The number of hours it would take to watch every episode of the original Gilmore Girls television series — or, about five days. That’s a whole lot of pop culture references, coffee drinking, ultra-fast talking and falling in love with Scott Patterson. I don’t recommend Googling how many hours your favorite television series lasts, especially if you’ve seen it several times, or you’ll realize you’ve spent more than a month of your life rewatching it.
notable quote
“Love does not consist of gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction.”
— Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, French writer, poet, aristocrat, journalist and pilot
misheard in history
It is believed that in response to learning of the widespread starvation happening across her kingdom, Marie-Antionette, queen of France during the French Revolution, said, “Let them eat cake.” In other words, she was so out of touch with the realities of these peoples’ lives that when learning of the bread shortage, she suggested they simply substitute rich, expensive cake. However, scholars agree that Marie-Antionette more likely said, “Qu’ils mangent de la brioche,” or “Let them eat brioche” — still a rich bread, but not quite cake as we understand it today. Many argue that she likely never said anything of the sort (seeing as there is no historical record of the phrase), but that the story rose out of the revolution as folklore to illustrate the cruelty of the French nobility.
life hack
Rather than letting charging cords lie on the floor while not in use, tape a bread tab to the edge of the nightstand or desk. The heads of most charging cords will fit nicely in the tab without letting it fall through.
companions
I looked up from packing firewood one evening last week to realize I was enjoying the company of 17 elk, 10 deer, a dozen geese, a handful of robins and one very helpful cattle dog. There’s nothing quite like springtime in a North Idaho hay field.
DEAR READERS,
In this week’s edition, we continue our candidates’ questionnaire, with responses from most of the Legislative District 1 candidates in the Idaho Senate and House of Representatives races. Thanks to those candidates who participated (we only had two who ghosted us).
Don’t forget there will be two candidates’ forums hosted by the Reader, SandpointOnline and KRFY 88.5 FM: A forum for Bonner County candidates in contested races on Monday, May 2 at 5:30 p.m. and another for legislative candidates in the Idaho Senate and House races for District 1 on Tuesday, May 3 at 5:30 p.m. Both forums will take place at the Sandpoint High School auditorium. For those unable to attend, KRFY usually posts audio from the forum on their website at krfy.org, so check there to hear how the candidates feel about the issues. Hope all is well out there. Have a great weekend.
–Ben Olson, publisher
111 Cedar Street, Suite 9 Sandpoint, ID 83864 (208) 946-4368
Cameron Rasmusson (emeritus) John Reuter (emeritus)
Advertising: Jodi Berge
Jodi@sandpointreader.com
Contributing Artists:
Ben Olson, Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey, Doug Marshall, Bill Borders
Clark Corbin, William Greenway
Contributing Writers:
Zach Hagadone, Ben Olson, Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey, Lorraine H. Marie, Brenden Bobby, Kelsey Maxwell, Cate Huisman, Don Gay
Submit stories to: stories@sandpointreader.com
Printed weekly at:
Tribune Publishing Co. Lewiston, ID
Subscription Price: $155 per year
Web Content: Keokee
The Sandpoint Reader is a weekly publication owned and operated by Ben Olson and Keokee. It is devoted to the arts, entertainment, politics and lifestyle in and around Sandpoint, Idaho.
We hope to provide a quality alternative by offering honest, in-depth reporting that reflects the intelligence and interests of our diverse and growing community.
The Reader is printed on recycled paper using soy-based ink. Leftover copies are collected and recycled weekly, or burned in massive bonfires to appease the gods of journalism. Free to all, limit two copies per person
SandpointReader letter policy:
The Sandpoint Reader welcomes letters to the editor on all topics.
Requirements:
–No more than 300 words –Letters may not contain excessive profanity or libelous material. Please elevate the discussion. Letters will be edited to comply with the above requirements. Opinions expressed in these pages are those of the writers, not necessarily the publishers.
Email letters to: letters@sandpointreader.com
Check us out on the web at: www.sandpointreader.com
City staff briefs council on ‘restart’ of Sandpoint Comp Plan update
Timeline calls for adoption in February 2023
By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff
After about a year in limbo, City Hall is embarking on what Planner Amy Tweeten described as the “long-awaited restart” of Sandpoint’s Comprehensive Plan update.
The document is intended to guide land use decisions over the next 20 years; establish the vision, goals, objectives and strategies for the future of the community; and provide the legal basis for zoning regulations.
The current Comp Plan was adopted in 2009 and amended with a new section related to the airport in 2019, but standard practice is to bring the document up to date at least every 10 years.
Tweeten said efforts to update the plan were paused in the fall of 2020 “due to loss of staff and increased demand on staff time for development reviews.” However, she added, a range of master plans covering parks and recreation, multi-modal transportation, and arts and culture were adopted throughout 2021, helping to inform portions of what city officials hope will be a fully updated Comp Plan adopted in February 2023.
Meanwhile, additional studies are ongoing related to land use supply and demand, utility rates and urban forestry, as well as an updated strategic plan.
The land use supply and demand study, which looks at housing growth and economics, is of particular importance “due to accelerated development pressures,” Tweeten said in an April 20 briefing before the City Council.
Data from that study is expected to be incorporated into the plan update process through June, with utility rates and strategic planning ongoing through September.
Under the “best-case scenario,” a critical piece of the puzzle will be addressed in November, when planners look at Sandpoint’s area of city impact. According to Tweeten’s presentation, the ACI encompasses 12.3 square miles north and west of the existing city limits.
Sandpoint City Administrator Jennifer Stapleton told the council that staff will return sometime in May with a memorandum of understanding to begin discussions between the city and Bonner County about how to best to reconfigure the ACI with an eye toward redrawing those boundaries in ways that best reflect how and where Sandpoint should, or even could, grow.
“We in no way have the capacity in our utilities to serve that [12.3-square-mile] area, not in the next 20 years, not in the next 50 years,” she said, adding that the ACI should be much smaller.
Bonner County has already
asked local cities to enter into negotiations with the goal of shrinking their areas of city impact, and Stapleton said doing so could serve multiple interests.
Currently, when development occurs within Sandpoint’s ACI, the county notifies the city and the city is given the opportunity to comment. In the future, the city could propose an agreement with the county that development within the ACI proceed in accordance with Sandpoint building codes and standards and be subject to its fees and reviews.
“The influence would be significantly different,” Stapleton said, adding that while the county has indicated it is willing to enter such
an agreement, in exchange the commissioners would like to see a decrease of that area in order to drive density away from the more rural areas and closer to city services.
“In that sense it seems that we have alignment,” she said.
City Councilor Jason Welker applauded the potential discussions with the county, noting that there has been “a lot of anxiety in the county about sprawl.”
“By shrinking the area of city impact and limiting the sprawl into the real rural part of the county, we could relieve some of the pressure on the upzoning,” he said. “Right now there’s nowhere to live in the cities, so there’s excessive pressure on the rural areas
Tweeten said the community will have additional opportunities in the coming months to provide feedback on the Comp Plan “jump-start,” building on the outreach already conducted in 2020.
To view the current Comp Plan, and other community plans, go to sandpointidaho.gov, click “Your Government,” “Community & Building,” then “Community Plans.”
Reconsideration of 700-acre zone change postponed
The Selle Valley rezone request will now see BOCC reconsideration on May 4
By Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey Reader Staff
Bonner County commissioners voted April 20 to postpone a hearing on reconsideration of a 700acre zone change in the Selle Valley, leaving the matter undecided for two more weeks because the attorney for Keep Bonner County Rural — the party who filed the reconsideration request — was unable to attend the hearing.
“We have had a hitch-in-thegetalong here, because KBCR’s attorney had to vacate his building because of a gas leak and appar-
ently he can’t get on wifi somewhere else,” said Commissioner Dan McDonald at the top of the April 20 hearing. “The request is to reschedule this hearing for a different date.”
At the recommendation of Deputy Prosecutor Bill Wilson — who wanted to ensure that the county conducted a “hearing that everybody expects and deserves” — commissioners voted unanimously to move the hearing to Wednesday, May 4 at 1:30 p.m. at the Bonner County Administration Building (1500 Highway 2, Sandpoint).
The more than 700 acres in question would be rezoned from 20-to 10-acre minimums, and belong to the Skinner and Otis families, known on their June 2021 zone change application as Pack River Partners, LLC. While opponents of the rezone are concerned about the area being developed and the demands on infrastructure that would follow, applicant Don Skinner has testified that he has no plans to develop. Despite that, the Pack River Partners application cites “landowner flexibility” and the need for “housing for expected population growth” as ways the
rezone would qualify under the county’s Comprehensive Plan.
The Bonner County Planning and Zoning Commission recommended denial of the zone change in November 2021, referring to infrastructure concerns. The board of county commissioners voted 2-1 in February to approve the rezone, noting that such concerns would be addressed during any future subdivision process.
Commissioners then took up a request for reconsideration from KBCR and concerned neighbors in March, arguing that Idaho’s Local Land Use Planning Act requires
governing bodies to consider development impacts as early as the rezone stage. The board voted to hear the reconsideration April 20, but in light of the KBCR attorney’s absence, will now hear it on May 4.
Apart from attending in person, Planning and Zoning hearings can also be attended via the Zoom video conferencing platform by accessing the link on the meeting agenda, once it’s available, at bonnercountyid.gov/bocc-agendas. All hearings are also streamed on the “Bonner County Planning” YouTube channel. for subdivisions. … We’re serving a lot of interests by starting this dialogue with the county.”
An aerial photograph of downtown Sandpoint in fall. Courtesy William Greenway.
Reclaim Idaho says it has signatures from 18 legislative districts for education initiative
With deadline approaching, organizers still need to gather more signatures to meet goal
By Clark Corbin Idaho Capital Sun
Leaders of Reclaim Idaho say the organization has collected signatures from voters in 18 of Idaho’s legislative districts as they work to get their K-12 education funding ballot initiative qualified to appear on November 2022 ballots.
Reclaim Idaho volunteers and leaders are hoping to place an initiative called the Quality Education Act on the ballot for the Nov. 8 general election to allow Idahoans to vote on whether to increase education funding by more than $300 million per year. The initiative would increase income tax rates for corporations and create a new, higher income tax bracket for individuals making more than $250,000 and married couples making more than $500,000 per year.
Reclaim Idaho organizers have until the end of the month to turn in their signatures for verification.
Collecting signatures from 6% of registered voters in 18 of Idaho’s 35 legislative districts is one of the two goals Reclaim Idaho needs to meet.
The other is collecting signatures from 6% of total registered voters statewide.
“It’s very important for people to understand that we are not done yet,” Reclaim Idaho co-founder Luke Mayville told the Idaho Capital Sun. “In order to get an initiative on the ballot in Idaho, you don’t just need the signatures from the 18 districts, you also need a very large total number of signatures.”
To meet the overall total signature threshold, Reclaim Idaho says it needs 65,000 signatures from registered voters, which will then need to be validated by county clerks and the Idaho Secretary of State’s Office.
As of the morning of April 19, Reclaim Idaho had collected 86,276 signatures, Mayville said. But organizers say they must actually collect 90,000 signatures by the end of the month because they believe 25% to 30% of the signatures could be ruled
invalid by a county clerk or the Secretary of State’s Office. There are numerous reasons why a signature could be ruled invalid, Mayville said, including if the person who signs writes down the incorrect address, is not actually registered to vote or signs their name in a way that is not legible.
“So we can’t afford to simply collect the required number signatures and be done with it,” Mayville said. “We need to collect between 25,000 and 30,000 additional, on top of the required total.”
What does the education ballot initiative do?
If the ballot initiative makes it on the ballot and is approved by voters, the money could go to a number of different areas benefiting public education, including reducing class sizes; expanding career-technical programs like welding or automotive tech; hiring more teachers; increasing funding for arts, drama, music or English Language Learner programs; expanding kindergarten and early learning programs; and more.
“It is very clear that the Idaho Legislature has failed to fund our schools,” Mayville said.
While the Idaho Legislature did pass one of the largest funding increases for schools in state history during the 2022 session, Mayville said schools are still underfunded historically and especially over the past 10 to 15 years. He also said Idaho’s average teacher salary lags average salaries in neighboring states including Wyoming, Oregon and Washington, and said there is not enough funding for trade and technical courses that give students the skills to earn a living immediately out of high school.
To pay for all that, corporate income tax rates would increase from 6% to 8%, and a new income tax bracket at 10.925% would be created for individuals making more than $250,000 and couples making more than $500,000.
Some Republicans in the Legislature have pushed back against the initiative. House Education
reserved to the people of Idaho.”
Across the state, 600 to 700 people have volunteered to gather signatures for the education ballot initiative, Mayville said. Although volunteers do gather signatures at some large public events, one of the main tactics for Reclaim Idaho has been knocking on doors and speaking to Idahoans one at a time.
Committee Chairman Lance Clow, R-Twin Falls, called it a huge tax increase. Senate Education Committee Chairman Steven Thayn, R-Emmett, told the Sun in August he also opposes the initiative.
“First of all, I think it is based on a false assumption that money will improve education, and that is not necessarily the case,” Thayn said.
Thayn said he believes more parental participation, more school choice options and an overhaul of the state’s school funding formula are the more important needs in education.
How Reclaim Idaho got to this point
Reclaim Idaho is the nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that was also behind the successful 2018 Medicaid Expansion ballot initiative, which voters approved with 60.6% of the vote that year.
Reclaim Idaho began a 22-day push to gather signatures for this education ballot initiative in the days after the Idaho Supreme Court’s Aug. 23 decision throwing out a more restrictive ballot initiative law, Senate Bill 1110, that the Idaho Legislature passed in 2021.
Under the Idaho Constitution, a ballot initiative is the process for the people to propose and vote on laws, independent of the Idaho Legislature. It’s a form of direct democracy. And the Idaho Supreme Court in its 2021 ruling called the initiative and referendum process “fundamental rights,
Volunteers often don green shirts and caps with Reclaim Idaho’s logo, and navigate local neighborhoods with clipboards and an app.
The app gives volunteers a list of registered voters, organized by neighborhood, and lists the names and ages of registered voters at a given address. Volunteers can also update the app and Reclaim Idaho’s entire database to show whether a voter has signed or declined to sign the initiative. All of that helps Reclaim Idaho volunteers know who to ask for and work quickly, since signatures of nonvoters don’t count, and they say they don’t want to waste time talking to the same voters over and over again.
Even with the help of a sophisticated app, Mayville said Reclaim Idaho volunteers faced an uphill battle due to the signature gathering requirements, Idaho’s remoteness and large geographic size.
That meant volunteers had to gather signatures across two time zones, stretching from the Canadian border all the way down to the Nevada desert, with a large part of the push coming over winter.
“What our organizers and volunteers around the state have done is extraordinary when you consider that we started this signature drive in the middle of a pandemic, at a time when the Idaho Legislature was actively attempting to kill the initiative process,” Mayville said. “In spite of that, organizers and volunteers around the state were determined to get this initiative off the ground. And the work they have done has
vindicated a belief we have in an old fashioned idea of organizing — the idea organizers shouldn’t just advocate for people they should enable people to advocate for themselves and take on leadership in their own communities.”
What happens next with the education ballot initiative?
Reclaim Idaho organizers and volunteers scheduled two more signature gathering events in Boise this week to try to reach their 90,000 goal.
By the end of the month, organizers in the Treasure Valley and across the state will turn in their signatures to their local county clerks. County clerks are required to verify the signatures within 90 days. Then, in early July, Reclaim Idaho organizers will collect the verified signatures from the county clerks and submit them to the Idaho Secretary of State’s Office for another count and verification.
If the signatures all add up and meet all the requirements for legislative districts and statewide totals, the initiative will appear on the ballot as a proposition and be given a number, such as Proposition One, Mayville said.
If the education ballot initiative makes it onto the ballot, it would require a simple majority of votes to pass and be enacted.
If the initiative makes it on the ballot, the work still isn’t finished for Reclaim Idaho volunteers.
“The next phase is to build a persuasion campaign aiming at the November election and making sure that over 50% of the electorate votes yes for the Quality Education Act,” Mayville said.
This story was produced by the Idaho Capital Sun, a Boise-based independent, nonprofit online news organization delivering in-depth coverage from veteran Idaho reporters on state government and policy. The Idaho Capital Sun is part of States Newsroom, a national nonprofit funded by tax-free donations in 22 states. Learn more and follow daily updates at idahocapitalsun. com and statesnewsroom.com
Reclaim Idaho Vista team co-leader Cameron Crow and volunteer Natalie Morse door knock collecting signatures for the Quality Education Act ballot initiative. Photo by Otto Kitsinger for Idaho Capital Sun
Local COVID data will shift to weekly posting schedule
By Reader Staff
The Panhandle Health District will move its novel coronavirus data posting schedule from daily to weekly updates beginning the week of Monday, May 2.
According to an April 13 media release, the COVID-19 data for the five northernmost Idaho counties, overseen by PHD, will soon be updated once
weekly on Thursdays prior to noon.
“Due to the significant decrease in cases, positivity rates and hospitalizations, we are making the decision to reduce the frequency of data updates,” PHD officials shared, “but keeping in mind that we will reevaluate if the situation changes.”
This move is happening in tandem with the end of Idaho’s official pandemic emergency declaration, which Gov. Brad Little terminated on April 15. The declaration served as an “administrative function” to allow the state to receive FEMA funds to mitigate costs associated with the health care crisis, according to Little.
“We’re hopeful the recent decrease in COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths means we are on a downward trend with the pandemic,” the governor announced in March, close to two years after the virus first upended lives across the world.
“For weeks, we have been closely examining the needs within Idaho’s health care system with an eye toward ending the public health emergency declaration as soon as possible,” the governor stated at the time.
Bonner County ended its own emergency declaration on April 12 as commissioners passed a resolution that declared “there is no longer a threat to life and property in Bonner County regarding [the] COVID-19 pandemic.”
For the most up-to-date COVID-19 data for Idaho, visit coronavirus.idaho. gov. For data local to the Panhandle Health District, go to panhandlehealthdistrict.org/covid-19/ and click on the PHD COVID-19 Data Dashboard.
Bits ’n’ Pieces
From east, west and beyond
East, west or beyond, sooner or later events elsewhere may have a local impact. A recent sampling, with Earth Day in mind:
Ford’s first electric F-150 truck, the Lightning, comes in two models — one gets 230 miles per charge, the other 300 miles. The battery can also be used to power construction tools and even a house (for up to three days). It’s acknowledged to be one of the least-efficient EVs on the market, in terms of electricity used per mile driven, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists. But, also according to UCS, there are strong advantages to all EVs, beyond reduced emissions: significantly lower maintenance costs, no motor oil or spark plugs are required, and brake wear is reduced because of regenerative braking.
A study from Ontario-based Western University showed parking lot solar — parking lots shaded by roofs with solar panels — can pay dividends. A regional airport in Indiana invested $6.5 million in the concept and earns $310,000 annually selling power to a local utility. Rutgers University also has a solar parking lot.
Advocates in 1954 said nuclear power would one day become “too cheap to meter.” That has not been the case. Now nuclear advocates claim advanced reactors, still in the conceptual phase, are the future of nuclear power. UCS disagrees, citing problems such as safety, nuclear proliferation, terrorism risks and the continued problem of storing spent nuclear fuels. Congress bought into nuclear optimism in 2005 with $20 billion in federal loan guarantees. Funding went to two new reactors, which have cost twice their estimate, at $14 billion each, and are taking twice the time to build.
A new study from Earth Island Institute’s Herbicide-Free Campus branch found that eliminating synthetic pesticides while transitioning to organic management on college campuses not only creates healthier campus environments, but saves money and conserves up to 30% of water.
According to Bloomberg, ExxonMobil plans to increase annual carbon dioxide emissions by 17% by 2025, equal to 26 coal-fired power plants. The information came from internal documents. Other oil companies have announced carbon cuts following public pressure campaigns.
The latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reported that it’s
By Lorraine H. Marie Reader Columnist
entirely possible to cut greenhouse gas emissions in half this decade, to prevent temperatures rising 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. Compared to catastrophic outcomes from failure to do so, the cost will be “minimal.”
Thwaites Glacier in Antarctica has new cracks and the ice shelf could break off in the next five years, causing sea levels to rise several feet and endangering coastal communities. The glacier is the size of Florida. Sources: Science and the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences.
Compared to the early 1960s, there is now 60% less fresh water available per person, according to the Institute for Economics and Peace.
Ukraine-Russia headlines: “Ukraine secret service has arrested top Putin ally”; “Thousands of Ukrainians at the U.S./ Mexico border”; “Ukrainian missile attack sank Russian warship”; “Over 900 civilian bodies found ‘simply executed’; “Russia’s debt default will be one of hardest in history to resolve”; “[U.S. Rep. Kevin] McCarthy says Biden should have aided Ukraine sooner, despite condoning Trump withholding aid to the country in 2019”; Russia loses another general, vows ‘elimination’ of resistance.”
Get that garden in: All indicators are that Russia’s war will prompt a 20% rise in food prices due to food shortages, according to THE WEEK. Russia and Belarus are major exporters of fertilizer components, and Ukrainian farmers are sidelined by serving in their military. Elsewhere, farmers are turning to manure for fertilizer, which, if properly managed, is better than discarding it to pollute water resources.
Blast from the past: The Dust Bowl in the 1930s was caused by decades of agricultural practices that degraded soil, making them prone to severe drought. Winds lifted the Midwest soil and moved it as far as New York City. Thousands died of starvation or lung disease. It appears that Dust Bowl lessons, despite past government efforts to correct ag errors, have not been fully heeded. In 2018, soil loss in the U.S. occurred 10 times faster than it was generated. Meanwhile, in Asia and Africa, soil loss is nearing 100-fold its rate of regeneration.
And another blast: “A nation that destroys its soil destroys itself.” — 32nd U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, elected three times.
What we can’t do to address our housing crisis
By Cate Huisman Reader Contributor
It’s a little painful to see our fields and empty lots filling up with housing, but this is good, because we have a shortage of housing — right? The problem is, no one in town can afford the houses that are being built. “The market” is working, but not for Sandpoint residents and workers — it’s working for retirees and second-home buyers and investors and speculators who can pay the prices our current market demands — not for people whose income is based on their work in our community
Why can’t we build the housing we need? Why isn’t Planning and Zoning doing something? Where is the City Council? What happened to the mayor’s workforce housing task force? Isn’t there some way our local government institutions can stop this?
As it turns out, no. Local governments in Idaho are severely constrained in the limits they can put on land development. Idaho is a “Dillon’s Rule” state, which means essentially that local governments can’t enact limits on
development that aren’t already allowed for in state law.
When we look to how other communities have dealt with this problem, we see a variety of options that aren’t open to us.
Durango, Colo., requires developers to build a certain amount of workforce housing along with their more expensive housing. Idaho state law makes no allowance for this, so we can’t create such a requirement as a local community.
South Lake Tahoe, Calif., has prohibited all use of properties as short-term rentals except in one small, defined area. This makes more properties available for long-term rental or purchase by workers. But, in general, we can’t do that in Idaho — although Sandpoint has managed to put some limitations on STRs.
Vancouver, B.C., and other communities charge an “empty homes” tax on dwellings that are unoccupied for some significant portion of the year. The proceeds are used to fund programs to help working people buy or rent homes. This seems like a good idea for us, as some estimates indicate that up to 40% of our houses are second homes. But this is not
provided for within Idaho Code. The Idaho Legislature would have to change something to allow this.
Could we streamline permitting for workforce housing? Maybe bump affordable developments to the front of the line for getting permits or lower the cost of permits for them? Probably not. There are issues of fairness and favoritism.
How about putting a moratorium on building any more houses, until we’ve figured out how we can get the homes we need built, instead of the overpriced ones that only outsiders can afford? In a time when there is a shortage of homes, deciding to build fewer is a dubious enterprise. Besides, here in Idaho, interfering so significantly with private business would require that we demonstrate that public infrastructure is in danger of imminent failure. We have to hope that’s not the case.
To be fair, the city has changed some zoning over the past 15 years in ways that are helping us make better use of our available land. Multi-family houses are allowed in more areas, accessory dwelling units — “granny flats” — have been specifically allowed in most areas
and mixed uses have been encouraged, allowing for housing in second and third stories over storefronts. Planned unit developments and “cottage housing” allow for variations to setbacks and other regulations that also enable more effective use of land.
These are all options for landowners and developers. But we can’t insist that developers use them.
“The way the Idaho Constitution and Idaho Code are written, [local] government can’t fix the housing crisis,” according to Fonda Jovick, attorney for the city of Sandpoint. “We don’t have statutory authority.”
So are we doomed to be surrounded by whatever houses builders want to build, with no regard for whether people who work here can live in them? No, but it will be up to us — individuals and organizations, not-for-profits, non-governmental agencies and land trusts — to provide the impetus and make the investments we need.
Cate Huisman served for 13 years on the city of Sandpoint’s Planning and Zoning Commission.
Info session, workshops planned to help public with making water rights claims
By Reader Staff
The Idaho Department of Water Resources and Lakes Commission are teaming up to host an informational meeting Thursday, April 28 to assist property owners in understanding the process of filing water rights claims in the Clark Fork-Pend Oreille River Basin.
The info session is scheduled to run from 6-7:30 p.m. at the University of Idaho Sandpoint Organic Agriculture Center (10881 N. Boyer Ave.), and will feature guest speakers Norm Semanko and Sen. Jim Woodward, R-Sagle, who will provide their thoughts on the water rights adjudication.
Staff with IDWR and the Lakes Commission will be on hand to explain
the process and answer questions from the public about the benefits of adjudicating water rights.
IDWR has sent out about 17,000 notices to area property owners since September 2021, informing them of the adjudication and requesting water rights claims. More notices will be mailed in the coming months.
According to the department, the adjudication process is intended for existing water users to claim the quantities and priority dates for their water rights and have their legality recognized by an Idaho court decree. By Idaho law, a “notice of claim” is required for all water uses.
“Confirming the priority date matters because, in times of water scarcity, water users who are first in time are first
in right, under Idaho water law,” IDWR stated in December 2021.
Staff members with IDWR will follow up on the April 28 meeting with workshops each day from 8 a.m.-6 p.m., Tuesday, May 3-Thursday, May 5, at which times members of the public can get assistance with filing their water rights claims and ask further questions about the process.
The workshops will take place at the Ponderay Events Center (401 Bonner Mall Way), with attendees receiving help on a first-come, first-served basis. IDWR recommends that in order to avoid long waits, attendees plan to arrive during off-peak hours, from noon to 5 p.m.
Complex or multiple water rights claims may require more time, includ-
ing a followup either by appointment, telephone, email or written communication. Claimants are advised to bring along their property tax notice, including parcel information, as well as any related water rights records — especially the date when the water was first used.
Payment of filing fees can also be made during the workshops. For cash payments, IDWR asks that claimants bring the exact amount.
For more information, including a map of the adjudication area and the filing fees, visit idwr.idaho.gov or call 800-451-4129 or 208-762-2800.
For more information on the April 28 informational meeting, contact the Lakes Commission at 208-265-4568 or lakes-commission.com.
Bouquets:
• Do you enjoy hiking or cycling on our many trails around the region? Ever wonder who builds and maintains all those trails? Chances are, you have local cycling group Pend Oreille Pedalers to thank for all that work. The coalition of cyclists regularly builds new trails in our region, while also hosting trailwork parties to keep our already established networks in good shape. If you want to help give back to this worthy local nonprofit, consider becoming a member or contributing a small donation to the cause. They’ve been kicking butt since 2004 and they deserve our support, because no matter how tough the world gets, life is always better out on the trail. Thanks POP!
Barbs:
•Politics can be — and most often is — a dirty game. It doesn’t have to be, though. It is possible to run for office without besmirching your opponent’s reputation with falsehoods and fear-mongering half-truths. I’m extremely disappointed with a particular candidate running for office whose flyers have gone too far. Civility and the facts don’t have to be thrown out the window just because someone is running for office.
•Speaking of politics, this time of year always generates more letters to the editor than usual. Do us a favor and make sure to keep your letters brief. We have a 300-word limit, but if you are able to make your point with fewer words, we appreciate you conserving so that as many letters as possible have a chance for publication. We always publish them first come, first served, so make sure to send in your letters with plenty of time left on the clock. Our last edition before the primary election is Thursday, May 12, so any letters addressing primary-related topics will have to be received well before that. Email is the much-preferred medium — hand-written or typed letters not only take longer to get to us, they are time consuming to re-type. Send all letters to the editor to letters@ sandpointreader.com.
What has become of American humor?…
Dear editor, Is it just me? Am I in my 70s and having a “still-wish-I-was-young” meltdown? l admit I pay for Dish, but with such a low-cost monthly bill that I only get two free movies. I am also smart enough to look at YouTube movies, plus Tubi, Crackle, etc. But I cannot find a comedy movie. I am talking about Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau, even cheap Tony Curtis movies.
Every movie in the last 20 years or more has a gun in it. A Black guy in a city? Guns. What a stereotype. White cops as detectives: weapons on both sides. A movie in the future: killing objects. Does every new movie have to have killing or the threat of death?
I want my Jack Lemmon movies back. (I just watched How to Murder Your Wife, with Jack Lemmon, and no one actually died.)
Even a lot of the new alleged comedy movies have someone dying. What has become of American humor?
James Richard Johnson
Clark Fork
Herndon mailers prompt Woodward donations…
Dear editor, I am so disgusted with the trash Scott Herndon is littering our mailboxes with. Regrettably this cannot be stopped, so I have decided the best consolation is to make a donation to Jim Woodward’s campaign every time any of Herndon’s libelous smut lands in our mailbox.
I hope more constituents will join in with this idea and help maintain some sanity in our state senate.
Allison Gilmore Sandpoint
Dear editor, The County Treasurer’s Office is not particularly a glamorous political position, nor should it become a position where politics come into play. The job is a professional position of receiving, handling accurately and tracking precisely the funds of the county, as well as the distribution of funds to the multiple cities and taxing districts spread across the county. The treasurer also has the onerous task
of handling intestate death estates, including the rather depressing job of gathering up and cataloging all material goods for a future sale. This must be done with care, respect and accuracy, too.
The treasurer’s job is one of helping people and maintaining that attitude in the office staff. Bonner County is fortunate to have someone running for that office who is capable of continuing the outstanding job Cheryl Piehl has done for many years. Clorrisa Koster is eminently and uniquely qualified for the job by professional experience in the Treasurer’s Office and accounting functions in the Clerk’s Office. She is a precise person with a helpful nature and will make an excellent Bonner County treasurer.
I strongly encourage the voters of Bonner County to elect Clorrisa Koster.
Steve Klatt Sagle
Fact-checking Herndon’s mailers…
Dear editor,
Another day, another walk to the mailbox, another deceitful piece of mail from Scott Herndon. It takes time to look up the bills he mentions, but probably has not read, so I did it for you. And I quote:
HB1193 provides funding for early childhood education. The content of that education isn’t decided by the Idaho Department of Education, but by local collaboratives consisting of “parents/families, early childhood educators, a representative from the K-12 school district, and at least three community participants from public, private, non-profit, faith-based, government, healthcare or civic organizations.” Local control. Absolutely no mention of CRT or even ABCs.
“Jim supported mandatory sex ed” and Scott goes into rather prurient detail that I won’t include. HB249.
The current code allows parents who do not want their children to learn human sexuality in school to sign a school district form to opt out. HB249 adds the provision that parents who do want their children to learn human sexuality will need to sign a form to opt in. Sounds to me like encouraging parents to be involved in their children’s education.
“Jim voted to grant driver
licenses to criminal illegal immigrants. SCR107.”
SCR107 was to form an interim committee to study issuing Driver Authorization Cards (not licenses) to people without Social Security numbers. These cards would have the same requirements that we have to meet for a license (written and behind-the-wheel tests, fees, proof of Idaho residency). To look into an issue, study the pros (safer roads, more money in DMV fees) and the cons (?), this is what thoughtful legislators do.
Don’t fall for the lies. Vote for Jim Woodward State Senate District 1. And the next mailing you get from Scott? Look up the bills and be an informed voter.
Susan Bates-Harbuck Sandpoint
Grant Dorman: The best vote for property rights…
Dear editor, Politics season is upon us, again. And it is heating up in the county. A lot of people are running for the various offices, except the coroner — that guy’s a dead ringer. (Queue rimshot sound effect.)
Anyways, I’ve been going to the forums and listening to the various Republicans politely affirm their more conservativeness; the awkwardness of it is the funnest part for me. I care about the issues but I also like having fun.
Grant Dorman is running for assessor. He is a friend of mine that I’ve known for years and I support him and encourage Bonner County residents to vote for him.
Grant has the technical, smartguy knowledge and experience to excel in the position, but his ethics and values are what really matter as our assessor and, I can tell you, they are rock solid.
There has been a lot of growth in our county. We have a lot of choices to make for the future of Bonner County.
And this primary has brought out a lot of great candidates for the various offices and it will be tough to decide who to go with. But for assessor, it’s not difficult. It’s Grant Dorman, he is the best choice.
Steve McKnight Sandpoint
Embarrassed citizen…
Dear editor,
I have been a resident of Bonner County on and off for the last 16 years and I am happy to call it
home. As a high school student, I was selected to participate in Boys’ State, where I learned about the democratic process and the challenge of governing. I watched my father argue for citizens’ rights as a councilman in a large city for close to 15 years.
I recognize politics can be “rough and tumble,” and I appreciate any candidate willing to run for office. However, I don’t believe I have witnessed a local political race filled with as much misinformation as the brochures mailed by Idaho Senate candidate Scott Herndon and associated Idaho Republican political action groups. This misinformation leaves me embarrassed as a citizen.
The personal attacks on the voting record of Sen. Jim Woodward demonstrate a willingness on the part of candidate Herndon and political action groups to deal in gross generalizations without addressing the specific context of the issues. Based upon my experience, this is a simplistic view and reinforces divisive tribal politics.
His most recent mailing regarding “illegals” is, at best, shameful. I am not certain where candidate Herndon’s advice is coming from, but from my perspective, these mailings expose him as a candidate lacking a deep understanding of the difficult issues facing our state, as well as a candidate who may lack the ethics to govern.
I will be casting my vote for Sen. Jim Woodward. I admire his ethics, ability to work with others and his willingness to study and understand issues beyond the surface level. He represents the needs of the community and refuses to be mired in the morass of partisan politics. Thank you, Sen. Woodward!
Dick Cvitanich Sandpoint
Have something to say? Write a letter to the editor. We accept letters up to 300 words that are free from libelous statements and excessive profanity. Please elevate the conversation. No trolling.
Clorrisa Koster for treasurer…
Hot take on Earth Day
By Kelsey Maxwell Reader Contributor
My childhood “wild place” was nowhere near extraordinary by an outdoor enthusiasts’ standard. It was a truly tiny strip of forest between my best friend’s house and mine in central Massachusetts. It was mostly flat and littered with moderately large granite boulders. A mix of pine and leafy trees. No matter where you stood in our little forest, our houses could be spotted a few hundred feet away. There was only one short trail connecting our two landscaped lawns. But, oh, how that trail was traveled!
Plush grass and swing sets went unused as we raced toward our wild and untamed forest. In the winter, we made snow caves under pine tree canopies. In the summer, we built fairy homes in dark and mossy rock crevices. Fall was filled with collecting the best and brightest leaves to preserve in scrapbooks. All year round, we remained vigilant, prepared to run from BB gun attacks from older brothers at any moment.
My memory isn’t great, and I don’t remember much about my childhood (sorry to disappoint, mom and dad.)
But I remember nearly all the times that my best friend and I spent in those woods: climbing dangerously tall rocks, sledding down dangerously steep hills, racing back home before the last light shone through the oak trees. Finding pure fear and bliss in testing the limits of our scrawny legs and clumsy feet. Changing and growing alongside the flowers and the ferns.
I didn’t know it, but the forests were shaping me, helping me grow into a strong and fearless girl with a passion for soft ground under my feet. I grew up and eventually moved far away from my magical forest, but my passion for exploring new places, constantly learning new things and pushing my physical limits stuck with me forever. Since leaving Massachusetts, I’ve been lucky enough to explore countless other magical forests, each one providing me with child-like joy and awe.
Getting to reconnect with
your inner child, finding pure bliss and wonder from the ferns and flowers is such a precious human experience worth treasuring and protecting. Everybody deserves to have these experiences. Kids and adults, today and tomorrow, deserve the chance to grow and change alongside the trees. We all deserve to find our magical backyard forests.
Out here, we are particularly lucky because our local forests are actually magical. Our wild backyard is nothing like my tiny forest amid housing developments in Massachusetts. Instead, we have thousands of acres of forest with clear-flowing streams, abundant wildlife habitat, ancient trees and rugged peaks.
We have mountain goats scrambling across cliffs as the sun rises over the rugged peaks. We have grizzly bears descending the mountainside to drink from crystal-clear alpine lakes. We have silently-falling snow that blankets our cedar forests. What we have here is as close to magic as you can get on Planet Earth.
Our forests are full of magic
Join me in making sure our forests and peaks are kept this magically wild forever. Become a Friend of the Scotchmans Peaks Wilderness. Help us keep trails open and mountain goats wild. Join us to teach kids about the wonders of our wild backyard. Join me
in celebrating Earth Day, every day. Learn more at scotchmanpeaks.org.
Kelsey Maxwell is director of communications and development for Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness.
Kelsey Maxwell experiencing child-like joy on her first hike in the Scotchmans to the summit of Star Peak. Courtesy photo.
Science: Mad about
poison dart frogs
By Brenden Bobby Reader Columnist
Living around here sometimes presents incredible challenges. Moving snow, hauling wood, dealing with jerks on the highway who think the rules were only made for other people. Look at it this way: At least we don’t have to deal with poisonous frogs.
Poison dart frogs consist of more than 170 species in the amphibian family Dendrobatidae and are native to Central and South America — particularly the Amazon rainforest. True to their name, they can be extremely poisonous, though they don’t fire darts; that portion of their common name comes from a practice employed by the Indigenous hunters of Colombia, who would coat their blow darts in the sticky mucus secreted by the frogs, which is poisonous when absorbed or ingested by another creature.
You might be wondering why a tiny frog needs such a powerful toxin covering its body. It’s actually a byproduct of their diet mixed with a little evolutionary process of elimination. Poison dart frogs eat an alkaline-heavy diet composed primarily of ants. The frogs’ bodies separate the nutrients and alkaloids, transferring the toxic materials into mucus glands in their skin.
Why these frogs have developed poisonous goo for their skin fits into the second factor of evolutionary process of elimination. Over countless generations in the wild, certain factors led to certain traits carrying frogs to adulthood more frequently and successfully than others. Spread across millions, perhaps billions, of different frogs, a law of averages began to take over. Weaker traits that result in frogs being spotted by predators and killed before reproduction were naturally filtered out, while strong defense systems allowed more frogs to grow into sexual maturity
and reproduce. As is always true of nature, predators develop in tandem, which further complicates nature’s numbers game.
Over a vast period of time, frogs that developed poisonous mucus began to survive and reproduce as they neutralized predatory threats. Bright skin colorations developed alongside their toxic secretions, which served as a warning, effectively doubling down the effectiveness of propagating their genes.
You might be wondering: “If this is such an effective evolutionary strategy, why don’t all frogs have poisonous mucus? Why don’t humans have poisonous mucus for that matter? Ha! Got ’em! Evolution debunked.”
To answer your question, I honestly don’t know why we don’t we don’t leak toxins from our skin, but I can wager a guess. Special defenses are usually suited to special environments. Maintaining an active poisonous agent is possible for poison dart frogs because of their previously mentioned high-alkaline diets. Ants may be an inferior food source for frogs around here, and other traits like increased body mass for surviving cold winters may be preferred by potential mates over the ability to produce toxins inside their bodies.
Though most famous for their poisonous secretions, there are many more unique and exciting facts about poison dart frogs. As is true of many frogs, poison dart frogs begin their lives emerging from eggs as aquatic tadpoles. Unlike frogs you’d find around here, which will often lay eggs and spawn tadpoles in standing water on the ground or in wetlands, poison dart frogs will carry their tadpoles on their backs and deposit them into things like pitcher plants or other flora that can trap small amounts of water high above the forest floor.
It’s common knowledge that poison dart frogs come in a variety
of colors. Different colors of frogs are actually different species, and their colors are derived from a mix of genetics and the alkaloids they consume. Different colored frogs also pack different levels of toxin.
Unfortunately, poison dart frogs are considered to be threatened. They are special creatures suited to a very specific habitat that is under constant threat by a number of human sources. Illegal agriculture clears swaths of forest where the frogs live, while also polluting their water supply and ability to breathe with fertilizer run-off. Logging does irreversible damage to the habitat by depriving frogs and other animals of shelter while also permanently altering waterways. Frogs are also harvested for the pet trade, to be bred in captivity and sold around the world.
Poison dart frogs are a popular choice of pet among enthusiasts due to their ease of raising and brilliant colorations. Frogs in captivity lose the ability to produce their signature toxins when they aren’t fed their natural diet, making them safe for humans to handle. This has increased the demand for wild frogs, which further damages their ability to repopulate in the wild.
I’m sure you’ve been slogging through this article to learn more about one thing and one thing only: the frogs’ namesake “poison.” You may also have noticed the intermittent use of the terms “toxin” and “poison” — there is a subtle difference. Poisons are substances that are harmful or even lethal to organisms when ingested, absorbed or inhaled at sufficient quantities. Toxins are substances produced within an organism that, when encountered by other organisms, are poisonous. Poison dart frogs produce toxins that are poisonous, though not equally lethal or even especially dangerous to every creature that encounters them. In fact, only a small number of poison dart frog
species produce toxins considered potentially deadly to humans.
All that said, the toxin from the Colombian golden poison frog, called batrachotoxin, is the most potent of all, with an amount as small as two grains of salt being enough to kill an adult human in minutes. As the poison enters the bloodstream, it binds with the sodium channels of your nerves and causes irreversible paralytic damage as your body’s ability to communicate between your nerves and muscles rapidly breaks down. Once in your bloodstream, the tox-
in is given an express route to your heart, paralyzing it and halting your body’s ability to pump blood to your vital organs, ultimately leading to death by cardiac arrest. This might be fairly shocking, albeit less grotesque, than the coagulating venom of the American Rattlesnake, but the true terror of the golden poison frog is that this poison can remain viable on surfaces for more than a year.
There are many things in the jungle that can kill you, and not all of them have teeth and claws. Stay curious, 7B.
Random Corner
•The Vikings “discovered” North America half a millennium before Christopher Columbus. Viking chief Leif Eriksson of Greenland landed on the island of Newfoundland in the year 1,000 CE.
•46 BCE was 445 days long and is the longest year in human history. Nicknamed annus confusionis, or “year of confusion,” this year had two extra leap months inserted by Julius Caesar. This was in order to make the newly-formed Julian Calendar match up with the seasonal year.
•In the Victorian era, men with mustaches used special cups with mustache guards on them to prevent a man’s mustache from dipping into their warm cup of tea.
•The ancient Mayan civilization believed turkeys were the vessels of the gods and honored them with worship.
•Ancient Spartans were so rich that none of them had to work. Spartans gained most of their wealth due to their conquest and domination of a neighboring
civilization called the Helots. When a Spartan boy reached adulthood, the Spartan state awarded him an allotment of public farmland and Helot slaves to work it.
•The most prolific serial killer was a Hungarian countess named Elizabeth Báthory de Ecsed. Born in 1560, she was accused of torturing and killing more than 650 young women, most between the ages of 10 and 14. Though most likely apocryphal, she was said to have bathed in the blood of her virgin victims to preserve her youthful looks. Báthory was detained after many accusations, but never faced trial because of her family’s high social status. Rather, she was privately imprisoned in a windowless room for four years until she died in 1614.
•Along with countless turns of phrase, William Shakespeare is also credited with inventing — or popularizing — the “yo mama” joke. In his play Titus Andronicus, one of the characters, Chiron, exclaims, “Thou has undone our mother,” to which another character, Aaron, replies, “Villain, I have done thy mother.”
Setting the record straight on wolves
Op-ed on wolf trapping was misinformed
By Don Gay Reader Contributor
In my opinion, the Reader opinion article on wolf trapping [“Trapping is a legal, useful tool to manage wolf populations,” March 31, 2022, by Eric Wieland] is purely opinion. The article is replete with statements that are false and misleading. Despite my belief that the Reader is one of the best sources of news on local and statewide news, it is also my opinion that, in this circumstance, the Reader did a public disservice by serving as a platform to disseminate misinformation, rather than informing and providing an environment for informed discussion of an emotionally charged issue.
I agree with Mr. Wieland’s premise that trapping is a legal and useful tool to manage wolf populations. However, when the basis for trapping is stated in untrue and misleading ways, the proper use of that tool is unlikely to occur.
The article begins with the author’s experience at a site where wolves had killed some elk. The author states that the deaths were “not quick.” Anyone who has witnessed predation, even the family cat toying with a bird it has caught, realizes that predation often causes suffering in the prey animal beyond the absolute minimum suffering necessary. However, wolves have limited tools to kill their food and they use what tools they have. Wolves are not
the only predators that cause unnecessary suffering. Trapping laws in Idaho require checking traps at least every 72 hours. The three days that an animal spends in a trap cannot be considered a quick death. For those non-target species that die unnecessarily, their deaths are considered collateral damage. The use of neck snares to catch wolves on animal trails has already killed at least one grizzly bear, and who knows how many elk and moose calves, and adult deer.
Mr. Wieland also notes that because the entire animal was not consumed at the kill site he encountered that the cow elk was “left to rot.” It is not known if the wolves could not eat any more at one sitting and would have returned to finish consuming the elk, or if they had moved on for some reason prior to completely consuming the carcass. Each kill of a prey animal by a wolf involves some risk of injury to the wolf and it is most likely that wolves will minimize their risk of injury by killing the fewest numbers of prey. If one is concerned about wasted elk meat, Unsworth et al. (Journal of Wildlife Management, 57(3), pages 495502)found that in the Clearwater Drainage of Idaho, 17.4% of elk mortality was due to elk shot during hunting season that were not recovered. This is a lot of elk meat left to rot, and deaths resulting from poor rifle or archery shots are not quick ones.
Mr. Wieland states that “wolves decimate ungulate populations” without providing any facts about where and when.
Page 12 of the 2018 Idaho statewide elk report states that “most annual mortality of elk is associated with human harvest.” On Page 16, the report indicates that, “the most important impact to elk populations in the panhandle is severe winter weather and delayed spring green up.”
The report states that overwinter elk cow survival was 98% and calf survival was 64%. Page 17 of the report summarizes recent research on elk survival in Idaho where cougars were the most important cause of elk calf deaths. Wolves were responsible for 17% of the dead calves, but they were not the primary cause of death. Eacker et al. (Journal of Wildlife Management, 2016) found similar results in the Bitterroot Valley of Montana. There 5% of elk calf deaths were due to wolves, while 36% were killed by cougars and 11% by black bears. Furthermore, the statewide elk report states that for Game Management Unit 1 (Idaho north of the Clark Fork River) the elk population status trend shows little change to increasing. Although Mr. Wieland’s opinion that elk populations are decimated by wolves, research and all available information do not corroborate that opinion.
As the author correctly states, wolves were reintroduced to central Idaho, but their recovery in the northern counties was a result of natural immigration. However, Mr. Wieland’s statement that state and local governments concluded that Idaho could only sustain 10 breeding pairs is completely untrue. That amount of animals was the minimum number to consider the central Idaho population recovered. The 2002 Idaho wolf conservation and management plan suggests managing for at least 15 breeding packs to avoid wolves being relisted under the endangered species act.
Whether Mr. Wieland has been mis-
informed, has avoided finding accurate information or is intentionally misleading is unknown, but what is clear is that his article is inaccurate. And by the way, there is no state leash law for dogs in the state (animallaw.info/stautes/us/idaho).
If Mr. Wieland’s opinion is that all, or nearly all, wolves should be eliminated from the state so that human hunters can benefit from an infinitesimally small increase in their elk hunting success, he is entitled to that opinion. However, it is fantasy that such an act would drastically increase elk numbers.
Based on the unsupported opinions of Mr. Wieland, many of them obvious misstatements, this paper decided to publish an article that is full of disinformation. Although I realize that the Reader is not well funded and as well staffed as is likely desired, that is not an excuse for abetting the spread of falsehoods.
I was asked by friends to respond to Mr. Wieland’s article because they looked at the article and thought it was likely inaccurate. If they could sense inaccuracy, it would not be unlikely that the editorial staff at the Reader might also have some doubts and delayed publication of the piece until a credible review of the opinion article was performed and the author provided with the opportunity to remedy any deviations from fact.
It is my opinion and hope that the Reader can do a better job of preventing the spread of disinformation in the future. It is also my opinion that issues are best resolved when proponents of all sides of the discussion limit the debate to the most accurate information available.
Perhaps in these times, that is more of a hallucination.
An illustrious life
Sandpoint artist, psychologist and technical adviser to the movies Donna Cline wins lifetime achievement award
By Ben Olson Reader Staff
From graduate school seminars and cadaver labs to drawing tables, police cars and movie sets, Donna Cline has charted a one-of-a-kind course from her childhood in the South to a career in Hollywood to retirement in Sandpoint. Her career trajectory has also earned her among one of the most prestigious honors in the film industry, when in early 2022 the Art Directors Guild bestowed on her its Lifetime Achievement Award.
Rather than in front of the camera — or even behind it — Cline’s niche in the film business was as a technical adviser and storyboard artist. Even more unique than that, she brought a deep fascination and advanced academic training in human physiology to bear on film and television projects ranging from Tombstone, Dances With Wolves, Total Recall, Red Dragon and Outbreak to The X-Files and Bones, among many others.
Along the way, she also studied and worked in law enforcement and psychology, but it really all began when she was a kid, fascinated with what went on inside complex systems.
“Since I was a tyke, I’ve always wondered how things worked and form and function issues,” Cline told the Reader. “It was a constant interest.”
As she grew up, that interest sharpened into the visual elements of the biological sciences. Cline studied botany, biology, and structures and functions of the natural world, but it wasn’t until earning a master’s degree in biomedical illustration that Cline found what would become her lifelong passion: human physiology.
Delving — literally — into the human body, from the cellular level to gross anatomy and organ systems, Cline merged that knowledge with her passion for illustration, and never looked back.
“I wanted to know what was inside,” she said. “Bodies are so complex. I really wanted to understand how it all functioned.”
Living in Southern California,
Cline didn’t start out thinking her skills and education would result in working with some of the most notable filmmakers in the industry.
“I met some up-and-coming producers who were assistant directors and unit production managers in West Hollywood one night,” she said. “They said, ‘You’re an artist, so come meet our production designer, his name is Dan Lomino and he is just about to start the pilot of a TV show called MacGyver.”
Cline had some useful technical specialties and Lomino offered her the opportunity to shadow him on set. That experience led to Cline being hired to produce some technical images for director Wes Craven’s film Deadly Friend
“I became friends with Wes and found that he was a great mentor,” Cline said. “Through Wes, I met a production designer, Bill Matthews, who was going to start the film Gross Anatomy for Disney and thought they’d probably really need some medical drawings of some sort. I wasn’t in the union, but I showed up at the production office and pretty soon they said, ‘Wow, you have a lot of knowledge. We need to get in and see human cadavers.’ I was soon hired as a storyboard artist and technical advisor and that was the beginning of my career in the industry.”
Film productions hire technical advisers for several reasons — usually to help the production present the most accurate portrayal of a specialized industry. Because of Cline’s skills as both an illustrator and expert on human physiology, Craven saw her potential.
From that chance meeting and subsequent mentorship with Craven, Cline’s career unfolded in front of her. She was soon in high demand; with one project wrapped, another production crew would come calling for assistance on the next one.
A highlight, Cline said, was her work as a technical adviser on Disney’s The Doctor, starring William Hurt.
“This was, with no doubt, one of the most demanding technical endeavors in the film industry with which I would be involved,”
said. “It is also the film of which I am most proud, due to the ethical and professional standardof-care issues that were fearlessly addressed.”
In addition to technical advising, Cline’s artistic abilities landed her a number of jobs working on storyboards, which are like comic strips that directors use before shooting a film to plan out camera angles and shots. Often, Cline was hired as both technical adviser and storyboard artist.
“This led to my involvement on the feature film Mulholland Falls,” she said. “The director asked me to hire a technical adviser who knew about the LAPD in the 1950s, so I found a retired sheriff’s department captain named Bill Reed who actually knew all those old detectives who were part of the LAPD ‘Hat Squad.’”
Reed set her up with a ride along, and Cline found herself exploring a new facet of her career she hadn’t known was there: forensic artistry.
“I ended up going through the academy and becoming a reserve deputy for the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department,” she said. “I did all kinds of things, like riding with the mounted posse, working gang territory at night, working undercover a little bit and also as a peer counselor.”
During Cline’s stint in law enforcement, she was often at the county coroner’s office and told she had the “backbone” to be a
forensic artist, which reconstructs human faces based on a variety of factors — including skeletal and muscular remains — as well as developing drawings based on eyewitness testimony.
Cline said some of the work in forensics proved to be emotionally and psychologically intense.
In one case, she said, “This teenage guy had seen his brother shot to death right in front of him. The detectives brought him to me at the station for a suspect composite interview just 10 hours after the murder. When he entered the room, it was like a tidal wave of pain walking in the room. I’m pretty tough, but when I left that particular composite meeting, his emotional pain stayed with me.”
After that case, Cline thought that if she wanted to develop as a forensic artist, she needed to know more about human behavior. She went back to school and earned another master’s, this time in marriage and family therapy.
“I loved the clinical skills, but this wasn’t the hardcore psychology I was craving, so I earned a doctorate in clinical psychology, which
really gave me a much broader scope of knowledge,” Cline said.
“It was an unusual career,” she added. “You need to have a pretty thick hide to work in forensics. It’s safe to say that many who work in that field have a bit of emotional scar tissue.”
Cline’s introduction to North Idaho came when she was still working. Visiting some friends, “I got off the plane, drove up to the Sandpoint area and said, ‘OK, there’s something here,’” she said.
“Not only that, I loved mountains, rivers, lakes – more than the
< see CLINE, Page 15 >
Cline
Top left: Donna Cline on the set of Bones Top right: Cline’s illustration of a treehouse from the film George of the Jungle. Bottom right: Cline’s character sketch of Bette Midler for the film Hocus Pocus. Courtesy images.
OUTDOORS
Off the beaten path
The 3/4-Minus Cykeltur race helps put Sandpoint on the map as a cycling destination
By Ben Olson Reader Staff
Sandpoint is a cycling town. No matter if it’s a lonesome dirt road, a mountain trail, gravel or asphalt, Sandpoint cyclists find a way. There is no better representation of this mix of cycling terrain — as well as the lifestyle of Sandpoint — than the 3/4-Minus Cykeltur bike race.
This unique race takes place Saturday, May 7 and draws cycling aficionados from all over the region because of its varied terrain and skill levels.
Back for what would’ve been its fourth season, the 3/4-Minus was put on hold for two years during the pandemic, but is back in a big way. With more than 125 riders turning out for the inaugural race in 2019, the event was hailed an immediate success.
“For a population-starved city, in terms of cycling culture, we were really happy with the turnout [in 2019],” said cyclist and event co-creator Jason Meshberg. “The words ‘instant classic’ were being thrown around over beers afterwards.”
Race creator and Syringa Cyclery owner Charles Mortensen said the sport of gravel cycling has grown by leaps and bounds, mostly on the strength of a cycling culture hungry for fun challenges.
“Gravel races have gotten super popular, more so than just straight road races,” Mortensen said.
The 3/4-Minus is a unique race because it combines elements of road and off-grid riding, as well as a mix of surfaces including gravel, dirt, single track and asphalt. Split into two routes, the “two-humper” is a 76-mile tour of Bonner County, starting at Matchwood Brewing Company (513 Oak St.) and winding through Sandpoint, into Selle Valley and far up some lonely U.S. Forest Service roads not normally associated with bike racing (there’s even a grizzly bear habitat sign at the top of the trail).
From Selle Valley, the route winds back toward Sandpoint, with a detour up Syringa Heights on single track through the Pine Street Woods and back to finish at Matchwood Brewing. As the name suggests, there are two significant hills to climb on the long route.
The “one-humper” is a shorter route of 52 miles, which bypasses some of the farthest reaching segments of the race and only features one big hill to climb.
Along the way, rest areas and volunteers will help keep riders on course. Pend Oreille Pedalers executive director Jason Welker serves as the volunteer coordinator for the event, and POP will sponsor one fo
the rest/aid stations on the route.
Cyclists can choose to ride any type of bike they desire, but most opt for a bike that is specially tuned for gravel riding. However, road bikes with skinny tires aren’t recommended for the “two-humper” route.
“In general, it looks like a road bike, but you’ll notice they have knobby, much wider tires,” said Mortensen. “The stuff you won’t notice is that the geometry is a little different. There are slacker angles on the tubes to make it a more comfy ride. They have longer wheelbases, too, to be more stable downhill on loose gravel roads.”
For those interested in trying out a gravel bike, Syringa Cyclery is hosting a demo day with bike manufacturer Otso at the Velo Tout Terrain trail, located 0.4 miles north of Highway 2 on West Pine Street. The demo event will run from 11 a.m.-3 p.m., with gravel bikes and fat tire bikes available to try for free — just make sure to bring a credit card and valid ID to check out a bike.
“This race celebrates what this region has to offer,” said Meshberg. “It’s a real honest look at the cute downtown area, heading past the ski resort, past the Selle Valley agricultural area into the National Forest. It showcases everything our natural landscape has to offer and pushes those riders through it.”
Mortensen said the race is a great way to showcase the inclusive cycling community of Sandpoint.
“Most of our sponsors are all local businesses,” Mortensen said. “Outdoor Experience is sponsoring a rest stop, as is Pend d’Oreille Winery and Kaniksu Land Trust and the Pend Oreille Pedalers. Matchwood Brewing and the Alpine Shop are providing podium prizes, as is the Pend d’Oreille Win-
ery. Evans Brothers Coffee is providing podium prizes, as well as coffee at the rest stops. Ace Septic is providing all the porta-potties at the rest stops. That was one of our goals — to involve the local business community in this race.”
The race will begin and end at Matchwood Brewing, which will throw a big after-party for racers when they arrive thirsty for beer and camaraderie. There will be live contemporary bluegrass and roots music by the band Spring Tonic after the race. Oak Street will be closed off for traffic that day, with Ponderay-based Collaborative Trails directing traffic at the intersection of Oak Street and Sixth Avenue.
Along with bragging rights, the race will also serve as a fundraiser for the local trail-building organization Pend Oreille Pedalers, which is responsible for building and maintaining so many of the highly used cycling and hiking trails in the region.
“All of the proceeds will go to POP,” Mortensen said. “That means more trail building, more access and more bike tourism for this region.”
“This race fits the motif of what Sandpoint is all about: adventurous and a little rugged,” said Meshberg. “No matter who wins, we’ll meet for beers, high fives and smiles afterward.”
To register for the 3/4-Minus Cykeltur, contact Syringa Cyclery at 208-6109990 or visit syringacyclery. com for more information.
The field of 3/4-Minus Cykeltur racers leave the starting line in 2019. Photo by Doug Marshall.
Left: A racer in the 2019 event with the right priorities. Photo by Doug Marshall.
KLT, ICL and Friends of Scotchman Peaks to host Earth Day event
By Reader Staff
Kaniksu Land Trust, Idaho Conservation League and Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness will join forces Saturday, April 23 for a celebration of Earth Day at Pine Street Woods.
The events include two trail maintenance sessions hosted by KLT from 10 a.m.-noon and 1 p.m.-3 p.m. Meanwhile, ICL and FSPW staff invite attendees to bring something to eat and join a lunchand-learn session from noon- 1 p.m.
The participating organizations will feature booths throughout the day with information about North Idaho’s special places, while face painting and other family-friendly activities will also be offered. Snacks will be provided.
“Pine Street Woods has offered our community an accessible space to get out and enjoy nature, regardless of your level of experience in the outdoors. We’re really looking forward to seeing our community come together to show our appreciation for these places and let people know of other opportunities to get involved,” said Becca Rodack, ICL’s communications and engagement assistant.
Volunteers for both sessions of trail work will learn what goes into clearing and maintaining trails, with tools and protective equipment provided. No experience necessary. Light refreshments will be provided for volunteers thanks to Extreme Terrain’s Clean Trail Grant Program (extremeterrain.com/clean-trail-initiative-program).
“It’s going to be a great day to get outside as a family, whether to give back by doing some trail maintenance or to learn about being good trail stewards from FSPW and ICL,” said Marcy Timblin, director of communications for Kaniksu Land Trust.
“Having local wild places to explore is so important for our mental and physical health,” said Kelsey Maxwell, communications and development director at FSPW. “Places like Pine Street Woods and Scotchman Peaks are the hearts of our communities, they give us so much through the year. Earth Day is a great opportunity to give back.”
For more information, visit kaniksu. org, scotchmanpeaks.org or idahoconservation.org.
< CLINE, con’t from Page 13 >
ocean, really.”
She bought a home in the area in 2006 and longed to return to it — even just for a weekend. Once a long-term gig working on the TV show Bones concluded, Cline began thinking of retirement.
“I had that innate work ethic that dictates that you work until you’re carried away on a gurney,” she said. “But I did it. I moved up here full time in December of 2017 in the middle of a snowstorm, turned on the heat and didn’t look back.”
Looking back on her work in film and television, Cline was able to share her passion and skills with millions of people — all while avoiding losing her individuality in an industry filled with fakery.
“One time, while working on Bones,” she said. “I walked to the craft services table for some coffee and one of the craft guys looked at me and said, ‘You’re not really a film person, are you? You don’t get involved with all the politics and hierarchy stuff. It doesn’t seem to stick.’ I said, ‘That’s awesome you’d say that, but I’ve worked in this industry for 30 years.’ I told him that what he said was probably the nic-
est thing I’d ever heard in the business.”
In her retirement, Cline is an avid traveler, even checking off Antarctica from her bucket list. She works more in abstract art now, filling large canvases with highly textured modeling paste and incorporating Pend Oreille River glass. She has also practiced transcendental meditation for the past couple of decades and still sees a few patients from her psychology practice.
“It’s been a crazy life,” she said. “But so enjoyable.”
Courtesy photo.
Cline at work doing what she loves.
Photo courtesy ADG.
2022 primary Election CANDIDATE QUESTIONNAIRE
Ahead of the Tuesday, May 17 primary election, the Reader is presenting a limited series of election guides featuring questions and answers with candidates for a range of state and local offices. This week focuses on candi-
dates running in contested races for Idaho Senate District 1 and Idaho House District 1A and 1B seats.
Save the date Tuesday, May 3 at 5:30 p.m. for a forum featuring Legislative District 1 candidates at the Sandpoint High School Audito-
rium (410 S. Division St.). Virtual attendance will also be offered via Zoom. The forum will be presented by the Reader, sandpointonline. com and KRFY 88.5 FM.
Only contested primary races will be featured in the candidate
questionnaires. For more information on candidates — including those running unopposed — in the primary election, visit Election Central on sandpointonline.com.
A guide published in the April 14 edition of the Reader fea-
2022 primary election: Idaho Legislative District 1
1.Why are you running for the Idaho Legislature?
2. What would be your top three priorities if elected?
tured questions and answers with candidates for Bonner County commissioner Districts 2 and 3, and Bonner County assessor. Find it at sandpointreader.com.
For all other election-related information, visit Bonner County Elections at bonnercountyid.gov.
3.What do you see as the No. 1 challenge facing District 1, and how do you propose to address it?
4.How do you propose Idaho’s historic budget surplus should (or shouldn’t) be spent? Why?
Idaho Senate District 1 — Republican
Age: 54.
Birthplace and residence: Richmond, Va.; Sagle, Idaho.
How many years lived in Bonner County: 18.
Government/relevant service: Worked for Los Angeles County Office of Education and U.C. Berkeley for a combined 4.5 years.
Profession: Home builder.
Education: B.S., Finance, Arizona State University, 1989.
Family: Married 24 years to Arlene and eight children together —
seven still living with us in Sagle.
1.To help ensure that government remains limited, and serves the interest of the people, not itself. I will fight D.C. and Boise encroachment on the lives of Idahoans and ensure COVID-era tyranny never hits Idaho again. I value individual liberty, including your right to govern your own families, churches and businesses. State and federal constitutions recognize the rights of individuals to self-govern.
I will uphold the constitutional authority of the state of Idaho in relation to the federal government. I will craft policy that enforces the boundaries between the several branches of government.
2.1. Balance of power to the judiciary. Idaho should find a way to counter judicial activism.
2.The tax system. Our current complex system of “income” taxes, sales taxes, property taxes and other fees should be replaced by a first-use consumption tax to simplify the tax system.
3.The state’s balance of power with the federal government. Currently 42% of Idaho state “revenues” are federal government in-
flows to the state budget, much of it national debt. Additionally, the federal government runs programs through the state’s management for which the federal government is not constitutionally authorized.
3.Inflation and a dysfunctional supply chain. The source is both the federal and state government’s reaction to COVID-19 in their business shutdown orders and the liberal monetary policy at the federal level in giving away trillions of dollars in stimulus. Since Congress and the Federal Reserve have exhibited no fiscal responsibility, Idaho’s Legislature should consider refusing all national debt financed cash inflows from the federal government. Over $2 billion of federal inflows to the Idaho budget are borrowed against future generations of Americans. The Legislature will need to start voting “no” to the budgets that contain this taxpayer debt.
4.Even though Idaho is reporting a budget surplus, $6 billion of Idaho’s $14 billion budget last year was federal dollars transferred into the Idaho government and treated as “Revenues” on the Idaho Comprehensive Financial
Report. At least $2.58 billion of that federal $6 billion was borrowed against future generations of Americans and is part of the over $30 trillion national debt. Looking at the big picture, there is no actual net surplus in Idaho to the Idaho taxpayer. There is actually a slight net budget deficit in Idaho when considering the federal debt financed “revenues” on Idaho’s financial reports.
Age: 51.
Birthplace: Anacortes, Wash.
My family returned to Sandpoint by the time I was 3.
How many years lived in Bonner County: 26 years in Bonner
County/11 years in Boundary County.
Government/relevant service: Four years as the Legislative District 1 state senator, Northern Lights director for eight years, Sagle Fire District commissioner for four years, seven years of active Navy service as a nuclear power trained submarine officer, 14 years of reserve Navy service.
Profession: Small business owner providing excavation and dock building services.
Education: B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Idaho.
Family: Brenda and I have been married for 28 years now. We have two children.
1.I value the Idaho that I grew up in and I want to preserve it for future generations. Idaho is full of great people who value their independence and freedoms. Maintaining those freedoms comes through stable, transparent government with participation by all. As an Idahoan with a military background and now as a small business owner, I believe I provide state-level public policy
< see ELECTION, Page 17 >
Scott Herndon
Jim Woodward (incumbent)
decision-making for the long-term health of our state.
2.Education and transportation are two primary duties of state government. I will continue to focus on both areas, transferring the cost of our education system to the state budget instead of local property taxes and bringing projects like the Lakeshore intersection up the priority list. Serving on the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee, as I have for four years now, is key to these efforts. We have a balanced budget in Idaho, set by JFAC each year, which is a significant contributor to the stability of our state economy.
3.I believe growth is the No. 1 challenge in District 1 and throughout Idaho because of our stability and our values. The result is a local economy with ever-rising housing prices while at the same time we are seeing nationwide inflation. This year we cut the income tax rate for future years and you will see a rebate from your 2020 state income taxes. I also supported the grocery tax credit increase, which now allows a family of four to purchase $8,000 of groceries tax free annually. There is no simple answer to growing pains, but traditional Idaho conservative and consistent policy will keep us on the correct path forward.
4.Idaho’s tax revenues that were much greater than anticipated were budgeted in the oldschool, farm-family way this year. We invested in the future with transportation funding to improve existing roads and accommodate growth. We also invested in Idaho’s education system, the building block of our society. Emergency responders from across the state will benefit from funding for communications systems and additional support to combat narcotics trafficking coming across our southern U.S. border and very much affecting Idaho. The tax rebate mentioned above was part of the overall budget package, as well as putting money in our rainy-day funds. We did it the Idaho way and I think it is something we can all be proud of.
Idaho House — Republican DISTRICT 1A
Spencer Hutchings
Age: 52.
Birthplace and residence: California, Sagle.
How many years lived in Bonner County: 9.
Government/relevant service: Proud and loyal U.S. citizen.
Profession: Business owner.
Education: One year of college.
Family: Wife and daughter.
1.Idaho has experienced unprecedented government overreach during the past two years, and the threat of more of the same continues. A government that perpetrated this on its citizens while shirking any notion of accountability is not my idea of a promising future. I decided to get proactive, work for changes at the state level and begin the process to retake our freedoms from those who have robbed us of them. I will do so by shining a light on wrongs when I see them, and I will stand for what is in the best interest of citizens and support our Constitution.
2.1. Short-term, I will work to eliminate CRT, sexual orientation-related and politically motivated education from taxpayer-funded schools. These topics have fostered a divisive atmosphere that has permeated all levels of the school system. Such topics are inappropriate for children and do nothing to prepare them for a productive role in society.
2.I believe in reducing the size of government, every citizen’s tax burden and the number of regulations. As we have seen in these past two years, even when state coffers are overflowing, no serious effort was made to eliminate or reduce taxes, for instance, the grocery tax, nor trim back business-stifling regulations.
3.Taking back Idaho lands
3.The leftist indoctrination of our children in government schools. Let’s start by returning prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and teaching the Constitution and Bill of Rights, as written, to the classroom. One indication of the failure of our schools is that they graduate students with no foundational knowledge in civics education, this seriously undermines their future engagement in government. Furthermore, all time spent on leftist indoctrination is time taken away from useful education topics our children need to be successful in life.
4.The job of state and local government is not to grift from the citizenry as much as the citizenry can bear and then figure out ways to spend it. Government should be extraordinarily careful in determining the level and kind of taxation and spend those funds on only necessary — not nice-to-have — services. Roads, critical infrastructure and law enforcement funding are examples of reasonable, well-spent funds. Any surplus should be returned to taxpayers, with interest.
Age: 56.
Birthplace and residence: Portland, Ore.; Sagle, Idaho.
How many years lived in Bonner County: Several years as a part-time resident, but made the move permanent in March 2021 (13 months).
Government/relevant service: Retired senior deputy sheriff — 26 ½ years.
Profession: Retired deputy sheriff.
Education: Some college, high-school diploma.
Family: Married 28 years (almost 29) with two adult children.
1.I am running because I have seen firsthand how the left’s so-
cialist, tax-and-spend ideology has destroyed cities and our culture. I see the same destructive, socialist policies at work here in Idaho. I took an oath to uphold the U.S. Constitution and the rule of law. When I retired from the Sheriff’s Office and moved to Sagle, I realized that I could not sit back and watch the Idaho I knew as a boy become a copy of California, Oregon and Washington.
I will fight for Idahoans’ freedom and to eliminate the federal government’s control of Idaho’s land and natural resources, returning them to state control for use in creating new job opportunities for Idahoans and reducing the effective tax burden for many Idahoans.
2.School choice — Tax money should follow the children to their school.
Education reform — Removal of Common Core, CRT, DEI and transgender studies in our public school system, and return to a mastery of the foundational principles of reading, math, writing and civics.
Tax reduction and stabilization — Eliminate the grocery tax and reduce property taxes.
3.I am a proponent for returning control of our educational system to parents and local school boards. Parents have God-given rights. Parents should have access to all curriculum involving their children and final approval for their use. I believe educators should be held responsible for teaching subjects or textbooks contrary to the wishes of the parents and school board. The subjects currently taught, Common Core, DEI, CRT, SEL, transgender studies, etc., are not aligned with the U.S. Constitution and the founding fathers’ opinions surrounding the birth of our country or lessons found in the Bible.
4.I believe that our historic surplus should be used to eliminate the grocery tax and any surplus balance held in a reserve to establish a “rainy day” fund to buffer historic inflation and the trend toward increasing taxes and fees. I am passionate about tax reform and stabilization. I will work toward eliminating the grocery tax and reducing volatility in the property tax rates for homeowners. Migration from other states has caused property taxes for homeowners to substantially increase.
I am a proponent for freezing
property tax increases for homeowners on a fixed income in order to reduce the risk to Idahoans who are retired, on Social Security or otherwise unable to work due to a disability. The rampant property tax increases must be addressed before vulnerable homeowners are taxed out of their homes.
Age: 64.
Birthplace and residence: Born in Downey, Calif. Live in a rural area of Dover now.
How many years lived in Bonner County: Since 2012.
Government/relevant service: 30 years in fire service (eight years as fire chief), three years in city government before retirement.
Profession: Currently assisting with administrative projects for Selkirk Fire District.
Education: Undergraduate degree in Fire Administration. Master’s degree in Public Administration.
Family: Two adult children (a deputy county prosecutor and a Navy pilot).
1.I have worked in public service all of my adult life. I want to continue to serve our District. I have the time, experience, knowledge and leadership ability to represent our citizens.
2.Job growth — We need to hold our regulations down and give employers the freedom to create jobs. We need to support Idaho businesses with the infrastructure they need to flourish. By standing up for water resources and supporting agriculture, timber, manufacturing and tech businesses, we will keep them competitive and productive. We also need to ensure our education system is providing the necessary training for students to advance into good jobs and careers.
Community safety — We need to support our law enforcement,
Adam Rorick
Mark Sauter
< ELECTION, con’t from Page 17 > fire service and EMS community with the tools they need to provide services. We also need to protect our Second Amendment rights. I will support efforts to secure our southern border and reduce the negative impacts of border issues.
Improve the fairness of our tax system — We need to take a comprehensive look at our tax system. Residents are consistently bringing property and grocery tax issues to my attention. Many Idaho families and property owners are struggling with the tax burdens they face. As your representative I will do what I can to reduce our property and grocery taxes.
3.Responsible representation. We have many different opinions regarding the state of our District. We are experiencing considerable population growth. Our public services and infrastructure systems are strained. We need to focus on what we agree on (community needs, foundation for residents and business, public safety) and work on those issues. The U.S. and Idaho Constitutions serve as our guiding documents. We need to stay within them and determine the best decisions for our District. By regularly communicating (and listening) to the citizens, business owners and service providers of the District, I will be best positioned to represent their needs and priorities.
4.The allocation of our record budget surplus has been made and signed into law. The Legislature rebated funds to the taxpayers, paid down state debts, invested in rebuilding infrastructure, committed to replacing some old facilities, saved funds for a rainy day and funded many one-time projects. I believe the choices made by the Legislature were prudent. Returning some of the revenue is appropriate, paying down debt saves money, investing in our future is responsible and being prepared for changes in our fiscal status is wise.
Travis Thompson
DID NOT PARTICIPATE
Age: 70.
Birthplace and residence: Berwyn, Ill.; rural Bonner County, Sandpoint.
How many years lived in Bonner County: 5 years, since leaving Ada County, Idaho in 2017.
Government/relevant service: Never run before. Served “We The People” behind the scenes in Idaho government for 10+ years; served state and U.S. candidates elected in Illinois, Michigan, Hawaii, Oregon and Idaho.
Profession: Unofficially retired, but still researching and writing combination textbooks/ journals; taught 50+ years in grades pre-K-12; taught gifted/ talented public school teachers (K-12) at Boise State University, Summer Continuing Education week-long course.
Education: University of Michigan, B.A., majors in biology/pre-med and French, minors in teaching/poli-sci/American history; National Louis University, M.A. in teaching, summa cum laude; University of Baltimore Law School, ad hoc student for international aviation law.
Family: Married to William for 26 years; grown children living in three states Scott, Lara and William; 11 grandchildren; “empty nesters” with dogs Nikko and Arabella, and 42 hens.
1.Idaho is in serious trouble! Luckily, I’m an optimistic proven leader, with solutions and experience getting the job done. I’m a patriot! My character was molded by parents who taught me that when I see a problem, I must find a solution and fix it. To restore Idaho’s sovereignty, first we must restore the Constitution of the United States through Article V Convention of States. (I have 52 years experience studying the Constitution.) It’s the only way “We The People” can stop government overreach!
2.1. Keep rural Idaho rural.
Stop selling our land and natural resources to foreign countries and 63% of Idaho is owned by the Federal government. Restore Idaho’s sovereignty and take it back via the Constitution. We must stop selling our natural resources while Idahoans lose their homes.
2.Repeal these taxes: property and estate, gasoline, food and medicine, and replace them with a consumption tax. If wealthy elitists want to live here, their inflation of our real estate taxes causes Idahoans to have rising taxes. Many are losing their lands, family homes and the next generation of Idaho youth.
3.Parents’ rights must be restored immediately. It’s about our constitutional rights to make all decisions for our children. Support education to keep northern Idaho youth in northern Idaho, not forced to leave to get vocational training.
3.Unite Idaho’s greatest resources: “We The People” and our natureand God-given natural resources. Both must be restored. Individual freedoms must and can only be restored by a grassroots effort of “We The People” standing united! My 21st-century education system provides real school choice and a voucher system created, tested and refined for Idaho for 2023. No more empty words and promises.
4.Determine what Idaho needs for inflation emergencies, give veterans the care they need and prorate the rest to every Idahoan who paid property taxes in 2021. Shrink the budget and get rid of all the agencies that are not overseen by the Legislature. It’s only a surplus because we got it by overtaxing “We The People” and by the federal government taxing us beyond what’s needed to provide for the national defense. Close our borders, protect the Republic and fund our public schools.
Forty percent of our “surplus” we got from the feds, with strings attached. The federal government exists for the military and veterans protecting national borders, and guaranteeing the original, perfect Constitution will remain.
Idaho House — Democrat DISTRICT 1A
Steve Johnson is running unopposed in the Democratic primary for Idaho House Representative District 1A. Visit here for more info: stevejohnsonforidaho.com
Idaho House — Republican DISTRICT 1B
Age: 52.
Birthplace and residence: Born Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio; reside in the Samuels area.
How many years lived in Bonner County: Have lived in Bonner County 19 years.
Government/relevant experience: I have served as a representative for eight years.
Profession: I work in financial services.
Education: San Jose State University.
Family: Wife and 7 children.
1.I am running because constituents continue to ask me to serve, and I feel my conservative values still accurately represent the interests of District 1.
2.Property taxes: Increasing home values and tax levies are placing a large burden upon many Idahoans, and especially those on fixed incomes. Amending our state constitution to allow for similar parcels to be assessed differently, or doing away with property taxes altogether, are two possible solutions that would make an immediate impact. There are also a host of other ideas that can be discussed in order to improve this issue.
Federal overreach: Preventing the federal government from acting beyond its scope of constitutional authority within Idaho is a growing necessity. Also, the ongoing influence of federal dollars that drive policy in our state needs to be made clearer so legislators can make more informed decisions about whether or not the required actions are worth the dollars being offered.
Managing our Natural Resources: Continuing to ensure Idaho has a strong voice in determining natu-
ral resource policy within the state is critical. Encouraging programs like the Good Neighbor Authority and the Shared Stewardship Board, will help to mitigate wildfire risk, increase access to public lands, and protect our lakes and rivers.
3.The increasing population and the price inflation that has followed is our largest challenge. Rising property taxes are still a concern, and our current system has many flaws that need to be addressed. While Idaho has little responsibility for controlling inflation, we can enact policies that encourage economic growth as well as lessen the tax burden as much as possible, in order to ease the pain being felt by the citizens of District 1.
4.One of the best ways to make use of excess revenue is to return it to the people of Idaho, which is exactly what the Legislature has done for the past two years in the form of ongoing tax reductions, as well as a tax rebate. If our excess revenues continue, investments in fixed infrastructure, such as roads, bridges and building maintenance, are a wise way to defray future costs.
There will be a candidates’ forum for legislative candidates for District 1 on Tuesday, May 3 at 5:30 p.m. at the Sandpoint High School auditorium.
A separate candidates’ forum for Bonner County candidates will be Monday, May 2 at 5:30 p.m. at SHS.
Cynthia Weiss
Sage Dixon (incumbent)
Todd Engel
DID NOT PARTICIPATE
Roxie Lowther honored as Woman of Wisdom
By Reader Staff
Women Honoring Women has awarded its 2022 Lifetime Achievement Award to Roxie Lowther, described by the organization as having “lived her life with grace, fortitude and impeccable integrity, and she is inspiring.”
Born and brought up in Clark Fork, Lowther lived most of her adult life in Sandpoint, where she built a successful career as a corporate executive at Litehouse Foods, raised a family, and contributed to a wide array of community activities and causes.
Lowther is among the five community residents selected as Women of Wisdom for 2022. Also selected were Karen Applegate, Diane Arrants, Sherry Ennis and Patti Speelmon.
While serving on the board of directors for the Downtown Sandpoint Business Association, Lowther was an instrumental part of Winter Carnival, Mardi Gras and other holiday events. She was also involved with the Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce Sandpoint Summer Sampler for about six years, contributing to the chamber honoring her as volunteer of the month for her community involvement.
In addition to that, Lowther is also a member of Pend Oreille Pedalers, Kaniksu Land Trust, Sandpoint Nordic Club and was on the Women of Wisdom committee. She also joined the Panhandle Alliance for Education Board of Directors, emeritus, where she worked on
large projects including CHAFE, the golf tourney, teacher appreciation and gala.
Lowther has also helped out in smaller ways, including in the classrooms of all three of her children, as Kaleidoscope art program teacher and at the library as a pre-school storyteller.
Lowther volunteers at the Healing Garden, COR Community Garden and at the pre-fair, and has inventoried hundreds of school supplies for the Angels Over Sandpoint Backpacks and School Supplies giveaway.
Not only has she volunteered on the committees that support CHAFE, the Long Bridge Swim and Sandpoint Half Marathon, but she has been a competitor.
“While any one of these events is an accomplishment, she took them all on,” Women Honoring Women stated, going on to describe Lowther as “a talented and creative chef, an expert gardener and a gifted interior decorator. Roxie is a daughter, wife, mother, grandmother, sister and friend.”
To be nominated for Woman of Wisdom, candidates must be 65 years or older; possess vision and achieve goals through collaboration; exhibit a love of learning; show a commitment to the Bonner County community and its members; and demonstrate a positive impact, such as in the areas of art, music, theater, dance, sports, education and service.
Women of Wisdom also demonstrate dedicated leadership that results in admiration and respect from others, provide inspiration, face life’s challenges with grace and courage, and live with
dignity, integrity and honor.
The Gala luncheon honoring the Women of Wisdom is scheduled for 11 a.m., Saturday, May 7 at the Ponderay Event Center (401 Bocommunitynner Mall Way). Tickets are $30 and reservations will be accepted until Thursday, April 28, available from Diane Stockton at 208-2906362 or stockton_diane@yahoo. com. The event includes a meal and program introducing the 2022 Women of Wisdom to celebrate their Lifetime Achievement Award.
Roxie Lowther.
Courtesy photo.
Donations support community pets
By Reader Staff
Every week community members drop off or ship pet food donations to Better Together Animal Alliance. While those gifts are received with gratitude, the organization stated in a news release that more are needed.
“We are so thankful for all of the pet food donations we’ve received in recent weeks,” said BTAA Animal Care Center Manager Christi Roberson. “When we receive food donations, it is used to feed the animals we have in our care, animals in foster care, as well as help stock our community pet food bank. This is such an important service we provide to our region.”
Meanwhile, animal shelters across the country are seeing new trends in the need for pet assistance. Because of housing and other elevated living costs, the sector is seeing a higher-than-normal need for assistance to keep pets with their families, and provide them with food and health care. Adoptions have also experienced a sharp decline, which leaves animals without homes longer than normal.
“We don’t want anyone to feel like they
need to relinquish a loved pet because they can’t afford to purchase food,” Roberson said. “Studies show that companion animals like cats and dogs are happier and healthier when they can be in homes. Our goal is to keep families together whenever possible, and help animals at our care center find a home or a foster home as soon as we can.”
BTAA underscored a number of ways to support unhoused pets: adoption, giving animals the interaction and medical care they need to limit stress, anxiety, illness or behavior issues; fostering, which provides a safe, comfortable environment and socialization for animals while BTAA assists with supplies and veterinary care; and donating, which can include direct financial assistance a bettertogetheranimalalliance.org or items such as dog and cat food, treats, cleaning supplies and more dropped off at any of BTAA’s donation bins at Yokes, Super 1 or North 40. Donations can also be made at the Sandpoint Petco or through BTAA’s wishlist at chewy.com or on Amazon. Links to both wishlists can be found on the BTAA website under “Ways to Give.”
“The animals in our care are so lucky to have the support of our community,” Roberson said. “Having that kind of support allows us to continue to grow much-needed programs and services that help animals and their families throughout our region.”
To learn more about BTAA, donate or check out animals available to adopt, visit bettertogetheranimalalliance.org.
LPOIC to host 74th annual spring fishing derby
By Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey Reader Staff
Nothing says spring on Lake Pend Oreille like a day of fishing — or, several days. Luckily, the 74th annual Lake Pend Oreille Idaho Club Spring Derby is slated for Saturday, April 23 through Sunday, May 1, during which anglers of all ages can get involved in the club’s mission to protect the lake and its unique fishery.
Notably missing from the club’s 2022 spring derby poster is its traditional name: the “K&K” derby, which serves as a nod to the Kootenay rainbow — also known as Gerrard trout — and kokanee fish caught during previous competitions. However, there is no longer a kokanee prize associated with the LPOIC spring derby, prompting this year’s name change.
“We are still the same club with the same goals and reverence for our wonderful lake,” LPOIC Board Member Barbara Gillespie told the Reader Divisions of competition for the 2022 spring derby include Adult, in which anglers must be 21 or older and pay $50 to enter; Junior, including those between the ages of 13-20, who pay a $10 fee; a Youth A Division (ages 9-12); and a Youth B Division (8 years old and younger). Both Youth divisions participate for free.
Competition to run April 23-May 1
All divisions will compete to catch the largest rainbow and mackinaw trout (also known as lake trout). For adults, rainbow must be a 32-inch minimum length, with the first-place fish earning a $4,000 prize. Prizes are awarded to the top five rainbows in the Adult Division, ranging from the top prize down to $500 for fifth place, and there is a $500 catch-and-release bonus for any placing rainbow that is put successfully back into the lake after weigh in.
In recent years, LPOIC has shifted toward promoting catch and release of the massive rainbow trout special to Lake Pend Oreille, which Gillespie called “a game changer for our lake.”
“There are now several more derbies targeting the rainbows than there were just five years ago,” she said. “Our club has developed a system where our trophy fish can be released back into the water after they are weighed and measured. This concept requires a monetary commitment from the club to provide training for weighmasters, and we now pay them for this service.
“We are very happy to see that other organizers are following suit,” she added.
As for the adult mackinaw division, there is no length limit and the top 10 fish will earn cash prizes ranging from $100-$1,200. The largest mackinaw caught on each day of the derby will also draw a $150 prize.
The top four rainbow caught in the
Junior Division — which must be 28 inches or longer — as well as the top four mackinaw will earn prizes ranging from $200-$600, and there is a $100 catchand-release bonus for placing rainbows in that division. The top three rainbows and mackinaw in both Youth divisions will also earn prizes and trophies.
As always, LPOIC hopes to use the derby as an opportunity to get more people involved in the stewardship of the lake, keeping true to the club’s mission to “protect and enhance” Lake Pend Oreille and the magnificent creatures swimming in it.
“We are so lucky to have this resource in our own backyard,” Gillespie said.
To register for the 2022 LPOIC Spring Derby, visit one of the following ticket outlets: Holiday Shores Resort, Black Sheep Sporting Goods, Captn’s Table, Odie’s Bayside Grocery, MacDonald’s Hudson Bay Resort, Priest River Ace Hardware, Captain’s Wheel Resort, Ralph’s Coffee House, North 40 in Ponderay, Fins and Feathers Tackle Shop, Bayview General Mercantile, North Ridge Outfitters, Sandpoint Marine and Motorsports, Mark’s Marine or Superfly Tackle.
For a complete list of prizes and other derby information, visit lpoic.org or go to facebook.com/lpoic.
Gus is a 2-year-old mixed breed dog currently available to adopt at Better Together Animal Alliance. Courtesy photo.
FOOD & DRINK
Yolk’s on me
By Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey Reader Staff
Most people can identify a food with which they share a checkered past. Broccoli or peas are popular candidates for this culinary relationship. Others may share a love-hate thing with bleu cheese or Brussels sprouts.
For me, it’s eggs.
As a child, I refused to eat them. Looking back, I felt extreme distaste for breakfast foods. Despite a trusty family recipe, I could not stomach pancakes and waffles were only a slightly crispier attempt at disguising what I saw as soggy bread. While my dad could coax me to eat one of Great-Grandma Kiebert’s pancakes with peanut butter and jelly, eggs were out of the question.
While most adversarial food relationships are overcome with time and changing taste buds, I can hardly say I’ve made it that far with eggs. Regardless, as life would have it, I had to make at least partial peace with the fragile, gooey things in adulthood. Feeding yourself is expensive, it turns out, and eggs happen to be a cheap, easy source of protein. That reality, paired with moving in with my egg-loving then-boyfriend-now-husband, brought eggs back into my life in a big way about five years ago.
I didn’t mean to overcome my egg aversion, but I’m glad I did
I learned a few key things about making eggs tolerable during my past few trips around the sun. For one, flavor was never my problem — it was texture. To this day, when my husband asks how I want my egg, I say: “Kill it.” In other words, fry the crap out of it. If I have the slightest sense of booger-like texture when it hits the plate, I can’t do it. Scrambled-near-burnt — and with at least two pieces of buttered toast — is best.
However, I discovered the true magic of eggs more recently. I’ve been blessed with extreme cravings for vegetables in my mid-20s (which sure beats the pizza
Lyndsie’s overnight egg bake
This is my go-to recipe for family brunches, or for when the hens are working overtime and I’m simply drowning in eggs. It needs to sit overnight in the fridge, so it’s perfect for when you want breakfast ready to pop in the oven when you wake up. This recipe is more of a general guideline than a true recipe, because you can tailor the egg bake to your individual tastes.
Ingredients: directions:
•1 doz. eggs
•Flour tortillas
•Veggies of choice
•Meat of choice
•Cheddar cheese
•Salt, pepper and other seasonings you like
Spray a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking oil and set aside. Cook the chosen meat on the stovetop (I regularly use pork sausage, but pre-cooked venison smokies are also great and don’t need stovetop preparation) and set aside. Chop veggies (my favorites are spinach, peppers, cherry tomatoes and potatoes) and set aside. Next, lay out a flour tortilla and fill it with a mix of meat, veggies and cheese. Roll it up like a burrito, and lay in the baking dish so that the ends are sealed against the long sides of the dish. Repeat until the entire dish is filled with rolled tortillas. Next, whisk about a dozen eggs in a large bowl with salt, pepper and whatever other seasonings you enjoy in eggs, then pour over the top of all the tortillas. Cover and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and uncover the baking dish. Sprinkle cheese on top and bake for 40-45 minutes. Check intermittently with a toothpick to make sure the eggs cook through. Once done, let cool, then slice into squares and serve with preferred toppings. I like avocado and fresh tomatoes on top of my slice.
roll cravings of my early-20s) and I now know that eggs can simply be a conduit for spinach, potatoes, peppers, microgreens, onions and — my personal favorite — tomatoes. Throw some salsa and cheese on top and there you have it: an acceptable meal any time of day in my home. Of course, there still has to be toast. These forays into egg consumption became all the more important when we got chickens. The number of hens has fluctuated over the years, but today there are 14, and they are celebrating the return of longer days with plenty of beautiful brown eggs. I’ve learned that chickens are ruthless, funny and hard-working little creatures,
and for someone who never cared much for the product of their labors, I can sure taste the difference between store-bought and farm-fresh, and I’m officially a snob about it.
Today, eggs make up a sizable portion of my diet. I am thankful to my chickens, to my husband for keeping the coop clean and for the knowledge that I can name the exact source of another part of my daily intake of sustenance. It’s the same feeling I get when I harvest tomatoes from my garden in the summer, and when my family harvests elk and deer from the mountains in the fall.
Here’s to eggs, and to all the other good foods we may need to trick ourselves into eating with a little extra butter and toast. No shame.
: A classic Kiebert-Carey household veggie scramble, most likely served for dinner with lots of toast.
Left
Photo by Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey.
events
April 21-28, 2022
THURSDAY, april 21
Cornhole • 6pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall
Every Thursday. $10 w/ 6-game guarantee
Live Music w/ Savannah Kay 8-10pm @ 219 Lounge
FriDAY, april 22
Live Music w/ Joey Anderson
6:30-9:30pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall
Five-time IN-CMA winner
Live Music w/ Mobius Riff
5-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery
Live Music w/ Pamela Jean
Violin Solo Recital
6pm @ Christ Our Redeemer Church
Violin music performed by Suzuki String Academy students ages 4-18. Free event!
Free demo of gravel and fat bikes from VTT parking lot (.4 miles north of Hwy 2 on W. Pine St.) sponsored by Otso Cycles and Syringa Cyclery
Dance and Swing lesson
7-10pm @ Ponderay Event Center
Swing lesson taught at 7, followed by general dancing at 8. Refreshments, door prizes and fun. All welcome. 208-699-0421
Sandpoint Street Scramble
10am-1pm @ Litehouse YMCA
Walk, bike or run for this scramble through town to polish up on your Sandpoint knowledge. Sign-in 9-9:40am. Register: jwharbuck@hughes.net or ewoc.org
Pine St. Woods Earth Day trail clean up
10am-3pm @ Pine St. Woods
Two trail-work sessions will be led, from 10-2 and again from 1-3. Lunch and learning rom 12-1
Live Music w/ Brian Jacobs
5-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery
Hiking with Dogs Lunch and Learn w/ ICL and FSPW • 12-1pm @ Pine Street Woods
Learn how to keep your furry friend safe while hiking. Lunch by Mr. Sub
SunDAY, april 24
StoryTelling Company
7:30pm @ Eichardt’s Pub
True and not-so-true stories from the West, plus music by Bob Missed the Bus. Tickets $27.50 available at Eichardt’s
Sip and Strum guitar class for adults
4-5:30pm @ Suzuki String Academy
Guitar basics and beyond. BYO drinks and guitar. ingo@suzukistringacademy.com
Rally to support Ukraine 1-2pm @ Hwy 2 bike path by Superior St.
POP group gravel bike ride
9am @ Pack River Store
A 20-30 mile gravel road ride followed by breakfast at Pack River Store
North Idaho Earth Day Climate March 3pm @ Farmin Park clock to City Beach WildIdahoRisingTide.org
Music Matters! Children Performing for Children • 6pm @ Panida Theater
Celebrate with over 100 local Music Matters! students. $5/adult, under 12 are free
Bonner Co. Farm Bureau Candidates’ Forum • 6pm @ Blanchard Area Senior Ctr. Meet candidates for Bonner Co. positions. 685 Rusho Lane, Blanchard
wednesDAY, april 27
Live Music w/ John Firshi
7pm @ Eichardt’s Pub Chamber concert
7pm @ First Presbyterian Church String ensemble music by Suzuki String Academy
thursDAY, april 28
Bonner Co. Farm Bureau Candidates’ Forum • 6pm @ Clark Fork Hope Senior Ctr. Meet candidates for Bonner Co. positions. 1001 Cedar St., Clark Fork
COMMUNITY
Walk, run or bike to the Sandpoint Street Scramble
By Reader Staff
The eighth annual Sandpoint Street Scramble is a navigation race for participants to walk, run or bike to visit as many of the checkpoints marked on a map of Sandpoint and surrounding areas as possible in three hours. The race takes place Saturday, April 23 from 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
At each checkpoint, participants will answer a simple question to validate their visit. Checkpoints have different point values associated with them, so planning your route to maximize your point total is crucial. Whoever finishes with the most points wins.
The event is hosted by the Eastern Washington Orienteering Club. The cost for EWOC members is $6. Non-members will pay $8. Registration is open from 9-9:40 a.m. at Litehouse YMCA (1905 Pine St., in Sandpoint).
Participants are asked to park across the street (on the north side of Pine). There will be a map handout and course planning at 9:45 a.m. and the race starts at 10 a.m. Racers must return to the start by 1 p.m. to
avoid a penalty.
Pre-registering will guarantee receiving a map. Event-day registrants will be accommodated as the limited supply of maps allows. Email John Harbuck by Thursday, April 21 at jwharbuck@hughes.net to register. Other navigation events in the region may be found at: ewoc.org and navraces.com.
The Outfit is a finely crafted crime drama
By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff
So many movie-goers are habituated to the scale of contemporary blockbusters that few filmmakers dare to tell stories featuring small casts, much less set them in a single interior location over the course of a single day. By the current standards of cinema, that’s practically a play.
Yet so much of the spectacular bloat layered on big-budget movies serves as insulation for the essential laziness of their construction. In The Outfit, released on March 18 and currently in theaters, everything from the writing, directing and acting to the set, sound and lighting is trimmed and proportioned to perfection.
That’s by design, starting with the profession of the lead character, a “cutter” of bespoke suits, whose shop turning out high-end outfits in 1950s Chicago becomes a place where various organized
crime “outfits” become woven together — literally — in a labyrinth of competing power plays.
Too many reviewers have belabored the tailoring/cutting metaphors to continue with them here. Suffice to say, the critical response has been positive: 3.5 out of 4 stars from rogerebert. com, 84% on rottentomatoes.com, 7.2/10 on imdb.com.
Much of this praise is centered on the ever-stellar Mark Rylance, who plays Leonard, the shop-owner and “cutter,” who is not to be confused with a “tailor.” As he frequently points out with quiet British annoyance, the latter hems pants and sew on buttons — the former is a big-picture creator whose medium is fabric.
All the action in The Outfit takes place over a 24-hour period inside the two dim-lit rooms of Leonard’s shop, with mobsters coming and going to collect information and payoffs from a small box on the wall near his
work table. There he labors with meditative expertise, though with a sideyed bead on what’s happening around him. From the outset, it’s clear that Leonard knows more than he’s willing to say, including about his own past.
Though neatly dressed and precise in his speech and manner, Rylance gives Leonard a shy, shambling, hang-dog aura, broken only by an understated paternal affection for his streetwise, ambitious shop clerk, Mable (Zoey Deutch).
The outside underworld comes crashing in when a pair of young hoods — one of them the son of the neighborhood godfather — collect an envelope from “The Outfit” containing secrets that could be the local crime family’s ticket into the big syndicates.
From there events seemingly spiral out of control as loyalties unravel, hidden motivations come to light and plans within plans within plans are put into motion.
The Outfit, directed by Graham
Moore and written by Moore and Johnathan McClain, does much with little, crafting a simmering, immersive atmosphere that crackles with tension until it’s periodically blown apart by episodes of violence.
It’s also the kind of movie that simply doesn’t get made often anymore, having much in common with the pressure-cooker noir films of the 1950s that centered on characters’ motivations, rather than splashy set pieces, and kept
audiences guessing well into the third act.
By the time the credits roll, The Outfit proves that bigger isn’t always better — better is just better.
In theaters now or available for rent on Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Google Play, Vudu or Apple TV.
Mark Rylance plays Leonard in The Outfit, a “cutter” and shop-owner. Courtesy photo.
Lions hand off Sandpoint flag service to Rotary Club
By Reader Staff
For more than 62 years, American flags have popped up in and around Sandpoint during most national holidays. The flags seemingly show up at dawn and disappear at dusk.
While some people know the Sandpoint Lions Club has been the force behind this display of patriotism, most have no idea how much work goes on behind the scenes — too much work for an active Lions Club that has its hands full with Toys for Tots, the annual Easter Egg Hunt and a Fourth of July spectacular that is second to none.
The Lions Club members didn’t want this service to go away but knew they didn’t have enough members to keep it going. Enter: The Sandpoint Rotary Club.
Lions Club member Tom Dabrowski has attended Sandpoint Rotary meetings and has often made presentations in front of the service organization.
It was obvious to him that the 100-member Rotary Club might be the answer.
“Tom reached out to us and made it clear it was something we should consider,” Rotary Club President David Keyes said. “It was a no-brainer because I told him of
course we would take it on without even knowing the nuts and bolts of how it works. I couldn’t imagine Sandpoint without all of those American flags lining our streets in front of businesses and homes.
“This is a very patriotic area and this display of flags is a huge example of that,” Keyes added. “It wouldn’t be Sandpoint without the American flags.”
Sandpoint Rotarians voted unanimously to take it on in March and Lions Club President Janice Rader officially turned over the program on April 13.
“The Sandpoint Lions Club members are very proud of this patriotic service and have partnered with our friends at the Sandpoint Rotary Club and have helped them continue the program,” said Rader.
Lions will be showing Rotarians the secret of placing nearly 100 flags in and around Sandpoint 10 mornings a year and then taking them all down later on those same days.
Rader and Rotary will soon be sending out letters to all of the local participants to let them know about the change.
“We are excited and honored that the Lions thought enough of us to allow us to continue this patriotic legacy,” Keyes said.
“It’s
in good hands.”
A Sandpoint American flag history lesson
On Aug. 21, 1959, President Dwight D. Eisenhower admitted Hawaii into the United States as the 50th state and ordered the American flag be updated to feature 50 stars. The new flag was officially adopted on July 4, 1960, and raised during celebrations across the country.
Forward-thinking and active Sandpoint Lions Club member Cal Jones was determined for the Sandpoint community to participate in this historic event. In April 1960, the Sandpoint News-Bulletin reported: “50 Star Flag Sales Pushed by Lions.”
According to the paper, Jones, a Sandpoint High School art teacher and chairman of the committee to bring the 50-star flags to the community, announced flag service sales in the downtown core, with, “the local club furnishing, putting up and taking down, maintaining and storing the flags for local merchants.”
“Jones said he hoped the city would
have a uniform and beautiful display of flags throughout the business district,” according to the paper.
“Chairman Jones reported at the June 1960 club meeting that there was no word on the arrival date of the flags but he certainly hoped they would arrive by the Fourth of July celebration,” the paper added.
No further history or documentation exists of when the flags did arrive, but it’s safe to say the Lions Club has faithfully kept this program going.
— Research compiled at the Bonner County History Museum by Sandpoint Rotarian Bev Kee.
Panida board meeting on April 21
By Reader Staff
The board of the Panida Theater will hold a meeting Thursday, April 21 at 6 p.m. in the Little Theater to discuss reports from multiple committees focused both on current theater happenings as well as strategic planning for the Panida’s future in Sandpoint.
At the top of the agenda, Panida Managing Director Veronica Knowlton will give a report on current theater operations. Reports from standing committees will follow, featuring information from the following groups: Finance Committee, Community Outreach Committee, Facilities Committee, Governance Committee and Volunteers Committee.
Next, ad hoc committees will present, including reports from the Programming, Grants and Bylaws committees. The board will also hear an update from Panida Theater Strategic Plan ad hoc committees, which will address several goals outlined in the strategic plan, including community enrichment, cultural and artistic programming,
operations and finances, and infrastructure.
The next meeting of the Panida Board is set for Thursday, May 19. To stay upto-date on all happenings at the theater, go to panida.org or facebook.com/panidatheater.
The Panida Board, which is currently made up of six volunteers, meets on the third Thursday of each month, unless otherwise noted on the theater’s website and Facebook page. Those hoping to get in touch with board members can email board@panida.org.
Lions President Janice Rader, left, and Sandpoint Rotary Club President David Keyes, right. Courtesy photo
Courtesy photo.
MUSIC
Home sweet Heartwood
Mattox Farm Productions to take over management of Heartwood Center starting in July
By Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey Reader Staff
When Robb Talbott and his wife, Tasha, launched Mattox Farm Productions in Sandpoint five years ago, the mission was simple: host live music from quality artists at feel-good, family-friendly shows.
Since Mattox Farm’s inception, Talbott has done just that, hosting events in more than a dozen local venues throughout every season, including the free Sandpoint Summer Music Series in Farmin Park and the annual Jack Frost Fest winter celebration. In addition to putting on these events, Talbott said he has always hoped to find a location where Mattox Farm could “curate a space that focused on the performers and was safe for all people.” Essentially, Talbott wanted his creation to find a home.
This week, as Mattox Farm Productions marked its fifth birthday, the Talbotts announced that a home for their project had been secured: the Heartwood Center, located at 615 Oak St. in Sandpoint. Mattox Farm will take over management of the venue in July.
“To be completely honest, it’s beyond a dream come true,” Talbott told the Reader
The Heartwood Center, dedicated in 1908 as St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, underwent a massive
renovation completed in 2014 and has since served as a venue for all kinds of events, including weddings, conferences, plays and live music. The space has been pretty quiet during the pandemic era, and most recently hosted the Sandpoint Waldorf School. Starting in July, Talbott will take over management responsibilities, and the space will remain open to a variety of events.
“When I started out on this adventure I had no idea where it would end up,” Talbott said of Mattox Farm Productions. “My hope was to run a music venue one day; but, to be honest, I didn’t know if the community wanted that, too.
“Over the last five years it has become increasingly obvious that there is room for a reliable space that is about music, theater and community-focused events that are family friendly and affordable,” he added.
Named for Talbott’s family farm in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, Mattox Farm Productions has been bringing music of all genres to Sandpoint and the surrounding area since 2017, always with an emphasis on the power that live music has to unite the community. Talbott has been instrumental in booking nationally touring bands at area venues, as well as elevating the work of local artists by giving them more opportunities to perform.
With a dedicated home at the Heartwood Center, the possibilities for Talbott’s project are only growing.
“Mattox Farm Productions will be moving into the Heartwood Center this July looking to create events that support the local performing arts community in addition to bringing in talent from around the country and the globe,” Talbott wrote in an April 20 news release. “And as always, there will be a focus on making these events family-friendly and inviting to all.”
To follow events happening at the Heartwood Center starting in July, find Mattox Farm Productions or the Heartwood Center on Facebook and Instagram. Also visit mattoxfarm.com and heartwoodsandpoint.com. Those interested in renting the Heartwood Center for a performance, business conference, wedding or other community-oriented event later this summer can contact Robb Talbott via email at mattoxfarmproductions@gmail.com.
A snapshot of notable live music coming up in Sandpoint
Savannah Kay, 219 Lounge, April 21 Pamela Jean, MickDuff’s Beer Hall, April 23
Born and raised in Oceanside, Calif., Savannah Kay’s music exemplifies the vibrant, sun-soaked and fun-loving spirit of West Coast country.
Her original single “Melody of the Moment” takes that sensibility and infuses it with a pop-rock beat made-to-order for a summertime road trip playlist. Meanwhile, “Tumbleweed” brings winsome harmonica to bear in a thoughtful, swaying ballad about the feeling of rootlessness that comes from chasing something you’re looking for, but not sure exactly where
to find it. Both are radio-ready, but “Honey Whiskey” takes a more straightforward new country approach with hook-rich rhythms and anthemic vocal turns that take no imagination to envision as a good-time barroom favorite. Catch Kay when she brings her down-home charm to the 219 Lounge for an acoustic set.
— Zach Hagadone
8-10 p.m., FREE, 21+. 219 Lounge, 219 N. First Ave., 208263-5673, 219.bar. Listen at savannahkay.com and on Spotify.
Self-made musicians don’t owe their talent or success to anyone, and it frees them to be exactly the kind of artist they want to be. Pamela Jean is an exemplar of the DIY ethos, embarking on an eight-year musical and personal journey that has brought her from Southern California through nine states and — lucky for us — she landed in North Idaho.
She’s self taught, self funded and self promoted, resulting in her one-of-a-kind brand of rock-country buttressed with powerful vo-
This week’s RLW by Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey
READ
cals and impeccable songwriting that isn’t afraid to take on strong themes about life, love and loss.
Pamela Jean is the kind of performer who’s both been places and is going places — among them MickDuff’s Beer Hall. You should go there, too.
— Zach Hagadone
6:30-8:30 p.m., FREE, 21+. MickDuff’s Beer Hall, 220 Cedar St., 208-290-6700, mickduffs.com. Listen at pamelajeanunlimited.com and pamelajean.bandcamp.com.
My first memory of Natalie Babbitt’s 1975 novel Tuck Everlasting is having it read aloud to me in Mrs. Albertson’s fifthgrade class while we made candles. I revisited the story recently, and once again felt the small book’s ability to pack a massive punch. Tuck Everlasting follows a young girl who befriends a family who, thanks to a magic woodland stream, has been given the gift (or is it?) of eternal life. How will Winnie choose to use this knowledge? The story is touching for kids and adults alike.
LISTEN
Tears of joy welled in my eyes when I saw the announcement that indie rockers Mt. Joy would be playing the Festival at Sandpoint this summer. I’ve been a loyal fan of the band since their self-titled debut in 2018, and have heard them lean into the funkier flavors of their sound over the years. Mt. Joy recently released two singles that are essential listening in my world: “Lemon Tree” and “Orange Blood.” Find them wherever you stream music.
WATCH
Imagine a toddler — 3 or 4 years old — going on an errand alone. That’s the premise of Japanese reality show Old Enough!, now streaming on Netflix. Camera crews follow along as youngsters embark on their first solo trip out on the town, grocery shopping, going to the dry cleaners or taking lunch to their fathers at work. The narration is funny and the mishaps are plentiful. Old Enough! seems to take place in another world, and one where everyone pitches in to guide the way.
Robb Talbott speaks at the Heartwood Center in 2019. Photo by Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey.
From Northern Idaho News, April 18, 1916
NO BIDS TO BUILD BOTTLE BAY ROAD
When the time came for the county commissioners to open bids for the construction of the proposed Bottle Bay road Wednesday it was found that no one had the temerity to bid on the proposal and consequently people of the peninsula will have to wait still longer for their road.
As originally surveyed by the county engineer the road would cost in the neighborhood of $23,000. Several changes have since been suggested but no great reduction in the cost could be made, although a delegation of Bottle Bay ranchers appeared at the meeting with a plan for the cutting out of the overhead crossing near the Watt ranch.
The route was originally laid out by business men of this city and Bottle Bay residents. Later a survey was made and since the route was first viewed a number of changes have been talked of. As the route now stands a crossing had been planned at the Watt ranch which would necessitate the construction of a bridge some 600 feet in length. A grade crossing further north was suggested but was not incorporated in the route prior to call for bids.
Since the agitation for a road to the peninsula was first brought up the great proportionate cost has acted as a damper on the plans and with only $33,000 in the road fund with which to care for the many miles of road throughout the county during the year, the relatively small number of people to be benefitted has caused those interested in road matters to feel that the Bottle Bay road would prove rather expensive at this time.
BACK OF THE BOOK
The small, good things
By Ben Olson Reader Staff
Every job has its stresses, no matter if you’re the CEO of a Fortune 500 company or the dishwasher in a small-town diner.
Journalism is one industry with a particularly high burnout rate. The International Center for Journalists recently published a survey on how the pandemic affected journalists, highlighting the need for mental health support and interventions to help alleviate burnout among those in the industry. Exhaustion and burnout were some of the most commonly reported negative emotional and psychological reactions to the pandemic, with 38% of journalists who responded to the survey listing both as characteristics that make their jobs more difficult.
It didn’t take a pandemic to make us realize we’re always two or three steps away from total burnout. It’s part of the job, which includes having your words scrutinized and critiqued by anyone who picks up the paper.
If you have a bad day in most jobs, you might get yelled at by your boss, a co-worker or customer (or all three, if it’s a really bad day). When we have a bad day, thousands of people see our mistake and dozens will let us know about it — some with helpful tones, others with snarky glee.
There’s never a shortage of people out there seeking a bruise in which to press their thumb. Just this week, I was referred to on social media as a “proto-fascist” who “poisons the well” of this community with my words. For three years, Reader advertisers and I were subjected to relentless intimidation and harassment by a robocalling neo-Nazi who didn’t like that we reported their identity and racist activities both here and elsewhere. There is a folder by my desk that is bursting with all the hate mail sent to me over the years. I don’t know why I keep
it — maybe for proof when someone says, “Your job can’t be that hard, can it?”
Don’t get me wrong, I love this job. I love providing our community with opinions, features and news. But being in this business means walking around with targets on our backs, just waiting for someone to come out of the woodwork and fire their arrows our way. I flinch even hearing my name yelled in public by someone trying to get my attention.
One technique I use to bypass all the negativity and avoid burnout is to focus on the small, good things in life. There’s a Raymond Carver short story titled “A Small, Good Thing,” which features a mother and father whose son is hit and killed by a car on his way to school. The mother had already ordered a birthday cake for her son, and the oblivious, annoyed baker calls repeatedly to let her know the cake is ready. Finally confronted by the grieving parents, the baker apologizes for his callousness. He offers fresh-baked bread as “a small, good thing” and talks with them into the morning.
The story is ultimately about forgiveness, kindness and the healing power of human community — focusing on the power of “a small, good thing,” when confronted with life’s struggles.
My girlfriend Cadie is great at reminding me of these. She’s great at everything, actually, including defusing my stress. One small, good thing we do is take a walk at Pine Street Woods or Round Lake or any number of places where we can stroll among the trees and listen to the birds. I don’t owe them anything, and I love that.
Another small, good thing is driving out to do some piddling work on the sailboat I own with a friend. I’ll listen to a podcast or some tunes while driving to the marina, passing the quiet farm houses and flower stands along the way. Once at the boat, I’ll listen to
the eagles chirping from a nearby nest and be lulled by the sound of the water lapping against the hull while performing some trivial task that doesn’t really need to be done.
Another small, good thing is running into a familiar face you haven’t seen in a while and catching up on the sidewalk or at the post office. It seems there are so many faces I don’t recognize anymore.
Calling Secret Thai to order my weekly meal and having the owner Lyn recognize my voice is another small, good thing. Or receiving an invitation to sail across the Atlantic Ocean from someone who read in the paper that I always wanted to sail in the open ocean. Or being invited to someone’s home to see their collection of books and antique typewriters — not for a story, just because they thought I’d enjoy it.
There are countless small, good things. A quiet Monday morning snowboarding at Schweitzer. A spring day canoeing the Pack River. The genuine smile of a barista or the sound of Zach’s kids laughing as they run around playing some game in the backyard that his family shares with Cadie.
Life is hard, but don’t let it beat you down. Focus on the small, good things. They’re out there, waiting behind every corner, ready to bring a smile to your face again.
Crossword Solution
If I ever become a mummy, I’m going to have it so when somebody opens my lid a boxing glove on a spring shoots out.
Solution on page 26
Laughing Matter
By Bill Borders
CROSSWORD
ACROSS
1.Peaceful
5.Extraterrestrial object
10.Majestic
14.Dogfish
15.Licoricelike flavor
16.Dossier
17.Likening
19.Bend
20.Center
21.Ice a cake
22.On edge
23.Wearing away
25.Elicit
27.Paintings
28.Animals
31.Evaluate
34.Lower part of the abdomen
35.Blame
36.Dwarf buffalo
37.Condiment
38.List of choices
39.Deviation
[noun]
Solution on page 26
Solution on page 26
58.Fill to excess
59.Delete
60.Ukeleles
61.Once, long ago
62.S S S
63.Crooked Word Week of the
1. a professional storyteller of family genealogy, history, and legend.
“It was the sennachie who first told me I was special.”
Corrections: In the April 14 story, “A few words on chartreuse,” we identified the spirit as “43% proof.” That should’ve been “43% alcohol by volume.” Whoops. That’s one of the hazards of drinking chartreuse and then writing about it. — ZH Also, in “Old School Bonner County News Stories” in the April 15, nitro-glycerine was spelled “nitro-flycerine,”which does not exist. —BO
