Reader_February19_2026

The week in random review

By Soncirey Mitchell Reader Staff

fungi fiend

It has been said that I “like mushrooms.” Most people make this observation after seeing my mushroom mugs or overalls or sweaters or necklaces or wine glasses... You get the idea. It would be an embarrassingly long list for most, but I’m having too much fun with my fungi to care. This past Valentine’s Day, my partner surprised me by making (with the help of our friend, master-jeweler Matt Kinney of Sunshine Goldmine) the most amazing mixed-metal Amanita muscaria earrings. It’s safe to say I’m obsessed, and so I needed to learn more about this colorful mycelium.

A. muscaria, or fly agaric, is the famed red-and-white speckled toadstool often seen in the Super Mario video games and most illustrated fairytales. Poisonous and hallucinogenic, the magic ’shroom earned a mention in Albertus Magnus’ 1256 C.E. botanical treatise De Vegetabilibus et Plantis, which claimed that everyday Germans used it as an insecticide (hence the “fly” in the name). The mushroom has gone by many names, including tsapi de diablhou (“Devil’s hat”) in parts of Switzerland. These are known as “cosmopolitan” mushrooms, meaning they have a nearly global distribution, mostly throughout temperate and boreal woodlands in the Northern Hemisphere, where they form symbiotic relationships with trees, including pines, oaks, spruces, firs, birches and cedars. Transportation of these trees around the world has had the unintended consequence of introducing A. muscaria to the Southern Hemisphere, where it competes with the native fungi.

common name, uncommon insult

As a gardener, I’ve discovered that the cutest little plants often have the worst common names. For instance, the Achillea ptarmica, a white flower that looks similar to chamomile, is commonly known as “sneezewort,” which got me thinking; I should use plant and animal names as tasteful but devastating insults. That’s how it came to be that I called Reader Editor-in-Chief Zach Hagadone a “sickletop lousewort” and a “gouty stalk nettlespurge” one random Tuesday afternoon for his sin of walking past me. He was, I’m sure, emotionally destroyed. A few other names to test out on your enemies and loved ones include: reticulate taildropper, glandular labrador tea, red-lipped batfish, bugleweed, spiny lumpsucker, fork-toothed ookow, henbit deadnettle, frogfruit and, of course, tasselled wobbegong. Proceed with caution while using these, lest your newfound power wreak havoc on those you hold most dear.

on eating mushrooms

“All fungi are edible. Some fungi are only edible once.” — Terry Pratchett

DEAR READERS,

– Ben Olson, publisher

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

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Editorial: Zach Hagadone (Editor) zach@sandpointreader.com

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Contributing Writers: Zach Hagadone, Ben Olson, Soncirey Mitchell, Lorraine H. Marie, Brenden Bobby, Kathryn Larson, Mariela Rebelo

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About the Cover:

This week’s cover photo shows the Priest River Experimental Forest facilities on June 21, 1939. Photo courtesy of BCHS, donated by Loren Evenson (original blackand-white photo was colorized by Reader staff).

‘My goal is to keep the alternative school open’

By Soncirey Mitchell Reader Staff

The Lake Pend Oreille School District has recently confirmed its intention to close the 117-year-old Lake Pend Oreille High School facility at 1005 N. Boyer Ave., in Sandpoint, planning to move its students into the portables behind Sandpoint Middle School by the start of the 2027-’28 school year.

LPOHS has 75 students for the current school year; however, according to LPOSD Superintendent Becky Meyer, 30 of them will graduate in the spring. Given the cost of running a school and maintaining an aging building, the district has determined that LPOHS is “financially unfeasible to continue as-is.”

“I was the principal there for five years — I worked there. I understand how important the alternative school is. My goal is to keep the alternative school open,” Meyer told the Reader in a Feb. 17 interview.

“I understand people are very sentimental and are attached to the building, but at some point I have to look at the big picture for the district,” she later added. “I’m responsible, financially, for the taxpayer dollars, and I want to be very fiscally conservative and very responsible with the taxpayer dollars.”

LPOHS has called the North Boyer facility home for decades, serving “at-risk youth,” such as students who are pregnant, failing classes, battling addiction and living through “serious personal, emotional or medical problems,” according to requirements laid out in the Idaho Administrative Procedure Act. In the experience of Idaho State Board of Education member and former-Dist. 1 Sen. Shawn Keough, most districts in Idaho find alternative schools to be important additions to their communities.

“I think that districts have

Lake Pend Oreille High School’s historic building to close in 2027

seen value in the alternative schools that they have, in terms of getting students that might not otherwise finish, to finish,” Keough told the Reader. “[For students] that have different circumstances, for those students that would just prefer to not be in a traditional high school setting — they thrive in an alternative school. So, those districts that see the value in being inclusive to all their students — regardless of where that education takes place — tend to continue to support them.”

LPOHS has played an equally integral role in Bonner County, giving thousands of students the opportunity to volunteer within the community and move on to successful lives and careers. The school maintains its own tightknit community that retired 27-year LPOHS art teacher Randy Wilhelm said holds students “accountable” and creates a “culture of family.”

“One hundred percent of the kids in LPO have been identified as probably not going to graduate, and I think our graduation rate is, like, 70%,” Wilhelm told the Reader According to Idaho Education News, LPOHS had a graduation rate of 63.2% in 2022 — 23% lower than Sandpoint High School’s 86% that year.

The alternative system is designed to “meet students where they are,” according to Wilhelm, offering a smaller student-to-teacher ratio and an emphasis on hands-on learning.

“Most of the kids there are really discouraged learners,” Wilhelm told the Reader “They’re very out-of-the-box thinkers, and so that’s kind of challenging sometimes in a traditional classroom. I think they’ve been made to feel that they’re not very smart.”

Meyer underscored the importance of the alternative high school to area students, adding that the district determined the “best-case scenar-

io” to balance its necessity with limited state funding would be to cut electives offered at LPOHS and, eventually, move them to a centralized campus. Students will remain in the current LPOHS building for the 2026-’27 school year for core classes, but will have the option to bus back and forth to SHS for their electives.

“They will pick electives from Sandpoint High School ... or, if this is somebody that doesn’t want to go back to Sandpoint High School ... we will have independent studybased credits for them, so nobody is going to be forced to take the electives there if they don’t want to,” said Meyer.

Students will also be able to earn work-based credits through internships and job shadows, and have full access to the district’s new Career-Technical Education center, which will open in the fall and offer courses on nursing, carpentry and more. Still, Wilhelm and others close to the issue are skeptical of the new elective system.

“The vast majority of [the students] have come from Sandpoint High School, and have negative experiences. They’re gonna drop out before they go back to Sandpoint High School,” said Wilhelm.

The move from LPOHS will come after renovations are completed at SMS, creating

a small campus within walking distance of SHS and the students’ electives. According to Meyer, LPOSD intends to work with students and teachers to customize the portables so they can “make it their own, special campus.”

“Do they want to do an arboretum? Do they want to do an outdoor facility? Do they want to have pickleball? What do they want to do to make that corner of the campus their own?” said Meyer.

As for the original campus, LPOSD’s 2023-’24 Building Condition Evaluation rated the century-old structure “unsatisfactory.”

“We get a safety inspection every year,” Meyer said. “It’s definitely not unsafe, it’s just a lot. There’s a lot of maintenance and upkeep and definitely things — facility-wise — that need to be addressed.”

The district has already allocated a portion of the money from the state’s School District Facilities Fund — established in 2023 to distribute sales tax and lottery revenue to schools — to improvements at SMS. Along with LPOHS, SMS is one of six schools in the district to receive an evaluation of “unsatisfactory,” including Southside Elementary, Home School Academy, Northside Elementary and Washington Elementary.

“[T]he board will have to decide what they want to do

with it,” Meyer told the Reader, referring to the LPOHS building. “They certainly could put it up and sell it; I’m not sure if that’s what they’ll decide to do.”

Should LPOSD wish to consider the sale, the board will have to discuss and vote in a public meeting, then solicit an assessment to determine the property’s value.

Following budget cuts mandated by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, and the passage of Idaho House Bill 93 in 2025, which made $50 million in public funds available to private schools by offering $5,000 tax credits per student, Idaho’s public education system is facing an uncertain financial future. Given the loss of revenue, Meyer asked district staff to draft a document contemplating how the sale of the aging facility could benefit the district as a whole, though it has yet to be finalized and shared with the board.

“I want to be able to eventually explain to the community and parents and staff, and so I asked people to put together a draft to get started,” said Meyer.

“I see those discussions taking place — the ‘What if?’ discussions, predicated on what the Legislature is going to do this year,” Keough told the Reader

BOCC to consider permit for Elmira cell tower

By Soncirey Mitchell Reader Staff

Following up on Jan. 15 and Feb. 11 meetings — both of which the Bonner County Board of Commissioners continued after four hours — the BOCC will once again meet to discuss the application for a conditional use permit for a communication tower near Highway 95 in Elmira. Interested parties can attend the meeting in person at 9 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 26, at the Bonner County Administration Building (1500 US-2, in Sandpoint) or via Zoom at bonnercountyid.gov/meetings.

In 2023, property owners James and Sandy Dolyniuk submitted the application for a 140-foot tower on their 20-acre parcel, which, if approved, would be built by Harmoni Towers and managed by Verizon Wireless. The proposed site is “approximately 550 feet away”

from the nearest existing structure and “more than 40 feet” outside of the property’s wetlands, according to Josh Leonard, of Boise-based Clark Wardle, LLP, representing the applicants.

The proposed tower is intended to improve cell service in the Elmira area and to offer “collocation” opportunities, allowing other wireless companies to use the facility.

The BOCC approved the CUP in 2024, but after 20 nearby landowners filed for judicial review, the court vacated the decision and remanded the matter to the county.

According to the Bonner County staff report, the court did not rule against the applicants, but stated that, “Harmoni has failed to offer probative evidence sufficient to support its claim that the proposed tower will be compatible with the surrounding community.”

Opponents of the tower,

represented by Norm Semanko, of Boise-based Parsons Behle and Latimer, and homeowner Joan Esnayra, allege that it would negatively affect area property values, clash with “rural character,” and constitute a potential fire and pollution risk due, in part, to the diesel stored on-site and the herbicides and pesticides potentially used to maintain the facility’s grounds.

As an alternative, opponents argued that Verizon could collocate on an existing tower, identify a new site or reduce the proposed tower’s height.

According to Radio Frequency Engineer Steven Kennedy, of Arizona-based Biwabkos Consultants, representing the applicant, the existing towers would either not meet Verizon’s needs or are already at capacity for the number of satellites in use.

The hearing comes amid an ongoing legal contest between Bonner County and

Verizon Wireless over another proposed cell tower near Old Town, which the BOCC reversed its decision on in April 2025, denying a previously approved CUP. The commissioners argued that the project lacked an Idaho Transportation Department-approved access easement and conflicted with the Bonner County Comprehensive Plan and Revised Code by interfering with rural character and negatively impacting area homeowners, among other issues.

According to BOCC Chair Brian Domke, the Communi-

cations Act of 1996 acknowledges but limits local authority over the placement of cell towers. The commissioners stated in multiple meetings that denying the Old Town CUP would incur litigation, but that they would continue to side with area homeowners opposed to the tower.

The BOCC has yet to enter deliberation on the Elmira CUP and, as such, has not expressed a preference for either side.

Lake level economic impact study released

Citing $40M in lost revenue, Lakes Commission argues for earlier refill, later drawdown on LPO

By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff

A long-awaited analysis of how seasonal pool fluctuations on Lake Pend Oreille affect the area’s economy has been released after more than a year in the works, showing “significant” losses to local businesses big and small.

According to the report, conducted by University of Idaho researchers and with joint funding from the U of I and Lakes Commission, raising the lake to full pool in late-June to early-July and drawing it down in mid-September contributes to the area missing out on an estimated $40 million each year, as visitors and residents alike are hampered in their use the lake due to low water levels.

Lakes Commission Chair Ford Elsaesser presented the report to the Idaho Senate

Resources and Environment

Committee in Boise on Feb. 18, testifying that because of its fluctuating water level, Pend Oreille is unique among regional lakes in experiencing a shorter recreational season.

“The economic harm is kind of across the board, and what it has essentially done is create larger shoulder seasons between skiing and the lake in our part of the world — more than anywhere else in the region,” he added, describing negative impacts to service and hospitality sectors, as well as marinas and other businesses and workers who rely on lake tourism and traffic for their seasonal livelihoods.

Based on the study results, Elsaesser said the goal is to convince the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers — which manages the lake level through Albeni Falls Dam — that the spring refill should begin in May and the drawdown be delayed to October.

“Once people have confidence that they’re going to have a full recreational season on Lake Pend Oreille, everything you can think of, from camping along the lake or intensive fishing ... all of that makes May, late-September, early-October, all of June available,” he told committee members. “We wanted to be parallel to the other lakes we

have in North Idaho.”

Work on the economic analysis began in earnest in < see LAKES, Page 7 >

Bits ’n’ Pieces

BOCC to discuss PHD clinical services, budget

By Soncirey Mitchell Reader Staff

The Bonner County Board of Commissioners will hold a special meeting with representatives from Panhandle Health District on Monday, Feb. 23, at 1 p.m. to discuss a recent audit of the district’s clinical services and begin developing the Fiscal Year 2027 budget. It will be a continuation of the controversial Jan. 14 meeting covering the same topic, which addressed the clinics’ focus on women’s health.

Interested parties can attend in person at the Bonner County Administration Building (1500 U.S. 2, in Sandpoint) or online at bonnercountyid.gov/meetings.

The commissioners initially met with PHD Board of Health Chair Thomas Fletcher and Medical Director Gregory Pennock — who conducted the audit — on Jan. 14, when Pennock reported that women account for 70% of PHD’s clinical patients.

“For Panhandle Health — to some extent — that is the niche,” he said. “It’s female patients, women’s health care, gynecology, family planning that

is the niche that we’re currently serving, whether we should be or not.”

Commissioner Ron Korn expressed his concern over those services at the Jan. 14 meeting, saying he didn’t “want to be responsible at a county level to look like we’re funding a Planned Parenthood service.”

The commissioners briefly touched on potential alternative services to prioritize, but had to continue to Feb. 23, as the meeting had already gone over the allotted time. Other “foundational purposes” Korn recommended PHD focus on included monitoring air and water quality.

The commissioners will also discuss how much money to pay into the multi-county organization, which received $2,496,906 from Benewah, Bonner, Boundary, Kootenai and Shoshone counties combined in FY’25. The BOCC renegotiated funding during the FY’26 budgeting process, dropping the county’s contribution from $513,798 in 2025 to $472,317 in 2026.

As yet, no budgets or services have been negotiated for FY’27.

For more information, visit panhandlehealthdistrict.org.

Sagle house fire claims one life, results in critical injury for another

By Reader Staff

One individual lost their life and another was critically injured after a Feb. 15 house fire on Gold Mountain Drive in Sagle. According to a Feb. 17 news release, Selkirk Fire, Sandpoint Fire, Northside Fire, Timberlake Fire and Bonner County EMS responded to the incident, which was reported around 10:29 a.m.

While en route, Bonner County dispatch informed crews that one person may be inside the single-family residence, which was reported to have “heavy fire coming from the front of the structure,” according to Selkirk Fire.

Firefighters, the first of whom arrived in under 11 minutes, initiated an offensive fire attack and went inside the home to search for victims. After encountering heavy fire and heat, first-responders found one victim located inside a bedroom, who was pronounced deceased at the scene.

A second victim was also located at the scene, identified as a neighbor who had attempted to rescue the individual

inside the building. She suffered critical injuries from the fire, was treated by BCEMS and transported from the scene by LifeFlight.

Selkirk Fire reported that crews continued to fight the flames while additional units arrived to provide personnel and water supply. Off-duty and volunteer personnel returned to the station and brought more apparatus to assist.

In coordination with the Idaho State Fire Marshal, as of Feb. 17, the origin of the fire was determined to be a wood stove in the living room of the home.

“Today’s fire reflects a worst-case scenario for our community,” Selkirk Fire Chief Jeff Armstrong stated. “We grieve with the friends and family of the victim.”

Selkirk Fire stated: “We would like to take this opportunity to remind homeowners to have their wood stoves serviced and inspected each year, have repairs made by a reputable and licensed contractor and always maintain clearance around the woodstove free of flammable materials when in use.”

From east, west and beyond

CBS recently reported that of 400,000 immigrants arrested by ICE during the first year of President Donald Trump’s second term, fewer than 2% had charges or convictions related to homicides or sexual assaults, and 2% were accused of being gang members. There was no criminal history for 40%

According to the ACLU, ICE has detained at least 3,800 children under the second Trump administration.

The Congressional Budget Office reported that Trump’s National Guard deployments could cost more than $1 billion this year. With criticism of his immigration roundups accelerating, Trump said federal agents will not be intervening in Democratic-led cities unless invited.

A grand jury unanimously rejected a Trump administration effort to indict six Democratic lawmakers for their role in a video reminding military members they could refuse illegal orders. Trump claimed the Democrats had engaged in “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH.”

NPR reported that Department of Homeland Security funding ran out last week due to lawmakers not agreeing on reforms for federal immigration agents. After two citizens were killed by agents in Minneapolis, Democrats insisted on changes for agents, such as use of identification and cooperation between state and federal authorities when investigating federal immigration agents’ violence.

Funding is not expected to impact ICE or border agents, since both received $70 billion from the Big Beautiful Bill Act last summer, and immigration actions will continue. Meanwhile, funding shortfalls could be air travel delays and delays to federal disaster response.

Members of Congress on the Judiciary Committee can now view digital versions of the Epstein files released by the Department of Justice, but only in a secured reading room. The DOJ is not allowing electronic devices but OK’d note-taking.

Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., thinks the access limitations constitute a cover-up. Three million more files have not been released. Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., said what they are seeing still has redactions, despite being billed as unredacted, various media reported.

Legal analysts Joyce Vance and Mimi Rocah recently explored the Epstein files and found criminal leads that were never investigated. Other findings

By Lorraine H. Marie Reader Contributor

from the Epstein files include “gruesome and grim” details about a 9-year old victim, a Wall Street lawyer plotting with Epstein to get a woman charged with a crime and deported; claims of buried bodies at Epstein’s New Mexico ranch, that were never investigated (the state has authorized a “probe”); former-Trump strategist Steve Bannon advising Epstein on how to handle pedophile allegations; and Bannon and Epstein discussing Trump being removed from office for “incapacity” in 2019.

The files have ample evidence of the “Epstein elite” — “powerful men” whose identities had been hidden and are “politically dangerous,” according to political commentator Robert Hubbell, because “they can put their fortunes into electing those who will do their bidding.” Billionaire tech investor Peter Thiel, named in the files 2,710 times, is known for saying he no longer believes freedom and democracy are compatible.

The bipartisan team of Khanna and Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., is asking how many significant names have been redacted from the Epstein files by federal officials. In just two hours they found six new names of “powerful men” previously hidden “for no apparent reason.”

Stephen Colbert recently exposed CBS for collaborating with the Trump administration. The Late Show host planned to interview Texas U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico, but had to find a way to avoid the Federal Communication Commission’s Trump-affiliated ruling that would block the interview. Colbert told viewers on air that, “[Talarico] was supposed to be here, but we were told in no uncertain terms by our network’s lawyers, who called us directly, that we could not have him on. ...Then I was told, in some uncertain terms, that not only could I not have him on, I could not mention having him on. And because my network clearly does not want us to talk about this, let’s talk about this.”

He posted the interview on YouTube, in which Talarico said, “Trump is worried we’re about to flip Texas.”

Civil rights leader Jesse Jackson, who sought the presidency in 1984 and 1988, died Feb. 17 at the age of 84. Blast from the past: “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” — Civil rights leader Rev. Martin Luther King Jr, (1929-1968).

Jim Woodward will seek re-election to the Idaho Senate

By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff

Dist. 1 Sen. Jim Woodward, R-Sagle, has officially announced his campaign for re-election to the Idaho Legislature, tossing his hat in the ring for the Tuesday, May 19 Republican primary.

Woodward is in his third non-consecutive term representing Idaho’s Legislative Dist. 1 in the Senate, where he served two terms from 2018’22 before being unseated by Scott Herndon from 2022-’24. Woodward returned to defeat Herndon in the 2024 primary.

The district encompasses all of Boundary County and most of Bonner County — an area in which Woodward has spent the majority of life, other than time spent away at the University of Idaho and service in the Navy, from which he retired as a commander after 21 years.

Throughout his time in the Idaho Senate, Woodward has served on the powerful Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee — which sets state budgets — including as a co-chair. He currently sits on

January 2025, championed at the state level by Dist. 1 Sen. Jim Woodward, R-Sagle, and Dist. 1A Rep. Mark Sauter, R-Sandpoint, who joined with the Lakes Commission to seek support from the University of Idaho Business School, which secured funding from the U of I President’s Office to conduct the research.

While Elsaesser said such a study has been “a dream of ours on the Lakes Commission for literally more than a decade,” it gained steam after the delay in raising lake levels in 2024 following the discovery of faulty gates at Albeni Falls Dam.

In addition to high-level economic analysis, the study also drew from survey responses from lake users, residents, business owners and other

the Senate Education Committee as well, and previously spent two years on the Senate Transportation Committee. He is also the Senate member on the Endowment Fund Investment Board, and has served on multiple interim committees, including most recently as co-chair of the 2025 Land Use and Housing Study Committee.

The owner of a small excavation and marine construction business for more than 20 years, Woodward volunteers his time and equipment to

stakeholders to inform how lake level fluctuations — and the potential uncertainty surrounding when and by how much those levels will rise or fall — affect everything from recreational and sport access to employment and even housing.

“Where we’re headed is we want to make Lake Pend Oreille of greater value and greater use to the people of Idaho,” Woodward told the Reader, noting that this year’s budget bill for the Corps of Engineers includes language to coordinate with the state on lake level operations specifically related to Lake Pend Oreille.

“That’s really significant,” he said.

However, Sen. Doug Okuniewicz, R-Hayden, wondered aloud “how much difference” the study could make, adding that the Corps hasn’t been

various nonprofit activities and projects. He has also served 12 years on the Northern Lights Electric Co-op Board and represents Northern Lights with the statewide electric utility association.

In an interview with the Reader, Woodward said his top priorities in another term would be increasing the homeowner’s exemption to improve housing affordability; investing in transportation to accommodate rapid growth in the state; and ensuring adequate public safety, beginning with supporting the Idaho State Police.

In the meantime, he is focused on his work with JFAC, which he said faces structural challenges on top of navigating an especially complex budget picture during the current session and most likely the 2027 session, as well.

“Part of what I see we need to do now is get back to our budgeting process that we used for nearly five decades,” Woodward said, referring to what he called “politically motivated decisions” in the 2024 session to break separate funding packages into “main-

responsive so far.

“It’s a never-ending battle with them,” Elsaesser said. “They tend to simply hide behind the potential flood risk no matter how low the runoff is, no matter how severe the drought is. ... We’re hoping that this might get us at least closer to trying to get some equitable treatment.”

Okuniewicz worried that if the Corps decides to alter dam operations in order to lengthen the recreational season it could lead to over-use and crowding on the water.

“I don’t go to Coeur d’Alene Lake anymore because it’s just way too busy,” he said.

“[I’d] hate to see Lake Pend Oreille go that way.”

Elsaesser said that “there’s always plenty of lake” to go around, even during the height of summer. Mean-

tenance budgets” and “enhancements,” rather than by state departments or divisions.

“Really the motivation there was that somebody could vote for the maintenance budget and say, ‘I’m supporting schools,’ or, ‘I’m supporting the ISP,’ then turn around and vote ‘no’ on the enhancement budget, which is really where the decision is made,” he said, describing that dynamic as providing “political cover” for lawmakers to both vote for and against budgets.

Aside from reforming the Idaho budget process, Woodward said increasing the homeowner’s exemption is “No. 1 on my list.”

The exemption was last raised in 2019-’20, when it went from $100,000 to $125,000. However, Woodward said the intent dating to the exemption’s origin as a citizens’ initiative in 1982 was to keep 50% of property owners’ home value tax-free. However, the Legislature stopped indexing the exemption even as median home prices have surged.

He said he’s been working

while, the Lakes Commission announcement of the study underscored that dam operations are intended to serve “multiple equal purposes,” including power generation, flood control, recreation, navigation, and fish and wildlife conservation.

Regardless, the Lakes Commission stated, “The longstanding operations at Albeni Falls Dam limit recreational access due to a deep winter drawdown and a late summer pool.”

Elsaesser reminded senators that the state of Idaho holds the surface water rights through the Governor’s Office, which “gives us a voice in the dam,” he said.

“We feel [those rights] are being essentially abused and misappropriated in the sense that we don’t get a full lake

with partners in the House to propose legislation to address the issue; however, the deregulation of short-term rentals and proliferation of residential properties owned by institutional investors poses its own affordability challenges. Woodward said he’s also co-sponsoring a bill in the Senate that would serve as “a contrast” to House Bill 583, which recently passed through the House and removes almost all the powers of municipalities to regulate STRs as a special category of property use.

“The hope is to force everyone back to the table,” he said of Senate Bill 1263, noting that he helped to kill a bill similar to H.B. 583 in the 2025 session because “it was too much.”

“I believe in local control,” he said, later adding, “There are a number of legislators who think they have the best answer for you, even if they don’t know you. I don’t support that kind of centralized control. I want to make my own decisions, as I imagine you do, too.”

To learn more, visit woodwardforsenate.org.

until very late in the summer,” Elsaesser said.

“The Corps will always advance safer flood control, but the primary reasons for the drawdown in the fall and the draw-up in the spring is to really benefit power generation and the downstream demands that will always be present,” he added. “This would be the ideal year for them to start giving us a full season, and not just be beholden to the downstream demands for power, the downstream demand for fish, etc. ...

“We’re trying to get the Corps of Engineers to see reason — that’s all we want them to do,” he said.

For more information and to access the Lake Pend Oreille economic impact study, go to lakescommission. org.

Bouquets:

GUEST SUBMISSION:

• “This is my sixth year coordinating the Bonner County Valentine’s for Senior Citizens. However, it almost didn’t happen. I had a medical emergency and was not going to be able to deliver everything I had collected. But 10 amazing women from my ‘Bunco Babes’ group stepped up and completed all the deliveries, countywide. I would like to thank them for continuing this project and I plan to do it again next year. Thank you: Kristina Anderson, Stephanie Baumgartner, Linda Desmarais, Denise Dombrowski, Katrina Faulkner, BJ Forster, Crystal Gunter, Melodie Gunn, Miranda Johnson, Annie Krsiean and Gilda Romans. You are each my Special Valentine.”

— By Donna Price

GUEST SUBMISSION:

• “Emily Erickson deserves a big bouquet for her column in last week’s Reader. Her perspective on the Super Bowl halftime show was thoughtful, inspiring and provocative. Nice that she repeated the show’s message: ‘Together, we are America.’ I can’t understand how some Americans can be so frightened of the Spanish language. In Europe, many people speak four or more languages.”

— By James Richard Johnson

Barbs:

• Here’s a Barb for Dist. 1B Rep. Cornel Rasor, R-Sagle. While Rep. Mark Sauter, R-Sandpoint, and Sen. Jim Woodward, R-Sagle, have spent their time in Boise stumping for issues that North Idahoans actually care about (like budget matters, wildfire preparedness, safety on U.S. 95, OB-GYN shortages in Sandpoint, homeowners’ insurance issues and more), Rasor spends his time on ideological claptrap. Examples: a proposal to outlaw disruption of church services, a tax on international money transfers to raise funds for deportations, establishing a commission on sudden death and a proposal to outlaw Sharia law in Idaho. What a waste of time. We need representatives in Boise to focus on solving nuts-and-bolts issues, not figuring out ways to further divide (and embarrass) us.

‘Man mocks women’s health care’…

Dear editor, In response to Mark Watson‘s letter to the editor on Feb. 12 [“Catchphrases…”], I am shocked at the absurdity of a man telling all women they do not deserve quality and comprehensive medical care.

Perhaps Mr. Watson has extensive medical degrees and surgical experience, although he did not mention that in his letter.

Perhaps Mr. Watson does not have any females in his life who might require at some point urgent, life-saving medical procedures, although he claims if they did, the OB-GYN doctors are only a couple hours away.

Perhaps Mr. Watson knows what’s best for all the women in North Idaho, so they should just listen to him instead of listening to their own minds and bodies. Perhaps Mr. Watson should step away from Fox News and spend some time listening to real stories from real women.

Steve Johnson Sagle

Fair grounds for complaints…

Dear editor,

This letter concerns the decision by the Bonner County Commissioners fencing off the Samuelson access into the fairgrounds. Is this just another political power play to control access to a public area?

True, there have been complaints about some owners allowing their dogs off-leash and neglectful owners not picking up their waste. If this is their excuse it is a poor one indeed. Or perhaps they will claim vandalism since now the grounds are lit up like daytime every night.

In addition, some of the Samuelson neighbors have for years asked for the removal of the filthy pile of dirt filled with horse droppings causing an abundance of flies and nasty odor every summer. This mess was yet another decision about five years ago by the then-commissioners.

In closing, it needs to be said that the latest manager, Mark, has done a terrific job improving the fairgrounds. Too bad the commissioners have such a low opinion about all the Samuelson neighbors. Thank you!

Jo Reitan Sandpoint

STR deregulation privileges some property owners over others…

Dear editor, “The right to swing my fists ends where the other person’s nose begins,” goes the old saying. A 2025 Idaho bill allows some property owners’ fists to land on other property owners’ noses. Some in the Legislature now want to go further.

The 2025 law says to property owners that they must endure unlimited short-term rentals (STRs) on their block. Neighbors on both sides of a home and down the street could become Airbnbs, and local towns can do nothing to prevent this. Now the Airbnb lobby is back in Boise with a measure saying towns cannot regulate these unlimited STRs beyond what a normal residential property needs — nothing locally about parking, clustering in a neighborhood and safety for transient visitors.

Legislators argue that calls registering Airbnb house complaints can go to the property owner (who may be out of state) or the police. But there won’t be anyone to call when the residential block has become a lodging business district.

Rep. Cornel Rasor says deregulation is a win for Idaho property owners. This is where the swinging of the fists comes in. Rasor, Sen. Jim Woodward and Rep. Mark

Sauter need to hear from us on deregulation of STRs.

Christine Moon Sandpoint

‘Remove

ICE from our country’…

Dear editor,

In their sane moments, how can the members of our administration not feel a crushing shame? Decent people, decent countries, do not pack human beings shoulder-to-shoulder in warehouses.

A few years ago, could we — let alone our descendents — ever have believed this could happen?

Karen Seashore Sandpoint

Speak out on legislation reducing local control…

Dear editor,

I am discouraged by the continued onslaught of bills by our state legislators aimed at controlling Idaho’s local governments’ ability to govern closest to the people.

The Association of Idaho Cities, a nonpartisan, nonprofit corporation that serves Idaho’s 198 cities has a mission “to promote excellence in and advocate for city governance, community leadership, and services to citizens in order to strengthen Idaho cities.” With this mission,

they are opposing Senate Bills 1277, 1278, 1279, 1280 and House Bills 557, 583 (short-term rentals) and 647.

After looking these bills up (egislature.idaho.gov), and if you are concerned with losing local control on any of these issues, please write — a right they aren’t yet challenging — to our legislators Sen. Jim Woodward, Rep. Mark Sauter and Rep. Cornel Rasor with your opinion (whatever it is) on their passing.

On this note, kudos to Coeur d’Alene’s mayor for recently opposing the ability of the state to control their short-term rental policy. Thank you for taking a stand.

Pam Duquette, Sandpoint City councilor Sandpoint

Got something to say?

Write a letter to the editor. We accept letters up to 200 words in length. Please refrain from libelous statements and elevate the conversation. No trolls. Send letters to letters@ sandpointreader.com.

PERSPECTIVES

Enablement disguised as neutrality

By Mariela Rebelo Reader Staff

Spin class has been my favorite way to start the day for the last few years. It’s a great way to do cardio, entertaining enough to reach those Zone 2 goals without getting bored, and it usually gives me that mental clarity that’s conductive to some sort of realization that ranges anywhere from “I forgot to put the laundry in the dryer” to “I think I figured out a way for Sandpoint to have continuous sidewalks.”

The spin room at the gym has been a fun and safe space for me since the first time I tried the class. Two weeks ago, however, the safety aspect of it dissipated, and the fun turned into serious thoughts. I almost made it to the end of the class. That’s the beauty of exercise: it helps us deal with things, sort through thoughts, work things out. I only left once I knew what I was going to do. I left.

I did exactly what they would prefer me to do. I was just not there anymore.

About 10 minutes into the class, once we were all warmed and hyped up, the instructor started talking about how the next class would be Super Bowl-themed. She went on asking around which team we were cheering for. People showed hands. She then asked how we felt about Bad Bunny. I cheered.

To be completely honest, at that point all I knew about him was that he’s one of the most-streamed artists of all time, Puerto Rican and my 15-year-old niece loves him. So I cheered. I cheered because he’s Latino. I cheered because I’m Latina. I cheered because, just like Bad Bunny, I’m American.

There’s a lot that goes into making up a culture. Elements like food, art, music, customs, language, all play a part. There’s a tacit, crucial element that usually goes undetected. In the Latin culture, that tacit element is solidarity: fraternity and togetherness that transcend all borders. It’s a natural feeling we’re born into. Neighborhoods function with a deep understanding of reciprocal help and service. Favors aren’t

tracked or monetarily compensated. We truly do love our neighbors.

We greet each other with hugs and kisses, whether we know the person or not. We support each other on the global platform. “Us vs. Them” doesn’t take place among Latin Americans. We might disagree on specific topics, but we would never make a fellow Latino feel unsafe over their religion or political views.

That’s why I cheered when my spin instructor asked how we felt about Benito. I cheered for my Latino artist, who now more than ever needs all the support he can get.

Unfortunately, right after asking about Bad Bunny, she asked us if we knew there was an alternative halftime show. And that’s when it all changed. That’s when my safe, fun space turned into fear.

As unbelievable as it sounds, there are still many individuals who support this administration. For them, apparently, blatant corruption, obvious pedophilia, daily treason and crimes against humanity are not sufficient reasons to change their minds. Some of these individuals, at least, have the decency to identify themselves by wearing a ridiculous hat or flying an ugly flag. But some of them walk among the rest of us, undetected, sneakily taking advantage of the numerous things we offer to society while turning around and stabbing us in the back (and shooting themselves in the foot) the minute they have a chance.

Thanks to the question my instructor asked, I now know exactly who in the 8 a.m. spin class doesn’t want me here.

It wasn’t an “alternative halftime” show; it was a racist-coded event, made by and for racist people that cannot fathom the idea of possibly listening to non-English words for up to 12 minutes. It’s for people who are so incredibly averse to any kind of cultural exposure that they actively choose to rot what’s left of their reasoning abilities with the daily self-brainwash exercise of listening to right-wing media. It’s for people who are so incredibly uneducated that they fail to recognize that someone from Puerto Rico is actually an American. Just like I am. Just like they are. Nationality and citizenship come

in many forms. Each country usually has its own rules. In the U.S., for example, one might be born on American soil, like Bad Bunny, and automatically become a citizen. Others might get their citizenship through naturalization, like me, after going through the process of qualifying for temporary residency visas first, submitting an unbelievable amount of paperwork through the course of many years and paying thousands in fees. Some might get it by lying, like Elon Musk or Melania Trump. What followed after these individuals cheered for a racist event was a feeling of terror. My heart raised beyond the bike’s impact. All I could think about was how I sound Hispanic, how my name’s Hispanic and these people, who hate me and my kind, were just two bikes away from me. They can call ICE on me and have me kidnapped. Does my husband remember where I keep my naturalization certificate to come rescue me? Is there even an immigration lawyer in Sandpoint? There is plenty of evidence that citizenship and legality are not factors in the violent manhunt that’s going on against Hispanic people. It’s not even about looks any more. What about Renée? What about Alex?

This is not an “Us vs. Them” situation. We are not talking about a difference of opinions.

I texted my instructor asking to go for a walk the next day. We met at City Beach and walked the Sand Creek trail. It was a good talk. She

apologized and corroborated what I thought: She didn’t know about the controversy, but then said she was “neutral” about politics.

I was disappointed to hear that. One can argue there’s such a thing as neutrality in politics, although I think it’s a fallacy. As long as we live in a politically structured society, we make and are affected by political choices daily.

However, I wasn’t discussing a political issue — I was discussing a moral issue.

When it comes to morality, we can’t agree to disagree on what’s right and what’s wrong. There has to be a moral common ground for the social contract to work. Hate is wrong. Racism is wrong. It’s imperative we agree on that.

By remaining “neutral” we are enabling the other side. “The other side” isn’t Republicans. This is not a partisan issue. This is a societal issue. “The other side,” in this case, is simply a group of racists. This isn’t a non-problematic way to keep our opinions to ourselves in the hopes of being liked by everyone; this is enablement disguised as neutrality.

The other side is a side of oppression and hate. They’ve been doing everything in their power to remove our ability to dream. They are painting a picture for a future that, honestly, sucks. They’re stripping us from hope. It’s not “Us vs. Them.” It’s just us. All of us.

Mariela Rebelo is a Sandpoint resident.

Science: Mad about

peanut butter

By Brenden Bobby Reader Columnist

Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are an American staple, but have you ever stopped to ask yourself why? What is it about solid nuts transformed into a non-Newtonian fluid that speaks to simpler times?

The answer to that is actually pretty straightforward: one of the greatest and most destructive economic downturns of all time.

Peanut butter is a spreadable paste made from blended peanuts and hydrogenated oils. In many cases, sugar and trans fats are added to the mixture to make the taste more appealing, though at the expense of our waistlines.

You may associate the invention of peanut butter to George Washington Carver, but it already existed for at least two centuries in some form before he published How to Grow the Peanut and 105 Ways of Preparing It for Human Consumption in 1916.

There is evidence to suggest that peanut butter originated in the Inca Empire — likely sometime in the 16th century, prior to the Spanish invasion — where it was used as a remedy for aching gums. This seems to be backed up by modern nutritional sciences, as peanut butter is a soft food that’s high in protein and vitamin E, which helps provide antioxidants to cells while boosting your immune system.

Before you eat an entire jar of peanut butter to help shake off the common cold, be aware of the adverse effects of consuming large amounts of sugars and trans fats. These are both core causes of obesity, and by extension the development of type 2 diabe-

tes. As is the case with most nutrition, moderation is the key to living a healthy life.

Two tablespoons is considered one serving of peanut butter. The sugar content varies by brand, with natural peanut butter having about one gram of sugar per serving, while more processed products can have up to four grams per serving. This isn’t a huge amount, but it does add up if you eat a lot of it.

As a non-Newtonian fluid, peanut butter has interesting properties shared with other condiments such as ketchup and mayonnaise. It stays in one place and doesn’t flow easily until force is applied. This is considered a Bingham plastic — a non-Newtonian fluid whose other examples include mud and toothpaste. Interestingly, the TSA classifies peanut butter as a liquid, since it will mold to fit the shape of the container in which it’s transported, even when it behaves as a solid until pressure is applied.

Despite claiming all the fame surrounding peanut butter, George Washington Carver wasn’t actually involved with inventing peanut butter at all. Three other men were credited with the invention of modern peanut butter after patenting mechanisms for creating the sweet treat.

Marcellus Gilmore Edson was the first to patent the process in 1884, which involved rolling roasted peanuts between two heated surfaces. John Harvey Kellogg, founder of Kellogg’s cereal company.

(Bonus fact: Kellogg, Idaho, is not named after the cereal tycoon, but instead named after Noah Kellogg, a mining prospector. This makes a lot of sense when you consider that Kellogg is a mining

town and not a cereal town.)

In 1895, Kellogg patented the process for creating peanut butter from raw peanuts rather than roasted ones. Despite his fame, modern peanut butter production is largely done by first roasting the peanuts.

In 1903, Ambrose Straub patented a machine that would grind peanuts to make peanut butter. It’s likely that this is the origin of the peanut butter machines you find in the bulk food sections of grocery stores like Yoke’s Fresh Market.

Peanut butter hit its cultural stride during the Great Depression, when it became a cheap and easy source of protein for starving families. Much like Kraft American cheese, it grew to prominence during WWII and remained a cultural mainstay during the postwar period once the G.I.s returned home.

Modern industrial peanut butter manufacturing begins with roasting the peanuts. Controlling the cooking process is essential, so the moment the peanuts reach a desired temperature — transforming from their natural white to the beige-brown we recognize — they’re directed under cooling jets that blast them with cool air. This keeps them from cooking too much and losing their oil.

A blancher removes the skins of the peanut by rolling them between two rubber belts. Each peanut is then split and its bitter core is removed. These two components are repurposed for animal feed.

At this point, the peanuts are dropped into the grinder and mixed with other ingredients: sugar, salt and hydrogenated oil. Now it looks like

a recognizable peanut butter as it is heated and cooled one more time, then extruded into jars to be sealed and packaged for distribution.

It’s a relatively uncomplicated process, but the machines involved are quite complex to produce such a simple product. Making peanut butter at home requires only an oven, a blender, peanuts, some salt and oil. You can

even add sweeteners or seasonings to your peanut butter to mix up the taste. If you’re making crunchy peanut butter, set aside some choppedup peanuts and mix them in at the end of the process.

Many nuts can be converted into nut butter of some kind, though peanut butter is one of the easiest and tastiest to make.

Stay curious, 7B.

Random Corner

• The French word etiquette originally meant “ticket,” but 16th-century Spaniards adopted the French word, altering it to etiqueta, and used it to refer to written protocols describing the behavior demanded of those appearing at court. Today, etiquette is a set of norms or personal behavior in polite society. In that spirit, here are some everyday etiquette tips:

• Return borrowed items in the same or better condition.

• Hold the door open for people walking behind you.

• Don’t play music or talk on speakerphone in a public setting.

• Don’t abandon your shopping cart in the middle of an aisle or blocking a parking space. Also, don’t stop at the entrance or exit of a supermarket; move aside so you don’t get in the way of others.

• Put away your phone when having in-person conversations.

• Clean up after yourself in shared or public spaces.

• Respect personal space when waiting in line.

• Park between the lines and use your turn signal when changing lanes or making a turn.

• Make eye contact with service workers and don’t forget to say, “Thank you.”

• Cover your mouth when you sneeze or cough.

• Say “please” and “thank you” whenever applicable.

• Be a good listener. When someone is sharing their opinion, hear them out before interrupting with your own.

• Be punctual. It shows respect for other people’s time when you aren’t late for a meeting or appointment.

• Be nice.

“Alayna

The accidental brilliance of Bizarre Bazaar

Sandpoint’s ‘upscale resale store’ celebrates 20 years

By Kathryn Larson Reader Contributor

The Community Assistance League’s 25th annual rummage sale wrapped up in November 2005. As volunteers faced yet another mountain of high-quality leftovers with nowhere to go, Joyce Spiller circulated an email to the leadership proposing something radical: a year-round resale store. Then she promptly left town.

A small group stepped in to see whether the idea was even feasible. They studied resale operations, ran the numbers and looked for possible locations. The idea went to the CAL Board in early January 2006. Concerns surfaced: financial risk, volunteer burnout, operational complexity. The board agreed to present to membership, not expecting any action. The members had other plans.

Janet Rogers shouted out a motion

to open a store, spurring a vote that passed with only one dissent. Just like that, it was happening. Three months later, the first Bizarre Bazaar brickand-mortar store opened in Ponderay.

“It was amazing how fast everything happened,” remembered Tracy Gibson, who was CAL president from 2004-2006.

The timeline was fast, but not reckless.

What began as a small set of reliable annual fundraisers — most notably a well-run rummage sale and an auction — had built reserves of about $29,000 by 2005. From that foundation, Bizarre Bazaar grew into a self-sustaining enterprise that now returns roughly $250,000 a year to the community. That kind of success doesn’t happen by accident.

This is the origin story of Sandpoint’s “upscale resale store” Bizarre Bazaar, which celebrates 20 years of operation in March and remains run entirely by volunteers, fueled by generous donations and sustained by a community that loves a good treasure hunt.

The initial startup budget was modest: about $11,000 up front and $3,000 a month in rent. Money was borrowed from a fund originally set aside to produce a cookbook, with a plan to pay it back within the first year. The organization paid it back in less than a month.

What made the difference wasn’t money — it was people. Each volunteer took ownership of something different. Gibson drove the concept forward, organizing the layout, contracts, insurance, training manuals, fixtures and morale. Former-CAL Treasurer Sherry Kerr made sure the numbers worked and the debt didn’t become a burden. Spiller and Cindy Chenault became co-managers, keeping the store running with equal parts discipline and humor.

The original store was tiny, roughly 600 square feet, with no real storage to speak of. The work area was tight. Volunteers would take off their coats or set down a purse to help sort, clean or price, only to circle back later and find it hanging neatly with a price tag attached. In a space that small, everything was fair game.

Joan Britton figured out pricing and insisted on protecting the value of donated items.

“She wouldn’t let us price anything too low,” Spiller recalled.

Barbara Buchanan brought her design eye to the floor, making the store feel intentional and welcoming. Barbara and Jay Buchanan repurposed covered wagons from earlier CAL fundraisers into shelving and display pieces, setting the tone for creative reuse. Chenault arrived early every day to make sure the store was clean, organized and ready to open.

“I was afraid the landlord would make us leave,” she said.

So she made sure there was no reason to.

Everyone worked. Everyone was trusted. Everyone had a voice. There was healthy rivalry and plenty of teasing. Chenault and Spiller ran the store with different instincts and a shared sense of fun, especially when it came to deciding what should be resold and what should be passed on. They regularly reversed each other’s decisions. One time, while Chenault was busy pulling items out to put on the floor, came across a note that Spiller had left before leaving town. It simply read: “Put it back.”

No one was in charge because they wanted authority; decisions were made by anyone willing to show up and do the work.

CAL spent decades building trust in the community, not just through fundraising, but through relationships, accountability and a clear mission. That foundation mattered. So did frugality. Fixtures were scavenged. Displays were repurposed. Volunteers painted, cleaned, sorted and learned on the fly. Ego was left at the door. Fun was not optional.

Twenty years later, Bizarre Bazaar is still run by CAL volunteers, still fueled by community generosity, and still sustained by hundreds of shoppers each month. Bizarre Bazaar not only turns donated goods into local impact. It also creates a place where meaningful work turns into friendship.

The magic wasn’t the business plan. It was trusting people to rise to the occasion.

Kathryn Larson is a volunteer with the Community Assistance League. Bizarre Bazaar is located at 114 S. Boyer Ave. Learn more about the organization at calsandpoint.org.

SHS students host fundraiser for Model U.N. conference in NYC

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

Students in the honors international relations class at Sandpoint High School have their sights set on New York City and are hosting a fundraiser to help pay for the once-in-a-lifetime trip.

The class, taught by SHS faculty member Conor Baranski, is planning to attend the National High School Model U.N. conference in New York in March. To raise money for the trip, members of the community are invited to an international dinner and silent auction fundraiser Friday, Feb. 27 at 5 p.m. at Marigold Bistro (414 Church St., in Sandpoint), including food, live music and entertainment. Tickets are $55 and all proceeds will help the SHS Model U.N. team travel to the conference.

Baranski told the Reader he has always enjoyed how the Model U.N. helps students develop important skills they’ll use later in life.

“The research they must engage in is so far above what most SHS students ever experience,” he said. “To prepare for an MUN conference, our students are preparing position papers by deeply researching topics like how to deal with the proliferation of lethal autonomous weapons or the sovereignty of disappearing island nations or utilizing space technology for sustainable environmental practices.”

Students must formulate positions on those and other topics based on countries they represent. Instead of just searching Google, they turn to hard data, think tank findings, public speeches and other sources to arrive at a conclusion.

“When students are not engaged in writing position papers, we are working on their public speaking skills and running through simulations so they are prepared for the two conferences

we attend,” Baranski said.

Public speaking is a big part of the roleplay conference, as each student will give public testimony on their country’s policies and proposed solutions. They will also engage in interpersonal skills by working with small and large groups of other students to collaborate on potential solutions, Baranksi said.

“It is an academic whirlwind as these delegates are crunched for time to come to potential solutions,” he added.

As far as international relations student Tempy Bryan is concerned, he’s ready for the whirlwind. Bryan was drawn to the class because of his interest in politics, as well as his brother having Baranski as a teacher and recommending the opportunity.

“Model U.N. appeals to me because even though the world is in disarray, it gives me a sense of hope seeing that this new generation cares and is willing enough to work toward a solution that could better our world,” Bryan told the Reader

Bryan said the Model U.N. team is just the tip of the iceberg for the international relations class.

“We expand off of that,” he said. “We don’t just prepare for conferences ... we learn about geopolitics, culture, people and policies around the world, and public speaking.”

Baranski, who also teaches government and psychology, said 2025 was his first time attending a NHSMUN conference as the teacher of the international relations class.

“I was absolutely taken aback at what a unique experience this was for our students from little Sandpoint, Idaho,” he said.

This conference is something special for Baranksi’s class, because it might not happen in subsequent years.

“At this point, we don’t know if this class will continue next year, so this will be potentially the last time

Farmers’ Market prospective vendor open house on Feb. 21

By Reader Staff

The Farmers’ Market at Sandpoint will host a vendor open house for prospective sellers from 2-4 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 21 at the Sandpoint branch of the East Bonner County Library District (1407 Cedar St.).

Local farmers, food producers and artisans are invited to learn about ven-

that we can provide such an incredible experience for our students,” he said. Funds raised at the international dinner and silent auction will help ensure the class is able to fly to New York where, “We will be able to meet real U.N. delegates and high-ranking politicians and speak with them,” Bryan said.

Meanwhile, Bryan is counting the days until the trip.

“I am personally so ecstatic about this trip,” he said. “I have been looking forward to it all year long. Going to New York and experiencing sightseeing is going to be so fun. And being

able to be part of such an important event is so incredible and beyond what I could’ve imagined for myself. I hope to meet and speak with people from around the world and create solutions to things that will affect my future with those said people.”

For more information about the class and upcoming conference, email conor. baranski@lposd.org. To purchase tickets to the fundraiser, visit bit.ly/SHS-MUN.

dor requirements, application details and the upcoming market season. Attendees can meet the market team, ask questions and explore opportunities to participate.

The event is free and all are welcome to attend.

For more information, contact the market manager at farmersmarketatsandpoint@gmail.com.

Winter Carnival 2026: Week 2

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

As evident with the snowfall in the mountains this week, winter isn’t packing it in quite yet. A final week of Sandpoint Winter Carnival events has been planned for outdoor adventurers, gamers, couples and families to wrap up the annual two-week soiree. Here’s what’s happening during the second and final week:

Thursday, Feb. 19

Matchwood ToastyFest

Matchwood Brewing Co., Evans Brothers Coffee and Toasty Mobile Saunas have teamed up to bring the Winter Carnival to the Granary District with ToastyFest. The celebration will be held from 4-8 p.m. at Matchwood and Evans Brothers (524 Church St.). Stop by the coffee shop for a warm and welcoming place to gather, sip and toast all day long. They’ll be serving a specialty toasted marshmallow latte. Enjoy craft beers and specialty cocktails at Matchwood, where DJ Lady Oda will spin the vibes from 4-6 p.m. Also on-site will be Toasty Mobile Saunas for those looking for a schvitz. They’ll also have a cold plunge pool available for the stout-hearted. Bring your own towel or rent one for $2. Maia Gaddess will give free 10-minute mini-massages throughout the evening and Jenna Bowers will provide free tarot sessions. Tendril Apothecary will also serve herbal teas and there will be Swedish fire logs to keep participants toasty.

Pegs on Fire cribbage tournament

Connie’s Lounge (323 Cedar St.) will hold a special cribbage tournament at 6 p.m., charging $5 to play.

Keg Crusher Night

Smokesmith Bar-B-Que (102 S. Boyer Ave.) will sell the last of its winter beers

before they disappear for the season, including white stouts, rich porters and malty pours that pair well with smoky brisket. Plus, 10% of beer sales will be donated to Panhandle Special Needs Inc.

Winter Carnival ’80s Party

Break out your finest neon and get the hairspray going for a 1980s party at The District Bistro and Wine Shop (313 N. First Ave.). Starting at 5:30 p.m., rock your best retro look for a shot at prizes, with best single costume winning a $100 gift certificate and best couples costume winning dinner for two at The District.

Schweitzer events

Head up to the mountain for a variety of events. Info and lift tickets available at schweitzer.com.

Friday, Feb. 20

Live Music w/Justyn Priest Band

The 219 Lounge (219 N. First Ave.) will host fan favorite Justyn Priest Band. This Spokane group plays a mix of rock, blues and soul. No cover.

Abby Posner in concert POAC’s Performing Arts Series invites L.A. musician

Abby Posner for a special concert at the Panida Theater (300 N. First Ave.), starting at 7 p.m. Posner is known for pushing the boundaries of folk, roots, electronic and pop music, cementing her role as a “genre-fluid” performer extraordinaire. Tickets available at artinsandpoint.org ($20/ adults, $10/youth).

Hot as Hell Happy Hour

Connie’s Cafe and Lounge will host live music with Jason Perry and happy hour drink specials from 4-6 p.m.

Live Music w/Wiebe Jammin’

A one-man band experience that blends sounds from across the musical universe utilizing a guitar and loop

pedal. The music goes from 6-8 p.m. at Smokesmith BarB-Que.

Hogwire Winter Carnival Barn Dance

Hogwire is where country meets rock, with line dancing lessons starting at 7:30 p.m. ($5) and music starting at 8 p.m. ($5). It all goes down at The Hive (207 N. First Ave.).

Saturday, Feb. 21

Family Day on Cedar Street Bridge Public Market

Bring the family down to celebrate the second anniversary of new ownership and management at Cedar Street Bridge (334 N. First Ave.). There will be games, face painting, specials, a photo booth, hot cocoa bar and deals throughout the Bridge. The fun happens from 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Live Music w/Kenny James Miller Band

Bask in old-school rock and blues, with a bit of soul and modern low country blues rock tossed in at the 219 Lounge. Music starts at 8 p.m.

Live Music w/Jackson Roltgen Duo

Coeur d’Alene roots singer-songwriter Jackson Roltgen blends Americana, folk, soul and country. He plays from 6-8 p.m. at Smokesmith BarB-Que.

Comedy Avalanche

The stand-up comedy troupe returns to the Panida Theater for one night only, bringing breakout comedian Brittany Lyseng, an established Canadian headliner who has been featured on Kevin Hart’s LOL Network and is the winner of the 2024 Seattle International Comedy Competition. Showtime at 8 p.m. and $25 tickets at panida.org.

Pickleball tournament

Check out Sandpoint’s James E. Russell Sports Center (2016 Pine St.) for this day-long pickleball tournament benefiting local firefighters in their stairclimb fundraiser supporting the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Spokane is Dead Grateful Dead tribute concert

The Hive will host this

Spokane Grateful Dead tribute band, with doors opening at 7 p.m. and the show starting at 8 p.m. Tickets are $18.06 in advance at livefromthehive. com, or $20 at the door.

Sunday, Feb. 22

Eichardt’s K-9 Keg Pull

If you’re only able to attend one Winter Carnival event, this is it. The final — and favorite — event hosted by Eichardt’s Pub invites local dogs and their owners to race down the snowy course built right on Cedar Street in front of the Pub (212 Cedar St.), pulling kegs appropriate to their size. For a St. Bernard, it’s a full-size keg, but for a chihuahua it’ll be a beer can. The pooches race the clock for the best time and prizes, with all funds going to support the Better Together Animal Alliance. Registration starts at 10:15 a.m. and races begin at 11 a.m. Don’t miss this heartwarming event. Learn more at eichardtspub.com.

For all Winter Carnival updates, visit sandpointwintercarnival.com.

Clark Fork H.S. seniors hosting grad night spaghetti dinner fundraiser

By Reader Staff

The Clark Fork High School class of 2026 invites members of the community to a spaghetti dinner fundraiser on Saturday, Feb. 21 to support a safe and sober grad night for this year’s seniors.

Scheduled for 5-7 p.m., the meal will include spaghetti, salad, bread and a beverage for $10 (adults) and $8 (kids) at The Filling Station Youth Center (108 E. First Ave., in Clark Fork). In addition to

eats, the event will include a silent auction and dessert back sale.

The Filling Station provides a safe place for local teens, and houses a commercial kitchen, full-sized gym, shower facilities, Wii, Xbox 360 console, Wi-Fi, pool table, ping pong table, foosball table, air hockey table and more.

Festival at Sandpoint offers new Music Appreciation Scholarship

By Reader Staff

The Festival at Sandpoint recently announced a new addition to its 2026 season with the Music Appreciation Scholarship, which will join the arts organization’s instrumental, vocal, songwriting and Poster Contest awards.

To apply, students are invited to display how music has impacted their life on a four-inch by six-inch postcard, using either writing or art. The postcards will serve as the scholarship application, and can be picked up and submitted either at their school’s counseling office or the Festival office (525 Pine St., in Sandpoint).

Scholarship awards of $1,000 will be awarded to one high-school student at each of the following school districts and regions: Lake Pend Oreille School District and greater Sandpoint area schools, West Bonner County School District and Boundary County School District.

All high-school grade levels are encouraged to apply — regardless of their post-secondary plans — and awarded funds are not restricted to education.

Winners of the Instrumental Excellence, Vocal Excellence and Charley Packard Memorial Songwriting scholarships may have the opportunity to perform at the 2026 Summer Series.

Outside of the traditional scholarship season, the Festival also offers a scholarship to the winner of the annual Poster Contest if they are a student pursuing continued education. The 2026 Poster Contest is now closed to submissions.

Go to fillingstationyouth.com for additional info. FEBRUARY 27 5:00 PM TH,

In 2025, the Festival awarded more than $8,000 in scholarships to five North Idaho high school and college students to support their continuing education.

Scholarship applications are now being accepted with a due date of Friday, April 10. Visit festivalatsandpoint.

FEATURE

Holding the line

A

brief history of the Priest River Experimental Forest and a conversation with the ones who keep the legacy alive

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

Tucked beneath boughs of western white pine, fir, hemlock and cedar, surrounded by mountains and North Idaho sky, the Priest River Experimental Forest lives a quiet life.

The historic station has been continuously staffed by forestry experts, students, scientists, researchers and others since its founding in 1911. That is, until last year, when the federal government enacted a hiring freeze while also encouraging other federal employees to retire, leaving the station without a superintendent — and potentially without a clear path forward. Now, after 115 years and untold contributions to forestry science, a group of volunteers are working to keep the legacy of the station alive.

A brief history

Idaho had only been a state for 11 years when the PREF was founded out of the efforts of President Theodore Roosevelt and early Forest Service leaders such as Gifford Pinchot, Raphael Zon and Henry Graves, who helped establish a conservation mindset toward the care of America’s woodlands.

After years of exploitation of natural resources in the East, where forests had been largely depleted without establishing regeneration practices, Pinchot and his colleagues decided the West would be handled in a different manner. In their opinion, the federal government could manage natural resources far better than the slash-and-burn style employed by private industries that had pillaged forests in the Midwest and East over the previous century.

The “Big Burn” — a wildfire that scorched 3 million acres in North Idaho and western Montana in 1910 — also helped influence the new path the federal government would take in its forestry policies and procedures, ultimately leading to the USFS putting fire mitigation at the forefront of its research.

Those early leaders realized that in order to manage forests well, they needed more information to inform better decisions. Field research was necessary. They followed examples from Germany at the time to establish research sta-

tions on experimental forests in order to study native trees and learn from experimentation — practices intended to establish sustainable, healthy forests able to accommodate timber harvesting, recreation and environmental protection, among other uses.

The first experimental forest in America opened in 1908, called The Fort Valley Experimental Forest near Flagstaff, Ariz. It was established after two lumbermen asked Pinchot to determine why the area’s ponderosa pine stands were not regenerating after logging.

PREF came into being three years later, representing the second experimental forest in the U.S. and, today, remaining the second oldest of 81 such forests in the country. By that time, Priest River had grown into a bustling town after providing track ties for the railroads. The site for PREF was chosen due to the abundance of western white pine, then an important species for wood products.

“One of the first lumber companies in this area was the Diamond Match Company,” said USFS hydrologist Brandon Glaza. “Old-growth white pine made the best matchsticks. Imagine taking a five-foot diameter white pine and turning it into 10 million

matchsticks.”

The location offered researchers unique opportunities to study climate and the ecology of many forest types. Within a half mile of the station were sites illustrating the entire range of conditions in the region. The 6,368acre property included species from the moist northeastern slopes to the dry southwestern slopes and everything between.

Early foresters began building the physical facilities at PREF in September 1911. About a dozen men set up canvas tents and other temporary structures in the remote area, relying on a number of ranches within a short distance to supply fresh milk, butter, eggs and vegetables. Under the leadership of Donald Brewster, PREF’s first director, they set up weather stations, laboratories, a road connecting the buildings with the ranger station and footpaths. They also cleared areas to prepare for tree nurseries and other buildings.

The first permanent structures went up in 1917 and consisted of simple wooden cabins with few amenities, other than an office and a lab. Many of the buildings still standing today were built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s.

In the decades that followed,

volumes of research came out of the humble facility. Legendary names in forestry came and went from PREF, including Bob Marshall, Harry Gisborne, Richard Bingham and Charles Wellner; all of them making enormous contributions to forest science.

For example, many aspects of modern wildland firefighting came out of research conducted by Gisborne, including the establishment of smokejumpers. PREF made substantial advances in the study of blister rust, a fungus that decimates white pine and other five-needle pine populations. Continued research identified certain phenotypes that had developed genetic resistance to the disease, many of which are now planted in nurseries that have been maintained for more than a century.

“Blister rust research was started because it affects the commercial viability of the forest,” Glaza told the Reader. “If research at a small scale can identify a benefit or cost savings from our land management activities, it really can add up over the millions

< see PREF, Page 17 >

of acres the USFS manages.”

Other scientific advances contributed by PREF include site-preparation methods for timber harvest, development of the Stand Prognosis Model (a precursor to today’s Forest Vegetation Simulator), foundational fire behavior, fire danger rating, fire effects research, understanding forest structure influences on water yield, the importance of coarse woody debris for forest productivity and the development of the Free Selection silviculture system, among others.

“The oldest research records in the entire network [of experimental forests] originate from Priest River and date back to 1911,” said Sharon Hood, Forest Service research ecologist and scientist-in-charge at PREF.

In 1995, the facilities were officially listed on the National Registry of Historic Places, cementing PREF’s prominent position in the field of forest science. The facility is now jointly managed by USFS researchers and the Idaho Panhandle National Forest, with research activities coordinated by the Rocky Mountain Research Station.

‘A special pull to this place’ Today, the PREF research station continues the daily procedures that have been a mainstay at the site for 115 years.

Glaza is one of a handful of personnel who continue the work at PREF, the majority of them volunteers and all passionate advocates for the trees that surround them.

Grants and Agreements Specialist Natalie Hughes is the only USFS employee living at PREF full-time, along with her husband Joe Hughes, who serves as a volunteer. Glaza, the only other on-site USFS employee, visits the facility a couple of times per month. Charlie and Jane McCrum are all volunteers who live at the station and dedicate their time to maintaining the facility, while Nicole Mutchler is a master’s student at the University of Idaho doing research at PREF, and previously a botanist for the Rocky Mountain Research Station.

The tight-knit group sat down with the Reader to talk about what PREF means to them and their research, and why it’s important to keep the legacy alive.

Whether it’s taking daily weather readings, climbing trees to inject pollen into seed cones, plowing snow, monitoring nurseries, conducting experiments in the labs or any of the myriad tasks that make up an average day at PREF, everyone around the table lives and breathes forest science.

They also speak to the benefits of what it means to be able to conduct experiments while living among the trees.

“Five of us live here on-site permanently and we can just walk out the door to work every day,” said Natalie. “We’ll have people from the university who are, say, studying huckleberries, and they contact me and ask if the flowers are out yet so they can save their four-hour drive up there. The proximity of the research is amazing.”

When asked to share the impact of research that has come out of the site, Joe said, “It’s kind of tricky because science builds on itself. When something was learned here 30 years ago, it might be picked up by another scientist in Europe or somewhere, and it all builds on a certain output. The beauty of science is that everybody is collaborative.”

For Glaza, it’s the little traditions, like taking the same daily weather measurements without missing a beat.

“Every day for 115 years now, at 5 p.m., we’ve walked out to this same place to take weather measurements,” Glaza said. “That’s something like 42,000 consecutive days. We take the daily max temp, daily min temp and precipitation. There have been others collected over the years like wind and humidity, and all of that information gets reported to the weather service every day.”

“We still use manual instruments, too,” Mutchler added. “And we write it down in the logbook. You don’t want to miss a day.”

“No one wants to be the asterisk,”

Joe said. “You gotta get your ass out there and take that weather.”

Glaza said long-term data sets like daily weather measurements, streamflow studies conducted since the 1930s, snow courses showing snowpack going back to 1936 and forestry plots going back to the early 1910s have all contributed to real-world applications in maintaining forest health, as well as showing trends that point out changes to the climate and other environmental conditions.

“We’re not just out here collecting numbers to give ourselves something to do,” Joe said.

“We’re all volunteers here and we all felt a special pull to this place,” Natalie said. “When you drive up, this place has some kind of power. This place is magical. ... We’re volunteering to keep this place alive. Who knows what the next generation will gain from it?”

Glaza spoke of a tree geneticist who visited PREF and helped him realize the true importance of the research facility.

“There are some rows of trees, Douglas firs, that were planted 50-something years ago and have some special properties,” Glaza said. “He said having trees that old in that quantity was something special. He said it just doesn’t exist anywhere else. I couldn’t begin to describe the research he was doing, but it reminds us why we know this place is so important.”

“It speaks to the importance of areas like this because of the long time frame,” Joe said. “It might take 100 years to really see what’s going on and that’s why you need a place like this.”

For Natalie, whose Forest Service background was in fire, living in the birthplace of so many firefighting advancements was a treat.

“I had no idea what Gisborne did and learned that he modernized fire-

fighting to use planes to fight fire,” she said. “Other tools we still use today, he invented. All those things that we still use today came from this spot right here.”

Mutchler, who studies botany at U of I, said she’s thrilled to be working where some of the blister rust science originated — research that has taken western white pine from the brink of extinction to a potential comeback.

“We’re losing that tree from the landscape,” Mutchler said. “It’s the first tree listed on the Endangered Species Act in North America. The blister rust science here helped establish a genetic study identifying gene resistance to blister rust, and we have some of those genetically resistant western white pine planted across this forest, many of which are in the nursery. Now we have cone stock ... and resistant trees that are 60 years old that have grown into an entire forest.”

While research on diseases and forest health are important, climate change has contributed to more active fire seasons throughout the West. That’s why, no matter the field in which a researcher works, it all seems to come back to fire and how to mitigate it.

“Everything trickles to fire,” Mutchler said. “Brandon [Glaza] is a hydrologist, and when you look at precipitation and stream measurements, that influences fire. I’m a botanist and I look at the understory. How does it burn? All those things are important. Foresters are looking at tree health, what trees are growing and which ones are most flammable.”

< see PREF, Page 18 >

‘A rich history here’

While PREF normally has a USFS superintendent and perhaps several live-in employees, recent shakeups in the federal government have brought uncertainty to the station.

Natalie, who normally works at the Sandpoint Ranger District office, said she and Joe decided to volunteer their time at PREF after hearing rumors that the historic station might be in trouble.

“I brought it up to Joe and said we gotta do our part,” she said. “There is no other option. We’ll see what happens through the end of winter. We’re open-ended.”

Mutchler said the disconnection from distraction offered by PREF is invaluable for researchers and scientists.

“I’ve been here for three years, living here all year round,” she said. “My brain has changed. ... The value of being unplugged from all the distractions is incredible. ... I’m getting my master’s out of U of I and I am encouraged to live down at the university, but I continue to tell my supervisors that this is the best place in the world to study and conduct research.”

Volunteers Charley McCrum and his wife Jane, both living at the site full-time, said this was their first experience in a scientific site. Their tasks revolve around custodial and maintenance duties.

“My wife and I have been involved with the Forest Service many times in years past on recreational sites,” he said. “We realize that there are certain things the Forest Service is not able to do without volunteer energy. We believe in these things. ... I don’t know what PREF’s future is. I wonder if most of the research in future years will happen in places like Moscow, but it’s still no reason to get rid of this place. There’s such a rich history here. ... Maybe in future years the Forest Service will have to make this thing more available to the public, which is a more viable option to keep it alive without dozing all the buildings and scrapping it.”

That has been the fate of numerous other experimental forest research facilities around the West, where sometimes the forests remain, but many of the facilities and living quarters have been razed or abandoned, leaving researchers without the ability to live among the trees they study.

‘We lost the expertise’ PREF was originally built to house scientists and their families, hosting anywhere from five to 12 full-time employees in its heyday. Those numbers have fluctuated through the years due

to a variety of causes. During World War I, employees were hard to find because many were involved in the war effort. During the Great Depression and into World War II, budgets were cut significantly, and various presidential administrations have signaled different levels of commitment to PREF — but 2025 marked the first time in 115 years that a paid superintendent wasn’t living at the facility full time.

With ideologies drifting back to “turn-and-burn” timber harvesting days, the reliance on DOGE by President Donald Trump’s administration to reduce the federal workforce and enact a hiring freeze has presented an existential challenge for the research station.

The Forest Service declined to be interviewed about personnel and funding matters, but the U.S. Department of Agriculture — which oversees USFS — provided the Reader with written comments when asked about the facility’s future.

“Under President Trump’s leadership, USDA has worked to restore fiscal responsibility, efficiency and accountability so that Americans can count on services that endure,” a USDA spokesperson stated. “Over the past year, we have addressed millions of dollars in salary deficits inherited from the previous administration. The Forest Service is now on a path to fiscal solvency.”

According to the spokesperson, the Fiscal Year 2026 appropriations bills for the Department of Agriculture and Forest Service were recently signed into law, and, “We are working on

allocating available funds. The process is complicated and takes time to ensure we are fully aligned with administration priorities and the intent of Congress.”

The declining workforce was deeply affected by DOGE cuts in 2025, with many employees resigning or retiring early and others encouraged, even coerced, to leave. Longtime USFS employees like Bob Denner and Russ Graham are now deceased, and many other notables like John Byrne and Theresa Jain have retired. With a federal hiring freeze in place, there isn’t a next generation stepping up to take their place.

The group currently living at PREF abstained from speaking about personnel or management matters related to the station, but the Reader reached out to two recently retired employees who spoke more candidly about their work and the importance of the facility.

When Jain began her long career in forestry in the early 1980s, she said it was still an industry dominated by men.

“The Forest Service was primarily run by white men and it was a very military kind of management,” Jain told the Reader. “There were very few women and very few minorities. ... I am a woman, but I’m also Hispanic.”

The Forest Service administration in the early 1980s was actively diversifying and recruiting, and when they came to Jain’s undergraduate school (Colorado State University), she interviewed well and came away with a job offer as a 19-year-old forester trainee in Bonners Ferry. Jain launched

herself into the job, but found some tasks were physically difficult, such as jumping 1970s-era snowmobiles off of truck beds.

“When you only weigh 100 pounds soaking wet, it’s hard to manage those things,” Jain said. “That really revolved into how I got into research.”

Jain transferred to U of I and finished her bachelor’s degree there, finding herself drawn to the forestry science lab in Moscow as part of the research side of USFS.

“I walked in every two weeks and asked for a job,” she said. “Finally, after a year, they hired me as a temporary for a couple of years and I worked summers.”

Jain worked alongside scientists who conducted important research on blister rust in western white pine. She widened her experience levels, studying wildfire, erosion on roads and anything else related to forestry, which eventually led her to the PREF research station.

Eventually, she was hired as a fulltime forester to support silviculture research, which is the art and science of establishment, growth, composition, health and quality of forests and woodlands. She worked under many big names in forestry, including Russ Graham, the scientist in charge of PREF for 25 years.

“What you see a lot today at Priest River — the nursery, the buildings, the research — can be attributed to Russ Graham,” she said. “He really sustained that place and maintained

< PREF, con’t from Page 18 >

it. ... He taught me a lot of the history of PREF, what it was that made it sustainable over 115 years, about the people and research going on that made it this amazing place.”

When Graham passed away in 2020, Jain took over as scientist in charge.

Jain said she always noticed that everyone stationed at PREF worked together and remained humble.

“It was a very different environment,” she said. “They shedded this outer armor they had when they were in Moscow. Everything was situated on, ‘How can we help forest management?’ ... It was a safe space for managers to come and environmental groups and others to come and ask critical questions. ... PREF provides a safe space for critical thought, questioning and learning.”

Reflecting on the many foresters who contributed to PREF’s history, Jain remembered, “We used to say, ‘We stand on the shoulders of giants.’ What Gisborne did. Or Irving Hague. ... We still use some of his research done at Priest River.”

After Graham passed away in 2020, Jain remained to ensure a smooth leadership transition at PREF.

“Beginning in 1911, we always had crossover from one generation of scientist to another,” she said. “There was always overlap, so we were able to sustain some continuous philosophy and worldview of experimental forests. ... It’s this continuous overlap, this continuous mentoring that gives a historical perspective on why it’s important to continue teaching the next generation.”

Jain retired in 2022, before Trump’s second term and DOGE efforts created turmoil with the federal workforce nationwide, so she wasn’t pressured to leave. She explained that working in research science under different administrations came with a host of challenges — and it was an ongoing issue throughout the Forest Service’s history.

recreation.

Jain said when she began her career, loyalty to the cause was evident with every employee — something that she has noticed waning in recent years.

“With this current administration, particularly part of his early administration, shoving out all the people, doing the freezes and eliminating workers, scaring the bejesus out of folks,” Jain said. “All of a sudden, the confidence of the agency you’re working with and loyalty went right out the door.”

While there have been brief periods in the past without paid superintendents at PREF, Jain said the real cause of uncertainty for the future is the hiring freeze that isn’t replacing outgoing employees. When Jain retired, Jason Reinhardt took over the job but resigned soon after, assisting the transition to Sharon Hood as scientist in charge while based in Missoula, Mont.

“This current administration is, well, in my opinion, their only purpose is to break things. They don’t have a clear purpose of what they’re doing and why they’re getting rid of people. They’re just creating chaos.”

“The Forest Service was going to be dissolved around 1923 because the administration at the time didn’t find any use for forest management and wanted to get rid of all the lands,” she said.

— John Byrne, forester (retired)

That perspective shifted shortly after when the Forest Service started fighting forest fires, again leaning on research to help mitigate the potential

When it comes to the Trump administration’s push to log nearly 60 million acres of public forests, Jain said that strategy is problematic.

“Look, I don’t think clear-cutting is necessarily a bad management strategy,” she said, explaining that if done correctly, clear-cutting can provide openings for western white pine and larch as well as treating stands of timber heavily affected by root disease.

“You have to have ecologically

sound, socially acceptable and economically viable strategies,” she continued. “If socially people don’t want something done, it won’t get put on the ground. Economically, if it won’t pay for itself, it won’t get put on the ground. Ecologically, if we do something stupid, we live with it for centuries. We have to have that balance.

“This administration says hogging and logging is the way,” Jain said. “Whether that gets implemented is a whole different thing. We don’t have the infrastructure, don’t have the mills, don’t have the loggers. How will it get done? ... That’s the scary part of what this administration has done. A lot of the expertise and knowledge left the Forest Service. Some of the best silviculturists in the country resigned or early-retired or just left. That’s the biggest thing that is at greatest risk; we lost the expertise.”

‘Creating chaos’

John Byrne studied forestry in Wisconsin and earned a master’s degree at Michigan Tech. After finishing school, he applied for a position at the research lab in Moscow and started his tenure at PREF in 1985.

“One of my responsibilities was to continue measurements of some of the long-term research plots that were installed at PREF and other places,” Byrne told the Reader. “Some of those were installed in the teens, ’20s and ’30s, and we’ve had a continuous record for how the forest has changed over that period. ... That’s one of the most valuable resources at PREF and we hope it can continue, but we’ll see into the future.”

Byrne still remembers his first feel-

ings of awe upon arriving at the site.

“In my opinion, PREF is one of the treasures of the Forest Service because of its long record, being established in 1911 and a lot of the buildings put in during the CCC days of the 1930s,” he said. “It’s an amazing resource for scientists.”

While Byrne was based in Moscow, he would regularly travel to PREF and stay for a week at a time while conducting research ultimately used to develop models used not only in national forests, but by managers of other agencies that work in the forests of the northern Rockies.

Byrne enjoyed the solitude of PREF because it eliminated many of the distractions that often got in the way of conducting in-depth research.

“You didn’t have any of the contrivances of society and you could go up there and concentrate on your work,” he said. “I’m old-school and I appreciated being away from the business of society.”

While taking measurements during his work at PREF, Byrne said he often had to refer to data recorded about a specific tree in previous years. There were surreal moments when he realized the measurements he was looking at were taken by some of the forestry legends of the past.

“A lot of scientists got their start there,” he said. “It was always very interesting to realize you’re one of the people in the line of progression that is

keeping the research going.”

Byrne said the Forest Service has weathered storms before, usually involving science butting up against politics; but, this time, it feels different.

“We’ve always had ebbs and flows in some of our budgets and the focuses that the different administrations have had,” he said. “But we’ve always been able to maintain the kind of foundational work that’s done on experimental forests. We’ve always been able to keep that going, even though sometimes there would be different focuses, or a step back from something for a little while. The hope was always to keep things going.

“This current administration is, well, in my opinion, their only purpose is to break things,” he said. “They don’t have a clear purpose of what they’re doing and why they’re getting rid of people. They’re just creating chaos.”

Byrne said most USFS employees, including himself, have made conservation a guiding principle.

“They really want to do the right thing for the forest,” he said. “Unfortunately these people that are still in the Forest Service are taking a lot of abuse from the current administration to do their work. That’s quite unfortunate to me.”

Byrne originally planned to retire at the end of 2025 after nearly 40 years in the Forest Service, but wanted to see some projects finished, so was mulling spending a few more years before retirement.

“When the DOGE people started doing their business, they gave us the fork-in-the-road offer,” Byrne said. “They told us in April that we could take five months of pay and we’d retire at the beginning of October. For me, it was reasonably good timing. I saw how things were being managed at the Forest Service. It was becoming harder and harder to purchase things to do your basic job.

“Different administrations have come in and wanted to have a different focus, or reduce their budgets sometimes, but they’ve typically done it in a somewhat more sane way than what the current administration is doing,” he said. “To me, it’s totally un-understandable what they’re doing. It’s unclear to me what their focus is.”

When asked about their priorities moving forward, a USFS spokesperson said, “Forest Service Chief Tom Shultz has outlined FY26 agency priorities focused on fundamentals and a ‘backto-basics’ approach for delivering the greatest good to the American people. Long-term research — such as silviculture, tree genetics and fire behavior studies conducted at Priest River and across the national forest system — supports priorities including reducing wildfire risk, thinning overgrown areas and boosting timber production to support local mills.”

“ We’re all volunteers here and we all felt a special pull to this place. When you drive up, this place has some kind of power. This place is magical. ... We’re volunteering to keep this place alive. Who knows what the next generation will gain from it?”

— Natalie Hughes, USFS

... I wish I could’ve stayed a little longer, but the work environment got to be so frustrating it was hard to positively get much of anything done.”

While shakeups have happened in the past due to changing administrations, Byrne saw what was happening during Trump’s second term as something entirely new.

Meanwhile, Byrne contends the current administration doesn’t understand the logistics of how to manage a forest in a healthy — and profitable — manner.

“They were mostly about cutting costs and getting rid of people,” he said. “The Forest Service said they wanted to get more cut out and they want to send more logs to the mills. ... You can say that, but they didn’t think about the whole process.

“You can’t just go out and cut trees,” he added. “A logger doesn’t buy a timber sale from the Forest Service until they also have a contract with a mill to take their logs to. They can’t just cut logs without having a market for them. They want to ramp things up really fast to get more wood out of the forest, but it’s not something that’s done turning on a dime. It doesn’t work that way. There are too many people in the process, too many factors in the process to make that happen. That’s why I say a lot of their ideas seem poorly thought out.”

Still, Byrne hopes the current administration gains a clearer focus moving forward.

“I have hopes that they will come to their senses, that the research branch of the Forest Service is a valuable resource they should maintain. That’s just my hope,” he said. “I would be remiss to say I could predict in any shape or form what this administration is going to do. I hope it can somehow survive, but I just don’t know.”

Like Jain, Byrne spoke of the importance of remembering that public lands and national forests provide a multitude of benefits to the American people — if they are managed properly.

“It’s not just lumber,” he said. “It’s a recreation source for people. It’s a water resource for people, especially in the West where we get moisture in the winter and depend on it in the summertime. There are a whole gamut of things. The Forest Service has always been tasked with managing all aspects of the forest, not just one aspect. To be ultra-focused on just one aspect is,

to me, not thinking clearly about all the benefits of all the forest and what it does for people.”

‘Carry the torch’

No one can say what the future holds for PREF or the Forest Service itself, for that matter. With an administration hyperfocused on cost-cutting exercises and distilling the complicated balance of forest management to a simple equation of mass logging of National Forest lands — meanwhile neglecting to hire new generations of forest stewards — it paints a picture of uncertainty for one of the West’s most important natural resources.

“The legacy [of PREF] is the reason we all volunteer our time,” Joe Hughes said. “This is a lot of work. The amount of work people have put into this place to protect it and the amount of research that has contributed to the country has been huge. ... To let everything before us fritter away into the dust, it would be a shame. It would disrespect everyone who came before us. Zon, Marshall, Graves, Pinchot, Gisborne. All of these people have dedicated so much of their life to this place. It’s necessary to carry the torch.”

To learn more about the Priest River Experimental Forest, an excellent resource is History of the Priest River Experiment Station by Kathleen L. Graham, available to view online at bit.ly/PREF-pdf.

CAL accepting applications for nonprofit grants starting March 1 Festival at Sandpoint hiring for director of Community and Strategy

By Reader Staff

The Community Assistance League is gearing up to accept applications for its 2026 giving cycle, inviting nonprofits with projects that benefit Bonner County residents to submit proposals for funding starting Sunday, March 1.

CAL gives out an average of $200,000 each year in grants and scholarships, with the majority of monetary support coming from sales at the nonprofit organization’s volunteer-run “upscale retail” store Bizarre Bazaar.

“The monies we’re able to give back to the community are really from the community,” stated CAL President Joyce Price. “People donate goods, our volunteers polish them up and price them, and people come into the store and buy them. Bizarre Bazaar annual proceeds are the bulk of the monies we grant to local organizations. Our friends and neighbors here in Bonner are the reason we can continue to do this — and we so appreciate their support.”

Bonner County nonprofits are invited to apply for funding by picking up an application at the following locations:

• East Bonner County Library

Sandpoint Branch (1407 Cedar St.);

• East Bonner County Library Clark Fork Branch (601 N. Main St.);

• West Bonner County LIbrary Priest River Branch ( 118 Main St.);

• Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce (1202 Fifth Ave.);

• Bizarre Bazaar (114 S. Boyer Ave., in Sandpoint).

In addition, funding applications can be downloaded at CALSandpoint.org.

Judging criteria for successful funding includes projects that will have “a significant and positive impact on the community, projects which are innovative and projects which involve important issues,” the organization stated.

Political, sectarian or religious programs that are not open to the entire community are not eligible.

Grant applications must be typewritten and complete to be considered. The application submitted must stand alone, as the selection committee will not seek additional clarification. Applications must be returned or postmarked no later than Tuesday, March 31.

For additional information, email the committee at CALSandpointGrants@gmail.com.

BGH’s 18th annual Heart Ball to raise funds for Surgical Services improvements

By Reader Staff

The Bonner General Health Foundation’s annual Heart Ball is coming up Saturday, Feb. 21, where from 5-11 p.m. attendees will raise money for upgrades to the BGH Surgical Services Department while having a good time doing it.

This year’s theme is “Through the Looking Glass,” with guests gathering in evening cocktail attire for a full night of drinks, gourmet cuisine and a support for a good cause — specifically contributing toward the replacement of the current surgery air handler with a “modern, state-of-the-art system. This upgrade will improve environmental controls in our operating rooms, address humidity challenges, and enhance patient safety while positioning our surgical suites for future growth and emerging technologies,” organizers stated.

According to BGH, construction on the new air handler is planned between May and July.

“Following these essential infra-

structure improvements, we will move forward with updates to the aesthetics of the surgical area, creating a space that reflects the high-quality care delivered inside it,” officials stated.

In addition to drinks, dinner, dancing, presentations and celebration, the 18th annual Heart Ball will include a paddle raise, during which gifts will be matched dollar-for-dollar up to $50,000, supported by the Walter J. and Betty C. Zable Foundation.

As of press time, tickets were still available at bonnergeneral.org/foundation/heart-ball. Cost to attend is $150 per person; $2,000 for a table of eight; and $2,500 for a table of 10. So far, donations have exceeded $62,000 for a $300,000 goal.

By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff

The Festival at Sandpoint is transitioning its leadership structure, announcing that it is hiring for a new senior leadership position titled “director of Community and Strategy.”

Applications are being accepted now for the new role, which is designed to provide “high-level oversight of organizational strategy, community and partner engagement, fundraising alignment, marketing, brand leadership and public communications,” FAS leaders wrote in a news release.

The Community and Strategy director will work with the board chair, director-level leadership team and staff to move long-term strategic priorities forward while supporting board governance and serve as a public representative for the arts organization.

“This new role reflects our commitment to thoughtful growth, stronger partnerships and ensuring the Festival continues to serve our community for generations to come,” FAS Board President Ben Higgs stated.

The new position signals a shift toward “a shared director-level leadership model, in which senior leaders steward the organization collectively through collaboration, transparency and clearly defined areas of responsibility. The director of Community and Strategy will serve as an equal partner within this model,” the organization stated.

The move comes about three months after Ali Baranski resigned as executive director, a role that she filled since 2019 and left citing the need to focus on personal and family health.

Higgs told the Reader in an email that the Community and Strategy director position does not directly replace the

executive director role; but, following Baranski’s departure, the board took the opportunity to reevaluate how the organization was run and moved toward the shared-leadership model, rather than relying on a single executive.

“Under this model, responsibilities that traditionally sat with an executive director are distributed across a small senior leadership team, including finance, operations and community strategy,” he wrote. “The new position is focused specifically on strategic alignment, community engagement and board partnership rather than serving as a sole chief executive.”

The Festival emphasized that the Community and Strategy director will not be the organization’s “sole or final decision-maker,” but will play “a central role in shaping direction, aligning teams, strengthening community and partner relationships, and modeling collaborative leadership that supports organizational culture and long-term success.”

“The Festival has always been powered by people working together. This approach strengthens that spirit of collaboration and gives us the structure to lead with confidence, support one another and create lasting impact,” Higgs stated. “By sharing responsibility across our director team, we’re able to make more thoughtful decisions and build a more sustainable future for the Festival together.”

Candidates with experience in strategic planning, community engagement, fundraising, marketing and/or public relations are encouraged to apply by emailing a resume and cover letter to president@festivalatsandpoint.com. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Visit festivalatsandpoint. com/careers to learn more.

SHS Ponderettes bound for state dance competition after district championship win

By Reader Staff

Sandpoint High School’s dance team, the Ponderettes, is on a major roll, winning first place in all four dances at the 5A District 1-2 championship Feb. 14 at Lakeland High School and securing a spot at the statewide competition, which will take place Friday, Feb. 27 at the Mountain America Center in Idaho Falls.

“So proud of our team tonight!” the Ponderettes posted on the team’s Instagram account. “These dedicated young women took EVERY SINGLE routine to the top! Couldn’t be more proud of our lovely Ponderettes.”

The district championship win

comes after taking top honors at The Cupid Classic Dance Competition, hosted Feb. 7 at Post Falls High School. There, the Ponderettes earned the title of grand champions while also winning first place in categories including individual kicks, solos, hip-hop, pom and dance. In addition, the team swept the improv competition — winning first, second, third and fourth place — and took second in the military category.

Additional honors included judge’s choice for dance routine, best costume in hip-hop and Cupid pick, which was awarded to a member of the Ponderettes.

Send event listings to calendar@sandpointreader.com

Winter Carnival: ToastyFest

4-8pm @ Granary Arts District

Sauna sessions, chair massages, specialty coffees from Evans Bros., food

Paint and Sip

5:30-7:30pm @ Barrel 33

Line dancing lessons

6:30pm @ The Hive

Live Music w/ Oak Street Connection

5-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery

Live Music w/ Jason Perry

5-7pm @ Connie’s Cafe

Live Jazz w/ Bright Moments

6-8pm @ Baxters on Cedar

Live Music w/ Oak Street Connection

5-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery

Live Music w/ Mike Wagoner

5:30-8:30pm @ Barrel 33

Live Music w/ Mason Van Stone

6-8pm @ Baxters on Cedar

Live Music w/ Pamela Benton

5-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery

Live Music w/ James Berkley

5-7:30pm @ Matchwood Brewing Co.

Live Music w/ Philosophers Daughter

5:30pm @ Barrel 33

Live Music w/ Angel Urrea

6-8pm @ Connie’s Lounge

Live Music w/ Jackson Roltgen Duo

6-8pm @ Smokesmith BBQ

Live Music w/ Kenny James Miller Band

9pm-midnight @ 219 Lounge

Live Music w/ Chris Paradis

6-9pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall

Winter Carnival: K-9 Keg Pull

11am @ Cedar St. (outside Eichardt’s)

A favorite event of Winter Carnival, where our local pooches pull kegs of various sizes down Cedar St.

Monday Night Blues Jam w/ John Firshi

7pm @ Eichardt’s Pub

Open Bluegrass Jam Night 5pm @ Connie’s Lounge

Live piano w/ Jack Purdie

5-7pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery

Wednesday tango night 6pm @ Barrel 33

THURSDAY, februarY 19

Winter Carnival: ’80s Party

5:30pm @ The District Bistro

Rock the retro look. Best costume gets

$100 gift cert. Great ’80s tunes!

Pegs on Fire cribbage tournament

6pm @ Connie’s Cafe

Weekly pool tournament 6pm @ Roxy’s Lounge

FriDAY, februarY 20

Live Music w/ Wiebe Jammin’

6-8pm @ Smokesmith BBQ

Live Music w/ Hogwire

7pm doors @ The Hive

Line dancing lessons start at 7:30pm and show starts at 8pm. Tickets $5

Live Music w/ Hannah and Ezra

5:30-8pm @ Idaho Pour Authority

Opener: Lilly Sennett

SATURDAY, februarY 21

Family Day at Cedar Street Bridge

11am-5pm @ Cedar Street Bridge

Games, face painting, specials, photo booth, hot cocoa bar and more

Free community movie night: Inside Out 6pm @ The Yellow Room, 102 Euclid Ave.

Live Music w/ Spokane is Dead 8pm @ The Hive

Live Music w/ Oak Street Connection

8-11pm @ Roxy’s Lounge

Comedy Avalanche (live stand-up)

8pm @ Panida Theater

Live Music w/ Abe Barber

6-8pm @ Idaho Pour Authority

SunDAY, februarY 22

Weekly pool tournament

6pm @ Roxy’s Lounge

Live Music w/ Fiddlin’ Red 1-4pm @ Barrel 33

monDAY, februarY 23

Outdoor Experience group run 6pm @ Outdoor Experience 3-5 miles, all levels welcome

tuesDAY, februarY 24

Free calligraphy class 10-11am @ Sandpoint Library

wednesDAY, februarY 25

Live piano w/ Jennifer Stoehner 5-7pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery

Beginner Argentine tango lesson 6pm, pracitca 7pm. No partner needed. $15

Chili Cook-Off for a Cause

11am-2pm @ TitleOne Sandpoint

Sample a variety of chilis. Every dollar raised goes to Food For Our Children

February 19 - 26, 2026

Film screening: Recollection

7pm @ Panida Theater

Movie filmed entirely in North Idaho and eastern Washington. Panida.org

Live Music w/ Frytz Mor

8-11pm @ Roxy’s Lounge

POAC Performing Arts Series: Abby Posner

7pm @ Panida Theater

Abby’s shows blend folk, roots, electronic and pop. $20/adults, $10/kids. Panida.org

Music w/ DJ Sterling 9pm-midnight @ Roxy’s Lounge

Live Music w/ Matt Lome

6:30-9:30pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall

Live Music w/ Justyn Priest Band 9pm-midnight @ 219 Lounge

Seed starting workshop for beginners 12:30-2:30pm @ Sandpoint Library

Want to learn how to start seeds indoors before spring? Join Diane Green for this free workshop.

KNPS: Pesticide Stewardship program 9:30am @ Sandpoint Library “Understanding the Pesticide Problem in Montana’s Waterways”

Drop-in swing class

4-6pm @ Barrel 33

$15/person. For info: 208-920-6258

Clark Fork class of 2026 grad night spaghetti dinner and silent auction 5-7pm @ Filling Station, 108 E. First Ave. Fundraiser for $10/adults, $8/kids

Magic with Star Alexander 5-8pm @ Jalapeño’s

Sandpoint Chess Club 9am @ Evans Brothers Coffee

Trivia w/ host Dave

6-8pm @ Idaho Pour Authority

Open Mic w/ host Kjetil Lund

6-8pm @ Idaho Pour Authority

Family Night and live music w/ John Firshi 5-7:30pm @ Matchwood Brewing Co.

Live trivia

7pm @ Connie’s Lounge

ThursDAY, februarY 26

Line dancing lessons 6:30pm @ The Hive

Cribbage tournament

6pm @ Connie’s Cafe

Weekly pool tournament

6pm @ Roxy’s Lounge

Live Music w/ Anna Moss

7:30pm @ Heartwood Center

Award-winning Canadian stand-up comic Brittany Lyseng comes to the Panida

By Reader Staff

Philip Kopczynski’s Comedy Avalanche is returning Saturday, Feb. 21 for a onenight-only stand-up performance by Canadian headliner Brittany Lyseng at the Panida Theater (300 N. First Ave., in downtown Sandpoint).

Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show starts at 8 p.m., featuring Lyseng, who has recently been cleared to work in the U.S. She’s no stranger to audiences, though, with a career that includes a featured

spot on Kevin Hart’s LOL Network and top prize at the Seattle International Comedy Competition in 2024 — along the way earning the distinction of being the first female Canadian comic to win in the event’s 44-year history.

Well established north of the border, she’s also appeared on CBC’s New Wave of Stand-Up Comedy, CTV’s The Stand-Up Show with Jon Dore, Roast Battles Canada, was nominated for a Canadian Screen Award in 2022 and her debut set, Don’t Tell Comedy, has garnered more

than 15 million views online.

Born and raised in Calgary, Alberta, Lyseng came to comedy after 12 years working in the trades as an elevator repair technician. She started out after founding an open mic in her hometown and went on to win a semi-finalist spot in SiriusXM Canada’s Top Comic competition, then dropped her debut comedy album Going Up in 2019.

In a 2022 interview with the Calgary Guardian, she described her style as “indulgent storytelling,” with influences

A four-hour long diss track

including Sarah Silverman, Bill Burr and Norm Macdonald.

Outside of her home turf in Alberta, Lyseng is a regular at clubs and festivals throughout North America, including Just For Laughs Montreal, The Winnipeg Comedy Festival, JFL 42 and JFL Northwest.

Tickets to the PG-13-rated show are $27, available at the door or panida.org.

Get more info at brittanylyseng.com.

Sean Combs: The Reckoning showcases another rich, famous person doing terrible things

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

When historian James Truslow Adams defined the “American Dream” in 1931, he emphasized that it was “not a dream of motor cars and high wages,” but rather a “social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of which they are innately capable, and be recognized by others for what they are, regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position.”

While originally the “American Dream” emphasized democracy, liberty and equality to reach those lofty goals, more recently it has been defined by achieving material wealth and fame, no matter how many are crushed along the way.

Enter Sean Combs: The Reckoning, a four-episode series directed by Alexandria Stapleton that chronicles the rise and fall of hip-hop mogul and genuinely awful person Sean “Diddy” Combs.

The project was produced by Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, a fellow performer who has feuded with Combs for decades and seemingly gets his revenge with this limited series.

While it might be easy to dismiss The Reckoning as a four-hour-long diss track or revenge packaged into a quasi-journalistic form, the series succeeds in explaining

how Combs rose in the hophop world, highlighting the many people he ruined and pushed aside. It also portrays Combs’ disgusting, illegal behavior, which ultimately led to his conviction on charges of transporting people across state lines for the purpose of prostitution and resulting in a four-year prison sentence.

The series opens with footage of Combs six days before his September 2024 arrest, as he argues with his lawyer on the phone from a New York City hotel room about the direction of the case. It’s clear that he considers himself the victim, but also that he sees the cell door closing in his future. Seeing him candidly referring to the ongoing investigation against him in this setting is a jarring start to the show, which launches into Combs’ entry into fame, fortune and infamy.

While he originally wanted to be a dancer and entertainer, Combs began interning for Uptown Records in New York in 1990. Uptown was a label that included early names to the hip-hop scene, including Heavy D and the Boyz, Mary J. Blige, Al B. Sure! and Jodeci. Combs received some of his first negative publicity after a tragedy known as the “City College stampede” in 1991, when nine people were crushed and dozens injured after he overpromoted a charity basketball event — drawing 5,000

people to a gym that could hold only about half that number.

While Combs faced no criminal charges, a lawsuit later found that he, along with Heavy D and City College, were negligent and liable for monetary damages.

After feuding with Uptown’s founder Andre Harrell, Combs broke off to form his own label called Bad Boy Records, where he signed up-and-coming rapper The Notorious B.I.G., a breakout superstar who helped make the label a household name.

Now with his own record label and a growing list of artists, Combs began to come into his own as a ruthless, unscrupulous businessman who would stop at nothing to get ahead — while also creating his own music to become a self-engineered hip-hop star.

Throughout the four episodes, viewers watch as Combs devolves into a monster. Numerous sexual assault allegations are reported against him and, several times over, Combs would deliberately target the significant other of a fellow rapper, court her and steal her away.

Also taking up a lot of real estate in the documentary is the feud between East Coast and West Coast rappers, pitting Biggie against such names as Dr. Dre, Tupac Shakur and Suge Knight of Death Row Records — a rivalry that

seemed to be fueled by Combs himself (Tupac and Biggie actually started out as friends, but Combs’ jealousy over their talent seemed to wedge them apart). Ultimately, first Tupac then Biggie were killed in drive-by shootings.

The Reckoning doesn’t go as far as to pin the crime on Combs’ shoulders, but makes very clear insinuations that Combs’ influence egged on the murders.

The hard parts of the series to watch are CCTV footage of Combs physically abusing his then-girlfriend Cassie Ventura in a hotel in 2016. Ventura later settled the sexual assault case against Combs in 2023, leading to more than 100 other allegations against the rap mogul.

Where the series falls short is how it handles Combs’ so-called “freak-off” parties — originally known as “White Parties” because all the participants were expected to wear white. The freak-offs were held at Combs’ house, mansions, luxury hotels and yachts, and drew a number of celebrities over the years including Donald Trump, Martha Stewart, Justin Bieber, Chevy Chase, Mariah Carey and many others.

The freak-offs began to be associated with illicit activities, including heavy drug use, non-consensual sexual encounters and physical violence. Various testimonies describe instances of abuse,

kidnapping, threats of violence and rape. During federal investigations into Combs’ alleged sex trafficking activities, authorities seized more than 1,000 bottles of baby oil from his residences, where they were used in orgies.

While the series goes into detail about many aspects of Combs’ life, it presents the freak-off parties as a sort of afterthought without mentioning many of the celebrities who attended them. This doesn’t honor the dozens of sexual assault survivors especially well.

Overall, The Reckoning isn’t pleasant to watch, but it is perhaps necessary because it offers an up-close picture of the kind of monster Diddy really is. The series ends with some justice, as Diddy is sentenced to more than four years in prison for his actions. With President Donald Trump confirming to reporters that Diddy asked him for a pardon, it’s anyone’s guess how long the rapper will actually live behind bars.

The Reckoning — much like the documentary series Mr. McMahon and, frankly, Trump’s entire history as president — showcases how rich, powerful men often avoid consequences for their criminal actions, but every once in a while the hammer of justice comes down on them.

Stream it on Netflix.

Andy Grammer and Walk Off the Earth will open the 2026 Festival at Sandpoint

By Reader Staff

The Festival at Sandpoint announced the opening act for its 2026 Summer Series, featuring Andy Grammer with Walk off the Earth on Thursday, July 30 at War Memorial Field.

A multi-platinum singer-songwriter whose sound inhabits the intersections of pop-rock, soul and country-pop, Grammer released his fifth studio album Monster in 2024, following a tumultuous five-year period following 2019’s Naive. Despite his reputation as one of the most optimistic and brightest lights in the pop singer-songwriter world, Grammer — like a lot of people during the pandemic years — found himself struggling with personal demons and seeking therapy for the first time.

That process of difficult self-exploration, which also corresponded with welcoming his second child while dealing with the rupture of an important personal relationship, resulted in the complexity of Monster, which has been described as “a document of someone walking through a fire they never wanted to even look at, and what happens when they emerge on the other side.”

“Being happy, anger is my vulnerability,” he said. “I didn’t know how to deal with getting in touch with anger. I just pretended it wasn’t there.”

Working through a host of emotions, Grammer experimented with capturing the dynamic of the era in general — encompassing both struggle and growth in smaller snapshots, including singles from 2020-’23 and the 2022 EP The Art Of Joy.

He had planned to collect the singles alongside a few new songs for his fifth al-

bum; instead, he picked up a mandolin, which helped guide the tone and texture of what became Monster.

“When you find a unique sound you want to chase and sit with completely, then the album as an art form really starts to matter,” Grammer said. Reflecting on the emotional reckoning that came with Monster, Grammer said, “The word ‘monster’ has some bite to it. I began to realize getting in touch with my anger was essential. I began to make peace with it, and the monster got less scary. ... When you’re singing your truth, it will relate. It was freeing, to be honest.”

Monster excavates life from multiple angles. Lead single

“I Do” features Grammer singing alongside country music duo Maddie and Tae, in a song written about Grammer’s wife Aijia that both playfully and thoughtfully depicts how the couple navigates the ups and downs of long relationships.

The couple wrote and recorded other material for the record, including “Grey,” a song that ruminates on whether love survives as we age, and

“Unforgivable,” which is an unflinching track influenced by a friend’s divorce.

Grammer’s signature optimism reemerges after getting stung in “Save A Spot In The Back,” while “Magic” is a classic indie-pop banger that reminisces about loss and the unexplainable in life. The song has an extra layer of poignance as the last composition Grammer wrote with his longtime collaborator Bram Inscore prior to the latter’s tragic death.

From the hurt and confusion of the album’s opening, the tracks on Monster trace Grammer’s process of re-centering himself with what really matters in life before concluding with “Friends And Family.”

“I think people will understand the journey — from acknowledging the anger, leaving and experiencing things, and then coming home to realize you’re not able to be your full self without these things,” Grammer said. “And when we all end up singing it together at the top of our lungs — that’s what makes life explosive.”

Learn more about Gram-

mer at andygrammer.com.

Also on the Festival stage for opening night will be Canadian indie-pop band Walk off the Earth, a JUNO Award-winning multi-platinum musical phenomenon that has headlined Red Rocks Amphitheater and Wembley Arena, sold out the historic Sydney Opera House, notched a top-10 single in Canada for 30 straight weeks and made it all the way to the top of the Pop Albums chart in the U.S.

The group has collaborated with artists from across genres, including Snoop Dogg, Sarah Silverman, Keith Urban, Steve Aoki, Lukas Graham, Lauv, Lindsey Stirling and many more, meanwhile selling millions of copies of their recordings and racking up billions of streams along the way.

The band kicked off 2023 with its viral single “My Stupid Heart,” which marked its most successful single to date with 1 million weekly streams, 1 billion YouTube views, 200 million TikTok views and counting, performances on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and Live with Kelly and Mark, and a remix version featuring Lauv.

The chemistry between band members Gianni “Luminati” Nicassio, Sarah Blackwood and Joel Cassady is infectious and undeniable, with an independent spirit, unstoppable work ethic and creativity that has consistently lifted WOTE to new heights.

Learn more at walkofftheearth.com.

Tickets to Andy Grammer with Walk off the Earth are $80.35, including taxes and fees, at festivalatsandpoint. com. Gates open at 6 p.m. and music starts at 7:30 p.m. This will be a standard show, meaning that the area in front of the stage is a general admission dancing and standing area.

WOTE’s YouTube covers have won the band Streamy Awards; its renditions of the national anthem have been performed at major sporting events such as the NBA Finals; and its original songs have earned numerous high-profile accolades — “Red Hands” achieved No. 1 at AAA radio while “Rule The World,” “Fire In My Soul” and “I’ll Be There” have all been certified multi-platinum.

MUSIC

POAC brings Abby Posner to the Panida as part of Performing Arts series

By Reader Staff

The Pend Oreille Arts Council will present a special performance by L.A.-based singer-songwriter Abby Posner on Friday, Feb. 20 as part of its 2025-’26 Performing Arts series at the Panida Theater (300 N. First Ave., in downtown Sandpoint).

An award-winning, multigenre artist with more than 18 years in the business, Posner is well known for her blend of folk, roots, electronic and pop stylings, which she produces through a mastery of virtually “any instrument she can get her hands on,” as POAC put it.

“If you have seen Abby perform live, you know she can play a fierce lead-blues guitar solo or throw down a complex Earl Scruggs banjo riff,” the organization stated. “You also may have spotted her playing drums, mandolin or bass while using her looping pedal. In addition to her versatility, she puts passion and soul into everything she does.”

Originally from Colorado, Posner has been featured on NPR’s Mountain Stage, and her songs have been on streaming platforms including Hulu and Netflix, as well as The CW,

Freeform, and commercials in both the U.S. and U.K.

According to her bio, “Posner’s sonic fingerprint is both wide-reaching and instantly recognizable. Her music video Quiet on Sunset was featured on CMT and she has scored four documentaries, including the award-winning Lady Buds.”

Her rendition of “Wagon Wheel” with Don Flemons and Amythyst Kiah even featured in the national Bank of America ad campaign promoting documentarian Ken Burns’ film Country Music.

Beyond those bona fides, Posner is regarded as a particularly standout live performer, having appeared at the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival in 2024, AmericanaFest in 2023, and Folk Alliance International in 2022 and 2024. Her song “Get Loud,” which she co-wrote with Ships Have Sailed, took the Grand Prize at the 28th USA Songwriting Competition in 2023, hit the pop radio charts and became the “official hype anthem” for the L.A. Kings hockey team.

Describing her live shows as “mesmerizing,” promoters say she brings the kind of energy to the stage that audiences compare to Chris

Thile of Nickel Creek, as well as The Lumineers — all with a sound that ranges from “intimate haunting folk songs, to upbeat festival/dance-yourpants-off hits.”

Doors open for Posner’s Panida show at 6 p.m. and the music starts at 7 p.m. Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for youths, available at artinsandpoint.org; the POAC

Gallery (313 N. Second Ave., in downtown Sandpoint); by calling 208-263-6139; or at the door and panida.org.

Get more information and hear Posner’s sound at abbyposner.com.

James Berkley, Matchwood Brewing, Feb. 21 Spokane is Dead, The Hive, Feb. 21

Back at Matchwood Brewing for another night of groovy soul, storytelling and feel-good acoustic tunes following his post-Christmas visit, Seattle-raised James Berkley will entertain Sandpoint on Saturday, Feb. 21. Though not quite a regular local performer (yet), Berkley is a bona fide Pacific Northwesterner, and regional music fans might know him from his guitar work with the likes of Oskar Owens, The Red Books

and The Gruvé Smoothies. He also performs in San Diego; L.A.; Las Vegas; Missoula and Whitefish, Mont.; Boise and Coeur d’Alene. By his own description, fans of Jack Johnson, John Mayer and Jason Mraz will dig his sound.

— Zach Hagadone

5-7:30 p.m., FREE. Matchwood Brewing, 513 Oak St., 208718-2739, matchwoodbrewing. com. Listen at jamesberkleymusic. com.

Inland Northwest “deadheads” know there’s one band to call when they need a fix for their Grateful Dead and Jerry Garcia Band cravings, and that’s Spokane is Dead. The magnetic tribute band includes artists Jerry Lee Raines, Lucas Brookbank Brown, Barry Gross, Vinnie Nick and Bradley Spracklin rocking out on guitars, drums, keyboards and vocals. Their faithful renditions of the bands’ catalog are a crowd

This week’s RLW by Soncirey Mitchell

READ

We at the Reader have recommended musician Cosmo Sheldrake several times, but have neglected his equally talented mycologist brother, Merlin. His book, Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds & Shape Our Futures, is an entertaining layman’s introduction to the study of mushrooms and their many roles as food, medicine, psychedelics and more. Find it at the library.

LISTEN

Songs have the power to memorialize a time, a place and a mindset, reminding us of who we were when we first heard them every time we listen. One song that, no matter what, always takes me back to my freshman year of college is “Sedona” by Houndmouth, a catchy, alt-indie tune about the cinematic history of the Arizona town. It differs somewhat from the band’s usual alt-bluesrock, but if you like it, its four studio albums are all worth a listen. Find them on houndmouth.com.

WATCH

favorite, and their song choices — whether deep cuts or well-known hits — entertain everyone from diehard fans to newbies. Join them at The Hive on Saturday, Feb. 21, featuring special guest appearances from other area artists.

— Soncirey Mitchell

8 p.m., $18 adv. or $20 at the door, 21+. The Hive, 208-9209039, 207 N. First Ave., livefromthehive.com.

Mushrooms are a source of endless fascination for me, and one documentary that I found captured their majesty is Fantastic Fungi on Amazon Prime. The film interviews mycologists and mushroom enthusiasts, exploring the 3.5 billion-year history of fungi, their place in the ecosystem, and how humans have used them for health and spiritual pursuits. It also heavily features amateur mycologist (and controversial but highly influential figure) Paul Stamets, who’s always entertaining to listen to.

From Pend Oreille Review, February 19. 1909

ATTORNEY FALLS BY WAYSIDE

Frank D. Lingenfelter, a young attorney who recently hung out his shingle at Bonners Ferry, came to Sandpoint Tuesday to interview Charles Heaton, who was sent up from Bonners Ferry to serve a heavy jail sentence for assault and battery, to find if he could not get Heaton out on a habeas corpus. Lingenfelter tarried too long with the cup that cheers and finally inebriates and in the afternoon Officer Alcorn was called up at the police station and told that a man on First street was intoxicated and that he had just jostled a woman on the sidewalk. When Officer Alcorn attempted to get Lingenfelter to take a brace the Bonners Ferry attorney let loose a part of his vocabulary which he did not find when he pursued the immortal Blackstone and the officer was finally forced to place him in jail, where he had the opportunity to interview his client Heaton the rest of the afternoon and night.

Wednesday morning when Lingenfelter was taken before Justice Costello as “John Smith” he was fined $1 and costs, $6 in all, but the fine was later remitted. Lingenfelter is a brother of United States District Attorney Lingenfelter of Lewiston and is a bright young fellow who would make his mark in the world if he did not periodically linger too long at the bar.

BACK OF THE BOOK

The good divisions

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

The Winter Olympics is more than just a collection of elite athletes competing for medals. It’s a salve that soothes skin rubbed raw from political divisions that have sharply divided us, perhaps permanently.

For these few weeks in February, we can partake in sportsmanship, healthy competition and rivalry that doesn’t end in bloodshed. We can wave our flags and root for our country to score medals, but we can also root for others whose performance stands above the rest. We can celebrate our differences in the name of sport.

Every athlete that steps on the ice or snow has earned their right to be there. It’s the culmination of training that is sometimes measured in decades. It’s also the epicenter of what healthy competition really means.

Take the example of the biathlon, in which athletes cross-country ski a great distance around a track with steep elevation gains then shoot targets every lap with a rifle they carry on their backs.

During a race on Feb. 9, two competitors were exiting the shooting stalls at the same moment and one accidentally stepped on the other’s ski pole, which was left behind in the snow. Without hesitation, the athlete who stepped on the other’s pole unstrapped his own and handed it over as they gained speed. It didn’t get much attention online, yet that simple act of fair play brought me to tears because my heart is hungry for good news.

In that spirit, let us return again to the good things that divide us: our strange peccadillos as humans.

I’m talking about the important

STR8TS Solution

questions, like are socks left-footed and right-footed, or ambidextrous?

When you fold your pants in the laundry, do you buckle them closed or fold them with the button left open?

The debate over the correct way to install toilet paper in the holder has been waged for generations (the over-under side claims this is how it was originally depicted in the 1898 patent, the under-over crowd thinks their method is tidier and limits accidental unrolling).

Or, do you put water on the toothbrush before applying toothpaste, after, both or neither?

Do drinking glasses go right-side up in the cabinet or upside down?

Is it called a soda, a pop, a Coke, a soft drink?

Does silverware go right-side up or upside down in the dishwasher?

Shoes on or off inside the house?

Do you cut your sandwiches horizontally or diagonally?

These are the important questions we should be asking ourselves today. I once had an argument with a friend over whether a hot dog was a sandwich or not and we didn’t speak to one another for several months over it. When we did, the hot dog-sandwich debate wasn’t mentioned.

I have no regrets, because I’d rather have a monthslong argument with someone over hot dogs than a five-minute conversation about political divisions that are literally killing us.

Sportsmanship means winning with dignity and losing with grace. It means playing fair and respecting your opponent. It means bringing it all to the field and leaving it behind when the game is finished.

Team USA figure skater Ilia Malinin had been talked about ad nause-

Sudoku Solution

um by sports broadcasters for weeks leading up to his performance at the Milan Winter Olympics. Dubbed the “Quad God” because of his lone ability to successfully land a fully rotated quadruple axel in international competition, Malinin had the weight of the world on his shoulders as everyone expected him to easily achieve a gold medal for his solo skating. That’s not how it happened, though.

Malinin’s final performance was a disaster, with several falls and aborted tricks that left him in eighth place. Mikhail Shaidorov ended up winning the first figure skating Olympic gold for Kazakhstan in an emotional moment. Watching his performance, it’s clear he deserved it.

After the match, as Malinin was devastated and the U.S. announcers went on and on about how disastrous his performance was, he hugged the Kazakhstani skater and congratulated him on the win. Malinin is a cocky young skater and has a lot to learn about sportsmanship, but he nailed that moment. As they say, it’s not about winning or losing, it’s how you play the game.

Sportsmanship doesn’t exist in the world of politics, religion and money, which revolves around getting ahead by any means necessary — discounting others in order to strengthen your own team. It’s all about self-preservation and trickery, and, frankly, I’m sick of it.

Bring back the good debates, the good divisions, the good arguments. Let us return again to the fun things that divide us, because we may find that they actually promote unity while we all whistle past the graveyard.

And no, a hot dog isn’t a sandwich.

Laughing Matters

Solution on page 26

By Bill Borders

Word Week

of the

1. a side of a mountain receiving direct sunlight

“They paused when coming around the mountain to the adret, basking in the sun to eat lunch before summiting.”

Corrections: In the Feb. 12 article “House committee advances bill deregulating short-term rentals,” we got the vote breakdown for Sandpont’s new STR ordinance wrong. The correct breakdown was Councilors Joel Aispuro, Deb Ruehle and Joe Tate in favor, and Pam Duquette, Kyle Schreiber and Joshua Torrez opposed. Mayor Jeremy Grimm broke the tie in favor.

If God dwells inside us, like some people say, I sure hope He likes enchiladas, because that’s what He’s getting!

CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1. Thigh armor

Be upright

Violent disruptions

Rein

Toughen

Primordial

Petroleum

Happily

Frozen water

Freshwater mussel

Charged particles

A lyric poet

Rip apart

One single time

Distribute

Sow

Employ

In shape

Videoscope

Schemes

Droop

Assist illegally

Part portrayed

Apron tops

Rip

Lunch or dinner

Prison

Protagonist

Seated oneself

Types of hat

Explosive

Ranks

Granny Smiths and Red delicious

Solution on page 26

Military

Layer 56. Woman’s sleeveless undergarment 57. Dominates

Discourage

Secret meeting

DOWN

North northeast

Diverge

Holy

Sleigh

24 in a day

Motorcades

Washer cycle

Eccentric

Under

Not yours

Swab

Clothing

Half of a pair

Certain insects

Heartfelt

Moves briskly

Streamer

Millisecond

Long-necked migratory bird 48. Bachelor of Literature

Fruity pastry

Urge (on)

An uncle

Sermonize 35. Despised