Reader_April4_2019

Just a short drive across the Long Bridge...

41 Lakeshore Drive (across the Long Bridge)

208.265.2001 ShogaSushi.com

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Open for dinner Wednesday – Sunday 4:30-9pm Wed, Thu, Sun | 4:30-10pm Fri,Sat

(wo)MAN compiled by

Susan Drinkard

on the street

Idaho is number one in the nation for child marriages. You can marry at age 13 or 14 with a parent and a judge’s consent.

Do you think child marriage should be allowed to continue?

“Absolutely not. The right to a childhood is internationally recognized. It’s embarrassing that it still going on here.”

Leigh Bercaw Ski patrol Sandpoint

“I guess they should be allowed to (marry) if they want to, but I wouldn’t do it.”

Joseph Hughes 14 year old Sandpoint Middle School Sandpoint

“Legal or not, it is a grossly irresponsible decision on the part of a parent to allow a child to marry. Marriage is a picture of God’s relationship to the church ,and God would never take advantage of his people. Marrying a child is clearly selfish, and that is not what God intended.”

Doug Pierce Teacher Sandpoint Christian School

“I cannot imagine a 13-year-old being prepared for marriage no matter how mature they are. However, I think it should be looked at on a case-by-case basis.”

Kari Young Self-employed Sandpoint “The decision-making parts of the brain in children are not fully developed at that age. I don’t think parental input is a bad thing, but my gut tells me it shouldn’t be legal.”

Emma Allhouse Boise State student Sandpoint

DEAR READERS,

You know what they say about April showers, right? Well, get out that raincoat and prepare for some puddle jumping. According to the meteorologists, we’re in for about a week of the wet stuff.

It’s closing weekend at Schweitzer, so if you want to get a few more turns in, now’s your last chance until next winter. It’s been a great year. Also, farewell to Chair 6. I’ve had some great rides up the backside of the mountain on it. You will be missed.

As our cover photo explains, it was just announced that Kaniksu Land Trust purchased the Pine Street Woods, forever keeping it open to the public. I’m so thankful that we have organizations like KLT that help preserve public land for future generations to enjoy. Someday our great-granchildren will be hiking in the Pine Street Woods, picking dandelions, throwing sticks for their dogs and maybe, just maybe one of them will think back to 2019 when this land was set aside permanently.

Special task of the day: Tell someone you love how important they are to you.

-Ben Olson, Publisher

READER 111 Cedar Street, Suite 9 Sandpoint, ID 83864 (208)265-9724

www.sandpointreader.com Publisher: Ben Olson ben@sandpointreader.com Editorial: Cameron Rasmusson cameron@sandpointreader.com Lyndsie Kiebert lyndsie@sandpointreader.com Zach Hagadone (emeritus) John Reuter (emeritus) Advertising: Jodi Berge Jodi@sandpointreader.com Contributing Artists: Fiona Hicks Photography (cover), Ben Olson, Susan Drinkard, Derek Blumenschein, BCHS. Contributing Writers: Cameron Rasmusson, Ben Olson, Lyndsie Kiebert, Brenden Bobby, Luke Mayville, Danielle Ahrens, Alexandra Iosub, Jim Mitsui, Sandra Deutchman, Kevin Watson, Beth Weber, Cody Lyman, Mike Wagoner.

Submit stories to: stories@sandpointreader.com Printed weekly at: Griffin Publishing Spokane, Wash.

Subscription Price: $115 per year Web Content: Keokee The Sandpoint Reader is a weekly publication owned and operated by Ben Olson and Keokee. It is devoted to the arts, entertainment, politics and lifestyle in and around Sandpoint, Idaho.

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

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

Free to all, limit two copies per person.

Sandpoint Reader letter policy: The Sandpoint Reader welcomes letters to the editor on all topics.

Requirements: –No more than 400 words –Letters may not contain excessive profanity or libelous material. Please elevate the discussion.

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

Email letters to: letters@sandpointreader.com Check us out on the web at: www.sandpointreader.com Like us on Facebook.

About the Cover

This week’s cover was taken in the Pine St. Woods by Fiona Hicks Photography. Great shot, Fiona!

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NEWS

Historic photos to spruce up downtown fire damage

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff

Downtown Sandpoint took an aesthetic hit when a fire gutted several historic buildings in early February.

Just as locals gear up for the tourist-heavy summer season, however, the city is preparing to give the downtown a visual upgrade that doubles as a window into the past.

According to Sandpoint City Administrator Jennifer Stapleton, the city plans to surround the fire damage with vinyl panels fitted onto the chainlink fencing blocking access to the destroyed buildings.

The panels will be imprinted with photographs of historic Sandpoint, a project developed in coordination with the city’s Historic Preservation Commission and the Bonner County History Museum. It’s just one of the ways the city aims to honor Sandpoint’s past as it rebuilds from the fire, a process that resumes next week when authorities continue the investigation into the blaze.

“One of the most common requests we’ve heard (following the fire) is a concern that the historic look and feel of the downtown be maintained with any reconstruction,” Stapleton said.

The historic panels are one of a suite of beautification measures the city will undertake thanks to a $75,000 grant from BNSF Railway.

The hope is to have downtown

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff

This historic photo showing children outside the Gem Theater is one of many selected for a downtown project.

Photo courtesy Bonner County History Museum Sandpoint looking more inviting and attractive before Lost in the ‘50s this May. According to Stapleton, the measures are a recognition that anything limiting the downtown’s desirability as a shopping destination can bleed over into business bottom lines.

“Finding ways to mitigate the impact on surrounding businesses has been at the top of our minds,” she said.

Bonner County History Museum Curator Heather Upton was instrumental in moving the historic panel project forward. As a member of both the Historic Preservation Commission and an authority in Sandpoint history, she utilized

the museum’s vast archives of more than 70,000 photos to find a selection that truly represented the downtown. From there, she worked with the city to narrow down a final selection. The photos will be printed onto vinyl panels that will give visitors a more appealing visual than ruined buildings.

“When people are walking by, they’ll get to think about the history rather than the unfortunate incident that happened,” Upton said.

“It’s been a really fun time for me working with the city, and I feel it’s been very rewarding to participate in a project other people will get to see and appreciate,” she added.

The panels are the first step toward a downtown restoration in keeping with its historic nature.

The city is also putting together a citizen’s advisory committee on historic preservation. Envisioned as a committee of 10 to 12 people, it will offer advice and guidance in protecting downtown Sandpoint’s historic roots. While the city is especially looking for people with an expertise in building, architecture and local history, anyone with a passion for downtown Sandpoint is welcome to apply. To put your name forward, either apply in person at Sandpoint City Hall or use the Engage Sandpoint mobile app and hit the “Get Involved” button.

distinguishing between the more draconian original bill and its less restrictive rider, which he believes gives Little political cover to support the restrictions. He predicted that should the governor sign off on the restrictions, he’ll say that while he opposed the original bill, the updated version is more reasonable.

The new bill deserves opposition just as ardent as the original, Mayville said. He believes that both make it virtually impossible for grassroots organizations to organize initiatives in Idaho, making the process the exclusive domain of moneyed interests that can afford to flood the state with signature gatherers. Mayville compared the two bills to being asked to jump a 30-foot wall versus a 40-foot wall.

“If both are impossible, the one is just as bad as the other,” he said.

Furthermore, Mayville believes a legislative effort making a constitutionally-guaranteed right functionally impossible for the average citizen is a means of skirting around the onerous requirements to amend the state constitution.

It’s telling, Reclaim Idaho leaders said, that some of the most conservative and progressive voices in the state were united in opposition to the proposals. It’s a matter of individual empowerment that cuts across political ideology.

“We get to link arms with all sorts of folks who care about this,” said Reclaim Idaho Executive Director Rebecca Schroeder. “It’s a consensus issue.”

Schroeder met with Little Wednesday to discuss concerns with the bill in more detail.

“Governor Little and I had a productive discussion,” she said after the meeting. “I think our priorities are aligned on the most important components of this issue: preserving Idaho values of fairness and transparency and protecting every Idahoan’s constitutional rights.

With those shared goals in mind, Reclaim Idaho is asking Governor Little to veto both Senate Bill 1159 and House Bill 296. We understand he has a difficult decision to make and are grateful for the chance to present the views of our volunteers from around the state.”

Reclaim Idaho rallies against initiative bill

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff

Opponents of bills rewriting the rules on ballot initiatives rallied Saturday night at Matchwood Brewing.

Led by grassroots political organization Reclaim Idaho, the rally decried efforts by Idaho lawmakers to restrict citizen rights to enact ballot initiatives. Reclaim Idaho co-founder Luke Mayville told the crowd that if Gov. Brad Little signs either version of the bill into law, it will spell an end to voter initiatives in Idaho.

“I strongly believe there will not be another grassroots initiative ever in this state if it passes,” Mayville said. “Ever.”

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Bird Museum moving to Cd’A Airport A staple of local education and entrepreneurship is packing up and heading south.

The Bird Aviation Museum and Invention Center, a museum celebrating America’s great achievements in flight and technological innovation, is relocating to Pappy Boyington Field at the Coeur d’Alene Airport, located at 2678 West Cessna Ave. While local fans of the museum may be disappointed to see it move, the transition could actually improve accessibility, allowing it to stay open year-round.

“The move is bittersweet as we have called the Bird Ranch home for the past 12 years and are ready to embrace the change,” museum officials posted on their Facebook page.

Located miles down a dusty road in Sagle, the Aviation Museum and Invention Center’s previous location at the Bird Ranch was difficult to access during the winter, requiring it to close during inhospitable weather. That was a disappointment for fans eager to see the center’s impressive collection of airplanes, invention prototypes and informative exhibits on America’s greatest inventors. Moving the museum’s huge inventory is no simple task, but the staff is working toward a June 1 reopening.

“Thank you to our amazing staff, volunteers and supporters who have stuck with us through thick and thin,” read the Facebook post. “All of you are truly amazing!”

The Bird Aviation Museum and Invention Center was a passion project for Drs. Forrest and Pamela Bird. Forrest Bird, who passed away in 2015, was a pilot and inventor who revolutionized flight and medicine with his innovations in respirator technology. Pamela Bird, Forrest’s wife, was a commercialization expert, author and entrepreneur advocate who died tragically in a plane crash just months after her husband’s death.

“The museum will be able to continue the legacy the founders, Drs. Forrest & Pamela Bird left behind,” the Facebook post read.

“We are looking forward to this next chapter and have already started packing.”

NEWS

Protected forever:

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff

It took the better part of a decade, but Pine Street Woods is officially in the hands of the community.

Kaniksu Land Trust announced last week that it acquired the Dover-area property after years of effort, securing 180 acres of woodland for public recreational use. It’s a chance for the public to enjoy all the benefits North Idaho forests have to offer, as well as a resource for local nature-based organizations like the land trust’s own summer camp, Camp Kaniksu.

“We really need a place that will allow people to get outdoors after work, or for a few hours on the weekend, to hike, mountain bike, or experience the woods with their kids,” local parent John Gaddess told the Kaniksu Land Trust staff. “It’s been a challenge for families like ours to take a longer-distance trip when we are juggling other activities like work, school soccer or getting things done at home. This will be a great complement to our in-town parks.”

While the hard part — actually raising the money to purchase the land — is over, Kaniksu Land Trust still has some work ahead of it before Pine Street Woods is ready for the public. The area needs improved access roads, a parking area, fencing, signs and

trails before it achieves its destiny as a community playground.

According to Kaniksu Land Trust Outreach and Development Coordinator Cami Murray, that work will unfold over the spring and summer, with the woods projected to open for the public by mid to late summer.

The road to preservation was a long and rocky one, with six years of planning and two years of active fundraising leading up to the acquisition. Donations both big and small poured in to meet the fundraising goal of $2.1 million.

Help came in other forms, too.

Landowner Lester Krause donated 20 acres of his own property adjacent to the Pine Street Woods last year, giving up forest that was originally homesteaded by his grandparents. At a ceremony in his honor last year, Krause said he donated the property for the benefit of local young people.

“That’s where the import lies — it’s in them,” he said.

In addition to Krause, major project supporters include the LOR Foundation, the Equinox Foundation, the U.S. Forest Service Community Forest Grant Program, Idaho Forest Group, the Innovia Foundation, the Family of Luther and Jessie Cunningham, The Lightfoot Foundation, Middle Fork River Tours and the Laura Moore Cunningham Foundation.

The Pine Street Woods purchase adds yet another jewel to the crown of local outdoor recreation.

What’s more, Kaniksu Land Trust

Kaniksu Land Trust purchases Pine Street Woods

Local children walk in Pine St. Woods.

Photo by Fiona Hicks Photography. officials believe that without community intervention, the forestland’s slow, piecemeal development would have been inevitable.

“This is an example of what can happen when people see an opportunity to enhance our com-

munity and provide a place to connect with nature, close to home,” said Regan Plumb, the land trust’s interim executive director.

“Many people who donated to the project have lived in the area for generations, some are newer to

Sandpoint. It’s incredibly inspiring to see our community jump at a once-in-a-lifetime chance like this to conserve a special place as a community treasure.”

BOCC objects to lack of public access on Bog Cr. Road project

By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff Bonner County Commissioners are filing a letter of objection with the U.S. Forest Service after the agency announced no public access would be allowed following a road restoration project in Boundary County.

The Bog Creek Road Project is meant to provide “safe east-west

access across the Selkirk Mountains for U.S. Border Patrol agents by repairing and maintaining portions of the Bog Creek Road,” according to the USFS. When comments on the project were requested last summer, the USFS presented several alternatives keeping in mind the grizzly bear recovery habitat in the Bog Creek Road area.

The alternative that would have allowed public access — the

one the BOCC supported in their July comment — was eliminated from the project decision because it didn’t “address the needs of the grizzly bear with respect to maintaining or improving habitat, and it poses the highest mortality risk of all alternatives.”

“The elimination of alternatives after the public comment period is nonsensical,” the BOCC’s objection letter reads. “Every single option presented to the public should

have been ready for consideration.”

The BOCC must submit a letter of objection to the USFS in order to request participation in the objection resolution process.

“Bonner County was certainly not heard in this discussion,” the letter concludes. “This land should be available to the citizens of North Idaho. No single agency, nor single person, should be able to make this decision without appropriate input from the constituents that live,

work and play in North Idaho.”

The commissioners voted unanimously to send the letter.

“They want to use your federal tax dollars — which are public funds — to build a road on public ground, and close it to the public,” said Commissioner Steve Bradshaw. “That’s your tax dollars hard at work.”

Learn more about the project at www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=41296.

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NEWS

Flood and fire outlook for 2019:

Snowpack indicates flooding unlikely, wildfire outlook ‘normal significant’

By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff A slightly lower-than-average snowpack is indicating that North Idaho won’t see the flooding it did last spring, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Upper Columbia Senior Water Manager Logan Osgood-Zimmerman said the regional snowpack is about 90% of average this year, and predicted water supply from April to July is about 80% of average, meaning flood risk is far lower than last year, when the snowpack well exceeded the averages.

However, Osgood-Zimmerman noted that a lot can change within the next couple months depending on timing of run-off and possible late season storms.

More data regarding those factors will be available when the USACE shares an Albeni Falls Dam operations update April 24 at the Priest River Event Center 6-7:30 p.m.

“That basin is dynamic and very active,” said USACE spokesperson Scott Lawrence.

“Anything could change.”

Most can agree that no flooding is a good thing, but what could the decreased snowpack mean for fire season?

Predictive Services and the National Interagency Fire Center produce the National Significant Wildland Fire Potential Outlook each month as a “support tool for wildland fire managers, providing an assessment of current weather and fuels conditions and how these will evolve in the next four months.” The U.S. Forest Service is one agency that follows the NSWFPO closely.

This month’s outlook document, released April 1, looks all the way into July. The “Northern Rockies” region — which encompasses North Idaho, Montana and North Dakota — saw slightly below average temperatures in March, but while the snowpack continued to build in the eastern part of the region, the Idaho Panhandle tapered off, resulting in that less-than-average snowpack the USACE reports.

The NSWFPO predicts a warm April for the Panhandle, “which could lead to a faster

A powerboat moors at the Sand Creek Boardwalk during the flood in spring, 2018.

Photo by Ben Olson.

spring snowmelt in the western areas,” but average precipitation through the spring and possibly the summer should offset any rapidly drying fuel this month.

While there are currently no cases of drought in the Northern Rockies region, the April report says, “the Idaho Panhandle and northwestern Montana continue to see dry soil moisture anomalies that have carried over from the

summer of 2018 and this will need to be monitored closely.”

Considering all factors, the NSWFPO predicts “normal significant wildland fire potential region-wide” through July. Learn more at www.predictiveservices. nifc.gov.

City of Sandpoint seeking art submissions

By Reader Staff The city of Sandpoint is inviting artists to apply for the Silver Box Project, an art-on-loan program and competition. Three sculptures will be selected by jury process for public display on a one-year loan.

The artwork will be mounted on stainless steel bases located in downtown Sandpoint. The sculptures will be featured at various downtown community events and will be promoted through various media. Selected artwork/artists will receive a $500 honorarium and will be entered into a competition for up to $350 in cash prize awards.

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installed at the corners of Church Street and Fourth Avenue, Oak Street and Fourth Avenue and Oak Street and Fifth Avenue.

Developed by the Sandpoint Arts Commission and approved by the Sandpoint City Council in April 2018, the Silver Box Project will feature selected works of art that will rotate annually. For each round of featured art, the community will be invited to vote on the selected works for the “People’s Choice Award” which will include a cash prizes to the winning artists.

This project is open to all artists residing in the United States.

Local and regional artists may be given preference. Artist teams are also eligible to apply, including teams of artists from multiple dis-

One of the “Silver Boxes” on Oak St. and Fourth Ave. Photo by Ben Olson. ciplines. Artists must be 18 years of age.

For full details, please visit www.sandpointidaho.gov/silverboxart2019. The deadline to enter is April 12.

For more information, contact planning and community develop-

ment director / arts commission liaison Aaron Qualls at (208) 255-1738 or email aqualls@sandpointidaho. gov.

Ballot initiative bills head to Gov. Little’s desk

By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff Two bills placing heightened requirements on the Idaho ballot initiative process are now in the hands of Governor Brad Little.

The established ballot initiative process requires signatures from 6% of voters from 18 of 35 districts in 18 months.

SB 1159 brought those numbers to 10% from 32 districts in six months. A trailer bill, HB 296, takes the requirements to signatures from 10% of voters from 24 districts in nine months, and would replace the SB 1159 requirements if both bills are signed into law. So far, both have passed the House and Senate.

“There were some comments from the public and other folks that possibly (SB 1159) was a bridge too far,” said Sen. C. Scott Grow, R-Eagle, according to the Associated Press. “So, having listened to a lot of different comments from people, we felt it would be helpful to reduce some of the requirements.”

Those in favor of amending the ballot initiative process see it as a way to preserve the voices of rural Idahoans.

Opponents see the bills as retaliation against Prop 2, the ballot initiative for Medicaid expansion that passed with 61% of the Idaho vote in November.

Reclaim Idaho, the organization that was instrumental in getting Medicaid expansion on the ballot, has been circulating a petition since early last week titled “Idaho Governor Little must veto the ‘Silence the Voters’ act.” As of Wednesday evening, the petition had garnered 11,372 signatures.

The Idaho Statesman reported Wednesday that since Friday, Gov. Little’s office has received 4,644 phone calls and emails regarding the bills, 4,611 of those urging the governor to veto both SB 1159 and HB 296 — roughly 99.3% opposed to the bills.

Little has five days — excluding Sundays — to decide what to do with the bills once he’s received them. He received SB 1159 Tuesday but has not yet received HB 296, according to the Statesman. Little has not released his stance on either bill.

“Gov. Little examines each piece of legislation thoughtfully and individually,” spokeswoman Marissa Morrison told the Statesman Wednesday. “He will not issue statements on pending legislation during his deliberative process.”

COMMUNITY

Cookin’ up commerce:

Local businesses are making good use of Kitchen Ponderay

By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff Oftentimes, the only thing standing between a food-based entrepreneur and success is access to a commercial space where their business dreams can be realized.

For locals, that was the Bonner Business Center kitchen until its closure in 2014.

After a nearly five-year hiatus, small business owners in need of industrial-grade cooking appliances have a place to go: Kitchen Ponderay.

“All they have to do is bring their ingredients, and they’re good to go,” said Jayme Cozzetto, director of four commercial kitchens throughout the Inland Northwest.

Kitchen Ponderay, occupying a 1,540-square-foot space in the Bonner Mall, is the result of collaboration between local contractors and several large grants. Cozzetto said he’s gone from serving just four businesses with Kitchen Spokane when it was opened five years ago to providing space for over 135 businesses with just three kitchens in Spokane, Spokane Valley and Coeur d’Alene in 2018.

“The need has been nuts,” he said. “It seems like the right industry to be helping people in.”

Kitchen Ponderay opened in January and has already attracted a handful of small North Idaho entrepreneurs, including the makers of Understory Chai, a tea concentrate that can be found at Di Luna’s Cafe, Winter Ridge Natural Foods and beyond. Before Kitchen Ponderay opened, business owner Johnelle Fifer said she was using her commercially licensed drive-thru coffee stand in downtown Sandpoint to

A letter from the County Assessor

By Donna Gow Reader Contributor I want to take this opportunity to let property owners that we are approaching deadlines for some property tax exemptions. April 15 is the deadline to have your HOMEOWNER’S, AGRICULTURE, and PROPERTY TAX REDUCTION (CIRCUIT BRAKER) exemptions turned in. There are qualification for these exemptions. If you are wondering if you qualify, please call our office at (208) 265-1440.

Regarding the decision from the district Court for the 29 Priest Lake parcels, the decision only pertains to those 28 parcels for the year 2017 and one parcel for 2016.

Men’s and women’s softball league offered

By Reader Staff

brew up batches.

“We can produce seven times the amount of chai at Kitchen Ponderay in the same amount of time,” she said.

“Needless to say, we love having access to the kitchen.”

Clients have 24/7 access to the kitchen for an hourly rate, as well as options for overnight storage and use of pots, pans, utensils and industrial appliances that came from the BBC. Derek Blumenschein, owner of Sweet Heat Company, has also found solace in Kitchen Ponderay. He said he relied on the BBC when he started making and selling his pepper jellies and jams in 2010. When it closed, Blumenschein said it was a serious blow to Sweet Heat’s momentum.

“Just as I was gaining customers and doing larger batches I had to downscale and keep things going,” Blumenschein said.

Top: Sweet Heat helpers fill and flip jars of carrot cake jam. Bottom: The front entrance of Kitchen Ponderay, which is located inside the Bonner Mall in the former space of the Hideaway Lounge. Photos by Derek Blumenschein Sweet Heat operations resumed at the Bonners Ferry Senior Center when the space was available, but Blumenschein was only able to make and hand-fill about 80 jars of product in an hour and a half.

In the same amount of time, he can produce and fill more than 200 jars at Kitchen Ponderay thanks to equipment like a 40-gallon kettle and jar filler.

“With the help of my mom, other family, friends and a

few wonderful employees the venture I started can continue to grow,” Blumenschein said.

“I look forward to continuing to provide product full of flavor and produced with top quality ingredients in beautiful North Idaho.”

To learn more about gaining access to Kitchen Ponderay, email admin@commercialkitchens.site, call 509-868-7710 or visit www.commercialkitchens.site.

A men’s softball league is offered by Sandpoint Parks and Recreation. League games are slated for Mondays and Wednesdays from May 13 - June 28 at Travers Fields #1 and #2 from 6-9 p.m. There will be a minimum of 14 games. Age limit is 16 and up.

The league has a $300 sponsor fee per team and a player’s fee of $365 per team which is payable in three ways: in full up front, in part (either full player’s or sponsor’s fee) or by a $20 roster fee (which will be applied to the player’s fee).

A women’s softball league is also offered May 14-June 27 with games Tuesdays and Thursdays at Travers Fields #1 and #2. There will be a minimum of 14 games, with a league sponsor fee of $300 and a player’s fee of $365 per team.

Register for men’s or women’s softball leagues online at www. sandpointidaho.gov/parksrecreation to reserve your team’s spot. Deadline for registration will be Sunday, April 14. All fees must be paid in full by the captain’s meeting and all players must sign the online waivers before the first game. A mandatory captain’s meeting will take place Thursday, April 18 at the Sandpoint City Hall Council Chambers at 5:30 p.m.

Call (208) 263-3613 for more information.

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COMMUNITY

Bouquets: • Last week, when I gave Luke Mayville a Bouquet for his efforts to improve our state, I didn’t mean to leave out Garret Strizich or Emily Strizich, who have contributed just as much.

Barbs • Rep. Sage Dixon, R-Ponderay, gets the Barb of the week for being the only elected lawmaker from North Idaho to support the dastardly bill aiming to toughen up the signature-gathering requirements for an initiative to reach the state ballot. Rep. Heather Scott, R-Blanchard, Rep. Priscilla Giddings, R-White Bird, Sen. Jim Woodward, R-Sagle and Sen. Carl Crabtree, R-Grangeville, all voted against this bill.

Do your part and call Gov. Brad Little’s office to ask for him to veto this unconstitutional bill.

His number is (208) 334-2100 and email is governor@gov.idaho.gov. We shouldn’t be discouraging anyone from participating in their government, and this bill does just that: it takes power out of the hands of Idaho citizens.

• I don’t like using the word hate, but here we go. I hate thieves. I especially hate thieves who steal small, insignificant items that really aren’t worth anything. If you have ever stolen anything from another person, put down my newspaper and slap yourself in the face. And don’t come back. Seriously, thieves turn trust into distrust. They cost you money, they make you feel violated. They deserve to be shamed in public. How many times have you heard someone say, “We used to never lock our doors until...” That’s what happens. Someone takes advantage of the fact that we live in a small town and makes you lock your doors and look at everybody with suspicion. Thieves, next time you go looking to take something that isn’t yours, remember, you are negatively impacting others.

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Intro to bike maintenance classes

By Reader Staff Sandpoint Parks and Recreation has partnered with Sandpoint Sports to offer an “Introduction to Bike Maintenance” class for all of you pedalers out there.

The bicycle provides both transportation and exercise. A bicycle itself consists of numerous levers, bearings, pivots and parts that require proper care and maintenance. Without a basic understanding, these parts and how they all work together can be intimidating. This introductory class will teach you how to keep those parts running and operating like they were brand new.

Two one-day sessions will be offered. The introductory class will be Tuesday, April 16, and the sprint class will be Thursday, April 18. The fee for the class is $25, with a $2 discount for city residents. The classes will all take place at Sandpoint Sports, 476930 US95 #1 in Ponderay from 6-8:30 p.m.

Class space is limited to eight. Pre-register online for these classes no later than April 12.

VA outreach planned for Clark Fork

By Reader Staff A representative from the Bonner County Veterans Service Office will be in Clark Fork on Tuesday, April 16, to answer questions about current veterans’ benefits, assist with ongoing claims and take new claims for benefits for eligible veterans and their dependents.

Bryan Hult will be at the Clark Fork Public Library, 601 Main St., between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Hult will see veterans by appointment only to ensure everyone is given quality time.

Appointments must be scheduled no later than the Friday prior by calling Lyndsie Halcro at (208) 255-5291. If there are no appointments scheduled for this outreach, or winter weather conditions prohibit travel, the outreach will be canceled.

Voter Initiative Bill...

Snow Ghost Chair...

Dear Editor, As an Idahoan, I acknowledge that our legislators in Boise are elected to be our representatives. However, when citizens feel strongly that there is an issue which demands consideration by all Idahoans, the initiative process allows voters the opportunity to propose laws.

I am opposed to HB 1159 because it restricts citizen involvement, attempts to quiet our voices and adds nearly insurmountable barriers to the initiative process.

One important point which seems to be overlooked in this debate is that no initiative becomes a law without a vote of all citizens in the state.

Those representatives favoring the additional requirements in HB 1159 express concern that the current initiative process does not provide fair representation from all districts during the signature gathering phase. However, it’s important to consider that once the initiative is placed on the ballot, no one is left out of the process unless by choice.

Every vote counts. Thankfully this is true of all state-wide elections in Idaho. I don’t think we would consider requiring state candidates to meet the standards proposed in HB 1159 before their names are placed on a ballot.

If Idaho is for all Idahoans, please consider that the initiative process should not create barriers which make it more difficult for us to have a voice in our state government. Ultimately, the initiative process allows an opportunity for citizen input with one person, one vote. Please encourage your state representatives to reject HB 1159.

Thank you,

Dear Editor, In this, my very first letter to the editor, I find that I respectfully disagree with the Barb in the March 28 edition of the Reader that disses Schweitzer for how they are disposing of the Chair Six chairs. I, like you, thought it would be fun to have one hanging in the backyard, so I told the CEO, Tom Chasse, to put my name on one of them, and I’d even be willing to pay for it. He laughed and said, “You and everyone else.” When Chair One was replaced, many chairs just disappeared. This time, they wanted to benefit the community and they thought that this would work most equitably. Schweitzer will incur the cost of removing, transporting and storing the chairs and doesn’t take a dime for any of that. All of the proceeds will be funneled back into the good causes of our community and the buyer even gets to choose where the money goes. This will also trickle over to help the “10,000-some odd people who live here” and don’t ski/ride at Schweitzer.

So while we’d love to have a Snow Ghost chair of our own, I really can’t think of a fairer way to distribute these and still help our community as a whole.

Sincerely,

Cheryl McKee Sagle

Honor our “Prop 2 Law” decision...?

Dear Editor, Idaho citizens’ Prop 2 ballot initiative passed into law in November. By a vote of 61% to 39%, we authorized Medicaid expansion to provide access to preventative healthcare services for low-income residents with the feds covering 90% and state 10% of program cost.

Now, Boise lawmakers are attempting to saddle our law with added requirements that will cost Idaho taxpayers (not Feds) an estimated $3-4 Million annually to administrate.

First reports say Idaho Dept of Health & Welfare figured they’d need three full-time workers but revised it to 22 for handling additional paperwork, if “sidebars” are added.

For all lawmakers’ usual talk of maintaining “fiscal responsibility”, what we’re seeing is a deliberate push toward higher costs with fewer citizens being helped.

Their twisted rhetoric comes straight out of the playbook of insurance lobbyists and other big money manipulators.

Citizens are not interested in growing government with more layers of wasteful bureaucracy. We made a very clear choice at the polls to help our neighbors and reduce uncompensated care at our rural hospitals.

That’s where our money needs to go!

Insist Boise legislators stop trying to create problems attaching bureaucratic “sidebars” to our law. Have they forgotten, more people voted in favor of Prop 2 than voted for any candidate in last election?

Voting in Boise will take place soon. Please leave voice message with Sen. Woodward (208-3321349), Rep. Dixon (208-332-1185), Gov. Little (208-334-2100) that its time for them to honor Idaho citizens’ decision with no-frills funding of our “Prop 2 Law.”

Rob Harrison Sandpoint

Rob, I agree that Schweitzer’s donation of the proceeds for the chairs to charity is a great thing, which I noted in my Barb. I just wish there were a handful open to a lottery system for a lesser cost for those of us who can’t afford $2,000 but have skied there for decades.

Thanks for your letter.

Respectfully, Ben Olson, Publisher

Rep. Dixon Should Not Represent Us...

Dear Editor, Rep. Sage Dixon, District 1A uses fancy language and outmoded ideas to defend his support of Senate Bill 1159 and House Bill 296, both which restrict Idahoans ability to place State Initiatives on the ballot. This is a smokescreen. He is against initiatives because of the successful Medicaid Expansion campaign. He wants to take away our rights as Idahoans.

He should not be representing us.

Laura Philllips Sandpoint

Laughing Matter

Rebecca Holland Sandpoint

By Bill Borders

PERSPECTIVES

Emily Articulated

A column by and about Millennials

My Two Census

By Emily Erickson Reader Columnist

This week, I’ve decided to write about two things, both of which (unless you’ve been living under a rock) you’ve at least heard of. The first is something you likely already care about, and the second is something about which I think you should.

These things are the “Game of Thrones” HBO series and the 2020 Census, and they’re more alike than you think.

First, if you’re unfamiliar with “Game of Thrones,” stop whatever it is you are doing, rent season one, and prepare to lose about three months of your life to excessive binging. When you are finished and you’ve thrown away all your tearsoaked kleenexes and ragepunched pillows, come back to this article and read on.

Next, as the name implies, the 2020 Census is only a year away, and affects us arguably more than finding out if the White Walkers take over the Seven Kingdoms. Not only does it have applications in academic and commercial research at a national level, but it has four important functions that have state and local implications as well. And even though the census still feels far away, the day will be upon us as quickly as the wine draining from Cersei’s flagon.

The first function of the census that will impact us locally is reapportionment, or the redistribution of seats in

Emily Erickson.

the House of Representatives for a given state, in response to changes in the recorded population. I like to think of reapportionment as it applies to the House of Stark. If each season was a census year, and the population was gauged on house allegiances to Stark, congressional seats in the North would have been removed and added with as much undulation as the roll of a freshly decapitated head, as leadership shifted from Ned, to Rob, to Jon(s), to Sansa and so on.

The next function of a census is redistricting, or the redrawing of legislative districts based on changes to population distribution within a state. The boundaries are created to ensure each district is comprised of relatively equal numbers of people. The tricky part of redistricting, however, is that because state legislation is often responsible for drawing the lines, partisan influence tends to creep into the process, also known as gerrymandering.

This manipulation of systems for personal gain, is of course, the Little Finger approach, as

he regularly abuses information in the name of power, money, and collusion. Let’s just hope gerrymandering meets a similar fate.

Then, there’s the function of procuring demographic data for which the census is crucial. Demographic data paints a picture of who we are as a population, and helps groups from national, state and local levels decide where to allocate their resources and attention.

These groups use the data for everything from civil rights outreach to community engagement to determining where unique services may be necessary. Creating specialized plans based on the specific needs of a population, all in the name of the greater good? You bet, that has “Daenerys Stormborn of the House of Targaryen, First of Her Name, the Unburnt, Queen of the Andals and the First Men, Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, Breaker of Chains, and Mother of Dragons” written all over it. Go, Dany, go.

The fourth and final function of the census has the most direct effect on us locally.

This, of course, is government resource allocation, or the federal, state and local funds and programs distributed based on the exact population recorded in the census. For each person counted, a specific amount of money is directed toward infrastructure, public health and education — meaning that when people don’t participate in the census, resources that could have been used to directly benefit us won’t make it

into our communities. Like the Lannister dynasty, when people opt out of the census, money is funneled away from the people who need it most and into the hands of those who don’t.

So, here’s my two cens... us: The 2020 Census matters as it will directly impact our services, our representation, and our funding in the 10 years succeeding it. So, as the census approaches and communities

and organizations gear up to get people involved, let’s make like the undead and spread awareness from Westeros to Essos and beyond. Valar Dohaeris.

Emily Erickson is a freelance writer and bartender originally from Wisconsin, with a degree in sociology and an affinity for playing in the mountains.

Retroactive

By BO

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Mad about Science:

Brought to you by:

game of thrones, science and you

By Brenden Bobby Reader Columnist Winter has come.

The much-anticipated final season of “Game of Thrones” will soon be upon us. As we fly our house banners of nachos and march for a long dark week of binging, I thought it would be a fun little distraction to watch fantasy and science collide.

The books and the show are in the genre of low fantasy, which generally means: “Fantasy world built with believable blocks.” Most of the events can be explained with some degree of believability, and that’s what we’re going to explore today.

Well, except for The Red Woman. She’s just using straight-up magic.

So, the question everyone is asking: How are the two seasons so wildly unpredictable?

Winter for whole generations?

Civilization couldn’t build through that!

To quote another one of my favorite media franchises: “Life finds a way.” Can you imagine how many crops and livestock you could grow and raise, preserve and stockpile over a nine-year summer with regular rains? Probably enough to survive a six-year winter at least. Westeros’ wild weather is a fantastical extreme, but it’s rooted in Earth’s history.

Volcanic eruptions, such as the massive eruption of Krakatoa in 1883 caused a year of global winter, creating chaos, famine and societal unrest around the globe. Krakatoa was a colossal eruption, but it was a mid-binge nacho-fueled belch compared to something like 10 /

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Yellowstone erupting.

Volcanic eruptions change climates for a lot of different reasons. The primary one is an ejection of particulate rock and dust that acts like clouds, blocking heat from the sun which changes wind patterns, ocean currents, can cause the surface temperature of the planet to plunge for extended periods and prevent plants from photosynthesizing energy and growing (The primary factor in extinctions during volcanic climate events). Depending on the strength of the eruption, the blast and dispersion of rock and weight can even change the tilt or orbit of the Earth: not much, but every little bit has big consequences.

If that sounds like fantasy, I invite you to check out a book on geology from the library.

Volcanic mass-extinctions and global climate change events have been pinpointed to very precise times in Earth’s history, using layers of excavated rock and ice as timelines.

The web of lies, deceit and questionable hook-ups are the biggest draw of everyone’s favorite fantasy story. The War of the Roses was a primary point of inspiration, which was a series of English civil wars that started and stopped sporadically from 1455 to 1487 and ended with pretty much everyone getting the short end of the stick.

The events were fraught with political intrigue, backstabbing incest and knights hitting each other with sticks. Despite being one of the most-studied events of the late Middle Ages, there’s a ton of controversy surround-

ing it as virtually all of the history appears to be exclusively objective.

Another point of inspiration ripped from the pages of history is the nobles’ penchant for poisoning one another. Before forensic sciences, it was pretty easy to poison your enemies and get away with it. It was so easy in fact, that several noble families in Renaissance Italy and the Republic of Venice (and Vatican City, worth noting) had specially-designed snuff rings with hidden compartments to poison a person’s wine.

Dragons! Everyone loves dragons, except for those poor saps that got carbonized by their fiery breath. While we don’t have giant fire-breathing lizards laying waste to whole cities, there are lizards that evolved to fly on Earth.

Draco volans is a lizard from Southeast Asia that’s evolved with a cool webbing between its limbs. When it leaps from trees, it can expand this webbing and glide extended distances, just like a flying squirrel. It may not be able to breathe fire, but there are some animals that get pretty darn close.

The Pistol Shrimp has a specially-designed pincer that it can snap shut to create a jet of water and a cavitation bubble. The energy released when the cavitation bubble collapses can cause temperatures in excess of 4,000 degrees F for a very short period of time. In case you were wondering, steel melts at 2,500 F. With enough of these guys, you could create your very own Iron Throne!

We can’t talk about “Game

Draco Voluns.

Courtesy photo.

of Thrones” without mentioning zombies. Zombies are purely fantasy … except they’re not. Before you put on your campaign hat, grow a beard and start shouting “CORAL!” in the streets, know that I’m talking about insect zombies.

Cordyceps is a group of fungi that specially adapts itself to different breeds of insects in the rainforest. It kills the insect (primarily ants), takes over its

central nervous system and steers the walking corpse back towards its friends so the fungi can propagate.

That’s all I’ve got for now, but if you want to get caught up before the new season drops, send a raven to the library to place some holds.

Should you lack ravens, go check in with the good maesters at the desk. Surely they will be happy to help you.

Random Corner al alchemy?

Don’t know much about mediev

We can help!

In the Middle Ages in Europe, alchemy was a serious practice, combining scientific methods, philosophy and occult spiritualism. Alchemists really believed they could gain transformative power over the elements of nature, and some dedicated their lives to the pursuit.

• One of the main goals of alchemy was to create the philosopher’s stone, an element that could turn less valuable metals into gold. While the feat was never actually accomplished, real discoveries about the properties of metals were made along the way — meaning that alchemy has been considered a precursor to modern sciences like chemistry and mineralogy.

• Sir Isaac Newton was a closet alchemist. It’s now theorized that science was just a hobby for Newton, and that his true passion was occult studies, particularly alchemy.

•A 13th-century monk named Roger Bacon was a respected scientific authority on subjects like comparative linguistics and medicine, but he also lobbied for the inclusion of less conventional subjects like alchemy and astrology into the medieval university curriculum. One tall tale claims Bacon assisted in creating a magical bronze bust that would answer any question it was asked. Sort of a weird precursor to the magic 8-ball.

•Alchemists were secretive people, who often guarded their recipes by using codes. Historians have now determined that certain unlikely sounding ingredients in alchemical recipes were actually shorthand for more regular things. “Dragon’s blood,” for example, refers to mercury sulfide, and “the black dragon” seems to represent a form of powdered lead.

• The alchemical profession attracted its share of fakes and charlatans — so much so that in Germany there was even a term, betrüger, which meant “fraudulent alchemist.” Today the term is still in use, but means simply “fraudster.”

POINT / COUNTERPOINT

SB1159 & HB 296: the ‘voter initiative’ bill Is it right to toughen up the signature requirements for placing an initiative on Idaho’s ballots?

Corruption, corruption, corruption Protect citizens from majority rule

By Luke Mayville Reader Contributor

Last Friday, the Idaho House of Representatives voted 40-30 to pass Senate Bill 1159, legislation that would essentially revoke our constitutional right to organize citizen ballot initiatives. The bill will move to the governor’s desk sometime this week for either a signature or a veto.

During the floor debate, House Speaker Scott Bedke cautioned critics of the bill about using the word “corruption.” Apparently, it is permissible to use the word to describe historical events, he said, but not to describe present-day Idaho politics.

But the truth is there’s only one word that adequately describes the events unfolding in the Idaho State Legislature, and that word is “corruption.”

Senate Bill 1159 was corrupt from its inception. Just weeks after Senator C. Scott Grow proposed the bill, investigative reporting revealed that Grow worked handin-hand with a lobbyist from the predatory payday-loan industry. That same industry was still reeling from an overwhelming vote in Colorado to regulate payday-loan interests in that state. How did that happen? By citizen ballot initiative.

When Idaho citizens showed up in droves to testify against the bill, Senate Republican leadership ridiculed and disrespected them. Senator Patti Anne Lodge attempted to cut off testimony and go right to a vote until a fellow Senator stepped in and stopped her. The only supporters of the anti-initiative bill were paid lobbyists.

Last week, four former Idaho attorneys general came out in opposition to the bill. Former Idaho Secretary of State Ben Ysursa called 1159 “a full-frontal assault on the constitutional right of initiative.”

Representative Priscilla Giddings, who is arguably Idaho’s most conservative elected official, wrote that 1159 would “essentially repeal our constitutional right to bring citizen initiatives.”

Feeling the heat of public scrutiny, the bill’s supporters went back to the drawing board last Thursday and made a few insignificant changes – lipstick on a pig, if you will. The amended “trailer” bill (House Bill 296), just like the original, would

burden Idaho with the most restrictive initiative rules in the country. Worst of all, the amendment process only thickened the fog of corruption surrounding the bill. The House Ways and Means Committee violated House Rules and drafted the amendments in a secret, unannounced meeting with no public input.

It is important to recall that during debate on the Senate floor, Sen. Grow urged his fellow senators to ignore the thousands of emails and phone calls they’d received from their constituents. He urged them to set aside the demands of the public — which Grow dismissed as a “vocal minority” — and instead to recognize that the bill is supported by Idaho’s most powerful special-interest groups, including the Idaho Farm Bureau, the Idaho Freedom Foundation, Food Producers of Idaho, the Idaho Association of Commerce and Industry — and of course, Grow’s supporters in the payday loan industry. Never mind the fact that nearly two-thirds of Idahoans — and 57% of Grow’s district — voted for Medicaid Expansion through the ballot initiative process.

Ironically, the initiative process itself was established as a remedy for precisely this type of corruption. Way back in 1912, ordinary Idahoans established the constitutional right of initiative as a check on the business interests, banks and powerful railroad companies that dominated the Idaho Legislature.

Recent events prove that our Legislature is once again corrupted by special interests — as much now, perhaps, as any time since the heyday of the Robber Barons.

There has hardly ever been a time when our constitutional right to organize ballot initiatives was more in need of protection.

We must all call on Governor Little to veto Senate bill 1159 and House Bill 296.

Luke Mayville is the co-founder of Reclaim Idaho, a grassroots movement designed to improve the quality of life of working Idahoans. Reclaim Idaho was responsible for gathering enough signatures to put the Medicaid expansion bill on the state ballot in 2018, where it was passed with nearly 61% of the vote. Luke is from Sandpoint.

By Danielle Ahrens Reader Contributor

The initiative process was added to the Idaho Constitution in 1912. The amendment did not specify the number of signatures required to qualify an initiative, which meant that the legislature can set the threshold and change it at anytime. It is Article 3, Section 1.

Only 21 states actually allow citizens to propose new state statutes via initiative, and Idaho is one of these.

The majority of states do not have this as it is direct democracy and seen as a bypass to our representative-republic lawmaking process in the Legislature.

Senate Bill 1159 proposed that initiatives: •Address only one subject •Contain an effective date •Include a proposed funding source and fiscal impact statement •Petition be signed by 10% (up from 6%) of qualified electors •The signers are from at least 32 of our 35 Districts (up from 18) •The signatures be gathered within 180 days (up from 18 months) The trailer bill HB 296 decreases the districts needed to 24 and increases the time to 9 months. This bill just passed in the House and as of 4/02/2019 the Senate panel approved it by 6-3.

What created this legislation was a concern that heavily urban areas were overly represented by signature gathering, and the rural areas were not being represented. In other neighboring states, ballot initiatives have been used to infringe on the rights of other citizens, and by further defining the parameters of the process here in Idaho, the thought is to protect the rights of the minority. This is why our country was founded as a representative republic, which protects the rights of the individual from majority rule.

Many citizens think that the initiative

process should not even exist as the majority of states won’t even allow them, but as it is in our constitution, it is up to the Legislature to decide what the terms and conditions are, and as our state is growing so quickly, it was thought to put a broader base on required areas for signatures. The addition of asking for a funding source and a fiscal impact is important. As we see with the latest Proposition 2, a law that is passed with no proposed funding source or true fiscal impact. It leaves an unfunded mandate that gets passed on to counties and ultimately the citizens.

While many say this bill is unconstitutional and will be challenged in court, I don’t agree. Read the Idaho Constitution Article 3 Section 1 and decide for yourself.

Article 3 Section 1: “The people reserve to themselves the power to propose laws, and enact the same at the polls independent of the legislature. This power is known as the initiative, and legal voters may, under such conditions and in such manner as may be provided by acts of the legislature, initiate any desired legislation and cause the same to be submitted to the vote of the people at a general election for their approval or rejection.”

As we see here, the Legislature is able to make any and all changes to this process as it sees needed. The bill SB 1159 has been modified by the bill HB 296 which has decreased the districts needed and increased the time allowed.

The process will continue this week and should have a final result soon as we are at the end of our three-month legislative session.

Danielle Ahrens is a passionate adventurer of ideas and solutions for the people and is very involved in Idaho Republican politics.

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Spring!

We asked for your spring photos on Facebook and offered a $20 gift certificate to MickDuff’s for the winner. We chose Sam Cornett’s photo. What an authentic smile! We’ve also included some honorable mentions. Hooray spring!

Winning photo (top right) by Sam Cornett.

Honorable mention photo credits from top, left to right: Brett Mullinder, Chelsi Rawson, Maia Gaddess, Todd Crossett, Alyssa Frances Mana’o’lana DuVall, Patricia Freitag Ericsson, Mary Franzel.

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WINNER!

Photo by Sam Cornett

PERSPECTIVES

Poverty

By Alexandra Iosub Reader Contributor

I feel like there’s a powerful social taboo in place that makes it difficult for Americans to talk about money in a productive way. At the root of this taboo is the stigma of poverty that is still reinforced by casual political discourse. While the Washington, D.C., circus is mesmerizing us all, stimulating us with a spectrum of emotional responses, the language used goes unquestioned at a very personal level, and unwittingly repeated in circles that should know better.

I’ll go first. I’m poor. Strictly speaking, my income is around or below the poverty line. In my state, Medicaid expansion has been voted into law but is being attacked in the courts, so I write to you from the proverbial crack, where I am not allowed to earn less than the poverty line lest I lose my eligibility for ACA credits. Suffice it to say that I voted for Medicaid expansion, which would enable me to stop struggling to earn a certain income, and would allow me to do the work I think is valuable.

I have been surprised to find just how many skills I have that are unmonetizable, because the financial culture we are steeped in is led strictly by pure profit instead of ethical profit. I define ethical profit as the profit a company achieves after paying its employees a living wage, using sustainable business practices, and non-toxic, biodegradable materials in the product they provide (which preferable makes the world a better place). In addition, the economy in Sandpoint just so happens to be built around tourism and the service industry, and led by a small number of thriving businesses, that can’t possibly provide meaningful jobs for every employable person in town.

The reason I qualify the type of job as meaningful is because my generation is currently experiencing an overwhelming epidemic of job-hate, which deeply affects the quality of life of every employed individual. When you spend two thirds of your life being in a place you don’t want to be and doing something that brings on depression,

no amount of money can make up for the massive of loss of opportunity to do that very American thing: the pursuit of happiness.

I’m quoting the Declaration of Independence of the United States of America, which is the essence of the American dream. In contrast, the constitution is a vague set of directions on how to get there. I daresay, we are nowhere near there yet, and I would humbly recommend reading the Declaration of Independence as a reminder to everyone of what it means to be American.

You might say, “Suck it up, buttercup, life is hard!” I agree with that statement. Life has historically been very hard for 99% of people, for 99% of the time, and relatively carefree for the people who profited from the masses, for those who went to war, built walls, and wrote the rules. But the world is changing. Technology is making life very easy for a lot of people, and there is no logical reason for poverty to still exist, especially in such a rich country (this one). “Utopia for Realists” by Rutger Bergman brings a convincing number of arguments in support of this statement. I recommend that book, too, even if to gather ammunition against the idea. The debate is valuable. The conversation is needed. If only so we can sincerely say we addressed this pressing issue.

But before we can even have that conversation, the stigma of poverty needs to be addressed first. I am poor because I am an idealist who thinks my time on this planet is better spent enriching people’s imagination through the visual art I make. I have spent my entire life educating myself in the arts, doing research, teaching and writing, constantly learning new skills to understand how the creative mind works. My efforts are contributing, in a small way, to documenting this micro-stage of humanity, and alongside the work of my peers, it will provide an accurate description of the world for future generations, just like past generations left us museum-fulls of non-verbal evidence about their world as they experienced it.

My poverty is strictly financial. I could do much better moving to a larger community, where I could find better-paying (but still not fairly-paying) jobs, where I would have to spend the extra money I earn on higher rent, longer transportation and more expensive social life, with a sparser community (if at all present). Along with it, I’d experience social poverty, intellectual pov-

erty and mental poverty as well, also known as loneliness, busyness and depression.

We are finally living in an era marked by the specific recognition that mental pain is a real source of trauma and breakdown, that affects the capacity of humans to function and thrive. So why are we still reinforcing the stigmas related to health, be it mental, physical or financial? Because we are social, tribal creatures, and status is important. But we are also creatures capable of self-awareness and self-discipline. All we have to do is choose.

Choose to be vulnerable and feel empathy. Choose to hope for better because it is at our fingertips, all it takes is to reach.

Choose to believe that we can be better and we can do better. Choose to look at ourselves critically, and think for ourselves instead of regurgitating the poison in the media. Choose to participate. Choose

kindness and generosity. Choose to be the change we want to see.

So I am poor. It is both a choice and a function of circumstance. I am well educated, both choice and circumstance. I am an artist, for the same reasons. I am one of so many citizens of this country that could contribute so much more if poverty wasn’t pulling us back. Poverty isn’t a personality trait. It is something happening to us, that we can change if we all work together. But that is the problem right now, isn’t it?! D.C. has us at each other’s throats, so we can’t work together. Perhaps that’s the first step we need to make. Find a way towards togetherness.

The factors that brought us here are human nature. The solutions that can take us forward to a better future are also human nature.

Which will you choose?

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OPEN 11:30 am

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Thursday Night Solo Series w/ Ben Olson 6-8pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall Come hear Ben Olson from Harold’s IGA play a rare solo show full of B-sides and originals that have never been debuted. Plus, beer.

Live Music w/ Matt Mitchell 6-9pm @ Matchwood Brewing Co. Folksy Americana and rock n’ roll Live Music w/ Sadie and Desiree 5-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery Sadie’s captivating voice paired with Desiree’s piano talent

Dollar Beers!

8pm @ Eichardt’s Pub Good until the keg’s dry Open Mic Night 9pm @ A&P’s Bar and Grill

f

Bingo Nig 6-9pm @ S The Sandp ing back t the long w extra sheet

Live Music w/ Bright Moments Jazz 5-7pm @ Idaho Pour Authority Live Music w/ High Trees and Ammunition 9pm-12am @ 219 Lounge A great alt-punk rock trio from Montana Live Music w/ Devon Wade 6:30-9:30pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall Celebrate First Fridays with country night!

Schpr @ Sch featur and th Live 8-10p Join B

Live Music w/ Dusty Drennen 5-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery Folk, cow-punk, alt-country

Live Music w/ Justin Lantrip Friends of Libr 5:30-7:30pm @ Idaho Pour Authority 10am-2pm @ Sp Get ready to gard selection of boo Live Music w/ Naughty Pine Live Music w/ Samantha Cartson ry selections are 9pm-12am @ 219 Lounge 8-10pm @ Back Door Also accepting b Traveling reggae-inspired band Karaoke Night!

Live Music w/ Red Blend DJ Skwish 8pm-cl @ Tervan 8:30-10:30pm @ Connie’s Lounge 9pm-cl @ A&P’s Sing, me heartie Sandpoint trio of all stars Sandpoint Chess Club 9am @ Evans Brothers Coffee Meets every Sunday at 9am

Live Music w/ Ken Mayginnes 4-6:30pm @ Matchwood Brewing

Piano Sunday w/ Bob Beadling 4-6:30pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery

Monday Night Blues Jam w/ Truck Mills 7:30pm @ Eichardt’s Pub Night-Out Karaoke 9pm @ 219 Lounge Join DJ Pat for a night of singing, or just come to drink and listen Wind Down Wednesday 5-8pm @ 219 Lounge With live music by blues man Truck Mills and guest musician John Firshi

Karaoke N 8pm-cl @ Sing like th

Lifetree Ca Karaoke 2pm @ Jale 8-close @ Tervan An hour of Best song selection in Sandpoint week’s topic Triva Night 7pm @ MickDuff’s Show off that big, beautiful brain of yours

Djembe clas 5:45-7:30pm of Sandpoin Join Ali M djembe (dru

Magic Wednesday 6-8pm @ Jalapeño’s Enjoy close-up magic shows by Star Alexander right at your table

Annual Volunteer Luncheon 11:30am-1pm @ Memorial Community C You don’t need to be a volunteer to at neighbor or friend! Come learn more abo rial Community Center and eat some tast The Con Storytellers’ Workshop • 6-8pm @ Matchwood Brewing Co. Seeking Gather with neighborhood storytellers. Email sami@matchwoodbrewing.com

Dollar Beers!

8pm @ Eichardt’s Pub Good until the keg’s dry Open Mic Night 9pm @ A&P’s Bar and Grill

Wild Horse Press Presents Open-Mic Night 6-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery Arrive early for a glass of wine and a bite to eat. Te recite a verse or sit back and listen to stories from the

ful

April 4 - 11, 2019

Bingo Night at the VFW Post 6-9pm @ Sandpoint VFW Post The Sandpoint VFW Post 2453 is bringng back their weekly bingo night after he long winter. Bring a friend and get an xtra sheet. VFW Post is 1325 Pine St.

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

Reader recommended

Alzheimer’s Support Group 1-2pm @ Sandpoint Senior Center for families, caregivers, and friends of those with Alzheimer’s.

Free respite care is available at the Day Break Center: (208) 265-8127

Schpring Finale (closing weekend at Schweitzer) @ Schweitzer Mountain Resort on featuring the Big LeBREWski, pond skimming, and the Rotary Ducky Derby. 208-255-3081 DJ Skwish Live Music w/ Brian Jacobs 9pm-cl @ A&P’s 8-10pm @ Back Door Join Brian for all of your favorite songs

Walk With a Doc 12:15pm @ Clark Fork H.S. Open to walkers of all ages and abilities. Hosted by Heather Margaret MD

Sip and Paint 6pm @ The Pottery Bug Beginner friendly class painting a “Snowy Owl.” $30 when you sign up with a friend

Explore Virtual Reality 10am-1pm @ Spt. Library Reserve a 15-minute session exploring virtual reality at the Sandpoint Library.

It’s free and tons of fun!

ds of Library Book Sale Lou Domanski 28th Annual Chess Festival Fire-Light Nights 5-9pm @ Matchwood Brewing Co. 2pm @ Spt. Library 9am @ Sandpoint Community Hall ady to garden with a great Named for its founder, this annual chess tour- Gather around Matchwood’s firepit with friends and neighbors to on of books, plus poet- nament has three age divisions. 263-3613 roast some s’mores ctions are all half price. ccepting book donations Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Banquet 4-9pm @ Bonner Co. Fairgrounds Free First Saturday at the Museum ke Night!

Selkirk Crest Chapter of the Rocky Mtn. Elk 10am-2pm @ Bonner Co. Museum @ Tervan Foundation’s annual fundraiser. Everyone is This month’s Free First Saturday me hearties! welcome. Funds benefit the foundation sponsored by Jack and Shirley Parker.

Karaoke Night! pm-cl @ Tervan Sing like the wind

ifetree Cafe pm @ Jalepeño’s Mexican Restaurant n hour of conversation and stories. This eek’s topic: “Intimacy Anorexia”

embe class 45-7:30pm @ Music Conservatory Sandpoint in Ali Maverick Thomas for this embe (drum) class

Project Based Learning Workshop 6pm @ Forrest Bird Charter School Explore how this style of education is inspiring high school students to be the author of their own learning. For more information: ForrestBirdCharterSchool.org.

Grundy Reversing Diabetes Seminar 5:30pm @ Idaho Pain Clinic Learn how to reduce hemoglobin A1C, minimize your need for medication, and more. Seminar is free, handbook is $10.

Register by calling 208-907-1517

CHAFE 150 Happy Hour mmunity Center (Hope) 5-7pm @ 219 Lounge teer to attend. Bring a Get your drink on while supporting Sandpoint Rotamore about the Memo- ry’s CHAFE 150. Raffles to win a bike, live music, appetizers and drink specials. Do it! some tasty grub, too The Conversation • 6-8pm @ Ivano’s Ristorante Seeking guest speakers for the creative and performing artists who attend

ght

to eat. Tell a story, read a poem, s from the literary community

Grateful Dead Jam Night 5:30-7:30pm @ Idaho Pour Authority Join Scott Taylor for a jam night of Dead tunes, plus some Phish and others

April 12 Adult Prom Party @ A&P’s April 12-13 Home and Garden Show @ Bonner County Fairgrounds April 13

Hunger Bowl (Food Bank Fundraiser) @ Huckleberry Lanes

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COMMUNITY

Kick up your heels at the Family Dance

By Ben Olson Reader Staff Sandpoint Parks and Recreation has teamed up with Emily Faulkner and Beth Weber to bring a night of family dancing!

There will be big circles, long lines, perhaps even a square dance or two. There will even be a family waltz. No experience is necessary.

The dance will be at the Sandpoint Community Hall from 3-5 p.m. on Sun-

day, April 14. Live music will be provided by Beth Weber, Robert Tyler, Karen Dignan and Lonny Hawkins. Dances will be taught and called by Emily Faulkner.

Light comfortable clothing is suggested. Bring clean, soft-soled shoes and a water bottle. Finger food snacks for the break are much appreciated.

For other activities offered by Sandpoint Parks and Recreation, visit at www. sandpoint.gov/parksrecreation or visit the office located at 1123 Lake Street.

Spring birding workshop offered

By Ben Olson Reader Staff It’s spring bird season! Come outside and enjoy the peak of spring birding with a fun group of birders.

The Spring Birding Workshop will take place Sat. May 4 from 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

The class will meet at the North Idaho College Center south parking lot, 102 S. Euclid in Sandpoint.

All levels are welcome as the class will learn together to scope for birds of prey, waterfowl, woodpeckers and songbirds. Led by Brian Baxter, the group will explore techniques of connecting habitat, flight patterns, sky silhouettes, identifying features, calls and tracks to clarify bird species. The class will also investigate the

avian life by auto tour and short, moderate hikes of less than one mile round trip.

Come prepared with a full tank of gas, binoculars, lunch and water. Cost is $49 per person

Calling all damsels and knights

By Reader Staff The Sandpoint Renaissance Faire is hosting a public open meeting from 6-7 p.m. at the Hotel Ruby in Ponderay on April 9. This meeting is to organize volunteers for this year’s Faire. Children are welcome.

Parts will be auditioned also, including Queen’s Guards, Queen’s Ladies and a Fairy Realm Princess. Those interested can call (208) 610-1792 or visit SandpointRenFaire. com. Send an email with subject line “Her Majesty” to SandpointRenFaire@gmail.com

READER DOWN BY THE BEACH

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A group of Sandpoint folks hung out on the beach near Zipolite, Mexico recently.

Because Sandpoint folks are awesome, some of them had Readers with them.

Included in this photo is Scott Taylor, Mac, Lucia Coupal and others. / April 4, 2019

LITERATURE

This open Window

Vol. 4 No.6

poetry and prose by local writers edited by Jim mitsui

trying to remember How hard I try remembering you, I know I truly should.

Your voice and face are here, but your name is gone.

-Sandra Deutchman Sandra is a Sandpoint artist and poet. This poem is short but it conveys an issue that many of us eventually have to deal with.

One difference between prose and poetry is compression.

These four lines puts us in a situation and circumstance that doesn’t need an explanation.

Send poems to: jim3wells@aol.com Undeterred by the dictates of parking lot lines, the multitudes are greeted by whispers and shouts Shamanic Summit – Renaissance Fair – Yoga Fest The MFA store on Main Street with worn, wooden floors and ancient ceiling fans offers farm auction flyers and baloney cut thick so you can pan fry it.

Sweet molasses-rich dairy feed in hundred-pound burlap bags lay in wait

surviving north idaho winter Mid-February. Four feet of snow, more where the tin roof’s flung it.

Cantankerous wind, 35 knots, spins new drifts over our pristine sidewalk (he cleared yesterday with his top-of-the-line snowblower), sweeps out old nests, scatters tree debris, slams the wind chimes against the house, animates bird feeders so fast no chickadee can light.

Overcast. No sparkle. No color.

A freezing tedium.

I bend to the computer, peruse electronic seed catalogues, order gorgeous flowers, pencil on a three foot sheet of brown wrapping paper taped to the kitchen counter, our hand drawn yard plan, color coded planting map, charts of starting dates.

Come thaw we’ll build a little picket fence around the front yard with an arched trellis over the walk for red-orange Lonicera.

110 feet of 1X4 pickets.

Do the math. Be a landscaper.

It’s simple, tall Eupatorium and Tithonia steadied against the fence, shorter Penstemon and French Marigolds in front, complete circus of color all coordinated, for pollinators and pleasure.

Come July, we’ll lounge away hours on the covered porch in sweet grey shade watching them frowse the flowers, color and buzz aflutter in dizzying fragrance.

The tiniest wind chime jingling to quiet butterfly applause.

-Beth Weber Feb. 19, 2019 The last line of this poem was inadvertently left off in the February 28 edition of the Reader. The contrast and the ironic applauding of butterflies, which of course are quiet creatures, emphasizes the contrast between this tiring winter (except of course for our skiers and snowboarders) and wanting to look ahead to the relaxation and celebration of summer. Beth’s poem warrants a re-run because I believe that the last line (ending or closure) of a poem is its most important moment. Fiction has its climax followed by a denouement, tying up loose ends but poems are different. In my mind the three places of a poem in order of importance are the last line, the first line, and the title.

finding redemption in kombucha gasps & remembers.

Generations sweat and pray for better weather and relief.

My mother’s cousin escapes by writing his song I’ll Fly Away Distracted by Dragon’s Blood soap, Range Rover Lycra-driver shops for thinner thighs on Aisle 2.

In produce, a goddess-retreat leader connects with an apple.

Paisley-clad hips send a Bob Marley telegraph

on the other side.

My father’s father carried a bag on each shoulder, but the ache is mine.

Mud season seedlings under fluorescents, spring flurry of outdoor work shoveling buckets of compost, showering compost tea a boost to blooming. Irresistible flowers dressing fences, surrounding the house, trellising the shed, ringing fruit trees, climbing the mail box, even flowers among the ferns and moss in the dark north side.

An Eden of feasting for butterflies, humming birds, and bees.

Love is my religion Hey you can take it or leave it, Clad in Carharts, a chick-pea dowser

Promises of a better way stir remnants of brush arbor revivals, chigger bites unforgiving cold metal chairs.

Be gone gluten!

Be gone sugar!

Drink this Synergy Trilogy Kombucha and be… renewed Devour the Coconut Bliss and be… reawakened Anchored to the Winter Ridge ceiling by helium, the mylar star balloon remains unfazed.

-Kevin Watson April, 2015 Kevin is a local artist and poet, who connects poetry to making assemblage art. “You find a piece of a cast-off object and combine it with another and another, move them around and connect them in various ways---mechanically or with adhesive to form a new object or idea.”

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FEATURE

40 years of CAL

The Community Assistance League continues its mission after four decades of supporting Bonner County

By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff

Like most great ideas, the Community Assistance League began with two women trying to solve a problem.

As the legend goes, Sydne Van Horne and Marilyn Pagano were sitting on Van Horne’s beach in 1979 discussing local issues when they agreed that Sandpoint had few options for women to get involved. After Marilyn’s husband encouraged them to do something about it, the women, along with Ginny Jensen, created CAL as an effort to support local schools and nonprofit groups.

What began on a beach 40 years ago is now a group of about 250 members responsible for giving around $1.5 million to programs in Bonner County.

Still, CAL’s full impact on North Idaho is impossible to quantify. The organization — which has no paid director or staff — has had its hand in starting events like the Panhandle Special Needs Olympics, the Kaleidoscope Art Enrichment Program, Junior Miss and even the Festival at Sandpoint, which CAL produced for the first two years.

“We’ve started a lot of things that have gone on to be such a wonderful benefit to the community,” said CAL member Joyce Spiller.

If you consider CAL a well-oiled machine providing financial assistance to groups across the county, Bizarre Bazaar is the engine that keeps things running — more specifically, the store’s volunteers and the donations that come in from the community.

Bizarre Bazaar began as an annual rummage sale fundraiser for CAL. After the 2005 sale, when there were too many donations to sell and local charities didn’t have room for all the leftover items, Spiller proposed the idea of a thrift store to the president at the time, Tracy Gibson. “(Gibson) wanted (a project) you could wrap your heart around,” recalled CAL member Cindy Chenault.

“So this was the perfect answer,” added Spiller.

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CAL marches in its first Sandpoint Fourth of July parade in 2001 wearing handmade old-fashioned bathing suits and dancing to “By the Sea, By the Sea.” The group won best entry of the parade. On the lefthand side of the photo, a member very appropriately provides assistance to a child. Photo courtesy of CAL.

Ponderay with Spiller and Chenault as the managers. They served through a move to Sandpoint in 2010 until 2016, when current managers Diane Arrants and Cheri Warber took over.

“Those were hard shoes to fill,” Arrants said.

The “upscale resale” store is now located at 502 Church Street in Sandpoint. People donate good-quality clothing and home goods and CAL volunteers then sort, price and stock the vibrant storefront with those donations.

Arrants said CAL volunteers are

comprised of “an incredible variety of people from all walks of life.”

“The idea is to fulfill the mission and have a good time doing it,” Warber said, that mission being — officially — to support North Idaho “through education, service and philanthropy.”

Bizarre Bazaar accounts for the bulk of CAL’s fundraising, and 100% of the store’s proceeds go toward grants and scholarships.

CAL is always looking for more volunteers, as it takes three volunteers each shift, two shifts a day to staff Bizarre Bazaar, and many members volunteer only a couple times a month. Those interested in volunteering should pick up an application in the store.

Donations of clothing and other items are also always welcome, and can be dropped off on the side of the building facing the Granary District.

Shopping at Bizarre Bazaar is also a great way to ensure CAL can continue giving financial support to local groups.

The store is open Monday-Saturday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

“The community has been so supportive, from day one, of our store,” Spiller said. “We are so grateful.”

CAL is currently looking for a new location to house Bizarre Bazaar. The organization is seeking a space somewhere around 4,000-5,000 square feet for a “reasonable rent.” Anyone with a tip should call Bizarre Bazaar at 208263-3400.

CAL will commemorate their 40th anniversary with a public celebration in September. More details on that event will be published in a future Reader.

“I consider it a privilege and an honor to be a member — that’s how I feel about being a CAL lady,” Warber said.

Arrants said being a part of such a widely respected organization is nothing short of rewarding.

“You come here, you volunteer, you do what’s necessary, you enjoy your time, and you don’t really realize … but when you go back to the legacy they’ve created for us, you understand why (CAL has had) that kind of impact,” she said.

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COMMUNITY

International doll collection on display at library

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

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“It’s all my mom’s fault,” said Vicki Reich, when asked how her collection of international dolls began.

Reich’s 200 dolls currently on display in the foyer of the Sandpoint Library represent a collection she has possessed since she was a child, all thanks to her mom.

“My mom really liked the idea of having collections,” Reich said. “When she died, she had over 300 frogs. She wanted me to have a collection, too” Reich pointed to a doll on the top shelf of the display at the Sandpoint Library and identified it as patient number one.

“That one was from Korea,” she said. A neighbor at Homestead Air Force Base in Florida, where Reich’s father was stationed at the time, brought that one back from Korea during his time in the service.

Reich said her parents traveled abroad at least once a year and started bringing back an international doll from every country they visited. The collection fed itself from there.

There are dolls from dozens of different countries, each souvenirs that represent the cultural heritage of the place they originated. A large portion of the early dolls came from Reich’s parents, but in recent years, friends and loved ones have started bringing them back to add to Reich’s collection.

Displayed next to the Korean doll that started it all stands the latest member of the menagerie: a doll from Taiwan Reich’s step dad brought back from a recent trip.

“When my parents were traveling, these dolls were everywhere,” Reich said. “Now, they’re a little harder to find. Sometimes people have to go on adventures to find them.”

Fifteen years ago, when Reich was living in Moscow, she displayed her collection in the Moscow Public Library. It numbered 124 dolls then, but has grown to 197 dolls today.

Reich jokingly admitted she is somewhat of a reluctant steward of the dolls.

“When I tell people I have a doll

Vicki Reich holds the first international doll that started the collection, a doll from Korea. She now has almost 200 in the collection. Photo by Ben Olson.

collection at the library, they look at me and say, ‘You? A doll collection?

Really?’”

But for Reich, the dolls represent more than just a collection — they are a connection to the culture of each country represented, as well as a legacy handed down from her childhood.

“The Spanish dancers all look the same, but the ones from France are all so different,” she said, pointing out the collection through the display case. “I definitely have some favorites. The one in the green coat was from Greece. The layers and layers of dresses she has on are amazing. Also, there’s a Maasai

Tribe doll from Kenya with real rubber from tires for its shoes.”

Reich enjoys owning the collection because of the sentimental value, but also because it provides a fun quest for traveling friends and family.

“If people ask if I want them to bring me back something from their travels, I ask them to bring me back a doll,” she said. “The only value I think this collection has is my love of it.”

Check out Reich’s international doll collection at the Sandpoint Library, where it will be displayed in the foyer until mid-April.

STAGE & SCREEN

Pop-Up Open Mic scheduled Thursday

By Reader Staff The Sandpoint Literary Collective and Lost Horse Press will host another stimulating, sometimes provocative Pop-Up Open Mic on Thursday, April 11, at 6 p.m. at the Pend d’Oreille Winery, 301 Cedar Street, Sandpoint. This is an opportunity to showcase local and guest literary talent.

Writers of all stripes are invited to read from their own works for up to five minutes. Attendees will have the opportunity to enhance their experience — reading and/or listening — with Pend d’Oreille wines and snacks or meals from The Fat Pig restaurant. Admission to the Open

Mic is free and everyone is welcome.

The Sandpoint Literary Collective is a community of writers and writing professionals — authors of prose and poetry, publishers, editors, indexers, book designers, book marketing professionals — dedicated to literary writing through practice, education and promotion. It is a nonprofit entity organized under the Academy of Northwest Writers and Publishers. They may be reached via Lost Horse Press at losthorsepress@mindspring.com or (208) 255-4410.

Missoula Children’s Theatre holding auditions for ‘Blackbeard’

By Reader Staff Missoula Children’s Theatre will be holding open auditions for the upcoming play “Blackbeard.”

The auditions will be held from 3:30-5:30 p.m. at the Farmin-Stidwell Elementary Gymnasium, 1626 Spruce St., on Monday, April 15. There are roles available for students in grades K-12.

Students must be at least five years old to participate. Approximately 50-60 local students will be cast to appear in the show with the Missoula Children’s Theatre actor and directors. There is no guarantee that everyone who auditions will be cast in the play.

Students wishing to audition should arrive by the scheduled starting time and plan to stay for the entire two-hour session. The first rehearsal begins approximately 30 minutes after the auditions.

Rehearsals will be conducted every day April 15-18 from 3:30-8 p.m. at Farmin-Stidwell Elementary School, and again April 19 at the Panida Theater for a full dress rehearsal from 3:30-8 p.m. A detailed rehearsal schedule will be distributed at the conclusion of the auditions.

The public performance of MCT’s “Blackbeard” will be held at the Panida Theater on Saturday, April 20, at 1 p.m and 3:30 p.m. Ticket prices are kept low to ensure the best possible attendance by

parents, family, friends and the community at large. Adult tickets are $15 or two for $20 and youth 18 and under are $5 per performance. Tickets are available for purchase at the Pend Oreille Arts Council office, 334 N. First Ave. Ste. 212 (inside the Cedar St. Bridge) or at www.artinsandpoint.org. They will also be available two weeks before the performance at Eichardt’s, Eve’s Leaves and Panida.org.

For additional information, contact POAC at (208) 263-6139.

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COMMUNITY

Chamber welcomes Monarch Marketing LLC

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

By Reader Staff

The Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce welcomed Monarch Marketing, LLC, with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Thursday, March 28.

Zach Carothers and Joab Logan grew up in Sandpoint, went away to college, and returned with a desire to create a business in their hometown and give back to their community. Zach graduated from the University of Idaho with a degree in Finance and Joab from George Fox University with a degree in Marketing. They saw a need for their services in our area and thus Monarch Marketing was born.

Monarch Marketing is a digital marketing company that develops and grows your online presence by monitoring, tracking, and projecting consumer behavior, thus allowing you to better reach your appropriate audience and gain more conversions. During this process Monarch Marketing works on several elements, from website development to search engine optimization to social media. Put simply, if

you’re a business, you want to make sure that you’re getting seen online by your target audience, and several practices will get you the best bang for the buck. Having worked with an array of companies, they understand that not everybody has a million-dollar ad budget, but every company can still create an online presence.

They encourage everybody to at least give them a call to ask questions or set up a free 30-miute consultation about stepping into the digital market.

Please join the Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce in welcoming Monarch Marketing. We wish them success in our community.

From left to right: Phil Hough, Clem Hackworthy, Patricia Walker, Joab Logan, Zach Carothers, Ricci Witte, Kate McAlister, Connor Currie, Steve Sanche, and Vicky Jacobsen.

For more information call (208) 917-4077 or visit their website www. monarchmarketingllc. com

Don’t want newsprint on your delicate hands?

Read the Reader online.

It’s 100% free, just like the print edition.

READER SandpointReader.com 22 /

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SPIN program addresses mental health Recently, the Panhandle Health District conducted a community health assessment to determine what the top serious issues in our community for 2018. The 129-page report listed mental health was listed as one of the top four issues, along with access to health care, substance abuse and access to emergency housing.

The Sandpoint Community Resource Center is focusing on those four issues this year for their Service Provider Information Network program. This month’s meeting focuses on mental health.

The SPIN meeting for the second quarter will take place Tuesday, April 30, from 8-10 a.m. at the Sandpoint Library. There will be all of the major and minor service providers in attendance showcasing their services.

“Because mental health is so broad – it affects children, seniors, disabled, people in crisis, families – everybody will be showcasing their services on this issue,” said SCRC executive director Linnis Jellinek. “Each provider will give a short 10-minute talk which will be informative. We invite volunteers, providers and the public to learn more about what we’re doing.”

Jellinek said SCRC serves an important role as a “connector” between the general public and service providers.

“People need to know what services are available,” she said. “We’re the connector, so we need to know when someone calls in crisis, where to send them for assessment, or crisis intervention, or suicide prevention.”

Attendees will also have a chance to learn vital information at the program meeting, including what happens when you request a welfare check from Bonner County Sheriff’s Office.

“It’s an amazing service that they are available for, but are there consequences when you call for a welfare check?” said Jellinek. “Also, what happens at the emergency room when someone comes in and they have a total breakdown?”

The SPIN meeting will be held at the Sandpoint Library from 8-10 a.m. n Tuesday, April 30. It is free and open to all who would like to attend.

“It’s going to be a really informative two hours,” Jellinek said. “If you’re concerned at all and have been there and don’t know what to do, come on down.”

HOROSCOPE

The Real Folk Horoscope

A general guide for dealing with any given situation, supernatural or otherwise

By Cody Lyman Reader Columnist

Aries

Don’t forget that it’s your birthday.

Taurus

Sharing is caring, and you’re in need of some self-care. No one will appreciate you more than you for sharing yourself with yourself––your heart with your mind, and vice versa. Should you be feeling somewhat trapped in yourself, this is the only way to escape. You must look within yourself until you find yourself without yourself.

Gemini

Those who pull themselves up by their own bootstraps wind up throwing out their lower backs. Give a man a walking stick, he learns to have a crutch. Lend a man a hand, and you’ll have something to hold onto that, in turn, holds onto you, and returns the favor.

Cancer

We’ve been warned against mixing business with pleasure. For some of you, this is no problem; the line is blurry to the point of being arbitrary. As for those of you who resonate strongly with that principle, focus on a work of passion or a labor of love. The most comfortable place to sleep, until June, might be at your desk. Don’t force things. The answer you’re looking for is probably right in front of your face.

One example: If your name is DJ, and you’re having trouble deciding what you want to do with your life, why not consider becoming a disc jockey? That way your personal and professional lives will be more aligned.

Leo

Try not squirting yourself in the eye as you juice the lemons life has given you.

The month’s mantra: My angel gives me the strength to learn from my demons.

Virgo

Instead of reading horoscopes, have you ever considered talking to somebody about it?

Libra

It takes one to know one. So, if you’re a know-it-all, you better be able to recognize other know-it-alls, or it is proof that you do not, in fact, know it all. Make sense? The solution is always a mixture. The truth is always the opposite of Occam’s razor. You have finally learned enough to start learning how little you know.

frustrate you, and if you get frustrated, don’t let this anger you, and if you’re already angered, don’t be saddened, but if you’re sad, then love is nearby, and you’ll have a choice: to laugh or cry.

Aquarius

It’s a good time to learn something new — gooder than most of the rest of the time tends to be, anyway. Give something different a shot, yea?

P.S. Your gut feeling is correct. It’s smart to keep things close to the chest.

Airing out your bleeding heart will only attract vultures.

Pisces

This month, you will experience love at first sight. Or is it a breakup after the first fight? Maybe it’ll be both. I don’t know. It’s difficult to tell. Maybe I need to Windex the old crystal ball.

Cody Lyman was chemically engineered in a lab with orange walls to bring frustration and/or good fortune within your reach. Which will it be today? It’s anybody’s guess.

Scorpio

Get those hemorrhoids taken care of.

Sagittarius

People should care more, it’s true. But they can’t be forced to, and they aren’t going to do it willingly. You wonder if it might be possible to devise some kind of grand hoax that could trick the masses into being kinder to themselves and each other and everything more, for goodness sake. Well, let us know if you come up with any feasible ideas.

On a not so separate note: If abducted by the aliens, the best thing to do is, show no fear.

Capricorn

If you get confused, don’t let it bother you, and if it bothers you, don’t let that April 4, 2019 /

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BY THE NUMBERS

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

33 of 4,644

The amount of calls, emails or letters received by Gov. Brad Little’s office between Friday, March 29 to press time that were in favor of SB1159, which seeks to toughen signature requirements for an initiative to reach the Idaho ballot. The other 4,611 were opposed.

That amounts to less than 1% of the people who contacted the Governor’s office who actually support this bill. Gov. Little has until Saturday, April 6, to issue a veto for either SB1159 and/or the trailer bill HB296.

88%

Portion of the 755,000 people expected to lose food stamps who live below the federal poverty line. The public comment period for the Trump administration’s new rules ended April 2.

30

The number of winning Pick 4 lottery tickets a woman bought in Virginia last month. Deborah Brown kept seeing four numbers everywhere one day, so she bought 30 Pick 4 lottery tickets, each for a dollar. Each ticket had the same numbers: 1-0-3-1. The winning number were drawn and Brown won $150,000. If she had only bought one winning ticket, her winnings would have been $5,000.

2 per day

The number of cups of coffee the average Americans drink every day. It is also estimated that more than one-third of Americans regularly drink coffee. Idaho boasts the cheapest average price of a latte at $3.49 each, while North Dakota has the highest at $4.45 each.

100 lashes

The punishment for sex between two women in Brunei, a small oil-rich Muslim-majority kingdom in East Asia. The punishment for homosexuality between men and adultery is stoning to death. The new laws were enacted this week, setting off a wave of condemnation around the world.

9,179

The amount of times President Trump has lied in 787 days in office, according to the Washington Post.

The president averaged nearly 5.9 false or misleading claims a day in his first year in office. He hit nearly 16.5 a day in his second year. So far in 2019, he’s averaging nearly 22 false claims a day.

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WEIRD NEWS

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

SPECIAL FLORIDA EDITION Florida is an... interesting place, to say the least.

Here are some of the weird news stories that have taken place there in the last couple years: •A 23-year-old man living in Jupiter, Fla., was arrested when he pulled up to a Wendy’s drive-thru window to place an order and tossed a three-foot alligator through the window. The man was charged with unlawful possession and transportation of an alligator. The gator was released in a nearby canal (without a frosty).

•A 40-year-old Riviera Beach, Fla., man confessed last month to stealing rare coins and other items valued at $350,000 from a friend’s office. The thief was caught after he dumped $33,000 worth of collectible coins into a Coin Star machine and got a voucher for just $29.30 in return.

•A 52-year-old woman from Collier County, Fla., was arrested after she allegedly pointed a toy gun at a mail carrier and forced him to give her a package from the truck. The woman then fled the scene on a tricycle, which was later pulled over by a police officer. The woman said she was “God” and said the “voices in her head” were instructing her.

• A Florida man was released from jail on an auto theft charge. Soon after he walked out the door, the man broke into another car in the jail’s parking lot but failed to see there was a deputy sitting in the car he broke into.

The man was arrested and walked back into jail for a second attempted auto theft charge. At least it wasn’t a long trip back to jail.

MUSIC

This week’s RLW by Ben Olson

READ

If you think truth is an elusive concept these days, read “Lying” by Sam Harris.

Harris gives a great effort in this short book to ethics, truth and why the hell people lie so much. Perhaps all politicians should receive a copy on their first day in office.

If you like Harris’ writing, you’ll love his podcast “Making Sense,” where he tackles controversial issues in a smart, even manner.

come to Bonners Ferry

LISTEN

The Chicago-based indie band will play the Pearl Theater April 13 Courtesy photo.

By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff When musicians are asked to describe their band’s sound, some answers come to be expected. They might list their influences, maybe some genres they like to blend to create their signature musical concoction. But something you don’t expect to hear?

“We’ve been calling it ‘mom rock,’” said Josh Solomon of The Empty Pockets, a

Chicago-based indie rock outfit set to play the Pearl Theater in Bonners Ferry April 13.

Solomon said “mom rock” — though he originally brought it up jokingly — seems to describe his band’s easygoing, rock-meets-country style, especially considering the impact his mother’s music taste had on his own preferences growing up. Another term, according to Solomon, that might describe The Empty Pockets is “Ya’llternative.”

Jokes aside, The Empty Pockets have a sound that’s attracted national praise, having been described by Rolling Stone as “polished yet rootsy.” It’s easy to see why, as Solomon (guitar, vocals), Nate Bellon (bass, vocals), Adam Balasco (drums) and Erika Brett (keyboard, vocals) combine story and sound to create a carefree rootsrock feel.

This is especial-

ly true for the band’s latest release, “Tanglewoods,” which showcases The Empty Pockets’ signature harmonies, highlighted by Brett’s memorable powerhouse pipes. Solomon said the album’s strength lies in its simplicity.

“It’s a freer album than anything we’ve ever made, and that made us write better,” he said. “(Tanglewoods) goes against the grain of so much pop music. We didn’t use any of the tools and the tricks of modern day.”

The Empty Pockets have also found success serving as a band for famous frontmen like Kenny Loggins, Al Stewart and Simon Kirke (the drummer for Bad Company). Solomon said he always admired The Band, which got its start backing up the likes of Bob Dylan and Van Morrison.

“I always loved that idea so we embraced that,” Solomon said, adding that while the modern music industry is so competitive, The Empty Pockets uphold a philosophy of support.

“We feel very strongly that a

rising tide raises all ships.”

Bonners Ferry is the latest stop for a band that’s been touring for 12 years. Even though it’s not always easy, Solomon he and the rest of The Empty Pockets genuinely look forward to hitting the road and playing venues off the beaten path.

“It’s a really hard life.

There’s an element of our name that’s just dead serious.

So if you don’t love it — being on the road, meeting tons of different people — it’s a stupid idea to do and not love,” Solomon said. “There are a lot of cool elements about what we do. We embrace all the parts.

We love it.”

Tickets to the April 13 Pearl Theater show are $12 in advance, $15 at the door and $5 for students. Get tickets in advance at Mountain Mike’s, Bonners Books or www.thepearltheater. org. The doors and cafe open at 6 p.m., and music begins with opener Shiloh Rising at 7 p.m.

Learn more about The Empty Pockets and hear the band’s tunes at www.theemptypockets.com.

I saw Helado Negro open for Beirut in Portland a few weeks back and was really amazed.

Helado Negro is the stagename for Roberto Carlos Lange, who was born to Ecuadorian immigrants in South Florida.

Lange’s music can be described as cosmic poetry placed on top of lo-fi indie electronica.

With catchy beats and a deep, personal voice, Helado Negro is emerging as an artist. His latest album, “This is How You Smile,” is my favorite.

WATCH

Do you have a know-it-all friend who likes to ruin everything by presenting facts? What a punk.

If you don’t have this person in your life, consider watching Netflix’s “Adam Ruins Everything” with comedian Adam Conover.

The premise of the show is simple: Adam takes a commonly understood “fact” or assumption and destroys it with a little comedy and a lot of truth. It’s all done in good faith, and is quite entertaining, and you may actually learn something. *gasp*

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By Mike Wagoner Reader Contributor

kids these days

From Northern Idaho News, April 23, 1929

DROWNING OF DEER GROSSLY EXAGGERATED Deputy Game Warden Peter Haster Finds Report of 75 Deer Drowned in Priest River Wrong

Peter Haster, deputy game warden for Bonner county, returned Saturday from the Priest Lake country, where he went to investigate the report that 75 deer had been drowned in the river in that section due to the log jams in the river. He says the report is grossly exaggerated and that not more than 12 deer have met such a death.

Haster said the worst jam on the river is just below the outlet of the lake, where the Dalkena Lumber company has been cutting logs all winter. On checking up with the foreman there whom he has known for years, he learned there were but seven carcasses seen in the jam this spring and the foreman declared that 12 deer at the outside possibly could have met their death in this fashion.

There are other smaller jams on the river, but it is believed they could account for but a few deer. Haster believes the estimate of 75 deer made some time ago is grossly exaggerated in the light of the present facts.

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This goes out to the kids.

I’m a guy who, until recently, taught high school biology and environmental science. I enjoyed it but there were days that were a little tough to get through.

The sight of youthful bewildered faces are still vividly etched in my mind for teaching such subjects were hard to do without mentioning the various types of pollution now present in the world. The chemicals that have been sprayed on the farms. The toxic metals from industry that secretly lie in the sediment just off of many coastlines. Compounds that have been slowly but surely finding their way into ground water that are detrimental to life. The synthetic polymers (plastics) that are ending up in the oceans of the world.

Since the earths detritus feeders (organisms that break down substances to their elemental parts) don’t recognize these

substances, we have no idea what to do with them. We are beginning to hear of sea life washing up on shore impregnated with plastic in their digestive tracts.

Now we are having to come to terms with the thought that we are probably responsible for the warming of the earth.

There is evidence that it has happened before, but does that mean we are not responsible this time?

OK, now for the good news! This planet of ours is a tough ol’ bird. It has taken a lot of abuse throughout geologic time and bounced back as if to say, “Is that all you got?!” So take heart. Try not to be too vindictive towards the ones who have left you all this for the ancient battle against human ignorance has been a long one.

It’s time now for you to be the instructors, teachers of a new age. I think of it

as the “Environmental Renaissance.” An exciting time to be young. You have many tools at your disposal.

I’ll suggest two if I may. First: For those of you in America, you’re lucky.

You live in a democracy. Your vote is a powerful thing. Use it. Second: your wallet. What you choose to purchase or leave on the shelf will serve to dictate policy in countless ways. In a market-driven economy, which is what’s around you, the things you buy will continue to be produced and those that you reject will die out.

Good luck, and may the force be with you.

Mike Wagoner recently moved to the area from Nashville, where he taught school and did studio work on the side.

Crossword Solution

I think that a hat that has a little cannon that fires and then goes back inside the hat is at least a decade away.

Copyright www.mirroreyes.com

CROSSWORD ACROSS

Woorf tdhe Week

knackered [adjective] 1. exhausted, very tired.

/NAK-erd /

“I was knackered after working that double shift yesterday.”

Corrections: No corrections to report this week. We just can’t believe it. I did get some interesting hate mail from a person named Joseph Werth urging me to “off” myself.

So I’ve got that going for me. -BO

1. Dweeb 6. Tweaked 11. Eagle’s nest 12. Discover 15. Come forth 16. Rotor coil 17. East Indian tree 18. Drool 20. Japanese apricot 21. Angers 23. Voucher 24. Winglike 25. Connects two points 26. Not barefoot 27. Agitated state 28. Terminates 29. Arrive (abbrev.)

30. Black-footed albatross 31. The working together of two things 34. Anagram of “Diets” 36. N N N N 37. At a distance 41. Brace 42. Annoying insect 43. Easy gait 44. Bearing 45. Tanks 46. Cry of pain 47. Genus of macaws 48. Hotel attendant 51. What we sleep on 52. Sororal 54. A coarse linen cloth

Solution on page 26 56. Storage 57. Dehydrates 58. A nine-piece musical group 59. Feel

DOWN 1. Type of marmoset 2. Friday night through Sunday 3. Mistake 4. Trailer trucks 5. Rind 6. Murky 7. Not fulfilled

8. Close 9. Consume 10. Mound of glacial drift 13. Pact 14. Inheritor 15. Ancient Roman magistrate 16. With disgust or hatred 19. Autumn color 22. Conference 24. Oddity 26. Found on most beaches 27. Mayday 30. Essence

32. Yes (slang) 33. Grind together 34. Apparition 35. Treachery 38. Idiosyncrasies 39. Pacify 40. Marsh growth 42. A chip of stone 44. Catholic church service 45. Margin 48. Legume 49. Probabilities 50. Minute opening 53. Pair 55. Be victorious April 4, 2019 /

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