Reader_March28_2019

DEAR READERS, (wo)MAN

compiled by Susan Drinkard

What are you going to do during your spring break?

There’s something alarming going on in Boise right now. If you’ve paid attention to the news over the past two weeks, you’ll know that there are a group of lawmakers (all of them Republicans) who are attempting to toughen up the signature gathering requirements for Idaho citizens to get an initiative onto the state ballot.

READER

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

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Publisher: Ben Olson

“Binge watch ‘Grey’s Anatomy.’ I can watch a couple of seasons in one day.”

Chloe Martin Sophomore Sandpoint High School

“I am going to stay home and do homework.”

Sonny Aitken 8th at Forrest Bird Charter School Sandpoint

“Hang out and play tennis, and plan our trip to Japan.”

Colleene McBride

Senior, Sagle

Chad McIlnay Junior, Kootenai (Both on SHS tennis team)

“I am an exchange student from Berlin. (I live with Will and Debbie Love.) My dad is coming to visit me. I have not seen him in 7 months. We will go hiking and skiing, and also shopping in Spokane. We don’t have large malls in Germany. Everything is bigger here.”

Emma Unger Junior at SHS Sandpoint

“I am going to visit colleges—Missoula, NIC, and maybe Boise State—and celebrate my mother’s birthday. Also, I will be playing in tennis tournaments.”

Taryn McBride Junior Sagle

The bill, first proposed by Sen. Scott Grow, R-Eagle, has been met with overwhelming opposition in the Idaho Senate where it was ultimately passed 18-17. Ten Republican Senators – including District 1 Sen. Jim Woodward, R-Sagle, and District 7 Sen. Carl Crabtree – broke ranks to side with Idaho Democrats to oppose it. Good for them. It was then sent to the Idaho House State Affairs Committee where it was also met with fierce opposition, but ultimately sent to the House with a do-pass recommendation. Staunch Republican Reps. Heather Scott, R-Blanchard and Priscilla Giddings, R-White Bird both notably opposed this bill.

I won’t go into any more specifics, since I cover it all in my OpEd on page 11, but if you’re one of those people that just skim the paper, you should know that Idaho lawmakers are attempting to silence your voice and need to be held accountable. Contact Gov. Brad Little and tell him to veto SB1159, otherwise known as the “voter initiative” bill. Gov. Little’s office line is (208) 334-2100 and email is governor@gov.idaho.gov. It only takes two minutes.

On a different note, with all the snow disappearing these last two weeks, the litter and dirt collected over the long winter is now emerging. Do your friends and neighbors a favor: make a commitment to pick up one piece of litter every day. It really adds up. Pick up a piece on your walk from the car to the office, and one more on your way home for the day. Or better yet, participate in the annual Sand Creek Cleanup Day held on April 20. Show some pride and pitch in, folks. It’ll be summer before we know it.

-Ben Olson, Publisher

ben@sandpointreader.com

Editorial: Cameron Rasmusson cameron@sandpointreader.com

Lyndsie Kiebert lyndsie@sandpointreader.com

Zach Hagadone (emeritus) John Reuter (emeritus)

Advertising: Jodi Berge

Jodi@sandpointreader.com

Contributing Artists: Hannah Combs (cover), Ben Olson Susan Drinkard, Bill Borders, Ahmed Zayan, Yvens Banatte.

Contributing Writers:

Cameron Rasmusson, Ben Olson, Alex Barron, Kim Garrison, Mayor Shelby Rognstad, Brenden Bobby, Nick Gier, Rep. Priscilla Giddings, Scott Taylor, A.C. Woolnough, Marcia Pilgeram, Susan Drumheller, Drake the Dog

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About the Cover

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Medicaid ‘sideboards’ bill stalled in committee

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff

A bill tacking on additional restrictions and requirements to the Medicaid expansion approved by Idahoans last November is stalled in committee.

The Idaho Press reports that the Senate Health and Welfare Committee voted 7-2 Wednesday to hold the bill in committee. Its fate remains unclear after a strong backlash from experts and community members gave senators pause.

“This bill, while I’m sure it’s well intended, has been identified by a lot of expert testimony as quite problematic,” said Sen. Maryanne Jordan, D-Boise, according to the Idaho Press

Many Republicans were likewise critical of the bill, especially after opponents turned out in force to testify against it. Gretel Kauffman of the Times-News tweeted that of the 50 people signed up to

testify about the bill, only Fred Birnbaum from the Idaho Freedom Foundation was in favor.

“In light of testimony from the department, from the hospital association, and from the wonderful members of our communities that have come to testify, I move that HB 277 be held in committee,” Sen. Lee Heider, R-Twin Falls, said, according to the Idaho Press Sponsored by Rep. John Vander Woude, R-Nampa, the bill proposes that Medicaid beneficiaries work at least 20 hours a week or be enrolled in education or training programs while also requiring those between 100 and 138 percent of the poverty line to seek out private insurance.

While it’s possible that the bill could see further action if amendments are proposed, it’s unclear what those alterations would be. Among concerns are the increased costs associated with staffing, managing and enforcing the new

requirements. The Post Register reports a recent study concluded that the sideboard bill could cost Idaho up to $38 million more than a straightforward, or “clean,” expansion of Medicaid.

“The fiscal note on this bill was very suspect,” Jordan said. “There were several changes made in the estimated cost every time the bill was presented. Each time, it was four times the cost of the clean expansion that was voted in by our citizens. Idahoans deserve to know what they are paying for and how much they are paying. This legislation was misleading and deserved to die in committee.”

Another factor may have been a ruling federal judge in Washington, D.C. struck down Medicaid work requirements in Arkansas and Kentucky. The breaking news arrived the same day as deliberations took place and was announced to the committee.

“Taxpayers lose, working Ida-

hoans lose, we would all lose with this legislation which is why I am thrilled it was held in committee,” said Rebecca Schroeder, executive director of Reclaim Idaho, which worked to pass Medicaid Expansion last year. “The voters overwhelmingly approved a clean Medicaid Expansion program.

Ballot initiative bill passes Senate, divides N. Idaho lawmakers Rape kit test bill passes

By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff

The advancement of a bill that would increase requirements for citizen-led ballot initiatives is receiving mixed reviews from North Idaho lawmakers.

Senate Bill 1159, introduced by Sen. C. Scott Grow of Eagle, raises the bar for ballot initiatives from having to gather signatures from six percent of voters in 18 districts to 10 percent in 32 of Idaho’s 35 districts. The bill would also shorten the time frame for gathering those signatures from 18 months to six months.

Sen. Jim Woodward, R-Sagle, told the Reader last week that SB 1159 “goes too far,” and voted against the measure in the Senate Friday. The bill passed the Senate on an 18-17 vote.

Rep. Sage Dixon, R-Ponderay, presented the bill to the House

State Affairs Committee Tuesday, admitting he wanted 35 out of 35 districts to be the new requirement, the Idaho Press reports.

“This is an effort to protect the voice of the majority of Idahoans,” Dixon said.

Scott told Hagadone News Network she believes lawmakers who are characterizing the bill as a way to serve rural voters are being misleading, and voted against the measure in committee Tuesday.

“I work for the little guy and I believe this will make it harder for the little guy to have his voice heard,” Scott said. “With the massive growth, and the changing demographics, the establishment fears losing control. I don’t care how they sell it, it’s suppressing the people.”

Opponents — including Scott, according to Hagadone News Network — see the bill as retaliation after Medicaid expansion successfully made it onto the ballot and

garnered over 60 percent approval from Idaho voters.

Both District 7 lawmakers expressed opposition. Sen. Carl Crabtree, R-Grangeville voted against the bill and Rep. Priscilla Giddings, R-White Bird voice opposition during the House committee hearing.

SB 1159 made it out of the House committee with a 10-5 vote. The full House is expected to vote on the bill before week’s end.

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff

Law enforcement will hopefully have expanded tools to catch sex offenders with the passage this week of a law requiring rape-kit testing.

Signed into law by Gov. Brad Little on Friday, the law tightens up requirements for testing except in very rare cases. The idea is to build up the DNA database for more successful investigations and arrests in sex-crime cases.

“These are proactive efforts to stop serial offenders and seek justice for survivors,” bill sponsor Rep. Melissa Wintrow, D-Boise, said in a press release. “The legislation treats survivors with respect and compassion after they have just endured a traumatic event. If we are going to ask a victim to endure a long invasive process to collect evidence of a crime, then we should be testing the evidence and not let it collect dust on shelves.”

County upholds Sagle asphalt plant approval

By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff

County commissioners upheld approval of a conditional use permit (CUP) for an asphalt batch plant at a reconsideration hearing Friday.

The applicants, Interstate Concrete & Asphalt, intend to move their batch plant operations from Sandpoint to Sagle and are seeking a CUP from the county. The permit was approved by the county’s planning and zoning board Nov. 15, appealed by citizens and then approved by the board of county commissioners (BOCC) Jan. 11.

A reconsideration request filed Jan. 24 presented 11 “alleged deficiencies” in the BOCC’s approval of the batch plant application, only one of which prompted the March 22 hearing: “non-conforming use.”

The request was given a hearing partly thanks to a misunderstanding regarding the CUP tied to the gravel pit where Interstate plans to relocate the plant. The pit’s CUP

was approved in 1995 but never granted due to a failure to meet additional requirements. When

Planning Director Milton Ollerton and his team first heard about the 1995 permit the morning of the Jan. 11 hearing, they’d assumed it had been granted.

Ollerton said in February that the reconsideration hearing would be his department’s chance to “clarify the role that (the 1995) conditional use permit plays in

(the asphalt plant) application, which is none.” Ollerton’s words rang true Friday when the planning staff recommended commissioners affirm their January ruling in favor of Interstate’s permit.

The alleged deficiency that prompted the hearing claimed that placing a batch plant within the gravel pit would expand a non-conforming use, which is against county revised code. Planner Sam Ross said the pit and

batch plant are considered separate uses, therefore non-conforming use code does not apply.

Though the plant and quarry are considered separate, Ross pointed out that an added condition on Interstate’s CUP mandated the plant be operated only within an active gravel pit.

“If the gravel pit ever discontinues its operation, the batch plant must as well,” Ross said.

The pit, owned by Frank Linscott, became the subject of an extensive legal argument by the opposing group “Citizens against Linscott/Interstate Asphalt Plant.”

Several members of the group testified Friday that Linscott’s pit is non-conforming and has expanded over the years. They also mentioned outstanding reclamation fees Linscott allegedly owes to the Idaho Department of Lands.

Don Banning of Sagle said that while he understood that a batch plant could be allowed in a “legally operating” gravel pit, he questioned

City employees announce retirement

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff

Big changes are afoot at the city of Sandpoint with the retirement of city clerk Maree Peck and city attorney Scot Campbell.

Peck leaves the city after 15 years of work, while Campbell served for almost nine years. With their retirement, Sandpoint City Administrator Jennifer Stapleton said the city plans to restructure the positions to reflect the changing needs and scope of municipal services. In the meantime, she said local officials are celebrating two valued employees who helped guide the city through major projects and transitions.

“What a pleasure it’s been (to work with them,)” Stapleton said. “They’ve been dedicated to the end, and they’ll be greatly missed.”

“Aside from being great employees, they’re outstanding people,” she added.

Both Peck and Campbell are set to retire on April 1, and both have

big plans for the next stage of their lives. Peck intends to spend more time with her four grandchildren and take advantage of North Idaho’s beautiful natural setting.

“I just want to enjoy those everyday things we take for granted,” she said.

Campbell plans on eventually spending life on the road, traveling from location to location in a more nomadic lifestyle. With his house sold and the final days of his job approaching, he is prepared to enjoy a change of scenery — or several — this summer.

“I have a truck and camper, so I’m looking at traveling around wherever we want to go,” he said. Much has changed in city government over the past decade, and Campbell and Peck were instrumental in moving those processes along. Campbell cites the streamlining of city committees, the protection of local water rights, the establishment of fiber-optics infrastructure and tweaking ordinances to make Sandpoint more dog friendly among his proudest achievements. Another landmark moment was the addition of gen-

whether the commissioners should approve the plant under the pit’s alleged current conditions.

“I don’t see how you can approve this permit for something to go in on something that is acting illegally,” Banning said.

Deputy Prosecutor Bill Wilson reminded commissioners that whether the pit is in violation or not, no official legal ruling has been made one way or the other.

“There’s been a lot of goodfaith evidence presented today that there could be a zoning violation in the gravel pit,” Wilson said.

“I don’t know if that is an appropriate basis to deny this permit, because … that denies the owner of the pit the due process rights that they are afforded to prove that it’s legal.”

Each commissioner voiced their agreement with that legal advice and went on to unanimously vote to uphold their prior approval of Interstate’s CUP.

der expression and sexual orientation to Sandpoint’s anti-discrimination ordinance, making the town the first city in Idaho to do so.

“I’ve had many people come up and tell me they feel much more secure in the community (because of the ordinance,)” Campbell said.

For Peck, transitioning from paper council packets to a more digital-friendly system was a major undertaking, but one that saves the city time and money. It’s one that also makes public documents more readily available to the public, especially when combined with the city’s new website, council-chambers TVs and the ability to live-stream council-meeting video and audio. Another huge effort was the city’s push for better compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, which Peck said was very successful.

“We have received excellent reviews on our audits,” she added.

With longtime employees heading to retirement, Stapleton said the city is using the transition

to restructure its departments. Longtime deputy clerk Melissa Ward will take over as city clerk, bringing with her a greater focus on the central-records system, the IT department and systems implementation.

But the biggest changes come in the legal department. Rather than hiring a new city attorney, local officials opted to contract out for legal services instead. The move follows a successful transition contracting with Bonner County for prosecution services. According to Stapleton, not only will the changes save money — an estimated $250,000 — but it will also allow the city to utilize a law firm with a broad range of expertise.

“We feel really confident that we have a good path forward,” Stapleton said.

City employees plan to send their colleagues off in style at Matchwood Brewery at 5 p.m. Friday. Those who wish to extend their well-wishes are welcome to stop by.

Bouquets:

•Reclaim Idaho’s Luke Mayville, a Sandpoint native, has really done amazing things for Idaho lately. He and his fellow founders at Reclaim Idaho organized a grassroots blitz to get Proposition 2 on the 2016, where it earned more than 60 percent of the vote to expand Medicaid in Idaho. Now, Mayville is leading a charge through the state to gather enough signatures to convince Gov. Brad Little to veto a bill limiting the people’s right to enact ballot initiatives. Mayville will be at Matchwood Brewing Co. Saturday, March 30, at 8 p.m. Go give him a pat on the back and sign the petition. Take back your voice, Idaho voters.

•Sandpoint City Clerk Maree Peck announced she would be retiring from the city this year. As journalists covering stories that impact our region, it’s always so helpful to have great working relationships with our local government. Both Cameron and I have nothing but good things to say about Maree. She has always been a delight to speak to, is diligent and professional, and is also a kind person. We would like to wish her the best of luck for her next step.

Barbs

• I appreciate the fact that Schweitzer’s “Chairs for Charity” program auctioning off seats from the Chair 6 lift is giving proceeds directly to local charities. That’s really cool. What’s not cool is that they have priced the chairs at $2,000 apiece, which effectively prices them out of reach for most ski bums, locals and average income folks. I know a bunch of people who really want to purchase a piece of Schweitzer history (including myself), but they just can’t afford to shell out $2,000, even if it is a charitable donation. Remember us locals, Schweitzer? We’re the ones who buy our season passes each and every year no matter what the weather forecast. Maybe next time, offer a lottery of a dozen chairs that locals can bid on for a lower price. Skiing isn’t just a rich person’s sport anymore. Don’t forget about the 10,000 some odd people who live here year round and support Schweitzer year after year.

PacWest backs out of Lakes meeting,cites zoning problems

By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff

PacWest Silicon, the company behind the controversial Newport smelter project, will no longer be presenting at Thursday’s Lakes Commission meeting due to zoning troubles with Pend Oreille County.

Mike Welch, a representative for the company with Thompson Consulting, said that until the county amends its Comprehensive Plan to “reform the current county zoning laws,” PacWest is unable to apply for a conditional use permit. Welch said this affects the “overall timeline of the project” and prompted the company to cancel their presentation, which would have entailed an overview of the proposed silicon smelter.

“Unfortunately, we have offtake agreements that incorporate stiff financial penalties if deadlines are missed,” Welch told the Reader Tuesday. “Given the inability of the Planning Commis-

sion to act, all ‘outside activities’ have been cancelled to focus on internal discussions and planning for the immediate future.”

In a statement Monday, the Lakes Commission apologized for any inconvenience the PacWest cancellation caused and encouraged people to attend the meeting for the remaining scheduled presentations from Idaho Fish and Game, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Bureau of Reclamation.

The meeting is slated for 9 a.m.-12 p.m. on Thursday, March 28 at the Priest River Event Center: 5399 US-2, Priest River.

Angels extend grant deadline

By Reader Staff

The Angels Over Sandpoint has extended the deadline for Community Grant applications to April 1.

The Angels’ Community Grant seeks to enhance the lives of the citizens of Bonner County through its support of charitable and educational institutions. The Angels Over Sandpoint give pri-

mary consideration to non-profit organizations involved in health, education and youth-oriented projects and services.

Grant awards range from $250 to $2,500 and are awarded twice a year.

Bingo is back at the VFW

By Reader Staff

The Sandpoint VFW Post 2453 announced they are starting their weekly bingo nights back up after the long winter.

“Shake off some of the cobwebs and come have some fun with friends at your local VFW,” they wrote in a statement. Games will take place every

BOCC passes resolution on gun rights

By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff

Bonner County Commissioners unanimously passed a resolution Tuesday that states their opposition to any law restricting the Second Amendment.

The resolution, placed on the agenda at the request of Commissioner Steve Bradshaw, requests that “the governor of Idaho veto any legislation which infringes on the right of the people of Bonner County to keep and bear arms.”

Commissioner Dan McDonald said the resolution “piggybacks” the county’s preexisting civil liberties resolution, and doesn’t give the BOCC authority over federal policy — only restates the board’s position.

“It’s a little more specific to the things we see coming along here lately with these potential red flag laws,” McDonald said, referring to laws that would “allow law enforcement … relatives and other concerned parties to petition judges in order to temporarily restrict access to firearms from people who may be a harm to themselves or others,” according to NPR.

Despite a full house at Tuesday’s BOCC meeting, the resolution saw very little discussion. The only comment from the public was a “thank you” to the commissioners.

The resolution will be sent to Gov. Brad Little.

READER ON THE BEACH

For information and to apply, visit the Angels’ we site at angelsoversandpoint.org/grants. aspx Thursday from 6-9 p.m. until further notice. The general public is invited. Games will be at the Sandpoint VFW Post 2453, 1325 Pine. St. in Sandpoint. New this year: bring a friend and get an extra sheet! There will be an increased cost for bingo packets.

For more information, call (208)263-9613

What moral reasoning is there to oppose the end of prohibition against hemp?

By Alex Barron Reader Contributor

The Idaho 2019 Hemp Act has successfully passed through the Idaho House by a veto-proof margin on March 18. All Democrats in the House voted in support of the 2019 Hemp Act. Previous to its passage the powerful Idaho Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee unanimously passed a bill to provide the Idaho State Police with hundreds of thousands of dollars in new equipment that can test the amount of Tetrahydrocannabinol in material.

Many northern Idaho Republicans have said they not only support the Hemp Act but are also cosponsors of this bill, including Sen. Mary Souza, a medical nurse, and Sen. Don Cheatham, a former police officer. Several Republican county central committees have come out strongly in favor of the 2019 Hemp Act, including the Kootenai and Bonneville county committees. A resolution endorsing the 2019 Hemp Act and encouraging its passage passed the Kootenai County Central Committee with a single nay vote. The Idaho 2019 Hemp Act brings State law in line with federal law.

Still, other Idaho Senators, and even Gov. Brad Little, have suggested they are “morally opposed” to the legalization of hemp for various reasons. Thus I wanted to understand the moral underpin-

nings of our elected servants.

In the LDS Church, there is a general prohibition, derived from the Word of Wisdom, against all intoxicating substances. The Word of Wisdom is the LDS Church’s health code, and it prohibits coffee, as well as alcohol, tobacco and recreational drugs. The LDS Church started in 1830 but did not support the government prohibition of cannabis until 1915. This state-level prohibition coincided with some Mormons returning from Mexico following the 1910 Mexican socialist revolution which ended many rights of Christians in Mexico.

In 2010, the LDS Church leader President Russell M. Nelson stated that the issue of medical marijuana was left to individual consultation with

scriptures and a member’s Bishop. In 2010, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles reiterated the same point. The Quorum of the Twelve Apostles are still opposed to recreational marijuana use but took no official position on medical marijuana use, or the cultivation of hemp, the non-intoxicating version of cannabis.

While I respect the consistent principle of the LDS Church that all intoxicating substances can be dangerous, I and the majority of Idahoans do not agree with violently imposed government prohibition against alcohol, tobacco and even coffee. And a majority no longer support the prohibition of cannabis. As the Saint and Doctor of the Catholic Church Thomas Aquinas said, “Wherefore human laws do not forbid all vices, from which the virtuous abstain, but only the more grievous vices, from which it is possible for the majority to abstain; and chiefly those that are to the hurt of others, without the prohibition of which human society could not be maintained: thus human law prohibits murder, theft and such like.” (Question 96 Article 2: The Power of Human Law).

In 2018, Utah passed the Cultivation of Industrial Hemp law with no opposition from the LDS Church. After a

significant number of Mormon Republican voters supported and passed the 2018 ballot initiative Proposition 2 allowing for medical marijuana, over the opposition of the LDS Church leadership, the Utah State legislator quickly passed a very limited medical marijuana bill with the full support of the LDS church leadership.

Gov. Brad Little identifies as an Episcopalian. Episcopalians are closely related to the Church of England, or Anglican community. The Episcopalians have led the way in encouraging the legalization of medical marijuana. The 67th Convention of the Episcopal Church in1982 took this official position on the use of medical marijuana:

“The Episcopal Church urges the adoption by Congress and all states of statutes providing that the use of marijuana be permitted when deemed medically appropriate by duly licensed medical practitioners.” Resolution Number: 1982-B004. The Episcopal Church has been consistent in encouraging States to end the violent prohibition of cannabis for medicinal reasons. The Episcopal Church has never opposed the le-

Laughing Matter

galization of the non-intoxicating form of cannabis, which is hemp. Both the LDS Church and the Episcopal Church support the use of medical marijuana in some form. Neither church has come out opposing the legalization of hemp. Only three states have no form of this sort of cannabis liberalization, and Idaho is one of them. Thus I wonder under what moral understanding would any Idaho senator or the Idaho governor vote against a bill to allow the non-intoxicating form of cannabis to be grown by Idaho farmers?

I strongly encourage Idaho Senators to support the reasonable and measured Hemp Act of 2019 as presented in House Bill 122.I encourage Gov. Little to sign this bill into law.

Alex Barron was born in the crime-ridden inner city projects of Chicago. After spending a great amount of time overseas serving with the U.S. Navy, he now lives with his children in northern Idaho. Alex blogs from a paleo-conservative perspective, promoting Judeo-Christian values, classic Western civilization and individual rights. His blog is the CharlesCarrollSociety.com.

By Bill Borders

LETTERS

Support Hemp Farming...

Governor Little and Senators, I started the first hemp CBD company in Idaho three years ago. We have helped thousands of people with many conditions with CBD without THC. Our products have won awards and are shipped to several countries around the globe. We are in the process of introducing a new organic extraction process that will revolutionize the CBD market and we are also introducing Zeoform. com to the U.S. Global CBD joint venturing to license Zeoform technology that is converting hemp fiber to replace petroleum-based hard surfaces with biodegradable and sustainable solutions. Both of these technologies are multi-billion dollar industries. We just signed an agreement with an Oregon farmer to start producing hemp on 200 of his 22,000 acres, with plans to expanding in the next two years to 11,000 of those acres. We would have LOVED to be doing this with Idaho farms, but we can’t. We project $7B in sales in the next two years with our extraction alone. We have many farmers ready to grow hemp in Idaho for both CBD and fiber products if you give them the green light. We need your help to pass HB122 and give Idaho farmers a chance to catch up to an extremely fast-growing industry. Our Idaho farmers are the ones being hurt by the inability to grow hemp. Hemp is NOT marijuana. We have one of the best growing environments for hemp and we can’t even put a plant in the ground. Let’s imagine how many high-paying jobs that come from producing hemp fiber building materials, boats, home products, food products, drink products and more. Our bodies have an ENDOCANNABINOID SYSTEM (ECS) that is made to accept and utilize CBD/other cannabinoids. How can CBD be bad if our bodies are made to take them? There are 52 known conditions that CBD provides benefits to. How do we deny access to CBDs to our friends, family and communities?

Let us unshackle Idaho farmers and provide a way for more income, taxes, jobs in the agricultural sector and become the leaders I know we can be in hemp industry.

I am grateful and honored for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Joel Bordeaux CEO Global CBD Sandpoint

Climate Science is in its Infancy...

Dear Editor,

Whenever I hear “climate change denier” I know I’m speaking with someone with a closed mind.

How often have we heard “the science is settled”? But what is settled science?

An example: Let’s fire a cannonball from a cannon. If we know the weight of the cannonball, the angle at which it is fired and the power behind it and/or its velocity when leaving the barrel, these factors form a simple equation where we can calculate with repeatable accuracy where it will land. We consider this settled.

The changing climate also requires an equation to know what will happen in the future.

But not only does this equation need far more factors, science as of yet hasn’t even determined what factors are needed. Some say carbon dioxide is the biggest factor. Others say water vapor. Others point out that the temperature fluctuations on Mars seem to parallel what we have on Earth, so it’s solar flares and sun-spot activity. If we can’t agree on the causes of climate change, how can we speak with certainty?

Currently, climate change models are based on computer simulations. Input factors, have the computer calculate the result. But if the factors are faulty or inaccurate, the results are skewed.

How are we doing? Ten years ago, it was announced the Arctic ice cap would be completely gone within five years. That prediction was a little bit off. I’m sure it was announced with sincerity, but obviously some false or incomplete data was used. If we run these computer models backwards, the calculations should mirror what we see in ancient ice core samples. So far, they don’t.

“Repeat a lie often enough, and it becomes the truth.” How often have we heard the debunked statement: “97 percent of climate scientists agree…”

Sorry, not true. And more importantly, consensus is not science.

Again: Consensus is not science.

In 1633, Galileo was sentenced to prison for challenging the then-known consensus that the Earth was the center of the universe. He used scientific methods to prove otherwise.

Early astronomers had it wrong. Oops. But we continue to learn.

Now anybody who claims the climate isn’t changing also has a closed mind.

Climate science is still in its infancy. We don’t really know yet, what we don’t know. But let’s keep learning. Our grandchildren will know so much more in a few hundred years.

Dan Antilla Sagle

Citizens’ Ballot Initiatives Under Attack...

Dear Editor,

Appears our state legislators are not pleased with our success with Prop 2 for Medicaid Expansion and wish to make it more difficult for Idaho citizens to have any future initiatives.

Following years of nothing worthwhile from lawmakers to help with uninsured healthcare, a group of citizens organized to address this problem. Calling ourselves “Reclaim Idaho”, we went to work collecting signatures in our communities. According to our state constitution, WE the PEOPLE must collect 6 percent of registered voters in 18 districts within 18 months to get a proposal on the ballot. With tenacity and a lot of door-knocking, the goal was meet with 74,818 valid signatures.

Now, Idaho Bill 1159 wants to tighten

screws on this process to six month (one third of the time) and substantially increase numbers. Its suspected this is tied to their fear in seeing other states pass numerous initiatives on issues like medical marijuana, limiting payday loaners’ exorbitant rates and combating gerrymandering of voting districts.

Let this fact not be forgotten: Prop 2 received 365,107 votes, which was 3,500 more than cast for Governor Little in his race. Clearly this shows ballot initiatives have non-partisan support. Of course we know not all initiatives pass, but at least it’s our process for making a proposal for voters to consider. This is our CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT for a government “by the people.”

ASAP contact Gov. Little to veto HB1159 and protect the voice of Idaho citizens: office# 208-334-2100 or email governor@gov. idaho.gov.

Rebecca Holland Sandpoint

Adding My Two Cents...

Dear Editor,

I appreciated Shannon Williamson’s Lake Pend Oreille Waterkeeper column addressing Matt Morrison’s partisan rail bridge article. I want to add my two cents.

•As LPOW pointed out, Morrison’s article gave the false impression the Coast Guard

authored the Environmental Assessment. The document’s preparers are clearly listed on page 111. Jacobs Engineering Group did most of the work. The Coast Guard is not listed among the contributors. Did Morrison even read the document? Or was he purposely trying to mislead us?

•Jacobs is a $15 billion international company.

•Morrison is the CEO of The Pacific NorthWest Economic Region. Full disclosure: This nonprofit organization has a long list of government and university partners. They boast an even longer list of powerful corporate members (http://www.pnwer.org/current-sponsors.html). Members and partners include (surprise!) BNSF Railway, Jacobs and the U.S. Coast Guard. All this was conveniently left out of Morrison’s bio at the end of his article.

Morrison seems rather disingenuous, and I would encourage the Reader to reconsider before printing any future PNWER articles.

The LPOW has been charged with the daunting task of going up against a lot of corporate and insider firepower. I doubt our little group gets invited to PNWER’s big annual summit conference. Oh to be a fly on the wall at one of those private after-conference meetings.

Lynn Settle Cocolalla

Misophonia: The rage is real

By Lyndsie Kiebert Reader Staff

Affection can be expressed by holding hands, offering a kind word or leaving a sweet note on the countertop.

My personal favorite act of affection is when my boyfriend hands me my box of off-brand corn flake cereal.

Let me explain.

In my early teen years I started to become enraged. I’m not saying irritated, bothered or even angry — I’m saying enraged. This rage came about under very specific circumstances and soon enough, the pattern became obvious: I lost control of my emotions when I heard people eating.

Crunching. Smacking. Swallowing.

Soon I noticed all mouth and respiratory noises upset me. Heavy breathing. Throat clearing. Lip moistening.

I couldn’t redirect my attention. I obsessed over the noise. I sweat. Tears welled in my eyes. My fight or flight response

flared. I felt like punching something or screaming would relieve the tension. The source of the noise would carry on nonchalantly while I stood by feeling disgusted, guilty and confused.

To this day, I can’t say much has changed. Crunchy snacks are my solace — lately, it’s dry cereal eaten by the handful in harmony with the TV, the dog chewing on her toy and my boyfriend enjoying a bowl of ice cream.

But the prospect of sitting in silence while the person next to me licks a spoon repeatedly?

Just typing that last sentence made me clench my teeth. Alex knows that if he’s eating, I better be eating, and the more audible stimulants, the better.

Mastication obviously falls under the “undesirable noise” category, along with pen clicking and nails on a chalkboard. But there’s a difference between disliking a sound and experiencing a severe neurological response when it’s heard. The latter has a name: misophonia.

A March 18 NPR article titled

“Misophonia: When Life’s Noises Drive You Mad” created some buzz surrounding the difference between those who think “that’s an unpleasant noise” and those who think “I will drive my head through this wall if he clears his throat one more time.”

While mouth sounds are the most common misophonia triggers, NPR reports that humming, tapping or even certain smells can cause flare-ups, resulting in uncontrollable emotion and often hurting the feelings of the person making the noise simply because they don’t understand that what they’re producing is unbearable. Misophonia is largely ignored, misunderstood or misdiagnosed as a mood disorder. Perhaps the most groundbreaking study, conducted by the University of Iowa in 2017, found common triggers like eating and breathing stimulated the emotional part of the brain in misophoniacs. Marsha Johnson, a Portland audiologist who specializes in misophonia, said the brain study “was the first piece of research that showed our

population that what they had was real.”

Because misophonia isn’t yet fully understood, treatments are scarce.

According to Harvard Medical School, “auditory distraction (with white noise or headphones) and cognitive behavioral therapy have shown some success in improving functioning.”

The Misophonia Association, an advocacy group for those with the disorder, was just formed in 2013.

While I can’t say misophonia has seriously hindered my ability to participate in the world, it has given me an inordinate appreciation for headphones and a knack for packing crunchy foods with me just in case I’m faced with a chip-eating stranger in a confined space.

But for those who build

their life around avoiding their triggers, this research is a big deal. It’s hard to explain to people that the sound of their breathing makes you want to vomit without offending them. Hopefully the science can provide some reasonable explanation and help eliminate the tension that arises when you politely excuse yourself from triggering environments.

I’ve been lucky enough to find a partner who knows that if he’s going to the kitchen to grab himself some dessert, he better bring back my cereal, too. I can only hope my fellow misophoniacs find that kind of understanding in their lives.

Is the general physician becoming a lost art?

By Kim Garrison Reader Contributor

At a recent appointment with my general physician at Kaniksu Health Services I was told by her that her contract had not been renewed and that next month and she would no longer be my doctor.

I have been with Kaniksu Health Services since Dr. Hugh Leedy who had been a GP in Sandpoint for the last 40 years had transferred his practice to them before his retirement 5 years ago. Previous to this he had been my physician in his own practice for 40 years and you could not have asked for a more caring, connected doctor who stood behind you in everything that you went through. He may have needed to send you to a specialist to see you further but he followed your treatments and

testing. t was 24 years ago today that I received my first liver transplant and four days later my second. After four months in Salt Lake City I returned home and Dr. Leedy took over my aftercare, consulting when needed with my doctors in Salt Lake. This is what general physicians did many years ago and Dr. Leedy was exceptional. Many people, and medical groups now say that the general physician (GP) is a lost physician. More doctors are going to specialty medicine to cover the medical costs of school and training. I would have to say that in the last 10 years I have definitely seen that. I have several chronic conditions as well as the continuing care of the status of my transplant. Over the years I have probably seen over 50 physicians of one specialty or another. I have been on the “doc-

tor train.” When the specialist runs some tests and has no clue of your condition he passes you on to the next and then he passes you on to the next until you probably give up and then just live with it. There is a complete lack of empathy and really not much connection between that doctor and you as his patient. In the last five years with Kaniksu Health Services I have had six general physicians. There has been two of these six that I found to be exceptional general physicians. When you became their patient, they knew your file, history and already had a good understanding of what you were going through, what you needed and how to help you get there. While Kaniksu helps their ongoing patients, they also help the new younger families with no insurance and poor resources (no money). This

takes doctors with compassion and empathy. They have to listen to their patients and make sound medical decisions without a lot of the ability of labs and hospitalizations. These doctors both happened to be women and were right at the top of their specialty; smart, caring and in positions they were happy with, enjoying, other employees and their place of work. And their contracts with Kaniksu were terminated. Both were blindsided.

Patients are entitled to continuity of care and to know that their doctor is going to do the best that they can for them and their children. I can personally attest to the fact that it is hard to find a good family doctor – one that you like and feel that likes taking care of you and not just for the money or to pay the bills but actually likes their day at work.

Kaniksu should not be so

cavalier in dumping physicians for no reason. They are hard to find and also hard to keep, as they are in demand. As in any business good employees are hard to find, expensive to train and bring up to speed, and it is not just the doctors I have noticed, Kaniksu’s other personnel also has a high turnover. Maybe it is time that that the Kaniksu Board of Directors looks into why they have a high turnover. Seems to me it would be much easier to find a new CEO than to keep looking for new healthcare providers.

By the way, I went to the Belwood Building on March 1 at 10 a.m. for a list of directors. The receptionist was ill and there was not one person from administration at work and no one got back to me.

Kim Garrison lives in Sagle.

Science: Mad about

rabbits at home

By Brenden Bobby Reader Columnist

As the snow melts further and further away, Easter comes closer and closer. Egg hunts, family and community, mysterious rabbits that somehow poop out eggs and baby animals galore. It makes sense that rabbits, baby chicks and ducklings are adopted at an all-time high around Easter, and it’s no coincidence that as quickly as a month later there’s a massive population explosion in the wild as impulse buys are set free or posted up on Facebook for dirt cheap prices.

I’ll keep making the disclaimer for years to come: Animals aren’t impulse buys. They’re equal parts cute and work and require regular maintenance to ensure they live happy, healthy lives. Think about it this way: The only humans we put inside of barren cages with little to nothing to do are criminals, and we do that as an incentive to stop other people from becoming criminals. It’s a miserable existence no one wants to endure, especially that cute, fluffy bunny you just bought.

If you don’t want to play prison warden to a fluffy creature, buy a stuffed animal. You can lock that in as many metal cages as you want with no consequence!

If this advice comes too little, too late and you’re ankle deep in rabbits, there are some solutions here: You can adopt them out to other people, especially people that enjoy homesteading. You can butcher them yourself, though it’s not a task for the faint of heart. Or… you can continue to care for them until they die of natural causes.

Whatever you do, don’t release them into the wild. It’s not merciful. You’re basically pushing the most sheltered, oblivious

and talentless child into Chicago’s South Side. It’s either going to wreak havoc on wild bloodlines and cause unknown genetic mutations, or it’s just going to become a plate of murdersausage with a side of blood dipping sauce for some hungry predator.

Luckily for us, caring for rabbits is pretty simple and can be a lucrative thing to do for those willing to get their hands dirty.

Rabbits are prey animals, which means they’re naturally skittish. While you’re cuddling it, it’s very likely thinking: “Hark, mine doom approaches, why, oh why cruel predator, must you maketh me fear my own demise? Oh hey, I’m going back in the cage.”

Being flightless prey animals with no innate climbing ability, they like to dig and create warrens for themselves. This means if you keep them outside, you need to have some sort of enclosure for them with wire that’s buried at least a foot under the ground level or they will escape.

For the happiest rabbit, you want to have an area with some grass that’s relatively mud-free, but is also partially covered to deter things like owls and hawks from grabbing a free snack. You can keep them in hutches, but unless you’re planning on butchering them, a hutch is a studio apartment they’re trapped in.

For ease of cleaning, you want a space that’s tall enough for you to enter and rake or shovel without having to stoop or crawl. Rabbits are creatures of habit that like to do their business in one spot. This is great for cleanup, but it also creates a huge, foul mess very quickly if not maintained. Despite this being the most disgusting part about raising rabbits, it’s also the most lucrative. Rabbit feces is one of the best fertilizers you can ask for. Problem is, unless you’re raising a bunch of rabbits, you won’t

be getting very much of it, so it’s a lot of work to gather on an industrial level. However, with its low nitrogen content, it’s not likely to burn your plants, and since rabbits are strictly herbivores, their waste has a considerably lower chance of passing along pathogens like chicken droppings can. This means for things like ornamental flowers in need of a boost you can apply the waste directly to the soil without scorching the plant.

It’s still better to compost it, as that breeds all of the beneficial bacteria your garden craves while killing the stuff that can harm you.

The other resources rabbits are great for come from butchering them. For the first time farmer, this is a big ask, but with a little practice it will become just another chore that needs doing. Provided, of course, you follow the most important tenet: Never name your food.

The two best resources harvested from rabbits are meat and pelts, though the bones can be useful for things like bone broths or making bone meal. Since rabbits are so small you will have to harvest several pelts if you want to make anything useful, but some good starter sewing projects for kids include rabbit fur socks and hats. There are also longhaired Angora rabbits that you can harvest fiber from without harming the rabbit. Full disclosure: Angora rabbits are a TON of work, so if you’re working a full time job and writing two novels, you won’t have time to brush these little guys three times a week. It would make a great chore for kids to escape screen time, though.

As for the meat, with a little work you can set up a schedule to breed and harvest several rabbits as frequently as every two weeks. This requires several breeding females and staggering of births,

but they grow to a harvestable size very quickly and are the most efficient and expedient white meat in the world. There is a reason that rabbit stew is a big deal in Eastern Europe.

I won’t go into the specifics of butchery here, I’ll leave that to the professionals. Like most of my Mad About Ag articles, I’ve got to drop a plug for the “Storey’s Guide” series at the Library.

They have one specifically for rabbits that details several breeds in great detail, including breeding and butchering schedules, hutch setups, nutrition and care and so much more. If you’re regretting your long-eared purchasing decision, check one of the awesome books out and see if you can figure out a way to turn buyer’s remorse into a little homesteader’s profit.

Random Corner

By BO

This week: a grab bag of random facts

•The stripes on each tiger are unique, like human fingerprints.

•Within three days of death, the enzymes that once digested your dinner begin to eat you.

•When the “Elephant Whisperer” author Lawrence Anthony died, a herd of elephants arrived at his house to mourn him.

•Bananas are slightly radioactive.

•A blue whale’s heart can be as large as a car.

•Britney Spears’ used pregnancy test was sold on eBay for $5,001.

•Leeches have 32 brains.

•Oxford University is older than the Aztecs.

•The longest pregnancy in humans on record is 12.5 months.

•In 1945, a rooster named Mike, lived 18 months without a head.

•Only two countries in the world are not allowed to sell Coca-Cola officially: North Korea and Cuba.

•Chewing gum is banned in Singapore.

•Herrings communicate through flatulance.

•Nikola Tesla once “shook the poop out” of a constipated Mark Twain with an experiment.

•Before the eraser, bread was often used to remove pencil marks.

•Rats laugh when tickled.

•Sprite may be one of the best remedies for hangovers, according to a series of studies conducted by a team of Chinese scientists.

•In Belarus, it is illegal to applaud in public.

•Greek philosopher Chrysippus is said to have died of laughter after getting his donkey drunk, trying to eat figs.

A de ning moment: Speak out now or your voice will be silenced

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

Right now we are seeing the the dangerous result of decades of one-party rule in Idaho. We are witnessing hypocrisy at its worst, gaslighting from people that claim to talk straight and a legion of partisan voters who continue to allow politicians to get away with it.

Consider SB1159, the “voter initiative” bill that has been proposed to the Idaho Senate. Sen. C. Scott Grow, R-Eagle, introduced this bill last week seeking to toughen up the requirements for those seeking to place ballot initiatives onto the state ballot.

Grow’s bill is a blatant attempt to silence the voices of independent citizens. Currently, in order for a petition to reach the ballot, organizers must obtain signatures from six percent of registered voters in 18 of Idaho’s 35 districts within 18 months. Grow’s bill proposes to raise the bar to 10 percent of signatures from 32 of Idaho’s 35 districts in only six months.

Sen. Grow’s proposed bill comes after nearly 61 percent of Idaho voters approved an initiative to expand Medicaid coverage to people who previously didn’t qualify and who couldn’t afford private insurance.

Grow said his proposal had nothing to do with Medicaid expansion, but instead sought to ensure rural voters are included when petitioners seek to get initiatives onto the ballot.

Riiight.

Anti-initiative forces have been active in Idaho for a long time. The Idaho legislature approved an Initiative and Referendum Amendment to the state constitition in 1911, which was later approved by voters. The amendment didn’t specify the number of petition signatures required for an initiative or referendum to make the ballot, though. This meant that the legislature would set the number, and could change it at any time they saw fit. The legislature passed a bill to set the signature requirement in 1915, but Gov. Moses Alexander vetoed the bill because he thought the requirements unreasonable. It was over 20 later when the legislature finally passed another requirement bill that was acceptable.

Over the years, a number of initiatives and referendums were successfully added to the ballot, but in 1984 (a fitting year) anti-initiative forces – primarly timber, mining and farming interests – persuaded legislators to double the number of signatures required to put an initiative on the ballot. The bill was introduced without a hearing, voted on and sent to the governor’s desk within 24 hours. Gov. John Evans vetoed the bill, thankfully. Fifteen years later, those same forces banded with anti-term limits advocates and successfully convinced the legislature to

restrict the initiative process again. The new law drastically increased the requirements, but it was struck down in the Federal District Court for Idaho as unconsitutional.

When lawmakers seek to limit the ability for Idaho citizens to participate in state government, they silence important voices. By increasing the signature requirements, Sen. Grow, just like those who failed before, aims to take power away from grassroots initiatives and install a system where only interests with big money could fund a six-month signature blitz. Ask anyone who volunteered to get signatures with Reclaim Idaho and they’ll tell you it was not an easy task gathering those signatures.

“It is a daunting, daunting process,” Boise resident Carmel Crock said after volunteering with the Medicaid expansion initiative. “I can’t imagine making this more difficult, or making this the most restrictive initiative ballot law in the nation.”

Despite overwhelming opposition, the Idaho Senate passed Sen. Grow’s bill by a vote of 18-17 last week. In the two-day hearing, 58 of the 62 people who testified opposed the bill.

District 7 Sen. Carl Crabtree voted against this bill. So did District 1 Sen. Jim Woodward.

“It goes too far,” Woodward said. “To date, we have not seen a problem come about from our initiative process.”

After passing the Senate, the bill headed to the Idaho House State Affairs Committee. After a three-hour hearing, of the 36 people that testified, 32 were in opposition. Three of the four who spoke in favor of it were lobbyists. However, the committee issued a do-pass recommendation by a 10 to 5 vote. Rep. Heather Scott, R-Blanchard joined fellow Republican Rep. Linda Hartgen and Democratic committee members to vote against this bill, for which she should be commended.

Rep. Pricilla Giddings, R-White Bird, issued an opposing statement after the dopass vote.

“Despite what some of my colleagues are saying publicly, this bill does not protect rural voters. It does quite the opposite. By creating the most restrictive initiative process in the country, Senate Bill 1159 chips away at the principles of our Consititutional Republic, it degrades Idaho’s system of checks and balances, and almost entirely shifts the balance of power toward government and away from Idaho grassroots efforts. … My colleagues in the House and Senate took an oath to protect our Constitution. Not undermine it.”

Reps. Scott and Giddings are widely considered to be among the staunchest con-

servative members of the Idaho House.

When Rep. Sage Dixon, R-Ponderay, presented the bill to the House State Affairs Committee, he took an entirely different approach: he originally wanted it to be tougher.

“I will admit I wanted 35 of 35” districts, Dixon said. “Everybody’s voice should be heard in this. But in our negotiation with the Senate we had to bring it back to 32.”

Dixon said the proposed “six-month deadline is not outside the pale of what is existing in other states. It seems to be an appropriate time frame. … It theoretically will be easier and less time-consuming. … It ensures that the majority of Idahoans will have a voice in an initiative that is going to become law. … This is an effort to protect the voice of the majority of Idahoans.”

What in the hell is he talking about?

Allow me to unpack the incredible amount of gaslighting from Rep. Dixon. First of all, an initiative or referendum obviously doesn’t “become law” by simply qualifying for the ballot. It goes to the voters at the next general election, who must pass it only with a majority of votes statewide. For Rep. Dixon to claim this restrictive bill somehow protects the “voice of the majority of Idahoans” is pure rubbish. It does exactly the opposite.

Dixon also thinks six months is an acceptable amount of time to gather 10% of signatures from 32 of 35 districts. Why does there need to be a year shaved off the timeline? If a grassroots organization wants to spend 18 months slogging through district after district collecting signatures, isn’t that what the initiative and referendum system is all about?

Finally, Dixon said, “Everyone’s voice should be heard in this.” What an ironic statement from a representative of the people who is sponsoring a bill that silences the voice of the people. What about all those people who testified against the bill in the Senate and again in the House Committee? Are their voices worth anything?

During the Committee hearing, Rep. Scott asked Dixon, “Why is there an emergency clause on this bill? What is the emergency that we’re trying to stop or to get this enacted immediately?” Dixon responded, “I can only imagine that we wanted to get this … going as soon as possible to protect the will of the people.”

Riiight.

I want to know what exactly the problem is here. Have we been inundated with nonsense initiatives clogging up the state ballots? Are nefarious organizations trying to “sneak” an initiative past unsuspecting voters? The answer is no and no. The reason

this bill was introduced is because there are a lot of Republicans in Idaho who are pissed off that the Medicaid expansion initiative passed with a clear majority of Idaho voters –from all sides of the political spectrum. If made into law, how will this proposed bill compare to other states’ ballot initiative process? It would become the toughest state in the union for citizens’ voices to be heard.

While each state sets different requirements, one fundamental difference between Idaho’s ballot initiative signature requirements and other states is that it requires a percentage of registered voters. Most of the other 23 states that allow for citizen-led ballot initiatives base their percentage of required signatures on the total amount of votes cast in the previous general election. This is a substantial difference, since voter turnout in Idaho presidential elections averages around 72% of registered voters.

Oregon only requires 6% of signatures of votes cast in the previous election over two years and sets no restrictions which districts the votes can come from.

Utah requires 10% of all votes cast in Utah in the last presidential election in 26 of the 29 state senate districts and gives about 11 months to turn them in.

Montana requires signatures from 5% of votes cast in the last gubernatorial election from one-third of the state’s legislative districts within one year.

In comparison, the proposed six month time window is a joke.

What are these Republican lawmakers so afraid of? That the will of the people might actually be heard?

Remember this day when you vote for these elected representatives. Remember that they are actively making it more difficult for you to use your voice. Remember that of the four elected officials that represent North Idaho, Rep. Scott, Sen. Woodward and Sen. Crabtree all voted against such a restrictive bill while Rep. Dixon voted for it.

The bill is expected to pass the House, which would send it to Gov. Little’s desk to be signed into law. We should all contact Gov. Little’s office and send a strong message that he needs to veto this bill which tarnishes our Constitutional rights.

Gov. Little’s office line is (208) 334-2100 and email is governor@gov.idaho.gov. Use your voice while you still can and tell him you oppose this bill and recommend he veto it.

Personally, I’m getting sick and tired of politicians treating me like I was stupid. Wake up, voters. Don’t stand by while anyone – Democrat, Republican or Independent –trashes your rights.

OPINION

The City of Sandpoint in 2019

By Mayor Shelby Rognstad Reader Contributor

In January I provided a state of the city update that addressed several key accomplishments in 2018. I would like to take this opportunity to present a number of significant projects that are scheduled for this year. This will be the year of planning for the city of Sandpoint. Upon completing a strategic plan in 2018, the clear directive was born to develop a capital facilities plan that would enable long range financial planning for all divisions within the city. This includes a host of master plans: a Wastewater Facility Plan, an Inflow and Infiltration Plan, a Stormwater Master Plan, a Water Master Plan, a rate study, a Transportation System Plan which includes multimodal transporta-

tion, Watershed Master Plan and a Parks and Recreation Master Plan which kicks off next month.

The Wastewater Facility Plan redesigns the existing wastewater treatment plant south of Lakeview park. The plant is significantly outdated and much of it is beyond its useful life. The new plant will be designed to accommodate 10 million gallons a day and bring water to a higher level of treatment than our existing plant. It will use existing facilities to the greatest extent possible, but will also include major upgrades, technology improvements and ensure long-term viability.

The I &I Plan will provide the wastewater utility a long term strategy and capital improvement schedule to reduce the amount of water that infiltrates into our wastewater stream. Sandpoint is unique in that our soils are very dense (clay). This dramatically increases the amount of water running through the wastewater plant, thereby absorbing the treatment capacity. Reducing infiltration is much cheaper than building a larger capacity wastewater facility. A good I & I implementation plan frees up capacity for wastewater treatment and accommodates future growth much more affordably.

A Stormwater Master Plan accomplishes a similar task. A stormwater system diverts water that would otherwise flow into the wastewater system or directly into the watershed. With a stormwater system, diverted water is treated before entering the watershed, and the wastewater system isn’t impacted. Together, the stormwater and I & I system dramatically increase the capacity and affordability of our wastewater system and they all work together to improve water quality throughout the watershed.

A Water Master Plan, like all of these plans, will enable the city to accommodate growth in a deliberate manner that maximizes efficiency, cost savings and sustainability. This plan combined with the Wastewater Facility and I & I Plans will inform a new rate

study. The rate study will determine the most appropriate rates for both water and wastewater customers as well as new user hook-up fees.

A Transportation System Plan is critical for long-term maintenance and growth planning. It will ensure that our very limited transportation dollars are spent strategically and stretched as far as possible. It will take a comprehensive approach that includes multimodal transportation.

The Parks and Recreation Master Plan and Watershed Master Plan I discussed in “A Bright Future Ahead For City of Sandpoint (1/24/19).” Together these plans build a new vision for Sandpoint parks and recreation that will be very exciting. This process begins next month as the city selects a consultant to guide development of the plans.

Next year we will complete this planning phase with the revision of our 2009 Comprehensive Plan, which addresses land use throughout the city. All of these plans work together to define the vision for the future of Sandpoint. Sandpoint grew over 5 percent last year compared to our historical 1-percent growth annually. That high rate of growth continues and can impact affordability and level of service in the future. The ambitious planning effort undertaken this year followed by good implementation will ensure that the City is able to deliver a level of service and quality of life that makes Sandpoint the desirable community we all want to live in.

Future notifications and invitations to specific workshops and forums will be posted on our website (www.cityofsandpointidaho.gov), Facebook and “Engage Sandpoint” (our mobile app) as the process unfolds. I invite you to join the conversation and help us make Sandpoint the best place to live, work and play for everyone.

Please join me at the Mayor’s Roundtable, this Friday from 8-9 a.m. at the Cedar Street Bistro in the Cedar Street Bridge. Starting next month, April 19, the Roundtable will be held on the third Friday of the month, 8-9 a.m. at Cedar Street Bistro. I hope to see you there!

The new American socialists:

Bernie

By Nick Gier Reader Columnist

“I believe in markets — markets that work. Markets that have a cop on the beat and have real rules, and everybody follows them.”

—Sen. Elizabeth Warren

Just as the Constitution demands a “well-regulated militia” to prevent vigilantism, I believe that it should have required a well-regulated economy to prevent robber-baron capitalism.

Traditional socialism called for the nationalization of basic industry, and for the most part this has been a failure. Only China and Singapore have had economic success, but at a great cost, especially in China, to political freedoms. Unfortunately, this has given other forms of socialism a bad name.

Nations built by democratic Socialist, Social Democrat and Labor parties (including Israel) have placed well-designed safeguards on the private economy, which still grows, innovates and produces good jobs. The free market journal The Economist describes this as “market-friendly redistributionism,” and frequently praises these countries for their successes.

In a recent speech in Florida, Trump conflates, as so many conservatives do, authoritarian socialism with its democratic forms. Only in Venezuela, Cuba and North Korea has it been a “sad and discredited ideology.” Trump stated that “socialism promises prosperity, but it delivers poverty,” but poverty rates are lower in Canada and the European welfare states. In 2017 only one in ten children in Iceland, Norway and Denmark lived in poverty as opposed to one in five in the U.S.

Sen. Bernie Sanders calls himself a “democratic socialist,” but some say that he is just a New Deal Democrat. Here are his own words: “I think (democratic socialism) means the government makes sure that all of our people have health care; have quality child care, are able to go to college without going deeply into

debt and that we create a government not dominated by big money interests.” Certainly not the Communist boogey man under our beds.

Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is a member of Democratic Socialists of America, so her policies call for much more government intervention. In addition to Medicare for All and tuition-free higher education, she also supports a federal jobs guarantee and a 70-percent marginal tax rate for incomes higher than $10 million.

A Harris poll found that 59 percent of registered voters support the idea, and it even garnered 45 percent among Republicans.

Ocasio-Cortez’s most controversial proposal is her Green New Deal, which calls for phasing out fossil fuels in 10 years and powering the entire electrical grid by renewables by 2030. Most Democratic leaders reject, or call for major revisions to, the plan, primarily because it is simply not feasible and also because of the estimated $2.5 trillion price tag.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren has an impressive track record. As a Harvard law professor specializing in debt, credit and bankruptcy, she was one of the first to warn about the dangers of predatory lending. Her greatest achievement thus far as senator was the creation of the Consumer Protection Agency, which had by 2017 returned $12 billion to 29 million Americans.

Although Warren has signed on to Medicare for All, presumably for political reasons, her legislative initiatives have focused on making the insurances exchanges more efficient and injecting competition

into the drug markets, including federally funded drug production.

Warren is especially keen on breaking up competition-busting monopolies such as Amazon, Apple, and Facebook. She explains that “it is not capitalism to have one giant that comes in and dominates.”

Although Warren insists that she is not a socialist (most likely to keep older voters who lived through the Cold War), her proposal for universal child care is very much like what we find in social democratic countries. Some American families pay 36 percent of their income for this care, so Warren wants federal, state and local government to team up with schools, churches, tribes and nonprofits to provide high quality care. Families would pay seven percent of their income, care providers would be licensed (unlike Idaho, for example), and they would be paid the same as public school teachers.

Warren claims that her new programs will be paid by her Ultra-Millionaire Tax, which is a wealth tax rather than an income tax. When thinking about a 2000 presidential run, Donald Trump proposed a similar tax for those with over $10 million in assets. Warren suggests that a levy of two percent on wealth above $50 million and three percent above $1 billion, which she predicts will raise $210 billion per year.

Over the years I’ve become much more pragmatic on issues of political economy, so I endorse Warren’s approach over Sanders’ and Ocasio-Cortez’s.

Nick Gier of Moscow taught philosophy at the University of Idaho for 31 years. Email him at ngier006@gmail.com.

Dollar Beers!

8pm @ Eichardt’s Pub

28 29 30 31 1 2 3 4

Trivia Takeover Live

6-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery

Interactive, lively triva game

Thursday Night Solo Series w/ Benny Baker 6-8pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall

Benny plays in a few bands in SandpointMiah Kohal Band, Beat Diggers, Other White Meat. Come hear his solo work. Food by Sandpoint Curry Story-Poury

4-5pm @ Do your you? Let milk and award-winning Matchwood’s

Live Music w/ Bright Moments Jazz

6-9pm @ Matchwood Brewing Co.

Live Music w/ Muffy and The Riff Hangers

5-7pm @ Idaho Pour Authority

Acoustic bluegrass and Americana

Live Music w/ BOCA

8:30-10:30pm @ Connie’s Lounge

BOCA is Ben and Cadie from Harold’s IGA

Live Music w/ Kevin Dorin

5-7pm @ Idaho Pour Authority

Fusion blues and folk from a great player

Live Music w/ Harold’s IGA

9pm-12am @ 219 Lounge

Indie rock originals and dance covers

Live Music w/ Mostly Harmless

5-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery

A fun and lively Sandpoint trio

Sandpoint Chess Club

9am @ Evans Brothers Coffee Meets every Sunday at 9am

Live Music w/ Bum Jungle 9pm-12am @ 219 Lounge

Classic rock n’ roll band from Sandpoint

Live Music w/ Big Phatty & the Inhalers

6:30-9:30pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall

Fun tunes from Steve, Chris and Ali

Live Music w/ Chris Lynch

6-9pm @ Arlo’s Ristorante

Live Music w/ Brendan Kelty

6:30-9:30pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall

Live Music w/ Benny Baker & Kyle Swafford 8:30-10:30pm @ Connie’s Lounge

Live Music w/ Chris Lynch

6-9pm @ Arlo’s Ristorante

Mugs and Music w/ Josh Hedlund 6-8pm @ Laughing Dog Brewery

Live Music w/ Ken Mayginnes 4-6:30pm @ Matchwood Brewing

Piano Sunday w/ Dwayne Parsons 3-5pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery

Monday Night Blues Jam w/ Truck Mills 7:30pm @ Eichardt’s Pub

Night-Out Karaoke 9pm @ 219 Lounge

Comedy 8pm @ The The Hive’s feature Jimmy NBC’s “Last host Morgan advance,

Lifetree Cafe 2pm @ Jalepeño’s Mexican Restaurant

An hour of conversation and stories. This week’s topic: “Cycle of Sexual Abuse”

Join DJ Pat for a night of singing, or just come to drink and listen

Paint and Sip w/ Holly Walker

5:30-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery

$35 includes instruction, art supplies and a select glass of wine. (208) 263-8545

Wind Down Wednesday

5-8pm @ 219 Lounge

With live music by blues man Truck Mills and guest musician Kevin Dorin

Dollar Beers! 8pm @ Eichardt’s Pub

Good until the keg’s dry

Triva Night 7pm @ MickDuff’s Show off that big, brain of yours

Magic Wednesday 6-8pm @ Jalapeño’s

Enjoy close-up magic shows by Star Alexander right at your table

Live Music w/ Angels Over Sandpoint

5-7pm @ Idaho Pour Authority With Grand Teton Brewing beer on tap. ty Perron and Doug Bond. Silent auction prizes. Complimentary appetizers will

Bingo Night at the VFW Post 6-9pm @ Sandpoint VFW Post

The Sandpoint VFW Post 2453 is bringing back their weekly bingo night after the long winter. Bring a friend and get an extra sheet. VFW Post is 1325 Pine St. Alzheimer’s Support 1-2pm @ Sandpoint Senior for families, caregivers, friends of those with Alzheimer’s. Free respite care is available Day Break Center: (208)

ful

Story-Poury Hour

4-5pm @ Matchwood Brewing Co.

Do your kids need a break from you? Let the kids unwind with milk and cookies while listen to award-winning stories told by Matchwood’s finest storytellers

‘80s Party w/ DJ Exodus

8pm @ A&Ps Bar and Grill

Sandpoint Inhalers Hall Ali

March 28 - April 4, 2019

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

“Les Miserables,” School Edition (Mar. 27-28)

6:30pm @ Panida Theater

Presented by the Sandpoint Waldorf School. $7 tickets available at Waldorf School, Eichardt’s and Panida.org

Teen Book Club

5-6pm @ Sandpoint Library

“Where the Crawdads Sing” by Delia Owens

Wear you raddest threads. Prizes, no cover

Live Music w/ Ron Kieper Trio

5-8pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery

Jazz music from some of the best in town

Sandpoint’s Finest w/ Miah Kohal Band 6pm @ The Hive

DJ Night w/ DJ Skwish 9pm @ A&Ps Bar and Grill

Live Music w/ The Groove Black 7pm @ Eichardt’s Pub

A trio from Sandpoint

Comedy Night with Jimmy Shubert 8pm @ The Hive

The Hive’s first comedy show will feature Jimmy Schubert, a finalist on NBC’s “Last Comic Standing,” and host Morgan Preston. Tickets $20 in advance, $25 at the door. 21+

Mug Club renewal party

Restaurant stories. This Abuse”

Northern Stars Rising 7pm @ The Heartwood Center

A showcase that exists to further the ability of local performers to pursue their careers. This year’s performance includes SHS Choir Barbershop Quartet, Emily Grace Nicholson, Milla Coggin, Brendan Kelty with Pete Hicks, Riley Anderson, and Stone Cloud 4.

Explore Virtual Reality - Reserve Sessions

10am-1pm @ The Sandpoint Library

Contact the Tech Desk at 208-263-6930 ext.1251

Clark Fork Mother Goose

10:15am @ The Clark Fork Library

A special storytime for babies and toddlers

Wild Idaho Rising Tide fundraiser

7-10pm @ The Gardenia Center

WIRT anniversary & #No2ndBridge

lawsuit benefit with open-mic poetry, Kevin Dorin music, snacks, background slides, $5+ donations

5-8pm @ Laughing Dog Brewery

Food, drawings and specials! Live music by Kerry Leigh

Night MickDuff’s off that big, beautiful yours Djembe class

5:45-7:30pm @ Music Conservatory of Sandpoint Join Ali Maverick Thomas for this djembe (drum) class

Over Sandpoint Fundraiser /

on tap. Live music by Mar-

auction items and raffle appetizers will be served

Support Group

Sandpoint Senior Center families, caregivers, and those with Alzheimer’s.

care is available at the Center: (208) 265-8127

Live Music w/ Jake Robin 7pm @ Eichardt’s Pub

Soulful songs from a Sandpoint local

April 6-7

Shpring finale closing weekend @ Schweitzer Mountain Resort

April 6

Lou Domanski 28th Annual Chess Festival @ Sandpoint Community Hall

April 6

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Benefit @ Bonner County Fairgrounds

We cannot stand idly by while Idaho’s Constitution is attacked

Rep. Priscilla Giddings Reader Contributor

When Idaho’s founders drafted our state’s Constitution, they went to great pains not to forget the source of their authority—the people. While Idaho is set up like most other republican forms of government with three co-equal branches, it also provides a system of checks and balances by the people through the initiative process granted by the Constitution.

By constitutional mandate, the men and women of Idaho have been equal partners in our government for more than a century. Article III, Section I of our Constitution (entitled “Legislative Power”) reserves to the people the power to pass legislation through the citizen initiative process. That power, which resides in every one of us, is under attack in the Idaho State Legislature.

Senate Bill 1159, which narrowly passed the Senate 18-17, would essentially repeal our constitutional right to bring citizen initiatives. A thorough analysis of S1159 and other ballot initiative states shows

that Idaho would have the most restrictive initiative laws in the nation. The legislation increases the signature requirement from 6% of registered voters to 10%, and from 18 of 35 legislative districts to 32 of 35. Furthermore, the time to gather signatures would be cut from 18 months to 6 months. Given the deadline to turn in signatures by April 30th, petitioners would have to gather signatures during Idaho’s brutal snow months. Nothing suppresses voter engagement like a foot of snow in January.

The legislation also creates a double standard between

the people and the legislature. While I agree with Senate Bill 1159’s requirement that sponsors provide voters with a fiscal note, the legislation requires the fiscal impact statement be prepared by Idaho’s Division of Financial Management (DFM) in less than 10 days. Legislators are not required to use DFM for their own legislation, so why would we tie the hands of Idahoans? The Medicaid Expansion initiative took months to get estimates on how much it might cost and a private company provided the information that DFM used. Citizens would not have that same luxury.

In more than a century, less than three-dozen citizen initiatives have made the ballot. Of those, only 15 have succeeded. By no means have Idahoans abused their constitutional power in this respect. Idaho is one of the few states where legislators can overturn a bad initiative. So, why are a few dozen legislators taking such drastic actions to chip away at Idaho’s Constitutional Republic, degrade our system of checks and balances, and drastically shift power away from the people in favor of the

legislature? By removing the grassroots’ ability to “petition the government for a redress of grievances,” as is every American’s First Amendment right, Senate Bill 1159 only serves to erode the public’s trust in our state government. For these reasons, and many more, I cannot support it.

Unfortunately, Senate Bill 1159 will likely pass through the House (by the time you read this, it may have already done so) and land on Governor Little’s desk. That is why I, and every Idahoan who values our history, our heritage and our Constitution, are calling on Governor Little to have the strength and courage to veto this unnecessary and destructive legislation. We cannot sit idly by and watch a century’s worth of Constitutional power pass from the people of Idaho to a handful of lawmakers. Our Founders would not, and could not, tolerate such overreach.

Priscilla Giddings serves as the Republican representative for District 7.

WEIRD NEWS

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

AUSSIE APPEALS COURT RULING ON SERIAL CROP DUSTER

An Australian worker took his ex-supervisor to court for “repeatedly breaking wind” at him and lost. Now he’s appealing the court ruling that found he was not being bullied.

The worker claimed his former colleague would “lift his bum and fart” on him up to six times a day. He sued his former company for $1.28 million dollars last year, but the Australian Supreme Court found there was no bullying.

The man told the Australian Associated Press, “I would be sitting with my face to the wall and he would come into the room, which was small and had no windows. He would fart behind me and walk away. He would do this five or six times a day.”

The accused flatulator (who the offended worker dubbed “Mr. Stinky”) didn’t recall breaking wind near the man, but admitted he “may have done it once or twice, maybe.”

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

Cocolalla Bible Camp

Ages 9-18 and Family July-Aug

Swimming, canoeing, paddle boats, water sports, team sports, fishing, etc. (208)263-3912 www.clbcamp.org

For nearly 50 years, Cocolalla Bible Camp has been a leading local option for faith-based summer entertainment. The robust summer program includes weeks of activities for campers of various ages. Teen camp for 13-18 years (July 7-12), ages 11-12 years (July 1418), ages 9-10 years (July 21-25) and ages 7-8 years (July 28-Aug. 1). All camps are Sunday through Thursday except the teen camp, which is Sunday through Friday.

There are a lot of great summer camp options in this region. Here’s our annual guide for parents to find the right camp choice for their kiddos. We’ll also publish this again in May.

Over the course of their week-long adventure, campers have access to varied activities, including canoeing, swimming, paddle boats, volleyball, horseback riding, Frisbee golf and team sports like baseball and basketball. Along with the traditional summer camp experiences comes a focus on scriptural education, with regular chapel sessions and Bible studies rounding out daily activities.

For questions or further details, email info@clbcamp.org.

Schweitzer Adventure Camp

Ages 6-10,

Nine sessions spanning from June 24Aug. 23

Hiking, crafts, swimming, village activities.

(208)255-3081 ext. 2152 www.schweitzer.com

Whether it’s winter or summer, Schweitzer Mountain Resort offers amenities unique to the North Idaho region. Schweitzer Adventure Camp takes full advantage of those attractions to offer kids ages 6-11 a one-of-a-kind camp experience. Campers will enjoy chairlift rides, hiking, the mining sluice box, the monkey jumper, climbing wall and swimming, with plenty of games and structured activities adding to the fun. Beginning in late June, Schweitzer Adventure Camp features week-long activities while still getting kids home in time for supper each night. Parents drop their children off at the Red Barn

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and pick them up at the same spot in the evening, a format likely to cut down on that summer camp home sickness. And if you’re a season-pass holder, keep an eye out for tuition discounts. Registration begins online May 1. $175 per session, includes transportation from the bottom of the mountain ($165 for summer passholders).

Twin Eagles Summer Camps

(6 different camps over 6 weeks)

Day camps: June 10 - July 12

Ages 6-13

Nature Adventures Day Camp: July 8-12

Wilderness Survival Day Camp:

Session 1: June 10-14

Session 2: July 1-5

Nature Ninjas Day Camp: June 24-28

Overnight camps: Late July-Aug.

Ages 10-13: July 21-26

Ages 13-18: July 29-Aug. 4

Day and residential. Wilderness survival, nature awareness, animal tracking, wild edible and medicinal plants education.

(208)265-3685

www.TwinEagles.org

In a technology-saturated world, there’s something refreshing about Twin Eagles Summer Camp’s commitment to getting kids back in the natural world. At its summer camps for campers age 6-18, Twin Eagles gets participants into nature for fun, skill-building activities like making fire by friction, learning about edible plants, archery, tracking wild animals and building shelters in nature. Teens get an even more immersive outdoor experience.

Watershed Discovery Camp

Ages 8-12

Third week of July

Hands-on activities centered around understanding the science of the lake. (208)597-7188 www.eureka-institute.org www.lpow.org

A collaboration between Lake Pend Oreille Waterkeeper and the Eureka Institute, Watershed Discovery Camp combines lakeside fun, with the science, service, and stewardship.

Campers learn about important water quality issues in super fun and creative ways. There’s plenty of time to enjoy the water with swimming, kayaking, and paddleboarding as well as water-themed games and arts and crafts. With a variety of exciting field trips offered, there’s never a dull day at Watershed Discovery Camp!

Selkirk Outdoor Leadership & Education (SOLE)

Ages 4-17

Outdoor science day camps | Outdoor leadership day camps | Outdoor leadership backcountry expeditions (928)351-SOLE (7653) info@soleexperiences.org www.soleexperiences.org

June - August, 2019

During the summer months, 501(c)(3) experiential education nonprofit Selkirk Outdoor Leadership & Education (SOLE) utilizes local landscapes to help youth unplug and reconnect to develop a sense of belonging and affinity for nature. Summer programs have a thematic

design so every SOLE Experience is unique session to session, year to year! All SOLE Experiences include credentialed staff and low instructor-to-student ratios ensuring that participants’ needs are met.

Music Conservatory of Sandpoint Camps: for info: (208) 265-4444 www.sandpointconservatory.org

Orchestra Camp – Music Without Borders

Ages 8 and up

July 29 - August 2

9 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Join us for our 7th annual MCS Youth Orchestra Camp: Music Without Borders. This year features guest conductor Dr. Roberta Bottelli, conductor of the Spokane Youth Symphony and John Fitzgerald. Daily practice, advanced ensembles and master classes culminate in a final public concert. Fee $125.

Half Day Orchestra Camp – Music Without Borders

Ages 8 and up

July 29-August 2

9 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Are you new to your instrument but not brand new? Play in a group environment and learn with the masters. The half-day format is ideal for young and beginning musicians. Fee $95.

Theater Camp

Ages 8 and up

July 15-26

Ms. Keely Gray-Heki is raising the curtain on theater camp! Students will have great fun creating “Not so Grimm Fairytales.” Practice standing on stage and performing for an audience. Camp final performance will be an element of “A Celebration of Arts and Culture: MCS and Shakespeare in the Park collaborate for a day of performances” on July 27 at Memorial Field in Sandpoint. Fee $145.

Percussion Camp

Ages 8 and up

July 22-26

1 - 3 p.m.

Learn the elements of tempo, beat and rhythm. Ms. Ali Thomas will lead

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students in practicing precision timing, while working together to build a performance piece solely based on drumming. Students participate in “A Celebration of Arts and Culture” with a final performance July 27 on stage at Memorial Field. Fee $95.

Piano Camp

Ages 9 and up July 8-12

9 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Teacher Recommendation Required (May 1 Registration Deadline)

Instructors: Melody Puller & John Fitzgerald

If your child would like to play a duet or participate in a piano ensemble, this course is for them. Space is limited, so sign them up early for this versatile group-style keyboard class led by Melody Puller and John Fitzgerald. Students will perform at a capstone piano concert. Fee $125.

Voice Camp

Ages 9 and up July 22-26

1 – 4 p.m.

Come join the MCS voice department for a vocal camp. Make musical friends while improving your singing skills! Explore a variety of musical styles, with harmonies. At the end of the week, vocalists will join with the Matsiko World Orphan Choir in our community performance July 27 at “A Celebration of Arts and Culture.” Fee $95.

Litehouse YMCA Summer Adventure Camp

Ages 10-12

June-August (watch for dates coming soon)

Days at the beach, field trips, STEM and Arts & Craft activities

263-6633

www.ymcainw.org

1905 Pine St. Sandpoint

Come spend a fun-filled summer at the YMCA. Summer day camp will feature fun activities like days at the beach, field trips, STEM and Arts & Crafts, and much more! Fun for kids, peace of minds for parents. Watch for more details coming soon and plan for the Best Summer Ever at the Litehouse YMCA.

June 21-23

A special camp engineered for children who have suffered a personal loss (208)265-1185 ask for Lissa

This 19th annual camp provides a unique opportunity for children who have suffered a personal loss to spend some camp time in a safe and casual environment among others who may be experiencing a similar situation. It’s an opportunity to heal while participating in camp events and activities. One on one counseling and other grief services will be available.

“Being around others who are experiencing the same loss goes a long way as a tool in the healing process,” camp coordinator Lissa Defreitas said. “It’s powerful, this camp. A lot of transformation takes place at camp between drop off and pick. Also, we have a lot of fun at camp. It’s a whole spectrum of looking at how we acknowledge that loss that we experienced and how do we move through it.”

There is no cost to the community for this camp and it’s open to children in Bonner and Boundary Counties. It’s funded in part by community grants. Applications can be requested through Lissa at (208) 265-1185. Camp dates are Friday, June 21 through Sunday, June 23.

Sandpoint Waldorf School camps

Contact the Sandpoint Waldorf School for more information and registration forms: 208-265-2683

Sun, Dirt and Bugs Day Camp

Ages 4-7 years

June 17 - August 16

8 a.m. - 3 p.m. with Jenni Stewart Engaging children socially in the natural world

(208)265-2683 www.sandpointwaldorf.org

Summer is meant to be spent outdoors! This summer camp with our Handwork and Aftercare teacher, Ms. Stewart, will give your child just that opportunity. With a focus on engaging children socially in the natural world with activities such as nature walks, water play, cooking, gardening, crafts, language arts, music, stories, and more, your child will enjoy summer days of imaginative play. Come and see what fun in the sun lies ahead for your young

Annual Hospice Kids Grief Camp

< CAMP con’t from page 19 > one! Snack provided; students bring their own lunch.

Cost: $180/week. Weekly enrollment available.

Theater Camp: ‘Pinnocchio’ directed by Molly St. Pierre

Ages 6-14

July 1-12

8 a.m - 3 p.m.

A summer camp dedicated to theater (208)265-2683 www.sandpointwaldorf.org

Molly St. Pierre, our drama teacher and a graduate of The American Academy of Dramatic Arts, will lead students in all aspects of the production from creating sets and costumes to acting. As part of the camp, students will make simple wooden puppets with Shaun Deller, our woodworking teacher. We will also make an afternoon snack from the school garden. Performance time is still to be determined.

Students need to bring a snack and lunch, sun protection, and swim wear (so we can get wet in the sprinklers on hot afternoons). No camp on July 4.

Cost: $360

Farmer Boy Camp:

A Little House Summer Adventure

Ages 6-10

July 15-26

8 a.m - 3 p.m.

A themed summer camp that takes you back to the days of 1866. (208)265-2683 www.sandpointwaldorf.org

The Little House series awakens in children the joys of farm life in the 1800s. With Farmer Boy as our inspiration we will be making butter, ice cream, bread, jam, and cheese, and will prepare our lunch each day from our harvest from the school garden. The students will learn period crafts and games with Melissa Dorn, our kindergarten assistant. We will read sections of Farmer Boy and bring them to life by staging one of the chapters. There will be a few field trips to pick blueberries and visit local farms. Cost: $360

Life in the Wilderness with Shaun Deller

Ages 7-12

July 29-August 9

8 a.m - 3 p.m.

A camp with a focus on lake history and activities

/ R / March 28, 2019

(208)265-2683

www.sandpointwaldorf.org

Shaun Deller, our woodworking teacher, will share stories and crafts related to the fur trappers, explorers and Native Americans of this region. There will be some field trips to the local woods and waterways, including a combination day with Kaniksu Land Trust’s summer camp up at Pine Street Woods.

Students need to bring a morning snack, sun protection, and swim wear (so we can cool off in the sprinklers on hot afternoons). We will prepare our lunch from the school garden.

Cost $360

Festival at Sandpoint Youth Music Camp

Ages 8-18 years (all abilities welcome June 24-27

(208)263-1151

www.festivalatsandpoint.com/summeryouth-music-camp

The Festival at Sandpoint announces its second annual Summer Youth Music Camp at Sandpoint High School. Participants’ tuition is generously underwritten by the Festival at Sandpoint’s educational mission, so the only cost to the students is a $25 registration fee.

Camp director Dr. Jason Moody, a Sandpoint native who is currently first violin with the Spokane Symphony, will lead four fun-filled days of music instruction with classes including symphony orchestra, choir, chamber music, jazz band, classical guitar, ukulele, piano, fiddle ensemble, flute ensemble, master classes and more!

The camp features an all-star list of artists and instructors including jason

Earecka Moody, Mika Hood, Terry Jones, Leon Atkinson, Jon and Bruce Brownell, Mike Keepe, Ryan Dignan, Rachel Gordon, Caytlin Reese, Larry Mooney, Anita Perkins, Karen Dignan , Laurie Stevens, Sigi Ribero and Dennis Coats.

The camp will kick off with an AllStar FacultyConcert Monday, June 24, at the Panida Theater and culminate with a Twi Grand Finale Student Concerts Thursday, June 27 One at noon

at the High School Auditorium and the Highlight concert at the Panida in the evening.

Space is still available for advanced tympani, oboe, bass, tuba . For more infom, call Camp Administrator Beth Weber at (208) 263-1151.

Stages Intensive Camps

Ages 10-18

June 10-Aug. 16 (8 sessions) 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. Mon-Fri

A camp to build performance arts skill sets (208)597-2457

Stages Intensive Camps are for students who want more experience in acting, improv, choreography, vocal, writing, stagecraft, tech/lightning, costume, makeup and auditioning. Each of the 8 camps is a different experience and will build your child’s skill sets. Camps go from June 10-14, June 17-21, June 24-28, July 8-12, July 15-19, July 22-26, Aug. 5-9 and Aug. 12-16. Camps are held in the Ponderay Events Center Ballroom.

Stay tuned for the second summer camp guide in early May.

The

Late Night Buddhist

Seeing Red

By Scott Taylor Reader Columnist

What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you see a red light?

In times past, it might have meant a good time with a gin swilling female of ill repute, but today it most likely represents a hindrance to us getting to work on time, or making it to the liquor store before it closes on a Saturday night. When we’re tearing headlong down the road, momentum propelling us like a wagon down a water slide, the sight of a stop light, a flashing rail-crossing arm, or brake lights from the overloaded minivan in front of us can make us literally and figuratively see red.

BY THE NUMBERS

Lifeguard training course o ered

By Reader Staff

The American Red Cross is hosting a lifeguarding course for ages 15 to adult.

the armpits.

3.Complete a timed event within 1 minute, 40 seconds.

In Buddhist philosophy, we learn to recognize the signs that are presented to us in each moment and use them to keep us on the right path. What more obvious sign could there be than a red light to remind us to slow down, breathe, and look around? To remember that wherever we’re going, whatever we’re late for, it’s probably not as pressing as we’ve blown it up to be in our minds? (So the liquor store’s already closed; surely there’s a couple fingers of rum left in a bottle stashed behind the almond milk).

I can recall more than one occasion when I was exceeding the posted speed limit by more

than a few miles per hour, passing bike-toting RVs and blue-hairs in Grand Marquis, only to come nose-to-tail with a tractor pulling a hay rake, flashing red lights saying “Guess who’s gonna be late for the opening act?” With my patience as short as my foot was heavy, I edged the centerline, looking for a chance to dash around the “inconsiderate” farmer who, oblivious to my plight, was likely thinking about the dinner and cold beer awaiting at home, when a couple miles (and 10 frustrating minutes) down the road we came upon a state trooper backed in to a side drive, just waiting for an impatient sort to speed by and help fill his quota. That farmer saved me a ticket, and as I eased around him at 45 mph I smiled and waved, silently thanking him for being there. Wish I could have bought him a beer. Be happy!

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

58 of 62

The number of people who testified to the Idaho Senate opposing Sen. Grow’s bill SB 1159, which aims to toughen up signature requirements for an initiative to go on the Idaho ballot. Three of the four who supported the bill were lobbyists. The Senate passed the bill 18-17 where it was sent to the Idaho House State Affairs Committee, where it was given a do-pass recommendation after 32 of the 36 people who testified were opposed to it.

1.6%

Drop in teacher salaries nationwide, when inflation is taken into account, from 2000 to 2017.

20

The number of states that don’t regularly track and evaluate tax incentives to see if the businesses that receive them are holding up their end of the deals.

38.1 years old

The average age of renters, which is on the rise because, in the last decade, there was a 43 percent increase in renters over the age of 60.

181 electoral votes

The representation by a multi-state compact to guarantee that the winner of the national popular vote becomes president. It would only take effect once 270 electoral votes are represented. Twelve states and the District of Columbia have joined the compact so far.

In this course, participants will learn and acquire the skills and knowledge necessary to effectively prevent and respond to emergencies in and around the water. They will learn the “how to’s” behind quick response time, effective preparation for emergencies, and understanding of the crucial elements that are vital to how lifeguarding helps prevent drownings and injuries.

Participants must pass a pre-requisite physical test on the first day of class to continue with the course so practice these skills:

1.Swim 300 yards continuously (500 yards for open water certification) demonstrating breath control and rhythmic breathing. Candidates may swim using the front crawl, breaststroke or a combination of both but swimming on the back or side is not allowed. Swim goggles may be used.

2.Tread water for 2 minutes using only the legs. Candidates should place their hands under

4.Starting in the water, swim 20 yards. The face may be in or out of the water. Swim goggles are not allowed.

5.Surface dive, feet-first or head-first, to a depth of 7 to 10 feet to retrieve a 10-pound object.

6.Return to the surface and swim 20 yards on the back to return to the starting point with both hands holding the object and keeping the face at or near the surface so they can get a breath. Candidates should not swim the distance underwater. Exit the water without using a ladder or steps.

The course will be offered April 16 through May 23 on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 6-8 p.m. at Litehouse YMCA, 1905 Pine St.

The online registration deadline is Sunday, April 14. Register at www.sandpointidaho.gov/parksrecreation. A minimum of four students is required to run the course. Participants must be 15 years old on or before the final scheduled session of the course. The fee is $25 per person.

A column about the trials and tribulations of Parkinson’s Disease HEALTH

SHAKE, RATTLE AND ROLL

On Fire

ICF awards $15k grant to Kinderhaven

By Reader Staff

By A.C. Woolnough Reader Columnist

I usually have a concept or theme in mind as I begin to put pen to page — except I mostly put fingers to keyboard nowadays. Often, I start with the title and let ideas percolate in my neuron-deprived brain for a few days before the words start to solidify. At times, the words write themselves. Other times, I scramble for a sentence or two to get me started as the deadline to submit my column approaches. For some reason unbeknownst to me, this title came to me in a flash of lightning. I had no idea of the content; no idea of a beginning or an end. Eventually it came to me. Being on fire, in the figurative sense, brought a host of synonyms to mind. (I’ll bet you rarely gave synonyms much thought since high school.) Being on fire includes passion, determination, energy, commitment, enthusiasm and excitement.

The question then became, who’s on fire? My thoughts went in many different directions. Fortunately, I’m able to give many examples. Ronnie Todaro and John Lehr come to mind. As COO and CEO of the Parkinson’s Foundation, they work for the Parkinson’s community despite not having PD themselves. The Foundation is like an iceberg: the staff are the majority of any foundation—rarely seen and not appreciated nearly as much as they deserve. Career choices are many and varied, but these folks choose to make a difference in the Parkinson’s community. They are on fire.

Other national and regional groups, such as Michael J. Fox Foundation, American Parkinson’s Disease Association, Brian Grant Foundation, Davis Finney Foundation and the Northwest Parkinson

Foundation also contribute above and beyond to the PD community. They, too, are on fire. Another group on fire includes neurologists (especially those specializing in movement disorders) and the people working with them. They are the ones that take care of me and my PD friends. You might guess that neurologists, working to keep the brain healthy, would be well compensated. Unfortunately, they average in the bottom quartile of doctor pay. Nevertheless, neurology was the choice they made. That’s dedication. That’s being on fire.

Regular readers of this column know how much I admire, appreciate and value scientists and researchers. They are the ones who make the discoveries, establish new and better treatments and, ultimately, may find a cure for PD. As a second generation PWP (person with Parkinson’s) I applaud these folks for the work they do. Although I most probably will not benefit directly, it is entirely possible one of my sons or grandsons will. Add this group to the blazing inferno of those on fire.

The penultimate (I love that word but rarely get to use it!) group of folks on fire are all around you. They are the ones with Parkinson’s; they are the care partners; they are the businesses that support fund-raising efforts; they are the neighbors who check in with us to see how we’re doing. They are the ones who attend our support group (2 p.m. on the second Monday of each month at the East Bonner Library conference room. Some in wheelchairs and some not are committed to our Rock Steady Boxing program (a partnership with Bonner General Health, our local hospital). These fighters are on fire as they take steps to slow the progression of Parkinson’s with exercise — research shows it works! Finally, I include myself, not as fire but as a catalyst to keep the fires burning. I have been fortunate to travel for participation in research, to work with patient advisory councils, to attend PD conferences and activities to review grants for universities and the Department of Defense. Mostly, I see myself as a spark that may kindle a fire in others. I work to make connections between people — people from different foundations, researchers from different specialties and people with Parkinson’s. My purpose is to increase the amount of collaboration and hope for a synergistic result. My goal is to then sit back and watch the embers synergistically blaze away. As a lifelong educator and learner, I also work to give the greater Sandpoint area a better understanding of chronic and progressive conditions like Parkinson’s. Given my ramblings in The River Journal and now The Reader, I think Sandpoint is perhaps the most knowledgeable about Parkinson’s on a per capita basis of any town anywhere in the U.S. If you’re reading this, I ask that you be on fire — at work, at home or at play. Keep the fire burning.

The Gladys E. Langroise Advised Fund in the Idaho Community Foundation awarded more than $470,000 to Idaho nonprofits this year, including $15,000 to Kinderhaven in Sandpoint.

The fund supports the health, education and welfare of children, including college students. Advisors to the fund annually recommend grants that address what they believe Mrs. Langroise would have considered areas of special interest or greatest need.

Kinderhaven is a nonprofit organization based in Sandpoint. According to their website, Kinderhaven’s mission is “dedicated to supporting children in crisis and giving them back their right to thrive by providing a safe, secure home in which their emotional, physical and mental well-being are protected and enriched.

To learn more about Kinderhaven, check out KinderhavenSandpoint.com.

Creations o ers ‘Storytelling Through Art’ class

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

Creations on the Cedar St. Bridge in Sandpoint is offering a series of weekly art classes called “Storytelling Through Art” beginning mid-April.

Each week, instructor Megan Stafford will share a short inspirational story about teen experience and look at art created by teens. Participants will then launch into visual creations with drawings from personal experiences using wood, wire, cloth, tools and everyday objects to tell their stories.

The classes will be from 3:30-5:15 p.m. on Fridays starting April 12, followed by April 19 and April 26. There will be a class fee of $5. The classes will take place at Creations on the Cedar St. Bridge, 334 N. First Ave.

April 12: The theme of the class will be “Found Art.”

April 19: The theme will be “Shadow Boxes.”

April 26: The theme will be “3D Collage.”

Creations is able to keep art class prices at $5 and offers scholarships to students unable to pay through private donations and grant funding from the Bonner County Fund for Arts Enhancement and Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation. If anyone would like to donate to the art student scholarship fund, please contact Kate Mansur (208) 304-9110, or email creationsforsandpoint@gmail.com.

For more information about art classes, check out CreationsForSandpoint.org.

Comic Jimmy Shubert to perform at the Hive

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff

It’s a pretty safe bet you’ve seen Jimmy Shubert already.

The actor and comedian has an extensive filmography of roles in television and movies built up over a long career. From appearances in popular TV shows like “Entourage” and “The King of Queens” to roles in movies like “The Italian Job” and “Mr. and Mrs. Smith,” Shubert has seen his fair share of time on the big and small screens. Local audiences, on the other hand, have a chance to see him live and in person when he headlines a show this weekend at The Hive.

Shubert is teaming up with Spokane comedian Morgan Preston, who has spent the past couple years building a local following for comedy by bringing in nationally-known comedians to venues like the 219 Lounge. His collaboration with Shubert is the latest in those efforts, and it promises to be a gut-busting time in downtown Sandpoint.

Shubert’s stand-up experience is just as prolific as his filmography. He recorded his first half-hour special for Comedy Central Presents at the Hudson Theater in New York City, earning glowing reviews for his performance. He also has three comedy albums

under his belt: “Animal Instincts,” “Pandemonium” and “Alive and Kicking.” He’s entertained U.S. troops with Drew Carey in the Department of Defense and Armed Forces Entertainment’s “America Supports You” program, and he’s toured the world with his comedy, including the United States, China, Honk Kong, Singapore, Canada, Ireland, Mexico and Korea.

With his observational style and short-story format, Shubert keeps his shows brisk and lively. He draws extensively on his native Philly background, his childhood with his six brothers and his experiences being raised by his Philadelphia police detective father.

“It was like having Lieutenant Colombo as a roommate,” Shubert explains. “Most of my childhood was an interrogation scene from ‘Law & Order.’”

Enjoy the laughs for yourself at this 21-and-older comedy show presented by Dig Beats Productions and KPND. It all takes place Saturday, March 30, at The Hive, with doors opening at 7 p.m. and the show starting at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20 in advance or $25 at the door. Get yours at www.livefromthehive.com or locally at Eichardt’s, Pucci’s Pub and at the venue on show day.

The Sandpoint Eater Bahn Mi or bust

By Marcia Pilgeram Reader Food Columnist

Last year about this time, I was delving deeply into a rice noodle-making class in a remote village near Chang Rai, Thailand. I’ve had many opportunities to turn my travel dreams into real life experiences, and I’ve seen a lot of this big world, but Southeast Asia was an entirely new cultural experience for me. Never had I met such lovely and gentle (and mostly Buddhist) people.

A couple months after my return, along with the rest of the world, I watched the heroic rescue of the 12 young boys and their “Wild Boars” football coach from the nearly impossible depths of an underwater cave near the village of Pong Pha, a few scant miles from where I had lapped up all the luxuries that my five-star resort had to offer (and I am never lost on the privilege that is mine).

Since their unbelievable rescue, I have followed the story of the boys, and it seems they’re all doing well. The area, too, is thriving, thanks to curious tourists and locals alike. Street food vendors now line the road to the cave, selling fresh fruit, grilled pork and other profitable street foods.

Growing up in Montana, I wasn’t exposed to street foods, though in many parts of the world, it’s been consumed forever. In ancient Greece, you could buy (or probably barter) for a cup of lentil soup, and in 19th century Paris, the first French fries—hand cut and fried on the spot—were peddled on cobblestone corners. Street foods were traditionally hot cuisine: fast, cheap and tasty nourishment for

laborers and merchants. In the US, street foods were common in the South, where mostly women of African descent peddled sweets and breads and nuts.

In American Colonial times, New York had a thriving street food market that included oysters and roasted corn, until 1707 when all food vendors were banned from the streets. Now, in the Big Apple, they hawk big hot dogs of every variety on every corner (frankly, I’d prefer an oyster).

I’ve heard Bangkok is the world’s leading city for street foods, and though I can’t confirm that, I can confirm that I did my best to contribute to those statistics. My daily ritual included street indulgences of spicy satay, pad thai, som tam (green papaya salad) and fiery (nose running) curries. The pungent aromas and lively cooking noises, like sizzling spices and the chop-chop of lightning-fast knives at work,

tempted all my senses. I love the memories of those delicious foods and those hard-working street vendors.

Much of today’s street food, especially here in the US, is high-demand, haute cuisine food served from state of the art (containing works of art) mobile kitchens. Traditional chefs are forgoing traditional dining rooms to jump on the wagon. These vendor/chefs, peddling traditional comfort foods like grilled cheese, mac and cheese, waffles and burgers, have upped their game (and prices), to include chichi accruements, such as foie gras, pickled grapes or gold leaf.

My children have often accused me of planning entire vacations around food, which is a presumptuous statement, though over the years I’ve come to accept ownership of a vast food bank (of memories). I can remember little else, but I vivid-

ly recall my first cruise, savoring a small sweet potato dumpling, swimming in pork gravy, on the island of St. Johns (after the warning to avoid local foods).

On an extended stay in Winslow, Arizona, I bought pork tamales from the same woman every morning for a week

I can’t eat a crepe without musing of my first taste of a savory, Swiss cheese-filled one, in Paris, sharing it with my daughters, Ryanne and Casey, not far from Cathedrale Notre-Dame.

Years ago, on a visit to see Ryanne, I remember sampling a street falafel, purchased from a middle eastern vendor, near Pioneer Square in Portland, Oregon. Falafels in hand, we ate, walked and talked away her first year of college. I sampled a lot of new foods during the college years, but the falafel remains a favorite food of mine (fortuitous: Casey married an Egyptian)!

Casey’s first, off-campus apartment was in an area of Chicago referred to as “Little Vietnam,” where we shared daily (cheap) doses of Phở (broth and noodle soup) and Bánh mi (French baguette/Vietnamese fusion sandwich) every time I visited.

It didn’t take long for the Bánh mi to become a family favorite, and I created my own version, bursting with family-favorite flavors. All summer, we take them everywhere food longs to go: on the boat, to the Festival, or a long-day’s hike up Gold Hill.

I hope you’ll enjoy my recipe for this “fusion” street sandwich. But guess what? I’m headed to Vietnam next month and I’ll be searching all of Ho Chi Min City for the tastiest Bánh mi in Vietnam. Stay tuned.

Bahn Mi Sandwich Recipe

You’ll find many versions of this delicious Vietnamese sandwich, using different meats, tofu, or vegetarian. Use fresh, crispy veggies! Makes 4 individual sandwiches

INGREDIENTS:DIRECTIONS:

• 1⁄2 cucumber, partially peeled, sliced thin

• 1 carrot, peeled, julienned into thin strips

• 1⁄2 red onion sliced thin

• 6 thin slices of peeled ginger

• ½ cup thin strips of cabbage

• 1⁄2 cup rice vinegar (

• 1 tablespoon sugar

• ½ lb thin sliced ank steak (easiest to cut thin if partially frozen)

• 2 TBSP vegetable oil

• 1 TBSP Asian sh sauce

• 1⁄2 tsp soy sauce

• 1 soft French baguette

• 2 fresh jalapeños, thinly sliced

• 3⁄4 cup packed cilantro sprigs

• 2 TBSP mayonnaise

• 1 TBSP sweet chili sauce

• 1 tsp Sriracha sauce

• Lettuce leaves

Mix together vinegar, sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and toss with shredded vegetables. Let mix stand, stirring occasionally (or make ahead and refrigerate until needed).

Toss meat with vegetable oil, sh sauce and soy sauce. Marinate an hour (if longer, marinate in the fridge).

In a 350 degree over, heat the baguette directlyon rack in oven until crusty, about 5 minutes.

Cut o and discard round ends, then split baguette.

Mix together mayonnaise, sweet chili and Sriracha sauces and spread over the bread.

Cover with chiles and cilantro.

Drain/shake slaw in a colander.

Mix mayonnaise with sauces

OUTDOORS

Bay Trail ambitions alive and well

By Susan Drumheller Reader Contributor

Like a leisurely stroll along Lake Pend Oreille, progress on a Bay Trail connection to Ponderay may seem sometimes slow, and the destination far away, but the journey continues with purpose and appreciation for how far we’ve already come.

This past year has been a busy one for Friends of the Pend d’Oreille Bay Trail and the City of Ponderay. The Friends, which is a non-profit organization supported by community donations and grants, hired Panhandle Area Council to assist the city with two federal grant applications for needed funds that would help finance a railroad underpass from the shoreline to downtown Ponderay and also to cleanup Black Rock, a local landmark that’s contaminated with historic mine waste.

Ponderay is a small city with a very limited budget. Despite the presence of major retail businesses in the town, only a tiny fraction of sales taxes come back to the city because of the state’s revenue sharing formula. Without large federal grants or other major funding sources, it will not be possible for the city to construct an underpass or cleanup the hazardous materials lurking on the shoreline.

The first grant application was to the highly competitive BUILD program under the federal Department of Transportation (DOT). The city requested funds for planning, design and engineering for a pedestrian underpass –large enough for emergency and maintenance vehicles – under the railroad tracks on property the city owns behind the Hoot Owl Restaurant.

The grant awards were an-

nounced in December, however, Ponderay was not among the recipients. The good news was that our project was ranked as “highly recommended” by the first tier of review – the DOT’s technical feasibility committee – and may have been the only planning project with such a high ranking, according to a DOT employee who debriefed the city and Friends in January.

The application did not make it to the next level only because it was not for construction funds, and the Trump Administration chose to prioritize on-the-ground work. But the good news is, this administration is prioritizing rural projects, so our reviewer encouraged the city to try again.

So, the city and the Friends are currently focused on the tasks necessary to clear the next hurdle, “project readiness,” and apply again, but this time not just for design and engineering, but also for funds to actually build the underpass.

A few hundred yards east of the proposed underpass location, the shoreline trail dead-ends at a metal gate. Some of the property beyond the gate is owned by the City of Ponderay and some is private. As a sign hanging on that gate explains, Black Rock and the surrounding area is contaminated by lead and other heavy metals from a historic smelter that operated briefly more than 100 years ago. In fact, Black Rock itself is not a natural rock formation, but actually a slag heap left behind from those operations.

In January, the city of Ponderay applied for a grant from the Environmental Protection Agency to clean up the property and make it safer for people to visit. We are still awaiting news on that grant, and if it’s successful, the hope is to eventually extend the trail further

along the shoreline.

In the meantime, the Friends are working on smaller projects to improve the trail. This spring we are working with the City of Sandpoint to install fresh gravel on the Sandpoint trailhead parking lot. And later this year, we hope to construct rock steps from the Humbird ruins through the jagged rip rap rock to the lakebed. The Humbird ruins are the old concrete remains of the Humbird Mill near the Sandpoint trailhead.

In winter time, when the lake is drawn down, the steps will provide a safe way down to the sandy lake bottom. In summer, they’ll be a landing for swimmers and kayakers to get in and out of the water.

Rock steps are among several proposed trail amenities that are contained in the Pend d’Oreille Bay Trail Master Trail and Interpretive Plan, which can also be accessed at the Friends’ website, www.pobtrail.org.

Upcoming events and other news:

Breaking news: It’s spring break-up! Go easy on the trails. Better yet, avoid them until they

This week’s RLW by Ed Ohlweiler

READ

When trying to recommend a T.Coraghessan Boyle book, it’s easy to suffer analysis paralysis. There is the topical “Tortilla Curtain” that features the Hispanic plight...then there’s “Worlds End.” If I have to choose, I would probably choose “Stories,” a nearly two-inch-thick tome of short story treats. But you honestly can’t go wrong with anything else—there’s a reason why so many great contemporary fiction writers list Boyle as an influence.

dry up. Syringa’s trails are in need of a rest. If you do venture out, ride or walk through the muddy and wet spots, don’t go around.

May 4: Three-Quarter Minus Cykeltur. This inaugural event is a timed gravel ride to benefit Pend Oreille Pedalers, the local bike club. The ride will begin and end at Matchwood Brewing Company. There are two routes – a 48-mile route and a 65-mile route. Go to www.syringacyclery.com for more details.

June 9: Seventh Annual Bay Trail Fun Run. This is the Friends of the Pend d’Oreille Bay Trail’s signature fundraising event, which supports the non-profit operations, trail improvements and pays for things like feasibility studies. The Fun Run is scheduled for Sunday, June 9, and registration information is on the Friends’ website at www.pobtrail.org.

Susan Drumheller is President of the Friends of the Pend d’Oreille Bay Trail and secretary of Trail Mix, a local collaborative of government and non-government organizations working together to expand the trail system in Bonner County.

Two summers ago we saw the band

The Riverside at a music festival, and there was a side-stage contest for a band to play at the main stage the following year. Everywhere we went that weekend, The Riverside was playing for free and making people smile. We voted for them, they won, and when we got home we found a free CD they gave us. Last year, they played Summerfest and were still giving away their CDs. I wanted to say listen to The Riverside (and buy their CD for Pete’s sake!) but I guess what I was meant is this: listen to those bands that play for the pure love of it.

LISTEN WATCH

My wife and I have “Dom and Fio” movie nights. Not too frequently, they only had three movies out until their new one, “Lost in Paris” so many years later. They are a Canadian/Belgian couple who met in the theater in Paris and write, act, direct, and dance in these movies that are performance art as much as anything. Sadly they cannot make a living for movies that combine vaudeville, burlesque, mime, and dance (and take so long to make), but on the bright side, those of us who love Dom and Fio will still sing their praises.

From Northern Idaho News, April 8, 1919

PAY WATER BILLS OR GO THIRSTY

CITY ADOPTS DRASTIC POLICY WITH CONSUMERS

By a motion passed at hte meeting Monday evening, the city council has adopted the policy of allowing water consumers only thirty days grace on unpaid bills. Customers of the water department who are more than month in arrears will have to go thirsty until the bill is paid, according to instructions issues to the city clerk. Outstanding water bills amount to less than $400, a small amount compared with the volume of business done by the department, but the councilmen feel that, with water rates as low as they are, and the city still in debt for the plant, there should be no delinquencies.

Cleanup day was discussed, but it was decided to let the matter rest until the roads are in better shape for hauling and until the city gets out of its present embarrassment in the matter of a dumping ground Farmin & Son having forbidden further dumping on the ground that has been used heretofore. Councilman Stuart said “Cleanup day should be every day, all the year ‘round.”

Treasurer Finney presented his report, which was accepted, and appears elsewhere in this paper. Chief of policy Jaeger reported 12 arrests last month and fines amounting to $122.

The mayor and all members of the council were present. In the absence of Clerk William Davis, Tom Finney took his place.

The Straight Poop:

The quest for dog-friendly businesses in North Idaho Mountain Mobile Pet Grooming

By Drake the Dog Reader Columnist

Where am I taking my humans today? It’s been quite a winter, and I need a break from my hectic schedule of eating, sleeping, playing and rollin’ in the deep. So, here we go to a dog friendly N. Idaho biz where:

•The entire business is mobile

•Pups thrive on the one-on-one attention

•There are no cages

•One to two hours and done!

•Show dogs to rescue dogs find this place comfy and relaxing

•Ah, it smells so good

•Anita Relax Now!

Splish splash, I’m not fond of taking a bath or getting a paw-d-cure, until I met Rick and Karyn Wiggins, owners of Mountain Mobile Pet Grooming at the Yappy Hour this month.

If you are a pampered lounge hound or a nonstop energetic dog with unique needs, a visit to this pawsome business will have you strutting down the avenue feeling like the pup of the of the hour.

As the name implies, Mountain Mobile Pet Grooming comes to you! The fully contained mobile unit offers a unique menu for pampered pooches including a warm therapeutic bath and brush, a full groom, paw-d-cures and even de-skunking! My kitty sister can even spa along with me while she enjoys a feline bath and brush.

Rick and Karyn, certified groomers, offer affectionate loving spa care, sans cages. Now, that’s relaxing! More importantly the mobile unit comes right to your door. It has everything needed for full service grooming, without needing to hook up to your water system. If your parents give you a gift certificate to enjoy a spa day with Rick and Karyn, just remember to let them know you missed them when they come back to pick you up.

They started their grooming business 22 years ago in the Bay Area. They were the proud owners of a successful, award winning 3500 sq. foot full service pet salon, with 70 dogs on site daily, complete with grooming, doggie day care,

puppy training and pet sitting. Jake, their Shih Tzu was the motivator behind this spirited venture.

It was a barkin’ delight to hear that they had been visiting Sandpoint since 1996!

Their gameplan was to simplify their lives, and since 1996 they had been visiting our neck of the woods. Bazinga! It was an easy decision to sell the large facility, relocate here They began providing mobile grooming services here last summer. Both Rick and Karyn enjoy the one-on one attention that they can give to their four footed clients. During the winter, folks from Montana, Spokane, Coeur d’Alene and other surrounding towns come to the Wiggins’ home to have their pets groomed in the mobile unit.

The typical appointment lasts about 1-2 hours depending on the type of dog, size, and number of pups in the family. Most pet parents book their fur babies 4-5 times a year on a cycle, which is good for doggie health. Show poodles usually visit the spa every week. Pet grooming appointments are available Tuesday –Saturday, and pet sitting is by reservation only. Call 208-217-3990 for an appointment, or visit their website www.mtnmobilepetgrooming.com for more information.

Since I have mega stress issues when it comes to getting my nails clipped, I needed to check these guys out. Paw-fect! Rick had the magical touch! Ten and done! At the end of my visit, I was feeling’ good from my head to my paws. And the eau-de dog cologne facilitated many doggie handshakes as I walked downtown with the Mister and Missus. It’s time for a doggie spring-cleaning.

Grab life by the tail, then pet it, and spaaaaaah! After the full Mountain Mobile treatment I’m ready to relax and watch “Benji.” Want to join me?

Crossword Solution

If you’re a cowboy, and you’re dragging a guy behind your horse, I bet it would really make you mad if you looked back and the guy was reading a magazine.

Week of the

1. to be indecisive or evasive to gain time or delay acting.

“The senator temporized until the session was over, delaying the vote.”

Corrections: In the “Pearl Island” feature last week, I said the top half of the van Schravendyk house was barged over to the mainland “where it still sits today on Ridgewood Avenue.” I was wrong, as the house was torn down about 15 years ago. —Lyndsie Kiebert.

CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1.A promotional statement

6.Exchange

10.Border

14.Pertaining to the moon

15.Docile

16.Roentgen ray

17.San Antonio fort

18.Biblical garden

19.Provisions

20.Acting arrogantly

22.Barely managed

23.Female chicken

24.Lacking leadership

26.Reddish brown

30.Patter

32.Steering control in a car

33.Initiated

37.Rescues

38.Vermin

39.Exploded star

40.Edentate

42.Performed

43.Eccentric

44.Black Sea port

45.Swift

47.Not brilliant

48.Prompts

49.Solitariness

56.Hens make them

57.Nile bird

58.Museum piece

59.Twofold

60.Make out (slang)

61.A kind of macaw

Solution on page 26

62.Evasive

63.Visual organs

64.Hermit

DOWN

1.Tell all

2.Quiet time

3.Two-toed sloth

4.Adult male sheep

5.House of ill repute

6.Strict

7.Dry riverbed

8.Ends a prayer

9.Antarctic birds

10.Magni cence

11.A male duck

12.Like some communities

13.Gave the once-over

21.Snake-like sh

25.Born as

26.Smack

27.Buckeye State

28.Start over

29.Worriedly

30.Pantywaist

31.Kettles

33.Chick’s sound

34.Decomposes

35.Nights before

36.Early 20th-century art movement

38.Storyline

41.Furrow maker

42.Naval o cer

44.Petroleum

45.Classical music style

46.Lawful

47.Davenports

48.Formally surrender

50.Comply with

51.Agreeable

52.Infamous Roman emperor

53.Dash

54.“Your majesty”

55.Stigma