BAIL REDUCTION DENIED, ARRAIGNMENT SCHEDULED IN RAMEY KILLING • BOISE-BASED GUN GROUP TO HOLD OFF ON SANDPOINT LAWSUIT • FOR NOW • SANDPOINT P&Z GREENLIGHTS CEDAR STREET APT. COMPLEX, WITH CONDITIONS • SHAWN KEOUGH ,lOINS IDAHO BOARD OF ED. AND MORE INSIDE ••• ,,....."'.',-T •· 'J; ;.•.!'., •-JIJ-.�� ~
,n��s�•s:�""- .• ·�,;�>
2 /
R
/ October 3, 2019
(wo)MAN compiled by
Susan Drinkard
on the street
How did the weekend’s windstorm impact you and your family? Emotionally, I was affected by the homeless people I know who are living in tents. I took sleeping bags, tarps, clothing and toiletries to them. One of them has found a place to sleep, but the other one is still in a tent.” Joanie Counselor, minister, Reiki master Sandpoint
“What windstorm?” Graham Richards BYU Idaho Sandpoint
DEAR READERS,
Don’t lose your heads, gentle readers, winter is not here. Yet. Weather forecasts predict temperatures ranging from lows in the 30s to highs in the 60s for the next week or two, with some rain and some sun, but mostly cloudy. In other words, regular ol’ fall weather. But, most projections call for a colder, wetter winter, so be prepared. It’s been just over a month since construction began along First Avenue and Cedar Street in downtown Sandpoint, which means we’re a third of the way through it. To help ease the impact of construction on downtown businesses, the Sandpoint Shopping District is throwing a First Friday Event, with live music, children’s games, raffle tickets to win prizes, as well as snacks and sips from local restaurants. The event runs from 4-7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 4 at participating businesses. There’s also an after-party at Pend d’Oreille Winery from 7-9 p.m., where ticketholders can find out if they won the grand prize, as well as listen to live music and check out an art reception. Can’t make it to First Friday? Just snap a photo of yourself supporting a retailer affected by construction and send it to my email. Surprises will await you.
-Ben Olson, Publisher
READER 111 Cedar Street, Suite 9 Sandpoint, ID 83864 (208)265-9724
www.sandpointreader.com Publisher: Ben Olson ben@sandpointreader.com Editorial: Zach Hagadone zach@sandpointreader.com Lyndsie Kiebert lyndsie@sandpointreader.com Cameron Rasmusson (editor-at-large) John Reuter (emeritus) Advertising: Jodi Berge Jodi@sandpointreader.com Contributing Artists: Zach Hagadone (cover), Ben Olson, Susan Drinkard, Bill Borders, Schweitzer Mountain Resort, Marie-Dominique Verdier, Lyndsie Kiebert. Contributing Writers: Zach Hagadone, Ben Olson, Lyndsie Kiebert, Christine Holbert, Emily Erickson, Brenden Bobby, Steve Klatt, Jim Healey, Jason Welker. Submit stories to: stories@sandpointreader.com Printed weekly at: Tribune Publishing Co. Lewiston, ID
“We didn’t get any wind in Naples, but we are off grid so we would not have been impacted by downed power lines. We did get three inches of snow and we love the snow!” Rhela Leen Administration at North Idaho Community Mental Health Naples “It blew down branches around town, but mostly it was cold and wet in Dover, a sad harbinger of the winter to come. Think snow for Schweitzer!” George Eskridge Former Idaho legislator Dover “We have been logging our property and there was only one day — Saturday — when we couldn’t work because the trees were moving too much at the top; we weren’t sure where they would fall.” Heather Lowman School aide Samuels
Subscription Price: $115 per year Web Content: Keokee The Sandpoint Reader is a weekly publication owned and operated by Ben Olson and Keokee. It is devoted to the arts, entertainment, politics and lifestyle in and around Sandpoint, Idaho. We hope to provide a quality alternative by offering honest, in-depth reporting that reflects the intelligence and interests of our diverse and growing community. The Reader is printed on recycled paper using soy-based ink. Leftover copies are collected and recycled weekly, or burned in massive bonfires to appease the gods of journalism. Free to all, limit two copies per person.
Sandpoint Reader letter policy: The Sandpoint Reader welcomes letters to the editor on all topics. Requirements: –No more than 400 words –Letters may not contain excessive profanity or libelous material. Please elevate the discussion. Letters will be edited to comply with the above requirements. Opinions expressed in these pages are those of the writers, not necessarily the publishers. Email letters to: letters@sandpointreader.com Check us out on the web at: www.sandpointreader.com Like us on Facebook. About the Cover This week’s cover features a big ol’ bin of heads at the Bricks & Minifigs Lego store in Canby, Ore. Photo by Zach Hagadaone.
October 3, 2019 /
R
/ 3
NEWS
Bail reduction denied, arraignment scheduled in Ramey killing By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff In a preliminary hearing Oct. 2, prosecuting attorneys presented evidence to Idaho First District Magistrate Judge Justin Julian alleging Judith Carpenter, 57, of Coeur d’Alene, murdered Hope woman Shirley Ramey on April 5, 2017. Julian ruled that the state had provided sufficient evidence that the case for first degree murder and robbery be taken to trial, while also denying a request to lower Carpenter’s bond from $1 million to $500,000 or less. Carpenter’s arraignment is scheduled for 9 a.m., Monday, Oct. 21 at the Bonner County Courthouse in Sandpoint. Several witnesses took the stand at the preliminary hearing, including Ramey’s husband, Daryl. The state asked Ramey about his whereabouts the day his wife was killed. He recounted an average Wednesday: leaving his home on Trestle Creek Road in Hope around 11 a.m. to get lunch and play cards with friends. Ramey said upon returning home around 5 p.m., he immediately knew something was wrong when he saw the sliding glass door of his home ajar. Just inside, his wife lay dead with two bullet wounds to the head. Ramey immediately called 911 and waited about 20 minutes for first responders to arrive. When asked whether he stayed with his 79-year-old wife while waiting, Ramey replied, “Yes. I held her hand.” Prosecutors also called to the stand Bonner County Sheriff’s Detective Matthew Wallace, who was among the first detectives on the scene. He said there didn’t appear to be any signs of struggle or burglary. “We were looking for open drawers, disturbed items,” Wallace said. “The house appeared to be undisturbed.” Later, Ramey would discover a Savage Model 99 rifle had gone 4 /
R
/ October 3, 2019
The booking photo of Judith Carpenter, 57. Courtesy BCSO. missing from his home, but that his wife’s jewelry, purse and other valuables remained where they’d been when he left. Wallace said he and his team obtained two bullet casings from a 9-millimeter pistol at the scene and two more about half a mile down the road at a camp trailer owned by Nathan Utt. Though Utt was an initial suspect in the homicide, BCSO determined he was out of state at the time. The same day as the Ramey homicide, Carpenter was arrested in Libby, Mont. in an apparently unrelated road rage incident in which she flashed a pistol at another driver on Highway 56. Lincoln County Sheriff’s Captain Bo Pitman, who received the call from the distressed driver, made initial contact with Carpenter. He described her demeanor as “delusional” and ultimately charged her with assault with a weapon and requested a mental health evaluation. Carpenter received a pretrial diversion — an alternative to prosecution that moves an offender from the traditional justice system and into programs facilitated by the U.S. Probation Service — and spent time at a Montana state hospital. In her car at the time of the Libby arrest, Lincoln County officers recovered the Glock Model 19 9mm pistol Carpenter had used to threaten the motorist, as well as a Savage Model 99 rifle. Both guns remained in LCSO custody until earlier this year, when ATF officials asked region-
al law enforcement agencies to test fire all 9mm pistols in their possession. The National Integrated Ballistic Information Network system then matched casings from Carpenter’s test-fired Glock with those found at the scene of Shirley Ramey’s killing. When asked by LCSO about the rifle in 2017, Carpenter said she found it on the side of Highway 56. When the lead detective on the case, Bonner County Detective Phil Stella, asked Carpenter again about the gun in the spring of 2019, she recalled finding it near Trestle Creek Road in Hope, according to a probable cause affidavit made available following her Aug. 1 arrest. Though LCSO ran the rifle’s serial number through the National Crime Information Center missing weapons database on April 5, 2017, no result would have shown until April 13 of that year, when Stella said Ramey recovered the rifle’s serial number and relayed it to law enforcement.
Prosecutors at the Oct. 2 hearing called Stella to the stand to explain where his research placed Carpenter throughout the day of the alleged murder. He said Carpenter made several 911 calls that morning from her residence in Kootenai County, reporting that there was “someone in her house.” Records place Carpenter’s phone in Sagle at 11:28 a.m. that day and in Libby at 3:10 p.m. (PST) — just as Lincoln County deputies took her into custody. Stella said the timeline places Carpenter in Hope between noon and 1:30 p.m. Stuart Jacobson, a forensic scientist and ballistics specialist with the Idaho State Police, testified that the markings on the casings from the alleged murder scene matched the markings on the casings he test fired from Carpenter’s gun. Bonner County authorities sent DNA evidence from the guns and scene to the state crime lab, but it has not yet been processed. In their closing argument, Car-
penter’s defense attorneys alleged that no concrete evidence placed their client at the Ramey home the day of the alleged murder and focused on the lack of a clear motive or connection between the women. “Even if she was placed at the scene, there’s no evidence of what happened,” said attorney Joseph Sullivan. “All they’ve proved is that she was in possession of the rifle later in the day.” Prosecutors alleged that Carpenter walked up to the Rameys’ sliding glass door with her Glock in hand, and evidence shows “that the kill shot came from her gun.” Regarding the robbery charge, prosecutors pointed to evidence that Carpenter “went into someone’s house and came out with their property.” Julian commended both legal teams for good work on a “complex” case, and noted that the law does not require proof of motive. “The evidence paints a strong picture of what happened,” he said.
Boise-based gun group to hold off on Sandpoint lawsuit — for now By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff Amid an early-season blast of winter weather Sept. 28, attendees at the Sandpoint stop of the Idaho Second Amendment Alliance “Freedom Tour” gathered inside the Eagle’s Lodge off Baldy Mountain Road to hear ISAA President Greg Pruett speak on the political forces that he said are “stabbing you in the back on gun rights.” One of 11 stops around the state, the Sandpoint installment of the tour had the added significance of taking place as the city faces a lawsuit filed late last month by Bonner County over the Festival at Sandpoint’s firearms prohibition. The county alleges the city has no right under Idaho law to bar firearms from public property,
thus it can’t transfer that right to the Festival, which leases the city-owned War Memorial Field for two weeks each August. Pruett has repeatedly made the same argument, including earlier in September when he announced that Boise-based ISAA was also working up to file suit over the Festival gun ban. That’s on hold for now, as ISAA is waiting to see how the county’s suit is resolved. In an exchange of emails with the Sandpoint Reader in the days following the Sandpoint event, Pruett wrote that ISAA had planned legal action before knowing how the county intended to proceed with the issue. In the meantime, the organization raised more than $10,000 to retain a lawyer. “Once the county filed suit (we had already raised the money) we waited to see what
their suit would look like,” Pruett wrote, adding that ISAA is working with the national gun rights group Second Amendment Foundation. “After the county filed suit our lawyers and the lawyers with the SAF looked it over extensively and informed us that the county has an excellent suit filed,” he wrote. “The attorneys for both organizations felt it was best at this point to help the county via an amicus brief and other efforts.” ISAA is now using some of the money it raised to pay its lawyers to draft a pair of letters to the Festival and the city. “If the county capitulates to the city or if the county suit fails, then ISAA/SAF will file in Federal Court,” Pruett told the Reader, later adding, “the Federal Court has different implications and different avenues that we can use over a state court.”
NEWS
Smelter sees progress as rezone appeal is denied By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff The proposed PacWest silicon smelter in Newport, Wash., made strides last week as the Pend Oreille County hearing examiner struck down an appeal from anti-smelter group Responsible Growth*Northeast Washington. The group had attempted to overturn an earlier decision eliminating the “Public Lands” zone classification from county code and replacing it with “Public/Institutional Uses.” The rezone — proposed in the form of the zoning code amendment — broadened the uses allowed on those lands. “We look at ourselves as patient landowners in the area waiting for some of the local issues to be resolved,” PacWest President Jason Tymko told The Spokesman-Review. “For us, the largest [issue] is the zoning.” Anti-smelter groups are opti-
mistic that more can be done to stop PacWest. “While we are disappointed with the county’s decision, we remain committed to taking whatever action is necessary to ensure that the county follows the law and that the smelter is not built in our community,” RG*NEW co-chair Phyllis Kardos told the Spokesman. The rezone prompted a contentious public hearing May 22 at Newport High School, which drew about 200 attendees as county commissioners reconsidered the local planning and zoning commission’s rejection of the planning amendment, which stated “there is no mechanism … to allow for rezoning upon the transfer of the [public] property to a private entity,” adding that properties sold by a public entity to a private one “are heavily restricted when it comes to allowable uses.” Representatives from RG*NEW and Citizens Against
the Newport Silicon Smelter came out in force to the May hearing, alleging the code amendment would pave the way for the smelter because more uses would be allowed on PacWest’s land, which was previously zoned “Public Lands.” Other community members vouched for the amendment,
encouraging commissioners to approve it in order to generate more tax revenue from new developments. Several others said they bought property zoned as “Public Lands” anticipating that a rezone would happen and allow them to build homes. County commissioners maintained that the rezone had nothing
Members of the audience applaud a speaker’s point at a May 22 meeting at Newport High School. Courtesy photo.
to do with the smelter, as several other properties would also be impacted by the change.
Sandpoint P&Z greenlights Ridge at Cedar St. apartments, with conditions By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff Sandpoint Planning and Zoning commissioners unanimously approved a three-story, 15-unit multi-family development on the 1700 block of Cedar at their regular meeting Oct. 1, albeit with some conditions. The Ridge at Cedar Street apartments, proposed by Haydenbased Cedar Street Investments LLC, can now go forward with the stipulation that the developer and city staff negotiate on how to lessen the bulk, mass and scale of the project — a move intended to reduce the visual impact on the surrounding neighborhood, which is comprised primarily of single-level, single-family homes. The other condition put in place by commissioners — and one recommended by Sandpoint City Planner Aaron Qualls — is to require that the developer construct a six-foot masonry fence
along the eastern and southern boundaries of the property in order to cut down on noise and light pollution. The Ridge at Cedar Street apartments drew strong opposing testimony from dozens of neighbors the first time it came before commissioners on Sept. 3 — so much so that P&Z tabled its deliberations until City Attorney Will Harrington could weigh in on the legality of outright rejecting the conditional use permit. “I think that your job is to make sure that the project fits in with the zoning codes of the city, and that’s what the conditional use permit power is — not to approve or deny the project, it’s to limit the project if it is not in conformance with the provisions of City Code,” Harrington told commissioners at the Oct. 1 meeting. “The zoning is appropriate, and my desire is to not have the city in a position where the property owner can say, ‘You’re taking my property rights by not allowing
me to develop my property to the extent that the zoning code allows me to develop.’” Though they approved the conditional use permit, some commissioners echoed earlier concerns voiced by neighboring residents that the apartment complex would add undue stress to an already overtaxed section of Cedar Street. Qualls agreed that “there are certainly issues, particularly on
Cedar where it does neck down and is deficient.” However, the size of the project — which will bring with it a projected 150 vehicle trips per day — didn’t meet the threshold to trigger a traffic study. That said, Qualls added, the city is sure to address Cedar Street and the section in question running west from Division Street during its transportation master planning process, which is
An artist’s rendering of the proposed The Ridge at Cedar St. development. Image courtesy of city of Sandpoint. currently getting under way. “I think it’s safe to say it will be given a lot of detail,” he said. “We are not ignoring that; we know it’s an issue.” The decision is final unless appealed by neighbors or the developer, in which case it would move to the Sandpoint City Council for consideration. October 3, 2019 /
R
/ 5
NEWS
Early winter storm brings snow and outages By Ben Olson Reader Staff An early bout of winter weather on Sept. 28-29 dumped snow in the mountains and caused thousands of power outages in the Inland Northwest. Kim Vollen, communications coordinator with Avista, reported approximately 13,359 customers experienced weather-related power outages across the utility’s service territory in the Inland Northwest. “The storm hit our Sandpoint service territory first — and with the most significant impact,” Vollen wrote to the Reader. Vollen said snowfall and heavy wind damaged power pole equipment, with entire poles and cross arms broken, fuses blown and insulators damaged. “Approximately 2,713 Avista electric customers in Bonner County experienced a power outage,” Vollen confirmed. Power in the region had been restored to nearly all customers by approximately 8:15 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 29, Vollen wrote. Northern Lights Assistant General Manager Jeff Van Stone said there were 2,000 outages “at the most,” located in Sandpoint, Sagle, Priest Lake and some into Montana. “I’d say Sandpoint and Sagle got hit the hardest,” Van Stone said. “Our guys worked around the clock and had everyone back on by Sunday.” According to the National Weather Service, temperatures recorded Sept. 29 were about 40 degrees lower than average for this time of year. Snow is not unheard of in September, but fairly uncommon in this area, the agency stated. The winter storm broke heavily on Great Falls, Mont., where up to four feet of snow fell in the mountains and prompted a Sept. 28 winter storm emergency declaration from Montana Gov. Steve Bullock. It was the second-highest twoday snow total on record for Great Falls, surpassing a record set in 1937. The snowfall was quite a bit less in Bonner and Boundary counties, with Schweitzer Mountain reporting “several inches” falling in the village. The Inland Northwest Weather Blog 6 /
R
/ October 3, 2019
The snow at Schweitzer’s village Saturday, Sept. 28. Photo courtesy SMR. reported that “only a few cases since 1900 have set up like this one so early in the season. This pattern during the winter months is common, but late September is not.” Bonner County Road and Bridge Director Steve Klatt said the storm felled trees and closed roads throughout the area. “We started with our first call of an outage at 5:30 in the morning [Sept. 29] on Talache Road, which quickly escalated from one guy out to four guys out, to eight guys out,” Klatt said. “At times we had trees and power lines down across Mountain View Road, Baldy Road, Lakeshore Drive, Bottle Bay Road, Garfield Bay, Sagle in two or three spots. Other than that it was pretty calm.” Klatt said the area south of the Long Bridge bore the brunt of the storm, with road closures and power outages affecting residents until Sunday in some cases. “We had EMS, sheriff’s [officials], the fire department, the city all reporting,” Klatt said. “It was quite a storm. Even I had to come in and grab my work rig and put a chainsaw in my hand up on Baldy for a while to chip in a little and show the guys that even an old man can run a chainsaw.”
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: A severe allergy to products such as meat, dairy, wool and gelatin has been linked to tick bites. It’s becoming more widespread in the nation’s Southeast, according to mosaicscience.com. The little-known condition can result in doctors testing for asthma, heart conditions and tumors, when they should be ordering a blood test that checks the immune system’s reaction to mammalian meat. Swansea University in the U.K. studied people from Eastern and Western societies about what they want in a lifetime mate. Top pick: kindness. Last year, an 8-year-old girl from Mexico, Xóchitl Guadalupe Cruz López, was honored for inventing a solar water heater from all recycled parts. López said she was inspired to create her water heater since people in her region are vulnerable to respiratory illnesses when they have to shower in cold water. If trends continue, 80% of the planet’s fisheries will be in deep trouble by 2030, according to the Environmental Defense Fund. Almost half the Earth’s people rely on fish for protein, but peer-reviewed research shows that using the right fish management policies can result in an increase in fish populations by nearly 1/3 by 2100 — despite ocean warming. Update for the stethoscope: it looks like a small TV remote but it can record heart sounds as well as electrical signals. The $349 Duo also records data to a mobile app, The Wall Street Journal reports. Carbon pricing is gaining popularity in the business sector, according to Ceres, a nonprofit that promotes sustainable economies. This year, more than 75 businesses, including eBay, General Mills, Gap, Levi’s, Nike, Mars Inc., Microsoft and PepsiCo advocated for climate legislation in the nation’s capital. It has not escaped CEOs’ notice that climate change has led to disasters like wildfires, drought, floods and storms that impact infrastructure and create $300 billion a year in unnecessary costs. Ceres explains carbon pricing: a government fee that increases over time on carbon pollution and greenhouse gases, intended to provide incentives for bringing down emissions while addressing costs from emissions that emitters don’t pay for. A Gallup poll found 71% surveyed favor a carbon tax on fossil fuel companies and want the revenue generated to reduce other taxes.
By Lorraine H. Marie Reader Columnist
The world’s four largest garment exporters are China, India, Bangladesh and Vietnam. Oxfam reports that wages for Vietnamese laborers, who work six days a week, are often less than $1 an hour (U.S.) Reward work, not wealth, an Oxfam report, explains that Vietnamese parents typically move to industrial areas without their children and send money home to them, but rarely can afford to visit them. More than 3.5 hours of TV viewing a day can lead to memory loss in older people, according to a U.K study. Tests were conducted with two different groups on 3,662 adults ages 50 and older. Those who watched their sets for more than 3.5 hours each day showed an 8% to 10% decline in verbal memory. Those who watched less than that showed a 5% decline. Speculation as to causes of the decline included the TV distracting them from activities that preserve mental function (like reading) or cognitive stress from show content. After suspending bee data collection, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has resumed its research, according to CNN. Data tracked: colony collapse disorder, impacts of climate change and toxic pesticides. Make a deal? Newsweek reports that President Donald Trump may want to resign rather than face indictment and impeachment. That resignation would likely include a deal to protect himself, his wealth and his family from legal action. Trump has tweeted that if he’s impeached it could trigger civil war-like conditions. Harvard law professor John Coates’ comment: “A sitting president threatening civil war if Congress exercises its constitutionally authorized power” is cause for impeachment by itself. Blast from the past: “Before the Freedom of Information Act I used to say, ‘The illegal we do immediately. The unconstitutional takes a bit longer.’” That quote is attributed to Henry Kissinger, who said it was spoken in jest, in March of 1975. Kissinger served as U.S. secretary of state and national security adviser under President Richard Nixon, and as secretary of state under President Gerald Ford. The FOIA was enacted July 4, 1966 and required the disclosure of previously unreleased federal information, with the intent that decisions made by the government should be evaluated by citizens.
PERSPECTIVES
A history of conflict
How Ukraine’s bloody past informs its tumultuous present
By Christine Holbert Reader Contributor I recently spent six weeks in Ukraine, visiting family, traveling and promoting the new Lost Horse Press Contemporary Ukrainian Poetry Series at the Lviv Book Forum and elsewhere. That part of my trip was terrific: Spending time with family with whom I had reconnected last summer was heady and emotional and truly wonderful. Visiting the Carpathian Mountains — having time to hike and explore them — was inspiring, as were all the historic, cultural and artistic places we traveled to. One of the highlights of these explorations was attending a Hutsul festival. The Hutsuls are a tribe of Ukrainians who live deep in the Carpathians and retain most of their ancient cultural and folk knowledge as they are less affected by the modern world in their isolated corner of the mountains. Promoting the Lost Horse Press books — and witnessing the astounding reception they received everywhere — was gratifying. To know that one’s work is appreciated and loved in one’s ancestral home is significant indeed. The largest bookstore chain in Ukraine now carries the Lost Horse Press translation titles, all over Ukraine. But while I was happily roaming the western part of Ukraine with my family and touting books at various poetry events and the Lviv Book Forum, a war simmered in the east, in Donbas. As you read these words, Ukrainian troops remain entrenched along a 250-mile-long front in Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region. There, Ukraine’s military continues to fight a trench war against a combined force of pro-Russian separatists, foreign mercenaries and Russian regulars. At least one Ukrainian soldier still dies in combat every three days. Civilians are still dying, too. So far, the war has killed more than 13,000 Ukrainians — roughly half that number died after the Minsk II ceasefire went into effect in February 2015. With 1.7 million people who still can’t go home due to the conflict, who are internally displaced, Europe’s only ongoing land war is also the continent’s biggest humanitarian crisis. In 1918, as the communists started starving the Russian and Ukrainian people into submission, the Americans reported it as a crop failure and famine. In 1932, the Americans ignored their murderous Russian allies’ implementation of the Holodomor (“death by starvation”) and called it “internal strife.”
Up to 10 million Ukrainians died of starvation during 1932-1933 — even though Ukraine was, and still is, known as the “breadbasket of the world” because of its agricultural opulence. Meanwhile, Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin moved Russian peasants into the Ukrainian villages to take their place. Now Russian President Vladimir Putin says he needs to “save” Russian-speaking peasants in eastern Ukraine, but Stalin is the one who placed them there. In May 1945, the Americans and British sold Ukraine and 26 former free countries into communist slavery because their World War II ally Stalin wanted complete control of eastern Europe. In the latter part of the 20th century, Ukraine possessed the third-largest nuclear arsenal in the world yet, at the urging of U.S. President Bill Clinton (along with Britain and Russia), the country agreed in 1994 to give up its nuclear armament on the promises of “protection” by the West and its formerly Soviet neighbors. But, when Russia invaded Donbas, stole Crimea and continues to this day to wage a simmering war, no help arrived. It seems Americans don’t really understand what is happening in Ukraine now, why it’s happening and how events in the past have resulted in today’s outcomes. Related to that, the recently released whistleblower complaint is mind-blowing. There was a concerted effort to signal to the newly-elected president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, that a meeting with Trump — that was supposedly so crucial to the new president — and any further communication with or support to Ukraine regarding its struggle against Russian aggression depended directly on Zelensky’s willingness “to play ball” (Trump’s quote). These actions also included the recall of U.S. Vice President Mike Pence from participating in Zelensky’s inauguration (which was apparently agreed upon); pressure from Trump’s personal attorney Rudy Giuliani, who described people around Zelensky as “enemies of the president and of the U.S.”; and a campaign against the honest and hardworking U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, Marie Yovanovitch, who was recalled after a smear campaign organized by Giuliani and politicians in Ukraine who were primarily interested in their own political survival after the change in leadership. Trump went so far as to suggest to Zelenesky that he retain the very prosecutor general that shared libelous and false information with Giuliani about alleged Ukrainian interference in the 2016 U.S.
elections (a complete hoax and conspiracy theory, by the way) and about the supposed pressure from current U.S. presidential candidate and former-Vice President Joe Biden to fire then-Prosecutor General Viktor Shokin primarily because of the supposed investigation into the gas and oil company on whose board his son, Hunter, sat. The Biden-Shokin story is also untrue, because the latter was sacked by Ukraine’s Parliament following widespread condemnation both at home and abroad of his stalling
The author’s cousin Ruslan Koval is a commando of a volunteer group fighting in Donbas. Photo by Christine Holbert. investigations into corruption and crimes against the protesters during Ukraine’s Maidan revolution in 2014, which ousted President Viktor Yanukovych. All this is much, much worse and damaging than I had imagined. I don’t know if the Republicans will be able to justify their inaction in the impeachment inquiry once this and other relevant information is in the open.
Laughing Matter
By Bill Borders
October 3, 2019 /
R
/ 7
Elections have consequences, let’s make them positive...
Bouquets: • Zach and I both covered the gun rally held by the Idaho Second Amendment Alliance on Sept. 28 in Sandpoint. While at the hour-long talk, ISAA President Greg Pruett had plenty of disparaging things to say about the media, including calling this newspaper’s coverage prior to the event a “hit piece.” I was disappointed to see this room full of residents groan, boo and shake their heads when we stood and announced we were from the Reader. There was one man, however, who made a point of shaking our hands after the meeting and thanking us for attending. This man deserves a bouquet, since he was the only person in the room to show any respect to the media for doing its job. Thank you. Barbs: • I feel rotten writing this, because I have always been a fervent supporter of the Panida Theater. However, the fact that this beloved historic theater allowed comic Owen Benjamin to perform his act on stage was wrong. Benjamin was banned from Twitter in 2018 and has seen his career implode the past couple years after a series of his racist and inappropriate tweets crossed the line between “funny” and unironically hateful. Benjamin called a fellow comic’s mom the n-word, has denied the Holocaust and written anti-Semitic sentiments — just to name a few instances. I’m a firm believer in the First Amendment, but I refuse to give racists and other people who act in bad faith a platform or megaphone to amplify their message of hate — whether or not they label that hate “comedy.” We heard reports that Benjamin’s show was well-attended, albeit “boring and vulgar,” as one attendee noted. We also heard there were no outwardly racist references made on stage, which is good to hear, but it still doesn’t excuse the fact that nothing was done to push back against this comedian’s inappropriate past statements and actions. 8 /
R
/ October 3, 2019
It’s once again election time in Sandpoint. Our lifestyle and social environment are determined by who we, as a community, elect to represent us. Although the national and state elections often take the vast majority of media time, our local elections have a great deal of importance. I have done my research and will vote for Shannon Williamson as mayor of Sandpoint. I have known Shannon for seven years and found her to be moderate in her approach to governance and mindful of the importance of fiscal responsibility. She is currently serving as the president of the Sandpoint City Council. I have been a candidate for political office in the past and have always appreciated those that voted for me. It made me proud that you had confidence in me. Please, have confidence in me this election when I ask you to vote for Shannon. I take supporting a candidate very seriously and would not do so unless I was very confident in that person and their ability to lead. You can contact Shannon at shannonforsandpoint.com. Bill Litsinger Sandpoint
There’s never a reason to let rights get trampled... Dear editor, There have been many in recent weeks claim that Bonner County’s lawsuit against the city of Sandpoint, for the Festival at Sandpoint’s gun ban, if successful, will mean the end of the Festival as we know it. Some of these have included the claim that well-respected acts will not play the Festival if guns are allowed. However, a cursory search of acts at Idaho county fairs this past summer, where guns and alcohol are typically allowed, turned up a number of well-respected bands, some of which performed at the Festival in previous years. For example, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band (Festival 2016), played at the Western Idaho Fair this year in Ada County. There have also been those that, for the sake of the economic benefit the Festival provides, would have lawful gun owners accept the gun ban conditions of the Festival. However, there should never be a reason to accept an organization’s or a government’s violation of the law. The Idaho Constitution and Idaho Code are hardfought legal foundations that should not be sacrificed for economics nor entertainment nor expedience. While some may not value the right to carry firearms as a reason to challenge the city of Sandpoint and
the Festival, one day this city or some other government may sacrifice a right that you do care about. We should not wait until they trample the right you value to keep them in check on all rights possessed by the citizens of Idaho. Scott Herndon Sagle
Empowering people to take charge of their health...
As a naturopathic physician, I could fall into the category of “local charlatan” that Tim Bearly described in his article, “The Baloney Detective” [Sept. 26, 2019]. I agree with his quote from Richard Dawkins, that “there is no alternative medicine. There is only medicine that works and medicine that doesn’t work.” Traditional and conventional medicine continue to have approaches that work and don’t work. The former has been around for a much longer time and formed the foundation for the latter. There certainly have been and continue to be charlatans and excellent market promoters in both, as well. To put an overarching label of charlatanism on non-conventional medicine is more than unfair. The placebo effect is known to have a strong effect with any medicine. In the 2010 August issue of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, “a new review of four meta-analyses of efficacy trials suggests that antidepressants are only ‘marginally efficacious’ compared with placebo and ‘document profound publication bias that inflates their apparent efficacy.” There is a paradigm difference between natural and conventional medicine, which makes the former more difficult to study using the same parameters as conventional medicine. A holistic medical approach doesn’t just use one particular medicine to affect the outcome — practitioners realize that disease is the product of many factors such as diet, exercise, stress management, toxin load, infection history, detoxification ability, genetics, etc. A corresponding complex treatment protocol cannot easily be put into a double blind placebo controlled study design and the same approach doesn’t work for everyone. Vital energy and quantum healing is based on simple physics with Albert Einstein’s quantum theory being the foundation here. We are all fundamentally condensed energy and have to stop using a sledgehammer for healing. Having said that, making unfounded claims for cure is not acceptable in either camp. Claiming your stage IV cancer is gone after surgery, radiation and chemo, knowing full well that the studies only show reduction in recurrence
rather than overall survival rates, is just as bad as somebody trained by a supplement company to use certain protocols claiming that they can eliminate stage I or II cancer. On the other hand, empowering people to take charge of their own health can go a long way in the healing process, during which both natural and conventional approaches can very effectively be used together. Gabrielle Duebendorfer Elmira
Loss of open space… Dear editor, Are we the citizens of Sandpoint going to sit quietly by as we lose yet another open space to development? I am referring to the 75 acres on north Boyer that are used daily year round for recreation. This property was donated to the University of Idaho over 100 years ago, no doubt donated by a generous citizen of Sandpoint, and now the university is not willing to donate the property back to the citizens of Sandpoint? Instead, they have chosen to sell it for $4 million dollars to a developer. Yes, $4 million dollars is a lot of money, but to put it into perspective, the U of I earned just over $1.4 million recently for playing one football game with Penn State. Four million dollars to the U of I is not like $4 million to us locals. Please join us in letting U of I President Scott Green hear our frustration with the sale and development of this property. Lea Sammons and Erik Larsen Sandpoint
Rognstad is most qualified for mayor... Dear editor, I am delighted to see that Shelby Rognstad has chosen to run again for mayor. It is disappointing and a little puzzling that Shannon Williamson has chosen to run against him. Since they both appear to be moderates, the challenge threatens to split the vote, resulting in the possibility that a lesser-qualified candidate could win. By running against a qualified incumbent, it would appear that Williamson does not think strategically, a necessary skill for a town of diverse views. That’s not the only drawback. If her main credential is heading the Lake Pend Oreille Waterkeeper, I question her comparative experience. Publicly available tax statements for that organization in 2017 show donation revenue under $150,000, with a history of running at a loss and her own salary being the primary expense as the only employee (source: Propublica nonprofit database). So, I would question her qualifications to run an entire city with a budget of over $40 million and nearly 100 employees, which has shown a surplus for at least the last two years under Rognstad’s leadership.
If she had any political experience, she would withdraw her name. Rognstad is a product of four generations of family history in Idaho, according to his website as the mayor of Sandpoint. He brings not only local knowledge, but the best in leadership and communication skills in an understated way few leaders cultivate. I feel that Rognstad is therefore the most qualified candidate for the position of Sandpoint’s mayor. As the incumbent mayor, former business owner and long-term resident, he brings critical experience such as: 1. Managing revenue, expenses and people with a focus on transparency and integrity. 2. Active involvement in Sandpoint growth and planning since 2007. 3. A demonstrated ability to mediate diverse viewpoints. 4. Obtaining the best strategic solutions during construction on behalf of Sandpoint businesses. 5. Communicates well face to face, in the media and on the internet, and has provided leadership for Sandpoint’s future with a steady hand. I am impressed that someone of his caliber has chosen to continue to serve as mayor. Jackie Henrion Sandpoint
Time to do the job, impeach Trump... Dear editor, President Trump’s abuse of power by trying to influence a foreign leader to interfere in an American election — laid out by a whistleblower — has confirmed that he not only lacks presidential ethics but also is incapable of handling national security issues. In what could be the most incriminating White House document since Watergate, a transcript showed that by misusing the power of his office, he pressured newly-elected Ukrainian President Zelenskiy — by withholding military assistance funds already approved by Congress — to investigate Trump’s political rival, Joe Biden and his son, in an effort to affect the 2020 presidential election. Even more disturbing, it became known that after the president’s phone conversation, White House officials engaged in a cover-up, trying to “lock-down” records of the talk until the whistleblower came forth with the information. A day earlier, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi endorsed an impeachment inquiry resulting from the Ukrainian event. Even though most Republicans dismissed criticism of the president’s action, several voiced concerns including Utah Sen. Mitt Romney and Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse, a GOP member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, who said, “there’s obviously a lot that’s very troubling there.” Another member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Michael Bennet, a Democrat from Colorado, said this about his GOP colleagues: “I know these guys, and I know a lot of them know the difference between right and wrong. At some point, everybody’s going to have to step up here and do their jobs.” Jim Ramsey Sandpoint
PERSPECTIVES
Emily Articulated
A column by and about Millennials
Nostalgia By Emily Erickson Reader Columnist I woke up and peeled my face off the slightly damp pillow. The blankets I nestled under fell just a bit heavier than usual on my body. The windows were studded with beads of moisture against a foggy backdrop of glass. Everything in the converted-for-sleeping van was subtly accented with moisture. Using the edge of a blanket, I wiped the nearest window clear of its condensation and peered outside. A river babbled below a canopy of trees that hardlined into a rolling field. Above the field was supple grass dotted with black-and-white cows, lazily meandering over their hillside breakfast. Atop the whole scene was a big red barn, its giant silos towering like sentries over a beloved castle. The scene was quintessentially Wisconsin, and I was home. Two weeks ago, my guy and I set our sights east, embarking on the first leg of our roundabout road trip from Idaho to Wisconsin to Colorado and back. Fuel stops, coffee refills and the pavement under our wheels took us from the rolling mountains of North Idaho to the sage trees and cracked earth of South Dakota and, finally, the seas of trees and lake-speckled countryside of Wisconsin. More poignant than the change of scenery in my home state — with its cheese stores, Packers insignia and family farms at every turn — was the flood of emotions and memories I experienced with every stop on our tour. With each former “home” we visited, I was
Emily Erickson. reintroduced to the version of myself that lived there, confronted with the differences in the person I am today. My first encounter with a former self occured when we stopped at the site of my alma mater, a polished little town just outside of Green Bay. Driving past the campus, I saw the old brick-and-vine-covered buildings along the riverbank — exactly as they were years ago. Approaching the library, my favorite building on campus, my eyes instinctively flicked up to the third floor, landing on a single east-facing window. In it, I could almost see my messy blonde hair and glowing face, turned to catch the morning light. This version of me would have been in my library perch for hours, even though the sun had just started to rise. My eyes would have been tired but sparkling with the anticipation of an impending due date. I almost watched my former fingers blaze over the keyboard, passionately applying a social theory to some systemic injustice, only breaking to twirl the single, hidden dreadlock between my thumb and forefinger. After this former me left
the library, she’d spend hours daydreaming about what mountain town she’d live in during the summer, apathetic to her current surroundings. This disposition of perpetually reaching for a different life was one by which this me defined herself. College Emily was willful, passionate, restless and eager. The next former self to emerge on our journey was in the 1,000-person town in which I grew up: Amherst. As we braked at the single four-way intersection in the town center, I examined the rows of buildings lining the small streets. I was intrigued by the facades I recognized from my childhood, wondering if they’d always had chipped paint and rusty doors. Even more intriguing were the buildings that
had new faces, standing as testaments of change within a place I considered constant. Speeding down the hill on a pink and blue bike was Childhood Emily, clutching a napkin-wrapped donut purchased with quarters from the grocery store bakery. She was pedaling hard to catch up with her older brother and sister, who were yelling “slow poke” over their shoulders. They were all cruising the town looking for packs of other neighborhood kids to accompany their made up games, all before finding someone’s dinner table to join before the 6 o’clock whistle. This version of me had scraped knees and dirty hands, preferred making stick forts to watching TV, could get lost in any book with fantastical
Retroactive
characters and would run up the street when her parents got in a fight. Childhood Emily was scrappy, creative, sensitive and resourceful. Now, leaving Wisconsin and entering the next leg of our journey, I understand that nostalgia is often the acknowledgement of our former selves by current ones. Current Emily is still scrappy, eager and sensitive, but, resourceful, creative and passionate, too. I’m shaped by the lives I led in the past, gaining new facets of personality with each closing and opening chapter. This nostalgia, spurred by reflections on a visit home, cannot only act as a companion of memories gone by, but a marker for just how far I’ve come.
By BO
October 3, 2019 /
R
/ 9
Mad about Science: By Brenden Bobby Reader Columnist I love writing about gross stuff, and there are few things that gross people out more than things that come out of the human body. However, it’s important to know what comes out of us. In fact, keeping an eye on color and consistency is one of the best ways to make sure you’re staying healthy, otherwise… urine trouble! Whizzing by to the facts, the urinary tract starts at your kidneys, which are nestled just below your ribcage. Your kidneys are absolutely vital to keeping you alive, as they are natural filters that pull toxins from your bloodstream and convert them into urine. They do this by pushing your blood through a number of tiny vessels called the glomerulus, which has openings small enough for waste molecules and water to pass through while deflecting larger molecules like protein and blood cells. Over time, your kidneys can collect calcium deposits to form kidney stones. Sometimes, one of these kidney stones can become dislodged and enter the next stage of the urinary tract, the ureter, which is a thin tube of muscle that acts like the drain of a roof gutter. Having suffered from a kidney stone (thanks, Celiac disease), I can tell you that this is just about the worst pain you can possibly imagine. The kidney stone will block the ureter and cause a backup of urine between the blockage and the kidney. Your kidneys won’t stop the filtration process 10 /
R
/ October 3, 2019
urine
just because there’s a blockage down the line, which increases pressure on the ureter. Depending on how much water you drink in a day, your kidneys can create up to half a gallon of urine in a 24-hour period. The ureter, meanwhile, is about 0.14 inches in diameter. I’ll let you do the painful math on that one. In some cases, small kidney stones will simply continue on the magical journey of human waste by exiting the ureter and entering the bladder, which is a hollow organ that expands as it fills with urine and contracts when it’s empty. As the bladder reaches capacity, a specialized set of nerves will send a signal to the brain, telling you to find a bathroom immediately. The urine exits through the urethra, and where it goes from there depends entirely on you. You would think that something that comes racing out of your body and smells funny would be a bacterial conduit, but urine actually has less bacteria in it than tap water. Now, I’m not advocating for the Bear Grylls diet unless survival demands it — that’s just insane — but urine is sterile because the bacteria are filtered out at your kidneys and processed as solid waste later. If there is bacteria in your urine, then it’s likely that you’re suffering from a urinary tract infection, a kidney stone or some kind of kidney disease. If you think you have one of these, stop reading this article and call a doctor. Being a human and having lived long enough to know how to read, you’ve probably noticed that your urine has
Brought to you by:
changed colors throughout your life. The color of your urine can tell you a lot about your health. If it’s fairly clear, it’s probably because you’ve been drinking a lot of water, which is good. If it’s darker, you could probably use some more water. If it’s pink, it could mean a few different things: beets can cause pink or red urine, but so can certain antibiotics and blood, which requires a doctor’s visit. If it’s blue or green, it’s most likely from ingesting lots of drinks with blue dye. Orange or brown urine happens when you have an excess of vitamin B2 in your bloodstream or if there’s a problem with your liver — in either case, it’s good to ask a doctor. All sorts of stuff can cause quirky things to happen with our urinary tract. In men, an enlarged prostate can pinch the urethra and cause discomfort or incontinence. In women, pregnancy will often cause increased trips to the loo — after all, you’re peeing for two. Vastly increased need to hit the head can be indicative of diabetes, as glucose builds up in your bloodstream and your kidneys kick into overdrive to filter it out. In the event of renal failure and some cancers, people need to have their kidneys removed or disconnected. While it might sound awesome to save all that time never having to use the latrine again, it’s imperative that you go onto dialysis at this point. Dialysis does what your kidneys did by filtering waste out of your blood with a machine, then pumping the clean
blood back into your bloodstream. This takes about four hours a day, three times a week for as long as you are without kidneys. It’s hugely expensive and not a long-term solution, as
the life expectancy is between five to 10 years. Got more questions? Hit the health section at your local library or give your doctor a ring.
Random Corner ?
Don’t know much about cats • After freshwater fish, cats are the most popular pet in the United States. There are 117 million freshwater fish in the U.S. compared to 93.6 million cats. Dogs come in third with 79.5 million. • Every year, nearly 4 million cats are eaten in Asia — most of them in China.
We can help!
was hit by a taxi. In the words of Homer Simpson: “D’oh!” • Cats recognize their owners’ voices but seem too cool to care, according to a recent study. • In Ancient Egypt, killing a cat — even accidentally — incurred the death penalty.
• Cats sleep for 70% of their lives. Lucky bastards.
• In the United States, free-ranging cats kill between 1 billion and 4 billion birds and 6 billion to 22 billion mammals each year.
• Some cats have survived falls from over 32 stories (105 meters) onto concrete, due largely to their “righting reflex.”
• Research has shown that domestic cats never forgive. They fail to show signs of reconciliation like other animals do.
• Owning a cat can reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke by more than a third, researchers have found.
• Cat kidneys are so efficient they can rehydrate by drinking seawater.
• Cats can’t taste sweetness.
• Adult cats only meow in order to communicate with humans. • The CIA spent $20 million in the 1960s training cats to spy on the Soviets. The first spy cat
• A cat’s tail contains nearly 10% of all the bones in its body. • The Guinness World Records stopped recognizing the world’s fattest cat or any other obese animal to discourage deliberate overfeeding.
FEATURE
From the Senate to the schools
A conversation with former Sen. Shawn Keough, the newest member of the Idaho State Board of Education
By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff It seems Idaho’s longest-serving female senator won’t have to give up her passion for improving the state’s public education system anytime soon. Idaho Gov. Brad Little announced Sept. 26 that he had appointed former District 1 Senator Shawn Keough to the Idaho State Board of Education, sharing in a news release that he believes she “displays the right demeanor and vision to help Idaho’s public education system serve our communities and prepare students for careers and a lifetime of learning.” Keough served in the Idaho Senate from 1996 until she opted out of reelection in 2018. Now the executive director of the Associated Logging Contractors, Keough still lives in Sandpoint. A very busy Keough answered some questions via email for the Sandpoint Reader in between traveling for Associated Logging Contractors work and an all-day meeting of Little’s Education Task Force. (Edited lightly for clarity and length.)
Sandpoint Reader: You’ve been known to say that you pursued a legislative seat in the ’90s because you saw North Idaho being left behind in several categories, including education. What’s it like to have that come full circle and to become one of eight people who make major educational decisions for the state? Shawn Keough: I am incredibly honored to become a member of the SBOE and appreciative of Governor Little’s confidence in my public service and experience. I’ll be stepping into a position held by Don Soltman, who resides in the Coeur d’Alene area and who has done a great job. I’ll provide a continuing voice/ representation from North Idaho on the board as well as have a statewide responsibility for our public education system as a whole. SR: How will your 20+ years in the Senate help you in the ISBOE position? On the other hand, what do you think you still need to learn? SK: I imagine my Senate service has provided me an understanding of the policies and processes surrounding our public education system and how things work, so to speak. Knowing the legislative process will be helpful as everything the
for the ones who have left to choose to return.” We have a challenge retaining and recruiting the best and brightest teachers who are the key to student success in the classroom. We need to address this challenge. I also believe we need to better prepare our kids for their path in life, whether it be on to college or into a trade. And, of course, how to sustainably fund the system remains challenging, too. SR: When we consider how to better our state, there are a variety of categories people turn to where improvements can be made. Your track record shows that you believe education is the place to start. Why is that?
Shawn Keough. Photo by Marie-Dominique Verdier. SBOE does is under the laws set by the Legislature and the rules that are ultimately approved by them as well. I have much to learn of the specific work of the SBOE as they take the policy and implement it out across the institutions and that step is not one I’ve been directly involved in. Setting policy is one thing, guidance and oversight of implementation is another. I know that a learning curve is ahead. SR: Your husband, Mike, was a teacher and your sons both went through the public education system in Idaho. How will your personal experiences inform your work for the ISBOE? SK: Without a doubt my personal experiences as a wife of a 35-year career public educator, the mother of two children — now grown — who went K through college in Idaho schools, along with my own experiences at NIC and Lewis-Clark State College, will definitely inform my work on the SBOE. That said, I know that these are [my] perspectives and that there are others out there that all need to be considered and balanced.
SR: What do you see as the main educational issue facing Idaho right now? SK: My personal perspective aligns with Governor Little’s, who says: “Improving education in Idaho is my highest priority and a key factor in ensuring Idaho’s children and grandchildren have the best opportunities to stay in Idaho and
SK: I truly believe that the foundation for success in life is education. Having access to learning and the fundamentals of reading, writing and math are critical components to a person’s ability to make their way in the world. Many, many studies show that those who haven’t had access to education or have not learned to read by third grade end up in our prisons or don’t have as much success as they may have otherwise. I strongly believe that commitment and investment in education pay off in the long run in less incarceration and less loss of human potential.
OPEN 11:30 am
GAME ROOM UPSTAIRS
SR: How have you been enjoying your time away from the Legislature? Has it been strange to be away?
SK: I’ve always had a “day job” while serving in the state Senate and so I continue to work in the private sector and will even now with this appointment to the SBOE. I generally remark that I’ve simply gone from having two jobs to just having one. And, I enjoy my work with the logging and hauling contractors — they are salt-of-the-earth people who work very hard to provide raw material for the products we all use every day. I’ve also had more time with my family, especially my grandkids! There are definitely parts of being in the Legislature that I miss, but it was time for me ... to step aside. I believe Senator Jim Woodward is doing a great job and represents us very well. His deep roots in our community and solid reasoning skills are great assets for us, and I am one who is appreciative that he is willing to serve.
The Psounbality with Per FRESH FOOD LIVE MUSIC THE BEST NW BREWS
212 Cedar Street Downtown Sandpoint
208.263.4005 A SandPint Tradition Since 1994 October 3, 2019 /
R
/ 11
FEATURE
Candidates forum planned for Sandpoint, Ponderay, school district races By Ben Olson Reader Staff
Election Day is right around the corner. On Tuesday, Nov. 5, voters will decide on Sandpoint mayoral and council candidates, Ponderay mayoral and council candidates, as well as Zone 4 trustees and a permanent levy decision for Lake Pend Oreille School District No. 84. The forum will take place Tuesday, Oct. 29 from 5:30-8 p.m. at the Sandpoint Community Hall, 204 S. First Ave. Candidates from Sandpoint, Ponderay and LPOSD races have been invited to attend. This forum is a joint effort presented by Sandpoint Online, Sandpoint Reader, KRFY 88.5 FM Panhandle Community Radio and the Selkirk Association of Realtors. To help streamline the evening,
the program has been separated into sections for each race. The night will start off with the LPOSD portion of the evening from 5:30-6:10 p.m., followed by Ponderay candidates from 6:15-6:55 p.m. Sandpoint candidates will finish the evening from 7-8:00 p.m. There will be a five-minute break between races to allow for bathroom breaks. The forum will end promptly at 8 p.m. The following candidates have been invited to attend: — LPOSD Zone 4 trustees Geraldine Lewis (incumbent) and Tara Tribbett. — Ponderay mayoral candidates Steve Geiger (incumbent) and Tara Tribbett, as well as city council candidates Gary Kunzeman (incumbent), Brad Mitton and Brenda Thompson (incumbent). — Sandpoint mayoral candidates
12 /
R
/ October 3, 2019
Ken Lawrence, Shelby Rognstad (incumbent) and Shannon Williamson, as well as city council candidates Andy Groat, Jacque Guinan, Kate McAlister, Shannon Mitchell and Deborah Ruehle (incumbent). The forum is free to attend and open to all. Candidates will give an opening statement, then field questions from the audience. The audience will be encouraged to write questions for candidates on notecards, which will then be handed to moderators, who will cull through questions to eliminate any redundant or inappropriate questions. For more information about the Nov. 5 election, visit Election Central on sandpointonline.com.
PERSPECTIVES
Road Reflections: Fall 2019 By Steve Klatt Special to the Reader Overseeing a county road operation has some remarkable resemblance to surviving as a small farm operator. You take stock of the conditions in spring, as mud squishes under your boots, then begin to make plans for strides forward during the warm months of summer. As summer ends, you take stock of the progress you made and realize that your harvest of work completed is not as large as expected — equipment breakdowns, weather disturbances and work details taking longer than ever imagined. This summer was no exception for Bonner County Road and Bridge, as we did not get a number of projects accomplished that we anticipated working on. Several of the projects we were working on ate our lunch for time because they required much more effort to complete properly than we projected. Hard to believe that road crews putting in beastly hours in the winter actually want some time off in the summer — or the medical procedures to put themselves back together from injuries. It has also been quite challenging to find suitable candidates to fill the vacancies in our crew.
Now that fall is upon us, we are scrambling our graders to get roads smoothed back out from the summer assault and get our roads ready for winter. We are about to start brushing Sagle Road again and do some work up on Baldy Mountain Road about a month later than we expected, but we will get some work done on each. We are also attempting to get some bridge repair done north of Priest River and guardrails installed up near Priest Lake, but encountering delays in those projects, too. A number of gravel roads that we had on this year’s work plan are now on next year’s work plan, but they are still in our work plan. While we hear from residents regularly about their desire to have roads paved, Bonner County believes we need to place primary focus on catching up on some of our basic road maintenance that has fallen behind. Ironically, commitments we had to put hard surface on two roads ate our lunch for completing the maintenance work we intended to get done this summer. We applied mag chloride to some 200 miles of gravel road and we chip sealed nearly 40 miles of existing paved roads. The task we are most challenged by is establishing a sustainable ditch-
ing program with a predictable rotation throughout the road system. We are working on safety features to improve several of our highway intersections and these have also gone a bit slower than we anticipated. A new streetlight has been installed at Algoma Spur and one will be added at Selle Road in the coming weeks. We are also about to get a contractor started on widening the Dufort Road intersection and adding another turn lane to accommodate north and south bound Highway 95 traffic. Road and Bridge has teamed up with several local engineers to begin working on some possible ideas for improving the Lakeshore Drive-Highway 95 bottleneck and garner an Idaho Transportation endorsement. This is a safety conundrum of significant proportions that is a state problem because it is a highway, but is of tremendous local importance. Getting this project to construction will take major doses of persistence and patience, but is worth the effort. Bonner County is committed to seeing improvements constructed. Steve Klatt is the director of Bonner County Road and Bridge.
First Friday event benefits downtown By Ben Olson Reader Staff Construction got you down? Head downtown Friday, Oct. 4 from 4-7 p.m. for the Sandpoint Shopping District’s “First Friday Event,” celebrating local merchants affected by downtown street reconstruction. Participating businesses will offer music, children’s games, snacks and sips from local restaurants, as well as sales to help get an early start on the holiday shopping season. Each purchase earns participants tickets to be entered into a prize drawing, which includes a grand prize of dinner for two at Beet and Basil, tickets to the Panida Theater and a bottle of wine from Pend d’Oreille Winery. The event coincides with Pend Oreille Arts Council’s First Friday Art Reception, hosted in collaboration with Pend d’Oreille Winery and the Power House.
This visual arts reception will take place the first Friday of each month, starting Oct. 4 with Plateau? No! at the Columbia Bank Plaza, 231 N. Third Ave. “This show features a half dozen working artists that have already had successful careers in the arts and have reached a point that they could comfortably keep doing the same thing,” said POAC Executive Director Hannah Combs. “This show is all about them resisting the ‘plateau’ of their career to charge into new territory, try a new medium and challenge themselves.” Head to the Pend d’ Oreille Winery from 7-9 p.m. for the official after-party with live music from Mike Wagoner and an artist reception with Catherine Earle.
Participants must be present at the party to win the grand prize. This event is sponsored by the Panida Theater, Beet and Basil and the Pend d’ Oreille Winery. Participating businesses include: Pend d’ Oreille Winery, Sharon’s Hallmark, Azalea Handpicked Style, Carousel Emporium, Zwazo Nich, Meadowbrook, Outdoor Experience, Mary Ruth’s Gift Market, Burl Wood Dreams, Eve’s Leaves, The Pickled Kitchen, Northwest Handmade, Cabi, Bella Terra Boutique, Shakapaw, Artworks, 219 Lounge, Grace & Joy, the Alpine Shop, the Panida Theater and Finan McDonald. October 3, 2019 /
R
/ 13
event t h u r s d a y
3
f r i d a y
4
s a t u r d a y s u n d a y
5 6
m o n d a y t u e s d a y
w e d n e s d a y t h u r s d a y
14 /
R
/ October 3, 2019
7 8 9
10
Dollar Beers! 8pm @ Eichardt’s Pub Good until the keg’s dry
Open Mic Night w/ KC Carter 9pm-12am @ A&P’s
Edgar Cayce Study Group 9-11am @ Gardenia Center Meditation, prayer, dream discussion and discussion of Edgar Cayce, the father of holistic health. Meets every Thursday
Live Music w/ Dustin Drennen 5-7pm @ Idaho Pour Authority Live Music w/ The Groove Black 6:30-9:30pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall A dynamic local band Live Music w/ The Desperate 8’s 9pm-12am @ 219 Lounge Dance to classic timeless rock tunes
f
Adult Grief Support G 6pm @ BGH Classroom Support group for thos lost a spouse or parent. N one grieving is invited to
Live Music w/ Mike Wagoner and First Friday Artist Reception with Catherine Earle 4-7pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery Earle uses layers of acrylic paint to create subtle light as a backdrop for stunning birds, stems, animals and flowers. Open until 9 for after party
Live Music w/ Justin Lantrip Live Music w/ Brendan Kelty Trio 5:30-7:30pm @ Idaho Pour Authority 9pm-12am @ 219 Lounge Singer-songwriter from Sandpoint Live Music w/ Tom Burr Live Music w/ Red Blend Trio 8-10pm @ The Back Door 5-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery Live Music w/ The Highlife Band Join Chris, Brian and Meg for a blend 8-11pm @ Eichardt’s Pub of soul, pop, blues and classic hits An authentic and unique world reggae music band from Seattle, Wash Sandpoint Chess Club 9am @ Evans Brothers Coffee Meets every Sunday at 9am
Piano Sunday w/ Annie Welle 3-5pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery Solo jazz, improvisations, original works and standards
Monday Night Blues Jam w/ Truck Mills 7:30pm @ Eichardt’s Pub Night-Out Karaoke 9pm @ 219 Lounge Join DJ Webrix for a night of singing, or just come to drink and listen
Trivia Night 7pm @ MickDuff’s Show off that big, beautiful brain of yours
Wind Down Wednesday 5-8pm @ 219 Lounge With live music by blues man Truck Mills and guest musician Denis Zwang Dollar Beers! 8pm @ Eichardt’s Pub Good until the keg’s dry
DJ Skw 9pm-12 First Frida 4-7m @ Pa Celebrate during its es, live mus snacks and
“RBG” film 7:30pm @ Pa A free show “RBG” about Ruth Bader G Bonner Co. Hu KRFY Onlin Oct. 5-13 @ 8 Support comm
Free First Satur 10am-2pm @ Bo Tour the Museum first Saturday of e
Lifetree Cafe 2pm @ Jalepeño’s Mexican Restaurant An hour of conversation and stories. This week’s topic: “I Lived in a Dumpster”
Djembe class 5:45-7:30pm @ Music Conservatory of San Join Ali Thomas for this djembe (drum) cla Jacque Guinan campaign kickoff party 5-7pm @ Second Ave. Pizza Sandpoint City Council candidate Jacque hosting a campaign kickoff party at Second A
Magic Wednesday 6-8pm @ Jalapeño’s Enjoy close-up magic shows by Star Alexander right at your table
Sandpoint Farmers’ Market 3-5:30pm @ Farmin Park Locally grown produce, starts, crafts and more! Live music by Larry Mooney
The the E 6-8p Stuar ho C abou
Utara After Hours: The Hackles and the Bart Budwig 8pm @ Utara Brewing Co. This guitar-banjo duo performs with gorgeous vocal harm Budwig’s soulful mix of old country charm and folk sens always entertain the listeners. $10 cover; ages 21+
ful
Oct. 3-10, 2019
upport Group Classroom p for those who have r parent. No cost, anys invited to attend
A weekly entertainment guide to keep you on your toes. To list your event free, please send an email to calendar@sandpointreader.com. Reader recommended
Dine Around the Lake Tour 5-9pm @ Feelin’ Groovy Tours Enjoy spectacular sunsets with a progressive dining experience around Lake Pend Oreille, featuring stops at three of North Idaho’s iconic lakeside dining establishments
Let’s Talk panel 5:30-7pm @ Sandpoint Library Let’s Talk is a panel filled with expert information for parents, families and community members about adolescent mental health and suicide prevention. This is a free presentation and is open to everyone.
DJ Skwish Live Music w/ Kevin Dorin 9pm-12am @ A&P’s 8-10pm @ The Back Door irst Friday in Sandpoint -7m @ Participating Spt. Retailers Live Music w/ Larry Hirshber Celebrate downtown Sandpoint 8-11pm @ Eichardt’s Pub uring its revitilization. Enjoy prizs, live music, children’s games, plus nacks and sips fom local restaurants
AHWF Music Benefit 10:45am @ Matchwood Join Matchwood Brewing Co. for this fundraiser for the American Heritage Wildlife Foundation, with live music by Jake Robin.
Friends of the Library Yoga on Tap 30th anniversary book sale 10:45am @ Laughing Dog Brewery 10am-2pm @ Sandpoint Library Karaoke Help the FOL celebrate 30 years of 8-close @ Tervan service with a monthly book sale at Sandpoint Farmers’ Market the Sandpoint Library. Your generosi9am-1pm @ Farmin Park ty at book sales support the needs, proProduce, starts, crafts and more! Live grams and infrastructure of the library music by Kerry Leigh Upscale Re-Sale DJ Exodus 11am-4pm @ The Heartwood Center 9pm-12am @ A&P’s irst Saturday at the Museum Contact Kathy: 208-597-0483 2pm @ BoCo History Museum Hickey Farms Pumpkin Patch opens e Museum free of charge. Held on the 9pm-12am @ Hickey Farms, 674 Hickey Rd. turday of every month Festival family fun with a pumpkin patch, crafts for sale and more!
BG” film 0pm @ Panida Theater ree showing of the feature film G” about Supreme Court Justice h Bader Ginsberg. Presented by the ner Co. Humans Rights Task Force FY Online Auction opens 5-13 @ 88.5 FM port community radio
aurant es. This ster”
Outdoor Experience Monday Night Run 6pm @ Outdoor Experience A chill, three-mile(ish) group run with optional beverages to follow
ory of Sandpoint drum) class ff party
e Jacque Guinan is t Second Ave. Pizza
Wednesdays with Benny 6:30-9:30pm @ Connie’s Join Benny Baker for this weekly music jam, with special guest Brian Grise
The Conversation presents “Art and Open Mic Night w/ the Economy” with Stuart Weiser Kevin Dorin 6-8pm @ Ivano’s Ristorante 6-9pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall , Stuart Weiser is deputy director of Ida- Share your passion, or just come e ho Commission on the Arts and will talk to take it all in. 21+ about government spending on the arts. Live Music w/ Joshua Walters t Budwig Band 8-11pm @ Eichardt’s Pub
t
vocal harmonies. Bart folk sensibilities 1+
Oct. 12 Sounds of the East @ Panida Theater Oct. 11 Harold’s IGA @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall Oct. 11 Sugarhill Gang and the Furious 5 @ The Hive
October 3, 2019 /
R
/ 15
COMMUNITY
Three decades of Friends
The Friends of the Library mark 30 years in Sandpoint with a book sale
By Ben Olson Reader Staff A lot can change in 30 years, but one thing has remained the same for the East Bonner County Library: the dedication of the Friends of the Library. This nonprofit group of volunteers united in 1989 with a goal to assist and support the full range of functions at the Sandpoint branch of the library. Through its regular book sale, the FOL raises an average of $700 per month, which is placed into a fund intended to help finance various projects and services at the library. The FOL will host its next monthly book sale at the Sandpoint Library from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 5. To celebrate 30 years in the community, members of the organization are serving refreshments and have promised “surprises” for those who attend the sale — as well as offering all books at half price. Pat Stevens, who has been with the Friends of the Library for its full 30-year history, said 90-95% of all books sold at the monthly event come from community donations. “We do get some books as rejects from the library that might have a little damage, but most come as donations,” Stevens said. Gloria Ray, a 27-year former employee of the Sandpoint Library, has also been a member of the FOL since the beginning. “I was actually the library director, but I only lasted at that for two years,” Ray said. “I’m not good at telling people what to do.” Stevens, Ray and the rest of the FOL volunteers work tirelessly each month to organize and separate thousands of donated books into genres and subgenres. Stevens said some of the more popular titles are mysteries. The revenue collected from book sales all ends up supporting the library, Stevens said. “The Friends has their own 501(c)(3), so when the library wants something, they come to us and say they want a new computer or whatever, and our board votes on it,” Stevens said. Tens of thousands of dollars have been donated to the library by the FOL, which has been instrumental in raising awareness and helping the library to function, 16 /
R
/ October 3, 2019
according to library Director Ann Nichols. “They do so much,” she said. “They give us money for things we normally would not be able to buy on our own for particular projects. And they keep the community involved, which is one of their bigger roles.” Nichols said one project recently funded by the FOL is a new tool for seniors and students called Google Expeditions, which are Gloria Ray, left and Pat Stevens,right, virtual and augment- stand in a room full of Friends of the ed reality headsets Library books. Photo by Ben Olson. that will be made available at care facilities and schools the Google Expeditions project — and it — giving access to people who wouldn’t couldn’t have been accomplished without otherwise be able to travel. Not only that, the organization’s help. but the headsets enable users to virtually travel to thousands of locations. To support the Friends of the Library “They can use these virtual reality and score books for pennies on the dollar, machines to go to Italy or whatever they visit the book sale Saturday, Oct. 5 at the want to do,” Nichols said. Sandpoint Library, 1407 Cedar St. Nichols said the FOL funded half of
COMMUNITY
The great pumpkin patch By Ben Olson Reader Staff Don’t let the early winter storm fool you, fall is very much still a thing in North Idaho. What better way to celebrate the season — and pick up pumpkins for Halloween — than to head over to Hickey Farms’ Harvest Festival and pumpkin patch? Hickey Farms, located about seven miles east of Sandpoint and north on Hickey Road from Highway 200, features u-pick pumpkins, local crafts and produce, live music, kids’ activities, food and drinks and more. The farm will be greet visitors Fridays from 2-5:30 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m.5:30 p.m. throughout the month, with live music and entertainment every Saturday and Sunday. Co-owner Dean Holt, whose farm has been in the family for
four generations since 1923, said they grow more than 30 varieties of pumpkins — some for baking, some multi-colored and uniquely shaped, and others more traditional for carving. “It’s totally free to come by,” Holt said. “We give away hayrides and the live music is free.” For those seeking pumpkins, Hickey Farms operates on a u-pick system, with customers loading their finds onto wagons and paying by the pound. There will also be a bounce house and corn and twine maze available for kids of all ages. Beer, wine and food will be on hand from the Klondyke, and there will be a variety of items for sale, including kettle corn, cupcakes, cinnamon rolls, jams and jellies made from berries right on the farm, as well as local honey. The live music and entertainment schedule is as follows:
•Saturday, Oct. 5 — Marty Perron and Doug Bond from 12-3 p.m. •Sunday, Oct. 6 — Tom Burr from 12-3 p.m. •Saturday, Oct. 12 — Harold’s IGA from 12-3 p.m. •Sunday, Oct. 13 — Star the Magician from 12-3 p.m. •Saturday, Oct. 19 — Star the Magician from 11 a.m.–2 p.m., followed by the Suzuki String Academy at 2:30 p.m. and MickDuff’s/Hickey Farms Cornhole Tournament for Bonner County 4H. •Sunday, Oct. 20 — Chris Lynch and Brian Jacobs from 12-3 p.m. •Saturday, Oct. 26 — Chris Lynch and Brian Jacobs from 12-3 p.m. •Sunday, Oct. 27 — close of season American Heritage Wildlife Foundation will also host its annual scarecrow decorating contest, with winners receiving prizes. Businesses, school groups and
Embrace fall at the monthlong Hickey Farms Harvest Festival
families who have entered scarecrows pay a small fee as a donation to AHWF to compete for the prize. Patrons who visit the farm each week will vote on the most unique scarecrow designs, with the winner taking home prizes. Hickey Farms began as a dairy farm in 1923 and has been operated by Holt and his brothers as a pumpkin patch for the past seven
A young seeker of pumpkins pulls a wagon with his day’s plunder. Courtesy Hickey Farms. years. Spring 2020 will see a new addition to the farm — u-pick strawberries. For more information about the farm, check out Hickey Farms’ Facebook page.
Einstein found unscathed... relatively By Ben Olson Reader Staff Einstein has been located... in a Dumpster. In the Sept. 28 edition of the Sandpoint Reader, former Sandpoint High School art teacher Dan Shook asked for anyone reading the paper to keep an eye out for a sculpture he created of Albert Einstein, but which went missing several years ago. The life-sized bust, which lit up and everything, disappeared from SHS after a long tenure bouncing around various classrooms, so Shook went on the bloodhound trail to find it. We at the Reader are happy to report that Einstein has been returned safely to Shook. “I got a call from a guy who said he read the article and knew where Einstein was,” Shook said. “He said he got it from a friend of his who found it in a Dumpster at the high school, like, four years ago.” The caller was happy to return the sculpture to Shook, and it was mostly in good shape
except for faulty wiring and some chicken poop, from apparently being stored among chickens. “I can’t imagine who would do something like that,” Shook said. “Just throw away art like that.” Shook plans to have the sculpture rewired by Ron Mende at Ron’s Electric, and, once it’s in working order again, will gift it to his daughters Katelyn and Laurie Shook. “They’re moving back to town, so this is where it’s going to stay,” Shook said.
Dan Shook, center, stands with daughters Laurie, left, and Katelyn, right, next to the Einstein bust he created in 1991. The piece is titled “A Good Idea Gone Bad.” Photo by Ben Olson. October 3, 2019 /
R
/ 17
COMMUNITY KRFY to host fall online auction
By Reader Staff
The big auction item is a week at an oceanfront condo on Grace Bay, Turks and Caicos. Courtesy photo
Fall is in the air and 88.5 KRFY, Panhandle Community Radio’s online fundraising auction is coming up, starting at 6 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 5. Go to krfy.org and click on the “Auction” button in the right column or visit biddingforgood.com/krfy to preview and start bidding. The annual online auction runs for eight days and hosts more than 45 items –- too many to list. Will you bid on an oceanfront condo in Turks and Caicos or a weekend ski vacation condo stay with lift tickets at Schweitzer Mountain Resort? A history cruise on the lake with Pend Oreille Cruises or Seattle Seahawk 2020 pre-season tickets with a night’s stay at a Seattle luxury hotel? There are many more fabulous, useful and fun items to bid on, ranging from local restaurants to haircuts and spa treatments, massage certificates and bike repair along with ridiculously tasty homemade apple pies. There are also specialty wines along with sushi and catered dinners. You decide what you want to bid on to support 88.5 KRFY. All funds raised during the online auction will benefit North Idaho’s only community radio station. KRFY is a volunteer-driven, commercial free, media organization with the mission of providing an eclectic mix of music, news and views. Remember to check krfy.org or biddingforgood.com/krfy and place your bids, which will be accepted from Saturday, Oct. 5 to Sunday, Oct. 13.
18 /
R
/ October 3, 2019
Photo by Ben Olson
Photo by SMR.
Photo by Nancy Gerth. Photos from left to right, top to bottom: Greg Pruett speaks to an estimated 75 people who turned out Sept. 28 for the Idaho Second Amendment Alliance “Freedom Tour” in Sandpoint; Schweitzer Mountain Resort saw the first dump of the year over the weekend; a large group of supporters participated in the Climate Strike in Sandpoint, marching Sept. 21 from Farmin Park; Jodi Rawson and her daughter, Dinah, sent a photo of themselves supporting small businesses affected by downtown construction in Sandpoint. Here, they are spending Dinah’s quincinera money at Panhandle Cone and Coffee; also seen supporting Panhandle Cone and Coffee is photographer Dave Wood’s wife Cynthia, daughter Tala and son-in-law Brad; Doug Jones poses with Niparat “Opor” Noiyai, manager of Thai Nigiri on First Avenue. Doug enjoyed a dish of curry on Sept. 26. Doug has also been seen at the Panida Theater, MultiLingual Computing and 88.5 KRFY on First Avenue while the street is undergoing reconstruction; local Jean Plue is surrounded by her sisters and niece, who were recently in town from Denver, Georgia, Wisconsin and Bristish Columbia. The quartet made it around the barricades “just fine” to enjoy shopping at Larson’s, Finan McDonald, Sharon’s Hallmark and Zero Point, finishing with gelato at the Cedar St. Bridge. “No problem finding good buys!” Jean wrote. All those who sent photos of themselves supporting local businesses on First Avenue will receive gift certificates. Thanks for supporting local businesses, everyone! Let’s see some more photos of your support. -BO October 3, 2019 /
R
/ 19
STAGE & SCREEN
Serious trivia: By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff
When it comes to Sandpoint trivia nights, MickDuff’s Brewing Company is the sine qua non of the scene. The brewpub at 312 N. First Ave. has hosted its trivia night Tuesdays from 7-9 p.m. for a little over 13 years. Helmed by co-owner, brewing director and trivia master Mickey Mahoney, MickDuff’s trivia has maintained a loyal cadre of participants who compete more for the love of the game than prizes — though a gift card for the winners and bonus questions for free pitchers of beer don’t hurt. “Some of the teams have been playing weekly for years,” said Mahoney, who spends about six hours every week curating the questions. “My favorite questions are
20 /
R
/ October 3, 2019
ones with answers that are so interesting that people will remember them,” he said. The next MickDuff’s trivia night takes place Tuesday, Oct. 8 with teams of up to six — or compete solo for more glory. Those out Hope way enjoy trivia and happy hour on the third Tuesday of every month at Davis Grocery and Mercantile, 620 Wellington Place. Hosted from 5-6:30 p.m., teams and individuals have been squaring off since June with the next installment set for Tuesday, Oct. 15. “So far, we’ve had American history, movie trivia, even a Game of Thrones one. For our general ones though, it’s a mixture of geography, history, pop culture and random to keep it fair,” said co-owner Jamie Davis. Prizes vary, but have included coffee mugs, free latte or coffee coupons, glasses of wine or beer,
Where to flex your brain around town in October
and a taco dinner for two. For those who can’t wait until Oct. 15, a special Kids Trivia event is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 11, which Davis said is being created by her 8- and 10-year-old kids. “It should be super cute and fun,” she said. The third Thursday of each month, local nonprofit startup REturn REtreats hosts More Than A Woman Trivia at The Back Door, 111 Cedar St. With The Back Door donating 25% of sales and a $5 suggested donation at the door, the event raises awareness and funds for REturn REtreats, which provides “restorative retreat experiences to women and financial support to three local nonprofits,” according to founder Katie Begalke. It also pushes back against the perception that such events aren’t for women.
“I have heard countless women tell me, ‘I am not smart, trivia is too intimidating or can I bring my husband, he has the brains for trivia,’” Begalke said. “I want women to feel empowered, relaxed and open to learning.” The questions, compiled by host Begalke, are femalefocused and themed around a woman from history. She even dresses as the given historical figure and provides a short history lesson. Players receive raffle tickets depending on how well their table performs and all tickets are entered to win three prizes donated by community businesses or individuals.
“Everyone has a chance to Begal leave a winner,” Begalke said. The Thursday, Oct. 17 event marks four months for More Than A Woman Trivia and features Begalke as Joan of Arc quizzing atat tendees on the themes “witchy women, terrifying tunes, spooktacular facts and horror movies.” Finally, the Pend d’Oreille Winery, 301 Cedar St., has hosted Trivia Takeover Live with Linda Preston the last Thursday of every month for a year. Preston brings videos, music and new questions to each event, with gift cards and bottles of wine as prizes. The action runs 6-8 p.m. Come early for dinner, pour out some vino and settle in challenged you brain on Thursday, Oct. 24.
STAGE & SCREEN
The Notorious RBG is coming to the Panida By Jim Healey Reader Contributor
legal career of Ginsburg as she moved from being a law professor to her appointment to the federal judiciary by President Jimmy Carter. Her On Friday, Oct. 4, the documentary eventual appointment to the film RBG about the extraordinary U.S. Supreme Court occurred on Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Aug. 10, 1993, when she Ginsburg is coming to the Panida Thetook the oath of office. She is ater. The doors for this free showing known for her ardent support open at 7 p.m. and the film begins at of women and men through 7:30 p.m. her advocacy of the advanceThanks to a grant from the Bonner County Human Rights Task Force, 88.5 ment of women’s rights and gender equality. KRFY is bringing this important film This inspirational film to the Panida as a “thank-you” to the of the 86-year-old Ginsburg community for its love and support of speaks to a wide audience, the radio station. but particularly young The 2018 documentary focuses on women and the elderly. the life and career of the second female Ginsburg is best known for Supreme Court justice of the United her memorable quotes such States. Ginsburg is, as the promotional as “I … try to teach through poster for the film states, a “hero, icon, dissenter.” The film has a PG rating and my opinions, through my speeches, how wrong it is to received a 95% approval rating from judge people on the basis of critics and a 78% approval rating from what they look like, color audience members on of their skin, whether Rotten Tomatoes. they’re men or women.” RBG has received Also, “I ask no favor for positive recognition from my sex. All I ask of our Friday, Oct. 4; reviewers since its rebrethren is that they take lease in May 2018. It was doors at 7 p.m., their feet off our necks.” chosen by the National
RBG
Board of Review as the best documentary film of 2018 and was nominated at the 91st Academy Awards in 2019 for best documentary feature. The film spans the
show at 7:30 p.m.; FREE. Panida Theater, 300 N. First Ave., 208-2639191, panida.org.
For more information about the Bonner County Human Rights Task Force, visit bchrtf.org.
October 3, 2019 /
R
/ 21
COMMUNITY
Charlie and Randi Lui named Chamber welcomes Chamber volunteers of the month Sandpoint Preschool Academy By Reader Staff
They say the couple who volunteers together, stays together. Or, at least this is true for Charlie and Randi Lui, who were named the Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce’s September volunteers of the month. Charlie and Randi grew up in Hawaii, where they graduated from high school together. They were married in 2004 and settled down in Sandpoint in 2008. Charlie is an avid golfer and works at STCU as a member relationship officer and in consumer lending. He has been with STCU for 8 years. Randi works hard as a ski bum in the wintertime, working part time at Schweitzer Mountain, and is a devoted mountain bike bum in the summer. She also enjoys spending time with their three dogs. Randi has volunteered for numerous organizations, including the Clark Fork Delta Restoration Project, Priest Lake Search and
Rescue as a dog team leader, the “Read” Program at the Sandpoint Library and the Panhandle Animal Shelter, Autism Speaks 24/7 and Friends of Scotchman Peaks. Charlie volunteers for the Sandpoint Elks Club in the Fourth of July Parade Golf Cart Drill team. Together, the Charlie and Randi have been an active part of 24 Hours for Hank since it’s very first year, and Randi has personally raised more than $40,000 for
Charlie Lui, left, and Randi Lui, right, pose with the Chamber’s Bob Witte. the cause over the past few years, between online fundraising and organizing a golf tournament. They also help with the Festival at Sandpoint wine tasting and pour for the Chamber’s Beerfest every year. The Chamber thanks Charlie and Randi for their continued support of the community and for bringing a positive attitude to the events at which they volunteer.
October support groups and classes at BGH By Reader Staff It’s going to be a busy month at Bonner General Health, with support groups and classes scheduled throughout the month. Here’s a rundown of all the month’s events: Let’s Talk —Thursday, Oct. 3 at 5:30 p.m. at the Sandpoint Library. A discussion about adolescent mental health and suicide prevention led by Ellen Wassif, LCSW and Dr. Joe Wassif, Ph.D for parents, families and community members. Adult Grief Support Group — Thursdays, Oct. 3 and Oct. 17 at 6 p.m. in the BGH classrooms. This group, facilitated by trained bereavement counselors, is primarily comprised of those who have lost a spouse or parent and is offered at no cost. Anyone grieving is invited to attend. Diabetes Education and Support Group — Monday, Oct. 7 at 10 a.m. located in the BGH classrooms. Audrey Buck, registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator, will present “Carbohydrate Counting.” Childbirth Education Classes — Tuesdays, Oct. 8, 15 and 22 22 /
R
/ October 3, 2019
from 6-8 pm. in Suite 101 of the BGH Health Services Building located at 423 N. Third Ave. Parents-to-be learn what to expect both during and after pregnancy. Classes are free and no registration is required. Better Breathers Club — Thursday, Oct. 10 at 1 p.m. in the BGH East Classroom. Meetings are offered at no cost for those living with chronic lung disease and their caregivers. Parkinson’s Support Group — Monday, Oct. 14 from 2-3 p.m. at the Sandpoint Library, 1407 Cedar St. Individuals affected by Parkinson’s, family, caregivers and friends are encouraged to attend. Conversations on Living and Dying Well — Sponsored by BGH in collaboration with North Idaho Palliative Care Coalition, Monday, Oct. 14-Saturday, Oct. 19. Call 208-265-1185 for more information, or check next week’s edition of the Reader for a story. Parents Grieving the Loss of a Child Support Group — Tuesday, Oct. 15 at 5 p.m. at Turning Leaf Counseling, 1205 Highway 2, Suite 301 in Sandpoint. This free meeting is open to all parents or grandparents who have experi-
enced the loss of a child at any age. Bonner General Health Blood Drive — Friday, Oct. 18 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Go to vitalant.org or call 877-258-4825 to schedule an appointment. Walk-ins are also welcome. Free Family Movie The Dog Who Saved Halloween — Saturday, Oct. 26, doors open at 2:30 p.m. at the Panida Theater located at 300 N. First Ave. in Sandpoint. Presented by Kinderhaven and sponsored by BGH. Costume contest starts at 3 p.m., movie starts right after. Mended Hearts Support Group — Monday, Oct. 28 from 3:30-4:30 p.m. in the BGH classrooms. A support group for cardiac patients offered at no cost. Diabetes Day at Bonner General Health — Monday, Nov. 4 from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Those living with or without diabetes are welcome. Free health screenings and information on diabetes management. Bonner General Health Community Hospice Annual Rose event — Receive a dozen roses for every $20 donated. Purchase roses by calling 208-265-1185 or at the information desk in the hospital.
By Reader Staff The Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce is pleased to welcome Sandpoint Preschool Academy to its membership. Located in the Bonner Mall, Sandpoint Preschool Academy is an inviting space, with bright, cheery murals painted on the walls, thought-provoking play areas and soft lighting for quiet spaces. In partnership with the Storybook Nook, Sandpoint Preschool Academy is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, set up to offer affordable preschool to families with 4-year-olds in Bonner County. They have received a grant from the Idaho Association for the Education of Young Children, which allows them to keep their tuition costs low. Idaho AEYC is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing Idaho’s early learning profession and advocating for children and families. Sandpoint is one of 14 Idaho communities to receive the planning grant. The grants were awarded this past spring, and recipients have spent the summer developing plans to create, expand or enhance early learning opportunities through local preschool collaboratives. With the planning phase complete, the collaboratives can apply for implementation grants to put those plans into action, which Sandpoint Preschool Academy is hoping to receive. Tana Vanderholm, owner and operator of Sandpoint Preschool
Chamber staff and ambassadors with Sandpoint Preschool Academy staff at their ribbon cutting on Sept. 19. From left to right: Steve Sanchez, Connor Currie, Caitlyn Hagen, Tana Vanderholm, Amy Bieda, Ricci Witte, Patricia Walker. Academy, has been providing early education learning opportunities for the past 20 years in both Washington and Idaho. She and her husband have eight children, most of whom are attending college, have business degrees or are working in the early education field. “We have a great respect for the family unit, and we understand the value to families, each individual child and our community when quality, safe and educational child learning programs are offered,” said Vaderholm. Lead teacher Amy Bieda has a degree in elementary education and has traveled and taught children abroad and in the States. Assistant Caitlyn Hagen is pursuing a future career in Early Childhood Education with the support of the preschool. For more information on the Preschool program and availability, call Storybook Nook at 208-265-2655 to schedule a tour for the Early Learning Center. You can find them on Facebook @Storybook Nook LLC Early Learning Center. To learn more about Idaho AEYC visit preschooltheidahoway.org.
FOOD
European flavor downtown
The Cedar Street Bistro offers wonderful worldly eats
By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff For more than a decade, the scents of baking pastries, hot coffee and fresh sandwiches have greeted visitors to the Cedar Street Bridge. The Cedar Street Bistro, tucked along the right side of the bridge just past the entrance, creates a warm welcome for those looking for a quick coffee or light sit-down meal. Reader staff members took a recent lunch hour to sample the eatery’s current menu, selecting a combination of signature and classic offerings. The macaroon latte ($3.65) made with soy milk — for those cursed by dairy sensitivities — provided a perfect balance of coffee and coconut flavors with a touch of sweetness. The cappuccino ($3.10) was topped with a delightfully fine foam, right at home on a menu reminiscent of an Italian cafe. The margherita pizza ($10.25), 10 inches and stone-fired on order, provided a satisfying lunch centerpiece. With sauce that tasted like it was made from actual tomatoes and topped with perfectly cooked fresh tomatoes, the pizza risks overwhelming acidity. Thanks to a hearty helping of mozzarella and a crust worthy of its own place on the menu — breadsticks, anyone? — the margherita pizza makes a solid case for the Cedar Street Bistro as one of Sandpoint’s best pizza destinations. What could have made it better? A refreshing pop of basil, which was missing because the bistro had run out, according to our server. That didn’t deter us, of course. In true North Idaho fashion, we chose huckleberry crepes ($7.75) to satisfy the post-pizza sweet tooth. Coming with two on a plate — perfect for sharing — the thin, chewy crepes are filled with rich, chunky huckleberry sauce and pastry cream cheese, then topped with toasted almonds to add a satisfying crunch to each bite. Beside the crepes sits a generous helping of whipped cream, but don’t let it overshadow the subtle but magnificent vanilla gelato resting inconspicuously against the white plate. That frozen goodness — which the owner churns by hand
every morning during the busy tourist season — is the bistro’s trademark. As one Reader staffer remarked after taking two rich bites, “This gelato is doing ice cream better than ice cream does ice cream.” The bistro offers several rotating flavors of gelato and those who order sandwiches from the menu receive a small scoop after their meal. Serving smaller, obviously fresh portions sets the bistro apart from other downtown offerings and enhances the
Top: Food with a view. The margherita pizza, huckleberry crepes, a macaroon latte and cappucino. Bottom: The sun-filled dining area of the Cedar Street Bistro is always a bright place to pass the time. Photos by Lyndsie Kiebert. European vibe so evident in its menu. Those looking for great flavors in one of the best settings Sandpoint has to offer will be happy they chose the Cedar Street Bistro. If those factors aren’t enough, the gelato secures the bistro as a first-class Panhandle eatery.
October 3, 2019 /
R
/ 23
MUSIC
A second life on Second Avenue Guitarists rejoice, Wilburn Custom Shop has reopened
By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff For Scott Wilburn, music is a family matter. From his childhood as the son of a church organist to the way he’s raised his kids to understand guitar workmanship, constantly having instruments around has become a trademark of his everyday life. “Mom always had a piano and an organ and a guitar and everything else in the house, so I grew up just playing,” he said. After joining his first rock band in 1972 as a freshman in high school, Wilburn said life as a musician never really stopped. He said he was a part of several bands out of high school and realized pretty quickly that broken instruments were an occupational hazard. “Fixing guitars was simply a necessity,” Wilburn said. “I thought, ‘OK, I’m a musician, I have to be able to do this myself,’ so I just started figuring it out.” That hobby then became a financial supplement to his day job when his wife took time off from her career as a surgical nurse to be home with their young children. “I had to find a way to make my guitar collecting not take away from the rent paying,” Wilburn said with a laugh.
24 /
R
/ October 3, 2019
Thus, Wilburn Custom Shop was born in 1999 — on eBay. Thanks to his day job working in graphic design and his niche abilities as a custom guitar builder and repairman, Wilburn’s business page started attracting clients from around the world. Still, Wilburn Custom Shop suffered in the economic meltdown of 2008. Yet, in 2009, change was in the air and the Wilburns moved from the Tri-Cities to Sandpoint. “We decided we needed to be closer to what we did most, which was snow skiing and water skiing,” Wilburn said. At the time, it seemed a custom guitar builder and repairman was exactly what Sandpoint needed. As more and more people became aware of Wilburn’s skills — including other local music store owners — they started coming to him for help. After being the third-party repairman for a few years, Wilburn Custom Shop first took physical form on First Avenue in 2014, and remained there until just recently. The shop provides a large inventory of acoustic and electric guitars, basses, ukuleles, drums, pianos, keyboards, amps, PA systems, accessories and parts. It also offers instrument repair and customization; lessons on guitar, bass and
Scott Wilburn and his daughter Sarah at the shop’s new location on Second Ave. Photo by Lyndsie Kiebert. keys; and access to a recording studio in the back of the store. Wilburn rented the previous location on First Avenue until February, when the landlord came by with tough news: He’d sold the building and the new tenants intended to use the space in other ways. It meant the Wilburns had 30 days to move out. “It happened so fast,” Wilburn said. “We didn’t plan.” After a huge closing sale, Wilburn said he wondered how his family would get everything moved out in time. Luckily, the community stepped in. “People just came out of the woodwork,” he said. “We moved that 6,000-square-foot monstrosity of a store in effectively three days because people just showed up and helped.” Wilburn said he owes a huge thanks to Red Simpson of Fiddlin’ Red’s Music on Church Street for both helping him move from the old location and for consigning some of his inventory while the storefront was down. While Simpson does repair instruments at his store, he does not deal with electronics like Wilburn does. “In a lot of towns, the other
music store would be rooting for us to go down,” Wilburn said. “[Red] rolled up his sleeves and came over and helped [move], and helped us pay our bills by selling our stuff. The real story here — from my point of view — is how the community takes care of its own.” Now, nestled comfortably on the corner of Church and Second at 118B N. Second Ave., Wilburn and his daughter Sarah are back to doing what they do best — keeping local and regional musicians in business. Wilburn said Sarah has a particular gift when it comes to their line of work. “Not only does she fix stuff, string stuff and all that, but she’s gotten really into detailing [guitars] so that it’s almost restoration,” he said. “Some of that stuff comes in really rough and it goes out shining like a new penny.” Sarah and her brother Stanton make Wilburn Custom Shop a true family business, having both helped their dad with building and fixing guitars from early ages. “I love working with my dad,” said Sarah, who turns 20 next week. “It’s a lot of fun.” “Yeah, you asked why we keep doing this,” Wilburn added. “Mainly because it’s a ton of fun.” For more info, visit wilburncustomshop.com or call 208-265-4393.
MUSIC
This week’s RLW by Ben Olson
Bound for big shoulders
Local musician Samantha Carston leaves for Chicago, trailing a legion of fans and well-wishers
By Ben Olson Reader Staff It’s tough saying goodbye to good people, especially when they leave Sandpoint’s tight-knit music community. When local musician and award-winning beertender Samantha Carston announced she was moving to Chicago, there were a lot of sad, yet supportive faces moping around. Carston, who is most known for playing in the trio Browne Salmon Truck with Truck Mills and Andrew Browne, as well as serving as manager at Idaho Pour Authority, said the move is a way to shake things up a bit. “I always wanted to live in a city and I never have,” Carston said. “At this point, nothing is holding me back.” Her life in Sandpoint has been defined by music, and music has been in Carston’s blood from the time she first moved to Idaho when she was 10 years old. Her father played music in Athol for years, forming what she referred to as a “family band” full of friends and family. “My dad’s a gypsy,” she said. “He’s a piano player, keyboard player — total frontman. He sings and carries the show. Always jolly, always upbeat, making people laugh.” Carston’s first foray into music came when singing Christmas songs with her father.
“I was super shy,” she said. “He started playing music with this other family — my brother’s friend’s family in Athol. When I was 15, I was helping him set up for a show and he was playing a riff, so I was helping with sound check on the mic and made up this little song. It was when Zima first came out, and I saw a Zima in my old man’s hand one time, so made up a little song about it.” During the show that night, Carston said she didn’t know what came over her, because she suddenly ran onto the stage to sing with the band — something she’d never done before. “I just started singing,” she said. “Then we formed a band.” Carston joined the band, which eventually morphed into the Zach Cooper Band, and sang backup from time to time. It wasn’t until moving to Hawaii that she finally embraced her desire to play live music and dropped her shyness once and for all. “I just like connecting with people and having that exchange between music and listeners,” she said. Upon returning to Sandpoint in 2007, Carston started hanging around the weekly Open Blues Jam at Eichardt’s on Monday nights. She met host Mills and Browne and the three eventually formed Browne Salmon Truck, playing a mix of jazz, blues and standards. Carston found her place as the lead vocalist, usually showing up
to each show looking fabulous in something shiny. Watching them perform on stage, it’s hard to deny the three enjoyed a natural charisma. “It was magic; it was effortless,” she said. “Truck and Drew both just completely raise my frequency when I play with them. And I’ve learned so much from them. I feel like I am a musician now, and it has a lot to do with them.” Carston said it’s been an emotional ride the past couple weeks as she put her affairs in order before leaving town. One hard goodbye was with her place of employment for the past four and a half years: Idaho Pour Authority, owned by Jon Hagadone and Vicki Reich. “They have been the most generous people I’ve ever worked for,” Carston said. “We just totally jive, you know?” “Samantha has grown so much and has become an integral part of the team over the years,” Jon Hagadone said. “We’re really going to miss her.” A side project of Carston’s has been performing solo on her ukulele — a challenge she gave herself at Idaho Pour Authority after playing a weekly set at the store. “I decided to push myself,” Carston said. “At 2:22 p.m. on Tuesdays, we usually taste 2 ounces of beer and I would sing two tunes. It started last March and went through last winter.”
Samantha Carston enjoys a farewell beer. Photo by Ben Olson. The mini set was a chance for Carston to feel more comfortable on stage alone, singing while playing the ukulele. But it wasn’t until Brandon Emch at The Back Door bar convinced her to book a solo show that she actually took the plunge. “It really was that little push that started me off,” she said. “I’m grateful to him for it.” Carston said she plans to start hitting the open mics in Chicago once she’s settled, and will be actively searching for musicians to play with. While she anticipates an emotional goodbye to Sandpoint when she hits the road in her Prius with her cat Moose, she wanted to thank all of the people in Sandpoint who have made it a special place. We’ll miss you, too, Samantha.
A snapshot of notable live music coming up in Sandpoint The Hackles + The Bart Budwig Band, Oct. 10, Utara Brewing Co.
The Groove Black, Oct. 4, MickDuff’s Beer Hall
The soothing, gorgeous sounds of roots folk music from Oregon-based The Hackles and The Bart Budwig Band sound like the American West as the sun rises. Guitar and banjo duo The Hackles bring out the best in one another with soaring vocal harmonies. A perfect sample of the pair’s superpower in action is heard on the track “Don’t Let Me Go By.” Bart Budwig was described in American Standard Time as a “cosmic country lawn gnome,” and aesthetically, nothing could be more spot on. Budwig gives gnomes everywhere a good name with his troubadour voice and ability to seamlessly fuse old country charm with pensive notes of new folk. —Lyndsie Kiebert
Laying down a mellow yet insistent beat, building subtly with intensity and breaking out into a rollicking, funk-fueled dance groove is no mean feat. Any old band can thrash and crash, but it takes finesse and — above all — command of instrumentation to craft a truly danceable track. Local four-piece The Groove Black is a stellar example of what a well-balanced, disciplined band can accomplish. Featuring Brandon Watterson on guitar, Jason Stoddard on bass, KC Carter on percussion and new member Paz Rainbow on trumpet, the band’s tight rhythms, inventive style and pure danceability shine through with an overall rock-solid sound. —Zach Hagadone
8 p.m., $10, 21+. Utara Brewing, 214 Pine St., 208-627-5070, utaraidaho.com. Listen at “The Hackles” on Facebook or bartbudwig.com.
6:30-9:30 p.m., FREE, 21+. MickDuff’s Beer Hall, 220 Cedar St., 208-2096700, mickduffs.com/visit-beer-hall. Listen at thegrooveblack.bandcamp.com.
READ
I broke down a few weeks ago and purchased all eight of the Dark Tower novels by Stephen King. I read the whole series years ago in disjointed order, but I wanted something lengthy to slip into this winter. The series is a bit of a departure from King’s brand of horror. There is a bit of dark fantasy world-building going on, which keeps you guessing through each installment until the end.
LISTEN
On occasion, I’ll spend $1 on a vinyl record at a thrift store and fall in love with a new artist. This week’s artist of note is Leon Redbone, a cheeky singer-songwriter and actor who just passed away in May 2019. Known for his Panama hat and dark sunglasses, Redbone’s material feels vintage — mainly because he drew his inspiration from the Tin Pan Alley era of music from 1890-1910. His third album Champagne Charlie is about as good as it gets.
WATCH
A well-crafted action movie can be the perfect escape from reality. I checked out John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum, the third installment of this film series starring Keanu Reeves as a former assassin hellbent on revenge after his puppy was killed by thugs in the first film. The fight scenes are scripted like ballet, thanks to director Chad Stahelski’s intention to bring a different fight to the big screen. Also, Reeves’ physical ability during fight scenes is superb, along with his chemistry with Halle Berry’s character.
October 3, 2019 /
R
/ 25
From Sandpoint News-Bulletin, Oct. 4, 1951
SALE OF OLD FERRY RECALLS EARLY LORE A faithful “servant” of the people will be sold to the highest bidder next month when county commissioners open bids for the old Laclede ferry. The craft was constructed in the early part of the 1930s and has plyed between Laclede on the north bank of the Pend Oreille River and Markham on the south bank. Capable of carrying five cars, the ferry shuttled across ther river without an accident in all kinds of weather with the exception of the serverest winters when it was frozen in. Now replaced by a new ferry with a carrying capacity of six cars, the old barge has been dismantled of its machinery and is being offered for sale. There is considerable salvage in the 18 by 54 foot barge. Bids will be opened by the commissioners at 11 o’clock Nov. 5. The Laclede ferry crossing is a busy place and has been so since early days. Loren Markham, who has lived in Bonner County 62 years, recalls the 12 by 40 foot ferry his father, Francis Markham, and brothers built at the turn of the century. It was operated by two big oaks pulled by one strong man, if available, but usually by two men. There were no cables or ropes to guide it to any certain landing place. Loaded or unloaded, the operators made for the opposite shore wherever they could guide the bulky barge by oak operation. Loren Markham followed his father as ferry operator for many years. Since this early day ferry several others have come and gone. When the Markhams ran the ferry it was a toll trip costing $1. 26 /
R
/ October 3, 2019
Prepping for an epic season in Pine Street Woods By Jason Welker Reader Contributor
Crooked Tree, Butterfly, Frog and Pinecone: To anyone who has had the opportunity to explore Pine Street Woods since its grand opening last month, these words all have something in common. They are the place-based — and likely temporary — names assigned to the first four trails in our community forest’s nascent trail network, which will eventually include miles of named, sign-marked routes for hikers, walkers, joggers, mountain bikers, snow shoers, Nordic skiers and winter fat bikers. An incredible transformation has already taken place in the hills above Sandpoint. Since the road into Pine Street Woods, which climbs 300 feet above West Pine Street to a large parking lot at the edge of the forest’s signature central meadow, was completed in May, volunteers like Ross Longhini and Jeff Thompson of the Sandpoint Nordic Club and the Pend Oreille Pedalers have put in hundreds of man-hours preparing trails for outdoor lovers to come enjoy. Butterfly is a 1.3-mile “narrow” loop trail that circumnavigates the central meadow, with about 150 feet of elevation gain and loss. The trail was machine-built by Jeff Thompson (meaning it was initially cut with a mini excavator) with mountain bikers and hikers in mind. After Jeff finished cutting the trail, volunteers buffed it out with hand tools, constructing many flowing berm turns that allow bikers to maintain speed in their roller coaster ride around the meadow. At present, Butterfly is the only narrow trail in Pine Street Woods, but Thompson, who has walked the property extensively and already begun laying down GPS tracks for potential future trails, sees ample opportunity to expand the narrow trail network with a focus on beginner and intermediate-friendly routes. On the steeper west side of Pine Street Woods, several rock outcroppings provide a tempting canvas on which a skilled trail crew could construct more advanced trails where local riders could build their mountain biking skills. With the first snow of the season already crowning the Selkirks above town, you may think trail season in our community forest is coming to an end just as the forest opened. However, one of the most exciting features of Pine Street Woods is the part-
nership between Kaniksu Land Trust and the Sandpoint Nordic Club. Grooming operations will relocate from North Boyer to the lofty heights of Pine Street Woods, which with average elevations of between 2,600 and 2,700 feet will hold snow for roughly twice as long each winter than the club’s previous trails. Longhini estimates the club will be able to groom the wide trails for skiing an average of 12 weeks each winter — double the six weeks the club averaged on its North Boyer trails. For winter 2019, the Nordic Club will groom between five and six kilometers of wide trails, including tracks for classic skiers and plenty of room for skate skiers to muscle their way to the Crooked Tree viewpoint at the summit of Pine Street Woods. After a successful fundraising effort by the Pend Oreille Pedalers, the bike club has purchased a grooming machine, with which it will build and maintain trails for fat bikes (which have tires that are 3.7 inches or wider). The property is crisscrossed by old logging roads, now mostly reclaimed by the forest, offering ample corridors for the fat bike groomer to carve trails into corners of Pine Street Woods that will likely be utilized for the narrow trails planned for construction next summer. For outdoors lovers, Pine Street Woods offers a year-round playground that will only grow in years to come. According to Katie Cox, executive director of Kaniksu Land Trust, the community forest is intended to offer residents a “gateway” experience in outdoor adventure. By lowering the barriers to entry to outdoor activities, users of all ability levels will find Pine Street Woods to be a welcome introduction to the excitement and challenges offered by trails in North Idaho and beyond.
Sunset at the Pine Streed Woods meadow. Photo by Jason Welker. To support trail building in Pine Street Woods, you can become a member of the Sandpoint Nordic Club (sandpointnordic. com) or the Pend Oreille Pedalers (pendoreillepedalers.org), or donate directly to Kaniksu Land Trust, which owns and manages the community forest (kaniksulandtrust.org).
Crossword Solution
Instead of burning a guy at the stake, what about burning him at the stilts? It probably lasts longer, plus it moves around.
Copyright www.mirroreyes.com
CROSSWORD ACROSS 1. Great affection 5. A cook might wear one 10. Double-reed woodwind 14. Module 15. Pee 16. Gunk 17. A small scar 19. Credit or playing 20. Caviar 21. Juliet’s love 22. Impudent girl 23. Trap 25. Opaque gems 27. An Old Testament king 28. Flighty 31. Bully 34. Feudal lord 35. Regret 36. Coffee dispensers 37. Wharves 38. Anagram of “Sing” 39. Spelling contest 40. Yearns /OO-trey/ 41. Loamy deposit 42. Alienate [adjective] 1. Passing the bounds of what is usual or considered proper. 44. Black gunk of the 45. Row of shrubs 46. Hinged window blind “Salvador Dali’s outré pieces still shock museum-goers to this day.” 50. Succulent Corrections: None that we know of. No news is good news (at least when it 52. Scraped gently comes to filling a corrections box). 54. Card with one symbol 55. Killer whale 56. A young unmarried woman (archaic)
Word Week
outré
Solution on page 26 58. Secure against leakage 59. Operatic solos 60. Street 61. Corridor 62. Sacred hymn 63. Picnic insects
DOWN 1. Ill-gotten gains 2. Scallion 3. Transgressions 4. Estimated time of arrival 5. Dawn goddess 6. Choice 7. Type of cereal grass
8. Witnesses 9. Born as 10. Supernatural 11. A small restaurant 12. Not yours 13. Countercurrent 18. Garbage 22. Despise 24. Badgers 26. Swine 28. Blockade 29. Carpets 30. Cravings 31. Pipe 32. Mining finds 33. Immoral 34. Loiterers
37. Ping-___ 38. Classify 40. Gentlewoman 41. Extols 43. Summon to return 44. Religious belief 46. “Cheers!” 47. Claw 48. Panache 49. Marsh growth 50. Tease 51. Component of urine 53. Dogfish 56. Skip 57. Historic period
October 3, 2019 /
R
/ 27
CLEANER ly seund way In · c,' ·sil')g ·&NSF-.· rm . I
280 truc.14;, til1,1citlg hii;ti.....ay tWQ ,fflllissi rp bV 75 11 cen
in 11,;iln mov . oomuch r ight. ·
it� <helpin,g «rt· �rt,,on
1111' Z,U1 IJ, ::stll P. Fl' I tf6 W LTIII fl Sf Ptpi fltH Cl URI £Ill :r1Ui.Ef1S H DUClE:
THEIR O\!flliiUI. C'JI.RBOM t · ,s Ln'N:a , Arid we cor1 ·rms to Yest m n,ew tedmalogtBS. jmptemant nliM" practices. iUICI UP,9f4<f_ Jt'!frastrucwre aoss CNr rte ;l.l\'O<r .o m
out envkonmerrtm perrorrMl'\ce
b&tter.
1 TRAIN= t , T0 N GALLOIN �F. 1
d
Corm_fjj�tmg the hc;ilic Nonhwe;lt sines, '1,f/73
1
,.
�M I_OI