If you were to go to my YouTube page and look at my recommendations with no context, you might think, “Wow, this woman is insane.” That’s because I only use YouTube for work and ASMR, so my recommendations are usually three-hour videos of random people wiggling and tapping fidget toys and recorded live streams of county commissioner meetings from around the U.S. ASMR helps me sleep, so at night I’ll just turn it on and let it play, unconscious of whatever videos I absorb. Every once in a while, though, I’ll realize I’ve gotten onto the unconventional side of ASMR in the night when the YouTube algorithm starts recommending videos like: Punching You To Sleep, POV: You Fell Down a Man hole, Lord Farquaad Does Your Makeup and ASMR Eating Your Eyeballs. Sometimes the video is just too ridiculous not to click on, which is how I ended up watching Black Market Doctor Removes Your Organs and Florida Boyfriend Gets Eaten by an Alligator, among other incredibly specific roleplays. Honestly? Not bad.
The best way to spend a paycheck
I had the recent privilege of discovering the website Cameo, through which you can pay celebrities to film a short video just for you. There are thousands of TV and film actors, musicians, directors and anyone else with a modicum of fame; and, from the description, they’ll say or do almost anything you’d like (within reason). I realize, of course, that this is for fanboys and girls who want a “Happy Birthday” from their celebrity crush or a gimmicky gender reveal featuring a Breaking Bad character, but my mind is awash with all the other possibilities. Are you afraid of confrontation but need to break up with your partner? The Office’s Kevin Malone (played by Brian Baumgartner) will do it for you for a measly $195. Want to put in your two weeks notice with a terrible boss? Jim Cummings, voice of Winnie-the-Pooh, will tell them to go stick a pot of honey where the sun don’t shine. Feeling like the government is collapsing, the world is ending and nothing you do matters? John DiMaggio — the voice of Bender in Futurama and Jake the Dog in Adventure Time — will give you a comforting pep-talk interspersed with fart jokes. Some of these cameos are so cheap, I might just hire the cast of Law and Order to record my voicemail, then read some of my standard interview questions. If you have to give an interview, why talk to me — some random reporter — when you can act out an interrogation scene with SVU’s Ice-T? I’m just saying, I know how to spend my next paycheck.
DEAR READERS,
One of my favorite Sandpoint events is coming to town soon: The 53rd annual Montana Shakespeare in the Parks performance.
This year, instead of just one, we get two of the Bard’s plays with Henry V on Sunday, Aug. 17 and As You Like It on Tuesday, Aug. 19. The best part is it’s 100% free, though I always feel compelled to drop several bills in their tip jar afterward. The actors are always top notch, the set design is fantastic and the plays, of course, are always worthy. Read Page 19 for more information on these cultural high points in Sandpoint.
I think we’ve officially made it over the summer hump. Most of the busy activities are in our rear-view mirror. Now we’re left with that warm denouement into September — one of the best months in North Idaho in my opinion.
Here’s to your last push of summertime fun.
– Ben Olson, publisher
READER
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Council to bring FY’26 budget for public hearing, set ballot language on wastewater plant bond
By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff
The Sandpoint City Council is cued up for an especially consequential meeting Wednesday, Aug. 20, which will include the final workshop and public hearing for the Fiscal Year 2026 budget and consideration of ballot language for a bond measure to fund reconstruction of the wastewater treatment plant.
Councilors approved the preliminary $49,927,665 budget in late July, and made a few changes to it on Aug. 6, including voting 4-2 to shift $40,000 to the SPOT bus so that it could reach $145,000 in funding for the year.
(Find the full FY’26 budget book at bit.ly/4oACx86.)
The council also voted 5-1 on Aug. 6 to accept a $950,000 grant from the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation to reconstruct the RV park at City Beach.
Work on the RV park is included in the preliminary FY’26 budget, and the IDPR grant includes a $50,000 local match.
Also in the preliminary budget is a nearly $10 million enterprise fund for wastewater, and $4.5 million for wastewater system upgrades. However, those amounts don’t come close to what city officials have long said is necessary to reconstruct the treatment plant in order to ensure adequate service and meet regulatory standards.
The ballot measure that City Hall is preparing for the November election will seek upward of $130 million in bonding authority to put toward the long-term project, though the precise language to be put before voters won’t be decided until Aug. 20.
Meanwhile, councilors took in a presentation at their Aug. 6 meeting from bond counsel Hawley Troxell and public relations firm Portman Square Group on the results of a survey launched in late July seeking
residents’ feedback on the state of the wastewater plant and getting a sense for how much support there might be for the ballot measure at the polls.
Though the survey was originally meant to close in the first week of August, it remained open as of press time on the recommendation of Portman Square in order to gather more responses.
(Find the survey at survey. zohopublic.com/zs/5fD9Ks.)
By the time of the Aug. 6 meeting, the survey had garnered a total of 223 responses — 159 completed and 66 partial — with 98% made up of registered Sandpoint voters.
Amy Holly, of Boise-based Portman Square, said that the number of responses was not statistically significant, falling short of the target of 350. However, much of what respondents entered in the survey indicated both awareness of the situation at the outdated treatment plant and willingness to support bonding for addressing those needs — even if it means higher sewer rates, but only if the city makes an “aggressive” effort to seek state and federal grants, low-interest loans and other sources of financing to offset the burden on ratepayers.
The survey showed 67.2% of respondents were “highly aware” of the need to replace the plant, while 23.81% were “somewhat aware.”
“This is really good data. It means that the city has already done a good job of communicating the need that exists with respect to its wastewater treatment facility,” Holly said.
Meanwhile, 70.06% of survey takers said replacing the facility was “very important” to protect public health and water quality in the Pend Oreille River, with 19.15% describing it as “important.”
The city presented respondents with two options for funding: an $80 million Phase I approach to address only the most critical aspects of the project, and a $130 million
option to cover the estimated total cost.
Overall, 68% of respondents said they “strongly” or “somewhat” supported the $80 million proposal, while 65% felt the same way about the $130 million alternative.
“These are good, strong indications that the community is supportive and that even knowing that there will be a rate increase, this is a project worth considering,” Holly said.
However, support declined significantly among respondents when polled on rate increases associated with the respective funding levels.
The $80 million route would raise an example $100 monthly utility bill to $160 over five years — which 43.11% said they’d support and 35.93% said they’d reject — while the $130 million option would see that model $100 per month bill go to $206 over five years, with 51.81% against and 29.52 in favor.
“Unsurprisingly, when people are faced with a potential to $206 over five years for that $130 million project, the topline support level does decrease,” Holly said.
Sandpoint Finance Director Sarah Lynds said that if approved, those rates would hold for the 40-year term of the bond. Meanwhile, “without any bonds at all” — that is, if the full burden of financing the project fell on ratepayers alone — Lynds said a hypothetical $100 per month bill would rise to between $300 and $400.
“could be a major barrier to support,” Holly said, referring to a question about respondents’ confidence that the city would responsibly and efficiently manage the funds: 26.51% were “not very confident,” 24.7% were “somewhat confident,” 17.47% were “very confident,” 16.87% were “neutral” and 14.46% were “not at all confident”
Holly described the overarching message from that question as the city’s need to clearly communicate what is being done with the money and provide ongoing transparency.
In response to a question from Sandpoint Mayor Jeremy Grimm about how the lack of confidence displayed in the survey stacked up against other such surveys, Holly said it was “not out of line with what we have seen in other campaigns.”
Learn more
Find the full FY’26 budget book at bit.ly/4oACx86.
In the survey, support for increased rates rose to 62.65% and 46.06% for the respective $80 million and $130 million options if the city “commits to aggressively pursuing” other funding sources to “reduce the amount that must be borrowed and lower the rate impact.”
Find the wastewater treatment plant survey at survey.zohopublic.com/zs/5fD9Ks
“I do think that the level of trust in government — whether that is local, state or federal — has gone down and I think that there is a propensity among voters to be skeptical,” she added.
(15.6%).
Regarding “developer accountability” Holly said survey takers meant that developers in the community should pay “their fair share” because the project is related to growth.
“We tried to communicate that it was not a growth-related expenditure or necessity, but this is one of the other opportunities we have to communicate to our city residents that this is not a function of growth, but this is really about need at the facility itself, absent growth,” she said.
Council President Deb Ruehle pointed out the small sample size for the survey, and cautioned that it likely doesn’t represent the true willingness of voters to support such a measure at the polls.
One result in the survey
Overall, based on written responses to the survey, top concerns from respondents included: cost to residents/ affordability (43.1%), lack of trust in city leadership (25.7%), developer accountability (22.8%), demand for federal/state grants (20.4%), and facility location and odor
“We’re really only looking at a sample of about 250 people,” she said. “Sometimes in the lovely little town of Sandpoint, the people that spend the time to fill these things out are the more informed and are the more conscious individuals. So, I just believe we may have a lot of hard work ahead of us to educate the entire community about the importance of the sewage treatment plant.”
The Wednesday Aug. 20 meeting of the City Council will begin at 5:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall (1123 Lake St.).
Sandpoint’s wastewater treatment plant.
Photo by Soncirey Mitchell
City Hall opts to eliminate Sandpoint area of impact
By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff
Members of the Sandpoint City Council voted unanimously Aug. 6 to eliminate the city’s area of impact. The decision followed a recommendation July 15 from the Planning and Zoning Commission, and will be forwarded to the Bonner County board of commissioners for final approval.
City officials began contemplating a reduction in the area of impact in 2019, during the beginning phases of the Comprehensive Plan update, which was finished in July 2024. The P&Z Commission recommended in March that the area of impact be reduced from 12.3 square miles to 3.4 square miles, with the boundary lines drawn no farther than two miles from city limits.
However, between the completion of the Comp Plan and the P&Z meeting in March, the Idaho Legislature adopted new state code language stipulating that “an area of impact shall not exceed the areas that are very likely to be annexed to the city within the
next five years.”
“This is the language that was added to state law that has kind of thrown a wrench in our plans,” Planning and Community Development Director Jason Welker told the council on Aug. 6.
The proposal to eliminate Sandpoint’s area of impact altogether came after Bonner County commissioners rejected the 3.4-square-mile boundary realignment in June, sending it back to the city for further refinement to more accurately reflect how and where growth could occur in the near future.
“Might some of these properties be annexed into the city of Sandpoint in the next five years? Sure, but it’s not likely that the city’s going to initiate annexation of any of these properties,” Welker said on Aug. 6.
“If a property owner within any area adjacent to existing city limits that’s required for annexation were to request to be annexed, that’s something that could be brought to the council and brought to the county commissioners,” he added. “But we couldn’t honestly look at the commissioners
and say that we as a city are very likely to engage in annexation of these properties.”
Because City Hall doesn’t — and can’t — know which properties within the area of impact are “very likely to be annexed,” retaining those lines on the map would be pointless, officials determined.
Describing the previous area of impact as “toothless,” Sandpoint Mayor Jeremy Grimm pointed out that while the pre-2024 state statues obligated counties to provide notice of development within cities’ areas of impact and take comment, “we’ve made comments throughout the years that have been just ignored,” he said. Furthermore, state statute doesn’t grant cities any jurisdictional authority at all within their areas of impact.
“The real benefit of it was that we could have said, ‘Hey, our new street right-of-way standard is 50 feet. If this is ever coming into the city, we want this development to be compliant. Please make it 50foot,’ something along those lines, or, ‘Please reserve a waterline easement or a sewer
line easement,’” he added. “So, in my opinion, the fact that it was so toothless and wasn’t really supported, I don’t see any negative ramifications [to eliminating it entirely].”
City Attorney Fonda Jovick said that one of the benefits of areas of impact is that they provide the opportunity for creating a “buffer” for communities that are rapidly urbanizing.
“So when you have cities racing across a large vast of land toward each other, you can kind of protect your jurisdictional boundaries with your area of impact,” she said. “It’s your buffer from another city being on top of you. That is a conversation in other, larger urbanizing areas. I don’t see it as much of a threat for Sandpoint.”
Grimm pointed to the area north of the Bonner County Fairgrounds, outside city limits, where “without an area of impact defining that as ours, Ponderay could sweet talk the U of I property up there or some of those other properties off of Bronx and effectively get this area to annex into Ponderay, so that — again,
the legislation has limited it, but in theory without an area of impact we could be surrounded by Ponderay if they offer maybe lower impact fees or better services. We could be basically surrounded by Dover and Ponderay without an area of impact.”
Welker noted that no part of Ponderay’s proposed area of impact crosses Sand Creek and so would need to be amended for that to happen, though Grimm repeated, “in the absence of any defined area of impact, it’s a freefor-all to some degree. And I guess that could be advantageous. We could go try to work on property owners north of Ponderay and encourage them to annex into Sandpoint. We could try to surround Ponderay — amend our area of impact — and so it’s an interesting moment. ...
“I think it’s better to work with the county and ideally at some point start to have more robust conversations with the county planners and county commissioners about how that area develops,” he later added.
Health officials report first resident measles case in North Idaho since 1991
By Laura Guido Idaho Capital Sun
The Panhandle Health District reported a case of measles Aug. 12, marking the first time the disease had been identified in the panhandle area since 1991, according to a press release from the health district.
Health officials confirmed the case was an unvaccinated child in Kootenai County, making it the first confirmed measles infection in a resident statewide since 2023. The case was reported amid the nation’s worst outbreak of the disease in decades.
Health officials the week
A 3D graphic representation of a measles virus particle. Photo courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention before reported that the measles virus was detected in wastewater in Coeur d’Alene, indicating someone in the area was infected, the Idaho Capital Sun reported.
Measles is a highly contagious virus and spreads easily
through the air when an infected person breathes, coughs or sneezes, the Panhandle Health District press release stated.
The virus can stay in the air two hours after an infected person has left. Symptoms typically appear seven to 14 days after exposure and include high fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes and a distinctive rash.
While many recover without problems, measles can lead to serious complications, especially in very young children and people with weakened immune systems.
Cases of the disease nationwide reported in 2025 have already surpassed the total number of cases in 2024,
the release said. Measles has been reported in 41 jurisdictions, including in Washington, Montana, Oregon and Wyoming. Among those cases, 13% have been hospitalized, most of them children, according to the release.
State health officials also previously reported that a child from another country visiting eastern Idaho had measles, the Sun reported.
Health officials encourage people to verify their family’s vaccination records with their primary care provider or through the Docket App. A person is considered immune if they were born before Jan. 1, 1957, have a documented
history of laboratory-confirmed measles or have documentation that they received both doses of the MMR vaccine.
“The measles vaccine is highly effective, and for most people, two childhood doses of vaccine is all they will ever need to protect themselves against measles for their lifetime,” the release stated.
The MMR vaccine is typically given between 12 and 15 months of age, followed by another dose at 4 to 6 years of age. It can be given as early as 6 months of age for those who are traveling to
< see MEASLES, Page 7 >
Officials report 10% containment on Lightning Creek fire
By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff
Though the Lightning Creek fire nine miles north of Clark Fork has continued to grow at a moderate pace, officials with the U.S. Forest Service reported Aug. 13 that the blaze is now 10% contained.
According to the most recent report, the fire grew from 2,432 acres on Aug. 11 to 2,461 acres by Aug. 13, while heavy equipment operators are removing logs and branches away from the fire’s edge.
There are currently 157 personnel working on the fire, including five engines, one water tender, eight excavators, one feller buncher, two chippers, a hand crew and Hotshots.
Officials reported Aug. 13 that firefighters were feeding brush, large branches and small trees into chippers for processing into smaller pieces, meant to reduce the volume of flammable material.
“Together, these tactics reduce potential fire intensity and spread,” fire managers stated. “Additionally, removing the thinned brush, branches and small trees from the roadside and ditches help maintain the ability of the Lighting Creek Road to drain and manage water and reduce potential erosion, ultimately supporting road stability and continued access.”
Meanwhile, firefighters are identifying and putting out hot spots on the fire’s edge, where it is safe to do so.
The Lightning Creek fire began July 30 due to lightning strike, growing to between 600 and 700 acres by Aug. 3. It has since spread up the Lightning Creek drainage in the Idaho
Bits ’n’ Pieces
From east, west and beyond
Citing a “public safety emergency” and lawlessness, early this week President Donald Trump announced he would take federal control of Washington, D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department and deploy 800 National Guard troops to the capital city to temporarily take over local law enforcement. According to various media sources, 120 FBI agents and 40 from the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms were also sent, alongside officers from the Secret Service and the U.S. Marshals Service. Trump said a specific target will be the homeless, who make up 0.57% of the population. Trump’s D.C. actions, condemned as “authoritarian overreach” by Democrats, bypassed the city’s elected officials.
Panhandle National Forest, consuming heavy dead and downed fuels in the scar made by the 2018 Cougar Fire.
The weather outlook on Aug. 13 called for continued warm and dry conditions, while a dry cold front was expected to bring westerly winds with gusts up to 28 miles per hour in the evening.
Officials described the fire’s behavior as “minimal, primarily creeping, backing and smoldering under dense fuel pockets and thick brush.” However, the warm weather and forecasted winds “could promote fire growth with proper slope and fuel alignment.”
A broad area of land around the fire remains under a closure order, ranging from Upper Lighting Creek and Moose Lake in the north, nearly to Scotchman Peak in the south, and east of East Hope and into the high country to the west.
Personnel on the fire planned to fly a drone over the area on Aug. 13 to gather real-time, high-resolution data to detect hot spots and identify active fire sites, and reminded the public that a temporary flight restriction remains in place, which prohibits operating aircraft — including drones — without permission.
“Any unauthorized aircraft poses a serious hazard to aviation personnel, necessitating the grounding of aircraft and a potential delay of valuable fire suppression efforts,” officials stated.
“If you fly, we can’t.”
For more information and updates on the Lightning Creek fire, go to inciweb.wildfire.gov/idipf-lightningcreek-fire.
Statistics show D.C.’s violent crime was down 26% the first half of the year, the Huffington Post reported. Mayor Muriel Bowser said crime is at a 30-year low in her city. The “emergency” contradicts Trump’s move to cut $20 million in FEMA security funding for the D.C. area, Reuters reported on Aug. 8.
Writing in The Wall Street Journal, Greg Ip commented that the U.S. is headed in a direction similar to the Chinese Communist Party, which exercises political control over government agencies and companies. Meanwhile, when asked about D.C. crime rates, Elon Musk-owned chatbox Grok called Trump the “most notorious” criminal there. According to FBI.gov, violent crime decreased 4.5% in 2024 across the nation.
Authorities in Mexico are warning about nitazenes, synthetic opioids said to be 40 times more powerful than fentanyl. Semafor reported that nitazenes can be laced into drugs, and trace amounts are deadly. The Trump administration has decided to restore funding for a CDC program addressing drug overdoses.
While campaigning, Trump said he’d stop the Ukraine war with a single phone call. But, the BBC reported that Russian attacks on Ukraine have doubled. Trump plans to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin this week in Alaska — a risk, since the International Criminal Court has indicted Putin for war crimes in Ukraine, restricting his ability to travel outside Russia. According to Bloomberg, plans are to make an agreement without Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that forces Ukraine to
By Lorraine H. Marie Reader Contributor
cede occupied land to Russia, along with Crimea. European leaders want Ukraine included in the talks.
CNN reported that the Trump administration has asked a federal judge to dissolve the Flores Agreement, which places restrictions on how long Customs and Border Patrol can hold immigrant children, and which requires safe and sanitary conditions.
A Lancet report on plastics shows it is an “unrecognized danger” that costs at least $1.5 trillion annually in health-related damages for all ages, The Guardian reported. Micro- and nano-plastics enter the body via water, food and breathing, leaving particles in the blood, brain, breast milk, placenta, semen and bone marrow. The plastics industry has been undermining efforts to tackle the crisis.
What is being called a “rare mid-decade redistricting in Texas” has turned into a political standoff, various media reported. House Representatives in Texas were asked to vote on a measure favored by Trump that would create five more Republican seats in the U.S. Congress, potentially contrary to the will of voters. To prevent the vote, Texas Democratic legislators left the state. The Trump administration is also looking at adopting similar vote-rigging tactics in Indiana, as well as in Florida and Ohio.
According to The Lever, more than half of business leaders surveyed regretted replacing employees with AI.
Last week Trump’s tariffs of at least 10% went into effect. The AP reported that the administration insists the tariffs will create “unprecedented growth,” despite what the news organization said are “signs of self-inflicted wounds” to the U.S. economy, as both companies and consumers prepare for the new taxes. During Trump’s second term, manufacturing activity in the U.S. has shrunk, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Trump’s approval rating is at 37%, with more people not approving of his handling of the economy, immigration and government efficiency, according to a recent Gallup poll.
Blast from the past: Tariff trade wars were the “solution” for the Herbert Hoover administration when the stock market crashed in 1929. However, global trade fell 66%, worsening the Great Depression.
Smoke from the Lightning Creek fire seen from Glengary Bay on Aug. 3. Photo by Tom Trulock
Area fire districts facing significant cuts in upcoming FY’26 budget
Selkirk Fire looking at possible layoffs, equipment sales, program reductions and more
By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff
Selkirk Fire and EMS officials are preparing to review preliminary Fiscal Year 2026 budgets for the Northside, Sagle and Westside fire districts and, according to a statement Aug. 7 from Selkirk Fire, all three will contain significant reductions.
“The budgets reflect a shift in priorities unique to each district, as well as diligent work to ensure a sustainable future,” according to the statement. “These budgets contain cuts, the selling of equipment and an elimination of some programs; however, more will need to be done in the future.”
The first meeting will take place Thursday, Aug. 14 at 4 p.m. in Northside Fire District Station 1 (437 Cedar Ave., in Ponderay). Meetings will then take place on Wednesday, Aug. 27 at 9 a.m. in the Dover Fire Station (825 Railroad Ave.) and 5 p.m. in the Sagle Fire Station (2689 Gun Club Road).
In a July 23 meeting with leaders of the fire district boards, Selkirk Fire Chief Jeff Armstrong — who helms all three fire districts — outlined some of the challenges facing local fire services following the defeat of their levy measures in the May election.
If approved, the Northside Fire District levy would have raised an additional $1.2 million per year on a permanent basis, amounting to a tax of $61 per $100,000 of taxable assessed value. In Sagle, the fire district asked for a permanent increase for a total
< MEASLES, con’t from Page 5 >
areas with known measles infections or in the event of a local outbreak of measles, according to the release.
What to do if you’re exposed to measles
Serious complications from the virus can include pneumonia, encephalitis (an inflammation of the brain) and, in rare cases, death. A high fever, cough, runny nose, rash and red, watery eyes are common measles symptoms, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated.
override of $750,000, resulting in a tax increase to $122 per year per $100,000 of taxable value. Likewise, Westside sought to raise an additional $810,358, also carrying a total tax burden of $122 per year per $100,000.
All three levies were intended to support recruitment and retention of firefighters; fuller staffing of area fire stations; and equipment, maintenance and general operations.
Meanwhile, Armstrong said in July that call volumes have increased by 15% in the past five years while high inflation has resulted in the deferral of maintenance and replacement of aging equipment and facilities — compounded by a 3% yearly budget cap for the taxing districts that provide fire services to residents throughout Bonner County.
Northside’s levy was defeated 1,059 to 559 — or 65.45% to 34.55% — in the May election, while Sagle’s went down 1,253 against and 741 in favor, for a margin of 62.84% to 37.16%, and Westside’s was 402 against and 339 in favor, for 54.25% to 45.75%.
In the Aug. 7 statement, Selkirk Fire said that the Northside and Westside fire districts, in particular, “will
There is no antiviral treatment for measles, according to the CDC.
People with measles symptoms should not enter health care settings without calling ahead, and should contact their health care providers. People exposed to measles should monitor for symptoms for 21 days after exposure.
This story was produced by Boise-based nonprofit news outlet the Idaho Capital Sun, which is part of the States Newsroom nationwide reporting project. For more information, visit idahocapitalsun.com.
Legislative committee on land use and housing to meet in Sandpoint
By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff
An interim Idaho legislative committee looking at land use and housing will meet in Sandpoint on Thursday, Aug. 14 from 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall (1123 Lake St.).
Established by the 2025 Legislature with bipartisan support, the interim committee was modeled on a similar working group in Montana that presented recommendations on how to reduce barriers to creating more housing — including affordable housing.
need to be reevaluated.”
Though “creative steps” have been taken to maintain levels of service in the upcoming budget, Selkirk Fire stated that “difficult decisions” will need to be made in the near future.
“In the Westside District, recent funds made available from the Dover Urban Renewal Area (DURA), fell short of expectations and were not enough to support additional staffing,” according to the statement. “In the Northside District, utilization of reserve funds or selling of equipment to make ‘ends meet’ is not a longterm plan.”
More cuts are expected, including the potential for layoffs in the Northside District in 2026.
Paid staff at the Careywood station were eliminated in June, in order to save “a substantial amount in overtime and personnel costs,” with those funds “shifted immediately to the maintenance of our aging fleet, fire station repairs and equipment replacement,” Armstrong said at the time.
Layoffs in Northside may jeopardize the district’s grant under FEMA guidelines, with a return to only one-duty firefighter per day.
Selkirk Fire stated that “alternative staffing models, including joint staffed engines, ‘quick response vehicles’ and other creative ways the districts can work together are being explored.”
“I’ve been handed a challenging situation, but we still have an obligation to serve the community with the resources we have,” Armstrong wrote in the Aug. 7 statement. “I would like my staff to know I am doing everything I can to protect them, as well as the community.”
Co-chaired by Sen. Jim Woodward, R-Sagle, and Rep. Jordan Redman, R-Coeur d’Alene, the committee’s agenda in Sandpoint includes presentations by Kaniksu Land Trust Executive Director Katie Egland Cox and Maggie Lyons, who serves as executive director of the Panhandle Affordable Housing Alliance.
Representatives from the Idaho Chapter of the American Planning Association will also present, as well as Coeur d’Alene Councilor Kiki Miller, who also founded the Housing Solutions Partnership.
The government relations manager for Dominium Apartments, former chair of the Montana Housing Task Force and a representative of the Coeur d’Alene Vacation Rental Alliance will finish the presentation portion of the event, which will conclude with a committee discussion reviewing ideas and proposals.
In addition to Woodward and Redman, a number of other legislators, planners, state agency representatives, real estate experts and land use professionals serve on the committee — including Sandpoint Mayor Jeremy Grimm.
The committee is scheduled to hold one more meeting on Sept. 26 in Boise. Woodward told the Reader that the ultimate goal of the committee’s work will be to publish a “best practices” document with ideas that may find their way into legislative proposals in the 2026 session, but, “I am an advocate of local decision-making. I will be slow to write one-size-fits-all state law if we can keep the decisions in our communities.”
Members of the public are welcome to attend in person, or online at idahoptv.org/shows/idahoinsession/ww55.
The Westside Fire District Station. Courtesy photo
Bouquets: GUEST SUBMISSION:
• “Premier Tire in Priest River claims to have exceptional customer care, and I can attest that it is a very true statement. I want to send a big shout-out to David Till and his entire crew at Premier Tire. Premier Tire had replaced the wheel bearings on my small trailer. Thirteen months later, there was a problem. I told David what had happened, and no question asked he owned the entire problem. I was back on the road right away. I know I would not have received the same level of exceptional customer care from a retail chain store. All I can say is if you are not getting the exceptional customer care from your current shop, vote with your feet and get over to Premier Tire in Priest River. Save yourself the headaches, as well as money. If your project is large or small, Premier Tire does it all. They have a mobile truck for servicing skidders, loaders and semi-trucks. Premier Tire also specializes in brakes, lift kits, suspension services and passenger vehicle tires. But do not challenge them to an arm-wrestling match, you will lose.”
— By Vicky Johnson
Barbs:
• One of our readers brought up a “Barb” they wanted me to cover in the Reader. They talked about how annoying it is when diesel pickup drivers leave their rigs idling while shopping or conducting business somewhere. In the summer, they keep it running for the air conditioning, and in the winter to keep the engine and cab warm. I tend to agree — the pungent smell of diesel exhaust quickly causes a headache when you breathe in it too long. Also, it’s wasteful and pollutive.
• A press release from Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador’s office made me crack up with its ridiculous headline: “Attorney General Labrador Defeats Satan, Again.” These dorks are actually serious, and they’re actually in charge.
Deerfield subdivision puts ‘developer favoritism’ over community…
Dear editor,
The proposed Deerfield Subdivision is yet another example of a disturbing trend in Bonner County: developer favoritism at the expense of the taxpayer. This 24-lot project on 32 acres of floodplain off Baldy Road would rely on individual septic systems and bring 271 daily vehicle trips to an already strained road.
Baldy Road east of the tracks already suffers from dangerous conditions: no shoulders, industrial truck traffic and backups during rush hours. Many cyclists and walkers use this route at their peril. If Deerfield is approved, it will be taxpayers who eventually fund the road expansions.
Will our commissioners allow Deerfield developers to override zoning regulations? Zoning allows 2.5acre minimum lot sizes. The developer wants one-acre lots. There are good reasons this parcel has gone undeveloped for decades: wetlands, floods and insufficient infrastructure.
We’re seeing how these decisions play out. The Mountain Homestead development is now the subject of a major lawsuit due to septic-related water contamination. Here again, the taxpayer will pay.
Bonner County must stop bending to private interests and start protecting the community it serves.
Chris Park Sandpoint
‘Reject or revise’ Deerfield development…
Dear editor, I strongly oppose the proposed Deerfield Subdivision outside Sandpoint city limits. The developer claims it will provide housing for local workers, increase school enrollment and “maintain rural character.” Really? There’s no guarantee these homes will be affordable. According to a 2023 census report, most newcomers to Sandpoint are at least 50 — not young families or essential workers.
The request to remove the floodplain designation raises serious concerns about safety and environmental responsibility. This 24-home development could generate more than 270 daily vehicle trips on Baldy Road, which already lacks sidewalks and bike lanes. The application also allows for additional dwelling units, which could add even more traffic.
Why isn’t a full, independent traffic impact study required? This portion of Baldy Road is outside city
limits but maintained by the Sandpoint Independent Highway District — funded largely by city taxpayers. Residents should not be forced to subsidize infrastructure for a private, profit-driven county development.
Meanwhile, 21% of Sandpoint’s 51 miles of streets are rated in poor or very poor condition — twice the national average.
We should invest in maintaining existing roads, water quality, rural character and pedestrian safety — not approving developments that add strain. Reject or revise this proposal.
Lizbeth Zimmerman Sandpoint
Idaho’s congressional delegation is ‘cowardly and unfit’ for office…
Dear editor,
Recently a Russ Fulcher “press release” arrived in my inbox. I started receiving these missives from our entire delegation after I wrote a less than complimentary email to our spineless Idaho senators. I have no idea how or why the GOP added my name to their lists, other than they must believe that I could be convinced by their bull hockey simply by repeatedly sending it to me.
Sorry guys, I’m not swayed by your malarky (my favorite non-obscene word — thanks Joe), obfuscation, misdirection or outright lies. Your constituents are finally waking up to the truth that you have drunk the Kool-Aid and/or are more afraid of the Orange Dotard than you are of the Idaho voters.
The August recess is supposedly an opportunity to come home and talk to constituents, but they’re all so afraid of meeting us that I have seen nothing about any of the delegation having scheduled any in-person town halls anywhere in the state. There might be Zoom calls with highly controlled call-ins, but no town halls with open questioning of any of our representatives.
That makes them cowardly and unfit to represent the people of Idaho. We must make our voices heard.
Gil Beyer Sandpoint
We deserve better than the Trumps’ misogyny…
Dear editor,
President Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr., recently posted an Instagram meme mocking WNBA players with a sex-toy gag — a move that would be immature for a teenager, let alone the child of the sitting presi-
dent of the United States. The “trend” of throwing sex toys onto women’s basketball courts isn’t harmless fun. It’s targeted harassment designed to humiliate athletes who have dedicated their lives to excellence. By gleefully sharing this imagery, Trump Jr. isn’t “just joking”—he’s giving the green light to public misogyny and encouraging its spread.
This is not a minor slip. The Trumps have the most powerful political platform in the world. Imagine if they used it to champion women’s sports, to call out harassment and to send a clear message that respect for women is non-negotiable. Instead, the president’s household is broadcasting locker-room humor to millions, undermining both the dignity of the athletes and the dignity of the office.
America needs leaders who build up, not tear down. The Trumps have a choice: wield their voices to unite and uplift, or continue using them as tools of mockery. The nation, and our daughters, deserve the former.
Kari Saccomanno Sandpoint
Panida Board should do ‘a little soul searching’…
Dear editor, I am saddened to learn of Robb Talbott’s departure from the position of executive director of the Panida Theater.
Robb brought a wealth of experience and years of carefully crafted relationships to the E.D. position and is broadly respected across the performing arts community, by his colleagues and staff, by artists and by audiences. The theater flourished under his guidance and his departure is a profound loss for our community.
I am deeply disappointed in the Panida Board of Directors and that they were unable to retain Robb and his talents. I hope they are able to engage in a little soul searching and, as the saying goes, I wish them all the best in their future endeavors.
Leanne Elisha Sandpoint
Please send letters of no more than 200 words to letters@sandpointreader.com. Please elevate the conversation.
By Emily Erickson Reader Columnist
Someone recently asked how long I’ve been writing for the Reader. I started to answer with something vague like, “quite a while,” but then I put a number to it — coming up on eight years.
The number felt elastic coming out of my mouth, like when you think, “It can’t already be Christmastime!” until you replay the past 12 months and realize, “Of course it’s already Christmastime.” I imagine parents feel the same when telling someone their child’s age — tinged with disbelief, but also with a clear record of milestones that prove it to be true.
I moved to Sandpoint in the middle of a snowstorm in February 2017. I was 25, behind the wheel of a wellworn Subaru Outback packed to the roof. The Subaru lasted long enough to deposit me safely across the country, but wouldn’t make it the rest of that year — the engine meeting its end on the side of I-90, just east of Seattle.
Traffic roared past as I FaceTimed my sister, her face fractured in the cracks of my phone’s screen as she boarded the plane at which I’d just dropped her off. We laughed through my tears.
“Can you believe this?” I asked, which really meant, “What am I going to do?”
The tow truck arrived 30 minutes later.
It felt like the kind of bad day that might be really funny someday — but I couldn’t yet see when that
Emily Articulated
Eight years here
day would be. At the time, the Subaru’s death felt like a crisis: my bank account was nearly empty, my housing and work situation hinged on having a car, and my bike was also somehow unreliable (future cut to me, walking it home in the rain after a bartending shift).
But through the lens of time and perspective, I think of it as an unexpected turning point — the first of many lessons about what it means to truly live in a place. My landlord drove six hours each way to pick me up from the auto shop that declared the car “totaled.” A near-stranger lent me a spare vehicle for a month while I figured out my next moves. And a car-savvy bar patron-turnedfriend accompanied me through the smoke-and-mirrors act of used-car shopping.
I began to shed the idea that life was something to be overcome — especially alone. The independence I’d worn like a badge turned out to be closer to armor, and I was learning that self-sufficiency works best when paired with the willingness
to accept help.
Over the following eight years, Sandpoint would remind me of this again and again — the quiet and generous ways a community shows up for its people. And I began to understand that, for me, sharing the rawest parts of myself might just be a way to help them heal.
By opening myself up, my life here expanded in return. I built friendships that felt like family, made a home, started a business, met my life partner (and with him, been welcomed into the most loving, generous family). I experienced some of my greatest joys and deepest losses, and was cared for in ways I never expected.
At the same time, the wider world was shifting beneath my feet, in both small and seismic ways. Fields were paved, streets rerouted and buildings popped up in tandem with the town’s population. Wars raged overseas, protests rose and fell in city streets, administrations changed hands and national policies redrew the backdrop of daily life.
All of it, personal and universal, wove itself into my writing, shaping the questions I asked, the moments I noticed and the lens through which I tried to understand my small corner of the world. Writing became a way to make sense of change, both near and far, and to reflect on what it means to belong.
Not every piece was my best work (looking at you, COVID years), but some of them were.
And in the act of writing — the gift of being asked to speak — I’ve discovered my voice. Even more special has been the community on the other side: reading, responding, challenging and sharing, reminding me I’m not in this alone.
So, thank you for the eight years, for the kindness and for reading.
Here’s to the next chapter, to more words, more connection and more finding our way together through it all.
Emily Erickson is a writer and business owner with an affinity for black coffee and playing in the mountains. Connect with her online at www.bigbluehat. studio.
Retroactive
By BO
Emily Erickson.
Science: Mad about
roman legion food
An example of what ancient Roman legion hardtack would have looked like.
Photo courtesy passthegarum. blogspot.com
By Brenden Bobby Reader Columnist
It should come as no surprise to regular “Mad About Science” readers that the author is a bit of a foodie. Food is such an integral part of the human experience, giving us an opportunity to share passion, knowledge and pure communication without using a single word. Food brings together families, quells disputes between friends and neighbors, and is the core of any prolonged social gathering. It always makes me wonder: What did people throughout history eat, and did they have similar ideas of food as me?
Eating in a globalized economy means that we get to enjoy flavors and conveniences that were undreamt of in the past. Roman legionnaires could never imagine the taste of umami rolls with a dollop of wasabi — it was a physical impossibility without reference. While also considered a luxury in antiquity, enjoying food became about survival and efficiency when generals were trying to figure out how to feed thousands of troops on the march.
The key to feeding an army is logistics. Pillaging the countryside will only get you so far when your goal is to subjugate that countryside and turn it into a piece of your logistics puzzle. Angry farmers won’t feed you after you’ve burned their fields and killed their favorite sheep; and, that could mean your governors might never understand the nuances of effectively farming that land.
Knowledge is power, and
losing efficiency on a campaign translates to soldiers dying of disease and starvation, which leads to the campaign collapsing, civil unrest and revolts, and the eventual loss of those hard-earned gains generals fought to claim in the past.
Food was critical for Rome. Grain — and especially wheat — was strictly controlled by the state and measured with the same care and accuracy as metal currencies. Grain was particularly vital to the Roman legions for many reasons. It was simple to transport, compared to food like raw meat or fish. Grain has a high caloric content for its size. It is also adaptable as a food source and can be molded into virtually any form, in addition to being easy to store for months or even years.
Grain was the core of a legionnaire’s rations and a major part of their daily ritual. Legionnaires would burn as many as 6,000 calories per day while on campaign, and not all of that activity took place while fighting or marching. Soldiers were equipped with personal grinding stones for milling their grain while encamped. They were also expected to cook both their own and communal meals. There very likely were not many legions with the luxury of personal chefs or camp cooks.
Grain milled on the go was transformed into bread, porridge or hardtack. Sometimes these foodstuffs were combined with pork, cheese, salted meats and olive oil, but the latter were often consumed first while the grain was reserved for later
days before rations would be replenished.
Hardtack was often twice baked to remove all moisture from the biscuit and prolong preservation. The tradeoff was that it was an extremely dry and nearly unpalatable source of calories. Despite that, hardtack persisted as a source of battlefield food for millennia after the Roman Empire crumbled.
Not all grain was viewed equally by the legions. Barley was considered inferior and served as a form of punishment for soldiers and units that underperformed on the battlefield, or after a body of troops was decimated — that is, following the execution of 10% of its membership. In addition to substandard grain, the unit was also forced to remain outside the main camp in terrible conditions to make the punishment that much worse.
It’s hard to eat so much bread without something to drink, and it’s hard to drink water when thousands of men are likely bathing and urinating in every source of it you pass by while on campaign. Wine was a favored beverage, usually reserved for only those who could afford it. Posca was a mixture of vinegar, water and herbs that was more readily available to the rank-and-file legionnaires. The vinegar was diluted to make it palatable, but likely didn’t taste very good by modern standards.
Food and goods provided by the state weren’t the only resources available to Roman soldiers. Where the army went, money followed, which meant enterprising civilians would often follow
the legions around and trade local and luxury goods for the soldiers’ salary. Food was not the only item on the menu offered by camp followers or lixae, if you catch my drift.
When times got hard for the marching soldiers, their salary wouldn’t always come in the form of coin. Far-off reaches of the empire where logistical networks deteriorated and metallic currency lost value, soldiers found them-
selves being paid in grain and (especially) salt.
Salt was an extremely valuable commodity in ancient Rome. According to Pliny the Elder, the word salarium (the root of “salary”) derived from the Latin word for “salt,” salarius, and literally translates to “salt money” due to its importance in paying hungry soldiers.
Stay curious, 7B.
Random Corner
• William Shakespeare (15641616), was a prolific writer of plays and poetry. In his lifetime, he wrote 37 plays and hundreds of poems. In 1609 alone, he published 154 poems.
• Shakespeare was born to a family that was neither rich nor poor. His dad held a number of jobs, including selling leather and wool, tasting beer and making gloves. The entire family of five lived above a glove shop in Stratford-upon-Avon.
• Shakespeare had trouble spelling his own name. In his writings, he used the following spellings: “Willm Shakp,” “William Shaksper,” “Wm Shakspe,” “William Shakspere” and “Willm Shakspere.”
• Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway when he was 18 years old. They had three children in three years.
• Shakespeare’s brother, Edmund, followed William to London as he tried to make it as an actor. William had better luck writing plays than acting, however.
• Shakespeare survived one of the many waves of bubonic plague in England. But his son, Hamnet, died of the plague at 11 years old, which influenced Shakespeare’s writing. He began touching on themes that included death, disease and grief more prominently after Hamnet’s death. It’s likely that Shakespeare named his most tragic character, Hamlet, after his son, but nobody knows for sure.
• Shakespeare’s insults are legendary, and he used them to great effect in his writing. Some examples include: “Thine face is not worth sunburning,” “Thou art as fat as butter” and “... you scullion! You rampallian! You fustilarian! I’ll tickle your catastrophe!”
• In 1597, after his great success in theater, Shakespeare bought the biggest house in Stratford-upon-Avon and, six years later, his theater company — the Lord Chamberlain’s Men — became the King’s Men, the official performers for the new King James I of England (as well as King James VI of Scotland).
Aquatic noxious weeds — problems and solutions
By Chase Youngdahl Reader Contributor
I have observed numerous abstracts and opinions regarding aquatic noxious weeds, including how they should be managed in our public waterbodies and the perceived ramifications of chemical management. I’m finding it necessary to provide a counterbalance to the dominant narrative.
We have three submersed aquatic noxious weeds inventoried in Bonner County’s waterways — Eurasian watermilfoil, curlyleaf pondweed and flowering rush. “Noxious” is a regulatory term and is not interchangeable with the term “invasive.” While some noxious weeds are indeed invasive, not all invasive weeds are “noxious.” There are 70 non-native plants on Idaho’s noxious weed list (17 of them are found in aquatic environments), which is published in IDAPA Code 02.06.09 and subject to statutory management requirements (Idaho Statute — Title 22, Chapter 24). By contrast, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of nuisance and invasive weeds that are not subject to the same requirements.
While herbicides carry a stigma, they are safe and appropriate management tools when used properly, as backed by peer-reviewed science. To boldly assert otherwise requires proof — not just anecdotal correlations.
Nearly everyone uses chemical compounds in some form or another in everyday life without a second thought — whether taking prescription and/or over-the-counter drugs for a specific ailment or using conventional household cleaners.
Most of us have chemicals in our mouths perpetually from resin-based composites used in restorative procedures for treating tooth decay.
The point being: Chemical compounds are safe when responsibly used in the designed manner.
In terms of aquatic noxious weed management, the primary stakeholders have a duty to utilize taxpayer resources in the most responsible fashion while upholding their statutory management responsibilities. Diver-assisted suction removal is well intended, and may be the appropriate tool for addressing sparse populations within potable water intake buffers, but is not fiscally realistic in terms of full-scope operations.
When state and federal governments need to fund public safety, schools,
highways/freeways, defense, etc., there’s only so much remaining for other statutory requirements, such as noxious weeds. I see no way that the Idaho Legislature would increase the Agriculture Department’s noxious weed budget 10or 20-fold to manage all statewide aquatics mechanically.
The agencies that are orchestrating chemical aquatic treatments are competent professionals who know how to engineer a proper operation. The herbicide labels serve as guiding documents — they are also legal documents — to execute safe treatments.
Concerns regarding the decomposition of treated vegetation leading to fish mortality due to dissolved oxygen depletion are addressed on herbicide labels with specific application instructions on how to avoid this. The same goes for instructions on water use restriction intervals.
Lake Pend Oreille has more than 100,000 acres of surface area, when you factor in Idaho’s portion of the river (more than twice the size of Washington, D.C.). Approximately a quarter of this area is in the littoral zone, where vegetation exists. When you’re talking about chemical aquatic noxious weed treatments totaling 100 acres, give or take, that’s more than reasonable in terms of limiting use to the bare minimum for meaningful management.
Waiting to use herbicides as a last resort would mean that aquatic noxious weeds have expanded to such high levels that far more herbicide would need to be put in the water just to simply catch up.
If your tolerance level for herbicides applied in our waters is zero, a possible solution is to submit a petition to the Idaho State Department of Agriculture to delist Eurasian watermilfoil, curlyleaf pondweed and flowering rush from the noxious weed rule. If the petition successfully opens negotiated rulemaking, be prepared to present a data-driven, merit-based case in which you will be competing with varying statewide interests. This is the same process by which weeds are added to the list.
Finally, when it comes to nuisance aquatic weeds — not noxious weeds
— where waterfront homeowners hire professional aquatic applicators directly, it is in everyone’s best interest that the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality continues to allow these private operations through the Pesticide General Permit. If this option is removed from the waterfront homeowner’s toolbox, I have no doubt that some would attempt herbicide treatments themselves out of sheer exasperation.
Such illegal DIY treatments would undoubtedly be carried out with disregard for label instructions, potentially leading to various forms of contamination that could be difficult or impossible to trace.
Let professionals be professionals.
Chase Youngdahl is the director of the Bonner County Noxious Weeds Department.
Chase Youngdahl. Courtesy photo
Idaho Democrats stand with Texans to defend democracy PERSPECTIVES
By Lauren Necochea Reader Contributor
Sixty years ago, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act into law. It was a promise: no citizen would be denied the right to vote because of race or color. It dismantled generations of discrimination, intimidation and bureaucracy built to block people from the ballot box.
That progress was earned through marches, sit-ins, beatings, arrests and the courage of ordinary Americans who believed in the power of their voices. Today, that legacy is under threat. And, once again, Democrats are stepping up to defend it.
In Texas, Democratic lawmakers are risking their jobs, paychecks and freedom to stop a Republican power grab that undermines our democracy. Facing backlash for their unpopular, economy-crushing agenda, the Trump regime is demanding new congressional maps to guarantee five more GOP seats. They want to rig
the outcome before a single vote is cast. It’s a move that would disgust our Founding Fathers. But Texas Republicans are scrambling to obey.
Texas Democrats took bold action, using the only tool left to them: denying Republicans a quorum. Republican Gov. Greg Abbott retaliated by trying to remove House Democratic Caucus Chair Gene Wu from office.
While Texas may be the latest battleground, the fight is here, too.
The Republican supermajority in our state has gone to great lengths to avoid being held accountable by voters. They banned student IDs as valid voter identification instead of working to better represent the next generation. They’ve tried to eliminate same-day registration and heavily restrict mail-in voting.
I remember one shameless bill Republicans brought during my time in the Legislature. You could vote by mail from a second home, but not if you were camping, attending a funeral or visiting family. These same Republicans even made it a crime to help a homebound neighbor return a sealed ballot. Bottom line: they will protect voting rights for the rich, while finding ways to take that right away from others.
Idaho House and Senate Democrats have opposed every anti-voter bill Republicans have brought forward and continue to fight for elections that are both secure and accessible. House Democratic Leader
Ilana Rubel introduced legislation for automatic voter registration at the DMV. It would reduce paperwork, modernize our system and make government more efficient. Republicans killed it.
Unlike in Texas, Idaho Democrats don’t have the numbers to deny quorum. We can’t shut down the process when democracy is on the line. That’s why we need voters to step in and elect leaders who will protect their fundamental right to vote.
The Voting Rights Act was a declaration of values. A belief that democracy can only survive when everyone can participate. On this anniversary, let’s honor that legacy by fighting for this vision.
Lauren Necochea is chair of the Idaho Democratic Party and a former District 19 legislator. Necochea spent a decade leading nonprofit programs dedicated to research and advocacy in tax policy, health care and children’s issues.
Lauren Necochea. File photo
God help America
By Sylvia Humes Reader Contributor
OK, what does it take? For a long time I believed that many politicians had no respect for their constituents and, when Trump was elected, I could see why. It is definitely true that many citizens of this country have abdicated their constitutional right totally to the party in which they have become a member. All they do is look for the “R” or “D” and mark the box without actually finding out what the candidate is all about. Shame on us.
Now we have before us the most corrupt administration in the history of the U.S. (Sorry Tricky Dick, you’ve been replaced.)
How stupid does this administration think we are? Do they think firing the head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics for giving bad news makes us believe that the numbers were wrong? Do they believe meeting with a convicted child molester for two days with no oversight from, I don’t know, the original investigators maybe, is going to make us believe they are really trying to get to the proof that “only” Democratic figures and not Donald Trump was involved?
Do they believe sending a rich friend and former Fox employee to Gaza means we’re actually going to do something about the genocide there? Do they believe the American people are so stupid that they don’t know they will and are paying for your nonsensical tariffs? Do they believe we don’t care about the trillions of dollars that have been added to the national debt while giving a tax break — mainly to the top 1% — and taking away vital services for the American people?
What do you think? Are they right in those beliefs?
Just in case you haven’t figured it out yet, the brainless twit in the White House is only in it for himself. He is a habitual liar. Every time he opens his mouth, he is lying so much he can’t keep it straight because he contradicts himself. Then again, with only a fourth-grade command of the English language, it is difficult.
The whole world is laughing at us. Putin is running him in circles. Remember all he promised “on Day 1”? The only thing he has accomplished is rounding up people who have overstayed their visas or only checked in with immigration after coming into the country — including some American
‘How stupid does this administration think we are?’
citizens. More than 70% of those incarcerated have no criminal record. Wait a minute, I thought it was going to be the “worst of the worst”? Oh, but wait, we aren’t supposed to believe the numbers.
If Trump had allowed the Republicans to pass the bipartisan immigration reform bill, this would have been taken care of; but, then again, he needed something to run on. You knew that, right? Of course you did, but unfortunately it didn’t matter to many or they didn’t pay attention or care about what was going on and they voted for him anyway. Now we’re dealing with the fallout.
Our constitutional republic is gone. We now live under a dictatorship, thanks to the Republican Party. They have had opportunity after opportunity to stop Trump, but haven’t. They are getting exactly what they have always wanted.
They thought they were using Trump as their useful idiot, but it turned out his narcissism got in the way and caused some problems. Then they came up with Project 2025 for their minions to follow and, as long as he is happy and everyone is paying sufficient homage to the king, they implement their agenda.
Now in Texas they are attempting to redraw their district lines (gerrymander) to further favor Republicans at their “dear” leader’s directive. They even admitted that it’s purely political. Hopefully the Democrats will let go of their attempt to do what’s “right” and reciprocate in blue states. Here we go again. If the voters would pay atten-
tion to what is happening, it wouldn’t matter how the districts are drawn.
When will the majority of the American people realize what a gem we had in our democracy? There were checks and balances so no one person or branch of government had total power. Do we have to wait for it all to be gone to wake up?
All the freedoms we have taken for granted will be but a fond memory if we continue down this path. The fascist playbook is being followed verbatim. Use what power we have left, pay attention to what is going on, open your minds to a variety of information to get all the facts and sign up for your legislators’ newsletters to see what they are doing.
I don’t know about you, but I want a leader who is smarter than me, who is a true patriot and doesn’t attempt to manipulate the Constitution, and works for the benefit of the whole and not for personal gain.
God help America!
Sylvia Humes is a Sandpoint resident.
‘The idea of the challenge’ FEATURE 30 years of the Long Bridge Swim
By Soncirey Mitchell Reader Staff
The 30th annual Long Bridge Swim went off without a hitch on Aug. 2, when nearly 840 swimmers tested their endurance, speed and mental fortitude against the open waters of Lake Pend Oreille. The nonprofit has become an institution in Bonner County since its humble beginnings, and continues to shape local students’ lives through its water safety and swim lessons.
The swim is the brainchild of Eric Ridgeway, who, in 1996, decided he wanted to swim the 1.76-mile Long Bridge from its southern end to Dog Beach. The original 68 participants became 300 by the year 2000, and the event has steadily grown since. Organizers are finally nearing the upper limit and might consider capping the swim at 1,000 people in the future, according to LBS Director Jim Zuberbuhler.
Zuberbuhler himself has a long history with the organization, working up from participant to volunteer to assistant director, until reaching his current position in 2012. In that time, he’s joined in almost every race and can boast that he’s swum alongside the oldest and youngest participants, at 92 and 9 years old, respectively.
“The swim has been a constant in my life for 25 years now, both as a swimmer and for over 18 years as a volunteer,” Zuberbuhler said. “We have a great culture in our core group of volunteers who run the swim, and we are very committed to delivering a high-quality experience for participants each year at the event.”
Many of the nonprofit’s current department chairs have similar histories with the swim going back decades. Their dedication has earned the Long Bridge Swim a spot in the top 100 open water swims worldwide for several years, as recognized by various swimming websites. They have also worked to share the success with the rest of the community, ensuring that LBS has the third-highest economic impact on the community after the Festival at Sandpoint and Lost in the ’50s, according to the Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce.
The swim draws athletes and volunteers year after year thanks to the professionalism of the organizers and the thrill of the feat — what Zuberbuhler calls, “The idea of the challenge.”
Speaking from experience, Zuberbuhler said that most swimmers in their
first year doubt whether they can make it across, but the swim’s team of 250 volunteers, including scouts and safety kayakers, gives them the courage to try. It also helps to have the energy and support of hundreds of onlookers cheering from the bridge.
“It’s the only [open water swim] that I know of where you have this perfect vantage point to actually identify your swimmer and then follow them the whole way. I think people feel very supported,” said Zuberbuhler.
Once participants reach the other side, the rush is addictive. Swimmers come back for more, working through injuries and perceived limitations to achieve their goals.
“One of my personal mantras is, ‘Do something almost every day that’s scary or hard.’ The swim is one of those things for me, and I think for many people,” said Zuberbuhler.
To ensure that everyone can experience the joy and excitement of the swim, organizers work with athletes with a wide range of special needs and disabilities to find appropriate accommodations and support.
“Every single year, we have one or more people who have some kind of significant disability — multiple sclerosis, polio, paraplegia, deafness, blindness, etc., who contact us interested in doing the swim, and we have always been able to support them in their attempts to accomplish this feat,” Zuberbuhler said. “I cannot think of a single example of a disabled swimmer making the attempt who has not been successful.”
Zuberbuhler is especially proud to partner with Panhandle Special Needs, Inc. to help get members of the community with fewer opportunities out into the water. PSNI clients have become cherished members of the swim and the LBS community as a whole.
“They bring a joy to the environment that’s very hard to describe. They’re just hooting and hollering, having a good time; and they’re goofy
and they know it,” said Zuberbuhler. LBS doesn’t exist solely for the swim; volunteers also work year-round to give people confidence in the water and prevent accidental drownings.
“Thousands of people have had the experience of swimming across the lake, many of whom would never have tried such a thing without the opportunity provided by the swim. Additionally, thousands of kids have participated in the water safety program and swim lessons provided by the swim, reducing swimming-related injuries and deaths in our community,” said Zuberbuhler.
LBS currently teaches water safety courses to all third-graders in the Lake Pend Oreille School District — classes that also test kids’ swimming skills to determine who needs to come back for future lessons.
The nonprofit also brings Bonners Ferry students to Sandpoint for lessons and provides classes in Priest River and Laclede for West Bonner County residents. Families in need can receive scholarships to cover all costs. In the past, LBS has also worked to fund and train local lifeguards for the YMCA and Sandpoint City Beach.
“LBS is presently serving almost 1,000 students each year through its water safety and swim lessons program, with a goal of having no child get past third grade without learning how to swim,” Zuberbuhler said. “Since 2009, over 10,000 local kids have participated in the programs.”
Zuberbuhler gave special thanks to the nonprofit’s 12 core volunteers and department chairs: Karen McClelland, Donnavan and Amy Leavitt, Sharon Bistodeau, Chuck Neely, Shawna and Gregg Prummer, Vanessa Stanley, Suzy Miller, Lucy West, Brent Binnall, Susanne Blair, Jacob Styer, Gina Woodruff and Dig Chrismer.
To volunteer with LBS or prepare for next year’s swim, visit longbridgeswim.org.
Photo by Sue Mangan
Kaleidoscope art program seeking volunteers
By Reader Staff
The Pend Oreille Arts Council invites community members to volunteer with its Kaleidoscope art program for the 2025-’26 school year, bringing free hands-on art lessons to third- through
sixth-grade students at Washington, Sagle, Southside, Northside, Kootenai, Farmin and Hope elementary schools.
There are eight lessons in total, or one per month from October through May. All lesson plans and materials will be provided and lessons last ap-
VFW collecting info about veterans buried in Lakeview Cemetery
By Reader Staff
Local VFW Post 2453 is seeking information about U.S. military service members interred at Lakeview Cemetery, asking for community members to share their stories of relatives buried at the historic resting place so that they may be honored and recognized.
“Whether your loved one served in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Space Force, Coast Guard or National Guard, their service matters and deserves to be recognized and remembered,” VFW officials stated.
Requested information includes the veteran’s full name and rank; branch of service; dates of service (enlistment/
discharge); Lakeview Cemetery burial location (plot/section), if known; and a photograph.
With that information, the VFW will place flags on veterans’ gravesites on Memorial Day and Veterans Day, both preserving Sandpoint history and paying tribute to those who sacrificed for the nation.
“Let us not forget: Freedom is not free,” the VFW stated.
Send information to Post2453VFW@Gmail.Com with the subject line “Lakeview Vet Burial,” or visit VFW Post 2453 at 1325 Pine St. in person. The post is open 10 a.m.noon Monday through Friday.
proximately 60-90 minutes. Trainings will be provided and schedules will be arranged by classroom teachers and volunteers.
There is no art background necessary to volunteer for the Kaleidoscope program.
Those interested in volunteering should email poacasst1@gmail.com or call the POAC office at 208-263-6139.
COMMUNITY
Wings Over Sandpoint breakfast raises money for aviation scholarships
By Reader Staff
For almost two decades, the local Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 1441 has raised money for youth aviation scholarships through its annual Wings Over Sandpoint fly-in breakfast. This year, the event will take place on Saturday, Aug. 16, with an airplane and car exhibition and a hearty breakfast at the Sandpoint Airport (1101 Airport Way).
Volunteers will serve a breakfast of eggs, hash browns, sausages, vegetables and the event’s famous blueberry
pancakes from 8-10 a.m. The exhibition will run from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and will include all manner of aircraft, including seaplanes and experimental builds.
The local Injectors Auto Club will also wheel in some lovingly restored classic cars — some of which starred in this year’s Lost in the ’50s parade and show.
Tickets are $12 for adults and $8 for children ages 12 and younger. All proceeds fund the scholarships that help launch Idaho’s next generation of pilots and mechanics.
Send event listings to calendar@sandpointreader.com
A Taste of Tango
6pm @ Barrel 33
Learn the basic dance steps of tango from experienced instructors. $15
Trivia with Toshi
7pm @ Connie’s Lounge
Live Music w/ One Street Over 5-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery
Live Music w/ Carli Osika
5pm @ Connie’s Lounge
Live Music w/ Bright Moments Jazz
6-8pm @ Baxters on Cedar
Live Music w/ Welter Brothers
6-8:30pm @ Matchwood Brewing Co. Folk music with a modern touch
Live Music w/ Jackson Roltgen Trio
5:30-8:30pm @ Smokesmith BBQ
Live Music w/ Andru Gomez
5-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery
Live Music w/ John Daffron
6pm @ Connie’s Lounge
Live Music w/ Bright Moments Jazz
6pm @ Arlo’s Ristorante
Live Music w/ Aaron Golay & the Original Sin
9pm @ 219 Lounge
Music w/ DJ Sterling 9pm @ Roxy’s Lounge
Live Music w/ Kevin Dorin
6-8pm @ Baxters on Cedar
Shakespeare in the Parks: Henry V
5pm @ Lakeview Park
THURSDAY, august 14
Sip and Shop to benefit the Panida 4-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery
A percentage of proceeds will be donated to the Friends of the Panida
This year: Battle of the Bands. Funds raised benefit Community Cancer Services. Food, drinks, fun Bonner County Brawl
7pm @ Bonner County Fairgrounds Epic night of demolition derby
Live Music w/ On-Call Cowboys 5:30-8:30pm @ Smokesmith BBQ
SunDAY, august 17
August 14-21, 2025
Live Music w/ Bright Moments Jazz 5-8pm @ Pearls on the Lake (Hope) Come celebrate Arthur’s birthday
$5 movie: Alien 7pm @ Panida Theater
Live Music w/ Mason Van Stone Band 6-8pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall
Sandpoint Farmers’ Market
9am-1pm @ Farmin Park
Fresh foods and produce and more BCA 8-Ball Tournament
6pm @ Roxy’s Lounge
$10 buy-in, double elim. tourney. 21+ Festival of Quilts
10am-6pm @ The Heartwood Center
Vendors, marketplace and raffles
Karaoke nights (Fri, Sat, Sun)
8pm @ Tervan Tavern
Live Music w/ Ken Mayginnes
6-9pm @ 1908 Saloon Festival of Quilts
10am-4pm @ The Heartwood Center
Tai Chi at City Beach 9:30am @ Sandpoint City Beach
19th annual Wings Over Sandpoint Fly-In 8am-1:30pm @ Sandpoint Airport
Annual event where regional pilots fly into Sandpoint to display various antique and speciality aviation. Breakfast from 8-10:30am ($8), see planes free
Live Music w/ Abe Barber
6-8pm @ Idaho Pour Authority
Al’s 88th birthday party
Free outdoor performance of Henry V by the renowned troupe. Bring blankets, chairs
Magic with Star Alexander 5-8pm @ Jalapeño’s
Kanikapila Sundays @ Sunshine on Cedar Free community event
Sandpoint Chess Club 9am @ Evans Brothers Coffee
Monday Night Blues Jam w/ John Firshi 7pm @ Eichardt’s Pub
Pool tournament ($10 entry fee)
6pm @ Connie’s Lounge
Shakespeare in the Parks: As You Like It
5pm @ Lakeview Park
A free outdoor performance of As You
Like It by Shakespeare. Bring blankets and low-backed chairs
Live piano w/ Malachi
5-7pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery
Benny on the Deck concert
5:30pm @ Connie’s Lounge
Special guests: Sammy Eubanks
Family Hour and Live Music w/ John Firshi
5-7pm @ Matchwood Brewing Co.
Live piano w/ Bob Beadling
5-7pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery
Trivia with Toshi
7pm @ Connie’s Lounge
BCA 8-Ball Tournament
6pm @ Roxy’s Lounge
monDAY, august 18
Outdoor Experience Group Run 6pm @ Outdoor Experience 3-5 miles, all levels welcome
tuesDAY, august 19
Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony 7pm @ Panida Theater
Don’t miss this iconic masterpiece performed by the North Idaho Philharmonia. $5-$20
See Page 21
1pm @ Roxy’s Lounge
After 28 years of owning and running Roxy’s, Al’s has become a familiar face
Celtic Folk Jam
3-6pm @ Idaho Pour Authority
Trivia night 6-8pm @ Idaho Pour Authority
Little Live Radio Hour: Truck Mills & Carl Rey
6:45pm @ Little Panida Theater
Free live show that is broadcast on 88.5FM. Crowd should settle before 7pm start
wednesDAY, august 20
Sandpoint Farmers’ Market
3-5:30pm @ Farmin Park
Fresh foods and produce and more Macrame Workshop for Teens/Tweens
5:30-7pm @ Verdant Plant Shop
$20 includes all supplies and an air plant. RSVP: bit.ly/sUSk8Wz
ThursDAY, august 21
Live Music w/ Jacob Robin 7pm @ Tervan Tavern
Live Music w/ Frytz Mor 8-11pm @ Roxy’s Lounge
Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony ($15-$30)
7pm @ Panida Theater
By the North Idaho Philharmonia
A Taste of Tango classes
6pm @ Barrel 33
$15/person. Learn basic steps of tango
Live Music w/ Ken Mayginnes 5-7:30pm @ Hope Community Center
Montana Shakespeare in the Parks offers two free shows
By Reader Staff
For 53 years, Montana Shakespeare in the Parks has brought the timeless works of William Shakespeare on the road to rural communities across the West, offering free outdoor performances to anyone seeking a bit of culture.
This year, the renowned troupe will perform two of the Bard’s shows in Sandpoint: Henry V and As You Like It
Henry V explores themes of justice, duty and mercy. The historical play tells the story of King Henry V of England, focusing on events immediately before and after the Battle of Agincourt during the Hundred Years War.
Part of Montana State University’s College of Arts and Architecture, MSIP
Henry V and As You Like It on the schedule for Sandpoint performances
will perform Henry V free on Sunday, Aug. 17 at 5 p.m. at Lakeview Park (801 Ontario St., in Sandpoint).
For their second local performance, MSIP will present pastoral comedy As You Like It.
The play features heroine Rosalind as she flees persecution in her uncle’s court. Rosalind and her cousin Celia escape to the Forest of Arden where they find safety and, eventually, love.
As You Like It features one of Shakespeare’s most famous speeches by the melancholy traveler Jaques, who delivers the “All the World’s a Stage” soliloquy.
As You Like It will come to Lakeview Park on Tuesday, Aug. 19 at 5 p.m.
The program provides performances for rural com-
munities and grade schools that might not otherwise have access to free theater of MSIP’s quality.
“Giving young people the opportunity to experience these shows is the cornerstone of what we do and is the reason we’re still around after five decades,” stated MSIP Executive Director Kevin Asselin.
By the time the summer has ended, the troupe of 11 actors — chosen from more than 400 who auditioned — will have concluded 79 performances in 65 rural communities.
Every show is free and open to the public. Audience members are encouraged to bring blankets and lowbacked chairs. Those with high-backed chairs are asked
Panida brings iconic sci-fi horror Alien to the big screen
By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff
It’s hard to overstate how influential Ridley Scott’s 1979 Alien has been to the sci-fi horror/action genres, or filmmaking in general. The “haunted house in space” thriller was unlike anything audiences had ever seen when it premiered in theaters — and it’s worth mentioning that Alien came to the big screen only two years after Star Wars: A New Hope captured the imagination of tens of millions of moviegoers.
Space was all the rage; but, rather than a good vs. evil struggle “a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away,” Alien threw audiences into a grim near-future right in our stellar neighborhood — so close, yet so far away, with a roughneck crew on the deep space corporate freighter Nostromo prematurely waking from their cryo-sleep as a distress call is received from an alien vessel.
Captain Dallas (Tom Skerritt) gets his grumbling underlings whipped into shape to respond to the call, which
is coming from a nasty looking planet below. None of them are soldiers or even particularly athletic or altruistic — all they want is to get their pay from corporate and get home to spend it. Along for the ride are Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), Kane (John Hurt), Brett (Harry Dean Stanton), Lambert (Veronica Cartwrigth) Parker (Yaphet Kotto) and the android Ash (Ian Holm).
Few sci-fi ensembles have ever been as iconic, nor faced a more inimitable nemesis in the Xenomorph — the universe’s perfect killing machine, whose grotesque yet elegant aesthetic came from the singular surrealist mind of the late-Swiss artist H.R. Giger. On its surface, Alien is straightforward: a small group of people are trapped in an enclosed, hostile environment facing a lethal enemy that has them outmatched on almost every level. But in Scott’s hands — and in the hands of his actors — Alien becomes a masterclass in suspense, style and mood, while hinting at deeper philosophical questions about what makes a “perfect
to sit in the rear so as not to obstruct views of the stage. Picnics are also encouraged, and don’t forget a warm layer for the bike ride home after the performance.
In the case of inclement weather or wildfire smoke, outdoor performances will be
organism” in the unfathomable reaches of the cosmos.
As the android-of-dubious-motivations Ash says of the titular “alien”: “I admire its purity, its sense of survival; unclouded by conscience, remorse or delusions of morality.”
Alien’s tagline may have been “in space, no one can hear you scream,” and that may be true, but the film can make you think even as you’re chilled by cosmic terror.
Sponsored by the Naples Wealth Management Group at Morgan Stanley, Alien will screen Thursday, Aug. 14 as a $5 movie at the Panida Theater (300 N. First Ave.). Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the film starts at 7 p.m. Get tickets at the door or panida.org.
moved inside to the Sandpoint Middle School gymnasium (310 S. Division Ave.).
Visit montanashakespeare.org for more information and a full schedule of MSIP performances.
Little Live Radio Hour shines the spotlight on Truck Mills and Carl Rey
By Reader Staff
Local musicians
Truck Mills and Carl Rey will perform in another installment of Little Live Radio Hour, Tuesday. Aug. 19 at the Panida Little Theater (300 N. First Ave., in downtown Sandpoint).
Hosted by Panhandle Community Radio, KRFY 88.5 FM and The Festival at Sandpoint, the free show begins at 7 p.m., when listeners can watch it live, tune in on 88.5 FM or stream it online at krfy.org.
Acclaimed multi-instrumentalist Truck Mills and singer and harmonica player Carl Rey have gone together like peanut butter and jelly for years, collaborating both as a duo and as Carl Rey and the Blues Gators. Both are longtime staples in the Sandpoint music scene; anyone who’s attended a blues festival in the Inland Northwest has heard Rey, and Mills is a favorite
at Eichardt’s Monday Night Blues Jam.
Arrive at the theater by 6:45 p.m. to hear this globally inspired concert, which, true to Mills’ style, will combine instruments and sounds from everywhere, from South America to the Middle East. Between sets, host and KRFY Associate Station Manager Jack Peterson will chat with Mills and Rey about their storied careers and approach to music, followed by a skit from the Mighty KRFY Players.
For more information, visit panida.org.
A dress rehearsal for Henry V. Courtesy photo
Sigourney Weaver in Alien. Courtesy image
Truck Mills and Carl Rey. Courtesy photo
COMMUNITY
Aspire Institute collaborates on Dover City Park and Beach cleanup
By Reader Staff
Aspire Institute of Sandpoint recently approached Dover Mayor George Eskridge to offer some extra hands for park and beach cleanup.
“Our park is small, less than three acres, but it gets a lot of usage, especially in these peak summer months,” said Eskridge. “Each day resident bicylists, dog walkers, families of beachgoers and many visitors of Dover
Bay Resort enjoy Dover’s City Park and sandy beach on the shores of the beautiful Pend Oreille River.”
Dover city officials said they have plans to make park improvements in the future.
“For now, we are grateful to the volunteers from Aspire Institute for their contributions to our small city park for all to enjoy,” Eskridge said.
Dover Mayor George Eskridge, center, stands with Aspire Institute volunteers during a park and beach cleanup day. Courtesy photo
MUSIC
North Idaho Philharmonia to perform Beethoven’s NinthSymphony at the Panida
By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff
There are few more monumental pieces of music — or any human art, really — than Ludwig van Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony in D minor. Made all the more amazing, by the time it premiered in Vienna on May 7, 1824, the legendary-in-his-own-life composer was already stone deaf — a fact made clear when, at the conclusion of the work, Beethoven had to be prompted by his orchestra to turn around and face the roaring, rapturous audience.
The North Idaho Philharmonia will perform the immortal work Tuesday, Aug. 19 and Wednesday, Aug. 20, both days at 7 p.m., on the Panida Theater stage (300 N. First Ave.).
Conducted by Jan Pellant and in partnership with the Music Conservatory of Sandpoint’s “Music Matters!” educational program, the first night’s performance will be a family concert featuring the first and fourth movements, as well as the “Chorale,” with family tickets for $20 (which includes MCS students and parents admitted with one ticket) and individual general admission tickets for $5. The second night will be a showcase of the full symphony,
with adult tickets running $30 and student tickets for $15.
The Ninth and especially its epic “Chorale” — a.k.a. “Ode to Joy,” in reference to the Friedrich Schiller poem of the same name and from which it draws its lyrics — has become a defining leitmotif in world culture over the past 200 years. The instrumental version of “Ode to Joy” has even served as the anthem of the European Union since 1985, symbolizing “the European ideals of freedom, peace and solidarity,” according to the EU’s website.
Composer and Beethoven expert John Suchet, quoted on classicfm.com, wrote, “The Ninth is the culmination of Beethoven’s genius.”
“He uses solo voices in a symphony for the first time,” he wrote, adding, “It is the longest and most complex of all his symphonies, which we
may regard as the pinnacle of his achievement, because it is his last symphony — but he was working on his Tenth when he died.”
Schiller’s poem “An die Freude” (“Ode to Joy”) dates to 1785, and opens with the triumphal and aspirational lines:
Joy, thou beauteous godly lightning, Daughter of Elysium, Fire drunken we are ent’ring Heavenly, thy holy home!
Thy enchantments bind together, What did custom stern divide, Every man becomes a brother, Where thy gentle wings abide.
Though Schiller came to reject the poem as “detached from reality,” its overall sentiments of humanity transcending division to achieve universal brotherhood appealed to Beethoven’s own politics,
which were steeped in the Enlightenment ideals of the 18th and early 19th centuries. He was an early supporter of Napoleon Bonaparte, believing the French Revolution would dissolve class divisions and hereditary nobility, but turned against him as his rule became more authoritarian.
Unlike Beethoven’s Third Symphony (“Eroica”) and equally famous Fifth Symphony in C minor — both of which were written during the Napoleonic Wars and evoked the heroic revolutionary vision — the Ninth came long after his disenchantment with the emperor and represents a pure expression of the free human spirit, which is just as resonant today as ever.
Doors for the Panida performances are at 6:15 p.m. Tickets available now at sandpointconservatory.org/events.
A snapshot of notable live music coming up in Sandpoint
Aaron Golay and the Original Sin, 219 Lounge, Aug. 16 Bright Moments Jazz, Pearls, Aug. 14
It’s always a good night when Aaron Golay and the Original Sin stop by Sandpoint to perform their hand-crafted Americana, roots, rock and soul music to an ever-growing fanbase. It’s easy to see why the group has gigs up and down the West Coast — the bands’ skill shines through in each song, complementing Golay’s classic indie-folk voice. The Idaho-born-and-raised singer has
a smooth delivery similar to Matt Maeson with a bit more smoke that adds depth to every song. Stop by the Niner to take advantage of the indoor and outdoor bar and join the Original Sin’s fan club.
— Soncirey Mitchell
9 p.m.-midnight, FREE, 21+. 219 Lounge, 219 N. First Ave., 208-263-5673, 219lounge.com. Listen at aarongolay.com.
If there is another Sandpoint group more prolific than Bright Moments, I don’t know one. The duo of Arthur Goldblum and Peter Lucht (with special guests joining often) plays a thoughtful collection of jazz and world music, adding a bit of class and twinkle to any occasion. They’ve played restaurants, wine bars, outdoor shows and anywhere people gather to listen to good music.
This week’s RLW by Soncirey Mitchell
READ
You may have heard of the Studio Ghibli masterpiece Howl’s Moving Castle, but what about the original novel by Diana Wynne Jones? After she’s cursed to be an old woman, 18-yearold Sophie becomes the wizard Howl’s housekeeper while secretly searching for a way to break her spell. She eventually comes into her power through self-reflection and months of beating manners into the magical house’s unruly tenants. In short, it’s a love story for people who like to bicker. Find it at the library.
LISTEN
Speaking of occasions, Bright Moments will play a Thursday, Aug. 14 show celebrating Goldblum’s birthday out at Pearls on the Lake at Beyond Hope. Happy birthday, Arthur!
— Ben Olson
5-8 p.m., FREE. Pearls at the Lake, 1267 Peninsula Road, Hope, 208-264-0664, pearlsonthelake.com.
The band Sir Chloe went from college thesis project to overnight indie-rock sensation when the earworm “Michelle” — a slow-paced, off-beat love song — went viral. The band often combines dance beats with wailing psychedelic guitar and gothic singing, making for a sound that’s both catchy and haunting. Sir Chloe will release its newest album, Swallow the Knife, on Aug. 22. In the meantime, go back and listen to the discography on Spotify. You’ll thank me later.
WATCH
When I get the urge to watch a period piece, I turn to Cary Fukunaga’s Jane Eyre, adapted from the spirit, if not the letter, of Charlotte Brontë’s novel. It is both visually stunning and gut-wrenching thanks to stars Mia Wasikowska and Michael Fassbender’s performances, which encapsulate the story’s love, despair and gothic terror. Watch it on Amazon Prime.
The North Idaho Philharmonia in action. Courtesy photo
From Pend Oreille Review, August 13, 1925
FIVE PROHIBITION VIOLATORS SAY ‘HOWDY’ TO HEITMAN
Judge Heitman presided in the district court Saturday when the cases of Ben Vanover, JM LaChance, JL Thompson, JC Roberts and JC Lowey, all charged with violation of the eighteenth amendment in some particular, came up for hearing.
Vanover, charged with manufacturing moonshine, was held for trial on August 17. His bond was raised from $300 to $500 on the charge pending in the district court. He is also under a $500 bond to answer charges in the federal court.
Roberts and Lowey both pleaded guilty to the charge of transporting liquor. On account of the value of information obtained from these two men in apprehending other and more guilty offenders against the law the prosecuting attorney addressed the judges on their behalf. Sentence in both instances was deferred.
Thompson and LaChance pleaded guilty to the charge of manufacturing liquor, the former drawing a fine of $!50 and six months in jail and the latter a $100 fine and three months. Thompson addressed the court and accepted the entire blame for the violation of the law. LaChance’s only offense, according to Thompson, was being his (Thompson’s) friend. The judge, however, did not see it altogether that way, but Thompson’s plea was probably responsible for the lighter penalty imposed on his friend.
BACK OF THE BOOK Becoming (in)human
By Ben Olson Reader Staff
“Operator...”
“Agent...”
“Help...”
“Rrrgh, just let me freaking talk to somebody, you son of a...”
If anyone had overhead me trying to call my internet provider’s support line over the past few weeks, they’d hear phrases like those, followed by the sound of my head whacking against the desk as hard as possible without passing out.
That’s right, friends, it’s another cliche article about tech support.
Late-night comedians have been telling jokes about tech support phone lines for generations, yet we still haven’t figured out how to provide customers with adequate assistance if they need help with a product or service they purchased.
Instead of getting better with time, it has gotten much, much worse. To borrow a quote from the late-great John Candy: “We’d have better luck playing pick-up sticks with our butt cheeks” than getting help from customer support nowadays.
Some companies don’t even list a number to call for support. They’ll refer you to an X account or a FAQ page that they swear will answer all of your questions. If there is a number, it’s buried under mountains of website fodder designed to steer you away from accessing assistance.
Perhaps they might offer you an AI bot to chat with online, or a link to download an app. Sometimes these options work. Most of the time they don’t (and no, I don’t want an app on my phone for my garbage disposal).
STR8TS Solution
Finally, after hunting around like a seasoned private investigator, you might locate a number to an actual support line. Upon calling the number, the line usually plays hold music until a black hole swallows the entire universe and you’re spit out into the Upside-Down World. If you’re lucky enough to reach an actual human being, they are often surly and don’t offer much by way of help.
How I long for the laconic greeting, “Welcome to Costco, I love you,” as prophesied in the 2006 film Idiocracy It seems today’s corporate strategy is to get new customers through the door with slick campaigns and folksy promises, get them hooked on a product, then leave them hanging whenever they need a hand.
It’s not just tech support; customer service is dying out in a post-truth, post-COVID world. While “the customer is always right” used to be the case, now it’s just a shrug and a meme. If a customer has a problem, they’re being a “Karen,” and whatever level of customer service they’re actually provided comes with exaggerated eye rolling.
It’s somewhat better in a small town like ours — mainly because when you’re a jerk to someone, you’ll undoubtedly have to face them again in the future. But there are still the sales counters where you’re met with blank stares and silence after approaching as a customer.
Some have called the modern customer service standards the “DMV Model,” which is an insult to DMV employees. Sure, the line might take a long time, but DMV workers have always been polite and professional with me. In essence, the term means that when you need a driver’s license, a customer will deal with all sorts of
setbacks and incivility because the DMV is literally the “only game in town.” Customers have to put up with it because they have no other choice.
But we do have choices, people. Lots of them. The problem lies in the fact that we’ve allowed Them to get away with it — “Them” being the faceless corporate overlords who apparently now rule every aspect of our lives.
Remember when you bought a Netflix subscription to watch shows without commercials? Now, you buy the subscription to watch shows with ads and you buy the “premium” service to go ad-free. Or when you bought a piece of software and owned it forever? Now, we pay monthly subscriptions to keep using it.
Somewhere along the line, we all got used to being slapped in the face by Them and this is the result. We outsourced thinking for ourselves and are now living in the Age of Inconsequence.
I shudder to think that the future outlined in Idiocracy could be real, with dumbed-down people mashing their fat, sweaty fingers into picture buttons and arguing with monotonal chatbots for fun and education.
To quote from Office Space, another Mike Judge film: “We don’t really have a lot of time on this earth. We weren’t meant to spend it this way.”
Damn right.
As a final experiment after trying in vain to reach my internet provider’s support line, I hung up and dialed their sales number. To no one’s surprise, a sales person picked up almost immediately.
“What can I do for you today?” they asked.
“Please hold,” I said, and hung up.
Laughing Matter
Solution on page 22
By Bill Borders
CROSSWORD
ACROSS
1. Utilizers
6. Long, long time
10. Discover
14. Cowboy sport
15. Sea eagle
16. Balm ingredient
17. Utopian
18. Assess
19. Arid
20. Nominees
22. Astrological transition point
23. Discourage
24. Multiplication
25. Cultural doings
Solution on page 22
Solution on page 22
Corrections: guffaw /guh-FAW/ [verb] 1. to laugh loudly
29. Supervisor
31. Happen again
60. Twisted 61. On the expensive side 62. Kill 63. Border 64. Foot coverings Word Week of the
“The whole crowd began to guffaw at his absurd attempt to moonwalk.”
The face of a child can say it all, especially the mouth part of the face.
33. Denounces (archaic)
37. Cloud type
38. Hate
39. Smiled scornfully
41. Illness
42. Like clear mental images
44. Large number
45. British biscuit
48. Last
50. Pack down
51. Being at the right time
56. Anagram of “Bale”
57. Module
58. Brown shade
59. Indian music
DOWN
1. Acid related to gout 2. Fizzy drink 3. Anagram of “Need” 4. Anagram of “Dear”
