Reader_September24_2015

(wo)MAN on the street

compiled by

Ben Olson

What’s your most embarassing moment? (we went into Eichardt’s Pub for our victims this week)

“When I was a kid, I started picking on this other kid at school. He started chasing me and I turned around and went ‘nyeh nyeh’ and then I turned back around and hit the corner of the building with my face. I got 10 stitches for it.”

Sarah Lindstrom Sandpoint

“I was pretty embarassed when a professor at college called me at the bar and asked if I’d drop his class. He said he hadn’t seen me in class for awhile, but he was pretty sure where I’d be.”

Doug Clark Sandpoint

“They all have to do with farting. In high school I was sleeping in English class and my head was down on the desk. All of a sudden, PPFFFT. I woke myself up, actually. I just pretended I was still asleep.”

Karen Sjoquist Sandpoint

“I was a white ninja for Halloween one year. I didn’t have any clean underwear, but I went to school anyway. In class, I went to do this high kick and my crotch just ripped out completely. I didn’t have any other clothes!”

Caleb Mullen Sandpoint

“This happened to, uh, a close associate of mine. He was a total socialphobe. He went to this party in Texas, which was his biggest nightmare. He had to go to the bathroom and ended up plugging up the toilet. All of a sudden it’s just pouring out. We’re talking turds on the floor. He decided to just bail. When he came out of the bathroom, this hot girl that he was talking to was waiting to go into the bathroom.”

Dave Gilchrist Sandpoint

“My mom.” That’s it?

(looks at her mom across the table)

“Yeah, just my mom.”

Laura Flannery Sandpoint

DEAR READERS,

I went into Eichardt’s this week and asked our readers what their most embarassing moment was. After hearing them all and sharing a laugh, I was reminded of one of my own that still gets me red in the face today.

I was 21, working as a golf professional at Hidden Lakes. I had been teaching golf lessons to a woman in her 30s, and I was smitten with her. When I finally asked her out, her response was, “Do you know your zipper is down?” That was strike one. When we went out on a date, I borrowed a boat from a friend and took her out to Garfield Bay Resort, drinking a healthy amount of beer along the way. While we were docking, she asked how to dock a boat. I was getting cocky at this point and swung the boat in a little fast, lost my balance and somehow gunned the throttle full. The boat flew up on the dock and teetered there, completely out of the water. When we finally got it moored and safe, the diners on the deck gave me a standing ovation for my awesome parking. Strike two. During dinner, a waitress handed me a napkin with a note written on it. “Could you please stop swearing, there are children present.” Strike three, I was out. I never got another date!

-Ben Olson, Publisher

READER

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

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Publisher: Ben Olson ben@sandpointreader.com

Editor: Cameron Rasmusson cameron@sandpointreader.com

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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

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About the Cover

This week’s cover photo was taken by Merrick Chase. The photo features MarchFourth Marching Band, who will be playing a fun-filled show at the Panida Theater on Friday, Oct. 2 with opener Sepiatonic.

COMMENTARY Celebrating America with Garrison Keillor

By Nick Gier Reader Columnist

“It is the will of God that we must have critics, and missionaries, and Congressmen, and humorists, and we must bear the burden.”

—Mark Twain

Garrison Keillor’s “Prairie Home Companion” aired every weekend on 600 NPR stations with 4 million listeners since 1974, has become an icon of Americana. Keillor once tried to retired, but he failed. He now says he is serious about it. As they are now doing with Click and Clack the Car Guys, I hope they broadcast Keillor from the archives because I never tire of hearing his stories again and again.

Sam Anderson describes Keillor’s humor as “polite, understated, and deliberately anachronistic; it never breaks a sweat. When he speaks, blood pressures drop across the country [and] wild horses accept the saddle.”

Keillor certainly has his detractors. Feminists complain about the lack of positive images of women. Instead there are housewives, who, during the long Midwest winters, draw the noose of Christianity so tightly around their men’s necks that they flee to their fishing shacks for days at a time.

There are also his babes, one of whom “wore a knit sweater and jeans so tight it looked as if she’d been poured into them and forgot to say ‘When.’ When she moved, she seemed to undulate under her clothes in ways that took a man’s mind off the state of the economy.”

Keillor also got into trouble with gay men when he described a pair of them as “sardonic fellows with fussy hair who live in an over-decorated apartment with a striped sofa and a small weird dog.”

Critics don’t realize that Twain and Keillor are equal

opportunity satirists, who ridicule everyone, including themselves. Keillor’s put-downs of radio people—too clumsy and ugly to be seen on TV—are especially scathing.

Keillor is kinder to religion than Twain ever was. In typical self-depreciating style, he described his own faith on some days as “so small that it would take a microscope to find it.” He compares himself to the Prodigal Son of the New Testament.

Keillor’s subtle humor stands in contrast to his outrageous tales. Did you know that one of the Wise Men was actually a Lutheran? Archaeologists from Minnesota have now proved that myrrh is originally a hot dish from the Middle West, not the Middle East.

One of my favorite skits is the one about cowboys Dusty and Lefty. Dusty is the one with a hard edge—preferring dance hall floozies and rotgut whiskey—but Lefty is the sensitive one who prefers to date librarians and drink a good Chardonnay. Lefty would have liked the

cowboy in a New Yorker cartoon who reserved one of the slots in his cartridge belt for his lip balm.

Space does not allow me to retell my favorite stories such as “Truck Stop” about Florian and Myrtle Krebsbach’s ill-fated trip to a Minneapolis clinic. Sure, he makes fun of them—a bumbling old codger and his nagging wife—but in doing so he reminds us of our deep and common humanity.

Another hilarious tale is the one about 24 Lutheran ministers going on a ride on Carl Bunsen’s new pontoon boat. After being forced into the water by a blazing charcoal BBQ, the ministers—all in sodden turtle-necks, earth-tone corduroys, and hush puppies—are led to shore by a guardian angel, a small boy who knows exactly where the shallow water is.

There was a time in Lake Woebegon when the whole town would turn out for a special Fourth of July event. Inspired by a traveling cap salesman, the citizens would don various colored hats and shirts

to make the Living Flag.

The problem was that person after person would break rank and climb the highest building to admire their amazing creation. Then some people ran home to get their cameras, and it just became a big hassle rather than a patriotic celebration.

Garrison Keillor makes us all proud to be Americans, and by cutting all of us down to proper size, he shows us the humility that should keep us from claiming qualities that we do not have.

Keillor is a superb antidote to American exceptionalism, but at the same time he is the best promoter of a unique America, a flawed but dynamic country of hard-working natives and immigrants with basically good values. It is a country where “the women are strong, the men are good-looking, and all the children are above average.”

Nick Gier taught philosophy at the University of Idaho for 31 years.

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

Are you interested in obtaining your private pilot’s license?

Granite Aviation is offering a series of ground school classes in October that provide the first step toward soaring high.

Private Pilot Ground School is open to anyone who is interested in pursuing flight training. The Ground School course starts Oct. 7 and will run through Oct. 21, meeting Wednesdays at 6 p.m.-7:30 p.m. and Saturdays 9 a.m.-11 a.m. The total cost for the courses is $350.

“It’s partial introductory, and works the student toward the oral exam with the FAA when they’re ready,” said Andy Berrey, owner of Granite Aviation.

There will be two instructors working with the group; Ken Larson and Tyler Herbst.

“Included with the entry fee is a full airman’s information manual,” said Berrey. “Along with your own pilot’s log book and charts to go with it.”

Also included is an introductory flight in either a Cessna 172 or Tecnam P92 Eaglet.

“After you take this class, you enter the regular flight training,” said Berrey. “You set a schedule with an instructor and start flying. This is the first step toward becoming a private pilot.”

To sign up for the class or for more information, call Granite Aviation at 263-9102.

Shelby for Mayor...

Dear Editor,

Vote for Shelby Rognstad in the Sandpoint Mayor’s election on November 3rd.

Shelby wants to bring clean, high-tech firms here that provide good-paying jobs.

He drafted a zoning plan that keeps Sandpoint affordable, with no sprawl, and is environmentally sensitive.

He created an herbicide-free, hand-pulling program to rid our lake of invasive weeds.

He supported railroad quiet zones in town. And, he has a solution to downtown parking.

Shelby is a good listener,

negotiator and problem-solver. With his eight years in city government, and as a small-business owner, he will bring to us valuable experience, farsightedness and sensitivity of our life style.

So, come out and vote for this very able and exceptional candidate for mayor, Shelby Rongstad.

Philip A. Deutchman Sandpoint

PERSPECTIVES

Perspectives on Sandpoint

By Dustin Hoffman Reader Contributor

You’re driving north out of Coeur d’Alene. You pass through Hayden. Then you see what could be any American town as viewed from the highway.

The stoplights and intersections become less frequent. The familiar clusters of fast food eateries and retail chains are compacted into your rear view mirror. The road stretches out, courses over hills, winds as it climbs. You cross a threshold.

The beauty you observed was a backdrop until now. Evergreens are tall and straight like the masts of a ships. Bare rocks are inscribed with the underlying code of the universe. The mountains are stacked in unending succession, marching into the blue veil. You’re saturated, full to tingling with visions of a painted world. Suddenly, the terrain smooths. You glide out over the glistening waters of Pend Oreille, a spectator to her depth and breadth, to the green-blue vision of tree clad mountains retreating in every direction. You cross the Long Bridge and take the first exit.

Sandpoint, North Idaho. You were born here. You grew up here.

Maybe you’re a prodigal son or daughter. Someday you’ll come home, if you haven’t already. Or, maybe you’re like me, you came here an emigrant, a refugee of some grey city, USA.

This place seems to draw like the tide. It is synergistic, more than the tamaracks and the ponderosa pines, more than Schweitzer and Lake Pend Oreille. It drew me 1,400 miles, sight unseen. I didn’t know anyone who

had been closer than Coeur d’Alene.

My wife found Sandpoint on Google Maps. She liked the look of it, nestled between the 38th largest lake in America and a ski mountain. We planned our escape for almost a year. During that time I remember sitting in my office punching Sandpoint into the search engine. It was a sacred ritual. I read the Wikipedia article. I studied the census data. I visited locals websites, looked at pictures and took virtual flights around the area compliments of Google Earth.

The move was intentional. We wanted to find a place to live and move there. We didn’t have a job or a chain of what-ifs to lead us around by the neck. My wife and I didn’t know how we were going to survive in North Idaho, but we were committed to making it work. That

was the most important part of our decision. We did what we set out to do, and we have no regrets.

Now we’ve lived here for almost a year. We’ve met a surprising number of people like us, people with a similar story. Many recall the first time they crossed the Long Bridge as their singular inspiration to make Sandpoint home. Some view Sandpoint as the endling of small town America, revering it as though they’d stumbled upon a thriving resurrection of the lost city of Atlantis. Regardless of the initial draw, people desire to live here, to raise families here. Out of the vinyl boxes of America they come to Sandpoint with little more than the determination to make it work.

It is an inspiring story, a romantic vision that has existed since before the first settlers, a call to adventure

that reflects a larger human narrative. But there is another side to the story, another narrative, that of the native residents. Some could trace their lineage back to the brave people who first settled this area over 100 years ago: trappers, traders, miners, loggers, and railroad workers. For them, Sandpoint is a generational family home.

While Sandpoint natives may not have exclusive claim to the land, they have a culture and a history worthy of respect. They are not obligated to accept every newcomer with unbridled hospitality, though many do. They have seen people come and go: tourists, seasonal residents, and those whose honeymoon with North Idaho ended after their first winter. They have sustained this area and proven their ability to survive here. There is no impetus for them to adapt to newcomers.

Whether we recognize it or not, many of us come here with the expectation that someone will cater to our needs. When in the city, you immerse yourself in the culture of your choice, you draw around you people like yourself. For the most part, you can afford to ignore everyone else. That fast food, city-centered way of life doesn’t work here.

The wild gods of the Idaho Panhandle require a sacrifice in return for the enduring beauty and serenity of this place: humility. Treat other people as you would like to be treated.

That is at the heart of small town charm. If we’re to live together as newcomers and natives enjoying the wonders of Sandpoint, it will be through the preservation of a culture wherein people care about other people.

Idaho school vaccination exemption rate highest in nation

By Harrison Berry For Boise Weekly

One of Republican presidential contender Donald Trump’s most brazen moments at the Sept. 16 candidates’ debate came during an exchange with fellow GOP nomination hopeful Ben Carson.

When asked by debate moderator Jake Tapper whether Trump should stop publicly linking vaccines to autism, Carson—a pediatric neurosurgeon—responded “[Trump] is an OK doctor, but the fact of the matter is, we have extremely well-documented proof that there’s no autism associated with vaccines.”

Trump doubled down on his belief vaccinations have helped push autism to “epidemic” levels in the past 25-30 years.

“It has gotten totally out of control,” he said.

The exchange between Trump and Carson highlighted the ongoing rift between so-called “anti-vaxxers” and the research and evidence debunking claims vaccines cause neurological conditions such as autism.

According to a report released by the Centers for Disease Control in late August, nowhere in America is that rift wider than Idaho, which had a 6.5 percent childhood vaccination exemption rate during the 2014-2015 school year.

Figures like those have stakeholders across the Gem State wringing their hands.

“We believe we can do better,” wrote Idaho Public Health Medical Director Dr. Christine Hahn in a blog post published on the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare website following release of the CDC report.

Resistance to childhood vaccination began in earnest in 1998, when Andrew Wakefield, a gastroenterologist at the Royal Free Hospital in London, published a paper voicing concerns about a possible link between the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine and autism. Though medical researchers long ago discredited the MMR-autism link, they have struggled to regain public confidence in a variety of vaccines—to the point where

the medical community and anti-vaxxers are not speaking the same language.

“You need to stop using the word ‘immunization.’ We don’t say ‘immunization.’ Vaccines don’t immunize anything,” Ingri Cassel, of North Idaho-based anti-vaccination group Vaccination Liberation, told Boise Weekly in 2011.

When it comes to national childhood vaccination statistics, Idaho is an outlier. The state with the next highest total exemption rate is Colorado at 5.4 percent; the lowest is Alabama, at 0.7 percent. California’s total number of exempted students is 13,993, which dwarfs Idaho’s 1,432, but Idaho’s total exemption rate is more than 2.5 times the Golden State’s—and the rate increased by 0.1 percent between the 2013-2014 and 20142015 school years.

CDC delved further into the data, breaking down total stateby-state exemptions by those based on “philosophic,” religious or medical objectives (90 percent, 9.5 percent and 0.3 percent in Idaho, respectively), as well as those parents claiming an exemption during school registration because their children were behind on their vaccination regimen.

“The sliver of good news is that 90 percent of Idaho kids are covered,” said Idaho Department of Health and Welfare Public Information Officer Niki Forbing-Orr. “Over the years, Idaho’s vaccination rate has been trending upward.”

In Bonner County, the childhood vaccination exemption rate hovers at 20.6 percent. Dana Williams, a registered nurse at the Lake Pend Oreille School District, has daily conversations with parents who don’t want their children to receive vaccines, and the topic of unvaccinated children comes up at every staff and administration meeting she attends.

Williams described an instance in which a parent filled out an exemption form other than the one mandated by the state because it implied by not vaccinating his child, he wanted his child to become ill.

“I said, ‘It doesn’t say that. It says you’re making a choice

based on what you feel, philosophically, that you don’t want your child to have vaccines,’” Williams said.

More than a decade has passed since an outbreak of a vaccine-preventable disease in the school district, despite several near misses—outbreaks in neighboring counties and states. According to Williams, time has eroded the cultural memory of when diseases like smallpox and measles ran rampant.

“I remember taking a polio vaccine when I was in grade school—you know, the sugar cube, so that tells you how old I am—but there hasn’t been polio here for a long time, so people don’t think it’s that bad of a disease,” she said.

Williams serves all 11 schools in the Lake Pend Oreille School District, and she said unvaccinated children pose a critical public health threat there. She said the principle of “herd immunity”— vaccinated children are a shield against disease for unvaccinated children—isn’t present in Bonner County. Herd immunity also buys health care workers time in the event of an outbreak. For instance, it takes five to 10 days for the obvious signs of a measles infection to appear but in that time,

a sick child can spread infection to her classmates.

“The thing that I don’t like about it is, we’re asking parents to vaccinate their children. They’re in classrooms of 20 to 30. One kid gets sick, and you know what? A bunch of others can get sick.

That’s why we want them to get vaccinated,” Williams said. “It’s bothersome to me because I try to

talk to parents and let them voice their feelings, and I try to explain to them that, you know, you can die from this. Sometimes, they just don’t get it.”

Harrison Berry is a staff writer for the Boise Weekly

Sandpoint businesses

rack up honors

Always nice to see locals do well, especially when the honors come in pairs.

First up is Kochava, which has been named one of three finalists for Idaho’s Innovative Company of the Year award. The company made the short list after a selection committee of business, technology and academic leaders reviewed a list of nominations. Kochava, a mobile advertising analystics company, is up against Fisher’s Technology and Proof Eyewear for the award, which is set to be announced on Oct. 21.

Evans Brothers Coffee joins the award season fray with their selection to compete for the title of America’s best coffeehouse. The coffee throwdown takes place Oct. 23-24 at the Northwest regional competition in Portland, Ore. Each team will bring their own coffee as well as a menu of espresso, cappuccino, latte, flavored latte, two manually brewed coffee options and a daily special.

In the words of Dr. Rumack from “Airplane!”: “I just want to tell you both good luck. We’re all counting on you.” [CR]

FEATURE

Transparency and the new city administrator post

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff

As Sandpoint lumbers toward November’s election, it’s apparent one issue will define candidates more than any other: the hiring of the new city administrator position.

The question has prompted debate on Internet comment threads and social media, with discussion intensifying in the wake of a contested mayoral race between Shelby Rognstad and Mose Dunkel. There were the usual questions. Is the position worth its $100,000 salary? Does Sandpoint require a city administrator with its existing department heads and an elected mayor already in service? However, in the past several weeks, the central debate has been reframed: Is the city right to shut the public out of its hiring process?

It’s true that city officials have no legal obligation to include public feedback in its hiring practices. According to Mayor Carrie Logan, recent years have seen a new planning director, Aaron Qualls, and a new fire chief, Ron Stocking, take the reins at their departments, and neither were subject to scrutiny beyond an internal interview process.

“We’ve never had this level of openness in terms of hiring any other department head,” said Rognstad, the City Council president.

On the other hand, the adoption of a city administrator represents a far bigger change than simply replacing a department head. And when the city confirmed last week its candidate interviews would be largely closed to the public, some community members resented being shut out.

“Just because they have the right to do it this way doesn’t mean they should,” said Raphael Barta, president of the Selkirk Association of Realtors.

As it turns out, the hir-

ing process won’t be entirely closed-door after all. This week, Logan announced that the public would indeed have a chance to question at least one final city administrator candidate before council members make the decision to approve the new hire.

This will take place at an upcoming council meeting after a selection committee of members appointed by the mayor narrows down the list to one or more finalists.

“The city recognizes that, because this is a very special post new to Sandpoint, it is vital that the community have confidence and faith in the selection,” Logan wrote in a statement released Tuesday.

For some members of the public, this isn’t quite the solution they hoped to see. Former councilwoman and city clerk Helen Newton, who doesn’t necessarily oppose the city administrator position but has criticized officials’ handling of the hiring, worries the decision to hire a specific candidate will be a foregone conclusion before any public comment opportunity. She would prefer to see a selection committee established through full council collaboration, as well as feedback from city employees and the public, rather than a single mayoral decision.

“The council must remember that they have the power over this process,” Newton said. “If they decide the entire process needs to slow down, they can slow it down.”

It’s worth remembering the public has already had a chance to comment on the new position during the city budgeting process, and they didn’t exactly pack the house. Throughout budget workshops, only a handful of people shared their thoughts on the new position, and no one offered commentary at a public hearing before council members passed the new budget.

“I thought the city gave ample opportunities for citizens to

weigh in on the hiring of a city administrator,” said retired businessman Barney Ballard, who is more concerned about the money being used to pay the new salary

“It might [have been] prudent to use the money considered ‘saved’ [in the budget] as an offset for the expenses associated with Memorial Field, rather than another administrative level,” Ballard said.

Then again, Barta believes those opportunities weren’t sufficiently publicized to generate attendance. He thinks leadership on the matter would have been improved by actively seeking local participation.

“I agree with so much of what the city tries to do, but the fact is [elected officials] are all insiders,” he said.

“In the end it may be that we get behind [the new administrator], but right now it all seems very rushed,” he added.

Complicating matter further is the sharp divide between mayor candidates Rognstad and Dunkel on the city administrator issue.

Rognstad believes the position is necessary for Sandpoint’s continued growth and says the right candidate may generate more than his or her salary costs in grants alone. There’s also the matter of continuity at City Hall. Officials have said an administrator could ease the transition

from one elected body to another, but Rognstad is more concerned with the number of department heads that may retire within the next several years. The public works, finance, parks and rec, fire and legal departments all face this possibility.

As for transparency in hiring, Rognstad said they need to consider the candidates themselves as interviews move forward.

“[Opening interviews to the public] unnecessarily exposes them and could threaten any existing employment they may have,” he said.

Dunkel, on the other hand, has been a vocal opponent of hiring a city administrator since it came to light. Since the position is set to become reality, he said he’s committed to working with the selected candidate if he’s elected mayor. However, he believes the hiring process reveals a trend of

opaqueness at City Hall over the past several years.

“Who remembers the closeddoor ‘invite-only’ meeting regarding coal trains that the mayor held?” Dunkel said, referring to an incident where an individual was turned away from attending an closed-door informational meeting. “This is why people feel so divided from the operation of the city—the transparency is very weak.”

It’s clear debate over the city administrator and the city’s approach to hiring a candidate won’t die down anytime soon. On the contrary, the next few weeks will probably amplify discussion as the city nears both the election and the selection committee’s announcement of a final candidate or candidates.

Bouquets:

•A very big bouquet goes out this week to a handful of volunteers who read our “B&B” column last week about a poor speciman of a human being who left some very big garbage by the lake at the Pack River Flats. They sent in the following message:

“Great Bouquets and Barbs column last week! We decided to help out a little bit. The Kaniksu Land Trust, Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness, and Larson’s Good Clothes all pitched in to pick up 5 miles on Hwy 200 between East Sunny Side Road and Clark Fork! We hauled up the dryer and fax machine to the pullout so ITD could pick it up. In all we collected over 50 bags of garbage. One of the great things about the Sandpoint area is the wonderful volunteers!”

Nice work, guys. Way to take the initiative! Check out their haul in the photo to the right.

Barbs:

•Normally, I’m a champion of free speech and civil rights, but in the case of those people who hang out around town holding signs with bloody fetuses for their abortion protests, I’d love to shut them up with a punch in the face. OK, I get your point; you have every right to protest abortion. But do you have to hold these disgusting signs, or worse, have your children hold them? There was a girl who looked no older than 10 years old holding a sign with an aborted fetus. Is she really old enough to form her own opinion, or are her parents simply using her? The logic of these signs is not sound. It’s purely shock value. Shall I hold a picture of a dead soldier to protest the usage of fossil fuels? I find this trend disgusting and not at all appropriate for a small town such as ours. Find a better way to make your point, people.

Convoy of Hope aims to bolster family values

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff

Hope comes in many forms, as Pastor Eric Rust of Cedar Hills Church can tell you. He hopes to address hope in every manifestation, be it emotional, physical, tangible or spiritual, at Bonner County’s first Convoy of Hope event beginning 10 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 3. An effort that has brought churches and nonprofit organizations of all stripes into

the fold, the Convoy of Hope is a family assistance event that aims to leave all involved with a brighter outlook.

“This gives families a reason to smile together, and we all need a reason for that,” he said.

Smiles should be in plentiful supply thanks to the Convoy barbecue and other chances for families to eat and play together. But the event meets practical needs beyond establishing community and interpersonal bond-

ing. Hundreds of volunteers and an army of organizations join forces to offer haircuts, free groceries, medical screenings, job services, spiritual support and more throughout the day. There will be something to keep just about anyone busy. For instance, the kids can get hair cuts or occupy themselves with children’s activities while mom peruses clothing and grocery options. If dad happens to be out of work, he can seek advice from experts on crafting his resume or finding job opportunities.

For the first year, the Sandpoint Convoy of Hope is already operating on an impressive scale. The entirity of the Bonner County Fairgrounds will be filled with activity and organizations, while the main exhibit hall will be packed with all the sponsoring organizations. In fact, it’s a great opportunity to see just how many nonprofits operate within the community and appreciate the amount of work they do.

“This isn’t meant to replace what they’re doing,” Rust said. “We actually want to showcase what they’re doing.”

The Convoy of Hope is part of a larger body of faith-driven events throughout the country. A successful Coeur d’Alene event has been in operation for the past couple years. When Rust and other local spiritual leaders saw its success, they began discussing how to bring it to Sandpoint. Before long, the movement had grown into something far larger than anyone anticipated.

“It was kind of like a viral thing that just grew as more people got involved,” Rust said.

However, Rust said the Convoy needs all the help it can get to ensure it’s executed without a hitch. Those who wish to volunteer can attend an orientation session at First Christian Church, 201 N. Division Ave., at 7 p.m. Oct. 2.

Museum exhibit to offer period dress and photos

By Cameron Rasmusson Reader Staff

A stroll through the dresses and suits that adorn the Bonner County History Museum is like a trip through time.

Looking at the garments that clothed Bonner County residents nearly 100 years ago tells you something about the way they lived and worked. It’s all a part of the carefully crafted exhibit opening to the general public at Bonner County History Museum this weekend. And there’s no better time to see it than this Saturday, Sept. 26, when residents can visit for free thanks to Smithsonian Magazine’s Museum Day event.

“I see this opening as a wonderful opportunity for those who have not been into the museum in a while, or ever, to come see what we do,” said Museum Administrator Cameron Murray. “It’s also a chance for people who saw [the 1880s exhibit], to come in and see how fashion changed in Bonner County as the world changed.”

The latest exhibit features a continuation of the museum’s “Tales From the Wardrobe” displays. A series that kicked off

with an exploration of North Idaho clothing in the late-1800s, this next stage features outfits from 1920-1939. The clothing reveals much about the personalities and the practical needs of the individuals who once worked and played in them.

“The second segment in our series ‘Tales from the Wardrobe’ uses a rarely-seen portion of our collection in a very interesting way,” said Museum Curator Heather Upton. “We have managed to paint a picture of Bonner County history, from the opulence of the Roaring Twenties to the severity of the Depression years and everything in between.”

For a more direct look at the Sandpoint’s transformation through the decades, check out the Then and Now exhibit. A collaboration between museum personnel and Sandpoint Reader publisher Ben Olson, Then and Now contrasts antiquated photos of iconic Bonner County locations with modern photos taken by Olson.

“We’re lucky to get to present Ben Olson’s photographs in this way,” Murray said. “You can really appreciate how much—

and how little—Sandpoint has changed.”

Securing free entry to the museum from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday is easy thanks to Smithsonian Magazine. Simply visit www. smithsonianmag.com/museumday/tickets/ to print out your free pass.

If you appreciate everything the museum does to preserve Bonner County’s past, consider becoming a member. Museum staff are preparing to launch their 2016 membership drive, which carries with it a host of benefits and starts as low as $20 per year. These include free annual admission, 10

percent off gift shop purchases, priority notices and discounts to upcoming events, discounts on research and reproduction fees, free guest passes and exclusive member events.

“We are continually looking at news ways to improve membership benefits and programming” said Executive Director Olivia Luther Morlen, “and we plan to launch a few new and exciting ideas this year.”

Become a member online at www.bonnercountyhistory.org, by phone at 263-2344 or by dropping by the museum in person.

Class starts October 7th at 6:00 p.m.

informed community

24 25 26 27 28 29 30 1

Yappy Hour 4pm - 7pm @ Eichardt’s Pub

“Infinitely Polar Bear” Film 7:30pm @ Panida Theater

Mark Ruffalo is Cameron, a man who suffers from bipolar disorder

80s Night at the Niner @ 219 Lounge

Live @ The Office w/ Josh Hedlund 6pm @ Sandpoint Reader Office (111 Cedar

Our office concerts are back after a summer

Come down and see Josh Hedlund do what best. Tickets are $5, and first come first serve

Dollar Beers!

8pm @ Eichardt’s Pub

Idaho Draft Horse and Mule International

Prizes for best dressed, drink specials, rockin’ 80s music. Celebrate the decade that time forgot

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

Live Music w/ Harolds IGA

9pm - 12am @ 219 Lounge

The Northwest’s largest draft horse and expo, held at the Bonner County Fairgrounds. IdahoDraftHorseShow.com. 208-691-4365

Live Music w/ Ken Mayginnes 7pm @ La Rosa Club

Dancing With Our Stars 7pm @ Panida Theater

Indie folk rock trio in the den of iniquity

Sandpoint Farmers Market 9am - 1pm @ Farmin Park

Only a couple weeks left for the Market! The season ends Oct.10. Live music by Ben and Cadie

Used Book Sale

10am - 2pm @ Bonner Mall

Come one, come all to the Bonner Mall’s Used Book Sale on the last Saturday of every month.

Sandpoint Chess Club

5pm

7pm

The coveted mirror-ball trophy is up for grabs as Pend Arts Council brings back the Utah Ballroom Dance Company for their annual Dancing with Our Stars competition

Bonner County Museum Exhibit

10am - 2pm @ Bonner County History Museum

“Tales from the Wardrobe: A Look at Fashion From Bonner ty, 1920-1939” In this second segment in the series we again use fashion to tell the tale of the life and times County during the Roaring 20’s and the Depression. “History Making: Then and Now; a collaboration with Ben Olson Sandpoint Reader” in which we present a collection of photographs in which Mr. Olson reshoots historic images of Sandpoint tures them alongside a historic image taken at the same

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

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

Master Mind - Genius Evening 5pm @ Bernd Barrel

All Sandpoint business owners welcome! FREE event with tips and tools for a thriving business!

Trivia Night 7pm - 9pm @ MickDuff’s

Bingo Night

6:30pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall

Bingo, beer, popcorn, friendly bartenders, a nice courtyard. Seriously, what else do you need?

Idaho Draft Horse and Mule International

The Northwest’s largest draft horse and expo, held at the Bonner County Fairgrounds. IdahoDraftHorseShow.com. 208-691-4365

“Infinitely Polar Bear” Film

3pm @ Panida Theater

Mark Ruffalo is Cameron, a man suffers from bipolar disorder

Karaoke Night 9pm - Midnight @ 219 Lounge

Live Music w/ Chris Lynch 6pm - 9pm @ Arlo’s Ristorante Charley Packard & Friends

Sandpoint Farmers Market 3pm - 5:30pm @ Farmin Park

Reggae Night at the Niner 9pm - 12am @ 219 Lounge Featuring DJ Josh Adams

Monarch Open Mic 6pm - 9pm @ Monarch Mountain Coffee

Erik the Cinematographer 12pm @ Sandpoint Library

Award winning film maker Erik Daarstad’s presentation on his life’s work. Free and open to the public

7:30pm @ Eichardt’s Pub Come on down and see only, Charley Packard. He’s

Kootenai Elementary Fall Festival 4pm - 7pm @ Kootenai Elem. School

All are invited to this community event, featuring games, prizes, food, inflatables to jump on, plus a silent auction Thursday 5pm Rock Featuring

ful

September 24 - October 1, 2015

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

Reader recommended

Hedlund (111 Cedar St.) after a summer break!

Soldiers in Petticoats: The Struggles of the Suffragettes

6pm @ Panida Little Theater

Hedlund do what he does

come first serve

International Show

draft horse and mule County Fairgrounds. 208-691-4365

Marty Perron & Idaho Pour Authority

A one-woman show by Tames Alan presented by the North Idaho Federated Republican Women. $12 advance, $15 at the door

Kalispel Tour of Lake Pend Oreille 1pm @ Kramer Marina (Hope)

Live Music w/ Jake Robin

9pm - 12am @ 219 Lounge

Check out Jake’s new album

Poetry Open Mic

6pm @ Monarch Mountain Coffee

Idaho Draft Horse and Mule International Show

The Northwest’s largest draft horse and mule expo, held at the Bonner County Fairgrounds. IdahoDraftHorseShow.com. 208-691-4365

“Infinitely Polar Bear” Film

7:30pm @ Panida Theater

Mark Ruffalo is Cameron, a man who suffers from bipolar disorder

grabs as Pend Oreille Dance Company competition Palettes Uncorked — @ DiLuna’s Cafe

Museum From Bonner Counseries we will once and times of Bonner Depression. “History in the with Ben Olson and the collection of photographs of Sandpoint and feathe same location

Mule International Show

draft horse and mule County Fairgrounds.

IdahoDraftHorseShow.com. 208-691-4365

Film

Cameron, a man who disorder

Open mic for all poets, spoken word artists and acoustic musicians... no sign up sheet, no microphones, no censorship

Live Music w/ Jacob Cummings

5:30pm @ Pend d’Oreille Winery

A guitarist, singer and songwriter out of Everett, Wash., Cummings performs a bluespop genre with an easy listening feel

Enjoy a fun night with wine, food and a little creativity. Artist Randy Wilhelm will walk the class step-by-step through the process of creating your own acrylic masterpiece that you can take home!

Live Music w/ Rob and Amy Kincaid

7pm - 9pm @ La Rosa Club

Idaho Draft Horse and Mule International Show

The Northwest’s largest draft horse and mule expo, held at the Bonner County Fairgrounds

National Ballroom Dance Week Celebration

7pm - 10pm @ Sandpoint Community Hall

Learn Fox Trot, Rumba, and Swing Dance taught by experienced local instructors; there will also be general dancing, refreshments, mixers, door prizes, and a drawing for one month of free dance lessons. Singles, couples, teens, and all levels of dancers are welcome. Cost is $9 adults and $5 teens. USA Dance events are alcohol and tobacco free.

Hoptoberfest

2pm - 9pm @ MickDuff’s Beer Hall

Live Music w/ Truck Mills

5pm - 7pm @ Idaho Pour Authority

100,000 Poets for Change

1pm - 4pm @ Evans Brothers Coffee

Presented by Lost Horse Press and Bonner County Human Rights Task Force, a poetry and music open mic for local writers, musicians, artists and students to express their ideas for positive change in our community and in the world. To be considered for a spot as a featured reader or musician, contact Lost Horse Press at 208-255-4410

UPCOMING EVENTS

Oct. 2-3 — “Waiting For Godot” @ Heartwood Center

Oct. 2 — Kelley McRae Duo @ Di Luna’s Cafe

Oct. 3 — Convoy of Hope @ Bonner County Fairgrounds

Blues and Brews Fundraiser for Celebrate Life

Packard & Friends

Eichardt’s Pub down and see the one, the Packard. He’s back, baby!

5pm - 7pm @ Idaho Pour Authority

With Litehouse Salad Dressing Blue Cheese and Laughing Dog Brewing Beer!

Live music with Marty Perron and Doug Bond. Beer, Swag, Raffle and tickets available for a chance to win a personal Water Skeeter Pontoon boat with proceeds going to Celebrate Life and their efforts to help those battling cancer

Manhattan Shorts Film Festival - 1:30pm @ the Panida Theater

Join over 100,000 film lovers in over 250 cities across six continents to view and vote on the Finalists Film in the 18th Annual Manhattan Shorts Film Festival. $10 adult, $6 senior, $5 student, $4 child

Thursday Night Football Party

5pm @ Laughing Dog Brewery

Rock 103 Thursday Night Football Party hosted by Tracy Bell. Featuring the Baltimore Ravens at the Pittsburgh Steelers

Dollar Beers!

8pm @ Eichardt’s Pub

Good until the keg’s dry

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

Hi, my name is Petie Bass, and I live with my mom and dad in our little cabin deep in the woods. Mom found me at the pet store in town 13 years ago. My brother, Marley, a golden retriever, snuck in the car when mom was going to town and she never even noticed him until she was almost to Yoke’s. Naturally, she had to stop at the pet store and get him a treat and some water. I guess she was looking for me anyway, because she said while she was there, poking around the store, she found me, reduced, and in a little pen all by myself. I think she thought I was a Guinea pig, but I wasn’t! Dad said she could bring me home and that’s how I got to live with my very wonderful family.

My very favorite thing to do is to ride around in stuff. I love our canoe and any floaty that mom blows up every summer. We have a big pond and mom and I love to go look for frogs and turtles. I have a captain’s hat too, but it says Alaska on it, so it’s a little embarrassing but mom thinks I look cute, so I try hard to keep it on. I like wheelbarrows too and get lots of rides in the garden.

We have a goose named Larry, and I am the only guy that Larry likes aside from Dad. Larry doesn’t like most people and he especially doesn’t like Mom, but he likes Dad and me a whole lot.

I am also a fearless bear hunter. One afternoon Mom, Dad and I were sitting on our front porch and a bear came right through the gate! I was the one who saw him first and I leaped into action. I got him too! Bit him right in the ...! He ran and ran. Good thing he did. I think I might have scared Mom and Dad to death but I saved them both!

Submitted by Kestrel Bass, Sandpoint -petie-

The ladies of the day

By Tim Henney Reader Humor Columnist

Willie, Waylon and other musical cowboys like to croon about ladies of the evening. Without ladies of the evening the early West as we know it from movies and TV never would have happened. Nor would western films themselves. Think “Lonesome Dove.” And cowgirl vamps like Calamity Jane. Literature would have lacked spunk and spice. No classics like Daniel DeFoe’s salute to Moll Flanders. No busy Belle Watling in “Gone With The Wind.” No Susie Wong in “The World Of Susie Wong.” Stimulating histories of big cities and exotic tourist towns alike would be mere footnotes. Imagine the Big Apple without the sensuous entrepreneurship of famed madam Polly Adler. Same for Tijuana, Mexico, without the charms of Cassandra—a decades-long, overthe-border siren for California businessmen and politicians. Or Hollywood’s own escort service tycoon Heidi Fleiss. Her celebrity clientele earned her millions in her 20s. Same for timber, oil and mining boom towns. Ladies of the evening pitched right in. Still do. Curious, I wondered if Sandpoint had ladies of the evening quietly contributing to our culture. City Beach evening merriment? The Bonner County Fair? Cavorting among the stacks at the library? Hiding among the beets and kale at the farmers’ market? This could be a game changer for a sputtering journalistic career. So, like intrepid reporters Ben and Cameron conducting local bar research, I determined to personally explore the possibility. At my age I wasn’t going to attract suspicion.

My 1957 bride, however, mas-

querading as a U.S. President, vetoed the project. She advised I research a less intoxicating genre. She suggested ladies of the day, not night. Did she mean the late, great jazz/blues vocalist Billie Holiday, known affectionately as Lady Day? No, she did not. Did she mean singer/movie star Doris Day, everyone’s 1950s girl next door? No. Maybe she meant the energetic 1982 Broadway musical, “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.” Those ladies plied their craft nights and days at a chicken ranch. The sheriff was their best customer. One tune described the ranch as “...just a little bitty piss ant country place, nothing too high-toned...” Sandpoint?

I was wrong again. My bride, Jacquelynn, had in mind a different genre. The joyous, hospitable, hard-working ladies she and I encounter daily in and about town. Happy ladies who seem to love life. And make our lives happy too.

One of Frank Sinatra’s early 40s hits was “Saturday Night Is The Loneliest Night In The Week.” Well, ours isn’t. On Saturday nights, like other nights, we crash too early to feel lonely. But sometimes, feeling our oats, we grab a friend or family members and dine at Baxters On Cedar. Ebullient host Tommy sets the tone. But he’s no lady. However, gracious waitress Rebecca is. She’s so comforting one orders another bottle of Zinfandel just to hang around.

On a smoky Sunday morning (this was August) there’s no better way to recover from the previous evening’s excess than with steaming mugs of Di Luna’s coffee. It’s a custom mix from local roaster Evans Brothers. Making it taste even better are Michelle, Kim, Holly, Diana and Amy. They greet, seat and serve patrons with care and kindness. And with sparkling conversation, if you want it. After brunch, a few steps up Cedar is Pend d’Oreille Winery. And our pal Sarah. This upbeat lady of the day helps manage the intriguing gift shop. Sarah was the face of the former Coldwater Creek Wine Bar. She knows her grapes. So does Jen, who pours behind the bar and tends tables in the winery’s adjacent Bistro Rouge bar. Jen once lived on New York’s upper east side. During the Revolutionary

War my bride and I lived in NYC. So we have much to talk about with fellow cosmopolite, sophisticate and urbanite Jen. We all love New York and are happy we live in Sandpoint. Being “Second Sunday” at gracious Kally Thurman’s Hope Marketplace, we drive through the smoke to Hope. Silly us, we travel there at barely above the speed limit. Such arrogance disturbs fuming, frowning, tailgating drivers who have more urgent and demanding destinations. Sitting with ladies of the day Lynn and Geneen, we relax as Beth Pederson plays guitar and sings. Later, inspired by Beth’s melodies, we harmonize at home on “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes,” “On Top Of Old Smoky,” and the Emmy Lou Harris hit, “Smoke Along The Track.” People driving by think we are Peter, Paul & Mary. Or Tami and Dave Gunter. Monday morning. Jacquelynn hies herself off to the barn to talk politics with her horse, Ella. Both are liberals. I head back into town. Old guys tend to change shape, as it turns out, so trousers are taken to Jumpee at Sew Pro, on Main. “What’s this! Last week I lengthened these and took in the waist!” declares Jumpee. Anyone else would have been grumpy, but not Jumpee. “Yeah, well, I got fatter and shorter,” I say. Next stop is the bank. A rousing “Welcome to Wells Fargo!” rings out from cubicles and teller windows. Manager Anita Pew skippers a happy crew

and seems to know everyone who enters. Personal banker Kathe Lambert sees me, mumbles, “Oh, no!” and dives into paperwork. Then we hug. Banking with a smile, and with friends.

Dr. Whitney Hencker’s Sandpoint Optometry calls while I am dispensing free advice to the bankers. My new, collegiate-looking spectacle frames are ready. Staffers Amy and Audrey are effusive. They praise the new frames as “elegant.” I rush out to Division Street. Put on the hip new frames. Both ladies make courteous, customer-friendly noises. “They look nice!” And so forth. Clearly more impressed before the frames were on my face. Next stop is Spa At The Lake. A massage by world class therapist Jean. Sybaritic self indulgence. Nirvana. In a massage-induced coma, I stop for a haircut from Kaelin at Hair

Unlimited, downtown. My hair is definitely limited. But Kaelin makes an exception. Kaelin looks like a UCLA cheerleader. Still, she says digging hair out of my ears makes her feel like a monkey. Driving home to Selle Valley I stop at Yokes. What is it about supermarkets that make checkout ladies so consistently merry? Jodi, Kellie, Lore and colleagues make grocery shopping a delight. Final stop is the Ponderay post office. Postmistress Gale catches me about to dump yet another thick horse gear catalogue into the recycle bin. “If you do, I’m telling Jacquelynn!” she yells. Ladies of the day stick together. It’s unfair. But, as the old song says, they’re “just too marvelous, too marvelous for words.” Thanks to them, we feel we are too.

From breakwater to 4x4 barriers:

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

When the big windstorm hit last year, all hell broke loose in North Idaho. Trees came down all over the county, houses were damaged, boats sank and were destroyed.

At Garfield Shores Resort and Marina Club, the breakwater came apart and had to be salvaged and removed. It was made of over a thousand tires that had protected boats for over three decades

Apex Construction won the bid to remove the breakwater. After gathering over 1,000 tires, Apex was able to find a new home for them; instead of the landfill or a salvage yard, the tires would find a new home at a brand new outdoor entertainment venue called the Purcell Trench Ranch near Bonners Ferry.

“He came to us and said it would be cheaper for him to give us the tires than to pay a company to get rid of them,” said Mac Miltz, co-owner of Mountain Mafia Entertainment and the venue which opened last year.

The tires, which range in size from semi trailer to huge equipment tires, were delivered on site to the ranch 11 miles north of Bonners Ferry, and Miltz and his partners have been busy finding uses for them.

“So far we haven’t even scratched the surface,” he said.

The off-road motorsport venue is a new venture by Miltz and partners Ben Spinney and Grey Whittier aimed at providing a world-class meeting place for off road enthusiasts. Featuring roughly 90 acres of terrain that varies from Hill ‘n’ Hole courses to side-by-side straight tracks, the Purcell Trench Ranch is billed as a “mototrack for trucks.”

The tires are primarily used as barriers and obstacles, defining the courses.

“We try to reuse all kind of stuff,” said Miltz. “When they replaced the lanes at the border crossing recently, we got these big 12-foot slabs of concrete and created a slick wall. Some of the tires also came with these huge inflatable buoys inside of them. They’re bright orange, so we used them as gates and boundary markers.”

The course is fully irrigated with over 3,000 feet of pipe. It also features a deck ship water cannon that shoots water over 150 feet. While the water cannon helps to slick down the mud holes on the track, it also helps entertain the crowds.

“You can point it straight up and it comes down like mist, cooling people off on a hot day,” said Miltz. “Kids love it.”

The repurposing of a thousand tires into a off-road paradise

Also featured at the track are stadi um lights, one of the largest playpits in north America (it’s three acres!), a Hill ‘n’ Hole course, a 40-foot tabletop, and side-by-side straight tracks.

“There are lots of obstacles,” said Miltz. “It’s kind of a terrain park feel. We came at this from snow background, so a lot of the features and hits have that snowboarding feel. It’s pretty unique.”

Open from Spring to Fall, the track is designed for 4x4 trucks and side-byside UTVs. No 4-wheelers or dirt bikes allowed at this time.

“Safety is a big thing for us,” said MIltz. “The trucks are all required to have seat belts and roll bars. If you flip or flop, we try to keep it as safe as possible.”

The Purcell Trench Ranch is eventbased, with the Hill ‘n’ Hole and the side by side events are held under the supervision of the Northwest Mud Racing Association.

“We have three or four open wheeling events a year where you bring your own trucks,” said Miltz, who also said there are a couple of off-road competitions also offered with more professional drivers featured.

“One of our events called Mountain Havoc is for all different styles of trucks,” said Miltz. “Participants have to be voted in. Last time we had 20 trucks compete from six different states and three provinces of Canada. These are truly some of the best off road truck drivers in America.”

The next open wheeling event called “Battle for Havoc” will take place Oct.24, 2015 and will feature mild to wild hills, trails, slick walls, NMRA racing,

mud and pit bogs and much more. This event also features a Havoc qualifier. Pro trucks and drivers will be onsite to battle it out for one spot in the 2016 Mountain Havoc Competition.

While the track is designed for use by off-road truck drivers, it doubles as a spectator venue, with places to camp everywhere.

“A lot of people come just to spectate,” said Miltz. “The four-wheel driving community is really amazing. A lot of these guys will give you the shirt off their backs. They love giving spectators rides.”

During events, the venue offers food vendors, merchandise booths, vendor booths and music.

“It goes without saying that all federal, state and local laws apply,” said Miltz. “We don’t allow drinking and driving, and our pro security staff is mainly there for information and to talk to the people, to explain all the rules.”

in the area, Miltz says the Purcell Trench Ranch defines itself as unique because of the dedication to safety, fun and the sheer size of the venue.

“We’re a lot different than, say, the Mud Bogs,” said Miltz. “We’re family-oriented and we’ve had a really great response from Bonners and the surrounding areas.”

The future for Mountain Mafia Entertainment and the Ranch is a bright one. Off-road motorsport is only the beginning. The venue is ultimately designed to host people that come together with like-minded interests. Miltz foresees all different types of events in the future, including UTV specific competitions, snowmobiling, concerts, mud endurance runs, retreats and other outdoor activities.

To learn more about the Purcell Trench Ranch, visit them on Facebook (type in Mountain Mafia Entertainment).

STAGE & SCREEN

Existential classic hits stage at the Heartwood Center

By Kate McAlister Reader Contributor

“He won’t come today, but surely he’ll come tomorrow.”

Leave it to an Irishman to write a play both introspective and nonsensical at the same time. “Waiting for Godot” (pronounced God-oh) was Samuel Beckett’s first professionally-produced play. It opened in Paris in 1953 and was voted “the most significant English language play of the 20th century.”

The story centers around two ragtag men both waiting for ‘Godot,’ whatever or whomever that turns out to be. Their waiting place is a tree, seemingly in the middle of nowhere and their conversations during the wait are a web of wordplay, dreams and often times, nonsense. Are they searching for the ethereal meaning of life, or waiting for someone to save them? It’s up to each individual to decide.

Luckily for Sandpoint, a local performance of “Waiting for Godot” is on the way. I sat down with the director, Dorothy Finigan Prophet, to get a little sneak peek into the play and her thoughts on the play itself, the actors and who she thinks Godot represents.

“I was looking for something I wanted to direct and didn’t like anything I read, until I read ‘Waiting for Godot,’” Prophet said. “Five pages in and I was hooked. It is so far out there and will really make theater goers think. And it’s fun.”

The cast is all local favorites: Michael Bigley as Vladimir, Dan Simons as Estragon, Robert Moore as Pozzo, Mike Clarke as Lucky and Lucy Bigley as Boy. Prophet readily admits she precast the show. She describes her process as follows:

“As I read the play I could see who each character was and I knew exactly who I wanted to play each part. I was ecstatic when everyone I asked readily accepted.

Michael Bigley, as Vladimir, was the most familiar with Beckett. He taught Beckett’s works, specifically ‘Godot’ for many years in school, and had always wanted to do it. Although he felt he was more bent towards Estragon, I clearly saw him as Vladimir. Vladimir has a little bit of hope still left, and I felt Michael could evoke that feeling well on stage.

Dan Simons as Estragon plays the ‘Eyeore’ characteristics of Estragon perfectly, and Michael and Dan play really well off each other. The roles are a lot like Laurel and Hardy or Abbot and Costello. Even the body types matter, and they both fit my ideal of what those characters should

physically look like. It’s also a very tough play, and I needed actors who I knew could handle it. None of the lines are conversational, they are mostly random, and as an actor that is tough. I had complete confidence they could do it.

Robert Moore as Pozzo has a really great range. He can do a lot of different things. Pozzo is kind of a pompous character. He said yes without hesitation and told me he has had this play on his book shelf for years, waiting for the chance do it.

Mike Clarke plays Lucky and has one line, but it is a crucial line.

Lucy Bigley plays Boy and provided great insight into her role and how pivotal this character is both acts. The interesting aspect of this character is he says the exact same lines in both acts and the trick is to play them differently. She does a great job.”

As to whether or not Prophet prefers directing over acting, she said, “I like directing and if you direct from your heart and you have a vision it gels and comes together. I miss acting but I am happy doing both.”

I also asked her for her final thoughts

on what the audience can expect to see and take away from the performance. “The play is like a walnut, you just dig through the nooks and crannies to find all of the little pieces and you can make up your mind as to what it is and what it isn’t,” Prophet said. “Is it deep or is it shallow, or is it all bullshit.You can decide for yourself.”

Finally, I asked Prophet who she thinks

Godot is. She said … Wait, I’m not going to tell you. You will just have to wait for the review, or as she stated previously, YOU can decide.

I for one cannot wait to see the performances which run October 3-4 and October 9-10 at the Heartwood Center. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and performance is at 7 p.m.

“Infinitely Polar Bear” Movie

In Boston, a bipolar individual (Mark Ruffalo) takes over sole responsibility for his two spirited daughters. Based on a true story

Thursday, Sept. 24 @ 6pm Thursday, Sept. 24 @ 7:30pm Friday, Sept. 25 @ 7:30pm Sunday, Sept. 27 @ 3pm Sunday, Sept. 27 @ 1pm

“ShaUN THE SHEEP” Movie MANHATTAN

THURSDAY, OCT. 1 @ 7:30PM

SHORT FILM FESTIVAL

friDAY, OCT. 2 @ 7:30PM

MarchFourth Marching Band!

POAC’s ‘Dancing with the Sandpoint Stars’ returns

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

Dance fans, get ready to swing those hips. Pend Oreille Arts Council’s hit fundraiser “Dancing With Our Stars” is back for another year.

Featuring six local celebrities, “Dancing With Our Stars” is a fun-filled evening that benefits POAC, while giving the community a performance sure to bring down the house with applause.

“This is one of our largest fundraisers of the year for POAC,” said Rachel Hoff, ex-

ecutive director of POAC.

Modeled after the television show, the zany dance performance is back for the second year, after last year’s show proved such a success.

“We had such a good time that we wanted to do it again,” said Kathy Hubbard, president of the POAC board. “The energy in the room, to see people you know in the community putting on their costumes and going on stage dancing ... it’s great.”

This year, six local celebrities vie for the coveted mirror ball trophy; Kathy Andruzak,

Barta, Laurel

Wayne Pignolet, Meggie Foust and Rick Evans. At the end of the performance, the audience votes for a winner.

“The trophy is very similar to the one they get on the show,” said Hubbard. “Last year Dyno [Wahl] won, and she got a lot of mileage off of it.”

The performance features the expert tutelage of Utah Ballroom Dance Company, who will give instruction to each member in regards to their dance.

“They go around the country doing this,” said Hubbard. “All the dancers are high ener-

gy, young, talented, and want to be performers. They bring this dazzle that is just so slick.”

Thanks to Dance Works Studios loaning their space, the professional dancers with Utah Ballroom Dance Company have a place to rehearse all week.

“The professional dancers arrived [Sunday] night and started rehearsals [Monday],” said Hubbard. “They’ll rehearse with the dancers four times this week, and then Saturday it’s winner take all.”

It’s anyone’s guess who will come out on top at the big show Saturday, Sept. 26 at the Pani-

da Theater. Tickets are $25 for general admission, or $45 for V.I.P. tickets which allow early entry to the theater at 5 p.m. for a wine and hors d’oerves reception. Doors open for general admission at 6 p.m. and the show starts at 7 p.m.

Tickets can be purchased in advance at the POAC Gallery, Winter Ridge Natural Foods, Eichardt’s Pub and Eve’s Leaves.

The Straight Poop: The quest for dog friendly businesses in North Idaho

By Drake the Dog Reader Pet Columnist

Where am I going to take my humans today? With Google Maps in hand, my mission is to sniff out dog-friendly business in Sandpoint. Now that the Mister and Missus. have a dog, they daydream about strolling downtown with me—a coffee in one hand, and a leash in the other. Never fear business owners; the Mister always has poop bags in his pockets!

Today we are off to one of my favorite places—the Cedar Street Bistro, owned by Tim and Manuela Frazier. CSB is located on the first floor in the Cedar Street Bridge.

This place is love at first sight. The sign on the entrance door says, “Pets on leash welcome!” (I’d rather be off leash— but what the heck). The Bistro was one of my first outings this summer. We wanted to have lunch, a latte and gelato and enjoy the sunny afternoon.We sat

at the outdoor patio tables with the yellow umbrellas.Yellow brings back fond memories of the Shelter’s “Adopt Me” yellow vest that I wore the day I adopted the Mister and Missus at the Yappy Hour.

After we got settled, the Missus got out the traveling water bowl for me, and we played “Shakapaw,” my only trick. Hence, I always give an Oscar-winning performance to the “shaka” because it is always followed by a treat or two. The Bistro staff brought us lunch, and then BAZINGA! Wind, clouds and rain—Seattle weather in Sandpoint. Tim came outside, took down the umbrellas and invited us to come upstairs to the pet friendly Loft. WOWZA! This place is THE BARK! It overlooks the entire Cedar Street Bridge. I can watch all of the local and tourist activities, the smell aroma of coffee, and socialize with really cool little people who want to pet me.

The Loft has cozy-carpeted

floors, tables, chairs, and outstanding customer service! Tim, Manuela, and the staff always remember our names. There are no “Hello My Name Is” stickers for this team (note to self: Doggie treats would go great with coffee, please). The Missus and her friends like this spot because Carousel, a trendy women’s boutique, is adjacent to The Loft (I’ll give you the Straight Poop on the Carousel in another column).

During our stroll downtown last week, I suggested to the Mrs. that we return to the CSB with my pure bred Shi Tzu dude friend Harley, and his mom Anne. Since Harley has such short little legs and has to water every planter, walking one block downtown seems like forever. Finally, we arrived and climbed the stairs to The Loft. Halfway up the stairs we were greeted by some of SHS girl’s volleyball team members. Shakapaw and slobbery kisses all around! We all enjoyed treats, coffee and conversation. CSB is a great

place to spend Dog Day Afternoon in any weather. So here’s the Straight Poop. When you visit the CSB, bring your own bowl (we can’t drink out of restaurant dishes), tell your humans to clean up after you, bring your inside voice and yes guys, keep those leashes on.

Enjoy!

MUSIC

By Ben Olson Reader Staff

Picture this: A dozen musicians decked out in bastardized versions of marching band costumes and stage make-up begin a funky groove. Stilt walkers come onstage with pole dancers trailing them. A horn section hits and the crowd cheers.

No, this isn’t the carnival. It isn’t an acid flashback. It’s MarchFourth Marching Band!

The Portland-based troupe is one part marching band, two parts gypsy brass ensemble, two parts carnival and 100 percent awesome.

Featuring 13 musicians and four stage performers, MarchFourth! (or M4) has redefined the line between musical performance and stage circus. They’ve toured all over the world, and played with some big names like Fleetwood Mac, Ok Go, No Doubt, Galactic and Pink Martini.

For John Averill, bass player and bandleader, M4 is a continuously evolving experiment.

“We always have new people when we’re on the road,” said Averill. “It’s like a baseball team. We have a pretty unique roster, because not everybody can do every tour.”

The genius of M4 lies somewhere between the performance and the music, which is usually instrumental and genre-defying at its core. M4 retains influences from ska, rock, swing, hip hop, gypsy brass, klezmer, jazz and just about any other genre that gets people tapping their feet.

the rock thing going on, we have the gypsy brass thing going on.

We’re all over the place.”

M4 consists of a horn section, including trombones, trumpets and saxophones, a percussion section, a bass and electric guitar, and a bevy of stilt walkers, acrobats, hoopers and dancers. The uniforms the band wears are mismatched and redesigned from traditional marching band uniforms of decades past. The percussion section’s drum harnesses are made from recycled bicycle parts.

“We always have new people when we’re on the road. It’s like a baseball team.”

-John Averill, bandleader

In short, M4 has style.

Because they were formed on March 4, 2003, the band elected to call themselves MarchFourth Marching Band, since evolving into MarchFourth! or simply M4.

“We write our own material,” said Averill. “We have a lot of different people composing, so whatever is in their head, as long as it grooves, it doesn’t matter. That’s actually one of my favorite parts of the band; we don’t have a genre. We have

“We put the band together for a Fat Tuesday party,” said Averill. “The date of the party was March 4. We just named ourselves for the date of the party. We didn’t realize it at the time that it was going to be an ongoing thing. If I’d have known that, I would’ve given us a different name.”

Coming together in the Alberta district of Northeast Portland, M4 quickly began gaining notice from the eclectic crowds that Portland produces. The Willamette Week alt-weekly voted M4 “Best Local Band” in 2004, and they’ve been featured in everything from a smart phone television commercial to appearing as a marching band in Gwen Stefani’s solo album.

But of all the collaborations over the years, Averill said they had the most fun with New Orleans-based funk band Galactic.

“We recently collaborated with them and produced our newest record that we’re still working on now with them,” said Averill. “It’s been the most pleasant collaboration, along with Pink Martini.”

M4 will be returning to the Panida Theater for their third performance. The last performance came very close to selling out, so make sure you obtain tickets early. The electronic dance funk band Sepi-

READ

What is this fascination we have developed lately with post apocalyptia? I’m just as bad as everyone else. I simply can’t get enough of it.

Say what you will about Stephen King, but his writing in “The Stand” is some of the best he’s ever published.

Taking place after the “Captain Trips” superflu kills 99.9 percent of the population, the novel follows a small band of rebuilders who have to fight the evil of the “Walking Dude.” It’s the classic good-versus-evil-atthe-end-of-the-world type of book.

LISTEN

Going along with the post apocalypse theme, it’s hard to nail down an artist or a genre to encapsulate the end of the world.

atonic will be opening for M4, so make sure you show up early for the full experience.

“Expect the unexpected,” said Averill. “We’ve definitely got a high energy party that pretty much appeals to every demographic, from hipsters, hippies, kids, grandparents. We cross over really well and we try to involve the audience in the show.”

The fun happens Friday, Oct. 2 at the Panida Theater main stage. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the fun begins at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available for $27 at Eichardt’s Pub, Eve’s Leaves, the Long Ear in Coeur d’Alene, and online at www.panida.org.

Crossword Solution

For those of you on Spotify, try checking out the “Fight Club Soundtrack.” Spearheaded by the Dust Brothers, this soundtrack captures that raw, cathartic edge of the film based off of Chuck Palahniuk’s book. It also includes the Pixies’ “Where is my Mind,” which is a perfect song for that awesome end scene in the film.

WATCH

While we’re on post-apocalyptic topics, how about “The Road” starring our very own Viggo Mortensen? Cormac McCarthy novels usually end up doing well as films, either because of his fine sense of tone and place, or because those who make his work into movies have a healthy respect for his stories.

In “The Road” we see a tenderness between a father and son that you don’t often see in these types of movies. Mortensen has the ability to play characters with all his heart, and he nailed it with this film. Also, Kodi Smit-McPhee did a great job playing Mortensen’s boy, who will have to figure things out for himself after his father isn’t there for guid ance any more.

Then & Now

compiled by Ben Olson

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

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

The old Sandpoint Post Office at Second Avenue and Alder Street, built around 1927 (this is the rear view of the buiding). After it was the post office, the building served as the Sandpoint Library from the 1960s until the 2000s.

The same building today. It now houses First American Title.

Corrections: We caught a dumb mistake from a couple issues back. I spelled “Acquisition” without the “c” on the cover for the Sept. 3 issue and again inside the paper. D’oh! [BO]

CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1. Quietens

Contributes

Academician

Bay window

Bobbin

Tibetan monk

Sensible

Always

A martial art

Help

Pleads

Affected emotionally

Wound

Hairdresser

Sparrow hawk

What’s left behind

Being

Stage

Vestibule

Indian music

Inform

Egg-shaped

Abhorrent

A hemispherical

Heavenly hunter

DOWN

Stopper

Region

Teller of untruths

Small slits

Genus of macaws

Go ashore

Delineate

Toboggan

Large black bird

Alpha’s opposite

The language of Persia

Not used

25. Aspersions

Resorts

1/100th of a dollar

Unrestrained revelry

Middleman 31. Balcony section

Mount

Long ago

Not his 37. Nights before

Expunge

42. A crisp lustrous fabric

It unlocks doors 45. Move unsteadily

Goads

Mayhem

Small terrestrial

N N N N

Turbine part

Modify

Tropical tuber

Nile bird

A flat mass of ice

Cravings

An uncle

I’ll never forget the time that skunk got under the house and Grandpa went under to get him. Boy, it smelled for months. You know, that was the last time we ever saw Grandpa.

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