Con artists, armed Boy Scouts and Santa Claus
By Ben Olson
Reader Staff
Nobody knows who wrote the first letter to Santa Claus, but the practice didn’t catch on in mainstream America until a con artist named John …
Category: Ben Olson
‘We do what we can’
By Ben Olson
Reader Staff
Food insecurity is a terrible thing, but it’s especially heartbreaking when it involves children.
For the past 15 years, the nonprofit organization Food for our …
Festivus for the rest of us
By Ben Olson
Reader Staff
For the uninitiated, Festivus is a holiday invented for an episode of the sitcom Seinfeld called “The Strike,” which involves the airing of grievances; feats …
A (different kind of) Christmas Carol
By Ben Olson
Reader Staff
There is perhaps no other Christmas story more impactful than Charles Dickens’ novella A Christmas Carol. The original work gave us timeless characters like …
Gift guide 2024: Local goods for the win
By Ben Olson
Reader Staff
It’s gift-giving season in North Idaho, and there are few better ways to support your neighbors than buying local.
For this week’s gift guide, we’re …
Freedumb
By Ben Olson
Reader Staff
If you toss a water balloon into a crowd of Idahoans, chances are you’ll hit someone wearing a shirt that has something about “freedom” written …
Reader to celebrate anniversary milestones with community party at Matchwood
By Ben Olson
Reader Staff
It’s amazing how fast 10 years goes by. At this time in December 2014, I was frantically putting together the relaunch of the Sandpoint Reader…
‘Ono grinds at Sunshine on Cedar
By Ben Olson
Reader Staff
After eating at Sunshine on Cedar, the new bar and restaurant inside the Cedar Street Bridge, the Hawaiian slang ‘ono grinds (meaning “delicious food”) …
Restless ideologues tilting at windmills
By Ben Olson
Reader Staff
I read a story once about a woman who constantly rearranged the furniture inside her home. Every few days or so, she’d try the couch …
Museum offers ‘Hands-On History’ activities for kids
By Ben Olson
Reader Staff
For many young kids, history is just another subject in school, requiring them to memorize the names of long-dead people and the dates in which …
Reader in Print
Special Report
TIMBER WARS: Six-part series, February-November 2022.
GO READ IT»
WHERE ARE THE WORKERS?: Five-part series, September-October 2021.
GO READ IT»
THE AMERICAN REDOUBT: Seven-part series, November-December 2017.
GO READ IT»
STANDOFF AT RUBY RIDGE: 25 Years Later. Five-part series, August-September 2017.
GO READ IT»
Curious about what media the locals use? Check our 2018 Local Media Survey. GO SEE »
Community Calendars
Coming up this week! Don’t miss Festivus, Skiing with Santa, Hogwire, and more! See the full list of events in the Community Calendars:
⋅ ENTERTAINMENT EVENTS»
⋅ CIVIC EVENTS»
⋅ MOVIE SHOWTIMES»
⋅ SPORTS & OUTDOOR EVENTS»
⋅ YEAR CALENDAR»
Sandpoint in Pictures
Filmmaker Jimmy Matlosz of the Idaho Film Company has made a series of mini documentaries about influential Sandpoint locals, including the late Dann Hall and Erik Daarstad as well as icons Diane Michaels and Dan Shook. He is currently working on a series of interviews connected to the history of the Panida Theater. Jimmy is a 30-year veteran filmmaker who’s work can be seen at dpmatlosz.com.
