KETCHUM NEWS
2ND AMENDMENT NEWS
2020 Sales Tax Revenue Up PG 2
SUN VALLEY
KETCHUM
OPINION
The Next Two Years Will Be Transparent PG 6
FBI Returns 3%er’s Guns PG 4
HAILEY
BELLEVUE
PICABO
CAREY
WOOD RIVER WEEKLY
YOUR VOICE IN THE WOOD RIVER VALLEY
Free | Jan 27 - Feb 9, 2021 | Vol. 2 - No. 2 | woodriverweekly.com
“The books that the world calls immoral are books that show the world its own shame.” ~Oscar Wilde
BCSD Finds Foudy Fitting
Jim Foudy connects with district stakeholders during in-person visits prior to his being selected the new superintendent for Blaine County School District. Photo credit: Donovan Group
New superintendent to take helm officially July 1
A
By Eric Valentine
nd then there was one: Jim Foudy. Blaine County school board trustees believe it is the man who spearheaded successes in another Idaho mountain resort area that can heal any divisions left festering by fallout over its former superintendent and put together a strategy for bringing the local school district to the proverbial “next level” of student achievement. “I applied because I know I can help return focus to the students and the phenomenal staff at BCSD,” Foudy told Wood River Weekly after learning about his successful job-seeking bid. “Frankly, it was difficult for me to watch such an incredible school district go through the challenges you have faced in the past several years.” Each of the school board trustees at some point over the interviewing process remarked about Foudy’s interpersonal, open, and friendly style. While personality is always important in selecting someone for a leadership role like superintendent, trustees were especially hard pressed to find the right fit. Much of the parent and teacher collective gripe about former superintendent GwenCarol Holmes was style based. Parents and teachers claimed her tenure was not only marked by opaque processes but by retribution to anyone who didn’t follow along, triggering a series of lawsuits against Holmes which the district had to settle or defend. “I, for one, am laser focused on the finances of this district,” said Trustee Dan Turner. “Jim Foudy has proven expertise in school district budgeting and fiscal policy. Furthermore, I believe he will be a leader who will make a real difference in our community. He is passionately committed to a system where no one is marginalized. He understands that his work takes persistence, empathy and determination. He hasn’t just talked the talk—he has walked the walk.” The Idaho State Department of Education ranks Foudy’s current McCall-Donnelly School District as a “Top Performer” and “Goal Maker” district. Top Performer means
they rank in the 90th percentile or above on core indicators and/or “Goal Makers” when meeting the annual interim progress measure toward the state’s long-term goal in key indicators. There is no such indication for BCSD on the state’s website. Since 2015, Foudy has served as superintendent of the McCall-Donnelly School District. He began his career with the Boise School District in 1996 as an elementary teacher. In 2003, he became an elementary principal for Donnelly and McCall Elementary Schools. Foudy holds a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from Boise State University, a Master of Educational Administration from the University of Idaho and an Education Specialist, Education Leadership degree from University of Idaho. Although McCall and the Wood River Valley have resort-town atmospheres in common, the two districts have significant differences when it comes to student population. BCSD serves roughly 2,000 more students than McCall-Donnelly. BCSD is less than 54% white, McCall-Donnelly is more than 87% white. “I need to gain a deep understanding of the district and community. This happens over time through conversations and relationships,” Foudy told Wood River Weekly. “ There is also an analysis that I will be engaging in, looking at student achievement data, financial records, survey feedback, strategic plan efforts, etc. I’m also learning about the equity task force and hoping to start learning with that team soon.” While the contract officially starts July 1, Foudy says he has already started diving in. “It’s a mindset of curiosity, without judgment,” Foudy explained. Foudy and his wife and kids have not decided yet which part of the Valley they’ll choose to reside. “We need to sell our house and then look at options. We’re at the mercy of the market,” Foudy said. “Ideally, it would be ‘centrally located’ so we’re not commuting a ton. We have two children that will be going into 4th and 6th grades.”
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NEWS
Wood River Weekly
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January 27 - February 9, 2021
A ‘LOT’ TO BE THANKFUL FOR
KETCHUM
Ketchum’s yearly retail sales tax receipts mostly positive
N
By Eric Valentine
eil Bradshaw has every right to feel like something of a prognosticator right about now. Memorial Day 2020, with his city still under COVID-related lockdown measures and eyeing a June budget planning session that could be mired in cash shortfalls, Ketchum’s mayor looked toward the fast-approaching summer months that typically bring big revenue to his small town and told residents and merchants this: “At our core, this will always be a place to enjoy the outdoors and the recreational opportunities that it offers. We need to go back to basics in the branding of this town and what nature provided us in the first place. Sun and open space are the perfect antidotes to an epidemic, and we have both in abundance.” In essence, Bradshaw was saying that some segments of the local economy figured to be hit with declining revenues no matter what and others with increases if they played their cards right. “A wash,” Bradshaw called it. That is, for city coffers. With last week’s reporting of Ketchum’s most recent sales tax (local option tax, or LOT) receipts, the city budget could take a breath of fresh air because the numbers were mostly bright. Overall, the city took in nearly $92,000 more in sales tax revenue than it did in 2019 for the months of September through November 2020. That’s a net change of more than 16%. Rentals, building materials, and general retail all performed better in 2020 than 2019. The hotels category, which was expected to take a hit, did; revenues there dropped by more than 10%. What may come as a surprise—at least if you’re keeping score via Facebook memes—is the liquor category. Sales dropped nearly 3% from 2019 to 2020. Apparently, newfound day-drinking hobbyists could not outspend the shortfall likely caused by having fewer large, in-person events in the city. Bradshaw isn’t assuming June 2021’s budget-setting task is going to get any easier. But he noted that the city council holding off on certain discretionary spending proved to be prudent and that it’s likely the city will have funds available to not only cover the basic services (fire/ police protection, roads, water/sewer, etc.) but capital improvement projects, too, such as road and sidewalk repairs and upgrades. “It’s all just a little too early to tell. We still have a lack of visibility when it comes to how the pandemic will play out,” said Bradshaw. “But based on what we’ve seen so
far, the good news is that our revenue is very similar to what it has been in previous years.” The COVID Receipts New COVID data reported at the end of last week placed Blaine County back in the health department’s most severe “critical” ranking. That’s because the county’s number of new daily cases (per a hypothetical 100,000 residents) increased to nearly 64%, from just under 28% the previous week. The rate of positive COVID-19 tests increased to more than 12%. It was roughly 7.5% the previous week. Complicating matters are two things: 1) We still are in cold weather season so gatherings are largely indoors; and 2) vaccine supply is not currently meeting vaccine demand in Idaho, as reported last week by the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare and Governor Brad Little. All this means that struggling Valley business owners cannot rest assured the new normal will be the old abnormal any time soon. On that front, business owners did get some potentially encouraging news in January. The PPP loan program was reopened by the federal lawmakers, opening a vault worth roughly $284 billion to business owners, whether they borrowed in the first round or not. Under new Payment Protection Program (PPP) regulations, accommodation and food-service businesses, arguably hardest hit
HKetchum Mayor Neil Bradshaw. Photo credit: City of Ketchum
by pandemic-related restrictions, can now borrow up to 3.5 times their average monthly payroll costs for 2019 or 2020.
Let’s take care of each other. Times are stressful, but the only way through this is together. Watch out for each other. Check in on your friends and neighbors. Be there for those in need and listen with an open heart. Because these days, taking care of each other is more important than ever.
Wood River Weekly
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January 27 - February 9, 2021
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Wood River Weekly
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January 27 - February 9, 2021
NEWS
We build nest eggs.
2ND AMENDMENT
FBI RETURNS 4 FIREARMS TO 3%ER
Hailey resident Eric Parker, seen here at the Idaho State Capitol in Boise, landed back on an FBI list. This time the one he wanted to be on: people whose firearms got returned. Photo credit: Eric Parker
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By Eric Valentine
eGUNited. And it feels so good. Even Eric Parker could appreciate the irony involved (pardon the gun puns). Years after having his two long guns and two pistols taken from him by federal agents for his involvement in the 2014 Cliven Bundy ranch standoff in Nevada, the Hailey resident has been given all his firearms back. “This was the final box to check off,” Parker said. “I finally feel like the whole thing is behind me now.” It gets more surreal. The FBI agents met locally with Parker, who heads up the Real 3%ers of Idaho, just days after the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, when lawmakers were sent scurrying for safety as some of them had their lives threatened by a number of those who overran Capitol Police. The national 3%ers flag, which has no formal affiliation with Parker’s Idaho group, was one of several banners carried onto Capitol grounds that day. It should be clearly noted that Parker has publicly announced his group had nothing to do with the events of Jan. 6 and has said the local 3%ers, if anything, would
NEWS
physically protect against that sort of thing. Parker had two of his four guns back in his possession months ago. But since the other two guns were brought to the Bundy ranch, they stayed in possession of the federal government as evidence. That case was declared a mistrial when the court ruled the government failed to turn over evidence and failed to disclose surveillance camera footage and federal snipers stationed by Bundy’s house. Then, in August, a federal appeals court in San Francisco denied the Justice Department’s motion for a retrial. And that meant Parker’s Second Amendment right to have his guns returned kicked in. “This has been a two-year effort,” Parker said. “They finally ran out of excuses to keep my guns.” Parker said the lead FBI agent locally had always been cooperative and professional with him and that he was always an open book with them. “They can’t write me an apology letter saying ‘Sorry for the hassle,’ but it felt like the district of Idaho was kind of doing that,” said Parker, referring to the effort the agent made to meet up with him where Parker could sign an affidavit and receive his pistol and long gun.
2ND AMENDMENT
Camas County, Fairfield To Consider 2nd Amendment Sanctuary
F
By Eric Valentine
ebruary in Camas County could be the month of love, for gun rights at least, if an effort by the Camas County Republican Women passes muster with elected officials. On its Feb. 11 agenda, the City of Fairfield will consider the group’s proposal to make itself a socalled Second Amendment “sanctuary city” where leadership asserts in a resolution that its jurisdiction does not recognize any federal or state gun control legislation as constitutional, and therefore will not enforce those laws. On its Feb. 16 agenda, the Camas County Board of Commissioners will consider the same. “A woman posted on (social media) a newspaper article about the City of Kuna passing the resolution and asking why Camas County could not do the same. She inspired me to call a meeting of the Camas (County) Republican Women; we voted unanimously to do the resolution,” explained resident Leigh Weidman. In the state of Idaho, there are currently three
cities to declare themselves sanctuary cities for firearms owners: Kuna, Star, and Eagle. Weidman said in preparation for the February meetings her group is collecting in-person and digital signatures for a petition stating support for the sanctuary effort. Weidman explained in an email that a local, NRA-certified (National Rifle Association) instructor contacted a committee on which she is a voting member requesting the committee create a resolution for the sanctuary status. Three members of that committee, Weidman said, had a private meeting that excluded her and another member. “Their decision was a resolution (would be) redundant and they were not interested,” writes Weidman. Whether such sanctuary declarations have any teeth remains unclear. Much depends on two things: 1) How will local law enforcement amend their enforcement policies? and 2) Will gun reform advocates file lawsuits in an effort to negate sanctuary statuses?
Wood River Weekly
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January 27 - February 9, 2021
NEWS
Popular Boulder Mountain Tour Still On, Different
While many of the hallmarks of the 48th annual Zions Bank Boulder Mountain Tour remain in place, there are a few key changes this year in response to the COVID pandemic. The first is the date. Instead of one day, participants can ski any day and any style between Monday, Feb. 1 and Sunday, Feb. 7. The second is the place. BMT organizers are encouraging racers to use their imagination to create and complete self-supported 15- or 30-kilometer races. To this end, many ski areas and organizations have established courses in conjunction with the BMT. Course partners are located throughout the United States. They include Soldier Hollow Nordic Center, Utah, Tahoe XC, California, Mount Bachelor, Oregon, Meissner Nordic Community, Bend, Ore., Craftsbury Outdoor Center, Vermont, Washburn Ski Trails, Rhinelander, Wisconsin, Rendezvous Ski Trails, West Yellowstone, Montana, Sun Valley Nordic Center, and the Blaine County Recreation District. “We want to emphasize you can ski anywhere. It doesn’t have to be an official course. It is whatever and wherever makes you happy. If you want to ski 10k at three different venues, that is awesome,” BMT executive director Jody Zarkos remarked. Registration runs through Jan. 31 on SkiReg.com. The cost to “Rock the Boulder” is $39 for adults, $25 for 18-under, and $125 for teams of four. The entry fee includes an official 2021 BMT race hat by SWIX, raffle entry, sponsored items, BMT collateral, and a general training plan geared to novice, intermediate and advanced skiers. This year, the BMT will donate $5,000 to nonprofits throughout the United States. Registrants vote on the charity of their choice, and organizations receiving the most votes will receive donations at the BMT’s culmination.
Triumph Mine Could Win Cleanup Money
State lawmakers are being asked to put $3 million of the 2022 budget toward cleanup of the Triumph Mine, which had a collapse thanks to the 6.5 earthquake that shook the state in March of last year. The Idaho Department of Environmental Quality made the request in a budget committee session. The funding level needs to be approved by the full Idaho Legislature which makes its budget decisions in the coming months. For reference, Ketchum and Sun Valley are about seven miles to the northwest of the mine, although the towns and ski area are upstream of the mine pollution. The area covers about 60 acres. The Environmental Protection Agency says the site’s 1 million cubic yards of black sand is a health hazard because it is laced with lead, arsenic and zinc. Water from the mine area has an orange tint. According to the DEQ, from the late 1800s until the 1950s, the Triumph Mine site was a lead, zin, and silver mining and milling operation. Mining practices used at the time left high levels of heavy metals in soils and water that required cleanup. Today’s mining practices are designed to prevent this type of contamination.
Ketchum Seeking Historic Preservation Members
Ketchum city leadership is trying to build up the panel that will be in part responsible for keeping old buildings up. The city is reminding residents they have until Friday, Jan. 29, to apply for membership in the Historic Preservation Committee. The committee will consist of five members from a combination of members of the Planning and Zoning Commission and individuals that have a demonstrated interest, competence, or knowledge in history or historic preservation and/or architecture.
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IN BRIEF
Members will be appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the city council. The committee’s work is to protect the historic character of the city’s community core by establishing the List of Historic Buildings and reviewing and evaluating applications for proposed demolition or alteration of structures on the historic building list. HPC has the authority to approve or deny an application for demolition or alterations to a structure on the historic building list. In addition, using criteria outlined in the interim ordinance, HPC can determine to add or remove structures from the historic building list. Interested individuals should provide a letter of interest to participate@ketchumidaho.org.
District 26 Lawmakers In Spotlight
The state’s lawmaking body has been in session less than a few weeks and already District 26’s elected officials are finding themselves in controversies. And both situations don’t have to do with any particular bill under consideration. State Senator Michelle Stennett (D) confirmed to the local media that the high-profile Croy Street Exchange Building at the corner of River and Croy streets in downtown Hailey will be turned into workforce housing. Stennett is a co-owner of the building. In a resort town with sky-high real estate prices and a high num- State Representaber of working-class residents, that should be entirely good news. tive Muffy Davis. But, according to a report in the Mountain Express, at least some Photo credit: State current business tenants feel Stennett’s 30-day eviction notice of Idaho caught them off guard. State Representative Muffy Davis (D) made both statewide and national news recently. Several weeks ago, Muffy and Rep. Sue Chew (D-Boise) filed a lawsuit against Idaho Speaker of the House Scott Bedke (R-Oakley). Davis and Chew were asking for remote work accommodations to be made for them while in session because of preexisting conditions that make them more susceptible to contracting COVID-19. Davis is a paraplegic and Chew has diabetes. On Friday, Jan. 15, the Idaho House voted along party lines to State Senator reject the request. However, Bedke and the two representatives Michelle Stennett. Photo credit: State are still seeking an in-person work alternative that would better of Idaho mitigate their COVID-related concerns.
BCSD To Consider In-Person Learning
A special meeting of the Board of Trustees of Blaine County School District will convene at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 27. The board will discuss the feasibility of returning to in-person learning during the school year. Public comments can be made to clerk@blaineschools.org. Comments must be submitted by noon on the day of the meeting. Due to COVID-related restrictions, the public can only join the meeting virtually on the district’s YouTube channel: Blaine County School District Board of Trustees.
IDAHO POWER WANTS TO PUT A 3% SURCHARGE ON YOUR POWER BILL AND THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ARE ABOUT TO AGREE TO IT Over the next 20 years, Idaho Power wants to collect over $23 MILLION from Blaine County residents by increasing our power bills; $13,300,000 in interest and admin fees to themselves
9.59% interest rate
Darrel T. Anderson 2019 compensation $4,733,097
Odette C. Bolano Newly appointed board
Lisa A. Grow $1,833,645
Ronald Jibson Board $185,905
Steven R, Keen $1,541,743
Denis Johnson Board $195,905
Richard J. Dahl Board $269, 363
Thomas Carlile Board $185,905
Richard J. Navarro Judith A. Johansen Board Board $202,238 $191,905
Christine King Board $198,905
Annette G. Elg Board $191,905
On a project to underground 1.1 miles of power lines at the hospital area for $4,100,000. And $5,700,000 to underground only distribution lines between Hailey and the hospital. We still get transmission lines above ground, the pole heights are just slightly lower.
Tell the County Commissioners that they should not agree to this
greedy money grab by Idaho Power
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Wood River Weekly
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January 27 - February 9, 2021
OPINION
CAITLIN JOHNSTONE
The Next Two Years Will Be The Democratic Party At Its Most Transparent
J
by Caitlin Johnstone
oe Biden is now the president of the United States of America. His day one executive orders should have prioritized ending the single worst crisis in the world in Yemen, a war he campaigned on ending U.S.involvement in, but they did not. Ending U.S.participation in the Yemen genocide could and should have begun on day one. In These Times reported the following back in November (emphasis added):
One thing Biden can do, starting on day one, is end U.S. involvement in the Yemen war — involvement that he helped initiate. “ By executive order, Biden could get the Pentagon to end intelligence sharing for the Saudi coalition airstrikes, end logistical support, and end spare parts transfers that keep Saudi warplanes in the air,” Hassan El-Tayyab, lead Middle East policy lobbyist for the Friends Committee on National Legislation, a progressive organization, tells In These Times. “ He could restore humanitarian assistance to northern Yemen. He could use his power as president to put pressure on oth-
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12 EAST BULLION, HAILEY • 208.928.7055 106 S. MAIN, HAILEY • 208.788.0848 • JANESARTIFACTS@COX.NET BLAINE COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PUBLIC MEETING
On Tuesday, February 9, 2021, the Blaine County Board of County Commissioners will hold a public meeting upstairs in the Old County Courthouse located at 206 First Ave. So.,. t the Blaine County website. eport will be available at the Blaine County website. wwand Zoning Office for review during nor in Hailey. Items on their agenda include the following: 1:30 pm ACTION ITEM: Idaho Power 138kV Transmission Line, Hailey to Ketchum Continuation from a January 12, 2021 public hearing and consideration of an application by Idaho Power Co. for a Public Utility Facility Conditional Use Permit to construct, maintain, and operate a 138-kV, overhead and underground, redundant transmission line from the Wood River Substation north of Hailey east to Buttercup Rd. then along the west side of Buttercup Rd. to Highway 75 and then north along the highway until it enters the City of Ketchum at the Elkhorn Rd. light. In order to maintain the existing power pole heights, the applicant is proposing to bury the existing distribution lines and building the transmission line overhead to a proposed underground transition structure to be located near Owl Rock Road, where the line will continue underground to Elkhorn Rd. This meeting is open to the public but attendees are STRONGLY ENCOURAGED to attend by web access. The meeting agenda and instructions for web access will be posted at: https:// www.co.blaine.id.us/AgendaCenter by the Thursday prior to the hearing. Materials are available at Land Use and Building Services, 219 First Ave. So., Ste. 208 in Hailey and at https://www.co.blaine.id.us/199/County-Commissioner-Hearing-Materials. Written comments should be sent to the above address or e-mailed to pzcounter@co.blaine.id.us
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er nations that are supporting the Saudi coalition — like France, the United Kingdom and Canada — and get them to follow suit. He could have the State Department put a stop on all arms sales to Saudi Arabia unless they meet certain benchmarks.” Biden did none of these things, which while unsurprising is still inexcusable. This isn’t some ten-year infrastructure plan we’re talking about, this is the worst mass atrocity on our entire planet and it should be treated with proportionate urgency. This administration consciously chose not to end U.S.participation in that atrocity as swiftly as possible, which will remain an inexcusable decision even if the Yemen war is eventually ended later. Instead of grilling Biden about his decision not to prioritize his promise to end the Yemen war, which is what any real journalist would do, the press are asking him stupid nonsense questions about whether he can “unite the country”. CNN keeps screaming at Biden “can you unite the country” and he keeps ignoring them. Hilariously dumb question, even funnier reaction. — Secular Talk (@KyleKulinski) January 20, 2021 In the lead-up to Biden’s inauguration we were treated to some Senate hearings on his cabinet picks, in which we learned that this administration will continue Trump’s murderous coupmongering in Venezuela, that it will maintain Trump’s incendiary decision to have the U.S.embassy in Jerusalem, that reviving the Iran nuclear deal is a long ways off from happening and will first require consultation with Israel, and that it will be continuing Trump’s cold war escalations against China. In one of the more bizarre displays in the Senate hearings, Biden’s nominee to lead the State Department, Tony Blinken, defended his support for the disastrous Libya intervention during his time in the Obama administration by blaming its aftermath on Muammar Gaddafi, the leader who was mutilated to death in the streets after a US-led intervention to oust him. “Here’s what I think we misjudged,” Blinken said. “We didn’t fully appreciate the fact that one of the things Gaddafi had done over the years was to make sure that there was no possible rival to his power, and as a result there was no effective bureaucracy, no effective administration in Libya with which to work when he was gone.” By “when he was gone” Blinken means when he was dead, because the United States helped kill him after staging an intervention based on lies. He is defending his push for an intervention which led to a failed state where people are sold as slaves by saying that if Gaddafi had run his country better it would not have collapsed into violence and chaos when the Obama administration murdered him. This is like an axe murderer suing his victim’s estate because he slipped on a skateboard while fleeing a crime scene. The brazenness with which imperialist goons can shrug off all responsibility for their actions will never cease to astonish. At Senate confirmation hearing, Secretary of State nominee Anthony Blinken defends support for war in Libya. “In fact, I think it’s been written about. I was [Biden’s] national security adviser, and he didn’t agree with that course of action.” pic.twitter.com/ZyCzTLXtOP — Kevin Gosztola (@kgosztola) January 19, 2021 The next two years will be the Democratic Party at its most transparent. After two years they are statistically likely to lose control of the House and/or Senate, after which time they’ll be able to pawn off all imperialist bloodshed and lack of progress on an “obstructionist congress” like they did for the last six years of the Obama administration. But until then the Democrats are going to have to own all of their reactionary depravity and mass murder on their own. This will set a sharp contrast from the past four years, where every mundane part of the U.S.empire’s institutionalized abuse was portrayed as an anomaly unique to the Trump administration. Unable to blame their refusal to advance progressive policies and basic human decency on Trump and Vladimir Putin these next two years, they’ll be forced to kill any leftward movement all on their own. Which is why we are now already seeing mass media articles with headlines like “Under Biden, it’s time for Democrats to let go of Medicare for All”. And this period will provide ample opportunities to highlight the fact that that’s exactly what the Democratic Party exists to do: kill all leftward movement in the most powerful government on earth. As the U.S.continues its soul-crushing neoliberal policies at home and its murderous neoconservative policies abroad with the same degree of psychopathy it displayed in previous administrations, we must draw attention to the fact that it is the Democratic Party which bears responsibility for these things. The sooner Americans can discredit the Democratic Party as a legitimate vehicle for progressive change, the sooner they can start looking for other tools. The first step to escape is to stop pushing against the fake door falsely labeled “exit”.
Wood River Weekly
COLUMN
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January 27 - February 9, 2021
7
4TH ESTATE
Media Coverage, Hero Worship
the idea of “the hero.” You don’t find many narratives in western storytelling consciousness that don’t stick to the he Greek philosopher Plato said that whatever is concept of the hero’s journey. A hero is more than just glorified in a country will be nurtured there. Near- a main character. A hero is someone who had struggle ly 2,500 years later, that claim still forced upon them, then did someseems to hold up. Can you think of anything outside their ordinary life thing where that rule of thumb doesn’t experience to mitigate it, and then apply? came through it all with a sort of As our country transitions from recent elixir—a solution that works for turmoil into what some are calling for an everyone. After that, they are gloera of unity, it’s imperative the media— rified by the masses. global, national and local—look inward So, then, it may be in our culturto see what its role was in everything al DNA to seek out heroes in the from COVID chaos to election mayhem. news, rather than just works of ficActually, the problem is it’s not impertion. We broadcast someone speakative, it’s optional. But in the spirit of ing into a mic at a podium, regardthis column, let’s take a very clear look less of what they are saying, are inward. we not glorifying them? We snap It appears to be well understood to a photo of someone doing somemost Americans that America has its po- The word hero comes from the thing, perhaps something not so litical roots tied to ancient Greece. De- Greek ἥρως (hērōs); “hero” literally good, are we not glorifying them? mocracy. But what may be lost on folks means “protector” or “defender.” And so it follows, if Plato really is Photo credit: Canva today is how much ancient Greek culture onto something, those things eveninfluences, too. Alexander wasn’t “The tually may be nurtured, too. Great” because he defeated a lot of armies. He earned Sadly, not all hero stories end happily. The Greeks that moniker by making sure Greek culture would be also invented tragedies. And that means that oftentimes, left behind before he went back home. after something has been glorified and nurtured and Perhaps the most embedded aspect of Greek culture is then even idolized, media and media users take some
T
By Eric Valentine
sort of interest in seeing it all get torn down. Justin Bieber, care to chime in? And perhaps this is where the media can change the game a little. That is, if the viewers and readers demand it. What follows is a list of questions media and media users should ask themselves when broadcasting or publishing a story: If this story is not published, could it put someone or some group in the community in harm or at a disadvantage? • Is the person/event featured in this story doing something to change or continue the fabric of society? • Is a significant segment of the community publicly or openly talking about this and does it necessitate a—hopefully—objective third party to clarify issues or give notice of things germaine to the issue or things going unmentioned. All that’s a start. But that just gets us to the point of whether to cover something in a feature or not. It doesn’t establish how to actually cover it. For now, that depends on yours truly doing his best to be fair. And when you feel yours truly doesn’t, let us know at news@woodriverweekly.com. •
DEAR WINTER, BRING IT ON!
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Prototypes shown with options. Extra-cost color shown. Excludes TRD Pro models. Customer cash from Toyota Motor Sales USA, Inc. Must be applied to the transaction. No cash payment will be made to consumer. Lease a new 2021 RAV4 LE for $239 a month for 39 months with $3,499 due at signing on approved credit through Toyota Financial Services. $500 Subvention Cash applied to amount due at signing. TFS lease due at signing of $3,499 includes $2,610 Cap. Cost Reduction, $650 acq. Fee which totals $3,260 down, and 1st month’s payment. Base MSRP excl. freight is $27,450. Cap cost $27,651. Lease-end purchase option $19,070. $350 disposition fee due at lease end. Total lease cost is $11,864. Lease a new 2021 Venza LE for $279 a month for 36 months with $2,999 due at signing on approved credit through Toyota Financial Services. TFS lease due at signing of $3,499 includes $2,070 Cap. Cost Reduction, $650 acq. fee which totals $2,720 down, and 1st month’s payment. Base MSRP excl. freight is $32,470 Cap cost $32,414. Lease-end purchase option $21,869. $350 disposition fee due at lease end. Total lease cost is $12,764. Call 1-800-79-Toyota for details. Does not include taxes, license, title/registration fees, dealer fees and Oregon tax (.05%). Down payment may be required. Does not include College Grad or Military Rebate. Varies by region. See dealer for details. †$350 disposition fee due at lease end unless customer purchases vehicle or decides to re-finance through Toyota Financial Services. Customer responsible for maintenance, excess wear and tear and $0.15 per mile over 12,000 miles per year. Lease does not include taxes, license, title fees, insurance, regionally required equipment and other dealers’ charges are extra and not included in the amounts shown. Closed-end lease. Payment may vary depending upon final transaction price. Subject to availability. Offers may vary by region. See participating dealer for details. *ToyotaCare Covers normal factory scheduled service for 2 years or 25,000 miles, whichever comes first. See Toyota dealer for details and exclusions. Valid only in the continental U.S. and Alaska. Offers end 2/1/21.
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COMM ENT ARY Wood River Weekly
Fishing R epoRt
•
January 27 - February 9, 2021
NO BONES ABOUT IT THE “WEEKLY” FISHING REPORT FOR JANUARY 27 - FEBRUARY 9 FROM PICABO ANGLER
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his week’s low-pressure system and snowy sky are going to make for some fantastic winter fishing. The fishing is always best the harder it snows. Don’t stay indoors while it dumps—get out and fish! Expect big Midge hatches to develop as the weather approaches. By Thursday, the fishing should be as good as winter fishing gets. The Big Wood is where it’s at when it snows! Prolific Midge hatches will get the fish feeding both on the surface and subsurface. The Wood will fish well with any technique you should choose. If you start early and the hatch hasn’t begun, you can try Streamer fishing olive-colored patterns that imitate the Wood River sculpin. This will get the biggest fish in the river moving. Try around submerged boulders, and hip- to thigh-deep riffles. Nymphing will also be productive if that is your preferred method. Try Red Copper Johns, Girdle Bugs, Zebra Nymphs and Prince Nymphs. If you find yourself amongst rising fish, normally between about 11 a.m. and 4 p.m., fish a Griffiths Gnat with a Tie-Down Midge behind it. They cannot resist this fly! If you are headed to Silver Creek this week, then unweighted Streamers are the way to go. Sparkle Minnows are the fly of choice on the Creek when it’s snowing hard. The snowy days should get the biggest fish out and about searching for a meal. The Creek is open downstream from the Highway 20 bridge and should fish well the lower you go in the system. It’s the time of year to search for the warmer water instead of the cold stuff. You should find fish sitting shallow as they look to get some heat from the sun. This happens quite a bit in the Point of Rocks and Willows section of the Creek. The fish will drop out of the deeper holes and turns and they will go sit in about a foot of water. If you show them a wellplaced Streamer, you should see the wakes as they begin to chase the fly down. You should also see a boil or swirl in the water as they eat it! The South Fork of the Boise and Lost River should fish well in the inclement weather as well, but driving conditions may make the trip not worth doing. If you go, be super-safe and travel with appropriate winter supplies. Happy fishing, everyone!
Hwy 20 in Picabo info@picaboangler.com (208)788.3536 www.picaboangler.com
FRAN JEWELL
Collars and Harnesses
I
By Fran Jewell
don’t usually write much about equipment for dogs because I have always believed that equipment should be discussed and recommended for the individual dog. However, I recently spent a week with my colleagues at the National Association of Dog Obedience Instructors annual conference and had a few eye-openers and reinforcements for feelings I have had about some equipment. I am not a veterinarian, but I am confronted with harnesses on a daily basis. The conference did address the use of harnesses and collars with relationship to behavior. Behavior IS something I deal with every day. I have not been much of a supporter of harnesses, although many people feel they do help with stopping pulling. And let’s face it, some harnesses are adorable! What I have seen are improperly fitted harnesses, and harnesses that dogs can get out of. Continued use of a harness can cause pulling, resulting in dogs wrenching their shoulders, backs, ribs, elbows and necks while wearing them. Recently, I came across a study done in the UK that showed that natural movement was inhibited by all harnesses, especially the ones designed for attachment at the front. I wonder, too, if the straps around the chest inhibit breathing because of the pressure on the ribs. This could be enormously important for dogs with very short muzzles like French bull dogs and the like. Now I see that many breeders are sending puppies home in harnesses. This rather terrifies me for several reasons. First, I don’t
SCIENCE OF PLACE
M
BY HANNES THUM
believe this can be healthy for developing structure of a puppy. Secondly, as I discovered at the conference, almost all harnesses lay across the brachial nerve plexus that causes pain for the dog. When everyone is touting how humane harnesses are, I have to ask, “Are they, really?” I was unable to find any studies on the Internet about the potential of brachial plexus nerve damage related to harnesses, yet, I suspect at some point there will be. This nerve is vital to the proper function of the front legs and it can be damaged or impaired. While everyone feels they are being more humane when they use harnesses, I am not quite sure I can buy into that. In most cases, where I see dogs in harnesses, the dogs are still misbehaving. There are, of course, reasons for harnesses that can be lifesaving. As with everything, we have to decide if the benefits outweigh the risks. My feeling is to use another piece of equipment unless the harness is necessary for a certain activity to keep the dog safe. Now the question is, “What do you use instead?” Well, another fallacy is that flat collars are the best collar to use. It is supposed to be the most humane. There is also the concern that flat collars hurt the dog’s trachea. Again, I am not a veterinarian, but there is some logic to this. When a dog is wearing a flat, buckle collar with a leash, the leash puts pressure on the opposite side of the neck from where the leash is attached. A flat, buckle collar can, indeed, influence damage, especially for some dogs with known breathing and soft-tissue issues. The alternative is what is called a martingale collar, or limited slip collar. This collar allows for pressure to be applied evenly around the dog’s neck without choking when the leash is attached, so the amount of pressure is not directed to one area. For many years, I recommended these collars for puppies because it does not allow the puppy to learn how to escape the buckle collar. I almost lost one of my own dogs 25 years ago in downtown Ketchum because she slipped out
This is a poorly fitted front attachment harness creating pressure on the elbows, and limiting forward movement of the shoulder. Photo credit: Fran Jewell
of her collar. She ran onto Sun Valley Road! From then on, I personally always used martingale collars so my pups never learned how to escape from a collar in the first place. There are many brands. Some are much nicer than others and prices vary enormously. For any breed, this collar is even preferred over a harness because it has so much less potential to physically hurt your dog. Equipment is a very important issue for dog owners. All things should be considered when you start placing them on your dog. Don’t fall prey to the glamorous ads and pretty colors! Do some research and consult a professional if you are concerned. 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 208578-1565.
To Move
y students and I have been spending a lot of time talking about movement and migration lately. What spurs animals to move? Why do people move? What do we call home? What even is a home? How do you find a home if you (be you an animal, a human, or both) are on the move? Or, is a life on the move defined by nothing else so much as a lack of a fixed home? I always appreciate those scientific conversations with students that draw parallels between humans and other animals. We humans tend to think of ourselves as unique in the animal kingdom—and we are certainly unique, in many ways —but we are, at the end of the day, in the animal kingdom. Much of what we do is explained by that important fact. What drives any animal or human to move? We typically think of migration as being a seasonal thing, a long-distance thing, a regular (repetitive) thing, etc. Fair enough. Indeed, this is the definition of migration that we are all taught from a young age and it is what we’ve come to expect when we talk about animal movement. The famous examples in nature all fit into this standard definition neatly. There are the Arctic terns, which travel annually from the top of the planet to the bottom of the planet and back again, tens of thousands of miles a year, to chase an endless summer. There are the iconic wildebeest migrations in Africa, all full of drama as they navigate predator-strewn terrain in the pursuit of the seasonal growth of green grass. There are the humpback whales that migrate from high latitudes, where their food is, to the tropics, where it is safer to raise their offspring, in a long-distance dance between the need for sustenance and the ancient drive to reproduce. Throughout the year, we watch the elk in this valley move. In the summer and fall, they live high in the mountains above town. When winter arrives and the snow gets deeper, they move down closer to the valley floor or south to lower elevations. Some of them probably need to travel less than a few miles to escape the deep snow and to
Part of the Great Migration, a herd of wildebeest line up to cross the Mara river in the Masai Mara national reserve. Photo credit: Danijel Mihajlovic, accessed via wikimedia
find a place to survive winter—their journey is shorter than that of the whales, but isn’t the idea the same? The main reasons for movement are consistent. The pursuit of safety and shelter and stability. The need for food and water and sustenance. The drive to raise a family in a family-friendly place. My students have been talking about migration (both human and non-human migration, that is) in terms of “pushes” and “pulls.” What kinds of needs push a person/tern/elk to leave a place? What kinds of desires pull a person/whale/wildebeest towards a new place? How can we pull apart the ways that individuals are pushed from one place and pulled to another? There is much to chew on, here. At the core of the discussion is the question, no matter what your species, of where we seek and call home. That concept, even in changing environments, stays consistent.
Wood River Weekly
MONEY MATTERS
•
January 27 - February 9, 2021
KRISTIN HOVENCAMP
Bitcoin: Digital Gold?
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INSPIRATIONS FROM MY HEART
DOVE
By Kristin Hovencamp
T
oday, investing in cryptocurrency is all the rage. Ten years ago, digital cash was barely on anyone’s radar. In 2008 Satoshi Nakamoto published an abstract introducing the world to bitcoin. Nakamoto’s concept involved “a purely peer-to-peer version of electronic cash that would allow online payments to be sent directly from one party to another without going through a financial institution.” Bitcoin investing has since evolved, and so has the confusion surrounding it. The following are basic bitcoin terms. Digital currency – A form of money available only in digital or electronic form. Cryptocurrency – A digital currency in which encryption techniques are used to regulate the generation of currency units and verify the transfer of funds, operating independently of a central bank or government. Bitcoin – A legal, digital cash system designed for any two people to transfer currency anywhere in the world securely. Bitcoin is not pegged to a fiat currency. Blockchain – A digital ledger in which transactions made in cryptocurrency are recorded chronologically and publicly. Bitcoin is powered and secured by blockchain technology. Digital Wallet – An electronic device, an online service, or a software-based system that allows one party to make electronic transactions with another party bartering digital currency units for goods and services. Bitcoin uses digital wallets to store crypto, maintain balances, and complete transactions. Coinbase – A large cryptocurrency wallet provider and exchange. Subscribers can buy, hold, and trade units of bitcoin such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, and Litecoin. Bitcoin is not listed on a publicly traded exchange. Investors no longer talk about bitcoin as a purely peer-to-peer version of electronic cash, as was Nakamoto’s concept. Instead, I hear it referred to it as “digital gold.” Bitcoin, like gold, is a vehicle for speculation. Alex Pickard of Research Affiliates cautions, it is not an investment vehicle, a store of value or an inflation hedge. Understand what you are investing in. Bitcoin may have a magical feel, but it is not gold. Kristin Hovencamp is an Investment Executive and Director of Business Development with HAZLETT WEALTH MANAGEMENT, LLC, which is independent of Raymond James and is not a registered broker/dealer. Investment advisory services are offered through Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. Securities offered through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC. Bitcoin issuers are not registered with the SEC, and the bitcoin marketplace is currently unregulated. Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are a very speculative investment and involves a high degree of risk. Securities that have been classified as Bitcoin-related cannot be purchased or deposited in Raymond James client accounts.675 Sun Valley Road, Suite J1 + J2 Ketchum, Idaho 83340 208.726.0605. HazlettWealthManagement.com
ON LIFE’S TERMS
Emotions & Truth BY DOVE
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his week has caused a lot of emotions to surface for many of us. Some of us are elated at the situation and others of us reside in disbelief. That begs the question, where does truth lie? Who do we believe and trust when we feel we have been lied to over and over. There is a line from my favorite movie, “Secondhand Lions,” with Robert Duvall, Michael Caine and Haley Joel Osment. In this scene, Haley asks Robert Duvall if all the stories Michael Caine has told him are true. Robert Duvall replies, “Does it matter? There comes a time when you must choose what you want to believe.” We are at that kind of juncture now. What do we want to believe? Do we just go on and pretend that everything is normal, just let us get on with our lives, or do we take a stand for our truth? Our truth can only come from ourselves—we are the ones that must know what our truth is and then support it. It does not matter what we are told; the truth lies within our hearts. I believe that most of us want the same things—good health, good family, laughter, fun, enough money, decent shelter, fairness and justice for each person and, most of all, peace. How do we achieve those concepts? Well, first we must take stock of our own beliefs and correct those that do not represent our truth. Then we must live them with our whole hearts. We must represent the realities we wish to see implemented. We must have the courage to stand for that which we believe in. If you can, help those that have need. Give of your service, or finances, or food. See where you can help. Do we need a government to instruct us how to be a good neighbor? I don’t think so. I know in my neighborhood there are many different political beliefs but it does not matter. If my snowblower doesn’t work, my neighbor clears my driveway or puts back my garbage can if I am gone. They water my garden and plants in the summer. I share with them when I bake and watch their house when they are gone. We all want the same freedoms to be who we are. I will always be on a different planet emotionally and spiritually than a lot of people I know, but I can allow them to be who they are because that is their choice. Let us open our hearts to our own truth and then live that truth. Pray for goodness to be the dominant emotion and live from your heart. Take a lot of vitamin H (Hope) and believe with all your being that our country and freedoms will prevail. Dove
JOELLEN COLLINS
Adding Up To Adventure
Last week, a friend asked me why, in an era of prop planes, I first chose Ecuador and India as volunteer My sense of adventure has changed as I’ve aged, voyages. Why not just book a plane to London, or but until recently the thought of volunteering in Af- take a trip to Hawaii on the Lurline? I think it goes rica or checking yet another bucket list entry has back to having read beautifully-illustrated books popped up, often in dreams or certainly in discus- even as a small and often bedridden child, usually sions. Sometimes I yearn to put on my “rollerskate with my mother next to me, which portrayed exotic feet” and go to some new place far locales like China, Japan, Scandinaaway, spend extended time in colorful via and old European villages with towns or vibrant cities, get to know thatched-roof houses and grazing their inhabitants rather than fellow hosheep. I knew that someday I would be tel guests, and restore my faith about in those different landscapes, perhaps the good inherent in most of the world. wearing native clothes: that, indeed, I Oddly, my recurring recent dreams could become one of the characters in involve being stuck at journey’s end a vibrant story. because people take me late to the airTV didn’t frame my expectations, port or there is nowhere to cash enough but I did see wonderful early movies local money to pay an imagined departhat catered to my fantasies through ture fee. In most of my dreams, oddly, my teenaged years and more. My my “daddy” is waiting for me at an airbest friend and I would drive in my port near my teen-aged home. I can’t ancient car to Hollywood to attend call him because I can’t punch the corfilms. Along with American movies rect buttons on some kind of phone— like “Roman Holiday” and “An Amerpublic or cellular—I need local curren- JoEllen Collins—a longtime ican in Paris,” we absorbed “foreign cy coins, or the buttons are not visible, resident of the Wood River films” with subtitles: “Rashomon,” something that prevents me from that Valley— is an Idaho Press Italian masterworks by De Sica and reunion. These incidences appear Club award-winning colum- Antonioni, “The Crucible” in French about every two nights in varied and nist, a teacher, writer, fabric starring Simone Signoret, “The Red strange forms. I always remember my artist, choir member and Balloon” and “The Umbrellas of Cherdreams, so I keep a pad of paper near- unabashedly proud grandma bourg.” There is a reason “A Man and by in case I get an unbidden but terrific known as “Bibi Jo.” A Woman” is still my favorite film subject for my writing. of all time. I am not its star, Anouk Aimée, but am I’ll let an expert analyze the dreams I have dis- lucky to have been inspired by the creative images cussed, but I am most interested in why so many of of my generation, with some dreams fulfilled and my waking thoughts are about my missed adven- others fondly remembered. I can walk in memory tures, ones I would take now if it weren’t for my age, through Sienna. financial state, or the pandemic.
NEWS
IN BRIEF
Conservative Group Gives Idaho Lawmakers Mixed Reviews
By JoEllen Collins
Lawmakers of the Idaho Legislature voted more conservatively in the 2020 session than in 2019, according to the just-released ratings of the American Conservative Union Foundation (ACUF), which is best known for hosting the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). How so? Specifically, Idaho has grown its coalition of conservative lawmakers; up from 25 lawmakers in 2019, 30 legislators earned ACUF awards for conservative voting records in the 2020 session. The legislature’s overall conservative score also increased by one point. The Senate average score (54%) improved by three points while the House average (62%) fell by two points. The group also doled out a far less complimentary award to Democratic Representative Sally Toone for what they consider to be cozying up to the “radical far left.” “We take heart in the grounded leadership of Idaho’s conservative state lawmakers who secured a crucial win by cutting $22 million in wasteful spending ahead of the shutdown orders,” said ACUF chairman Matt Schlapp. “We applaud them in their efforts to keep their limited government in check as they continue to strengthen their conservative coalition in the statehouse.” ACUF’s Ratings of Congress and Ratings of the States are initiatives of ACUF’s Center for Legislative Accountability (CLA). These ratings are designed to reflect how over 8,000 elected officials across the nation view the role of government while illustrating the differences between chambers of the legislature and revealing lawmakers’ positions on a wide variety of issues that directly affect citizens. ACUF reviewed each piece of legislation voted on in both chambers of the legislature to produce average scores of each chamber as well as individual scores for each sitting member. The full report can be found on the group’s website acuratings.conservative.org.
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Wood River Weekly
•
January 27 - February 9, 2021
ADVERTORIALS BETTER HOMEOWNERS NEWS
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new mortgage. Still, others might want to have some reserve funds available for whatever the next unanticipated crisis might be. It could be a way to fund a longtime goal like children’s or grandchildren’s education, or wedding, or a once-in-a-lifetime trip. Maybe part of the equity could be used to start a business or make a grant to a worthwhile charity. Selling a home and purchasing another will have expenses involved that have to be taken into consideration. Purchase costs could be 1.5 to 3% while sales expenses could be easily be 2.5 times that much. Regardless of whether it is moving to a larger home or a smaller one, now is a good time to make the move. Due to the low inventory in most markets, homes are selling quickly, many times, in less than three weeks. Normally, the winter months have less activity which means less competition also. And then, there are the mortgage rates. As of 1/21/21, the 30-year fixed rate was at 2.77% and the 15-year at 2.21%. Like any other big change in life, it is recommended that you take your time to consider the possible alternatives and outcomes. Your real estate professional can provide information that can be valuable in the discernment process such as what your home is worth, what you will net from a sale as well as, alternative properties for your next stage in life.
ST. LUKE’S
A Plant-Based Diet To Support Your Immune System, Part 1
ANNA & MICHELLE
Moving UP or DOWN
taying at home in 2020 caused of lot of owners to think about how nice it would be to have a larger home to accommodate the additional activities that come along with isolating. Particularly for people with children at home or possibly, the potential of either adult children or parents coming to live with them. There are other owners who are trying to weigh the pros and cons of selling their larger home and downsizing. For entirely different reasons, the advantages could be very appealing to an owner. A smaller home is easier to maintain and usually, has lower utilities, insurance, and property taxes. Some people might be considering the convenience and ease of mobility of a single level home. It may be finding a location with proximity to the activities they are now interested in. A newer home might have less maintenance and be more energy efficient. Married taxpayers who have owned and occupied a principal residence for two years can exclude up to $500,000 of capital gain while a single taxpayer can exclude up to $250,000. Liquidating the equity in their home without a tax liability could have multiple benefits. Some people might choose to pay cash for the replacement home. Others might put 20% down to avoid mortgage insurance and possibly, even get a 15-year loan to get the lowest rate. The balance of the equity could be invested at a rate higher than the interest on their
HEALTH BEAT
By St. Luke’s Clinic – Lifestyle Medicine
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t may seem like a great many things are not in our control as much as they used to be, particularly when it comes to our health. Tiny invisible particles are trying to attack us, seemingly in more ways than one. So, what can we do? Healthy eating can be one of our best defenses against all kinds of ailments and it can help our mood, too. Lifestyle factors that negatively impact our immune system include lack of sleep, tobacco use, excessive alcohol, lack of exposure to nature, lack of exercise, chronic stress and a poor diet that is low in fiber, high in sugar, salt, saturated fats, animal products, and processed foods. This all leads to an excess amount of unhealthy bacteria, resulting in the loss of harmony and balance within the gut, called dysbiosis. This dysbiosis, or imbalance, promotes chronic inflammation, disease, weakened immune function, and obesity. Probiotics and prebiotics can lead to a better balance. Probiotics are living bacteria (microbes) that have been proven beneficial to humans. Probiotics can be from food, such as plain unsweetened yogurt, kimchi, sauerkraut, miso, kefir, kombucha, and tempeh, or from supplements. Consuming probiotics alone will not help support your immune system unless they are able to survive in your gut. Prebiotics and high-fiber foods can help bacteria do just that. Prebiotics are the food for your gut bacteria, which tend to be high in fiber. Examples of prebiotics include green bananas, asparagus, beans, garlic, artichoke, onions and more. Many high-fiber foods can be considered prebiotics but high-fiber supplements, such as Metamucil, do not have the same beneficial effect on your gut bacteria as whole foods. The best way to get fiber—eat plants! Each type of fiber produces a different mix of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) when processed by the probiotics. SCFA help strengthen immune cells, suppress an overactive immune system, repair the gut lining, and create protective bacteria that keep the gut healthy. SCFA correct dysbiosis. Our recommendation is to prioritize: 1. DIET QUALITY 2. PREBIOTICS 3. PROBIOTICS
Stay tuned for additional tips on plant-based diets in future columns. It is recommended to check with your medical provider before beginning a new exercise or dietary routine. To find a doctor or to learn more about our dietitians and clinical nutritional services, contact the St. Luke’s Center for Community Health at (208) 727-8733 or visit stlukesonline.org.
It’s your life, We help you live it
NUESTRA VOZ CUENTA
ALIGNING WITH THE ALLIANCE!
D
OUR VOICE COUNTS
o you have questions about how to do your taxes? Are you confused about how your immigration status might affect your tax returns? Do you have friends or neighbors who have questions about their taxes? Please join The Alliance on Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2021, at 6 p.m. for a free community workshop on Zoom about how to do your taxes. Bring your questions. Bring your worries. And get answers from an expert! Robert Wunderle, CPA, from La Posada, will join us to educate us about our rights and responsibilities as taxpayers. He will discuss topics like: • Changes to the Federal Stimulus and how it might affect your family; • Why it’s important to do your taxes; and • La Posada’s free tax clinic. There will also be an hour of Q&A. You can ask questions during the session, or, if you have specific questions that you would like answered, please email Becky Lopez (in English or Spanish) at Becky.Alliance@ gmail.com. If you send your questions in advance, she will make sure Robert Wunderle addresses them during the workshop. In addition, beginning Jan. 27, 2021, La Posada will be at The Hunger Coalition every Wednesday to help people file their tax returns, at no cost. To make an appointment with La Posada, please call The Hunger Coalition at (208) 788-0121. They will tell you what documents you need to bring to your appointment. Finally, La Posada is looking for volunteers who want to learn how to help people do tax returns. They offer a two-week training program. The test is open book, and if you pass it, you will be certified to volunteer to help
with tax returns—a much-needed resource in our community. If you would like to participate in this training program, please call La Posada’s Tax Clinic: (208) 7351189. We hope to see you at our free community Zoom workshop with La Posada on Feb. 2, 2021, at 6 p.m. To sign up for the workshop, please email Becky Lopez at Becky.Alliance@gmail.com—and she will send you the Zoom link and answer any questions you might have about the workshop or about Zoom. We look forward to working with you! With best wishes, Becky Lopez & Sarah Sentilles (208) 309-5684 ¿Tiene preguntas sobre cómo hacer sus impuestos? ¿Está confundido sobre cómo su estado migratorio podría afectar sus declaraciones de impuestos? ¿Tiene amigos o vecinos que tengan preguntas sobre sus impuestos? Únase a The Alliance el 2 de febrero de 2021 a las 6 p.m. para un taller comunitario gratuito por Zoom, sobre cómo hacer sus impuestos. Traiga sus preguntas. Traiga sus preocupaciones. ¡Y obtenga respuestas de un experto! Robert Wunderle, CPA, de La Posada, se unirá a nosotros para educarnos sobre nuestros derechos y responsabilidades como contribuyentes. Discutirá temas como: • Cambios en el estímulo federal y cómo podría afectar a su familia; • Por qué es importante hacer sus impuestos; y • Clínica de impuestos gratuita de La Posada. También habrá una hora de preguntas y respues-
tas. Puede hacer preguntas durante la sesión o, si tiene preguntas específicas que le gustaría responder, envíe un correo electrónico a Becky Lopez (en inglés o español) a Becky.Alliance@gmail.com. Si envía sus preguntas con anticipación, ella se asegurará de que Robert Wunderle las aborde durante el taller. Además, a partir del 27 de enero de 2021, La Posada estará en The Hunger Coalition todos los miércoles para ayudar a las personas a presentar sus declaraciones de impuestos, sin costo alguno. Para programar una cita con La Posada, llame a The Hunger Coalition al (208) 788-0121. Le dirán qué documentos debe llevar a su cita. Finalmente, La Posada está buscando voluntarios que quieran aprender cómo ayudar a las demás personas a hacer declaraciones de impuestos. Ofrecen un programa de formación de dos semanas. La prueba es a libro abierto y, si la aprueba, estará certificado para ser voluntario para ayudar con las declaraciones de impuestos, un recurso muy necesario en nuestra comunidad. Si desea participar en este programa de capacitación, llame a la Clínica Fiscal de La Posada: (208) 735-1189. Esperamos verte en nuestro taller comunitario gratuito por Zoom con La Posada el 2 de febrero de 2021, a las 6 p.m. Para inscribirse en el taller, envíe un correo electrónico a Becky Lopez a Becky.Alliance@gmail. com, y ella le enviará el enlace de Zoom y responderá cualquier pregunta que pueda tener sobre el taller o sobre Zoom. ¡Esperamos muy interesados de trabajar con usted! Nuestros mejores deseos, Becky Lopez y Sarah Sentilles (208) 309-5684
Wood River Weekly • November 18 - December 1, 2020 Wood River Weekly • Januar y 27 - Februar y 9, 2021
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Wood River Weekly
CHAMBER CORNER
•
January 27 - February 9, 2021
MIKE MCKENNA
Hard way Pipeline
Hailey Celebrates Heritage Trees & Ice Carving By Mike McKenna
A
lot of good things have been happening in the biggest city in the Wood River Valley recently. Hailey just replaced a vacant lot on Main Street with one of the most well-respected hotel chains in the world. Affordable housing units are going up on both River and Main streets. And now there’s hope that the city will receive a grant to build a much-needed campground on the edge of town, at the mouth of Croy Canyon. As February rolls in, there are two more reasons to be happy about what’s happening in Hailey: The 1st Ice Carving Event: Seven Nights of Snow & Lights, begins Feb. 6; and the Hailey Tree Committee has introduced a Heritage Tree program to honor and help protect trees throughout the city.
The Chamber and the City of Hailey are teaming up to put on the 1st Ice Carving Event: Seven Nights of Snow & Lights begins on Saturday, Feb. 6 with a handful of local teams creating art out of giant blocks of ice. The sculptures will then be on display on East Croy Street, by the Hailey Public Library, from Feb. 7-14. The public will be asked to vote for their favorite on the City of Hailey’s Facebook page. The temporary artwork will hopefully be the start of a winter tradition. “We just wanted to do something that would celebrate the season and give people a chance to enjoy some unique winter art,” said James LaPointe, the City of Hailey Public Works staffer who’s helping spearhead the event. “It will give people a chance to walk or drive by and enjoy the beauty of Hailey. Given the current conditions of the last 10 months, events like these are sorely needed.” For more information, please call The Chamber at (208) 788-3484.
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The Classic Sudoku is a number placing puzzle based on a 9x9 grid with several given numbers. The object is to place the numbers 1 to 9 in the empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once.
CLASSIC SUDOKU See answer on page 11 include: large or mature trees; trees with unique aesthetic, botanical, ecological or historical values; or trees with a special story. A nomination form has been created and can be found online at HaileyCityHall.org or in hard copy form at City Hall. Any tree with Heritage Tree traits within the city limits can be nominated by anyone. There are no limits to nominations. After a tree has been designated as a Heritage Tree, information about it will be shared with the public. A future goal is to create a Heritage Tree walking tour of Hailey. For more information, go to HaileyCityHall.org\ contact or email stephanie.cook@haileycityhall. org.
The City of Hailey and the Hailey Tree Committee are proud to announce a new Heritage Tree program created to recognize and help preserve historic and unique trees in the community. Heritage Trees have characteristics that might
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THE WOOD RIVER VALLEY 7-DAY WEATHER FORECAST IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY:
Snow 95%
high 28º
low 27º WEDNESDAY
Snow 75%
high 33º low 31º THURSDAY
Snow 60%
high 35º low 18º FRIDAY
Partly Cloudy 20%
high 30º low 19º SATURDAY
Partly Cloudy 25%
high 34º low 21º SUNDAY
Snow Showers 45%
high 33º low 20º MONDAY
Snow Showers 35%
high 32º low 14º TUESDAY
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