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Sheriff Harkins Defends ‘Missed’ Meeting PG 4 SUN VALLEY
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Tiny Town of Soldier Grows, Changes PG 6 BELLEVUE
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Wood River Weekly
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July 15 - 28, 2020
NEWS
POLICING
Sheriff Takes Local Media, Politicians To Task
PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM LOANS APPROVED
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n effort by the Ketchum City Council to publicly discuss the hot-button issue of policing tactics and other law enforcement policies is being met with criticism by Blaine County Sheriff Steve Harkins. But not because of anything to do with the controversial topic itself. On Friday, July 10, Harkins penned a 752-word post on his personal Facebook page clarifying and correcting a story that ran in the Mountain Express newspaper the same day. The article (Sheriff declines Ketchum’s invite for public discussion on police practices) claimed as its headline suggests that the incumbent sheriff was skirting around the issues raised by the Black Lives Mat- Blaine County Sheriff Steve Harkins. ter movement, which council Photo credit: Blaine County members put on their regular Sheriff’s Office meeting agenda to discuss with the public and the Ketchum Police Department (which is operated by the county sheriff’s office).
I rarely find the need to defend myself but I believe this is warranted. There is a little more to the story than I simply just refused to attend a council meeting.”
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Steve Harkins Blaine County Sheriff A Shot At The Sheriff According to the article, council members Amanda Breen and Courtney Hamilton expressed “disappointment” that Harkins asked to meet in private with a portion of the council first before having a public discussion. The article went on to quote Harkins from 2017 around the time he was sworn into office: “I work for the citizens of Blaine County, and building trust and transparency will always be a priority for me.” Translation: Now more than ever, the politicians setting policy are expecting—at the very least—the optics of police transparency. She Said, Sheriff Said The article went on to state that, ,according to Breen, the presence of the press was at least part of the reason Harkins declined to speak at the Ketchum City Council session “after a reporter with the Mountain Express requested to be invited to the private meeting,” the article stated. Harkins refuted that particular claim in his Facebook post. “I am not sure what private meeting Councilwoman Breen is referring to about where a reporter was refused access,” Harkins said. Harkins claims the Ketchum City Council put the issue on the agenda without asking him (which they have the right to do), but given the national climate surrounding law enforcement practices, it would be best, he believed, to first have a private conversation. “Our response to Mayor Bradshaw was we have found these meetings (specifically, public discussions regarding the police) are sometimes not constructive or reported accurately. I have seen these local and national discussions take place and it is a ‘no win’ for the police. A recent comment said if I knew a trap was there, why would I step in it? Very true.” Harkins did not stop there in his analysis of the matter. What follows is a summary of the sheriff’s other points of contention. 1. Harkins stated in his post that upon Breen and Hamilton’s election, he invited them to meet with him to discuss all things policing. Harkins said his recollection is that Breen said thanks but never followed up and that Hamilton never responded at all. 2. Harkins said he respects the Mountain Express publisher and appreciates the paper’s efforts to keep the community informed, but added that he hopes it would do more to “unite our community.” 3. Harkins defended his commitment to transparency and reinforced his commitment to change. “I will always support having discussions about change. We make changes every day at your sheriff’s office that makes our community a safer and a better place,” Harkins wrote. 4. Harkins also drew a line in the sand between the cringing policing methods the nation has seen carried out and what he says folks in the Valley receive. “Please support our local police. We are not Minneapolis, we are Blaine County. We have shown our community what good, trusted and professional law enforcement is and have done so for many years,” the sheriff said.
Wood River Weekly
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July 15 - 28, 2020
NEWS
5
IN BRIEF
Activist Group Launches Online Petition Drive For K-12 Initiative
On Masks: A Message From The Sheriff
The “Invest in Idaho” education initiative championed by activist group Reclaim Idaho is being allowed to move forward, online. Last week, U.S. District Court Judge B. Lynn Winmill ruled that Reclaim Idaho could collect electronic signatures for its initiative, saying the state violated the group’s First Amendment rights by failing to provide for a safe means of signature collection in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The state was ordered to confer with Reclaim Idaho and agree to a plan for electronic signature collection by July 9. Absent an agreement, the judge’s ruling allows Reclaim Idaho to implement its own plan to collect electronic signatures provided it meets so-called “highest available standards.” Reclaim Idaho co-founder Luke Mayville announced that Reclaim plans to move forward, finalize its system, and begin collecting signatures online early next week. The organization will be using a DocuSign-designed system to collect signatures. The software provider is an industry leader in secure transactions, which people use for a variety of business, commercial and real estate transactions every day. “After weeks of work and multiple discussions with the state, we’ve developed a detailed, industry-standard plan for the collection of electronic signatures in compliance with the judge’s order,” Mayville said. “We’ve made every effort to solicit the state’s feedback and adjust our design accordingly. We’re confident the system in place will indeed meet the highest available standards for electronic signature gathering.” The judge’s order gives Reclaim Idaho 48 days to collect signatures electronically starting July 9. If successful, the initiative will go before Idaho voters on Nov. 3.
“As your Sheriff, I want to explain our enforcement strategy on the newly adopted ordinances requiring masks in public places. Blaine County Ordinance 2020-03, which was adopted by the Board of Commissioners on July 7, 2020, requires that when social distancing is not possible, every person shall wear a face covering that completely covers the person’s nose and mouth when the person is in a public place and others are present. Blaine County Sheriff’s Office deputies will be enforcing this mask ordinance in the unincorporated areas of Blaine County, Idaho. The City of Ketchum, for whom we provide law enforcement services, adopted a similar mask ordinance on July 6, 2020. The Ketchum Police Division of the Blaine County Sheriff’s Office will be enforcing the Ketchum Public Health Emergency Ordinance 20-03 within the Ketchum city limits. Our enforcement will begin with education, warnings, and awareness. Our deputies will continue to take a common-sense approach and consider the context of each situation similar to how we approached the statewide COVID-19 Isolation Order. If warranted, citations will be issued. Our deputies will use their discretion wisely and treat the public with respect, fairness, and compassion. We want to reassure the public we are here performing our duties and honoring our sworn oath to protect our community’s safety and uphold the law. There are minor differences in the language and notable exemptions in both ordinances. We encourage you to read and interpret the ordinances for yourself. Both ordinances are available on our website https://blainesheriff.com/166/6003/ Public-Safety Enforcement in the cities of Hailey, Bellevue and Sun Valley are the responsibilities of their city police departments. We continue to stress the importance of remaining diligent about social distancing, hand washing, wearing masks out in public, and minimizing unnecessary social gatherings. To protect public health we need every single person to be part of the solution.”
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Wood River Weekly
NEWS
•
July 15 - 28, 2020
EDUCATION
For Whom The Book Deal Tolls
NEWS
Soldier: Fades Into By Karen Crowson
I
f you’re talking numbers of folks and businesses, 1910 proved to be th Soldier. Population of the Camas Prairie was reported in the Hailey Time is estimated 200 people cheerfully and peacefully celebrated Settlers Day year. The Camas County Courier reported not one arrest was made or one fig
The book cover of “Hemingway’s Sun Valley: Local Stories Behind His Code, Characters and Crisis.” Image credit: The History Press
Publisher launches Hemingway book by local educator By Eric Valentine
“All you have to do is write one true sentence. Write the truest sentence that you know.” Ernest Hemingway’s famous quote is being put to good use by Phil Huss. In fact, the longtime Sun Valley Community School English teacher and local Hemingway expert has written far more than a sentence; Huss has written a 10-chapter nonfiction book on Idaho’s most famous resident that officially releases July 20. How can one immediately know it must contain truth? A good indicator is that the three-page forward for the book was penned by Mariel Hemingway, the granddaughter of the prolific author who in recent years shifted much of her focus to bringing awareness to mental health issues—something Ernest battled especially hard toward the end of his life cut short by suicide and something Huss addresses in “Hemingway’s Sun Valley: Local Stories Behind His Code, Characters and Crisis.” “I understand why some people dance around it, but I don’t do that in the book,” Huss said in a recent interview with Wood River Weekly. Huss doesn’t sensationalize it either, but he notes that Hemingway attempted suicide multiple times and memory loss contributed to the writer’s struggles. “It’s something that needs to be contextualized,” Huss said. Context Is Everything The book has been a labor of love for Huss, who has been writing it off and on for the past five years. Of his 20 years teaching at Sun Valley Community School, he’s spent 15 of them teaching an English elective called “Hemingway” for upper division students, a sort of “greatest hits” review of Hemingway’s short stories and novels, Huss explained. One particular unit convinced Huss that all of his research to teach the class was fodder for a book. Huss explained that one unit of his course asks students to create a short documentary film on the five different Hemingway sites in the Wood River Valley. The research needed to make these films enhanced the student readers’ understanding of the seminal Hemingway novels Huss was teaching. “That’s when I saw there was a book in there,” Huss said. So Huss started writing. In addition, Huss pub-
lished articles related to his research in Sun Valley Magazine and BigLife Magazine and became a frequent speaker at the Ernest Hemingway Seminar held each September at The Community Library. And that’s ultimately how Arcadia Publishing saw there was a book in there, too. “It was at the end of one of my lectures that I said I was writing a book on Hemingway in Sun Valley and if anyone knew how to get something published they should let me know,” Huss recounted. “That’s when John Lundin told me about Arcadia and their interest in local history works.” Lundin, a seasonal Valley resident, is a lawyer and historian who authored a number of books. He got Huss in touch with his editor at The History Press, a division of Arcadia Publishing. About The Book Readers will get a first-hand look into local stories about Ernest Hemingway in Sun Valley and the surrounding area and how they embody principles of what’s known as his “Heroic Code.” This will help readers understand Hemingway’s most famous texts, including characters in his novels and stories that both exhibit and fail to exhibit the code principles. Each chapter is a code principle. Each chapter leads with local Sun Valley stories that develop the code principle, and the second half of the chapter develops how moments from his most famous texts embody the code principle as well. There are also previously unpublished stories about Hemingway obtained from personal interviews with locals and by reviewing archives of interviews at The Community Library. “I think that’s the contribution this book makes to the Hemingway legacy, the new stories and how I’ve codified the code into distinct chapters.” Huss said. Release Info The book will be available online via Amazon, Target, Barnes & Noble, Arcadia Publishing, as well as locally at Chapter One Bookstore, Iconoclast Books & Gifts, Atkinsons’ Markets, Sun Valley Museum of History, Silver Creek Outfitters and Lost River Outfitters. Huss will be giving a public talk and signing books at The Community Library in Ketchum from 6–7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 21. That’s also the date of Ernest Hemingway’s birthday.
Soldier Is Booming Fast, Busting Slowly Businessmen of note during the 1910s were merchants Warren Kellog, ba vett, abstractor Leon Fuld, blacksmiths J.M. Dick Richlien and W.I. Sonner Roudebush, Lumberman Naser and J.L. Baxter, and Housman’s Real Estate family was a large landowner in Soldier with four homes for rent. There w Cash Store, Wardrop’s Livery Station, Mollie’s Café, Bashford’s Pioneer Saloon, F.H. Gifford’s harness and saddlery shop, a photography shop own and J.E. Campbell Confectionery Store, a store that carried candy in bulk b Even with 1910 being a peak year, 1911 proved to be the cancer that would stroy the town of Soldier. It was during this time that the opera house, Goff’s as a theater and was operated by Russell and Parker with admissions costing The Hall was also used for Lyceum meetings, dances, plays, and various p Saturday night, a dance was held, rotating between Hot Springs Ranch, M and the Soldier Creek schoolhouse. Margaret Perkins, a resident of Soldi recalled these events, saying, “Each gal would spend much time making the box she could, filling it with scrumptious delicacies, then hoped and praye young man would bid the highest for her box.” Still growing, and unaware of the demise ahead, Soldier now had the Finch shop owned by Charlie Gaskill, a bakery, and even a board sidewalk that ex length of the block on the north side of Main between Gooding and Bliss stre Mollie Rowland, the owner of Mollie’s Café, was known around Soldie ing woman with a very large family. Rowland was known to open her hom needing a place to stay and in 1911 Ben Higgs shot and killed Joe Jones in f Residents at the time seemed more concerned about the ‘o’ being shot out of café than of the shooting itself.
A Traintrack Doesn’t Run Through It Before the close of 1911, the Oregon Short Line Railroad bypassed Soldi the south, beginning the formation of Fairfield and the demise of Soldier. It of business sell-offs and pack-ups over the next several years. Fowler’s Auto Garage sat on First Street South and was sold to Harry G Peterson in 1914. Fowler’s Auto Garage was renamed Soldier Auto Compa cars. George Perkins, as a young man, worked for Soldier Auto Company a he would walk from his home in Fairfield to work and back for $1.75 per we chased a bicycle, making payments of 25 cents a week. It was also around th Idaho Hotel was moved to Fairfield along with The Camas County Courier. By 1915, Soldier consisted of Finny’s Feed and Livery Stable, George J smith shop, Cluer’s Hardware, a furniture and casket shop, a millinery, a fra a printing shop in back, as well as a few remaining original Soldier busine lishments. The post office was now operating out of J.E. Campbell’s Confe On Oct. 2, 1915, Martha Kellog took over as postmistress and children we the mail at the confectionery store from Postmistress Kellog due to all the b On March 19, 1918, Violet Campbell took over as postmistress until the discontinued on June 15, 1922, after serving the residents of Soldier for nea more and more businesses left the town of Soldier for Fairfield, school fo residents was held in the First National Bank building that still stands in e Former Soldier resident Hugh Koonze remembers attending school in the ba says he enjoyed playing hooky. Born in 1935, Koonze was born in the family home at Soldier and says he of his siblings were born there. “Doctor Higgs was supposed to deliver me but he was so inebriated tha name was Margaret Niesen, she delivered me. That doctor then had the auda dad a bill for $25. Well, needless to say, it didn’t get paid,” said Koonze. Koonze’s father, Luther Koonze, was a granion hay farmer, farming 1,00 Koonze was the great-grandson of John and Rana Boyce, who owned an Boyce Hotel. Great-great-grandson Hugh Koonze says the Boyce Hotel w into a bed and breakfast but then sat vacant for many years before burning d
NEWS
Popular Running Event Goes Virtual
Idaho’s most popular fitness event is going virtual with its 5K, 10K and Half Marathon. St. Luke’s FitOne event was originally scheduled to take place in Boise on Saturday, Sept. 26. The largest one-day running event in Idaho draws about 12,000 participants every year and helps raise money for St. Luke’s Children’s, Idaho’s only children’s hospital. In May, race organizers decided to modify the event from a huge in-person, family-friendly fitness celebration to a virtual one spread out across the state over nine days at the recommendation of St. Luke’s physicians and state health officials. What is a Virtual Race? Instead of waking up early to join a large group in downtown Boise to run a predetermined course, participants track their own course and time in the digital realm, run or walk on their own terms and in their favorite location. The only requirement is the race be done between Sept. 18-26 and use the RaceJoy app to track the time and distance. St. Luke’s FitOne will supply the race shirts, bibs, medals and virtual cheers and high-fives.
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Wood River Weekly
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July 15 - 28, 2020
HISTORY & CULTURE
Booming Town History, Fairfield Part 3 of 3
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he peak year of es at 4,900 and it y in Soldier that ght noted.
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greg@cpastrust.org www.cpastrust.org
208-720-4926 Voted “Best Asian Cuisine” Robert Wright, a resident of Fairfield, picks thriving lilacs blooming in the ghost town of Soldier. Photo credit: Karen Crowson
Remembering Days Gone By When recalling his childhood in Soldier, Koonze talks of his days skating on Soldier Creek in the winters and making snowmen. Koonze had a friend named Red that had stood on a stack of his father’s old 55-gallon fuel drums that were full of fuel vapor and had not been used in many years. “He dropped a match in it and it just blew up,” said Koonze. “I remember it knocking him many feet over.” Koonze idolized the older boys who would play cops and robbers because “they used real 22 shells,” said Koonze, “but no one was ever shot other than a hat punctured.” Koonze has other more mundane memories of the town, too. He said when the opera house, Goff’s Hall, was converted into a stake-making plant for surveyors, he delivered stakes to Pocatello from there. Slowly, as the years went by, Soldier began to fade. With most businesses moving to Fairfield, remaining residents began moving their homes to Fairfield and, by 1953, the Soldier Ranger Station on Soldier Creek, which had been in operation since 1909, moved to Fairfield. Koonze even did some mining while living in Soldier and when asked if he had ever found a gold nugget, he smiled a big smile and said that he had, before turning to his wife, Afton Koonze, still smiling. “This one right here,” he said with a smile still on his face and holding her hand, “Yeah, she’s great.” Koonze married Afton Denny, granddaughter of the Baldwins of Soldier, in 1955, at the Community Church in Fairfield. “We were the second couple married there,” Koonze said. The Kooenzes both noted how terrible the winters were in Soldier during those days—snow would typically pile up above the fence posts—but talked about the dances held at Elk Creek fondly. “People wouldn’t come home until early morning sometimes,” said Koonze. In 1958, Koonze and his wife left Soldier and moved to Oregon, then to Boise and later to Mountain Home before returning to purchase the family ranch. When asked how he feels about the ghostly state Soldier is in today, he says, “I think it’s sad but there’s nothing you can do about it but progression in these larger towns around us is why small towns like Soldier die out.” But Koonze leaves room for hope, saying, “It’s going to change again.” The only remaining existence of that era for Soldier is the still-standing bank, and Goff’s Hall. The bank is now in use as a residence and Goff’s Hall is boarded up and used as storage. The once thriving town of Soldier, once full of life and teeming with stories of many, is now a ghostly shell of “what once was” on the Camas Prairie.
For the safety of the community and to slow the spread, WE WILL ONLY BE DOING TAKEOUT Mon: 3:30pm - 8pm • Tue-Sat: 12pm - 8pm • Sunday CLOSED Thank you and stay safe!
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IN BRIEF
vent won’t be quite the same this year,” said Eric Luke’s FitOne executive director. But, “Our goal is people of all ages to get fit for life, and have fun and that hasn’t changed.”
Concealed Vehicle Leads to Multiple-Felony Arrest
ealed vehicle led to three felony charges and one anor charge last weekend. On Sunday, July 12, at ately 12:30 p.m., Blaine County Sheriff”s Office responded to a report of a suspicious vehicle off of ch Road south of Bellevue. hicle was reported to be covered in sagebrush to o conceal it well off the roadway. Upon further tion, deputies were able to locate the vehicle at ocation and determine the owner to be Phillip R. e 49, of Challis. was also found to have a felony warrant out of and a misdemeanor warrant out of Nevada. Baker ted at a ranch south of Bellevue. During a search o arrest, deputies located articles containing drugs
on Baker’s body. Baker was charged with felony Possession of a Controlled Substance (methamphetamine), misdemeanor Possession of a Controlled Substance (marijuana), felony Fugitive to Idaho, and felony Montana warrant for Sexual Intercourse without Consent. The Nevada warrant is not extraditable
. Women’s Biz Center Births Pro Bono Legal Clinic
The Idaho Women’s Business Center, along with law firm Smith + Malek, has launched the Idaho Virtual Legal Clinic. The program offers pro-bono legal consultations for small-business owners and nonprofits in the state to help them navigate the COVID-19 economic crisis and ensuing relief programs. The clinic is part of a nationwide program developed by the Lawyers for Good Government Foundation, a nonprofit network of more than 125,000 legal advocates with lawyers in all 50 states. Qualifying small businesses and nonprofits of 25 or fewer employees will be offered free 45-minute phone or virtual consultations with pro-bono attorneys who can answer legal
questions and help determine the best path forward for their companies. Consultations will include helping Idaho small-business owners or nonprofits understand the legislative language in the CARES Act and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), and answer any questions related to employment, contracts, commercial leases, insurance and insolvency issues. More information can be found at idahowomen.org/ small-business-legal-clinic1.html “We are honored that Lawyers for Good Government entrusted our firm as the Idaho site for this nationwide legal clinic to assist businesses during the pandemic,” said Tara Malek, attorney and co-owner at Smith + Malek. “Partnering with the Idaho Women’s Business Center is a natural fit for a majority-female firm, and because we know women-owned businesses may have a harder time bouncing back during this uncertain time.” “This partnership gives women and men in our network access to legal expertise they might otherwise struggle to access and afford,” said Diane Bevan, executive director of IWBC, which operates through the Idaho Hispanic Foundation.
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COMM ENT ARY Wood River Weekly
Fishing R epoRt
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July 15 - 28, 2020
NO BONES ABOUT IT THE “WEEKLY” FISHING REPORT FOR JULY 15 - 28 FROM PICABO ANGLER
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s our weather in the Valley heats up, the prime fishing windows on local waters will occur during the early morning and late evening. In the middle of the day, hatches will start to taper off, but we’ll have good hopper and terrestrial fishing, especially on breezy days. We’re seeing good numbers of Tricos on Silver Creek, and the bugs will increase in intensity as the month goes on. Be on the water early! Have a good selection of Para Tricos, Clearwing Spinners, Quigley Stackers, and CDC Biot Comparaduns in sizes 20 through 24. Long, light leaders and drag-free downstream drifts are required when fishing these tiny bugs, as is a good bit of patience. When all else fails, a tiny Renegade or Parachute Ant is a great way to show the fish a little something different during the blizzard of Tricos. There are still good numbers of small BWOs (size 20–24) on the Creek in the mornings and evenings, as well as a smattering of PMDs (size 16–20). Fishing a small Rusty Spinner during the last hour of daylight can pay big dividends this time of year. The Callibaetis action has been picking up, as well. Look for these bugs during the late morning and early afternoon, and have a good selection of emergers, duns, and spinners in size 14–18. Fish are keying in on damsels at times on the Creek. Swinging damsel nymphs and fishing adult imitations along floating weed mats is effective. Of course, beetles and ants will work all season on the Creek, and hoppers are starting to take fish. Start your fishing with small hoppers, and fish larger patterns as the season progresses. Right now, it’s hard to beat a size 10 Morrish Hopper in tan, yellow or pink. The Big Wood River and upper Big Lost River system are fishing extremely well, with a variety of insects currently on the menu. Caddis, PMDs, Flavs, Pink Alberts, Yellow Sallies, and small tan Stoneflies are common. Fishing small attractor dries and dropper nymphs is the way to go. Parachute Adams, Purple Haze, PMX, Stimulators, and Elk-Hair Caddis are good bets for the dry, and size 16–20 Copper Johns, Zebra Midges, and Duracells are excellent droppers. The Salmon River and South Fork Boise River both remain at good floating levels, and the fish are looking up. Happy fishing, everyone!
Hwy 20 in Picabo info@picaboangler.com (208)788.3536 www.picaboangler.com
FRAN JEWELL
What are you waiting for?
R
By Fran Jewell
ecently, I have been dismayed by the lack of early dog training with puppies that I am seeing in the Valley. I am not sure where this is coming from, but EARLY training and socialization is imperative to have a dog you can live with. What do I mean by EARLY? BEFORE 16 WEEKS OF AGE! Not AFTER they have finished their shots. By then, puppies have missed a critical imprinting period that helps them to live comfortably in our world. If puppies are not socialized with people, other dogs and new places during this period, they may fear them the rest of their lives. A fearful dog is NOT easy to live with and can eventually become fear aggressive. When I talk about socializing with people, I mean both adults and children. Include people that are disabled and maybe in a wheelchair, on crutches, or using a walker. If dogs are not introduced to all of these things before that 16-week period is over, it can produce a plethora of problems later on. These experiences must be positive ones, which mean you have to take the responsibility to provide SAFE socialization. It does NOT mean taking your puppy to the DOG PARK and letting other dogs run up to your puppy and terrorize or bully it! It means letting your puppy have safe experiences with fair, friendly and healthy dogs that belong to your friends in a virus-free environment such as a fenced-in backyard. It also means asking your friends with dog-experienced children to help provide positive experiences with youngsters. Borrow a wheelchair, walker, cane or crutches from someone to let your pup see. Put pieces of food on them so the pup will go up, sniff the equipment and get rewarded for it. Wear silly hats, dark glasses and floppy clothes or Halloween costumes so your pup understands it’s alright and not
SCIENCE OF PLACE
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SAFE socialization with other dogs, people and places is IMPERATIVE for puppies under 16 weeks of age. Here, Pele the puppy is treated fairly and lovingly by my older, high-ranking dog, Brinx. Photo credit: Fran Jewell
something to bark at or shy away from. Have a puppy party, where you ask all your friends to come over in 10-minute intervals to have a cracker and cheese party, where you can have your puppy sit nicely for treats upon each person’s arrival. Be sure you invite everyone—male, female, and children. Leave other dogs home for another time. As for training, the more you can teach your dog before the 16 weeks is up, the easier it is to work with your dog as she hits her “teenage years,” meaning from 6 months to a year old. ALL dogs go through this period where they test you and what you are going to do about everything—whether they really have to come when they are called, or if they HAVE to sit by the door instead of bolting out into the street. Imprinting behaviors like
“leave it” and “come” are critical at this time, as well as how to walk nicely on a leash. THE LONGER YOU WAIT TO TRAIN, THE HARDER IT IS, because you have to UNDO all the bad behaviors your dog learns during that 16-week period to replace them with the good behaviors. TRAINING TAKES LONGER THE LONGER YOU WAIT. Just like human babies, give your pup the BEST start in life! Fran Jewell is an IAABC Certified Dog Behavior Consultant, NADOI Certified Instructor and the owner of Positive Puppy Dog Training, LLC in Sun Valley. For more information, visit positivepuppy.com or call 208-578-1565.
Imbrication
HANNES THUM
By Hannes Thum
he annual cycle of a river like the Big Wood is pretty straightforward. Snowpack-driven runoff in the springtime causes the river to rise and swell and speed up as water from the mountains enters the river (sometimes rapidly) on its way downstream. During this time, water can cover a lot of land that is otherwise dry the rest of the year. As spring changes into summer and most of the snowpack has melted, the river tends to settle into summertime flows, the channel becomes more defined, and the water is more confined by its banks and bars. Into the fall and winter, flows are at their lowest and will continue to head toward a (relative) trickle until the next year’s springtime runoff. And so it repeats. But those springtime floods have a real impact on the shape of the river bed. It’s important to note that rocks and gravel and sand all move when the river is high—during really high flows you can actually hear rocks moving underwater if you listen carefully. A term that you often hear to describe a river like ours, especially amongst flyfisher-people, is a “freestone river,” and that’s because of the way spring runoff can rearrange the stonework of the river each year. What does a river reveal after the spring flows recede? One fascinating thing that it reveals is something called “imbrication,” which occurs during spring floods but isn’t visible until the floods are over. Imbrication describes the way that rocks and cobbles get laid down in a certain way during those high springtime flows, which then are revealed when the river shrinks away.
What does it look like? Well, it looks a little bit like bricks (and that’s how I remember the word—as in “im-brick-ation”). Picture your classic river rock: rounded and maybe somewhat flattened from all of those years rolling along underwater. Now, picture a whole bunch of them all sitting together in a way that almost looks like somebody took the time to lay them out carefully, like pavers in a driveway or like bricks in a wall. They’ll be tilted a bit, with their higher ends pointed downstream to the direction of the flow, because they have found the perfect angle to rest at which the rushing water can no longer flip them up or down (and if they did get flipped, they’d roll on down the river to an-
other spot). That “somebody” that laid the rocks that way is, of course, the water itself. And so even if you go look at the river today (and the river is quite low today, because we’ve been having some record-breaking low flows this year), imbrication becomes a reminder that the river changes dramatically from day to day and year to year. All of those rock bars and sandy beaches and cobble runs that you see out of the water today were deposited there by past high water events. And imbricated rock bars, to me, are the most dramatic thumbprint of those flows—the most unique and unmistakable artform that only spring floods could have left behind.
Wood River Weekly
MONEY MATTERS
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July 15 - 28, 2020
JENNI RILEY
Talk About $$ With Your Kids
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INSPIRATIONS FROM MY HEART
DOVE
By Jenni Riley, FPQP™
I
’ve been guilty of leaving my children out of conversations relating to money because they are “too young to understand.” But, advertisers are NOT leaving your children out of their discussions and want to use them to influence spending. Kids are making money decisions, spending their allowances, and asking you to spend without even knowing why or how it affects things overall. Most of what a child learns about money will come from home. If family discussions include topics about spending wisely and earning their money, there is a higher likelihood children will adopt good habits. The moment I understood the need for these discussions was when my daughter asked me to buy her an expensive item while shopping. I told her we didn’t have the money for that right now, and she replied, “Yes, you do, you have your card in your wallet.” Where to begin?
Money vs. Credit —Children need to understand that if you use a credit card, you still must have the money to pay for it and that interest will compound on any balances. Savings —Younger children can be shown how to save up their allowance to make a more significant purchase later instead of blowing through their money on small items that they don’t need. Money Management —Talk about budgets with them. Let them be part of some small decisions like the amount budgeted for entertainment. By engaging children in spending choices, they can see how decisions such as going to a movie twice in a month vs. going to the theme park once can affect the budget. Demonstrate —If you communicate that you don’t have the cash for something frivolous, but they witness you purchasing on credit, you are not leading by example. Consider talking WITH your kids, not AT them. —Make money talk casual and open-ended. Once you make it a lecture, that two-way street now becomes barricaded. Young kids can understand basic concepts of value. My grandpa used to match any coins I chose not to spend and put in my piggy bank instead. I didn’t realize then that he was teaching me to save. “You’ve got to tell your money what to do, or it will leave.” –Dave Ramsey Financial awareness starts at home; you just need to start the conversation. Jenni Riley is a Financial Paraplanner Qualified ProfessionalTM. HAZLETT WEALTH MANAGEMENT, LLC is independent of Raymond James and is not a registered broker/dealer. Investment advisory services are offered through Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. Securities offered through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC. 675 Sun Valley Road Ketchum, Idaho, 208.726.0605. HazlettWealthManagement.com
ON LIFE’S TERMS
Magic Moments
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Life is a gift. The purpose is joy. Find yours.
talking through phones instead of in person, I realize that this pandemic has, at least, occurred in n analyzing the sometimes subtle effects of the the time of an obvious abundance of connections COVID-19 virus, experts have noted an in- available through social websites, Zoom and many crease in nightmares among citizens who nor- avenues we are discovering. I understand that I mally don’t claim to dream much. I have always must adjust more fully to the availability of sourchad vivid dreams, many bizarre, which provide me es on the Internet. with endless analyses of my subconsciousness. In looking back on that nightmare, I reflect on I will not bore you here with the two interpretations: one is the exnature of my nighttime fantasies, as cessive and bloated time I spend relating dreams is usually a fruiton the ever-growing sources from less experience and often boring to my computer, almost like a huge the listener. However, I had an esatomic bomb fraught with devaspecially odd nightmare early on in tation, an overload sometimes almy quarantine weeks, and I keep most poisonous. If I compare that recalling it with the events of this with my library card, real letters, pandemic. newspapers, magazines, books and I dreamt I was writing and sending radio, the sources available when I too many messages on my laptop, grew up, I can despair. Go through when the computer started to turn a typical daily Facebook record and red and swell up to a triple-sized, try to avoid nasty and hateful views untouchable oddity. Then I noticed JoEllen Collins—a longtime by some with whom you would hope that I, too, was beginning to turn red resident of the Wood River to maintain a positive relationship. and swell. I screamed "It's radioac- Valley— is an Idaho Press And how does that “radiation” tive!" as I awoke into, thank God, Club award-winning colum- lead to my fear of the future and a only a remembered vision. nist, a teacher, writer, fabric glut of sadness within me? I don't I am often disturbed by the lack artist, choir member and know, but I am working on it. The of connection that dominates many unabashedly proud grandma second interpretation is more posiof my nightmares, but this one has known as “Bibi Jo.” tive: I am trying to accept the new stayed with me, as an older woman realities of my life without gorging who is not a "techie." Even though I never learned on the fear and negativity. to type, I have slowly been able to employ many Obviously, this overdose of data will be a new of the skills necessary in today’s world to wade feature of our world, with good and bad results as through the current information and communi- we access the omnipresent and omnipotent flow of cations skills adequately, especially if I ask my truth and fiction. I did awaken before the imagined grandchildren for help. result of my bad dream. Maybe there would have And while I bewail the lack of human touch been a happy ending filled with ready access to and personal time with others, and the plethora of other peoples and ideas that will strengthen us all. BY JOELLEN COLLINS
BY DOVE
he gift of magic moments is an event that makes each day special. I keep a list on my computer of all the magic moments that have occurred or are occurring in my life each day. I make a point to reread these moments on a frequent basis because it reminds me of all the GRACE that exists each day of our lives. We often get so busy or distracted by all the news that we forget to look for those special events, no matter how small, that occur in our lives. Many years ago my son gave me a sky chair for Mother’s day. If you do not know what a sky chair is, look it up, because just sitting in a sky chair creates a time of suspended reality. You have complete support in your sky chair—a foot rest, arm rests, your whole body is supported—yet, you are not touching the ground in any way and you have that luscious swinging motion that relaxes even the most stressed of bodies. You can even have a drink holder as part of your sky chair. The perfect time for me in my sky chair is about 10 a.m. The sun is just coming over the hill and warms the area of the porch from which my chair is suspended. I take my tea and my meditations out to my chair, suspend myself, close my eyes, and start to swing. I become at peace. I feel filled with the love of all things—nature, my family, my home, my country. I feel blessed. For many years I did not have the luxury of being home at 10 a.m., except on the weekends, and now I do. I cherish each moment that I get to experience this peace. Today, as I was sitting in my chair, a hummingbird came within 6 inches of my face and just hovered, looking me in the eye as if to say, “See, it is the little things that bring such joy. I am a sign of joy, so remember to seek yours each moment, and remember them, for they are fleeting and so easy to forget.” Bless each breath you take and declare that you and your life are gifts to all of existence. Know that each of us is vital to the energy of the earth and beyond. Write down a magic moment every day, no matter how small, because when you need to be uplifted, you can go to your list and be fulfilled. You are each precious. Bless all of nature with your energy.
JOELLEN COLLINS
NIGHTMARE ON APPLE STREET
I
NEWS
IN BRIEF
Two Eateries Serve 500+ Meals To People In Crisis
Rico’s Authentic Italian Restaurant and Hailey Coffee Company have concluded their feeding-people-in-crisis program by delivering both breakfast and dinner selections to The Hunger Coalition. The program had been in operation since April when the COVID-19 pandemic hit the Valley. At that time, both Rico Albright, owner of Rico’s in Ketchum, and Santos Serva, owner of Hailey Coffee Company in Hailey and Ketchum, stepped up to ensure people in crisis would not go hungry. Rico’s provided a weekly delivery of individual pizzas and lasagna dinners for the past four months to The Hunger Coalition. Hailey Coffee Company provided servings of granola breakfast and snack bars as part of the “Breakfast For Everyone” program. Both Rico’s and Hailey Coffee received donations from several local individuals in support of their programs.
Volunteers for The Hunger Coalition receive their weekly donations of pizza and lasagna dinners from Rico’s Authentic Italian Restaurant.
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Wood River Weekly
NUESTRA VOZ CUENTA
Signs… Signs… Everywhere There Are Signs
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OUR VOICE COUNTS
ondering what the yellow signs “Neighbors Helping Neighbors” or “Vecinos Apoyando Vecinos” are about? Let’s share a little bit about the big impacts being made by this program sponsored by the Crisis Hotline together with PROJECT.O.O.L.S & PARTNERS, Herbert Romero, in response to COVID. “Neighbors Helping Neighbors” Tammy Davis (NHN) is a program designed to help keep our families emotionally healthy and engaged in the community. We accomplish this with our “boots-on-the-ground” approach to outreach: We are providing families with “care packages” that have games and activities aimed at keeping our children and families healthy and engaged. The packages contain great board games, puzzles, environmental activities, emotional tool-kit activities and, most importantly, updated information on how to stay healthy and safe, in addition to lists of local resources to help with specific needs; i.e., The Advocates, Blaine County Charitable Fund, St. Luke’s Center for Community Health, NAMI-WRV, The Hunger Coalition and so many more, including the 24-hour Crisis Hotline (208) 788-3596 or the new Bilingual Support Line (208) 578-4114. This past month we have even brought a CENSUS Presence at all our outreach. CensuSTRONG! Since March, NHN has targeted outreach in Carey, Gannett, Sun Tree Hollow, Country Chalet, The Meadows, Balmoral, Bellevue, Hailey, and Ketchum, delivering trust and hope to over 600 children because of the amazing support we have received from The Tidwell Foundation, The Spur Foundation, The Heinz Foundation, the Board of the Crisis Hotline, Local Food Alliance, Lago Azul, SVI Blaine Recovery, Kiwanis, Blaine County Complete Count Committee, Atkinsons’, KB’s, Despo’s, Rickshaw, Perry’s, Chapalitas Meat Market, Bellevue and Hailey public libraries, Jane’s Artifacts, Iconoclast Books, Chateau Drug and so many more individual supporters and, OF COURSE, OUR VOLUNTEERS!! There is STILL more work to be done!! We recognize that we are not out of the woods yet and need YOUR HELP! Please join us or donate TODAY to keep our communities emotionally healthy and strong. www.thecrisishotline.org NUESTRA VOZ CUENTA
Señales ... Señales ... En Todas Partes Hay Señales ¿Se pregunta de qué se tratan los letreros amarillos “Neighbors Helping Neighbors” o “Vecinos Apoyando Vecinos?” Compartamos un poco sobre los grandes impactos que está generando este programa patrocinado por The Crisis Hotline junto con PROJECT.O.O.L.S & PARTNERS, Herbert Romero, en respuesta a COVID. “Neighbors Helping Neighbors” es un programa diseñado para ayudar a mantener a nuestras familias emocionalmente saludables y comprometidas con la comunidad. Logramos esto con nuestro enfoque de “arranque en el terreno”; Estamos brindando a las familias “paquetes de cuidado familiar” que tienen juegos y actividades destinadas a mantener a nuestros hijos y familias saludables y comprometidos. Los paquetes contienen excelentes juegos de mesa, rompecabezas, actividades ambientales, actividades emocionales de herramientas y, lo más importante, información actualizada sobre cómo mantenerse sano y seguro, además de listas de recursos locales para ayudar con necesidades específicas. Defensores, Fondo de Caridad del Condado de Blaine, Centro de Salud Comunitaria de St. Luke, NAMI-WRV, The Hunger Coalition y muchos más, incluida la Línea Directa de Crisis las 24 horas (208) 788-3596 o la nueva Línea de Apoyo Bilingüe (208) 578-4114. ¡El mes pasado incluso hemos traído una presencia CENSO en todo nuestro alcance! Somos CensuSTRONG! Desde Marzo, (Vecinos Apoyando Vecinos) ha ido a Carey, Gannett, Sun Tree Hollow, Country Chalet, The Meadows, Balmoral, Bellevue, Hailey, Ketchum, entregando confianza y esperanza a más de 600 niños porque hemos recibido increíble apoyo de estos programas, restaurantes, y fonduciones en la comunidad: The Tidwell Foundation, The Spur Foundation, The Heinz Foundation, the Board of the Crisis Hotline, Local Food Alliance, Lago Azul, SVI Blaine Recovery, Kiwanis, Blaine County Complete Count Committee, Atkinsons’, KB’s, Despo’s, Rickshaw, Perry’s, Chapalitas Meat Market, Bellevue and Hailey Library, Jane’s Artifacts, Iconoclast Books, Chateau Drug y mas muchos, muchos mas!! Y por supuesto, NUESTROS VOLUNTARIOS! Todavía a mucho trabajar qué hacer!! Reconocemos que no estamos fuera de peligro y necesitamos SU AYUDA! Únase a nosotros o done hoy, para mantener nuestras comunidades emocionalmente saludables y fuertes. www.thecrisishotline.org
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July 15 - 28, 2020
ADVERTORIALS BETTER HOMEOWNERS NEWS
T
ANNA & MICHELLE
Who Decides Value?
he seller can put a price on the home but the value is, ultimately, determined by the buyer. Individually, a buyer could pay over-market value because they love the location, or the elevation of the home, or the proximity to something that is important to them. The shortage of available homes resulting in increased competition among buyers could drive the value higher. Most experts agree that initially pricing a home properly will generally result in the highest sales price. If a home starts out too high, it could actually sell for a lower price after it has been on the market for a while. It gives the impression that there must be something “wrong” with the house because it didn’t sell immediately. So, how does a seller determine what price to put on the home? It has nothing to do with what the seller needs to get out of it. Nor does the price the seller paid for it make any difference now. Even if the seller made considerable improvements, they may not affect the value of the home. There are three common sources for a seller to determine market value: an appraisal, a broker price opinion, or an automated value model found online. AVMs, automated value models, are mathematical estimates that analyze limited public record data to determine a value. While this process can easily compare square footage, age, number of bedrooms as objective data, it is much more challenging to make adjustments for subjective data like appeal, quality of construction, floor plan and updating. Zillow Zestimates are the most common AVMs but there are many others providing similar services. An appraisal can only be made by a licensed appraiser. Most mortgages require an appraisal as part of the underwriting process to verify that there is ample collateral to secure the mortgage in case of default by the borrower. FHA, VA, FNMA, Freddie Mac and USDA, as well as most private lenders, require an appraisal especially for high loan-to-value mortgages. In some situations where the risk is lower, some lenders may use an AVM. An appraisal requires the appraiser to visit the property, perform a visual inspection, analyze the property considering three approaches to value and accurately report the property information that is verifiable. Broker Price Opinion, BPO, as the name indicates, is a price opinion on a property made by a licensed real estate agent. The determination of whether the estimate accurately reflects the market will depend on the experience of the agent with that type of property and market area. It is possible
NEWS
that a BPO could be more sensitive to the actual market because it will consider homes currently for sale and recently expired properties as well as comparable sales. While all three methods use recent, comparable sales to arrive at a value, the appraiser and the real estate professional can make a series of adjustments for the differences in the comparables. While the appraiser is highly trained in this technique, the real estate professional also adds credibility to this process based on their experience in how the buying public might react to specific features and the home in general, including positive and negative influences. Current condition of the property is very important for a number of reasons. In some price ranges, a buyer may only have the necessary down payment and closing costs but is not able to make improvements like paint, floor coverings, appliances or other major items. In this situation, a buyer would have to live with the house in its current condition until they could afford to make wanted improvements. Investors may not be deterred by making an additional investment in the home after purchasing it but will probably be motivated to do so only if it will increase the potential profit to be made. An AVM can be a tool that a homeowner, prospective buyer, mortgage officer, appraiser or real estate agent can use to get a quick idea of price but there are inherent limitations that can only be considered by personal examination balanced with experience in the marketplace. Experience and understanding of the subject property and the marketplace are critical to having confidence that a value is accurate. Any person could go through the same steps to arrive at a value, but an experienced, well-trained professional is far more likely to assess all of the variables more accurately. If you are curious what your home is worth, call or email LuxuryinSunValley@Windermere.com for a Broker Price Opinion
Hailey Company Pledges $150K To Schools
IN BRIEF
The POWER Foundation, a nonprofit arm of Hailey-based engineering and consulting services firm POWER Engineers, has pledged to send $150,000 directly to schools with a high percentage of students from low-income households to help alleviate challenges with distance learning and connectivity. “The added pressures of the COVID-19 pandemic have really illuminated the challenges so many schools are facing,” said Jim Haynes, Foundation board president and POWER’s chief administrative officer. “So many students and teachers don’t have the financial resources to get the Students at Vallivue Middle School particequipment and materials they need to keep students from ipate in a POWER-led engineering exercise falling behind.” in Caldwell earlier this year. The Foundation plans to focus on more than 40 schools across the country in communities near each of POWER’s offices. The three-phase initiative will start with schools in Fort Worth and Houston, Texas; Kansas City, Kansas; St. Louis, Missouri; Boston, Massachusetts; Oradell, New Jersey; and Atlanta, Georgia. Schools in Boise and the Wood River Valley are slated for funding in phase three. To be eligible for grants, schools must receive federal Title I funding, which is allocated to schools and districts with a high percentage of students from households at and below the federal poverty line. “Many, many schools and students are in need right now,” said Gerry Murray, Foundation board director and head of POWER Engineers’ generation division. “We want to make sure the Foundation is focusing on schools and communities where we can make a real impact.”
Wood River Weekly
BLAINE BUG CREW
WEED OF THE WEEK
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July 15 - 28, 2020
11
COLUMN
EDUCATION
COVID Not Leafy Spurge: Only Thing The Most Noxious Of The Noxious Changing Education By Blaine Bug Crew
With the best of summer also comes the worst. In the noxious weed category, that could most definitely be leafy spurge. This weed loves the climate of Idaho’s backcountry and is a constant threat to native species. This weed is already well established in the mountains north of Fairfield. Hopefully, the information we give you today will help you identify this invasive species if you Leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula). come across it. Leafy spurge is a deep-rooted, aggressive, persistent perennial that reproduces vegetatively and by seed. Plants have an extensive root system that grows horizontally and is capable of reaching depths of up to 20 feet. Stems are thickly clustered and have narrow, alternate leaves that exude a milky latex when damaged. This milky substance can blind you if you get it in your eyes. The flowers are small and yellowish-green and are enclosed in showy yellow-green bracts. Seeds are oblong and occur in clusters of three. When the seeds are dry, the capsules shatter and spread the seeds as far as 15 feet from the plant. Leafy spurge is commonly found in grassland and rangeland habitats, but is also capable of invading forests and riparian areas, displacing native vegetation. This plant is poisonous to horses, cattle, and wildlife. Luckily, the Blaine Bug Crew has an insect predator that feeds on leafy spurge. Adult Oberea erythrocephala have red heads, black eyes, and slender bodies with antennae that are nearly as long as the body. Males emerge several days before females and both sexes are sexually immature for two weeks before they start mating. Females often girdle the upper part of the stem, gnaw a hole into the stem above the girdle, and deposit an egg into the hole from the end of June to mid-July. Each female can produce approximately 60 eggs during her lifetime. Larvae hatch 10 days after eggs are laid and feed in leafy spurge stems on the pith, tunneling downward to the root crown where they remain during the winter. Mined stems dry, wilt and do not produce flowers or seeds. Crown and root feeding reduces the plant’s root reserves and allows pathogenic fungi to enter infested leafy spurge roots. Oberea erthrocephala prefers moist areas with trees and can survive subfreezing winter temperatures. As one can gather from this article, leafy spurge is extremely noxious and aggressive. One interesting note about this weed is the fact that goats love it. They think it is candy and they suffer no ill effects from eating it. Herds of goats have even been employed in steep drainages in Idaho’s backcountry to try to stop the spread of this invader. If you see an infestation of this weed in your travels, please call Kay Draper with the Blaine County Weed Department at (208) 788-5543.
COFFEE CHATS WITH KIKI
O
BY KIKI TIDWELL
B
By Eric Valentine
laine County School District—like all school districts—is finding itself impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic as much as any other organization on the planet. As if virtual classes, budget shortfalls and new safety protocols weren’t challenging enough, many parents, economists and governors want schools to physically reopen sooner than later and the President of the United States may try to force their hand to do so. All that means a lot of change is coming to the school district in the fall and into 2021, and perhaps beyond. Change was something a number of parents, teachers and other stakeholders had been vocally calling for the past few years. It just wasn’t that kind of change they wanted. What’s interesting to watch is how the change those folks did in fact want seems to be happening, not because of the coronavirus pandemic, but in spite of it. First and foremost on the list of concerns some parents and teachers had involved BCSD superintendent GwenCarol Holmes. They complained about what they described as an environment of retribution they claim Holmes created for anyone raising issues about anything BCSD. Fair or unfair, or somewhere in between, cut to 2020 and Holmes announces she will not be seeking to extend her contract, which ends June 20, 2021. Now the school board has launched a search for a new superintendent. But before that happens, trustees needed to select a firm to manage that search. They have selected Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates, an executive search firm experienced in finding talent for resort communities such as a recent one they did in Aspen and Vail, Colorado. At the school board’s July 21 meeting, the firm will present its plan to find a good fit for superintendent. What we know now is that the plan involves a tremendous amount of community input to come up with candidates trustees will ultimately select. Fifteen one-hour focus groups of up to 15 people will be held. Four larger community forums will also be slated for August. And an electronic survey will be sent out around Labor Day as well. The July 21 session will be available to view on the Blaine County School District Board of Trustees channel on YouTube, most likely by the next day. And if you’re someone who was seeking change in how things were run at the school district, you should probably view it. In fact, you may want to view the regular board meetings, too. They … have changed. In part, they are different because they are done Zoom-style on the YouTube channel. You get to see the books, in some cases, trustees have apparently read. But moreso, and more seriously, they have changed in that they are board-centric, not staff-centric, as past sessions have been. In a recent meeting on a particular topic, board president and local attorney Keith Roark—politely—muted the superintendent from participating in a discussion. If there ever had been strong-handed control of a board topic in the past—it’s something Holmes’ critics often complained about—it’s not happening under Roark. Meetings are run with the efficiency of a courtroom. The webcast sessions are also efficient because you can fast forward and rewind as needed, so you don’t have to spend any time on any topic that doesn’t interest or titillate you. And besides, it’s summer, and there’s nothing good on TV until the fall. At least that’s how things used to be.
MICROGRIDS UPDATE
ur Silver River Place apartment building in Hailey is going right up and I have been working on a microgrid design for this all-electric building with solar and battery storage. This is breaking trail a bit in Idaho as there are almost no microgrids installed yet in this state, even though they have been widely deployed everywhere else. In fact, California’s utility, PGE [Pacific Gas and Electric Company], solicited bids this past December to install 20 microgrids next to its substations by June in advance of wildfire season. “In a presentation before the California Public Utilities Commission last week, PG&E said that the microgrids are expected to keep power flowing to thousands if not tens of thousands of customers per substation during a power shutoff.” 2 Microgrid technology is hitting its stride. “Navigant expects global microgrid capacity to reach 19,888.8 MW by 2028, up from 3,480.5 MW in 2019.” 2
Blaine County Commissioner Candidate
www.tidwellcommissionercampaign.com twitter: @kikitidwell
Kiki Tidw e ll
Paid For By Citizens For Kiki Tidwell, Cindy Mann Treasurer.
At the heart of a microgrid, and what makes it different than just a backup generator, is a controller, a ‘smart’ hardware and software component that can tell the system to ‘island’ the microgrid from the main grid in certain circumstances and run off of local power generation, whether it be solar panels or natural gas or diesel generators. For our building—and this may not be applicable to other situations—I would like to use the maximum amount of generation from our solar panels to be used by our building’s units first to reduce the amount of power that tenants will have to buy from Idaho Power. I see the solar component as an amenity of the building, like extra insulation or high-efficiency appliances that lower electrical bills; we won’t be charging tenants for this power. So, conceptually, the solar creates power all day that is delivered to the units and charges up a battery with any extra power generated. As the building goes into the evening hours, that stored battery energy is used until the battery gets low and the controller ‘smartly’ sees this signal and tells the system to stop islanding and connect back to the main grid for power. If our building can provide much of its own power in the heat of July, it can help Idaho Power by reducing its demand from the main grid during peak irrigating summer days when the main grid system is straining at maximum load. Producing power right next to where it is going to be used is also very beneficial. “Delivering power from afar is inefficient because some of the electricity— as much as 8 to 15 percent—dissipates in transit.” Idaho Power doesn’t have to produce 15 percent more power to get it to us at the edge of the grid here in Blaine County and all ratepayers don’t have to pay to build $300 million peaker plants for just that peak load capacity a couple of days a year. We are lucky to have a great company, Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, co-located in Idaho, with expertise in designing and installing microgrids worldwide. I
KIKI TIDWELL
was excited to talk to them recently about their microgrid controller options, their SEL-3530/3530-4 RTACs, which only cost $3000-$7000 as components (plus some engineering cost and software ‘library’). Right now the solar panels component is costing out at approximately $35,000 after federal tax credits and accelerated depreciation for a system that should provide 35,758 kWhs per year. Adding a solar generation microgrid is actually a reasonable part of the building’s overall cost, especially when it will result in much lower utility costs for tenants over the next 20 years. I would like to encourage other building developers to consider looking at a microgrid for their buildings and am happy to share our information further. For anyone else curious for more information about microgrids and how they are being deployed rapidly all over, please go to https://microgridknowledge.com. The videoed sessions from their last conference are available now on their website for free, which is truly a bargain. 1. https://microgridknowledge.com/pge-20-microgrids-wildfire/ 2. https://microgridknowledge.com/microgrid-defined/
12
Wood River Weekly
CHAMBER CORNER
•
July 15 - 28, 2020
MIKE MCKENNA
Hard way Pipeline
The Mowing Man
Simpson Landscaping keeps Valley looking good By Mike McKenna
T
here are two things in life that make Sam Simpson happy: mowing lawns and helping people. “Everybody deserves to have a good-looking lawn at a decent price,” he said. Sam is the sole proprietor of Simpson Landscaping. And though he’s done a lot of interesting things in his life, mowing lawns is his favorite way to make a living. “I mow lawns because that’s what I love to do,” Sam said Raised on a farm near Spokane, Sam moved to the Wood River Valley after graduating from high school to pursue his passion of skiing. He arrived in a bus and started working for Sun Valley Company a couple of days later. Pretty soon, he got promoted, becoming the youngest manager in the company, and was living his dream life. “It was killer. I had my days off to ski or fish and worked at night,” he said. Sam also spent time working at Ketchum’s legendary Louie’s Pizza but, after a few years, he was ready for something new. “I was into adventure,” he said about leaving the slopes of the Northern Rockies for the beaches of the Caribbean. After spending time working on a sailboat out of St. Thomas [U.S. Virgin Islands], he returned to the States to fish on a purse seiner. He then spent numerous seasons angling around Alaska. Sam did well enough fishing to buy a house in Bellevue. But he didn’t stay in Idaho for long. Sam’s brother invited him back up to “The Land of the Midnight Sun” to open a concrete company. They became the biggest such company in the state and, after a decade, Sam decided he’d had enough and moved back home to Bellevue to do what he really loves, mow lawns. “I’m into it,” he said with a smile. In addition to mowing lawns of any size, from full-on farm properties to little old ladies’ yards, Simpson Landscaping also offers irrigation repair and seasonal cleanups. Sam prides himself on the quality of work and the service and price he offers.
Steel Fencing
Kelly Wardell 208-309-0916
How To Play Sudoku
The Classic Sudoku is a number placing puzzle based on a 9x9 grid with several given numbers. The object is to place the numbers 1 to 9 in the empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once.
CLASSIC SUDOKU See answer on page 2 “It’s very important to me to do a good job and give people a good deal,” Sam said. One of the big reasons Sam can keep his prices down—25-30 percent lower than his competitors—is that he does most of the work himself. That’s how he’s able to offer great deals to locals, especially seniors. “You’re not going to see a different crew show up each week. It’s going to be me,” said Sam, who rarely has help and never loses a job once he gets it. “I pride myself on offering reliable and friendly service and I’ve never been fired from a job,” said Sam, who has an impressive attitude toward his work, his clients and this place we all call home. “I love helping people have beautiful landscapes and lawns for a fair price,” he said. For more information about Simpson Landscaping or to get a quote, call Sam at (208) 420-3023.
CROSSWORD SPONSORED BY
THETRADER TRADER THE THE TRADER Consignment for the home
Consignment for the home
Consignment for the home
Wednesday - Friday 11 to 6 Saturday 11 to 4
TRADER EADER TRADER
Always available by appointment and if we’re here.
Wednesday through Saturday 11:00 to 5:00 Always available by appointment and if we’re here.
ent for the 720-9206 or 788-0216 signment forhome the home
720-9206 or 788-0216 509 S. Main Street Bellevue, Idaho
the home
509 S. Main Street • Bellevue, Idaho
Wednesday through Saturday Thursday Wednesday - Friday Wednesday - Friday 11:00to to 5:00 ednesday - Friday 11 to 611 to 6 available by appointment 11 to 6AlwaysSaturday Saturday Saturday and if we’re here. Saturday 11 to 4 11 to 11 or to 788-0216 44 720-9206 11 to 4
Always available by appointment and if we’re here.
509 S. Main Street • Bellevue, Idaho Always available by le by appointment andappointment if we’re here. and if we’re here.
720-9206 or 788-0216 or S. 788-0216 -9206 or720-9206 788-0216 509 Main Street S. Main Street 09 S. Main509 Street Bellevue, Idaho Bellevue, Idaho Bellevue, Idaho
See answer on page 2
THE WOOD RIVER VALLEY 7-DAY WEATHER FORECAST IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY:
Sunny 0%
high 84º
low 52º WEDNESDAY
Sunny 0%
high 88º low 54º THURSDAY
Partly Cloudy 0%
high 85º low 53º FRIDAY
Sunny 0%
high 85º low 53º SATURDAY
Mostly Sunny 0%
high 82º low 51º SUNDAY
Sunny 10%
high 82º low 53º MONDAY
Sunny 0%
high 85º low 54º TUESDAY
SKI. BIKE. LIVE!
Elevate your experience. 340 N Main Street in Ketchum sturtevants-sv.com • 726-4501