Until recently, many Sandpoint residents believed the paradise in which they live was a well-kept secret. But with local resorts such as the Idaho Club – a Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course – and Schweitzer Mountain Ski Resort receiving national attention, the secret is getting out. And residents fear their year-round playground will soon become too expensive for many locals to afford.
When the Idaho Club first opened, many Sandpoint residents found the membership fee cost-prohibitive. There were grumblings among many that these resorts were becoming too expensive for those working and living in this area.
People spoke of possible solutions, among them giving discounts to local residents. This suggestion has been offered by the committee working on the Buy Local campaign in Sandpoint to businesses throughout Bonner County – spend money locally to reinvest in the community and keep friends and neighbors employed.
But Idaho Club owner Chuck Reeves said it was never the intent of the Idaho Club to be completely private. That is the reason that this summer it opened tee times to nonmembers and offered discounts to Bonner County residents.
“The business model for the Idaho Club has always contemplated outside, nonmember play on the course,” Reeves said. “As part of our real estate component, we have lodge homes that owners may place in a rental program with the club. Because of this, the golf course is not entirely private and probably never will be.”
Before 11 a.m. the course is open only to members of the Idaho Club, but from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. this summer Bonner County residents were charged $110 plus tax for a round of golf, as opposed to $125 that was charged to nonresidents. From 2 to 4 p.m. the rate went down to $65 for Bonner County residents while nonresidents paid $80. Since Labor Day, the twilight rate begins at 1 p.m.
“It’s really a good-neighbor policy,” said Idaho Club director Mike Deprez, adding that the new fee schedule was popular with Bonner County residents.
Schweitzer resort offers discounts
People are hoping that Schweitzer Mountain Resort follows the path paved by the Idaho Club.
But Tom Chasse, CEO of Schweitzer Mountain Resort, said that while there are no plans to make such an offering exclusive to Bonner County residents, the resort offers special rates throughout the season and gives back to the community in many ways.
“If there is any rate decrease, why just limit it to Bonner County?” said Chasse, adding that to do so would limit the reach of its services and what it can do for the community of Sandpoint.
A Day for Heather is an annual event during which Schweitzer sells $10 lift tickets all day. This year the event is scheduled for Dec. 11, and all the proceeds generated that day are donated to a local nonprofit organization that benefits cancer patients.
“Imagine if we limited the rate for Day for Heather (to Bonner County residents),” said Chasse.
Schweitzer hosts other events throughout the year that benefit other local organizations, such as the Rotary.
In a further effort to give back to the community, Schweitzer opens the mountain on Friday and Saturday evenings from 3 to 7 beginning each January and sells lift tickets to local groups for $4. The groups then sell them to the public, with the profits going to help their organizations.
Chasse points out there is a large advantage to offering reduced rates beyond the borders of Bonner County.
“Our job in the winter time is to get people to the area who can take advantage of all that Sandpoint has to offer,” said Chasse.
While the Idaho Club and Schweitzer Mountain may take a different approach, both in their own way are giving back to the community, helping to stimulate the local economy and, most importantly, keeping Bonner County’s playgrounds affordable.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Walt Minnick to Speak at Annual Wild Idaho North! on October 3rd
On Saturday in Sandpoint, the Idaho Conservation League will host the 13th annual Wild Idaho North! to highlight energy issues as they relate to the future of North Idaho.
The event, Idaho and Energy: Common Cents Conservation, will feature presentations by U.S. Rep. Walt Minnick, D-Idaho, Roger Valdez of Sightline Institute, a sustainability think tank in Seattle, and staff from the Idaho Conservation League. The day will be devoted to discussion on issues of conservation, renewable energy and energy efficiency.
Minnick will speak on energy issues and other topics, and Valdez will address energy efficiency and policy. Valdez is a research associate at Sightline Institute, a nonprofit research and communications center that concentrates on the Pacific Northwest.
Organizers of the event say that this year there will be a chance to learn on a more interactive basis. Attendees are invited to participate in an educational competition called the Pacific Northwest Futures Game.
The game was created by the University of Idaho and Innovative Leadership Australia, an economic development group, and explores the impact that decisions made by both public and private sectors have on the economy, environment and well-being of the community.
Participants are divided into teams and work together to address issues such as investing public funds and land use.
The challenge is to find the balance between being good stewards of the environment while also focusing on economic development.
Attendees who wish to participate in this specific event should arrive at 2 p.m.
Later in the event, there will be a happy hour with an open beer and wine bar and appetizers from area restaurants. There will also be items up for auction some of which will include a ski weekend at Schweitzer Mountain Resort and a raft trip.
All proceeds will benefit the Idaho Conservation League.
What: 13th annual Wild Idaho North!, Idaho and Energy: Common Cents Conservation
When: Saturday, 2 to 7 p.m.
Where: Sandpoint Business and Events Center
Cost: $45
Information: Register by contacting the Idaho Conservation League at www.idahoconservation.org or calling (208) 265-9565
The event, Idaho and Energy: Common Cents Conservation, will feature presentations by U.S. Rep. Walt Minnick, D-Idaho, Roger Valdez of Sightline Institute, a sustainability think tank in Seattle, and staff from the Idaho Conservation League. The day will be devoted to discussion on issues of conservation, renewable energy and energy efficiency.
Minnick will speak on energy issues and other topics, and Valdez will address energy efficiency and policy. Valdez is a research associate at Sightline Institute, a nonprofit research and communications center that concentrates on the Pacific Northwest.
Organizers of the event say that this year there will be a chance to learn on a more interactive basis. Attendees are invited to participate in an educational competition called the Pacific Northwest Futures Game.
The game was created by the University of Idaho and Innovative Leadership Australia, an economic development group, and explores the impact that decisions made by both public and private sectors have on the economy, environment and well-being of the community.
Participants are divided into teams and work together to address issues such as investing public funds and land use.
The challenge is to find the balance between being good stewards of the environment while also focusing on economic development.
Attendees who wish to participate in this specific event should arrive at 2 p.m.
Later in the event, there will be a happy hour with an open beer and wine bar and appetizers from area restaurants. There will also be items up for auction some of which will include a ski weekend at Schweitzer Mountain Resort and a raft trip.
All proceeds will benefit the Idaho Conservation League.
What: 13th annual Wild Idaho North!, Idaho and Energy: Common Cents Conservation
When: Saturday, 2 to 7 p.m.
Where: Sandpoint Business and Events Center
Cost: $45
Information: Register by contacting the Idaho Conservation League at www.idahoconservation.org or calling (208) 265-9565
Sunday, September 20, 2009
NAMI Far North Hosts Fundriaser and Information Event September 26th
In Sandpoint, neighbors and friends are like family. It is part of what makes this town a true community. Those involved with a relatively new Sandpoint organization, NAMI Far North, hope the people of this town will embrace community members who struggle with day-to-day challenges.
NAMI Far North is the Sandpoint chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. On Saturday, the group will hold an event called Take a Seat at the Table – an ice cream social that will bring people together to raise money and awareness of diseases that have long been misunderstood and whose victims suffer in silence due to the stigma frequently associated with mental illnesses.
“This event is both a public-awareness and fundraising event,” said Ruth McKnight, founding vice president of NAMI Far North. “We’d like to inform people about our monthly meetings and support services. We want to start using information and education to dispel the misconceptions about mental illness and enlighten the bad ideas that have contributed to so much stigma and discrimination against people with mental illness.”
Take a Seat at the Table is aimed at community involvement.
“The metaphor of the table stresses the idea that at the family dinner table, everyone has needs – needs for nourishment, conversation, connectedness, affirmation, belonging,” McKnight said. “We all have needs, but we all also have something to contribute.”
In keeping with the theme, chairs, benches and stools decorated by local artists will be auctioned off in addition to a table from a Bonner’s Ferry furniture maker and several other items including gift certificates for restaurants, a weekend getaway and quilts.
According to those involved with NAMI, mental health care receives less attention and financial support than that given to other illnesses; and that is partially due to misconceptions.
“As I listen to people talk about mental illness, I detect a pervasive underlying misunderstanding about the neurobiological nature of brain disorders. People do not think of mental illnesses as diseases like any other, such as diabetes or cancer. They think of them as character flaws or lack of will power or as someone’s fault,” McKnight said. “Few people comprehend that mental illnesses can be chemical in nature, or related to malformation of the brain itself, or can be caused by injury or be triggered by trauma.”
Since it was formed by a group of five people in 2007, NAMI Far North has grown to over 40 members. In addition to supporting and sharing with those who suffer from mental illness, the group also lends support to family and friends of those with a mental illness.
The group meets the third Wednesday of every month – with the exception of December – at Bonner General Hospital. McKnight said it provides an important service that people may not otherwise receive.
Part of NAMI Far North’s mission of educating the public on mental illness includes an 11-week class in Sandpoint and Bonners Ferry called Family-to-Family. Taught by trained NAMI family members, the course provides information, insight, understanding and empowerment to family and friends of individuals with serious mental illness.
The proceeds raised at Saturday’s event will allow NAMI Far North to expand its mission in North Idaho, including the training of law enforcement.
“We are already spearheading the Crisis Intervention Team training in the five northernmost counties of Idaho, with 22 officers already certified as CIT experts equipped to handle psychiatric emergency and mental illness disturbance call-outs with better outcomes,” McKnight said. “We plan to train and certify another 24 officers in February in a second CIT Academy in Kootenai County in February 2010.”
If you go
Take a Seat at the Table
What: Ice cream social and silent and live auction. Live music, family friendly.
When: Saturday, 5 to 8 p.m.
Where: Panhandle State Bank atrium, 414 Church St., Sandpoint.
Cost: $10 per person or $25 for a four-person family. Tickets are available at Eve’s Leaves, Common Knowledge Bookstore and Tea Shop in Sandpoint, Bonners Books in Bonners Ferry and Outskirts Gallery in Hope.
On the Web: www.nami.org
NAMI Far North is the Sandpoint chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. On Saturday, the group will hold an event called Take a Seat at the Table – an ice cream social that will bring people together to raise money and awareness of diseases that have long been misunderstood and whose victims suffer in silence due to the stigma frequently associated with mental illnesses.
“This event is both a public-awareness and fundraising event,” said Ruth McKnight, founding vice president of NAMI Far North. “We’d like to inform people about our monthly meetings and support services. We want to start using information and education to dispel the misconceptions about mental illness and enlighten the bad ideas that have contributed to so much stigma and discrimination against people with mental illness.”
Take a Seat at the Table is aimed at community involvement.
“The metaphor of the table stresses the idea that at the family dinner table, everyone has needs – needs for nourishment, conversation, connectedness, affirmation, belonging,” McKnight said. “We all have needs, but we all also have something to contribute.”
In keeping with the theme, chairs, benches and stools decorated by local artists will be auctioned off in addition to a table from a Bonner’s Ferry furniture maker and several other items including gift certificates for restaurants, a weekend getaway and quilts.
According to those involved with NAMI, mental health care receives less attention and financial support than that given to other illnesses; and that is partially due to misconceptions.
“As I listen to people talk about mental illness, I detect a pervasive underlying misunderstanding about the neurobiological nature of brain disorders. People do not think of mental illnesses as diseases like any other, such as diabetes or cancer. They think of them as character flaws or lack of will power or as someone’s fault,” McKnight said. “Few people comprehend that mental illnesses can be chemical in nature, or related to malformation of the brain itself, or can be caused by injury or be triggered by trauma.”
Since it was formed by a group of five people in 2007, NAMI Far North has grown to over 40 members. In addition to supporting and sharing with those who suffer from mental illness, the group also lends support to family and friends of those with a mental illness.
The group meets the third Wednesday of every month – with the exception of December – at Bonner General Hospital. McKnight said it provides an important service that people may not otherwise receive.
Part of NAMI Far North’s mission of educating the public on mental illness includes an 11-week class in Sandpoint and Bonners Ferry called Family-to-Family. Taught by trained NAMI family members, the course provides information, insight, understanding and empowerment to family and friends of individuals with serious mental illness.
The proceeds raised at Saturday’s event will allow NAMI Far North to expand its mission in North Idaho, including the training of law enforcement.
“We are already spearheading the Crisis Intervention Team training in the five northernmost counties of Idaho, with 22 officers already certified as CIT experts equipped to handle psychiatric emergency and mental illness disturbance call-outs with better outcomes,” McKnight said. “We plan to train and certify another 24 officers in February in a second CIT Academy in Kootenai County in February 2010.”
If you go
Take a Seat at the Table
What: Ice cream social and silent and live auction. Live music, family friendly.
When: Saturday, 5 to 8 p.m.
Where: Panhandle State Bank atrium, 414 Church St., Sandpoint.
Cost: $10 per person or $25 for a four-person family. Tickets are available at Eve’s Leaves, Common Knowledge Bookstore and Tea Shop in Sandpoint, Bonners Books in Bonners Ferry and Outskirts Gallery in Hope.
On the Web: www.nami.org
Pawsitive Works Pairs At Risk Youth With Shelter Dogs
Seven years ago Karen Schumacher visited a prison in Washington and saw inmates interacting with dogs. She was intrigued.
“It was amazing to watch,” said Schumacher explaining that the human-animal connection builds trust and contributes to the mental and physical wellness of the prisoners.
The experience motivated her to begin Pawsitive Works, a six-week program that links youths in the juvenile probation program with shelter dogs. The goal of the program is to instruct the youths to recognize behavioral issues in the dogs and use behavior modification and positive reinforcement tools to modify not only the dog’s behavior but the child’s as well.
The result is an increased self-esteem for the child and a respect for the needs of others – and of course a dog that is more likely to be adopted due to his good behavior.
To begin, Schumacher and other professionals spent the last several years researching educational materials that are compatible to both the children and the dogs and established guidelines to keep both the kids and dogs safe.
The curriculum for Pawsitive Works was the result of a collaboration of many, including Rhonda Hamerslough who has her Ph.D. in education and Jackie Crawford who is a family and youth therapist.
The pilot program was finally put into action in Boundary County last February linking youths from Boundary County with animals from area shelters.
The program, which is funded through donations and is beginning to receive some grants, was deemed a huge success.
“The first couple of sessions we review (the dog’s) body language,” said Schumacher. The youths look at photos as well as observe dogs from the shelters and learn to identify when a dog may be weary, excited, over stimulated or stressed.
The animals and youths are matched up according to their personality traits.
“If we have a hyper young person who has a hard time focusing, it would be wonderful to match that youth with a dog who may also have a hard time staying focused,” said Schumacher, explaining that the young person will need to slow down and focus their own behavior to help the dog do the same.
The probation department refers the youth to the program, and applications are submitted to Pawsitive Works.
“As an organization we have the right to question whether a particular child would be a good fit for the program,” said Schumacher. “But the probation officers really are in the best position to assess who would be the best candidates.”
Schumacher said the program will be sold to various entities, and she and her staff will continue to provide support.
“We will always be available to help and consult,” said Schumacher.
Because animal shelters typically do not have much in the way of discretionary funds, the county purchases the program and the shelter contributes in a variety of ways.
Schumacher said the shelters in Bonner and Boundary counties have agreed to hold the animals in their facility for the duration of the program, even if they are adopted midway through the class. It provides stability for the animals during the training process.
“Shelters are overcrowded everywhere so that is asking a lot of them,” said Schumacher.
She and her colleagues will track the progress of both the animals and the youths to determine the long-term effects of the program. They will be in contact with the probation officers to see whether the youths have reoffended or violated the terms of their probation.
With the pilot program hailed a success in Boundary County, a six-week program began last week in Bonner County. Four youths on probation will partner with dogs from area shelters.
During the pilot program Schumacher says one of the participants, a young man, was initially uncommunicative giving only monosyllabic answers. But by the third session he was rolling around on the ground and playing with the dog and at the fourth session he was interacting and providing suggestions for behavior modification.
“It was a real breakthrough and very heartwarming,” Schumacher said.
Pawsitive Works is currently forming its board of directors and is always in need of volunteers. If interested in serving on the board or volunteering, contact Karen Schumacher at(208) 946-3883or log onto www. pawsitiveworks.com.
“It was amazing to watch,” said Schumacher explaining that the human-animal connection builds trust and contributes to the mental and physical wellness of the prisoners.
The experience motivated her to begin Pawsitive Works, a six-week program that links youths in the juvenile probation program with shelter dogs. The goal of the program is to instruct the youths to recognize behavioral issues in the dogs and use behavior modification and positive reinforcement tools to modify not only the dog’s behavior but the child’s as well.
The result is an increased self-esteem for the child and a respect for the needs of others – and of course a dog that is more likely to be adopted due to his good behavior.
To begin, Schumacher and other professionals spent the last several years researching educational materials that are compatible to both the children and the dogs and established guidelines to keep both the kids and dogs safe.
The curriculum for Pawsitive Works was the result of a collaboration of many, including Rhonda Hamerslough who has her Ph.D. in education and Jackie Crawford who is a family and youth therapist.
The pilot program was finally put into action in Boundary County last February linking youths from Boundary County with animals from area shelters.
The program, which is funded through donations and is beginning to receive some grants, was deemed a huge success.
“The first couple of sessions we review (the dog’s) body language,” said Schumacher. The youths look at photos as well as observe dogs from the shelters and learn to identify when a dog may be weary, excited, over stimulated or stressed.
The animals and youths are matched up according to their personality traits.
“If we have a hyper young person who has a hard time focusing, it would be wonderful to match that youth with a dog who may also have a hard time staying focused,” said Schumacher, explaining that the young person will need to slow down and focus their own behavior to help the dog do the same.
The probation department refers the youth to the program, and applications are submitted to Pawsitive Works.
“As an organization we have the right to question whether a particular child would be a good fit for the program,” said Schumacher. “But the probation officers really are in the best position to assess who would be the best candidates.”
Schumacher said the program will be sold to various entities, and she and her staff will continue to provide support.
“We will always be available to help and consult,” said Schumacher.
Because animal shelters typically do not have much in the way of discretionary funds, the county purchases the program and the shelter contributes in a variety of ways.
Schumacher said the shelters in Bonner and Boundary counties have agreed to hold the animals in their facility for the duration of the program, even if they are adopted midway through the class. It provides stability for the animals during the training process.
“Shelters are overcrowded everywhere so that is asking a lot of them,” said Schumacher.
She and her colleagues will track the progress of both the animals and the youths to determine the long-term effects of the program. They will be in contact with the probation officers to see whether the youths have reoffended or violated the terms of their probation.
With the pilot program hailed a success in Boundary County, a six-week program began last week in Bonner County. Four youths on probation will partner with dogs from area shelters.
During the pilot program Schumacher says one of the participants, a young man, was initially uncommunicative giving only monosyllabic answers. But by the third session he was rolling around on the ground and playing with the dog and at the fourth session he was interacting and providing suggestions for behavior modification.
“It was a real breakthrough and very heartwarming,” Schumacher said.
Pawsitive Works is currently forming its board of directors and is always in need of volunteers. If interested in serving on the board or volunteering, contact Karen Schumacher at(208) 946-3883or log onto www. pawsitiveworks.com.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Bar Owner's Boycott of Philadelphia Eagles Receives Mixed Reviews
The day highly anticipated by football fans everywhere has finally arrived. Today marks the opening day of the 2009 NFL season.
From now until the Super Bowl, sports enthusiasts will gather around the TV to watch their favorite teams battle it out. Whether it is in one’s family room, neighbor’s house or the local sports bar, gathering to watch Sunday afternoon or Monday night football is a tradition in this country.
But what if your favorite team signs a player who has just been released from prison, and in protest of that player’s behavior the local sports bar refuses to air any game in which that team plays? That is the case at Slate’s Prime Time Grill and Sports Bar just north of Sandpoint in Ponderay. Slates, which has 20 HD television screens throughout the bar and restaurant, is a favorite of many sports enthusiasts in this area.
Steve Coffman, the owner of Slate’s, has made it known that he is disgusted that the Philadelphia Eagles have signed Michael Vick, the former Atlanta Falcons quarterback who was just released from federal prison, where he served 18 months in addition to six months of house arrest on charges of running a dogfighting operation.
The case brought national attention to the extreme cruelty bestowed upon man’s best friend. Evidence showed that if dogs did not perform according to expectations, Vick and others violently killed them by means such as hanging, drowning and electrocution.
Coffman is an animal lover and has joined other restaurant and bar owners in the nationwide Sack Vick campaign – boycotting all Philadelphia Eagles games as well as the team’s corporate sponsors.
As part of the campaign, Web sites are marketing T-shirts stating things like “Hide your beagle, Vick’s an Eagle” and “Hey, Michael, how would you like to be hung, electrocuted or drowned for not performing well enough?”
But with scandals such as famed quarterback Brett Favre’s addiction to painkillers in the 1990s – and more recently Cleveland Browns wide receiver Donte Stallworth, who was involved in a DUI vehicular manslaughter incident which landed him a full year suspension – what is the surprise of another NFL player falling from grace? After all, if sports bars were to boycott every team whose players were in trouble with the law, they would in all likelihood not be showing many games.
Although phone calls to Coffman went unreturned, the Slate’s owner has said in television interviews that this is the final straw – “enough is enough,” he told one television reporter.
But what do Sandpoint residents feel about this move?
Martin Rodriguez of Sandpoint is a die-hard football fan, and while he says he thinks Vick should have served more time than he did, he also does not agree with boycotting a team because of a crime for which a player has served time.
“Obviously they (the Eagles) signed a player who had done something wrong, but he did serve his time,” said Rodriguez. “I don’t know what else people want him to do.”
But as Coffman told a television news reporter last month, “How can I cheer for a team or a player, knowing what he’s done? It seems like they get in trouble, get a slap on the hand by the commissioner, and they’re back playing sports, making millions of dollars.”
In a time when businesses are doing all they can to make a profit, the fact that Steve Coffman is boycotting the Philadelphia Eagles and its sponsors is refreshing. If more people stood up for what they believe in and made a statement even when it has the potential of costing them business, perhaps the NFL would not be signing convicted felons. Mr. Coffman, I, for one, applaud you.
From now until the Super Bowl, sports enthusiasts will gather around the TV to watch their favorite teams battle it out. Whether it is in one’s family room, neighbor’s house or the local sports bar, gathering to watch Sunday afternoon or Monday night football is a tradition in this country.
But what if your favorite team signs a player who has just been released from prison, and in protest of that player’s behavior the local sports bar refuses to air any game in which that team plays? That is the case at Slate’s Prime Time Grill and Sports Bar just north of Sandpoint in Ponderay. Slates, which has 20 HD television screens throughout the bar and restaurant, is a favorite of many sports enthusiasts in this area.
Steve Coffman, the owner of Slate’s, has made it known that he is disgusted that the Philadelphia Eagles have signed Michael Vick, the former Atlanta Falcons quarterback who was just released from federal prison, where he served 18 months in addition to six months of house arrest on charges of running a dogfighting operation.
The case brought national attention to the extreme cruelty bestowed upon man’s best friend. Evidence showed that if dogs did not perform according to expectations, Vick and others violently killed them by means such as hanging, drowning and electrocution.
Coffman is an animal lover and has joined other restaurant and bar owners in the nationwide Sack Vick campaign – boycotting all Philadelphia Eagles games as well as the team’s corporate sponsors.
As part of the campaign, Web sites are marketing T-shirts stating things like “Hide your beagle, Vick’s an Eagle” and “Hey, Michael, how would you like to be hung, electrocuted or drowned for not performing well enough?”
But with scandals such as famed quarterback Brett Favre’s addiction to painkillers in the 1990s – and more recently Cleveland Browns wide receiver Donte Stallworth, who was involved in a DUI vehicular manslaughter incident which landed him a full year suspension – what is the surprise of another NFL player falling from grace? After all, if sports bars were to boycott every team whose players were in trouble with the law, they would in all likelihood not be showing many games.
Although phone calls to Coffman went unreturned, the Slate’s owner has said in television interviews that this is the final straw – “enough is enough,” he told one television reporter.
But what do Sandpoint residents feel about this move?
Martin Rodriguez of Sandpoint is a die-hard football fan, and while he says he thinks Vick should have served more time than he did, he also does not agree with boycotting a team because of a crime for which a player has served time.
“Obviously they (the Eagles) signed a player who had done something wrong, but he did serve his time,” said Rodriguez. “I don’t know what else people want him to do.”
But as Coffman told a television news reporter last month, “How can I cheer for a team or a player, knowing what he’s done? It seems like they get in trouble, get a slap on the hand by the commissioner, and they’re back playing sports, making millions of dollars.”
In a time when businesses are doing all they can to make a profit, the fact that Steve Coffman is boycotting the Philadelphia Eagles and its sponsors is refreshing. If more people stood up for what they believe in and made a statement even when it has the potential of costing them business, perhaps the NFL would not be signing convicted felons. Mr. Coffman, I, for one, applaud you.
Lake-A-Syst Program Offers Education for Landowners and Developers
One reason people move to this area is the setting. Nestled among the mountains, Sandpoint sits on the shore of Lake Pend Oreille. But a growing concern for this community and others like it is the ability to maintain and preserve the quality of the water.
Molly McCahon is the coordinator for the Lakeshore Assessment System program, known as Lake-A-Syst, sponsored by Bonner Soil and Water Conservation District. She said the key is to educate property owners at the early stage of land development. She works with landowners on Priest Lake, Twin Lakes and Lake Pend Oreille, instructing them on ways to protect their water from chemicals and environmental pollutants.
“It is more effective to reach people before they make decisions on land development,” said McCahon, adding that it is more difficult to make changes once designs have been put in place. “It is important to let people know what would happen in the future if we don’t take care of our lake now.”
She cites erosion, algae blooms in swimming areas, and continual spending on the treatment of aquatic invasive weeds as examples.
This year Lake-A-Syst received three grants, including an $8,000 award from the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality. With educational materials already available to property owners on Lake Pend Oreille, this year’s grant money will be used to develop materials for the Priest Lake and Twin Lakes areas.
Linda O’Hare, district administrator for Bonner Soil and Water Conservation, describes the materials as a nine-chapter booklet that provides education and tools for assessing whether residents and businesses are doing their part to maintain good water quality.
“At the end of each chapter is a self-assessment test,” O’Hare said. “People can determine whether they are high risk or low risk when it comes to making good decisions on the water quality.”
Topics covered include lawn and garden management, household wastewater treatment, landscape and new construction, management of storm water runoff, and household hazardous waste and petroleum products management, as well as a brief discussion on Eurasian milfoil.
“The booklet is designed for shoreline landowners, but it is useful to everyone” said McCahon.
A key component of the education is to target landscapers and contractors upon whom landowners rely when making their landscaping decisions. McCahon attends garden shows, home improvement shows, and other related events and is currently developing a class to further educate these groups of professionals.
From what she observes along the shoreline, McCahon said there is much that can be done to improve the care of the shorelines.
Issues such as overfertilizing a lawn can become a problem because turf has a shallow root system; if the lawn extends all the way to the shoreline, the water can easily become contaminated. McCahon also said phosphorus contamination can develop into other issues.
“You do not want phosphorus in the water because it encourages the growth of aquatic weeds, such as Eurasian milfoil, and causes algae blooms. As we all know too well, Eurasian milfoil has become a huge problem in Lake Pend Oreille,” said McCahon.
With a degree in landscape architecture, McCahon helps landowners design vegetative buffers and implement their plan.
“The landowner supplies the plants, materials and labor,” said McCahon who provides fifteen hours of her time to a landowner at no charge.
She goes door to door distributing the materials and walks the property with the landowners, offering suggestions when needed.
“We are here because of our lake, and with the increase in development comes the increased risk of pollution,” said McCahon. “If we don’t take care of it, we may lose the quality of life we currently enjoy. I just want to see responsible development.”
For more information on the Lake-A-Syst program, go to www.plrcd.org/lakeasyst/ or call Molly McCahon at (208) 263-5310
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Bonner County Jail Garden Thrives Under the Care of its Inmates
Hidden behind the buildings of the Bonner County Sheriff’s Office in Sandpoint is a sight one wouldn’t expect to see on jail grounds. A beautiful garden of three-quarters of an acre.
Tended to from spring until the fall freeze by inmates at Bonner County Jail, the garden provides food to area food banks and senior centers. But it does much more than feed the county’s less fortunate; it feeds the spirits of those who are responsible for its success.
Sgt. Bob Van Buren oversees the Inmate Labor Program. He said working in the garden has a positive effect on the men’s attitudes.
“Once they’re out here a bit they take ownership,” Van Buren said. “They take a lot of pride in it.”
The garden first began in the 1990s when Sheriff Chip Roos was in command. Back then it was a small garden used to supplement the jail kitchen.
The program waned, but was started up again under Sheriff Elaine Savage and has continued to grow over the past few years. Now Sheriff Daryl Wheeler has assured Van Buren that in spite of budget cuts, the garden will remain. And that’s a good thing.
“I’d go down fighting,” said Van Buren, obviously proud of the work his crew has accomplished.
The garden includes beets, zucchini, squash, pumpkins, potatoes, turnips, tomatoes and corn, all of which are distributed to food banks throughout the county.
Some of the men have never spent any time gardening and learn from one another.
“They learn a lot of responsibility,” said Van Buren, whose role is purely supervisory. “They make all the decisions and are very polite. The ones I have to police don’t last.”
Their work has earned the inmates three blue ribbons in the past two years at the Bonner County Fair.
As of late August, they had harvested more than 4,600 pounds of produce and expect to exceed last year’s total of 7,566 pounds.
“It’s great for the community, and it is good for us,” said inmate Robert Kraly who has worked in the garden for two months. “It gives us a feeling of accomplishment watching it grow.”
Josh Russell has worked in the garden since April. With no experience, he began by tilling the garden. Now the newcomers look to him for guidance.
“It makes me feel better that we are helping the community,” Russell said.
Perhaps the real reward comes when the inmates accompany Van Buren on the food deliveries.
“It’s good for those in the community to see us doing something good instead of getting into trouble,” said inmate Josh Freiburger. “I like seeing the smile on people’s faces when we deliver the food.”
But the Inmate Labor Program is not limited to work in the garden. Inmates have helped remodel the courthouse; performed construction projects at the former Federal Building; worked at the Priest River substation; and worked at the county shop. In the winter they also shovel snow for the county and area seniors.
For many it is a chance to also learn a new skill such as carpentry or vehicle repair.
“It shows them that they can work in society,” Undersheriff Bob Bussey said.
According to Bussey, the inmates are assigned work based on behavior, attitude and their classification as a prisoner. Over the past couple of years, the total savings to the county due to work performed by inmates, excluding the salary for the supervisor, totals $394,709. “And that is a conservative estimate,” Bussey said.
He said the program participants are not violent offenders and are well-supervised.
Bussey said the program would not be as successful as it is without Van Buren. But there have been others who have contributed as well, including the Bonner County Extension Office and the Master Gardeners Program.
“It’s been a very good program,” Bussey said. “A community project.”
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