WRW 21 April 2021

STATE NEWS

EDUCATION NEWS

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Free | April 21 - May 4, 2021 | Vol. 2 - No. 8 | woodriverweekly.com

“ We h a v e n o r i g h t t o b e l i e v e t h a t f re e d o m c a n b e w o n w i t h o u t s t r u g g l e . ” ~Che Guevara

A SILVER (CREEK) LINING

A young cyclist takes in the view of the 881-acre Silver Creek Preserve south of Bellevue. Photo credit: The Nature Conservancy

Visitor center, new programs coming to 881-acre preserve

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By Eric Valentine

hen Lou and Cindy Lunte packed up their belongings 32 years ago and moved out of the log cabin they had built in perhaps the most scenic open space in the entire south Wood River Valley, they thought they were saying

goodbye for good. Grateful to head out to promising new jobs, the young couple also felt something was incomplete. “We built it and then only got to live there briefly,” explains Lou Lunte. “So now it’s kind of like coming home.” Lunte has spent the past year as the preserve manager for Silver Creek Pre-

Fly-fishing enthusiasts enjoy Silver Creek Preserve, home to a globally unique aquatic ecosystem that features one of the highest densities of stream insects in North America. Photo credit: The Nature Conservancy

serve—a thriving, 881-acre high-desert ecosystem southeast of Bellevue with a creek that runs through it and an abundance of wildlife, including eagles, elk, coyotes, deer, bobcats, and moose. As many as 150 species of birds have been identified along the nature trail there and its globally unique aquatic ecosystem features one of the highest densities of stream insects in North America. That’s a big deal because without the bugs there are no bigger animals, too. And what a year it has been. The Luntes retired from their longtime positions with The Nature Conservancy pre-pandemic and made the move back to the log cabin just west of Picabo when Lou landed the preserve manager position in May. Although the tiny visitor center there could not offer social distancing measures, the acreage offered something more northern Sawtooth recreation spots couldn’t—less crowds. “Up north was just too busy, people didn’t want to travel too far, so they came south and discovered all this,” Lunte said. “It seemed like every other visitor we talked to was from the Valley and it was their first time here.” Lunte could not utilize the 450-squarefoot visitor center given COVID safety measures, and the outside deck—a cher-

ished spot for overlooking the bird watching and fishing spots below—could only fit a couple people at a time. And even in non-pandemic times, the facility had to conduct group tours from the parking lot, Lunte said. So it’s with an abundance of excitement that Lunte is welcoming the visitor center upgrade now underway. The infrastructure improvements are part of the comprehensive Silver Creek Enhancement Plan, a five-year project led by The Nature Conservancy to enhance the overall visitor experience, expand community and youth education opportunities and continue restoration and habitat enhancement of the creek ecosystem. This first portion of the project features the construction of the redesigned visitor center, which includes the creation of a new classroom facility and other essential upgrades that will increase visitor accessibility and safety and provide new opportunities for youth and community engagement. The existing structure will be replaced by an updated and modernized visitor education center that better supports community needs, designed by Continued SILVER CREEK Page 2

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Wood River Weekly

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April 21 - May 4, 2021

‘It’s really a spectacular place’ Continued from Page 1

Ketchum-based architect Rebecca F. Bundy. TNC has hired Ketchum-based contractor Idaho Mountain Builders to oversee construction. Safer and more economical to rebuild rather than retrofit, the new center’s design will aim to incorporate repurposed materials and will remain in the same location on the preserve. The new visitor center and classroom are expected to reopen in spring 2022. While the visitor center will be closed to the public during construction, the preserve will remain open for public enjoyment and recreation. A temporary kiosk with visitor information, an updated map and electronic sign-in instructions will be available during the closure. Popular recreation activities such as fishing and hiking will remain available. For visitors’ safety and to protect sensitive habitats, visitors are asked to use designated trails and access points, follow signage, avoid the construction area and use the digital sign-in upon arrival. Upon completion of the infrastructure projects, TNC will expand community outreach and establish youth educational programs at Silver Creek that inspire the next generation of environmental advocates. The new programming will be developed with community input, including from local educators, and will include on-site educational activities for field trips, family-focused events, self-guided tours and summer internships. Through these opportunities, TNC envisions Silver

Creek as a place where students, educators and volunteers will cultivate the values that lead to deep personal commitments to conservation. “It’s so important to have a space where you have them there in a group doing traditional educational opportunities,” Lunte said. “You might think, living in the Wood River Valley, we all got out and enjoyed it and understood our connection to nature here. But quite a few people don’t have that opportunity” unless outreach is done. Another key element of the Silver Creek Enhancement Plan is aquatic and riparian ecosystem restoration, including work on two Silver Creek tributaries within the preserve. Restoration of these high-priority, ecologically significant stream reaches are the next step in a watershed-wide, community-based restoration effort. Through active collaboration with partners and local stakeholders, TNC’s goal is to revitalize Silver Creek’s diverse, spring-fed ecosystem. This will be accomplished through a combination of several actions, including: stream channel reconfigurations to restore hydrologic processes and enhance aquatic habitat; water supply conservation and active aquifer recharge projects to sustain adequate streamflow and improve water quality; and enhancement of riparian buffers through expansion and planting of diverse native vegetation. These actions will improve the resiliency of this aquatic ecosystem and its wild trout fishery, while also demonstrating the value of science-based restoration techniques and community-based solutions. “It’s really a spectacular place,” Lunte said.

ENVIRONMENT

Lou and Cindy Lunte are making one of their first homes home again at the Silver Creek Preserve. Photo credit: The Nature Conservancy

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PUBLISHER’S NOTE Dear Valley Residents, Spring is here, with summer right around the corner. Hopefully, the change of seasons gives us optimism and hope for this year to be better than the last. With any luck, combined with vaccinations and precautions, life this summer will resume its normal hectic schedule of events, activities and the general summer mayhem we all are accustomed to. Wood River Weekly will still publish every other week, until such time that it becomes practical to resume our normal weekly schedule. We look forward to this day. It goes without saying that the past and present ramifications of COVID-19 will continue to be felt by our friends and neighbors, so let us keep up the effort to be compassionate and understanding. Take care, Chris & Mandi

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April 21 - May 4, 2021

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CHANGING OF THE GUARD

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n a school district where a significant portion of the stakeholders had wanted change, a significant amount of change will be happening next school year. And it’s not a pandemic thing, as far as we can tell. Blaine County School District announced last week it has hired several new administrators to fill key roles throughout the district, starting in the 2021-22 school year. The moves come roughly two months before James Foudy takes over as the new superintendent of the district, which is when the district’s interim superintendent, Fritz Peters—a longtime principal at Wood River Middle School—retires. Just months ago, Peters replaced superintendent GwenCarol Holmes who had been embattled with substantial parent and teacher disapproval and stakeholder-triggered lawsuits.

principal. When Rob was selected as principal, it created the vacancy for VP. The vacancy for principal was created when Fritz stepped in as superintendent. Fritz plans to retire at the end of this year. Unless I can talk him out of it.” Meet Some Newbies Cheryl Sanderson will serve as the next finance director for BCSD. She currently serves in the same role for the Middleton School District, just outside Boise. There, she has earned a reputation as a highly effective financial administrator in support of the district’s operational goals, the district said. Adam Johnson will be the next assistant superintendent for the district. Currently a principal in the Murtaugh School District, Johnson was the 2020 Idaho Principal of the Year and the 2013 Idaho Human Rights Educator of the

It’s probably the most significant change in the history of the district.”

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Shown here is Wood River Middle School eighth-grader Orrie DeShields, left; Patrick Herb, band teacher for Wood River Middle School and High School, center; and Brandon Enders, right, a junior at Wood River High School. The two students have been accepted into the Band of America Honor Band, which will march in next year’s Rose Parade, in Pasadena, Calif., on Jan. 1, 2022. Both students received scholarships from the Sun Valley Museum of Art (SVMoA) toward their travel expenses and are very excited about this once-in-a-lifetime experience. This is the first time that Idaho students have been represented in the Rose Parade. Photo credit: Becky DeShields

So, is any of this normal? “It’s unprecedented. It’s probably the most significant change in the history of the district. There was a year in the 2000s where a number of Seattle-area staff were hired, but that was nothing compared to this,” said Peters. Peters is a 36-year veteran of the district who is retiring, and although he won’t be around much longer to experience the changing of the guard, he is optimally optimistic. “I’m super excited about it. I think it reflects the impact some people wanted to see,” said Peters, who has been planning his retirement for some time. “Everything aligned. I feel like I’m handing over the district to good hands.” As For Foudy ... “I’m still learning what is typical for BCSD,” Foudy said. “From what I can see, this is a unique year with an increased number of new hires.” When asked about any of the departures being fallout from a challenging 2020 and 2021 thanks to COVID-19 risks and regulations, Foudy said, “I wonder about this question, as well. I don’t know.” What Foudy is sure about is the team he is helping to put together now. “I have been directly or indirectly involved in all administrative and director hiring decisions. Fritz and the board did a great job of including me. I worked directly with the team on the hiring of: director of finance, assistant superintendent, Carey principal and the WRMS principal,” Foudy said. “Every one of the current administrative or director hires was the result of retirements or in-district transfers,” Foudy explained. “For example, the new WRMS principal, Rob Ditch, was the vice

Year. He holds a bachelor’s degree in history and secondary education from Boise State University, along with a master’s degree in education leadership and an education specialist degree in education leadership from the University of Idaho. Madeline Cunningham Muschamp will serve as the next vice principal at Wood River High School. She comes to BCSD from Middleton, where she currently teaches high school world history. The next principal of Carey School will be Kayla Burton, who is currently a math, computer science and video teacher at West Junior High in the Boise School District. Born and raised in Carey, Burton is making a homecoming to BCSD. She holds a master’s degree in educational leadership from Boise State and a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Idaho State University. “We are thrilled to welcome these talented and knowledgeable school and district administrators as we prepare for the upcoming school year,” said Fritz Peters, interim superintendent. “Each brings a wealth of experience and a strong background in working with students, staff, families and community members.” The district is also announcing the retirement of Director of Technology Teresa McGoffin, who served with BCSD for 26 years. “Over a decade ago, I remember seeing Teresa shoveling snow outside a building on Croy Street that houses some infrastructure for our broadband connections,” said Peters. “It was 6:20 a.m. and she was ensuring we all had connectivity that morning after we had gotten about 3 to 4 inches of snow. No hurdle got in her way to keep us from doing our work.”

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April 21 - May 4, 2021

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STATE

State lawmakers return from COVID break, push controversial legislation

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We build nest eggs.

By Eric Valentine

daho lawmakers wasted no time getting back to business these past two weeks raising eyebrows with some of the bills that have both made headway and hit resistance at the state Capitol, which had been shut down last month due to a COVID outbreak among legislators. Lawmaking business resumed April 6 at noon, and since then several pieces of legislation have made headlines here and elsewhere. What follows is a summary of some higher-profile, controversial matters before senators Idaho state flag. Image credit: Adobe Stock and representatives across the Gem State. May. That’s how bill sponsor Rep. Vito Barbieri Abortion (R-Dalton Gardens) had publicly defended House Technically, there are seven bills involving Bill 106. abortion currently circulating the two chambers. It sent school district officials across the state Some have gone under the radar, such as House reeling over the possibility it could get signed into Bill 302, which amends the Informed Consent law, meaning school districts would not be able Law to provide information specific to pregnant to hold bond and levy elections immediately after mothers whose fetus has been diagnosed with their budget-setting sessions which take place in Down Syndrome. Studies indicate that the abor- June and July. tion rate for pre-born babies with Down SynFor Blaine County School District, that was a drome may be as high as 90%. big deal since a facilities levy vote is forthcomThis bill would require the Department of ing. But now, it may not be. Thanks to federal Health and Welfare to provide mothers in such cir- COVID-19 funding, school board trustees are cumstances with information about the resources thinking of delaying the vote until March 2022. available, in both the public and private sectors, Long story short, the bill passed the House but to help support a decision to choose life for her failed in the Senate. baby. It passed both chambers and has been sent Firearms to Gov. Brad Little awaiting an expected stamp The Idaho Firearm and Firearm Accessories of approval. and Components Protection Act (aka Senate Bill Less hidden were the bills both chambers pro- 1205) builds upon the existing Idaho law which posed that abortion procedures would be prohib- prohibits local officials from being ordered to enited when a fetal heartbeat can be detected, with force federal actions contrary to the Idaho Constithe exceptions included for rape, incest, and life tution regarding firearms and firearm accessories. of the mother. Proponents say a detectable heart- Depending on how one interprets amendments 2 beat is a key indicator, in law and medical practice and 10 of the U.S. Constitution, as well as Article alike, of the existence of life. Opponents say it’s 1 Section 8 and other verbiage, this might violate grandstanding at best and government overreach federal law, some say. at worst. That’s largely because this legislation is The bill was introduced in the Senate just last null and void unless the U.S. Supreme Court at week, where a committee gave it a so-called “Do some point upholds a restriction or ban on abor- Pass Recommendation.” It has been filed for an tion by any federal appellate court. upcoming second reading. Agriculture Effective last week, thanks to approval in both chambers and signed into law by the governor, it is now legal to produce, process, and transport industrial hemp in the state. Industrial hemp was already legal in 49 states, two territories, and more than 40 tribal areas. This legislation will allow Idaho farmers the opportunity to produce industrial hemp if they so choose. And, it will prevent truckers from enduring felony drug charges for transporting it across Idaho. Two such cases in the Gem State made national headlines in recent years. Ballot Initiatives Also effective last week, you may be seeing less voter initiatives on your ballots in the future. That’s because a percentage of voters in all 35 districts must now sign petitions to put voter-inspired laws on the books. Opponents cried foul, noting that this effort only arose after voters passed initiatives in support of more progressive ideas, such as Medicaid expansion. Proponents claimed it was a more democratic approach since previously only 18 districts had to have the benchmark number of signatures. State legislators and the governor agreed with proponents. Counseling Restrictions House Bill 52 currently sits in limbo with the Ways & Means Committee. The bill provides that an Idaho licensed mental health professional “shall not engage in the practice of conversion therapy on a patient or client younger than 18 years of age.” Conversion therapy covers any practice or treatment that seeks to change a patient’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Election Dates It sounded efficient. Reduce the number of elections (such as ones in August) so that all elections can run more smoothly, which in theory might even increase the amount of voter participation and voter knowledge come November and

Governor Power Gov. Little announced last week he would veto House Bill 135 and Senate Bill 1136, the so-called “emergency powers bills” which were passed by legislators who wanted to ensure the separation and balance of powers between the executive and legislative branches of government. The legislation would have ensured that all Idahoans have the right to work, provide for their families, and that they can contribute to the economy during an emergency disaster declaration. The legislation also sought to limit emergency disaster declarations to a maximum of 60 days unless extended under certain provisions. The legislation also clarified that the governor may not alter, adjust or suspend Idaho Code during a disaster declaration. Former Governors C.L. “Butch” Otter, Jim Risch, Dirk Kempthorne and Phil Batt all provided statements of support for Little’s vetoes. “The bills unnecessarily politicize the state’s emergency response efforts and jeopardize critical funding for local governments. The bills violate the separation of powers doctrine and are unconstitutional,” the Governor’s office said in a statement on its website. Medical Stuff Seven different pieces of legislation regarding vaccination are in play at the state level. For the most part, they seek to protect those who don’t want protection in the form of vaccines. In a separate bill, House Bill 339, it’s all about not protecting people who’d like protection in the form of mandated mask wearing. The purpose of the legislation is to prohibit the state of Idaho, a political subdivision, or an officer of the state from mandating the usage of a face mask, face shield, or other face covering for the purpose of preventing or slowing the spread of a contagious or an infectious disease. The House, which had the largest number of COVID-19 cases last month, passed the bill. It awaits the Senate.

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Wood River Weekly

NEWS

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Longtime Principal Announces Retirement

Blaine County School District Interim Superintendent Fritz Peters has announced he will retire at the end of the 2020-21 school year, ending a local career that began during a new millennium and ended during a once-in-a-century pandemic. Peters became interim superintendent in November 2020. This school year, Peters has been integral to ensuring a smooth transition to the next permanent leader of the district, while navigating BCSD through the numerous challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Longtime Valley educator Fritz He also played a significant role in the search for the Peters. Photo credit: Blaine next permanent superintendent. James Foudy will County School District become the next leader of the district in July. Throughout his career, Peters built skills and abilities in a variety of key areas, including the use of data for student growth and school safety and security. “It has been an honor and a privilege to serve the Blaine County community as a principal and interim superintendent over the course of nearly 20 years,” Peters said. “I have truly enjoyed working with so many talented, hard-working and bright young people. I appreciate the trust our families, staff and community placed in me to deliver high-quality learning experiences and to keep students safe. While I look forward to taking this next step, I will miss seeing everyone’s faces each day.” Before becoming interim superintendent, Peters served as principal of Wood River Middle School, starting in 2002. “Fritz Peters had already established himself as a premier BCSD administrator during his time as WRMS principal, long before his extraordinary service as our interim superintendent-—a role he assumed during perhaps the most challenging school year our district has ever experienced,” said Keith Roark, Blaine County School District Board of Trustees chair. “Taking over in the middle of a major pandemic and following ten years of declining respect for and confidence in the leadership of BCSD, Fritz has been relentless in his pursuit of improvement at every level of district operations. It would have been both easy and understandable had Fritz declined to take on the added responsibilities of interim superintendent so late in his career and simply retired at the end of this academic year as a middle school principal. Few people in his position would have stepped forward to lead in such difficult times for educators nationwide. Although his tenure as superintendent is one of the shortest in district history, his contributions to restoring confidence and increasing student achievement cannot be overstated. It has been my privilege and pleasure to work with Superintendent Fritz Peters and I regret that our district will soon be without his talents and devotion." “It has been my honor to know Superintendent Peters personally and through BCSD for almost 20 years,” said Lara Stone, board vice chair. “His dedication to his staff and to the success of his students has made him a cornerstone of the district. I am especially grateful for his willingness to step into the superintendent role at an incredibly difficult time. His extraordinary efforts will impact our district for a long time to come.”

April 21 - May 4, 2021

IN BRIEF

Hamilton, Montana, was arrested and charged with one felony count of Trafficking in Methamphetamine, one felony count of Trafficking in Cocaine, one felony count of Possession of Marijuana (more than 3 ounces), and one misdemeanor count of Possession of Paraphernalia. During a search of the vehicle, officers seized approximately one pound of methamphetamine, several ounces of cocaine, $5500 cash, a digital scale, paraphernalia, several ounces of marijuana, and multiple types of THC edibles. Sheriff’s Office K-9 Eric assisted in the arrest. Buntjer was held at the Blaine County Detention Center pending arraignment in Magistrate Court. Buntjer’s dog was transported and released to the Mountain Humane animal shelter.

State Approves Diplomas For Bilingual Students

The Blaine County School District Board of Trustees has adopted and approved a so-called Biliteracy Seal for high school graduates. These students’ diplomas, as recognized through the state, will feature a special designation if they are certified in more than one language. The seal will be available to 2021 graduates. Executive Director of Teaching and Learning Angie Martinez worked to gain approval for BCSD’s Biliteracy Seal from the State of Idaho. “The Biliteracy Seal can be incredibly valuable when applying for college, scholarships and employment opportunities well into the future,” said interim superintendent Fritz Peters. “We are excited to celebrate and recognize our bilingual students in this new way, one that will provide them benefits as they move to the next stage of their lives.”

Two WRHS Students Headed For 2022 Rose Bowl Parade

Music for All has selected Wood River High School junior Brandon Enders and Orrie DeShields, who will be a freshman during the 2021-22 school year, to serve as members of the Bands of America (BOA) Honor Band at the New Year’s Day event. Enders, a bass drum player, and DeShields, a baritone saxophone player, were selected from hundreds of applicants across the nation for membership in this prestigious national honor band. “These two young musicians are a testament to the Blaine County School District music program and exemplify the Wolverine motto to inspire, engage, educate and empower,” said Patrick Herb, band director at Wood River High School and Middle School. Enders and DeShields will spend a week in Southern California rehearsing with a 300-piece national ensemble with winds, percussion and a flag and dance team, under the direction of Richard Saucedo. Saucedo is a composer, conductor and retired director of the national champion Carmel (Indiana) High School marching band. The week will culminate in performances at the Tournament of Roses Bandfest and Disneyland, followed by a featured appearance in the 2022 Rose Parade. The 5.5-mile parade will be televised worldwide on New Year’s Day with a theme of “DREAM. BELIEVE. ACHIEVE.”

Ketchum City Hall 2.0 Costs Tick Up

The City of Ketchum is preparing for its fall 2021 remodel of city hall, a refurbishing that could cost up to $1.5 million depending on which improvement options Council selects. Complicating matters is the supply-demand equation when it comes to contractors. “As many of you are experiencing right now, contractors are extremely busy and so pricing has been higher than anticipated,” explained Mayor Neil Bradshaw in his online letter to the community. “We do feel fortunate to have bought the property three years ago. We have benefited from acquiring the building at a reasonable price but some of that fortune is offset by higher-than-anticipated tenant improvement costs.” The new facility will be at 191 Fifth Street. It was purchased in 2018 for $3.1 million. The city says the total cost for the purchase of the building, plus the remodel costs, still equates to a significantly lower cost compared with new construction. “I think it is appropriate to invest in creating a space that is welcoming to the community and where we can better serve the public’s needs. I am excited to get this work underway so we can finally have a healthy workspace for our city employees,” Bradshaw said.

Croy Building Arson Investigators Seek Help

After one month of arson investigations related to the Croy Street Exchange building have proven unfruitful, fire officials are pivoting to plan B—asking the public to help them find the arsonist. State Fire Marshal Knute Sandahl confirmed that a public outreach campaign will be launched by next week that will include a yet-to-be-determined monetary reward for information leading to an arrest. In addition, fire officials will participate in television interviews and post signs around town asking for the public to call 1-877-75-ARSON (27766) with information. Anonymous calls are welcomed. “We’re hoping people have been talking to one another and maybe a tidbit of information filtered down,” Sandahl said. The commercial building at the corner of River and Croy streets in downtown Hailey was on its way to becoming much-needed workforce housing before it was completely destroyed by flames March 16. Roughly half a dozen tenants were evicted at the end of 2020 when owners announced their decision to revitalize the property. Architectural renderings of the property, which is co-owned by state Sen. Michelle Stennett, was scheduled for an April 5 review by the Hailey Planning and Zoning Commission.

K-9 Assists In Drug Arrest

On Saturday, April 17, at approximately 3:17 p.m., Blaine County Sheriff's deputies made a traffic stop on State Highway 75 near the U.S. Highway 20 junction which resulted in three felony drug charges and one misdemeanor drug charge. The driver, and sole human occupant, of a silver Honda Civic was stopped for traveling at an excessive speed. Upon investigation, John Kenneth Buntjer, age 54, of

Brandon Enders (left) is the son of Robyn and Ben Enders and Orrie DeShields (right) is the son of Becky and Mitch DeShields.

‘Kids’ Superpowers’ Author To Speak Locally, Virtually

Sun Valley Community School Parents’ Association will host a virtual book discussion via Zoom with best-selling author Dr. Michele Borba, Ed.D., on Thursday, April 29 at 12:00 p.m. (MST). Borba is an internationally renowned educational psychologist, a former classroom teacher and an expert in parenting, bullying, and character development. The discussion is the third and final in the Parents’ Association’s 2020-21 Book + Speaker Series. This event is free and open to the community. Guests are encouraged (but not required) to read Borba’s bestselling book, “Thrivers: The Surprising Reasons Why Some Kids Struggle While Others Shine” in advance of the discussion. Guests can go to communityschool.org/news/events for the Zoom link to join the meeting. In her book, Dr. Borba identifies seven teachable strengths that she says will safeguard kids for the future, mixing a keen cultural analysis of modern stresses with practical “how-to” strategies and ideas for everyday activities that build up kids’ strength, resilience, happiness and success. As a teacher, educational consultant, and parent for 40 years, Borba discovered that the difference between those who struggle and those who succeed comes down not to seven essential character strengths that set Thrivers apart (and set them up for happiness and greater accomplishment later in life): self-confidence, empathy, self-control, integrity, curiosity, perseverance, and optimism. Each of these seven character strengths is like a superpower, Borba says, that helps safeguard kids against the depression and anxiety that threatens to derail them. Parents will find an assessment guide to determine their child’s “superpower” (and areas that need development).

Wood River Weekly

NUESTRA VOZ CUENTA

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April 21 - May 4, 2021

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ADVERTORIALS BETTER HOMEOWNERS NEWS

ANNA & MICHELLE

Rent Your Home Tax-Free T

Photo credit: Dev Khalsa

Valley-Wide Earth Day Celebrations BY ELIZABETH JEFFREY

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OUR VOICE COUNTS

nder the leadership of the Climate Action Coalition of the Wood River Valley (CAC), organizations up and down the Wood River Valley have banded together to offer two days of outdoor-based Earth Day celebrations on Thursday, April 22nd, and Saturday, April 24th. With a strong emphasis on ‘lowering your personal carbon footprint,’ many of the activities will revolve around active and public transportation. The day itself is called ‘Bike the Valley, Earth Day Fest!’ All residents in the Valley are encouraged to hop on their bikes, walk, or e-bus to a variety of activities on Saturday, April 24th. As one of the Earth Day partners, the Blaine Country Recreation District (BCRD) encourages all people to use the Wood River Trail (WRT) with respect and care—practice social distancing, obey the speed limit, and keep the trail clean. There will be no booths on the WRT, yet it is a safe route to walk and bike between activities in Ketchum, Hailey, Woodside and Bellevue. CAC’s other Earth Day organizing partners include Blaine County, Mountain Rides, P.R.O.J.E.C.T.O.O.L.S, and the Idaho Conservation League. CAC and its partners have engaged a wider group of 10-plus local nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and student groups to offer activities. Aside from active and public transportation, the other Earth Day activities will focus on ecosystem health, sustainable agriculture, zero waste, and educating the next generation for a healthier future. All activities will be free of charge and open to people of all ages. See CAC’s website and social media for a complete Earth Day list of activities, organized by location and time. CAC has held a vision for an inclusive, Valley-wide Earth Day celebration since its inception. Elizabeth Jeffrey, the lead Earth Day organizer, has said that “Coming together to celebrate something that we all experience, love and value—our beautiful environment and home—is key. In celebration, we can deepen our connection to nature and our understanding of what we must do to remediate our climate crisis and ensure a healthy future. Everyone can do something.” To check out the schedule of events off the bike path, go to HaileyCAC.org The mission of the Climate Action Coalition is to promote and support community-wide action on climate change.

BY ANNA & MICHELLE

here is a little-known provision in the tax code that allows homeowners to rent their principal residence or second home for up to 14 days a year without having to recognize the income. In this situation, the taxpayer does not deduct the rental expenses associated with the income. There is no restriction on how much you earn. If your first or second home is in a desirable area where people are looking for short-term rentals, it could provide a windfall to the homeowner. In cities where any big sports championships are played, there could be a market for a temporary rental of a home. Events like PGA tournaments, college basketball tournaments, bowl games, NFL playoffs and others can create a demand for this type of rental. For instance, there are people in Augusta, Georgia, who rent their homes during the Master’s golf tournament each year. There are not a lot of hotel rooms in the area relative to the number of people who usually attend in non-pandemic years and the homes can fetch a nice daily rate. There can be confusion about the different types of properties and what constitutes a home. The intended

use coupled with actual experience will usually determine the type of property. There are four types of properties: A principal residence is the home you live in. There is income property that you rent and do not live in. There is investment property that is primarily held for an increase in value. And, there is inventory, which is related to your business like homes that are built or purchased to be flipped. A second home is one that is used for the primary enjoyment of the owner in addition to their principal residence. Taxpayers are allowed to deduct the mortgage interest and property taxes on a first and second home up to specific limits. A vacation home could be another name for a second home but, more accurately, it is a rental property that has more than 14 days of personal use during the year. It becomes a hybrid. You might want to check with your insurance agent to see if your current policy covers temporary rentals, including liability in case of an accident involving personal injury. This could affect your decision as to whether you want to consider the rental. For more information, see IRS facts about renting out a residential property or consult your tax professional.

Insomnia

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By Dr. Luke Sugden, St. Luke’s Resident Physician

nsomnia, or difficulty sleeping, is one of the most common medical complaints that patients have for their primary doctors. Many things can cause difficulty with sleeping including acute stress, substance use, medications, poor sleep habits, or a change in sleep environment—just to name a few! There are basically two typess of insomnia: difficulty with sleep initiation or difficulties with sleep maintenance. Problems with sleep initiation (hard time falling asleep) means that it takes you longer than 30 minutes to fall asleep. If you have trouble with sleep maintenance, then you wake up a lot at night, or once you do wake up, it’s hard for you to fall back asleep. You may have one of these or a combination of the two. They can really affect a person’s quality of life! In order for you to have a diagnosis of insomnia, you must have one or both of the difficulties listed above, have adequate sleep opportunity, and have an associated daytime dysfunction, suffering from one or more of the following: fatigue, poor attention or concentration, irritability, daytime sleepiness, decreased energy or motivation, increased errors or accidents, or ongoing worry about getting adequate sleep. The good news is that there are many things you can do that can help in big ways! The best, and easiest things to do are what we call “good sleep hygiene.” This means doing all of the things you can do to set yourself up for the best chance of a good night’s sleep. • Regular exercise helps your body to feel tired at the end of the day and will set the stage for restful sleep. • Do not watch television or have stimulation from other bright devices such as computers or cellphones. This light stimulates the brain to

maintain a wakeful state. • Do something calm before bed such as reading a book, or other relaxing activities such as yoga or meditation. • Your bed should only be used for sleeping. You should not watch TV, study, or otherwise use your bed for non-sleeping activities as this can make it more difficult to sleep when you want to. • Stop drinking any caffeine by noon, and certainly none after 3 p.m. • Make sure that you are going to bed and waking up around the same time each day in order to keep your schedule consistent. • Drinking alcohol before bed may make you feel tired, and help you fall asleep; however, it tends to make your sleep less restful and has a tendency to cause you to wake up several hours later and have trouble falling back asleep. Following these recommendations is a great first step and will help with a majority of patients suffering from insomnia. If you are on medications that you feel may be contributing, contact your doctor to discuss them and possible alternatives. If you have tried these recommendations and are still having difficulties, consult your doctor. Sometimes there are other medical problems that occur with insomnia, such as sleep apnea. We hope these tips and tricks have been helpful. Happy sleeping!

It’s your life, We help you live it

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COMM ENT ARY Wood River Weekly

Fishing R epoRt

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April 21 - May 4, 2021

NO BONES ABOUT IT

Puppy Fear Periods – It’s A Vulnerable Time!

THE “WEEKLY” FISHING REPORT FOR APRIL 21 - MAY 4 FROM PICABO ANGLER

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he latter part of April signals a time of transition on our local fisheries. Silver Creek, the Big Wood River, and the South Fork Boise River below Anderson Ranch remain closed and re-open on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend. The lower Big Lost River is open all year, but it won’t be long before flows increase to “summer levels” and render the river unfishable for several months. Steelhead season on the Salmon River is winding down (closing at the end of April), and fish are concentrating on spawning areas on the upper river around Stanley. While the fishing in local rivers wanes, our area stillwaters come into their own, providing a great change of pace and some outstanding fishing opportunities. Magic Reservoir can yield some incredible fishing. Now is the time to check out areas like Myrtle Point, the Narrows, Hot Springs Landing, and the bay at the dam. Don’t forget your leech patterns and Clouser Minnows. You never know whether you’ll catch a rainbow, brown, or smallmouth on your Magic outings during the spring! In addition, Carey Lake, Little Wood Reservoir and Fish Creek Reservoir all provide good fishing opportunities for the next two months. The Big Lost River below Mackay Reservoir remains open to fishing, and flows have remained stable at about 110 CFS. The fish are seeing a bit of pressure and have become somewhat finicky, so take your Silver Creek tactics if fishing on the Big Lost. Look for midge and BWO activity on most afternoons, and remember to give spawning trout and their redds a wide berth. The Little Wood River between Carey and Richfield is fishable and is a good option for anglers who need to wet a line. Small streamers are the way to go here; olive, black, and brown woolly buggers or a small sparkle minnow is all you need. Now is a great time to go through your gear in preparation for Opening Day on Silver Creek. Don’t neglect your fly lines, leaders, tippet, etc. Taking the time now to replace old or damaged gear will ensure that you don’t lose the brown trout of a lifetime during the Brown Drake hatch! Here at Picabo Angler, new product arrives daily. Give us a call or stop by the shop to check out what’s new, or to stock up on your favorite flies and gear. Happy fishing, everyone!

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

FRAN JEWELL

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By Fran Jewell

any of us have heard of the “fear period” for puppies that usually occurs during the ninth week of a puppy’s life. From six to eight weeks is also a critical period for puppies to learn bite inhibition from their mother and siblings. This is why many responsible breeders will not let a puppy go to their new home until after that time. What is critical here is to understand what a fear period is and how complicated it can make “socializing” your puppy. Fear periods are certain times in every puppy’s development where overly cautious or fearful behavior seems to take over. Puppies that see something one day and are completely happy about it may on the next day be completely afraid of it. There are usual times that puppies go through these periods, but each dog is individual and may go through them at different times, so I hesitate to give you exact times they occur. Some dogs, because of their temperament, never go through noticeable fear periods. This is where the complication comes in. We simply cannot predict with accuracy when an individual puppy will go through a fear period. It just happens. If a puppy has a bad experience during a first year fear period, that experience can ruin a puppy for life. As an example, if I take my puppy to a dog park that first year, she may be having a great time playing with other dogs, but if a dog comes along that hates puppies and aggresses that puppy, it can emotionally scar my puppy for life, making future dog-to-dog experiences traumatic and even very aggressive. Once this happens, it can be almost impossible to reverse that defensive, fearful behavior. The dark side of socialization is that if the “socialization” is done incorrectly, it can put that puppy at HUGE RISK of emotional trauma that may never be fixed. We may never be able to anticipate when that fear period will happen. When I socialize my puppies, I ONLY let them play with known dogs ,such as a very reliable dog belonging to a friend. I only let them play in a confined or fenced-in yard so that unexpected dogs cannot enter. I also take them to places where the other dogs are in control, such as a class, or in an area where all dogs must be leashed. Socializing does NOT MEAN letting your dog play with every dog it sees! Proper socialization is controlled so it is always a POSITIVE EXPERIENCE even during a fear period. I may start a puppy play time with some basic obedience. such as

SCIENCE OF PLACE

Pele, one of my puppies, earned her AKC Canine Good Citizen title at 4 1/2 months old. The key to her being so well behaved was early training at home, and very positive life experiences, not forcing her to socialize in uncontrolled situations. Here, Pele is doing a sit-stay with a visiting youngster at a supply store while other puppies were on leash just feet away! Photo credit: Fran Jewell

a sit or down. I also don’t let a wild, jumping, crazy dog go play. If I do, then what I have done is to reward that crazy behavior with play. I want to reward nice manners with play time. That means the dogs I socialize my puppy with must have some manners too, if I ultimately want to protect my puppy during a potential fear period and want to teach my puppies basic manners when other dogs are around. Owning a puppy can be very complicated. But, to have a puppy that has a healthy outlook on life, we need to protect them their first year and do our very best to make every experience a positive one! 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.

Finding One’s Way

HANNES THUM

By Hannes Thum

The turkey vultures are back in town. I recently saw a handful of them soaring over my neighborhood in Hailey, their wings locked in that characteristic V-shape and the silvery feathers on the trailing edge of their wings glinting in the sun against an otherwise jet-black silhouette. They’re unmistakable. For me, their annual arrival to spend the warmer months with us has become an important touchstone of springtime—it means that summer is right around the corner. But, where they go in the winter, I still don’t really understand. It strikes me that I simply have no idea how they travel to their winter home and back to my neighborhood each year (this is assuming, perhaps very incorrectly, that the same birds are returning to our valley summer after summer). I have been reading and thinking about animal migrations and movements a lot lately, and if there is one single theme that has emerged, it is this: we know very little about how animals do it, and what we do know is pretty mind-boggling. Moving across space is something that we take for granted. We have many tools at our disposal to find our way, whether we are talking about a short walk from our backyard or a cross-country road trip: maps that translate the world into two-dimensional models; compasses that orient us to which way we are facing (orientation being a necessity to start to head out on a bearing); and, landmarks and pathways on the landscape that we can use to calibrate our progress along the way. Etcetera. You can’t get from Point A to Point B unless you know the relationship in space between Point A and Point B. Unless, that is, you have some sort of a map, mental or physical, that shows where Point A is vis-à-vis Point B, and some way of orienting yourself to that model as you travel. This process, often glossed over by GPS directions (for better or worse), is what we tend to take for granted. How do animals do it? How do they calibrate their movements? Do they form and retain mental maps? Because, if they do, we may need to rethink how we qualify and quantify intelligence in the animal kingdom. The more I think about it, the more confused and fascinated (confounded?) I get.

The turkey vulture received its common name from the resemblance of the adult’s bald red head and its dark plumage to that of the male wild turkey, while the name “vulture” is derived from the Latin word vulturus, meaning “tearer”, and is a reference to its feeding habits. Photo credit: Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren, accessed via Wikimedia.

Animals all around us routinely demonstrate feats of navigation that I honestly have to wonder if an average human off the street could even begin to achieve—and without the obvious use of the tools mentioned above. So, I am spending this week trying to picture how it is I move through space each day and how it is I calibrate those movements— and, more to the point, how I would do it without our human tools. And I’ll be keeping in mind that there may be ways of understanding the world that we are simply not privy to, but that there is evidence of all around, especially at the turning of the seasons. Hannes Thum is a Wood River Valley native and has spent most of his life exploring what our local ecosystems have to offer. He currently teaches science at Community School.

Wood River Weekly

MONEY MATTERS

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April 21 - May 4, 2021

JENNI RILEY

Don’t Leave Your Retirement Nest Egg Unattended By Jenni Riley, MBA, FPQP™

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t’s a natural aspiration to climb the career ladder. Sometimes that ascension leads to changing employers for your next position. Whether your employment situation changes by choice or circumstance, you don’t have to leave your old retirement account unattended. You have options to bring former accounts along with you and ensure your nest egg is invested in supporting your ultimate retirement goals. •

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Leave your retirement account with your former employer. I get it; life is busy. Leaving your account where it is is the easiest path. Do know that nonemployee accounts within a former employer’s plan can be subject to higher fees. Changes in the plan may not be made known to you in a timely manner when you’re no longer employed with the firm. It’s also easy to lose sight of those forgotten assets as you move forward on your new career path. Roll your retirement nest egg into your new employer’s 401(k) Suppose you are taking a job with a company that offers a retirement plan. In that case, you may be able to consolidate your retirement portfolio by rolling your account with your former employer into your new employer’s plan. Alternatively, you may anticipate an employment gap between positions. In that case, you will want to ensure you document the information you’ll need to access later when you become eligible for participation in another employer’s plan. Roll it into an IRA Especially if you have left more than one retirement account with former employers in your wake, you can simplify life by rolling those unattended accounts into an individual retirement account (IRA).

From the 2019 Survey of Consumer Finances, we know Americans averaged $282,554 in retirement savings. That’s a sizable nest egg worthy of attention. We recommend you know your rights, opportunities, and options. “Wealth is not about having a lot of money; it’s about having a lot of options.” – Chris Rock Jenni Riley, FPQP™, is a Financial Paraplanner Qualified Professional™ and Director of Operations with HAZLETT WEALTH MANAGEMENT, LLC, independent of Raymond James and is not a registered broker/dealer. Investment advisory services are offered through Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. Securities are offered through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., member FINRA/ SIPC. 675 Sun Valley Road, Suite J1 + J2 Ketchum, Idaho 83340 208.726.0605. HazlettWealthManagement.com

INSPIRATIONS FROM MY HEART

What Does Your Cellphone Weigh? BY DOVE

What does your cellphone weigh? Not in terms of physical weight but in terms of how much of your consciousness and energy does it consume? Have you tracked how many hours a day you spend connected to this technology? It consumes our focus, detracts us from nature and human connection. You are literally attached to something that gives nothing back that you can consider real. You cannot believe most of what is on this device unless you use a very discerning mind and then you are still not sure. To know the truth requires lots of research and effort. Is this the best use of your time? If you use the device for business, it is a different ball game, but if this device is your entertainment, it would be beneficial to find a more connected form of experience. Much of the information is pure propaganda and there is no real love involved, just artificial connection, just the aspect of programming your mind to receive the agenda that the developers want to project and control. Well, I have found that my cellphone weighs a tremendous amount in the form of energy. It undermines your confidence. If those you follow don’t agree with you, it creates pain if you attach to the jargon presented. I suggest that it is time for all of us to take a vacation from all unnecessary connection to this unfeeling piece of microchips. Take your energy back, give it to nature, give it to humanity, give it to yourself, but quit experiencing your life through an artificial device that absolutely does not care anything about you. If you are housebound, grow plants. Talk to them. They will appreciate your input. Play beautiful mu-

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ON LIFE’S TERMS

JOELLEN COLLINS

Freedom To Offend By JoEllen Collins

Last week I was walking with my dogs in Ketchum and feeling glad to be home in the Wood River Valley. It was a sunny, quiet afternoon following the closing of the mountain and the relative absence of “even-pandemic” crowds. After a peaceful sit in the small park near the fire department we were heading to the market when I noticed a fast-moving truck turning the corner. Two huge flags waved from opposite sides of the rear end. I cannot adequately communicate my dismay at the flags’ message because the use of the ‘F word’ is not my choice, and it is offensive to many, despite the reality that one is pummeled with its overuse in movies and other segments of our society. As with many words, the ‘F word’ has at different times in history become more common. I understand this, and I also try to be open-minded about the realities of our culture. However, this usage was meant to offend. And it did shock me and a few of the people walking around the town square. The first flag had very large letters that stated (with my edit) “F_ _ _ BIDEN.“ Underneath, in smaller letters, was “AND F_ _ _ YOU TOO IF YOU VOTED FOR HIM.” The second was blue and white striped and, I learned later, represents Blue Lives Matter, a reflection of anger at the treatment of police in this tumultuous time. (Of course, the lives of police matter, JoEllen Collins—a longtime deeply, but in my opinion the assertion is problematic resident of the Wood River in this context, where it is intended to stand in opposi- Valley— is an Idaho Press Club award-winning columtion to Black Lives Matter). Immediately I had mixed reactions, reinforced as nist, a teacher, writer, fabric the driver repeatedly circled around the same route. artist, choir member and First, I was angry that my peaceful day had been inter- unabashedly proud grandma known as “Bibi Jo.” rupted by this hostile drive-through. I felt compelled to take a photo of the flags and license plate, although I don’t intend to do anything with them. My second reaction was to fear the intentions of the driver. The third was to remind myself that I am against censorship and that there is nothing illegal about this nonetheless ugly behavior. Deep down, however, as one who has always studied language, I am sickened by this example of the perversion of our cherished right to express ourselves. This problem has deepened in a radically divided time, even as many attempt to foster discourse that is more civil, humane and anti-racist. I may be naïve to think that most people I know are trying to be verbally and emotionally sensitive in ways our history has not honored. It’s a toughie. The driver of that truck got what he wanted: my attention and my dismay at acknowledging that I am a citizen of a country that seems not to be achieving better communication and relationships between us, especially from those politically apart. Today I mourn even more the lack of respect and humanity evident in America. I fear for my young friends growing up in the midst of this lack of common decency.

DOVE

sic, but stop experiencing life through this electronic piece of equipment that it is so addictive that it is the first thing you pick up in the morning and the last thing you put down at night. If we don’t stop this obsession with artificial life, we will all wind up with long, extended narrow fingers that develop the ability to text all by themselves and a very small body that merely supports the fingers. Become conscious of the time you use this device. You will be amazed how insidiously it controls your life. Make new habits. Don’t pick up the device unless it is for business or true connection to someone, with your own voice, so you can hear and read their energy. Love yourself enough to realize that you are being controlled and addicted by this little handheld creation. Is that what you want? Get out and experience life. When you walk in nature, don’t have the earbuds hanging out of your ears. How can you hear the birds sing or the crickets chirp? How can you hear people coming up behind you? We must get back to experiencing each other on a physical level. So much communication takes place nonverbally. I challenge you to take a daily vacation from this energy. You will be surprised at how much energy is returned to you, if you are not constantly checking emails, texts and Facebook. Your energy is freed up to be used to experience your life. Your brain and heart begin to work together again. You become conscious rather than programmed. Live, laugh, love, rather than text, scan and search. Balance is the key! Experience life!!!! Much love, Dove

COWBOY POETRY

BRYCE ANGELL

My Grandkids

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y grandkids are my pride and joy. They’re growing up too fast. Their presence touches my old heart. I wish this time could last. As each was born into our clan, more proud I couldn’t be. I hoped they’d grow up good and kind and want to be like me. I grew up as a cowboy and rode horses every day. It’s what my family did for work and what we did for play. But when I put them on my horse, their eyes grew wide with fear. They tried it just to please me but sure made their feelings clear. I’ve watched them bounce a basketball, play soccer all day long. But a cowboy hat they will not wear. Each says it just feels wrong. The other day one told me he thinks golfing’s kinda cool. Do I have the nerve to tell him that I call it pasture pool? So, his dad bought him some new golf clubs. My grandson’s joy was loud. When I see him golfing with his dad, for sure I’m doggone proud. I’ll learn to swing a club, I guess, if that’s what it will take. I’ve swung an ax for sixty years and that’s a piece of cake. I understand that cowboy boots are taboo on the green. And me in yellow golfing shorts? That might be called obscene. My legs are bowed and show the wear from sitting in the saddle, and hanging on for my dear life while cutting out the cattle. Do any cowboys play this game? They prob’ly do somewhere, but I think I’ve talked myself right out of golfing anywhere. Could they use a golf cart driver? I’d sit behind the wheel. Just to be there near my grandkids, for me would be ideal. But, no matter if they’re at my side or with the golfing crowd, my grandkids are the world to me. They’ve made this grandpa proud. — Bryce Angell Bryce Angell - The outdoors has always been a large part of my life. My father was an outfitter and guide for 35 years and I was there to shoe and care for the horses and help him do the cooking. We took many great trips into the Yellowstone area. Even now that I’m older, we still ride into the Tetons, Yellowstone and surrounding areas. My poems are mostly of personal experience. I am now retired and enjoying life to the fullest. I plan to do more riding and writing.

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Wood River Weekly

4TH ESTATE

By Ken Stokes

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April 21 - May 4, 2021

Oscars So What

Editor’s Note: Ken Stokes is an Idaho-based writer I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know over the past few years. After we viewed the live-action shorts nominated for this year’s Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences awards (aka the Oscars), Ken opined to me on a major player in the Fourth Estate—the filmmaking industry. What follows is Ken’s advice on how to win your Oscars pool.

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e all have a lot on our minds these days, what with COVID-19 variants, domestic terrorism, mass shootings, infrastructure debates, yada, yada, yada. But for the so-called legitimate and popular press and some denizens and part-time residents of our own Valley, another hot topic of debate is emerging: On Sunday, April 25th, who will win the Academy Award for the Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture for 2020? Pundits swear there’s never been a tighter race in Oscars history, the principal reason being that never before have the prognosticating awards (Golden Globes, SAG, BAFTA, American Society of So Who Gives a ****, etc.) been so evenly split between the contenders. As I’m assuming most of you missed their performances, and even fewer know who’s nominated in this or any category, here’s the list and how the women; I mean, how the women’s performances, will no doubt be judged (wink, wink): • Frances McDormand in Nomadland • Andra Day in The United States Vs. Billie Holiday

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Viola Davis in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom Vanessa Kirby in Pieces of a Woman Carey Mulligan in Promising Young Woman

All pretty dazzling performances. So how’s an Academy member to choose? I can answer this as a person who, in the past, was asked by an Academy member to fill out his ballot. “You know more about this crap than I do,” my marginally-famous but presently nameless friend said. Yes, that happens—more than the Academy likes to think or admit. If you want to win this year’s Oscars pool, here’s your convoluted decision-making process: First off, and in the wake of years of “Oscars So White” and the Academy’s desperate and Johnny-come-lately attempt to bring diversity to Old White Rapist Land, we knock out the White American Actress—McDormand—whose subtle, radiant performance is the heart and soul of the so-called shoe-in for Best Picture, “Nomadland.” Take out her screen time and all you’re left with is a commercial for the National Geographic Channel. Don’t cry for Franny just yet. She already has two Best Actress Oscars and was a producer on the film, so she’s almost assured a statue for Best Picture, which will bring her household total of Little Gold Men (remember she’s married to writer-director-producer Joel Coen; you know, “Fargo,” “No Country for Old Men”) to seven. No single household needs eight Golden Doorstops. On the other side of the spectrum, so to speak (sorry, that sounds awful), are Day and Davis, both playing seminal blues artists (Thank God they weren’t playing maids. Again.). That’ll spilt the diversity vote down the

OPINION

B

ERIC VALENTINE

middle. Moreover, Davis won an Oscar, albeit for Best Supporting Actress, for her performance in the film adaptation of August Wilson’s “Fences” just four years ago. Ma Rainey’s is another Wilson adaptation. Déjà vu all over again. Which leaves us with two white Brits. Nothing melts the heart of an Academy member quite like a Brit nailing an American accent. Kirby, who broke out as the boozy Princess Margaret in Seasons One and Two of “The Crown,” hasn’t much traction in this race, and honestly, didn’t we all really prefer Helena Bohnam-Carter’s performance of the same character in The Crown’s third season (There was a young lady from Dallas ... oh, Google it). And that brings us to a corset-free Mulligan (watch “SNL” 4/10/21 if you miss the breath-restricting device) in a Me-Too manifesto portraying an obsessed woman avenging the rape-suicide of her best friend. Her performance covers so much range and has such frequent tonal adjustments that she comes off as a chameleon doing cartwheels at Sherwin-Williams. Like McDormand, she is the movie. Cut out her screen time and you’re left with the creepiest Judd Apatow movie imaginable. She led the pack early on but now it’s neck-and-neck to the wire. So who’ll win? That would be any person who has endured years of endless prattle by sportswriters, sportscasters, pundits, fans, Monday-morning quarterbacks, weekend warriors and wannabes debating the finer points of each and every sports playoff ever broadcast. Sportsaholics, this is just a taste of what you sound like. So be considerate next time, OK? Not everyone is quite as enthused as you.

CAITLIN JOHNSTONE

The CIA Used To Infiltrate The Media. Now The CIA Is The Media. by Caitlin Johnstone

ack in the good old days, when things were more innocent and simple, the Central Intelligence Agency had to covertly infiltrate the news media to manipulate the information Americans were consuming about their nation and the world. Nowadays, there is no meaningful separation between the news media and the CIA at all. Journalist Glenn Greenwald just highlighted an interesting point about the reporting by The New York Times on the so-called "Bountygate" story the outlet broke in June of last year about the Russian government trying to pay Taliban-linked fighters to attack US soldiers in Afghanistan. "One of the NYT reporters who originally broke the Russia bounty story (originally attributed to unnamed 'intelligence officials') say today that it was a CIA claim," Greenwald tweeted. "So media outlets - again - repeated CIA stories with no questioning: congrats to all." Indeed, NYT's original story made no mention of CIA involvement in the narrative, citing only "officials," yet this latest article speaks as though it had been informing its readers of the story's roots in the lying, torturing, drug-running, warmongering Central Intelligence Agency from the very beginning. The author even writes "The New York Times first reported last summer the existence of the C.I.A.’s assessment," with the hyperlink leading to the initial article which made no mention of the CIA. It wasn't until later that The New York Times began reporting that the CIA was looking into the Russian bounties allegations at all. One of the NYT reporters who originally broke the Russia bounty story (originally attributed to unnamed "intelligence officials") say today that it was a CIA claim. So media outlets - again - repeated CIA stories with no questioning: congrats to all.https://t.co/4GbUXBCOpI — Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) April 15, 2021 This would be the same "Russian bounties" narrative which was discredited all the way back in September when the top US military official in Afghanistan said no satisfactory evidence had surfaced for the allegations, which was further discredited today with a new article by The Daily Beast titled "U.S. Intel Walks Back Claim Russians Put Bounties on American Troops". The Daily Beast, which has itself uncritically published many articles promoting the CIA "Bountygate" narrative, reports the following: It was a blockbuster story about Russia’s return to the imperial “Great Game” in Afghanistan. The Kremlin had spread money around the longtime central Asian battlefield for militants to kill remaining U.S. forces. It sparked a massive outcry from Democrats and their #resistance amplifiers about the treasonous Russian puppet in the

White House whose admiration for Vladimir Putin had endangered American troops. But on Thursday, the Biden administration announced that U.S. intelligence only had “low to moderate” confidence in the story after all. Translated from the jargon of spyworld, that means the intelligence agencies have found the story is, at best, unproven—and possibly untrue. D'oh! US spy agencies basically admitted they lied about Russia supposedly paying militants in Afghanistan to kill American occupation forces. Of course the entire Western media spread this lie for weeks, but don't expect them to issue any corrections https://t.co/itOniutu0D — Ben Norton (@BenjaminNorton) April 15, 2021 So the mass media aggressively promoted a CIA narrative that none of them ever saw proof of, because there was no proof, because it was an entirely unfounded claim from the very beginning. They quite literally ran a CIA press release and disguised it as a news story. This allowed the CIA to throw shade and inertia on Trump's proposed troop withdrawals from Afghanistan and Germany, and to continue ramping up anti-Russia sentiments on the world stage, and may well have contributed to the fact that the agency will officially be among those who are exempt from Biden's performative Afghanistan "withdrawal". In totalitarian dictatorships, the government spy agency tells the news media what stories to run, and the news media unquestioningly publish it. In free democracies, the government spy agency says "Hoo buddy, have I got a scoop for you!" and the news media unquestioningly publish it. In 1977 Carl Bernstein published an article titled "The CIA and the Media" reporting that the CIA had covertly infiltrated America's most influential news outlets and had over 400 reporters who it considered assets in a program known as Operation Mockingbird. It was a major scandal, and rightly so. The news media is meant to report truthfully about what happens in the world, not manipulate public perception to suit the agendas of spooks and warmongers. Nowadays the CIA collaboration happens right out in the open, and people are too propagandized to even recognize this as scandalous. Immensely influential outlets like The New York Times uncritically pass on CIA disinfo which is then spun as fact by cable news pundits. The sole owner of The Washington Post is a CIA contractor, and WaPo has never once disclosed this conflict of interest when reporting on US intelligence agencies per standard journalistic protocol. Mass media outlets now openly employ intelligence agency veterans like John Brennan, James Clapper, Chuck Rosenberg, Michael Hayden, Frank Figliuzzi, Fran Townsend, Stephen Hall,

Samantha Vinograd, Andrew McCabe, Josh Campbell, Asha Rangappa, Phil Mudd, James Gagliano, Jeremy Bash, Susan Hennessey, Ned Price and Rick Francona, as are known CIA assets like NBC's Ken Dilanian, as are CIA applicants like Tucker Carlson. SUPERCUT: A look back on how cable news went all in on the discredited Russian bounties story. pic.twitter. com/QaG9xAqiuR — Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) April 15, 2021 This isn't Operation Mockingbird. It's so much worse. Operation Mockingbird was the CIA doing something to the media. What we are seeing now is the CIA openly acting as the media. Any separation between the CIA and the news media, indeed even any pretence of separation, has been dropped. This is bad. This is very, very bad. Democracy has no meaningful existence if people's votes aren't being cast with a clear understanding of what's happening in their nation and their world, and if their understanding is being shaped to suit the agendas of the very government they're meant to be influencing with their votes, what you have is the most powerful military and economic force in the history of civilization with no accountability to the electorate whatsoever. It's just an immense globe-spanning power structure, doing whatever it wants to whoever it wants. A totalitarian dictatorship in disguise. And the CIA is the very worst institution that could possibly be spearheading the movements of that dictatorship. A little research into the many, many horrific things the CIA has done over the years will quickly show you that this is true; hell, just a glance at what the CIA was up to with the Phoenix Program in Vietnam will. In case anyone needs reminding, here’s a partial list of the ex-spooks who served as media figures in the Trump years: https://t.co/CJT8YGcvkN — Matt Taibbi (@mtaibbi) April 16, 2021 There's a common delusion in our society that depraved government agencies who are known to have done evil things in the past have simply stopped doing evil things for some reason. This belief is backed by zero evidence, and is contradicted by mountains of evidence to the contrary. It's believed because it is comfortable, and for literally no other reason. The CIA should not exist at all, let alone control the news media, much less the movements of the US empire. May we one day know a humanity that is entirely free from the rule of psychopaths, from our total planetary behavior as a collective, all the way down to the thoughts we think in our own heads. May we extract their horrible fingers from every aspect of our being.

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Wood River Weekly

CHAMBER CORNER

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April 21 - May 4, 2021

MIKE MCKENNA

Hard way Pipeline

Take a Staycation

By Mike McKenna

T

he best advice I’ve ever been given about living in a ski town came from my boss at the time, a short, fiery, legendary local named Mark Fisher. “The only way you’re ever going to be happy living in a ski town is if you occasionally take a vacation and don’t go anywhere,” Fisher said from across the pickup window at the Sun Valley Brewing Company and Café in Hailey—where I was bartending during my first go-round in the Wood River Valley. “Sometimes you’ve got to play tourist, too, and remember why you live here,” explained Fisher, who had a head and face full of dirty blond hair and who tragically passed away while driving down one of the old, dusty Idaho mountain roads he loved so much. As he handed over a homemade wurst plate for a patron, he sternly stated, “Otherwise, you’re gonna be miserable and nobody wants to be around somebody who’s miserable. Got it?!” Fisher then told me to take the next week off—paid, of course—because that’s the kind of generous guy he was. He basically ordered me to take what we now call a “staycation”—although he’d probably never use that term, at least not without putting the word “damn” in front of it. He told me to pretend that I, much like many of the people I regularly served, was a “touron,” too. And that’s exactly what I did, specifically because Fisher (who had forearms that Popeye would be jealous of and was an acclaimed big game bow hunter) wasn’t the type of guy who took “no” for an answer. For the next seven days I was lucky enough to enjoy the playground that we call home. And since the Wood River Valley is home to the country’s first destination ski resort, it naturally offers all kinds of magical places to go outside to play no matter what season it is. While I’ll always love some of the other resorts I’ve had the blessing of calling home for a while, like Taos and the eastern Sierra’s Mammoth Mountain, Sun Valley will always be my favorite. As I often hear when shooting the breeze with locals, second homeowners or folks making a sojourn in Sun Valley, there’s something magical about this place (actually, there are numerous things: world-class skiing, hiking, mountain biking, fly fishing, food, art gal-

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

Sunny 1%

high 59º

low 32º WEDNESDAY

Partly Cloudy 8%

high 61º low 33º THURSDAY

Mostly Sunny 2%

high 63º low 37º FRIDAY

Coudy 14%

high 62º low 39º SATURDAY

PM Showers 31%

high 55º low 38º SUNDAY

Showers 40%

high 52º low 35º MONDAY

Partly Cloudy 23%

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