Reader_August21_2025

2 / R / August 21, 2025

DEAR READERS,

The week in random review

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

bars of sandpoint’s past

I’m not ashamed to admit that I like to belly up to the bar every now and again to share a pint with friends. In fact, we have a weekly deadline ritual here at the Reader: After sending the paper to the printer, we shamble over to the bar to bitch, moan, commiserate and put the edition to rest once and for all.

It’s an integral part of the process of publishing a newspaper, like launching a boat with a bottle of champagne, except we launch this boat every week and the champagne is cheap beer.

Every now and again I’m reminded of the bars of Sandpoint’s past, many of them now just memories. I managed a bar called the Downtown Crossing on First Avenue and Bridge Street for several years during my 20s. Though the building burned down (and remains a blighted hole in the middle of our downtown some six years later), I can almost smell the bar like I’m still there; that curious combination of bottled spirits, stale beer, discarded lime chunks, dust bunnies and damaged people seeking solace together in this crazy, mixed up world.

Sandpoint local Peter Lucht recently sent the above photo of the Kamloops Klub, a rough-and-ready bar located just north of the Panida Theater (the Panida Little Theater now occupies that location). Lucht wrote, “A recent article about older buildings reminded me of this shot. I was in this band, Mynx, in the early ’80s when Doug and Kathy operated the ‘Mermaid Bar.’ My home away from home for some time.

I thought that you might enjoy it.” Indeed, I did.

Everyone needs a third place, be it a coffee shop, a bookstore, a gym, a library, a park, a cafe, a senior center or, in my case, a bar. It’s not home or work, but a place where people can gather to discuss the important matters of life, the trivial nonsense, to spin yarns, to laugh and reminisce about the good old days, to connect with your fellow Sandpointians and let your hair down. Finally, we all need somewhere to go that makes sense. Bars have always made sense to me: treat others with respect, don’t get too rowdy and leave before you start to stink.

quotable

“The secret of the demagogue is to make himself as stupid as his audience so that they believe they are as clever as he.”

— Karl Kraus, journalist, satirist (1874-1936)

A lot happens behind the scenes to make this small miracle of print media happen every week. One of the most impactful people to help sustain the Reader since we came back from the dead in 2015 is our bookkeeper, Sandy Bessler.

I love Sandy. She’s kind, easygoing and always pleasant when dealing with billing issues from our clients. For someone like me who struggles at the “running a business” thing, I cannot stress enough how much Sandy has made my life easier. She’s one of our matron saints.

It is bittersweet to announce that Sandy is stepping away from her duties keeping our books to fully embrace her retirement. Have no fear, though, because we brought in former-Reader News Editor (and current-Editor Emeritus) Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey to fill Sandy’s shoes. Lyndsie has trained with Sandy for the past couple of months and officially takes over as our bookkeeper starting this week.

Thank you so much for all you’ve done for the Reader, Sandy. We are all better off thanks to your dedication. And welcome back, Lyndsie. We missed you.

– Ben Olson, publisher

READER 111 Cedar Street, Suite 9 Sandpoint, ID 83864 208-946-4368 sandpointreader.com

Publisher: Ben Olson ben@sandpointreader.com Editorial: Zach Hagadone (Editor) zach@sandpointreader.com Soncirey Mitchell (Senior Writer) soncirey@sandpointreader.com Editors Emeriti: Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey Cameron Rasmusson John Reuter Advertising: Ben Olson ben@sandpointreader.com Contributing Artists: Gina Woodruff (cover), Ben Olson, Jane Fritz, Chris Park, Rich Milliron, Karley Coleman, ITD, Bill Borders, Cari and Paul Johnson Contributing Writers: Zach Hagadone, Ben Olson, Soncirey Mitchell, Lorraine H. Marie, Brenden Bobby, Clark Corbin, Daniel Walters, Marcia Pilgeram Submit Stories To: stories@sandpointreader.com Printed Weekly At: Tribune Publishing Co. Lewiston, ID Subscription Price: $185 per year Website Designed By: Keokee The Sandpoint Reader is a weekly publication owned by Ben Olson and Keokee. It is devoted to the arts, entertainment, bluster, politics and lifestyle in and around Sandpoint, Idaho.

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

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

Letter to the Editor Policy: We welcome letters to the editor on all relavant topics. Please, no more than 200 words, no excessive profanity or libelous statements and no trolls. Please elevate the discussion and stay on topic.

Letters will be edited to comply with the above requirements. Opinons expressed in these pages are those of the writers, not necessarily the publisher. Send to: letters@sandpointreader.com About the Cover: This week’s cover photo shows Kevin Woodruff during his endurance swim from Bayview to Sandpoint. Great job, Kevin!

August 21, 2025 / R / 3

NEWS

Legislative committee explores affordable housing in Sandpoint Presentations include land trust, deed-restricted housing models

By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff

The interim Idaho Legislature committee on land use and housing — which has been meeting around the state over the summer — convened Aug. 14 at Sandpoint City Hall with a special focus on affordable housing.

Co-chaired by Sen. Jim Woodward, R-Sagle, and Rep. Jordan Redman, R-Coeur d’Alene, the committee’s agenda in Sandpoint included presentations by Kaniksu Land Trust Executive Director Katie Egland Cox and Maggie Lyons, who serves as executive director of the Panhandle Affordable Housing Alliance.

Representatives from the Idaho Chapter of the American Planning Association also presented, as well as Coeur d’Alene Councilor Kiki Miller, who also founded the Housing Solutions Partnership. The former chair of the Montana Housing Task Force and a representative of the Coeur d’Alene Vacation Rental Alliance rounded out the presentations.

“I just thought it was a great opportunity to let some of our Coeur d’Alene and Sandpoint entities, who have been doing this work, to showcase what they’ve been doing,” Woodward told the Reader.

The goal of the committee, which will meet one more time in Boise in September, is to compile a report on best practices related to land use planning and solutions for providing affordable housing from around the state, with subgroups that will return with specific proposals.

Whether those findings make their way into legislation remains to be seen. For his part, Woodward said that he’s more interested in the report serving as a resource for communities, who can tailor the ideas gleaned by the commit4 / R / August 21, 2025

tee to their specific needs.

“If we need to do something through the Legislature, I’m always cautious because I want to make sure it fits for all communities,” he said.

“I’ve been amazed at the amount of interest in the topic of affordable housing,” Woodward added. “People understand it’s an issue and want to work toward a solution, and I’m happy to be a part of that.”

Sandpoint Mayor Jeremy Grimm serves on the committee and, as a professional land use planner and development consultant, said he was able to “contribute unique and important observations about the barriers and challenges to affordability and affordable housing in our area.”

“My practical local experience — both between Whiskey Rock Planning and my role as the mayor — I’m seeing the marketplace work,” he told the Reader. “I’m seeing private developers running to the market to put up housing.”

During the committee meeting Aug. 14, Grimm took the opportunity to emphasize that while Sandpoint is technically regarded as a “resort community,” “I disdain that title because we are a mountain town with one of the most diverse economies you’ll find in any kind of mountain town, with aerospace, food manufacturing, computer analytics, lots of aircraft manufacturing.”

Yet, with real estate prices among the highest in Idaho — which is already ranked among the more unaffordable states in the nation — “It’s a real struggle to keep that economy alive,” Grimm told the committee.

“The salient point is that our employers are struggling tremendously [with] finding housing to grow their workforce here,” he said. “This subject really resonates in Sandpoint.”

Leading off the presentations at the committee meeting, which lasted for more than five hours, was Katie Egland Cox, executive director of the Kaniksu Land Trust, who illustrated the success of the Village at River View housing development in Priest River.

She said the first home in the Village at River View was due to close on the same day as the committee’s meeting, and marked a major milestone in the project, which began in 2022.

Partnering with LEAP Housing and the Bonner Community Housing Authority, KLT brought the Village at River View to market using a land trust model in which homebuyers purchase and hold title to the home and improvements, while the trust leases the land through a 99year, inheritable and renewable agreement.

At resale, homeowners keep the earned equity plus a share of the market appreciation. Meanwhile, the home remains in the trust and continues to be affordable for the next buyer.

What’s “affordable,” however, has long been a point of debate. KLT and its partners

An aerial view of the Village at River View in Priest River. Courtesy photo determined that homes in the Village at River View — which are three-bedroom, two-bathroom and about 1,500 square feet — should be priced for buyers who earn at or below 120% of the area median income.

In hard numbers, that comes to a target price of about $270,000, with a household of four earning between $62,400-$103,920 per year at 80% to 120% of AMI, respectively.

KLT, LEAP and BCHA leveraged substantial private donations — totalling about $460,000 — accounting for between 25% and 30% of the project’s capital. That’s not sustainable for future developments using the same model, said Cox, who suggested a number of changes to local and state policies that could help lessen the financial burden.

Those included waiving or reducing impact fees for affordable housing developments, eliminating or deferring permit fees — with preference for nonprofit-led projects — and waiving or reducing property taxes on lands held in trust.

In the absence of those fixes, Cox suggested to the committee that temporary exemptions of fees and taxes could be put in place during construction, deferring taxes for between one and 15 years post-occupancy, and removing minimum parking requirements for workforce housing projects, especially near downtown or transit routes.

Other proposals included eliminating density caps that prevent small-scale, multi-family developments in residential zones; creating overlays or conditional use allowance for affordable housing; and offering variances in exchange for public benefits such as affordability, green building or mixed-use space.

Cox said the land trust model isn’t “the be all and end all for all housing issues, but it is one tool in the toolbox.”

Grimm told the Reader that he appreciated the structure of the Village at River View model, saying, “There’s no silver bullet, it’s unique to each jurisdiction and community, and I think these solutions that the private, nonprofit sector

< see HOUSING, Page 6 >

NEWS

Sunset fire grows to 3,208 acres, while Lightning Creek fire holds around 2,500 acres

By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff The Sunset fire northeast of Athol grew to 3,208 acres as of the Aug. 20 morning update from the Northern Rockies Complex Incident Management Team, burning with 4% containment across a long swath of public and private land on the western slope of Lake Pend Oreille.

According to the most recently available information, the wildfire perimeter stretched from Sunset Road at Careywood Creek in the south, eastward to the shoreline and north through the Evans Landing and Maiden Rock areas to Pearl Creek on Blacktail Mountain just south of Talache Landing, with smaller spot fires reported along Talache Creek.

Forest closure areas are in effect throughout the Blacktail Mountain Roadless Area, as well as northeast of Talache Road almost to Garfield Bay and covering almost all of the acreage from Green Bay to Mineral Point to the east and north nearly to Camp Bay. There were 546 personnel on the fire as of press time, with water scoopers making regular passes through the area, drawing water from the lake to help douse the flames.

While Hotshots, Type 2 hand crews, engines and heavy equipment are all being deployed to reinforce firelines along the western flank of the fire, Hotshots and Type 2 hand crews are working to establish firelines on the northern flank.

In addition to water scoopers, helicopters are assisting with water drops on the southern, western and northern flanks, and structure protection teams are active where needed along Talache Road and Butler Creek. Watercraft are being used to deliver crews into remote areas on the lakeshore.

According to the report,

daytime infrared flights are ongoing at 18,000 feet to identify pockets of heat, which are also being located with a lower-altitude drone equipped with infrared sensing.

The three-tiered “Ready, Set, Go” evacuation schedule is in effect for large areas surrounding the fire.

At the “Ready” level, residents are to establish an evacuation plan and start organizing what they need to leave the area if the fire threat increases.

The “Set” level is to finalize preparations to leave before imminent threat and at “Go” status, residents should leave immediately “due to an imminent life threat,” according to the guidance from the Bonner County Sheriff’s Office and Emergency Management department.

County officials have issued a brochure with further information about the three levels of evacuation, including a form to be filled out and left attached to the primary entrance of individuals’ homes before evacuation, so that emergency resources can more quickly contact them if needed.

In addition, an emergency preparedness checklist is available at bonnercountyid. gov/bcem-checklist. See the map on this page for more information, or go to bonnerso. org/official-sunset-fire-updates for ongoing news releases and notices, including how to sign up for alerts from the Idaho Department of Lands and access the Inciweb page for the Sunset fire. Regular updates also come via the BCSO through the Nixle emergency alert system. Sign up for Bonner County Nixle alerts by texting 888777 and entering your zip code.

The sheriff’s office also reported that Selkirk Fire, Rescue and EMS has issued a no-burn order for areas east of Highway 95.

Meanwhile, an evacua-

tion center is available at the Cocolalla Bible Camp (209 Cocolalla Loop Road, in Cocolalla) for displaced residents and the Bonner County Fairgrounds (4203 N. Boyer Road, in Sandpoint) are available to shelter evacuated livestock on a limited basis.

On behalf of the fair organization, BCSO released further guidance on animal evacuation policies Aug. 20, including that no evacuees are allowed to camp at the fairgrounds — unless they visit camplife.com and rent a campsite space — and no birds, dogs, cats, reptiles or “other speciality pets” will be accepted. Rabbits, goats, sheep, horses, cattle, pigs, alpacas and llamas will be accepted, per space constraints. All evacuated animals must be checked in and paperwork filled out. If dropped off and unattended, animals without the proper check-in materials will be considered abandoned and turned over to the BCSO. That also goes for animals that are left uncared for or unclaimed.

Check-in hours are Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Boyer Road entrance.

If arriving after hours, call 208-920-9680 to arrange for dropoff.

The Aug. 20 fire report stated that temperatures are due to increase while dry conditions persist, likely increasing fire activity and resulting in smoky skies.

“Flanking and torching fire behavior will increase today in areas with isolated residual heat, and heavy fuels will continue to burn,” fire managers stated on Aug. 20. “Continued drying of fuels, higher temperatures and lower relative humidities will result in increased potential for fire activity.”

Difficult terrain has also challenged crews’ ability to contain the fire, with officials saying at an Aug. 18 community meeting in Sandpoint that a combination of the area’s remoteness and steep

Image courtesy of IDL shoreline environment make the Sunset fire an especially complex incident.

The cause of the fire, which began on Aug. 13, remains under investigation.

The other major fire burning in Bonner County is across the lake, covering 2,515 backcountry acres about nine miles north of Clark Fork.

According to the most recent update, issued by the U.S. Forest Service on Aug. 17, containment of the Lightning Creek fire was at 25%, with 109 personnel on-site including two engines, one water tender, five pieces of heavy equipment and one hand crew.

Management of the fire, which began July 30 and was caused by lightning strike, was transferred Aug. 18, with the Northern Rockies Incident Management Team handing operations over to the Idaho Panhandle National Forests.

Activity on the Lightning Creek fire was described as

“minimal,” though the forecast of higher temperatures, lower humidity and winds will increase the potential for greater growth, as with the Sunset fire.

A temporary flight restriction remains in place throughout both the Sunset and Lightning Creek fire areas, which prohibits operating aircraft — including drones — without permission. Boaters are also strongly cautioned to avoid the waters adjacent to the Sunset fire, which are being used by multiple aircraft for fire suppression.

For more information and updates on the Sunset fire, go to inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/idids-sunset-fire, call 208-990-1881 or email 2025. sunset@firenet.gov.

For more on the Lightning Creek fire, go to inciweb.wildfire. gov/idipf-lightning-creek-fire or call 208-557-8813.

August 21, 2025 / R / 5

NEWS

BOCC unanimously approves FY’26 budget

By Soncirey Mitchell Reader Staff The Bonner County board of commissioners voted unanimously Aug. 18 to adopt the county’s 2026 fiscal year budget of $78,048,046, bringing three months of work to a close. Though some departments saw an increase in projected spending, the overall budget is $164,558 less than in FY’25.

Elected officials, department heads and staff began working on the FY’26 budget May 1, hosting dozens of public meetings with the BOCC to comb through and reduce anticipated expenditures by renegotiating contracts and taking steps to increase efficiency.

“I really value and appreciate everyone’s participation,” said Commissioner Brian Domke. “I think the process — the path — we’re moving down is going to be a foundation to build on for the future for greater clarity and transparency of the budget process, both in the development, but then the expenditures later on.”

Based on the previous year’s growth of 2.15%, BOCC Chair Asia Williams said the commissioners anticipate Bonner County’s population will grow 2.08% in 2026, with the majority of new residents being 50 years or older, increasing the strain on area infra-

< HOUSING, con’t from Page 4 > are coming up with are incrementally moving the needle and providing a solution.”

What’s more, he added, “I would be more than interested to see if there are parcels of land that are owned by the city or the city’s utility that we could contribute to one of these models, where the land is decoupled from the structure — that land trust model.”

Also on the agenda Aug. 14 was Maggie Lyons, of the Panhandle Affordable Housing Association, who presented a different — though similar — solution involving deed-restricted ownership that includes both the land and the home, which is playing out in Kootenai County with the Miracle on Britton project in Post Falls.

Twenty homes have been sold so far, and five buyers have already moved in with another five slated to take occupancy by the end of the month. By next summer, Lyons said 28 families will be in homes priced for buyers who earn between 100% and 130% of AMI. 6 / R / August 21, 2025

structure. Bonner County Clerk Mike Rosedale estimated that Bonner County will earn $78,332,573 in revenue from taxes and fees in 2026.

Of the $78 million budget, the county allocated $24,449,106 to the Justice Fund; $12,340,651 to the General Fund; $12,178,443 to the Department of Road and Bridge; and $11,603,455 to the Department of Solid Waste, accounting for the majority of the budget. The next highest allocation is to 911 operations at $3,003,004.

“We did increase our contingency fund to its maximum, and part of that was to address the unknowns that we have had to open our contingency fund [for] in this year,” said Williams.

Unforeseen increases this year included vehicle repairs and the rising cost of magnesium chloride, used as a dust suppressant and de-icer.

Some of the largest budgetary increases include funds for new software in the County Clerk’s Office, roof repair at the Bonner County Historical Society and capital vehicle purchases for the Sheriff’s Office. The Sheriff’s Office also requested — but did not receive — millions in funding to replace the 911 dispatch center and jail, and to increase records storage.

These and similar expenses are what Williams called “outstanding things

< see BUDGET, Page 7 >

All the lots are selling on average $50,000 below the market value, with prices ranging from $292,000 to $450,000.

Nonprofit PAHA is raising more than $1 million to underwrite costs for the land, construction and regulatory fees. Fundraising has come from foundations, banks and private individuals, with those dollars intended to offset costs for developers, who have seen their own labor and materials costs skyrocket in recent years, forcing prices ever higher.

“We believe the main purpose of Britton is to be a blueprint for this community and for the state to be able to unleash the private market for builders and developers to build these homes,” Lyons said. “That is the only way we will get the inventory that we need.”

Download and watch the entire 2025 Land Use and Housing Study Committee presentation at legislature.idaho.gov/sessioninfo/2025/interim/lhsc.

Bits ’n’FromPieces east, west and beyond

By Lorraine H. Marie Reader Contributor

According to internal documents reviewed by The Washington Post, President Donald Trump and Pentagon officials are considering creating a fulltime “Domestic Civil Disturbance Quick Reaction Force” to quickly quash civil unrest and protest.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., has accused Israel of genocide against Palestinians, and says the pro-Israel group, AIPAC, is unduly influencing Congress on the matter. According to Mediaite, Greene said that “Israel is not hurting,” with taxpayer-funded health care and college, less than $400 billion in debt and boasting a nuclear arsenal. Americans are “fed up” with support of Israel, Greene said.

The strategy for dealing with homelessness used to be prioritizing mental health and substance abuse treatment, with housing addressed later. But, Mother Jones reported, many treatment recipients returned to the streets, leading to Housing First, which was twice as successful, and cut veterans’ homelessness in half.

The Trump administration claimed that the Department of Government Efficiency saved taxpayers $52.8 billion by cancelling contracts. But Politico’s analysis of federal spending records shows the amount saved is closer to $1.4 billion.

More than 50 Democratic lawmakers from Texas prepared to return to the state after being gone nearly two weeks.

They left to obstruct a quorum that would have rigged their voting district maps to favor adding five more Republicans to back Trump in Congress, thereby removing five seats held by Democrats. The Dems said they would return as long as Texas’ first special session was adjourned and California introduced its own new congressional map to offset gains rigged by Republicans, The Guardian reported.

Republicans in Texas currently control 25 of the state’s 38 congressional districts. Gaining more seats is important to Republicans, since mid-term elections often do not favor the president’s party, and the House has a slim Republican advantage of just three seats.

To activate the temporary redrawing of California’s maps will require voter approval. California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom said that the failure to react to Trump’s map manipulation “risks destabilization of our democracy.”

Speaking on Fox News, Texas state Democrat James Talarico — who left to avoid a vote on gerrymandering — denied the network’s accusation that

he abandoned his seat. Amid what Mediaite described as a “fiery” exchange, Talarico asked, “If Republican policies are popular, why do they need to redraw these maps? Why can’t they run on their policies?” Fox host Will Cain then cut the interview short.

Trump wants to eliminate the 33-yearold Energy Star program, but a coalition of business interests disagrees. Grist reported that the program has saved $40 billion annually in energy costs.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has reposted a video about Christian nationalist pastors he supports who oppose the right of women to vote. A Pentagon spokesperson said Hegseth doesn’t agree with the sentiments.

As Trump met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Aug. 15, residents across the state rallied in support of Ukraine, saying, “We just want peace,” Alaska Public Media reported. Meanwhile, an op-ed in The Guardian stated that “Putin won in Anchorage. Now Zelenskyy and Europe are in an even more perilous position” as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine stretches on and land concessions to the aggressor are on the table to reach a peace agreement.

Following the Alaska summit, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Trump at the White House on Aug. 18, in an effort to “woo Trump away from Putin,” NBC News reported. However, according to Axios, Putin “no longer thinks a ceasefire [in Ukraine] is necessary,” and “it’s up to President Zelenskyy to make peace.”

FBI crime stats show 13 of the 20 cities with the highest murder rates are in Republican-led states, according to Axios, while eight of the top 10 cities with the highest murder rates are in red states. Border city crime dropped below the national average in 2024 — all stats contrary to Trump’s claim of murder being especially bad in Democrat-run cities and border towns.

Blast from the past: In 2009, Trump bought a golf club on the Potomac River. He had a plaque put up claiming many soldiers in the Civil War — North and South — died “at this spot,” causing the river to become known as “The River of Blood.” Multiple experts said that never happened.

Per executive order, Trump now wants to restore “Truth and Sanity to American History” and is leaning on the Smithsonian to revise the nation’s history to align with his historical ideas, erasing subjects such as racism.

NEWS

BOCC announces job openings, minor changes to Zoom Planning Commission hosts public hearing on MLDs

By Soncirey Mitchell Reader Staff The Bonner County board of commissioners touched on several forthcoming issues and changes in the county regarding online participation, litigation, planning and position openings.

Attendees also noted the Planning Commission’s upcoming public hearing on minor land divisions, which will take place Wednesday, Aug. 27 at 4:30 p.m. in the Bonner County Administration Building (1500 Highway 2, Sandpoint).

Zoom Due to the July 22 incident when a “Zoom bomber” temporarily interrupted a BOCC meeting with hate speech, Chair Asia Williams announced that online participants will now have to enter their full name when logging into Zoom in order to give public comment. Zoom already requests a first and last name when logging on, though users have had the option to enter placeholders or usernames.

“The benefit of Zoom [is it] allows you the opportunity to ask questions. So, the county isn’t going to accept names that are not — like, it says, ‘Idaho.’ It needs to say the first and last name to give you the option to ask a question,” said Williams, later adding, “don’t put a generic name up

< BUDGET, con’t from Page 6 > that the departments reasonably reflected that they needed but that we just weren’t able to fund this go ’round.”

“We did a very good job as a board, focusing on our statutory obligations and ensuring that we micromanage as much as possible,” she added.

The county will also see notable decreases in costs, including in the Elections Office due to House Bill 58, which eliminated the May and August election dates for school levies, and in payments to Panhandle Health District.

“We, as a board, did not agree with what they wanted

there because you won’t get put into Zoom. You’ll have to go to YouTube [to watch the live stream].”

County officials considered alternative measures — such as blocking VPNs — but ultimately decided on a policy that they felt least limited public comment.

“I think most of North Idaho wants a VPN. I don’t think that’s going to fly because ... we can’t punish everybody because somebody did something,” said Williams.

The Bonner County YouTube page streams and uploads recordings of every public meeting; however, due to the nature of the bomber’s language, the county had to remove the July 22 meeting to avoid a citation from the social media platform. The public can still view the meeting by submitting a public records request to the county.

Cell tower litigation Bonner County and Verizon Wireless have gone back and forth regarding a conditional use permit for a potential cell tower near Oldtown. Though initially approved by the county hearing examiner, the BOCC sided with area residents and unanimously voted in April to reverse the approval, later voting to uphold that decision in June. The county argued that the CUP conflicted with

us to pay, and we, as a board, went to the health district and cast the only dissenting vote.

But the dissenting opinion actually led to Panhandle Health reviewing what they were asking for, and every county got a reduction in their budget associated with Panhandle [Health District],” said Williams. “One of the things that we have to start addressing is, what do we need versus what are we getting from Panhandle?”

In order to account for rising costs and retain current employees, all county positions received a cost-of-living wage increase of $1 per hour, subject to performance re-

its Comprehensive Plan and Bonner County Revised Code — which dictate appropriate land uses based on the area’s zoning — and could negatively affect area homeowners.

The Communications Act of 1996 acknowledges but limits local authority over the placements of cell towers; and, for that reason, Commissioner Brian Domke has often said that the decision on the CUP would eventually lead to litigation.

“We are working on what we’re going to do, but this will be an opportunity for us to see, ‘What are our defense opportunities in this type of a case?’

Because it is unique for the county,” said Williams. “We have a full board decision on it, with [the] full board making the original decision and supporting moving forward with fighting the piece of litigation.”

As of press time, the Reader did not have access to the exact language of the lawsuit against the county.

Open positions Domke announced Bonner County Planning Director Jake Gabell’s intention to step down from his position by Sept. 12. Applications for the role — as well as seats on the Planning and Zoning commissions — are available on bonnercountyid.gov. “[Gabell] has informed us that he’s intending to move

views. The adjustment, coupled with other factors, means that 56% of the county’s budget will go toward personnel costs — a 2% increase from previous years.

“It’s the first time our county has done this. Instead of doing a percentage increase, we did a flat rate so that it was more equitable across the organization,” said Williams. “You’re seeing that change throughout a lot of different organizations where they’re not saying a ‘3% adjustment.’ ... If you do a percentage, the people at the top get more than the people at the bottom.”

on to a slightly different career path in the near future. And so, as of yesterday, we have posted the planning director position and we are now accepting applications,” said Domke.

Gabell has been with the department for more than three years and oversees planning and zoning in the county while also acting as the land use, building regulation and floodplain administrator.

“The Planning Department is an outstanding team of hard-working professionals that I will miss greatly. I won’t be far away; I have accepted a position working for the City of Priest River as the new Planning and Zoning Administrator,” said Gabell.

Depending on experience, the planning director position pays $44.87 an hour, whereas seats on the P&Z commissions are voluntary. Applications for the commissions must be submitted by noon on Friday, Aug. 22, while applications for the planning director position will remain open until the job is filled.

Public hearing on MLDs After months of work, the Bonner County Planning Commission will host a public hearing Aug. 27 on minor land divisions, where members will potentially vote to recommend approval of proposed changes to Bonner County Revised Code Title 12.

The Bonner County Ambulance Service District, which has been facing financial uncertainty since November 2024, will finish the year with approximately $800,000.

Until recently, BCASD operated as a branch of the county instead of a separate taxing district, contrary to code.

The commissioners, Clerk’s Office and BCASD Chief Jeff Lindsey have been working to extricate the district from the county, making it financially independent. However, the district had to immediately overcome a $2 million shortfall by taking out a Tax Anticipation Note in November 2024.

The county earlier instituted an emergency moratorium on MLDs in order to give the commission time to change the code’s imprecise language, which resulted in unintended loopholes allowing developers to create de facto subdivisions without the required infrastructure.

Gabell testified in March that the MLD “processes have led to underregulated land division that often lacks adequate infrastructure and presents long-term challenges for emergency access, fire protection and stormwater management.”

Homeowners in the Mountain Homestead development — which was created using MLDs — are suing the county and about 50 other defendants in a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) suit.

The plaintiffs allege that improper land division and lack of regulations resulted in unclear legal access to their properties, flooding and drinking water polluted with sewage, among other issues.

The proposed update discussed at the Aug. 27 hearing will include changes to almost 50 sections of code. If approved, the revisions will go before the BOCC for a final vote at a to-be-determined date.

Stream the meeting online via Zoom or YouTube at bonnercountyid.gov/PlanningCommissionHearings.

The Ambulance Service District Board voted in April to raise fees for the first time in five years, helping to account for inflation, rising operating costs and increased call volume.

“We do anticipate that we’re going to take a TAN again,” said Williams. “The overall budget cuts during our 2025 year have made it such that it looks like we’ll end the year with about $800,000.

That’s a huge impact when you consider that we started this fiscal year essentially taking money from the county in order to make that number.”

August 21, 2025 / R / 7

Clear cuts mar the face of Baldy Mtn.…

Bouquets: GUEST SUBMISSION: • “We have an incredible community! Our Relay For Life team (Team I-Did-It) asked and businesses (and individuals) donated. Because of their generosity, our Pend Oreille Valley Relay For Life event last weekend was a huge success.

Money raised from the silent auction items and raffles goes to the American Cancer Society to help us move toward ending cancer as we know it. Bouquets to these wonderful businesses for supporting this great cause: Evans Brothers Coffee Roasters, Western Pleasure Guest Ranch, Selkirk Quilts, Sand Creek Quilting, Moose Country Quilts and Cuppa Tea Quilting.”

— By Terrie Kramer Barbs: • A reader reached out to comment on the “scary, stealth bike rider who likes to go about 35 mph on his homemade e-bike and scare the shit out of pedestrians and bike riders in Sagle.” The reader wrote that something needs to be done, “before he kills someone,” concluding that, “I see now why some states have laws about bikes like this. He goes so fast that you don’t have time to react, and he doesn’t warn anyone he’s coming or slow down.”

GUEST SUBMISSION: • “Would the dog owners who can’t control their dogs please keep them on leash in Sandpoint city parks? Sunday, as I was walking my dog (on a leash) past the pickleball courts at Memorial Field, two dogs ran over 100 feet to viciously attack my dog, who fortunately outsized them. He defended himself, and I was able to dissuade the dogs from further attacking him. Most dogs and their owners are well behaved, but leashes in public places prevent dog-on-dog and owner-on-owner altercations.”

— By Preston Andrews 8 / R / August 21, 2025

Dear editor, In the 50 years I have lived in Sandpoint, I have been able to look toward Baldy Mountain and find comfort and peace in its stunning beauty and sense of steadfastness that mountains can evoke.

But the world, and Sandpoint, changed. I began to wonder if “they” would protect Baldy. Would we see vacation homes sprout on its flanks or roads and clear cuts mar its face?

As we can all see, the latter has happened. Only time will tell if construction is next.

I don’t know who made the decision to log the face of Baldy, but I assure you, whatever you got for it, it wasn’t worth it.

I hope you regret it. I know I do.

Sincerely, Liz Tollbom Sandpoint

Call for Sandpoint City Council candidates…

Dear editor, With this letter, I am hoping to motivate qualified city residents to participate in public service by declaring her/his candidacy for one of the three Sandpoint City Council seats whose terms are up this year.

If you have concerns about the way Sandpoint is adapting to its growth, have a desire to share constructive ideas and want to make a positive difference in our community, now may be the time for you.

Involvement in this nonpartisan City Council position could be more gratifying than complaining on Facebook.

The deadline to file with the city is 5 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 29.

All the information you need can be found on the city’s webpage: sandpointidaho.gov/city-clerk/page/ city-elections.

So, come on, let’s “Keep Sandpoint Real!”

Pam Duquette Sandpoint

Editor’s note: Pam Duquette was elected to the Sandpoint City Council in 2023 and began serving a four-year term in January 2024.

City ‘shouldn’t get another dime’ of taxpayers’ money…

Dear editor, To be short and to the point… vote against the upcoming new wastewater treatment plant. It needs a simple majority. The city should not get another dime of our

money when the property taxes double every year. They will tell you it’s the same percentage rate, but it doubles because the evaluations double. They do not account for where all this money is going.

Where is all this money — in their pockets? It’s not in ours. Until they can spend the huge sums they are already fleecing us out of for almost no services, they shouldn’t get another dime.

Ask yourself: What exactly are we getting? Crap streets and roads, ridiculous pickleball courts that no one uses. Schools are separate, ambulance service separate, the library, new sidewalks, all separate.

Monthly water and sewage bills at or over $100 a month. Want anything… “Well, you gotta pay this here huge fee, extra sales tax and you better vote for this bond or levy or chaos and misery will ensue!”

No Sandpoint, use the money you’re fleecing now. Enough of this madness!

Lawrence Fury Sandpoint

‘Doesn’t speak truth’...

Dear editor, So, Donald Trump doesn’t like the actual/real numbers for the jobs

Regular Weld Child Check-Ups help you track growth milestones, discuss nutrition and sleep, and get preventive care tips for every stage.

Bonners Ferry 208.267.1718 Priest River 208.448.2321 Sandpoint 208.265.6252 Sandpoint Behavioral Health 208.920.5151

and census report. Why? Because it doesn’t make him look good, so he fires the person who brought him the truth, and now wants to replace her with someone that he controls and who will lie and do whatever he tells him to.

This president is untrustworthy.

You can tell when he’s lying, because his lips move. No one can believe a word this wannabe dictator spews out.

Congress, get your heads out of the sand and stop fearing this lying, bullying, coward and do the right thing. Impeach him. He has routinely violated his oath of office and doesn’t give a damn about the American people, only what he can get for himself.

Does anyone else believe that the $100 million spent for his security on golf courses could have been better spent? He tries to sell cars on the White House lawn? He destroys the Rose Garden that was established in 1913? He wants to make the area around the White House look like the Mar-a-Lago patio?

He has wasted millions, if not billions, of dollars that could have helped a lot of Americans.

Michael Harmelin Sandpoint

If women can’t vote, they shouldn’t pay taxes…

Dear editor, No taxation without representation was a rallying cry in creating our nation.

With talk drifting around of altering the Constitution to strip women of their vote I say — strip us of taxes, too.

No income, property or sales taxes to be paid by citizen women who cannot vote!

Every red-blooded American can understand and support this principle, I’m sure.

Molly O’Reilly Sandpoint

Got something to say?

Write a letter to the editor.

We accept letters up to 200 words in length. Please refrain from using excessive profanity and libelous statements. Please elevate the discussion. Trolls will be ignored, as always. Go crawl under a bridge, bud.

PEDIATRICS FAMILY MEDICINE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH DENTAL

NEWS

IDL seeks to balance pending budget cuts with firefighting needs

By Clark Corbin Idaho Capital Sun Idaho Department of Lands officials are seeking to balance state-mandated budget cuts that almost all state agencies face this year with the desire to provide the aggressive and safe wildfire response Idahoans expect, state officials said.

Idaho Gov. Brad Little issued an executive order Aug. 15 requiring all state agencies, other than public schools, to reduce spending by 3% in the current fiscal year 2026, the Idaho Capital Sun previously reported.

During an interview Aug. 19 at the Capitol in Boise, IDL Director Dustin Miller confirmed the department is subject to the 3% cuts.

“The 3% holdback planning work is occurring right now,” Miller said.

“Nothing’s been finalized, but we are making sure that we continue to maintain strong initial attacks [in response to wildfire] and a robust firefighting force, because we’ve got another four weeks or so — knock on wood — of fire season left. So we’re going to continue to ensure that we’re making the necessary proposals to reduce our general fund component of our budget by 3%, while at the same time still providing that same level of fire protection and services for our customers and the public.”

The Idaho Legislature already lowballed the amount of state funding available to fight wildfires this year.

During the 2025 legislative session, Idaho legislators approved a one-time $40 million transfer to the state’s Fire Suppression Deficiency Fund.

The $40 million is less than Little requested and less than the $58 million the state spent fighting wildfires during the long and difficult 2024 fire season, the Idaho Capital Sun previously reported.

How much has Idaho spent fighting wildfires this year?

So far this year, the state has accrued about $18.9 million in total fire season costs, Miller told Little and members of the Idaho State Board of Land Commissioners during the land board’s monthly meeting on Aug. 19.

Little’s executive order on the budget holdbacks and the state’s overall revenue situation are also having an effect on IDL’s upcoming 2027 budget request, which officials will submit to

the state by the end of this month.

Miller shared documents with the State Board of Land Commissioners showing that the department was preparing to request new general fund budget enhancements totalling $1.9 million with three new full-time positions for 2027. However, after meeting with the Idaho Division of Financial Management about the state’s budget guidance, the department is reducing next year’s general fund budget request to just $16,600 in new, ongoing general fund spending — an increase of 0.14%.

The $16,600 is just enough to cover inflation and a 1% change in employee compensation pay increase for timber protection associations that fight fires, land board meeting documents show.

“This is a maintenance budget only,” Miller told the Land Board, borrowing the phrase “maintenance of operations budget” that state legislators now use to refer to a bare-bones budget that is basically just intended to keep the lights on.

Why are agencies forced to cut their budgets in the middle of the year?

The decision to reduce state agency budgets by 3% came just months after Little and the Idaho Legislature reduced the amount of revenue available to spend in the state budget by more than $450 million during the 2025 legislative session so they could cut taxes and pay for a new tax credit that reimburses families for education expenses including tuition at private, religious schools.

Additionally, state revenues have come in below the projections the Idaho Legislature set in building the state budget several times in recent months.

Most recently, state revenues came in $39.1 million below the state’s new projection for the month of July, which is the first month of the current 2026 fiscal year. That’s a miss of nearly 10%, according to the Idaho General Fund Revenue Report for July, which the Idaho Division of Financial Management released Aug. 15.

By law, all state agencies must submit their budget requests for next year to the state by Monday, Sept. 1.

This story was produced by Boise-based nonprofit news outlet the Idaho Capital Sun, which is part of the States Newsroom nationwide reporting project. For more information, visit idahocapitalsun.com.

BY THE NUMBERS

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

25% The approximate percentage of all U.S. national debt incurred over the past 230 years that has occurred so far during the four-plus years of Donald Trump’s two presidential terms. Trump’s tax-cutting “big, beautiful bill” is expected to add another $3 trillion to the nation’s already staggering $37 trillion debt pile. To conceptualize that number, if you saved $1 million every single day, it would take 100,000 years to reach $37 trillion.

32% The decrease in homicides in Washington, D.C. last year, compared to 2023. Despite the fact that violent crime plunged to a 30-year low, Trump said National Guard soldiers will be deployed on the streets of D.C. to assert federal control over the city’s metropolitan police department in order to “take our capital back.” In addition to decreased homicide rates, robberies are down 39%, armed carjackings down 53% and assaults with dangerous weapons down 27%, compared to 2023 levels.

11% The decline in tourism to Las Vegas this year, including visitor numbers, convention attendance and hotel occupancy. The drop comes amid a broader decline in international travel to the U.S. and is seen as a potential signal of a weakening economy.

40% Estimated maximum decline in new international student enrollment this fall, according to NAFSA, a group that promotes international education. The drop, which is being driven by slower visa processing and other federal policy changes, could cost the U.S. economy $7 billion.

August 21, 2025 / R / 9

Mad about Science:

Brought to you by:

The psychology of architecture

By Brenden Bobby Reader Columnist What does a casino and an airport have in common?

Architectural design.

The cost of building a major casino and an airport is very similar. A medium airport and a large casino can easily cost upward of $4 billion. A tremendous amount of psychological research goes into designing both of these buildings to maximize efficiency and profit. After all, carrying a price tag that large means the owners want to milk every penny they can from their investment to be reasonably paid back within their lifetimes.

In many regards, casino design has borrowed from airport architecture in subtle ways. A well-designed casino is a spacious building with curved walls and pathways that organically flow from place to place, much like an airport. In both structures, this serves to guide people unfamiliar to the area to their destination. In a casino, these paths are designed to lead you into places to spend your money. In an airport, these paths are also designed to lead you into places to spend your money, but with a different twist.

A casino leverages winding pathways and curved floorplans to maximize your exposure to machines and gambling tables, to draw your attention and get you to sit down. It also does this to increase sightlines for two reasons: security monitoring and exposure. If you see more machines, you’ll be more likely to abandon one machine for another if you hit a losing streak, statistically increasing the odds that you’ll spend

10 / R / August 21, 2025

even more money without ever hitting a payout. This is less likely to occur if you can’t catch another machine or table in your eyeline due to a sharp corner.

Another subtle trick casinos use to keep gamblers engaged is to not include clocks anywhere on the casino floor. It’s easy to lose track of time when you don’t obsessively check the time, which is something airports will also employ for a different reason.

Clocks are subtly hidden in airports. They’re required so that passengers know when to be at their gate, but the presence of a clock also makes a traveler impatient.

Waiting during a layover is a frustrating experience that is only exacerbated by watching the clock.

Frustrated and irritable passengers create problems for airline staff at the terminal and on the plane, which in turn contributes to staff burnout and eventual turnover, which means higher costs for the airline to hire and train new employees. Irritable passengers also spend as much as 30% less money while waiting at the airport than passengers that are relaxed.

Design efficiency doesn’t stop at the airport terminal.

The entire airport is designed with efficiency in mind, but with efficiency comes tradeoffs. Planes are huge and require a lot of room to taxi into and out of the terminal.

You can’t just stack planes up like cars in a parking garage and expect your flights to still leave on time. Architects and engineers need to design the exterior of the airport to maximize the number of planes that can safely load passengers and cargo without gumming

up the works.

This is frequently done by creating “islands” — thin strips of terminal space that planes can access from every direction. The tradeoff here is that travelers will have to go underground to get to them, which can make passengers feel uneasy or claustrophobic ahead of their flight. Instead, airports may utilize a curved exterior or extend terminals into what are referred to as “fingers.”

Effectively, this design mirrors the folds of our brains: Creating more surface area means more planes can interact with the airport efficiently.

Airport security is a conundrum when factoring in design. The structure is designed to maximize the efficiency of expediting passengers to their destination, with a giant slow zone slapped into the center of it. It’s required to ensure the safety of passengers and crew, but it’s frustrating and stressful to endure.

Multiple crowd control tactics are employed to slow down passengers at security.

The slowness is intentional, because it gives TSA agents more time to process individuals and keep the line moving.

The zig-zagging barriers are designed to funnel travelers and slow their approach, giving security more time to analyze passengers’ behavior and the items they’re carrying from a distance. It also makes it harder for bad actors to beeline into the heart of the airport.

Despite the intent to slow everything down, security checkpoints are still designed with a sense of efficiency in mind. These areas are built to facilitate multiple travelers per lane, only up to the maximum of what one agent can rea-

sonably control. The scanning stations for checking travelers’ baggage are designed in larger airports to facilitate up to three individuals loading their items into bins before moving on to the next station.

This design is also applied to event venues such as concerts or football games, where psychology is applied to present different types of queueing systems for creating lines. S-shaped, single-file queues work well to funnel a

line down into individuals but often cause severe slowdowns.

Parallel queues are efficient for managing large groups of individuals but create decision paralysis that can slow down the entire operation. Blending the two into a hybrid system with parallel queues at the end of an S-line works by giving eventgoers plenty of time to figure out which line they want to enter before reaching the venue.

Stay curious, 7B.

Random Corner ns?

Don’t know much about scorpio We can help!

• There are about 2,000 species of scorpions, 70 of which live in the U.S. About 30 to 40 scorpion species worldwide are dangerous to humans.

• There are four species of scorpions that live in Idaho, most of which are found in the southern deserts. But, there is one called a “northern scorpion” that has been seen living in Idaho’s panhandle, and which tolerates cold better than other scorpions. Adults can grow up to two inches in length and their bodies are usually brown with a yellow-brown tail, leg and pincers.

• Some scorpions, such as the singing scorpion, rub their legs together similar to crickets (known as “stridulation”). Unlike crickets, which “sing” to attract a mate, scorpions make noise to warn predators or rivals.

• Scorpions can survive without food for up to a year as long as they have enough water.

• The largest scorpion in the

world is the giant forest scorpion (Gigantometrus swammerdami) at 9.1 inches. Yikes.

• Believe it or not, the easiest way to kill a scorpion is to give it constipation. This is achieved by cutting off the tail, which contains the anus. There are safer and more ethical methods with dealing with scorpions, though.

• A baby scorpion is called a “scorpling.”

• Scorpions existed before the dinosaurs, and they may have been one of the first animals to move from water to land hundreds of millions of years ago.

• The most venomous scorpion in the world is the deathstalker (Leiurus quinquestriatus). Its venom is one of the most expensive liquids in the world, with an estimated cost of $39 million per gallon. The venom has been used to treat cancer, malaria and bacterial infections such as tuberculosis.

To submit a photo for a future edition, please send to ben@sandpointreader.com.

Top left: “Tribal members from the Kalispel, Spokane, Colville, Sinixt, Okanagan, Coeur d’Alene and Flathead reservations get ready to launch their cedar dugout and sturgeon-nose canoes to paddle from Sandpoint City Beach downriver to the Kalispel Reservation for their annual Powwow this weekend [Aug. 1-3],” wrote photographer Jane Fritz.

Top right: Lizbeth Zimmerman hikes in the mountains looking over Sandpoint and Lake Pend Oreille. Photo by Chris Park.

Middle left: “The fly-in was rained out, but the breakfast was a grand success,” wrote photographer Rich Milliron, who snapped this at the Sandpoint Airport on Aug. 16.

Middle right: Rick Barlow and the Reader in the Smoking Hills of Cape Bathurst, Northwest Territories, at the Arctic Ocean. This spot was only accessed after canoeing 186 miles on the Horton River and hiking four miles to the coast.

Bottom left: A stunning lakeside sunset, taken from Lee’s Point on Aug. 24 while canoe camping. Photo by Jane Fritz.

Bottom center: Montana Shakespeare in the Parks actor Avery Johnson during the Aug. 17 performance of Henry V at Lakeview Park. Photo by Karley Coleman.

Bottom right: Montana Shakespeare in the Parks actors Marcus Cunningham, left, and Rikky Johnson, right, during the Aug. 19 performance of As You Like It at Lakeview Park. Photo by Karley Coleman.

August 21, 2025 / R / 11

NEWS FEATURE

Idaho’s latest anti-drag crusade began with a falsehood, lawsuit says Drag queen at center of Idaho culture war takes Christian Nationalist group to court

By Daniel Walters InvestigateWest

The claim — a drag queen exposing his genitals to children — was so incendiary, so horrifying that the Idaho Family Policy Center demanded voters change the law to “address these vile sexual exhibitions in places where children are present.”

But when Coeur d’Alene prosecutors reviewed unedited video of the drag performance at the city’s 2022 Pride in the Park festival, they concluded there had been no exposure of genitalia — nothing illegal, nothing to charge. A year later, a jury reached the same conclusion in a civil suit, awarding $1.1 million to the performer, Eric Posey, after finding that a right-wing blogger had defamed him by accusing him of indecent exposure.

Yet the Idaho Family Policy Center — a Christian Nationalist nonprofit and a rising force in the state’s conservative politics — used that allegation as Exhibit A for its bill to ban “sexually provocative” performances in front of minors, claiming they could confirm the video footage “portrays public exposure of the performer’s genitalia.”

They didn’t use Posey’s name, but they posted an image of the performer with his legs open and his face and crotch blurred.

Now Posey is suing the group; its president, Blaine Conzatti; and a former podcast co-host for defamation, alleging they repeated a lie that has already been debunked in court. A court conference is scheduled for Friday, Aug. 29 to discuss a trial date.

“It’s a lie. It’s a lie. It’s a lie,” Posey said in a deposition earlier this year. “I want the jury to hear the truth.”

The Idaho Family Policy Center has rapidly been gaining influence: Last month, InvestigateWest reported on how the center, having used its sway in the Legislature to pass new restrictions on abortion and controversial library books, had launched its own legal arm to help residents sue to enforce their new Christian-inspired standards. But Posey’s suit has put the center on the defensive, testing whether the center crossed the line between political advocacy and outright defamation.

Conzatti, the center’s president, has doubled down — arguing that nothing they said was untrue, that 12 / R / August 21, 2025

there was a testicle briefly revealed in the performance and insisting publicly that “protecting our children from sexual exhibitions like drag shows in public places ... is a hill we are willing to die on.”

This case is about more than a dispute over a dance move. The Idaho Family Policy Center is part of a nationwide push by conservative lawmakers to curtail drag performances and overturn gay marriage, often under the banner of protecting children. Judges in states like Texas and Florida have ruled these drag bans in violation of the First Amendment.

Sarah Lynch, executive director of the North Idaho Pride Alliance and a friend of Posey’s, told lawmakers in February that the deceptively edited video at the heart of the allegations “spurred a domino effect straight down to the Idaho Legislature nearly three years later.”

The Idaho House overwhelmingly passed the policy center’s bill, voting to restrict certain types of “sexually provocative” performances, though it failed in the Senate.

Adam Steinbaugh, attorney with the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, a group that has defended both the free speech of both religious conservatives and drag performers, said Idaho’s proposed law violates the First Amendment. After all, there are already laws to regulate obscenity.

“Why do you need to have a new law?” Steinbaugh said. “The answer is obvious: It’s that they want to regulate drag. It’s not the exposure they’re worried about. It’s the performance.”

Pride and prejudice Even before it started, 2022’s Pride in the Park in Coeur d’Alene had become a battlefront in the culture war.

Across the country, conservatives were deploying the phrase “groomer” — a word that had been reserved for pedophiles targeting children — against supporters of gay and trans rights.

Far-right Idaho legislators, the local Panhandle Patriots motorcycle club and white nationalist Nick Fuentes had all spotlighted the Coeur d’Alene events, with many calling for actions and protest. Organizers braced for violence. Ultimately, police arrested 31 white nationalists who’d arrived packed into a U-Haul truck, armed with shields and a smoke grenade.

But Summer Bushnell, a local blog-

A blurred version of Eric Posey’s performance, top left, used to rally support for an anti-drag bill.

The photo appears much more exposed than an uncensored image, top right, from roughly the same moment in his performance. Top left: from Idaho Family Policy Center website; right: court records ger for the local right-wing “Bushnell Report,” turned her sights on a video of Posey’s drag performance from the same event: At one moment, Posey snaps open his legs, then immediately covers his crotch with his hands, his mouth dropping open in an apparent expression of theatrical shock. But Bushnell’s post deceptively blurred out his crotch area and called for the performer to “be arrested for exposing his genitals to minors.”

The reaction was fury. Posey said he was called racial slurs. Lynch testified in court that she saw people accuse her friend Posey of being a pedophile, calling for him to be arrested, executed or lynched.

“He essentially went into a state of hiding. He was afraid, as we were, for his safety,” Lynch said, according to trial minutes. “It completely changed his life.”

After viewing the unedited version of the video, an Idaho jury concluded in 2024 that Posey had been defamed and even asked the judge if they could require the blogger to personally apologize to Posey.

But at the legislative hearing this year, the policy center presented the Legislature with more than 7,000 signatures on a petition “to ensure children are not exposed to sexual exhibitions like drag shows” that had been promoted with the deceptively censored image of Posey.

Wendy Olson, Posey’s attorney, said that she and Posey would not have any official comment until the lawsuit was over. But in deposition transcripts, Posey’s frustration was clear.

“They just picked up where [Bushnell] left off. I never really got to bask in my win,” Posey said of the Idaho Family Policy Center. “It was one demon down, another demon to slay.”

The Idaho bill would have allowed event organizers and entertainers to be sued if they hosted or performed in events that expose minors to live “sexual conduct” considered offensive to the standards of the community.

It doesn’t mention drag by name, but it defines “sexual conduct” as including “sexually provocative” actions if performers use “accessories that exaggerate male or female primary or secondary sexual characteristics.”

A similar law in Texas has already been declared unconstitutional by a U.S. District Court judge and is being litigated in the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

There is a narrow exception in the First Amendment for obscene speech, Steinbaugh said, and the bar for considering speech obscene is a bit lower when it comes to protecting minors.

Yet speech is much more likely to be protected from regulation if it has serious artistic or political value.

“Drag as a performance certainly does have political and, in a certain sense, ideological messages — especially if you consider the political attacks on drag,” Steinbaugh said.

In other words, all the focus on drag performances from groups like the Idaho Family Policy Center generally increases the First Amendment protections that such performances would have.

< see DRAG, Page 13 >

< DRAG, con’t from Page 12 > On top of that, the Idaho legislation did not define what is “sexually provocative.” Posey has argued his dance certainly wasn’t.

“It was a simple dance move that cheerleaders do,” Posey said during his deposition.

Yet the bill makes it clear that school-sponsored cheerleader performances would be exempted from its rules.

“I am stunned by the hypocrisy of language that, on the one hand, calls for an immediate signing into law due to the existence of an emergency to protect children, yet simultaneously exempts performances by high school and college students,” Lynch, with the North Idaho Pride Alliance, said during a committee hearing for the bill.

Steinbaugh, of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, said that provision is strong evidence that the bill seeks to regulate more than obscenity.

“Why would you need to exempt a cheerleading performance?” Steinbaugh said. “That is not lewd. That is not obscene. It gives away the ball game.”

Legal exposure Conzatti’s legal defense hangs on the edge of a single testicle.

In a public post responding to the lawsuit this year, Conzatti linked to a grainy, zoomed-in freeze-frame from a video of the performance. The image shows a view up the performer’s shorts and through a gap in his leotard, briefly revealing what looks, possibly, like the bulbous shape of the leftmost edge of a testicle.

“In this case, the phrase ‘don’t believe your lying eyes’ appears to be the mantra of Mr. Posey’s claim,” Conzatti’s attorney wrote.

But that image isn’t unedited, either: The Idaho Family Policy Center, in a literal sense, digitally increased the exposure.

The Coeur d’Alene police’s initial report on Posey’s performance allowed that there “may have been a testicle exposed.” But the officer also said the bad video quality meant he couldn’t be certain, and the Coeur d’Alene city attorney, assistant city attorney and chief criminal deputy prosecutor all concluded the video showed no exposure, according to the prosecutor’s deposition.

Branden Durst, a former state schools superintendent candidate who was working for the policy center at the time [and served a brief though volatile stint as superintendent of West Bonner County School District], said

in his deposition that he spent as long as six hours editing the video footage — slowing it down, running depixelation filters, changing color balances, increasing brightness — to help him “get to the result we were trying to get to,” the claim that “Mr. Posey’s reproductive system was clearly visible.”

Conzatti acknowledged during his deposition that he wouldn’t “state that there is clear exposure” if the image wasn’t brightened. Posey’s attorney introduced an expert to argue that lightening and depixelating an image can sometimes introduce deceptive artifacts into an image.

Posey testified that even an accidental slip would have been impossible. In deposition transcripts, he described that during his drag performance, his testicles are tucked up inside his abdomen, and his genitals are folded in such a way that, for anything to be exposed, they would have to twist and bend in a way that would cause him “excruciating pain.” On top of that area, he said, he added liquid latex, a duct-tape-gaffer-tape thong, two layers of skin-tone tights, spandex shorts and a leotard.

Conzatti’s attorney countered with his own drag expert: Benjamin Blake Howard, a former drag queen and author of From Mascara to Manhood, a book about leaving the “gay/lesbian/ drag lifestyle.” Howard argued that Posey didn’t appear to be wearing tights in the video footage and that a wardrobe malfunction was likely.

Today, Conzatti maintains that the performer exposed himself but says it was accidental.

“One of the things that I’m proud of is how our organization handles ourselves. We don’t lie,” Conzatti argued in an interview with InvestigateWest. “We don’t overstate things.”

Yet Conzatti’s rhetoric goes far beyond the claim that one drag show resulted in a half-second flash of a half testicle so subtle it took digital editing software to see. He scoffed in a video podcast at moderate Republicans in the state Legislature who “want to deny that these types of problems are taking place here.”

The center has simultaneously argued the exposure in this case was accidental while promoting the case as evidence that “drag performers often become sexually aroused when they imitate sexualized behaviors of the opposite sex in public” and that “public drag shows exploit children” for the “depraved purpose of sexually gratifying the performer.”

In his deposition, Posey furiously disagrees with the claim that drag is inherently sexual. His performance, he

said, was about entertaining the community and bringing them together.

“This is absolutely appalling. ‘Sex, sex, sex, sex, sex,’” he said. “Idaho Family Policy Center made this sexual. They made it all about sex.”

Doug Flanders, a Boise resident who has been doing drag for four decades, said there are wide varieties of drag performances — ranging from G-rated charity events for all ages to very risque and bawdy shows in adults-only venues. But even there, the point is to obscure male anatomy, not expose it.

“When I’m in drag, I’m trying to look like a woman,” said Flanders.

In a message to supporters in April on the policy center website, Conzatti positioned himself as a moral hero facing persecution, claiming the lawsuit “smacks of the politically motivated lawfare that has characterized the progressive left.”

“If they succeed, they’ll try to take our homes, our cars and our personal property — destroying us financially,” Conzatti wrote. “When you stand boldly for righteousness and confront evil, the wicked always lash out in desperation.”

Nationally, Steinbaugh said he’s seen a number of defamation lawsuits from librarians and drag performers against people who accuse them of “grooming” or “predatory behavior” — but those are the kind of insulting and hyperbolic statements that are typically part of the “rough-and-tumble political discourse” protected by the First Amendment.

This case, he said, is different: There were specific allegations made about a man exposing himself to children — effectively the definition of defamation if they were false.

For his part, Posey has a painful past with religious conservatism. His dad, he said in his deposition, was a pastor who beat him for being gay.

Still, he stressed during his deposition that the lawsuit wasn’t about trying to destroy the Idaho Family Policy Center.

“All I wanted your client to do was just apologize and take it down,” Posey said. “Whatever your belief system is, whatever it may be, that’s on you. But just don’t use me.”

InvestigateWest is an independent news nonprofit dedicated to investigative journalism in the Pacific Northwest. A Report for America corps member, Daniel Walters covers democracy and extremism across the region. He can be reached at daniel@ investigatewest.org. Visit investigatewest. org for more information.

August 21, 2025 / R / 13

COMMUNITY Idaho’s historic highway markers get a modern makeover

Updates aimed at deepening traveler engagement and boosting rural tourism

By Reader Staff Commuters and roadtrippers should expect to spot something new on Idaho’s roads and scenic byways as the Idaho Transportation Department begins rolling out updated historic highway markers.

The statewide project will begin in North Idaho and move down the state with an aim to better teach Idaho’s history and connect travelers with each area’s rural communities.

“We are excited to partner with others to ensure that these roadside displays reflect the beauty and rich history of Idaho,” stated Mike Johnson, the division administrator for engineering services at ITD. ITD and the Idaho State Historical Society have partnered to design and update the signs, incorporating images of state symbols like the Mountain Bluebird, up-to-date historical information and QR codes.

Created by Visit Idaho using part of a $3.2 million federal economic development grant, the codes and corresponding app will give visitors additional information about each site and display nearby activities and amenities. The app will be available in 10

languages, including English, to make Idaho’s history and resources more accessible.

“This project aligns perfectly with many of the initiatives Visit Idaho is focused on,” according to Visit Idaho Tourism Manager Natalie Jushinski. “Idaho’s diverse and often rural landscape is filled with communities that we know travelers will enjoy once they go beyond the destinations they already know. We’re excited to incorporate the QR codes as an easy, accessible tool to help travelers find more to explore in our beautiful state.”

The goal of the multi-year project is to spark curiosity and encourage exploration of Idaho’s rural communities, helping increase overnight stays and drive economic impact across the state. The revitalized markers and app are also intended to provide new opportunities for education, storytelling and visitor engagement for all travelers — both residents and visitors.

“We are grateful to be a part of the Historical Highway Marker Program, which continues to create a powerful sense of place for Idahoans,” stated ISHS Executive Director Janet Gallimore. “These markers share the stories that make the Gem State truly unique

KNPS announces $10K grant, annual BBQ potluck

By Reader Staff The Kinnikinnick Native Plant Society announced two pieces of good news: receipt of a grant and scheduling for its annual picnic this month.

KNPS received $10,000 from the Equinox Foundation to update the arboretum kiosk at Lakeview Park, plant identification signs, large-format signs and more. The local nonprofit’s board is already at work on the project, with more announcements, details and calls for volunteers as the planning goes forward.

“But high fives and happy dances are definitely in order,” KNPS stated in a news release.

14 / R / August 21, 2025

The annual summer barbecue and potluck picnic is set for Sunday, Aug. 24, with happy hour from 4-5 p.m. and dinner starting at 5 p.m. at the Waterlife Discovery Center (1591 Lakeshore Drive, in Sagle).

Attendees are invited to bring adish to share — be that an appetizer, salad, veggies or dessert — a chair and their favorite beverage (wine and beer are allowed). KNPS will provide the barbecue main course, napkins, plates and flatware.

KNPS asks that picnickers RSVP to Gail Bolin at wgbolin@hotmail.com, or call or text 208-627-3292.

For more information, visit nativeplantsociety.org.

Photo courtesy of Idaho Transportation Dept.

— stories that have been updated and thoroughly researched at a local level, deepening our understanding of Idaho’s vibrant history. They remind us of where we’ve been, connect us to one another and strengthen the sense of community that defines our state.”

ITD anticipates that it will update and install all markers in North Idaho’s District 1 — which includes Bonner and Boundary counties — by the end of 2025 without affecting traffic.

The entire project will take until 2027 to complete.

For more information on Idaho’s history or tourism, visit history.idaho. gov or visitidaho.org, respectively.

Bubble Palooza brings families together

By Reader Staff Four organizations dedicated to the education and well-being of Idaho’s children will join forces Thursday, Aug. 28, to celebrate families with little ones.

Mountain States Early Head Start, North Idaho College Head Start, Fostering Idaho and United Way of North Idaho will work together to transform Lakeview Park (801 Ontario St.) into a bubbly extravaganza with Bubble Palooza, a free party running from 1011:30 a.m.

Geared toward children ages 0-3, the morning’s events will engage babies’ brains and give parents and kids the opportunity to meet new friends at the same stage of life. Activities include music and dancing, arts and crafts, snacks, story time and, of course, lots of bubbles.

Each family can also take home a free book while supplies last.

FEATURE

Mic drop

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

What started as a group of friends meeting upstairs at Eichardt’s Pub to discuss founding a commercial-free radio station eventually blossomed into a Sandpoint institution that not only informs and educates the community, but also entertains it.

The idea took hold several years after that meeting in 2006, with the founding of 88.5 FM KRFY Panhandle Community Radio, a nonprofit radio station with an emphasis on locally produced programming.

Suzy Prez was one of several people who put effort into getting the station off the ground, officially joining the operation in 2011 and ultimately serving as station manager until the present day.

After nearly 15 years, Prez announced she is retiring from her position as soon as the station hires a replacement.

The story of KRFY is one of success thanks to the combined efforts of a community. A year after that group of friends met in 2006, the FCC opened a seven-day application window for full-powered community radio stations.

The group applied and spent the next 18 months fundraising and reaching out to see if their crazy idea was possible.

“In 2007, I was still working in administration at the Sandpoint Waldorf School,” Prez told the Reader. “[One of the original founders] approached me and said, ‘Suzy, you should get involved in this community radio station.’”

Prez did get involved, helping raise funds to cover the cost of building a broadcasting studio and infrastructure that is integral to operating a radio station.

The station received a construction permit in 2009 and began the engineering and physical construction of the broadcasting booth. It was originally called Sandpoint Community Radio, but rebranded to Panhandle Community Radio a few years later.

KRFY went live for the first time on Jan. 25, 2011 and has stayed on the air ever since — no small feat, thanks to Prez and the many other volunteers who keep the reels spinning.

After Prez retired from the Waldorf School — and thanks to her skills working in nonprofits — she stepped into a role as a KRFY broadcaster and eventually station manager. She divided her time between hosting shows and administration duties to help navigate the FCC rules and regulations to main-

KRFY station manager Suzy Prez sets her sight on retirement

tain the broadcasting license. ground and sustains it to this day.

Prez said she developed the idea for There are also annual membership her first show after traveling to visit a drives engineered to raise funds, but songwriter friend in Colorado. also to promote community radio.

“When I was “My new campaign coming back from is, ‘Turn on your radio, songwriting school in let’s have fun together,’” Colorado, I stopped Prez said. at a friend’s house When asked why she and he played a song was retiring, Prez said it that I really liked,” was the right time. she said. “I asked who “I could keep doing wrote it — Guy Clark, this for the next 10 years, Steve Earle — and he but there just comes a said, ‘No, I wrote that time,” she said. “It’s one.’” incredibly rewarding and Prez realized then I’m so grateful for the that perhaps nobody board of directors and the would ever hear his support they’ve given me over the years. Our broadsong. So, while driving Suzy Prez in the KRFY broadcast casters are a great group back to Sandpoint, booth. Courtesy photo of people.” she came up with a Prez said she’ll reproposal for the show Between the Notes, which would showcase main involved in some form or fashion, continuing her show, Medical Musings independent singer-songwriters and with Dr. JoAnn and hopefully reviving their work to a wider audience.

Between the Notes, now that she’ll have Like many start-up ventures, Prez said she worked over two years before finally drawing a paycheck.

“All of our broadcasters are volunteers — that includes myself, too,” she said. “Every one of our broadcasters is so committed to their program, and they also engineer their own shows, too.”

Prez said it’s thanks to combined contributions from a number of underwriters, grants and personal donors — one of which was Viggo Mortensen, who continues to support KRFY and even guest hosted two on-air shows in July — that got the station off the

more time to dedicate to it.

“I want to see this station thrive,” she said. “We all live in our little houses, but we are a community and hopefully this station strengthens that. Plus, it’s entertaining! We have some of the best shows in the world. Most of all, I’d like to thank you all for being open to having and supporting an endeavor like this.”

As far as Prez’s next plans, she said they will most likely include music and children.

“I have always found that the dusty trail in life usually leads to something that is a way to be helpful and fun at the same time,” she said. “From working with farmers and Farm Aid in Iowa to helping start the Waldorf School to being a part of building a community radio station ... there is always something right around the corner to get involved with.”

KRFY Panhandle Community Radio is seeking a station manager to fill Suzy Prez’s shoes. Those interested can visit KRFY.org to find a link with a job description.

August 21, 2025 / R / 15

FEATURE

The big swim

By Ben Olson Reader Staff The fact that Kevin Woodruff is even alive is a miracle, let alone that he swam 33 miles of Lake Pend Oreille in just over 25 hours.

Woodruff, who was born and raised in Sandpoint, recently completed the feat, departing from Buttonhook Bay at 6:30 a.m. on Aug. 11 and arriving at the Edgewater Resort at 7:45 a.m. the next day — 25 hours and 14 minutes of straight swimming.

It’s a far cry from when Woodruff was just 12 months old and diagnosed with a liver disease that has often left those afflicted with poor quality of life.

“When I was first diagnosed, my parents didn’t know if I’d live or not,” Woodruff told the Reader. “Half the people just get liver transplants to try and fix it and most that didn’t get G-tubes installed, so that means no physical activity. My parents committed to giving me nighttime doses, waking me up twice in the middle of the night to feed me corn starch, just to give me a chance at a normal adult life. Big shout out to them for taking the hard road and being committed to it.”

Though Woodruff said his condition “wasn’t a death sentence, I’m sort of part of the first generation that lived.

It’s all about energy management and intake. ... When you eat food, you can store it as energy and when you need it, your body will take it out.

I’m missing that enzyme that takes it out.”

The disease makes even normal exercise a chore, but swimming for over a day straight? That’s almost unheard of.

Woodruff said he grew up swimming, but nothing major.

A year ago, Woodruff said he started swimming for exercise and wondered if he could make it from Hope 16 / R / August 21, 2025

to Deadman Point without training — a distance of about eight miles.

“I made it,” he said. “After that, I started thinking there’s a good chance I could swim the whole lake.”

He began training in summer 2024, researching competitive swimmer Elaine Howley, who became the first person to swim the length of Lake Pend Oreille in 2014.

“She was doing 25 miles a week for months leading up to it,” Woodruff said. “I tried that for one week and I was dead, so I dropped it down to five miles a week.”

Woodruff committed to longer and longer training sessions, starting with two miles at a time, then five and up to 10 miles in the pool at YMCA. Finally, in a last minute decision, Woodruff decided to embark on the swim on the evening of Aug. 10.

On the support boat were Kevin’s parents — Kim and Gina Woodruff — along with his wife Brynn Williams-Woodruff, her sister Mariah Williams and brotherin-law Tucker.

While the weather cooperated, a constant headwind made the swim more difficult.

Sticking to a route planned by his dad, Woodruff pointed north and began plying through the water, one stroke at a time.

He didn’t touch bottom again until the next morning; but, because of his liver condition, Woodruff needed to take glucometer readings every hour.

“I had to crawl onto the boat to get tested, but I always had part of me in the water and never had both feet out of the water,” he said.

Wearing headphones and with a wetsuit protecting him from cooler temperatures at night, Woodruff slogged up the lake, turning west at Picard Point and swimming the final leg toward Sandpoint.

“The amount of public

Sandpoint’s Kevin Woodruff swims length of lake, from Buttonhook Bay to City Beach

Top: An aerial photo of support we saw after my mom Kevin Woodruff swimming posted about it on the local behind the support boat. boaters forum was amazing,” Photo by Cari and Paul Johnson. he said. “People came out and took drone shots, took photos Right: The route Woodruff from their beaches in the midfollowed to swim the length of Lake Pend dle of the night. It was really Oreille.

Courtesy image. cool to see all of that.”

Bottom right: Woodruff Woodruff initially worried emerges from the lake at that he would hit a “mental Sandpoint City Beach 33 wall,” which Howley said miles and 25 hours later. happened in the night during Courtesy photo her swim in 2014, but he was “It’s something that seems pleased that it never came. insurmountable, but should “I never hit that,” he said. technically be doable,” he “It definitely sucked and it said.

“It’s really just testing hurt. And I did end up in the myself. I know it’s going to ER afterwards.” suck, but it’s about how willBecause of his condition, ing are you to enter the suck Woodruff isn’t able to process and exist in it, for however sucrose and fructose, so he long you can.” had to feed himself a mixture The lake has always meant of corn starch and water every a lot to Woodruff thanks to hour during the swim, as well spending summer vacations evas drink sugar every 30 minutes. ery year sailing with his family.

“It was so acidic, it kept This swim mission is one way wanting to come up, so I kept for him to pen another love having forceful burps ... it got letter to the community and a little sketchy,” Woodruff the lake — as well as his family said. “I knew if I told the supfor raising him in North Idaho. port crew about it, they’d pull “It’s just very Sandpoint,” me out, so I kept it to myself. he said. “You grow up seeing I didn’t want to be stupid, but everything people can do.

I knew if I didn’t finish this You see the person who skied time, it would be another year down the Monarchs, people of training.” doing CHAFE, people like From the ER, Woodruff Eric Ridgway starting the was sent to Kootenai Medical Long Bridge Swim. It’s the Center to sort out the esophspirit of Sandpoint — someageal issue and, after several thing that’s cool and unique. days of respite, is back in I never really appreciated it good health. until after college.”

Woodruff said he felt comThough he was exhausted pelled to complete the swim after the swim, spent time in simply because he wanted to the hospital and is thankful prove he could do it.

he doesn’t have to swim that far again, Woodruff said he’s proud of his successful quest.

“Big thanks to everyone who helped and the community that supported it,” he said. “It was cool to see so many people come together online and not be mean to each other. Don’t get me wrong, I love the drama on the local Facebook forums and stuff, but it was cool that it was all positive feedback.

Everyone kind of dug it. It was a nice surprise.”

COMMUNITY

Giving back(packs)

By Ben Olson Reader Staff Angels Over Sandpoint volunteers came together once again on Aug. 1314 to support the children of Bonner County with the supplies they need to succeed in school. Nearly 700 families registered for direct assistance and the Angels were able to provide 500 back-

packs filled with school supplies.

In addition to the free school supplies, the Angels supplied 90 classrooms (Kindergarten through sixth grade) with essential materials including crayons, markers, colored pencils, scissors, glue sticks, pencils, pens and highlighters.

“By putting supplies directly into classrooms, we were able to support the approximately 900 students who qualify for low-income assistance and their classmates,” the nonprofit organization wrote.

Altogether, through both direct distribution and classroom support, nearly 1,400 Bonner County students were impacted by the effort.

“We are deeply grateful to the volunteers, donors and community partners who made this possible,” the

Angels Over Sandpoint supplies 700 area families with free school supplies

Angels Over Sandpoint President Connie Pierce, left, and organizer Chelsey McQuoid, right, greet Bonner County families at the Angels’ free school supply distribution. Photo by Ben Olson Angels wrote. “Because of your generosity, students across the county are

starting the school year prepared and confident.”

Applications now open for 2025–’26 Leadership Sandpoint class

By Reader Staff The Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce is now accepting applications for its highly regarded Leadership Sandpoint program. Designed to train, inform and empower community leaders, the two-year initiative gives participants the opportunity to expand their leadership skills through immersive learning and hands-on practice.

Over the course of nine monthly all-day sessions in Year 1 — spanning topics from sustainability and public safety to education, economic development and health — partici-

pants explore Sandpoint’s strengths and challenges while gaining practical leadership insights.

The program begins in September with a team-building day at Schweitzer and includes reading StrengthsFinder 2.0, completing the assessment and reflecting on results to better understand individual strengths.

After the final session in May, participants carry out a group service project, often presented at a chamber luncheon, that applies what they have learned to a real community need.

Year 2 shifts focus to mentorship.

Graduates guide and co-facilitate the next class, gaining planning and lead-

ership experience while contributing to program continuity. Participation requires a monthly commitment — typically the third Wednesday of the month — and class size is capped at 20.

Tuition for the two-year program is $450 for chamber members and $500 for non-members. A $25 deposit is required with submission and refunded if the applicant is not accepted. The deadline to apply is Saturday, Aug. 30, and admissions will be announced by Wednesday, Sept. 3.

“This program is not just about building individual leadership skills. It enhances business capacity by equipping employers with skilled, ethical leaders and it enriches the community by fostering leaders who deeply understand Sandpoint’s social, economic and civic landscape,” organizers stated.

Contact the chamber at 208-263-2161 or info@sandpointchamber.org to apply.

August 21, 2025 / R / 17

events

Send event listings to calendar@sandpointreader.com THURSDAY, august 21

Trivia with Toshi 7pm @ Connie’s Lounge

Live Music w/ Jacob Robin 7pm @ Tervan Tavern

Live Music w/ Frytz Mor 8-11pm @ Roxy’s Lounge

FriDAY, august 22

Live Music w/ Tom Catmull 5-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery Live Music w/ Nick Wiebe 5pm @ Connie’s Lounge Live Music w/ Atomic Jive Band 5:30-8:30pm @ Smokesmith BBQ Live Music w/ D.W. Doucet 6-8:30pm @ Matchwood Brewing Co. Live Music w/ Monarch Mountain Band 6-9pm @ Barrel 33 Live Music w/ Justin Lantrip 6-8pm @ Idaho Pour Authority Live Music w/ Maya Goldblum & Arthur 6-8pm @ Baxters on Cedar

Music w/ DJ Sterling 9pm @ Roxy’s Always... Patsy Cline 7pm @ The Hive Written by Ted Swindley, a musical celebration of the legendary country music star. Fundraiser for LPO Rep Live Music w/ Matt Lome 6-8pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall Live Music w/ Ken Mayginnes 6-8pm @ 1908 Saloon Karaoke nights (Fri/Sat/Sun) 8pm @ Tervan Tavern

Live Music w/ Nobody Famous 5-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery

Live Music w/ Hannah Meehan 6-8pm @ Idaho Pour Authority Live Music w/ Brian Jacobs 6-8pm @ Baxters on Cedar Live Music w/ Miah Kohal Band 9pm @ 219 Lounge Always... Patsy Cline 7pm @ The Hive Fundraiser for LPO Rep. Theater Live Music w/ Sam & Sheldon 6:30-9:30pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall

Live Music w/ Headwaters 5:30-8:30pm @ Smokesmith BBQ

Live Music w/ Sydney Dawn 6pm @ Connie’s Lounge

Live Music w/ Bright Moments Jazz 6pm @ Arlo’s Ristorante Live Music w/ Möbius Riff 6-9pm @ Barrel 33

SunDAY, august 24

Always... Patsy Cline 2pm @ The Hive Fundraiser for LPO Rep. Theater BCA 8-Ball Tournament 6pm @ Roxy’s Lounge $10 buy-in, double elim. tourney. 21+

Sandpoint Chess Club 9am @ Evans Brothers Coffee Live Music w/ Fiddlin’ Red 1-4pm @ Barrel 33

Live Music w/ Kerry Leigh 3-5pm @ Idaho Pour Authority

Monday Night Blues Jam w/ John Firshi 7pm @ Eichardt’s Pub Pool tournament ($10 entry fee) 6pm @ Connie’s Lounge Live piano w/ Jennifer Stoehner 5-7pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery Benny on the Deck concert 5:30pm @ Connie’s Lounge Special guest: Ron Criscione Live piano w/ David Speight 5-7pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery

SATURDAY, august 23

monDAY, august 25

Outdoor Experience Group Run 6pm @ Outdoor Experience 3-5 miles, all levels welcome

August 21-28, 2025

Live Music w/ Roland Roberts Band 8pm @ Eichardt’s Pub Also open tap night Historic Walking Tours 11am @ Elevate Realty, 212 N. First Ave. A guided tour of historic Sandpoint. Buy $15 tickets: bonnercountyhistory.org BCA 8-Ball Tournament 6pm @ Roxy’s Lounge $10 buy-in, double elim. tourney. 21+ Movies on the Mountain (FREE) 7pm @ Schweitzer (near Crow’s Bench) Sandpoint Farmers’ Market 9am-1pm @ Farmin Park Fresh foods and produce and more KNPS Summer BBQ & Potluck 4pm @ Waterlife Discovery Center Bring a dish to share, a chair and BYOB. Happy hour 4-5pm, dinner starts at 5pm. wgbolin@hotmail.com Fall Giveaway 9am-1pm @ North Summit Church Everything is free, as much as you want Tai Chi at City Beach 9:30am @ Sandpoint City Beach Live Music w/ Tim Snider returns 8pm @ Eichardt’s Pub Cover at the door KNPS Summer BBQ and Potluck 4-7pm @ Waterlife Discovery Center Join Kinnikinnick Native Plant Society for happy hour at 4pm and dinner at 5pm. Bring dish, chair, drinks Magic with Star Alexander 5-8pm @ Jalapeño’s Trivia night 6-8pm @ Idaho Pour Authority

tuesDAY, august 26 wednesDAY, august 27

Sandpoint Farmers’ Market 3-5:30pm @ Farmin Park Fresh foods and produce and more

A Taste of Tango • 6pm @ Barrel 33 $15. No partner necessary. Learn the basic steps of the tango from experienced instructors Family Hour and Live Music w/ John Firshi 5-7pm @ Matchwood Brewing Co.

ThursDAY, august 28 Live Music w/ Frytz Mor 7pm @ Tervan Tavern

18 / R / August 21, 2025

Bubble Palooza 10-11:30pm @ Lakeview Park A free, fun celebration for families with little ones. Bubbles, music, dancing, art, snacks

STAGE & SCREEN

LPO Rep theater celebrates country music with Always… Patsy Cline Tim Bangle named new artistic director

By Soncirey Mitchell Reader Staff In a daring celebration of the country music legend, Lake Pend Oreille Repertory Theater will stage three showings of a rare, two-woman musical, Always... Patsy Cline, at The Hive (207 N. First Ave., in downtown Sandpoint). The music-heavy performances will begin at 7 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 22 and Saturday, Aug. 23, and conclude with a matinee on Sunday, Aug. 24, at 2 p.m.

“It’s a story of Patsy’s career told through the eyes of Louise [Seger], her friend.

It’s the first time that Louise heard her voice, and then through various interactions up until Patsy’s death,” said

incoming LPO Rep Artistic Director Tim Bangle.

Sandpoint stars Holly Beaman and Kate McAlister play Cline and Seger, respectively, acting out the highs and lows of Cline’s personal and professional life. The women’s close relationship is the thread that ties together Cline’s journey, from honky-tonk stages to national fame, until her untimely death in a plane crash at the age of 30.

“There are different motifs of music throughout the show. It goes from Patsy’s early career stuff, before she knew Louise, and then there’s a sequence of love songs from around the time she got married,” said Bangle. “Then it goes into lovesick stuff when she’s having issues with relationships and missing her kid,

Rex Theater in Bonners hosts free screening of The Real Yellowstone

By Reader Staff Finding a balance between stewardship of public lands and protection of property rights and the commercial uses of those lands is among the hottest hot-button issues in the U.S., which makes drama series like Netflix’s Yellowstone and its spin-offs so popular.

Nonprofit conservation group Shepherds of Wildlife Society takes a different, less mythologized, approach to representing those profound conflicts with The Real Yellowstone — a documentary-style deep-dive into the stories of rural families as they respond to a plan to build the largest nature reserve in the U.S., conflicts over wildlife and land management, and reveals the high stakes for who controls western lands and for what purposes.

Whitefish, Mont.-based Shepherds of Wildlife Society will host a free screening of The Real Yellowstone at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 23 at the

Rex Theater (7222 Main St., in Bonners Ferry).

Doors open at 6 p.m., but for those with at least two tickets, the event features a meet-and-greet with filmmaker Tom Opre from 5:30-6:15 p.m. at the Wellness Tea Bar and Organic Bistro next door to the theater. That portion of the evening is first come, first served.

Following the screening, the audience is invited to sit in on a 30-minute panel discussion with Opre and area farmers and ranchers addressing some of the issues raised by the film.

Tickets are free courtesy of a local Bonners Ferry family who paid for enough seats to fill the Rex Theater to capacity, with donations encouraged to the Shepherds of Wildlife Society.

Learn more about the organization at shepherdsofwildlife.org. View a trailer for The Real Yellowstone and get tickets at rextheatergroup.com.

and then to her death, and the songs that were right before that. You see the arc of Patsy’s life through the music.”

The show’s live band highlights Beaman’s voice as she sings through upward of 25 songs, but what makes the show special is the stage presence and rapport between the two women. Sandpoint’s many country lovers may come for the music, but they’ll stay for the honest portrayal of female friendship.

“It’s a great show. There’s a lot of comedy, a lot of great music — hopefully we’ll get some people to cry. There’s a lot of audience interaction, as well,” said Bangle.

Get tickets at livefromthehive.com for $30, $40 or $70 dollars, depending on seating.

Though not new to Sandpoint’s arts scene, Bangle has only just taken on the mantle of artistic director from LPO Rep founder Keely Grey, who recently moved. The local film writer, director and editor of The Other Dog Films intends to keep up Grey’s commitment

Holly Beaman as Patsy Cline. Courtesy photo to high-quality performances while increasing the nonprofit’s community outreach. He also plans to incorporate his film background into LPO Rep’s future educational outreach, lending a cinematic approach to the stage.

“We’re restructuring a lot of our community efforts. We kicked off an improv group here just recently — we did a free first launch at the Little Panida with Cory Repass and

Alexis Senn,” said Bangle.

“We’re also looking to do some things with Lost in the ’50s and other events around Sandpoint, weaving our way into community stuff like the Renaissance Faire. We’re just trying to get our actors out doing more with the public because, as a nonprofit, we want to contribute to the community.”

Visit lporep.com to learn more or get involved on or behind the stage at upcoming productions.

Bangle gave special thanks to the dedicated volunteers working on Always... Patsy Cline, including Michael Bigley, Nikki Luttmann, Beaman and McAlister.

“We’re also all grateful to Keely. This is her company that she put together with Andrew [Sorg] and Kate [McAlister] back in the day, and we’re grateful for the foundation that she’s built,” said Bangle. “We’re just trying to continue that on and hopefully do it justice.”

Viggo Mortensen returns to the Panida with Falling

By Reader Staff A-list actor, part-time area resident and patron of the arts Viggo Mortensen will make a special local appearance Friday, Aug. 29 for a 7 p.m. screening of his 2020 drama Falling at the Panida Theater (300 N. First Ave., in downtown Sandpoint).

Doors open at 6 p.m. for the two-and-a-half-hour event, which will include a question-and-answer session following the R-rated film.

Falling tackles the difficult topic of Alzheimer’s disease, centering on the impact that one man’s struggle has on his family. When an aging

body and mind make farming impossible, 80-year-old Willis (Lance Henriksen, of Terminator) moves in with his son, John (Mortensen), and his husband Eric (Terry Chen, of Jessica Jones). The forced proximity quickly reopens old wounds, such as Willis’ inability to accept John’s sexuality, forcing the family to face the realities of grief and regret.

Throughout the film, the narrative blurs the lines between past and present, giving audiences a glimpse into Willis’ mental state and exploring these family dynamics from the very beginning.

Proceeds from the event benefit the Panida and KRFY

Viggo Mortensen guest hosts at KRFY 88.5 FM. Courtesy photo 88.5 FM Panhandle Community Radio.

Tickets are $32.75 (not including tax) at panida.org and will likely sell out well before Aug. 29.

August 21, 2025 / R / 19

FOOD

The Sandpoint Eater

What a peach

By Marcia Pilgeram Reader Columnist I’ll admit, to most folks, that nothing compares to the sweet aroma of plump, ripe peaches. But, to be honest, I’ve always had a complicated relationship with them.

While peach season is upon us, and everyone else is waxing poetically about the scent of a perfectly ripe peach, the velvet (cringe) skin, and that warm, sticky juice that trickles down your chin on a hot summer day, the smell of peaches triggers a lot of unpleasant memories for me.

Weird, right?

It all goes back to my young Montana bride days on the ranch. Canning — a.k.a. “putting up fruit” — was definitely women’s work, and it usually fell between haying and the fall cattle roundup, both of which brought extra hands to help and extra mouths to feed.

I was a newbie at canning.

Heck, back then, I was a newbie at a lot of things. For example, I had to learn where all the farm equipment supply stores were in Butte, Missoula and Helena — three towns equidistant from the ranch. I’d head out with two hot, whiny, napless toddlers, hoping to find whatever supplies were needed — swather blades, guards or twine — in one of those towns. Once in a while, I got lucky and found what I needed in Deer Lodge, a quick half-hour drive away.

It was usually on one of those taxing days that my dear mother-in-law, Monah, would show up at the back door, lugging a couple of cases of Washington peaches. Every area has its celebrated “peach 20 / R / August 21, 2025

man,” and I wasn’t a fan of the one who frequented Deer Lodge or Drummond. Monah was notoriously frugal and, looking back, I’m sure she had an “in” with her peach man, cutting deals, probably buying seconds.

“They’re turning,” she’d say. “You’ll need to get them put up right away.”

With two toddlers tugging at my legs, I’d get to work, eager to please my hypercritical mother-in-law.

I still remember the hot kitchen, the sticky floors, the endless peeling, the occasional broken jar in the canner and the nagging question: Was all this labor really worth it just to have a few rows of jars silently staring at me from the basement shelves, judging my efforts? But I labored on.

Regardless, I became pretty proficient in the art of canning. Before long, there was nothing I couldn’t spice up and pack neatly into a sterile jar. To this day, Ryanne says some of her earliest memories are of the pantry shelves in our basement, lined with jars filled with the colorful fruits of summer’s labor, neatly put up for the long winter months ahead. Occasionally, when time allowed, I even entered some of my efforts into nearby county fairs, and often came home with a ribbon or two.

Now, readers, it’s time to divulge my big, dark peach secret that I rarely share: I suffer from haptodysphoria. That’s right, folks — I have a peachfuzz phobia. For years, I avoided them. Other fruits got my attention: apples, pears,

myriad berries and cherries. But peaches? Nope. I was done. Until, for better or worse, canning entered my life.

Some folks find peach skin “velvety.” To me, it crosses into fingernails-on-a-chalkboard territory. I couldn’t bear to bite into a peach like an apple and turn away when others do so. No, thank you.

My peaches require blanching, peeling and handling with asbestos gloves.

It’s a problem. What chef/food ambassador/culinary maven has an aversion to peaches? And of course, everyone in my orbit loves peaches! Peach cobbler, peach ice cream, peach pie, peach jam — if it has peaches in it, they’ll lick their plates clean and circle back for seconds.

So, I’ve learned to make peace with peaches. These days, I’m realizing that peaches aren’t the enemy. They’re nearly everyone’s favorite summer fruit.

I’ve learned to live with my fuzz phobia; and, luckily, I’ve aged out of canning, happily passing all my equipment on to Ryanne.

Now, you might find an occasional small basket (not a bushel) of ripe summer peaches, waiting to live their best life in a family-favorite recipe.

Yes, I’ve decided it’s time to let bygones be bygones.

This summer, I’m giving peaches their place at my table. And if it keeps my family smiling, well, that’s as sweet as this tasty peach cake recipe.

Peaches and cream streusel cake This cake is moist and delicious, served warm or cold. Go all out with a scoop of ice cream or a dollop of whip cream. Bake in a square or round 9” pan. Serves 6-8.

INGREDIENTS: Cake: • 2 cups all-purpose flour • 2 tsp baking powder • ½ tsp baking soda • ½ tsp salt • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened • ¾ cup granulated sugar • 2 large eggs + 1 white (reserve other yolk for cream cheese filling) • 1 tsp vanilla extract • 1 cup sour cream (or Greek yogurt) Filling: • 3 medium ripe peaches, peeled and sliced • 2 tbsp brown sugar • ½ tsp cinnamon Cream layer: • 8 oz cream cheese, softened • ¼ cup sugar • 1 egg yolk • ½ tsp vanilla Streusel topping: • ¾ cup all-purpose flour • ½ cup light brown sugar • 1 tsp cinnamon • ¼ tsp salt • 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, cold and cubed

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 350°F Grease and line a 9-inch springform pan or 9x9 baking dish.

Prepare the streusel and set aside, by mixing flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Cut in cold butter with a pastry cutter or fingers until crumbly. Refrigerate while you prep the cake.

Peach filling: Toss sliced peaches with brown sugar and cinnamon.

Set aside.

Cake batter: In large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, soda and salt. In mixer, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Mix in sour cream, then gently fold in dry ingredients until just combined.

Pour batter into prepared pan.

No need to wash mixer bowl for the cream layer: Beat cream cheese, sugar, yolk, and vanilla until smooth.

Add the cream cheese layer,

swirl to mix. Add peach slices to top of cream cheese. Press peaches down lightly with spatula. Sprinkle with streusel topping.

Bake about 40 minutes, until golden

and a tester comes out clean. Cool at least 20 minutes before slicing. Store leftovers in fridge.

MUSIC

Jamgrass band Armchair Boogie to play Sandpoint Summer Music Series

By Ben Olson Reader Staff Whether you call it jamgrass, newgrass, funkgrass or progressive bluegrass, Wisconsin-based quartet Armchair Boogie plays it.

The band will play the Sandpoint Summer Music Series on Thursday, Aug. 21 at Farmin Park in downtown Sandpoint. The show is free and open to all, with gates open at 5 p.m. and music from 6-8 p.m.

Armchair Boogie is gaining fans across the country with powerful harmonies, timeless original songs, choice covers and unforgettable live performances.

The band was listed as a “Must-See Roots Artists at Bourbon & Beyond” by The Bluegrass Situation, which wrote, “We recently caught this jammy Wisconsin outfit at Earl Scruggs Music Festival, where they burnt down their late-night set.”

Featuring Augie Dougherty on banjo, Ben Majeska on acoustic and electric guitars, Eli Frieders on electric bass and Denzel Connor on drums, Armchair Boogie has an unconventional sound that occupies the liminal space between lightning-fast bluegrass, funk and alt-country. The result is a live performance that is downright fun to experi-

Armchair Boogie is Augie Dougherty, Ben Majeska, Eli Frieders and Denzel Connor.

Courtesy photo ence, as these four jambadours continue their trek around the stages of America.

The band released a fourth studio recording, Hard Times & Deadlines, in 2024 after composing the songs around the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Life comes with highs and lows, and Hard Times & Deadlines captures the fleeting emotions that come with it,” said Majeska.

“Once the tunes were drafted, they were brought to the whole band for collaboration,” said Dougherty.

“This is where the tune truly becomes a Boogie song — everyone adds their touch of creative input and we’re able to polish it up collectively pretty quickly.”

Mattox Farm Productions presents four free outdoor shows every year for its Sand-

point Summer Music Series either at Farmin Park or outside the Heartwood Center (615 Oak St., in Sandpoint).

Eichardt’s Pub will be on hand to serve drinks while Mandala Pizza and Mountain Food Company will have food trucks on-site. Molly’s Ice Cream Truck will serve cool treats and face painting will be offered for the kids.

Mattox Farm’s Robb Talbott announced that the Summer Music Series was entering the public voting phase of the Levitt Foundation grant process. The foundation offers the grant to facilitate free outdoor concerts across the country.

“This is a major step and, if we are awarded this grant, it would be a huge boost to the series for the next three years,” Talbott told the Reader. “We would go to seven shows each year in addition

to increasing the budget, all while keeping the shows free.”

The voting period will be from Sept. 5-15, so keep an eye out for a story in an upcoming edition of the Reader for information on how to vote.

The Sandpoint Summer Music Series is made possible thanks to main sponsors Washington Trust Bank and Pend Oreille Arts Council.

They also receive support from Cedar St. Hotel and Suites, the Heartwood Center, the Novas of Evergreen Realty, North Root Architecture, the Sandpoint Reader, Spruce Property Care, KPND, Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce, Selle Design Group and Travis Harmon Construction.

Visit mattoxfarm.com for more information.

A snapshot of notable live music coming up in Sandpoint Atomic Jive Band, Smokesmith BBQ, Aug. 22

D.W. Doucet, Matchwood Brewing Co., Aug. 22

It’s easy to hear where the Atomic Jive Band gets its name; whether it’s singer Kari Marguerite belting out a chorus or the brass section stealing the show, these musicians are powerhouses. Most people are too busy dancing to truly appreciate the splendor of the music, but if you sit down long enough, you’ll see musicians at the top of their game absolutely tearing it up on their respective

An East Coast Canada-born troubadour, D.W. Doucet drops influences like John Prine and Tom Waits, and tells a tale of his one-man-band operation starting with a length of chain wrapped around one of his feet to stomp and striking on an anvil made from a railroad track. He’s now based in Fort Collins, Colo., but his folks have lived in Bonners Ferry since 2009, where he also spent two years doing lumber mill work. Now he’s bringing his pristine folk-blues to Matchwood

instruments, from the trumpet to the harmonica. The band covers plenty of classic and lesser-known R&B pieces from the ’50s and ’60s, so listen to expand your musical horizons.

— Soncirey Mitchell 5:30-8:30 p.m., FREE. Smokesmith BBQ, 102 South Boyer Ave., 208-920-0517, smokesmithidaho.com. Listen on Atomic Jive Band’s Facebook page.

Brewing for a Friday night show that’s not to be missed. Sometimes you can just tell when an artist knows what they’re doing, and Doucet is 100% the real deal. Check out “Heart of the Sea” and “As I Roam Across a Dark Blue” for evidence.

— Zach Hagadone 6-8:30 p.m., FREE. Matchwood Brewing, 513 Oak St., 208-718-2739, matchwoodbrewing.com. Listen at dwdoucet.com.

This week’s RLW by Zach Hagadone

READ

Published in 2018, These Truths: A History of the United States, by Harvard historian and law scholar Jill Lepore is both timely and timeless, in that it doesn’t pull punches nor does it slump into hagiography or exceptionalism.

It’s a truly “balanced” and ambitious one-volume account that starts in 1492 and strikes at all the relevant issues of the current day. Get it where you get books.

LISTEN

At some point I’m sure I’ve recommended Nina Hagen, but I recently became reacquainted with this gloriously weird artist, who is often referred to as “The Godmother of German Punk.”

Entering the Neue Deutsche Welle (“New German Wave”) movement after a rare migration from East to West Berlin in the late-1970s, she broke all the rules and her quirky relish in doing so remains as infectious as ever. For a taste, look up “Du hast den Farbfilm vergessen” on YouTube.

WATCH

There are few film studios that actually take risks (and deliver on them), and A24 is of the first order. What comes out of A24 is usually pretty gnarly — The Lighthouse, VVitch, Midsommar, etc. — but The Legend of Ochi is different. Released in theaters in April and now streaming on Amazon Prime (for rent), it’s a more-or-less family friendly fantasy adventure set in a magical-mystical Carpathian-Ukrainian village whose surrounding landscape is full of creatures with a fraught relationship with their human neighbors, to say the least.

There’s family drama, comingof-age ideas and non-stop gorgeous set pieces. Plus Willem Dafoe and Emma Watson.

August 21, 2025 / R / 21

BACK OF THE BOOK

Major mea culpa

By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff

From Northern Idaho News, August 20, 1912

PEG-LEG GETS THIRTY DAYS Frank Johnson, a onelegged man, well known in this city, was given 30 days in the county jail last week for being drunk and disorderly.

Johnson was arrested the first time by Officer Kitchen and as he was being placed in his cell, struck Kitchen with his peg leg.

He was taken before the police judge, who alllowed the crippled man to go on the promise that he would be good, but the same afternoon he raised a disturbance in Bradley’s saloon and was again arrested and placed in jail.

PETITION FOR MORE SALOONS A petition asking that the council raise the limit on the number of saloons in this city is being circulated in the city.

A number of people are signing the petition. In order that the number may be raised the present ordinance limiting the number to six must be repealed, and from opinions express by some of the councilmen, it is not thought that the necessary two-thirds of the council can be secured to repeal the ordinance.

22 / R / August 21, 2025

Consider this the largest “correction” the Reader has ever published — and, horror of horrors, it’s because of something the editor (me) screwed up. (True fact: Rarely anyone edits the editor.)

On at least two occasions in recent months, I’ve reported that Dist. 1A Rep. Mark Sauter, R-Sandpoint, “voted in favor” of Idaho’s strict abortion laws, but later came to “regret” that vote when the wider ramifications became clear in the form of OBGYNs and other providers of women’s reproductive health care fleeing the state due to a hostile political climate and fears of litigation.

I was wrong on those occasions.

Sauter wasn’t even in the Legislature when the so-called abortion trigger laws were passed by lawmakers in early 2022. He didn’t take office until December 2022, long after that session ended, and since then has actually worked to include more exceptions to the near-total abortion ban to protect the health of Idaho mothers. That includes a bill he and Sen. Jim Woodward, R-Sagle, introduced at the end of the 2025 session.

The Reader has reported on those efforts as they’ve occurred over the past few sessions, as well as chronicling the political blowback Sauter has experienced from his own party for stances such as loosening the abortion ban, and endeavored to be as accurate and even-handed as possible in doing so.

I, and by extension “we,” dropped the ball on correctly contextualizing Sauter’s voting record and I, by extension “we,” apologize for those errors.

That’s not enough, though. We’re in the business of being accurate;

and, whenever we make a mistake, it prompts an internal forensic audit of how we screwed up and why, so we don’t do it again.

In the interest of accountability and transparency, I’ll explain how we came to make the error(s), and it begins with a PBS News Hour piece aired on May 1, 2023 titled “Idaho’s strict abortion laws create uncertainty for OB-GYNs in the state.” From the transcript on pbs.org: Sarah Varney (PBS): “State Representative Mark Sauter, a Republican, lives in Sandpoint. He says he hadn’t thought much about the abortion ban.”

Mark Sauter: “It really wasn’t high on my radar, other than I’m a pro-life guy, and I ran that way, but I didn’t see it as it had a real — having a real big community impact.”

SV: “Then he started talking with local doctors, including Amelia Huntsberger.

“What I’m wondering is, for you personally, did you think about abortion as it relates to obstetric care for pregnant women?”

MS: “No, I don’t think I — it’s like anything. You get exposed to something and, all of a sudden, you go, wow, there’s a different way to look at this. You know, what are we going to do about all this?”

That portion of the program drew the attention of late-night TV host John Oliver, of Last Week Tonight With John Oliver, who teed off on Sauter, saying on his Nov. 5, 2023 show: “This Idaho Republican voted for an extremely restrictive abortion ban and has since had second thoughts about how broad it actually is, but listen to him explain just how little thought he put into his original decision.”

Oliver went on to replay a snip-

pet of Sauter’s interview, including the statement that, “It really wasn’t high up on my radar other than I’m a pro-life guy and I ran that way. But I didn’t see it having a real big community impact.”

Oliver added: “Look, part of me wants to welcome that man’s ability to recognize his own blind spots there, but are you really saying that you didn’t think about how your vote would affect literally half your constituents? You’re a fucking legislator.”

Oliver was wrong, but it trickled down to us, when we reprinted his remarks without vetting them. From there, it became part of the story.

Call this also a hard lesson in media literacy. I watched the PBS report and Oliver’s show, but didn’t perform the due diligence to ensure that the timelines matched with the claims being made by the latter. I assumed that Last Week Tonight would check facts, and so I didn’t do my own fact-checking. To be fair, PBS also didn’t do a great job contextualizing Sauter’s position in the Legislature at that time. But again, I didn’t use my own brain.

It’s my job to use my brain in order to be right as often as humanly possible, and every minor or major error that makes it onto the pages of this paper is ultimately my fault. I accept that responsibility, but I don’t want this lesson to be lost on others. That is: Never, ever, simply repost, reprint, repeat or report something you see or hear without at least taking a few minutes to check it out. And, for all our sake, if you end up being wrong, at least correct yourself before you wreck yourself. In the end, all we have is our integrity, and it’s a lot harder to earn than it is to lose.

STR8TS Solution

Sudoku Solution

Crossword Solution

Solution on page 22

Solution on page 22

By Bill Borders

CROSSWORD

Copyright www.mirroreyes.com

Laughing Matter

ACROSS

haply /HAP-lee/

Woorf tdhe Week

[adverb] 1. perhaps; by chance

“They agreed to wait another week so that haply the weather might improve.”

Corrections: Read this week’s Back of the Book article (Page 22) for a correction masquerading as an article.

We tend to scoff at the beliefs of the ancients. But we can’t scoff at them personally, to their faces, and this is what annoys me.

1. Sleighs 6. Tick-____ 10. Hair care tool 14. Rationale 15. Dugout shelter 16. Black-and-white cookie 17. More aloof 18. Not warm 19. Pesky insects 20. Analytic thinking 22. Oceans 23. Type of broom 24. Remarkable thing 25. Times gone by 29. Changed 31. Driving force 33. Evolve gradually 37. Goober 62. Go to and fro 38. Shrew 63. Lyric poems 39. Went in 64. Overweight 41. Cut out 42. Electrician 44. D D D DOWN 45. Cooked by dry heat 48. Pig out 1. Slipped 50. Freudian topics 2. Hubs 51. Numbskull 3. Sponsorship 56. “Oh dear!”

4. Perishes 57. Decorative case 5. Fastener 58. Eagle’s home 6. To the touch 59. Somersault 7. Double-reed player 60. Distribute 8. Dishonest 61. Warble

Solution on page 22

9. Pottery oven 10. Analyzed 11. Bay window 12. Nickel or steel 13. Dictatorial 21. Discipline 24. Satan 25. Tube 26. Ends a prayer 27. Expectorated 28. Unmelodiously 30. Tit for tat 32. Sensational 34. Not early 35. Curved molding

36. Pea holders 40. First presented 41. Fops 43. Very detailed 45. Grizzlies for example 46. Luminous 47. Australian “bear” 49. Muse of poetry 51. Audition tape 52. Parsley or sage 53. A Great Lake 54. Afflicts 55. Expunge

August 21, 2025 / R / 23

Hey kids! Here’s a free coloring page. Adults, you’re allowed to color, too.