Sandpoint’s hip Canadian sister Nelson
By Ben Olson Reader Staff I’ve been visiting Nelson, B.C. regularly since high school. Back then, I owned the worst fake ID ever created, which was purchased from a shady store in Spokane during...
Tagged: Ben Olson
Out of the plane and into the fire
By Ben Olson Reader Staff Every year, wildfires burn millions of acres across the West. While many of these burns affect public land, others creep ever closer to residential structures as we build farther...
It takes a lot of work to relax
By Ben Olson Reader Staff It takes a lot of work to relax. When I was in my 20s, packing for a camping trip or a weekend away was a pretty simple affair. I’d...
What I learned while interviewing Vietnam combat veterans
By Ben Olson Reader Staff In 2017, my partner and I made plans to backpack through Vietnam for five weeks. As many who own their own business can attest, there is no such thing...
Litehouse YMCA, city of Sandpoint seeking lifeguards for the season
By Ben Olson Reader Staff An integral part of the summer season in Sandpoint involves recreating in Lake Pend Oreille, which requires a number of lifeguards to ensure everyone exits the water safely at...
Lost in the ’50s weekend has arrived
By Ben Olson Reader Staff Get ready for the sound of vintage motors revving, doo-wop music blaring over loudspeakers and a couple thousand people milling about downtown Sandpoint — it’s about to be Lost...
What real courage looks like
By Ben Olson Reader Staff When Bonner General Health announced in March that it would cease labor and delivery services, citing the “legal and political climate” of Idaho as a critical reason why it...
So long and thanks for all the turns
By Ben Olson Reader Staff The end of the ski season at Schweitzer is always a little bittersweet. Everyone down in the valley is rejoicing at the first warm days of spring, leaving only...
The pesky public
By Ben Olson Reader Staff In an ideal democracy, a government serves at the behest of its people, not in spite of them. We are oceans away from anything resembling an ideal democracy in...
An afternoon meditation
By Ben Olson Reader Staff The alarm clock barely has a chance to make any noise on powder days. I’m usually up well before the buzzer, checking the Schweitzer Snow Report for an update...
