Reader february23 2017

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Winter carnival 2017 k9 Keg Pull

Speaker Bedke cries foul over redoubt news allegations A tribute to Charley Packard

New Solar Roadways demo goes live

The ice is melting!

Are you ready for sump pump and flooding season?

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(wo)MAN compiled by

Susan Drinkard

on the street

What are your thoughts on the upcoming LPOSD supplemental school levy?

“I have always supported school levies. I have a daughter at Sandpoint High School in band and volleyball. I am a big believer in funding extracurricular activities to give kids a well-rounded education.”

Keith Anderson Retail management Sandpoint

DEAR READERS, It’s the second and final week of Winter Carnival, and there’s a lot of fun activities going on around town. Check out the Winter Carnival ad on the inside back cover for a full listing of events. It’s going to be a busy week!

In snow news, the rain hasn’t ruined all of our fun yet this year. Almost a foot and a half has fallen over the past four days, and the sun is poking out more and more, so visibility is top notch. I had a great couple days up there early in the week (despite falling on my head one too many times).

Finally, we lost a great one this week with the passing of Charley Packard.

Charley left an indelible impression on everyone that had the honor to meet him, including myself. Please check out pages 12-13 for a tribute we’ve put together honoring this legendary man. Not only was he a brilliant singer and songwriter, he had a heart of gold. You’ll be missed, Charley.

-Ben Olson, Publisher

Editor: Cameron Rasmusson cameron@sandpointreader.com Zach Hagadone (emeritus) John Reuter (emeritus) Advertising: Jodi Taylor Jodi@sandpointreader.com

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“I think it’s important to support our children’s education. I agree with John Green, a well-known author, who said he doesn’t want to live in a society of uneducated people.”

“I think the supplemental levy is really important; we need to support our existing schools, sports programs and the other extracurricular activities. There is a possibility that some schools will close if it doesn’t pass. The children are our future and we need to support them.”

www.sandpointreader.com

Contributing Writers: Cameron Rasmusson, Ben Olson, Nick Gier, Rev. Bob Evans, Scarlette Quille, Juliya Makhanov, Jim Mitsui, Jeanette Schandelmeier, Robens Napolitan, Beth Weber, Amy Craven, Brenden Bobby, Dianne Smith, Drake, Jen Heller, Jane Fritz, Judy Meyers.

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Contributing Artists: John Hatcher (cover), Ben Olson, Susan Drinkard, Nancy LaRose.

“If the levy fails to pass, five schools around the county could potentially close. Students, teachers and all citizens of the community benefit from supported and funded schools.”

“I think we need it for the teachers and the students.”

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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.

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About the Cover This week’s cover features a photograph by John Hatcher, who owns the company EzyDog. EzyDog makes the harnesses for the dogs to use during the K9 Keg Pull. If you haven’t seen the event, go down to the Granary Sunday and check it out!

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OPINION

Donald Trump’s right-wing European allies: Brits, French, Dutch, Austrians, and Danes turn against immigrants

By Nick Gier Reader Columnist Last summer Nigel Farage, former leader of Britain’s anti-immigrant Independent Party, appeared, with what one reporter called a “wide Cheshire Cat grin,” at a Trump rally in Mississippi. Using alternative facts and fear mongering about immigrants, Farage, whose ancestors, ironically, were Huguenot refugees from France, was instrumental in turning voters against the European Union (EU).

Farage’s party has slid from a high of 20 percent during the EU campaign to 14 percent this month. Other Eurosceptic and anti-immigrant parties are stronger, and their leaders also see Trump as an important ally.

Marine Le Len, leader of France’s right-wing National Front, is surging in the presidential polls and will certainly find herself in a run-off with centrist candidate Emmanuel Macron.

In an eerie parallel with the U.S. election, the same Russian intelligence agencies are spreading fake stories about Macron.

A Russian bank is also lending money to Le Pen’s campaign.

Le Pen is anti-EU and she is calling for a Frexit from the rest of Europe. Following Trump’s playbook, Le Pen promises to put France first as she taps into the twin fears of globalization and immigration. Among Europeans the French poll very high about the dangers of a global economy and the negative effect of immigration.

Geert Wilders is known as the Dutch Trump, and he was a popular guest at the Republican Convention last July. His anti-immigrant Freedom Party is on track to win the most seats in the March 15 parliamentary election.

Wilders promises to close the Dutch borders, pull out of the climate change accord, ban the Qur’an, shut down mosques and Muslim schools, opt out of the Euro currency and leave both 4 /

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the EU and the United Nations.

Recently he was photographed cutting the Dutch star out of the EU flag.

Wilders is by far the most outspoken critic of Muslims of any major European politician.

He was recently convicted of hate speech after he called Moroccan immigrants “scum” and led an audience in an anti-Muslim chant.

The court declined to fine him, arguing that the conviction would be deterrent enough. Like Trump Wilders ridiculed the judges who ruled against him.

Although conservative German Chancellor Angela Merkel is trailing her Social Democratic opponent for the fall election, she still can boast a 74 percent approval rating. This is quite remarkable considering her controversial decision to allow over 1 million refugees into her country. Contrary to what her critics claim, the crime rate has not gone up because of them.

Frauke Petry, leader of anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany, congratulated Trump on his victory saying she was “a natural ally at his side” and claiming that her own victory over Merkel in a state election “gives courage for Germany and Europe.” At least Petry is not calling for Germany to leave the EU. Today Denmark’s anti-immigrant People’s Party is the second largest party, taking 21 percent of the vote in the 2015 election. As reward for joining a center-right coalition government in 2001, the People’s Party was successful in passing Europe’s strictest immigration law.

Newcomers may not bring a spouse younger than 24-yearold (aimed at young Muslim wives), they must post a bond of $10,000, and their welfare benefits are nearly half of what they had been.

Just as Trump has drawn working class workers away the Democrats, the People’s Party now polls at 30 percent among unskilled workers, as opposed to 25 percent

Beware a plutocratic theocracy

By Rev. Bob Evans Reader Contributor

Nigel Farage.

for the Social Democrats, their traditional home. The People’s Party supports generous welfare benefits as long as they don’t go to non-Western immigrants.

A recent YouGov survey showed that Danes polled the highest on the belief that immigrants are bad for their country.

In 2005 People’s Party leader Pia Kjærsgaard said: “If they want to turn Stockholm or Gothenburg a Scandinavian Beirut, with honor killings and gang rapes, let them do it. We can always put a barrier on the Oresund Bridge.”

Kjaersgaard got her wish: this bridge to Sweden, which has revitalized the economies of southern Sweden and the Danish capital Copenhagen, is now under close immigration control.

Denmark has also restricted travel on its border to Germany.

Sweden and Denmark have received permission from the European Commission to waive the requirement that all EU borders be free from customs and immigration controls. The results are dramatic: asylum seekers in Denmark fell from 21,000 in 2015 to 5,300 this September.

The Economist summarizes this situation succinctly: “Many countries are shifting from a universal civil nationalism towards the blood-and-soil, ethnic sort.”

The allusion to Nazi Germany’s Blud und Boden is obvious.

Nick Gier of Moscow taught philosophy at U of Idaho for 31 years. Read the full version at www.sandpointreader.com.

The Huffington Post has reported on an order Trump is said to be drafting concerning religious freedom. Antonia Blumberg, associate religion editor of the Huffington Post, writes, “The draft order defines religious freedom in broad terms, but specifically refers to organizations’ right to claim religious objections to same-sex marriage, abortion, transgender rights, contraception and premarital sex.” It would require the Department of Justice to defend such “religious freedom.” They may also bring their individual prejudices, Blumberg implies, while “participating in the marketplace, the public square or interfacing with federal, state or local governments.”

We cannot let this happen.

A democracy must have a social set of laws that cannot be infringed upon in the public sphere by the plethora of religious traditions. We are already in danger of serving under a plutocratic government; if Trump is able to use the federal government to give power of one religion over others in the public sphere, we would also be serving a theocracy.

Which religious beliefs will the Department of Justice have to defend as pertaining to religious freedom—honor killings, or denying people their identity as human beings, while raising the Holy Transcendent so bravely in the air, in an effort to destroy millions of people spiritually and psychologically?

This would not be just any theocracy supporting a plutocracy, but one that is shaped by the absolute nonsensical supernatural view blending dispensationalist theology and the prosperity gospel. Many of these people are doing every-

thing in their power to bring about their greatly mistaken idea of the end of days.

That includes a world war by promoting conflict between opposing sides in the Middle East. Many are against the fact of global warming while also viewing it as a sign of the end of days. I think this is called cognitive dissonance. Look at Steve Bannon’s apocalyptic beliefs. We must not let this kind of world view propel the White House.

No matter what you believe, it just makes sense that as a nation, we need a place for commerce and trading in which one’s personal beliefs cannot determine the law or shape the principles of a contract. We need a place where we can all meet on common ground. It’s like having a common language that everyone understands, which supports a less chaotic environment. It may even give enough space for everyone to begin to understand each other better while enriching our own lives. We need a social arena in which respect, equity and justice are assured to all who are participating in it.

In our houses of worship, or in our homes and organizations, we should be able to govern who may be considered as worthy of the gifts of membership while, of course, excluding any physical or mental abuse against anyone. People shall remain free to come and go as they see fit and not be forced to remain a member of anything. It is all so obvious that spiritual growth will help determine who stays or leaves in a house of worship.

Let us be at peace with each other as we search for the presence of heaven. As a separate entity, the federal government can enforce and protect such a place of peace in the social sphere until we find it anew within our hearts.

HUMOR

crush

I have something to confess: I have been dog sitting a poodle. That seems normal, I guess. Only it isn’t. There is absolutely nothing normal about this experience. First of all, it’s my first ex-husband’s dog. He told me it was a labradoodle, and that she (the dog) should be with family (her human sisters) not at a kennel. I am a complete sucker for animals, and enjoy brief animalg visits, if only to remind myself that I do not need any more of them.

However, a few things became apparent after the arrival of my children’s canine sister.

The first and most obvious is that the dog isn’t part lab. It’s part poodle and part Beyonce. A Beyoncedoodle, if you will. She has completely destroyed the confidence of every animal in our home. Beyoncedoodle struts about the house, shaking her poofy black curls demanding attention, snacks and personal space. The mere sight of Beyoncedoodle has caused the cat to jump headfirst into our picture window, twice. At first I thought this was because Puss Puss was scared of the dog.

Now, I am fairly certain that Puss Puss, who has always ruled the house with her glossy orange mane and iron claw, is certain that this poofy-faced creature has been brought into the home with the single purpose of usurping her totalitarian reign. Puss Puss hasn’t even had the strength to sink her claws into the tender meat of my Achilles tendon or destroy innocent plants all week.

Our chihuahua has tried to ignore the curly headed she-devil-dog. When Beyoncedoodle gets too close him, he ferociously snaps at her. Beyoncedoodle meets this reaction with cool indifference. There is no way that the

tiny mouth of a chihuahua could pierce her glossy curls deep enough to inflict pain. If he insists on this futile attempt at intimidation, Beyoncedoodle will casually place one curly paw on top of him and force him to bow before her greatness. At this point, the chihuahua just shakes and hides in the nearest laundry pile. I’m sure that he is packing his shit up and ready to hit the road.

The cat was bad enough. This ghastly independent woman dog, who has brazenly called him out on his little dog syndrome, is proof that there is no mercy in this house of horrors.

Lastly, and perhaps most sadly, we have the 1-year-old male lab. He is most affected by the aloof confidence of Beyoncedoodle. He has never set eyes on anything as beautiful and majestic in his life. He follows her around, offering her bones and toy remnants. She shakes her curly head and prances off like they mean nothing to her. The Beyoncedoodle’s throne is located in a kennel that takes up three-quarters of an entire room and requires the skills of an IKEA engineer to assemble. When we place her in it for safety and sleep purposes, the lab cries for Beyoncedoodle. The cry sounds pretty much exactly like the song “Hungry Eyes.” The Beyoncedoodle doesn’t even bat an eye at this brave display of pure devotion and song. Her only response is a high-pitched yip, roughly translated as “I need my beauty sleep, asshole.” He is a mess, and Puss Puss and the chihuahua are disgusted by his devotion to such a cruel mistress.

Consoling the lab is impossible, especially when I am busy looking up “cat concussions” and “chihuahua anxiety medication.” And let’s face it: There is nothing quite as confusing and painful as adolescent unrequited love. They call

it a crush for a reason. With one look your way, a the object of your deepest fantasies can both delight and destroy you. It’s a lesson that we all learn at one time or another. There is nothing fair about it, and nothing anyone can do to fix it. The truth, in fact, is the crushing part of the whole ordeal.

We all lie when it comes to comforting people who are “crushing” or been “crushed.” We tell our kids and dogs things like, “Don’t worry about it, buddy. Two weeks from now, you won’t even remember Beyoncedoodle.”

We lie. We have to. The only thing the broken-hearted have to hold on to is hope. No one likes to kick a dog while it’s down by telling it something as nasty and painful as the truth. Having worked with teenagers for over 10 years and parenting three of my own, I am an expert at the comforting lies.

I have literally talked a hysterical teenage girl out of cutting off her hair with kid scissors because the object of her obsession asked someone else out.

Then as fate would have it, the depths of my lies (insert every cliché “fish in the sea” pep talk you’ve ever heard) would be revealed that very same day in Walmart. I entered the store high on my successful de-escalation efforts earlier in the day, thinking, “Good job, Scarlette, you surely saved that child from a haircut that would have negatively

impacted her social life for months to come. Let’s buy you a fat bottle of wine and a gossip magazine.” Then the powers of fate or whatever else is out there intervened to remind me the true depth of my deceptions. Out of blue, the song “With or With Out you” started playing on Walmart Radio, and suddenly I felt anxious as an imaginary breeze of Coolwater Cologne filled the stagnant air.

I definitely remember that crush, and the humiliation that occurred when he finally did notice me. Let’s just say a concussion and projectile vomiting were involved. My concussion, my vomit. I still shed a tear when Bono hits the high notes, and we will leave the details of the stories back in the ‘90s where they belong.

Thank you, fate, for the sobering reminder that there are no winners in crushing.

As for the lab and Beyoncedoodle, I don’t want to squash his hopes and dreams with the truth. Maybe he has a chance. I think I’ll get him a bottle of Coolwater and football jersey. I’m not sure how else he’s going to make it through the next week.

And you give, and you give…

Crush Survivor, Scarlette Quille

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Shower thoughts

COMMUNITY A thank you to Friends of the Scotchman Peaks and Jerry

•When you drink alcohol you are just borrowing happiness from tomorrow.

•If humans could fly we’d consider it exercise and never do it.

•Nothing is on fire. Fire is on things.

•When you say “forward” or “back,” your lips move in that direction. Try it.

•To your stomach, all potatoes are mashed.

•Teenagers drive like they have limited time and old people drive like they have all the time in the world.

•If I punch myself in the face and cry, does that make me weak or strong?

•Clapping is just hitting yourself because you like something.

•Why do people say “tuna fish” when they don’t say “beef mammal,” or “chicken bird?”

•When jogging, we put on special clothes so people don’t think we’re running from or to something.

•The Japanese flag could actually be a pie chart showing how much of Japan is Japan.

•In order to fall asleep, you have to pretend to be asleep.

•Whenever you dig up dirt or a rock, it could be the first time it has seen the sun in millions of years.

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FSPW’s Winter Program Coordinator Tyler Chisholm and Winter Tracks volunteer Holly Clements prepare hot cocoa for the students. Courtesy photo.

By Juliya Makhanov Reader Contributor On the morning of Friday, Feb. 3, the Forrest Bird Charter School eighthgrade students went on a field trip to Round Lake funded completely by the Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness. The Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness, or FSPW, is a local, non-profit organization that dedicates its time to making our world a better place. They specifically focus on being of service to the community, taking care of the wilderness and educating others about the area we live in and how to take care of it. With all that said, the Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness kindly invited the Forrest Bird Charter School eighth-graders to come and spend a day with them at Round Lake for a day of fun-filled learning about animals, tree identification, winter tracks, and leaving no trace in the wilderness.

The Forrest Bird Charter School is a public school, so it does receive government funding, but not for field trips.

When FSPW heard that the only thing standing in the way of the eighth-graders coming was the cost of the bus, they just offered to pay the bus fee for us!

The eighth-graders were thrilled about

this wonderful opportunity, and on the day of the field trip, 43 eighth-graders came to the school on Friday morning ready for the day. As we were getting ready to leave during our scheduled time, the bus never showed up. When the teachers finally found out what had happened, we were informed that somehow there was a miscommunication and we did not have a bus scheduled for us.

Just at that moment, one of our regular bus drivers, Jerry, came in to turn in his time card. When he learned about our situation, he generously offered to take the rest of his day to drive us to Round Lake and back. It was truly amazing how everything just came together to make that field trip happen. When we finally got there, we all had so much fun and learned a lot. All the volunteers there were joyful and kind while they engaged with us fully.

Not only did we have fun and learn something new, but we were all so grateful to both Jerry and FSPW for giving us the field trip of a lifetime.

From all the eighth-graders we say, “Thank you.”

Top: Volunteer instructors Tom Dabrowski and Cait Huisman cover the Leave No Trace principles with a series of student skits.

Bottom: Volunteer instructors Suzie Kretzchmar and John Harbuck teach students the “language” of tracking. Photos courtesy of Forrest Bird Charter School.

Letters to the Editor Don’t Stay Home, Vote...

Dear Editor, As a resident of Bonner County, I am asking other voters in this county to vote in favor of the supplemental school levy increase on March 14.

I am a retiree who has moved back to North Idaho after many years and always appreciate what value came to my life as a result of some great teachers I had growing up here. Having lived many years in a suburb of a mid-western city with an above average school system where the cost of property taxes was at least twice as much as Bonner County, I think the increased cost of this levy is a minimal amount for the benefits derived to the community.

If Bonner County has a good school system, businesses and other groups will want to move here. The employees of these organizations will want the best schools for their children. Property owners will benefit from increased property values. For current residents, the increased educational value of the school system would help children get a better choice of career and/or higher education options.

The LPOSD administration has done a good re-evaluation of the needs in the system and now presents a reasonable funding request to the local community. Consolidating smaller schools, laying off teachers and compromising extra-curricular activities are not good options, if this levy does not pass.

Those who favor this levy should absolutely vote “yes” and not assume that staying home from voting does not matter.

Dave Pietz Sandpoint

Vote in Favor of Levy...

Dear Editor, Please vote IN FAVOR of the new school levy on March 14. This twoyear levy replaces the old, expiring levy. It is a bare-bones, minimal increase of approximately 2 percent on just the Lake Pend Oreille School District (LPOSD) portion of your property tax. For a home assessed at $250,000 with the homeowner’s exemption, it is only a $6 increase in year one (2017-18) plus an additional $6.00 increase in year two (2018-19).

Even with a new levy, the school

district will have to cut in the range of $600,000 for next year. Without the new levy, there will have to be additional cuts of about 165 full-time positions, elimination of academic and athletic extracurricular activities, schools will have to be consolidated, and class sizes will become overcrowded.

It is a shame that the state of Idaho does not see fit to properly fund our public school systems, so that we wouldn’t need these local levies.

I know there are probably some Tea Party extremists, Redoubters, and others who would like nothing more than to see our public schools crumble. We must not let this happen.

So get out on March 14 and vote IN FAVOR of giving all our children and grandchildren a better future —and— a better life through better education.

Philip A. Deutchman Sandpoint

Look at Facts...

Dear Editor, Please vote yes on the upcoming replacement supplemental levy for Lake Pend Oreille School District.

Because the state does not adequately financially support our local educational process, it is necessary to come back to the voters rather regularly to request supplemental levies.

Requested is $8,300,000 in 2018 and $8,700,000 in 2019 for a total of $17,000,000 beginning July 1, 2017, and ending June 30, 2019.

This two-year levy will be used for staff funding, student achievement and student activities. The school district has excellent and easily understandable information on their website at LPOSD.org.

I encourage you to take a look at the factual information, register to vote if you aren’t already, and Vote yes on March 14 for the supplemental levy.

Carrie Logan Sandpoint

Wake up and Vote...

Dear Editor, Wake up and vote – the Redoubters are! They are taking our community, and we won’t even know it until it’s done. They are getting on city councils, school boards, county commissions and state legislative seats. Their efforts are directed at stopping school levies, stopping

wilderness and national forest protection and generally throwing doubt on science and facts.

How do they do all this? They organize and vote.

So if we want to see our community continue to be what it was when we came here or grew up here, we need to vote. If we want to continue to have a great school system that is one of the reasons businesses locate here, we need to vote. You can bet they are going to be voting against our current way of life.

Dan Logan Sandpoint

Our Community Needs This...

Dear Editor, Those I have spoken to who are planning to vote against the upcoming school levy often bring up financial and economic reasons. Whether it is because of a perceived rise in their taxes (it’s very minimal since it’s a replacement levy), or whether it is because our superintendent’s salary is too high (the levy funds NO part of his salary; that is a state issue), the motivation is tied, either directly or indirectly, to finances.

Looking purely from an economic viewpoint, our community needs this levy to pass. Whether you have kids that go to public school or not, the economic health of our community is tied to our schools, and therefore everyone is affected by the health and well-being of the school district. If this levy fails to pass, the overall economy of the community will diminish.

The affluent “job creators” in our community oftentimes have engaged, motivated students. Those types of students and families demand quality education and choice in that education. They will leave if their choices like electives and extracurricular activities are diminished. They will find a school district with more diverse opportunities for their motivated students, and their absence will be felt economically when they take their businesses with them.

Our families with high-level athletes, who also unequivocally succeed in numerous aspects of their academic and social lives, will leave. They will find a district that is more likely to get their student seen by colleges, and a district that provides high-level athletic opportunities, and their absence will be felt economically too.

Any family that deeply cares

about their student’s overall education, and has the means to, will leave the area. Our community will become a shell of what it is now, as business leaders, job providers and high-achieving individuals and families take their talents elsewhere.

This likely scenario will undoubtedly lead to economic hardship for much of our community, and there will be a lack of opportunities that will far surpass the few extra dollars paid for the renewed levy.

Banjo Paterson Sandpoint

Stop Misleading Risch...

Dear Editor, It is about time the so-called Friends of the Scotchman Peaks Wilderness and the Forest Service stop trying to mislead Sen. Jim Risch, our county commissioners, and others claiming there is very little opposition to the proposed wilderness. This is just not true.

Now that people realize what they are up to, there is considerable opposition and it is growing every day. The proposed lockup of this area is a particular threat to those in the Hope- Clark Fork area who stand to lose their long-standing traditional uses: fishing, hunting, picking huckleberries, gathering firewood, etc., unless they are young and able enough to do some heavy duty hiking and backpacking. This is just plain wrong.

Locking this up in perpetuity would prevent our future generations from having any say in the management. This is extremely short-sighted. Conditions change over the years, and we are facing continuing climate change. Scientists agree that warmer temperatures will cause forests to experience more mortality from pests and disease which will lead to more catastrophic fires. This is too close to Clark Fork. Active management, with motorized equipment, will be essential.

This area is not true wilderness in the classic sense anyway. The timbered areas have been logged over more than once and there are old logging roads all over the place.

For a true wilderness experience we need to head south to the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness, almost 2.4 million acres of rugged scenic beauty. Scotchman Peaks just does not compare.

The claimed economic benefits of this wilderness proposal defy logic.

The primary attractions in North Idaho are the lakes, streams, mountains, forests and scenery, and the fact that they can be readily accessed without hiring horses, mules, or backpacking guides.

Until the concerns of the residents of Hope, Clark Fork and others are adequately addressed, this proposed wilderness is not going anywhere, so FSPW, don’t hold your breath. Your dedicated environmentalists should redirect their energies to protecting our beautiful Lake Pend Oreille.

This will benefit everyone in Bonner County and beyond.

Dave Reynolds Hope

Look at Facts...

Dear Editor, I write this letter in support of continuing the supplemental levy that is up for renewal on March 14.

This levy is not new. It is a replacement of an expiring levy – one that has been approved every two years for the past 17 years. The school district has been very forthcoming with the information on this levy, and if by now you still do not know what is involved, I encourage you to look at voteourschools.org or lposd. org. In-person absentee ballots may be cast Feb. 21-March 10 at the Bonner County elections offices at Division and Highway 2.

I write this to bring out one of my reasons for supporting (in addition to common sense). My husband and I are childless. Because of that, when we chose to move in Sandpoint in 1984, we honestly did not care what the schools were like for our personal lives. But we value good medical care and good businesses to sustain the local economy.

How can we attract professionals and businesses to our area if we demonstrate that children are not that important to us? How can we foster a true community across ages and income levels if we treat our students and teachers with disdain?

I realize that the best students will shine no matter what their environment. But I think we owe it to ourselves to provide a place for students to excel because of their schools, not in spite of them.

Donna Parrish Sandpoint

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Letters to the Editor We Are Full Spectrum of Humans...

Bouquets: •This one goes out to Charley Packard, one of the most amazing people I’ve ever met. Charley was kind, funny, insightful and always had a smile on his face. He genuinely loved people and always found something interesting to say about them. I remember meeting Charley when I was younger and feeling intimidated by his presence. After all, this was the great Charley Packard.

Looking back, I have to laugh, because there is nothing intimidating about Charley. He was the warmest, most open person there ever was. When Charley gave you a compliment, it stuck with you always. I still remember when he and Karen came to see my fledgling band play awhile back. After the show, he said to me, “I really enjoy those melodious lines you write. They stick in my head. You’re doing great things, Ben.” I’ll never forget you, Charley. Neither will the thousands of other people you made better just by being alive.

Barbs: •Last week, I caught wind of a group of people that seem to think the best way to show their distaste for this newspaper is to grab giant bundles of them at grocery stores and throw them away. Please don’t. Here’s why: We recycle all Readers and ask our readers to as well. Throwing them away is wasteful and ridiculous. Also, you may think you’re hurting our pocketbooks by making us print more, but in reality, the more we print, the bigger advertising clients we land because our circulation goes up. So if you think you are hurting us, or putting us out of business, you’re not. The free press will never be silenced, no matter how vehemently you disagree with anything I write.

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Hi fabulous Reader folks!

In these times where one can either turn on Democrat news media or Republican news media and nothing in between, we, the ever growing post-partisan population (43 percent last time I looked) who are no longer in this “us vs. them” paradigm, have no place to get balanced news. Unless we research like mad on the internet, but most don’t have time for that.

So to be able to pick up the Reader every week and get oh-so-rare real journalism from all perspectives is wonderful.

Christian Rose’s excellent article from Feb. 9th “A Tale of Two Cities in the Age of Trump” was what finally prompted me to write a letter. Did everyone read it? Go read it now!

We are a full spectrum of humans in this country and with an honest source of news we can see that we can all prosper and thrive together.

Thank you!

Love, Betsy Canfield Sandpoint

Small Investment is Critical...

Dear Editor, The March 14 supplemental school levy election is critical to the well-being of our community. Until the state government steps up to provide adequate funding for public schools, the responsibility falls on us to make sure our children get a good education.

Our daughter is a proud 2016 graduate of Sandpoint High School and benefited from the local tradition of supporting public schools.

She now attends college, but we are committed to continuing this tradition for current and future students. If this levy fails, we will relegate our students and teachers to second-class citizens, and undermine the economic vitality of our community. Our school district is full of students with aspirations and well-meaning educators who want the best for them. We cannot fail them.

This replacement levy will fund instructional materials, technology, after school sports and other extracurricular activities, and a third of the district’s staff. If we don’t vote for this levy, class sizes will increase, many hard-working people will lose their jobs, more kids will

become couch potatoes – or worse, and our local economy will suffer because skilled workers will look elsewhere to raise a family.

This levy proposal includes a small increase over the existing levy, costing the average Bonner County homeowner 50 cents more per month. Please vote to make this small investment in the critical work of our schools. For financial and other details, visit the school district’s website at www.lposd.org.

Susan Drumheller and Mike Murray Sagle

Success Breeds Success...

Dear Editor, Our community is strong, successful and safe. Much of this can be attributed to the high quality education system that we have created for our children. While there will always be room for improvement, let’s take a moment to acknowledge what is working: our children are succeeding.

Let me just point out three such stories. The first example is Madeline Suppiger. She attended LPOSD schools her entire life and has just been accepted into the medical school at the University of Washington. My oldest daughter is in her last year of a Ph.D. program in Atmospheric Physics. She has a bachelor’s degree in math. When asked why she decided to pursue math, her answer was simply: Mrs. Search, math teacher at SHS. My youngest daughter is in a pre-med nutrition program. She tells me that specifically, Mrs. Search and Mr. Aunan (both SHS teachers) taught her to be proactive in her learning and that skill has helped her to be successful in college.

As a private tutor, I can give a hundred more examples of vibrant, caring, super smart kids that have gone on to be successful in college and in life largely due to the education that they received from LPOSD. We have a team of dedicated professionals running a successful school system. If they are asking for funds so that this success can continue into the future, then I say yes to that. Please vote yes on the upcoming levy in March.

Linda F. Larson Sandpoint

Support Our Children...

Dear Editor, Citizens of the LPOSD School District will have an opportunity to support our children by voting for a replacement levy, March 14 .

An important thing to remember is that this levy is the ONLY funding source for extracurricular activities (academic, music, drama, and sports).

These programs are an essential way for students to apply what they learn in the classroom to real life situations both academically and professionally.

Participation enables students to learn valuable leadership, problem solving, communication and speaking skills, as well as team work, decision-making, self-discipline and time management.

There is a positive correlation between student extracurricular involvement and attendance, GPA, test scores and meeting expected educational goals. When applying for college, scholarships, and jobs, students will be asked to list their activities. This list reveals a lot about a student that grades and test scores may not.

A recent Columbia University study that controlled for poverty, race, gender, test scores and parental involvement, concluded that the odds of a student attending college was 97-percent higher for students who participated in extracurricular activities . The odds of completing college was 179-percent higher. This is important because by the year 2020 it is estimated that 65 percent of jobs will require education beyond high school.

Lets give the students in our school district, who have represented our community so well while participating in extracurricular activities, the opportunity to continue to do so.

Join me in voting YES! Wendy Dunn Sandpoint

Failure of Levy Would Eliminate Jobs...

Dear Editor, We moved here in the ‘70s and our three children grew up and attended public schools here in Sandpoint. They received a solid education by some very dedicated teachers to prepare them for the rest of their lives and two of my grandchildren have also greatly benefited by our local school system.

On March 14 we will vote on the

renewal of a maintenance school levy to fund 30 percent of the school budget. There are elements in our community that are questioning this levy and are working to defeat it. The failure of this levy would be devastating to our community and especially to our young people who at this time, more than ever, are dependent on a good education to prepare them for a world that is very different from when I grew up.

The failure of the levy would eliminate over 300 jobs, force the closure of several outlying schools, eliminate both academic and athletic extra-curricular activities that greatly benefit the lives of young students and necessitate morning and afternoon shifts of greatly enlarged classes that would disrupt family schedules and life.

It would also bring the threat of local companies moving away because they cannot attract qualified workers due to inferior schools for their children as well as discouraging prospective companies to move here for the same reason. It would have a devastating effect on the local economy.

This levy replaces an expiring levy and will only increase the taxes on a $250,000 home by $6.00/year for the next two year.

Please go to the polls on March 14 and vote yes for the proposed school levy and support the youth of our community.

Erik Daarstad Sandpoint

Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor...

Dear Editor, After watching the news with my grandma I was brought to tears. I saw that hundreds of people were being thrown in jail, thousands are hiding and another mass movement is towards Canada as a result of our new president.

My grandma quoted the Statue of Liberty, “Give me your tired, your poor...” and shook her fist at the man on the screen. I felt so helpless and ashamed that all I could do was cry.

Jodi Rawson Sandpoint Got something to say? Write a letter to the editor. Please keep them under 400 words and refrain from using profanity or libelous statements. Please elevate the conversation.

NEWS

New Solar Roadways demonstration goes live

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff Solar Roadways is back in action at Jeff Jones Town Square.

After a somewhat rocky debut in October, the Solar Roadways demonstration is once again online with fully functional panels.

The webcam feed is also live at the city of Sandpoint website— www.cityofsandpoint.com/visiting-sandpoint/solar-roadways.

“Now we can all enjoy watching the panels and the visitors once again,” wrote company co-owner Julie Brusaw on the company’s Facebook page.

The world got its first glimpse of Solar Roadways technology last fall, when the company and city hosted a press conference and introduced the first installation. However, a malfunctioning laminating machine, which cooks all the components together, damaged the initial batch of panels, frying several LED sets and disabling their power-generating

capabilities.

Company personnel finished installing the new set of panels Sunday, returning color and electronic flair to Jeff Jones Town Square. The demonstration is intended to both show off the technology and provide an educational experience, illustrating how solar power works through an interactivity. According to Sandpoint City Planner Jennifer Stapleton, additions to the installation are coming in a few weeks that will enhance that experience.

“We’re working on the interface to show energy utilization and generation,” she said.

After launching to viral, worldwide fame through its crowdfunding campaign, Solar Roadways has been heralded by the city as an example of local innovation. The company’s panels are designed to be walked, biked or driven over, their high-strength glass housing solar power cells. Solar Roadways’ ultimate goal is to make

Bedke calls foul on Redoubt News over allegations

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff

from her committee assignments for four weeks. Scott was Idaho Speaker of the disciplined for House Scott Bedke butted remarking that heads this week with North females only Idaho website Redoubt advance in the News over allegations of Legislature by wrong-doing. trading sexual The Spokesman-Review favors. Her reports that Bedke fired back against the far-right website Speaker Scott Bedke. supporters were fiercely critical after it published allegations of Bedke’s decision, calling him from a former secretary that she part of the “Boise swamp” in an overheard him make crude remarks during a committee hearing. echo of President Donald Trump’s language.

Bedke denies that he made any In response, Bedke said that such remarks and said it was “prethe former secretary had stalked mature” as to whether he’d file a him in 2013 after she was not lawsuit against Redoubt News or hired back from the 2012 legisthe secretary. lative session. According to the Redoubt News writer Sheri Spokesman-Review a string of Dovale, who published the secIdaho State Police reports detail retary’s affidavit, wrote that the interviews with the woman, who alleged behavior demonstrated a said at the time she had a “crush” hypocrisy in Bedke’s removing on Bedke.

Rep. Heather Scott, R-Blanchard,

the panels a viable alternative for concrete or asphalt surfaces, generating power while still meeting transportation requirements. In addition, the panels are capable of melting snow and ice with a

heating element and displaying messages, patterns or traffic lines through LEDs.

Applications open for Habitat for Humanity

The newly installed Solar Roadways demonstration panel at Jeff Jones Town Square in Sandpoint.

Photo by Ben Olson.

Lake level to rise

By Reader Staff

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff

Idaho Panhandle Habitat for Humanity is currently accepting applications for the 2018 Habitat home. The IPHFH builds homes in Bonner County for low- to moderate-income families in need of decent and affordable housing. Habitat partner families must save for a low down payment, help build the home with sweat equity hours, have a job/income, paid past bills and obligations in a timely and as agreed manner, and will purchase the home upon completion from Habitat with a zero interest mortgage, all conditions remaining satisfactory.

Other criteria includes: currently face housing problems, have lived or worked in Bonner County for at least one year; and

Expect to see a higher lake level by the end of the month.

The Army Corps of Engineers announced this week that it plans to begin storing water in Lake Pend Oreille above 2,052 feet. While a flexible winter pool wasn’t expected for this season, warm temperatures are preventing work on Riley Creek bank stabilization, thus negating the need to keep the lake at low pool.

The Corps will instead begin storing water in Lake Pend Oreille, rising the level by 1.5 feet to 2.5 feet by the end of the month. This will allow the Bureau of Reclamation to begin work on drum gate maintenance at Grand Coulee Dam while keeping the lake within the flexible winter power operations range of 2,051 feet to 2,056 feet.

meet Habitat income guidelines.

Partner families will learn about budgeting, home repair and maintenance.

Applications are available at the Habitat ReStore at 1519 Baldy Park Road in Sandpoint.

For information or questions, call Teri Smith 208-610-1003.

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OUTDOORS

Get along, little doggies

The K-9 Keg Pull celebrates 10 years of raising funds for the Panhandle Animal Shelter

By Reader Staff From a dog lover’s point of view, not to mention a dog’s, the highlight of Sandpoint’s Winter Carnival season is the K-9 Keg Pull. This year’s event marks the 10th year for the keg pull.

The rip-roaring race will be held at the Granary Arts District, 513 Oak Street, on Sunday, Feb. 26 from 10 a.m. until 12 p.m. Same day registration starts at 9:15 a.m.

Canines of all sizes can compete.

There are three categories: large, medium, and small. Large dogs pull full-size (empty) kegs, medium dogs pull “slim” kegs (also empty), and the petite pups pull empty beer cans. The registration fee is $10 (for two runs) and $5 for each additional run. All proceeds will go to Panhandle Animal Shelter (PAS).

Nikki Klein’s 9-year-old German Shepherd Ulan has participated in the event since 2010.

“He loves the keg pull,” said Klein.

This year due to health issues, Ulan will have to sit out the race. However, the torch has been passed to his 2-year-old canine sibling Kubu, an English Staffordshire, who will pull a keg for the first time.

“We’re not sure how he will do, but it will be a good outing for him,” Klein said.

If you haven’t had the pleasure of attending a K-9 Keg Pull before, here is what you can expect: Throughout the event the snow-packed dual race course will be lined with smiling spectators, many with cameras poised for photo shots of their favorite four-legged entrants. Some of the canine competitors will scramble to the finish line, while others will take their time, doing meetand-greets with spectators on the sidelines as they go. The crowd will appreciate all no matter what styles the canine racers have—competitive or casual. In the end, it will be impossible to tell who is having a better time, the dogs or the people.

This year’s K-9 Keg Pull sponsors are Eichardt’s Pub Grill & Coffee, EzyDog, Laughing Dog Brewing, Evans Brothers Roasters, Petco, Selkirk Press, and Eureka Institute. EzyDog will be providing the race harnesses for the competitors.

If you haven’t attended this event, don’t miss it either as a spectator or as a personal keg-pull coach for your dog.

Once you’ve been a part of this “fun-rais-

Photo by Nancy LaRose. er,” you’ll be back year after year.

Funds will benefit the Panhandle Animal Shelter, a volunteer, nonprofit shelter which is not affiliated with the county or city and receives no tax support. Their mission is to diminish the number of lost, abandoned, neglect-

ed and abused dogs and cats through adoption, education, litter prevention and identification of missing pets.

PAS is located at 870 Kootenai CutOff Road, Ponderay, Idaho 83852. You can reach them at 208-265-7297 on the web at www.pasidaho.org.

Pend Oreille Pedalers endorses Scotchman Peaks bill

By Reader Staff

A broad and often deep selection of quality fiction in a post-truth time.

And lots of other good books.

Main Street Downtown Bonners Ferry 267-2622 30 years of improbability We buy used books

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Pend Oreille Pedalers is the latest local organization to publicly support a Scotchman Peaks wilderness designation.

In a letter addressed to Idaho Sen. Jim Risch, the mountain bike club president, Mike Murray wrote, “North Idaho currently has no designated wilderness, and we believe the area is worthy of Congressional designation.”

Sen. Risch introduced legislation to protect the area as wilderness in the wan-

ing days of the 114th Congress. Risch is taking time to hear from constituents about the proposal before reintroducing the bill in the 115th session.

The letter acknowledges the fact that mountain bikes are not allowed in wilderness areas, and noted that the area is presently managed as a “recommended wilderness” under the U.S. Forest Service’s land management plan and is therefore, off limits to bikes.

“Even if the area weren’t recommended for wilderness, you wouldn’t see many mountain bikers in the Scotchman Peaks,” said Murray. “The area is simply

too steep to ride.”

The executive director of the Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness, Phil Hough welcomed the endorsement. “We greatly appreciate the support of the Pend Oreille Pedalers,” said Hough. “There are many great trails in the Panhandle National Forests where mountain biking is and should be allowed. In the Scotchman Peaks, we believe that wilderness is the highest and best use of the land.”

The proposed wilderness encompasses less than 14,000 acres of national forest lands in Bonner County near Clark Fork.

COMMUNITY

Downtown Revitalization hosts second open house

By Reader Staff

The city of Sandpoint is set to begin the next chapter for revitalizing the downtown core area. The city adopted the Downtown Streets Plan and Design Guidelines in 2012, with improvements to Church Street, Third and Fourth avenues between Pine and Church already completed. The city, with funding provided by the Sandpoint Urban Renewal Agency, is planning to reconstruct First Avenue from Pine Street to Cedar Street and Cedar Street from First Avenue to Fifth Avenue over the next three years.

The next step in implementing the plan will be the reconstruction of Cedar Street between Fifth and Second avenues (Phase 1 of the project) planned for construction in the summer and fall of 2017.

The project will provide wider sidewalks with street furniture, storm gardens to treat stormwater before discharging to Sand Creek, Pend Oreille Lake and Pend Oreille River, places for public art, new landscaping and a change to two-way traffic.

Parking will be changed to provide diagonal parking on some sides of the street and parallel parking on the opposite side of the street.

The city of Sandpoint will hold a second public open house for the project on Thursday, Feb. 23, from 4:306:30 p.m. on the second-floor balcony of the Columbia Bank located at 414 Church Street in Sandpoint for the Sandpoint Downtown Revitalization Project. The project includes the revision of traffic flow to twoway traffic on most downtown streets and the reconstruction of First Avenue and Cedar

Street. The current one-way traffic on First Avenue, Cedar Street, Pine and Church streets will change from one-way to two-way traffic with diagonal and/or parallel parking on each block. The revision also includes the removal of traffic signals at Second/Cedar; Pine/ First and Pine/Fifth. A new signal at Church and Fifth will be activated. The current date for the revision is the end of April after ITD finishes the Fifth Avenue project.

At this open house, attendees will review the preferred alternative for Phase 1 of the project, site furnishings, landscaping, bike rack locations, stormwater treatment, a revised street layout, loading zones and ADA parking locations.

The project website and Facebook page are now live.

Please check out the website at http://sandpointstreets.com.

On the site, you can send us a comment regarding the project, sign up to get project information and updates and link to Facebook.

Any person needing special accommodations to participate in the public open house should contact the Sandpoint Public Works Department at (208) 263.3407 at least 48 hours before the open house.

Written comments can be sent to the City of Sandpoint Public Works Department at 1123 Lake Street, Sandpoint, ID 83864 or emailed to cfueston@ centurywest.com.

Kathy Andruzak looks at one of the display images at the first open house meeting last month. Photo by Ben Olson.

Dems give Pizza & Politics report

By Judy Meyers Reader Contributor Bonner County Democrats filled the Sandpoint Community Center on Saturday, Feb. 11, for their Pizza and Politics town hall. Last spring the party filled the fairgrounds 1,000 strong for its raucous caucus.

Democrats are engaged. They are focused on a range of issues including good schools that grow our economy, the environment, health care and budget priorities.

Sylvia Humes, new Chairperson of the Bonner County Democrats, urged everyone to become active: “Show up, and sign up.” She introduced former candidates and urged the crowd to support Democratic candidates in upcoming local elections. The Democrats are seeking precinct captains,

and putting together a roster of folks to attend meetings of the LPOSD board, Bonner County Commissioners, Sandpoint City Council, and Planning and Zoning. She directed folks to the Bonner County Democrats Facebook page for updates and information.

The main speaker, Rep. Mat Erpelding, Minority leader of the Idaho House gave a brief talk on priority issues for this legislative session. When asked about proposed legislation that would remove information about climate change from science teaching standards, he encouraged everyone to contact members of the Senate Education Committee to “support science standards as written.” He also stated that communication with legislators should be respectful and reminded attendees that what

works is local sustained action. Rep. Erpelding is working on legislation that would encourage recruitment and retention of teachers in rural districts. He said when he proposed it, it died in committee. But now a Republican has put the idea forward, so it may progress.

When asked what Democrats can do to advance their causes, he shared a theory advanced by Viktor Frankl, Holocaust survivor. Those who survive maintain hope: “Donate what you can. Take on one task each day. Contact your state legislators. Be an engaged citizen.”

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A tribute to Charley Packard

1941 - 2017

By Ben Olson Reader Staff Charley Packard was a legend. That’s the easiest, quickest way to explain what he meant to those who knew him. When Charley spoke, you felt like there was nothing else that mattered in the world to him than that moment.

When Charley passed away last week, Sandpoint lost a great one. If you didn’t know Charley personally, you knew of him. He might have married some friends of yours, or played music with someone you love, or played jacks with you as a child. He might have counseled you through a rough patch.

He might’ve been that kind man who always had a positive thing to say, or an old friend from another life.

I’ll always remember Charley for his kindness, his beautiful songs, his gentle way with those he loved. I’ll remember him as the one who always dropped too big of a bill in the tip jar when he came to watch me play music and always had a nice thing to say.

There will be a memorial honoring Charley Packard’s life on Sunday, Feb. 26 at 7 p.m. at the Panida Theater.

As a further tribute to this great man, I’ve reached out to some of the many people that he has impacted in life and asked them to share a memory. Below is just a fraction of the outpouring of love that came back.

•My dear and valued friend Charlie became one of the great treasures I discovered when I arrived from Chicago to Sandpoint.

Our mutual interest was our music in all of its glorious forms. Through him I was able to connect and maintain enduring friendships with other performers in the vicinity. You might even say we all became a kind of interchangeable “house band” as it were in the area with our abilities to perform in various groupings creating an even larger family of friends.

Charlie was also a caring mentor for me during some difficult struggles in my life. His constant compassion never wavering and a blessing for us all.

Thank you Charlie.

Peter Lucht •It’s a zippity-do-dah day.

Like me, Charlie lived fast and hard, and when alcohol almost killed him, he crawled into the doors of Alcoholics Anonymous. His smile brightened our meetings, and his voice, gravelly with a soft southern drawl, reached into our hearts. A minister, he presided over our weddings and our funerals. Most importantly of all, he walked the walk, and shared how he had pulled himself out of his hellhole by applying the 12 steps of AA to his life, and how we too, could once again live a life worth living. He believed in gratitude, in helping oth12 /

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Charley Packard at his home in 2015. Photo by Ben Olson. ers trudge the path to happy destiny, and in telling his truth, in any and all conditions. He lit up our rooms with his quiet grace, always reminding us that no matter what, we had a second chance, and that, sober, it was always a zippity-do-dah day.

From a member of Alcoholics Anonymous •Charley and I go back a ways. We knew each other because we both played music and wrote songs. I’ve always enjoyed performing opposite Charley, with his easy sound versus our banjo bangin’ bluegrass band. We both crossed paths in the Newport Beach folk music circuit, around 1970.

Charley’s songs always sounded great.

My songs always sounded corny. During one of our co-writing sessions he confided in me the story of the biggest money tip he ever received for singing a single song! (At that time $50 was a big tip). What was the song that was requested? A song named “Buck and Ednas,” one of my songs!

We both howled and played songs into the night. I look forward to writing with Charley again, but on this starry night, it’s sad in songland.

Until then, Dennis Coats •I first met Charley in the mid-’60s in southern California. We had a mutual friend {who} took me to Huntington Beach, where Charley was playing with Milo, who he made

a record with. From that time on, we had an exceptionally warm friendship. Our relationship was characterized by a huge amount of mutual respect. We hugged a lot of 40 years.

Charley and myself were part of a group of refugees from California including David Gunter, Tom Newbill, Neighbor John Kelly and Dennis Coates. I always had these great conversations with Charley that left me warm, because he had an incredible amount of brotherly love and affection for all of his musical friends.

Ken Mayginnes •I have countless memories with that man. It’s important to remember people like Steve Geobert, who owned Bugatti’s Pub where Charley was a bartender, hosted open mic night and was the house band for many years. Steve lives in Napa Valley now, but he came up last summer, and we got to have lunch with Charley. Also, Charley’s late wife Colleen was his rock for a long time. She mothered his children and put up with Charley through thick and thin —and I guarantee you there was a lot of thin.

Thank God Karen came along as an angel and took Charley and gave him some really good time at the end of his life.

The story I’d like to relate somewhat epitomizes why we all affectionately referred to him as “The Reverend Charley Packard.”

I’d befriended a lovely young lady at physical therapy who wanted to marry her finance, but she was working and supporting her

handicapped daughter. The clergy wanted $100 to do the ceremony, which she couldn’t afford, so I told her I’d talk to Charley. He said, “You just have her get a hold of me.” He wasn’t the healthiest, but they came over to the house and he performed the ceremony.

When they went to the courthouse, the clerk said, “Charley Packard married you?” I told them “You are very privileged people; you will be the last couple that Charley yokes together in holy matrimony.” He never hesitated and didn’t want any money. That epitomizes Charley. He was a special and unique individual. I think anybody that ever met him came away enhanced. He was a wonderful man and will be sorely missed.

Eddie Brown •When my husband, Pat, and I came here to Sandpoint we were one of the first ones to come here with that group of musicians.

Charley came shortly after, and that’s when we really became good friends. I’ve been here 43 years now. I was married to Tom Newbill in Laguna Beach, before Pat, and Tom and Charley were best friends. We loved him so much. He was just a good family friend.

I have four boys that are all musicians, and Charley was the most encouraging friend to them. He just gave them so much positive feedback.

Pat and I got married in his living room with his wife Colleen as a witness. He also married one of my sons.

My youngest son, Chad Ball, played at the tribute at the Panida [in 2015]. He was home alone one day and the phone rang, and it was Charley. He asked what he was doing. Chad said he was practicing his guitar. And Charley said, “That’s good, the world needs more musicians.” He never forgot that.

Sue Ball •As we stumble, bumble our way through life, one of the very best gifts received is when young friends one day find themselves as old friends. When the good times as well as the bad times contribute to the development of a comfortable relationship that is always safe, always easy.

I was not a member of Charley’s musician circle but rather, a member of his life experience circle. While living in Wisconsin for eight years, Mary Ann and I would always seek out Charley when returning home for a visit. It didn’t matter how long it had been since we last saw one another, it was always the same: effortless and familiar. Charley’s gentle and welcoming spirit made me feel confident that our friendship would last forever.

As we, all of us, had the privilege of witnessing Charley preside over the union of two people deeply in love or saying goodbye to a cherished friend, Charley did so with such compassion and sincerity. It was inside of him. He couldn’t help himself. In the same way as a few other friends in my life have done, Charley ministered to me through his kind and gentle words but most importantly, how he lived his life. I will be forever grateful and thankful for my friendship with Charley.

Larry Jeffres •My earliest childhood memory was of dazzling lights, dials and meters at a recording studio in Costa Mesa, Calif. I was 5 when my parents decided to move to this strange new world called Idaho. After a very long drive, we crossed the Long Bridge, rented a house on Pine Street and got a big red dog.

Thus began my childhood.

I grew up watching my dad play music.

I would often tag along, turning places like Kamloops, The Donkey Jaw and The Trestle Creek Inn into my playgrounds. I loved it.

Sandpoint in those days was very special place to be, where kids were allowed at bars and the minister’s energetic son was always welcome at a wedding. But one thing was as true then as it is now: I had the coolest dad in town.

Growing up, everywhere I went, and whoever I met, I was always welcomed with, “Oh, you’re Charley Packard’s son!” The fact that he touched the lives of so many people was normal for me. It’s just what he did.

As an adult, I would perform with him hundreds of times. I’ll never forget the sea of thousands of faces when we opened for Willie Nelson. Or rolling music gear across a (sometimes slushy) sidewalk for another gig at Eichardt’s. I’m grateful to say I did everything a person could ever want to do with their dad.

In time, he would also become the coolest grandpa in town. Charley has guided and inspired all of us, now and for generations to come. In terms of one’s life, he did exactly what he came here to do.

As he smiles down from “Heaven’s only town,” the spiritual messages in his songs will continue to provide comfort in difficult times, like when we lose a loved one. Like right now.

Jesse Harris •I guess my friendship with Charley started when we had the band Trapper Creek.

Charley was a fan. “Our harmony was from heaven,” he’d say. My wife and I moved down to Nashville to get into the songwriting circuit there, and Charley kept in touch with me.

We eventually began collaborating, but one song I had nothing to do with was “Give Me An Old Gal.” Eventually, I got in touch with a publishing house, Starstruck Entertainment, and they were interested in “Give Me An Old Gal.” They only wanted to change one word.

They wanted to change “Give Me An Old Gal” to “Give Me a Good Gal,” which changes the whole crux of the song. I told them I’d get in touch with Charley and called him up. “They only want to change one little word,” I told him. There was a six-second pause, and then Charley just said, “Naw.” Mike Wagoner I’ve known him a long time. He will be missed by his by family and the AA community.

A member of Alcoholics Anonymous •Charley Packard: 1,700 marriages. Think of that, Charley Packard; you presided over 1,700 marriages. No one in the memory of Sandpoint has been a more unifying force for love than you. I have so many fond recollections of your presence in our town that I can only fast forward to the last, best one.

The end of September three years ago: You, Karen, Paula and I shared dinner at Hill’s Resort at Priest Lake. Afterwards we went further north to spend the night in two cabins which awaited us by a stream in the woods. The next morning after breakfast we traveled another 30 miles onward to North Idaho’s Great Cathedral: the giant cedars of Roosevelt Grove. The four of us walked through patchy fog and misting rain, but you didn’t seem to mind sacrificing your guitar as we made our way up a mysterious trail on which none of us had ever been before. It led directly to the inside of a majestic living tree whose base had been hollowed out by fire centuries ago. Paula and I slipped inside and you read us our vows and sang to us your enchanting wedding song. We wept. Thanks to you, Charley Packard and Karen. Forever.

Love, Dann Hall •He was my best friend and my hero. I always felt lucky that Charley was my big brother. He taught me how to high jump. I

Charley Packard, center, surrounded by all the performers at the 2015 benefit concert at the Panida Theater.

Photo by Ben Olson. taught him how to play jacks.

Growing up with Charley, I learned what love and kindness really are. His spirit was kind and gentle. Others were drawn to Charley. He listened when they spoke to him. That person mattered to him and they knew it.

He was nice to his little sister and I love and miss him so much.

Jackie Shy •Charley had a heart, a voice and a soul that he was willing to share to help others.

His own struggles with drugs and alcohol allowed him to understand the frailties of we humans and made him a better man. He performed over 1,700 weddings. He comforted grieving families and friends who lost their loved ones by conducting funeral services with care and concern.

He helped the sick, especially those who were struggling with alcoholism and drug addiction. When people graduated from Drug Court, he willingly came to sing in celebration of the achievement of sobriety for those who were successful. He shared his thoughts and wisdom with the graduates and helped make their graduation day even more special. He counseled people with substance abuse issues and stood as an example of what could be accomplished.

His empathy and heartfelt emotions came through in his music. His poignant way with words, his humor (which was often ironic), provided laughter as well as an escape from some of the harshness of life for those who listened and cared. Charley was a good man who will continue to live on in our hearts and minds.

Steve Verby

missed a beat given the chance to spread the good word with a loving smile. I can hear him singing now, “from the rockin’ of the cradle to the rollin’ of the hearse, the goin’ up was worth the comin’ down.” Thank you, dearest Charley.

God speed, old friend.

Belinda Bowler •It was 1972 when Cinde and I first met Charley. We had gone with Dennis and Carol Coats to hear their friends “Charley D. and Milo” at the local bowling alley bar in Costa Mesa. It was the beginning of a friendship that has remained constant over 45 years.

The southern California “migration” and our eventual move from southern Idaho brought us all together in Sandpoint. Certainly a book could be written about the years that followed.

One of my most treasured times with Charley happened a few years after Cinde’s passing. He kept saying, “You need to make an album, you need to write some songs!” I said, but I’m not a writer… His advice, “Just write it down, write everything down. Out of that something will surely come.” And so it did.

With his encouragement and gentle nudging we sat together many afternoons playing through ideas, fine-tuning lyrics and writing songs together. “Everything Must Change” would not have happened without him.

His last words to me (not knowing they would be the last) … “I love you, B.” I love you, Charley.

“We’ll meet again on some bright highway, songs to sing and tales to tell…”

(Steve Earle – “Pilgrim”) Beth Pederson

•Writing about my friend Charley is a bit daunting, when I think of what he might write given the same task. What he could do with language was the stuff of breathtaking wonder.

Into this gift of words he wove music and spirit like an alchemist gifted with the grace of a prophet. Did Kris Kristofferson write this song for Charley? “...he’s a poet, he’s a picker, he’s a prophet, he’s a pusher, he’s a pilgrim and and preacher, he’s a problem when he’s stoned.” In recovery Charley channeled his fierce, creative energy into mentoring so many. He never February 23, 2017 /

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WEIRD & WONDERFUL WINTER CARNIVAL

BEERFEST & PUB CRAWL

•219 Lounge •MickDuff’s Beer Hall •A&P Bar & Grill •Ol’ Red’s Pub •Eichardt’s Pub •Pend d’Oreille Winery •The Hound •Trinity at City Beach •Idaho Pour Authority

18 weird and wonderful beers!

Pick up glassware & tokens from 219, MickDuff’s and Trinity!

FOR MORE INFO: FB.ME/DINEAROUNDSANDPOINT

event t h u r s d a y

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SATURDAY, FEB. 25th CEDAR STREET BRIDGE 10 AM - 2 PM

Burger Patties (All-Natural 100% King Salmon) Please bring this coupon.

Valid only on 2.25.17

Last stock-up until the Farmers' Market starts in May!

#decktodish 14 /

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w e d n e s d a y t h u r s d a y

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Dollar Beers!

P Dinner Hour Jazz at Trinity 8pm @ Eichardt’s Pub 7 5-7pm @ Trinity at City Beach Listen as MCS Jazz Ensemble grooves through the dinner T hour. Enjoy a special $25 three-course menu specially pre- ie pare by Chef Thane. First 20 diners get free tickets to POAC’s a presentation of Rob Verdi’s Take 5 at the Panida Theater $ Live Music w/ Mobius Riff The Dating Game, Sandpoint Style 6:30-9:30pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall 7:30pm @ Panida Theater jazz, rock, Celtic, classical Middle Eastern two bachelors and two bachelorettes will take Live Music w/ Devon Wade to pick a date for dinner and a movie. $5 9pm-12am @ 219 Lounge Live Music w/ Marty Perron and Doug Bond 5:30-7:30pm @ Idaho Pour Authority Live Music w/ Chris Lynch Live Music w/ KennyG with 6pm @ Arlo’s Ristorante Live Music w/ Still Tipsy and the Hangovers Blue Beard Entertainment 8pm @ Ol’ Red’s Pub 5:30-8:30pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery

Live Music w/ Truck Mills 6-8pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall Chess Class 4pm @ Sandpoint Library All levels, come for 4 weeks of chess (Feb 2-23)

Weird and Wonderful Winter C Live Music w/ Ren E. and the Rhythm Section Beer Festival and Bar Crawl 5:30-8:30pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery It’s sure to be a great time with their swing tunes influ- 2-6pm @ 9 participating location Featuring weird and wonderful b enced by the sounds of the ‘30s and ‘40s! breweries, purchase a commemor Winter Carnival Live Music w/ The Cole Show tasting tokens for $20. Buy your Lip Sync Contest 7pm @ Eichardt’s Pub Beer Hall, Trinity at City Beach, 7:30pm @ Panida Live Music w/ Chris Lynch Comedy Night at the Niner 6pm @ Arlo’s Ristorante Live Music w/ Devon Wade 8pm @ 219 Lounge 7-10pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall Come for some laughs! Touring comedians Morga Live Music w/ Bright Moments Jazz Harry Riley will be performing their stand-up ro special night of comedy at the 219 Lounge. $12 a 5-7pm @ Idaho Pour Authority cludes a Captain Morgan rum drink Live Music w/ BreakOut Session 5pm @ Ol’ Red’s Pub K-9 Keg Pull and Family Faire 10am @ Evans Brothers Coffee One of Sandpoint’s most endearing and popular events

Sandpoint Chess Cl 9am @ Evans Brothe Meets every Sunday

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

Night-Out Karaoke 9pm @ 219 Lounge

KPND Ski and Board Party 5-7:45pm @ 219 Lounge The 219 Lounge hosts a KPND Ski and Board party with Diane MiBenefit for Panhandle Alliance for Education chaels. She’ll be bringing tons of prizes to give away, including ski 4:30-7:30pm @ Idaho Pour Authority Live music with John Hastings on guitar. Si- passes, restaurant coupons, concert lent auction, raffle drawing. Featuring Paradise tickets, an overnight package to Creek Brewery. A Public Education Week event Hills Resort and more!

Dollar Beers!

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

U 9 K e T o e s v

Family Night and Chili Dinner 5-7pm @ Sandpoint High Schoo With a Talk by LPOSD Technolo dinner. Free childcare for kids in stuff! RSVP to Longanecker@p

ful

February 23 - March 2, 2017

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

Learn to dance the Annual FSPW Sip and Shop Country Two-Step 4pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery FSPW will be sipping great 7pm @ SWAC wines, enjoying wonderful food With instructor Diane from Bistro Rouge. Proceeds Peters. 610-1770 benefit FASPW Downtown Revitalization Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness Update Open House 9:45-11:30am @ Sandpoint Community Hall 4:30-6:30pm @ Columbia will take the stage Hear from Phil Hough, Executive Director for Bank Second floor $5 FSPW. Free admission, public welcome Give input to the downtown oug Bond Canyon Lands and Uncharted Waters Art Exhibit revitalization, which deals with y 5:30-7pm @ POAC Gallery (302 N. First Ave.) the streets switching over to POAC hosts a presentation of POAC’s Teacher of the two-way this spring Year Heather Guthrie’s “Canyon Lands” series. Free

POAC presents Rob Verdi’s Take 5 7:30pm @ Panida Theater dinner The Take 5 jazz quintet presents a varly pre- ied program of music spanning half OAC’s a century of jazz. Tickets $20/adults, ter $13/ POAC supporters, $10/students

ub

Winter Carnival History Mystery Fundraiser: A Vaudeville Review Crawl 6pm @ Ponderay Events Center g locations in Sandpoint Guests will be transported to the Rink Opera House in 1909, for an nderful beers from regional craft evening of Vaudeville-style entertainment and intrigue including opera, ommemorative beer glass and six dancers, magic, music, Shakespeare, drama, juggling, acrobats and of Buy your tickets at MickDuff’s course a mystery! Tickets are $50 ($45 for BCHS members) and include ty Beach, the 219 Lounge dinner by Skeyes the Limit Catering, and the evening’s entertainment Salsa Dance 219 Comedy Show 7-10pm @ Sandpoint Community Hall 8pm @ 219 Lounge Singles, couples, and all levels of dancFeaturing nationally touring stand ans Morgan Preston and ers are welcome. 208-699-0421 up comedians Morgan Preston and and-up routines for this Cedar St. Bridge Public Market Harry J. Riley. $10 in advance, innge. $12 at the door, in10am-2pm @ Cedar St. Bridge cludes one Captain Morgan drink Come enjoy indoor shopping on the bridge special, and $12 at the door. 21+ spanning Sand Creek

Chess Club ns Brothers Coffee y Sunday at 9am. All are welcome

D Ski Mins of g ski ncert e to

More than a store, a Super store!

Mountain Madness Soaps •Handmade with local ingredients from Coeur d’Alene •Soaps, body butter, lip balms, bath bombs •Lots of fun varities

MONDAY-FRIDAY 8AM-8PM / SATURDAY 8AM-6PM / SUNDAY 10AM-6PM

Game Night at the Niner 9pm @ 219 Lounge

Umphrey’s McGee at the Hive 9pm @ The Hive KPND and Low Country Boil Productions present Umphrey’s McGee with Spafford at The Hive.

The boys are back in town ... for a two-night run of mind-melting jams. This will be a ski and jam event. Doors open at 8 p.m. each night, and the show gets started at 9 p.m. Tickets are $30 in advance, and $35 at the door. 21+

li Dinner gh School D Technology Director on Educating Tech Savvy Kids. $5 per family for chili for kids in kindergarten – 6th grade. Raffle to win an iPad mini and other great necker@panhandlealliance.org. A Public Education Week event

March 3-4 The Follies @ The Panida Theater March 4 Murder Mystery Dinner @ Talus Rock Resort March 10 Big Something @ The Hive March 10-11 Once Upon A Mattress @ The Panida Theater

Forrest Bird Charter School now has open enrollment until March 30 for the 2017/2018 school year. limi There is limited seating in all grades 6-12 614 S Madison Ave. (208) 255-7771 forrestbirdcharterschool.org

The Cedar St. Wine Bar is officially open!

With a huge selection of great wines and a fabulous tapas menu it's a party every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night!

Join us 5-9 with live music on Fridays!

The Wine Bar on

CEDAR ST. BRIDGE in Sandpoint, Idaho check us out on

www.cedarstbistro.com February 23, 2017 /

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Survey says... READER!

By Ben Olson Reader Staff For a small, quiet place in the world, we sure have a lot of media around Sandpoint.

Every January for the past two years, the Sandpoint Reader has teamed up with SandpointOnline.com to host a survey that highlights what publications people are reading and listening to the most. In all fairness, these surveys are not scientific; we blast them out over Facebook, we promote them inside the Reader and we also collect street surveys from passersby. We don’t doctor any results. We don’t pick and choose who fills out the survey. We simply dangle a $50 prize for those who fill them out and ask folks to be candid about their media habits.

How do we use this information? It helps to know what people are reading and listening to in town. We use the results of this survey in many ways. One purpose is to attract more advertisers. Every dollar we bring in comes from advertising (and the occasional donation from kind-hearted folks). While we are always eager to attract more clients, we also recognize the need to provide a vital publication that reaches a large segment of the population.

Another important part of the survey is the comments section. After weeding out the trolling, inflammatory comments, it’s a treasure trove of information about what you, the reader, wants more of.

Quite a few comments touched on the issue of media bias, which is no surprise given the outright attack on the media that seems to come from the top down nowadays. While a good portion were inflammatory and useless to derive information from, a lot of comments honestly called for less bias in reporting.

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To address these concerns, I will remind you all that a newspaper is not 100-percent news on every page. There are opinion pages in every publication, from The New York Times to the Reader.

These opinion pages do not affect the way that news stories are put together. They are a way for the community to express their opinions about issues that affect us all.

While I agree that a balanced opinion page is always preferred (i.e. a page that features both sides of a story) it’s difficult in practice. The Reader is written by and for the community, which means if the community feels especially progressive or conservative on a particular issue, that will be reflected by the articles that are submitted to us. We rarely solicit opinion articles, so if you think your political side isn’t being represented enough, write! If a piece is well-written and informative, we’ll most likely run it.

Regarding the news page, I stand behind Cameron Rasmusson’s reporting completely. He is always fair and accurate in his investigations. If folks take umbrage with an opinion page, that’s completely understandable, but to fault a reporter for compiling facts is counterproductive.

Other comments asked for more people profiles, more reporting from further out in the county, closer investigations into our elected representatives and a call for more stories that cover the environment and animal issues.

We listen to every comment and criticism. Trust me. And we appreciate you all reading our publication. If anyone has a question or a concern, my email is ben@ sandpointreader.com. Drop me a line.

LITERATURE

This open Window

Vol. 2 No. 4

poetry and prose by local writers edited by Jim mitsui

"The winter silence has a presence like sound.”

this old chair

by Jeanette Schandelmeier Its partner couch long gone, it still claims a corner of my living room, filled with a plump stuffed bear from a friend and room for Ruby on the afghan next to it. I bought the couch and chair used, thirty-seven years ago, its orange and brown plaid was dated then but fit the house on Rapid Lightning. Its well-made solid wood frame lacks padding from many arms and bodies and a seat too-narrow for today’s wider folks makes it a candidate for the secondhand store. But it’s seen a child grow up, several men come and go, houses full of people for Super Bowls and barbecues, and now a house with only me and three cats who have a new playground, that will just fit in the space that holds the chair, if I can convince Ruby---and myself---to give up the cozy afghan space and years of memories.

—Jeanette Schandelmeier

One of the most challenging things about writing is deciding on a subject. If you are in a class and provided with prompts—that helps.

Few people are like Emily Dickinson, who basically wrote in solitude and received no feedback or criticism. The best things to write about are memories: actual experiences and true stories that you have experienced. No one is more expert about this than yourself.

After a while, though, you may tire of writing about yourself and your family.

In this case another possibility is to write about an old photograph, or a painting like “Nighthawks” by Edward Hopper. Start by describing the picture, using very specific details. But eventually you will want to go out beyond the frame and tell us a story that connects with what we see, or can imagine in our mind. Here are some things to consider: •Who or what is the focal point of the picture?

•Give us the location, as detailed as you can make it.

•Give us the timer period connected with the picture. Make an educated guess.

•Drift into telling us about the person, if any; their personality based on your memory or make an educated guess.

•Phase into a narrative (story) based on your memory. Choose something that “shows” the reader what the people and situation was like.

•You could write about what happened before, or after, this picture was taken, or painted.

•Possibly add another brief story that’s connected (in your mind) to this picture.

Conclude with a paragraph or stanza that begins with “I”, “we”, “they” or a name. But don’t end with something logical, predictable or obvious. Writing is a process, and while you were writing you probably learned something—about the subject, or yourself, or about life in general. My favorite teacher was Richard Hugo, who liked to encourage us to “make the jumps.” What he meant was to find out, during the writing process, what you learned. Instead of ending with something logical and obvious, give the reader an insight, a surprise. I remember attending a reading by William Stafford, who read a poem about living on a Kansas farm; at the end of the poem he added, “I wish I could talk to you about aluminum,” which of course made us all think about what he meant, what he wanted us to think about beyond the literal story about farming in the Midwest.

I keep reminding you not to conclude your poem, memoir or story—true or not—like the last paragraph in an essay. One of the hardest things to do as a writer is to break away from what you were taught in your high school or college writing class. Whatever you do, don’t end with “In conclusion…” and don’t be afraid to have some fun during the writing process, even if your subject is serious.

9/17/16

Jeanette is a retired school teacher, originally from Homer, Alaska.

She lives on Talache Road and this time of year blames Grouse Mountain for with-holding sunlight from her and her animals.

our strength

by Beth Weber Come migrants.

You’ll shift, revise this place

Come migrants. Stay safely or we’re all in danger.

Migration means risk and waste. Child’s face lifeless in sand.

blossom, pump breath.

The way primal

Beyond unrest, between the fixed and wandering,

But arrive migrants. Diversify our families.

blue-green algae spread mats around the globe

inventive tension, self-renews.

Who is native?

All life wants what’s best for its offspring.

composing air for future forms.

Like Archaeopteris,

Those rhododendrons Your movement rosying Olympia holds two uses: fled the Himalayas. heal and renew.

first forests, who reset the soil switched on oxygen.

England’s emblem, royal oak, arose from Spain.

You’re welcome like a new concept or a gift

Now we breathe.

Our life-breath rises from migration.

Apples of Yakima traveled from Kazakhstan.

in hopeful swerve, toward open arms of the grateful.

—Beth Weber

December 30, 2015

Beth conducts the Festival at Sandpoint’s Youth Orchestra and teaches violin lessons in her home in Cocolalla. Except for Native Americans, aren’t we all “immigrants”?

Send poems to: jim3wells@aol.com

from “The Abundance” by Amit Majmudar

by Robens Napolitan

I could have told you that the cat was on the cabinet, or that my soul/spirit was feeling ultra thin today, but you didn’t ask, and now, the dark evergreens flocked with snow stand silent, as the low sun sinks lower, and they take on the solid stance of mute guardians.

I could have told you of last night’s star shine, when I woke to stoke the fire against the arctic chill enveloping our region, or shared how much it hurts when I breathe in the cold air too fast.

I could have told you.

Labyrinths of hare tracks and deer prints intersect in the white stillness like blue shadow trails.

Wild bodies stay warm where and how they can.

I, and the cat, make only brief forays out, even bundled in our layers of fleece and fur.

I could have told you that life with me would sometimes be like battling a blizzard, and, at other times, like watching lazy smoke lift on the breeze, but then I would’ve had to tell you how sorry I am that I’ve never learned to decant my feelings without an inner war between secrets and fear, but you already know this, and have loved me, anyway.

—Robens Napolitan

Robens is a local artist and writer. A landscape gardener, Robens’ poetry is often grounded in her relationship with nature.

dancing with the stars

by Amy Craven

in mountains of memory’s debris I find my Mother’s crumbling scrapbook, embossed with cheerleaders, megaphones, and pennants inside — dance cards, postcards, programs, prom pictures, even a little silver and turquoise ring from Mexico is taped on a page and a 1944 clipping from the Pittsburgh Press — my Great Aunt Jean in her Spar uniform, a golden eagle flying across the white, jaunty hat is dancing in the arms of a famous man at a USO shindig he is doing his duty — she is doing hers she smiles in that twenty-something’s defiance or non-acceptance of war’s brutality they hover there in that bygone bubble Mrs. Jean Gormley of Pittsburgh and Mr. Spencer Tracy of Hollywood forty years later I walk toward the exit of Citibank at Madison and 91st Street I’ve just extracted my last twenty dollars from the ATM as I pull open the door a man is pushing on the same door we do those sprightly back and forth steps, as we try to yield space to the other after an interval where it seems that no sand has sifted through the hourglass, time snaps back he stands aside and gestures me through with a gallant arm sweep his blue eyes crinkle and he smiles I’m sure I blush as I thank him and realize that I’ve just do-si-doed with Paul Newman

—Amy Craven

February 2016

Amy is a retired voice teacher living in Sandpoint with her husband Rob and Hazel, the 14 year old labradog. She hopes that you too, will fall under the spell of poetry. Here we witness an encounter with a Hollywood star, and for a moment…

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Brought to you by:

Mad about Science:

By Brenden Bobby Reader Columnist Want to know a secret?

I’m a bit of a nerd.

It should come as no surprise to anyone that’s read even a few of these articles that I was that dorky kid obsessed with knights and dragons. While I admit that I’ve never LARPed, my fascination with all things medieval persisted healthily into adulthood.

I went from being that annoying kid no one wanted around to being the guy everyone comes to with questions when the guy with the chiseled jaw gets stabbed by the naked lady in “Game of Thrones.”

(Brenden! Spoilers! Geeze…)

At first glance, what’s not to like about the medieval ages?

It was a time of chivalry, when gallant knights would throw down their tabards and greatcloaks over large puddles to allow fair maidens safe passage. Fair Kings, princes and princesses ruled the land, and everyone was happy!

Well, until you take into account that most of the population was enslaved, constantly dying by their 15th birthday to dysentery and usually getting murdered, flayed, burned and branded by the people they forcibly worked for.

And we certainly can’t forget about the lord’s right to first night!

(This is largely a myth. There isn’t very much historical evidence of this “tradition” happening, at least not very often.)

So what is feudalism in a nutshell?

Essentially, it’s the many ruled by the few. At the top is your king or emperor. This monarch rules over a kingdom or several kingdoms as the lawful ruler. Sometimes they are a great conquerer that brought many smaller warring states together through sheer force of arms, or more often than not they’re a descendant of a great conquerer or diplomat.

One person alone can’t rule an entire country effectively, though.

To make it work, they grant property to vassals, lords that are sworn to serve the king militari18 /

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Feudalism

(in a nutshell)

ly, religiously and/or personally.

The vassals are bound by a code of chivalry (and written law) to behave, though the bulk of the military power rests with them.

But even a group of men can’t effectively rule an entire country on their own. They need someone to do the hard work.

This is where serfs come in. Serfs came in many flavors throughout the dark ages. What they almost all had in common was that they were very poor. Some more than others, some much less.

The basest serf was essentially a slave to the lord of their land. The lord would allow them to live on the land as long as the serf would farm it for the lord. Sometimes the serf would do this to pay off a debt, sometimes they would just do it for room and board. This form was called indentured servitude.

“You owe me, so provide for me, and I will provide much less for you.”

This was the raw end of the hotdog. While it may have been more profitable for a lord, the quality of the goods produced by their serfs would generally be lower, as the quality of life of slaves is abysmal.

You get what you give, and if you give your workers nothing, you get nothing in return.

As the ages progressed, serfdom evolved as economies expanded.

Lords began to realize that they only needed as much food as would serve them comfortably through the year. They had much more to gain by encouraging their subjects to travel and sell their crops, then take a chunk of that as a tax for living on the lord’s land, and then the king would take a chunk of the lord’s take as tax for living in the kingdom.

Sound familiar?

Taxation really hasn’t changed much for the past 1,500 years. The wording just got more complicated and the money goes to more public projects than a few aristocratic families.

As you can imagine, this sys-

tem was far from perfect. Especially when you began to factor in the human nature of a king.

If a king had a son, the son would eventually become king when his father died.

But what if the king had a son out of wedlock? He’s the king, you can’t prosecute him.

Does that give the illegitimate son a right to rule? Society says no, but a group of lords tired of the current king increasing taxes on a regular basis might say yes.

What if the king has twin boys?

Who may rightfully rule?

Sometimes, the royal lineage had nothing to do with it. Sometimes lords would band together and revolt to place a new king at the seat of power, though the signing of the Magna Carta slowed this down for centuries to come.

So what kept that from happening constantly? Doesn’t it seem logical that the man with the sharpest stick would eventually rule after each great conflict?

There are two interlinked factors here that kept that from happening, that helped maintain the status quo and saw centuries-old dynasties maintained.

The church and chivalry.

We all know what the church is, but its role in medieval life was much more prominent of a political force than it is today. The Catholic Church, for several centuries, almost acted as a sort of medieval UN. They set rules men had to follow regardless of their country.

Why? Their eternal souls were at stake.

Sacking your neighbor’s fief for booty and plunder or overthrowing your king for personal gain might seem like an immediate gain, but God and the church weren’t so forgiving in the medieval ages.

What benefits you for the winter may damn you for an eternity, and that was a scary prospect to men of the age.

The Catholic Church was a driving political force for at least

1,500 years. It was an institution with very deep pockets and spies (monks, priests, etc…) in every corner of every empire, well-funded, well-organized and immune from military backlash. The power of a king was trivial compared to that of the Pope. The only opposition the church would generally see was from Islam in the east, hence the Crusades.

Chivalry factored into the power of the church in feudalistic society, as well. Our idea of chivalry today doesn’t accurately reflect the idea of chivalry in the Middle Ages. Back then, chivalry was a way of life, not just a way to treat your date.

Chivalry demanded that men act piously, putting God, their king and their country before themselves. This applied on the battlefield as well as at court in the presence of other land-owning lords and ladies.

This system existed to ensure that lords and knights, especially, didn’t just run about killing everyone and taking their stuff. It also set a precedent in courts, especially for members new to the court, as a means to gauge one’s behavior in the presence of peers.

It wouldn’t be an article about the Middle Ages if there weren’t further mention of knights. The image of a knight is a powerful one, and has persevered better than virtually any other image from the dark ages. Gallant armored figures slaying dragons and rescuing damsels in distress are a far cry from what they actually were.

Knights could be considered to be the middle class of the Middle Ages. They were often mount-

ed warriors that served a lord in armed conflicts with other lords or other kingdoms. The title of knight is an honor bestowed by the monarch of their realm, and is in itself a form of lesser nobility. It was not out of the question for a knight to eventually become a lord, especially if the knight were a direct relative, though the bulk of them were hired muscle. They still adhered strictly to the code of chivalry in most cases, as their actions were a reflection of their lord’s rule.

A lord that’s a poor leader with a group of vulgar knights speaks volumes about that lord’s capacity, and the ease in which he may be replaced.

Knighthood is a tradition that still persists to this day, though it’s an extremely rare honor. Several European countries including the U.K. and Sweden will occasionally bestow knighthood to a distinguished individual that has brought culture or great national pride to their country.

There is much, much more to the subject, but I promised a nutshell, and I think this shell is starting to look like a roasted pistachio. Crack!

If your curiosity has been piqued, come ask us for a book on medieval history at the library or take a look at the nonfiction shelves around 940.1.

Maybe the next time you watch “Game of Thrones,” you’ll know why they poisoned that one annoying guy (just kidding, everyone knows why HE got poisoned).

Random Corner ?

Don’t know much about knives

We can help!

• A pen knife is so named because it was used for sharpening a quill to make a pen nib.

• A sharp knife does less damage to the cell walls of an onion, releasing less propanethial S-oxide, the irritant that causes you to cry.

• The longest recorded kill by a throwing knife in history was 87 feet during World War II. • Sumo referees carry a knife to show that they are willing to kill themselves if they make a bad call.

• Obsidian blades are so sharp (3 nm thick) that, on a cellular level, they will cut between cells rather than tear the cells as steel knives would do.

• The scene in “Skyfall” where Daniel Craig is shaved with a classical razor led to a 400-percent increase of straight edge razor sales.

The new leader in the fight against hunger After the March 2016 retirement of Executive Director Alice Wallace, the longtime face of the Bonner Community Food Center, the Board of Directors had a pretty good idea as to whom they wanted to take the helm.

Enter Debbie Love.

Most recently, Debbie Love was the Executive Director of the Pend Oreille Arts Council, a nonprofit group that facilitated and presentedd artd experiences for the people of Sandpoint and northern Idaho. Meeting with and coordinating events with artists and performers was part of her everyday life, until a unique opportunity presented itself that would change her focus in the community.

Debbie grew up in the Boise area, graduating from Boise State with a degree in Sociology. Part of her degree led her to outreach opportunities that included the homeless and society’s less fortunate. Based on her background, stepping in as the Executive Director at the Bonner Community Food Center was an easy transition, and she has taken the challenge head on.

Coming up on her first year anniversary, Debbie has continued to honor the traditions of the Food Bank, but also has a bigger vision for the future. Nutritional education, from seed to table, is just the start. Building relationships with area service providers, partnering with the University of Idaho Outreach Center program “Eat Smart Idaho”, and bettering the lives of our community’s less fortunate is all in a day’s work.

And that, paints a pretty picture.

Debbie Love Photo by Kaori Parkinson

Bonner Community Food Center | 1707 Culvers Dr., Sandpoint, ID 83864 | (208) 263-3663 | info@foodbank83864.com

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A Legislative Update North Idaho lawmakers weigh in on how the 2017 Legislative Session is going in Boise

By Ben Olson Reader Staff By all accounts, the 2017 legislative session got off to a bumpy start. Lobbyists, reporters and lawmakers alike have acknowledged this session has had a “wonky” feel to it.

Despite the fact that fewer bills have been filed this year than in previous years and a case of public infighting between the speaker of the house and a North Idaho representative culminated in the representative briefly losing her committee assignments, North Idaho lawmakers have attempted to stay on track at this midway point of the 2017 legislative session.

The Senate For Sen. Shawn Keough, R-Sandpoint, who co-chairs the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee (JFAC), the pace has been busy from the get-go.

“Right after we heard from the governor on the first day, what his state of the state and budget overlook is, the budget committee starts right in here in state agency budget presentations the second day,” said Keough in a phone interview.

“Although, non-budget committee members have ex-

pressed that it feels slower than usual.”

Keough acknowledged that bill introduction deadlines are down a bit from last year, but that’s not unusual involving a first session after an election with new members: “A lot of new members are just trying to figure out how things work.”

Keough said the deadline has passed for bills to be introduced in the Senate, so the real work of setting and approving 104 budgets has begun in earnest.

One aspect Keough has advocated for is the proper maintenance for infrastructure, which, with recent calls for tax cuts, could be impacted. “[Tax cuts] will impact, yes,” said Keough. “Not so much on the roads, necessarily, because historically the money that goes into roads comes from gas taxes and vehicle registration fees,” said Keough.

In the past two years, a surplus eliminator has been in place: “If there is unrecognized surplus from taxes coming in, it splits for two years between roads and our budget stabilization fund.”

If money is taken out of the stream for tax cuts bills, Keough said: “that leaves less

Sen. Shawn Keough.

Rep. Sage Dixon.

Rep. Heather Scott.

money for [the] surplus eliminator for roads, or less money for schools, or less money for other services that Idahoans expect from their government.”

In Gov. Otter’s state of the state address, he specifically singled out education as a primary goal to improve in Idaho. Keough said she has seen a general commitment to increase funding for K-12 schools from the state to the local districts.

“There’s a commitment to funding the next piece of the teacher’s career ladder, which is a change to how we fund teachers in Idaho,” said Keough. “Committees are starting to come out in the introduction

process that seem to indicate a continued support for the public system. At the same time, there are critics.”

On the topic of education, Keough weighed in on the upcoming LPOSD supplemental levy: “My perspective as an individual citizen is that it’s important to get the facts, to attend school board meetings and talk with school board members directly,” she said. “My experience has been that I believe that this school board in LPOSD has been very transparent and amenable to patrons and citizens for how things can be done better. From a Senate perspective, we do not adequately or fully fund public

schools, so they are reliant for local taxpayers to make up the difference.”

Along with being responsible for getting 104 budget bills approved through the system, Keough has also introduced two bills that directly impact life in North Idaho.

One piece of legislation was introduced with Rep. Sage Dixon, R-Ponderay, as a co-sponsor that deals with facility animals like Ken, a canine who currently resides as the official courthouse dog in Bonner County and is specially trained to provide comfort for child witnesses. < see UPDATE, page 21 >

Hourly rates • Day rates • Image packages •Portraiture: business/school/ holiday/family/pure enjoyment •Commercial Photography: lifestyle/brands/architecture •Stock imagery for sale: business/website/branding

Listen in Sandpoint to KPND @ 106.7 in HD 20 /

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Woods Wheatcroft • 208.255.9412 • www.woodswheatcroft.com

< UPDATE, con’t from page 20 > According to Keough, SB 1089 aims to allow facility dogs like Ken to remain at the witness stand in the courtroom to provide comfort to a witness child while they are testifying.

Another piece of legislation Keough introduced involves telehealth or telemedicine.

“We established a few years ago the framework for the delivery or ability for trained medical professionals and health care providers to deliver services via telehealth,” said Keough. “So, not only does the doctor visit you in your home, which was always allowed of course, but now can visit over the telephone or Skype.”

Keough sees this bill as a great tool for rural areas in Idaho, “particularly in times like these when traveling to your doctor’s appointment from places like Samuels into Sandpoint during some of the recent storms is problematic at best. But you can still keep that appointment through telehealth.”

The bill, SB 1058, which was introduced on behalf of doctors in the Sandpoint area, would allow doctors and health care providers to be reimbursed at the same level as if it was an in-office visit through the insurance companies.

Keough also weighed in on the controversy involving Speaker Scott Bedke’s admonishing Rep. Heather Scott, R-Blanchard for lewd comments that Scott made disparaging female legislators.

“I think that managing a legislative process with 105 different personalities requires rules, framework, respect and discipline,” said Keough.

“It’s important to respect the process. You also have to deal with your frustrations and disappointments in an adult and respectful manner.”

Scott’s comment in January that female members of the Idaho house only got leadership assignments if they “spread their legs,” generated

a wave of backlash. Speaker Bedke stripped Scott of her committee assignments until Scott issued several apologies, which culminated in her being reinstated.

“I wasn’t there when the comment was made, and there is a lot of information and sides of the story,” said Keough. “It was an unfortunate comment.

It certainly casts a bad light on all the female legislators in the body who have worked really hard in standing in a predominantly male body. So, in that regard, it was disheartening.

That said, it sounds as though an apology has been made and an effort is underway to move forward and be respectful.”

Rep. Scott was contacted multiple times but refused to comment on this story.

Finally, Keough also wanted to encourage constituents to participate in the legislative session via the internet.

“The distance between home and the capital has diminished greatly if you have a good internet connection,” she said. “The state website is designed for people that can’t be here in this valley to access the process.”

Keough said internet viewers can watch the floor sessions, JFAC and committee meetings. She said you can also see bills being introduced and contact legislators to participate: “It really makes the miles seem shorter.”

To access streaming capabilities, check out https:// legislature.idaho.gov for more information.

The House In the house, Dixon said he also is not seeing the “slow” pace of this year’s legislative session.

“My perspective of the 2017 session is a little skewed because I am on a new morning committee that has consumed much of my time,” Dixon said in a written response. “Most of my morning is taken up by sitting on JFAC, and the session

had appeared to move very quickly for me.”

Dixon said that while on the surface it appears to be moving slow, “many pieces of legislation” are being discussed in different corners of the building.

Along with his responsibilities on JFAC, the majority of legislation Dixon has taken part in involves the budgets he is carrying.

“I have been assigned to carry the budgets for the Transportation Department, the Department of Environmental Quality, the Public Utilities Commission, the Department of Building Safety, and the Lt. Governor,” said Dixon.

Dixon is also a house sponsor for a bill that would require the Idaho Transportation Department to offer a non-REAL ID compliant driver’s license or ID card.

Regarding Gov. Otter’s call for more educational emphasis in Idaho, Dixon remains skeptical.

“Whether or not the education committees will see merit in his proposals remains to be seen,” said Dixon. “I understand the importance of local levies to the [Lake Pend Oreille] School District, but I am also certain that there will be another increase in education funding from the state and that should be taken into consideration.”

Regarding the recent bills calling for tax cuts, Dixon came out on the side of the cuts, stating he was a “proponent of tax cuts, and specifically eliminating the tax on groceries.”

Dixon added: “The bills that have passed the house are languishing in the Senate Committee, and with the increased damage to roads due to winter weather, I doubt they will move out of the Senate Committee this year, as roads have become a focus.”

When asked about the reaction in the House in the aftermath of Rep. Scott’s lewd remarks, Dixon said, “The excitement within the House that

began our session this year has waned, and everyone seems focused on doing their job as legislators at this point.”

North Idaho’s other member of the house, Rep. Heather Scott, was contacted multiple times for this story but refused to comment in time for publication.

In January, Scott rolled out a “Freedom Agenda” highlighting over 60 items that promote less government across the board. Some items include repealing the grocery tax, repealing the registration fee increase for hybrid vehicles, lowering state income tax and legalizing CBD oil (non-THC) for seizures.

There are also more ideological items on Scott’s agenda, including recognizing Idaho as a sovereign state, promoting the removal of government licenses for marriage (largely seen as a pushback against the federal ruling on same-sex marriage), repealing the state Health Insurance Exchange (part of a larger effort to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act) and an anti-Sharia Law bill to recognize American laws for American courts.

Scott has also promoted protecting life, including a call for defunding Planned Parenthood, banning dismemberment abortion, prohibiting abortion after heartbeat is detected and promoting the idea that life starts at conception.

Scott opposed HB 26, a tax conformity bill that accepts the federal government’s definition of same sex marriage, stating: “If this is something Idaho wants to change, it needs to be done correctly and legally which requires a change to the Idaho Constitution, not just ignoring it and violating it.”

In an email to her followers, Scott lamented a handful of proposed bills that are currently being denied a hearing by committee chairmen.

“There are several good bill ideas sitting in Committee Chairmen drawers,” wrote Scott in an email newsletter,

“and are being denied an opportunity to be introduced and debated.”

These bills include those aiming to repeal Common Core, bills establishing a Castle Doctrine, which designates a person’s home as a place in which that person can defend using deadly force and a bill which stops special pension spiking for legislators’ pension plans.

As a result, Scott wrote, “This is one of the many reasons I always encourage citizens to get involved in their government.”

This statement, however, runs contrary to Scott’s previous statements posted on Facebook calling for her followers to boycott a general election forum held by SandpointOnline.com and the Sandpoint Reader because it was a trap to “harm conservative candidates” by reporting their answers to questions.

“I am encouraging my supporters to not attend,” wrote Scott. “We don’t need the Reader, the Bee or any other paper to advance our cause.”

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Living Life:

By Dianne Smith Reader Columnist

“One of the marvelous things about community is that it enables us to welcome and help people in a way we couldn’t as individuals. When we pool our strength and share the work and responsibility, we can welcome many people, even those in deep distress, and perhaps help them find self-confidence and inner healing.”

-Jean Vanier, Community And Growth Sandpoint, for a small town, has some awesome community organizations and support. Do you know that you can get a free meal every day of the week someplace in Sandpoint? There is a growing list of wonderful organizations and people who want to give to the community and make this a great place to live. Some organizations simply want to give to others, like Angels Over Sandpoint, 101 Women and Creations and some provide services that benefit the community such as the Teen Center and your local library.

The support I love the most however, is the informal community web that social

Sense of Community

media has only enhanced.

Did you know that there is a Facebook page appropriately named Sandpoint Helping Hands?

There is a lot of informal support and what I see as connectiveness that helps make this community a great place to live. The Hoot Owl provides a free meal on Monday and has stepped up and coordinated donations of winter clothing.

You can go there and get a free jacket or boots, no questions asked. Natalie Larson stepped up and started a Facebook page, Bonner County Volunteer Network. The page provides information about opportunities to do a one time volunteer event that helps make the community great.

They have had events at Creations and Panhandle Animal Shelter so far. Volunteering has so many benefits for both the recipient and the volunteer so I will look forward to seeing what they offer next.

Need a service or help and don’t know where to go? One of the newer supports in town is the Sandpoint Community Resource Center, which

started out as an informal support with a written notebook of places people could go for help. They now have a self-help directory on their webpage that has links to wonderful resources in town. If you would rather talk to a person, you can call or go in to their office located at the old Columbia Bank building Monday through Friday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. As an organization their goal is to provide links to services and support organizations in coming together and wrapping the community with the social services needed to help the community thrive. If you are looking for a place to volunteer the Resource Center can provide you with ideas and they also have a great calendar on their webpage that lists great community events and opportunities.

It makes my heart warm and puts a smile on my face to see all the good things that happen in the community. At the end of the day I think there really is more positive going on here than some of the Facebook posts would have you believe. I watch people reach out when others ask for help and offer simple things like a gently used jacket.

I watched a gentleman step up on Facebook and offer to buy a young girl new glasses when hers went missing at school. He didn’t know her but he saw an opportunity to help. I watched how people stepped up to help the families who lost everything in fires. Maybe they didn’t have money to give but they offered in other ways that were just as helpful. I watched others plow and shovel for those who couldn’t and ask for nothing in return. I read a post of a young mother walking to the store with her young children in the rain, and someone gave her a ride both to the store and home. How awesome is that? If you look around you can see it everywhere.

People reaching out to others sometimes with nothing more than a smile who are wanting to see the good in the community and make it a great place to live.

hang out after work, jog together, go into Sandpoint and Spokane.”

Valenzuela last saw Roberts in late September when he left Litehouse and Roberts took over his position: “With my new job and girlfriend, I didn’t have the time to hang out as I normally did,” he said.

Ms. Roberts hasn’t lost hope that her son will be found, but she is starting to face facts.

“Practically speaking, it doesn’t look good,” she said. “On the day he disappeared, he did buy a shotgun.”

Ms. Roberts said her son has never mentioned suicide before, other than briefly talking about it when he was younger. She said the day he disappeared, he didn’t come home or go to work the following day. Roberts didn’t have a mobile phone, and didn’t answer any of the emails his mother sent.

“What’s really concerning is that he doesn’t know anyone out of town,” she said.

Valenzuela described Roberts as quiet when he initially met him, but once he

got to know him, he was quite outgoing, athletic and spirited.

“He was just shy,” said Valenzuela. “I knew he had a past he wasn’t very proud of, but he had goals. He was going to go to college. He wanted to be a psychologist. He wanted to do things.”

Valenzuela said Roberts was saving his money to visit other places, including a 200-mile hike he was eager to do after finishing college. Roberts also talked to Valenzuela about moving to Canada where he could learn French.

Sgt. Victorino claims there is little he can do at this point: “We’re at a standstill unless we get further information,” he said. “If he’s an adult and he wants to be missing, he’ll stay missing.”

Ms. Roberts offered these words to her son if he reads this: “We love you and miss you, and we’re sorry for anything we did that made you feel like you had to leave.”

Dianne Smith, LMFT is a licensed counselor who works with both children and adults. She has offices in Bonners Ferry and Sandpoint and can be reached at 951-440-0982.

Sandpoint man missing since November

he was an adult.

“She came back in two weeks later on the 21st and we did list him The case has gone cold as a missing person,” on a Ponderay man that has said Victorino. “There been missing since Nowas nothing to give us vember of last year. Dakota any indication that there Roberts, 20, was last seen at was foul play involved.” the Samuels Conoco station Ms. Roberts said the on Nov. 3, 2016. time before Roberts’ “This case has been disappearance was a inactivated,” said Ponderay stressful time.

Police sergeant Mike Vic“We were moving torino. “We’re running out Dakota Roberts. that night and our car of leads. We located the last broke down,” she said. “He was really person he had contact with … from there, stressed. He’d just gotten a new position there is no trail.” at Litehouse, more of a lead position.

Victorino said since Roberts is an There’s not a lot to say other than that.” adult, he is listed as a missing person.

Keilion Valenzuela worked with Roberts lived with his mother, TereRoberts at Litehouse and considered him sa Roberts, in Ponderay and worked at a friend.

Litehouse Foods. Ms. Roberts reported “Due to coincidence assigned to the him missing initially on Nov. 8, but the same position, we were forced to work Ponderay Police Department didn’t have with each other and became pretty good enough information to report him because friends,” said Valenzuela. “We would

By Ben Olson Reader Columnist

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If you know of the whereabouts of Dakota Roberts, contact the Ponderay Police Department at (208) 265-4251.

STAGE & SCREEN

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff Sandpoint, like many small towns, isn’t the easiest dating environment.

This year, the Panida Theater is bringing a little fun back to the singles scene with The Dating Game Sandpoint Style, an entertaining evening for both singles and couples to enjoy.

According to Panida Theater director Patricia Walker, The Dating Game is the first event of its kind in Sandpoint. The idea first came together when Walker and the Panida Theater staff were invited to participate in this year’s Winter Carnival. While considering what role the theater would play in the carnival, Walker said they received requests to plan an event for singles.

“We thought it would be fun to do something that played out like a game,” Walker said.

The result was the Sandpoint Dating Game. Walker and company drew

inspiration from once-popular TV game shows where a bachelor or bachelorette would question several contestants and ultimately select one for a date. The date itself in the Sandpoint Dating Game will take place the next day, with the couple taking a limousine ride to a dinner and movie.

Walker watched old episodes to get a feel for the tone and process of the show. Then she collected a group of volunteers to organize the event, including designing the special set created just for the occasion. The idea was to craft an event focused around singles that would still be entertaining for couples, friends and family members in the audience.

“This is for everyone to watch and come have fun,” Walker said.

Event organizers found a variety of singles—both bachelor/bachelorettes and contestants—to fill out several different age and interest categories. They also arranged for special date-themed raffles—flowers or massages, for

History Mystery show ‘What Was Ours’ available still has a few tickets left for purchase on DVD

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

By Jane Fritz Reader Contributor

There are only about 30 tickets left available until the Bonner County History Museum’s “A Vaudeville Review” is sold out.

The fundraiser is celebrating its third year, transporting guests back to the Rink Opera house in 1909.

The evening will feature vaudeville-style entertainment and intrigue, including opera, dancers, live music, magic, Shakespeare, drama, juggling, acrobats and, of course, a mystery waiting to be solved.

Tickets can be purchased by calling the Museum at (208) 263-2344. $50 includes dinner and the show. Get yours while they last!

Ten festivals later, the multi-awardwinning 2016 film “What Was Ours,” that was screened at the Library last December as part of the Native Heritage Film Series sponsored by The Idaho Mythweaver is finally available to the public on DVD. A purchased copy will be given to the Library this week and will be available for patron checkout very soon. The feature film follows the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho tribes of the Wind River Reservation as three tribal members work to recover their lost artifacts, taken from them and now owned by non-Native museums. It explores the question: “Who owns the past?”

instance—that audience members can purchase. During the show, audience members can use their phones to vote for the favorite contestant, but the bachelor or bachelorette has the final call.

There’s a good cause behind all the fun. The evening will raise funds to repair the Panida marquee, which has a non-functional section. And who knows? Maybe Sandpoint will have a few new couples come next week.

The Dating Game Sandpoint Style takes place 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 24, at the Panida Theater. Tickets are $5.

Feb. 25 @ 3;30 & 7:30pm | Feb. 26 @ 3:30pm

“Lion” film

Thursday, Feb. 23 @ 7:30pm 2017 poac performance series:

Rob Verdi’s ‘Take 5’ jazz show

A tribute to the legendary artists who gave the sax its unique voice in jazz

Saturday, Feb. 24 @ 7:30pm

Winter Carnival Dating Game Sandpoint Style Come re-live the fun of the Dating Game as two bachelors and bachelorettes take the stage March 3-4 @ 8pm

The Follies!

March 10-11, 16-18

“Once upon a mattress” musical thursday, march 23 @ 7pm

New York Film Critic Series: “all nighter” Friday, March 31 @ 3:30 & 7:30pm

illusio: tour of illusion

Come see Illusio, a show the whole family will enjoy, one day only!

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The Straight Poop:

The quest for dog-friendly businesses in North Idaho

By Drake the Dog Reader Pet Columnist

Cedar St. Bistro Wine Bar

Where am I taking my humans tonight?

I’ve been invited to bark out an exclusive Winter Carnival “scoop” on the soft opening of the new Cedar Street Bistro Wine Bar. This joint is jumpin’, and there’s no place to sit like a good dog. The attendance here tonight is exceeding owners Tim and Manuela Frazier’s expectations, and it’s time to wine down!

As the Mister and Missus socialize, wine bar manager, Marsha Meury, original owner of Mad Mike’s Coffee Shop, offers them a complimentary glass of champagne. Wowza, look at Maggie McCallum! She has traded her morning barista look for evening wine server fashionista attire. Ruff! Ruff!

Guests are arriving, and drum roll please—Marsha is pouring the first Bodhizafa IPA for Sandpoint local Larry Roketa. He praises this offering, and exclaims “This tastes like a hoppy India Pale Ale.” Larry and friends got here early to snag a table and listen to the live music before venturing down the street to the concert at the Panida. They love the assortment of over 12 high-end cheeses, specialty meats and over 80 wine and craft beer selections that can only be found here.

My buddies April Jacobson, Natalie Linscott, Carrie Baker and Lea Evans got me a merlot, as they stop and pet me while they order a bottle of wine. The gals are making future plans to stroll downtown, shop and introduce their K9 family to this dog-friendly town!

Oh look, here are my pals Forrest Schuck, Char, Mary Jo and Jeff Bond (self-acclaimed “wine snob,” as he puts it). They are giving four paws up to the Liberty School Cabernet. Jeff orders a bottle, as his wife, Cindy, is on her way, and he admits he shouldn’t drink the entire bottle himself. He is happy to have a new tenant on the Bridge, and shared: “We were trying to do this upstairs but couldn’t get the right fit. I am so glad Tim has expanded the businesses.”

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are wagging their tails in anticipation that the Wine Bar will offer a club membership and private wine tastings.

Personally, my pack is looking forward to a Vino Fido Club that will feature K9 label wines, such as Dog Box Red, Huntaway Reserve and offerings from Dog Point Vineyard, Washington state’s Sleeping Dog Winery, France’s LongueDog Winery, California’s Mutt-Lynch Winery and Cru Vin Dogs from Colorado. According to Cru Vin Dogs, each label honors a real dog that has a special story-a reminder of how empty this world would be without the unconditional love and devotion of “man’s best friend.”

Tim had some ruff ideas for the wine bar concept for a few years, but he dialed it in when he visited a similar site while on vacation in Eugene, Ore. The wine bar expansion was a natural extension, since he already had most of the bistro elements in place; seating, huckleberry products, a kickin’ creative breakfast and lunch menu that includes healthy dog treats! Now, all the CSBWB needs is a few more team members.

C’mon folks, that ball ain’t going to fetch itself!

CSB Wine Bar Dog Rules: 1. Bring your own glass 2. Leashes required 3. K-9 seating outside the main restaurant area and upstairs 4. OK to sing along with the musicians 5. Wine Bar Hours: Thursday to Saturday, 5-9 p.m.

Top: Drake gives his paw of approval to Cedar St. Bistro’s new Wine Bar expansion.

Bottom: Manager Marsha Meury and longtime CSB employee Maggie McCallum.

Crossword Solution

MUSIC

This week’s RLW by Jen Heller

Local guitar students win national award

By Ben Olson Reader Staff In a quiet back room of Monarch Mountain Coffee, Larry Mooney is busy cultivating future musicians on his favorite instrument: the guitar.

Mooney has been teaching a method of guitar instruction known as the ChildBloom Guitar Program since 2007.

His instruction is paying off; two of Mooney’s students were recently recognized with a national award.

The ChildBloom Guitar Program originated in Austin, Tex. By a NW University professor who recognized there was a shortage of guitar instructors teaching children under 10 years old. With this program, kids start as early as five years, using specially sized guitars with nylon strings and utilizing a group method so kids can see success early on.

Siblings Isabella Yandt, 14, and Israel Yandt, 12, from Sagle are experiencing that success themselves. Each year, ChildBloom hosts a national competition by age and skill level. At Mooney’s urging, Isabella and Israel entered the contest as a duet, playing an intermediate song called “Inca Dance.”

“We did a video tape and the kids got it in one take,” said Mooney.

The tape was submitted in November, and by January, the Yandts heard back that they had won third prize in the national contest.

“I was so happy,” said Alexandria Yandt, the proud mother of Isabella and Israel. “I know how many people were involved and how many other kids had submitted. I was so proud of them.”

There were entries from 17 different states from around the nation.

Along with the award, the

siblings earned a check for $20 each. When asked what they planned to spend the money on, they said they’ll “have fun” with their 3DS game systems (though their mother wants them to start a savings account).

“These are the kind of results you can get, especially when you have a very supportive family like they do,” said Mooney, speaking of the Yandts.

“We’re a very musical family,” said Alexandria. “I played the violin, their father plays the piano and harmonica, and their grandfather played the piano.”

Isabella was attracted to the guitar because of her love for music. She claimed that listening to an Alan Jackson song piqued her interest, and she began lessons when she was eleven years old.

Israel began playing when he was eight year old because he liked the guitar. He remembered watching a movie that featured a child playing the guitar and wanted to begin lessons then.

Mooney said the teaching program is a gradual process which breaks songs into separate parts. Every child learns all the parts of each of dozens of songs. After that phase, he then begins to teach his students to read music.

“It’s rare for people to read music,” he said. “Especially guitar players.”

When not playing her guitar, Isabella likes to spend time with her animals: “We have chickens and cows and rabbits,” she said.

Israel’s hobbies also include archery. Last year, he placed third in 4H with his compound bow.

To contact Larry Mooney about enrolling your child in the ChildBloom Guitar Program, check out www.SandpointGuitar.com or call (208) 290-2632.

READ

Our country loves Tolstoy thanks to “Anna Karenina” and “War and Peace,” and Dostoevsky due to “Crime and Punishment” and “The Brothers Karamazov.” Both men were obsessed with this central idea: Even a good “end” never justifies the use of “any means necessary” to get there. Lesser known is Mikhail Bulgakov, who was a wizard at satire and wrote “The Master and Margarita,” widely reviewed as one of the best books of the 20th century. It offers a very different glimpse into Russian mentality, especially since it was never published during the author’s lifetime.

LISTEN

Classic Russian composers had an incredible impact on global music.

We listen to Tchaikovsky each Christmas, thanks to his Nutcracker Ballet (though I much prefer his 1812 Overture myself). One of the first riots caused by music happened at the premiere of Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring in 1913, and modern listeners still react to it with mixed feelings. One of my all-time favorites is Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition. This is music at its best, painting images in one’s imagination, and evoking the kind of joy that springs only from witnessing truth and beauty.

Israel Yandt, left, and Isabella Yandt, right, pose with their guitars after a lesson.

Photo by Ben Olson.

WATCH

The library has an excellent selection of foreign films, including a copy of “The Woman with the Five Elephants.” The title’s a bit deceptive – the documentary is actually about Svetlana Geier, who, in her senior citizen years, lived a 20-year quest to retranslate Dostoevsky’s five major novels (the “Five Elephants”) into German.

Her backstory is formidable, filled with Soviet purges, Nazi invasions, and loss of homeland. Even so, it’s Geier’s intimate love of both languages, and the beauty of her working method, that are absolutely captivating.

Larry Mooney, center, teaches Isabella and Israel Yandt at his studio in the back of Monarch Mountain Coffee in Sandpoint. Photo by Ben Olson.

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50. Dining room furniture 53. Short skirt 54. Be victorious 55. Large lizard 60. French cheese /loo-NEY-shuh n/ 61. Inadvertent [noun] 1. the period of time from one new moon to the next 63. Computer symbol 64. Bucks and does (about 29½ days); a lunar month. of the 65. Put one’s foot down “Another lunation, another four issues down.”

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Solution on page 24

DOWN 1. Not barefoot 2. See the sights 3. Stake 4. Ancient marketplaces 5. Found around a painting 6. Beer 7. Automobile horn 8. S. American country 9. The bulk 10. Devalue 11. Chills and fever 12. Condominium 13. Prevent legally 18. Athletic facility 24. Spelling contest

25. Assistants 26. Headquarters 27. Wreckage 28. Midmonth date 29. Romantic female friend 31. Docile 33. Genius 34. Magma 36. Anagram of “Sage” 37. Small slender gull 38. Sea eagle 42. Inveigled 43. A spider spins this 45. Declare null and void

47. Extent 48. “Odyssey” sorceress 49. Scallion 51. Cover 52. Excrete 54. Dry riverbed 56. “Do ___ others...”

57. “Smallest” particle 58. What a person is called 59. Austrian peaks 62. Fury

Dinner hour jazz at trinity at City Beach Join Sandpoint’s own cool cats of jazz as the Music Conservatory of Sandpoint Jazz Ensemble grooves through the dinner hour. $25 gets you a 3-course menu prepared by Chef Thane of Trinity at City Beach. The music will play from 5 - 7p.m. with a chance to win tickets to Rob Verdi’s Take 5 Jazz Quintet at the Panida Theater.

The dating game - sandpoint style Come re-live the fun of the Dating Game! The Panida is hosting a Sandpoint Style version of the classic show, “The Dating Game” - two bachelors and two bachelorettes will take the stage to pick a date for dinner and a movie - our treat! Watch, vote and join the fun. Tickets only $5

weird & wonderful beerfest pub crawl Let’s get weird! We’re talking about beer and maybe a few shenanigans along the way. We’re excited to bring you this inaugural event featuring Sandpoint’s finest imbibing establishments. The beers will fit the theme of what’s weird and wonderful. 2 - 6 p.m.

Participating locations include: 219 Lounge • A&P Bar and Grill • Eichardt’s Pub • Idaho Pour Authority • MickDuff’s Beer Hall • Ol Red’s Pub • Pend d’Oreille Winery • Trinity at City Beach

comedy show at the 219 lounge The 219 Lounge hosts a comedy show featuring touring comedians Morgan Preston and Harry J. Riley. Doors open at 8 p.m. Preston, a 28-year comedy veteran, may very well be the most in-your-face human being you’ll ever have the privilege of laughing at! Tickets available at the 219 Lounge for $10 in advance, or $12 the day of show. Tickets include one Captain Morgan drink

3rd annual history mystery fundraiser The Bonner County History Museum presents “A Vaudeville Review,” at 6 p.m. at the Ponderay Events Center. Tickets are $50 and include dinner by Skeyes the Limit Catering. Guests will be transported to the Rink Opera House in 1909 for an evening of Vaudeville-style entertainment

Eichardt’s k9 keg pull Eichardt’s annual K-9 Keg Pull is held at the Granary location to combine with Evans Brothers Coffee’s Neighborhood Coffee Tasting and Family Faire, making for one big event not to be missed! The Keg Pull starts at 10 a.m., with dogs of all sizes racing down a snow-packed course pulling anywhere from full-size kegs to beer cans amidst a pandemonium of cheering from the crowd. Same-day registration for participants begins at 9:15 a.m. with $10 entry fee going to the Panhandle Animal Shelter. A great time for the entire family, dogs included!

www.SandpointWinterCarnival.com to see the full schedule of events February 23, 2017 /

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