I’m on the older side of Generation Z and, as such, I’m no longer part of the first linguistic wave crashing onto undiscovered slang shores. Rather, I’m the second or third wave, adopting new vernacular just in time for middle schoolers to call me “cringe.” One of the newest additions to my vocabulary — which I find myself frequently using during the work week — is the phrase “crash out.” A crash out is an emotional breakdown coupled with an outburst of some kind (screaming, crying, dropping into the fetal position, etc.) My crash outs are more comical in nature. For instance, while writing this Junk Drawer, I realized that I had been sitting in front of a computer for about 11 hours straight, broken up only by my daily commute. I suddenly developed jimmy legs (AKA a bout of restless legs syndrome) and had the irresistible urge to narrate my actions in song very, very loudly. I call it a “manic panic” response, and it usually means I need to go to bed. I still had work to do, though, so in between bouts of singing, I thought about applicable Gen Z slang that I could pass on to you, dear readers. Pushing through the manic panic, I might have begged God, the universe and my own two hands to “let me cook,” which means, “Please allow me to do what I’m good at, even if my methods seem unconventional.” Alas, the universe “nerfed” me — meaning it placed an unfair limitation on my powers — by making me a 25-year-old who likes to go to bed at 6 p.m. and gets loopy when deprived of my usual 12 hours of sleep. For that, I would ask that everyone “type ‘F’ in the chat.” F is a reference to the video game franchise Call of Duty, where, at one point, players are instructed to “Press F to pay respects” at a funeral. Typing or saying F has since become an abbreviated way of saying, “That sucks, buddy.”
If you think this Junk Drawer is weird and unrelated to anything, you might call it “out of pocket” in Zoomer speech. This phrase is one of many instances of Gen Z taking existing slang and giving it a new meaning, which we do specifically to irritate Reader Publisher Ben Olson. (It’s his pet peeve and we know it.) Oh well, if you can’t adapt to our random linguistic fads, then that’s just, as the Zoomers say, a “skill issue.” F.
‘fads,’ you say?
Admittedly, Gen Z slang is more than just a fad. Spelling, pronunciation and language in general all change over time, despite what practitioners of linguistic prescriptivism like to say. Zoomer-speak is the newest generation in a long lineage of gobbledygook that brought us words like skedaddle, lollygag, bamboozle and, of course, gobbledygook. Don’t worry about the words “skibidi” or “rizz” being thrown around in everyday banter; take a page from the Zoomers’ book and “go touch grass.” You’ll feel better.
DEAR READERS,
Our hearts go out to the families of the firefighters who needlessly lost their lives on June 29 in Kootenai County, as well as the firefighter who luckily survived the encounter. Like everyone else in the nation, I felt the bottom drop out of my stomach when reading that breaking news. They were doing their jobs, serving their communities, and we mourn their loss.
This week’s edition is dedicated to firefighters everywhere. Whether you work in a city department, for the outlying districts or on a wildland fire crew, we appreciate the work you do.
On that note, please be careful with your fireworks on the Fourth of July. It’s pretty dry out there, and we haven’t had to deal with smoky skies yet this year (knock on wood). Pay attention to what you’re doing and where you’re doing it. Be safe and don’t forget to have fun, too.
Wishing you all a great holiday, and we’ll see you next week.
– Ben Olson, publisher
111 Cedar Street, Suite 9 Sandpoint, ID 83864 208-946-4368 sandpointreader.com
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Council votes to give James E. Russell Center more time to generate revenue
With a $100K shortfall in six months of operation, emphasis will be on drumming up use at JER
By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff
Members of the Sandpoint City Council voted June 25 to maintain the status quo with management of the James E. Russell Sports Center, giving the facility and its new supervisor time to make the changes necessary to increase use.
City officials hosted a workshop May 28 at the JER community room to address a $101,000 shortfall in expected revenue, as the center generated an estimated $72,000 — mostly from membership fees — during its first six months of operation, though incurred about $138,000 in expenses.
Planning and Community Development Director Jason Welker offered four possible options for how to manage JER in such a way that it recoups more of its costs, as between 40% and 46% of the facility’s operations are currently being subsidized by the city’s Recreation Fund.
One option would be to adapt JER to serve multiple sports beyond tennis and pickleball, while others would be to work with a third-party operator, such as the U.S. Tennis Association-Pacific Northwest or minimize operations.
Jim Russell, whose family donated the $7.5 million to develop the center, named for his father, addressed the council via Zoom, saying, “there’s been a lot of discussion about the JER Center, with some folks claiming to know what we want or know what dad wanted, and now more discussion about what should be done in the future regarding the JER Center, so I want to express personally and on behalf of my mom what we would like to see happen and what we believe dad wanted.”
Specifically, Russell noted that 75% of the current op-
erating costs go to wages and benefits, with other facility expenses amounting to less than half the projected monthly revenue of $10,000.
“[I]f you could get two volunteers six hours a day for five days a week, you basically could recoup 40% of your projected shortfall with just volunteerism,” he said, adding that based on that calculation, 177 annual memberships would cover the annual expense shortfall.
As for converting JER to a multi-sport center — which would require temporary or semi-permanent court infrastructure to accommodate uses like basketball and baseball — Russell said, “the original intent for the JER Center was for a community use facility, primarily tennis and pickleball, and was written into the donor agreement between us and the city, [and] the capital expense to make permanent or semi-permanent changes would only add to the cost recovery burden.”
He also argued that it is unclear whether the potential increase in revenue from multiuse would outweigh the loss from reduced racket sports.
“In my opinion it’s just simply too soon to run down the path of multi-use in terms of reconfiguring the center with permanent or semi-permanent changes to the courts,” Russell said, later adding, “I would respectfully request that if we ever went down the path of multi-use that you explore options where you could return the center to four tennis courts and 14 pickleball courts in two hours or less with minimal labor expense — not a permanent or a semi-permanent.”
Meanwhile, Russell called on the council to give JER Manager Ryan Wells the time to increase advertising for the
facility, develop programs and make other operational changes, rather than considering a third-party operator. However, should the city explore that route, he proposed that any such partnership come with a revenue sharing model that includes a minimum cost recovery requirement for any event at the center.
For his part, Wells told the council that after a month of the job, his efforts have been “just build more robust programming.”
“We’ve heard over and over and over that the lack of membership retention is based on the fact that we’re not offering much there, and then once we get those people in, that will open up the door to a lot more kids’ programs and having that kind of snowball,” he said, later adding, “We have a real gem here, we just haven’t marketed it and we haven’t run it in the way that that building was intended to be run.”
Finally, Russell called on members of the community to make better use of the facility.
“Can the city improve operations? Absolutely. I don’t think anybody would disagree with that, but the only reason this discussion is taking place is the racket sport commu-
nity has not used the facility enough,” he said. “If they want the JER to remain a racket sport facility-only, you need to show up pay and use the facility in greater numbers more frequently and bring your friends, your families, your neighbors, and other cities’ and counties’ facility use will solve all ills.”
Councilors agreed with Russell’s points, including Councilor Justin Dick.
“I mean no disrespect to anybody here or anybody that’s involved with the last six months [of JER operations], but as a business owner looking at the last six months and trying to figure out what to do with it, if I was judged based upon what my restaurant did last year and the amount of money I lost there, the thing would be shut down with a bulldozer,” he said.
“When you find out that you’re losing money you change your hours of operation, you increase your marketing, you change your menu, you change purveyors — there’s a whole bevy of things that we take a look at doing, and if we’re not successful in the first six months we make the changes,” Dick added. “I think we’ve heard
Jim. Jim brought up the labor [cost] is too high, the revenues are too low. Those are two things that are easily discernible and we need to figure those out and it looks like we can do that.”
Councilor Pam Duquette expressed support for Dick’s argument, and asked for “some measurable goals that we could check on, like in three months or six months, to see where we are.”
Council President Deb Ruehle made the motion to “give the James E. Russell Center an opportunity to stay the course with Ryan’s guidance.” However, she also moved to continue talks with USTA-PNW in order to get more details on what the organization could or could not provide with management of JER.
Ruehle called for continuing to operate the facility as primarily tennis and pickleball for a full budget cycle before reassessing its profit and loss. Meanwhile, Councilor Kyle Schreiber asked that the city continue to engage with the other local sports communities to discern how their additional uses might be incorporated at JER without damaging the existing courts, requiring any capital expenditures other than what are already allowed or hampering the center’s existing focus on tennis and pickleball.
Dick, Duquette, Ruehle and Schreiber were all in favor of directing Welker to continue with the status quo approach at JER, though with an emphasis on generating memberships and more users, and greater tracking of the facility’s performance. Any additional expenses at JER would be represented in Welker’s budget, which is forthcoming.
Councilors Joel Aispuro and Rick Howarth were absent.
Three young Sandpointians practice tennis at the James E. Russell Sports Center. Photo by Ben Olson
Citing low city pay, Mayor Grimm moves to part-time
In June email to officials, Grimm notes ‘steep price’ of accepting $24K salary
By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff
Sandpoint Mayor Jeremy Grimm is seeking a pay increase, according to an email sent city officials June 12 and read aloud at the June 25 City Council meeting by President Deb Ruehle.
“[A]fter consultation with our legal [counsel] and in an effort to maintain the transparency and the character and integrity of this council, I will read the following email,” she said, prefacing the text of the communication.
In part, Grimm wrote that when he assumed office 18 months ago, he promised to “reconsider the city administrator role and restore executive authority to the department heads while serving as a hands-on mayor overseeing essential functions including our water and sewer utilities.”
In the meantime, he has “treated this position as more than a ceremonial role,” he wrote, devoting three or more days per week to the job, which pays about $24,000 per year.
However, he added, “that commitment has come at a steep price. ... I’ve reached a point where continuing at this level is no longer feasible. Supporting children through college means my family’s financial future is at risk
unless I reclaim more time for Whiskey Rock Planning and Consulting. It’s increasingly hard to reconcile my dedication to the job as mayor with what I’m actually paid.”
In the email, Grimm noted that the mayor of Star, Idaho — which also operates without a city administrator, but does not have a municipal water or sewer system — is paid $85,000, while the city of Chubbuck, Idaho operates on a similar structure but pays its mayor more than $87,000 per year.
“I’m disappointed. I came into this knowing it would require sacrifice, but the reality of balancing public service with private sector income and growing family responsibilities has proven more challenging than anticipated,” he wrote, continuing that as of July 1, he would move to a part-time role “while still remaining accessible for key city initiatives.”
Suspect found deceased after Kootenai County firefighter shooting
By Ben Olson Reader Staff
The gunman who shot and killed two firefighters and wounded a third at the Canfield Mountain recreation area in Kootenai County on June 29 was found deceased after an hourslong manhunt.
Wess Roley, 20, has been identified as the shooter. Roley was found dead on Canfield Mountain with a shotgun nearby. According to the Kootenai County Sheriff Robert Norris, Roley’s wound was self-inflicted.
There is no indication of a motive in the attack that killed Battalion Chief John Morrison, 52, of the Coeur d’Alene Fire Department and Bat-
talion Chief Frank Harwood, 42, of the Kootenai Fire & Rescue Department. The two had served their departments for 17 and 28 years, respectively. The third wounded firefighter has been identified as Dave Tysdal, 47, a 23-year veteran of the Coeur d’Alene Fire Department. Roley appears to have been living out of his vehicle and was found with a flint starter, which Norris believed was his method for igniting the burn that firefighters responded to. Once first responders
reached the blaze on Canfield Mountain, authorities believe there was a “discussion” between the shooter and the firefighters that ultimately led to shots fired from Roley. Norris said in a press conference that officials believe there was only one shooter.
He anticipated being available Wednesdays at City Hall and for emergencies or related special meetings.
“I have great pride in the leadership and momentum we have cultivated together over the last year and a half,” Grimm wrote. “We have established strong and capable department directors. If the council chooses to sustain rather than scale back my level of engagement, I remain fully committed to that vision; however, it would require aligning compensation to something more representative of the scope and value of the work being done.”
He added that the June 12 email was not intended as “an ultimatum but as an invita-
tion.” Council could within the next two months pass an ordinance raising the mayor’s salary to align with the upcoming fiscal year.
“I’m not suggesting that you consider a 200% increase; however, I would ask you to consider a more realistic level of compensation for the position,” he wrote.
As the question of the mayor’s salary was not on the agenda, no discussion took place. Councilor Pam Duquette indicated that she would be willing to agendize it for further investigation at a future meeting, which Ruehle encouraged her to do after a review by legal counsel to determine “what the parameters would be.”
Kohberger pleads guilty to killing four U of I students
By Reader Staff
Bryan Kohberger admitted to killing four University of Idaho students at a change of plea hearing held July 2 at the Ada County Courthouse in Boise, pleading guilty to four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary.
The plea deal spares Kohberger the possibility of the death penalty. Instead, he’ll be sentenced to four consecutive life sentences for the murder of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin. Kohberger will also serve the maximum penalty of 10 years for the burglary count.
At the hearing, Kohberger was asked if he “killed and murdered” each victim, naming the four students. He responded “yes” each time.
The killings occurred in the early morning hours of Nov.
13, 2022, in Moscow, Idaho.
While prosecutors called the plea a “sincere attempt to seek justice” for the families, some relatives of the victims have spoken out against it.
Steve Goncalves said outside of court that the prosecution “made a deal with the devil” and that he feels like he let his daughter, Kaylee, down.
The Goncalves family shared with ABC News that they asked the prosecution for a full confession by Kohberger, as well as the location of the alleged murder weapon, described as a KA-BAR-style hunting knife, which was never found.
The Mogen family stated they support the plea agreement, calling it “... the best outcome possible,” and saying that they now “have closure” and can “turn from tragedy and mourning ... to the light of the future.”
Mayor Jeremy Grimm. Photo by Soncirey Mitchell
Battalion Chief John Morrison, left, and Battalion Chief Frank Harwood, right, were shot and killed while responding to a fire on Canfield Mountain in Kootenai County on June 29. Courtesy photos
Bits ’n’ Pieces
BoCo Zoning Commission recommends approval of Deerfield Subdivision preliminary plat
The Deerfield Subdivision (in turquoise), located on approximately 32.67 acres off of Baldy Mountain Road. Courtesy image
By Soncirey Mitchell Reader Staff
The Bonner County Zoning Commission held a public hearing June 26 to discuss the preliminary plat for the proposed Deerfield Subdivision, which would create 24 lots on approximately 32.67 acres off of Baldy Mountain Road. The commissioners unanimously voted to recommend approval to the Bonner County Board of Commissioners, subject to standard conditions that must be met before the county can consider approving a final plat.
The vote now goes to the BOCC and will be considered in an upcoming Tuesday business meeting. The county had not yet added the vote to any public agenda as of press time.
“Tonight is not a final decision,” said Bonner County Planning Director Jake Gabell at the hearing. “Even when it goes to the board, it’s not a final decision. It’s a decision on the preliminary plat.”
Should the BOCC vote to approve the preliminary plat, developers will work with area institutions, such as the
Panhandle Health District, to craft a comprehensive proposal that addresses the conditions of approval set forth by the Zoning Commission. Conditions include a fire risk assessment approved by North Side Fire, a road design approved by Bonner County Road and Bridge, and a stormwater runoff and erosion control plan approved by a Bonner County Engineer, among other stipulations.
With the conditions met, the proposed plat would return to the Zoning Commission and BOCC for additional votes.
The Coeur d’Alene-based HMH Engineering, representing Deerfield, LLC, have begun working with PHD on lifting sanitary restrictions — as is required for all subdivisions — and with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to map the wetlands present on portions of the property, in addition to other actions. Though Deerfield falls within Sandpoint’s area of impact, should the development be approved, Syringa Heights Water District will supply water, and the lots will utilize individual septic systems.
By Lorraine H. Marie Reader Contributor
From east, west and beyond
NBC says concern about retaliation for Trump’s bombing of Iran, and how it could trigger Iranian sleeper cells, has prompted the FBI to divert focus from immigration issues to counterterrorism, counterintelligence and cybersecurity.
The Supreme Court’s ruling in the case of Trump v. CASA has made it “incredibly difficult” for courts to stop Trump from ending birthright citizenship, The Nation reported. According to Trump, the decision can also be used to end sanctuary city funding and suspend refugee resettlement. Critics said the 14th Amendment is clear: If you are born in the U.S., you are an American citizen, and SCOTUS has “prioritized loyalty to Trump over defense of the Constitution.”
In 2022, undocumented immigrants paid $96.7 billion in taxes — more than was paid by Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk and 55 mega-corporations. Americans for Tax Fairness called it “a con”: the ultra-wealthy use loopholes to shrink their taxes while undocumented workers prop up the economy.
A 33-year-old Democratic Socialist, Zohran Mamdani, is running for mayor of New York City. Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., said Mamdani should be deported. Former Republican congressman Joe Walsh said, “A sitting member of Congress calling for an American citizen to be stripped of his citizenship and deported, all because of that American citizen’s political views. This is fascism.”
A Texan born in 1986 to a U.S. Army soldier at a U.S. base in Germany lacks citizenship, court documents claim. Shackled, he was recently deported to Jamaica, a country he’s never been to. The Austin Chronicle reports that when his plane landed, an ICE officer said, “I don’t have records for half of these people... something is wrong.”
The Senate voted 51-50 to pass Trump’s budget bill, with Vice President JD Vance casting the deciding vote. The bill seeks to cement Trump’s 2017 tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations; cut $930 billion from Medicaid; increase funds for Trump’s immigration-deportation agenda from $3.4 billion to $45 billion; increase the debt ceiling by $5 trillion to avert a budget default in August (linked to overspending detaining immigrants); and dedicate $150 billion to military spending this year. NBC said the increased spending would be partly paid for by cuts to Medicaid, food benefits and clean energy funding.
Revised components of the House version include preserving the Consum-
er Protection Bureau, limiting handsoff regulation of artificial intelligence, eliminating religious school vouchers and nixing the sale of public lands. Trump describes the bill as “finally entering our Golden Age... for all our Citizens.” He wants passage by July 4. Two Republicans opposed the bill.
The Congressional Budget Office said the bill will increase the national debt over 10 years by $3.3 trillion and will cause 11.8 million people to lose their health insurance. Former DOGE leader Elon Musk called the bill “insane and destructive.”
Headlines, for brevity: “Iran will probably be able to produce enriched uranium in ‘matter of months’, IAEA chief says”; “US sees spate of arrests of civilians impersonating ICE officers” [who are masked and not uniformed]; “University of Toronto agrees to host Harvard students facing Trump visa restrictions”; and “Without baby formula, some infants in Gaza are facing a slow death”.
Axios: Congressional Republicans now back extraordinary new precedents for presidential power, which they could regret if Democrats someday use the same powers, including: prosecuting opponents and punishing critics; usurping Congress’ power to levy tariffs; freezing spending without Congressional approval; dismantling or firing heads of independent agencies established by law; taking control of a state’s National Guard without their governor’s permission; accepting sizeable foreign gifts; personally profiting from time in office; punishing media, law firms and universities for not sharing the president’s viewpoints or values; and pardoning presidential supporters.
Blast from Merriam Webster’s past, definitions: Fascism: a political philosophy, movement or regime that exalts nation and often race and stands for a centralized autocratic and often militaristic government. Autocracy: government by one person having unlimited power. Democracy: government by the people, rule by majority; the supreme power is held by the people, in the absence of heredity or arbitrary class distinctions or privileges. Republic: a government having a chief of state who is not a monarch and is usually a president. 2: a government in which supreme power is held by the citizens entitled to vote and is exercised by elected officers and representatives governing according to law. Oligarchy: a government wherein power is in the hands of a few.
Trump administration tells states it’s freezing $6.8 billion for K-12 school programs
Funding supports before- and after-school programs, migrant education and English-language learning services
BY THE NUMBERS
By Ben Olson Reader Staff
By Shauneen Miranda States Newsroom
The Trump administration has put on hold $6.8 billion in federal funds for K-12 schools, according to an Education Department notice obtained by States Newsroom.
The agency informed states on Monday that it would be withholding funding for several programs, including before- and after-school programs, migrant education and English-language learning, among other initiatives.
But the agency notified states just a day ahead of July 1 — the date these funds are typically sent out as educators plan for the coming school year.
“The Department remains committed to ensuring taxpayer resources are spent in accordance with the President’s priorities and the Department’s statutory responsibilities,” the Education Department wrote to states.
The notice, which did not provide any timeline, said the funds are under review and “decisions have not yet been made concerning submissions and awards for this upcoming academic year.”
The affected programs, according to the Democrats on the Senate Appropriations Committee, include:
• Title I-C, on migrant education
• Title II-A, on improving the effectiveness of teachers and school leaders
• Title III-A, on English language acquisition
• Title IV-A, on STEM education, college and career counseling and other activities
• Title IV-B, on before- and after-school programs and summer school programs
• Grants geared toward adult education and literacy programs
States have been on the lookout for these funds. For instance, just last week, Oklahoma’s Department of Education reported that it had yet to get money from the federal government for migrant education, English language acquisition and other programs, according to Oklahoma Voice.
‘Winding down’ the department
Adding fuel to the fire, Trump is looking to eliminate all these programs as part of his fiscal 2026 budget request. That wish list, according to a department summary, calls for $12 billion in total spending cuts at the agency.
That proposed $12 billion cut “reflects an agency that is responsibly winding down,” the document notes.
Meanwhile, a coalition of 16 states is also suing the Trump administration over the cancellation earlier this year of roughly $1 billion in school mental health grants — a different piece of school funding — to try to restore that money.
The lawsuit was filed Monday in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington in Seattle. The states include California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Mexico, New York, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington and Wisconsin.
Uncertainty created
In a Tuesday statement, Washington state U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, the top Democrat on the Senate spending panel, urged the Trump administration to immediately release the frozen funds.
“President Trump himself signed this funding into law — but that isn’t stopping him from choking off resources to support before and after school programs, help students learn, support teachers in the classroom, and a lot more,” Murray said. “The uncertainty he has created has already forced districts to delay hiring and other initiatives to help students. The only question left now is how much more damage this administration wants to inflict on our public schools.”
“Local school districts can’t afford to wait out lengthy court proceedings to get the federal funding they’re owed — nor can they make up the shortfall, especially not at the drop of a pin,” Murray added.
Randi Weingarten, president of
the American Federation of Teachers, blasted the administration’s actions, saying this is “another illegal usurpation of the authority of the Congress” and “directly harms the children in our nation.”
“K-12 public school leaders across the country who should have been able to start planning months ago for the summer and the upcoming school year are instead left mired in financial uncertainty,” added Weingarten, who leads one of the largest teachers unions in the country.
Approved by Congress
Carissa Moffat Miller, CEO of the Council of Chief State School Officers, said “the administration must make the full extent of title funding available in a timely manner,” in a statement shared with States Newsroom on Tuesday.
“These funds were approved by Congress and signed into law by President Trump in March,” Miller said. “Schools need these funds to hire key staff and educate students this summer and in the upcoming school year.”
In response to a request for comment on the frozen funds, the Education Department referred States Newsroom to the Office of Management and Budget, which is responsible for administering the federal budget and overseeing the performance of departments throughout the federal government.
Administration comment
In a statement shared with States Newsroom on Wednesday, a spokesperson for OMB said “this is an ongoing programmatic review of education funding” and “no decisions have been made yet.”
The spokesperson noted that “initial findings have shown that many of these grant programs have been grossly misused to subsidize a radical leftwing agenda.”
States Newsroom is the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization, and parent organization of the Boise-based Idaho Capital Sun.
51-50
The final tally after Vice President JD Vance broke the tie vote to advance the so-called “One Big, Beautiful Bill” through the Senate on July 1. Republicans stripped many of its provisions in order to push it through without Democrats engaging in a filibuster. Three GOP senators voted against the bill’s passage. It now returns to the House floor, where it has been reported it will face some resistance from both parties.
41
The Idaho House Bill — which went into effect July 1 — that prohibits flags or banners depicting a political viewpoint from public K-12 schools. The law’s vague language, however, has led to a bevy of questions from educators and school administration. For example, the sign that reads “Everyone is Welcome Here,” which sparked a nationwide controversy when an Idaho teacher displayed it in their class, can no longer be displayed in Idaho schools, according to an opinion by the Idaho Attorney General’s Office.
5,000
The initial number of beds planned for a new migrant detention center opening in the Florida Everglades, nicknamed “Alligator Alcatraz,” which critics are claiming more closely resembles a concentration camp. The overall capacity of the facility will be closer to 10,000 beds as the Trump administration’s crackdown on deportations ramps up to a daily quota of 3,000 arrests. The administration claimed it wants more than 100,000 beds nationwide to house detained migrants. The facility will cost Florida an estimated $450 million to run for one year, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
Bouquets:
• Sandpoint lost a wonderful woman after Loris Michael passed away. You can read her full obituary on Page 20, but I wanted to add a few remembrances of my correspondence with Loris over the years. We emailed one another regularly, usually a few times per month. Loris often filled me in on happenings at the Sandpoint Senior Center, or she’d send photos of her church group donating food to the food bank, or announcements from her women’s golf league. Loris’ emails never asked for anything for herself; no, she only cared to shine a light on others who were doing good things. Perhaps one of the most poignant exchanges came from Loris just after another Sandpoint local, Helen Newton, passed away recently. Loris wrote to thank us for running a commemorative article on Helen’s life, adding, “How she will be missed, not only by her friends, but the entire community for her knowledge of Sandpoint and her strong opinions. Helen spoke up for causes she believed in and was a strong influence to so many in Sandpoint. ... let’s all learn from her and stand up for the causes that are important to us. ... She will be sorely missed.” I could say the exact same of Loris. Thanks for your joyful spirit, Loris, and for making sure those who deserve praise always got it within our pages.
Barbs:
• I grow so frustrated with our refusal to address the problem American society has with guns and mass shootings. The ambush and murder of firefighters trying to do their jobs in Kootenai County should be yet another wakeup call for us, but it will sadly be lost in another round of “thoughts and prayers” and nothing will ever get done to deter these events from happening again. Something is broken, yet we refuse to fix it.
An oath for all of us…
Dear editor,
In honor of our county’s 249th birthday this year, everyone raise your right hand and repeat after me: “I (your name) will, to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies both foreign and domestic.”
Now how do we do that?
Step 1: Read the Constitution, all of it. You will find it if you google the full text of the U.S. Constitution. It contains a preamble; the body, which explains the governing principles of our country; and 27 amendments. It should take about an hour to read, and remember you just promised to defend all of it — not just the parts you like. If you don’t like a part of it, like birthright citizenship, there are provisions in the Constitution to change it. A president can’t just sign a paper to nullify it.
Step 2: Learn about the separation of powers. There are three governmental branches, not just one. One branch or person (a president) is a dictatorship; three branches is a republic. Congress passes laws, declares wars and controls the money. The president administers the laws and spends the money where and only where it was allocated. The courts rule if the laws and the administration of the laws are in the spirit and letter of the Constitution.
Step 3: Never put any person or party above your country and Constitution. Demand that all of the Constitution is followed, because if one part falls it all falls.
Mary Haley Sandpoint
Responding to climate change isn’t partisan…
Dear editor, Idaho is known for its natural beauty — our rivers, mountains, forests and farmland are part of who we are. But as climate patterns shift, bringing longer wildfire seasons, drier summers and increased strain on our water and agricultural resources, it’s becoming clear that we must take action to protect our environment and way of life.
While political conversations around climate change can be divisive, the truth is that this isn’t a partisan issue. It’s a local issue — one that affects our health, our economy and our children’s futures. Fortunately, there are real solutions within our reach, and Idaho is in a strong position to be a leader in
those efforts.
We can strengthen our communities by supporting clean, renewable energy that creates jobs and reduces pollution. By conserving water, protecting our open spaces and making more sustainable choices in our daily lives, we can all contribute to the solution. Choosing locally grown food, reducing waste, and being mindful of how we travel are small steps that, collectively, make a big difference.
Most importantly, we need to support leaders — at every level — who understand that addressing climate change is not only possible, but necessary.
Idahoans are practical, hard-working and deeply connected to the land. If we come together with a shared purpose, we can protect what we love and ensure a healthier, more secure future for generations to come.
Sincerely,
Laura Abromeit Sandpoint
Grateful for local police security at ‘No Kings’ protest…
Dear editor,
My husband and I attended the “No Kings” rally on June 14. We were a bit worried because of the political assassinations, which occurred during the night. We had also been warned that militiamen carrying firearms would be near Community Hall.
He and I want to officially thank the wonderful Sandpoint police officers who patrolled First Avenue throughout the event. Not only did they protect our freedom of speech and peaceful assembly, they kept us safe. Thank you, Joanne and Jon Cottrell Sandpoint
Public
land sell-off will only benefit big business…
Dear editor,
If passed, Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” will result in the sell-off of public land in Idaho. The bill mandates between 0.5% and 0.75% of public land in Idaho (108,429-162,622 acres) be sold at breakneck speed without hearings, debate or public input. The process sets up open bidding, which favors commercial interests over under-resourced state and local governments, and does not give Tribal Nations an avenue to protect traditional homelands. While the claim is that some of the land would be used for housing,
there is nothing in place to enforce that, and land could be resold in 10 years. Do your own research (I read wilderness.org and NYTimes, June 12, “A GOP Plan to Sell Public Lands is Back”).
Even though all three of our Congress members voted April 7 against an amendment that would have blocked any public land sell-off, it’s still good to contact them: Sens. Crapo and Risch, and Rep. Fulcher. And tell your friends who hunt, fish and recreate.
Steven J. Anderson Sandpoint
‘We’re better’ than Trump’s ‘remigration’ scheme…
Dear editor, Trump said on Truth Social that he wants to carry out “remigration.” If you haven’t heard that term before, it’s not just immigration policy — it’s a white nationalist idea that means mass deportation of non-white people, even citizens, based purely on race or ancestry.
This isn’t about border security or law and order. It’s about pushing an extreme, dangerous vision where being American only counts if you’re white. America has never been all white and should never be.
We don’t have to all agree on our government right now to see how wrong this is. We can debate how to handle immigration without turning to ideas that come straight from the far-right fringe in Europe.
We’re better than this. America is better than this.
Kari Saccomanno Sandpoint
Trump is no ‘wanna-be king’…
Dear editor,
The cover of the June 19 issue features a sign stating, “DEMOCRACY doesn’t fear PROTEST… wanna-be KINGS DO.” The sign and the message behind it really misses the point. Protest is one thing but, “fiery but mostly peaceful protests” are another. The Orwellian use of language by Democrats and especially the progressive wing of the Democratic Party is at times quite amazing. Violent protests become protests — “move along, nothing to see here.” “Mothers” become “birthing persons.” “Illegal immigrants” become “undocumented immigrants” or just “immigrants.”
Donald Trump was elected president of the United States based on several things he said he would do. In what I am sure came as a real shock to the Washington, D.C.
elite and to progressives was that, once elected, he is proceeding to do what he said he would do. That does not make him a “wanna-be king.” What it does do is make him a very unusual politician in the modern era. It makes him a president who is carrying out the will of the people who elected him. The usual ploy for Democratic candidates is to move toward the center and then, once elected, move back to the left and these days far-left policies and positions of the progressive movement.
So, not a “wanna-be king,” but a duly elected politician and a man of his word fulfilling the mandate given to him by the electoral majority.
Rather than spewing endless hatred and “resistance,” it would behoove the progressive movement to develop a positive plan and present it in a convincing way to the American electorate. The campaign based on fear and hatred for one man has left you out of power. It may be time for a more innovative approach.
John Kludt Sandpoint
‘Keep reaching’…
Dear editor,
At the “No Kings” protest, I was reminded of something essential to our democratic health: an underlying respect for our neighbors. Sure, there was frustration and anger, but missing was the cold, uncompromising energy of hate. The classic powerplay of Trump and his ilk is about dehumanizing and devaluing people. Preaching a “We are good, they are bad” credo — and literally building walls on the ground and in minds — sows distrust. Their enemy list includes women, liberals, LGBTQ folks and, well, seems to include anybody not rich and white.
Lacking empathy in mild form creates a stalemate of non-communication; at its worst, it grants permission to launch an overload of actions to defeat the “other.” It stifles cooperation, makes erroneous assumptions and sanctions cruelty. Diplomacy is squelched while violence is too easily justified. Historically, “the others” in our 100-year bubble perpetrated the Holocaust. McCarthyism, which ended with Edward R. Murrow’s courage to voice the truth, was rooted in “other” beliefs. In that vein, remember Lincoln said no to slavery in the face of rich white men. King’s marches succeeded in shifting our country’s position on equality.
We hold the kryptonite to this autocratic coup. It is remembering that most everyone ultimately wants peace and connection. Let’s keep talking and fight like hell for what is universally accepted as right and good. Shunning is a dead-end path. Everyone has value, there is always some connection. Even Trump showed he could momentarily act reasonably (see Bill Maher’s dinner with Trump).
Recently I pulled over to fiddle with my phone. With flashers on, a large pickup pulled alongside and asked if I needed help. I conveyed my appreciation and waved them on. On the receding bumper was a large MAGA sticker. Ah, I thought, there is hope!
Chris White Sandpoint
‘No militia was needed’ at ‘No Kings’ protest…
Dear editor
The recent “No Kings” protest in Sandpoint demonstrated not only the passion that local residents have for our country, but also how social media can distort reality. I know of at least two people who didn’t attend the protest because they were afraid of gun-toting counterprotesters. This fear was amplified by chatter on social media from those who apparently feared that the protests would be riots and urged defensive action. A small contingent of “militia” members — or at least individuals who dressed the part and carried weapons — attended the protest. (They were not legally militia because Idaho’s governor didn’t mobilize them.) They found themselves surrounded by unarmed local citizens, mostly older, carrying signs, flags and a commitment to our nation’s ideals — ideals we all likely share.
No militia was needed at the protest — nor any other protest that day. Police handily addressed the one or two unlawful incidents — coal-rolling by counterprotesters, for one. I hope no one fears local protests in the future and we all feel free to express our First Amendment rights; that our police continue to defend the American tradition of peaceful dissent; and that those who felt compelled to pick up arms to rescue our community, will lay down their arms and join their fellow citizens in either civil conversation or in rescuing our crumbling democratic republic.
Susan Drumheller Sagle
Thanks for the new recycling bins…
Dear editor,
I am excited and proud to be a volunteer with Sandpoint’s new recycling bin program, the brainchild of Sandpoint City Councilor Pam Duquette. You may have seen the blue recycle bins scattered around town. All of them are conveniently located next to garbage bins so you can self-sort your garbage and recyclables, which for the recycle bins are only aluminum cans and plastic drink bottles. (The
caps are recyclable, too, but please remove them from bottles.)
Volunteers then collect the bags and separate the plastic from the cans — plastic bottles go into their home recycle bins, and the cans go to Panhandle Special Needs, which trades them in for cash to support its programs.
I want to thank everyone who has utilized the bins and recycled their cans and plastic bottles. I also want to urge people to only put cans and plastic bottles in the blue bins and put your trash and other plastics, cups, paper, glass, etc. in the gray garbage cans. The bin I cleaned this morning was filled with quite a bit of trash, as well as some glass and plastic, some of which is recyclable but not appropriate for the bins. (Glass is recyclable in the city of Sandpoint, in your personal bins.)
It will make our jobs as volunteers much more pleasant to not have to sort through the garbage. Thanks again to Pam for making it happen, and thanks to everyone who is recycling. Please spread the word!
Karen Glaeser Sandpoint
Safe from federal agents — for now…
Dear editor,
They haven’t come for me. I’m white. I go to church on Easter. I have a comfortable home that’s paid for. I live in a town and a state that is almost all white. I can pay 50 cents more for table grapes.
The federal agents with masks and assault rifles are taking people who are not white and I don’t know anybody like that. They haven’t come for me… yet.
Steve Johnson Sagle
‘Service like Tiffany’s’…
Dear editor,
There was an elderly man in front of me at the Ponderay Walmart self checkout line. He was tall, clean-shaven and thin. He had no cart, just the few items he was holding in his arms. The lady with the Walmart vest signaled it was his turn to use the next available checkout.
They said hello to each other and smiled. On his approach to the checkout, he was having trouble putting his bagless items down for fear of dropping them. He managed to do it.
From his tall height he had to stoop down to look at the screen. He then reached his hand around his back to take out his wallet. The strain from this action seemed to lock his arm in that position. He made numerous attempts, but he could not get the wallet out.
The Walmart lady with the vest was helping another customer while this was going on. Upon her return she pointed me to the next available self-checkout which was right next to the man I had been observing. She had her eye on him, too. After directing me, she scurried over to the tall older gent.
Without speaking to him she reached behind his back, gently pushed his hand out of the way and took out his wallet. She opened the billfold
and took out a card and put it in the machine. There was zero resistance from the customer. She put in the security code and completed the transaction for him. She then put his items in a bag for him. Then she gave him back his wallet with the card and his receipt.
Watching from the checkout next to him I was flabbergasted about what I had just witnessed. Walmart, the low-priced leader, was providing service like Tiffany’s.
L. Greg Torres Selle Valley
‘A warning for our times’...
Dear editor, “There’s a reason you separate military and the police. One fights the enemies of the state. The other serves and protects the people. When the military becomes both, then the enemies of the state tend to become the people.” — Battlestar Galactica.
June 8, 2025 National Guard troops were federalized to take to the streets in Los Angeles, where later, the Marines were also deployed. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stated: “We are not going away. We are staying here to liberate this city from the socialists and the burdensome leadership that this governor and that this mayor have placed on this country.”
Holy shit. We are the enemies of the state. At least, it appears so from the actions and words of the state, but I contend that it is not the case in the actions and words of the people.
June 14, 2025, the “No Kings’ protest was held nationwide to protest the authoritarian actions of our president. At least 5 million people attended these protests, including at least 1,000 of our own citizens in Sandpoint. The protest was peaceful, thanks to our police and sheriffs’ deputies who did a remarkable job protecting the protesters and keeping the peace.
The actions and words of the people across this nation were loud and clear:
• We are not, and will not, be a dictatorship, autocracy, monarchy or oligarchy; We will abide by the rule of law and demand due process under the law;
We are not cruel, and will not accept cruelty from our leaders;
We are a nation, founded by immigrants, with a firm belief that all men are created equal, with the unalienable rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. These rights will not be taken away by any government or authority.
Jacqueline Taylor Sandpoint
‘Proverbial watershed moment’...
Dear editor,
Thank you for publishing the article on Trestle Creek by Jennifer Ekstrom, [“Trestle Creek bull trout sanctuary under threat again” Reader, June 26, 2025] and thank you, Jennifer for your excellent writing. I loved
your line about, “Something smells fishy.” If I’m not mistaken, the original draft from the Idaho Department of Lands did not recommend approval Idaho Club’s application; however, two days later, it did! My sarcastic comment was, at the time, “Who is driving the new car?” This is a proverbial watershed moment. It isn’t just the adverse effect on different species or Trestle Creek. The bigger picture here is the people versus a corporation. If Idaho Club succeeds in this development, there will be others lining up behind them, if they aren’t already, until there isn’t any place left for the general public, nor the flora, fish and fauna. We need to defend our natural resources and say no to developers whose main objective is to make more money at the cost of the environment. It is easy to see their dirty fingerprints all around us daily. Greed is an amazing driver. Again, thank you for keeping everyone informed.
Kathleen Huntley Hope
‘Get
out’...
Dear editor,
Donald Trump is a fascist pig! He’s going after anyone in a Blue State to force everyone to adhere to his stupidity and bullying.
Stephen Miller, go screw yourself — why not, you’re screwing anyone and everyone who doesn’t bow down to your Project 2025, and you have Trump’s ear.
Illegal arrests are being done to try and force people to not only defend themselves, but take matters into their own hands because our Machiavellian president doesn’t give a shit about the American people, only what he can get for himself.
Just out of curiosity, who is going to pick our fields, wash cars, work in restaurants for minimum pay and do all the “menial” tasks that need to be done in this country? Your white boy 20- to 30-something-year-olds who voted for you because they believed your lies? I don’t think so.
You’re creating as much chaos as possible so you can activate the National Guard and our active-duty military personnel to act as your bullyboys. And what’s with the cowards who have their faces covered so we don’t know who they are, as they grab people and drag/force them into detention, without warrants and real legal standing?
You’re pushing to force another civil war within this country. You’re a draft dodging coward, a liar, a convicted felon. Russia is so important to you because they are the ones who actually helped put you in power, financed you when you were bankrupt (you do remember the Russian mafia money laundering through apartments you sold them for cash — were those financial transactions ever reported for tax purposes? I doubt it).
You have incited rioting and made some people believe they’re doing the right thing by murdering those who aren’t under your thumb.
Michael Harmelin, veteran Sandpoint
Science: Mad about
noodles
By Brenden Bobby Reader Columnist
It’s the Fourth of July, you’re cracking open a cold beer and bearing down on a juicy slice of watermelon while listening to some Creedence Clearwater Revival on the shores of our beautiful lake, when a sudden hankering consumes you: It’s time to learn about noodles.
Elongated strips of congealed flour have a long and mysterious history. Nations from all over the world lay claim to the discovery of noodles, with more yet ardently defending the perfection of their development.
Some form of noodles can be found in virtually every cuisine in every corner of the globe, though the most prominent ones come from China, East Asia and Italy (through pasta).
Noodles are an inexpensive filler and vehicle for delivering liquid nutrients suspended in broths and sauces. The starch helps keep you full, for a time, while the heartier aspects of the dish serve to sustain you. This is a double-edged sword, however, as starch is very quickly digested, which leaves you hungry again in a short amount of time.
The quality of the flour used heavily influences the rapidity of digestion. Low-quality, starchy flours will produce an inferior noodle that will leave you hungry faster. A superior and fortified flour mixture can better quell your appetite, at the cost of being more difficult to produce and more expensive. This is likely why a cheap Cup Noodles won’t fill you in the same way a plate of Fettuccine Alfre-
do would, though the heavy cream sauce plays a significant role in this as well.
Any Italian grandmother will likely tell you that noodles were first invented in Italy, but though the Italians may have perfected the art of elongated dough strips, it’s very likely that noodles were first developed in China thousands of years ago. The oldest archaeological evidence of the food comes in the form of a 4,000-year-old upturned bowl of millet flour noodles, unearthed in a Chinese archaeological dig in 2005. Imagine forgetting your lunch one day, only for archaeologists to dig it up thousands of years later. Not only did you go hungry the rest of the day, but some goofy guy is quietly judging you in a science article while thinking about having lunch himself.
It’s uncertain if even China can lay claim to the invention of noodles, as there is strong evidence of noodle creation in the Middle East as well. But, as it stands currently, that missed lunch from 2,000 B.C.E. is the oldest existing example of noodles.
There are two probable scenarios to explain the development and spread of noodles. The first, and currently most likely, is that millet or rice flour noodles were created in China and then spread west into the civilizations of the Middle East between 2000 and 1400 B.C.E. through trade networks. Dried noodles may have been easier to transport than raw flour and may also have made for a good travel snack for traders, so long as they had access to water and fire.
The other possible history is that they were developed using durum wheat flour in the Middle East and spread
both east and west around the same time. To this day, culinary science develops through collaboration and the exchange of ideas. Chefs will adopt techniques, designs and ratios from other chefs to create new and exciting dishes with ingredients we’ve had access to for thousands of years. It’s very likely that something similar happened with noodles once people figured out how to mill flour and add water to create dough.
But why noodles? Why not bread?
Portability, of course! Cutting dough into strips and strands and drying it makes it very portable and easy to fit into a bowl. Baking bread uses a larger amount of dough, and once it’s baked, you’re committed to either eating it or wasting it. Making noodles allows you to better portion out your meals without fear of waste, which is perfect for people traveling long distances and snacking on the go.
You may be wondering how modern canned soups keep noodles firm. The noodles are immersed in liquid for months, perhaps even years, without losing their texture. What kind of sorcery is at play here?
There are a number of factors manufacturers use to keep these noodles from disintegrating in the can. The biggest contributor is the alkalinity treatment the noodles receive, as manufacturers will coat them with alkaline salts in a 9-1 ratio of sodium to potassium chloride. This effectively creates a barrier that protects the noodle and makes it feel slippery when you eat it. Once cooked, a chemical reaction happens that makes the pH more neutral and allows the
noodles to soften and become more palatable.
Another factor is the introduction of microbial transglutaminase, or mTG, which is an enzyme that is used to bind food together at a molecular level and keep it from gelling or disintegrating in unfavorable conditions. This is used frequently in food preservation, particularly for things like extruded meat, but it also keeps your noodles intact.
Whether you’re a local or a visitor, take a break from the box-store corn on the cob and patronize one of our local restaurants. Whether it’s Alfredo from Arlo’s or pad Thai from Secret Thai, you won’t be disappointed. You’ll be partaking in a journey that has spanned at least four thousand years.
Don’t worry, the noodle itself won’t be that old — just the knowledge it took to make it.
Stay curious, 7B.
Random Corner
• On July 2, 1776, the Second Continental Congress voted in favor of declaring independence from Great Britain. We recognize July 4 because they officially adopted the Declaration of Independence two days after the vote. At the time, John Adams believed that July 2, not July 4, would be the date remembered by history.
• In 1958, a history teacher gave their class an assignment to redesign the national flag as both Alaska and Hawaii neared statehood. Robert G. Heft, who was 16 at the time, designed a new flag using the old 48-star flag and about $3 worth of blue cloth and white iron-on material. His design earned a B-minus, but Heft sent it to Washington, D.C., to be considered by President Dwight D. Eisenhower. According to his obituary, Heft was one of thousands who submitted flag designs, but he was the only one who actually stitched together a flag and shipped it. When Heft’s design was selected to be the official 50-star design, his teacher changed his grade to an A.
• Americans eat about 150 million hot dogs during the Fourth of July holiday.
• Only Charles Thomson and John Hancock signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. The other 54 delegates signed over the course of the next month.
• According to Fortune Magazine, men experience almost 70% of the firework-related injuries that occur between June and July.
• Anyone using an American flag on a beach towel, shorts, t-shirt, headband or any other item is in violation of the U.S. Flag Code. However, while the code is federal law, guidelines are only stated using voluntary and non-binding language, such as “should” and “custom,” meaning there is no penalty for violations.
• July 4 was not deemed a federal holiday until 1870, nearly 100 years after the nation’s founding.
Emily Articulated
First responder
By Emily Erickson Reader Columnist
We don’t have to look far to find the worst in humanity — to witness selfishness, greed and acts of evil so egregious they make us sick when held in our minds for too long. That’s how I felt reading the news on Sunday about a man in Coeur d’Alene who started a brush fire and ambushed the responding firefighters. It was the kind of story that made me want to avert my eyes.
For all the darkness we see, there’s a flipside: the brightest lights — beacons of courage, community and hope. As close as we are to the worst in humanity, we are just as near to the best — the people who run toward danger with selflessness and purpose. In the wake of this week’s tragedy, I wanted to talk to someone who could speak to that side, the side of light. Someone who rises in moments of crisis with camaraderie, clarity and courage.
I reached out to Bonner County EMS Captain Paramedic and Schweitzer Fire District Fire Chief David Ramsey after seeing his recent Facebook post. It read: “Never have I been more proud to wear the uniform. To be there for my fallen brothers. It was a rough evening. Keep the families of the CDA Fire and KCFR in your thoughts and prayers.”
It struck me how a person could experience something so devastating and still speak of pride and purpose. There are so many other possible reactions: fear, anxiety, even reluctance. But people like Dave seem to reach for something deeper. They know the stakes, and they go anyway.
I asked him where that mentality comes from — what drives someone to put on the uniform and walk into fire, trauma and uncertainty when so many
A conversation with Bonner County EMS Captain Paramedic and Schweitzer Fire District Fire Chief David Ramsey
would run the other way.
“I can’t name it,” he said. “That thing that makes us responders... that innate sense of servitude or community. I guess it’s just there.”
He spoke of how certain jobs find the right people and how purpose, for some, reveals itself only over time.
“A lot of people search their whole lives for meaning. I had to grow into it. But eventually I came to realize this is probably what I was meant to do. Whatever spiritual belief you have — God, the universe — if it was talking, I was listening.”
Dave’s career began in 1998 — “the late 1900s,” he shared, with purposeful levity — when he signed up for an EMT class. The decision was sparked by a climbing trip in which a friend fell, and Dave wanted to be the guy who knew how to help in times of crisis.
Some people, like Dave, when confronted with hardship, square their shoulders and decide to dedicate their life to being the person who knows what to do.
After establishing himself as an EMT, Dave became a firefighter, then a paramedic. He raised his hand in 2001 when his fire chief asked who wanted to go to New York to help after 9/11. He raised it again when the tsunami hit Japan, helping teach disaster relief.
After moving to Sandpoint 12 years ago, he’s been on the scene at countless life-changing moments.
When I asked how someone stays in a career like this for 27 years, he reflected on what it means to simply be there with people through the hardest parts of their lives.
“A lot of times, my words are the majority of my medicine,” he said. “I’ve got like 50 drugs I can use, but I often wonder what’s more effective — the drugs, or the person administering them? I think our biggest job is just bearing witness. That’s what we do.”
“The other day, we responded to a lady who was having a bad day. We got to the hospital, and while actively having a heart attack, she looked at me and said, ‘Thank you for being so kind.’
“It wasn’t about the IV that we started or the medicine that made her feel better; it was gratitude for how I was present with her. That’s what I tell my kids — emulate the world you want in return. So that’s why I do what I do, I guess.”
I asked Dave about the bond between people who do this work — people who’ve seen things most of us couldn’t imagine. He showed me a photo of the crew that had responded alongside him on Sunday night, and I was struck by how much courage could be captured in a single frame. I thought of the countless others still out there fighting fires, responding to emergencies and doing the job despite all that it means (now, and always).
“It’s a connection you probably wouldn’t get anywhere else. It fulfills this deep pull to be part of something bigger than yourself. At the end of a hard day, I can talk to someone outside the job, and they might say, ‘That’s awful,’ and I appreciate the
sympathy. But when I talk to a colleague, they know. They can empathize.”
That quiet camaraderie showed up even as Dave and I sat and talked. Another member of the Sandpoint EMS team stopped by, said ‘Hello,’ and invited Dave to go mountain biking. It was simple, casual, but full of meaning. They understood, without needing to say it, that on the hardest days, it’s even more important to do the things that remind you you’re alive.
Dave told me that after the events of the job, the ability to hop on a bike isn’t something he takes for granted. It’s a privilege. A perspective that sharpens with every call.
In that spirit, he shared a poem that, for him, captures the heart of the work — and the people he’s honored to stand beside when doing it. It’s called The Invitation by Oriah Mountain Dreamer. A few lines stood out:
“I want to know if you have touched the center of your own / sorrow, if you have been opened by life’s betrayals or have / become shrivelled and closed from fear of further
pain. / I want to know if you can sit with pain, mine or your own, without moving to hide it, or fade it, or fix it...
“I want to know if you can see beauty even when it / is not pretty every day. And if you can source your own life / from its presence...
“I want to know / if you can get up after the night of grief and / despair, weary and bruised to the bone / and do what needs to be done to feed the children. / It doesn’t interest me who you are, / or how you came to be here. / I want to know if you will stand in the center of the fire with me and not shrink back.”
All I can say is a far-toosmall, “Thank you,” to the people who answer those questions with an unequivocal “Yes,” every single day. I’m amazed that Dave is but one of many people who walk the path of bravery in the face of adversity and tragedy in our community. It will never feel like enough, but I carry you, and the entire firefighting and EMS community, in my heart.
Alongside all of North Idaho, I ache for the families and loved ones affected by this week’s events, and for the ripple effects that will continue long after the news cycle moves on. My gratitude for your strength, your service and your humanity is renewed, tenfold.
To support the families affected, you can visit the Kootenai County Fire & Rescue Department’s Facebook page for direct links, donate in person at any First Interstate Bank branch or give to the JW Foundation.
Emily Erickson.
Schweitzer Fire District Fire Chief David Ramsey. Courtesy photo
Proud mom travels to D.C. to stand up for public schools
By Monica Dickson Reader Contributor
I’m a dental hygienist, a working mom and the proud parent of two kids in Idaho’s public schools. Recently, I took a week of unpaid leave from my job and time away from my family to travel to Washington, D.C. I didn’t go on vacation. I went to speak out against a national school voucher scheme that threatens to dismantle the very public schools my kids — and millions of others — depend on.
This wasn’t a small decision. Like many working families, my schedule is packed, my budget is tight and my patients count on me, with some booking appointments a year in advance. Rearranging my schedule on short notice is a logistical headache and requires coordinating with my office and asking for understanding from people I value deeply. But I did it because this fight is too important to ignore.
Buried inside Congress’s massive reconciliation package, what some are calling the “Big Beautiful Bill,” is a dangerous national voucher plan. It would funnel $20 billion in public tax dollars into private and religious schools through tax credits for wealthy donors. Supporters call it “school choice,” but that’s not what it is. It’s privatization dressed up in a nice phrase.
Here in Idaho, we already have real choices within our public school system: neighborhood schools, magnet programs, charter schools, career-technical education and even virtual options. These choices are public, accountable and available to all families.
So why are lawmakers pushing a scheme that would divert public dollars into private hands, especially in rural Idaho, where private schools are few and far between? The truth is, vouchers won’t help most families here. They’ll hurt us. Every dollar sent to a private school is a dollar taken from our already underfunded public schools.
We’re living in a time when politicians want to privatize everything, from our schools to our health care to our public lands. It’s not about improving systems. It’s about dismantling them for profit.
If the goal were truly “opportu-
nity,” lawmakers would invest in the public schools we all rely on. They’d raise teacher pay, fix outdated buildings and reduce class sizes. Instead, they’ve underfunded schools for years, then used that underfunding to justify vouchers as the “solution.” It’s a manufactured crisis, and families like mine are the ones paying for it.
In Idaho, we’ve had to rely on local levies and school bonds just to keep schools open, pushing the burden onto working families while lawmakers avoid responsibility. Our public schools are surviving on bake sales. That’s not sustainable, and it’s not fair.
I went to D.C. because our public schools are worth fighting for. Moms like me — we see the game being played. We’re busy, but we vote. We advocate. And we’re not backing down.
Public education isn’t a partisan issue. It’s a public good. I’m not just fighting for my kids — I’m fighting for yours, too. Because if you care about your child’s education, you should care about every child’s education.
Monica Dickson is a lifelong Idahoan who lives in the Treasure Valley. She has been married 22 years and is a mother of 2 public school children. She works full-time as a registered dental hygienist and is also an Idaho Public School Strong organizer.
Monica Dickson. Courtesy photo
To submit a photo for a future edition, please send to ben@sandpointreader.com.
Top right: Richard Parker the cat (named after the tiger in Life of Pi) looking magical in this field of dandelions. Photo by Beverly Berg.
Middle left: Rae Charlton and Sylvia Humes presented Madeleline Mitchell, center, with the Bonner County Democrats Erik Bruhjell Memorial Scholarship on May 21, 2025.
Middle right: Jean Gerth and husband Steve Anderson took the Reader to Longyearbyen, Norway, the world’s northernmost settlement (of over 1,000 people), just 800 miles from the north pole. Photo courtesy Jean Gerth.
Bottom left: “I took this shot of my puppy Joey while we were testing out our new bike basket the other day,” wrote photog rapher Bob Witte.
Bottom center: Ben Olson, Cadie Archer and friend Lucia Coupal pose with the Reader on Himarë Beach in Albania by the Adriatic Sea. Photo by some sunburned guy on the beach.
Bottom right: Mary Armstrong and the Reader in Saint Andrews, Scotland. “We spent a lot of time answering questions that were mostly along the lines of ‘What the bloody hell happened to America?’” wrote photographer Ross Fulmer.
Top left: Huckleberries found on Gold Hill. Photo by John Harbuck.
PICTURE CAPTION: Ray Charlton and Sylvia Humes presented Madeleline “Maddie” Mitchell with the Bonner County Democrats Erik Bruhjell Memorial Scholarship during presentations at Sandpoint High School on May 21, 2025.
OUTDOOR
Kiva Therapeutics celebrates one-year anniversary
By Reader Staff
Kiva
Therapeutics
Med and Day Spa’s Sandpoint location (1205 Highway 2, Suite 101) is celebrating its one-year anniversary by vying for its second consecutive win in the Daily Bee’s Best of Bonner County competition. To mark the occasion, the spa will offer “Best of 2024” specials on its health and wellness services throughout the month of July.
With deep roots in Priest Lake, where it has been serving clients for more than 15 years, Kiva brought its unique blend of therapeutic bodywork, spa services and medical aesthetics to Sandpoint in 2024. Since opening, the Sandpoint location has quickly become a trusted destination for personalized wellness and beauty care.
“Our first year in Sandpoint has been incredible,” said Kiva’s owner and licensed massage therapist, Jenny Eggers. “We’ve been honored to support this community with the same care and passion we’ve brought to
Priest Lake for over a decade. We’re looking forward to many more years of connection, healing and service.”
Kiva’s team practices deep tissue massage, trigger point therapy, Swedish massage, movement therapy, reflexology and nutrition education, among other techniques, as part of their holistic approach. Utilizing a combined 150 years of expertise, the practitioners help community members with injury and chronic pain treatment, wellness support and esthetic and relaxation services.
To take advantage of the July specials, spagoers can treat themselves to a 50-minute massage or facial package, which includes moisturizing masks and a take-home goody bag, for $85.
The spa accepts most major insurance providers, including Blue Cross Blue Shield, and services are often integrated with medical professionals and tailored to support both acute needs and long-term wellness.
Visit kivatherapeutics.com to learn more or book an appointment.
Bonner County Human Rights Task Force announces scholarship recipients
By Reader Staff
The Bonner County Human Rights Task Force recently awarded four high school seniors the group’s annual memorial scholarships, celebrating the students’ academic achievement and commitment to furthering human rights.
Students Roxanne Ryan-Downing and Hana Luttman won the Darby and Amber Memorial Scholarship, while Richard Andrews and Stella Haag won the Erik Robin Bruhjell Memorial Scholarship.
As part of its ethos, the BCHRTF advocates for the social and cultural diversity of the local community — including students — that makes Bonner County a rich and worthwhile place to live. The purpose of the BCHRTF scholarships is to support local students as they pursue the post-secondary education of their choosing with a focus on human rights issues. Scholarships are open to all graduating
seniors in Bonner County, whether they attended public, private, charter or home school.
“The BCHRTF was gratified by the wide participation from area schools and the quality of submissions relat-
ing to human rights,” said BCHRTF Board Member Peggy Zappone. “We are honored to assist these students as they embark on their post-secondary educational journey.”
For more info, visit bchrtf.org.
(L to R): Roxanne Ryan-Downing. Hana Luttman, Stella Haag, Richard Andrews and BCHRTF President Linda Navarre. Courtesy photos.
Independence Day — the Idaho way
A rundown of events for the Fourth of July
By Reader Staff
Bayview
The annual weekend of excitement that is Bayview Daze is back with a host of events from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, July 4 and 5. The festivities start with the Red, White and Blue Pancake Breakfast at 8 a.m. at the Bayview Community Center (20298 East Perimeter Road). Local vendors selling a variety of goods will set up along Marietta Road for the occasion. The community will really kick things into high gear on July 5 with the 11 a.m. parade. The Bayview Bible Church (located inside the community center) will again sponsor the Children’s Fun Place beginning at noon, giving kids a safe space to play. Finally, grab a seat along the water to close out the weekend with a 10 p.m. fireworks display. Learn more at bayviewidaho.org.
Bonners Ferry
Bonners Ferry’s community will go all out this year, beginning with an hour-long parade downtown at 3 p.m. on July 4. Afterward, the Boundary County Fairgrounds will open its doors for all-day fun with vendors, food, games, bounce houses and live music. Local musicians, the Bonners Ferry Orchestra and Post Falls-based Americana, rockabilly musician Rusty Jackson will perform until the fireworks spectacular begins at 10:10 p.m. For more information, visit BonnersFerry4th.com.
Clark Fork
Residents of Clark Fork are getting an early start to the celebrations on July 4 with the 13th annual 5K Freedom Fun Run, beginning at 7 a.m. at the Filling Station Youth Center (108 East First Ave.). Enrollment is $25 for adults, $15 for students or $15 for
members running with a student. The funds support the non-profit Christian youth center and go toward scholarships for local seniors. The downtown parade begins later that day at 9:30 a.m., followed by foot races, vendors, turtle races, raffles and the watermelon eating contest at Memorial Field on the corner of Cedar Street and Ninth Avenue. The annual airplane drop will shower the community in coupons and dollar bills beginning at 1 p.m., and events will continue through the 3 p.m. log sawing, pole climbing and ax throwing competitions until raffle winners are announced at 4 p.m. The firework finale begins at dusk.
Garfield Bay
The warm smell of pancakes in the
park (1226 Garfield Bay Road) from 8-10 a.m. announces the beginning of Garfield Bay’s celebrations. Later, the 10:30 a.m. parade blends into a noon ice cream social and cornhole tournament, followed by live country music in the park with the Jordan Paddock Band from 6-9 p.m.
Hope
Grab a waterfront seat nearly anywhere in Hope to watch a barge launch a firework extravaganza out over Ellisport Bay. The show begins just after dusk on July 4.
Priest River
Though Priest River cancelled its usual fireworks display, the celebration continues with the Fourth of July Family Fun Festival beginning at noon at 111 Main St. The party will include family-friendly games, snow cones, cotton candy, axe throwing, a mechanical bull and a dunk tank.
Sandpoint
The kids will lead the charge in Sandpoint with the annual Children’s Parade at 9:30 a.m., followed by the Grand Parade at 10 a.m., both of which will run from the intersection of Fifth Avenue and Church Street to the Bonner General Health parking lot (across from 301 Cedar Street). Keeping up a tradition that spans more than 70 years, the Sandpoint Lions Club will organize both parades, as well as the following party at Sandpoint City Beach. The festivities will include vendors, live music, the Lions’ beer garden and fireworks over the water at dusk.
family
Photo by Ben Olson
Don’t miss Beerfest at City Beach
By Reader Staff
Kick back with a cold beer and live music while taking in the beauty of Lake Pend Oreille at the Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce’s annual Beerfest on Saturday, July 5, in front of the Edgewater Best Western Resort (56 Bridge Street). The event will run from noon to 5 p.m. and highlights more than 20 beers, ciders and canned cocktails from across the Inland Northwest.
Local favorite jazzy bluegrass band, The Headwaters, will perform their traditional three-part harmonies from 1-4 p.m. Made up of guitarist John Firshi, guitarist Jared Johnston and John Edwards on the upright bass, the trio blends blues, rock, country and more into their own unique sound. Listen at headwatersband.com.
To participate in Beerfest, you must be 21 years of age or older and present a valid ID. Any underage attendees must be accompanied by an adult at all times, and pets are not permitted within the venue unless they’re registered service animals.
Festivalgoers should bring sunscreen, chairs, blankets and shade umbrellas to make the most of the lawn. Designated drivers can join in the fun and enjoy a selection of food and non-alcoholic drinks available for purchase.
Tickets are $55 at bit.ly/SPBeerfest and include a commemorative 7 oz. glass and unlimited pours.
Innovia Foundation awards $15,000 grant to Ethan Murray Fund
By Reader Staff
Innovia Foundation recently awarded the Ethan Murray Fund $15,000 to support expanding access to therapy in the community. The local nonprofit organization is dedicated to increasing access to mental health care for teens and adults who face healthcare barriers or financial hardship.
The fund honors the memory of Ethan Murray, who died in a conflict with a Spokane County Sheriff’s deputy during a mental health crisis in 2019. It provides financial support for therapy services in the local community and currently partners with eight local therapists to ensure individuals receive consistent, community-based mental health support focused on healing, dignity and hope.
EMF also awards scholarships to local high school seniors who have been impacted by mental health challenges or who plan to pursue careers in the mental health field.
“We believe that mental health care is a basic human right, not a privilege,” said Justine Murray, executive director of EMF. “This grant from Innovia Foundation allows us to continue breaking down the barriers that prevent people from getting the help they need. It’s a meaningful investment in healing and hope for our community.”
The $15,000 will directly support the fund’s mission to make mental health care accessible to teens and adults facing financial or insurance barriers by helping to expand the therapy assistance program, allowing more individuals to receive consistent, community-based care.
“With this support, we expect to serve at least ten additional clients, offering them a path toward healing and stability,” said EMF representatives in a recent news release. “This grant moves us closer to our vision of a community where everyone has access to the mental health support they need, regardless of their circumstances.”
Scape Days returns at Snow Valley Garlic Farm
Priest River festival features live music, family-friendly fun
By Ben Olson Reader Staff
Grab the kiddos and head over to the west side of the county for two days of fun and food at Scape Days. The weekend festival is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, July 5 and 6, at Snow Valley Garlic Farm (1007 Snow Valley Road, Priest River).
“This is a mini festival compared to our big one, The Taste of Garlic, in September,” said Noey Richards. “But there will be a bunch of fun events going on.”
Richards said 20-25 vendors will sell everything from food to specialty craft items, including bread, mushrooms, leather goods and, of course, garlic products.
“This festival is very family-orient-
ed,” Richards told the Reader. “It’s a great place to come and let the kids roam. Also, a fun time to come out and socialize with some really cool people, eat some good food and try some of the weird stuff like garlic brownies. Trust me, they’re really good.”
The event takes place on the Snow Valley Garlic Farm property, which is the largest garlic farm in Idaho, surrounded by the beautiful North Idaho scenery. To get there, drive north for about 10 minutes on Highway 57 from Priest River and follow the signs from there.
Along with the vendors, there will be live music both days from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
“The band on Sunday is Oak Street Connection, and they’re an interactive, super family-friendly group where they get the kids all jumping and
dancing around,” Richards said.
For more information, visit snowvalleygarlic.com.
“It’s really breathtaking out here,” Richards said. “Come out and take a deep breath and have some fun.”
Courtesy photo
Courtesy photo
Send event listings to calendar@sandpointreader.com
Trivia Night ($5 entry)
7pm @ Connie’s Lounge
Bingo Night (Hosted by Dusty)
6-8pm @ Idaho Pour Authority
Live Music w/ Right Front Burner
9pm-midnight @ 219 Lounge
Dance, funk, groove, party!
Live Music w/ Bright Moments Jazz
6-8pm @ Baxters on Cedar
Live Music w/ Paul Taylor
5pm @ Connie’s Lounge
Live Music w/ The Blues Kangaroo
5:30-8:30pm @ Smokesmith BBQ
Live Music w/ Lite on Water
6-9pm @ Matchwood Brewing Co.
Folk, rock Americana five-piece band
Live Music w/ Big Phatty & the Inhalers
6-9pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall
Anniversary party and live music w/ Chris Paradis
Noon-3pm @ Smokesmith BBQ
Anniversary party and live music w/ Nights of Neon
5:30-8:30pm @ Smokesmith BBQ
Live Music w/ Mike Wagoner & Sadie Sicilia
5-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery
Live Music w/ Brian Jacobs
6-8pm @ Baxters on Cedar
Sandpoint Chess Club
9am @ Evans Brothers Coffee
Magic with Star Alexander 5-8pm @ Jalapeño’s
Live Music w/ Forest Ray
1-4pm @ Barrel 33
THURSDAY, july 3
Artist reception: Heather Mehra-Pedersen
5-7pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery
PO Winery’s Arist of the Month for July and August. heatherscolors.com
FriDAY, july 4
NO EGO Nights: DJ Daymaker, Lady Oda
8pm @ The Hive
$10. Tickets at livefromthehive.com
Fourth of July party and live music 2:30-9:30pm @ Barrel 33
John Daffron plays from 2:30-5:30pm, Brenden McCoy from 6:30-9:30pm.
Food and drink specials, tiki bar
SATURDAY, july 5
Live Music w/ Meat Sweatz
9pm-midnight @ 219 Lounge Country/rock party band
Live Music w/ Bright Moments Jazz 6-8pm @ Arlo’s Ristorante
Five years of Smokesmith BBQ! Live music and plenty of party surprises!
Live Music w/ Snacks at Midnight 8:45pm @ The Hive
$5. PNW indie-rock
Live Music w/ Ian Newbill
5:30-8:30pm @ Barrel 33
SunDAY, july 6
Live Music w/ Townes Van Saint Jr. 4-5pm @ Idaho Pour Authority
Kanikapila Sundays (Hawaiian open jam)
3pm @ Sunshine on Cedar (Cedar St. Bridge) BYO instrument, free to watch and/or jam
Monday Night Blues Jam w/ John Firshi
7pm @ Eichardt’s Pub
Live piano w/ Rich and Jenny
5-7pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery
monDAY, july 7
Outdoor Experience Group Run
6pm @ Outdoor Experience 3-5 miles, all levels welcome
tuesDAY, july 8
An evening of lively jazz with vocal accompaniment
wednesDAY, july 9
July 3 - 10, 2025
Live Music w/ Kerry Leigh 6-8pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall
Fourth of July celebrations
See Page 16 for a full listing of events
Sandpoint Farmers’ Market 9am-1pm @ Farmin Park
Fresh produce, artisan goods, music by Kathy Colton & the Reluctants
Live Music w/ Truck Mills & Carl Ray Noon-3pm @ Smokesmith BBQ
Live Music w/ Ken Mayginnes 6-9pm @ 1908 Saloon
11th annual Sandpoint Beerfest Noon-5pm @ Sandpoint City Beach
Enjoy unlimited tastes of 20+ beers from regional craft breweries. Live music w/ Headwaters. See Page 17
Tai Chi at City Beach
9:30-10:30am @ Sandpoint City Beach
Friends of the Library monthly book sale 10am-2pm @ Sandpoint Libray Patriotic and Hollywood legend books featured. Memoirs/biographies 2/$1
Old Time Fiddlers jam
2-4pm @ Sandpoint Senior Center
Free performance. Come to watch or bring an instrument and join along
Sandpoint swing dance
6-9pm @ Sandpoint Community Hall
One-hour swing basics dance lesson at 6pm, followed by general dancing from 7-9pm. Couples, singles, all welcome. $10
Matchwood Family Happy Hour
5-7pm @ Matchwood Brewing Co.
Live music with John Firshi
Live piano w/ Peter Lucht
5-7pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery
Jazz and contemporary piano
Live Music w/ Benny Baker
6-8pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall
Live Music w/ Frytz Mor
8-11pm @ Roxy’s
Open Mic Night
7pm @ Eichardt’s Pub
Hosted by Davey “BioBeat” Mullen
Full Draw Film Tour
7pm @ Panida Theater Get tickets at panida.org
ThursDAY, july 10
Trivia Night ($5 entry)
7pm @ Connie’s Lounge
Pairings in the Pines
Tasting event at Pine Street Woods kaniksu.org for more information
Idahoans United for Women and Families
Rise & Sign event
6-9pm @ Matchwood Brewing
Learn about the Reproductive Freedom & Privacy Act, a citizen-led ballot initiative
Sandpoint Farmers’ Market
3-5:30pm @ Farmin Park
Fresh produce, artisan goods, music
Benny on the Deck
5-7:30pm @ Connie’s Lounge
Outdoor music jam. This week’s guests
Sam Puller and Sheldon Packwood
$5 Movie: TransAmerica
7pm @ Panida Theater
Doors open at 6:30pm
Panida screens Full Draw Film Tour
By Reader Staff
It should come as no surprise to North Idaho locals who’ve grown up with the area’s vibrant hunting community that the Full Draw Film Tour would choose Sandpoint as one of the select locations across the nation to screen its 15th season. The Panida Theater (300 North First Ave.) will feature the series of bowhunting short films on Wednesday, July 9 at 7 p.m. Full Draw selected eight films that capture the unique spirit of bowhunting and showcase stories of dedicated hunters overcoming difficult terrain
and physical limitations to secure their prizes. Among the chosen pieces, Back to Bowhunting tells the story of Chase Lay, who, after a traumatic incident leaves him without the use of his arm, learns to hunt with a mouth tab. Additionally, The Last Shot is a nostalgic look into the life of Victor Guarisco, who uses his father’s bow and grandfather’s hunting boots to connect with his lost loved ones.
See what other stories emerge from this crossover of sportsmanship and cinematography. Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for youth ages 17 and younger at panida.org.
Panida to show IndependenceDay as $5 movie
By Ben Olson Reader Staff
Perhaps the second most famous instance of Will Smith smacking somebody in the face happened during the 1996 blockbuster Independence Day when he punched an alien. See it on the big screen Saturday, July 5, at 7 p.m. when the Panida Theater (300 N. First Ave.) screens the PG-13 film as its $5 movie.
Released in the heyday of 1990s blockbusters, Independence Day is an epic adventure starring Smith, Bill Pullman, Jeff Goldblum, Judd Hirsch, Randy Quaid and Vivica A. Fox. It has been credited as the film that caused the resurgence of disaster and sci-fi films that flooded marquees in the late ’90s.
A couple of days before the Fourth of July, an extraterrestrial mothership enters Earth’s orbit just beyond the moon and sends flying saucers to hover over the planet’s largest cities. A few different storylines converge as the world discovers the aliens are not friendly.
What follows is an epic battle that sees Earth’s various militaries struggling to best the foreign invaders as
the brightest and quirkiest minds try to figure out how to win the battle for the planet.
Perhaps the best anecdote about Independence Day came from actor Ethan Hawke, who was initially offered the role of Smith’s fighter pilot character and turned it down because he thought the script was ridiculous.
“I remember reading the script, making fun of some of the lines to my friends. Look at this terrible line: ‘E.T. phone home.’ What a stupid line,” said Hawke.
The actor saw Independence Day on its opening weekend because he thought it would be “amusing to see how bad” it was.
“I walk into the theater, obviously it’s completely sold out. ... Will Smith says, you know, the ‘E.T. phone home’ line and boom, the place roars. ... I’m sitting there going, ‘Oh my god,” he said.
Smith made his own mistake a few years later by turning down the role of Neo in The Matrix. Touché
Don’t miss out like Ethan Hawke. For only $5, you can watch aliens invade Earth. What a deal.
Courtesy photo
OBITUARY
Loris Michael (Aug. 21, 1940 - June 22, 2025)
The world forever changed on August 21, 1940, when Loris Jeanette Michael entered it on a kitchen table in Ansley, Neb. and changed again on June 22, 2025, when Loris made her exit.
Growing up in North Platte, Neb., as the second of six children, Loris nurtured a deeply connected group of friends lovingly and jokingly known as “The Floozies.” “Lor-ass” (her name in Floozie vernacular) enjoyed their many reunions, and they remained close throughout their lives.
After graduating in 1958, Loris attended business college in Colorado, then returned to Nebraska in 1962 to care for her younger siblings and critically ill mother. When her father remarried, Loris hit the road with a high school friend to move to San Francisco — a big adventure for a small-town girl from Nebraska.
She met her first husband in 1964 on a blind date, and in the five years they were together, they had three children (Anna, Lisa and Dino). Loris was always amazing with young kids. She started a home daycare where she took care of seventeen children and still managed to keep everything perfectly neat and clean. In 1975, Loris
relocated to Foster City, Calif., in search of a better public school system for her children. There, sunbathing by the community pool, she met her future husband, Dick Michael, and charmed the bachelor enough to pursue her even with her three rambunctious children splashing away. We’re still not sure whether it was her extreme beauty or her effervescent personality, but either way, a strong union formed, and Loris and Dick enjoyed a fifty-year relationship together — long committed even before Dick succumbed to “social suicide” in 1983 (Dick’s name for marriage).
Loris worked as a legal secretary and later managed the Jewelry Mart and Gift Center in San Francisco, which housed over three hundred showrooms in a multi-story building that filled an entire city block. In the Bay Area, Loris gathered another group of amazing friends who became her California family. A sisterhood of strong and independent women, they supported each other, nurtured one another’s children and remained incredibly loyal and loving to one another. Confident and strong, Loris would give what she proudly called “bitch lessons” to the others, empowering them to advocate for themselves and not take any abuse during a time that was difficult for women in the workplace. Advocacy was a hallmark of her life and a thread in the fabric of the lives she touched.
Along the way, Dick and Loris enjoyed vacations in Mexico, Hawaii and Sandpoint. Captivated by Bonner County, it became their dream to move there, and in 1980, they purchased property on which they would eventually build their dream home — big enough to host the family and friends they loved. They moved into their home on the shore of Lake Pend Oreille in 1999, and from that point forward, not a day would pass where one wouldn’t hear Loris say, “I feel like I’ve died and gone to heaven.”
Upon moving to Sandpoint, Loris quickly started contributing as a community volunteer. Going above and beyond what was expected was second nature to Loris. As a kindergarten reader, she provided every student with at least five books; as a Court Appointed Special Advocate, she made sure the kids had ski passes, golf lessons and all the equipment needed to support their activities; as a volunteer at the Senior Center, she not only served on the board as a general member, Vice President and president, but she also wrote personalized thank you notes to every donor in appreciation of their contributions. She loved her many other communities — the Sandpoint United Methodist Church, golf club, Bonner General Health hospice volunteer group and the Community Assistance League. She hosted weekly Mahjong games with friends, including people she had just met. She loved writing stories and contributed frequently to the local newspapers. Loris was honored to become a Woman of Wisdom in 2018. She faced immense challenges, battling cancer in 2005 and surviving a horrendous car crash in 2022. Yet, in the face of each challenge, she remained optimistic.
She was preceded in heaven by her mother, Theda Newman; her father, Irwin “Josh” Newman; her brothers, Larry and Don; and some dearly loved friends who she missed daily. With each loss, her commitment to living her life to the fullest and shining the brightest only grew, and she fostered her many relationships with vigor. She welcomed strangers as friends and connected people to the very end.
She is survived by her husband, Dick Michael; her “three little darlings” Anna (Erich) Fruehling, Lisa Papagni and Dino Papagni; Dino’s wife, Maiko Togami; her grandchildren, Jason (41), Jessie (39), Noah (27), Lisa (21), Michael (20), Eli (20) and Koa (2); her siblings Peggy, Leslie and Linda; and a huge, beloved extended family.
Loris would be happy to know that she is missed dearly and would request that we carry on with our lives by leading with the love, acceptance and kindness that she so strongly exhibited.
A celebration of Loris’ life will be held at The United Methodist Church in Sandpoint on Saturday, August 2, at 1 p.m., followed by a reception at the Sandpoint Senior Center. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Sandpoint Senior Center in her memory.
Loris Michael. Courtesy photo
MUSIC
Right Front Burner, 219 Lounge, July 4
What better way to celebrate freedom than going down to the 219 Lounge and watching Sandpoint’s favorite party and dance band get down? RFB will play the Niner from 9 p.m. to midnight on Friday, July 4. There is no cover for this show, and
it’s for folks ages 21 and older only, as always. You might recognize the trio of Paul Gunter, Dave Pecha and Alvah Street as the Follies house band. They’ve played a special blend of synth rock, funk, groove, rock and everything in between for so long, your
Smokesmith Bar-B-Que celebrates 5 years with Anniversary Bash
By Reader Staff
There’s an art to barbecue that few are lucky enough to master. When it comes to Smokesmith Bar-B-Que, however, they know what to do with their meat.
The restaurant and live music venue will celebrate five years in Sandpoint with its Anniversary Bash on Saturday, July 5, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
They’ll throw down with live music and barbecue all day long, offering mouth-watering specials and plenty of surprises for those who wander in for the good food and stay for the good vibes.
The live music kicks off at noon with Chris Paradis playing until 3 p.m. Paradis is a local musician and teacher who often performs as a one-man band on vocals, guitar, bass, banjo, mandolin and percussion. He plays a mix of blues, folk, bluegrass, funk, jazz and even some world music.
Bringing the festivities up a notch will be Nights of Neon, rockin’ from 5:30-8:30 p.m. This high-energy band plays a curated mix of funk and soul that always brings the party. Bring your friends, your appetite and your celebratory spirit to 102 South Boyer Ave. to cheers to five years with Smokesmith Bar-B-Que.
mom probably even went out to see them live. Do it!
— Ben Olson
9 p.m., FREE, 21+. 219 Lounge, 208-263-5673, 219 N. First Ave., 219lounge.com. Listen at reverbnation.com/theofficialrfb.
2025 SCHEDULE
DJ Daymaker and Lady Oda, The Hive, July 4 Snacks at Midnight, The Hive, July 5
The most recent installment of No Ego Nights comes to the Hive on Friday, July 4, with Sandpoint’s own Lady Oda joining the Pacific Northwest sensation DJ Daymaker for an unforgettable EDM experience. Daymaker traveled the West Coast’s EDM hotspots before finding his niche creating “crèmo house” music — a combination of melodic house music, disco, techno and anything else that
strikes his fancy. Oda — AKA Aria Horowitz — likewise mixes funky, techno house music that drags people to the dance floor. Wear comfortable shoes and prepare to get a workout bustin’ a move at this Independence Day bash.
— Soncirey Mitchell
8 p.m., $5, 21+. The Hive, 208-920-9039, 207 N. First Ave., livefromthehive.com. Listen at djdaymaker.com.
Recently returned from their tour of Japan, the Spokane-based Snack at Midnight will showcase their best indie-rock originals this Fourth of July weekend at the Hive. One of the most successful bands to come out of the Inland Northwest in quite a while, this group doesn’t fit neatly into one genre. Their music can often take on an Arctic Monkeys-like alternative vibe before slowing into
This week’s RLW by Ed Ohlweiler
READ
Ever heard of “post-biblio-depression?” Probably not. I just made it up to describe the feeling you get when you finish a great book and realize you can never read it for the first time again. Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard comes to mind. Her collection of writings titled The Abundance showcases her crystalline observations and depictions of the natural world. While I’ve always loved to read books, she makes me love to read sentences, rich and savory as they are.
a folk ballad or diving headfirst into punk. The common denominator? Each track is as irresistible as the last. See what high-energy headbangers they pull out next this Saturday, July 5.
— Soncirey Mitchell
8:45 p.m., $5, 21+. The Hive, 208-920-9039, 207 N. First Ave., livefromthehive.com. Listen at snacksatmidnight.com.
LISTEN WATCH
Have you ever fallen in love with a voice? I’ve had a purely platonic “thing” for the lilting Scottish brogue of Fiona Richie, host of the award-winning Thistle and Shamrock, for the last 41 years. She recently retired, and in her farewell show, Doogie McLean thanks her for all she’s done to bring Celtic music “across the pond.” Check out the archives on npr.org or somafm.com/ thistle/.
I’m still struck by CODA’s powerful depiction of what it’s like to be the sole translator for an entire family. It has humor, pathos and everything else you hope to see in a movie, but what really gets me is the execution. Is acting better now than when I was a kid? Most definitely, but so is casting. The film reminds us what Hollywood is capable of without all the contrived drama, action and explosions.
From Daily Bulletin, July 3, 1935
MINISTER BACK FROM AUTO TOUR
The Rev. and Mrs. G. Gabrielsen, accompanied by the Rev. and Mrs. O. Engh returned to Sandpoint last Friday from nearly a month spent in the middlewest.
Leaving here June 10, the two ministers and their wives attended a Lutheran church convention at Havre and then motored east to Cumstock, Minn. where they visited at the home of Mrs. Gabrielsen’s mother.
Enroute they also visited the Rev. Gabrielsen’s brother, the Rev. Thomas Gabrielsen, at Williston, N.D. The Rev. Thomas Gabrielsen is serving three rural farm communities out of Williston and next fall will also teach Latin and religion in the Williston high school.
The party spent some time in Glacier national park on their return.
“There was a tremendous difference in the appearance of the country east of Havre this year as compared to last year,” the Rev. Gabrielsen said. “Crops looked fine and the country as a whole was a garden of Eden compared to what it was last year. Sufficient rain has fallen to assure the farmers of a reasonably good crop and as a result business conditions are greatly improved throughout eastern Montana and the Dakotas.
“The only places we observed where the crops were damaged were in the vicinity of Shelby and Joplin. From Havre east, however, the crops looked good.”
The party spent some time inspecting the huge Fort Peck dam project which they found very interesting, the Rev. Gabrielsen said.
BACK OF THE BOOK Until the wheels come off
By Ben Olson Reader Staff
Sometimes, in the wee hours of the morning when sleep won’t come, I’ll let the YouTube algorithms make me a cocktail. In one particular video, I watched a car in a police chase that had lost all four tires after running over spike strips. It was still evading police on its wheel rims. A reporter in the helicopter filming overhead said, “It’s amazing that this driver has been able to keep driving on just rims for the past 20 minutes. There’s nothing left now but metal and sparks. It’s anyone’s guess how much longer he can keep this up before he’s captured.”
I’m not trying to oversimplify things too much, but America is that fleeing vehicle without tires right now. It’s tooling along at about 75 mph on just its rims, throwing sparks in a fiery red, white and blue shower as people watch, either horrified or cheering them on with hot dogs and mustard running down the corners of their mouths. The middle ground doesn’t seem to exist anymore, as long as we remain entertained.
Independence Day is the time of year when patriotic fervor usually reaches a fever pitch. For days before and after the holiday, Americans walk around in flag-festooned shorts and bathing suits, hollering at anyone who will listen about how much they love their country, chastising anyone they think doesn’t love it enough.
For me, the Fourth of July can be a time of contradiction. One of my earliest songs contained the lyric: “We celebrate the birth of our country by buying illegal fireworks from the people we stole it from.” Yeah.
I can already hear the Diesel
engines revving up outside my office, readying to belch a load of coal into the air as a form of protest against my lack of cult-eyed devotion toward my country, but I don’t care. Dissidence is not illegal... yet.
I love this country in many ways, but right now, I’m not seeing a whole lot to love about America. We are hurting and tumbling into a morass, but all I hear are the cheers of those who apparently enjoy the downfall.
Just days before the holiday, the Republican Senate narrowly passed President Donald Trump’s amended megabill, formerly known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” which is being hailed by sycophantic supporters as the savior of our nation. In reality, this bill will take more away from those who need it and give more to those who don’t, all while adding a proposed $650 billion to the deficit every year.
Think of it as a reverse Robin Hood.
Those who will benefit the most are, of course, corporations and the extremely wealthy. The bill would extend Trump’s tax cuts enacted in 2017, permanently lowering the corporate tax rate from 35% to 21%.
Sadly, if signed into law, this bill will see an estimated 12 million low-income people lose their health insurance by cutting $1 trillion from Medicaid. A recent Georgetown University study found that 40% of children in small and rural towns receive their health insurance from Medicaid.
Making matters worse, the bill includes severe cuts to SNAP, also known as food stamps, by requiring adults ages 18-64 without disabilities to work at least 80 hours a month to receive benefits.
Along with this ugly bill, there are attempts to somehow evade the 14th
Amendment to the U.S. Constitution by ending birthright citizenship. Think about that for a moment; if they succeed in overturning birthright citizenship, they can essentially deport anyone for any reason.
Case in point, Trump called the New York state lawmaker Zohran Mamdani a “communist” and made the stupid claim that, “A lot of people are saying he’s here illegally. We’re going to look at everything.”
This is actual fascism, folks.
There are videos dropped online every day of masked ICE raids, dragging people off the street bound for the newly opened “Alligator Alcatraz” detention center in Florida. The Trump administration is so proud of their new concentration camp that they’re selling merchandise.
Trump is also selling a new cologne, a gold-plated “American” smartphone made in China, meme coins and anything else he can dupe his followers into buying.
Two Democratic state lawmakers were assassinated in Minnesota and it barely made a blip in the news cycle.
To top it off, an opinion from the Idaho Attorney General’s Office June 30 stated that an Idaho teacher can no longer display an “Everyone is Welcome Here” sign in their classroom after House Bill 41 went into effect July 1.
We’re not even hiding it anymore. America has become a cruel, desperate nation led by cruel, desperate people. The wheels came off long ago. We’re just shooting sparks right now. And lots of guns.
So hang your “No One is Welcome Here” sign, roll some coal on pedestrians and have a happy Fourth of July. You’ve certainly earned it.
Laughing Matter
Solution on page 22
By Bill Borders
mugwump /MUHGwuhmp/
Word Week of the Corrections:
[noun]
1. a person who is unable to make up his or her mind on a particular issue.
“Typical mugwump on the fence; mug hanging out on one side, wump on the other.” (an actual quote by Publisher Ben Olson’s government teacher Terry Iverson.)”
“How should I know? I had the week off.”
—Soncirey Mitchell, Reader senior writer
If you’re ever selling your house, and some people come by, and a big rat comes out and he’s
draging the rattrap because it didn’t quite kill him, just tell the people he’s your pet and that’s a trick you taught him.
CROSSWORD
1. Young males
5. Interruption
9. Garbage
14. Fertilizer component 15. Anagram of “Lima” 16. Undue speed
17. Sheaths
19. Birdlike 20. “Hurray!”
21. Clothes for males 23. Endured
25. Removed by eroding 28. Muck
29. Lay turf
32. Alarm
33. Permit 34. Urge (on) 35. Pitch
36. Holdup
38. Anagram of “Tine”
39. Managed with difficulty 40. Viper 41. Is melodramatic 43. Color of some sunsets 44. Circle fragment 45. Parts of dressers 46. Life forms 48. Egg-laying mammal
