soups can be served hot or cold, thick or thin. It’s been said that in the 1700s, a French king thought so highly of himself that he wanted his royal chefs to create a clear soup so he could see his reflection — and they obliged him with consommé.

Who knows when our ancient relatives heated the first pot of soup? We do know it goes back millenia. About 10 years ago, Chinese archaeologists uncovered a 2,000-yearold cauldron of soup that still contained liquid.

A few hundred years before that, the ancient Greek physician Hippocrates was also whipping up a soup with healing ingredients such as celery root, parsley root, garlic and root vegetables.

Personally, for therapeutic purposes, I still feel like you can’t beat a batch of homemade chicken noodle soup. Besides fixing what ails us, it’s pretty darn tasty.

Locally, you’ll find some great offerings of two or three choices on most restaurant menus. Interestingly, women tend to order soup twice as often as men. I tend to order soups that I don’t make for myself at home (over the past 20 years, I’m certain I’ve eaten my weight’s worth of Trinity’s crawfish and corn chowder).

Another of my personal favorites is tom yum gai. It’s a hot-and-sour soup that I first tried in Thailand; and, lucky for me, I discovered it’s served at many Thai restaurants around our region.

According to the travel guide, TasteAtlas, the best sour soup in the world is sinigang, a pork-based sour soup from the Philippines. The most common souring agent is unripe tamarind, but other fruits can be used to achieve the distinct sour taste of sinigang. I’ve yet to try it, but the quest to satisfy my culinary curiosity is real (I may be adding the Philippines to my bucket list).

For now, soup’s on at my house. I’m sticking with the delicious, rib-sticking sopa Castellana. It’s a perfect choice for the fall weather coming our way. Don’t forget the egg.

Come con gusto (“eat with gusto”)!

Sopa Castellana (Castilian soup)

Serves 6

Enjoy with a glass of wine.

INGREDIENTS: DIRECTIONS:

•¼ cup olive oil

•4 cloves garlic, peeled and quartered

•1 ½ quarts water

•4 oz cured ham, diced into small cubes

•2 to 3 slices day-old crusty French bread, cubed

•1 tbs sweet paprika

•6 large eggs — bring to room temperature

•Salt and pepper

•Chopped parsley

In a heavy deep sauce pan, heat the oil and add the garlic, cooking until the garlic is just soft. Lightly sauté the slices of bread in the garlic oil on both sides, remove from pan. Add the water and cubed ham, and sweet paprika. Cover and cook an hour or so, until broth is flavored (you can toss in a ham bone, too). While broth is cooking, cut bread into large cubes. Add salt and pepper as needed for flavor (may be salty enough from the ham).

Toss in the bread cubes and lightly stir.

Carefully break the eggs into a small dish before adding to the soup, one at a time. For best results: Break the eggs, one at a time, into a small dish and carefully slide them into the broth.

Cover without stirring and let the eggs cook in the soup, for approximately 3 minutes.

Once the eggs have the consistency you desire, with slotted spoon,

carefully place egg into soup bowls, and then slowly ladle the soup into each bowl.

To serve, top each bowl with fresh parsley.

MUSIC

The Whags, Eichardt’s Pub, Oct. 6

Fresh from releasing their debut album, Routine for Now, Seattle-based Americana jam five-piece The Whags will breeze into Sandpoint again to play Eichardt’s Pub at 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 6.

The Whags have captured the attention of the Seattle music scene with their unique, inviting sound, which blends groove-driven psychedelic jam,

Big Phatty

There are a number of Sandpoint bands that play the hits of the 1960s and ‘70s, but only a handful have the spirit and heart of Big Phatty and the Inhalers. Starting out as a trio with Steve Rush, Ali Thomas and Chris Paradis, the band first focused on playing Grateful Dead covers, but after bassist

harmony-laden Americana and a swirly improvisation of another era. The band’s open-minded approach to Americana, funk and sunshine pop gives both a friendly and accessible vibe to concertgoers, be it a large venue or a tiny dive bar.

This stop in Sandpoint is part of The Whags’ Mountain West Tour, with stops in Idaho,

Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Oregon.

— Ben Olson

7 p.m., FREE. Eichardt’s Pub, 212 Cedar St., 208-2634005, eichardtspub.com. Listen at thewhags.com.

The Whags will play Eichardt’s Oct. 6. Courtesy photo.

and the Inhalers, 219 Lounge, Oct. 7

Ken Donegan and lead guitarist Liam McCoy joined, the group shifted into high gear, playing a diverse mix of songs that touch on Jimi Hendrix, Cream, The Allman Brothers, The Beatles and more. Big Phatty also lays down some solid blues tracks from time to time.

“There’s a lot of magic

with this group,” Rush told the Reader. “Every single show is a thrill to me. That’s what has always kept me going.”

— Ben Olson

9-p.m.-midnight, FREE, 21+. 219 Lounge, 219 N. First Ave., 208-263-5673, 219.bar.

Big Phatty and the Inhalers will play 219 Lounge Oct. 7. Courtesy photo

Season passes now on sale for 2024 Festival at Sandpoint Summer Series

By Reader Staff

Though the snow has yet to fly and summer might seem as far away as it could be, the countdown to the Festival at Sandpoint’s 2024 Summer Performance Series has officially begun, with season passes on sale Oct. 1.

Passes to the 2024 concerts — which will take place at War Memorial Field from July 25 through Aug. 4 — cost $349 before taxes and fees, and provide Festival fans the opportunity to attend every

night of the Summer Performance Series at up to 40% off individually priced tickets.

Due to the limited quantity, the season pass badges are an exclusive deal, and when they are sold out, no more will be offered for that year’s Summer Series. The passes are reusable and transferable, with a single barcode that guests use to scan in each night.

Season passholders will not have individual tickets for each concert, and are also granted entry through the “Season Pass Gate” on

the lakeside of the venue — which is much shorter and therefore quicker — than the General Admission Gate.

However, season passholders are unable to upgrade their badge admission to early entry. For early access to concerts, possible tax deductions and other series benefits, consider becoming a season sponsor of the nonprofit organization.

Before purchasing a season pass, concert organizers underscored that customers should be aware of all of the Festival at

Sandpoint’s venue policies and procedures, which can be found at festivalatsandpoint.com/policies. One important update for customers to note is that all glass is prohibited inside the venue. Security measures, policies and procedures are subject to change at the artists’ discretion.

Visit festivalatsandpoint.com/ season-pass to learn more about 2024 season passes and purchase yours today.

A snapshot of notable live music coming up in Sandpoint

Fern Spores, 219 Lounge, Oct. 6 Bright Moments, The Back Door, Oct. 7

Northwest Americana band Fern Spores blends blues ballads with wistful folk songs, finishing it off with gritty pop hooks. Based in Olympia, Wash., Fern Spores features Alyssa Nunke on lead vocals, guitar and lyrics (you might know Alyssa’s dad, Mike, as a sound engineer around Sandpoint), Chris Zikeli on percussion, bass and backing vocals, and Jake Kovats on lead guitar and backing vocals.

Fern Spores channels many

influences, including Janis Joplin, Shakey Graves, Fleetwood Mac and Alabama Shakes, to name a few. Meanwhile, bold yet vulnerable lyricism is wrapped in soaring melodies, moody guitar and a driving rhythm that will keep you entertained.

—

Ben Olson

Friday, Oct. 6, 9 p.m.-midnight, FREE, 21+. 219 Lounge, 219 N. First Ave., 208-263-5673, 219.bar. Listen at fernspores.com.

If you’ve spent more than 10 minutes in Sandpoint, you’ll recognize the upbeat jazz stylings of local favorite Bright Moments. The group has been together for more than 30 years and its members know one another so well they can perform new songs perfectly without practicing, according to leader Arthur Goldblum.

“We don’t have a setlist — I just feel the energy of the crowd, my guys and myself,” he said. “All that matters is spreading positivity and love through music.”

Bright Moments blends traditional jazz with Latin and reggae influences, and tailors their performances to each audience — playing in the moment but staying grounded in their shared passion for music. Head to The Back Door for a night of good vibes and better music.

—

Soncirey Mitchell

7-9 p.m., FREE. The Back Door, lower level, 111 Cedar St., 208-229-8377, facebook.com/ brightmomentssandpoint.

The sixth-grader in my house suggested I check out The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak, which tells the story of Liesel Meminger, a young girl living with a foster family in Nazi Germany. Liesel steals her first book at her brother’s funeral — a gravedigger’s handbook — which captures the interest of Death itself, who narrates the story as Liesel steals books being suppressed by the Nazis and tries to keep the secret of the Jewish man being harbored in her foster home. It’s perfect reading for Banned Books Week.

READ LISTEN

I know I’ve already recommended the YouTube channel HorrorBabble , but ’tis the season for exactly the kinds of creepy stories narrated by host Ian Gordon. Most recently, the channel posted a whopping 16 vampiric tales clocking in at 10 hours and 51 minutes. None of them are more recently published than 1939, one is as old as 1884 and Bram Stoker’s name does not appear among the authors. This is the real stuff. Listen for free on YouTube.

WATCH

Even as a 10-year-old in 1990, I knew enough to feel a little embarrassed about the Time-Life UFO book that I kept checking out from the library. Not so much anymore — at least not since U.S. government officials have confirmed that “unidentified anomalous phenomena” actually exist. Now, it’s possible to be a little more serious about the subject. One such “little more serious” attempt is Encounters, a 2023 mini-series by Amblin Television, Boardwalk Pictures and Vice Studios that tells true-life UFO tales with more than average legitimacy.

This week’s RLW by Zach Hagadone

From Northern Idaho News, October 4, 1910 CITY TO FATHER

LIBRARY PROJECT

The matter of providing funds for the maintenance of the Sandpoint Public library occupied a considerable portion of a short session of the city council last evening. R.H. McMillan, representing the library committee informed the council that unless the city was willing to contribute to the library fund to the extent of about $30 per month the institution would have to be abandoned. Mr. McMillan stated that the regular patrons of the reading room and library contributed each month in the neighborhood of $4.00 for rental of books; that the expenses of running the library was about $35 per month.

The reading room seems to have a much larger patronage than the library as there is no cost to this privilege whatever. Mr. McMillan further stated that he would practically guarantee that the library would be made free to all citizens of the city without even rental charges on books taken out should the city see fit to make the monthly appropriation asked. At the present time the library committee are negotiating for better quarters which will be located in a ground floor.

Members of the council expressed themselves as not wishing to see the library project dropped on account of the want of funds and that the city of Sandpoint was large enough to support an institution of this kind. The mayor finally ordered that the finance committee meet in conjunction with the library committee and come to some agreement as to the management of the library in the future. 22

Altered perspective

Gaining a new appreciation for our landscapes — from the air

By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff

The last time I went up in a small aircraft from the Sandpoint Airport had to have been sometime between 2001 and 2002. A high-school friend of mine was working on his pilot’s license at the time and I was visiting home with a college pal.

My high-school friend took us on a jaunt out over the water, and, somewhere between the Long Bridge and the train bridge, turned to me and asked through the headset if I’d ever heard of a hyperbolic arc. Of course I hadn’t, and he smiled when he told me to hold a pen in my upturned palms.

“Keep an eye on the pen and don’t close your hands,” he instructed.

At that point, he pulled back on the controls and the four-seat Cessna started a sickening climb seemingly straight into the sky. Finally, I heard him say in a staticky voice, “OK, here we go.”

He pushed in the stick and the roar of the engine felt like it was coming from my chest. My view from the front windscreen shifted from the blue of the sky to the blue of the lake, the latter which came racing at me like the end of time, and I heard my friend yelling at me to look at the pen.

I forced myself to look away from the water seeming to careen upward at me and toward my somehow-still open hands. The pen hovered in space as we hit zero gravity.

That was cool for an indeterminate moment in time, until our pilot-in-training pulled out of the dive in a bowel-quaking maneuver that solidified my lifelong hatred of roller coasters. Then we were suddenly cruising peacefully with a panoramic view of the Selkirks ahead and Gold Hill to our right.

This experience may account for why I hadn’t been in a small-engine plane until a recent Monday morning, when I took part

in an airborne excursion with EcoFlight, a company based in Aspen, Colo., that provides flights over landscapes around the country that are under environmental threat or in need of protection. As EcoFlight states, putting stakeholders on board a plane offers a “platform for conversation to happen in order to find solutions.” That is truth in advertising.

In this case, the Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness partnered with EcoFlight to make three flights from Sandpoint to the 88,000 rugged acres on the Idaho-Montana border that FSPW has been working for years to see designated by Congress as a protected wilderness area. The passengers included local officials, media representatives and members of FSPW — and my 11-year-old son.

I’ve written about the Scotchman Peaks a number of times for a number of publications for more than a dozen years, and even made the summit of Scotchman Peak in October 2011 (alongside my wife, who was then about four months pregnant with that very same now-11-year-old), but seeing the proposed wilderness from the air gave me a fresh perspective on just how vast, untouched and truly dramatic it is. As well as how precious that is, especially considering the amount of development that we saw occurring — and that has occurred — in the Selle Valley and along our lakeshore. That EcoFlight and FSPW allowed me to bring my son along for the ride also added to the experience, seeing his excitement and wonder as he got to know his own backyard from a new angle and gain a deeper appreciation for the landscapes that surround him.

Political, economic and cultural complexities abound in the Scotchmans, but riding in the plane the other day reinforced for me that altering our physical perspectives can have a profound effect on our mental perspectives.

My son was grateful for the opportuni-

Sudoku Solution STR8TS Solution

ty — though not as grateful when I made him write a short report on it, since I let him miss school that day — and, among other things, I was grateful for the lack of parabolic arcs.

I don’t pretend to have all the answers. I don’t pretend to even know what the questions are. Hey, where am I?

An aerial photo looking south down the Byway and Sand Creek in Sandpoint. Photo by Zach Hagadone.

Solution on page 22

Laughing Matter

By Bill Borders

CROSSWORD

ACROSS

Solution on page 22

panoply /păn-UH-plē/

Word Week of the

[noun]

1. An impressive or striking array or arrangement

“The sailboat left the harbor flying a panoply of bright flags.”

Corrections: Eagle-eyed readers might have noticed we time traveled 10 years into the future on our cover last week because I wrote that we’re in our 30th volume. We’re really at Vol. 20. Rest assured, we’re back in good ol’ 2023 now. — BO