Birthday celebrations are a relatively new tradition — at least for regular folks. We take it for granted now; but, for most of history, only the very powerful marked the occasion. Though rulers from the pharaohs to George Washington celebrated their birthdays, everyday Americans didn’t start paying attention until the 1860s or 1890s. Historians at Johns Hopkins University believe the practice began between the first and second phases of the U.S. Industrial Revolution, a transformative period for the domestic sphere. With the introduction of machines, families became less reliant on child labor and subsequently had fewer children. This, historians believe, meant children had less economic value but more social value within the home, which gave parents more reason and opportunity to celebrate them. That isn’t to say that people didn’t love their children before 1860; it was simply necessary that they apprenticed, tended the house or helped on the farm to support the family, which left little time and money for eating cake. Another thing that likely gave rise to the celebrations was the newly industrialized peoples’ reliance on clocks. From train timetables to factory shifts, Americans were — for the first time — expected to be hyper aware of the passage of time every minute of every day. This fascination with scheduling likely made it easier and more common to mark individual holidays, such as birthdays.
The song “Happy Birthday” — considered to be one of the most recognizable and popular songs in the world — became part of the celebrations around 1912. The tune is based on “Good Morning to All,” generally attributed to Patty and Mildred J. Hill, a sister-duo who wrote the melody around 1893. After publication, the song became synonymous with the celebration and has since been translated into at least 18 languages. Warner Chappell Music bought the copyright in 1988, charging as much as $700 for its licensed use in movies or other media. It entered the public domain in 2015 after a court ruled that the old copyright did not cover the melody or words. Before then, if a movie or TV show featured a birthday celebration but skipped the singing — or changed the song — it was likely because the producers refused to pay the licensing fee.
Though the song remains the same, kids’ birthdays as we know them today, full of Roblox gift cards and VR headsets, owe much of their distinction from adult parties to the rise of youth culture after World War II. Youth had been expected to contribute to the war effort, but once that was over, a time of economic prosperity and increased freedom ensued. Teens had more free time to take advantage of the booming consumer economy, creating their own unique trends through innovations in fashion, music and more. The post-war era gave young people the opportunity to distance themselves from traditional adult society and develop distinctive cultures with different priorities — often fun, freedom and rebellion. The greasers and rock ’n’ roll of the ’50s became the punks and grunge of the ’80s and ’90s, and now the e-boys and K-pop of the 2020s. So, parents now buy their kids “brain rot” toys that they don’t understand because their great-grandparents decided that going to the soda parlor was “the bees’ knees.”
DEAR READERS,
Happy Thanksgiving and hooray for the first snow of the year. I had initially planned to write an article delving into old Sandpoint newspapers to see how they celebrated the holiday 100 years ago; but, as is often the case, I had to kill it off to make room for more time-sensitive stories. There never seems to be enough room in this paper to encapsulate all the happenings in our wee shire.
One aspect of that article I’d like to share was the quaint, small-town feel of the newspapers back then. For example, a whole page was dedicated to social reports (more like gossip), detailing how such-and-such a family visited their extended relatives all the way in Spokane, or received family from far-off places. We don’t traffic in gossip at the Reader, but we always strive to retain the small-town vibes that keep our community humble and weird.
Wishing you all an excellent holiday weekend. See you next week.
–Ben Olson, publisher
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This week’s cover features a photo of Alani Strang, balancing her mind... and her friends. Photo by Woods Wheatcroft.
Happy snow day!
Here’s what else went down at the Nov. 19 council meeting
While the NDO issue dominated, plenty else happened — or will happen soon — at City Hall
By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff
The agenda for the emotionally charged, marathon Nov. 19 meeting of the Sandpoint City Council underwent some rearranging prior to taking testimony and deliberation on the item that drew an overflow crowd to the chambers — the amendment of Sandpoint’s non-discrimination ordinance.
An estimated 80 people spoke during three hours of public comment — with many more filling the seats inside, as well as reaching capacity in the City Hall waiting areas and spilling into the parking lot. More than 130 people also attended the meeting via Zoom.
Ultimately, the council voted 4-3 in a series of tie votes broken by Mayor Jeremy Grimm to amend the longstanding ordinance to remove local definitions of protected classes — including reference in City Code to gender expression and identity as, “A gender related identity, appearance, expression or behavior of an individual regardless of a person’s assigned sex at birth.”
The move came following allegations that a transgender woman used the locker room at the Litehouse YMCA, though no policies or crimes were committed and the “incident” was first reported in a Facebook post that gained widespread local traction.
In addition, the new ordinance eliminates the Human Relations Review Board and local complaint process, incorporates federal and Idaho civil rights law “directly by reference” and clarifies that “individuals retain full rights to pursue complaints through
state and federal agencies and the courts.”
While that agenda item dominated the night, the council was also scheduled to take up several other matters, including:
• A decision on the final plat of the University Park subdivision Phase 3;
• Whether to establish an Idaho Community Development Block Grant redevelopment area for Phase 3b of the long-running downtown revitalization project;
• A proposed resolution on a contract agreement with Big Sky ID Corporation for work on the Bridge Street sidewalk and retaining wall construction project;
• A request to award a professional services agreement for Phase 3b of downtown revitalization;
• An update on Cedar Street reconstruction from Lincoln Avenue to Division Avenue;
• Proposed amendments to the city’s ordinance regulating open containers on public property.
In addition, Council President Deb Ruehle moved at the top of the meeting to add a discussion of the city administrator position to the agenda, — an item that she said had been proposed on Nov. 17, but which was not included.
“I do not feel it’s an emergency, but I do feel like it is an item that needs to be put out into the public,” Ruehle said.
Councilors Joel Aispuro, Justin Dick, Pam Duquette and Kyle Schreiber voted in favor of adding the item to the agenda following the action taken on the non-discrimination ordinance, while Councilor Rick Howarth
voted “no.”
Before that, Schreiber made a motion to remove the item on the University Park final plat from the consent calendar, saying, “The mayor has personally profited from the University Park land development and therefore it’s inappropriate for him to sit at the dais and ask us to approve it — especially as a batch approval with mundane items like meeting minutes and payables.”
Publicly available documents show that Grimm worked with developers of University Park — or University Place, as it has been called in the past — as a consultant through his private firm Whiskey Rock Planning +Consulting.
That item will now be placed on the regular business agenda for the Wednesday, Dec. 3 meeting.
Ruehle then moved to push the NDO action item to the end of the meeting, opening the way for a series of votes to table the remaining items to the Dec. 3 meeting — other than the establishment of an ICDBG
redevelopment area and the item to approve expansion of the Bridge Street sidewalk, which is a longstanding project to bring the sidewalk from six feet to 12 feet in width, which would be accomplished by constructing a retaining wall that would align the walkway with the property line at the corner of Bridge Street and First Avenue.
The project would cost just shy of $400,000 — with most of the funding coming from Bridge Street LLC, which has been planning a condo development on the site for years — while the city would cover the remainder from its sidewalk fund.
Though long in the works, Schreiber took issue with the bid amount, which he said came in over budget, and called for reconsideration of the project.
“We can get a wider sidewalk by moving the curb into the street without building a $300,000 retaining wall,” he said. “And it’s likely that we could have been able to include that contract with other downtown revitalization work.”
Councilors voted 5-1 to
approve the sidewalk contract.
Howarth was the lone dissenting “no” vote on each motion to table various items; but, with the rest of the agenda out of the way — and following consideration of the non-discrimination ordinance — councilors took up the discussion on the city administrator position.
“The reason I’m bringing this forward is in reflection of the email that this council received from the mayor on June 12, 2025, where he explains to us because of family responsibility and maintaining his business here in the community, that he would only be able to give us a very little amount of his time,” Ruehle said, adding that Idaho Code does not require the mayor to be in attendance for any set amount of time.
“So to make the argument simply to pay the mayor more — I don’t believe is a great argument,” she said. “So that’s why we are back to the city administrator question.”
At the June 25 council meeting, Ruehle read aloud the text of an email that Grimm sent to city officials June 12
The Sandpoint City Council listens to testimony during an October 2025 meeting. Photo by Ben Olson
BoCo fairgrounds’ new bookkeeper finds discrepancies in finances
By Soncirey Mitchell Reader Staff
The Bonner County board of commissioners and members of the Fair Board met Nov. 24, for a special meeting to examine the fairgrounds’ finances following the recent onboarding of its new bookkeeper.
Jennifer Wyman, who took on the role Nov. 14, reported on multiple errors discovered in the fair’s published financials, including improperly cleared checks and miscalculated profits and expenses.
The fairgrounds’ finances have been the subject of a yearslong controversy after allegations of misappropriated funds came to light in 2022, the investigation of which was complicated by the apparent suicide of then-Fairgrounds Director Darcey Smith that year. The commissioners approved a total audit of the fair’s finances in 2024, and have since worked with the Fair Board to institute new practices to improve transparency and proper financial planning.
As part of that process, the board previously hired Samantha Schmidt to act as the fair’s treasurer, beginning her tenure with a salary of $1,300 per month, Commissioner Asia Williams said at the Nov. 24 BOCC meeting. By
the time Wyman and current Fair Board Treasurer Staci McBrayer took over for her in November, that number had jumped to $5,000 per month, despite the fact that Schmidt did not have a contract with the fair organization. Wyman is contracted at $1,200 per month, while McBrayer works as a volunteer.
Schmidt sent a letter to the fair Nov. 13 containing what was apparently her final $5,000 paycheck. According to Williams, Schmidt did not cash the check, believing — though unable to confirm — that she had been paid too many times. Neither Schmidt nor Wyman had determined to whom the money belonged as of press time.
“How does the bookkeeper not understand what check she ought [to have earned]?” asked Williams at the Nov. 24 meeting.
“Your bookkeeper, actually, in defense of the payment, says, ‘They never gave me a contract. They’re just paying me.’ Which is a little bit [of an] oxymoron for the bookkeeper to be getting money for something that’s not contracted,” Williams said. “You guys [the Fair Board] were aware of this, because I have asked, ‘What’s the updated contract? What duties is she doing today, at $5,000, that have
stating that, upon taking office in 2024, he promised to “reconsider the city administrator role and restore executive authority to the department heads while serving as a handson mayor overseeing essential functions including our water and sewer utilities.”
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 + Consulting. It’s increasingly
increased progressively?’”
The $5,000 payment in question is one of several issues Wyman uncovered regarding how the fair has handled checks for the past several years. The organization has an outstanding ledger of checks that allegedly did not clear; however, Wyman could not verify whether that information was accurate, as “every check number is incorrect.”
“Were we verifying the name on the checks? Were we verifying the amount of the checks when we were clearing transactions? I don’t know that without going backwards,” said Wyman.
Having brought the confusion to the Fair Board’s attention, Wyman requested permission to review and correct the data, which is outside the scope of her current contract and will therefore incur to-be-determined additional charges. The Fair Board will consider giving Wyman a “notto-exceed dollar amount” to work within while she verifies the checks and alters the subsequent financial statements.
Wyman has already uncovered “incorrect” information in the fair’s Fiscal Year 2024 financial reports, including “negatives on our accounts payable” and “large amounts on our accounts receivable.”
According to Wyman,
hard to reconcile my dedication to the job as mayor with what I’m actually paid.”
He then informed the council that, as of July 1, he would work part-time “while still remaining accessible for key city initiatives.”
At the time, Grimm said he anticipated being available Wednesdays at City Hall and for emergencies or related special meetings.
The mayor’s position carries a salary of about $24,000 per year. Meanwhile, the city administrator job — which was held by Jennifer Stapleton from 2015 until her resignation in December 2023, about six months before the council voted to eliminate the role
many entries were incorrectly categorized in the fair’s QuickBooks accounts, throwing off the overall profit and expense tallies.
Based on the information apparently available to Wyman, she has determined that the fair loses money on most of its high-profile events. The 2024 Lost in the ‘50s concert cost the fair approximately $17,000 — not offset by revenue — and the organization lost an additional $94,000 during the 2024 fair week.
Based on those findings, Fair Board Chair Tim Mahan said that, in the future, the fair will prioritize more financially viable endeavors. The fairgrounds has already announced that it will not elect “rodeo royalty” in 2026, or likely host another Lost in the ’50s concert.
“2024 is the first year that [the fair manager] has actually been able to collect data; and, moving forward, we have a lot clearer picture now than we had on what things we intuitively knew — like that the concert was not a moneymaker,” said Mahan.
Though the fair is operating with approximate numbers, the financial reports are further thrown off by information that was apparently deleted from QuickBooks.
“There was an attempt to
— had a budget of $335,099 in Fiscal Year 2024, with $220,951 in salaries and wages and $71,798 in benefits.
By contrast, the mayor’s office in the FY’24 budget totaled $169,547, with $22,350 in salaries and $18,575 in benefits.
In June, Grimm argued that mayors in Idaho communities smaller than Sandpoint earn between $85,000 and $87,000 a 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 in the June 12 email. Grimm, as well as
remove old, closed bank accounts off of the records; and, in that process, outstanding checks that were not cleared were voided,” said Wyman. “What that does is that removes that expense for whatever that period is from that period. These are items that were dated all the way back to 2023 — [the] majority of them were in 2024. You guys have an odd calendar year or fiscal year, so I recognize that it basically affected the prior two fiscal years of data.”
Though many of those checks represent “very small” amounts, each incorrect entry has compounded, altering total calculations by a yet unknown amount.
“There were also bill payment checks that were never cashed. Whether the vendor or the recipient received the check — that’s what you have to then investigate, and go through your ledger and make sure that that check didn’t get incorrectly cleared,” said Wyman.
Wyman did not give an estimate for how long it will take to rectify the incorrect information. In the meantime, the Fair Board will host a special meeting in the coming weeks to vote on the scope of — and budget for — her revisions.
Duquette and Schreiber — and, to a more ambivalent extent, Ruehle — all ran for their current terms in office in support for removing the city administrator position based on general dissatisfaction with the direction of city decisions and what had been described as centralized control by an unelected official, running roughshod over both council and mayor, as well as staff.
“I am well aware that the community was not happy previously, but I’d like to state that if this were to move forward, there would be significant guardrails,” Ruehle said on Nov. 19. “There would be lots of discussion in the checks and balances area,
so that if we were to move in this direction it would not take a similar direction as it had before.”
Following her opening statements, Ruehle moved to table further discussion until the Dec. 3 meeting, to which councilors unanimously agreed.
The Sandpoint City Council meets every other Wednesday of the month at 5:30 p.m. in Council Chambers at City Hall (1123 Lake St.). To attend remotely, go to sandpointidaho.gov/calendar, click on the desired meeting and follow instructions to access the Zoom stream. City Hall meetings are recorded and posted to the city’s YouTube channel.
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Gov. Little: Idaho Legislature to make ‘significant’ budget decisions in 2026 Legislature
Medicaid funding may be a ‘challenge’ this year amid projected state budget shortfall
By Laura Guido Idaho Capital Sun
Facing a significant projected budget deficit, Idaho lawmakers will have major spending and cutting decisions to make during the upcoming legislative session, Gov. Brad Little said on Nov.24, though he remained seemingly optimistic.
Little, during an Idaho AARP telephone town hall, addressed questions regarding education, health care, immigration and other issues.
“There’s going to be some significant decisions that the Legislature is going to make this year, but I would project that, generally, the state will continue with their upward trajectory,” Little said. “Right now, we’ve already had to dial back spending a little bit, mainly to compensate for some of the tax bills that we did in previous years and the [federal] Great Big Beautiful Bill is going to have another impact.”
A recent Idaho Fiscal Policy Center report found that tax cuts over the past five years have reduced the state’s revenue by $4 billion since 2021, the Idaho Capital Sun reported.
The projected budget deficit for the current fiscal year is $58.4 million, the Sun previously reported. The projection does not include the impact of the federal tax and spending budget package, or “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” which could result in an additional $284.4 million reduction in annual revenue, according to an analysis by the Idaho Center for Fiscal Policy.
The budget shortfall is estimated to increase over time, with one scenario shared with state budget committee members this month showing a potential $555.2 million deficit for fiscal year 2027.
Little said that about 22% of the state’s general fund is set aside in a rainy day fund for emergency use.
“I don’t think it’s raining. I think there’s some clouds out there, but I don’t think it’s raining,” he said. “[O]ur ethos in Idaho is, don’t spend money we don’t have, save for a rainy day, be prudent about it, don’t grow government too much and that’s what we’ll continue to do going forward.”
Private school choice tax credit unlikely to increase this year
Two callers in the AARP telephone town hall questioned the governor about the school choice tax credit approved in 2025, which set aside $50 million for a $5,000 per student credit that could go toward education expenses — including private school tuition. House Bill 93 allows families with incomes at or below 300% of the federal poverty level to receive the money in an advance payment rather than reimbursement later.
One caller questioned why Little signed the bill when more than 86% of those who contacted his office about the bill asked him to veto it, Idaho Education News reported
A Twin Falls resident asked, “Would you at least veto any increase, even if you won’t do anything about what you signed already?”
Little responded that he would “be very surprised” if the Legislature added money to the program, because it’s still in its infancy.
“We haven’t even started it yet, we’re just getting the rules in place to see how it works,” he said.
Little also said he signed the bill because he proposed school choice legislation in his 2025 State of the State Address, and said the bill met enough of his requirements to be “contained” and “means-tested,” or targeted only at certain income groups.
The bill in its first year prioritizes families at or below the 300% poverty level, which for a family of four is an annual income of $96,450. However, in the later years, it prioritizes families who have previously received it.
He also received a question about the accountability guidelines in the legislation and not being “as stringent” as they are for public schools. The requirements under the bill include that the money goes to K-12 education “that includes, at a minimum, English language arts, mathematics, science and social studies,” according to the bill language.
Little said the regulations on public K-12 schools are overly burdensome.
“I, frankly, think we ought to look
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Bits ’n’ Pieces
From east, west and beyond
The U.S. Coast Guard swiftly reversed a recent announcement that swastikas and nooses would no longer be regarded as hate symbols, following widespread public outrage, CNN reported.
After President Donald Trump said he would meet with New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, who he had frequently insulted, their recent meeting was reported as congenial. Mamdani came to discuss policy and federal aid. According to the Jacobin, Trump values smarts, good looks and charm — all of which Mamdani possesses.
Trump’s deployment of federalized National Guard troops to “blue” U.S. cities has tallied up a tax bill of “at least $437 million to date,” according to independent research reported by the National Campaign for Justice. The NCJ stated that Trump’s administration is concealing records about the full scope of the spending and which agencies are footing the bill.
The recent U.N. climate talks in Brazil ended with no agreement on phasing out fossil fuels, NPR reported. Plans for next spring were made for the first international conference to focus specifically on transitioning from fossil fuels. According to scientists, cutting overall greenhouse gas emissions by half by 2035 would quickly lower levels of warming.
Fox News poll: Voters say the White House is doing the economy more harm than good, while CBS’s price tracker shows food costs are 18.2% higher now than in early 2022.
Trump’s busy week, as reported by various media: he called a reporter “piggy” when she asked a question he did not like; he defended Saudi Arabia’s crown prince over the murder and dismemberment of a Washington Post journalist, dismissing the deed by saying “a lot of people didn’t like” him and “things happen”; and he said lawmakers who reminded members of the military that they do not have to obey illegal commands are engaging in “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR punishable by DEATH.”
Polling over the past month shows Trump’s approval rating falling to an average of 34.3%. However, Trump said on Nov. 22: “I have just gotten
By Lorraine H. Marie Reader Contributor
the highest poll numbers of my ‘political career.’”
Trump recently had four legal setbacks, Newsweek reported: his highest-profile deportation effort appears ready to unravel, his administration was ordered to resume the deferred action program for illegal immigrants, a judge blocked him from ending temporary deportation protections and another judge blocked the deployment of the Memphis National Guard.
The White House’s recent “peace plan” proposal for Russia and Ukraine was embraced by Russia, but left democracy proponents aghast, various media reported. Sen. Mike Rounds,-R-S.D., said the plan was a “starting point,” noting that “it looked more like it was written in Russian to begin with.” The White House said the plan included input from all sides. But Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, said the plan “rewards [Russia’s] aggression.”
Key elements of the peace plan, meant to end the almost four-year war of aggression by Russia against Ukraine, include Ukraine being forced to withdraw from its lands that Russia has failed to claim and forbidden from joining NATO. What’s more, NATO forces would be prohibited from being stationed in Ukraine and the nation would have to abandon claims holding Russia responsible for its actions in the war, among which the U.N. has described acts such as torture and crimes against humanity.
The plan stipulates that Russia will not invade neighboring countries and NATO will not expand further, while Ukraine would declare itself neutral and officially adopt the Russian language. Moscow would agree to using $100 billion of its frozen assets for rebuilding Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine needs a peace that ensures Russia does not invade again. His country and Western allies have been discussing the plan.
Blast from the (recent) past: Prior to Zelenskyy’s public berating earlier this year in the Oval Office, his approval rating was 57%. After, it rose to 67%.
Idahoans United reaches 50K signatures for Reproductive Freedom and Privacy Act
By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff
Idahoans United for Women and Families announced Nov. 20 that the campaign has collected more than 50,000 signatures toward qualifying the Reproductive Freedom and Privacy Act for the 2026 ballot.
“This milestone reflects strong statewide momentum and positions the citizen-led initiative firmly on track to meet Idaho’s robust legal requirements for ballot qualification,” organizers stated in a news release.
According to Idahoans United, the proposed legislation “seeks to restore the reproductive rights Idahoans held for nearly five decades prior to the state’s abortion ban (or ‘trigger ban’), which went into effect three years ago.”
Meanwhile, the organization stated, volunteers have fanned out across the state for the past four months to gather signatures as well as stories from
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at the rules we have for public schools and make them more akin to charter schools,” he said. “I’m all for that.”
Medicaid may face further cuts
A St. Anthony resident, who said she had a child with autism and owned an agency that provided services to people with disabilities, questioned Little about the recent 4% cut to provider reimbursement rates for those who serve Medicaid patients.
The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare announced the cuts in August, a week after Little directed state agencies to cut mid-year budgets by 3% in response to the projected budget shortfall.
Little said that the budget for the program had grown too much.
“As I look forward to Medicaid funding this coming year, it’s going to be a challenge again,” he said. “The bottom line is, the growth in Medicaid, both at the federal
people affected by the ban.
“Crossing the 50,000 signature threshold is both a celebration and a clear signal that Idahoans want their voices heard,” wrote Melanie Folwell, executive director for Idahoans United. “Every signature is a reminder that these decisions belong with patients and their doctors, not with politicians. This milestone shows we are strongly on track to meet the rigorous requirements for getting on the ballot.”
A July 2025 study published by JAMA Network Open — which is associated with the peer-reviewed Journal of American Medical Association — found that 35% of Idaho’s obstetrics practitioners left the state following the abortion ban.
Bonner General Health closed its obstetrics department in 2023, refusing to provide pregnancy, labor and delivery care, as well as pediatrics, as qualified OB-GYN and other reproductive health care
level and the state level, has been so large that it was just a matter of either terminating the program ... or basically, dialing back the level of it so that my Medicaid budget balances, and we can live within the means we have there.”
He noted there’s “not going to be a lot of new money this year,” and that the state was awaiting decision-making by Congress regarding health care premium tax credits, which help keep insurance premium costs lower for private insurance purchased through the state marketplace and are set to expire this year.
The congressional tax and spending megabill also included reductions in federal Medicaid spending of around $1 trillion over the decade.
Some lawmakers hope to address women’s health care shortage
A Lewiston resident said his adult children had moved out of Idaho because of a lack of job opportunities and because of Idaho’s strict felony
providers fled the state amid the increasingly threatening political and legal climate.
Rep. Mark Sauter, R-Sandpoint, and Sen. Jim Woodward, R-Sagle, co-sponsored exemptions in the 2025 session that would allow abortions “to prevent a serious health risk to the mother” and in cases where the fetus “was diagnosed with a lethal fetal anomaly,” though the legislation did not receive a hearing before adjournment.
“Since the ban, doctors are leaving, delivery rooms are closing and everyone is finding it harder to access basic medical care,” Idahoans United stated on its website, backtoidaho.com. “Worst of all, women are forced to get sicker, suffer and risk their lives while they wait for lifesaving care. And even though they know this ban is breaking us, our Legislature won’t act to fix what they’ve broken.”
Meanwhile, the Reproductive Freedom and Privacy Act
abortion ban.
“It’s just not reasonable or logical that they can’t be treated for miscarriage in Idaho, if they have severe complications of pregnancy, they have to go out of state to get treatment,” the caller said.
Idaho’s law makes it a felony to provide an abortion in almost all cases except to remove a dead fetus, treat a molar pregnancy, prevent the death of the mother, and narrow circumstances involving rape and incest if a police report is provided in the first trimester.
A study published this year found that Idaho lost more than a third of its practicing obstetrician providers since the state’s abortion ban went into effect, the Sun reported.
Some Republican state lawmakers, including Rep. Mark Sauter, R-Sandpoint, and Sen. Jim Woodward, R-Sagle, introduced legislation in the 2025 session to add an exemption to the ban to protect the health of the mother, rather than prevent her death. None of the bills have re-
proposes to amend Idaho Code to add a new chapter stating that reproductive health care “such as the use of contraception, fertility treatments, childbirth care, miscarriage care, the decision to continue one’s own pregnancy and abortion ... are deeply private matters that should be decided by a person in consultation with their health care provider.”
The proposed Act would establish “a right to make private reproductive health care decisions, including abortion up to fetal viability and in medical emergencies.”
Specifically related to abortion, the legislation holds that “it shall not be a violation of the right to reproductive freedom and privacy for the state to regulate abortion, except in cases of medical emergency.”
Getting the Reproductive Freedom and Privacy Act on the ballot faces significant hurdles. Legislators have established stricter guidelines for citizen initiatives in recent
ceived public hearings.
Little noted that women’s health has been an issue discussed since the bill went into effect in the U.S. Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade in 2022.
He said there are “well-meaning people that are talking about some changes to that legislation.”
“Idaho is never going to be a place where it’s a preferred place for abortions. That’s my position. ... ,” he said. “But we want women’s health to be available at the highest level.”
Four ICE agents in Idaho, Little says
A caller asked about immigration enforcement in Idaho, as it has escalated nationwide.
Little said there are four federal Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agents in Idaho.
The governor noted that the Idaho State Police has signed what’s called a 287(g) agreement with ICE. The state approved ISP to spend up to $300,000 from the
years, including the requirement that signatures must be collected from at least 6% of registered voters statewide and from 6% of voters in 18 of the 35 legislative districts in Idaho.
That means Idahoans United needs 70,725 verified signatures to qualify, but the organization stated that it is aiming to gather 100,000 signatures “to demonstrate broad, statewide support” for the measure.
In addition to the increased threshold for the number of signatures required for qualification on the ballot, Idaho law also stipulates that signatures must be collected in person, with hundreds of volunteers gathering in more than 35 locations statewide on Saturday, Nov. 29 for in-person signing events — including in Sandpoint from noon-4 p.m. at Eichardt’s Pub (212 Cedar St.). For more information, and to read the full text of the proposed Act, go to backtoidaho.com.
governor’s emergency fund to transport undocumented people to ICE detention facilities for deportation.
Little said Nov. 24 that the program is focused on people who have been convicted of separate crimes.
“After they go through their due process, rather than turning them back out on the street that they’re sent to their home country,” he said.
Through this agreement, the state has transported more than 50 people to ICE detention centers. An analysis of criminal records by the Idaho Capital Sun found that most — but not all — had convictions in Idaho, with some being charged and transported before their cases completed and a couple who had faced charges that were later dismissed.
This story was produced by Boise-based nonprofit news outlet the Idaho Capital Sun, which is part of the States Newsroom nationwide reporting project. For more information, visit idahocapitalsun.com.
Bouquets:
• It’s hard to imagine life as a gatherer and consumer of news before the Idaho Capital Sun. Being a publisher, I’m a huge fan of the Sun, because they write statewide stories that we don’t have the ability to cover — especially when the Legislature is in session. The Sun always has several stories to choose from, which we are happy to carry for our readers. As an Idahoan, I’m a huge fan of the Sun because of their honest, unbiased reporting and dedication to covering topics that matter the most to us in the Gem State. Currently, the Sun is seeking to raise $12,000 to help power their nonprofit news into the next year. If you’re able to give, please consider donating to this worthy endeavor at idahocapitalsun.com/donate.
• I’d like to give Bouquets to the Reader editorial staff; Editor-in-Chief Zach Hagadone and Senior Writer Soncirey Mitchell. Not only are these two some of my favorite people in the world, they are both excellent people to work with in the trenches every week. I’m also thankful for our former bookkeeper Sandy Bessler, who retired from the thankless job this spring, and her replacement, our former News Editor (and current Editor Emeritus) Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey, who has filled Sandy’s shoes quite well. I’m also grateful for the years of support and assistance getting the Reader off the ground from co-owner Chris Bessler and the gang from Keokee for giving us a hand whenever we needed it. Finally, a special thanks to our many advertisers who help us keep the lights on and you, our dear readers, for picking us up every week. Here’s wishing you all a happy Thanksgiving.
Barbs:
• There are a lot, friends, but in the spirit of Thanksgiving, I’ll hold my tongue.
‘For
Christ’s sake’...
Dear editor,
My mother, a Christian, taught me compassion for others and practiced what she preached. When we disagreed about what was right or wrong — morally or politically — she treated me with respect and did not pressure me to change my beliefs or my behavior. She just wanted me to hear what she thought. I did.
I settled here in 1993. I found a place for myself not because of the political climate, but because the community was welcoming and compassionate. I would go so far as to say “Christian,” insofar as Christians allow for other religions.
Now I have friends here who are using political power to take rights away from others (women, transgender people, even children).
I hear my mother’s voice reading: “Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me” (Matthew 25:40).
Half of the Sandpoint City Council and the mayor have taken away rights from Jesus himself.
If we must have religion in our government, bring it on. But don’t leave out the essential parts my mother gave me. We can live together without being hateful and mean.
Nancy Gerth Sagle
‘Fear wins’...
Dear editor, Fear won the argument to scrap our city’s non-discrimination ordinance (NDO) for a weaker one. There are privacy toilets and dressing spaces provided at YMCA, but the idea of a transgender woman using any of these is conjured-up, unnecessary drama. While the real threat to women is straight men (as many women testified who’d been sexually abused), their fear was transferred against all transgender women. Nothing was accomplished by the mayor with three of the six councilors, except to agitate bigotry and sow division in our community.
Rebecca Holland Sandpoint
‘Trump capitulates’...
Dear editor, Well look at what’s happening now between Trump and Putin (let’s just forget about Zelenskyy and what Ukraine wants). If you don’t think Putin has something
on Trump, you’re living in another world. Here it is again, Trump telling Zelenskyy that he has to give up part of his country to Putin to end the war. Zelenskyy wasn’t even included in the discussion, just Trump and Putin.
Donald Trump is a spineless, vindictive bully and coward, giving away parts of Ukraine that don’t belong to Russia. Why, you might ask? Figure it out — Putin has something or somethings he’s holding over Trump’s head, things Trump is afraid of having exposed to the American public.
What could they be? Use your imagination.
Trump has lied to the American public to get elected. He uses violence to rid himself of any who disagrees or fights him (Marjorie Taylor Greene, for example). He gets rid of those who oppose him by bad-mouthing his opponents to the point of basically condoning violence and threats against those who stand up to him.
Congress: Grow a spine and impeach him.
Michael Harmelin, veteran Sandpoint
Many pennies-worth of thoughts about pennies…
Dear editor,
I have always remembered my 90-year-old grandfather rolling a Bull Durham cigarette, squatting down next to me as we lit “ladyfingers” firecrackers and watching the cigarette burn down to dust between his brown thumb and first finger.
He would soon offer that frequently asked question: “A penny for your thoughts?”
Now that the current president has canceled the need for and production of the penny, I say we in Bonner County must join together and stop the loss of the penny. Ridiculous ads for items priced at, say, $9.99 are outdated and should not be permitted.
County commissioners should pass an ordinance that all sales made in the county should not include pennies in change unless the purchaser is a resident of Bonner County. (Sorry Coeur d’Alene).
Therefore, Bonner County shall never run out of pennies.
James Richard Johnson
Clark Fork
COMMUNITY
Young philanthropists raise more than $100K for BTAA
By Reader Staff
What began as a small roadside bake sale has grown into a beloved, five-year fundraising tradition for Better Together Animal Alliance — and it has grown to represent a huge source of support for the organization.
Augie Fisher was just 9 years old when he set up his first stand, selling homemade treats to neighbors and friends and donating every dollar to help animals in need. Five years later — with help from Fisher’s younger siblings, Iylla and Sully, and support from matching donors — the Fisher Family’s bake sales have now raised more than $100,000 for BTAA.
“The kids loved visiting the animals, but it always made them a little sad to see them still in the shelter,” said their mom, Katie Fisher. “Now they understand that BTAA is doing everything it can to find those dogs and cats new homes. And, as Augie says, even $1 can help save someone’s future best friend.”
“This family’s generous spirit has inspired others to step up, and the impact has been extraordinary,” said BTAA Development Director Paige McGowan. “Because of their dedication, and the support of anonymous ani-
mal lovers who match every contribution, thousands of animals have received critical medical care, vaccinations, microchips and a safe place to land while they wait for new homes.”
For the fifth year in a row, the Fisher siblings and their A Dog’s Latte Café are partnering with BTAA to celebrate the community’s generosity on Giving Tuesday, which lands on Dec. 2.
According to BTAA, a generous local couple will once again match up to $30,000 in contributions. This year, however, they’ll match an additional $3,000 when gifts are made in person at BTAA’s Giving Tuesday celebration on Dec. 2, from 4-6 p.m. at the BTAA Animal Care Center (870 Kootenai Cutoff Road, in Ponderay).
The Fishers will offer a selection of baked goods by donation only, with all proceeds directly benefiting BTAA.
“It’s an honor to have Augie, Sully and Iylla here with us,” McGowan said. “Their support means so much to our team and even more to the animals.”
For more information about BTAA’s mission and programs, contact dig@btanimalalliance. org. To arrange a donation, email paige@btanimalalliance.org.
The Fisher family. Courtesy photo
The miseducation of (half) a City Council
By Ammi Midstokke Reader Contributor
Like many of you, I sat through hours of testimony at the Nov. 19 meeting of the Sandpoint City Council. It was heartbreaking, exhausting, infuriating and embarrassing. At each claim of delusion and mental illness, a gasp of hallelujahs and amens burst out from behind me. There were snickers and scoffs. There were a great many horrified sighs from those of us traumatized by the women willing to re-traumatize themselves by standing before a crowd of strangers to share their stories of rape, assault and abuse.
I heard misused terms, made up diagnoses, and men standing up against “misogyny” and for “women’s rights.” In two-minute intervals, I heard the tearful tales of woman after woman after woman who had been violated, who had not healed, who still felt afraid.
I heard men say — generous and protective as they are — they will allow breast-
ed-biological-males-identifying-as-females into their locker rooms, willingly and without harassment. How benevolent of them.
I heard queer people and their allies stand up and ask for pause, protection and pragmatism. I heard businesses raise concerns, and courageous adolescents participate in the democratic process.
I heard Mayor Jeremy Grimm open the meeting with virtuous opinion, a mind closed and made up, pulling on the emotional marionette strings of a crowd with the resonant statement that he has
a conscience. Does the moral high ground of having a conscience apply to one group more than another? What inhibited that conscience from coming to the table to work on amendments that created safe spaces for all?
I heard Councilor Joel Aispuro attempt to out-semantic the city’s lawyers, who demonstrated more patience than the parents of sextuplet toddlers. Meanwhile, Councilor Justin Dick held ground for his right to weigh in on the matter. Then, after he assured us he likes trans people — and that he accidentally created a bathroom solution for them while making his restrooms ADA compliant — he merely voted.
I heard half of the council question the process, the rapidity, and the mayor’s approach to drafting and presenting an amendment for vote without their input. I heard them try to slow down an important decision, to gain more clarity first.
What I did not hear was
a cohesive attempt to find a solution that addressed the two primary issues: women want to feel safe in spaces and not get raped — thankyouverymuch — and this town would like discrimination protection for all.
To be clear: Nothing decided on Nov. 19 will reduce the rate of sexual assault in our town. The data shows the opposite, actually. But if our good mayor and half his council were making decisions based on data, they would have made a different one. Perhaps the conscience is not obliged to research, and runs on faith alone.
The businesses and citizens supporting the previous NDO are under fire this week. The internet slacktivists are crying out “ban” and “boycott,” and wasting their time on fake onestar reviews. If they’d spend a modicum of that energy on solving the problems of violent assault and discrimination, this community could do the very thing in which we’re all in agreement: Keeping people
safe, and this town thriving.
Sandpoint took a step back, but in this dance, that just means it’s time to take two steps forward.
We can thank those businesses and individuals who spoke out against discrimination. We can educate about and advocate for the positive impacts of comprehensive NDOs. We can respect the need for safe spaces for all, and work toward creating them. We can come to the table for meaningful dialogue and workable solutions. We can support our council in responding to upcoming legislation, and creating an NDO that reflects our community’s broader concerns. We can vote.
We can be better than what we witnessed last week, because we are.
Ammi Midstokke is a writer and author raised in North Idaho. As a homeschooled high school dropout, she spends her time trying to get better at grammar, and defending freedom.
Fear should not become policy, but that fear speaks to deeper truths
By Sandi Nizzoli Reader Contributor
At the City Council meeting on Nov. 19, many community members spoke about their fear of a transgender woman using the women’s locker room. A shocking amount of the public testimony came from women and men who described histories of sexual assault and longstanding trauma.
Those experiences deserve compassion.
An equally revealing moment came when so many men stood up and spoke not about their own safety, but about their fear for their wives, daughters and granddaughters. They warned of “a man” in the women’s locker room projecting danger onto a transgender woman simply for existing in a public space.
This is where the red flags
raised for me.
When an exhaustive line of men publicly testify that they fear a member of their own community being around their loved ones, what they are actually telling the council and the community is that they do not trust men. They are describing a world in which assault is so normal and so expected that the presence of anyone they even perceive as “male” feels inherently unsafe. That is not a reflection of transgender people. (Please
read that again.)
That is a reflection of their own community’s unresolved crisis with male violence.
The testimonies unintentionally opened a window for all of us to see into: A glimpse into a community where sexual assault is so common that even its own men automatically assume that other men — or even people who they define as men — are threats.
Instead of targeting an atrisk group (with little history of committing these crimes), perhaps it’s time to turn that fear inward and ask harder questions to hold ourselves accountable:
• Why is sexual assault such an unspoken epidemic in these circles that women carry lifelong trauma from it?
• Why are those men not the focus of the community outrage?
• How, in the face of such
internal harm, did transgender people become the scapegoat and a deflection from where the responsibility truly lies?
Weaponizing trauma on the backs of trans people does nothing to make anyone safer and is morally wrong. It blatantly diverts attention from where the problem actually is: within the very institutions, communities and cultures speaking most loudly about their fears.
If safety is the goal, then honesty must be the starting point.
Transgender people are not the danger.
The testimonies at City Council made one thing painfully clear: Some communities need to confront the violence happening
inside their own walls before pointing outward.
Fear should not become policy. But it can become a mirror if they are willing to look.
Nizzoli is a longtime Sandpoint resident.
Sandi
Ammi Midstokke. Courtesy photo
Sandi Nizzoli. Courtesy photo
Science: Mad about
tetanus
By Brenden Bobby Reader Columnist
This past weekend, I spent some time cleaning up the property when I suddenly felt a sharp pain on the bottom of my foot. After a few moments of creative swears that would have made George Carlin blush, I pried a half-buried wooden board and the offending nail from my shoe.
I hobbled inside and disinfected the wound and figured I was good. Luckily for me, my partner is a saint and she promptly asked me when I last received a tetanus shot. The fact that I had to stop and think about it was proof enough that it was time for a trip to the clinic.
The process had me wondering, what exactly is tetanus? And how does a simple shot in the arm prevent you from getting it?
Tetanus is a series of diseases that stem from toxins released by the Clostridium tetani bacteria. This bacteria is found in soil and the fecal waste of animals. Out in the wild, it’s completely harmless to humans; but, once it enters the human body through a puncture or a cut, a chain of events happen that can end in a life-threatening emergency.
The bacteria reproduces through spores, which prefer dark and wet environments. Once entering the body through something like a rusty nail, it creates the perfect conditions to release
spores and rapidly replicate.
The danger isn’t directly from the replication of the bacteria, but the toxins the bacteria produce during its lifecycle. It creates a neurotoxin called tetanospasmin which travels to and attacks the central nervous system of the human body, which results in violent and potentially lethal muscle spasms.
Muscle spasms and general loss of control of muscles — particularly in the face, jaw, neck and abdomen — are major symptoms of tetanus. These muscle spasms are most commonly linked to lockjaw, which is the inability to move your jaw while suffering from tetanus. These spasms are notoriously painful.
Muscle spasms also affect your ability to breathe, which is among the most lethal symptoms of the disease. Headaches, fever and chills occur while the bacteria reproduces in the body.
Treatment for a tetanus infection is for the patient to receive antibiotics, muscle relaxant medication and a tetanus antitoxin that actively counteracts the tetanospasmin attacking your nervous system. In severe cases where loss of respiratory function becomes a concern, the patient may be intubated and hooked up to a ventilator in order for the patient to continue breathing after their diaphragm has lost the ability to function.
Treatment isn’t a couple of days in a hospital bed, but a long-term affair that takes months to a year in order for the body to grow new nerve
endings damaged by the tetanospasmin.
As grim as this is, it can all be very easily prevented by a quick shot once every 10 years. The vaccine exposes the body to a small amount of the tetanus toxins, allowing your immune system to attack and analyze the threat, which allows it to repel more concentrated levels of the bacteria and toxins, should you be exposed to it later. The vaccine is often paired with a vaccine for diphtheria and pertussis, or whooping cough.
The vaccine has a long history, having been invented in 1924. The bacteria was initially produced in animals in the late 1800s, with the bacterium isolated in 1889. Decades of refinement and research led to the development of the vaccine in the wake of World War I. By World War II, it was widely used throughout the European and Pacific theaters.
World War II had soldiers digging trenches and foxholes at an immense scale, along with regularly being wounded by flying metal, debris, and even the design of their own weapons and gear, which would have allowed a proliferation of the disease and many more deaths without the introduction of the vaccine throughout the war.
In the days before the tetanus vaccine, it was a disease with a high mortality rate. Newborn babies were almost guaranteed to die if exposed to the toxins, while healthy adults had around a 25% chance of dying. Seniors
were at much greater risk if exposed.
Treatment reduced the mortality rate to about 15%, which was still a shocking and significant gamble.
As simple as prevention is now, there are some risks to the shot. People who have suffered a severe allergic reaction to a previous dose should consult a doctor before taking the vaccine.
Others at risk are those suffering from Guillain-Barre Syndrome, a condition in
which the immune system attacks the body’s own nervous system to cause muscle weakness and even paralysis. It can somewhat mirror the effects of an advanced tetanus infection, which could complicate treatment.
Lucky for me, I seem to have dodged a bullet so far. I’ll have a limp for a couple of days, but I’ll just use that as an excuse to crowd the deviled eggs on turkey day. Stay curious, 7B.
Random Corner
•Trail mix usually contains a combination of dried fruit, nuts, chocolate (sometimes) and other seeds, developed as a food to be taken along on hikes.
•The combination of nuts, raisins and chocolate as a trail snack in the U.S. dates to 1906, when outdoorsman Horace Kephart recommended it in his popular camping guide, Camping and Woodcraft: A Handbook for Vacation Campers and for Travelers in the Wilderness. However, trail mix has been eaten by the Indigenous peoples of North Americans for thousands of years, and originally included buffalo meat, dried berries and other ingredients.
•An earlier use of the snack term dates to 1833, when Danish students ate a snack called studenterhavre, or “student oats,” which consisted of raisins and almonds. During the holidays, they would add pieces of chocolate.
•Another name for trail mix is GORP, which either stands for “good ol’ raisins and peanuts” or “granola, oats, raisins, peanuts” depending on the source. A 1913 reference in the Oxford English Dictionary defines “gorp” as a verb meaning, “to eat greedily.” Some believe GORP is a “backronym,” an invention of well-meaning GORP lovers trying to define the already existing word.
•In New Zealand, trail mix is called “scroggin” of “schmogle.” In Australia, the term “scroggin” is used almost exclusively.
•Author Jack Kerouac helped popularize trail mix when he wrote about it in his 1958 novel The Dharma Bums, when his character Japhy Ryder prepped for an ascent of the Sierra Nevada’s 12,285-foot Matterhorn Peak by packing mixed raisins, peanuts, dried apricots and prunes for energy.
Tetanus bacteria under a microscope. Courtesy of the CDC
Give Thanks for the Wild Two decades of gratitude
By Phil Hough Reader Contributor
The Reader and the Friends of Scotchman Peak Wilderness both turn 21 in the coming months, passing into adulthood. For readers who haven’t heard the news, I’ll be leaving the nest soon, retiring in early 2026. As Jackson Browne said: “And I’ll soon believe, it’s just as well, this is my opening farewell.”
Fear not, because even as I retire, I leave the Friends in the very good hands of the talented and capable Rose Olson, our incoming executive director. I am grateful for her abilities and eagerness to guide the organization and the effort. While I leave the daily work to Rose, and an excellent staff backed up by a dedicated board, wilderness remains in my heart and the Scotchmans remain in my soul.
Back when we were both young, I wrote my first “Give Thanks for the Wild” column for the Reader. So long ago, I don’t remember exactly when I started this Thanksgiving tradition. This year, I look back with 21 years of gratitude for the whole experience. From the original couple dozen folks who came together to form the Friends — and, in the process, became friends of one and another — I’ve met
many people, with varied backgrounds, lives and perspectives, who all share an interest in wild places.
I am especially grateful to all the many current and former volunteers, board members and staff; their dedication and passion for wild places have been remarkable and inspiring. It has kept me going for two decades.
There are so many memorable experiences. I am grateful for the 20-mile ski trek on a cold, rainy February day
with the district ranger and his wife to retrieve a camera station as part of our rare forest carnivore study. Listening to wilderness guru Doug Scott cite, by memory, testimony from field hearings in the ’70s. Of hiking to the top of Scotchman Peak with two county commissioners in 2015 and unfurling a banner proclaiming “Bonner County Loves Scotchman Peak.” Of accompanying senior management from Idaho Forest Group into the Scotchmans and watching their eyes open with wonder at the wilderness charms.
This community of wilderness supporters came together one person at a time, each with their own unique experience. There are 12,000 more of these moments, too many to detail here. I am thankful for them all.
We have brought together more than 12,000 people from across Idaho and Montana, as well as the rest of the nation in support of wilderness. We have nurtured a broader, deeper sense of conservation by community leaders. We have built a robust trail maintenance program to keep trails access open to hikers. Our trail ambassadors keep hikers safe, trails open and mountain goats wild.
The wide-eyed wonder of the fifth-graders who come through our Winter Tracks program inspires everyone involved. We brought together nontraditional allies in support of community-based solutions for forest land management challenges. I am grateful to be passing on a legacy of building strong communities.
My recent sabbatical reminds me there are yet more trails and rivers to explore. So many wild places to visit. It’s time to follow Ed Abbey’s “Final Paragraph” of advice:
“It is not enough to fight for the land; it is even more important to enjoy it. While you can. While it’s still here. So, get out there and hunt and fish and mess around with your friends, ramble out yonder and explore the forests, climb the mountains, bag the peaks, run the rivers, breathe deep of that yet sweet and lucid air, sit quietly for a while and contemplate the precious stillness, the lovely, mysterious, and awesome space.”
Phil Hough is outgoing executive director of Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness, which he helmed since its creation 21 years ago.
Phil Hough atop Scotchman Peak. Courtesy photo
By Sandy Compton Reader Columnist
It would be fun to write about the breakup between Donnie and the impolite loudmouth from Georgia, but more well-informed writers have already done so. It’s entertaining, but I’ve decided instead to tell about recent road tests undertaken by myself and my Jeep Compass.
Its name is Jeeper, gained on a road trip last spring, during which it was also road tested, but not to the extent of two recent trips through rough country nearer to home. I was also reminded that using bad, bad words and God’s name in the same sentence doesn’t result in a lightning strike, nor does profanity seem to reduce the efficacy of prayer.
Jeeper is one of Jeep’s humbler models. I didn’t really like it when I first acquired it. But sometimes, a vehicle grows on you. Even the beater Trailblazer I once had — basically a loose collection of parts ready to fall off (some of which did) — had the
On driving tests, profanity and the efficacy of prayer
heart of a lion. Jeeper does, too. And its parts don’t fall off.
The first test was crossing Vermillion Pass (elevation 6,030 feet). The last bit before the summit was a half mile of frozen slush and ruts; a stretch of road that inculcated spontaneous verbalized prayer and bad, bad words. In six minutes of terror, I said several times, “God, keep us in the blinking, blanking, goddam ruts!’” (“Blinking” and “blanking are not the words I used.)
Two days later, I was off to visit a friend at Cedar Lake in northeast Washington. GiGi (Google Girl) lured me into a more extensive trial. GiGi is the voice of Google Maps, a relatively efficient navigation system until it isn’t. When it isn’t, things get — umm — interesting. GiGi promised me several times that a left turn onto the much-desired Meadow Creek Road was just a little farther. She was lying!
OK. GiGi can’t lie, but she can lead a guy astray, even with the best intentions. I may forgive her, but it will take a while to trust her again.
I’d asked GiGi to direct me from
Ione, Washington, across the mountains between the Pend Oreille and Columbia Rivers to Aladdin Road, which I would follow to Cedar Lake. She suggested a route. I missed a turn because of a missing sign. GiGi dutifully found a new route — without informing me of such. The route she put us on was less a road than a series of driving challenges.
The “road,” included a section nearly gone to a giant washout, an unbridged stream crossing and a section coinciding with a powerline road (not noted for maintenance or achievable grades). Not only did we have to navigate it uphill, we had to turn and test our mettle downhill.
I said “God” and a lot of bad, bad words, upslope and down. In both cases, it seemed to help.
In the middle of all this, I came upon what GiGi said was a legitimate USFS road leading to the intersection described above. It led instead through a logging project where the now snow-covered road was reduced to frozen ruts about as deep as Jeeper can navigate without shining up the oil pan, and a couple slightly deeper. Cussing and clinching of glutei maximi increased in direction proportional to my grip on the steering wheel.
Facing the worst series of muck I’d come to, I told myself, “Just gun it,” and Jeeper slammed on through, only to be stopped 100 yards later by an immovable tree across the road. There were many, many bad words said at that point. And a couple of appeals to
one of God’s kids, as in “Jesus Christ! Where the hell am I?”
I will never travel without a Silky Katana Boy saw again; but, in this case, it may have been for the best. Who knew what challenges lay beyond; how deep the snow and the frozen ruts would be; how many more trees would need to be removed; what other monsters be there?
Without GiGi’s help (cell service had disappeared) I returned to Ione. There, with GiGi’s help — she seemed damned reluctant — I got onto Meadow Creek Road, after which I flew across the hills to Aladdin Road (30 miles per hour seems like jet speed after spending 90 minutes driving less than 10 mph to prevent ripping Jeeper’s transmission out in “the middle of goddamn “blinking” nowhere,” which I accused GiGi several times of leading me into.
All’s well that ends well. That’s what Mr. Shakespeare said. And it ended well, thanks to Jeeper’s abilities — and mine. I seem to be able to pray, cuss and navigate myself out of these sorts of situations. I just wish GiGi wouldn’t get me into them.
Still, it was Type II fun, something to be grateful for on this Thanksgiving week — thank you, God. And, I’ve concluded that Jeeper is a keeper.
Type I fun is fun while you’re doing it Type II is fun to talk about after surviving it. Type III is just plain not fun. Sandy Compton’s newest book, Alex’s Restaurant, is Type I fun.
Sandpoint holiday market kicks off second year
By Soncirey Mitchell Reader Staff
In conjunction with the regular Cottage Market, the Sandpoint Teen Center and First Lutheran Church will host a holiday market on Saturdays, Nov. 29 and Dec. 6 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. inside the church (526 S. Olive Ave., in Sandpoint).
With proceeds earmarked for the center’s winter activities, the market will feature as many as 30 vendors, including many of the teens who benefit from the center’s after-school programs, selling everything from baked goods to home decor.
The students are working toward their own entrepreneurial goals, either raising money for personal projects or for the Teen Center’s winter activities
— such as ice skating and snow tubing — at the organization’s official booth.
“This is one of my favorite events,” said Cottage Market organizer Dannette Carnegie. “These teens are entrepreneurs, and they’re accessing the economy for the first time through the holiday market.”
Half of the vendor fees and all funds earned from the event’s raffles will go directly to the Teen Center. Organizers will also accept donations in person or online at sandpointteencenter.com. The center provides a safe place for local youth after school, giving approximately 95-180 students daily access to meals; sports; arts and crafts; and science, math and technology courses, among other opportunities.
For more information on the holiday market, call Carnegie at 509-319-9493.
COMMUNITY
Prepare for the holidays with Sandpoint’s tree lighting ceremony
By Reader Staff
Sandpoint will get into the holiday spirit Friday, Nov. 28, with the annual tree lighting and Santa visit to Jeff Jones Town Square (323 S. Third Ave.). Festivities, including live music, treats and special appearances from Sandpoint’s Fire and Police departments, will run from 5-7 p.m.
The event is made possible through a partnership between the Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce, the city, and local businesses and volunteers.
“We love seeing families come together for this event every year,” stated Chamber Executive Director Joan Urbaniak. “It’s a night full of joy, excitement and community spirit. We’re grateful for the organizations that help us bring this celebration to life.”
Holiday music and caroling begin at 5 p.m., followed by a performance from the Sandpoint High School
Dance Team and an appearance by Miss Sandpoint Rodeo 2025, Yesi Cisneros. Emcee Jack Peterson, of Panhandle Public Radio KRFY 88.5, and Sandpoint Mayor Jeremy Grimm will lead the tree lighting countdown at 6 p.m. Santa will ride in on a fire engine following the lighting, ready to chat and pose with children for the rest of the night.
This year’s event is sponsored by BNSF Railway, Idaho Forest Group, HMH Engineering, Lake Life Wellness Center & Yoga Studio and Tomlinson Sotheby’s International Realty.
“Their support helps us provide live music, free hot cocoa, hot cider, cookies, and candy canes while supplies last,” Urbaniak said. “It’s our way of giving back to the community and spreading extra holiday cheer.”
For more information, visit downtownsandpoint.com.
Bonner General Health funds education with Parade of Trees
By Reader Staff
The Bonner General Health Volunteers will host its annual Parade of Trees from Monday, Dec. 1, through Thursday, Dec. 4, auctioning off festive creations from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. to support the employee education fund and other internal projects.
The festive trees will be on display in the hospital’s classrooms at 520 N. Third Ave., in Sandpoint, for everyone to stop by and enjoy. Volunteers ask that visitors enter through the Patient Registration door.
“Whether you take home a festive tree or simply soak up the holiday spirit, it’s a wonderful way to welcome
the season while supporting education at BGH,” wrote the organization in a news release.
For the past 23 years, BGH volunteers have decorated these threefoot Christmas trees — complete with additional decor and presents — with themes ranging from holiday classics to pop culture. Funds from the sales support the staff’s continuing education by covering the cost of necessities like books and travel. This year, they will also be selling crafts and baked goods alongside the trees to give BGH’s funds an extra boost.
For more information, visit bonnergeneral.org.
Festival of Trees adds a musical twist
By Reader Staff
The Community Resource EnVision Center’s annual Festival of Trees is taking over downtown Sandpoint from Friday, Nov. 28, to Saturday, Dec. 6, with a series of events, including the first-ever Christmas Jubilee Concert. Proceeds from the week’s festivities will support the nonprofit’s mission to connect families with housing, stability and other community resources.
Beginning Nov. 28, walk around Sandpoint to see beautifully decorated trees in local businesses’ windows as part of the Charity and Cheer Window Walk; then, on Sunday, Nov. 30, head over to The Hive (207 N. First Ave.) to participate in the nonprofit’s silent auction and listen to a special performance from the Bonners Ferry Community Orchestra from 3-6 p.m.
The orchestra features the talents of string, brass and woodwind ensembles with solos from vocalists, harpists and pianists, all performing holiday classics like “O Holy Night” and “Sleigh Ride Fantasy.”
“This year felt like the perfect time to expand the celebration,” said Katie Begalke, executive director of the EnVision Center. “The Christmas Jubilee is about more than the music — it’s about bringing Bonner and Boundary County neighbors together and giving thanks for the community that makes our work possible. We are truly stron-
ger together.”
Tickets are $20, and attendees can enjoy holiday beverages and peruse the Christmas Shoppe and decorated trees while they listen. Local fourthgrade gingerbread creations will also be on display.
Those looking to contribute a bit more to the nonprofit and the charities it represents can bid on the trees, each of which has a unique theme corresponding to the presents underneath.
For a chance to win the Grand Raffle Tree, decorated by the women of the Idaho Club, and $500 in local gift certificates, grab a passport and visit participating businesses around town to earn stamps. Return the passports by Dec. 6 to be entered into the drawing.
To download a passport, buy tickets or learn more about CREC, visit bit. ly/3X5SC9a.
Bonners Ferry Community Orchestra plays Christmas Jubilee Concert
Courtesy photo
FEATURE ‘Something for everyone’
Felicia Willow Little Shop opens at Panida Theater storefront
By Ben Olson Reader Staff
Felicia Willow has been excited to open a brick-and-mortar shop to display and sell her unique jewelry, metalworking, decor and fashion pieces for years, but it wasn’t until she caught wind of the little space adjacent to the Panida Theater that it all came together.
“I moved in mid-October and opened on Nov. 1,” Willow told the Reader. “It all happened really quickly. I’ve been trying to open a shop in Missoula for a couple of years, but couldn’t find the right space or circumstances.”
That is, until her fiancé — who lives in Sandpoint with his daughter — told her she should look at the space at 300 N.First Ave., in downtown Sandpoint.
“It was so perfect,” she said. “Now I’m living here full-time.”
Acknowledging that the shop location is an “experiment,” as the Panida’s plan to combine the Little Theater with the main theater’s lobby could be a disruption next year, Willow said she’s excited to showcase her work to the Sandpoint community.
Willow’s space is clean and elegant, with one wall showing exposed brick and the rest of the space filled with display cases containing an eclectic mix of jewelry, hand-painted hats, vintage art, home decor and clever gifts. Most of the vintage furniture and decor in the shop is mid-century modern and Willow said every piece of clothing she creates or stocks is something she personally owns and loves.
“This shop is kind of everything I do under one roof,” Willow said. “I’ve been a jeweler, stylist and designer my entire life and Felicia Willow Little Shop combines everything I offer under one roof.”
Willow learned her craft from the North Bennet Street School in Boston, a trade school that specializes in niche old-world trades like violin making, piano technology, fine furniture and cabinetry, bookbinding and jewelry metalsmithing.
“My jewelry design process is ever evolving and draws from the natural beauty of mountain and desert landscapes,” she said. “Aesthetic influences range from art deco to mid century modern to 1970s glam. I love pairing gemstones with tone on tone metals and soft color palettes in mind. I use a wide range of materials including solid gold, gold fill, brass, sterling, pearls, precious and semi-precious gemstones. I often combine different eras by incorporating a variety of antique and vintage components into my finished designs.”
Willow said she tries to offer “something for everyone” at her shop.
“I try to have a lot of high/low options,” she said. “I have stickers for a dollar, so kids can pick out little gifts. For jewelry, I have some pieces that start out at $50 and some that go up to $1,500. I try to carry a range so different types of customers with different budgets can come in and find something, because I’m a big believer that good style and fashion jewelry should be available to not just the richest people.”
Left: Felicia Willow in her Little Shop next to the Panida Theater in Sandpoint.
Above: Vintage charms and charm holder, some of the unique items inside Willow’s shop. Courtesy photos
Willow said one of the items she often recommends for gifts is a horseshoe-shaped vintage charm keeper — one of which she wears all the time.
“It was kind of inspired by a lot of clients who had antique family heirlooms but they didn’t know how to wear them,” she said. “Maybe they had a pendant or a ring or something, but it feels kind of dated, but has sentimental value, so I started making these charm keepers that open in the back in a little horseshoe shape and you can stack and combine either your own things you might already have, like wedding bands or charms, or I sell a selection of vintage charms. ...
“I always recommend those as gifts because I’ve never had somebody not love them.”
Willow also sells simple vintage earrings with gemstones and pearls, including ones with natural rubies and emeralds.
“They’re natural, so that’s why they aren’t a deep, rich color,” she said. “It’s kind of earthy, which could be cool for [people who] want to have something nice, but not flashy.”
The Felicia Willow Little Shop is located at 300 N. First Ave. in Sandpoint, directly in front of the Panida Little Theater and north of the main theater entrance. Hours are Tuesday-Friday, 11 a.m.-5:30 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-6:30 p.m.; and Sunday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. (closed Mondays). Visit the shop online at feliciawillow.com, or better yet, stop by and say hello.
Send event listings to calendar@sandpointreader.com
7th annual Burger Dock
Free Community Meal
4-6pm @ The Burger Dock
A free meal of a harvest burger, sweet potato fries and a pumpkin pie milkshake. Dine-in only, while supplies last
Trivia with Toshi
7pm @ Connie’s Lounge
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
Thanksgiving dinner
2-6pm @ Tervan Tavern
Live Music w/ Light on the Water 5pm @ Connie’s Lounge
Live Music w/ Mike Wagoner, Sadie Sicilia
5-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery
Live Music w/ John Daffron
5:30-8:30pm @ Barrel 33
Live Music w/ Kenny James Miller Band
6-8pm @ Smokesmith BBQ
Live Music w/ Brenden McCoy
5-7:30pm @ Matchwood Brewing Co.
Live Music w/ Angel Urrea
6:30-9:30pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall
Live Music w/ Angel Urrea
5-7:30pm @ Matchwood Brewing Co.
Live Music w/ Scott Dodson
5-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery
Live Music w/ Mike Wagoner, Sadie Sicilia
5:30-8:30pm @ Barrel 33
Live Music w/ Carli Osika
6-8pm @ Smokesmith BBQ
Live Music w/ Coming Home Band
6pm @ Connie’s Lounge
Music w/ DJ Sterling 9pm-midnight @ Roxy’s
Sandpoint Chess Club 9am @ Evans Brothers Coffee
Magic with Star Alexander 5-8pm @ Jalapeño’s
November 26 - December 4, 2025
wednesDAY, november 26
A Taste of Tango
5-8pm @ Barrel 33
Bring your dancing shoes. No prior experience or partner required
Holiday jazz w/ Mike Thompson
5-8pm @ Connie’s Lounge
THURSDAY, november 27
Thanksgiving Eve-ning of Gratitude 5-9pm @ Matchwood Brewing
The annual lighting of the gratitude tree, live music w/ John Firshi from 5-7pm, special food, drink, to-go beer deals as well as family-friendly activities. Come one, come all!
Annual Turkey Trot • 9am @ James E. Russell Sports Center, Travers Park Free with a donation of a nonperishable food item for the food bank. Untimed, family-friendly event with prize for best costume
FriDAY, november 28
Live Music w/ Blird + Woods Wheatcroft 2026 calendar release/collage night
6-8pm @ Idaho Pour Authority
Shoegaze ambient noise side project from Harold’s IGA, plus get your 2026 Woods Wheatcroft calendar and supplies available for collage night
Music w/ DJ General Slime 9pm-midnight @ 219 Lounge
Live Music w/ Mason Van Stone
6-8pm @ Baxters on Cedar
Black Friday Art Bash feat. Doug Flückiger 5-7pm @ Misty Mountain Furniture
Framed originals and prints available for 20% off, plus silent auction. Artists include Doug Flückiger, Matthew Fox, Cyndi Morgan and more
Tree lighting and Santa’s arrival 5-7pm @ Jeff Jones Town Square
With a special performance by the SHS Dance Team. All are welcome
SATURDAY, november 29
Shook Twins: Giving Thanks concert
7:30pm @ Panida Theater
Join Sandpoint’s own Shook Twins for the 13th annual concert, featuring John Craigie. This one sells out quick!
Local author book signing 11am-3pm @ The Rusty Trunk, Ponderay
Featuring authors Emily Hoisington, J.Q. Wenzel and R.A. Blackhall
Live Jazz w/ Bright Moments 6-8pm @ Baxter’s on Cedar
Live Music w/ Jason Perry Band 9pm-midnight @ 219 Lounge
SunDAY, november 30
Live Music w/ Fiddlin’ Red 1-4pm @ Barrel 33
Monday Night Blues Jam w/ John Firshi
7pm @ Eichardt’s Pub
Trivia Monday w/ Marsha
6-8pm @ Idaho Pour Authority
Festival of Trees: Friends & Family Event 11am-5pm @ The Hive
Crafts for kids and pics with Santa
Holiday Market
11am-3pm @ First Lutheran Church
Local merchants, artists, crafts and more
Sandpoint Eagles Christmas Craft Fair
10am-4pm @ Sandpoint Eagles Club
Santa will come for pics (BYO camera)
Live Music w/ Chris Paradis 6-8pm @ Idaho Pour Authority
Live Music w/ Zach Simms 6-9pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall
Christmas Jubilee Concert • 3-6pm @ The Hive
Join CREC for this heartwarming holiday performance by Bonners Ferry Orchestra in their Sandpoint debut
monDAY, december 1
Outdoor Experience Group Run 6pm @ Outdoor Experience
Wreath-making class ($65)
5:30pm @ Barrel 33
tuesDAY, december 2
Meet and greet Dover’s mayor-elect • 6pm @ Dover Community Hall
Meet incoming Dover Mayor-Elect Keith Congleton, 313 Washington St.
Live Music w/ John Firshi
5-7pm @ Matchwood Brewing Co.
Open mic night
7pm @ Tervan Tavern
Annual Tree of Memorial Lights
5:30pm @ Annual Tree of Memorial Lights
Bonner General Community Hospice hosts a ceremony to honor loved ones. Learn more at bonnergeneral.org
BGH Parade of Trees (Dec. 1-4) 8am-4pm @ BGH, 520 N. Third Ave. See the decorated trees, food, drink
Bluegrass open jam 5pm @ Connie’s Lounge
Rights and Resistance: An Evening of Gratitude and Solidarity
5-7pm @ Matchwood Brewing Co.
wednesDAY, december 3
POAC Performing Arts Series: The Nutcracker with Ballet Victoria • 7pm @ Panida Come see the holiday classic. $45/adults, $20/students: artinsandpoint.org
ThursDAY, december 4
Bingo Thursday w/ Dusty 6-8pm @ Idaho Pour Authority
Holiday Artists’ Shop (Dec. 4-7) 10am-5:30pm @ Create Arts Center (Newport, Wash.)
Enjoy live music and refreshments daily, shop local and find unique quality gifts at 900 W. Fourth St. in Newport
Live Music w/ John Daffron 8-11pm @ Tervan Tavern
Gnome Macrame
Ornament Class
6-8pm @ Barrel 33
$35 includes supplies
Ballet Victoria brings holiday classic The Nutcracker to Panida Theater
By Reader Staff
It has been more than 130 years since Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker premiered on Dec. 18, 1892 in St. Petersburg, Russia, but neither time nor geography has lessened its appeal — including in Sandpoint, where the classic production will come to the main stage Wednesday, Dec. 3 at the Panida Theater (300 N. First Ave.).
Presented by the Pend Oreille Arts Council, doors open at 5 p.m. and the show starts at 7 p.m., when the worldclass artists of the Victoria Symphony and Ballet Victoria will enthrall audiences with the magical story of dancing toys, sugar plum fairies, and the epic duel between the Nutcracker and the Mouse King.
Young local talent and youth dancers with the Ballet Victoria Conservatory will join the professional performers — hailing all the way from Victoria, British Columbia — in presenting the classic holiday tradition, to which Ballet Victoria adds new elements each year.
Founded in 2002, Ballet Victoria is described as a “boutique professional ballet company” including 14 dancers
under the direction of Paul Destrooper, who put on four annual productions. In that time, the organization has produced about 100 new works — including 10 full-length ballets — with performances in Canada, the U.S. and Mexico.
“Our performances are dramatic, technically demanding and often laced with humour,” the company stated on its website.
Tickets are $52.86 for adult general admission and $24.57 for youths, available at the door and panida.org.
Local photographer Woods Wheatcroft to release 2026 calendar with party at IPA
By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff
While the phrase “it’s that time of year again” has entered cliche territory, it’s literally “that time of year again” when the calendar is nearing its annual expiration date and in need of a replacement so we know when “that time of year again” will return.
As he has for the past six years, local photographer Woods Wheatcroft is releasing his annual calendar, with a party Friday, Nov. 28 at Idaho Pour Authority (203 Cedar St., in downtown Sandpoint).
Calendars will be available for $20 each from 5-8 p.m., as well as cards, original artwork and prints for sale.
Wheatcroft has shot for big-name companies like Patagonia, Kavu and Kleen Kanteen, but also contributed regularly to print publications from Outside Magazine to Sandpoint Magazine and the Reader. His collage work has also earned attention and praise, including as the featured piece for the
An old-fashioned radio Christmas
By Reader Staff
KRFY Community Radio hosts live variety show for the holidays of Paul Gunter, Justin Landis, Liam McCoy and Denis Zwang.
Panhandle Community Radio KRFY, 88.5 FM is putting on a holiday variety show, and the public is invited to watch and participate in the live broadcast on Friday, Dec. 5 at the Panida Theater (300 N.First Ave., in downtown Sandpoint).
“The KRFY Holiday Spectacular” is now in its third year, and the first in a new location on the historic Panida main stage. The program is modeled on an old-fashioned variety show, common on radio airwaves throughout the 20th century, with music, drama and comedy intermixed — all performed live for broadcast and an in-person audience. Most of the acts are oriented toward celebrating the holidays and the winter season in North Idaho.
Admission is $10 and children 12 and under are free. Tuning in on 88.5 FM or streaming at krfy.org is, of course, free.
Audience participation will be a component of the show. Live musical acts include Brendan Kelty and Andy Ohlrich, Truck Mills and Carl Rey, Sadie Sicilia, Kjetil Lund, the Sandpoint High School Choir and a special guest appearance by vocalist Meg Turner. Performers will be accompanied by a house band
Local writers Emily Erickson and Zach Hagadone — who Reader readers will recognize as the author of the “Emily Articulated” column and as editor-in-chief, respectively — will be sharing stories of holidays and winters past in North Idaho.
In addition, local thespians from the Lake Pend Oreille Repertory Theater Company will join featured players from Sandpoint’s “Festivus” program to perform a humorous presentation created especially for the radio.
“We’re very excited to be bringing this show back and putting it up on the big stage at the Panida Theater,” said Jack Peterson, of KRFY, who will act as master of ceremonies. “It’s a lot of fun to put this whole thing together, and it’s so great to do it with a bunch of very different acts that somehow end up coming together. It’s a great expression of the community radio spirit that this station represents.”
Doors open at 6 p.m. for the 7 p.m. show. The program will last two hours, and can be heard live on the airwaves at 88.5 FM or streaming at krfy.org. Get tickets at panida.org.
2022 Festival at Sandpoint concert poster. He will host a collage-making table at the Nov. 28 calendar release, with a drop-in fee of $5-$15 (on a sliding scale), with supplies provided.
At the same time, Cadie Archer, Ben Olson and Josh Vitalie — also known as Harold’s IGA — will play from 6-8 p.m. as their shoegaze side project Blird.
Wheatcroft’s calendar images depict scenes ranging from the Oregon Coast to the California desert, and the Cabinet Mountains to Schweitzer.
“I always aim for an eclectic mix of moments from the archive — some local, some out of town,” he told the Reader. “It’s a fun collaboration with my designer friend Britt Johnston from Ketchum. Our goal is a lighthearted mix of life. And with so much social media — digital internetus interruptus — it’s refreshing to still create a printed piece for people to enjoy and use.”
See more of Wheatcroft’s work at woodswheatcroft.com.
Courtesy photo
By Marcia Pilgeram Reader Columnist
It’s Thanksgiving week, and yes, I know, I know, every essay and social media post at this time begins with a version of: “What I am grateful for.” But clichés are often truths, and I’m leaning hard into mine. I have so much to be thankful for, and if the holidays aren’t the moment to say it out loud, then when should we, I ask?
Always first on my list is family. All of mine are healthy, and I never take that for granted (including my own health). It’s an increasingly precious thing I acknowledge on a daily basis. My family makes an effort to gather at least once a year. Since many of us planned to travel this Thanksgiving, we gathered last summer to share an idyllic Montana cabin week of (mostly) loving, laughing and, of course, eating. To my absolute joy, all nine grandchildren were present, and each of them seemed to genuinely enjoy spending time with me (yes, even the five teens). Who could ask for more?
Over the years, they’ve grown up in my kitchen, propped on stools and leaned over chairs, helping with simple, assigned tasks. Now, more than half of them tower over me, and need no instructions as they chop, stir and correct a seasoning (to their own liking).
I’d like to think I helped some of these wonderful young people develop a love for cooking (17-year-old Miley has her own Facebook bakeshop page, and commands $42 for a dozen cupcakes). At least a third of them (mostly the boys) can whip out a dozen, savory deviled eggs that are as tasty as any I’ve ever made, and 10-year-old Fern has
The Sandpoint Eater A season of (really big) thanks
mastered brown-roux gravy that rivals any whisked by a professional chef.
Fern’s family won’t be cooking this Thanksgiving, as they’re headed south of the border to soak up some sun at an all-inclusive resort. I’ll be transiting to Italy on a Delta flight and can choose between braised chicken meatballs or lemon ravioli — turkey wasn’t even an option on the preorder menu. Though 80% of Americans will be roasting (or deep frying) and carving the traditional fowl at their holiday table, it’s not a requirement. Potato-loving daughter Casey’s family is vegetarian, and I have plenty of carnivorous friends who are opting for other meat choices.
Just yesterday, I got a call from a longtime friend in Missoula who said, “I’m making a ham. Can you suggest a potato side that doesn’t need gravy?” Of course I can. Who
doesn’t love scalloped potatoes? I recommended making a pretty hybrid — Hasselback scalloped potatoes. They’re fancy-looking but quite easy.
Not everyone’s holiday plate looks the same; and, truthfully, that’s part of the joy of cooking. When you’re the one who’s in charge of the meal, the holidays have a way of becoming your Olympics, and you’re aiming for gold.
Most people focus on the turkey dinner (me included), and there’s nothing wrong with honoring that classic big bird if it’s what your family loves. But turkey doesn’t make the Thanksgiving holiday. No matter what you’re eating, it’s that feeling, and gathering at a table (small and intimate or large and noisy), that reflects the community sitting around it.
It’s a reflection that shines a light on both abundance and need. Our community is so generous to those in need, and
I’m hopeful every household has a bountiful meal to enjoy this week, either in their home and at one of the locally hosted free dinners. And, let’s not forget that Christmas is right around the corner.
Bonner Community Food Bank always plays a huge part in our community’s holiday story. Debbie Love and her incredible team are working overtime to deliver not only festive holiday meals, but also planning ahead for ordinary nourishment needs for when the glow of the holidays is long past.
This time of year, I’m reminded that gratitude isn’t something we just feel, but something we express by doing. It’s in the meals we cook for loved ones, in the neighbors we check on, in the ingredients we share and in the simple act of recognizing that food tastes better when shared, and everyone has enough.
Though I’ve stepped out of my kitchen this Thanksgiving, I’m still thankful for my family — scattered but right next to my heart — as well as a collection of loving friends that continues to multiply since my first Thanksgiving here 30 years ago, and cherished longtime Montana friends who still call from afar with menu questions. I’m thankful for our community that shows up for one another. And I’m thankful that food, humble or fancy, traditional or not, has a way of bringing us together.
No matter how your plates look this year — filled with turkey, ham, tofu roast or, if you’re Casey, at least a couple of potato options (don’t forget the Hasselback scalloped potatoes), it’s meant to be shared. No doubt it will be delicious. Happy Thanksgiving from afar.
Hasselback-style scalloped potatoes
This potato dish is pretty, delicious and travels well (keep foil covered and wrap in a towel or two for transit). If you want pale and extra tender, keep covered while cooking. For crispy-brown, uncover last 15 minutes or so. Serves 8.
INGREDIENTS:
• 8 medium russet potatoes
• 1 ½ cups heavy cream
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 2 tsp salt
• ½ tsp white pepper
• 2 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Generously butter a large table-ready baking dish.
Whisk cream, butter, salt, pepper and rosemary, and heat in saucepan or microwave (don’t let it boil).
With a sharp knife or a mandoline, slice potatoes all the way through into paper-thin rounds. Layer slices vertically in baking dish, in rows or circle. Pour cream mixture over potatoes and, with fingers, rub tops of potatoes with the cream mixture. Cover with foil and bake 1 hour or until tender. Uncover last 15 minutes for crispy-browned top. Garnish with rosemary sprigs.
MUSIC
‘Our favorite time of the year’
Shook Twins, John Craigie and friends return for annual ‘Giving Thanks’ concert
By Ben Olson Reader Staff
Thanksgiving in Sandpoint is a time of community, togetherness and gratitude — and also some bangin’ live music.
Since 2010, Katelyn and Laurie Shook have gathered the community for a special concert after Thanksgiving with their band Shook Twins. This year, “Giving Thanks” will begin at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 29 at the Panida Theater (300 N. First Ave., in downtown Sandpoint).
The twin sisters formed their namesake band in their hometown of Sandpoint, and shortly thereafter hosted their Thanksgiving concert at The Tunnel bar in 2010. It wasn’t until 2012 when they held the first show at the Panida and started a tradition that continues today.
“This has evolved into a tradition that we never saw coming,” Katelyn told the Reader. “We’re really into Thanksgiving. It’s one of my favorite holidays and we always have a moment giving thanks around our table. So it’s a nice show dedicated to giving thanks for what we have.”
Shook Twins includes Katelyn and Laurie Shook, along with bandmates Aber
Miller, Alex Radakovich and Niko Slice.
“This is our forever band,” Katelyn said. “We’ve finally found each other.”
Returning after a yearslong break from the show is folk-singing troubadour John Craigie, who will play a full set of his original songs.
“Craigie is probably one of my favorite people to play with,” Katelyn said. “Since Shook Twins took a hiatus, he took our band — Niko, Aber and Alex — on the road for a couple of tours, so our bands are melded at this point. We know his songs super well. Singing his songs is one of my favorite things ever. I just love his music and love him.”
invitation to a pre-party at the Little Panida Theater with free drinks, hors d’oeuvres and a special acoustic performance by Laurie and Katelyn at 6 p.m. before the main show.
Craigie has toured the nation (and world) for two decades, gathering a strong following thanks to his unique songs that either make you laugh or ball your eyes out.
Also joining Shook Twins on stage will be Bart Budwig, whose “cosmic country” vibe always adds some mischief and fun to a live performance.
New this year is the introduction of VIP tickets, which are allotted premium reserved seating, as well as an
Local blues-rock musician Brenden McCoy has long been known for his impeccable stylings, blending old and new rock influences into his own sound. His covers of The Beatles, Stevie Wonder, the Foo Fighters and more are reason enough to catch one of his shows, but McCoy’s originals are where his chops get their fullest expression — displaying impassioned vocals and the ability to traverse
As of press time, there were only about eight VIP tickets left to purchase, and about the same number of general admission tickets left before the show sold out.
“Expect a mix of new songs, some oldies, some middles,” Katelyn said. “Some people ask if there is a dress code. We’re wearing autumn colors this year, if anyone cares.”
Each year, Shook Twins donate a portion of ticket sales to the Panida. This year, their contribution will come out of the VIP ticket sales.
“This has always been a Panida benefit, or for the past 10 years at least,” Katelyn said. “This year, we’re selling the 36 VIP tickets and the difference of those tickets goes directly to the Panida.”
“Giving Thanks” is a dancing show, so the first five rows of seating might be blocked by dancing audience members.
“We’d like to thank everybody for always supporting this show and wanting to be a part of it with us and making it our favorite time of the year,” Katelyn said.
Visit panida.org to purchase a ticket (if any are left) and listen to Shook Twins at shooktwins.com.
A snapshot of notable live music coming
up in Sandpoint
This week’s RLW by Soncirey Mitchell
genres and tones with deceptive ease. On top of all that, McCoy’s lightning-quick fingerpicking and looping abilities are a sight to see (and a sound to hear).
— Zach Hagadone
5-7:30 p.m., FREE. Matchwood Brewing Company, 513 Oak St., 208-718-2739, matchwoodbrewing.com. Get more info at facebook.com/brendenmccoymusic and listen on ReverbNation.
Think of some of your favorite songs from the 1960s, ’70s and beyond. Ten bucks says Scott Dodson plays at least a few of them. Based in Coeur d’Alene, Dodson plays an interesting mix of country, pop and blues, including songs from The Beatles, Garth Brooks, Billy Joel, Louis Armstrong, James Taylor, Johnny Cash and more. He’ll go from fingerpicking acoustic
styles to more driving sound, always giving a spirited performance. Dodson brings more than 40 years of experience to his playing and singing, bringing out the melodies in each song he sings.
— Ben Olson
5-8 p.m., FREE. Pend d’Oreille Winery, 301 Cedar St., 208-2658545, powine.com. Listen at scottydodson.com.
READ LISTEN
What is the seminal piece of English-language vampire literature? If you said Dracula, you’re wrong. Carmilla by J. S. Le Fanu was published 25 years earlier and was the first to establish (in English) the delicate line between romance and danger, virtue and sin, which is now the hallmark of vampire stories. The plot follows the affair between the young Laura and the vampire Carmilla, centering two complex female characters in defiance of Victorian norms. Find it at the library.
Irish artist CMAT makes indie-pop-folk music that sounds like an R&B singer rambling, drunk, in a women’s restroom. Each song tells a story, swerving between pop culture and personal experience, with a few witticisms sprinkled in. I’m personally addicted to her song “I Don’t Really Care for You,” which is a good place to start before diving into her newest album, EURO-COUNTRY. Listen on Spotify.
WATCH
William Shakespeare’s histories don’t get as much love as his comedies and tragedies (they can’t become romcoms like She’s The Man, for starters), but they’re nonetheless just as compelling. If reading them sounds like a chore, watch the adaptation The Hollow Crown, which covers the reigns of Richard II, Henry IV, Henry VI and Richard III. With British stars like Benedict Cumberbatch and Tom Hiddleston, it’s bound to keep anyone engrossed. Find it at the library.
Shook Twins playing live with John Craigie. Courtesy photo
From Northern Idaho News, November 28, 1922
MOONSHINE VICTIM HAS FRENZIED NIGHT IN JAIL
A fellow bearing the name of Soloman, but lacking somewhat in the wisdom of Solomon of old, came in from Talache on Wednesday last and proceeded to fill up on moonshine. The beverage went severely to Solomon’s head and rendered him crazy drunk — frenzied drunk. The city police took him in charge and placed him behind the bars at the city hall whereupon he sprang at the barred door, jumped at it and kicked at it, and wound up by springing through one of the opaque glass windows. Of course the bars outside of the window interfered with his escape, but to prevent any further stunts of the kind, and shouting and battering against the bars until thoroughly exhausted. The following morning Solomon had regained his senses. He said he had no recollection of the night’s orgies, the last he could remember being that he was drinking moonshine. He settled it with Chief Bratton for the damage he had done and left the city.
BURGLARS LEAVE N.P. DEPOT EMPTY HANDED
Burglars early Monday morning broke into the Northern Pacific freight depot, and after ransacking the place left, it is thought, without taking anything. They gained entrance from the depot platform through a window. There is evidence that they searched the warehouse, and in leaving they left an outside door open. The safe in the office, which is never locked, and in which no money is kept, was apparently not disturbed. The Northern Pacific freight depot seems to possess a lure for burglars, and at the same time seldom holds anything worth taking the risk for.
The moment defined us
By Ben Olson Reader Staff
History gives us moments; crossroads in the timeline of our lives that force a direction one way or another.
The decisions we make when presented with these moments define our character, our intentions and, in some cases, our world. In these instances, we can choose to define the moment, or let it define us.
History doesn’t celebrate those who stand aside as human rights erode. History doesn’t lionize the facilitators, the capitulators, the ones who bend to pressure because it was the easy path. History hates a coward.
History remembers the ones who stand up, the ones who fight, the ones who feel the prevailing winds of bigotry and refuse to take shelter, refuse to bend or break. After all, do we celebrate the Jim Crow segregation laws that plagued the South for generations, or people like Rosa Parks who defied them?
We’re having a moment like that now in the U.S. The checks and balances that have (mostly) held our greatest ambitions and worst inclinations at bay for the past 250 years have rarely been tested as much as in the past decade.
Some institutions are standing up against this pressure, but most aren’t. CEOs parade into the Oval Office seemingly every day to pay tribute to our president with gifts and banal praise in exchange for favors that help their bottom line. National news outlets water down and, in many cases, overtly omit statements and actions that are blatantly un-American and, in many other cases illegal, just to appease the seat of power.
The facilitators applaud while the ship founders, nobody wanting to be the first to mention the danger ahead.
The pendulum will swing back someday. It always does. It might be years, it might be decades; but, at some point in the future, Americans will look back on this era and shake their heads, asking, “How did they let it happen?”
Fear, that’s how. It pushes people to the brink, where they feel they have no other choice.
Fear creates others and others are safe to hate because they aren’t “us.”
The Litehouse YMCA employee who started this whole kerfuffle about transgender bathroom usage had such a moment that day in November. She could have minded her own business and went about her day, but instead she blasted this manufactured story onto Facebook and all the bottom-feeders like Scott Herndon — who spends an inordinate amount of time thinking and talking about other people’s genitals and reproductive organs — turned this into a political football they can run with, like red meat tossed into a pit of hungry beasts, eager for their next two minutes of hate.
Expect to see the Idaho Legislature introduce all kinds of bills that will further erode the rights of people who don’t fit into their Christian Nationalist order of society. Then, the bigots can sit back and feel satisfied that they passed yet another series of laws that discriminate against a population that represents fewer than 2% of the people in our nation, and even less of our state. The irony remains, of course, that those who are in support of such legislation are usually the same ones who constantly bemoan about “freedom.”
I don’t give a tin shit whether someone feels like they are a man or a woman, who they choose to love, what they decide to do with their lives or who they worship. Live and let live.
When the fearful, closed-minded ones attempt to pass laws and criminalize a marginalized population because they’re too ignorant to understand it, we’ve lost something inherently good inside of us all.
Facts are facts, no matter how much they are conflated by the present cultural miasma. This YMCA story is such a foul ball to me because those who claim to want to “protect our women and children” assume that anyone who is transgender is likely to commit crime while
using a public restroom — which is yet another attempt to dehumanize and demonize trans people. This “debate” has been had in the U.S. over and over. Not long ago, Black people weren’t allowed in public pools and locker rooms for the exact reasons cited by those gripped by the current trans panic. Jews, Hispanics, Asians, even the Irish have been segregated in public accommodations at various times and places in the U.S. on the grounds that their mere presence was “dangerous” or “degenerate” or an “abomination.” Substitute “trans” for any of those other groups, and much of the testimony offered before the City Council on Nov. 19 could be fairly argued as hate speech.
The truth is, despite being less than 2% of the U.S. adult population, transgender individuals are four times as likely to be victims of crime, while it’s the right-wing extremists and cisgender white males who are responsible for an uptick in terrorist attacks and political violence in America. Google it if you don’t believe me.
It’s convenient for many to hate the transgender community because they can safely stand on the other side of it, knowing they’ll likely never be targeted. Similar to how many white Americans feel about ICE snatching citizens off the street to inquire about their immigration status. “It will never affect me, so why do I care?” seems to be the prevailing opinion.
Cowards, all of them.
What happens when all the others have been depopulated and the homogenous society that white nationalists and bigots laud as the answer is achieved? Well, for an ethos that survives on hate toward others, they would eventually start henpecking their own. It’s only a matter of time until they come for you, too.
Sandpoint had a moment 14 years ago when we passed a non-discrimination ordinance that protected people from discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. We had another moment Nov. 19 when three of our city councilors — Joel Aispuro, Justin Dick and Rick Howarth — voted along with Mayor Jeremy Grimm to amend the ordinance. They chose the easy route, the meek path. They bent to the pressure of bigotry and now want to be patted on the back for it.
Instead of defining the moment, they let it define them, and, as a result, all of us, too.
Laughing Matter
Solution on page 22
By Bill Borders
[verb]
1. to make or render fantastic
Week of the
Corrections:
“Ah, whoreson caterpillars, bacon-fed knaves...” there are no corrections this week.
Ta ta.
“There is a definite attempt to heighten reality,” Mr. Walton told The New York Times in 1991, explaining his approach to Mary Poppins, “to fantasticate it, and try to make it a matter of delight.””
I think a new, different kind of bowling should be “carpet bowling.” It’s just like regular bowling, only the lanes are carpet instead of wood. I don’t know why we should do this, but my God, we’ve got to try something!
