Reader august4 2016

READER August 4, 2016 /

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Vol. 13, Issue 31

bonner County Fair and rodeo The Reader Interviews

Taylor Hicks

A Newcomerʼs Guide To Summer in Sandpoint

week one

Just Add Water: The 22nd Annual Long Bridge Swim

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s s e n r e Wild e t a t s E Lake 49,000 $2,5

•7.58 ac. w/lodge home + guest house on Bull Lake, MT

•Only ONE HOUR EAST of Sandpoint, ID •Year around access via low-use Montana Hwy 56 •3 sides of property touch 96,000 acres of U.S. Congress

Designated Wilderness incl. wildlife mgmt. system

•Sports Afield Trophy Properties/Broker: WAYNE HEATON (406) 210-1100

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

www.sandpointreader.com Publisher: Ben Olson ben@sandpointreader.com Editor: Cameron Rasmusson cameron@sandpointreader.com Zach Hagadone (emeritus) John Reuter (emeritus) Contributing Artists: Nancy Cerra (cover), Ben Olson, Susan Drinkard, Austin Wellner, Cameron Barnes, Angie Shadel, Josh Timmermans

DEAR READERS,

Welcome to the Festival at Sandpoint! For the next two weeks, prepare yourself for an onslaught of good times, great tunes and the best party in town.

If you’re new to the area, check out our “Newcomer’s Guide” on page 7 for a short list of places to eat, drink and play around Sandpoint. The list is by no means exclusive. The best way to check out what Sandpoint has to offer is to walk the downtown streets, ask the locals where they like to go and take a chance.

Some things to remember: Sandpoint is a walking town, which means we stop for people in the crosswalks. Be on the lookout for lots of bicycle traffic and festive concert-goers. Let’s have fun and be safe at the same time.

Another thing to remember is that the Festival at Sandpoint is unique in that it allows ticketholders to bring in their own booze and food. While it’s fun to bring your picnic items, it’s also worth noting that the food vendors at the Festival are absolutely amazing. Save room for ice cream, too!

We’re glad to have you here. Now go enjoy some tunes and crack open a beer.

-Ben Olson, Publisher

Contributing Writers: Cameron Rasmusson, Ben Olson, Louie de Palma, Nick Gier, Lyndsie Kiebert, Brenden Bobby, Jim Mitsui, Karen Seashore, Amy Craven, Brenda Hammond, Laurie Brown, Marcia Pilgeram, Dyno Wahl.

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

Subscription Price: $95 per year Advertising: Jodi Taylor jodi@sandpointreader.com Web Content: Keokee The Sandpoint Reader is a weekly publication owned and operated by Ben Olson and Keokee. It is devoted to the arts, entertainment, politics and lifestyle in and around Sandpoint, Idaho.

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

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

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

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

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

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

About the Cover This week’s cover drawn by local artist Nancy Cerra, who is becoming our “go-to” artists here at the Reader.

Interested in drawing a cover in the future? Send Ben an email! It’s easy as that.

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LIVE MUSIC

turday Friday & Sa Beer Hall N ight @ t he

(wo)MAN compiled by

Susan Drinkard

on the street

What did you think of the Democratic National Convention?

“They had some good speakers and if things go the way [Clinton] presented them, it will be positive, but the ideas can’t be implemented unless both parties compromise.”

Jeannine Prince Retired Kootenai

“I love Michelle Obama. Is that okay, Mr. President?”

Ray Kosse Therapist Sandpoint

First Fridays Live Music

DEVON WADE 9pm-12am RON GREENE 2-5pm MAC LLOYD 6:30-9:30pm

BREWERY & BEER HALL 220 Cedar St. 209-6700 FAMILY FRIENDLY BREWPUB 312 First Ave.

255-4351

“I watched parts of it, and I heard about it. Lots of promises were made as well as efforts to make Hillary into someone who could keep them.”

Jennifer Richards Homemaker Ponderay

“It it made me proud to be a Democrat. I thought the values were really on point and the mood was very positive.”

Christine Moon Semi-retired college professor Sandpoint “I saw both conventions. It seemed that Hillary did not attack Trump with the same ferocity and fierceness as she did against Obama when she ran against him. I see her as the more educated of the two candidates, but I have questions about Benghazi. American citizens want transparency in government.”

Rosella Meiron Air Force veteran Sandpoint

OPINION ‘I saw the mushroom cloud’ 96-year-old pilot reminisces about the war

By Nick Gier Reader Columnist

After being honorably discharged from the Army Air Corps in 1945, my dear friend Howard Riggs held various construction management positions and worked abroad in Saudi Arabia, Iran and Peru. In 2007 he moved to Spokane to be close to his son and daughter.

Riggs says that he got excited about flying at the age of seven. Inspired

by Charles Lindbergh’s historic 1927 trans-Atlantic flight, Riggs starting taken flying lessons at the age of 18.

In 1942 Riggs joined the Army Air Corps and received training on the P-40 Warhawk in Texas and Oklahoma. After that Riggs was stationed at Thomasville Air Base in Georgia.

Esquadron 201 of the Mexican Expeditionary Air Force Riggs was born in Panama, and he spoke fluent Spanish. He and six other officers were put in charge of the Esquadron 201 of the 300-man Mexican Expeditionary Air Force (MEAF). Starting in 1944, the Mexican pilots trained on P-40s in Greenville, Texas, and then later did over-water exercises in Brownville, Texas.

The Mexican pilots were from elite families, and Riggs says that he did not find them “mechanically inclined,” but they became good pilots nonetheless. (The residents of Greenville, however, complained about them “buzzing” the town.)

The MEAF shipped out to the Philippines in January 1945 and saw heavy combat until October 1945.

P-47”? Riggs answered “Yes.” “Did you fly missions up near the Ipo Dam?” Riggs again said “Yes.” “You saved our lives!”

A Centipede Flies a P-47 Back From Zamboanga On a much lighter note, Riggs loves to tell the story about the time he and a buddy brought back two P-47s from Zamboanga on the Philippine island of Mindanao.

After the aircraft were checked and fueled, they headed back to Manila on what they expected to be a routine flight.

Riggs noticed that his friend’s plane was “all over the sky” as he puts it. He got on the radio and asked what the problem was. His friend said that a centipede had crawled up his leg and he was cutting it off in pieces. When they landed, they measured the unwelcomed passenger at 15 inches.

“I Saw the Mushroom Cloud” In July 1945, after the Battle of Okinawa, Riggs, now in a different squadron, was stationed on that strategic island.

From there they did daily missions to the island of Kyushu to prepare for a ground

invasion of Japan.

On Aug. 7 Riggs saw the mushroom cloud of the Hiroshima bomb still billowing up to 60,000 feet. Riggs says that he firmly supported Truman’s decision, knowing full well that the ground war that he and other airmen would support would result in millions of casualties on both sides.

The Day Riggs Flew Through a Tree During all his flying, Riggs is proud to say that he never got hit nor did he have any accidents. He did, however, fly through a tree one day.

After pulling up quickly after a strafing run on Kyushu, he looked up to see a tree in front of him. He simply pulled back on the stick, busted through the branches, and returned safely to base. That tree obviously needed a trimming.

Tears for those Saved at the Ipo Dam Every time Riggs tells the story about saving those men at the Ipo Dam he tears

Illustration by Austin Wellner

Howard Riggs holding a photo of him with a P-40. Courtesy photo. up, and I join him in sharing these heartfelt emotions. He considers that moment the high point of his military career. Let’s us all honor him and those of the Greatest Generation for their courage and perseverance.

Nick Gier of Moscow taught philosophy at the University of Idaho for 31 years.

For the full version with all pictures go to www.NickGier.com/RiggsMushroomCloud. pdf.

The Battle of Ipo Dam Riggs’ most memorable mission was 25 miles north of Manila at the Ipo Dam, the main water source for the capital city.

In May 1945 the 43rd Infantry Division was sent to dislodge the Japanese from their positions. The Fifth Air Force, of which the Esquadron 201 was a part, flew 100 sorties a day in support of the 43rd.

Major George J. Modica II describes the final air assault: “On May 16th, 185 fighter-bombers struck the Palisades and Osboy ridge with 50,470 gallons of napalm. The next day 220 planes dropped 62,660 gallons. As planned, the attacks shocked the enemy, allowing tanks and engineers to clear” the way to the dam where the explosives set to blow it up were disarmed.

Later on a Manila sidewalk, Riggs was approached by a soldier who recognized him as a pilot. He asked Riggs: “Do you fly a August 4, 2016 /

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COMMENTARY The strange road from Cheyenne

By Louie de Palma Reader Road Warrior People often find themselves in my cab telling me their strange stories. They talk about how the road brought them to me, how they were stranded and were out of options.

I listened to them but never really appreciated their situations—that is, until just last week.

Three nights ago I found myself standing outside a horseshoe-shaped motel in Cheyenne, Wyo., eavesdropping on three Bubbas swigging bottles of Mike’s Hard. It was 2 a.m. I had just returned from a strip club after seeing Kiss with my mother, and I was trying to figure out exactly when my life went wrong. That’s when the Bubbas interrupted my thoughts with a conversation I couldn’t ignore.

“I once f***ed a chicken,” said Bubba One. A violent argument arose about

Conventions...

Dear Editor, What a difference in the contrast presented by our two political conventions. At the GOP convention in Cleveland, fear, hatred, intemperance and unfounded accusations abounded.

Donald Trump charged that we were a country in decline and under siege.

The facts are that Americans are less likely to become victims of terrorism than those in other countries; violent crime has dropped steadily in the U.S. since 1992, and

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whether or not sex with a chicken was gay. The accused said he was an Iraqi veteran who had stabbed before, and he was prepared to stab the others to to protect his hetero honor. The others retorted that they had also stabbed before and would stab him in his chicken-loving member.

As much as I would have liked to watch them all stab each other dead, I went inside and fell asleep to the sounds of my mom mumbling about Trump being a Russian cyborg.

You’d think things couldn’t get weirder, but this, dear friends, was merely the beginning. First, let me catch you up.

I told my mother I would see Kiss with her at Frontier Days in Cheyenne months ago, thinking it would never happen. It did. She drove here from Seattle, scooped me up and off we went.

The first night we only made it to Missoula, where we ended up at an underground hip hop show.

Dancing on stage with my mom at a club surrounded by 22-yearolds, I felt like T. Swift shaking

it off.

The second night we reached Cheyenne and saw Kiss, which was awesome if you love men in spandex with makeup and big hair somehow being tough. Which I do. I didn’t know a single song but the theater was brilliant.

Following the show, my mom took me to a strip club. She insisted we had to observe the local culture, swearing I would never see anything like it again. I hope she’s right. This place was a strip club/ convenience store/liquor store.

The stripper was a nice lady who smiled a lot and shuffled around in mismatched socks jammed into flip flops, making her look like she had ninja turtle feet. The experience, although interesting from an anthropology standpoint, was sad all in all.

That night ended with the Bubbas, as you know, and morning found me eating leftover Lengua tacos I found on the motel table.

They were the best part of that day.

Long story short, my mother and I got into an altercation about heading home. I was ready to hit the road; I had seen too much and was itching to return to Idaho

and the normal weird people I’ve grown to love. Mom was not having it. Somehow, she got the car impounded and ran off with the key to get it out. I lost her in a sea of cowboy bars and wouldn’t see her again until a few days later in Billings.

I tried to get a flight or rent a car out of town, but everything was booked. The only way out was 24-hour Greyhound two days later. I holed up the first night in a haunted hotel where a triple homicide-suicide occurred. Unfortunately I saw no ghost, even though I was looking.

The second night I stayed in a hotel above the Greyhound station that had great theft reviews. Fortunately for me, everything I’d brought along was impounded in my mom’s car. All I had was a dorky cowboy hat and a shirt that read, “Livingston MT Blows!” along with a picture of a sideways semi.

The bus was late the next morning, so I got to listen to a migrant Hispanic man swear almost continuously for an hour and a half. Eventually we were on the way. We reached Billings at 1:40 a.m., two days since I last

saw my mother. She sauntered in, sweaty and carrying a sleeping bag. She had been hitching. She said, “I don’t think I’m going to make it on time to work.” I said, “You should have let me get the car out.”

I boarded the bus. As it pulled away, I watched Mom plug her phone into an outlet in the station.

The next morning, sporting a kinky neck and sweaty, fat seatmate, I killed time until I needed to transfer buses. It was then I noticed someone familiar: the weird man I wrote about a few columns back. You know, the one carrying two duffel bags who I drove to the national forest. The man who could only communicate with hand maps. That was hundreds of miles away. What was he doing here? How had he gotten into this situation?

Then again, how had I gotten here? Nobody knows how we end up where we do. People get themselves in the darndest of predicaments. I know I’ll look kinder on people in my cab from now on after they’ve been on the long, hard road.

What a strange trip it’s been.

in May unemployment dipped to its lowest rate since November 2007.

In contrast, Democrats at their convention maintained that we “are” the greatest country,” not “were.” Our military is the strongest and the U.S. is out-performing most of the world’s advanced economies. And a unified party was coming out of the convention.

After years and millions spent, a GOP- led, politically- motivated committee found nothing new that would blame Hillary Clinton for a security lapse at Benghazi.

In contrast, under Ronald

Reagan, the 1983 Beirut bombing of a U.S. Marine compound that killed 241 U.S. service personnel, resulted in a non-accusatory bi-partisan investigation.

Our only chance to have a unifying leader, who has the experience and temperament to lead our nation, is to elect Hillary Clinton president in November.

District want to send a shout out of thanks and gratitude to Ernie Brandt of Wildwood Grilling for thinking of our staff and much-appreciated volunteers when they were choosing who to sponsor this year for Sandpoint Festival tickets.

Your kindness and thoughtfulness to all of us here at Northside Fire is very much appreciated.

Thank you for allowing our staff and volunteers to enjoy the wonderful sounds of music that will sound in the streets of downtown Sandpoint this summer. “…the greatest gift a

man can give, is to lay his life upon the line, so that someone else might live. So as we go from day to day, and pray to God above, say a prayer for your local fireman.

He may save the ones you love.” ~Author Unknown “We’re honored to get these tickets into the hands of these hard-working volunteers,” said Wildwood Grilling owner Ernie Brandt.

James W. Ramsey Kootenai

Wildwood Grilling...

Dear Editor, We at Northside Fire

Fire Chief Brad Mitton Northside Fire District

COMMUNITY

A newcomer’s guide to Sandpoint The Festival at Sandpoint draws people to our fair community from all over the area. Some come for just a night, some stay for the whole two weeks. If this is your first time hanging out in Sandpoint, here is a quick guide to some of the best places to eat, drink and play while in town.

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

-EATJoel’s Mexican Restaurant Locals and visitors alike agree on one thing: Joel’s kicks ass. This family restaurant began humbly with a food truck in 1995 and has become the place to eat in Sandpoint. Joel’s features fresh, tasty Mexican food that is easy on the pocket book. Find Joel’s on the corner of Church St. and Fourth Ave. You can’t go wrong with anything on the menu, but some of the most popular items are the asada burrito options, the tacos and the blackened chicken burrito. The only con to this amazing eatery is the long wait times during busy summer days. Shave precious moments off your time in line by calling in your order. 208-265-8991.

Trinity at City Beach Located at Sandpoint City Beach, Trinity has some of the best waterfront dining in the area.

With a diverse menu and an expansive, comfortable deck looking over Lake Pend Oreille and the Green Monarch Mountains, this spot has consistently been a Sandpoint favorite for newcomers. Trinity hosts live music on the lawn during the summer months and a full bar. Whether having breakfast, lunch or dinner, or simply ordering off the lounge menu, most of their selections are crowd pleasers. Local’s tip: Try the Jalapeno Popper Burger and/ or the Huckleberry Pork Cassonade. 208-255-7558.

Secret Thai This little Thai restaurant is a local’s favorite. The dishes are fresh and of ample portions (great for saving enough for

leftovers the next day) and the staff treats you like family. To get there, go down the alley on Cedar St. just west of Eichardt’s Pub and find it tucked away in the corner. Local’s tip: The Cashew Chicken is to die for.

208-263-9960.

-drink219 Lounge No matter what night of the week, the 219 Lounge is where the locals end up. This “fivestar dive bar” is a great spot to listen to live music on the patio, play a game of pool and catch up with friends. Try the 219er Pilsner brewed specially by Sandpoint’s own Laughing Dog Brewery. A word of advice: Don’t ring the bell above the bar unless you’re prepared to buy the whole place a round of drinks. That’s a mistake you only make once. 219 First Ave. Idaho Pour Authority This is a beer-lover’s haven, featuring over 300 varieties of craft beer and a dozen rotating taps. Located on Cedar Street, IPA hosts live music on the weekends and has a healthy local customer base who usually congregate after work for some frothy brews. Tip: Don’t ask for Budweiser here. If you want to drink Budweiser, see the 219 above. 208-597-7096.

MickDuff’s Beer Hall Across the street from IPA, MickDuff’s Beer Hall is quickly

becoming a hotspot for locals and visitors alike. Featuring live music, pool and darts, cornhole, a great courtyard and free popcorn, this is a great place to cool off on a hot summer day. They brew all the beer on site and do a damn good job of it, if I don’t say so myself. Local’s tip: Since MickDuff’s Beer Hall doesn’t offer food, you can order food anywhere in town and eat it at the Beer Hall.

208-209-6700.

Eichardt’s Pub Of all the pubs in Sandpoint, Eichardt’s is probably the one you’ll tell your friends about when back home. Dark, cozy and featuring a healthy selection of craft beers on tap, Eichardt’s is the spot where locals go to drink and be merry. There are decades’ of relics pasted along every inch of the walls and ceilings. Also, they serve food until 10 p.m., and it’s pretty incredible. Local’s tip: Garlic fries. They are a-mazing. 263-4005.

-PLAYSandpoint City Beach Head toward the lake from First Ave. on Bridge St. and you’ll end up at City Beach.

It’s a great place to swim, play volleyball/tennis/basketball, launch a boat or just stroll around. The views are amazing, the water feels great and there is ample room for everyone. Word to the wise: If you are opposed to nudity, you may want to avoid City Beach after the bars close at 2 a.m.

it’s called “Third Avenue Pier” on the official sign, for some strange reason, locals have always referred to it as “Third Street Pier.” If you use the former, you’ll stick out as a tourist, trust me.

Action Watersports If you’re not spending time on the water, you’re not capitlizing on what this area is all about in the summer. Give the Holland Brothers a call at Action Watersports and they’ll set you up with watersports lessons, powerboat and jet ski rentals, as well as stand up paddleboards and kayaks to rent. They have one location downtown on the Sand Creek Boardwalk and another near the Floating Restaurant in Hope.

255.7100.

Mickinnick Trail There are dozens of great hiking trails around Sandpoint, but one of the closest is Mickinnick Trail. Rising over 2,000 feet in 3.5 miles, this trail gives great views of the lake and mountains. Plug “400 Mountain View Drive” into your GPS to find directions, or simply take Kootenai Cutoff Road toward Schweitzer Mountain Resort, turn left on North Boyer, then go over the train tracks onto Woodland Drive. The trail is on

Woodland Drive about a mile down on the left. Local’s Tip: This is a tough hike. It’s OK to quit early at Cougar Rock and have lunch. We won’t tell anyone you’re a sissy.

Lake Pend Oreille Cruises Step aboard the Shawnodese, a 40-foot charter vessel that gives tours of Lake Pend Oreille throughout the summer months. It’s a great way to check out the surrounding areas, as well as learn a little bit about the history of North Idaho. 208-255-LAKE. Schweitzer Mountain Resort Ski hills aren’t just for the winter! Schweitzer features a plethora of fun summer activities, including chairlift rides to the summit for breathtaking views, mountain biking and hiking, huckleberry picking and much more. Local’s tip: Colburn Lake is a great spot to swim in cold water on top of the world. Ask the staff how to get there. 263-9555.

Top: Joel Aispuro Sr. shows some muscle while Humberto Navaro and Alfredo Nuñez work the line.

Bottom: Another beautiful day on the water at Sandpoint City Beach.

Photos by Cameron Barnes.

Third Street Pier This local’s swimming spot is a little more low-key than the beach. Take Third Ave. all the way to the lake and you can’t miss it. Local’s tip: Though August 4, 2016 /

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NEWS

Residents seek city action against protesters

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff Farmers’ Market fans fed up by anti-abortion protesters are seeking the city’s help to remove them.

Although it wasn’t on the council agenda, about a half-dozen concerned citizens utilized the public forum portion of Wednesday’s City Council meeting to see whether they had any recourse against the protesters. They said their behavior has hurt business, frightened children and ruined a beloved local institution.

“I had customers contact me later saying they were not going to return to the market,” said Diane Green. “It was their belief the market supported and allowed what was going on.”

According to market president Kelsey Racicot, the self-proclaimed abortion abolitionists have previously targeted the Saturday market before, waving graphic signs to convey their message.

Over the past few weeks, however, they’ve resorted to increasingly aggressive tactics, using microphones to drown out other noises.

The upshot is dwindling attendance and poor sales.

Festival announces policy changes

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff If you want to help everyone have a great time at the Festival at Sandpoint this year, keep in mind a few changes to line and traffic flow policy.

First, traffic flow on Ontario Street will be one-way between Boyer and Marion on Festival days. This will permit two lanes of one-way traffic for easy drop-off on either side of the street. Second, only residents with permits are allowed to access Florence between Ontario and Erie.

Finally, if you’re utilizing the number system for early entry into the Festival, lines will now form on the venue lakeside to avoid blocking the Ontario sidewalk. Remember, camping for the lowest entry numbers is prohibited. Start lining up at around 6 a.m. to ensure you are among the first to be admitted when the Festival gates open.

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“Now that they can amplify their message, it’s really hurting business,” Racicot said. “Customers are leaving, vendors can’t communicate with their customers. They can’t conduct business.

Members are coming to us over and over again expressing that they are dissatisfied.”

The residents were particularly concerned about the effect the protesters were having on their children. They said the market was previously a place where kids could run around and play with one another, but now, they were being targeted by protesters and told they were going to hell.

Nathan Wood said his young son thought they were going to kill him since they were holding signs of bloody bodies. Jennifer Wood, meanwhile, said that when one market attendee got into a fight with a protesters, an small child was knocked into a booth and injured.

“This is how ugly it has gotten,” Wood said. “This is domestic terrorism.”

According to Mayor Shelby Rognstad, the city is aware of the problem and is working on a solution. While the city must respect the First Amendment rights of the protesters, they hope to find a solution that will protect

BNSF repairs under way

BID manager Kim Queen resigns

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff

Chris Hutto, right, preaches to a Sandpoint youth at the Farmers’ Market in Sandpoint. Photo by Ben Olson. the Farmers’ Market experience for everyone else. One option is to alter the city’s amplification ordinance, which allows noise levels to a maximum of 70 decibels. Other possible ordinances to enforce include prohibitions against blocking the sidewalk and aggressive panhandling.

“The issue is that what they’re doing versus what we have on the books is on the edge but, I think, still allowable,” said Scot Campbell, Sandpoint city attorney.

“The things that they’re doing like [aggressively following people and using microphones] can be

stopped, and that’s something we can do,” he added.

Police Chief Corey Coon also said he would do what he could to funnel more police attention to the Saturday market. He reminded residents that if a police officer doesn’t witness an infraction taking place, they need a witness who did. He encouraged Farmers’ Market attendees to report any violations of the law they notice.

“If we come down or if [police] get called, we just need someone to say, ‘Hey, I want to sign a citation for aggressive panhandling or for following my kid or forcing stuff on me,’” Coon said.

Kim Queen.

Officials confirmed last week that Kim Queen, manager of the Sandpoint Business Improvement District, resigned from her job.

According to Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce President Kate McAlister, the chamber staff will take over management of BID services. They will use funds allocated for the BID manager salary to contract workers for services like putting up Christmas lights.

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff Don’t be surprised to see a few more cargo trains stacked up for the next few weeks.

While some residents have been alarmed by the increase in stalled trains in the last several weeks, BNSF Railway spokesperson Gus Malonas said it’s a consequence of increased railway repairs and upgrades. The company has set records in its infrastructure upgrading program over the past few years, Melonas said.

Inspection crews have recently been taking advantage of favorable weather to complete upgrades.

This was especially noticeable last Thursday, when inspection crews found a crack in the rail bridge across Lake Pend Oreille. Repairs the required trains to be stacked until early the next morning.

A minor accident occurred Tuesday on the corner of Fourth Ave. and Cedar St. The truck and motorcycle drivers were traveling west on Cedar, with the truck in the center lane. The truck driver attempted to change lanes without seeing the motorcycle and collided with it. The motorcyclist was taken to Bonner General Health with minor injuries. Photo by Cameron Barnes.

FEATURE

Head over heels

The Bonner County Fair and Rodeo kicks off this week at the Fairgrounds

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff The Bonner County Fair is soon readied the fairgrounds steeped in the lifeblood of the for its biggest event of the year. community.

And careful planning shaped a For nearly 100 years, county lineup of events that honors the residents have gathered at the fair’s ingrained values while fair to examine livestock, enjoy bringing plenty of new ideas to a little fun and appreciate the the table. company of neighbors. From “We have lots of new, fun the first fair things this year,” in 1927 to Livingstone.

“I think what I like is just said this year’s “Our theme this festivithe coming together of the year is ‘farm ties, the gate to dinner community.” event has plate,’ so we’re -Rhonda Livingstone captured really honoring something our agriculture Fair Manager essential community this about the year.” community, painting a portrait According to Livingstone, of resilience, self-sufficiency, one of this year’s innovations cooperative spirit and good is setting aside each day to cheer. devote to a specific community “I think what I like is just issue. For instance, Tuesday is the coming together of the dedicated to suicide awareness community,” said fair manager and prevention. Thursday is Rhonda Livingstone. “We have committed to spreading the five generations [of a family] word about cystic fibrosis and here sometimes.” will feature a a free show by The Bonner County Fair country duo Branch and Dean, staff and volunteers are riding who are long-time fundraisers high after a successful 2015 sea- for research into the disease. son. Last year’s production was Saturday, Aug. 13, is cancer so on-point, the International awareness day.

Association of Fairs and Expo“I like that we’re making sitions named Bonner County people aware of health issues Fair the supreme champion of in the community,” Livingstone competitive exhibits. It is the said. smallest fair to win the honor The PRCA Rodeo this week in the organization’s 125-year kicks off fairground activity history. Livingstone credits her in spectacular fashion. As the staff for the remarkable success. highest-paying rodeo organiza“We have an awesome crew tion in the world with sanchere, and all of them have been tioned events in 37 states and just busting themselves to get three Canadian provinces, the this going this year,” she said.

PRCA always attracts the best This year brought plenty of talent to fill out its ranks. Livnew challenges. Livingstone ingstone said the rodeo comsaid that because of building mittee has done an exceptional repairs and other circumstancjob this year, with C5 Rodeo es, the staff wasn’t able to start Company serving as stock set up until around last week. contractor, Rowdy Barry and Long hours and hard work Ryan Manning as bullfighters,

Photo by Leigh Livingstone.

J.J. Harrison as barrelman, David Lewis and Blake West as pickup men and Al Parsons as announcer. Performances will be Friday, Aug. 5 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Aug. 6 at 7 p.m., with timed event slack on Saturday, Aug. 6, at 9 a.m.

The days from Aug. 9-13 are packed with exciting activities. The fair royalty crowning ceremony takes place 5 p.m. Tuesday, barrel racing starts 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Bashful Dan’s

dance party starts around 8 p.m. Wednesday, the Little Folks Horse Show is 6:30 p.m.

Thursday, the Challenge of Champions Tour Bull Riding begins 7:30 p.m. Friday and the ever-popular 4-H Market Animal Sale is 9 a.m. Saturday.

Everything comes to a smashing conclusion 7 p.m.

Saturday, Aug. 13, with the Fair Demolition Derby. This year sees a new outlaw class and small car class added into the event, so expect plenty of

variety as drivers crash and compete for big cash prizes.

Of course, that only scratches the surface of all the great events in line for the 2016 Bonner County Fair. For a more complete schedule, check the fairgrounds out online at www. bonnercountyfair.com, and be sure to pick up a fair guide for a full listing of attractions, entertainment and events. Chances are your head will spin from the sheer variety and choices in front of you.

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Nursing a community

Women host event to promote breastfeeding, prompt conversation and celebrate World Breastfeeding Week

By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Intern Bouquets: •A bouquet to the city of Sandpoint and all those who took part in the recent parking reforms. Way to listen to the concerns of your community and take action. This is how it’s supposed to work: bring your concerns to the government, they come up with a plan and implement it in a timely manner.

•The staff and volunteers at the Festival at Sandpoint deserve a large, beautiful bouquet for the hard work they do to bring us the biggest social event of the year. Dyno Wahl and her amazing group of Festival supporters are in crunch mode now, putting all the wheels in motion in anticipation for Thursday’s opening night. I’ll be there photographing and interviewing people for as many of the nights as I can.

Hope to see you all there!

Barbs: •I always hate to see when roads widen. I know some think this is a good thing—that it somehow makes the roads safer—but whenever I see giant swaths of trees mowed down along the road, it makes me feel rotten inside. I hated to see the trees go last year on the Highway 200 stretch in Ponderay by the railroad tracks. I hated to see the widening done in Sagle and beyond on Highway 95. Now, I am dismayed to see Kootenai Cutoff Road undergoing the same widening. It makes me feel as if every two lane blacktop in the country will someday be a whizzing four lane superhighway.

•I’ve received a couple of phone calls from you, dear readers, expressing your dismay that the Long Bridge work just happens to coincide with one of the busiest weekends in Sandpoint. Not a great time to have the bridge closed down to one lane, is it? I’m just glad I live on the north side of the bridge.

Seems like someone could’ve communicated with ITD and planned this out better.

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Meggan Gunter is not afraid to talk about her difficult initial steps into motherhood. After struggling through what she described as the “traumatic” birth of her first child, a baby boy, Gunter found solace in breastfeeding.

“Breastfeeding him helped me reclaim that experience,” she said. “It helped me put a positive spin on the whole thing.”

When Gunter went back to work when her son was only a few months old, she continued to pump her milk throughout the day and breastfeed at home.

“It really felt worth it,” she said. “It was how I stayed connected to him.”

Now, having breastfed two children while harboring the belief that it strengthened her relationship with both, Gunter is participating in her fifth Big Latch On event—this time as the coordinator. As part of World Breastfeeding Week, nursing women around the world gather on the first Saturday of August and breastfeed their children at 10:30 a.m. local time, in an effort to break the record for most mothers breastfeeding at once. According to the Global Big Latch On website, over 15,000 women attended these gatherings in 2015.

Gunter has become not only an advocate for what a Big Latch On event does to promote breastfeeding conversations amidst the mothers of Sandpoint, but also for what it does for the state of Idaho as a whole. Gunter said that despite Idaho’s high rate of breastfeeding mothers, the Gem State is the only place in the United States without a law protecting a mother’s right to breastfeed in public.

Gunter said that despite efforts like the Idaho Breastfeeding Law Coalition, legislators either see no real need for such a law, or want to instate it with a special footnote—mothers are protected while breastfeeding in public, as long as they use a cover.

“Have you ever tried eating your lunch under a blanket?”

Gunter said with a laugh, admitting that some mothers prefer to be covered, and that it should be entirely up to them—not the law.

“It is hugely frustrating.”

Though Gunter herself

has not been discriminated against while feeding her children in public, she has heard about negative experiences from other women. It is these stories, along with others that pertain to motherhood and the issues that surround breastfeeding, which Gunter said make the Big Latch On so important. She also noted that breastfeeding is a learned skill.

“It is really important that women see women breastfeed, and that they can share stories,” she said. “[The Big Latch On] is about fostering that community.

It’s about helping people gain confidence.”

Jessica Janssen, an OB nurse and lactation counselor, has been a past participant in Sandpoint’s Big Latch On and said she has found it to be place of encouragement.

A trio of mothers breastfeeding at Travers Park in 2014. Photo by Angie Shadel.

“I look at it as a way to normalize breastfeeding,” she said, noting that Sandpoint’s Big Latch On is held in a very famia strong turnout of pregnant ly-friendly place: a park. “It’s a women who may have questions great way for moms to network, regarding breastfeeding or mothwhen otherwise they might not erhood in general. be able to. It’s good to talk to Sandpoint’s Big Latch on takes other women in the trenches.” place Saturday, Aug. 6, at 10 a.m.

Gunter said that the event is beneath the pavilion in Travers not only open to nursing mothPark. Organizers suggest bringing ers but also anyone who wants blankets and whatever else will to come and support. She said help attendees be comfortable. that she’d especially love to see Beverages will be provided.

Back to school with the Angels Over Sandpoint

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff

Every year, thousands of parents around the country struggle with the cost of sending their kids back to school. And every year, the Angels Over Sandpoint and Community Action Partnership are on hand to ease that burden.

For 14 years, Angels Over Sandpoint has raised funds to make sure kids in low-income households aren’t crippled from the start by a lack of required school supplies.

Working from the supply lists prepared by teachers, members make sure program participants have the tools they need for each class.

“The goal is to level the school playing field so everyone gets what they need to succeed,” said Angels Over Sandpoint president Amy Flint.

Due to the odd timing of the school year versus most grant cycles, the fundraising for each Back To School program takes place the year prior, Flint said. With the end of the year in sight, she is making

preparations to secure funds for the 2017 cycle. “[The type of supplies we order] varies widely because we cover everything from preschool Head Start kids to high school seniors,” Flint said.

The distribution days for Back To School programs are a spectacle, with rows upon rows of backpacks and associated supplies laid out on tables. Parents often turn out early, worrying that they might lose out on the opportunity.

However, Flint says that everyone who registers for the program has nothing to worry about.

While the Angels try to order excess supplies to account for families that show up without registering, they encourage everyone to sign up before the deadline of Aug. 18. This ensures that the Angels have the best possible expectation of turnout and the supplies needed to meet demand. To register, call CAP at 255-2910.

“It doesn’t matter whether they participated last year or not,” Flint said. “We still need accurate infor-

mation and numbers.”

Distribution occurs at Farmin Stidwell Elementary over two days at different times, ensuring every family has a convenient time to visit. The evening session takes place 4-7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 30, while the morning session occurs Wednesday, Aug. 31, from 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

“We’re also pretty flexible about letting people pick up supplies for each other,” Flint said.

“Sometimes there’s issues that just prevent people from coming in.”

Those who wish to support the Backpack Program can mail donations to Angels Over Sandpoint at PO Box 2369, specifying that the money is for the program. You can also donate online at angelsoversandpoint.org. Rest assured you’re leaving some happy families in the wake of your generosity.

“It’s clear to us how much the program is appreciated by both the parents and the kids,” Flint said. “We often have parents tell us how [if it weren’t for the program], it was either a new pair of shoes or supplies.”

Mad about Science:

By Brenden Bobby Reader Columnist Ever since I first watched “Jurassic Park” at the tender age of 6 or 7, I had an immediate love for the giant, shrieking dinosaurs that were tearing the puny humans to shreds with incredible evolutionary prowess that has since been lost to time.

When I was a child, I didn’t really comprehend all of that.

I just thought “Awesome giant lizards!”

Unfortunately, the real world and “Jurassic Park” are two vastly different things, and I soon found out that the velociraptor was really a scrawny bird-like creature. A bird! A dopey, feathered bird like the cross-eyed thing in the cage that can’t stop saying the word “Butter? Butter? Butter?” But the more I read about them, the more I realized how completely wrong I was.

That’s the funny thing about science: It’s not for the proud. It will prove us wrong again and again and again until we’re all dead; but I guarantee you, if you accept that you were wrong and learn from it, the results are so satisfying, because reality and the truth will always exceed your initial expectations.

So, the velociraptor? Yes, it was a feathered dinosaur. If you look at it, it kind of looks like a weird dodo bird. If you really study its skeleton, however, you’ll be blown away.

Look at a modern chicken’s skeleton side-by-side with a velociraptor skeleton. You can see how nature slowly turned the 75-million-year-old creature’s long hunting claws into wings ripe for flight. Over several hundreds of thousands of years, females were beginning to pick males that could run faster, jump higher, use their mutations to their advantage and glide. That’s what

Brought to you by:

Velociraptors!

got all of the raptor mommas hot and bothered, and it paid off, because eventually nature figured out how to give birds true wings and the ability to achieve flight from early on in life—something we wouldn’t discover for ourselves until well into 200,000 years of our own evolution. Even then, we need mechanical help.

So what did they eat?

Obviously humans weren’t on the menu, as we wouldn’t evolve for another 75 million years. We believe they hunted in packs or flocks but were capable of solitary hunting if the need arose. Just like most ground-dwelling birds, they probably ate anything they could reach, though they had a unique hunting tool seen even today (albeit heavily modified): the slicing talon.

How did the talon work? Essentially, it was an elevated toe resting on a muscular spring, attached to the leg at a different point and angle than the rest of their toes. When the velociraptor was ready to strike, it would activate this muscle and deliver a shearing strike with an incredible amount of force for its size, cutting into flesh and organs like a hot knife through warm, wet butter. In more recent history, it seems this trigger-activated talon has evolved into shorter digits with smaller, sharper talons we see in eagles and osprey today. As prey changed, so too did the predator; once slashing talons became obsolete, predators sought mates with hooking ones instead.

The velociraptor is not the only type of raptor in prehistory, just the most famous. One of my personal favorites is the Utahraptor. Big Love probably isn’t the right thing to call him.

More like Big Killing Machine

of Awesome Pangaen Death, which would be an awesome Scandinavian Death Metal band name. (“I love BKMAPD, bro!”).

But seriously, if you stood the Utahraptor next to your average gentleman, the top of the raptor’s head was about two feet above the man, and that was if the raptor was slouching.

The largest ones were supposed to be at least 23 feet long and weighed around 1,000 pounds. That’s like a small female cow. A small female cow that could probably jump its full body distance and then some, and move as quickly as 45 mph or more at full sprint.

Let’s not forget the patented shearing claw, which could reach lengths of up to 10 inches.

Grab a ruler. Set your arm down. Measure out how big 10 inches is in comparison to your arm. Now imagine several hundreds of pounds of force behind a blade that large swinging at your arm in one tenth of a second.

Utahraptors were awesome, I rest my case.

Though my love for dinosaurs may have waxed and waned over the years, my admiration for the sheer ingenuity and raw power of nature has only increased. When you begin to look at how all of these things formed and came together so organically over the course of several millions of years, everything just begins to make sense. Where we are, why we’re here now,

what we as a species have achieved, why certain animals are the way they are. It certainly was no accident.

As the landscape changed, as the weapons became obsolete, nature figured out ways of staying relevant. What didn’t work died and lineages morphed as females sought mates with unique skills and tools.

These traits emerged in their offspring and their offspring’s offspring. Subtle, tenth-of-aninch mutations like an unusual curve of a talon recorded themselves in strands of DNA like

an architect’s blueprint, then were replicated and modified by new additions and ideas. We are seeing it to this day as our climate changes more quickly than we’ve ever seen: What will be obsolete in a changing world is dying. What can adapt and change is doing so now, staying ahead of the curve and beating out the competition.

The only question that poses for us is: Are we as humans going to change and adapt to a changing world, or in our quest for achieving greatness in bygone standards will we become obsolete and disappear like the raptors of the ancient world?

Random Corner dinosaurs

? Perhaps Think you know jack about dinosaurs . these tidbits will add to your knowledge

•Dinosaurs are not, technically, extinct, since birds are considered by science as a type of dinosaur.

•The longest complete dinosaur is the 27 meters (89 feet) long Diplodocus, which was discovered in Wyoming.

•The smallest known dinosaur was about four inches (10 cm) tall and weighed less than a chihuahua.

•The dinosaur noises in the “Jurassic Park” movie were made from recordings of tortoise sex.

•Dinosaurs often swallowed large rocks. These rocks stayed in the stomach and helped them grind up food.

• 40 percent of Americans think that humans and dinosaurs lived at the same time.

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Festival at Sandpoint: Bruce Hornsby and the Noisemakers Gates open 6pm @ Memorial Field The grand kickoff to the 2016 Festival at Sandpoint, featuring Grammy award-winning artist Bruce Hornsby and the Noisemakers. Sandpoint-based Bridges Home will be opening. Come on down and plant yourself on the lawn for a night of great music. This is where it all begins, For tickets call 265-4554

Festival at Sandpoint: Railroad Earth Gates open 6pm @ Memorial Field Railroad Earth’s music combines diverse elements of bluegrass, rock and roll, jazz and Celtic. Opening band Rabbit Wilde. For tickets call 265-4554

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Winter Ridge Speaker S 6pm @ Winter Ridge Menopause as opportunit Dollar Beers!

8pm @ Eichardt’s Pub

PRCA Bonner Co 7pm @ Bonner Cou The PRCA Rodeo ner County! Ticket adults, $8 child. Do Live Music w/ Chr 6pm - 9pm @ Arlo’ Live Music w/ M Free First Saturday 5:30-7:30pm @ I at the Museum This guitar/mand 8am-12pm @ Bonner Co. favorite songs History Museum Enjoy free admission plus Live Music w/ Jus there will be free donuts 5:30-7:30pm @ Ida Sandpoint singer/so and coffee! voice and a deep w Aftival: Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe ‘W 10pm @ The Hive 1Fresh off the Rolling Stones tour, Karl and K his band are highly regarded as one of the no best live bands on the planet. Denson rocked si the house last year when they played the w Hive - expect greatness again. Tickets $25 fo at the door, VIP booths available co

Aftival: Taylor Hicks 10pm @ The Hive “American Idol” season five winner Taylor Hicks will be playing with Taylor Hicks and Jelly Bread Jam w/45th St. Brass. Tickets $25 at door

Festival at Sandpoint: Emmylou Harris Gates open 4:30pm @ Memorial Field Grand Ole Opry member and 13-time Grammy winner Emmylou Harris will be headling with opening bands The Brothers Landreth and The Powers for this Super Saturday show. For tickets call 265-4554

22nd Annual Long Bridge Swim The annual swim around Lake Pend Oreille Live Music w/ David Lane Walsh 6-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery Dave plays some of the best Latin inspired flamenco guitar around Live Music w/ Chris Lynch 6pm - 9pm @ Arlo’s Ristorante

Sandpoint Chess Club 9am @ Evans Brothers Coffee Game Night at the Niner 9pm @ 219 Lounge

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Festival at Sandpoint Family Concert: Peter and the Wo Gates open 4:30pm @ Memorial Field Featuring the Spokane Youth Orchestra conducted by Gary

Monday Night Blues Jam w/ Truck Mills 7:30pm @ Eichardt’s Pub

Learn to dance the Swing – 7pm @ SWAC Learn the Triple Time East Coast Swing from Diane Peters. 610-1770 for info

Beer Hall Open Mic Night 7-10pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall Held on the second Tuesday of every Karaoke Night month, this Open Mic is hosted by Ben 10pm - Midnight @ 219 Lounge and Cadie of Harold’s IGA. Come to play, listen or throw tomatoes

Trivia Night 7pm - 9pm @ MickDuff’s

Intro to 3D Design Using Sketchup Make @ MakerPoint Studio If you’re new to 3D design, this class can show you how to use Sketchup Make to create 3D designs that can be printed in 3D, used for layout and even custom laser-cut items. Pre-register by Aug. 9 at Sandpoint Parks and Rec. $61 — 208-263-3613

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Crafternoon 1:30pm @ Sandpoint Library Featuring Splatter Painting! Kids and families bond with free family fun!

Festival at Sandpoint: Angelique Kidjo Gates open 6pm @ Memorial Field Live Music w/ Doug Bond Grammy Award-winning singer-songand Marty Perron writer and activist Angelique Kidjo with 6-9pm @ Trinity at City Beach oepners Afrosonics. Kidjo has been called “Africa’s premier diva” by Time Magazine. Tickets 265-4554

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August 4 - 11, 2016

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

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Live Music w/ Kevin Dorin Clark Fork Crafternoon 6-9pm @ Trinity at City Beach 1:30pm @ Clark Fork Library Enchanted Bubble Wands!

Open Mic with Scott Reid Kids and families will make 6-8pm @ Monarch Mtn. Coffee bubble wands to take home.

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onner County Rodeo Live Music w/ Running With Scissors onner County Fairgrounds 6pm - 9pm @ Trinity at City Beach A Rodeo returns to Bonty! Tickets at the gate $15 Live Music w/ Ron Kieper 5:30-8:30pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery child. Don’t miss the fun!

Ron brings some of the best Jazz saxosic w/ Chris Lynch phone of both originals and covers m @ Arlo’s Ristorante usic w/ Marty Perron & Doug Bond DJ at the Niner 9pm @ 219 Lounge 30pm @ Idaho Pour Authority Featuring DJ Josh Adams itar/mandolin duo plays all your songs

Live Music w/ Devon Wade 6:30-9:30pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall Celebrate First Friday with Sandpoint country singer Devon Wade Terry Ford Fundraiser Yard Sale 8-2pm @ 985 Shingle Mill Rd. Proceeds from this yard sale will go toward Terry Ford, write-in candidate for Bonner County Sheriff

sic w/ Justin Lantrip Live Music w/ Devon Wade Terry Ford Fundraiser Yard Sale 0pm @ Idaho Pour Authority 9pm @ 219 Lounge 8-2pm @ 985 Shingle Mill Rd. t singer/songwriter with a soulful Country music on the patio a deep well of original songs ‘Wolf’ Book Signing rse Live Music w/ Harold’s IGA Sandpoint Farmers’ Market 9-1pm @ Farmin Park 1-2:30pm @ The Corner Bookstore 4-6pm @ Park Place Stage arl and Kelly Oliver is a Gonzaga graduate, See Harold’s IGA in the broad Great local produce, fun arts of the now a professor at Vanderbilt Univer- daylight as part of the Summer and crafts, artisanal products rocked sity and a Sandpoint summer resident Sounds concert series. It’s the yummy food and live music. A ed the whose family has been in Sandpoint little stage outside of Arlo’s on Sandpoint tradition! ets $25 for 100 years. She will be signing First Ave. copies of her first novel, “Wolf.”

Huckleberry Color Fun Run & Walk nd the Wolf 10am @ Schweitzer Mountain Resort Participants run or walk through the forest and

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August 12 Nitty Gritty Dirt Sandpoint Farmers’ Market Band @ Festival at 3-5:30pm @ Farmin Park Turnt Up Wednesdays Sa ndpoint Great local produce, fun arts 8pm @ 219 Lounge Kids and Featuring DJ Josh Adams and crafts, yummy food and August 12 fun! live music The Revivalists @ The Hive August 13 azz ‘n’ Java -8pm @ Monarch Mountain Coffee Ben Harper and the All players welcome! Sit in with a Throwback Thursdays at the 219 Inno cent Criminals @ hythm section, play solo or just lis- 7-11pm @ 219 Lounge Fe st iv al at Sandpoint Featuring live music with Brian Jaen! Hosted by Larry Mooney August 13 cobs and friends Dollar Beers! pm @ Eichardt’s Pub Moon Taxi @ The Hive

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SPORTS and OUTDOORS

Community fun — just add water

Long Bridge Swim provides community with sense of accomplishment, and so much more

By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Intern In the early ‘90s, Eric Ridgway drove Sandpoint’s Long Bridge every day. For a man who describes swimming as his “therapy, joy and meditation,” it isn’t surprising to hear that during those drives he always thought, “I’ve got to swim this sometime.”

And he did. In 1994 with two friends on kayaks by his side in case of emergency, Ridgway felt small and insignificant in a blue abyss, and yet had so much fun—a feeling he wanted to share.

“I wanted to create an event to help people take on a challenge they weren’t confident they’d achieve, and then help them reach incredible success,” Ridgeway said.

So in 1995, the Long Bridge Swim was officially born.

Despite these humble beginnings, current director Jim Zuberbuhler anticipates over 750 swimmers will kick their way across the 1.76-mile watery expanse during the 22nd Long Bridge Swim, taking place this Saturday, Aug 6.

The substantial growth in participant numbers is not only an indication of the event’s popularity, but also something that has caused an evolution in how the event is run. What began as a single man swimming the expanse is now a production worthy of a T-shirt for each participant—and if that doesn’t say “official,” what does?

“One significant change is that we’ve had to get far more organized—we’ve become a machine,” Zuberbuhler said. “We used to be able to run this fairly ‘seat-of-ourpants,’ and we can’t anymore. We have to be dialed in.”

Zuberbuhler said being “dialed in” deals mostly with the Long Bridge Swim’s sophisticated safety program. The more swimmers that are willing to come out and try the swim, the more safety protocol is in order. This includes the involvement of the Bonner County Sheriff’s Department along with dozens of bridge spotters and kayakers amidst the swimmers.

“I want the same number of bathing caps to come out that went in,” Zuberbuhler said.

Still, Zuberbuhler said the Long Bridge Swim is still, at it’s core, what it was meant to be all along: a fun community event. Even with 18 /

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Kayak support vessels congregate at the south end of the Long Bridge at 2010’s Long Bridge Swim. Photo by Sean Haynes. more than 250 volunteers working behind the scenes, the grassroots feel of the Long Bridge Swim shouldn’t be lost, he said.

“If we’re doing our job, [participants] wouldn’t even know everything that’s going on,” Zuberbuhler said.

Something that participants and community members might also not realize is that the Long Bridge Swim does not begin and end with the first Saturday in August. Sure, the swim itself might, but the event’s impact leaves a mark all year long through programs like Zuberbuhler’s brainchild: a swim lesson initiative to teach every child in Bonner County how to swim.

In 2009, after learning that two North Idaho children had drowned, Zuberbuhler wondered if the Long Bridge Swim could do something to help.

“The more I looked, and the more I asked, the more I realized there was a problem,” he said.

Now, every school year, thirdgraders from around the Lake Pend Oreille School District are taken to Sandpoint West Athletic Club and given swim lessons. The goal? No child graduates third grade without being able to swim. This past year, Zuberbuhler said nearly 1,000 children went through the program with the help of Long Bridge Swim sponsorship money.

“We’ve been able to bring leverage to the event and bring attention to this problem,” he said, noting that the behind-the-scenes benefits of the swim do not stop there.

Every year, with excess funds from registration costs, the Long Bridge Swim funds another project—different every year, but always positive for local swimming. Past projects have been an investment in a machine that cleans goose poop off of City Beach, the installation of new pilings at Dog Beach and sponsorship of a training program to keep

lifeguards at City Beach.

Ridgeway said his hope is that people of all abilities come out to swim and then continue to do so for Long Bridge Swims to come.

He also encourages anyone on the fence to come spectate, in the hopes they’ll gain confidence to swim next year. He emphasized that anyone can do the swim— from pregnant women to para-

lyzed veterans, he has seen it all.

“People may surprise themselves. There is a real sense of accomplishment,” he said. “My hope is that they have so much fun, they want to do it year after year after year.”

After all, he didn’t start the swim for seasoned swimmers — he said he started the Long Bridge Swim to help people overcome their perceived limitations.

“I want people to realize that they are so much more amazing than they believe,” Ridgeway said.

Though online registration is currently closed, a last chance to sign up for the Long Bridge Swim is Friday from 5:30-7 p.m. at Sandpoint High School. No one can register on Saturday, the day of the event. The mandatory safety meeting for all registered swimmers takes place at 8 a.m. the morning of the race at SHS, after which 18 buses will transport swimmers to the event, where the breaststroking and doggy-paddling may commence at 9 a.m.

A passion for music The Music Conservatory of Sandpoint (MCS) hosted a concert last week at the Panida Theater. In its fourth year, the Young Artist Exchange Program is a collaborative effort between MCS and REDES 2025 in Baja California. Both MCS and its Mexican counterparts have exchanged a handful of students each year to broaden the musical and cultural experiences of partipating students.

This year, MCS hosted five students and guest conductor Tomas Malagamba Jasis, who will stay through the week and perform on Sunday, Aug. 7, at the Family Concert day at the Festival at Sandpoint.

We’d like to welcome this year’s exchange students: Fernanda Rodríguez Osuna, 17, flute; Michelle Annete Cisneros Chavarria, 17, oboe; Misael Antonio Zabala Lopez, 16, clarinet; Zulma Lucia Escobedo Facundo, 15, violin; and Santiago Rojo Acosta, 15, bassoon.

Photos by Ben Olson

LITERATURE

There is a blue i

sky high drama

by Karen Seashore

This open Window

Vol. 1 No. 6

poetry and prose by local writers

edited by Jim mitsui

Everyone, especially those of us who are getting older, should write their own life story, their memoir. How many times have you heard someone say that they wished they would have asked more questions, or asked for more stories, from family members who have passed. My brother, Sam, who lives in Renton, Wash., just celebrated his 90th birthday. He has had an interesting life, serving as a Japanese translator for the U.S. Army in Japan just after World War II ended. To my regret, I have never talked to him about that experience. Next week we are driving to Seattle, and you can bet that I will ask him a lot of questions.

Don’t lose your family history with all its interesting stories and unique experiences—especially your own. Often the most compelling tales come from everyday living, work, school, vacations, birthdays, weddings, holidays, fishing, skiing, backpack trips and homesteading. Start by keeping a journal and jot down details every time you remember something, or make it a point to talk to your family and old friends. Don’t let lives be forgotten in just a few generations. Just tell the stories that you remember.

Specific details are good: the pink and white ’55 Ford convertible, the bottle of Wild Turkey, a copy of “Big Two-Hearted River” by Ernest Hemingway, the crudely painted “Tex, King of Tramps” under the highway bridge out of town.

Memoirs can be poetry or prose. Here is a personal example. Growing up in eastern Washington in the ‘50s, I was trying to be as white as I could. This meant rejecting rice, chopsticks—anything Japanese. My father worked for the Great Northern Railroad and sometimes came home to eat his lunch. We lived very close to the tracks.

I used to come up with excuses to sit at the kitchen table across from him because to watch him eat was so entertaining. The poem to the right attempts to show the scene.

Send me one of your memoirs, poetry or prose: jim3wells@aol.com

Want to see your poetry in the Reader?

Send in your submission to: jim3wells@aol.com.

by Amy Craven

cannot resist: the blue of a Swedish garden door, a clean & innocent tint, color of desert sky, of Cinderella’s gown that blue of my first bicycle. If I could have willed such a thing, I’d have stopped growing to avoid passing that bike down to my little sister, and then had entered my teens at four-feet-five, never worried I could not wear spool heels to the dances at Box Elder Junior High. But, even short, I’d be a wallflower suffering on a folding chair, aware of my shamed red face. Yesterday in the check-out line at Home Depot I wore blinders. I swore I’d stop at one batch of blush-red cosmos in my cart---why spend your nest eggs on impermanent beauty? Then through the windows of the check-out stall I spied the cornflower blue the forget-me-not blue the bicycle blue the beckoning blue of delphinium--shorter & lacier than I’ve ever grown. On special, three pots for twelve bucks. I caved.

On an afternoon walk, the Hazel-dog and I are startled by the sudden sight of a frenzied bird quartet— An eagle and three crows shift Almost soundlessly thirty feet above our heads The backdrop, a cloudless sky of Wedgwood blue One crow tugs and snaps at the eagle’s tail while two more flank the bird’s five foot wingspan The eagle dips and rolls, trying to lose the nuisance of the crow’s weight and determination The crows’ volition borne out of extreme distress for they are on a rescue mission Now I see it, wrapped in eagle sharpness, a baby crow Privy to just this one scene I have no complete sense of the genre A Verdian tragedy for the crows or a fluffy piece of light opera for the eagle?

—Karen Seashore 5/25/15

You can see Karen riding her present bike around downtown Sandpoint. Note how a memoir, all four-feet-five, sneaks into this color extolling the color blue.

—Amy Craven

A Sandpoint singer, songwriter, & poet, Amy displays her powers of observation as she combines the two genres.

The bottom step

by Brenda Hammond

when father came home for lunch

by James Masao Mitsui

I listen to my parents’ language, watch my father eat his separate meal, the railroad motor car cooling off & waiting on the siding by the section house.

He sits with his back to the burning woodstove in a captain’s chair and eats the family leftovers, a bowl of rice balanced in his hand, chopsticks flicking around to the bowls & dishes arranged in front of him.

Mother adds onions, a fried egg and potatoes to his main bowl.

He adds catsup, shoyu and mixes it with the white radish, eggplant and cold chicken.

He works around to the mustard-caked bowl before each mouth of rice, sauce hanging from his moustache.

Hot coffee, heavy with sugar & cream, steams from a china mug.

Half-an-hour of noisy manners and he’s gone, back to work in oily bib overalls.

I can still smell the sweat soaking his long-sleeved workshirt.

---James Masao Mitsui From a Three-Cornered World U.W. Press, 1997

There were twenty-five steps

or maybe it was ten

from the sidewalk up

to the house where I lived.

I couldn’t leave our yard

but mother let me

sit on the bottom step

and talk to people

who walked by.

I’d say, “Hello—what’s your name?

My name is Brenda.”

Some would hurry by

mumbling “hello” But often, especially older women

as old as my mother or even older

would stop and we’d have

long conversations

asking each other questions.

They would tell me their names

and where they lived And I’d say I was 4 years old

and had no brothers or sisters

not even a dog

but the people across the street

had a whole tank of goldfish

and I got in trouble

for going over there.

When my dad came in and found me

eating strawberry shortcake

he was mad

even though I said I

came to see the fish.

And that’s why I was sitting on the bottom step.

—Brenda Hammond 5/10/2015 August 4, 2016 /

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Gardening with Laurie:

Growing a tea garden

By Laurie Brown Reader Columnist Tea has been made and drunk for thousands of years. It’s the most commonly consumed liquid other than water. Technically, the only true “tea” is made from Camellia sinensis— the shrub that originated in China. All other steeped brews are called “tisanes,” but the two terms are used interchangeably these days.

While we won’t be growing any camellias in Bonner County in the near future, there are other plants we can grow that make pleasant drinks. Here are some plants that you may well be already growing for other reasons; all are very easy.

The plants probably used more than any others as tea are in the mint family. The usual suspects like peppermint, spearmint, orange, ginger and chocolate mint are easy to grow; I recommend growing these plants in containers to prevent over spreading. Leaves can be used fresh or dried.

•Anise hyssop—won’t survive winter for me but grows in town. Tall, a mint on steroids, and has a sweet licorice flavor.

•Lemon balm—Has a pure lemon flavor, unlike lemon mint which is, well, minty.

•Bee balm—gorgeous perennial; can add to black tea to make “mock Earl Grey.” Leaves and flowers are both used; plant likes a moist setting.

•Catnip—has claims to being sedative to humans. Some people like the taste; personally, I let the cats have ours. Store your catnip in a jar or hard-sided container or they will find and get into it!

•Chamomile—Apple flavor; it’s the flowers that are used.

The weed called around here “wild chamomile” or “pineapple weed” is related but tastes different; it can be used, too.

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•Red clover, white Dutch clover—use the dried flowers.

It’s sweet and mild, and is a good one for someone who says they don’t like herb teas.

•Lavender—very strong and floral. Use the flowers before they start to look faded. Needs well-drained soil.

•Raspberry, blackberry leaf—a refreshing, clean taste somewhat like China tea.

•Strawberry leaf—slightly sweet, strawberry flavor.

•Rose-hips and petals— crush the hips and strain tea before use to get the hairs out.

Gather petals before the flower

unfolds completely. The best for tea are the old European garden roses: gallicas, albas, damasks and centifolias. The best for hips are species roses like Rosa gallica and Rosa rugosa. Rose petal tea is marvelous on its own and is good added to things like blackberry leaf. Rose hip tea has a slightly sour flavor and vitamin C. •Borage—both flowers and leaves are used, although the flowers are more for beauty than taste. Harvest wearing gloves and strain the steeped tea before use; the hairy leaves can make you itch. No one wants an itchy tongue. Mild cucumber taste.

•Rose, lemon, nutmeg, other

scented geraniums—live in the window come frost and put outside in late spring. Fresh leaves are best.

Pick leaves/flowers in early morning, before the sun starts cooking the plants; they’ll have more aromatic oils. Dry herbs in a cool area away from sunlight.

All you need to make your tea is a tea pot or French press; if you use a pot, you’ll want to have an infuser or strainer so your cup isn’t full of leaves. One to three

tablespoons of leaf per cup of water is a good starting place for most herbs; you’ll need more if using fresh rather than dried.

Fresh herbs release more flavor if bruised before using.

Use hot water but do not let the tea itself boil. Never, ever, ingest a plant when you are not 100-percent certain of its identity or that it hasn’t been treated with any type of insecticide, herbicide or mildewcide, either by spray or systemically.

Area author signs new mystery novel Saturday

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff

Like Jessica James, the protagonist of her mystery series, Kelly Oliver is a woman of many talents.

A professor of philosophy at Vanderbilt University, Oliver has built a career teaching students, conducting research and writing nonfiction books.

In the past few years, however, she’s made time to dive into another world, one filled with danger, corruption, mystery and female camaraderie. The result is the “Jessica James Mystery” series. Sandpoint readers can get an early taste of the latest novel, “Coyote,” when Oliver hosts a book signing at the Corner Bookstore Saturday, Aug. 6, from 1-2:30 p.m.

Herself a native of the Inland Northwest, Oliver has deep ties to Bonner County through her parents, who still live here.

Raised in the beauty of Montana, Idaho and Washington, she developed a deep appreciation for the lifestyles and cultures of the Northwest.

“The area is really close to my heart,” Oliver said. “It’s in my blood, so I try to come back here as much as I can.”

These traits found their way into the character of Jessica James, a bright and headstrong philosophy grad student with “more wit than grace,” as Oliver describes her. A Montana cowgirl who finds herself in the decidedly different culture of academia, James’ natural curiosity routinely lands her into trouble.

Oliver is no stranger to female characters in fiction. One of her non-fiction books, “Hunting Girls: Sexual Violence From The Hunger Games to Campus Rape,” explores popular female protagonists like Katniss Everdeen of “The Hunger Games” or Bella Swan of “Twilight” in the context of modern issues like sexual violence. When shaping her own female protagonist, she found many admirable qualities in the women of pop fiction but wanted to see larger casts of diverse female characters support and complement one another.

“The idea is to develop different types of women that show

a lot of variety in their interests but work together,” Oliver said.

As one might expect, James’ background as a philosophy student allows Oliver to inject the occasional tidbit about this philosopher or that school of thinking. It also informs the deeper themes of the novel.

While the Jessica James stories are designed as page-turning mysteries, the plots also reflect the many philosophical questions Oliver has pondered over her career, including ethics in animal rights, environmental responsibility and more. Story elements like date rape, corporate malfeasance and more all spring from her work as a philosopher.

The most recent book, “Coyote,” finds Jessica James moving back to Montana, where she is dragged into the fight against oil interests by her roommate, Blackfoot Tribe member Kimi RedFox. In the fight against frackers, the pair encounter a web of sex trafficking, prostitution rings and murder.

Sandpoint residents can

purchase an advance copy of “Coyote” at Oliver’s signing at the Corner Bookstore Saturday, Aug. 6, from 1-2:30 p.m.

FOOD

The Sandpoint Eater

Celebrating song with food

By Marcia Pilgeram Reader Food Columnist Come Festival week, there’s just no place like home. And there is no one better than our own hometown talent, Bridges Home, to kick off tonight’s festivities by opening for Grammy Award-winner Bruce Hornsby. We all have our own ideas about how to savor these amazing evenings. My friend and devoted Festival fan, Dee Ann Smith, plans to sip some POW Malbec during tonight’s performance. Whether you plan to pair your wine with music or food, you can fill your bellies and ears with an eclectic collection of both.

And let’s not forget beer—for an extra ten bucks you can show up early this evening for the microbrew tasting, which includes a commemorative pilsner glass.

Look for new kids on the Festival Street block, including a couple of innovative collaborations.

Wildwood Grilling and the Festival at Sandpoint have partnered for this year’s Festival, and Wildwood Grilling will be participating not only as a food vendor on Festival Street but also a first-time financial sponsor to the Festival.

“The Festival at Sandpoint is grateful for the significant support of Wildwood Grilling,” said Festival executive director Dyno Wahl. “Our newest community partner has been a committed local employer manufacturing and distributing grilling planks nationwide for the past 25 years. Pick up your commemorative Festival cedar Planks at our merchandise booth and check out their exciting cedar planked menu on Festival Street.”

With menu items such as cedar planked, wild-caught Alaskan salmon, cedar skewer chicken satays and cedar planked s’mores, Wildwood Grilling will be serving a variety of food items that can be enjoyed by guests of all ages. All proceeds from their food booth will go directly to the Festival, which is reason enough to support the Wildwood Grilling booth.

And another collaboration on Festival Street is by no means “small potatoes.” The Angels Over Sandpoint and the culinary students

from the Forrest Bird Charter School have teamed up with big ideas and really big potatoes—huge bakers. You can load them to your heart’s content with toppers such as butter, sour cream, chives, cheese, broccoli, bacon bits and chili.

The Festival at Sandpoint’s culinary offerings rival the diversity of the musical performances. Take a stroll (and your appetite) down Festival Street for a huge variety of local palate pleasers. And keep in mind that you are also supporting many community nonprofit organizations and local, small businesses. Now you can feel good (and thank me later) about that big ice cream sundae served up by the Panida.

You’ll find plenty of your favorite Festival Street residents as well as some newbies. They’ll all be happy to greet you and feed you.

Here’s the mouthwatering line-up: Angels Over Sandpoint / Forest Bird Charter School: Loaded Potatoes with Butter, Sour Cream, Chives, Cheese, Broccoli, Bacon Bits and Chili.

Arlo’s Ristorante: ThreeCheese Baked Ziti, Grilled Italian Sausage with Peppers & Onions, Chicken Cacciatore Sandwich, Cold Tortelini Salad with Roasted Bell Pepper Dressing, Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad, Cannoli.

Bab’s Pizzeria: Meat and Veggie Stromboli, Meat or Veggie Focaccia Sandwich, Garlic Knots, Greek or Antipasta Salad, Pretzels, New York Cheesecake with Cherry Topping, Gluten Free Strawberry Shortcake or Chocolate Filled Cake.

Bulldog Band Boosters’ Pizza: Papa Murphy’s Pizza by the Slice, Assorted Salads, Cheesy Bread, Cookies.

Eichardt’s Pub: Pulled Pork or Black Bean Tostadas, Chocolate Dessert.

Evans Brothers Coffee: Hot & Cold Gourmet Coffee Drinks, Tea, Hot Chocolate, Chai, Water, Cookies.

Independence Ski Team: Veggie or Seasoned Beef Nachos, Gourmet Beef or Black Bean/Veggie Burgers with an abundance of Toppings, Polish Dogs, Hot Dogs, Mexi-Dogs, Cowboy Cookies Joe’s Philly Cheesesteak: Steak or Chicken Philly Cheesesteak

Sandwich w/choice of Cheeses & Veggies, Meatball Hoagie, Sloppy Joes, Chips, Gluten Free Chocolate Cake, Cheesecake with Toppings.

Jupiter Jane’s: JJ’s Rockin’ Tacos: Chicken, Black Bean, Cabbage & Cheese Topped with Chipotle Cream Sauce & Mango Salsa Cosmic Fish Tacos, Steak Tacos, Kale Slaw with Wasabi Cucumber Dressing & Mango Salsa, The Urban Hippie: Black Beans, Kale Slaw, Shredded Cheese, Jalapenos, Basil Cream Sauce & Corn Salsa, Peach Cobbler with Whiskey Cream Sauce.

May’s Catering: Thai Cuisine—Assorted Thai Entrees with White or Brown Rice: Red or Yellow Curry, Stir Fry, Cashew Chicken, Pad Thai, Chow Mein, Basil Beef, Garlic Pork, Sweet Sticky Rice w/Fruit.

North Idaho Fish & Chips: Fish & Chips, Chicken Strips & Chips, Prawns & Chips, Corn Dogs & Chips, Fries, Garlic Bleu Cheese Fries, Poutine, Fried Huckleberry Ice Cream.

Panida Theater: Ice Cream Sundaes, Ice Cream Cones, Pie a l Mode & Brownies. Try the “Standing Ovation” Brownie Sundae!

Wildwood Grilling: Cedar Planked Wild Alaskan Salmon, Chicken Satay with Blistered Cherry Tomatoes, Alder Wrapped Grilled Veggies, Smoked Corn on the Cob, Warm Planked Peaches with Wildwood Amaretto and Alder Ice Cream, Planked S’mores, Local Shingle Mill Blueberries.

Remember that all proceeds from Wildwood Grilling go directly to Festival Over Sandpoint.

One thing that sets the Festival at Sandpoint apart from other music festivals is the full service bars and down-to-earth prices. For your favorite libation, visit their friendly watering holes: Conlan’s at The Festival or the Lakeside Lounge.

Don’t forget: Last call is 10 p.m.!

There’s so much talent in this beautiful little village of ours, and we’ll see some of them keeping it all in the family this week.

Bridges Homes, the talented trio of David, Tammy and Paul Gunter, will provide an opening act, as well as local vocal favorite Sadie Waggoner accompanied by her father Michael Wagoner and mother, Nashville singer-songwriter Tammy Davis.

Our own homegrown diva and soprano, (and wedding singer extraordinaire) Hailey Fuqua, will perform with the Spokane

Symphony Orchestra for the final performance. Conducted by Maestro Gary Sheldon, another talented Sandpoint native, Jason Moody, will play violin. From this evening’s “Taste of the Stars” Wine Tasting (the largest wine event of its kind in the state of Idaho), to the grand fireworks finale, this performance leaves us longing for just one more evening of music and magic. And so begins another year of Festival anticipation.

Bravo to all who support the festival by attending the spring auction, purchasing season tickets, or showing up night after night, year after year, rain or shine, to support the most important cultural and culinary event that Sandpoint has to offer.

And bravo to Dyno Wahl and the Festival board for keeping this event real, sustainable and affordable, by providing patrons with so many options, such as allowing outside food and beverages. Let’s show our support by showing up, spreading our blankets and sharing some Festival love.

You might even pack an extra picnic portion and share that too. My basket will be stocked with lots of wine and some great appetizers, some prepared on Wildwood Grilling planks and wraps. Check out Wildwood Grilling planks at the Festival. Take some home, and give these picnic recipes a try.

Bon Appétit.

Festival Picnic for Four

For a nice presentation, serve the bread directly from plank and the asparagus in the wraps.

Cured salami, Seedless grapes, Marcona almonds, Mediterranean olives, Litehouse cheese curds, *Smoky planked garlic cheese bread, *Grilled cedar wrapped asparagus spears, Serve with a chilled bottle of Pend d’Oreille Winery Roussanne

Smoky Planked Garlic Bread Please note-cooking times will vary by bbq/grill. Keep an eye on things!

INGREDIENTS:

•Follow prepping instructions on plank. Heat plank, when • Two Wildwood Festival Planks hot, turn over and place • One Baguette, cut in half herbs and garlic on plank, length wise, then halved for •Close lid and cook about five minutes. Place bread on top 4 pieces of garlic and chives, and • Olive oil • Four garlic cloves, sliced thin press into place.

•Cook another five minutes • Rosemary sprigs with lid down. Using spatula, • Fresh sliced mozzarella carefully turn bread over.

• Sea salt Herbs and garlic will be on top of bread. Place sliced mozzarella on top. Close lid until cheese is hot and •Coat/toss herbs and garlic bubbly. Sprinkle with sea in olive oil, brush bread with salt and serve planked. olive oil

DIRECTIONS:

Cedar Wrapped Asparagus Spears

INGREDIENTS: • Two Wildwood Cedar Wraps, soak for five minutes then cut in half with grain of wood • One pound thin asparagus spears, rinsed and ends snapped • 2 tbs Olive oil • 1 tsp Balsamic Vinegar • Four thin lemon slices • Fines herbs • Thyme sprigs

DIRECTIONS: •Preheat grill. Place lemon one lemon slice on each damp wrap. Whisk oil and vinegar and blend in dry herbs.

•Toss asparagus to coat, divide into four portions, mound a portion on center of wrap, place thyme sprigs on top of asparagus, then roll snugly into bundles. Tie with twine from package.

•Place on rack in grill, away from direct flames and close lid. Cook for about five minutes. Serve hot or cold.

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MUSIC

Taylor Hicks returns

The musician and TV personality tells why he can’t stay away from Sandpoint

Taylor Hicks performing with Umphreys McGee. Photo by Josh Timmermans.

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff

Something about Sandpoint just keeps Taylor Hicks coming back.

Maybe it’s the lake, the mountains and the lush natural scenery. Maybe it’s the friends that make the area their home. Whatever it is, his shows in Sandpoint are not just a chance to engage with an audience—they’re an opportunity to unwind and recharge. And with several big projects ahead of him, Hicks will have plenty of use for a refreshed state of mind. “[I’m looking forward to enjoying] the air and the water and the food and my friends,” Hicks said. “And not necessarily in that order.”

A working musician since his teenage years, Hicks launched to an entirely new level when he competed in and won the “American Idol” season five competition in 2006.

Hicks soon found himself in uncharted territory.

“All entertainers ever want to do at some point is catch the proverbial break,” Hicks said. “‘Idol’ is that proverbial 22 /

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break.”

With a wealth of options to explore, Hicks determined to develop his career in a direction that emphasized change and variety over tried-andtrue musical formula. While he was quick to hit the studio following “American Idol” and release a new album, his self-titled major label debut, he also explored opportunities in TV, theater and the restaurant business. Turns on Broadway and a touring role in a production of “Grease” soon followed.

“You want to be careful [after a big break]—you want to be a credible entertainer,” Hicks said. “I think reinvention is the most important thing.

People want to see you as a little dynamic.”

One of Hicks’ upcoming projects, the TV show “State Plate” is a reflection of that philosophy. Set to premiere Friday, Oct. 21, on the INSP television network, “State Plate” follows Hicks as he travels across the country seeking the culinary traditions that define each state. From crab cakes in

Maryland to chili in Texas to, yes, potatoes here in Idaho, “State Plate” demonstrates the diversity of American food cultures while showcasing the creativity of state residents who reinvent those classic traditions. The show follows the folks who grow, harvest, catch and make America’s most iconic foods.

“It’s a real farm-to-table concept,” Hicks said, suggesting that Sandpoint residents can expect to see the town featured in the show.

Fans of Hicks’ music need not worry: “State Plate” isn’t keeping him out of the recording studio. He’s spent the last couple years working on a whole range of new songs.

According to Hicks, a roots music aesthetic underlies the new material—a logical step in a career built on classic rock, blues, country and R&B. According to Hicks, there’s no better chance for devotees and newcomers alike to experience his music than his live performance at The Hive this Friday. He has nothing but

praise for the venue and has played it so much, he considers himself something of a house musician.

“I’m thrilled to get to play my favorite venue in the country,” Hicks said. “I mean that with all sincerity—it’s one of the most genius concepts from a hosting perspective and also a sonic perspective.”

High energy will be the mark of the night, especially with support from the dynamic Jelly Bread and 45th Street Brass Band. Expect a crowded dance floor as the artists combine their talents to debut the 2016 Aftival in style.

According to Hicks, The Hive management’s sense of hospitality goes beyond a veggie tray and a word of thanks.

Owner Jeff Grady and his staff know how to take care of the artists they host, and they take full advantage of Sandpoint’s charms to sell the experience.

Whether that means a lake day in the summer or a trip up to Schweitzer in the winter, a show in Sandpoint means comfort, fun and a lot of friendly

faces.

“I’m very blessed to say that the Gradys and I are very close, and we have been for some time now,” Hicks said. “They introduced me to a part of the world I never thought I would get to experience.”

Catch Taylor Hicks, Jelly Bread and the 45th Street Brass Band live at The Hive this Friday night, Aug. 5. Doors open at 9 p.m., and the show begins at 10 p.m. Tickets are $20 in advance or $25 at the door, but Festival goers can show their ticket stub from the Railroad Earth show to receive a $5 discount. The shows are restricted to ages 21 and up. Tickets are available at livefromthehive. com or locally at Evans Brothers Coffee, 7B Boardshop, Eichardt’s and show days at The Hive. To inquire about a VIP booth for reserved seating, cocktail service, access to VIP bathrooms and a balcony view, email VIP@LiveFromTheHive. com.

MUSIC

This week’s RLW by Ben Olson

The Festival at Sandpoint: week 1

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

Thursday, Aug. 4 – Opening Night Bruce Hornsby and the Noisemakers headline this opening night to the 2016 Festival at Sandpoint. The Grammy Award-winning singer and keyboardist Bruce Hornsby is known for spontaneity and creativity during his live performances. Hornsby draws frequently from classical, jazz, bluegrass, folk, Motwon, gospel, rock, blues and jam band musical traditions with his songwriting and seamless improvisations. Sandpoint’s own Bridges Home featuring Dave and Tami Gunter with Paul Gunter will be opening for Hornsby. Bridges Home’s Americana style is driven by Celtic influences and warm melodies. Gates open at 6 p.m., concert starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $44.95. Brew tasting tickets are available for $10, which includes a commemorative pilsner glass and premium microbrew tastes.

Friday, Aug. 5 – Dance Night

Railroad Earth is a roots and Americana-based newgrass jam band from Stillwater, New Jersey. Their music combines elements of bluegrass, rock and roll, jazz, Celtic and more. The virtuosic band members are known for their extensive live improvisation and lyrical songwriting within an acoustic base. The high energy folk rock quartet Rabbit Wilde out of Bellingham, Wash., will be opening for Railroad Earth. This will be a dance show, so wear comfortable shoes! Gates open at 6 p.m. and the concert begins at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets are $39.95.

Grammy Awards, two Academy of Country Music Awards, a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Americana Music Association, and is currently ranked #22 on VH1’s “100 Most Influential Women in Rock and Roll.” Opening for Harris are The Brothers Landreth—a red-hot Canadian alternative country and folk music group. Also opening is The Powers, a regional favorite indie folk/country band based out of Coeur d’Alene. Gates will open at 4:30 p.m. and the music starts at 6 p.m. Tickets are $54.95.

Saturday, Aug. 6 – Super Saturday

The Festival presents its Family Concert, “Peter and the Wolf” featuring the Festival Community Orchestra and Sandpoint’s Studio One Dancers. There are a host of pre-concert activities including the instrument petting zoo, an animal petting zoo, pony rides, clowns, face painting, games galore and the popular Parents’ Corner where moms and dads can take a break from the chaos for a complimentary mini-massage.

Activities begin when the gates open at 2:30 p.m. and the musical performance starts at 5 p.m. All tickets are $6.

Country Music Hall of Fame singer songwriter Emmylou Harris headlines a Super Saturday show. Harris has been a member of the Grand Ole Opry since 1992 and has famously collaborated with some of the hottest names in music, including Gram Parsons, Bob Dylan, Linda Ronstadt, Dolly Parton, John Prine, Willie Nelson and Mark Knopfler. Harris is one of the most decorated artists in music with 13

Sunday, Aug. 7 – Family Concert

Welcome to another great year!

By Dyno Wahl Reader Contributor If you are reading this in the Reader today, I hope you will join me at the Festival tonight!

Each August the Festival at Sandpoint welcomes world-class performers to our special venue on the shores of Lake Pend Oreille. We win them over with our relaxed, waterfront setting and the friendly embrace they receive from the Sandpoint community.

It’s no wonder music critics and industry insiders have dubbed us “The Best Fest in the West.” Artists love to play here and it shows!

We are celebrating 34 years of eclectic music under the stars on the lake. This year’s line-up includes popular artists Bruce Hornsby, Railroad Earth, Emmylou Harris, Angelique Kidjo, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and Ben Harper. We also present a Grand Finale with the Spokane Symphony with virtuosic soloists, including a world premier piano piece by Vadim Neselovskyi. I am also passionate about using our platform to launch emerging artists as opening acts—I challenge you not to fall in love with one or all of the following: Bridges Home, Rabbit Wilde, The Bros. Landreth, The Powers, Afrosonics, Luke Bell, Tom Freund and Sadie Wagoner.

Our venue is blessed by natural beauty

and a welcoming atmosphere that sets us apart from other outdoor venues across the country. It is a customized concert experience without equal: You can enjoy fabulous food and beverages on “Festival Street” with 13 juried food vendors and two full service bars, or you can bring your own picnic basket and cooler from home—including alcohol. No kidding! You can stretch out on a blanket, cruise in a lawn chair (bring your own or rent ours), sit in the grandstands or let loose in our dancing areas. Best of all, the Festival is up close and personal.

People tell us it feels as though the artists are playing in their own backyard.

This year’s Festival artwork, “The Sound of a Sandpoint Summer” by Kathryn Weisberg, imagines a symphony musician set loose after rehearsal to enjoy our town and environs. Many festival artists over the years, from Ziggy Marley to Tony Bennett, have found our community to be one of the most friendly and beautiful places they’ve ever experienced—swimming, hiking, boating, shopping, dining. Heck, ‘Keb ‘Mo even hit some garage sales!

Our festival feels different because it is different. The Festival at Sandpoint is a nonprofit organization that exists to bring the positive power of musical performance to you. We are fueled by the dedication

of people who are passionate about this mission including our board of directors, staff, production crew, donors, volunteers and the fans who are the reason we are here.

It is my privilege to welcome you to the “Best Fest in the West!”

Dyno Wahl Executive Director The Festival at Sandpoint

Crossword Solution

Since we’re entering the first week of the Festival at Sandpoint, here’s an RLW themed around music.

READ

If you ask a group of songwriters who their biggest influences were while learning the craft, chances are a good portion of them will say “Neil Young.”

If you happen to be another fan of the high-voiced anomaly of a musician, check out his memoir, “Waging Heavy Peace.”

It’s simple, straightforward and has very little frills—just like Young’s timeless music.

LISTEN

New to the area? Want to know where the best spots are for live music? Check out these spots below.

They usually have live music on the weekends: •Idaho Pour Authority •219 Lounge •Pend d’Oreille Winery •MickDuff’s Beer Hall •Trinity at City Beach •Eichardt’s Pub •Connie’s Lounge •Ivano’s Del Lago (Hope) •Ol’ Red’s Pub •The Panida Theater •The Hive

WATCH

Is there anyone out there who hasn’t seen “This is Spinal Tap”?

Seriously, if you are out there, crawl out of your cave and check it out.

Directed by Rob Reiner, “Spinal Tap” follows the eponymous band on their wild journey through the halls of rock n’ roll, suffering one indignity after another.

Dry, hilarious and downright genius, “Spinal Tap” often confuses first-time watchers, who think the film might be an obscure documentary about a band that really existed.

Turn it up to 11 and watch the 1984 classic again. It’s always worth it.

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STAGE & SCREEN Shakespeare in the Parks to perform ‘Richard III’

By Reader Staff Montana Shakespeare in the Parks (MSIP) will perform Shakespeare’s ‘Richard III’ at the Bonner County Fairgrounds in Sandpoint on Sunday, Aug. 21. Gates will open at 1 p.m., with the play starting at 6 p.m. The performance is free and open to the public.

The play is directed by MSIP executive artistic director Kevin Asselin and hosted by Lost Horse Press, an independent nonprofit poetry press.

People are encouraged to arrive early with chairs, blankets and picnics. Entertainment and vendors of a medieval flavor will begin at 1 p.m., including an authentic medieval village organized by the Sandpoint chapter of SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism).

The village features Ul-Fire Tribal Dancers—a tribal-style dance group— live music by Desiré Aguirre on the hammer dulcimer as well as students of the Sandpoint Music Conservatory.

Vendors will be on hand to offer their wares, such as a jewelry-making venue for children and adults, a handdyed yarn and spinning wheel demonstration by Kim and Brooke Spencer, herb and basket-making demonstrations and Lost Horse Press featuring poetry books.

Sutari will delight the audience with her juggling skills. An audience-participation English Country dance with Emily Faulkner will get people moving and various other activities will amuse and delight the audience.

Food vendors will serve lunch and dinner, also beginning at 1 p.m., if people prefer not to pack a picnic.

Recycling of trash will be accomplished

by Sandpoint’s Green Team, who make sure that everything that can be recycled,.

Montana Shakespeare in the Parks will perform William Shakespeare’s “Richard III” and “The Comedy of Errors” during its upcoming summer tour of 10 communities throughout Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, North Dakota and Washington.

The company features 10 professional actors selected from national auditions who tour without technical assistance to bring live theater to mostly rural communities. This summer, 66 percent of the communities reached by the troupe have populations of 5,000 or fewer.

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Sam Pearson as the title character in Richard III. Photo by Winslow Studio and Gallery. to producing both plays this summer,” said Asselin. “This will be the first time in MSIP’s 44-year history that we’ll bring ‘Richard III’ to our stage. ‘Richard III’ will fit right into what is already an active political year, reminding us how Shakespeare stays relevant even 400 years after his death.”

MSIP is an outreach program of Montana State University’s College of Arts and Architecture. Grants, corporate sponsorships, and hundreds of individual donors support the free performances. The company is also supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, along with other major sponsors. Each community host is also responsible for raising the funds necessary to bring the troupe to their community. Lost Horse Press would like to thank those grantors that have so generously contributed to bring ‘Richard III’ to our community, including the Idaho Commission on the Arts, Bonner County Fund for Arts Enhancement in the Idaho Community Foundation, Community Action League, Kochava, and Northern Lights.

For more information on the play and a complete tour schedule, visit the company’s website at www.shakespeareintheparks.org, or call local host Lost Horse Press at 255-4410.

Aug. 4 @ 7:30pm / aug. 5 @ 5:30pm Aug. 6 @ 8:30pm / aug. 7 @ 3:30pm

“free state of jones” starring matthew m conaughey c

little theater

Saturday, august 6 @ 3:30pm

“Ernest and celestine” An animated kids’ movie about a bear and a mouse The Department of Q trilogy

The pitch black film adaptation of Jussi Adler-Olsen’s Nordic crime novels were a hit in Denmark

Aug. 17 @ 5:30 & 8pm / Aug. 20 @ 3:30pm Part 1: “Keeper of lost causes” Aug. 18 @ 5:30 & 8pm / Aug. 20 @ 6pm Part 2: “absent one” Aug. 19 @ 5:30 & 8pm / Aug. 20 @ 8:30pm Part 3: “a conspiracy of faith” tuesday, sept. 20 @ 8pm

Gallagher’s last smash tour Watch for more news on the Film Noir Series DEPARTMENT Q Trilogy!

w o N & Then es

meron Barn

Ca Compiled by

Each week, we feature a new photograph taken from the same vantage point as one taken long ago. See how we’ve changed, and how we’ve stayed the same.

Historical information provided and verified by Bonner County Museum staff and volunteers. The Museum is located at 611 S. Ella — (208) 263-2344.

The Elliot Building at the corner of Second Avenue and Pine Street. A faded sign above the street entrances read, “Kerr & Nead.” Active stores in 1999 were “Imported Foods” and “Kandy’s Fashion 2000.”

1999

Copyright www.mirroreyes.com

CROSSWORD ACROSS

The same view today. The “Kerr & Nead” sign has been restored, as you can see.

Currently, “Out of the Blue Eyewear” occupies the storefront behind the tree.

2016

Wortdhe of

Week

campestral /kam-PES-truh l/ [adjective] 1. Of or relating to fields or open country.

“She preferred to paint campestral landscapes.”

Corrections: The article about “Another World” last week incorrectly listed the price of “Magic: The Gathering” card packs. We hope that didn’t cause you too much trouble, guys!

1. Back talk 5. Suffuse 10. Notability 14. Colored part of an eye 15. Middays 16. Winglike 17. Certain dark-colored igneous rocks 19. Principal 20. Pig 21. Redress 22. Mob 23. Cardigan 25. A watery discharge 27. Discontinuity 28. Tending to repel 31. Dromedary 34. A thorny stem 35. Female sib 36. Regretted 37. Inclination 38. Stair 39. Genus of macaws 40. Tine 41. Fastidious 42. Vista 44. Mayday 45. Balderdash 46. Take apart 50. Hoisting device 52. Loamy deposit 54. To make a fool of (archaic) 55. Disabled 56. Take advantage

Solution on page 23 58. Not under 59. Portion 60. Away from the wind 61. Not difficult 62. Not outer 63. Family lines

DOWN 1. Suspires 2. Shaft 3. Blockade 4. South southeast 5. Arch of the foot 6. Engine 7. Godsend 8. Unsettling 9. East southeast

10. Renowned 11. Scaremongers 12. A female domestic 13. Sea eagle 18. Area of South Africa 22. German for “Mister” 24. Matured 26. Pay attention to 28. Rink 29. Contends 30. Catch a glimpse of 31. Poop 32. Emanation 33. Time intervals 34. An enzyme from pineapples

37. Snare 38. Figure (out) 40. Snob 41. Civet-like mammal 43. Cantankerous 44. Female sibling 46. Defrost 47. Ancient Roman magistrate 48. Deceive 49. Tall woody plants 50. Blackthorn 51. Magma 53. Not closed 56. Consumer Price Index 57. Delay

The weirdest thing about going to the store and seeing a jar of pickles with your picture on it is not that your picture is on the jar. It’s that the store manager won’t give you the pickles for free, and doesn’t even think the picture looks like you.

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& Saturday & Sunday FunkyJunkAntiqueShow.com 26 /

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Proud Festival Sponsor

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