Reader_December 19_2019

SNOW!

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PEOPLE compiled by

Susan Drinkard

watching

‘What’s your favorite Christmas movie?’

“It’s a Wonderful Life because it shows that having a good reputation with the people around you pays off; we should always help each other.”

Tim Greenwood Autobody painter Spirit Lake

DEAR READERS,

The weather outside is frightfully magnificent! Apologies to all those folks who don’t like big, epic snow (umm, why do you live in North Idaho again?).

The shopping days before Christmas are dwindling, so get downtown and check out our local retailers’ shops. With the holiday lighting up and a bunch of fun events still on the docket, it’s always a great time to be downtown in Sandpoint.

Since Christmas falls on a weird production day for the Reader next week, we’re doing something a bit odd: We’re putting out the paper on a Tuesday.

So don’t freak out when you see Zach and I delivering the Reader on morning of Tuesday, Dec. 24. We wanted to make sure everyone had something to take home and read on Christmas Eve and Day. Enjoy the snow. Drink cocoa. Laugh with friends. Call your mom. Out. -Ben Olson, Publisher

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

www.sandpointreader.com Publisher: Ben Olson ben@sandpointreader.com Editorial: Zach Hagadone zach@sandpointreader.com Lyndsie Kiebert lyndsie@sandpointreader.com Cameron Rasmusson (editor-at-large) John Reuter (emeritus) Advertising: Jodi Berge Jodi@sandpointreader.com Contributing Artists: Woods Wheatcroft (cover), Ben Olson Susan Drinkard, Bill Borders

“The Grinch, the new one.

It’s fun and well-produced.”

Contributing Writers: Zach Hagadone, Ben Olson, Lyndsie Kiebert, Shelby Rognstad, Tim Bearly, Brenden Bobby, Regan Plumb, Cameron Rasmusson, Scott Taylor, Marcia Pilgeram.

Janya Comer Senior/home school Troy, Montana

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“Charlie Brown’s Christmas because it’s light and funny and makes people laugh.”

OPEN 11:30 am

GAME ROOM UPSTAIRS

Tom Hornby, smoking a pretzel Janitor Sandpoint

“Christmas Vacation because it is a classic and it is hysterical.”

Jeannie Lengyer Care provider Sagle

“The Grinch with Jim Carrey because he looks kind of creepy but kind of cool, too.”

Cyrus Mimbs Senior Sandpoint High School Sandpoint

The Psounbality with Per FRESH FOOD LIVE MUSIC THE BEST NW BREWS

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.

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

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212 Cedar Street Downtown Sandpoint

208.263.4005 A SandPint Tradition Since 1994

About the Cover

This week’s cover is a photograph from Sandpoint’s own Woods Wheatcroft, looking down the mountain from the Great Escape Quad at Schweitzer. Thanks for the great shot, Woods!

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NEWS

Council decides on airport land use, new side-

walk ordinance, artificial turf infill option

By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff The Sandpoint City Council made a number of big decisions at its Dec. 18 meeting, approving a range of land use policy changes related to the Sandpoint Airport, new rules for sidewalk construction and the artificial turf infill option to replace the natural grass surface at War Memorial Field.

City officials also paid note to this being the final meeting for CouncilmenTom Eddy and Bill Aitken, whose seats will be filled at the next meeting Thursday, Jan. 2 by newcomers Andy Groat and Kate McAlister. City Administrator Jennifer Stapleton also reminded those in attendance that a series of surveys related to master planning and other municipal issues are either already posted or will soon be posted at sandpointidaho.gov/engage.

But the biggest action on Dec. 18 was the Old Business, beginning with the Sandpoint Airport.

Sandpoint Airport Council members unanimously voted to approve a resolution amending the Comprehensive Plan to add a new chapter entitled “Public Airport Facilities,” which includes a directive to update the airport overlay, adding an inner critical zone, lateral safety zone and runway protection zone.

The overlay is comprised of three zones: 1,000-foot-long runway protection zones at the immediate ends of the runway, the inner critical zones extending 5,000 feet north and south from the runway, and a 2,000-foot-wide lateral safety zone extending east and west from the runway centerline.

The airport overlay is intended to restrict the height of structures and natural features such as trees, as well as imposes limits on what can be built in close proximity to the airport. According to the ordinance adopted Dec. 18, no rezone requests for any development that would increase population density will be granted within the inner critical and lateral safety zones.

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City Planner Aaron Qualls was quick to point out that the prohibition on “up-zoning” to higher-density uses “doesn’t change the existing zoning on the ground — it’s essentially a stopgap measure to not make things any less compatible [in the future]. … The same rights you have to develop today are the same rights you’ll have after its adopted, if it’s adopted.”

Nonetheless, a handful of residents commented in writing that the airport overlay changes amounted to “a major zone change,” and asked that adoption be tabled in order to better inform those whose property is to be covered by the new inner critical and lateral safety zones.

The disclosure statement will be provided to any applicant for conditional use permits, variances, preliminary and final plats, lot line adjustments, planned unit developments or zone changes within those zones, notifying them that their property is subject to the provisions of the overlay and that “they may be exposed to potentially impactive levels of aircraft overflight, including but not limited to noise, vibration, fumes, dust, fuel and fuel particles, and other effects.” Applicants will be required to sign the statement before any permit is awarded.

Only cropland and open space will be allowed in the runway protection zones.

While the target date for the Comp Plan update is September 2020, city officials accelerated adoption of the airport component to be completed this month to open the way for lifting the moratorium on zone changes inside the airport overlay.

The council imposed a moratorium on zone change applications within the airport overlay in July 2019, intended to give the city enough time to review and amend the Comp Plan and its land use regulations related to compatible uses around the airport.

Originally imposed for up to a year, council members repealed the ordinance establishing the moratorium in a unanimous vote.

Following the vote, any zone change requests inside the overlay will be subject to the provisions in the new airport chapter.

Sidewalks Changes are coming to the way sidewalks are constructed in all zones throughout Sandpoint, with the intent being to place more responsibility for construction and repair on the city.

The council voted to repeal and replace the existing ordinance governing sidewalk construction, putting in place a new ordinance that requires the city to fund sidewalk construction and/or repair when it’s part of a capital improvement plan or otherwise ordered by council The new ordinance puts the onus on property owners when a new building being constructed is valued at more than 25% of the existing structure, with the value of the new building determined by the value of the permit and the existing structure based on the Bonner County assessment for the structure only.

Property owners would also be required to construct sidewalks in the case of an addition or remodel in which what is being constructed is valued at more than 25% of the existing structure — but only if there are existing sidewalks adjacent to the property. Repair or replacement would be required under the same conditions as new construction, or by council order.

According to Public Works Director Amanda Wilson, the new ordinance is intended to place “a fairly substantial amount of responsibility on the city” in order

to “achieve a balance.”

Property owners would be exempted from the ordinance in the case of construction related to fire or other casualty loss, and there will be a new option to pay an in lieu fee to be adopted annually by resolution. Wilson said that fee is suggested at $125 per linear foot of frontage and would be paid into the capital improvement fund.

Councilwoman Deb Ruehle cast the sole “nay” vote, raising a number of concerns, including that the city should not be so ready to take on additional responsibility for sidewalks when many of the existing pathways are in disrepair.

She also expressed concern that with the city retaining responsibility to build sidewalks across alleyways, those connections might not be made for years on end, depending on the monies available in the capital improvement fund.

Casting her vote, Ruehle said, “I just feel like there’s a little bit more we could work on.”

War Memorial Field turf Finally, after months of heated public discussion, the council unanimously approved the artificial turf option of natural rubber and cork infill to replace the grass surface at War Memorial Field.

Parks and Rec. Director Kim Woodruff pointed out that the “natural rubber” comes from rubber trees and is repurposed from leftover material at a factory in Argentina that makes gaskets.

According to a breakdown of turf options prepared by design contractor Bernardo Wills Architects, the preferred option reduces field temperature up to 10 degrees

Sandpoint’s sidewalk network suffers from frequent gaps. Photo courtesy city of Sandpoint. and, when moist, up to 40 degrees.

It carries no special maintenance requirements, cleans with water — though permanent soiling would require removal and replacement of the affected area — and carries a warranty of eight to 12 years.

The turf will cost $2.39 per square foot for a total of $348,580, and represents the least-cost alternative of the six options considered.

Among the advantages noted

by Bernardo Wills were low maintenance, good drainage and high permeability, high ultraviolet stability, good warranties, no irrigation requirement, natural color, resilience (it will not biodegrade), no weed or mold growth and the turf’s use of natural, renewable, nontoxic materials.

Hatch said the artificial grass itself — referred to as the “carpet” — will be 2 inches in length with 1.5 inches of infill leaving a halfinch of fiber showing. The surface will require a shock pad, as natural turf products have less shock absorption as black rubber turf.

According to the resolution, the design for the field project — which includes the turf, changes to parking, batting cages and bullpens — is slated to be completed

by February 2020 with a contract award in March 2020. The $4 million project, to be paid for with the 1% local option tax approved by voters in 2015, is scheduled to be complete by July 31, 2020 — just in time for The Festival at Sandpoint’s annual summer concert series and the late-summer and fall sports seasons.

NEWS

Changes to county RV zoning continue Commercial use changes approved, residential uses to see another hearing

By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff The Board of Bonner County Commissioners voted unanimously Dec. 18 to amend county code regarding commercial and residential recreational vehicle use. However, the residential portion of the code will require an additional hearing due to language changes made since the Planning and Zoning Commission held a hearing on the issue Nov. 21.

Commissioners will hold that additional hearing Wednesday, Jan. 22 at 1:30 p.m. at the Bonner County Administration Building to hear further comments on the language changes and ultimately vote whether to adopt the residential RV use amendments.

Approved changes to commercial RV use include the allowance of RV parks in areas

zoned agricultural/forest, rural and suburban with a conditional use permit — which requires a P&Z public hearing — as well as set standards for creating RV parks in the new zones.

“Requiring a CUP allows the neighborhood to be a part of that conversation,” said Planning Director Milton Ollerton.

The residential RV code changes — which will see another hearing Jan. 22 — have seen several renditions over the past several weeks as planning staff reworked the code to improve clarity. The proposed changes would allow for two permanent RV dwellings on a property of at least one acre, whereas current code only allows residential RV use for 120 days at a time.

The language edits on the table during the upcoming hearing pertain largely to defining what constitutes temporary or permanent use of an RV.

Sandy Compton announces retirement from FSPW

Compton’s retirement will open up the program coordinator position

By Ben Olson Reader Staff Longtime Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness staffer and bull of the woods Sandy Compton announced his retirement from the organization, effective at the end of March 2020.

The program coordinator and author has long been a fixture among the outdoor recreation scene in North Idaho.

At FSPW, Compton has carried a variety of responsibilities, including trail crew leadership, summer and winter outdoor education, media and press work, and volunteer management.

Due to his upcoming retirement, FSPW is seeking to hire a staff member to fill his boots as program coordinator.

Compton’s successor will focus on FSPW’s partnership in trail work with the U.S. Forest Service, the Winter Tracks out-

Commissioners also proposed a provision Dec. 18 that would prevent people who are currently building their home from having to purchase permits for living in their RV if they already have a permit for the dwelling they’re in the process of building.

Commissioner Dan McDon-

ald said the P&Z commission originally revisited the ordinances in an effort to mitigate the difficulty of enforcing the 120-day rule currently on the books.

“We have been trying to loosen this because of the noise around it,” McDonald said, referencing the fervent conversations on social media surround-

ing the issue leading up to the Nov. 21 hearing.

“It’s their property,” McDonald added later during deliberations. “They should get to do what they want as long as they don’t violate their neighbors’ private property rights.”

STCU donates 10K to Panhandle Special Needs

By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff When Panhandle Special Needs, Inc. employees took Spokane Teachers Credit Union representatives on a tour of their facilities earlier this week, no one knew the tour would end with STCU presenting PSNI with a $10,000 check.

PSNI, which provides services to the local developmentally disabled population, is currently raising funds in order to move to a larger property to accommodate its at-capacity programs. The organization’s goal is $1 million.

“We opened our doors in 1975 right here in this same building, and our programs have at least quadrupled,” said PSNI Executive Director Trinity Nicholson. “The pressure on

this building is unbelievable, so we know it’s time to find a new home, and our clients really deserve it.”

Nicholson said she recently met representatives from STCU at a philanthropy lunch, and that they followed up with her afterward to request a tour of PSNI. She said no one at PSNI had any

PSNI clients pose with the big check from STCU. Courtesy photo. idea that they’d be receiving a donation.

“We’re so excited, and I’m not kidding you — we were so shocked,” Nicholson said. “It was moving and humbling.”

Carpenter arraignment continues Plea reset for Jan. 13

By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff

Sandy Compton. door education program and the Trail Ambassador program on Scotchman Peaks trail No. 65.

A full job description is now posted at scotchmanpeaks.org/ job-opportunities. Interested parties are encouraged to send a cover letter and resumé to news@scotchmanpeaks.org.

Bonner County District Court Judge Barbara Buchanan granted another continuance Dec. 16 in the case of Judith Carpenter, the Coeur d’Alene woman accused of murdering 79-year-old Shirley Ramey at her home in Hope in 2017. Carpenter’s plea is pending a finalized psychological evaluation and DNA evidence.

Counsel for Carpenter said Dr. John Wolfe, a professor of psychology at Gonzaga Uni-

versity, is nearly done with an evaluation of their client’s mental state. However, a final version of that report was not yet available at the Dec. 16 arraignment hearing. The court is also anticipating DNA evidence from blood found on the pistol that Carpenter allegedly used in the killing. Because Idaho has only one lab to process evidence from such high-profile cases, North Idaho cases often take several months to process.

This is the third continuance granted to the defense in

the case, in which Carpenter is facing a first-degree murder charge. Her next opportunity to enter a plea is Monday, Jan. 13 at 9 a.m. at the Bonner County Courthouse.

Counsel for both the Bonner County Prosecutor’s Office and the defense agreed that a trial for the case — should one need to be scheduled after Carpenter’s plea — will likely take an entire week. Dates for the trial are yet to be finalized.

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NEWS

Decision forthcoming in Sagle asphalt plant case

By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff

The next step in the ongoing legal challenge to a proposed asphalt plant in Sagle is in the hands of Second District Court Judge Jeff M. Brudie, who is considering a petition for judicial review brought by opponents of the facility at a Dec. 13 hearing.

Nonprofit group Citizens Against Linscott/Interstate Asphalt Plant filed the petition after more than a year of decisions and appeals regarding the approval of a conditional use permit by the Bonner County Planning and Zoning Commission and Board of County Commissioners. The permit is meant to allow an asphalt batch plant in a gravel pit owned by Frank Linscott. Interstate Asphalt & Concrete would run the operation.

Brudie, who typically presides in Nez Perce County, heard from legal counsel on both sides during the Dec. 13 hearing at the Bonner County Courthouse, where several members of the Citizens group filled the gallery.

Petitioners argue that the commissioners based their decision on an improperly adopted ordinance to allow asphalt plants in farming and residential zones, and that Linscott has illegally expanded his gravel pit operation over the years without proper permits.

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Bits ’n’ Pieces From east, west and beyond

East, west or beyond, sooner or later events elsewhere may have a local impact. A recent sampling: In 1994, Congress made big cuts in spending for college courses for prisoners under the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act. But a recent document, College Behind Bars, looks at Bard College, in New York state, where the college paid tuition for 300 inmates.

The report found those inmates had a recidivism rate of 4%, as opposed to the usual 50%, The Washington Post reported. The Bard inmate attendees also displayed more empathy and greater remorse for their crimes. As well, in 2015, the Bard College inmates’ debate team beat Harvard’s debate team.

According to Consumer Reports, the average cable TV customer pays $450 a year in hidden fees that were created An overhead view of the location of the proposed by the cable companies. CR has sent its asphalt plant. Courtesy image. findings to Congress, and is suggesting a national law to end those fees. A secret industry investigation by CR “As Marcellus said in Hamlet, revealed that cable TV representatives ‘Something is rotten in the state of Den- sometimes blame the government for mark,’” said Gary Allen, a Boise lawyer the hidden charges. representing the Citizens group, in his An 8-year-old girl from Mexico City opening remarks. “Something is also has already finished secondary school rotten in Bonner County.” and is now working online to earn two John Finney, the lawyer representing engineering degrees. According to PeoLinscott, said that guidelines for a batch ple magazine, the girl is diagnosed with plant conditional use permit stipulate Asperger’s and had been doing poorly only that the plant be located in an “acin school. Her mother, who knew her tive gravel pit.” daughter was bright, withdrew her. They “The statute requires an active gravel then learned the girl has an IQ higher pit — we’ve checked that box,” Finney than that of Albert Einstein. The girl has said. written a book, Don’t Give Up, and is curBonner County Deputy Prosecutor rently interested in becoming an astronaut.

Bill Wilson represented the commisA Republican lawmaker in Tennessee sioners at the hearing, and said he “took has proposed replacing a statue at the issue with the characterization of the Capitol — which depicts a Confederate county turning a blind eye” toward any General who was a slave trader and KKK noncompliance on the part of Linscott. member — with a woman. So far the pubHe said that to the county’s knowledge, lic is favoring a statue of Dolly Parton, the gravel pit applies as a suitable locaThe Tennessean reports. The removed tion for the plant. statue would be placed in a museum.

“Perhaps [I will] not be at the The for-profit University of Phoenix same table as my colleagues next and parent company Apollo Education time,” Wilson said, referring to legal Group have agreed to cancel $144 counsel for Linscott and Interstate, million in student debt, as well as pay with whom he was sitting, “but that $50 million to settle a dispute with the hasn’t happened yet.”

Federal Trade Commission. The dispute Brudie will return to the Bonner involved deceptive advertising used to County Courthouse at a yet to be deterrecruit students. The university did not mined date to deliver his ruling. admit wrongdoing. NBC News reported

By Lorraine H. Marie Reader Columnist

the $50 million will be applied toward students who felt they were misled by the ad campaign.

The Trump Administration is planning to cut 700,000 people from food assistance. According to Mother Jones, the new rule would require those program participants 18 to 49, who are not raising a minor and are assumed to be able-bodied, to comply with work requirements.

Some states may opt out of the work requirements.

The Trump administration is also mulling over another round of tax cuts. The 2017 cuts, according to The Washington Post, ballooned the federal deficit to close to $1 trillion annually (near 50% growth). Originally, advocates of the 2017 Tax Act said it would be so successful at building the economy that the growth would offset the costs of lower tax rates; instead the cuts have primarily benefited corporations by cutting their taxes from 35% to 21%.

Support for resurrecting a wealth tax appears to be growing, with 75% of Democrats reportedly in favor of the idea, 57% of independents and 51% of Republicans, according to a New York Times survey. A history of the wealth tax in the U.S.: it was 72% from 1917 to 1921, 78% from 1932 to 1945, 91% from 1953 to 1961 and 70% from 1969 to 1981.

Same difference: Close a third of the world’s coal plants or cut methane emissions by 45% by 2025. Environmental Defense Fund is addressing the latter by developing a satellite for measuring previously undetected methane emissions. The information will aid governments and companies in locating problem sites. Harvard and Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory are partnering with EDF. Blast from the past: “Wise men don’t need advice. Fools won’t take it.”

Attributed to Benjamin Franklin, American statesman and scientist, 1706-1790.

And another blast: “Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all the darkness.” Desmond Tutu. Tutu, born 1931, is a South African social rights activist and retired Anglican bishop.

He’s received the Nobel Peace Prize, the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Gandhi Peace Prize and the Sydney Peace Prize.

PERSPECTIVES

Mayor’s Roundtable: Happy Holidays! our streets, parks, police and utilities crews for their hard work and dedication.

This year’s holiday lighting, performed by the parks As this holiday season staff, was extended down approaches, I’m incredibly Fifth Avenue and across Sand grateful to all of our city staff Creek. Downtown businesses for their dedication, hard work and shoppers appreciate all and professionalism. We are that you have done to keep blessed to have such a talented downtown Sandpoint beautiand committed team serve the ful, safe and inviting — even citizens of Sandpoint. Elected in the darkness of winter. officials — myself included — Mayor Shelby Rognstad.

I’m very proud of the Sandhave asked a lot of city staff to point Police Department. Our Investigations implement the 2018-2020 Strategic Plan.

Division has an extremely high closure rate This has been a monumental undertaking on investigations. The department’s profesand staff has stepped up to the challenge. sionalism and commitment to community This year the city upgraded its financial policing are exceptional and worthy of praise. software. This integration period has been The Infrastructure and Development under way since April and affects every Services Division has been managing an division within the city. Its implementation immense body of work over the past year. not only accomplishes needed workflow efFrom the downtown streets project, the ficiencies and improved integration among Ontario sidewalk project, War Memorial staff, it dramatically improves service Field and Capital Improvement Plans, IDS delivery to Sandpoint citizens. has been working long hours to maintain As an example, all city permits and apand improve city infrastructure. plications can now be filed and paid online Sandpoint has seen rapid growth over as of Jan. 2, 2020. The city’s finance team, the past couple of years and this has put led by Sara Lynds, and other key members significant pressure on the planning staff. from each division have been working On top of a busy year of building projects, long hours for eight months to achieve this development pressure has ushered numerobjective. Their persistence through this ous zoning change requests and prompted process has been monumental. Integration the development of a new airport chapter in of the new system accomplishes the city’s the city’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan. strategic goal to make government more Planning staff has accomplished all of this efficient and effective for staff and citizens. under a tight timeline.

The city adopted a new proactive snow There are many more individuals who removal plan last year. The plan provides have gone above and beyond expectations 24/7 snow management, increased perto be part of this team and deliver city sersonnel, a prioritized protocol and an easier vices at the highest level. It is an honor and parking plan for citizens to follow. Rememprivilege to work with such incredible peober to park on the even side of the street ple. You make me a better person and you during snow events to make plowing easier. make the city a better place for residents City crews work day and night to keep our and visitors now and into the future. right of ways passable. Much gratitude to

By Mayor Shelby Rognstad Reader Contributor

I am also very grateful to all those who volunteer your time and energy serving on city boards, commissions and committees.

Your efforts make Sandpoint one of the most livable cities anywhere.

To all those who get involved in your government, volunteer with one or more of Sandpoint’s 300+ nonprofits or just help out your neighbor when needed, your contributions make Sandpoint what it is: A strong community. Thank you for making our home the best that it can be.

Lastly, a friendly reminder to all that now is your chance to have your voice heard on the Parks and Rec. Master Plan. Please follow this link to review the proposed plans and provide any constructive feedback so that we can incorporate it into the final draft in 2020: opentownhall.com/portals/287/Issue_7920.

I have pushed final council adoption to the spring to allow more time for public feedback and participation. There are also physical plans available for review in City Hall.

I wish you and your families the happiest of holidays.

Please join me at the Mayor’s Roundtable on Friday, Dec. 20, 8 a.m. at Cedar St. Bistro, to discuss this and other issues important to Sandpoint’s future. Starting in January, the Roundtable will take place on the third Thursday of the month at 5:30 p.m.

Location will be announced in the Jan. 16, 2020 edition.

Laughing Matter

By Bill Borders

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COMMUNITY

Time to join the 21st century...

Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness celebrates winter in our wild backyard Bouquets: • You know who I appreciate?

The servers and bartenders of this town, that’s who. I’m fortunate to call several servers and bartenders friends, but even the ones I don’t know deserve a smile and some good cheer from time to time. Having worked both jobs before, I understand the difficulties these folks have to endure — often dealing with less-than-polite customers who feel entitled to act like jerks. Leave a couple extra bucks in their tip jars next time you’re out and about. A little bit goes a long way and you’ll really make someone’s day a bit brighter by recognizing them.

• The names are too numerous to list, but I’d like to again thank all those who donate to the Reader Patreon and PayPal accounts. We have successfully paid our office rent with just donations alone for the past two years, which is really deserving of a round of applause.

A slow clap, even. We, the Reader staff, really appreciate you all out there. We hope the holiday season burns bright for everyone.

• After delivering the Reader to Priest River and Newport for the last few years, our good friends Dan and Cindy Eskelson are hanging up their spurs. Dan and Cindy, we really appreciate your helping spread the Reader all these years. While Dan will continue to help in Priest River until a permanent delivery person steps forward, Shanna Thompson with Toad Alley Picture Framing has agreed to shuttle Readers to the west side of the county. Thanks so much for stepping up, Shanna!

Barbs: • The reason pedestrians have to walk in the street in residential areas is because people either don’t have sidewalks or don’t shovel them. Drivers, please don’t get angry with them or pass by too close — trust me, we’d much rather be walking off the street, but the winter months often make that difficult.

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By Reader Staff Winter has arrived and the Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness winter hike season is right behind. In every season, FSPW volunteers lead hikers into and around the edges of the ruggedly beautiful proposed Scotchman Peaks Wilderness — and winter is no exception. Add an extra layer or three, some snowshoes (FSPW has some to loan) or maybe some skis and take a walk into our wild backyard.

Almost anyone interested in an excursion in the snowy mountains of North Idaho and western Montana should be able to find a suitable adventure with FSPW. Some hikes are less gnarly than others and some are as gnarly as can be. Each is a unique journey into the wintery world of hushed trails, changed views, new birds and mysterious and not-so-mysterious tracks. On top of that, there is the chance for a companionable outing with like-minded and similarly skilled old friends or a chance to meet new people with common interests. Or both.

The FSPW winter hike season is just getting started.

The first snowshoe walk — so

Courtesy photo. far — is on Saturday, Jan. 11; a moderate and traditional FSPW hike up Lightning Creek to the Regal Trail. Maybe a moose will wander out of the woods, and maybe there will be just tracks.

It’s hard to tell what winter wanderers might encounter to generate a little wonder. One thing is assured. Winter in the wild offers a new perspective of the natural world.

FSPW is also seeking winter-loving folks to lead some hikes this winter. A bit of experience and knowledge and a reasonable destination is all you need. Make your proposal for a winter walk — or sign up for one — at scotchmanpeaks.org/ hiking. Email info@scotchmanpeaks.org for more information.

Local firefighters receive kudos from state fire marshal

By Reader Staff Idaho State Fire Marshal Knute C. Sandahl sent a letter Dec. 9 to Clark Fork Mayor Russell Schenck, commending the work of the Clark Fork Fire Department and Sam Owen Fire District.

The kudos came after a house fire on Dec. 3, to which both agencies responded. When Sandahl arrived at the scene the next day to conduct his investigation, he said the lack of damage to the home “amazed” him. As a 35-year veteran of fire service, Sandahl said he was “extreme-

ly impressed” by the results of Clark Fork and Sam Owen’s fire suppression efforts.

“I rarely single out fire agencies for a job well done,” Sandahl wrote in the letter to Schenck, which was shared to a Clark Fork community Facebook page. “However, in this particular case, all of the members of these two agencies are deserving of commendation and an example for other Idaho fire service agencies to follow. … The citizens of Clark Fork and surrounding area should be very proud of their firefighters and officers.”

Dear editor, The Festival snafu is still here.

The suit brought by ISAA, backed by the county commissioners and sheriff, to allow weapons onto Memorial Field during The Festival is scheduled for a status hearing. The county and city are already into this for an estimated $100,000-plus and we’re looking at status? One wonders how far this suit would get if ISAA had to foot the legal costs all alone? ISAA should be bearing the bulk of the cost if they’re so eager to get guns into public events.

All this kerfuffle will do is give out-of-state lawyers tons of money, cost Bonner County and Sandpoint taxpayers those same tons of money and could kill an event that puts an estimated $4 million annually into the community. After all, what could possibly go wrong with putting people carrying guns in a place with easy access to alcohol during a rock or country concert?

Basically we’ve got a county government that believes that the Second Amendment trumps the rest of the Constitution. I think it’s time for the rational people of Bonner County to raise their voices and tell this distinct minority that we’re taking our county back.

Bullies wearing guns shouldn’t be allowed to determine policies and regulations. It’s time we joined the 21st century and left the late 19th.

But I demean the late 19th century — many of the towns in the “untamed West’ had laws that prohibited guns in saloons and other businesses. We should learn from their wisdom.

Gil Beyer Sandpoint

Editor’s note: This letter was intended to publish in the Dec. 5 edition of the Reader, but due to an error did not appear (though the following clarification did): While the Boise-based gun activist group Idaho Second Amendment Alliance has expressed support for the county lawsuit vs. the city of Sandpoint over firearms at The Festival at Sandpoint — and the challenge to the event’s policy was initiated by individuals acting in collaboration with ISAA in August — the organization is not a party to any legal action related to the issue.

Godless liberals unite…

Dear editor, In response to Ted Wert’s letter to the editor [“Battle ready...,” Nov. 14]: Ted, I’ll stand beside you as a godless liberal against people like Ken Lawrence trying to force their religious agenda down our throats. Where do we sign up?

Marty Stitsel Sandpoint

Green space vs. greenbacks…

Dear editor, While visiting Sandpoint recently, I picked up the Reader (as I always do) and enjoyed every page. I want to respond to Mayor Rognstad’s comments on the city’s Parks and Recreation Master Plan [Perspectives, “Mayor’s Roundtable: Why the City Beach land swap is good for Sandpoint,” Nov. 21, 2019].

As a former resident, I agree that the green space mentioned is under-used as a driver for the downtown economy. The list of potential uses mentioned are heavily weighted toward the economy. However, maintaining a green space is especially important for small family reunions, weddings and other gatherings that will generate warm feelings that make people want to come back.

While living in Sandpoint, I officiated at several weddings in that green space or on the deck of the restaurant. At one such event, after the rest of us had gathered, the wedding couple arrived via a small rowboat and did their procession from the shore. They had asked me to dress “Hawaiian,” rather than in a formal robe, which I was happy to do. Needless to say, the ritual was unusual and very beautiful and the participants’ families have utilized that hotel several times since. Warm, meaningful memories all around!

We all need beauty to feed the soul, as well as economic pathways to feed the city’s growth.

Marian Breckenridge Coeur d’Alene

Let’s revisit real grass…

Dear editor, I saw the cartoon in the Dec. 12 edition [“Retroactive”] and it got me thinking about the decision from the powers that be in Sandpoint to use artificial turf at War Memorial Field.

My calculations might not be accurate to a T, but please correct me if I’m wrong (yes I’m wrong occasionally). I used Google and found that they need to use approximately 28,800 pounds or 5.76 tons of PLASTIC. Yes, plastic. That’s what it’s made of folks.

Sure it may be recycled (maybe) but at some point it will need to be repaired/replaced. That means disposal. Don’t we try to be a green-minded community ’round these here parts?

C’mon people, let’s revisit REAL grass. I will not pay to go to another Festival and sit on plastic grass. I feel itchy just thinking of it. I’ll park my ass outside the fence on the REAL grass and have a blast.

Happy Holidays to all. Peace.

Laura Braniff P.S. Love the Reader, thanks for all you do!

Sandpoint

PERSPECTIVES

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hildren all around the globe are familiar with the tale of Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer. Every Christmas, songs are sung and stories are told about the remarkable and heroic caribou who overcomes adversity and ultimately ends up becoming “the most famous reindeer of all.”

Bah, humbug!

That’s right, it’s all a complete and utter fiction.

No doubt, you’ve heard it said that “there are two sides to every story.” Well, I’m Rykolph, Rudolph’s less renowned and indignant little brother, and I’m here to give you my account of how it all happened.

So come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant — O come ye, have a seat, get comfortable, pour yourself a delicious glass of eggnog and allow me to remove all of the tinsel and take my chainsaw to this colossal tree of lies. Yeah, sure, Rudolph will proclaim, “You’re just jealous,” with each branch of plastic that I remove from his arboretum of falsehoods, but it is he who is the jealous one — for I am not burdened with the need to grovel at Santa’s feet in order to remain his favorite. ’Twas the night before my first day on the job. It was a restless night — I was extremely nervous — so I decided to read through the new employee handbook. I didn’t get far, I think I ended up falling asleep somewhere in the third chapter: “If you see something, say something.” It was basically all about how you’re supposed to go straight to father Christmas if you witness anything nefarious or suspicious — a reindeer not pulling his weight, an elf trying to unionize the workplace or an employee who seems to be spending a bit too much time around Mrs. Claus. (Indeed, it wouldn’t be hyperbole to say that Santa had a few despotic proclivities.)

Workers were reminded to keep up the pace by the posters that hung on the walls: “Santa Claus is watching you!”

With a strong work ethic, a fresh set of velvety antlers and a lunch pail full of optimism, I arrived for work 30 minutes before my shift began. The opportunities were endless; I knew that if I worked hard, followed orders and didn’t complain, then

maybe, just maybe, one day I could become one of Santa’s “Elite 8,” which was the name of the group of reindeer who led Santa’s sleigh. The rest of us had to focus on the more mundane tasks: washing the sleigh, shoveling snow and helping the elves in the sweatshop — pardon me — I mean workshop (it’s hard to sweat when it’s 40 degrees below).

Yours truly, as you may have guessed, ended up in the bone-chilling workshop.

By the time I started working there Rudolph had already climbed the ladder to become a supervisor. Many of the other employees suspected that he kept getting promotions because he was such a sycophant. All of the other reindeer used to laugh and call him names, particularly “Rudolph the brown-nosed reindeer.”

But it wasn’t just his obsequiousness that helped him to advance within the company, it was also his willingness, when it benefited him, to throw his co-workers — namely, me — under the bus.

We reindeer generally graze on leafy greens and mushrooms, but occasionally we allow ourselves a sweet treat. One foggy Christmas Eve, Rudolph, who was prone to overindulgence, went on a bit of a binge and gobbled down the remaining inventory of apples and carrots. Knowing that Kris Kringle would be furious when he found out, Rudolph, cunning as he was, decided to go straight to the main office and report me for the transgression. That’s right, he told Santa that I was the one who ate all the apples and carrots.

Santa, as expected, was livid. “That food was supposed to last us all winter,” he shouted at me. When I tried to tell him it wasn’t me, he hollered back: “You better not cry, you better not pout, you need to take responsibility for your actions!”

I tried to not hold a grudge against Santa; after all, he had simply been deceived.

But I must admit, I did have a strong compulsion to deck the halls with Marxist propaganda — “Elves of the North Pole, unite!” — you know, just to upset the ol’ chap in the big red suit.

Rudolph’s “hard work” and “diligence” served him well. A few weeks later, Santa’s Elite 8 had become the Elite 9 — and good ol’ Pinocchio-nose was not only added to

the roster, but he had become St. Nick’s right-hand man.

My fate wasn’t so merry and bright. The day after Rudolph’s “merit-based” career advancement, I arrived at the factory early, like I always did, when what to my wondering eyes should appear: a termination letter.

Can you believe it? What the elf? They didn’t even have the decency to fire me in person.

I tried going to the labor board; unfortunately, I received bad tidings. The North Pole is a “right to work” district, so there was nothing I could do.

The lyrics to Christmas songs often elude me, so I may be getting this wrong, but I really like the first verse from that Al Stillman tune: “Oh, There’s no place like the unemployment line for the holidays.”

Your heart’s an empty hole, Rudolph!

Unlike the real Pinocchio story, where the titular character learns to stop lying and becomes “a real boy,” this one does not have such a happy ending. The moral — or perhaps immoral — of the story? Learn to lie and cheat if you want to climb the ladder and become the leader of the pack. It’s the careerists like Rudolph who often end up clawing their way to the upper echelon of our society. We all believe that they are the heroes — we sing songs about them and commemorate their legacy with gargantuan blow-up dolls on our front lawns — but they are, in many cases, the masters of deception.

Hey, Rudolph, that’s your cue.

Rudolph: “You’re just jealous.”

Ho ho ho!

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Mad about Science: skis

By Brenden Bobby Reader Columnist

It’s that time of the year again, when half the area’s population grumbles about the encroaching snow that must be heaved from our driveways, while the other half blows all of their sick leave from work on powder days on the mountain.

Amid the onset of snowsports season, have you ever wondered whose idea it was to strap sleds to our feet for fun?

The history of the ski predates civilization. Cave paintings in Europe from before 5000 BCE depict hunters chasing game with ski-like devices strapped to their feet, but their use was likely commonplace well before humans started scribbling them on walls. Europe was a nasty, frigid and snowy place during the glaciation periods of our most recent ice age, and our silly primate feet are not well adapted for trudging through snow. In order to catch ice age prey like the giant deer, Megaloceros, that could more easily navigate expansive deep snow drifts, humans needed an edge. Rather than making themselves taller, our ancestors must have figured out that creating a larger surface area around their feet dispersed their weight and allowed them to glide over just about any terrain.

Because of this, I suspect the invention of snowshoes and skis were interlinked and probably even saw mirrored use in Stone Age hunting parties.

The use of skis persisted throughout Scandinavia for millenia. While the peasantry of England’s Dark Ages toiled in their fields and bogs, Norse farmers, peasants and warriors soared the Scandinavian countryside with skis strapped to 10 /

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their feet. The only thing more fearsome than a huge, bearded viking is one that’s coming at you at 20 miles per hour.

Scandinavians’ use of skis has persisted perhaps as long, or longer, than any other people in the world — the continuation of a proud tradition for the men and women of the north. Yet, recreational skiing as we know it is a fairly new phenomenon outside of Sweden. Though Norse lords used to compete with skis in a similar fashion as English knights used to compete in jousts during the Middle Ages, it wasn’t until the 1800s that the everyman would ski for fun. The Industrial Revolution brought with it a lot of free time for people that used to work seven days a week from sunup to sundown, as well as advances in engineering that made for more efficient skis.

Sometime around 1840, the cambered ski we know today was developed by woodworkers in Norway. Older skis were generally much wider, to ensure that a skier didn’t sink into the snow under their own weight.

Rather than making wider skis, a thinner one with a nose that tapered upward increased the user’s speed and agility, while also keeping them light enough not to sink under their own weight.

By 1870, woodworkers were creating sidecuts into skis, making them lighter and far more maneuverable. It was around this time that the first downhill ski club dedicated to the advancement of recreational skiing cropped up in Europe. Skiing was evolving into something more than traveling from point A to point B — now riders were embracing the ability to make sharper turns and reach higher speeds. This ski would go on to be used into the early 1900s.

Brought to you by:

Skiing in America was really beginning to take off in the 1880s. Up until this point, skis had been made from ash trees, which offered a springy and flexible wood — the same type of wood used to create medieval lances centuries earlier.

As the Industrial Revolution advanced our ability to make more powerful, specialized tools from carbon steel, woodworkers were able to create skis from wood that had been too difficult to work with using traditional tools. European woodworkers began importing hickory from Louisiana at great expense.

Scandinavian immigrants, mostly in Minnesota and Wisconsin, quickly discovered they could marry the Old and New Worlds by buying hickory cheaply and crafting skis in America, rather than having to ship lumber halfway across the world. Between inexpensive mastercraft skis and the domination of America’s mountainous West, a new age of recreation quickly followed.

Over the following 100 years, plenty of awesome developments happened to skis: they gained steel rims that helped cut through snow; multiple woods were pressed together to create lighter, more agile skis; and aluminum and plastic were developed to create sturdy, yet lightweight skis that took a beating better than traditional wood.

By the 1970s, fiberglass and carbon fiber skis were commonplace and easily mass-produced, making this ancient pastime more accessible than ever.

Snowboards were developed in 1965, when people had the idea to tie two skis together and ride the assemblage down a hill. I have no doubt that copious amounts of beer were involved in this invention, if the

This picture shows two men and a woman hunting on skis. The illustration is from a book by Olaus Magnus Historia de Gentibus Septentrionalibus (History of the Nordic Peoples), published in Rome 1555. Courtesy image.

snowboarders of the ’60s were anything like the ones I know.

Before I depart to shovel my driveway, I thought it would be fun to look at how fast people travel on modern skis. Most recreational skiers travel between 10 and 30 mph, depending on the intensity of their run. Downhill

racers push anywhere from 40 to 60 mph, while Olympic athletes can get up to 95. Some of the fastest speeds ever reached by racers have exceeded 150 mph.

I don’t know about you, but that speed seems to be about the time my old friend, gravity, would like to stop in and say, “Hello!”

Random Corner ses?

Don’t know much about viru We can help!

• Viruses are microscopic parasites generally much smaller than bacteria. They lack the capacity to thrive and reproduce outside of a host body.

• Viruses teeter on the edge of what is considered life. They contain key elements that make up all living organisms: the nucleic acids DNA or RNA. On the other hand, they lack the capacity to independently read and act upon the information contained within those nucleic acids. Without a host they are just inert packets of chemicals.

• In 1892, a Russian microbiologist named Dmitry Ivanovsky reported that an infection in tobacco plants spreads via something smaller than a bacterium.

That something is now called the tobacco mosaic virus. After American biochemist Wendell Stanley purified the tobacco mosaic virus into needlelike crystals of protein, he won the 1946 Nobel Prize in chemistry, not medicine.

• “Virus” is the Latin word for “poison” or “slimy liquid,” an apt descriptor for the bug that causes flu and the common cold.

• In 1992, scientists tracking a pneumonia outout break in England found a masmas sive new kind of virus lurking inside an amoeba in a cooling tower.

It was so large and complex they initially thought it was a bacterium, but it is called the mimivirus, named as such because it mimics bacteria. Mamavirus, closely related to the mimivirus but even bigger.

It’s so big, in fact, it has its own satellite virus named Sputnik.

• Viruses are the most abundant biological entity on the planet.

Diseases caused by viruses include rabies, herpes, Ebola, polio, measles, HIV and the common cold, to name a few. There is no cure for a virus but vaccinations can help prevent them from spreading.

• After coming into contact with a host cell, viruses will insert genetic material into the host and take over its functions. After infecting the cell, viruses continue to reproduce but they produce more viral protein and genetic material instead of the usual cellular products. It is this process that earns viruses the classification of parasite.

SCIENCE

The white stuff The science of snow

Photo by Jessica Fadel.

By Brenden Bobby Reader Columnist Ever wonder why there are so many different kinds of snowflakes? Different conditions in the atmosphere create different kinds of snow, which can have big consequences for people once it lands on the ground. It all begins in the clouds, which are just flying collections of water vapor lighter than the air beneath it. When the air in and around a cloud drops below freezing, water particles transition from a gas to a liquid to a crystalline solid. These crystallized ice particles bump into each other and stick together. Once enough of these ice particles coalesce, they become heavier than the air around them and fall to Earth.

Every time you catch a snowflake on your tongue, you’re licking a cloud.

Large snowflakes, which we sometimes call chicken feathers, are formed when the air beneath cold clouds is a little warmer than 32 degrees Fahrenheit.

The edges of the flakes begin to melt as they fall, then bump into other large flakes to create big, fluffy snowflakes that make for pillowy, aerated piles of snow on the ground. This happens most frequently in the beginning of winter, when it’s still warm enough to fuel the melting effect of the snowflakes before they reach the ground. It’s also one of the reasons that snow seems wetter after flakes like this than later in winter.

Small, dry flakes of snow fall when the air beneath a cloud is cold and dry.

This type of snow makes for great mountain powder if you plan on hitting the slopes with a shiny pair of skis you have a newfound scientific appreciation for. It’s also a common type of snow we see in January and February, when winter hits its coldest and driest months in North Idaho.

Though it’s not snow, hail forms in a similar manner. Hailstones form in clouds during storms, when hot and cold air are cycling vertically in the clouds. The water vapor freezes into ice crystals, begins to fall, but is carried upward by streams of warm air to collide with other ice crystals, which tumble within the cloud. This tumbling wears off the edges to create balls of ice that eventually become heavy enough to fall violently to the ground.

During warmer winters, some ski resorts make their own snow using a machine. This machine binds water molecules to a material that fosters crystallization called a nucleating material, then forces it through a pressurized chamber and a nozzle that breaks the water up, allowing it to freeze into snowflakes which are then blown out of the machine.

As for all of that snow you see in the movies, that’s often just shredded paper that’s fired out of a modified leaf-blower and then sprayed with a solution to make it damp and cling like real snow.

It’s a pain to clean up, but at least paper won’t melt before the crew can capture the perfect shot, especially in sunny California.

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COMMUNITY

Parks and Rec round-up

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

CPR/AED with optional first aid

The American Health and Safety Institute’s CPR/AED with optional first aid is a general community course for people with little or no medical training, who need CPR/ AED and/or first aid card for work OSHA requirements, school or personal knowledge.

The course meets all American Heart Association guidelines. All sessions will be held at the City Council chambers, 1123 Lake St. The class is for ages 16 to adult. Ages 12-15 are allowed to participate if they hold a Sandpoint Parks and Rec. babysitting certification or are concurrently registering with a guardian/adult. Online registration deadline will be Monday, Dec. 30.

The class date will be Monday, Jan. 6.

CPR/AED is 4-6 p.m. and first aid is 6-8 p.m. Class fees for the former are $35, with the first aid option for an additional $25.

Bollywood Dancing for youth This program is four weeks of fun and energetic dancing using the dance style from blockbuster movies such as Slumdog Millionaire. The dance is a mixture of

numerous styles, including belly-dance, Kathak (Indian traditional dance), Indian folk and various Western modern and popular styles such as jazz. These classes will teach the choreography to whole songs, with possible performance opportunities.

No experience is required.

These classes for ages 5-12 years old will be held Tuesdays, Jan. 7-28 from 3:304:15 p.m. at Sandpoint Community Hall.

The fee is $36 ($4 discount for city residents). Registration is required by Friday, Jan. 3, 2020.

Bollywood Dancing for teens and adults

Same fundamentals as the above-mentioned class, but for teens and adults.

The teen/adult classes will be held Sundays from Jan. 5 to Feb. 9 from 4-5 p.m. at the Sandpoint Community Hall. The fee is $59 per person ($4 discount for city residents). Register by Thursday, Jan. 2.

Children’s intro to martial arts and self-defense

Sandpoint Taekwondo will be offering children ages 5-13 an introductory taekwondo, karate and self defense class Tuesday, Jan. 7-Thursday, Jan. 16, 2020. Pre-register for classes by Friday, Jan. 3.

Session fees are $52 (with a $2 city

Take the plunge

By Reader Staff Feeling daring? Take the Polar Bear Plunge on New Year’s Day, Wednesday, Jan. 1 at 11 a.m. at the Sandpoint City Beach boat launch.

This annual event has long served as a rite of winter passage for Sandpoint residents, with past Polar Bear Plunges seeing dozens of hearty souls jumping through the ice on Lake Pend Oreille into the frigid water below.

This year, it is presented by the city of Sandpoint and Boy Scout Troop No. 111.

Registration starts at 9 a.m. and lineup for the jump begins at 11 a.m.

There will be heated changing and warming tents provided for males and females. Minor youth will need a parent to sign a release waiver at the event.

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resident discount) and includes a uniform and two weeks of lessons Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:15-4 p.m. Each session will meet at Sandpoint Taekwondo Center, 218 Main St. in downtown Sandpoint.

Each session will teach basic self-defense skills and highlight the importance of self-discipline and character building in a child-friendly setting. Please arrive 25 minutes early for uniform fitting.

Youth basketball league

Sandpoint Parks and Recreation is offering a youth basketball league for grades 3-8 from Feb. 3 to March 14, 2020.

The focus of the league is on fun and fundamentals for girls and boys teams. Practices will take place once per week at area schools with games played on Saturdays.

Fees will be $38 for one player ($5 discount for city residents). Additional discounts apply for more than one player in a family. Jerseys cost $14 and are required.

Scholarships are available and the registration deadline is Monday, Jan. 6, 2020.

For info about these events, call 208263-3613 or sandpointgov.parksrecreation.

OUTDOORS

Sherwood Forest to Pine Street Woods: Who knows the difference?

By Regan Plumb Reader Contributor If you are a Sandpoint area dog walker, trail runner, woods walker, mountain biker or all of the above, you are likely acquainted with Sherwood Forest and Pine Street Woods. Both are home to fabulous trail networks, but are uniquely distinct.

Sherwood Forest, named for the original landowners and farmers, is privately owned and, since 2012, protected by a conservation agreement with Kaniksu Land Trust.

This voluntary agreement ensures that the property remains in its current undeveloped state into the future while continuing to be privately owned.

However, unlike a city park or U.S. Forest Service lands, there is no requirement to permit public use of Sherwood Forest. Access to the 130-acre trail network is permitted out of the generosity of the owners and is contingent upon respectful use of the property.

Situated directly to the north, Pine Street Woods offers a complimentary trail venue. This 180-acre parcel, including the Manning Buffer, was purchased this year

by KLT to serve as a community forest.

The founding principles of this community project are to provide a public experience of unspoiled nature for conservation, education and recreation. In contrast to Sherwood Forest, Pine Street Woods comes with a mandate to permit public access.

Despite differences in ownership, the allowed uses on the two properties are similar. Sherwood Forest and Pine Street Woods both allow non-motorized recreational uses. Dogs are permitted, as long as they are under leash or voice control.

Pet owners are requested to clean up after their animals. Hunting is strictly prohibited because of the high degree of year-round public use. The entire boundary of Sherwood Forest is marked by metal T-posts with orange-painted tops.

Leave-no-trace principles are strongly encouraged on both properties. Construction of rogue trails or leaving behind survey flagging, unofficial trail markers, pet waste or other debris creates an undue burden on the landowners — whether of Pine Street Woods or Sherwood Forest — and diminishes the next user’s experience. As neither

Mountain biker Charles Mortensen rides inside the Sherwood Forest / Pine St. Woods trail system. Courtesy photo. property is a for-profit venue, maintenance and clean-up generally falls to volunteers.

Local biking club Pend Oreille Pedalers (POP) is heavily involved in the maintenance and upkeep of the trails at Sherwood Forest. This all-volunteer group has adopted the trail maintenance in partnership with the owner. Questions or concerns regarding trail conditions or downed trees should first be directed to POP (pendoreillepedalers.org).

Pine Street Woods, on the other hand, is owned by a nonprofit entity and managed via a committee of KLT staff, board members and volunteers. This is a donor-supported amenity. No fees are charged for access to Pine Street Woods, and its management, maintenance and improvement are dependent upon volunteers and continued donations to KLT for years to come (visit kaniksu.org or call 208-263-9471 for more info on volunteering or donating).

Access and terrain also varies between the two properties. Sherwood Forest is usually accessed via a narrow, single-track trail starting from the Greta’s Segway trailhead at the 90-degree corner on Pine Street. The Greta’s trail switch-backs uphill for roughly one mile to a trail kiosk at a junction near the high point of the property. From there, several diverging trails run toward Highway 200 some 500 feet below.

An alternative access point climbs from the highway near the Dover Bridge, but this trail is difficult to find and technical in nature. In general, the terrain on the Sherwood Forest property is most appropriate for expert users.

Pine Street Woods, on the other hand,

is accessible to all ages and abilities. Entry is by a road located at 11915 West Pine St., just beyond the point where the pavement turns to gravel on West Pine. The 3/4-mile road winds up a steep hillside to a parking area. From here, an all-abilities trail leads to a large open meadow with distant mountain views. Multi-use trails of varying difficulty extend beyond the Meadow Loop.

Pine Street Woods was designed with the first-time user in mind, whether mountain biker, cross-country skier or budding nature hiker. Beginning this winter, the Sandpoint Nordic Club will groom repurposed road beds for all levels of cross-country skiers, while POP will groom single-track trails for fat bike riders and snowshoers.

The Pine Street Woods trails also opened up a new, easier entrance to its more technical neighbor, Sherwood Forest.

A novice mountain biker or hiker could drive to the Pine Street Woods, meander across the meadow and drop into the steep, mountainous terrain of Sherwood Forest unprepared for the difficult terrain. KLT is developing signs to warn users of the change in landscape as they cross the fence and property line.

With 310 combined acres of natural, preserved land that invite public access, there is plenty for the beginner and advanced trail lovers to enjoy in the Forest or the Woods.

Please continue to recreate on these properties with respect and courtesy. We are so lucky to have them.

Regan Plumb is conservation director at the Kaniksu Land Trust.

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Luther Park Holiday Tree Silent Auction Dollar Beers! @ Luther Park 8pm @ Eichardt’s Pub Silent auction bids will open Dec. 14 for More than a Woman Trivia donated artificial Christmas trees. Auction 6:30-9:30pm @ The Back Door Laughter and female-focused trivia closes at 7 p.m. Dec. 19 Open Mic Night w/ KC Trivia Night 9pm-cl @ A&P’s Bar 6-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery

f

Girls Pint O 5-7pm @ Ida Cool chicks dudes! Annu night - bring with beer to

Live Music w/ Ron Kieper Jazz Trio 5-7pm @ Idaho Pour Authority Live Music w/ Aaron Golay Band 9pm-12am @ 219 Lounge Soulful rock, upbeat pop and dance Live Music w/ The Turnspit Dogs 8-11pm @ Eichardt’s Pub Local blues group extraordinaire

Last-M Live Music w/ Devon Wade Duo 6:30-9:30pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall @ Down Make a Join Devon and his father Mac on the drums for this Sandpoint country night retailer, Live Music w/ One Street Over Live Musi 5-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery 5:30-8:30p A R&B pop group from the Pac. NW Jazz, great with roots in Nashville and Calif.

Live Music w/ BareGrass Live Music w/ Echo Ellysium PSW Outdoor 5-7pm @ Idaho Pour Authority 5-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery 3-6pm @ Pine “Dark As Night” Winter Solstice Party Spokane-based elec. guitarist Join Kanisku w/ Laney Lou and the Bird Dogs playing a wide range of genres, grand opening rec center at P 11am-10pm @ 219 Lounge from Pink Floyd to Prince potluck, hot dr Featuring 10 limited kegs of Barrel Aged Elf sing-a-long Stout from 11am-9pm. High energy blue- 3:30pm @ Little Panida Theater and bonfire/sle grass group Laney Lou plays from 7-10pm A community sing-a-long and Live Music w/ R screening of the classic holiday 6-8pm @ The B Live Music w/ Larry Mooney film with Will Ferrell. Rated G Fire & Smore 5-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery 3-6pm @ Matc Live Music w/ Chad Patrick Gardenia Sunda Sandpoint Chess Club 7-9pm @ The Long Shot 10am @ The Gar 9am @ Evans Brothers Coffee Holiday Piano Sunday w/ Bob Beadling Christmas concer Meets every Sunday at 9am 3-5pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery Pederson, Dr. Alan Monday Night Blues Jam w/ Truck Mills Outdoor Experience Monday Night Run 7:30pm @ Eichardt’s Pub 6pm @ Outdoor Experience Lifetree Cafe A chill, three-mile(ish) group run with opti 2pm @ Jalepeño’s Mexican Restaurant beverages to follow. Headlamps recommended This week’s topic: “The Spirit of Santa” Night-Out Karaoke 9pm @ 219 Lounge Join DJ Webrix for a night of singing, or just come to drink and listen

Trivia Night 7pm @ MickDuff’s Show off that big, beautiful brain of yours

Santa Skis (Dec. 23-24) @ Schweitzer Mountain Resort Join the big guy up on the hill. Kids can join fo balloon parade followed by a Selkirk Lodge vi

Djembe class (ages 12 and up) 5:45-7:30pm @ Music Conservatory of Sandpo Join Ali Thomas for this djembe (drum) class

Merry Christmas Dollar Beers!

8pm @ Eichardt’s Pub Good until the keg’s dry

Live Trivia 6-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery Create a team with friends or come solo. Prizes for winning teams. Free!

ful

Dec. 19 - 26, 2019

rls Pint Out 7pm @ Idaho Pour Authority ol chicks! Great beer! No des! Annual holiday potluck ht - bring a food dish made h beer to share

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

Reader recommended

Adult Grief Support Group 6pm @ Bonner General Hospital For those experiencing a loss SASi Holiday Dinner 11:30pm @ Sandpoint Senior Center With a sing-a-long before the meal!

Reservations needed - 208-263-6860

Holiday Crafts at Creations 11am & 6pm @ Creations at Sandpoint Kid-friendly craft classes at 11am making sweater ornaments. At 6pm, the Ladies Night Bird Trees painting

DJ Skwish Cats film (Dec. 20-Jan2) 9pm-cl @ A&P’s Bar 7:30pm @ Panida Theater The film adaptation of the beloved musical.

Check panida.org for showtimes and dates Live Music w/ Bright Moments Jazz Live Music w/ Kevin Dorin Karaoke DJ Kevin :30-8:30pm @ Matchwood Brewing 6-8pm @ The Back Door 8-close @ Tervan 9pm-cl @ A&P’s Bar Progressive blues from a Sandpoint Christmas Bird Count azz, great food and excellent beer!

Canadian born rockstar 6:30am @ meet at 5th Ave. Restaurant Outdoor Rec Center opening SASi ‘Khristmas Karaoke’ Meet at 5th Ave. Restaurant to assign m @ Pine St. Woods 7-9pm @ Sandpoint Senior Center groups for a day of bird watching around Kanisku Land Trust for a An extensive playlist of songs to Sandpoint. All levels welcome. Call d opening of the new outdoor choose from! $10 donation asked at Rich Del Carlo to sign up: 208-290-1405 enter at PSW. Bring soup for door - all ages, smoke/alcohol free Holiday Crafts at Creations ck, hot drinks provided, tours Toys for Tots Fundraiser and 11am-3pm @ Creations at Sandpoint onfire/sledding are planned Live Music w/ Miah Kohal Band Santa at the Cedar St. Bridge Music w/ Red Blend 2-6pm @ A&P’s Bar & Grill 11am-3pm @ Cedar St. Bridge m @ The Back Door Live and silent auction. No cover.

Santa will be visiting kids at the & Smores Outlaw country and rock Cedar St. Bridge! Come on down. m @ Matchwood Brewing Last-Minute Late-Night Shopping @ Downtown Retailers Make a purchase at a participating retailer, get a free pint at the 219!

nia Sunday Service & Music Concert Brewery Bunch all day and live music w/ Brian Jacobs @ The Gardenia Center 11am-1pm @ Matchwood Brewing Co. as concert featuring Pend Oreille Chorale, Beth Enjoy a brewery brunch all day. Live music from 11-1 n, Dr. Alan Ball on piano and the Threshold Choir Mended Hearts Support Group Holiday Crafts at Creations ght Run 3:30-4:30pm @ BGH classrooms 4pm @ Creations at Sandpoint A support group for cardiac Angel acrylic painting with optional patients offered at no cost ommended

can join for a Lodge visit

of Sandpoint m) class

All Day Christmas Eve Party 10am-9pm @ Matchwood Brewing Co. We open early on this special day, with an all day party. Live music by Big Eyed Diva from 1-4 p.m. All day giveaways, discounts and more!

mas!

Dec. 27 Right Front Burner @ 219 Lounge Dec. 28 2nd Annual Fundraiser @ Evans Bros.

Dec. 30 Ben Klein and the Rocketeers Concert @ Panida Theater

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COMMUNITY

Save those wrapping paper tubes!

Recycled instrument event planned for Earth Day

By Ben Olson Reader Staff After Christmas has come and gone and living rooms across town are filled with crumpled ribbons, bows and wrapping paper, the environmentally conscious often try to find a use for all the waste created by this holiday. Members of the local nonprofit environmental organization 350Sandpoint.org may have had that in mind when they proposed an event planned for Earth Day 2020 using recycled materials as musical instruments.

The plan is simple: On the week of Earth Day in April 2020, 350Sandpoint.org will host an event featuring a parade full of musicians playing instruments made solely from recycled or repurposed objects.

Why are we telling you about this now

instead of months down the road? Because wrapping paper tubes make excellent instruments and 350Sandpoint.org wants them before you throw them away.

“We’re collecting wrapping paper rolls, paper towel rolls, drums, shakers, cigar boxes... anything we can use to make an instrument out of,” said Terra Langley.

Langley and her sister, Tonya Cressey, have spearheaded the Green Team at The Festival at Sandpoint for a dozen years, which sorts and organizes the waste from the concert nights into recyclables, landfill items and compost.

The Earth Day event — currently still in the planning stages — will feature a table of samples of displays for other musical instruments folks have made. This will be a family-friendly event geared toward kids, but everyone is encouraged to take part.

Langley is also interested in seeing if art teachers would like to get involved making instruments from recycled materials.

“We’re trying to inspire other people to go home and make stuff,” Langley said.

“It’s not trash. You just have to look at things differently.”

Langley said a movie shown at the library called Landfill Harmonic inspired the group to make this happen.

“They made a whole symphony out of recycled materials,” she said. “It was really cool.”

For those interested in donating materials to the event, Langley said collection sites will be established at the Sandpoint Library and Creations at Sandpoint on the Cedar St. Bridge.

While the event will be engineered to promote recycling and music, Langley sees it from a larger perspective as a way for different people to unite under the common banner of music.

“Everyone can get along with music,” she said. “It doesn’t matter what age you

A pair of violins made completely from recycled materials by the Landfill Harmonic Project. Courtesy photo. are, what your politics are, any of that stuff — anyone can do music. That’s the theme we’re going for with this event: We can all just get along.”

Those interested in volunteering, making instruments or helping out with the collection process can contact Terra Langley at 208-597-6018.

A BGH CHRISTMAS TRADITION

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or more than 50 years, Bonner General Health has sent each baby born in the month of December home in a handmade stocking and knit hat.

Zoey Rae Berscheid, pictured at left, was born at 3:54 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 11 to Samantha Schoeffel and Dustin Berscheid of Priest River.

The grandparents are Scott and Connie Schoeffel and Mark and Jennifer Berscheid.

Congratulations on your beautiful December baby!

FEATURE

A story of resilience

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Contributor

Ellen Weissman never used to worry about expressing her Jewish identity.

For years, it was suffused into the rhythms of everyday life. Even as she witnessed events like the rise and fall of the Aryan Nations in the 1990s — which provoked justified alarm among regional minority groups — she never feared for her safety. White supremacists were a social blight, she thought, but one that would be remedied in time.

Twenty years later, Weissman is worried. October marked the one-year anniversary of the Tree of Life synagogue shooting that killed 11 people. The past several years have seen a rise in anti-Semitic incidents both nationally and regionally. Vandals painted swastikas in the Spokane area and Sandpoint has its own troubling history, with fliers and robocalls spreading racist and anti-Semitic tropes.

The grim realities of the modern world put the celebration of Hanukkah, unfolding this year from Sunday, Dec. 22 to Monday, Dec. 30, in a new light. But the story of Hanukkah is ultimately one of resilience — of standing against oppression to preserve the fundamental character of Jewish identity. That’s also the story of Sandpoint’s small local Jewish community, which has established its own place despite the lack of a synagogue and episodes like the Aryan Nations and white supremacist propaganda campaigns.

It’s an especially relevant story in light of the upcoming Hanukkah holiday.

Hanukkah is a celebration of the Jewish temple’s rededication in the midst of the Maccabean revolt against the Greek Seleucid Empire. It is a story of resistance in the face of religious and cultural oppression, and one that ended in victory before the Romans absorbed Palestine into their empire.

The Sandpoint Jewish community is similarly resolute in its practice of the faith through good times and bad. Weissman remembers the late Barbara Veraniam as an organizing force for the local Jewish community, more than 25 years ago. Weissman met Veraniam, a school teacher at Northside Elementary whose contributions to the community are memorialized in the City Beach benches, in 1992 while the Aryan Nations led by the late-Richard Butler was still entrenched

in its Hayden compound. The question of how open to be about one’s Jewish identity was under debate even then.

“She and I would go ’round and ’round about how public to be,” Weissman said. “She was teaching in Northside Elementary School and got death threats [when she taught in the ’70s and ’80s].”

Those early days had their share of fraught moments, Weissman recalled. The most nerve-wracking moment for her was a Human Rights Task Force meeting that was picketed by neo-Nazis.

“The saddest thought that crossed my mind then were the little kids that were with them, who were getting brainwashed before they even knew what was going on,” Weissman said. “They were really young, some of those kids, and here they’re being taught hate at such an early age.”

Despite the adversity, Veraniam was instrumental in organizing the local Jewish community. She established a Jewish women’s brunch, which was later supplemented by many Jewish men. The meetings established a connection between Jewish residents that grew as more began attending.

Brunches are one thing, but religious and cultural communities need a place to meet, to observe holidays and to form bonds. That wasn’t easy without a synagogue in Sandpoint. Fortunately, the First Presbyterian Church offered its building as a home for local Jewish practice. For nearly three decades, Sandpoint Jews have met at the church for Passover, Hanukkah and other celebrations.

It’s an arrangement that predates First Presbyterian Church Pastor Andy Kennaly’s years as head of the church, but it’s one he is happy to continue. He sees the interfaith relationship as essential to the good practice of his own religion.

“I see it as a partnership,” he said. “It’s kind of multifaceted. Part of it is social justice in an area that needs inclusiveness and welcoming. Part of it is hospitality — it’s an issue of Christian identity.”

Prior to the agreement with First Presbyterian Church, the Jewish community met in the downtown community center.

When it outgrew that venue, the First Presbyterian Church — which also provides meeting places for other groups like Alcoholics Anonymous and PFLAG — materialized as a more suitable replacement.

“I’m not sure how it started, but at one point, they put us on their insurance

For local Jews, Hanukkah is a light in dark times

policy as a continuing renter of the building,” Weissman said. “It feels good to be umbrellaed like that.”

The local Jewish community varies in the degree to which each individual observes the religion. They come from different theological denominations, the largest of which are Reform, Conservative and Orthodox Judaism. But they are united in their commitment to the practices and traditions that define the faith.

“I talked to a rabbi once, and the question was, ‘How do you describe Judaism?’

And the answer was, ‘There are as many views of Judaism as there are Jews,’” Weissman said.

Reflected in those shared traditions are themes of endurance, of perseverance, of a commitment to the foundations of the faith. Some of the most important holidays in the Jewish calendar, from Passover to Hanukkah to Purim, are directly concerned with the survival of the Jewish people in the face of steep odds and tyrannical opposition. While Weissman is discouraged by the signs of rising

A bas-relief depicting the Maccabean revolt located at the Arch of Titus in Rome. Courtesy photo. anti-Semitism around the world, she takes comfort in the timeless themes expressed in those holidays.

“It’s absolutely important,” she said.

“You’re re-reading. You’re reminding yourself. You’re talking about persecution — and surviving it.”

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OUTDOORS

Christmas Bird Count, 120 years in the making

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

Prior to the turn of the 20thcentury, a holiday tradition known as the Christmas “Side Hunt” was popular among hunters.

Participants would choose sides and go afield with their guns — whoever brought back the biggest pile of dead birds won.

As conservation grew in popularity, many observers and scientists became concerned about declining bird populations across North America. On Christmas Day, 1900 an ornithologist named Frank M. Chapman proposed a new holiday tradition that wouldn’t cause the death of tens of thousands of birds nationwide: A “Christmas Bird Census,” in which participants would observe and count birds instead of killing them. Chapman was a follower of John James

Audobon, a mid-nineteenth century naturalist who is credited as the father of ornithology, or the study of birds. The first count saw data from 25 locations ranging from Toronto to Pacific Grove, Calif., tallying around 90 different species on all the counts combined. It wasn’t until 1905 when the Audubon Society formally coalesced into the environmental organization that exists to this day.

Almost 115 years later, tens of thousands of volunteers host their own Christmas Bird Counts around North America. Volunteers brave snow, wind and rain to catalog all species sighted in particular areas, and present the data to the Audubon Society afterward, which then records the information to help monitor the long-term health and status of bird populations across North America.

The Sandpoint Christmas Bird

Count will take place Saturday, Dec. 21, with volunteers meeting at 6:30 a.m. at the 5th Avenue Restaurant, 807 N. Fifth Ave. “The Christmas Bird Count is itself the largest citizen scientist project in the world,” said organizer Rich Del Carlo, an avid birder and owner of Peregrine Tree & Landscape, LLC. “[The Audubon Society] uses the data and analyzes it from the past 100plus years. It’s not only fun, but the information is used so they can make predictions and see trends in bird populations.”

Del Carlo said the event is open to anyone curious about birding or the outdoors. Those interested should bring binoculars, snacks and dress appropriately for the weather since birders will be hopping in and out of cars at different locations.

Since the count utilizes a 15-mile radius around each particular

A snowy owl with recently caught game. Photo by Matthew Schwartz. location, areas included will be Sunnyside, Bottle Bay, Lakeshore Drive and the Pend Oreille River.

Del Carlo said the event will wrap up with a debriefing at Eichardt’s Pub around 3:30-4 p.m.

Data from this count will join data gained from thousands of other locations to form this year’s snapshot of long-term species help.

The Audubon Society has used the nearly 120 years of data gathered all the way back to that first count in 1900 to understand a few things about North American bird populations — including the effect climate change is having on roughly 590 species of North American birds, of which half are likely in trouble. The society predicts that 314 species will lose more than half of their current range by 2080 due to climate change.

For Del Carlo, the bird count is not just an annual tradition — it’s a way to connect with the natural world around us.

“When you’re birding, you’re just really present,” he said.

“You’re in the moment with nature.

It’s a very gratifying experience.”

For more information about the Christmas Bird Count, call Rich Del Carlo, 208-290-1405 or email rich@peregrinetree.com.

KLT opens new outdoor rec center at PSW

By Ben Olson Reader Staff It’s been a stellar first year for Pine Street Woods, the 180acre gift to the community from Kaniksu Land Trust. Featuring year-round trails through rolling meadows and healthy woodlands, the PSW is now entering its first winter in high style.

KLT is hosting a grand opening for the newly built outdoor recreation center planned from 3-6 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 21 at the Pine Street Woods. The opening will be a potluck-style event — soup is the preferred contribution — with a bonfire, tours of the new center and staff on hand to explain winter recreation programs. Thanks to a unanimous vote Dec. 12 by the Dover City Council, KLT has been granted a special use permit to operate the rec center.

KLT Executive Director Katie Cox is pleased with the new facility, and especially how the team at Idagon Homes finished it before the deadline: “It’s an anomaly in the Sandpoint building market [to finish on time], but Colin Burnett and Justin [Schuck] at Idagon accepted this project and said, ‘We’ve been watching everyone 18 /

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do so much work to make this project successful and this is our chance to help.’ We really are happy with how it came together.”

Low and non-imposing, painted a dark forest green-brown and placed conveniently beside the parking lot, the building achieves a perfect balance in its setting — a plan that was by design, according to Cox. “I’m also an architect and color is very important to me,” Cox said. “The fact that something blends in rather than sticks out — especially in a natural setting — is important.”

First through the double doors is a community room that will serve as a warming hut, gear storage and changing area in winter.

There are benches, coat hooks and places to store boots when changing into nordic skiing gear.

“We’ll also have a place where you can wax or learn how to wax your skis,” Cox said. “On the weekends it will be staffed, with staff giving pointers on how frequently to wax. You can either bring your own equipment or we’ll have it there.”

A service counter will offer rental gear for classic and skate nordic skiing, as well as snow-

shoes and merchandise for sale from Sandpoint Nordic Club. This counter will be staffed Saturdays and Sundays throughout the winter. Gear is available to rent for the season, the week or by the day, for both adults and youth.

Beyond the service counter, a drive-through equipment storage shed will house grooming equipment, including a nordic and fat bike groomer. The Sandpoint Nordic Club will operate the nordic groomer on the wide trails, laying down both wide corduroy for skate-style skiing and cutting double grooves for classic nordic skiing. Pend Oreille Pedalers will operate the fat bike groomer on the narrow trails, which will also be open for snowshoers.

“Pine Street Woods and the outdoor recreation center to me, is a bit of a dream come true,” said Sandpoint Nordic Club’s Ross Longhini, who spent much of the summer 70 feet above the ground trimming trees to open up snow coverage for the wide trails.

“This allows us to remove a lot of the barriers for people to be outside in the winter,” he said.

The access road leading to Pine Street Woods will be plowed and sanded regularly, but Cox stressed

The outdoor recreation center at Pine St. Woods. Photo by Ben Olson. the importance of drivers maintaining a 15 mph speed limit at all times for safety.

The final touch to the rec center will be a front porch added in January by custom home builder Collin Beggs. The porch will be made with timber frame and burned wood, complimenting the natural aesthetic the center has achieved.

“We had over 25 busineses that either donated 100% of their services or materials, or gave us a huge reduction in price,” Cox said.

“That really allows this building to be as beautiful as it is without all the costs.”

For Cox, the Pine Street Woods project as a whole is a true

example of all forces aligning to produce something good and lasting for the community.

“The most important thing about PSW is that it allows everyone access to nature,” Cox said. “We had over 1,500 hours of volunteer time this summer — there’s no way that KLT could have created this space so quickly unless we had all this help.”

To learn more about Pine Street Woods, visit kaniksulandtrust.org.

To find out more about nordic skiing, including rental prices, check out sandpointnordic.com. Support winter fat biking by visiting pendoreillepedalers.org.

COMMUNITY

Carousel of Smiles hosts champagne reception

Sandpoint Seniors present ‘Khristmas Karaoke’

Chance to learn about the restoration process

By Reader Staff Since its unveiling two years ago at the Bonner County Fairgrounds, the Carousel of Smiles has been undergoing an artistic transformation of epic proportions. To get a glance at that transformation process, the public is invited to a free champagne reception Thursday, Dec. 19, 6:30-9 p.m. at the Mountain West Bank on the corner of US-2 and Division Avenue.

There will be 15 ponies on display at the reception, each showcasing a step in the restoration process. Carousel of Smiles volunteers will also be in attendance to explain the process, answer questions and share hopes for its permanent operating location.

“The energy, talent and enthusiasm that our volunteers have brought to this project is amazing. Words can’t begin to properly convey my thrill at how this project is progressing as a community endeavor,” said Carousel of Smiles co-founder Reno

Hutchison. “This celebration is a chance for all to come see some of the amazing work happening, and feel the excitement for themselves.”

The Carousel of Smiles group is restoring an intact and original Allan Herschell Carousel from the 1920s, which is comprised of 36 hand-carved ponies. The machine operated as a traveling carousel until 1952, then was

Carousel of Smiles Champagne Reception

By Reader Staff

Thursday, Dec. 19; 6:30-9 p.m.; FREE; Mountain West Bank, 1323 US-2, 208-255-2046, thecarouselofsmiles.org.

Strap on your dancing shoes and a Santa hat, it’s “Khristmas Karaoke” time at the Sandpoint Senior Center.

The Sandpoint Area Seniors are hosting the holiday event filled with karaoke and dancing from 7-9 p.m. at the Sandpoint Senior Center, 820 Main St. A $10 suggested donation can be given at the door to help cover costs for the event.

Gayle Williams and Rich Speidell will bring their karaoke equipment and an extensive playlist of songs to

abandoned in a farmer’s field outside of Kansas City.

Following her childhood dream — sparked by the 1973 fire that destroyed her beloved carousel at the Columbia Gardens in Butte, Mont. — Hutchison and her husband, Clay, serendipitously found and were able to purchase the machine before it was broken up and sold at auction.

A lively group of Sandpoint Area Seniors gather and sing karaoke songs at a previous karaoke event at the Bonner Mall. Courtesy photo. choose from, which of course will include Christmas carols and holiday songs. Also, this night isn’t just for seniors — it’s open to all ages. The night is smoke and alcohol free and children under 12 can participate for free.

To learn more, call 208-2636860 or visit sandpointareaseniors.org.

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FOOD

The Sandpoint Eater

Christmas in her kitchen

By Marcia Pilgeram Reader Columnist

Last December, after making povitica (an Eastern European nut-roll pastry that was a traditional recipe from my youth), I wrote about it in my Christmas column and posted photos on Facebook. I received a deluge of recipe requests and a multitude of comments, especially from readers wanting to share their own memories. A month later, the post was still receiving activity from povitica lovers.

A couple of weeks ago, I spent an entire day making Cornish pasties, another family favorite. Again, I posted photos, along with a short story, to a couple of Facebook foodie groups and those posts elicited even more recipe requests and poignant comments than the prior year’s povitica. Anecdotal memories flooded the posts. Nearly anyone who’s ever made (or eaten) a pasty weighed in. I’d say we have a lot to say about food and our memories of cooking.

By the time I was 10 years old I had lived in as many houses, and, though I can barely remember most of those homes, the flash of fleeting memories almost always revolves around the kitchens. Many others tell me that holds true for them as well, and so it seems we gather best when it involves food.

These holiday kitchen recollections are stirred up every time we seek out our annual Christmas cookies recipes. You might lovingly remember your apron-clad grandmother, wiping her flour-dusted fingers on a hand-stitched towel before offering you a delicious and fragrant, warm-from-the-oven cookie.

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for the soft-spoken, gingham-clad grandmother like the ones I’d glimpsed on our black-and-white TV. Instead, my “Gram” always seemed to be pouring the last cup of coffee from an overworked percolator and taking long, hard drags from her morning Salem (she switched to Pall Malls with her evening whiskey). Our Formica-topped table was filled with overflowing ashtrays and ever-present decks of canasta cards. Often, I was embarrassed by this less-than-Norman Rockwell scene and cringed when a friend came by unannounced, catching a peek of my unorthodox grandmother, Irma.

Sadly, at that time, I couldn’t see beyond the ashtrays. Because if I had, I would have paid more attention to the women gathered in these kitchens. It

wasn’t only coffee and cigarettes they shared but most likely wisdom, encouragement and even a secret or two while baking dozens of cookies, neatly piled on flattened, brown grocery bags on the far side of the table. There are times I long for the laughter of these women and the collage of their personalities that helped paint the portrait of my life.

As I grew older, I found my way into the holiday kitchens of friends, lovers and relatives.

More than once, my host would roll their eyes and gesture toward their own unorthodox matriarch.

At a cousin’s home, her Ukranian babusya taught us to make holubtsi-savory cabbage rolls, served at midnight on Christmas Eve after a long fast (which the youngest generation completely ignored, with trips to a drive-in burger joint). At my

childhood friend Irene’s (who’s home and German immigrant mother did belong in a Norman Rockwell print), I learned to roll dough, no bigger than an acorn, for pfeffernüsse cookies.

On a trip to Rockford, Ill., I met my boyfriend Mike’s multi-cultural family, starting with his tiny frail Swedish grandmother who plied me with homemade gløgg (producing a hangover that lingered for days).

His Italian nonna’s kitchen was always filled with simmering pots of sauces and jelly glasses full of homemade red wine.

From her broken English, I learned of the Feast of the Seven Fishes (La Vigilia), celebrated in her native Sicily with dishes, in my opinion, that were much tastier than the Ukranian holubtsi.

I’ve spent nearly 20 years in the same home now. My children,

who’ve grown more tolerant of their own mother, gravitate toward the kitchen as soon as they arrive. There are also many grandchildren with much to learn: how to roll dough into acornsized balls and how to stack cooling cookies into long, neat rows.

Maybe next time they come, I’ll tell them about Nonna’s seafood linguine arrabbiata, served on Christmas Eve. It was the most exotic concoction I had ever tasted, loaded with fresh sardines.

I was wary of a sardine that didn’t come from a can but was able to wash them down with many a juice glass of red wine.

It’s a perfect dish for hungry eaters at holiday tables. I long ago left the sardines out of my version. Here’s to Christmas! I hope yours is memorable and merry.

Seafood linguine arrabbiata Add a little salad and bread and lots of red wine.

Sometimes, for variation, I drizzle with additional olive oil and crispy fried pancetta.

INGREDIENTS:

DIRECTIONS:

• 1 pound linguine • 2 tbs olive oil • 2 cloves garlic, chopped • 1⁄2 cup pitted Castelvetrano olives • 1⁄2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes • 29 ounces Italian style diced tomatoes • 6 oz each: cleaned mussels and small clams, scallops, peeled and deveined shrimp • 6 oz clam juice • 3⁄4 tsp kosher salt • 1⁄4 tsp ground black pepper • 2 tbs coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves • 2 tsp capers

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic, olives and crushed red pepper, and cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in tomatoes and juice, salt and pepper, and simmer, stirring occasionally.

Heat large covered saucepot of salted water to boiling over high heat. Add linguine and cook as label directs. Drain pasta, then return to saucepot.

Add 1 tbs olive oil to skillet, when hot, add mussels and clams, cover about 2-3 minutes. Open, add clam juice, shrimp and scallops.

Cook until shrimp are pink.

Add tomato mixture to pasta, then add seafood. With tongs, toss pasta until well coated with sauce.

Top with capers and basil.

Serves 4, easy to double recipe.

STAGE & SCREEN

Dancing, drama and digital fur

New Cats film screens at the Panida Theater through the end of December

By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff

the whimsically-named felines that would ultimately serve as the basis for Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical, which first saw the limelight in the early 1980s.

Dancing, singing, high-stakes compe“Memory” is the song most audience tition, the chance at a new beginning: It’s members remember from the production, all a day in the life of Cats, the long-runwhether they’ve seen it or not. Betty ning Broadway production, which is Buckley brought down the house at the about to take the world by storm again — 1983 Tony Awards with her performance this time as a blockbuster film. of the tune, and a YouTube viewing of Director Tom Hooper — known for that moment will make the hair on anyhis work on The King’s Speech, Les one’s neck stand up — the lyrics “touch Misérables and The Danish Girl — brings me / it’s so easy to leave me” are burned the play to the big screen in the biggest into Broadway history forever. way, securing a star-studded cast and the Buckley took home the award for Best newest CGI technoloFeatured Actress in a MusiCats the Movie (PG) gy to bring new life to cal for her work as Grizaa well-loved narrative Friday, Dec. 20 to Thursday, bella. Lucky for us, Hudson chock full of song and Jan. 2; showtimes listed at belts the iconic ballad in a dance. panida.org; adults $8, seway only Hudson can in the Cats opens nationniors $7, youth $6 and kids movie’s trailer, promising wide Friday, Dec. 20, under 12 years old $5. Pani- that “Memory” won’t disda Theater, 300 N. First Ave., appoint in its silver screen including at the Panida Theater, which will host 208-263-9191. Get tickets reincarnation. showings Dec. 20-Tues- at the door or panida.org. day, Dec. 24; Thursday, Dec. 26-Tuesday, Dec. 31; and Thursday, Jan. 2.

The cast is undoubtedly the movie’s greatest appeal, featuring Taylor Swift as Bombalurina, James Corden as Bustopher Jones, Ian McKellen as old Gus the Theatre Cat, Rebel Wilson as Jennyanydots, Jason Derulo as Rum Tum Tugger, Idris Elba as Macavity the Mystery Cat, Jennifer Hudson as Grizabella and Judi Dench as Old Deuteronomy. English ballerina Francesca Hayward plays the small white kitten Victoria, and is sure to wow audiences when her grace and appropriately cat-like agility take center stage.

While the first Cats trailer released earlier this year relied on the viewer to either know the original Broadway show and be swept away in nostalgia, or be so enthralled with the theatrics of it all to become invested, the second trailer went further into explaining what, exactly, is happening in Cats.

As far as plots go, Cats is fairly straightforward: All of the felines are vying for a place in the Heaviside Layer — heaven, but for cats. Old Deuteronomy is the group’s matriarch, and therefore gets to make the selection.

It’s all based on T.S. Eliot’s 1939 book Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats — a collection of poems based on the lives of

All in all, Cats will likely receive mixed reviews. Maybe it’s the prospect of vague nudity and state-of-the-art CGI fur that has people nervous. Still, the casting and sheer glamor promised by the trailers

A still frame from Cats, playing at the Panida Theater. Courtesy photo. will surely capture audiences.

I think it’s safe to say we’re scared, but nonetheless excited.

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STAGE & SCREEN

Breaking tradition The children’s opera, written

by Engelbert Humperdink, is based on a dark German fairy If Karin Wedemeyer had her tale first recorded by the Brothers way, everyone would have the Grimm in 1812. The original veropportunity to experience the op- sion is quite a bit more macabre era. As the director of the Music than the sanitized story modern Conservatory of Sandpoint — children have grown up with. and a classically trained operatic In the Brothers Grimm versinger herself — Wedemeyer sion, Hansel and Gretel are the founded the Bel Canto Opera in children of a poor woodcutter in 2016 with an unusual mission: to the time of widespread famine. bring the art form back into the When food grows short, the eyes of the fine arts beholder and woodcutter’s wife (stepmother to the next generation that might the children) suggests they lead think opera is stuffy. the children deep into the woods To prove this point, the Bel and leave them there to fend Canto Opera is taking on a clasfor themselves. Hansel hears of sic children’s fairy tale, Hansel the plan and gathers pebbles to & Gretel on Sunday, Dec. 22 and lead the way back home, which Monday, Dec. 23 at 3 p.m. at the works the first time they are Heartwood Center, 615 Oak Str. abandoned. But the stepmother Tickets are $25 per family, $15 has her way and they abandon for adults and $5 for students. the children again, not giving The production them access involves princito pebbles.

Bel Canto Opera ple singers with Instead, the presents Bel Canto Choir, children leave Hansel & Gretel as well as guest a trail of singers and nonpro- Sunday, Dec. 22; Monday, Dec. breadcrumbs to 23; 3 p.m.; $25 family, $15 adults, find their way fessional children singers. According $5 students. Heartwood Center, home, but after 615 Oak St., 208-265-4444. to Wedemeyer, opBuy tickets at brownpapertickets. birds eat the era can be the most com. For more information visit crumbs, they fun when you break sandpointconservatory.org. are hopelessits rules. ly lost in the “It’s exciting for forest, where them because it’s a different kind they encounter a witch living in of responsibility — a work-ina gingerbread house who lures tensive project,” Wedemeyer them inside with the intention of said. “We create new storylines eating them. and mix things up a bit. They “The Brothers Grimm colhave been doing very, very well, lected stories that always had and that gives our students the their roots in truth,” Wedemeyer opportunity to grow their skills.” said. “There actually was a time

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

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in history where exactly what is described in the opera actually happened. The accounts of poverty were so severe, there were indeed people in the woods that actually ate children.”

The Bel Canto Opera’s storyline of Hansel & Gretel is a mild deviation from the gruesome original tale in order to remain accessible and enjoyable by a range of age groups. After the performance, audience members are invited to stick around to build their own gingerbread houses with MCS staff and singers.

The production involves principal Bel Canto Opera singers, including baritone John Fitzgerald playing “Father,” mezzo-soprano Brenda Rutledge playing “Mother” and soprano Karin Wedemeyer playing the “Witch.”

Student singers will round out the rest of the roles, including Lucinda Meshberg playing “Hansel,” Jamie Langford playing “Gretel” and Sloane Ettinger playing the “Dew-Fairy.” Keely Grey is directing the performance with John Fitzgerald serving as music director.

Wedemeyer said the student performers are taught operatic singing in MCS’ Young Classical Singers program, which has almost a dozen members. The offshoot is part of their larger vocal program, which includes several dozen students.

“We have students from different backgrounds with different goals, but we do teach the classical approach to singing, Bel Canto, which is ‘the art of beautiful singing,’” Wedemeyer said. “In a world where we get rewards quickly, when you build skills over a long time, you feel you really earn the reward. The beauty of the human voice is an experience worth preserving. Here, where we could potentially be a cultural island, it’s important that students understand the multitude of cultural experiences.”

Hansel & Gretel is one of two performances the Bel Canto

MCS’ Bel Canto Opera takes on Hansel & Gretel

Opera puts on annually, each produced to breathe fresh air into the traditional opera concept.

“Everything we do is handcrafted,” Wedemeyer said. “At times we create our own story and we use operatic language to do it. … This is what attracts the next generation, because opera does not need to be stuffy. The

Lucinda Meshburg and Abbie Baker work on props for the production of Hansel & Gretel, with Rowan and Rosie Greenland looking on from the window. Photo courtesy MCS. response from the younger generation has been really positive.

We’re looking to grow in that direction.”

‘Elf’ sing-a-long brings cheer to the Panida

Bradley Insurance, located in Ponderay, is sponsoring the event.

“We wanted to do anything The 2003 holiday movie Elf, that we could do to help the Panifeaturing Will Ferrell as Buddy, da,” said Quinnette Tarbert with has quickly become a classic film Bradley Insurance. “It has such a for the season. With his unfailingbig meaning for the history of this ly sunny disposition and ambitious town, and the people who have attitude, Buddy — a human raised worked so hard to keep it alive.”

by Santa as an elf at the North Tarbert said heading to the PaniPole — heads to the Big Apple to da to see Elf this holiday season is a find his biological family. great way to celebrate a time of year Audiences can embark on that that’s all about being with family journey alongside Buddy when and enjoying “the little things.”

Elf shows at the Panida Theater “Memories are Saturday, Dec. 21 Elf (PG) created by the things we at 3:30 p.m. The do,” Tarbert said, “not event is free to at- Saturday, Dec. 21; 3:30 by the items that we p.m.; FREE. Panida Theater, tend and will also give.”

300 N. First Ave., 208feature opportunities to sing along. 263-9191, panida.org.

By Reader Staff

STAGE & SCREEN

Talking about torture

By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff It was the biggest story that never mattered. When the United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence released the so-called “torture report,” which clocked in at 6,700 pages, it was in early December 2014. The government only made available a 600-page executive summary, while the full document remains classified. Response to its findings — that the CIA operated a network of secret prisons around the world in which it subjected suspected terrorists to “enhanced interrogation techniques” such as waterboarding and tight confinement — was blunted by the holiday season.

National media subsequently summarized its contents and a few politicians and human rights organizations expressed outrage, but just as many commentators pushed back, criticizing the report for endangering national security and opening old wounds from the Bush era “War on Terror.” Still others defended the CIA’s actions as necessary and painted the document as a partisan hatchet job.

By February 2015, the “torture report” had all but fallen out of the news cycle and, apart from demands by the American Civil Liberties Union that certain CIA personnel be charged for human rights abuses, calls for accountability amounted to sound and fury signifying nothing.

That has remained the case for five years, though the conversation about the moral and legal implications of the CIA’s activities under the administration of former-President George W. Bush has seen an uptick with the Amazon original docu-drama The Report, which tells the story of how the Senate compiled the document and the struggles of lead investigator Daniel Jones to make its contents public.

Throughout The Report, which became available on Amazon in November, the

central tension is between justification for the “abuses” and “mistakes” of the CIA — as former-Agency Director John Brennen called them — and the rule of law. Morality versus perceived necessity underpin a line in the film that stands as an apt statement on the entire issue of “enhanced interrogation”: “It’s only legal if it works.”

As the real-life report made clear, those techniques didn’t work; yet, the U.S. Department of Justice has repeatedly declined to pursue charges against anyone named in the report. Notably, that includes the contractors hired by the CIA to devise, apply and assess the methods that groups such as Amnesty International and the United Nations have come to call “torture.”

Psychologists James Mitchell and Bruce Jessen, both former Air Force colonels stationed in Spokane, loom large in the pages and on the screen. The former has been vocal over the years in defense of his role at the black sites. The latter, however, has remained a cipher.

For four months in early 2015, when I was editor-in-chief at the Boise Weekly, I took on a project to construct a portrait of Jessen, who I discovered was born to a farming family in the rural southeast Idaho town of Ashton near the Wyoming border. After spending most of those months combing through the report and sleuthing around the internet, I traveled to Ashton to see if I could contact any of Jessen’s relatives or those who knew him before his name became associated with the excesses described by the report. One of his sisters said only, “No comment.” Other townspeople, including the local historian, more or less shrugged, saying they knew he did some kind of work for the government and that he had been a quiet, intelligent, hard-working kid. One of his former professors at Utah State University — where his psychology work focused on family therapy — told me, “I’m sorry, but I

The Report reopens the issue of CIA interrogations in the War on Terror

The Report stars Adam Driver, Annette Bening and Jon Hamm. Courtesy photo. don’t remember him at all.”

Jessen, like most everything associated with the report, seems to exist in a kind of black hole of memory. His character in The Report reflects this sense of blankness; unlike the flamboyant Mitchell, who acts as a kind of pitch man in the film, Jessen comes off as a cold practitioner.

A few weeks after the release of the Senate report, former Inlander reporter Jacob Jones successfully met Jessen faceto-face at the multi-million home in which he was living south of Spokane. Jessen said little other than there were “distortions” related to his activities, then issued a veiled threat: “You know, they didn’t prosecute Zimmerman,” apparently in reference to the Florida man who fatally shot teenaged Trayvon Martin in a confrontation over alleged trespassing in 2012.

It’s telling that it has taken as long for a film on the subject to be produced as it did for Jones and his team to put together the titular report. Then, as now, no one has ever seemed to want to talk about what

happened in the CIA’s “black sites” during the early 2000s — a point made clear in the film when Jones (played by Adam Driver) runs up against White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough (Jon Hamm), who tells the him that while then-President Barack Obama decries torture, his priority is to “get this behind us.”

The Report does an admirable job sketching the outlines of the complex document, as well as the political forces swirling around it. It stumbles with Mitchell and Jessen, however, alternately making them into caricatured flim-flam men — the CIA paid their now-defunct practice in Spokane more than $80 million of a contract worth $180 million — cynical sadists and arrogant bumblers.

I suspect their motivations and personalities were and are much more nuanced, though we’ll likely never know. That we know anything at all about them or what they allegedly did in service to the CIA is ultimately the thrust of The Report, whose main contribution is simply to make us talk about it again. Maybe, someday, it’s a story that will matter.

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MUSIC

Dreaming of a weird Christmas Strange sounds for your holiday season

By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff There are few, if any, corners of American life that remain untouched by the Christmas-Industrial Complex: from food and drink to decor and clothing, there’s a Christmas version of it. So pervasive is the Christmas creep that it carries its own phobia — Christougenniatikophobia — and most notably its own soundtrack.

Truly, Christmas Music has evolved since the mid-20th century into a sprawling super-genre that engulfs all others, which means there are some profoundly bizarre tunes lurking in obscurity beneath the likes of Bing Crosby and Nat King Cole. The following is the merest sampling of weirdo Christmas music discovered with cursory Googling, offered in the spirit of seasonal subversiveness.

Christopher Lee: A Heavy Metal Christmas

British actor Christopher Lee left behind a vast corpus of screen work when he died in 2015 at the age of 93: from Dracula to The Man With the Golden Gun to The Wickerman to The Lord of the Rings. Perhaps less well known is Lee’s turn as a heavy metal rocker, which he announced to the world with the release of his first full-length record Charlemagne: By the Sword and the Cross in March 2010 — two months shy of his 88th birthday. Though it might seem strange at first, upon further reflection it makes perfect sense that Lee should make a righteous metalhead. First of all, his iconic baritone

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with its lordly tremolo is perfect for intoning ominous passages about the “massacre of the Saxons.” Second, his acting career was filled with dark and forbidding roles, frequently with a villainous, supernatural bent. He brings all the fierceness of Sarumon to his 2012 release, A Heavy Metal Christmas, whipping up a hell’s broth of Christmas doom on his version of “The Little Drummer Boy” and a decidedly unquiet rendition of “Silent Night.” Find it — and forever improve your Yuletide playlist — on YouTube or Spotify.

‘Oh, Santa!’ by Mr.B The Gentleman Rhymer

Color us abashed for only recently having heard of “Chap-Hop” — a tongue-in-cheek rap form that mingles the dandified aesthetic of Edwardian England with ill rhymes about the many- splendored and multifaceted existence of the chap. Allied with the Yiddish mensch, the British chap is a person of solid quality — from dress and grooming to taste in spirits, high-mindedness and artistic feeling, “a proper chap knows exactly where it’s at.” The standard bearer for this quintessentially Jolly Ol’ genre is Mr.B The Gentleman Rhymer, with his impeccable three-piece tweeds and brilliantly constructed lyrical expositions on chap life. Mr.B’s foray into Christmas music poses his punctilious persona against a distinctly un-chap-like Santa Claus, who ventures down the chimney only to slurp up all the port and misuse a carrot intended for Rudolph. As hilarious as it is distasteful, Mr.B’s “Oh, Santa” is one to break out after the Christmas party guests are well into the eggnog. Listen to it, along with more Mr.B selections, on YouTube.

Christmas in the Stars: Star Wars Christmas Album

Not unlike Christmas Music, the Star Wars universe has been on a steady march to infuse itself into all aspects of human life since it precipitated the invention of cultural mass-merchandising in 1977. So it’s only natural that there be a Star Wars Christmas album (as there is of course also a Star Wars Christmas special, which is the worst thing ever put on film in this galaxy or any other). On the 1980 record Christmas in the Stars you’ll find such gems as “The Odds Against Christmas,” featuring a bizarre spoken-word intro by C-3PO, who talks about “Bad King John” and the Magna Carta, the “discovery” of America and the contingent nature of time — specifically, that the “odds against Christmas being Christmas” were 365 (days) to one. Aside from the illogicality of a droid from “a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away” talking about the Magna Carta or America, we have absolutely no idea what’s happening with the central idea of there being “odds” that Christmas is Christmas. The other highlight on the album is the tune “R2-D2 We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” in which a children’s chorus sings an ode to the titular astrodroid with Attack of the Clones-worthy lyrics like, “R2-D2 we wish you a merry Christmas/ R2-D2 we love you, it’s true.” Of course, C-3PO interjects with passive-aggressive scolding throughout, and most notably the track features the first-ever recording of the vocal talents of John Bongiovi, a.k.a. John Bon Jovi, who at the time was working as a recording studio janitor. Truth is stranger than space opera. Listen to it (at your peril) on YouTube.

MUSIC

Big sky, big energy Moore on guitar.

The five-piece is a hometown favorite, where Laney Lou People post ads to Craigslist and the Bird Dogs for any number of reasons: to find roommates, sell a dishwash- have been named the city’s Best Bluegrass er, buy a car.

Band by Bozeman Matt Demarais posted an ad Magazine four years to find someone with whom to running. According create folk music. He was just to Demarais, that’s learning the banjo, and thought thanks to the band’s some collaboration would do uniquely hyped style him well. and true adoption of “I was looking for a songa classic stomp-grass writing partner — someone to folk sound. help me learn,” Demarais said.

“It’s pretty high Through the ad he met Lena energy,” he said.

“Laney Lou” Schiffer, and thus, “It’s a ‘get up, get Montana’s favorite stomp-grass moving around’ act — Laney Lou and the Bird [kind of show]. Have a couple Dogs — was born. beers and let your day go.”

In Demarais’ words: “We Laney Lou and the Bird Dogs became friends and the rest is have been touring most of 2019 history.” in support of their first fullDemarais and Schiffer were length studio release Sweet Little joined by Demarais’ little brothLies. Lively er, Ethan, on bass, as well as Laney Lou and the Bird instrumentation pairs perfectly Brian Kassay on Dogs @ 219 Lounge with animated fiddle, mandolin Saturday, Dec. 21; 7-10 harmonies, and and harmonica, p.m.; FREE. 219 Lounge, Demarais said and beloved-Boz219 N. First Ave., 208-263everyone’s songeman-bartend5673, 219.bar. Listen at writing contrier-turned-bandthebird-dogs.com/music. butions work to mate Josh

Laney Lou and the Bird Dogs set to jam at the 219’s Dark As Night beer party

By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff

Despite being in his mid-20s, Spokane area musician Forest Govedare is a seasoned veteran of the regional blues scene. He played his first bar gig at age 8. He picked up the electric guitar at 12 or 13 and hit the blues circuit, hanging out with B.B. King in Spokane and playing festivals including the Winthrop Rhythm & Blues Festival; the Crown of the Continent Guitar Festival in Bigfork, Mont.; and the Wallace Blues Festival. At 19, he won the Inland Empire Blues Society 2012 Musician’s Award.

Govedare has more than earned his spurs playing with artists like Too Slim and the Taildraggers and Ana Popovic, but now he has his own band: DeepForest Project, which puts keys and a rhythm section to his high-energy, electric-driven style. Calling his sound “full-power blues,” Govedare is the real deal.

— Zach Hagadone

8 p.m., FREE, 21+. Sandpoint Eagles Lodge, 1511 John Hudon Lane, 208-263-3514.

READ

Let’s face it folks, there are a lot of jerks out there.

Which is probably why I picked up a light-hearted book titled How Not to Be a Dick: An Everyday Etiquette Guide by Meghan Doherty. This little tome shares honest and straightforward advice in a playful tone that includes humorous illustrations, so you can avoid being “that guy.”

If I bought jerks presents, this would be what they got.

LISTEN

bring out the best in each aspect of the band’s sound.

“We’re all fairly talented songwriters who contribute to what we’re doing,” he said, “and I think that creates something special.”

Laney Lou and the Bird Dogs are providing the tunes for the 219 Lounge’s annual Dark as Night Winter Solstice party, featuring the darkest beers to welcome North Idaho’s darkest season. The bar will be selling a 5-ounce taster glass with two fill

Laney Lou and the Bird Dogs reach a fever pitch at a recent outdoor music festival. Courtesy photo. tokens and a tasting notes sheet for $15, and each additional 5-ounce pour will be $5.

The night also marks the band’s last show of the current tour, so Demarais said Laney Lou and the Bird Dogs are planning to give the show all they’ve got.

“We’re looking to end things with a bang, so to speak,” he said.

A snapshot of notable live music coming up in Sandpoint DeepForest Project, Dec. 20, Sandpoint Eagles Lodge

This week’s RLW by Ben Olson

Toys for Tots Fundraiser, Miah Kohal Band, Dec. 21, A&P’s Bar and Grill There is a space somewhere between rock and country where the Miah Kohal Band has taken up permanent residence.

This outlaw rock country band from Sandpoint has kept people dancing like dervishes for years.

Filled with some of Sandpoint’s most energetic musicians, this group regularly plays shows for good causes. They cover everything from country to rock and bluegrass and always attract an audience ready to party.

Even better, by attending this show you’ll be supporting the Sandpoint Lions Club’s Toys for Tots program, which annually provides area children with toys each holiday season. Don’t forget about the live and silent auctions, too. Win-win!

— Ben Olson 2-6 p.m., FREE, 21+. A&P’s Bar and Grill, 222 N. First Ave., 208263-2313. Listen to Miah Kohal Band on Facebook.

A former boss turned me onto a band called The Album Leaf, which is hard to classify. The solo project of Jimmy LaVelle, The Album Leaf is instrumental music that encompasses a wide swathe of genres, including classical, jazz, post-rock and indie.

The songs are like small journeys, each one painting a different shade of color onto your experience. It’s perfect for workday creative lulls where you need something driving you, but not taking over the vehicle completely. My favorite album is 2004’s In a Safe Place.

WATCH

Game shows have never really been my bag, but one particular show has always earned my respect. Jeopardy, hosted by Alex Trebek, is one of those anomalies on television: A show that strives for its viewers to be better human beings. Since Netflix has begun streaming old episodes of Jeopardy, I find myself watching them occasionally. Every time, I realize that I come away knowing a new fact. Sometimes I retain them, most of the time not; but, nonetheless, I’m thankful that a show was created for the sole purpose of testing contestants’ knowledge and — as a byproduct — increasing the intelligence of everyone who watches it.

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PERSPECTIVES The

Late Night Buddhist

From Pend d’Oreille Review, Dec. 22, 1922

CITY TO CLOSE DEAL FOR LAKE FRONT PARK PROPERTY New copies of the deed and lease to lake front property were received from the Northern Pacific railway company at the council meeting Monday evening. Mayor Wheelan was authorized by the board to complete the transaction by which the city will gain the use of the waterfront, east of the railway and south from the city dock to the long railway bridge for use as a city park.

The conveyances give the city an indeterminate lease to 100 feet of right-of-way line, within the proposed park area, to the government meander line.

The action taken by the council concludes a long period of negotiating for the property, which the chamber of commerce plans to improve.

The council discussed the present condition of the various appropriations and the needs of the several departments, with the intention of transferring funds from one appropriation to another in order to carry all the departments through to the next fiscal year. No action was taken Monday evening but the proposition was referred to the finance committee for report back with recommendations at the next meeting.

A letter from the city engineer of Kalispell, Mont. requesting data as to city work and improvements here, was referred to the chamber of commerce.

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Karma’s a bitch and then you die (over and over again)

By Scott Taylor Reader Columnist Remember the TV sitcom My Name Is Earl? In it, a scroungy, down-and-out, low-rent petty criminal believes that his past bad deeds were the reason for him losing his winning lottery ticket, and so he decides to go about making up for all the horrible things he’s done, hopefully erasing his “bad karma.” (The actors in that show, including Jason Lee as Earl, were brilliant — including short-order cook Eddie Steeples as Darnell “Crabman” Turner and Jaime Pressly, who inspired me to have some definite “bad karmic” thoughts of my own, as Earl’s trailer trash ex.)

In a past column I promised that I’d write about karma — which I believe is widely misunderstood — so here goes: One thing I’ve learned by studying Eastern philosophy is that, when it comes to deep thinking, everyone comes to their own understanding in their own time.

Neither Webster’s nor Wikipedia can provide a definition that truly conveys the concept of the way I view karma.

Despite what Nas or some cheesy-ass country-chick song or brainless pop-culture meme says, it’s not as simple as “you get what you give” or “you reap what you sow.” Some of us mistakenly think that if we do something nice today, we’ll be rewarded tomorrow (maybe even tonight — helped the little old lady with her groceries today? Buy that lotto ticket!), or maybe that drunk guy who spilled beer on our wife’s new shoes then called her a bitch will be run over by a Coors truck.

Sorry, it doesn’t work that way.

Karma is a Sanskrit word meaning “action, effect or fate,” but many Buddhist scholars refer to it as “unfinished business,” which is exactly how it was portrayed in My Name Is Earl. It refers to how our actions, thoughts and intentions in this life will affect us in the next. If we engage in “unwise” or “harmful” actions and thoughts, we are accumulating “bad karma” that must be dealt with if we are to escape the endless cycle of death and rebirth that Buddhists and Hindus believe prevents us from reaching a state of

nirvana (Come as you are/ as you were...) or moksha.

The intent behind our actions and thoughts is also vitally important in determining whether we’re gathering good karma or bad. If we accidentally kill a bug by stepping on it, it’s not as bad as purposely squashing a spider while maniacally cursing, “Die, evil arachnid!”

A story is told in Buddhist teaching of a monk who called three young students to sit before him. He was stepping down as their teacher and wanted one of them to take his place, but first he would test them. He gave each a chicken and told them to go kill it where nobody would see or know what they did. (Strict Buddhists avoid killing any creature, and are vegetarian. Late Night Buddhists? hmm...)

When they each returned, the monk asked them where they chose to kill the chicken.

The first student said, “I took it far into the mountains where nobody ever goes.”

The second said, “I killed it deep in the jungle where the vegetation is so thick nobody could see or hear.”

The third said, “I didn’t kill the chicken.”

The monk asked, “Why did you disobey me?”

“Because no matter where I went, I would see it and know I killed it,” the student responded.

Guess who became the teacher?

Each of us is in charge of our own karma (if you believe in such a thing), and nobody but ourselves can make it better or worse, or take care of our “unfinished business.”

As Earl said: “You know the kind of guy who does nothing but bad things, and then wonders why his life sucks? Well... that was me.

Every time something good happened to me, something bad was always waiting around the corner. Karma. That’s when I realized I had to change. So, I made a list of everything bad I’ve ever done and, one by one, I’m going to make up for all my mistakes. I’m just trying to be a better person. My name is Earl.”

Earl made a choice: be miserable or be happy. Be like Earl: choose happy!

Crossword Solution

A funny thing is if you’re out hiking and your friend gets bitten by a poisonous snake, tell him you’re going for help, then go about ten feet and pretend you got bit by a snake. Then start an argument about who’s going to go get help. A lot of guys will start crying. That’s why it makes you feel good when you tell them it was just a joke.

Copyright www.mirroreyes.com

CROSSWORD ACROSS

festal

Woorf tdhe Week

/FES-tl/

[adjective] 1. pertaining to or befitting a feast, festival, holiday, or gala occasion.

“There goes Henry with that godawful festal suit he always wears.”

Corrections: We accidentally wrote “Kootenai Land Trust” instead of “Kaniksu Land Trust” on page 18 of the Dec. 12 Reader - sorry about that, KLT. Too much eggnog on deadline night, I reckon. -BO

1. Pasture 6. Food thickener 10. Rice beer 14. Huff 15. Gray wolf 16. Streetcar 17. Image breaker 19. Relating to aircraft 20. Famous dog 21. Foot digit 22. Annoying insect 23. Drying cloth 25. Marble 26. Fired a weapon 30. Vituperate 32. Frighten 35. Competitor 39. Mysterious 40. Seamster 41. An old woman 43. Twister 44. Angel 46. A feat 47. Graft 50. Faithful 53. Airhead 54. “Dig in!”

55. A type of tincture 60. Margarine 61. Sponge 63. Jetty 64. They’re found on fish 65. Primp

Solution on page 26 11. Drome 12. Unit of gold purity 13. Overact 18. Chief Executive Officer 24. Ironic DOWN 25. Communion table 1. Be unsuccessful 26. Male deer 2. Ancient Peruvian 27. German for “Mister” 3. Prima donna problems 28. Killer whale 4. Focusing glass 29. Ephemeral 5. A right 31. Moving within 6. Whole 33. Alphabetical 7. Small chin beard listing of topics 8. Free 34. Terror 9. Learning method 36. Wings 10. Lurching 37. Gestures of assent 66. Conservative 67. Satisfy 68. Ancient Greek unit of length

38. Gait faster than a walk 42. Jungle fever 43. Your (archaic) 45. Strong 47. Accept 48. Page 49. Fugitive 51. Be unwell 52. Eyelets 54. F F F F 56. Barb 57. Notion 58. Require 59. Sea eagle 62. East southeast

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