Sandpoint Magazine | Winter 2024 by Keokee :: media + marketing

WINTER 2024

INSIDE:

Sandpoint+Schweitzer

WINTER

GUIDE

A new era at

Schweitzer SURPRISE CONNECTION Sandpoint’s ties to the Antarctic

RAPTOR RAMBLE

1400 miles of bird spotting

KEEPING US MOVING

Tireless work of Road & Bridge

NorthIdahoScenicView.com $1,495,000 • 183 Porcupine Dr., Sagle 3152 SF • 20 ACS • Room for Shop

HomeAtForeverView.com $2,399,000 1003 Forever View Rd., Sagle 4568 SF • 5 ACS • Close to Town

HopeWaterfront.com $ 2,995,000 5.7 ACS • 400’ Pristine Shoreline Panoramic Water & Mtn. Views

HopeWaterView.com $869,000 519 Aspen Lane, Hope Water Views • Near Deep-Water Marinas

HopeLakeViews.com $1,450,000 518 Big Hill Road, Hope 2608 SF • Water Views • Near Deep-Water Marinas

IdahoClubScenicView.com $650,000 Block 5, Lots 3 & 4 White Cloud Dr., Sandpoint 1.59 ACS @ The Idaho Club Double Lot • Water & Sewer Included

SandpointAirportLot.com $499,000 Lot 4 Airlift Way, Sandpoint .56 AC Hangar Lot • Access to Runway • Power On Site

AboveHopeEstates.com Starting @ $925,000 Parcel 1 & 2 Auxor Road, Hope 2) 20 AC Parcels • Near Marinas

HopeWaterViewProperties.com Starting @ $239,000 Alyssa Ct. & Sasha Pt., Antler Pt. Estates, Hope 5) 1+ AC Lots • Utilities to Each Lot • Water & Mountain Views 2608 SF • Water Views • Near Deep-Water Marinas

CINDY BOND Associate Broker, CRS, GRI cindy.bond12@gmail.com CindyBond.com Direct Line: 208-255-8360

TheIdahoClubLot.com $289,900 Blk 8 Lot 4 N Idaho Club Dr., Sandpoint .30 AC Level lot • Water & Sewer Hookups Paid • Power Onsite

ELITE MARKETING GLOBAL EXPOSURE PROVEN RESULTS

Nothing Compares.

Chalets @ Schweitzer, The Glades 2.0

Seize the rare opportunity to own a premier ski-in ski-out 3 bedroom 3 bath home, perfectly positioned next to the new Creekside Chair Lift. One of the last exclusive developments in the middle of Schweitzer Village, so don’t wait, call today! Only 8 6 available. www.schweitzerskichalets.com MLS # 23-5654 $2,399,000 MLS # 23-5642 $2,899,000

290 Farmers Dr, Sandpoint

NNA Whiskey Jack Circle, Sandpoint

603 S. Olive Ave, Sandpoint

Beautiful views of Schweitzer, the Cabinets Mountains and north to the Seven Sisters. MLS # 23-4475 Price $525,000

This premiere waterfront property is truly one of a kind located on the shores of Kootenai Bay. MLS #23-5462 Price $2,500,000

This remarkable property is a true gem in highly desired South Sandpoint. 6,000 square-foot unfinished home with 6 bedrooms / 5 baths. MLS#:23-9342 Price $949,999

299 Oak Terrace, Cocolalla

NKA Braden Ct, Priest River

248 Fairway Dr, Priest Lake

Mountain Retreat Estate in North Idaho on 40 acres square; nestled among the native North Idaho Timber is a custom built and finished home that is a must see. MLS # 23-9225 Price $2,000,000

This spectacular mountainside property overlooking the Pend Oreille River is truly one of a kind.” MLS#:23-8529 Price $1,200,000

This one of kind home at the edge of Priest Lake Golf Course has everything you need for a get-away from the hustle and bustle of the daily routine. MLS #23-8501 Price $970,000

Jeff Hurst jeffhurst.tsir@gmail.com 208-304-4043 Jill Rush jill.rush@sothebysrealty.com 425-422-7447

Dedicated To The Extraordinary The Exceptional And The Unique.

Chris Chambers www.ExtraordinaryIdaho.com 208-290-2500 chris.chambers@sothebysrealty.com 200 Main, Sandpoint, Idaho

© MMVII Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Claude Monet’s “Marine View With a Sunset,” used with permission. Sotheby’s International Realty® is a licensed trademark to Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates, Inc. An Equal Opportunity Company. Equal Housing Opportunity. Each Office Is Independently Owned And Operated, Except Offices Owned And Operated By NRT Incorporated. Sandpoint office: 208-263-5101, 200 Main Street, Sandpoint, ID 83864.

MOTHER NATURE JUST WANTS YOU TO BE HAPPY. We’re all a little more alive when we’re playing outside immersed head to toe in the great outdoors. Some call it living in the moment. We call it life at Base Camp. Exceptionally Appointed Single Family Homes 3 & 4 Bedrooms | 2,314 to 2,561 Sq Ft From the mid $600,000s 208.494.2266 641 University Park Way Sandpoint, Idaho Schweitzer Mountain Resort

Schweitzer Basin Rd

Airport Way N Boyer Ave

Sandpoint Airport

QUICK MOVE-INS! Base Camp Moscow St

Baldy Mountain Rd

Not to scale.

MODELS OPEN WED – SUN 10 to 4 95

2 Lake Pend Oreille

Exclusively Represented by Gretchen Vedel, Realtor COLDWELL BANKER SCHNEIDMILLER REALTY 208.494.2266 | gvedel@williamshomes.com

BROKERS WELCOME*

WILLIAMSHOMES.com

*Brokers/Realtors please register your clients prior to their first visit to the community in order to be eligible for a cooperation fee. Please see Community Manager for specific details. All information provided herein, including pricing, square footages, home features, and community amenities, is Preliminary and subject to change without prior notice or obligation. Photo is of builder’s professionally decorated model home. Copyright © 2023 Williams Homes. All rights reserved. Equal housing opportunity.

FURNITURE

Custom Design Available

Always Something New. Always Something Different.

GALLERY

Over 100 Local Artisans

N O R T H W E S T H A N D M A D E . CO M | 208.255.1962

Over 25 years in Downtown Sandpoint • 308 N. First Avenue

Exceptional Care. Personalized. Concierge Primary Care Provider for Adults Lakeshore Health is committed to high-quality, patient-centered care. Our services combine the best medical knowledge available with the personalization and attention to detail made possible by the concierge model of primary care. Discover how an investment in a concierge membership is an investment in your wellness.

Why choose concierge medicine? » Expanded access to your physician » Comprehensive executive physical examinations » Wellness seminars with experts in the field » Telehealth and urgent care for current patients » Coordination of care with insurance for routine visits

Visit www.mylakeshorehealth.com to learn more or call us at 208-906-2525 102 Euclid Ave. Suite 202 Sandpoint, ID 83864 Dr. Meg Skibitsky completed her Medical Degree (MD) at UCLA followed by Residency in Internal Medicine and Fellowship in Geriatrics at the University of Utah. She has over 10 years of experience in the field and is board certified in both Internal and Geriatric Medicine.

Stay. Play. Getaway. Schweitzer’s finest vacation home rentals

38 and 42 Headwall townhomes

For those that seek an exceptional life. Explore and enjoy Schweitzer by staying in a fully appointed, luxury home. Ski in / out, pet friendly, family and friend oriented options. Book direct or call our office for best pricing and service! Concierge services available, including grocery delivery and set up.

www.StaySandpoint.com Local, professional vacation rentals 208-263-1212 101 N. First St., Ste 2, Sandpoint • Monday - Friday 9am-5pm

Charlie Parrish 208-290-1501

Becky Freeland 208-290-5628

Charesse Moore 208-255-6060

Kathy Robinson 208-255-9690

William Mitchell 206-390-2751

John Dibble 208-290-1101

Brian Jacobs 208-610-3188

Courtney Nova 208-290-7264

Chelsea Nova 208-304-8979

Ron Nova 208-304-2007

Danny Strauss 208-290-2946

Kris Kingsland 208-290-1509

Luke Webster 208-255-8597

Curt Hagan 208-290-7833

“Top producing Independent Real Estate firm for the past 37 years!”

www.Evergreen-Realty.com // www.SchweitzerMountain.com 321 North First Avenue, Sandpoint, ID Toll Free 800.829.6370 // Office 208.263.6370 // Fax 208.263.3959 Evergreen Realty is pleased to sponsor our local Habitat for Humanity

Main Features 66 70 74

78 101

110

74 FROM TOP: KING PENGUINS ARE AN ICONIC PART OF ANTARCTICA. PHOTO BY MAX ZUBERBUHLER. NEW CONDO OFFERS DOWNTOWN VIEWS. BARREL 33 A HOT NEW NOSH SPOT. CAMBIUM SPA OPENS AT SCHWEITZER. CAR WASH A WATER-SAVING EXPERIENCE. COURTESY PHOTOS.

unexpected connections Sandpoint’s ties to the Antarctic

winter raptor ramblings

1,400 miles and an abundance of birds

and Still We ride

Despite changes, the Schweitzer experience remains

when it all comes crashing down Be avalanche aware

Features 34 39 51 55 59 61 65

SANDPOINT MAGAZINE W I N T E R 2024, VOL. 35, NO. 1

finding welcome, finding home Ukrainian refugees settle in to Sandpoint

Sandpoint’s Spiritual Side

Churches offer major support to community programs

An Enduring Art Form Rocky MacArthur carves a life

Continuing the Commitment Kinderhaven grant program

A History in High Places Alpine Shop’s long history at Schweitzer

prepared for pow

Road workers are ready for winter

when cancer calls A ‘can-do’ center is there to help

On the cover:

Tucker Hall with his proper winter game face on, at the top of Lake View triple at Schweitzer Mountain. Photo by Woods Wheatcroft

SandpointMagazine.com SANDPOINT M AG A Z I N E

Departments

contents

almanac

calendar

interview: Dr. foster cline

history mystery: Farragut Homes

Pictured in History: Babe and Buster

Photo Essay - This is US, Winter Style

102 Marketwatch

THE PUBLISHER DISCOVERS A BACKCOUNTRY CABIN, EARNED WITH A SEVEN-MILE SKI LAST WINTER.

105 natives and newcomers

PUBLISHER’S NOTE

123 dining guide

We did something different for this issue of Sandpoint Magazine. Rather than scatter throughout the magazine various stories on how and where to get out and enjoy the winter, we collected them all into the removable insert you’ll find between pages 48 and 49. And we dubbed this insert (very imaginatively!) the Winter Guide. It’s loaded with stories about fine places to XC ski, snowshoe, bike, sled, ice skate and—of course—downhill and snowboard at Schweitzer. Frankly though, we editors and writers, and photographers walk a razor’s edge when we tell about the places where we love to pursue our favorite outdoor pursuits. Sure, we want to share about the fun stuff we live here for. But the pandemic and population growth have triggered a flood of new users in our great outdoors. Trailheads that a few years ago might have a car or two are now a traffic jam; formerly deserted swimming spots or campsites or fishing waters or huckleberry patches can now have a crowd. But you know what? The best places are those ones that we discover for ourselves. So while we do tell of many great places to be this winter ... we don’t tell all of them. Our Winter Guide ‘24 will get you to awesome places, but many others await. So go forth, and make discoveries for yourself. Of course, there’s much more in this Winter ‘24 issue. Inside you’ll find a pile of terrific stories about the people, places and happenings that make Sandpoint special. Turn the page, and let the discoveries begin.

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Sandpoint of view - rooted

Real Estate/Business 84

Say it in stone Beautiful and hardy

89 A steel-clad dream New condos at 5th and Cedar

t he blue necklace

keeping an eye on the map

Downtown design calls for water focus

Interest in land use issues continues to grow

100 County’s controversial development Providence subdivision approved

101 at the car wash

A little water for a lot of shine

Eats & Drinks 110 barrel 33

A taste of Central Europe

113 new liquor law, new problems Devalues local restaurants

114 Trinity at City Beach closes Leaves behind a lot of good memories

115 There’s Good... and There’s Really Good

- CB

Di Luna’s turns 25

117 eat cheaply but not cheap Meals for $10

Publisher Chris Bessler COO Jeff Lagges Editor Trish Gannon Events Editor Misty Grage Advertising Director Clint Nicholson Art Director Pamela Larson Design Team Robin Levy, Dan Seward Digital Marketing Jenifer Rowan, Erica Larson, Shelby Ambrose Office Manager Susan Otis IT Manager Ethan Roberts Sales Mitchell Fullerton Distribution Panhandle Special Needs, Inc.

Contributors:

Desi Aguirre, Cameron Barnes, Brian Baxter, Randy Beacham, Brenden Bobby, Barry Campbell, Sandy Compton, Ken Conger, Susan Drinkard, Nancy Gerth, Paul Graves, Zach Hagadone, Beth Hawkins, Fiona Hicks, Patty Hutchens, Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey, Linda Lantzy, Debbie Love, Marianne Love, Doug Marshall, Julia Martin, Jimmy Matlosz, Jim Mellen, Sean Mirus, Soncirey Mitchell, Action Northwest, Ben Olson, Cameron Rasmusson, Renee Sandee, Kate Schultze, Miles Schuman, Carrie Scozzaro, Pam Webb, Woods Wheatcroft, Max Zuberbuhler.

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Sandpoint Magazine is published twice yearly, in May and November, by: Keokee Co. Publishing, Inc. 405 Church St., Sandpoint, ID 83864 208-263-3573 • www.keokee.com Printed in USA by Century Publishing, Post Falls, Idaho. ©2024 by Keokee Co. Publishing Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Subscriptions: $12 per year, payable in advance. Subscribe at www. SandpointMagazine.com.

S E L L I N G

Y O U R

H I G H - V A L U E

P R O P E RT Y

You’ve decided to list your high-value North Idaho property. Again.

High-value properties can linger on the market in North Idaho. Some ultimately fail to sell at all. At that point, blame falls on either the asking price of the property or the property itself. The missing ingredient is effective marketing. Because most buyers of local high-value properties live outside of North Idaho. To identify, intrigue and engage them, tightly targeted marketing is key. That is precisely what we do best. And now you can learn the keys to our success. Just scan this QR code and we’ll send you a FREE copy of our 48-page Field Guide to Selling Your Prime Property. This helpful book provides a step-by-step process to selling your extraordinary home. And it’s yours for the asking. And when you’re ready to sell your prime property, we’re ready to work for you. Idaho Luxe | www.idaholuxe.com Wayne Peterson, Designated Broker | 208.209.3499

BELOW THE RADAR BEYOND YOUR EXPECTATIONS

Almanac carous el of s m iles

WREN BESSLER GETS A SNEAK PREVIEW OF THE FUN THAT AWAITS CHILDREN ONCE THE CAROUSEL IS FULLY FUNCTIONAL. STAFF PHOTO.

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Carousel

CLOSE TO COMPLETION On the way to reality

remember riding on a carousel with my toddler daughter at a mall in Olympia. We raced around the track, circling forever, always coming back to the smile and wave of Bobby, my husband, holding our infant son. Those memories are magical. The Carousel of Smiles, nearing completion, has already brought a ton of that special magic to Sandpoint, generating plenty of positive community spirit and a lot of smiles. According to Reno and Clay Hutchison, in the golden age of carousels (the late 19th to early 20th century), 4,000 to 6,000 of these majestic rides were created. Today, approximately 160 of these mechanical works of art remain. The Hutchisons, chasing Reno’s childhood dream, found and bought one of these vintage works of art, and when Sandpoint came up with a master plan for the city, they knew they had found the carousel a home. “Sandpoint is a can-do community,” Reno said, “and we just knew this was the right home for the carousel.” Indeed, since 2016, the greater Sandpoint community has donated approximately 20,000 hours of work to restore the carousel. “Twenty-two of the horses are completely finished, and the mechanical parts are 65 to 70 percent complete,” said Clay. Local businesses have stepped up to the plate to offer their support, and area artists and craftsmen have come in to repair, restore, and paint the horses. “Each horse has around 400 hours of donated time,” Clay said. Best of all, each horse is a unique work of art and the panels around the carousel will feature interchangeable artwork that will continue to spread the magic throughout Sandpoint each and every year, as families gather during winter, spring, summer, and fall. The city of Sandpoint held a competition to develop a vision for the design of the area’s downtown, and in late summer of 2023 selected the work of GGLO+Bernardo Wills. The concept the team presented—they called it “The Blue Necklace”—proposes placement for the Carousel of Smiles near the parking area on the southeast entrace to City Beach. The Carousel project is pleased at the continued support from the community for locating the carousel downtown. In the meantime, the Hutchisons said the National Carousel Association will be holding their yearly event in Spokane in 2025 to honor the work that’s been done on the Carousel of Smiles project. “The Carousel will be assembled, up and running for the event in 2025,” Reno said. Several of the carousel horses are located around town, and you can visit the Carousel of Smiles art gallery, located on the corner of Fifth and Cedar, to get in on the magic and the smiles now. Learn more at www.thecarouselofsmiles.org

–Desi Aguirre SandpointMagazine.com SANDPOINT M A G A Z I N E

Almanac carous el of s m iles

Reach for the Stars

SPACEPOINT’S FIRST AEROSPACE/ ROCKETRY EVENT. PHOTO BY JIMMY MATLOSZ.

NONPROFIT GROWS SPACE EDUCATION LOCALLY

n August of 2023, the first online observatory in Idaho —and in the United States—was opened by Spacepoint, a nonprofit established this year by Roxanne and Kyle Averill, in partnership with the University of Idaho Sandpoint Organic Agriculture Center. Spacepoint’s observatory is designed to support both in person and online observation and imaging. They will be hosting in person “star parties” during major astronomical events throughout the year for the general public to observe the skies. In addition, plans call for public access to—and use of—the observatory over the Internet. But providing the opportunity to get a good look at space is only one part of Spacepoint’s expansive goal of driving awareness and participation in the space industry among local youth while also sending students to Kennedy Space Camp, SpaceX launches, and NASA mission launches. Teams will compete at the American Rocketry Challenge, where students will design, build, launch, and recover their own rockets, and in partnership with the Lake Pend Oreille School District, new elective classes in the space industry will be available to students. “We want to help people of all backgrounds and ages,” explained Kyle Averill, to “take advantage of the rapid technological change the space industry is experiencing, and the opportunity that represents, by raising awareness” and providing education. Spacepoint partners with universities, colleges, school districts, and library systems across Idaho, (home-schooled students are also welcome) hoping to send students to Kennedy Space Camp, SpaceX Starship Launches, and NASA mission launches. And, of course, there’s the partnership with the Uni-

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versity of Idaho Sandpoint Organic Agriculture Center, for the online observatory. Spacepoint hopes to inspire young dreamers, and reveal opportunities in subjects and careers such as aerospace, physics, engineering, IT, AI, healthcare, ergonomics, finance, astronomy, planetary science, and both human and robotic spaceflight. “We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills,” said President John F. Kennedy at a 1962 speech at Rice University, a statement that still inspires over six decades later. The Spacepoint experience is directly modeled to mirror NASA and space industry needs and priorities both today and into the future. When Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins landed on the moon in 1969, the resulting technological advancements benefited the world at large, from integrated circuits to weather forecasting to baby formula. With over 12,000 commercial companies valued at over $4 trillion dollars actively engaged in the space industry, shedding light on the possibilities to be involved with space travel, exploration, and the space industry as a whole, is in itself inspiring. Spacepoint is focusing all of its fundraising on space industry opportunities: 100 percent of every dollar donated to the organization is directly invested in space industry education. Learn more at www.spacepoint.org

–Jimmy Matlosz

space education + john firschi

FIRSHI AND FRIENDS PLAY TO PACKED AUDIENCES AT EICHARDTS. STAFF PHOTO.

FIND RED HOT BLUES EVERY MONDAY AT EICHARDT’S

he Sandpoint music scene is made up of a patchwork of artists. While big traveling acts and popular annual events like the Festival at Sandpoint color that well-known fabric, local artists are the stitches integral to holding it all together—particularly during the winter months, when entertainment quantity wanes but quality remains one of the town’s most notable assets. Contributing to that steadfast quality is a weekly ritual at Eichardt’s Pub: the Monday Night Blues Jam, hosted by beloved local guitarist John Firshi. Firshi took over the jam in 2021 after the legendary Truck Mills hosted it for nearly 30 years. Firshi started making MNBJ a stop on his weekly gig circuit during the 2010s. “When I was feeling challenged or discouraged, I came out of the jam feeling refreshed and renewed,” he said. The concept is simple: musicians of all stripes are welcome onto the pub stage each Monday evening to join in on an ever-evolving jam session. “The blues is known as a simple form with a complex musical language. We all at the jam have a deep respect for that,” Firshi said. “When you hear a musician improvise a solo passage to a blues song it’s kind of like them saying, ‘here’s how my day was,’ or ‘here’s how I’m feeling tonight.’ It’s a connective conversation, and then with the audience involved it becomes a community connection conversation.” Firshi credits Mills with making the gathering iconic with his “devotion, dedication and skill,” and also said MNBJ wouldn’t be possible without Eichardt’s owner Jeff Nizoli and the rest of the staff creating an environment where the event can thrive. “I love the jam because of its immense potential to be mysteriously great beyond the sum of its parts,” Firshi said. “There is a synergy and chemistry that happens there that is beyond any one person or group event.” Check out the Monday Night Blues Jam at Eichardt’s Pub (212 Cedar St.) on Mondays year ‘round at 7 p.m.

–Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey

Free Estimates Master Arborist

208.610.4858

www.skywalkertreecare.com

Tune in to Sandpoint Non-commercial Community radio

Listen 24/7 at 88.5 FM Stream live at KRFY.org

SandpointMagazine.com SANDPOINT M A G A Z I N E

Almanac

BLUE CREEK PRESS CELEBRATES 20 YEARS

COMPTON HAS HELPED DOZENS OF AUTHORS SEE THEIR WORK IN PRINT. COURTESY PHOTO.

lue Creek Press, an independent publishing house dedicated to promoting literature and empowering northwestern authors, is celebrating its 20th anniversary. Since its inception in 2003 it has provided readers with an exceptionally diverse catalog featuring genres that include fiction, poetry, non-fiction, and more. Readers have consistently engaged with BCP’s lineup of authors, which includes the founder, Sandy Compton—who has penned 13 books himself—and features both emerging voices and established authors, allowing fresh talent to flourish while nurturing the careers of seasoned writers. “Blue Creek Press books include a big variety of experiences and thought,” said Compton. As a small independent publisher, BCP has grown to establish a strong northwestern audience, with 40-plus books and multiple other publications reaching readers throughout the U.S. and abroad. This expansive reach is a testament to BCP’s dedication to bringing thought-provoking and captivating stories to a broader audience. BCP released Compton’s 13th book, “Her Name is Lillian,” on this 20th anniversary. “I like books with happy endings so that’s what I write,” Compton said. “Sometimes they don’t turn out exactly like a reader might think they will or even wish them to, but they still are satisfying in the way I believe stories should be. “Our 20th anniversary is actually sort of a surprise to me,” he added. “Time flies when you’re having fun, they say. But, from day one, our mission has been to provide a platform for people to share stories and thoughts with the world. And writers keep coming back. Dick Sonnichsen has published six books with us, with number seven in the works. We’re grateful for the journey so far and look forward to the times ahead.” Learn more at www.bluecreekpress.com/books.

–Barry Campbell

First in Fashion

Visit us downtown and pamper yourself with unique, carefully chosen apparel collections and accessories to complement you and your contemporary lifestyle.

326 North First Avenue, Sandpoint a 208.263.0712 www.EvesLeaves.com 14

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blue creek press + cheyenne nicholson

SHS GRAD WORKING AT MAYO CLINIC

heyenne Nicholson’s admiration of her grandmother, a registered nurse, influenced her decision to become a doctor, but she switched to becoming a nurse during her high school CNA class. “I quickly came to love and appreciate the impact and relationships nurses get to have with patients,” she said. After graduating from Sandpoint High School in 2017 Nicholson enrolled in Carroll College and applied for a Mayo Clinic internship in her junior year; then COVID hit and internships were shut down. “I went from being an excited nursing student to a terrified one.” Despite switching to online classes and experiencing an unexpected medical crisis, Nicholson persevered. She graduated, passed her boards, and began working in a Montana outpatient clinic. When the doctor closed the practice Nicholson was “devastated but also took this as a ‘life is short’ sign and that is when I took the leap and applied to Mayo Clinic.” After two years at the top-ranked hospital, Nicholson is grateful for all she has learned and is hoping to get her master’s “to soak up all that a nursing career has to offer.” Nicholson credits two particular SHS teachers, Mary Bird and Nachele Search, with instilling her with confidence. “Having incredible teachers like these two not only helped me grow my education but my character and self worth as well.” Going into nursing is a calling, she reflected. “We have the honor of working with patients at their most vulnerable and this is not something to take lightly.” She recalled sharing a poignant moment with an expectant mother where tears flowed on both sides. “There is nowhere I would have rather been than holding that patient’s hand.” Sandpoint High School currently offers health professions classes that provide the opportunity for college credit. Learn more at www.sptmag.com/SHShealth

CHEYENNE NICHOLSON IS ENJOYING HER TIME AT MAYO CLINIC IN MINNESOTA AND EARNING HER MASTERS IN NURSING. COURTESY PHOTO.

–Pam Webb

JUMP INTO A HEALTHY NEW YEAR WITH A HEALTHIER

YOU

BOOK YOUR ANNUAL PHYSICAL TODAY! Bonners Ferry 208.267.1718

PEDIATRICS FAMILY MEDICINE

Sandpoint 208.263.7101

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH DENTAL

kchnorthidaho.org

Priest River 208.448.2321

SandpointMagazine.com SANDPOINT M A G A Z I N E

SOME OF OUR MOST COMMON FURRY NEIGHBORS ARE EASY TO SPOT IN THE WINTER SNOW. PHOTO BY DAN DZURISIN, C.C. BY 2.0.

Skunked! Living peacefully with an important member of the local wildlife

ildlife is part of the grace and wonder that makes Sandpoint such a special place to live. However, some wildlife is more ubiquitous than others—a bit harder to swallow, or dare I say, smell. For instance, I don’t think Sally the dog wanted to be a skunk for Halloween. Alas, one All Hallows Eve Miss Sally was doused with a scent so heavy she won first prize for most painfully disturbing costume at her human, Jenny Lopresto’s, costume party. She spent the next day at the local vet for some professional de-scenting. Another North Idaho skunk made itself at home in a barn near Selle Road. Content to hang out with the barn cats, he spent a nice winter in this new abode. According to Monique Miller, the barn cats’ human, the skunk never bothered anyone, never stamped its feet or lifted a tail, and was polite and respectful. And somewhere along the Pine Street Loop native resident Sandra Rasor reported seeing a skunk whisperer unloading captured town skunks near her home. Rasor said she’s never had a problem with skunks. Indeed, she thinks those captured and released skunks just go back to town where the food is more abundant or just tastes better. As neighborhoods grow, wildlife habitats shrink, making everything a bit more crowded and problematic. According to Idaho Fish and Game, skunks are long-term residents that are here to stay. Nocturnal critters that don’t have very good vision, skunks have a powerful sense of smell and excellent hearing. Non-aggressive animals, a skunk’s main line of defense against predators is the pungent spray they carry in glands near their elegant tails. Skunks have a limited supply of this odorous concoction, and always give warning by stamping their front feet before turning and raising their tail to unload a stinky bomb. Besides being adorable, and generally speaking, pretty laid back, skunks do serve a useful purpose. They are one of nature’s finest pest controllers, because in addition to eating grains, berries, and roots, they consume insects, small reptiles, and tiny rodents. If you do experience a noxious smelling run-in with a skunk, Healthline advises you jump into the shower and lather yourself with grease-cutting or deodorant soap, and/or soak in a tub with two to four cups of baking soda. To discourage skunks from making your yard a home, do not feed any wildlife and keep trash cans safely covered and secured to prevent garbage scrounging.

–Desi Aguirre 16

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CO-OP Gas & Supply Company is your propane, farm, home, and hardware cooperative. As a member owned cooperative, we pay dividends to our members annually on their purchases in profitable years. No other local farm and hardware store pays you dividends on your purchases. Being locally owned and operated means the money you spend here stays here, creating jobs for your friends and neighbors, and strengthening our economy as we have been doing for 89 years.

Why not drop by and see if membership at the CO-OP is right for you? It’s FREE.

Almanac

PONDERAY BOASTS EMERGENCY VETERINARY SERVICES

LOCAL VETERINARIAN MICHELLE WARD, WITH HER RESCUE DOG BRONCO, WAS ACUTELY AWARE OF THE NEED FOR EMERGENCY, AFTERHOURS VET CARE IN TOWN, AND IS OPENING A CLINIC IN RESPONSE. STAFF PHOTO.

rom Sandpoint, it can take close to an hour to get to Coeur d’Alene if roads are clear; it’s a much longer trip when roads are bad, or for those who have to travel from outlying areas of the county. When a pet is injured, that’s just too much time to wait before being seen by a vet, yet Sandpoint has no emergency, after-hours veterinary care. “I’ve known the need and been working on a solution for a couple of years,” said Dr. Michelle Ward, who worked many years as an emergency veterinarian. Now the time has come, and Ward said the feedback and support she’s received from the community has been immense. “It’s been nice to come home and have people be in favor of this. I’ve had other small businesses going out of their way to help because we need this so badly.” Ward’s years of experience have taken her from Alaska, where she served on the 2021 Iditarod veterinary team, to Latin America for Vet Mission Trips via World Vets, and believes out of all these experiences, she has truly found her niche in animal emergency medicine. “I will be here when their vet isn’t available, so that if something happens, they always have somewhere to go for their pet’s care,” said Ward. “I think to be a good veterinarian, it’s important to have good relations in your community; I look forward to fostering those relationships, and working together as a team for the benefit of our pets,” she added. Family Pet Urgent Care will be located in what used to be known as the Golden Dragon Restaurant at 100 Tibbetts Drive in Ponderay, and, with plans to open in late 2023, will be available Friday through Monday, noon to 10 p.m. Learn more at www.familypeturgentcare.com

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NEW ALBUM SHOWCASES SHS GRAD’S PASSION

iley Anderson, a 2019 Sandpoint High School graduate, chose guitar over piano lessons when young, deciding the guitar was “way cooler” due to the influence of the video game “Guitar Hero.” He now writes his own music which reflects his Christian beliefs and his desire to accentuate the positive. “Most of my songs currently are love songs and upbeat messages that inspire people to go after their passions and do what they love to do. I feel like my genre is an upbeat blend of pop, soul, worship, hip hop, and indie.” Anderson’s musical journey is impressive and ranges from leading worship to winning talent shows to playing in local bands. “Another really memorable moment was last year when I sang the national anthem at the Festival at Sandpoint before Allan Rayman and Kaleo!” He credits mentors such as Leon Atkinson and SHS choir director Jon Brownell for helping him to “really discover a love and passion for music.” He also credits friends and family for supporting him as he makes music and appreciates the talents of Rory Babin and Abby Martinso who helped create his music video. Current plans involve playing solo gigs and state fairs and future plans include (he hopes) opening at the Festival at Sandpoint. Anderson has released an album and is establishing a strong social media presence. His song, “You Are Enough,” is a music video on YouTube. Anderson launched his music journey from Sandpoint and is moving forward. “I decided that music was my path the spring of my senior year in high school and I haven’t looked back since. If you want it, claim it, seize what’s yours!” he said. Learn more at www.thercamusic.com

-Pam Webb

RILEY ANDERSON, A 2019 SHS GRADUATE, HAS EMBARKED ON A CAREER IN INSPIRATIONAL MUSIC. COURTESY PHOTO.

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carous el of s m iles Almanac Noteworthy LEFT TO RIGHT: A PARTIAL RENDERING FROM THE FIELD OF DREAMS PROJECT; THE NEW BRIDGE AT SCHWEITZER; THE PANIDA’S NEW ROOF WAS THE FIRST PHASE OF THE CENTURY FUND’S PLAN OF RENOVATIONS; COMMUNITY ICON JACK PARKER; A NEW STAGE AT THE FESTIVAL AT SANDPOINT. COURTESY PHOTOS.

Opening the Field of Dreams Ponderay Mayor Steve Geiger presided over the late summer groundbreaking for the city’s Field of Dreams recreation complex. A 50-acre parcel with access from McNearny Road off Kootenai Cut-Off and off Highway 95, the plan began as a dream for a soccer field. It has since grown into a complex that will include facilities for baseball, softball, tennis, football, and basketball, and at some point in the future, an ice skating rink. The community supported the vision by passing a 1 percent local option tax to help fund it—which raises almost $3 million per year. Phase one is expected to be completed by June of 2024, and includes four fields, along with concessions, restrooms, and parking. Learn more at www.cityofponderay.org

A Bridge to Schweitzer

Topping off the Panida “The Panida Board of Directors, along with their staff, volunteers, and patrons, want to express their gratitude to all those who worked together to raise $130,000 for the new roof,” announced Foster Cline, who serves on the board for the town’s historic theater. “We sincerely thank all those in Idaho, and especially Bonner County residents, who helped us. Although a new roof may not be an exciting or visually evident project, without that roof all that goes on beneath it is endangered.” The roof replacement is just the first phase of the Panida’s five-year Century Fund campaign to undertake major restoration for the theater’s 100th birthday in 2027. Learn more at www.panida.org.

Open i ng

F ors

or Personal

en t em ev hi

The Northwest Passage Bridge at Schweitzer Mountain opened this fall, providing safe access to the resort’s parking, businesses, and more than 300 residences. The bridge was the first to be completed under the Leading Idaho Local Bridges

project, which seeks to accomplish long-deferred maintenance work on many of Idaho’s bridges. The bridge was built using geosynthetic reinforced soil abutments, along with a prefabricated bridge structure, which speeded construction to just twoand-one-half months.

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No Slowing Down for Pedalers

With a successful inaugural event under their belt, Pend Oreille Pedalers will be hosting a second Tour de Sandpoint in the spring. The event, which raised funds for the club’s youth mountain bike grant program (they’ve provided 20 children with a brand new mountain bike in the last two years), was a progressive dinner party that traveled from Greta’s Segway to South Sandpoint. The group has been hard at work, and completed parking improvements at Greta’s trailhead at Pine Street Woods just off West Pine Street. The grant-funded project now provides parking for up to 12 cars. Follow the Pedalers on Facebook, or learn more at www. pendoreillepedalers.org

Jack Parker Leaves Us

Jack Parker passed away on September 9. He was a major part of the Sandpoint community as former owner of Sandpoint Motor Company; a member of Rotary, the Shriners, and the

Masonic Lodge; and chairman of the board for both Panhandle State Bank and Bonner General Health. He was instrumental in Bulldog Bench. A subject of last winter’s story “Two Queens and a Pair of Jacks” he shared his wisdom gained as a lifelong resident of Sandpoint. Read it at www.sptmag.com/jackparker.

Iconic Tent is Gone

Festival at Sandpoint attendees were surprised during the summer season when the show’s iconic white tent failed to emerge. The tent, held down by massive guy wires, is no longer considered safe for concert operations, explained Executive Director Ali Baranski. “It is with heavy hearts that we had to make this unexpected decision,” she said. The tent was replaced with a new stage which arrives in a trailer and folds out like Optimus Prime. The word on the new stage from Festival-goers? It didn’t matter. They missed the tent but the music and the venue were as good as always.

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EVENTS

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CHECK WWW.SANDPOINTONLINE.COM FOR AN UPDATED CALENDAR SOME PLANNED EVENTS WERE NOT FULLY SCHEDULED BY PRESS TIME. CHECK SANDPOINT ONLINE’S EVENTS CALENDAR (UPDATED WEEKLY) FOR THE MOST CURRENT INFORMATION.

November

3 Selkirk Pend Oreille Food Summit. Sandpoint Organic Agriculture Center, 10881 N. Boyer Rd. from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. $35 adults/$15 students living lightly. www.idahofoodworks.org 4 Free First Saturday at the Museum. Bonner County Historical Society and Museum, 511 Ella. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. 208263-2344 www.bonnercountyhistory.org 10 Rockabilly Space Force Concert, benefits Lost in the ’50s. Panida Theater, 300 N. First Ave. Doors at 6:30. 208-2639191. www.panida.org 11 SARS Ski Swap. 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Bonner County Fairgrounds, 4203 N. Boyer Rd. www.sarssnowproportel.com 11 Warren Miller’s “All Time.” Doors open at 6 p.m. at the Panida Theater, 300 N. First Ave. 208-263-9191 www.panida.org 18 “King Arthur’s Quest.” See p. 24 18 Jack Frost Fest. Music, food, beer, free admission. At the Sandpoint Granary Arts District, 513 Oak St. 18-19 Christmas Craft Fair. Bonner County Fairgrounds, 1403 N. Boyer Ave. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. www.bonnercountyfair.com 18-26 K&K Thanksgiving Fishing Derby. Lake Pend Oreille Idaho Club’s annual fall fishing contest. www.LPOIC.org. 23 Turkey Trot & Food Drive. 5k, 10k. Free. Best costume wins a pie. At Travers Park 9 a.m. 24 Tree Lighting and Santa’s Arrival at Town Square and visit from Santa. www. downtownsandpoint.com. 208-255-1876 24 Schweitzer opens for the season. 208-263-9555. www.schweitzer.com 30 Festival of Trees Friends & Family Night. At the Bonner County Fairgrounds, 4203 N. Boyer Ave., 4 p.m.

December

2 Free First Saturday at the Museum. Bonner County Historical Society and Museum, 611 S. Ella, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. 208263-2344. www.bonnercountyhistory.org

Dec. 2 Festival of Trees: Winter Wonderland. Bonner County Fairgrounds, 1403 N. Boyer Ave. 5:30 p.m. 9 The Gothard Sisters Celtic Christmas Concert sponsored by Mattox Farm. At the Heartwood Center, 615 Oak St. www.mattoxfarm.com 18 The Festival at Sandpoint Youth Orchestra Winter Concert. Classical, pop, and holiday favorites. The Heartwood Center, 615 Oak St. 208-2654554. www.festivalatsandpoint.com 23-24 Ski with Santa. Schweitzer Mountain, ski with Santa and Mrs. Claus. 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. 208-263-9555. www. schweitzer.com 31 Taps New Years Eve. Taps on Schweitzer, 21+. 10000 Schweitzer Mountain Rd. 208-263-9555. www.schweitzer.com

January

1 Polar Bear Plunge. Sandpoint City Beach. 4-7 Insanity Fab Winter Challenge. North Idaho Mud and Crawl. 4x4 and SXS welcome. 3096 Highland Flats Rd. in Naples. On Facebook #insanityfabwinterchallenge 6 Free First Saturday at the Museum. Bonner County Historical Society and Museum, 611 S. Ella, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. 208263-2344. www.bonnercountyhistory.org 12 19th Annual Backcountry Film Festival. SOLE fundraiser for local SnowSchool. Panida Theater, 300 N. First Ave. 208-263-9191 www.panida.org 18 Letters Aloud “Road to Fame.” See page 24 18 CHAFE 150 Registration begins. 2024 Race day is June 17. www.CHAFE150.org. 19-21 Banff Mountain Film Festival. The Banff Centre Mountain Film and Book Festival is one of the largest and most prestigious mountain festivals in the world. At the Panida Theater, 300 N. First Ave. 208-263-9191 www.panida.org

February

3 16th Annual Heart Ball sponsored by Bonner General Health Foundation. At the Bonner County Fairgrounds. www. bonnergeneral.org/heart-ball 3 Free First Saturday at the Museum. Bonner County Historical Society and Museum, 611 S. Ella, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. 208263-2344. www.bonnercountyhistory.org 14 Concert Pianist Tien Hsieh. See page 24. 16-18 Let it Glow fireworks show at Schweitzer. Presidents’ Weekend. 208255-3081. www.schweitzer.com. 16-25 Winter Carnival. One of the biggest events of the Sandpoint winter. www.sandpointwintercarnival.com

March

1-2 The Follies, Sandpoint’s fundraising sensation for Angels Over Sandpoint. www.angelsoversandpoint.org 2 Free First Saturday at the Museum. Bonner County Historical Society and Museum, 611 S. Ella, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. 208263-2344. www.bonnercountyhistory.org 5 The Sweet Remains. See page 24. 22 Wild and Scenic Film Festival. Proceeds go to trail building, outdoor education, and mountain goat stewardship programs. At the Panida Theater. www. scotchmanpeaks.org

April

12 Dino Lights at the Panida. See page 24. 27-May 5 Spring Fishing Derby. Lake Pend Oreille Idaho Club holds the annual spring fishing derby on our big lake www. LPOIC.org.

May

10-13 Lost in the ’50s, Sandpoint’s premiere spring event. Car show, parade, live music and more! 208-265-5678. www. lostinthe50s.org

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POAC

2023/ 2024

Almanac carous el of s m iles See complete, up-to-the-minute calendars at www.sandpointonline.com

Pend Oreille Arts Council

Performing Arts Season

The Pend Oreille Arts Council’s 2023-24 line-up includes eclectic performances ranging from indie-folk and classical piano to modern dance and the spoken word. The season runs from fall through spring. All performances are presented at the historic Panida Theater. Ticket prices range from $5 to $40, with a limited number of POAC season passes available at $199 for

The Sweet Remains

discounted admittance to all 7 shows. Learn more at www. artinsandpoint.org

November 18: Missoula Children’s Theater presents “King Arthur’s Quest” The ever-popular community theater event, casting a host of local children of all ages for a local production of the fairy-tale classic.

January 13: Letters Aloud “Road to Fame” From humble beginnings to adoring fans to looking back on

Letters Aloud

achievements and lessons learned, we chart the course of celebrity through the correspondence of luminaries like Stephen King, Andy Warhol (of course!), Elvis Presley, Emily Dickinson, Bruce Lee, Marilyn Monroe, and Tom Hanks.

February 14: concert Pianist Tien hsieh Spend the perfect Valentine’s Day with someone you love serenaded by the renowned Steinway artist who has become a Sandpoint favorite. There’s a complimentary glass of champagne for those over 21 years.

Tien Hsieh

March 5: The Sweet Remains American folk-rock, all-independent band driven by strong lyrical and melodic writing featuring lush harmonies that harken back to supergroups of the ’60s and ’70s.

April 12: Dino-Light In this glow-in-the-dark adventure, a famous scientist with magic powers brings a friendly dinosaur to life. Praised for its

SANDPOINT M A G A Z I N E

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Living a life of

love and logic An interview with Dr. Foster Cline by Susan Drinkard

r. Foster Cline is known in Sandpoint primarily for his stunning photography and his fundraising efforts for the Panida Theater, but as De Niro is to acting, so Cline is to raising responsible children. He is quite famous in the arena of parenting. Cline has worked with children—lots of children—and their parents, and he and his wife Hermie have raised three birth children, one adopted daughter, and fostered three children. He has toured the world giving workshops on the philosophy and techniques he and educator Jim Fay wrote about in “Parenting with Love and Logic,” which spawned more books and an institute dedicated to providing practical resources to parents. When explaining parenting concepts, Cline slips in and out of role-playing either as a child or SandpointMagazine.com SANDPOINT M A G A Z I N E

interview fost er clin e as a parent. He has a way of captivating listeners with humorous, relatable scenarios and plenty of quips. Growing up in Denver, he spent summers on a ranch high in the mountains near South Park, Colorado, where he and his brother rode horseback, fished, and lived out of a small fiberboard trailer doing all kinds of activities now considered unsafe for children. A learning disorder in elementary school led to less than promising grades. “However, my parents assured me that school was not the end all, be all,” he noted. “They were the perfect parents for me, and I wish more kids with learning lags had parents like mine. I was stellar at shooting pool, and my parents encouraged extracurricular activities that I excelled in. ‘Foster, you are a deadeye shot with a rifle.’ They assured me that pool and marksmanship were the things that counted.” Still, Cline graduated summa cum laude from the University of Washington and then undertook medical school internships in obstetrics, pediatrics, and surgery. He spent what he calls his “productive years” writing books, heading up Love and Logic, Inc., running a clinic of 12 therapists, and giving workshops to parents and school personnel in most states and a dozen foreign countries. He and Hermie have been married 63 years. “When you see a longstanding couple, married for decades, the woman deserves most of the credit.” The pair moved from Colorado to Sandpoint in 1993 to retire in an area he calls, “Colorado or Montana done right!” He served as a trustee for the Lake Pend Oreille School District in the early 2000s. Now 83, Cline and his wife enjoy their lakeside home in Sandpoint. He is still working with parents who have children enrolled in private school in the area. He rides his bike, calling it his “hybrid transportation, muscle and motor.” He spends time writing short stories and memoirs and is a member of Artworks Gallery, where his photographs are displayed. A book featuring vignettes of his

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PHOTO PAGE 27: HERMIE AND FOSTER CLINE. ABOVE: THE CLINES WITH THEIR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN. COURTESY PHOTOS.

early practice as a psychiatrist, including a collection of his creative writing, will be published before the end of the year.

Why did you choose psychiatry? The human mind and how it operates is the most interesting object in all creation. I recall one patient whose diabetes was completely stabilized and then whenever the patient’s mother would visit her in the hospital, bingo, her blood sugar would go up to 300. A lot of physiology is controlled by the mind. Hermie’s dad was a general practitioner of the old school. He operated and delivered babies, but said that much of his practice was spent dealing with bodily issues affected by the psyche. My mom and dad taught me not to be overly goal-oriented. My dad said, ‘God will put forks in the road. Foster, always take the road with the most forks.’ So I chose psychiatry because it led to the most paths: social psychiatry, child psychiatry, academic psychiatry, pharmacological and behavioral psychiatry…endless options! That’s not really true of many specialties. Child psychiatry has been fulfilling. The parents who will bring their kids to a child psychiatrist are usually loving and high-functioning. And when you give them tips, they will do them.

The READER... A newspaper for those who do things diierently.

You then went into private practice? When I was working at the Seattle V.A. hospital as part of my residency program, I discharged six veterans who were taking advantage of the system and costing taxpayers a pile of money. The head of the hospital took this young physician to the proverbial woodshed and told me that I couldn’t discharge anyone unless I had admissions to take their place. I protested and he shouted at me, ‘Cline, you have three choices: You can stay in the system and bitch and moan about it. Or, you can stay in the federal system to make it better, which in your case is unlikely. Or, you can go out and build your own system and run it however the hell you want.’ That was a seminal moment in my life. So that’s what I did. I built my own system and it worked pretty darn well.

What are the main principles of Love and Logic? Love and Logic coined the terms now widely used to divide parents into three types—helicopter, drill sergeant, and consultant parents. If you want a kid that is

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interview fost er clin e

FOR PEOPLE OF HIS AGE, SAID CLINE, “ THE COMPUTER IS A MAGIC MACHINE,” AND MANIPULATING IMAGES IS AKIN “TO SORCERY.” ABOVE IS AN IMAGE OF A HAWK IN FLIGHT THAT HE CHOSE TO WORK HIS SORCERY UPON. COURTESY PHOTO.

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thoughtful about their choices and behavior, the parents will use consultant or questioning techniques. The Love and Logic home is a parent-centered one, not child-centered. Punishment is out, consequences with empathy is in. The rule is that parents set the model by first taking good care of themselves. Early in childhood, when a child is being low-grade obnoxious, the Love and Logic parent says, with a loving but firm hand on the shoulder, ‘Honey, I don’t want to hurt your feelings, but I find you annoying. I need you right now to go anyplace I’m not. You are draining my energy. We will figure out later the numerous ways you can put more energy back into my system. Try not to worry about it.’ Love and Logic is built on choices and consequences. It doesn’t use a reward system, a level system, or behavior modification. It teaches parenting and communication skills. People fit each other. Parents who feel guilty raise kids who blame. Over-controlling parents raise rebellious children. If you see a whining child, they have pleading parents. Kids who ask stupid questions have parents who answer them. Parents best show their power simply by taking good care of themselves, not punishing the child. When children are rescued by their parents, they naturally make poorer choices. Like anyone, kids can control their

parents from the “poor me” position. Love and Logic teaches parents to use loving but consequential phraseology. When the teen of a Love and Logic parent takes risks with unlawful behavior or falls in with a tacky pack of peers, the parent might say, ‘Sweetheart, I’ve been considering your options. Do you have the number of the public defender? If you do have any trouble with the law, you might only have one phone call. Don’t waste it on me.’ When a child is experiencing a problem, it is best to support, by giving ‘thoughts’ and ‘observations’ rather than ‘advice’ and ‘suggestions’ along with a smattering of “can do” assurances: ‘If anyone can do this, I know it’s you.’ There’s a lot of kids these days who honestly believe they don’t have to do anything to contribute to the home. Kids should be given easy chores when they are three or four years old. It prepares them for adolescence and teaches industry and initiative. Otherwise, you end up with entitled teens and adults. When I was a young parent, I asked a farm mom who had great kids what her secret was. She said, ‘If the eggs aren’t gathered, nobody has breakfast.’ The thing that gives people a high self-image is what they’ve achieved and accomplished. One foster kid said, “No wonder you take in kids—you have so many chores for them to do.” Hermie laughed, hugged the kid and

said, “If kids aren’t good for free labor, what are they good for?”

In Love and Logic, would you pay kids for good grades? When a parent gives a kid a reward, it should be for something the parent feels joyful about, and the kid absolutely should reply, ‘Thank you.’ When a child expects or demands money for achievement it is a bribe. When parents joyfully want to give something, it is a reward. The reward is generally unexpected, but may be hoped for. It is far more important than many parents realize to insist children learn early to say ‘please’ and ‘thank you.’ Entitled folks never use those words.

If your kids are still living at home in their 20s, is it too late to apply Love and Logic techniques? It is never too late to use Love and Logic with any relationship, at work, with adult relationships, and with older children living at home. An older child may be at home because of “failure to launch” or as a valued contributing member of a family such as that which takes place when an immigrant family lives together above their shop or restaurant. In some cases, of course, older special-needs children are cared for at home.

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interview fost er clin e If the issue is “failure to launch” then the correct answer is simple, but the implementation is difficult because the situation between parent and child is often co-dependent, and the parents feel between a rock and a hard spot. Twenty-year-olds contributing to their board and room and who are “respectful, responsible, and enjoyable to be around” are often a blessing to their parents. If older children living at home give little to the common good, then they come to consciously or unconsciously disrespect their parents, resulting in lowered self-respect and a poor self-image. That leads to an angry, disrespectful, or depressed young person. Either way the child controls the situation.

Enlisting your psychiatric background, how important are dreams? This is a subject for a book that a human cannot write. The essential question is not what a dream means but why we sleep and dream in the first place. Few really give much thought to the fact that a third of life is lost in a suspended state called sleep, filled with the activity called dreaming, and no expert knows why. And really, no one really cares! If you take a while to think about this, you might feel like walking into the water and never returning. When one starts considering

why we sleep and why we dream, there may be hope but that leads into a rocky road about the nature of reality itself. And the average soul does not venture there. We pretend to understand sleep and dreams because we can cite facts about Delta waves and rapid eye movement. That’s certainly correlational, but why does it all happen? There are a hundred suppositions, and not one has been proved.

What are you working on for the Panida? I read the theater now has a new roof. Pure and simple, the Panida has survived because of those who have loved the arts in our town and the persistence, foresight, and hard work of many volunteers over the past 100 years. This old art house is worth saving. I feel the presence of those people every time I walk through the lobby. Now, in the digital age, the relatively few old beautiful theaters that are left are recognized as unique, functional, and essential. They provide folks with a shared potpourri of emotions while they are seated inside a historic cocoon of art. Wow! This experience is unequaled in any other public venue. We are in the midst of raising money for the Century Fund. TING, the staff, board, and others throughout our area are stepping up to ensure the success of this 1.9-million-dollar under-

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taking culminating with the Panida’s 100th anniversary in 2027. In order to flourish in our digital age, the Panida must maintain its historic structure and fabric while updating lighting, sound, and other infrastructure necessary as our town and theater attract an increasing number of outstanding national performers. The stage must be enlarged and together the Little Theater and Panida will merge to form a performance campus that meets the requirements increasingly demanded by discerning performers. Everyone should do themselves a favor and find the joy of volunteering during a performance. And they should go to www. panida.org and subscribe to the newsletter.

How would you describe your photography? I enjoy the creative aspects of photography from framing the picture to photoshopping. For those of us who grew up in the non-digital dark ages, the computer is a magic machine. And working with photos is just sorcery! Millennials and those of more recent birth take digital magic for granted, but we old geezers revel in the technology that has unfolded before our stunned lifetimes. When I sit and play with these photos, I am like a toddler just introduced to a sandbox, looking in wonder at the pixel grains that can be manipulated, spread, poured, colored, and formed! Can life be any sweeter!?

AFTER A LIFETIME IN PSYCHIATRY, CLINE SAYS “THE HUMAN MIND AND HOW IT OPERATES IS THE MOST INTERESTING OBJECT IN ALL CREATION.” COURTESY PHOTO.

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finding Welcome finding Home Ukrainian refugees settle into Sandpoint

“W

by Julia Martin

e are ready.” These are words the Gerasymenko family heard over and over again from President Zelenskyy as numerous citizens, foreigners, and government representatives fled Ukraine in the spring of 2022. It comes as no surprise, then, that the Gerasymenkos were prepared for the February 24th explosions that occurred not far from their home in the city of Dnipro, Ukraine. The family of four was shocked awake by rattling windows and their deepest fears were confirmed: the military base near their home was under attack. They had prepared for this moment. Mariia Gerasymenko recounted, “[I] was fearful and had filled the gas tank and packed our suitcases. It seemed to us that most people didn’t believe the Russians would really attack us. The media was not accurately reporting the seriousness of our situation. That morning, in 15 minutes, we had loaded the car [with] food, suitcases, two girls, and us.” Mariia and her husband, Dima, were left with one big question: where to now? “As we were driving, we could see there was a fire at the military base … every gas station in every city along the way had long lines.” Initially, thoughts of western Ukraine or France crossed their minds, but they settled on heading for the Slovakian border. They met a long line at the country’s border, having to stay overnight in their car. When they reached the border the next morning, Dima said his goodbyes to his family. “The first eight months we lived in Slovakia with the girls. Dima was a volunteer and he first went to war in the volunteer army.” Diana, 5, and Nastiia, 7, entered Slovakia believing they were going on a holiday with their mother. “The girls thought they were going on vacation, and little Diana asked if there would

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MARIIA AND DIMA GERASYMENKO AND THEIR CHILDREN AT A CELEBRATION OF UKRAINIAN INDEPENDENCE DAY IN SEATTLE, WASHINGTON IN 2023. COURTESY PHOTO.

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THE GERASYMENKO FAMILY CELEBRATED DIMA’S ARRIVAL IN SANDPOINT BY INTRODUCING HIM TO THE ICONIC VIEW ON THE WAY UP TO SCHWEITZER. COURTESY PHOTO.

be a pool,” Mariia recalled. As Mariia worried for Dima’s safety and made plans for their immediate future, the girls remained unaware, safe, and able to enjoy the hospitality they met at the Slovakian border, a hospitality that was not too far off from that which awaited them half a world away in Sandpoint, Idaho. “When we finally crossed the border, we met journalists, volunteers, and other citizens of Slovakia. They helped us carry our suitcases and gave us food and drinks, toiletries, and toys for the kids.” Returning to Ukraine in August of 2022, Mariia and Dima decided to apply for the United for Ukraine program, which assists Ukrainian citizens and their families in relocating to the U.S. Mariia had “received an invitation from [her] childhood friend, Oksana [Cipriano], to come and stay with her family in Sandpoint” and their decision was made. “Mariia and I went to elementary school together,” said Cipriano. Originally from Ukraine herself, Cipriano and her family had been helping other Ukrainians financially, and sending supplies, “doing as much as I can,” she said. “It was my home and these are my people. If I have the chance to help, I’m going to help.” When the family reached out, the Ciprianos didn’t hesitate to sponsor the Gerasymenkos’ arrival in the United States. “The girls and I came to Sandpoint on August 30, 2022, because we wanted the girls to enroll in school,” said Mariia. “Farmin Stidwell was very welcoming and the teachers [were] kind and attentive.” And with two additional Ukrainian students there, Cipriano worked for the school as a translator for all four students as they developed their skills in speaking and reading English.

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T OF UKRAINE, E CHILDREN OU MARIIA AND TH TRY’S G UN IN CO TT S GE HI R AFTE FIGHT FOR SY ED BEHIND TO ARMY. COURTE R EE DIMA REMAIN NT LU VO RVING IN THE FREEDOM, SE PHOTO.

The Gerasymenko girls “stayed in [the Cipriano’s] house for two months. Then Oksana’s husband, Doug, bought us a travel trailer” to live in. A few months after their arrival in Sandpoint, Dima was wounded in the war and was able to rejoin his family in Sandpoint. On Christmas Day 2022, Mariia and her girls welcomed Dima to Idaho. As it was his first time living in the U.S. the transition was difficult in the beginning, “For the first time, it was like no friends, very big problems with speaking.” Dima began searching for employment and with a background in engineering mechanics, and as the 2011 Power Boat Navigator World Champion at the Super Boat International world championship, Dima was an easy hire at Sandpoint Marine & Motorsport. The now complete family began integrating into life in Sandpoint. “We found friends from Judy, our teacher,” Mariia said. One such friend was Carol Curtis. “Our friend Carol helped us find this house…In April we moved [in]...and we are so comfortable and happy here. We have great neighbors and our girls love it here. We live close to their school and we can ride there and everywhere else in Sandpoint. The community of Sandpoint has been very caring and generous to us, and we will always be grateful!” War continues back in Ukraine, with no clear end in sight. Now here for more than a year, the Gerasymenko family is established as active members of the Sandpoint community while they await the time when they can safely return to their home. Mariia has even started a facepainting business (@facepainting_ sandpoint on Instagram). In the meantime they enjoy activities provided by the library, the church, the YMCA, and the friends they have made who live here.

So you can spend more time

doing what you love FOR DIMA’ S FIRST B IRTHDAY C IN THE U.S ELEBRATIO ., THE FAM N ILY TRAVEL MONTANA’ ED TO S WATERFA LLS. COU PHOTO. RTESY

Top three things in Sandpoint that remind them of Ukraine • Mountains and trees (similar to western Ukraine) • The weather and four seasons (similar to western Ukraine) • The guelder rose that grows near the bike lane at City Beach

Top three things most surprising to them about the U.S./Idaho • Quality and approach of education. “The approach to children is very different. Teachers are always kind, polite and in a good mood, and everything is in a playful way. I started working at the school in [the] cafeteria, and I see everything from the inside. People are very kind and helpful and almost all the people are happy.” • Kind and happy people • Government aid

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Spiri ual Side

Churches are major sponsors of community relief programs by Paul Graves

“V

olunteers and clients at [the food bank] are a delight. We laugh and tease. Nearly every client says ‘thank you,’ or ‘God bless you.’ How can one not like being affirmed like that?” said Barbara Rolph. She is the interim pastor at First Lutheran Church. She is also a volunteer at the Bonner Community Food Bank. Volunteers from the churches and our broader community are part of the life blood of the food bank. The Bonner Community Food Bank is supported by 22 of our community churches. In 2022, those churches donated 16,940 pounds of food and $15,624. Christine Denova, executive director of Life Choices Pregnancy Center, shared that 38 different churches provide support to its ministry in the form of volunteers, funding, prayer, and encouragement. They deal with medical/emotional/political issues underlying reproductive rights. Their work can be controversial, and Denova explained how they balance those dynamics. “We’re not pro-life or pro-choice. We are pro-grace.” She also told me of a second church-supported service they provide, IdaHope Families. It extends support to families as they try to bring some stability back into their lives. Jon Pomeroy is the former pastor of Sandpoint Church of God. He and his wife, Cathy, began Helping Hands, Healing Hearts some years ago. Currently, it is a joint ministry of 20 churches in the Sandpoint area. Pomeroy said they work together to meet the material, mental, emotional, and spiritual needs of those who are struggling in our community. ”It didn’t take long for us to realize that there is a larger homeless prob-

lem in the area than we had previously been aware of, as 20 percent of our ‘clients’ are homeless. “ This led the Pomeroys and other church leaders to develop a vision for the Good Samaritan Inn, a homeless transitional center. They have a two-acre parcel of land and have begun a fundraising campaign to make this vision come true. These community agencies are some of the nine identified social service agencies supported by 13 community churches who shared how they serve people in Bonner County. Additionally, these churches are involved in over 50 different outreach programs of one kind or another. One program, Community Meals (aka soup kitchens), involves five different churches plus the Hoot Owl Cafe, and the VFW. These free meals are attended by 50 to 125 persons each week. Food insufficiency is an ongoing issue in our community, as it is across our country and world. These meals also serve as a social connection for so many. These 13 churches also host a wide variety of groups in their buildings. Twelve-step groups like Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, and Celebrate Recovery are hosted by many churches. Additionally, quilt groups, yoga classes, musical recitals/rehearsals, even community performances of “The Messiah,” plus others, have found homes in these church buildings. Personal, social wellbeing programs are easily found through these congregations. Efforts range from providing shower and laundry vouchers to seasonal clothing to visiting companionship, and drop-in programs for school children. And the list of support efforts keeps growing. SandpointMagazine.com SANDPOINT M A G A Z I N E

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ABOVE: VOLUNTEERS DISH UP A FREE COMMUNITY MEAL AT SANDPOINT’S UNITED METHODIST. PHOTO BY PAUL GRAVES. TOP RIGHT: DONNA DAVIS BRINGS SACK LUNCHES TO THE BONNER COMMUNITY FOOD BANK EVERY MONDAY. SHE RUNS THE CARING CLOSET AT THE METHODIST CHURCH AND ALSO HELPS WITH THEIR COMMUNITY MEALS. PHOTO BY DEBBIE LOVE.

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Former President Harry Truman is believed to have said, “It is amazing what you can accomplish if you don’t care who gets the credit.” The 13 church affiliates I spoke with don’t seem to really care about credit either. They simply want to serve people in need. It’s like they remembered Jesus telling his disciples in Matthew 6:3-4 to not let their left hands know what their right hands are doing. This was said in the context of charity work: giving alms and sustenance to others. Jesus rightly zeroes in on our motive for giving. In those times we forget to check on our motives for giving, we in the church do well to remember Jesus’ challenge to those disciples. I sense the churches mentioned here try to live in the left hand/ right hand spirit. The large number of churches in Bonner County—many more than the 13 that I heard from—certainly don’t always agree about doctrinal beliefs and scriptural interpretations. But we’re closer to working together when we work on behalf of others. We try to practice what we preach. At our best, the churches of Bonner County embody both our mission of Christian service and Harry Truman’s truism about not taking credit. And as they practice their mission of Christian charity, the whole community benefits. Paul Graves is a retired United Methodist pastor, and former mayor of Sandpoint. He writes about his faith and values in several publications.

Never Leave Hungry: One woman makes a difference Wendy Hansen Franck’s philosophy is very clear—no one should ever leave one of her tables hungry. You may know Wendy as the former owner of the Hoot Owl Cafe, who passed the keys to Josh Butler in 2022 after 26 years of sharing her heart on a plate. You also may know her for the immense charity she provided to the community of Bonner County by following that powerful philosophy. In 1997, she began a tradition of feeding her community and raising funds for other charitable organizations in one fell swoop. In partnership with the Sandpoint Lions, she hosted an annual Spaghetti Feed that served heaping portions of spaghetti with meatballs, salad, garlic bread, and dessert for as little as five dollars per plate, with all proceeds, tips, and time donated to the Sandpoint Lion’s Toys for Tots drive. “Back when we started, the Lion’s Club members would wait tables.” Franck said of the spaghetti feeds and charity auction benefits. “It takes a village.” she added. “It sounds cliche, but it takes a lot of people to do the work. We had the privilege of having a space to house the people and a kitchen to prepare the food.” Franck’s passion to bring food and security to her community spread to those nearest to her. In 2013, Franck’s daughter, Savannah Mort, approached her with the idea to host a soup kitchen one evening. This idea evolved into a weekly event open to everyone at the Hoot Owl Cafe every Monday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., a tradition that’s been continued by the new owner. “I believe what you put into life is what you’ll get out of it.” Franck’s mission continues in retirement. Every year, she spearheads a donation drive on Facebook to raise money for local charities as her own birthday gift to the community she spent her life serving, one full plate at a time.

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Schweitzer 89 Lower Wyvern Way Schweitzer Mountain Resort

Schweitzer Mountain Resort provides the stunning scenic background for this exquisite, custom-built luxury 4B/4B home in The Spires. There’s also the ultimate convenience of true ski-in, ski-out living in this gated and desirable mountain neighborhood. But more than that…this striking residence is being sold completely furnished, turn-key and ready for immediate occupancy. This approach has never been offered at Schweitzer Mountain Resort, and allows you to step into a professionally curated home, ready for immediate enjoyment. $4,625,000

THREE LOTS in The Spires at Schweitzer Mountain Resort! At the top of Tall Timber an uphill lot with paid water/sewer and huge resort views for $370,000. On Lower Wyvern Way with lake views and a ski access, also sold with completed Geotech, preliminary plans, and paid water/sewer. $499,000. And on Tall Timber, a ski-in, ski-out lake view lot with the ski trail bordering the west side, paid water/sewer. $453,000. This low angle lot at Schweitzer Mountain Resort is a rare opportunity, as it’s sold with preliminary plans and has a lot of the heavy lifting completed for a future build. Offering long range views of the Cabinet Mountains as well as the Resort, this large lot offers ample privacy for the stunning home plans that come with this sale. Or you could explore a Bonner County CUP which could allow for up to 7 units. $549,000 The most affordable condo on the mountain! Offered furnished, this top floor condo has natural light coming in from both the front and the back giving the living area an open and comfortable feel. The location is quiet and private, yet only a few moments to the village and the slopes. $325,000

Welcome to Ullr Drive, where you will find an affordable AND almost level building lot at Schweitzer Mountain Resort. Located near the end of Ullr this lot is a rarity in the gentle slope off the paved road. All utilities are near and a future build would have long range mountain and valley views. $299,000

This condo evokes that quintessential mountain vibe with a welcoming remodel including hand hewn logs overlooking a tranquil snowy landscape where the warm glow of the fireplace welcomes you into a haven of comfort and relaxation. This condo has two bedrooms, and can sleep 7. There’s also private laundry and a newly remodeled bathroom. Walking distance to lifts. $650,000

It s not enough to have the dream Live it.

Sandpoint 1015 Oak Street Sandpoint, Idaho

Welcome to the good life on Oak Street. Here, along a quiet, tree lined street just moments to the heart of downtown you will find a truly timeless residence. This home offers so much more than meets the eye and exudes charm and elegance, both inside and out. There’s also a separate incoming producing ADU, a very large garage with an office and flex space, all privately situated on a large corner lot with an amazing back yard sanctuary. AND...owner financing! This is a property that must be toured to be appreciated. $1,150,000

OWNER WILL CARRY on this newer Downtown Sandpoint single level home that’s 100% move in ready! As you approach the home, you’ll notice the mature landscaping and curb appeal. There’s also great offstreet parking as well as a large attached two car garage. Inside there are three spacious bedrooms, two bathrooms, an open concept kitchen and living area, all with a very light, bright and open feel. $599,000 Prime Downtown Sandpoint Commercial with nine private parking spaces and great corner access onto both Third and Pine Streets. This well-maintained building could be separated into at least three separate suites, each with private street access or it could be kept as one large business space. There’s garage door access, ample storage, a half bath area plumbed for a potential kitchenette. $695,000 Expansive mountain views, a well-built and spacious home, and complete privacy set this offering apart! With 12.5 acres in total, this includes a separate 6.31 acre building lot, all located at the end of the road and bordered by timber land, with public access to Jewel Lake just down the road. This property offers beautiful interior and exterior spaces. $1,259,000 This commercial building has prime HWY 200 frontage in Downtown Clark Fork. This well-maintained building offering three separate commercial suites, as well as a large shop with the ability to combine potential living space with potential work space. Or each suite can simply be leased individually. Lots of options in a nice-looking building! $499,000 Less than one mile from Sandpoint, you will find this 3.4~acre lot on Cedar Ridge. This highly coveted location offers ample privacy in an area with a country feel but just moments to everything the downtown area offers. There’s already a building site cleared at the top of the lot offering 180~degree territorial views with distant views of the lake to the east. The lot is gently sloping and all usable. $649,000 Alison Murphy, Associate Broker, GRI, Realtor

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Mystery

HIST RY

FORMER FARRAGUT HOMES ABOUND But no, your house probably wasn’t an officer’s quarters by Ken Conger

or years, people who know that I am researching Farragut Naval Training Station have told me stories of an officer’s house that had been moved from Farragut. “I grew up next to one on Fourth Avenue in Coeur d’Alene.” “My uncle had one.” “I went past one on the way to school.” After about the sixth such story I began to wonder. Driving past the so-called officers’ houses I realized these were all very modest dwellings, nothing befitting a United States Navy captain, commander, or station executive officer. All of these were single story, two or three bedroom houses. While I didn’t think any of these were an officer’s house from Farragut, there had to be a reason why so many people claimed to know of one. In 1942, the War Department took all of what is now Farragut State Park, along with 36 homes in Bayview, Idaho, by eminent domain. There still were not enough houses for the close to 800 officers the new naval base was expecting to house. Homes

in Hayden Lake, Spirit Lake, Rathdrum, Post Falls, and Coeur d’Alene were appropriated or rented for married officers’ families. From news articles, construction records, blueprints, and summaries of lawsuits after the war by original homeowners, I have learned the following story. There were only five houses built for officers of the Naval Training Station. They were located overlooking Idlewilde Bay, just west of the boat ramp where the Whitetail Campground is today. Adjacent was a large officers’ mess and recreational building located about where the overflow boat trailer parking lot is now. Three homes for medical officers were built within the 2,000-bed hospital complex. This brings the total to only eight purpose-built officers’ houses constructed at Farragut during WWII. These structures were Craftsman-style, twostory homes with brick fireplace chimneys. After the end of WWII, nearly all of the buildings at Farragut were auctioned off. Even those who had originally owned SandpointMagazine.com SANDPOINT M A G A Z I N E

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BONNER AND KOOTENAI COUNTIES ARE HOME TO MANY STRUCTURES ABOVE: GOOD HOPE WRECKERS TOOK OVER 400 STRUCTURES FROM FARRAGUT; MOST WERE DEMOLISHED AND THE MATERIALS RE-USED. TOP RIGHT: THIS HOME NEXT TO SANDPOINT’S WAR MEMORIAL FIELD WAS FORMERLY QUARTERS AT FARRAGUT NAVAL BASE. STAFF PHOTO.

homes in Bayview had to bid for the return of their own houses. And those original owners had to surrender first priority to government bodies, universities, schools, and other veterans. One wrecking company from Coeur d’Alene, Good Hope Wreckers, secured more than 400 of the over 700 structures. Some buildings were moved off site and the majority were demolished and the materials reused. This is how Frank Wester’s Good Hope Wreckers, Inc. came to be in 1948. By 1952, Wester had constructed a home manufacturing facility just outside the future state park’s entrance. They built 21-foot-by-25-foot two-bedroom homes and up to 21-foot-by32-foot three-bedroom homes for $1,650 and $2,450 respectively. Fifty of these prefabricated homes were shipped to the mine at Metaline Falls, Washington. All were built to be truck moved and constructed using “well seasoned lumber” and government specification fixtures. There were difficulties. For instance, the new home of Clem Meeker of Oden, Idaho had to have its eaves trimmed in order to fit through the drawbridge portion of the Long Bridge coming into Sandpoint in December 1952. At 901 Ontario St. is a two-bedroom home, originally purchased from Good Hope Wreckers for $2,850 in 1956 to serve as the new residence for the caretaker of the Bonner County

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THAT BEGAN THEIR LIVES AT FARRAGUT Fairgrounds, which at that time was near where Memorial Field is now. Bonner and Kootenai counties are home to many structures that began their lives at Farragut. Rathdrum got a Lions Club building, Athol an LDS Church, and Sandpoint and Coeur d’Alene both got dispensary buildings that would serve as hospitals. And yes, after 1954 a real, intact home that formerly served as officers’ quarters was moved to Sandpoint and still overlooks the lake. If you are aware of any more local buildings that originated at Farragut Naval Base, please contact the Bonner County History Museum. There is rumor of a set of 120-foot, gluelaminated arches from a drill hall at a local farm. I am trying to inventory these pieces of history for a complete historical record of what was once the largest city in Idaho, Farragut Naval Training Station, in Bayview, Idaho. The Bonner County History Museum is located at 611 S. Ella in Sandpoint, and is open Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is also open on the first Saturday of every month from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with free admission. Ken Conger is a family doctor who practiced in Bozeman, Montana and Sandpoint. His interests now focus on Farragut as well as local geological and logging history.

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P R O P E R T Y

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First, most buyers of local high-value properties live outside of North Idaho. So why promote your home only in local magazines and other local media? Next, most brokerages advertise multiple properties within a single ad. So why rely on a tiny ad for your high-value, luxury home, crammed on a page with less desirable properties offered by that brokerage? Last, research shows that high net-worth buyers avoid social media, so why dedicate significant marketing dollars there? You’ll find answers to these and many other questions in our 48-page Field Guide to Selling Your Prime Property. This helpful book provides a step-by-step process to selling your extraordinary Idaho home. And it’s yours for the asking. Just scan this QR code and we’ll send you a FREE copy today. And know that when you’re ready to sell your prime Idaho home, we’re ready to work for you. Idaho Luxe | www.idaholuxe.com Wayne Peterson, Designated Broker | 208.209.3499

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Pictur ed i n hi story

THE TALE OF FRANK CLEMENTS AND HIS TRAINED DEER, BABE AND BUSTER

by Zach Hagadone

assersby were amused by a novel occurrence on Sandpoint streets in February 1911, when they encountered a pair of small, white-tailed deer harnessed to a single-seat buggy and driven by their sharp-dressed owner Frank Clements. Describing it as, “A sight that is unusual on the streets of any city in the west,” the Northern Idaho News reported the deer “were equipped with a neat set of light harness and were quite tractable, willingly obeying their master’s desires as to the route to be taken.” Clements worked as the “night man” at the city stables, and had purchased the deer four months earlier when they were only a few days or weeks old. Named Babe and Buster, Clements’ unusual pets joined the other members of his menagerie, which included a black bear and cinnamon bear. Babe and Buster were instantly newsworthy and by late May 1911 Clements was taking them on the road. He had signed a contract to tour Babe and Buster on the Orpheum vaudeville theater circuit, earning $100 per week for the attraction—more than $3,000 in current value. “It is claimed this is the only team of deer broken to harness outside of the reindeer of the Arctics,” the Review reported. “They not only drive but Clements has taught them to stand upon their hind feet, to count, and do other tricks common to horses and dogs.” The show must have been a hit, as on Aug. 4, 1911, the papers carried a dispatch from the Seattle Times announcing Clements had been making a splash in the big city and would now drive Babe and Buster overland from Seattle to New York. “During the last week Clements has been driving his steeds down the business streets of Seattle, attracting considerable attention because of the beauty and perfect mating of the two deer,” the Times wrote, later recounting that the deer had been trained to

“lie down at command, feign dead, and do similar tricks.” There were a few cracks appearing in the entertaining facade, however. The Times reported Clements had used his bears to train Babe and Buster—“frightening the deer so that they would run to him for protection.” Meanwhile, the Pend Oreille Review added that Clements hadn’t actually made the Orpheum circuit, “but piled up a good lot of American dollars by exhibiting the deer on the streets in Spokane and shoving out postal picture cards of them as fast as he and an assistant could take in the money.” Legal trouble soon followed. Just days after the triumphant announcement of Clements’ transcontinental trek, Spokane photographer M.B. Martin filed a lawsuit alleging he’d been swindled of his promised cut of the proceeds from the postcard sales and asked a judge for compensation. He’d also loaned Clements money to help pay for him to leave town for the coast. In February 1918 the Pend Oreille Review wrote that Clements had appeared in an Associated Press photo with a team of reindeer in his new hometown of Chicago, where he’d driven the animals through the streets during a recent blizzard to deliver milk to families with babies, “supplying many kiddies who otherwise would have had to go without.” The story got the Review reminiscing about the days when Clements would hitch up Babe and Buster and “take the Sandpoint kids on many a jolly sleigh ride back of his trained deer.” After that, the life of Babe, Buster, and their ambitious owner faded away into certain myths—including that they’d been displayed at the World’s Fair in Chicago (they weren’t, as the fair took place in 1893) and an exposition in Seattle in 1909, a year before their birth. In their time, the trio cut a striking figure in the region and, no matter what, Babe and Buster can be regarded as among the most famous and well-traveled deer in local history. SandpointMagazine.com SANDPOINT M A G A Z I N E

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An Enduring

Art Form EASTPORT SCULPTOR REFLECTS ON A LIFE HE’S CARVED FOR HIMSELF by Carrie Scozzaro

any who drive out on Bottle Bay Road are as familiar with the wildlife “tree” in the front yard of the Lewis family’s home as they are with Jerry Lewis, who founded and retired from Pend Oreille Veterinary Service. But locals are probably not as familiar with Rocky MacArthur, who created the mammoth artwork, and that’s by design. MacArthur, who hails from Eastport, Idaho, has never bothered with cell phones or an online presence, said the selfdescribed old school artist. “If I need something, I’ll make it,” MacArthur said. In fact, when MacArthur relocated to Eastport, Idaho from western Washington in 2005, it was several years before his friend and Feist Creek Resort owner Cliff Kramer knew of MacArthur’s extensive woodworking past. Kramer connected MacArthur to Lewis, who hired him to carve several stumps around his pond. Six years ago, Lewis tasked MacArthur with the pine tree project. Now if MacArthur’s rig is at Lewis’ house, it’s likely a social call. At 76 years, MacArthur has wrapped up the tail end of his commission work, including the Lewis project, and is looking forward to pursuing his own artwork. “I want to get back into making bows, [maybe] do some leather work,” said MacArthur, whose love of nature is deep rooted. The son of a logger, MacArthur returned to western Washington after two tours in Vietnam, which for so many Americans meant a difficult post-war transition. “When I came home” from Vietnam, said MacArthur, “I probably was not a person anybody wanted to be around, and not that I was mean or mad at anybody.” Rather, MacArthur was uneasy in crowded, noisy places. He found solace in the woods and mountains “before off-grid was fashionable,” he said. He returned to his old habit of carving the materials those places offered. “There’s no such thing as a scrap of wood,” MacArthur said. By the mid ’80s, MacArthur leaned into carving, hoping to make a living at it. He found early success when a boot he carved for his wife out of western red cedar started a chain

ARTIST ROCKY MACARTHUR SAYS “THERE’S NO SUCH THING AS A SCRAP OF WOOD.” INSTEAD, THERE ARE IMAGES WAITING TO BE UNCOVERED. COURTESY PHOTO.

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ABOVE: MACARTHUR HELPED SOURCE JUST THE RIGHT TREE TO BE CUT AND CRAFTED FOR THE VIKING SHIP. AT RIGHT: WHEN BUILDING HIS LOG HOME NEAR THE CANADIAN BORDER, MACARTHUR ADDED DECORATIVE DETAILS THROUGHOUT. COURTESY PHOTOS.

BORN ANEW: FAMILY TREE FINDS NEW LIFE AS ARTPIECE Remember “The Giving Tree” book about the tree that kept giving back? Sagle’s Lewis family has a similar story about their own giving tree—a 150-year white pine in Pat and Jerry Lewis’s front yard that’s weathered its ups and downs and is now a marvelous artpiece. “It survived the 1910 fire, and started growing a little bit bigger every year,” Pat said. By the time the Lewises arrived at the Bottle Bay Road property 60 years ago, and raised their children there, the tree had become a landmark in the family’s lives. Described as a schoolmarm tree—where the trunk forks into two sections near the top— the Lewises had the two tree branches cabled together. “We enjoyed the tree for many years. It had huge pinecones on it,” Pat recalled. After 50 years of enjoying the tree, one of the legs that had been cabled died. Their children

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were grown by then; being nostalgic about the big tree, they crafted furniture out of it. “We kept all the wood,” Pat said. “The kids have parts of the tree in their houses.” Pat and Jerry Lewis were considering taking down the rest of the tree when an acquaintance suggested turning it into an art carving. So for the past six years, craftsman Rocky MacArthur (whose carving is his ‘swan song’ into retirement) has carved the tree into a fanciful work of art. Two eagles are perched at the top, which actually attract the attention of live eagles, with more hand-crafted wildlife carved into its sides including a big cougar that looks up to the Lewis house and can be seen through the dining room window. The tree is lit up at night, and gives back to all who view this living work of art.

-Beth Hawkins

reaction of requests. His chainsaw expertise meant he could work faster and larger than he might with traditional carving tools and distinguished him from other carvers. “I guess I was one of the very first that was ever doing that kind of thing,” said MacArthur, who was a sought-after carver and instructor. Chainsaw carving has been called “art without pretension,” a description that could fit MacArthur, as well. When the Canadian Tulip Festival organizers were looking to scale up the Ottawa-based event, they tapped MacArthur to carve tulips as token gifts to political dignitaries. MacArthur chuckles at the contrast between his rustic lifestyle and the international event. “And you know, I’m going, ‘What the hell’s a little brush bunny like me running around here in the Capitol and talking to all these people?’” he recalled. MacArthur’s legacy endures in his artwork, as well as through events and organizations. In the mid ’90s, he created a chainsaw carving competition for the “Loggerodeo,” an Independence Day celebration held for Sedro-Woolley since 1948, and with fellow members of the Northwest Wood Carving Association he helped found Artwood in 1987, a member cooperative gallery in Bellingham, Washington. Both are still in existence. As a member of Northwest Corner Woodworking Association he met people similarly enamored of woodworking, including F. Jay Smith, a west-side boat builder originally from Norway who has dedicated his life to learning about and building Viking-era boats. When The History Channel wanted to feature a Viking longship for its series, “The Big Build,” it approached Smith, who uses authentic tools and techniques. Smith approached MacArthur to problem solve sourcing the wood for the mammoth project. More recently, Smith asked MacArthur to help with a 56-foot ship to be named Valkyrie, which he did. Eventually the long trips back and forth to the coast from his home near Idaho’s border with Canada

and other obligations meant MacArthur had to pare back his involvement. Fittingly, MacArthur’s contribution to the Viking-era replica will be a uniquely carved tail. Also fittingly and similar to MacArthur’s many years on the Lewis project, what’s endured is his friendship with a fellow fan of woodworking. Smith, said MacArthur, is “the closest thing to a brother probably as I’d ever have.”

MACARTHUR AT HIS HOME IN NORTHERN IDAHO. STAFF PHOTO.

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Continuing the Commitment to Children and Families KINDERHAVEN FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES GRANT PROGRAM

THE CURRENT FOUNDATION BOARD INCLUDES JEN PLUMMER, KATHY MARIETTA, MARY SMITH, JESSIE SHELDON, STEPHANIE HAWKINS, AND BETSY DALESSIO. COURTESY PHOTO.

by Patty Hutchens

or over 25 years, Kinderhaven was a safe place that sought to keep together abused and neglected children in North Idaho. It was a home to many young boys and girls as well as teenage girls. But in 2018 the Families First legislation was enacted, which forced Kinderhaven to close its doors as a group home. “At that time, we were also in the process of creating another group home for local teen boys,” said Jennifer Plummer, who served as Kinderhaven’s executive director for over 10 years. The staff and volunteers said their final goodbye to its last residents in the summer of 2022. “This heartbreaking turn of events left Kinderhaven with funds and assets gifted by community members who dedicated their generosity to these local children in need,” said Plummer. Determined to continue its mission, community members, including Plummer and board member Betsy Dalessio, regrouped and formed the Kinderhaven Foundation in July of 2022. “The Kinderhaven Foundation is committed to continuing to serve the wishes of our donors by financially supporting local children and families through grant giving,” said Dalessio. With the assistance of other area nonprofit organizations such as Panhandle Alliance for Education and the Community Assistance League grant committee, the Kinderhaven Foundation is in the process of finalizing its grant process. “We were

truly blessed to have guidance from these groups and other local community members who have helped to formulate this new program,” said Dalessio. Plummer, who now serves as the foundation’s executive director, encourages all who meet the criteria to apply. “Anyone who believes their organization fits our mission and the advancement and enrichment of children and families in the area will be encouraged to apply,” she said. While they have yet to decide the exact amount they will award during each grant cycle, they plan to finalize the details by the end of the year. Nonprofit organizations in both Bonner and Boundary counties are eligible to receive grant money. Once received, the foundation board, which is comprised of community members, will review and award all of the grants, and the awards will be given specifically to organizations that assist children or both children and families “We plan a deadline for applications to be in January of 2024,” said Plummer. “More specific details will be announced very shortly, and at that time the Kinderhaven Foundation website will be updated with its grant application.” While it was devastating for many to have Kinderhaven close its doors, many are grateful those involved have found a way to continue to serve those in need. Learn more at www.kinderhavensandpoint.com SandpointMagazine.com SANDPOINT M A G A Z I N E

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Caribou Creek Home on Acreage

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MLS # 20231613 Embrace the true beauty of the Pacific Northwest with this stunning 7,748-square-foot Caribou Creek Swedish Cope log home. Nestled on 44.60 acres, this waterfront property is a testament to craftsmanship and natural elegance. The home features six bedrooms and five full baths to ensure convenience and comfort for everyone. The heart of the home lies in the open kitchen/living/dining room concept, designed for seamless entertainment. Custom hickory cabinets, sub-zero fridge, top-of-the-line Z line appliances, and two composite sinks. The master bedroom is a luxurious retreat, with two walk-in closets, a Hydro Tub, and duel shower heads in the walk-in shower. The outdoor areas are equally remarkable, stretching across 200ft of frontage along Pend Oreille River with an expansive outdoor living space featuring an outdoor kitchen, large seating area, an above-ground Passion Swim Spa and a pavilion that opens up to the beach. The property is rounded out by two shops, providing lots of room for vehicles, equipment, or hobbies. Gardening enthusiasts will appreciate the 16’x32’ greenhouse. This stunning estate boasts a 60KVA whole-property generator. From the interior design to meticulously designed outdoor spaces, this property offers the perfect blend of natural beauty and luxurious living.

Pend Oreille River Waterfront 207 Lariat Ct, Sagle, ID

Listed at $2,697,000

MLS #20230257 Meticulously maintained Waterfront Estate situated on 3.73 acres w/170’ of deep water frontage on the Pend Oreille River. 2980 sqft, 4 bd / 3 ba, with beautiful stone & wood accents, Bosch appliances, Milgard windows, Hubberton Forge lighting, & many other high-end finishings! Panoramic water & Mtn views while allowing an abundance of natural light. Private dock, fenced yard space & garden area all go together to create the perfect oasis. Don’t miss this rare opportunity at a stunning Waterfront Home w/end of the road privacy.

Impeccable Idaho Club Home

28 Alpenrose Ln, Sandpoint

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LEFT TO RIGHT: HANNAH AND ZACH VOLLMER ARE CARRYING THE STORE INTO THE NEW CENTURY; LINDA AAVEDAL BEHIND THE COUNTER CIRCA 1967; BOB AAVEDAL DISPLAYS A RENTAL SKI. COURTESY PHOTOS.

A HISTORY IN HIGH PLACES - ALPINE SHOP by Brendan Bobby

he history of Schweitzer Mountain and the Alpine Shop is a tale that predates man’s first steps on the moon. The resort on Schweitzer Mountain opened its first two lifts on November 30, 1963. Three short years later Bob Aavedal and Terry Merwin opened Alpine Shop’s doors in the lodge of what was then Schweitzer Basin, along with a downtown location on Church Street. It was clear from the beginning that Schweitzer would be a ski destination, but the rapidity of the mountain’s growth in popularity came as a surprise. An explosive surge in visitors throughout the 1970s created a bittersweet problem for the Alpine Shop: too many customers and not enough gear. In December of 1978, the Alpine Shop moved to solve that problem, setting up in a two-story cedar structure separate from the lodge called the Mill Building. The new location quadrupled the available space for the shop and greatly expanded repair capabilities for rentals. The shop also sponsored ski racing teams that competed against other local businesses like the Hydra and Alpine Motors. The Alpine Shop’s staff regularly competed under the store’s banner, including Tom Anderson, who worked at the shop for 25 years. “I kind of ran the retail side of the shop and Frank (Delamarter) ran the repair side of things,” Anderson said of his time at the shop, acting as the store’s manager beginning in 1978. “Bob and Linda were really good to me. It was a great job.” On the subject of ski racing, Anderson was refreshingly frank: “I got into recreational racing quite extensively, did the master’s programs and stuff.” Anderson paused. “In my day, I kicked ass and took names.” Anderson clinched a first-place victory for the Alpine Shop in the Hamm’s Bear Cup racing series in 1987, leapfrogging two

competitors in one fell swoop. “I still, believe it or not, have a few Hamm’s Beer trophies.” The Alpine Shop remained a recreationist’s anchor through the 1990s, when the Aavedals bought out their partner to cement the shops’ status as a family-owned business. The shop on the mountain moved to its current home in the Lazier building in the spring of 1999. By July of 2013, the Aavedals were ready to pass the torch on to the next generation of business owners and outdoor enthusiasts, Brent and Nicole Eacret. In 2019, the shop changed hands again to the current owners, Zach and Hannah Vollmer. “My wife and I have worked in the outdoor industry for some time now, and we wanted to work for ourselves,” said Zach Vollmer. Their energy shines through in the updates they’ve made to both existing shops, but most notably in the façade of the Church Street building. Dark lumber planks evoke a striking image of a nordic ski lodge. “We had an energy that we wanted to put into a store. We wanted to create an outdoor store that we wanted to shop in. We felt the town was well suited for that,” said Vollmer. “And with the recreation in our area, it had the opportunity to have a really cool outdoor store that really sold all the outdoor activities around here.” “We had the best of times,” offered Linda Aavedal of the Alpine Shop’s long history on the mountain. She met her husband, Bob, a year after the store opened when she rented skis from him in order to participate in a free ladies’ ski class. “It was sure fun, and we had the best employees.” The Alpine Shop offers youth and adult ski rentals and adult snowboard rentals on a daily basis, or youth and adults can rent a ski package for the entire season. Learn more at www.alpineshopsandpoint.com. SandpointMagazine.com SANDPOINT M A G A Z I N E

pow Prepared for

CITY PLOWS ARE OUT AND ABOUT EARLY ONCE THE SNOW STARTS TO FALL, CLEARING ROADS SO CHILDREN CAN GET TO SCHOOL, AND ADULTS CAN GET TO WORK. PHOTO COURTESY CITY OF SANDPOINT.

ROAD WORKERS ARE READY FOR WHATEVER WINTER THROWS THEIR WAY by Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey

s the old adage goes, “not all heroes wear capes.” That adage is true when it comes to winters in North Idaho, when heroes are far too busy keeping our roads passable at all hours to worry about capes. For them, a good pair of snow boots will do. Bonner County has nearly 700 miles of county-maintained roads alone, not to mention the many miles of city- and state-maintained thoroughfares that require constant care during the winter months. Despite storms that bring upward of 60 inches to Sandpoint’s city streets each year (and that’s not considering how elevation change across the county can hike that number even higher), the show must go on, whether that be folks traveling to work, children heading to school, or the county’s first responders requiring access to the many nooks and crannies of our North Idaho neighborhoods. While white Christmases are part of what gives this area its four-season charm, snow can often be more encumbering than delightful. Lucky for all of us, snow removal infrastructure in North Idaho runs deep. According to Bonner County Road and Bridge Director Jason Topp, the county spent more than $2.6 million on winter road maintenance during the 2022-2023 season. Topp said county operations are split into a three-step process: first, major routes are plowed after SandpointMagazine.com SANDPOINT M A G A Z I N E

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features cou nt y workers several inches accumulate; second, all other county routes are plowed; and finally, sand is applied to steep grades, bridges, and other hazardous areas. “It is not standard policy to sand straight stretches of roadway because of the snow floor,” Topp said. “Road salt will be used along with sand in a few problem areas on our asphalt roadways only. We are very hopeful that this will help alleviate the amount of time we spend on these problem areas and make it safer for the traveling public.” Among issues that crop up each year, many residents are surprised to discover that snow plows have damaged their mail boxes. With some awareness and pre-planning, this can be avoided. “If you can wiggle your mailbox, there is a fair probability that plowed snow will take it down,” Topp said. “County operators do not intentionally damage mailboxes, but maintain speed to throw snow from the road.” The same applies for trash cans and landscaping features, so be mindful of anything near the end of your driveway ahead of the snowy months. Along those same lines, it is against the law to push snow removed from your own driveway into public roadways. Also avoid pushing snow over the ends of culverts to mitigate flooding. Topp said motorists are encouraged to give plows plenty of space. “Please be patient,” he said. “Slow down and always be prepared for slick conditions. Make sure you have decent tires for winter and an extra blanket or clothes in case you are stranded for any length of time.” The city of Sandpoint implemented new rules in 2022 to improve snow removal operations, including a controversial rule that states cars cannot be parked on the odd side of city streets from Dec. 1 to March 1. City Administrator Jennifer Stapleton said the city will keep this rule headed into winter 2023-2024. A positive outcome of recent rule changes, Stapleton said, is that city crews are now plowing streets 23 hours a day during active snow events. In the downtown core, snow is bermed into the center of

Release. Relax. Breathe.

Slow down and always be prepared for slick conditions the streets then loaded into dump trucks and hauled away. “That is done early in the morning,” Stapleton said. Among the most well-traveled roads in Bonner County during the winter months is Schweitzer Mountain Road, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Independent Highway District—another entity deeply entrenched in the hard work of local snow removal. Apart from the road to Schweitzer ski resort, which requires snow removal over multiple shifts to account for employee and visitor access, IHD also performs winter maintenance of the public rights-of-way in Dover, Kootenai, and Ponderay. Weather, limited staffing, and unscheduled equipment maintenance are all challenges that the district faces during the course of a winter. “If folks want to see their streets plowed in the most efficient manner possible, then I guess the one thing I would have to say is: Please do not park in the public right-of-way, including roadway shoulders,” IHD staff shared. “Not glamorous, but it’s a big help.” According to Topp, a little kindness and a lot of patience can go a long way to ensuring that winter road operations go smoothly this winter. “We will get there,” he said. “If the roads are slick for you, they are for our operators as well.” An excellent tool for checking current road conditions on Idaho’s state highways is the camera system accessible at www.511.idaho.gov.

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When Cancer Calls A LITTLE CENTER WITH A CAN-DO ATTITUDE IS THERE TO HELP by Nancy Gerth KAILEE STEVENS SERVES AS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY CANCER SERVICES. STAFF PHOTO.

hen Heather Gibson was diagnosed with breast cancer she wasn’t looking for medical help. She needed emotional support. The doctors were showering her with numbers, and she had to make tough choices. She was scared. She wanted somewhere to go to discuss life. What to do next? Found the Community Cancer Services, of course, a nonprofit funded and operated by our local community. Ann Tyree, Carol Curtis, and Gibson served on the first board of directors in 2002, while Cynthia Dalsing, Jennifer Merwin, Kathy Chambers, Judy Thompson, and Jen Darley, along with support from groups like Angels Over Sandpoint, along with numerous local businesses, helped pull the center together. Pulling no punches, the mission of CCS became “to ease the burden of those affected by cancer in our community.” Who would think they could fulfill such a broad mission? But they do. Locals faced with a cancer diagnosis (Bonner County has the seventh highest rate of cancer in the state) will find quality medical care readily available. What was missing back when Heather was diagnosed was the care and support that cancer patients and their families need aside from the medical issues as they struggle with new burdens that range from meals to childcare to travel, burdens that can further exacerbate an already stretched budget. Community Cancer Services, working with health care providers and institutions, finds community members with cancer diagnoses, and then they help. They provide transportation, gas vouchers donated by local gas stations, and Walmart gift cards;

grief counseling, wigs, hats, a lending library, lodging, postmastectomy items, assistance with medications, and nutritional supplements; and they do it all with the personal attention to mental health which is so essential to treatment and recovery from cancer. And they help regardless of the patient’s income. CCS also provides financial assistance, medical equipment loans, counseling for families, support groups, and individualized research information. They help patients communicate more effectively with doctors and nurses. And they have done all this for about 300 people per year since 2002. That’s six thousand of us who live in Bonner and Boundary counties who have already been helped and are being helped on a daily basis. A huge comfort for those patients comes directly from Community Cancer Services, by not having to worry about a lot of the details. Executive Director Kailee Stevens said, “The main goal of CCS is to provide customizable service—if you need help getting fireword, we’ll get you firewood.” Currently CCS coordinates with hospitals and oncologists in Montana, Idaho, and Washington where people must travel to see their medical providers. They would like to provide emotional support for patients in those areas, too, not just Bonner and Boundary counties. If you’d like to be a part of the effort, CCS is always looking for volunteers for a variety of tasks, from office work to driving people to appointments, to community outreach and fundraising. And of course, it all runs on the financial support of those in the community. CCS is right next door. You can visit them at 1215 Michigan Street, Suite B. Learn more at www.communitycancerservices.com SandpointMagazine.com SANDPOINT M A G A Z I N E

UNEXPEcTED Connection Sandpoint’s surprising ties to the Antarctic continent

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by Patty Hutchens

DARREN ROBERTS MAKING APPROACH TO LAND TO PICK UP A TEAMMATE AT A STUDY SITE NEAR PALMER STATION. COURTESY PHOTO.

hether it’s a desire for adventure travel in a vast ice-covered land or a passion for science and research among icy sea and snow-driven deserts, many area residents share the experience of an Antarctic adventure. For Megan Roberts, her love for adventure and the outdoors began early. “I had an amazing childhood growing up in the forest near Hope,” said Roberts. “My parents built a beautiful home on an amazing property, and I spent so much time outside.” Roberts credits her parents with not only giving her a love for the outdoors but also a passion for science. Today, Megan and her husband Darren combine both exploration and science into fulfilling careers. The couple works for Megan Cimino, a biological oceanographer and seabird ecologist with the University of California in Santa Cruz. They are both team leaders for research on the Western Antarctic Peninsula. “Our research focuses on the seabird component of a large program called the Long-Term Ecological Research program,” explained Roberts. “There are multiple LTER groups across the world funded by the National Science Foundation.” They facilitate Cimino’s research goals and data collection at Palmer Station, one of the smallest U.S. Antarctic research stations located almost 2,000 miles south of Argentina at the tip of an Antarctic peninsula. At full capacity, it houses around 45 people. Splitting their time between North Idaho and Antarctica is something Roberts never dreamed possible. “I had some amazing mentors during my time at Hope Elementary and Clark Fork Jr/Sr High School who have greatly influenced my career in science,” she said. When Roberts was in sixth grade, her teacher, Purley Decker, collaborated with Fish and Game Warden Tom Whalen. “I remember going to Trestle Creek with my class and Tom and looking at bull trout habitat and taking underwater videos. I just loved being outside and learning about the ecosystem and animals,” said Roberts, adding that she was blessed also to have Rich Hanna as her high school science teacher. “He was so passionate about science. He had a way of explaining things and making his students think critically. He took us outside and showed us what data

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features polar explorers collection looked like,” Roberts said. Joining the Roberts at Palmer Station are Sandpoint residents Hannah and Lance James. With a Bachelor of Science in geology and environmental studies from St. Lawrence University, Hannah is the laboratory supervisor at Palmer Station. Her role is to ensure the science lab spaces are set up for incoming scientists. “I also ensure that experiments are conducted safely in the lab and that they can get out into the field. “My dad worked in Greenland and Antarctica drilling ice cores when he was in his 20s, so that type of travel was always in the back of my mind,” said James, who was an elementary school teacher for three years after graduating from college. “I realized that I wanted to get back into the field and surround myself with scientists and fieldwork. I haven’t looked back since.” She said the work at Palmer Station in Antarctica is a “work hard, play hard” job. “My husband and I have been so fortunate to travel throughout South America for weeks at a time after almost every deployment, but we always are so happy to be able to return home to Sandpoint,” she added. Sandpoint resident Matthew Davidson is also familiar with life in Antarctica. He worked there seasonally from 1987 to 2019 with just a few breaks during those years. “I usually was there in the austral summers, mostly October through mid to late February,” said Davidson. “Twice, in 1987–88 and 1989– 90, I spent almost a year straight there.” Davidson held several different positions with various companies during his years in Antarctica, but it was his passion for adventure that first led him there... and who he knew. He first learned about opportunities in Antarctica through two of his friends who had met several Antarctic workers while vacationing in New Zealand. “Both of my friends applied and started working in Antarctica, and I applied a couple of years after that.” Davidson worked primarily at McMurdo Station, the largest on the continent, located about a thousand miles south and west of Palmer, though he also worked stints elsewhere, including at Palmer Station and at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, near the middle of the continent. While in Antarctica he met Pam Aunan, a Sandpoint resident who told him about her home. Looking for a place to settle down, Davidson was intrigued by the small mountain community, and moved here. Davidson’s time in the Antarctic coincided with a boom in Sandpoint area residents working at the “bottom” of the world. Among those was Sharon Lewis. Lewis spent almost two decades working in Antarctica for the National Science Foundation providing logistical support to the science crews working there, primarily teams working on studying and documenting climate change. “I was blown away to discover there was an opportunity for non-scientists to work there,” she said. “I went down as a General Assistant, which is the bottom rung of the ladder, assisting in any type

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: MATT DAVIDSON AT A SPOT NEAR MCMURDO STATION; KAYAKING NEAR AN ICEBERG. PHOTO BY MAX ZUBERBUHLER; SHARON LEWIS WITH PENGUINS; MEGAN ROBERTS ON THE PROW OF A SMALL RESEARCH BOAT, PREPPING TO BE DROPPED OFF AT A RESEARCH SITE; THIS SIGN AT PALMER STATION HELPS NEWCOMERS ORIENT THEMSELVES TO THE CONTINENT. PHOTO BY HANNAH JAMES. JIM, SIERRA, AND MAX ZUBERBUHLER ON A VISIT TO THE ANTARCTIC; HANNAH JAMES PREPPING AN OUTDOOR SEAWATER AQUARIUM LINE FOR A GROUP OF SCIENTISTS ON THE OUTDOOR AQUARIUM DECK. PHOTO BY KERI NELSON. ALL OTHER PHOTOS COURTESY PHOTOS.

of work that needed it.” Eventually she graduated up the ladder into providing logistical support for deep field camps—those adventurous researchers who pitch a tent deep within the continent, far from most support services, in order to undertake their research. “It was such a privilege to be able to work there when I did,” she said. “We were around these world-class scientists doing such cutting-edge work. Every week there would be a lecture, when scientists shared what they were learning.” That work on climate change, she said, is what she now sees playing out today in the real world. “We saw the problem but didn’t address it,” she said. “I can remember the scientists’ concern. So now, [seeing it play out], it makes me sad, it scares me, but it doesn’t surprise me. It’s hard to talk about Antarctica without talking about climate change,” she added. Lewis, like Davidson, learned about Sandpoint from workers in Antarctica. She bought a house here and then spent much of her adult life living in perpetual summer: northern hemisphere summers in Idaho, and southern hemisphere summers on the southern continent, where “if the temperature reaches freezing, it’s an unprecedented, balmy day.” She did spend a few seasons working in Antarctica’s winter, including a memorable few months camping at one of those deep field stations, sleeping in a tent. “I learned that being that cold really wasn’t for me,” she said. But the stars! “The Aurora Australis and the stars—they were absolutely stunning.” Working there isn’t the only way to see Antarctica, of course. If it is an adventurous vacation you desire, Jim Zuberbuhler of Sandpoint shares that it is a once-in-a-lifetime trip. He recently visited there with his children, Max and Sierra. The trio spent three weeks traveling on a small expeditionstyle ship that visited the Falkland Islands, South Georgia Island, Elephant Island, and the Antarctic Peninsula. Zuberbuhler said they were all struck by the sense of remoteness in the Antarctic; a highlight was the opportunity to backcountry ski on the Antarctic Peninsula, which took them past a colony of Gentoo penguins. “Our first few days of the ski season in Antarctica were very different than the usual early season runs at Schweitzer Mountain,” he said. They also enjoyed the King penguin colonies at St. Andrew’s Bay on South Georgia Island. “One somewhat stormy day we spent hours hiking in and around hundreds of thousands of King penguins, a truly surreal experience,” said Zuberbuhler. They kayaked regularly throughout their journey, often among icebergs and near calving glaciers while witnessing seals, birds, and other wildlife. He said his family hopes to make another polar expedition in the future. If they visit again, they may well run into some people from home. If you’d like to learn more about non-scientific jobs in the Antarctic, visit the United States Antarctic program at www. usap.gov/jobsandopportunities SandpointMagazine.com SANDPOINT M A G A Z I N E

WINTER RAPTOR Ramblings

... and an abundance of birds

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by Brian P. Baxter

A NORTHERN HARRIER SOARED HIGH OVERHEAD. PHOTO BY RANDY BEACHAM.

ine days. About 1,400 miles round trip. Four friends. It was challenging, interesting, humbling, educational, and fun. I called it The Big Loop, a winter raptor ramble undertaken in the winter of 2022-2023. We visited about 14 of the best sites for winter birding in western Montana, northern Idaho, and southeast British Columbia. The weather was brutal for the first three quarters of the journey, but we had some great highlights. On our first day a Rough-legged hawk flew directly over us, a good start to a long trip. Rough-legged hawks are a winter migrant, identified by dark wrist patches, belly band, and a black terminal band tail with white outer edging. The next day we spotted a pugnacious Merlin, a small falcon who pursues prey birds in a low, fast flight, and often attacks from below. We also spotted a lone wolf that day. On day three we watched a Red-tailed hawk dive off a perch and capture a field mouse. At the next field site we saw a pair of Northern Harriers cooperatively hunting. Their dish shaped face, similar to an owl’s, helps them funnel sound and once prey is located, they hover over it before diving in for the kill. We were lucky to view a beautiful pair of Trumpeter swans, and an added bonus were three otters fishing, sliding, and playing. Our next highlight was a Northern Shrike. This robin-sized hunter kills more mice and small birds than it can eat, impaling prey on a thorn or wedging it in a forked twig. When hungry again, it feeds from its stash. The noble Golden eagle then made an appearance for us. He was soaring up on thermals, scanning the ground for small mammalian prey. Then we spotted a Cooper’s hawk, a slender, long tailed Accipiter, in a perch and pounce hunting position. As we began to wrap up our journey, our exhausted group of five feather-loving friends saw a Snow Bunting. These birds nest on the high arctic tundra and are a long distance migrant. In the last hour of our trip, we were privileged to identify a Harlan’s hawk, a special treat to find. We had to put our identification skills to the test on this raptor, as they are a somewhat uncommon visiting hawk similar to a Red-tail. Winter birders are a different sort of human avian observer. They’re motivated by a variety of reasons, some of which include beating the winter blues, enjoying birding while fewer birders are out, appreciating the stunning, snow-covered landscapes of the Inland Northwest on brilliantly sunny blue sky days, spending time with outdoorsy friends, and for many, enjoying the solitude that winter offers while pursuing the study of the behavior and survival techniques of raptors, waterfowl, woodpeckers, shorebirds, and songbirds. Many of those of us who focus on the class of birds known as raptors, or birds of prey, also seem to love the challenges of man/woman versus nature, in sometimes harsh weather conditions, often difficult terrain, and through tough modes of travel. There can be a warm surge of satisfaction when, after hours or days of pursuing sightings of the feathered tribes who not only look intimidating, but make their living by killing, they are spotted swooping from perches, or performing acrobatic aerial attacks from above or below their prey. If indeed they are successful, all grows quiet and there is no cold. Generally underestimated for their tenaciously enduring pursuit of a favorite winter recreational activity, of which wildlife photographers deserve ultimate credit, winter birders quickly discover all is not a battle all of the time, and there are many advantages to this birdwatching season. There is potential to see resident, irruptive, mini-migrating and major migration pattern birds. Vegetation has fallen off most deSandpointMagazine.com SANDPOINT M A G A Z I N E

features bird watch in g

PHOTO TOP: A ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK PERCHES ATOP A SNOWY BRANCH. PHOTO BY RANDY BEACHAM. ABOVE: A RED-TAILED HAWK WITH FIELD MOUSE IN TALONS. PHOTO BY MILES SCHUMAN.

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ciduous trees and shrubs, which can aid birders to more clearly see size, shape, and identifying features. Birds may be congregated in fewer places as food sources are limited more so than in other seasons, and often prey species of birds and small mammals might be feeding in agricultural fields on roadside edges. Examining tree crowns, snags, power poles, and fence posts can reveal the hunters looking for opportunities. With many lakes frozen over, and some partially frozen, there is only so much area of open water, and these are good places to study and scope out carefully for those raptors that prey on waterfowl, such as Bald eagles and Peregrine falcons. Matching habitat to the species you are looking to spot is always important, although there is a bit of flexibility here during any migration season. Using the cover to conceal oneself, wearing camouflage patterns or at least natural colors, being quiet, not making any quick movements, and turning on all your powers of observation will aid determined birders to score more sightings. The serious raptor rambler will follow the lead of ornithologists and try to memorize both overhead flight silhouettes (found at the National Audubon Society), and the underside view of identifying features of feathers (see examples at Montana Outdoors), as well as “Sibley Birds West Field Guide,” but even these excellent learning aids cannot cover all the male/female; juvenile versus adult; and numerous dark, medium, and light phase differences. They surely can help greatly in breaking down identification into subgroups and clarify particular feathers, which make it less difficult to make an educated attempt at identification. And those attempts are not always easy in the field unless you’re lucky enough to get a still, perched view or see a raptor flying directly overhead. But the more trips to the field, the better one will get. Winter birding spots abound, and even if we don’t see every bird we want,

ABOVE: BAXTER’S SPOTTING SCOPE SET UP IN THE NINEPIPE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, MONTANA. PHOTO BY BRIAN BAXTER. RIGHT: BRIAN BAXTER, KATHY SIKOSKI, GREG ANDERSON, AND RAY KELLMAN GLASS FOR GOLDEN EAGLES AND OTHER RAPTORS AT THE BISON RANGE AT MOIESE, MONTANA, WITH THE MISSION MOUNTAINS IN THE BACKGROUND. PHOTO BY KATE SCHULZE.

we can enjoy the experience. Particularly when winter weather makes us work for the encounter, even if it’s just outside our own back door.

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features

and still

WE RIDE

For 60 years, since a consortium of locals and the family of the late Jim Brown started the ski basin, the Schweitzer experience has been one of new stuff by Sandy Compton

he only constant in the universe is change. For 60 years, the Schweitzer experience has been one of new stuff. From a mile-long double Riblet and a couple of T-bars in 1963 to the present array of nine lifts has been a continuous cascade of innovation to make riding on snow—and mountain bikes— more accessible. In recent history, the remodel of Colburn Basin replaced one grand old lift with two grand new lifts. Many a trip down the Great Divide in December of 2019 was interrupted by a stop-and-gape pause at the top of Whiplash. Where once were impenetrable patches of larch and subalpine fir was a whole new world of gladed steeps that had been hiding under the forest. Early that season, former long-time Schweitzer marketing person Dig Chismer confessed, “I’ve been skiing here for ten years, and I got lost!” But a bunch of new terrain got found. The Great Escape Quad was the last big change of the 20th century. A decade-plus after it came on line, under

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Harbor ownership, six-passenger Stella replaced Chair Five. A bit later, the Idyll Hour T-Bar—a master stroke of maximized lift placement—opened the formerly hardto-hike-to playground between Little Blue Ridge and the original Chair 6 lift line. Once upon a time, a good skier or boarder could work their way down that crease in the timber in the back bowl, but no more. Alder has stolen it away. But there are many new places to carve. Shortly after the Idyll Hour arrived, Chair One departed, another two-for-one exchange—the original double Riblet for a quad and a triple. And, now, Chair Two has been retired. Not all remember Musical Chairs as Chair Two, but some learned to ski on the old double when it was installed where the NASTAR course is now. It changed names and positions on the mountain, faithfully feeding arrivals from the Fall Line and Gateway parking lots into the village for over three decades. It gave beginners a chance to learn in friendly terrain, plus a great view of where they would go

IZZY APPL DROPS INTO ONE OF HER FAVORITE LITTLE CHUTES ON A GLORIOUS LATE WINTER DAY. PHOTO BY WOODS WHEATCROFT.

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features A n ew m ou n tai n

RENDERING SHOWS THE NEW SCHWEITZER CREEK VILLAGE ARRIVAL AREA WITH AN EXTENDED MUSICAL CHAIRS LIFT AND NEW RUNS DOWN TO THE VILLAGE FROM LOWER LOOPHOLE AND CAT TRACK.

as skills matured. As the first of the next big steps at Schweitzer, Musical Chairs has given way to a new transport for neophytes and new arrivals. Admittedly, the replacement will allow less time to enjoy the view, but it will also be less likely to leave riders hanging for mechanical reasons. Ski lifts get old and cranky, too. For this season, Schweitzer guests will still park in the Gateway and Fall Line lots—Fall Line has grown a bit—but they will ride to the village on the Creekside Express. This Leitner-Palma detachable quad—capacity, 2,400 riders per hour—has a landing area north of the old Musical Chairs unload. It will be a skosh easier to push to the Great Escape and Basin Express from the new arrival ramp. Bonus: skiers waiting to ride to the Village on ultrabusy days will probably not stretch a hundred yards up the hill. New skiers and boarders will have more practice area and less harrowing load and unload experiences. Chairs slow significantly at both upper and lower ends. This will also allow folks on foot to ride more safely. No more running down the off-ramp. The wait and ride might be shorter time wise, but it will be a longer trip geographically, with more vertical. The new terminal is a few hundred yards below the Musical Chairs load. Approach includes a bridge across Schweitzer Creek. To assure dependable early-season access, snow-making equipment has been expanded into the new area. The Creekside Express is the first phase of the Schweitzer

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Creek Village project, a big step toward solving the mountain’s parking challenges and the lunch crush in food venues. The completed Village will have 1,400 parking spaces, a day lodge, guest services and—eventually—a lift that rises to the Downthe-Hatch saddle for immediate access to Colburn Basin. For those who’ve loved and ridden Schweitzer in both the 20th and 21st centuries, it’s good news that Sunnyside, née Chair Four, will remain in place for the foreseeable future. Can I get an “amen” on that? We will still have a place to rest our weary legs.

ALTERRA BUYS SCHWEITZER

This could qualify as the Bonner County headline of 2023. Talk about change. The sale of the resort operation and associated acreage by MKM Trust closed in late summer. MKM, who owned the resort for 18 years, retains the real estate development operation. Alterra Mountain Company is the new owner of the Schweitzer summer and winter recreation facilities. Alterra owns some of the best snow riding in North America: Schweitzer (of course) plus other legendary spots including Steamboat, Mammoth, Sugarbush, Deer Valley, Solitude, and CMH Heli-Skiing & Summer Adventures in British Columbia. Alterra also developed the Ikon pass, which gives holders opportunity to ski and board world-wide. Want to ski in Japan, Andorra, or New Zealand? Get an Ikon pass.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: SCHALPENHAUS, SCHWEITZER’S EMPLOYEE HOUSING COMPLEX, IS NOW OPEN FOR RENTERS. INSTALLING THE NEW CREEKSIDE EXPRESS. SKIIERS WILL FIND RELAXATION AT CAMBIUM SPA. GREAT VIEWS ABOUND FROM SCHWEITZER’S CREEKSIDE EXPRESS LIFT. COURTESY PHOTOS.

Just scratching the surface here. There’s no room to include the complete lists. For the time being, things stay the same—sort of. Schweitzer management and staff policies remain the same. Season pass holders have the same perks and opportunities as they did under old ownership. Buses will still run from the Red Barn. Lifts will still carry riders to great places to ride. Employees, though, get a significant uptick. Schweitzer Guest Services Manager Matt Bradford revealed in his fall recruiting email, “Each employee, part time or full time, will have an Alterra Mountain Company Pass,” which means access to all Alterra resorts. Hopefully, this revelation will not crash the Schweitzer employment site. In Schweitzer CEO Tom Chasse’s June 1 message to the Schweitzer community, he wrote, “Alterra intends to keep the entire Schweitzer team in place and is committed to retaining our mission, values, brand, and our unique and funky culture.” Yeah. “Funky!” Lifties still hoist the skull and crossbones. The Outback is still the last, best outpost. Siberia still freezes folks seeking that next turn. We still occasionally ski in the rain—and brag about it.

Meanwhile, in lower regions, the 84-unit Schweitzer employee housing complex in Ponderay—dubbed Schralpenhaus— is complete; and plans for additional apartments to be built next door are moving forward. Schweitzer employees have first priority and will be able to rent these units for significantly less than the local market price. Any units not taken by employees will be offered to others. Back on the mountain, the Cambium Spa enters its first full season on the mountain this year, next to the newish Humbird Hotel. Cambium offers chances to wind down after or rev up before shredding. The spa has some new-fangled opportunities like halo infrared therapy and sound loungers, but best—I think—are the old-fashioned, hands-on massages available. Some things might best be left unchanged, right? It’s another season of change on the mountain, with more to come. Some personal “stashes” have been lost, but there are more to be found. Alterra is not the first new owner Schweitzer has had, and still we slide. Under all the change, there is a thread of constancy. The mountain will remain. Snow will fall. The lifts will turn and those who love to ride will ride. SandpointMagazine.com SANDPOINT M A G A Z I N E

When It All Comes Crashing Down 78

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Be avalanche aware

by Renee Sande

inter recreation in the Pacific Northwest not only means getting to play in the beautiful, snowy conditions we’re so lucky to have in our neck of the woods, but also knowing how to play it safe. Dozens of people die in avalanches each year, but there are tips and tricks to reduce your risk. Avalanche danger is highest in the back country, but avalanches can and do happen on ski runs as well, like the deadly Silver Mountain avalanche of January 2020: a sobering event that killed three skiers and injured four, reminding us that even with the best avalanche mitigation team working to make the mountain safe, Mother Nature sometimes has a mind of her own. “The best way for winter recreationists to avoid triggering or getting caught in an avalanche is to get educated,” said Ben Bernall, avalanche specialist for the Kootenai National Forest under the umbrella of Idaho Panhandle Avalanche Center, which provides avalanche education. In addition, the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation offers free avalanche safety and companion rescue courses. These classes are critical for those seeking to ski, snowshoe, snowmobile, or otherwise recreate in our winter mountains. Staying on top of the current conditions before you head out, and being prepared with the proper gear, is key, said Bernall. “There is tons of information [on the IPAC website] updated at regular intervals during the winter months. If you’re going into the mountains, that’s a great place to gather the most current intel on avoiding avalanches.” Being prepared with the basics—a beacon, a shovel and a probe—and knowing how to use them is key. An airbag pack, that inflates at the pull of a handle, is also a good tool to have. It will keep you closer to the surface of the slide and offer protection against blunt force trauma. This is especially critical if you venture into the back country alone … which is not recommended. If you have no travel companion, make sure that people know your planned route into the mountains and don’t deviate from it. There is also special technology now built into ski gear, such as Recco detectors. Similar in theory to sonar, Recco detectors emit directional signals that respond to accompanying reflectors which are typically sewn into ski jackets or other ski accessories. A reflector will send a return signal to searchers which is then translated into an audio tone on the detector, providing directional and distance cues to a trained rescuer. However, if you really want to play it safe and aren’t geared up, Bernall suggests being prudent about where you choose to recreate. “If you want to avoid avalanches, simply avoid traveling on or below terrain steeper than 30 degrees.”

RESOURCES Resources to reduce avalanche risk:

• Know Before You Go - www.kbyg.org • Idaho Panhandle National Avalanche Center (208) 765-7323, www.idahopanhandleavalanche.org

• Payette National Forest Avalanche Center (208) 634-0409, www.payetteavalanche.org • www.avalanche.org

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photo essay This is us...our winter vibe

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FACING PAGE: NICOLE BLACK DOING A LITTLE SNAG CLIMBING WHILE IZZY APPL JOINS FOR EMOTIONAL AND VISUAL SUPPORT OUT IN SCHWEITZER SIDECOUNTRY. PHOTO BY WOODS WHEATCROFT. ABOVE: SLEDDERS CATCH SOME AIR AT PINE STREET WOODS. PHOTO BY FIONA HICKS. LEFT: BRIETTA LEADER AND SUZANNE WALDRUP TAKING THE CRUISERS OUT FOR A WINTER RIDE IN SANDPOINT’S GRANARY DISTRICT. PHOTO BY BY WOODS WHEATCROFT.

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photo essay This is us...our winter vibe

TOP: CHARLES MORTONSON LOADS UP THE “FATTIES” AFTER A SNOWY RIDE AT PINE STREET WOODS. PHOTO BY DOUG MARSHALL. RIGHT: WHEN THE ICE IS RIGHT, IT’S TIME FOR SOME HOCKEY AT SUNNYSIDE. PHOTO BY FIONA HICKS.

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Quality doesn’t cost. It pays!

Building at Schweitzer and the Sandpoint area for over 30 years

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REX LYTLE CHOSE A BLUE ROMA QUARTZITE FOR THIS FIREPLACE BUILT BY DANA CONSTRUCTION. STONE WILL RETAIN HEAT WITHOUT OVERHEATING, AND THEN RE-RADIATE THAT HEAT WHEN THE FIRE IS GONE. COURTESY PHOTO.

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Say it in

Stone NATURAL AND ENGINEERED STONE PRIZED FOR ITS DURABILITY

by Pam Webb hroughout time industries and artists have utilized natural stone for exterior use for buildings, statues, and landscapes. However, natural stone is also effectively and artistically found as an interior design

resource. For thousands of years marble has been the stone of choice for beautiful interiors; however, granite and other materials have gained a more prominent place in building and, due to its flexibility, it can be utilized in many ways. Brooke Stebbins of Monarch Marble and Granite affirms this. “Granite and quartz (also known as engineered stone) are the most popular materials used for countertops. They each have unique advantages and differences, but both are extremely durable and low maintenance, making them the “go to” options for countertops, showers, and more.” John Dana of Dana Construction has worked with stone over the years in a variety of projects. He sees granite as a desirable building material. “The number of colors and styles are virtually endless—the product of nature on true stone gives an absolutely stunning appearance. It is low maintenance and will last a lifetime.” He sees the use of stone going beyond kitchen countertops in higher end and custom homes, showing up in shower walls, fireplaces, and full height kitchen backsplashes. Another building material of consideration is quartz. According to Dana it has come a long way in the past ten years. “They have perfected the manufacturing process enough that they are able to replicate a lot of natural stones and quartz is much more user friendly for the owner in a countertop mate-

rial. The surface is so smooth that it cleans easily and does not require sealing of the surface periodically like granite or marble does.” Quartz does have one important concern, Stebbins shared. “You should never put a hot pan on quartz, but it is highly stain and scratch resistant due to its density. Quartz consists of 90 to 93 percent natural quartz, which is one of the Earth’s hardest minerals. Since the slabs are manufactured, we can rely on them being consistent visually—the samples match the slabs. Therefore, viewing the slabs in person is not necessary, as long as you view a photo of the entire slab so you know what the overall design looks like.” From a homeowner’s perspective stone is a definite choice of consideration. Rex Lytle was very pleased with the fireplace John Dana installed. “We chose this stone [blue roma quartzite] because we had seen similar stones used on fireplaces in the Lodge at Sun Valley and also in the retreat at Seasons [condominiums] here in Sandpoint. The hearth is one single stone. The completed project is beyond our expectations. We have received compliments about the fireplace being awesome, elegant, and beautiful.” Stebbins said other choices are available for building needs as well, such as quartzite and sintered stone. “Quartzite is a natural stone, just as granite is, and does require sealing. It is beautiful, very durable, extremely hard, and yet has a softer appearance than most granite varieties. Visually it is closer to marble, but light years more durable. Sintered stone (Dekton is an example) is a manufactured product. It is a combination of SandpointMagazine.com SANDPOINT M A G A Z I N E

“

real estate say it in stone

The number of colors and style is virtually endless—the product of nature on true stone gives an absolutely stunning appearance

ABOVE: BROOKE STEBBINS, OF MONARCH MARBLE AND GRANITE, HELPS BUYERS CHOOSE FROM A WIDE VARIETY OF STONE AND ENGINEERED PRODUCTS FOR THEIR HOME. PHOTO BY MISTY GRAGE.

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quartz, glass, and porcelain. It is perfectly suited to outdoor use as it is not affected by UV light or freeze/thaw patterns.” When contemplating the materials available for building projects, it’s important to consider use, overall desired effect, location, and budget. Marble, granite, and quartz each have their own qualities and idiosyncrasies. It is essential to leave no stone unturned before coming to a final decision when it comes to creating a perfect centerpiece to your home project.

Is it really granite? Probably not Stop by any stone yard selling slabs of stone for countertops and you're likely to be shown a lot of granite. But a surprising amount of what you see may not actually be granite at all. No, this is not some type of bait and switch that stone sellers are trying to pull on an unknowing buyer; it's only that most stone dealers are not geologists. In geology, granite denotes a specific type of rock. In the field, “granite” refers to a natural stone that contains a mixture of 20 to 30 percent quartz, and 40 to 60 percent of the potassium- and sodium-rich feldspars, which gives it a light color ranging from white, to salmon pink, to a dark pinkish brown. “Any other colors are not granite,” explained professor Bill Richards, who leads North Idaho College's department of Geoscience. “Other rocks sold as granite are generally igneous rocks containing the darker, calcium-rich feldspars.” They all, however, offer the same virtues of durability and heatresistance to the home builder. And those gorgeous slabs featuring swirling bands of color? Again, “not granite,” Richards said. Richards saw this name confusion 30 years ago when he was building his own home in North Idaho, and it holds true for quartz, as well. “You're never going to find quartz that big,” he said. “Quartz countertops are generally crushed quartz mixed in a resin.” This mis-naming, he explained, “has been around for a long time.” It's so prevalent that “it actually comes up in our Physical Geology class every semester!” So what does a geologist choose as a countertop surface? “I ended up buying a beautiful piece of metamorphic rock nicely banded in black and white,” he said. The store that sold it to him called it granite; the professor doesn't make that mistake.

–Trish Gannon WI N T E R 2 0 2 4

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A STEEL-CLAD

dream

THE FIFTH AND CEDAR CONDOS RISE LIKE A SHIP EMERGING FROM THE WAVES AT A DOWNTOWN CORNER. COURTESY PHOTO.

NEW CONDOS AT FIFTH AND CEDAR by Soncirey Mitchell

here’s a new addition to Sandpoint’s skyline: the 5th and Cedar development. Nestled alongside the Granary Arts District, the stunning cantilevered design looks like a work of modern art as it balances on the first and smallest floor, growing bigger the higher it climbs. This unique shape blends seamlessly with its industrial, mountain-resort style and ensures that the building will be a landmark in the city for years to come. When local developers Kellee and Rob Daugherty saw the lot, they knew it was the perfect opportunity to bring value to their community. “We wanted to build something that looks like it belongs in Sandpoint, not Miami,” said Rob. They knew that Boden Architecture, headed by Tim Boden, was the perfect Sandpoint-based firm for the job. Boden’s distinctive style can be seen everywhere from the top of Schweitzer to the banks of Sand Creek. Fifth and Cedar fills a growing desire for mixed-use buildings that combine residential and commercial spaces. The second and third floors house three luxury condos each, while the ground floor functions as Tomlinson Sotheby’s International Realty’s new office. “It’s easy living,” said Kellee. “You can walk to work or make dinner at home then go get ice cream. It really unlocks the charm of our town and keeps us connected,

which I love. I think people want more of that.” The Daughertys feel that visible downtown developments are a great responsibility, and so they wanted the design to combine beauty and practicality. “[Our] fastest growing population is people 65 and older,” said Kellee. For this reason, they ensured that the condos could be adapted to accommodate multiple disabilities, with Condo A being specifically designed for people with visual, hearing, and mobility impairments in mind. “We don’t have a lot of facilities for people who might need a place to stay with accommodations.” One of Rob’s favorite elements is the weathering steel they used for the siding. As the building ages, the steel will develop a rust-like patina—reminiscent of the historic granary building—that requires minimal upkeep. The duo also anticipated the needs of future residents by outlining plenty of parking spaces, improving walkability, and adding a roof-top terrace with a hot tub to take in the mountain and city views. The space is wildly popular with its newest tenants, including Sotheby’s Operations Manager Keeley Walker. “We absolutely love the sunshine and the brightness of the office,” she said, referencing the building’s expansive windows. “It’s way more interactive—and now we get [visited by] double the dogs!”

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‘BLUE NECKLACE’ DOWNTOWN DESIGN CALLS FOR WATER FOCUS by Trish Gannon

he drive across the Long Bridge, with its 1.76 mile expanse of water to cross on the approach to Sandpoint, offers a promise about our town that’s never been quite fulfilled, as once the traveler reaches town, the water disappears. Sandpoint has never managed to actively embrace its spectacular waterfront outside of a massive community effort to build City Beach. Only Scott Glickenhaus had the vision to recognize the opportunity provided by Sand Creek’s meander behind First Avenue, building a structure in the ’80s—the Cedar Street Bridge—that spanned it and welcomed the water into the downtown core. Though a walking path was built on its eastern side when the bypass was built, the view to the west highlights the neglected service and delivery entrances of downtown commercial buildings. Sandpoint literally turned its back on the water. That may change, with an ambitious, 20-year downtown design project that seeks to embrace the water in a concept called “the blue necklace,” presented by GGLO+Bernardo Wills, winners of Sandpoint’s recent design competition that sought input on development in downtown. The plan (Don Stastny, a design planner who oversaw the project, said it’s more of a framework than a plan) covers a wide

variety of projects that could transform the downtown experience, ranging from improvements to make Sand Creek an integral part of the town to ideas regarding workforce housing. It also addresses many of the community’s concerns about the preservation and use of downtown spaces, from an expansion of the historic district, to increased parking, to the construction of new buildings and how they fit into the current architectural landscape. Some highlights from the report include: • A visual iteration of the blue necklace concept by utilizing camas flowers in the spring and blue lighting (as is used on the byway near the southern entrance to town) to mark a path from City Beach, down Sand Creek, and out to the Granary District via Farmin Park. • Expanded downtown parking to include a parking structure at the current site of the city parking lot. • Native plantings throughout Sand Creek to support the riparian ecosystem while reducing “mud flats” during times of low water levels. • Replacing expansive lawn areas at City Beach (which attract numerous geese) with native plantings that honor the original nature of the area while still allowing for a SandpointMagazine.com SANDPOINT M A G A Z I N E

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variety of public uses. • Placement of the Carousel of Smiles project on the southeast entrance to City Beach, where the Lakeside Motel once stood. • Improved bicycle and pedestrian access from the Granary District all the way to City Beach, offering children a safer way to reach this desired amenity. • Creating an event corridor along Oak/Main streets that allows for further expansion of downtown events like Farmers’ Market and the Arts and Crafts Fair, and further tying Farmin Park to both Sand Creek and to the Granary District. • Expanding the current boundaries of the downtown historic district, and drafting design guidelines for developers to meet (including height limits) when constructing new buildings or renovating older ones that ensure the continuity of architecture downtown. • In a public/private partnership, the construction of a new public plaza facing Sand Creek, stretching from the Cedar Street Bridge down First Avenue. • Increasing year-round use of the waterfront with amenities such as an ice ribbon for skating at City Beach, and the ability for light shows along Sand Creek. The written plan proposal, expansive in its visioning, nonetheless incorporates solutions to many ongoing concerns in the community about growth downtown, including a call for the city to develop codes or processes that require new construction in the core to “preserve the stately character” of existing building structures and “ensure new development is in keeping with the character and identity that has been built here over the decades.” It tackles current design proposals on private property, and offers recommendations for design adjustments more in keeping with the proposed downtown city plan. It also offers visioning ideas for the Shakapaw building site (formerly Petal

GRAPHIC, PAGE 91: A PUBLIC PLAZA DUBBED THE CEDAR STREET TERRACE WAS DESIGNED IN CONJUNCTION WITH CURRENT PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS WHO ARE OPEN TO PROVIDING PUBLIC SPACE IN THE LOCATION. ABOVE: THE PLAN ENVISIONS LOCATION OF THE CAROUSEL ALONG SAND CREEK, PLUS RESTRUCTURING OF THE FAILING BRIDGE STREET BRIDGE. RENDERINGS BY GGLO+BERNADO WILLS

Talk) on Cedar Street, the parking garage at the city parking lot, and suggestions for the hotel slated to replace the Edgewater. Along with the potential parking garage, these proposed private property developments will likely have an oversized impact on how downtown looks in the future. The city’s input into the process, it was emphasized, must be determined sooner rather than later. In conjunction with the city’s multimodal plan, design recommendations also focus on traffic flow through town, suggesting a roundabout at the junction of Superior and First Avenue (discouraging non-essential through truck traffic from moving through the downtown core), incorporating a pedestrian-only zone at the entrance to Bridge Street, re-routing traffic down Pine Street, and, in what’s sure to be a community-pleaser, suggesting the city re-think the Couplet plan that would route truck traffic along the current bike path. It also offers suggestions on the replacement of the bridge crossing Sand Creek on Bridge Street, which is now failing, though that project is still over ten years out. City council is expected to accept and adopt this plan as a framework as this issue goes to press, though they made clear as it was presented to them that many changes are likely to be made. Some particular areas of concern for council mem-

bers, where they anticipated more work to be done, included parking and boat parking at City Beach, location of the parking structure, possible rerouting of the Bridge Street bridge and what it will look like, and stormwater management. Given the proposed developments already in the works along most of the 200 block of First Avenue (from Zero Point next to the Panida all the way to the current large “holes in the ground” at First and Bridge, where buildings were destroyed by fire), council indicated they want design guidelines in place as soon as possible (to include height restrictions); interest was also expressed in accepting the location for the Carousel of Smiles on the Sand Creek side of the entrance to City Beach to enable that project, which has potential funders, to move forward. A chastened city council, surprised by community backlash to planned improvements at Travers Park, emphasized the need for full public involvement in determining details as the plan moves forward. Gills, in his presentation to the city, pointed out “By no means are we going from this plan to implementation today.” If accepted by council, that’s when the real work will begin. The full report on proposed changes is available at www.sptmag.com/downtowndesign. You can follow the plan’s progress on the city’s website, or on Facebook at #CityofSandpoint. SandpointMagazine.com SANDPOINT M A G A Z I N E

real estate N ell S h ipman’s Cab i n

HISTORY FOR SALE? MAYBE NOT... BUT A BUYER CAN DREAM

PRIEST LAKE 1912. PHOTO COURTESY NELL SHIPMAN’S CABIN, 8. UNIVERSITY 01-4 7 PG1 HS, RAP TOG MUSEUM ASSOCIATION PHO HIVES. ARC AND NS TIO LEC L COL OF IDAHO LIBRARY SPECIA

by Renée Sande

isten closely to the sounds of Priest Lake and you can almost hear its rich history swirling around you in the southwest winds sweeping in off the water; listen closer and you may even hear a faint “roll camera” or “that’s a wrap.” At the lake’s north end you’ll see Shipman Point, named after famed silent-screen star, Nell Shipman, who brought her movie-production company to the shores of Priest Lake in the early 1920s, looking for a more authentic movie-making experience than Hollywood could offer; close by you’ll see what some say is the cabin she lived in. The 1-bed, 1-bath 732-squarefoot cabin, which was recently up for sale for $1.2 million, is currently off the market. While it’s been said that the cabin Shipman built—called “The Priest Lake People's Theater”— burnt to the ground in the 1930s, images show there was more than one cabin built to house her production team at her “movie camp” of four years, named Lionhead Lodge. “There are rumors that a resident moved some of the cabins from the east side of the lake to the west side,” said Carlos Landa, president of the Priest Lake Museum. “There’s no proof the cabin [for sale] belonged to Nell,” he added. “But it very well could have; the museum just hasn't researched that info.” With the actual disposition of Shipman's lodge lost in the mists of time, any old cabin in the area holds the potential of

SANDPOINT M A G A Z I N E

SHIPMAN WITH ONE OF HER TA ME BEARS. PHOT COURTESY PRIES O T LAKE MUSEUM .

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being a part of that history. The museum features a permanent Nell Shipman display, and this summer celebrated the 100th anniversary of the iconic Canadian-American actress’ release of “The Grub-Stake,” which she wrote, produced, co-directed, and starred in. “She was quite the lady,” Landa said. “We here in Priest Lake are quite proud of our Nell.” By 1915, Shipman had become one of Hollywood’s most influential women, writing and starring in one of the most successful silent Canadian films of all time—“God’s Country and the Women.” Truly a pioneer, she was a feminist, environmentalist, and devoted animals’ rights activist when few understood what any of those terms meant. “Did you ever come to a place and instantly recognize it as…the one spot in all God’s world where you belonged?” wrote Shipman in her autobiography, “The Silent Screen & My Talking Heart.” “... such a spot, so it seemed to me,” she stated, “was Priest Lake in Idaho.” Unfortunately, by 1925, a changing film industry had created financial strain on Shipman’s company that she couldn’t overcome; she sadly left Idaho and never returned. However, in her autobiography written shortly before her death in 1970, she remembered Priest Lake as the place where she achieved her artistic ideals while being true to her independent spirit.

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Map Keeping an eye on the

WITH WATCHDOG GROUPS, PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT IN LAND USE DECISIONS IS AT AN ALL-TIME HIGH by Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey

uild it and they will come. Or, in the case of development proposals, submit an application to build it, and they will come to the public hearing to ask questions and ensure land use code is being closely followed—“they” being land use watchdog groups. One such group is the nonprofit Project 7B, which uses public outreach to encourage citizen understanding and involvement in local land use decisions at both the county and city levels. “People of all political persuasions want to have a say in what the county physically looks like, so our goal is to give them tools to do that,” said Katie Botkin, coordinator for Project 7B. Project 7B officially launched in 2016 when a bipartisan group took issue with aspects of county land use code—in particular, a policy which allowed administrative approval of land divisions, overriding the typical process of notifying neighbors and holding a public hearing. Since then, Project 7B has been a vocal proponent of land use laws that prioritize more scrutiny and call for fewer decisions that only consider the needs of developers. “Zoning standards sound boring, but they're actually quite important in a county like ours,” Botkin said, “so the board was inspired to try to get the word out to the public about how to get involved in the planning process.” SandpointMagazine.com SANDPOINT M A G A Z I N E

real estate lan d us e

PHOTOS, PREVIOUS PAGE AND ABOVE: MUCH OF BONNER COUNTY IS STILL A RURAL COUNTRY, AN AESTHETIC MANY LOCALS DON’T WANT TO LOSE. PHOTOS BY LINDA LANTZY.

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As a result, local planning and zoning hearings have seen unprecedented turnout, and developments which previously may have seen approval with minimal pushback are facing questions and concerns that are requiring a closer look at the code and who, exactly, these decisions impact. “Overall, since we started this work several years ago, the awareness and understanding of land use planning issues has increased enormously among the general public,” said Project 7B board member Susan Drumheller. “Land use issues are becoming front and center with the increased pressure of growth, and local elected officials would do well to be conscientious and sensitive to the overwhelming desire of residents to preserve the rural character and quality of life in our county, while making affordability for working families a priority.” Another citizen group that took root in recent years is Keep Bonner County Rural, headed up by Dave and Susan Bowman, which is dedicated to preventing rezones that will increase density. “What rural means to us is that our roads won’t be clogged with traffic; our schools won’t be overcrowded; we won’t run out of water; our natural resources and recreation areas won’t be overburdened; firefighting and law enforcement will be adequate for the population; and that the people can live a quality of life that was what they sought when moving here, whether that was generations ago or recently,” Dave Bowman said. “Our future efforts will be focused on supporting the people of this county who want to fight to keep it rural.” Bowman said KBCR is mostly working in a consultant capacity as of late, providing resources and support for citizens fighting specific developments in their neighborhoods. “We have been mischaracterized by those who favor increased density as wanting to deprive others of their property rights. Nothing could be fur-

ther from the truth,” Bowman said. “We have never advocated for anything other than ensuring that land use decisions honor the rights of neighbors and all citizens of the county.” That sense of a cause larger than one code change or one development rings true for both organizations. “I've always wanted to make the world a better place, and this is a practical way to ensure that my two-year-old doesn't inherit a county that's turned into a sprawling mess,” said Botkin. “I want her to have a clean lake to swim in, clean air to breathe, and wild spaces to play. I want the roads to be safe to drive and bike on. And I want the same for all the rest of the kids, too. I don't just want to protect my own house, which is an easy trap to fall into.” So far, these groups and the residents they inspire have participated in dozens of hours-long hearings and appeals, and can even count some favorable outcomes under their belts. Still, when asked about their victories, the conversation shifts quickly back to what can be done to maintain forward progress. According to Botkin, “It's a victory every time we get someone involved in the land-use process.” Learn more at www.project7B.org and www.keepbonnercountyrural.org, or follow Project 7B on Facebook.

“

local elected officials would do well to be conscientious and sensitive to the overwhelming desire of residents to preserve the rural character and quality of life in our county – Susan Drumheller, Project 7B

SandpointMagazine.com SANDPOINT M A G A Z I N E

real estate new dev elop ment

County's Controversial Development Providence subdivision gets a green light by Zach Hagadone

fter reams of letters to the editor in local papers, thousands of words of testimony, and months spent moving through the processes of local government, Bonner County commissioners approved the 117-lot Providence subdivision on close to 40 acres east of Kootenai. Another subdivision wouldn’t necessarily be big news—especially amid the period of unprecedented growth experienced in the county over the past several years—but the Providence development has landed across a number of political fault lines. The first point of controversy stemmed from its location east of the small city of Kootenai near the existing Seven Sisters subdivision off Providence Road north of Highway 200. Though within Kootenai’s area of city impact, it is not within Kootenai city limits. Leaders there have so far declined to annex the property on which the subdivision will be built, meaning Kootenai wouldn’t serve it with water. Rather, Sandpoint officials promised the developer in a “will-serve” letter that the city would extend its services. That decision ruffled feathers among those who questioned why Sandpoint ratepayers would now be supporting water service to an unincorporated area so far from their own city limits. Meanwhile, neighbors in the Seven Sisters subdivision cried foul over what they expect will be a dramatic increase

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in vehicle traffic on roads that are il-equipped to handle it, as well as worried about the difficulty of ingress and egress for emergency vehicles. In addition, as some testimony pointed out Oct. 2, the site where the Providence development is to be located has hitherto served as a de facto stormwater collection area for Seven Sisters. Finally, some have expressed concerns about the potential impact on local schools, where many of the district’s buildings are already near capacity. “The valid concern from the community is they are then taking on the cost of the development through a failing infrastructure,” said County Commissioner Asia Williams, who voted against approving the development. Commissioners Steve Bradshaw and Luke Omodt voted in favor of the project, having heard from the developers that they will pay $1 million in new user fees into the Kootenai Ponderay Sewer District, widen a road easement to accommodate emergency vehicles, and improve the Providence Road/Highway 200 intersection with lighting and additional turn lanes. “When you guys put conditions on us, we have to follow those conditions if we want to get final plat,” Mike Hammack, the project representative, told commissioners. “[If] we don’t get final plat, we’ve spent all this time and money for nothing.”

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hen the Haymond brothers (Danny, Mark, Peter, and Ben) arrived in Sandpoint, they did what they had always done: built homes as Haymond Brothers Construction. And then did a little more. In partnership with their father, Scott, and after months of research, they opened 95 Express Car Wash in Ponderay, the area's first express tunnel car wash. The family ran projections on population, built a business plan, and researched what it would take to build a car wash. What they came up with is cutting edge—using the newest generation of water reclamation systems. “The typical person washing their car at home is going to use 150 gallons or more of water on the job,” said Ben Haymond, who runs the car wash with his family. “The system installed at the car wash takes the water from the wash, runs it through five settling tanks, and cleans it so it can be used again. Our average water use to wash a car is 20 to 22 gallons,” he said. Located on Highway 95 in Ponderay, the fully automated car wash takes about two-and-one-half minutes to drive through its 134-ft tunnel, with 15 parking stalls featuring free vacuums for those interested in further cleaning. There are three levels of wash to choose from and monthly memberships are available at just a few dollars more than two washes. All washes, by the way, include lollipops for any kiddos in the car, and dog treats for any pups. After an opening weekend on Labor Day that featured free washes and $1 monthly memberships, the business “is doing really well,” said Haymond. “We're really thankful to the community.”

–Trish Gannon

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real estate m ark etwatch MARKET REMAINS TOUGH FOR BUYERS

s winter’s first snows arrive, the Bonner County real estate market is staying warm with the average home price hovering around $766,000 for the first three quarters of the year. Demand remains high and inventories low. Sellers are having to adjust to longer periods on market and price reductions, as high interest rates (as high as 8.6 percent for someone with good credit) continue to limit the buyer pool. “The upward trend in interest rates has drastically affected buyers’ borrowing capacity,” said Lisa Travers, a Realtor with Tomlinson Sotheby’s International Realty and the board president of the Selkirk Association of Realtors. “Current available inventory remains low in our market. People that would normally be in a position to move to a larger home or to a different area, are not doing so because they do not want to trade their low mortgage rate for a much higher one.” Is there blue sky on the horizon? Travers shared that the National Association of Realtors chief economist, Lawrence Yun, expects rates to continue to rise this year, but may reverse course by spring of 2024. That will help with a buyer’s purchasing power, but a low inventory of homes tends to keep prices high. Ongoing projects are coming onto the market, but “Idaho leads the nation in

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population growth from inbound migration, so consumer demand continues to outstrip supply,” Travers said. Home prices are slightly more affordable within Sandpoint city limits than Bonner County at large—but only slightly. “Sandpoint and the immediate surrounding area is, on average, more expensive than some of the outlying communities,” said Travers. “People seeking to maximize their buying power are looking north to Bonners Ferry and west to Priest River.” That, however, leads to other issues. “These communities are seeing an influx of new residents and are facing challenges with infrastructure,” she said. Building a new home is always an option, but the news isn’t that rosy there, either. “Building costs have also come down a bit,” Travers said, “but remain elevated at an average of approximately $350 per square foot. Contractors seem to have a shorter lead time than last year so that is a bright spot.” If you are considering purchasing a home, the advice remains the same: “Make sure to get pre-qualified for a mortgage before starting your search, make a list of wants and needs, work with a knowledgeable Realtor, and have fun with the process.” she said.

- Trish Gannon

Bonner county market trends

Sales data based on information from the Selkirk MLS for the periods indicated. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

$7,000,000

Single Family - Bonner County

$6,000,000

Single Family - Sandpoint City

$5,000,000

Single Family - Bonner County Lakefront

$4,000,000

Bonner County Vacant Land

Average days on market

101

residential properties

$3,000,000 $2,000,000

Expect to pay

$1,000,000

(based on sales November 2022 through September 2023)

$900,000 $800,000

97%

of listing price

$700,000 $600,000

$400,000

Bonner County

$300,000

First two quarters of the year

$500,000

Residential numbers sold

$200,000 $100,000

Sold last year: 276 Sold this year: 222 % Change: -20.0%

$0 er

m ve

ril

em pt

Residential waterfront sold

Single family homes sold by month

Sold last year: 24 Sold this year: 28 % Change: +17%

1m 900 k 800 k 700 k 600 k 500 k 400 k 300 k 200 k 100 k 0 r be

m ve

m ce

r be

y ar nu

ry ua

r Ap

gu Au

Slowest month for sales

January

Busiest month for sales

July

r be

st Se

em pt

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Natives &

Newcomers

story and photos by Marianne Love

his issue’s newcomers traveled the distance to move here from Vietnam and Pennsylvania. Meanwhile, our natives spent their youth just miles apart on Lake Pend Oreille’s north shore. As always, the group represents a blend of diverse life experiences. They also share a deep appreciation for being able to live in North Idaho.

MITZI HAWKINS Native

Will Hawkins once shared advice he had heard from a business consultant with his daughter Mitzi: anyone who could speak Chinese could “write their own ticket for a career.” So, Mitzi, then a University of Idaho student, took “Intro to Chinese,” a move that would change her life. Since the U of I offered only one semester of Chinese, she transferred to the University of Massachusetts Amherst because of its extensive Asian studies program. “Going across the country to a university with more students than Bonner County had residents was a huge step in my personal growth,” she recalled. Hawkins grew up on Sunnyside where her Hawkins ancestors first homesteaded in 1885. As a UMass student, she participated on an exchange to Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, China, shortly after the country opened up to the Western world. “That was another life-changing event,” she said. Hawkins’s Chinese studies led her into the business world, but she has seldom used the language in 40 years as a buyer. Her career began with Wilderness Experience in Southern California “because of this alleged, great Chinese-speaking talent of mine. “The company was just starting to import clothing from China,” she recalled, “but everything I did was via telex. English was the common language. I never ever used a word of Chinese.” SandpointMagazine.com SANDPOINT M AG A Z I N E

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natives & newcomers Later, Hawkins worked for Sun Ice Skiwear in Sandpoint and Seattle and then another Seattle company before returning to Sandpoint. She’s been with Litehouse Foods purchasing department for 15 years. As an active member of Sandpoint Rotary, Hawkins said, “I’m always impressed—make that amazed—at how folks and local businesses step up time and again.” Her interests include hiking ( they have a family goal to reach 50 mountain lakes), traveling, cooking, and walking Lucy, her wire-haired pointing Griffon. “More people recognize me by her than they do just me,” she quipped. Q. Which area resources are most important to you? This great big beautiful lake. It’s what gets us all here. Q. What was Sandpoint like in your “good ol’ days?” Oh gosh, this is such a loaded question. Let’s see, how about: a community-minded, help-your-neighbor, put-politics-aside kind of place. Q. Can you share a snippet from your

family history? Family lore has it that in 1888 pre-President Teddy Roosevelt rented a shack belonging to a family member, Scott Monhart, who was often out of town. Upon returning home unexpectedly, Monhart tried to climb into the bed occupied by Roosevelt. Q. What experiences do you share with visitors? Don’t tell, but Friday-night prime rib at the Klondyke. Great food, even better atmosphere.

GEORGE AGAR

Native

At 86, Kootenai Bay resident George Agar feels a sense of gratitude when reflecting upon his life. “I’m most grateful for parents and teachers who taught me to be honest, hardworking, and kind to others,” said the retired U.S. Forest Service geologist/ surveyor. He’s also grateful for his wife Margaret for 64 “glorious” years and for their three daughters Cheri, Elisabeth, and

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Jennifer. George and Margaret’s Ponder Point home sits on property which, during his childhood, served as the Agar dairy farm. “They were milking about 30 head of cows,” he recalled. “Life revolved around the 7– to 12–hour days necessary to make a small family operation like that successful.” Summer recreation for neighborhood kids in those days included swimming in the lake from driftwood rafts or chasing each other with homemade pistols made from wood scraps and knotted inner tubes. After graduating from Kootenai Elementary and SHS, Agar worked his way through the University of Idaho. Upon graduation and marriage, he began his career at the USFS Missoula regional office, tackling mining-related assignments. In 1963, his dream job with Kaniksu National Forest Service engineers brought the Agars back to Sandpoint, where he began building a home. Margaret claims their house plan revolves around a set of record-holding elk antlers which George bagged above Hope in 1955 just minutes into his firstever elk hunt. He also discovered his competitive spirit while participating in cross country ski races and riding the bicycle leg in several triathlons. Since retiring, the couple have explored the Southwest, southern Canada, and Alaska in their truck camper. “For anyone contemplating such splendid wayfaring, I recommend not waiting for a more opportune time,”

Agar said. “Get ‘er done while you still have enough mental and physical stamina to make it happen.” Q. Which area resources are most important to you? Growing up and currently living next to Lake Pend Oreille, I’d say the joy of seasonal changes provides a continually evolving feast for the eyes and soul. Q. What was Sandpoint like in your “good ol’ days?” Nobody worried about their children, whether it was grade schoolers checking behind the neighborhood bars for beer bottles to trade in for the price of a Panida Saturday matinee or teens on “scavenger hunts.” The entire community knew whose kids they were and were constantly on the lookout for any malfeasance that might threaten their well-being. Q. Can you share a snippet from your family history? During winters after milking, Saturday night baths were followed by a two-mile journey to Oden Hall for square dancing and a chance to get caught up on the latest with fellow farmers and ranchers. Q. What experiences do you share with visitors? Summer visitors might be treated to a ride up to Schweitzer plus a round trip on the high-speed quad. Winter visitors have to settle for a great meal from Wild Maggie’s (aka Margaret’s) B&B, topped off with huckleberry pie. If that doesn’t put them to sleep, my “good old days” stories will.

TUYEN HUYNH VANDERFORD Newcomer

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When Tuyen Huynh Vanderford rides her motorcycle around Sandpoint, occasionally someone will ask if she feels safe. With 20 years of motorcycling experience around her hometown of Saigon/Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (population nearly 10 million), Vanderford feels comfortable in Sandpoint. “I love motorcycles,” she said, “It reminds me of home. We spend a lot of time just driving around the city when we’re bored because, with so many people, shops, and restaurants, there’s always something fun.” Vanderford, a chef and Zumba instructor, moved to Sandpoint in 2022 with her husband Greg (Sandpoint native) and

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natives & newcomers their children Evelyn and Tommy. She met Greg while working at Saigon Sports Academy, which he co-founded. “I enjoyed this experience ... [but] after a while, I decided it was more fun to do something that came second nature to me,” she said. “I love experimenting with different kinds of dishes, so I couldn’t stay away from my culinary arts roots. “I absolutely love music and dance,” she added. “I had a dream for a while to be a professional Zumba instructor but decided that it made more sense to focus on being a chef. I could just dance for fun.” Her other passions include learning English, comedy, karaoke, traveling, enjoying “being a mom to my beautiful children … and being married to my husband Greg.” Vanderford, 37, appreciates her Vietnamese heritage. “Growing up in a major metropolitan area with lots of tourists and foreigners around all the time,” she explained, “you get to learn about many different cultures without even having to go anywhere.” As for Sandpoint, she loves its cleanliness and friendly, welcoming people “My husband has introduced me to lots of new people because he was born and raised here,” she said, “and it’s been great.” Q. What was a popular hometown dish for you? Pho (pronounced fuh) is very popular. It’s usually eaten for breakfast but can be eaten any time. It’s made with beef bones, rice noodles, and various Vietnamese herbs and spices.

Q. How have locals made you feel welcome? Locals have made me feel welcome by their general friendliness. I love how people in this small town smile and say hello even if you don’t know each other. Q. Have your recreation choices changed since moving here? Yes, I used to do a lot of Zumba dancing with large groups. They even have “Zumbathons” where hundreds of people would dance together for a special event. It’s been difficult to find the variety of dance classes that I’m used to. Q. How do you hope your talents will contribute to the community? I’m a professional chef. Although I specialize in Vietnamese and Asian food, I’ve worked as a chef in local western-style restaurants since moving here and would love to contribute by doing private dinners for small groups.

MAX OSWALD Newcomer

When Max Oswald rolled into Sandpoint from Pennsylvania, he wasted no time becoming an official resident. On that snowy day in March, 2023, he signed a lease agreement, obtained his Idaho driver’s license, apartment furnishings, and a Starlink kit. “I knew from the start I would be staying here for a long while,” said Oswald, a DeSales University grad with a BA in sports communications who had never known anyone from Idaho until his arrival. Since moving here, the Bonner County Daily Bee sports

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Sandpoint, Idaho

introducing locals

editor has made efficient use of his time, getting acquainted with local sports and the community. “Almost every day I’m out taking photos, talking to people, or on the phone interviewing,” he said. “I try to plan out my weeks, but one phone call can change everything.” Inspired by an aunt’s involvement in Rotary International, he has also become a local Rotarian. Oswald, at 23, embraces change. “I’m most proud when I convince myself to take new chances, do something new or test my limits,” he said. “There’s not a chance I’d be here today if I did not create my own opportunities or pursue ones given me.” Oswald, a triplet, comes from a large blended family. He’s worked in Pennsylvania politics and proudly notes his role as first-ever undergraduate to serve as a play-by-play and color commentator for all DeSales sporting events. His travels have taken him to eight MLB stadiums, 17 states, and 30 major cities. As he settles in Sandpoint, Oswald credits Daily Bee colleagues, neighbors, and landlord JP Huguenin with helping him understand and appreciate the place he now calls home. “I got really sick the first month I was here and received help and support from neighbors and co-workers,” he recalled, citing a comment by Huguenin: We’re all in this together out here. “I thought those seven simple words meant a lot.” Q. What was a popular hometown dish for you? A Polish meal called halpuki, aka stuffed cabbage, beef, pork,

and rice encased in cabbage and drizzled with a thin, sweet tomato sauce. People make their own variations. My favorite dessert is shoofly pie, a classic Pennsylvania Dutch recipe, similar to coffee cake but with gooey molasses instead. Q. How have locals made you feel welcome? I’ve never had a bad experience with a local. The majority of people I’ve met have been super nice and welcoming. Since I’m young and did not bring any money here, that also really helps. Ha!

Q. Have your recreation choices changed since moving here? I often paddleboard now, something I’ve never done before. I also swim in the lake when I can. It’s so nice being a half mile away. I’ve hiked Hiawatha and Tubbs Hill as well and am looking to invest in a mountain bike. Q. How do you hope your talents will contribute to the community? I’m in a position to give longtime locals a voice, a voice they feel they’ve not had for a while. Even for the sports community, that’s important.

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by Beth Hawkins

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Fabulous huckleberries add tangy flavor to dishes, brews and more

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MANUEL AND ALAYNA REICHL HAVE BROUGHT TOURIST TOWN EXPERIENCE WITH THEM TO BARREL 33. PHOTO BY CAMERON BARNES.

aste

of Central Europe at Barrel 33

little experience goes a long way in any business, and that’s perhaps even more true for restaurants and dining establishments. And that’s the secret sauce at Barrel 33. The new dining establishment in the heart of downtown Sandpoint celebrated its first anniversary in October, and owners Alayna and Manuel Reichl are enjoying the opportunity to reflect on a busy but rewarding first year in business. With more than a half-decade under their belts setting up a similar business in a similar community, the husband and wife duo is applying everything they’ve learned to give diners an experience to remember. “This was our first chance to reflect on everything we’ve learned over the past five years and apply it here,” said Alayna Reichl. Barrel 33 is the place to be for wine, beer, and cider tastings, along with a curated food menu to satisfy those post-Lake Pend Oreille or Schweitzer cravings. Whether diners are dressing up for a special someone or just coming off the dock sporting shorts and sun-kissed cheeks, they’ll find a welcoming environment and friendly staff awaiting them. “We are the perfect place to go for a date,” Reichl said. “You can be dressed for the boat or sporting your ski gear coming down from Schweitzer and have a great time.” The Reichls got their start as restauranteers in Big Bear Lake, California. Like Sandpoint, Big Bear Lake is a small tourist city sporting a lake and a ski resort, making it a popular vacation destination. Already familiar with the rhythms of business in tourism destinations, with busy seasons offset by slower shoulder seasons, the Reichls had a head start setting up shop locally. The pre-built experience needed to handle the job was a huge bonus. The Reichls themselves certainly learned a lesson or two in their time as restauranteers, and likewise, their Big Bear Lake staff was ready to help make the Sandpoint project a success. To that end, the Reichls worked to establish a location that functioned as similarly to the original establishment as possible. “We really want to have a location where we could bring an employee from Big Bear Lake and they’d pretty much know what to do,” Reichl said. But that’s not to say opening Barrel 33 at its 100 N. First Ave. location was a simple affair. “When we found our building, we knew it would be a ton of work, because it was in no way ready to be a restaurant, but when we stepped into it and saw that view, we knew we could turn it into something incredible,” Reichl said. SandpointMagazine.com SANDPOINT M A G A Z I N E

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SMALL PLATES AND GREAT DRINKS FORM THE CORE OF BARREL 33’S SIMPLE BUT SATISFYING OFFERINGS. PHOTO BY CAMERON BARNES.

208-263-9446

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After a daunting amount of work, the Reichls were ready to open in 2022. Since then, they’ve built relationships with regional breweries and wineries across Idaho and Washington. And before long, they turned heads with drinks like their wine slushies or glühwein served in authentic German mugs. Likewise, the community found fast favorites in Barrel 33’s pear and brie sandwich, carrot cake, and prosciutto flatbread. Instead of traditional breakfast, lunch, and dinner entrees, the restaurant's menu focuses on simple but satisfying items like sandwiches, flatbreads, salads, sweets, charcuterie boards, and the like, plus gluten-free options like a hummus plate and bacon-wrapped dates. Both the drinks and food have a decidedly Central European flavor, appropriate given the Reichl family’s German roots and distinguishing it from other local eateries. Open from Sunday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., and Friday to Saturday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., the First Avenue location features both indoor and outdoor seating, with views overlooking Sand Creek as delightful as the food. Equally welcome are regular live music performances by local artists, and special events like paint and sip parties. But why Sandpoint? Like many young families seeking to establish a new life, it was for the community. As an outdoorsy couple who like to live where most people vacation, the Reichls were eager to plant roots in a welcoming and vibrant community. “When we saw this area, we immediately felt at home, and we wanted to bring our own contributions to this community,” Reichl said. The community is glad they did.

–Cameron Rasmusson

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E ATS + D R I N KS HALLIE AND KAYLAN SERVE UP DRINKS AT 113, ONE OF MANY LOCAL RESTAURANTS UNHAPPY WITH SENATE BILL 1120. STAFF PHOTO.

NEW LAW, NEW PROBLEMS LIQUOR LAW DEVALUES RESTAURANTS

or diners at Trinity at City Beach, a valued part of their dining experience might be cradling a cocktail at the end of a meal, while looking out over the water, and visiting with friends. Idaho’s food and beverage industry took a devastating blow this July when Senate Bill 1120 passed into law, imposing new regulations on liquor licensing. The quota system—inspired by Idaho’s constitutional emphasis on temperance and sobriety—allows for two licenses per city, plus an additional license for every 1,500 members of the population. Under this system, limited growth in the city limits has led to a scarcity of licenses. “Sandpoint going up another 1,500 people could take another 10 to 15 years,” said Justin Dick, member of the Sandpoint City Council, owner of the restaurants Trinity at City Beach and 113 Main, and co-owner of Jalapenos. In order to obtain a liquor license from the government, entrepreneurs have to put their name on a waiting list and hope for a population boom—some have been waiting for over 20 years, according to Dick. Restaurateurs have historically leased licenses directly from the owners or purchased them for upwards of $100,000 in cities like Sandpoint. No longer: Senate Bill 1120 makes it illegal to sell, transfer, CRAFT BEER, WINE, EATERY, or rent licenses. Critics say this decision EVENTS, LIVE MUSIC was not only disastrous but also did nothing to solve the scarcity issue. “At the end of the day, the liquor license is your tangible asset,” said Dick, explaining that even under the best circum-

stances, restaurants make very little profit compared to their expenses. Most owners rely on the money from selling or renting their liquor license to retire. Those who purchased before the law came into effect are still able to sell their license; however, the value has plummeted since buyers are unlikely to spend thousands on something that they ultimately can’t resell themselves. Idaho’s mom-and-pop business tradition will likely suffer as entrepreneurs

spend years on the government’s waiting list rather than renting from a previous owner or their building’s developer. As an elected representative and a member of the industry, Dick urged locals to rally in support of the beloved restaurants that are the cornerstones of their communities. “At the end of the day, we have to stop being victims and work together to change the law.”

- Soncirey Mitchell

3-time Good Food Awards Winner -2023, 2017, 2013

524 CHURCH ST, SANDPOINT 504 E SHERMAN AVE, COEUR D’ALENE

SANDPOINT, COEUR D’ALENE, & Winner of Best Coffee

524 CHURCH ST, SANDPOINT in Bonner County 504 E SHERMAN AVE, COEUR D’ALENE 11 years running WONDER MARKET, 821 W MALLON AVE, SPOKANE

524 CHURCH ST, SANDPOINT 504 E SHERMAN AVE, COEUR D’ALENE

Evans Brothers Coffee was proudly founded in winter of 2008/09 by the ski-loving siblings, Rick and Randy Winner of Best Coffee Evans, during their Chair 6County rides at in Bonner Schweitzer Mountain Resort. 11 years running

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TRINITY AT CITY BEACH CLOSES

ocated just steps from the sand, Trinity at City Beach, and all the restaurants by other names that operated in its location, has been a major part of Sandpoint’s social life. Name a special occasion and this was one of the first venues locals thought of when choosing a place to celebrate. Such occasions will be on hold for at least this winter, as Justin Dick, owner of the restaurant, announced he was closing the doors of Trinity for the foreseeable future. Dick said the decision was a difficult one that has been a long time in the making. The Best Western Edgewater hotel, which has for years leased its restaurant space to independent contractors, was purchased by Averill Hospitality a few years ago, with the announced intention to build a new hotel. But COVID came and plans were delayed, and Dick said he continued to pour money into a venue he didn’t own. While future plans for the hotel may include a restaurant, Dick said it’s uncertain it will be his. Meanwhile the difficult winter season was approaching. “Sandpoint business owners don’t often discuss how challenging it can be to operate and staff our businesses from October 1st until the beginning of summer,” Dick wrote in a press release announcing the closure. Dick is unsure whether he will be able to re-open the restaurant for the summer season. The future for Trinity, said Dick, “is a work in progress.” Until then, Trinity gift certificates will be honored at his restaurant 113 Main. Averill Hospitality is based in Whitefish, Montana, where the Averill family has lived for five generations. “Coming from Whitefish, which like Sandpoint is a mountain and THE LOCATION OF TRINITY AT CITY BEACH WAS SECOND TO NONE. COURTESY PHOTO. lake town, we know the challenges of operating businesses in the shoulder season,” the family said in a statement. “We have enjoyed our working relationship with Justin and the Trinity team and consider them friends. As the Best Western Sandpoint reaches its end of life, we are excited to provide a place that lives up to Sandpoint values and gives everyone a place to continue to gather for future generations to come. “We’re very hopeful the restaurant Come visit us today at one of our two locations: can be open next summer, but regardless Family Friendly Brewpub Beer Hall & Brewery we’ll be here to support Justin and the 312 N First Ave. 419 N. 2nd Ave Trinity team in any way we can.”

Natural beer, food & fun!

MickDuffs.com

–Trish Gannon

Seasonal Pub Fare with a Unique Twist

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Check website for current seasonal hours www.sandpointfatpig.com

Life is Good at Con nies!

301 Cedar St., Suite 102 208.265.PORK

323 Cedar St | Sandpoint, ID 38364 | 208-255-8791

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Open Monday through Saturday 7-8 (Lounge open until 10) Sunday 7-3 info@conniescafe.com

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A CROWD RAISES A TOAST TO FORSYTHE (CENTER FRONT, FLANKED BY DIANE GEORGIUO AND AMY BORUP) AND DILUNA’S 25 YEARS. STAFF PHOTO.

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There’s good... and then there’s

Really Good “I

DI LUNA’S CELEBRATES 25 YEARS

t's more like a family, really.” A lot of businesses like to make that claim, but for Di Luna's bistro, located on Cedar Street in downtown Sandpoint, it's close to a reality. Owned by Karen Forsythe, the business, celebrating 25 years in operation this fall, boasts two waitresses—Amy Borup and Diana Georgiuo—who have worked there 23 and 17 years, respectively, and features a clientele of “regulars” that includes long-timers plus the children they brought in years ago who

are now grown and bringing in their own children to eat. Forsythe started out in Sandpoint as a photographer, but back in 1983 Betsy Foster, knowing that Forsythe liked to cook, asked her to take over running the Coffee Mill, a small cafe inside Foster's Crossing Antique Mall. There was no turning back. “I really like developing my own recipes,” said Forsythe, who quickly established a reputation for using fresh ingredients (ideally, as locally sourced as possible), in dishes that were not only good to eat, but good for overall health as well.

Spreading Positive Pizza Vibes at 2 Locations

SINCE 1994

Downtown Sandpoint & Schweitzer Mountain

The Spot for NHL Center Ice and NFL Sunday Ticket

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In 1998 Forsythe opened Di Luna's in what had, at one time, been the home of Sandpoint Furniture downtown, while continuing to operate the Coffee Mill. “I wanted to be able to serve dinner, and to have concerts,” said Forsythe, “and the Coffee Mill was just too small for that.” She ran both restaurants for the next four years, before leaving the Coffee Mill and focusing entirely on Di Luna's.

“I think a lot of people come to town and open a restaurant thinking they're going to make a lot of money right away,” she said. “But it's not like that. It's a slow process of growing your business.” With loyal customers who followed Forsythe from the start at Foster's Crossing, wordof-mouth grew the restaurant into a lifetime's occupation. Forsythe makes a lot of what she

serving you 7 days a week at three locations!

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Something for Everyone - Bring the Family

www.sweetlousidaho.com Sweet Lou’s Restaurants Hwy 95 N Ponderay | 208.263.1381 • 6915 E Athol Crossing Road | 208.561.9496 | Athol 601 Front Ave. 208.667.1170 | DOWNTOWN Cda 116

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serves from scratch, including their homegrown sourdough, and she got rid of the deep fryer years ago. She has always catered to vegetarians, and her homemade soups are always a favorite. And lest you think the place is too healthy, there's always the chocolate cake, basis of thousands of birthday meals over the years. Forsythe has seen lots of changes over the years she's been in business, not all of them for the good. For example, she's seen it become a lot harder to source products locally. “So many of my local suppliers have “aged out” of the business,” she explained, while their children have gone on to other careers. But the biggest change, which came to a head with COVID, has been the ability to attract staff. “I used to be able to hire high school kids to come in and work, and that isn't reliable anymore,” she said. Despite the growth in population that continues here, “We just can't find people to work.” In response, the restaurant is now only open four days a week, and only for breakfast and lunch. “We don't do dinner concerts anymore, and can't do catering, even though I have people calling and asking for that all the time. I just can't find the staff to be able to do the work.” Instead, she has removed half the tables from the restaurant and replaced them with a gift shop, so that the sale of items can help fund the ongoing costs of keeping a business open downtown. “I really hope that changes at some point,” she said, mentioning how much she'd like to hire another chef. “I want to be able to get back to the point where I can come out of the kitchen and interact with the customers in the restaurant.” Having come full circle almost, and despite staffing struggles, Forsythe (with Borup and Georgiuo) continue to do what they do so well: provide good food to good people in a place where someone may walk in a stranger, and walk out feeling like one of the family.

-Trish Gannon

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MICKDUFFS BEER CHEESE SOUP. PHOTO BY CAMERON BARNES.

Eat Cheaply... but not Cheap A ROUND UP OF YUMMY MEALS FOR $10 (OR THEREABOUTS)

ometimes, it's just one of those days. You've been too busy, you're tired, you're hungry, and the last thing you want to do is go home, cook a meal, and then clean up the mess. But at the same time, you don't want to break the bank with an expensive restaurant meal, or fill yourself up with fast food. At times like those, some of Sandpoint's finest dining establishments have offerings that can fit a small budget... and you can even order it to go if you're not feeling social. It all starts on First Avenue. Looking for something healthy to eat? Go no further than Heart Bowls, (102 S. First Ave. Ste 100) which offers a protein oatmeal bowl with either vanilla or peanut butter protein powder, topped with a colorful fiesta of shredded coconut, walnuts, blueberries, strawberries, banana, chia pudding, and almond milk. Or jump on board the pumpkin craze with pumpkin puree, almond milk, and pumpkin pie spices replacing the protein, topped with pecans, dried cranberries, almond butter, sliced banana, and a coconut whipped cream. At A&Ps (222 N. First Ave) there's lots of choices under $10, starting with their world-famous (or at least Sandpoint famous) PJ's burger, a full third-pound masterpiece of locally grown Wood's ground beef, plus pickles, onions, and your choice of cheese. Or you can go for a crispy chicken sandwich or a clas-

sic BLT and you're still under budget. Just across and down the street at the District (formerly I Saw Something Shiny, 313 N. First Ave.), combat a cold winter day with a hot bowl of French onion soup with a slightly nutty gruyere crouton. Around the corner, warm up your stomach in a luxurious way. Try a full bowl of lobster chowder from Baxter's on Cedar (109 Cedar St.) at lunch time. A little farther down the road and just four bits over the budget (that's 50 cents to you youngsters), Di Luna's (207 Cedar St.) offers a half grilled cheese supreme. This sandwich is a crowd pleaser with its blend of provolone, Swiss, and cheddar cheeses, plus sauteed mushrooms and fresh tomatoes on grilled sourdough. A bowl of soup or half salad will also meet your budget. Or a few steps farther, Connie's Cafe (323 Cedar St.) can take you through the day, from a Belgian waffle at breakfast to a half sandwich that comes with your choice of fries, potato salad, fresh fruit or coleslaw. You can also order the chicken tenders, or go for the classic—soup and salad. Connie's navy bean and ham soup is legendary in Sandpoint and can shave years off a local's life. You'll think you're young again. Back up a little bit and you'll find all sorts of treats awaiting you on Second Avenue. At MickDuffs Brewpub (419 N Second SandpointMagazine.com SANDPOINT M A G A Z I N E

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H E A RT B OW L S AÇAÍ | SMOOTHIES | TOAST | COFFEE

REAL FOOD, REAL ENERGY Serving Breakfast and Lunch 8am - 3pm daily

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(208) 265-8135 www.WinterRidgeFoods.com

703 Lake Street at Boyer St Sandpoint, ID

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Ave.), stick to the budget with soup and salad. You can choose the rotating house soup special, or live a little dangerously with their beer cheese soup. Jalapenos (314 N. Second Ave) offers three loaded street tacos with both guacamole and their house made Serrano salsa at our budget price, plus a wide variety of other tacos under $6. Or here's an idea: if you've had a really bad day, why not skip the meal? At Jalapenos, everything on the dessert menu is under $10. Second Avenue Pizza (215 S. Second Ave.) offers a mini pizza well under the $10 budget and just like its big brothers and sisters, a Second Avenue Pizza is piled high. There's also a large selection of sandwiches at just a dollar over budget including a meatball grinder, steak and cheese, or Italian foccacia—plus all sandwiches come with chips and your choice of macaroni or potato salad. Calzones come in at just $1.50 over budget—and there's eight types to choose from, including a veggie calzone. Like everything at Second Avenue, unless you have a big appetite, there's gonna be leftovers. Not far away, warm up a cold night with any soup at Trinity at City Beach (56 Bridge St.); all are under $10, including their corn and crawfish chowder that's topped with bacon, sweet corn, and crawfish tails. Moving out from downtown, it's hard to beat Miller's Country Store (1326 Baldy Mountain Rd.) for lunch with their sandwich goodness, all of which are under $10, and feature their homemade bread. There's also a daily panini special. Try the roast beef sandwich with a savory mayo and a sweet pepper mustard and top it off with the veggies of your choice. Add a side of coleslaw or a bowl of soup and you're just barely over the $10 limit. Or pick the right day and try the jalapeno popper panini for a burst of flavor that includes oven roasted chicken, smoked bacon cheddar cheese, grilled onion, tomato, and a jalapeno bacon cream cheese spread. Bread choices include a homemade multi-grain, a honey wheat, and a sourdough. Sweet Lou's (477272 Hwy. 95) offers a half sandwich and soup for $9. Or push the budget by a dollar, and get three mini An-

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gus beef burgers with cheddar cheese and carmelized onions that are sure to quell the hungry beast. Let's be honest here: the following is not a meal in any sense of the word, but it will fill you up, and is an experience not to miss. So what is it? The garlic fries at Eichardt's Pub (212 Cedar St.). A half order (half a pint) is going to set you back $8, and that's $8 you're never going to regret spending. (Trip Advisor calls them “the best garlic fries in the world.”) Grated parmesan cheese, fresh garlic, and herbs come together in a total taste sensation. Kiss your partner after eating; you'll know if it's real love or not. Well worth the drive is Clark Fork Pantry (Hwy. 200 in Clark Fork). Fresh sandwiches, made to order, using homemade bread and your choice of vegetable additions. The combinations are limited only by your imagination, starting with the bread: choose from 100 percent whole wheat, white, 9-grain, honey oat, sourdough, cinnamon, cinnamon raisin, and rye. Want a pro tip? Most places will allow you to order off the kid's menu, particularly when it's to go. And if you want in on an “only the locals know” secret... you can get a surprisingly good, and inexpensive, meal in the cafeteria at Bonner General Health. You'll need to sit down to eat it, though.

–Trish Gannon Magic Sundays—5-8pm | Margarita Monday—all day Taco Tuesday—all day

FAMILY Y FRIENDL

FULL BAR

PATIO DINING

BANQUET ROOM

TOP: A CALZONE FROM 2ND AVENUE PIZZA CAN EASILY FEED TWO. STAFF PHOTO. ABOVE: JALAPENOS OFFERINGS THREE LOADED STREET TACOS AT A BUDGETFRIENDLY PRICE. COURTESY PHOTO.

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The localDISH with Trish Gannon

f you like to watch a game while having a meal, the Sandpoint area has you covered. Stop by Powderhound Pizza, 201 E. Superior St., Ste B, which features NFL Sunday Ticket and NHL Center Ice if football or hockey are your thing. “We are continuing to rotate unique and creative specialty pizza and chicken wing specials every two weeks, so stay tuned in to what's new through our social media,” said owner Jeannie Higgs. “We will also be running dine-in lunch specials through the winter including 20 percent off small pizzas, sandwiches, and salads Monday to Friday.” The restaurant celebrated its second birthday this fall, “and we couldn't be more happy with the community support we have had over these two years,” Higgs said. Their location at Schweitzer, now in its 14th year of operation, still offers cold beer and legendary pizza to powderhounds, and Higgs said,

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“We have been using the off season to remodel our space and give it some exciting upgrades.” Sweet Lou's, 477272 US 95 North in Ponderay, plus locations in Athol and Coeur d'Alene, also offers a sports fix to hungry diners with over 20 4k televisions, ensuring nobody will miss the action. As the weather cools, Evans Brothers Coffee, 524 Church St. in Sandpoint, is keeping the latte hot. They continue to introduce new coffees while winning awards: their Costa Rica Las Lajas Natural won best coffee in the Good Food Awards. Need a pick-me-up on a cold winter's day? Check out Steep n' Deep, a Guatemalan blend with hints of milk, chocolate, and blackberry. Sandpoint went all in for food trucks (witness a number of them across from Farmin Park), followed by Ponderay (with trucks parked at the animal shelter) and even more are sprout-

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FROM LEFT: CHICK’S FRIED CHICKEN SANDWICH; LOCOS TACOS AT KESSA’S FOOD COURT; BAHN BAO FROM SIMPLY PHO. COURTESY PHOTOS.

ing over by the Bonner Mall. The area is anchored by Kessa’s Coffee drive-thru (try the Irish creme maple latte for a winter pick-me-up). It also sports Beet and Basil, which converted from a full-service restaurant to food truck during COVID, and offers a variety of global street food, and Loco's Kitchen, with street tacos for just $2.75 on Taco Tuesdays. Travel the world (at least gastronomically) with a number of 'new' restaurants that have opened in the area. The Bernklau Cafe Bar, at 316 Pine St. in Sandpoint, is open Wednesday through Sunday at 7 a.m. It closes at 2 p.m. on Sundays, but is open until 5 p.m. on the other nights, and has been claimed to offer “an infusion of German yumminess,” to the town. Featuring sandwiches, crepes, and an array of desserts designed to appeal to any sweet tooth, along with wine and “bier,” it's been

an instant hit with the community. At 102 S. First Ave. in Sandpoint, the former Panhandle Pies is reopening as Savory, part of a trio of restaurants that includes Farmhouse Kitchen BBQ and the Breakfast Cantina. The restaurant has a large presence on social media, and the most hotly asked question has been “are you opening yet?” After fighting numerous delays, the restaurant reports an expected opening date by the time this issue publishes. Savory offers a wideranging, Americana-based menu including steaks, burgers, and pizza. Out in Ponderay, Simply Pho and Bubble Tea was another highly anticipated restaurant, featuring hot pho, authentic spring rolls, and a bubble tea bar, among other offerings. Their rice bowls are popular as well. Haven't tried bubble tea yet?

113 MAIN

Buy Local from Locals! 113 Main Street 208.946.5309

INDULGE YOURSELF THIS WINTER AT Tuesday - Saturday, Opens at 3pm. SANDPOINT’S NEWEST RESTAURANT. Closed Sunday & Monday. SandpointMagazine.com SANDPOINT M A G A Z I N E

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FROM LEFT: BERNKLAU, ON PINE STREET, OFFERS AN ARRAY OF LUSCIOUS DESSERTS; JORAN SERVES UP BUBBLE TEA AT SIMPLY PHO; STAFF PHOTOS. SAVORY’S SIGNATURE SAVORY SANDWICH. COURTESY PHOTO.

It's not just a drink—it's an experience. Bubble tea originated in Taiwan, and is a blend of tea, milk, fruit, and fruit juices, plus the “bubble” in the mix: tapioca pearls that provide a chewy surprise. Located just across the highway from Yoke's Fresh Market, Simply Pho is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and on Sundays from noon to

5 p.m. Also in Ponderay, find Chicks Teriyaki just across from Walmart. A locally-owned business (it's not a chain or franchise) Chicks is open Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Chicks, as might be suspected, specializes in teriyaki bowls and sandwiches. Or try the Bang Bang Chicken, with a house

sweet chili sauce and red bell peppers, served over white rice. All sauces and dressings are made in-house, and there's gluten-free options as well. Eat in, or take it to go. There's even a drive-thru. And in case you missed the news, the Old Ice House in Hope is now open for breakfast! It’s said the biscuits and gravy are superb.

Serving:

Wine, Beer, Food, Goods

and a great place to be.

100 N 1st Ave, Sandpoint, ID 83864 (208) 920-6258 barrel33sandpoint.com

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THE DISTRICT

2023/24 EATS & DRINKS in Sandpoint

COFFEE & CAFES HOT & COLD BREWS EVANS BROTHERS COFFEE

01 HEART BOWLS

524 Church St. Located in downtown Sandpoint’s historic Granary Arts District. Enjoy exceptional coffees and espresso, including the popular Headwall Espresso Blend. Locally baked pastries, breakfast burritos and more. Open daily. 208-265-5553 www.evansbrotherscoffee.com

HEART BOWLS

MILLER’S COUNTRY STORE & DELI

1326 Baldy Mtn. Rd. Wholesome goodness with a selection of fine deli meats and cheeses, bulk food items, pie fillings, fresh-baked pies, breads, and pastries—plus soup and sandwiches, take-home dinners, and soft-serve ice cream. Open Monday through Friday. 208-263-9446 www. millerscountrystoresandpoint.com

101 S 1st Ave Ste 100 Superfood Cafe serves Acai Bowls, smoothies, coffee & espresso drinks, rice bowls & salads, breakfast sandwiches, avocado toasts, gluten- free baked goods! Open daily. 208-304-7631. www.heartbowls.com

MOJO COYOTE AT SCHWEITZER

WINTER RIDGE NATURAL FOODS

703 Lake St. A natural foods grocery store with in-house deli, bakery, meat department, organic produce department, a juice and espresso bar, and hot food bar with indoor seating. Open daily. 208265-8135 www.winterridgefoods.com

10,000 Schweitzer Mountain Rd. Enjoy a fresh Evans Brothers espresso and treat your sweet tooth to a warm scone. Fresh-baked pastries, breakfast burritos and lunch specials. Fine selection of beer and wine. 208-255-3037 www.schweitzer.com

BARREL 33

DELICATESSENS & MARKETS GET YOUR FOOD FRESH CLARK FORK PANTRY

MILLER’S COUNTRY STORE

204 E. 4th St., Clark Fork. All-natural, made-from-scratch baked goods, homemade soups and sandwiches, on freshly baked bread, made to order from the deli. Wide selection of bulk foods, snacks, spices, and gift items. Open Monday through Saturday. 208-266-1300 www.clarkforkpantry.com

EVANS BROTHERS COFFEE

SandpointMagazine.com SANDPOINT M A G A Z I N E

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ECLECTIC/FINE DINING COZY AND COMFORT FOOD 113 MAIN

113 MAIN

113 Main St., Sandpoint. Cozy, historic, downtown Sandpoint corner location offers delicious scratch cooking, a full beer, wine bar and premium hand crafted cocktails, and entrees. Open Tues-Sat, 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. 208-255-7558

BAXTER’S ON CEDAR

JALAPEÑOS RESTAURANT

POWDERHOUND PIZZA

201 E. Superior St. AND on Schweitzer Mountain! Legendary pizza with a wide selection of greens, appetizers and sandwiches. Beer, wine, outdoor patio. Streaming favorite sports all season long. 208-255-0685 (town) 208-255-5645 (Mtn) www.powderhoundpizza.com

323 Cedar St. Welcoming atmosphere in the heart of downtown Sandpoint, Connie’s Cafe is all about good people, good drinks, and good food. Serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner, plus a lounge with full bar hosts many local musicians. Open daily. 208255-2227 www.conniescafe.com

CROW'S BENCH

314 N. Second Ave. Traditional and Americanized Mexican dishes in a family-friendly atmosphere. Full bar, gluten-free menu and quick to-go menu. Open Thursdays through Tuesday. 208-263-2995 www.sandpointjalapenos.com

10,000 Schweitzer Mountain Rd. Fireplaces, comfortable seating in the bar, and diverse cuisine. High-quality steaks, hearty pasta, scrumptious salads, exquisite seafood. Open daily inside the Selkirk Lodge at Schweitzer. 208255-3071 www.schweitzer.com

CONNIE'S CAFE

THE IDAHO CLUB

151 Clubhouse Way. Fine dining at the grand clubhouse overlooking the golf course and Pack River. Steaks, seafood, burgers, a starters menu and full bar. Open Wednesday through Saturday. 208-265-2345 www.idahoclubhospitality.com

58 Bridge St. Open for lunch and dinner with expansive, outdoor dining overlooking City Beach. Full Bar and live music. Thursday through Monday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Reservations recommended. (208) 255-7558 www.trinityatcitybeach.com

CHIMNEY ROCK

301 Cedar St. Suite 102. Enjoy an extensive draft beer selection in a warm pub environment with a rotating wine list. Classic pub fare and vegetarian menu. 208-265-PORK (7675) www.sandpointfatpig.com

109 Cedar St. Daily specials, fresh local products. Burgers, chops, steaks, signature Key Lime Pie. Open Mon-Sat, 11 a.m. and Sunday 3 p.m. Closes 8 p.m. (9 p.m. Fri–Sat). 208-229-8377 www.baxtersoncedar.com

CAFE TRINITY AT CITY BEACH

THE FAT PIG

SECOND AVENUE PIZZA

215 S. Second Ave. Piled-high specialty pizzas, calzones, specialty salads and sandwiches. Gluten-free choices. Beer and wine, take-andbake pizzas available. 208-263-9321 www.secondavenuepizza.com

419 Second Ave. Enjoy craft ales in the iconic restored old federal building downtown. Traditional and updated pub fare. Open daily. 208-255-4351 www.mickduffs.com

SKY HOUSE AT SCHWEITZER

TAVERNS, BREWS, AND WINERIES

10000 Schweitzer Mountain Rd. Experience a lunch outing unlike any other at the summit of Schweitzer! A chef-inspired menu from locally sourced, farm-fresh ingredients. 208-263-9555 www.schweitzer.com

SWEET LOU'S RESTAURANT

PUB STYLE

BARREL 33

MICKDUFF’S BREWING CO.BEER HALL & BREWERY

FOOD & DRINK ATMOSPHERE EICHARDT’S PUB & GRILL

GOOD FOOD, DRINKS & PEOPLE

100 N. First Ave. Wine, beer, and cider tastings, plus a deliciously curated food menu in a historic building with waterside ambience. Open 11 a.m. Closes Sun-Thur. at 7:30 p.m., Fri/Sat at 9 p.m. 208-920-6258. www.barrel33.com

477272 U.S. Highway 95 in Ponderay. Terrific traditional and regional fare. Family friendly restaurant with full bar. Two more locations in Coeur d’Alene and Athol. Open daily. 208-263-1381 www.sweetlousidaho.com

MICKDUFF’S BREWING CO. BREWPUB

212 Cedar St. Relaxing pub and grill mixes casual dining with seriously good food. Completely family friendly. More than a dozen beers on tap, good wines and live music. Upstairs game room with fireplace. 208-2634005 www.eichardtspub.com

220 Cedar St. Tasting room boasts 16 taps, local bar art, free popcorn and weekly entertainment. Beer Hall is Bring- YourOwn-Food-friendly. 21 years or older. Open daily. 208-209-6700 www.mickduffs.com

10000 Schweitzer Mountain Rd. Located in the new Humbird Hotel, Crow’s Bench features fabulous views and a Bavarianinspired cuisine. Reservations recommended. 208-255-3051 www.schweitzer.com

THE DISTRICT BISTRO & WINE SHOP

313 N. First Ave. Exceptional cuisine and unrivaled wine selection in a convenient, downtown location. Sidewalk seating available. Open Tues-Sat at 11 a.m. ‘til evening. 208-265-8653 www.thedistrictinsandpoint.com

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SWEET LOU’S

WI N T E R 2 0 2 4

E ATS + D R I N KS

Map not to scale! To Schweitzer Mtn. Resort

15 To Hope & Clark Fork

Schweitzer Cut-off Rd.

Kootenai Cut-off Rd. Bonner Mall

DELICATESSENS & MARKETS

Town Square

Pine St.

Second Ave.

Third Ave.

Fourth Ave.

Cedar St.

Cedar St. Bridge

13 Panida Theater

Bridge St.

City Beach 2

Lake St.

S. Second Ave.

To Dover & Priest River

PARKING

Fifth Ave.

24 21 11 Main

S. Fourth Ave.

Division Ave.

Pine

Superior

Farmin Park

Boyer Ave.

Church

TAVERNS, BREWS, WINERIES

Main

Oak

Eichardt’s Pub & Grill 22 MickDuff’s Brewing Co. Brewpub

Bonner General Health

Cedar

Barrel 33 MickDuff’s Brewing Co. Beer Hall & Brewery

Healing Garden

Poplar Alder

Pend d’Oreille Bay Trail

Fir

PUB STYLE

113 Main 8 Baxters on Cedar 9 Cafe Trinity at City Beach 10 Chimney Rock at Schweitzer 11 Connie’s Cafe 12 Crow’s Bench 13 The District Bistro & Wine Shop 14 The Fat Pig 15 The Idaho Club 16 Jalapeños Restaurant 17 Powderhound Pizza 18 Second Avenue Pizza 19 Sky House at Schweitzer 20 Sweet Lou’s 7

l ai Tr

Visitor Center

Larch

ECLECTIC/FINE DINING

Sand Creek Byway

k ee Cr

5 6

Clark Fork Pantry Miller’s Country Store & Deli Winter Ridge Natural Foods

nd Sa

First Ave.

Evans Brothers Coffee Heart Bowls Mojo Coyote at Schweitzer

Elks Golf Course

5 Baldy Mountain Rd.

Boyer Ave.

1 2

Division Ave.

COFFEE & CAFES

LAKE PEND OREILLE

19 12 10 3

To Bonners Ferry & Canada

Marina

18 17

To Sagle & Coeur d’Alene

SandpointMagazine.com SANDPOINT M A G A Z I N E

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INDEX

advertiser 95 Express Car Wash

KRFY Radio

A Glass Act

107

All Seasons Garden & Floral

108

Ameriprise Financial

127

Anderson’s Autobody

Backwoods Solar

Blue Lizard Jewelry & Art

Bonner County Fair Co-Op Country Store Coldwell Banker Resort Realty

Lakeshore Health

The Local Pages

Lewis & Hawn Dentistry

Timberframes by Collin Beggs

Lewis & Hawn Sleep Solutions

Tin Roof Furniture

Maria Larson Art

108

Ting

Monarch Marble & Granite

Tomlinson Sotheby’s International

Mountain West Bank

109

Realty - Chris Chambers

Vapor Depot

127

Northern Lights

Wildflower Day Spa

Northwest Handmade

Willamette Valley Bank

YMCA

Northwest Realty Group 96

Alison Murphy

42-43

Northwest Self Storage

2, 103 53

Community Resource

106

WINTER GUIDE

Outshine Mobile Auto Detailing

Panhandle Special Needs

Alpine Shop

Panorama Resort Realm Partners

• insert between pages 48-49 •

7B Board Shop

56-57

Blue Sky Broadcasting

Envision Center

127

Rock Creek Alliance

104

Boden Architecture

Dana Construction

Sandpoint Builders

Bonner General Health

Daugherty Management

Sandpoint Building Supply

102

Century 21 Riverstone Company

DSS Builds

Sandpoint Furniture Carpet One

Coldwell Banker - Schweitzer Team

Eclipse Sun Control

Sandpoint Movers

101

Evergreen Realty

Eve’s Leaves

Sandpoint Online

126

Festival at Sandpoint

Evergreen Realty

Sandpoint Reader

Idaho Club

Charesse Moore

IBC

Sandpoint Super Drug

Keokee Media + Marketing

eXp Realty - Cindy Bond

IFC

Satisfaction Painting

Rossignol @ Schweitzer

Glahe & Associates

Scherr Haven Studio

108

Schweitzer

Green Compass Builders

Schweitzer

Sleep’s Cabins

Home Preservation Services

Selkirk Off Road Landcruiser Shop

Studio Ascent Design

Idagon

Signature Aesthetics

Tomlinson Sotheby’s International

9, 47

Skywalker Tree Care

Realty - Chris Chambers

Kalispel Metal Products

Studio Ascent Design

Visit Sandpoint

Kaniksu Community Health

Super 1 Foods

Idaho Luxe

Remarkable

o s p r e y s Watch them on the live web cam at their Memorial Field nest! Click to

www.SandpointOnline.com 126

29 88, 107

Newport Hospital & Health

Community Assistance League Bizarre Bazaar

Coldwell Banker Schneidmiller Realty Williams Homes

Taylor Insurance

17, 48

Coldwell Banker Resort Realty Randy & Darla

SANDPOINT M A G A Z I N E

WI N T E R 2 0 2 4

Get Social With Us!

IFC 22-25

2 IBC

Simplysandpoint

UNDER NEW OWNERSHIP

TheVaporDepot@yahoo.com

• SAME GREAT SERVICE • BETTER SELECTION • BETTER PRICES • ORGANIC LIQUIDS • ALL NEW EXTENDED CARE Inside the Bonner Mall

208-255-7567 Kickin’ BUTTS Since 2009

MARKETPLACE Sandpoint Community Resource Center provides

Alpine Motors Your GMC truck dealer.

New and used sales and leasing. Full service, parts and body shop. Highway 95 N., Ponderay, 208-263-2118, 1-800-430-5050. www.alpinemotors.net

an extensive website offering information about how to receive help in areas as diverse as healthcare, housing, utilities, and clothing, while also connecting those who want to help with groups in need of volunteers. There is even an option to register your organization’s need for volunteer support. Learn more about it at www.sandpointcommunityresource.com 208-920-1840.

Shop Sandpoint Go to www.shopsandpoint. com, for local web links to trusted services, merchants, artists, craftspeople, farmers and green building. Write your own reviews in the new SandpointBlog. Fun reading, recycling, and more!

Vanderford’s

Keokee A marketing communications firm

providing web design, hosting, search engine optimization and marketing, graphic design, editorial, media consultation and more. 405 Church St., 208.263.3573. www.keokee.com. We publish Sandpoint Magazine and sandpointonline.com

Offering the latest books and novels, office supplies, machine supplies and free delivery in Sandpoint. Order online. 201 Cedar St.,

208-263-2417. www.vanderfords.com

Sandpoint Super Drug The Center for Functional Nutrition offers a full line of clinical nutrition products including Klaire, Thorne, Pure, Ortho Molecular, and Apex. 604 N. 5th Avenue.

ADVERTISING INFORMATION Get a current rate sheet on our website at www.sandpointmagazine.com or call

208-263-3573 and talk to Sales Director Clint Nicholson (ext. 123; email clint@keokee.com). SandpointMagazine.com SANDPOINT M AG A Z I N E

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ROOTED MOTHERING A FIFTHGENERATION BONNER COUNTY RESIDENT by Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey

LYNDSIE KIEBERT-CAREY AND NEW BABY LIAM ENJOY AND CELEBRATE THE GIFT OF LIVING IN BONNER COUNTY.

“L

ook, buddy—this is mama’s tree,” I said to my two-month-old son Liam as he slept peacefully in a carrier strapped to my chest. We were just a few minutes into hiking up one of my family’s go-to hunting trails, which follows along a ridge peppered with awesome pine trees — some approaching 500 years old, according to my dad’s estimations. Despite the rhythm of my steps lulling him to sleep for most of the two-mile trek, Liam did train his wide, blue eyes on some of my own childhood landmarks: the sun-drenched bluff with the sprawling view of Lake Pend Oreille, the bright green foliage that makes a canopy over the creek crossing, and the towering ponderosa pine tree just a few dozen yards from the trailhead. With its stark, scaly bark and impressive size, I fell in love and called it “my tree” for as long as I could remember. My sister, who hiked the trail only a few weeks prior, texted me a photo of some claw marks in the bark. “Bear sign on your tree!” she wrote. Chief among the many feelings I had when I learned I was pregnant last fall was excitement to share things with my child: the power of a good song, the joy of owning a dog, the magic of a day in the woods. Seeing as Liam is fifth-generation Bonner County, I consider that last item to be particularly important. There was a moment during my pregnancy when I knew my baby would be raised in Bonner County, but his birthplace had to be reconsidered. About halfway to my due date, Bonner General announced it would no longer deliver babies for vari-

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WI N T E R 2 0 2 4

ous financial and political reasons, sending most local expectant mothers to seek care in Kootenai County. My husband and I transitioned to our back-up plan—a local midwife—and thankfully, Liam arrived without incident at the Sandpoint Birthing Center. His birth certificate lists a Bonner County address, which, to me, is no small thing. As we hiked, I considered the weight of the child-rearing task before me. It’s no secret that our area is seeing unprecedented growth and change. In many respects, this is no longer my great-grandfather’s county. It’s not even the county of my father’s childhood. If I’m not careful, anxiety about that consumes me. As we hiked, the cool breeze and clear sky created optimal space for contemplation. Between labored breaths as we made our way up the mountain, I asked my dad to remind me what year my greatgrandfather—the first in our line to enter the world in Bonner County—was born. He said 1917. I smiled as it occurred to me that exactly 100 years later, I got together with my husband. A few short years later, we have Liam; a century removed, but growing in the same place as his ancestors. Will Liam’s children forge their lives here? Will my descendants, a century from now, contemplate their own futures as they navigate this hunting trail, the same great pines looking down on them? New motherhood has made me far too scatterbrained to really appreciate the gravity of these questions, and certainly too sleep-deprived. All I know is that I am thankful, and deeply energized to ensure Liam is able to share in the experiences that made my Bonner County upbringing so special. For now, it’s enough to know that my tree is now our tree.

C haresse Moore

K n o w l e d g a b l e • E x p e r i e n c e d • D e d i c a t e d • Ho n e s t Results • Marketing That Sells

An Expert in our Area Full-Time Agent Top Producer *Based on Selkirk MLS data for 2004 – 2022

208.255.6060

Choosing The Right Realtor Makes A Difference email. charesse@evergreen-realty.com

321 N. First Ave., | Sandpoint, ID 83864