“No news is good news,” as the saying goes, and we haven’t had “no news” since 2016. Since I’m always reporting on lawsuits and environmental catastrophes and whatnot, I thought I’d try to prove the old adage wrong and write about some good news... or at least some notbad news. If it sounds like I struggled to find any, that’s because I did. Here’s the best I have.
First, the Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza celebrated its official opening on Nov. 1, bringing an end to a project that began in 1992. The Egyptian government laid the foundation in 2002 and held an international design competition before construction began in 2005. It assumed its regular business hours on Nov. 4 on the 103rd anniversary of the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb. The museum contains 24,000 artifacts, 5,398 of which were old King Tut’s, and this will be the first time they’re all displayed together. With 500,000 square meters, the GEM is the biggest museum in the world (unless you count the Smithsonian’s 21 museums as one), dwarfing the Louvre by 130,000 square meters. The French lose, yet again.
Second, paleontologists have (somewhat) put to rest a 40-year-old debate over the existence of Nanotyrannus lancensis, a smaller relative of Tyrannosaurus rex. Scientists were divided on whether the small fossils belonged to a Gorgosaurus, a juvenile T. rex, or represented a new branch of the tyrannosaurid family tree. After reexamining Montana’s “Dueling Dinosaurs,” researchers with the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences and North Carolina State University confirmed that the itty-bitty (and by that I mean 18-foot-long) specimens were not baby 42-foot T. rexes; they were fully grown and approximately 20 years old. Some experts aren’t convinced, nor should they be — the joy of being an expert is getting to debate incredibly niche hyperfixations to get tenure. Argue on, dino doctors.
Third, a few years ago, the internet went wild over “shrimp colors” — colors that don’t exist in the visible light spectrum for humans, but can be seen by mantis shrimp, who have 12-16 photoreceptors compared to our three. Researchers at the University of Washington recently used lasers to make their subjects see a “shrimp color,” what they called “olo.” Olo is like super teal — purer and more vibrant than what humans usually see. Ordinarily, when light hits our eyes, it stimulates a bunch of color-sensing cone cells, causing us to see green, blue, red and their combinations. To the best of their ability, the targeted lasers only activated the green cones, allowing the subjects to see green with little influence from the other two colors. On the one hand, I would also like to see secret colors. On the other hand, if I only had the chance to see a secret color once and then had to go through life constantly searching for it, never feeling satisfied, I might go insane. I can’t say I have the mental fortitude of these test subjects, or of mantis shrimp, for that matter.
DEAR READERS,
Another Election Day has come and gone. Congratulations to all of the candidates who won their races and better luck next time to those who didn’t. Voting is an important part of living in a representative democracy, so please continue to stay vigilant about the issues and participate. Tuesday, Nov. 11 is Veterans Day, when we honor all of those who served our country in the armed services. We have a lot of honorable veterans living here in North Idaho. Whether it be your parents, siblings, loved ones or acquaintences, please remember the sacrifices they made for us. From myself and the rest of my staff, we say thank you.
– Ben Olson, publisher
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‘I feel like we’re being played’
Council rejects Averill hotel proposal to lease or buy City Beach RV park, but sets workshop for future plans on the site
By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff
Emotions ran high at the Nov. 5 regular meeting of the Sandpoint City Council, as a capacity crowd filled the City Hall chambers — with more residents waiting in the lobby — and the body considered whether to pursue discussions with Averill Hospitality about a planned fronted by the Whitefish, Mont.-based corporation to lease or purchase the publicly owned property south of its proposed resort hotel on Bridge Street adjacent to City Beach.
Councilors took in several hours of presentations, including from Brian Averill and local company representative Ben McGrann, as well as public comment — the latter which was overwhelmingly against the proposal.
Councilors voted unanimously to reject the lease or sale of the RV park parcel to Averill in a motion from Councilor Pam Duquette and seconded by Council President Deb Ruehle, though approved an amendment from Councilor Justin Dick directing city staff to organize a workshop inviting the company, community and Sandpoint officials to brainstorm how the property should best be used. Councilor Rick Howarth seconded the motion, which drew “no” votes from Duquette and Ruehle.
“I feel like we’re being played by Averill,” Duquette said ahead of the vote, adding, “I think we’ve heard pie crust promises” and expressing that she’d lost faith in the company’s expression of its intentions not only at the current site of the Best Western Edgewater Resort, but the beach area as a whole.
Her sentiment was echoed by the crowd in attendance, members of which testified one after another that Averill had overstepped the mark with a pair of letters sent in recent weeks to City Hall officials claiming that if the RV park property wasn’t either offered for lease or sale to the com-
pany, it would pull out of its multi-million dollar proposed development at 56 Bridge St. Former-Sandpoint Mayor Carrie Logan called Averill’s proposal “rude and arrogant” and called on Dick to recuse himself from any votes related to the development, owing to his previous occupancy at the Edgewater as owner-operator of Trinity at City Beach and the potential that his popular eatery may find a new home with the Averill development in the future.
For his part, Dick said he has “no deals with the Averills; I have no conflict of interest.”
Multiple other speakers blasted Averill Hospitality not only for the tone of its most recent communications with the city, but for what many perceived as a pattern of accommodations for the developer, which has more than once warned that unless certain concessions were offered by the city, the project would be “unviable.”
In particular, community members and some councilors were upset by an Oct. 15 email sent to the city from the company that stated, “the Sandpoint Lakeside Resort project will not proceed if the city redevelops the existing City Beach RV park into any use other than parking. The character, density and proximity of an active RV park are incompatible with the level of guest experience, design quality and market positioning of the proposed four-star waterfront resort. Proceeding with the RV park redevelopment would jeopardize the hotel’s feasibility and eliminate the economic and community benefits this project is poised to deliver.”
According to the city’s staff report, Averill offered the options to lease the 2.29-acre property either through a 30-year agreement with renewal options and annual rent equal to 110% of the projected net revenues from the RV park following its redevelopment — an amount estimated at more than $100,000 per year — or to purchase the parcel outright “at fair market value.”
“To be clear, the Sandpoint
Lakeside Resort cannot move forward without a binding agreement that the adjacent parcel will be reserved exclusively for parking use serving City Beach and the marina,” Averill wrote.
In subsequent conversations, those uses were described as including boat trailer parking, recreational watercraft storage and new public restrooms.
At the same time, a covenant dating back about 100 years with what is today BNSF dictates that the current RV park property must be used solely for “park purposes” or else its ownership will revert to the railroad. As such, councilors and Sandpoint Mayor Jeremy Grimm were unanimous in their statements that regardless of what happens on that land, it will remain public access.
The city stated in its staff report that, as of Oct. 21, no permits had been applied for or issued for Averill’s project.
In his presentation to the council, Brian Averill said, “I’d like to apologize” for the tenor of the communications, adding that there had been “misunderstanding and misrepresentation” of the intent of those statements to the city.
“The second letter [in October] might not have been the best way to say what our intent was,” he said, going on to claim that Averill’s goal at the Bridge Street location, current RV park location and City Beach at large is to “help create a city park that fulfills the needs of the community. That is our one and only intent.”
While several councilors expressed willingness to consider alternative uses for the RV park property — which the city recently secured $1 million in funding to redevelop, including from an Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation grant — others like Duquette and Ruehle, and to an extent Councilors Joel Aispuro and Howarth, took Averill to task for its messaging.
“Many in the community took the letter as a threat or intimidation,” Aispuro said.
“Your letter was very clear,” Howarth added. “It said if we don’t cave to your demands, your project won’t be done. You come here tonight with a different tone, so help us all reconcile what are the true intentions of Averill.”
While Averill repeated that the email wasn’t “a true representation of what our intent was,” Ruehle wasn’t buying it.
“I’m not going to be gentle; I’m going to be direct. I have German and Russian roots, and I’m frustrated,” she said.
“I’ve experienced two threats from Averill,” she added, referring first to the company’s argument earlier this year that increased impact fees would make the project financially impossible and helping inform a council decision to defer those fees until after the turn of the new year in 2026, and the second being the October letter.
“I really wish that you could see the public out here ... they are not happy with you, and who I represent is them,” Ruehle said, later adding, “I’m not trying to be mean or disre-
spectful to you ... you kind of stepped in the wrong direction.”
Given Averill’s apology and description of the company’s desire to help the community — all while stating that the content and timbre of the October letter was unrepresentative — Aispuro asked if it was still true that if the RV park wasn’t offered for lease or sale the hotel project would not go forward.
“We don’t 100% have an answer for that. They do work in conflict to some extent,” Averill said, later adding, “It’s not the best thing for the resort, no, so I’m not sure how that ends.”
“I feel like I’m listening to a teenager and I want a straight answer,” Ruehle said later.
Other speakers from the public doubted the sincerity of Averill’s statements, with many also pointing to past comments that are “far different than what we just heard,” as resident Pat Holland said.
“I trust the council — I don’t necessarily trust them,” said resident Tari Pardini, pointing to Averill company representatives in the audience.
Resident Bill Litsinger called the Averill presentation “corporate crapola” and “corporate greed, and as far as I’m concerned, if their lips are moving they’re lying.”
It was unclear by press time when the workshop might be scheduled. Watch the entire meeting at the city of Sandpoint’s YouTube channel.
Averill Hospitality Group representatives Ben McGrann, left, and Brian Averill, right, speak at the Nov. 6 Sandpoint City Council meeting. Photo by Ben Olson
November 2025 election results
Voters elect new Sandpoint City Council members, approve wastewater bond by wide margin
By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff
Bonner County voters went to the polls Nov. 4 to cast their ballots in a number of local political races, as well as on Sandpoint’s wastewater treatment bond, a local option tax in Ponderay, and tax levies in East Hope and the Northside Fire District.
Turnout was light, with 27% of registered voters participating, casting 4,693 ballots out of 17,506 electors.
The highest-profile results came in Sandpoint, Ponderay and at the Northside Fire District. Four candidates vied for three seats on the Sandpoint City Council, with incumbent Councilor Joel Aispuro coming out as the highest vote-getter with 1,398, amounting to 29.26%.
First-time candidates Joe Tate and Joshua Torrez also won their contests, with 1,216 and 1,091 votes, respectively, amounting to 25.45% and 22.83%.
Torrez’s campaign bested incumbent Councilor Rick Howarth by a razor-thin margin of 18 votes, with Howarth gathering 1,073, or 22.46%.
Aispuro noted the narrow margins in the race during an interview with the Reader, saying it felt “humbling” to win his third election.
“You don’t want to take that for granted, so it’s very humbling and you don’t want to presume you know exactly what everybody’s feeling or thinking,” he said. “You do your best and you hope for the best, and thankfully, it turned out for the best for me, so I’m thankful for that.”
Aispuro will go into the upcoming term in January as one of the most senior members of the council, next to President Deb Ruehle, and said the Nov. 4 results
were “very reassuring and really, it just encourages me to want to do better this next term and try to get better as a person, and as a council member as well.”
He also extended his congratulations to Tate and Torrez, adding, “they campaigned very hard and they did a very good job and kudos to them. They deserved it. They earned it, and I look forward to the next four years.”
Asked for comment on Nov. 5, Torrez told the Reader, “I’m a ski tech on the Sandpoint City Council. I’m super proud of myself and grateful to the voters for trusting me with their voice.”
Tate told the Reader in a post-election text that he is “deeply honored and humbled that the people of Sandpoint have trusted me to represent them on City Council. I’ll work hard to make our community proud and to be an effective, homegrown voice for Sandpoint.”
The Sandpoint City Council seats under consideration Nov. 4 all carried a term of four years, and are “at large,” meaning there are no specific districts or seats representing those districts. Rather, those who won the most votes across all of Sandpoint’s voting precincts won the seats.
Sandpoint’s wastewater treatment bond measure, which asked residents whether the city should have the authority to seek upward of $130 million to undertake a rebuild of the obsolete sewer facility, succeeded beyond even supporters’ expectations.
Just shy of 90% of those who cast ballots supported issuing up to $130 million of revenue bonds, repayable over the course of no more than 40 years, amounting to 1,749 votes in favor to 216 against for a total of 89.01% to
10.99%. The measure needed a simple majority to pass.
City officials have pledged to seek grants or low-interest loans to help finance the project, with debt also repaid from sewer service rates — not property taxes.
“This authorization would also allow the city to apply for state and federal grants and low-interest loans, reducing overall costs to ratepayers,” City Hall stated ahead of the vote.
Sandpoint Mayor Jeremy Grimm told the Reader in a post-election statement that City Hall is “deeply grateful to Sandpoint residents for engaging in this process and taking the time to understand the importance of this investment.
“This was and remains my No. 1 priority as mayor — ensuring that Sandpoint has reliable, environmentally responsible wastewater infrastructure for decades to come,” he added. “The resounding approval of this bond is a success for the future of Sandpoint, for clean water and for generations to come. This issue has been kicked down the road for far too long, and I’m proud that our community has finally stepped up to address it.”
Despite the overwhelming win at the polls, Grimm noted that, “There’s still much work ahead as we continue to pursue state and federal partnerships to secure grant funding and reduce the local burden of this major infrastructure investment. I want to thank our residents, staff and partners for their trust, engagement and hard work in getting us to this milestone moment.”
It has been estimated that even with the full $130 million bond in place, sewer rates could increase by upward of 106% over the course of five years to pay for the project.
In Ponderay, 77.71% of participating voters turned out in favor of a 1% local option tax on all sales other than hotel and motel stays and any sales exceeding $999.99 over the course of 10 years. That funding is intended to support continued development of public access to Lake Pend Oreille and the Pend d’Oreille Bay Trail, including a railroad underpass; ongoing construction at the Field of Dreams recreational complex; creation of a Field of Dreams Endowment Fund for future maintenance at the facility; and support for streets and stormwater projects, with $500,000 designated on top of the existing streets budget.
Ponderay’s LOT needed 60% to pass, while only 22.29% — or 35 voters — were opposed.
Ponderay Mayor Steve Geiger did not respond to a request for comment by press time.
The Northside Fire District’s special permanent tax levy didn’t fare as well at the ballot box, falling short of the necessary 66.67% to pass with 50.91% in favor (or 784 votes) and 49.09% against (amounting to 756 votes).
The district has struggled to maintain adequate funding, exacerbated by the failure of another levy in the spring election. The permanent levy on the Nov. 4 ballot sought an increase in revenue gathered from property tax of $684,339 for a total of $1,345,410, intended to defray expenses related to staffing, equipment and maintaining the fire district’s operations.
If it had been approved, the measure would have resulted in an estimated increase of $20.20 per $100,000 of taxable assessed value per year.
Selkirk Fire Chief Jeff Armstrong, who leads the North Side, Sagle and Westside fire districts, did not respond to a request for comment by press time.
Elsewhere in the county, incumbent Clark Fork Mayor Russell Schenck retained his seat with 56.08% of the vote to challenger Tanya Becker’s 43.92%, while voters returned incumbent Dover City Council President Kim Bledsoe to office with 40.22% of the vote, followed by Jerry Heaps, who bested both incumbent Councilor Merlin Glass and challenger Hans Steidl with 31.01% to Glass’ 14.53% and Steidl’s 14.25%.
Robert Dressel will join the Kootenai City Council after winning his race against Danelle Baumgarten-Pickett with 66.67% to 33.33%.
In the Timberlake Fire District, Jason Charter won his race for Sub-District 2 commissioner, while Matt Church prevailed for Sub-District 4 commissioner.
Meanwhile, David A. Van Natter won his bid to serve as Sub-District 1 commissioner in the West Pend Oreille Fire District.
Though voters in both Ponderay and Sandpoint approved their ballot measures, East Hope residents rejected a permanent override property tax levy, estimated to cost $20.89 per $100,000 of taxable assessed property value per year in order to fund street maintenance and capital improvements.
Though it needed 66.67% to pass, that measure drew 34.84% in favor to 63.16% against.
For full election results — including precinct breakdowns and statewide outcomes — go to voteidaho. gov. All results are unofficial until canvassed.
County finishes renovations to Colburn Solid Waste Facility
By Soncirey Mitchell Reader Staff
Bonner County recently wrapped up work on the Solid Waste Colburn Facility, more commonly known as the Colburn Culver Dump, after more than two years of renovations. The $6.5 million improvements redesigned the dump’s layout to accommodate increasing amounts of trash and prevent traffic jams in and out of the site.
“The old site design was over 30 years old, and it was first built for a fiveyear life expectancy,” Solid Waste Director Bob Howard told the Reader. “It was showing its age and was too small for the volumes of trash we handle.”
When the dump was built in the mid-1990s, Bonner County generated approximately 19,300 tons of municipal solid waste. By 2020, that number had skyrocketed to 45,307 tons, outweighing the national average per capita generation rate, overwhelming the county’s facilities and pushing the county Solid Waste Department to begin expansion plans.
“The new design created efficiencies in moving the volumes of trash that are produced in Bonner County,” said Howard. “The customers can back onto the tipping floor, throw their trash on the floor and drive away. This also makes it easier for contractors with dump trailers to dump and go rather than unload by hand.”
The new asphalt “tipping floor” means that users no longer have to throw heavy bags up into dumpsters in the hot sun, and the durable resurfaced areas, road signs and improved drain-
age and water access make for a safer and cleaner environment. Howard suggests users organize their trash with recycling first, household trash second and then wood, metal and tires third, to follow the order of the new layout.
“These improvements were essential for environmental concerns and to create the efficiencies necessary to move the increased volumes of trash to the Waste Management Landfill in Adams County, Wash.,” said Howard.
Though the project ran into additional unexpected costs, the $6.5 million improvements ultimately came in $16,000 under budget, allowing the Bonner County board of commissioners to unanimously vote to carry those savings over into the 2026 fiscal year. The board additionally approved new rules regarding residential user fees, which are now $194 for two stickers “for each occupiable dwelling unit in Bonner County.”
Beginning Monday, Dec. 1, these fees will be applied to building permit applications and will not require fulltime residence to ensure that shortterm rental properties contribute to the upkeep of the county’s dumps. Households can pay another $194 for two additional stickers, and replacement stickers are free so long as the user can prove that the original sticker was lost due to windshield replacement.
Users without a sticker can now pay $20 per yard of garbage, with a one-yard minimum. Different kinds of trash, such as old tires, can incur additional fees.
For more information, visit bonnercountyid.gov/departments/SolidWaste.
BOCC establishes checklist for neighborhoods to apply for railroad quiet zones
By Soncirey Mitchell Reader Staff
The Bonner County board of commissioners voted Oct. 29 to adopt a “Checklist of Necessary Actions” for establishing railroad quiet zones at crossings where trains currently sound their horns. The vote is the first in a multi-step process to assess the feasibility of community-funded quiet zones.
In 2020, after years of work, the county instituted its first and only quiet zone at the Kootenai Bay Road
Bits ’n’ Pieces
From east, west and beyond
According to Oxfam, the top 10 U.S. billionaires’ collective wealth grew by $698 billion in the past year.
Various media reported that King Charles III formally removed his brother, Prince Andrew, from his titles and honors, due to Andrew’s affiliation with deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, with whom President Donald Trump is known to have been a close associate and friend, describing him as a “terrific guy.” Buckingham Palace expressed sympathy for sexual abuse survivors.
Liberty Vote, which is aligned with Trump, just purchased Dominion Voting Systems. According to Wired and Slate, Liberty Vote’s press release stated the purchase was meant to align with Trump’s “Election Integrity” executive order, which courts struck down as unconstitutional.
The Trump-era Pentagon has ordered thousands of National Guard troops to complete civil unrest training. The Washington Post reviewed an outline of the “quick reaction force,” which is to be trained in riot control, and ready for action in every state by Jan. 1, 2026.
crossing in Ponder Point at the request of residents. The community raised the $15,000 needed to fund the safety improvements, which, under the Federal Railroad Association’s laws, have to be instituted to convert a crossing into a quiet zone without undue risk to drivers.
“This first quiet zone was a trial run, and while it was successfully implemented, it has shown the true cost and effort to establish and maintain quiet zones to be considerable,” said Bonner County Road and Bridge Staff Engineer Matt Mulder. “In the five years since, Road and Bridge estimates
During the 2019 government shutdown — the nation’s longest at that point, though the current shutdown has now exceeded it in length — then-and-current-President Trump allowed contingency funding for food benefits, The New Republic wrote. The present-day Trump administration’s USDA claims contingency funds cannot be used for SNAP. While Democrats called for restoring SNAP benefits, Republicans voted it down. Dozens of states sued to restore SNAP funding, and judges have so far sided with them. Trump first said SNAP will be partially funded in November, but payments can be delayed “up to several months.” Then, on Nov. 4, Trump stated he won’t fund SNAP until the shutdown ends.
According to Vermont Democratic Sen. Bernie Sanders, Congress is inundated with calls about the government shutdown, which is why 15 Republican Senators, along with all Democrats, support funding SNAP benefits. As well, 14 House Republicans are calling for an extension of Affordable Care Act tax credits.
Sanders said it’s not a good look for Trump’s billionaire friends to have big tax breaks while 15 million could
By Lorraine H. Marie Reader Contributor
lose health care — amounting to 50,000 unnecessary deaths a year — and while 20 million face a doubling or more of health care premiums. Sanders added that denial of SNAP benefits will affect 16 million children. Meanwhile, Sanders said, Republicans refuse to negotiate. Complicating the issue is that negotiating with Trump has its drawbacks, which Sanders described as threats by the president to arrest and jail those who oppose him, deploying the military to cities led by his “opponents,” condoning ICE’s lack of due process, suing the media when it criticizes him, extorting funds from law firms and withholding federal funding from non-Trump-majority voting states.
Millions who rely on the ACA marketplace and are enrolling for 2026 face premiums that are about 26% higher, the Lever reported. Health insurance CEOs saw nearly $160 million in collective compensation in 2024.
The Washington Post reported that the Trump administration is claiming it does not have to consult Congress to continue its attacks on Venezuela, though the 1973 War Powers Act says it does.
The Trump administration signaled it would not attend this month’s COP30 climate summit in Brazil. Independent of the Trump administration, California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom will co-chair the COP30’s Local Leaders Forum. His state’s greenhouse gas emissions have fallen 20% since 2000 with a GDP increase of 78%, making California the fourth-largest economy in the world
Dick Cheney, 84, recently died. As vice president, he urged the invasion of Iraq. More recently he defended his daughter’s criticism of the Jan. 6 capitol riots in support of Trump.
According to various media sources, the Trump administration sent $40 billion to stabilize Argentina.
Blast from the past: Hours before SNAP ended for 42 million people, Trump hosted an expensive Great Gatsby-themed Halloween party, referencing the 1925 tragic novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald, which examined the morally deficient lives of the wealthy, who spent lavishly while others endured poverty. Fitzgerald wrote: “They were careless people. ... They smashed up things and creatures ... and let other people clean up the mess they made.”
Idaho prepares to enter new era of trimming state budgets
Legislators, legislative staff vow to avoid budget deficit as state revenue lags projections
By Clark Corbin Idaho Capital Sun
Members of the Idaho Legislature’s budget committee said Nov. 4 they are preparing to enter a new era of budget setting in 2026, during which they will focus less on approving spending requests and focus more on trimming budgets.
The Idaho Legislature’s powerful Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee, or JFAC, is conducting three days of budget workshops in Boise in preparation for the 2026 legislative session that begins Jan. 12, 2026.
JFAC is responsible for setting budgets for all state agencies and departments once the legislative session convenes.
However, the financial and budgetary landscape has fundamentally changed since fiscal year 2022, when Idaho’s state budget had a record surplus estimated at $2 billion.
Now, the state of Idaho’s
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that the true cost of ongoing maintenance, upgrades, staff and crew time amounts to around $50,000 — including that original $15,000 that the community raised.”
These unanticipated costs include repairs to the safety guards, annual inspections, paperwork and “periodic recertifications” with the FRA. Due to the difficulties stemming from the Kootenai Bay Road quiet zone, the county has been “staunchly opposed” to creating more; however, public interest continues to grow in high-traffic areas like Bottle Bay.
In an effort to shift “the majority of the workload and cost off of the Road and Bridge Department and put it onto the shoulders of the community members that
General Fund budget is projected to end the current fiscal year 2026 on June 30 with a deficit of $49.3 million, according to budget documents state staffers shared with JFAC on Nov. 4.
Legislators said they won’t allow a budget deficit to occur and will use their authority to take steps during the 2026 session to prevent a deficit.
“Instead of deciding how much we’re going to add to budgets, by and large we will be deciding how much we will trim,” said Rep. Wendy Horman, R-Idaho Falls. “So it will be a very different mindset that we will have.”
Horman and Sen. Scott Grow, R-Eagle, serve as the two co-chairs of JFAC.
Idaho Gov. Brad Little has already ordered state agencies — other than the K-12 public school system — to reduce spending by 3% during the current fiscal year due to revenue shortfalls. While the governor can order agencies to reduce spending, only the Idaho Legislature has the au-
want and benefit from the quiet zones,” Mulder worked with Bottle Bay residents — led by musician and artist Matt Lome — to create the checklist. Under the new framework, applicants will be required to form and volunteer to join an LLC, which will raise all funds necessary to create and maintain the quiet zone. These funds will be kept in an escrow account accessible by the county and must stay above a yet-to-bedetermined balance. Based on recommendations from BOCC Commissioner Asia Williams and Chair Brian Domke, the minimum balance will cover anticipated maintenance, engineer wages and the cost of converting a quiet crossing back to its original state should the LLC
thority to set the budget.
Why is Idaho’s general fund state budget projecting to run a budget deficit?
The revenue shortfall is occurring after the Idaho Legislature and Little reduced revenue by more than $450 million during the 2025 legislative session in order to pay for tax cuts and a new private education tax credit.
During the 2025 legislative session, JFAC members also delayed setting their revenue projection until after the Idaho Legislature signed off on its largest tax cuts and JFAC had approved more than $5 billion in spending — a move criticized by some members of both political parties.
The projected state budget deficit does not include the costs of conforming to tax changes in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that Congress passed this summer or more than $100 million in supplemental funding requests that the Legislature will consider during the 2026 session. The
fail to pay the upkeep. Bonner County will sign a professional service agreement with a consultant engineer, paid by the LLCs, who will create and maintain the crossing indefinitely. Though the commissioners approved the checklist, they did not resolve the question of whether the residents of Ponder Point will be required to pay for future maintenance of the existing quiet zone. The topic will return to the BOCC at a yet-to-be-determined date. In the meantime, interested parties will continue to work with Mulder to determine whether the cost of retaining a consultant engineer and establishing and maintaining quiet zones with private funds is practical or financially feasible.
Idaho Legislature will ultimately decide whether and how to conform with the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and whether to approve the supplemental budget requests.
The Idaho Constitution requires the Legislature to pass a balanced budget where expenses do not exceed revenue.
Unless revenues reverse course and start exceeding forecasts, the Idaho Legislature will need to intervene to avoid an unconstitutional budget deficit.
Those options include: cutting spending; dipping into nearly $1.7 billion worth of rainy day savings accounts and unobligated cash; and raising taxes or fees, or otherwise increasing revenue.
Given that conservative Republicans — who have spent years cutting taxes — control a supermajority in both chambers of the Idaho Legislature, increasing taxes does not seem realistic politically.
That leaves cutting spending and dipping into rainy days savings and cash on hand as potential tools the Legislature will deploy to avoid a budget deficit before the current fiscal year ends.
The budget picture doesn’t become any easier in the coming years either. Graphs and charts that legislative budget staffers presented Nov. 4 showed the gap between expenditures and revenues is projected to widen in the 2027 and 2028 fiscal years.
One General Fund budget scenario presented Nov. 4 by Legislative Services Office Budget and Policy Analysis Manager Keith Bybee listed an estimated deficit of $555.2 million for FY’27.
Still, Bybee said the Legislature is well positioned because of its rainy day reserve savings accounts and a history of making conservative budget decisions.
“All solvable — we have solutions,” Bybee said. “We
have plenty of money in reserves. We have other options.”
Horman stressed that JFAC and the Idaho Legislature have not violated the Idaho Constitution’s balanced budget requirement.
Horman pointed out the projected deficit is merely a forecast on paper and that what matters is where the budget stands at the end of the fiscal year on June 30.
Horman also said she has seen an opinion from the Idaho Attorney General’s Office indicating the state reserve funds count as revenue.
Throughout the Nov. 4 hearing, some members of JFAC and staffers frequently used phrases like “right-size government” and even heralded a return to the “good old days,” when state budget writers focused on funding only needs, not wants.
But Idaho Department of Health and Welfare Director Juliet Charron used plain language to describe how her department will navigate the new budget realities within the Medicaid program.
“We are at a point where we need to make difficult decisions,” Charron told JFAC members.
In addition to budget and revenue briefings, the Nov. 4 agenda included a hosted buffet dinner for JFAC members at the downtown Boise steakhouse Hemlock, which was paid for by Regence BlueShield, an insurer that began managing the state health insurance contract in 2024.
JFAC meetings were scheduled to continue Nov. 5 and Thursday, Nov. 6 at the Idaho State Capitol in Boise and Boise State University.
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.
Barbs:
• Averill Hospitality — which purchased the Best Western Edgewater hotel property adjacent to City Beach from the Cox family in 2022 — sent a letter demanding the city either sell or lease them the nearby RV park, or they “will not proceed” with their luxury hotel. The letter was demeaning to anyone who calls themselves a local. This is the same Averill that paid more than $400,000 in lieu of fees to the city so they could expand the footprint of their building, add luxury condos and not have to build so many parking spaces. This is the same Averill that got another sweetheart deal when the city delayed collecting higher impact fees after the company said the adopted fee schedule was “unviable.” Now, Averill is threatening the city again. I say give them the finger. The city of Sandpoint has bent over backward for this developer time and time again, and the council had an opportunity at the Nov. 5 meeting to make a stand against Averill’s increasingly onerous demands once and for all. As I suspected they would, the council blinked. When Brian Averill and Ben McGrann advocated for the developer, their tone was drastically different than that in their insulting, snobby letter claiming their wealthy clientele wouldn’t stomach having to share space with an RV park across the street. It’s the epitome of what we detest here in Sandpoint: out-of-town interests coming into our city and demanding we change our ways to better suit their needs. The only councilors who showed any backbone were Pam Duquette and Deb Ruehle, who actually advocated for locals. Yes, thanks to their motion and second, the council voted unanimously to deny selling or leasing the property to the Averills. But, and this is a big but, thanks to the car salesman-efforts of Justin Dick and windsocks Joel Aispuro, Rick Howarth and Kyle Schreiber, they amended the motion to open it up to a public workshop with the Averills. Ah yes, the same public workshops where we were given a choice of turf or grass at Memorial Field, which, despite the public favoring grass, ended with council voting on turf or another kind of turf. The same public workshops that wasted hundreds of thousands of dollars on improvement plans nobody asked for that now lie dormant. Frankly, the council does not listen to the public at these workshops. It’s just cover to convince us that they’re listening to our feedback. They’re not. It’s a repeat of the disastrous Shelby Rognstad/ Jennifer Stapleton years. I hope the incoming city councilors take note and remember who voted them into office, because all I saw from the majority of council — as well as the mayor — was cowardice and compliance.
My advice to you, dear readers? Don’t let up. Don’t give in. Participate in these workshops and tell our elected representatives what you feel about these developers and their demand letters, or we might just be calling it “Averill City Beach” someday. Do better, council. Grow a spine.
‘Aghast’ by Aispuro’s ‘gutter’ comment on women’s health care…
Dear editor,
Reading the “Sandpoint Election Forum Recap” in the Reader [Oct. 23, 2025], I was aghast at the flip comment by Joel Aispuro when asked about what the city could do to bring back our OB-GYN physicians. He commented that “these services can be found in Kootenai County and ‘it’s not like they’re out in the gutter’ [giving birth].” What kind of person talks like that about women? Really Joel, I thought better of you. This statement is derogatory and dismissive. The fact that the editorial page isn’t full of letters calling out this comment, indicates the insidious devaluing of women — the very women who provide the next generation of Sandpoint citizens who support this community.
OB-GYN care that is a two-to-three-hour roundtrip away is not how you provide a healthy mother, which is the best way to have a healthy baby. Joel should retract this statement and acknowledge the virulent tone this implies. Is “the gutter” your baseline to improve maternal and infant care? Twenty-thousand women die yearly in the U.S. (March of Dimes); the worst maternal mortality rate of all developed countries. It’s too late to impact the election, but we can hold our council members accountable for their comments.
Cynthia Dalsing Sandpoint
Distraction agenda…
Dear editor,
All the focus on Trump allows the Idaho Legislature to get away with things like funding private schools by defunding public schools, driving OB-GYNs and other doctors to leave the state, taking aim at initiative rights and violating the Constitution by passing unbalanced budgets when the Legislature is not even in session. But the soap opera at the federal level — people terrified by masked guards in the street, hauling people out of their cars, people flooded or burned out of their homes — is so scary that that’s where the national attention is. It’s hard to resist watching it all happen.
Idaho legislative actions that attempt to circumvent voter power should be a warning sign of what can happen if all the focus is on Trump — no matter which party you blame — that’s just a distraction.
Attention on things like ballrooms instead of classrooms, and ever-changing tariff talks instead of shutdown compromises, allows state and local central committees to get away with murder.
If you are interested in effective actions you can take, sign up for locally produced Bonner Alerts before the Legislature opens the 2026 session in January: bonneralerts. substack.com.
Nancy Gerth Sandpoint
Enough’s enough with Averill’s City Beach hotel project…
Dear editor, I would like to express my strongest opposition to the continued acquiescence to the demands of Averill Hospitality. I assume that they did their due diligence and knew exactly what the requirements and limitations would be when they bought the Edgewater from the Cox family. If they didn’t, maybe they’re not a good bet for our community going forward.
First, the parking. Then, the development
fees. Now, the low-class RV park. Next, that noisy railroad and those unkept, smelly families traipsing past their project to swim and play?
Our City Council should call their bluff now. If we don’t give in to their continued demands and their project as planned is no longer economically feasible, they should divest and go home. Hopefully, the next developer will be better at financial planning and development.
Thank you,
Rob Harrison Sandpoint
By Emily Erickson Reader Columnist
The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins, was released in 2008 to mass appeal. It nearly instantly hit The New York Times Bestseller list, where it remained for more than 60 consecutive weeks. The futuristic dystopian novel chronicles the “74th Hunger Games,” an annual event in which two 12- to 18-year-olds from each of the nation’s 11 districts are chosen as “tributes” for a televised fight to the death — with only one survivor.
In the book, the Games were established 74 years earlier in Panem (a reimagined, post-collapse United States) as punishment for a rebellion against the government’s oppressive regime — a penance to be paid by 16-year-old Katniss Everdeen and her peers. Declared a “reminder” of the price of violence, the Games served as a perfect tool of division, pitting districts against one another rather than uniting them in recognition of their shared oppression.
Like Katniss, I was 16 when the book was released, and remember devouring it. I loved the vivid storytelling, the darkness and the strength of a young, female protagonist whose moral compass stayed true despite impossible circumstances. But, looking back, what made it so compelling wasn’t just the grandeur of the plot or the sweeping world-building. It was the small, believable details.
Such details are prevalent in a scene that feels particularly resonant of late, wherein
Emily Articulated
Fantasy, reality
Katniss leaves her impoverished, working-class coal-mining district for the Capitol — the epicenter of Panem’s wealth and political power. At a lavish party, she’s forced to confront the obscene opulence of those in charge. She, who had known hunger and hunted illegally to feed her family, walks among guests with surgically altered bodies who pop pills to empty their stomachs so they can keep eating past the point of fullness for pleasure. Her anger nearly bled through the page.
It’s not hard to see why that scene comes to mind lately. With SNAP benefits — a cornerstone of support for the country’s most vulnerable, including children and families — on the chopping block amid political gridlock, the parallels are bleak. When a government declares it “can’t afford” school lunch programs yet funds ballroom remodels, it feels like we’re watching the prelude to the First Annual Hunger Games.
According to the Department of Agriculture, about one in eight U.S. residents receive an average of $187 per month in SNAP assistance (coin-
cidentally, an amount that would be more than covered if minimum wage hadn’t been systematically suppressed for years). Though recent court orders have temporarily protected some benefits, reductions and costly delays remain imminent. All the while, people in power insist their “hands are tied” — just not so tied they can’t toast with expensive champagne at their not-so-ironic Great Gatsby-themed Halloween party.
The unreality of it all, the clarity between the haves and have nots, the collective feelings of helplessness, and a yearning for resistance or change, all map on neatly to the recent resurgence of fantasy-fiction sales across the country.
Sales of science fiction and fantasy books skyrocketed in 2024, with the value of the market surging by 41.3% compared to the previous year, all while nonfiction dropped 6.3%. “Romantasy” authors like Sarah J. Maas and Rebecca Yarros top sales charts, alluding to a population that, at large, seems to have had enough of reality — instead turning to the emotional refuge other worlds can offer.
These stories center on the powerless, or those discovering untapped strength. They feature unlikely bands of rebels, misfits and outcasts standing up to inhumanity, taking care of one another despite vast differences in class, race or even species. The resistance isn’t only in epic battles, but in the small choices: the way-finding, the quietly chosen persistence and the return (again and again) to compassion.
I’ve always turned to my favorite characters when the world feels too big or scary. I grew up with Frodo Baggins, Harry Potter, Katniss Everdeen and Eragon, and later found new heroes in Celaena Sardothien, Nahri e-Nahid and Violet Sorrengail. I used to think my love of fantasy was pure escapism (and maybe it is) but perhaps it’s also a kind of preparation. A remind-
er that when the world starts to feel like fiction, we already know how the heroes behave — and that those heroes might already be inside us, ready to rise when the occasion strikes.
Emily Erickson is a writer and business owner with an affinity for black coffee and playing in the mountains. Connect with her online at www.bigbluehat.studio.
Emily Erickson.
Science: Mad about
cholula
By Brenden Bobby Reader Columnist
In my household, there is only one hot sauce that reigns supreme. My lady’s love for Cholula extends beyond the four walls of our home, and any time we go out to eat, the first question to servers is: ”Do you have Cholula?”
While a travel-sized bottle of Cholula for her purse is looking like an attractive stocking stuffer this Christmas season, I figured I would give my better half an even better gift by looking into how the metaphorical hot sausage is made.
Cholula hot sauce is named for the city of Cholula, Puebla, the oldest continuously inhabited city in North America. Located in southern Mexico, the city of Cholula has existed in various forms for at least 2,500 years. During the colonial period, the Spanish invaders restructured the city into parishes around specific churches, which filled both a religious and administrative role in the city.
Despite being named for Cholula, the hot sauce has never actually been manufactured there. Instead, it is produced in Chapala, Jalisco — 28 miles from Guadalajara in central Mexico. The company behind the hot sauce, the Cholula Hot Sauce Company, is actually based in Stamford, Conn. Even more confusing, this company is actually owned by McCormick & Co. Inc., based in Maryland. A lot of paperwork goes into getting hot sauce onto your table.
There are a number of myths and speculation surrounding the lady on the Cholula label. According to the Cholula website, she is “La Chila” — a stylized representation of the “beloved cook and abuelita figure” Camilla Harrison, who first prepared the sauce for the “famed Jose Cuervo family.”
Others say it’s Bob Saget in a Mexican-style dress. In actuality, she is likely fictionalized and the product of corporate marketing and focus groups to create an image of Mexican authenticity and nostalgia. Given the hot sauce was developed and established in 1989 and grown through the 1990s, the focus group thing seems to be the most likely origin of La Chila.
Despite the fact that Cholula is barely older than I am, its recipe has origins that go back thousands of years, carried through time by oral instruction and traditions that predate Spanish conquerors. Rooted in traditional Mexican recipes, Cholula has evolved for a wider market while still trying to keep a classic and authentic Central American flavor.
It starts with peppers. To understand the heat of peppers, it’s good to have a baseline measurement, done using the Scoville scale. Measuring taste is difficult, as everyone has different tastes and resistance to spice based on their genetics and life experiences. The Scoville scale is a uniform and scientific measurement system that involves dissolving peppers in alcohol to extract and measure the capsaicin that gives the peppers their heat. A bell pepper with no heat registers
as a 0 on the Scoville scale, while a jalapeño sits between 4,000 and 8,500 units.
Pequin peppers used in Cholula sit around 30,000 to 60,000 units on the scale, still much lower than habaneros, which register between 100,000 and 300,000 on the scale. Cholula also blends in árbol peppers, which register between 15,000 and 30,000 units on the Scoville scale — spicier than a jalapeño, but not enough to mace anyone with.
The peppers take more than seven months to cultivate from seed; and, once they are picked, they are dried and ground up to be mixed with other ingredients in Cholula’s secret recipe. Drying peppers reduces the water content of the pepper and makes the capsaicin more potent, giving them more heat.
Raw heat isn’t the end goal for Cholula, however. Hot sauce is meant to augment the flavor of food, not convert it into a molten ball of tasteless plasma.
The peppers are air-dried under the Mexican sun before they are ground. This method uses less energy than artificial heat, while also allowing the peppers to undergo a natural process of drying rather than an expedited one. The peppers are then ground into a fine paste — seeds and all — and this paste is put into a huge vat. From there, it’s pumped into wooden barrels through a long hose by workers and mixed with other ingredients to develop into that rich Cholula taste you know and love.
Cholula is bottled in glass for a number of reasons.
Glass better preserves the contents and is easily recycled. It’s heavier in the hand and just feels better to the consumer to use in addition to conveying that sense of authenticity while using it. It costs more and is more fragile than a plastic container, but having handled my fair share of hot sauce bottles, I can safely say it’s worth every penny.
The iconic wooden cap and label are the last things added to the bottle. The wooden cap isn’t just practi-
cal due to its easy removal, but it’s also a nod to the authenticity and handcrafted roots of the sauce within. Also, it’s really easy to find when you set the bottle and the cap down and forget about it. How many plastic bottle caps have you lost, leaving you ultimately committed to downing that entire two-liter of root beer in a single sitting? Never once with Cholula, I can tell you that.
Stay curious, 7B.
Random Corner
• Orcas (Orcinus orca), or “killer whales,” aren’t technically whales. Or are they? All whales are part of the animal group cetacea (which in ancient Greek means “sea monster”) and cetaceans are split into two groups: whales that have teeth and whales that don’t. Toothed whales are split into five further categories: narwhals and belugas, sperm whales, beaked whales, porpoises and dolphins. Orcas belong to the dolphin family (and are actually the largest species in this family). So is an orca a whale or a dolphin? They’re actually both.
• Male orcas typically live about 30 years, with a maximum of 60, while females live about 20 years extra.
• An orca’s diet includes fish, squid, seals, sea lions, penguins, seabirds, other whales and occasionally sharks. Certain groups specialize in particular prey types. For example, some groups only eat fish while others specialize in seals and other marine mammals.
• Orcas are very social, living in pods of up to 40. Each pod is a close-knit family that hunts, travels and plays together for life. Each pod also tends to have a distinctive set of vocal calls, whistles and clicks that its members recognize and use to communicate.
• Orcas are the first marine animals known to use tools. They were observed off the coast of the U.S. and Canada breaking off kelp and using it as a grooming tool to remove dead skin.
• Some orca pods in the Pacific Ocean have started wearing salmon on their heads as hats.
• Iberian orcas have developed a novel behavior of ramming or biting the rudders of boats, targeting sailboats in the Strait of Gibraltar and nearby coasts. The behavior is thought to have spread to other pods, leading to more than 600 reported interactions (and five boats sunk) from 2020-’23.
Legislative update Preparing for January
By Rep. Mark Sauter, R-Sandpoint Reader Contributor
Greetings,
The cold weather is upon us. For legislators, it’s time to finalize plans for the 2026 legislative session in Boise. I keep a running list of local issues that may rise to the level of a legislative bill between each session. In years past, this list has led me to draft several bills for our district that “work” statewide. Many have become law.
As summer wound down, I began to prioritize my list. This year I’m particularly interested in property insurance coverage and costs. What caught my attention was more than just the premium increases (for many, those increases have been substantial). I have learned many property owners received “non-renewal” notices with little explanation of why or what can be done to keep their coverage and/or little time to find another carrier despite a long history with their insurance provider and no history of claims.
I started my research with the director of insurance in Boise. Our area has surpassed the statewide average for non-renewals in two of the past three years. In some of our zip code areas the “drop” rate approaches 10%. With little time for policyholders faced with a non-renewal notice to learn about their options, considerable stress (and
expense) results for our property owners.
Statewide, average policy costs have risen about 60% from 2022 to 2024. Some of the factors are several significant wildland urban interface large loss fires, our similarities to those fire areas, significant losses by the same carriers we have in our area, the movement of more people to fire-prone areas, the increased cost of construction and the increased value of property. Some insurance carriers have left our area, too.
In some respects, property insurance is like property tax. It’s a “bottom line” cost that is unavoidable. It’s something homeowners must pay so they can keep a mortgage. In some cases, it can make or break a first-time homebuyer’s loan qualification. The difficulty in finding insurance (and the high cost) can be a factor in home values and property sales too. Local business and our economy can be affected, as well.
Fire departments are a factor in this. Their abilities (staff and equipment), water supply, distance from a property and dispatch systems are some of the
factors considered by insurance companies when premiums are set.
With all the above in mind, I believe the following actions (at least) are worth some effort in 2026 to address this complex issue:
• Standardize and extend the time a policyholder has to find a new insurance carrier to at least 60 days. This action alone would help to reduce stress and give time to sort out all the options.
• Insurance carriers need to increase their transparency by advising policyholders of what factors influence their premium formulas. While some of this information may be proprietary, providing a general, understandable guideline for policyholders would be more than helpful. Fire mitigation is in everyone’s best interests (insurance companies and policyholders). Campaign fires like the recent Sunset fire are tragic and extremely expensive.
• Insurance carriers need to provide information for their policyholders to use in reducing their premiums. Insurance company research has developed many best practices that could be adopted by individual policyholders. This insurance information could be passed along to individual policyholders and even aggregated on the state insurance website.
• Consider adopting some targeted industry supported grant programs to
incentivize “house hardening” actions by individual homeowners.
• Recognize the possible grading incentives available for local fire districts to embrace wildland fire interface prevention and preparedness. This could be done (cost free) by the Idaho Survey and Rating Board. ISRB is a nonprofit group that grades fire departments and commercial structures for use by member insurance companies.
• Familiarize our residents with insurance information options by ensuring the Idaho Department of Insurance is a well-used resource with a responsive consumer hotline (800-721-3272) for all insurance questions including non-renewal issues and a useful website with helpful information.
I have already started a conversation with some of our industry representatives regarding the issues mentioned above. I believe “we” can keep our regulation light and still get some things done that will help our policyholders and mitigate some of our fire risk.
It is an honor to serve our district. Questions, thoughts, suggestions? Please send them to me at msauter@ house.idaho.gov.
Rep. Mark Sauter is a second-term Republican legislator representing District 1A. He serves on the Agricultural Affairs; Education; and Resources and Conservation committees.
Little went to Washington to advocate for someone — just not Idahoans
By Lauren Necochea Reader Contributor
Idahoans should be able to count on their leaders to fight for them in Washington. Instead, our Republican delegation has surrendered that duty, marching in lockstep behind President Donald Trump no matter how damaging his tariffs, reckless his shutdown or unqualified his appointees.
Gov. Brad Little should know better. He oversees the agencies grappling with the fallout from the Trump regime’s agenda: skyrocketing health care costs, an end to food assistance and families being pushed closer to the edge. Yet when Little traveled to Washington to meet with the most powerful people in
the country, he did not stand up for Idaho. According to his own press release, he spent his trip repeating the regime’s talking points and flattering the very people harming our state.
In his meeting with the president, Little could have said what Idahoans know: Cutting off food assistance during a shutdown is indefensible. He should have pressed the USDA to use its $6 billion contingency fund to keep SNAP benefits flowing for 130,900 Idahoans. That was the regime’s own plan before it reversed course and decided to needlessly take away food from children, veterans and seniors. Other state leaders demanded action and sued to compel the continuation of food assistance. Ours did nothing.
He also met with Speaker Mike Johnson, who refuses to bring the
House back into session to negotiate an end to the shutdown. The chamber has not voted since September, and Johnson delays swearing in Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva while he stalls the release of the Epstein files.
Little could have urged leadership to act. He stayed silent.
This summer, Republicans enacted the deepest Medicaid cuts in history to fund tax breaks for their billionaire friends. This will take coverage from 37,000 Idahoans and push two dozen rural hospitals closer to collapse. At the same time, the loss of federal health care tax credits will cause nearly 100,000 Idahoans to see their premiums double, and 25,000 are expected to lose coverage entirely. Little met with health officials and showed no concern.
He also failed to defend Idaho’s ranchers and small businesses. More than 7,000 cattle producers across Idaho are struggling to stay competi-
tive, while the president boasts about purchasing beef from Argentina after a $20 billion bailout to a political ally. Tariffs are hammering Idaho’s economy. Businesses here have already paid $67 million in new tariff costs this year. Small manufacturers, like Holstery in Moscow, are being crushed, facing massive tariff bills that threaten their survival.
Little had a chance to stand up for Idaho. Instead, he came home with praise for Washington politicians and nothing for the people he represents.
Idaho deserves a governor who fights for the people instead of bending the knee.
Lauren Necochea is chair of the Idaho Democratic Party and a former District 19 legislator. Necochea spent a decade leading nonprofit programs dedicated to research and advocacy in tax policy, health care and children’s issues.
Lauren Necochea. File photo
Rep. Mark Sauter. File photo
The women of Eichardt’s need to know
By Marjolein Groot Nebbelink Reader Contributor
The women servers and regular patrons of Eichardt’s — the amazingly cozy, European-style pub on 212 Cedar St. — are calling upon the greater Sandpoint community to assist in the identification of a man whose image appeared in the women’s bathroom. There isn’t a clear consensus about precisely when it appeared, but it was early this fall.
Our quest regards the photograph of a man seated on a rather clean toilet, wearing red pants and knickers around his ankles, a purple T-shirt, wristwatch and a brown ball cap. This friendly-seeming person enthusiastically gives a thumbs up to anyone themselves settled atop the ladies’ loo, with an enormous smile on his face. His other hand is resting (we hope) between his legs. There is graying stubble on his face, but no beard. A good set of teeth and his ears have the look of being slightly too low on his head.
Curiously, this toilet is set on the forest floor with two residential struc-
tures within sight. A mature cedar and some fir give the impression that the moment was snapped in a rural setting — definitely not in town. Another possible clue is the wristwatch, which most of modern society ditched when smartphones took off.
The image is on true photo paper (not printed), framed and the colors are slightly muted. All of this leads
us to believe this picture might be as many as 15-20 years old, and the man may be 50-60 years old by now.
Is it someone we know? We don’t know. It must be someone somebody we know knows. We asked each other on dollar beer night (8 p.m. every Thursday), and even invited some men into the lavatory to shed light on the situation. Someone took a picture of the photo so they could zoom in to have a closer look. One woman gasped, “And you could tell by... that?!” But she meant she could zoom in on his face. Obviously.
And despite our diligent efforts, the toilet man remains a mystery.
The visual representation of a man with his trousers down, or even missing, in itself isn’t anything new to Eichardt’s, nor does it offend anyone we know. After all, a large print of Eichardt’s women, naked in the snow, hangs in the main dining room for all to see. The disturbing factor is this man’s unestablished identity.
You see, there is somewhat of a prerogative to being pinned up in the ladies’ room with exposed buttocks.
There is a picture on the sidewall of the stall showing about 10 men, lined up in the back corner of the pub, completely naked, facing away from the camera. If you ask around, someone should be able to name all of them without much effort. There is also a painting by the hand towel dispenser of four guys, again butt-naked and facing away to maintain a shadow of decency. One looks over his shoulder, wearing sunglasses, and gives us a cheeky smile.
Currently, most of us know who most of the bare asses belong to. Additionally, their placements are such that it is optional to gaze at them as you are disrobed and doing your business. This “new” man is placed directly in front of the seated person, at eye level. There is simply no escape. It is not sexy; we’re certain he’s doing No. 2; and there are standards, however dim, to showing off your buns, however nice, in the women’s washroom.
Marjolein Groot Nebbelink wrote this piece for and in collaboration with the women of Eichardt’s.
The “toilet man” in question. Photo by the author
Top left: “We’re in Florence, Italy this week, just enjoying the great masterworks!” wrote Willie Witte. “I didn’t notice until later the coincidental marble and granite ad on the back!” (Publisher’s note: Thanks for keeping your pants on in the photo, Willie.)
Top right: (from left to right): Nate Weber, Cynthia Dalsing, Linda Navarre and Steve Navarre brought the Reader along to Skara Brae on Orkney Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Scotland.
Middle left: (from left to right): Carla McNeal, Todd Converse and Lea Sammons took the Reader to Greece. “We had a great view of the Parthenon from our hotel,” wrote Sammons.
Middle right: Gwen and Steve Archer (far left and far right) brought the Reader to Nelson, B.C. in Canada where, while waiting in line at Oso Negro coffee shop, began chatting with a “kindred spirit” and ended up joining him at their table to chat. Their new acquaintance ended up being Nelson Becker, middle, the publisher of the Nelson What’s On Weekly newsletter.
Bottom left: The leaves from a “nondescript weed-of-a-flower that normally gets yanked up quickly,” wrote photographer Ron Bedford. “This particular plant remained standing and has gone to seed. These leaves, still on the plant, grabbed my eye as I was doing chores. Good things sometimes happen when I slow down and take a closer look.”
Bottom second from left: The Old Time Fiddler’s Jam group playing at the Fall Folk Festival at Pine Street Woods on Oct. 25.
Milliron.
Bottom right: A photo from the south end of the Sunnyside peninsula. “Notice the angel,” wrote photographer Danny Strauss. “Carey Kent, my beloved friend, high-school sweetheart and wonderful, kind, loving woman, passed that day unexpectedly at age 43. I found out later in the day and then viewed my photos and saw the angel [in the clouds].”
To submit a photo for a future edition, please send to ben@sandpointreader.com.
Photo by Rich
Thunder’s Catch wins ‘Best New Retail Product’ at Alaska Symphony of Seafood
By Reader Staff
Sandpoint-based Thunder’s Catch recently earned one of its industry’s highest accolades when it took home the Best New Retail Product award at the Symphony of Seafood, hosted each year by the Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation in Seattle.
“In Alaska’s seafood community, few honors carry as much weight as the Best New Retail Product at the Symphony of Seafood,” company representatives stated in a news release.
Thunder’s Catch earned its 2025 recognition for its shelf-stable, readyto-heat wild salmon curry, which is
made from wild-caught Bristol Bay sockeye salmon, simmered in coconut curry with vegetables and whole ingredients.
“Free from gluten, dairy and preservatives, it’s crafted for people who crave real food and adventure, from the backcountry to the family table,” the company stated.
Judges evaluated entries for flavor, presentation, packaging, innovation, nutrition and market potential, with the salmon curry from Thunder’s Catch standing out for its authenticity and convenience.
This year’s win marks the second major award for the company at the Symphony of Seafood, which also won Best New Retail Product at the Seafood Expo North America Seafood Excellence Awards — both in 2023.
“This win is deeply affirming for us, and for Bristol Bay. It reminds us why we do this work: to celebrate these incredible fish — honoring their place in the ecosystem while making their flavor and nutrition accessible to people everywhere,” stated co-founder Kara Berlin. “It’s about sharing something wild and remarkable in a way that’s thoughtful, exciting and innovative and full of heart.”
Taran and Kara White of Thunder’s Catch accept an award for Best New Retail Product at the Symphony of Seafood event. Courtesy photo
‘Rally for Riders’ raises funds for Snowboard Northwest teams
By Reader Staff
Snowboard Northwest came about as a way to establish a competitive team for local youth, providing the skills to perform at regional and national levels while creating a safe, supportive and encouraging environment. It’s not a cheap enterprise, however, which means the organization needs to raise money — which it’ll do Saturday Nov. 8 at the Rally for Riders event at the St. Bernard (479 NW Passage Road, on Schweitzer).
Festivities kick off at 5:30 p.m., with the price of admission at $75 per person. Tickets include two drinks, appetizers, dinner, a silent auction and raffle, all to the tunes of Sandpoint’s favorite dance party band RFB.
Funds will go toward the scholarship program and to provide high-quality coaching for the teams of Snowboard Northwest.
Contact jessysteidl@gmail.com or call 208-290-5582 for more info. Meanwhile, get tickets at snowboardnorthwest.ticketgoat.com.
Sandpoint’s Pilot Training Northwest under new ownership
By Reader Staff
Pilot Training Northwest, which has provided aviation education in Sandpoint since 2017, will transition to All Sports Aviation, effective Saturday, Nov. 1.
Jacob Klinginsmith purchased the company from founder Ken Larson in 2022, and will hand the reins to All Sports Aviation — managed by Gary Brook — while ensuring a smooth transition and continued support for local youth aviation programs.
Pilot Training Northwest has helped students achieve their flight goals, from first flights to advanced ratings, and maintained community engagement and collaboration with local schools.
“I’m happy to carry on the traditions of Pilot Training Northwest, offering help to the youth of Sandpoint and beyond,” said Brook. “We have a branch in Deer Park, and we’re excited to expand our training to Sandpoint. My passion is helping all ages learn to fly, and especially learn to fly in the amazing Idaho back country this area has to offer.”
All Sports Aviation will offer flight instruction, aircraft rental and youth outreach programs at Sandpoint Airport, collaborating with other organizations to provide student discounts and scholarships. They also plan to increase the size and variety of the training fleet, adding more tailwheel, backcountry and seaplane training to the company’s offerings.
“Gary and I have worked together for years now and our vision for flight training is very similar,” said Klinginsmith. “We both love aviation and want to make aviation accessible, safe and achievable for everyone, from beginners to advanced skill in the backcountry. Gary has a
lot of energy and I’m excited to see him offer even more to the aviators in our area.”
KLT’s annual ‘Get Plowed’ fundraiser set for Nov. 12 at MickDuff’s Beer Hall
By Reader Staff
Kaniksu Land Trust will hold its annual “Get Plowed” fundraiser event Wednesday, Nov. 12, gathering support for keeping the roads clear through the winter at Pine Street Woods.
This year’s event — which, despite its name, is family friendly — will take place from 5-8 p.m. at MickDuff’s Beer Hall (220 Cedar St., in down-
town Sandpoint).
Boasting hiking, biking and Nordic skiing trails across 180 acres of protected outdoor space, KLT maintains access to Pine Street Woods through every season and all kinds of weather, but its dedication to keeping the road open costs several thousand dollars every year.
“The Pine Street Woods access road doesn’t plow and sand itself,” organizers stated. “This annual block par-
ty-style fundraising event supports the partnership between KLT, Pend Oreille Pedalers and the Sandpoint Nordic Club that makes your community forest trails accessible all year round.”
The 2025 Get Plowed party will feature a puppy cuddle booth courtesy of Better Together Animal Alliance, while Eichardt’s will serve up hot comfort food, with a percentage of proceeds going toward the snow-plowing fund.
Where We Gather opens at the POAC Gallery
By Reader Staff
The Pend Oreille Arts Council invites the community to celebrate the opening of Where We Gather, a group exhibition exploring the many ways we come together as people, communities and creators. The show opens with a reception on Friday, Nov. 7, from 5-7 p.m., featuring light refreshments and a chance to meet the artists at the POAC Gallery (313 N. Second Ave., in downtown Sandpoint).
Pieces will hang until Dec. 1, inspired by “the universal act of gathering — around tables, in nature, at places of worship or in shared purpose,” accord-
ing to organizers. “Each participating artist was invited to consider the spaces, memories and moments that bring us closer to one another.”
Featured artists include Teresa Rancourt, Molly Gentry, Richard Wieth, Barry Burgess, Suzanne Jewell, Daryl Baird, Judy Baird, Robb Turnlund and Randy Fritz. Rancourt will donate the proceeds from exhibited works to the Bonner Community Food Bank. In addition, the POAC Gallery will collect non-perishable food donations for the food bank throughout the month of November. Visitors are encouraged to bring an item or two when attending the reception or viewing the exhibition.
“The theme Where We Gather was intentionally open-ended,” stated POAC Arts Coordinator Claire Christy. “Each artist took it in a completely different direction, which is exactly what we love to see at POAC, unique perspectives coming together to create something that feels connected and alive.”
POAC Gallery hours are Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission is free and open to the public. Visit artinsandpoint.org or call 208-263-6139 for more information.
MickDuff’s will also contribute a portion of beverage sales to the cause. To sweeten the pot, KLT will this year be raffling off an IKON Pass from Schweitzer and group riding experience from the Panhandle Bike Ranch. If attendees want to up their odds, raffle tickets are on sale now for $20 each or six for $100 at kaniksu.org.
Gary Brook, left, of All Sports Aviation, and former owner Jacob Klinginsmith, right. Courtesy photo.
Right: “Friends” by Daryl Baird. Courtesy image
SASi hosts turkey bingo and World Kindness Day lunch
By Reader Staff
Sandpoint Area Seniors Inc. is hosting its annual turkey bingo event Saturday, Nov. 8, inviting any and all for games and friendly competition in the community room at 820 Main St., in Sandpoint.
Doors open at noon and the events start at 1 p.m., with games featuring varying patterns called all afternoon. Admission is $25 for four cards and $5 for each additional card. Players are allowed to play multiple cards. The first “bingo” of each round will win a turkey or ham, and additional winners will receive a gift card. Play will continue through 10 games.
Adults can also enter a 50/50 and basket raffle. Light refreshments are available for purchase. Proceeds benefit SASi and its many services for area seniors, including meals, recreation and activities.
“The room fills quickly, so you will want to arrive early to get your lucky cards and find a table,” stated organizer Adele Martin.
SASi is also recognizing World Kindness Day on Thursday, Nov. 13, which is celebrated around the world.
The organization invites the community for a lunch at the center that will feature sharing uplifting stories about experiencing and spreading kindness. The cost to attend is $7 for seniors 60 and older — though not required — and all others are asked to pay $10.
Organizers suggest that participants call ahead to ensure enough seating, with a deadline of 9 a.m. on Nov. 13.
“Seniors realize that unless you know a person, you cannot know what they are dealing with,” SASi stated. “Are they having a good day? Is a child or spouse ill? Are they worried about making rent? With chance encounters, we have little way of knowing why others seemed mean or rude in the moment. What we can control is how we treat people and respond, and whether we offer a smile or a kind greeting, or even a hand up.”
Call 208-263-6860 for more information, or visit sandpointareaseniors.org.
Bonner County museum hosts open house on proposed improvements
By Soncirey Mitchell Reader Staff
The Bonner County Historical Society will hold an open house on Monday, Nov. 10, from 4-7 p.m. at the museum in Lakeview Park (611 S. Ella Ave. in Sandpoint) to gather input on proposed improvements to the building and grounds. Volunteers and staff will give tours of the 45-year-old building, which they hope to shore up and expand to better accommodate the museum’s ever-growing collection.
The museum is in need of several costly repairs, including a new roof and HVAC system to ensure the collection of more than 400,000 artifacts is properly preserved. The BCHS board hopes to couple those repairs with a series of renovations and expansions that would eliminate the need for offsite storage, create more space for community educational programs and ensure that the collection and displays are easily accessible. The current proposal would initially add 1,500 square feet and a new HVAC system, then later add another 2,700 square feet and alter the museum’s layout.
The BCHS is seeking feedback on how the community would like to utilize the space. To view the proposed improvements to the museum and give online feedback, visit bonnercountyhistory.org/expansion-plans.
“Our museum is a place where Bonner County’s stories live,” said BCHS Board of Trustees President Tonya Sherman. “As we plan for the future, we want our community to be part of the conversation — after all,
this is your museum.”
All improvements are still in the planning stage; however, necessary repairs are also on hold as the BCHS attempts to renew the museum’s 40-year lease with the city of Sandpoint. The original 1979 lease agreement signed by both parties stipulated that the museum would pay $1 per year in rent and “shall have the option to renew this lease for a like period on each successive termination.”
The museum has made several attempts since 2019 to renew the lease without success, and the Sandpoint City Council has yet to vote to either approve or deny the renewal. In May, Sandpoint approached the museum with a new 30-year lease without a renewal clause, which the museum did not accept.
Sandpoint Mayor Jeremy Grimm told the Reader on Sept. 10 that the city “does not support an automatic renewal” of the lease because the museum should be “subject to periodic review to ensure it continues to serve the public interest.”
Sherman has publicly acknowledged those concerns, but has argued that they do not apply to a nonprofit civic organization like the museum, which exists to serve Bonner County residents and visitors.
“This new lease dismantled the partnership [between BCHS and Sandpoint] and reduced Bonner County Historical Society to a short-term tenant,” said Sherman at the Sept. 6 City Council meeting. “Thirty years may sound like a very long time, but we’re talking about a historical society. We’re planning for the next 99 years right now.”
For more information on the historical society and museum, call 208-263-2344 or visit visitbonnercountyhistory.org.
Free co-parenting class offered at BGH
By Reader Staff
Divorce is hard — especially for children caught in the middle. Bonner General Behavioral Health is offering a free community class designed to help parents navigate this challenging transition with compassion and confidence.
“Keeping Kids Out of the Middle” will be held Saturday, Nov. 8 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. in the Monarch Room at Bonner General Health (520 N. Third Ave., in Sandpoint).
The class will be facilitated by Jill Hicks, LCPC, who serves as clinical director of Bonner General Behavioral Health, and Jennifer Greve, M.A., a family and student coach with Tandem Family Coaching.
“Together, they bring extensive experience helping families strengthen communication and create stability during times of change,” according to organizers.
The interactive workshop provides tools and strategies to support both parents and children through the emotional ups and downs of divorce. Participants will learn how to identify their and their child’s support teams, manage big emotions and share the news of divorce in age-appropriate ways.
The class also covers fostering healthy communication, handling disagreements, and developing co-parenting plans that honor boundaries and promote stability. Register at bonnergeneral.org or by calling 208-265-1090.
Send event listings to calendar@sandpointreader.com
THURSDAY, november 6
Artist Reception: Marsinah Runge
5-7pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery
Runge is artist of the month
Cribbage tournament
6pm @ Connie’s Lounge
Live Music w/ Monarch Mountain Band
5:30-8:30pm @ Barrel 33
Live Music w/ Angel Urrea
5pm @ Connie’s Lounge
Live Music w/ Ron Keiper Trio
5-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery
Live Music w/ John Firshi
6-8pm @ Smokesmith BBQ
Music w/ DJ Miss Blü
9pm-midnight @ 219 Lounge
Live Music w/ Mason Van Stone
6-8pm @ Baxters on Cedar
Live Music w/ Mobius Riff
5:30-8:30pm @ Barrel 33
Live Music w/ Brian Jacobs
5-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille
Live Music w/ Mike Wagoner
6pm @ Connie’s Lounge
Live Music w/ Jacob Robin
6-8pm @ Smokesmith BBQ
Live ’80s Rock w/ SuperChrome:
Veterans Benefit concert
7pm (doors) @ The Hive
Warren Miller’s Sno-ciety ski film
7pm @ Panida Theater
Sandpoint’s annual kickoff to the ski season, Warren Miller’s 76th film. Tickets at panida.org
Live Music w/ John Gerald 8-11pm @ Tervan Tavern
Bingo Thursday 6-8pm @ Idaho Pour Authority
FriDAY, november 7
Live Music w/ Devon Wade Band
7pm @ The Hive
Line dancing lessons 7:30-8:30pm ($10) and main show starts at 8:45pm
Live Music w/ BTP
8-11pm @ Roxy’s
Live Music w/ Sydney Dawn 6-8pm @ Idaho Pour Authority
Live Music w/ Ian Newbill 6:30-9:30pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall
SATURDAY, november 8
7B Cornhole Tournament Noon-4pm @ James E. Russell Sports Center
Players can compete in one of two divisions. Cash prizes. Also a fundraiser for Freedom House, Inc. 208-263-2637
Open House: ‘40 Years of Dance Magic’ Noon-2pm @ Studio 1 (521 Cedar St.)
An open house where you get 12 months of beginner dance for half price. Free class and demos, photo booth, prizes, games and more
SARS Ski Swap
8am-2pm @ Bonner County Fairgrounds
Find great deals on a wide variety of used snow gear. $5/person, $10/family
Live Music w/ Headwaters
9pm-midnight @ 219 Lounge
Live Music w/ Kerry Leigh and Bill Kurtz 6-9pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall
SunDAY, november 9
November 6 - 13, 2025
Live Music w/ Frytz Mor 8pm @ Roxy’s
Line dancing lessons ($10) 6:30pm @ The Hive
Sell at the SARS Ski Swap
Noon-7pm @ Bonner County Fairgrounds
Sell your used ski equipment (20% goes to SARS, you keep 80%)
Selkirk-Pend Oreille Food Summit and Harvest Festival
1-4:30pm @ Sandpoint Organic Ag. Ctr. Growing connections between farmers, ranchers and foragers with residents, restaurants and retailers
Grand Opening: 2nd Ave. Business Collective 4-7pm @ 104 S. Second Ave.
The collective includes Roots Realty NW, Razor Blades Fades and Powder Pups of North Idaho. Snacks, drinks, prizes!
Thanksgiving bingo
Noon @ Sandpoint Senior Center
Games start at 1pm, $25/four cards. Raffle, refreshments on sale. 208-263-6860
Live Music w/ Abe Barber 6-8pm @ Idaho Pour Authority
Live Music w/ Chris Paradis 6-8pm @ Baxters on Cedar
Learn to macrame: Plant hanger workshop 9-10:30am @ Verdant Plant Shop $35; materials and light refreshments included. RSVP: bit.ly/48yXgUc
Sandpoint Chess Club
9am @ Evans Brothers Coffee
Magic with Star Alexander 5-8pm @ Jalapeño’s
Monday Night Blues Jam w/ John Firshi
7pm @ Eichardt’s Pub
A Taste of Tango
5-8pm @ Barrel 33
Drop ins welcome
Live piano w/ Peter Lucht 5-7pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery
Trivia w/ Toshi 7pm @ Connie’s Lounge
Cribbage tournament
6pm @ Connie’s Lounge
Live acoustic guitar w/ John Firshi 1-3pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery
monDAY, november 10
Outdoor Experience group run 6pm @ Outdoor Experience 3-5 miles, all levels welcome
tuesDAY, november 11
Intro to Backcountry First Aid class
6pm @ Outdoor Experience Free, all are welcome
wednesDAY, november 12
Family Hour, Live Music w/ John Firshi 5-7pm @ Matchwood Brewing Co.
ThursDAY, november 13
Live Music w/ Oak Street Connection 11pm @ Roxy’s
Live Music w/ Carli Osika 6pm @ Connie’s Lounge
Karaoke night 9pm-1am @ Roxy’s
Get Plowed fundraiser 5-8pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall
Annual fundraiser to help with fall and winter maintenance on Pine Street Woods access road
Line dancing lessons ($10) 6:30pm @ The Hive
Sno-ciety celebrates snowsport culture
By Reader Staff
There’s a chill in the air, which signals it’s time for another Warren Miller ski and boarding film showcasing the best of global snowsport culture — this time, with a Saturday, Nov. 8 screening of Sno-ciety at the Panida Theater (300 N. First Ave., in downtown Sandpoint).
Presented at 7 p.m. by Mountain
SARS holds annual ski swap
By Reader Staff
Keeping up the annual tradition, the Schweitzer Alpine Racing School will hold a ski swap Saturday, Nov. 8, inviting community members looking to buy or sell ski or snowboarding gear from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Bonner County Fairgrounds (4203 N. Boyer Ave. in Sandpoint).
Twenty percent of each sale will benefit SARS and the remaining 80% returns to the sellers.
The sale will include everything from winter coats to skis, with professionals available to help with sizing and choosing the appropriate gear. Drop off used equipment at the fairgrounds on Friday, Nov. 7, noon-7 p.m. for the Saturday sale. Participants can pick up unsold items and checks Saturday from 5-6 p.m., and all unclaimed gear by the end of the night will be donated to SARS or the North Idaho Mountain Sports Education Fund.
Admission is $5 per person or $10 per family. Visit sars.snowproportal. com/fundraising/ski-swap for more information.
A still frame from Warren Miller’s Sno-ciety. Courtesy photo Fever Productions, Sno-ciety takes audiences from snow-capped peaks to urban terrain parks from California to Austria, exploring different communities and capturing the sports’ joy, creativity and triumphs. All levels of athletes and all terrains are represented, with special appearances from various Olympians and legends like Daron Rahlves, Britta Winans, Judd Henkes, Šárka Pančochová, Breezy Johnson, Chris Rubens and Juho Kilkki.
The night will also include a silent auction of ski-related goods to raise funds for local athletes.
Tickets are $19.50 at panida.org. For more information, visit warrenmiller.com.
FOOD & DRINK
Utara Brewing Co. expands downtown location, adds production facility on Boyer Ave.
By Ben Olson Reader Staff
Ever since he poured the first pint at Utara Brewing Co. on Pine Street in downtown Sandpoint, owner and brewer Dave Kosiba always sought to keep his operation small and community oriented. Coming into his eighth year, Kosiba is still committed to that vision — even while adding a second production facility on North Boyer Avenue to alleviate space constraints at the downtown pub.
Operating a production facility, commercial kitchen, taps and seating space inside the cozy 2,000-squarefoot former Lightning Lube location all these years has forced him to be creative with space.
“We had our brewery here on Pine Street since 2018, operating inside about 500 square feet in the building,” Kosiba told the Reader. “I was
running out of space for production and running out of space here in the seating area even during shoulder season. Some nights, there’s just nowhere to sit. It just made sense to make this next step.”
The new facility at 2617 N. Boyer Ave. will house Utara’s production equipment, as well as a 200-squarefoot public seating area for customers to enjoy a pint where it was brewed.
“We’re trying to differentiate between the two, so we’re calling them the Pub on Pine and the Brewery on Boyer,” Kosiba said.
The Brewery will be open from 5-8 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, but Kosiba said to keep an eye out for expanding hours of operation as the ski season gets into full swing.
“We’re not serving food out there at the brewery, but you can purchase snacks,” he said. “Kids and dogs are welcome out there.”
While the pub will continue to feature Indian-inspired food, Kosiba said he’s expanding into more shareables for his customers.
“We’re still featuring four traditional curries and other Indian-inspired dishes,” he said. “There have
been two other Indian restaurants that have opened up recently, but we haven’t seen any bottom-line impact from that.”
The new facility gave Kosiba a chance to open up some new seating areas inside the pub, adding another 500 square feet for customers to congregate, as well as a large-screen TV, some chairs, couches and coffee tables to fill out the new arrangement.
“It’s personally one of my favorite spaces downtown,” he said. “I watched the whole World Series there.”
Kosiba is still committed to a smaller-scale brewery, despite his recent expansions.
“We’re just a small brewery and we can’t have our product everywhere,” he said. “We’re not going to have it everywhere, but in a couple of weeks, we’ll hopefully have a slightly largely wholesale footprint so we can offer it to a few different locations. We’re not getting into canning or bottling, though, and no distributor. It’s just Dave running around in a pickup truck.”
Check out Utara’s new brewery at 2617 N. Boyer Ave. or swing by the Pine Street pub at 214 Pine St. Visit utaraidaho.com for more information.
Top left: Utara’s new production facility, dubbed the Brewery on Boyer at 2617 N. Boyer Ave.
Top right: Utara’s Downtown Pub on Pine at 214 Pine St. now has more seating where the brewing equipment used to be located.
Courtesy photos
MUSIC
SuperChrome brings the ’80s back to The Hive
By Soncirey Mitchell Reader Staff
Some of the area’s favorite musicians have joined forces to form the rock supergroup SuperChrome, which will light up the stage Saturday, Nov. 8, at 8 p.m. with a special ’80s concert at The Hive’s (207 N. First Ave., in downtown Sandpoint). Proceeds from the event will go toward Thin Line Community Support, an organization that provides mental and physical health resources for veterans of the U.S. armed forces and emergency response personnel.
Led by frontman and guitarist Kōsh, SuperChrome
is an amalgamation of local rockers like Cary Beare, Brian Burke and Lane Summer, who have their own independent following around Sandpoint. Together, these local stars combine their skills and passions to transcend time and space, bringing audiences back to an era when the hair was as big as the sound — and vice versa.
Doors open at 7 p.m. for this 8 p.m., 21+ concert.
Tickets cost $17.76 online at livefromthehive.com or $20 at the door. For more information, visit liefromthehive.com, thinlinecommunitysupport.org and superchromemusic.com.
Do-si-do with Devon
By Soncirey Mitchell Reader Staff
It wouldn’t be a North Idaho party without rockin’ country, and the Devon Wade Band is a go-to source for those boot stompin’, hat throwin’, yahoo-in’ tunes. Wade and his band will perform Friday, Nov. 7, in one of their classic dancing shows with lessons beginning at 7:30 p.m. and music at 8:45 p.m. at The Hive (207 N. First Ave.).
The band has a radio-ready sound, polished to capture the smooth essence of modern country. Wade’s Garth
Brooks-esque voice inspires audiences around the Inland Northwest to get up and sing, but only this venue dedicates a full hour before the show starts to teaching country music-lovers to swing dance. Pay an extra $10 at the door of this 21+ concert and practice your moves before the band comes on, then dance the night away listening to country hits from the past decade.
Tickets are $5 at the door or $7 online at livefromthehive.com. Listen at devonwademusic.com.
Wade Band
A snapshot of notable live music coming up in Sandpoint
When mild-mannered Jared Johnston, John Edwards and John Firshi combine forces, they become Sandpoint’s get-down newgrass trio Headwaters, which may or may not save the world someday.
Playing a wide variety of tunes under the Americana umbrella, Headwaters is one of those local bands you always enjoy seeing on stage.
Their songs speak to the high lonesome nature of living in the West, with originals and excellent covers swirling in the air above like campfire smoke.
Long live Headwaters. — Ben Olson
9 p.m.-midnight, FREE, 21+.
The 219 Lounge, 219 N. First Ave., 208-263-5673, 219lounge.com. Listen at headwatersband.com.
Pop-country singer-songwriter Carli Osika has been at the forefront of the Pacific and Inland Northwest’s country music scene for years, leading the band Prairie Fire or touring solo from L.A. to Nashville. Earlier this year, she was discovered by KSPS PBS and featured in an installment of Inland Sessions, where she performed her most famous hits, like “Whiskey & Him” and “Emotion Sick-
This week’s RLW by Soncirey Mitchell
READ
Jason Pargin is a master of dumb, R-rated dark humor science fiction. His second series, which began with Futuristic Violence and Fancy Suits, is a testament to that. In it, a trailer-park girl must survive assassination attempts from mechanically-enhanced cartel members after she inherits her absent father’s criminal empire. The AI-run social media platform Blink, which broadcasts everything live from cameras worn by 90% of the world, makes that especially difficult. Find it at the library.
LISTEN
ness.” Osika’s style is relatively simple, which means it has to be flawless. Listen closely to her polished vocals and the easy way she strums her guitar to hear all the work she puts in to make her music sound effortless.
— Soncirey Mitchell
6 p.m., FREE. Connie’s Lounge, 323 Cedar St., 208-2552227, conniescafe.com. Listen on all the streaming services.
I almost included English multi-instrumentalist Marika Hackman in my “Tunes of Terror” recommendations, as her music is heavily influenced by a childhood brush with death and her subsequent anxiety disorder. Her alt-indie sad girl music captures everyday fears too well to be relegated to one month a year, especially with five studio albums and bangers like “Apple Tree,” “Skin” and “Slime.” Listen on marikahackman.com to see why she shares a label with Nirvana.
WATCH
Who wants to watch yet another Sherlock Holmes reimagining? I do. I started rewatching Elementary, in which Holmes, a detective and recovering addict (Jonny Lee Miller), teams up with former-surgeon-turned-sober-companion Watson (Lucy Liu) to solve crimes in Manhattan and become begrudging best friends along the way. The plots can be a little goofy, which I like, but Miller gives an incredible physical performance while embodying the character that gives it gravitas. Stream it on Amazon Prime.
SuperChrome frontman Kōsh. Courtesy photo
Devon Wade. Courtesy photo
From Northern Idaho News, November 3, 1905
MRS. STEVENSON ESCAPES
Word was received this week by Sheriff Doust and Village Marshal Moran that Mrs. W. E. Stevenson had escaped from the insane asylum at Blackfoot, and asking the officers to be on the lookout for the woman. It will be remembered that something over a year ago Mrs. Stevenson escaped and came to Sandpoint and created one of the greatest scenes ever enacted in the city. She drove the residents from the house in which she had formerly resided and with two guns held at bay the officers and populace for three days, before she was finally persuaded to surrender. At that time Sheriff Whitney and Jones & Marshall took an active part in persuading her to give up. Here of late she has been writing letters claiming that those gentlemen kidnapped her or else she would not have been returned to the asylum.
If she reappears in Sandpoint there will be several persons hiding out as she made threats last year to wreak vengeance on several.
H.T. COOK CUTS OFF ONE OF HIS THUMBS
H.T. Cook, a young man well known among lumbermen in this section, met with a painful accident on Clear Creek, some miles west of this place last Saturday morning. While cutting stakes for his tent, the axe glanced and struck his hand, inflicting an ugly wound. He started to walk to Newport to have the wound dressed. He walked most of the distance before a friend loaned him a horse and he made the rest of the trip on horseback, arriving at Newport Sunday evening. The attending physician found it necessary to amputate his thumb.
BACK OF THE BOOK
North Idaho exposure
By Ben Olson Reader Staff
When my partner announced she’d never seen the 1990s television show Northern Exposure, I made it my mission to introduce her to Joel, Maggie, Ed, Chris in the Morning, Maurice, Holling, Shelly, Marilyn, Ruth Ann and the rest of the denizens of the fictional small town of Cicely, Alaska. After only a couple of episodes, she was hooked.
“It’s just so precious,” she said, and I agreed. I always wanted to live in a place like Cicely; a small town where everyone mostly got along, where most people seemed to have a passing knowledge of world history, philosophy and art. Every character harbored a secret skill that they didn’t brag about, and people rarely took their neighbors for granted. And don’t get me started on the hijinks.
While walking to work the other day, it dawned on me that we do, in fact, live in Cicely — or at least the North Idaho version of it. Small towns are more than the platitudes you read on a real estate brochure; they’re a collection of people who make the juice worth the squeeze.
It’s especially important to recognize those “Cicilian” qualities of Sandpoint when we’ve seen our small town explode with newcomers the past five to 10 years.
It’s when Daniela the Tervan owner drops by the Reader office with a jar of pickled eggs every so often, or when Brett and Gretchen hand me a Bill Bryson book and stuffing a $50 bill inside “as a bookmark” while we discussed Norwegian firewood stacking methods. Or Chris, who sailed me across the Atlantic Ocean, sending words of encouragement, a donation and an article on blacksmithing for our readers.
It’s Ward walking over from the hospital (where Editor-in-Chief Zach
STR8TS Solution
Hagadone and I were born) with his daily to-go meal, while I watch from my office window. It’s the skiers and snowboarders at the Starlight Race Series playing beer pong and dancing in costumes, or the last day on the mountain when Miah Kohal Band plays at the Outback and everyone wears capes, Hawaiian shirts and furry costumes to bask in the early spring sun to wish our mountain a well-deserved summer nap.
It’s the bartenders at the 219 that endure Zach and me (and often Senior Writer Soncirey Mitchell) every Wednesday night as we drink beers and vent the last vestiges of the edition as the paper is finally in the hands of our printer and out of ours for the week.
It’s Hannah and the gang at the museum who helped us archive our newspaper so it’s preserved for history. It’s the Sand Creek Regatta race day, when a couple dozen of us locals build boats and race down the creek for absolutely no reason other than to have a good time and celebrate this tradition brought back by Jon and Amanda.
It’s Lin at my favorite Thai food restaurant, who always recognizes my voice when I make my weekly lunch order, or Jeff and the gang at the pub who give more to this community than they receive and never ask for anything in return.
It’s the bikers who stopped to help when my motorcycle broke down by the tourist center, spending more than an hour fixing my broken clutch cable. It’s cutting firewood with my buddy Justin as we watch the leaves turn to gold up Grouse Creek, the snow line reaching closer to the valley each time we go up.
It’s Susan, who donated a beautiful old accordion and Fender lap steel guitar to my band, or Tim who did the same with a stand-up bass because they wanted their beloved instruments to
Sudoku Solution
“live in a musical family.”
It’s Jack riding his tiny 10-speed bike to work at the radio station, hollering “hello” at me from two blocks away. It’s the people who’ve lugged heavy antique typewriters up to the office to donate them when reading an article about how I collected them and wouldn’t ever allow them to go to the dump.
It’s the way you can’t enter the Sandpoint Post Office without someone holding the door open for you, or when, at the counter, Amanda or Dave will say, “I think you have a package in your box,” and sure enough, they were right.
It’s sitting with my partner Cadie on the night of her birthday when the Full Moon Bike Ride passes by in the alley, each one of the bikers wishing her “happy birthday” as they ride past over the course of five minutes..
It’s drinking a pint with my former school teachers, or running into a childhood friend who remembers all the ridiculous stories we shared while growing up together.
It’s Jerry the “Hooeyman” dancing with his ducks at every Sandpoint event since I was in grade school and the gang of salty geezers who sit at Marigold Cafe every morning to discuss the ways of the declining world (often using several four-letter words in doing so).
There are so many examples for why our small town is just as good as the fictional Cicely; but, if they seem to be fewer and farther between, it’s because it takes a village to keep them alive. It takes all of us pulling an oar to keep the boat moving, as it were.
It’s a scary world out there — but right here, swaddled in the mountains, the trees, the rivers and lakes, life is better than you could ever write it. We just need to sit back and acknowledge it from time to time.
See you around, friends.
Solution on page 22 Solution on page 22
Laughing Matter
CROSSWORD
By Bill Borders
to approve; confirm or ratify.
“I asked whether my expenses would come out of the estate, and he said that he was inclined to believe the trustees would not homologate any claim for my outgoings.”
ACROSS
1. Arm joint
Freight
Coronet
Friendly
Feed trough
Saw
How old you are
Apparitions
Bounder
Half-moon tide
Risque
Overhaul
Therefore
Mexican sandwich
All right
Exude
Consumed
Protective covering
Abuses
Chapter in history
Decorated, as a cake
Feces
Russian emperor
What we’re called
Scorch
Platter
Pesky insect
American Dental Association
Place of higher learning
North northeast
Bawdy
Commotion
Greenery
Had in mind
Patriarch
Feeling
Edges
Opening
Lewd
A person who rules
Poi source
Flowing tresses
DOWN
Without poise
Angered
Popular movie snack
Washing
Tight
Cry of disgust
Teller of untruths
Staff
Small amount
Artist’s workroom
Able to be healed
Artillery guns
Give forth
Discourage
Rudder control
Vomit 45. Evade 48. Clothed 49. They hold teeth 50. Type of sword
