My partner smelled a skunk in our neighborhood the other night while letting our cat Nacho in the front door. “What do you do if a skunk sprays your cat?” I asked, genuinely curious. I know when a dog gets sprayed, owners usually have to give them special baths, but what about cats? If I even look at our cat wrong, she’ll ignore me the rest of the week and there aren’t enough bandages in North Idaho to prepare me for bathing a cat. So, we did what people do nowadays: We Googled it. Boy howdy, did we chuckle at the results. We found an article outlining how to get rid of a skunk smell in your cat’s fur that seems to have been written by someone who has never owned a cat, let alone seen one. The gist was to make a solution of hydrogen peroxide, baking soda and liquid hand soap and “work this solution into your cat’s coat before rinsing him thoroughly,” according to the article. For protection, the article recommended wearing rubber gloves. “Make sure to keep the solution away from your cat’s eyes,” it continued. Buddy, I’d need a pair of falconry gloves and gauntlets just to get the cat into the bathtub. God help us all if I managed to actually get the water onto her fur. The chef’s kiss to this article was the author simply ending it with this suggestion: “You also need to throw the solution out after a few hours as it can explode if left sitting for too long.” After drying the tears of laughter from our eyes, we sat back and scratched Nacho behind the ears, telling her, “Don’t ever get sprayed by a skunk, cat. It won’t be good for any of us.”
READER DEAR READERS,
In Stephen King’s book The Green Mile, the main character John Coffey — played by Michael Clarke Duncan in the film adaptation — uttered some words that seem to drift through my mind on a daily basis:
“I’m tired, boss,” Coffey said. “Mostly, I’m tired of people being ugly to each other. I’m tired of all the pain I feel and hear in the world every day. There’s too much of it. It’s like pieces of glass in my head, all the time. Can you understand?”
I understand all too well. But I also don’t understand at all. We have so much potential, but we seem to squander it, time and time again. Humans can be so beautiful and so ugly, too.
It’s perhaps that dichotomy that makes us such an interesting species — or such an effective virus.
Either way, if you take nothing else from the paper this week, just try to be kind to someone else, if only once in your day. We all need a little love right now.
– Ben Olson, publisher
111 Cedar Street, Suite 9 Sandpoint, ID 83864 208-946-4368 sandpointreader.com
Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey Cameron Rasmusson John Reuter
Advertising: Ben Olson ben@sandpointreader.com
Contributing Artists: Ben Olson and Zach Hagadone (cover), Soncirey Mitchell, Hal Gates, Bill Borders, ACLU of Idaho
Contributing Writers:
Zach Hagadone, Ben Olson, Soncirey Mitchell, Lorraine H. Marie, Brenden Bobby, Emily Erickson, Kyle Pfannenstiel, Sally Toone, Lauren Necochea, Jennifer Ekstrom
Submit Stories To: stories@sandpointreader.com
Printed Weekly At: Tribune Publishing Co. Lewiston, ID
rat springs eternal
During a study at Harvard in the 1950s, Dr. Curt Richter put rats into a pool of water to test how long they could tread water. He first used domesticated rats, which lasted a few minutes before drowning. He then moved onto wild rats, but they, too, only lasted a few minutes. Richter postulated that “hope” might be a key factor in the animals’ willingness to struggle on. So, in his last set of experiments — right as the rats gave up swimming — Richter plucked them out of the water, dried them off and let them rest a few minutes before plunging them back in for a second round. This time, the rats swam much, much longer; like, hours longer. The only aspect of the experiment that changed was introducing hope. “The rats quickly learn that the situation is not actually hopeless,” Richter wrote, and that, “after elimination of hopelessness, the rats do not die.” It was because the rats believed they would eventually be rescued that they were able to push themselves way past what they previously thought impossible. Remember that when you feel the water rising around you. Hope is a powerful drug. Keep swimming, if for no other reason than to make the bastards work harder when they try to drown us all.
Subscription Price: $185 per year
Website Designed By: Keokee
The Sandpoint Reader is a weekly publication owned by Ben Olson and Keokee. It is devoted to the arts, entertainment, bluster, 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 bonfires to appease the gods of journalism. For back issues, contact the publisher. Free to all, limit two per person, please.
Letter to the Editor Policy:
We welcome letters to the editor on all relavant topics. Please, no more than 200 words, no excessive profanity or libelous statements and no trolls. Please elevate the discussion and stay on topic.
Letters will be edited to comply with the above requirements. Opinons expressed in these pages are those of the writers, not necessarily the publisher. Send to: letters@sandpointreader.com
About the Cover:
This week’s cover designed by Ben Olson, with a border drawn by Zach Hagadone.
Sandpoint election forum recap
Council candidates field questions while mayor provides info on wastewater plant bond
By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff
About 40 community members gathered Oct. 20 at the Sandpoint Center for an election forum featuring four candidates for the Sandpoint City Council and a presentation from Sandpoint Mayor Jeremy Grimm on the $130 million wastewater treatment plant bond, which will appear on the Tuesday, Nov. 4 ballot.
Joel Aispuro and Rick Howarth (both incumbents), as well as Joe Tate and Joshua Torrez, are running for three open seats on the council, which carry a term of four years and are “at large,” meaning there are no specific districts or seats representing those districts. Rather, the three candidates who win the most votes across all of Sandpoint’s voting precincts will take the seats.
Presented by 88.5 KRFY Panhandle Community Radio, SandpointOnline.com and the Sandpoint Reader, and moderated by Chris Bessler, the forum was broadcast live on 88.5 FM and streamed on krfy.org, where a recording is available.
Participating virtually, Aispuro kicked off the forum with opening remarks, noting his eight years on the council and adding that he’s been a Sandpoint resident since the age of 8, is raising four children in the community and pointed to his family’s popular restaurant — Joel’s Mexican Food — as informing his “deep understanding of our community.”
Howarth has served a year and a half on the council, after being appointed by Grimm to fill the position left open by Jason Welker, who left the council to become Sandpoint Planning and Community Development director.
“It’s been a great learning experience,” he said. “I love learning about the challenges and issues that the city faces.”
Howarth comes with more than 40 years working for
Texas Instruments and Intel, including 15 years in China and Vietnam before retiring in 2020. A University of Idaho graduate, Howarth said he’s called Sandpoint “home” since 1982, after marrying a local.
Tate was born and raised in Sandpoint, attending local schools, before going to college in Montana and later Colorado and then returning to Sandpoint in 2016 where he works as a counselor specializing in substance abuse and mental health.
“I feel like I have a lot to offer my hometown,” he said. “I’m highly protective of my hometown — I’ve seen it change in some ways that I’m not super happy about and I see this as an opportunity to give back to fellow citizens.”
Hailing from Denver, Colo., Torrez came to Sandpoint in 2017 where he works as a ski technician at Schweitzer, a commercial account executive at Vyve and has coached youth soccer, as well as been involved with the Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce and Ponderay Economic Partnership. He said that like many residents, he works several jobs “because that’s what it takes here.”
“I’m running to keep Sandpoint’s future in the hands of locals,” he said, adding that growth must be managed “without doubling people’s bills.”
In his opening remarks, Grimm said the city could not take a position on the ballot measure, but instead offered information on the condition of the wastewater treatment plant.
“It is worn out; it is at the end of its useful life,” he said, later adding that the skill of the plant operators has been the only thing standing in the way of a major system failure.
“Most days they’re not operating a plant, they’re actually standing and watching for something to break most of the time,” he said.
If approved, the $130 million bond would raise sewer rates by about 100% over five years.
“I don’t pretend that this isn’t a huge ask,” Grimm said, later adding, “and we will fight like mad to get some grant funding for this plant.”
Questions were submitted by the audience, beginning with whether councilors would “work diligently” to return Parks and Recreation programs that have been cut in recent years, specifically lifeguards at City Beach.
Aispuro said his goal is to “bring back as many programs as we can within reason.”
However, he noted that city staff worked over several seasons to attract lifeguards, but to no avail.
“We will do that if we have proper funding,” he said. “It’s something I’m open to.”
Howarth also pointed to the lack of lifeguard applicants despite an increase in pay, and suggested taking a “balanced approach” to reinstating programs — that is, allowing private groups to offer those services when possible. As for lifeguards, “It’s a great resource that we need to get back in place.”
Tate said he played rec soccer from the age of 5 and, “from a mental health perspective, recreation is incredibly important.” Regarding the lifeguard program, he said that
wages need to be “competitive, and obviously we didn’t shoot high enough.”
“I think that’s a direct result of inaction on the city’s part,” he said.
Torrez said that “of course I support lifeguards” and, “Anything we can do to get children out playing, people will support with their money.”
In response to a question about what the city should do if the wastewater treatment plant bond fails, Grimm pointed to “judicial confirmation,” which would include a judge ruling that the $130 million price tag is an “ordinary and necessary expenditure” and approve the debt authority regardless of the will of the voters — “not an ideal option,” he said.
The other alternative, he said, was for residents to shoulder the entire cost through rates, which would increase 600%, but “we don’t want to put all that burden on our residents.”
Howarth pointed to a third option, which would be to contract with a private, third party to build, own and operate the plant, though “that’s not going to come free; the rates to cover those costs are still going to be the rates.”
Tate said should the bond measure fail, the city would need to examine why voters didn’t support it and find out “why did the public not trust
what the city put on the ballot.”
For Torrez, “we can’t just stop” if the bond fails. Rather, he suggested securing emergency funding from the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality while looking to modular systems or phased repairs.
Aispuro said that “government has never been trusted in North Idaho,” so if the bond fails the city would “go back to the drawing board” with more education and outreach to the community. As for judicial confirmation, Aispuro said, “It’s something we have to consider.”
Councilors also fielded questions about traffic and parking, as well as infrastructure. Aispuro and Howarth both said that the city has already worked hard to address those issues — including through a new parking management plan, as well as ordinance changes, and in the case of infrastructure, tried and failed to pass a 1% local option tax to fund those repairs.
Tate and Torrez expressed frustration with issues such as too much speeding through the downtown core, with Torrez calling for more police enforcement.
To a question on how the city can help with ongoing
Sandpoint City Council candidates (from left to right) Joe Tate, Joshua Torrez and Rick Howarth listen as Sandpoint Mayor Jeremy Grimm speaks about the wastewater treatment plant bond. Photo by Ben Olson
Sandpoint ‘No Kings’ rally ranks among largest in the state
By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff
The most recent “No Kings” protest saw an estimated 1,200 demonstrators line First Avenue from Superior to Pine Street on Oct. 18, making the local event among the largest in the state both in sheer numbers and per capita.
According to a list shared by the state-level Idaho 50501 group, more than 26,000 people participated in the rallies statewide, which drew as many as 7 million in all 50 states and even internationally as a day of protest against the unconstitutional actions of President Donald Trump’s administration.
The capital city of Boise had the largest crowd, with 15,000, followed by Coeur d’Alene and Pocatello, with 2,000 each. Idaho Falls drew 1,237, compared to Sandpoint’s 1,200 participants.
Strong “No Kings” turnouts in Idaho have made headlines around the country, given the state’s deep-red political orientation, with some observers suggesting that dissatisfaction with the Trump presidency is growing even in places where his performance at the polls is typically strongest.
Taken as a percentage of city population, Sandpoint had the largest turnout of the top five largest rallies in the state, equivalent to 11.4% of residents. Boise followed with 6.3%, Coeur d’Alene and Pocatello with 3.4% each, and
increases in rents and housing prices, Aispuro said it’s a question of “density or subsidy,” though both have their opponents.
“It’s not the government’s job necessarily to create affordable housing, whatever that even means,” Aispuro said, later saying the issue can’t be solved at the local level, as it has to do with the devaluation of the dollar by the Federal Reserve and the lack of “sound money.”
Howarth chalked it up to supply and demand, and
Idaho Falls with 1.7%.
On a countywide basis, the Sandpoint rally came in second statewide, with numbers representing 2.2% of the total population. Ada County, with Boise as its seat, drew the equivalent of 2.7% of the population, followed by Bannock (Pocatello), with 2.1%; Kootenai (Coeur d’Alene), with 1%; and Bonneville (Idaho Falls), with .9%.
Rachel Castor, with grassroots rally organizer Sandpoint Indivisible, told the Reader that the local event drew no counterprotesters and “very little antagonism from passing cars.”
“I would say it was the most positive response yet at a protest. It’s also the biggest protest we’ve hosted in Sandpoint. Our last event was between 900-1,000,” she said.
As “No Kings” attendees waved signs and many sported costumes along First Avenue from 1-3 p.m., the Bonner Community Food Bank gathered 466 pounds of food and $102 in cash donations at a table set up near the entrance to the Community Hall. Inside the hall, rallygoers mingled among booths for various local causes and organizations, sharing their thoughts on how the Trump administration’s policies have affected them and their community.
Meanwhile, the campaign to place a women’s reproductive rights initiative on the Idaho ballot is gathering signatures with plans for another event in
noted that new multi-family units throughout the area have “stabilized the increases.”
Tate pointed to incentives for duplexes, triplexes and accessory dwelling units, while Torrez took aim at vacation rentals taking up inventory.
“What we have here is sufficient, but we have people who are not allowing us to live in these houses,” he said.
On the topic of women’s reproductive health care, one question asked what the city could do to help bring OBGYN services back to Bonner
November.
“As far as what’s next, we keep organizing and standing up for our rights,” Castor said. “It would be wonderful to wake up tomorrow and find the Judicial and Legislative branches had stood up to Trump’s fascist policies and
restored all the rights we’ve lost in the past year, but that doesn’t seem likely.
“Unfortunately, it is up to us to keep pushing for Congress to protect our rights as the Executive Branch continues its fascist power grab,” she added. “But even after Trump, no matter who is in power, if we don’t fight to defend our rights, we will lose them. So we will keep fighting.”
To learn more, go to sandpointindivisible.org and idaho50501.com.
City of Dover invites comment on draft Comp Plan update
By Reader Staff
The city of Dover is seeking residents’ feedback on its ongoing Comprehensive Plan update, and announced an open house and public hearing for Thursday, Nov. 6 at Dover City Hall (699 Lakeshore Ave.).
The draft plan is available at bit.ly/DoverCompPlanDraft, which includes a “Leave a Comment” option. Written comments can also be submitted at City Hall, with those longer than one page accepted at the City Clerk’s Office until Thursday, Oct. 30.
General Health after providers left following the state’s near-total abortion ban.
Howarth called it “shocking” and said, “I don’t have a great solution other than we need to sit down with the Bonner County hospital and understand what are the real issues there.”
Tate said that while it wasn’t a city issue, “we can encourage people to continue to support the [reproductive rights] voter initiative.” For his part, Torrez said, “I stand with women. ... We just need to stand up as
Members of the public who wish to attend the Nov. 6 open house can ask questions and informally discuss the plan with staff and city officials from 4-6 p.m. The Dover Planning and Zoning Commission will host a public hearing beginning at 6 p.m., where testimony will be accepted.
State law requires cities to adopt a Comprehensive Plan and apply regular updates, with Dover’s current plan approved in 2017 — prior to the 2020 Census. The 2025 draft plan incorporates the new Census data and latest information on
men and be loud and clear and say we support you.”
Aispuro pushed back at the premise of the question, saying, “I’m not going to sit here and patter with my words that if you disagree with a particular party then you don’t support women.”
Rather, he said, despite the lack of OB-GYNs in Bonner County, those services can be found in Kootenai County and, “it’s not like they’re out in the gutter” giving birth.
“I’m not going to grandstand,” Aispuro said.
city changes and growth.
The plan also includes policies and goals for the city’s future and a projected land use map.
After the Planning and Zoning Commission makes its recommendation to the City Council on the plan and map, the council will conduct its own public hearing at a later date and make a final decision.
For more information, contact planning@ruenyeager. com or the city clerk at cityclerk@cityofdoveridaho.org.
All three council candidates closed with statements related to collaboration and commitment to Sandpoint’s future being put in the hands of locals.
Voters in Bonner County can submit their absentee ballots until 5 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 24 and early in-person runs 9 a.m.-5 p.m. through Friday, Oct. 31 at the Bonner County Elections Office (1500 Highway 2, Suite 124, in Sandpoint). For all things election-related go to bonnercountyid.gov/ elections or voteidaho.gov.
< FORUM, con’t from Page 4 >
An estimated 1,200 protestors lined First Avenue on Oct. 18. Photo by Ben Olson
Bits ’n’ Pieces
Community mourns sudden passing of SPD Cpl. Michael Hutter
By Reader Staff
Sandpoint Police
Corporal Michael Hutter is being remembered for his years of service after suddenly passing away Oct. 16 amid treatment for unspecified health concerns at Kootenai Health, in Coeur d’Alene.
According to a Facebook post Oct. 17 from the Sandpoint Police Department, “He will be greatly missed by his family, friends and the many lives he touched throughout his years of service. Our thoughts and prayers are with his loved ones during this difficult time.”
A decades-long veteran of law enforcement, Hutter started his career with the Bonner County Sheriff’s Office and joined SPD in 1990. He moved to the Ponderay Police Department in 1997, where he served as Pondery police chief until retiring in 2016 and was rehired by SPD.
Hutter was shot in the leg and chest in 2018, when he and a fellow officer were both wounded during an exchange of gunfire with a suspect
during a call for service in Ridley Village. That year, Hutter joined three other local law enforcement officers — all wounded in the line of duty — as joint grand marshals in the Lions Club Fourth of July parade.
“Mike served this community with honor, compassion and unwavering dedication, both as an officer for the Sandpoint Police Department and as the former chief of police in Ponderay,” SPD Chief Corey Coon wrote in the Facebook post, which has garnered hundreds of comments from community members honoring Hutter for his long service.
“He was more than a fellow officer; he was a friend, a mentor and someone who cared deeply about the people he served,” Coon wrote. “His kindness, steady presence and commitment to doing what is right have made a lasting impact on everyone who knew him.”
Coon added that the department would share more information at a later date about how members of the community can assist Hutter’s family as they cope with the sudden loss.
Lakes Commission fall meeting will include LPO economic impact analysis
By Reader Staff
The Lakes Commission will hold its fall meeting Thursday, Oct. 30, with a full agenda in the first-floor conference room of the Sandpoint Center (414 Church St.).
Beginning with an introduction by Lakes Commission Chair Ford Elsaesser at 10 a.m., the meeting will include an update on Priest Lake and Priest River Outlet Dam operations from the Idaho Department of Water Resources, followed by a presentation from 10:50-11:20 a.m. on the Lake Pend Oreille Lake Level Economic Impact Study prepared by the University of Idaho.
The study has been in the works since the spring, with researchers from the U of I and Washington State University analyzing how current dam operations and fluctuating levels on Lake Pend Oreille affect the local economy.
Dist. 1 Sen. Jim Woodward, R-Sagle, and Rep. Mark Sauter, R-Sandpoint, supported the study at the state level.
Following a break, the Lakes Commission meeting will continue with an overview of flexible winter operations from the Bonneville Power Administration and a presentation from 12:10-12:45 p.m. by Sandpoint Public Works Director Holly Ellis on the city of Sandpoint’s wastewater treatment plant bond measure, which will appear on the Nov. 4 ballot.
The meeting will conclude with public comment, questions and announcements.
Attendance will be in-person only, with no virtual option available. For questions about attending, email Lakes Commission Executive Director Molly McCahon at lakescommission@gmail. com. Get more info at lakescommission.org.
From east, west and beyond
Up to 50 military reporters on the political right, left and center (including Fox News) have rejected new Pentagon standards restricting media coverage. A joint statement said journalists disagree with stifling their ability to “keep the nation and the world informed of important national security issues. This policy is without precedent ... We will continue to cover the U.S. military ... upholding the principles of a free and independent press.”
The right-wing Epoch Times — which is connected with the Chinese Falun Gong religious group — agreed with the restrictions, but writer Andrew Thornebrooke resigned, saying he chose to not “abdicate our responsibility as journalists in favor of merely repeating state narratives,” and, “I can no longer reconcile my role with the direction the paper has chosen, including its increasing willingness to promote partisan materials, publish demonstrably false information and manipulate the reporting of its ground staff to shape the world of our readers.”
U.S. officials are increasingly concerned that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could dismantle the Gaza ceasefire deal, The New York Times reported. Tensions in the region remain high, given the return by Israel of the bodies Palestinian captives bearing clear evidence of torture.
The “No Kings” protests on Oct. 18 that drew 7 million people were characterized as “wholesome” events, with demonstrators donning inflatable cartoon creature costumes to lighten the mood. Various media reported that the nationwide rallies represented the largest single-day demonstration in U.S. history. Protests also occurred beyond U.S. shores. Rally signs included, “My grandpa flew B-17s for antifa,” and, “This is not a left or right moment, It’s a right or wrong moment.”
The Oct. 20 broadcast of The Daily Show featured host Jon Stewart inspecting the Declaration of Independence to see if demonstrators’ complaints about President Donald Trump’s kingly tendencies are valid. His Declaration findings included: “He has kept among us, in times of peace, standing armies without the consent of our legislatures”; “... obstructed the administration of justice”; “... excited domestic insurrections amongst us”; and, “Cutting off our trade with all parts of the world.”
While media outlets around the country reported there was no violence at the “No Kings” rallies, an incident in Alabama was the exception: A wom-
By Lorraine H. Marie Reader Contributor
an was “violently arrested” when police told her to remove her costume and she refused, Huffington Post reported. She was dressed as a giant penis and had a “no Dick-tators” sign.
Trump responded to the nationwide rallies by posting an AI video of himself wearing a crown and dropping raw sewage on protesters from a fighter jet. A few days later on Fox News, Trump warned that he had the power to invoke the Insurrection Act, perhaps in response to a Seventh U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decision, in which the bipartisan appointees stated: “Political opposition is not rebellion.”
Republicans had their own demonstration on Oct. 18, when Vice President JD Vance visited California to watch the Marines fire live ordnance from ships at sea onto a nearby Marine base camp — over Interstate 5. The Trump administration approved traffic on I-5, but Gov. Gavin Newsom closed 17 miles of the freeway, according to various media. The exercise was canceled when shrapnel from a premature explosion struck a patrol vehicle.
Trump commuted former Rep. George Santos’s seven-year sentence. Santos pleaded guilty to fraud and identity theft and was sentenced in April. Many fellow Republicans disagreed with Santos’ release, due to his wild campaign fabrications and for stealing millions from campaign donors. According to Trump, Santos “had the Courage, Conviction and Intelligence to ALWAYS VOTE REPUBLICAN.”
Politico recently revealed 2,900 pages of texts by Young Republicans, including messages admiring Hitler. Trump’s nominee for Office of Special Counsel, Paul Ingrassia, wrote of having “a Nazi streak in me from time to time, I will admit,” and said that Martin Luther King Day should be “tossed into the seventh circle of hell.” Republican Sen. Sam Douglass, who participated in the text exchange, resigned from the Vermont Legislature following calls to do so from Vermont Republican Gov. Phil Scott and the Vermont Republican Party, citing “unacceptable and deeply disturbing” comments.
Blast from the past: “In America, the rule of law is king ... For as in absolute governments the King is law, so in free countries the law ought to be King; and there ought to be no other.” — Founder Thomas Paine, author of Common Sense. He was a newly arrived immigrant and published his famous pamphlet in 1776.
SPD Cpl. Michael Hutter. Courtesy photo
Homeland Security: ICE arrests 105 people in southwest Idaho raid
By Kyle Pfannenstiel Idaho Capital Sun
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested 105 people in a raid Oct. 19 in southwest Idaho.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation previously announced five arrests of people linked to the alleged illegal horserace gambling operation in Wilder called La Catedral Arena. A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on Oct. 21 confirmed ICE’s arrest count.
According to a written statement from DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin, “Over the weekend, ICE dismantled an illegal horse-racing, animal fighting and a gambling enterprise operation ... As part of the operation ICE law enforcement officers arrested 105 illegal aliens. Under President Trump and [Homeland Security] Secretary [Kristi] Noem, we are dismantling criminal networks in the United States.”
FBI spokesperson Sandra Yi Barker previously said ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations division helped “process individuals who were found to have potential immigration violations during the course of the investigation. Their presence was limited to that specific federal responsibility and was separate from the criminal gambling investigation being led by the FBI.”
Advocates who were at the scene of the raid have denounced aggressive tactics they say they saw used, including law enforcement detaining everyone at the venue, children being zip-tied, and people being struck with rubber bullets.
“The government came in full force, military-style, helicopters, drones and arrested and handcuffed, everyone ... including children,” ACLU of Idaho Executive Director Leo Morales told reporters at an Oct. 20 news conference.
“No person, no Idahoan, no American should ever accept whenever a government does
this to its own people.”
The FBI canceled a press conference scheduled for Oct. 20, saying law enforcement officials didn’t have more information to share publicly beyond a criminal complaint filed in federal court. The document details the investigation, but does not specify law enforcement’s tactics during the raid.
In a press release issued Oct. 21, the Idaho Gov. Brad Little’s office stated that about 400 people were in attendance at the site of the Oct. 19 raid and that none of the 105 people in ICE custody are children.
“Illegal gambling operations involving animals often accompany drug trafficking, animal abuse, illegal weapons trafficking and large sums of money that end up in the hands of cartel bosses,” Little stated in the release. “The state of Idaho provided support in the service of a warrant issued by a federal judge in connection with the illegal activities taking place in Wilder.”
The FBI led a “monthslong
investigation in coordination with the Treasure Valley Metro Violence Crime and Gang Task Force and served a warrant, issued by a federal judge, at the Canyon County facility,” according to the governor’s office. “When serving a search warrant, it is common practice for law enforcement to detain others present while processing the scene to ensure the safety of both the civilians and officers present and to preserve evidence.”
However, Idaho Democratic Party Chair Lauren Necochea said the FBI raid in Wilder was “government overreach at its worst.”
“The vast majority of those detained had nothing to do with the alleged crime,” Necochea wrote in an emailed statement. “It was inhumane, unnecessary and dangerous.”
Necochea noted that when Little announced a working agreement between ICE and the state in June, he said
enforcement would focus on criminals.
“Instead, innocent families, including U.S. citizens and children, were targeted and traumatized,” she wrote in the statement. “The Trump regime’s reckless approach to immigration closes legal pathways and punishes law-abiding people, tearing families apart for no purpose other than fear and control. Idaho’s Republican leaders are now enabling that same moral failure. If the government can treat families like this in Wilder, what stops them from doing it anywhere else? Gov. Little owes Idahoans an explanation and must end his cooperation with these cruel tactics.”
Idaho Capital Sun Editor Christina Lords contributed to this story.
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.
City code change clears the way for alcohol events in some public spaces
By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff
A long-running discussion about whether to open certain city properties to events featuring alcohol made a considerable step forward Oct. 15, when City Council members voted unanimously to amend City Code allowing open containers at City Beach, the James E. Russell Sports Center and buildings at Lakeview Park.
That doesn’t mean visitors to those locations can crack a cold one anytime they want — under the language of the code amendment, alcohol can only be “sold or served (including complimentary service) on site by an authorized vendor operating under a valid city-issued alcohol beverage catering permit for an event
approved through the City’s event permitting process.”
The council has been considering the idea of allowing alcohol events at various public locations for months, initially looking to amend code to allow serving alcohol at permitted events in the community room at the James E. Russell Sports Center.
At the same time, representatives of the CHAFE 150 bike race approached City Hall about letting them host their after-race party at City Beach. Since its inception, CHAFE has started and ended at City Beach, with the postrace celebration held on the privately owned grassy area in front of the Best Western Edgewater — though that location is likely to be unavailable due to construction on the new Averill Hospitality
resort hotel next year.
Likewise, the Lions Club asked the city if it could feature alcohol during fundraising events at its 609 S. Ella Ave. address, which it leases from the city in Lakeview Park.
Though several councilors and Police Chief Corey Coon were initially reluctant to open the door to alcohol service on public property, guardrails proposed by Councilor Justin Dick helped bring about the unanimous vote.
Specifically, alcohol events will be permitted at City Beach only on a one-day, once-per-month basis from Labor Day through June, and only on a one-acre portion of the grassy area of the park. Barriers must be erected around the event, and only beer and wine may be served.
In addition, permits would
only be granted to a Bonner County nonprofit, pending a legal review if that restriction is permissible, and if more than one group applies for a permit in any given month, the recipient will be chosen by a lottery. An 8 p.m. sunset for those events will be considered during the permitting stage.
“I sit up here and I think about the parks as an environment for family-friendly activities and I don’t associate a beerfest or a post-bicycle drunk as family friendly. So those two are polar opposites in my mind,” said Councilor Rick Howarth. “But through your conversations, through your letters, I also appreciated the growing knowledge and understanding of the meaningful impact that these events can have on the city.”
About 200 local, state and federal law enforcement officers helped execute a raid on an alleged illegal horse-racing gambling operation in Wilder, Idaho, on Oct. 19. (Photo courtesy of ACLU of Idaho)
Bouquets:
• The Sandpoint Farmers’ Market celebrated its last day of the season on Oct. 18. Here’s a Bouquet to Market Manager Olivia Gonzales and all the vendors who make the market a vital part of Sandpoint life every year. Special thanks to Simon and Marqui Ronniger with Ronniger Organic Farm for sending Cadie and me home with a giant sack of produce as a tip for playing live music that day.
• When the Trump administration announced a Qatar Emiri Air Force facility would be opened in Mountain Home, Idaho, it took Idaho’s entire state and federal leadership by surprise, including Gov. Brad Little; U.S. Sens. Jim Risch and Mike Crapo; and U.S. Reps. Russ Fulcher and Mike Simpson. While most of them initially offered tepid support for the plan — toeing the party line, of course — I was a bit surprised to see some critical attention being given by the usual Trump sycophants who represent Idahoans. Fulcher voiced “questions and concerns” about the “Qatari Air Force presence,” while Little, Crapo and Simpson signed a joint letter to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth asking for a briefing on the announcement and answers to several questions. From the letter: “It is understandable that Qatar’s history of funding Iran-backed terrorist groups like Hamas and the extremism espoused by Qatari-based Al Jazeera has raised concerns among Idahoans.” I doubt anything will come of the letter, but at least our elected leaders are asking the questions.
Barbs:
• Last weekend, more than 7 million people gathered in all 50 states to protest “No Kings,” in opposition to President Donald Trump. In answer, Trump reposted an AI video of himself, wearing a crown, flying a fighter jet over protestors as he jettisons tons of sewage over them. I can think of no more apt metaphor for the state of the nation right now: one man who thinks himself a king, dumping shit all over American citizens. When did this become OK?
Orwell saw it coming…
Dear editor,
The “No Kings” rallies were depicted by some Republicans (notably Mike Johnson) as “Hate America” rallies. This is quintessentially Orwellian speech, given that the rallies were obviously and demonstrably “Love Democracy” rallies. I must go back and read Animal Farm and 1984 another time. Blair (Orwell) certainly saw this coming.
Richard Sevenich Sandpoint
An appreciative Reader reader…
Dear editor,
Every week I take my time, enthusiastically learning from every article — from reviews through great local news, well-thought-out pieces by Publisher Ben Olson, including last week’s view on AI in music; important information about Idaho, including what’s up in politics; Lorraine Marie’s “Bits ‘n’ Pieces”; local folks’ letters to the editor; Brenden Bobby’s fascinating facts; Soncirey Mitchell’s many wonderful articles; as well as your own fabulous pieces and great editing techniques and so much more.
In the “so much more” category, I sometimes go straight to sudoku and the crossword puzzle as my self-awarded rewards for hard work. Other times I first read every word of Marcia Pilgeram’s column on food and its surroundings.
Her “Taste of Canada” last week brought many wonderful memories of taking Amtrak from Sandpoint’s iconic station to my birthplace railroad station in Brunswick, Maine three years ago. Because of Marcia’s dark dome car experience of greeting each day by rail, that experience is firmly written now on my bucket list.
Thank you for all you wonderful individuals do every week to create the Reader with all of its reliable and complex features into a viable whole that the communities around Sandpoint can rely on.
Sincerely,
Clarice M McKenney Bonners Ferry
‘Diversion and lies’...
Dear editor, President Donald Trump’s statements: 1. He would end the war between Russia and Ukraine on his
first day in office. Lie. 2. Gasoline under $2/gallon. Lie. 3. Lower food prices. Lie. 4. The Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection was orchestrated by over 200 FBI agents. Lie. If true, Trump was responsible for calling them out because he was still the president on Jan. 6.
Diverting attention from the Epstein Files. Diverting attention from all the women who have come forth about their abuse and the Epstein Files. Talking about women as if they are chattel and belong only in the home. Making disparaging remarks against women, slamming, name calling and always stating that everything wrong is the fault of Democrats.
Why can’t Trump get anywhere with Putin? Perhaps it’s because Putin has video and/or photos of Trump with underage girls during his multiple trips to Moscow since the 1980s.
He continues to go after anything to do with “blue states” in his retribution campaign. He is a liar, coward, bully, draft dodger and convicted felon — not a warrior, as he tries to claim.
Get Stephen Miller and the rest of the Project 2025 people out of the White House.
Michael Harmelin, veteran Sandpoint
Send letters to the editor to letters@sandpointreader.com. We accept submissions up to 200 words that are free from libelous statements and excessive profanity. Please elevate the conversation. Trolls will not be tolerated.
Fall festival promotes after-school programs
By Reader Staff
In concert with schools nationwide, the Lake Pend Oreille School District Century Community Learning Center will host a fall festival celebrating after-school programs on Saturday, Oct. 25, at the Sandpoint branch of the East Bonner County Library (1407 Cedar St.).
The free festival will run from 1-3 p.m. and include face painting, book bingo, light-up wand-making, pumpkin carving, leaf printing and more. The family-friendly activities and community engagement opportunities are sponsored by Panhandle Alliance for Education, the University of Idaho and the library.
Part of the Lights On Afterschool initiative, the celebration will recognize the
vital role after-school programs play in helping children learn and grow in safe environments.
When the school day ends, an estimated 7.6 million children are left alone and unsupervised, according to a CCLC news release. After-school programs give kids the opportunity to explore new interests, build lifelong skills and receive academic support outside of the classroom.
For more information, ebonnerlibrary.org.
An estimated 1,200 people showed up for the “No Kings” peaceful protest in Sandpoint on Oct. 18. The top right photo was taken by Soncirey Mitchell, the bottom left photo is by Zach Hagadone, the bottom right by Hal Gates and the rest by Ben Olson.
Science: Mad about
pringles
By Brenden Bobby Reader Columnist
Pringles are one of the most iconic snack foods ever invented. A simple potato chip, curved in an unusual way stacked into one of the world’s most recognizable containers. Everyone loves digging into a cylinder of Pringles, unless your hands are too big to really fit into the container, and then you’re stuck.
It’s easy to call Pringles a potato chip, but that’s not an entirely accurate term for what they are. Surprisingly, Pringles are only partly potato and are actually composed of many different ingredients to create one perfectly textured salty snack. However, it all begins with potatoes.
Potatoes are first washed in huge vats to remove dirt and debris and keep the rest of the process sanitary. They are then rolled in a large drum-like machine lined with abrasive sides to remove the potato skin. After the potatoes have had their skins removed, they’re put through a machine in which they are blanched.
Blanching is a process of briefly submerging a vegetable into boiling water and then placing it into cold water as a sort of shock treatment, softening its flesh and deactivating enzymes that could ruin the texture of the final product.
Following blanching, the potatoes go to a unique cutting machine shaped like a vertical loop, similar to the loop tracks used by Hot Wheels car tracks in the
1990s. The spinning “track” features a small gap affixed with a very fine blade that thinly slices the potatoes as they’re flung to the top of the track by centrifugal force. This rotating track is an absolute monster and capable of spinning up to 1,200 revolutions per minute, delivering some serious power as it rapidly flings the potatoes into the blade.
As the strips are cut from the potatoes, a second set of blades along the conveyor then slices the strips into small cubes. The more the potatoes are processed at this point, the easier it is to facilitate the following steps.
After cutting, the cubes are sent onto another line where they are separated by vibration. They need to be separated to ensure they cook uniformly and are free of any blemishes or damage. The cubes are first boiled for about two minutes, then run through a steam cooking machine at 345 degrees Fahrenheit. After cooking, the potatoes are mashed in a huge mixing vat, creating a gigantic bin of potato mash that is then spread over a series of drum dryers to create what is essentially a massive sheet of potato pasta. The drum dryers rotate to keep the sheets uniform while pulling out moisture and preserving the flavor. These sheets are then milled to harvest potato flakes that are the foundation of every Pringle.
If you’ve ever looked at the ingredients on a Pringles can and wondered why a potato chip needs so many
additives, you’re about to find out. In order to harness the classic texture you expect from a Pringle, it must be mixed with several ingredients including water, corn starch, wheat starch, rice flour and maltodextrin. Maltodextrin is used as a filler to replace fat and sugar as a binding agent and to preserve the food and give it a longer shelf life.
These ingredients create Pringle dough, which is spread across a conveyor in uniform amounts before being crushed by a press that generates four tons of pressure and makes the dough appear like a giant sheet.
This sheet is continuously fed through a rolling cutter that presses roughly Pringle-sized oval shapes out of the dough. This process results in a big sheet of dough with a bunch of holes in it, which isn’t very practical when trying to minimize waste, so the dough that didn’t “make the cut” is reformed and recycled to be cut again until it is entirely used up.
The dough ovals are fed into a machine that curves them ahead of frying. You may think that the classic Pringle shape, called a hyperbolic paraboloid, is just a marketing gimmick, but it actually makes them efficiently stack while minimizing breakage.
Flat chips are prone to cracking or breaking apart when subjected to the forces of shipping and distribution, but this parabolic shape increases their sturdiness, ease of stackability and ensures that more than 4/5 of your
can of Pringles won’t end up as crumbs. It also makes them a little bit easier to get out of the can, if you can reach your hand in to grab them.
The chips are fried in hot oil at 389° F for 11 seconds, getting them to reach the perfect consistency. An air blower will rapidly cool down the Pringles and remove excess hot oil, then they are sent through
a machine that seasons the batch based on the flavor of Pringle being produced.
Every Pringle made up until this point has the exact same flavor and foundation, and it’s only now — after they’ve been cooked — that they are flavored before being packaged into their can and shipped to a grocery store shelf near you.
Stay curious, 7B.
Random Corner
• Mushrooms are neither plant nor animal, but are more closely related to humans than they are to plants.
• Mushrooms are the largest living organism on Earth. They are even larger than the blue whale. Armillaria solidipes, a type of honey fungus, spans more than 2.3 miles across the Blue Mountains in Oregon.
• There are more than 80 species of bioluminescent fungi, with scientists finding new mushrooms that glow in the dark all the time. One of the latest discoveries in India is Filoboletus manipularis, which glows so brightly that locals call them “electric mushrooms” and use them as natural torches. The fungi glow because they use luciferins, or light-emitting compounds, to glow and attract insects. The insects then help spread spores to new locations.
• Cordyceps mushrooms infect ants with their spores, causing them to become brainwashed
and disoriented. The fungus then compels the ants to leave their nest and go to a nearby stem — the perfect place to grow a fungus. The fruiting body from the Cordyceps then bursts out of the ant’s head.
• Oyster mushrooms are carnivorous. They release a unique chemical that attracts roundworms and, once they’ve lured them in, capture and digest them.
• Chaga mushrooms are among the world’s greatest sources of antioxidants.
• The most expensive edible mushroom in the world is the yartsa gunbu, a parasitic fungus that kills its host caterpillar and uses it to produce a mushroom that grows out of the insect’s head. Traditional healers have used these ’shrooms for centuries to treat illnesses and boost energy and endurance. Eating yartsa gunbu is a huge status symbol, as the mushrooms can cost up to $50,000 per pound.
By Emily Erickson Reader Columnist
I used to think of myself as a “conservative whisperer” — someone who could hold my left-leaning views without spooking, and sometimes even charming, the staunchest of Republicans. Maybe it was my genuine curiosity or my smalltown Midwest upbringing that put people at ease. I grew up in an agricultural community, started working at age 12, paid for my own education, always held down a job, etc. (all the hallmarks of someone they could relate to).
Or maybe it was my knack for give-and-take: timing a good self-deprecating jab about what makes liberals so annoying with a story about how I relied on social and governmental support while “pulling myself up by my bootstraps” into the hardworking, job-holding, self-supporting person I am.
They thought my unwavering dedication to social systems was a cute, if naive, expression of compassion, and felt heard when talking about how the “working man” is being left behind.
This “conservative whispering” was especially clear with a former bar patron I ran into recently. As bar patrons go, he was the best kind — a master of the quick quip and easy banter that make bartending fun (and spare you the problem-dumping variety). Over the years, we used that teasing rapport to transcend the bartender-patron dynamic and become actual friends.
I’m a firm believer that teasing is a love language; that politeness is for strangers,
Emily Articulated
Conservative whisperer
amirite? We could even joke and spar about politics without losing our footing.
Maybe it was because he has a real “shirt-off-hisback” quality, or because he’s Canadian and his unflinching “Republicanness” felt almost ironic — sure, talk about “slashing taxes” when you’ve got free health care to fall back on. Or maybe it was my appreciation for how exhausting liberals can be in our quest to be “correct” about everything. Or maybe it was simply that it was pre-2020 — a time that felt politically fraught, but through the murky lens of 2025, was just the beginning.
We’d tease, laugh and wander into meaningful conversations that wove together politics and personal stories. If things got testy — as they sometimes did — we could always find our way back to neutral ground: sports, relationships, dogs. We knew each other’s hearts were in the right place and could dip our toes into tricky political waters without being pulled under. (This kind of exchange is different from the tidal wave assaults of viewpoint-parroting non-dialogue I’ve experienced from others, where listening skills were clearly left at home.)
But when we bump into each other now, even dipping a toe in feels fraught. The political conversation just isn’t funny to me anymore. It’s hard to joke when ICE agents are doing their best Germany-circa-1930s impression, or when “free speech” and “balance of power” are treated like flexible, negotiable concepts. The stakes have grown too high for teasing our way through.
I’m living in a reality where ICE officers are pulling people off the streets for speaking Spanish, killing family dogs in homes and detaining people in horrendous, life-threatening conditions. Where peaceful protesters are branded as terrorists, where journalists are fired for printing facts, where health care premiums are skyrocketing, and where grocery and gas prices still aren’t going down.
I honestly don’t know what reality exists on the “other side.” Is it one where a strong, patriotic president is facilitating peace in the Middle East? Or where liberal states are supposedly the true war zones? Or where mixing personal business interests with political power is just smart business (so quit being so sensitive)?
My new default is to shut down — to deflect, change the subject, preserve the relationship. Because I really do think relationships still matter. And, in North Idaho, if you swear off everyone who doesn’t share your politics, your world gets really small. (Though after 1,200 people showed up to the “No Kings” protest, maybe I need to revisit that belief.)
Still, I wonder if that’s the responsible thing to do. How do we find our way through if we’re not even standing on the
same ground? I’m grappling with what social responsibility looks like now — trading relationships I care about and risking alienation to have the candid conversations I used to be so good at.
I can’t quite see a way back to middle ground. To quote Reader Editor-in-Chief Zach Hagadone’s Oct. 2 “Back of the Book” piece grappling with the same lack of footing, I just can’t “make it make sense.” And I don’t know
where that leaves me.
It seems I’m no longer the bridge I once was — no longer able to see, understand and use what I find to commune. Somewhere along the way, I lost my touch.
“Conservative whisperer,” no more.
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.
Retroactive By BO
Emily Erickson.
PERSPECTIVES
Vote ‘yes’ for clean water: Sandpoint’s future depends on it
By Jennifer Ekstrom Reader Contributor
If you live in Sandpoint and want to be able to keep flushing your toilet, then vote “yes” for the wastewater treatment bond on Nov. 4. Built in the 1950s with salvaged parts from the old Naval base in Farragut, the plant really could fail any day. After nearly 70 years, it can no longer reliably meet today’s demands, and the risk to public health and the environment is real — and growing.
Kicking the can down the road doesn’t save money; it raises costs. Construction prices are only going up, and interest rates may as well. Worse, we could lose access to critical state and federal funding if we don’t solve the problem soon.
Sandpoint has already been approved for a $38 million low-interest loan from the state of Idaho, with the possibility of partial loan forgiveness. But we must raise the rest of the funds needed in order to accept that money. The best and lowest-cost way to fund the critical upgrade is by passing a bond measure.
On Nov. 4, Sandpoint voters have a once-in-a-generation chance to protect the health of our community and the water we cherish. The proposed bond measure would allow the city to replace the crumbling sewer treatment plant with a modern and efficient system that ensures residents will have reliable and undisrupted service. Upgrades will also protect human health and water quality by adequately treating sewage before it is discharged into the Pend Oreille River.
This past summer, a spill of untreated sewage flowed into the wastewater facilities’ parking lot, resulting in a big mess and a $3,450 fine for the pollution violation. It wasn’t an
isolated problem. Sandpoint’s sewer plant has violated its permitted limits for pollution discharge consistently for the past several years. Problems have been ongoing for decades. One of the most alarming recurring violations is high levels of E. coli, a bacteria that can cause serious illness, including vomiting and diarrhea.
Violations for exceeding pollution limits can come with fines of up to $5,000 per day. If violations continue daily, those fines can quickly snowball into hundreds of thousands of dollars, coming straight out of the city’s budget — and, ultimately, from residents. Citizens can also file lawsuits under the Clean Water Act, but that would be a costly last resort with huge impacts for a small town like Sandpoint.
Right now, Sandpoint is taking the necessary steps to ensure the facility is upgraded, and it’s up to us to support them. Now is the time to invest in a reliable sewer system that protects our waterways and supports the community for generations to come.
While some people may be concerned about sewer rates rising as a result of the bond, the truth is they will rise no matter what. Without the bond, rates could soar by 600% over five years. With the bond, cumulative increases are
projected at about 106% over the same period. The difference is staggering.
Join us in voting “yes” for clean water on Nov. 4. Let’s invest in a reliable sewer system that protects our waterways, supports our community and keeps Sandpoint’s water clean for our kids, grandkids and every creature that depends on the river.
Want to do more? Join the Idaho Conservation League and Sandpoint Moms for a canvassing event and help spread the word. We’ll team up, distribute flyers and make sure our neighbors know what’s at stake.
To participate, meet outside Matchwood Brewing (513 Oak St. in Sandpoint) on Sundays, Oct. 26 and Nov. 2 from noon-2 p.m. both days.
Clean water is not a luxury — it’s a necessity. Let’s take responsibility today so we don’t pay the price tomorrow. Together, we can prevent a catastrophe, save our river and build a future we can be proud of.
Vote “yes” for clean water. Vote “yes” for Sandpoint’s future.
Jennifer Ekstrom is North Idaho director of the Idaho Conservation League.
An aerial view of the wastewater treatment plant in Sandpoint. Courtesy photo
Trump’s policies are devastating Idaho farmers
By Lauren Necochea and Sally Toone Reader Contributors
Family farms built Idaho and grew to feed the world, but they’re being pushed to the breaking point. President Donald Trump promised to fight for America’s farmers, to bring jobs back, boost exports and revitalize rural communities. Instead, he betrayed them by driving up costs, killing markets and leaving too many Idaho families wondering if their way of life will survive.
Farm bankruptcies are at a five-year high and national farm debt is nearing $600 billion. The trade war has cost our farmers the markets where they sell their products and has also raised their production costs.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Idaho farm production rose this year, but expenses climbed twice as fast. Feed, fertilizer and fuel all cost more. In just six months, Idaho businesses paid $67 million in Trump’s tariffs — more than double the year before.
At Owyhee Produce, a third-generation farm in the Treasure Valley, crops have gone unharvested after Trump’s chaotic and heavy-handed immigration raids drove away workers. “We’d love to hire locally,” said General Manager Shay Myers, “but we can’t find enough people willing to do this hard work.” Myers is a Republican but won’t stay silent when his livelihood is at risk because of GOP policies.
The Republican budget made things worse by cutting support for working
families while rewarding the wealthy. More than a quarter of farmers and ranchers buy insurance on the individual market. If Republicans continue blocking the extension of health care tax credits, those families could see their premiums double overnight.
That same budget gutted services like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which feeds families and sustains rural economies. Every SNAP dollar boosts farm income and local businesses. It also cut food aid programs that bought more than 1 million tons of U.S. crops to feed people abroad and stabilize markets.
Trump also canceled a $59 million University of Idaho grant after work had already begun. The project would have helped farmers across Idaho adopt sustainable, weather-resilient practices while training the next generation of agricultural innovators.
Meanwhile, as Idaho farmers fight to stay afloat, Trump’s Treasury Department approved a bailout for Argentina that could total $40 billion, helping
a competitor sell soybeans and other crops to the same markets our farmers lost because of his trade war. Food producers lose business while Trump doles out favors to his elite friends.
This is what happens when a president puts politics and ego before people. He has turned record harvests into record losses, driven up costs, gutted markets and handed out tax breaks to billionaires while rural America is left to fend for itself.
Idaho farmers deserve better. Democrats will keep fighting for the people who feed our state and make it strong.
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. Sally Toone is chair of the Idaho Democratic Party’s Rural Caucus and a former District 26 legislator.
Top left: Lauren Necochea. Top right: Sally Toone. Courtesy photos
Exploring the artistic Norwegian method of stacking firewood
By Ben Olson Reader Staff
I grew up in a log cabin in Westmond where firewood was our primary source of heating. My dad used to trade neighbors home-brewed rhubarb wine in exchange for cutting up dead wood on their property to burn in our stove. It was one of my jobs as a kid to split, stack and bring in the wood. I loathed the task — especially on those cold winter mornings when the last thing I wanted to do was rummage through the black widow-infested shed to fill the firebox.
Now, as an adult, all I ever want to do is harvest firewood, then split and stack it for my own wood-burning stove. Such is life.
Since my new house doesn’t have a dedicated woodshed, I researched methods to keep wood dry without shelter. I came across a unique design called the “Norwegian round” that immediately caught my eye. It’s both functional (because it keeps the wood dry without needing tarps or shelters) and artistic (because it looks rad).
My family originated in Sweden and my partner’s in Norway, so I was already stacking my wood in my mind before the first piece was split.
Stacking firewood — or vedstapling — has been a traditional part of Norwegian culture for centuries, and this practice has likely been passed down from generation to generation. While some online sources claim it originated in Germany, which calls it a holz hausen (or “wood house”), it’s unclear who perfected it first.
Either way, I’m calling it a Norwegian round.
The procedure is fairly easy to follow. First, pound a stake in the center of where you want to store the wood and tie a four-foot-long string to the top of the stake. This is to help keep your stack aligned during the crucial first stages, because the round tends to want to lean outward.
Place a tarp on the ground so groundwater and moisture doesn’t come up and get the bottom pieces wet. Then, scribe a circle with the rope and stake, stacking the first pieces so that the outer edges are aligned
with the end of the rope. Space them slightly apart — you want to promote a clean circle without sticks jamming into one another along the inside. Now start stacking in earnest.
Put heavier pieces along the bottom and then place each piece carefully, putting the bark side up when possible. Keep layering along the entire circle for a foot or two and use a straight stick to clean up the outer circle as you build.
By the time the round reaches your knees, the pieces will start to angle down on the outside. You can use pieces of bark, kindling or other wood scraps to insert laterally along the outside edge to help shore up the structure so the next pieces you stack will lie flatter.
Keep going until the stack reaches your stomach.
Now, let’s add some support. Use small poles or scrap two-by-fours — anything that can reach across the eight-foot radius of the round. Place two of these poles perpendicular to one other, making an X, then stack wood on top of them until they are held into place by the outer ring. These poles will help keep the round together. By that point, the stack should be
around chest high. Now, start tossing wood in the middle. These internal pieces will help the structure stay together, while also “baking” inside to dry out nicely.
The final stage begins when you reach the ideal height of the wood house — usually around shoulder-high.
I hope you saved plenty of pieces with bark, because those will come in handy to finish the structure. Douglas fir is great for this, as it has thick, protective bark that will help keep the entire structure dry.
Make sure the pieces you toss into the center mound slightly higher in the middle and slope down toward the outer ring. Following that, you can either start stacking pieces from the outer ring and layer them inward — bark up — to complete a peaked roof. Or, if you want another layer of protection, first cut six-millimeter weed plastic or a tarp into a circle slightly smaller in diameter than the round, place it over the structure, then stack your roof pieces on top of that.
This is how I did it, because I didn’t want a tarp on top for aesthetic purposes, but also didn’t want to chance seeing a couple of cords of wood slowly rot in my backyard.
Meanwhile, take all the bark pieces that fell off during splitting and lay those atop the roof pieces as shingles. When finished, you’ll be left with a visually appealing structure that I never get tired of looking at.
There are some downfalls to this method. It’s used for stacking and seasoning wood, but once you start pulling pieces out of it, the whole structure will likely collapse. So all the work I did for this year’s wood house is probably going to be my wood for next year, meaning I had to go back out foraging for another couple of cords to burn this season.
The structure also covers a pretty large footprint, so you need a roughly eight-foot circle of ground to spare.
Now that it’s finished, my Norwegian round has become a conversation piece, with passersby often stopping in the alley to admire it. I catch myself staring longingly at my wood stack, too.
I think I might have a problem.
The Norwegian round method of stacking firewood. Photo by Ben Olson
FEATURE Ghouls and hedgehogs
By Soncirey Mitchell Reader Staff
When most people hear the words “fall” and “crafts,” they think of the hand turkeys kids make for Thanksgiving. Short, cold fall days are the perfect time to craft; but, since it’s safe to say most of us have outgrown our macaroni art phase, it’s time to up our game. Here are a few easy autumn and Halloween crafts that capture the season without breaking the bank.
Pine cone hedgehog
I’m an irritating person to walk with because I stop every few feet to look at mushrooms or pick up cool leaves. Case in point, while out walking my dogs, I discovered several perfect pine cones and decided that I needed to take them home and make something out of them. Thus, my pine cone hedgehog was born.
To make a hedgehog (or a porcupine, sheep or purple people eater), first find a pine cone, aluminum foil and some oven-bake clay like Sculpey, which costs about $11 at Walmart. Using the foil, make a little cone that’s slightly smaller than the animal’s future head. The foil will act as a skeleton to support the clay and keep it thin and easy to dry. Shape the back of the foil against the pine cone to ensure that the two pieces will eventually fit snugly together. Next, apply a thin layer of clay to the foil (not the pine cone — it won’t go in the oven with the clay) and shape it into a snout.
If the clay starts showing fingerprints or sticking to your hands, it’s too warm. Set it aside and work on the feet, which are just four little clay snakes with indents on the ends for the toes. To finish the face, make two oval ears, two black eyes and an upside-down heart for the nose, using a toothpick to make the holes.
Craft ideas for fall
Bake according to the clay’s instructions and, once it cools, glue it to the pine cone.
If you’ve already gone ahead and bought the Sculpey, you might as well give the hedgehog some friends. Jacko’-lanterns, cats and ghosts are all simple shapes that can be blocked out using the same aluminum foil method, without the pine cone.
Ghoulish faces
I’m a big fan of haunted masks, so I decided to capture their essence in Play-Doh air-dry clay ($20 for a massive tub). This type of clay is incredibly sticky, so first cover your workstation with a garbage bag, aluminum foil or parchment paper. Begin shaping the base of the mask using foil or newspaper and masking tape. This step is essential, as the clay will sink and flatten as it dries like a cookie in the oven, so a strong skeleton helps it keep its shape.
If you can’t think of a face to make, just crumple up the foil until it makes an interesting shape and try to imagine where the eyes, nose and mouth might go.
Because this type of clay settles and dries while you’re working with it, little details often get lost; and, moreover, wrinkles are inevitable. Don’t sweat the details. Instead, exaggerate everything: bigger features are more visually interesting, creepier and hide the little issues. Let the mask dry for 24 to 48 hours. When it’s time to paint, you can either go with flesh tones or Beetlejuice-esque colors.
Whatever color you choose, take some advice from TikTok makeup influencers: use a shade darker to make things look concave, and a shade lighter to make shapes pop. If you go for a fun color, take a look at a color wheel and find the shade directly across from it. These are contrasting colors, and using them together will make both stand out better to the eye.
Haunted house rocks
The important distinction between this painted rock and other painted rocks is that you have to find a canvas with character. No perfectly smooth river rocks — you want lumps, bumps and edges.
Wash your rock and allow it to dry completely before painting. Much like when carving a pumpkin, begin by finding the rock’s “face” and imagine how its particular topography would lend itself to a haunted house. Dents become windows, bumps become shrubbery and peaks are steeples or turrets.
When you have an idea, cover the rock with a white base coat to make the colors pop, then sketch your idea with a pencil or go in with paint right away. Seal the painted rock with Mod Podge if you’re keeping it indoors, or a waterproof, clear acrylic or polyurethane-based lacquer for outdoor decor.
Garland of conkers
Sandpoint is blanketed with conkers (a.k.a. horse chestnuts) every fall, which is perfect for me because I’ve been obsessed with them since pre-K. I’m always looking for ways to use them, since I can’t walk past a tree without picking some up. This year, I decided to make a garland. Begin by wandering aimlessly around Sandpoint;
within 10 minutes, you’ll find conkers. Grab a grocery bag full and then buy some thick twine. Measure out the desired length of the garland, then add an extra half an inch for every two inches. For example, if you want a three-foot garland, divide those 36 inches by four to get nine inches. That’s the amount you need to add to offset the twine that will be taken up by knots. Next, pierce holes through each conker wide enough to fit the twine. You can do this with a drill or with a hammer and nail. Using a large needle or a paperclip that’s been unwound and shaped into a needle, thread the twine and pull it through the conker. Tie knots on both sides of the conker and repeat. Remember to leave extra twine on both ends of the garland to help hang it.
The natural colors are beautiful as they are, but you can also paint designs or color the conkers’ light centers like eyeballs for an extra spooky effect.
The spooky menagerie. Photo by Soncirey Mitchell
Festival at Sandpoint opens 2026 summer intern applications
By Reader Staff
Applications are open for next year’s Festival at Sandpoint summer internship program, which will run for 10 weeks from June 8-Aug. 14, 2026.
Each summer, the Festival offers a seasonal, paid internship program that allows participants to gain hands-on experience in the music industry, offering a behindthe-scenes look into the making of a music festival.
Interns may be assigned an area of focus based on skills and interests, including but not limited to marketing, merchandise, box office
management, hospitality, event production, facility operations and volunteer coordination.
For those looking for a skill-building opportunity with a shorter time commitment, the Festival at Sandpoint’s paid production crew will accept applicants for work from July 24-Aug. 13, 2026.
Production crew members assist in the setup and takedown of the venue at War Memorial Field and, during the summer concert series, may also assist with sound, lighting, venue operations and more.
Learn more and apply before Jan. 15, 2026 at festivalatsandpoint.com/ careers.
Fall Folk Festival brings community together
By Reader Staff
Kaniksu Folk School will host a Fall Folk Festival from 1-5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 25 at the Aster Garden Center (924 W. Superior St., in Sandpoint).
A free, family-friendly event, this seasonal gathering will feature traditional craft demonstrations by artisan instructors, craft and food vendors, activities, and live music. The purpose of the event is to invite the public to experience Kaniksu Folk School’s mission, and to introduce the Fall season class lineup.
Kaniksu Folk School is an education initiative of Kaniksu Land Trust that offers year-round classes geared primarily for adults, spanning a rich spectrum of arts, crafts, and essential life skills. From the age-old craft of blacksmithing to the precision of woodworking, and from identifying edible plants in our lush surroundings
to exploring countless other subjects, KFS weaves together diverse learning opportunities, highly skilled instructors, and a circle of learners that strengthens the character of our community.
The Fall Folk Festival is a celebration of community and traditional skills that also offers a chance to experience Kaniksu Land Trust’s new acquisition of Aster Garden Center. The mission-driven garden shop will open in the Spring of 2026. The existing building on-site will become the organization’s headquarters after a modest remodel. The Fall Folk Festival will serve as a soft reveal of Kaniksu Land Trust’s future home, retail venture, and community space.
For more information about Aster Garden Center, Kaniksu Land Trust, and Kaniksu Folk School visit kaniksu.org.
Bonner Homeless Transitions marks more than 30 years of service
By Reader Staff
While October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, it also marks more than 30 years for Bonner Homeless Transitions, which assists individuals and families in Bonner County to rebuild their lives after homelessness, violence, abuse, trafficking or crisis.
Founded by Cyd Savoy and Jo Johnson, BHT began as a response to the growing need for safe, supportive housing in the community. Over the years, it has been known by several names — Blue Haven, TIPS (Transitions in Progress Services) and the Bonner County Homeless Task Force — all representing the same mission: helping people find stability and hope.
Rather than a shelter, BHT is a transitional housing program that helps participants take control of their futures through structure, education and accountability. Individuals and families
must apply to participate, meet specific program expectations, and attend weekly educational and life skills counseling sessions. Each participant also pays a modest monthly program fee, reinforcing personal responsibility and financial discipline as part of their journey toward independence.
Though much has changed since its founding, the need that Savoy and Johnson recognized in Bonner County remains. Domestic violence and housing insecurity continue to affect many local families.
“Our goal is to help people build stable, independent lives — and one day, to live in a community where that help is no longer needed,” BHT stated in a news release. “Until then, we’ll be here.”
To learn more, donate or volunteer, visit BonnerHomelessTransitions.org or call 208-265-2952.
Send event listings to calendar@sandpointreader.com
Terrarium seascape workshop
5:30-7pm @ Barrel 33
With Verdant Plants. $50, all supplies included. barrel33sandpoint.com
Live Music w/ Plastic Owls
5pm @ Connie’s Lounge
Live Music w/ Nobody Famous
5-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery
Live Music w/ Forest Ray
5:30-8:30pm @ Barrel 33
Live Music w/ Truck Mills & Carl Rey
6-8pm @ Smokesmith BBQ
Music w/ DJ Sterling
9pm @ Roxy’s
Live Music w/ Jake Rozier Duo
9pm-midnight @ 219 Lounge
Live Music w/ Brian Jacobs
6-8pm @ Baxters on Cedar
Live Music w/ Oak Street Connection
5-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery
Live Music w/ Mike & Sadie
5:30-8:30pm @ Barrel 33
Live Music w/ The Swingin’ Jays
6-8pm @ Smokesmith BBQ
Live Music w/ Hogwire
7pm (doors) @ The Hive
Line dancing lessons at 7:30 ($10), show @ 8:45pm ($5)
Live Music w/ Spool Effect
9pm-midnight @ 219 Lounge
Sandpoint Chess Club 9am @ Evans Brothers Coffee
Live piano w/ Dwayne Parsons
1-3pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery
Monday Night Blues Jam w/ John Firshi 7pm @ Eichardt’s Pub
Live piano w/ Malachi
5-7pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery
Roxy’s karaoke
9pm-1am @ Roxy’s
Live piano w/ David Speight
5-7pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery
Live Trivia w/ Toshi
7pm @ Connie’s Lounge
Tap takeover
5-8pm @ Burger Dock
THURSDAY, october 23
Cribbage tournament
6pm @ Connie’s Lounge
Line dancing lessons ($10) 6:30-8:30pm @ The Hive
FriDAY, october 24
POAC: Masterpiece Ball
6-10pm @ The Hive
Featuring live music w/ Harold’s IGA. An evening of fundraising with signature cocktails and appetizers, mini-art auction and costume contest. Come dress as your favorite artist or artwork!
BCA 8-Ball Tournaments ($10)
6pm @ Roxy’s, 215 Pine St.
Play: Arsenic & Old Lace
7pm @ Panida Theater
Classic black comedy. See Page 19
October 23 - 30, 2025
Live Music w/ Carson Rhodes 8pm @ Tervan Tavern
Teen Center Ravioli Casserole Fundraiser 5-7pm @ Sandpoint Teen Center $20 suggested donation. Kids eat free
Inside Out: Reflections on Life in an Earthsuit
7pm @ Little Carnegie Hall, MCS
Spiritsong women’s choir and Boundless vocal ensemble join forces for this choral theater work. Tickets by donation at door
Murder mystery party and wine tasting
7pm @ Barrel 33
Dress to impress and mingle with other sleuths. RSVP: barrel33sandpoint.com
U-pick pumpkin patch
10am-5pm @ 26 Shingle Mill Rd.
Open Fridays/weekends in October
Karaoke Nights (Fri/Sat/Sun)
8pm @ Tervan Tavern
SATURDAY, october 25
Kaniksu Folk School Fall Folk Festival
1-5pm @ KLT’s Aster Garden Center
Meet artisan instructors, watch craft demos, buy from vendor booths and sample folky food and drink
Open Mic Night at Evans Brothers
5:30-7:30pm @ Evans Brothers Coffee Sign up for 5-minute time slots
Live Music w/ Kelly & Rich 6-8pm @ Baxters on Cedar
SunDAY, october 26
Magic with Star Alexander 5-8pm @ Jalapeño’s
BCA 8-Ball Tournaments ($10) 12pm @ Roxy’s, 215 Pine St.
monDAY, october 27
Outdoor Experience group run 6pm @ Outdoor Experience 3-5 miles, all levels welcome
tuesDAY, october 28
Haywire Band concert at Create 6pm @ Create Arts Center (Newport, Wash.) Music from the 1920s-1950s. $12/$15
Play: Arsenic & Old Lace
7pm @ Panida Theater
Halloween Dance Party 12-2pm, 5-9pm @ Studio 1 Dance Academy Tickets $10
Pend Oreille Pedalers Progressive Dinner 4pm @ Various locations Fundraiser for POP. For stop info and tickets: pendoreillepedalers.org
Play: Arsenic & Old Lace 2pm @ Panida Theater
SHS Choir Fall Concert • 7pm @ Sandpoint High School auditorium
SHS Mixed choir, concert choir and chamber choir will perform their fall selections for the community. $5/ticket, all are welcome
wednesDAY, october 29
Taste of Tango • 6pm @ Barrel 33
Argentine tango lesson at 6pm followed by guided practice at 7pm. $15, no partner needed
ThursDAY, october 30
Movie night
6:30pm @ Barrel 33
Black Raven Brewing will have four different beers on draft, also chance to win prizes. Costumes encouraged
Enjoy the film Hocus Pocus with good food, snacks and sweet treats
Family Hour w/ John Firshi 5-7pm @ Matchwood Brewing Co. Firshi will play chill tunes while little ones run wild and parents enjoy a pint
Cribbage tournament
6pm @ Connie’s Lounge
Line dancing lessons ($10)
6:30-8:30pm @ The Hive
Live Music w/ Frytz Mor
8pm @ Roxy’s
‘It’s nonstop laughter’
LPO Rep puts on Arsenic and Old Lace for Halloween
By Soncirey Mitchell Reader Staff
Putting its own spin on the Halloween classic, The Lake Pend Oreille Repertory Theatre will put on six performances of the black comedy Arsenic and Old Lace throughout the weekends of Oct. 24-26 and Oct. 31-Nov. 2 at the Panida Theater (300 N. First Ave., in downtown Sandpoint).
The 1941 play, which later became a Frank Capra silver screen classic starring Cary Grant, has been a traditional Halloween feature for more than 80 years.
“It’s a very familiar show — people always put it on — so I wanted to do something different,” said LPO Rep Artistic Director Tim Bangle. “We’re doing it in black-and-white. The sets, the costumes — it’s all monotone.”
Arsenic and Old Lace tells the story of Mortimer Brewster, an outspoken critic of marriage who eventually falls in love and proposes to girl-next-door Elaine Harper. When Brewster goes home to share the good news with his aunts, he soon discovers a poorly hidden corpse and a deadly and depraved family secret. Between his homicidal aunts, his brother on the run from the cops and his other brother who thinks he’s Teddy
Roosevelt, Brewster has to question whether he’s sane enough for marriage.
Despite the gruesome subject matter — murder, insanity, etc. — Arsenic and Old Lace is a timeless comedy perfect for even the most skittish audience members.
“It’s hilarious. There are a couple of scary moments, but no jump scares,” said Bangle. “It’s a dark comedy, so it’s funny that the aunts kill people, even though that’s murder.”
The stage production stars Eric Bond as Brewster; Tobey Jensen as Harper; Kate McAlister and Dorothy Prophet as the aunts; Steven Hammon as Teddy; Corey Repass as Brewster’s deranged brother, Jonathan; and Cody Bost as Dr. Einstein.
Though it’s hard to tear your eyes
away from this local star-studded cast, make sure to take in the set’s details that hint that everything is not as it seems.
“There’s so much tension and stress in the world right now — come to laugh,” said Bangle. “The script itself is funny, but when you get those actors together, embodying those characters, it’s nonstop laughter.”
Performances are Friday, Oct. 24; Saturday, Oct. 25; Sunday, Oct. 26; Friday, Oct. 31; Saturday, Nov. 1; and Sunday, Nov. 2. Friday and Saturday shows begin at 7 p.m., while Sunday matinees begin at 2 p.m.
Tickets are $29 at panida.org or lporep.com.
Hospice taking orders for annual rose fundraising event
By Reader Staff
Bonner Community Hospice’s 28th annual Hospice Rose fundraising event is fast approaching. Roses will be available for pickup from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 4. Proceeds
dumb of the week
By Ben Olson Reader Staff
Some very powerful metaphors came across the Dumb Desk this week, as we near the final months of the foul Year of our Lord 2025.
First, in an apparent trolling move by President Donald Trump, he posted an AI-generated video of himself wearing a crown behind the stick of a fighter jet as it dumped sewage all over “No Kings” protesters. Vice President JD Vance followed by posting a photo of himself and Trump wearing crowns.
Why? Who knows anymore. I suppose it’s “radical” to protest against a U.S. president becoming a dictator. What a time to be alive.
Also worth noting is that many in the MAGA-sphere claimed the millions of people who showed up for nationwide “No Kings” protests on Oct. 18 were paid upward of $200 each. I guess they forgot to send me a check.
A couple of days later, images circulated across the internet of the east wing of the White House being demolished by construction crews as they moved forward building Trump’s $250 million ballroom. I would love for conservatives to explain to me how we went from “eggs cost too much” to building a gilded ballroom for our Dear Leader to entertain his dictatorial and oligarchic pals.
Speaking of dictators, Trump continues to fleece the American people for all they’re worth with his latest gambit — a demand that the Department of Justice pay him $230 million that ultimately comes from taxpayers. Trump said the government owes him “a lot of money” for previous DOJ investigations into his conduct, while at the same time asserting his personal authority over any potential payout.
Think about this for a moment, because this is about as swampy as you can get: Trump as president is claiming he is the person who should decide whether Trump as a claimant receives hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars for investigations into Trump as a defendant. Head spinning yet?
Trump suggested he would either donate the proceeds or use the money to fund his luxury ballroom at the White House. Meanwhile, he warned Democrats on Oct. 21 that if they don’t end the government shutdown, Medicaid and Social Security “are going to be gone.”
will benefit the community’s only nonprofit hospice.
In exchange for a $25 donation, receive a dozen roses of your choice. These sell out every year, so be sure to reserve yours early by visiting bonnergeneral.org/donate-to-hospice.
Remember that as recently as March 2025, Trump swore he would “always protect Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.” Another reminder: Democrats are refusing to accept a bill that would cut health care provisions, which Republicans argue fund medical care for illegal aliens. Sigh. See you next week. Same Dumb place, same Dumb channel.
The cast of Arsenic and Old Lace. Courtesy photos
New mural unveiled at Cedar Street Bridge
The Cedar Street Bridge is sporting a new public mural, courtesy of Art Director Matt Lome, of Cedar Street Studios, who spearheaded a team of local artists of all ages to produce the mural over the summer.
The result is a bright and cheerful piece titled, “Sandpoint Summer, 2025.”
Contributors to the work included local artists Nanette Miller and Rosie Harris, as well as other local talent, including Ranie Silcott and Whitney Rae Palmer.
“The mural highlights some of the things we love most about Sandpoint, like riding bikes, spotting eagles or just relaxing in our Adirondacks,” Lome stated.
“Today, the summer of 2025 may be in our rearview mirrors. But some of that summer spirit has been captured in a whimsical new mural located just outside the front doors of the Cedar Street Bridge,” he added. “Come and visit. Your neighborhood welcomes you.”
— Reader Staff
By Soncirey Mitchell and Zach Hagadone Reader Staff
Halloween has a definitive sound; but, each week in October, we’re offering a few suggestions to freshen (or deaden) up your spooky season playlist.
Florence and The Machine Singer-songwriter Florence Welch sings, writes and looks like she led the druids in moonlit festivals around Stonehenge. She and her indie-rock band produce at least two Halloween-worthy songs per album — usually more, considering Welch often juxtaposes her haunting falsetto trill with a deep, monstrous growl. Not only are the singing and instrumentation ghostly, but songs like “King,” “Shake It Out,” “Heaven Is Here” and “Haunted House” are all deeply meaningful, poetic explorations of the human psyche (one of the most terrifying places known to man). Listen on florenceandthemachine.net to prepare for her newest album, Everybody Scream, out on Halloween.
Concrete Blonde Goth-rock band Concrete Blonde came out of the punk-grunge scene of the ’80s and ’90s, and though the group had a few small successes, it wasn’t until singer and bassist Johnette Napolitano started reading The Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice that the band truly took off. The 1990 album Bloodletting put them firmly in the gothic genre with songs that play with psy chological horror, the supernatural and New Orleans’ blues. There’s a reason the album took its name from “Bloodletting (The Vampire Song),” which is the band’s most iconic and catchy Halloween tune — though the whole album is worthy of an October listen. Find them on Spotify.
Messer Chups
Though formed in St. Pe tersburg, Russia in 1998, you’d be hard pressed to tell Messer Chups hails from Mama Rus, with its retro doom-infused surf rock sound that does a bet ter job evoking the campy-creepy style
of mid-century American B-horror movies than the originals. It’s impossible to provide a full listing of all of Messer Chups’ greatest tracks — practically every one of them is a masterclass in up-tempo rockabilly-adjacent cool powered by fun-loving terror. Some suggestions (in no order): “Electric Zombierella,” “Nightmares,” “Freddy Krueger’s Holiday,” “Midnight Call,” “Ghost Party,” “Vampira’s Curse” and “Vampira Curses Again,” and “Dracula Hates Photoshoots” — all available on YouTube under the official Guitaracula Records channel.
The Cramps
In a similar vein to Messer Chups, The Cramps channel ’50s-esque surf and psycho/rockabilly vibes to whip up a sinister sonic brew — though, in the case of the latter, it comes with a swaggering, sneering edge that leans much more on rock than the former. Despite the fact that The Cramps were active from 1976 until 2009, thanks to the Netflix series Wednesday, the band is most widely known today for its song “The Goo Goo Muck.” Go to @thecrampsofficial on YouTube and find gems like “Human Fly,” “I Was a Teenage Werewolf,” “Rockin’ Bones” and “The Creature From the Black Leather Lagoon.” Plus full albums like Fiends of Dope Island, Aloha From Hell and the classic compilation, Bad Music for Bad People.
Circus Contraption
It’s not quite fair to call Circus Contraption a “band” when it was so much more. Active from 1998-2009, the Seattle-based troupe included a one-ring circus complete with vaudeville and “dark cabaret” acts set to original music, all performed by a huge cast of performers over the years. Though the group is long gone, The Circus Contraption Band’s music has lived on and the album The Halfis a stellar addition to any Halloween playlist — specifically the tracks “We’re All Mad,” “If I Told You Once,” “Spook-O-Rama” and (a personal favorite) “Good To Know Ya,” which is a fond fare-thee-well ahead of the apocalypse. Find it
MUSIC
POAC hosts Masterpiece Ball
By Reader Staff
It’s said that art imitates life, but at the Pend Oreille Arts Council’s Masterpiece Ball on Friday, Oct. 24, life will imitate art. Beginning at 6 p.m., attendees are invited to strut into The Hive (207 N. First Ave.) donning costumes inspired by famous artists, artwork or genres for a fundraising party featuring Sandpoint’s own Harold’s IGA.
Just about everyone in Sandpoint has danced along to songs by indie-folk rock band Harold’s IGA, whether at one of their Festival at Sandpoint shows, at the Sandpoint Farmers’ Market or in any number of venues in the area.
Comprised of singer-song-
writer-guitarist (and Reader Publisher) Ben Olson, singer and multi-instrumentalist
Cadie Archer and drummer Josh Vitalie, Harold’s IGA is a local staple that consistently brings witty, thought-provoking songs that are just plain fun to listen to. Even when they’re not playing original work, the band pulls out songs from the likes of Leonard Cohen, Neutral Milk Hotel, Cigarettes After Sex and many more captivating artists who aren’t often performed on the local circuit.
Stroll around the Hive listening to Harold’s IGA, admiring costumes, sipping drinks and tasting hors d’oeuvres and dessert. There will be an ongoing silent auction
and small mystery canvases by local artists for sale. Enter the costume contest for a chance to win even more surprises.
All proceeds from the event will go toward POAC’s educational community outreach programs, such as Kaleidoscope and Ovations, which bring visual and performing arts to local students, as well as affordable classes for adults and seniors.
The 47-year-old arts organization also sponsors events like the annual ArtWalk, Arts and Crafts Fair, Shakespeare in the Parks and the Sandpoint Summer Series at Farmin Park.
“The success of this event is essential to POAC’s ability to provide Sandpoint with all
the popular programs that our community has come to love and value for nearly five decades,” stated POAC Executive Director Tone Stolz. “We invite you to come support the importance of the arts in all of our lives, and especially to support arts education for local kids, and we guarantee you’ll also have fun doing it.”
Tickets for this 21+ event are $50 online at artinsandpoint.org, which includes a commemorative glass (full of champagne). Order by phone at 208-263-6139 or in person at the POAC Gallery (313 N. Second Ave.)
A snapshot of notable live music coming up in Sandpoint
Spool Effect, 219 Lounge, Oct. 25 Mike Wagoner & Sadie Sicilia, Barrel 33, Oct. 25
After a last-minute cancellation in September, Bonners Ferry trio Spool Effect is again headed for its first show at the 219 Lounge, bringing its signature blend of reggae, funk and jam band vibes. That might be too simplistic of a description, though, as band members Kevin Dye, Tyler Pearson and Luke Zohn are “all over the place,” as Dye put it. In an interview with the Reader prior to Spool Ef-
fect’s ill-fated September show at the Niner, Dye said the band is as much of a mood as it is a sound — image the feel of a backyard neighborhood party using a cable spool for a table, and you’ve got the gist.
—
Zach Hagadone
9 p.m., FREE, 21+. 219 Lounge, 219 N. First Ave., 208263-5673, 219lounge.com. Listen on YouTube and other streaming services.
Father-daughter duo Mike Wagoner and Sadie Sicilia have earned a following for their onstage musical chemistry. Watching them play together is like watching a finely tuned machine doing what it was designed to do. Wagoner’s simple, downhome style on the acoustic guitar is reminiscent of greats like Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings, while Sicilia’s
This week’s RLW by Zach Hagadone
READ
Born in Wales in 1863 and died in 1947, Arthur Machen was one of the earliest pioneers of “weird fiction” and frequently strayed into outright horror — especially with his epic short story “The Great God Pan.” It’s incredible to read an author whose horror output was both contemporaneous with Jack the Ripper (during which he was a reporter) and the end of World War II. Read whatever you can find of his works wherever you find books.
bluesy voice balances out the pairing wonderfully. They play a fun mix of originals, standards and songs you love to sing along with, usually with a blues, country, folk and rock vibe to them.
— Ben Olson
5:30-8:30 p.m., FREE. Barrel 33, 100 N. First Ave., 208-9206258, barrel33sandpoint.com.
LISTEN WATCH
Marc Maron pioneered the long-form, confessional interview podcast form with WTF With Marc Maron, which ended its 16-year run after more than 16,000 episodes Oct. 13, and did so with a bang. For his final guest, Maron sat down with former-President Barack Obama, who offered the stand-up comic some advice about moving on from a high-profile job, but also spoke at length — and eloquently — about the current “test” facing the U.S. and what the American “story” means to him. Listen at wtfpod.com.
The brand-new Netflix limited series True Haunting combines the luridness of true crime with the creepy-crawlies of ghost hunting, but with little of the knowing hokiness of either. Brought to the streaming service Oct. 7 by James Wan (who was responsible for the Saw, Insidious and The Conjuring films), the show is divided between two true paranormal stories over five episodes: three about a haunting on an upstate college campus, and two about a murder house. The former is better than the latter, but both are binge-worthy.
Top left: Examples of Masterpiece Ball costumes. Top right: Harold’s IGA will play live music at the event. Courtesy photos
From Pend d’Oreille Review, June 26, 1914
REDING MURDER CASE ENDS IN MISTRIAL
The mental breakdown of Lester McMahon, one of the jurors in the case of John Reding, charged with the murder of Llewellyn Church, October 26, 1930, resulted in District Judge E.E. Hunt’s declaring a mistrial and dismissing the jury.
The defendant was remanded to jail without bond, pending a new trial.
Jurors, who said they first noted that McMahon was sweating profusely and acting strangely at meals two days ago, said he told them that he was to have been a witness for the defense and also for the prosecution. Before dinner, McMahon told the judge he could not proceed “because I have been guilty of a crime.”
He told at a hearing that he based the assertion on a Bible quotation: “A man who sits in judgment of murder will himself be adjudged guilty.” He could not find the quotation and Dr. Fry and Dr. Bowell, who examined him, said he was suffering from delusional insanity. He was committed to the care of relatives.
During the day, Prosecutor R.I. Keater had put in fingerprint evidence and testimony of three experts: William Priest, office manager and G.H. Fleming, manager of the Burns Detective agency at Portland, and John M. Roberts, chief of the criminal investigation bureau of the Vancouver (Wash.) police department.
Priest idenfied copies of Reding’s fingerprints and copies of prints taken from the stock of a rifle owned by Church, with which the killing was done. The rifle was found in a 30-foot well at the Church ranch in Paradise valley, nearly four miles from here, the day after the shooting.
BACK OF THE BOOK Switching Geertz
By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff
I often pity my kids. They have a lot to deal with that I didn’t when I was their age, including all the typical doom-and-gloom we talk about: the climate crisis, extreme economic inequality, the cesspit of the internet, impending AI-ification of everything, and the wholesale dismantling (literally and figuratively) of our civic life and institutions by the MAGA movement.
Another thing I didn’t have to deal with was having me as a parent. This manifests in a number of ways, but was most recently illustrated when my kids and I started talking about the “6-7” meme.
If you’re a parent — or even just an adult human — and don’t know what I’m talking about, you should count yourself among the fortunate and stop reading. If you want to be culturally aware, the roughest explanation is that “6-7” is a phrase that Gen Alpha and young Gen Z employ whenever a reference to the numbers “six” and “seven” comes up. They say it out loud and move their hands up and down in a “so-so” type of motion.
My 10-year-old daughter informs me that this phenomenon has been around at least since the beginning of the year (and apparently stems from a song by Skrilla and went viral on TikTok), but it appears only to have risen to broad cultural awareness in the past few weeks. In that time, dozens of media outlets have published seemingly serious, head-scratching articles trying to explain what “6-7” is all about. From The New York Post to NPR to the most
How I dismantled my kids’ enjoyment of the ‘6-7’ phenomenon
recent episode of South Park, there’s a booming cottage industry in think-pieces on the subject, with the gist of them all being: “Adults don’t know what it means and we don’t like it.”
Maybe my favorite headline comes from The Washington Post: “Why kids keep saying ‘6-7’: ‘It’s really beautiful because it’s dumb.’”
Anyway, my kids and I were talking about “6-7” during our morning drive to school the other day, when we always take a few extra minutes to idle in the Memorial Field parking lot for a bit of banter while looking at the lake.
“Do you know what it means?” they asked me, with a tinge of subversive glee.
“Yeah,” I said. “It doesn’t mean anything.”
“But what does it mean,” they responded, obviously trying to bait me.
“Nothing. It doesn’t mean anything, and that’s the point, right?”
“Yeah… but do you know what it means?”
That was the point at which I began to pity my kids, as I launched into a disquisition on the late-anthropologist and ethnologist Clifford Geertz, whose book The Interpretation of Cultures focused on identifying the substructural elements of society that create social meaning and therefore “culture.”
In the chapter “Thick Description: Toward and Interpretive Theory of Culture,” Geertz wrote of the difference between a “wink” and a “twitch” as emblematic of “subjective” and “objective” actions, respectively, with the former representing a symbolic gesture with meaning, and the latter a physical gesture that car-
ries no cultural resonance.
As he wrote on the sixth and seventh pages of the chapter (coincidence?), “Culture is public because meaning is. You can’t wink (or burlesque one) without knowing what counts as winking ,” and, “[C]ulture consists of socially established structures of meaning in terms of which people do such things as signal conspiracies and join them … ”
I gave the kids the shorthand version of all that, insofar as symbolic actions have cultural significance if performed in public and are understood both by the individuals who perform them and those who perceive them. As I told them, Geertz went on to theorize that the accumulation of these actions forms “webs of significance,” which are knowable and therefore powerful only to those who are part of the in-group. To outsiders, those symbolic actions and the webs of significance they create are at best indecipherable and therefore the culture they represent is closed to them.
“Yeah, ‘6-7’ doesn’t mean anything, but because of that it can mean anything — but only to the people who ‘get it,’” I said. “You guys say ‘67’ because adults don’t get it (and can’t get it), so you create your own culture and assert power over the dominant group, which is your teachers and parents. That’s why it’s fun, right?”
“I guess you get it,” my daughter said, though with a hint of disappointment.
And that’s how I made “6-7” uncool, though I have to say I was a little disappointed, too. Sorry I destroyed a piece of your generation’s culture, kids.
Laughing Matter
Solution on page 22
By Bill Borders
pareidolia /pair-ahy-DOH-lee-uh/
[noun]
Week of the
Corrections: We listed the address of the Oct. 20 candidate forum as Sandpoint library on our events calendar when it was in fact at the Sandpoint Center. Sorry for any confusion.
1. the illusory perception of meaningful patterns or images of familiar things in random or amorphous data, as a face seen on the moon. “Could there be some connection between fractals and pareidolia?”
Here’s a good joke to do during an earthquake: straddle a big crack in the ground, and if it opens wide, go “Whoa! Whoa!” and flail your arms around, like you’re going to fall in.
CROSSWORD
ACROSS
1. Worry
Type of hat
False god
Chills and fever
Banishment 16. Detective ____ Wolfe
Fraudulent
Cicatrix 20. Night before
Garbage
Physique
Domestic
Chimes
Paintings
Committing
Close-knit group
Column style
Petroleum
Alright
Curlicue
Initial wager
Young louse
Polished
Above the horizon
Pussyfooting
Bloodshot
Trade name
Flaws
Cut short
Revelation response
Ice sheet
Belonging to the past
Arctic birds
Solution on page 22
Solution on page
Not outer
Moving vehicles
Break
Cast out
Oxen’s harness
Coffee shops
Tequila source
Monarch
Pour
Be extant
Violent disturbance
Huckleberry
agree”
10. Show contempt for
Conclusions
By mouth
God
Mindful
Alliance
Deviate
Wicked
Accomplishing
Anagram of “Tine”
Secluded valley
Bamboozles
Similar
Schedule planners
Gradually
37. Leg part
Assistant
Three-handed card game
Direct (to)
Apprehend 44. Holiday destination 46. Specified days of the month 47. Chocolate source
