Reader_June25_2015

compiled by Susan Drinkard

(wo)MAN on the street

What kind of music moves you?

“I like upbeat jazz like saxophone.”

August Johnson

Sophomore at SHS Sandpoint

“Sometimes my own. I think it is music that aspires to a higher level of transformative expression. There’s a broad spectrum of examples from classical to folk music from around the world.”

Dave Hussey Itinerant Musician Kootenai Bay

“It has changed as I’ve gotten older. I liked the Beatles and the Monkees when I was young. Then there was the Rolling Stones and David Bowie stage, followed by disco. Now I like to listen to David Gray. I enjoy smooth jazz when I read.”

So, about last week...

Was your red pen busy marking up last week’s issue? If so, it was for good reason. Here at the Reader, we do everything we can to make each issue as clean as possible. Every Wednesday night, Ben and I spend up to three hours pouring over the paper with a magnifying glass (literally) to kill as many typos and errors as we can.

After running through our editorial proofing last week, the file containing our edited version of the paper inexplicably … blew up. Something in all those 1s and 0s was obviously not to the computer’s liking, and we were forced to use the unedited version of the paper to meet our printing deadline. We ended up with an issue riddled with typos, stylistic inconsistencies and grammatical problems. The fact that three-plus hours of work were for nothing really burns us. Even worse is the fact that last week’s paper wasn’t as good as it could have been.

Ben and I are making some changes so we can deal with computer problems should they reoccur. We appreciate all the support from community members, who are nothing but gracious even when we aren’t at our best.

-Cameron

Rasmusson, editor

Joanne Lanigan Phlebotomist

“It depends on my mood. Probably jazz and big band swing.”

Katie Prummer Cashier Sandpoint

“I like a mixture between electronic and instrumental. These kind of bring two generations together.”

Kristina Atteberry U of I student Sandpoint

“I like patriotic music about eagles soaring over foreign lands that have wronged us... by guys who wear giant belt buckles and even larger hats with names like ‘Clay’ or ‘Toby.’ Or, anything by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.”

Joseph Pemp Meat manager Bonners Ferry

READER

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

www.sandpointreader.com

Publisher: Ben Olson ben@sandpointreader.com

Editor: Cameron Rasmusson cameron@sandpointreader.com

Zach Hagadone (emeritus)

Contributing Artists: (cover), Ben Olson, Daniel Cape, Jarrod McCabe

Contributing Writers: Cameron Rasmusson, Ben Olson, Louie de Palma, Kari Clark, Paul Rechnitzer, Marcia Pilgeram, Jenna Bowers

Submit stories to: stories@sandpointreader.com

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Advertising: Jen Landis jen@sandpointreader.com Clint Nicholson clint@keokee.com

Web Content: Keokee

The Sandpoint Reader is a weekly publication owned and operated by Ben Olson and Keokee. It is devoted to the arts, entertainment, politics and lifestyle in and around Sandpoint, Idaho.

We hope to provide a quality alternative by offering honest, in-depth reporting that reflects the intelligence and interests of our diverse and growing community. The Reader is printed on recycled paper using soy-based ink. Leftover copies are collected and recycled weekly, or burned in massive bonfires to appease the gods of journalism. Free to all, limit two copies per person.

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

Requirements: –No more than 500 words –Letters may not contain excessive profanity or libelous material. Please elevate the discussion. Letters will be edited to comply with the above requirements. Opinions expressed in these pages are those of the writers, not necessarily the publishers.

Email letters to: letters@sandpointreader.com

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About the Cover

John Craigie was photographed by Ben Olson for this week’s cover. He is playing his new hollow body electric guitar you will see featured at his show at the Panida Theater Saturday, June 27. Tickets are $15 and available at Eichardt’s, Eve’s Leaves and www. panida.org. Or buy them at the door if there are any left.

COMMENTARY

By Louie de Palma Reader Road Warrior

Let’s take a spin down the foggy, poorly lit path of memory lane to the day my father took off the training wheels of my bicycle. I remember being a bit nervous and jittery with anticipation at my chance to ride like a bonafide bipedaling adult human possessing the balance and grace to zip around on a mere two wheels. The wheels came off and off I went. It was a miracle. I took to it like a bird falling out of a nest, gliding off without effort, without a hitch, without a problem. That was it. I could ride a twowheeled bike.

All in all, it was very anticlimactic. My father and I both were beaming with pride. But later I found out that it was really no miracle. The wizard in this fraudulent miracle of Oz (my older sister) eventually pulled back the curtain of my delusion, explaining that for months she had slowly been bending my training wheels upward, forcing me to wobble to and fro more and more until I eventually learned to balance between them. Apparently, I had been riding on two wheels for awhile. I hadn’t noticed this sabotage at the age of three.

The delusions of bicycling are tricky and insidious to say the least. Luckily for me the only injury I received due to my bicycle delusion was to my 3-year-old ego.

Fast-forward to present time and I have witnessed numerous self-inflicted injuries by drunks trying to bike home from the bars under the delusion that they can navigate on two wheels, while they effectively have the mind of a 3-year-old. We have taxied people from the ER in the early hours of the morning with injuries (most commonly with split jaws) at an alarmingly increasing rate as we coast no-handed deeper into the summer. In addition to avoiding injury and potentially death, there are economic and legal benefits to choosing to take cab from the bar rather than the ER.

The list of injuries that one can attain whilst biking drunk are as vast and

Our resident road warrior trades in four wheels for two

variable as Nicholas Cage’s acting style. Wait ... I did that wrong. As vast and variable as the dubstep genre. Shoot, still wrong. OK, you can crash on a bike in as many ways as you can create memes off any given photo of a celebrity’s face. There we go, that’s it.

The most common accidents I’ve seen or heard of involve curbs, flip flop malfunction/entanglement, weaving, pavement, trees, stairs, falling off the Long Bridge, dodging cats, dodging raccoons, dodging people, dodging other drunk cyclists that are right beside you, looking down, looking up, looking at your phone, changing your music, loose shoelaces or pant legs and my personal favorite, double riding. I know it seems romantic and sexy to try and double ride someone home after the bar—trust me I’ve been there—but you know what isn’t sexy? Making out with bloody chins (unless you’re a vampire than go for it, but in that case, you should have just flown home). You know what is sexy? Paying for someone’s safe romantic cab ride home with sultry tunes in the background. It also greatly reduces your chances of getting whacked by a car.

Which brings me to WAACD—Wise Adults Against Cycling Drunk. It’s in

If you can keep it...

Dear Editor,

During the founding of our Constitution, the motto was, “eternal vigilance is the price we pay for liberty.” We the people need to be involved, educated and engaged, in order to maintain our liberties that are enumerated in the Constitution. Personal liberty requires personal responsibility. We all need to speak up and share whatever experiences and concerns we have. This is why our first amendment, freedom of religion and speech, was so important.

I would like to give an example of the difference in a democracy and a republic at a fourth-grade level. If we have true democracy, then when more than half of a classroom decides that left-handed students should be thrown out, the majority of students have the right to do that, and the teacher would help them with this action. In a democracy, you have no rights against the majority. Any rights can change at any time, depending on who has the majority.

In a republic, you elect representatives. They are responsible to act in accordance with pre-stated rules, like, the rights of an individual. The teacher, as a representative of authority, is obliged to protect the left-handed students, because they have rights that

association with Mothers Against Drunk Driving, and it’s gaining momentum. Well ... no, it’s not. But if anyone wants to get that group going, I’ve already made T-shirts and ribbons.

The economic benefits are really a no-brainer. What’s cheaper: a cab ride home or an ER visit? And that’s just if you’re lucky. How about an ER visit combined with taking time off work to heal, mixed with a dash of having your wages garnished for not paying your hospital bills served on a plate of having to buy a new bike? Or perhaps all of that, plus getting searched by a helpful police officer who discovers that illegal thing in your pocket. Yeah, you know what I’m talking about—that bootleg DVD you bought. Pirating is a serious crime. Come on, you wouldn’t steal a car would you?

Now that you’ve been searched, you’ve got jail time and court fees. Just call a cab: You’ll save money any way you look at it.

Legally, it’s pretty simple really. You can still get a DUI on a bike or be cited for drunkenness in public. Who knows, you might also throw in manslaughter for you double riders out there. If you’re going to ride drunk though,

even the majority cannot take away.

We have an incredibly wonderful form of government that many nations envy. Our founders had done an immense amount of research on democracies. They found that they had always failed. Our constitutional republic was difficult to achieve, and was paid for with much blood, sweat and tears. Furthermore, to maintain it requires this eternal vigilance. Here is one way to be involved. Keep your eye on the Idaho Administrative Rule development process that allows for public input.

Maureen Paterson Priest River

Challenge to Climate Change...

Dear Editor,

As a visitor passing through Sandpoint today, I enjoyed my brief time in this pretty town. But it was disappointing to open the local paper (June 18 issue) and see yet another media piece that failed to ask any tough questions challenging the alarmist narrative on global warming (now rechristened “climate change” by most media outlets). For instance:

(1) Since the earth has been far warmer

which I and my associates at WAACD full-heartedly disagree with, make sure you’re set up properly. Tie your shoes or ditch your flops, cut off your pant legs so they don’t get caught in your chain, get a bell or a horn for corners or just yell real loud and most importantly, get a light. If you are in a pinch, you can grab a book of matches from the bar. Light them all at once and place them in your mouth and inflate your cheeks. This will create a red glow simulating a headlamp. Then ride like hell, because the fire is a-blazing and only last like four to six seconds. I know this is a mountain resort town, and it’s cool to ride bikes. I get it—what’s not cool about carrying a bike helmet around the bar with one pant leg rolled up and mud on your back? Everyone’s gonna be like, “Dayuumn, that dude/dudette can ride a bike. I’d like to ring that bell. Wouldn’t mind putting that in my basket.”

I assure you though, once you’re bloodied, mangled, in jail and out of work, the only bell you’re going to hear ringing is that of your cell door for yard time. So call a cab, or, ya know, bust out those training wheels again. Ride on, right on, write on.

during multiple periods in the past than it is now, and subsequently got cooler again—all without significant human help—how do we know we aren’t experiencing another one of these natural cycles?

(2) If human activity was really the main cause of the global warming observed during the 20th century, then why did most of the warming occur during the first half of the century, while most human “greenhouse gas” emissions occurred during the second half of the century?

(3) If carbon dioxide emissions are driving global warming, why have global temperatures essentially flatlined since 1998 even as CO2 levels have continued to rise?

(4) Why has most of the warming that alarmists predicted was supposed to have happened by now failed to materialize?

For people who are independent thinkers and want to hear both sides of the story, I recommend the British documentary film “The Great Global Warming Swindle” (which you can watch for free online). ClimateDepot. com is also a good source for climate science and climate-related news that many media outlets are failing to report.

Sincerely,

Starchild

San Francisco, Calif.

PERSPECTIVES LETTERS

The Mental Health and Substance Abuse Connection

By Kari Clark Executive Director of Community Coalition for Substance Abuse Prevention

Mental illness is common among those suffering from substance abuse. In fact, in 1992 Congress established the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to make substance use and mental disorder information, services and research more accessible. Even with public agencies like SAHMSA, many people are not receiving the services and help they need across America, including Idaho. Presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton said recently she would make mental health and substance abuse treatment a “big part” of her campaign. According to a recent Wall Street Journal article, Clinton was quoted as saying, “This is a quiet epidemic, and it is striking in small towns and rural areas as much as any big city.”

A study published last year by SAHMSA showed that in Idaho, among individuals aged 12 or older with alcohol dependence or abuse, only 6.9 percent received treatment for their alcohol use, while only 10.6 percent received treatment for illicit drug use. That leaves a large amount of addicts without proper treatment, and many of those that suffer from substance abuse addictions also suffer from mental health disorders.

But what is the connection between mental health disorders and substance abuse? What can be done to combat the two? By far the most common issue connecting mental illness and substance abuse is self-medication. Certain people

with mental health issues aim to medicate their mental health symptoms with alcohol and drugs. Unfortunately, drugs and alcohol often do little to help and eventually create a new issues, while also increasing the severity of the original mental health symptoms.

Another common connection is when mental health issues trigger substance abuse, or vice versa. Mental health disorders are thought to be caused by different factors including genetics, environmental exposures before birth and/or brain chemistry. If you are at risk for a mental disorder, drug or alcohol abuse may push you over the edge. According to reports published in the “Journal of the American Medical Association,” roughly 50 percent of individuals with severe mental disorders are affected by substance abuse, 37 percent of alcohol abusers and 53 percent of drug abusers also have at least one serious mental illness and of all people diagnosed as mentally ill, 29 percent abuse either alcohol or drugs.

What should be done for people who suffer from both disorders? It is important to have the person obtain treatment for both problems at the same time. Ignoring the symptoms of a mental health disorder can cause a person not to be able to remain clean and sober, while an untreated substance abuse issue could make the mental health treatment unsuccessful. Recovering from co-occurring disorders takes time, commitment and courage. It may take months or even years. However, people with substance abuse and mental health problems can and do get better

What is a Conservative?

By Paul Rechnitzer Reader Columnist

When I first began to vote, the process seemed so simple compared to what is going on these days. You were either a Republican or Democrat. Details that made any difference were usually to be found in the words of a few dedicated journalists known as columnists. Nicknames came from cartoonists—some were insulting, while others seemed appropriate. So when people began asking volunteers for public service if they were conservative, I began to wonder what a conservative really is. And when did the Republican label fail to answer this question? It is interesting that you can ask the opposite of conservative the same question. When did the Democrat-

ic Party fail as a label for the left?

Unfortunately there is no easy answer. We have changed the meaning of so many words, you either need a pulpit or walk away entirely. Think about it in simpler terms: The word “cool” these days does not refer to your body temperature but your disposition. If I say I am going to rap on your door you will probably consider that a strange place to start something that sounds like song. So what’s a body to do?

The solution for some is to echo the thoughts of countless commentators or parrot the opinion of the person with a sign who supposedly knows better than you. That’s not for me.

In my opinion, a conservative is a member of either party who has a genuine interest in what is best for our coun-

Treatment for dual diagnosis or co-occurring disorders should:

•Help you think about the role that alcohol and other drugs play in your life. This should be done confidentially, without any negative consequences. People feel free to discuss these issues when the discussion is confidential, nonjudgmental, and not tied to legal consequences.

•Offer you a chance to learn more about alcohol and drugs, to learn about how they interact with mental illnesses and with medications, and to discuss your own use of alcohol and drugs.

•Help you become involved with supported employment and other services that may help your process of recovery.

•Help you identify and develop your own recovery goals. If you decide that your use of alcohol or drugs may be a problem, a counselor trained in integrated dual diagnosis treatment can help you identify and develop your own recovery goals. This process includes learning about steps toward recovery from both illnesses.

•Provide special counseling specifically designed for people with dual diagnosis. This can be done individually, with a group of peers, with your family, or with a combination of these.

Source: SAMHSA

A call to action...

Dear Editor,

I am thankful to the Reader for following through on the story of our “Senior Tree” (this is my affectionate name for the 140-year-old ponderosa pine that graces the Senior Center parking lot).

Our last letter was informing you of the grant to redo the undulating parking lot, and has left a huge outpouring from our citizens asking what they can do to save this heritage tree.

There are concerned and knowledgeable people working on this plan to follow through with the safety issues for our seniors in their parking lot, and to nurture and allow this incredible tree to remain in its place as a marker while preserving a vital link to our past that lifts our spirits with its presence.

Living in Sandpoint, we are blessed with a history spoken through our old growth trees. We are fortunate in being designated a “Tree City USA” because our community is committed to caring for and managing our public trees. So what can we do?

Our Senior Center sits on city property and the grounds are cared for by the city. In order to save the tree from being cut down, we must come together as a community to raise the extra funds necessary to alter the original plan. We ask those of you interested to put on your thinking caps in order to save the tree!

We must work quickly, as time is of the essence! Since this is city land, we must have the OK from our mayor as she and the city have the last word.

Please write or call with your pledges towards this great cause to Ellen Weissman of the Senior Center at 263 6860—ellen@sandpointareaseniors.org. We can do this!

Gail W. Lyster, Sandpoint

Petition event a success...

Dear Editor,

try. They have no bias as to skin color or gender and no allegiance to any belief that is contrary to our Constitution. They are not bent out of shape about an idea such as Common Core and are deeply concerned about the increased tendency to look outward for help rather than inward. They have a genuine concern for the rights of others and no patience for those who disregard them.

In short I think most of us are conservative by any unencumbered standards. We essentially all believe the same sort of thing, at least until some smooth talker comes to town with an untried formula. The challenge is and has always been to think for yourself. If you rely on the basics, you won’t have to wonder what you are, your actions will suffice and you will do the right thing. Just don’t stop thinking.

Thank you to everyone who helped make our first Get up...Stand up event a huge success. We helped 20 people get registered to vote and received over 50 signatures on our New Approach Idaho Petition. Thank you to Eichardt’s for hosting the event, Matt King for providing the music, Blue Sky Broadcasting for radio advertising, Sandpoint Online for advertising, the Reader for printing the letter to the editor which explained the purpose of the event, and to everyone who turned out for the fun.

I will share just one story of the many that I heard at the event. One nice woman said that she nearly cried when she heard that Idaho might legalize medical marijuana some day as she has a son who has Lyme’s disease and medical cannabis has helped him regain his health. It has literally saved his life and yet she lives with the fear of the legal consequences every day.

So thank you again to everyone who helped make this a success.

In health, Sandra Erickson Sandpoint

New study sets precedent for region conservation

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff

Idaho Fish and Game biol-

ogists Lacy Robinson and Michael Lucid are approaching the end of a five year odyssey, one that’s covered everything from water temperatures to carnivore habitats to slug penises.

The purpose: an exhaustive biological study establishing baseline data that will inform conservation efforts for years to come. Known as the Multi-species Baseline Initiative, the project was funded through a $950,000 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service grant and relied on cooperation from a small army of local organizations and volunteers. Now in the final stages of drafting before it’s sent out for peer review, the initiative was previewed to a group of local conservationists at Sandpoint Community Hall Tuesday night.

“I really applaud the work that you’ve done,” said Brad Smith of Idaho Conservation League. “I’m not aware of any other project of this scale and depth.”

While Lucid and Robinson couldn’t delve too deeply into the study’s findings until it endures the rigors of the scientific method, they do believe it will have significant implications for regional ecology. Indeed it may well influence priorities when it comes to conservation efforts.

“A primary objective of the project was to increase species ranks, and we’re excited to see if that happens during the 2015 species ranking process,” Lucid said.

Conducted over 22,975 square kilometers across Idaho, Washington, Montana and Canada, the initiative cataloged reams of data on hundreds of local species. What’s more, the study also collected temperature measurements to better understand the influence of climate change on regional ecology and wildlife.

“This is really a win-win for

anyone invested in conservation on any level,” said Lucid.

Over the survey period, Robinson, Lucid and their team collected data on 199 species at 2,161 sites across the region.

Species surveyed included 58 gastropods (slugs and snails), eight amphibians, four reptiles, 32 mammals, six birds, three native plants, two exotic plants and 86 beetles.

For carnivores, they utilized a systems of cameras and brushes that collected hair samples for DNA analysis from the animals, who were drawn to the site by beaver carcasses firmly affixed to trees.

“We call [beaver] mountain money,” Robinson said. “It’s the common currency that every carnivore in the area recognizes.”

Snails and slugs were also of interest to the researchers. The team collected an impressive sample size from a variety of slimy critters using traps soaked in various substances, including beer. One such effort yielded a species of slug Lucid believes could be entirely new to the scientific world. Drawn especially to the beer traps, the slug species impressed experts with its penis size, which is reportedly very large for a gastropod. If Lucid’s suspicion of slug’s undiscovered status survives peer review, locals could have a hand in selecting its name.

“We’ve got this slug with a giant penis that you catch with beer,” Lucid said. “We figured, why not have a naming contest?”

The project also logged climate data, including water temperatures, at 1,169 wildlife survey sites. The data collected over five years will prove invaluable for scientists in studying the influences and impact of climate change on species throughout the region.

According to Robinson and Lucid, the study is necessary to help conservationists make smart decisions based on objective data. A lack of solid numbers is something they’ve felt

deeply in their own work.

“That’s why we started this project,” Robinson said. “We were sitting around saying, ‘Wow, I wish someone would have done this 50 years ago.’”

One way or another, the study wouldn’t have been as successful as it turned out without assistance from local organizations, Robinson said. Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness, Idaho Conservation League, Selkirk Outdoor Leadership and Education, the Kalispel Tribe of Indians and many more pitched in to bring the project to completion. In addition, volunteers gave their time to make sure the imitative legwork got done.

“For me and Michael, working with citizen naturalists is kind of a new thing,” said Robinson. “What I didn’t expect was the joy of people going out and getting to experience this project.”

Community braces for oil train impacts

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff

The national economy might run on oil, but for Sandpoint, the energy source could also be its undoing.

About 75 regional residents turned out Wednesday evening to hear the latest on oil train threats from a panel of conservation and public safety professionals, who said vigilance is important to maintain safety.

“It’s going to happen eventually in Bonner County where we’ll have to deal with some kind of incident,” said Ron Stocking, Sandpoint and Sagle fire chief. “Hopefully it will be a minor one.”

According to Eric de Place, policy director at the Seattle sustainability nonprofit Sightline Institute, oil tankers are already a common sight in Sandpoint and are only projected to increase.

That’s worrisome considering a number of derailments and explosions in the past years, including a 2013 explosion in Quebec that killed 47 people. It also nearly destroyed the entire town.

“The reason we are seeing so many derailments is because we are running so many crude oil trains,” de Place said.

Stocking said the city is preparing emergency plans in the event a derailment occurs, with human life, property conservation and environmental protection the top three priorities.

Meanwhile, Sandpoint Councilwoman and Lake Pend Oreille Waterkeeper Director Shannon Williamson said the city was eyeing developments on a potential second rail bridge over the lake. Projected for construction in 2018 at the earliest, the bridge would require a public comment period before authorization if the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers orders a special permit, which council members have formally requested.

“Since this project is so far afield, we don’t know what the Army Corps will do, but the request has been made,” Williamson said.

Idaho joins the fight to ban the Confederate flag

You can attempt a rebel yell, but it might not do any good.

The Confederate flag’s days may be numbered, at least when it comes to its display on public property.

Following the shootings in Charleston, S.C., public officials around the nation are calling for the flag’s removal on government sites. The Boise Weekly reports that Boise Mayor Dave Bieter is the latest in the trend, ordering the Mis sissippi state flag be removed from the city hall plaza.

The Mississippi state flag still prom inently features

the battle flag of the Army of Northern Virginia—the most enduring symbol of the Confederacy and for many a piece of racist iconography—in the corner of its design. Looks like changes are in order if Mississippi wants acknowledgments at Boise City Hall—unless it prefers to take its flag and go home. [CR]

NEWS FEATURE

The Death of Jeanetta Riley

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff

At around 9 p.m. almost a year ago, Shane Riley brought his wife, Jeanetta Riley, to Bon ner General Health. Minutes later, she was dead, gunned down by Sandpoint police of ficers.

What went wrong, and what can we do better?

Those are the are the facts of the July 8 incident. But those facts provoked remarkably dif ferent reactions from North Ida ho communities. Public officials in Bonner and Kootenai coun ties argue the shooting was a justified use of police force.

“The initial public response to the incident was mixed with a vocal minority being very criti cal of the police,” said Mayor Carrie Logan. “Once the in vestigation had been complet ed and we were able to fully release the information, there has been a lot of support for the Sandpoint Police Department with continued criticism by a vocal minority.”

That “vocal minority” decries what it see as an impulsive act of violence against a physically small woman armed only with a knife.

“[Police] had no plan,” said Dan Mimmack, a resident who has planned several community memorials for Riley. “That’s the part that bothers me most: This was so un-Sandpoint-like. This had no sense of who we are as a community—it was brutally harsh.”

Coincidentally, the schism in Sandpoint was only a prelude to a national debate over police violence. The July 17 choking death of Eric Garner by police in New York City and the Aug. 9 police shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., in 2014, followed by the April 12 death of Freddie Gray while in police custody in Baltimore, Md., inflamed increased scrutiny on police departments. Critics cited these incidents as

evidence of a reckless disregard for human life among certain police departments entrusted with a high degree of authority. The incidents that spurred the national conversation were inflamed by the the fact that the victims belonged to vulnerable or underrepresented groups—in those cases, racial minorities. While racial motivations haven’t been cited as a factor in Riley’s case, she did have one characteristic that statistically increased her likelihood of a violent death: a history of mental illness.

The misunderstanding of mental illness

With the recent mass shooting at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, S.C., mental health issues are once again a subject of national conversation. This time, the debate is centered on

ply acted out of racial

However, most mental health experts agree that mentally ill individuals are far more likely to be victims—not agents—of vi-

olence. A statement from the American Psychiatric Associ ation, published in 1994, indi cates that “research has shown that the vast majority of people who are violent do not suffer from mental illnesses.”

This is backed by the Institute of Medicine, which concluded in 2006 that “although studies suggest a link between mental illnesses and violence, the contribution of people with mental illnesses to overall rates of violence is small,” and “the magnitude of the relationship is greatly exaggerated in the minds of the general population.”

Both Hollywood and the mass news media, on the other hand, perpetuate an image of mentally ill people as a danger to society. For instance, a survey for the Screen Actors Guild found that mentally ill characters were portrayed among the most dangerous of demographics, with 60 percent involved in crime or violence.

In Sandpoint, the most visible advocate for individu-

als with mental illness is NAMI Far North. A branch of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, NAMI Far North offers services for fam ilies affected by mental illness as well as crisis intervention training for law enforcement officers teaching de-escalation techniques. In previous years, NAMI Far North partnered with Sandpoint Police Depart ment, Bonner County Sheriff’s Office and other regional law enforcement. Following the Ri ley shooting, that relationship came to a quick end.

‘Woefully deficient’

According to an article published by The Guardian in April, Riley’s appointment with tragedy built throughout the day, finally reaching a boiling point in the parking lot of Bonner General Health. Already upset by marital bickering, Riley—an individual with a history of alcohol and methamphetamine abuse—had consumed half a bottle of vodka. When she encountered police officers Michael Valenzuela, Skylar Ziegler and Garrett Johnson at Bonner General Health that evening, she was confrontational, telling them to, “Bring it on.”

Seconds later, after instructing her to stand down, Valenzuela and Ziegler opened fire.

In November, the Kootenai County Prosecutor Barry McHugh formerly cleared the officers of any wrongdoing, saying the shooting was jus-

tified.

Some local organizations agreed with the ruling. The Bonner County Human Rights Task Force, for instance, concluded that Jeanetta Riley’s human rights weren’t violated in the incident.

NAMI Far North officials, on the other hand, didn’t mince words.

“The board of directors, on behalf of all its members, decries the fatal shooting of Jeanetta Riley by Sandpoint Police Department officers on July 8 and the recent conclusion of the Kootenai County Prosecutor that the action of the officers was ‘justified,” NAMI Far North president Amber Snoddy wrote in a public statement later published in the Bonner County Daily Bee. In that same statement, Snoddy laid responsibility for the shooting on North Idaho’s “woefully deficient local care for individuals living with mental illnesses.”

Members’ criticisms of public officials would not go without consequences. According to Bonner County Sheriff Daryl Wheeler, when local law enforcement entities planned their 2015 crisis intervention training courses, they choose to end their partnership with NAMI Far North on the program.

A path forward

With contentious issues like the Riley shooting, it can be just

Bouquets:

•I love seeing all the art around town during ArtWalk. Props to POAC for putting on this event, year after year, and giving local artists a chance to show their work. If you haven’t checked out the 25-plus galleries yet, get a brochure and take the ArtWalk!

•Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley recently ordered the removal of four Confederate flags from the State Capitol in the wake of the racially motivated shootings in South Carolina. A few days ago, South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley asked lawmakers to remove the flag from their own State Capitol. Retailers Amazon, Sears, eBay and Wal-Mart all removed Confederate flag merchandise from their product line. I applaud them all for removing this symbol of bigotry, racism and division from our country. Flying the Confederate flag is just plain ignorant. We’re better than that, America.

Barbs:

•I know this happened a while ago, but when I saw that all the trees had been cut down along Highway 2 on the back side of the Bonner Mall, I thought it made everything look so ugly along that section. Before, when driving along that piece of road, you were at least shielded from the continuing sprawl of Ponderay. Today, it still remains an eyesore. I haven’t found the reason for the removal of these hundreds of trees, but I expect it was in fear of them coming down over the railroad tracks from the blowdowns last summer, or perhaps it is a sign that the highway will soon be widened. Either way, I wish we could know about it beforehand, instead of being surprised by it after they’re all removed.

Got a bouquet or barb you’d like to offer? Write me at ben@ sandpointreader.com with “BB” in the subject line.

as difficult to pinpoint solutions as it can in urban areas, where class and racial discord are often more pronounced. According to Logan, the city is continuing its crisis intervention training efforts, which began in 2012 and has resulted in nine trained officers.

“The last session held in March and facilitated by Bonner County Sheriff’s Department and Region I Mental Health resulted in an additional three Sandpoint PD officers being trained,” she said.

“Since the incident, our officers have been training in ground techniques, have developed protocols to designate the level of response and are proactive with the use of non-lethal methods as reflected by additional taser training,” Logan continued.

On the national level, journalists and social activists are also calling for more detailed data on the demographics and circumstances behind officer-involved shootings. The lack of solid numbers in these cases is a problem that’s even prompted comment from FBI Director James Comey.

“Demographic data regarding officer-involved shootings is not consistently reported to us through our Uniform Crime Reporting Program,” he said in a speech this February. “Because reporting is voluntary, our data is incomplete and therefore, in the aggregate, unreliable.”

Data collection is a general problem when it comes to improving police-citizenry relations, according to American Civil Liberties Union of Idaho executive director Leo Morales. That’s why the ACLU is recommending that police departments make body cameras standard equipment for any officer engaging with the public.

“We see this as a win-win for community members as well as law enforcement,” Morales said. “It will provide proof in situations where there is no excessive force by law enforcement.”

Morales sees it as a worthwhile measure considering the power a community entrusts in law enforcement, a reality that’s just as relevant in rural Idaho as it is in New York City.

“When a government is giv-

en tremendous authority, it must also take great measures to ensure individual rights are preserved,” he said. “[This shooting] should be a lesson for the government there that it can do better in the future.”

Memorial planned to commemorate one year anniversary of Riley shooting

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

A year ago, a police shooting occurred in Sandpoint that still reverberates throughout the community. It was dusk on July 8, 2014 when Sandpoint Police officers Michael Valenzuela and Skylar Ziegler shot and killed Jeanetta Riley, 35, after an altercation in front of Bonner General Health’s emergency room.

Riley, armed with a knife and intoxicated, was unresponsive to officer’s commands, and made aggressive remarks and actions that led to five shots being fired, three of which came from an AR-15 assault rifle. It was over just 15 seconds after the police arrived.

The shooting, later deemed lawful by Kootenai County Prosecutor Barry McHugh, has continued to be a controversial subject for members of the community who feel the response was unjustified when it involved a person with mental instabilities.

One such member, Dan Mimmack, has scheduled a me-

morial service to commemorate the one-year anniversary of Riley’s death.

“I’ve always felt that law enforcement should be held to a public standard of decency that the community sets,” said Mimmack. “I didn’t feel the reaction was justified—how it was handled in the beginning, the report to the police that caused them to arrive with lights and sirens on high alert. They didn’t get enough information to know who they were dealing with.”

Mimmack laments the fact that Riley wasn’t initially reported as mentally unstable, a fact he feels might have helped the police officers to respond more appropriately.

“They ended up in way too close of range to have a plan B,” he said. “Their plan should have been to talk her down, to deal with her as a suicidal person ... in the scenario that they created, they had no choice but to gun her down for their own safety.”

The memorial will take place behind First American Title, directly across from where the shooting occurred on Alder

Street. There is a white ribbon hanging from a telephone pole marking the location, which Mimmack hung shortly after the incident.

“I called the manager of the branch and asked if we could get permission to gather on their back private property,” said Mimmack. “They gave us permission to use the space.”

Mimmack and co-sponsor Jodi Rawson said the site will be roped off and there will be

a few speakers, a moment of silence, music and flowers laid on the sight of Riley’s death.

“The idea is that next time, we don’t do this again,” said Mimmack. “We learn from the pain of this. Jeannetta shouldn’t die in vain.”

The memorial will take place Wednesday, July 8, at 6 p.m. in the parking lot behind the First American Title building (the old library).

25 26 27 28 29 30 1 2

Summer Sampler

5pm - 8pm @ Farmin Park

Hosted by the Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce, a tasting event that’s second to none—gathering up the area’s finest restaurants, breweries and wineries. This year’s event is a foodie’s perfect way to kick off the summer season; along with delicious bite-sized samples of gourmet cuisine, enjoy a Litehouse-sponsored Cooking Competition where local chefs battle for the win

“unReal” Mountain Biking Film

8pm @ Panida Theater

A film that celebrates breaking free from the confines of reality and venturing into a boundless world. Breathtaking visuals conjure feelings of awe and pure joy; feelings that only those of us who venture outside can truly understand

John Craigie at the Panida

8pm @ Panida Theater

The troubadour makes his first headlining appearance at the Panida Theater, with opener The Holy Broke. This show is presented by the Reader and the Panida

Live Music w/ Bright Moments Jazz 6pm - 9pm @ Trinity

Saturday Dance 1pm - 4pm @ Sandpoint Senior Center

Sandpoint Farmers Market

9am - 1pm @ Farmin Park

Live music by Spumoni Blues Band

Live Music w/ Ken Mayginnes

7pm @ La Rosa Club

Live Music w/ Chris Lynch 6pm - 9pm @ Arlo’s Ristorante

w/ Marty Perron & Doug

5pm - 7pm @ Idaho

Scott Kirby in Concert

7pm @ First Baptist Church, 1230 Michigan

A Multi-media presentation featuring live piano music, a spoken narrative, and video presentation. Tickets $10 each. All proceeds will benefit the Music Conservatory

Mountain States Chili Cook-Off

12pm @ Trinity Lawn

Cooking starts at noon. To take part, contact www.chilicookoff.com. Idaho comp on Sunday

Queen B. Drag Show

9:30pm @ Eagles Club 1511 John Hudon Ln.

A truly different event than anything else on this calendar. Drink specials and dancing

Live @ The Office w/ John Craigie 6pm @ Reader Office (111 Cedar St.)

This is a special installment of our Live @ The Office concert series featuring national touring singer/songwriter/comedian John Craigie. Space is limited, so get your tickets early. $10 until sold out, don’t miss it!

Monday Night Blues Jam w/ Truck Mills

7:30pm @ Eichardt’s Pub

Karaoke Night

9pm - 12am @ 219 Lounge

Sing. Sing like you’ve never sun before, grasshopper. And if you mess up, well... sing again after a few shots

Bingo Night

6:30pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall

Don’t be a sissy. Real men play bingo

Trivia Night

7pm - 9pm @ MickDuff’s

Finally, a place to showcase how much useless stuff you know. Finally, a purpose!

Sandpoint Farmers Market

3pm - 5:30pm @ Farmin Park Live music by Cygne

Josh Adams and Reggae Wednesday 8pm - 11pm @ 219 Lounge Come on down to the patio and listen to some roots reggae Live Music w/

Intro to CNC Plasma Cutter and Design

6pm - 9pm @ MakerPoint Studios (C106-14 1424 N. Boyer Ave)

Participants will learn the basics of how to run a CNC plasma cutter, its various settings, and how to design projects for the machine. $61 fee includes metal materials for class project; 12” x 12” metal piece of art. Register by June 29 at Sandpoint Parks and Recreation

Baxter’s on Cedar Benefit All Day @ Baxter’s on Baxter’s will donate local nonprofit Book es childhood literacy

ful

June 25 - July 2, 2015

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

Reader recommended

Yappy Hour

- 7pm @ Pine St. Bakery

Bring your dog and enjoy a Panhandle Animal Shelter benefit with live music, beverages and fun

Summer Kick-Off Weekend

8pm - 10pm @ 219 Lounge

Featuring stand-up comedy by Justin Hayes and Morgan Preston. $10 cover donated to Team Laughing Dog’s 24 Hours For Hank Fundraiser. Live music by Truck Mills after the show

Live Music w/ The Flying Mammals

5:30pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery

The Inland Northwest-based trio of brothers

Live Music w/ Harold’s IGA

6:30pm - 9:30pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall

Indie rock for drunk people

Used Book Sale

10am - 2pm @ Bonner Mall

Find ‘em cheap, sell ‘em fast

Summer Sounds

4pm - 6pm @ Park Place Stage (1st & Cedar)

Featuring live music from Peter Lucht

Live Music w/ The Waggoner Band

5:30pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery

Father Daughter duo; Mike plays the guitar while Sadie plays on a djembe drum

Live Music w/ Chris Lynch

6pm - 9pm @ Arlo’s Ristorante

Live Music w/ Justin Lantrip

5:30pm - 7:30pm @ Idaho Pour Authority

Schweitzer’s 7B Sunday

11am - 5pm @ Schweitzer Mountain Resort

Celebrate the official opening of Schweitzer’s summer operations with live music, arts and crafts, free quad rides, and much much more!

Live Music w/ Chris Lynch @ 219 Lounge 8pm

much useless

on Cedar Benefit for Book Trust of Sandpoint

Baxter’s on Cedar

will donate a portion of the day’s proceeds to the nonprofit Book Trust of Sandpoint, which encouragchildhood literacy and inspires life long reading habits

Fourth of July Celebration

9:30am - Children’s Parade

10am - Grand Parade

- music and games at City Beach

Dusk - Fireworks at City Beach

Poetry Open Mic Night

6pm - 8pm @ Monarch Mountain

Come share, come be inspired. No cover charge, no sign-up sheets, no judgment, no censorship!

Bikers For Boobies

5pm @ Eagles Lodge (1511 John Hudon Ln.)

The 4th annual event with steak dinner. Live music by Bob McComb at 7pm

Live Music w/ The Flying Mammals

9pm - 12am @ 219 Lounge

Haven’t had enough? Check them out again!

Meet the Artist

1pm - 3pm @ The Entree Gallery, 1755 Reeder Bay Rd.

See the work of potter and raku artist Jill Smith. Free and open to the public. 208-443-2001

Angels Over Sandpoint Dance Party

6pm @ Sandpoint Events Center

The Angels Over Sandpoint invite you to start the summer off right with an evening of dancing to the Motown sound of NuJack City. $25 benefits the Angels

Old Galvi Warehouse Summer 2015 Antique Sale

10am - 3pm @ near Evans Brothers Coffee (also Sun.)

Come here if you’re looking for antiques and architectural elements for the home, cabin, castle, farm or garden

Update: Clark Fork River Delta Restoration Project

9:45am - 11:30am @ Sandpoint Community Hall

Kathy Cousins will discuss the ongoing restoration project on the Clark Fork River Delta. Free admission

Live Music w/ Randy McAllister

7:30pm @ The Pearl (Bonners)

Grammy nominated veteran songwriter from Texas

Live Music w/ Miah Kohal Band

5pm @ 219 Lounge

Patio tunes and sunshine make for good times

Paws for a Cause

8am - 12pm @ Dover Bay Balto Dog Loop

Poker dog walk, with proceeds benfitting local cancer services. Call 290-1546 for more info

Live Music w/ David Lane Walsh

5pm - 8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery

Walsh will share his Latin-inspired music with his flamenco guitar. It’s perfect for dinner and wine on the patio. Every Wednesday in July!

UPCOMING EVENTS

July 4 & 5 - Old Galvi Warehouse Antiques Sale

July 7 - First Tuesday at Eichardt’s Pub

July 8 - KPND Pint Night at Willow Bay Marina

July 11 - Classic Boat Festival

To submit your own pet photos, please send a photograph and a little bit of information about your special friend to ben@sandpointreader.com. Please put “PET PHOTOS” in the subject line.

To look at this action portrait one would never guess that Buckeye Henney, a Bernese Mt. Dog, was devoted to great literature. His favorite book was James Thurber’s “The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty.” Inspired by Mitty and his derring-do imagination, Buckeye thought himself a dashing World War II bomber pilot instead of a mere Bernese Mt. Dog whose principal excitement was scaring squirrels.

His skills included daily trots down a rural Illinois country lane to retrieve the morning newspaper. But minus his bomber pilot gear. Like an undercover spy, Buckeye’s high-flying heroics were top secret. He knew his snazzy combat clothes would blow his cover. So whenever he ventured past the front yard to fetch the newspaper he left flight jacket, helmet and dark glasses in his doghouse. Other than his own family, no one knew The Secret Life Of Buckeye Henney. He might not have made the world a safer place, but he made it a more amusing one. Dogs do.

The Great Disappearing Act

A short list of items that will probably disappear in our lifetime

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

When I was 7 years old, I distinctly remember waiting for a train to pass with my dad at the Boyer crossing. A caboose was attached to the end of the train, with a brakeman hanging onto the railing, waving to us.

“You know, by the time you’re in college, you won’t see a caboose anymore, except in a museum,” he told me. I was too young to understand why cabooses were being phased out, but there was a sadness to my father’s voice that I’ll never forget.

I understand now what it is like to watch items disappear. It seems you never really missed them until they disappeared. I’d never given an answering machine much thought until now, when I realize that they are a thing of the past. Now, when I think of them, I get a warm, fuzzy feeling of nostalgia.

It’s a cruel, cruel world, especially for technology. Here are a few items that will probably disappear at some point in our lifetime. Think of this as a wake for them.

The printed phone book

Many people welcome the death of the printed phone book. In decades past, they were indispensible, but today, when information is a click away, these giant tomes of paper more often than not are tossed out before before they are even opened.

What’s worse, in the case of the white pages, a state law requires them to print and deliver the books, whether you want them or not. According to Whitepages.com, an estimated five million trees are cut down in the nation to produce the phone book, of which only 22 percent are recycled. Many cities are now instituting an “opt-out” program where consumers can sign up to discontinue the wasteful deliveries.

The clutch pedal

Car aficionados have lamented the slow death of the manual transmission for decades, but it seems that the clutch pedal may soon be a thing of the past. With more and more new models released without manual transmission as an option, and the addition of the automated manual transmission allowing gear shifting without a clutch, it appears likely that the third pedal will die like disco.

Mail collection boxes

The gradual disappearance of those iconic blue mail boxes are a sign of larger changes at work in the United States Postal Service. Though the USPS recorded an unprecedented increase in revenues last year, they still lost $5.5 billion in fiscal year 2014.

The Internet, along with the downturn of the economy, have combined to make tradi-

tional mail increasingly obsolete. Paper letters have been replaced by email, paper bills have been trumped by online bill paying, and the recession has hit certain industries like housing, insurance and credit companies, which have cut back or eliminated direct mail altogether.

The incandescent light bulb

In 2007, Congress passed the Energy Independence and Security Act, mandating the gradual phase-out of the manufacturing, importation and sale of inefficient lighting like incandescent light bulb.

With newer, energy-efficient options like LED, fluorescent and the new FIPEL bulbs, the days of incandescence are evanescing rapidly.

cially the music industry for offering music available for digital download.

Maybe someday they’ll be as quaint and nostalgic as floppy discs and 8-track tapes.

Fax machines

The fact that fax machines are still around and operational astounds me. To take a printed page, digitize it, send it over a phone line and have it re-digitized and printed out seems like a lot of wasted steps. These days, electronic signatures are widely accepted and slowly replacing the fax machine in the modern office.

Public pay phones

Cursive writing

Back in my day (I always wanted to say that), we were taught cursive writing in elementary school. I’ve always written in capital letters, which almost caused my third -grade teacher to flunk me, but luckily I skated through unscathed and have developed into a somewhat normal human being.

Most states, Idaho being one of them, have adopted national standards that don’t require cursive anymore, making the antique form of writing as useless as Sanskrit.

In 2013, Rep. Linden Bateman, R-Idaho Falls, led an unsuccessful campaign to mandate cursive in Idaho schools. According to Bateman, if we didn’t mandate cursive, it would disappear forever.Good riddance, I say.

Alarm clocks

You can always tell something is on the way out when you see them stacked on thrift shop shelves. VCRs, cathode ray tube television sets, cassette recorders and alarm clocks all follow suit.

When damn near everyone owns a smart phone these days, an alarm clock on your nightstand often seems redundant, which is why you’ll only see these obsolete pieces of technology in hotel rooms and homes of anachronistic people.

Video stores

Last year saw the last Blockbuster Video store close, and with it, the death knell of video stores in general can be heard across the land. With the advent of companies like Netflix and Amazon Prime, Internet streaming of videos has rapidly begun replacing the archaic act of “going to the video store.”

CDs and DVDs

CDs and DVDs are both on their ways out as a viable form of data storage. You can once again thank the Internet for this, espe-

typewriter shop that was hopping with people having their old Under woods repaired. Long live the typewriter!

Vinyl

According to the American Public Communication Council, there are still 305,000 active public phones in use. Users made a total of 50 million phone calls from these phones, which is pale in comparison to the numbers of yesteryear.

Soon, when everyone is issued a smart phone at birth, there will be no need for a public phone, but for now, Superman still has a place to change.

Land lines

Yet another casualty of the smart phone market, land lines are quickly going the way of the rotary dial telephone.

According to the AP, anywhere between 32 percent and 40 percent of U.S. households are without land line telephones, which are numbers that haven’t been seen since the Depression (the one that happened in the ‘30s, not the current one).

College text books

When I went to college, I was astounded how much my books cost. At the end of the term, I was even more astounded when they didn’t buy the books back, saying that they were already out of date.

Nowadays, more and more colleges are embracing online text books with open source software accompanying them, providing the student with a cheaper alternative, as well as offering a multi-media format for education.

USB memory sticks

These are the floppy discs of to day. Soon everything will be on the cloud and data will be a cinch to send and store from any device. Boy, the world moves fast, doesn’t it?

There is nothing quite like the experience of lis tening to a good record on vinyl. While the rest of the music industry has embraced the digital format, an increasing number of performers are now offering their new releases on vinyl.

Vinyl presses like Nashville’s United still operate 22 presses that pump out over 30,000 records a day. Last year alone, more than 6.2 million records were sold, indicating a trend that began to rise in 2008 and continues to astound music lovers.

Newspapers

Yeah, yeah, we know... it’s a digital world. Newspapers are supposedly dying all over the country, with no end in sight. Well, we’re here to stay, folks. Under-

Typewriters

Here are a few items that were thought to become obsolete, but have stuck around:

OK, I’m biased here. I love antique typewriters. Nobody really uses them anymore, but they have become a novelty item for hipsters and wanna-be writers the world over. When I was in Portland last, I stopped into a

The Sandpoint Eater

Berry good times ahead

By Marcia Pilgeram Reader Food Columnist

With myriad firework stands popping up between Sandpoint and Moscow, I’m reminded that it’s time to finalize my plans for the Fourth of July celebration. Sandpoint and the fourth personify summer lake living at its best. Whether you’ve made plans for a backyard barbecue, dining al fresco at one of our fine waterfront establishments or just packing some sandwiches and spreading a blanket on the warm sand, most of us are intent on finishing the day with the traditional fireworks display.

You can count on the fourth bringing out the red, white and blue in all of us, first evident in the parades, followed by every conceivable food combination that screams, “Happy birthday, America!” My personal rule: If your potluck contri-

bution requires food coloring (especially blue), please rethink your culinary masterpiece.

My blue for the perfunctory “colors of the fourth” food comes from one source: Riley Creek Blueberry Farm. I called farm owner, Stan Urmann, and headed out last weekend for a sneak peek at my favorite antioxidants.

Who knew something so tasty could be so darn good for you too? These little gems pack a mighty wallop in the benefit department. Low in fat and calories, high in fiber and vitamin C, studies say they can even improve memory and slow down the aging process! Besides eating them fresh or using in my favorite recipes, I keep a frozen bag handy for a delicious little snack or to toss a few in a smoothie.

I’ve been hauling my “little adorables” to Riley Creek Blueberry farm for years because it’s a safe and a fun and easy place to forage for food. There’s no danger of wildlife (real or imaginary) that can bring harm to the grandkids. The only thing that might topple a toddler is a friendly wet-nosed nudge from Riley, the resident black Labrador. He has the run of the place, and he’s as eager to greet the customers as the rest of the Urmann

family. In fact, he’s kind of famous and this year—you’ll see Riley’s mug smack in the middle of the farm’s new logo that will be unveiled at the upcoming farmers markets and the supermarkets.

Stan and I took a walk through rows of berries, just beginning to pop in a rainbow of blue hues. I am delighted to find a few ready for the picking. Plump, juicy and delicious, the blueberries seem to find a more direct path to my mouth than my basket; I can’t help myself. Because the weather’s been hot and dry, Stan reports that the UPick season will begin early this year, so get ready to start picking the last week of June. Stan and wife/farm partner, Anita make it real easy by providing buckets, bags and wagons. Other than a few adorable grandkids or a like-minded friend, I show up empty handed when I go picking. Sure, you can pick up a frozen bag of their berries at several local markets, but why would you? There’s something so satisfying about plucking the berries from the bushes, dropping them into the buckets and hefting a full container.

I’m not the least bit surprised that you still “weigh and pay” by the honor system and Anita and Tom have no intention of taking that privilege away from

Watermelon, Berry and Feta Summer Salad INGREDIENTS:

Forthe vinaigrette:

•1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

•1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

•1/4 cup minced shallots

•1 tablespoon honey

•1/2 cup good olive oil

•1 teaspoon kosher salt

•1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the salad:

•6 cups baby arugula, washed and spun dry

•1/4 cup whole fresh mint leaves, julienned

•4 cups seedless watermelon, rind removed, and cut in 1-inch cubes

•2 cups fresh Riley Creek or Shingle Mill blueberries

•12 ounces good feta cheese, 1/2-inch diced

(Pasture of Eden is my favorite, you can find at the deli counter at Yokes)

•Balsamic glaze

us. These folks are so upright and down to earth that I suspect other folks besides me always error of the side of generous when tallying their take. Speaking of generous, I am struck too, by Stan’s words of praise about his competitor, and he reminds me more than once about the fine blueberry operation on the other side of Sandpoint, Shingle Mill Blueberry Farm.

With college daughter Whitney home to lend a hand for the summer, the place is bursting not only with blueberries, but some great youthful ideas and future plans. One of this year’s additions to their product line is a frozen, “take and bake” blueberry pie and I can’t wait to try mine. Stan runs the production line, but Anita is quick to inform me that it’s her recipe, evident too, by her name on the box. You’ll find the pies, and jams and syrups available all summer long. If you’re going out to pick, go early and beat the heat.

From the looks of the long range weather forecast, some cool food is in order. The watermelon and blueberry salad with feta is the perfect combination of cool and refreshing. I sure hope you’ll give it a try. Have fun, stay safe and be cool.

DIRECTIONS:

•Whisk together the orange juice, lemon juice, shallots, honey, salt, and pepper. Slowly pour in the olive oil, whisking constantly, to form an emulsion. If not using within an hour, store the vinaigrette covered in the refrigerator.

•Place the arugula and mint in a large bowl and drizzle with enough vinaigrette to coat the greens lightly. Add the watermelon, blueberries, feta and gently toss again.

•Taste for seasonings, finish with a drizzle of balsamic glaze and serve immediately

STAGE & SCREEN

Queen B. Drag show anything but a drag

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

When the going gets tough, the tough... put on a dress?

It’s certainly true for John Dowling. When he puts on his high heels and makeup, a remarkable transformation occurs; he becomes “The Misty Boxx” and develops a stage presence that residents of small towns like Sandpoint aren’t often exposed to.

Dowling, who lives in Sandpoint with his wife (who also dresses drag, becoming “Corbin Thicke”), said he started dressing drag in 2010 as a way to express himself.

“The activism side is what keeps me doing it,” he said. “Taking [drag] to small towns exposes it to people that are not normally exposed to gay culture, and I’m hoping it’s in a positive way. People tend to give entertainers more leeway.”

The Queen B. Drag troupe consists of about a half dozen individuals who sometimes ask locals to participate for their occasional shows.

“It’s a lot of fun,” he said. “We emphasize the fun and don’t hammer on any issues or anything. We just want people to laugh and have a good time.”

The troupe first started performing in Sandpoint in 2012, when they appeared at La Rosa Club.

“It was a friend of mine’s birthday, and La Rosa let us use their space,” said Dowling. “Initially, I had mixed feeling about it, being such a small town. I didn’t know how Sandpoint would react to it. I thought we’d see people protesting on the street. After three years of performing, we’ve only had a few letters published in the Daily Bee condemning us for ruining the family atmosphere of Sandpoint.”

Gay culture is always stifled in small towns, according to Dowling, and the drag shows allow that closeted culture to embrace their existence.

“We know there are members of the gay community in Sandpoint,” said Dowling.

“They have no place to go and meet and be themselves. We want to give them a place to relax and have fun. We bring the humor out in it. There’s a lot of comedic relief.”

According to Dowling, the small negative backlash that has occurred is nothing that concerns him or the rest of the troupe.

“There will always be people who don’t like what you do, no matter what you do,” he said. “I’ve met the most redneck people who came up to us after the show and said they were impressed with our performance and had changed their mind on the issue. You’d never think logger-type guys would say that kind of stuff to a drag queen, but they did, and it meant a lot to us.”

Dowling pointed out that he does not identify himself as a homosexual or transgender. “I consider myself more of a two-spirit; the Native American way of looking at it, where you embrace both female and male parts of yourself. I’m married to a woman, and by all appearances we seem like a straight couple.”

Two summers ago, Dowling and his wife were married in full drag—him dressed as a bride, her dressed as a groom.

“It was a total freak show,” he said. “We had a bearded lady, we had a person hammering nails into their head. It was wild.”

At the show on Saturday night, audience members are expected to tip the performers if they want to be up close and personal with the dancers. There will be games, as well as dancing between sets. The performers always make time after the show to talk with the audience and pose for pictures with them.

For Dowling, these shows represent not just a good time but a surge forward in the way gay communities are viewed in general.

“I think there is room for everyone,” he said. “Live and let live.”

To catch the act, check out the Queen B. Drag Show Saturday, June 27 at 9:30 p.m. at the Eagles Lodge at 1511 John Hudon Ln.

An Interview With: LAKE STREET DIVE

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

This week, as part of our ongoing interview series with the Festival at Sandpoint’s artists, we caught up with Lake Street Dive, who Rolling Stone has called “This year’s best new band.”

The four piece band includes guitar/trumpet player Mike “McDuck” Olson (who acquired the nickname for his reclusive ways), vocalist Rachael Price, drummer Mike Calabrese, and stand up bassist Bridget Kearney. I spoke with Kearney on the telephone about life on the road, the big breaks and her fall back profession selling foam fingers for the Red Sox.

Ben Olson: OK, where did you guys get your name?

Bridget Kearney: Our guitar/trumpet player, Mike “McDuck” Olson is from Minneapolis, Minnesota. and Lake Street there is kind of the main drag where all the cool rock clubs and bars are at. Growing up, he had aspirations to have the kind of band that would play in one of these dive bars on lake street. So there you go.

meeting them and being in the backstage area with them, we neglected to think about what a great exposure the event was for us. We were preoccupied with the backstage and didn’t think about the house and the fact that Rolling Stone magazine and New York Times were there.

You were probably just geeking out on the fact that you were hanging out with Elvis Costello.

Absolutely. He’s a really nice guy.

Did you have an early start to music?

One of the things I like about your band is that it’s hard to classify exactly what genre it is.

We’re always just kind of following our ears. Whatever we’re excited about in the moment, that’s what we’ll be writing and working on playing. It’s nice that we’ve been able to establish ourselves as a band that is relatively free of genre pigeon holing, that leaves us free to keep growing and keep trying things ... It’s exciting for us, at this stage, when we’ve been a band for 11 years to keep trying new stuff and keep it fresh.

Do you write together? How does the creative process go?

We generally write separate from one another. A band member will come in with the form of a song, the chorus, the melody, the lyrics, all that stuff ready to go, and then we’ll figure out how we’re going to arrange it. What groove we’ll apply to it, how the parts are going to fit together. Occasionally, we’ll collaborate on lyrics together.

You guys all come from a jazz background? Has that constrained you in ways, or opened you up to step outside of the box with the music you’re writing now?

I think learning jazz just gives you a really good foundation in musical building blocks. To be able to improvise, you have to understand what each part of the music is composed by, what the composition of that chord is, what notes are good within that, what are interesting weird notes you can use, and how one chord

moves from the next. Having that foundation, we definitely use all those jazz skills when we’re writing, and the way that we play is usually pretty improvisational too. We’ll have a starting point, but if you were to write out what Mike played on a drums on a certain song from night to night, there would usually be a lot of differences. That’s a result of us being, at our core, improvisers.

Who are some of your main influences have been, growing up and forming a band that plays regularly?

Definitely the Beatles are something that we come back to constantly. Man, how is everything so good? All the pieces of the puzzle are just so perfect with them; the bass line is memorable, every guitar part contributes to the song, they just have a succession of albums that are all different from one another. That’s what we’re trying to do too, is just keep

pushing forward and discovering new stuff we can do with each album. We’re into a lot of other stuff, too ... a lot of Motown and soul elements also.

I hear that in Rachael’s voice a lot.

Otis Redding and Sam Cooke are some of her biggest singing influences.

You had a big lurch of success last year at the Town Hall show in NY, when you played with Elvis Costello, Avett Brothers, Jack White, and a huge lineup. The press blew up after that. Was that a pivotal moment for your band?

It definitely was. We keep hearing from people that are like, “We saw you at the Town Hall how, we loved you.” That was a funny experience for us; we were so happy to be included in the event at all, and in awe of all the other artists that were around,

It was definitely in my life from an early age. I grew up singing in church choir, and taking piano lessons, and then I started the bass in fourth grade. It was pretty early. That’s the case for all four of us. Mike Olson’s dad is a band director, so he had a horn in his hands when he was learning to walk. Rachael’s father is a choir conductor, she grew up singing super early. And Mike’s parents are musicians as well, so we’ve all been entrenched from a very young age.

What was life like before you were a touring musician? What did you do for work?

We all played in different bands here and there, and I never really had a super proper job. I always pieced it together with freelancing stuff. In college, I sold foam fingers for the Boston Red Sox, so that’s my best job ever. I can always fall back on that if things don’t work out.

Lake Street Dive is playing the Festival at Sandpoint on Thursday, August 13 with the Ballroom Thieves. Check out their music at www.lakestreetdive.com.

MUSIC

The plight of the Holy Broke

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

Kent Ueland knows a thing or two about loss. After fronting the popular and rising band the Terrible Buttons for five years, the band fell apart. Among the casualties was his relationship with his girlfriend, which sent him into a tough patch.

Out of the ashes, Ueland began a solo project called “The Holy Broke.” The origins of the name lie within the same realm as his raw, honest songwriting: pain and reward.

“The most obvious [reason for the name] is that I don’t have any money,” he said. “But it’s also the idea that something has wholly been broken in me, losing a band and a relationship. There was something I held very dear, and the bottom fell out. Also there’s the whole absence of holiness ... it’s a choose your own adventure kind of thing.”

Ueland, coming off a long solo tour around the country, is opening for John Craigie at the Panida Theater Saturday, June 27. The gig marks the beginning of a new tour eventually taking him into the Midwest to record his next album. He has found that life on the road as a solo artist differs remarkably than with a band of seven people.

“I used to be touring with my six best friends in the whole world,” he said. “You were never lonely or bored. You bring the party with you. Now, after my longest run of three-and-a-half months on tour, just me in a car, there were a lot of challenges

‘Live @ the Office” w/ John Craigie

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

We’ll be hosting John Craigie in the Sandpoint Reader office for our monthly “Live @ The Office” concert this Sunday, June 28 at 6 p.m.

If you haven’t been to a “Live @ The Office” show yet, you’re in for a treat for this show. John Craigie has been touring around the nation for so many years, he’s established these little “Craigie Communities” all over the country, of which Sandpoint is one of the strongest.

that come along with that. It was lonely. I talked to myself a lot.”

However, even a realist like Ueland recognizes the bright linings behind all tragedies.

“The money is better,” he said. “One guy versus seven. It’s allowed me to quit my jobs and just do music.”

Ueland’s latest album, “Do It Yourself,” implies the nature of his new reality. The songs are very personal and full of emotion that he didn’t often have the chance to utilize while writing songs for the Terrible Buttons.

“I’m not a very outwardly emotional dude,” he said. “I always have a smile on my face and try to be the funny guy, so I’ve always used my music as an outlet for emotional stuff I’d rather not deal with in real life.”

Catch Kent Ueland as the opener for John Craigie this Saturday, June 27 at 8 p.m.

Tickets are available at Eichardt’s Pub, Eve’s Leaves and online at www.panida.org.

First brought to Sandpoint while playing with the native Shook Twins, Craigie has built up a strong local fan base.

His performance is one part folk music, one part comedy, one part storytelling hour, and one part damn good songwriting. The thing that continually amazes me about Craigie is that, after seeing dozens of his shows, no two are alike. His stories never seem to repeat, his material is constantly refreshed from a life spent on the road as a modern day troubadour.

A prolific songwriter and touring act, Craigie has released an average of one album per year for the past decade and has just recently added the new sound of a hollow body electric guitar to his repertoire.

At the Reader’s “Live @ The Office” shows, you are allowed an up-close and personal interaction with the featured artist. The sound is crystal clear and intimate, with Jesse Gunn of Pinky Haus Studios donating his

This week’s RLW by Jenna Bowers

time and energy to run the sound and record each show for sale as a line of albums the Reader has been releasing since the beginning of the concert series.

Another sponsor of the event is community radio station KRFY 88.5 FM, which takes the recordings from Gunn and airs the content on their local music spotlight hours.

The best news? We’re expecting a hot weekend, and we’ll have the air conditioning cranked in the room, so come in, escape the heat and listen to Craigie spin his yarns.

Tickets are $10 each and are expected to go fast. This show will sell out. You can come into the Reader office and purchase tickets in advance to guarantee your seat.

Catch John Craigie at two different shows this weekend; Sat., June 27 at the Panida Theater at 8 p.m., and “Live @ The Office” at the Sandpoint Reader offices at 111 Cedar St. on Sun., June 28, 6 p.m.

Crossword Solution

READ LISTEN

If you find sexuality, biology, evolution and human relationships interesting (and you should, it applies to you!), then check out “Sex At Dawn” by Christopher Ryan, PhD and Cacilda Jethá, MD. The book chal lenges what it refers to as the “standard narrative of evolu tionary psychol ogy,” (basically that men want fecund young virgins and women want strong rich partners) and the very notion that humans are monogamous creatures (how many people do you know with one lifelong partner?)

WATCH

beau al

If you haven’t fallen in love with Sandpoint favorite John Craigie, what are you waiting for? His music hits all the spots: sweet, funny, authentic, lyrical, romantic, relevant, poignant and more. “Working On My Farewell,” his latest album in a long line of fantastic work by the prolific artist, is not so much a departure as a movement. He puts down his beloved acoustic guitar for a hollow body electric, and his harmonica for back up vocals, but the touching song writing remains. The result is a beautiful, haunting album with plenty of ambiance. Listen to it already.

Trust me, you’ll love “Bored to Death.” I mean, what’s not to love? Co-starring the charmingly bumbling Jason Schwartzman, comedic genius Zach Galifianakis, and living legend Ted Danson, the HBO series is a hilarious, clumsy noir about an unlicensed private detective who advertises on Craigslist and brings his stoner buddies along to help on the delightfully random cases that ensue. My only complaint it is that there are only three seasons. Luckily, it’s so well done that you can watch it again and again.

Then & Now

compiled by Ben Olson

Each week, we feature a new photograph taken from the same vantage point as one taken long ago. See how we’ve changed, and how we’ve stayed the same.

Historical information provided and verified by Bonner County Museum staff and volunteers. The Museum is located at 611 S. Ella — (208) 263-2344.

The west side of First Avenue in Sandpoint in the early 1990s. The 219 Lounge is in the middle of the picture, and the Pastime Cafe sign can be seen to the left of the photo.

The same view today, some 25 years later. The 219 Lounge still occupies the same space (with a recent facelift to match the original facade of the building), and Thai Nigiri now occupies the space where the Pastime Cafe used to be located.

Corrections: Way too many to list (see Cameron’s note on page 3). Because of our computer malfunction last week, we were forced to run an unedited backup copy of the newspaper to make deadline. We regret the sloppiness of last week’s issue, and will never let that happen again. Knock on wood. Twice.

CROSSWORD

Aquatic mammal

Calypso offshoot

Hodgepodge

The two together

Sound of contempt

Yay!

Donor

Practical

Kino gum

Bungle

Relating to aircraft

Countertenor

Mayday

Watch chain

Before a mad scientist goes

mad,

there’s probably a time when he’s only partially mad. And this is the time when he’s going to throw his best parties.