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(wo)MAN compiled by

Susan Drinkard

on the street

Are you visiting? For how long? What are you doing while in Sandpoint?

“We are here from Los Angeles for four days, staying with our friends who have a house on Bottle Bay. We’ve been doing a little boating and weed whacking. We had a great lunch and marionberry pie at the Pie Hut today.”

Mark Ross Composer Los Angeles, California

DEAR READERS,

You’ve heard this time of year referred to as “the dog days of summer.”

The origin of this phrase actually had nothing to do with dogs; but, rather refers to the “dog star” Sirius and its position in the night sky. In late July, Sirius appears to rise just before the sun. References stem back as far as Homer’s “Iliad,” when he referred to Sirius as Orion’s dog rising and described the star as being associated with “war and disaster.”

I think Sandpoint locals give the “dog days” a different meaning: it’s the time of year we seem to work like dogs.

It’s a busy town out there. With the Festival at Sandpoint just around the corner, expect another couple weeks of high tourist season.

In the meantime, check our events calendar on pages 14-15 for a full list of happenings around North Idaho. Thanks for reading, folks.

-Ben Olson, Publisher

Jessica Hinse First grade teacher Edmonton

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GAME ROOM UPSTAIRS

Chuck Damon, speaker, (left) Retired lineman—Hayden, Idaho Russell Lewis, Retired manager—Eureka, California

Laurie Steenberg and daughter, Acacia Homemaker and student (respectively) Suburb of Chicago “We are here from Edmonton, Alberta for six days, staying at Riley Creek Campground. We are exploring the town, going to the beach, eating in restaurants and eating ice cream downtown.”

www.sandpointreader.com

Contributing Writers: Brenden Bobby, Emily Erickson, Zach Hagadone, Lyndsie Kiebert, Lorraine H. Marie, Gracie Messier, Ammi Midstokke. Ben Olson, Cameron Rasmusson, Kathi Samuels, Scott Taylor, Rep. Melissa Wintrow

Brittney Stafford Teacher Midland, Texas

“My sister is getting remarried and so we are here from Crystal Lake, Illinois for the celebration. My mom lives here. We are staying at an Airbnb on Second Avenue. While here we are relaxing and shopping and going to restaurants. I had a good veggie meal at The Fat Pig and our food at Baxter’s was good, too.”

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

Contributing Artists: Ben Olson, Susan Drinkard, Woods Wheatcroft.

“We are here from Midland, Texas. My grandma has a cabin on the lake. We are staying one week. We always go to Joel’s when we’re here—four or five times—and we get ice cream at the shop downtown.”

“Our wives are shopping and they don’t want us with them. When people come from out of town we always bring them to Sandpoint because it’s a cool town. We will take them to the Statue of Liberty at City Beach next. Just had a great lunch at MickDuff’s, our favorite place.”

READER

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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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Leftover copies are collected and recycled weekly, or burned in massive bonfires to appease the gods of journalism. Free to all, limit two copies per person.

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

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

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

Email letters to: letters@sandpointreader.com

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About the Cover

This week’s cover features a scene from Shakespeare’s “Henry IV, Part 1,” as designed by Ben Olson.

July 25, 2019 /

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NEWS

LPOSD gathers public input on permanent levy ballot measure

By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff

A public input session hosted July 23 by the Lake Pend Oreille School District Board of Trustees threw surprisingly few sparks — especially given the amount of heat typically generated by its subject.

LPOSD officials are contemplating whether to put a measure on the November ballot asking voters if they think the $25.4 million supplemental levy passed in March ought to be made permanent.

In the past, even the hint of a school levy has spurred passionate public debate. Yet, of the approximately 20 attendees who spoke at the event, which took place at the Ponderay Events Center, opinion was evenly split between those against and in favor of making the levy permanent.

Among the more forceful comments came from area resident Angelo Lonzisero.

“We’ve had this ongoing for a while now: more money, more money, more money,” he said.

“The taxpayer is not a milking cow.

The taxpayer is about out of milk. … If you put this on the ballot, it’s going to go down in flames.”

For Danielle Ahrens, a former District 1 legislative candidate, making the levy permanent would “take the taxpayers’ voice away.”

“We’re not going to give carte blanche to any agency or any group to do that mandatorily across the board,” she said.

Speaking in favor of the ballot measure, Sandpoint resident Mindy Cameron said that while levy votes stir up controversy, they tend to pass by comfortable margins.

“They are never squeakers,” she

said. “I think that says to this board that you have a good reservoir of support in this community.”

Wendy Dunn, of Sandpoint, said “not securing the levy is an irresponsible decision” and added that LPOSD may realize savings from not having to repeatedly bring the issue to the polls.

“What’s the cost of running a levy every two years?” she asked.

“Those costs would be essentially erased if this levy was permanent.”

Idaho Speaks town hall addresses initiative process

By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff Reclaim Idaho, the nonpartisan grassroots organization largely responsible for getting Medicaid expansion on the 2018 Idaho ballot, hosted a town hall July 23 in Sandpoint to foster discussion surrounding the state’s ballot initiative process.

That process was center stage during the 2019 legislative session, as Senate Bill 1159, fronted by Eagle Republican C. Scott Grow, made it all the way to Governor Brad Little’s desk before being vetoed.

While the current law requires the signatures of 6% of voters from 18 of Idaho’s 35 districts in 18 months in order for a citizen’s initiative to appear on the ballot, SB 1159 brought those numbers to 10% from 32 districts in six months.

The bill spurred weeks of debate before Little’s veto, at which point Ponderay Republican Rep. Sage Dixon brought it back in four separate bills so “the body would have the opportunity to determine which [parts of SB 1159] they liked or didn’t like,” Dixon told the Sandpoint Reader in April.

Sandpoint was the second stop on Reclaim Idaho’s “Idaho Speaks” town hall series. The group invited members of the public and District 1 legislators to listen and par4 /

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ticipate in debate surrounding a simple question: “Should the ballot initiative process be left as is, or should additional restrictions be added to it?”

Of three District 1 state legislators, only Sen. Jim Woodward, R-Sagle, attended the July 23 event. Woodward voted against SB 1159 during the session.

Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce CEO Kate McAlister moderated the event, which featured Reclaim Idaho co-founder Luke Mayville speaking against additional initiative restrictions and Reclaim Idaho Communications Director Jeremy Gugino speaking in favor.

A heated conversation between the mostly anti-SB 1159 crowd and Gugino ensued, with one attendee telling Gugino to “sit down” as he made the argument that the current ballot initiative process “cuts out” the voices of rural Idahoans.

What a majority of the audience did not realize was that Gugino was only playing a part — he is actually aligned with Mayville in seeing SB 1159 as a threat to Idahoans’ constitutional rights, but served as a proponent of the bill in order to foster discussion among town hall attendees.

A disclaimer regarding Gugino’s fictional persona was unintentionally omitted from opening

remarks, Mayville told the Reader July 24.

“We meant for it to be entirely clear to everyone that Jeremy was roleplaying,” Mayville said. “The goal of the format is to make sure the audience hears both sides of the issue.”

Mayville said moderators at all future Idaho Speaks town halls — including events in Coeur d’Alene, Twin Falls, Idaho Falls and Eagle — will include the disclaimer.

Gugino told the Reader on July 24 that he “doesn’t mind taking the hits” as the pro-SB 1159 speaker, but that ideally legislators who voted in favor of the bill will show up and speak at future town halls. Still, despite the legislators’ absence and the ensuing confusion, Gugino said he felt the Sandpoint event accomplished what he believes a town hall should.

“It was very lively, it was very candid. We had so many people raise their hands and either ask a question or make a comment and debate me, and that’s the whole purpose,” Gugino said. “What’s important is that we have an honest and robust discussion about this issue.”

The next Idaho Speaks town hall is Tuesday, July 30 at 6:30 p.m. in the Coeur d’alene Library Community Room.

Some speakers told trustees that they were more comfortable being given the choice to vote on funding every two years, while others wanted assurances from the board that it wouldn’t come back with additional increases for eight to 10 years should the current levy be made permanent.

LPOSD Board Chairman Cary Kelly was pleased with the turnout and grateful to hear from all sides of the issue.

About 50 area residents turned out July 23 to have their say on whether a permanent school levy sshould be on the November Ballot. Photo by Zach Hagadone.

“We just want to know what people think,” he said, stressing that it’s not for the board to decide whether the levy is made permanent — only if the choice should be put on the ballot. “We think it’s a good enough idea to put it before the voters.”

Rise in autopsy requests, costs drive coroner budget increase

By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff Bonner County commissioners voted July 16 to approve a $20,000 budget increase for Bonner County Coroner Robert Beers, responding to increased costs and an inordinately high number of autopsies performed during the current fiscal year.

The increase, drawn from the county’s contingency fund, raises the coroner’s 2019 budget from $31,785 to $51,785.

Beers said this is partly due to a recent rise in the cost of an autopsy. He said Bonner County autopsies, performed by the Spokane County Medical Examiner’s Office, cost $2,119 — not including the cost of room rental, body transport, lab work, toxicology reports or X-rays. In total, each autopsy costs Bonner County taxpayers $2,500-$3,000.

Autopsies are most often requested in cases where the de-

ceased is 50 years old or younger with no significant medical history to explain the death. Of the 14 autopsies Beers has requested during the current fiscal year, he said six were ruled accidental; three were homicides, with the deaths of Joshua Cole, James Costello Jr. and Robert Hegseth-Wohali; two were suicides; one was natural; and two are still under investigation.

Beers said he budgets for 15 autopsies each year. With two months remaining in the budget and that threshold nearly met, Beers said a financial boost was necessary.

The recent spike in autopsies reflects a larger trend Beers sees at the coroner’s office. In the 2017 calendar year, Beers said the county investigated a total of 122 deaths — 52 by mid-July. In 2018, those numbers fell slightly: 104 total deaths with 40 by midyear. So far in 2019, Beers said his office has investigated 65 cases — five more than were handled in all of 2012.

NEWS

Sandpoint mayor: White nationalism gives N. Idaho a black eye, here’s how to fix it ‘Social equity and inclusion initiative’ fronted to fight racism while similar efforts in Boise spur backlash

By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff

Sandpoint Mayor Shelby Rognstad is no stranger to hate mail — or hateful robocalls, for that matter.

Even before he won election in 2015, Rognstad was made the subject of racist, sexist and homophobic slurs spread by an anonymous group that called itself Sandpoint United Against Shelby. Though the origins of the anti-Rognstad calls were never uncovered, former Sandpoint resident and avowed racist Scott D. Rhodes was subsequently linked via his vlog “Road to Power” to similar robocalls and other forms of harassment aimed at a wide range of targets — from U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein to the leaders of the Spokane Transit Authority workers union and a number of other individuals between.

In 2018, a rash of anonymous, threatening robocalls also targeted Sandpoint Reader Publisher Ben Olson.

Though Rhodes left town in 2018 amid scrutiny from local law enforcement over his alleged activities, his message to fellow racists to “relocate to North Idaho, where very white is very right,” touched a raw nerve in a region that has battled against its reputation as a haven for neo-Nazis, anti-government extremists and other varieties of right-wing radicals for the better part of 30 years.

“The historical reputation that our community has as being one that harbors white nationalism and racism — I think that that’s a real significant concern for us; not just because our own quality of life and our own sense of safety within our community, but it has a direct impact on our economy. It’s bad for tourism,” Rognstad told attendees at his monthly Mayor’s Roundtable on July 19.

An illustrated postcard that was mailed to several lawmakers depicts Boise State President Marlene Tromp and the Idaho State Board of Education as clowns. Courtesy image.

“That’s the reputation we have out there in the larger world and we’ve been in the national media going back to the ’80s with the Hayden [Aryan Nations] compound, and it’s been popping up since the Scott Rhodes thing,” he added. “It’s terrified people in our community.”

Rognstad used his most recent Mayor’s Roundtable as an opportunity to talk about what he described as a constructive way to push back against racism, discrimination and intolerance in Sandpoint — what he calls the “Social Equity and Inclusion Initiative.”

The first phase, which would be paid for with $8,000 requested by the mayor in the city’s 2020 budget, focuses on an internal audit of city policies and practices to assess whether or not it is offering equitable access, involvement and services to people from a range of racial, ethnic, gender, sex, social and economic backgrounds.

“For instance, are our parks equitable? ... Are they meeting the needs of everybody versus leaving some people out?” Rognstad said.

“Also when we’re looking at hiring practices — do we have the

right safeguards to ensure that we have a safe working environment that is empowering to everybody and isn’t exclusive without us being aware of it?”

Rognstad envisions broadening the scope of the initiative to bring in local businesses and nonprofits, which would similarly engage in a process of soul-searching to see where and how they might make changes to further the stated goals of social equity and inclusion.

“We’re at the beginning stages here, so it’s really just charting the course of that’s where we want to get to, and I’m not sure of what the road looks like between here and there,” he said, later summing up the initiative as an effort to “change our identity from the inside out so that we can reestablish ourselves as the community that we want to be seen as, which is one that is welcoming, helping, loving, kind, inclusive.”

Rognstad’s push for an inclusion initiative comes as a similar measure at Boise State University has roiled partisan waters in the capital. When interim Boise State President Martin Schimpf announced a slate of policies geared toward broadening diversity services, programs and protections, it was met with condemnation by a number of Idaho Republican House members.

District 1 Republican Reps.

Heather Scott and Sage Dixon were among the 28 legislators who signed a July 9 letter to incoming Boise State President Marlene Tromp calling on her “to consider a different path” away from diversity and inclusion efforts they deemed out of step with “the Idaho way.”

“This drive to create a diversified and inclusive culture becomes divisive and exclusionary because it separates and segregates students,” stated the letter, which was prepared by Idaho Falls Republican Rep. Barbara Dee Ehardt.

The hubbub over Boise State’s inclusion policies has since drawn responses from a number of state Democratic leaders and prompted a rally at the Statehouse in favor of the university’s strengthened

diversity measures. Fuel was added to the uproar on July 22, when postcards depicting Tromp and members of the State Board of Education as clowns were mailed to several lawmakers.

Dixon, in an email to the Reader, prefaced his comments with the assurance that “I believe that everyone deserves to be treated with respect, no exceptions.”

However, he added, “The problem I have with these policies is that they are more divisive than inclusive. They separate out groups of people and grant them special status, which causes more segregation, as opposed to unification. Oftentimes these policies allow groups or individuals to use the power of government against those who they don’t agree with, and they inherently point to other groups as not acceptable, which can perpetuate the problem the policies purport to solve.”

Scott did not respond to a request for comment.

Boise Democratic Sen. Maryanne Jordan, who served on the Boise City Council for 15 years before her appointment to the Legislature in 2015, pushed back against the notion that inclusion initiatives are a misuse of government power.

“I think it is the business of government because government is always looking at the service it delivers and how it can best deliver it to its citizens,” she told the Reader. “It’s not an a la carte menu; the services the government delivers benefit some, while others benefit from others. At the end of the day, the services will benefit the community as a whole.”

Jordan added that “it’s incumbent on the elected officials of Idaho to stand up and speak out” against issues of discrimination amid a nationwide reported increase in hate groups since the 2016 election. “It’s not [just] a perception,” she said of Idaho’s reputation as a safe space for racists.

Dixon doubts whether that’s true.

“As I travel the U.S. and abroad, I do not get the impression

that we are perceived as a haven for racists or white nationalists,” he wrote. “Most people mention the natural beauty of North Idaho, and then state their appreciation for our political climate. While there have been anomalies in the past few years that were directed at the mayor in particular, they have not generated any noticeable following and have, for the most part, been appropriately reviled.”

What’s more, he added, “Sandpoint is known to generally follow progressive policies, and has already enacted protections for certain classes of people. That being said, if the mayor and City Council think an investigation into the city’s operations is warranted, that is their decision to make.”

Rognstad said that while he respects Scott and Dixon as politicians and seeks out issues to work on in common, “I imagine this is probably one of those areas where we disagree and that happens — that’s politics.”

Bonner County Human Rights Task Force President Brenda Hammond wrote in an email to the Reader that her organization has communicated with Rognstad about the proposed inclusion initiative and wholeheartedly supports it — especially amid the backlash directed toward similar efforts at Boise State.

“There can be no question of the need and appropriateness of a Social Equity and Inclusion Initiative in the light of the letter that was made public last week from 28 Republican legislators to Boise State University,” Hammond wrote. “We are delighted that our mayor has the courage to take a stand at a time when discrimination, injustice and inequality are being promoted not only in our state, but in our nation by our own elected officials.”

Meanwhile, Rognstad has no illusions about the possible blowback to his proposed initiative.

“I’m aware I’m kicking the hornet’s nest here, but I’m coming at this as a way that brings us together around common values,” he said.

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COMMUNITY

Annual Pancake Breakfast to benefit Sam Owen Fire Dist.

By Reader Staff Bouquets: GUEST SUBMISSION: • I’d like to give Uptown Bagel Co. a Bouquet. When I ordered there a couple weeks ago, they were out of a key ingredient for my bagel sandwich. I said I’d order something else, but instead they had an employee run to the store to pick up the ingredient.

They are always so nice and accomodating there. Thanks!

-Submitted by anonymous •A few weeks ago, I published a story about a local Sandpoint man named Gary Buck. In his heartfelt way, Gary told me stories about tolerance and compassion from his many years of living in Sandpoint.

We even published a couple of Gary’s poems, which hadn’t been published before. I’m sad to say that Gary’s sister notified me that Gary passed away last Thursday.

His sister Joanie wrote, “Thank you so much for sharing some of my brother’s writing... it was a highlight of his life.” Joanie, we were honored to share your brother’s story with our readers, as well as his excellent poetry. He made an impact on me and will be missed.

Barbs • In the 1994 film “Dumb and Dumber,” Jim Carrey’s character Lloyd Christmas said, “You wanna hear the most annoying sound in the world?” before erupting in a series of chirps and squeals. You know what I think is the most annoying sound in the world? Those damn whistling turbo diesel trucks that are becoming more and more prevalent around town. The turbocharger for these vehicles emits a high-pitched whining noise when they idle and accelerate, which makes the truck sound like a deranged Soviet space shuttle when taking off from the line. What’s even worse is when you have a guy who lives on the block and starts his truck at 6 a.m. and lets it idle for nearly an hour, emitting that stupid whistling sound the whole time. I have no solution for this problem, as the noise is part of the stock turbocharger, so I guess I’m just whistling in the breeze. But man is it annoying.

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Pancakes will be falling from the sky as firemen flip flapjacks as fast as they can on Saturday, July 27 at the annual Sam Owen Fire District Pancake Breakfast.

The fundraising event takes place from 7:30-11 a.m. at the Sam Owen Fire Station No. 1 at the junction of Peninsula Road and Highway 200 in Hope.

Enjoy a steaming hot breakfast of pancakes, eggs, sausage, biscuits and gravy, juice and coffee or tea for $5. Proceeds benefit the fire district.

Organizers said they are celebrating first responders this year.

“These are the people who reliably answer fire, rescue

and advanced life support calls every day and anytime of day or night,” according to an event announcement. “You can thank them personally after breakfast when you take time to tour the station, meet our first responders and co-fire chiefs Stu Eigler and Tim Scofield.”

Those in attendance can also try on fire equipment and climb aboard one of the engines.

There will also be free handouts and fire chief hats for the children.

This community event is the only fundraiser of the year for Sam Owen Fire District. The money raised will be used for fire house supplies, uniforms, communication devices and important fire fighting equipment.

To learn more about the

A future firefighter tries on some gear at last year’s pancake breakfast.

Photo by Eileen Klatt.

Sam Owen Fire District, its services or volunteer opportunities, contact Tim Scofield or Stu Eigler at 208-264-5745.

It’s Crazy Days

Sandpoint’s famous sidewalk sale has been going on for more than 60 years

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

It’s about to get crazy in downtown Sandpoint. The annual sidewalk sale known as Crazy Days will transform the business corridor on Saturday, July 27 into a bargain-hunter’s paradise. With many of the more than 30 participating businesses opening early at 8 a.m., it’s a great time to support your local retailers.

The annual sale, sponsored by the Sandpoint Shopping District, has been a mainstay in town for six decades, said Hallmark’s Deanna Harris.

“I moved here in ’67 and it was happening then,” Harris said. “It was a big deal, man.

People were lined up. Dick Larson [owner of Larson’s] said the sale went back as long

as he can remember, so it’s been close to 60 years.”

Harris said the annual sidewalk sale is a great way to support local merchants and celebrate the kickoff to summer.

“It appeals to both locals and tourists,” Harris said.

“There are sales everywhere, all along the sidewalks.”

One highlight of the event is the Panida Theater’s “Play it Again” sale featuring records, CDs, DVDs, VHS, cassettes, stereo equipment, audiobooks, music books and more. This year, the money the Panida earns from its Crazy Days sale will benefit the Laurel Wagers/ Panida Theater Music Scholarship.

There’s no cost to participate in Crazy Days and all participating merchants will have enticing sales on display

Strong Creek Bridge open

By Reader Staff

The Strong Creek Bridge is open to vehicular traffic after a four-month closure.

The Idaho Transportation Department spent the past several months replacing the bridge, adding a concrete sidewalk and ADA-accessible ramps. The century-old bridge, located on the Idaho Highway 200 business route in Hope, underwent its last serious renovation in 1974.

ITD spokesperson Megan Sausser said the bridge is now open to one lane of traffic during the day and two lanes at night.

“Right now pedestrians should check in with the flagger before using the shoulder to cross the bridge,” she said, “but we anticipate opening the sidewalk in the next week.”

Sausser said crews still need to install guardrails and paint highway stripes, but that everything should be wrapped up within the next three weeks.

outside their storefronts. Grab the family and head down to support local retailers for this year’s Crazy Days.

THE READER AT NAKOMA RESORT

Sandpoint’s Jennifer Wirz snapped a shot of her and the Reader while visiting her husband Art Wirz, director of food and beverage, at Nakoma Resort and Spa in the Plumas National Forest in northern California.

Bits ’n’ Pieces From east, west and beyond

East, west or beyond, sooner or later events elsewhere may have a local impact. A recent sampling: The Russian company StartRocket wants to use mini satellites to create night sky billboards that would appear in 2021, says digitaltrends.com. Two primary concerns have been raised: increased risk of collision with sky “junk,” and the creation of night sky “litter,” which, when it was first proposed in the 1990s, Carl Sagan referred to as “an abomination.”

Bobcat fever can be transmitted by ticks to domestic cats that share their territory. Signs of bobcat fever, reported by Dr. Karen S. Becker, an online veterinary columnist, include fever, lethargy and loss of appetite, followed by breathing problems, dehydration and signs of jaundice in the eyes. Bobcat fever can include coma and, if there is not early veterinarian intervention, death.

Due to the spread of African swine flu, China has been forced to kill 20% of its hogs. Fewer hogs means fewer corn and soy exports from the United States to China, Mother Jones reports.

New data from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, printed in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in July, shows massive consumption of fossil fuels will create extreme ocean acidification, causing conditions similar to those that prompted a mass extinction event 250 million years ago. Without adequate action, that modern-day extinction appears to be likely toward the end of this century.

President Donald Trump announced in a tweet July 12 that Patrick Pizzella would replace Alexander Acosta as acting-U.S. secretary of labor, after the latter resigned amid controversy over his illegal 2008 plea deal on behalf of accused billionaire child sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. But Pizzella’s past is also troubled. His labor experience includes promoting sweatshop products from the Northern Mariana Islands, a U.S. territory, in the 1990s. Those sweatshops paid far less than minimum wage to recruited immigrants, and engaged in human rights abuses, according to a recent report by Mother Jones.

Support for abortion is at its highest level since 1995, according to a poll published July 10 by ABC/Washington Post. Overall, 60% of the public supports legal abortion. The poll showed 41% of Republicans, 64% of independents and 77% of Democrats support current federal law making abortions legally available.

The Trump administration will not impose an Obama-recommended ban on chlorpyrifos, which is used on fruit, nut,

By Lorraine H. Marie Reader Columnist

cereal and vegetable crops. Meanwhile, an Earthjustice attorney says there is overwhelming evidence the pesticide harms children’s brains and a study in Environmental Health Perspectives urges a review of the connection between chlorpyrifos and autism. The decision to continue use may be linked to Dow Chemical, the biggest U.S. producer of chlorpyrifos, having made a $1 million donation to Trump’s inauguration, says the Natural Resources Defense Council.

More about food: The USDA has proposed eliminating food stamps for people receiving other forms of state and federal assistance; that would include stopping some children from accessing school meals. Estimates claim that the policy change would impact 3 million people. A comment period on the proposed measure began July 24.

From The WEEK’s short bio on renowned 16-year-old climate activist Greta Thunberg: she first grew concerned about climate change at age 11, when her reading of the science on climate change indicated little possibility for a human-habitable future on Earth and, thus, no reason to pursue an education. Her conclusions plunged her into a deep depression and she stopped going to school. When she recovered, she vowed to do everything possible to prevent an unthinkable future. Her mild autism is linked to her “very literal and ruthlessly logical” thinking processes, and to finding inaction on climate change entirely intolerable. That has been on public display when she’s addressed the European Union, the United Nations and the World Economic Forum with her unfiltered thoughts, backed up by facts.

She told members of the British Parliament that adult leaders’ irresponsible behavior will be remembered “as one of the greatest failures of humankind.” In Switzerland, she told wealthy corporate executives and political leaders at the World Economic Forum that their greed was at fault for robbing her generation of its future.

In Norton Sound, Alaska, a Department of Fish and Game biologist says abnormally high temperatures this summer have overheated waterways, triggering heart attacks in salmon.

Blast from the past: Inspired by President Bill Clinton’s affair with an intern, the 1998 Southern Baptist Convention issued its “Resolution on Moral Character of Public Officials,” which stated that, “Tolerance of serious wrong by leaders sears the conscience of the culture, spawns unrestrained immorality and lawlessness in the society, and surely results in God’s judgment.”

OPINION

Let’s talk about the impacts of child marriage

By Rep. Melissa Wintrow and Gracie Messier Special to the Reader

The following is a phone conversation between Rep. Melissa Wintrow, D-Boise, and high-school student Gracie Messier about a child marriage bill presented by Messier at Girls State in Boise. Girls State is a nonpartisan program through American Legion Auxiliary; it does not have a stance on child marriage.

Rep. Melissa Wintrow: Gracie, I was happy to hear that you would be using Idaho House Bill 98 as a model for your legislation at Girls State. It sounds like your bill mirrored mine, setting a floor for marriage at 16 while aligning marriage age with existing statutory rape laws. What inspired you to advocate against child marriage?

Rep. Melissa Wintrow, left, and high-school student Gracie Messier. tion. She knew responsibility at a young age, when she had to help raise her 11 siblings after my grandfather abandoned her family and left them in poverty. My mother found herself in a bad situation in her own marriage, but she had no education, was caring for two kids, and had no financial means to care for us on her own. Young girls need the opportunity to be able to make choices for their future.

Gracie Messier: Well, Girls State holds a mock legislature where students can write their own bill. I was in a play and one of the scenes was about child marriage; I didn’t realize Idaho has the highest rate of child marriage in the U.S. and that there is no minimum age for marriage.

GM: Exactly. Deciding to get married before you get an education changes our ability to access what we deserve. My peers agreed; my bill passed unanimously!

MW: I spoke with a woman from Idaho, whose mother “gave her away” for marriage at 15. Idaho law says that someone can’t consent to sex under the age of 16, to protect kids from pedophiles and abusers. My bill tried to close this loophole because we are allowing an adult much older to marry a minor and dodge the statutory rape law.

GM: All the girls who came are high school juniors so we are technically “old enough” to get married. I think the girls listened to my arguments and asked themselves if they are ready for marriage, and if they are appropriately protected from coercion, and the answer was NO.

GM: Is that what motivated you to work on this?

MW: It doesn’t make sense that a 12-year-old girl can’t legally consent to sex with a much older man, unless he marries her... The other thing that motivated me was my mother. She taught me the importance of getting an educa-

MW: What about your bill resonated with them?

MW: I plan to bring this legislation back next session.

GM: I am hoping that presenting this bill at Girls State was the first step to raise awareness about this problem and I can be a voice for my generation.

MW: Thank you, Gracie! Let’s work together to protect your rights!

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Adieux, Facebook...

Dear Editor, In a small town, any act of violence is magnified. It is perceived as larger, the lack of anything recent or comparable inflating the crime so that everything else blurs into the peripheral. It becomes the only thing. And, as we’ve seen, social media takes an act of violence and magnifies it tenfold. Of course, the convex lenses of a magnifying glass work both ways. Social media has shown us that, too.

Social media brings out the worst in people; it doesn’t take a sleuth of Sherlock Holmes’ caliber, iconic tool in hand, to find evidence to support this. In fact, anyone perusing a local forum over the past couple weeks knows what I’m talking about. The clamber of the lynch mob can be heard far and wide. They’re out for blood. They won’t stop until they have it. A petition is circling.

One can only hope that, over time, the flames are quelled by a rain of introspection. (Or boredom, the more likely extinguisher.)

Until then we can marvel at the spectacle, each of us offering our two cents, criticizing dissenting opinions, basking in the schadenfreude, self-immolating in the white-hot blaze of a screen. I, for one, am taking a much needed break. Facebook, I bid you adieu.

Bret Johnson Sandpoint

Respecting the geese...

Dear Editor, I greatly appreciated Bea Speakman’s perspective on the geese that make this lake their home on their migratory route (“A Christian conservate take on City Beach goose removal,” July 11, 2019). In the larger picture of life, geese on our beaches are a very minor inconvenience — a little extra manure to fertilize the earth. Learning to live with the geese is a practice in tolerance that we can also translate to our lives with our fellow human beings. Bea spoke eloquently about the geese from the perspective of the wildlife that call our beautiful lake home. They have just as much right to be here as we do — just as our fellow human beings, no matter how much they differ from us in life choices, deserve our respect and understanding. I urge the city of Sandpoint to tackle more pressing issues instead of relocating the geese.

Julie McCallan Sandpoint

Poetry in motion...

Dear Editor, The following may be of interest to those following the “geese removal from the City Beach controversy” — especially those looking at it in a religious vein. It’s one of my favorite poems.

Jim Ramsey Sandpoint ‘To a Waterfowl’ 8 /

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Whither, ‘midst falling dew, While glow the heavens with the last steps of day, Far, through their rosy depths, dost thou pursue Thy solitary way?

Vainly the fowler’s eye Might mark thy distant flight, to do thee wrong, As, darkly seen against the crimson sky, Thy figure floats along.

Seek’st thou the plashy brink Of weedy lake, or marge of river wide, Or where the rocking billows rise and sink On the chaféd ocean side?

There is a Power, whose care Teaches thy way along that pathless coast,— The desert and illimitable air Lone wandering, but not lost.

All day thy wings have fanned, At that far height, the cold thin atmosphere; Yet stoop not, weary, to the welcome land, Though the dark night is near.

And soon that toil shall end, Soon shalt thou find a summer home, and rest, And scream among thy fellows; reeds shall bend, Soon, o’er thy sheltered nest.

Thou’rt gone, the abyss of heaven Hath swallowed up thy form, yet, on my heart Deeply hath sunk the lesson thou hast given, And shall not soon depart.

He, who, from zone to zone, Guides through the boundless sky thy certain flight, In the long way that I must trace alone, Will lead my steps aright.

—William Cullen Bryant

From Mexico with love...

Dear Editor, I now live in Mexico after decades of living in Sandpoint and owning and running a business. I must say I enjoy reading the Reader. It brings back lots of good memories. Long live Sandpoint and long live surfing and sunning in Mexico. If we ever move from here it will be back to good ol’ Sandpoint. Just luvin’ it.

Kerry Howell Mexico/Sandpoint

Where’s the line with Trump?...

Dear Editor, Two years ago, I asked Trump supporters if they had a line. If there is anything he can do to lose their support.

Donald Trump showed his racism when: he tweeted that four American congresswomen of color should go back to their own countries; he encouraged crowds to yell “send them back” about these Americans; he promoted the birther movement against Obama; and he launched his campaign with rhetoric accusing Mexicans of being rapists and murderers.

Historically, he used the “N-word,” cleared the floor of black employees when he came to his casino and refused to let black people rent apartments in his buildings.

But that is not the only thing this tweet was all about. Trump maintains that these four women hate our country, because they hate him. In May 2018 he said football players taking a knee should be a deportable offense.

In his mind, he is America so anyone who disagrees with him should be forced out.

Now he has taken the first steps to create his totalitarian regime. The citizenship question on the U.S. Census was a brazen attempt to decrease the representation of Democrats in this country. Rampant gerrymandering, “cleaning” the voting registration of minority and Democratic voters, and not opening polling places in minority areas are blatant ways to make America a democracy in name only.

Republicans, where is your line? Your patriotism? Keeping power through hatred, intimidation and dirty tricks is as un-American as it comes.

Mary Haley Sandpoint

The New York Times of Sandpoint… only worse...

Dear Editor, Statistics show that The New York Times stories about President Trump are 92% negative, in reading the Reader for the last several years, I have yet to read anything positive about our president in spite of his many positive accomplishments and in keeping his promises.

Week after week I only read snide elitist comments from you aimed at the president.

In your last tirade, you called President Trump’s, “ Why don’t they go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came?” Blatantly racist, how is that statement racist?!?! President Trump never mentioned names, race, religion or countries.

Just because The New York Times, CNN or liberal politicians say it’s racist, doesn’t make the statement racist, the word racist has become a dog whistle to shut down any disagreeable narrative of the left, and let’s face it, in today’s political climate you can be called a racist for just about anything.

Recently, Chris Pratt was called a racist and white supremacist for wearing a Revolutionary flag on his shirt and even Nancy Pelosi was called a racist by members of her own party.

I noticed that in your statement you failed to mention to your readers that President Trump’s closing statement was “go back to the country you came from, fix the problems and come back and tell us how you did it.”

I don’t think a racist would ask them to come back. I’m pretty sure you omitted that important piece of the statement because it didn’t fit your narrative of what the readers should know. That’s also a favorite tactic of The New York Times: to omit relevant parts of a story as to promote their narrative.

Mr. Editor, I think you have a responsibility to be honest with you (sic) readers and not push your own personal agenda.

C.P. Kattner Sandpoint

BY THE NUMBERS

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

62%

The percentage of the 5,298 Idahoans currently serving time in prison because they violated the terms of their probation or parole. According to a study by the Council of State Governments Justice Center, Idaho is ranked No. 1 in the nation for inmates in prison because of parole or probation violations. —Council of State Governments Justice Center

10

The number of cities across the nation where Immigration and Customs Enforcement planned raids the weekend of July 13-14 looking for undocumented immigrants. A Latino music festival originally scheduled for that weekend canceled its event out of fear of raids. An ICE field office in Salt Lake City claimed the agency had no official business planned in Idaho.

—Idaho Statesman

Windows 7

The version of Microsoft software that thousands of election systems — even new ones — are currently using. Microsoft will stop automatically securing Windows 7, in January 2020, making those systems more vulnerable to cyberattacks.

Windows 7 was released in October 2009.

—Associated Press

almost 10%

Drop in the odds of teens using marijuana after the drug was legalized for recreational purposes in any given state. The author of the study from Montana State University said one reason may be that it is costlier and more difficult for teens to buy marijuana from licensed dispensaries than from dealers. —AP

13

The number of police officers Philadelphia plans to fire after they posted racist and violent social media comments. Another four officers would receive 30-day suspensions before returning to service, and a range of less harsh punishments would be administered to other officers.

-Tribune News Service

PERSPECTIVES

Emily Articulated

A column by and about Millennials

Reviewed

By Emily Erickson Reader Columnist There are some instances in which I’m forced to stare at my “Millennial-ness” in the face: the avocado toast-, nitro cold brew-loving monster living inside of me sporadically breaking out of her cage and running rampant in the world. One instance of confronting my Millennial identity comes when impulsively injecting the following sentence into random conversations: “Oh, wow! I just learned about that [obscure topic] while listening to [random] podcast.”

I love learning, but more than that, I love being forced into the all-consuming thought and contemplation that effective storytelling affords. Podcasts are vessels for such learning and, when done well, present knowledge in completely unique and absorbing ways. Because they’re mobile, a good podcast can transform a 30-minute car ride into a classroom led by a teacher who dedicated her entire life to uncovering the history of colored textiles or spent a year walking alone across the Alaska wilderness.

By way of living up to my column’s tagline — “a column by and about Millennials” — and to appease the Millennial monster inside of me, I have to tell you about one of my new favorite podcasts (cue contented purs from my monster’s cage). It’s “The Anthropocene Reviewed,”

by John Green and it’s magic.

A New York Times bestselling author responsible for such titles as, “A Fault in Our Stars” and “Looking for Alaska,” Green brings his novelist experience to bear in his spoken word work.

In addition to transcendent

Emily Erickson. eloquence, his subject matter in “The Anthropocene Reviewed” is funny, engaging and different than anything I’ve ever heard.

He takes various facets of the human-centered planet, as in the episode “Scratch ’n’ Sniff Stickers and the Indianapolis 500,” and rates them on a 5-star scale, à la Yelp.

Rather than simply transcribing one of his masterpieces, I’ll do my best impression of “The Anthropocene Reviewed” and evaluate two parts of the human-centered planet as they relate to my life in Sandpoint, Idaho. I’ll call this episode, “Yard Work and the Stoplight at the Intersection of Highway 2 and Church Street.”

Yard work is an ambiguous set of tasks that encompass everything from operating heavy machinery to hand-plucking rogue blades of grass to absentmindedly shearing hedges between gulps of beer. Additionally, people approach yard work with varying levels of intensity, dutifully manicuring lawns with obsessive detail or passive affection, like raking up the fallen leaves once a year in the fall.

Yard work, and my response to it, has always been circumstantial. I will never be some-

body who cares if the space between the grass and the tree is edged in a perfect line, so tedious, aesthetic-driven yard work elicits my disdain. I can’t help but roll my eyes at tasks like shrub pruning or mulch weeding. On the other hand, I love the opportunity to take an overrun, uninhabitable space, and through physical labor and creativity make it somewhere enjoyable to be.

Give me a sunny day, a yard full of fallen sticks, an arsenal of saws, a pair of good work gloves and a sturdy metal rake, and watch me come alive. I give Yard Work 3.5 stars.

Next up for review is the Stoplight at the Intersection of Highway 2 and Church Street. You know the one: south of the Pie Hut and necessary to navigate if you’re heading west from the post office to Evans Brothers Coffee. This stoplight is the middle-school crush of traffic control, rarely living up to our expectations for its behavior. As if out of spite, it prompts cars to pile up in the behind the red light on Church while the green light on Highway 2 stretches minutes into days. It changes colors with seeming intentionality — acting out when you’re in a hurry and in desperate need of coffee or, if there is literally no traffic at all, merely flaunting its power because it can.

But like Jordan, my acne-covered middle-school crush, when the stoplight’s behavior works suddenly in your favor, lighting up green just as your tires touch the highway or only flashing yellow once you’re already in the intersection, it’s nearly euphoric. It’s like the stars have aligned, just for your commute.

Because of this starvation-based reward system, I give the Highway 2 and Church Street Stoplight a 2-star rating.

Finally, to the Sandpoint Reader and the community that allows me to air my silly thoughts, obscure musings and big ideas on a bi-weekly basis, I give you 5 grateful stars.

Retroactive

By BO

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

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Mad about Science:

Brought to you by:

parasites & parasitoids

By Brenden Bobby Reader Columnist Thought of a parasite can churn the strongest of stomachs.

It’s a natural reaction to feel disgust at the thought of something creeping around inside of your body and feeding off you, reproducing inside of you and turning your colon into a fleshy metropolitan borough; Man-hattan, if you will.

Typically, our biggest parasite-related fears come from tapeworms from undercooked pork growing in our intestines, or malaria spread to us by plasmodium parasites (carried by infected mosquitoes). Guinea worms are another nightmarish parasite that infects humans, entering people’s bodies as eggs in contaminated drinking water before grotesquely (and painfully) chewing their way out of their host to lay more eggs.

As miserable as our own parasitic woes are, when looking elsewhere in the animal kingdom, I would say we got pretty lucky. Larval heartworms can hitch a ride in a mosquito’s gut to infect new hosts and then proceed to live for up to seven years in our dogs’ hearts, which can lead to blockages and cardiac arrest.

The Toxocara parasite, better known as roundworm and scientifically referred to as a nematode, is a resilient nightmare transmitted by mothers’ milk and most often found in kittens and puppies. Toxocara can also be passed to humans and cause serious afflictions to children such as blindness and brain damage.

The eggs can also remain active outside of a host for as long as 10 years. Be a responsible dog owner: pick up what your dog 10 /

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is laying down on a walk — it could save a life.

The practice of parasitism takes many forms, and because of that we had to develop different names for certain kinds of resource-sucking. Parasites will generally mooch off a host without killing it intentionally. The host is the parasite’s ecosystem, and though it might change the ecosystem to meet its needs, killing the host destroys its home; think about the worms and nematodes we discussed above.

Parasitoids practice similar methods as most parasites, but tend to take it a step further. Certain types of wasps will lay eggs in a host, which after gestation end up killing and using the host for sustenance. Parasitoids only need the host to reach a certain stage of growth, as opposed to requiring the host for their entire life cycle.

Jewel wasps are a parasitoid wasp native to Africa and the Pacific Islands. They’re beautiful insects, sporting a glossy iridescent sheen that conceals a sadistic nature. Jewel wasps will sneak up on cockroaches and temporarily paralyze their front legs with a toxin to keep them from crawling away. The wasp will then use a specially designed stinger to feel its way into the back of the roach’s head, rummage around in its brain and inject it with a cocktail of chemicals that has a similar effect to a frontal lobotomy in humans. It will then grab the roach by the antennae and lead it to a secluded nest to suffer for the next five to eight days as its young devour it alive from the inside out.

The Cordyceps fungi is another parasitoid. Everyone’s favorite spore-spewing bug killer has been observed infecting and

killing insects (primarily ants) and then taking over their bodies to guide them back to their home colony to spread out of control.

Not all parasites are bad, at least not for humans. Wolbachia is a parasitic bacteria that exists in as much as 60% of insect populations around the world.

It’s a devious bacteria that requires females to reproduce and will actually manipulate infected insect populations to produce more females than males. Wolbachia has a hidden effect that boosts the immune system of certain insects it infects, including mosquitoes, to minimize competition in its host.

You might be wondering: How does bolstering a mosquito’s immune system help humans?

Mosquitoes infected with Wolbachia (which is not transmissible to humans) have been able to resist things like Zika, dengue and yellow fever. It can also help taper mosquito populations as males infected with Wolbachia are effectively sterile, which leads to fewer disease carriers and more summertime itching.

It’s just not “Mad About Science” unless we dive into some prehistory. Parasites are nothing new; they’ve mooched off hosts for as long as there have been hosts to mooch upon.

One of the oldest parasites we know of could be Trichomonas gallinae, which is a parasite that today commonly affects pigeons. Trichomonas can infect raptors like eagles and hawks that feed on pigeons, which can create painful sores in the mouth and esophagus of the raptors.

Untreated lesions can become so severe that birds can’t eat and starve to death.

The Toxocara parasite. Photo courtesy CDC.

How does this fit into prehistory, you might ask?

One of our most famous and complete Tyrannosaurus rex fossils may show signs of Trichomonas lesions along its jaw. If this is evidence of a parasitic bacterial infection, that could prove this strain of parasite has existed for more than 67 million years, as well as showing a direct link between dinosaurs and

modern birds.

If you’re looking for more parasitic fun in grotesque detail, check out the health section of the nonfiction collection at the Sandpoint and Clark Fork libraries (as well as the Bookmobile), starting in the 610s of the Dewey Decimal System. Need help finding it? They’ve got you covered at the info desk.

Random Corner Don’t know much about fruit?

We can help!

• Apples sold at stores in the U.S. can be up to a year old.

• A strawberry isn’t an actual berry, but a banana is.

• Grapes explode when you put them in the microwave.

• Apples, peaches and raspberries are members of the rose family.

• Oranges are not even in the top 10 list of common foods when it comes to vitamin C levels.

Bell peppers, chili peppers, kale, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, papaya, strawberries, kohlrabi, pineapple, mango and kiwi all contain more vitamin C than oranges.

•Speaking of oranges, the color orange is named after the orange fruit; but, before that, it was called geoluread (yellow-red).

•The world’s most popular fruit?

The tomato.

• Square watermelons are grown by japanese farmers for easier stacking and storage.

• Pomology is the study of fruits.

• The coco de mer palm tree has the largest fruit on Earth, some weighing up to 92 pounds. Its seeds can reach 37 pounds in weight.

• There is a tree called the fruit salad tree, which sprouts up to six different fruits.

• Tomatoes have more genes than humans.

• Humans share 50% of their DNA with bananas.

• After eating “miracle fruit,” very sour foods will taste sweet for one or two hours. The fruit, known as “miracle berry” contains a protein called miraculin that binds to the taste buds on the tongue and “tricks” flavors to appear sweeter.

• The stickers on fruit are edible.

• Because pineapples were very expensive in the 1700s, some American colonists would rent pineapples and carry them around at parties to advertise their wealth.

One pineapple could cost as much as $8,000 in today’s dollars.

FEATURE

A line at the beach

By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff

His back to the bank of windows that fill the east-facing side of Trinity at City Beach, Justin Dick hardly looked like he was sitting on what might be the line between continuation of his popular restaurant on the waterfront or its potential relocation.

Behind him, past the expanse of lawn that separates Trinity from the lakeshore, sailboats scudded across the waves of Lake Pend Oreille in an early-morning breeze. It was a typically idyllic summer scene and one that has driven diners to the establishment for years — certainly since Dick moved Trinity from its original location on First Avenue in 2009 to its current space at the beach.

“We knew this [location] was going to be challenging; it’s been a revolving door of owners since the place had opened, but I am pretty confident we are the longest-tenure leasee in this building,” he said. “I’m really proud of what we’ve accomplished down here in the past 10 years.”

Since Trinity moved to the beach a decade ago, Dick has grown the business to include 60 year round, full-time positions and another 75 seasonal workers. His restaurant — home to perhaps the most trafficked outdoor seating in town — could safely be classified as a Sandpoint institution.

Yet, sitting in the main dining room, Dick was very near the line that could determine whether Trinity stays or goes from its site inside the building that also houses the Best Western Edgewater Inn. The motel-restaurant facility, owned by the local Cox family’s company Sand-Ida Services, is due to be torn down in September 2020 and rebuilt most likely under a different brand and expanded to 100 rooms — roughly double the current number.

That has been well known since 2017. Less clear has been what motel brand Sand-Ida will partner with for the rebuild and what that might mean for Trinity. The local rumor mill has run

ahead of the complex realities of redevelopment at the high-profile site, but that’s because despite the narrowing timeline for tear-down, much remains up in the air.

“I don’t really have a lot to say at this point because we’re still working on making some of these decisions,” said Sand-Ida President Adrian Cox. “We’re very likely to change the brand to a Hilton or Marriott. It might even be a Best Western … [but] I think it’s not super likely.”

Though it may seem straightforward to tear down and rebuild a motel, there is a mass of working parts to navigate. Shot through the many nuances rolled into redevelopment at the site is the property line that runs in front of Trinity and Best Western.

According to city maps, while the Cox family owns the land on which the motel and Trinity are located, its property ends almost exactly on the other side of the glass from the restaurant’s dining room. Both the deck at Trinity and the pool at Best Western are on city-owned property, which includes the lawn to the east as part of the overall City Beach parcel.

Since around the 1970s, Cox said, Sand-Ida has leased the grassy area from the city, taking on care and maintenance. The company also owns the RV park, docks and 25 feet into Little Sand Creek located to the south and across Bridge Street from Trinity. As part of the long-standing agreement, Sand-Ida leases those docks and last 25 feet of its property to the city, which operates and collects moorage revenue there.

“The current lease is very much in the public interest; it works for everybody,” said Cox. But in order to accommodate the amount of parking necessary for a larger motel on roughly the same footprint, Cox said SandIda will need to expand its site by about 30 or 40 feet to the east.

That would require somehow acquiring a strip of city-owned land that runs the length of Sand-Ida’s property from north to south, and extends east to encompass the portions of public property occupied by Trinity’s deck and

The city, Sand-Ida and Trinity contemplate the future

A couple of locals enjoy lunch and a chat with Trinity at City Beach owner Justin Dick.

Photo by Ben Olson.

the Best Western pool.

Cox suggested that Sand-Ida could propose trading the city some of the RV park land in exchange for the swath of ground on the east side of the current property line, or even transfer the entire RV park to the city in a combination land-cash deal that includes the eastward strip.

Should such an exchange come to pass, Cox said it would enable Sand-Ida to identify a suitable brand with which to partner and, because only some, like Hilton, allow franchisees to incorporate full-service eateries, that would determine whether or not Trinity can stay as an integrated part of the development.

“Definitely we would like to have a restaurant. Our first choice is to have it in the main facility just like it is right now and maybe on the top floor,” Cox said.

“That’s our preference for sure: to have the restaurant and bigger than the one that’s there, and have Trinity in there.”

An alternative, he added, might be to shift Trinity across Bridge Street to occupy a portion of what is currently the RV park.

But Cox was clear: “If we don’t get the swap from the city we have a hard time fitting the 100 rooms we’re thinking we want. … Everything is sort of holding up on, does the city want to trade us something?”

Dick is cautiously optimistic that some arrangement can be struck between the city and Sand-

Ida that enables him to stay where he is. Still, he’s planning for the possibility that whatever brand the company chooses for the new motel won’t allow for an integrated restaurant.

“I’ve got a few buildings picked out in town; I’ve spoken to the owners and a lot of them are just waiting to hear from me on what we want to do next,” he said, adding that First and Second avenues are high on his list of prospective locations.

Meanwhile, getting to a winwin-win scenario at the current site looks complex from the city’s perspective.

As the process of gathering public input on the Parks and Recreation Master Plan ramps up, it opens the way for a multitude of potential changes that could affect how the city manages and develops City Beach over the next 20 years. What Sand-Ida does with its properties will almost certainly have a part to play in the overall vision.

From parking to amenities, “everything is on the table,” said Sandpoint Mayor Shelby Rognstad. “We’re just looking at everything as a whole. It’s perfect timing from my perspective that they’re looking at rebuilding this hotel, because it means that we can look at this thing from a holistic perspective.”

According to City Administrator Jennifer Stapleton, conversations between Sand-Ida and the city on the future of its beach area

properties are in the very early stages, but City Hall is open to considering public-private partnerships to ensure what she called “a balance in terms of that private vision … and us protecting the public interest.”

First, Stapleton said, appraisals need to be undertaken to assess the value of the lawn, RV park and docks. Included in that, she said, would be an analysis of how much the strip to the east of Sand-Ida’s property — which she described as closer to 50 feet in width — would be worth on its own.

Best estimates are the appraisal could be four to six weeks out. No matter what, Stapleton said, “this is going to be a tough appraisal to do.”

Because of the complexity of the land uses and patchwork of ownership on and around the beach, there are numerous restrictions from a range of entities on what can be built where and how it can operate.

All of that will factor into how the properties in question are valued and what bearing that might have on any potential changes in ownership.

“It may not be in the public’s best interest to see more public land transferred to private ownership,” Stapleton said. “This isn’t one of those quick, easy decisions. There are a lot of nuances here and there’s going to be a lot of complicated conversations going forward.”

Cox said Sand-Ida is very interested in “actively trying to find ways that we can work together in mutually beneficial ways.”

For Dick, even the suggestion that Trinity might not figure into the future of the beach had the unexpected upshot of revealing how deep local feeling goes for his restaurant.

“Let’s not hit the panic button on all this, let’s try to find a solution,” he said. “Regardless of what happens down here we’re going to have a great opportunity of being successful with the support we’ve received … [P]eople will come to us wherever we go.”

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COMMUNITY

A history of healthy communities Checking in with Litehouse YMCA seven months later

By Ben Olson Reader Staff Since its founding more than 175 years ago, the YMCA has always been about healthy communities.

Seven months ago, the epicenter of health and social activity that was Sandpoint West Athletic Club became Litehouse YMCA. With the blessing of SWAC owners Don and Sue Helander, the Y melded right into the existing framework with minimal disruption.

“It was a wonderful transition,” said Mary Berry, director of communications and marketing for YMCA of the Inland Northwest. “This was an existing organization that really fit with our mission and the work that we do.”

Berry said the smooth transition was also thanks to the fact that many of the original SWAC employees elected to continue working with the YMCA. “We were fortunate enough to hire all of the staff that had been with SWAC that wanted to continue their employment with us,” Berry said. “With members, having those familiar faces around was really great.”

The Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce on July 24 officially welcomed Litehouse YMCA at a ribbon cutting at its Pine Street location. YMCA of the Inland Northwest President and CEO Steve Tammaro greeted the crowd with a few remarks on the importance of community to the YMCA. Kendon Perry with Farm Bureau Financial Services — who served as the YMCA Sandpoint advisory board chair — spoke next, thanking all those who were responsible for guiding the acquisition. Litehouse CEO Kelly Prior followed, pointing out that the YMCA and Litehouse share similar “core values.”

“The founders of Litehouse had a history of supporting YMCAs,” Berry said. “They already knew the values and mission and cause of the organization. Litehouse is really about giving back to the community, so it was a natural fit.”

Litehouse employees received the honor of cutting the ribbon at a July 24 ceremony at Litehouse YMCA. From left to right: Matt Burrows, Brent Carr, Dorrie Francis, CEO Kelly Prior, founder Doug Hawkins Sr., Rob Tyrrell, Allen Wright and Derek Christensen. Photo by Ben Olson.

Berry said that after seven months, the YMCA is pleased to report an uptick in membership.

“One of our main goals is to be an organization that’s welcoming for everyone,” she said. “What we’ve seen are more families engaging with us. They’re looking for time to come together as a family, time for open swim, or playing ping pong.”

There are currently more than 10,000 YMCA locations around the nation, each dedicated to providing a space for young and old to engage in physical and social activities. Often dubbed “America’s Swim Instructor,” millions of kids have learned to swim at the Y. Basketball, volleyball and racquetball were all invented at a Y. While the variety of new programs, including summer camps for kids and sports programs, is exciting, Berry said one of the features she is most proud of is the financial assistance for members.

“We want to make sure everyone who wants the Y experience can have one,” she said. “Our job is to really work with everyone to find a solution that works for them.”

The Y offers a sliding scale based on household income. For those interested to see how they qualify, go to the YMCA site and click the “join the Y” tab for more information.

Tammaro summed it up best: “The true measure of any community is its willingness and ability to support the most vulnerable among us … to weave the all-important safety net which ensures a quality life for all. The YMCA is where everyone can have a safe place to learn, grow and thrive.”

Litehouse YMCA, 1905 Pine St. Mon.Fri 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. and weekends from 8 a.m.-8 p.m. For more, visit ymcainw.org.

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Live Music w/ The Hawthorne Roots Utara After Hours w/ Joseph Huber Polly O’Ke 9pm @ Utara Brewing Co. 7:30pm @ D 9pm @ 219 Lounge Bozeman band inspired by the Allman A deeper side of Americana from this $15 in adva Bros., Fleetwood Mac and more! Free. upbeat Wisconsin native and his band. Live Music Live Music w/ Harold’s IGA Great show you don’t wanna miss!

5-7pm @ Id Live Music w/ Dive Bar Theology 6:30pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall Jack Danie Multi-instrumental indie rock trio play- 5-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery @ A&P’s (l Indie-pop, indie-dance, indie rock ing all the songs you hate. Beer!

Shakespear Live Music w/ The Other White Meat Live Music w/ David Walsh 6pm @ Mem 6:30pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall 5-7pm @ Idaho Pour Authority Come early Rock the way it should be Live Music w/ Ken Mayginnes Live Music w/ John Firshi 3pm to visit 6-8:30pm @ Chop Bar & Grill 5-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery Crazy Day Utara After Hours Blues, folk and Latin influences All day @ w/ Adam Palm & Friends Live Music w/ Steven Wayne Hunt for b 6-8:30pm @Utara Brewing Co. 8-10pm @ The Back Door An album release for Wisconsin-based Matsiko W Live Music w/ Right Front Burner solo act playing a broad mix of funk, 3:30pm @ 9pm @ 219 Lounge Special fre jazz, jam band, bluegrass and more Sandpoint’s funk, disco, rock trio Sandpoint Chess Club Piano Sunday w/ Dwayne Indubious in concert 9am @ Evans Brothers Coffee 3-5pm @ Pend d’Oreille W 9pm @ The Hive Meets every Sunday at 9am Freeform, self-taught piani A mix of conscious dancehall Live Music w/ Ken Mayginnes Karao and roots reggae. $10/$15 5-7:30pm @ Matchwood Brewing 8pm-cl Monday Night Blues Jam w/ Truck Mills 7:30pm @ Eichardt’s Pub

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Festival at Sandpoint: Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats 7:30pm @ War Memorial Field The opening volley for this year’s Festival at Sandpoint. Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats play a unique blend of folk, Americana and vintage rhythm and blues. Opener Lucius is a four-piece indie-pop band based out of L.A.

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Uncorked @ Uncorke Featured BYOB, no 208-219-79 $60 include

Lifetree Cafe 2pm @ Jalepeño’s Mexican Restaurant An hour of conversation and stories. This Rock n’ Roll Bingo week’s topic: “How Does Prayer Work?”

6-8pm @ Tervan Outdoor Exper 6pm @ Outdoor Night-Out Karaoke Trivia Night A chill, three-m 9pm @ 219 Lounge 7pm @ MickDuff’s tional beverages Join DJ Pat for a night of singing, or just Show off that big, Beer & Yoga come to drink and listen beautiful brain 4-5pm @ Match Djembe class Two ingredients 5:45-7:30pm @ Music Conservatory of Sandpoint Join Ali Thomas for this djembe (drum) class Wind Down Wednesday Magic Wednesday Sandpoint Farmers’ Market Live 5-8pm @ 219 Lounge 6:306-8pm @ Jalapeño’s 3-5:30pm @ Farmin Park With live music by blues Enjoy close-up magic Locally grown produce, Wedn man Truck Mills and shows by Star Alexan- starts, crafts and more! Live 5-7:3 guest musician Bruce der right at your table Benny music by David Walsh Bishop. Drink specials with s

m o n d a y t u e s d a y

Dollar Beers!

Open Mic Night w/ KC Carter 8pm @ Eichardt’s Pub 9pm @ A&P’s Bar and Grill Live Music w/ Bum Jungle Good until the keg’s dry 7:30-10:30pm @ 219 Lounge Thursday Night Solo Series w/ Jean Mann Sandpoint classic rock band 6-8pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall playing for the 2019 Thistle NaNoted alt-folk singer/songwriter tional Sailing Championships

f

Lakeside Jazz 6-9pm @ Trini Great music an Dollar Beers!

8pm @ Eichard Good until the

ful

July 25 - Aug. 1, 2019

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

Uncorked Paint: Moonstruck @ Uncorked Paint, Cedar St. Bridge eatured painting “Moonstruck.”

YOB, no experience necessary. Call 08-219-7915 for more information.

60 includes materials

Evans Brothers Coffee Community Spotlight Day All day @ Evans Brothers Coffee Five percent of cafe sales for the entire day will support Selkirk Outdoor Leadership & Education’s Youth Scholarship Fund POAC ArtWalk Receptions - Round #2 DJ Skwish 5:30-8pm @ Various locations 9pm @ A&P’s The second round of a revolving art exhibit at a score of venues olly O’Keary and the Rhythm Method around Sandpoint, some with special events coinciding!

30pm @ Di Luna’s Movie in the Park: ‘Sing’ • Dusk @ Lakeview Park 15 in advance. Pollyokeary.com Free to all. Bring a chair or blanket. No alcohol, please ve Music w/ Mostly Harmless Mike Nash and the Southern Drawl Band • 9pm @ The Hive 7pm @ Idaho Pour Authority Southern rockin’ country music with a twist of lime distilled in the ack Daniels Party outdoors backwoods of Tennessee. $15 in advance, $20 at door. 21+ @ A&P’s (live music, no cover) Live Music w/ Kevin Dorin • 8-10pm @ The Back Door

Get Fired Up for the Festival hakespeare in Sandpoint: ‘Henry IV, Part I’ Free Dance and Potluck 5:30pm @ Matchwood m @ Memorial Field (free) 5-9pm @ Spt. City Beach ome early with chairs, blankets and picnics at Bring a dish to share and a chair A tribute to the Avett Bros. with live music by Red Blend. m to visit and enjoy pre-play performances or blanket. Lessons taught Portion of beer sales donated Crazy Days sidewalk sale SASi Saturday Dance All day @ Downtown Sandpoint 1-4pm @ Sandpoint Senior Center SHS Class of ‘99 reunion Hunt for bargains at over 20 retailers With live music by Country Plus 6pm @ Spt. Community Hall Matsiko World Orphan Choir Mugs & Music w/ Kerry Leigh Party like it’s 1999, except :30pm @ Memorial Field 4-6pm @ Laughing Dog Brewery we’re all old now. Sigh.

Special free performance open to all Community Spotlight Day Live Music w/ Sandpoint Farmers’ Market All day @ Evans Brothers Birds of Play w/ Dwayne Parsons 9am-1pm @ Farmin Park 15% of cafe sales support 4-7pm @ Matchwood ’Oreille Winery Live music by Doug & Marty Karaoke Night S.O.L.E.’s Youth Scholar- Americana bluegrass DJ Exodus ught pianist Karaoke Night 9pm @ A&P’s 8pm-cl @ Tervan ship Fund folk trio on the patio!

8pm-cl @ Tervan Ponderay Petsafe Dog Park Grand Opening 3-6pm @ Panhandle Animal Shelter & Thrift Store aurant With live music by Neighbor John and the Atomic es. This Blues Band and refreshments. Support the paws.

Work?”

Music Bridges Borders Performance oor Experience Monday Night Run 7pm @ Gardenia Center @ Outdoor Experience Advanced student musicians from l, three-mile(ish) group run with opMexico will perform classical music Aug. 2 beverages to follow with piano accompaniment as part of Walk Off the & Yoga the Music Bridges Borders program Earth in concert @ Matchwood Brewing Co. ngredients to a balanced diet @ The Festival at

t

e, e

Live Music w/ Kerry Leigh 6:30-9:30pm @ The Fat Pig Wednesdays w/ Benny 5-7:30pm @ Connie’s Lounge Benny Baker’s weekly music, with special guest Ben Olson

side Jazz w/ Bright Moments m @ Trinity at City Beach music and a view r Beers! @ Eichardt’s Pub until the keg’s dry

Live Music w/ John Firshi 7pm @ Eichardt’s Pub Have a looping good time with John at the helm with his guitar and good tunes Music Bridges Borders 6:30-8pm @ Matchwood Brewing Co. A Gathering of Melodies from Around the World, as presented by Music Bridges Borders and Bella Noté Music Studios

Sandpoint Aug. 2 Yak Attack @ The Hive (Aftival)

Aug. 3 An Evening with Jackson Browne @ The Festival at Sandpoint

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OUTDOOR

A mountain of uncertainty in the Cabinets Past legal wrangling is prologue in proposed Hecla mining operation

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff Waiting under the Cabinet Mountains is a potentially massive reserve of silver and copper.

It’s an enticing bounty that mining companies have eyed for decades. There’s just one problem: Those reserves are predicted to be located beneath the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness. And in the eyes of conservation groups like Washington, D.C.-based EarthWorks, mining and wilderness simply don’t mix.

“So far, [mining companies] haven’t been able to design a mine that meets legal requirements, and that’s a challenge, because mining really isn’t compatible with wilderness values,” said Earthworks Northwest Program Director Bonnie Gestring.

Hecla Mining, the latest company eyeing Montana’s silver and copper, disagrees. Luke Russell, Hecla vice president of external affairs, insists mining and environmentally friendliness aren’t mutually exclusive. “[Our plans] are designed to accomplish what 80% of the people who live here have indicated: that we can have both an economically valuable mining project and a protected environment,” he said.

A public comment period is now under way on a U.S. Forest Service environmental impact statement over a proposed exploratory project on Hecla’s Montanore project near Noxon, Mont. It’s the latest battleground in a war that reaches back decades.

According to conservation organization Rock Creek Alliance, the Cabinet Mountains ore body was discovered by Bear Creek Minerals in 1963. From the beginning, the ore deposit was politically fraught. It was a significant point of debate in the drafting of the 1964 Wilderness Act, and a resulting compromise grandfathered mining claims into the first 10 wilderness areas established by the legislation — the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness included.

In the subsequent decades, mining company after mining company attempted and failed to develop mining projects in the Cabinets. Fast forward to 2015, when Hecla Mining acquired the proposed Rock Creek mining project, followed by the Montanore project a year later.

Once again, industrial and environmental interests clashed over three key

points, Gestring said.

First, proposed mines at Rock Creek and Montanore would tunnel into the Cabinets to access ore reserves, Gestring said, requiring groundwater to be pumped for the project. The upshot is water that would otherwise feed local streams would be redirected, potentially impacting bull trout habitats.

Second, mining operations would discharge wastewater into regional waterways. The Rock Creek Mine is proposed to discharge into the Clark Fork River — which would travel downstream into North Idaho waterways — while Montanore Mine would discharge into Libby Creek. Critics claim pollutants would degrade water quality, affecting fisheries and human populations alike.

Finally, beyond the affected water habitats, Gestring said mining activity would threaten one of the few remaining grizzly habitats in the lower 48 states.

“This is really critical to a population that is already just hanging on by a thread,” Gestring said.

But Russell says all this debate is premature — after all, the only projects on the table are exploratory efforts. A threeto five-year effort on its own, exploration will furnish the geological and hydrolog-

ical data to determine whether a mining operation is viable in the first place.

Should Hecla decide to move forward, a separate permitting process will begin focused on the mines themselves.

“Any exploration project we approach with optimism. But not every exploration project turns into a mine,” he said. “We’re approaching this with that reality in mind.

We need to see if this is a feasible project to move forward on.”

There’s also a good economic reason for American-based mineral mining, he added. Silver and copper are both important materials in solar and wind energy technology, but the United States imports 60% of its copper and 30% of its silver — mostly from China.

For all that, Hecla has had a difficult time getting the project moving. Last year, a Montana judge blocked a water quality permit connected to exploration projects.

The company also faces challenges connected to its CEO, Phillips Baker Jr. Previously an executive for the now-bankrupt Pegasus Gold, Baker was involved with a mining project that left Montana saddled with a $30 million cleanup bill.

The Montana Department of Environmental Quality alleges that the state must be compensated before any mining project

A photo of Cliff Lake, adjacent to Rock Creek in Montana. Photo courtesy Woods Wheatcroft. connected to Baker moves forward.

According to Russell, Hecla is confident that the matter will eventually be resolved in its favor.

“When we get to arguments on the merits, we feel that the company and CEO will be exonerated,” he said.

The only certainty about the mining projects in the Cabinetsis that they’ll be tied up in court for the foreseeable future.

Both sides are entrenched. Hecla insists that recent court rulings shouldn’t keep them from moving forward on exploration and conservation groups remain committed to fighting that claim.

“I really think it’s important for the mining industry to recognize that there are simply some places where mining shouldn’t occur,” said Gestring.

The U.S. Forest Service public comment period on the Montanore exploration draft EIS is open until Thursday, Aug. 8. Visitfs.usda.gov/projects/kootenai/ landmanagement/projects to view documentation on the project. Email craig. towery@usda.gov to submit an electronic comment.

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LITERATURE

‘Legendary’ lake book resurfaces Updated guidebook to Lake Pend Oreille back in print

By Reader Staff

A

KEO KEE

G U I D E

B O O K

LEgENDARy

Lake Pend Oreille Idaho’s Wilderness of Water

JANE FRITZ 9 AND FRIENDS

ID AH O

A decade after it first hit the shelves, “Legendary Lake Pend Oreille: Idaho’s Wilderness of Water” is back in an updated third printing.

Billed as a “bible” for all things related to the history, lore and recreation of Idaho’s largest body of water, “Legendary Lake Pend Oreille” brought together the work of principal author Jane Fritz and a number of contributors.

“Lake Pend Oreille is much more than just our playground: It is a rich resource of history, Native culture, and numerous resident plants and wildlife who call it home,” Fritz said in a news release announcing the new printing.

“I’m so pleased that a third printing of the lake book is now available ... It’s a chance for readers to both learn about and explore this precious resource.”

Weighing in at 400 pages, the 2019 edition of “Legendary Lake Pend Oreille” features a fold-out lake map, plus information on boating resources, history and a wide selection of photos — including panoramics and a section of classic black-and-white images by iconic Sandpoint photographer Ross Hall. The third printing also includes a chapter by hiker and author Jim Mellen, whose works include popular hiking guides “Trails of the Wild Selkirks” and “Trails of the Wild Cabinets,” featuring new area trails.

Published by Keokee Books in Sandpoint — a division of Keokee Media + Marketing, which is part owner of the Sandpoint Reader — “Legendary Lake Pend Oreille” is available at local bookstores, including Vanderford’s and the Corner Book Store, and other retailers around the lake. Find it online at keokeebooks.com.

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STAGE & SCREEN

Wherefore art thou, theater lovers?

Montana Shakespeare in the Parks brings free showing of ‘Henry IV’ to Sandpoint

By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff In William Shakespeare’s “Henry IV, Part I,” the young nobleman Hotspur has an existential moment as he considers the brevity of life.

“The time of life is short,” he says in the fifth act, “to spend that shortness basely were too long.”

Luckily, spending time at a free, outdoor performance of “Henry IV” is the opposite of living basely. Seize the opportunity to make Hotspur proud on Saturday, July 27 as Lost Horse Press brings Montana Shakespeare in the Park back to Sandpoint for the fifth year.

MSIP is an outreach program based at Montana State University, featuring 10 actors chosen from across the nation to bring free, professional live theater to rural communities.

As a local nonprofit promoting access to the arts, it’s a perfect

culmination of its summer academy, featuring MCS event for Lost Horse Press to host, said founder and publish- Music Without Borders, which hosts internationer Christine Holbert. al music students. The “It’s truly part of the Lost afternoon will feature the Horse Press mission to bring internationally acclaimed literature and literary activMatsiko World Orphan ities to inspire people,” she Choir performing with the said. “To promote wonderful MCS Children’s Choir, world literature.” as well as presentations This year, Shakespeare in the Parks will take place at War from the MCS Chamber Memorial Field. The afternoon Orchestra, MCS Percussion Fun Ensemble and the will feature hours of entertainMCS Thement, as the Shakespeare in the Parks ater Group.

Music Conperforms Henry IV The Celebraservatory of Saturday, July 27; gates open tion of Arts Sandpoint at 1 p.m., Celebration of Arts & Culture and Lost & Culture at 1:30 p.m. and will also Horse Press “Henry IV, Part I” at 6 p.m.; include tribal team up to FREE. War Memorial Field, and belly 801 Ontario St., 208-255present a 4410, losthorsepress.org. dancing “Celebrafrom Azul tion of Arts Fire and Friends, poetry readings & Culture” — an opening act and a contra dance. that emphasizes diverse music Holbert said she encourages and arts programs throughout audience members to arrive the community.

Holbert said MCS contributes early with lawn chairs, blankets and picnics to spend time with to the collaboration through the

friends and neighbors. It’s a summer event for all ages, she added— an aspect of the annual gathering she observes fondly.

“I just love how many

young people come to be in the audience,” she said. “They’re interested and engaged with the play, and that’s wonderful to see.”

Forget Netflix, watch ‘Austin Powers’ on the Panida big screen

By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff

If you’ve noticed a lot more Netflix ads on Facebook touting films like “Austin Powers,” it’s not your social media algorithm offering up those pitches. The streaming giant is in a rare spot of trouble.

According to CNBC, Netflix shares took a nosedive July 18, falling 10.3% following news that it had lost subscribers for the first time in eight years.

Expecting 5 million new global customers in the second quarter of 2019, only 2.7 million materialized. At the same time, a total of 130,000 subscribers 20 /

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actually dumped the service, “International Man of Mystery” and “The Spy Who Shagged ScreenRant reported.

Me.” The shortfall resulted in a Sure, you could help the mestaggering $16 billion loss to ga-movie service recover a few the company’s market cap, but don’t fret for bucks of its $16 Netflix — it’s billion loss and ‘Austin Powers: International watch Mike total shares Man of Mystery’ (PG-13) Myers’ 1997 as of July 19 Friday, July 26, 5:30 p.m.; Saturtour de force were still valday, July 27, 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, as the titular ued at $142.2 July 28, 3:30 p.m. Doors open billion. snaggle-toothed 30 minutes prior to the show. $5.

Panida Theater, 300 N. First Ave., British spy. A Regardless, (208) 263-9191, get tickets at better option the company panida.org or at the door. needs to attract would be to catch “Austin eyeballs, and what better way to do that Powers: International Man of than offering iconic films like Mystery” at the Panida Theater, “Austin Powers,” which started which screens the film Friday, July 26-Sunday, July 28. streaming on May 1 with both

For the somehow-unfamiliar viewer, “Austin Powers” spoofs the early-“James Bond” series by reanimating a randy spook from 1960s London and dropping him in the late20th century to do battle with his old nemesis, Doctor Evil. Myers plays both pro- and antagonists, joined by a cast including Michael York, Robert Wagner, Mindy Sterling, Seth Green and Elizabeth Hurley.

The jokes are alternately goofy and raunchy, the fashion is retro-horrible/awesome and the first film laid the foundation for a franchise that in subse-

quent installments gave us unforgettable characters such as morbidly obese Scottish goon Fat Bastard (Myers) and the inimitable late-Verne Troyer, whose turn as Doctor Evil’s diminutive clone Mini-Me has since become part of our cultural DNA. What would it be like to see the film that started it all on the big screen? Groovy, baby.

COMMUNITY

Williams & Parsons announces name change, new Fargo office

By Reader Staff

Williams & Parsons, PC, a full-service public accounting and financial services firm founded 24 years ago in Sandpoint, is expanding — with new partners, a new name and a second office in Fargo, N.D. Company co-founder Brad Williams announced the addition of partners Mark Schiller and Jacob Styer, as the company becomes Williams, Schiller & Styer, PC with the new name for their firm of WSS CPAs and Consultants. The company also unveiled a new website at

From left to right: Brad Williams, Jacob Styer and Mark Schiller. Courtesy photos. wsscpas.com.

Williams & Parsons was founded in 1995 when Williams merged his practice with Paula Parsons Hall. Sadly, Paula Hall passed away in January 2019.

Laughing Matter By Bill Borders

“As we continue to grow and evolve as WSS CPAs and Consultants, we will strive to honor Paula’s legacy,” Williams said. “We want to carry forward her passion for creativity, integrity and commitment

to excellence for our clients.”

WSS CPAs and Consultants remains in its Sandpoint offices at 708 Superior St. Meanwhile, the new office in Fargo opened this month with Schiller, a former Sandpoint resident, as its managing partner.

“With the expansion of the Fargo office and the addition of two new partners, we’re excited for the future and for our growing services for both individuals and businesses,” said Williams.

One major new addition to its offerings are business valuation services, offering business owners an objective analysis of

company value with consideration of each unique situation.

Williams, Schiller & Styer Wealth Management, LLC, operating with the firm name WSS Wealth Management is an affiliated, independent, fee-only registered investment advisor firm that focuses on true wealth management for individuals, families and estates.

“We want to know about your family, your background, your goals and dreams,” said Williams. “Long-term relationships are our foundation.”

Call Brad Williams at 208265-5959 for more info.

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PERSPECTIVES The

Late Night Buddhist

Ponderay Dog Park celebrates July 28 grand opening

Gimme a brake

By Scott Taylor Reader Columnist No, I didn’t misspell that. I must say, with as much humility as I can muster, I’m one of the best spellers I’ve ever met (insert self-congratulatory emoji here). I know the difference between “brake” and “break” (too bad several people selling bikes and trucks on Craigslist don’t).

In this case the “brake” I’m referring to is the stopping mechanism on your car, which I hope is in tip-top shape if you’re going to tailgate me with your nose so far up my ass you can smell the patchouli on my neck.

You may ask yourself, “What does this have to do with Buddhist teaching?” (Or, if you’re driving with David Byrne, you may find yourself behind the wheel of a large automobile and you may ask yourself, “How do I work this?”) Well, the daily stress of navigating a speeding hunk of steel through those going more slowly than us (idiots, according to George Carlin) and those going faster than us (people with license plates from Washington, Alberta and, of course, California) can be an opportunity for us to look at things from a different perspective, and thus choose to experience empathy — or sympathy — rather than stress or anger.

I was once toodling along in my Outback (my grandma used to use that term; I often toodle along when I’m driving) on my way to visit my dad in the hospital 40 miles away, when a lady driving a big sedan closed in on me — apparently estimating that the stopping distance between two vehicles traveling 60 miles per hour was less than 12 inches. I’m pretty sure I could hear Bob Seger playing on her radio.

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By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff

miles or so.

Baffled, worried and quite annoyed, I tried slowing down so she might take a chance and zip around me (or maybe it was just to piss her off; I wasn’t studying Buddhism then). I gave her the old “brake check,” hoping the sight of red lights would cause her to back off. She was undeterred. Finally, out of frustration, I threw my hands up in a “WTF is your issue?” gesture that she couldn’t miss.

Finally, we came to a four-lane section and she sped around me with an extremely worried and urgent expression on her face, and it was then that I realized that she might be headed the same place I was: the hospital. It dawned on me that she might have a loved one who was at that moment clinging to life in the ER. So, rather than unleash a hateful, vulgar epithet toward her, I cheered her on and wished her a safe arrival. Of course she never heard my kind words so they didn’t help her, but they sure made me feel better.

Try to remember: We all have somewhere we need to be — even if it’s just to beat everyone to the next stoplight — and nobody else knows our reasons or destination. We can choose to be pissed off and full of road rage, or we can choose to be happy. Choose happy!

Watching Quinn Dunn and his threelegged Great Dane Layla play together at the Ponderay Dog Park, no one would know they had moved to town just a week ago.

The pair wandered the pea gravel-covered grounds on a recent sunny Sunday afternoon, checking out the various agility course structures, stopping for a drink of water in the shade and sharing smiles and tail wags with other park visitors. They seemed right at home, despite having recently relocated to North Idaho after Dunn, fresh out of the military, accepted a job in Sandpoint. He said he drove past the new park on his way through town and decided he and Layla would try it out before he started his full week of work.

“A dog park is somewhere that people in the community can socialize not only interpersonally but also with their dogs, because a lot of times you’ll have dogs that won’t leave their family — the only animals they’ll see are the ones on their property,” Dunn said. “This definitely gives the people of Sandpoint and the surrounding area an opportunity to socialize and allow our animals to spend time with each other.”

The two-acre Ponderay Dog Park, located next to the Panhandle Animal Shelter on Kootenai Cutoff Road, consists of separate areas for small and large dogs, a covered entrance and gazebo, agility course, plenty of seating space and a walking path around the park’s outer perimeter. Though the park won’t have its official grand opening until Sunday, July 28, dogs and their humans already frequent the space.

“What we’ve been seeing, even on Facebook before we opened, is people

Quinn Dunn and his three-legged pal Layla.

Photo by Lyndsie Kiebert. trying to arrange play groups,” said PAS Executive Director Mandy Evans. “The reason for this dog park is definitely the dogs, but the benefit that it provides people — that’s meaningful to us, too.”

For Evans, it’s a vision come to fruition.

Thanks to a $25,000 grant from national pet training brand PetSafe, the shelter had the idea to open a park next door. However, the grant would only be enough to fence the property.

That’s where Steve Nybank came in.

Nybank, a retired airline pilot with a soft spot for pups, originally approached Pend Oreille Veterinary Service about the possibility of a dog park in the Sandpoint area. When they pointed him to Evans, the idea became a reality in short order. From the fundraising, scheduling and layout all the way to the tree species planted in the park, Nybank had every detail covered.

Only nine months passed between proposing the project to the Ponderay City Council and seeing it open to the public.

At a private park opening for sponsors and supporters July 21, Nybank expressed gratitude for the various contractors, landscapers and other businesses who contributed to the project.

“If it wasn’t for you folks putting your work aside, bringing your labor, your materials, your dollars to this park — we wouldn’t have this,” he said. “I’m very proud of the community and very proud to be able to be a part of having this happen.”

The official grand opening celebration for the Ponderay Dog Park is Sunday, July 28 from 3-6 p.m. Call the Panhandle Animal Shelter at 208-265-7297 for more info.

ArtWalk encore Venues host a second round of art receptions July 26

By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff Those who missed the opening ArtWalk 2019 receptions are in luck: venues for the Pend Oreille Arts Council’s 42nd ArtWalk will host another round of receptions Friday, July 26.

The receptions, held throughout town from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., include complimentary food and drink, live music, and the chance to meet and mingle with ArtWalk artists.

“There is a fun community atmosphere about walking from venue to venue with friends or visiting relatives, enjoying the music and refreshments, and getting inspired by the artwork,” said POAC Director Hannah Combs.

Apart from the receptions, ArtWalk is a summer-long event that officially

kicked off June 21. Participants can visit any venue during business hours to view ArtWalk pieces and have their ArtWalk passports — available at any participating venue — stamped. Completed passports, containing 10 stamps from various ArtWalk locations, can be returned to the POAC office before Tuesday, Aug. 30 for the chance to win POAC Performance Series tickets and more.

No matter how art seekers approach the second half of ArtWalk 2019, Combs said there’s plenty to take in.

“There are about 100 artists each year displaying almost 1,000 pieces of art, so you really could explore the exhibits all summer,” she said.

To learn more about ArtWalk and POAC’s other programs and events, visit artinsandpoint.org.

Participating Venues: 1. Evans Brothers Coffee Roasters 2. Monarch Mountain Coffee 3. Columbia Bank Community Plaza 4. Pend d’Oreille Winery 5. Nieman’s Floral Market 6. Eichardt’s Pub 7. Idaho Pour Authority 8. Sandpoint Reader 9. Pend Oreille Arts Council

10. Realty Plus 11. La Chic Boutique 12. Campfire Couture 13. Hallans Gallery 14. Baxter’s on Cedar 15. Cedar Street Bridge 16. Mary Ruth’s Gift Market 17. Aquagem Jewelry 18. Syndicate Tattoo Co. 19. Marsha Lutz Photography 20. Azalea

21. Northwest Handmade 22. Wolf & Bell 23. Cedar Glen Gallery / Ferrara Wildlife Photography 24. Zero Point 25. Art Works Gallery 26. Grace & Joy 27. Burlwood Dreams 28. Arlo’s Ristorante 29. The Power House 30. JEP Designs

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MUSIC

Reader staff picks for the Festival at Sandpoint There are a lot of great acts coming to the Festival next week. Here are some our staff is excited about

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Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats

Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats’ 2018 release “Tearing at the Seams” opens with driving drums followed by a layer of groovy bass guitar, then horns, an organ with gentle vibrato and, finally, Rateliff’s signature vocal delivery, which mingles jump blues with soul, gospel and country. That opening track, “Shoe Boot,” exemplifies the effortless-meets-impassioned sound that made me fall in love, and which I’m confident will make more than a few fellow lovers at War Memorial Field on Thursday, Aug. 1, when the eight-piece band plays the Festival at Sandpoint.

Writing a summary of Rateliff’s style while listening to his work is — physically, at least — almost impossible.

I fight head bobbing and foot tapping to keep my fingers placed on the correct keys as “You Worry Me” and “Coolin’ Out,” which features Festival show opener Lucius, play a little too loudly in my headphones.

Missouri-raised frontman Rateliff dabbled in heavy rock, country and folk before placing a strong foothold in the soul and vintage R&B realms in the early 2010s, but not without incorporating those earlier elements to create something entirely his own. Above all, Rateliff’s robust, ripping vocals shine on both studio and live tracks, making him and his band a Festival must-see.

Thursday, Aug. 1; gates at 6 p.m., show at 7:30 p.m.; $60. War Memorial Field. Tickets at festivalatsandpoint. com. Listen at nathanielrateliff.com.

BAND WAGON

Read the “history” portion of Kool & the Gang’s website and you might as well read the modern history of American funk, rhythm and blues, rock and soul. The term “icon” comes close to assessing the influence and importance of Kool & the Gang to the American songbook, but it doesn’t quite do the band justice. Institution? Lodestar? Superstar power group? Nothing fully fits; yet, where words fail, music succeeds — and Kool & the Gang has been succeeding non-stop since 1969.

A brief sampling of the band’s accomplishments: two Grammys, seven American Music Awards, 25 Top Ten R&B hits, nine Top Ten Pop hits, 31 gold and platinum albums and induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Visit the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. and you’ll find Robert “Kool” Bell’s bass on display.

Of all those accolades and honorifics, perhaps the most profound achievement of Kool & the Gang is not only carving out an inimitable place in American culture but staying relevant and in-demand for half a century. From “Jungle Boogie” to “Celebration” to “Get Down On It,” the band has been both timely and timeless: its hits hit hard in their day and kept on hitting as subsequent generations of artists including Jay-Z, Madonna, Janet Jackson, P. Diddy, the Beastie Boys and many others riffed on its work, making Kool & the Gang the most sampled R&B group in history next to the Godfather of Soul himself, James Brown.

Be a part of history when Kool & the Gang comes to the Festival at Sandpoint, joined by opening act Leroy Bell & His Only Friends. It almost goes without saying that this is a dance show, so come ready to get down on it.

Saturday, Aug. 10; gates at 6 p.m., show at 7:30 p.m.; $65 general admission, $89 early entry at 5:45 p.m. War Memorial Field.

Tickets at festivalatsandpoint.com. Listen at koolandthegang.com.

For a lot of self-described folk/Americana/country/blues artists, the hodgepodge of genres translates into crusty-sounding vocals and crunchy-style rhythms. Kerry Leigh’s crystalline vocal delivery and meticulous-yet-easygoing instrumentation is a refreshing change of pace.

Leigh’s catalog varies from loose-hipped ramblers to balladic ruminations on love and loss to gentle rockers that evoke the Summer of Love with a whiff of protest (listen to the song “Anger Grows” and you’ll see what we mean).

Based in Sandpoint with musical roots in NorCal, Leigh plays with a healthy dose of West Coast sunshine, making for a fitting summer soundtrack — especially when accompanied with good beer and good food. Find all of the above with two local shows: Saturday, July 27 at Laughing Dog Brewing in Ponderay and Wednesday, July 31 at The Fat Pig in Sandpoint.

—Zach Hagadone Saturday, July 27: 4 p.m., FREE. Laughing Dog Brewing, 805 Schweitzer Plaza Drive, Ponderay, 208-263-9222, laughingdogbrewing.com. Wednesday, July 31, 6:30 p.m., FREE. The Fat Pig, 301 Cedar St., 208-265-7675, sandpointfatpig.com. Listen at kerryleigh.bandcamp.com or facebook.com/kerrysmusic.

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/ July 25, 2019

pick:

Walk Off the Earth / Shook Twins

In a world saturated with doppelganger bands all bobbing to the same rhythm, it’s refreshing to encounter a group that strives to pull away from the herd. Walk Off the Earth, a fourpiece originally from Ontario, Canada, defined itself early as an indie pop band unafraid to be different. The band’s rendition of five people playing one guitar to Gotye’s “Somebody That I Used to Know,” has earned almost 200 million views.

Besides being known for quirky pop covers, Walk Off the Earth throws the kitchen sink into every song, with each member playing a plethora of fun instruments. The result is a sound that is both different and easy to bob your head along to, making this a great choice for the Festival.

Putting this show over the top for me was the fact that Sandpoint’s own Shook Twins will serve as openers. Rumor has it Laurie and Katelyn Shook began singing in the womb together, and it shows with their crafted vocal harmonies and up-tempo style that also lives refreshingly outside easy genre labels.

Friday, Aug. 2; gates at 6 p.m., show at 7:30 p.m.; $45. War Memorial Field. Tickets at festivalatsandpoint.com. Listen at walkofftheearth.com.

A snapshot of notable live music coming up in Sandpoint

Kerry Leigh, July 27-31, Laughing Dog and The Fat Pig

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Kool & the Gang

ben’s

Bridges Home, July 26-27, Circle Moon Theater Dave Gunter and Tami Belzer Gunter blend vocal harmonies and richly textured instrumentation into a timeless sound that elicits feelings of yesteryear for the listener.

The duo, known as Bridges Home, will play a pair of dinner concerts at the Circle Moon Theater near Newport, Wash., showcasing their multi-instrumental style. The pair plays a wide assortment of instruments, including Celtic harp, ukulele, clawhammer banjo, mandolin, Irish whistles, accordion, bodhran, cigar box and resonator guitar and foot percussion.

Feast on their musical stylings along with an optional sirloin tip dinner catered by County Snack Shack. The food will satisfy your appetite, but you’ll be left hungry for more Bridges Home.

—Ben Olson Dinner at 6:30 p.m., show at 7:30 p.m.; $25 for dinner and show, or $12/adult, $10/ senior for the show only. Circle Moon Theater, 3645 Hwy. 211 (north of Hwy. 2), Newport, Wash., 208-448-1294, call or visit northwoodsperformingarts.com for tickets.

MUSIC

MCS Without Borders welcomes Yakima Music en Accíon and developing global talent

By Kathi Samuels Reader Contributor For the past seven summers, the Music Conservatory of Sandpoint has invited students from different countries to create a collaborative youth orchestra featuring talented students from around the globe. Be it students from El Sistema, Mexico; Europe; or cities across the United States, local children are provided the opportunity to connect and learn from one another using the performing arts as the common vehicle.

Expanding this year, MCS will be hosting seven string students from nearby Yakima, Wash.; a clarinetist from Germany; and guest Director Roberta Botelli, from the Spokane Youth Philharmonic. All of these gifted young musicians are part of the school’s MCS Without Borders initiative, which exists to establish music as a universal language — regardless of geographical or neighboring borders.

Similar to how players in an orchestra come together to play a unified melody, MCS is excited to continue its tradition of sharing music across borders and across communities.

Our largest group of young players is joining us from Yakima Music en Accíon, better known as YAMA. Their after-school orchestras consist of more than 90 third- through 12th-graders from 19 different schools in the Yakima School District. Most of these children rehearse five days a week for two hours a day as part of an El Sistema school outreach.

Both the Music Conservatory of Sandpoint and YAMA are members of El Sistema USA, a network of musical entities in which participants work to create opportunities for every child to gain access to music through ensemble training and regular public performances. Nationwide, these groups are created to promote positive youth development and encourage thriving communities through the common language of music.

For the second year in a row, the MCS summer orchestra has also hosted European students, and this year is no different.

In less than a week, MCS will welcome 15-year-old Lea Stark, a clarinetist from the age of 8, from Regensburg, Germany.

At the helm of this diverse young orchestra is guest con-

BAND WAGON

ductor, Roberta Bottelli, from the Spokane Youth Symphony.

Bottelli is well respected across the Northwest as a cellist, arts administrator and teacher. She teaches cello and chamber music at Whitworth University and often adjudicates for the Washington State Music Educators’ Association, coaching and critiquing cellists, chamber music groups, and high school and middle school orchestras.

Speaking of diverse languages coming together, the theme of this year’s orchestra camp is literary, and will be bringing together a collection of classical songs from the stories we all love — including a featured piece from the beloved

Photo courtesy Jim Holt / Seattle Symphony. tale of Harry Potter.

If you’d like to hear these globally minded students perform together, MCS invites the community to attend its annual summer orchestra matinee on Friday, Aug. 2 at 2 p.m. at the historic Panida Theater. This concert is open to the public and family friendly.

Visit sandpointconservatory.org or call 208-265-4444 for more info.

Kathi Samuels currently chairs the board at MCS and is an avid supporter of expanding arts opportunities in Sandpoint.

A snapshot of notable live music coming up in Sandpoint

John Firshi, July 27, Pend d’Oreille Winery

Joseph Huber, July 26, Utara Brewing Co.

John Firshi is singing alone, but his performances sound like a duet.

The Northwest folk artist lets loose with a husky voice but his acoustic guitar does most of the talking.

Firshi’s classical, Latin-influenced picking gives a unique vocalization to the instrument; he can tell a story sometimes without singing a single word, letting his guitar express human emotions ranging from joy to deep despair and back again. Check out his song, “Moon and Stars Instrumental,” on SoundCloud to see (or hear) for yourself.

This duet-like power serves Firshi’s overall musical philosophy well: “Music is an ever evolving conversation.” That conversation takes place between Firshi and his instrument, but also with their lucky listeners.

Hailing from Wisconsin, Joseph Huber brings honest, Midwestern lyricism to the forefront as the leader of this up-tempo band that could be loosely classified under “Americana.”

Huber cut his teeth as the frontman for acclaimed underground country band .357 String Band. His new sound comes out as more of an artisanal effort, perhaps as a result of his many-faceted interests (which includes crafting custom wood furniture). Huber’s songs often delve in rather than out, examining the inner workings of the human psyche.

Utara owner Dave Kosiba wrote of the band on Facebook, “Trust me when I say that this will be the show of the summer at Utara After Hours series. We are SO lucky to have him and his band here.”

—Ben Olson

5-8 p.m., FREE. Pend d’Oreille Winery, 301 Cedar St., 208-2658545, powine.com.

9 p.m., $10, 21+. Utara, 214 Pine St., 208-627-5070, utaraidaho. com. Listen at josephhubermusic.com.

—Lyndsie Kiebert

This week’s RLW by Ed Ohweiler

READ

I’ve long respected Edward Abbey as a national icon and a true patriot — one who fought for America in the most literal sense: the land itself.

But he also possessed a funny, clever and sometimes cantankerous personality that came out artfully in his final novel, “The Fool’s Progress.” The novel paints large the entertaining antics of an aging man not unlike Abby himself. It also features some of his best writing and insights.

LISTEN

If you like mostly instrumental music by talented acoustic musicians, check out the duo Willie & Lobo. They are great for those moments when you have a hankering for background music but with influences from the flamenco and gypsy worlds. You may also find their music in the foreground of your thoughts as you get swept along and have to ask yourself, “What was I doing again?”

WATCH

Remember the distinctive narration of Sir David Attenborough? The good news is his BBC series “Planet Earth” is still easy to find out there and is just as poignant as ever. With some of the best footage of natural wonders ranging from snow leopards to coral reefs to the Gobi desert, it’s a good way to renew your relationship with Mother Nature.

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HEALTH

A grain of salt From Pend Oreille Review, July 21, 1916

CITIZENS OPPOSE LIGHT REDUCTION DARK STREETS ARE NOT A GOOD ADVERTISEMENT FOR CITY The present status of the lighting question may be boiled down to the following, as gathered from the opinions expressed at the taxpayers’ meeting on Wednesday night: There is a very emphatic feeling that the lighting should not be reduced; that the new contract suggested by the Power company, which would give the company a franchise extended to five years, but would reduce the lighting bill by $1200 per annum for the same lighting, should be seriously considered; that the city council is doing its best under difficult conditions and should be assisted and not hampered, but must not sacrifice the lighting system.

At the regular meeting of the city council Monday night, the subject was opened by a report of the street and alley committee which recommended “that the mayor be authorized to negotiate with the North Idaho and Montana Power company for a new street lighting contract, and submit same to this council.

Only about a score of citizens were present. A short explanation by the mayor made clear the situation up to date. The Power company, by Mr. Rooker, made two propositions, the first being to help the city by giving a $500 reduction for this year at least, letting next year wait until conditions were known; the second being to make a new contract with the city for a five year period at $1200 less than the present contract, which is $5500, but keeping the same number of lights as at present used.

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/ July 25, 2019

A health column... sort of

Why your tribe is essential

By Ammi Midstokke Reader Columnist

A few years ago I added some questions about “support systems” to my patient intake questionnaire. I had been hearing a lot of the same, challenging stories: my kids won’t eat anything but noodles with ketchup, my husband smokes, my colleagues bring in donuts daily, my friends are boozers. I was seeing a pattern in success rates for healthful change. When people had other humans in their life who supported change or healthy habits, patients were far more likely to transition their own lives with ease.

It’s not new information. Jim Rohn, the influential late-entrepreneur, author and speaker, pointed it out years ago with his famous quote, “You are the average of the five people you spend most of your time with.” We’ve seen versions of this statement all over social media ever since.

Here’s the reality though: Research shows that we’re actually far more affected by those relationships and their relationships than previously thought, making the number much larger than five. It extends beyond your intimate friends and family, and well into your community and theirs.

It’s not magic, it’s statistics. Still, it is a reminder that our friends and our broader community are impacting our health.

This is a good argument for every community health initiative you’ve ever seen championed in our small town: A healthier community means a healthier you. This means you benefit by supporting and involving yourself in those measures. Sign up for the 5Ks, the free health lectures, the community gardens.

It is not just about getting involved and then filtering your friends via some kind of audit process in which anyone who still drinks beer or bails on your morning walk gets cut from the team. It must also be about your own influence on your tribe, however big or small. If the office is training for a 5K or doing some fun healthy change challenge, don’t be the jerk with the maple bars. Eat those babies in shameful secrecy while your car is still

parked in the lot. (Side note: Make sure all the maple is off your face before you go in.) Or maybe bring in something that is delicious and healthy for everyone to enjoy.

When you are attempting to make your own healthy changes, share them with your tribe, as well. It is sometimes a helpful source of accountability, but it also perpetuates the conversations we have about lifestyle, health and change. The exception here is if you are training for an Ironman and everything you utter is related to the amount of hours you swim/run/bike in a day. You people are super intimidating and thus have to have your own tribe.

Our changes can have a ripple effect on our people. A while ago, I began a strict policy of detaching from my phone after 8 p.m. At first I felt apologetic about not responding to messages until the next day.

Then I told my circle and they stopped using their phones, too (or at least did not message me) and we all read more books and had more sex. Which meant our spouses were also looking at their phones less.

I often hear people who keep their goals a secret from their peers or tribe because they are afraid of failing and being judged. If you say you are trying to reduce alcohol but you are sipping a glass of rosé while you say it, it is true that your date might be confused. If you openly share your vulnerability, such as explaining that you’re trying out different ways to do this and some are more effective than others, you might find an entirely new connection to that person. Chances are they’re assessing how best to change something, as well.

We’re all trying to improve in different areas of our lives all the time. Pretending that these measures are a black-and-white, all-or-nothing, succeed-or-fail challenge means that no one has a fighting chance at creating sustainable change in lifestyle habits. Trust me, I’ve gone off sugar for the rest of my life at least eight times. Not only is that approach relatively uncomfortable and impossible, but it sends a message that we have the same ridiculous expectations of those around us, who also keep their struggles a secret.

Yes, if you want to be a runner then

having a bunch of running friends will help you do that. But what studies show is that we are impacting each other, for better or worse, in a variety of different ways that are seemingly unrelated and far reaching.

Surround yourself with a community of people who understand their impacts and celebrate yours as well.

If we were only the average of five people, things might be a little more simple; yet, we’re a part of a much more complex system of support. Identify yours and tap into it. You might find that making healthy changes is easier than you expected.

Ammi Midstokke is a local nutritional therapy practitioner and author. When she isn’t busy trying to save lives with vegetables, she’s adventuring in the mountains with her family and her brown dog.

Crossword Solution

If I was the head of a country that lost a war, and I had to sign a peace treaty, just as I was signing I’d glance over the treaty and then suddenly act surprised. “Wait a minute! I thought we won!”

Copyright www.mirroreyes.com

CROSSWORD ACROSS 1. Superhero accessory 5. Whine with snuffling 9. Ripped 13. Gorse 14. Hoarfrosts 16. Sought damages 17. Canvas 18. Mosey 19. Utilized 20. S S S S 22. Judiciously 24. Ancient Peruvian 26. Small terrestrial lizard 27. A way through 30. Creature 33. Educated 35. Inflexible 37. Lyric poem 38. A synthetic silklike fabric 41. African antelope 42. Jeans material 45. Bewitched 48. Layers 51. Effeminate /NEB-yuh-ley-tid / 52. A clumsy dolt [adjective] 54. Collections 1. having dim or indistinct markings, as a bird or other animal.

55. Found on a horse’s hoof of the 59. Nuzzled “The immature bird had subtler, nebulated markings on its undercarriage.” 62. Chocolate cookie 63. East African country 65. A hollow cylindrical shape Corrections: No corrections to note this week. Thanks for reading! -BO 66. Close violently 67. Entangle 68. Eye layer

Word Week

nebulated

Solution on page 26 11. Bobbin 12. Countercurrent 15. 4-door car 21. Stigma 23. Arab chieftain 25. Food thickener DOWN 27. Trudge 1. Adorable 28. Adjutants 2. “What a shame!”

29. Estimated time 3. Stubbornly unyielding of arrival 4. Cost 31. Pushy 5. Brassiere 32. Flax fabric 6. Not stiff 34. Center of a storm 7. Shadow 36. Guy 8. Small northern whale 39. Half of a pair 9. Killer wave 40. Short sleeps 10. Dethrone 43. Annoying 69. Sort 70. Wings 71. Clairvoyant

44. Man 46. Bearing 47. Devilfish 49. Elephant horns 50. Goddess of wisdom 53. Divided into zones 55. Party thrower 56. Paris airport 57. Harvest 58. Tropical American wildcat 60. Type of sword 61. Love 64. Beer

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