Because there’s more to life than bad news
A News MAGAZINE Worth Wading Through
Local News • Environment • Wildlife • Opinion • People • Entertainment • Humor • Politics
May 2013| FREE | www.RiverJournal.com
The Travel Connection, Ltd. Land, Sea or Air, We Get You There
New Location across from Farmin Park
Suzanne Wakefield, Travel Consultant/Owner • Proudly serving the Sandpoint area since 1990
Grunberg Schloss Collector’s Cabinet
231 N. Third Ste. 103 • Sandpoint bigkakuna@frontier.com TheTravelConnection.com
MORE THAN A COIN DEALER
208.263.2927
Internet.... Everywhere Need reliable, high-speed Internet service? Call for a free site survey today! Intermax serves many areas of Bonner County from Dover to Hope as well as locations throughout Kootenai County. 208.762.8065 in Coeur d’Alene • 208.265.3533 in Sandpoint
www.IntermaxNetworks.com
BUYING and SELLING Coins and Paper Money • U.S. and Worldwide Gold • Silver •Food quality storage containers • Coin collecting books and supplies Metal detectors • Prospecting supplies Newly Remodeled Store—Come check out our expansion!
208-263-6060
210 C TRIANGLE DR. PONDERAY MON-FRI OR CALL FOR APPOINTMENT
Relax this Summer The world’s first and only Kamado pellet grill made in America. $1799. Stop in and see it burn!
208-263-0582 • www.MountainStove.com
1225 Michigan St., Sandpoint, Idaho Tues-Fri 9 to 5, Sat. 9 to 3 or 4
Stoves • Fireplaces • Spas and Saunas • Specialty BBQs • Closeout Specials
LAUGH AGAIN A Dinner Theater Production of the Heron Players
May 10, 11, 17, 18 • 7 pm (MST) • Heron Community Center www.HeronPlayers.com • 877-328-7659 • Matinee 3 pm May 19
Have You Really Planned for Everything? Will • Health Care Decisions Nursing Home • Final Needs
If you haven’t, or if you just have questions, attend a
FREE SEMINAR
Everyone attending will receive a FREE Planning Guide Booklet
Thursday, May 16 — Two Locations
2:30 pm at Thompson Falls Senior Center 1191 Mt. Silcox Rd, Thompson Falls, Mont. • 6:30 pm at Plains Senior Center 205 W Meany St. Plains, Mont. Coffelt Funeral Service • 109 N Division St. Sandpoint •
Renewable Energy Systems
Please give generously. Look for our volunteers on Memorial Day in Sandpoint at Safeway and Super One, and in Ponderay at Wal-Mart
Solar Panels Storage Batteries Water Pumps Power Inverters
“A Mother’s hug lasts long after she lets go.� Wishing a very happy Mother’s Day to all of our mothers... and all of yours, as well.
Grid-Tie Systems Efficient Appliances ...and much more
323 McGhee Road ,PPUFOBJ t
Don@Voodoosolar.com
Packaged Systems & Free Custom Design
www.VoodooSolar.com
Enjoy Nature
All Seasons Garden & Floral
31831 Hwy 200 Sandpoint Open Daily Monday-Saturday 9 to 6 Sunday 10 to 4 208.265.2944
Join a guided hike with the Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness, or the Idaho Conservation League
Let’s talk tomatoes! 35 Varieties - Heirloom - Extra Early Grown for Cold Climate Region! Harvest Supreme Compost or Planting Mix
Buy 3 Get one FREE! Harvest Supreme Compost or Planting Mix. Mix & Match for your needs Valid from May 16 - May 31!
www.ScotchmanPeaks.org www.IdahoConservation.org
www.edwardjones.com
You’re Not Just Another Account Number. And We’re Not Just Another Investment Firm. We’ve always believed our personalized approach made sense for our clients – and it seems our clients agree. Edward Jones ranked “Highest in Investor Satisfaction with Full Service Brokerage Firms” according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2012 Full Service Investor Satisfaction StudySM. But investing is about more than numbers and rankings – it’s about you. Edward Jones received the highest numerical score among full service brokerage firms in the proprietary J.D. Power and Associates 2012 Full Service Investor Satisfaction StudySM. Study based on responses from 4,401 investors who used full-service investment institutions. Fourteen investment firms that received a representative sample of investor opinions were measured on seven factors: investment advisor; investment performance; account information; account offerings; commissions and fees; website; and problem resolution. Proprietary study results are based on experiences and perceptions of consumers surveyed in February 2012. Your experiences may vary. Rating may not be indicative of future performance and may not be representative of any one client’s experience because it reflects an average of experiences of responding clients. Visit jdpower.com.
Call or visit your local Edward Jones financial advisor today.
David B Reseska Financial Advisor
THINK FINAN MCDONALD FOR SPRING
.
521 North 4th Sandpoint, ID 83864 208-263-0515
301 N. First, Sandpoint • 263.3622 • 210 Sherman, CDA • 765.4349
www.FinanMcdonald.com Member SIPC
THE RIVER JOURNAL A News Magazine Worth Wading Through ~just going with the flow~ P.O. Box 151•Clark Fork, ID 83811
10 13
www.RiverJournal. com•208.255.6957
4. IF YOU LIKE TO PLAY ROUGH Then Clark Fork is planning the golf course of your dreams!
STAFF Calm Center of Tranquility
6. DOWNTOWN CALENDAR Take a look at what’s happening in Sandpoint.
Trish Gannon-trish@riverjournal.com
Ministry of Truth and Propaganda Jody Forest-joe@riverjournal.com
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” Aristotle Proudly printed at Griffin Publishing in Spokane, Wash. 509.534.3625
7. NUISANCE WILDLIFE They might be pretty, but there’s not a lot you can do when wildlife call your yard their dining room. 8. BECOMING A CONSERVATION OFFICER There’s more involved than just a love of nature - but that helps. THE GAME TRAIL 9. BARN SWALLOW The engaging antics of our international summer visitor. A BIRD IN HAND 10. COAL TRAINS REDUX Gary’s new walk in life takes him to the issues of clean air and climate change. GARY’S FAITH WALK
7 13. GEESE Sandy and Laddie get a gander at some airborne acrobatics. THE SCENIC ROUTE 15. DOSTOYEVSKY’S VISIONS Epileptics experience a somewhat magical, timeless world. SURREALIST RESEARCH BUREAU 16. GARDEN ANYWHERE No matter what your gardening challenges, container garden may be the answer. GET GROWING 17. FUNDRAISING SUCCESS A few area WWII vets will get a chance to visit D.C. thanks to the work of SHS students. VETERANS’ NEWS 18. OBITUARIES 19. BOOTS, MEET HOSPICE Boots’ cancer journey takes on a new face. FROM THE MOUTH OF THE RIVER
Contents of the River Journal are 2O. PLAYING IN THE DIRT copyright 2013. Reproduction of any 11. DISCOVERING SPRING BABIES Scott says the best times in the dirt A little bit of grouse and deer are with a motorbike between your material, including original artwork and medicine for Ernie and Linda THE legs. SCOTT CLAWSON advertising, is prohibited. The River Journal HAWK’S NEST is published the first week of each month and is distributed in over 16 communities 12. HEALTH INSURANCE EXCHANGE in Sanders County, Montana, and Bonner, It was a battle for the Idaho Congress, Boundary and Kootenai counties in Idaho. but a bill was passed to implement a The River Journal is printed on 40 state health insurance exchange. A SEAT IN THE HOUSE percent recycled paper with soybased ink. We appreciate your Cover Photo: Just a couple members of a large herd of elk, on their way to an “evening efforts to recycle. out” in downtown Clark Fork. Photo by Trish Gannon. Photo of deer baby, below, by Ernie Hawks, PhotosbyHawks.com
11
If you like to play
Rough
by Trish Gannon
The The dream dream of of aa community community golf golf course course is is coming coming closer closer in in Clark Clark Fork Fork
On something like 17 mostly neglected acres just behind the football field in Clark Fork, Clark Fork High School principal Phil Kemink is making slow but steady progress on his dream of building a community golf course. The vision, it should be said, is not one of “The Resort at Clark Fork High.” When this course finally opens to the public—maybe this fall with just a little more support—players will be taken back to the origins of golf itself. In one word, think rough. “This will never be a manicured course,” Phil laughed and then, with his usual enthusiasm, took me on a power-walk tour of what will be come the nine holes of a par 3 course. Although the history of the sport itself is debated, St. Andrews, Scotland is considered the first true golf course and it was located on a fairly barren piece of land that was sculpted both by grazing sheep and howling winds. The school’s mostly wooded piece of property may not seem to have much in common with St. Andrews on the surface, but there’s a good chance that grazing animals would feel perfectly at home there, as evidenced by the number of deer flitting through the trees throughout the day. And while there is further excavation work to be done, the final product is not going to be much smoother than it is now, quack grass and all. “I want this to be a place where people who want to have fun can come and have fun,” said Phil. “They can stop by after work, play a few holes, shake off the day... It’s never going to be pristine, it’s never going to be a money-maker, but it’s going to be ours.” And honestly, a walk through the acreage complete with gopher holes, blowdowns and burn piles is nonetheless serene and peaceful, even at the pace Phil likes to set. Let’s make clear from the outset that this golf course at Clark Fork, located on property owned by the school district and “under the management” of the administration of the high school, is not getting a dime from district coffers. This is a complete, volunteer effort and that is part of the reason why progress is so slow. “We’ve been working on this for four years,” said Phil, “and I’d like to have it open by fall but I’m just not sure where
May 2013| The River Journal - A News Magazine Worth Wading Through | www.RiverJournal.com | Vol. 22 No. 5| Page
I’m going to find the time.” In part, that’s because Phil is prepared to do all the work himself if need be; he looks at any community support as an extra. “I am so thankful for the help people have given,” he said. One person, he related, spent the entire summer weedwacking the acreage—that’s right, weed-whacking. “I was able to excavate about one and three-quarter holes (and a thank you to Terry Chowning of Annie’s Orchard for loaning the equipment),” Phil explained, so there’s seven and a quarter holes to go. “I just want to get it smooth enough on the fairways that I can mow.” To mow, of course, he needs to buy a mower, and to get there he needs to borrow or rent an excavator, and then there’s more labor in moving and burning brush, building up the tee boxes and planting them with seed, taking down dead or dying trees... this is a project begging for some hands-on involvement from those who love golf, or those who love community projects. And that type of hands-on involvement is just what the project got, at least for a day, when Mountain West Bank brought out their employees for a volunteer work day, joined by several members of the Clark Fork community. “We were really able to make some progress,” said Phil. “Now if we can just
do that a couple dozen more times!” Despite the amount of work still to do, there is vast improvement in this area that has long been a bit of a “bum jungle” in the town. Its close proximity to town has made it a favorite of youngsters, and maybe others, who tear through on ATVs and motorbikes, and gather for parties while leaving behind beer cans, cigarette butts and used condoms. “The garbage is all cleaned out of there now,” Phil said, That was an important result for local Tim Dick, whose family volunteered on the work crew. Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, whose beautiful, (somewhat) new building abuts the property, he remarked, “That’s our back yard. I’m excited to think about it being cleaned up and looking good.” A further issue regards liability insurance on the property; there’s a possibility that the city might help fund that bill. “I can’t say enough about how supportive the city has been in helping this all come together,” said Phil. “In the end, this will be a facility for the community, and they have been strongly supportive of our efforts to make this happen.” So if it all comes together and there’s a brief opening this fall—or if it takes a little longer and maybe opens even later—what can the community expect? Go back to that word ‘rough.’ If a way can be found to pay for them, there might be what the Forest Service calls “primitive toilets.” If not, expect porta potties. “Or people may have to pee on trees,” said Phil, only half laughing. And while Phil wants to be able to keep the fairways mowed, mowing is the only attention they’ll get. “When the grass dies in the heat of summer, people will have to play on dead grass,” he remarked. “In no appreciable way will this course be ‘maintained’ the way most golf courses
are maintained.” Expect cheap. “I don’t want people to have to pay more than a few dollars to access the course,” he said. “It needs to be accessible to everyone. Maybe we can even do some sort of season pass in return for volunteer work or something. To tell the truth, we’re not that far along.” Expect beauty. The rocky spine of the Cabinets, with the snow-covered Scotchman Peaks popping up behind, predominates the approach to the course. Once on the “fairways,” you find typical North Idaho forest land, and wildlife. Expect surprises. “There’s no way I could ever come up with enough money to fence the property,” Phil explained, “so it’s really going to take community support to keep it in good shape, and keep people from coming in on their recreational vehicles and tearing it up.” Expect this to be one of the few golf courses that’s dry. “This is school property, so it’s part of the drug-free school zone, which is part of Idaho law,” said Phil. “I probably can’t police it, but I hope people will respect the law.” And expect fun. “This is going to be a tough course to play. I figure that if someone can learn to play this course, they’ll be able to play anywhere,” Phil said, while the sound of Frank Sinatra singing “New York, New York,” seemed to fill the room. “You know, it doesn’t just have to be golf out there,” Phil added. “Frisbee golf is popular and is a possibility,” and he was also open to the idea of extreme croquet. “Primarily, it’s a golf course, but the goal is for a place to have fun.” If you’d like to join Phil in making his vision a reality, call the school at 208.255.7177 or email Phil.Kemink@lposd. org. There are a lot of needs, and maybe you could fill one. Consider the following: Use of an excavator. Labor on an excavator. Monitoring burn piles. Cutting down trees (not many of those to do, now, but nature happens). Writing grants (a primitive toilet, fencing... you name it). Golf supplies (flags, cups, golf balls). Money. Money is always appreciated. There’s likely ways that most everyone could contribute, if they wanted to and gave it some thought. Why not join in the fun? Clark Fork High School Principal Phil Kemink watches as state-competition-bound Tess Vogel, a senior, takes a practice hit on Fairway #1 (facing page). Above, Phil and Tess are near hole #4, and views of the peaks of the proposed Scotchman Peaks Wilderness. At left, rough plans for the course layout, sketched by CFHS coach Frank Hammersley.
May 2013| The River Journal - A News Magazine Worth Wading Through | www.RiverJournal.com | Vol. 22 No. 5| Page
DOWNTOWN SANDPOINT EVENTS SANDPOINT EVENTS
May
May 16-19
Lost in the 50s!
www.lostinthe50s.org
Experience
Downtown Sandpoint!
Visit www.DowntownSandpoint.com for a complete calendar of events
10 Bonner County Museum Grand Re-Opening, 4-7 pm, 611 S. Ella 10 Free Orchestra Extravaganza Concert. First Presbyterian Church 10-11, 17-18, 24-25 Guys and Dolls, SHS, 7 pm (8 pm 17 & 18) 11 Bonner County Museum Plant Sale, 8:30 am, Lakeview Park 11 VFW Gun Show, 9-4, 1325 Pine 11 Selkirk School’s Spring Auction, Spaghetti Feed and Alumni Reunion 4-7 pm, Sandpoint Community Hall 16-19 Lost in the 50s, car show, parades, music and more! Visit www.Lostinthe50s.org 16 Women Who Wine 5:30-7:30 Pend d’Oreille Winery 18 Sandpoint Saturday Market Opening Day at The Granary 513 Oak, 9-1. 18 Sandpoint Chalk Arts Festival, 9-3, 513 Oak 18 Dance at The Warehouse with Scott Pemberton, 513 Oak 7-10 pm 19 Lunch and Learn: Spring Birding begins 8:45 am, FREE. Email for info kelsey@ lakependoreillewaterkeeper.org 24 JJ Grey and Mofro, Panida Theater, 7 pm. 263-2179 25 Kinnikinnick Native Plant Society Presentation 9:45 am Sandpoint Community Hall Visit nativeplantsociety.org 31-June 1 Spring for the Garden Art Sale 8-2, Bonner General Hospital Healing Garden
June
1 Bay Trail Fun Run start/ finish at City Beach, more info POBTrail.org 1 Taste of Home Cooking School Bonner Co. Fairgrounds 263-9534
PLUS:
• Trivia every Tuesday night at MickDuff’s, 7 to 10 pm. • Tuesdays with Ray, Trinity at City Beach, 6 to 8 pm. • Club Music, Wednesday 6-9 pm at La Rosa Club. • Contra Dance, every 2nd Friday of the month at Community Hall, 7 pm • Winery Music - Live music every Friday night at Pend d’Oreille Winery • Saturday Jam at the La Rosa Club. Live music! 255-2100
May 2013| The River Journal - A News Magazine Worth Wading Through | www.RiverJournal.com | Vol. 22 No. 5| Page
Nuisance Wildlife You know how to tell the difference between a newcomer and someone who’s lived here a while? Most of the time the newcomer will spot wildlife in their yard and be thrilled; the longer term—perhaps more experienced—resident will likely mutter something about “g-d damned animals” under their breath and run out the door swinging a towel or other large object, yelling an approximation of “get away from my flowers!” in an effort to scare said wildlife away. We live in an area that’s home to abundant wildlife, and more and more that wildlife has seemed perfectly comfortable roaming the streets of town. Whether it’s the moose who wander through Sandpoint’s residential areas, the elk herd that’s made downtown Clark Fork its new home, or the bears, skunks, raccoons, and other critters who periodically show up in areas other than the woods, living with wildlife can be both exhilarating and dangerous. Most people are aware that moose, elk, deer, bear and other large animals can be a deadly threat should they feel that your excursion from front door to car is a challenge or a danger—at least, those who aren’t trying to “pet” the pretty animals realize it. But an attack by an animal that might be up to five times your own weight is not your only worry. Ungulates, in particular, are usually host to vermin—they’re not quite so pretty up close—the most worrisome of which may be ticks, which when brushed off their “ride” tend to lurk within the grass of your yard looking for a new blood meal. And those ticks can themselves be host to other “vermin” that cause disease: in particular, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Lyme disease, though Idaho and Montana have both reported cases of Tickborne Relapsing Fever, and, though
rare, of Tularemia. Plague is another disease to worry about and no, that didn’t end in the Middle Ages. Carried and spread by fleas, plague is also rare, but there have been cases reported in the Northwest. And of course, there’s still rabies to consider. Generally fatal 100 percent of the time if untreated, you need to head straight to a medical professional if bitten by a wild animal. And that’s just the diseases we know about, and an incomplete list, at bes. Yet the truth is, over 75 percent of emerging infectious diseases are zoonotic—that is, these are diseases that normally exist in animals but can be spread to humans. So... keep that wildlife out of your yard. And how do you do that? Our Fish and Game Conservation Officers have preached ‘til they’re blue in the face (and we seem to print information every spring), that you really don’t want to be feeding wildlife. This includes not just intentional feeding (and seriously—don’t do that) but unintentional feeding that comes about by leaving yummy food snacks accessible to wildlife. The unintentional feeding list includes unsecured garbage cans, overflowing bird feeders, and even what we like to call—when wildlife isn’t eating it—landscaping: lawns, gardens, flowers, berry patches and the like. So how do you manage your property so as to not feed the wildlife? Fences are your best bet, and not just a tiny fence—you can figure you need fences at least nine feet high to keep out many of the area ungulates, something the city of Sandpoint apparently didn’t consider when it set maximum height for fencing in town. Deer, by the way, have been observed to jump barriers that were 15 feet high, but most of the time the
The Scotchman Peaks Keep ‘em wild.
For our Families, For tomorrow. www.ScotchmanPeaks.org
Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness
deterrence factor of a high fence will take care of your problem. If fences that tall don’t suit your landscape, electric fencing is also an option, though maybe not for city properties where injuries to sidewalk pedestrians have to be considered. If you live in the city and want electric fencing, a nice long talk with your insurance agent is probably in order. You might consider natural fencing as well—plantings that the animal you’re most concerned about won’t find attractive. Briars and thorns are generally successful, though they may do as good a job keeping you out of your yard as they do the wildlife. Although fencing is the most effective deterrent to large animals, it’s also expensive. For a property of any size, fencing can set you back thousands of dollars. But there are a few other options to try. The first is a dog. There are plenty of dogs at the local shelters looking to come guard your house from wildlife in the yard in return for your loving companionship. Please, however, make sure you are a suitable dog owner before bringing one of these animals home. You need the time and resources to properly care for an animal, plus a personality that is happy to allow a dog to become a part of your family. Be aware that dogs are generally only effective for a short period of time. For most dogs, familiarity breeds contempt, and after a while, they’ll quit barking at the deer, moose, elk, what have you. Of course, most of your other options have limited effectiveness as well. These include items that tend to startle an animal: motion sensor lights, motion sensor water sprays, flapping material or moving objects. In this case, it’s the ungulate in which familiarity breeds contempt, and they can quickly learn to ignore such distractions if the goal is tempting enough. You can protect your landscaping plants with deer netting, but truthfully, when wildlife become a nuisance in your yard, it’s because they’re getting food in the neighborhood. Your best wildlife deterrent in that case is to find out who is intentionally or unintentionally feeding the animals, and ask them to stop. You could also encourage your local legislators to sponsor a law that would make feeding wildlife a crime; better yet, let’s make it a crime punishable by a fine stiff enough to buy fencing for the entire neighborhood. -Trish Gannon
May 2013| The River Journal - A News Magazine Worth Wading Through | www.RiverJournal.com | Vol. 22 No. 5| Page
The Game Trail Matt Haag
If you have been out fishing or hunting the past few weeks, and have been checked by me, you have probably noticed I have a sidekick with me. Conservation Officer Randy Sullivan is his name, and we will be glued together for the next few weeks while he completes part of his Field Training Evaluation Program as a new officer. Each year, as the baby boomers retire from our ranks, we have been hiring a handful of officers. It dawned on me the other day, with all these new faces in the ranks ,that I’m becoming an “O.F.” or an old fart amongst our troops. I often get questions about a career as a Conservation Officer, or game warden, from local high school and college-aged folks. I decided that I would write my column about what the job is like and how you can become an Idaho Conservation Officer. If you are interested in wildlife and like to have the most hands-on experience in a wildlife career, becoming a wildlife enforcement officer might be for you. Aside from working with wildlife, we also work with people—most are nice, and some not so much. We are the face of Idaho Fish and Game in our communities and people expect that you be there for them regardless of the nature of their call. Some are looking for information on particular areas, some have wildlife law questions, and others want to voice their opinions on Department management or laws. So in reality, being a conservation officer is not only a career in wildlife but a career in serving the good people of Idaho. To be honest, there are some days I would prefer to deal with an aggressive grizzly bear than some folks, but that is no different than any job out there I suppose. The question I get asked the most is regarding the duties and responsibilities of a conservation officer. Idaho’s Conservation Officers are Peace Officers certified by Idaho Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Academy, which is the same Academy required by state troopers and deputy sheriffs. Typical duties
Becoming a Conservation Officer include: detecting, investigating, and apprehending violators of fish and game laws, rules, and regulations; investigating suspected violations; issuing citations and making arrests; operating check stations; assisting other law enforcement agencies as requested or needed; maintaining a diary of daily activities, protection of crime scenes, collection and preservation of evidence, preparing case reports for the prosecutor and testifying at court proceedings. IDFG officers also enforce non-wildlife specific laws such as laws dealing with outfitters and guides, off-road vehicle, stream and fire protection, firearms, tribal law, mining, environmental, drug, and human safety. Officers must be self-motivated and independent workers. This is not an 8 to 5 job. We routinely work nights, holidays and weekends. Because officers may be the sole enforcement authority for a large geographic area, they are expected to be on call to respond to wildlife or enforcement emergencies seven days a week, 24 hours a day. IDFG officers also work closely with biologists to collect information for wildlife studies, trap, tag and transplant wildlife, work with landowners to resolve wildlife damage problems, present programs to the public, write news articles, and participate in news programs. Another frequent question I receive is “What kind of training or education do I need?” The below requirements are a bare minimum to become a conservation officer. The candidate must be a United States citizen, and must be or become an Idaho resident in conjunction with appointment as a conservation officer. Competitive candidates possess a bachelor’s degree in wildlife and/or fisheries or a closely related field; although a degree is not necessary at least four upper level college courses in wildlife/fish management are. Out of the 100 conservation officers in Idaho almost all have a wildlife biology degree and about 10 percent of those have a master’s degree
Proud to Provide Environmentally Conscientious Construction and Consultation Accepting Selected Projects Only
“The rumors of my retirement are greatly exaggerated.”
P.O. Box 118 • Hope, Idaho • 208.264.5621
in a wildlife related field. A candidate must be in excellent physical and mental health (minimum visual acuity is 20/100 corrected to 20/20 in both eyes). Idaho Fish & Game’s conservation officers are the only employees of a law enforcement entity in Idaho that have a mandatory physical fitness assessment throughout our careers. Our job requires us to have the physical ability to walk in rugged terrain, work in extreme weather conditions, and lift and carry up to 100 pounds. Conservation Officers must meet all entrance requirements established by POST Council per Idaho Code 19-5109. Officers must meet physical fitness standards twice a year and firearms/defensive tactics qualifications throughout their employment. Because we as conservation officers serve as the front line contact with the sporting public, having an interest and practical experience in hunting and fishing is very important. A candidate must also possess good social skills and be able to communicate with the public and have a true passion in serving people. Not only must we be able to talk to people, we have to live a life of high moral fortitude. Who wants a conservation officer living and working in their community who thinks they are above the law? Not me, and I would bet not you either. Applicants must be trustworthy, of high moral character and possess a background free of unfavorable incidents. Applicants are required to submit to and pass a polygraph examination. Employment Disqualifiers include: Proven allegations of domestic violence whether criminally charged or not; Allegations of moral turpitude (sexual deviancy, sexual encounters with underage persons, voyeurism, indecent exposure, etc.); theft; excessive alcohol usage that affects job performance; Illicit use of drugs. In the first few years of training, we surely don’t give someone a truck, binoculars and a citation booklet and say “go get ‘em.” A candidate will have a fairly intense few years of training and evaluation. Once the candidate passes the initial testing and evaluation, they are sent the POST academy in Meridian, Idaho for 10 weeks. Following the successful completion of the POST academy they are assigned to training officers across the state to complete a 10-week Field Evaluation Training Program. Does it still sound like the job for you? Contact our Assistant Chief, Greg Wooten @ greg.wooten@idfg.idaho.gov or call 208334-3736. Leave no Child Inside
Page | The River Journal - A News Magazine Worth Wading Through | www.RiverJournal.com | Vol. 22 No. 5|May 2013
A Bird in Hand Michael Turnlund
Our region is rich in swallows. I count six species: Barn swallow, Cliff swallow, Bank swallow, Northern Rough-winged swallow, Tree swallow, and Violet-green swallow. And while they are all very similar, such as feeding on flying insects while on the wing, they’ve learned to share the space by exploiting different nesting habitats. Some nest in trees or nest boxes (Tree and Violet-green); others in river banks (Bank and Northern Rough-winged). Two of them go the next step further and construct their own nests out of mud. The Cliff swallow builds little mud jugs under the eaves of buildings or other large structures such as bridges. The Barn Swallow—our bird of the month—does something similar, but is content to settle for a more open, half-cup design. The Barn Swallow is the most widely spread species of swallow, ranging across every continent, except the Antarctic. Around the globe these birds breed in the Northern Hemisphere and spend the off-season in the Southern Hemisphere. The birds we see here in our area spend the winter in Central or South America. The species seems to have benefited by the development of human habitations, as they almost exclusively build their nests on man-made structures. Traditionally these birds built their nests
M&E Custom Building LLC Homes Built for Living
Barn Swallow:
Our international summer visitor on cliff faces or in caves, a practice that is now the exception and rarely observed. The identification of Barn Swallows is easy to separate out from our other swallows species, simply because it is the only one with a true, deeply forked, “swallow tail.” A couple others like the Violet-green and the Bank are slightly notched, but nothing compared to the Barn Swallow’s tail. It is a distinctive feature and an excellent field mark. Just look for those long, sweeping, two-tined forks in over-flying birds. The Barn swallow is also often seen alighting near mud puddles. Here they are gathering up mouthfuls of mud with which to construct their nests. Cliff swallows have the same habit. In fact, the Cliff swallow and the Barn swallow share similar colorations and, were it not for that forked tail, they might be more difficult to differentiate. While both share coloration that is dominated by dark blues and rusty reds above and tawny-whites below, the Cliff swallow has a distinctive—though sometimes difficult to see—buff-colored collar around its neck. But honestly, that stumpy square
A great place to meet with friends!
Residential and Commercial Construction
Dan McMahon, General Contractor Visit us at www.mebldg.com 208.264.6700
tail on the Cliff swallow is as plain as can be and eliminates all confusion between the two species. Also, the Barn swallow lacks the buff-colored rump of the Cliff swallow, giving it a smoother, more uniform look. And when on the wing, the Cliff swallow looks squat and dumpy compared to the sleek and elegant Barn swallow. That’s just the way it is. Swallows mate for life and may even attempt to reuse the prior year’s nest. I can imagine that building these nests can’t be particularly pleasant, so I’d want to reuse the old one, too! And, hey, if the old nest survived the winter, that must be a good indicator of workmanship, I mean work-bird-ship… whatever. I was intrigued by the name of the bird—“swallow”—and spent some time on the Internet trying to determine the origins of the word. Unfortunately, the name is so old that it goes back to the original Proto-Indo-European language— the one most European languages are all derived from. This bird has a long association with humans. For me, the swallows in general are a harbinger of spring. You know that when the swallows appear, warm weather is soon to follow. And while I enjoy all the swallow species, I find the Barn swallow to be the prettiest to watch, if only because of that wonderful tail. At least they’re easy to identify, because, ironically, they are the only species in our region that has a “real” swallow tail! Happy birding!
OPEN EVERY DAY 10 AM TO CLOSING
Karaoke Thursday Nights 8 to 11 pm Outdoor Patio Friendly Service Reasonable Prices hideawaylounge@live.com
May 2013| The River Journal - A News Magazine Worth Wading Through | www.RiverJournal.com | Vol. 22 No. 5| Page
Gary’s Faith Walk Gary Payton The creation story of heaven and earth, critters and humankind, found in Genesis 1 is rich and lyrical. I delight in the images, the rhythm, and the conclusion, “God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good.” The harmony I find in the biblical story was rocked again this spring with the announcement that for the first time in human history, concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere will pass 400 parts per million in much of the Northern Hemisphere in May. As citizens of the world, we know where this is going for 2013 and beyond because we lived it in 2012: stronger storms (Hurricane Sandy), droughts (Midwest crop failures), expanding forest fires (Trinity Ridge Fire in the Boise National Forest), and more. Climate change fostered by burning fossil
RON’S REPAIR Hope, Idaho 264-5529 Or 208-290-7487 Email r.repair43@gmail.com
Repair & Recycling
Lawn, Garden, Snow Equipment, Generators, Pumps and Older Outboards.
Two doors west of the Hope Post Office
I Buy Batteries Ron Powell
I buy, sell and repair Auto, Truck, Marine & ATV batteries
Coal Trains... Redux
fuels is underway and accelerating. So, what’s our piece of this global story as we delight in these spring days with lupine blooming, light green birch leaves bursting out, and new life all around? The answer: coal trains; the potential for lots and lots of coal trains. Last year we were introduced to the full story. Peabody Energy and Arch Coal are hoping to move over 100 million additional tons of coal per year to Asia, principally China, through new coal terminals in Washington and Oregon. From the Powder River Basin in Montana and Wyoming to the coast, that’s over 60 additional trains per day, all passing through Bonner County and Sandpoint. Each train, over 100, open-top cars each, one and a quarter miles long, would be moved by four or five diesel engines. And the route? Much of it along 30 miles of shoreline directly adjacent to and over Lake Pend Oreille. I’m struggling with the potential impact locally. Increased diesel particulate contributes to increased severity and frequency of asthma attacks, rates of heart attacks, and risk of cancer. Coal dust is associated with chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and environmental contamination (think the water we drink and the fish we eat) from the leaching of heavy metals. Then, there are the expected additional delays for emergency vehicles and our own movement across “at grade crossings” all along the rail routes. I’m angry with the potential impact globally. Facilitating the shipment of coal to be burned in coal fired power plants in China, when the U.S. is consciously reducing the number of such plants here, defies my sense of logic. I know the impact on climate change as carbon
Why drive to town when there’s better things to do?
dioxide levels rise higher and higher though the years. And I know it takes just 10 days for the pollutants from East Asia to waft back across the Pacific to our Northwest region. “…and, indeed, it was very, very good.” I can’t imagine the Divine blessing the continuing degradation of the air, the water, the species (human, animal, bird, and aquatic) of creation. In my mind, I hear the voice of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Anglican Archbishop from South Africa and Nobel Peace Prize winner: “Climate change is a deeply moral issue… Here in Africa we see the dreadful suffering of people from worsening drought, from rising food prices, from floods, even though they have done nothing to cause the situation.” As Bill McKibben, environmentalist and Methodist Sunday School teacher, reminds his American audiences, we’re “in the relatively small subset of the Earth’s population that both knows what’s going on and has some kind of leverage to bring to bear on the situation (climate change).” In my faith walk, it’s always been about the challenge of translating convictions into action. And behind these contemporary voices of Tutu and McKibben is the wisdom of the Book of James (James 2:17), “So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.” What’s the summer hold for me? Exploring solar power for our home. Deepening my knowledge of climate change. Using my voice and my pen to stop the expanded export of Powder River coal to China. And, traveling to Washington DC to urge our Congressmen to do the same. What about you?
with offices in Hope at Pend Oreille Shores
Idaho has Direct Access. That means for most insurances you do not need a doctor’s referral and it is your choice which physical therapist you see. So, if location matters, come see us. Individualized treatment with a licensed therapist guaranteed!
Consistently voted the Best in Bonner County
Hope: 610-6611 Sandpoint: 265-8333
Caribou Physical Therapy
Also offering Aquatic Therapy
www.CaribouPhysicalTherapy.com
Page 10 | The River Journal - A News Magazine Worth Wading Through | www.RiverJournal.com | Vol. 22 No. 5|May 2013
The Hawk’s Nest Ernie Hawks
I was walking through our woods on the Baby Trail soaking up a new spring day. The snow had made it nearly imposable to walk without snowshoes until a couple of days before. As I meandered, I thought of why we had named this trail the “Baby Trail” several years ago. It was a day very similar and I was in need of some woods time, to experience the new spring, so I left my work inside and started a wander. Rounding a bend in the trail I heard some small sounds and looked down. It appeared the ground was moving all around me. I didn’t feel anything but there was a lot going on where I stood. I soon recognized that grouse chicks were scurrying in every direction—must have been a dozen or more. Then, to my left, mama started making noise. First she ran directly at me. I thought it comical that a two-pound bird would try to chase me off but, to her credit, she tried. I stood there watching her and the babies. When her threat didn’t work she suddenly had a case of a broken wing. She started to run away from me with a very convincing “wounded wing” gate. I didn’t fall for her “easy prey” scheme but moved away from the chicks just the same. In order not to stress them any more, or myself over unfinished work, I headed back to the house where my desk waited. Grouse medicine can be the representation of the sacred spiral. As we travel our sacred journey we circle around to earlier lessons and often get new understandings or completion of old issues. We are ever moving upward, yet always spiraling around past where we have been. It gave me something to think about.
Discovering Spring Babies
That evening I was telling Linda about the sighting. She wondered if the chicks would still be in the area. For us, any excuse to take a walk in the woods will do. Even when that excuse is the very unlikely chance that a mother grouse would take her chicks back to the very same place something as big and scary as me had been lurking. I thought about grabbing a camera but knew we wouldn’t see any little birds so left the case closed. We wandered with Nikki, our dog, slowly in the direction I had gone earlier. Not being real confident in seeing wildlife we were getting caught up with a conversation of the day’s activities. Nikki sniffed and smelled her way just ahead of us. We rounded the bend in the trail and I said, “This is the spot and the babies were mostly running that way. I then turned a bit and pointed in the direction the mama had tried to take me. As expected, there was nothing there at all. I looked in the opposite direction on the off chance we would see anything. A step and a half from me, next to a big Douglas fir and lying in a tight little bundle, was a whitetail fawn. The nose of the deer was tight against its left hip, next to its tail. Nikki, standing next to me, hadn’t seemed to notice. I stopped saying whatever I was saying and just pointed; Linda took in a surprised breath. Nikki saw the object of our attention and stretched her nose until one of us called her. Nikki had not moved, but she stepped back looking a bit confused. I was surprised she did not seem to smell it. Linda half whispered, “Do you have a camera?”
Now Open for the Season Tue-Sat 8:00am to 5pm Sun 9:00am to 3pm Closed Mondays
Majestic Landscaping Supplies Blended top soil • Cedar raised beds • Cedar planter boxes • Rock • Sand and Deco Bark and more • U-haul or we haul Equipment also available for rent
“No.” “It will only take a minute, if you go the short way; see if you can get it.” I left them there and headed through the woods—the most direct route. As quickly as I could and a bit out of breath I was back with a camera and lens. The fawn had not moved. Linda said it had been all she could do not to touch it but she just stayed back and watched for the mother. We know a doe will clean her offspring by licking around the muzzle and the anus so there is no smell. She will then leave if for long periods to forage, since a baby that young could not keep up. I had no idea how little odor the baby had but Nikki had to see it rather then sniff it out. Linda also knew mom could be back anytime and may not take her presence lightly, especially since she had a dog with her, so she kept a vigilant eye. I got on a knee and carefully moved a twig that crossed the babe’s face and started snapping. It still did not move. That newborn gave me one of the finest photo ops I have every experienced. After a couple dozen shots or so we all left. That infant had not moved for at least fifteen minutes as we stood over it. Deer represents gentleness for some cultures. Looking at that baby there in a bed of pine needles certainly did give us that feeling—gentleness in its infancy. Even after all these years, as I walk that trail I always think of that spring experience six or seven years ago. My sacred spiral journey continues and with that memory, gentleness fills me. We have deer in our yard regularly and there are some we are quite sure we have watched mature. We have witnessed the babies and seen their spiral into gentle maturity. Last November, several does and yearlings were hanging out in our yard. With the rut in the air, they were being wary. Suddenly, a handsome, sixby-six buck ran out of the trees with amorous eyes. All the ladies and children scattered. He wasn’t around long enough to get a photo even if I had been ready. I did get a good look. It may be hopeful thinking, but I think he was that baby we saw many years ago, who let us take all those pictures. Maybe not, but I want to think that.
Don’t Travel Miles... Check Out Our Piles! Hwy 200 1 mile west of Clark Fork • 208-266-1245 May 2013| The River Journal - A News Magazine Worth Wading Through | www.RiverJournal.com | Vol. 22 No. 5| Page 11
A Seat in the House
Rep. George Eskridge
The first regular session of the 62nd Idaho Legislature was 88 days in length, adjourning on April 4. During this time 545 pieces of legislation were introduced and, of the 545, bills introduced, 356 were passed by the Senate and House and sent to the Governor. The Governor vetoed two of these bills and 354 became law, with the majority becoming effective July 1 of this year. One of the most controversial pieces of legislation was House Bill 248 (H248) that establishes a state-based Health Insurance Exchange. This legislation was first introduced as Senate Bill 1042 and passed the Senate on a 23 to 12 vote. At the same time the House Health and Welfare Committee drafted a similar bill, House Bill 179, that also provided for a state implemented Health Insurance Exchange. Both of these bills were held in the House and replaced with H248, which incorporated the best provisions of both bills. H248 passed the Senate and House and was signed into law by the Governor. Implementation of a Health Insurance Exchange is required under the Federal Patient and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), also referred to as “Obamacare.” Under the Act, a state has the option of adopting a state operated health insurance exchange or leaving implementation of the exchange to the federal government. As I related in a previous Journal article, the question of how to respond to the health insurance requirement of the federal legislation was extremely controversial. Idaho Governor Otter and the Idaho Legislature have fought hard against the federal health care law and many Idaho legislators opposed to the Federal Patient and Affordable Care Act opposed establishing a state exchange, believing that the federal government would be unable to implement a federal exchange without the majority of states participating and the requirement would become a non-issue. Other legislators, believing that there were only two choices (a state health insurance exchange or a federally implemented health insurance exchange), favored a state exchange thinking that the state was better positioned to implement an exchange that would meet Idaho citizens’ needs more effectively and less costly than a federally implemented program. H248 passed the House on a 41 to 29 vote and the Senate on a 23 to 12 vote.
Idaho Adopts State Health Insurance Exchange Given the controversy over the Health Insurance Exchange and in response to questions I have had on the issue, it seems good to discuss what an exchange actually is to help with understanding the intent of a health insurance exchange. Beginning in 2014, most Americans will be required to have a health insurance plan that contains basic minimum standards. Those who do not, and are not exempt because they have insurance under private coverage or government coverage under Medicare or Medicaid, will be subject to a penalty collected through the Internal Revenue Service. A health insurance exchange provides a marketplace for those needing to purchase health insurance to meet this federal requirement. Very simply, a health insurance exchange “is an internet-based marketplace for qualified health insurance plans that will be sold the way travel websites such as Orbitz or Expedia sell airline tickets.” The Idaho Health Insurance Exchange “will offer a choice of different health plans provided by companies offering policies that meet federal requirements, and will also provide information and assistance through a manned call center located in Idaho to help consumers better understand their options.” Individuals buying their own coverage and businesses with 50 or fewer employees will be eligible to purchase insurance through the exchange. However, it is important to understand that not all individuals or companies have to buy insurance through the exchange. Participation in the exchange is completely voluntary; most Americans will continue to get insurance through their employers or thorough their own private policies unless purchasing through the exchange would provide the same or better coverage at a lesser cost. No state money will be needed to create a state-based health insurance exchange. H248 provides for a “not-forprofit Health Insurance Exchange. The initial implementation and operation of the Idaho Health Insurance Exchange will be funded by federal grants but the continuing operation of the exchange will be “funded by exchange participants through user fees or assessments.” A 19-member Idaho Health Insurance Exchange Board, authorized by the legislature to set the rules and regulations for implementing the state-
based exchange, will govern the Health Exchange. In summary, those legislators who supported H248, including myself, did so for two reasons: 1) The state would have some flexibility in developing a program that would meet the needs of Idaho citizens better than a federal program of “one size fits all” that relies on national insurance statistics as opposed to individual state insurance statistics. 2) That a state-based exchange will cost less than a federally implemented exchange for those having to purchase insurance through the exchange for the following reasons: The Idaho Exchange will avoid the federal fee of 3.5 percent on insurance policy premiums A state-based exchange allows Idaho to control the operational costs of the exchange. An Idaho exchange will rely on existing state agencies to perform the regulatory functions they now perform. I hope this information is helpful for those readers wondering how and if a state implemented insurance exchange impacts them. Since the legislature adjourned on April 4 I can be reached at my home address of P.O. Box 112, Dover or by email at: geskridge(at)coldreams.com or by phone at (208) 265-0123. Thanks for reading! George
All About Weddings
Dishes, linens, chairs, tables, tents and more. Expanded selection covers any event, big or small.
Custom Wedding and Event Supplies 1201 Michigan St. • Sandpoint www.weddingsinsandpoint.com
208.263.9748
Page 12 | The River Journal - A News Magazine Worth Wading Through | www.RiverJournal.com | Vol. 22 No. 5|May 2013
The Scenic Route Sandy Compton
The last remains of the snow piled under the eaves of the shop soaked into the spring-softened soil a week ago—but not before the dog rolled in that last bit of winter. The disappearance of that accumulation is an old signal on this place. That roof’s been shedding snow in the same location since—hmmm, let’s see—1972, maybe? Can’t remember exactly, though I helped the Old Man raise the walls one fine June day. Dad smacked his left thumb well that day with a 20-ounce, TruTest claw hammer and launched it on a rising string of invectives into the woods in retaliation. Too bad the clew wasn’t cotton, ’cause we never found it. Never. Every once in a while, I wander through the forest back there and still think I might find it hanging in a tree. As the world surrounding the shop emerges from winter, so do things that need doing. Regretfully or thankfully, depending on your point of view, liftassisted skiing is over for the season, so maybe some of them will get done. There’s always hope. Spring is, after all, hope renewed. Having survived the white months, we begin to breath again, along with the planet. Now, if we can coax something to grow, we might make it through next winter. That’s not quite so true as it was a couple of centuries ago. Not many in this country live that close to the earth
Geese
anymore. But, there is still opportunity to pay it attention With this new year—that marked by the calendar, not the thaw—I’ve undertaken a new discipline of earth watching. Each day the weather is not completely disagreeable—or I am not called by economics to leave early and come home late—I take the snow-lover to visit his other love, the river. Beside it resides a tennis ball in the fork of a cedar tree and a pile of rocks doubling as a weight set, providing workouts for us both. I also bring my camera. The view downstream from the gymnasium and water park is not overtly spectacular, but beautiful and ever changing. Each time I put my feet into their preordained places and take the four pictures I always take—two vertical, two horizontal; two at normal focal length, two at 3X magnification—I see a different river. Sometimes the river-lover sneaks into the frame, but that is all for the better. At the end of the year, I will have four very short movies about my river in which Laddie makes occasional cameo appearances. So it was that I was at the river yesterday—not a very nice day, by the way—with a happy dog and two Canada geese that were acting strangely. Instead of flying away at the presence of the dog, as they normally do, they swam toward us, veering off before getting too close,
THE BEST PART OF REACHING THE TOP IS THE VIEW. WE CAN HELP YOU GET THERE.
increase nutrients, such as nitrogen and This septic pilot project is being introduced in order to comply with water quality standards as determined by the Federal Clean Water Act. Designated to protect water quality, the plan, known as a “Total Maximum Daily Load” for Lake Pend Oreille, addresses nutrient issues
• Personal • Corporate • Partnerships In addition, • Trusts many lakeshore
but then approaching again. It was as if they were trying to convince themselves to land but couldn’t quite talk themselves into it. This went on through a liberal application of the tennis ball, which kept the dog’s attention away from the geese, and the weight set, which warded off personal atrophy for one more day. Finally, I was tired and the dog was, at least, very wet. I proposed that we quit and go home. The dog joyfully accepted. As we were leaving, though, a third goose approached, announcing itself in no uncertain terms. It came full tilt downriver at an elevation of about two feet, neck stretched flat and pinions pumping full speed ahead, just far enough off the glassy water that its wingtips didn’t tangle with those of its reflection. I expected it would go into the glide that signals an imminent landing, but instead, it passed the other two at full steam and then pulled a hard right and came after one of the others, lowering to a point where he could assist his own progress by running along the top of the water. It was then easy to see that he was a he and that he meant business, The other male skedaddled a ways upstream and settled on the water. The new arrival settled next to the third goose and they began upstream at a companionable distance from one another. From about 50 yards, the newly returned male went after the other gander again, which took off and, honking mournfully, flew straight downriver and out of sight, Once the would-be usurper was vanquished, the pair left behind let bygones be bygones and swam quietly together, as I have seen them do on many previous visits to the river. The dog came back to see what had happened to me, and then we went home.
Council website at tristatecouncil.org.
Hay’s Chevron Gas • Convenience Store Unofficial Historical Society
Oil Changes Tire Rotation by appointment
participated 1211 Michigan,homeowners Sandpoint
in a survey in 2007 concerning a variety of water quality issues. As is turns out, their
208.265.2500 • 800.338.9835
208-266-1338
2013|- The RiverMagazine Journal - A NewsWading Magazine Worth Wading Through | www.RiverJournal.com | Vol. 22 No. 5|2008 Page 13 The RiverMay Journal A News Worth Through | www.RiverJournal.com | Vol 17 No. 18 | November | Page 5
T
he Festival at Sandpoint will be announcing our 30th annual season line-up of big stars under the big tent on Thursday, May 16, 2013. Your last chance to buy season passes (if any are left) at the Early Bird price of just $179 (plus tax and city parks fee) will be midnight on Wednesday, May 15. Buy your tickets online at our website at www. Festival at Sandpoint.com, or call our office at 208-265-4554 (toll free at 888.265-4454). Want a sneak peek at the line-up? Get your ticket today for our first ever “Line-Up Leak Party,” on Wednesday, May 15! Your ticket includes beer, wine, snacks, live music with Michael Seward and an early announcement of the line-up for just $20! Only 75 tickets total, so buy yours today!
D
on’t forget to “like” our Facebook page, and visit our website!
May 2013| The River Journal - A News Magazine Worth Wading Through | www.RiverJournal.com | Vol. 22 No. 5| Page 14
FROM THE FILES OF THE RIVER JOURNAL’S
Surrealist Research Bureau
Jody Forest
Dostoyevsky’s visions (or) Raiders of the TLE
A few years back I had a series of bizarre seizures, suddenly losing consciousness and falling to the ground briefly, usually coming to within a few seconds. There was no thrashing wildly or swallowing my tongue as is common in epileptics, but in those brief moments I experienced a strange clarity and focus I’d never felt before. Coming to, I was always astounded to find only a second or two had passed. I’d been in a timeless void, egoless and drifting, opening my eyes as a newborn, amazed at the mysterious, wondrous world unfolding before me. Then my old self gradually re-settled into my skin. That so little time had passed was stunning, as the experience itself had been so timeless, so ineffable and otherworldly. I recalled reading, in my college days, statements by the Russian writer Fyodor Dostoyevsky, that during his own epileptic seizures he had experienced “profound and marvelous mysteries and secrets.” I learned later that only a very small minority of sufferers of epilepsy, perhaps less than 5 percent, feel these mystical strange “auras” as they’re called, and few of these can fully or even partially describe their visions. Even a world-class writer like Dostoyevsky was reduced to phrases like: “I would give up ten years of my life, or even life itself, to know once more even a few precious seconds of that limitless joy unbounded.” It’s interesting as well to note that, in those days when neurological diseases like epilepsy were great unknowns still in their infancy, Freud himself felt that Dostoyevsky’s (and others’) symptoms were merely hysteria, a catch-all diagnosis he seemed to bestow upon patients with a suspicious regularity. Now, about five years previous to my
own series of seizures, I’d had a minor stroke which occurred, it turns out, near a tiny portion of the brain called the temporal lobe. Other than headaches, which dissipated slowly over the years, I’d had no other symptoms, but the stroke—or brainstorm, which is the more common term nowadays—left a miniscule infarct, or dark spot, on my cat scans, which persists to this day, right near the temporal lobe. This is important, to me at least, as a partial explanation for what had occurred. Recent scientific research And they don’t have stimulation to—after all, suggests that artificial of don’t we Americans believe if it’s ours, it’s aours the temporal lobe (generally through and we can do with magnetic it what wewaves want? Or helmet which directs is to those specific parts of the brain) want“auras” it, then induces in subjects the and samewe vivid epileptics others after theirdon’t, you haveand to give it torecall us and if you episodes. Saint Paul (ofterrorism Christianity then you sponsor andfame) we’ll is only one of many religious and other historical figures to have By the way, who’s Chinabelieved wants that oil as had temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). well. Remember China? The people who In Actsus 22:6-21, for money? instance, China’s he loaned all that oil describes, after seeing a blinding light, consumption is around 6.5 billion barrels a particularly severe case in which he a year, and growing at for 7 percent every was unable toiseat or drink three full year. It produces about 3.6 billion barrels days, and in 2 Corinthians 12, Paul gave every year. this maththat look good further clues,Does confirmation he’d hadto anyone?recurring Can anyone otherand than Sarah frequent, episodes, further, Palin George Bush believe we can that he and was aware of an illness or disease indrill himself. our way out of this problem? Anyone Dostoyevsky, in we Thebetter Idiot,hit hasthe hisground who doesn’t think epileptic hero, Prince Myshkin, state of we running to figure out how to fuel what his fits, fueled “What does matter if it’s onlythan want with itsomething other a oil disease or a tiny spasmto in go the back brain to an probably deserves when it seems to fill me with harmony and beauty unbounded, when ecstasy, could go on devotion, and bliss are all: I Ican recall?” forever, but you’ll quit reading. So one Of course, my own brief, relatively final discussion forofthe American public. mild glimpses a vast, timeless void First, let’s have compare a true, independent of can hardly with St. Paulanalysis or what happened September Dostoyevsky; theyon can, however, 11, be 2001. The official explanation simply doesn’t hold water. This is one of those “who knew what, when” questions that must be answered—and people/institutions must
Guaranteed by Mother Nature
Cedar Outlet
Speaking of accountability, you might be surprised to learn that I would not support an effort to impeach President Bush after the November elections. First, because that’s too late, and second, because more than Bush have been involved in crimes against the American people. What I would like to see are charges (at the least, charges of treason) brought against Bush, Cheney, et al. Bring 208-263-1208 the charges facebook/CedarsofIdaho and let’s let the evidence of
Fencing • Decking • Siding • Shingles • Panelling
1 mile north of Big R on Hwy. 95
www.CedarsofIdaho.com
CALL FOR SERVICE
likened to The Byrds; classic song: 5D. “Oh how is it that I could come out to here/ And still be floating/ And never hit bottom and keep falling through/ Just relaxed and payin’ attention./ Oh my 3 dimensional boundaries were lost/ I had lost to them gladly/ I saw that world crumble and thought I was dead/ But I found my senses still working/ To show me that Joy innocently is;/ Just be Quiet and feel it around you.” ‘til next time, keep spreading the word; “Soylent Green is People!” All Homage to Xena!
They have ‘slipped the surly bonds of earth’ and ‘touch the face of God.’
Coffelt Funeral Service helping those who are left behind. P.O. Box 949 • Sandpoint, Idaho
208-263-3133
www.CoffeltFuneral.com Moon Chapel Pinecrest Cemetery Member by invitation only Moon Crematory
May 2013| The River Journal - A News Magazine Worth Wading Through | www.RiverJournal.com | Vol. 22 No. 5| Page 15
Get Growing!
Nancy Hastings
Garden Anywhere! Whether you live on a boat or a rock cliff, when you really put your mind to it you can garden anywhere. This is true even if you are a renter, have deer or very difficult soil, Sometimes, it is just downright more productive to carve out your own space to garden, so let’s talk container gardening. If you are a rookie gardener, you may want to start small, but not too small— choose a container at least 14 in. wide or a container that holds about 3 gallons of soil. Be creative and you will be surprised what you can recycle for great container gardening vessels. Those pickle buckets are perfect, especially if they are already cracked on the bottom; if they’re not, drill holes for drainage. Old dog food or strong feed sacks can be cleaned with bleach water and turned inside out for a perfect potato grow bag. Line the dog food sack with a black garbage bag and slit with many holes on the bottom and side. Position your potato bag in 6-8 hours of sun. Roll the bag down on the sides and fill with 6-8 inches of soil; position your potatoes with 2-3 inch cubes of cut potato (all with 2-3 eyes pointing UP) and cover with another 6 inches of half potting soil/half compost mix. As the plant grows to about 6 inches high, bury the lower crown of the leaves again until just 2 inches show. Continue to add soil as the plant grows and roll the sides of the dog bag up—make sure you water well, but let the bag dry out between watering. After they are fully bloomed out and start to yellow, stop watering so the potato skins can dry. When you’re ready to harvest, just cut open the bag and
voila!—potatoes everywhere. You can even use an old pallet for flowers or very shallow rooted vegetables such as herbs, lettuce, mustard, kale spinach, radishes, and short carrots – Chantenay, Danvers or Little Finger. If you are using a pallet for food, make sure you know what was being shipped on the pallet. Staple weed fabric to the back of the pallet and fill with loose, good quality potting soil, near the site you want to stand it up because it will get VERY heavy! Plant between the slats as it lies on the ground before the plants settle in, and keep it well watered. If you want more ideas about how to garden in containers, the Internet is your friend. And if you haven’t checked it out yet, visit Pinterest (pinterest.com), type “container gardening” into the search bar, and prepare to be amazed. And then, get growing! Nancy Hastings grew up on a 300+ acre farm and now is co-owner of All Seasons Garden & Floral in Sandpoint, She and her husband John have been cultivating community gardens and growing for 16 years in North Idaho. You can reach them with garden questions or sign up for classes at allseasonsgardenandfloral@gmail.com.
Espresso at Annie’s Orchard with your hosts Terry & Carole Chowning Coffee and other specialty drinks, pastries & more
Hwy 200 1 mile west of Clark Fork • 208-266-1245
Now Open Mon-Sat 7 to 2 • Sunday 8 to 2
Festival LineUp Leak! If you’ve always wanted to know which artists will be performing at the Festival at Sandpoint just a little bit sooner than everyone else, now’s your chance! The Festival, for the first time ever, is holding a Festival Line-Up Leak party on Wednesday, May 15 from 5 to 7 pm at their new offices at 525 Pine St. in Sandpoint . Tickets, which cost $20, include beer, wine, snacks and live music by Michael Steward, but are limited to just 75 Festival fans, so buy yours today. You can buy tickets online at the Festival website (www. FestivalatSandpoint.com) or buy calling the office directly at 208-265-4554. You can also drop by and pick up your ticket in person, but you won’t hear the line-up any sooner. Can’t make it to the party? Traditionally, the season line-up is announced at 12:01 am online on the first day of Lost in the 50s (May 16 this year), or just an hour or so sooner on the Festival’s Facebook page.
May 24
Spring Fling wine pairing & social Hope Memorial Community Center Tickets $15/advance 208.264.5481
Clark Fork Baptist Church
Main and Second • Clark Fork
Sunday School............9:45 am Morning Worship............11 am Evening Service...............6 pm Wednesday Service.........7 pm Call 266-0405 for transportation
Bible Preaching and Traditional Music
Page 16 | The River Journal - A News Magazine Worth Wading Through | www.RiverJournal.com | Vol. 22 No. 5|May 2013
Veterans’ News Gil Beyer
Honor Flight Fundraising Success
On Saturday, April 20, I had the Outdoor Line, a Seattle radio program background checks to carry a weapon in privilege of attending the showing of (found online at www.theoutdoorline. Iraq than criminals and the mentally ill the movie, Honor Flight. This event was com.) They are offering a chance for need to purchase one at home.” If anyone put on by the Sandpoint High School wounded combat veterans who served in fails to see the irony in this situation, Chapter of the Honor Flight program they are blind. We ask our best to raise money so they could send and brightest to voluntarily area WWII veterans to Washington, subject themselves to a more DC. For those of you unfamiliar rigorous set of background checks with the Honor Flight program. I’ll to defend our country than we ask give a brief thumbnail of what it of criminals and the mentally ill. does. The program raises money Former Congresswoman nationwide to transport WWII Gabby Giffords—who’ll you veterans to Washington, DC so they remember was almost killed in can visit the WWII Memorial, Korean Arizona—said it best in her New War Memorial, Arlington National York Times op-ed, “If we cannot Cemetery and the Tomb of the make our communities safer with Unknown Soldier. the Congress we have now, we The SHS Honor Flight chapter’s will use every means available president is an exchange student to make sure we have a different Photo—Top Row: Josh Wallis, Makena Presnell, Marissa from Germany and she ‘gets it.’ She Congress… To do nothing while Montgomery, Emma Weisz, Logan Finney, John Nitcy, is much too young to even know others are in danger is not the Advisor. Bottom Row: Madie Slaton, Mia Schroeder, people who remember WWII, but she American way.” We must not let Alison Calvert, Maria Henderson has grown up in a free and reunified these craven toadies off the hook. Germany that has benefitted from all that Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Their spineless performances must not Iraqi Freedom or Operation New Dawn preceded the birth of her generation. be allowed to stand unchallenged. We to go fishing for salmon in the Strait She is ably supported by at least eight must remember their names when the other students. I wanted to give them the of Juan de Fuca out of Everett, Wash. primary elections next come up. We must Called the “Salmon for Soldiers fishing recognition they deserve but was unable also remember that elections are often event,” this is a special deal not just for to get their names prior to deadline. won or lost not in the general elections of those physically wounded during those These students deserve a big round of November but the primaries held earlier operations, but also for those suffering applause. in the year. from PTSD or Traumatic Brain Injuries. All the money raised is used to This isn’t about gun rights—this is The deal goes like this: Free chartered pay the airfare, lodging and in-town about common sense. This isn’t about the fishing vessels, fishing equipment, bait transportation of these veterans. John fear of a national gun registry. It’s about and instruction. The individual veteran Nitcy, Sandpoint High School computer protecting American lives. If our elected is responsible for lodging (two nights), instructor, told me that with the three representatives are so disconnected from fishing license, meals and any incidentals. showings on Friday and the one on the vast majority of the population—90 This excursion is scheduled for August Saturday that I attended, they raised percent of Americans say they support 10, 2013. For more information contact $3,876.30. That’s enough money to extended background checks according Joe Dumlao at (509) 893 or email at eliseo. send three area WWII veterans on an to a Washington Post-ABC poll, and dumlao(at)va.gov upcoming flight. That is wonderful, but those results have been replicated in On Monday, Memorial Day (May 27), many more will still be on the waiting other major polls—then they need to be the DAV will be once again handing out lists. These waiting lists are problematic replaced at the earliest opportunity. Forget-Me-Nots. You’ll see volunteers for the simple reason that many of these I think it is time to put ‘public ‘shaking their cans’ at most of the veterans may die before their name service’ back in the job description of supermarkets around Sandpoint. All comes to the top of the list. our elected public servants. They should As I mentioned in last month’s article, donations received during this oncenot be the lackeys of special interests, -a-year event stay here in the area over 700 WWII veterans die every day nor should they be the toadies of the to support the DAV van that shuttles nationwide. Here in Idaho that means ‘gun lobby’ or ‘big oil’ or any other wellveterans to their appointments at the VA we are losing an average of two per day. funded lobbying group. They are sent to Medical Center in Spokane, Wash. at zero It is imperative that we act quickly to Washington, DC to represent ALL of their cost to the veteran. honor these heroes before it is too late. constituents, not just the select few. After the embarrassing display of They have earned this recognition as we, I’ll be very interested in seeing what cowardice by the U.S. Senate in mid-April as the recipients of their efforts, must transpires over the next few months. Will over the proposed ‘Background Check’ honor that debt. If anyone feels moved our Senators and Congressmen finally bill, I have been closely watching how to contribute to this worthy cause, you do something for the good of the vast the various veterans groups feel about should contact John Nitcy at SHS. I feel majority of the population? Or will they this issue. VoteVets.org—an offshoot of positive that John would gladly accept continue to listen solely to the moneyed the IAVA—issued a press release that any contribution. groups that keep them in office year after said, in part, “After last week’s Senate Another bit of interest that came to year? Only time will tell. vote, veterans still need more rigorous my attention was a flyer I received from May 2013| The River Journal - A News Magazine Worth Wading Through | www.RiverJournal.com | Vol. 22 No. 5| Page 17
DiLuna’s
Ray Allen is available for private parties, weddings, restaurants, and all corporate events. Ray Allen plays acoustic guitar and sings jazz standards, pop tunes, country, and originals from the 30s through the 70s. Music for all ages. Includes use of my PA system for announcements. Clean cut and well dressed for your event. PA rentals for events. Call for my low rates and information.
Catering to your Needs 220 Cedar St. Sandpoint 208.263.0846
Call 208-610-8244
May 17-20 in • Sandpoint, Lost theIdaho 50s
May 16-19 • Sandpoint, Idaho
Hot Cars
Vintage Car Parade, downtown Sandpoint, 6 pm Friday Car Show - Saturday 9:30 to 3:45
Hot Music
Rock and Roll Heaven VIII,
Friday 7 pm, Panida Theater $30 (Doors open 6 pm)
Rocky & the Rollers with the Lovin’ Spoonful (Friday night) and Sonny Turner (Sat. night)
show & dance at the Bonner County Fairgrounds, 7:30 Friday and Saturday (doors open 6:30 both nights).
Hot Moves Street Dance,
Friday, immediate after parade, hosted by Bashful Dan, FREE!
Aspirin Rally Run, Sunday, 5k run 10 am, Car Rally at 11:30 am.
Page 18 | The River Journal - A News Magazine Worth Wading Through | www.RiverJournal.com | Vol. 22 No. 5|May 2013
Questions / Tickets: Call 208-265-5678 (LOST) or 208-263-9321 • www.Lostin50s.org
PASSAGES
Boots, Meet Hospice Spring has almost sprung, but I think the trap is rusty. Lucky for us, each year is different, so stick around and I’m sure one will come along you’ll like. Some time ago I think I told you that I have cancer, and like everyone else when my doctor told me, I thought I was dead. “Oh my God, I got cancer!” And not just any cancer; I have colon, liver, and lung cancer. Two colon operations, one liver operation, and then chemo. That was several years ago, and I’m still here. My surgeon placed a port in my chest for easy excess for the chemo needle and on Monday morning they would access the port and draw blood for the lab to test to see if there needed to be a change in my chemo for the week. At that time I would receive a drip that lasted about four hours. I would then be driven home by my wife and would stay on the couch for about three days with what the doctors call discomfort. It wasn’t pain,
but you felt like you had been hit by a logging truck. You didn’t feel like doing anything until about the weekend, and then on Monday morning you started over. There was a time in this long winter that I felt death would be better than taking one more chemo treatment, but I kept thinking that spring would come soon and I could go fishing and be outside in the warm sun. Did I tell you that I lost all my hair? No, I don’t mean just the hair on my head, I mean all my hair; not one hair was left on my whole body. I didn’t know how much your hair protected you by keeping a dead air space between you and your clothes, serving as insulation and thereby keeping you warm. I have had to wear two suits of clothes plus a jacket in the house all winter. As of last Monday I had a set down with my doctor and he informed me that they had done all they could with chemo and I would no longer be taking it... and that I should contact Hospice. This is somewhat like a judge sentencing you to the gas chamber, except, you get twenty years of appeals in prison. I have known people who have lived five years after they stopped chemo. I would be happy to be one of them. I have written before that I would keep you informed as to all the procedures up until death; this is the first installment. Boots
From the Mouth of the River BOOTS REYNOLDS
Natural Balance Massage
•
Sean DULLEA June 6, 1949 - April 6, 2013 www.LakeviewFuneral.com
•
Charles Peter DARR October 2, 1918 - April 4, 2013 www.CoffeltFuneral.com U.S.Army Veteran
•
Samuel Wayne ESTEP May 17, 1938 - April 11, 2013 www.CoffeltFuneral.com U.S. Army Veteran
•
Donald Lloyd McCORMICK May 20, 1943 - April 16, 2013 www.CoffeltFuneral.com
•
Charles L. GOVE March 12, 1925 - April 18, 2013 www.CoffeltFuneral.com U.S. Navy Veteran
•
Hobert Calvin WHITE April 5, 1926 - April 21, 2013 www.CoffeltFuneral.com U.S. Army Veteran
•
Bobbie Jeff HATTOX JR. August 7, 1922 - April 23, 2013 www.CoffeltFuneral.com U.S. Military Veteran
•
Ronald Leslie BRITTON November 20, 1936 - April 27, 2013 www.CoffeltFuneral.com U.S. Navy Veteran
•
Sandra K OLSON January 31, 1957 - April 28, 2013 www.CoffeltFuneral.com
•
Ben Harve COSSEL April 12, 1935 - April 28, 2013 www.CoffeltFuneral.com U.S.Army Veteran
•
Phillip H. ROBINSON March 17, 1946 - April 29, 2013 www.CoffeltFuneral.com U.S. Navy Veteran
Cathryn Cyr, CMT 208.946.3663
TWO CONVENIENT LOCATIONS! • Pend Oreille Shores Resort in Hope • And now at Sa’Haira Salon in Ponderay
(located on Bonner Mall Way behind Sandpoint Furniture)
Visit my new location, and check out some great deals! Celebrating 20 years of serving the Bonner County area.
D & Z Auto Quality and Affordable Auto Repair and Maintenance
265-8881 Chris Gottwald
323 McGhee Road Ste
May 2013| The River Journal - A News Magazine Worth Wading Through | www.RiverJournal.com | Vol. 22 No. 5| Page 19
Scott Clawson
acresnpains@dishmail.net
I’ve always enjoyed getting dirty; I have an affinity for it, really. First as a toddler anointing myself profoundly and impressing my mom no end, later on I preferred a good dirt bike under me while anointing. Wind as well as dirt and bugs in my hair! One sunny day in May of ’65, a young guy out of Wyoming came to work our motel office for college money. Being thirteen, I was working my way out of seventh grade and worrying about wasting another brief summer washing dishes in our steak house, coddling the clientele and cleaning the bar room of spilled whiskey, small change and swizzle sticks. I hated to admit it but I sorely missed the cool bosom of Mother Earth in my fingers, toes and scalp. Hormones, however, were pulling me onward and so were my dad’s expectations. After showing our new employee the proper way to register guests, run the switchboard and the finer points of our more nubile staff members, I focused my attention
on his ‘ride’: a shiny new Suzuki X6 Hustler 250. My gut instincts vehemently noted this might just be the best of both of my worlds, old and new, pre-pubescence and adolescent desires all wrapped up in one pretty blue package with two cylinders and upswept pipes! Something deep inside me snapped; maybe it was my middle finger and thumb. My tenacious, practical side blew away on a mild spring breeze and returned only briefly for a good laugh whenever road rashes and open wounds became a hindrance to my normally stoic good nature. One single meandering lap that afternoon through the woods of my youth and I was deeply hooked and wouldn’t be going back any time soon without a serious chat with my ego or my dad, whichever came first. By the next summer, I couldn’t stand it any more and there was nothing for it but to beg permission from said father to buy my first dirt bike. I had to promise, however, not to entertain any thoughts of owning my first car until after graduation
and that was fine by me as a new dirt bike in the bush has far more intrinsic value than some ol’ jalopy down the road any day! Summers come late and leave quite early in Yellowstone, so I hustled up to “Whitey’s West Gate Garage and Yamaha Emporium” where I laid down almost 400 hours worth of sudsy labor for a still-inthe-crate 100 Trailmaster with two rear sprockets, one for cruising and the other for climbing trees and testing my vertigo. Outfitted with a scabbard for my .22 Remington and/or my trusty Zebco rod and reel, I enjoyed seeing places and critters normally out of range of even my wandering proclivities. I was suddenly everywhere like road apples at a wild horse roundup, free range childhood being what it was at the time. Like pursuing the headwaters of the south fork of the Madison River along the old tracks of the Oregon Short Line to Rea’s Pass. I found old ‘tie camps’ along the way with nothing left to modern history but an occasional log structure being
Page 20 | The River Journal - A News Magazine Worth Wading Through | www.RiverJournal.com | Vol. 22 No. 5|May 2013
forever digested by time and the boreal conifers and critters. Or witnessing early morning sapphire skies in a hundred quiet, lonely places with nothing to record the transaction but my memory’s bank and trust; still there, whenever I feel like making a withdrawal. Times and sights my old Huffy and I would never have shared. Two years later, out came the DT Enduro series and so did my savings passbook! The accrued balance settling on a DT 125 that I got to assemble out of the crate it came in as I was, by then, pumping gas for Whitey and renting out street bikes to overconfident tourists and seasonal help. This unit, due to my simple lack of judgment and enough cash in pocket one overly adventurous afternoon, had a ‘seizure’ (for lack of 2-stroke lubrication) in front of a tailgating tourist, leaving long rubber lines on the highway, a short exclamation in my drawers, and a nice hole in my piston, giving me the opportunity to ‘re-jug’ it to a 175, ratcheting up my thrill riding a tad bit more. I wish I still had this bike as it kept my growing ego from overloading my ass whenever these two got in a disagreement. However,
being a ‘gateway drug’, it left me no other choice but to eventually fall head over boot heels, literally, for a beautiful black DT 360, putting more horses under my fanny than my old hero the Lone Ranger ever had, and broadening my free ranginess even further. After leaving our impressions through southern Idaho, into Oregon, down to Mexico and back to Arizona, I soon left her in favor of my one true love and raising a family, those teenage hormones finally catching up to me when I let the dust settle a while in Phoenix. When they finally boiled down enough to allow my vulnerability to get some fresh air, an opportunity presented itself in the form of a ’79 Yamaha TT500 I nicknamed “Thumper” for its ability to do just that. Together, in the hills of the Idaho Panhandle, we bonded repeatedly and enthusiastically with stunning views, wholesome dirt, sand, mud, rocks, brush, trees and the occasional forlorn muffler. Occasionally, this bond became a bit much to bear. After my nose had a run-in with a 1x6 at work during a blizzard in ’89, causing a perturbable bulge in
my lumbar when my butt hit the ground, leaving me near worthless for months, I had to ignore any temptation to ride for fear of even more worthlessness. Ever since that day, whenever my gaze made contact with my old friend’s languishing frame sinking into the duff of middle age, I’d think of making a sculpture befitting its courage, power and exuberance. I wanted to weld it in rigid repose, as it should be, front wheel in the air and eternally happy with a mannequin flailing in tennis shoes and cut-offs hanging on for fear of falling behind. Sadly, I traded her for firewood last fall, so maybe I’ll make a similar piece of work out of my old tiller as they seem to share many of the same characteristics. All I would like now would be, for memory’s sake, some slow motion clips of those more stellar moments my dirt bikes and I enjoyed together when enthusiasm got in the way of simple easy ‘bliss’, illustrating succinctly why I gave up riding over twenty years ago in favor of saving what’s left of my body for retirement and less dicey pastimes like fishing, hiking and not bleeding so much.
John Hill, John Marquette, Rico Carll and Jerry Causi
Their music has been called anything from “North Idaho Ethnic” to Geezer Rock with a Twist, but it “Doesn’t Matter What You Call It.” Available at Flatpick Earl’s at 113 N. First in Sandpoint, The Long Ear at 2405 N. 4th in Couer ‘d Alene, The Naples General Store in beautiful downtown Naples, Far North Deli and Mugsy’s Tavern in Bonners Ferry as well as Northwest Music / the Hot Club in Troy, Montana.
Downloads available from Amazon Mp3, Spotify, Itunes, Google Tunes, and Deezer.
TRADER’S
1007 Superior, Sandpoint, Idaho • 208-263-7518 • TOLL FREE: 1-877-263-7518 • FAX: 265-4220
COMPLEMENT YOUR YARD OR PROPERTY!
Attractive, durable storage buildings. Many styles pre-finished and ready! And we’ll help to set up. Built on heavy 6x6 timbers, 2”x6” floor joists, 3/4” flooring, oiled, 8” beveled cedar siding. 2”x6” roof rated for 105-lb snow loads. We can also custom build with windows, porches, railings, roll up doors and more! Come look, you’ll be
8x8 $899.00 8x12 $1299.00 8x16 $1599.00
SPECIALS
Also offering quality, custom greenhouses, built to withstand North Idaho winters! Set-up and delivery available and if your selection is in stock, you could be enjoying your new outbuilding in hours!
8x8......... $1799 8x12....... $2250.00 .00
Doors
$15.00 to $65.00
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
HUGE SELECTION OF HARDWOODS!
Walnut • Mahogany Maple • African Red Oak Mahogany White Oak • Purple Cherry Heart Ebony • Canary Rosewood wood Hickory • Zebra Hemlock wood Tigerwood • Padouk Poplar • Babinga African • and MORE! Sapele Aromatic Cedar 1x4..... .52/ft Wenge 1x6..... .88/ft Ash Teak 1x8..... 1.40/ft
Laminated Panels
33”x95”
Hickory Cherry Oak
Other sizes also available
$99.
88
Cedar Prices 1x10..... 1. /ft 87
1x12..... 2.78/ft Check it Out!
Open 6 Days a Week
Monday-Friday 8 am to 5 pm, Sat. 8 am to 3 pm