Reader september21 2017

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A SandPint Tradition Since 1994 / September 21, 2017

September is Library Card Sign-up Month!

•All new card holders are automatically entered into the drawing for a library swag bag filled with cool stuff.

•New patrons 12 and older are entered into the drawing for a $100 gift certificate to Beet & Basil @ the Creek.

•New youth patrons get a Teen Titan library super power sticker.

•All new pat patrons get a free gift and photo opp with a Teen Titan photo bomber or selfie frame.

Help us reach our goal of signing up 220 new patrons in September!

www.EBonnerLibrary.org (208) 263-6930

(wo)MAN compiled by

Susan Drinkard

READER

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How can we combat racism in our community?

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“I am Mexican, and I was born and raised here. I have a black daughter, so I have dealt with this all my life. You just cannot fix ignorance.”

Jo Sceppe Receptionist at Kaniksu Health Services Bonners Ferry

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“We need to kick out the altright and neo-Nazis. We need to actually welcome more diversity to Sandpoint.”

Zach Hagadone (emeritus) John Reuter (emeritus) Advertising: Jodi Taylor Jodi@sandpointreader.com

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“The heart of the issue is that we need more people to meet people of different races and different backgrounds. Also, we should not accept casual racist remarks from our peers.”

James Bailey Physician - Family Medicine residency at Kootenai Medical Coeur d’Aene

Editor: Cameron Rasmusson cameron@sandpointreader.com

Monday - Friday we can be reached next door at Steve’s Import Auto.

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“That’s kind of tricky because racism is often instilled in individuals in childhood. Changing those perceptions isn’t easy. I think it comes back to trying to spread love and acceptance to every individual.”

“Don’t allow students to bring Confederate flags to school.

A lot of our football players are idolized, and five or so of them have Confederate stickers on their trucks, and some wear sweatshirts with Confederate flags on them.”

Mya Darling Junior SHS Sandpoint

Contributing Writers: Cameron Rasmusson, Ben Olson, Lyndsie Kiebert, Nick Gier, Jim Healey, Ellen Weissman, Brenden Bobby, A.C. Woolnough, Jodi Rawson, Drake the Dog. Submit stories to: stories@sandpointreader.com Printed weekly at: Griffin Publishing Spokane, Wash.

Subscription Price: $95 per year Web Content: Keokee The Sandpoint Reader is a weekly publication owned and operated by Ben Olson and Keokee. It is devoted to the arts, entertainment, politics and lifestyle in and around Sandpoint, Idaho.

We hope to provide a quality alternative by offering honest, in-depth reporting that reflects the intelligence and interests of our diverse and growing community.

The Reader is printed on recycled paper using soy-based ink. Leftover copies are collected and recycled weekly, or burned in massive bonfires to appease the gods of journalism.

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Letters will be edited to comply with the above requirements. Opinions expressed in these pages are those of the writers, not necessarily the publishers.

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September 21, 2017 /

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COMMENTARY

Our sanctuary cities have a sacred history:

Courts uphold their right to offer refuge to the undocumented

By Nick Gier Reader Columnist The people of the ancient Middle East practiced radical hospitality, and the Israelites were no exception: “When a stranger sojourns in your land, you shall not do him wrong. The stranger who sojourns with you shall be to you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself” (Leviticus 19:33-34).

The medieval church offered asylum to all those who sought it, as long as criminals confessed their sins. They were given 40 days to decide whether to stand trial or go into permanent exile. Today churches are bringing back this Judeo-Christian tradition, and about 800 of them are now offering refuge to those who need protection.

This year immigration rights activist Jeanette Vizguerra was honored by Time magazine as one of the world’s most influential people. She has lived and worked in the U.S. for 20 years, but she is undocumented. In February, facing deportation, she was offered sanctuary in Denver’s First Unitarian Church.

On May 5, with the aid of Colorado’s three Democratic Representatives, Vizguerra was given a two-year “stay of removal,” and she has now been reunited with her children and grandchildren.

These Democrats were also instrumental in the release of Arturo Hernandez, who had lived in the same church for nine months.

Javier Flores’ only crimes are that he is undocumented and has a 10-year-old DUI conviction. He has been living in Philadelphia’s Arch Street United Methodist Church for almost a year. Flores, a father of three, works on church projects from within the safety of church.

The Shadow Rock United Church of Christ in Phoenix is temporary home to Sixto Paz and Ismael Delgado. Paz, father of four American citizens (two are college graduates), has lived and worked in the U.S. since 1985, and he has paid taxes 28 of those years. He says that he has a clean record and that he is “working hard to do the best.”

Immigration authorities have a legal right to enter any building to arrest people, but they have avoided churches. Sacred sanctuary principles obviously still have their force.

The contemporary sanctuary movement is different from the medieval requirement of confession of sins and a deadline for a trial. The latter point is moot because, as far as I know, these churches do not harbor felons.

Nevertheless, pastors who re-

Letters to the Editor

Support Our Troops...

No Grant for Dog Park...

Dear Editor, The Friends of Sandpoint Dog Park has been working for many months to bring a fenced off-leash park to our community. We worked with the city to use a part of Lakeview Park if we could come up with the funds. Unfortunately our grant application with Petsafe to pay for fencing, water and benches was not successful. Our small group will continue to work with the city or anyone else interested to try and raise the funds in another way. We are willing to be creative. We are committed to bringing a dog park to Sandpoint. Our neighbors shouldn’t have to travel for an hour to Coeur d’Alene (they have four dog parks) just to give our friends some natural exercise and socialization. Contact 7Bericka@gmail.com to join us.

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Ericka Mattsson Sandpoint / September 21, 2017

Dear Editor, Thank you Michael Jacobson for your thoughtful and sorrowful article “Battle Call” in last week’s Reader. I am 37, and the Afghanistan war has ripped through my generation. We don’t talk enough about our wounded and war-torn young veterans. I have to remember the death dates of fallen soldiers I never knew so I can check in on the men who loved them and saw them die. Men sitting alone reliving these moments not knowing who to call. Suicide rates among veterans continue to debilitate my generation, and what about the depression, anxiety, and panic disorders behind those deaths? All attributed to this long, costly war. Support our troops. Bring them home.

Rachel Castor Sandpoint

Immigration rights activist Jeanette Vizguerra. Photo by Democracy Now. fuse to hand over the undocumented are committing acts of civil disobedience. They believe that a greater harm is done if immigrant families are broken up because of deportation.

These Christians believe that such an exile would violate the biblical injunction to love and comfort the foreigner. Quite apart from religious beliefs, I agree with Charles Dicken’s Mr. Bumble who said that sometimes “the law is an ass.”

Secular authorities in the 600plus sanctuary cities and counties have at least two arguments for non-compliance. First, immigration enforcement is a federal prerogative, while local police are charged with enforcing their own laws. Second, local police contend that if they do a general dragnet of the undocumented, they will lose

important sources of intelligence that allow them to arrest immigrant felons in their midst.

The charge that sanctuary cities have higher crime rates is just another example of the Trump Administration’s “fake news.” The fact is, according to UC San Diego professor Tom K. Wong, “crime is significantly lower in sanctuary counties compared to non-sanctuary counties.”

State and local officials are confident that the courts will back them up, and on April 25, Trump’s executive order threatening to withhold federal funds from sanctuary cities was blocked. Federal Judge William Orrick ruled that “only Congress can place such conditions on spending.”

On Aug. 30, a district court judge ruled that a Texas law

What does it mean to be Anti-Semitic...?

Ashkenazi Jews originate from), was a power in Eastern Europe during the Dark Ages and had converted to Judaism because they were often attacked by Christians and Muslims who surrounded them. They chose Judaism as it was common to both religions.

“Evidence indicates that the Khazars migrated to Poland and formed the cradle of Western Jewry.” – “The Thirteenth Tribe” by Arthur Koestler.

Ashkenazi Jews are about 80 percent of the world’s Jews.

The Human Genome Project proved that the Palestinians have a genetic connection to the ancient Hebrews that the Ashkenazi Jews, who run Israel, do not have.

So who are really the anti-Semites?

Suggested viewing: 1) “Occupation 101: Voice of the Silenced Majority,” a 2006 documentary film about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and includes interviews with mostly American and Israeli scholars, religious leaders, humanitarian workers, and nongovernmental organization represen-

Dear Editor, Since the 1770s “semitic” commonly refers to the semitic languages currently present in North and East Africa and West Asia.

The semitic languages are spoken by more than 330 million people.

“The most widely spoken semitic languages today are Arabic (300 million), Amharic (22 million) and Hebrew (5 million).” –Wikipedia.

“Semitic: 1. of, relating to, or constituting a subfamily of the Afro-Asiatic language family that includes Arabic, Amharic, Hebrew and Aramaic” –Merriam-Webster dictionary.

With respect to Jews there are many who think anti-Semitism is a racial issue. Jews are of all races. There is no such thing as a Jewish race as there is no such thing as a Christian race.

The ancient Khazar Empire (where

imposing fines on local authorities who refuse to cooperate with immigration agents may well be unconstitutional. He wrote that the plaintiffs had provided “overwhelming evidence that cooperating with immigration officials will erode public trust and make many communities less safe.”

On Sept. 15, District Court Judge Henry Leinenweber ruled in favor of a Chicago suit against the Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

Leinenweber argued that enforcing federal immigration law would cause “irreparable harm” to the relationship between local officials and their immigrant communities.

In conclusion, it is important to note that the Declaration of Independence follows Leviticus in making no difference between the “native” and the “non-native.” Its central principle is a philosophical statement about human nature in general: namely, that all human beings regardless of origin have an “inalienable right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”

Nick Gier of Moscow taught religion and philosophy at the University of Idaho for 31 years.

Read the full version at www.sandpointreader.com under Columns.

He can be reached at ngier006@ gmail.com. tatives critical of the injustices and human rights abuses stemming from Israeli policy in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza.

2) “1913: Seeds of Conflict,” a onehour PBS program. 1913 Palestine is a multi-lingual, multi-cultural society.

Muslims, Jews and Christians coexist in relative harmony and often gather together in the coffeehouses of Jerusalem.

After European Jewish migrants arrive, there are growing concerns about their secret agenda to build a state.

3) “The Occupation of the American Mind” (2016): Israel’s ongoing military occupation of Palestinian territory and repeated invasions of the Gaza strip have triggered a fierce backlash against Israeli policies virtually everywhere in the world -- except the United States. This film explains why that is. Narrated by Roger Waters cofounder of Pink Floyd.

“Occupation 101 and 1913: Seeds of Conflict” can be found at our library.

Lee Santa Sandpoint

A moment in time: The spontaneous mixture of art and music Dancer Jamie Vandenberg stretches with the beautiful outdoor piano that lives outside the Music Conservatory at Sandpoint on Second Avenue and Main Street.

Photo by Tanyia Oulman

Meeting Room Options...

Dear Editor, Regarding the September 14 article, “Nonprofits balk at proposed room fees.”

Finding suitable meeting and event venues is a challenge for local nonprofits. When the Sandpoint Branch Library closed the community meeting rooms due to construction, it displaced numerous organizations who have met at The Library for years at no cost. The Library also had to find alternate venues for the majority of our programs since we occupied the meeting rooms 50 percent of the time with our own classes, workshops and events.

A library staff member researched and compiled a list of locally available venues to provide to organizations inquiring about our meeting rooms. Many charge a fee, some do not offer nonprofit discounts. Many restaurants and coffee shops graciously offer space, simply requesting that food and beverage be purchased on site.

Whether a local business or a national corporation, businesses exist to make profits and contribute to the economic vitality of a community. I commend businesses who provide resources for nonprofit organizations while acknowledging that they, too have a bottom line.

When Your Library Transformation is complete in the Spring of 2018, The Library will again offer space to nonprofits for meet-

ings and events that are free and open to the public. The new meeting room venue will hold triple the capacity of the previous community room space with presentation technology and other amenities. Organizations can expect more availability than in the past since the majority of library programs will be held in the expanded children’s area, teen lounge, multipurpose area or technology center. Many organizations in the Hope and Clark Fork area may not be aware that the Clark Fork Branch also has a community meeting room available at no cost.

Our community supports a large number of cause-driven organizations that need places for its members to meet. We are happy to share our list of available spaces with anyone who requests it.

Marcy Timblin East Bonner County Library District Sandpoint

This is the Time to Talk Climate Change...

Dear Editor In the wake of the disastrous storms in the Houston area and Florida, Donald Trump’s EPA administrator and long- time climate change denier, Scott Pruitt, cautioned this is “not the time” to talk about the unusual storms’ causes. But he was corrected by Miami’s Mayor Tomas Regalado, a Republican., who told the Miami Herald, “This is a truly,

truly poster child for what is to come.”

As a Washington Post editorial pointed out, the fact of two Category 4 hurricanes within the space of two weeks after the hottest year on record, “hopefully will awake officials to the need for foresight in preparing for future storms in an era of climate change while putting the economy on a track to slow greenhouse gas omissions. It is true that climate change makes such events more common and more severe.”

Closer to home, (with the numerous wildfires and hazardous air,) we were reminded that a 2014 National Climate Assessment had predicted that, “Future climate change is projected to increase wildfire risks and associated emissions with harmful impacts on health.”

While Houston was being battered by Hurricane Harvey and millions were bracing for Hurricane Irma, the most powerful storm ever recorded over the Atlantic, President Trump traveled to North Dakota where he stood by an oil refinery and boasted of his administrations role in slashing environmental protections and promoting the fossil fuel industry. So, according to syndicated columnists Amy Goodman and Denis Moynihan, “The man who called climate change a ‘Chinese hoax’ was doing all he could to ensure future catastrophes.”

Commenting on the recent storms in Texas and Florida, Time Magazine wrote: “It’s good that so many Americans rush into the storm, risking their lives to help those who are trapped. It will be a similar act of courage

– and kindness — to take the hard steps needed to help heal the planet.”

According to four-term California Governor Jerry Brown: “There are turning points where the earth goes into irreversible change,” he warned, preparing to sign legislation to extend California’s “cap-and-trade” program to reduce carbon emissions.

“This is not about a politician. It’s about the world,” he said.

Jim Ramsey Sandpoint

A Reader Haiku...

Dear Editor, The Reader — FREE! That is a breath of fresh air...

Or as haiku:

The Reader is Free!

That is a breath of fresh airSupport your Local.

Keep it up, boys.

All the best, Forrest Schuck Sandpoint September 21, 2017 /

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COMMUNITY

BGH First in North Idaho to receive Time Sensitive Emergency Designations Bouquets: •This week, I’d like to use this

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

space to personally thank everyone who has donated to our Patreon account. It’s amazing to have so much support from our community. Special thanks to these fine folks: $50 PER MONTH: -Anonymous $25 PER MONTH: -Vicki Reich and Jon Hagadone -Amy Flint $10 PER MONTH: -Bill and Susan Harp -Val LeRose -Trisha Miller -Cynthia Mason -Connie Burkhart -Tracy and Tom Gibson -Danny Strauss -Jim and Lilly Mitsui -Clem Yonker and Lori Getts -Steve and Linda Navarre -Vanessa Valez -Ed Karasek -Karen and Alan Millar -Simon Levine -Valerie Olson -Carrie Logan -Ed Ohlweiler $5 PER MONTH: -Marilyn Haddad -Travis Sherman -Leah Tomey -Shawn Aller -Diane Newton -Bruce and Gretchen Duykers -Janet Roubicek -Gretchen and Brent Lockwood -Gil Beyer -B.J. Biddle -Zachary Taylor -D.R. Douglas Technologies -Phil Hough -Jeff Bohnoff -Morgan and Crosby Tajan -Charlene Godoc -Taylor Long -Carol Robinson -Talache Construction -Karen Seashore $2 PER MONTH: -Kathe Murphy -Krissy Cameron -Cameron Murray -Rachel Seitz -Joanne Cottrell -Warren Santoro -Meggan Gunter $1 PER MONTH: -Lee Guthrie Brotherton -Kim Staunton -Jenaye James -Miriam Robinson -Laura Nicholson-Paulk

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/ September 21, 2017

Golf tourney to raise funds for 24 Hours for Hank

By Reader Staff Bonner General Health is the first hospital in North Idaho and the second Critical Access Hospital in Idaho to receive all three time-sensitive emergency (TSE) designations.

“These TSE designations represent our commitment to providing our community with outstanding care at the most critical times,” said BGH CEO Sheryl Rickard. “This designation is the result of Bonner General Health’s unwavering dedication to providing high quality, compassionate care.”

BGH was designated a level IV trauma center on Feb. 14. On Sept.

12, Idaho Time Sensitive Emergencies Council designated BGH a Level III stroke center, and a Level II STEMI center on the same day, based upon the recommendations of an onsite survey team. The TSE Council is an organization selected by the Idaho Legislature to develop a statewide system of care to address the top three causes of death in Idaho (trauma, stroke, and heart attack). In order to receive these designations BGH was surveyed in all three areas.

The survey team conducted an extensive survey of the services at BGH, data and past performance in the areas of stroke and (STEMI) “heart attack care,” equipment, education programs, emergency team response, and the ability to work with pre-hospital care providers to activate emergency teams at the hospital and reduce the length of time to reach treatment for patients experiencing “heart attack” or stroke symptoms or suffering a traumatic injury. The surveyors were extremely impressed by the

BGH staff pictured with their Telestroke Robot (from left to right): Denis Simko, Dr. Ken Gramyk, Sheryl Rickard, Misty Robertson, Colleen Lock. Courtesy photo. care provided at BGH by physicians and hospital staff and the commitment that is demonstrated by the entire organization to provide high quality care to the community. They were also impressed with the effective collaboration with Emergency Medical Services since pre-hospital care is critical to improving patient outcomes.

The TSE system is modeled on evidence-based care that addresses public education and prevention, 911 access, response coordination, pre-hospital response, transport, hospital emergency/acute care, rehabilitation and quality improvement. The TSE program has demonstrated improved patient outcomes, lowered costs, reduced preventable deaths and improved quality of life. It helps get the patient to the right place in the right time to the right care. In the state of Idaho, this system has three components: stroke, STEMI or “heart attack” and trauma systems of care.

These are all considered “Time Sensitive Emergencies” in which the faster a patient experiencing any of these conditions receives care, the better health outcome they will achieve, including the reduction of mortality rates associated with these health emergencies.

Bonner General Health is the first hospital in northern Idaho and the second Critical Access Hospital in the state to achieve all three Time Sensitive Emergency designations.

The Swing Fore a Cure golf tournament tees off Friday, Sept. 29 at StoneRidge Resort in Blanchard, Idaho. The four-person scramble is a fundraiser event for 24 Hours For Hank, a local charity that benefits Cystinosis Research. All proceeds raised during the event will go toward this goal.

“We are trying to raise funds and awareness for a disease that

affects one local family and 2,000 families worldwide,” said organizer Randi Lui. Registration starts at 11 a.m. and a shotgun start begins at noon. Teams of four are $500, which includes golf, cart and dinner. Hole sponsorships are also available for $500 and you can even win a new car if you nail a hole in one on the right tee.

Register at www.24hoursforhank.org, or contact Randi Lui at (208) 304-5763.

Junior rowing to dominate the HOP

By Reader Staff

From the inception of the Head of the Pend Oreille Regatta (HOP), junior rowers have been a visible group of participants. In the first year, there are memories of the young CDA single competitor filled with excitement as he bout raced his couch for the first time. In 2011, there were five shells with 21 competitors from one organization, Coeur d’ Alene Rowing. In 2015, the HOP welcomed juniors rowers from the Palouse and Rockies Rowing Club. In 2016, PORPA added a junior and the quickly formed international mixed eight took first place. All total, there were eight junior shells entered in last year’s HOP. The HOP 2017 will welcome juniors from the Olympic Peninsula Rowing Association (OPRA)

of Port Angeles, Wash. ORPA plans to bring six shells. Rockies Rowing Club, Coeur d’Alene juniors and PORPA junior, Quinn Barnwell, are all on board again this year. The OPRA addition will make this a very significant platform for junior rowing in the Inland Northwest. So significant is the presence of junior rowers, collegiate scouts are giving serious consideration to being present at the regatta.

The 2017 HOP is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 30, starting at 8:30 a.m. at “The Mudhole” in Priest River. The Regatta will be staged on the Priest River. More information can be found on the Head of the Pend Oreille Regatta Facebook, Twitter and the website: HOPRegatta.org.

Staycation raffle tickets available

By Ellen Weissman Reader Contributor Pend Oreille Shores Resort has generously donated a week’s stay in a one bedroom condo for the Sandpoint Area Seniors. It can be used during the months of October through May 2018 (excluding holidays and based on availability).

Tickets are on sale at the Senior and DayBreak Centers, 820 Main Street, Sandpoint. The drawing will be at the Avista Energy Fair at the Senior Center on Thursday, September 28 at 5 p.m. The fair starts at 3 p.m. and ends at 6 p.m. and will have lots of giveaways and food from the Tango Café.

OPINION

Love lives here

Schweitzer wraps up summer season with expansions

By Jim Healey Reader Contributor

Hate-filled fliers left in citizens’ driveways here in Bonner County. A peace flag ripped down from a local’s front porch here in Bonner County.

Racist emails from dailystormer.com sent to people here in Bonner County. Community members called out by name and defamed on fliers here in Bonner County.

To quote the opening line of a familiar song, “There’s something happening here,” but what it is is exactly clear. There are people in our North Idaho community who are using hate, prejudice, intimidation and anonymity as weapons to make other citizens feel vulnerable, unsafe, fearful and isolated.

I lived in Billings, Mont., for 24 years before moving to Sandpoint. In December 1993 the citizens of Billings responded to hate crimes against the Jewish community in their town by coming together and showing unity. The Billings Gazette published a full-page picture of a menorah and encouraged people and businesses to cut it out and paste it in their windows. Thus began the seeds of the Not in Our Town project.

One recent flier contains the following lines: “Keep Idaho safe. Keep Idaho clean. Keep Idaho WHITE.” At the bottom of another flier is the tonguein-cheek invitation to “Come visit our new regional offices in Sandpoint, opening soon!”

Being anonymous is how these people have chosen to operate, but finding out who they are is not what is important.

What is important is that we do not succumb to their bullying — their lies, ignorance, and misinformation.

What is important is that we

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

A photo of the rainbow flag torn from a Sandpoint resident’s home. Courtesy photo. come together as a community and take a united stand against hate, prejudice, fear, racism and violence.

On the back page of this issue of the Reader is a full-page poster that celebrates Idaho as a place where “Love Lives Here.” Many organizations and citizens have come together to make this poster possible, and many more would have contributed to this cause if they had been asked. You — citizens, businesses, organizations, classrooms, churches — are encouraged to show your support by cutting the poster out and taping it in your windows.

Bring this message of love into your environments. If you have children at home, have them color in the letters of “Love Lives Here” or color them yourself. Take ownership and become part of the poster’s loving message. After all, studies have shown that hate and prejudice are learned behaviors, oftentimes beginning in the home.

Encourage your family members, friends, church members, teachers, class-

mates, businesses and anyone else with whom you come in contact to get a copy of this issue of the Reader and put the poster in their windows.

Now is not the time to be passive and hope that this threat to the well-being of our community will disappear.

Now is the time to declare who we are.

To quote a passage from the Bonner County Human Rights Task Force’s “Message to the Community”: “We believe in working for a community where everyone feels safe, and where every person is treated with dignity and respect and where they enjoy the rights and freedoms granted to them by the founding documents of our country.”

Love for ourselves, each other, Idaho and our country is what unites us. Please tape the poster in your windows and let North Idaho know who you are and what you stand for.

Schweitzer Mountain Resort spent the last season continuing to expand their summer operations.

New food service was available on the summit at Sky House. The Color Fun Run and Walk in August drew families to the mountain for all-ages fun, and wine and beer tasting events like the Northwest WineFEST in July and the 25th annual Fall Fest over Labor Day weekend gave adults a place to play as well.

Thanks to the evolving mountain biking community in Sandpoint, Schweitzer also recently invested $15,000 in expanding the trail system and purchasing a new fleet of Giant rental mountain bikes. The new playground features are located near the Musical Chairs off-load.

Schweitzer also took advantage of the warm summer months to complete exterior finishes and landscaping at Sky House on the summit. Sky House also hosted private weddings and events, accommodating up to 120 people.

Overall, Schweitzer spent over $1 million in capital investments including two new vehicles for the transportation fleet, upgrades to the sewer and water system, new winter uniforms from Patagonia and

Schweitzer Mountain Resort saw the first snowfall of the 2017/18 season on Tuesday morning. Photo by SMR.

new rental ski and snowboard equipment from Rossignol. The resort also purchased a new Piston Bully 2017 Park Pro for building features in the resort’s three terrain parks.

Season passes are still available at a reduced price until Oct. 31. Adult unlimited passes are available for $799 until Oct. 31 and jump to $999 after. The Adult Sunday through Friday pass sells for $599 until Oct. 31 and $799 after. Young Adult passes for those aged 18-25 are available for $399 until Oct. 31 and $499 after, while the Junior unlimited passes are $299 until Oct. 31 and $499 after.

The Ski3 lift ticket promotion offers three full day lift tickets with no blackout dates or restrictions for just $189 plus tax. The Ski3 sale ends Nov. 10.

With Schweitzer getting their first dusting of snow on Tuesday, and early forecasts looking favorable for a cold and snowy winter, it’s time to dust off your gear and get ready.

For more information on Schweitzer Mountain Resort call 877.487.4643 or visit www. schweitzer.com.

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NEWS

Russian Facebook operation targeted Twin Falls

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff

Amid breaking news about Russian attempts to sway American public opinion through social media, it’s becoming clear that Idaho was not exempt from its influence.

The Daily Beast reports that Russia-backed Facebook groups helped fan the flames of a Twin Falls controversy in which a sexual assault of a young girl was magnified by online news outlets into a gang rape at knifepoint by three Syrian refugees. Following the June 2016 incident and subsequent controversy, the group “Secured Borders” posted a Facebook event scheduled for Aug. 27, 2016, entitled “Citizens Before Refugees.” The event was later canceled and deleted, but The Daily Beast recovered a cached version of the page.

A screenshot of a cached Facebook page shows a canceled event set in Twin Falls, Idaho, that Facebook organizers confirmed was put together by Russian groups hoping to influence U.S. politics

“Due to the town of Twin falls (sic), Idaho, becoming a center of refugee resettlement, which led to the huge upsurge of violence towards American citizens, it is crucial to draw society’s attention to this problem,” read the event description.

“We must stop taking in Muslim refugees!” the description

concluded. “We demand open and thorough investigation of all the cases regarding Muslim refugees!

All government officials, who are covering up for these criminals, should be fired!”

On the event page, 48 people clicked the “interested” button, while four individuals confirmed they were going to the protest.

Secured Borders was revealed in March to be a Russian front, and by the time Facebook closed the group in August, it had 133,000 followers.

The Facebook group targeted Twin Falls following a series of refugee controversies popularized by right-wing internet publications including Breitbart News, WorldNetDaily and the Alex Jones website InfoWars.

Breitbart in particular was influential in spreading outrage over the 2016 sexual assault.

While three juvenile boys were

Fire restrictions lifted across North Idaho

Idaho losses projected under Senate health care bill

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

Around 200,000 Idaho residents could lose Medicaid coverage over 10 years should the Graham-Cassidy health care bill become law.

The Spokesman-Review reports two separate studies have conducted an analysis of the bill, named for U.S. senators Bill Cassidy, R-La., and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. Washington State also suffers Medicaid losses affecting 650,000 state residents over 10 years. The state could also lose $17 billion in federal funding across the same time period, while Idaho may break even in federal funding.

Studies by the Center For American Progress and Avalere contributed to the conclusions. On the other hand, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office will likely not have time to complete an analysis of the bill due to the voting schedule, which could take place at the end of this month.

Cooler temperatures and recent rainfall influenced the U.S. Forest Service to lift fire restrictions across North Idaho Monday. The region has been under Stage I or II fire restrictions since August 4.

“Agencies responsible for managing lands and providing wildland fire protection in the Coeur d’Alene Dispatch area have lifted fire restrictions in the entire area,” the USFS wrote in a statement. “Conditions no longer warrant extreme fire danger; however, we are still reminding the public to be careful with their fires.”

Ranger Districts affected include those from Sandpoint, Priest River, Bonners Ferry and Coeur d’Alene, as well as land managed by the Idaho Depart8 /

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Firefighter Kyle Menke during the 2015 Cape Horn fire. Photo by Ben Olson.

ment of Lands and the Bureau of Land Management.

After the recent rainfall, temperatures are forecasted to remain in the high 50s to low 60s through the weekend before another stretch of sunshine and high 60s to low 70s is expected to last through the end of September.

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff

sentenced for the crime this year, internet chatter exaggerated the crime into a gang rape at knifepoint by Syrian refugees.

“There was no gang rape, no knife attack, and we did not charge anybody with rape because no rape occurred,” Twin Falls County Prosecutor Grant Loebs told the Magic Valley Times News at the time.

Other rumors have centered around Greek yogurt maker Chobani. A popular target of famous conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, Chobani was accused of importing refugees into the Twin Falls community, who brought with them crime and tuberculosis. Chobani sued Jones for defamation, claiming $10,000 in damages. Jones later settled with Chobani and retracted his statements about the company and refugees.

LIBRARY EXPANSION UPDATE

This week, crews poured the concrete floor for the new construction portion of the Sandpoint Library project.

Meanwhile, the new Cedar St. parking lot is being built. Expect the Cedar Sreet lot entrance to be open early next week.

Your Library Transformation updates posted on www.eBonnerLibrary.org.

Photo courtesy Sandpoint Library.

Albeni Falls dam Planning for U of outflows I property future increased

By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff Writer continues

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff

The city of Sandpoint is beginning to clarify its hopes for the University of Idaho’s North Boyer property following news that the college aims to sell or otherwise dispose of it.

A Sandpoint Planning and Zoning Commission meeting Tuesday primarily focused on identifying priorities for the 77acre property. Important considerations developed by city staff include uses that benefit parks and recreation, housing, education and jobs and the economy.

Workshop participants then separated into small groups and proceeded to work on the issue among themselves. Most of the workshop groups emphasized parks and recreation as chief among their priorities. Throughout the course of the meeting, the complications of zoning — particularly the property’s close proximity to the airport — were also discussed.

The process will continue with a tour of the University of Idaho property on Sept. 27, followed

Albeni Falls dam increased outflows from 13 kcfs (thousands of cubic feet per second) to 15 kcfs Tuesday morning according to an announcement that same day.

This is part of the scheduled drawdown of Lake Pend Oreille from its summer height of 2,0622,062.5 feet in hopes of reaching the end-of-month elevation of approximately 2,061 feet at the Hope gauge.

The announcement also said there are no limitations this winter for Flexible Winter Power Operations. People can expect to see the lake vary between 2,051 and 2,056 feet at the request of BPA. Flexible Winter Power Operations begin after the kokanee are done spawning through late March. by more workshops and planning sessions. According to the city’s proposed planning timeline, the second planning workshop will take place Oct. 17, the Sandpoint Planning Commission public hearing will occur Nov. 14, and the City Council public hearing is scheduled for Dec. 6.

FEATURE

Lake Trout or Kokanee?

Priest Lake community weighs fishery options

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff For Rich Lindsey, Priest Lake is a dream come true.

He grew up reading articles in magazines about sportsmen traveling to distant areas and catching monster lake trout, but he never imagined at the time he’d live that life, working as a fishing guide for tourists seeking the perfect fishing experience of the summer.

“I got the opportunity and built a strong vibrate business, creating a lifestyle other people only dream of,” he said.

Now the Priest Lake fishery stands at a crossroads, and he worries that the choices in the coming months could determine the fate of his business.

Depending on the outcome of a public engagement process occurring throughout the remainder of this year, the Priest Lake fishery could remain as it currently is, or it could be managed toward a return to the fish species of its history. Whichever path is chosen, there will be people unhappy with the decision.

“It’s a complex issue, and it’s very contentious because people are very passionate about the fishery,” said Andy Dux, Idaho Fish and Game regional lake manager.

According to Dux, the question of Priest Lake fishery management first came up in 2012, when officials heard some community members wished to see a return to the native kokanee, cutthroat trout and bull trout that dominated the fishery decades ago. That would require management practices against the lake trout, or mackinaw, that currently dominate the lake. Fish and Game personnel began outreach to learn the community’s will and found a 50-50 split between those who wanted change and those who wanted to maintain the status quo. They then formed an advisory committee in 2013 to further clarify the issue.

As it turned out, there are innumerable opinions in the Priest Lake region over fishery management, Dux said.

They boiled those opinions down to three possible options for the future of fishery management. The first is also the simplest: simply maintain the existing policies favoring mackinaw while con-

Rick Lyman shows off an impressive lake trout with his grandson after a fishing trip on Priest Lake. Photo by Rich Lindsey. tinuing to support native fish restoration in Upper Priest Lake.

The other two options would shift the balance of the fishery in differing ways.

The first would take more aggressive measures to restore the kokanee population toward high catch rates and harvest.

The plan would also support a resurgence of cutthroat trout and introduce more bull trout into the lake, all policies that would require a lower-density lake trout population. The final alternative would encourage moderate catch rates and density among lake trout and kokanee alike while improving conditions for native cutthroat trout and bull trout, an outcome that would require curbing lake trout populations. It’s also the most challenging option on the table.

However, fishermen like Lindsey

are unlikely to support a plan that hurts the lake trout population. He said that’s because Priest Lake has developed a reputation for its exceptional lake trout, and the majority of his business as a chartered fishing guide comes from people looking to fish for that specific species.

One of the reasons Priest Lake lake trout are so desirable is their primary food source: the small, freshwater mysis shrimp. Thanks to their mysis-rich diet, Priest Lake lake trout boast vibrant, red meat that makes them a popular choice for the dinner table.

Priest Lake mackinaw also have a reputation for being enormous, but according to Dux, trophy-sized catches have waned over the years. Once again, he said mysis shrimp are the cause of the diminished sizes. Originally introduced

in the 1960s as a food source for kokanee, mysis shrimp instead became the primary food for lake trout after predation by the species caused the collapse of the kokanee population. Consequently, Dux said lake trout growth is typically stunted compared to fish from years gone by.

Most are a far cry from the record-setting 57.5-pound lake trout caught by Lyle McClure in 1971.

Lindsey worries that if Idaho Fish and Game decides to manage against the lake trout population, it will result in a years-long process of catching and killing the fish via gillnetting. He sees this as a costly and wasteful direction for fish management.

Dux, however, said it’s still too early to discuss specific management techniques if Idaho Fish and Game decides to change its fishery policies.

“We really haven’t put the effort into that yet because it’s not something that makes sense to figure out until we know whether that’s the way people want us to manage the fishery,” he said.

He also said Idaho Fish and Game as no stake in or preference toward any particular outcome.

“One of the things we’ve been trying to communicate to people — which has been sometimes difficult — is that we’re not trying to advocate for anything,” he said.

A series of community meetings over the summer kicked off the public engagement process. Idaho Fish and Game then introduced a survey to further solicit opinion, which is still available to fill out. Dux said they will send the survey to a random selection of license-holders in October. After that, he believes the organization will be well-prepared for a decision to come next year.

Lindsey said that for him, there’s a lot riding on that decision.

“I’ll be done working here (without lake trout),” he said. “No one wants to go fishing for catch-and-release cutthroat only.”

To take the Idaho Fish and Game Priest Lake management survey, visit https://idfg.idaho.gov/form/public-comment-opportunity-priest-lake-and-upperpriest-lake.

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Mad about Science:

By Brenden Bobby Reader Columnist September means one thing: Apples!

It’s harvest season, and America’s favorite red fruit is arriving en masse to a produce department and farmer’s market near you.

You know what they say: “American as apple pie.”

Surprisingly, that’s an incredibly misleading statement, because apples, pie and especially apple pie aren’t American… But they kind of are.

Apples originate from a tree in Asia, Malus sieversii, which still grows to this day in the wild; from there, they were bred, grafted and traded to European countries where they rapidly evolved into an unrecognizable (and delicious) fruit.

We believe that pies were first made by the Greeks, the progenitors of modern democracy.

Historians have found an apple pie recipe from Europe originating in the 1300s, oddly requesting figs as a filler.

So, how exactly is apple pie American?

Americans take things and change them into new forms, sometimes leaving them unrecognizable, but usually better in the process.

We took apple pie from relative obscurity, changed the filling, took out the figs and morphed it into a worldwide phenomenon, just like we did with apples (think: Honeycrisp, Pink Lady and Red Delicious), and of course, democracy (um, hello, 1776 is calling.).

Now that I’ve got you all jacked up and inspired talking about an obscure link between American liberty and lethal amounts of sugar, let’s talk 10 /

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Brought to you by:

apples!

about apples!

The Red Delicious is the most iconic apple in all the western hemisphere. It’s the apple you see on a teacher’s desk.

Ironically, after so many generations of breeding it for shelf-life and looks, we bred all the flavor out of it!

Red Delicious apples are real workhorses, and legend has it the original tree was thought to be a nuisance and was cut down twice, only to regrow a third time and birth the legendary fruit. It’s a shame the legendary fruit doesn’t taste so good anymore.

Fuji apples have a fun story behind them, too. These are one of the most common types of very sweet apples found at the grocery store, now. They were developed in Japan in the 1930s from two American breeds of apple: Red Delicious and the Virginia Ralls Janet.

This was a really tense time for Japan and the United States, as the powers were expressing real animosity and friction toward one another in the lead-up to Pearl Harbor.

The Fuji apple best represents the reconstruction, the two countries coming together and sharing a literal fruit of their labors, and the world was a better place for it in the end!

Honeycrisp apples are a favorite of the northern and northwestern states. It was bred in Minnesota, land of the everything-is-frozen, and it was designed to be very cold resistant. It turns out Minnesota wasn’t the only state that loved the Honeycrisp, and it migrated west. Several farms in Washington bring delicious Honeycrisp

apples to Sandpoint every year.

In my opinion, Honeycrisp apples make some of the best cider money can buy, since it’s a little bit sweet, a little bit tart, and it’s a pretty big apple.

Try buying them out of season and it’ll lighten your wallet real fast, though! I’ve seen them go for $7 a pound in the middle of summer. Oo-ie!

Granny Smith is another iconic apple. It’s about as green as it gets, and is one of the most tart apples available. The Granny Smith is an Australian apple, started on the farm of Maria Ann Smith. Story is, she found a sapling where she would dump her crab apples, and it would grow up to give apples that were perpetually green.

Due to the tartness of Granny Smith apples, they’re a popular apple when making cider to balance the sweetness out. They’re also incredible in apple pies- Just don’t forget to add sugar!

Of all the apples we claim as our own, and ones we borrow from other countries, there is only one apple native to America, and that’s the crabapple.

Truth be told, I couldn’t find much more information than that, I’m guessing because we don’t often use it for mass consumption!

I have a crab apple tree, and it makes some of the most foul-tasting apples I’ve ever eaten until I throw them into a crust and bake them.

Apples, like peaches, are in the same family as roses. I imagine they’re more closely related to the little pink and white wild roses we find blooming around here than

the cultivated variety in our gardens.

It surprised me to know that China produced more apples than ... well, pretty much the rest of the world combined. As few as three years ago, China produced at least 37 million tons of apples, while the US,

the next biggest producer, produced around 4 million tons. That’s an immense gulf of difference, yet no one says “as Chinese as apple pie!”

I hope you learned something, today! And if you didn’t, I hope you at least had a nice mug of cider.

Random Corner Don’t know much about Johnny

Appleseed?

We can help!

Johnny Appleseed is a hero of American folklore. As the legend goes, he wandered barefoot across the country with a sack of apples to plant trees. What you may not realize is that Johnny Appleseed isn’t a tall tale. His story is based on a real man named John Chapman.

•John Chapman was born in 1774.

His father served as a minuteman at the Battle of Bunker Hill. When he returned home, he taught his son to farm.

•Frontier law allowed people to lay claim to a permanent homestead if they planted 50 apple trees, so Chapman traveled through Pennsylvania, Ohio and Illinois to plant orchards and sell them to potential settlers.

•Chapman’s apples were small and tart, making them ideal for hard cider and applejack instead of eating.

•In popular lore, Chapman is described as traveling barefoot and wearing threadbare clothes. This look was true to life. Chapman belonged to the Church of Swedenborg, and his threadbare look was probably an offering to his faith. Because his church forbade its members harming God’s creation, Chapman refused to graft plants because he thought it physically hurt the source plants. So, he carried a large sack of seeds everywhere he went.

•While Chapman planted countless apple seeds across the country, his church promoted abstinence for those unmarried, and Chapman remained chaste his entire life, leaving no children to inherit his lands.

•It wasn’t until after Chapman’s death in 1845 that the legend of Johnny Appleseed took off.

•Prohibition almost ruined Chapman’s legacy when FBI agents tore down orchards to prevent the making of homemade hooch. This nearly killed America’s taste for hard cider. Only in recent years has cider enjoyed a resurgence in popularity.

•You can still visit the last known tree planted by John Chapman in Nova, Ohio. The 177-year-old tree grows tart green apples which are not used for applesauce and baking, in addition to cider making.

We inject trees with fertilizer and insecticide to help rejuvenate the tree and kill off the larve and beetles inside.

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Dollar Beers!

8pm @ Eichardt’s Pub Nia workshop with Britta vonTagen 5:30-7:30pm @ Embody

Girls Pint Out Night 5-7pm @ Idaho Pour Authority Cool chicks, great beer! Join Vicki for an evening tasting of Oktoberfest and pumpkin beers!

End of Summer Paint and Sip 6pm @ The Pottery Bug Bring a friend, a beverage and s Free Movie Night: “Paper Tig 6pm @ Sandpoint High School Free and open to the public

Live Music w/ Harold’s IGA Live Music w/ three Northwest rock bands!

6:30-9:30pm @ MickDuff’s Be 9pm @ 219 Lounge Von the Baptist is a swirling psychedelic rock band hailing Indie folk rock trio of underdo from Spokane, Van Eps from Seattle have been described as Live Music w/ BareGrass “classic feel” with a “modern edge.” Finally, Seattle-based 5-7pm @ Idaho Pour Authority Trash Dogs combines a love for ’80s punk and ’70s country. A bluegrass/Americana group f Live Music w/ Ron Kieper Live Music w/ Brian Jacobs 5-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winer 6-8pm @ The Cedar St. Wine Bar 5th annual Hope Oktoberfest San Live Music w/ The Teccas 4-10pm @ Hope Memorial Community Center 9am 6:30-9:30pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall Enjoy a festive dinner featuring brauts with Fre Father/daughter country rock duo all the fixin’s, sauerkraut, coleslaw and more, wit Live Music w/ Truck Mills plus there will be beer on tap and a wine bar.

5-7pm @ Idaho Pour Authority Ced Wear your dancing shoes with musical enterA blues master on the lap steel guitar 10a Angels Over Sandpoint: Let’s Dance! tainment by Dennis Wilson and German Pol- Com 6-10pm @ Dover Bay Homestead Barn kas by the Swing Street Band. Free admission; brid It’s a fun, funky, fabulous evening with dinner is $20 for one person or $30 for two Ho live music featuring the Atomic Blues Live Stand-Up Comedy Show 10a 8pm @ 219 Lounge Band, plus there will also be a silent aucRea Featuring Nathan Brannon on tour from L.A. with tion. Tickets are $20. Benefits the Angels Fred Bowski and Morgan Preston for one night you Live Music w/ The Cole Show only of hilarious stand-up comedy and stories you rea 6pm @ Arlo’s Ristorante reg won’t want to miss. $10/advance, $12 at door

Game Night at the Niner Adopt a Highway cleanup Sandpoint Chess Club 9am @ American Heritage 9pm @ 219 Lounge 9am @ Evans Brothers Coffee Help clean up our highway Meets every Sunday at 9am. All are welcome 266-1488 for more informa Monday Night Blues Jam w/ Truck Mills 7:30pm @ Eichardt’s Pub

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Night Out Karaoke 9pm-12am @ 219 Lounge Join DJ Pat for a night of crooning your favorite tunes

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Sandpoint Farmers’ Market 3pm-5:30pm @ Farmin Park The afternoon market on Wednesdays for all your produce needs!

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KPND Football Party • 5:30pm @ 219 KPND and Bob Witte host a Monday Ni party with prizes, restaurant giveaways,

Geezer Forum 2:30-4pm @ Columbia Bank Hosted by Paul Graves and held on the second and fourth Tuesday of every month, the forum is free and open to the public Open Mic 5-8pm @ SKåL Taproom Musicians and comedians welcome! Open mic is held every Wednesday

3D Printing 5pm @ Sandp This beginner tential of 3D p required by ca

Magic Wednesday 6-8pm @ Jalapeño’s Restaura Magician Star Alexander ama dinner table and in the bar wi teractive magical entertainme

Yappy Hour 4-7pm @ Eichardt’s Pub Dollar Beers!

Bring your four-footed friends to this 8pm @ Eichardt’s Pub event hosted by the Panhandle Animal Good until the keg’s dry Shelter. Live music, food, drinks and barkin’ good times. Free admission

Kokanee Spawning Pre 12pm @ Avista Day Use Fisheries regional manag a presentation on the Kok now. Free, open to the pu

ful

t and Sip Party g rage and snacks!

Paper Tigers” h School ublic

September 21 - 28, 2017

Fit and Fall Proof Class 11am @ Cedar Hills Church A free fitness class for seniors is sponsored by the Panhandle Health District

ld’s IGA kDuff’s Beer Hall f underdogs Grass Authority na group from SPT Kieper eille Winery

Art Reception by Nathan Noble 4-7pm @ The Artisan Gallery (Priest River) Check out “Dreamless Decade” by artist Nathan Noble at this opening reception

A weekly entertainment guide to keep you on your toes. To list your event free, please send an email to calendar@sandpointreader.com.

Reader recommended

Alzheimer’s Support Group 11am @ Cedar Hills Church A free fitness class for seniors is sponsored by the Panhandle Health District

SoupTember 5-7pm @ Farmin Park Sponsored by Sandpoint Community Resource Center, tickets are just $10 and include soup tasting, rolls and dessert. There will also be a live auction, silent auction, and raffle

Equinox for Equality: A Community Diversity Celebration 5-7pm @ Farmin Park A gathering to celebrate North Idaho’s vibrant community through music, speakers and informational booths. Check park bulletin board for indoor location in case of rain Visions of a Bigger World & Plein Air Exhibit 5:30-7pm @ Sandpoint Center (Columbia Bank Building) Join the POAC for the autumn artists’ reception w/ 30 local artists

Sandpoint Farmers’ Market Live stand up comedy featuring Nathan Brannon 9am-1pm @ Farmin Park 7pm @ 219 Lounge Fresh produce, garden starts, live music Nathan Brannon is on tour from Los Angeles with Fred with Ben and Cadie Bowski and Morgan Preston for one-night only of hilarious stand-up comedy and stories you won’t want to miss! He Cedar St. Bridge Public Market was one of six performers selected for call backs for NBC’s 10am-2pm @ Cedar St. Bridge Come enjoy indoor shopping on the “Last Comic Standing” and recently opened for superstar Dave Chappelle, who has been ranked the No.1 Greatest bridge spanning Sand Creek Stand-ups of all time by Comedy Central. $10/adv, $12/DOS Holistic Fair “Natural History of Two of Idaho’s Rarest Plants” 10am-5pm @ Inquire Within (516 Oak St.) 9:45-11:30am @ Sandpoint Community Hall with Readings are $20 for 15 minutes; take A free presentation

by Juanita Lichthardt, a plant ecologist night your pick of palm reading, reader, tarot for the Idaho Natural Heritage Program. Sponsored by the s you readings, numerology, astrology, past-life Kinnikinnick Native Plant Society. 646-270-1607 regression, marconic energy healing or y cleanup (AHWF) Autumn Equinox One Day Retreat Heritage Wildlife Foundation With movement teacher Brietta Leader and highway 200 section. (208) artist Holly Walker. Sunday September 24th. e information For more information and to pre-register go to: pm @ 219 Lounge wildcoremovement.com under retreats.

Monday Night Football Sept. 29-Oct. 30 veaways, and more!

enter with more, e bar. nterPolsion; wo

Printing Workshop for Adults m @ Sandpoint Library s beginner class explores the poial of 3D printing. Pre-registration uired by calling 208-263-6930

s Restaurant ander amazes guests at the the bar with up-close, intertainment for all ages!

SFN Movie Night: “Being There” 7pm @ Little Panida Theater The local movie club watches classic comedy “Being There.” Free, but suggested $5 donation

Fall Home Horticulture Series: Garden Weeds 6-8pm @ Ponderay Event Center A fall Home Horticulture workshop hosted by The Bonner County Gardeners Association. Class fee is $10. BCGardeners.org or call (208) 265-2070

wning Presentation Day Use Area at Trestle Creek nal manager Andy Dux will give on the Kokanee that are spawning n to the public. (208) 610-6784

Healthcare Educational Symposium 9am-3pm @ Columbia Bank Building Hosted by Auburn Crest Hospice. Great speakers and booths to visit. Free and open to the public. vanetten@auburncrest.com

Sandpoint Oktoberfest Celebration @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall Sept. 29 Devon Wade CD release party @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall Sept. 30 Head of the Pend Oreille Rowing Regatta @ Priest River

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FEATURE

From the nursery to the lumber mill: Tour outlines Idaho forest challenges, opportunities

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff Idaho forests are one of the state’s great legacies. But protecting that legacy is a more ambitious task than most realize.

From wildfires to invading insects to disease, the woodlands face threats on several fronts. Detailing those threats — as well as possible solutions — is the raison d’être for the Miracle At Work Forest Tour.

A tour based in the forests and lumber facilities of the Coeur d’Alene area, the Miracle At Work Forest Tour is designed to identify the challenges and opportunities facing Idaho’s forest resources and their connection to recreation, conservation and industry. The tour is hosted by Idaho Forest Products Commission, a state legislature-created organization that promotes the economic and environmental health of Idaho woodlands. Each year, IFPC invites local, state and federal government officials, educators, media figures and conservation workers to take the two-day tour and bring the information back to their communities.

The Miracle At Work tour traces the life of a tree at just about every stage and condition of life. Participants witness a tree’s infancy, whether that be as a seedling grown in a nursery or planted

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in the wild. They see woodlands in the process of being harvested by contractors. They see trees processed at Idaho Forest Group lumber mills into the sturdy boards one picks up at Home Depot. And they visit something akin to forest graveyards, where trees struggle and die in the fight against bark beetles, root diseases, toxic algae and other infestations.

As one of Idaho’s most valuable natural resources, Idaho woodlands play an important part in the state’s economy. It is the lifeblood for companies like Idaho Forest Group, which tour participants saw firsthand at the company’s Chilco Mill. The impact of technology on the lumber industry was evident as sensors assisted in determining quality grade and sophisticated robotics thundered massive logs through the process of de-barking, sawing, drying and sizing. And lumber is only one branch of the industry.

Mark Van Vleet of Clearwater Paper discussed the vital role of Idaho forests in paper products of all kinds. And moving logs from place to place keeps truckers like Buell Trucking’s crew on the road and earning money.

The influence of Idaho woodlands on the state economy, not to mention its inextricable connection to air and water quality, mean management decisions are of vital importance to the state. They also

play a role in local education, as Idaho Department of Lands manages its woodland endowments for the benefit of state public schools.

Complicating the issue of woodland management in Idaho is the lopsided ownership of those lands. Around 10 percent of the land is owned by farmers, ranchers and other private entities, 5 percent is owned by forest-related industries and 10 percent is owned by the state. The rest—a full 75 percent of Idaho woodland—is owned by the federal government and classified as national forest. That brings with it, for better and for worse, its own set of regulations.

According to U.S. Forest Service Supervisor Mary Farnsworth, management projects must go through a lengthy process of environmental impact review and public comment. Litigation can slow down project implementation even further. And that doesn’t even touch on the financial limitations — an already strained budget for management is being drained further by the epidemic of wildfires in recent years. The cost of fighting those fires quickly burns through pre-allocated money before sucking away management funding like a vampire.

David Groeschl of Idaho Department of Lands believes the slow rate of management in national forests, including the lack of tree thinning to protect against

wildfire, puts Idaho woodlands at risk. He said it’s particularly concerning given the increased ferocity of wildfires in recent years.

One relatively new tool toward achieving mutual goals between state and federal land managers is the Good Neighbor Authority.

Under the terms of the program, the Idaho Department of Lands can loan staff to help the U.S. Forest Service achieve its management goals. Around 12.6 million acres of the 20.3 million acres of Forest Service land in Idaho are suitable for some type of management. And of 8.8 million acres of those 12.6 million acres are at a high risk of mortality from insect or disease infestation. Finally, 4.1 million acres of those 8.8 million acres are suitable for management

Top: Rows upon rows of seedlings at the U.S. Forest Service Coeur d’Alene Nursery ready themselves for life in the wild Bottom: Foust Logging workers log trees in the woods at Signal Point. under the Healthy Forests Restoration Act, which allows for tools like Good Neighbor Authority.

Given those numbers, there’s plenty of work to go around.

With so many challenges at hand, there’s no easy path toward achieving Idaho woodlands as robust and healthy as those of the distant past. But that’s exactly why Idaho Forest Products Commission hosts its Miracle At Work tour. The hope is to get Idaho communities thinking about the problem, one influential mind at a time.

Why use Sandpoint Property Management to manage and lease your property?

List your property with us and get results that beneďŹ t you!

Sandpoint Property Management provides:

FREE MEDICAL CARE Bonner Partners in Care Clinic is a FREE health care clinic providing quality health care to those in our community who are not covered by health insurance. We provide a health care safety net for those who can not afford medical care at no cost to the patient. We treat general and chronic health disorders such as Hypertension, Diabetes, Infections and other minor medical issues. We also have assistance for diagnostic testing, laboratory orders, referrals and prescriptions.

We are located in The Panhandle Health Care Building 2101 Pine Street, Sandpoint 208.255.9099 Clinic is one evening per week (either Tuesdays or Thursdays) first come first serve basis. Please visit our website for more information: www.bpicc.org Find us on Facebook

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12 Heartbeats

The REAL Story of Pass to Pass for Parkinson’s

By A.C. Woolnough Reader Contributor

Y

ou want to take a group hiking in the North Cascades National Park? Twelve heartbeats. That’s the limit.

Anywhere from 24 to 46 legs, but only 12 heartbeats. Any combination of people and animals, but only 12 heartbeats.

My group, organized under the banner Pass to Pass for Parkinson’s started with the idea of having 12 heartbeats. A few folks dropped out before the hike and a few never dropped in, so we ended up with only nine heartbeats and 26 legs: three llamas as pack animals, four Parky’s (people with Parkinson’s) and three support hikers.

Last year, Bill (trail name, “the Beast”) organized a 70-mile hike from Stevens Pass to Snoqualmie Pass to increase awareness of Parkinson’s Disease and to raise funds for research. Having learned a great deal, he and co-founder Ken — better known on the trail as “F-Stop” — made some adjustments to increase the odds of a successful completion.

Pass to Pass 2017 was born: 58 miles from Rainy Pass to Suiattle Pass (and beyond).

That was all well and good until February of this year. After all, Ken and Bill live in Washington and were unknown to me. I had never heard of Pass to Pass. In a burst of masochism, my (formerly) incredible and wonderful movement disorder specialist (a neurologist with two extra years of training) introduced me to The Beast and suggested I sign up for “this easy little hike over several days on the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). You’ll really like it.”

The Beast is a good guy who had deep brain stimulation two years ago. DBS is a type of brain surgery with electrodes implanted. A former backpacker, Bill set out to prove that Parky’s can do almost anything — including a nine-day trek in the wilder16 /

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Ready to hit the trail with Wizard, F-Stop, Professor, SkyClad, Beast and Hulk. Trail names used to protect the guilty. Courtesy photo. ness. Bill agreed to include me, so I started what I thought was a training regimen. I got new boots, a new pack, a one-man tent and lots of other expensive little gizmos at R.E.I. After all, I hadn’t done any backpacking in over 50 years! I was to learn, much to my chagrin, that my training routine was woefully inadequate.

Walking two miles a day for two weeks carrying 22 pounds up and down hills on a paved road simply wasn’t enough — even though I had been walking five miles a day since December.

The big day came and the seven of us met each other (mostly for the first time) in Winthrop in preparation for an early morning start the next day at the Rainy Pass trailhead. If you play poker, you know the first thing to do is

look around the table and figure out who is the “fish.” If you’re not sure, then the fish is you — watch out! That’s what happened to me. I looked around and realized I was the weak link — the least experienced and the least prepared. Too late.

We arrived at the trailhead and got a five-minute lecture on how to load the packs on the llamas.

Named Fudge Mocha, Cinnamon and Salt and Pepper (what can I say, I was hungry at the time), they were docile and cooperative. Setting off with anticipatory smiles after group photos, we met our first major obstacle within a half mile. Great. Only 57 and a half miles to go. A large tree had fallen across a steep and brushy part of the trail. The llamas couldn’t go over, under or

around. And we were fresh out of helicopters to hoist them over. After an hour of unpacking, blazing trail around the downfall and a fair amount of colorful language, we resumed our trek.

The elevation guide showed a decrease in elevation for this section but every time we took three steps downhill, we took two more back uphill. My heel only felt slightly sore although my feet were burning after a seven-plus mile day. Apparently, I was also dehydrated as evidenced by the multiple cramps in my right calf making each step a painful experience. My feet were swollen, and I had a blister the size of a quarter — nothing a little tape (about two feet) couldn’t fix! I felt inadequate as we met many “through hikers”

(those completing all 2,600-plus miles in one season) complete 25 or more miles in a day — with much heavier packs. Then again, they don’t have electrodes in their brains, balance or gait problems, tremors, freezing episodes or any of the other “joys” of Parkinson’s.

Nevertheless, those folks deserve respect with a capital R. The Beast, unbelievably, had his appendix removed only two weeks before the hike—one more reason he earned his trail name.

Something else (there were many something elses) I learned from Derek, aka “the Hulk,” is that hikers and trekkers soon get a trail name. For example, among the through hikers there was “Craigslist” who bought all his gear on, you guessed it, Craig-

< see TRAIL, page 17 >

< TRAIL, con’t from page 16 > slist. “Sleepy,” “Tent Chaser,” “Xtra-Tuff” (a young woman), “Princess Leia” and “Czech Chick” are self-explanatory. Within a few days, I became “the Professor”(former educator) and others in our group became “the Wizard” (Gandalf was taken), “SkyClad” (don’t ask) and “the Graduate” (think Dustin Hoffman).

The second day was worse than the first; or so it seemed. The blister popped, my feet still burned but I did stay hydrated thanks to the Wizard’s electrolyte tablets.

The leg cramps were only marginally better. I also learned something else — don’t leave your tent unzipped. Apparently, my new tent emitted chemicals that acted as love pheromones to some bald-faced hornets. Without going into all the gory details, I got five stings in less than an hour. I was tired and sore and not sure I could finish.

We had only gone 15 miles and had seven days and 43 miles left.

A shorter fivemile day, after a purposefully late start, to High Bridge, where the shuttle bus takes you the seven miles to Stehekin, was a relief. Better yet was the layover day at the lodge. Best yet was the icecold beer! Yet I was really feeling like I was dragging the group down — slow, not carrying my fair share of the load and not at all confident I could finish. If someone had offered me a free ticket for the twice-daily boat to Chelan, I think I would have quit. I almost cried every time it departed the pier. We had only traveled 20 miles in three days and had 38 miles to go over five days. One of them was supposed to be a rest day. That meant nine miles a day… all uphill. I didn’t think I could do it.

Stehekin. What a cool name for a cool place. You get there by boat, by sea plane or you take the shuttle after hiking twenty or more miles. No roads lead to Stehekin.

There’s a lodge with restaurant and general store, a post office, a laundromat, public showers and one pay phone. Mix in a few homes, some boats, an old schoolhouse, a waterfall and a ranch with cabins and you pretty much have it. Pretty much. But not all. Whatever you do, don’t miss the bakery. Walk, rent a bike or take the shuttle, but don’t miss the bakery. When through hikers start the Pacific Crest Trail in Mexico and head north for over 2,600 miles, they hear about the bakery in Stehekin

within the first hundred miles. It becomes a beacon, an icon a legend to be sought after. Simply put, the bakery at Stehekin is Jason’s golden fleece. Hikers are willing to overcome any obstacle to get there.

After a cinnamon bun (outstanding) and a chocolate muffin with cream cheese (to die for), I began to think I might possibly be able to finish. The real bed and the nonfreeze dried meals also had a role. In reality, it was the numerous pep talks by the group and individuals, the encouragement, the support, the sense of community, and the spirit of unity that made the difference.

Also, the cramps were going away.

The fateful decision to continue was made. Come hell or high water, I was committed. Somehow, a mental switch was thrown. The mental, physical and emotional exhaustion I had been feeling evaporated. No, that’s a lie. It just simmered below the surface at an acceptable level.

I was still the weak link, but I was part of the chain and we were in it together.

Because we had done some re-supply and dropping off of unneeded gear, the llamas had more room in their packs and I could lighten my load. Somehow, the next two days — 10 miles each of mostly uphill — were doable and bearable. We had trekked 40 miles and had only 18 to go over the three days. After nearing the Suiattle Pass, we agreed to hike three miles up and over on our layover day to make the last two (mostly downhill days) even easier.

It’s time for another “something else I learned.” Just as the first three so-called downhill days involved many uphill steps as well, the 10-mile uphill climb almost defeated me. After hiking six miles and gaining nearly 2,000 feet of elevation, we started a 500-foot descent — all the while knowing we had to regain that altitude and add another 500 feet on top of that. Each step downward was like another hornet sting. Not really.

But it was painful.

The campsites over the six nights of sleeping on the ground varied from primitive (dig your own latrine) to the positively luxurious with a wooden toilet in an outdoor outhouse. Except, the outhouse had no walls, but it had a tremendous view. Common sense placed it a hundred yards from the tents. We slept in an alpine meadow, next to a stream, near a waterfall and in a cedar grove. Water came from the nearest source—up to a quarter mile

“Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt.”

- “The Hulk”

away. That’s when I realized why we had support hikers. As we Parky’s dealt with our own issues at camp, the Wizard, the Graduate and SkyClad schlepped water to the community filter, boiled water for the freeze-dried delights and passed around the watermelon. Watermelon? Why not.

We had the llamas and the room. On the second night, we all shared slices of ice cold watermelon. Did I mention it had been cooling in a snowmelt stream?

At first, we were concerned that the Hulk was a little anti-social. As an early onset parky (diagnosed at age 40), he was 20 or more years younger than everyone but the Graduate. It turned out that he was combining video he took each day with some of our photos into an on-the-fly movie of our adventure. It’s available on the passtopass.org website and is worth a look. The Hulk mostly used F-Stop’s photos. He was the professional photographer in the group. If you watch the video, you will see SkyClad with the world’s smallest cutthroat. Catch and release!

The scenery. Glacier Peak, Sitting Bull Mountain, the milky Suiattle River, Castle Peak, alpine meadows, cedar groves, waterfalls, rock fields, Agnes Creek and more. Naming all of this is totally inadequate. The vistas, the colors, the majesty is beyond words and my ability. Instead, get in your car and drive Highway 20 through North Cascades National Park.

See it for yourself. Better yet, stop and hike a few miles. As the Hulk reminds us in his video, “Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt.”

A final something else I learned… Downhill is easier but harder. Uphill is harder but easier. OK, OK. I know. It’s a Zen thing.

The final day arrived and everyone had a little extra spring in their step. Only six and a half miles to go and then a potluck followed by a long drive home. This leg, almost all downhill to the trailhead, seemed longer than the ten-mile uphill hike. Then, it happened. With a mile to go, we discovered the six pack of beer left in a cold mountain stream under a waterfall by one of the trail angels. It was cheap beer. It was also the best one I’ve ever had.

Another mile and we were done.

Immediately, it didn’t seem that it was so hard. I forgot my pain. I dismissed my mental anguish. I was ready to sign up for next year. I wish that was the truth. It isn’t.

Instead, I was simply glad that it was over. I was glad I did it. I was glad I was part of an incredible group of new friends.

I was grateful for the support and the sense of accomplishment. I didn’t let myself down and more importantly, I didn’t let the others down. The chain remained unbroken.

We finished... together.

Top: One mile to go! A.C. enjoys a Rainier Beer. Second from top: Fudge Mocha and Salt&Pepper taking a break. Second from bottom: The chocolate muffin from the Bakery at Stehekin. Bottom: Getting ready to hit the trail with Fudge Mocha, the lead llama.

All photos courtesy A.C. Woolnough.

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HEALTH

Why haven’t you heard of Kaniksu Health Services?

The organization that is a huge piece of the regional healthcare puzzle

By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff Writer

Nearly 25,000 people in Bonner and Boundary counties — half of the population — receive healthcare from Kaniksu Health Services. The healthcare provider has facilities in Bonners Ferry, Ponderay, Priest River and Sandpoint. Put simply, Kaniksu is everywhere.

This begs the question: Why don’t most people know who they are?

Chief Operating and Financial Officer Kevin Knepper will be the first to admit that he and other people who make up Kaniksu haven’t been incredibly active when it comes to talking themselves up as a resource, despite their undeniable popularity as a health care provider.

“We do good works, and we do it quietly,” he said. “I don’t want to be a public figure, but I think we need to be.”

Knepper said Kaniksu helps whomever walks through the doors, despite coverage. Services provided include medical and dental care, behavioral health screenings, pediatric care and VA clinic services.

“Our mission is to take care of everyone who presents themselves,” Knepper said. “Private practices don’t lend themselves well to that. They aren’t set up to make a living seeing uninsured patients.

They have to keep a large insurance base.”

While Kaniksu is a federally-qualified community health center, only 13 percent of their funds come from federal funding, Knepper said.

“We’re not getting rich over here,” Knepper said. “We’re mission first, not margin first.”

One reason Kaniksu isn’t a huge name in the area, despite their booming patient base, is the patient base itself. Knepper said 80 percent of Kaniksu’s patients are considered “needy” by the federal government.

“They’re not the people with wealth and influence in our community,” Knepper said. “People with influence are largely unaware or misinformed (about Kaniksu).”

Getting in front of those influential people will be instrumental for Kaniksu to continue growing and serving the 18 /

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underserved in North Idaho, Knepper said. Director of Community Relations Olivia Morlen said that while Kaniksu does some public outreach already, they hope to increase their appearances in the near future.

“We are looking for speaking opportunities, and other ways to get in front of the people making decisions,” she said. “We want to help create a full picture of our place in the healthcare of the community.”

While Kaniksu, and community health centers in general, have missions to help people with little to no insurance coverage, Peggy Frye said her three children — who are fully insured — have gone to Kaniksu since the care provider adopted Sandpoint Pediatrics in January 2015.

“The (Kaniksu) doctor was able to take off right where (Sandpoint Pediatrics) left off,” Frye said. “That transition over was nice.”

Frye said she’s had nothing but great experiences with Kaniksu, and that she’s excited to see the community health center continue to serve people of all economic backgrounds across Bonner and Boundary counties.

“In my experiences and opinion, they’re easy to get an appointment with — they can get you in quick,” Frye said.

“They have the ability to use the sliding scale fees for folks that maybe aren’t covered appropriately, and I think that’s a huge benefit to the community. They have that hole covered.”

Frye echoed Knepper and Morlen’s sentiment that while Kaniksu is well used by the community, it isn’t so well understood.

“There’s a lot of misconceptions about what Kaniksu is,” Frye said. “It’s not just for those low income folks. It is a family medical home and they welcome everyone in the community.”

Top left: The exterior of Kaniksu Health Services at 30410 Hwy 200 in Ponderay. Top right: Dr. Nick Miller checks on some special patients. Photos courtesy Kaniksu Health Services.

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STAGE & SCREEN

219 Lounge presents live comedy show

By Jodi Rawson Reader Contributor

In the wake of the recent fliers distributed around Sandpoint, I asked comedian Nathan Brannon about what he thought about the contents which stated: “Negroids are not fully human.”

“You could look that up on your phone and see that it wasn’t true,” he said with a laugh. “I have heard it all. I have been black my entire life.”

Brannon started a podcast called The Hamster Village in which he interviews and features interracial marriages from around the country. It has been downloaded from 25 countries and was the cause of a father-inlaw and son-in-law meeting peacefully for the first time. Hamsters are a great example of coexistance, he explains, with their variety of colors and their ability to live peacefully in an enclosure. Of his own “Hamster Village” he says he has been “incredibly lucky” and that he and his white wife were accepted with “open arms.”

One of his greatest sources of inspiration is fatherhood. Brannon’s son is two years old and a constant source of humility as any kid can be. At the Spokane Comedy Club last spring, Brannon made me laugh over situations I had previously cried over. Parenting young babies and getting judged for every decision is rough, and Brannon says there is a sort of “grace period” of when the situation happens and when it ferments into comedy.

“Comedy lets you be honest, and it lets the crowd be honest with you,” he said.

“Everything is easier to face in comedy. A lot of standup comedy is actually truth, but in a joke it lets you explore without stress.”

Brannon says he began to do open mics around Portland, Ore. (where he went to school), helping build the comedy scene.

Around 2006, he had an epiphany about the direction of his comedy when he was lighting up a stage.

“Every standup told homeless jokes, and I told mine and everyone laughed, but one night I really noticed all of the homeless people outside near the greyhound station,” he said. “I realized that I threw them under the bus... that they couldn’t even afford to go in the club where I made my living.”

Brannon learned that you only have a limited time on the stage: “I realized the power of the platform. You have a voice to break down people or inspire people... The voice to bring light to something that hasn’t been talked about.”

Brannon says that there are layers beneath the initial laughter that a great comedian is able to weave in, leaving an

audience feeling introspective. Brannon is fresh, honest and has the gift of storytelling where you get to almost walk in his shoes.

“I hope people walk away with a broader sense of what comedy is,” he said of his stand-up, which is available to listen to online.

Interestingly, he says he was an introvert until he blossomed in college when he began to develop his skills as a comedian.

In 2014 he won Seattle’s International Comedy competition, and prior to that he was awarded “Portland’s Funniest Person.”

I told him that our town was upset and ashamed about the fliers and that the mayor, 88.5 KRFY, the Human Rights Task Force and so many other groups have vocalized their support for diversity, unity and kindness in our town.

“Thank you... it is important to vocalize that this isn’t welcome in your town,” he said. “The arguments in the fliers are so childish they hardly concern me. You already know that you are bigger than that flier. They were done out of emotion... hatred, anger. They hope that their reader will become emotional. Squash it out and take the high road by taking care of those around you and in your town. I have a lot of family in Idaho and Montana, and I have run into that attitude a lot. If there were a white-supremecist-flier guy at my show, I wouldn’t change myself. I would just make him laugh.”

You can catch Nathan Brannon’s act at the 219 Lounge on Saturday, Sept. 23 at 8 p.m. Tickets are available in advance for $10 or at the door (if any are left) for $12.

Brannon will be performing with comedians Morgan Preston and Fred Bowski.

“Comic Portrait 48: Astronomy Nomine,” of comic Nathan Brannon as illustrated by Levi Greenacres.

thursday, sept. 21 @ 7pm

“rooted in peace” a film for world peace day

Sept. 22 @ 5:30 & 8:30pm | Sept. 23 @ 3:30 & 7:30pm | Sept. 24 @ 3:30

“all saints”

friday, sept. 22 @ 11:59pm

Midnight movie: projectionist’s choice

come by the Panida and look at our Midnight Movie’s “image” for a hint at what it will be this month

Crossword Solution

sept. 28 @ 7:30pm | Sept. 29 @ 5:30 & 8:30pm Oct. 1 @ 3:30pm

manhattan short film festival saturday, sept. 30 @ 7pm

The doors experience and premier tribute to creedence clearwater revival friday, oct. 13 @ 7pm

poac hosts the dustbowl revival and shakewell americana soul vibes and funky soul - a must see night of live music!

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EDUCATION

More than keeping the doors open

Clark Fork Junior/Senior High School ‘did something crazy,’ and it’s been crazy successful

By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff Writer It’s a Tuesday morning at Clark Fork Junior/Senior High School and K.C. MacDonald’s seventh grade social studies class is learning about how early peoples made it to the Americas.

There’s no lecture today, no worksheets and no assigned reading. Some students sit in groups, talking about the unit’s vocabulary words. Others sit alone, headphones in, doing independent research. There are outlines on notebook paper, flashcards of key terms, PowerPoint slides with photos and Word documents of every format across the desks and computer screens around the room.

MacDonald’s students are all on Unit One, but in different stages. Some are past the vocabulary and onto the broader concepts. Some are spending extra time with the teacher to better understand the terms.

Some are retaking quizzes they failed to master with an ‘A’ or ‘B’ the first time.

And that’s the key word here: “master.”

In the mastery learning model — as seen in MacDonald’s classroom — students learn at their own pace. Mike Turnlund, another teacher at CFHS, describes mastery as a “student-centric” approach to teaching. While traditional teaching is usually teacher-centric (the teacher lectures, the students take notes, the students test on what the teacher says is correct), mastery is based around student-driven research. Turnlund said his lectures are often optional if students are accelerating through the material, and students check in when they need his guidance.

While traditional teaching and learning assumes students learn at the same pace, mastery doesn’t.

“Fifteen-year-olds are not all on the same level,” Turnlund said. “They call it ‘standardized testing’— well there’s no such thing as a ‘standard student.’”

And mastery isn’t calendar-driven, Turnlund said. Students receive a syllabus for the entire semester when class begins and are expected to master key terms and “I can” statements. For instance, in Macdonald’s seventh grade social studies course, “I can explain how early peoples made it to the Americas.” Students take exams or create projects once they feel they’ve mastered the material in each unit of the syllabus. Students must get an ‘A’ or ‘B’ to pass the course.

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CFHS junior Grace Shelton has been taking classes in the mastery format for a couple of years now and said her overall impression of the learning system has been positive. Still, she said she sometimes misses the instructor-centric approach in topics she finds more difficult.

“In some subjects mastery is awesome and in others it is harder to comprehend (materials) with minimal instructor-led lessons,” she said. “In some classes, like math, you rely a lot on the instructor but in others you are more self-taught with the instructor there to answer any questions.”

While Shelton said mastery can be an adjustment depending on the subject, the new teaching approach has worked well for her personal learning in most cases so far.

“I feel that if studies have shown that mastery is better for both students and teachers it would be wrong not to try it out and work out kinks along the way,” Shelton said. “And if it doesn’t create the results we want or need then we have traditional learning to fall back on. (But) so far, mastery has had a positive impression on me.”

Turnlund began teaching in mastery style during the 2015-2016 school year as an experiment, but soon, it became clear this was the direction Idaho education was moving. In 2015, Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter signed House Bill 110 to move Idaho toward a mastery education model by 2020.

CFHS applied for the Mastery Education Grant in 2016, and now it is one of 19 schools in the Idaho Mastery Education Network, paving the way for other schools to adopt the student-centric approach to teaching and learning. It’s certainly untraditional, but Turnlund said he’s seen incredible results in student comprehension.

“We have a saying around here: ‘You’re either the engine or the caboose,’” Turnlund said. “We want to be the engine. We are embracing it.”

This mentality began a few years ago, Turnlund said, when the teachers and staff at CFHS had to face the very real possibility of the district being forced to shut the school down. In 2014, CFHS had 84 students. Projections said they’d only have 74 the next year.

That’s when Turnlund said school

district superintendent Shawn Woodward told him and MacDonald: “Do something crazy.”

And so they did.

Fridays became track days, where student split into groups — outdoor studies, family consumer sciences, health and wellness, technology and more — and did experiential learning.

“Experiential learning is the key — you’re learning by doing,” Turnlund said. “It has been a fabulous success.”

Today, CFHS has 121 students. Turnlund attributes this rise to the school’s willingness to shake up how students learn with both and experience and mastery techniques.

“This has become so much more than just trying to keep the doors open,” Turnlund said.

Top: Members of the CFHS Great Outdoors track Kobi Dooley, Max Icardo (graduated) and Toben Pincher prepare to ride the zip line at Lutherhaven on a track day trip in May 2017.

Bottom: Senior Anna Fitchett participated in the Independent Track last year, exploring the possibility of being a teacher with mentor Jenny Shelton.

Courtesy photos.

MUSIC

Where to listen to some great music this weekend

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

Summer is officially over Friday, but the live music scene is just warming up in Sandpoint.

Here’s a short compendium of the live music going off this weekend in Sandpoint.

----- Friday, Sept. 22 -----

Trio of Pacific Northwest rock bands @ 219 Lounge The 219 Lounge is rapidly transforming into a venue which hosts not just local music, but touring and regional bands as well. On Friday, they host a trio of Pacific Northwest rock bands; Von the Baptist, Van Eps and Trash Dogs, starting at 9 p.m. and going until midnight.

Spokane-based Von the Baptist has gained a broad-based following with their swirling psychedelic rock with dynamics that range from whisper quiet to ear-blisteringly loud. Max Harnishfeger wrote on the band’s Bandcamp. com page: “Patient and purposeful without feeling repetitive.”

The dynamic four-piece Van Eps has toured with influential acts such as Vince Neil, Hurt, Geoff Tate and the Ataris. The Seattle-based group draws influence from all across the rock spectrum, and their unique sound is often described as having a “classic feel”

Jazz saxophone @ Pend d’Oreille Winery

with a “modern edge.”

Also hailing from Seattle, Trash Dogs is reminiscent of ‘80s punk rock influenced by ‘70s country melodies. According to their website, the Trash Dogs have a “penchant for cheap beer and rock and roll.”

Americana/bluegrass @ Idaho Pour Authority The Sandpoint-based trio of pickers and yellers affectionately known as BareGrass will throw down at Idaho Pour Authority from 5-7 p.m. These guys are always full of energy and good times, with a plethora of original songs. Check out their latest album, “Barrel Fire.”

Indie folk rock @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall Harold’s IGA is returning to MickDuff’s Beer Hall from 6:30 -9:30 p.m. If the weather holds out, they’ll play outside next to a roaring bonfire. This trio of Sandpoint misfits plays a long list of originals from their three albums.

They also cover everything from Johnny Cash to Violent Femmes.

Ron Keiper plays at the Pend d’Oreille Winery from 5-8 p.m.

Ron plays one of the best jazz saxophones around with a mix of originals and covers.

----- Saturday, Sept. 23 ----Country rock @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall Montana-based The Teccas feature Scott and Kayla Tecca, a father-daughter duo playing country with a rock sound. Their songs and stories are entertaining and will not leave the listener disappointed. They’ll be playing at the Beer Hall from 6:30-9:30 p.m.

Blues @ Idaho Pour Authority Truck Mills is widely known as one of the best blues guitar players in town. His prowess on the electric, the arch-top and the lap steel is something to behold. He’ll be playing at IPA from 5-7 p.m.

Contemporary @ Arlo’s Ristorante The Cole Show will play at Arlo’s Ristorante during the dinner hours starting at 6 p.m. The Cole Show features a contemporary mix of jazz, blues, rock and funk.

MacLaine, follows a simple gardener who becomes an advisor to a powerful Washington, D.C., insider. Released in 1979, the film places 26th in the American Film Institute’s list of the 100 greatest comedies.

While the screening is free, a suggested $5 donation will help cover the theater rental. The Panida will provide beer and wine sales.

Classical Corner radio show offered

By Reader Staff

Do you have a passion for classical music? Perhaps even opera?

Do you enjoy listening to a beautiful piano concerto while watching the sun set over Lake Pend Oreille?

In Collaboration with Sandpoint’s community radio station KRFY 88.5, The Music Conservatory of Sandpoint (MCS) is excited to step through the open door KRFY has created for a classical music program hosted by John Fitzgerald. The program will air every other week on Sundays at 6 p.m. starting Oct. 8.

Together, we will be launching the “Classical Music is Cool” movement, featuring classical music, art music, opera, artist residing in Sandpoint and all exciting art music events happening right here at our doorstep.

We wish to not only attract an already interested audience, but

READ

I recently stumbled on an essay

by Cheryl Strayed titled “The Love Of My Life.” It first ran in The Sun Magazine in 2002.

Strayed is best known for her novel “Wild,” the story of how she hiked the Pacific Crest Trail alone after she lost her mother to cancer and divorced her husband. The book touches on the questionable life decisions Strayed made leading up to her hike — from sex with strangers to black tar heroin — but “The Love Of My Life” is that part of Strayed’s life written in its rawest form. You’ll cry, and you’ll fall even more in love with this woman’s clean, witty prose.

LISTEN

SFN Movie Night screens ‘Being There’

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff The monthly Sandpoint Filmmakers Network Movie night continues next week with a screening of “Being There.”

The free screening is set for 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 26, at the Little Panida Theater.

The classic comedy, which stars Peter Sellers and Shirley

This week’s RLW by Lyndsie Kiebert

also inspire parents to dial in and share this listening experience since some programs will be very kid friendly.

Some featured highlights will include music from Hansel and Gretel by Humperdinck, Amahl and the Night Visitor by Menotti, performed by MCS students in the Young Classical Singer program.

But, other artists residing in Sandpoint are also part of the performance sequence, including pianist Melody Puller, cellist Sam Minker and others.

Sandpoint is rich in talent and professional musicians, who will have an opportunity to showcase their work due to this wonderful collaborative effort.

First on the program on October 8 will be Composer Mark Reiner with Marj Cooke to follow.

Make sure you tune to 88.5 KRFY and we look forward to your feedback.

Certain artists make a comeback in my music library as the weather shifts. The recent rainfall rekindled my love for Novo Amor, a Welsh multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter.

While his discography isn’t expansive, the delicate melodies and soft vocals are perfect for reflection, nostalgia and every other feeling you get when leaves start falling and it’s officially acceptable to wear a scarf again.

My favorite tracks, from various EPs, are “From Gold,” “Carry You” and “Anchor.”

WATCH

Macklemore’s music video for recent his radio hit “Glorious” is a must-watch for people of all ages.

It’s an upbeat pop/hip-hop song celebrating how far the artist has come, and empowering people to live their lives in the moment. The video takes that celebration to the next level by following the rapper as he takes his 100-year-old grandmother out for her birthday. It’s precious, it’s funny, there’s a stripper — what more could we really ask for?

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The Straight Poop: The quest for dog-friendly businesses in North Idaho

By Drake the Dog Reader Pet Columnist

Creations

Where am I taking my humans today?

It’s been an interesting couple of weeks, seeing my life flash before me. It’s time to get a new leash on life, play and celebrate!

C’mon get happy with these clues: •This place hosted over 25,000 visitors last year.

•In the dead of winter 50 folks use this space.

•The owner has a passion for art and owned a pet store.

•The hosts of this dog-friendly place live on a farm with two French bulldogs, five cats they adopted from the shelter, 24 ducks, 40 chickens, a horse, two goats, bunnies and guinea pigs.

Holy four-footed paw prints! We’re on our way to a place where mini-miracles occur every day: Creations, located downtown in the Cedar Street Bridge.

Just sit right back and you’ll hear a dog tale, as told to me by owner Shery Meekings.

“Once upon a time Shery’s husband was very ill. In 2009, the family decided to move to an all American mountain town so her husband could get well. They choose Sandpoint. Shery worked many jobs, and described herself as ‘an older mom with a new baby, yearning to meet other moms.’ One day while working at Schweitzer (one of many jobs) she met a man that was overtaken by her enthusiasm and energy. He invited her to open an art gallery in the Cedar Street Bridge, where Carousel is today. The rest is history!”

One day she had a vision. What would happen if toddlers were introduced to art?

Dog wisdom tells us that maybe they would appreciate it later in life. It’s pawsible. Shery invited all the moms she knew to come to the gallery on Tuesdays with their children for bit of art appreciation. Weekly attendance exceed 40. Then she invited the men’s group that played cards at the library weekly to come to a pottery class. The first week six showed up; the next week, 11. They made coiled clay pots, laughed, and had fun. Next were the MOPS (not the floor kind). The Mothers of Preschoolers group sniffed out these activities, because they needed a place for their kids to go in the winter. Pawfect!

In 2010 Shery asked the owners of the Cedar Street Bridge to let her use some space downstairs for the kids to play and create art projects indoors. The new space would meet the needs of the community by providing classes and programs for family members of all ages and groups, especially home-school co-ops, the disabled, retirees, teens and many others. It would be a dog-friendly space to relax, have fun with 22 /

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the family, learn, share and expand horizons, right in the heart of Sandpoint.

The name “Creations” came to her while she was in the middle of ‘the bridge’, chatting with other moms and enjoying a few minutes to herself, while her young daughter played with other children. She knew she had now had to get busy as the owners of the CSB gave her six months to get Creations going.

The moms brought art supplies and a picnic table. Families donated time and money.

Captain Dan saw the original poster of the vision that she drew. He had a wooden boat and delivered it to the space (that they didn’t rent…yet), with an invoice totaling $700.

Shery asked everyone she knew for $10 so they could pay for the boat. The money was raised and the donor’s names are on the boat. Kids read the names to their family, friends and dogs! Sandpoint Carpet laid down the blue squishy carpet. A dad built the arch. Then came wi-fi, electricity, a piano and more. Bazinga! Partnerships with many schools, nutrition programs and the local library were formed. Pack members say that this place is a labor of love. Shery brings love, energy, genuine enthusiasm and innovation to everyone she meets. And she owns Carousel, too.

In the first year, 25,000 folks enjoyed Creations. Shery’s husband got well. Her mom friends to donated kids clothing that they weren’t using and the Creations children’s store was born. Volunteers staffed the digs, and the team partnered with Experience Works. A small group of women quietly donated their time, and turned every penny into new inventory. By 2016 Creations was a full-blown children’s clothing and toy store.

Shery estimates that it takes about $60,000 a year to operate Creations. Well worth the buckaroos! This is a happy place for so many families and dogs. And now, it’s my healing perscription. I love getting in the boat and playing with the kids. Everything here works, just like peanut butter and jelly! I can’t wait to bring the new grandbaby here and make my personalized paw print for the Mister and Missus’ holiday gift.

Another dog tale – I’m droolin’ over the changes that will be happening at the Cedar Street Bridge next month! Go see what’s happening!

Creations owner Shery Meekings poses with Drake inside the Cedar St. Bridge.

Many people do not realize that the snowshoe can be used for a great many things besides walking on snow. For instance, it can be used to carry pancakes from the stove to the breakfast table. Also, it can be used to carry uneaten pancakes from the table to the garbage. Finally, it can be used as a kind of strainer, where you force pancakes through the strings to see if a piece of gold got in a pancake somehow.

ART

World perspectives at the Sandpoint Center gallery

POAC kicks off autumn exhibit

This time of year, Sandpoint’s local snowbirds take flight for the season, heading off to more temperate climates and not returning until spring. Many of us wish we could travel with them, and thanks to local artists, we now can by visiting the Sandpoint Center at 414 Church St. The Pend Oreille Arts Council kicks off its autumn exhibit, “Visions of a Bigger World,” on Friday, Sept. 22 with a reception from 5:30 to 7 p.m. The public is invited to attend at no charge.

Featuring artwork depicting scenes from over a dozen countries, including Myanmar, Belgium, and Poland, the show invites the viewer to not only be whisked away to romantic locales, but to explore the perspectives of people living around the world. Whether their vision of a bigger world means Cambodia or Utah, each artist has left the panhandle with an eye and appreciation for landscapes, colors, and cultures that cannot be found in North Idaho. “The

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fun part is that this diverse group of travelers will be at the reception to talk about their travels,” Carol Deaner, POAC president, said.

One piece on display is a large quilt by Terri Palmer, “Ladies to Market,” which depicts South African women heading to a bountiful marketplace. The quilt, which took three years to create and won an award at the International Quilt Festival, was Palmer’s dream of a future for the people of South Africa beyond their struggles to overcome wide-spread hunger.

The show also features the annual exhibit of artwork by the North Idaho Plein Air Painters, organized

by POAC Artist Member Connie Scherr. A special display presents this summer’s results of eight artists’ long days of outdoor painting.

For more information about the show go to www.artinsandpoint.org or call the office at 208-263-6139.

/THEE-een/

[noun] 1. caffeine, especially in tea.

“Cathy is always a little weird before her daily dose of theine.”

Corrections: No corrections to speak of this week. Don’t worry, we’ll screw up again soon. It’s like the tides. -BO

CROSSWORD

Copyright www.mirroreyes.com

By Reader Staff

ACROSS 1. Helps 5. French for “Names” 9. An enclosure 13. Paper holder 14. Codeine source 16. Mining finds 17. Plateau 18. Latin name for our planet 19. Lairs 20. Spare 22. Talk terms 24. Edges 26. A pinnacle of ice 27. Give forth 30. Silicon dioxide 33. Dietary fiber 35. Blockages 37. Muzzle 38. Turbine part 68. Fly high 41. Short sleep 69. You (archaic) 42. Different 70. Marsh plant 45. A kind of sideboard 71. Terminates 48. Hit 51. Not later DOWN 52. Long stories 54. A mixture of 1. Crest cellulose fibers 2. Holly 55. Pounded (British 3. Deeply agitated spelling) 4. Refraining from harming 59. Female dog 5. Excluding 62. Decorative case 6. Not closed 63. Loads 7. Bogs down 65. Heap 8. Billows 66. Not first 9. Will supplement 67. Greek letter

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