Reader october1 2015

READER

October 1, 2015 / free / Vol. 12 issue 37

FREE!

Oil Spill Drill on Lake pend oreille El Ni単o predictions call for Another warm, dry winter

Authorities seeking former BGH CFO for missing $220k

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Call today!

208-263-9102

1101 Airport Way Sandpoint, Idaho 83864

(wo)MAN compiled by

on the street

Ben Olson Do you think people are generally active or apathetic when it comes to politics in Sandpoint?

“I think people are active in discussing and arguing, but not active when it comes to voting.”

Christine Holbert Sunnyside

DEAR READERS,

There’s a lot of fun stuff going on this week. Don’t forget to check out MarchFourth Marching Band at the Panida on Friday, Oct. 2. They put on one hell of a wild show, which is part gypsy brass, part funk and part carnival. Expect the unexpected.

Also, check out the Convoy of Hope at the Bonner County Fairgrounds on Saturday, Oct. 3. It’s a free event for the community featuring free goods and services that support local businesses, churches, organizations and individuals.

Also happening Saturday is the Oktoberfest, put on by the Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce. The fun starts at noon and goes until 5 p.m., and is free. I’d be willing to bet you could find some good beer and grub there. But don’t take my word for it; find out for yourself. It all happens at the Granary Arts District by Evans Brothers Coffee.

Last but not least, don’t forget to get out there and enjoy the fall colors while you can. Before you know it, we’ll be scraping windshields.

-Ben Olson, Publisher

“The people I know are mostly active, but then again, I don’t hang out with apathetic people.”

Elijah Brownell Sandpoint

“People are generally active when it comes to politics, until they get caught up in the media spin. Then they become apathetic.”

Zach Hagadone (emeritus) Contributing Artists: Ben Olson (cover), Contributing Writers: Cameron Rasmusson, Ben Olson, Louie de Palma, Justin Henney, Sandy Compton, Marcia Pilgeram

Advertising: Jen Landis jen@sandpointreader.com Clint Nicholson clint@keokee.com Web Content: Keokee

A bulldozer breaks apart the asphalt at Sandpoint Senior Center earlier this week. Photo by Ellen Weissman.

Apathetically active?

“I think they’re active. I saw Cornel Rasor 2-3 years ago got Ron Paul here to the fairgrounds. I already know of some big things to come this year but I can’t tell you.”

Editor: Cameron Rasmusson cameron@sandpointreader.com

Subscription Price: $75 per year

“I think they’re both.”

Kari Saccomanno Sandpoint

www.sandpointreader.com Publisher: Ben Olson ben@sandpointreader.com

Printed weekly at: Griffin Publishing Spokane, Wash.

“Active in all the wrong ways.

There’s too many right-wing views in this part of the world, especially as you move further out into the county.”

“Yes, not the other way around. I think people are active, but they aren’t enough. Look at how many people don’t vote. We all have opinions, but not all of us vote.”

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

Submit stories to: stories@sandpointreader.com

Phil Hough Sandpoint

Ed Karasek Sandpoint

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The Sandpoint Reader is a weekly publication owned and operated by Ben Olson and Keokee. It is devoted to the arts, entertainment, politics and lifestyle in and around Sandpoint, Idaho.

We hope to provide a quality alternative by offering honest, in-depth reporting that reflects the intelligence and interests of our diverse and growing community.

The Reader is printed on recycled paper using soy-based ink. Leftover copies are collected and recycled weekly, or burned in massive bonfires to appease the gods of journalism. Free to all, limit two copies per person.

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

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

Email letters to: letters@sandpointreader.com Check us out on the web at: www.sandpointreader.com Like us on Facebook.

About the Cover This week’s cover is a simple affair. With autumn in full swing, it’s a prime time to get your fall color watching in full swing.

In the next couple of weeks, the colors should be popping all over the county.

255-4351

Ron Perron Sandpoint October 1, 2015 /

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COMMENTARY Our resident road warrior takes on race relations

By Louis de Palma Reader Staff

It’s fall again up here in North Idaho. For the locals, this means starting to wonder if it’s worth it to buy a season pass to Schweitzer and snow tires this year, or if the hype of real snowfall is simply created by Les Schwab and Schweitzer. Regardless, I recommend you buy both, if for no other reason than to pad the local economy enough to make it through the winter.

It’s like being into the fourth season of “Game of Thrones” and feeling cheated because winter still has not come.

However this doesn’t undermine the great experience that is autumn. Autumn has always been my favorite season for a cornucopia of reasons.

The refreshing awakening snap in the air, the holidays

Vaccinations...

Dear Editor, Formaldehyde, aluminum, mercury, baby fetal tissue and monkey kidney are some ingredients in vaccines. Ingredient side effects may cause autoimmune and neurological disorders, cancer and death per vaccine inserts. In the 195060s, people had two vaccines, and 1980s children received 10 injections. Today, children receive 53 by age five!

Articles such as Harrison Berry’s exploded all over the

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are the best in this time and flannel is the perfect ensemble choice through day and night.

Last and probably most spectacular is the diverse and beautiful display of fall colors—an array of diverse hues creating one beautiful display. They’re all trees, but they’re all different and beautiful together.

Although our forests are diverse in this area, boasting many different tree types, the diversity of our human inhabitants has lacked in comparison.

People’s lifestyles are very diverse, sure, but culturally and racially, not so much. As a lover of people and cultures from all walks of life, I maintain a firm belief that humans should be judged solely on character and merit, not by color or any other idiotic or fickle generalization. I went my whole life growing up here thinking that North Idaho’s racist reputation

was merely a myth. I never once encountered anyone that was blatantly hateful towards other races or cultures—or at least no one that was outspoken about it. That all changed when I started driving cab and met some of our more colorful (meaning ignorant dips#@t) residents.

Although the vast majority of locals are kind, loving, tolerant people, I am amazed and offended at the amount of racist comments uttered in my cab of late. It is mind-blowing to me that people think it’s OK to openly speak such hateful comments. Never in my life have I been subjected to actual racist statements spoken off the cuff as if they were conversational common ground.

The most offensive and surprising part is that they seem to think I will agree with them. I don’t. No sir, I don’t know what you mean when you say that you hope you don’t run into any blacks to-

night. No, I don’t think that everything’s alright because we’re both white. I’m sorry, random traveler, that you prefer to ride with a white driver from the airport, but I don’t have jurisdiction in Washington, so you’re going to have to get over your racist fears.

I don’t know when it became socially acceptable for people to spout unintelligent hate without repercussion, but I’m here to say you can’t. Perhaps it’s the outdated media myth that North Idaho is racist and intolerant, thereby encouraging people to comfortably spew hate vomit. Perhaps they think because our lack of diversity in the community, we all think in this narrow-minded way. This is incorrect. We are a tolerant and accepting community, and by letting peoples’ racists comments go unchallenged, it is exactly what gives their opinions power. Racism should never be stated nonchalantly as the

norm. We need to be vocal in asserting that hate and racists are the minority in Sandpoint, and tolerance and acceptance is in the majority.

Any manner of racism or intolerance spoken in my cab will result in immediate expulsion from the vehicle. You won’t be simply sent to the very rear—you’ll have to walk for your hate like so many of our elders in this country had to walk for their freedom.

If your intolerance means so much to you, walk about it, don’t talk about. On your walk, be sure to take in the astounding fall beauty provided for you by diversity of the flora. Some of the trees might not be native to our area, but it’d be a boring walk if they were all Western White Pine.

country. Big Pharma donates millions to politicians. Doctors are trained by Big Pharma-sponsored programs. Children are easy targets for huge profits. News media is bought!

During the Disneyland measles outbreak, media shouted “major epidemic” of 160 people (mostly vaccinated). Not reported was CDC scientist whistle-blower, Dr. Thompson, admitting research proving the autism/Mercury connection was trashed by the CDC. It was surprising when Dr. Carson mentioned debunking claims

since Congressman Posey came forward in Washington with evidence requesting a Congressional Hearing (7/29/15). Mercury quietly disappeared from childhood vaccines.

Two studies in other countries compared the vaccinated to the unvaccinated. The unvaccinated proved healthier. CDC refuses to do a study because they can’t find enough unvaccinated children. Sounds like Bonner County is a good place to start! There’s reason parents are shouting concern, and many have dug deep into research.

The U.S. gives more vaccines to children than other countries. Our children have more disorders than other countries while health costs continue to soar. Williams proclaims the principle of herd immunity, which is only a theory. Many vaccines have “live viruses” known to shed for several weeks posing risk. Parents of unvaccinated are willing to take the risk. An unvaccinated child does not equate to disease-ridden varmints.

Mumps, measles and chicken pox were no big deal, most

people had all three in the 60s.

Rarely were there side effects.

Polio vaccine released the SV40 virus and our cancer epidemic.

Big Pharma and doctors are free from liability due to vaccine injuries and death. Parents want to keep the choice of which vaccines to inject into their child. Few parents are anti-vax.

Educate yourself and read package inserts.

Michelle Mandolf Sandpoint

PERSPECTIVES

The Old Man and the Trees

By Justin Henney Reader Contributor Ten years ago my mom and dad followed my wife and me and moved to Sandpoint. Our first daughter was born that June 2005, and we were thrilled with our baby girl and to have my parents so close. It was not long until my parents bought a place out in the woods near us on five acres. The back four of their five acre parcel is thick with Blue Spruce trees, my dad’s favorite.

By the time Adeline was two, my dad had mowed a path through the tall grass and pine trees and lined it with stuffed animal characters from “Winnie the Pooh” and “The Wizard of Oz.” For several years it was a fall tradition to have friends and their children join our family and follow the brown grass path in lieu of The Yellow Brick Road.

My dad’s dedication to keeping the child alive in himself and those around him is what has stuck with me lately. The man turned 84 years old this summer and still hand saws enough fire wood in autumn to last him and his “1957 bride” throughout the winter. He also built a tree house for my daughters in the woods last year which blows away the one he built for me back in 1969 (and it was really cool).

It is actually two tree forts with a sus-

pended bridge linking the two, about six feet off the ground. One of my parents’ dogs loves these forts as much as my daughters (we have two now!) and regularly accompanies them up in the forts and across the bridge.

I give my dad a hard time almost every time I see him for being a self-promoter and continuing to live in his past accomplishments in corporate America.

It is easy for me to do this because the grief is given in jest. But it is still criticism.

What I don’t say is how proud I am of my old man and how much he has done for my daughters by being so much fun and putting so much effort into them with his efforts in the woods. His latest accomplishment in the woods is a 15-foot-high teepee he built last summer with a ladder and saw. He also wrapped it in burlap. It has a fire pit in the center and wooden benches inside and has already provided several memorable experiences with family and friends around the camp fire.

My dad is getting out of his recliner chair slower these days, but once he’s out, this 84-year-old is full of life, pep and optimism. And he’s pretty handy with a saw.

Tim Henney, 84, with his grandchildren outside the hand built teepee. Photo courtesy Justin Henney.

Anti-Vaxxer speaks out...

Dear Editor, In regards to Harrison Berry’s story from last week’s Reader; I am in the good company of the autonomous 20.6 percent of Bonner County parents.

The philosophy I wrote on the vaccine exemption form was based on the age-old wisdom, “if it aint broke, don’t fix it.”

The irony is that many people go through the hassle of receiving injections of poison, risking pain, sickness and even death (yes Dana Williams, people die from vaccines too), but still place blame on the unvaccinated.

“Put some faith in your vaccines, for Christ sake!” is what I want to yell to these hypocrites, “You are protected from the dangers of vaccine-exempted villains!” (like my bright-eyed, consistently vibrant, fifth grade daughter.)

But perhaps they know the truth, as Ingri Cassel puts it, “Vaccines don’t immunize anything.”

No one is immune to the omnipresent risk of death, so I empathize with the fears of parents. We all love our children and we make decisions (about their health) that we can live with.

Jodi Rawson Sandpoint October 1, 2015 /

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NEWS Oil spill drills conducted in Lake Pend Oreille

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff A little preparation goes a long way if the worst should happen. And for Sandpoint, “the worst” isn’t a huge exaggeration when it comes to a severe oil or coal train derailment.

Local authorities and BNSF Railway personnel know that full well, which is why they collaborated this week on a series of training exercises meant to ensure fast response in the event of a hazardous material spill. Between training sessions on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, members of Sandpoint Fire Department, Bonner County Sheriff’s Office, the Idaho Bureau of Homeland Security, the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality, Montana Rail Link, Bonner County Emergency Management, Bonners Ferry volunteer firefighters and more joined BNSF personnel to practice procedures for containing and cleaning hazardous materials.

“You have to train and train and train for these things you hope you never have to do,” said Ross Lane, BNSF regional director of public affairs.

The training sessions are an important proactive measure for all Lake Pend Oreille communities. After all, a major oil spill would be devastating for the local environment, to say nothing of lake- and tourism-dependent businesses or public health.

That’s doubly true if train cargo should spill directly into lake waters.

That’s why local officials have been in talks with BNSF staff to develop a geographic response plan, or GRP, detailing the precise procedures needed for any accident regardless of scale, location or yearly season.

“That’s the whole idea of practicing [these procedures],” said BNSF hazmat manager Nic Winslow. “We want to reduce response times if something ever does happen.”

Tuesday’s efforts, for instance, focused on tackling water-based responses. Trainees gathered at Dover Bay Marina and City 6 /

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Beach throughout the day, deploying in boats to practice with environment-saving equipment.

The weather offered up a sunny day and comfortable temperatures just for the occasion—circumstances Sandpoint Fire Chief Ron Stocking wishes would cooperate during real emergencies.

“We have ideal conditions to simulate this drill, which is just great,” he said.

Laying down containment booms—long, flexible barriers designed to stop oil from spreading—received special attention. After deploying from City Beach and arriving at the scene of the faux accident, trainees managed to lay about 500 feet of boom within 45 minutes. That’s pretty quick work, Winslow said, but the idea is for that to be even better in a real emergency.

The Bonner County GRP, which has been in development since last year, is a collaboration between several North Idaho counties as well as city partners. According to Lane, BNSF has been working with local governments to make sure they have all the information from the company they need. From there, it’s all a matter of identifying key areas within the region like critical habitats, sources of drinking water, important waterways and more. The also

Bonner County Sheriff personnel deploy floating booms in a mock drill on Lake Pend Oreille Tuesday. Photo by Ben Olson.

provide their supply of BNSFowned equipment for county use during any emergency and pay for firefighters to attend a company training facility.

“It’s a hands-on example of how we build relationships with first responder communities,” he said.

The Bonner County GRP should be a lifesaver in a real emergency, Bonner County Emergency Management director Bob Howard said. He be-

lieves one of the greatest assets will be individual procedures for different weather and seasonal conditions. For example, when the lake is at low pool, the county suffers from a lack of usable boat ramps.

“Summertimes are easy, but wintertimes are a real challenge,” he said.

Of course, no one wants to experience an accidental oil or coal spill of any kind, let alone something that could be mentioned in

the same breath as the Lac-Mégantic, Quebec, oil explosion that gutted an entire downtown and left 47 dead. However, local officials and BNSF staff are resting a little easier in the knowledge they’re at least well prepared.

“I think working with [local officials] has been a great experience,” said Lane. “You want that close relationship with the people in the action with you.”

State planning conference to take place in Sandpoint

By Ben Olson Reader Staff There are few other aspects of city government more impactful than city planning. Whether dealing with the direction of the city streets, the sidewalks, the flow of traffic, or the direction growth takes in a given city, planning helps make sure the future growth is sustainable.

The Idaho Chapter of the American Planning Association (APA) has elected to hold their 8th annual conference in Sandpoint this year, which is not only an honor for the town, but an economic boom to businesses

during a quiet shoulder season.

“I planted the seed with Idaho APA a couple of years ago,” said Aaron Qualls, Sandpoint planning and economic development director. “They’re usually held in Boise and choose another city every other year ...

I first mentioned Sandpoint as a great town to host a small professional conference like this.”

The three-day conference will take place at the Sandpoint Center at 414 Church Street from Oct. 7-9. The theme of this year’s conference is “Rural Spaces and Urban Places: Charting the Future of Idaho.”

“I suggested that theme for

selfish purposes,” said Qualls.

“As Sandpoint and our region continues to grow, it’s appropriate to look at the differences between urban and rural environments. How do we want to grow? As more people move to Sandpoint to start businesses or to retire, what will that growth look like? I’m really excited to learn from the speakers.”

The annual conference will feature keynote speakers that are nationally recognized, as well as hosting break-out events at various downtown businesses. The topics covered include everything from smart growth to fire prevention to new sig-

nage restrictions.

According to Qualls, there will be around 100 people attending the conference, from all over Idaho, as well as parts of Washington and Montana.

“My goal is to set a new precedent for outside conferences coming to downtown during our shoulder seasons, when businesses struggle the most,” said Qualls. “You get to be re-inspired, and you get to stay current on planning issues throughout the state.”

For more information about the APA annual conference, go to http://idahoapa.org/2015-annual-conference/

NEWS

Former BGH CFO sought for embezzlement of $220k

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff

Bonner General Health officials are pursuing charges against the hospital’s former chief financial officer, Norilina Harvel, who is accused of embezzling more than $200,000 from the nonprofit.

An employee of the hospital for 15 years and its CFO for 10 years, Harvel allegedly used a bank account set up fraudulently in the hospital’s name to use for personal expenses and unauthorized credit card transactions. Additional funds were allegedly stolen from the books using a multiyear lease for hospital equipment that didn’t exist. The Bonner County Prosecutor’s Office has issued a warrant for her arrest, according to prosecutor Louis Marshall.

Since the missing funds were discovered, it has had far-reaching impacts on both hospital officials, shaken by the betrayal, and the community, which spread several rumors about the incident. Most of the rumors are untrue, according to Bonner General Health CEO Sheryl Rickard. The crime didn’t involve public funds of any kind, and it had nothing to do with the construction of the new building.

What is true is over several years, Harvel allegedly embezzled $220,000 through various financial schemes. The largest of the fraudulent financial items—around $86,000— was funneled through a lease for sterilizing equipment the hospital never acquired. It was only when a lease bill landed on Rickard’s desk that administrators became suspicious.

“If it wasn’t for that lease, it might have taken us longer to discover this,” Rickard said.

Once the extent of the theft was discovered, BGH board chair Ford Elsaesser reached

out to the regional FBI office, which recommended he work with local authorities.

Officials also enacted a forensic audit of hospital finances, which, while still incomplete, revealed the history of malfeasance. The prosecutor’s office issued an arrest warrant Wednesday for the felony offense.

Fortunately, the hospital has managed to mitigate some damage through insurance for some of the lost funds.

Between $107,000 in claims already processed and some outstanding claims, they hope to secure perhaps half of what was lost.

Hospital officials are still investigating just how Harvel managed to set up a new BGH account at Bank of America, which is not the hospital’s normal banking outlet, to cover her tracks. Since business accounts are usually much more complex to set up and require multiple authorizations, it’s likely that Harvel used a combination of community recognition and forged signatures to set it up.

“As a result of this situation, we are expanding our external audit parameters as well as reviewing and honing policies and procedures to ensure this cannot ever happen again,” Elsaesser said in a press release.

“The BGH board of directors is committed to supporting law enforcement in the prosecution of Harvel and look forward to justice being served.”

The was no acrimony when Harvel left her position last June after securing another job. Because of the friendly working relationship she had with hospital officials, the news of missing funds came as a shock. There is still no word about Harvel’s motives, although Rickard has found nothing like a sick family member that might arouse

Norilina Harvel in a 2013 photograph taken from an online newsletter.

public sympathy, especially considering her six-figure BGH salary.

“That’s what’s been really difficult,” she said. “I was hoping to find that, and then at least you could understand, but there was none of that at all.”

In an ironic twist, Harvel actually improved the hospital’s finances over her time as CFO, even as she allegedly stole money from the institution.

“She got a lot of credit from the board [because of that],” Rickard said.

While the theft shouldn’t impact BGH operations too significantly—after all, the hospital takes in $66 million in gross revenue—hospital officials find the blow to their trust hard to take. All they can do is anticipate Harvel’s im-

minent arrest. Authorities are now on the hunt for Harvel, who is believed to be in South Utah.

Cases of local embezzlement have been on the uptick lately. In 2012, Susan Hopkins was sentenced to five years in a state prison plus reimbursement payments for embezzling $246,561 from Coldwater Creek. And this year, former Athol clerk Sally Hansen was sentenced to four years in federal prison for embezzling $417,879 from the city. Because of these precedents, Elsaesser hopes authorities will throw the book at Harvel.

“It seems to me the sentences are becoming more serious,” he said.

Lethal altercation in Spirit Lake under investigation An adult male died in Spirit Lake this week following a lethal altercation with the Bonner County Sheriff’s Office.

Sheriff’s office officials say that on Tuesday, an unnamed male was killed after officers responded to a domestic violence call at 11 p.m. They then confirmed that domestic violence had occurred, and a fight erupted. An adult female and her children fled the residence during the incident, and an autopsy has been issued for the deceased male. The investigation is ongoing. [CR]

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Bordering on Complete Sanity:

By Sandy Compton Reader Columnist Bouquets: Submitted by Sharon McCahon of Bonner County Human Rights Task Force: •On behalf of Lost Horse Press and the Bonner County Human Rights Task Force, I would like to send out a bouquet to Evans Brothers Coffee for hosting our 100,000 Poets for Change event on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2015. This is the second year Evans Brothers has hosted this event. They have provided us the perfect venue and their staff was helpful and welcoming. We felt lucky to have over 20 people willing to read poems or sing songs about positive change to an enthusiastic audience. This event occurs every year on the same day all over the world. Thank you Evans Brothers for hosting our event!

Barbs: •You know what I love?

And by love, I mean despise, of course. I love when someone acts like a complete cliché.

Enter Mr. Range Rover. Yes, I know you have a big, expensive vehicle, but do you have to park it like a complete douche?

The other day I was pulling into a parking spot and noticed Mr. Range Rover had in fact taken up four parking spaces. He must be so important that he can’t park within the lines. So, being the conscientious parker that I am, I parked between the lines, giving Mr. Range Rover mere inches to get into his door. Mr. Range Rover didn’t like this. He scowled at me when I was returning to my ugly old truck, as if it was my fault he parked like a moron. Do yourself a favor, Mr. Range Rover, don’t act like a cliché. Drive your big, clean, expensive vehicle, but don’t for one minute think that gives you any right to park like an ass and then blame others who dare park close. Moral of the story: park between the lines or suffer the wrath of newspaper publishers.

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The mini-tempest caused by closure of Scotchman Peak Trail #65 for “aggressive mountain goats” is interesting; personally, professionally, and purely culturally. When the Forest Service closed Trail #65 because of a fire in the West Fork of Blue Creek, pretty much everyone understood the problem. The untold story is that if the trail had not been closed on Aug. 14 for fire, it would have been closed on Aug. 17 because of increasingly alarming human/goat interactions. Final straw for the Forest Service and Idaho Department of Fish and Game came when a man was bitten by a goat. It took a couple of stitches to close up the wound. It took a few strokes of an official pen to close the trail.

I happened to meet the guy who was bitten on the day of the bite. On the evening of Aug. 12, I was assessing Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness realignment of the lower section of the trail when I met a man with a nasty gash on his shin.

“Run into a rock?” I asked.

“I got bitten by a goat,” he

Don’t feed the goats! said.

He sheepishly—or perhaps goatishly—admitted he was near the summit letting a goat lick the sweat off of his legs, but when he decided enough was enough, the goat did not agree. As he backed away, the goat bit him.

“Didn’t you see the sign?” I asked.

The sign—a big, easily read, brown and white Forest Service sign on the trail just below tree line—says, “Mountain Goats.

PLEASE DO NOT approach, feed or harass the goats.”

He got a bit indignant. “Yeah, I saw the sign. They should tell the goats not to harass us!”

By “us,” I take it he meant humans.

He was not in the mood for a conversation about habituation. It was, after all, human blood, not goat, that got shed, HIS human blood, so I wished him well and he hobbled off on his way to his appointment with needle and suture.

And then, he told on the goat.

There were many articles written since about the closure.

Most of them have a headline

like “Aggressive Mountain Goats Force Trail Closure.”

Your honor, I object! The use of the word “aggressive” puts the onus on the goats, and the goats are not at fault. How about, “Silly Humans Force Trail Closure?”

IDFG is the wildlife manager in that chunk of land, and they are in the process of deciding what to do about the goat / human in-terface. The Forest Service will work with them to determine when and under what condition the trail will be reopened. It probably won’t be this fall. Before it reopens—and after—IDFG, the Forest Service and FSPW will continue to do as much education as possible about the danger of feeding or approaching any wild animal, and goats particularly.

There are any number of suggestions about what to do regarding the problem, including providing the goats with salt blocks, relocating goats that are habituated, and harassing the goats away from the peak by certain means. My suggestion is that we first use beanbag guns to deter the offending critters. If

that doesn’t work, we dart them, collar them and relocate them.

The next step, of course, is a very extreme one that we don’t want to take. But, if they don’t stop feeding the goats...

Ridiculous? No more ridiculous than people who blatantly ignore signs and put themselves and goats in danger.

Goats didn’t close the trail.

People did, by their own selfish and ill-considered actions.

Sandy Compton’s latest book, “The Scenic Route,” is available at www.bluecreekpress.com

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Dollar Beers!

8pm @ Eichardt’s Pub Good until the keg’s dry Monarch Open Mic 6pm - 9pm @ Monarch Mountain Coffee Hosted by Scott Reid, held on the first and third Thursday of every month

Kootenai Elementary Fall Festival 4pm - 7pm @ Kootenai Elem. School All are invited to this community event, featuring games, prizes, food, inflatables to jump on, plus a silent auction

First Friday 6:30pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall Drink and be merry... and eat free popcorn!

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Ma Joi Fil Thu 5pm Roc Fea

“Waiting for Godot” play 7pm @ Heartwood Center Unknown Locals presents a production Samuel Beckett’s existential classic. There w be a food drive for the Panhandle Animal Sh ter every night of the show. $12 general adm sion, $10 seniors/students. 208-610-8005

Live Music w/ Ben and Cadie 5pm - 7pm @ Idaho Pour Authority The duo from Harold’s IGA playing your favorite covers and originals

Manhattan Shorts Film Festival Sandpoint Farmers Market 1:30pm @ Panida Theater 9am - 1pm @ Farmin Park Check out the Market before the season Live Music w/ Harold’s IGA ends! Live music by Tom D’Orazi 6pm - 9pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall Free First Saturday After three, four beers, these guys sound great!

10am - 2pm @ BoCo History Museum All are welcome to visit the museum free Hope Oktoberfest of charge; made possible by the generous 4pm @ Hope Memorial Com. Ctr. support of Co-Op Country Store The festivities begin at 4 p.m., and includes the f Cougar Creek Band with an early performance of Live Music w/ Chris Lynch Wilson on the saxophone. The Oktoberfest fundrai 6pm - 9pm @ Arlo’s Ristorante ner includes the Hess family’s amazing homemade b good they’ve sold out two years in a row) Sandpoint Chess Club 9am @ Evans Brothers Coffee Meets every Sunday at 9am. All are welcome Monday Night Blues Jam w/ Truck Mills 7:30pm @ Eichardt’s Pub Monday Night Football Parties: @ Sweet Lou’s and MickDuff’s Beer Hall

Trivia Night 7pm - 9pm @ MickDuff’s Karaoke Night 9pm - Midnight @ 219 Lounge

Manhattan Shorts Film Festival 3pm @ Panida Theater

Member Mondays All day @ Neighborhood Pub Beer Club mug members get 2 draft pints fo

2 for 22 Tuesday 5:30pm @ Neighborhood Pub Get an appetizer and 2 entrees from select menu for

First Tuesday — 7pm @ Eichardt’s Pub Hosted by Jake Robin, fun night of music and brew

Sandpoint Nordic Club Tap Night 4pm - 8pm @ Idaho Pour Authority With Firestone Walker Brewing, featuring live music, appetizers and raffle prizes Reggae Night at the Niner 9pm - 12am @ 219 Lounge Featuring DJ Josh Adams Dollar Beers!

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

Charley Packard & Friends 7:30pm @ Eichardt’s Pub Sandpoint Farmers Market 3pm - 5:30pm @ Farmin Park Bingo Night 6:30pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall

Thursday Night Football Party 5pm @ Laughing Dog Brewery Rock 103 Thursday Night Football Featuring the Indianapolis Colts at

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Ocrober 1 - 8, 2015

Live Music w/ Chris Lynch Live Music w/ Kelley McRae Duo 6pm - 9pm @ Arlo’s Ristorante 7:30pm @ Di Luna’s Cafe Live Music w/ Ken Mayginnes Drawing comparisons to Lucinda Williams and 7pm @ La Rosa Club Gillian Welch, the duo’s music is wide-ranging comprising haunting ballads, tender love songs, “The 100-Year-Old Man who Climbed and energetic guitar driven songs full of hope. out the Window and Disappeared” film Tickets are $10 in advance, and $12 at the door 6:30pm @ Panida Theater Held over one more week!

MarchFourth Marching Band!

7:30pm @ Panida Theater One of the most unique performances touring today. Part marching band, part gypsy brass, part carnival, Portland-based MarchFourth will blow you away! Fun for the whole family. Tickets $27 and worth every penny!

great!

udes the fabulous mance of Dennis st fundraiser dinmemade brats (so

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ft pints for $5

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“Waiting for Godot” play 7pm @ Heartwood Center Unknown Locals presents a production of Samuel Beckett’s existential classic. There will be a food drive for the Panhandle Animal Shelter every night of the show. $12 general admission, $10 seniors/students. 208-610-8005

Hall

Convoy of Hope 10am @ Bonner County Fairgrounds Bonner County Fairgrounds hosts free event for the community featuring free goods and services; supported by local businesses, organizations, churches and individuals.

Rock Star Party 8pm @ Evans Brothers Coffee Dress as any music star (or groupie) from any era, plus enjoy the sounds of DJ Mercury, MC King and Biobeat.

There will be an Eichardt’s cash bar, plus Jupiter Jane’s food truck. $8 cover at the door, with proceeds benefitting Food For Our Children Banff Radical Reels 7pm @ Panida Theater This film event featuring adventure and sports films, presented by Mountain Fever

Sandpoint Oktoberfest!

12pm - 5pm @ Granary Arts District Sponsored by the Sandpoint Business Improvement District, this fun event takes place at the Granary by Evans Brothers. Featuring live music

by RFB and Sean Owsley and the Blue Mustangs, local beer, wine and food vendors, arts and crafts and kids’ activities Live Music w/ Justin Lantrip 5:30pm - 7:30pm

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Reader recommended

Manhattan Shorts Film Festival - 1:30pm @ the Panida Theater Join over 100,000 film lovers in over 250 cities across six continents to view and vote on the Finalists Film in the 18th Annual Manhattan Shorts Film Festival. $10 adult, $6 senior, $5 student, $4 child Thursday Night Football Party 5pm @ Laughing Dog Brewery Rock 103 Thursday Night Football Party hosted by Tracy Bell.

Featuring the Baltimore Ravens at the Pittsburgh Steelers

oduction of c. There will Animal Shelneral admis0-8005

ds

A weekly entertainment guide to keep you on your toes. To list your event free, please send an email to calendar@sandpointreader.com.

Walk to School Day Students from kindergarten through high school will be walking and biking to or at school on Wednesday, along with parents, teachers, and community leaders.

ll Party ewery t Football Party hosted by Tracy Bell. s Colts at the Houston Texans

Keep the Pint Night 6pm - 8pm @ Neighborhood Pub Featuring Georgetown Brewery from Seattle. Buy a pint and keep a Georgetown glass. Stay and win raffled swag prizes. Includes favorites such as Manny’s Pale Ale and their new Oktoberfest

it’s nice to meet you, neighbor

Panhandle Animal Shelter and Petco present:

FEaturing Seattle’s Georgetown Brewery

Buy a pint Keep the glass!

Thursday, Oct. 7 6-8 p.m.

124 South 2nd Ave. sandpoint, IDaho (208)597-7499

Empty The shelter

October 3rd and 4th • 11 a.m. — 3 p.m.

Petco in Ponderay PAS will bring adoptable kittens, puppies, dogs and cats to the Petco in Ponderay from 11a-3p both Saturday and Sunday. Adoption specials that day will be $25.00 for adult dogs and cats (dogs over 1 year and cats over 6 months). Selected animal adoption fees waived! Adoptable animals have been spayed or neutered, vaccinated, de-wormed mic and microchipped before adoption.

More information on available animals visit, www.PASIdaho.org

www.sandpointpub.com October 1, 2015 /

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To submit your own pet photos, please send a photograph and a little bit of information about your special friend to ben@sandpointreader.com.

Please put “PET PHOTOS” in the subject line.

-RubyFri. October 2nd

Kelley McRae Duo

201 Cedar St. dilunas.com

263-0846

featuring fresh local ingredients

Drawing comparisons to Lucinda Williams and Gillian Welch, the duo’s music is wide ranging – comprising haunting ballads, tender love songs, and energetic guitar driven songs full of hope. Paste Magazine’s 4 Star review raves “Kelley moves effortlessly from the mournful tones of the plantation to the celebratory swing of the saloon, from songs of loss and decay de to hymns of love and grace.” $10 adv. tickets / $12 day of show Show @ 7:30pm Doors open @ 5:30pm w/ dinner served before the show

Broadcasting in Sandpoint on 106.7 FM and in Digital HD 12 /

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she seeks warmth. loves laps, heating vents, down jackets left on the chair. she slips into narrow spaces, like between the man & the woman. she hears it in their breath, when they won’t feel the pounce. her paws are delicate cushions. vaporous. magic. she walks the length of the woman – knee to hip to ribs, undetected.

gine purring, a rhythm that makes the woman dream of a grandfather clock deep under water and the man hear a thrumming, a drumming, a war. they wake. they eject her. hunched on the rag rug, she waits, wills her vibrations to ebb. she studies, listens, yearns. she sits tight. she hears. she senses.

like oil, she tailors her shape, seeps between, melts herself against the man’s hard spine, velvets her form into the soft oven of the woman’s breasts

before they know it she knows the man and the woman will make love. it’s in their purring they’ll forget her. she seeks warmth.

and oh lordy --it feels too damn good and there she goes, what she cannot stop: her confession, an unstoppable en-

Karen Seashore Sandpoint, ID

El Niño expected to bring warm, dry winter

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff

Coming off a winter season that left locals frustrated and sad, the last thing residents want is more of the same. But if climate predictions hold true, that might just be what we’ll get.

Many climate experts are predicting an El Niño of historic proportions this winter season. The warm sweep of wind over the next several months will affect different parts of the country in dramatically different ways, scientists said, but for the Northern Rockies region, they expect unusually warm and dry weather.

“Nearly all of the credible models we have for seasonal climate prediction are calling for a warm and dry winter across the region,” said John Abatzoglou, a climate scientist and professor at the University of Idaho.

That model is backed by plenty of data across decades, he added. El Niño winters typically bring few days of winter precipitation and decrease the size of the biggest snowfall events.

“All of the decent El Niños over the past 50-60 years have resulted in below normal April 1 snow water equivalent for northern Idaho,” Abatzoglou said. “The two strongest El Niños on record in the winter of 1982-83 and 1997-98 actually brought close to normal precipitation for the state of Idaho, but above normal temperatures that allow less precipitation to fall as snow and hasten the rate of snowmelt.”

Considering the low-precipitation winter and a dry summer to match, that’s a discouraging prediction on several fronts. After the devastation of this summer’s wildfire season, no one is eager for a repeat. According to Abatzoglou, only time will tell how next year’s wildfires will hash out, as they’re largely dependent on next summer’s precipitation and temperature.

“That said, starting off the spring with a wimpy snowpack doesn’t help the matter,” he

added.

The Flathead Beacon, meanwhile, reports that Northwest Montana farmers are bracing for what could be a difficult year, especially since the region already suffers from drought.

“The old saying is, ‘Seed in the dust, your bins will bust.’

Well, we’re seeding in the dust,” Tryg Koch, co-owner of Heritage Custom Farming, told the Beacon. “We have no choice but to keep a positive attitude We’re totally relying on Mother Nature. It is what it is. I’m not going to say I don’t lose sleep some nights though.”

Schweitzer Mountain Resort maintains a similar willingness to roll with nature’s punches.

Marketing manager Dig Chrismer said no matter what may come, the staff is committed to providing a great season for its guests. To that end, they have their snow machines ready to deploy should the weather prove stingy.

“We can sit here and worry, but it’s all down to Mother Nature,” Chrismer said.

Indeed, when the resort staff receive conflicting reports on a regular basis, Chrismer it’s best not to obsess over the details and simply focus on the job at hand.

“The Farmer’s Almanac will say one thing, and another publication will say another,” she added.

That’s probably a smart approach. Even with strong evidence predicting a warm and dry season, there’s no definitive answer as to what this winter’s snow will look like, Abatzoglou said.

“Collectively, this forecast increases the odds, but doesn’t guarantee, a poor snow year in the region,” he said. “The impacts of El Niño tend to be a bit stronger during the latter half of winter, so hopefully a few solid snowfall events can deliver the goods to ski resorts ahead of peak visitation.”

Chris Farley’s “Saturday Night Live” skit where he plays “El Niño” for the Weather Channel.

The El Niño Phenomenon explained. During a normal year, equatorial winds gather warm water and pool it toward the west, creating cold water off the coast of South America. During an El Niño year, easterly winds weaken and warm water moves to the eastward, creating the potential for a warmer winter in North America. Diagram courtesy of ENSO. October 1, 2015 /

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Local author releases novel about redheads

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff Let’s face it. Redheads tend to stand out from the pack.

For author Heidi Mannan, her hair color is both a source of her identity and something that isolates her from the normal crowd. It’s a reality she’s always found to be a source of lighthearted fun.

“Redheads aren’t average,” she said.

“We’re always just a little different.”

Beyond the jokes about gingers and other redhead labels, the hair color is the creative inspiration of her new novel, “Turning Red.” The book derives more than its share of content from Mannan’s own experiences. It follows protagonist Betty Brown, a quirky, nervous and, yes, red-headed young woman who moves to North Idaho, where her Uncle Frank has disappeared. The relocation provides a jump start to her average life, and the search for her uncle forces some impossible choices upon her.

The novel tone walks the line between quirky comedy and suspense as Betty Brown delves deeper into her investigation. The setting, meanwhile, provides both an idyllic mountain paradise and a series of locations with which Mannan is well-familiar. If you hold to the adage, “write what you know,” then you’ll find plenty of authentic details in “Turning Red.” “People will recognize a lot of the locations in the books,” Mannan said.

Inspiration for “Turning Red” goes back nearly a decade.

Mannan remembers developing ideas for it while pregnant with her son.

“You could say I gave birth to the novel and my son at the same time,” she said.

Of course, raising a small child tends to be a time-consuming occupation, so Mannan put her writing on the back-burner while she focused on being a mother. Now that her son is 8, however, she has a little more time to focus on her own interests and 14 /

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passions.

Writing has been chief among Mannan’s interests for nearly as long as she can remember. Both poetry and prose strike her fancy, and she’s released collections of short stories and poems. Her turn toward the novel 15 years ago was largely inspired by a letter and short story she sent to popular author Dean Koontz.

She figured, considering his popularity, that she would receive any kind of reply in return—maybe a form letter at best.

To her surprise, however, he sent her a personal reply saying he enjoyed her story and encouraging her to keep writing.

“That’s when I made the transition,” she said.

“Turning Red” is the latest of several titles Mannan has released, and it is available in both paperback and digitally. Just for fun, Mannan decided to release it in time for the eclipse that occurred last weekend.

“It just seemed like a good time to release a book,” she said.

Learn more about Mannan and her work at her website, www.heidimannan.com, and while you’re at it, check out the short stories, anthologies and poem collections available in addition to “Turning Red.”

Author Heidi Mannan.

STAGE & SCREEN Banff ‘Radical Reels’ hits the Panida main stage with a bang

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff

If you’re already jonesing to shred some powder, no one can blame you.

But while you’re waiting for the snow to hit the slopes, the next best thing is just around the corner: insane footage of outdoor sports fanatics taking on the craziest challenges the world has to offer.

That’s right. The 2015 Banff Mountain Film Festival’s Radical Reels tour is coming to Sandpoint, and at 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 3, at the Panida Theater, you can catch the insane footage for yourself. This selection of high-energy films featuring skiing, biking, riding and paddling should get you in the mood to take on the natural world for yourself.

This weekend marks the twelfth year since Banff Mountain Film Festival tested the waters for the Radical Reels tour with a little help from local organizer Michael Boge. According to Boge, Sandpoint was one of only six cities to be selected for the pilot program. “[Film festival officials] really just loved the energy and enthusiasm in

‘Godot’ corrections for opening date

By Ben Olson Reader Staff Existentialists of the world, unite!

Samuel Beckett’s famed nonsensical play “Waiting for Godot” opens this weekend at the Heartwood Center.

In last week’s article by Kate McAlister, we mistakenly put the opening dates as Oct. 3-4, when in fact, the opening dates are Oct. 2-3.

Also, we wanted to mention this great performance one more time to get you all excited and planning your weekends around it.

Directed by Dorothy Prophet and featuring a cast of favorite Sandpoint actors such as Michael Bigley, Dan Simons, Robert Moore, Mike Clarke and Lucy Bigley, “Godot” is a treat for theater-lovers of North Idaho.

The performance takes place at the Heartwood Center Oct. 2-3, and again next week on Oct. 9-10. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. and performances begin at 7 p.m.

Sandpoint,” said Boge.

This year brings eight films covering a range of stories in the world of adrenaline sports. In “All My Own Stunt,” for instance, Rob Jarman battles to reclaim his place at the top of the downhill mountain bike and professional stuntman fields after a near-fatal accident. “Desert Ice” takes audiences to the high-desert slot canyons of Utah for ice climbing.

And “Little Red Bus,” a film that Bogge said pushed even Banff’s comfort zone, follows French alternative athletes’ crazy adventures while traveling Europe in their bus.

“Even Banff thought it was a little out there, but I think the audience in Sandpoint will really get it,” Boge said.

What film will end up being the local favorite once Radical Reels continues to its next stop? Only time will tell, so be sure to scoop up a ticket before they’re all gone. Advanced tickets are available at Eichardts, Outdoor Experience and Burger Express, and in Bonners Ferry at Zip’s. If any tickets remain, they will be sold at the door.

Photo courtesy of Radical Reels.

THURSDAY, OCT. 1 @ 7:30PM SaturDAY, OCT. 3 @ 1:30PM sunDAY, OCT. 4 @ 3PM

MANHATTAN SHORT FILM FESTIVAL A Global event comes to the Panida. You will be the judge. 10 films from 52 countries

friDAY, OCT. 2 @ 6:30PM — Little theater

“100 Yr Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared” Held over by popular request!

friDAY, OCT. 2 @ 7:30PM

MarchFourth Marching Band!

High octane gypsy brass mixed with a carnival

SaturDAY, OCT. 3 @ 1:30PM

Banff radical reels film festival friDAY, OCT. 9 @ 7:30PM SaturDAY, OCT. 10 @ 1:30PM

“roar”

the most dangerous movie ever made returns to the screen

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FOOD

The Sandpoint Eater The Dancing Soup

By Marcia Pilgeram Reader Food Columnist I was so disappointed I couldn’t attend last week’s local Dancing with the Stars, but I was pleased to hear that my friend and neighbor Meggie Foust, paired with Joey Williams from the Utah Ballroom Dance Company, kicked up her heels and cha-cha’d her way to first place and the mirror ball trophy. My last dance, in Lisdoonvarna, County Clare, Ireland, was also memorable, but it wasn’t a pretty Meggie-style dance, and now, you’re more likely to find me on the spectator (aka wallflower) side of the dance floor.

It’s surprising to me that I am a horrible dancer, as I came from a long line of family dancers. Take my parents for instance, who worked for an Arthur Murray dance studio right after WWII and were also semi-professional figure roller-skaters. I’ve got a sister who was a dance instructor and another who once roller-skated from Apple Valley, Calif., to Los Angeles. Many others in my clan are also light-footed, but apparently those genes were recessive and not passed along to the last child.

My last dance was several years ago. I was traveling with Breda, a long-time Irish friend, through the Emerald Isle and as we stood on the wind swept Cliffs of Moher, with a magnificent view of the Aran Islands, she pronounced that our final stop of the day was less than a thirty minute drive: Lisdoonvarna and the Matchmaking Festival. The traditional festival, one of Ireland’s oldest, is well over 16 /

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150 years old and takes place in the picturesque small spa town every September. More than 40,000 hopeful and romantic souls from all over the world gather for music, dancing and the traditional “craic.” Many take their prospecting seriously, and the official matchmaker comes from multi-generational lineage.

Dancing takes place in venues all over the village. If you aren’t a dancer, or just need to brush up, there are lots of pubs who offer a lesson or two in set dancing and jigs and reels. It was here that I learned set dancing means sets of people, as in four couples (eight people).

When I was younger, I faked my way around a dance floor more than once, but not with seven others and certainly not with seven animated Irish folk who’d been four stepping and set dancing most of their lives. It

was hopeless, and quite evident that I had clumsy feet, couldn’t find the beat, and was no match for this lively and quick-footed group of dancers. Before long, the instructor came to me, and in the most gracious brogue he could muster, suggested that perhaps the lady might first observe a class or two. You can measure a walk of shame in feet or seconds, I am here to tell you either method is endless and unbearable.

While I waited for the dancing Breda, I found comfort in a pub or two, and my spirits were soon lifted by a pint and pub grub that included the a rich and flavorful tomato soup, topped with a good dollop of sour cream, bits of crisped bacon and fried leeks. It was just what I needed to cure the set-dancing blues. Breda and I had two great days in Lisdoonvarna, and while we didn’t actually sign up

for matching, we had a succession of well-aged farmers who seemed quite keen on us. My favorite old fellow came by to compliment me on my jacket, “Tis a beautiful coat, Ma’am.

I could smell the leather clear ‘cross the room.”

A couple of years ago, I returned to Ireland for the September wedding of Breda’s daughter. The reception was at the magnificent Ballyseede Castle, County Kerry, with a grand ballroom dance floor that could accommodate the entire assembly of wedding attendees.

Once the reception progressed from toasting and dining, and the wedding party had glided through the obligatory first set of dances, I kept a low profile and a healthy distance from the dance area, averting the glances of anyone, real or imagined, who was sizing me up as a partner. The Irish love to dance

and long past my bedtime they continued to set dance the night away. I know this because my room was below the dance floor, and until the sun rose, my room was filled with muted laughter and the beautiful rhythmical percussion of celebration. Someday I’m going back to a dance immersion retreat because Irish dance classes are definitely on my bucket list.

For now, so long to another memorable September and her late summer days filled with festivals and fundraisers. All these dancing tales triggered my memory for that unforgettable Irish tomato soup, and it’s the perfect finish for this season of endless tomatoes. If you’re like me, you still have lots of ripe tomatoes on hand, and the riper the better for this recipe.

I’ve done my best to recreate it for you. Keep dancing.

Country Tomato Soup (serves 4-6) Nearly every Inn and Pub in Ireland offers a daily bowl of hot soup, ladled into sturdy crockery, it’s usually served with a thick slice of brown bread and fresh creamery butter. This is one of my favorites and will do nicely for lunch or supper.

INGREDIENTS: •1 oz butter •2 strips bacon (plus 1 strip for garnish) •1/3 cup chopped carrots •*1 large leek, chopped (slice a few thin rings off the green end that’s closest to the white, before discarding, reserve for garnish) •1 large young onion chopped •4 lbs very ripe tomatoes, rough large chop •2 pints chicken or vegetable stock

DIRECTIONS: •In a small sauté pan, fry the extra strip of bacon, drain on paper towel and crumble. Add the leeks to the pan, and fry until crisp, don’t burn! Set aside.

•*Wash the leeks and dry well, especially the rings you will fry.

•Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan and add the bacon, carrot, leek and onion. Cover and cook about 10 minutes, until the vegetables sweat, but do not let them brown. Add the tomatoes and cook on low for 15 minutes. Add the stock, bring to a quick boil, and then turn down to a low simmer for an hour. Use an immersion stick or in small batches, a blender until soup is liquefied. Strain to remove skin and seeds.

•Season with salt and freshly ground pepper.

Garnish with sour cream, bacon and fried leeks

MUSIC

This week’s RLW by Ben Olson

Sing us a song, you're the Piano Man

By Ben Olson Reader Staff If you’ve listened to live music in Sandpoint, you’ve probably seen Chris Lynch playing his keyboard all up and down the keys like a hurricane. In this first installment of a new series of interviews with local musicians, I sat down with Lynch and talked about the days he spent on the road, the early Sandpoint music scene, and where he’s at today.

How did you get started playing the piano?

I took maybe a year and a half of lessons between four different teachers when I was younger. I’d do a few months here, a few months there. My mom played piano. When I was five or six, I sat down and started picking out stuff by ear.

Did you have any classical training?

I didn’t have any real theory or training. I would hear a song I liked on the radio and crank it up downstairs, then run upstairs and play the piano with it.

When did you take your next step in music?

I took as many music related classes as I could in high school to bump up my G.P.A. I took stage band and jazz band. Dave Wakely was my jazz band teacher. When I auditioned, I couldn’t read music, but I could read chord charts and improvise. He knew I had ability and placed me in both bands. He was a cool guy. He was younger then, he used to take us to concerts, and got us into prog rock.

I did a couple of garage type bands in high school, but when I was 19, I answered an ad in the paper. There was a band coming to

town looking for a keyboard player. The band imploded at the first gig. The bass player was dating the lead singer while the drummer was doing her on the side. After that the booking agent actually called me and said they had another band looking for help in Vancouver. I got on a bus and they hired me on.

What band was that?

We were called Nasty Habit. I was on the road with them for ten or twelve years. We toured all over the west; B.C., all the way to San Diego, all over the west coast. We played 50 weeks out of the year.

This was the ‘80s, when it was a big production to tour. We had a huge light show, big kits. They have much more compact sound systems now, but back then, you needed a big rig to cart it all around.

What did you guys play?

Mostly classic rock, new wave.

They were billed as a Top 40 rock band. This is back in the day when you’d travel and do a week or two at a club, playing every night. It’s not like that anymore. That scene is dead. I started singing then and fronted a couple of songs. They were really a diverse, fun bunch of guys.

When we’d come back to a club on the road, people would remember us and it would be like coming home.

When did you come off the road?

The band disbanded in ‘89. Three of the guys and myself were still around this area, and we’d played here before. We’d played a couple of times at the Cowgirl Corral in Ponderay. Lee Turner, the owner, liked us and gave us a sit down gig, Monday through Saturday. That’s when I met my daughter’s mother and my daughter was born.

The one, the only... Chris Lynch. Photo by Mitchell Fullerton.

What was the music scene like back then in Sandpoint?

The first six months I was here, I saw that Bugatti’s, which is where La Rosa is now, had an Open Mic Night. That’s where I met Charley Packard, Truck Mills, Beth and Cinde. Chris and John the Misty Mountain boys. It was a great scene.

People would come up and do their songs and we’d back them with a full band. The owner Steve would play the drums. Most of the local musicians I know today I met there.

Has there been anything like that in recent years?

Back in the early Downtown Crossing days it brought a lot of new, younger faces. Josh Hedlund was starting to play then, Justin Lantrip and Justin Landis, the Shook Twins. There’s a lot of great talent here in town, but there is a lack of venues to showcase people.

Where is your favorite place to play in town?

I like to play anywhere outside in the summer.

Tickets on sale for bluegrass show at Panida

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

Fans of bluegrass, do we have a show in store for you.

Tickets will go on sale next weekend for a pair of great bluegrass bands appearing at the Panida Theater on Wednesday, Nov. 18.

From Telluride Bluegrass Festival to SxSW and all points beyond, Head for the Hills creates

a sound based in bluegrass that reaches into indie rock, jazz, hip hop, world and folk to stitch together fresh songs that bridge the divide between past and future acoustic music.

Playing with Head for the Hills is Colorado-based Trout Steak Revival. They’ve earned a place in the mountain states bluegrass scene, performing to sold-out audiences, winning the 2014 Telluride Bluegrass

Festival Band Competition, placing in the 2012 Rockygrass Band Competition, and even winning an Emmy Award for a soundtrack with Rocky Mountain PBS. Tickets are only $15 and are available at Eichardt’s Pub and Eve’s Leaves in Sandpoint, The Long Ear in Coeur d’Alene, on line at www. panida.org and thru all TicketsWest Outlets.

Where is your gig now?

In June, I took over Arlo’s on Friday and Saturday night. I’ve played there quite a bit. I played with Neighbor [John Kelley] on opening night there. I really like it there. You meet a lot of great people and entertain them, play songs they want to hear. I’ve gotten a lot of gigs out of it.

You’ve also played with a lot of other bands in town; the Miah Kohal Band, Harold’s IGA, Brian Jacobs. What’s it like sitting in with so many different projects?

Whoever asks me to play, I’m always up for it. The general comraderie of local musicians is great.

It’s not a contest, there are no egos. Some nights its phenomenal, other nights it falls short. You always seem to find a moment that is stellar. I just like to play.

You can catch Chris Lynch every Friday and Saturday night at Arlo’s Ristorante on First Avenue.

He usually starts around 6 p.m.

Crossword Solution

READ

This week, the theme is New Orleans, and what better novel to promote than “A Confederacy of Dunces,” by John Kennedy Toole.

“Dunces” was published posthumously, a decade after Toole’s suicide. Toole’s mother was able to convince Walker Percy that the book was worth publishing, and the rest, as they say, is history.

“Dunces” is a funny, original, outlandish piece of art that brings us one of the stranger anti-heros in literature; Ignatius Reilly.

You’ve never quite experienced anything like Reilly before, nor will you again.

LISTEN

New Orleans has a rich musical history, with such names as Louis Armstrong and Fats Dominoe high up on the marquee.

One modern band that calls the Big Easy home is Galactic, which started in the mid-90s as a New Orleans funk band and has since morphed into an electronic hip-hop hybrid.

The secret to Galactic is seeing them live. I used to watch them play quite often while I was in college, and every time I found myself taken by surprise how good they were.

WATCH

New Orleans is a fabulous location in which to shoot a film, and many great offerings have been made from that fabled city, such as “Easy Rider,” “Miller’s Crossing,” and “A Streetcar Named Desire.”

One of the sexiest attempts actually hails from the 80s, with “The Big Easy” starring Dennis Quaid and Ellen Barkin.

There’s French Quarter shots all up and down that film, some police corruption, a mafia hit or two, a little bit of sex, and a hopping zydeco soundtrack.

What more could a poor North Idaho boy desire?

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w o N & Then compiled by

Ben Olson

Each week, we feature a new photograph taken from the same vantage point as one taken long ago. See how we’ve changed, and how we’ve stayed the same.

Historical information provided and verified by Bonner County Museum staff and volunteers. The Museum is located at 611 S. Ella — (208) 263-2344.

In this winter shot, you can see the Lincoln High School to the left of the frame, and the unused railroad tracks in the foreground. This area was historically used as Humbird Mill’s housing area, referred to as Milltown. Photo by Ben Olson.

2003

Copyright www.mirroreyes.com

CROSSWORD ACROSS

The same view today. Super 1 Foods is to the left of the frame, and the Milltown Apartments can be seen to the right. Photo by Ben Olson.

2015

Woorf tdhe Week

Wayworn — /WEY-wawrn/ [adjective] 1. worn or wearied by travel.

“The cowboy entered the saloon with a wayworn sigh, sat at the bar and upended the entire bottle of whiskey.”

Corrections: We’re pleased to note that last issue was error free. Whew!

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1. Poison plant 6. Portuguese folksong 10. Horse feed 14. Shrimp-like crustacean 15. Food thickener 16. Ho-hum 17. Snow house 18. Nil 19. If not 20. A group of representatives 22. An amount of medicine 23. Extent 24. Enlarged thyroid 26. Spanish lady 30. Donkey 31. French for “Summer” 32. Quaint outburst 33. Liturgy 35. Deduce 39. Average weather conditions 41. Milk sugar 43. Fermented milk liquor 44. Defeat decisively 46. Roman moon goddess 47. 18-wheeler 49. Euro forerunner 50. Anagram of “Lyme” 51. Dependable 54. Fog 56. Lean 57. Newspaper audience 63. Decorative case 64. Diva’s solo 65. Absurd 66. Countertenor

Solution on page 17 67. Hue 68. Mountain lakes 69. Avid 70. Being 71. Excrete

DOWN 1. Slip 2. Desire 3. Foundry 4. Balm ingredient 5. Blockages 6. Dreamt 7. Opposed 8. Carpenter’s groove 9. A citrus fruit

10. In a dutifully compliant manner 11. Mete 12. Thigh armor 13. Absolute 21. Not together 25. Ear-related 26. A pack of playing cards 27. Leer at 28. Childlike 29. Esteem 34. Clarify 36. Offensively malodorous 37. Feudal worker 38. 500 sheets

40. Dry 42. Revile 45. Stays behind 48. Whirl 51. Cut of meat 52. Name of a book 53. Wash out with a solvent 55. Hackneyed 58. Anagram of “Sire” 59. Catch 60. Rabbit 61. Hotels 62. Annoyance

Once I was passing a roadside fruit stand, and I stopped to ask for directions.

There was an old grizzled farmer there, with a face that looked like he had seen many things in his life. I asked him which way to go. He paused for a moment, then took out a handkerchief and wiped his brow. I don’t know what he said, because I just peeled out. I don’t have time for guys to pull out handkerchiefs.

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