2025 year in preview
By Reader Staff
Even if you’ve never read any of the works of 19th-century German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer, you’ve probably heard someone repeat his famous line: “A pessimist is an …
Category: Ben Olson
Notes on a vicennial deadline
By Zach Hagadone
Reader Staff
This week marks 20 years since the first edition of the Sandpoint Reader hit the streets on Dec. 23, 2004. That feels like a trick …
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 …
‘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”) …
Coming up this week! Don’t miss Live Music, the Summer Sampler, the Art Party, Monarch Grind, the Sandpoint Renaissance Faire, and more! See the full list of events in the 