Sandpoint Transitions Investigating Ways to Resolve Glass Recycling Issue

Recycling glass. The question in Sandpoint these days seems to be, do they or don’t they? Residents are uncertain whether the glass they put out on the curb each week is actually being recycled or whether it is dumped into a landfill.

In an effort to clear up some of the confusion, a group displayed a sign in the recent Fourth of July parade that said Sandpoint does recycle glass. Some people who observed the sign said they were sure the statement was incorrect. So what is the truth and why the confusion?

“It is because of the confusion that we did that,” said Jen Del Carlo, chairman of the working group researching waste issues for the recently formed Sandpoint Transitions Initiative, which was responsible for the sign in the parade. “I don’t know exactly where the confusion has come from.”

Perhaps the confusion lies in the fact that Bonner County does not recycle glass but the city of Sandpoint does.

According to Sandpoint Public Works Director Kody Van Dyk, Bonner County transfer stations no longer accept glass because of a lack of market, a practice Del Carlo says began in early 2008.

“They (Bonner County) crushed it (the glass) at the Colburn Culver transfer station where I believe they used it for fill. They were notified by the state Department of Environmental Quality early in 2008 that they could not continue to do that so glass now goes to the landfill (in Oregon),” said Del Carlo.

Andrea Wells of Waste Management, Sandpoint’s trash contractor, confirmed that Sandpoint does recycle, or reuse, glass.

“It goes to a Waste Management facility in Medical Lake (Washington) on Graham Road where they crush it and use it as a road base,” Wells said.

But whether it is the county hauling the glass to a landfill or the city of Sandpoint transporting the glass to Washington to be recycled, the cost is not cheap.

“There is no money in glass recycling,” said Wells, who adds that the cost can vary depending upon factors such as the cost of fuel.

“Recycling is not the moneymaker people think it is. It is much cheaper to make glass from scratch.”

The fear among members of the community is that it will no longer become cost-effective to transport the glass for recycling and the city will follow the path of the county when it comes to disposal of glass.

That is just one of many reasons that the Sandpoint Transitions Initiative was formed late last year. Its goal is to create a sustainable, resilient and vibrant community in the Sandpoint area by forming committees that will research issues and implement programs on everything from ways to eliminate waste by creating a circular flow of materials and energy to how to drastically reduce carbon emissions. And in the short time it has been in existence, the research work groups are making progress.

“We are investigating options for the reuse of glass and providing that information to the county,” said Del Carlo. “There are companies in Utah and Oregon that purchase glass for use in tile. The city of Lewiston is purchasing a glass crusher so that they can turn their glass into fill that would otherwise have to be purchased for use in city projects.”

Del Carlo said Sandpoint collects more than 10 tons of glass a month and Bonner County spent an average $93,000 per month last year for trucking costs and landfill fees to take glass to the landfill in Arlington, Ore.

“We see reducing the material that goes to landfills as an important first step in our mission. Ideally resources that currently end up in landfills would be reused locally in other products, for example composting paper, yard waste and food scraps, which makes up 63 percent of the solid waste in Bonner County, for use in gardens, recycling plastic into park benches, and reusing glass,” Del Carlo said.

Other steps the group has taken include working with organizations such as The Festival at Sandpoint to encourage a green approach to their event.

“Our goal is for plastic and Styrofoam food containers used by the vendors be replaced with biodegradable ones that will be composted along with food waste,” said Del Carlo, adding that the Festival already does a great job using volunteers to separate recyclable beverage containers.

The group is also working closely with Michael Boge of the Sandpoint City Council to review the city’s contract with Waste Management. One proposed change is to include curbside recycling for area businesses – a program in which 46 out of 47 businesses surveyed said they would gladly participate.

They would also like to see the city contract with Waste Management to accept all recyclable plastics.

“Sandpoint recycles food and beverage containers with a 1 or 2 on the container,” said Wells, who said Waste Management does not have a say in what is recycled.

“We recycle what they (the city of Sandpoint) requests we recycle.”

To learn more about Sandpoint Transitions Initiative and how to help, go to www.sandpoint transitioninitiative.org/.

2010 Groundbreaking Scheduled for New Sandpoint Recreation Center

Jamie Packer would have been the first to lace up his skates and take the ceremonial first step onto a new indoor hockey rink in Sandpoint.

But Packer did not live long enough to see that dream achieved. He died in a car accident four years ago.

Still, Packer’s name will live on in the new 225,000-square-foot Jamie Packer Centre.

In late June, developer Bruce Pedersen received approval from the Sandpoint City Council to build the recreation center, which will include a three-story parking structure. The recreation center will be built at the site of the former St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, which relocated last year.

The idea for a recreation center had long been a dream of Packer, Pedersen’s brother- in-law, Rob Pierce, and other hockey enthusiasts. But when Pedersen bought a portion of the St. Joseph property, he didn’t have the center in mind.

“I bought it as an investment because of its proximity to the downtown core,” said Pedersen. But when he also became involved in Pierce’s project, Pedersen’s ideas changed.

“It hit me, why not here? (A recreation center) should be downtown, close to the schools,” said Pedersen, who earlier this year began the footprint studies for the project.

Pedersen is trained as a veterinarian and also is a co-founder of the book-sharing Web site BookCrossing.com. Land development was an interest, but not in his background. So he sought advice from urban designers, and he said it became evident that it made sense to build the center on the proposed site.

Estimated to cost $40 million, Pedersen said the funding will primarily come from grants, sale of townhouses built on the site and matching funds from nonprofit organizations.

“This is new ground. Therefore we have a variety of sources,” Pedersen said. “It’s a lofty goal and I think we have the right team to pull it off.”

They expect to break ground in 2010 and to complete the project within two years.

But Pedersen emphasizes that it will be much more than an ice rink.

It could host other community events such as graduations or musical performances. The design also calls for the center to be sectioned off to accommodate multiple events simultaneously.

“Hockey is a part of it, but it is really about the youth,” Pedersen said. “Having a safe haven and building relationships with kids and helping instill all the values that are embedded during those formative years. It’s an investment in our future.”

Although the proposal met with some opposition, Pedersen said it was no more than what one would normally encounter.

“Ninety percent of the opposition came from within a block (of the center),” said Pedersen. “People are scared of the unknown, but we will be able to alleviate some of those fears.

“The walls have been defined and we’ve been given our parameters (by the Sandpoint City Council) but there is some malleability and we welcome input.”

One of the original community members who worked to get a rink in Sandpoint, Packer shared his vision with others and told of a similar facility in his Canadian hometown. Pedersen said they wanted to honor him by naming the facility after Packer and retaining the Canadian spelling of “centre.”

Packer worked as a golf pro at the former Hidden Lakes Golf Course and was known to many as a man who exemplified fitness, unity and community. Organizers say the programs housed within the new center will help stimulate the mind, body and spirit – just like Packer – to transform people’s lives.

“It will be the perfect environment to create more Jamie Packers,” Pedersen said.

Sandpoint High School Graduation to Undergo Changes in the Future to Curb Inappropriate Behavior by Students

For the past three years, Sandpoint High School Principal Becky Kiebert has received a few gifts from seniors during graduation ceremonies, but they were not gifts of gratitude.

Some students handed her condoms. Last year it was Hawaiian leis. This year’s pranks included an attempted kiss on the lips by a student who was acting on a dare. “It was totally inappropriate,” said Kiebert. A police investigation led to a charge of unwanted touching against the student.

Sandpoint’s principal is not the only one harassed during graduation ceremonies. According to Kiebert, Post Falls High School Principal Dena Naccarato received inappropriate gifts from two students at this year’s ceremony.

Both Kiebert and Naccarato recently attended a meeting with colleagues and shared their experiences. Most students behave appropriately, Kiebert said.

“Ninety nine percent of these kids are great,” said Kiebert.

Lake Pend Oreille School Superintendent Dick Cvitanich agrees, but said it is not uncommon to have a few people participate in these pranks.

“I have attended many graduations in my 34 years of education. I have seen good behavior, poor behavior, and everything in between from both kids and parents,” said Cvitanich. “I would not say this graduation was disrespectful. There were a handful of kids who acted inappropriately when their moment came on the stage. This, unfortunately, happens from time to time. The vast majority of students were respectful and appropriate.”

Those students who are being punished this year include a student who is performing school service while another is watching a video on appropriate conduct and must write a public letter of apology to be published in a local newspaper. The third student will have to answer to the unwanted touching charge.

To make sure this doesn’t happen again, Kiebert plans to have students sign statements agreeing that if they do anything inappropriate they will not receive their diploma at the ceremony. Inappropriate behavior will include presenting any so-called gifts to anyone on stage. Also, Kiebert, who has always been the person who has greeted the students on stage, will remain seated as the superintendent and a member of the school board present the diplomas.

“We will also have an SRO (school resource officer) at the bottom of the stage,” said Kiebert.

Above all, Kiebert said she will emphasize to the students that graduation is not necessarily about them, but is an opportunity to recognize and thank others who have helped them through their years of education and to thank them respectfully.

“I tell them it’s about their parents, grandparents and the community. All the people who have supported them,” said Kiebert.

Sandpoint Youth Travel to Costa Rica to Work With Endangered Turtles

Sandpoint Middle School eighth-grade student Devan Fitzpatrick has a pretty good idea what profession she wants to pursue when she is older. But just to be sure, she thought she should investigate it a little further, so she signed up for a trip to Costa Rica to work with endangered leatherback turtles.

“I want to be a marine biologist so it (the trip) helped me see what my options are,” said Fitzpatrick. “The trip was definitely inspiring.”

Fitzpatrick, along with 13 other seventh- and eighth-grade Sandpoint Middle School students, recently spent 11 days in Costa Rica working on a conservation project through the Eco Teach Foundation to help save endangered leatherback turtles.

Student Sam Levora said the trip was one of the best experiences of his life. “The turtles have been around for millions of years,” he said.

According to the Eco Teach Foundation, the species have declined in population by 75 percent over the last 15 years.

“This is our third year of doing these trips,” said one of the leaders, Sandpoint Middle School teacher Perky Smith-Hagadone, whose students have helped protect more than 2,000 eggs and hatchlings.

Joining Smith-Hagadone on the trip for a second year was Sandpoint Middle School teacher Marcea Marine. The program, they say, is not affiliated with Lake Pend Oreille School District. While in Costa Rica, the students performed volunteer tasks such as cleaning trash out of rivers and canals as well as protecting leatherback turtle hatchlings from predators.

The young conservationists observed that Costa Ricans do not have the same values as Americans when it comes to doing their best to keep the environment clean. But when the students started cleaning plastic bags and other trash from the rivers and canals, the residents wanted to help.

“It was really cool to see them want to help,” said Fitzpatrick. “It made you feel like you made a difference.”

But the work with the leatherback turtles was definitely a highlight for most of the students.

“When they (the turtles) crawled on the beach, we caught their eggs in a plastic bag,” said Katie Nicolich. “We took them to the hatchery where we dug a hole to keep them (the eggs) safe from predators.”

Smith-Hagadone explains that new eggs cannot be put into a nest where eggs have already hatched because of the chance of disease. “So we had a bucket brigade, where the dirty, spent sand is dug out of the old nest and taken to a hole in the sand at the beach. Then new sand is placed in the nest for the next round of eggs.”

Marine explains that the hatchery is fenced off so predators cannot get in. After the students or other volunteers during the season collect the eggs, they place them in a nest about 70 centimeters deep.

“After placing the fertile and infertile eggs in the nest, we pack the sand down around them,” said Marine. “After 60 days, the hatchlings crawl out and then we gather the hatchlings. The hatchlings are weighed, the shell is measured and then we place them on the beach about seven meters from the shore. They follow the light of the ocean and immediately crawl to the ocean.” All of that work is performed between 8 p.m. and 4 a.m.

“We let go 550 hatchlings this year,” said Bailey Tomazich, who also explains why it is so important to keep the river clean from pollution. “The turtles think the plastic bags (in the water) are jellyfish so they latch onto them.”

Another threat to the leatherback turtles is poachers taking the eggs to use as an aphrodisiac in drinks.

Marine said what she enjoys most about taking the children on a trip like this is watching them take pride in their environment.

“They really learn to work together,” said Marine.

While the students were there to work, they all agree that it was an incredibly fun experience.

“It was a balance of fun and actual work,” said student Sam, who along with others raised the approximate $2,500-per-person cost by shoveling snow, babysitting and holding craft sales and yard sales.

Sam said one of the things that surprised him was the friendliness of the people of Costa Rica. “They were very kind,” he said.

That was also an observation of Devan , who said until now she had never been out of the country.

“I like learning about different cultures. Their families are like ours but bigger. And even though they don’t have much, they want to share what they do have,” she said.

In addition to working on the turtle project, the students also stayed one night with a Costa Rican family and spent time with members of the Bribri Indian tribe.

“They (the Bribri Indians) had a performance for us and sang songs. Then we sang the national anthem and other songs like This Land is Your Land,” said Bailey .

The kids from America also played soccer against some of the Bribri Indian children.

There were also activities such as white water rafting, zip lining and a boat ride where they observed various types of wildlife.

An experience none will likely forget, the students also came away with a very important lesson.

“I’m interested in saving the environment and doing what I can,” said Katie . “We only have one earth and so we have to preserve it as long as possible to save it for the next generations.”

Stonehouse Entertainment Brings Exciting New Concerts to Sandpoint

It used to be if you lived in Sandpoint and were looking to attend concerts put on by top musicians, you had to travel to Spokane or wait for the summer to attend the Festival at Sandpoint. But thanks to Tyler Stonehocker and his production company Stonehouse Entertainment, that is no longer the case.

Over the last several months Stonehouse Entertainment has brought several concerts to downtown Sandpoint and has done its best to keep ticket prices affordable.

Sandpoint resident Chris Bessler for one has been pleased.

“We’ve been getting some terrific acts at the Panida and other venues,” said Bessler. “Stonehouse is bringing in artists that you just wouldn’t expect to see in a town of 8,000.”

Stonehocker is a member of the band Stoney Holiday as well as part owner of Three Glasses Restaurant and Wine Bar in downtown Sandpoint. A tourist manager for several years, Stonehocker said that when he wasn’t playing with his band he sought out something to do that was still related to music.

“So I thought why not sell music?” said Stonehocker. “Even if I lose money, I feel good because my product makes people happy.”

Now 29 years old, Stonehocker started in the music industry at 18 working at the Tacoma Dome as a stagehand. He worked with some of the bigger bands in the industry including Bob Dylan.

“Music has always been a part of my life,” said Stonehocker, who says growing up he liked everything from Billy Idol to Michael Jackson.

Over time, he began to build a reputation with touring companies and decided to open his own production company.

But to start a production company takes money and time. That is why Stonehocker thought Sandpoint would be the perfect place to start.

“Sandpoint is a great size town. I don’t need a huge semitruck, I can just fit all of the equipment into one truck,” said Stonehocker, who says owning his own sound system helps significantly reduce his overhead costs. That, in addition to being able to provide the 150-seat concert venue at Three Glasses, helps keep tickets in the range of $15.

“It all ties in really nice,” said Stonehocker, who books the larger concerts at the historic downtown Panida Theater.

Because the musicians tend to charge more for performing on weekends, Stonehocker books most of the concerts Sunday through Thursday nights.

Incorporated in November of last year, the company has yet to turn a profit. However, looking at the music lined up for the summer months it won’t take long.

Already this summer, the alternative rock band Cracker as well as the Irish rock band the Young Dubliners have been booked. And reggae fans attended the recent Voice of Reason concert at the Panida.

“There hadn’t been a reggae concert at the Panida in a long time,” said Stonehocker, adding that there are many fans of that genre in this area.

In addition to Stonehouse Entertainment’s concerts, Bessler said other production companies also are doing their share to enrich the lives of Sandpoint area residents.

“In the last couple months at the Panida I’ve seen Mason Jennings, a terrific young singer and songwriter. Joan Baez played one of the finest concerts I’ve ever been too; it was like she was in our living room, making jokes about Bob Dylan,” said Bessler. “Jackie Greene rocked the house about a month ago.”

Bessler and many others hope the trend of recent months continues.

“We’re just fortunate to get these kinds of amazing musicians here in our little town. I doubt anyone is making a lot of money from it, but it’s making us richer culturally – that’s for sure,” said Bessler.

Jacey's Race Will Benefit Young Victims of Cancer

In March 2001, Nanci Grayson Jenkins was bathing her then 4-year-old daughter, Jacey Lawson, when she noticed a small protrusion from her stomach.

“I thought it was odd, but I wasn’t really worried about it,” said Jenkins, who thought it could have been due to constipation or overeating. But after a couple of days Jenkins had her physician friend look at it. Thinking it could be an inflamed liver due to a cold or other infection, she too did not seem alarmed.

“Even the next day when I took Jacey and her sister, Calena, skiing she didn’t have any problems,” Jenkins said.

But after a long day of skiing, Jacey took off her sweater and what Nanci saw under Jacey’s tightly-fitting leotard, set her into a panic.

Jacey immediately saw a doctor and was diagnosed with kidney cancer. Her prognosis was good and the family was told that this specific cancer had about an 85 percent success rate. But more tests meant more grim news.

“Her cancer had metastasized,” Jenkins said. “She was stage four and all bets were off.”

The aggressive treatment began immediately.

“She had surgery that lasted more than six hours. They removed a grapefruit-size mass from her abdomen, two marble-size tumors from her tiny lungs and some bone marrow,” Jenkins said. “They started her on chemotherapy and two weeks later began full lung radiation.”

Initially Jacey was able to keep her spirits up, but as the months wore on her energy diminished.

“Jacey was just a full-of-life kid. She went to a preschool appropriately called “Make a Mess and Make Believe,” and that name says a lot about what she did. She loved to learn, play and fantasize and make a mess,” Jenkins said.

At the time of Jacey’s diagnosis, Jenkins and Jacey’s father, Steve, were struggling in their marriage. They divorced one year later. Jenkins had resigned from her job the day Jacey was diagnosed, so her income was limited.

“I knew I couldn’t possibly become an expert on cancer and adequately participate in Jacey’s health care, take care of her sister, and manage to work another job,” she said. “I was in shock and my knee-jerk response was to put all of my energy into saving my children. So that meant an immediate change in my financial situation.”

Jenkins’ friends Erin Moore and Ron Jenkins – now Nanci Grayson Jenkins’ husband – looked for a way to help with the mounting medical bills. They organized Jacey’s Race, a 5k and 1K run/walk to not only raise money, but to raise awareness of childhood cancer.

“They created the race to have people focus on their wonderfully healthy bodies and appreciate moving them while generating money to help pay medical bills,” Jenkins said.

When she and her family moved to Sandpoint in 2005 they wanted to continue the tradition they started in Colorado. Eager to help other young cancer patients, they held Jacey’s Race in Sandpoint in 2007. Each year the proceeds are donated to young cancer patients in the area as well as to organizations that help support cancer patients.

When she attended the very first Jacey’s race in Colorado, she did so with a very sick child. But the support she and her family received made all the difference in the world.

“We showed up that day and I was overwhelmed by the positive energy,” she said. “The hope and encouragement we received that day carried us through the rest of Jacey’s treatments. The money allowed us to pay some bills and took a little of the immediate financial stress off so we could focus on her health and emotional needs. We feel like every child deserves to have that.”

This year the beneficiaries of the July 12 event are Sagle resident Decker Weill, 7, and Sandpoint resident Nate Rench, 19. Weill has been in active treatment for over a year and travels to Spokane and Seattle for his treatments for neuroblastoma. Rench, a student at the University of Idaho, was diagnosed with testicular cancer and has been living with his family in Sandpoint while undergoing treatment at Kootenai Cancer Center.

At 12, Jacey is happy, healthy and cancer-free and is a ray of sunshine for others going through the battle against cancer. She serves as the ambassador for Jacey’s Race and interacts with the beneficiaries kids. Her job is to try to answer their questions and help them by the fact that she’s been through a similar journey.

Now, eight years after Jacey’s diagnosis, Jenkins encourages parents of children with a life-threatening illness to ask questions, seek out the best medical care and involve the whole family in the process.

“Siblings are scared and worried and need to be involved,” Jenkins said.

Sandpoint has embraced Jacey’s Race and Jenkins hopes the event will continue to grow with each year.

“If we can give even a little of what we received back and we can make a difference in another child’s life, then maybe we endured a childhood cancer diagnosis for an important reason,” she said.

Jacey’s Race
 The event is planned for July 12 at Sandpoint High School. Race registration begins at 7 a.m.

 Sign up the day of the event or online at www.jaceys-race.com or until 3 p.m. July 10 at Athlete’s Choice, Centerfield Sports or Bonner General Hospital in Sandpoint, or Fleet Feet Sports in Coeur d’Alene.

 If you are unable to participate but would like to support Jacey’s Race, you can send a check to Jacey’s Race Fund, 471 Ravenwood Drive, Sandpoint, ID 83864.

Andrea Littlefield Joins Community Cancer Services' Board of Directors

When Andrea Littlefield learned that her friend’s eighteen month old son had cancer, she sprang into action. She enlisted the help of many in the community and within a matter of weeks they put together a fundraiser that brought in over tens of thousands of dollars for young Tyler Cordle.

“I knew I had to do something to help,” said Littlefield.
In her efforts to help her friend, Littlefield also contacted Community Cancer Services, a local non-profit organization that provides both emotional and financial support for cancer patients and their families.

Now, several months later, young Tyler is in remission and Littlefield continues her crusade to help those in the community suffering from the horrible disease which knows no boundaries.

Littlefield recently joined the board of directors for Community Cancer Services and has also taken on the role of chairperson of CCS’s fundraising committee.

“I really wanted to join the board because CCS does so much for people in our community,” said Littlefield who hopes to educate the community about all the services available. “And really no one knows about CCS until they are faced with cancer and don’t know where to turn to.”

According to Stephanie Moss, Program Director at CCS, the demand for services has increased significantly and the result is a greater than ever need for funds.

“CCS is currently serving 264 active clients,” said Moss. “"We have seen a large increase in the need for services within the last year and attribute this in part to the increase in cancer awareness as well as the economy.”
Littlefield recognizes that many in the community may not have the financial or emotional help available to help them when faced with a cancer diagnosis and that is where CCS is critical.

“There are people that don’t have fundraisers put on for them, or are so far away from their family that they don’t have the help or support that they need to get through something like this. It may be too much and they just may give up,” said Littlefield. “But because CCS is in our community, it can help make people stronger.”

Putting on the fundraiser earlier this year for young Tyler Cordle was a huge undertaking for Littlefield, but knowing that she, with the help of others, can make a difference was an inspiration.

“It was a huge group effort,” said Littlefield. “It inspired me to do whatever I can to help and be a part of something that touches so many other people.”

To learn more about Community Cancer Services and its programs, please call them at 208-255-2301, log onto www.communitycancerservices.org or stop by their offices at 1215 Michigan Street, Suite B.