Reader_September15_2016

compiled by Susan Drinkard

DEAR READERS, (wo)MAN on the street

What do you like best about fall?

I have to address the rising anger that seems to be evident inside of people’s hearts nowadays. We receive an overwhelming amount of positive feedback and support from you, dear readers, but I also seem to be a dumping ground for people wanting to vent their frustrations and condemnations.

Many times, I have been on the receiving end of emails filled with blistering insults, invalid accusations and downright nasty hate-filled screeds. I’ve also received threatening phone calls on more than one occasion. It’s making me wonder if we’re becoming seriously unhinged out there.

READER

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

www.sandpointreader.com

Publisher: Ben Olson ben@sandpointreader.com

“I like the clothes I get to wear— jackets, jeans, boots—and the changing color of leaves. And Halloween, of course.”

Claire Christy Barista and NIC student Sandpoint

“Just the beautiful colors and the changes that are coming. The snow grows on ya’ and my grandkids like it.”

Joe Hunt Cook/dishwasher Sandpoint

If I may, can I suggest that we all just take a breath and put things in perspective? We live in a beautiful corner of the world that is still very much a secret. Take a deep breath, go for a walk outside. Watch some birds frolicking in a puddle. Seriously; do whatever you need to do to center yourselves, because I’m growing tired of the constant anger and indignation.

Life is too short for so much anger.

“It is my favorite time of the year. I like the changing of the leaves and the harvesting of the gardens.”

Sara Barker Bookkeeper, Sandpoint native Sandpoint

“We used to camp a lot in the fall. The crowds at the campsites are gone and the kids are back in school. Once we took a fall trip to Upper Priest Lake, and except for kayakers we were the only ones there. You have to be careful about the waves though.”

Mike Gendro Retired Sandpoint

“The cool crispy fall air and the changing of the seasons—I love that. I like the switching from gardening and outdoor activities into the coziness of my quilting room, which is my artistic outlet.”

Cindy Benson Happily retired Clark Fork

-Ben Olson, Publisher

Editor: Cameron Rasmusson cameron@sandpointreader.com

Zach Hagadone (emeritus) John Reuter (emeritus)

Advertising: Jodi Taylor Jodi@sandpointreader.com

Contributing Artists: Rachel Binderup (cover), Ben Olson, Mike Gearlds, Cameron Barnes.

Contributing Writers:

Cameron Rasmusson, Ben Olson, Cameron Barnes, Louie de Palma, Sandy Compton, Brenden Bobby, Jim Mitsui, Danny Strauss, Jeanette Schandelmeir, Betty Johnson, Scott Taylor, Ellen Weissman, Laurie Brown, Jules Fox, Marcia Pilgeram.

Submit stories to: stories@sandpointreader.com

Printed weekly at: Griffin Publishing Spokane, Wash.

Subscription Price: $95 per year

Web Content: Keokee

The Sandpoint Reader is a weekly publication owned and operated by Ben Olson and Keokee. It is devoted to the arts, entertainment, politics and lifestyle in and around Sandpoint, Idaho. We hope to provide a quality alternative by offering honest, in-depth reporting that reflects the intelligence and interests of our diverse and growing community.

The Reader is printed on recycled paper using soy-based ink. Leftover copies are collected and recycled weekly, or burned in massive bonfires to appease the gods of journalism. Free to all, limit two copies per person.

SandpointReader letter policy:

The Sandpoint Reader welcomes letters to the editor on all topics.

Requirements: –No more than 400 words

–Letters may not contain excessive profanity or libelous material. Please elevate the discussion. Letters will be edited to comply with the above requirements. Opinions expressed in these pages are those of the writers, not necessarily the publishers.

Email letters to: letters@sandpointreader.com

Check us out on the web at: www.sandpointreader.com Like us on Facebook.

About the Cover

This week’s cover is a painting by local artist and hairdresser Rachel Binderup. You can find more work by Rachel at her website www.rachelsparlor.com. She also has an art exhibit currently hanging at the Idaho Pour Authority. Go in and buy one of her paintings!

COMMENTARY

By Louie de Palma Reader Road Warrior

September has always been my favorite month. I’d like to think that it’s because I love autumn, uniquely wrapped in a flannel jacket of crispness, beauty and leaves. However, I think it has more to do with the Pavlov-like conditioning of its proximity to my birthday. I do love the changing of the leaves though. I love watching them become vibrant, embodying the height of their own brilliance right before the begin to wilt and ultimately die.

I suppose some people like spring because it signifies new birth, new beginnings, fresh starts. I think I like autumn for the similar reasons. To me new growth seems like a lot of work and patience to work for something with no real promises. But death makes way for truly new beginnings.

I think about all of this basking in the free time of the fall shoulder season as I pluck almost ripe green apples from a small tree in my yard. I like to toss them high into the air directly above me then smash them with a bat, bursting them into a thousands of chunks of moosh and squoosh. The sound an apple makes when hit by an aluminum bat is possibly the most unique and thrilling noise I’ve ever heard. It creates a symphony of idle thoughts. You can taste them now. Pingoooshopaat. Nothing written will do it justice. It is fleeting and bittersweet.

With each wave of my symphonic baton, my dog bounds after the apple pieces, unsure of which piece to grab and snapping in all directions. Simultaneously, the pieces of fresh moosh splatter against my salty chest and arms. The morsels feel cool against my flesh, the green skin of the apples vibrantly contrasting against my own. Moosh covers me as I crush thought after thought, hour upon hour. This is how it goes in the off season. I try to formulate ideas for articles, unsure which ones will work, and the dog jumps at apple pieces, unsure of which one to chase.

At times like these, I remember how these apples didn’t grow until the large tree that used to blanket the whole block in shade fell in a wind storm a couple years ago. Its leaves were a bitch to rake up and burn. I have apples now, but I miss the smell of the rotting leaves sometimes. I recently read humans have the same smell on their way out—that old people

Rebirth smells like apple mush

smell.

Consumed by thoughts of mortality, what Snapchat filter I’ll see myself in five years and recent cab relations, I take a seat on my fresh apple-scented outside couch. Toying with the bat between my hands, I begin to think of funny things that happened in the cab in earnest.

•There was the Scottish lady who threw up in the Chamber parking lot. She claimed the sickness culprit was a hot dog—not the four glasses of wine. In the States we call that a bottle.

•A woman persistently offered me fellatio while I was driving, an offer I tried to turn down with not-very-good excuses. The best I came up with were, “I have to pee,” and, “That’s illegal.”

•I got paid in quarters by a man who said, “It’s good to be home.”

“Bonners?” I asked.

“No,” he replied. “My head. I’ve been a basket case for three years.”

“Welcome home,” I said.

Ringga ringa! The cab phone finally bleats, pulling me away from my scattered thoughts like new Velcro on a old person’s outdoor shoe. Just like that I’m on task, the doldrums of the shoulder season momentarily shrugged. I smash one last apple signifying the end of my thought session.

On the way to the client’s house I pass scenic fall leaves. The dog sniffs. I sniff. They are still fresh. We pick up the client, an elderly man who smells of anaerobic respiration and sports the most colorful half-tucked shirt I’ve ever seen. I realize then that’s why fall is so beautiful.

Individually all the leaves live very boring lives, hanging out waiting forever seemingly for nothing. Yet overall they create something gorgeous, and at their end it is realized that each one is rare, unique and beautiful. Even if it just shook its part of a bigger collective.

“How are you?” he asks. “What have you done today?”

“Nothing.” I say. “Just trying to write.”

“Is that difficult?” the old leaf asks.

“The beginning and the end are easy,” I reply. “It’s the middle that’s a bitch.”

I backed away. Leaving his drive behind past the large oak stump used as a mailbox, I heard the unique but distinguishable sound of an apple burst under my tire.

Dear Editor, Brenden Bobby gets it right when he says “GPS stands for Global Positioning System,” (“Mad About Science,” September 1, 2016), but after that his article is riddled with serious errors: The satellites are not geosynchronous; they do not “stay put;” they don’t have to be within line-of-sight of each other; they do not rely on Wi-Fi, cellular, or any other public network; your phone does not send a request to the satellites; and poor internet service cannot explain poor satellite service.

The GPS satellites fly at about 12,500 miles altitude and circle the earth twice a day. They needn’t see each other to provide a fix; instead, they communicate periodically with ground-based control stations. Nor does a user need a network connection, whether cellular or Wi-Fi, to use the satellites. This is easily demonstrated by my 20-year old Garmin and by the nav system in my new Subaru, neither of which has either. The mapping program in your phone works just fine outside cellular or Wi-Fi range, too, as long as you have the map itself preloaded. A GPS receiver is just a receiver; no talking is required. This magic is accomplished by the receiver listening to a satellite’s signal, which contains encoded time and orbit data. The receiver can determine where the satellite was at a point in time. With a clock in the receiver and similar information from three other satellites the receiver can compute the four unknowns: latitude, longitude, altitude, and time of day. Thank some extremely clever scientists and engineers for making this possible.

Easy to understand descriptions of the system are available from Garmin (the receiver manufacturer) at http://www8.garmin. com/aboutGPS/ or from NASA (the folks that put them there) at http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/gps/en/.

Alan Barber Sandpoint

State Not Funding Schools...

Now that the $55M LPOSD levy has failed, one question remains: Why is the state not

funding our school facilities?

In years past, school funding was primarily a property taxbased system. Due to the small population of Idaho, the funding base was unable to meet the needs of school districts.

In 1988, Idaho voters approved a constitutional amendment to implement the state lottery. This amendment was promoted to the people of Idaho on the premise that the dividends from the lottery would go to the Idaho Public School Building Account and the Permanent Building Fund to maintain our school facilities and bring buildings up to code.

However, in 2009, our legislators decided the lottery dividends would be merged with the general fund. The statute change only sets aside a portion of lottery funds above the fiscal year 2008 funding level of $34 million for the Bond Levy Equalization Fund. So dear voters, only a portion of the lottery funds are being used for the original purpose of school facilities, while the State has raided the surplus. With the short fall, property owners are once again on the hook for levies to appropriately fund school facilities. We had a solution in place, but legislators pulled a bait and switch with the funds. How soon we forget!

Before the next legislative session, and before the next levy, I urge voters to lobby their legislators to restore the lottery funds for school facilities. In addition, they should be required to return the funds they’ve raided since 2009, so property owners are not once again on the hook.

Maureen Tillberg Sandpoint

Firearm Free Sandpoint...

Dear Editor,

In response to Chris White’s liberal diatribe (according to Samuel Hogue), my take, if you live in such an insecure world that you have to arm yourself to feel safe, I suggest that you move somewhere else. Try Sweden, England, Germany or any number of countries (Canada? Maybe Antarctica) that somehow remain very secure without the need for the common citizen to arm themselves.

We can thank the NRA for

<letter con’t next page>

PERSPECTIVES

<letter con’t from previous page> cape. Coming out later in life as I did, I still had a lot of the same feelings that Adam went through: the aloneness, questioning my sexuality, and yes, sometimes wondering if I would be missed if I just ended it all.

this gun feeding frenzy that we are currently experiencing. If the NRA was willing to work at common sense gun laws rather than outright opposition, they would have much more general support. Who needs an assault weapon with 30- or 50-round clips? OK, you can have your AR-15, but only with three- or five-round clips if you feel the need to fulfill your Rambo aspirations. I myself am a gun owner, but I refuse to use any business that knowingly allows guns (concealed or open) in their business.

I would happily join Jeff Koons in protesting or boycotting businesses that allow guns in their place of business, and I feel that there would be a lot of support for such a move.

Support a firearm-free Sandpoint by supporting businesses that prohibit firearms on their premises. To Samuel Hogue, we don’t need people who think like you do on this planet, PERIOD.

Marty Stitsel Sandpoint

PFLAG Sandpoint...

Dear Editor;

On Sept 8 I picked up a copy of the Reader. I came home with the express purpose of reading the feature; as I had previously spoken to Jim Healey; I am the president of PFLAG Sandpoint. After speaking to Jim about the need for getting the word out of the services and groups that are available to the youth; as well as others in the community, and telling him a bit about PFLAG and the goals of the organization, I was deeply touched by the things he told me, and the article he did about Adam Ferris. In fact, as I write this letter I have to stop occasionally and wipe away a tear.

As a gay man, as I read the article, I could see glimpses of my life throughout Adam’s story. I never had the pleasure of meeting Adam, but I can relate to the feelings he was having. The sense of being alone, using Facebook as a social tool, being in a room full of people and still feeling isolated. Using music as an es-

Over two years ago I did a Google search and found PFLAG Coeur d’ Alene. I started attending meetings; finally feeling a sense of belonging, being accepted by like-minded people. While attending meetings, I met others from Sandpoint who wanted the same thing here. Laura Bry had attempted to revive the PFLAG chapter here; but her untimely passing stalled the efforts. I and a group of my friends picked up the pieces. In January, we received our official affiliation paperwork from the n ational office, and PFLAG Sandpoint was reborn.

It is the mission of PFLAG to offer support, advocacy and education to not only the LGBT community but the community as a whole. We meet the third Thursday of each month at the Gardenia Center, from 6-7:30 p.m. We are also working on other social events to be held throughout the year. Follow us on Facebook to keep up with all our activities and events.

Finally, personally speaking, it is my hope that PFLAG can offer a safe, reassuring space where both kids and their families, and anyone else who may be questioning their sexuality and looking for a place to belong can come, hang out, relax and be themselves. We would also welcome anyone else who wishes to be an ally and support the mission of PFLAG.

I am not making any assumptions about Adam’s passing, but if we lose one person, for what ever reason, that is one person too many. It has to stop. Please, reach out to someone. You are not alone.

Jeff Bohnhof PFLAG Sandpoint

Rambo and the 2nd Amendment...

Dear Editor:

J. Koons responded to S. Hogue who responded to Mr. White regarding the Second Amendment. Mr. Koons stated a desire to make downtown Sandpoint “firearm-free” then condemned Idaho

Legislature, implying they are insane for supporting our Second Amendment right to bear arms, as well as attempting to degrade gun owners by calling them, “Rambo wannabes.” He also stated “we SHOULD only patronize establishments who prohibit firearms …” which implies he does not recognize gun owners as being equals in society.

Mr. Koons seems to be confused about Rambo. Rambo was a victim of harassment, not an aggressor, and used his skills to defend himself. That Mr. Koons compared all gun owners to Rambo shows his thinking is irrational.

Second, if Mr. Koons wants to live in a world where guns are banned, except for police and military, then he shows himself as a person who does not take responsibility for himself but rather gives others the authority to protect his life.

Third, if he believes businesses should shun gun owners and be rewarded for being firearm-free, then he shows himself as a bigot, unable to tolerate the rights and needs of others.

The core of the Second Amendment conflict seems to be from a need within some to infringe upon the rights of others. The Second Amendment protects our right to protect ourselves, but it seems as though the group-mind who label themselves “liberals” are insisting on causing conflict with the rights bestowed upon us by our Creator and the Second Amendment. These “liberals” seem to insist on infringing upon the right to protect ourselves, which is causing a clashing of core beliefs between those who take responsibility for themselves, and those who put the responsibility for self in the hands of others.

In a sense then, I agree with Mr. Hogue that folks who insist on living in a world with no guns, belong in a city like Chicago where they can rely on “authorities” to protect them.

The state of Idaho has been a peaceful place to live, but with the influx of liberalism moving in, that peace is now at risk.

Vickey Babayco Sandpoint

Sagle man saddled with $200,000 legal bill Solar Roadways project back on track

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff

A simple timber cutting mistake worth $1,600 has escalated to leave a Sagle man on the hook for nearly $200,000.

In a legal opinion, Idaho Supreme Court Chief Justice Jim Jones said this week that while the legal system operated correctly, it nevertheless failed Kenneth and Sally Eyer. The Sagle couple faces financial ruin after a series of court decisions require them to pay damages and legal fees to the tune of a minimum $185,755.

“It is not clear from the record how the Eyers ended up in this position but it is a tragedy and does not speak well for the legal system,” Jones wrote in his opinion. “It is imperative that court procedures be reformed to expedite the process and reduce the cost of litigation to avert a repeat of this unfortunate story.”

The situation arose from a log purchase agreement in which Kenneth Eyers allowed Idaho Forest Group to harvest timber from his property to raise funds for his wife’s

chemotherapy. By mistake, the IFG workers harvest $1,600 worth of timber from property belonging to neighbors Russell and Laura Stevens, who sued for $268,770 in damages.

The families eventually settled for $50,000, but later, the Eyers failed to win a lawsuit against Idaho Forest Group, which they claimed failed a responsibility to determine property boundaries. Idaho Forest Group successfully argued they had no such obligation, and the Eyers were obligated to pay yet more court fees.

“...When combined with the fees the Eyers will pay the attorneys on both sides of this appeal the amount will likely approach a quarter of a million dollars,” Jones wrote.

While Jones can’t fault any of the legal applications that went into the process, he said the fact that a relatively simple error could escalate to such a heavy penalty speaks very poorly of the legal system itself.

“It appears to me that the legal system catastrophically failed Kenneth and Sally Eyer,” Jones wrote.

Traffic changes set for mid-November

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff

Work on Fifth Avenue is on pace to introduce two-way traffic by mid-November, according to city officials.

Although key steps like the installation of a traffic light and the re-striping of the road have yet to take place, Sandpoint City Administrator Jennifer Stapleton said the local officials and Idaho Transportation Department are planning to complete the project before winter. That means control of Sandpoint’s downtown streets

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff

The Solar Roadways demonstration project is making good progress once again after a slight delay to get all state partners on board.

According to Sandpoint City Administrator Jennifer Stapleton, the announcement of a completion date should be coming soon now that all proj-

ect partners have signed off. Once the project is ready for public display, Sandpoint will solidify its status as the home city of Solar Roadways with the premiere demonstration site for the technology.

Since the Solar Roadways project is new and unprecedented, getting clearance from every state stakeholder was no easy task, Stapleton said. This

BID to be re-evaluated

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff

are expected to revert to the city’s hands around the same time.

The changes will open the door for a host of downtown revitalization projects longplanned by city officials. According to Stapleton, planning for these projects will start as early as this fall. Locals should keep their eyes open for public meetings and workshops that will determine street prioritization, project scoping and more.

With the Business Improvement District caught in limbo, city officials will soon begin contemplating its fate.

Sandpoint City Administrator Jennifer Stapleton plans to open discussion on the subject with council members soon, likely at their Sept. 21 meeting. The need to discuss changes comes in the wake of former BID manager Kim Queen’s resignation, which has left the downtown business tax rudderless.

Stapleton said a possible

partnership with Boise State University may prove fruitful in bringing the public’s voice into the conversation. She is in contact with a graduate student group interested in conducting a survey of BID members. Their assistance in information gathering should provide a scientific and thorough analysis to guide decision-making.

Since Queen’s departure, the Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce, which houses BID management, has contracted workers to enact BID programs using freed-up salary funds, according to Chamber President Kate McAlister.

put the project on hold even as engineering of the panels progressed smoothly. It’s not a problem specific to Idaho, either—Stapleton said she’s taken calls from Baltimore officials asking how to clear through the red tape.

“Being the first project [of its kind], there are a lot of logistics to work through,” Stapleton said.

Memorial Field renovations to begin

If you have any lingering nostalgia for the existing Memorial Field grandstands, you better make your peace soon.

The venerable structure is set to serve the community one last time for the Sandpoint High School 2016 Homecoming game Friday night. On Sunday, work crews will begin the process of demolishing the grandstands, the first stage in a the Memorial Field renovation.

Funded through a local option tax approved by voters last year, the new grandstands will feature sturdier construction, increased capacity and a host of other features. [CR]

FEATURE

For the love of the animals

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff

The times, they are a-changin’ at Panhandle Animal Shelter (PAS). And in many ways, Sandpoint is changing along with it.

Panhandle Animal Shelter discusses the community’s growing love for animals Looking to adopt?

Mandy Evans, PAS executive director, has witnessed the reinvention of Sandpoint into a more pet-friendly culture herself since she moved here in 2008. With dogs and cats an increasingly common sight in town, Evans said the shelter has striven to meet the increased demands of the community. The effort paid off in several new services worthy of the pet-loving town Sandpoint has become.

“The more we’re a dog town, the more it promotes that human animal connection, which we’re all about,” Evans said.

One of the biggest changes is more intangible than a list of services that might show up on a stakeholders report; the PAS staff has worked hard to transform the very culture that underpins the shelter.

According to Evans, too many shelters make the mistake of lifting animals up while putting people down. That usually happens through high fees, shaming owners for mistakes and scrutinizing adopting families too rigorously for income or housing stability.

While those might seem like good parameters to ensure a successful rehoming of a dog or cat, Evans finds that the opposite is true. Judging from the shelter’s recent numbers, an easy, streamlined adoption process, low fees and flexibility help animals find new homes and keep them there.

“We’re actually seeing fewer animals that need resheltering,” Evans said.

This year, the average daily dog population sits at under 40 and cats at 70. Compare that to 2011, when the shelter housed 100 dogs and 175 cats every day. In addition, more than 500 dogs and cats have received spaying or neutering services this year. For its work, the shelter received an A+ rating from both the University of Wisconsin and the American Society for the Prevention of

Cruelty to Animals.

Thanks to strong community support from businesses and grant organizations, the shelter has introduced new programs for Sandpoint’s growing pet community. A new help line, for instance, gives pet owners the resources they need to get out of jam. It also brings to light options pet owners might not have considered. In one case, Evans said an individual was looking to surrender a dog because it kept attacking the family cat. PAS staff were able to recommend an alternative solution: providing the dog with training to keep the peace in the house. By all accounts a valuable new resource, the help line is funded through grants from the Inland Northwest Community Foundation, the Equinox Foundation and the

Petco Foundation.

The Home-To-Home program is another new effort that has recently been catching on with the public. The idea is to avoid the sometimes traumatic experience of bringing a surrendered animal into the shelter kennels by skipping the step completely. When it becomes clear that an owner simply can’t take care of a pet any longer, they can visit www.homehome.org and attempt to link with a prospective new owner directly. The shelter helps by connecting participants through social media. When Home-To-Home works, it means a dog or cat can transition directly from one comfortable and loving home to another.

Funded through contributions from Columbia Trust, the HomeTo-Home program has picked up steam through media coverage,

social media and word of mouth, jumping from 250 to 1,500 views a week. Evans is encouraged by the growth.

“We need to keep this momentum up and see where it takes us,” she said.

The shelter was even able to take the pressure off their colleagues in Louisiana by accepting dogs from the flood-ravaged parts of the state. While the shelter ’s policy is to maintain space for local needs, they were able to accept eight new arrivals— unclaimed dogs whose move freed up space for the animals displaced by flooding. The dogs were flown in by the organization Dog is My Copilot, one of several occasions the shelter has greeted dogs who arrived by air travel.

As always, the shelter relies

By Cameron Barnes Reader Staff

Looking to adopt? You can have a furry new friend beside you on the couch after completing these few steps in the adoption process:

•Acquaint yourself with a potential pet via a meet-and-greet in the play yard or office at Panhandle Animal Shelter (PAS).

•Fill out the pre-adoption questionnaire and complete the adoption form

•Pay adoption fees, which will be heavily reduced during the month of September to $10 for adult cats and $25 for dogs and kittens (this fee covers spaying/neutering surgery, first vaccinations, micro chipping, deworming treatment, registration ID tag, any mandatory low-cost obedience classes and a pet health exam, which must be completed within one week at a participating veterinary clinic).

The Panhandle Animal Shelter is located at 870 Kootenai Cutoff Road in Ponderay and is open 12-4:30pm, Tuesday-Sunday. For more information give them a call at 208-265-PAWS (7297), for pet availability (updated daily) visit their website: www. PASIdaho.org. You can also check them out online at Facebook.com/PASIdaho.

on support from the public to maintain services. It just so happens that there are several ongoing drives benefiting the organization. Ambassadog is a fun campaign that will award a dog the title of Sandpoint’s canine ambassador on Sept. 29. To contribute, vote once per day for your favorite candidate at sandpointambassadog.com, or buy more votes through a minimum $1 donation to the shelter.

Runners—or those simply looking to enjoy a day outside with plenty of great people and pets—will also want to check out the Dover Bay 5K. Set for Sept. 25, this fun event is great for both serious competitors and casual walkers. Visit pasidaho. org/dover-5k-runwalk to register online.

Bouquets:

•The Funky Junk Antique Show over Labor Day Weekend was yet again a huge success, with over 5,000 people attending. A special bouquet goes out to Jennifer Wood, the founder and host of the awesome show. Great job again, Jennifer. I also appreciated the theme honoring the timber industry in North Idaho.

•Last week’s Bouquet went out to the artists responsible for the new metal sculpture on the bike path (en route to Dog Beach). After speaking with Carol Deaner, we’ve found that the artists’ names are Bill and Karma Simmons, who were also responsible for the multi-colored metal bike sculpture at the Jeff Jones Town Square.

Barbs:

•Let me clear something up once and for all: We don’t withhold letters to the editor based on political positions. Period. On more than one occasion, people have filled my inbox with hate-filled screeds accusing us of being biased in our letters section. The writer (who sheepishly declined having his email published as a letter) claimed that it was impossible that only one letter was sent into the Reader against the recently defeated school plant levy, while seven or eight were for the levy. I was surprised at the discrepancy myself, especially after the levy failed by such a wide margin. But I can’t print letters that weren’t sent.

We heard this before during last year’s mayoral race. People claimed that, since there weren’t many letters printed against a certain candidate, that we were somehow holding these letters from publication.

Occasionally, someone will submit a letter over our 400 word limit. In this case, I’ll ask them to re-submit with fewer words. Otherwise, our letters to the editor section is open for all. If you don’t see it, we didn’t receive it. If you want your voice heard, send in a letter to the editor. Whining and complaining to me doesn’t solve anything. Trust me, many have tried.

Got something to say? Send to letters@sandpointreader.com. Under 400 words, please! 8

Art for the SOUL

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff

Plenty of people can attest to the healing power of art. In that sense, it’s fitting that one of the largest galleries for miles around is located in Bonner General Health.

Since 1999, the Art For The Soul program has lined the hospital walls with artwork of all shapes and sizes. For nearly half that time, the effort has been championed by Polly Mire, who ensures staff and patients alike have a vibrant and colorful environment to spur the healing process.

“I’ve been doing it myself for eight years,” Mire said. “It’s too important to let it drop.”

Throughout the offices, hallways and medical rooms of the BGH campus are scattered around 540 pieces of artwork by 120 individual artists. The mediums range from paintings of all varieties to photographs to scratchboard and much more. With just under 20 years worth of work by artists—some still active locally and others moved away or retired—it is one of the strongest showcases

for local art in town. While the Art For The Soul program has taken untold hours of work and effort, Mire feels a powerful motivation to keep seeking new pieces, and there are still plenty of spaces on the hospital walls left to fill.

“I have loved art since I was a young girl,” she said. “I enjoy meeting the artists, so I attend as many art openings as possible. I am probably a wanna-be gallery owner who now has a huge gallery to look after.”

Mire has received no shortage of comments from patients who appreciate the hospital’s commitment to providing a colorful, positive, artistic environment. The selected art is largely of a style designed to put patients in an engaged and positive frame of mind.

“I hear many comments from patients and their family and visitors about the art helping them to fill long hours of waiting,” Mire said. “The employees also enjoy when a new painting appears in or near their workplace.”

Pet owners: Stop leaving bags behind

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

Here at the Reader, we hear from our loyal readers about every subject under the sun. One particularly smelly subject involves pet waste, or rather, the tidy little bags that contain the waste that are left behind.

According to reader Joanne Cottrell, a scenario that happens all too often is when pet owners carefully bag up their dog’s poop and then leave the bag by the side of the trail for someone else to throw away.

“Our trails are such an incredible gift,” wrote Cottrell. “To see this being done is not only depressing but disgusting.”

The pet waste bags have had an impact on reducing annoying piles of pet waste from the

Mire’s efforts to liven up the cafeteria with some new art, for instance, drew praise from the hospital staff. They appreciate her efforts to imbue their workplace with so much local flavor and personality.

“It’s inspiring,” said BGH employee Miguel Vasquez. “I think for every room I’ve walked into, [the art] resonates with what you’re going through in that area.”

Much of the artwork is donated by the artists themselves, and those pieces are never sold to raise money for the program. Occasional sales of purchased artwork or pieces offered for that purpose open up options to acquire fresh art or repair frame glass damaged in accidents.

Organization is also key. A

master list of the 540 pieces keeps track of each entry, and most of the pieces have a card that includes a photograph and donation history.

“This takes the most time,” Mire said. “I print the cards that identify each item.”

If anything can be described as a labor of love, it’s the Art For The Soul program. Since 1999, a clear mission and a commitment to the creativity that makes Sandpoint special have brightened the hospital. Mire expects that to be the case for many years to come.

“My vision and goal has been to provide a display of art by local artists that is colorful and easy to look at and hopefully inspirational,” she said.

trails around Sandpoint, but when a pet defecates early on a hike, most pet owners bristle at the idea of carrying a plastic bag full of feces for an hour or more, so they’ll leave the bags on the trail to pick up on the way back to their vehicles.

The problem is, short term memory is sometimes faulty, and pet owners often leave without grabbing the bag, leaving a present for others to pick up.

“This is done way too often on trails here,” wrote Cottrell.

Alright, pet owners, you’ve been called out. Nobody likes dealing with poop, but let’s keep those bags off the trails. Remember, when you leave a bag of poop behind, somebody has to pick it up.

Something is left after the fires of 2015

By Sandy Compton Reader Contributor

For three quarters of a mile upstream from where the South Fork of Ross Creek enters the Middle Fork in the proposed Scotchman Peaks Wilderness was a dark cathedral of a place, with a thick green overstory that closed out the sky—until the fires of 2015. Now, there is a view to the Melissa and Amanda Crags at the head of the drainage, as well as the ridge separating the Middle Fork and the North Fork. Where once was a roof held up by mighty columns, the place is now open to the heavens. But the pattern of damage is inconsistent, and the damage is not complete. Something is left, and that something is ultimately interesting.

The first Forest Service trail crew that hiked up Trail #142 west of the popular Ross Creek Cedars Scenic Area after the fires last fall emailed the staff at Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness (FSPW) one picture with a seven-word caption: “It looks like a bomb went off.”

And it did. In fact, it still does, though nothing is smoking now as it was then. The burn is cold. The floor of the forest isn’t scorched black like it was last October, either. In fact, it’s insanely green with a profusion of maidenhair fern, devil’s club, wild ginger, pathfinder and lots and lots and lots of fireweed. There was a fire here, after all.

Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness seeks volunteers to monitor fire recovery in the West Cabinets

Hiking up #142 is not quite the serene experience that it was before the damage done by the fires of 2015 in the West Cabinets. Great pieces of the forest are literally gone, those pieces often being huge Western red cedars that grew in the canyon bottom, trees 8 to 10 feet through and often over 130 feet tall—even with the tops broken out of them.

The missing monster cedars’ former sites are marked by splintered shells that bear much resemblance to each other in size and shape and texture. These remains are 8 to 12 feet tall, and appear to have exploded, which in essence they did.

The lower trunks of these former giants, like many large red cedars, consisted of a “rind” of bark and live wood wrapped around a central core of dry rot and ant nests. This punky stuff, which was actually helping to hold the tree up, burns like any dry tinder. The fire got into those cores and went crazy, accelerating up through the trunk like a chimney fire gone viral. At some point, what was left after that “stuffing” was gone could no longer hold up the heavy top and shattered. Huge chunks of tree went every which way, strewing the forest floor with cedar shards.

The biggest trees are gone.

But many trees are left. Many of the smaller cedars, the ones that are “only” two or three feet

through and “only” 150 to 200 years old, survived, as did a selection of the other conifers growing there, as well as vine maple, Sitka alder, huckleberry, mefe and dozens—nay, hundreds—of other plant species.

There is something left, and that something will again one day be what it was until last September. Those trees left will prosper in the absence of the competition provided by the giants and become giants themselves. Admittedly that grove will never be the same in our lifetimes, and many people

who have made trips along that trail have a right to grieve its passage, but there is something happening there already that will proceed into the future.

And we get to watch. After fires burned through much of the Scotchman Peaks last year, FSPW staff decided to establish a monitoring program that would take a long-term approach to recording the recovery. FSPW has located about a dozen relatively easy-to-get-to places along Highway 56 in Montana as well as trails along the east side of the

Scotchman Peaks proposal from which fire damage can be seen. Over the next decade, FSPW staff and volunteers will return to established GPS waypoints to take pictures, establishing a photographic history of the forest’s initial recovery.

Some of these locations have been “adopted” already, but FSPW is seeking volunteers who would like to participating in what should, over time, be a fascinating project. For more information, write to sandy@ scotchmanpeaks.org.

Why do leaves change color in the fall?

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

With the cooler temperatures of late, evidence of fall is everywhere. This time of year, the leaves of deciduous trees begin their magical transformation—exploding in a phalanx of autumnal color that dazzles the eye before they fall to the earth.

Have you ever wondered why exactly a leaf changes its color? Have no fear, dear readers, we’ve got you covered.

To understand the changing colors, you first must understand photosynthesis—the process plants undergo that uses sunlight to synthesize glucose (and

oxygen) from carbon dioxide and water. The plant uses glucose as a food and as a building block for growth. We breathe the oxygen that is created as a byproduct. A chemical called chlorophyll—which gives plants their green color—helps make photosynthesis happen.

As the days grow shorter and the temperature drops, trees begin to “prepare” for winter. Since there is not enough light or water for photosynthesis to take place in winter, the trees will go into a state of hibernation, living off the food they stored during the summer. The food-making factories begin to shut down. Chlorophyll breaks down and the green color

disappears from the leaves.

As the green color fades away, yellow and orange colors begin to emerge. Small amounts of these autumnal colors have been in the leaves all along, but we can’t see them in the summer because they are covered up by the green chlorophyll.

When leaves turn bright red and purple, it means glucose is trapped in the leaves after photosynthesis stops.

As fall colors appear, other changes are taking place. At the point where the stem of the leaf attaches to the tree, a special layer of cells develops and gradually severs the tissues that support the leaf. At the same time, the tree

seals the cut so that when the leaf blows off in the wind, or falls from its own weight, it leaves behind only a leaf scar.

While most conifers like pine, spruce, fir, hemlock and cedar retain their needles and stay green year round (hence the name evergreen), some species such as tamarack and larch lose their needles after turning brilliant shades of yellow.

Many factors influence the brilliance of fall colors, including temperature, light and water supply. Low temperatures above freezing will produce brighter reds in trees that trap glucose in the leaves while early frost will weaken the brilliant colors. Rainy or overcast days are

also said to increase the intensity of fall colors.

Curious where to see the best fall colors around North Idaho?

The International Selkirk Loop travels through North Idaho into British Columbia, passing through great fall colors against the backdrop of the Selkirk, Cabinet and Purcell Mountain Ranges. Further south, the St. Joe River Scenic Byway is also a great 89-mile route through a kaleidoscope of hues. No matter where you go, don’t forget to stop and appreciate the natural fireworks display that marks the end of our glorious summer season here in the panhandle.

Science: Mad about

By Brenden Bobby Reader Columnist

We’ve talked a lot about space, and a lot about water, but never about submarines. What gives?!

To be fair, I had forgotten how awesome submarines are for the simple fact that they’re so stealthy. They sneak up on you and when you least expect it… A torpedo through the poop deck!

I’m kidding, warships don’t have poop decks anymore.

Yes, they’re real. No, they’re not for what you’d think. Thank the French for such a funny word.

Back to submarines!

They’re funny things, always referred to as a boat and not as a ship. In the Navy, even ones that are as big as some warships are still called “boats.” They’re boats that go underwater without killing their crew, and can resurface at a moment’s notice.

How in the world do they do it?

Typically, buoyancy keeps ships afloat: A hull filled with air displaces water in a certain way, allowing the boat to not only stay afloat but stay balanced. Submarines obviously don’t do that. So what do they do?

A submarine has multiple compartments within the hull for storing air and water. If a submarine needs to dive, they use mechanical devices to move the pressurized air to different compartments, then let water spill into the compartments in the front, effectively weighing the submarine down with water and pulling it down at an angle, initiating a dive. When they reach the level they want, they stop more water from coming in and the submarine levels out.

Do you want the sub to

submarines

lean? Pull water into one of the front compartments where you want to turn. Want to rise to the surface? Purge the water! You’ll lose some air, but as long as you don’t lose it all, you should rise back up and be able to refill.

It’s an interesting concept when you think about it. It’s a mastery of buoyancy. While traditional boats rely on the air within the hull to remain stable, a submarine needs to shuffle it around and move it to go above and below the water.

Did you know the first submarine seems to have been invented during the 1500s? A couple of guys made a wooden boat with a shell on it, decided to show off to the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V and went underwater. While many noblemen were no doubt jesting about the two corpses at the bottom of the river, the two men were responding with laughter over how stupid everyone on shore was about to look. They shot back up, and even had a candle lit to show off how awesome they were.

Cool as this early submarine was, it was nothing like the ones we have seen in the last century.

Submarines were first used for warfare during the Civil War, albeit very poorly. The few we had sank and didn’t come back up, and they didn’t rack up much of a body count in the war compared to the ironclads and steam-powered warships. We began to see more use of them in World War I, and definitely more yet in World War II.

Back in WWII, the men aboard the submarines didn’t have fancy computers to automatically fill and drain the craft when they wanted to turn, dive

or rise. They had to calculate each maneuver while under enemy fire or dodging depth charge mines, then execute them flawlessly. Talk about nerves of steel!

Submarines used in war these days are pretty incredible. They’re called nuclear submarines because of the nuclear reactors that power them. These reactors solve a problem that traditional diesel combustion submarines suffered from: requiring air to keep moving. Well, I mean sure, the submarine still needs air for the crew, but with nuclear submarines the power source isn’t competing with the crew for oxygen.

As well, most nuclear submarines are capable of carrying nuclear warheads stealthily from sea to shining sea.

Did you know you can get an underwater craft of your own? Technically, it’s called a submersible, as it has some drawbacks compared to a traditional military submarine, but it’s still capable of going underwater deeper than a human can on their own.

Most submersibles have a maximum depth of about 100 to 2,500 feet, depending on the model. Any deeper than that, and the weight of the water will begin to crush the craft—and you inside it. Don’t count on exploring the bottom of the Mariana Trench (36,000 feet underwater).

High-end scientific submersibles can get almost a mile underwater, but you’re going to be paying some pretty hefty premiums for a watercraft that already has an astronomical price tag.

If you want to explore parts of Lake Pend Oreille in your own submersible craft, the starting price seems to hover

around $100,000 big ones. If you really want to get to the bottom of the lake, you’re going to be shoveling out a little closer to $3.5 million.

Pocket change, right? Maybe you’ll find that fishing hook you lost as a kid, somewhere at the bottom of

Random Corner

Don’t know much about the Titanic? We can help!

•The Titanic is the only ocean liner to ever be sunk by an iceberg.

•After hitting the iceberg, it took the Titanic 2 hours and 40 minutes to sink.

•The Titanic could have been saved if it wasn’t for a 30-second delay in giving the order to change course after spotting the iceberg.

•The budget for the Movie “Titanic” was higher than for the Titanic itself.

•Kate Winslet, who starred in the movie “Titanic,” hated the song “My Heart Will Go On”, and said it makes her feel “like throwing up.”

•Titanic II will be a close replica of the Titanic, and is set to sail in 2018.

•There’s a conspiracy theory saying the Titanic never sunk. Instead, it was her sister ship, the Olympic, and it was an insurance scam.

15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22

Winter Ridge Speaker Series 6pm @ Winter Ridge

Effective relief for PTSD

Dollar Beers!

8pm @ Eichardt’s Pub Good until the keg’s dry

Live Music w/ Gleewood

Throwback Thursdays at the 219 7-11pm @ 219 Lounge

Featuring live music with Brian Jacobs and friends, $2 domestics and $3 crafts ‘Blazing Saddles’ film tribute 7:30pm @ Panida Theater

Tribute to late actor Gene Wilder

5:30-8:30pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery

Blues, folk, and rock ‘n roll. Free show

Live Music w/ Honeysuckle featuring Holly McGarry 5-7pm @ Idaho Pour Authority

See Holly McGarry in a rare performance this side of the Rockies

Sandpoint Farmers’ Market

9am-1pm @ Farmin Park

Come for the locally grown produce, stay for the live music. Always a good time at the Farmers’ Market!

Book Launch Party 10am-12pm @ Kokanee Coffee

Live Music 9pm @ 219

Our favorite back in town Niner. Don’t

Third Fridays w/ Devon Wade 6:30-9:30pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall

Check out Sandpoint country singer Devon Wade at this monthly event at the Beer Hall

Live Music w/ Harold’s IGA 9pm @ 219 Lounge

The indie rock trio plays one and only one gig this month at the Niner

Live Music w/ Devon Wade 9pm @ 219 Lounge

Sandpoint’s country performer Devon Wade plays at the Niner

Comedy Night for Wildlife 6pm @ Sandpoint Center

Join local author Jennifer Lamont Leo as she celebrates the launch of her debut novel, “You’re the Cream in My Coffee” set in 1920s Chicago

American Heritage Wildlife Foundation hosts a Comedy Night for Wildlife fundraiser. Seattle comedian Kermet Apio will be providing a full hour of laughs, and there will be gift baskets prepared by sponsors in a silent auction. Tickets are $20. 208-266-1488 for more info

Sandpoint Chess Club 9am @ Evans Brothers Coffee Meets every Sunday at 9am. All are welcome

Bay, person.

Game Night at the Niner 9pm @ 219 Lounge

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

Karaoke Night at the Niner 10pm @ 219 Lounge

Join Pat for a night of crooning your favorite tunes at the 219

Gallagher’s ‘Last Smash’ Tour 8pm @ Panida Theater

Learn to dance the Learn the Triple Time Diane Peters. 610-1770

Gallagher is coming to town and he’s bringing his big median will be at the Panida Theater with special guest Ultra Splash Zone and Splash Zone have limited number will go fast, so buy earlyTickets are available online only

Growing Mushrooms and Fall Mushroom Identification 6-8pm @ Ponderay Events Center

Bonner County Gardeners Association holds a class on Growing Mushrooms at home and Fall Mushroom Identification, presented by Arthur Church. Cost is $10. BCGardeners.org

Dollar Beers!

8pm @ Eichardt’s Pub Good until the keg’s dry

Throwback Thursdays at the 219 7-11pm @ 219 Lounge

Featuring live music with Brian Jacobs and friends

Wine and Cheese Invitational 4-7pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery

A fun after work gathering hosted by the Bonner County Economic Development Corporation. 265-8545 to RSVP for the event

ful

September 15 - 22, 2016

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

Live Music w/ Holly McGarry 9pm @ 219 Lounge

favorite smoky-voiced starlit is back in town and playing a show at the Niner. Don’t miss Holly’s show!

Metal Night at the Eagles

The Drawing Group 2pm @ Sandpoint Library

All are welcome to come and draw with other artists of various proficiency levels. Held every Thursday

9pm @ Eagles Lodge (1511 Johnny Long Rd.)

Featuring music by Cobra Jet, Knuckledragger and Symptoms of Insanity. $3 buys your first beer. 21+ only

‘Blazing Saddles’ film tribute

5:30pm @ Panida Theater

Tribute to late actor Gene Wilder

LPOIC Members Only Derby

Sept. 17 & 18 @ Lake Pend d’Oreille

$5,000 in cash prizes for rainbow and mackinaw trout divisions. Entry fee is $40. For more info: LPOIC.org

Grand Lake Tour

11:30pm @ Kramer Marina (Hope)

Cruise by the Green Monarchs, Kilroy Bay, Granite Creek, and more. $50 per person. 255-5253

Scenic Half

Full Moon & Hors d’oeuvres Cruise

6pm @ Hope Marina

Enjoy a variety of complimentary hors d’oeuvres while cruising through the islands of Hope during a Full Moon. $36 per person. 255-5253

Computer Class: Library Educational Resources

8:15am @ Sandpoint Library

Learn more about online resources available through the Library’s website. Pre-registration required by calling 208-263-6930

Waterfowl Hunter’s Workshop

9am-12pm @ Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge

The workshop is open to anyone interested in learning more about waterfowl hunting. No prior experience is necessary. Topics include waterfowl calling, retriever demonstrations, decoy placement, ammo, waterfowl identification, and more. $15 includes lunch, coffee and snacks. 267-3888

Live Music w/ John Firshi

5-7pm @ Idaho Pour Authority

Solo guitarist and vocalist

8th annual event features a half marathon (13.1 miles), plus 10k and 5k fun runs. A portion of the race registration proceeds benefits the nonprofit Community Cancer Services. 263-2161

Patriotic Golf Scramble

9am @ Sandpoint Elks Golf Course

9th annual Patriotic Golf Scramble benefiting local veterans. 263-8311

dance the Swing – 7pm @ SWAC

Triple Time East Coast Swing from Peters. 610-1770 for info

Bonner County Republican Women Monthly Meeting

bringing his big stick! The famed cospecial guest Artie Fletcher. The limited number seating, and they available online only at Panida.org

10:15-10:45am @ Ponderay Events Center

Featuring speaker Wayne Hoffman, president of the Idaho Freedom Foundation. $5 entry. RSVP at 208-946-0510

Sept. 23

George Winston in concert @ Panida Theater

Sept. 23

Souptember @ Farmin Park

Volunteer Orientation

offices (231 N. Third Ave., Ste. 101)

can help bridge the gap between peoand people in need during the SandCommunity Resource Center New Volunteer event.Call 208-920-1840 for more info

hosted by the Development for the event

Sandpoint Farmers’ Market

3-5:30pm @ Farmin Park

Come for the locally grown produce, stay for the live music. Always a good time at the Farmers’ Market!

Rock Creek Alliance Annual Party

5:30-8pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall

All are invited to enjoy light appetizers, live music provided by Ben and Cadie of Harold’s IGA, a silent auction with several great items including a Mexico condo vacation and a signed Bev Doolittle print, and most importantly an update on the status of the Rock Creek Mine

Sept. 23-25

Idaho Draft Horse and Mule

International @ Bonner Co. Fairgrounds

Sept. 29

Yappy Hour & Ambassadog

finalist chosen @ Eichardt’s Pub

This open Window

poetry and prose by local

writers

edited by Jim mitsui

The prompt idea, I think, succeeded. So I thought I’d continue with another writing exercise, which can be fulfilled by writing a poem or a prose piece (paragraphs). But I’d like you to base it on a real memory: incident or experience, the people involved, location, etc. Use the following in your piece, somewhere in your line or sentence. You may add lines or sentences to connect your narrative or add current thoughts, ideas, etc. Come up with a good title after you are finished, but stay away from a one-word abstract “label.” Also, remember the 5 Ws and the H—who, what, where, when, why and how. This time there is no time limit, but still, depend on stream-of-consciousness and don’t overthink or try to force things. Remember, writing is a process.

1. my family

2. once, years after

3. on top of death 4. white plastic

5. some dusty museum 6. a pink clue

7. words open like 8. the reticent onions

9. driving (road or street name) toward 10. now I

Submit to me at Jim3wells@aol.com

quiet death in the slow mid-afternoon by Danny Strauss

and so I was hunted down a post-pioneer wanderer in the 21st Century West like every wolf that stalked, before me, like every buffalo that roamed, before me yet I was not a mad animal

I was not cheating for survival. Almost ruined, rather, destroyed by post-techno living ?where was Rosseau… to make order of nature? ?where was Willy Wonka… to make madness, tender?

no prayers. After all “only the lucky die young”

—DaNali Streuss

I really enjoyed the recent poetry challenge. 30 minutes? No way, make it 5 or 10.

I have not written anything in months and this exercise sparked my brain and got me writing again. You guys rock!

i don’t mind by Scott Taylor

Late afternoon my mind tucks itself away in a neat little corner I fold it up and let thoughts slide down the back of today no doubt headed for ruin in the rubbish pile of long-gone memories, out of sight. I don’t mind.

—Scott Taylor Sept. 6, 2016

Scott Taylor is a semi-retired art teacher from the Midwest who now calls Sandpoint home. According to his so-called friends, he’s an acceptable songwriter, semi-tolerable singer, questionable artist, dangerously incompetent fiddle player and occasional pants-wearer.

Schandelmeier

Used to homestead houses, I’m startled by absent interior walls in Vern’s space, and the eerie lack of light at mid-day. Lumpy quilts float off a cot— or maybe it’s a sofa sleeper or broken down couch.

Pieces of carpet cover the packed dirt floor, roughhewn shelves push against the rounded green wall next to the only window, wood cookstove nearby. Thick wood table covered with papers— even this

grey-haired man who flies on a whim to Arctic villages must comply with the paper-work of rules. Dad and Mom invite him to Christmas breakfast. He brings my preteen sister and me gaudy clip-on earrings, and in summer he puts our eight-year old brother in a gunny sack. We call him Crazy Horse and he laughs with his mouth closed. I admire his falconry skills and huge aviary

with beautiful gyrfalcons, the queen of raptors. He needs those papers to capture and keep them, and to keep his Cessna legal. New people constantly move into our lives as Dad adds friends—invites them

to his current interests, pigeon racing and bowling are two—or gives them a place to move their wretched trailers. Frontier town living means knowing those who live on the edges, and Dad seems to attract them.

—Jeanette Schandelmeier Revised 3/15/16

Here is another Alaska poem by Jeanette. It reminds some of us of the value of writing—how many of you remember what a Quonset hut is? As life progressed we start to forget things like typewriters, Princess phones, and stick shifts.

a sweet memory from an ol' gal by Betty

Nude sunbathing in a field in the late afternoon

On top of a haystack which feels like needles on bare skin

We use towels to tuck under our bodies

There are wolf whistles when boys spy on us

It’s getting late

Slide down the haystack

Run home quick

Pray that Mother doesn’t find out

She didn’t

Great memory!

—Betty Johnson Sept. 2016

I love “This Open Window,” in fact I love the Reader! I read it from cover to cover; if I was a business I would definitely advertise!

Clown sightings continue

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

Last week, a group of schoolchildren in Macon, Ga., called 911 to report that they had been chased by clowns who had emerged from the bushes.

The report is the latest in a bizarre string of clown sightings stretching across both South and North Carolina to Georgia over the last few weeks.

The Bibb County Police Department is now the third in Georgia to respond to emergency calls involving clowns.

According to CBS News, Bibb County Sheriff’s Lt. Randy Gonzalez reported that children had been chased by clowns, with several adults also witnessing the incident before the clowns ran off.

On Sept. 9, police in Dublin, Ga. said a car accident was

caused by a person swerving to avoid a clown.

Police in Langrange, Ga. also warned residents about clown sightings after receiving reports about “clowns in a van and in wooded areas trying to talk to children.”

“This behavior is not cute or funny,” the Lagrange PD posted on Facebook. “Understand that if officers see this behavior, you’re going to have a conversation with them. And, if applicable, you may face criminal charges.”

Peace Pole and National Seniors Month dedication at SASi

By Ellen Weissman Reader Contributor

September is a busy month for celebrating elders and peace including the International Day of Peace and National Senior Centers month. Sandpoint Area Seniors, Inc. (SASi) will be observing them on Wednesday, Sept. 21 at 1 p.m. at the Sandpoint Senior Center.

A ceremony will occur in the SASi parking lot where a Peace Pole will be dedicated along with a proclamation given by Sandpoint Mayor Shelby Rogstad. The Peace Pole was donated to us by Danielle Kyoko Sato and Keiko Lewis.

In 1981, the United Nations proclaimed the International Day of Peace so that all nations could recognize the need for peace and strengthening the ideals among the people. In 2001, they expanded the observance to

Reader seeking humor columnist

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

Are you funny? Do you often make people lose control of their bodily functions? Do you look like that guy to the right? We might be interested in having you write for the Reader!

Here’s the deal: In this crazy, mixed up world full of anger, political discourse, rudeness and incivility, we think it’s time we all just shut our face holes and laugh a little bit more.

The Reader is seeking a humor columnist to bring smiles back into fashion. We’re looking for someone who can write a couple of columns per month that make our readers laugh.

Sounds simple, right? Wrong. Writing funny is hard to do. It’s a skill, like touching the tip of your nose with your abnormal Gene Simmons KISS tongue, or belching the Gettsyburg Address verbatim (verbelchum?).

When talking (or belching), you have the ability to rely on timing and delivery. With the written word, everyone seems to process your writing differently. Like whenever you try to be funny in a text message and instead piss someone off royally.

Before you get all greedy-fingered, you should realize we don’t pay our columnists anything. I might be able to throw a free dining certificate your way from time to time, but don’t count on it. Interested wanna-be columnists should email Ben Olson at ben@sandpointreader.com with samples of how funny you can be. No nude pictures, please.

include a day of global ceasefire and non-violence.

National Senior Centers month is also included with the proclamation. It is to recognize the Senior Center as a place where older Americans can go to stay active, enjoy friendships

Crossword Solution

and learn new ideas. Senior centers empower this group to contribute to their community and make a great contribution to communities and well-being of the seniors. Individuals are reaching an advanced age in greater numbers and in better health than ever before!

Also commemorated on this day will be International Day of Older Persons (Oct. 1) and National Adult Day Care Center Week (Sept. 18-24). We will recognize and appreciate the contributions older persons and the benefits of utilizing the SASi DayBreak Adult Day Care Center.

An open house will follow the dedication. For more information, call 208.263.6860 or go to the website www.sandpointareaseniors.org.

Live comedy night to benefit AHWF

By Desiree Aguiree Reader Contributor

I don’t know if Kermet Apio plays the uke or the banjo, but with a name like Kermet, he was born to be a comedian.

Raised in Honolulu, Kermet moved to Seattle and attended the University of Washington. In 1989, Kermet performed at the Comedy Underground in Seattle, and in 1990, he quit his regular job to follow his passion, relinquishing health care and benefits, to become a full time comedian.

On Saturday, Sept. 17 Kermet Apio will perform for Comedy Night at 6 p.m. at the Sandpoint Center, 414 Church St.

Apio has performed in numerous venues—including television and radio—and showcased his talents at comedy festivals in Las Vegas, Aspen and Vancouver. He was a winner at the Seattle Comedy Competition and a semi-finalist in the San Francisco Comedy Competition. He also claims

that he won the dishwasher of the month award at the Sea-Tac Airport Denny’s.

Comedy Night, a fundraiser for the American Heritage Wildlife Foundation, will feature appetizers from the Tango Café, a silent auction with numerous gift baskets, including items from Evans Brothers, Fiddlin’ Red’s Music, Flying Fish Company, Great Stuff and Ponderay Garden Center.

All proceeds will benefit the American Heritage Wildlife Foundation (AHWF), a nonprofit organization based in Clark Fork.

AHWF works for the preservation of Idaho wildlife through rehabilitation and community education. When a wild animal, such as a Canada Goose, is in need, the AHWF steps up to the plate, gives the animal a place to rest and recuperate, and then, sets them back into the wild.

Tickets for Comedy Night cost $20, and include appetizers and coffee.

‘The Longest Journey’

A lecture with historian and author Jack Nisbet

By Reader Staff

The Bonner County History Museum and Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness are proud to present an evening lecture with local historian and author Jack Nisbet on Oct. 1. The topic of the presentation is “The Longest Journey.”

In the fall of 1902, a Welsh farmer happened upon an odd rock perched on a slope above the Willamette River. It turned out to be a meteorite, and the slow unfolding of its story revealed links to Northwest mining, museum politics, human nature and the deep history of the universe. Part of its appeal rests in the slow realization that it is also an ice-rafted erratic that was probably washed downstream through Lake Pend Oreille during the Lake Missoula Floods.

The event will be held at Oden Community Hall, 143 Sunnyside Rd. at 7 p.m. Light refreshments will be served. Admission is free.

Spokane-based teacher and naturalist Jack Nisbet is the author of several books that explore the human and natural history of the Intermountain West, including the story collection “Purple Flat Top” and “Singing Grass Burning Sage,” an illustrated exploration of the flora and fauna of the dry side of the Cascade Range. His essay book “Visible Bones” won awards from the Washington State Library Association and the Seattle Times

Since 1994, Nisbet has worked extensively on Northwest fur agent and geographer David Thompson, participating in canoe brigades, presentations, four documentary films and a major museum exhibit. He has also produced two books that detail Thompson’s travels and cartography west of the Continental Divide:

“Sources of the River” and “The Mapmaker’s Eye.”

The Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness (FSPW) was formed in January, 2005 by residents of North Idaho and Northwest Montana who believe the Scotchman Peaks roadless area deserves permanent protection as wilderness. They are dedicated to the mission that: spanning the Idaho/Montana border, the Scotchmans are one of the last, and largest, wild areas in our region. They conduct education, outreach and stewardship activities to preserve the rugged, scenic and biologically diverse 88,000 acre Scotchman Peaks Roadless Area. They believe the Scotchman Peaks deserve congressional designation as Wilderness for the benefit and enjoyment of current and future generations

Founded in 1972, the Bonner County History Museum has been collecting and preserving the Bonner County region’s significant stories for over 40 years. The Museum is located in view of Lake Pend Oreille in beautiful Lakeview Park. The park has many amenities including picnic areas, a playground, tennis courts and the Native Plant Society arboretum. Adjacent to Lakeview Park is Memorial Field which has a boat launch and is home to the Festival at Sandpoint every August.

The Bonner County History Museum is a 501 (c)3 private nonprofit educational organization. The museum is a membership organization, open to all. We operate thanks to community support, membership fees, gifts, retail sales and donations, and grants from private foundations.

Gardening with Laurie:

The vegetable garden in autumn

By Laurie Brown Reader Columnist

The days are noticeably shorter, the geese are flying south and there is a different feel to the air. It’s still officially summer, but autumn is coming on fast. Time to prepare the garden for winter.

Before you dive in, take notes of what worked well for you this year and what didn’t. Come spring, in the frenzy of seed ordering and planting, it’s hard to remember that sort of thing.

Leave carrots, parsnips, and turnips in the ground; cover thickly with straw. This is one place you don’t want the soil to freeze solid before mulching. With the ground unfrozen, you can go out in winter, push the straw aside and harvest fresh root vegetables.

Cut back herbs like mint, chives, and lemon balm when the foliage turns yellow, but if you want to harvest for drying or freezing, cut BEFORE they turn yellow. Woody herbs like sage and lavender use the same woody scaffold every year, so don’t cut them back except for harvest.

If tomato leaves are yellow, pull the plants and hang them upside down somewhere it doesn’t go down to freezing (preferably a basement or garage, not Los Angeles), and harvest fruit as it ripens, or harvest and put fruit on windowsills to ripen. Harvest pumpkins and winter squash after some light frosts; do not leave until hard frost.

Hardy cole crops like cabbage and Brussels sprouts can remain in the garden until hard freeze; sprouts will actually taste better if they take light freezes. When hard frost approaches, cut off, put the crops in frost free cold storage, and pull the stems and roots. Remember to pull and compost wild mustard plantsthey serve as winter hosts for cabbage worm pupae.

Put all dead plants, weeds, stems and

leaves in the compost. If the foliage is diseased, put it in the trash or burn it rather than composting. Take a spading fork or shovel and loosen and turn the soil in the vegetable beds. Leave it rough; you’re not planting now. Insect eggs and larva will be brought to the surface and the birds can eat them. When the ground freezes, spread compost, straw, leaves or even manure over the beds so it can get a head start on breaking down into the soil.

Now is a good time to start a new bedcut down any woody weeds, put a couple of layers of cardboard over the bed, and then cover that with compost or mulch. It won’t be ready to plant in early spring, but it’ll be a month or two ahead come early summer.

Now is also the best time to plant garlic. Planted when frosts start hitting, they’ll make roots but not start above ground growth until spring. You can take a chance on a small area of salad greens (I do mine in containers by the porch- stays warmer and it’s easy to reach)- lettuce usually doesn’t do well in autumn, but some of the Oriental greens do very well, as does corn salad. Whether it thrives just depends on the weather we get.

Outside the veggie patch, there are also chores to deal with. If heavy rains don’t start soon, deep water trees, shrubs and hardy perennials. They need to be fully hydrated going into winter. Remove leaves from the lawn. Drain the fuel out of the lawn mower and string trimmer. Yank annuals, and cut back NONevergreen perennials. If plants like asters, zinnias and sunflowers have seed heads on them, leave them standing for the birds. It seems like a long list of things to do, but soon enough the ground will freeze, the snow will fly, and greenery will be but a fond memory.

Photos of the Week: Sept. 8 -

14

From top right, moving clockwise:

•Aiden Millheim, left, and Cory Repass, right, engage in some boffering at Sandpoint City Beach last week.

•A ‘57 Chevy Bel-Air owned by Ivan and Diane Troyer from Libby, Mont., at the Injector’s Auto Club show Saturday in downtown Sandpoint.

•Three rogue hens on the loose on Huron Street in Sandpoint.

•Brandon Boyster from Hope plays the piano placed on the sidewalk for public use during the Mandolin Orchestra rehearsal at the Music Conservatory at Sandpoint.

•Three pint-sized contestants stomp grapes at the Pend d’Oreille Winery’s annual Harvest Party on Saturday with employees looking on. All photos by Cameron Barnes.

Calling all photographers, would you like one of your photos to be featured on our Photos of the Week page? Submit them to cb@sandpointreader.com.

Get your Curry in a Hurry

By Jules Fox Reader Food Reviewer

Dishing out delicious authentic flavors of India, Curry in a Hurry dares to dream big in a small town. This is New York and LA good, in a tucked away cozy commercial kitchen.

Treat yourself to take out. Curry in a Hurry does not offer restaurant seating, opting instead for fast to-go service (the Hurry) and slow-simmered, mouth-watering meats, vegetables and beans in delectable sauces (the Curry).

They are open only on Mondays from 3-6 p.m., and while it’s a good idea to order early online to guarantee a meal, they also allow walk-ins.

You can pick up your food on your way back from work, the beach or the bar, depending on your level of social productivity, and eat it at home, or right outside if a nice whiff of it tickles your nose and you have poor impulse control. I had to taste it before I got in the car.

The Details

On arriving home, I opened the basmati rice, (which my one-and-a-half-yearold daughter mistook for confetti) and the pleasing aroma lingered luxuriously, leaving us eager to eat.

The tender coconut chicken curry was by far our favorite, until we tried the tangy ginger of the creamy tomato-based tikka masala chicken. And then digging into the sides we tasted the sensationally simple bhaigan aloo eggplant and potato curry and the traditional melt in your mouth dal. We decided they were all our favorite.

Opting for the basmati rice as a base for half and the paleo-friendly roasted cauliflower and cabbage for the other half, I tried to savor slowly, more easily managed by the fact that I was reading “Goose and Duck Find a Pumpkin” out loud. My daughter, who eats even more slowly than I, was a huge fan of the bas-

mati rice once she discovered she could also eat it. My wife left nothing on her plate, an unexpected surprise, which I took to mean that she really enjoyed it.

My family devoured the ample portions surprisingly fast. Wielding some willpower, we were able to tuck one small portion away for leftovers, as Indian food only gets better with age—up to a certain point.

Think you don’t like Indian food? Let me debunk some myths, so you can give it a shot.

Myth 1: Indian Food Is Spicy

Yes, there are a lot of Indian spices thrown into the mix, and that’s what lends credibility to this establishment. But it’s not hot spicy, (unless you ask for it) it’s well-flavored spicy.

Myth 2: Indian Food Is All Vegetables

You can find plenty of veggie options here, but there are just as many meat choices. While chicken is the favored Indian meat, keep your eyes open, as the menu rotates weekly.

Myth 3: You Have To Eat Indian Food With Your Hands

You are allowed to do this, and it would be respectful to do so in India, but I used a fork. My wife went with a fork, too. My daughter chose to use her hands and a library book.

Add Music to the Mix

According to owner and musician Peter Hicks, they will host live Indian music events launching soon. They will be similar to the Curry in a Hurry sponsored “Sounds of the East,” playing live at the Panida Theater on Sept. 29 at 7 p.m.

Options For Restricted Diets

Gluten-Free? Yes

Vegetarian? Yes

Paleo? Yes

Additional Notes: All curry and side dishes are hand made in a traditional Indian style.

Curry in a Hurry

723B Pine St. Mondays, 3:00-6:00pm sandpointcurry.com

Find out more about Jules Fox at www. julesdangerfox.com, on facebook at facebook. com/JulesFoxAuthor, and @julesdangerfox on instagram and twitter. “Blazing saddles” film

EVENING OF INDIAN CLASSICAL MUSIC tuesday, sept. 20 @ 8pm Friday, sept. 23 @ 8pm sept. 15 @ 7:30pm | Sept. 16 @ 5:30pm Thursday, sept. 29 @ 7pm coming soon: “silver skies” - NY Film Critic series Sept. 30 @ 5:30pm | Oct. 1 @ 3:30pm & 7:30pm Oct. 2 @ 3:30pm

Tickets are going fast now! Only a few left in the close up and SPLASH seats.

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SHORT

World’s First Global Film Festival! • You, the

By Marcia Pilgeram Reader Food Columnist

The Sandpoint Eater

Pressing Matters

chunk of my heart as well. We shared meals, holidays and family vacations. By his account, Al had been married two and a half times but sadly was never able to have children. He adored mine and relished his role as honorary grandfather.

There may not yet be frost on the pumpkins, but I’ve already picked my tomatoes, made my peace and said farewell to a very windy summer. I can feel that nip in the evening air that says autumn looms, but I feel accomplished that the basil yielded a couple batches of pesto and my Mason jars are packed tight with crispy dill pickles. And I’m grateful that Ryanne’s fresh pressed apple cider fills a shelf in my refrigerator. On and off, for the past 20 years, we’ve reaped the rewards from our sturdy and beloved cider press.

The press originally belonged to our old neighbor Al, the first person we met when we moved here. It was shortly after acquiring (in a weak moment) the nanny goat who just wouldn’t stay put and made her daily break across the road to the old Waldorf School. Upon her arrival, the school secretary would call the sheriff. I had more on my mind than that damn goat: It was my first performance as a single parent in an unfamiliar town with a new, demanding job. The days were long, the money was tight and every single long and lonely night I lay awake, questioning myself and this major life transition.

Looking back, that goat was the best money I ever spent. (Actually, I believe she was free to a good home/unsuspecting sucker). Anyhow, up our common driveway came Al, leading/dragging Nanny towards me with the classic line, “Hey lady, I’ve got your goat.”

He did have my goat, and for the next ten years, a big

Every fall, Al made elaborate plans with Casey and Ryanne and their friends for a cider pressing extravaganza. The younger girls never seemed quite as humiliated and horrified as the high school girls when it came time to gather apples. Just recently, I suggested to Ryanne that the apple picking chores helped her develop character. She corrects me. “I already had character,” she expounds, “and it took a lot of it to stand alongside the Dover Highway picking apples of questionable ownership, dropping them into large garbage cans, and praying Al would return before any of the cool classmates spotted me.” The

younger girls were dropped in pairs along Upper and Lower Syringa to reap the fruits from low-hanging branches.

Al would drive the route several times to inspect everyone’s progress. Fear of admonishment kept the team looking real busy and picking for all their worth. When he was satisfied he had enough apples, Al loaded crew and crop in his pickup and headed home with the haul.

We all gathered around his garage, hosing apples and filling jugs. Al was none too particular about the condition of the fruit, so Ryanne and I would skillfully remove the weakest (and wormiest) apples and pitch them when he wasn’t looking. In between pressing apples, Al would entertain us with really corny jokes, and when he knew I needed it, he offered me sage advice and reminded me that “this too shall pass.” And it always did.

Besides the reward of fresh cider, the crown jewel of the action-packed day was a huge pizza party served in Al’s basement party room, filled with pinball, foosball, darts, a pool table, full sized-shuffleboard and 20-year-old soda pop.

Al was a retired aeronautical engineer who made exhaustive daily notes and kept a cider log to rival anyone’s Christmas card list. Armed with his list, 20 or so jugs of cider and his faithful companion, Chester the dog, Al would make the delivery rounds to all his favorite ladies. It was the highlight of his full and colorful life.

For years we kept the press humming and the jugs filled, then Al suffered a devastating stroke. Once we settled him back into his home with caregivers, Casey would race over every afternoon with flashcards and memory games in hand. To no one’s surprise he made a full recovery.

He had another great five years or so until, one day, with tools nearby and Walkman buds in his ears, he laid down for his final nap. Sorting his belongings was poignant: old calendars and lists would highlight important events, like the date he first met Ryanne’s husband, Russ (with glowing approval), Casey’s fish count from a day on the river or how many pizzas it took to feed the “cider crew.”

When Ryanne relocated to Idaho, her first request was for the cider press, collecting dust in an old shed. It’s been back in action for the past five years or so and even the toddler has a hand in helping with this tradition. Taking time for old traditions and creating new ones are the best gifts we can share. This cake is pretty great to pack up and share at a fall outing. If it’s an adult party, replace the cider with hard cider.

Spiced Apple Cider Bundt Cake

INGREDIENTS: DIRECTIONS:

•½ cup oil

•4 eggs

•¾ cup brown sugar

•¾ cup sugar

•½ cup applesauce 1 tsp ginger

•1 tsp cinnamon

•1 tsp baking soda

•1 tsp baking powder

•1 tsp vanilla extract

•2 ¼ cups flour

•1 cup apple cider (or hard cider)

Maple-Cider Icing

•1 cup powdered sugar

•1 Tbs maple syrup or honey

•1 Tbs apple cider (or hard cider)

•½ tsp cinnamon

•1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour Bundt pan and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand up mixer on medium speed, beat together oil, eggs, brown sugar and sugar until light and fluffy. And applesauce and mix briefly.

Add cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and vanilla. Beat until incorporated.

Turn the mixer to low, and add in thirds, alternating flour and cider. Beat until combined.

Pour batter into prepared Bundt pan and bake for about 45-50 minutes, until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool on rack, then invert onto cake plate before icing.

Making the glaze:

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Drizzle over cooled cake.

Drizzle plate with caramel sauce and set the cake slice on top to serve.

MUSIC

A man of the seasons: George Winston to play solo piano concert at Panida Theater

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

Inspiration can be found anywhere, but for acclaimed pianist George Winston, the changing seasons of his native Montana sparked a creative inspiration that has followed him over the past three decades of performing.

We talked with the softspoken piano virtuoso about his upcoming piano concert at the Panida Theater, his early influences, his unique style of rural folk piano and his love for the great New Orleans pianists of old.

SPR: You grew up in Montana, right? Not too far away from here?

George Winston: Yeah, in the eastern part. Miles City and Billings.

SPR: You seem to be influenced by the changing of seasons. I bet you had a lot of hard winters in Montana.

GW: Yeah, 100 percent of my influence was the seasons. I spent the first 12 years of my life not even listening to music. It was just the seasons. In Miles City, there wasn’t any TV, just one radio station. The seasons were my entertainment. That’s all I knew. Then I started listening to music when I was 12 in 1961. In that year there were 30 instrumentals in the top 40s. I only liked instrumentals. I would turn on the radio five minutes before the news and listen. I also loved the organ. One record I got later was a band with an organ. I’d never heard of them—it was The Doors. I said, “This is the greatest thing I’ve ever heard, I’ve got to get an organ and play in a band.” They spurred me from being a listener to instrumentals and organist to being a player. I started playing at 18 in 1967. Then I heard Fats Waller’s recordings. And I said, “Oh, it’s solo piano, not organ in a band, OK.”

SPR: Did you take any instruction or were you self-taught?

GW: No, not at all, I’m self-taught. I was never interested in European stuff. I had some jazz lessons when I first started from a great pianist, learning chords and music theory, but I wound up not being a jazz player at all … I don’t use written music. Nothing I want to play is on sheet music anyway.

SPR: Some of your biggest influences in the beginning were arrangements, but you primarily play solo.

GW: It never really worked for me to play in a band. I didn’t know there was anything else. I thought piano players went around playing solo in 1967. My main inspiration is the New Orleans pianists. That whole tradition started about 1850. Louis Gottschalk was the first New Orleans piano of the 1850s. He was the first great gumbo

pianist mixing influence from classical and the Caribbean. The blues didn’t exist yet. R&B didn’t exist yet. Now, it seems like everything comes from Professor Longhair one way or another. He influenced and inspired everybody.

SPR: When you trace the derivation back, it seems like if you removed one or two key people in every genre of music, you never know what would’ve happened in that genre.

GW: Or less would be recorded and you’d have to find it entirely underground. Ther are certain spike moments. Mine were hearing The Doors, hearing Fats Waller, Professor Longhair, James Booker later. I heard James Booker in 1982 and said, “That’s the way to play the piano.” And it still is.

SPR: For those unfamiliar, you are best known for your folk style piano. What does that mean?

GW: The earlier jazz style from the ‘30s used a lot of stride piano. I wanted something to complement the up-tempo stuff. So I came up with folk piano … It has a real sensibility about it. Stride piano was much more urban.

SPR: One of the greatest parts about music is, no matter how good you get, or how proficient you are in any instrument, there’s never an end to the learning that takes place.

GW: No question, yeah. There’s always another level, always another realization, always another fine tuning. To me, watching music and songs is like watching the weather. I don’t control the weather and I don’t desire to, but I look at the weather and say, “Now I know what I’m going to do” and I do it. Songs are like cats, they’re going to do what they’re going to do. The cat will

tell you when it wants out or wants food. Once I know that, the music tells you what to do.

SPR: You’ve got a new release coming out, right? “Spring Carousel – A Cancer Benefit.”

GW: I’m not sure when, but yeah, it’ll be out soon. I also have a Vol. 3 of Vince Guaraldi’s music. I did two volumes of his songs, and this next volume will be called “Bay of Gold.”

SPR: What do you have in store for us at the upcoming Panida show?

GW: The last time I played the Panida in 2012, I played the “Summer” show. Since I’m playing later in September, I’ll be playing the “Winter” show. It’s basically what I regard as autumn and winter type tunes. There will be stride, melodic folk piano, and pieces from the past records, some Vince Guaraldi pieces, some things I haven’t recorded yet.

SPR: What do you think about the sound in the Panida?

GW: It’s really great. It sounds great. I’ve been there I’m not sure how many times, maybe six, seven, eight times over the decades.

SPR: I know a lot of people are excited to have you back.

GW: Also, we ask people to bring cans of food to the show. We’ll be helping the Bonner Community Food Bank with proceeds from the show. We’re all trying to help out and that’s the best way I can.

SPR: Thanks again for taking the time to talk with us, George. Looking forward to the show.

Catch George Winston in concert at the Panida Theater on Friday, Sept. 23 at 8 p.m. Tickets are available for $26.50 at Panida.org, or in advance at Eichardt’s Pub and Eve’s Leaves in Sandpoint. For more information, check out www. GeorgeWinston.com.

This week’s RLW by Paul Gollin

READ

In the event you did not take that vacation drive across our great land this summer then be sure to read William Least Heat Moon’s classic travel journal “Blue Highways: A Journey Into America.”

Taking back roads and state highways, Moon, an Osage Indian and English Professor, drives his plumber’s van “Ghost Dancing” to out of the way plac es many of us will never see.

It’s one of those books that you’ll be truly sad when it ends: you just want more.

LISTEN

The best podcast you never listen to is Pop Culture Happy Hour from NPR

The free show gets dropped Fridays and covers books, music, movies and TV. It’s like hanging out with your four smartest, funniest friends and the chemistry never gets old.

Plus, there’s Glen Weldon, one of the funniest people alive.

WATCH

Michael Moore’s “Where To Invade Next” doubles as great entertainment and the playbook on how to fix certain problems here in America.

That France, Italy, Norway and Tunisia can fix big social problems so easily is a reminder that while we may be the greatest nation on earth there is still room for improvement. That’s the payoff of this movie this election year.

Then & Now

compiled by Cameron Barnes

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

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

The Hiatt and Williams new Studebaker dealership building located at 105 Pine Street in Sandpoint.

The same view today. The location today is known as the Sand Creek Plaza, and is home to Lana Kay Realty, Alliance Title and other offices.

CROSSWORD

Geeks

Again

ACROSS

Indian music

Rigid

Not fully closed

Without volition

Prohibit

Back of the neck

Equestrian

Fire residues

High fidelity

Trim

Forsake

Etch

Kindling

Antenna

Gist

Support

Debacle

Absorbs

A firm open-weave fabric

Navigational aid

Press

“Eureka!”

Breakdown

Mongolian desert

Stair

Soft drinks

DOWN

French for “Black”

Sea eagle

Jazz phrase

A girl’s toy

Contemptuous look

Former boxing champ

Apprehended

Make larger

To fancy (archaic)

Sin

Indian prince

12. Slack-jawed 13. Female horses

18. 21 in Roman numerals 24. Lair

25. Supernatural being

Despise 27. Nile bird 28. Devotees

Vague 31. Data 33. Jeans material 34. Killer whale 36. Countertenor 37. Vice President

38. Makes a mistake

Solution on page 16

42. A reversion to the state

43. Type of snake 45. Opportunity

Greek letter 48. Sing softly

Android 51. Caviar 52. Elephant horns 54. Does something 56. Novice 57. Among 58. Big party 59. L L L L 62. Not bottom

Corrections: In last week’s Mad About Science, Brenden Bobby stated diet sodas included sugar. That was false. Diet sodas actually contain sucralose. -BO

What would annoy me if a space visitor ever came to our planet would be if he kept talking about things in “his world.” Your world? We don’t give a flying hoot about your world.

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