February 21, 2019 Sandpoint Reader

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(wo)MAN compiled by

Susan Drinkard

on the street

Now that we are about six months past the street re-design in downtown Sandpoint, how are you adjusting?

“I grew up here, so it has been hard to adjust to the new street design, but now that I am used to it, I like it.”

Kalika Grass Flower Farm apprentice Beer tender at two breweries Sagle

DEAR READERS,

Welcome to the second and final week of the Sandpoint Winter Carnival!

There are a bunch of fun events to check out, including the Weird and Wonderful Pub Crawl and the always endearing K-9 Keg Pull, so turn to Lyndsie’s article on page 17 for all the information.

There is also a vote coming up March 12 for the Lake Pend Oreille School District supplemental school levy. Starting this week, we’ll be featuring some opinion editorials from various voices in the community, including a “point/counterpoint” piece in a later issue where proponents of both sides of the argument will square off in a winner-take-all cage match.

Just kidding, no cage match, but they’ll duke it out with words, which are even more powerful.

We hope you all have a great weekend out there!

-Ben Olson, Publisher

“It drives me crazy. I’ve been here since I was 8. I was used to the former street design, and I thought it contributed to how our town was characterized.”

Kimberly Roberts Stay-at-home mom Near Athol

Editorial: Cameron Rasmusson cameron@sandpointreader.com Lyndsie Kiebert lyndsie@sandpointreader.com Zach Hagadone (emeritus) John Reuter (emeritus) Advertising: Jodi Berge Jodi@sandpointreader.com

Submit stories to: stories@sandpointreader.com Printed weekly at: Griffin Publishing Spokane, Wash.

Subscription Price: $95 per year

OPEN 11:30 am

GAME ROOM UPSTAIRS

Rachel DeMars Hair stylist at Salon DeMars (Opening March 1st on Cedar Street Bridge) Sandpoint

Kimberly Stoddard Retail business owner Sandpoint

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

Contributing Writers: Cameron Rasmusson, Ben Olson, Lyndsie Kiebert, Emily Erickson, Brenden Bobby, Shawn Woodward, Steve Klatt, PollyAnna, Chris Balboni, Ammi Midstokke.

Bobby Olmo White Tail Transportation driver Priest River

“I think it’s beautiful. It looks great. I avoid some intersections because it’s hard to see.

The problem is the trucks, the snowmobiles and sled decks.”

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

Contributing Artists: Ben Olson (cover), Bill Borders, Susan Drinkard, Lyndsie Kiebert, Terry Owens.

“I haven’t adjusted. I still go the same way I used to because I don’t like change.”

“I liked it better with one-way streets. It used to be insanely easy to ride your bike downtown, and now it is insanely difficult. I liked First Street one way because it forced people to see our downtown.”

READER

The Psounbality with Per FRESH FOOD LIVE MUSIC THE BEST NW BREWS

212 Cedar Street Downtown Sandpoint

208.263.4005 A SandPint Tradition Since 1994

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

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

The Reader is printed on recycled paper using soy-based ink.

Leftover copies are collected and recycled weekly, or burned in massive bonfires to appease the gods of journalism. Free to all, limit two copies per person.

Sandpoint Reader letter policy: The Sandpoint Reader welcomes letters to the editor on all topics.

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

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

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

About the Cover

This week’s cover was photographed by Ben Olson. These two commemorative glasses are available to purchase for the Weird and Wonderful Pub Crawl this weekend. See MickDuff’s for details.

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NEWS

Fire investigation expected to last months

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff

Investigations continue into the fire that destroyed two historic downtown buildings and damaged another.

According to Sandpoint City Administrator Jennifer Stapleton, fire marshals are focusing their efforts on the 202 North First Ave. building at the corner of Bridge Street and First, which they identify as the source of the fire. The building was completely destroyed by the fire, along with another structure at 204/6 First Ave. The 208 North First Building, home to Grace Sandpoint Church, also sustained heavy smoke and water damage, prompting the congregation to meet at a temporary location until repairs are complete.

It will take some time before locals receive definitive answers as to the cause of the fire. According to city officials, weather conditions have put the investigation on hold, and a final report will likely take 45 to 60 days to complete.

Despite the wide array of rumors circulating on social media, Stapleton told a crowd at a

downtown revitalization meeting Tuesday that there was no reason for rampant speculation.

“They believe at this point it was started in the basement of the building, and there’s no reason to suspect at this point that there was any foul play,” Stapleton said.

Stapleton cautioned that it could take months, perhaps one or two years, for the fire situation to be fully resolved. It’s a complicated situation involving multiple insurance companies, and at least one business owner was uninsured. Restoring conventional traffic patterns will also be a challenge due to damage to the buildings and city infrastructure.

“We believe, moving forward, that both buildings (completely destroyed by the fire) will need to be demolished, which creates complications with the right of way,” she said.

While the community waits for answers, members are rallying to support the business owners and employees who lost their livelihoods in the fire.

A special event, dubbed The Power of Community, is organized for this weekend to assist

the people affected by the fire.

Hosted by the Lauren Adair Group, the event will take place at 317 North First Ave. from 4-7 p.m. Saturday. Local musicians will provide live music, while restaurants will have food and drink on hand for attendees to sample. There will also be a variety of fascinating, unique items on hand that event goers can bid on in auctions. You can support the event through GoFundMe —

just visit www.gofundme.com/ the-power-of-community-riseabove-the-ashes “It’ll be a great night for a great cause!” write the event organizers. “Come join us and see how the Power of Community will help us rise above the ashes.”

In addition, the fundraiser started by Eichardt’s to support the fire victims is still active. To date, it has raised $3,770 of a

The building at First Ave. and Bridge St. in mid-February after it had caught fire hours earlier. Photo by Ben Olson. $10,000 goal. To contribute, visit www.gofundme.com/for-businesses-affected-by-the-211-fires “Downtown small businesses are a vital part of preserving our community,” reads the fundraising campaign page. “We welcome anyone to join us and we challenge everyone to do something to help.”

City OKs goose management plan at City Beach, other city parks

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff

The fight to preserve local parks from the negative effects of Canadian geese is moving into its next phase.

Sandpoint Parks and Recreation Director Kim Woodruff told council members Wednesday that thanks to coordination with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Idaho Department of Fish and Game and USDA Wildlife Services, he believes a catchand-release plan is in place that will minimize the goose menace in city parks. Sandpoint City Council members approved the resolution for implementation this summer.

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of action, seen success and reclaimed their park systems,” Woodruff told council members.

While geese are beautiful birds that add their share of charm to the region, their sheer numbers at city parks, particularly City Beach, have caused some headaches. Each adult goose can produce up to two pounds of fecal matter a day, and the city incurs costs of more than $10,000 to deter and clean up after the birds. The sheer amount of poop at local parks has prompted negative reactions from many visitors and also presents a health risk due to pathogens.

This isn’t the first stab at controlling the goose problem.

Decoys, dog handlers, staff

deterrence and ribbons have all been used to ward off geese, but they “have only served as band aids to a growing concern,” according to city documents.

Woodruff is ready for a change of course, one set to take the form of a capture-and-release program. The capturing phase will take place when the birds are molting and flightless — usually June. The birds will then be banded for identification and relocated.

Deploying the plan will take coordination between multiple government agencies. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services will issue a Migratory Bird Depredation Permit needed to authorize the capture and release of the geese.

Idaho Fish and Game will assist

in identifying relocation sites.

USDA Wildlife Services, which specializes in resolving conflicts between human and animal interaction, will organize and manage the project, using its own banding permit to identify the geese. And the city of Sandpoint will provide staff to assist with goose capture. The entire cost to the city shouldn’t amount to more than $3,000.

While no harm should come to the geese during the early implementation of the program, more drastic measures may be required to ensure long-term success. Woodruff cautioned council member that by June 2020, banded geese that return to city parks may need to be humanely euthanized if the city is

to make a lasting impact. While it’s not a prospect that excites Woodruff, he believes it’s the practical reality of the situation.

“The action tonight is to relocate only, but I want to be clear and transparent to you and the public about my recommendations for long-term and sustained success,” Woodruff said.

According to Woodruff, the enormous numbers of Canadian geese are a success story of conservation, but are now a problem nationwide. That has led to effective control plans that have seen success in other towns.

“It’s probably going to take three, four, five years to see (a change,) but I truly think this is going to work,” Woodruff said.

NEWS

LPOSD superintendent interviewing in Wenatchee

Strong Cr. Bridge to be replaced

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff

Depending on a decision by Wenatchee School District, local school officials could be searching for a new superintendent.

The Wenatchee School District Board of Directors announced that Shawn Woodward, now superintendent of Lake Pend Oreille School District, is a finalist in their hunt for a new superintendent. Woodward faces competition from two other educators, Dr. Paul Gordon and Michael Musick, Ph.D., in his bid for the position.

Woodward traveled to Wenatchee, Wash., for a Wednesday afternoon forum to introduce himself and field questions from the community.

If selected, Woodward would replace outgoing Wenatchee Superintendent Brian Flones, who is slated to leave his office in August.

The LPOSD superintendent for almost seven years, Woodward was selected by the LPOSD board to replace outgoing superintendent Dick Cvitanich in July 2012.

“Under Woodward’s collaborative leadership style the Lake Pend Oreille School District has thrived over the last

By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff

Shawn Woodward. seven years,” reads his bio on the Wenatchee School District website. “The school district has been recognized at the state and national level for student growth and achievement, as well as increasing equity and access to advanced placement courses for traditionally underrepresented students. The school district is also well known for creating innovative choice options for families. They were the first district in the state of Idaho to develop a Homeschool Academy and one of the first to develop a mastery-based learning high school with an emphasis on experiential education.”

School funding bill nearly ready

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff

Next week could be the ticket for lawmakers to get their first look at a long-anticipated school-funding bill.

Idaho Education News reports that a bill revamping Idaho’s school-funding formula is nearly ready for introduction, but legislators and education groups are still working behind the curtain to finalize changes before it is introduced to the public.

Most agree that Idaho’s education funding model is badly in need of an update. It is based on a 1950s model that allocates funding based on how many students show up for class. However, the Associated Press reports that this model doesn’t account for changes in the internet age, which include online learning and students switching schools.

Work to update the funding model has unfolding over three years.

The nearly century-old bridge over Strong Creek in Hope is slated for replacement in coming weeks — a project that will alter travel through the area into the summer months.

Idaho Transportation Department spokesperson Megan Sausser said that construction was set to begin next week but has been postponed to start in mid-March due to snow.

“That will affect the overall end date, but we still aim to have

work completed by the Fourth of July,” she said.

The Strong Creek Bridge, located on the Idaho Highway 200 business route through Hope, was originally scheduled for replacement in 2020, but ITD decided last year to move the project up.

The original structure was built in 1924, and the last serious improvements were made in 1974.

Sausser said the bridge will be inaccessible to vehicular traffic until near completion, at which time flaggers will be present to allow one lane to pass at a time. Until then, drivers will need to use the

Photo courtesy ITD. main highway route along the lake.

A detour will be posted with additional signage included in response to public concern about heightened traffic on residential streets.

ITD is waiting to receive a proposal from the contractor about pedestrian access during construction, Sausser said.

The new bridge will feature a concrete sidewalk — rather than its current wooden one — as well as accessible ramps.

Learn more about the project and get updates at www.itdprojects.org.

Elks Club donates $2K to CCS

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

The Sandpoint Elks Club presented Community Cancer Services with a donation for $2,000 to be used toward their grocery voucher program.

“We got a grant that came unexpectedly,” said Elks president Becky Stone. “Usually we have to provide some kind of service with the grant, like building garden beds or the like, but with this one, we were able to give a donation.”

At the suggestion of Linda Tatlock, a cancer survivor, the Elks decided to “keep it local” and give the donation to CCS. “When someone receives a cancer diagnosis, it impacts everything,” said CCS program manager Cindy Marx. “It’s not just financial. It’s emotionally draining.”

CCS, which was founded in 2002, is a Sandpoint nonprofit organization tasked with providing information and direct support to cancer patients and their families residing in Bonner and Boundary

Counties.

“This donation will help with our grocery voucher program,” Marx said. “Often, we’ll have clients that receive a cancer diagnosis and they’ll be right at the poverty level. It’s hard to try to eat better and cleaner when you don’t have the means. It’s also tough on families because maybe the bread winner is unable to work because of their diagnosis.”

Marx said the grocery voucher program, as well as a gas voucher program, helps CCS clients pay the food bill, as well as fuel costs for treatments that may take them to Post Falls or Spokane.

“We also are able to direct-

Left to right: Teresa Lunde, Sherri Lies, Linda Tatlock, Denise Wilken, Cindy Marx and Becky Stone.

Photo by Ben Olson. ly pay medical bills if they fall through the cracks,” Marx said.

Marx said 90 percent of CCS’ funding comes through donations, either directly from the public, or through a series of annual fundraising events. For a full list of upcoming events, check out CCS’ website at www.CommunityCancerServices.com.

“If you don’t have insurance, or are on a limited budget, CCS is a godsend,” said Linda Tatlock with the Elks Club.

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Join Me in Support of the LPOSD Levy...

Bouquets: • There are a handful of people in this town that really make it a special place. I wonder what kind of town it would be without them.

Jeff Nizzoli, owner of Eichardt’s Pub, is one of those special people. Jeff helps out with everything, from fundraisers to local events.

Last week, after the fire devastated five local businesses, he started a GoFundMe page that has raised over $5,000 as of press time. That money will go toward the five businesses that were lost. This is just one example of Jeff’s impact. He never seeks recognition and never puts his face out there in front, but don’t be fooled — he’s one of the movers and shakers in this community that make us special. Thanks for all you do, Jeff.

• Last summer, a Sandpoint Waldorf School student named Priya Sullivan began a mentorship program for her eighth-grade project. Priya chose journalism as her focus, and we met every couple of weeks to discuss how we put the paper together, journalism ethics and other important aspects of this job. I went to watch Priya’s presentation last week and was proud that she exhibited a clear understanding of how journalists go about their jobs, and especially how important it is to remain ethical in these trying times. Great work, Priya!

Barbs • One thing I don’t love about living in town is dealing with all the people who leave their vehicles sitting on the street covered in snow. You’ve seen them around: mounds of snow with a bright orange sticker placed on the driver’s side window, usually with a huge snow berm before and after it from the snowplow. So, to all of you procrastinators who leave your cars covered in snow and have to go out to razor blade those stickers off your windows: just move the dang car already. Your neighbors are the ones who have to deal with inaccessible street parking because the plow can’t come by and clear it. So, be a good neighbor. Move your car.

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Drear Editor, Adequate funding for public education continues to be a challenge in Idaho, particularly in Bonner County.

Good education is critical to creating opportunity for children to succeed in life and become responsible, productive members of society. It is also critical for the long term economic health of a community. Quality employers require an educated workforce and they will choose to locate wherever they are guaranteed to find one. We can create long term prosperity only to the extent that we can adequately prepare our youth for the workforce of tomorrow. LPOSD has come a long way in the last 10-plus years, from one of the worst performing districts in the state to one of the best. We must do everything we can to continue funding education in Bonner County so that our children will be well equipped for the future economy. This is how we create long term prosperity. Please join me and vote yes for the levy.

Shelby Rognstad Sandpoint

I Don’t Get It...

Dear Editor, After reading the letter “School Levy” that was sent into the Reader Feb. 14 by Monique Hutchins, I just don’t get it. I don’t get that giving teachers a raise is a bad thing. I don’t get that smaller class size to reduce overcrowding is a bad thing. I don’t get funding academic activities, athletic extracurricular activities and technology is a bad thing.

Here are a few facts to consider: The $25,400,000 levy is not new, but replaces the one that expires at the end of this year. The levy is a continuation of the supplemental instructional levies that voters have passed every two years for the past 19 years. So, think about this, the projected cost for the average home owner will be about $6.92 per month.

Is that really too much to spend on our children’s education?

Idaho teachers’ salaries are ranked one of the lowest in the nation. I don’t think this a statistic we should be proud of. It doesn’t matter if you have children in LPOSD, or may someday have children in the district, or know of some children, or have grandchildren, it is our responsibility as a community to help fund public education.

Ms. Hutchins stated that we should vote against thievery. It appears she thinks the schools are out to rob us. Is funding education for children thievery? How about trying

responsibility? As the saying goes, If you think education is expensive, try ignorance.

Please vote YES on March 12 for education.

Carol Quintano Sandpoint

Vote No on Levy...

Dear Editor, Before we vote on March 12 for the latest LPOSD supplemental levy, here are some facts about what the bulk of this levy is for. $21 million — 84 percent — is for salaries, an increase of $7 million to cover pay increases, which Superintendent Woodward calls a necessity to be more competitive.

Bonner County’s median income is in the low $30,000s. To compare, let’s look at the current salaries of LPOSD employees. Online January 2019 payroll records show 219 individuals whose monthly salaries, computed for a year are well above that. These include teachers and administrative personnel.

- 69 make more than $40K - 42 make more than $50K - 73 make more than $60K - 18 make more than $70K - 8 make more than $80K - 1 makes more than $95K - 5 make more than $100K Woodward and Hals are among those making $173,910 and $144,444, respectively.

Excerpt from the Nov. 27 school board meeting: “...into the levy we are also asking for a salary increase of approximately 13.2 percent for all certified and classified staff “.

Needless to say, all LPOSD employees and their families will turn out to vote for these pay raises.

Turnout for other voters will be low, because the vote is held in March when many residents are gone for the winter. Also the Levy vote is not well publicized. Therefore, the levy always passes with a low voter turnout.

Please put a stop to this greed and vote NO, on March 12.

James Davis Sagle

BNSF Second Rail Bridge...

Dear Editor, I see an environmental group contends a second BNSF bridge across the lake will jeopardize water resources, air quality, wildlife habitat, Native American rights, navigation and tourism, increase noise, escalate pollution, heighten derailment risks and accelerate climate change.

Surprisingly, they left out a few things: the geese at City Beach will

be disturbed; the risk of altering the Earth’s magnetic field is intensified; the lake will transition from fresh to salt water; the world will end during bridge construction.

And you know what? BNSF gets this, and pretty soon they’ll want a 3rd bridge.

God bless America, and God bless our military.

Steve Brixen Sandpoint

Come Together and Vote Yes...

Dear Editor, Vote YES on Lake Pend Oreille School District’s Replacement Levy on Tuesday, March 12. A YES vote reflects well deserved confidence in our staff, our students, our community and our future.

Funding schools through levies is the norm for Idaho. Over 80 percent of school districts in Idaho must rely on supplemental/replacement levies.

In Bonner County, each school, particularly the small rural ones, depend on the local support acquired through the Replacement Levy in order to survive Exemplary student achievement has become LPOSD’s hallmark. LPOSD is consistently one of the highest performing school districts in Idaho.

Voting YES to support community and academic excellence provides an excellent return on your tax dollars. Our students are successful and succeed in large part due to our skilled and dedicated staff. To maintain this high standard, the staff of LPOSD must be paid a wage which is regionally competitive in Idaho. This levy will assure LPOSD can recruit and retain highly effective teachers.

Most importantly, our community must come together to make certain this replacement levy passes. If the replacement levy doesn’t pass, it will be disastrous for our community and students. Schools will be consolidated resulting in the elimination of services to our small rural schools.

Academic and athletic extracurricular activities will be cut along with curriculum and technology. Lastly, well over 300 full and part-time positions will be lost affecting every facet of our community.

This replacement levy replaces the expiring levy. This levy is not added to an existing levy. This levy is not permanent and will expire in two years.

Vote YES to support community and academic excellence.

Vote YES to maintain effective teaching and learning for every child.

Respectfully submitted, Judy Hull Sandpoint

Climate Change Denial...

Dear Editor, Borrowing from the title of a once popular movie, the most recent meeting of the Citizens Climate Lobby should have been dubbed, “Fear and Modeling in Sandpoint.”

Let’s revisit three statements made by speaker Steve Gahn. “We can cure climate change without government.” Later in the program Gahn contradicts himself by saying, “We need legislation to get past the controversy.” And finally, “We don’t need capitalism.” If those words don’t set off alarms in your head, maybe you’re just not paying attention. Perhaps you might want to book a cruise to Cuba or Venezuela to see what living conditions might be like if speaker Gahn had his way.

Here are some quotes from scientists who might not have hiked the Pacific Coast Trail, but whose qualifications and experience dwarf those of the anti-capitalist Gahn.

Will Happer, professor emeritus at Princeton University and author of over 200 peer-reviewed scientific papers, said in testimony before a U.S. Senate hearing in 2009: “Many people don’t realize that over geologic time, we are in a CO2 famine. At least 90 percent of greenhouse warming is due to water vapor and clouds. Carbon dioxide is a bit player. The current warming seems to be due to natural causes.”

NASA climate modeler Galvin Schmidt questioned the reliability of climate models. He admitted that the “chaotic component of the climate system is not predictable beyond two weeks, even theoretically.” Prominent physicist Freeman Dyson, professor emeritus at The Institute For Advanced Study at Princeton and member of the U.S. National Academy of Scientists, has referred to climate models as “rubbish.” He mocks “the holy brotherhood of climate model experts and the crowd of deluded citizens who believe the numbers predicted by the computer models.” The late atmospheric scientist Augie Auer said, “Most of these predictions or models are about a half step ahead of Playstation 3.” There’s your consensus.

The demonization of carbon continues to be one of the great hoaxes of the modern era.

Cort Gifford Sandpoint

Got something to say? Write a letter to the editor. Please keep letters under 400 words and free from obscenities and libel.

Please elevate the conversation.

PERSPECTIVES

Emily Articulated

A column by and about Millennials

How do you say “I’m an idiot” in Thai?

By Emily Erickson Reader Columnist

The plane wheels screeched to halt, jarring me from my cricked-neck sleep.

Massaging the base of my head, I wondered why the hell I hadn’t yet invested in one of those neck donuts, especially because I was now convinced the Air China seats were exceptionally smaller than the US-grade to which I’d grown so accustomed.

Concluding that I felt the pillow too indulgent for a scrappy, airport-bench-sleeping, perpetual-seat-next-to-thebathroom traveler like myself, I clutched my passport and headed into the Bangkok customs line. As the red ink of the stamp reading, “Thailand” was pressed on the page next to the green of Ireland, I was filled with a wave of conviction. I was officially a solo international traveler.

I tugged at the straps of my 70L backpack, threw my one-way ticket into the nearest receptacle and marched into the terminal with gumption.

But as I strode out of security, the gumption quickly drained into panic. It was 1 a.m. I was completely alone. I didn’t have a plan or a place to stay, and the handful of Thai phrases I’d scribbled in my travel diary days before now felt useless.

What the f*** was I doing?

The decision to buy an open-ended ticket to Southeast Asia came the summer after I dropped out of college. I had

Emily Erickson.

spent four straight months getting soaked to the bone holding a, “Take my Tour,” sign in Skagway, Alaska during one of the region’s record-breaking precipitation spells. After a stretch of 21 days without a single ray of sunshine, I had marched into the library and used the wifi to buy a ticket somewhere far away and warm.

My intention was to test the new theory I’d contrived since forgoing the traditional path that was graduating college in the four years following high school. It was the idea that the only way to become the person I wanted to be (someone confident, capable and gutsy enough to travel in foreign countries alone), was to buy a plane ticket and do it. I would be a self-fulfilling prophecy.

But standing in the heat of the night in a city of 9 million, trying to hail a cab while simultaneously practicing the greeting, “sawadeekaaaaah,” in my head, I had to question - maybe there were more requirements to being the fearless adventurer that I’d failed

to acknowledge.

Finding my way to a hostel, I slept off the 24 hours of traveling from the day before and woke with newfound clarity. I was capable, and all of the discomfort, the fear, the failures, and the missteps to come were the things that I would remember most. The things that didn’t go to plan (although I had very little plan to begin with) were the things that were going to help me grow the most.

This became most evident as I made my way farther from the English-translated signs, putting hundreds of miles between me and the closest McDonald’s. I purchased a nearly-antique Nokia cell phone and a snapped a photo for an ID at a 7-11 in Chiang Mai that would legally permit me to rent and drive a motorbike.

Double checking the road map, I navigated myself out of the city and toward a small village called Pai. As I was winding through the northern Thai mountains, past rushing green jungle foliage, I stole glances between breathtaking vistas and watched as my gas tank got lower, and lower... and lower. WHY HAD I NOT THOUGHT TO FILL THE TANK ON THE RENTAL BIKE BEFORE TRAVELING TO PAI? As the engine puttered to a stop, I found myself stranded in a foreign country, without reception or anyone to call, in a remote jungle region, 20-plus kilometers from the nearest town (sorry Papa).

Sticking out my thumb in

the way I’d learned from my Alaska summers, I waited.

Finally, the tires supporting the rustiest truck I’d ever seen crunched the dirt beside my motorbike. A woman looked at me with a quizzical face as I exclaimed my poor rendition of Thai “thank you,” “Kapunkaa!” followed by, “English?”

She shook her head.

My stomach churned as I contemplated how to best navigate my predicament, and settled on pointing at the gas tank and back to her truck.

She confirmed. Feeling a perfect storm of sheepish and

thankful, I turned to her once more, and used the flat part of my palm to hit myself in the forehead, silently explaining, “I’m an idiot.”

As she nodded with a small laugh, it was clear that she understood, and likely, agreed.

Apparently, “lesson learned,” translates across the globe. I was going to be alright.

Emily Erickson is a freelance writer and bartender originally from Wisconsin, with a degree in sociology and an affinity for playing in the mountains.

Retroactive

By BO

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Mad about Science:

By Brenden Bobby Reader Columnist One thing you may not know about me is that I’m a bit of a metalhead. Surprised?

Surely that long-haired, gluten-free, kale-munching millennial hippie must only have the constitution to stomach snooty classical music or sickeningly-sweet bubble pop.

Sorry folks, this sick mane was made for one thing and one thing only.

So throw up the horns, thrash those locks and learn some cool stuff about rock n’ ROOOOLLL! Rock is loud. That’s kind of its thing. But how loud? We measure sound in decibels, which would need an article of its own to really explain. In a nutshell, a sound that is 60 decibels (a regular conversation hovers around this) is 10 times quieter than something that is 70 decibels (about the ambient noise of a crowded city street).

The average rock concert blares a solid 150 decibels at the speakers (or 158 inside of the speakers) and is considered one of the loudest things on the planet.

While this might seem totally outlandish that there aren’t many things louder than something we listen to for joy, this is primarily because of how sound interacts with air. Sound is just a vibratory reaction of energy traveling through air. Rock bands use powerful amplifiers that convert electrical energy into vibrations that our ears (and literally the rest of our body at that point) can process.

Another interesting tidbit here is that over 140 decibels, the vibration actually begins to alter the air you’re breathing in and out of your lungs. Prolonged exposure at levels exceeding this 8 /

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Brought to you by:

rock

ultimately lead to death from things like pulmonary embolism and other un-fun blood-in-yourlungs related ways of dying.

Once things start going over 190dB, the distinction between sound and explosive shockwave starts to blur. Between our eardrums bursting, our lungs filling with blood and us dying a death that would make Dio proud, the air actually becomes so hot it would do the same damage as being hit by a freaking explosion. Dude!

You need some serious power to make sound like that. Some touring companies have systems that use anywhere from 300,000400,000 watts of power. That’s like using 1,000 microwaves all at the same time for hours at a time. Can you imagine how many frozen burritos you would have to eat to get your fill of metal?

I’ll tell you: 1,476 burritos.

Maybe if you’re listening to The Prince of Darkness, they could be bat-flavored burritos.

Rockers get a pretty bad rap for being dumb and rebellious.

To some, it’s a badge of honor.

To others, it’s an insult. It’s a dated cliche and it’s pretty narrow minded. There are a ton of rockers with degrees in advanced studies — the kind of stuff most of us couldn’t figure out with enough energy drinks to leap across the sky like a tiger.

Brian May of Queen has a Ph.D. in astrophysics. The coolest thing about this is he didn’t just get rich and famous and decide to go get a doctorate, he actually put his doctoral studies on hold when Queen started gaining international fame. He even helped NASA work on New Horizons that flew by Pluto recently. Talk about being a supersonic man.

Milo Aukerman was a rocker of the punk variety with a Ph.D. Lead singer of the punk rock band The Descendents in the late ‘70s, Aukerman and the rest of the band would pave the way for groups like Green Day, Blink 182 and Fall Out Boy, to name a few. He has a degree in biochemistry and has spent his post-rocker days as a researcher for DuPont. While he may not have contributed, DuPont has landed in hot water in the past for some of the shady nonsense companies like Monsanto — err, “Bayer” — were performing to genetically modify and patent seeds that would grow into food we eat. But that’s a discussion for another day.

Rockers have had a pretty bad reputation for seriously questionable levels of womanizing. I mean, really, Winger?

No one could release a song like “Seventeen” in ‘19. This is a trait I’m definitely not defending two weeks after the Warrior Women column, so instead I’m highlighting something awesome: women rockers!

Kick-ass women like Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart, Joan Jett and Stevie Nicks helped pave the way for women rockers blowing up our speakers today. Lzzy Hale of Halestorm is a big name right now, and with good reason; with smooth, but strong vocals and a no-apologies attitude, she’s everything a rocker should be. One of the coolest rocker women out right now has had a serious technological edge over most of her competition.

Diamante Azzura Bovelli shucked the conventional road to discovery, rising to popularity by networking and singing on Youtube to a large fanbase, unrestricted by labels or corporate nonsense. This model of

relatively unrestricted self-expression and advertisement, once feared as the death of corporate record labels, has been a tremendous boon to independent creators all over the world.

Digital mediums like YouTube are opening doors for incredible talent that has, until recently, likely been overlooked by talent

agents and big entertainment companies that once ruled supreme and governed our likes and interests.

I mean, sure, YouTube still does that, but with that platform and others like it, the public has a much greater possibility of finding and exposing something that makes you want to throw the horns and thrash your mane.

Rock sure ain’t the only art that’s undergoing this transformation, and I think that’s radical, dude.

Random Corner Don’t know much about eyes?

We can help!

• The human eye can distinguish about 10 million different colors.

• People with blue eyes have a higher alcohol tolerance.

• If the human eye was a digital camera it would have 576 megapixels.

• All blue-eyed people can be traced back to one person who lived near the Black Sea almost 10,000 years ago. His name was Carl (just kidding).

• Researchers have successfully used the game “TETRIS” to treat “lazy eye” in adults.

• Albert Einstein’s eyes remain in a safe box in NYC. • Black lemurs are thought to be the only primates, besides humans, to have blue eyes.

• Chameleons can move their eyes in two directions at the same time.

• The space between your eyebrows is called Nasion.

• The eye of a giant squid can measure the same as a volleyball ball.

• Humans and dogs are the only two species known to seek visual clues from another’s eyes. And dogs only do it with humans.

• Some lizards squirt blood out of their eyes as protection against predators.

• Eigengrau (“brain gray”) is the color your eyes see in total darkness.

• Night vision goggles are green because the human eye can differentiate more shades of green than any other color.

• Carrots don’t make your eyesight better. That was a lie from the British to cover up their technology from the Nazis during WW2.

OPINION

Levy provides crucial support for quality education

By Shawn Woodward Reader Contributor

to keep all of our schools open. Due to state funding formulas, that is the norm On March 12, an inacross Idaho; in fact, 83 structional supplemental percent of all the school levy to support the Lake districts in Idaho have Pend Oreille School Disa supplemental levy in trict will be on the ballots. place. Maintaining district It is our hope that commuoperations is only possible nity members will make an by “supplementing” the tax informed decision when it dollars allocated from the comes time to vote. state. It’s hard to overstate The Lake Pend Oreille how important the funding Shawn Woodward. from the levy is. In our School District serves approximately 3,840 students in 12 case, the levy accounts for approxischools across Bonner County. This is mately one-third of the district’s overall approximately a 7.2-percent increase, or operating budget.

258 student increase over the last four What will the levy fund? First, it years. Due to this enrollment increase, recognizes that our teachers and staff state law would have allowed our board are what make the difference in the of trustees to impose an emergency levy quality of education for our students. without voter approval each of the last A key goal of this levy is to provide two years. The school district chose not more competitive salaries and wages to collect this approximately $1 million to help our district recruit, train, and in additional revenue to offset these retain highly effective personnel; again, enrollment increases – but rather, in the community feedback we received the interest of responsible governance, identified this as a top priority. Also in to wait and build the increase into this the levy are all athletics and extracurricupcoming levy for the voters to approve ular activities, instructional materials, on March 12. staff training and technology upgrades.

And further in the interest of good It will allow us to add a school resource governance, we have made a significant officer, maintain levels of counseling effort to collect, and respond to, the support for students and add additional feedback of our community. During sections of full day kindergarten. this past year, our district conducted a To be clear, the levy is only for the robust strategic planning process, innext two years; it’s not permanent. It cluding surveys and community meetis not a new tax, but rather replaces ings. The results led our school board the expiring levy. For a home with an to establish five-year goals which are assessed valuation of $250,000 with the incorporated into this levy request. Adhomeowner’s exemption, there is an ditionally, in response to our communi- increase to current school taxes of less ty’s expressed desires, we have added than $7 per month. Even with this modfull-day kindergarten options; increased est increase, our tax rate will remain experiential learning classrooms; and well below the state average. created a Homeschool Academy to What happens if the levy does not support families who choose to homepass? We talk of this because it would school their kids. We have also continbe irresponsible to not discuss the ramued to build pathways for students that ifications of the levy’s failure. Without better prepare them for both college as the funding the levy provides – a third well as technical career options after of our budget – the school district will high school. be forced to lay off over 300 people.

The Lake Pend Oreille School With the reduction in teachers and other District depends on local tax support staff positions, we will need to consoli-

date schools; it is likely that Clark Fork High School, Hope Elementary School, Southside Elementary School, Lake Pend Oreille Alternative High School, and possibly Northside Elementary School students would be shifted into other schools. This would cause class sizes of over 40 students and double shift schedules for the schools.

LPOSD’s teachers and staff have done a stellar job over the years to provide an excellent education for the children of our community. Please, get out and vote on March 12 to continue the success for students, families and the community. Thank you for your continued support.

Shawn Woodward is the superintendent of schools for Lake Pend Oreille School District.

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OPINION

Winter reflections from the county

By Steve Klatt Reader Contributor Another winter has shaped its own unique personality here in Bonner County, and the recent snow events have stretched the road department relatively thin — both in manpower and our equipment. Bonner County Road and Bridge is fortunate to be generally well equipped to deal with the peculiar anomalies of winter storms, but some of our plow rigs have been in service for quite a number of winters and pick very inconvenient times to be problematic. Bonner County residents are quite fortunate to have the services of such a responsive, resolute road crew that regularly begin an arduous day at 3 or 4 a.m. to combat extremely challenging conditions.

This winter has produced

numerous frustrations for rural residents on our county roads, including mailboxes suffering damage from plowed snow. I will state this once again, “Bonner County operators do not intentionally inflict damages on mailboxes.” Speaking of mailboxes, we strongly encourage people to check your mailboxes at the end of summer — if you can wiggle your framing just a little bit, there is a good chance a plowed snow wave can take it down. Please try to remember, mailboxes in county road rights of way are a courtesy extended to homeowners, not a private property right exceeding the need to maintain the road.

Another frustration about to be experienced quite soon will be cutting the snow berms down along the road edge and filling driveways with snow.

Why use Sandpoint Property Management to manage and lease your property?

Sandpoint Property Management provides:

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We need to wing the snow banks back with a grader and invariably, the excess falls into open driveways causing aggravation to homeowners. Then the grader will return and cut the snow floor that builds up on the road surface in heavier snow falls, plugging the same driveway all over again. If that snow floor is not removed now, the first warmer days and a little rain will make these roads quickly impassable.

Potholes have been a source of frustration for many drivers on numerous county roads judging by the volume of discussions we have had on the phones here in the office. To be honest, it is very frustrating for the Road

List your property with us and get results that benefit you!

Department when we cannot prepare roads for winter because of wet fall weather. If you think a road is rough in your automobile, you should try operating one of our heavy trucks with a plow on the front of it. Our whole crew is interested in doing what we can to remove potholes absolutely as soon as we can.

A plow moves snow in Bonner County. Courtesy image.

Please be patient: Spring is around the corner, but none of us know how long that corner is.

Steve Klatt is the director of Bonner County Road and Bridge.

HUMOR

By PollyAnna Reader Columnist A few weeks ago, my boyfriend Dan and I headed south to Belize.

We were inspired by the pretty pictures that people like to email to the mysterious Ben Olson. You know the photos I’m talking about -- they typically feature the submitter excitedly waving around an issue of the Reader while posed in front of one of three warm climate backgrounds (pool, sand, or a pair of beach chairs). The featured person is unfailingly showing off some pasty North Idaho skin for the camera. The photos look bright, and smiley, and, well... happy. Even the issue of the Reader looks like it’s glowing.

“Look, we have to head to the tropics,” I said to Dan, pointing at another snap, this one of a smiling fellow paired up with a brightly colored Reader. “I’ve never seen the paper look happier!

Even the political letters to the editor aren’t getting it down! It’s our civic duty to take this poor little home-raised weekly out into the world for more exercise!”

So, we dutifully worked overtime for the last month of 2018 and the first two weeks of tax season, exhausting ourselves to try and free up some time. Then, we packed our bags and flew off into the sunny unknown. A copy of the Reader went along in my little carry-on bag.

I’m here to tell you: North Idaho does not want global exposure. There is a curse reserved for those who try to bring the Reader out of its domain. Bewaaarre the curse.

Sure, you might be able to overpower an issue and wrestle it along with you, but the Reader’s Revenge will silently poison your every move until you bring it back where it belongs, in its snowy moose-trod woodlands. And if your goal is to separate the Reader from its home for more than a week? You’re doomed. Surely you know, a week is the entire lifetime of an issue! Never take a

Bring a Reader, beware the curse Reader away for more than a week!

The curse starts slowly, and then rolls into an ever-changing cataclysm of despair...

Day 1: Upon your triumphant tropical arrival, you cover your entire winter body religiously in sunscreen, except for your wrists (who sunburns their wrists? Oh, wait. You do).

Day 2: An army of biting bugs applies itself to your sunburned areas.

Day 3: You take so much care slathering sunscreen on your wrists that you forget to sunscreen your unburned sections. Now at least there’s no unburned sections.

Day 4: You stay in the shade and gently apply more bug bites to your face. For intermission, an iguana charges you for the bacon in your breakfast sandwich.

Day 5: Heading to a hiking trail, you take a wrong turn, and then make another wrong turn on the way back from your wrong turn, so that you spend three times as long getting to your trail as you spend on the trail itself.

Day 6: It rains for five hours straight, and you slip in a puddle and tumble dramatically down half a flight of stairs with your luggage. Fortunately your massive bruising is somewhat disguised by your layers of sunburn.

Day 7: (Cue distant drumbeat) you have mistakenly kept the Reader away from its homeland for the issue’s entire lifetime, and you are struck by The Plague to End All Plagues. Delirium ensues.

Day 8: Fever and coughing and kidney pain, oh my!

Day 9: You weakly stumble out to get food, but your two days inside with TPtEAP has left you with amnesia. You forget to wear sunscreen.

Day 10: Your sunburn warms you gently as you cough your way through your plane rides home, scratching like a

pox victim and shedding peeled skin in your wake.

Day 11: Just as you’re settling in back home and wondering why you ever left, the reissued Reader delivers one last blow to your unacclimated body: a 30-degree drop in temperature and 40-mile-per-hour winds. For DAYS. It turns out, the old adage is true: You can’t tell a publication by its cover. I thought the Reader was smiling in all those tropical pictures. It turns out it’s grimacing. It’s making a threatening face and shaking its little newsprinty fist. Don’t believe me? Look back through the digital archive and use that little zoom button on the bottom of the screen. There’s strange things about some of those travel photos.

It seemed like such a good idea at first. And then...

Do as you choose, but I will not make the mistake of carting off a copy of the Reader again. I’ve learned my lesson: I will leave local well enough alone.

Pollyanna lives, loves and writes from Sandpoint, where she shops locally and works vocally.

Laughing Matter

By Bill Borders

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event 21

Dollar Beers!

8pm @ Eichardt’s Pub Good until the keg’s dry Trivia Takeover Live 6-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery Family friendly interactive trivia

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Live Music w/ The Letter B 6:30-9:30pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall Trio hailing from Missoula, Mont.

Live Music w/ Ron Kieper 5-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery Impeccable jazz and fine wine Live Music w/ Bright Moments Jazz 6-9pm @ Matchwood Brewing Co.

s a t u r d a y

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Thursday Night Solo Series w/ Brendan Kelty 6-8pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall Brenden has roots in Rustbelt sensibilities, Western North Carolina tradition and the Pac. NW wilderness spectacular. Food by Sandpoint Curry Open Mic Night 8-11pm @ A&P’s Bar & Grill

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Live Comedy at the Niner 8pm @ 219 Lounge Headlined by Michael Winslow, who is known for his unique abilities to make sound effects (as seen on “Police Academy,” and “Spaceballs”). Hosted by Morgan Preston and featuring Phillip Kopczynski. $20/advance, $25/door. 21+

f

Girls Pin 5-7pm @ Cool ch dudes! J ble for a chocolat

Roaring 9pm-12a Prizes fo Live Mu 8:30-10:

Live M 2-4pm @

Live Rock Music @ the Eagles 3rd Annual W Live Comedy at the Niner 8pm @ Eagles Club 2-6pm @ 13 P 8pm @ 219 Lounge CobraJet and High Treason Am- Headlined by Michael Winslow, hosted Get your drink munition compete for best rock by Morgan Preston and featuring Phillip ent locations a band on the planet. Free show 21+ Kopczynski. $20/advance, $25/door Mugs & Musi Live Music w/ The Other White Meat 6pm @ Laugh Live Music w/ Chris Lynch 6:30-9:30pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall 6-9pm @ Arlo’s Ristorante Live Music w/ Mo Classic North Idaho rock and roll Live Music w/ Ben & Cadie 8-10pm @ The Ba Live Music w/ Steve Neff Duo 5-7pm @ Idaho Pour Authority Good times and Am 5-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery Multi-instrumental duo K9 Keg Pull K9 Keg Pull Watch Party Piano Sunday w/ Dw 2-4pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery 9am @ Matchwood Brewing Co. 2-4pm @ Pend d’Orei Original work on the grand pia- Breakfast starts at 9am, live outdoor Original work on the g no. Show your ski pass and get music by Kind Country at 11am your ski pass and get d drink specials!

Monday Night Blues Jam w/ Truck Mills Lifetree Cafe Sand 7:30pm @ Eichardt’s Pub 2pm @ Jalepeño’s Mexican Restaurant 7pm An hour of conversation and stories. This An o Karaoke week’s topic: “Why, God?” ing a 8-close @ Tervan

Night-Out Karaoke John Craigie in Concert 9pm @ 219 Lounge 7:30pm @ Di Luna’s Cafe Join DJ Pat for a night of singing, or just Folk singer extraordinaire. Sold out show come to drink and listen Djembe class SFN Movie Night 5:45-7:30pm @ Music Conservatory of Sandpoint 7pm @ Panida Little Theater Join teacher Ali Maverick Thomas Watch and discuss “Blade Runner 2049 Wind Down Wednesday 5-8pm @ 219 Lounge With live music by blues man Truck Mills and guest musician Bruce Bishop

Magic Wednesday 6-8pm @ Jalapeño’s Enjoy close-up magic shows by Star Alexander right at your table

Dollar Beers!

8pm @ Eichardt’s Pub Good until the keg’s dry Trivia Takeover Live 6-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery Family friendly interactive trivia

Digital Disconnect: How Ca 6pm @ Sandpoint Library A showing and discussion of th Chesney, the film takes a look it has been the egalitarian platf

Northern Stars Rising Audition 4-7pm @ The Heartwood Center Pend Oreille Arts Council wants you to be a North Rising! Audition for a chance to perform for the c nity and local booking agents. No registration fee r

ful

February 21 - 18, 2019

Girls Pint Out 5-7pm @ Idaho Pour Authority Cool chicks, great beer, no dudes! Join Vicki at the big table for an evening taste pairing chocolate and beer

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

Reader recommended

Sandpoint Community Sing 7-8:30pm @ Downtown Yoga A 90-min weekly journey of songs about nature, life, love and more. No experience necessary. Come with a desire to use your voice, learn songs, and connect with others. $5-10 suggested donation. (208) 946-7072

Roaring ‘20s Costume Party 9pm-12am @ A&P’s Bar and Grill Prizes for best costume, sponsored by Pendleton Live Music w/ Heartbreak Pass 8:30-10:30pm @ Connie’s Lounge Live Music w/ Fiddlin’ Red 2-4pm @ Davis Grocery & Mercantile (Hope)

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Wildlife Photography by Jerry Ferrara 3 & 6pm @ Panida Little Theater Select photos and anecdotes from the field. $5

Live Music w/ Muffy and the Sandpoint Jazz Society 5-7pm @ Idaho Pour Authority Come get down with an awesome acoustic arrangement Live Music w/ Red Blend DJ Skwish 8-10pm @ The Back Door 10pm-cl @ A&P’s Bar and Grill Join Chris Lynch, Brian Jacobs and Meg Turner The Carousel of Smiles Open House (Feb. 22-24) 5-8pm @ Cedar Street Station, (Misty Mtn. Building) •219 Lounge Stop by and see the ponies in their new stable! Open •A&P Bar Grill to everyone. Hours 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Feb. 23-24

Saturday, Feb. 23 • 2-6pm

Annual Weird & Wonderful Pub Crawl m @ 13 Participating Locations your drink on with 20+ beers poured at 13 differ- Community Dance 7-10pm @ Sandpoint Community Hall ocations around town. Fun, prizes and BEER! From 7-8 p.m. there will be a beginners Tango lesson s & Music w/ John Firshi taught by professional instructors. Following the lesson @ Laughing Dog Brewing Taproom there will be general dancing, refreshments, door prizes, sic w/ Monarch Mountain Band drawings and lots of fun. 208-699-0421 @ The Back Door Live Music w/ Steve Neff and Peter Lucht Karaoke mes and Americana 8:30-10:30pm @ Connie’s Lounge 8-close @ Tervan Gardenia Sunday Service Sandpoint Chess Club ay w/ Dwayne Parsons 10am @ Gardenia Center 9am @ Evans Brothers Coffee nd d’Oreille Winery Speaker Paul Graves “The IntersecMeets every Sunday at 9am k on the grand piano. Show Live Music w/ Ken Mayginnes tion of Spirituality and Politics” Spes and get drink specials!

4-6:30pm @ Matchwood Brewing cial Music from Paranormal Daves

•The Back Door •Beet and Basil at the Creek •Eichardt's Pub Grill & Coffee House •The Fat Pig •Idaho Pour Authority •I •Matchwood Brewing Co. •MickDuff's Brewing Co. Beer Hall •Trinity at City Beach •Utara Brewing Co. •Jalepeño’s Mexican Restaurant •Connie’s Lounge

Sandpoint “Shows Off” its talent Monday Cribbage Tourney nt 7pm @ A&P’s Bar and Grill 3-6pm @ Tervan Tavern his An ongoing talent show with a finale show- Every Monday! Fun prizes! ing at the Panida in Dec. 2019. Huge prizes

Triva Night Glacial Geologic Map Release Party 7pm @ MickDuff’s 4-7pm @ Sandpoint Library The commemorative map is in honor of Dr. Roy Breckenridge, a show former Idaho state geologist; on the back side of the map, there is a spectacular colorized shaded relief map of northern Idaho and portions of Washington and Montana. Three one-hour sessions start at 4, nner 2049” 5 and 6 p.m. Free and open to the public; refreshments will be served

: How Capitalism is Turning the Internet Against Democracy ibrary ussion of this one-hour documentary. Adapted from the book by Robert W. Mckes a look at how the Internet has revolutionized communication – and whether arian platform for thought and information envisioned when it began

be a Northern Star m for the commuation fee required

Sandpoint Community Sing 7-8:30pm @ Downtown Yoga A 90-min weekly journey of songs about nature, life, love and more. No experience necessary. $5-10 suggested donation. (208) 946-7072

Mar. 1 Mayor’s Roundtable (moved to March 1) @ Cedar St. Bistro March 1-2 Follies @ Panida Theater March 2 Mega Alpine and Snowboard Demo Day @ Schweitzer Mountain Resort

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COMMUNITY

Spaces available for Winter CAL Scholarship Creative Writing Workshop applications available

By Reader Staff

Several spaces are still available for the Winter Creative Writing Workshop sponsored by Lost Horse Press and the Sandpoint Literary Collective.

The publishing workshop is the third part in a Winter Creative Writing Series help Saturday, Feb. 23, from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. in the Rude Girls’ Room at the Sandpoint Library.

Numerous editors and publishes from literary magazines

By Reader Staff The Community Assistance League is offering many scholarships to Bonner County residents. This includes high school seniors, home schooled children and those who received a CAL scholarship in 2018 and those who have delayed their education.

Applications are available online from the Sandpoint High School website at http// sh.lkposd.org/counseling-career-center/scholarship/local-scholarships.

They may also be picked up at the libraries in Sandpoint Clark Fork and Priest River as well as Bizarre Bazaar.

Bizarre Bazaar is CAL’s upscale retail store located at 501 Church Street in Sandpoint.

Profits from the store are given back to the community in the form of grants and scholarships.

The deadline for receiving applications is Wednesday,

Politics and pizza event this weekend

By Reader Staff

April 10, at 9 a.m. They may be dropped off at your school’s counseling center or mailed to CAL Scholarship Committee: PO Box 1361, Sandpoint, ID 83864. They must be received by deadline date or delivered to the store by 4 p.m. on April 9. Be certain they are complete including CAL’s cover form.

For more information contact Sally Lowry at 208946-1055 or email impsally@ imaxmail.net.

The vision of panelized, realized.

www.mehomes.net (208)264-6700 14 /

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and book outlets will be on hand to answer participants’ more pressing questions about publishing. Topics under discussion will be primarily directed by participants’ questions, but will also address various topics of import and interest to writers who intend to publish their writing in regional and national venues.

This free program is open to all writers, but registration is required. To register, email losthorsepress@mindspring.com or call (208) 255-4410.

Dan McMahon, Gen. Contractor dan@mebldg.com

The Bonner County Democrat Central Committee will be hosting their annual Pizza & Politics event at 12 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 23, at the Monarch Community Center (also known as the Sagle Senior Center) in Sagle, 650 Monarch Rd.

“We’ll hear legislative updates from Idaho State Senator David Nelson (District 5, Benewag and Latah Counties),” said Sylvia Humes, chair for the Central Committee.

The event is open to everyone. Pizza and beverages will be served. Call 208-304-2995 for more information.

Grizzly Bear DNA Project

By Reader Staff The Kinnikinnick Native Plant Society and Sandpoint Parks and Recreation are teaming up to host Don Gay, a retired U.S. Forest Service biologist for his presentation, “Selkirk Grizzly Bear DNA project.”

The presentation will take place at the Sandpoint Community Center, 204 S. First Ave. in Sandpoint, and will run from 9:45-11:30 a.m.

This project has been gathering grizzly bear hair from collection sites in the Selkirk Mountains since 2015. DNA analysis of the hair provides information on grizzly bear reproduction and gene flow with surrounding recovery areas. This information is used by researchers to determine the minimum number of grizzly bears in the U.S. portion of the Selkirk Recovery area and if

that number is approaching bear recovery goals.

Gay is a retired U.S. Forest Service wildlife biologist.

He spent time working on the Kootenai, Deschutes, Fremont, and Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forests. He also served in Africa with the Peace Corps and completed international work with the Forest Service in Mali, Madagascar and Gabon.

Don lives in Naples.

For more information, contact Ken Thacker: Idahoweedguy@ yahoo.com

BY THE NUMBERS

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

8.4%

Drop in the average tax refund from the first week of the 2018 filing season to the first week of this year’s. Refunds are being closely watched as the full effect of the 2017 tax overhaul enacted by Congressional Republicans comes into view.

At least 50

Major gun control bills already introduced in more than a dozen states this year. Last year, 27 states passed 67 new laws aimed at restricting firearm access.

92%

Proposed tax on e-cigarettes backed by Republican Gov. Phil Scott of Vermont.

$1.9 billion

The spending framework approved by the Idaho Legislative Budget Committee on Idaho’s literacy program without a single dissenting vote. The seven budget bills would fund the final year of the career ladder, a five-year plan to boost teacher salaries and bankroll Gov. Brad Little’s request to double down on Idaho’s literacy program, according to the Idaho Statesman.

The seven budget bills represent a $110 million increase. The bills now will go to the Idaho House and Senate floors for a vote.

more than 200

The number of roadkill animals harvested across the state of Idaho in 2019 alone. Idaho’s roadkill salvage laws allow individuals to harvest whole carcasses or parts of animals as long as they are not protected species.

FEATURE

LPOSD officials make the case for levy renewal

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff Just under $7 a month: that’s the projected monthly increase to property taxes Lake Pend Oreille officials are hoping voters will OK March 12 in the latest supplemental levy proposal.

School officials have reason to be confident that voters will ultimately approve the levy proposal, which would generate $25,400,000 over two years. Past supplemental levy requests have cleared by healthy percentages, with 70 percent voting in favor in 2015 and 63 percent in 2017.

But local voters have also shown they won’t rubber-stamp everything the school district requests. A 2016 plant levy proposal to raise $55 million for the reconstruction of school facilities failed with 5,493 votes against and 2,953 in favor. And each round of levy campaigning produces an increasingly organized opposition to any request for tax increases, resulting in tightening vote margins over recent years.

According to Lake Pend Oreille School District Superintendent Shawn Woodward, while the latest levy proposal does represent an increase from the last round, there’s also significant misinformation floating around that makes it difficult to communicate the facts. He invites anyone with questions to contact the district.

“What we’re happy is happening is we’re clarifying a lot of misinformation that a small group of people is generating,” Woodward said.

Like previous years, LPOSD officials make their case by breaking down the levy numbers. This year’s levy represents a significant increase over the previous iteration, jumping from a two-year total of $17 million to $25 million. The reason for that, officials say, is the struggle retaining local teachers given the high living costs relative to similarly sized communities.

Combined with lower-than-average teacher salaries, it adds up to a high degree of staff turnover. “(People) are quite surprised when they find we’re not as competitive as they thought when it comes to salaries,” said Woodward.

They’re also surprised, he said, when

they learn that LPOSD ranks 25 percent below the statewide average for local school taxes.

It’s undoubtedly true it’s difficult to afford a Sandpoint home on a teacher’s salary. While the median home value in Idaho is $167,900, the Bonner County median home value is nearly $56,000 higher at $212,100. And while the average monthly earnings in Idaho are $4,097, in Bonner County they sit at $3,641.42.

Woodward said the levy’s passage means regionally competitive salaries for local teachers, which will hopefully contribute toward improving LPOSD’s employee retention. In addition, as the replacement to the last levy, it funds the usual programs and employee positions: a third of district staff amounting to 300 full- and part-time positions, extracurricular activities, technology and curricular materials, reduced class size and support for rural schools. Altogether, the levy represents about a third of the school budget.

For many levy opponents, the size of the increase is their biggest complaint.

While the projected increase of just under $7 a month per $250,000 of home valuation with a homeowner’s exemption might not be significant to some, it adds up for those on a fixed income.

Nevertheless, there’s also inaccurate information muddying the waters, Woodward said. He’s seen claims that the school board intends to introduce a second levy, like the 2016 plant levy, to fund new school facilities when no such decision has been made. He’s also seen inaccurate figures being thrown around about compensation for LPOSD’s high-level administrators.

As LPOSD officials make the case for the levy, the Idaho Legislature is weighing options on increased support for Idaho schools. No matter what changes occur at the state level, however, Woodward believes local levies will always be an important part of school funding. It’s an element that is built into most local taxing structures, he said, but Idaho is one of the few states that require voter approval.

“Most states have a higher amount of money coming from the local taxpayers,” Woodward said. “The local property owner share is lower in Idaho than just about anywhere else.”

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COMMUNITY

Introducing Wolf & Bell

The vintage gift shop with a little bit of everything made its debut on First Avenue this month

By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff Nellie Lutzwolf is bringing her love for the unique and antique things in life to downtown Sandpoint through Wolf & Bell, a shop named for a combination of her husband’s last name — Wolf — and her childhood nickname: Nellbell.

Wolf & Bell, located on First Avenue and attached to the Panida Theater, has a style all its own: bold stationary sits beside a vintage typewriter, sprigs of lavender fill tiny glass bottles, wool blankets from Scotland sit stacked in all their plaid glory, Lutzwolf’s unique brand of art lines the walls and a photo booth sits unassumingly but adorably in the corner.

The Reader sat down with Lutzwolf to talk about the inspiration behind Sandpoint’s latest downtown addition.

SR: How did you end up in this space?

NL: Me and my husband, Nick, have a thing for old theaters. We’ve always seen ourselves being a part of something like that … Anywhere else, I don’t know if it would work quite as well. We really wanted to be here, and I’m really proud to be part of the Panida.

SR: Are you (and the Panida) planning to play off each other at all?

I really want to be open during some events. I plan on being open late for the Follies, because I think that will be a good event for people to be able to take pictures (in the Wolf & Bell photo booth). They’ll be in their costumes, so that will be fun.

SR: If you were to sum it up, for someone who is unfamiliar with you guys’ style, what would you call your shop?

NL: *She laughs* This has been a tough thing. When we started actually making this a business, the only category that really fit everything that we had was “gift shop.” So that’s what I’ve been telling people as our short answer, but really it’s a little bit of everything — it’s handmade, vintage gifts; art; stationary; a little bit of surprise here and there.

SR: And tell me about the photo booth a little bit.

NL: Me and Nick, when we travel, it’s always a novelty thing that we like to do to mark where we go, and I know that we don’t have one here so I thought it would 16 /

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be a special thing for Sandpoint to have.

SR: That is so true. It hadn’t occurred to me, but we really don’t have one.

NL: Yeah, and this is a travel destination, and there’s lots of cool things that happen here.

SR: What draws you to the vintage style? Has it been a part of your personal aesthetic for a long time?

NL: Oh yes, ever since I was little. My parents took me antique shopping and I always found wonder in the older objects and the stories that they had. I think that’s also where the plants come from, too — I got my license to sell plants. My dad was a landscape architect so that was a part of my background, too. When (a customer) said ‘This is kind of like being inside of your brain,’ I thought, yeah, the shop is, in fact, the inside of my brain.

SR: Want to share anything about your personal background, just so people can get to know you?

NL: I’m from Montana, and I went to school to be an artist. I found myself in art education, and when I did my master’s, I decided that teaching high school is what I wanted, and that was good for five years, but then I decided opening a shop would be the next best step for me and my husband, and that it would something fun.

SR: Is there anything in the shop that

has a particular story you want to share?

Oh, everything has a story. Well, we have a ton of cameras at home — I’d say upwards of 85 displayed in our house, and we’re starting to thin the herd a little, so that’s a bittersweet thing. It’s fun to see them on the shelves, but also we’re excited to see them go to a new home.

SR: Before you started the shop, you were doing the full-time artist thing.

What’s the term for the art that you do?

NL: I would classify it as collage and paper cutting.

SR: What draws you to that medium?

NL: Collage, first, is you’re taking in the world as it is. You’re dealing with materials that are already out there and then making something of your own message from it. It is the search — like all of the objects in (the shop), they’re treasures that we’ve found. I feel like my artwork is

Nellie Lutzwolf stands in her Sandpoint shop, which features a photo booth and numerous unique items. Photos by Lyndsie Kiebert. the same. I search for images, and then I make something from it. And then just the meditation behind the cutting — it’s really relaxing to just do it all by hand.

SR: Is there anything I haven’t asked yet that you really want to talk about?

NL: I do want to say thank you to everybody — I feel like I’ve gotten so much support from the community, and I’m just overwhelmed with how awesome that is.

Visit Wolf & Bell at 300 N. First Avenue — to the left of the main Panida entrance — during current business hours: Wednesday-Saturday 10:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.

Also find Wolf & Bell on Facebook and Instagram, and browse some of the shop’s available art at www.wolfandbell.com.

COMMUNITY

2019 Winter Carnivalweek 2 The fun’s not over. Don’t miss out on the final events of Winter Carnival 2019

By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff

Thursday, Feb. 21 Dine Out for a Cause @ Trinity at City Beach Dine at Trinity at City Beach from 4:30 p.m. to close and 10 percent of your dinner purchase will benefit the Bonner Community Food Bank. Receive a free dessert when you bring two non-perishable food items.

Call 208-255-7558 or visit www.trinityatcitybeach.com to make a reservation.

Live music @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall Brendan Kelty will showcase his “mountain soul” sound at the Beer Hall as part of their Thursday Night Solo Series at 6 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 22 National Margarita Day @ Jalapeno’s This event, sponsored by Patron, will feature drink specials and prizes.

Winter Carnival chili cook-off party Pierce Auto Center and the Festival at Sandpoint invite amateur chefs to show off their best chili recipe in Sagle Saturday.

Bring your crock pot and appetite to Pierce Auto Center (30 Gun Club Road) by 3 p.m. for a chance to win prizes and vote for your favorite chili.

Live music @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall Indie rock band Harold’s IGA will play originals from their three albums 6:30-9:30 p.m.

Live music at the Eagles CobraJet and High Trees and Ammunition rock the Sandpoint Eagles starting at 8 p.m. (1511 John Hudon Lane, Sandpoint)

Live music @ Matchwood Brewing Bright Moments will jazz up Matchwood 6-9 p.m.

Live comedy @ 219 Lounge Comedian and actor Michael Winslow headlines the 219 for a second night. (Read more under Feb. 22 events)

Live comedy @ 219 Lounge “Man of 10,000 sound effects” Michael Winslow headlines the 219 in what’s sure to be a hilarious, unique show thanks to his superhuman “voicetramentalist” powers.

The show will also feature Phillip Kopczynski and host Morgan Preston. Catch the trio at two shows: Friday and Saturday.

Doors open at 7 p.m. and things begin at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the door.

Saturday, Feb. 23 Weird & Wonderful Winter Carnival Beerfest & Pub Crawl See sidebar Live music @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall Classic rock-and-roll act The Other White Meat will bring the party to the Beer Hall 6:30-9:30 p.m.

Live music @ Taps Miah Kohal plays the mountain 3-6 p.m.

Eichardt’s K9 Keg Pull See sidebar Keg Pull breakfast, DIY mimosa bar and live music @ Matchwood Brewing Matchwood will open at 9 a.m. to serve breakfast and offer a DIY mimosa bar and full beer menu. Minnesotan bluegrass band Kind Country will play a free outdoor concert at 11 a.m.

‘Get The Girls Out’ @ Schweitzer Mountain Resort SheJumps presents “Get The Girls Out” on Schweitzer Mountain: a day meant for encouraging women and girls to recreate and enjoy the outdoors. Learn more about the day’s events at www.schweitzer.com, and learn more about SheJumps’ mission at www.shejumps.org.

Photo by Mark J. Anderson and EzyDog A $10 donation entry fee for each racing dog will be donated to the Panhandle Animal Shelter, making it an annual event with a long-lasting, feel-good result.

“We love and appreciate the K9 Keg

drink beer

Sunday, Feb. 24

K-9 Keg Pull: Sandpoint’s most endearing event Like winter? Like dogs? Combine the two and you get Sandpoint’s annual K9 Keg Pull, the final event of this year’s Winter Carnival.

Dogs will compete in different size categories pulling everything from beer cans to full-size beer kegs down a snowy raceway at the Granary District. Registration starts at 9 a.m. and racing will last until noon.

The Keg Pull, organized by Eichardt’s Pub, has been a Sandpoint tradition since the 90s. Eichardt’s owner Jeff Nizzoli said he took it over in 2002 and has since been approached by other communities about starting their own Keg Pulls, including Bend, Ore., which now has their own.

Nizzoli said his favorite part about the event is seeing “dogs, kids (and) families having fun in the snow.”

Be weird, be wonderful,

Pull because it brings people together to celebrate their dogs while supporting homeless dogs and cats,” said Mandy Evans, executive director of the shelter.

The third-annual Weird & Wonderful Winter Carnival Beerfest & Pub Crawl happens Saturday, bringing with it the chance to celebrate some of Sandpoint’s crowning characteristics: craft beer, a lively downtown scene and locals dressing up in “weird and wonderful” attire.

In years past, crawlers have had to purchase tokens to then use to get drinks in a Pub Crawl-specific glass. This year, the Chamber is cutting out the middle man and simply having participants pay for each tasting on site: $2 per regular tasting, or $4 for some special tastes — both prices only available with the proper glassware, as usual.

Those five-ounce commemorative glasses — complete with the mottos “Be Wonderful” and “Be Weird” on either side — are available at MickDuff’s Beer Hall Thursday for $6, but the price will go up to $8 Saturday, the day of the event.

A few pre-sale VIP packages are still available, and include the commemorative glass as well as three tours and tastings at Matchwood, MickDuff’s and Utara, all for $35. Purchase VIP tickets through the event’s Facebook page, titled “3rd Weird & Wonderful Winter Carnival Beerfest & Pub Crawl.”

Participating 2019 Pub Crawl locations: • 219 Lounge • A&P BAR Grill • Connie’s • The Back Door • Eichardt’s • The Fat Pig • The Hound • Idaho Pour Authority • Jalapeno’s • Matchwood Brewing • MickDuff’s Beer Hall • Trinity at City Beach • Utara Brewing • Beet and Basil at the Creek February 21, 2019 /

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COMMUNITY

BGH welcomes new ENT doctor

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

Minnesota with an ENT. “I remember the ENT up there, Dr. Fisher, doing a cut in Bonner General an ear tube and I knew I found Health welcomed a new the right fit.” doctor to its roster in ENT doctors specialize in February. Dr. Susan Anthe intricate systems of the ear, derson is an Ear, Nose nose and throat. and Throat specialist “A lot of what we do is ear whose addition will tubes for kids with chronic help expand the clinical ear infections, tonsilectomies, services BGH offers the sinus surgeries for adults who region. Anderson’s ENT have sinus issues,” said AnderDr. Susan Anderson clinic is located in the son. “Other stuff is tumors or Pinegrove Medical Center, 606 N. Third growths in the saliva gland, head and neck Ave. #101. cancer diagnosis... You get to see everyAnderson came to Sandpoint from body. I’ve seen kids two months old and working in Oklahoma. She grew up in I’ve cleaned ears out from people over 100 Anaconda, Mont., and attended undergradyears old. It’s pretty fun to have that mix of uate school at Montana State University in patients.”

Bozeman, and later graduated from medical Anderson said 15-20 percent of kids will school at Des Moines University in Iowa. be affected by ear tubes or tonsilitus.

Anderson said she was first attracted to BGH Marketing Specialist Robin Hanthe ENT specialty after doing a rotation in son said the new ENT clinic will be the first

BGH Community Hospice hosts podcast series

By Reader Staff

Bonner General Health Community Hospice has launched a four-part podcast series entitled, “Conversations on Living and Dying Well”, airing on KRFY Panhandle Radio, 88.5 FM on Mondays at 8 a.m. and playing weekly through March 11.

Community members are invited to tune-in to this conversation series that explores the full spectrum of ‘living and dying well’, generously shared by a team of local palliative care experts, spiritual care providers and community members that are journeying through loss, death and offering words of inspiration in the transformative gifts of living life well.

The first podcast, “A Matter of Life and Death,” offered an overview of the full spectrum of palliative care, advanced directives and common hospice myths. This is a conversation with individuals living with chronic and life-limiting illnesses that explores the power of living life all the way to the end.

Other topics covered in this four-part series include “The Healing Journey of Loss,” “Spirituality and Living and Dying Well” and “The Care-Partner Journey in Living and Dying Well”. These podcasts give the listener an opportunity to explore and expand their own thoughts about living and dying.

Bonner General Health extends a big thank you to KRFY Radio 88.5 FM for

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Roy Shreve and BJ Biddle from the Angels Over Sandpoint presenting Bonner General Health Community Hospice Director Tami Feyen with a community grant of $1000. Courtesy photo. providing an in-kind grant to support this community podcast conversation project.

For additional information, please contact Lissa DeFreitas, Bonner General Health community hospice volunteer/bereavement coordinator, and producer of “Conversations on Living and Dying Well” four-part podcast at 208-265-1185 or by email at Lissa.DeFreitas@BonnerGeneral.org

ear, nose and throat clinic in Sandpoint for over 15 years.

“What this does is provide a full-time ENT clinic in our area, which we haven’t had since 2002,” Hanson said. “The wait list to make an appointment used to be very long to be seen here in town. This will help fix that.”

CEO Sheryl Rickard said, “BGH’s mission is to provide quality, compassionate care close to home. That is why we opened the new ear, nose and throat clinic in Sandpoint.”

Another way Anderson’s ENT clinic will help BGH’s overall services is with outreach to other rehab departments, such as speech therapy.

“For speech therapy, we have an intimate relationship,” she said. “If they have a patient with swallowing problems, they can refer them to an ENT, and same with voice disruptions, vocal polyps, that kind of

thing.”

Anderson said another department that will benefit from having an in-house ENT is physical therapy.

“If they have people with balance issues, dizziness, etc., we’ll often work with physical therapy to restore them to their former selves,” she said.

Anderson said she was excited to make the move to North Idaho. She began skiing again recently after a 20-year hiatus and enjoys working out in the gym, getting on a mountain bike and is into classic cars.

“I’ve always been some place because of a job,” she said. “Now I had the opportunity to be where I wanted to be and have the job.”

Dr. Susan Anderson’s new ENT clinic is now accepting new patients. Call Bonner General Health at (208) 265-1003 for more information.

STAGE & SCREEN

So far the 2019 Oscars have been... interesting

By Chris Balboni Reader Contributor The story of the 91st Academy Awards so far: a “Best Popular Film” category announced and then scrapped after immediate ridicule; Kevin Hart invited to be the host, only to see that invitation rescinded, offered again and abandoned altogether in favor of having no host at all; the announcement that the awards for best cinematography and best editing will not be shown on the televised broadcast, followed by scathing backlash from dozens of big names in the film industry, causing that decision to be reversed as well.

It’s been a rough few years for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, and with ratings consistently dropping for the past decade, they are desperate to keep public and professional support. Unfortunately for AMPAS, it’s all for nothing.

The problem that the Academy faces isn’t one that can be solved by diversifying its membership as they claimed to a few years ago, nor can they rake in a younger audience by nominating blockbusters with the blatant pandering of a category like Best Popular Film. They won’t draw more people in via presenter monologues filled with wholesome comedy and trite political remarks, or restore the 45-plus million viewers they had in the 1990s by making the ceremony three hours long instead of four.

The ceremony is a product of a bygone age of television, and it’s time for the Academy to face that.

Audiences for live events have been decreasing for years as cord-cutting has become a necessary lifestyle for the next generation. In 2017, Nielsen reported that 25 to 34 year olds consumed less than half as much live TV as our 50- to 64-year-old counterparts, and by 2020 it’s expected that 48 million U.S. households won’t be bothering at all with cable subscriptions. As a generation, we’re less and less interested in paying outlandish satellite or cable subscription fees with multi-year contracts, and most of us can’t afford them anyway. Will we miss the Emmys, the Super Bowl and the Academy Awards in our own homes? Sure. Does

the majority of anyone under the age of 35 care enough to triple their monthly expenses? No. AMPAS could make the ceremony 90 minutes and give awards to only the biggest box office hits of the year — it still won’t bring back viewers.

Even if cable wasn’t dying, the attraction of seeing celebrities is far less interesting in an age where you can hop on social media to read their opinions, watch them on the crowded late show circuit or hear them talk candidly on dozens of podcasts. Filmmakers and performers are more accessible today than ever before, and even the musical performances have less weight when you can hear those songs anytime, anywhere and watch a thousand clips of anyone onstage instantly through a dozen other avenues.

Without the draw of celebrity, comedy and musical performances, what’s left? The awards themselves, which are still an honor to receive for most

filmmakers. Unfortunately, the fact that AMPAS was willing to cut the cinematography and editing awards from the broadcast, concepts that literally define cinema, speaks volumes to their priorities: ratings and theatrics. AMPAS is fighting a losing battle against shifting trends in television, and every year they continue to adhere to their outdated formula, they do a disservice to cinema. A four-hour slog of painfully safe monologues and overwrought performances peppered with awards where those honored are allowed 45 seconds in the spotlight is hardly a celebration of film.

If you truly want to celebrate film on Sunday night for four hours, skip the awards ceremony and watch any two of these nominated films available online: “First Reformed” (Amazon), “BlacKkKlansman” (Amazon), “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs” (Netflix), “Roma” (Netflix), “Isle of Dogs” (Amazon), “RBG” (Hulu), “Minding the Gap” (Hulu), “Free Solo” (Amazon).

Fresh ingredients and quality you can taste no matter the weather!

Come see what’s new on the menu!

Located on the Historic Cedar St. Bridge Sunday - Thursday 7am - 5pm Friday - Saturday 7am - 9pm 208-265-4396 • www.cedarstbistro.com February 21, 2019 /

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HEALTH

A grain of salt

A health column... sort of

A happy hormone primer for long winters

By Ammi Midstokke Reader Columnist

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We ought to be equal opportunity hormone appreciators. We like them all, primarily because they are responsible for some key body functions — things like desire and rewards, feeling hungry or full, and even that post-orgasmic glow we so much love.

Often grouped together as our happy hormones, dopamine, serotonin and oxytocin run the funhouse most of the time. Sometimes they get some help from things like endorphins - the one that gives us that zen moment feeling.

Dopamine is an easy one for us to stimulate because it’s like the blunt instrument of joy. Chocolate, sex, frosting, scrolling your phone (yes, checking Facebook biochemically emulates sex, but if you reduce the former you may actually get more of the latter), alcohol, potato chips, gambling and even some healthy foods and habits all stimulate dopamine.

Oxytocin is the love hormone. It happens when you stop having relationships on social media and start having them with real humans. Or you get a dog.

And serotonin, this darling of happiness is thought to be responsible for a myriad of functions, both as an inhibitory (see: calming) neurotransmitter in the brain and a stimulating hormone in the gut. In fact, most of our serotonin is found in the gut. Which is why if you are suffering Seasonal Affect Disorder or even just February Is The Longest Damn Month Disorder, taking care of your gastrointestinal system is going to be key to your happiness.

In the brain, serotonin aids us by stabilizing our moods, reducing anxiety, regulating sleep patterns, improving clarity of thought and our ability to learn, oh yeah, and increasing our sexual desire.

In the gut, serotonin helps us regulate satiety, manages food cravings, aids with nutrient absorption, and stimulates peristalsis (digestion). Anyone having any trouble with the above?

In short, you want serotonin, and you / February 21, 2019

want appropriate amounts of it. Seeing as we’re in America, it is of course possible to facilitate this with a pill or four, but creating healthy hormone levels through lifestyle change and food might be the funner way to go about it. Plus, you can get some additional dopamine and endorphins in the same deal.

The key precursor hormone to serotonin is tryptophan — that big word that is in turkey and we think makes us sleepy after our fourth helping of mashed potatoes. But tryptophan can be found in all kinds of foods such as meat, eggs, fish, spinach, seaweed, dates, bananas, oats, pumpkin and sesame seeds, and so on.

Unfortunately, we cannot just stuff our faces with seaweed, nor do most of us want to. We need some co-factors and other vitamins to help us actually convert tryptophan into serotonin. We need a gastrointestinal tract rich in probiotics (eat fermented food, avoid lots of hard liquor and take probiotics). We need vitamin B6 (salmon, eggs, carrots, beef, cheese, veg-

gies) and zinc (pumpkin seeds, oysters, beans), and Omega 3s (salmon, nuts, flax meal).

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that Oreos were not listed anywhere. As always, the diet that best supports our mental and physical health is one that is rich in variety, healthy fats and proteins and a ridiculous amount of fruits and vegetables.

And don’t forget to take a minute to eat those foods in gratitude, surrounded by the laughter of your friends and family, preferably a few hours before you go to bed. By then, all your happy hormones should be mingling with your sleepy hormones and laying the foundation for you to start another great day.

Ammi Midstokke is a nutritional therapist and author. When she isn’t saving people with vegetables, she is trying to get lost in the mountains. She can be contacted at ammi@twobirdsnutrition.com

MUSIC

This week’s RLW by Jen Heller

Get your rock on at the Eagles this weekend Three hard rock bands to play a free show

By Ben Olson Reader Staff To those about to rock, we salute you.

Three high-energy rock bands will be playing a special show at the Eagles Lodge Saturday, Feb. 23. Cobra Jet, High Treason Ammunition and a band yet to be named will join forces to bring a free show to those wanting to bang their heads a bit.

Terry Owens of Cobra Jet describes their sound as “super-hard rock.”

“I actually stole that phrase from one of those big tractor tires I saw in the Farmin Stidwell playground,” Owens said. “I saw that and thought, ‘That sounds pretty cool.’ We’re somewhere in that fine line between metal and hard rock, depending on where you’re looking at it from.”

Owens said their brand of “super-hard rock” is actually more like metal of yesteryear, before it morphed.

“Metal has sort of changed over 20-30 years,” he said. “A lot of what we grew up on was Iron Maiden, Metallica, Judas Priest.

A lot of the metal today is like death metal, guys gargling socks or something. We don’t really do that. We’re not really morbid.”

Cobra Jet consists of Owens on drums and vocals, Reese Warren on bass and Brandon Andersen on guitar.

Owens said his band plays mostly originals, but will throw a cover in here and there.

“We like to write our own stuff and be creative,” he said. “We each have ideas, then we get together and throw them out there and hammer something together. I do most of the lyrics, and sometimes Brandon will give me a line or two, because he has to write all the guitar parts. Or he’ll have a weird ideas for a theme for a song and we’ll work it together. Reese is really good at making parts fit together. It’s a collaborative effort.”

READ

...an opinion that’s different from your own! The library has curated a really awesome series called “Opposing Viewpoints.”

In each volume, the editors collect articles or essays from — you got it — expert but conflicting viewpoints on a contentious issue, such as gun control, the nuclear arms race, or public education. Feel free to ask a librarian for help locating a list of all the covered topics.

LISTEN

When I’m focused on a mental task, I like to put on some instrumental music in the background, to keep things awake but focused.

One of my all-time faves is the “Finding Neverland” soundtrack

by Jan A. P. Kaczmarek. The entire score is beautiful, but my favorite parts are the three improvised piano tracks, created in a stunning two hours of work with Polish pianist Leszek Mozdzer.

They weave intricately into the rest of the tracks as one solid work, but are standalone masterpieces (and inevitably distract me from my project every time).

Top: Cobra Jet doin’ what they do: rock!

Photo by Cobra Photography. Right: High Treason Ammunition playing at Farmin Park. Photo by Terry Owens.

High Treason Ammunition is a punk/hard rock trio hailing from just over the Idaho-Montana border consisting of Trevor Kayser on guitar and vocals, Jenna Kayser on bass and Ali Maverick Thomas on drums. Their sound is more on the punk side of rock, but it’s a hybrid Montana backwoods punk with lyrics that make you smile and a driving beat that keeps your feet tapping.

“We don’t really play one sound completely,” said Trevor Kayser, when asked to describe High Treason’s sound. “If anything, it’s punk, it just has a little bit of an attitude. Whenever we write, we’re not trying to write a punk song, we’re just writing what comes.”

High Treason Ammunition will also be playing the Follies afterparty at Eichardt’s Pub on Saturday, March 2.

The third band playing at the Eagles Lodge doesn’t actually have a name yet.

Owens said he invited them to play after overhearing their rehearsals.

WATCH

“We were down in those rehearsal studios underneath the music shop on First and winding down from practice and heard another band through the wall,” Owens said. “I said, ‘These guys are really good,’ so I found out who they were and asked if they’d come play. They just play down there for fun and don’t play out of anything, so they never made a band name.”

Owens said the third unnamed band will kick off the evening at 8 p.m. and will be followed by High Treason Ammunition and Cobra Jet. The Eagles hosts a hard rock

show a couple times a year, mostly because they are accepting of loud rock music, said Owens.

“I have gone around to some of the downtown places and didn’t get invited to play there,” Owens said. “Whereas I called the Eagles and they said sure. I think a lot of places just want chit chat over music, and that’s hard to do with Cobra Jet playing.”

Catch Cobra Jet, High Treason Ammunition and a third mystery band at 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 23 at the Eagles Lodge, 1511 Johnny Long Road (near Baldy and Division). There is no cover for this 21 and up show.

Amazon’s original show “The Man in the High Castle” has received three years‘ worth of rave reviews for a reason. The series starts with a complex, intriguing premise: what would have happened to the US if the Axis powers had won WWII? A dramatic wedding of historical fiction and sci-fi follows, with Nazis running the East Coast, the Japanese empire in control of the Western seaboard, and enough political and psychological intrigue to keep you binge-watching into the wee hours of a blustery morning.

February 21, 2019 /

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From Northern Idaho News, Sept. 18, 1942

COCKFIGHT SHOWN BEFORE KIWANIANS Members of the Kiwanis club enjoyed what was for most of them the first cockfight of their lives at the luncheon of the club last Monday. The Rayner Brothers, R.W. and D.L., who came from Texas where the sport is popular, put on an exhibition with two birds which they had bred, after explaining the main points of the game.

It was stated that according to the rules the birds must weigh within two ounces of each other to be well matched. It was explained that the fighting breed had their characteristics cultivated through the years, each owner breeding his own line of birds.

The birds do not fight during the moulting season, according to the explanation, as their features were then full of blood. But when they are in fighting trim, and they have to be fitted for a match, they require no urging, but attach each other viciously and undergo very severe punishment.

The two birds that put on the exhibition were dark red and black, and while in the hands of their owners were docile enough, but once set on the floor sailed into the adversary, seeming to have a feud with its own kind, and the feathers flew.

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Crossword Solution

Support an informed community

Read the READER

If I ever get real rich, I hope I’m not real mean to poor people, like I am now.

Copyright www.mirroreyes.com

CROSSWORD ACROSS 1. Patter 6. 20th-century art movement 10. Anagram of “Dice” 14. East African country 15. Comply with 16. Exploded star 17. Interlace 19. 8 in Roman numerals 20. Heavy and filling food 21. “___ the season to be jolly” 22. Ailments 23. Double-reed instruments 25. Stodgy 26. Swing around 30. Beneficial 32. Reap 35. Incapacitate 39. Crazy 40. Filament 41. Wander aimlessly 43. Repossess 44. Third sign of the zodiac 46. Auspices 47. Trimmed /pri-BUHT-l / 50. A strict vegetarian [noun] 53. Absent Without Leave 1. an argument constructed in anticipation of a criticism.

54. Nevertheless of the 55. Straight “He began his speech with a question and answer prebuttal period.”

60. Mongolian desert 61. Possible Corrections: We didn’t hear about any glaring errors or typos this week, so 63. Anagram of “Seek” we’re going to go ahead and give ourselves a gold star this week. Onto the 64. Neuter 65. Jagged next correction!

66. A musical pause

Word Week

prebuttal

Solution on page 22 67. Midmonth date 68. Church council

DOWN 1. Slaloms 2. Confined 3. Within 4. Gave the once-over 5. Very slow in tempo 6. Female deer 7. Decreases 8. Contrived 9. Yeses 10. Sacrosanct 11. Spirals

12. Iniquities 13. A type of flower 18. A spider spins this 24. Not in 25. Melodies 26. Leveling wedge 27. Alley 28. Constellation bear 29. A preacher 31. A small highpitched flute 33. Ceased 34. Appear 36. Boast 37. 53 in Roman numerals 38. Shade trees

42. Held (someone’s attention) 43. 18-wheeler 45. Urticate 47. Beeper 48. Aroused 49. Gowns 51. Former boxing champ 52. 9 9 9 9 54. A sharply directional antenna 56. Not 57. Black, in poetry 58. And 59. Marsh plant 62. Commercials February 21, 2019 / R / 23