Since we started including the “Junk Drawer” column in the paper a few years ago, I’ve often had to resist the temptation to turn it into a space where I complain about stuff whenever it’s my turn to consider “the week in random review.” However, this week, I just don’t know what else to do. I’m tired. I’m grumpy. All I want to do is take naps and finish watching Ken Burns’ stellar new documentary series The American Revolution, which premiered Nov. 16 on PBS (I wrote about it in much more length on Page 20 this week). That’s not to say there aren’t big things going on at the city, state and federal levels. So many of those things are the reason I want to sleep and binge 250-year-old history. Of course, there’s the hubbub at City Hall over short-term rental regulation and whether and how to amend the city’s 15-year-old non-discrimination ordinance. (Read more about those stories on Pages 4 and 5). At the state level, we’re racing toward a self-inflicted budgetary disaster that is sure to dominate the 2026 Legislature and result in deep cuts to a host of programs and agencies on which Idahoans rely. We’re also having to look at Branden Durst’s face again, as he has the temerity to claim the West Bonner County School District owes him more than $400,000 for his comically awful (though mercifully short) tenure as school superintendent (that’s on Page 6). Federally, President Donald Trump continues to become ever more unhinged as the “Epstein files” may finally be released after a House vote of 427-1 (with Rep. Clay Higgins, R-La. as the sole dissenter). Meanwhile, people are still worrying about how to pay for their health care, access food assistance and struggle with high costs from tariffs that are making damn near everything too damn expensive. (We published a handy guide to local food resources on Page 12.) And that’s really all (mostly) just this and last week. A buddy of mine called the other day because he hadn’t been paying attention to a lot of city business for the past little while — living his life, I suppose — and wanted a rundown of recent doings. I ended up talking more at him rather than to him for a solid 45 minutes and, by the end of it, we were both as fired up as we were exhausted. That’s become the norm. Every time my phone makes a little “ding” sound I cringe, knowing it’s going to be some kind of bad news, or at least something that requires immediate attention or reaction. I can only manage about five minutes of any kind of social media scrolling until I start feeling dizzy and sick, and I keep finding myself staring dead-eyed out the window trying to convert my internal monologue into one of those old TV test patterns. I’m sure Ben and Soncirey are getting annoyed with my periodic sighs of profound existential weariness. As of this writing, we’re still about a week away from Thanksgiving, but I’m sincerely hoping that it will bring some respite from all this noise. For that, I’d be especially thankful.
DEAR READERS,
In the Nov. 13 edition, we published a photo of an animal skull found by Jim Armbruster, who asked for help identifying the animal to which it belonged. In the week since, I’ve received a handful of great responses from our readers.
Dr. Darrell Graff, a zoologist and professor for 36 years, guessed it was from a ring-tailed cat (but those don’t live in this area), while his daughter Janenne Russell thinks it’s from a badger.
Reader columnist Brenden Bobby said he wasn’t sure, but guessed it could be from a badger, or possibly a fisher, though it also resembles a wolverine skull. Senior Writer Soncirey Mitchell swears it’s from a striped skunk, while Editor-in-Chief Zach Hagadone is going with pine marten.
My best guess is that it came from a badger, but it appears the jury is still out on the skull identification.
By the way, we’ll deliver the paper a day early next week for Thanksgiving. – Ben Olson, publisher
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About the Cover:
This week’s cover photo is by Ron Bedford, who wrote that while squirrels were “persistent garden pests ... they are so photogenic. So dang cute. What’s a gardener to do!” Thanks for the pic, Ron.
Sandpoint City Council votes to amend non-discrimination ordinance
Decision comes after multiple tie votes broken by Mayor Jeremy Grimm
By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff
After more than four hours of public testimony and deliberation — and a series of tie votes, all broken by Sandpoint Mayor Jeremy Grimm — the Sandpoint City Council voted Nov. 19 to amend its longstanding non-discrimination ordinance.
In a memorandum to council dated Nov. 13, Grimm wrote that the NDO, originally approved in 2011, included “local definitions, enforcement mechanisms and processes that likely extend beyond the city’s legal authority. The proposed amendment repeals the existing structure and replaces it with a concise reference to federal and Idaho civil rights law.”
Specifically, the new ordinance would remove local definitions of protected classes — including reference in City Code to gender expression and identity as, “A gender related identity, appearance, expression or behavior of an individual regardless of a person’s assigned sex at birth.”
In addition, the ordinance changes proposed by Grimm eliminate the Human Relations Review Board and local complaint process, incorporate federal and Idaho civil rights law “directly by reference” and clarify that “individuals retain full rights to pursue complaints through state and federal agencies and the courts.”
Grimm stated in the memorandum that the rationale for altering the NDO “ensures legal consistency, reduces community division, prevents litigation risk and keeps the city within its proper jurisdiction.”
The vote came after a fast-moving community furor related to an alleged “incident” in which an apparently
transgender woman used the women’s locker room at the Litehouse-YMCA in October. What started as a Facebook post from a YMCA lifeguard quickly turned into a wide-ranging community debate over the appropriate policies determining who can use which bathrooms, locker rooms and other public facilities.
Mirroring larger debates around the country, specifically related to transgender access to accommodations designated other than their gender assigned at birth, the largest proportion of commentary offered during the allotted three hours of testimony centered on perceived threats to women’s and girl’s safety and privacy if transgender individuals are allowed to share spaces such as communal bathrooms and locker rooms.
Many of the residents who testified — indicating their residence in Sandpoint as well as Bonner County, including Priest River and as far as Careywood — shared harrowing and emotional stories of sexual abuse and assault as reasons for their discomfort with the idea of a “biological male” being present in places where they feel vulnerable in states of partial or full undress. Many similar comments also framed the issue as protecting women’s rights, rather than limiting transgender rights.
Still others expressed fervent opposition to the existence of transgender identities on religious grounds, as well as repeated references to transgender identities as “mental illness,” “delusion” and “a false reality — it’s not real.” As one speaker also put it, “don’t San Fran my Sandpoint.”
Bonner County Sheriff Daryl Wheeler testified that the NDO as it stood was not about “identity” but “public safety,” and set up “a double standard based on a business
policy.” Rather, he argued, the city should defer to state and federal laws, and repeal the entire ordinance.
“I pray that that action be taken tonight,” he said.
“I see the adoption of the amendment of this ordinance ... as a way for the city of Sandpoint to step out of this cultural and national debate,” Grimm said.
Though constituting a minority of those who testified on Nov. 19, supporters of the city’s NDO said amending or repealing it set the city on a “slippery slope” to depriving even more categories of people from employment, housing and accommodation protections — many of which are not addressed in state or federal code with the level of detail and definition that Sandpoint’s policy has for 14 years. Still others pointed out that no issues — either of non-compliance or challenge to the ordinance — had arisen in the time since its approval. Meanwhile, some speakers stated that transgender people are statistically far more likely to be the victims of sexual and other forms of violence, rather than the perpetrators.
In an email sent to Grimm and members of the council from the Sandpoint Alliance For Equality on Nov. 19, more than 80 local businesses and organizations signed onto a letter in support of the NDO, stating that, “it reflects our fundamental value of treating others the way we’d like to be treated — with dignity and respect.”
“We’re concerned about the impacts amending the non-discrimination ordinance would have on our community and our economy,” stated the signatories, which include some of the community’s most well known businesses. “Weakening our ordinance would create a chilling effect for many of our
patrons, and would harm our local economy.”
SAFE also delivered more than 460 individual letters in support of retaining the NDO to the city.
The Bonner County Republican Central Committee also addressed the issue at its Nov. 18 meeting, approving a resolution on the “criminalization of ‘transgender’ men in women’s bathrooms.”
In part, the resolution resolved that BCRCC “condemns the policy cowardice and inaction” of the YMCA for its policy granting access to facilities by patrons based on their gender identity or expression, and called on the city to change its code so it “does not provide cover for men to violate the dignity of authentic women in their bathrooms and changing facilities.”
Tom Bokowy and Dave Britton were the sole dissenting votes on the BCRCC. Bokowy questioned the practicality of restricting locker rooms “based strictly on ‘gender at birth,’” calling it “unworkable. It’s not conservative. It’s government overreach in the most personal place possible. ... It’s political clickbait dressed up as concern for women and children. And it distracts from real issues and real threats.”
BCRCC President Scott Herndon, who has announced he will challenge Dist. 1 Sen. Jim Woodward, R-Sagle, in the 2026 primary, spoke before the council on Nov. 19, describing the issue as a city ordinance running contrary to state jurisdiction. He also said that at least three bills are being contemplated in the upcoming legislative session on the topic of transgender people’s access to multi-use facilities.
“Legislatures should control the policies related to this,” he said.
Before and during deliber-
ation, Council President Deb Ruehle and Councilors Pam Duquette and Kyle Schreiber bristled both at the ordinance and the process by which it was being considered. All three either made motions, seconded or supported efforts to postpone adoption to gather more information and input — including a motion from Schreiber to delay until the first meeting in February 2026, when city staff would make a presentation on putting the ordinance up for a public referendum. That motion failed on a tie vote, with Councilors Joel Aispuro, Justin Dick and Rick Howarth opposed and Grimm breaking the tie.
Another motion from Duquette to postpone a decision until January — when incoming Councilors Joe Tate and Joshua Torrez would be seated, replacing Dick and Howarth — failed along identical lines.
Dick said he preferred to work with the existing NDO, potentially eliminating the Human Relations Review Board while working specifically on language related to bathroom access. However, he voted to approve the ordinance in yet another tie vote, again broken by Grimm.
“I think that you’re ignoring the 80-plus businesses, the 400-plus members of SAFE, the 700 members of the Bonner County Human Rights Task Force and many of our community members who have spoken and written to us,” Duquette said to Grimm.
“I am not ignoring the more than 2,000 or 3,000 businesses that didn’t respond, and I am not ignoring the most important thing, which is my conscience,” Grimm responded.
Watch a recording of the full meeting on the city of Sandpoint’s YouTube channel.
Sandpoint P&Z delays recommendation on short-term rental ordinance changes
By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff
The Sandpoint Planning and Zoning Commission deferred a recommendation to the City Council on proposed changes to an ordinance regulating short-term rentals, voting at its Nov. 18 regular meeting to reconsider the matter on Tuesday, Dec. 16.
Commissioners Ivan Rimar and Reid Weber joined Commission Vice Chair Wayne Benner — who presided over the meeting — in directing city staff to further investigate parking and occupancy standards for short-term rentals, as well as work on a definition of “neighborhood integrity” ahead of the Dec. 16 regular meeting, which will also offer another opportunity for public input.
Commissioner William Mitchell dissented.
“I’m hoping two weeks or a month aren’t going to make a difference,” said Rimar, who made the motion, suggesting that with additional time for consideration and more citizen engagement, “we could maybe tighten this up a little bit.”
If approved by the council as written, the ordinance would amend City Code to remove the current cap on 35 non-owner occupied shortterm rentals in residential zones; create distinctions between “standard” and “high-occupancy” STRs, with 12 or fewer or 12 or more guests, respectively; require a conditional use permit for “high-occupancy” STRs; require that STR operators have a local representative within 20 miles of Sandpoint; and require that two spaces of off-street parking be provided per STR unit, plus one per bedroom over two and with a maximum of four.
Other elements of the proposed amended ordinance
include annual permit renewals that are non-transferable, though with “limited exceptions”; retaining safety and inspection posting; tying the fine for operating without a permit to the city’s fee schedule; and clarifying provisions for revoking permits, appealing revocation and illegal advertising.
The number of owner-occupied STRs would remain unlimited citywide, of which there are an estimated 170 licensed with the city out of about 200 of all types.
Rather than “deregulation,” Planning and Community Development Director Jason Welker said the proposed amendments bring Sandpoint’s ordinance into alignment with Idaho Code while actually strengthening protections for neighborhoods.
“We believe this is the strongest [STR ordinance] in the state of Idaho because we’ve taken the strongest components of different cities and implemented them into ours,” Welker said.
“This is a state law issue,” he later said, referring to an unsuccessful push last year in the Legislature to further limit cities’ ability to regulate STRs, and indications that a similar bill or bills would resurface in the Statehouse during the 2026 session.
“[T]his is coming back this year full steam ahead. The Airbnb-funded group [Idaho Vacation Rental Alliance] has put more than $1 million toward lobbying in Boise to try to shrink local authority even further.”
Changing the city’s STR ordinance has been discussed for several months, gaining urgency after the meeting of a state-level housing committee in Sandpoint in August.
In a presentation at that time, Coeur d’Alene Vacation Rental Alliance representative Melissa Radford said, “Vacation rentals are an easy
scapegoat for difficulties that face a community during rapid growth,” and “overregulation” around the state was, “Trampling on the private property rights of short-term rental owners.”
She cited a handful of court cases brought against Idaho cities for STR regulations that plaintiffs considered overreaching, including in Lava Hot Springs and McCall — the former where the Idaho Supreme Court ruled some regulations such as a cap were unlawful, and the latter where STR regulations were upheld.
“In 2026, we need to pass new legislation ... that replaces these sections with clear preemptive protections,” she said, later adding, “These lawsuits aren’t isolated. They signal a statewide crisis.”
Worries over a potential lawsuit against Sandpoint over its STR regulations featured in the Nov. 12 meeting of the City Council, when Mayor Jeremy Grimm said changes to the ordinance would not be considered “out of a desire,” rather, “out of a practicality of litigation and cost.”
At the Nov. 18 meeting of the P&Z, Welker reiterated, “This was not something that staff was excited and enthusiastic about,” but added, “our current STR ordinance is not
legally defensible.”
Specifically, the legal question centers on Sandpoint’s cap of 35 non-owner occupied STRs within residential zones.
According to the city’s staff report, the Fourth District Court “largely upheld McCall’s STR ordinance as a reasonable exercise of local police power under [Idaho Code 67-6539] — emphasizing that municipalities retain authority to impose objective, health, safety and welfare-based regulations so long as they do not amount to a functional ban.”
I.C. 67-6539 was added in 2017 and amended in 2018, stating in part, “Neither a county nor a city may enact or enforce any ordinance that has the express or practical effect of prohibiting short-term rentals or vacation rentals in the county or city.”
Sandpoint’s first STR regulations date to 2018, with some small changes in 2020. The court decisions in Lava Hot Springs and McCall were handed down this year.
Some members of the public who testified before P&Z on Nov. 18 questioned why the city wouldn’t opt instead to let its ordinance stand as it is and address changes if, or when, a challenge comes — or wait to see the outcome of the 2026 Legislature before mak-
ing any amendments.
“It appears that we are not in violation of the law by restricting the number of vacation rentals that we have,” said resident Tari Pardini, drawing a distinction between “prohibition” and “restriction.”
“Many of the new amendments are great and they should have been there all along, and I think they will protect the integrity of the neighborhoods,” she said, though added that by removing the cap, “you are just really opening up the city perhaps for other lawsuits.”
Rimar also questioned whether the city was being too hasty with its proposed changes.
While he said that “litigation is not good for anybody,” he preferred that the city take “as aggressive a posture as we can.”
“Are we that terrified of litigation that we’re not willing to walk a little bit into the gray on that?” Rimar said.
The amended ordinance is expected to return to P&Z at its Tuesday, Dec. 16 meeting, which will take place at 5:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall (1123 Lake St.).
Watch a recording of the full Nov. 18 meeting on the city of Sandpoint’s YouTube channel.
Courtesy photo
Durst witness says West Bonner School District owes him more than $400K
By Ryan Suppe IdahoEdNews.org
Branden Durst hired an expert witness to testify in court that the West Bonner County School District owes its former superintendent $402,210.
Durst last year sued the school district, where he was superintendent for nearly four months, after the WBCSD Board terminated his contract. Durst had appeared to resign from the job when he penned a letter announcing his “decision to seek an amicable and fair exit.” The letter followed the Idaho State Board of Education’s decision to reject Durst’s request for an emergency certification to serve as superintendent, a condition of his contract with West Bonner.
But Durst later claimed that board trustees “intentionally misrepresented the nature and purpose” of the letter and breached his contract. The district also violated “an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing,” he argued.
West Bonner has denied Durst’s allegations in filings with the First Judicial District Court in Bonner County. The district is represented by Anderson, Julian and Hull, a Boise-based law firm.
Attorneys for the school district have argued that Durst’s contract was void after the State Board rejected his certification request, then he “voluntarily resigned.” Even if the court were to conclude that he didn’t resign, the terms of Durst’s contract stated he could be terminated for failing to obtain certification, they argued.
“In short, [Durst] seeks to enforce a contract the law forbids, undo his own resignation, and fault the District for both state law and the contract’s plain terms,” the attorneys wrote in a September motion.
The case is scheduled for trial in January. But both parties in recent months have requested summary judgements, asking a judge to rule on their arguments. A hearing on these motions is scheduled for Monday, Dec. 1.
In October, Durst’s attorney, Ron Shepherd of Shep Law Group in Meridian, filed an expert witness disclosure, which showed Durst hired a certified public accountant to calculate the value of his lost income and benefits. A report, from Rick Sager of Sager CPAs and Advisors in Meridian, estimates that Durst is owed:
• $168,208.46 for lost wages;
• $39,843.86 for unpaid medical benefits;
• $12,692.31 for unused paid vacation days; and
• $181,465 for lost retirement benefits.
Durst declined to comment on this story, citing advice from legal counsel. West Bonner Superintendent Kim Spacek did not respond to a message seeking comment.
Breaking down the lost earnings report
The expert witness report makes some assumptions, including that Durst would have fulfilled two years of his contract worth $110,000 annually.
While Durst’s contract — which he signed July 1, 2023 — spanned two years, the second year wasn’t guaranteed. It was contingent on an evaluation at the beginning of the following fiscal year. The West Bonner school board terminated the contract on Oct. 26, 2023, fewer than four months into his tenure.
Assuming he would have completed two years, the report estimated that Durst lost about 18.5 months in wages, totaling $168,208.46, along with 20 months of medical, vision and dental benefits, totaling $39,843.86.
West Bonner paid Durst $55,060.87 between June 2023 and December 2023, according to payroll records. This included his salary for about four months, along with $14,208.31 for “extra days” he worked in November and December, after the school board had terminated his contract.
The report also assumed that Durst would have been compensated $12,692.31 for 30 unused vacation days, or 10 per “calendar year.” The contract offered him 20 vacation days “annually,” with the option to collect compensation on 10 that went unused. Durst started the job halfway through 2023, meaning he would have worked in three different calendar years and accumulated 60 vacation days, according to the report.
The report also asserted that Durst lost $9,073.20 in annual retirement benefits from the Public Employee Retirement System of Idaho. PERSI retirement payouts are based on an employee’s highest 48 months of compensation. Today, Durst’s anticipated monthly benefit is $216.03, but
< see DURST, Page 7 >
Bits ’n’ Pieces
From east, west and beyond
Aided by a handful of House Democrats has voted to fund most of the government through the end of January, the Lever reported. New legislation approved included elimination of some rules for foodborne illnesses and contamination, and a federal hemp ban, influenced by “Big Alcohol.”
President Donald Trump’s idea of a $2,000 tariff dividend (for all but the rich), appears to be on shaky grounds, the AP reported. The tariff funds are less than 4% of federal revenue; and, while they are expected to bring in up to $300 billion, the dividends Trump talks about could cost $600 billion
Treasury officials said Trump has ordered them to draft a $1 coin with his likeness on both sides, for the purpose of honoring America’s 250th birthday next year.
The U.S. House voted 427-1 on Nov. 18 to force the Justice Department to release files on convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein (who died in prison in 2019 awaiting trial on further charges of sexually abusing and trafficking girls). According to the AP, the bipartisan bill began as a petition in July and Trump resisted it until shortly before the Nov. 18 vote. Political commentators speculated Trump did not want to be seen as losing control of House Republicans, so he changed his stance. The bill then went to the Senate, where the AP reported that it passed and Trump will sign it. Epstein abuse survivors, holding photos of themselves as teen victims, stood outside the Capitol during the vote. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., lauded their persistence in the face of the world’s most powerful people, including Trump, and said his past refusal to release files was ripping MAGA apart.
Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., rallied House votes by saying on ABC that Trump won’t be president in 2030, can’t protect their seats then and it won’t look good if they voted to protect pedophiles. A new AP-NORC poll shows Trump’s approval rating is 33%.
Former-Labor Secretary Robert Reich said that if Trump truly wanted the Epstein files released, he could order the DOJ to do so. Reich noted that Trump recently ordered the department to investigate prominent Democrats with links to Epstein. However, the DOJ could refuse to release further files by claiming that doing so would harm continuing investigations.
Prior to the Epstein files vote, Larry
By Lorraine H. Marie Reader Contributor
Summers, former Harvard University president and former Clinton administration Treasury secretary, said that he’s stepping back from public life because of his Epstein connections, the AP reported. He said he was “deeply ashamed” of his actions.
Pro-Publica investigated the Sept. 30 midnight raid during which doors were smashed and federal agents rappelled into a Chicago apartment complex from helicopters. While immigrants were detained amid the chaos, so were U.S. citizens. Of 37 arrested, all were accused of criminal gang connections but have not been charged, and no criminal evidence supporting the arrests has been issued.
The Department of Homeland Security reported that 130 arrests were made in Charlotte, N.C. over the weekend. Trump directed Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to also target churches, which were previously protected, The New Republic reported. Charlotte, a Democrat-leaning city, objected. Officials pointed to the region’s declining crime rates as reason for ICE to stay away. A nonprofit that services Latino communities said some feared leaving their homes, attending school or going to work.
Dozens of Venezuelan men sent to El Salvador’s mega prison by the Trump administration earlier this year said they were beaten, sexually assaulted by guards and considered suicide, The New York Times recently reported. Independent analysts found the testimony credible: most acts fit the U.N. definition of torture.
Quote of the week: A New York state school teacher interviewed by the AP, who created a “little food pantry” in her front yard, said, “I figure that I’ve spent money on dumber stuff than trying to feed other people during a manufactured famine.”
Various media reported that a judge has scolded the Justice Department for “profound investigative missteps” in the prosecution of former-FBI Director James Comey. Trump chose an inexperienced prosecutor to handle the case brought against Comey, who Trump regards as a foe.
Blast from the past: “It is worse to commit an injustice than to suffer one.” — Plato, Greek philosopher and teacher (c. 428-348 BCE), explaining that immoral behavior is the symptom of a diseased soul.
Evans Bros responds to coffee tariffs, uncertainty over exemptions
By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff
Despite recent moves by President Donald Trump to roll back or otherwise loosen some trade tariffs, consumers continue to see rising prices for all manner of goods and services as suppliers pass on the higher costs to their customers. One such commodity that Trump has targeted for easing the tariff-related pinch is coffee, which is big news for one of Sandpoint’s most popular local businesses, Evans Brothers Coffee Roasters.
Co-owner Rick Evans told the Reader that while it’s “partially true” that tariffs on coffee imports will lessen, that won’t include beans from Brazil, which is the single largest coffee exporter and accounts for one-third of all U.S. consumption, yet is still subject to a 40% tariff.
“We’ve been fortunate because we happened to lock in some of the Brazilian coffee pre-tariff, but we’ve also had to reduce that significantly from our inventory,” Evans said.
Some tariffs started going into effect in April, and, by August, some had been raised — including against Brazil — to up to 50%. At that time, Evans said his business started seeing a tariff line item on its invoices, and the expense stacked up fast.
“We’ve been paying about
< DURST, con’t from Page 6 >
it could have been $975 had his contract been fulfilled, the report stated. Over 20 years, the difference between his current and potential benefit is $181,465.
Durst previously served two terms as a Democrat representing Boise in the Idaho House, and half a term in the Senate before he resigned in 2013. Now a Republican
$1,500 a week just in tariffs; that’s probably just since August,” he said.
For a brief time in recent weeks, it looked like the U.S. coffee industry would actually receive some relief as Congress worked to fast-track the No Coffee Tax Act — a bipartisan effort that would have exempted all coffee imports from tariffs.
According to the National Coffee Association, two-thirds of U.S. adults drink coffee each day and, as of the most recent data — from 2022 — the total economic impact of the industry in the U.S. amounts to $343.2 billion, supporting more than 2.2 million jobs and generating more than $100 billion in wages each year. Meanwhile, consumers spend more than $300 million on coffee products each day, accounting for about $110 billion in annual spending.
In a Nov. 6 article from Roast Magazine, the average cost for a pound of roasted, ground coffee in the grocery store hit $9.14 in September — a 41% increase from the year before.
Co-authored by Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., and Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., the No Coffee Tax Act was proposed for passage in the Senate on a vote of unanimous consent — meaning it would move forward without a roll-call vote if every member agreed. However, a lone senator voted against the bill,
living in Caldwell, Durst is the founder and head of school and sport at Brabeion Academy, a public charter school that’s scheduled to open near Nampa for the 2026-’27 school year.
He’s also running for Caldwell’s Senate seat, challenging sitting Sen. Camille Blaylock in next year’s Republican primary election. Durst previously ran unsuccessfully for the
kicking it back to committee: Mike Crapo, R-Idaho.
He objected to the bill making “one-off exceptions ... in isolation of a larger negotiating strategy and broader stakeholder concerns,” according to reports.
Crapo and others have further argued that tariff exemptions for many other coffee exporters will provide enough relief to calm rising prices, but Evans — as well as the coffee industry at large — emphasized that Brazilian coffee production is the backbone for the world market, and relatively small percentages of coffee products come from other places. In the U.S., only two areas are capable of producing anywhere near a commercially viable quantity of coffee: Hawaii and Puerto Rico.
Boise School District board of trustees in 2018, state superintendent in 2022 and Ada County commissioner in 2024.
Idaho Education News is a nonprofit online news outlet based in Boise and supported by grants from the J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Family Foundation, the Education Writers Association and the Solutions Journalism Network. Read more at idahoednews.org.
“It has nothing to do with the purported reason for the tariffs, which is correcting trade imbalances and bringing back manufacturing to the U.S.,” Evans said. “Coffee can’t really be commercially produced in the U.S.”
Even if Congress did approve legislation like the No Coffee Tax Act, and the current tariffs on Brazil were lifted, Evans said prices still wouldn’t go down immediately because U.S. coffee wholesalers and retailers have already paid tariffs on their current inventory and will continue to pass on that sunk cost to consumers until they’ve recouped those expenses.
But the global coffee market faces other challenges, including years of depressed harvests due to changing weather patterns and global warming, which have contributed to lower profits for farmers who also suffer from labor shortages.
“There’s a global supply issue when it comes to coffee,” Evans said, adding, “there’s been inherently not enough money through the coffee chain for a long time.”
Meanwhile, populations in China and India have started consuming more specialty
coffees, potentially opening the way for billions of new customers into the market. On top of all that, coffee is an exchange-traded commodity, prone to speculation that can roil prices.
The tariffs have been “gasoline on the fire,” Evans said.
“We’ve definitely raised prices,” he said. “Our margins are significantly lower than they were a year ago.”
According to Evans, selling beans to a restaurant typically comes with a 50-60% margin, while wholesale is 35-40%.
“Now we’re lucky if we’re making 15-20% for wholesale and retail is probably more like 35%,” he added. “We’ve sold more this year but our profits are down.”
Looking ahead, Evans said, “The uncertainty itself just creates that chaos in the market.” However, he added, “We really appreciate the customers we have and people continuing to buy our coffee. And we appreciate the place where we are. ... We’ve got a great team; we’re going to make it, but others won’t be so lucky.”
Business owners Randy and Rick Evans, center, front row, surrounded by members of their staff in 2024. Photo by Racheal Baker
Bouquets:
• Here’s a Bouquet to Rory and the crew at 7B Boardshop. I brought my snowboard boot into 7B Boardshop last week and asked if they’d be able to fix the complicated ratchet lacing system that had broken at the end of last season. They were excited at receiving the first snowboard equipment repair of the season and had the job done in about an hour, giving me the option to pay for the repair in cash or a case of Rainier beer (I chose the latter, of course). That’s just one of the many reasons I buy my snow gear locally. Here’s to a great season.
Barbs:
• I’ll always advocate for locals in the pages of this newspaper. I was born here and, with any luck, I’ll die here. I have seen Sandpoint change over the years, mostly for the worse, and I have never been shy calling out some of those changes during my tenure as publisher of the Reader. I love this place more than anywhere else in the world, a sentiment many of our readers share, so our passions run deep on a variety of issues. As a result of my weekly spleen-venting, I often receive calls, emails and other communiques from locals who are outraged about something or other happening in the community. Many of those complaints make it into this weekly Bouquets and Barbs column. Many more don’t. I’m here to tell you all that while I will carry water for you when I can, it’s time for all of us to step off the sidelines and get in the game. Write a letter to the editor, testify at public meetings, write your elected representatives and pay attention to what’s happening. Don’t just rely on the mercurial moods of this burned-out publisher to represent your opinion. We have power in strength, but we all have to stand up to realize it.
‘How to prevent shutdowns’...
Dear editor,
What if from the first moment of a government shutdown, every member of both chambers of Congress, the president and every member of his cabinet (personally), not only have their pay stopped but also start being fined?
Fines to be means-tested, i.e., if you’re a wealthy member of this group you pay a lot, whereas if poorer, not so much.
Fines double every week the shutdown continues. After all, these folks work for us, right?
Greg Flint Sandpoint
‘Captulation to fear’…
Dear editor,
The recent hysteria over an apparently transgender person simply getting dressed in the YMCA locker room is deeply disturbing. Even more alarming is that our city leaders are entertaining the idea of weakening a longstanding non-discrimination ordinance because of it. That is not leadership — it is capitulation to fear.
If the goal is truly to protect children, then let’s confront the real and well-documented dangers: poverty, familial sexual abuse, and inadequate maternal healthcare. These are the issues that harm children every day — not the existence of a tiny number of transgender people trying to use a bathroom.
To portray our transgender neighbors as threats is not only outdated and misinformed; it is a deliberate distraction from real problems. And it raises a troubling question: Who will be targeted next?
Lesbians? Gay men? Once we start banning people from the locker room, it’s a slippery slope.
We should expect better from our leaders and from ourselves. Let’s stop demonizing people who have done nothing except exist and put our efforts toward building a community that is safe for everyone.
Diana Gore Sandpoint
YMCA locker room ‘kerfuffle is cultural’…
Dear editor, In the Nov. 13 Reader, I read Anna Ballard’s article entitled “Sandpoint is better than its panic.” This note is not in response to her splendid article, but it triggered a memory I have from some years
ago. At that time I was in Austria and visited a large indoor aquatic center in Wörgl. This facility had various pools for lap swimming, for small children, several with warm/hot water, even one with sea salts and classical music piped in. There was a water slide (pipe style) several stories tall. Then there was one (just one) changing room shared by men, women and children. No one would care whether you were young, old, male, female, transgender, whatever. In my mind, much of the recent YMCA kerfuffle is cultural.
Richard Sevenich Sandpoint
Gobble the gobbler...
Dear editor,
Now that you have bagged your first turkey please fulfill my curiosity and cook it — and share your opinion. [Back of the Book, “Hunting for Connection, Nov. 13, 2025]. I too have wanted to bag a/some turkeys over the years and have heard all the stories. I particularly wanted to make turkey jerky out of one or more of them. I recently saw a gang of nearly 100 in Naples. They gathered for a confab at a friend’s house. Surely if you have a positive experience with the cooking part more of them will be eaten.
Thank you,
Winona Aderson Boundary County
Editor’s note: Thanks Winona; you can be sure we’ll be popping that turkey meat into the oven for Thanksgiving, and I’ll provide a full report on the outcome. Still, we’ll probably have a backup plan, in case our wild bird is a better memory than a culinary delight.
Rather than change Sandpoint’s NDO, engage in conversation…
Dear editor,
While I fully support the longterm Sandpoint non-discrimination ordinance (NDO) to support all members of our community, I find it premature to change it out of fear of future litigation. I applaud Sen. Jim Woodward for directly talking with YMCA and LPOSD about arranging student-only locker room access during scheduled kids’ events and support his local, individualized approach to decision making.
Perhaps somebody could talk to the individual involved and ask whether it is really necessary to be in the female locker room as an
obvious male in female underwear. Honestly, I would feel uncomfortable as well in that situation. While I would be able to handle the situation as I have the resources to do so, including talking to the individual, I don’t think children should be asked to do that.
I urge the City Council members and Mayor Jeremy Grimm to hold off on changing the NDO and try to remedy the situation on a personal level.
Gabrielle Duebendorfer, NMD
Sandpoint
‘Winter darkness is here’...
Dear editor,
I’m no longer putting off writing this letter to the editor — which I think about writing every year — because, once again, I almost hit someone as I was driving home tonight. This time of year between daylight savings and the winter solstice is our darkest nighttime period.
This is to all the folks on the road at night on bikes or on foot. Please walk facing the cars on the right and bike with the cars on the right with a tail light. And please wear light-colored clothing and/or reflective tape at night.
And take your eyes up from your phone. Let’s be safe out there!
Thank you,
Ellen Weissman Sandpoint
‘On gender confusion’...
Dear editor, I identify as a bisexual woman and was a woman at birth. I am in a monogamous heterosexual marriage. I’ve been mistaken for a
man in a woman’s bathroom and told I was in the wrong place. The same happens on a regular basis in airports and businesses, simply because I am tall and athletic, have short hair and often don’t wear clothes that advertise my feminine shapes. Sometimes I don’t even wear makeup!
Mostly, this happens when people make a split judgement without paying proper attention. Mostly, it doesn’t offend me. And even when it bothers me, I certainly don’t cry or make a big public fuss about it.
I’d like to point out that the only description of this person in semi-undress in the YMCA women’s locker room is their “male chest.” If that means “a lack of breasts,” I have several friends and family members with double mastectomies who would like to have a word with you.
Around 1.5% of people are born with intersex traits. Should these people hide in a closet so as not to confuse and offend narrow-minded people? Clearly, those who attack our local businesses that voice support for non-discrimination laws in light of the public debate this has sparked have a very narrow view of what a woman can be (cis and straight), how we ought to dress (more revealing and impractical than I prefer), and where we can and cannot go.
It’s not your business to judge other people’s looks, choices or gender identity if they don’t harm anyone, as is the case here. The only thing hurt was your feelings.
Marjolein Groot Nibbelink Sandpoint
Burn off holiday calories with the annual Turkey Trot
By Reader Staff
Litehouse YMCA and Sandpoint Parks and Recreation will once again join forces for the annual Turkey Trot, a casual walk, jog or run to gather food for the Bonner Community Food Bank. All ages and skill levels are welcome to meet at the James E. Russell Sports Center at Travers Park (2016 Pine St.) on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, Nov. 27 at 9 a.m.
Participants can choose any distance to walk or run for this untimed fundraiser, which also includes 5K and 10K options. Minors need parental or guardian consent to take part,
and attendees are asked not to bring bikes while dogs must stay leashed and on paved paths. Arrive on time in a wacky or Thanksgiving-themed costume for a chance to win one of the best-dressed prizes.
The community “trot” is free with a donation of nonperishable food items such as store-bought canned, dried or other shelf-stable staples. Organizers hope to gather at least 1,000 pounds of food for local families facing financial uncertainty and the increased stresses of the upcoming holiday season.
For more information on the Bonner Community Food Bank, visit bonnerfoodbank.org.
N. Idaho hospital could end contract with major health insurer
Regence BlueShield, Kootenai Health at ‘impasse’ over contract keeping CDA hospital in network
By Kyle Pfannensteil Idaho Capital Sun
A North Idaho hospital and a major Idaho health insurer are struggling to renegotiate a contract to keep the hospital in network.
Kootenai Health and Regence BlueShield of Idaho are “at an impasse” to renegotiate the provider care contract, state officials recently said.
If a deal isn’t struck by Jan. 1, the Coeur d’Alene hospital could become out-of-network for Regence, which runs the health insurance plan for state government employees and several other plans. The contract ending could raise health care costs at the hospital for around 11,000 Idahoans.
Regence and Kootenai Health say the struggle to strike a deal has revolved around setting fair rates for the hospital.
Regence BlueShield of Idaho’s vice president of network management, Ryan Pharis, said negotiations are still underway.
“Many of these negotiations go unnoticed by the public because the two parties are able to reach that mutually agreeable, common ground at the end,” he told the Idaho Capital Sun in an interview on Nov. 14. “... Negotiations are tending to get more complex as we see health care seemingly becoming more and more complex all the time.”
Kootenai Health’s communications and marketing director, Kim Anderson, said the hospital and insurer hope to reach a deal soon.
“Kootenai Health is working closely with Regence BlueShield to renew our contract and ensure continued in-network access for Regence members,” she said in a statement. “Our shared goal is to reach a favorable agreement before the end of the year — one that supports both organizations and protects access to high-quality, local care for our community.”
Who would be affected if the contract ends?
The negotiation “affects all of Regence’s book of business with Kootenai Health,” officials with the Idaho Office of Group Insurance told North Idaho enrollees in the state employees’ insurance plan in a letter Nov. 10.
About 11,000 Idahoans across commercial plans and fewer than 200 people on Medicare Advantage plans could be affected, Pharis said. About 1,000 members of the state’s insurance plan,
which insures state employees and their family members, could be affected, said Idaho Department of Administration spokesperson Kim Rau.
State officials said Regence will on Nov. 24 start notifying enrollees who received care from the Coeur d’Alene Hospital via letters. People with questions should call Regence’s customer service line at 1-800-854-5585.
What services would be affected?
Coverage for non-emergency services at the hospital — including inpatient and outpatient surgeries and services — would be affected by the contract’s end, Kootenai Health stated.
Some people could continue seeing their providers at in-network rates for 90 days after the contract’s potential end date, if they qualify for continuity of care under federal law, the Idaho Office of Group Insurance explained. That applies for pregnant women, people who are already getting treatment or have some severe health issues, and people who have scheduled surgeries or procedures that aren’t elective.
Emergency care will continue to be covered at in-network rates, because of the federal law called the No Surprises Act, state officials said.
Regence updated its records about which providers are in network and out of network, Rau said.
“We encourage Regence members to log into their Regence portal, visit the provider search tool at Regence.com, or call customer service on the back of their ID card to determine which providers and facilities might be a good option,” she said. “Options for care will likely include options in the Spokane area, which may be in-network.”
Why the health insurance contract negotiations are struggling
In a blog post dated Nov. 6, Regence said that “Kootenai Health’s leadership issued a termination notice” unless Regence “agree[s] to a double-digit increase that would raise the annual cost of health care in the state by an estimated $15 million.”
While the insurer said it was negotiating in good faith, it was also bracing to be removed from the hospital’s network.
“Over the course of two months, we have made multiple attempts to reach a fair and sustainable agreement with Kootenai Health’s leadership. They have declined all offers and continue
to insist on unsustainable increases in what we pay them to care for our members,” Regence stated.
Pharis, with Regence, wouldn’t offer specifics on the rates under negotiation.
“The ask on the table from Kootenai Health right now is larger than what they have agreed to in past years,” he said in an interview. “... We have provided data, much of which is from their own transparency data sources that are available to the public, that supports our position and the offers that we have put forth to Kootenai Health.”
On the hospital’s website, Kootenai Health stated it was hopeful negotiations would resolve; but, in another, also undated, post, the hospital portrayed the contract negotiations as having already failed, adding, “Kootenai will no longer be part of the Regence network of hospitals.”
Pharis said the hospital’s statements that the contract was ending came before the hospital softened its messaging to say negotiations are still underway.
According to Kootenai Health’s
website notice portraying negotiations as failed, parties couldn’t agree on rates “that are sustainable” for the hospital.
“Despite the hospital’s good faith efforts, Kootenai and Regence BlueShield were unable to agree upon mutually acceptable contract terms and rates that are sustainable for Kootenai Health,” the hospital’s website stated.
On that frequently asked question page, Kootenai Health wrote: “We worked hard to reach an agreement with Regence, but their requirements were outside what we could accept in good conscience. In the end, we determined that accepting contract terms with rates below market value is risky, unsustainable for Kootenai Health, and would not be a responsible choice for our hospital.”
This story was produced by Boise-based nonprofit news outlet the Idaho Capital Sun, which is part of the States Newsroom nationwide reporting project. For more information, visit idahocapitalsun.com.
Science: Mad about
health myths
By Brenden Bobby Reader Columnist
Human health is a complicated thing prone to massive amounts of misinformation. We’re learning something new about our bodies every day. Even established facts about our health can be altered by our environment.
But what about the familiar adages told to us by our parents about our health? How many are true and how many are completely wrong?
“Don’t go outside with a wet head, or you’ll catch a cold!”
This is a tricky one. Going outside with a wet head isn’t what will make you sick, but it has the potential to contribute to it. Colds are caused by viruses, but viruses aren’t attracted by wet hair. Viruses are on every surface, just like bacteria, but our body’s immune system is very good at fighting them off before they become a problem — most of the time.
Being physically chilly contributes to catching illness because your body is expending more energy to stay warm, which can hamper your immune response. Essentially, your body is choosing to survive rather than thrive, because it isn’t sure how long the cold temperatures will last. However, it requires sustained exposure to cold to really begin taking a toll on your body. Going outside on a fall day with a wet head isn’t remotely comparable to walking around in the depths of winter fully dry. If you were to go for a polar plunge once a week and sit outside afterward for a few
hours, your immune system would likely be compromised, but then you’ve got much bigger problems to worry about.
Hypothermia, especially repeated exposure, would start to do some serious damage to your body. Hypothermic exposure damages your cognitive function, kidneys and liver. It can also cause cardiac arrhythmia. So don’t fret a wet head, but maybe don’t needlessly expose yourself to hypothermic chills on a regular basis.
“Cracking your knuckles will give you arthritis!”
This one is just a flat out lie. There is no scientific evidence that cracking your knuckles will give or even contribute to arthritis over any period of time.
Dissolved gases such as carbon dioxide build up within your body, particularly in the synovial fluid that acts as lubricant between your joints. When you crack your knuckles, it creates negative space and causes the bubbles to collapse and create that familiar cracking or popping sound. This is not the sound of your bones and is exclusively the sound of gas bubbles bursting. It takes about 20 minutes for the gas to reabsorb in the synovial fluid, which is why you can’t rapid-fire crack your knuckles.
Arthritis is actually several conditions that affect the joints of the human body. Logically, you’d think that doing something to stress your joints would contribute to arthritis — and in most cases you’d be right — but cracking the gas out of your knuckles doesn’t seem to be one of those causes.
The most common forms of arthritis are osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis. Osteoarthritis occurs through wear and tear of the cartilage between your joints and can manifest in pain when the bones rub against one another. This has very little to do with the synovial fluid or the glands that produce it, and more to do with repeated use of these joints over a long period of time. You’re more likely to get osteoarthritis from working and performing repetitive motions throughout your life than cracking your knuckles.
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease by which your white blood cells attack the tissue holding your joints together. Cracking your knuckles has nothing to do with this immune response but may be uncomfortable if you already suffer from rheumatoid arthritis. Psoriatic arthritis comes from the skin condition known as psoriasis, commonly seen on TV in the form of pharmaceutical ads where people are happily dancing while a narrator lists horrendous side effects for minutes on end.
In actuality, knuckle cracking is completely benign. It’s neither positive nor negative, and likely serves more of a psychological relief than any physical one. However, it’s worth noting that obsessively or forcefully cracking your knuckles to the point of causing swelling can be harmful and carries the potential to damage ligaments and tissue along the finger or wrist. If you find yourself pushing knuckle cracking to this extreme, there are likely
stressors in your life causing this behavior.
The loud pop you may hear from your knees or hips when crouching is often the same process as cracking your knuckles, just with a larger amount of gas involved. However, there are larger structures in your knees that may also be making this sound
such as tendons shifting or cartilage rubbing against other cartilage. If pain or discomfort is involved, it’s time to talk to a doctor, because that’s something more than harmless gas building up.
Stay curious, 7B.
Thanks for the topic suggestion, Molly!
Random Corner
• Goats are related to sheep, but they are built lighter, have shorter tails and their horns arch backward.
• A male goat is called a billy or a buck, while a female goat is called a nanny or a doe. Baby goats are called kids and a goat giving birth is said to be “kidding.”
• Christopher Columbus brought goats to America in 1493. They arrived alongside horses, sheep, pigs and other animals.
• One or two goats can provide enough milk to feed a family for a year, as one goat is capable of producing one to 10 quarts of milk every day.
• North American mountain goats look different from other types of goat because they aren’t typical. They are more closely related to the chamois, a species of goat-antelope native to the mountainous parts of Europe and western Asia.
• Both male and female goats have horns. These are used to regulate their internal temperature and defend themselves against threats.
• Goats have horizontal pupils, which allow them to see predators approaching from all sides. This is because the horizontal pupils give a wider field of vision, but don’t absorb as much light from above, which helps with sun blindness.
• When goats want to warn others of danger, they sneeze to sound the alarm.
• Goats can distinguish between happy and angry expressions on humans’ faces. They tend to show a preference for human companions who smile.
• The myotonic, or fainting goat, is an American breed with a hereditary condition that causes it to stiffen or fall over when excited or surprised. They’re also called the Tennessee fainting goat, falling goat, stiff-legged goat, nervous goat or the Tennessee wooden-leg goat.
PERSPECTIVES
Emily Articulated
Fear, empathy, action
By Emily Erickson Reader Columnist
I’ve been writing this column for a long time, and every time I sit down at my keyboard, I feel the weight, the privilege, of having this platform. But over the past week, the words that have stuck with me aren’t my own. Instead, they were the clear, brave voices of others — people who wrote not because they were scheduled to, but because something in them demanded to be spoken aloud.
So this week, I want to use this space for amplification. Consider this column a highlighter — yellow and bold — drawn over some of the most poignant words printed in this paper of late. My own no-notes, chef’s-kiss endorsements.
The first comes from Anna Ballard, in her Nov. 13 article, “Sandpoint is better than its fear,” in which she wrote, “a person, described as ‘a man in a bra’ was seen using the women’s locker room” at the YMCA. She continued, describing perfectly the crux of the matter, “and within hours, hundreds of locals were online calling them a predator, spreading panic and urging people to cancel their YMCA memberships.
“How did we get here? How did we get from someone existing as themselves to language of assault and hysteria?” Ballard continued. “Fear has become our favorite drug. We feed on it, pass it around and call it ‘protection.’ But fear isn’t wisdom, it’s just adrenaline dressed up as moral certainty. And when we let fear steer, empathy dies.”
Ballard’s words rang especially true, as from the moment I saw the original Facebook post, I felt my stomach sink — not because of the person at the YMCA, but because of the vitriol it would stir. And
sure enough, the comment section delivered: a palpable, almost gleeful rush to outrage before asking even a single clarifying question. There was no pause or curiosity. Just a stampede to condemn.
It felt like the community — at least those in Sandpoint’s Facebook constituency — was waiting for an event like this to unholster the talking points they’d absorbed from national pundits and fire them at a local human being; someone with a life, a story and a name they never bothered to learn.
The person at the center of the incident all but disappeared, replaced with a caricature built out of other people’s fears.
This kind of pouncing isn’t just unkind, it’s incompatible with the thoughtful dialogue required to navigate situations involving marginalized communities. Yet, instead of slowing down, asking questions or grounding itself in compassion, our city’s leadership has chosen speed in the push to repeal the non-discrimination ordinance (NDO) that has protected Sandpoint residents since December 2011.
To me, this reads as a convenient sidestep of responsibility: a refusal to do the harder work of creative, inclusive problem-solving. Moving swiftly to dismantle protections is not neutrality; it’s an endorsement of the
fear narratives that have been allowed to dominate our discourse. It rewards those who stoke hysteria and punishes the very people the ordinance was created to protect.
Andrea Marcoccio, speaking on behalf of Sandpoint Alliance for Equality, put it more succinctly than I ever could, earning another swipe from my highlighter. Her words cut straight through the noise and name the reality of what’s happening.
“To reverse the existing NDO in Sandpoint is not a technicality of jurisdiction: It is to knowingly, willingly put your citizens in harm’s way,” she said at the Nov. 12 meeting of the Sandpoint City Council. “It is to react hastily to an issue that requires careful, collaborative decision-making ... If it were the safety of citizens — and not the promise of votes and allegiances — at the heart of this rapid response to change the NDO, our community would be invited to thoughtful discourse on what language and protections in our ordinances best serve all of us.”
But for many people — especially those angling for political advantage — fear isn’t a byproduct. It’s the point. It’s a lever they pull for maximum effect. Take Scott Herndon, who, not coincidentally, is challenging Jim Woodward for the District 1 Senate seat in 2026. He wasted no time inserting himself into the uproar, using language like “protecting the dignity of real females” while simultaneously claiming the YMCA is “part of the transgender mafia” — a phrase that couldn’t be more intended to get a rise out of those reading it.
As a woman who actually uses that locker room, I can say plainly: I have felt far more threatened by the legislative records of people like
Herndon than by any trans or gender-nonconforming person simply existing in shared space. These leaders obsess over women’s bodies while stripping away our access to basic health care — particularly the reproductive health care directly tied to the anatomy they are so intent on policing. If anyone is compromising my dignity, it’s not the neighbor quietly changing into a swimsuit. It’s the elected officials who legislate my body with performative confidence and minimal understanding. So I want to end where I began — with Anna Ballard’s words. In moments like this,
her voice feels like a compass pointing us back to our humanity:
“Real safety doesn’t come from excluding people. It comes from learning how to share space with respect, clarity, and compassion. And maybe we could remember that the measure of a community isn’t how loud we shout about our fears, but how bravely we love through them.”
Emily Erickson is a writer and business owner with an affinity for black coffee and playing in the mountains. Connect with her online at www.bigbluehat.studio.
Retroactive
By BO
Emily Erickson.
COMMUNITY
Need help finding something to eat? We’ve got you covered
By Ben Olson Reader Staff
Cuts to SNAP benefits nationwide placed a new strain on families that need assistance keeping their pantries stocked — especially as we approach the holiday season.
If you or someone you love is having trouble finding enough to eat, below is a listing of local resources. Cut out this article and place it somewhere it will be seen by those who need assistance. You never know when you might need a helping hand. Special thanks to Molly McCahon for her assistance in compiling this information.
Bonner Community Food Bank 1707 Culvers Drive, Sandpoint 208-263-3663
Hours: Mon.-Fri. 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m.
45 S. McKinley St., Suite 107, Priest River 208-448-4989
Offering energy assistance through March 4, 2026. Please bring a picture ID, Social Security card and proof of income for everyone in the home for the prior month. Applications are available by mail or email at ea@ cap4action.org.
Free pantry locations:
• Sandpoint Family Health Center, 606 N. Third Ave.
• Sandpoint Senior Center, 820 Main St.
• Litehouse YMCA, 1905 Pine St.
• Forrest Bird Charter Schools, 615 S. Madison St.
• Bonner Mall, near 7B Cinemas, Ponderay
The Burger Dock
The seventh annual Giving Thanks event at The Burger Dock, 116 N. First Ave., in Sandpoint (and same date/time at their Coeur d’Alene location, 200 N. Fourth St.) is from 4-6 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 26. Customers get a free meal including a full harvest burger, special sweet potato fries and a pumpkin pie milkshake. Dine-in only, while supplies last.
Would you like to offer help?
Gas cards are helpful donations for food banks, as well as other charitable organizations like Bonner Homeless Transitions and Helping Hands.
Senior centers are also thankful for volunteers to help deliver meals to homebound senior citizens.
Soup kitchens and community meals have different volunteer needs, so the best way to find out how to help is to call or show up an hour before they serve. They might need soup, food or extra hands.
Parkside Church, 423 N. Lincoln Ave., Sandpoint; 208-263-2676
(third and fourth Sunday of every month)
• Noon-2 p.m.
Mr. Sub donates and serves at the Sandpoint VFW Hall, 1325 Pine St., Sandpoint; 208-263-9613
• 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
Seventh-Day Adventist Church, 2235 Pine St., Sandpoint;208-263-3648
• 5:15-5:45 p.m.
Parkside Church, 423 N. Lincoln Ave., Sandpoint; 208-263-2676
* This is a free meal offered in conjunction with the “celebrate recovery” program.
• 4:30-6 p.m.
Parkside Church, 1428 W. First St., Newport, Wash., 509-447-3265
* No soup kitchens offered Saturdays
• 11 a.m.- 1p.m.
Presbyterian Church, 417 N. Fourth Ave., Sandpoint; 208-263-2047
* The Rainbow Soup Kitchen formerly held at the Gardenia Center
• 4-6 p.m.
United Methodist Church, 711 Main St., Sandpoint; 208-263-4232
• 4-6 p.m.
First Lutheran Church (temporary location for St. Joseph’s weekly meal due to a remodel), 526 S. Olive St., Sandpoint; 208-263-3780
‘Protect our women and girls’
Transphobia is deadly to people and communities
By Soncirey Mitchell Reader Staff
On Nov. 19, the Sandpoint City Council and county residents took the future of human rights in our city into their hands. The choice they faced was to either give in to prejudice, fear and hate, taking one step toward stripping Sandpoint’s LGBTQIA+ residents of their rights to live and work here, or to uphold the existing non-discrimination ordinance, which has protected everyone — without issue — for 14 years. They chose to strip one of the smallest and most vulnerable groups in Sandpoint of those protections.
Meanwhile, on Thursday, Nov. 20, the world recognized Transgender Day of Remembrance, which honors the untold number of individuals who have been murdered for their very existence. Founded in 1999, the day originally mourned the deaths of Rita Hester, Chanelle Pickett and Monique Thomas, murdered in different places, at different times, by different bigots.
What it means to be trans
Terms like “transgender” and “gender-expansive” are blanket terms for parents, siblings, friends and neighbors who make up approximately 1% of the U.S. population. Though they were born with any of the hundreds of variations of X and Y sex chromosomes, trans and gender-expansive people do not identify their gender with their birth sex. In the simplest terms, their souls or hearts or minds — depending on your beliefs — know that they are actually men, women, neither, both or some other combination. People whose gender identity is the same as their birth sex are called “cisgender.”
Biological sex is different from gender and its presentation, which are a matter of cultural norms — that’s why XX babies aren’t born wearing pink tutus and XY babies aren’t born holding Hot Wheels. Over thousands of years, humanity has decided what things are “feminine” and what things are “masculine,” even though XY babies can like tutus and XX babies can like Hot Wheels. These characteristics change over time; for example, from the 1800s to the 1940s, pink was reserved for boys and blue for girls. The Indigenous peoples of what is
now North America had much more diverse understandings of gender that did not generally create strict divisions. Though the language and practice vary from group to group, modern LGBTQIA+ individuals often use the pan-Indian phrase “two-spirit” as an umbrella term to describe gender-expansive Indigenous people. World history is full of people who we would now identify as trans or gender-expansive; they simply didn’t have those words to describe themselves.
The ugly truth
In the weeks before 2025’s Transgender Day of Remembrance, Bonner County was up in arms because a trans woman — wearing more clothes than any cis man at a pool — dared to get dressed, fix her hair and put on makeup in the Litehouse YMCA women’s locker room. The most vocal individuals at the City Council meetings of Nov. 12 and Nov. 19 would have preferred she risk physical violence by getting ready in the men’s room, or, if we’re being honest, that she simply didn’t exist.
Those individuals calling for an end to the non-discrimination ordinance had varied opinions that ranged from fearful to hateful to inhumane, but what they boiled down to was this: “We have to protect our women and girls.”
Anyone who’s grown up in Idaho, as I have, knows that that is a new idea for the state’s politicians and far-right conservatives, who stripped women of their bodily autonomy and elected a rapist, and likely pedophile, to the Oval Office.
This artificial panic is nothing more than a ploy to pretend to care about women’s issues while crushing
a vulnerable minority so that politicians running in upcoming elections can feel and look powerful. If these people wanted to “protect our women and girls,” they would vote to revoke the near-total abortion ban. They would vote against bills like the federal Family First Act or Idaho’s parental consent law, which keep children in abusive homes and deny them mental health care or rape kits. They would institute initiatives to provide affordable housing, food and medical care rather than defunding Medicaid and SNAP. The list goes on.
Far-right fearmongers want us to believe that there’s a “transgender mafia” sending sexual predators into women’s bathrooms. The truth is much simpler. The reason these talking heads can’t back up their “transgender rapist” claims is that the number of trans women who rape cis women is so incredibly small, it can’t be quantified in any meaningful way. Meanwhile, the U.S. Office for Victims of Crime easily estimates that 78 cis women “are forcibly raped” in the U.S. every hour, the vast majority by cis men.
Men don’t “dress as women” to walk into a restroom and rape someone. If they want to, they walk in as they are — in a suit or a football jersey or a T-shirt — because these spaces aren’t guarded and have never been truly safe. No space is until we start teaching kids to value consent and to view their fellow human beings as just that — human beings.
When trans and gender-expansive people choose to live as their authentic selves, they paint targets on their backs, especially if they’re part of another marginalized group, such as people of color. The FBI recorded 542 hate crimes against trans and
These candles symbolize the Transgender Day of Remembrance, a day started in 1999 to honor and remember all those who have been lost to transphobic violence. Courtesy image
gender-expansive people in 2023 alone, which doesn’t include the hundreds that go unreported. According to a 2021 study by the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law, trans people are at least four times more likely to experience violence, sexual assault and rape than cis people. Three in four trans women will experience this type of violent victimization in their lifetimes.
Trans people aren’t a threat; they are constantly under threat. They don’t risk violence or even death for some kind of “sexual perversion”; they do it because living a lie is unbearable.
Many people joining the conversation about trans rights in our community are coming from a place of fear, incited by far-right politicians with political agendas attempting to amass votes, power and money. We cannot allow these people to dominate the narrative with disinformation.
Anyone who says they support freedom should agree that people have the right to live however they choose, provided that they aren’t hurting anyone. The woman at the YMCA didn’t hurt anyone, but many in this community have made it their mission to hurt her and anyone else who believes in human rights.
We can’t fall victim to these scare tactics, and we can’t trample our neighbors’ rights in an attempt to build ourselves up. Only communities founded on equality, acceptance, understanding and kindness will ever truly thrive.
BY THE NUMBERS
By Ben Olson Reader Staff
427 to 1
The final vote in the U.S. House of Representatives on a bill that would force the Department of Justice to release the Jeffrey Epstein case files. The lone dissenting vote was from Rep. Clay Higgins, R-La., who said, “This bill reveals and injures thousands of innocent people,” later adding that criminal investigation files, “released to a rabid media, will absolutely result in innocent people being hurt.”
It’s worth noting that President Donald Trump opposed the release of the Epstein files, calling it a “Democrat Hoax perpetrated by Radical Left Lunatics,” until a few days ago, when it became clear the
House would pass legislation forcing their release. He then reversed course, saying, “we have nothing to hide.” It’s also worth noting that it was not necessary for Congress to get involved with releasing the Epstein files at all — Trump could have released them at any point.
The Senate unanimously agreed to pass the House-backed bill and the bill was heading to Trump’s desk for signature as of press time.
At least 1,500
The number of times Trump’s name appears in more than 20,000 pages of documents received from the Epstein estate.
Chamber honors CREC as November Business of the Month
By Reader Staff
The Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce has named the Community Resource EnVision Center as its November Business of the Month, recognizing the organization’s role as a “guiding light for Bonner and Boundary counties” as it has served those in need since 2010.
“Through partnerships with more than 350 local nonprofits and service providers, the EnVision Center helps individuals and families navigate the complex web of community resources, offering support for housing, transportation, utilities, employment and more,” the chamber stated.
CREC also participates in collaborative initiatives like the Festival of Trees, Service Provider Information
Network and Live Give 7B, all aimed at building a stronger, more connected community.
According to CREC Executive Director Katie Begalke, “Our vision is to create a unified nonprofit and economic hub — an ecosystem where collaboration, innovation and compassion come together to illuminate our community’s future. We’re grateful to the chamber for recognizing this work and for celebrating the power of connection in our region.”
Sandpoint Winter Market set for Nov. 22 at Sandpoint library
By Reader Staff
The Farmers’ Market at Sandpoint invites the community to its first Winter Market on Saturday, Nov. 22, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Sandpoint branch of the East Bonner County Library (1407 Cedar St.).
Featuring a variety of local vendors and farm-fresh baked goods, handmade crafts and unique holiday offerings, the festive indoor market will also include free cider and hot drinks, live music, and family-friendly craft activities, hosted by the library.
“The Winter Market is the perfect chance to celebrate the season, connect with friends and neighbors, and support local farmers and artisans,” organizers stated.
For more information, visit sandpointfarmersmarket.com.
dumb of the week
By Ben Olson Reader Staff
If I had purchased stock in Dumb a few years ago, I’d be swimming in cash like Scrooge McDuck. Let’s see what wouldn’t flush down this week.
After inexplicably inviting Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former commander of al-Qaeda (you know, the terrorist organization that perpetrated the 9/11 attacks) on the day before Veterans Day of all days, President Donald Trump hosted Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the White House on Nov. 18. ABC reporter Mary Bruce directed a question to the Saudi leader: “Your royal highness, the U.S. intelligence concluded that you orchestrated the brutal murder of a journalist. 9/11 families are furious that you are here in the Oval Office. Why should Americans trust you? And the same to you, Mr. President?”
Predictably, Trump turned on the reporter and labeled her network “fake news,” then defended his family’s business operations in Saudi Arabia. He then dismissed the U.S. intelligence findings that the crown prince had some culpability in the 2018 killing of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi, saying, “a lot of people didn’t like” him and that “things happen.”
Trump continued his tirade, adding, “I think the license should be taken away from ABC because your news is so fake and it’s so wrong,” further claiming that he won the election in a “landslide.”
A few days earlier, during a question-and-answer session on Air Force One on Nov. 14, Bloomberg White House correspondent Catherine Lucey asked Trump about the Epstein files release, to which he responded: “Quiet! Quiet, piggy.”
The president’s biggest sycophants are all over social media posting things like “Winning!” at stories announcing Trump rolling back certain tariffs, which he imposed. This is often how Trump “wins”: reversing a terrible decision he made and claiming victory.
Finally, to negotiate a trade deal with Trump, representatives of the Swiss government arrived with a “special Rolex desktop clock”; “a 1-kilogram personalized gold bar” worth $130,000; and an embarrassing deluge of flattering statements directed toward our child president. As expected, after the meeting with Trump, the U.S. government cut its tariff rate on Swiss goods from 39% to 15%. In order to make the gifts legal, Trump accepted them on behalf of his presidential library.
Since taking office in January 2025, Trump has increased his net worth by a whopping $3 billion.
Chamber Executive Director Joan Urbaniak (left) with Barb Schriber of Community Resource EnVision Center (right). Courtesy photo.
Sandpoint Lions Club benefiting Tots for Tots with Turkey Bingo fundraiser
By Ben Olson Reader Staff
The Sandpoint Lions Club kicked off its annual Toys for Tots fundraiser drive Nov. 15 with a spaghetti dinner fundraiser hosted by the Sandpoint Elks Club.
Next on the Lions’ fundraising agenda: Turkey Bingo. This annual event will take place over two days, from 6-8 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 21 and two sessions from noon-2 p.m. and 2-4 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 22 at the Elks Golf Club (30196 Hwy. 200, in Ponderay).
The Elks kitchen and bar will be open during Turkey Bingo.
Bingo cards are available in packs of 10 for $10, and turkeys will be given away to the winners of the fifth and tenth games of each session.
“We also have some really amazing raffle prizes,” Sandpoint Lions Club President Janice Rader told the Reader “We have a gift basket from Schweitzer, some really nice ride-on toys for kids and a gorgeous quilt from the Cedar Hills Church ladies.”
The Lions have set a goal to raise $75,000 to fund Toys for Tots, and all
proceeds from Turkey Bingo will go toward the effort. Toys for Tots is a beloved event, in which Lions members take toy orders from area children and fulfill their dreams with special deliveries.
“We’re filling orders as fast as we can with what the community donates,” Rader said. The last toy delivery will be made Dec. 13, but donations are accepted for Toys for Tots year round.
“We also have a giving tree at ServA-Burger,” Rader said. “They’ve been amazing at helping us get donations this year. We also have a toy competition, so if your business wants to compete, we’ll put you in the paper with a list of all participating merchants.”
Rader said the Lions Club is keen to recruit new members to help tackle community-enriching programs.
“We’re also looking to start a beer garden on the Fourth of July at City Beach, because we need help funding these programs,” Rader said.
To learn more about the Lions Club, visit sandpointlions.wixsite.com/ website. To donate, send checks to: Sandpoint Lions Club, P.O. Box 414, Sandpoint, ID 83864.
Christmas Craft Fair returns to the Bonner County Fairgrounds
By Reader Staff
The local holiday shopping rush kicks off Saturday, Nov. 22, and Sunday, Nov. 23, with the annual Christmas Craft Fair at the Bonner County Fairgrounds (42203 N. Boyer Road, in Sandpoint).
The holiday extravaganza will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily and feature more than 80 vendors, offering gifts for everyone on your list from regional artisans and local organizations specializing in home decor, clothing, books, toys and natural scents and cosmetics. Plus, there will be plenty of sweet treats like chocolate, candy and Italian ice for day-of snacking or stocking stuffers.
There will be live music to enjoy while you shop, and plenty of holiday-themed activities for the kids while they wait. Children can write letters to Santa, color or sit on Old Saint Nick’s lap for a photo. As a special treat, a live reindeer will hang around greeting guests from noon to 3 p.m. on Sunday.
As usual, attendees are encouraged to bring new, unwrapped toys and store-bought, nonperishable food items to donate to the Sandpoint Lions Club Toys for Tots campaign and the Bonner Community Food Bank, respectively. All donations help local families facing financial hardship during the holidays.
Visit bonnercountyfair.com for more information.
Ponderay Rotary accepting orders for holiday poinsettias in fundraiser sale
By Reader Staff
Few flowers better represent the winter holidays than poinsettias, and the Ponderay Rotary Club invites community members to help brighten the season while supporting a good cause with its poinsettia sale.
The organization will accept orders until Sunday, Nov. 23, with six-inch red poinsettias for $20 each. Pickup is scheduled for Wednesday, Dec. 3 from 12:30-2:30 p.m. at the community room of the James E. Russell Sports Center (2016 Pine St., in Sandpoint). Proceeds benefit Rotary’s local
projects and scholarship fund for area students.
“Decorate your home or office with a high-quality poinsettia grown by the same reputable greenhouse where our hanging flower baskets are grown,” the organization stated.
Go to ponderayrotaryclub.com to purchase flowers, with delivery available for special circumstances.
To buy poinsettias by check, mail to Rotary Club of Ponderay at P.O. Box 813, Ponderay, ID 83852, and include an email address and phone number. For questions, call 208-290-5947.
The Burger Dock offering free holiday meal for seventh year
By Reader Staff
The holidays can be a magical time, but also a difficult season for families experiencing food insecurity. Good thing we have excellent small business owners in North Idaho who give back to their community.
For the seventh consecutive year, The Burger Dock is hosting its “Giving Thanks” free Thanksgiving meal for community members, this year falling on Wednesday, Nov. 26 from 4-6 p.m. The restaurant offers the free meal both at its Sandpoint location
(116 N. First Ave. Suite B) and Coeur d’Alene location (200 N. Fourth St.).
The free meal includes a full “Harvest Burger,” which features The Burger Dock’s signature house-pressed patty, rosemary and sage aioli, cheddar, orange zest cranberry sauce and ruby spring mix on a soft, toasted bun. Along with the burger comes special sweet potato fries and a pumpkin pie milkshake.
The free community meal is available only for dine-in while supplies last. The restaurant thanks patrons in advance for being patient, as everything is made fresh from scratch.
101 Women select POAC as $11K fall grant recipient
By Reader Staff
Local philanthropic organization 101 Women Sandpoint recently congratulated the Pend Oreille Arts Council for winning its 2025 fall grant of $11,000, recognizing POAC’s collaboration with the Lake Pend Oreille School District, homeschool academies and Panida Theater to bring educational visual and performing arts programs to Bonner County students and residents.
The grant will be used to support the Kaleidoscope Visual Arts and the Ovations Performing Arts Educational Outreach programs to help fund much-needed, high-quality art supplies. Both programs serve about 3,700 students each year.
Last fall the grant went to the Sandpoint Teen Center.
“We were happy to hear that with our grant and exposure to the 101
Women Sandpoint community, they were able to provide the participating teenagers with after-school activities, including: healthy snacks and hot meals prepared through their culinary development program, assistance with homework, and projects and games initiated by the teens — all overseen by a caring and mentoring staff,” 101 Women stated.
POAC was selected by the 101 Women membership from among three applicants for the fall grant.
“All three presentations by the nonprofit finalists were compelling and informative, and it is always a hard
Pivo Peaks Alehouse to host Panida fundraiser
By Reader Staff
The newly opened Pivo Peaks Alehouse is joining forces with the Panida Theater and Preservation Idaho to host a festive evening fundraiser from 4-8 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 21 at Pivo Peaks Alehouse (119 N. First Ave., in downtown Sandpoint).
Pivo Peaks owners Sara and Joey Bowden are donating 20% of the proceeds from the event to benefit the Panida and its preservation and restoration projects.
The fundraiser will also feature a silent auction and donations to the Panida will be accepted.
Longtime Sandpoint community resident, statewide Preservation Idaho board member and former chair of Sandpoint Historic Preservation Com-
choice,” the organization stated.
For more information on the three finalists — and to contribute — refer to their websites to donate money or other items, or to volunteer: Kaniksu Land Trust and Washington Elementary: kaniksu.org and wa.lposd.org; POAC: artinsandpoint. org; Selkirk Conservation Alliance: scawild.org.
For more information on 101 Women Sandpoint, go to 101womensandpoint.com.
Annual K&K Fall Fishing Derby offers big prizes for big fish
By Reader Staff
As the calendar turns toward Thanksgiving, it’s also time for the annual K&K Fall Fishing Derby, which this year will run from Saturday, Nov. 22-Sunday, Nov. 30 (but with no angling on Turkey Day itself).
The Lake Pend Oreille Idaho Club hosts the longstanding tradition, which invites anglers of all ages the chance to compete for hefty cash prizes for their biggest catches.
Top prize in the adult rainbow division is $3,000, second place gets $1,500, third place wins $1,000 and fourth place is $500. Participants get an additional $500 if they catch and release, and LPOIC members get a further $250.
LPOIC encourages catch and re-
lease for all rainbow trout, in order to protect the health of the local fishery, and only rainbows 32 inches or larger in size are eligible.
In the adult mackinaw division, prizes are as follows: $1,000 for first place, $500 for second, $300 for third, $200 for fourth, $100 for fifth through ninth, and $250 for 10th. There is also a “mackinaw of the day award” totaling $150 each day. There is no minimum size requirement for mackinaws.
Fish caught in the Clark Fork River or any of Lake Pend Oreille’s tributaries are ineligible.
In the junior division, open to anglers age 13 to 17, prizes for 28inch minimum rainbow trout are $500 for first place, $400 for second, $300 for third and $200 for fourth. Junior
participants may enter mackinaw or rainbow, and all fish must be entered at weigh stations.
There are no minimum sizes for rainbow or mackinaw in the youth divisions, which are open to kids ages 9 to 12 in the Youth A division and 8 and under in the Youth B division.
As an added prize, any derby entrant is eligible for a $100 award for best photo.
Registration for adults (18 and older) is $60, junior division costs $10 to enter, and Youth A and B divisions are free, though pre-registration is required.
For the full rules, more information — including ticket outlets and weigh stations — and to register, go to lpoic. org/fishing-derbies.
mission Steve Garvan is hosting the event, while Keokee Publishing owner and Panida Century Fund Chair Chris Bessler will make a presentation on the history of restoration and preservation plans for the Panida.
For information, to volunteer or to make monetary or silent auction item donations, call or text Steve Garvan at 303-809-1676.
Pivo Peaks Alehouse in downtown Sandpoint. Courtesy photo
L-R: Kirsten Thompson (101 Women board vice president), Liz Koster (101 Women board member), Claire Christy (POAC arts coordinator), Tone Lund (POAC executive director), Dyno Wahl (POAC board president), and Judy Thompson and Vanessa Velez (101 Women board members). Courtesy photo.
Send event listings to calendar@sandpointreader.com
Rock ’n’ Roll Bingo
6:30pm @ Tervan Tavern
DJ will shuffle songs and play for 30 seconds, then players must guess the song to see if its on the game board. $5
Cribbage tournament
6pm @ Connie’s Lounge
Live Music w/ Frytz Mor 8pm @ Roxy’s
Live Music w/ Jason Perry
5pm @ Connie’s Lounge
Live Music w/ Tucker James 5-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery Blues, rock, country, loop pedal
Live Music w/ Jenny & Rich
5:30-8:30pm @ Barrel 33
Live Music w/ Jacob Robin
6:30-9:30pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall
Live Music w/ Mason Van Stone
6-8pm @ Baxters on Cedar
Live Music w/ Matt Lome
6-9pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall
Live Music w/ Ian Newbill
5-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery
Live Music w/ Kerry Leigh
5:30-8:30pm @ Barrel 33
Live Music w/ Ed Shaw
6-8pm @ Smokesmith BBQ
Live Music w/ Tucker James
6-8pm @ Connie’s Lounge
Bonner Community Food Bank drive with Miah Kohal Band
8-11pm @ Roxy’s
Live Music w/ Mobius Riff
6-8pm @ Idaho Pour Authority
K&K Thanksgiving Fishing Derby Visit LPOIC.org for more info
Sandpoint Chess Club
9am @ Evans Brothers Coffee
Magic with Star Alexander 5-8pm @ Jalapeño’s
THURSDAY, november 20
Live Music w/ Cafe Gas Boys
6pm @ Connie’s Lounge
Live bluegrass!
Live Music w/ Reese Warren
8-11pm @ Tervan Tavern
Paint and Sip Night w/ Nicole Black
5:30-7:30pm @ Barrel 33
$45 includes all supplies plus one drink
FriDAY, november 21
Live Music w/ Tanner Laws Band
7pm @ The Hive
Line dancing lessons at 7:30pm, show starts at 8:45pm. Missoula country
Music w/ DJ Sterling 9pm-midnight @ Roxy’s
Live Music w/ Chris Paradis
6-8pm @ Smokesmith BBQ
Live Music w/ Truck Mills
6-8pm @ Idaho Pour Authority
SATURDAY, november 22
Kendal Mountain Film Fest
7pm @ Panida Theater
Britain’s version of another very popular film festival. Sandpoint is one of only a few locations in the U.S. where it plays. Tickets at panida.org
Christmas Craft Fair (Nov. 22-23) 10am-4pm @ Bonner County Fairgrounds
Local crafters and artisans offering art, handmade goods, food, sweets and more. Perfect holiday gift shopping
Pop-up Collage Night w/ Woods 4-7pm @ Idaho Pour Authority
Join Woods Wheatcroft for a Pop-up, Warm Up Collage Night. Drop in, fee is $10-$20. Supplies provided
Live Music w/ Justin Lantrip 6-8pm @ Baxters on Cedar
SunDAY, november 23
Yoga & Wine led by Alyx Jane (donation-based) 3pm @ Barrel 33
Monday Night Blues Jam w/ John Firshi
7pm @ Eichardt’s Pub
Trivia night w/ Alaina
6-8pm @ Idaho Pour Authority
Weekly Bluegrass Workshop w/ Fiddlin’ Red
6:30-8:30pm @ Barrel 33
monDAY, november 24
Outdoor Experience group run 6pm @ Outdoor Experience
3-5 miles, all levels welcome
tuesDAY, november 25
Garland-making workshop 3-5pm @ Barrel 33
Learn to play the fiddle, banjo, guitar and mandolin. Workshop is for beginners of all ages. 208-265-6355
7th annual Burger Dock
Free Community Meal
4-6pm @ The Burger Dock
A free meal of a harvest burger, sweet potato fries and a pumpkin pie milkshake. Dine-in only, while supplies last
Trivia with Toshi 7pm @ Connie’s Lounge
A class for making popcorn garlands
wednesDAY, november 26
A Taste of Tango
5-8pm @ Barrel 33
Bring your dancing shoes. No prior experience or partner required
Holiday Jazz w/ Mike Thompson 5-8pm @ Connie’s Lounge
November 20 - 26, 2025
Line dancing lessons ($10) 6:30pm @ The Hive
CASA Purse Party
4-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery Fundraiser for Court Appointed Special Advocates. Have a glass of wine, buy a purse. All price ranges
A Festive Fundraiser 4-8pm @ Pivo Peaks Alehouse 20% of sales will support Panida’s preservation and restoration efforts
Toys for Tots Turkey Bingo fundraiser 6-8pm @ Elks Golf Club, 30196 Hwy. 200 Pack of 10 bingo cards is $10. Food/ drinks available. Turkeys awarded for middle and final games. Raffles
Free movie night: Miracle on 34th Street
6:30-8:30pm @ Barrel 33
Red Roses: A Vintage Cabaret 7:30pm @ The Hive
A 21+ seated performance blending vocals, dance and classic-inspired costumes with a modern twist. With Ashley López, Keely Gray, Holly Beaman, Nickie B. and Andrew Sorg
Toys for Tots Turkey Bingo fundraiser 12-4pm @ Elks Golf Club, 30196 Hwy. 200 $10/10 cards. Food/drinks available. POAC Performing Arts Series: Missoula Childrens Theatre’s Alice in Wonderland 11am & 2pm @ Panida Theater With a cast of local schoolchildren Farmers’ Market: Winter Market 10am-2pm @ Sandpoint Library All your favorite Sandpoint Farmers’ Market vendors, all winter long. Also on Dec. 22, Jan. 24 and Feb. 14
Christmas Craft Fair (Nov. 22-23) 10am-4pm @ Bonner County Fairgrounds
Bluegrass Open Jam 5pm @ Connie’s Lounge
Karaoke Night 9pm-1am @ Roxy’s
Thanksgiving Eve-ning of Gratitude 5-9pm @ Matchwood Brewing
The annual lighting of the gratitude tree, live music w/ John Firshi from 5-7pm, special food, drink, to-go beer deals as well as family-friendly activities. Come one, come all!
Sandpoint reenters the jazz age
Red Roses: A Vintage Cabaret comes to the Hive
By Soncirey Mitchell Reader Staff
Sandpoint will be treated to the decadence of the roaring ’20s with a performance of the original Red Roses: A Vintage Cabaret on Saturday, Nov. 22, at 7:30 p.m. at the Hive (207 N. First Ave.). The one-nightonly performance will include singing, dancing, comedy and crowd work in the risqué style of a classic cabaret.
“This will be a show unlike anything North Idaho has seen before,” said organizer and performer Ashley López, later adding, “I personally feel it’s an important moment in time to be offering people something fun, exciting and beautiful to fill their hearts and lift their spirits.”
For those unfamiliar, a cabaret is a theatrical, songand-dance experience, usu-
ally accompanying dinner and drinks, made popular by venues like the Moulin Rouge in Paris. Keeping the tradition alive, Red Roses will combine the diverse skills of vocalist Holly Beaman; burlesque and belly dancer Miss Nickie B, of Bloomhouse Academy; Keely Gray, founder of Lake Pend Oreille Repertory Theatre; López; and Andrew Sorg in a multi-act performance featuring a variety of dance and music styles.
“The dancers are trained in circus, jazz, modern, ballet, bellydance and burlesque,” said López. “Expect highly technical dancing with extreme flexibility and circus elements, showgirl glamour, theatrical characters who love to tease you and make you laugh, and copious use of showy costumes, as well as props such as feather fans, chairs and silk veils.”
López, a professional belly dancer, contortionist, instructor and former opera singer, has settled in Sandpoint after performing in 25 countries. Because of her extensive entertainment history, she partnered with Gray to create and perform this entirely original cabaret.
“My friends are amazing and they inspire me, but we can’t be contained in one genre, so I made a cabaret show that can be both thematically consistent but makes room for each of these incredible individuals to showcase their unique strengths,” said López. Individual acts will be performed solo and in an ensemble, highlighting jazz-era and big-band music, musical theater hits and some retro takes on modern songs. The entirety of The Hive will be the entertainers’ stage, so ex-
Kendal Mountain Tour back for third season
By Reader Staff
The Kendal Mountain Tour will return to Sandpoint on Saturday, Nov. 22 at the Panida Theater (300 N. First Ave.), marking its third year of presenting films celebrating adventure and the great outdoors.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m. with films starting at 7 p.m. Tickets are $18 in advance and $20 at the door. All tickets will be sold at panida.org.
The tour has a large presence in the U.K., named for Kendal, England, on the edge of the English Lake District. Held annually since 1980 — when it was known as the Kendal Mountaineers Film Festival — the tour has grown to become the U.K.’s biggest adventure film festival, even screening in nine U.S. cities, including Sandpoint.
This year, audiences will be presented with seven films showcasing stories of human resilience and daring feats of
courage.
“Whether you are an armchair adventurer or one who appreciates taking on the challenges the North Idaho outdoors presents, this year’s tour offers a wide array of outdoor activities,” organizers stated.
This year’s films include Mr. Cato, an elementary-school teacher vying for the Olympics in BMX, with his passion inspiring students. DarkHorse tells the story of 44-yearold Joe Lax, who, instead of seeking the accolades of the crowd, goes after praise in the mountains with his accomplished snowboarding skills. Lax’s question remains unanswered: If a snowboarder rides a steep, exposed line in the Whistler backcountry and no one sees or hears it, did it really happen?
According to organizers, “Kayaking in Slovenia’s Soca River, creating art on mountaineering routes or catching up with the ‘Granny Grommets’
pect singing, dancing and skits among the audience in this seated show.
who catch waves every Friday morning, this year’s Kendal Mountain Film Festival will reinforce your love of the outdoors and why we seek it.”
This year’s series is part of the announcement that the Sandpoint Idaho Film Fest will be on the calendar for the first time next year, scheduled for October 2026. Created by Nick Hyphen, Katie Winkler and Chris Renfer, their passion for film runs high.
Creating a film festival isn’t easy, though, requiring a full year to plan, set up, judge entries and prepare for a quality show. The 2025 Kendal Mountain Tour will help fund that journey and provide a space to educate showgoers about the upcoming 2026 local film festival.
For more information on the Kendal Mountain Film Festival, contact: Michael Boge, Mountain Fever Productions, at 208-661-3857, or email mountainfever1@frontier.com.
“Truly, each of these performers is a showstopper,” said López. “Many are already well known for their talents and work locally, but
this will be the first time we’ve come together for this kind of unique event.”
Tickets are $30 online at livefromthehive.com.
POAC Performing Arts Series presents Missoula Children’s Theatre’s Alice in Wonderland
By Reader Staff
As part of the Pend Oreille Arts Council’s annual Performing Arts Series, the Missoula Children’s Theatre will present a special showing of Alice in Wonderland on Saturday, Nov. 22 at the Panida Theater (300 N. First Ave., in downtown Sandpoint).
There will be two performances that day: one at 11 a.m. and the other at 2 p.m.
Featuring a cast of more than 50 local schoolchildren, Alice in Wonderland begins as curious Alice drifts from an afternoon reading session with her sister into a whimsi-
cal world led by the rushing White Rabbit.
Along the way, Alice encounters a diverse group of characters who have become iconic from Lewis Carroll’s famous works Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and its sequel, Through the Looking Glass, first published in 1865 and 1871, respectively.
From the Queen and King of Hearts to a giant caterpillar, the Cheshire Cat, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum, the Mad Hatter and more, all add to the delightful nonsense of Wonderland.
Tickets are $5-$20 and can be purchased at panida.org.
The Red Roses cast includes (from left to right), Back row: Keely Gray, Andrew Sorg, Holly Beaman. Front row: Ashley López and Nicki B. Courtesy photo
STAGE & SCREEN
Ken Burns’ new American Revolution docuseries is a revelation
By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff
There’s never a bad time to explore and consider the origin story of the United States, but now feels like a particularly relevant period for reexamining who we are and what we stand for as a nation.
Legendary documentarian Ken Burns has tackled the monumental task with a six-part, 12-hour series simply titled The American Revolution, which premiered Nov. 16 with all episodes streaming on pbs.org.
It is a more than worthy effort, with Burns, Sarah Botstein and David Schmidt as directors, a cast of voice actors that reads like a Hollywood honor roll and featuring some of the true titans of U.S. historiography.
Despite the fraught socio-political and cultural moment during which it has appeared, filming for The American Revolution actually began in 2015 and covered more than 150 locations in all kinds of weather.
Unlike Burns’ many docuseries, such as The U.S. and the Holocaust, Muhammad Ali, Hemingway, The Vietnam War, Jazz and others, The American Revolution does not benefit from photography or other recordings. Rather, Burns and his crew have mined 18th- and 19th-century portraiture, hundreds of artifacts, maps both from the time period and those created for the series, reenactments and — most stunning — the American landscapes on which the events took place.
As with Burns’ other pieces, it’s a beautiful production to behold and brought to life through the voices of the likes of Kenneth Branagh, Josh Brolin, Hugh Dancy, Claire Danes, Jeff Daniels, Morgan Freeman, Paul Giamatti, Tom Hanks, Ethan and Maya Hawke, Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Keaton, Laura Linney, Edward Norton, Liev Schreiber, Meryl Streep, the inimitable Peter Coyote and many others.
Drawing on letters, diaries, speeches, pamphlets and newspapers, the dialogue of the era comes not just from iconic personalities like George Washington, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin and the other “Founding Fathers,” but no-less important figures like Abigail Adams and Phillis Wheatley, as well as scores of others from British commanders and Indigenous leaders, to rank-and-file soldiers and civilians on all sides of the conflict and from all conditions of freedom, indentured servitude or enslavement.
Those performances and the quality of the filmmaking would be enough to hold viewers’ interest for the full 12hour runtime, but Burns also managed to pack The American Revolution with contemporary analysis and commentary from historians, writers and other scholars like Bernard Bailyn (who
died at 97 in 2020), Maggie and Ned Blackhawk, Annette Gordon-Reed, Maya Jasanoff, Alan Taylor, Gordon Wood and more — all of whom students of early American history consider among the biggest celebrities in the discipline.
Aside from the casting and production, the real achievement of The American Revolution is managing to see past the various mythologies that have built up over the past 250 years and complicate the historical underpinnings, trajectory and personalities who steered, suffered and otherwise experienced the explosive events from the mid-1750s until the 1780s and beyond.
This is no hagiography — the inherent tensions and hypocrisies of the Founders are on full display, but take nothing away from the significance of their ideas and actions. Likewise, there is no bright line drawn between glorious patriots and craven loyalists — Burns and his experts are at great pains to underscore that the revolution in British North America was a true civil war.
Meanwhile, the complex political and cultural roles played by Indigenous and enslaved people are put in the foreground, with a reframing of the causes of the revolution away from a purely economic and philosophical conflict over taxes and representation and toward one that reveals colonists’ yearning for a continental, slave-powered empire to the west.
Fans of big ideas and military history will find both in abundance in what may end up being Burns’ most significant contribution to Americans’ self-understanding, and that’s saying something.
Stream all episodes at pbs.org.
Behind the scenes during filming of Ken Burns’ The American Revolution. Courtesy photo
Sandpoint’s Reese Warren to play Tervan Tavern
By Ben Olson Reader Staff
You might know him as the guitarist from the Sandpoint band Nights of Neon, or further back from his work with Still Tipsy and the Hangovers, or perhaps as the chef at Eichardt’s Pub who makes your excellent lunch or dinner. Either way, Reese Warren rocks.
With a style inspired by the blues, rockabilly tunes, alternative tracks, B-side bangers
and a smattering of North Idaho lifestyle sounds, Warren plays a mean guitar, but he’s a hell of a nice guy.
Warren will play a solo show from 8-11 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 20 at the Tervan Tavern, 411 Cedar St. in Sandpoint.
Come for the cheap beer, stay for the good tunes and small-town bar vibes, because if there’s any place where Warren shines the brightest, it’s at a dive bar.
Jason Perry to play Connie’s Lounge
By Reader Staff
Heavily steeped in the funk tradition, Spokane’s Jason Perry has left his mark on Sandpoint over the years.
Whether playing in his band or solo on acoustic guitar, Perry’s dedication to showmanship, musical talent and inspiring those in the audience to shake their booties is ever-present.
Perry will play a solo show at Connie’s Lounge from 5-8 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 21.
With a repertoire that swings between neo-soul, funk, rock and even some Americana vibes, Perry always brings fun energy on stage.
He’s just as entertaining at an intimate spot like Connie’s as he is at a festival stage in summertime.
Bonner Community Food Bank drive with Miah Kohal Band
By Reader Staff
Who says you can’t rock out and support a valued community organization at the same time?
Outlaw country and classic rock quartet Miah Kohal Band will play a special Bonner Community Food Bank drive at Roxy’s from 8-11
p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 22.
Cash donations or nonperishable food items will be accepted as an entry fee, with all proceeds benefiting the Food Bank.
The Miah Kohal Band has earned a legion of followers who enjoy the high-energy talent and community feel of this local band.
Sandpoint’s music scene is dominated by country covers — it’s what the people want — but it’s rare when a talent rolls in exclusively performing originals. With more than 70,000 Spotify listens, Tanner Laws Band is one such Montana-based gem with a distinctly Northwest sound.
Singer-songwriter Laws is a faithful student of modern and classic country, with a sound that would fit right in
with every watering hole and Christmas, cowboy-theme Hallmark movie from here to Nashville. Catch him on The Hive’s intimate stage before he’s selling out the Festival at Sandpoint.
— Soncirey Mitchell
$10 for 7:30-8:30 p.m. dance lessons, $7 for 8:45 p.m. show, 21+. The Hive, 207 N. First Ave., 208-920-9039, livefromthehive.com. Listen at tannerlawsmusic.com.
This week’s RLW by Ben Olson
READ
If you can find a copy, The Curse of Lono is one of my favorite visual and literary treats and remains a cherished part of my bookshelf. Written by the one and only Hunter S. Thompson and illustrated to perfection by Ralph Steadman, The Curse of Lono describes Thompson’s experiences covering a marathon in Hawaii in 1980 for Running magazine. That’s where it starts and, if you know HST, it ends somewhere quite, uh, different
LISTEN
Singer-songwriter Tucker James describes himself as a “live-looping, baritone ukulele-shredding, and life-loving musician and friend.” Listen to his 2025 single “Something Better” and 2022 album Elemental Freedom and you’ll find out how true that is. While the former is an all-out dance party banger, the latter includes more contemplative-yet-uptempo tracks — all with his signature loop-pedal
sound, which will be on full display with a pair of shows Nov. 21 at the Pend d’Oreille Winery and Nov. 22 at Connie’s Lounge.
Released more than 20 years ago, Jolie Holland’s solo album Escondida has always resonated with me. The folk singer’s jazzy, old-timey voice that melts the edges of her words is accompanied by her simple, torn songs on piano and guitar. With timeless songs like “Old Fashioned Morphine,” “Goodbye California” and “Do You?” Holland remains one of my musical crushes every time I listen. Find her music where you find music.
WATCH
I’ve consumed Christopher Guest’s excellent mockumentaries over the years (This is Spinal Tap, Best in Show, et al.), but somehow missed the 2016 film Mascots. Starring many of Guest’s usual acting troupe, plus some newcomers, Mascots follows a diverse group of mascots as they prepare to compete at the annual World Mascot Association Championships to earn the coveted Gold Fluffy Award. It’s not his best work, but if you like Guest’s style, Mascots is totally worth the watch. Stream it on Netflix.
A snapshot of
Jason Perry. Photo by Jason E. Stark
The Miah Kohal Band playing at the Outback Lodge on Schweitzer. Photo by Ben Olson
Reese Warren. Photo by Ben Olson
From Pend Oreille Review, November 21, 1919
THIEVES MAKE BIG HAUL AT PRIEST RIVER DRUGSTORE
Sheriff Spoor was telephoned yesterday morning from Priest River information that the Kaniksu Drug company’s store was robbed the night before.
The drug company had just received a consignment of holiday goods, and toilet, leather and ivory goods, cut glass and china, made up the loss. A.R. Tiss, manager of the store, stated to the sheriff in telephoning news of the robbery that the loss would be about $1,000.
Entrance was made to the store by placing a ladder up to a small window in the rear of the building and after gaining entrance opening the back door it is suspected the thieves made their getaway with their plunder by automobile.
Deputy Sheriff Pickett left for Priest River with the telephone communication of the robbery and had not returned up to a late hour today.
MOTHER OF 5 WANTS DIVORCE
Anna C. Chapman, wife of Henry M. Chapman, Blacktail rancher, filed a divorce suit Wednesday in the district court. The couple were married at Bozeman, Mont. in Feb. 1901 and are the parents of five children. Mrs. Chapman asks the court for custody of the three daughters, minors, with permission to the father to visit them under court decree.
The complain alleges cruelty, beginning July 1918. ... Chapman was brought before Probate Judge Whitaker yesterday forenoon, with Mrs. Chapman claiming her husband knocked her down and slapped her. He was found guilty by the court and sentenced to pay a fine of $25 and costs.
Idaho magic
By Soncirey Mitchell Reader Staff
Growing up in Sandpoint means learning to identify “Idaho magic” — and I don’t mean admiring the sundrenched mountains or the sparkles on the snow. For local kids, Idaho magic is about having the time of your life playing with pine cones, a baseball bat and a pile of rusty scrap metal. We would take unwanted and unloved things and turn them into castles and pirate ships captained by dragons.
This is a poor state, but Idaho kids know that the best toys are free.
Since I grew up in a funky ‘70s cabin and my best friend bounced from rental to rental, we had a never-ending supply of Idaho magic. There was one place, the “white house,” that was a particular menagerie of imaginary treasures and some very real dangers, which made it more fun. It was — and is — more than 100 years old, and at that time under constant DIY renovation.
When my friend moved in, the backyard was paved with soggy dog turds, which were a nightmare for the adults and a goldmine for us. They were rank, pitted with rain and covered in mold, and they made for the greatest and most high-stakes games of “the floor is lava” ever played. Losers would end up with dookie on their sweatshirts, but I rarely lost (unless pushed).
Dookie dodging was always followed by a thorough search of the back shed, which housed broken tools, armies of stink bugs and a single, ceramic light that had probably seen both world wars. The main games in there were “S-P-Y-S,” where we would eavesdrop on people while they walked past the house, and an unnamed occupation that involved flicking the light switch on and off until sparks flew. That game came
STR8TS Solution
to an end one day when the frayed wire snapped, sending a light fixture bigger than a basketball and heavier than a toddler crashing down on my head.
When we’d had our fill of looking at slugs and half-rotten tennis balls, we’d make our way to the woodsheds, which were less poop-filled but more liable to collapse at any moment. They were about seven feet tall, and the only thing keeping them from sinking into Sandpoint’s soggy soil was a network of tree roots.
The woodsheds were a great place to test if we were magic or part robot, mostly by jumping off of them while holding various items. My thought process was: If we jumped enough times, either some fairies would take pity on us, we’d unlock hidden superpowers or we’d discover that our Payless Sketchers were, in fact, rocket boots. (The umbrellas and balloons were mostly fail-safes.)
Though the yard had its charms, most of the white house’s Idaho magic was housed in the basement. There, we would trek through the wild jungles of fiberglass insulation and daddy longlegs nests in search of “treasure,” which ranged from water-damaged ‘70s paperbacks to antique coins.
The basement was molding and frequently flooded, but every time the house shifted or the puddles receded, we would find old keys, pens and jewelry that had fallen through the floodboards or out of old moving boxes.
Whether historical discovery or bodice ripper, every tatter we found was priceless to us. We occupied ourselves for hours inventing stories about the people who owned them and where they were now (or, rather, which room they were haunting). That damp basement contained an entire world, with thousands of lives lived only in our minds.
Growing up in Sandpoint means being one with nature and knowing all your neighbors, yes, but it also means
Sudoku Solution
building a life out of scraps and cherished junk. It’s about ingenuity, creativity and learning how to make the best of what other people take for granted. I will always be grateful for the new toys I had growing up, but I’m equally as grateful for the hand-me-downs, the Dufort Mall finds, and the derelict odds and ends around which I built my childhood fantasies.
If you want to be the popular one at a party, here’s a good thing to do: Go up to some people who are talking and laughing and say, “Well, technically that’s illegal.” It might fit in with what somebody just said. And even if it doesn’t, so what, I hate this stupid party.
The author, right, and friend Caden Kai, left, at play in the front yard of the “white house” in Sandpoint. Photo by Ana Monfort.
Solution on page 22
Laughing Matter
By Bill Borders
CROSSWORD
ACROSS
1. Yield
5. Soothing ointment 10. Lamented
14. Angle between leaf and branch 15. Primp
16. Covet
17. Favored female
19. Nerd
20. Estimated (abbrev.)
21. Minimal
22. Eliminate 23. Gloomy
25. Wanderer 27. Color of some sunsets 28. Eating areas 31. Fables 34. Happen again
Cap
36. Flat-bottomed boat
[verb]
1. to repeat; reiterate
Solution on page 22
Solution on page 22
58. Fair attraction
Come up
Agreement 61. Once, long ago
Trades 38. Plateau 39. Malayan isthmus
Daisylike bloom 63. Frosts, as a cake Word Week of the
“‘Tariffs are paid by American importers and are passed onto American consumers,’ ingeminated the senator.”
Corrections: A couple things this week: First, we corrected a misspelling in our masthead for the word “relevant.” Second, the reference to Jack Handey’s “Deep Thoughts” on “Page 22” in the Nov. 13 “Junk Drawer” was actually on Page 26 (we had to switch to 28 pages before our deadline and forgot to update the “Junk Drawer.”) Please forgive us.
