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2 / R / November 2, 2017

10 1

(wo)MAN compiled by

on the street

Susan Drinkard What issue or issues do you think are the most important for the Sandpoint City Council to address after next week’s election?

“I think the traffic around here is terrible. The traffic flow needs to be re-evaluated. I like the roundabout but so many people don’t seem to understand how to drive in it and they need to be educated.”

Karen Walthall Senior citizen; widow Sandpoint

“Everything about Sandpoint is OK with me. I love it here.”

Shirley Howard Retired Westwood

“We recently moved here from Seattle. We just love the community, and I have no complaints.”

Corey Anderson The Root Beer Store www.therootbeerstore.com Sandpoint “The population of Sandpoint has grown significantly in the past 10 years —maybe doubled— and there are more bicyclists, and many of them do not follow the laws of the road. It is a healthy and good form of transportation, but often the cyclists don’t yield to traffic and they ride their bikes across crosswalks. There needs to be training for bicyclists. Also, I wish the city would put the streets back to the way they used to be. It is more congested and more confusing than ever.”

Kally Kramer Medical receptionist in Sandpoint Naples

“There’s a fabulous shelter for people like me in our area, but what about a no-stringsattached homeless shelter for humans in our area?”

Mercy Sandpoint

DEAR READERS,

Thanks to all who showed up and participated to the Candidates’ Forum on Monday night. The questions submitted to the candidates covered a variety of issues. Way to be involved, those who attended. Now, the all-important next step is to make sure you head out and vote on Tuesday, Nov. 7. Polls are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

If you aren’t registered to vote, don’t worry! It’s easy to do, and our state allows election-day registration – just bring a photo ID and proof of residence (a utility bill showing your home address will do the trick).

Don’t know where your polling place is? No problem. Call the Bonner County Elections Office at (208) 255-3631 and they’ll be happy to answer any of your questions.

Snow is on the way! Forecasts call for anywhere from one to five inches throughout the weekend. Who knows if it will stick around or not, but I hope all of your fall preparations have concluded.

As our regular readers know, we enjoy publishing contributions from the public on a wide variety of topics. Our “hopper,” which holds all the unpublished submissions sent into the Reader, is beginning to diminish, which means it’s time for a call for stories.

Here are some guidelines to follow: Please keep the word limit in the 500-800 range. We will not accept submissions over 1,000 words anymore without prior approval. I don’t care how well it’s written, if it’s over 1,000 words, we won’t consider for publication. Also, think of a topic that you may want to learn more about, or that you think others don’t know enough about – chances are if you find it interesting, others may as well. We are always interested in opinion articles, but we are more interested in stories that inform the public on a little-known topic. We are always interested in profiles of interesting people. Finally, submit an image or artwork to accompany your article. Thanks for reading, and we look forward to receiving your submissions. Please send them to stories@sandpointreader.com.

-Ben Olson, Publisher

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

www.sandpointreader.com Publisher: Ben Olson ben@sandpointreader.com Editor: Cameron Rasmusson cameron@sandpointreader.com Zach Hagadone (emeritus) John Reuter (emeritus) Advertising: Jodi Taylor Jodi@sandpointreader.com Contributing Artists: Aaron Burden (cover), Ben Olson, Lyndsie Kiebert, Mary Sue Mayer, Kit Chalberg.

Contributing Writers: Cameron Rasmusson, Ben Olson, Lyndsie Kiebert, Nick Gier, Mayor Shelby Rognstad, Brenden Bobby, Tim Bearly, Mike Turnland, Drake.

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

Subscription Price: $95 per year Web Content: Keokee The Sandpoint Reader is a weekly publication owned and operated by Ben Olson and Keokee. It is devoted to the arts, entertainment, politics and lifestyle in and around Sandpoint, Idaho.

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

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

Free to all, limit two copies per person.

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

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

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

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

About the Cover

This week’s cover is a photograph taken by Aaron Burden. In case you’re curious how to pull off a photograph like this, go out on a sub-zero day and blow a soap bubble. It will instantly freeze into this cool design.

November 2, 2017 / R / 3

COMMENTARY

WSU did the right thing on campus free speech

By Nick Gier Reader Columnist

In my 50 years of political activism, I have never shouted down a speaker, but it has become far too frequent these days.

Especially unfortunate was the disruption of a joint meeting of College Republicans and College Democrats at UC Santa Cruz on Oct. 15. Police said they arrested three students “so that we could protect the students’ right to meet.”

Fortunately, no one has yet protested presentations by conservatives and liberals at the WSU Political Science Club. The group is led by the former vice-president of the College Republicans.

Early last October, a speaker from the American Civil Liberties Union, the foremost champion of First Amendment rights, was forced from the stage at William and Mary College by members of Black Lives Matters. They were upset with ACLU legal action that secured the permit for the “Unite the Right” rally at a park in Charlottesville, Va. The night before the rally several hundred protesters marched without permission through the University of Virginia campus.

They carried tiki torches, gave the Nazi salute and chanted hate-filled chants such as “the Jew will not replace us,” “blood and soil” (white blood only on America soil) and “white lives matter.” The next day one of the protesters drove his car through a group of counter-protesters, killing one woman and injuring 34 others.

Implicitly admitting to a serious mistake, ACLU President Anthony Romero responded to the Charlottesville tragedy saying that they will not represent any group “carrying loaded firearms.” But he added that “even odious hate speech, with which we vehemently disagree, garners the protection of the First Amendment when expressed non-violently.”

Recently, ACLU attorneys filed a suit against the Washington, D.C., Metro for removing ads for Milo Yiannopoulos’ book “Dangerous” from subway stations and cars. Yiannopoulos is a notorious “alt-right” speaker, who has caused controversy for his on-campus appearances, as well as when he has been barred from speaking.

After I reviewed all the news coverage, I concluded that the WSU administration did the right thing regarding the controversy surrounding its College Republi-

cans. Last October they erected a 24-foot replica of Trump’s border wall. Hundreds of students reacted by climbing the wall and/or engaging in spirited debate with the young Republicans.

In January of last year the group invited Yiannopoulos to campus, but the speech was canceled because of icy roads.

Yiannopoulos had just spoken at the University of Washington the night of Trump’s inauguration, and a Trump supporter, claiming self-defense, shot an anti-Trump protester in the stomach.

Former College Republican president James Allsup interviewed white supremacist Richard Spencer on YouTube, but he claims that he is not a racist nor a white nationalist. But the Spokesman-Review quotes him as saying: “Other cultures have a right to exist, but they can exist (only) in their own countries.” He added that when you bring in those “who don’t look like you, you lose a sense of national identity.”

Although he says that he attended the Charlottesville event only in a “media capacity,” he marched with the torch bearers and was thrilled to greet white supremacist Richard Spencer at the rally. When the College Republi-

and civil engineering. This promoter of his brand of pseudosciLetters to the Editor ical paragraph ends with “part of the ence. He has sold his very popular paradigm of this new science is that books and articles, gathering many The Crutch of thought affects physical reality” followers who believe fervently in which seems to be an attempt to his theories. I don’t label him as Pseudoscience... link the subject of the article’s next a charlatan; he may have believed

Dear Editor, The Reader is my favorite local publication. I even read articles there that I might not normally encounter. As a result of such straying, I feel I must comment on the article in the October 26, 2017 issue, entitled “The Heart and Science of Quantum Happiness” by Suzen Fiskin.

The article’s phrase in the second paragraph “when quantum mechanics took down old-school Newtonian physics” is an oversimplification. In fact, Newtonian mechanics is an approximation to quantum mechanics that is quite legitimate and accurate within its own scope. It is alive and well in physics curricula and underlies most of what we would consider as engineering, particularly mechan4 / R / November 2, 2017

few paragraphs (the theories of Masaru Emoto) to quantum mechanics.

The article’s next two paragraphs focus on the theories of Masaru Emoto, who famously received his doctoral degree from a degree mill i.e. via a correspondence course from the Open International University of Alternative Medicine (India). His ‘research’ is widely debunked by scientists. His work was not published in any peer reviewed journals, but he was a prolific writer who published many popular books.

Attempts to draw him into demonstrating his results in controlled, reproducible experiments were never successful. He reportedly did produce beautiful photographs, which some suspected to be cherry picked to support his theories. I would consider him a very successful

what he claimed. Nevertheless, his path to his ‘doctorate’ is troubling.

Although I find alternative medicine, such as promulgated by Dr. Andrew Weil, to be valid and worthwhile, the reliance on pseudoscience I find elsewhere is troubling.

Alternative medicine can stand on its own two feet without the artificial crutch of pseudoscience.

Richard Sevenich Sandpoint

To The Hunter Invading Our Bay...

Dear Editor, Please note: Within this context the term “hunter” is loosely applied and

can National Committee learned of Allsup’s participation, it forced him to resign his executive post.

Some students on campus were joined by 12 Democratic legislators in demanding that the College Republicans’ campus club status be revoked. Late last month, WSU President Kirk Schulz responded to the legislators, saying that “we can’t shut down a viewpoint no matter how horrific or upsetting it is.”

WSU student body president Jordan Frost says that as a black man he has felt the full impact of racist comments, but he still follows the ACLU: “If you’re openly inciting violence, that’s a problem.

But other than that, we can’t start doing this filtering of people’s words and what they say.”

Our universities and colleges are the principal venues for the presentation of all views. Our founding thinkers were convinced that rational public debate would separate truth from falsehood, and

bears absolutely no resemblance to the real deal, and the views contained herein are mine alone.

Apparently hunting season has begun. For the second Saturday in October, gunshots rang out in the predawn hour beating the alarm clock to signal the day had begun, ready or not.

Our bay is approximately 4.5 miles from downtown Sandpoint just across the Long Bridge as one heads south. The denizens of this residential area have been working diligently to restore the bay and this summer and fall our collective efforts rewarded us with a beautiful bay in which to enjoy recreational activities, a beautiful bay that supports a natural habitat for wildlife, a beautiful bay that we take great pride in knowing we have made a difference.

But to be honest, our motives are a bit selfish. We are working to restore this bay for our enjoyment and not to provide cannon fodder for the hunter who is now preying on the geese and migratory water

Campus Republicans at WSU built a wall to symbolize the wall Trump intends to build along the Mexico border. Photo by NWPR. they gave us the First Amendment to guarantee that all of us have a place in a free exchange of ideas.

Although the rise of Trump and fake news makes attainment of this ideal far more difficult, we cannot start down a slippery slope where we find ourselves at the receiving end of the limited speech that we have forced on others.

What if College Democrats somewhere say or do something outrageous? Won’t Republicans then ask that they lose their right to participate in campus life?

Nick Gier of Moscow taught philosophy at the University of Idaho for 31 years. Read the full version at www.NickGier.com/ FreeSpeech.pdf. He can be contacted at ngier006@gmail.com.

fowl attracted to our waters. I tried to give you the benefit of the doubt; you are not man enough to cart your weapon any farther than four miles from town, you are not old enough to drive and this is as far as mommy or daddy could bring you. Pack it in!

Hit the gym; work those weights and while you’re biding your time to become mature enough for drivers’ ed reflect on the tenets of consideration for others, true sportsmanship, and what it means to be a role model. This is the picture you want to paint? This is the best you can be? This is hunting? Really?

Word has it you limited out on your first hunting soiree. How nice. How special. Guess from your perspective gun shots shattering our tranquility for several hours on a Saturday morning is a small price for bay residents to pay for your enjoyment.

How thoughtful!

Eilene Buescher Sagle, Idaho

OPINION

Proposed smelter in Newport would be bad for Sandpoint

By Mayor Shelby Rognstad Reader Contributor Many concerned citizens have contacted me recently regarding the proposed silicon smelter in Newport, Wash. As reported in the Reader on October 12, 192 acres was purchased by Canadian firm, HiTest Sand near the Old Town/Newport state line for the purpose of developing a metallurgical silicon smelter.

The project is in the preliminary stage of development. Next Monday, HiTest meets with DEQ (ID), Department of Ecology (WA), EPA, Kalispel Tribe and National Park Service to discuss modeling for air quality impact. Modeling framework must be approved by the Washington Department of Ecology, through the Spokane office, before an air quality permit application could be accepted. The application, through the Affected States Rule, triggers notification to neighboring state authorities within 50 miles which includes Idaho DEQ. The public comment period would then follow. The proposed smelter would also require a discharge permit as it would impact Pend O’Reille River downstream.

The proposed site is roughly a mile south of the U.S. 2-Idaho state Route 41 junction. As reported in the Spokane Journal of Business, the $300 million project is projected to bring 170 jobs to a county with 6.4 percent unemployment rate. The silica, mined near Golden, B.C., would be shipped to the smelter. The Washington Department of Commerce, who supplied a $300,000 development assistance grant for the project in 2016, has said the smelter will have a net environmental benefit in that solar cells manufactured in Washington will result in a net reduction of carbon. Solar power industry suppliers, such as Moses Lake-based REC Silicon, currently obtain silicon refined in eastern U.S. or overseas.

The Kalispel Tribe of Indians is seeking a federal air quality designation for its Usk-based reservation that potentially could tighten current emission limits.

Even if the tribe’s request for a higher air-quality classification is approved, preliminary air quality modeling that HiTest is conducting indicates the facility would be compliant with heightened federal and state standards, according to Pend Oreille

County Commissioner Mike Manus.

The environmental impacts to Sandpoint and Bonner County from a smelter 30 miles upstream would be significant.

Air dispersion patterns will bring “emissions of carbon, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, fugitive gasses and silica dust as well as acid rain and diversions” according to Pend Oreille Health Blog (http:// pendoreillehealth.blogspot.com/2017/10/ silicon-smelter-project-in-newport.html).

The smelter requires large amounts of power to fuel its sub-arc furnace process, allegedly fueled by coal from Kentucky and wood chips to augment the draw from hydroelectric power. Water levels on Lake Pend Oreille and the river may be impacted as well as water quality through discharge.

I will encourage Sandpoint City Council to pass a resolution urging the DOE to reject permitting the plant, or at the very least, ensure that it meets the highest emissions standards possible. The proposed site would impact air quality for Sandpoint and the region, effecting health, economy and property values. I encourage all of you to provide comment on the proposal when the public comment period opens. You can receive regular updates on development of the project by subscribing to this list serve: kajo461@ ecy.wa.gov

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Letters to the Editor Vote for Shannon Williamson...

Dear Editor, Please join us in voting for Shannon Williamson for Sandpoint City Council on Nov. 7. Shannon has proven herself a hardworking member of the council. She makes thoughtful decisions after research and listening to taxpayers. Her fellow council members have elected her as council president, the highest honor they can bestow on a teammate. We will benefit from having Shannon’s knowledge, care and hard work continue for four years.

Steve Lockwood and Molly O’Reilly Sandpoint

Scott Lies Service Advisor

John Roche Service Advisor

WWW.TSCHEVY.COM

LOCAL: 208.263.2138 TOLL FREE: 800.866.2138 476751 Highway 95, Ponderay November 2, 2017 / R / 5

COMMUNITY

Veterans ‘A Night to Remember’ benefits cancer organization Celebration planned

By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff Writer

Bouquets: •Thank you to KRFY Community Radio’s hearty and dedicated volunteers, led by volunteer coordinator Julie Kallemeyn, for joining forces and spending last Saturday picking up trash along a two-mile stretch of Highway 95 just south of Sagle Fire Department. With over 40 bags filled to the brim, that section of Highway 95 is now clear of obvious and not-so-obvious trash and other assorted items. Some of the more interesting items found include: a $50 bill, social security card, functional Sheryl Crow CD, fun poster, aviator sunglasses, Christmas decorations, clothing items, a hand-written recipe for rhubarb cake with comments “it really is good!” and, last but not least, lots of marijuana-related material.

Barbs: • We received a call from a nice lady in Clark Fork who saw a gentlemen take an entire stack of Nickel’s Worth and Readers for his firestarter, leaving none for anyone else to grab. She informed him (and later us in a phone call) that all the waste sites in Bonner County have literally tons of newspapers that people can grab for free firestarter so that others can still obtain their publications. Here are the waste sites all over Bonner County - Blanchard, Colburn Culver Road, Oldtown, Coolin, Priest River, Hope/Clark Fork, and Dufort. Don’t be that guy leave some publications on the rack for others to enjoy and obtain your firestarter at the Bonner County Waste Sites.

• I was disappointed to see that half of the Sandpoint City Council candidates didn’t show up for our Candidates’ Forum Monday night.

Kudos to Joel Aispuro, Jeff Bohnhof and Shannon Williamson for being present and answering the questions of the 60-plus people in attendance. Mose Dunkel, Rob Jediny and John Darling didn’t show. Constituents take time out of their busy weeks to attend and ask pertinent questions. If you’re running for office, the least you can do is show them the respect of your attendance. And yes, everyone was notified well in advance.

6 / R / November 2, 2017

Community Cancer Services dedicates itself to improving the lives of people in the area affected by life-consuming illnesses.

But one night a year, the organization throws an evening of dinner, wine tasting and an auction, all in the name of helping those people year round.

This year’s event is Saturday, Nov. 4 at 5:30 p.m. at the Bonner County Fairgrounds. Done in collaboration with Ponderay Rotary, the event is in its 10th year. Attendees are encouraged to wear something in a color reflecting the particular cancer that has affected their lives.

CCS Board President Stephanie Allen said the night’s theme is a tribute to those lost to the disease, making it an event for celebrating the memories they left behind.

“Everybody knows somebody who has experienced cancer, either themselves, or their family and friends,” she said. “It’s a night to remember those people and to talk about what they’ve gone through or what they were like.”

Proceeds from “A Night to Remember” go toward the various services CCS provides.

CCS is a non-profit that assists anyone in Bonner and Boundary

counties who has been diagnosed with cancer by providing counseling, support with groceries and fuel, yoga, a boutique with wigs and hats, as well as medical equipment for loaning, including walkers and wheelchairs. Most of their funding comes from grants, donations and fundraisers like “A Night to Remember.”

Allen said this year’s auction items feature skis, diamond earrings, a Schweitzer season pass and the chance to be co-editor for a day at the Sandpoint Read-

‘A Night to Remember’ from 2015. er, among many others.

“The food’s great, the wine’s wonderful. It brings a lot of good community members together,” Allen said. “Come and enjoy everyone’s company, learn more about Community Cancer Services and remember those we’ve lost to cancer.”

To purchase tickets for “A Night to Remember,” visit communitycancerservices.com.

Senior Center happenings this week

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

Come down to the Sandpoint Senior Center, 820 Main St., Saturday, Nov. 4 from 9 a.m.-2 p.m., for the Books, Baskets and Bake Sale promotion. There are hundreds of titles to choose from, so you’ll definitely be able to find something to cozy up with for the winter.

Wednesday, Nov. 8, from 11 a.m.-8 p.m., stop in at Papa Murphy’s and grab a pizza. Papa Murphy’s will give back 9 percent of the sales to the DayBreak Family Assistance Fund.

Stop by the Sandpoint Senior Center to obtain the Papa Murphy’s coupon, or call (208) 263-6860 and they’ll email you a copy.

By Ben Olson Reader Staff Everyone can agree that we owe so much to our veterans. If you’d like to show your love for veterans, the Christian Faith and Freedom Coalition, Inc. is hosting a Bonner County Veterans Celebration at the Panida Theater on Friday, Nov. 10, at 7 p.m.

The event is free and open to the public, but donations will be accepted at the door with 100 percent of proceeds given to local veteran organizations in Bonner County.

The program calls for a color guard presentation of the flags, the Pledge of Allegiance, the “Star Spangled Banner,” a short video called “I am a Soldier,” and a screening of a film titled “Faith of Our Fathers,” followed by a short video, “Salute to the Armed Forces.”

Please join your Bonner County neighbors for a joyous celebration to thank our veterans and donate toward their needs.

Kaniksu Health receives award AN INTERSTELLAR PHOTO OP

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

Kaniksu Health Services has earned level-three Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH) recognition from the National Committee for Quality Assurance.

This national program recognizes community health centers and primary care practices that demonstrate the highest levels of coordinated and effected patient care; level three being the highest achievement in meeting PCMH requirements.

“Recognition as a patientcentered medical home offers our patients reassurance they are receiving the highest quality of

care, regardless of their ability to pay, as Kaniksu Health Services strives to meet and exceed nationally recognized standards that regulate the program,” said Kevin Knepper, Chief Operations and Financial Officer of Kaniksu.

Kaniksu Health Services is a federally qualified community health center that provides high quality comprehensive and affordable medical, pediatric, dental, behavioral health and veterans care. There are facilities located in Bonners Ferry, Ponderay, Priest River and Sandpoint.

More information can be found on their website: www. kaniksuhealthservices.org.

Sandpoint resident (and recent new columnist for the Reader), A.C. Woolnough shows off the Reader at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., with the Space Shuttle Discovery is in the background. Courtesy photo.

FEATURE

Insurance enrollment open through Dec. 15 Navigating the options for health care in a time of uncertainty

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff There may be uncertainty from Washington, D.C., surrounding health care, but Your Health Idaho isn’t going anywhere.

The state insurance marketplace, established following the passage of the Affordable Care Act in 2010, opened on Nov. 1 for enrollment in 2018 health care plans. With a dramatically shortened window to enroll for next year’s plans, Your Health officials are urging Idahoans to make an appointment with a broker as soon as possible.

“I would encourage people to start (the process) earlier. It’s a very short window this year,” said Pat Kelly, executive director of Your Health Idaho.

Unlike previous years where the opportunity to sign up extended well into the new year, those seeking a health care plan for 2018 have between Nov. 1 and Dec. 15 to make decisions.

Fortunately, Your Health Idaho has resources in place to help people find a plan that fits their needs and budgets.

According to Kelly, the state’s team of 900 trained brokers are one of residents’ best options for finding the right insurance plan. Your Health Idaho has been working closely with brokers over the past several months to prepare them through online and in-person training sessions and certifications 2for the busiest season of the year.

“It’s really been a focus of making sure they’re educated (about all the options),” Kelly said.

“The more we can train that agent and broker network, the more we can serve our customers,” he added.

Brokers are the best way to ensure you’ve covered all your options when choosing a health care plan. With so many options and carriers to choose from, brokers have the knowledge and expertise to narrow down the options based on individual financial circumstances and health needs. It’s easy to find a certified broker regardless of where you live in Idaho — simply visit www. yourhealthidaho.org, click on the home-page button to find

a broker and enter your ZIP code. The computer then does the work for you.

According to Kelly, even those skeptical on whether or not they can make insurance fit their budget may be surprised at the feasibility of certain plans. And given that broker counseling is absolutely free, the only thing residents have to lose is a little time.

“When was the last time you got expert help for free?”

Kelly asked.

The sheer number of options may surprise those who have not yet investigated the insurance marketplace, Kelly said.

Your Health Idaho features 299 plans offered through seven insurance carriers, covering essential medical needs like doctor visits, emergency services, prescription medication, preventative screenings, maternity care and lab tests. What’s more, around 80 percent of Idahoans qualify for a tax credit, meaning that health coverage may be surprisingly affordable.

Your Health Idaho is the only state outlet to receive tax credits that make insurance premiums more manageable.

“We’ve got a robust set of plans and carriers,” said Kelly. “The decrease in federal

funding really doesn’t impact Idaho.”

That funding decrease primarily comes from President Donald Trump’s decision in October to end cost sharing reduction payments, which lessened the cost for insurance companies to offer plans that featured reduced out-of-pocket payments for low-income Americans. According to Kelly, Your Health Idaho was able to anticipate that change and work around it, meaning it should have minimal impact on the state.

“That’s an example of how we listened to the messages from Washington but stayed focused on Idaho,” Kelly said.

“Idaho has always been forward-looking,” he added.

“We’re trying to anticipate the changes that are coming.”

Given the mixed messages coming from Washington, D.C., about the future of the Affordable Care Act and health care in general, Kelly said it’s difficult to say exactly how federal direction will shape state exchanges in the future.

However, he noted that most of the Congressional health care bills that were discussed and ultimately failed this year included long runways for implementation. Regardless of what the future brings, Kelly said he and his team are focused on ensuring Your Health Idaho serves Idahoans as capably as it can.

“While we’re certainly expecting change from Washington, we’re really focused on serving Idaho,” he said.

November 2, 2017 / R / 7

NEWS

Ponderay candidates lay out positions

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff Four candidates seek public support this Tuesday when voters fill two open seats on the Ponderay City Council.

We reached out to the candidates to gather their thoughts on the most pressing issues facing Ponderay and their priorities if elected to office. Listed below are their answers.

own water system, in the not too distant future.

Priorities: My priority is to get the community and businesses involved with city government. I would like to see more citizens and businesses represented at the council meetings.

make sure city government represents all citizens and to develop a plans for parks and street maintenance and implement the plans.

The public needs to be part of the decision-making process.

Phil McNearney

Nancy Piatt

Kathy Osborne

Priorities: We must continue working to improve and increase the communication and coordination between the council and community including businesses.

Though my local business, work with Ponderay Planning and Zoning, and involvement in Ponderay Community Development Corp.(PCDC), I have developed relationships with state and federal officials as well as business leaders. My hope is that these contacts can be used for the good of Ponderay.

Jacque Guinan

Nancy Piatt.

Kathy Osborne.

Most pressing issues: Growth management will be a long-term concern for Ponderay. As more people move to the area and more businesses seek to operate in Ponderay, the council will have to address infrastructure issues, such as securing our

Most pressing issues: Streets, property and parks. The streets are poorly maintained, and the city has spent a lot of money for parks development. This property remains undeveloped and the city doesn’t have a plan for it. How can the city afford to develop and maintain parks when it can’t maintain the streets?

Priorities: To work with the mayor, council and city clerk to

Snow forecasted this weekend

By Ben Olson Reader Staff Get ready, folks — snow is on the way.

Forecasts call for snow to fly today through the weekend, with lows temperatures in the mid- to low-20s overnight.

A 90-percent chance of snow is forecasted for Thursday with 3 to 5 inches of accumulation expected. Friday’s forecast calls for a 60-percent chance of snow

8 / R / November 2, 2017

with accumulation around 1 inch.

Through the weekend, the chance for precipitation decreases to around 30 percent, with less than an inch of snowfall predicted. The overnight lows, however, are expected to dip as low as 15 degrees.

Looking forward into November, a mixture of snow and rain is forecasted, with overnight low temperatures holding steady in the mid-20s.

Phil McNearney.

Most pressing issues: As anyone can see, Ponderay is growing. Our challenge as a city government will be in keeping our way of life and values as they are stressed by the accelerated growth in housing, business and congestion while maintaining and improving our traffic infrastructure, water and sewer within the constraints of the budget. No small job.

Jacque Guinan.

Most pressing issues: The rapid growth of Ponderay presents challenges as the city works to build a proper infrastructure to support that growth in a respon-

sible manner. High-speed, reliable internet would be helpful, to the business community as well as, to residents. Affordable, quality childcare facilities and family-oriented activities to keep children active year round would be good for Ponderay. There is also a need for a solid, well-paying job market to raise the standard of living for those who reside here full time. Sandpoint can only grow so much, and there are businesses that I know personally who have explored the possibility of moving to Ponderay, but were unable to do so as the infrastructure was not there to support their needs.

Priorities: As a member of City Council, I will vote with the needs of the community in mind, above all else. I have no associations with those who would lobby to sway votes for self-gain, and I would not be susceptible to that. Fiscal responsibility and transparency in government are crucial and my votes would reflect these concepts. I have been and will continue to listen to citizens and evaluate the concerns and needs of the community and move forward to learn how to best address those concerns and needs.

Leaf pick-up City introduces new software dates announced to improve financial transparency

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff Now is the time to clear out those leaves before winter hits in force.

Sandpoint’s annual city-wide leaf pickup will start Nov. 13.

City residents are asked to place leaves in the street next to the curb by Nov. 12. Branches or bagged leaves will not be picked up.

For more information, contact the Sandpoint Public Works office at 208-263-3428 Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff The city of Sandpoint is preparing to introduce new software that will improve public access to its financial activity.

Authorized in the 2018 budget, the Financial Transparency Portal will provide residents improved access to the city’s financial books and data. The software launches on the Sandpoint website this week, and before the year’s end, the public will be able to compare Sandpoint’s performance benchmark data with similar cities. Finally, the software will improve the city’s

ability to collect resident feedback on city services. According to Sandpoint City Administrator Jennifer Stapleton, the city staff has done an exceptional job integrating the software into the city website — so much so that the software developers have labeled Sandpoint a one of their key partners across the U.S. The new portal provides detailed breakdowns of city revenue sources, including funds collected through the 1-percent local option tax. Likewise, residents can find information on the city’s expenses.

NEWS

MRL gives tour of coal Forum draws interest in train derailment clean-up Sandpoint Council race

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff Montana Rail Link opened up to media and conservation groups last week about the Aug. 13 derailment that overturned 33 cars and spilled 3,782 tons of coal.

In a tour of the site Thursday afternoon, Montana Rail Link Marketing and Information Officer Jim Lewis showed off the company’s efforts in cleaning up the site. In the two-and-a-half months since the accident, the company cleaned all but scattered remnants of coal that would have required removal by hand. The effort cost $2.5 million in infrastructure repair, freight claims and cleanup.

Cleanup efforts utilized 90 rail cars from across the country. Afterward, a vacuum truck removed coal from the riverbank and tracks. The area was then hydroseeded to promote future ecological health.

“It’s a remote site, so it was a challenge to get all that heavy equipment in here,” Lewis said.

According to Lewis, the cause of the incident is still under investigation by the Federal Railroad Administration.

However, he said 99 percent of rail accidents are caused by either a faulty rail or a faulty wheel.

In order to prevent accidents before they happen, Montana Rail Link uses

Montana Rail Link crewmembers give representatives from the media a tour of the derailment last Thursday.

Photo by Ben Olson.

several inspection methods, some that go beyond federal regulation requirements. The company utilizes 10 assistant roadmasters who primarily inspect tracks, 245 employees on the tracks daily, geometry car inspections, rail detector inspections and 35 wayside detectors that inspect wheel impact, hot wheel, wide load and dragging. Despite the regular inspections, a malfunction was able to occur in the interim. “(Derailments) could be (due to) fluctuations in the weather,” Lewis said.

“It’s steel: It’ll buckle, it’ll sun kink.”

Nevertheless, Lewis said accidents are down 86 percent since 1997. He added that in the 3 million cars Montana Rail Link has moved since 2014, 44 have derailed.

At a Lakes Commission meeting the next day, Lewis said that despite the impression that Montana Rail Link didn’t take immediate action to clean up the site, the company was in fact working to mobilize the effort.

“In that 30 days, we weren’t just sitting back and doing nothing,” he said.

He also said that in the future, the company aims to improve communication with the public on how clean-up is progressing.

A forum Monday night gave Sandpoint voters a glimpse of the ideas driving three of the six local City Council candidates.

Shannon Williamson, Joel Aispuro and Jeff Bohnhof answered an array of questions from an audience of about 60 about their hopes and priorities for the city. Candidates John Darling, Robert Jediny and Mose Dunkel, who is under fire following a Bonner County Daily Bee article alleging he was investigated for sending pictures of his genitals to random women, did not attend.

Forum questions covered the gamut of key Sandpoint issues. On the future of the University of Idaho extension property on Boyer, Williamson said she hopes the outcome respects the ideas of residents who have participated in recent city workshops.

She also said she sees the importance of a popular desire to preserve recreation at the site, but the community must first develop a unified vision for what that looks like.

Aispuro said he’d like to see the future owner of the property keep it as beautiful as it is today.

Bohnhof believes the property presents opportunities for a variety of local projects, from improving housing availability to promoting recreational opportunities like trail riding or even a recreation center.

“This is a huge, huge opportunity to make Sandpoint shine,” he said.

On the switch to a two-way street system, Bohnhof said there are individual points of concern like the parallel parking layout on First Avenue. Otherwise, he said he didn’t know that he would change anything.

Aispuro said there were pros and cons to both traffic systems, and the best thing citizens can do in the meantime is drive carefully and be aware of their surroundings. He feels it’s important to take a careful assessment of the problems with

From left to right: Jeff Bohnof, Shannon Williamson and Joel Aispuro address the crowd at Monday’s Candidates’ Forum. Absent from the forum were candidates Mose Dunkel, John Darling and Rob Jediny. Photo by Cameron Rasmusson.

the new layout before any changes are made, and that by working together as a community, the situation can improve.

Williamson agreed that there are problems with the new system, specifically the three-way yield on First Avenue. However, the more feedback the city gets from the public, the better it will become.

“I know it’s been a hard process, but it’s going to get better, and I think the city is doing a good job,” she said.

The recent distribution of racist flyers and emails struck Bohnhof, a member of the gay community, as a huge issue. The protection of local minorities is why he helped bring back the LGBTQ advocacy group PFLAG, he said. He added that it underscores the need for Sandpoint to protect local residents from eviction, job termination or the denial of basic services based on who they are.

Williamson said she has always felt Sandpoint is a place that welcomes everyone. While there is much debate over issues like refugees and immigration, and it’s everyone’s right to have that debate, she believes Sandpoint will have little luck attracting new businesses if it is not a tolerant community.

Aispuro believes the flyers are the doing of an extremely small minority of people.

He thinks the majority of Sandpoint business owners have achieved success by welcoming all types of people, and as a Hispanic man, he has never experienced any kind of mistreatment based on his race.

“We should not let a small minority affect all the positive things that go on,” he said.

To hear the entire forum, catch KRFY’s special podcast at www.krfy. org/special-podcast-sandpoint-city-council-candidates-forum.

November 2, 2017 / R / 9

Mad about Science:

By Brenden Bobby Reader Columnist In 1953, Marilyn Monroe famously proclaimed that “Diamonds are a girl’s best friend” (though the song is actually from 1949.).

Turns out, diamonds are a lot of people’s best friend, from scientists to engineers and construction workers, too.

Diamonds are a collection of carbon molecules, neatly stacked and hardened by the culmination of over a billion years of heat and pressure.

Contrary to popular belief, the diamonds we have today don’t come from coal, despite both of them being carbon. All diamonds we have now are at least 1.1 billion years old, making them at least 600 million years older than the first plants, which would go on to decompose and be pressed into coal by geological forces.

We know coal can exist as low as about two miles underground. Diamonds, meanwhile, originate from as far as 100 miles beneath the Earth’s surface. Now, we haven’t dug down that far for technological and practical reasons, so how do we get diamonds?

Volcanism. Most of our diamonds are encased in other rock that’s forced from the mantle to the crust by magma vents. It’s kind of like an elevator, if the elevator were made of 1,500-degree magma, which is about as uncomfortable as most crowded elevators I’ve been on.

Diamonds are most famous

10 / R / November 2, 2017

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diamonds for their looks. I mean, check them out. They’re beautiful!

We cut them like that on purpose, they don’t just pop out of the ground like that. In fact, most of our diamond supply is actually used for industrial and mining purposes. Diamond is, after all, the hardest substance we’ve managed to dig up.

Diamond is hard and clear, making it great for all sorts of zany applications. Diamond blade saws are sharp, efficient, and don’t take smack talk from anyone. (Take that, unattended digit!). Diamond grinders can grind anything, including other diamonds. We even have diamond-edged cooking knives. Why? Why not! Cleave that turducken in twain like a Viking warlord!

One of the coolest applications for diamond is called a Diamond Anvil Cell. Essentially, it’s two diamonds rigged to press against one another (There’s a lot more to this, so look it up!) to exert insane amounts of pressure. I’m not talking, “Ouch, you pinched me!” I’m saying it may be possible to use one of these puppies to smash hydrogen gas into metallic hydrogen.

That’s a process that, in nature, only occurs at the heart of gas giants.

Even more awesome, since diamonds are clear, you can use a laser to heat what you’re trying to smash, creating incredible heat and pressure to create things like, oh, I don’t know.

More diamonds.

Creating diamond is a lucrative business, and one we’re

getting a heck of a lot better at doing. We are currently making diamonds that are so convincing, only trained gemologists can tell them apart from real diamonds by using special tools.

We live short lives, and we don’t have a billion years to wait around. I want my diamond beard trimmer yesterday!

Anything this awesome, this rare, that can be used for this many things surely doesn’t have a clean track record. The history of the diamond is not a rosy picture. I mean, who hasn’t heard of the term blood diamond?

Blood diamonds are diamonds mined in unstable countries, like Sierra Leone, where international buyers fund warlords that capitalize on cheap (or slave) labor to mine diamonds for next to nothing.

World governments have been getting better about tracking and monitoring diamond trade to help cut down on these revolting practices, but they still continue, and likely will for as long as someone has a demand for diamonds.

However, while reducing legal channels may increase the value, synthesizing on an industrial scale would have the opposite effect.

Who would pay thousands for a stone and thousands to transport it when you can pay thousands for a stone, and 50 cents to have it mailed to you from Ohio?

Diamonds are pure carbon, who’s to say that synthesis couldn’t also play a part in reversing a changing climate?

If you pull CO2 out of the air,

are able to split and collect it into C and O2, use the C to make diamond-edged eating utensils while breathing some nice, fresh air.

The guy that figures out that process will have a lot of best friends. Diamonds will certainly be among them.

Random Corner tanic?

Don’t know much about the ti

We can help!

• The RMS Titanic was the world’s largest passenger ship when it entered service, measuring 269 meters (882 feet) in length, and the largest man-made moving object on Earth. The world’s largest ship today is the Harmony of the Seas at 1,188 feet long.

• The ship burned around 600 tons of coal a day – hand shoveled into its furnaces by a team of 176 men. Almost 100 tons of ash were ejected into the sea every 24 hours.

• There were 20,000 bottles of beer on board, 1,500 bottles of wine and 8,000 cigars — all for the use of first-class passengers.

• Only 16 wooden lifeboats and four collapsible boats were carried, enough to accommodate 1,178 people. That’s only one-third of Titanic’s total capacity, but more than legally required.

• Twenty horses were required to carry the main anchor during ship construction in Belfast.

• First-class passengers were given a music book containing 352 songs. Musicians on board were required to know them all, in case requests were made.

• John Jacob Astor IV was the richest passenger on board, with a net worth of around $85m (approximately $2bn today), and went down with the ship. One legend claims that after the ship hit the iceberg he quipped to a waiter: “I asked for ice, but this is ridiculous.”

• The last remaining survivor of the disaster, Millvina Dean, died on May 31, 2009, aged 97. She was two months old at the time.

• Charles Joughin, the ship’s baker, reportedly trod water said to be -2 degrees Celsius for two hours before being rescued with few ill effects. He claimed he had not felt the cold due to the amount of whiskey he had drunk.

OPINION

MeritoCrazy

Dispelling the myth of merit-based system

O

ne of the top contenders in the rankings for the most pervasive fallacies of our time is the delusion of meritocracy. It becomes perhaps the pound-for-pound champion of modern myths when we consider how those in power contrive to perpetuate the deception and use it to maintain the status quo.

Throughout history those who hold the reins of power have desperately attempted to convince their subjects that they — the aristocrats — deserve to be high up in their chateaus, sipping fine wine and overindulging in hedonistic pleasures while the plebeians toil away.

The fallacy continues today, but in a different form.

We no longer believe in the myth of “the divine right of kings,” nor do we (at least in the United States) accept the notion of “noble blood”.

Many of us, however, are still seduced by the enchanting spell of the meritocracy.

It is comforting, especially to the wealthy, to believe that the labor market results in everyone getting what they deserve and that the amount of money we posses is in complete accordance

By Tim Bearly Reader Contributor with our talent and work ethic. But is it really true?

And does this contention — that if one is rich he must’ve worked hard, and if one is poor he must be lazy — have any detrimental effects on our society?

Belief in the labor market as a meritocracy can lead to insensitivity, or even a vehement disgust, of the impoverished and glorification, even deification, of the affluent (who must have only became rich because they possess many sterling qualities the rest of us don’t have). Moreover, why bother helping the so called “downtrodden” if they have only themselves to blame? Why bother with a progressive tax system when it would merely be tantamount to stealing one’s “hard-earned” capital just to pay for the food or healthcare for some “freeloader?” Why bother doing anything at all? A suspiciously convenient sentiment for those who don’t want to do anything in the first place (this can also be a useful tool to diminish cognitive dissonance).

When one family — the heirs to the Walmart fortune — can own more wealth

than the bottom 40 percent of Americans, can we really consider the marketplace to be merit based? If we could quantify everyones work ethic and skill, would these modern dukes and duchesses (fewer than 10 members of the Walton family) actually have more money than over 100 million people combined? When a prince inherits a kingdom we consider him to be lucky, but if a real estate scion inherits billions — the modern equivalent of a kingdom — we consider him to a skilled entrepreneur. Indeed, it does not take much effort to deconstruct this manifest fiction.

No doubt there are certain institutions and industries that are more merit based than others. Professional sports is one example.

Nepotism and cronyism are virtually non-existent on the gridiron. You don’t drafted into the NFL just because your parents own the league; you make the team because you are the best quarterback, receiver, lineman, etc. The military is another example.

You don’t become a pilot just because your daddy was a pilot. But typically, not-

withstanding few exceptions, the notion that we live in a meritocracy is so absurd it’s almost laughable. And yet many of us still believe it.

Indeed, it often feels better to believe it. Heck, maybe if you keep slaving away at the factory you too can become rich someday!

The political arena is a stark contrast to the sports arena. Here the most despicable, dishonest and corrupt behavior is required, and ultimately rewarded. On this field cronyism is the rule, not the exception. Those that seemingly shoot their way to the top of the political sphere don’t do so because of their honesty and integrity. Money, of course, is the most essential component.

If you didn’t inherit loads of it, then you need to convince those who did to give it to you by writing whatever legislation they tell you to write. Maybe a bill that cuts social programs? Yeah, because remember, poor people are just indolent parasites anyway.

Strip away the veneer of any self-made-man story (Congress is replete with them), and you will often discover a trust-fund in-

heritance, a life insurance payout, nepotism, a lawsuit, rich parents, or some other fortuitous circumstances which are conveniently ignored. But, understandably, people don’t want others to think they are merely “lucky” or “privileged.” This is why most anecdotes about “self-made” fortunes leave out the “good fortune.”

At this point the skeptic may chime in: “Even if we concede that we don’t live in a fair and equal society, what is this crypto-Marxian author suggesting as a viable solution? We do away with capitalism? Is this some kind of disguised battle cry for a dictatorship of the proletariat? ‘Workers of the world unite,’ blah blah blah? Is this another hackneyed ‘eat the rich’ kind of diatribe? Are you or have you ever been a member of the communist party?”

Nay. Take a Xanax, McCarthy. This is not a call for revolution but simply a call for us to stop believing in meritocracy and laissez-fairy tales. Because once people stop believing in these myths there will be no need for a call for revolution.

November 2, 2017 / R / 11

event

EDISON live in concert

INDIE ROCK TRIO FROM COLORADO WHICH HAS QUICKLY EMERGED AS A MUSICAL FORCE

$10/advance $12/at door

Sunday, Nov. 5

7:30pm

207 Cedar St.

dilunas.com

Call Di Luna's to reserve your spot.

Doors open at 5:30pm for dinner service Featuring singer/guitarist Sarah Slaton, multi-instrumentalist, Dustin Morris, and Grammy-nominated guitarist, Maxwell Hughes (formerly of The Lumineers)

263-0846 Explore Nature in Sandpoint

Ponderay, ID (208) 263-1222

•Free Breakfast •Free Wifi 12 / R / November 2, 2017

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Clean Energy Public Hearing 6pm @ Idaho Conservation League Office Join ICL staff for a public phone conference with Idaho Public Utilities Commission to advocate for clean energy. RSVP to Matt Nykiel at mnykiel@idahoconservation.org

Intro to MIG welding 6-9pm @ MakerPoint Studio This class is a full introduction to MIG welding and will give you all of the basics to get started on your first project. $71 charge. (208) 263-3613

The Kitchin D 6:30pm @ Th A dual headli Horseshoes & bands that wil sion $12

Live Music w/ Devon Wade Live Music w/ Ben and Cadie Firkin Friday 6:30-9:30pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall 5-7pm @ Idaho Pour Authority 5pm @ Laughin $4 pints until th Celebrate First Fridays with country A multi-instrumental duo artist Devon Wade, plus Old Tin Can Live Music w/ The Cole Show Fiddlin’ Aroun 6pm @ Arlo’s Ristorante @ Music Conse will be serving up burgers out back!

Do you play vio Live Music w/ The Somethings Live Music w/ Britchy 9pm @ 219 Lounge 5-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery repertoire? Fidd Dreyer costs $3 Duo with Chris Lynch and Meg Turner Missoula-based duo Live Music w/ Brian Jacobs and Chris Lynch Live Music w/ Working Spliffs 6:30-9:30pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall 9pm @ 219 Lounge A 5-piece band from Spokane that in- Guitar/piano duo with some hopping tunes corporates elements of reggae, ska, “A Night to Remember” fundraiser blues, R&B, psychedelic rock, and jazz 5:30pm @ Bonner County Fairgrounds A fundraiser for Community Cancer Services Live Music w/ Justin Lantrip 5:30-7:30pm @ Idaho Pour Authority wine tasting, dinner paired with wine from local wineries, live and silent auctions, and more. $95/ A soulful singer/songwriter from Spt. person or $1,500 to sponsor a table. 208-255-2301 Live Music w/ Ken Mayginnes 6-8pm @ Kootenai River Brewing Co. Sandpoint Film Festival Head up to Bonners for some great tunes Various @ Panida Theater Global cinema right down the street. Three blocks Eichardt’s Mug Club Party of films starting at 11:30 a.m., 3 p.m. and 6 p.m.

8pm @ Eichardt’s Pub $20 for all-access pass, or $7 per film block. Most First come, first serve films under 20 minutes. Awards at 8:30 p.m.

Edison in concert Sandpoint Chess Club 7:30pm @ Di Luna’s Cafe 9am @ Evans Brothers An indie rock trio from Colorado which has quickly Meets every Sunday at emerged as a musical force. $10/advance, $12/dos KPND Monday Night Football Par Monday Night Blues Jam w/ Truck Mills 5:30pm @ 219 Lounge 7:30pm @ Eichardt’s Pub Host Bob Witte will have tons of priz Seniors’ Day North Idaho CASA Purse 9am-12pm @ Bonner Mall 4-7pm @ Pend d’Oreille W Night Out Karaoke Walk the Mall, speaker or enBuy, bid and win designe 9pm @ 219 Lounge tertainment, free refreshments, used purses. $5 at the door, Sing, damn you! games and drawing. Bring a Lite Bites provided by For friend and join the fun Perfect Girls Night Out jus The Conversatio Open Mic Magic Wednesday Come and join th 5-8pm @ SKåL Taproom 6-8pm @ Jalapeño’s Restaurant Musicians and comedi- Magician Star Alexander amazes guests at the $90,000 Schweitz ans welcome! Open mic dinner table and in the bar with up-close, in- presented by Caro is held every Wednesday teractive magical entertainment for all ages! point Arts Commi KPND Thursday Night Football Party Dollar Beers!

5:30pm @ 219 Lounge 8pm @ Eichardt’s Pub Good until the keg’s dry Host Bob Witte will be on hand to giveaway prizes to local restaurants, concert and football game tickets, and more!

Mandala Pizza will be served out back

Meeting to discus for 4pm @ SKåL Taproom An open meeting to br of a artisan showcase co-op in Ponderay. Co

ful

November 2 - 9, 2017

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

Reader recommended

Kitchin Dwellers / Horseshoes & Handgrenades Meet and greet with Tommy Ahlquist (Gov. candidate) 0pm @ The Panida Theater 4-6pm @ Laughing Dog Brewery ual headliner show, with The Kitchin Dwellers and Meet Tommy Ahlquist, who is running for Governor of seshoes & Handgrenades - Americana/bluegrass Idaho in 2018, and enjoy some great brews by Laughing ds that will get your feet stomping. General admis- Dog and food by Sweet Lou’s. $12 Dollar Beers!

8pm @ Eichardt’s Pub

Live Music w/ Brian Jacobs “Liza Liza Skies Are Grey” film n Friday 6-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery 7:30pm @ Panida Theater @ Laughing Dog Brewery A special screening of the film direct- A great local musician ts until the Firkin is gone n’ Around Workshop (Nov. 3-4) ed by Terry Sanders and photographed Computer Basics Class sic Conservatory of Sandpoint

by Sandpoint’s own Erik Daarstad 8:15am @ Sandpoint Library u play violin and want to expand your Books, Baskets and Bake Sale a beginner’s class on comoire? Fiddle workshop with Ashley 9am-2pm @ Spt. Senior Center puter basics. 208-263-6930 r costs $35/one day or $60 for both Name your price on a basket of books s Lynch Museum’s Free First Saturday Sandpoint Film Festival 10am-2pm @ Bonner Co. History Museum 11:30am-8:30pm @ The Panida Theater nes Tour the Museum free of charge. Spon- Over 35 films from all around the world will play at sored by Dave and Mary Daugharty various times throughout the day. Check the Panida ad Release of the 2017 DogFather this week for showtimes. Day pass $20, or $7 per block Services - @ Laughing Dog Brewery Babysitter’s Training Course (age 12+) rom local We will highlight this occasion with a 8am-5pm @ Sandpoint City Hall more. $95/ vertical tasting special of our 2014, 2015, Class fee is $48. Pack a lunch. Preregistration is re255-2301 2016 and 2017 DogFather….your can’t quired by October 19th. (208) 263-3613 get ’14 or ’15 anywhere else!

Cedar St. Bridge Public Market Pushing the Limits: Strategy 10am-2pm @ Cedar St. Bridge ree blocks 1pm @ Monarch Mountain Coffee Enjoy indoor shopping on the bridge over Sand Creek nd 6 p.m. Discuss adaptive strategies for managing JKern Live Auction ock. Most environmental challenges that affect our 10am @ Bonner Mall homes and communities. 208-265-2665 p.m.

Experience the fun of a live auction, with great items

hess Club Brothers Coffee unday at 9am. All are welcome

•Free-will donations accepted at the door •100% of donations go to local veterans •An evening of music and a great movie •Please join your Bonner County neighbors to thank our vets!

Game Night at the Niner 9pm @ 219 Lounge

Diabetes Screening Day 10am-1pm @ BGH Health Services Building ons of prizes to give away Free. Info on diabetes including exams and blood tests ASA Purse Party Memory Cafe ’Oreille Winery 2-3:30pm @ BGH Health Services Building n designer handbags and gently socialization, interaction, and fellowship for the door, includes a glass of wine. persons diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or othed by Fork in the Road Catering. er related dementia. 208-666-2996 ext. 8314 ht Out just before the holidays!

Robotics with Lego Mindstorm nversation • 6-8pm @ Ivano’s Ristorante nd join the conversation about the upcoming 3pm @ Clark Fork Library Schweitzer Roundabout Public Art Proposal Learn to build or code. For boys d by Carol Deaner and Eli Susnis of the Sand- and girls 8 years or older ts Commision. FREE and open to the public

otball Party

discus forming Artisan Co-Op L Taproom eting to brainstorm the formation showcase / farmers’ and artists’ deray. Come with ideas!

•Admission is free

Andy Hackbarth Band in concert 7:30pm @ Panida Theater Award-winning musician Andy Hackbarth and his band return to Sandpoint as part of their 2016 “Steal You Away” tour. $14

Nov. 11 SARS Ski Swap @ Bonner Co. Fairgrounds Nov. 11 Folkinception @ 219 Lounge Nov. 17-18 Walden: The Ballad of Thoreau @ The Heartwood Center Nov. 18-19 Christmas Fair @ Fairgrounds

November 2, 2017 / R / 13

COMMUNITY

JKern Auction Group brings the fun of live auction to Sandpoint

By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff Writer Julia Kern is best known as the founder of Gypsy-Girl Estate Sales, which organizes and hosts estate sales around the greater Sandpoint area. But in her more recent endeavors, Kern is branching out.

The latest tool in Kern’s tool belt? An auctioneer’s license.

JKern Auction Group will make its debut this weekend with an auction on Saturday, Nov. 4. Kern said she was inspired to become a licensed auctioneer after hosting a number of estate sales that ended with several unsold items. She ended up donating the goods rather than auctioning them, which is what she would have rather done.

To make sure that never happened again, she attended the Western College of Auctioneering in Billings, Mont.

“The auction process is so cool,” she said. “I’m going to make it so fun. I think eventually people will come because of how much fun it is, and of course because

Julie Kern. Courtesy photo.

Just a fraction of the items available for auction.

they get great stuff for a great price.”

Kern said her auction space, located across from JC Penney in the Bonner Mall, is warm, offers plenty of natural light and can hold upward of 100 people.

She said it’s the perfect space to house her array of auction goods, which she said are always clean and easy to access.

“Everything I have is clean. I cleaned it myself,” she said. “It’s fun, it’s clean and everything is organized.”

Items featured at this weekend’s

auction include bedroom furniture sets, a leather massage chair, propane porch heaters, a collection of antique classic car replicas, a few nice sofas and more. People can preview items on Thursday or Friday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. or 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. on the day of the auction. The auction begins at 10 a.m. Saturday.

Kern said she accepts absentee bids, and will tell bidders before an item is auctioned that there is an absentee bid on the item. There are also several “buy it now” items, including mostly books and clothing, available for purchase Thursday-Saturday.

“People ask ‘what does this benefit?’

I do this because of death, downsize and divorce,” Kern said. “There’s so much, there’s something for everybody.”

Kern said anyone interested in consigning with JKern Auction Group should

call her at 208-920-3286. To keep updated on upcoming auctions, follow the JKern Auction Group Facebook page.

FALL CLEAN-UP

Jayne Sturm and Marlene Rorke take advantage of the sunny days in late October to do some fall clean-up on the Long Bridge last Friday. Photo

by Mary Sue Mayer.

14 / R / November 2, 2017

ARTS

Local Artist Spotlight: Staci Schubert of SXS Leather

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

While strolling through Staci Schubert’s SXS Leather shop at 301 Cedar St., patrons are greeted by the aroma of leather. It is a soft, mysterious smell; a tangible property of the melding of rough and sexy, industrial and artisan. Schubert’s leather cuff bracelets are displays along one wall. A multi-faceted leather apron hangs from a dress form, looking like it came out of some uber-chic blacksmithery.

Leather bags and keychains hang from handmade displays.

It’s safe to say there’s no shop in Sandpoint quite like it.

Schubert’s style is something of an enigma; a combination between rustic elegance, urban-chic and ‘70s nostalgia, with a veneer of grunge and gloss thrown in the mix.

Born in New York City, Schubert began her foray into art and design while attending the prestigious Rhode Island School of Design (RISD).

“I always wanted to be a fashion designer,” said Schubert. “But, at that time, I didn’t even know how to use a sewing machine.”

Schubert moved west to Laguna Beach and joined the corporate world in the mid-’90s, working at a large internet company.

“I was a corporate girl for a long time,” she said. “Everything hit bottom, so I decided not to pursue that anymore. I wanted to go back to something tactile.”

Schubert attended sewing classes at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, Calif. and, because of her history with RISD, was eventually asked to teach there.

“While I was teaching, I found some leather remnants and started putting bags together,” said Schubert. She found her love of leather, but also formed a unique style that has stuck with her all these years.

“Lots of girls like being soft and sexy, but also like to find their edge,” she said. “I like to design my products to that ‘edge.’ That’s why I use leather and incorporate wood, metal and bone elements into my designs.”

When Schubert’s son turned 10, she realized she didn’t want to raise him in S. California anymore.

“I wanted to raise him in the

Top Right: Staci Schubert stands before her display of goods at SXS Leather on Third Ave. in Sandpoint. Top left: A close-up view of Schubert’s leather bracelets for sale at SXS Leather. Photos by Ben Olson. woods and the lake,” she said.

“So, in 2010, I moved here.”

Because of the extremely low profit margin and high amount of workmanship that goes into making leather bags, Schubert sought a new product line.

“Three years ago, I walked into MakerPoint Studios,” she said. “I ended up being their sixth member. I was that annoying person that was always asking if I could cut leather hides in the CNC machine. I had this huge leather hide from a supplier, got a membership and Mike [Peck] even made me a custom blade to retro fit into the CNC router.”

Through experimentation at MakerPoint, Schubert eventually scrapped the CNC router for a laser cutter, which gave a nice burnt edge to the cut leather. She worked through some designs and developed a unique 15-step process – which is actually copywrite protected – to make leather cuff bracelets.

“No one else in the world does what I do with these bracelets, as far as I know,” she said.

Using a high-quality European blend of leather, Schubert’s cuffs are definitely worth checking out and touching – and she developed 90 percent of them right at MakerPoint Studios. They feature a huge variety of designs that are flawlessly etched into the fine leather. Customers can even customize their bracelets directly with Schubert with family names, dates and other information.

“One popular design is this bracelet with a mountain theme,” she said. “People can actually put coordinates to their favorite alpine

lakes they like to hike to.”

Schubert’s work is starting to get noticed. She’s selling her line in 15 different stores around the West, everywhere from Bend, Ore. to Seattle to Coeur d’Alene.

“My goal is to get into 50 stores,” she said. “I want to grow this, to get into as many nationwide showrooms as I can.”

Schubert’s online business is a great outlet for her, but she also has featured her work at the Sandpoint Farmers’ Market, the POAC Arts and Crafts Faire at the City Beach and other shows around the region.

Since opening up her SXS

Leather studio/showroom in Sandpoint, Schubert has been able to purchase her own laser engraver.

But, her love for the maker community is still strong.

“Eventually, I want to showcase makers and artists from all over,” she said. “I want them to have shows here and show their work here.”

Those interested in learning more should login to Schubert’s website – www.sxsleather.com where they can sign up for a newsletter that gets them a 15 percent discount on their purchase.

To check out Schubert’s store for yourself, head over to 301 Cedar St. (behind the Pend d’Oreille Winery building on Third Ave.) As this is a working studio, hours sometimes fluctuate, but regular hours are Tuesday through Friday from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Saturdays are 12 to 3 p.m. Also, for the holiday shopping season of November – December, Schubert is planning on staying open later until 5:30 p.m. Feel free to call (208) 627-3033 to make an appointment for shopping outside of regular hours.

November 2, 2017 / R / 15

HOURS: 3pm to close Mon. through Sat.

Join us for Tap Tuesdays

First beer regular price, second beer only $1

And Wino Wednesdays

First glass regular price, second glass only $2

A broad and often deep selection of quality fiction in a post-truth time. And lots of other good books.

Main Street Downtown Bonners Ferry 267-2622

We buy used books

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

Sandpoint Property Management provides:

16 / R / November 2, 2017

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

(208) 229-8377 109 Cedar St.

Sandpoint Film Festival 2017 “My Sister Buggy” Saturday, Nov. 4 • Panida Theater ••Sandpoint Film block starts at 11:30am Kid-friendly films start at 1pm

Sandpoint’s Violet Henney, 7, and sister Adeline, 12, will be featured in Saturday’s annual Sandpoint Film Festival at the Panida Theater. Screenings start at 11:30 a.m. The budding local actresses will be seen in the video “My Sister Buggy” at 1 p.m.

From nearly 3,000 worldwide entries, 37 were selected for the festival by organizers Janice Jarzabek and Erik Daarstad. “My Sister Buggy” was written and filmed by Violet and Adeline’s uncle, Peter Gilman Gatch, of Park City, Utah.

The video is an inspiring endorsement of how and why we must protect our planet. It is the only festival entry filmed in Sandpoint, including stunning underwater photography off Mine Point.

Mineral The youngsters, ages 11 and 6 when the video was filmed, both confess to a preference for academics and athletics over show biz, although, “It was really fun making the movie with uncle Petey Pie.” The girls are testimony that the acorn falls not far from the tree. Their mom Angela, a Sandpoint realtor, attended the University of Utah then graduated from Utah State, nationally acclaimed for its natural sciences curriculum.

She earned a degree in environmental science and environmental engineering. Dad Justin, a teacher, youth counselor and soccer coach, earned a BA at Indiana University and a masters degree at Utah State.

Son-in-law Peter Gatch and wife Heidi Henney Gatch of Park City, are in Sandpoint for the festival. Dedicated hikers, they are among environmental activists leading the effort to protect treasured national monuments in Utah such as Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante. President Trump and profiteering Utah federal and state legislators are trying to give millions of acres of protected public lands to private de developers, mining and oil companies.

November 2, 2017 / R / 17

OUTDOORS

IPNF, FSPW partner to help tree species

The two groups are working together to strengthen the whitebark pine species in the Scotchmans

By Reader Staff There are approximately 4,600 more whitebark pine seeds in the ground on Scotchman Peak thanks to a partnership between the Idaho Panhandle National Forests (IPNF) and Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness (FSPW). Over the course of two backcountry deployments, three IPNF personnel and five FSPW volunteers sowed the seeds over about a 30-acre area that burned in the 2015 fire.

The project was funded in part by the National Forest Foundation’s Treasured Landscape program. Scotchman Peak is part of the NFF’s Lightning Creek Treasured Landscape that encompasses much of the Lightning Creek drainage. There are only 14 areas in the country with the Treasured Landscape designation that are highlighted for their unique and important natural characteristics.

The work with the whitebark pine trees started as sur-

veys in 2013 and has evolved with IPNF botanist Jennifer Costich-Thompson leading the program. “Jennifer’s passion for the whitebark pine is the reason this project has been successful,” expressed FSPW Executive Director, Phil Hough. “The Friends are excited to be part of the restoration work for this important species.”

After the 2015 fire that burned a large portion of Scotchman Peak, the whitebark pine trees that were touched by the fire were left vulnerable to mountain pine beetle. In 2016, FSPW volunteers, with training from Costich-Thompson, spent a long day identifying and treating trees with a substance called verbenone. The trees were treated with this synthetic material that tricks mountain pine beetles into thinking they already attacked the tree.

The next step after giving the existing trees a better chance

was to plant some more trees!

In two separate NFF-funded deployments, IPNF staff and FSPW volunteers spent over 550 combined hours on Scotchman Peak to sow the two pounds of whitebark pine seeds. For the first deployment, FSPW’s portion of the crew had an average age of over 60. This group of energetic, hard-working and passionate retirees proved that age doesn’t mean a thing.

“I am grateful to all who have helped and hopefully will continue to help to restore this iconic species across the landscape and ensure that it exists for current and future generations to enjoy,” stated IPNF Sandpoint District Ranger, Erick Walker.

The whitebark pine is considered a keystone species in their unique high elevation ecosystem and is currently a “Candidate Species” under the Endangered Species Act by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Intro to silk screening classes offered

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

Interested in making unique gifts for your friends and loved ones? Come learn to use the state of the art Riley-Hopkins 4 color screen printing press at MakerPoint Studios.

MakerPoint instructors are highly skilled and experienced artists who can help you achieve anything your imagination can

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conceive. From concept sketch, to Adobe Illustrator design, or handmade stencils, to the multi-color end product, you will learn the skills necessary to make your own unique apparel and gifts.

One day monthly sessions are offered in November, February and May. The class fee is $71 ($2 in-city discount) per session. The class requires a minimum of two participants and a maximum of six participants. Each session will

be held on Wednesday evenings from 6-9 p.m. at Makerpoint Studios (C106-14 1424 N. Boyer Ave). Register for the upcoming Nov. 15 session by Nov. 12.

View monthly registration details and pre-register online at www.sandpointidaho.gov/parksrecreation or visit Sandpoint Parks and Recreation, 1123 Lake St. in Sandpoint or call (208) 263-3613.

Crew members on the July whitebark pine deployment walking among the beargrass. Photo by John Harbuck.

STAGE & SCREEN

‘Liza, Liza’ reunites two veteran filmmakers

The love story was directed by Academy Award-winning director Terry Sanders and photographed by local Erik Daarstad

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff

“Liza, Liza, Skies are Grey” is something of a departure for legendary local cinematographer Erik Daarstad.

One of the few fictional films he’s undertaken in his long career, the tightly focused story of love and self-discovery in the 1960s required a few changes to Daarstad’s modus operandi. But it was also an opportunity to help a longtime friend and colleague complete a personal project more than five decades in the making.

According to Daarstad, “Liza, Liza, Skies are Grey” writer and director Terry Sanders wrote the film script in the ‘60s as a personal meditation. However, the screenplay went unproduced for years until Sanders asked Daarstad to help him complete the project.

“He decided, ‘Let’s try to make it on a really low budget,’ so we did,” Top left: Terry Sanders, left, and Erik Daarstad, Daarstad said. right, share a moment on the set of “Liza, Liza, Shooting the film on a low budget Skies Are Grey.” Top right: The film poster. presented both challenges and opporCourtesy images. tunities. As opposed to the process of Scully star as Liza and Brett, and Daarsphotographing a documentary, where tad said it was rewarding to work with the objective is usually to capture their caliber of up-and-coming talent. images as true-to-reality as possible, a Likewise, it was a pleasure to work fictional film allows more control over the ultimate look and feel of its aesthet- again with Sanders, a two-time Academy Award-winning filmmaker who has ics. Daarstad said it was a rewarding formed a tight personal and professional experience but connection with Daarsalso a trying one, “In terms of a working relatad. given his and tionship, we’ve done close “We’ve become Sanders’ age. very good friends over “We had a to 30 films together. We’re all those years,” Daarsgood time doing both aware of what the other tad said. “In terms of it even though a working relationship would like.” both Terry and I we’ve done close to 30 are in our 80s,” -Erik Daarstad films together. We’re Daarstad said. both aware of what the other would “So it’s a little bit of a challenge if you like.” work long days and whatnot.”

Local residents have a chance to The movie follows two teenagers, 15-year-old Liza and 16-year-old Brett, see their collaboration for themselves when “Liza, Liza, Skies are Grey” plays who embark on a four-day motorcycle 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 3, at the Panida trip up the coast of California during Theater. The film is unrated but conthe summer of 1966. Nothing on the tains brief language and sexual content road goes quite as expected as the two equivalent to a PG-13 rating, so parenyoung travelers explore first love in a tal discretion is advised. turbulent year.

Actors Mikey Madison and Sean H.

thursday, nov. 2 @ 6:30pm

the kitchen dwellers and horseshoes and hand gernades a double headliner music show with a unique jam grass style

friday, nov. 3 @ 7:30pm

‘Liza Liza Skies are grey’

a young romance film featuring cinematographer erik daarstad and director terry sanders

saturday, Nov. 4

sandpoint film festival

block 1: 11:30 am | block 2: 3opm | block 3: 6pm thursday, nov. 9 @ 7:30pm

andy hackbarth in concert

Award-winning classical/Spanish/fingerstyle guitar virtuoso Andy Hackbarth pays tribute to the “Father of the Classical Guitar,” Andres Segovia

friday, nov. 10 @ 6:30pm

IFCC hosts a veterans celebration

a free event to commemorate our veterans of bonner county (with a free movie screening)

nov. 16 @ 7:30pm | Nov. 17 @ 5:30pm | Nov. 19 @ 3:30pm Nov. 20-23 @ 7:30pm | nov. 24 @ 1:30 & 5:30pm Nov. 26 @ 3:30pm | Nov. 27-30 @ 7:30pm

“murder on the orient express” saturday, nov. 18 @ 6pm

panida’s 90th birthday celebration November 2, 2017 / R / 19

EDUCATION

Making a difference as a nontraditional teacher

By Mike Turnland Reader Contributor There is a serious and on-going teacher shortage in Idaho.

This is not a problem unique to our state, but one that is especially acute in our local area.

College students are simply not enrolling in teacher-education programs, especially those related to the desirable STEM courses – science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Subsequently, Idaho has introduced alternative paths to teacher certification, allowing people with the right technical credentials to transition into a career as high school teachers.

This is how Marty Jones became part of the Clark Fork Jr/Sr High School (CFHS) community.

Like many new residents of Idaho, Marty is part of the large and ongoing California diaspora. He discovered his new home near Sandpoint entirely by accident. He and his wife, Jenny, were traveling through the area when they realized that this was the place where they wanted to live. Thinking that they would invest in a second home somewhere in Bonner County for their future retirement, they quickly came to realize that they did not want to return to Southern California. So they stayed.

The rest is history.

Marty was born to a ship’s captain, a man who served in the Merchant Marine. And we are talking old school: the man plotted his position at night in the open ocean using a sextant and star charts. Marty possesses this sextant today, and he also knows how to use it.

After he left the Merchant Marine, Marty’s dad started a tugboat business in Long Beach, California. This is where Marty was exposed to the world of boats, ships, and other ocean-going craft. His family’s business also built boats, such as tugboats.

As a consequence of growing up around boats and ships, combined with a natural bent toward

20 / R / November 2, 2017

engineering that he expressed even as a child, Marty attended the University of Michigan where he earned a degree in nautical architecture and marine engineering. After completing his degree, Marty took the helm of the family tugboat business.

However, after some decades he was ready for a new adventure, and that is how he found himself as a science teacher at CFHS, a position he would hold for nine years.

CFHS had been desperate for a replacement science teacher, but no one applied. Rural and remote schools like CFHS have an especially difficult time finding teachers, any teachers.

And STEM teachers are especially out of reach. In stepped recently-retired former nautical architect and marine roustabout Marty Jones. During his time as CFHS’s science teacher, he taught the usual science courses plus a few select electives, such as physics, astronomy, and an “invention and design” course.

On top of this schedule Marty was also leader of the new Tech Track, part of CFHS’s experiential-learning track program.

Marty is uniquely qualified and capable to help students get the most out of the Tech Track.

The Tech Track is a wide-open experiential-learning track and appeals to students who have a penchant for making things. They can build with wood, or weld with steel; program a computer or construct a robot; repair an automobile engine or replace the clutch in a dirt bike – Marty has skills, experiences, and expertise in all of these areas and more. He is the jack of all trades, yet master of many of them to boot!

Then Marty retired. He was going to return in the fall as a community volunteer to lead the Tech Track program, but he was finished with teaching. Or so he thought. When he learned that CFHS was unable to find a replacement math teacher, Marty returned to fill the void. The school’s former science teacher was now its new math teacher.

Marty recalls his ongoing discussion with school principal Phil Kemink: “I stayed in contact with Phil during the summer and after failing to find a suitable candidate for the math position, he asked me in an offhand way ‘do you want to come back to teach math?’ I responded with a chuckle that, ‘Stranger things have happened.’”

Marty saw teaching math as a new challenge and felt that

he could really help students be successful in what most of them considered to be their most challenging course.

Marty continued as the Tech Track leader and his leadership was greatly appreciated by students. They relished each Friday. But it was not enough.

They wanted more. The one-daya-week opportunities to ply their hands and minds with the challenges and rewards of technical education were enjoyable, but also frustrating. Could they not have a technical education elective every day? If only CFHS could secure a certified shop teacher.

Phil Kemink, the principal at CFHS the past 14 years, was delighted with Marty’s leadership of the Tech Track.

“It was exciting to me that he was reaching kids in a non-traditional manner, (in ways) that they hadn’t been reached before,” said Kemink. But he was also aware that the taste of success in the Tech Track led the students to want more.

Phil had an idea. He asked Marty if he would be willing to become a Career Technical Education teacher at CFHS. This would require Marty to take additional training and coursework, but Marty accepted. The science

Top left: Marty Jones helping students Bryant Moore, left, and Dakota West, center, alter a snowmobile drive train to turn a differential. Top right: Jones with CFHS principal Phil Kemink. Bottom right: Jones teaches students Ember Montgomery, left, and Brooke Hanson, right, how to operate the CNC router. Courtesy photos.

teacher-turned-math teacher was now going to become a technical education instructor. Kemink was pleased as well.

“We hadn’t been reaching a certain student demographic in the past, and this (CTE program) has allowed us to do so, with more one-on-one focused structure,” said Kemionk.

KC MacDonald, the experiential-learning track co-developer and a social studies teacher echoed Phil’s words: “We gave our kids a voice. What do you want? What types of classes at CFHS would help you to meet your personal goals? And Marty stepped up. We didn’t need to go searching for the right person.

We found our guy in our own math classroom.”

Perhaps this ongoing teacher shortage is not necessarily a bad thing. Because of necessity, folks with lifetimes of experiences and expertise are entering public education. But at a very local level, CFHS got Marty Jones. Score!

MUSIC

Indie folk-rock trio Edison touring through Sandpoint

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

Di Luna’s Cafe has a great reputation as one of the best listening rooms in Sandpoint for live music.

This weekend, the intimate atmosphere will be matched superbly by an indie folk-rock trio from Colorado called Edison.

Featuring singer/guitarist Sarah Slaton, multi-instrumentalist Dustin Morris and Grammy-nominated guitarist Maxwell Hughes (formerly of The Lumineers), Edison is embarking on a tour of the west to share their music. According to Slaton, persistent touring is right in their wheelhouse.

“We’ve just been touring nonstop, living on the road,” said Slaton. “We kick it off in Denver and make a West Coast run for the next two weeks. It’s fun to get out and hustle and meet as many people as we can.”

“We’ve all been friends forever,” said Morris. “All of us have been in this game many years. ” Morris began playing with Slaton in 2014 while with another band.

“We went on the road together, backing up Sarah, and I just

fell in love with her music,” said Morris. “It was really refreshing.”

Hughes came to the band after meeting Slaton through a nonprofit they both were active in which was designed to cultivate and promote Colorado artists.

“I was one of the artists on the roster and Sarah and I bonded and decided to do a co-headline tour at SXSW,” said Hughes, who was nominated for a Grammy for his stint playing mandolin with The Lumineers.

“We all came from such an eclectic background,” said Morris, joking, “You don’t have to call us a supergroup, but you can if you want to.”

While the band is relatively new, the trio has gained a following, mainly through the impact of their dynamic live performances.

They have played the popular Austin music festival SXSW, the CMJ Music Marathon and the Folk Alliance International.

They’ve shared the stage with Iron & Wine, opened for Nathaniel Rateliff & The Nightsweats, Andrew McMahon – they even played with Sandpoint’s own Shook Twins while they played with Langhorne Slim.

The single “Open Road” from Edison’s 2016 release “Familiar Spirit” was even able to chart in the top 200 non-com charts.

But, as the band notes, some of their best shows take place in small towns.

“Smaller towns appreciate new music in many ways,” said Slaton. “In New York City, there’s 500 concerts a night.”

“Yeah, it’s really hard to tell if anyone likes your music in New York or L.A.,” said Hughest. “Nobody will be moving or reacting, but after they’ll come up and say, ‘That was great.’”

The trio is currently working

Colorado-based indie folk-rock trio Edison will play Di Luna’s Sunday, Nov. 5. Edison is, from left to right, Maxwell Hughes, Sarah Slaton and Dustin Morris. Photo by Kit Chalberg.

on a follow-up album, with plans to introduce some of the new songs during their tour.

“The new album is going to be really cool from the bottom floor up,” said Morris.

Catch Edison in concert at Di Luna’s Cafe, 207 Cedar St., on Sunday, Nov. 5 at 7:30 p.m.

Advanced tickets are available for $10, or they will be available on the day of the show for $12. Dinner service begins at 5:30 p.m.

Hackbarth returns for another Panida show

By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff Writer Last year, the Andy Hackbarth Band played at the Panida as part of the Pend Oreille Arts Council’s Performing Arts Series. This year, the band’s leading man returns with an entirely new sound.

“I love the Panida, it’s a gorgeous theater,” Hackbarth said.

“When you’ve toured for years and years and years, when you have the opportunity to choose the towns, Sandpoint — the people there and just how gorgeous it is — it’s my choice.”

Hackbarth’s show this year falls on Thursday, Nov. 9 at 7:30 p.m. at the Panida Theater. The show is called “A Tribute to Segovia,” an homage to An-

Andy Hackbarth. dres Segovia, the “father of the classical guitar.” Hackbarth said he talks about Segovia’s influence on modern music and how Segovia’s work has changed the contemporary guitar world.

“There will be a lot of instrumental songs, but I’ll sing,

too. And there will be a few surprises, like some Metallica and Johnny Cash,” he said. “It’s sort of all over the place as far as content, but the theme is consistent in that it is classical guitar.”

Although a lot of his original music is of the singer-songwriter genre, Hackbarth said he’s played classical guitar since he was a kid.

“Spanish and SouthwestAmerican guitar music is beautiful,” he said. “The timing was right for switching up the tour and giving people another look.”

Hackbarth said the “timing” of this tour comes as a couple of his regular band mates are having kids and getting married.

In going on a solo tour, he said he hoped to showcase his love of genres beyond just the jazz and

pop sounds that tend to characterize his band’s shows.

“I didn’t want to stop. I’m so used to being in motion now, constantly, it feels weird for me to be in one place for too long,” Hackbarth said, though he admitted touring alone is a different experience. “For the people who have seen the band play a few times over the past few years, I wanted to give them a different look this year. That was sort of the most important thing.”

See Hackbarth play the Panida on Thursday, Nov. 9 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at the door or online at panida.org/ event/andy-hackbarth for $15.

This week’s RLW by Lyndsie Kiebert

READ

The website Narratively is really best described by their tagline: “Human Stories, Boldly Told.” Narratively isn’t The New Yorker, The Sun or The Atlantic. The creators are looking for the weird, the unheard of and the heart-wrenching memoirs of real people. Since 2012, this online storytelling hub has been churning out narratives overlooked by larger publications, and the result is some of the most engaging inspiration I’ve come across. Narratively is my internet browser’s homepage, and it should probably be every writer’s homepage.

LISTEN

Of all my beloved obscure, underrated indie artists, Andrew Belle should probably top the list.

He recently released some new music, and while it certainly doesn’t disappoint, it made me revisit a real gem: “Black Bear.” The 2013 release is something I come back to when I want something beautiful to drive to, something quiet to write to or simple something without a single skippable track.

My favorite songs from “Back Bear” include the title track, “Pieces” and “Wants What It Wants.”

WATCH

As the Reader’s token 20-something female, I am here to promote the latest (and greatest) Netflix fad: “Riverdale.” Based on Archie Comics, the show is about Archie, Betty, Jughead and everyone else living in Riverdale — a town that seems perfect on the outside but harbors dangerous secrets underneath. The characters and setting are dark but endearing, the plot is addicting (though admittedly farfetched for the lives of teenagers) and if season one doesn’t reveal who killed Jason Blossom I am going to be seriously pissed.

November 2, 2017 / R / 21

The Straight Poop:

The quest for dog-friendly businesses in North Idaho

Once Again Consignment

By Drake the Dog Reader Pet Columnist

Where am I taking my humans today?

I’m being a good boy, sitting on the floor of the bedroom watching the Missus and Mister clean out their closets.

They throw things up in the air (for a reason, I’m sure), and I fetch.

Funny, they never say “bring it,” which always results in a treat. This game continues for about an hour until all the garments are hung and sorted neatly on a rolling rack. The two of them look at each other with wrinkled brows, as they try on some items. Some stuff gets washed, and we take other treasures to the cleaners.

A few days later, the car is carefully loaded with an assortment of outfits, covered in plastic bags. The Missus tells me that this process will keep my magical fibers from sticking to the garments. We’re off to visit a dog mom, who owns a dog-friendly business, that is STILL open in a new location—Once Again Consignment Shop, 105 Vermeer Drive, Ste. 3 in Ponderay.

The Missus and owner Jill Stuart (wonderful dog mom to Taffy and Murphy), greet each other like old school chums. They haven’t seen each other since her visit to the “old location” three years ago (I guess humans wait, wait, and wait to shed their winter coats too!). Jill helps the Missus unload the car, drooling at her new stock.

Once Again Consignment, founded 22 years ago, is the oldest consignment store in Sandpoint. Jill moved from Minnesota to North Idaho with her husband Ralph, and two young daughters who loved designer clothes, like $100 hoodies and $200 jeans. Sounds like filet mignon taste on a hamburger budget to me!

The fix … Jill would take them shopping for vintage and designer duds at the original Once Again. While on a road trip to Iowa, Jill got wind that the owner of the shop was looking for a buyer. She secured the financial arrangements on the trip and told her hubby she was bringing home a souvenir — the keys to the Once Again Consignment Shop!

Ralph has supported the journey from day one. Jill took over the 700 square foot Pioneer Square location of Once Again in August 2006. Folks cleaned out their closets and Once Again prospered. Three years ago a bigger dog-friendly closet was needed, hence the move to Ponderay.

The location brought a new look and new quality consignment departments: menswear, fine and Native American jewelry, shoes, handbags and a size range from juniors to 5x. Then there’s the brands: Kuhl, Christine Alexander, Tribal, BCBG, Miz Moos, Silver Jeans, Birkenstock, Dansko and Lulu Lemon!

As I’m sitting on the floor of the shop, paws crossed, tilting my head, listening to the Missus and Jill jib-

ber-jabbering about dogs and fashion, a few stylish gals came in and squealed, “Oh my gosh… you’ve got to have that!”

And then the party began.

I parked myself by the full-length mirror giving them four paws up as they modeled outfits. Then Jill got busy, showing “capsule dressing” techniques. She’s the master of knowing her customer’s budget and personalizing the shopping experience to create good quality fashion statements.

Once Again, winter is coming. When the termination dust appears, so do the sporting brands — Spyder, Mountain Hardware, North Face and Patagonia.

Bring on the parkas, boots, snow pants, hats and scarves! And for those of you escaping winter to a tropical paradise (ruff life), Jill keeps a good quality selection of summer apparel year round.

Barkin’ good idea!

Leash up your dog, grab your fellow shopper, make time for the hunt, sniff out treasures, and lap up the savings at Once Again. Fetch your clean, wrinkle free, gently used, name brand garments and put them on hangers (no discount store brands please). Customers get 40 percent of the selling price. And, there is a color-coded sale every week! Un-

Drake samples the fashions at Once Again Consignment. Courtesy photo. like her fashionista icon, Carrie Bradshaw, The Missus does not like to “see her money hanging in the closet.” Our trips to Once Again will happen again, again and again!

Crossword Solution

If you wear a toupee, why not let your friends try it on for a while. Come on, we’re not going to hurt it.

22 / R / November 2, 2017

ACROSS 1. Distort 5. Velocity 10. Actors in a show 14. Gambling game 15. Mother 16. Mimics 17. Vacillation 19. Between the head and shoulders 20. Coloring agent 21. Alarm A Full Service Spa offering Facials, Massages, Waxing, Tinting & Infra Red Sauna 22. Stags Packages and Gift Certificates available 23. Anagram of “Ladders” 25. Unreactive 20% Off November Special 27. A late time of life 28. Records over an existing track (sound) Goddess Facial: $90 - 20% = $72 58. 3 31. Pincer Ceyet Massage: $90 - 20% = $72 208.263.1103 59. Pee 34. Affirm Spa Pedicures: $50 - 20% = $40 60. Gangly 35. Record (abbrev.)

61. Terminates 36. Quiet timev 62. Discourage 37. Supporting column HOUSE FOR RENT 63. Vesicle 38. Greek cheese 39. In the past For rent in Sandpoint (in the Selle Valley): 3 bedrooms on 20 DOWN acres, wood and electric heat, garage, close to town, pet consid- 40. Obdurate 41. Optical maser 1. Slides ered. $1000/month + deposit. Call Dennis at (406) 293-7424.

42. Threatening 2. East African country 44. Dawn goddess 3. Ceased /NET-i-kit/ 45. Menacing look 4. Suffering [noun] 46. A despicable coward 5. Grinned 1. the rules of etiquette that apply when communicat- 50. Offspring e h of t 6. Show-off ing over computer networks, especially the internet. 52. More awful 7. Arab chieftain “Can anyone have netiquette in a virtual environment like the internet?” 54. Not high 8. With great feeling 55. Greek letter 9. One of the tribes Corrections: In last week’s Dear Readers, I spelled Tom Colstrom’s name 56. Young unmarried of Israel with a “u” instead of an “o.” Sorry about that, Tom. woman (archaic)

Word Week

netiquette

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CROSSWORD

Solution on page 21 10. A misleading 34. Ceramic ware 37. Blend fabrication 38. Quick 11. Openings 12. Religious offshoot 40. Glance over 41. Fails to win 13. Sounds of disapproval 43. Invariably 44. Less difficult 18. Kind of lily 22. German for “Mister” 46. Pilotless plane 24. A small wooded 47. Assuage 48. Buns hollow 26. Tidy 49. Inhabited 50. Location 28. Unpaid 29. Mend (archaic) 51. Smut 53. Leave out 30. Stigma 56. Clunker 31. Burrowing 57. And so forth marine mollusk 32. Large 33. Stetched November 2, 2017 / R / 23