A story for Newcomers
by Marianne Love
I
f you have moved to this area recently, welcome! You have resettled in what many of us longtime locals refer to as “God’s Country.” Our Eden has been and continues to be discovered, thanks to a recent series of glowing vignettes in the national media. This favorable publicity and its certain consequences, however, create a bittersweet pill for many of us to digest. We feel validated, seeing that the outside world is finally learning what we’ve known all along. This is a truly special place, not only because of its breath-taking grandeur but also thanks to the collective beauty that continually pours forth from the souls of the diverse people who live here. Residents in this community have always displayed their passionate spirits, no matter the cause. Our population is made up of a generally folksy, caring, colorful and opinionated lot. We all feel lucky to live here—even those of us who were born here and who have gone about our busy but f u l f i l l i n g l i v e s i n t hi s s m a l l geographical setting surrounded by the Selkirks, the Cabinets and the shores of Lake Pend Oreille. We locals love this place and earnestly hope to retain its desirable qualities. Yes, we’re tolerating the population influx and we know that change is inevitable. We do, however, want to send a strong proactive message to all newcomers who have purchased their little plot of Heaven here in Sandpoint and the surrounding communities. Help us preserve the beauty of land and spirit. Remind yourself every single day when you awaken in your new existence what attracted you to this area in the first
( Fishing ( Gifts ( Boat Batteries & Accessories ( 24 Hour Gas Pumps ( PowerBall ( C-Store Open 5am to 7pm ( Lisa’s Savory Baked Goods
Supplies
Café open 5 am to 3 pm
Featuring the best hamburgers around and homemade soups daily
Dock of the Bay open 3pm On Hwy. 200 in Hope
place. And please, do your best to contribute in a way that those qualities remain intact and sacred. Recently, I sent a couple of community-oriented questions to several longtime, and some relatively new, residents. My respondents included business owners, politicians, professionals, and retirees. I found interesting results. Most striking was the resounding chorus of nearly identical sentiments contributed by respondents who had no idea of the identity of other participants. I asked about negative trends directly related to the recent population influx. Responses cited inadequacies in the present infrastructure for dramatic growth, as well as day-to-day behaviors associated with newcomers. Concerns included traffic congestion, lack of downtown parking, and “twostory ‘shotgun’ houses being jammed in everywhere” because of no countywide building department enforcement. Respondents also lamented the over-burdened utilities, subdivision of rural property, too many mega-store/superstores negatively affecting local businesses, and a general unfamiliarity with the people you meet on the street. Some expressed genuine worry that rocketing real estate prices will lead to higher property taxes, eventually forcing some longtime residents to sell their land. Other observations included oc casio nal rudeness a imed a t overwhelmed store clerks when customers think the service is not speedy enough, a “road rage” mentality among many motorists who drive too fast for existing conditions, and, as one respondent stated, “impatience” in general, regrettably including herself among the lot. “The pace of our laid-back lifestyle seems to have picked up, or maybe it’s just mine,” concurred Lake Pend Oreille School District #84 (Continued on page 20)
FOR THE NICHOLLS FAMILY, gathered here on the deck of Mama Nicholls’ house in Richmond, Virginia, reading the River Journal is a family affair.
The Giving Season
I
sat at my table in the packed cafeteria at Clark Fork’s High School, a mite out of breath from hauling extra tables from the art room and chairs from the basement of the old school to handle the crowd that kept pouring in the door. The volleyball team’s win at district meant they were going to state, and in the week to come, the football team will be hosting a district playoff right here at home, potentially earning a berth at the state championships for this undefeated, 8-man ball team. It’s not cheap to go to state, however, especially when the championship games all seem to fall outside the getthere-and-back-in-one-day limit, and if the kids are going, someone’s going to pay for it. That’s what we were all there for at the school that night—a spaghetti/chicken rigatoni dinner as the appetizer to a main course cake auction designed to raise the dollars needed. The athletes bake the cakes
Gorgeous setting on the Clark Fork River with Avista frontage. A craftsman’s home with built-ins and hardwood floors. Meticulously landscaped lawn with fountain and ponds, concrete lions, A Must See! Cabin close to the river with loft. 3-stall carport. Heated shop. Mountain and river views Cook Shack and BBQ Pit! MLS# 2027676 $179,000 Debbie Gustafson, Sales Associate Beautiful Mountain Views surround this level meadow property. Great location with easy access off paved rd. Property is septic approved and ready for your dream home. MLS# 2027670 $29,900 Debbie Gustafson, Sales Associate
by Trish Gannon
and the community buys them. As a system, it works for us. This year was no different, and if I told you how much money we raised to support our kids out here on the east end of Bonner County, you wouldn’t hardly believe it. I’m not going to tell you though, because there’s a lot more projects going on than the state championships, and I’m pretty sure I’ll be knocking at your door with my hand out some day soon. I wouldn’t want you to suffer under the misapprehension that we raised enough money to take care of everything, all year long. (Continued on page 15)
(Continued on page 15)