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Two Sides Clash On Pandemic PG 5 SUN VALLEY

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WOOD RIVER WEEKLY YOUR VOICE IN THE WOOD RIVER VALLEY

Free | Sept 23- Oct 6, 2020 | Vol. 1 - No. 22 | woodriverweekly.com

“If wars can be started by lies, they can be stopped by truth.” ~Julian Assange

Senatorial Candidates Square Off

By Eric Valentine

omething rare happened in the Valley and online last Thursday night. People from opposite sides of the political spectrum got together, and nothing but a polite articulation of differences broke out. That’s one takeaway from the District 26 state senatorial debate hosted by Central Idaho for Liberty—a self-described nonpartisan but conservative organization that has already endorsed one of the candidates, Republican nominee Eric Parker. There were distinct differences between the two debate participants—Parker and incumbent Sen. Michelle Stennett, a Democrat who was elected to the Idaho Senate in 2010, succeeding her late husband Clint Stennett. What follows is a summary of each candidate’s response to a range of questions directed to them by moderators at the debate. What’s important to know about the debate format is that each candidate had a partisan moderator who posed questions to the opponent. The opponent was given time to answer and the other candidate then had time for a response. Since Central Idaho for Liberty is a conservative entity, the organization felt it would be more fair to install the two-moderator format. Public Lands An early question directed to Sen. Stennett had to do with the management of public lands. It’s a touchy subject for many Idaho conservatives and it’s the impetus for Parker’s arrival on the political scene. As previously reported, Parker ultimately pleaded guilty to misdemeanor obstruction charges when, during the 2014 armed standoff with federal agents near the ranch of Nevada cattleman Cliven Bundy, the longtime Valley resident was photographed lying prostrate on a bridge pointing a rifle at agents below. Stennett acknowledged the need for better management and better coordination with federal agencies in terms of fire abatement, but largely supported the status quo. She cited a number of programs that allow Idahoans to benefit from public access to federal lands adding that they are largely underfunded. “We are about 63 percent public lands here and I would defend to preserve that,” Stennett said. As for Parker, “Short answer: No. I think it could be managed a lot better.” He added, “I probably subscribe to the idea … log it, graze it, or watch it burn.” Parker said he wants to see the state hold the federal government more accountable to make sure the public land is utilized both in terms of industry access and public access. It is the manager’s responsibility to make public lands accessible to the public, Parker argued. Taxes Parker used questions about taxation to define himself as someone who will advocate for increased revenues by an improvement in the overall economy. It’s a traditional conservative idea, but Parker added a new wrinkle—promoting the need for a bill at the state level that would allow for hemp to become a viable industry in Idaho. “It drives me nuts we can’t get a hemp bill in an ag state,” Parker said. Stennett was in line with Parker when it came to a desire to see taxation be done more equitably, but used the bulk of her time to note the various needs of people across the state and how tax revenue is what addresses those needs now. She deep-dived the transportation needs of the state, noting that the legislature has approved the expansion putting more and faster and larger trains on tracks and trucks on roads but has not addressed the lingering infrastructure needs. “Idaho right now is almost a half a billion dollars behind on maintenance of roads and bridges,” Stennett said. “There are 2,000 bridges (in the state) deemed unsafe to travel on.”

Candidate Eric Parker and Sen. Michelle Stennett. Photo credit: Central Idaho for Liberty Abortion Stennett was asked about her stance on late-term and partial birth abortion. The senator said it was an issue that would never see the light of day in the Idaho Legislature and she would never advocate for a special law protecting it. But Stennett did go into great detail of real-life scenarios families have shared with her where ultrasounds showed abnormalities such as no brain development in the fetus and the life of the mother was in jeopardy. “You have to put faces to what laws do to people,” Stennett said. Parker acknowledged a Constitutional protection to abortion and said he’d like to support an environment where abortion isn’t needed. “But the question was about late-term and partial birth abortion and my answer is ‘No,’ I would never vote for that if it came to Idaho,” Parker said. Water A question about water management issues within the district was something Parker admitted he did not have much knowledge on, but outlined how he would go about using his team and experts in the field to put together a file to bring him up to speed and in touch with his constituents’ needs. Stennett used the opportunity to show her in-depth experience on the topic and highlight the importance of water issues in the state and the strides the state has taken in recent years. “Our district has unfortunately been ground zero for the water calls,” Stennett noted. “We have to allow that water to go to people in the order of their right to it.” Guns “Would you want someone to drive a car without doing any training? Would you want someone to do surgery on you without any training?” That’s what Sen. Stennett said in response to whether she supports red-flag laws when it comes to gun ownership. Stennett, who said she owns guns and enjoys hunting, is open to gun legislation that promotes proper training. Parker was clear: “I believe that’s an infringement.” The challenger noted that driving and surgery are not constitutionally protected and that politicians trying to infringe on gun rights are breaking the law.

IS IT TIME TO MOVE YOUR FAMILY CLOSER? Your Boise Connection Gretchen Hill Real Estate 208gretchenhill@gmail.com 208-870-4786 Boise, Idaho

Wood River Weekly

NEWS

•

September 23 - October 6, 2020

BCSD Pros, Cons, What Say You?

The Blaine County School District Board of Trustees is seeking the community’s feedback as it begins its search for the district’s next superintendent. Specifically, the board wants to hear community members’ thoughts on the district’s strengths and most pressing challenges, what the new leader’s priorities should be and the professional and personal characteristics the next superintendent should possess. Incidentally, a survey sent out last school year asking similar questions about district strengths and weaknesses made it clear that communication between superintendent GwenCarol Holmes and a significant portion of district stakeholders was perceived as an enormous weakness and put an exclamation point on the discord circulating around the district for much of Holmes’ tenure. In March of this year, Holmes ultimately decided not to seek an extension of her current contract, thus triggering a search for a new superintendent. This go-around, the board has retained the services of Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates (HYA), a firm that specializes in assisting boards with the identification and selection of potential superintendent candidates. HYA launched a community-wide online survey on Sept. 21. The survey, which takes about 10 minutes to complete, will close at midnight on Sunday, Oct. 4. Once launched, the survey will be available at surveymonkey. com/r/bcsdsearch. In addition, HYA hosted a virtual community forum on Tuesday with a follow-up session next week. Below is the specific date and time, as well as how community members can participate: ● Wednesday, Sept. 30, 6-7:30 p.m. Join via Zoom from a computer or mobile device at: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88920646585. Join via phone by dialing (312) 626-6799 and entering this code: 889 2064 6585. HYA will compile feedback from the survey and forums to prepare a Leadership Profile Report that will be presented at the Oct. 13 Board of Trustees meeting.

Suicide Stigma Prevention Seminar Set For Thursday

Idaho has the fifth highest death-by-suicide rate in the nation, according to the most recent statistics on record from 2017. And those numbers are not decreasing, St. Luke’s Hospital leaders say. To help the community have a better understanding so they can best support loved ones who may be suffering thoughts of suicide, St. Luke’s is hosting a free, community-wide webinar on suicide awareness and prevention. Participants will learn how to more comfortably talk about the issue of suicide, identify who may be at risk, and find out specific signs to watch for in friends and family. Most importantly, people will learn what they can do to help someone experiencing suicidal ideation. The webinar is Thursday, Sept. 24 at 5:30 p.m. and will be hosted by St. Luke’s psychologist Dr. Christopher Edwards. His goal is to help loved ones have a better understanding of suicide so they can best support loved ones who may be suffering thoughts of suicide. This is an information-only session and will not provide treatment or recommendation for any individuals. If you need treatment, please contact your primary care or behavioral healthcare provider. If you need immediate support, call or text the Idaho Suicide Prevention Hotline: (208) 398-4357. The webinar is free and will last one hour. People can register online to reserve their spot:

IN BRIEF

Ketchum Residents Open To Closing 4th Street

The City of Ketchum released the results of a new survey finding that most respondents are in support of the concept of closing 4th Street to motorists. The survey was launched at the city’s Feedback on 4th event on Sept. 2, using a QR code for touchless access. It was also distributed via the city website, in Word on the Street and in the Idaho Mountain Express. Of the 365 respondents, the primary benefits raised were the creation of additional public outdoor gathering space and increased safety for bikes and pedestrians. The primary concern cited was traffic flow and circulation. Overall, the results showed support for the “concept of closing 4th” with over 50 percent being supportive or very supportive. “We had great participation in this survey and will continue to involve the public as we evaluate options and discuss next steps,” said Mayor Neil Bradshaw. “I am delighted with the creative ideas we heard and the encouragement we received.” “Closing the road to vehicles served more than just bicyclists and pedestrians this summer,” Bradshaw added. “With COVID, we need more space around us, so we used this opportunity to provide greater outdoor space for the community and visitors.” Presentation boards at the event revealed the early ideas to utilize 4th Street as a place for pedestrians, dating back to Ketchum’s first Community Plan in 1975. Since then, creating a bicycle- and pedestrian-friendly downtown has remained a consistent community priority for Ketchum, as stated in the 2001 and 2014 Comprehensive Plans and the 2006 Downtown Master Plan. Steps the city has taken toward the temporary 4th Street closure to vehicles began with the creation of the 4th Street Heritage Corridor, Ketchum Town Square and the installation of walkable Ketchum wayfinding signs. The city gained support from the community for the temporary closure at Fair on the Square in 2018 and 2019, and through City Council approval. The city also described how walkability reinforces community, increases vibrancy, improves health and safety, is good for retail sales, creates character and builds sustainability. The full presentation and survey can be found at ketchumidaho.org/4thStreet.

Labor Day Weekend Tallies Six DUI Arrests

Over the Labor Day weekend, officers from the Blaine County Sheriff ‘s Office, the Hailey Police Department and the Idaho State Police participated in a joint DUI Emphasis Patrol to remove impaired drivers from Blaine County roadways. The coordinated effort brought a total of six DUI arrests in Blaine County over the holiday weekend. Another felony DUI arrest was made on Sept. 12, at approximately 8:21 p.m., when deputies with the Blaine County Sheriff’s Office performed a traffic stop on State Highway 75 and Serenade Lane in Ketchum, According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 29 people in the United States die in motor vehicle crashes every day that involve an alcohol-impaired driver. That is one death every 50 minutes. The period between Memorial Day and Labor Day is widely known as the “100 Deadliest Days” for motorists, since larger numbers of people are on the road during that time and some of them drive under the influence after summer celebrations. “Keeping our roadways safe is a high priority,” said Blaine County Sheriff Steve Harkins. “In Blaine County, we have zero tolerance on this subject. A drunk driver is a dangerous driver. If we find you driving impaired, we will arrest you.”

HEROES WEAR MASKS Not all heroes wear capes, but heroes do wear masks. It’s safe, it’s simple, and it saves lives. Be a hero in your community. Wear a mask.

Wood River Weekly

• September 23 - October 6, 2020

WRW STAFF

CELEBRATING CONNECTIONS

MARKETING & SALES Mandi Iverson (208) 721-7588 mandi@woodriverweekly.com

Take the MSCL House | Power House

RECOVER STRONG CHALLENGE! STEP 1: Order a Power Burger at Power House STEP 2: Take a selfie STEP 3: Tag your friends STEP 4: Raise money for every LIKE you receive

NEWS EDITOR Eric Valentine news@woodriverweekly.com ARTS & EVENTS, SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR Dana DuGan dana@woodriverweekly.com

For more information visit www.MSCLhouse.org and click on Recover Strong Challenge.

COPY EDITOR Patty Healey

CELEBRATING CONNECTIONS

PRODUCTION & DESIGN Mandi Iverson mandi@woodriverweekly.com

We celebrate our local RECOVERY SERVICE PROVIDERS for the structure and steadfast support they provide to MSCL House residents, and the COMMUNITY MEMBERS – including our donors, neighbors, employers, educators, and charitable and faith-based organizations – who believe in the mission of our organization and the residents of MSCL House.

Christopher Seldon chris@woodriverweekly.com ACCOUNTING accounting@woodriverweekly.com DEADLINES Display & Classified Ads, Monday 5 p.m. Calendar Submissions — Friday 5 p.m.

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is a sober home in Hailey that offers support for men in recovery from substance abuse. Contact us, we can help! 208-721-8691

PUBLISHER’S NOTE

K i ki T i d w e l l

Dear Valley residents, As we move along in 2020, Wood River Weekly will continue to publish every second week, with a target of going back to our regular weekly schedule when the economic and pandemic environment improves. We will continue to follow important local news, feature candidates in our local elections and provide interesting and entertaining content, along with our popular upcoming pets special section. Thank you for your continued support. Stay safe, stay strong, Chris & Mandi

“Whoever is happy will make others happy too.” - Anne Frank

SEPTEMBER IS

PUBLISHER Christopher Seldon (208) 788-4789 publisher@woodriverweekly.com

CONTACT Wood River Weekly P.O. Box 3483 Hailey, Idaho 83333 (208) 788-4789 woodriverweekly.com

Blaine County Commissioner Candidate This is what the incumbent Commissioner has spent your checkbook on in the past 8 years he has been in office: Boosted his own pay from $55,410 annual salary to $85,706

including benefits, Commissioners make over $112,700 total now per yr (est.)

Boosted county employees’ pay and benefits by $7 million o o

2012 Actual $10,913,786 county salaries & benefits 2020 Budget $17,881,513

Started legal actions against neighbors

County’s legal budget has gone from $720,000 per yr to $1,200,000 Commissioner has also hired outside attorneys and spent an additional $330,000 on two cases

Gave away $3 million worth of prime County property rather than selling it Remodeled County campus buildings

$330,000 to remodel public defender’s offices + $56,000 furn,equip McBride building storage space $269,000 remodel Judicial building remodel $209,000 Courtroom annex $85,000 Other remodels on County buildings $millions

Incumbent has paid for all this by increasing property taxes each year by 3% He currently is proposing to have Blaine citizens pay for $38 million of undergrounding project for Idaho Power; that is Idaho Power’s responsibility! Either by increasing utility bills by 37%, a surcharge on monthly power bills, or taxes.

Meanwhile, $10 million of road repairs are going unrepaired, virus testing is unfunded, the weed control budget was cut for 2021, & there is never enough money for a County-sponsored stoplight at Ohio Gulch The taxpayers’ checkbook needs to pay for vital County expenses for citizens’ safety and health and welfare first and foremost. I will remember that.

I will be responsible with the taxpayers’ checkbook!

* County employees work hard and give their all, and it is expensive to live in BC, but several senior positions have really increased their compensation over time, and staff has been added. It is a Commissioner’s job to balance all the financial priorities of the County, including paying a fair wage to County employees, however, total salaries and benefits for County employees have increased $7 million over the past 8 years. An excerpt of County salaried positions below show the increase in salaries that have significantly increased: County Salaries........................2012 Actual ......2021 Budget .......% Change Commissioners Administrator ...$118,230 .......... $181,885 ...........53.84% Prosecuting Attny ......................$116,025 .......... $143,026 ...........23.27% Prosecuting Attny Chief Dep ..... $104,345 ......... $135,238 ...........29.61% Treasurer .................................... $76,966 ........... $90,896 .............18.10% Treasurer-Chief Deputy.............. $47,848 ........... $80,140 .............67.49% Land Use Director ..................... $71,910 ........... $99,098 .............37.81% Land Use Deputies .................... $284,385 ......... $485,975 ...........70.89% County Clerk.............................. $76,966 ........... $101,816 ...........32.29% Clerk - Chief Deputy (2 ppl) ....... $103,967 ......... $177,378 ...........70.61% Assessor .................................. $76,966 ........... $90,896 .............18.10% Assessor - Chief Deputy............ $47,448 ........... $78,360 .............65.15% Sheriff ...................................... $89,041 ........... $127,715 ...........43.43% Sheriff - Chief Deputy ................ $82,633 ........... $116,866 ...........41.43% Coroner...................................... $23,192 ........... $46,137 .............98.93% Probation - Chief Prob Officr ..... $75,567 ........... $99,088 .............31.13% County Commissioner ............... $55,410 ........... $85,706 .............54.68% Facilities Manager ..................... $83,091 ........... $86,211 .............3.75% Admin Services Mgr/HR ............ $40,711 ........... $88,552 .............117.51%

IT - Manager .............................. $61,012 ........... IT - Analyst ................................ $48,290 ........... IT - Specialist............................. $- ................... Ketchum Police Chief ................ $74,752 ........... Jail Captain................................ $67,919 ........... GIS Manager ............................. $70,953 ........... GIS Analyst ................................ $54,123 ........... Public Defender contract........... $318,085 Public Defender-Dept Head ................................. Public Defender- Attorney .................................... Paralegal............................................................... Total Pub Defender in house ................................ Road & Bridge Mgr .................... $61,467 ........... Indigent...................................... $54,004 ........... Recycle Center- Operator ......... $56,458 ........... Recycle Center - Supervisor ..... $38,975 ........... Weeds -Superintendent............. $55,972 ........... Emergency Commmunication ... $63,228 ........... Revaluation (sum of multiple) .... $266,020 .........

$98,260 .............61.05% $73,029 .............51.23% $58,990 .............added pos $101,745 ...........36.11% $109,037 ...........60.54% $94,103 .............32.63% $84,012 .............55.22%

$128,210 $88,583 $119,286 $336,079 ...........6% $96,982 .............57.78% $76,671 .............41.97% $110,100 ...........95.01% $63,009 .............61.67% $78,325 .............39.94% $100,491 ...........58.93% $369,895 ...........39.05%

(208) 578-7769 • tidwellcommissionercampaign.com • twitter: @kikitidwell Paid for by Citizens for Kiki Tidwell, Cynthia Mann Treasurer

Wood River Weekly

•

September 23 - October 6, 2020

NEWS

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EDUCATION

A COVID risk map shows that Blaine County is now seeing three new cases a day, placing it in the orange risk category. Image credit: Global Health Institute

Schools Embattled By COVID Already

Camas County schools shut down, BCSD counts 4 cases in 2 weeks

By Eric Valentine

laine County School District trustees, embattled with the Catch-22 of reopening schools during a pandemic, opted Monday night to stick with their hybrid plan of part-time virtual learning, part-time in-person learning at least a bit longer. The school board voted 3–1 with trustee Amber Larna dissenting to stay in so-called Plan B mode, citing Blaine County’s move from yellow to orange on the COVID risk map produced by Harvard’s Global Health Institute (GHI). Orange denotes “accelerated spread” of the disease where yellow denotes “community spread.” Neighboring Camas County slipped into red in recent days, denoting the area has reached a “tipping point” according to GHI metrics. Camas County school board has since shut down its schools until Oct. 5. “This nonsense that Blaine County has reached herd immunity and we can now do whatever we want is just that, nonsense,” BCSD school board president Keith Roark said. “Two weeks ago we were feeling that we were on the verge of reopening the schools and now we sit here tonight with numbers that don’t justify that.” Trustee Larna pressed her fellow trustees to consider opening some of the elementary schools that have had no cases of COVID so things could return to normal for at least some district families. Although the other trustees stated they were open to doing that sooner than later, they weren’t ready to commit to that right now. “It’s clear that one-size-fits-all may not be the best answer,” Roark said, regarding the potential for keeping the middle and high schools on Plan B all first quarter but opening elementary schools for fulltime in-person learning sooner.

It sounds like we’re already at capacity and we’re just at four cases.” refreshments will be served

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Dan Turner, BCSD Trustee How Bad Is It? On the bright side, BCSD has only two students and two staff members who are confirmed COVID positive. On first blush, that seems manageable. But it doesn’t take into account two things: 1.Students and staff with symptoms who have to self-isolate, increasing the totals to 27 students and nine additional staff who are not in school. 2.The laborious contact tracing efforts put on human resources and nursing staff to locate which students and staff have been exposed to COVID. “It sounds like we’re already at capacity and we’re just at four cases,” said Trustee Dan Turner after hearing BCSD’s Director of Special Programs Aaron Bronson and HR Director Brooke Marshall update the board on their contact tracing efforts. On the table is the hiring of additional school nurses, but according to Bronson only one application had made its way to the district in recent days. Staff also explained to trustees that for every student who has to self-isolate at home, they still require teacher instruction. And, for every classroom teacher who has to teach from home, an adult is still required to supervise the in-person classroom. Muddying the waters somewhat is the issue of which metrics are being used. As reported, BCSD opted for using the GHI numbers over South Central Public Health District’s number for a variety of reasons, namely timeliness. GHI numbers can be as much as two weeks more prompt in their reporting. For instance, the local health district’s dashboard still shows Blaine County in the green zone, denoting “minimal risk” but that has not been updated since Sept. 10. On Sept. 24, when the next update is due, colors could change. BCSD Superintendent GwenCarol Holmes and all the trustees commended everyone’s effort to keep with mask-wearing, social distancing and hygiene. However, Holmes added this: “If the community does not do this outside of the schools, it does us no good.” Holmes mentioned on a recent trip to Starbucks that she came across a table full of her middle schoolers without masks and not socially distanced. “Don’t let your guard down,” Holmes said.

Wood River Weekly

•

September 23 - October 6, 2020

NEWS

COVID

Two Sides Of The Same COVID Flu vaccine drive, class action lawsuit attack pandemic from different angles

Worried about the wellbeing of your investment portfolio? Seek a second opinion.

By Eric Valentine

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times …” wrote Charles Dickens in his novel A Tale of Two Cities, set in London and Paris, about two characters who appear the same but live very different lives. When it comes to managing COVID in the Valley—and elsewhere—it may feel like the author was foreshadowing life in 2020. In the same 24-hour period, seven healthcare organizations teamed up to make a joint announcement on their collective flu vaccination program while a prominent Ketchum lawyer publicly released a draft document spelling out a class action lawsuit against the governor and attorney general of Idaho demanding all current emergency powers allotted to the governor be rescinded. Physicians want people to stay healthy and help reduce impacts on hospitals that could be overwhelmed by a combination of a bad flu season and COVID-19. So, St. Luke’s, Saint Alphonsus, Primary Health and four other healthcare providers have launched a widespread outreach effort encouraging people to get their flu shots and telling them exactly where and how to go about it. “We know there may be people who are concerned about coming into a doctor’s office to get the flu shot or may think they don’t need it because they’re wearing a mask and physically distancing themselves. While those precautions are good, we know the flu still finds ways to get us sick,” said Dr. Laura McGeorge, St. Luke’s Health System Medical Director, Primary and Specialty Care. On the other side of the pond is Ketchum attorney James Hungelmann and an already outspoken critic of the all-things COVID management who says Governor Brad Little’s use of emergency powers is blatantly unconstitutional. Hungelmann has drafted a fill-in-the-blank-style, 46page class action lawsuit he’s hoping gets used by folks to bring the matter to court. “The document is a draft, not an actual filing,” explained Hungelmann. “It’s academic, but very real.” Virus2 As for the healthcare providers’ effort, health leaders are concerned about the possibility of high flu-related hospitalization numbers on top of the COVID-19 patients they are already anticipating. While uncommon, patients can be infected with both viruses. In these cases, physicians expect disease to be more severe. Hundreds of thousands of people are hospitalized in the United States each year for flu. During the last influenza season, CDC estimates 490,000 people were in the hospital with flu, with 810,000 hospitalized the year before. “With a pandemic, the flu vaccine becomes even more critical,” said Dr. Richard Augustus, chief medical officer for West Valley Medical Center. “By preventing influenza in the first place, or reducing the severity of the illness with vaccines, it could ultimately help to reduce the strain on our healthcare resources and ensure we have a place in the hospital for people who need it most.” What follows is a rundown of what each healthcare organization is doing to help deliver flu shots during the pandemic. Primary Health Medical Group—Offers walkin flu shots at 16 locations, open daily. High dose is available for patients 65 and older, and nasal mist is available for kids ages 2–18. Find a location near you at PrimaryHealth.com/FluShot. Saint Alphonsus Health System—Offers multiple options for flu vaccinations this year, including: drive-up flu clinics available by appointment at select locations, starting Sept. 29 through Oct. 30. Visit saintalphonsus.org to schedule an appointment online. Saltzer Health—Offers walk-in flu vaccinations at all four urgent care clinics in Meridian, Nampa and Caldwell. St. Luke’s Health System—To maintain physical distancing and discourage congregations of people, St. Luke’s encourages patients to schedule an appointment for their flu shot at their primary care clinic via myChart. You can also make an appointment by calling your St. Luke’s primary care provider. One Angry Man As for the class action lawsuit, Hungelmann addressed the introductory letter to his document

A page from attorney James Hungelmann’s draft class action lawsuit demanding Governor Little end his use of emergency powers. Image credit: James Hungelmann

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The most common symptoms per illness according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Image credit: St. Luke’s

to Idaho Lieutenant Governor Janice McGeachin. But he remained tight-lipped during a phone interview about who or which group may take the first step to turn his lawsuit blueprint into a formal class action against the governor and David Jeppesen, the director of the Idaho Department of Health & Welfare. Hungelmann was very clear there was significant support behind his efforts. “You don’t spend the amount of time I’ve spent (creating this document) without many many people behind it,” Hungelmann said. Already in July, Hungelmann approached the City of Ketchum with complaints about businesses requiring people to wear masks inside their establishments. According to city documents, Hungelmann wrote Mayor Neil Bradshaw and the city council members requesting them to intervene. In his letter, Hungelmann states, “I kindly ask, and must insist, that the Ketchum and Hailey councils together with Blaine County Commissioners immediately give notice to all local businesses providing the public with essential goods and services, and grocery stores in particular, as to the nature of the Medical Vulnerability exemption, with clear emphasis that they must not deny essential goods and services to those suffering medically.” Hungelmann also writes in that letter, “The Masking Agenda is nothing short of perverted and predatory Epstein-style subjugation and humiliation, akin to brutally Nazi live human experimentation, torture and extermination tactics gleefully employed by deranged deviants whose true nature not so deep down appears as Aching Aides and Angels of Auschwitz.”

For the safety of the community and to slow the spread,

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Mon: 3:30pm - 8pm • Tue-Sat: 12pm - 8pm • Sunday CLOSED Thank you and stay safe!

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Wood River Weekly

•

September 23 - October 6, 2020

NEWS

PHOTOB

Crews work to clear the wreckage from a single-vehicle accident at North Fork on Sunday where a motorist knocked down a powerpole, plowed through a row of mailboxes and knocked out power and internet services to residents in the area. The driver of the vehicle, the passenger and their dog sustained only minor injuries. Photo credit: Wood River Weekly

Donald Trump Jr. and his partner, Kimberly Guilfoyle, pose for a picture with supporters who greeted arrival at Smiley Creek airstrip on Tuesday, September 15th. The couple were attending a reception a private residence in the area. Photo credit: Cindy Jesinger

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Wood River Weekly

NEWS

•

September 23 - October 6, 2020

IN BRIEF

Retired Judge Joins Hospice Board

Judge Robert Elgee (retired) has joined the Board of the Hospice and Palliative Care of the Wood River Valley. Judge Elgee is a fourth-generation Idahoan. After private practice in Boise from 1978-1992, he was appointed Blaine County Magistrate in 1992. He was appointed in 2004 as a district judge by Governor Dirk Kempthorne. Judge Elgee retired in 2017 after 25 years as a Blaine County judge. His wife Jayne retired in 2020 from St. Luke’s Wood River, having worked as an

OR nurse, charge nurse and manager. They raised five children here, all Wood River High graduates. Wood River Hospice was established in 1984 as a community nonprofit. Generous community support allows the organization to provide hospice services at no cost to patients and their families. Current Board members include Micki Chapin, Pam Fairfax, Bruce Collier, Robert Reniers, Lynn Campion-Waddell and Al Stevenson.

YOU CAN FIND IT IN BLAINE!

GREAT GARDENS

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COMM ENT ARY Wood River Weekly

Fishing R epoRt

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September 23 - October 6, 2020

NO BONES ABOUT IT THE “WEEKLY” FISHING REPORT FOR SEPTEMBER 23 - OCTOBER 6 FROM PICABO ANGLER

all is in the air. The recent change in the weather has all of us at Picabo Angler thinking about bird hunting… especially our bird dogs. Our shooting preserve at Picabo Angler is in great shape and we’re chasing pheasants, and waterfowl season will be here before you know it. Check out our website at www.picaboangler.com for more information, or give us a call at the flyshop to discuss hunting options. Fishing on our local waters continues to be good despite low water conditions. As temperatures cool and we enter into the month of October, fish in area rivers will feed in earnest in preparation for spawning and the harsh conditions of winter. This is the season to hunt trophy trout; hook-jawed browns on Silver Creek, 20-inch cutthroat on the upper Big Lost River, and robust rainbows on the Big Wood River are all prime targets right now. Small Baetis (BWO) in size 20-24 are the main player on Silver Creek during the morning, and these bugs can hatch for hours given the right weather conditions. Long, light leaders and drag-free, downstream drifts are required to fool the Creek’s trout on these diminutive mayflies. Callibaetis action has been consistently strong during the late morning/early afternoon on Silver Creek. Have a good selection of emergers, duns, and spinners when fishing this hatch. With the onset of fall weather, we’ll see increased Mahogany Dun and October Caddis activity on the Creek. Remember that it doesn’t take many naturals to get the fish interested, so blind fishing these patterns on breezy afternoons can be especially productive. Terrestrials like hoppers, beetles and ants will continue to produce for the next few weeks, so have a few of your favorite patterns in your box. On the Big Wood, look for one of the river’s premier hatches— the Western Red Quill (Hecuba). Large Parachute Adams, Parachute Hare’s Ears, H&L Variants, Ausable Wulffs and Purple Hazes (all in size 10-12) will fool plenty of fish once this bug appears. Your favorite green drake and brown drake patterns will work as well. Small parachute patterns are great for the Big Wood’s pickiest trout. The upper Big Lost is a great place for scenery, solitude and trophy cutthroat, while the lower Big Lost is at a great flow and is fishing extremely well with BWOs, midges, hoppers, and your favorite nymph patterns. Autumn is when streamers really shine on local waters. Our custom-tied Sparkle Minnow is deadly on our area rivers! Happy fishing, everyone!

Hwy 20 in Picabo info@picaboangler.com (208)788.3536 www.picaboangler.com

FRAN JEWELL

Kalidor’s Puppy Diary Week 1

By Fran Jewell

alidor turned 6 years old this past week, and in honor of him I want to rerun a few articles I wrote that earned me the Idaho Press Club Award. More so, since I have some new puppies to take care of right now, I am not available to many who have requested my help. I thought this would be an excellent way to give those with new puppies some things to focus on. Here we go… As many of my clients know, I am bringing home a puppy this Thanksgiving week. He will be the first puppy for me in seven years! There have been a lot of puppies in this house, but all have been service-dog candidates. My new puppy’s name is Kalidor. He is a 9-week-old, long-coat, black German shepherd. I want to dispel the myth that puppies will take months to housetrain, to stop biting, and that obedience training shouldn’t start until a puppy is 6-8 months old. I thought what might be fun is for my readers to see what I do with my puppies in a weekly diary. This week, my focus will be on teaching Kalidor his name, teaching him about marker training or clicker training, housetraining, crate training, no jumping and no biting, socializing him with my pack, “sit,” “down,” “come” and “watch.” Sound ambitious? Not really. Many of these things I can combine very quickly. First thing is going to be teaching him to recognize his name and come running when he hears it. I will wait until he is hungry, put him on a leash so I have him close at hand, then simply say his name and give him food from my hand. I want him to see that his name equals food. At the same time, I will not give him food if he is jumping or biting me. As this is going on, I slip in a click with the clicker as he is taking his food for his name. As he learns that “Kalidor” means food, I back away. As I say his name, he follows the food. Then I will introduce the word “come” while he is in the process of coming toward me. This is the only time I say “come” for several week. It is not yet a command. When he knows click means food, I can introduce “watch” and “sit.” I take him to the door with a leash on and wait for him to look

SCIENCE OF PLACE

Kalidor learning to track at age 10 weeks. At this young age they are little sponges. Photo credit: FRAN JEWELL

at me. When he looks up, he will surely sit. I click and treat for sit and say “sit.” When he looks up for another treat, I click/treat for looking at me and say “watch.” Then, we run outside to the place I want him to go potty. I wait for him to relieve himself. When he does, I click, name it, and wait for him to “come” running back to me for that treat. When he gets to me, I wait for him to sit, click/treat. Then I wait for him to watch me again. He gets one treat for relieving himself outdoors, sitting, watching me—and no jumping! Stay tuned for more! 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.

HARRY WEEKES

Understanding The Kingfisher

BY HARRY WEEKES

am working on empathy—that ability to “understand and share the feelings of another.” In this case, it is with the baby belted Kingfisher, now a full adolescent, whose mother seems to be yelling at him in her persistent and rattling way. For starters, I am pretty confident on the above familial relationship. Kingfishers are one of the few birds where the female wears the colors; in this case, what looks like a russet-brown vest beneath her cool, blue overcoat. She is perched on an irrigation gate, on the edge of the pond, yelling at the trees, where a decidedly adolescent-looking bird, sans colors, is looking distracted, beleaguered, and generally confused (I probably could have left these last qualifiers out by just writing ‘adolescent male’). And why wouldn’t he be? Kingfisher nests are tunnels dug into banks surrounding water sources. These can be as much as 10 feet deep. So, this bird was born in total darkness, a muffled and black world, devoid of most sound and light. Periodically, mom or dad would shimmy into this world and feed his siblings and him “fishy things”—actual fish, or things like snails, crustaceans, frogs, and insects caught in or near the water. Then, it came time to get out in the world, and our completely subterranean friend scooted to the edge of the tunnel into a world of dazzling color and light and somehow spread its wings and FLEW. This happened, no doubt, under a similar circumstance to what was unfolding when I saw the pair on the edge of the pond—the parents rattling and chortling until the only thing left to do was fly. After that miraculous moment, which I always hope turns into several wonderful hours of aerial tricks and maneuvers but which mostly ends with a headlong plunge into the willows (after all, it doesn’t take much time to realize that right after learning to take off comes learning to land, and that is a whole other physics lesson). Now, our bedraggled teenager is hanging out getting another lesson—eating. At what point does the Kingfisher understand that what mom wants is for him to plunge headlong into the water after the wiggly things? Does he look down and think, “Wow, I can see those fish perfectly.” Or, does he watch mom dive in, and bring a fish up, then connect at first bite this earliest of comfort foods with all of the shimmering movements just beneath the surface? And is it that seemingly insatiable hunger of the adolescent that drives the first plunge into the water? Putting this all together, we get a cave-dwelling, fish-eating bird who learns to navigate flying and feeding under the incessant rattling of parents that will, one day very soon, both end and also disappear. Because, the next steps are to do all of this alone, as Kingfishers tend to be solitary. For a time.

The belted kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon). Photo credit: Teddy Llovet, accessed via wikipedia.

Until one day that rattle and chestnut undercoat is not mom, but the female bird with whom he will try and pass on all of these skills. He will start with a courtship that I cannot yet figure out how he learns, followed shortly thereafter by an impulse to dig a really long tunnel in the dirt. Needless to say, while I can articulate some of the parts and pieces of a Kingfisher’s life, actual empathy seems a long way off, trailing an urgent rattling cloaked in blue and white. Harry Weekes is the founder and head of school at The Sage School in Hailey. This is his 48th year in the Wood River Valley, where he lives with Hilary and two of their three baby adults—Penelope and Simon. The other member of the flock, Georgia, is currently fledging at Davidson College in North Carolina.

Wood River Weekly

MONEY MATTERS

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September 23 - October 6, 2020

KRISTIN HOVENCAMP

Where Should I Invest My Money?

BY KRISTIN HOVENCAMP

ne of the most common questions posed to me is, “Given today’s markets, where should I invest my cash?” That’s a loaded question. Each person’s circumstance is unique, and there’s no one-size-fits-all response. Before you make any investment decisions, formulate answers to these questions.

How much would you be willing to lose? Markets hate uncertainty, as do most investors. How much time do you have to recover from significant losses? Research has found that financial comebacks often take years. Many investors do not recover from their setbacks. If your investment horizon isn’t long-term, can you ride out a bear market?

Herein lies the rub. Black Swan events occur much more frequently than every 100 years. Suppose you’re already retired or nearing that path; set aside enough cash for your liquidity needs. Invest a portion of your portfolio in creating the income stream you seek. Commit enough of your assets to growth inHow did you react to previvestments to keep pace with ous market crashes? inflation. Allow an extra Can you remember how you cushion for joyful expendifelt October 19, 1987, comtures. Detach yourself from monly referred to as Black Monday? That the market mania and expose your portfolio infamous date set in motion investment loss- to no more volatility than you need to aces worldwide estimated at $1.7 trillion. How complish those objectives. about the 2000 dot-com bubble burst, or the Kristin Hovencamp is an investment consultant Great Financial Crisis of 2008? What was your emotional reaction when you dared to and director of Business Development. HAZLETT WEALTH MANAGEMENT, LLC, is independent of look at your 401(k) or personal portfolios? What keeps you up at night, specific to your finances? Most everyone feels money-related anxiety. According to the National Endowment for Financial Education, “Money woes are the number one reason more than 50 percent of adults in the United States can’t sleep at night.”

I may not remember precisely how I positioned my assets before each market crash. Still, I will not forget the visceral reaction I experienced as I watched my nest egg shrink before my eyes. I have subsequently learned that I do not have ice in my veins.

THE WAY I SEE IT

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. All investing involves risk, including the possible loss of the principal amount invested. 675 Sun Valley Road, Ketchum, Idaho, (208) 726-0605. HazlettWealthManagement.com

CHRIS MILLSPAUGH

The Way I See It Lookin’ Up! BY CHRIS MILLSPAUGH

When did it all start going wrong, I ask you. When did our focus for loftier ideals start to diminish? Why did we start looking down instead of up? I know! It was the beginning of cellphones. In 1987, I began work as a telemarketing manager and office director for the Radio Call company in New York City. Radio Call was formerly an answering call service based in Melville, Long Island, which took messages for businesses and participating private clients for the city and the surrounding areas of Long Island. In 1986, they decided to get into the “beeper” business to assist hospitals and their staff by alerting them that they had a call to answer and displaying the phone number on their beeper, which was worn on their belt. It worked well for the professional crowd, but the profits were low—too low to sustain a business. And then, the professional “crack” dealers of New York City got on board with “beepers” and the business boomed overnight. During my first month at work, I greeted an elderly man from Washington Heights who had come to purchase a “beeper” and sign up for the monthly service. I asked how he would like to purchase it and he produced a grocery sack full of five-dollar bills and showed me. As the business took off, Radio Call reached an agreement with Motorola to sell their first cellphones. The original phones were bulky, heavy and ugly but they opened the door for everyone to have their own personal phone service in their own pocket. Through the next few years, the popular, thin, sleek smartphones evolved

and chaos erupted throughout the world. Everyone started looking down at their phone instead of at each other. No one looked up anymore to enjoy the sky and the world in general. I can’t count the number of times I responded to someone who said “hello” to me and I said “hi” right back. They would give me an incredulous look and say, “I was talking on my phone.” I would then say, “No, you were saying ‘hello’ to me!” Then, they would say, “No, I wasn’t. I was talkin’ to my phone!” “I’m talkin’ here!” People were talking out loud but they weren’t talkin’ to you! People became introverted and dealt only with their phone and its many messages. People stopped talking to each other and suddenly all was lost. Now, in 2020, the year that will live in infamy, everyone has a smartphone. Everyone, that is, except for me. I’m a landline guy and proud of it. When everyone is looking down, I’m looking up! I have hope! Even if Trump builds a golf course and the Trump Tower Lodge in Stanley, I will carry on and notice the sky and the birds and the wonders of nature right here in our beloved Wood River Valley. The only possible answer is to get rid of your cellphone and join the human race again! Nice talking to you. Editor’s Note: Mr. Millspaugh lives in a log cabin with his cat, Myles; is retired; does absolutely nothing; and is tied to a landline.

ON LIFE’S TERMS

JOELLEN COLLINS

Third Grade At Home

By JoEllen Collins

he title of my column might refer to the troubles families and teachers are having concerning school, due to the pandemic. However, in a recent piece, I mentioned my time spent in the third grade in only one room (and a bath) at home. As I began pondering that time of isolation (and this is not meant to be applicable to everyone), I recognized some of the positive and character-strengthening results of that eight months, three weeks and eleven hours in bed. In brief, we had moved from San Francisco to L.A to be near my adopted older sister, who was dying of tuberculosis. (Both of my siblings and I were adoptees.) My baby brother had club feet that my mother massaged for hours every day, and, in a fall, I had broken several ribs, exacerbating my severe and worsening asthma. In addition, I was feared to be a possible TB victim. Oddly, I don’t remember feeling angry or abandoned or without friends, but because I was always a “good” girl, I somehow made it a passable time. I listened to the radio, colored a lot, played with my Storybook dolls on my brightly squared quilt, making mountains out of patches ready for the arrival of Prince Charming, was visited by a teacher once a week who collected my homework, and read voraciously. At that time children’s books were usually bound in leather and lavishly illustrated. Although often scary like Grimm’s Fairy Tales, the stories JoEllen Collins—a longtime where I imagined being in China or Japan and hav- resident of the Wood River ing to deal with the fanciful worlds I encountered Valley— is an Idaho Press were stirring. I developed a thirst for wondering Club award-winning columwhat it would be like to exist in these places or con- nist, a teacher, writer, fabric ditions. I also learned to love my language. artist, choir member and Now, several decades later, I can see why I call unabashedly proud grandma myself a storyteller, and why I talk too much (ra- known as “Bibi Jo.” dio, radio—Jack Benny making me laugh). I even worked in radio for a while! Travel beckoned: I yearned to see the world: my first big trip was in a prop plane when I was 19 volunteering to work at 11,000 feet near Quito, Ecuador, building playground equipment at six rural schools. From then on, I found that travel through volunteering is both inexpensive and rewarding. I had learned to do without fancy clothes and live simply. I couldn’t practice my piano but sang along with the radio and am now resuming the joy of playing the piano on a keyboard and love singing. I learned hand sewing by making small doll clothes and later in life developed a passion for appliquéing memories on fabric as a means of communication. I was lucky to have a very affectionate and supportive family sitting at the hall doorway and talking and reading to me or bringing me my mother’s inimitable Swedish cooking and her chocolate cake. I knew I was loved. It could have been worse. Who knows what patterns we might acquire in our current, challenging new world?

INSPIRATIONS FROM MY HEART

DOVE

From Fear To Faith

BY DOVE

hat if we gave up all of our fear? What if we were no longer afraid of the coronavirus? What if we no longer had a fear of death, which is our greatest fear? What if we were no longer afraid of climate change destroying our planet? What if we got so tired of being afraid of doing God wrong or not following all the rules that we just gave up the fear and lived in the immediate moment? What if we just looked at humanity and asked them to be, just be, at this time? What if we just took time to step out in nature and hug a tree, to pet a bumble bee or a hummingbird that sees us as a flower? What if all the media stories were seen as nothing but someone’s imagination and not a story you want to participate in? What if you could just stop and decide what you want to experience and then create that? What if you gave up being a victim of any kind and moved into your own creative power? It is time to do this now. Many years ago, when I was so afraid of doing God wrong, I decided that there were too many rules for me to understand and to follow and too many people to please, so I followed my heart and reduced the rules to one simple rule: treat everyone as I would like to be treated and take responsibility for all of my creations. The coronavirus has brought us to the point of facing all of our fears. Fear is now at the surface of our lives. We are at choice as how to handle this level of fear. Do we let it consume us, or do we take charge of our emotions and decide to let go of the fear? It is your choice as to where you place your focus. If we all moved beyond our fear, the planet would change instantly into a place of health, abundance for all of nature and humanity, climate change could be resolved because we all would take care of the waters, the animals, the plants and, most of all, each other. We can make this shift in consciousness. All of our fear is at the surface and we can give it up by just caring for each other. You can only be manipulated if you hold onto some type of fear. Take back your power of choice and give up being a slave to anyone’s belief system other than your own. Be kind to all things, including yourself. Let’s do this!!!

Wood River Weekly

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

KIKI TIDWELL

Clarification

n apparently new resident, or part-time resident, Marty Albertson, in a letter to the editor in the other paper this past week, asserted that I had objected to “an affordable housing duplex intended to serve the Valley’s essential workers” because I apparently didn’t want to look at affordable housing while riding my bike or playing golf. This is pure bunk. I invite you to read my own words in this dropbox folder: https://bit.ly/3cgq3xK Blaine County has many laws that apply to development, like a lot must be one acre per residence or larger for a septic system and R-2 zoning means one residence per two acres of land. However, one day in February 2018, with no notice or process, Blaine County Planning Director Tom Bergin issued a building permit for a duplex (two residences) on a .61-acre lot that had no building envelope on it because it was a Public Use Open Space Recreational Use parcel in a Planned Unit Development. Any other developer would have had to go back and amend the PUD through an extensive process to change the use of this lot for a building, and would have had to defend, through a conditional use process, why two residences on .61 acre, a substandard lot in R-2 zoning, should be allowed and why a septic system should be allowed on .61 acre for two residences, and where the water source should come from. Tom Bergin, although he has written that “community housing per se is not public use,” has asserted that the county can do anything it wants on any parcel labeled “public use,” changing the use from recreational open space to privately owned buildings indiscriminately. I challenged the legality of the issuance of this building permit by the county with no plat amendment process. A county administrator does not have the sole ability to change the definition of public use to whatever he wants and disregard the plat agreement. The PUD developers had given this Open Space Recreational Use parcel C to the public to use and recreate on, in exchange for higher density in the subdivision lots and a dense community housing parcel with 12 houses on 2.5 acres next to it, Agave Place. ARCH and BCHA asked to be included in my legal action challenging the building permit. I did not sue them. I and my neighbors have lived quite peacefully with that well-designed Agave Place community housing in my neighborhood now for 15 years. I am not against affordable housing. I am against the county and its administrator feeling like they are above the law and not being answerable to the public.

•

September 23 - October 6, 2020

ADVERTORIALS BETTER HOMEOWNERS NEWS

ANNA & MICHELLE

Smart Sprinkler Controller It seems like most homes have sprinkler systems and, if they do, they have some form of controller to automatically turn the water on and off for the time and days you feel necessary. It seems like basic functionality and if it isn’t broken, you may not feel the need to replace it. Today, there are so many smart home devices that are not only convenient, but they’ll end up saving you enough money to pay for the upgrade. There are different manufacturers, but you should at least consider the Rachio if for no other reason than the easy installation procedure. The process is simple. Unplug the old controller and disconnect the wires, being sure to label which wires went to which stations. Using the Rachio template, mark three spots on the wall, drill holes in the drywall, insert the anchors into the holes and screw the new controller to the wall. This model has convenient wire connectors that do not require crimping a wire around a screw. It is quick and easy to put the numbered wires in the corresponding slot. The directions are simple and easy to follow. When complete, connect the power source and plug it into a wall socket. Now, install the Rachio app to your phone and continue following the instructions to connect the controller to the Wi-Fi. In minutes, you’ll be sitting in a lawn chair making adjustments and seeing what it will do. Some of the features you’ll find very convenient are the multiple schedules that can be creat-

ed and easily switched from one to another. As you set up each zone, you can take a picture of the area and be able to identify with a glance which area you want when individually selecting one. Another thing you might like is that when you’re trying to track down a broken head or just need to adjust it, you can turn on a zone from your phone while looking at the yard. When you identify which head is the culprit, turn the water off from your phone, make the adjustment or repair and turn the water back on to test it without having to go back and forth to wherever your controller is located. Rachio will even monitor the weather to skip a scheduled cycle in case of rain, high wind or freezing temperatures. You could literally be anywhere in the world where you have an Internet connection and you’ll be able to adjust your watering cycle. This device really does save time and money while being fun to operate.

Kiki Tidwell Candidate for Blaine County Commissioner

NUESTRA VOZ CUENTA

COCO @ The Y! Hispanic Heritage Movie

OUR VOICE COUNTS

n October 1, the Wood River Community YMCA will project the film COCO outside against its north wall. The Y is known throughout the Wood River Valley for programs like Power Scholars, Kids Club, Make A Splash, Summer Camp, support for people struggling with chronic diseases, as well as healthy lifestyle and family programming for people of all ages. This has been an extraordinary year. We are all making sacrifices to slow the spread of COVID-19. There are obvious and significant impacts on jobs, education and childcare, but there are subtle losses, as well. People form communities out of need. And so, it is more important than ever that we find safe opportunities to come together and celebrate what unites us rather than isolates ourselves. COCO is the story of Miguel, a young aspiring musician who embarks on an extraordinary journey to the magical land of his ancestors. There, Miguel uncovers the mysteries behind his family’s stories and traditions. It is a wonderful way to celebrate our shared family values and the Hispanic Heritage festival. Please call (208) 727-9622 to reserve a space for your family and ensure safe personal distancing or register online at www.woodriverymca.org.

NUESTRA VOZ CUENTA

l 1 de octubre, la YMCA proyectará la película COCO fuera contra su pared norte. La Y es conocida en todo el Wood River Valley por programas como Power Scholars, Kids Club, Make A Splash, Summer Camp, apoyo para personas que luchan con enfermedades crónicas, así como un estilo de vida saludable y programación familiar para personas de todas las edades. Este ha sido un año extraordinario. Todos estamos haciendo sacrificios para frenar la propagación del COVID-19. Hay impactos obvios y significativos en el trabajo, la educación y el cuidado

DE S E CH ULARE O N LIC LIB PE RE AI L A

Trae su cilla de sesped con una cobija. Gratis y aierto a todos. Reguiere reserva, at www.woodriverymca.org/schedules.

re tub c o e 1d

Banda de calentamiento de mariachi

a 7pa m luvi de l )

h (fec Oct. 9

de niños, pero también hay pérdidas sutiles. Las personas forman comunidades por necesidad. Y por eso, es más importante que nunca que encontremos oportunidades seguras para reunirnos y celebrar lo que nos une en lugar de aislarnos. COCO es la historia de Miguel, un joven aspirante a músico que se embarca en un extraordinario viaje a la tierra mágica de sus antepasados. Allí, Miguel descubre los misterios detrás de las historias y tradiciones de su familia. Es una manera maravillosa de celebrar nuestros valores familiares compartidos y el Hispanic Heritage Festival. Llame al (208) 727-9622 para reservar un espacio para su familia y asegurarse de distanciamiento personal seguro o registrarse en línea en www. woodriverymca.org.

SUN VALLEY INSTITUTE

The Next Step In Eating Local

BY SUN VALLEY INSTITUTE

arvest season is here! With the last Hailey Farmers’ Market of the year on Thursday, Sept. 24, and the final Ketchum Market on Tuesday, Sept. 29, now is the time to stock up on storage crops like potatoes, onions, garlic, carrots, and winter squash. It’s also the last chance to buy cases of tomatoes, green beans, peppers, sweet corn, apples and peaches for canning. Storing and preserving local fruits and vegetables are great ways to extend the harvest season. Don’t stop eating local just because the market is over. Take the $5 for Farmers Pledge at 5forfarmers.com and commit to spending $5 on local food every week. It’s just the nudge you need to keep seeking out those locally grown and produced foods through the winter. Kraay’s, NourishMe and Atkinsons’ have delicious local food options every day of the year. If you’re already thinking about getting even more fresh produce next year, now is the time to get on your favorite farm’s email list so that you’ll be the first to know about their offerings for the 2021 season. Looking back at the uncertainty we faced this spring, Sun Valley Institute and our Food & Farm program, Local Food Alliance, are proud of the role we played in making sure the 2020 Farmers’ Market season was successful. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we helped fund and implement an online ordering platform for the Ketchum Market that generated close to $68,000 in revenue and more than 1,100 orders as of mid-September. Our efforts also catalyzed the gathering of leftover, unsold produce from the market to donate to The Hunger Coalition. A big thank you to everyone who helped to provide nutritious local food to our community!

Wood River Weekly

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September 23 - October 6, 2020

KIKI TIDWELL

COFFEE CHATS WITH KIKI

Know Where Your Charitable Donations Are Going et’s talk about the difference between a charitable entity, an IRS-designated 501(c)(3), and a political action committee, or PAC. The IRS has very specific rules for charitable entities to operate under because they have been entrusted with donated funds to undertake public good. Charitable entities have to be very transparent and put their tax returns (990s) online for the public to review. The public can see clearly if the charity’s funds have been spent in worthwhile ways. The IRS has very clear rules that restrict a charity from political lobbying or influencing legislation more than a minor amount of their efforts. “Under the IRS, “no substantial part of a [charitable] organization’s activities [may] constitute carrying on propaganda or otherwise attempting to influence legislation.” The reason for this limitation is that charities receive tax-deductible income and, as such, are essentially government-subsidized organizations, which should not become too mired in politics or political controversy.” 1 In contrast, a political action committee in Idaho is actually an entity to influence legislation, or to promote specific political candidates. “Persons, groups of persons and political committees may support candidates covered by the Sunshine Law by making independent expenditures on their behalf. Independent expenditures may be made without limit since they do not count against the contribution limits established by Section 67-6610A, Idaho Code.”2 These PACs can be very biased in the information that they promote. Financial contributors to a PAC don’t receive a tax deduction; I believe this is so because the IRS recognizes that a political action committee has a specific political agenda but doesn’t have to be transparent about it. For instance, a PAC such as Conservation Voters for Idaho can endorse a candidate in a race as being the candidate with the best conservation record because it wants to curry favor with that candidate for work in the future. It doesn’t have to be transparent with the public on their comparisons of candidates’ track records in conservation; it doesn’t have to prove that its endorsement is really based on anything. When I asked them for what body of work in conservation that Jacob Greenberg has accomplished that helped them to make their endorsement decision, they wouldn’t share it. They only said that they wanted to work with him in the future on some projects.

COLUMN

Idaho Power now committed to reducing coal resources. Photo credit: Idaho Power

The problem comes when PACs blur the line in their raising of money. I have received many solicitations from the Conservation Voters for Idaho that read like this: “Giving Tuesday is in full swing, and millions of Americans are donating to causes that they care about. Will you join them on this national day of giving?”, which leads one to believe that your funds are going to a charitable entity, a fair and unbiased entity, not a campaign contribution to a PAC with a political agenda. I have sent funds to them based on these solicitations, most recently because it looked like Patagonia was providing matching charitable funds. I know what my track record of conservation is in Idaho; I undertook a shareholder initiative with Idaho Power back in 2008 when they wanted to build a coal-fired power plant in Idaho. This successful initiative, along with others’ efforts, changed the future for Idaho from coal-fired power to retiring coal plants early and a goal for Idaho Power of 100 percent renewable energy production. It was a very difficult thing to undertake at the time as no one had ever challenged a power company on their coal-fired production with a direct initiative. It cost me about $40,000 to hire As You Sow to run the initiative and not many pro-conservation groups would join in with me on the effort; they were worried about upsetting their ‘working relationship’ with Idaho Power. The only brave nonprofit was the Snake River Alliance. Ken Miller crossed the police riot tape and bodyguards

VISION 2020 / LIFESTYLE

Early June By Eric Valentine

realize it’s September. But I foresee a potential for change later this fall and I am reminded of the time of year I historically experience change most: early June. The first week of June has anniversaries of some very important life events for me. On June 3, 1993, I graduated from UCLA. On June 4, 1994, I got married to my college sweetheart and witnessed my father have a stroke (literally) the same day. And June 5 is the birthdate of my wife who passed away from cancer at just 23 years of age. I can’t believe she’s been gone longer than she was old. Lisa and I studied psychology together at UCLA, went to live and work in Japan together, and as twentysomethings, battled through her chemotherapy sessions and the unfathomable pain bone cancer brings. We shared our first kiss on Valentine’s night 1992 and she took her last breath on Valentine’s night 1995. We had only three years together, but we were pretty much inseparable in that time. I’ve tried to honestly investigate whether I think we’d still be together today had she not lost her battle with cancer. The romantic in me doesn’t want to fathom a reality where she and I would be exes, but a person can change a lot over the course of two dozen years and one of two marriages ends in divorce. Meanwhile, things in my life have always veered away from permanency. Jobs—including the ones I’ve enjoyed—have always ended on me, rarely by me. Relationships have never worked out. Friendships have had to end. I’ve moved seven times since being back from Japan. So the odds are, she and I would have changed too much to last. But my most honest conclusion is that we would still be together today. Here’s why.

“Change” is a loaded word. It implies a mere difference from before. Change can be nonlinear. One can change and then change back. One can change unintentionally. So I prefer to consider how she and I would have grown. Growth implies intentional development. It can be triggered by both negative and positive life events, but it strengthens and refines character. Couples work well when individuals inspire each other, not to change, but to grow. It all comes down to HOW the individuals inspire one another. Are they manipulating each other with anger or guilt? Are they communicating their needs and desires, hoping their partner catches on and realizing they may not? It’s that latter quality I think both of us had, but Lisa to the maximum degree. As passionate as she was, I saw her lose her temper just once. As perceptive as she was, she rarely triggered someone on purpose, and when she did, they usually deserved it. She knew how to say that soft, nourishing thing you weren’t expecting to hear in a harsh, loud world. Lisa wasn’t perfect, but she was perfectly committed to emotional integrity and intellectual honesty. So I can’t fathom, especially after dealing with cancer together, an alternative reality where we could not have worked through whatever challenges would have come our way. I trusted her. And she had a way of speaking to my desire, not to simply please her, but to be my best self. Not a day goes by where I don’t think of her. And that’s not because I’m a hopeless romantic. Quite the opposite, actually. Life presents real circumstances that require a humility to access a better part of one’s self, sometimes a template outside ourselves to help us aspire to something we currently are not. Lisa is that template for me, and I grow still today because of the quality time we spent together then.

in Boise and walked into that shareholder meeting with me. I have advocated for clean energy in Idaho for 20 years, writing letters to the editor, and meeting with governors, lieutenant governors and senators to share information. I have put my money where my mouth is by investing in clean-energy startup companies in Idaho and have given to many nonprofit efforts. I have stepped up personally and have been an Intervenor at the Idaho Public Utilities Commission against a transmission line that reinforces an old paradigm of coal-fired power coming from plants in Nevada to us here at a ski resort affected by climate change. I am running on a platform of thriving in the new climate-change reality; it is at the core of my goals. No, I am comfortable with 20 years of work I have accomplished in Idaho to protect our clean air and blue skies (which has returned $17.5 million to ratepayers!) and with my goal to do more. If Conservation Voters for Idaho wants to play politics with their endorsement, so be it, but charitable givers should know that they are not a charity, but a political campaign.

https://www.hurwitassociates.com/lobbying-advocacy/ charitable-organizations-and-lobbying#:~:text=Charitable%20 Organizations%20and%20Lobbying%201%20Defining%20and%20 Measuring,lobbying.%203%20Grassroots%20lobbying.%20...%20 More%20items...%20

https://sos.idaho.gov/elections-division/campaign-finance-filing/

Blaine County Commissioner Candidate

www.tidwellcommissionercampaign.com twitter: @kikitidwell

Kiki Tidwell

Paid For By Citizens For Kiki Tidwell, Cindy Mann Treasurer.

Coming Soon!

PET

THE

BY KIKI TIDWELL

& ANIMAL S E C T I O N

Submit a photo of your pet to see it printed in this special section! Prizes for the best pictures!

Last Pet Section winners: Rooster (left) and Willie, golden retrievers—friends to Jack and Angelica Cenarrusa.

(Please include the name of your pet, breed/type and your name and contact information). Submission deadline is October 14th. Submit pictures to production@woodriverweekly.com WOOD RIVER WEEKLY

YOUR VOICE IN THE WOOD RIVER VALLEY

Wood River Weekly

CHAMBER CORNER

•

September 23 - October 6, 2020

MIKE MCKENNA

Hard way Pipeline

Being There When Help Is Needed Crisis Hotline calls increase 400 percent By Mike McKenna

ammy Davis isn’t a very tall person. But what she lacks in size, she makes up for in impact. Heroes do come in all shapes and

sizes. Tammy has been helping our community for decades. She is currently serving her second stint on the Bellevue City Council and has thrown her hat in the ring for reelection. She helped found the popular Bellevue Haunted Forest. She recently resurrected the Building Material Thrift Store, helped found the Neighbors Helping Neighbors movement and has been executive director for the Crisis Hotline for nearly two years. “I love what I do,” said Tammy, who moved to the Wood River Valley from Massachusetts nearly 30 years ago. “I’ve been a ‘community mama’ my whole life.” We’re lucky to have Tammy, since our community has never needed more mamas looking out for us. The COVID crisis hit us hard and the number of calls to the Crisis Hotline is proof. Since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, calls to the Hotline have increased 400 percent. Thankfully, Tammy and her small team had braced for the battle. “You could see the storm coming,” said Tammy. “Being visible made a big difference. With everything happening, any one of us can get overwhelmed emotionally and then we can’t think straight. This is difficult on all of us.” Since she took over at the Hotline, a second 24hour call-in line offering bilingual services has been added and the Neighbors Helping Neighbors (Vecinos Apoyando Vecinos) campaign was created. Both have offered an olive branch for the Hispanic community. Tammy also helped form the Hispanic LatinUS Task Force, which meets each Friday. “We’re still here for you” is the message the Hotline is sharing. A simple phone call can lead to all kinds of assistance. The Hotline teams up with every organization in the Wood River Valley that can help, from The Advocates to The Hunger Coalition to little-known County Services. “We help people get into their best zone and

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.

then help them get the resources they need to remain there,” Tammy said. To help support these resources, Tammy recently stepped in to save the Building Material Thrift Store (BMTS). For 20 years, the beloved BMTS was located in Hailey. But after the Wood River Land Trust closed the unique thrift store, Tammy jumped in to re-open the BMTS at 213 North Main Street in Bellevue. This not only saves tons of usable construction and home materials from going to the landfill, it also helps provide revenue for the Hotline and its partners. The new BMTS model includes the ability for customers to select one of the Hotline’s nonprofit partners to share in the proceeds. “We’re all here to serve this community and to make it as healthy as possible,” Tammy said. When I commented that even though she’s a small woman, she sure does a lot of heavy lifting for our community, she replied, “I may not be tall, but my impact is big.” To find out more, please call (208) 788-3596 or go to thecrisishotline.org.

CLASSIC SUDOKU See answer on page 7

CROSSWORD SPONSORED BY

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See answer on page 7

THE WOOD RIVER VALLEY 7-DAY WEATHER FORECAST IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

Partly Cloudy 0%

high 74º

low 45º WEDNESDAY

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high 69º low 40º THURSDAY

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high 61º low 34º FRIDAY

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high 66º low 40º SATURDAY

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high 73º low 42º SUNDAY

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high 75º low 45º MONDAY

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high 78º low 46º TUESDAY

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