If you’ve ever taken a statistics class — or heard a weird statement like, “Cows kill more people than sharks annually,” and gone down a Google rabbit hole — you’ve probably come across the phrase “correlation does not imply causation.” In other words, just because two statistics mirror each other’s ebb and flow, it doesn’t mean they’re influencing one another. Tylervigen.com has an ever-growing list of “spurious correlations” that illustrate that point in easy-to-read and funny line graphs. My favorite phenomena that, when viewed as the number of “X” per year, match up almost exactly include: the per capita consumption of margarine and the divorce rate in Maine; the distance between Neptune and the Sun and the viewership for Days of our Lives; the GMO use in Kansas corn and the number of Kansas postmasters; the popularity of the first name Christopher and the number of burglaries in Oklahoma; and frozen yogurt consumption and the violent crime rate. If I lacked all morals and common sense, I would use these graphs to back up ridiculous arguments with no basis in fact — just like Fox newscasters do. It would go something like this: “Hey parents! The FDA doesn’t want you to know this, but if you feed your kids dangerous GMOs, they’ll grow up to become postmasters. After that, it’s one small step to spinsterism”; “No good Christian names their son Christopher; he’ll grow up to be a no-good hooligan. It’s scientifically proven”; and, “Oh, you like Days of Our Lives? Alien probes on Neptune may be hijacking your brain. You should try an apple cider vinegar cleanse.”
DEAR READERS,
As always, there’s a lot going on this weekend for those looking for something fun to do. One of our favorite events (I swear it isn’t because we’ve won it several times) is the Sandcreek Regatta, which you can read more about on Page 12. This year, we’ll “sacrifice” a tourist before the race to honor the lake for a great summer while also hoping for an epic winter. The volunteer this year is Peter Leusch, who is driving from northwest Montana just so we can push him in the lake.
Hope to see you on the banks of Sand Creek* at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 6 for the sacrifice and regatta.
Also, for the first time in many years, an edition of the Reader does not contain Brenden Bobby’s “Mad About Science” column. He’s on a break and will be back next week.
Until then, here’s wishing you all a wonderful September.
*For the red pen warriors, yes it’s “Sand Creek” when referring to a body of water and “Sandcreek” when it’s the name of the regatta. Save your emails.
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Sharks don’t kill people, cows kill people
Wait — so the statement: “Cows kill more people than sharks annually,” is true? Yes, but it’s also incredibly misleading. If there were an entire industry dedicated to raising, herding and milking sharks, the carnivorous cartilaginous fish would kill way more people than they do now. Humans don’t come into contact with sharks very often — except, of course, during the many tragic sharknado and sharktopus incidents — so they don’t have as many opportunities to kill us as cows do. The deadliest animal to humans by a large margin is the mosquito, as it often transmits diseases like malaria, dengue fever, and Zika and West Nile viruses. Unlike in the case of cows, mosquito farms actually prevent mosquito-related deaths by releasing insects infected with bacteria that stop the spread of diseases, as well as sterile males who decimate the population.
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About the Cover:
This week’s cover photo of the Spud Cup was taken by Karley Coleman. Great shot!
ITD gearing up for six-week Long Bridge construction project
Work will focus on removing raised joint edges to lessen damage for snowplows
By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff
The Idaho Transportation Department announced the beginning of a project on the Long Bridge intended to lower joint edges across the span that hamper snow plowing during winter maintenance operations. Beginning the week of Monday, Sept. 8, crews will work overnight for six weeks, setting up traffic controls each day at 7 p.m. and finishing work by 6 a.m. the next morning.
Drivers should expect the bridge to operate with only one lane at night; however, the contractor will limit the work zone to sections of between 1,000 and 1,500 feet at a time, rather than a lane closure running the full length of the bridge.
Meanwhile, flagging crews will alternate traffic through the work zone, with the hope by officials that staggering the closures will help smooth traffic flow and shorten wait times.
Most oversized loads should be able to pass through unimpeded, with wider work zones than ITD’s bridge project in 2024, but truckers
should check Idaho 511 for specific limitations.
The contractor plans to institute a work schedule of 10-days-on, four-days-off to complete the project more quickly — however, that will mean lane closures on some weekend nights.
“After a few seasons of working on the Long Bridge, we’ve learned a lot about what works for traffic control,” stated Project Manager Preston Sochovka. “We’re listening to the community and using those lessons to fine-tune our approach this year. We’re optimistic these changes will make it easier for drivers with shorter delays and quicker trips across the bridge.”
The current project stemmed from issues discovered after overlay work in 2024 related to raised joint edges that created challenges for snowplows. The joints — which are familiar to any driver crossing the bridge, with their signature “thudthud” sound — connect sections of the span and allow the structure to expand and contract with the weather. However, that feature of the bridge will be no more — or
at least lessened — after the work is concluded.
“Drivers may not notice a big difference, but this will keep snowplows from catching on the joints and help equipment last longer,” ITD stated in a news release. “Crews will remove the raised edges. They will also add a thin layer of epoxy to protect the roadway from precipitation.”
The department wrote that it “acknowledges that this is the third consecutive year of construction on the Long Bridge and understands the frustration that goes along with it.”
“We know it’s not easy to keep coming back,” Sochovka said. “But we’ve learned from last year, and this year’s work is about finishing strong and setting the bridge up for longterm performance.”
ITD has coordinated with the Lake Pend Oreille School District to help families living in areas of the county south of the Long Bridge to get to Sandpoint varsity home games on time: Crews will start work later on those nights so that traffic isn’t impeded by construction work.
“While not all events can
be accommodated, ITD is working with the district to find the best opportunities to lessen impacts and keep Bulldog spirit high and on time,” the department stated.
The Long Bridge is iconic to Sandpoint and began life in 1910 as “the longest wooden bridge in the world” at about two miles in length. Several iterations followed, with the current bridge built in 1981. A recent rehabilitation project extended its life from 75 to 100 years, and the bridge built in 1956 — which runs along the current span and serves as a pedestrian bridge closed to vehicles — was also reinforced.
Going forward, ITD is studying options to replace the pedestrian bridge with
Downtown business and property owners invited to city-hosted meeting on paid parking
By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff
Sandpoint City Hall is inviting downtown merchants and building owners to attend a meeting Monday, Sept. 8 to hear a presentation and ask questions about proposed paid parking policies on the busiest blocks of the business district.
Scheduled for 8:30 a.m. at Marigold Bistro (located in the Sandpoint Financial Center at 414 Church St.), the meeting will include city staff walking attendees through the idea of installing parking meters next year on sections of the downtown core, as well
as new downtown employee parking passes — both of which are part of the city’s ongoing effort to develop a downtown parking management plan.
The meters could be put in place between Pine and Cedar streets on First Avenue, as well as Pine to Alder Street on Second Avenue, Church to Main streets between First and Second, and Cedar from First to Third Avenue.
According to a flyer circulated by the city, more than 850 parking spaces will remain free throughout downtown, with fewer than 200 considered for paid parking. Hourly
rates would apply during peak hours, with a goal of keeping parking stall occupancy “at or just below 85%,” the city stated.
The downtown employee parking passes are included in the city’s new fee schedule, available for $40 per month and valid in all city-owned parking lots, as well as threeand four-hour curbside stalls, with unlimited daily use. All-day free parking would remain available without a permit at the lots between Fifth and Sixth avenues that are owned by the Idaho Transportation Department.
City Hall stated that the
employee passes and meters wouldn’t go live until 2026, following approval by the City Council.
“Currently, city taxpayers foot the bill for parking maintenance — more than $85 per household annually,” the city stated. “Paid parking ensures non-residents and visitors contribute their fair share.”
In addition, city officials wrote that paid parking would encourage turnover in downtown stalls and make finding spaces easier for customers.
For more information, visit sandpointidaho.gov/parking.
a new two-lane northbound span that would include a bike and pedestrian path. In that plan, the bridge constructed in 1981 could carry two lanes of southbound traffic. ITD anticipates pursuing federal grants to advance design work for the new bridge, followed by additional funding opportunities for construction, as the Reader previously reported.
The ITD Board announced in December 2024 that it would put $200,000 toward initiating the analysis. That same month, department officials said they would shorten their timeline on undertaking largescale work on the Long Bridge.
“Up until now, we have been performing maintenance projects to delay replacing this expensive structure until it reached 100 years old,” District Engineer Damon Allen stated in the announcement at the time. “But as we’ve looked to widen U.S. 95 south of town, we’ve heard from the public that they want us to look at this sooner rather than later.”
How much time and money would be required for the project remains to be seen, but the Reader previously reported that ITD estimated that it would cost “at least” $225 million just for the northbound half of a new four-lane bridge.
ITD asked that drivers plan to take extra time when traveling through the area at night and check Idaho 511 for the latest updates on restrictions and delays.
The Long Bridge. Photo by ITD
Public hearing on Deerfield Subdivision continued to Sept. 9
By Soncirey Mitchell Reader Staff
The Bonner County board of commissioners and Planning Department met Aug. 14 to discuss the preliminary plat for the proposed Deerfield Subdivision off of Baldy Mountain Road, which partially abuts the city-owned property that houses the nonprofit Baldfoot Disc Golf Course.
After two hours of discussion, the commissioners voted to continue the meeting until Tuesday, Sept. 9, at 1 p.m. to solicit more information from the developers.
Members of the public can attend the hearing in person at the Bonner County Administration Building (1500 Hwy. 2, in Sandpoint) or remotely via Zoom at bonnercountyid.gov/ meetings.
The proposed subdivision — developed by Deerfield LLC, which is managed by Sandpoint City Councilor Rick Howarth — would convert approximately 32.67 acres into 24 lots, all between one and three acres. Deerfield would comply with the suburban zoning designation, which is meant to facilitate residential development on the outskirts of cities where urban services and paved roads are available, according to Bonner
County Code. If approved, the homes will utilize the Syringa Heights Water District and individual septic systems.
The Bonner County Zoning Commission voted unanimously in June to recommend approval of the preliminary plat, subject to standard conditions such as a fire risk assessment approved by Northside Fire District and a stormwater runoff and erosion control plan endorsed by a Bonner County engineer.
Though these conditions would have to be met before the final plat could be approved, Commissioners Brian Domke and Ron Korn argued that developers should provide those assessments and signatures before the preliminary plat.
“I think we have, as a county, had a history of being too loose with saying, ‘We’re going to allow almost everything that gets brought up as a concern to be a condition of approval,’ and then you really just don’t know what the process is going to do because we didn’t do enough up-front planning to have a level of confidence of what the outcome would be,” said Domke at the Aug. 14 meeting.
He later added that voting through a preliminary plat with conditions of approv-
al “kind of feel[s] like we’re cheating the system.”
Domke pointed to the soil’s drainage in particular as a concern that should be addressed, in part, before approval. Representatives from Panhandle Health District performed percolation — or “perc” — tests at the site to recommend soil amendments and septic system configurations, but they cannot know how the final system will work until after its construction.
The act of digging and building the septic systems will, in itself, change the structure of the soil and the outcome of the perc tests.
“Obviously, practically, we want to be as close as we can to the conditions in which the actual septic system would be installed to better understand the impacts. So, on that front, I can see where there could be some better information by doing that mid-process,” said Domke.
The southern portions of the development include sections of Syringa Creek, an official wetland designated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The wetlands do not count toward individual lot size — as they cannot be built on — and developers are working with the Federal Emergency Management
Agency to create an up-todate map of the adjacent floodplain.
As of Aug. 14, the Federal Emergency Management Agency had requested additional information and had yet to release revised maps.
“I’m still not convinced that I can say to the affirmative that we’re not going to create an issue with regard to [the Bonner County] Comprehensive Plan at this time without understanding the final results of the the floodplain information and having — what I consider to be — a complete preliminary plat with the discrepancies resolved and missing information provided to see how all that works together,” said Domke.
The commissioners expect
BOCC to hold interviews for volunteer positions in public
By Soncirey Mitchell Reader Staff
The Bonner County board of commissioners voted Aug. 26 to conduct interviews for county volunteer positions — such as members of the Zoning Commission — in public. Meeting attendees will not have the opportunity to ask questions or comment during the meeting, but members of the public may submit questions for the board to ask prior to the interviews.
As is standard hiring practice, the board previously held all interviews in executive session to keep candidate’s
sensitive information confidential. However; BOCC Chair Asia Williams argued that volunteers are not technically employees and could be treated differently.
Commissioners Ron Korn and Brian Domke both expressed hesitation, with Korn arguing that “We should uphold the same standards for our volunteers as we do our employees. I don’t know why we would have to treat them any differently.”
Domke’s primary concern was that some interview questions might reveal personal or proprietary information that should not be shared with the
public, though he agreed that most questions would not fall under that category.
In response, Williams suggested that the board could “pop in and out” of executive session when discussing sensitive topics.
“I look at the statute that we’re using to justify going into executive session, [and] I can’t see clearly that that’s reasonable,” said Williams. “And so then, I go to the open meeting law, and for me, that says — when in doubt — I need to open that meeting.”
Page 1 of the Idaho Open Meeting Law Manual, produced by the Attorney General’s Office, states, “Remember, when in doubt, open the meeting.”
Domke then amended the original motion, clarifying that the BOCC would “hold the interview and deliberation portion of the boards and commissions [interviews] in public using the executive session only as allowed by state statute.”
The amended motion passed with Korn dissenting.
to have additional information and approvals tied to the preliminary plat before the Sept. 9 meeting. If approved, developers will begin working on the final plat, which will also need the commissioners’ approval.
For more information, or to give written public comment, visit bonnercountyid. gov/FileS0001-25.
Lake drawdown to begin Sept. 22
By Reader Staff
Lake Pend Oreille will remain at summer pool elevation — 2,062-2,062.5 feet — through Sunday, Sept. 21, with the gradual fall drawdown to begin Monday, Sept. 22. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers set a target of 2,060-2061 feet by Sept. 30 and 2,051-2,051.5 feet no later than Nov. 15.
The winter low pool, also known as flexible winter power operations, will allow the lake to be raised up to five feet in the winter, with stored water to be released to generate power as needed — a practice that has been utilized sparingly over the past decade.
Restricted gate operations at Albeni Falls Dam due to the ongoing gate replacement project are not affecting the schedule.
The Deerfield Subdivision (in turquoise), located on approximately 32.67 acres off of Baldy Mountain Road. Courtesy image
New data shows average hourly wage in Idaho increased 5.1% in 2024
Northern Region workers made $26.85/hour, compared to $28.10 statewide
By Reader Staff
Idaho workers are taking home more pay, according to new statistics released Aug. 25 by the Idaho Department of Labor, with a statewide average of $28.10 per hour in 2024 across all occupations.
The numbers come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Employment and Wages Statistics program, and show an increase of 5.1%, or $1.35 per hour, from 2023. Officials stated that the median wage — the midpoint between lowest and highest earners — also rose from $21.27 per hour in 2023 to $22.34 per hour in 2024, representing an increase of 5% year over year.
Six out of seven metropolitan statistical areas in Idaho had average and median wage increases in 2024, with the Pocatello MSA in eastern Idaho experiencing the largest wage gain, where both average and median hourly pay grew by more than $2 per hour.
Among the state’s labor market regions, southwestern Idaho had the highest average hourly wage for 2024 at $29.40. It also had the highest median wage at $22.88 per hour — with Lewiston right behind at $22.76 per hour.
All labor market regions surpassed $21 per hour in median and average wages in 2024.
According to the BLS’ OEWS database, the Northern Region — which includes Benewah, Bonner, Boundary,
Kootenai and Shoshone counties — had an average hourly wage of $26.85 and median hourly wage of $21.97 across all occupations, with an annual average wage of $55,860 and median wage of $45,700. The statewide average annual wage was $58,440 and median annual wage was $47,400.
Meanwhile, employment grew across the state in 2024, with Idaho’s reported number of occupied jobs at 844,910 — an increase of more than 22,000 workers, or 2.7%, from the 2023 total of 822,690. Both the Boise and Idaho Falls MSAs exceeded the state’s growth rate at 3.8% and 3.6%, respectively.
Boise, the largest MSA, added 14,090 jobs while Idaho Falls added 2,820 jobs.
Five out of six labor market regions saw employment growth in 2024. The exception was north-central Idaho — the smallest labor market region, including Clearwater, Idaho, Latah, Lewis and Nez Perce counties — which saw a decline of 0.2%, or 70 jobs, over the year.
The Northern Region had total employment of 99,550 in 2024 — up from 98,060 in 2023, when average annual wages were $53,030 and median annual wages were $42,560.
Go to the OEWS webpage at lmi. idaho.gov/data-tools/oews for complete employment and wage data on the state and its MSAs, nonmetropolitan areas and labor market regions.
Bits ’n’ Pieces
By Lorraine H. Marie Reader Contributor
From east, west and beyond
Several media sources reported that when talking with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, U.S. President Donald Trump said, “If we happen to be at war with somebody, no more elections. That’s good.”
When discussing plans to send the National Guard to Chicago, Trump said, “I have the right to do anything I want to do. I’m the president of the United States,” Axios reported, going on to note that while Trump has consolidated “vast power” he still faces resistance from courts, media and the Democratic Party. Lawsuits and state governments are challenging Trump’s claims to ultimate power.
A federal judge ruled the Trump administration broke the law by sending the National Guard to Los Angeles. According to The Lever, that came days after Trump proposed sending troops to two other “blue” cities.
The Nation reported that the militarized occupation of Washington, D.C. is being resisted by citizens of the nation’s capital city. Residents on “night patrol” aim to protect people from state violence, false arrest, abduction and harassment, using cellphones and medical kits with which to document constitutional violations or brutality and treat beaten residents. A group of veterans said their oath to defend the country against foreign and domestic enemies has not expired, joining D.C.’s citizen patrollers, whose cameras have de-escalated acts of federal aggression.
In D.C., where Trump called in the National Guard to control crime, troops have also been picking up trash and engaged in beautification and restoration projects. The Washington Post reported that such actions are usually performed by the National Park Service, but the Trump administration slashed that agency’s budget.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson recently signed an order to resist Trump’s plans to use federal military force there, according to the BBC.
The U.S. Court of Appeals has ruled that Trump’s tariffs are illegal and were improperly invoked using the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. An appeal is planned.
A Pew Research survey showed 60% of respondents support tax hikes for large businesses and incomes greater than $400,000. Cities that have already put in place such tax increases have seen reduced crime (Baltimore’s crime level is at a 50-year low) and a rise in housing options alongside more child care services.
Under the Trump administration,
U.S. companies have backed out of more than $15 billion in clean energy projects and factories, cancelling 12,000 jobs — 9,000 of which are in Republican districts, according to Axios.
Last week, 182 FEMA employees wrote a warning to Congress, saying a third of their fellow staffers have “separated” from the agency this year, “eroding” institutional knowledge and rendering it impossible to effectively help with natural calamities, various media reported. The letter asked for protection from “politically motivated firings.” More than three dozen signers of the document were put on “administrative leave.”
Trump recently claimed several times that Americans want a dictator if it means stopping crime. Historian Heather C. Richardson noted that two crime-reduction methods that work — violence prevention programs and local law enforcement — have undergone funding cuts by the Trump administration.
Former Labor Secretary Robert Reich outlined what he believes are Trump’s motivations for the military occupation of D.C.: assessing National Guard and Defense Department obedience when following orders to confront fellow Americans, determining the response of federal courts to such actions, testing media compliance, assessing if national militarization will effectively distract from the Jeffrey Epstein scandal and seeing whether congressional Republicans will back him in a full-scale national military occupation.
The Guardian reported that a judge has ordered the Trump administration to halt deportation of hundreds of unaccompanied Guatemalan children, as their attorneys said they were being deprived of due process and feared returning. Meanwhile, according to The New York Times, another judge halted a “pillar of Trump’s mass deportation campaign” by blocking fast-track deportations.
Blast from the past: Hurricane Katrina killed 1,400 people 20 years ago in New Orleans. Many of the city’s poor, elderly and disabled people did not return. The city now has 100,000 fewer people. “Shock Doctrine” was used to rebuild: political and wealthy business interests forced policy changes, with the city going from 123 public schools to four and private charter schools proliferating. Affordable housing projects with no storm damage were demolished. Developers aimed for higher-end, higher-return building projects that favored white communities, which minimized the return of Black residents.
Parental consent law impedes suicide hotline access for some youth
Mental health advocates say new state law limits care they can legally provide
By Laura Guido Idaho Capital Sun
A law requiring parental consent for almost any medical treatment provided to minors went into effect in Idaho in July 2024, and it has been hampering children’s access to care in unintended ways.
One of the affected entities is the Idaho 988 Crisis and Suicide Hotline.
More than 1,500 Idahoans between the ages of 5 and 17 contacted the hotline between when the parental consent law went into effect on July 1, 2024 and June 30, 2025, according to data provided by the Idaho Crisis and Suicide Hotline.
Some of those young people can’t move forward in their call without a parent giving permission.
Sometimes, a parent or guardian can get on the phone, according to Idaho 988 Director Lee Flinn, “but, in most situations, the minor hangs up because they tell us they feel like they can’t do that.”
“We really do want and hope that minors have a parent or two parents that support them, but one of the things that we hear sometimes is that they don’t have a parent they can talk to,” Flinn said.
She emphasized that the hotline still accepts calls from anyone, and encourages people of any age to call, text or chat online if they are in crisis.
Definition of ‘emergency’ can complicate how hotline staff handle calls from minors
Senate Bill 1329 requires that a provider receive consent from a parent or legal custodian to perform any “health care service,” which is defined as “for the diagnosis, screening, examination, prevention, treatment, cure, care, or relief
of any physical or mental health condition, illness, injury, defect or disease.”
Providers do not need parental consent if they’ve already been given blanket consent by a parent or the provider “reasonably determines that a medical emergency exists and furnishing the health care service is necessary to prevent death or imminent, irreparable physical injury to the minor child.”
Lee said many of the calls received by hotline staff members are “really serious, they are in crisis,” but the situation doesn’t meet the high bar defined in the law.
The law has also impeded the hotline’s ability to follow up with young people, which is considered a best practice regardless of the severity of the situation, she said.
“If a teenager tells us they are suicidal but they’re not at imminent risk, meaning they may not have a plan, they may not have access to lethal means, they’re still feeling suicidal and it is best practice ... to offer a follow-up call the next day within 24 hours,” Flinn said. “And we’re not able to offer that follow-up call or support to minors because of this law.”
If it’s determined that an imminent risk exists, the call will continue and the responder will try to ensure the minor’s safety, she said.
Alexander Copple, who worked at the hotline as a responder as part of a master’s of social work internship between July 2024 and May 2025, said the law made it difficult to do what he felt was right.
“We can hear a little bit, and then we would basically say, ‘We can’t continue the conversation unless you have a parent there who can give consent,’ and then we’d
have to end the call,” Copple said. “And we have no way of knowing or following up to know if there was any help or support that was received.”
Flinn said young people can call for a variety of reasons, often stemming from difficulty managing strong emotions related to bullying, their relationship with their parents, pressure to succeed or a breakup.
“A young person’s brain is not fully developed into their 20s, so when a young person is in crisis, it’s important to remember that they can be very impulsive sometimes, so the best support that any of us can provide a young person, early on in the crisis, is best,” Flinn said.
Idaho lawmakers say they intend try again to clarify the law
Bill sponsors Rep. Barbara Ehardt, R-Idaho Falls, and Senate President Pro Tempore Kelly Anthon, R-Rupert, were aware of other ways the law was impeding access to care, and Anthon proposed a bill to clarify its language during the 2025 legislative session, but the bill did not advance in the House.
Ehardt told the Idaho Capital Sun that she hadn’t heard of the law’s impact on the hotline.
“The one thing I’ve said from the beginning, is that we wanted to keep an an eye on things pertaining to suicide,” Ehardt said, later adding, “I think that’s worth looking at.”
Anthon’s bill proposed this year would have created a specific exception for the 988 hotline, allowing for services without parental consent if the child is “is accessing the services of the Idaho crisis and suicide hotline or experiencing a mental health crisis and presents an imminent risk of serious injury to self or others.”
The law as it’s written had also caused problems for those providing sexual assault exams on people under 18. Under the law, a health worker would need to get consent from a parent to perform the exam, but in some cases the perpetrator of the assault may be that parent or another family member, Idaho Reports previously reported.
The law also gained national attention when The Washington Post reported on a 13-year-old pregnant girl from McCall who could consent to her baby’s care but not her own.
Erickson, first raised concerns about the impact on crisis and suicide centers when the bill was introduced in 2024. Erickson is a program director at Community Youth in Action, which works toward substance abuse and suicide prevention.
How you can get help
Call or text 988 to talk to a trained crisis counselor. Phone services are provided in English and Spanish, with translator services available for 250 other languages.
Text services are only provided in English. For online messaging, visit suicidepreventionlifeline.org/chat.
He told the Sun that he had heard the bill had been impacting services at the hotline, and he’s been advocating for those who are affected to bring potential solutions to the bill sponsors.
A trained crisis counselor will listen to you, understand how your problem is affecting you, provide support and share resources, if needed.
Crisis Text Line is a texting service for emotional crisis support.
The law came up at a recent legislative Child Custody and Domestic Relations Task Force meeting, during which advocates disagreed as to whether the law, as written, hampered abuse investigations and treatment, the Sun reported.
To speak with a trained listener, text HELLO to 741741. It is free, available 24/7 and confidential.
Before the passage of S.B. 1329, teenagers 14 and older could seek contraception or other family planning services outside of abortion, treatment and testing for sexually transmitted diseases, and inpatient care for mental health, the Idaho Press reported. Those 16 and older may consent to treatment or rehabilitation for substance abuse.
Children’s advocates at the time of the bill’s passage expressed concern it would have a “chilling effect” on young people’s access to health care, according to the Idaho Press.
Ehardt’s seatmate, fellow Idaho Falls Republican Marco
Erickson did not sponsor the bill; and, although he expressed concerns about the mental health aspect of the bill, he voted for it on the floor.
“I’m just, in good faith, hoping they take care of it,” he said. “... [Ehardt] assured me that these issues would be addressed.”
Ehardt said the law has been “misconstrued” and interpreted over-broadly in a way that doesn’t allow for some basic services to be provided, such as receiving a Band-Aid at school, but she’s open to clarifying it with legislation that she hopes to have ready early in the 2026 session.
“Some of those things are being worked on as we speak,” she said.
This story was produced by Boise-based nonprofit news outlet the Idaho Capital Sun, which is part of the States Newsroom nationwide reporting project. For more information, visit idahocapitalsun.com.
Bouquets:
• A “Bouquet” goes out to the crew at Evans Brothers Coffee Roasters for giving our local educators a special deal. During the month of September, teachers and faculty members will receive 50% off a beverage of their choice. They’ve run this special for years at Evans Brothers. Thanks for giving back to our educators.
GUEST SUBMISSION:
• “Thank you, Emily Erickson [“Emily Articulated” column in the Reader], for ‘articulating’ our communities’ deeply felt gratitude for all of the firefighters’ and supporting staff’s unprecedented efforts towards keeping us safe, and your humble portrayal of living through the reality of wildfire and how it truly touches our lives forever.”
— By
Suanne Ellis
Barbs:
• I couldn’t believe I was seeing Halloween decorations in a store while shopping Aug. 24 in Coeur d’Alene. It wasn’t just a few items — it was an entire section of the store, with probably six aisles filled with skeletons, bats, pumpkins and decorations. In late August, mind you. Halloween decorations in the middle of summertime is just asinine.
GUEST SUBMISSION:
• “On Ben Olson’s recommendation, I went to hear Hillfolk Noir at the Idaho Pour Authority last Sunday. The show was great, but I was disturbed by a bunch of youngish folks in the back of the bar who were playing some sort of board or card games (didn’t bother to check) who were making all kinds of noise while totally ignoring the music. They should find a basement or attic instead of showing total disrespect to remarkable musicians.
— By Ted Wert (self-described “Old Geezer”)
Balancing the budget from an unbalanced Legislature…
Dear editor,
Did you know that Idaho’s state budget is now $80 million in debt after years of surplus?
Did you know our governor is decreasing General Fund budgets by 3% (so far, the K-12 public school budget is exempt)?
Did you know that the $50 million set aside for school vouchers will not be subjected to the 3% decrease? The Idaho State Tax Commission (not the General Fund) administers this program as a refundable tax credit.
Do you remember that our governor signed the voucher bill into law against the expressed wishes of 86% of the 37,457 voters (a record!) who wrote or called him to make their voices heard?
That means that if our governor had listened to his constituents and not been a lickspittle to our current thuggish federal administration that Idaho would be contending with a deficit of “only” $30 million.
Please remember this next year on May 19 and Nov. 3, when we vote for our executive officials and state representatives. Meanwhile, attend the Sandpoint Save Our Schools town hall even Thursday, Sept. 22 from 6:30-8 p.m. at the Ponderay Event Center.
Nancy Britton Ponderay
When will we see a change in gun violence?…
Dear editor,
Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2025, during the traditional start of school mass at Minneapolis’ Annunciation Catholic church, two children were killed and 18 more — 15 of them children — were wounded by an individual carrying a rifle, a shotgun and a pistol. While tragic and devastating to the families of all that were in that church, it has become all too frequent to be much more than a blip on the national stage.
Tragically, this doesn’t qualify as a “mass shooting” (by FBI definition, three individuals must die in a single event by a single individual). I fully expect that after the GOP apologists have said their usual mealy mouthed “thoughts and prayers” comments they will resume their full-throated support of the gun lobby.
It’s disgusting that the GOP favors the gun lobby over their constituents. The GOP continues to
ignore that by this support they do untold damage to the people who have elected them. Theoretically, 2022 supposedly began a new era of gun safety laws. Many loopholes were supposed to be closed, mental health treatment funded, waiting times and red flag warnings were supposed to be in place. So far, I haven’t seen much change. Have you?
Gil Beyer Sandpoint
‘First they came’ redux…
Dear editor,
First they came for women’s reproductive freedom, and I didn’t speak up because I’m too old to get pregnant.
Then they came for the drag queens and trans kids, and I didn’t speak up because I’m cis-gender and have no sense of style.
Then they came for immigrants (legal, illegal and tattooed), and I didn’t speak up because I’m not an immigrant.
Then they came for 60 Minutes, and I didn’t speak up because I haven’t watched 60 Minutes in years.
Then they came for the universities, and I didn’t speak up because I have my non-science degree.
Then they came for the defense attorneys, and I didn’t speak up because I’m not charged with a crime.
Then they came for the Bureau of Labor Statistics and CDC, and I didn’t speak up because I was distracted by their red-carpet welcome for a Russian dictator.
Then they came for D.C., deploying soldiers against U.S. citizens, and I didn’t speak up because I don’t live in D.C.
Then they came for my health insurance subsidy, so I burned my flag in protest.
Then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak for me.
Susan Drumheller Sagle
‘Thanks,
Mr. President’...
Dear editor,
I’ve always loved my country. I loved saying “The Pledge of Allegiance” at Southside Elementary around the flagpole with the entire school. I loved studying our history at SHS — the victories, struggles, mistakes. I loved the freedom of college at the U of I — discussion and debate about civil rights, war, racism and sexism. I loved living on my farm in Bonner County for over 60 years — neighbors helping each other, community pride and
mutual respect.
I always knew I loved my country, my state, my home.
Unfortunately, I really didn’t realize how much I loved it all until parts I loved started disappearing.
My fellow citizens elected a president who made fun of disabled people; pardoned hundreds of criminals who beat police officers; begs for money on TV like a snake oil salesman; tries to hide his long friendship with two convicted child sex offenders; who is currently attacking science, constitutional rights and institutions that are the bedrock of our national character and global leadership.
We don’t know how much we love something until it’s threatened. Thanks, Mr. President, for reminding me how precious our country is, and how we can never let you — or anyone — take that away.
Steve Johnson Sagle
‘Fantasy turns real’...
Dear editor,
At the recently televised cabinet meeting — an embarrassing grovel-fest — envoy Witkoff declared Trump was the “single finest” candidate ever for the Nobel Peace Prize.
I drifted into a fantasy: The next speaker — a billionaire suddenly with months to live and a re-found moral compass — gasped, “Peace Prize!”
“He wants to rename the Department of Defense the Department of War! Donny, the truth is your actions depict nonstop warmongering every day. You bomb and throw grenades at the Constitution, science and people. You cruelly shoot-to-wound, attacking the poor, minorities, immigrants and their children. Humiliating the handicapped, veterans and war heroes is your sport. You’ve robbed women of their bodily rights. Are their votes next? Only white, rich men deserve your admiration. I suspect you fawn over dictators because they have total impunity for all the pain they inflict.
“Your quest to whitewash history and replace it with fascism, with you as dictator, is highly treasonous. Your undeserved power makes you the most dangerous man in the world. You are an addicted, childish liar and a disgrace to this office and I will do anything I can to stop you.”
I drifted back. Look! True heroes are standing up everywhere. There’s hope.
Chris White Sandpoint
Dear editor,
If I ever need a lawyer, I hope I choose a “good” one. But, recently, I wondered what lawyers make on the deaths and injuries I have recently read about in the news. I am talking about the 27 or more campers and counselors who drowned at Camp Mystic, or the recent mass shootings at the church in Minnesota where two were killed and 21 others injured.
According to my Google searches, lawyers receive 33% to 40% of the final settlement if they win. They get, typically, more than 40% if the case goes to trial (because of their “extra time”).
If I had anything to say about it, I would say that no one should take more than a tithe (10%) of the pain and suffering that other fellow citizens have had to endure.
James Richard Johnson Clark Fork
Town halls focus on how state funding for private schools affects public ed…
Dear editor,
A new school year has started. Kids are back making new friends and learning new skills. Staff members in each of Idaho’s northern counties have been working diligently to get facilities and lessons ready for the past few weeks and months.
Many readers out there probably perceive this school year to be the same as every year. It will be extremely different. Our legislators passed House Bill 93, a voucher law that drains $50 million from public education funds and siphons it into private and religious schools with no cap, no oversight, no accountability and no guarantees of transparency.
How will that affect Idaho students who attend public schools? How will it affect you — a parent, a grandparent, a business person, a taxpayer? Should your tax dollars go to private and religious schools?
Town hall meetings to discuss H.B. 93’s repercussions will take place Thursday, Sept. 11 at 6:30 p.m. at the Ponderay Events Center in Ponderay and Saturday, Sept. 13 at 11 a.m. at the West Bonner County Library.
These town halls are free. We, as Idaho residents, must stay informed to make sure not one dollar more is spent outside the public education realm.
Julie Reister-Keaton Dover
To submit a photo for a future edition, please send to ben@sandpointreader.com.
Top right: A group of volunteers held signs outside of area schools on the first day that read, “Everyone is Welcome.” The sign alludes to a similarly worded one that a teacher displayed at an Idaho public school and that the Idaho Attorney General’s Office later banned in public schools. About 50 people gathered across the street from Farmin Stidwell and Washington elementary schools, as well as outside of the Lake Pend Oreille High School to “show teachers and students that we support them,” according to Sandpoint Indivisible and 50501 Sandpoint, which organized the event.
Bottom right: Sarah and Mary dive from photographer Janenne Russell’s dock. “Enjoy these last few weeks of summer!” Russell wrote.
Bottom left: Sunflowers in the garden. And one bee. Photo by Ron Bedford.
Top left: Some winners at the Bonner County Fair, including Albert De Armas, left; Peggy Heid, center; and Andy Anderson from Lakeside Assisted Living, right. Photo courtesy of Albert De Armas.
Music Conservatory receives accreditation through 2031
By Reader Staff
The Accrediting Commission for Schools, Western Association of Schools and Colleges has renewed its accreditation of the Music Conservatory of Sandpoint through June 2031, with a mid-cycle review scheduled in the 2027-’28 school year.
MCS achieved accreditation in 2013, making it the only accredited school of performing arts in the region.
“Accreditation opens the opportunity for our students to transfer elective credits at other educational institutions, such as LPOSD and community colleges,” stated board member and accreditation adviser Amy Bean.
“It also ensures that student progress — from early childhood through adulthood — is measured against nationally recognized standards.”
According to MCS, “Accreditation is voluntary for nonprofit institutions, yet the benefits are essential. For students and families, it means confidence in the quality of instruction and assurance that MCS provides the highest standard of performing arts education. For faculty and staff, it affirms the value of their dedication to the Conservatory’s mission: to instruct and inspire excellence in the performing arts.”
After more than 15 years since opening its doors, students of MCS have gone on to pursue degrees and careers in music and education at the University of Idaho, Boise State University, and other colleges and universities across the region.
To schedule an enrollment appointment, visit 110 Main St., in Sandpoint, or call 208-265-4444. Learn more at sandpointconservatory.org.
Dogsmile Adventures announces SAILA-PALOOZA celebration and
By Reader Staff
Dogsmile Adventures, a Sandpoint based nonprofit dedicated to providing therapeutic sailing experiences, is thrilled to announce its inaugural fundraising celebration: SAIL-A-PALOOZA. The event will take place Saturday, Sept. 13, from 5-8 p.m. at Matchwood Brewing Company (513 Oak St., in Sandpoint).
The evening promises live music, games, storytelling, silent auctions and community spirit — all to raise funds that support Dogsmile Adventures’ mission of helping people “discover the healing and potential through sailing adventures.”
Admission is free, with opportunities throughout the evening to give back, including raffles, paddle raises and VIP table reservations.
The event will include:
• Live music from Harold’s IGA;
• Silent auctions featuring unique local items and experiences;
• Paddle raise and sailboat giveaway raffle;
• Family-friendly fun, including games for kids;
fundraiser
• No-host food and drinks, with a portion of proceeds donated to Dogsmile Adventures.
In addition, eight VIP tables for six are available for $500, which include complimentary drinks, a dedicated server and prime stage seating.
“This is a milestone moment for us. SAIL-A-PALOOZA is our very first in-person event, and we couldn’t be more excited to celebrate alongside our community, “ stated Jon Totten, founder of Dogsmile Adventures.
“Every sail we take changes a life, and this evening is about honoring that work while inviting more people to be part of it,” he added. “We’re so grateful to Matchwood Brewing and to everyone who is helping us make this vision a reality.”
All ages are welcome, and attendees are encouraged to wear Dogsmile gear if they have it. As the event will span indoor and outdoor spaces, guests are advised to bring a light jacket for the evening.
For questions or to reserve a VIP table, contact: hello@dogsmileadventures. org. Learn more about Dogsmile Adventures at dogsmileadventures.org.
Random Corner
• Vinyl records have been around since 1888, when Emile Berliner invented the first flat disc records. Before that, Thomas Edison’s phonograph used wax cylinders.
• In the almost 140 years since they’ve been around, vinyl records have survived format wars, technological advancements and even the digital streaming revolution. There was a period in the early 2000s when vinyl neared extinction. Major record labels released fewer records than ever; but, thanks to collectors, indie artists and a resurgence of interest in analog sound, vinyl made a return.
• The classic speed of a vinyl album is 33 ⅓ RPM, which offers a good balance between audio quality and playing time. Other speeds that have been used include 45 RPM (often used for the classic seven-inch single), and 78 RPM (the standard speed for shellac records in the first half of the 20th century, which was dropped with the development of vinyl records).
• The best-selling vinyl album remains
• Most vinyl records play about 22 minutes on each side; but, in the 1930s, RCA Victor produced an experimental record that contained more than 90 minutes of audio on one side.
• Jack White’s album Lazaretto has set a Guinness World Record for the Most Features on a Vinyl Record. White included hidden tracks under the label, the ability to play the album at different speeds and even a hologram that appears when you spin it.
• Jack White also produced the biggest vinyl record in history in 2012, when he made a nine-foot-wide version of Freedom at 21. It was fully functional and played back with a giant custom-made turntable. In 2014, however, Hotel California by The Eagles set the record for the biggest record ever at 407 feet wide and spinning at 17 mph, but wasn’t as fully functional as White’s Freedom at 21.
Thriller, by Michael Jackson, which sold more than 30 million copies. The Dark Side of the Moon, by Pink Floyd and Abbey Road by The Beatles continue to be bestsellers as well.
‘Working together for Sandpoint’s future’
By Sandpoint Mayor Jeremy Grimm Reader Contributor
Many of us feel the pinch of rising costs, from groceries to gas to utility bills. Taxes are no exception, and people are right to expect that their hardearned dollars are spent wisely. These conversations are important because they remind us of the need for accountability, transparency and fairness in how our community is managed.
In Idaho, property taxes are governed by strict limits. State law caps cities at no more than a 3% annual increase in revenue from existing properties, plus new construction and annexation. For Sandpoint’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget, that means about $153,000 in additional revenue from existing property owners and $82,000 from new growth. Against a $49 million budget supporting more than 100 employees and every city service, this is less than half of 1%. Meanwhile, the city faces the same cost pressures as households and businesses: Medical insurance alone rose by more than $200,000 last year, and fuel, insurance and labor costs continue to climb.
Our commitment is to manage within these constraints while protecting the services that make Sandpoint safe and livable — police and fire protection, passable streets, clean water, sewer, parks and planning. We’ve reduced the overall budget in each of the past two years, even while increasing investment in infrastructure.
We also work to make sure people know where their money goes. Anyone can visit the city’s website and, through our ClearGov portal, see line by line how funds are allocated.
Transparency is not just a word — it is a practice we take seriously.
The most pressing challenge we face is our wastewater treatment plant. Portions of this facility date back to the 1940s, and it no longer meets today’s clean water standards. Breakdowns in pumps and control systems are not “what if” scenarios — they have already happened. We are legally and morally obligated to ensure the river remains clean for future generations.
Decades ago, when the Clean Water Act was passed, the federal government provided substantial funding to help communities build modern plants. That is no longer the case. Similarly, state priorities have shifted. This year’s state income tax cut (House Bill 40) will save the average Sandpoint household about $268 annually; but, without outside support, our community could face increases of roughly $1,200 per year in sewer rates to finance a $130 million replacement. If the state of
Idaho were to invest even a portion of what it spends on tax reductions into infrastructure, the savings for local households would be far greater.
Infrastructure is the foundation that allows the private sector to grow, attract investment, create jobs and provide opportunity. It is not just about pipes and pumps — it is about competitiveness, quality of life, and the confidence that our children and grandchildren will inherit a healthy, sustainable community.
Another important piece of this conversation is fairness. City residents contribute directly to the services they receive — on my own bill, $2,132 goes to the city of Sandpoint. Residents outside the city do not pay into the city budget yet freely use our parks, beaches and downtown amenities. At the same time, city residents also pay county taxes — on my bill, another $1,287 — funding the sheriff’s office and county roads, even though Sandpoint provides its own police and street department. In effect, city residents are paying for both, while
much of the broader county enjoys city amenities at no direct cost.
This is why we are considering ways to share costs more fairly, such as modest paid parking at City Beach and downtown lots. The goal is not to burden anyone but to make sure that everyone who benefits helps contribute to the upkeep of these valued community spaces.
Sandpoint is not immune to the pressures facing small towns across the country. But we are committed to managing responsibly, living within our means and planning for the future.
The wastewater treatment plant is a once-in-a-generation responsibility. Addressing it is not about fear, but about stewardship — ensuring that we leave Sandpoint stronger, cleaner and more resilient for those who come after us.
Jeremy Grimm has served as Sandpoint mayor since 2024, served as Sandpoint city planner from 2007-2015 and is owner/land use planner at Whiskey Rock Planning + Consulting.
Sandpoint Mayor Jeremy Grimm
Homemade ‘boats’ to gather for 6th annual Sandcreek Regatta
By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff
The Sandcreek Cup is getting dusty in the Reader’s office window, which means it’s time for the Sandcreek Regatta boat race — this year marking its sixth annual run up and down the eponymous waterway on Saturday, Sept. 6.
For those not in the know, the regatta is a contest of do-it-yourself boat building, with watercraft cobbled together from whatever crews can find and pitted against one another for a furious, human-powered paddle starting under the Bridge Street Bridge to the Cedar Street Bridge and back.
There are only a few rules: all boats — and “boat” is used in a strictly academic sense — must be homemade (that is, you can’t just show up with a modified canoe, kayak or even last year’s regatta craft); the vessel must be 100% human-powered (no motors); and all ages are welcome, but there has to be at least one person aboard who is 18 or older.
Also, bring your personal floatation devices and be ready to race sometime around 10:30 a.m. or 11 a.m. Regardless, the assembly point is in the parking lot before the entrance to City Beach — south of Bridge Street — at 10 a.m., from which all boats will be launched before lining up under the Bridge Street Bridge.
Spectators are more than welcome, since the crews need some encouragement, as well as witnesses either to
their glory or the ignominy of capsizing, sinking or otherwise getting wet.
Resurrected from the “Businessmen’s Race” of Sandpoint’s past by organizers Jon and Amanda Knepper, the event is free to enter (just show up with your craft and you’re in the race) and features a range of trophies — including the Sandcreek Cup, which the Reader has won more times than not since the inaugural race in 2019.
“The cup will be passed, and we’ll have some extra trophies for the typical awards: ‘Most Epic Fail,’ ‘Most recycled,’” Jon Knepper said.
For the first time this year, the Sandcreek Regatta will kick off with a ceremonial “sacrifice,” when a volunteer tourist will be (gently) pushed into the creek as thanks for a successful summer and to ensure an epic winter. The “victim” will be awarded with a specially made T-shirt and other gifts, courtesy of the Reader
“That’s fantastic. I love it,” Knepper said of the sacrificial offering.
Win, lose or sink, there will be an after-party at Idaho Pour Authority (203 Cedar St., in downtown Sandpoint), where crews, their friends, family and anyone else who feels like attending will toast one another.
“We’re very happy to see the Sandcreek Regatta sticking with the community — I think it’s going to be around for a long time,” Knepper said.
Some regatta crews forgo the race altogether and shoot for the coveted “Most Epic Fail” trophy instead. Photo by Woods Wheatcroft
‘My life was in freefall before I qualified for Medicaid’ Program cuts will cost more than supposed savings
By Karey Perkins Robles Reader Contributor
I am a survivor of childhood abuse, domestic violence and violent crime. I live with complex post-traumatic stress disorder and bipolar disorder — conditions I did not choose, but ones I must manage every day. Without Medicaid, I would not be here to share my story. That’s why I feel compelled to speak up about the consequences of H.R. 1, the federal budget law recently passed by Congress. I am very worried that the legislation’s massive budget cuts to Medicaid and strict work requirements will put thousands of lives at risk. My life was in freefall before I qualified for Medicaid. I attempted suicide multiple times. I would selfharm to relieve intense emotions. I couldn’t complete basic tasks. I had no support and no hope. My turning point came when a college professor — a retired sheriff and Iraq War veter-
an — told me I needed mental health treatment. He shared his battle with PTSD and assured me that recovery was possible. For the first time, I knew I wasn’t alone.
Through Medicaid, I received case management, therapy and psychiatric care. My case managers helped me schedule appointments and get transportation to access care. They con-
nected me to vocational rehabilitation and, eventually, I was able to manage my own affairs. I stabilized.
But recovery is not linear. I lost my Medicaid benefits many times because of missed paperwork. I would end up in the ER when I needed medical attention — health care that I couldn’t afford to pay for because I was uninsured. Last year, my symptoms returned: panic attacks, dissociation, even stuttering. I struggled to manage the overwhelming paperwork to stay enrolled. The only reason I was able to keep my Medicaid coverage was because my case managers showed me how to request an exemption.
Many people with untreated mental health conditions often don’t realize that treatment is available or how to access it. Medicaid makes this possible.
There are more people with stories like mine, but they won’t have the lifeline I had with Medicaid because of this law. More bureaucratic hurdles will be imposed through work require-
ments that will cut people off from health care while doing nothing to help them find work. For people like me, who live with mental health challenges that make navigating complex systems nearly impossible, these policies are not just burdensome — they are devastating.
Stripping Medicaid away will push thousands of people into crisis. The costs — in ER visits, hospitalizations, lost productivity and lives — will be far greater than any so-called savings.
Congress made a choice: It chose to make it harder for vulnerable Americans to get care. I am living proof of what Medicaid makes possible — and I fear for those who will not get that same chance.
Karey Perkins Robles, from Emmett, Idaho, is an advocate with a special focus on behavioral health, strengthening families and Head Start. She works to elevate the voices of experts and advance policies that address socioeconomic challenges, so communities have the support they need to thrive.
Karley Perkins Robles. Courtesy photo
Deadline nearing for Angels Over Sandpoint’s Community Grant Program
By Reader Staff
The Angels Over Sandpoint Community Grant Program is accepting applications until Monday, Sept. 15, offering up to $2,500 for charitable and educational organizations in Bonner County.
Organizations eligible to apply must meet one of the following criteria:
• An organization holding a current tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)
(3), (4), (6) or (19) of the Internal Revenue Code;
• A recognized government entity: state, county or city agency, including law enforcement or fire departments, that are requesting funds exclusively for charitable purposes;
• A pre-Kindergarten to Grade 12 public or private school, charter school, community/junior college, state/private college or university;
• A church or other faith-based organization with a proposed project that benefits the community at large;
• A children’s and/or youth program.
Applications can be found at angelsoversandpoint. org under the “Need Help/ Grants” tab. Instructions and a complete description of the grant are under “Community Grants.”
“The Angels Over Sandpoint looks forward to your wonderful ideas on how to enhance the life of our children, seniors, veterans and all Bonner County citizens,” the organization stated. “Each request will get careful consideration.”
Festival at Sandpoint 2026 poster contest now open
By Reader Staff
While it might feel like the Festival at Sandpoint just finished — because it did — the nonprofit arts organization is already preparing for next year with the opening of its annual poster contest, which invites artists to submit their pieces in hopes of being selected to represent the 2026 Summer Series of concerts.
Submissions are open until Monday, Feb. 2, at 5 p.m. and must be entered digitally or in person at the Festival office (525 Pine St., in Sandpoint).
Entries must be original art pieces that embody the Festival at Sandpoint, music or the area in a creative way. All media styles are welcome and encouraged, and will be judged on overall appearance, demonstrated artistic skill, creativity, reproduction and marketability potential, as well as how well the art embodies the spirit of the Festival.
The winning piece will be featured on poster prints and merchandise, with the winner and their art included in marketing materials. The winner will also receive two 2026 Summer Series sponsor passes or a scholarship (available for students pursuing continuing education).
All ages are welcome to apply, but entrants under 18 will require parental consent.
Visit festivalatsandpoint.com/poster-contest to learn more and apply.
Gardeners grow 15,844 summer meals for local kids
By Soncirey Mitchell Reader Staff
Local gardeners came together this summer to grow and donate more than 600 pounds of fresh produce to the Lake Pend Oreille School District Summer Lunch Program. The Bonner Community Food Bank, Gardens for Health Collaborative and LPOSD allied with local farmers to give out 2,063 plants to the community, which grew into 15,844 breakfasts and lunches for area students and stocked the food bank store.
“This partnership with the Lake Pend Oreille School District has been one of the most meaningful parts of our work this summer,” said BCFB Executive Director Debbie Love. “[LPOSD Nutrition Director] Bobbie Coleman and her team have gone above and beyond to support getting fresh, local produce to kids, even when it means more work for them.”
A team of volunteers at the food bank cleaned and prepared the fresh fruits and vegetables, delivering them to Coleman and her kitchen team to transform into perfect lunch-box
meals. Stables that wouldn’t work for the lunches — like onions — went directly to the food bank’s store.
“Our food bank did a phenomenal job with the mechanics of this project,” said organizer and GFHC member Michele Murphree. “We have all these gardens in our community, so let’s come together and put them to work. I think people really enjoyed being on our ‘growing team’ and making a real difference in our community.”
Organizers started the year with the goal of establishing an annual program and, thanks to donations from Greentree Naturals — as well as the hard work of dozens of volunteers — the Produce Project will return next summer. In the meantime, any gardeners with extra fruits and vegetables can donate directly to the food bank (1707 Culvers Drive, in Sandpoint) to help provide nutritious, tasty meals for local families.
Love gave special thanks to the team of volunteers and staff who made the program possible and to Murphree for her leadership.
“Seeing our community come together — from farmers like Robyn [Roberts of Flowers from the Heart]
donating flowers to families growing food to share — has been nothing less than inspiring,” said Love. “It is important to keep our youth fed throughout the summer. We’re proud to be part of something that feeds both bodies and hearts.”
For more information on how to donate or volunteer, visit bonnerfoodbank.org.
Rotary donates $50K raised from CHAFE 150 to local school literacy program
The Sandpoint Rotary Club recently delivered a $50,000 check to the Lake Pend Oreille School District to support its “Everyone Graduates a Reader” initiative. The funds were raised from the 17th annual CHAFE 150 Gran Fondo bike race, which Rotary presents as a one-day ride winding through the scenic lake and river valleys of the Cabinet Mountains in North Idaho and western Montana. The race features road routes of 150, 80, 40 and 25 miles, along with 55- and 75-mile gravel routes and a Family Fun Ride.
This year’s ride took place June 14 and drew almost 350 participants who hit the road on various routes beginning and ending in Sandpoint with an after-party for both riders and the community as a whole.
CHAFE 150 has contributed more than $1 million to youth education over the years, with a large portion benefiting local schools and Rotary youth service projects. The Everyone Graduates a Reader program at LPOSD is intended to emphasize “the fundamental right to read for every student, recognizing literacy as a critical tool for personal and academic success,” according to organizers. “When students are proficient readers, they are better equipped in all subjects, improve their communication and develop confidence.”
— Words by Reader staff, courtesy photo
Volunteers and staff gather to celebrate the success of this year’s Lake Pend Oreille School District Summer Lunch Program.
Photo by Ana Kampe
hosts People, Places and Things art exhibition
By Soncirey Mitchell Reader Staff
For its newest installment of the First Friday series, the Pend Oreille Arts Council will host a special reception with artist Daryl Baird, welcoming his exhibition People, Places and Things. Baird will unveil his sculptures, paintings and mixed-media experiments on Friday, Sept. 5, from 5-7 p.m., at the POAC Gallery (313 N. Second Ave., in downtown Sandpoint) and the work will be on display for the remainder of the month.
“Baird is fearless in his exploration of styles and mediums. I never really know what to expect from him when it comes to subject matter or style, but I’m never disappointed,” said POAC Arts Coordinator Claire Christy.
Though Christy said local art lovers may recognize Baird’s name from POAC’s Found Fragments exhibition in
2024, attendees should expect something “completely different” from the newest showcase. Running the gamut from abstract to representational art, bare ceramics to colorful collages, Baird is constantly exploring what art means to him.
“I’ve been a casual painter all of my life, but while still working in the two-dimensional, humdrum, white-collar world, I took ceramic sculpture and pottery classes at night,” Baird wrote in his artist’s statement. “What I learned helped me make my escape from the cubicle and enter the studio. I replaced the necktie noose with an apron and went to work learning everything I could about ceramic art and the techniques used to make it.”
Baird has made a habit of throwing himself headfirst into each new medi-
By Soncirey Mitchell Reader Staff
“Fertile
um, learning the styles and techniques of the masters before finding his own unique take on them. See the fascination and dedication the artist brings to all his pieces in person at this free opening.
For more information, visit artinsandpoint.org.
Replacing the ‘necktie noose with an apron’ BoCo museum fundraises with community yard sale POAC
The Bonner County Historical Society and Museum is raising funds for general operations with a community yard sale Saturday, Sept. 6, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Lakeview Park (611 S. Ella Ave., in Sandpoint). All merchandise will be donated by the community, helping locals clear out storage space while funding the museum’s education and preservation efforts.
“I’ve been calling it the ‘Stories Unknown’ yard sale, because sometimes people try to donate items to our collection, but they have no story that ties them to Bonner County history, so we can’t accept them,” said Executive Director Hannah Combs. “This yard sale is a great place to pass on those special pieces to someone who can infuse them with new meaning. And, who knows, maybe someday they’ll wind up in our collection after they grow more stories.”
Donate “nice old things” — furniture, jewelry, art and more, but no clothes — during regular business hours every day until noon on Friday, Sept. 5. Please email pictures of large pieces to info@bonnercountyhistory.org before
lugging them down to the parking lot. Proceeds from the sale will support the museum’s general operations — funds that are now more important than ever since new expenses have begun to pop up in its aging building. Staff recently discovered that the museum needs a new roof, which will cost an estimated $90,000. During the Fiscal Year 2026 budget discussions, the Bonner County board of commissioners voted to increase the historical society’s budget from $25,000 in FY’25 to $40,000 in the coming year to help cover expenses.
“We are incredibly grateful to the Bonner County commissioners for approving an increased line item for the historical society for 2026,” said Combs.
“The more independent fundraising we do, the more we can invest county funds in efforts that will protect the collection, such as replacing the roof,” she later added.
Before spending any money on building improvements, staff will create a comprehensive plan for the facility and renew the museum’s 40-year lease in Lakeview Park. The Sandpoint City Council discussed the lease at the Sept. 3 meeting, but had not made any decisions as of press time.
Ground” by Daryl Baird
COMMUNITY
Equinox Foundation awards $311K to nonprofits in Bonner/Boundary counties
By Reader Staff
Twenty-seven nonprofits serving Bonner and Boundary counties were awarded a total of $311,057 in grants through the Equinox Foundation Grant Program at Innovia Foundation, which provides grants with an emphasis on values “including wisdom, integrity and environmental stewardship,” according to an announcement.
“Support through this annual grant program means local nonprofits can expand opportunities in education, youth development, arts and culture, economic opportunity, and health and wellbeing to create real change for families and communities in North Idaho,” stated Innovia CEO Shelly O’Quinn.
Local Equinox grant awardees included: 4-H clubs and affiliated 4-H organizations, which received $11,000 for 4-H Friday Friends; the Angels Over Sandpoint, which received $10,000 for its Back to School Program; $10,000 for the Bonner Community Food Bank for general operating support; $14,737 to the Boundary County Historical Society for collections management and community preservation; the Bonner Soil and Water Conservation District, which got $2,500 for general operations; $4,479 for the Boundary County Free Library District’s early literacy Tonies Project; $7,500 for the Boundary County School District’s 2130 Alpha+ Robotics Program; and the Boundary County Youth Crisis and Domestic Violence Hotline, which received $11,200 for shelter and rental assistance.
The cities of East Hope and Priest River also received $15,000 for community improvements; Community Cancer Services got $10,000 for its Cancer Burden Relief Project; $10,000 went to the Community Coalition for Families’ emergency housing and transportation services; Farmin Stidwell Elementary received $2,640 for its trout in the classroom program; a $12,000 grant was awarded to the First Judicial District CASA Program. to support Bonner Boundary County operations; and the Friends of the Shelter — doing business as Better Together Animal
Alliance — received $10,000 for community support programs.
The Idaho Trails Association got $10,000 for trail work projects in Bonner and Boundary counties; Kaniksu Land Trust received $15,000 for its work “building community through land, learning and stewardship”; $10,000 went to the Kinnikinnick Native Plant Society for signage and an audio tour at the arboretum in Sandpoint; the Music Conservatory of Sandpoint received $5,000 for its Music Matters! after-school youth outreach efforts; and NAMI Far North received $15,000 for its Sand Creek Connections Clubhouse.
Finally, Panhandle Special Needs got $10,000 to support its critical needs programs for adults with disabilities; the Pend Oreille Arts Council received $5,000 for its Ovations performing arts program; Priest River Ministries got $15,000 to support programs for domestic violence survivors; $15,000 went to community building efforts at Sandpoint Area Seniors, Inc.; the Sandpoint Nordic Club, Inc. got $5,000 for its Youth Ski League; the Panida Theater received $50,000 for its Century Fund; and Trinity Lutheran Church of Bonners Ferry got $10,000 to support its weekend supplemental food program
“Innovia Foundation is deeply grateful to the Equinox Foundation for its generous commitment to Bonner and Boundary counties,” O’Quinn stated.
Visit innovia.org for more info.
Send event listings to calendar@sandpointreader.com
The Pend Oreille Economic Partnership released its speaker lineup for the organization’s economic summit, this time titled “What’s Happening Up North.” The allday event will be held Thursday, Sept. 25 at the Sandpoint Center community room (414 Church St., in Sandpoint).
The event features keynote speakers with Q&A sessions, panel discussion sessions, networking opportunities, food and beverage with catering by Marigold Bistro, and a nohost happy hour.
This year’s theme is “The Network: Standing Strong Together in Challenging Times.”
Keynote speakers include Grant Forsythe, chief economist, Avista Corp.; Steven Peterson, economist, University of Idaho; Timothy Nadreau, economist, University of Ida-
ho; Ford Elsaesser, partner, Elsaesser Aderson Chtd.; Molly Sanchez, chief Community Investment officer, Innovia Foundation; Josh Kaiel, Community Development director, Innovia Foundation and Paul Kimmel, regional business/ public affairs manager, Avista.
Registration costs $89, available for purchase at PEPIdaho.org, by phone at 208-290-7752 or via email at brent@pepidaho.org. The event is limited to 90 participants, so PEP recommends purchasing tickets early.
The Pend Oreille Economic Partnership is the operating
entity of the Bonner County Economic Development Corporation, a private 501(c)6 nonprofit economic development corporation founded in 2000 and committed to working across the community to develop a vibrant economy of diverse businesses and industries that offer quality job opportunities and help build prosperity for all in Bonner County.
For sponsorship opportunities or more information about the event, contact PEP Executive Director Brent Baker at brent@pepidaho.org or 208-290-7752.
dumb of the week
The American Dick(tator)
By Ben Olson Reader Staff
Dumb springs eternal, and it feeds a well that will never run dry.
Recent statements from President Donald Trump might have ended a politician’s career in years past. Now? Well, we’re so backward and bankrupt in our souls these days that it doesn’t even move the needle.
On Aug. 25, Trump told reporters, “A lot of people are saying, ‘Maybe we’d like a dictator.’”
In the words of Walter Sobcheck: “Shut the fuck up, Donny.” Nobody is saying that but you and your minions, Der Prësident.
A day later, when Trump threatened to deploy National Guard troops to public streets in Chicago, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker had some choice words for the commander-in-chief:
“This is exactly the type of overreach that our country’s Founders warned against, and it’s the reason that they established a federal system with a separation of powers built on checks and balances. What President Trump is doing is unprecedented and unwarranted. It is illegal. It is unconstitutional. It is un-American.”
Pritzker is correct across the board. The founders of our nation knew there would be threats to our system of government from people like Trump. That’s exactly why they built in the checks and balances that every one of us learned about in our high-school U.S. government classes.
Our Founders had no way of predicting this outcome, though — that about half of our population would be either too ignorant or complicit to resist a grifter like Trump as he erodes the structures that have ensured no individual or movement could operate with unilateral power.
In response to Pritzker’s criticism of his decision to send troops into Chicago, Trump first insulted the gov-
ernor’s weight (that’s rich), then vomited out some choice words that should make every American shudder.
At a Cabinet meeting on Aug. 26, Trump claimed his authority as chief executive has no limits when it comes to deploying the National Guard.
“Not that I don’t have — I would — the right to do anything I want to do. I’m the president of the United States,” he said, in his usual stuttering, weaving fashion.
That’s an interesting departure from Trump’s first term, when he agreed that Guard deployments in states were dependent on gubernatorial support. His Homeland Security secretary, Kristi “Nazi Barbie” Noem, said in 2024 that if former-President Joe Biden tried to federalize National Guard troops it would constitute a “direct attack on states’ rights,” and spark a “war” between Washington, D.C. and GOP-led state governments.
At the same Aug. 26 meeting, Trump reached deep into his bile bag and belched out another winner: “The line is that I’m a dictator, but I stop crime. So a lot of people say, you know, ‘If that’s the case, I’d rather have a dictator.’”
Again, nobody is saying that. I’d like to end with a story that exemplifies the depravity of our president.
In 2022, Trump’s ex-wife, Ivana, died after falling down the stairs. He didn’t bury her in a cemetery; rather, he interred her next to the No. 1 hole at his golf course in New Jersey with a plain stone marking the grave. You see, New Jersey gives tax breaks if land is used for a cemetery — no property tax, no income tax, no sales tax. By burying one person on his golf course, Trump shielded the entire estate, quietly registering it as a nonprofit cemetery company. That decision has likely saved him hundreds of millions of dollars in tax payments.
Nothing is sacred to Trump — not even the mother of his children. What makes you think you are any different to him?
By Marcia Pilgeram Reader Columnist
The Sandpoint Eater In the chips
I’ve spent a lot of my life trying to make cookies “better.” That was the baker in me — the professional caterer — tinkering with recipes, adding special ingredients, like perfectly browned Irish butter, filberts I gathered in Oregon, cracked and roasted just so, or adding contraband dark Cuban chocolate, finely chopped and folded in by hand. Clients and friends alike would marvel at my decadent creations, leading me to become even more creative in my next attempt.
Lately, as I’ve gotten older — and wiser — I find myself craving simplicity not just in baking, but in life. And nothing reminds me of that better than time in my kitchen.
I have nine grandchildren, which still astounds me and leads me to great reflection. The oldest three are off to college, stepping out into the world with confidence and independence. I think of them living on ramen noodles, creating new friendships and finding their way to balance classes, part-time jobs and homesickness. It’s easy to recall the days their parents began similar journeys of independence and the myriad batches of cookies I baked for them, too.
Back then, I was also baking for business and believed the best way to show my love (and show off my cookies) was through magazine-worthy specimens, browned just so, with perfectly rounded edges and finished with a slight dusting of sea salt. I’d complement my baking efforts with elegant packaging and color-coordinated ribbons. These days, I’m baking for comfort (mine and theirs), so I reach back into my
mind for the familiar cookies baked by my Mama: her simple chocolate chip cookie. My mother wasn’t a professional baker. She didn’t fuss with precision when measuring ingredients and never owned a kitchen scale. She was not a demonstrative person, and words of affection rarely passed her lips. But now I know that she baked not only by hand — she baked by heart. When she baked, it was an entire day’s labor of love. Every surface in our sunny kitchen was covered with a week’s worth of newspapers, topped with dozens of cooling cookies. These cookies were her form of love language, delivered with a silent yet powerful message: “You are loved.”
When I bake for my grandchildren, I’m no longer fussing with two kinds of flour or single-origin chocolate. I’m reaching for the ever-familiar basics: all-purpose flour, sugars, butter, eggs, vanilla, semi-sweet chocolate chips,
a sturdy wooden spoon and measuring cups that show 40 years of wear.
While I’m stirring, I can almost see the faces of the young adults who will open the USPS Priority package on the other end, in their new surroundings, with hearts that might be a little tender for a taste of home. I hope that each cookie, whether shared openly with new friends or hoarded in their drawers for a late-night snack, will convey a generational message: “You are loved.”
It’s funny how age shifts your perspective. In my younger years, I thought “special” meant grand gestures and great efforts. Today, I see it differently. It’s authenticity. A chocolate chip cookie is the same today as it was when I was a little girl, when I waited (impatiently), first to lick the bowl and spatula, and then for a bite of a still-warm, soft cookie oozing with chocolate chips.
It’s the same cookie my Mama cooled and stored
before wrapping them in a napkin she’d tuck into my metal lunch box. It’s the same cookie I send off in care packages, each one a small token of grandma-love.
I still wrap them with care, so they don’t crumble along the way; but, mainly, I focus on the baking itself — measuring, mixing, scooping, baking — because that’s where my heart finds its purpose.
I love the aroma of these cookies baking in the oven. The kitchen is filled with a familiar, buttery scent that cannot be duplicated. It makes me feel close to my mother, my children and theirs. And everyone who enters my home on a baking day agrees — there’s no better aroma in the world.
Chocolate chip cookies remind me that sometimes ordinary things carry the most significant weight. And whether you want to dress yours up or settle for Ruth Wakefield’s Toll House tradition of 1938, when she created the original recipe, no greater baking endeavor exists.
Even the “Barefoot Contessa,” Ina Garten, relies on Wakefield’s original reci-
pe. However, she admits to doctoring it up a bit with additional vanilla, a touch more salt and some chunks of bittersweet chocolate. Everyone seems to have their own recipe for success. I always use extra Tahitian vanilla (admitting I’m still a teensy bit of a baking snob), more brown sugar than white and the dough spends 24 hours in the refrigerator before I begin baking.
I can’t recall my mom ever adding any special ingredients to her cookies, though they were considerably smaller than the ones my friends pulled out of their lunchboxes. When I started baking for my own children, Mama offered me this sage advice: “Make your cookies small because no matter what size you make, they [the greedy little children] will always ask for two. And if you make them too big, they won’t even finish the second one.”
It turns out she was right, which is why this recipe yields a few extra dozen for my Mama (and maybe you)!
Enhanced Toll House cookies recipe
Yield 4 dozen cookies (or 6 dozen for smaller cookies). These cookies are chewy in the center, with a caramel flavor from the extra brown sugar, and a richer aroma from the extra vanilla. Don’t overbake!
INGREDIENTS: DIRECTIONS:
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 1 ¼ cups packed light brown sugar
• 2 ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups (12 oz bag) semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup chopped pecans
In a large bowl, beat together butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar until creamy. Add vanilla and eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. Gradually stir into the wet mixture. Fold in chocolate chips and pecans. Chill dough overnight. Preheat oven to 375° Fahrenheit. Drop dough by rounded tablespoon onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake for 10-14 minutes, until edges are golden but centers are still soft.
Let cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
MUSIC
Help Sandpoint win a $120K grant to expand the free outdoor Summer Music Series
By Ben Olson Reader Staff
When it comes to free, outdoor music concerts in Sandpoint, nobody does it better than Robb Talbott. The owner of Mattox Farm Productions has spearheaded the annual Sandpoint Summer Music Series, which gives Sandpointians four outdoor shows to enjoy free of charge at Farmin Park and outside The Heartwood Center (615 Oak St., in Sandpoint).
Now, if the public turns out to vote in favor of Mattox Farm Productions for a national grant they are applying for, we can enjoy many more free shows for years to come.
Mattox Farm Productions is joining forces with the Pend Oreille Arts Council to announce they’ve advanced to the public voting phase in the competition for a multi-year grant of up to $120,000 from the Levitt Foundation to keep the music playing in Sandpoint. Thanks to support from the Levitt Foundation — a national social impact fund dedicated to music, public space and community building — POAC is vying to become a finalist to receive the Levitt Music Series Grant. The public is encour-
aged to show its support by voting online or via text from Friday, Sept. 5 at 10 a.m. to Monday, Sept. 15 at 5 p.m. at levitt.org/vote.
Supported by the Levitt Foundation, this opportunity could provide up to $120,000 over three years (2026-’28) to fund a series of seven to 10 free outdoor concerts annually. If awarded, the grant would allow POAC and Mattox Farm Productions to expand Sandpoint’s Summer Music Series, which has been a community tradition for the past six years.
POAC has submitted a proposal to enhance and grow the current Summer Music Series by hosting additional free outdoor concerts at Farmin Park, located between Third Avenue and Main Street, in downtown Sandpoint.
The proposed series will feature a diverse lineup of professional musicians across multiple genres, activating an underutilized public space and creating an artistic destination for residents and visitors alike.
Sandpoint’s proposal is now posted on the Levitt Foundation website, where the community can learn more and cast votes. Each individual can vote once for up to
Panhandle Bluesfest, Prater Mountain, Sept. 4-7
For the ninth year, area blues lovers are invited to a multi-day concert series in one of the most epic venues around, with Panhandle Bluesfest on Prater Mountain in Priest River. Attendees are invited to bring all their favorite camping supplies and settle in for performances from The Meat Sweatz, Justyn Priest, Sammy Eubanks and The Bobby Paterson Band (and more). Bring your own instrument and sit in on Fri-
five proposals — either online at levitt.org/vote or via text to 877-409-5525 using the keyword “Sandpoint.”
The number of votes received will influence the foundation’s final decision, which will be announced on Nov. 18.
“We are excited about the possibility of bringing even more free concerts to Sandpoint,” stated POAC Executive Director Tone Stolz. “While there are many opportunities to experience music in town, the cost can be a barrier for many families. Our goal is to create a vibrant, accessible space where everyone can enjoy live music without the expense.”
POAC and Mattox Farm
A
day night’s open jam session ($20). The event features food for purchase at the gazebo and raffles supporting the Priest River school Music Department. There’s no cell service, but signage will guide the way.
— Zach Hagadone
Music starts at noon each day; $10 per person, per night, $35 admission, 12 and under FREE. Prater Mountain, 1542 Prater Mountain Road, Priest River. See the event’s FB page for more.
Sandpointians enjoy listening to a free outdoor concert at Farmin Park. Courtesy photo
Productions encourage everyone to spread the word within the community — invite families, friends, colleagues and neighbors to rally support by voting for Sandpoint’s proposal.
“Together, we can bring this exciting vision to life,” POAC and Mattox Farm wrote.
A voting kick-off party will take place Saturday, Sept. 6 at 7 p.m., featuring live music from The Whags, a Seattle Americana Jam Band, starting at 8 p.m. at Eichardt’s Pub (212 Cedar St., in downtown Sandpoint).
For more information and to cast your vote, visit levitt.org/vote.
Biddadat, Summer Music Series, September 11
The Seattle-based neo-funk band Biddadat rounds out this season’s Sandpoint Summer Music Series, presented by Mattox Farm Productions, with a free, family-friendly concert at Farmin Park. Led by Cameron Brownell and Kyle Miller, the band takes the vocal flourishes of blues and pairs them with a funky beat and rockin’ guitar to create a modern sound that feels retro. Just listening to their songs on Spotify, anyone can
This week’s RLW by Soncirey Mitchell
READ
British author Wilkie Collins left his mark on history by establishing many of the tropes used in detective fiction, mysteries and police procedurals. His Gothic novel, The Woman in White, is one of the best representations of British “sensation novels,” which dealt with shocking and taboo subjects. I can’t say that Collins — or any 19th-century author — deals with mental illness well, but the story is an interesting means of thinking about cultural prescriptions and the history of mental health. Find it at the library.
LISTEN
hear how playful and joyous the group’s performances are. Boogie along to their original music and enjoy food trucks, ice cream, a quality bar and facepainting for the kids.
— Soncirey Mitchell
6 p.m., FREE. Farmin Park, Third Avenue and Main Street in Sandpoint, mattoxfarm.com/summermusicseries. Listen at biddadat.com.
I’m not usually a fan of modern country, but there’s something about the duo The Secret Sisters that I find addictive. Their songs have just the right amount of folk and Americana elements, mixed with an almost Southern Gothic sound, which makes for easy listening. The sisters’ songs are often narrative-based — like my favorite, “He’s Fine” — and sometimes offer contradictory or complementary versions of events. Listen on Spotify.
WATCH
Here I am, predictably, with another detective show to recommend. I won’t apologize. Will Trent follows the eponymous hero and his best friend, Betty (she’s a chihuahua), as they solve crimes for the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. The show has an adorable cast of characters that maintain a lighthearted kindness despite the horrors they face, including an abusive foster care system and the racism and sexism rampant in law enforcement. Watch it on Hulu.
snapshot of notable live music coming up in Sandpoint
From Pend d’Oreille Review, Sept. 4, 1908
ONE BEER; EXPIRES
W.H. Sisson, one of the old pioneers of Hope, suddenly expired in the saloon of Fred Nagel Monday evening in Spokane. Mr. Sisson had accepted an invitation to have a glass of beer and immediately after drinking it he sat down in a chair and a few minutes later died.
Otto Nagel, son of the proprietor, who was tending bar at the time of the death, said: “Mr. Sisson had taken only that one drink as far as I know. Shortly afterwards he sat down in a chair and I noticed that he was sick. Before we could get to him his body had begun to grow stiff and he was dead when we reached him.”
Mr. Sisson went to Spokane about a month ago and was stopping at the Nagel hotel, Mr. Nagel being the father-in-law of William Sisson, a son of the deceased, the latter being employed as an engineer on the Washington & Idaho Northern railway. It was Mr. Sisson’s intention, after resting up in Spokane to go to Medical Lake and receive treatment for dropsy and kidney trouble, with which he had been troubled for several years.
W.H. Sisson was an old timer of Bonner county. He came to Hope about 12 years ago and started in the saloon business and continued in the same until about three years ago when he sold out and retired from active business.
BACK OF THE BOOK
The unlikeliest of outcomes
By Ben Olson Reader Staff
If you noticed some pigs flying by your living room window earlier this summer, the sun rising in the west and a fine frosty crust settling over Hell, don’t worry; it was just me. I bought a home in Sandpoint.
I have hesitated to write about this new chapter in my life for fear that if I penned these words, I’d wake up and realize it was all a fever dream. Alas, it really happened. I couldn’t be happier.
Shortly after returning from our travels to the Balkans in June, my partner Cadie and I toured a house we noticed had popped up on the market.
We’ve been “looking” for almost 10 years; but, to be honest, I gave up on ever owning a home in my hometown years ago.
I had a chance to get into a decent place before the pandemic, but the price (just north of $200,000) seemed far too expensive for what it was. Then, the world shut down and I thought, “Ooh, we’ll be able to get into something better now that the housing market is set to return to Earth.”
The opposite happened, of course. Homes that sold for $200,000 in 2019 were going for three times that amount with cash offers — sight-unseen — as the world began to reorganize and city-dwellers sought refuge from the ailing world in our little shire.
As a result, the housing market went through a period of chaos when homes sold as quickly as they were listed, all for prices that locals couldn’t dream of affording. After all, how can someone making a middling income ever compete with out-of-state buyers who bargained with cash and offered prices substantially higher than asking? No matter how you crunched the
numbers, it was always a losing scenario for people like us.
Even if you did find a place you liked, by the time you got home, talked about it around the dinner table and decided to make an offer, the house was already “pending” with a half-dozen other buyers jockeying for position in case the accepted offer fell through.
No, my plan was to publish this newspaper until it claimed all but a few marbles left still rolling around in my head, then scuttle out of town to live on a jalopy boat in the Caribbean until a storm or a hungry shark took me, once and for all.
Now? Well, shoot. I don’t quite know how to plan for everything working out like gangbusters. Two months after closing, I’m still in complete shock.
To be fair, the sellers did receive other offers for the home — two, in fact, and one that went above asking price. That fateful morning, I spoke with our agent and realized we were third in line and it wasn’t looking good. To make matters worse, my partner’s landlord decided to raise her rent for the second time this year, charging about $1,000 more than she was paying the previous year.
For about seven minutes, our fate was uncertain. Would we stay in Sandpoint or leave town to live somewhere that actually gave people like us a fighting chance? Was this it?
But the universe did its thing and we ended up on the receiving end of a kind gesture that restored a bit of my faith in humanity.
The sellers (one of which is a Sandpoint business owner) liked the idea of selling to another local who was going to live and work here, so they made an incredible decision: They took our lower offer. The relief we felt after our offer had been accepted was incredible.
After a summer spent packing and cleaning, we moved into our new home last week and have been busy with the usual 800 or so tasks that new homeowners face.
To add a cherry on top of this beautiful sundae, Reader Editor-in-Chief and my best friend Zach Hagadone lives right next door. We’re fence neighbors. What are the odds?
[Editor’s note: Among Hagadone’s greatest pleasures these days is sticking his head over the fence and yelling at Olson whenever the former sees the latter poking around in the latter’s backyard.]
Buying a home in Sandpoint as a local can be a difficult ordeal. Everything, it seems, is against us staying here in the town in which we love.
The only way this worked out for Cadie and me is because another local decided to forgo a higher offer and let us have a fighting chance to own our first home. I’ll forever be thankful for that selfless decision.
I encourage anyone looking to sell their homes to first check around with friends and work circles, because you never know how many years someone has been trying to put down a root in the town they love. It shouldn’t require a stroke of luck just to buy a house in your hometown.
Finally, I urge anyone looking to make the transition from renting to owning not to give up. If I can do this, so can you. Let’s help each other out and maybe — just maybe — we can retain some of the local character this town so desperately needs to avoid becoming yet another soulless gentrified resort town.
This is our community, and we all deserve at least a chance to remain a part of it.
Laughing Matter
Solution on page 22
By Bill Borders
gusto /GUHS-toh/
Word Week of the Corrections: In “The World According to Doug,” [Reader, Aug. 28, 2025] we spelled Odin Clark’s name wrong. Sorry about that, Odin. —BO
[noun] 1. hearty or eager enjoyment
“The team celebrated winning the regatta with outsized gusto.”
When the age of the Vikings came to a close, they must have sensed it. Probably, they gathered together one evening, slapped each other on the back and said, “Hey, good job.”
CROSSWORD
ACROSS
1. Expensive fur
6. Perpendicular to the keel
11. Allegation
12. Endure
15. Sausage
16. Sanitary
17. Before, in poetry
18. Tactile alphabet 20. Circle fragment
21. Seaweed
23. Adhesive
24. French cheese 25. Duration
26. Inner surface of the hand 27. Sense
28. Cease
29. Women’s ___
Dish
31. In complete agreement 34. Pirate’s pal 36. Downwind
