A strange conspiracy theory that gets kicked around on the internet claims that Idaho doesn’t really exist. It’s an Americanized form of the Bielefeld Conspiracy, a satirical claim that the city of Bielefeld, Germany and its 350,000 people don’t exist. Instead, it’s some kind of illusion propagated by nefarious government forces to mislead or distract the German public. In the Idaho version of this conspiracy theory, those promoting it will ask three questions: Do you know anybody from Idaho? Have you ever been to Idaho? Do you know anybody who has ever been to Idaho? Since most people don’t know anything about — nor have they ever been to — Idaho, the satirical conspiracy theory was born and continues to spread, similar to the “Birds Aren’t Real” movement. My favorite “belief” of this theory is that Idaho only exists as a “state of mind.”
movies filmed in idaho
Idaho isn’t often depicted in films, but occasionally, it makes it to the silver screen. Here are a few filmed in Idaho:
• Napoleon Dynamite: This is perhaps the most Idaho film of all time, shot in a southern Idaho town called Preston, as well as some in Franklin and the Lamont Reservoir.
• Dante’s Peak: This disaster of a disaster film was mostly shot in Wallace, but the famous cabin scene was shot right here in Bonner County at Mirror Lake. The building at Mirror Lake was actually built for the film and given to the owners as-is after filming concluded.
• Wild Wild West: Not the greatest of films, but the train exterior scenes were shot in the Camas Prairie near Pierce.
• Heaven’s Gate: One of the biggest movie flops of all time, this Western starring Kris Kristofferson and Christopher Walken was filmed in Wallace.
• Pale Rider: A Clint Eastwood Western filmed in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area and Sun Valley.
old and dirty
One of my favorite pastimes of late has been perusing A Pocket Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, first published in 1785 by Captain Francis Grose. This tome of hilarity is a snapshot of the vulgarities uttered by street urchins, lowlives and other hoi polloi of the time. Some of my favorite entries are lists of names for parts of the body. Under the heading “Female Naughty Bits: Below,” the following terms are listed: beef, bite, brown madam, bun, cock alley, commodity, crinkum crankum, doodle sack, Eve’s custom house, fruitful vine, gigg, madge, man trap, Miss Brown, Miss Laycock, monosyllable and mossy face. Oh my, I’ll never be the same after listing these off, and neither will you.
DEAR READERS,
Greetings, boils and ghouls. Welcome to the Halloween edition of the Sandpoint Reader. Abandon all hope ye who enter here.
There are those who don’t care for Halloween; then there are all the rest of us. We’re big Halloween hounds at the Reader. As I type this, Staff Writer Soncirey Mitchell is dressed as Editor Zach Hagadone, down to the eyeliner “beard.” She’s even sitting at his desk, glowering at me like only Hagadone can. It’s the scariest thing I’ve seen all day.
Speaking of scary, Election Day is Nov. 5. Polling places will be open from 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Don’t forget to bring a photo ID and refrain from wearing political hats, shirts or other clothing when voting. The most important thing, though, is to vote.
Finally, the word limit for letters to the editor will revert to 300 words with the Nov. 7 edition. Thanks for your patience. Vote!
– Ben Olson, publisher
READER
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About the Cover
This week’s cover features Nina Welp participating in the annual Halloween surf with her friends. Photo by Alana Baumgartner.
County votes to curtail credit card usage
By Soncirey Mitchell Reader Staff
The Bonner County board of commissioners voted Oct. 29 to pare down the county’s 60 credit cards, which are spread out across multiple departments, with the eventual goal of consolidating them into 30 cards. Each card has an available balance of up to $5,000, allowing holders to make purchases without prior approval from the board.
The Clerk’s Office audits all 60 cards each month, but only after the fact, allowing for some “frivolous spending,” according to Comptroller and Deputy Clerk Jessica Stephany.
The commissioners, county department heads and members of the public met Oct. 28 for a public workshop where they went through every card to determine whether to cancel it, reduce its available balance or leave it be.
“The purpose of this is to ensure that we have good internal controls and that the cards we have are reasonable and appropriate for the organization,” said Chair Asia Williams.
Throughout the discussion, officials were required to justify the continued use of their department’s card or cards. Several departments, such as Human Resources, surrendered their cards. Others, like the Prosecutor’s Of-
fice and Sheriff’s Office, were allowed to maintain multiple cards to make the real-time payments necessary for their offices to function.
Commissioner Steve Bradshaw, present on Zoom, called the process “micromanaging something that’s never been a problem, and it will become a problem if people are surrendering cards.”
He argued that relinquishing cards would create a surplus of work for the Clerk’s Office, which would assume control of all purchases under $5,000 for those departments.
“What we’re trying to do is eliminate the fact that the county has almost 60 open credit cards for a 400-employee agency. I don’t know
Reminder: Election Day is Nov. 5
By Ben Olson Reader Staff
With Election Day just around the corner, here are some quick details for voters to remember:
• Polling places are in the same location as they were for the primary election. They’ll be be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 5. For voters unsure of where to vote, visit voteidaho.gov to find your polling place and also to see a sample ballot.
• For those who haven’t yet registered to vote, it’s not too late — voters may still register at the ballot box on Election Day. Make sure you bring a government-issued photo ID and proof of residence (a utility bill, mortgage
statement, lease agreement or credit card statement).
• The deadline to request an absentee ballot has already passed, and early voting will conclude at 5 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 1. To sign up for early voting for future elections, visit voteidaho. gov or contact the Bonner County Elections office at 208-255-3631.
• Always bring your valid government-issued photo ID to the ballot box.
• Voting locations are neutral, non-partisan spaces. Do not wear or bring anything to vote that promotes a candidate, issue or party on the ballot. You may be asked to remove the item before voting. Please comply with poll workers’ requests.
that we need that much autonomy,” said Stephany, later adding that auditing the cards monthly already creates “a literal ton of work.”
Aside from a few real-time payments, the cards are used to pay for training resources such as tuition for programs and the travel expenses needed to access certain classes.
“We’re losing a little bit when each individual department buys their training on their own — then the organization as a whole doesn’t see that we have these memberships, and that’s not a good way of doing it,” said Williams.
She further argued that the commissioners should surrender their cards
because their airfare, lodging and training workshops are already booked through the Clerk’s Office. Commissioner Ron Korn elected to keep his cards in case of emergencies while traveling when it would be difficult to contact the clerk.
Although Commissioner Steve Bradshaw stated that he’s never personally used his card, he argued that he needed to maintain it because “when you get to the hotel, you have to hand them the credit card.”
Of the commissioners, only Williams surrendered her card.
Photo by Soncirey Mitchell.
Commissioners table rezone and map amendment of 1,565-acre Schweitzer parcels
By Soncirey Mitchell Reader Staff
The Bonner County board of commissioners met with the planning department and members of the public Oct. 23 to hear a proposal from Schweitzer Alterra Mountain Company, to amend the county’s Comprehensive Plan map, as well as rezone 1,565 acres of undeveloped land accessible via Schweitzer Mountain Road and West Selle Road.
The commissioners voted unanimously to table the decision until Thursday, Dec. 12, when they will host another public hearing at 1:30 p.m. in the first-floor conference room of the county Administration Building (1500 US-2, Sandpoint).
Alterra currently owns seven parcels listed as Prime Agriculture/Forest Land, A/F Land and Alpine Community on the Comp Plan map, thus limiting how the land can be zoned. The parcels fall under the A/F 20, A/F 10 and Alpine Village Zoning Districts.
The applicant requested that the county reclassify the 1,565 acres as Alpine Community and subsequently rezone it to Alpine Village.
“Per the applicant, the purpose of this proposed map change is to better align the parcels with the surrounding properties that were approved in their previous Planned Unit Development and to modify the currently approved PUD map in the future,” said County Planner Alex Feyen, who presented the county staff’s findings.
According to Alterra’s project representative, Daniel Britt, the commissioners approved the PUD of up to 7,773 units nearly 40 years ago.
Prime A/F and A/F designations exist to protect productive farm, ranch or timber lands; however, none of the parcels are currently used for those purposes. To qualify for the Prime A/F designation, the property must also include prime soil and individual sewer and water systems.
Only 20 of the 1,565 acres — approximately 1.2% — contain prime soil if drained.
A/F requires that the property have prevailing slopes of 30% or greater, present challenges for development due to terrain or area hazards, lack access to urban services and be serviced by private roads.
Alterra conceded that some parcels contain slopes of 30% or greater; however, the properties are serviced by public right-of-ways and have access to urban services, water and sewer through Schweitzer.
The Idaho Department of Environmental Quality has already conditionally approved future wastewater and sewer system expansion, pending the preliminary engineering report, plans and specifications. The developers’ completed water facility plan covers the next 30 years, though as of yet, there are no concrete plans for how they will develop the properties.
Staff ultimately concurred with Alterra that Alpine Community and Alpine Village designations suit the properties, as the definitions allow for a range of housing types and roads in high-elevation communities and can accompany commercial and private resorts.
The Zoning Commission recommended the commissioners approve Alterra’s request Sept. 9.
“This has been a matter of public record for quite some time, so there’s nothing nefarious happening here,” said Britt.
information about any planned developments, including studies showing whether the area’s infrastructure could handle the potential additional housing — information that Robnett explained does not yet exist.
to have the opportunity [to do so] before we change the map,” she said.
He went on to argue that any future land use would extend the resort’s recreational open spaces, creating wildlife corridors, preserving rural character and positively contributing to the local economy.
Public comments received before and during the meeting were chiefly concerned with water availability, infrastructure and whether or not any future development would align with changes made to the Comp Plan, which the county is in the process of updating.
Schweitzer’s in-house attorney, Janet Robnett, attempted to address these concerns in her presentation.
“As staff has noted, particularly in the context of the Comprehensive Plan amendment, it’s not a proposal for a development. Those issues will be addressed prior to actual development proposals,” she said, arguing that the application should be “considered under the rules and standards that are in place at the time of the application” rather than postponed until after the Comp Plan update.
Commenters requested more
“You need to talk about chickens and eggs a little bit because, as a property owner and a developer, you want to know what you’re going to be able to do before you spend lots of money planning for that in the way of specific designs and permitting processes,” she said.
She clarified that if, after the commissioners approve the rezone and map change, Alterra discovers that the area’s infrastructure cannot support further development, then “the developments won’t happen.”
Given the new information presented by Alterra’s representatives, both Commissioner Ron Korn and Chair Asia Williams requested additional time to thoroughly research the proposal before making a decision.
“There are concerns that have been brought up that the applicant has answers to [but] that we did not receive,” said Williams, adding that this vote “is going to domino the next few decisions.”
She additionally expressed her concerns over the fact that, though it was not technically part of the proposal, approval could mean an additional “5,000 homes.”
“This is a huge change in this area. There’s more information that I think that we could ask for and I would like
Map courtesy of Bonner County Planning Department.
Ponderay officials make case for 1% local option tax
By Reader Staff
Ponderay’s first five-year local option sales tax — passed by just one vote in 2019 — is set to expire at the end of 2024 after having raised approximately $14.7 million for improvements like the Field of Dreams facility and Front Yard Project. A replacement 1% LOT with a term of 10 years will appear on the ballot Tuesday, Nov. 5.
“We’ve learned through experience with the LOT that 5-years just goes by way too quickly,” said Ponderay Mayor Steve Geiger.
A local option tax is a municipal non-property sales tax that must pass with greater than 60% approval. Only resort cities with a population of less than 10,000 are eligible to pass an LOT, and all funds return directly to Ponderay.
The replacement LOT will again limit the 1% tax to sales under $1,000.
“Passage of the local option tax was absolutely instrumental in bringing the first phase of the Field of Dreams to reality and moving the underpass design forward, but there is much more to do,” said Geiger.
According to him, though the city is the commercial workhorse of Bonner County — collecting between $20-30 million in sales tax annually for the state — due to the current revenue sharing formulas only about $150,000 of those funds return to the city annually for expenditures. The rest
Bits ’n’ Pieces
From east, west and beyond
Trump mega-donor Elon Musk has had secretive and “regular contact” with Russian President Vladimir Putin since 2022, the Wall Street Journal reported. NASA wants an investigation, saying that it’s a concern for the Department of Defense, NASA and national intelligence agencies. Musk has business contracts with several U.S. departments.
Meanwhile, the BBC says Philadelphia prosecutors are suing Musk for his $1 million lottery-for-votes scheme.
Trump has distanced himself from the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025, an anti-democratic initiative written by Trump-affiliated political entities. Still, Trump’s former Director of Office Management and Budget Russell Vought, who is heavily involved with the initiative, told undercover reporters from the Centre for Climate Reporting that Trump is “very supportive of what we do.”
are distributed throughout the state.
“The local option tax is collected and filed monthly by [approximately] 420 local and online businesses; however, it takes a long time to raise the funds for a large project one month at a time and in the end that doesn’t leave a lot of time for the actual construction to occur,” said Geiger.
“It is very important to the city that we are able to show results when our community puts their trust in us and we’re hopeful that they’re excited about what’s been accomplished. I know we are,” he added.
Funds from the replacement LOT would go toward funding shoreline access, additional phases of the Field of Dreams project and a maintenance endowment fund for the facility utilizing the first $1 million.
“Those funds would continue to accrue interest until the fund contains $2 million in order to alleviate the taxpayer burden of covering those costs in the future,” said Geiger.
“We will also be designating $500,000 per year to street and stormwater projects. This number alone is nearly double what Ponderay is able to budget for streets annually.”
The street and stormwater funds would cover maintenance, necessary improvements and new facilities.
For more information, visit cityofponderay.org or call Ponderay City Hall at 208-265-5468.
Republicans have asked the Supreme Court to disenfranchise thousands of Pennsylvania voters by discarding provisional ballots cast by voters whose mail ballots are rejected for not following technical procedures in state law. Vox said that it could change the outcome of the presidential election.
NPR and other media report Trump has made more than 100 threats to prosecute or punish his “enemies.”
Trump’s campaign has not signed onto a White House transition plan should he win, The Lever reported. The plan, which gets underway three months prior to inauguration, includes ethical rules.
Since 1961, human-caused climate change has reduced global agricultural production by 21%, according to research published in Nature Climate Change. If elected, Donald Trump’s anti-environment plans would increase U.S. emissions by four billion metric tons by 2030 — more than the annual emissions of the EU and Japan, according to Carbon Brief.
The Washington Post reported that Donald Trump’s “concept of a plan” for replacing the Affordable Care Act was revealed in a Meet the Press interview with his VP pick: eliminate ACA protections for pre-existing conditions and create “risk pools.” The Post relayed that younger people could choose a cheap plan with marginal coverage for serious illness, but premiums for people in high-risk categories would be so high that many would drop insurance coverage, causing a system failure.
By Lorraine H. Marie Reader Columnist
In Newsweek, ER physician and health care leader Dr. Rob Davidson noted that under Barack Obama’s presidency, the number of uninsured people declined every year. Under Trump, 2.3 million more people became uninsured, causing “thousands of deaths.” Trump facilitated that by cutting funding for ACA enrollment, eliminating the individual health insurance mandate penalty (which drove up costs), making moves that raised insurance premiums and approving “junk” insurance plans equated to “no insurance at all.”
Before Trump’s former Chief of Staff John Kelly stated Trump is a fascist, an ABC News poll found half of Americans already agreed. Eight percent of them continue to support Trump anyway.
Event speaker and radio commentator Sid Rosenberg called Trump’s Madison Square Garden event “a Nazi rally.” Historians noted the choice of venue appeared deliberate; it was the site of a 1939 Nazi rally where leaders promised to “restore America to true Americans.” Trump Senior Advisor Stephen Miller told rally-goers, “America is for Americans and Americans only.”
Some Republicans reacted to Trump’s MSG event with “dismay and horror,” The Atlantic said.
Blast from the past: After becoming president in 2017, Trump initiated one of the nation’s largest tax cuts at $1.5 trillion. The Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy said it resulted in the bottom 20% of earners having a $120 tax cut while the top one-percenters averaged $48,000. Trump’s cuts expanded the deficit, making it the largest in over two decades.
And another: In 1945, the US War Department printed the pamphlet “FASCISM!” for Army personnel. It said fascism “thrives on indifference and ignorance,” and people who hate rather than think; it’s a government by the few for the few, which gains control by pitting groups against each other; it’s anti-democracy but feigns democracy; people are to obey; women are primarily breeders; fascism’s force maintains power; rules change when rulers wish; and power is held with fear, hate, propaganda and false promises of security. The pamphlet warned about past fascists in the U.S., such as the KKK and Silver Shirts.
It also noted, “We once laughed off Hitler as a harmless little clown with a funny mustache.”
Courtesy photo.
U.S. Justice Department stresses protection of voters’ rights
Criminal Division of DOJ enforces federal laws relating to election crimes such as voter fraud, destruction of ballots and other crimes
By Ariana Figueroa Idaho Capital Sun
With less than a week before the polls close on Nov. 5, the U.S. Justice Department on Wednesday reiterated its efforts to protect voters’ access to the ballot box through its civil rights, national security and criminal divisions.
“Protecting the right to vote, prosecuting election crimes, and securing our elections are all essential to maintaining the confidence of all Americans in our democratic system of government,” the Justice Department said in a press release.
The Justice Department said that any complaints relating to violence, threats of violence or intimidation at a polling place should be first reported to local authorities by calling 911 and then the agency for further action.
In Washington state and Oregon, two ballot boxes were set on fire. In North Carolina, yellow signs in Spanish have popped up outside voting locations warning people that voting by noncitizens is illegal, something that voting rights groups have called voter intimidation.
There are heightened concerns from election officials and pro-democracy groups about attempts to disrupt the election process and the potential for violence once results are known.
conspiracy theories
Civil rights violations should be reported to the DOJ
How to submit election complaints in Idaho
The DOJ Civil Rights Division “is responsible for ensuring compliance with the civil provisions of federal statutes that protect the right to vote and with the criminal provisions of federal statutes prohibiting discriminatory interference with that right,” according to the agency.
• To the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho: Call 208-334-1211, or email: usaid.civilrights@usdoj.gov
• To the U.S. Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, in Washington, D.C., call 800-253-3931 or visit the agency’s webpage at: civilrights.justice.gov/
A presidential victor is unlikely to be announced on election night or even the following day, which election officials have warned could easily sow distrust in the official results.
In Maricopa County, Arizona, the nation’s fourth most populous county, local and federal law enforcement officials said they are prepared for
Any civil rights violations should be reported to the agency at 800-253-3931 or online.
That division enforces the laws of the Voting Rights Act, the National Voter Registration Act, the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, the Help America Vote Act and the Civil Rights Acts. Under those laws it’s prohibited to intimidate voters, as well as have election practices that are either discriminatory or discriminate on the basis of “race, color, or language minority status.”
The Justice Department said that throughout the election, its attorneys “will be ready to receive complaints
of potential violations of any of the statutes the Civil Rights Division enforces.”
Election-related crimes
The Criminal Division of the Justice Department enforces federal laws relating to election crimes such as voter fraud, destruction of ballots, vote-buying, submitting fraudulent ballots, altering votes and wrongdoing by election officials and employees.
That also includes any threats of violence against election workers and voter intimidation outside of reasons relating to discrimination.
The Justice Department said any election-related complaints should be directed to the local U.S. Attorney’s Office or the local FBI field office.
The National Security Division in the Justice Department will handle any cases involving foreign influence.
In September, the Justice Department unsealed charges of the Russian government’s efforts to spread propaganda and try to influence voters, including the 2024 presidential election.
“As in past elections, the National Security Division will work closely with counterparts at the FBI and our U.S. Attorneys’ Offices to protect our nation’s elections from any national security threats,” the Justice Department said.
This story was produced by Boise-based nonprofit news outlet the Idaho Capital Sun, which is part of the States Newsroom nationwide reporting project. For more information, visit idahocapitalsun.com.
violence. Maricopa County was at the forefront of election fraud
in 2020.
Courtesy photo.
Bouquets:
GUEST SUBMISSION:
• “The cover artists for the Reader are wonderful. Each week is creative and topical. Also, a big shout out to Bonner County election officials. I was in the election office voting and a Trump supporter made very vulgar, profane and loud comments about Vice President Harris. The staff politely, but firmly, told him that this was a nonpartisan county office, and they will not allow partisan comments or actions in the election office. Good for the staff for making the women in the room feel safe. This will be a stressful time for our election officials, and they face it with grace and professionalism.”
— Mary Haley
Barbs:
GUEST SUBMISSION:
• “While I was sitting on a bench in Fernie, B.C., enjoying a smoothie after a great bike ride, a man from Alberta joined me on the bench. While talking, he told me that he and his wife had plans to finally visit Arizona for the month of November. They decided to cancel their plans because of our election. They said that Donald Trump made the U.S. elections feel too dangerous to visit. In a ranking of the safest countries to visit in the world, the U.S. ranks 47 out of 89. The United States’ ranking has fallen every year since 2016 — a drop usually attributed to a decrease in life satisfaction, rising political division and an increasing wealth gap. How sad for us!”
— By Jane Hoover
• Hey, you! There’s an old adage that I like to trot out prior to elections: “If you don’t vote, you have no right to complain.” I know a thing or two about complaining, so you can trust me on this. No matter who you vote for, the important thing is just to vote.
‘Korn is aggressive’…
Dear editor,
In 2020, the Lions Club took one year off from holding their July 4 activities when COVID was raging. Ron Korn (current candidate for Dist. 3 Bonner County commissioner) chose to buck health directives and organized his version that started with a militia-led parade. The following year, when the Lions prepared to resume their activities, Korn attempted to undercut them for the city permit.
Claiming he was entitled to the permit, Korn pressed for a City Council hearing. After a Lions Club official made their intention clear for a one-year sabbatical, councilors voted to honor the club’s long-held commitment to our community.
Korn has also pressed in where not wanted. Last summer, when WBCSD was having its problems with then-Superintendent Branden Durst, Korn showed-up with his 7 Bravo Militia to “guard entry” to the school board meeting. Many Priest River parents did not like this strongarmed presence from outsiders.
Bonner County residents need commissioners with even temperaments. Korn’s manipulative, wily actions are reason enough not to have him serve as a county commissioner.
Please give your vote to longtime “genuine locals” Glenn Lefebvre and Steve Johnson for their plans to enact common sense solutions — a breath of fresh air.
Rebecca Holland Sandpoint
‘Matthee is a conservation candidate’...
Dear editor,
I’ve gotten to know Karen Matthee primarily through the Bonner County Climate Coalition, which I lead, and she is the candidate I can support for House Seat 1A.
She has been an environmentalist for much of her life, having been raised in an avid fishing family and having spent nearly every weekend on rivers, lakes or the ocean while growing up. That experience led her to volunteer as a river guide for a nonprofit that took influencers on whitewater trips to gain their support for federal protection for a number of rivers. She has attended many Bonner County Climate Coalition meetings and has always shown interest in the respective speakers.
Recently, she was endorsed by Conservation Voters for Idaho. She believes in protecting public access
to public lands and that the state has no business trying to reclaim federal lands that it could never afford to manage. I believe that North Idaho’s beautiful environment is essential to protect and I know that Karen Matthee will be the leader to stand for conversation down in Boise.
These are the reasons I will vote for Karen Matthee on Nov. 5.
Makayla Sundquist
Kootenai
Prop. 1 and Matthee are both ‘stellar’ choices on the Nov. 5 ballot…
Dear editor,
I’ve been voting in Idaho for 45 years; many years as a Republican for some modicum of sanity in the primaries. But this year, I’m excited to have choices that are stellar! When Open Primaries, Prop.1 passes, future voting will only get more hopeful and more representative, which is why I’m voting yes on 1.
Another stellar choice I will make is for the Legislative District 1, Seat A, currently held by Mark Sauter. This time I will be voting for Karen Matthee. I know Karen is the best candidate “to bring back our doctors” and ensure that women can once more birth their babies and receive the best women’s health care at Bonner General Health, where my daughter was born during a difficult birth.
I know Karen will protect the integrity of our library, as well. As an author, I know the value of diversity of thought, which leads to critical thinking — a necessity for freedom.
Besides, Karen Matthee has visited 1,500 homes of voters and is open minded and very responsive. Mark Sauter has never returned my phone calls on any issue.
Please join me in voting for Karen Matthee for a change.
Jane Fritz Sandpoint
‘Idaho families, Karen Matthee has your back’…
Dear editor, I am voting for Karen Matthee on Nov. 5 because I believe she will work hard for Idaho families. She understands that many Idahoans are struggling with the high cost of living — and that the difficulties are compounded by a GOP-led state government that does not support working families with young children.
Idaho is one of only three states that contribute zero dollars to affordable housing. And unlike nearly every other state, it does not invest
in early childhood education. Republicans in the Statehouse rejected a pre-K grant and continue to refuse funding for pre-K.
Recently, GOP leaders took a budget ax to the state’s only child care subsidy program, then cut off hundreds of families from this critical support. They did this despite having $50 million in unspent federal grant dollars for child care programs.
Karen Matthee understands that healthy families are the backbone of a healthy economy. She understands that housing, education and child care are economic issues, not welfare issues. So please, join me in voting for Karen Matthee.
Diane Rinck Sandpoint
Send Sauter back to the Statehouse to ‘get more things done’…
Dear editor, I’m voting for Mark Sauter. We need to re-elect him. He has served our district well for the last two years and has earned my vote (again). I grew up in Sandpoint, and returned after medical training to work in and for our community. Mark has represented our county well in the Statehouse. He is a level-headed and responsible voice for our health care system. Additionally, Mark has voted to support education and career tech training. He understands training our youth is one of the best ways to keep our community alive with a prepared workforce with good-paying jobs, serving the needs of our area. I trust him to go back to Boise and get more things done.
Please, get out the vote and together, let’s keep Mark Sauter in office.
Jillian Klaucke, M.D. Sandpoint
‘Steve Johnson
understands
our community’s needs’…
Dear editor, I wholeheartedly support Steve Johnson for Bonner County commissioner this November. Steve has a genuine connection to our community and his commitment is evident in his campaign. He aims to restore respect and transparency to the commission, moving away from the current climate of disregard. His plan includes maintaining open dialogue between the county government and its citizens, crucial for effective governance.
Steve is ready to tackle key issues like zoning, infrastructure and public safety with sensible lead-
ership, emphasizing community engagement and collaboration to boost our local economy and enhance our quality of life. He advocates for a Comprehensive Plan to manage our county’s rapid growth sustainably, ensuring developments respect our values and environment.
Steve’s deep understanding of our needs and his commitment to transparency and respect make him the ideal candidate. I urge my fellow residents to vote for Steve Johnson, a candidate genuinely dedicated to our wellbeing.
Robbie Gleason
Sagle
Prop. 1 promoters ‘mislead voters and threaten the integrity of our elections’…
Dear editor,
I am writing to express my strong opposition to Proposition 1, which will be on the November ballot. Idahoans for Open Primaries are misleading the public by claiming this measure pertains to open primaries; in truth, it seeks to implement ranked-choice voting (RCV). Their assertion that Prop. 1 will restore Idaho’s voting traditions is false. We have never had RCV in our state, and this initiative does not address open primaries at all. Instead, it introduces a “top-four primary,” infringing on our First Amendment right to free association.
This initiative would significantly alter our voting process, creating confusion and undermining our established electoral system. It would force us to rely on centralized electronic ballot counting machines, losing local control over elections and increasing vulnerability to fraud. By promoting RCV under the guise of reform, they mislead voters and threaten the integrity of our elections.
Idahoans must recognize what Prop 1 truly represents. This measure does not honor our voting traditions; it imposes a complicated system that dilutes our voices and diminishes our representation. Let’s stand against this misinformation and protect our electoral system. We deserve clear, honest elections that reflect the voice of the people.
Chris Anderson Sagle
‘Sauter for Idaho’…
Dear editor, This is the time of the season we choose who will represent us in Boise. I have known Mark Sauter for over seven years. His entire adult life has been in public service and he has accomplished quite a
< LTE, con’t from Page 8 >
bit in his first two years in office. His opponent, Karen Matthee has yet to, in her advertisements, state whether she is a Republican, a Democrat or an Independent. Why? I do have one question for her, what is her plan for “lowering the cost of living?” Please support Mark Sauter for District 1, House Seat A.
Bill Litsinger Sandpoint
‘Trump is a package deal’...
Dear editor,
At a restaurant the other night I overheard this: “I’m going to vote for Trump — not the man, the policies.” Strange.
First, because the two are not separate. You don’t get one without the other. A vote for his policies is also a vote for a convicted felon, a habitual liar, a misogynist, an adulterer and a 78-year old wannabe dictator.
And second, what policies? Taxing U.S. imports with 20% tariffs that will cost the average family around $4,000 a year? Cutting income taxes for the super wealthy and corporations? Pulling out of the Paris Climate Agreement and letting oil and gas companies spike fossil fuel production? Employing the military to deal with Americans who criticize or disagree with him?
Nope, unfortunately a vote for Trump is a vote for all of the above.
You can’t just keep a rattlesnake for its lovely skin.
Bill Borders Sagle
‘Passing Prop. 1 will return the voice of the voters’…
Dear editor,
What do the countries of China, North Korea and Cuba have in common with the opponents of Idaho’s Proposition 1? They have — or want to have — a one-party system in which power rests with party leaders (not the voters/citizens).
Opponents of Prop. 1 cite the cost of transitioning to open primaries and ranked-choice voting as a reason to vote “no,” even though the system and the cost have not been determined yet. Yet the bigger cost to Idaho citizens has been revealed since 2011 when the supermajority Republican Legislature closed its primaries and our Legislature became a puppet for emboldened outside interests and the Idaho Freedom Foundation.
The voice of the voters is no longer sought or heard. This has
resulted in extreme agenda items eclipsing fundamental issues. For instance, it took a ballot initiative and 61% of the vote to overturn the Legislature’s refusal (during six consecutive sessions) to accept expansion of Medicaid.
I encourage you to check out the facts on Idaho’s Proposition 1. They are available on the website: yesforopenprimaries.com or ReclaimIdaho.org.
Please make your voice count: Vote for Proposition 1. Thank you.
Lexie de Fremery Sandpoint
‘Why I oppose Proposition 1 ranked-choice voting’...
Dear editor, Proposition 1 is being marketed as the ticket to “open primaries” by its supporters, but it’s really not. It is a ranked-choice voting scheme in which you get three ranked-choice votes for a single position.
I am one of the many people who are dissatisfied with our current closed primary system. Right now, a very small group of people are able to control who gets on the Republican ballot. I believe that real open primaries will correct this. I know that a conservative candidate with a good campaign can win in an open primary. As a matter of fact, I handily won my first primary election in 2008, which was an open primary!
Three reasons to oppose Proposition 1:
• It does not improve the current situation. It only makes it worse.
• It will dilute the one person, one vote. Your top pick will be corrupted by your second and third choices.
• It will make recounts nearly impossible.
For these reasons and more, please vote “no” on Proposition 1. Thank you!
Daryl Wheeler Bonner County sheriff (2009-present) Ponderay
‘Rasor: Alternative facts?’…
Dear editor, Yikes. At the anti-Prop. 1 gathering sponsored and led by legislative candidate Cornel Rasor on Oct. 22, an audience member asked him how many electoral votes Idaho has. His answer? “32,” he said with confidence.
Wrong! Idaho has only four electoral votes.
Are these alternative facts? They seem to be frequently pep-
pered throughout his presentations. Rasor is definitely not a qualified candidate to be sent to Boise. Vote for Kathryn Larson, who knows her facts.
Maureen Graham Sandpoint
‘Fulcher:
A nattering nabob of negativism…
Dear editor,
I lifted this title of N-words from the disgraced vice president who served with Richard Nixon. I recently attended a meet-and-greet at the Boundary County Fairgrounds for Congressman Russ Fulcher.
During the approximate 55-minute speech, during some of which he fielded questions, Fulcher launched into a diatribe that consumed about 90% of his time. It was shocking to hear such a litany of what he doesn’t like, who he doesn’t like, what’s wrong with government and so forth. Congressman, did it ever occur to you how negative you sound? Frankly, he left me with the impression that he hates America. As he continued, I harkened back to an a**-chewing I received from a salty old Marine Corps sergeant-major, back in 1974, when I was a young corporal who desperately deserved it. He tore through me like crap through a goose and said: “Son, let me tell you something. When everything around you looks like a pile of s***, it’s time to go look in the mirror. There is where you will find the source of your problem.”
That was a life- and career-changing moment that I have never forgotten. Congressman, you would be well served to take his advice.
Gerald B. Higgs Bonners Ferry
‘Rep. Sauter is needed for another term’...
Dear editor, We should be able to count on our representatives to stand up for us with district issues. Rep. Mark Sauter has always been available by phone to discuss issues and help when needed. Mark is highly regarded among the top officials in our state and has earned respect among agencies in our district who need to help us remedy situations for the betterment of our community, like Albeni Falls Dam and the lake level problems.
Mark understands, is methodical in his research and digs deep to get to the base of problems when they
arise. He’s respectful in meetings and gives well thought out and accurate information and advice. During our experience working together on the water level issues, Mark and I met with the governor and his staff and local agencies to develop timely, effective solutions. We are not yet done with this problem, but I believe we are on a positive path. Mark has proven time and again he gets things done and does them right.
I’m voting to reelect Mark to continue his good work, in a second term, as representative for District 1.
Jeff Connolly Priest River mayor
‘Matthee puts in the effort’…
Dear editor, I have been excited to vote for Karen Matthee for House Seat 1A since I heard her effective responses at the candidates’ forum. Karen says she supports Proposition 1 (the Open Primaries Initiative) because she believes it requires candidates to be accountable to a broad spectrum of voters. It will make her a more responsive legislator. That is a big reason I am voting for Karen Matthee for House Seat 1A.
We need candidates who support free and fair elections, who want to give everyone a voice. The open primary would give a voice to thousands of Independent voters here in Idaho, many of whom are veterans and active duty servicemen and -women.
Karen has knocked on the doors of almost 1,500 unaffiliated and Republican voters. She has found common ground with most of them. She’s doing the hard work to really understand the concerns of a broad range of folks here in our district. I have no doubt that she will put that knowledge into action to benefit us all when she goes to Boise.
Carol Holmes Selle Valley
ing about the people of Idaho and their lives. They just wish to keep the “wrong” people from voting and having a voice in their own governance. Un-American to the core.
Lawrence Fury Sandpoint
‘Don’t allow your hard-fought freedoms to be taken away’...
Dear editor, Let’s get real: Cornel Rasor and the IFF scare the hell out of me. Why? Because I have watched women come so far in my lifetime and worry that people take that for granted. Today, American fathers and mothers watch their daughters soar to new heights because of those hard-won freedoms. Now, women can choose motherhood and marriage or not. We can excel at sports due to Title IX. We can own property and have a checking account without a man’s signature.The crimes of rape and sexual abuse aren’t being ignored and hidden, like when I was growing up. Women vote and run for office. My mother grew up in a different world where she had no voice.
Cornel Rasor represents those who want women put back in their place. He has officially pledged his loyalty to the IFF. He will be instructed like a puppet on how to vote so your voices will never be heard. The IFF only wants white Christian extremists in power. Women are half of America and deserve to be represented.
Kathryn Larson knocks on doors, reaches out, listens to your concerns and has your back. Please give her your vote.
Jane Hoover Priest River
Prop. 1 opposition is about benefiting ‘party overlords’... ‘Who’s the RINO?’…
Dear editor, I just wanted to take advantage of the last edition before the election to comment on Prop. 1. Reading anti-Prop. 1 letters both here and in the Bee, the level of ignorance is astounding. Ones that claim you’re voting for characters from the Peanuts comic strip, or it’s all an effort by those radical communist Democrats out to make Idaho “blue” while all us poor conservatives suffer dearly. Anti-Prop. 1 out-of-state interests and party overlords care noth-
Dear editor, I am writing in support of the candidacy of Kathryn Larson for Idaho state representative, District 1, Seat B. Idaho is conservative — live-and-let-live conservative; protect-our-precious-resources conservative; do-the-right-thing conservative. Over the past 20 years, a small group of extremists has laid claim to the word “conservatism” and the Republican Party leadership — most from out of state, and many new to the Republican Party.
The Idaho Freedom Foundation has corrupted the candidate “con-
Science: Mad about
candy
By Brenden Bobby Reader Columnist
It’s All Hallows Eve and the Reader is stuffed to bursting. Spooky stories, Halloween parties and frightful electoral outrage bring ghoulish fright to every page. Ink flows, dripping like blood down crisp white sheets. Surely, Brenden has prepared something so frightful, so terrifying that it will send chills down your spine like the frigid whisper of autumn’s bitter breeze.
Actually, we’re just going to learn about candy.
Candy, like most food, has a deep and complex history with roots that are almost impossible to trace. The history of candy likely predates the ability to write about how much we love candy, though the sugary sweets we gobble up today are a far cry from the confectionary delights enjoyed by our ancestors.
The earliest written records of what we can identify as candy come from Egypt between 1500 and 2000 B.C.E. These were little treats made of honey with nuts and bits of fruit mixed in. The Egyptians were recorded using these as part of their religious ceremonies, but they were likely enjoyed to some degree in everyday life as well.
Licorice was one of the first sugary flavors utilized to make candies by the ancient Egyptians. This is different in every respect to the licorice ropes you enjoy today. Licorice vines like Twizzlers and Red Vines were developed in Holland during the 17th century and have evolved into the tooth-rotting ropes we recognize today thanks to the advent of mechanized industry.
Interestingly, most contemporary licorice flavoring doesn’t use the licorice plant but instead uses seeds from the unrelated star anise. Even though these plants are unrelated, their flavor is closely mirrored.
Ginger was another early form of candy that has been used since antiquity. It originated in Indonesia and was bred for its palatable flavor and ease of eating — traits its wild cousins lack. It was heavily traded throughout southeast Asia for at least 1000 years, and though it made its way to Egypt and the Mediterranean, it may not have made it to Anglo-European countries until closer to the 1500s, at least not in large enough quantities to write home about.
If we are to define candy as a sugary treat, the real history of candy may have started as far back as 20,000 B.C.E. when humans would gather raw honey from beehives. Whether or not a fistful of raw honey is considered true candy is a debate for the comment section on social media, but it was worth mentioning. Humans have always had a sweet tooth.
Candy as we know it originated in Medieval European cuisine in the 14th century C.E. The Tudor period and subsequent Elizabethan colonialism brought resources from far and wide, particularly vast amounts of tropical sugar cane, which was then ground down and refined into white sugar. The process of refining sugar has scaled up since the days of Queen Elizabeth, but the steps are likely similar.
Sugar begins as a starch that exists within sugar cane. The cane is crushed and
pressed between rollers to extract the juice that contains sugar. This juice is filtered to remove extra plant fiber and then evaporated to remove the water from the starch. This product is filtered again and boiled to create something akin to molasses. During Elizabethan times, it was probably smashed up by hand to create chunks of sugar crystal, but it is now whipped around a centrifuge to create granules.
Today, sugarcane and sugar beets are the world’s primary sources of refined sugar. Sugarcane has a dark history of hard labor attached to it, one that began with slavery and now utilizes a vast quantity of immigrant labor being employed below federal minimum wages. Harvesting sugarcane is difficult and dangerous work and is a process that isn’t easily mechanized.
Once sugar becomes refined and granulated, it can be processed into any shape or added to any other type of food. It easily emulsifies to create sweet drinks like soda, and it blends into cream and milk in a number of ways to create things like buttercream frosting and caramel.
Sugar is so delightful and effective at hiding that it has become a central cause of the obesity crisis in the developed world. Sugar is even utilized in cheap staple foods like white bread. Our bodies are not developed to handle the concentrated levels of sugar we ingest and will break down the sugar’s atomic components and turn them into active energy and stored energy in the form of fats. Fat is a great way to survive harsh environments, but it becomes problematic when you exist in an air-conditioned space with
no real concern for resource scarcity. Prolonged exposure to high levels of sugar causes a vast number of health problems including diabetes, damage to your organs and joints and changes to your gut’s microbiome that will make you crave more sugar and feel worse over time.
Candy and sugar, like all things in life, are best enjoyed in moderation. Instead of
grabbing the biggest, cheapest bag of assembly-line garbage you can find on November 1st, spend that same amount of money on something nice, such as a bar of chocolate that isn’t heavy enough to cause blunt-force trauma when utilized as a weapon. The straining notch on your belt may thank you by Christmas. Stay curious, 7B.
Random Corner
• While fear can be crippling, it’s actually a healthy emotion — in moderation. Neuroscientists have identified distinct networks that run from the limbic system to the prefrontal cortex and back. When these networks are electrically or chemically stimulated, they produce fear, even in the absence of fearful stimuli. Feeling fear isn’t abnormal or a sign of weakness. In fact, a lack of fear may be a sign of serious brain damage.
• Fear comes on a spectrum. It is an unpleasant experience that can range from mild to paralyzing. Horrifying events can leave a permanent mark on the brain’s circuitry.
• Chronic stress is a low-intensity variety of fear expressed as anxiety, constant worry or daily insecurity. It can quietly but seriously harm your physical and mental health over time.
• Fear is part instinct, part learned behavior, part taught. Fears can be instinctive, such as pain, which causes fear because of its
implications for survival. Others are learned, like being afraid of certain places, situations or people because of negative associations and past experiences. Finally, fears that are taught are cultural norms, which often dictate whether something should or should not be feared.
• Through a process called potentiation, your fear response is amplified if you are already in a state of fear. In simpler terms, the more scared you feel, the scarier things will seem. Imagine watching a movie about poisonous spiders, then a loose thread on your shirt tickles your neck and sends you flying out of your seat in fear. Or watching a movie about an airplane crash right before boarding a cross-country flight.
• We’ve heard of “fight or flight,” but fear actually motivates four distinct actions: freeze (where you stop and think about the fearful stimulus), fight or flight (deal with the fear or run from it) or fright (take no action).
< LTE, con’t from Page 9 > servatism” rating system to simply measure obedience to its Boise agenda.
State legislators must kowtow to the IFF agenda, or risk sanctions, accusations of liberalness, well-funded primary challenges and even threats of being kicked out of the party. Lifelong conservatives are being slandered. Who’s the RINO?
Kathryn Larson has bravely stood up to try to balance the equation. We need strong, pragmatic voices in Boise that speak for Boundary and Bonner counties against the IFF-backed Boise agenda. Vote for us. Vote for Larson on Nov. 5.
Ann Berntsen
Sandpoint
with nostalgia attributing the “good old days” to a president who had nothing to do with that economy.
It was the same for Bill Clinton. His administration rode the economic wave upward in the 1990s after the 1989 Savings and Loan “hiccup” and Democrats loved him.
Don’t be fooled by politicians of either party. Remember, Congress holds the purse strings. Whatever a president or Congress does, it’ll either be short-lived or will take years to visibly impact the economy, thus often running into the next president’s term.
Georgia Earley Bonners Ferry
‘Beware of political games’… ‘Toughen up and vote for Larson’...
For as long as I can remember, the economy has been a top voter issue. Every U.S. president, Democrat or Republican, has been credited with the economy, good or bad. Is this another political myth?
Every president has ridden an economic “wave,” good or bad, that starts before they take office. All it takes is something like the 2008 housing market crash or a pandemic to tank the economy. It doesn’t matter who’s sitting in the Oval Office when that occurs.
G. W. Bush’s economy was good until December 2008 when the housing market crashed. Then, in the decade following 2010, we had steady economic growth. This trend continued into the last year of Trump’s presidency when COVID hit and the economy tanked again. Now, four years later, people look back
Abortion bans are a lethal threat to the women in your life.
Locally, our community united across party lines and voted out two Idaho Freedom Foundation cronies.
Men who bow down to and pledge their allegiance to extremist groups like IFF aren’t masculine — they are weak.
We don’t need men to be less masculine or less tough. We need you to toughen up. Tough men stand in solidarity with women. A vote for Katheryn Larson is a vote against the Idaho Freedom Caucus’ newest cult member. Hopefully, this race will be Rasor thin.
Andrea Marcoccio Sandpoint
Matthee won’t let Idaho families down
By Emma Stanford Reader contributor
By failing to fund child care, state GOP leaders are failing Idaho families — and failing our economy. Healthy families are the backbone of a healthy economy, without question. But the recent and abrupt halt in enrollment for hundreds of impoverished families to the Idaho Child Care Program is not only cruel, but it also just doesn’t make good fiscal sense.
If parents can’t go to work, how will they provide for their children? How will they contribute to the economy? Is the state, in fact, forcing them to rely on welfare?
ICCP makes safe child care accessible for about 8,000 children in Idaho, allowing parents to hold jobs, keep a roof over their heads and put food on the table. The program provides a child care subsidy for a family of three that earns up to $34,000. It is almost entirely federally funded but requires authorization from the Idaho Legis-
lature to accept and release those funds. And when the Department of Health and Welfare put the program on pause, it had $50 million in unspent federal dollars available to support it.
Karen Matthee supports freeing up these funds so families can receive the assistance they were promised: It would simply take a routine process by the Legislature to pass a supplemental appropriation in January.
Unfortunately, this is part of a disturbing pattern. Idaho’s GOP lawmakers have a history of making it harder for families with children to work and get ahead. They rejected a pre-K grant and continue to provide zero funding for early childhood education. And they refused to accept $16.5 million to provide school lunches for economically disadvantaged children during the summer when
school isn’t in session.
A lack of child care also takes a toll on local businesses, which are already having a difficult time recruiting and retaining workers due to a shortage of affordable housing and the overall high cost of living in our resort-oriented community.
Karen Matthee believes the Legislature can help both local businesses and families through programs like the ICCP. Keeping people working and off welfare is good for them and good for the Idaho economy. That is why I am voting for Karen Matthee for House Seat 1A on Nov. 5.
Emma Stanford is a fourth-generation Idahoan and a mother of two young children. She and her family live rurally in the foothills of the Cabinet Mountains, where there is never a dull moment.
Emma Stanford. Courtesy photo.
Dumb of the week — extended edition
Trump’s final campaign push, his unforced errors with Taylor Swift... and some racism
By Ben Olson Reader Staff
There is an entire corner of the internet dedicated to the art of the self-own. It seems we all can’t get enough of seeing someone unload a shovelful of embarrassment onto themselves, usually while trying to show how smart or capable they think they are. Call it the “Dunning-Kruger Zone.”
Most are mild and quickly forgotten.
One famous example is a post by an internet user named Lara Witt, writing about the concept of a female “sex strike” — suggested by actress Alyssa Milano in response to anti-abortion legislation around the country: “This idea frames sex as something that hetero women are subjected to rather than enthusiastic participants in.”
A smiling dork named Brad Anderson responded, “I get the point you’re trying to make, but I have yet to meet a hetero woman who enthusiastically participates in sex.”
Zing, Brad.
Or how about when Republican Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz, when he said he opposed an active shooter alert system because it would, “Bombard your phone 24 hours a day.”
Then there is “America’s Mayor” Rudy Guiliani, who represented Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election in one of the saddest publicly performed downward spirals in history. Appearing on a talk show, he attempted to explain why he hadn’t produced any evidence of mass voter fraud during the 2020 election.
“Do you think we’re stupid? Do you think we’re fools?” he screamed like Nosferatu after stubbing his toe.
This is the same guy who accidentally booked a press conference at the Four Seasons Landscaping right next to a sex shop instead of the Four Seasons Hotel. This is the guy who put his hand down his
pants in Borat Subsequent Moviefilm (2020) in an apparent and bungled attempt to seduce a female actress playing the title character’s 15-year-old daughter (Rudy was unaware that there were cameras in the room and he was appearing in a mockumentary). This is the guy who leaked what appeared to be motor oil from his temples during a press conference and has been permanently disbarred from practicing law in D.C. for ethics violations while representing Trump in court. Also, same guy who was just ordered to turn over his New York apartment and luxury assets to two Georgia election workers who won a $148 million defamation judgment against him.
Yes, Rudy, we think you’re stupid. Yes, Rudy, we think you’re a fool.
Or how about Lin Wood? He was one of the dozens of hanger-on lawyers who Trump employed from time to time. Wood has spoken favorably about the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol, called for former-Vice President Mike Pence to be subjected to a firing squad and claimed all along that he had evidence of fraud during the 2020 election.
One motion that Wood filed seemed to contain a Freudian self-own that still makes me chuckle: He filed a motion in court alleging election fraud “under plenty of perjury.”
I’ll say.
Wood has since been disbarred in Colorado federal court and also found liable for defamation to the tune of $4.5 million.
All of those examples are whimsical, but lack the panache to really own the self-own market.
Enter: Donald J. Trump.
He’s got a Taylor Swift problem and it’s entirely of his own making.
In August, Trump’s campaign posted a bunch of A.I.-generated images of Swift and her fans vowing they
would vote for Trump. It was obviously fake, but packaged as if it were real. Like the goon he is, Trump even wrote, “I accept!” on one of the posts. One of the fake posts, that his campaign created.Give me a break.
His campaign even styled a line of T-shirts in a very similar way to Swift’s “Eras” tour design, with pleas like, “Calling all Swifties for Trump,” attached to the images.
Who knows if Swift would’ve endorsed Kamala Harris if Trump’s campaign didn’t feel the need to lie and force her hand. What we do know is that right after Harris debated Trump (cue the clip of Trump shouting, “They’re eating the pets!”), Swift took to Instagram and posted a photo of her and her cat, writing that the A.I. fakery “brought me to the conclusion that I need to be very transparent about my actual plans for this election as a voter. The simplest way to combat misinformation is with the truth.” She then endorsed Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, articulating why their campaign aligns with her personal beliefs.
“Who cares about Taylor Swift?” one might ask. Clearly you’ve never met a Swiftie. They are fiercely loyal to the biggest pop star in the world. That one Instagram post drove 405,999 visitors to vote.gov to register to vote in just 24 hours after it was published. Who knows how many of her fans have registered to vote since then, too.
That was a pretty big selfown. But I’m not finished.
A few days later, like a toddler angry at someone for stealing his pudding pop, Trump thumbed out the following in all caps on his social network: “I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT!” No further context or explanation.
That was another self-own. It’s so childish it doesn’t deserve commentary.
Finally, we fast forward to
last week, when a Trump supporter decided to keep prodding Swift and her bil lions of fans. As thousands of Swifties descended on Miami for the “Eras” Tour, a lone plane flew overhead towing a banner that read, “TRUMP 2024 — READY FOR IT CAT LADY? MAGA!”
Look, I know young voters aren’t always the most reliable demographic. It’s hard to pay attention to politics even as a grown-ass adult. But this election could not be any closer. It could very well be decided by people voting for their first or second time ever.
A recent poll by the Institute of Politics at the Harvard Kennedy School indicates that Harris holds a 31-point lead over Trump among those 18 to 29 years old. Furthermore, since Biden dropped out of the race, a significant enthusiasm gap has widened, with 74% of young Democrats saying they would “definitely” vote compared to 60% of young Republicans saying they would “definitely” vote.
The most damning statistic of all shows that Harris leads Trump 70% to 23% among likely female voters... which is an appreciable portion of Taylor Swift’s fan base.
To thumb your nose at this potential voting demographic is akin to a bad ’80s movie villain providing the conditions for a hero’s origin story. Young people could well be the voting bloc that pushes one candidate over the other in this all-too-important election just a matter of days from now.
For his final push in the campaign, Trump worked a fake shift at McDonald’s to somehow prove that Harris never did when she was
and racist rhetoric, like a right-wing comedian calling Puerto Rico a “floating island of garbage,” which inspired Puerto Rican pop stars like Ricky Martin, Jennifer Lopez and Bad Bunny to post messages of support for Kamala Harris to their tens of millions of followers.
One especially vile moment was when Trump claimed he would deport somewhere between 2 and 20 million people on day one. He also claimed there were “200,000” people in attendance. The Madison Square Garden has a capacity of 19,500, about 180,500 people short of Trump’s crowd estimate.
It never ends with this guy.
Of course, the really funny part about all of this is that Trump may be elected president again in a matter of days, and this entire column will be a self-own of its own.
But I suspect if Trump is elected on Nov. 5, I’ll have more important things to fear than looking like a fool in this newspaper. I might just be one of the many people Trump believes is an “enemy within,” just for being a journalist who reports the news and has an opinion different than his.
See you on the other side.
Festival at Sandpoint seeking 2025 summer interns
By Reader Staff
Promising a “fun and fast-paced paid summer gig,” the Festival at Sandpoint is seeking summer interns to work from June 9 through Aug. 6 for the 2025 Summer Series.
Every summer, the Festival offers a paid internship program in which interns gain resume-building professional skills, hands-on experience in the music industry, and a behind-the-scenes look at music festival and event operations.
“Our internship program stands as a gateway for aspiring individuals to immerse themselves in the dynamic world of event management and the music industry,” said FAS Marketing and Office Manager Cienna Roget, who also oversees the internship program. “Through mentorship, and tailored roles aligned with interns’ passions, we cultivate a rewarding environment that not only fosters professional growth but also contributes to the vibrant energy of our Festival
community.”
Interns may also be assigned an area of focus based on skills and interests, including but not limited to marketing, merchandise, facilities and event production, hospitality and volunteer coordination.
Meanwhile, those looking for the skill-building of an internship with a shorter commitment are invited to join the Festival’s paid production crew from July 18 through Aug. 7, 2025.
Production crew members assist in
Sunshine on Cedar brings new barrestaurant option to Cedar St. Bridge
By Reader Staff
Sandpoint has a new food and beverage option at one of its most iconic pieces of real estate, with the grand opening Saturday, Oct. 26 of Sunshine on Cedar — a Hawaiian-inspired bar and restaurant on the second level of the Cedar Street Bridge (334 N. First Ave., Ste. 208).
Owners Damon and Jeanette Eder have a long history with the Hawaiian Islands. Though Damon was born in Nampa, Idaho, he moved to Honolulu when he was 18 and spent the following 30 years working in Waikiki, where he learned the hospitality business.
Jeanette is a Hawaiian of Kanaka Maoli descent from the island of Oahu, who has a lifelong passion for sharing her native food and culture.
Sunshine on Cedar will offer local and regional wines, craft beers, and hard seltzers, kombucha and canned cocktails, as well as a full menu designed for sharing. Following the grand opening, the bar and restaurant
will be open Monday-Tuesday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.; Thursday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.; and Sunday, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Closed Wednesdays.
Live music will take place each week, as well as monthly paint-and-
sip, Sandpoint Ladies’ Night and Barrel 33 Wine Club events. The next paint-and-sip will be Sunday, Nov. 17, and Ladies’ Night will be Monday, Dec. 2.
the setup and takedown of the venue at War Memorial Field.
During the Summer Series, crew members may also assist with sound, lighting, venue operations and more.
The first review of internship applications is Jan. 15, 2025. Visit festivalatsandpoint.com/careers to learn more and apply.
As your County Commissioner, I will work for: ~ Respect and civility in government ~ Affordable housing and planned growth ~ More cooperation with public agencies and the general public.
~ Respect for private property rights
~ Openness and transparency in county government
Courtesy photo.
FOOD & DRINK
Applications open for Empowering Parents grants
By Reader Staff
The Idaho State Board of Education announced that applications for the next round of Empowering Parents grants are now open.
Instructions and a link to the 2024-’25 application are posted at idaho.gov under “Empowering Parents.”
Idaho residents who filed a 2023 Idaho tax return and who have children between the ages of 5 and 18 are eligible to apply. Awards are prioritized in order toward households with an adjusted gross income of less than $60,000; households with an AGI under $75,000; and any remaining grants will be awarded on a first come, first-served basis.
Grants are awarded at $1,000 per eligible student, up to $3,000 per family.
BGH Community Hospice opens 27th annual Rose Event
By Reader Staff
Bonner General Health Community Hospice holds its 27th annual Rose Event now until Tuesday, Nov. 5, raising funds for the area’s only nonprofit hospice. All proceeds go toward the organization’s commitment to caring for individuals at home, helping them live their best lives and spend time with the people they love.
“Hospice is a promise of hope, comfort and support for those in our community whose treatment for their illness may not be as beneficial as it once was, or is not providing the outcomes they desire,” states the BGH website.
The organization’s holistic care method combines the work of medical professionals, volunteers and spiritual support.
Roses are $25 for a dozen and will be ready for pickup Tuesday, Nov. 5 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the BGH Health Services Buildings (423 N. Third Ave.) Delivery and discounts are available for bulk orders of over 20 dozen.
To order roses, or for more information, visit bonnergeneral.org/services/hospice/ or call 208-265-1179.
Of the 28,962 grants awarded from the 2023-’24 program, 69% were awarded to families with an adjusted gross income of $60,000 or less, and 86.5% were awarded to families with an AGI of $75,000 or less.
Awardees will be able to use the grant funds to purchase education-related products and services from the Empowering Parents online marketplace, such as computer hardware and software, instructional materials and tutoring services.
Guidance for eligible expenses can be found online.
Courtesy photo.
Scary stories from the Reader staff
As is our Halloween tradition, here are three scary stories from Ben, Zach and Soncirey
The Hound of the Hagavilles
By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff
Growing up in the hinterlands of Bonner County, there was no reason to lean into decorating the front of our house for Halloween. We carved pumpkins, of course, but no one trick-or-treated in our neighborhood of unlighted dirt roads, and there was no middle ground for knocks at the door after dark: either we knew the caller, and they were welcome, or we didn’t,
and they were more than likely not.
I haven’t lived in the country since before the turn of the 21st century, and so my Halloweens have been much more urban — especially now, as my kids are in their preteen years; we live in town, and we’ve collected a bunch of those fake skeletons that you can buy in the shape of cats, fish, scorpions, bats, even octopuses (which famously don’t
have bones).
Among these decorations is a howling hellhound that has stood sentinel in our yard for numerous Halloweens, bellowing at passersby until it got too annoying and we tore out the mechanism that triggered its ominous moans.
This year, it’s been sitting between two plastic human skeletons themed as “hillbillies” — though the guy looks an awful lot like me. It has also been silent since (as I
A mother’s protection
By Soncirey Mitchell Reader Staff
My dad likes to tell stories of my great-grandmother, Mary, one of many women in the Mitchell family with psychic powers. Mary could spiritually tether herself to others — living or dead — across long distances. This connection manifested physically and emotionally, allowing her to feel a person’s pain, sense when they were in danger and potentially alleviate their suffering.
Once, when my dad was young, he remembers running from the kitchen to answer a frantic knock at the door. Mary rushed in, grabbing him by the hand and dragging him into the living room, all the while shrieking for the rest of the family to join them quickly.
“Paul is in danger. Paul is going to die,” she kept saying. Her son, Paul, was a pilot. He’d left for work several hours earlier on a routine flight in his small Cessna. Mary gathered the family in a circle
and instructed them to close their eyes and will Paul to live. My dad looked outside, wondering how his father could be on the cusp of death on such a beautiful, sunny day.
Minutes passed before Mary announced he was safe.
Paul returned home several hours later, shaken but alive. Earlier that afternoon, he said, his plane had been overtaken by the thickest cloud bank he’d ever seen. He couldn’t escape it, no matter how high or low he flew. Navigating
mentioned) we de-howled it.
Or so we thought.
On a recent morning, I stepped outside in the predawn darkness to admire the pouring rain, and, as I stood on my back porch, wearing nothing but a bathrobe and slippers, the hound suddenly sounded off.
Sitting alone — with no foot or vehicle traffic to trigger it — the damned dog started raging into the void with its eyes blazing red and its plastic-bone jaw chattering in bestial rage.
by his instruments alone, he turned the plane toward home — until his altimeter, compass and radio stopped working. He was truly flying blind.
Paul began to ease the plane down, hoping to find a safe place to land, when the Cessna burst out of the clouds and into the sunshine.
I leapt from the porch and slip-skid through the muddy grass to stop its bestial yowls before it woke up the neighbors.
After gathering it in my arms, the hound continued its baleful cacophony all the way into the garage, where I threw it into a corner and stood, drenched in my morning garb and trying to imagine how this hunk of Spirit Halloween junk had suddenly come to life.
I still don’t know, and I’m not going to ask any questions about its accursed anatomy.
He was face to face with the side of a mountain.
He jerked the plane up and sideways, narrowly avoid-
‘They’re just playing around’
By Ben Olson Reader Staff
Growing up, my summers were punctuated by road trips with my father as he drove thousands of miles across the country to visit baseball stadiums that were slated to be demolished.
One year, when I was about 7 or 8 years old, we were in Chicago to watch his beloved Cubs at Wrigley Field. As a side adventure, even though he was no White Sox fan, my dad wanted us to see Comiskey Park, which was to
be torn down the year after.
Always a cheapskate, my dad parked clear across town in some residential neighborhood to avoid having to pay for a parking garage. He walked us kids down streets that were pretty rough, weaving through crackheads and burned-out vehicles on blocks.
We safely arrived at Comiskey Park and watched the White Sox play one of their last dozen games before the wrecking ball took it down later that year.
Walking back to the car
through the same rough neighborhoods, we came to a car with people gathered around it. There was some kind of commotion. As we walked past, I looked over and saw something that still haunts me to this day. There were two people hanging out of each front window, arms over their heads and dragging on the ground. The man hanging out of the passenger side window had his eyes open, but there wasn’t any life in those eyes.
I saw blood dripping down his chest and pooling onto the
pavement below. A woman held her head shrieking in terror. There were no police anywhere to be seen.
“Dad, what’s going on?” I remember asking.
He kept trying to cover our eyes, rushing us past the scene, telling us kids, “They’re just playing around, they’re just acting. It’s just a skit. C’mon, let’s get to the car.”
I accepted his answer for a couple years, until I thought about it when I was older. I realize now that we had just walked past a double murder
ing an old-growth forest that would surely have skewered him alive. Mary spared him that gruesome fate — for a while. After her passing, Paul found himself in a helicopter leaking fuel above a familiar mountain. He wrestled with the machine until the end, rotating the fuselage so his passengers avoided the brunt of the crash.
Paul bled out, run through by unforgiving branches.
on the streets of Chicago and it had likely just happened since the cops weren’t even on the scene yet.
To this day, if I close my eyes tight enough, I can still see that macabre scene with those two lifeless bodies dangling out of the side windows of the car, blood pooled beneath them and their dead eyes looking right into my own, beckoning me to come closer.
Northwest Autobody’s ‘Deervember’ helps feed Bonner County
By David Keyes Reader Contributor
The need is real.
The Bonner Community Food Bank has never been hit as hard as it has been this year. An average of 3,000 people used the organization’s services per month and the trend is increasing.
“In the past two years, we have seen a 53 percent increase,” said Director Debbie Love.
“We have never seen so many people in need and they are coming to us from all demographics.”
There are the older folks who rely on Social Security but rising grocery prices have taken a substantial bite into what they can buy at stores. There are the working families that can barely afford rent but make just enough not to qualify for help from services like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Then there are people who are just down on their luck — either living in their vehicle or homeless.
Enter Northwest Autobody and “Deervember.”
Since 2016, the chain of locally-owned auto body repair shops has donated $17,000 to the food bank in a promotion that makes something good out of an event that is usually seen as a negative.
“Nobody wants to get in an accident,” said Co-owner Eric Donenfeld. “So several years ago we decided to partner with the food bank in November to not only raise awareness of deer-versus-vehicle strikes but to help our
less-fortunate neighbors.”
November is the busiest month for animal collisions because of dark driving conditions, deer in rut and animals flushed out of their habitat by hunters and predators.
For each animal strike repaired at either Sandpoint or Ponderay NWAB shops in November, the business will give $50 to the food bank. NWAB joins forces with Washington Trust — which matches all donations — as well as Age Heating and Cooling and Energy Electric.
Last year, the promotion raised $2,550.
“Cash donations like we received from NWAB and Washington Trust go a long way because of our buying power and relationships with local grocery stores,” Love said. “Of course, we welcome all donations whether they are in the form of food or cash. We also need volunteers.”
Last year to promote the cause, Eric even donned a deer outfit and dashed into a Chamber of Commerce meeting, while an employee wore the outfit for a series of photos on the firm’s popular Facebook page.
“It is all about raising awareness, helping our community and having a little fun,” said Eric.
The community continues to come to the aid of the Food Bank and businesses like NWAB and Washington Trust and organizations like Rotary make a huge impact, according to Love.
“This community never ceases to amaze me or rise to the challenge,” she said.
Top left: “The sunsets have returned to Lake Pend Oreille,” wrote photographer Jim Howes.
Top right: “We brought two different copies of the Reader with us on our trip to Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta, Canada in early October. Thank you for all that you do to churn out an independent weekly newspaper that we look forward to reading each week!” wrote Carolyn and Dennis Thibault.
Bottom left: The Kootenai Wildlife Refuge near Bonners Ferry on a beautifula autumn Sunday. Photo by John Chaplin.
Bottom right: Perhaps one of the first moose-in-a-residential-area sightings of the year. Photograph by Betty Faletto
Top left: “Just a picture to make you smile,” wrote photographer Joey Cottrell. “Ben on the other side of the veil, still rocking an a’rolling!”
Top right: The iconic alley in downtown Sandpoint. Photo by Soncirey Mitchell.
Bottom left: Vicky Graeff took the Reader to Ireland, where she visited the Oliver St. John Gogarty bar in Dublin.
Bottom right: Jack-o’-lanterns on a spooky night in Sandpoint. Photo by Soncirey Mitchell.
Send event listings to calendar@sandpointreader.com
An adventure on the water. Soup provided, but bring a dish to share and your own bowl, plate, utensil, cups. Costumes highly encouraged
Nosferatu Halloween movie 7pm @ Pearl Theater (Bonners Ferry)
Matchwood Trunk or Treat
Scaryoke
3:30-5:30pm @ Lake Pend Oreille H.S. Trunk or Treat with Mountain Motors 4-7pm @ 1055 Fontaine Dr., Ponderay
8pm-12am @ Tervan Tavern
Costume contest with prizes
Live Music w/ Ian Newbill
6:30-9:30pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall
Live Music w/ Bright Moments Jazz
6-8:30pm @ Baxter’s on Cedar
Live Music w/ Justin Lantrip
6-8pm @ Idaho Pour Authority
Live Music w/ The A.P. Collective
5-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery
Pop music across the decades
Live Music w/ Kerry Leigh
6-9pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall
Live Music w/ The Cole Show
5-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery
Live Music w/ Hannah Meehan
6-8pm @ Idaho Pour Authority
FriDAY, november 1
Sideboob ’90s dance party at The Hive
9pm @ The Hive
Enjoy the Northwest’s most talented women as they play ’90s pop dance tunes. Tix $25/$30. Doors open @ 7pm
Live Music w/ Ken Mayginnes 6-9pm @ 1908 Saloon
Live Music w/ Luke Yates
6-8pm @ Smokesmith BBQ
SATURDAY, november 2
Live Music w/ Bridges Home
6pm @ Create Arts Center (Newport)
High-energy Celtic, bluegrass and originals from these local favorites. $12/$15
Live Music w/ Ian Newbill
5:30-8:30pm @ Ice House Pizzeria
4:30-7:30pm @ Matchwood Brewing Co.
Trivia Night 7pm @ Connie’s Lounge
Snowboard movie premier
6pm @ Powder Hound Pizza (Sandpoint) Powder Hound and 7B Boardshop bring two snowboard movies: Glow and Force Majeure, plus raffles!
Live Music w/ Big Phatty and the Inhalers 5pm @ Connie’s Lounge
Live Music w/ Marcus Stephens
6pm @ Connie’s Lounge
Murder Mystery night
5pm @ Talus Rock Retreat ‘Till Death Do Us Part,’ a night of love, marriage and murder. RSVP by calling 208-255-8458. Talus Rock is at 291 Syringa Heights Rd.
Sandpoint Chess Club 9am @ Evans Brothers Coffee Meets every Sunday at 9am
Monday Night Blues Jam w/ John Firshi 7pm @ Eichardt’s Pub
Pool Tournament - $10 entry
6pm @ Connie’s Lounge
Live Piano w/ Carson Rhodes
5-7pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery
Live Piano w/ Dwayne Parsons
5-7pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery
Bingo
6-8pm @ Idaho Pour Authority
Cribbage returns - $5 entry
7pm @ Connie’s Lounge
SunDAY, november 3
Magic with Star Alexander 5-8pm @ Jalepeño’s Up close magic shows at the table
monDAY, november 4
Outdoor Experience Group Run 6pm @ Outdoor Experience 3-5 miles, all levels welcome
Outdoor Experience Group Run 6pm @ Outdoor Experience 3-5 miles, all levels welcome
Trivia Night
6-8pm @ Idaho Pour Authority
tuesDAY, november 5
wednesDAY, november 6
Trivia with Toshi - $5/person
7pm @ Connie’s Lounge
ThursDAY, november 7
Get Plowed fundraiser for Pine Street Woods
5-8pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall
A percentage of profits MickDuff’s takes in from 5-8 p.m. will be donated to Pine St. Woods to cover the $6,000+/year it takes to do fall and winter maintenance on access roads and Pine St. Woods. Family-friendly event
Halloween happenings A quick and dirty guide to festivities this year
By Reader Staff
There are a lot of Halloween happenings around Sandpoint tonight. Here’s a quick and dirty guide to all the eerie events offered on Thursday, Oct. 31:
Grab your kayaks, canoes and stand-up paddleboards for an adventure on the water. Meet at the Witch’s Hat (the pavilion) at Sandpoint City Beach at 3 p.m. Soup will be provided, but please bring a dish to share and your own bowl, plates, utensils and cups (no disposable items, please). Costumes are highly encouraged.
• Trick or Treat at MCS
Visit the haunted conservatory and roam the ghostly halls from 3:30-5 p.m. Enjoy musical performances, catch a glimpse of the “ghost” of the 1908 conservatory and snack on plenty of candy. Entry is free, but donations are always welcome.
• Kessa’s Court Trunk or Treat
Back for its second year, this celebration has games, candy, a haunted forest, food trucks and more. Join the fun from 3-5 p.m. at 775 Bonner Mall Way in Ponderay.
• Trick or Treat LPOHS
Bring all the little ghosts and goblins to Lake Pend Oreille High School, 1005 N. Boyer Ave., for trick-or-treating from 3:30-5:30 p.m.
• Scaryoke
Head down to the Tervan Tavern, 411 Cedar St., from 8pm to midnight for Halloween-themed karaoke and a costume contest with prizes at 9 p.m.
• Sandpoint Lions Club Trunk or Treat
Join the Lions for trick-or-treating in the 609 S. Ella Ave. parking lot. Buy hand-dipped corn dogs, fresh popcorn, hot cocoa or apple cider from 4-7 p.m.
• Trunk or Treat at Mountain Motors Celebrate Mountain Motors’ new home at 1055 Fontaine Dr. in Ponderay by trunk-or-treating with candy, music, face painting and more from 4-7 p.m.
• Matchwood Trunk or Treat
The community spirit is alive and well at Matchwood Brewing Co. (513 Oak St.) with their inaugural trunk or treat event from 4:30-7:30 p.m. Drop by at 6 p.m. for the costume contest and, at 6:30 p.m., the “car-stume” contest for the best spook-mobile. Email emily@matchwoodbrewing.com to participate in the car-stume contest.
• Nosferatu: A Hallloween movie
Arguably one of the most unsettling vampire movies ever made, the 1922 release Nosferatu is an unauthorized adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula starring the spidery vampire personified by Max Schreck that has spawned countless imitations in the century following its release. Backed by an orchestral performance of Hans Erdmann’s original 1922 score, Nosferatu will be shown for free at the historic Pearl Theater in Bonners Ferry at 7 p.m. Come — if you dare.
Powder Hound Pizza screens snowboard movies
By Reader Staff
Get stoked for the upcoming winter season with two free snowboard films, Glow and Force Majeure, screening at Powder House Pizza Friday (201 E. Superior St. Ste. B), Nov. 1 at 6 p.m.
Glow, produced by Capita and Union, is an action-packed mid-length film with a vibrant soundtrack that showcases new riders giving it their all on slopestyle courses, homemade park-
ing lot jumps and traditional pistes.
Following Glow, PHP will show the snowboard film Force Majeure by Beyond Medals, an apparel and media brand.
The event also features a raffle with all proceeds benefiting the Bonner County Skatepark Association.
For more information, call PHP at 208-255-0685 and watch both films’ trailers on YouTube
Sideboob concert on Nov. 1 at The Hive
By Ben Olson Reader Staff
While writing a story about the upcoming Sideboob concert at The Hive in the Oct. 24 edition, I committed a “full boob” error by confusing the date of the concert.
Sideboob will play The Hive Friday, Nov. 1, with doors opening at 7 p.m.
The all-female power group features Katelyn and Laurie Shook and
‘Great Odin’s raven!’ Panida to host Anchorman as $5 film
By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff
In case you haven’t noticed, the Tuesday, Nov. 5 election is kind of a big deal. But so is Ron Burgundy, the schmoozy-schmaltzy bigshot San Diego TV news anchor played to iconic effect by Will Ferrell in the 2004 comedy Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy.
Cast your ballots, then head to the Panida Theater on Nov. 5 for a screening of the film that has launched a thousand memes — and more than a few Halloween costumes. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the $5 showing starts at 7 p.m. Get tickets at panida.org or at the door (300 N. First Ave.).
Though it hardly needs summarizing, Anchorman is a PG-13 satire of the fictional 1970s local TV station KVWN Channel 4, with Burgundy at the center as a local celebrity whose position at the top of the personality driven “action news” ecosystem is shaken by talented newcomer Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate), who is — gasp! — a woman.
Burgundy thinks he’s on the fastrack to national fame, but Corningstone is a far better reporter and her rapid rise through the ranks rankles him to the point that he breaks the cardinal rule of “anchorman”-ism: He says something deeply offensive on air.
Pushed to the side after his verbal indiscretion (though his other indiscretions are innumerable), he sees his opportunity to claw his way back to the top of the regional media market with a nutty story unfolding at the San Diego Zoo.
The directorial debut of Adam McKay, and produced by Judd Apatow, Anchorman also introduced the world to the off-kilter KVWN characters of Brian Fantana (the cologne-obsessed sensualist field reporter played by Paul Rudd); borderline-psychopath bro-ham sportscaster Champ Kind (an unhinged David Koechner); and mentally deficient meteorologist Brick Tamland (Steve Carell on the cusp
of his defining role as Dunder Mifflin Paper Company boss Michael Scott on the beloved mockumentary The Office). In league with his wacko colleagues and hot on the zoo story, will Burgundy restore his reputation? Will he again become “kind of a big deal”? Should he? Watch and find out.
Bonus: Wear your “I Voted” sticker and get a discount on beer.
many of their musical friends — including a half dozen local women — playing ’90s pop songs. Dress sparkly.
Courtesy photo.
Courtesy photo.
By Marcia Pilgeram Reader Columnist
I can’t remember the last time I hosted Christmas, but it was likely 12 or 13 years ago. Once the grandbabies were old enough to know of Santa’s existence, the old, jolly one began rerouting his path from Sandpoint to their respective homes. I respect my offspring and their desire to create their traditions, and I never add any guilt to holiday plans. I’m happy to go wherever I am wanted or needed.
This year is going to be special as I’m hosting an amalgamation of Thanksgiving and Christmas. I have motive and strategy; my Christmas decorations have barely come out of storage in the last decade or so, and for all our good intentions to sort through the holiday treasures when the summertime gang is here, it has yet to happen. So, I’m decking the Thanksgiving halls, stairs, mantels and anything else that will hold a piece of my rich Christmas collection.
I’m buying each family some holiday totes, and no one leaves without their share of Christmas past. I have forewarned everyone that anything left behind is headed to Bizarre Bazaar (and I’m confident they’re secretly pleased).
As luck would have it, I have a travel show to attend in France on the first of December, and Thanksgiving is late this year. I’ll be sad to miss the tail-end of the holiday weekend with them, but I feel it will take some
The Sandpoint Eater Christmas is coming
pressure off their parting gift selections. I won’t be in the living room when it happens, influencing their choices: Take this! Take that! You made this! Oh, look! Do you remember?
I have plenty of other treasures for them to sort through as well, but there’s something about digging through the Christmas boxes, old photos and my recipe collection that makes me quite sentimental. It stirs up memories that can take me back to when (my) time began.
Aside from worn boxes of childhood ornaments (some hand cross-stitched by my mother) and four generations’ worth of bronzed baby shoes, I still have my
first edition Betty Crocker’s Cookbook for Boys and Girls and still haven’t decided if I’m ready to pass that along. Ten-year-old me would have given my most coveted possessions to be one of the twelve young testers featured on the first page. Randee, the pretty girl with the short, silky pageboy haircut and a light scattering of freckles across the bridge of her nose, was my all-time favorite. While my Beatlemania friends were donning shaggy black wigs and pretending to be George or Ringo, I secured my 4-H apron and channeled Randee. I had the names of the other testers memorized, too, and eventually handled the introduction page so often that it separat-
ed from the binding.
Sometimes, my mother would quash my recipe-testing dreams, deeming a recipe “too complicated” or the ingredients “too expensive.” I wholly sympathize with her with today’s grocery prices (especially butter).
Once I began testing recipes as part of my culinary passions, I thought of those four boys and eight girls from my youth and wondered if they were real or simply fictional marketing tools like Betty Crocker. I’d like to think they were real kids (maybe the children of the advertising team) who got together in the test kitchen at least once a month.
This recipe for Hot Chocolate Pudding Cake is
featured in the cookbook mentioned above, and I’m sure many of my contemporaries will remember it as something their mother once made. I thought it odd that the recipe called for dousing the cake with boiling water before baking, but that makes the magic happen! Though I’ve tweaked it a bit over the years, it’s still a favorite simple (grandkid-proof) recipe. It produces a rich, dark chocolate cake that rests magically on a gooey, hot pudding bed. It’s still best eaten slightly warm (for whatever holiday you choose to serve it).
Hot Chocolate Pudding Cake
This cake has been around forever — it’s like the original lava cake. It’s especially good when served warm from the oven. Bailey’s Irish Cream is a good adult substitute for the milk. Serves 8.
INGREDIENTS: DIRECTIONS:
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup white sugar
• 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ cup milk
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup lightly toasted pecans, chopped
• ¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (or grated chocolate)
• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 ¾ cups hot water
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Butter a 9x9-inch baking pan or cast iron skillet of similar size.
Sift flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Stir in milk, vanilla and butter until smooth. Fold in pecans and chocolate until just mixed. Spread the thick batter evenly into the prepared baking pan.
Combine brown sugar and 1/4 cup cocoa in a small bowl; sprinkle lightly on top of batter, then pour hot water evenly over batter. Bake in the preheated oven until center of cake is almost set, about 45 minutes. Brown sugar, cocoa powder and hot water will magically form a chocolate sauce that will settle to the bottom of the cake as it bakes.
doubtful you will have any leftovers; if so, cover and refrigerate. Warm back up to serve.
Serve warm, spoon into individual bowls, dust with confectioner’s sugar or top with vanilla ice cream. It’s
MUSIC
Spooky Halloween sounds that aren’t the theremin
By Ben Olson Reader Staff
Whether listening to a scary movie’s ominous background music or your favorite Halloween songs, there are some pretty creepy-sounding instruments out there. Everyone always thinks of the theremin around Halloween, but here are some more archaic instruments you might not have heard of but have listened to without knowing what they were.
Waterphone
No, this isn’t the preferred communication device of Aquaman. This instrument uses water to generate spooky sounds, but that’s not where the name comes from. Named after its inventor, Richard Waters, the waterphone was originally used to call orcas off of Canada’s western coast in the 1970s. Over the years, it has been featured in such films as Poltergeist, Aliens and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon to name a few, providing a grating, eerie and haunting sound when struck with a mallet or dragged with a bow.
Pipe organ
Admit it, when you hear someone going to town on a pipe organ, it gives you the willies, doesn’t it? This ancient instrument’s sound goes hand-in-hand with Halloween specials and films, providing a
jarring, chaotic sound that is also beautiful in a way.
Perhaps it’s the solitary organist playing at night in a gothic cathedral that pairs this instrument well with the macabre — after all, the Phantom of the Opera was first published in 1908 and helped create the mystique of this elusive figure of the night. The pipe organ also achieved its status as a dark instrument thanks to Bach’s “Toccata and Fugue in D minor,” which has been a cinematic staple for the horror genre since the 1930s when it was featured in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. It achieved new fame when Captain Nemo famously played the pipe organ at night as his crew floated through the abyss in the 1954 film 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.
Blaster beam
If you’ve seen a horror film, you’ve heard the blaster beam, even if you have no idea what it is. It’s a huge, stringed electrical instrument that is anywhere from 12-18 feet long and has about 24 piano strings and pickups. It has an ominous and bass-heavy alien-like sound, giving a perfect eerie backdrop that helps give audiences an unsettling feeling. It’s been featured in countless films over the years, including Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones and 10 Cloverfield Lane.
Biddadat, 219 Lounge, Nov. 2
Among the marquee holidays of Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas are other moments of seasonal significance. For instance, the 219 Lounge describes Saturday, Nov. 2 as “like the final party of a week full of Halloween music and festivities around town,” and we couldn’t agree more with the wisdom of booking Biddadat to mark the occasion.
Composed of Sandpoint-raised Cameron Brownell and drummer Kyle Miller — and joined by bassist Remy Morritt — the trio is well known among Seattle’s neo-funk scene for
This week’s RLW by Soncirey Mitchell
READ
Ondes Martenot
Used to create the high vibrato sounds in films like Ghostbusters and There Will Be Blood, the ondes Martenot is an old electronic instrument that was invented during the First World War. The odd sounds are generated using an oscillator, which gives the tone an uneasy quality, making it perfect for the scary season.
The keyboard instrument is named after its inventor, Maurice Martenot, who took inspiration from the theremin and organ to create his instrument.
Apprehension Engine
Originally designed by Tony Duggan-Smith, the Apprehension Engine is one of the more unique instruments
The Apprehension Engine creates ominous sounds that have been used in recent horror films like The Witch and The Lighthouse. Courtesy photo.
on this list. It’s essentially a workstation in the shape of a piano with all sorts of wooden planks, rubber extensions, springs, metallic bars and magnets coming out of the cabinet in fixed positions, all attached to a pickup that captures the slightest touch and converts it to sound.
To play the Apprehension Engine, one simply drags a bow or other object across the surface of any part of the instrument, and a screeching drone of horror results. It looks like a lot of fun to play, and you can even make your own if you’re capable. It certainly helped give films like The Witch and The Lighthouse a surreal sound that echoes long after you turn off the screen and try to sleep.
The epistolary novel — a work written as a series of fictitious documents such as letters or newspaper articles — is a rare and difficult form to master, which is why so few authors even attempt it. Vietnamese American Ocean Vuong is one of a handful able to perfect the genre in his debut novel On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous, an emotional and insightful depiction of abuse, love and the struggles of refugees in America. Written as a letter to the protagonist’s mother, the novel recounts a family’s history and how it intersects with the Vietnam War.
LISTEN
It’s been a while since the music world was rocked by a proper supergroup, but Boygenius rose to the challenge in 2023 when it released its first full-length album, the record. A collaboration between indie singer-songwriters Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus, the album is emotionally raw and full of literary and musical references that reward close listening. Listen on Spotify.
WATCH
A snapshot of notable live music coming up in Sandpoint
A.P. Collective, Pend d’Oreille Winery, Nov. 1
its pop/synth rock, dance beats and rollicking guitar work, which brews up a groove-centered blend of funk, blues, rock and electronica.
As a special treat, Biddadat will also provide a sneak peak of its new album three weeks before it officially drops. That’s called bringing it all home in more ways than one.
— Zach Hagadone
9 p.m., FREE, 21+. 219 Lounge, 219 N. First Ave., 208-263-5673, 219lounge.com. Listen on all streaming platforms and learn more at biddadat.com.
Coeur d’Alene-based husband and wife duo
A.P. Collective has dazzled audiences across the Inland Northwest with their delicate harmonies and original songs, which often take inspiration from the love they share. Their singles “Broadway and Back” and “Ain’t Giving You Up,” completed in June, demonstrate their trade-
mark indie, singer-songwriter style, reminiscent of groups like A Fine Frenzy. Join them at the winery to hear their interpretations of pop music through the ages.
— Soncirey Mitchell
5-8 p.m., FREE. Pend d’Oreille Winery, 301 Cedar St., 208-265-8545, powine. com. Listen on Spotify.
Why watch The Blair Witch Project this Halloween when you can watch the infinitely funnier yet still disturbing spoof, The Scooby-Doo Project, which frightened an entire generation of unsuspecting kids? The “found footage” is part cartoon, part live-action, and follows the teenage sleuths as they investigate a haunted forest, slowly losing their minds along the way. Watch it on YouTube and prepare to question everything — including how this short film was ever greenlit.
From The Daily Bulletin, Oct. 21, 1935
DRIVE ON RATS IS BEGUN HERE
A modern Piper of Hamlin arrived in Sandpoint today and will conduct a campaign to rid the city of its vermin bearing rat population.
These unsavory animals are due for a rude shock under plans outlined today by Miss Helen A. Caldwell of Huntington, W. Va., who majored in science at Vanderbilt university and is satisfying a yen for travel by helping rid the United States of rats.
Working through the warehouse and business district of the city and late throughout the county, Miss Caldwell plans to get her campaign started immediately. Her itinerary will take her to Priest River and also to Bonners Ferry during the next 10 days.
Sans the flute and romantic garb of the fabled piper, Miss Caldwell none the less is reported to be an expert in luring rats to their doom. Hers is a business-like method, enlisting the businessmen and others of the city in the “national campaign which promises to rid the country of rats,” as she puts it.
She uses a powerful concoction which is sure death to rats, but will not harm people. Dogs and cats are also safe from the poison, she says. The rats eat the prepared powder made from an onion found along the Mediterranean Sea called a sea onion and do not survive to further despoil food and property. One taste and the rodents streak for the open to expire.
“It is scientifically estimated that there are two rats for every human in the community,” Miss Caldwell said. “That would make about 8,000 rats for Sandpoint.”
BACK OF THE BOOK Letters on letters
By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff
Among the many unexpected delights of my experience writing a master’s thesis on colonial British-American history was researching pre-Revolutionary newspapering.
In particular, I came to know and love John Campbell, whom I would rate as a Founding Father of our trade. He was the son of the Boston postmaster and bookseller Duncan Campbell, and founded the Boston News-Letter in 1704.
I met Campbell in the aptly titled book The Public Prints, by Charles E. Clark, which is all about the earliest stirrings of a newspaper culture in the British-American colonies, from 16651740. We might take it for granted that newspapers have always been with us, but that’s not the case. You have to go back to the Thirty Years War — sometimes referred to as the real “first” world war, from 1618-1648 — to find the fully developed form of publicly disseminated and consumed bound-paper products bearing words that transmitted the occurrences of the (mostly) present moment.
Back then, those often came in the form of pamphlets full of propaganda. They contained lots of stuff about atrocities being committed by the various combatants in Europe and religiously spiced admonitions to punish unbelievers of various flavors.
Campbell’s rag was different. The Boston News-Letter’s title indicates what it was: a combination of “news” and “letters” relevant to a specific community, being Boston.
Campbell’s news gathering focused on reprinting dispatches culled from the papers in London; publishing mo-
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narchical proclamations and policies; and also shipping news, which gave locals a sense of when, where and how they could expect trade and communications from the Mother Country and its colonies overseas.
The other component of this was letters. Literally: letters sent to the newspaper office and reset into print, relating the occurrences of the then-rural provinces of Massachusetts.
There were stories of mighty storms that blew down trees and crushed barns and homes, strange celestial observations such as comets and meteor showers (with dubious interpretations of their meaning), shipwrecks and piratical attacks, skirmishes and battles with the French up north in present-day Canada, rumors of disease and hokum cures for such, denunciations of political rivals and all the other rhetorical accouterments of what we call “civilization.”
And what is “civilization” but communication, played out in a discursive style that, while often defined by division and disagreement, ultimately weaves a narrative that has at least its basics in common?
That’s a windy rhetorical question, but it’s in keeping with the free-wheeling spirit of commentary that animates one of my favorite (and sometimes least favorite) parts of the job: receiving and considering letters to the editor.
I’ve written about John Campbell before, but he always comes to mind during election season, when I — as his editorial descendant — am especially inundated by letters to... me. “The Editor.”
The news business has undergone many changes over the past 500 or so years. We’ve evolved and devolved to
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varying degrees in terms of the tools we use to get the news and the style with which we deliver it. Some of us have been better practitioners of the trade than others (there’s a yawning chasm between Walter Cronkite and Jesse Watters) but the “letters” section has persisted. And I’m thankful for that.
There’s nothing that can quite match the earnest expression of a community’s opinions, collected and reproduced in one place for all to read. Social media was supposed to be the ultimate forum for this kind of communication, but 20 years after the public launching of Facebook, I think we can all agree that it hasn’t delivered anything close to a meaningful space for civic conversation. Yet, the letters to the editor somehow feel more legitimate — even when they’re a pain in the ass.
Ultimately, as we evolve into a society in which artificial intelligence and predictive, generative information fills in the mental gaps that once stood for contemplation, it’s a burdensome though pleasurable (perhaps pleasurable because it’s burdensome) experience to receive your letters.
With that, I’ll sign off on this week before the 2024 election with the same line I wrote two years ago, to close a similar article: “Thanks for writing, and keep reading.”
Eds. note: As of the Thursday, Nov. 7 edition of the Reader, letters to the editor will again be accepted up to 300 words in length. We appreciate your patience with our temporary 200-word limit, which enabled us to accommodate as many letters as possible in the pre-election period.
Laughing Matter
Solution on page 26
By Bill Borders
disabuse
Week of the
/dis-uh-BYOOZ/ [verb]
1. to free (a person) from deception or error
“I had to disabuse a friend’s opinion that Donald Trump ‘saved’ Obamacare, as was his running mate J.D. Vance’s talking point. The truth is the exact opposite.”
Corrections: I flubbed a couple of dates in last week’s edition. Also, instead of writing “One or two,” I wrote “One of two.” Someone actually called the office to report this error to us. I hope you can all get your lives back on track before these egregious errors derailed them. — BO
If I come back as an animal in my next lifetime, I hope it’s some type of parasite, because this is the part where I take it easy!
CROSSWORD
ACROSS
1. Freshwater fishes
6. Specified days of the month
11. Legislate
12. Deplete
15. Son of a king
16. Neuralgia
17. Lip
18. Greek letter
20. Police officer
21. Egg-shaped 23. Type of cheese
24. Cone-bearing trees
25. Quash
26. Gush forth
Ocean motion 28. Biblical garden
Possesses
30. Weary 31. Innocent 34. Faith in God 36. Evening (poetic)
37. Russian emperor
41. Coastal raptor
42. Resorts
43. Lubricate 44. Cozy
45. Pickpockets (slang) 46. Wool
47. Gesture of assent 48. A painter’s tool
Seated oneself
Used
Dodges
Indicate
Solution on page 26
Cast out
Made a mistake
Educed
Enliven
Tin
9. Consume food
10. Kill oneself intentionally
13. Tallied
14. Faucets
Paddle 57. Depart
Behold, in old Rome
Stair
Render unable to scratch
Adage
Comparison connector DOWN
15. Put to the test 16. Avoided 19. Floral leaf 22. Yearning 24. To begin with
Leveling wedge 27. Poetic contraction
30. Anagram of “Nets” 32. Employ 33. Minimal 34. Indicate 35. Having profound knowledge 38. Convincing 39. Worn down 40. Leases 42. Unspoken 44. Give the cold shoulder 45. Stuns 48. Toll road 49. Story 50. Always
