SUN VALLEY NEWS
COVID NEWS
City Planner Releases Novel PG 5
SUN VALLEY
KETCHUM
OPINION Internet Censorship Escalation PG 7
The Three Ds Of COVID PG 2
HAILEY
BELLEVUE
PICABO
CAREY
WOOD RIVER WEEKLY YOUR VOICE IN THE WOOD RIVER VALLEY
Free | Dec 16 - 29, 2020 | Vol. 1 - No. 28 | woodriverweekly.com
“Seeing is believing, but sometimes the most real things in the world are the things we can’t see.” ~The Polar Express
Bundled against the cold, holiday shoppers wander amongst the indoor and outdoor displays at this year’s Tara Bella Flowers’ annual Christmaskindl gift mart, which took place Friday, Dec. 11. Located in the heart of Hailey, the festive event, offering a multitude of handmade and homemade wares and gift items, is looked forward to by locals and visitors alike. Photo credit: Carol Waller
THE WOOD RIVER WEEKLY AND STAFF WOULD LIKE TO WISH ALL OUR READERS A HAPPY HEALTHY HOLIDAY!
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NEWS
Wood River Weekly
•
December 16 - 29, 2020
The 3 Ds Of COVID—Drugs, Daycare & Death
COVID
By Eric Valentine
I
f you have “COVID fatigue,” you’re probably not going to like what’s to follow. Yet, with America seeing more deaths due to COVID in one day compared to the terrorist attacks of 9/11, and with Idaho having one of the highest case rates (per 100,000 people) in the nation, you may want to stay abreast of the latest information anyway. What follows is a rundown of three coronavirus-related matters: Drugs (specifically the vaccine); Daycare (specifically schools); and Death (specifically in Blaine County).
Drugs Now that COVID-19 vaccines have garnered emergency FDA approval, St. Luke’s Health System says it’s ready to distribute them, which Pfizer delivered Tuesday morning in the form of 195 vials containing 975 doses. Idaho’s Interim COVID-19 Vaccination Plan includes a three-phased approach, based on assumptions about vaccines likely to be approved for use in certain occupational groups and Idahoans in specific demographic categories, such as healthcare workers with high risk for exposure to SARS-CoV-2, older or immunocompromised Idahoans, and so on. “Vaccines could be administered to the first St. Luke’s frontline healthcare workers as early as the end of the week,” St. Luke’s said. The Pfizer vaccine will be shipped in a specially designed, temperature-controlled thermal shippers that use dry ice to maintain the recommended storage temperature conditions of -70 degrees for up to 10 days unopened. The packages are equipped with GPS-enabled thermal sensors to track the location and temperature of all shipments. Once the Pfizer vaccine is received at St. Luke’s, it will be handled with special leather gloves and stored in ultra-low-temperature freezers, which St. Luke’s purchased with the help of donations made by the community to the St. Luke’s COVID-19 Relief Fund. Those freezers are in place and ready, the hospital said. St. Luke’s also has an additional backup system that relies on dry ice. It’s anticipated the Moderna vaccine and supplies will also arrive at St. Luke’s within a few weeks to assist increasing access to those determined to receive the vaccine through Idaho’s approved rollout plan. The number of doses distributed to each organization will be determined by the state and local health districts. Daycare Amid the most abnormal school year in the district’s history, Blaine County School District trustees have decided that so-called hybrid learning will be the norm until at least February. They also plan to give three weeks’ notice before implementing any alternative format. BCSD began the school year in the hybrid plan wherein half of all students attend school in person on Mondays and Wednesdays and the other half on Tuesdays and Thursdays. That’s been the case districtwide except for Alturas Elementary and Silver Creek High School. Both schools had to go to 100 percent remote learning due to staff quarantining at different times this school year. According to the school district, there are 13 active COVID cases amongst students and two amongst staff. That triggered 126 student quarantines due to risk of exposure and 16 staff quarantines due to risk of exposure. BCSD’s statistics are typically one week behind real-time data.
106 S Main St Hailey
Healthcare workers tend to a COVID patient undergoing cardiac arrest on Thanksgiving Day. Photo credit: Kristen Connelly, RN
Death The good news is—so long as you’re not one of the deceased or one of their loved ones—there have only been nine COVID-related deaths in Blaine County, as of press deadline Tuesday. The bad news is, the low mortality number could embolden some folks to gather in groups without regard to distancing and mask wearing. And that would mean an uptick in cases, which leads to an uptick in hospitalizations, which leads to healthcare infrastructure implosion, not to mention extended and/or expanded lockdown measures, which can lead to illness and injury that has nothing to do with COVID-19 at all. The World Health Organization (WHO) has advised governments that before reopening, rates of positivity in testing should be 5 percent or lower for at least 14 days. The bad news is, in the 14-day period ending Dec. 12, Blaine County had a positivity rate of 13 percent. The good news is, on Nov. 30, that rate was at 20 percent, which means it’s going down. Or, it means the Thanksgiving-gathering-related uptick some folks are worried about hasn’t really hit yet. WHO says if a positivity rate is too high, that may indicate the state is only testing the sickest patients who seek medical attention, and is not casting a wide enough net to know how much of the virus—which can be spread asymptomatically—is spreading within its communities. A low rate of positivity in testing data can be seen as a sign that a state has sufficient testing capacity for the size of their outbreak and is testing enough of its population to make informed decisions about reopening.
Jane’s
12 E Bullion Alturas Plaza Hailey
ONE DAY ONLY
Holiday Cheer Sale
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 18
Bring in two non-perishable food items to donate to families in our community and
RECEIVE 30% off your purchase!
(excluded print cartridges and equipment)
Artifacts
JANE’S & Holiday House
jane’s artifacts a r ts // cra f ts // p a p e r s // of fice // p a r t y
106 South Main and 12 E Bullion, Alturas Plaza, Hailey • 788-0848
BOTH S STORE Y ALL DA
Wood River Weekly
• December 16 - 29, 2020
3
WRW STAFF PUBLISHER Christopher Seldon (208) 788-4789 publisher@woodriverweekly.com MARKETING & SALES Mandi Iverson (208) 721-7588 mandi@woodriverweekly.com NEWS EDITOR Eric Valentine news@woodriverweekly.com ARTS & EVENTS, SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR Dana DuGan dana@woodriverweekly.com COPY EDITOR Patty Healey PRODUCTION & DESIGN Mandi Iverson mandi@woodriverweekly.com Christopher Seldon chris@woodriverweekly.com ACCOUNTING accounting@woodriverweekly.com DEADLINES Display & Classified Ads, Monday 5 p.m. Calendar Submissions — Friday 5 p.m. CONTACT Wood River Weekly P.O. Box 3483 Hailey, Idaho 83333 (208) 788-4789 woodriverweekly.com
Robert Moore, “Autumn Symphony”, oil on canvas, 60”x 40”
STEVEN LEE ADAMS, CALEB MEYER, ROBERT MOORE
CHRISTMAS EXHIBITION DECEMBER 18TH – JANUARY 30TH 271 First Ave N, Ketchum, ID 83340 • PO Box 2070, Sun Valley, ID 83353 • 208.726.5512 www.kneelandgallery.com
“For it is in giving that we receive.” - St. Francis of Assisi FROM ALL OF US AT WOOD RIVER INSURANCE,
We would like to invite everyone to participate in a Birthday Drive-by in Celebration of MYRLE BRADSHAW who will be 107 on December 19th
Merry Christmas!
There will be a table and box for cards and gifts, she will watch from her balcony with her family
Drive-by at 2:30pm 731 Alpine, Ketchum, Idaho Hard times, especially for the elderly, so let’s make her feel special!
www.woodriverinsurance.com 208.788.1100
Wood River Insurance
A Member of Asset Protection Group
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Wood River Weekly
•
December 16 - 29, 2020
NEWS
E A R N
U P
T O
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CARITAS CHORALE PRESENTS
CARITAS CHORALE REMEMBERS Caritas Potpourri, Holiday Favorites Choral Classics, American Choral Music
December 13, 20, 27; January 3 5:00 PM Watch live on YouTube link available at www.caritaschorale.org
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IN BRIEF
Property Tax Deadline Extended One Day
With 2020 property taxes due Dece. 20, the Blaine County Treasurer’s Office has announced it will be accepting payments as current if they are postmarked by Dec. 21, since the 20th lands on a weekend this year. Property tax payers are encouraged to make their payments online, by mail, or use the drop box located at the front doors of the Blaine County Annex building. Over-the-counter payments are also acceptable, as long as property tax payers wear masks and practice social distancing requirements. Payments may be made with check, cash or money order. Credit or debit card and electronic check payments are also accepted, and can be made over the phone by calling (208) 788-5530 or by going online to client. pointandpay.net/web/BlaineCountyTreasurerID Property taxes may be paid in two equal halves, the first half being due on the December due date while the second half is due on or before June 20, 2021. If payments are not paid by the due date, per Idaho Code, there is a 2 percent late fee as well as a 12 percent interest per annum charge added to the amount outstanding. Partial payments are also accepted, but late fees and interest still accrue on the amounts outstanding.
P&Z To Discuss History Preservation Measures
On Dec. 22 at 4:30 p.m., the Ketchum Planning and Zoning Commission will conduct a public hearing at 480 East Avenue, Ketchum (City Hall) to consider adopting an interim ordinance to implement measures to protect and preserve historic structures. The Commission will consider a range of options and make a recommendation to the City Council. The options under consideration include, among several other items, the following: • Reinstate the Ketchum Historic Preservation Commission (authority already established in Ketchum Municipal Code Section 4.08) • Establish review process and criteria for designating historic structures • Establish a process and procedures for establishing a historic district • Establish a process to document designated historic structures and allow for demolition • Establish a process to allow for the relocation of historic structures • Establish review criteria for demolition permits Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, remote participation in the public hearing will occur in order to keep residents safe and help stop the community spread of the virus. The meeting will be live streamed at www.ketchumidaho.org/meetings. Public comment may be given when the public comment portion of the hearing item is opened by dialing 669-900-9128 and using meeting ID 977 0042 4928. All interested persons shall be given an opportunity to comment on the matter. Comments and questions prior to the hearing may be directed to the Ketchum Department of Planning and Building, P.O. Box 2315, Ketchum, ID 83340, and via email to participate@ ketchumidaho.org. For additional information, please call (208) 726-7801.
COVID Testing Expanded
St. Luke’s Wood River has expanded COVID-19 testing to include Saturdays, starting Dec. 13, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for symptomatic people and by appointment only. Scheduling will continue to be made through myChart or the triage hotline (208) 381-9500. Testing is located in a trailer outside the Physician Office Annex at 100 Hospital Drive in Ketchum.
Wood River Weekly
NEWS
•
December 16 - 29, 2020
Basque-ing In The Valley
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ARTS, SUN VALLEY
Sun Valley city staffer has a literary side gig Ternet’s History So how does a California transplant and history ext time you’re hiking or snowshoeing the buff end up writing a book of fiction about central Valley’s trails, pay close attention to the Idaho? In part, it’s thanks to that California uptrees. That’s what Sun Valley community de- bringing, specifically growing up in Monterey—the velopment director Bryce Ternet had done for years. setting of John Steinbeck’s Cannery Row, where His newly released book—Sun Valley Serenade—is Ternet worked for a time in his youth. the result. “I’m from an area where its history was conSun Valley Serenade is a work of fiction—a nected to famous literature,” Ternet observed. “My mystery novel—based on some very interest in Basque culture goes real Idaho history. Specifically, it’s back to when I was in high school about the arborglyphs drawn into the and was an exchange student in Valley’s trees, predominantly by the the French Basque Country.” early Basque people who settled here. After going to university in Arborglyphs are carvings into the bark Montana, Ternet became even of trees, depicting everything from more fascinated with mountainBasque-region town names to flocks of ous landscapes. sheep to nude women. “My wife, Renata, and I “It’s graffiti in a way, but it’s historiused to come to Sun Valley for cal,” Ternet said. Thanksgiving when we lived in The arborglyphs inspired Ternet to the Seattle area,” Ternet said. develop a story about an old, unsolved Bryce Ternet has long enjoyed “We always thought this would mystery whose secret was carved into the Valley landscape. Now he’s be a nice place to live.” the trees. The story combines three written a mystery novel about And then, like a plot twist in a time periods all tied somehow to one it. Photo credit: Bryce Ternet novel, his current position with Basque-American family, starting with the City of Sun Valley opened up. a sheepherding immigrant in the 1880s and carryIn that position, Ternet has used his appreciation ing over to a Basque boarding house in Hailey circa for history when evaluating development projects. 1930. Since moving to the Valley a little over three When the city approved the demolition of the Moriyears ago, Ternet collaborated with Professor John tz building, which served as one of two hospitals in Bieter, who specializes in Basque-American histo- the Wood River Valley from the time it was built ry and affairs at Boise State University, on search- in 1961 until 2000, Ternet proposed that the resort ing for and recording Basque arborglyphs in the erect a plaque on the premises detailing the historregion. ical significance of the site, which was named after The novel by Ternet and the work by Bieter are Dr. John Moritz, Sun Valley Resort’s first yearimportant because the arborglyphs won’t last for- round physician. The city declined to make that a ever. Already, Ternet said, many arborglyphs have condition of the permit. been destroyed by age and by fire. It’s a matter of time before none will exist. In part, that’s where the Ternet’s Future book derives its title. Ternet’s book is self-published and available on “It just works for this story as it is, in a way, my Amazon and at the Basque Museum gift shop in own love song to Sun Valley and the general Valley Boise for purchase. He doesn’t currently have any area,” Ternet, a member of the Hailey Arts and His- specific promotional plans, but said he’d be looking toric Preservation Committee, said. into local radio interviews and library talks.
N
By Eric Valentine
The cover of Sun Valley Serenade, a mystery novel set in the Wood River Valley. Image credit: Bryce Ternet
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 $19 MILLION from Blaine County residents by increasing our power bills; $10,783,895 in interest and $700,000 in 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 $2,700,000. And $5,700,000 to underground distribution lines between Hailey and Ketchum. $8.4 million project costs us $19 million.
Tell the County Commissioners that they should not agree to this
greedy money grab by Idaho Power
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Wood River Weekly
•
December 16 - 29, 2020
VISION 2020
LIFESTYLE
Making Fake News Fun Again
I Vacasa needs Housekeepers in Sun Valley, ID! Looking for our next rockstars to help make lasting vacation memories! Reliable transportation in the snow is a must! Ideally will work both weekend days. This role pays $23/hr, smartphone provided, 401k with 6% match and other discounts!
By Eric Valentine
Cases in point:
f you’re not shocked here and there reading or • A photo of Ketchum Mayor Neil Bradshaw listening to it, you may not have a pulse. If you proudly pointing to an image of a large, nadon’t laugh out loud here and there reading or ked Black man sitting bedside. (The real listening to it, your pulse is being wasted. photo involved Bradshaw pointing at a City Kudos to the folks at The Marten Stuffer who of Ketchum information board.) are taking the concept of fake news to local eyes • A webpage fully dedicated to a game called and ears. Produced by editor-in-chief Ron Challis, “Anal RVs” wherein participants place the assistant editor/contributor Butch Fairfield, and asword “anal” before any RV model name, sistant editor/contibutor/legal counsel Pat Simmesuch as the Bigfoot or the Commander. Just roy, The Marten Stuffer is a comedic slant on fake do it—put the word in front of those model news stories a la The Onion. In other words, the names and try not to giggle like a 12-yearconcept is nothing new. But, focusing the “news” old. stories solely on local folks, events and culture • A podcast conversation about how the makes the concept fresh and—if you’ve been afhashtag originally was the pound sign: “My fected by the events of 2020—therapeutic. hot secretary keeps texting #MeToo … I told While the website (www.martenstuffer.com) has her that’s what I’ve been trying to do!” (It’s been around for a few years, The Marten Stuffer a thinker.) now has a podcast available on Spotify two episodes in. There will be cursing and irreverence, but there’s “We’re doing a podcast because if there’s one also nuanced—and even sophisticated—perspecthing the world needs is another podcast,” the tive. group posted on its Facebook page. As you can tell—hopefully—they don’t take Cases in point: themselves too seriously. But the webpage and the podcast are seriously worth a look and listen. • A discussion on States Rights wherein they SPOILER ALERT: There will be cursing. There divulge it was Willie Nelson who coined the will be irreverence. phrase “Don’t Mess With Texas” • An article titled “Ketchum Disproportionate Infection Rate Suggests Coronavirus Also Unwilling to Live in South Valley” • Another article titled “Jersey-Born Ski Waxer, Full-Blooded Shoshone Indian Argue Who’s More Local”
Apply online at www.vacasa.com/careers or text 97211
So if you find the news—and perhaps even the comedy shows based on the news—have grown too tense in 2020, consider laughing about fake news in 2021. It can be therapeutic, if you have a pulse. Find the Marten Stuffer on the interwebs: the website is www.martenstuffer.com and the podcast is on Spotify. Search for Marten Stuffer.
You are not alone. Life is anything but normal right now. If you’re suicidal or in crisis, reach out to someone who understands. Call or text the Idaho Suicide Prevention Hotline: 208-398-4357 or 800-273-8255
Wood River Weekly
OPINION
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December 16 - 29, 2020
7
CAITLIN JOHNSTONE
Yet Another Major Escalation In Establishment Internet Censorship
Y
by Caitlin Johnstone
ouTube, whose corporate owner Google is arguably the most powerful company on earth, is now deleting user videos which claim the US election was fraudulent. YouTube's official statement on its decision to do this is very revealing, not so much for what it says as for what it does not say. At no point does the video publishing platform attempt to argue that it is removing these videos because they jeopardize anyone's health or safety, as it did when it began deleting videos deemed to be spreading misinformation about Covid-19. At no point does it attempt to argue that these videos are inciting violence, as it did when it began deleting QAnon videos. At no point does it claim that these videos are misleading voters, as it initially began collaborating with the US government to prevent, since all the voting is over and done with. It's simply deleting the videos because they are believed to be wrong. 2/ Yesterday was the safe harbor deadline. Now that enough states certified their Presidential election results, we’ll remove any content published today (or anytime after) that alleges widespread fraud or errors changed the 2020 U.S. Presidential election outcome. — YouTubeInsider (@YouTubeInsider) December 9, 2020 "Yesterday was the safe harbor deadline for the U.S. Presidential election and enough states have certified their election results to determine a President-elect," YouTube writes. "Given that, we will start removing any piece of content uploaded today (or anytime after) that misleads people by alleging that widespread fraud or errors changed the outcome of the 2020 U.S. Presidential election, in line with our approach towards historical U.S. Presidential elections. For example, we will remove videos claiming that a Presidential candidate won the election due to widespread software glitches or counting errors. We will begin enforcing this policy today, and will ramp up in the weeks to come." I neither know nor care whether the sort of election fraud alleged to have taken place in the contest between Joe Biden or Donald Trump actually happened; I know the processes by which candidates are elevated to run in a US general election are corrupt and rigged from top to bottom, so the question of whether additional manipulation took place between two establishment-approved imperialist oligarch lackeys in a pretend election is not particularly interesting to me. But this new move by YouTube is a major escalation in the continually escalating rollout of internet censorship protocols by US government-tied Silicon Valley megacorporations. Even if America did not have the single most flawed election system in the entire western world (and it does), and even if it had been conclusively proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that no election fraud of any sort took place (and it hasn't), it would still be a massive escalation beyond previous online censorship protocols to begin censoring people simply because they are wrong. People are allowed to be wrong. A free society allows people the right to voice wrong beliefs because the only alternative is creating a monolithic Ministry of Truth which has authority over what the right and wrong beliefs are. Those of us who've been warning of the dangers of government-aligned plutocratic corporations lowering their standards for silencing speech further and further were not committing a slippery slope fallacy; it's not fallacious to warn of a slippery slope when the slope is demonstrably real. The fact that we've been methodically paced from accepting the cross-platform deletion of Alex Jones a couple of years ago to random internet users being silenced for no other reason than expressing wrongthink today shows us the slope is very real and very consequential, and our slide into information totalitarianism will continue if something major does not
We build nest eggs.
change. "Do I believe the 2020 election was stolen? No. But I also didn’t believe the election was stolen from Hillary Clinton in 2016, when the Internet was overrun with conspiracy theories nearly identical to the ones now being propagated by Trump fans." https://t.co/nvH0isGvaN — Matt Taibbi (@mtaibbi) December 11, 2020 Matt Taibbi has written a solid article condemning YouTube's latest ramp-up and highlighting the double standard in the way Democrats have been pushing narratives about Trump colluding with Russia to fraudulently steal the 2016 election for four years with no consequences whatsoever while Trump supporters are banned from doing essentially the exact same thing. I would add that the primary source of this double standard is not ideological bias (though that's surely a factor as well) but the coziness these Silicon Valley tech giants have formed with US government agencies who signed off on Russiagate but not on Trump's claims. It's not so much a liberal bias as it is a US intelligence cartel bias. In reality, there was never any more evidence for liberal claims of Russia interfering with the US election in any meaningful way than there is for election fraud in 2020. Actual journalists and impartial social media platforms would have recognized the indisputable fact that the Russian hacking narrative was extremely porous and remains completely unproven, and the narrative about Russian memes swaying the election is a complete joke. The only thing giving the Democrats' claims more narrative weight than those of the Republicans today is that one was endorsed by the US intelligence cartel (the same US intelligence cartel which just so happened to wind up advancing multiple preexisting agendas using Russiagate) and the other was not. That's it. Those who understood that whoever controls the narrative controls the world and that plutocrat-controlled mass media is the linchpin of the oligarchic status quo were very excited about the arrival of the internet, because they understood its information-democratizing potential. Now we're all watching those hopes slowly eroded into nothing as the same power structures which control and influence the mainstream media now work to take full control over online information. But Not Videos Claiming Donald Trump is a Russian Agent, Because That's the Acceptable Election Conspiracy Theory https://t.co/gtfz4WZTlX — Aaron Maté (@aaronjmate) December 9, 2020 "On average 88% of the videos in top 10 search results related to elections came from authoritative news sources (amongst the rest are things like newsy late-night shows, creator videos and commentary)," YouTube boasts in the aforementioned statement on its deletion of wrongthink election videos. "And the most viewed channels and videos are from news channels like NBC and CBS." As though rigging your algorithms to give users results which link to the same plutocratic media outlets who've helped deceive the public about every war and continuously manipulate them into believing status quo politics totally work is something to be proud of. If information which isn't approved by the powerful continues to be squeezed into smaller and smaller fringe circles, the information-democratizing potential which once gave revolutionary thinkers so much hope will be completely nullified, and all that will remain is a network which allows establishment power structures to distribute propaganda much faster than they could back in the days of the old media. Here's hoping our rulers fail in their attempts to do this, and that we succeed in our desire to stop them.
HazlettWealthManagement.com 208.726.0605 675 SUN VALLEY ROAD, SUITES J1 + J2 KETCHUM, IDAHO 83340 Hazlett Wealth Management, LLC is not a registered broker/dealer and is independent of Raymond James Financial Services. Securities offered through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. Member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc.
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COMM ENT ARY Wood River Weekly
Fishing R epoRt
•
December 16 - 29, 2020
NO BONES ABOUT IT THE “WEEKLY” FISHING REPORT FOR DECEMBER 16-29 FROM PICABO ANGLER
L
et it snow… We’ve got snowfall in the forecast for the near future, and we need every snowflake to boost our snowpack and ensure healthy river flows for next season. Do your snow dance! Fishing on Silver Creek has been productive, swinging small dark leeches and woolly buggers; black, olive, brown, and maroon in sizes 8–12 are all effective. Deep undercut banks found near Point of Rocks and The Willows can yield some impressive trout during this time of year. On the Big Wood River, lower Big Lost River and the South Fork of the Boise River tandem nymph rigs fished through typical winter holding water (slow runs, pools and tailouts) will take plenty of fish. For the lead fly, use something that gets the attention of sluggish trout; large rubber legs, girdle bugs, yuk bugs, princes, and san juan worms are all good choices. Downsize your dropper nymphs to diminutive size 18–24 zebra midges, brassies, copper johns, pheasant tails, and rainbow warriors. There are few experiences as magical as fishing the Big Wood River during a winter snowstorm. Steady low pressure and heavy wet snowflakes often equate to some of the best winter fishing on the Big Wood. It looks like anglers will have plenty of opportunities like this during the next few weeks. Any surface feeding activity this time of year will be limited to midges during the afternoons, so look for feeding fish along foam lines and slower eddies. Remember, “the foam is their home.” Be prepared to deal with inclement weather when fishing in the winter. Always bring extra clothes to change into in the event of an unexpected spill, and having extra gloves and hats makes sense when fishing on cold, wet days. Your vehicle should carry basic survival items—jumper cables, food, water, blankets, etc. Always let someone know where you are going to be. A few extra precautions go a long way! If you’re looking for holiday gift ideas for anglers, give us a shout. A Picabo Angler gift certificate is the perfect stocking stuffer. Stay safe and warm out there, and Happy Holidays to all! Happy fishing, everyone!
Hwy 20 in Picabo info@picaboangler.com (208)788.3536 www.picaboangler.com
FRAN JEWELL
Love Your Dog To FOUR!
S
By Fran Jewell
o often, we take our puppy to a puppy class that lasts from 4 to 8 weeks, and then feel we have done what we need to do to teach our puppy skills for a lifetime. While that class or private instruction is imperative to having a well-behaved dog, it is only part of the equation. There are essentially four phases of training to a fully trained dog. Some of these phases are short in duration, others must continue for the lifetime of the dog. The first phase is the actual “teaching” phase, which shows the dog what the behavior is that we want. Those behaviors can be the basics, such as sit, down, or come, or even more complex commands like directional—going right and left on a send-out to retrieve. There are many ways to teach those behaviors, such as luring the dog with a treat, using offered behaviors, or even shaping the more complex behaviors by building on previous behaviors. The second phase is the “testing” phase. This is where the dog will test the parameters of the behaviors and what will earn him a reward. It is not a malicious “testing,” but the dog exploring what he has to do to get his reward. As an example, if I am teaching the dog to come and sit in front of me, the dog might come partway, or sit out away from me, or sit off to the side to see if that behavior will also get him a reward. Many dogs will come and not sit and grab the treat and take off again (I call this a drive-by). In this phase, it is critical that we are always consistent about the picture we want and require that. If we want the dog to come sit in front, then that is ALL that we reward and accept. The third phase is the most difficult and what most of us fail to do; It’s called “proofing.” In the proofing phase, we GRADUALLY increase distractions while the dog performs the behavior successfully. If we add too many or too difficult of distractions, then
SCIENCE OF PLACE
I
BY HARRY WEEKES
Service dogs take a huge amount of proofing and then maintaining of behaviors. Baewulf could walk by the open fish counter without even taking a sniff, using just a voice command and random rewards. Photo credit: Fran Jewell
the dog fails. We think the dog cannot perform the behavior when we simply did not give the dog a chance to proof his behaviors in many situations without failing. The last phase is another that most people do not do. It’s called the “maintenance” phase. In this phase, we maintain the behavior throughout the dog’s life. If we stop giving our dog a paycheck for his good work, he will soon give it up. That paycheck can be anything of importance to the dog, such as food, praise, a ball or stick throw, etc. And that paycheck becomes random during this phase to maintain the behavior. When we are deliberate in our execution
of training and understand where we are at in each phase, it will help us to have the dog we dream of living with. If we skip a phase at any point, then the dog, being the opportunist he is, will do things the doggy way, not the way we need him to behave. A nicely behaved dog is a joy and trustworthy! 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.
Shadow World
love full moons. More specifically, I love how a full moon transforms the night. Or, for me, the very early morning. What is often a cloak of real darkness becomes a wonderful world of black and white. More accurately, it is a world of contrast, cast mostly in various shades of dark blue and purple. When you cover this world in snow, something else happens altogether and you realize there is at least a third way to describe qualities of seeing. There is light. There is dark. And there is full moon over snow. This is where the world becomes discernible in a distinct way, and there is a quality of seeing akin to what plasma is to matter—something in between, something different. I think the other animals feel this, too. At the end of November, before the full moon, I stood staring out one of my windows at a mule deer that was fewer than 10 feet from me. She picked up her head and looked directly at me. She flitted her ears forward and trained them on my shadow, slowly moving one, then the other, in a smooth arc that curved from facing me to listening over her right shoulder, then her left. I knew she was a female because I could see the distinct pattern of her irises and I could count the number of whiskers on her muzzle (female deer have more than males). Just kidding. I knew it was a doe because her two babies—this year’s twins—were with her, and took turns looking at me and twitching their ears, only to quickly lose interest and move to browsing in the sage.
For her part, mama kept referring to me as she slowly guided the kids away—a measured walk, quite distinct from the bolting and bouncing when they see me in the day, or the startling crash when I flush them in the dark. Then, in early December, on the other side of the full moon, in that wonderful phase called the waning gibbous, I came across a great horned owl, an inky silhouette cut into the sky, perched above the Draper Preserve. I wrapped around to the front of the bird, its barring, and a small but distinctive white blaze apparent on its chest. We stared at each other as I walked a half circle around the bird—its body stock still, its head moving smoothly from looking over its back, to over its shoulder, to directly at me. I moved on. And when I moved back, the owl was gone—having left, and taken off on its silent way. In this light, at this time, something different happens, something that feels like shadows coming together. I see mine, a plump, down-covered silhouette, plodding along the creek, and the river, and into the field. I know that I am bright orange in the light of my house or in the light of day. But in these mornings, we all seem to be something different, neither quite our normal selves, nor quite something else. A shared inquisitiveness collapses normal distances, or at least makes proximity more tolerable. I wonder if I could just walk up and touch the deer. Or if I could reach out and touch the owl. I try neither, but just stand and stare. The same way I stare at the moon, moving
HARRY WEEKES
through its cycles, not just reflecting sunlight but somehow transforming it; less a mirror than a window into something. Harry Weekes is the founder and head of school at The Sage School in Hailey. This is his 48th year in the Wood River Valley, where he lives with Hilary and two of their three baby adults—Penelope and Simon. The other member of the flock, Georgia, is currently fledging at Davidson College in North Carolina.
Mule deer pair. Photo credit: Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife, accessed via wikimedia
Wood River Weekly
MONEY MATTERS
•
December 16 - 29, 2020
KRISTIN HOVENCAMP
9
ON LIFE’S TERMS
JOELLEN COLLINS
Making A List And Remembering Rafer Checking It Twice I By JoEllen Collins
Annual Financial + Estate Planning Priorities By Kristin Hovencamp
O
ver the course of a year, how many times have you forgotten to revise an important document? Often, you can remedy a mistake. With an estate plan, there is a point of no return. Harvard Law School Professor and expert in trust and estates, Robert Sitkoff, offers this advice, “Bad things happen, and you have to plan for that. Hope for the best and plan for the worst.” A year-end checklist can prompt your memory and help keep financial and estate documents current.
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• •
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Has your family had any major life events that warrant review of your designated beneficiaries? Events can include the birth of a child or grandchild, a change in marital status, or a family member’s passing. IRA beneficiary designations trump a will, so it is essential to keep them current. Is your last will and testament relevant? Reviewing your will is an excellent habit to form. Do you have durable powers of attorney in place? Should you become incapacitated, these crucial documents delegate authority to oversee your health, finances, and necessary legal signatures. Have any changes been made to your retirement accounts? Did you make any significant financial transactions or execute a rollover from a former employer plan? Could potential changes to tax laws affect your estate? Do you have adequate life insurance, long-term care insurance? Revisit your policies before their annual renewal date. You may want to increase or decrease coverage or discover an option that better suits you or your family. Are your charitable giving vehicles accomplishing what you envisioned? Charitable goals can evolve, and your estate should reflect such adjustments.
To avoid unnecessary consequences, review your estate plan at least every five years, more frequently when significant life events occur. Make it a habit and put a yearly reminder in your calendar. “Life is what happens to you while you are busy making other plans.” - John Lennon 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. All investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal amount invested. No investing strategy, including asset allocation, diversification, rebalancing or dollar cost averaging, can guarantee your objectives will be met. Rebalancing a non-retirement account could be a taxable event that may increase your tax liability. 675 Sun Valley Road, Suite J1 + J2 Ketchum, Idaho 83340 208.726.0605. HazlettWealthManagement.com
INSPIRATIONS FROM MY HEART
I
By DOVE
Gifts
f I could give each of you a gift at this time of year, I would give you the gift of clarity, confidence and trust in yourself. There is no greater security than that of trusting who you are as a person. Your coping skills, for no matter what happens in our world, determines the extent of your wellbeing. It is so easy to get caught up in the message of doom and gloom because we are bombarded with it multiple times a day from so many sources that we could begin to believe that it is true. You are the one that determines what is true for you, and, as I have said many times, “Where your focus goes, energy flows.” Really, all it comes down to is allowing the flow of life in your own space. Being able to discern what is your level of responsibility to change or accept or what you must just turn over to a higher power. This gift of discernment is precious because it can keep you from getting swept into the energy field of panic or depression. Make a list of what you truly want your world to look like. You don’t need to consider how your dreams will all come about, you just need to have a dream of what you want your world to feel and be like. Make yourself a list of what is important to you and then put your thoughts out into the Universe to be manifested. How it will happen is not up to you; you just must decide what it is that you want. I remember several years ago, in the summer, walking outside in my yard and declaring to the 3 a.m. night sky what I wanted for the world.
DOVE
am sometimes tempted to honor in my column the lives of personal and public people I admire. Usually, I resist the impulse. I think my last paean was for Theodosia Wilkinson, my tiny dynamic high school English teacher. I have had to say farewell to more of my contemporaries than I ever expected to mourn. They, not celebrities, have deserved my praise. However, this week I am compelled to share my feelings about a well-known and truly wonderful human being who recently passed away, Rafer Johnson. After two years at the wonderful small liberal arts Occidental College, I attended UCLA, a very large and heterogeneous university, when Rafer was a star athlete and also Student Body President. He mastered his role as a leader in spite of some negative mail and reactions he received as the first black man to have that responsibility. One unfortunate white girl was even depledged from her sorority after having coffee with him. He always handled himself with dignity. Most students and faculty respected him and were proud that he chose that institution. It was another time, certainly, but I fear, as anyone of any age can surmise, that we have not overcome the racial tensions that he experienced, and I witnessed so long ago. Rafer learned how to carry the weight of his being the first of many in pursuits in all of his life, most of them positive, some not. From a family who picked cotton, Rafer even experienced being in the first black family of the California town they moved to when he was only nine. I had the good fortune to meet with Rafer when he was chosen to be one of 14 JoEllen Collins—a longtime resident of the Wood River students to go on UCLA’s Project India team Valley— is an Idaho Press of the summer of 1958, a predecessor of the Club award-winning columPeace Corps. He would have been one of my nist, a teacher, writer, fabric seven members of the split team. After many artist, choir member and months of training for our multi religious, unabashedly proud grandma ethnic and academic interest group (I was the known as “Bibi Jo.” representative WASP), Rafer was invited to participate in the US-USSR track meet. So, instead of India, he went to Russia and won the decathlon and the title of being perhaps the finest athlete in the world. As a rabid track and field fan (my high school boyfriend was a sprinter and Occidental had a top track team), I was overjoyed. In 1960 he won the gold medal in the decathlon at the Rome Olympics and was the honored athlete to light the torch at the L.A. Olympics in 1984. Most people remember Rafer as the quintessentially good sport, but there was much more to admire of his generous life. In 1968 he grabbed away the gun that killed Robert Kennedy and then co-founded the California Special Olympics in 1969, the beginning of programs for athletes who had special needs. I found him articulate, gentlemanly, open and kind, my definition of a truly good man. During the current specter of bad sportsmanship, I am fortunate to cherish the memory of someone we all could emulate.
ART
D I shouted to the moon, ‘Please, I want peace for all, abundance for all, I want the beauty of nature, I want lots of soothing music. I want freedom from disease for all. Everyone should have enough food to eat and decent shelter with proper clothing for the elements. I want friendship and connection for each of us. I want pure water and, most of all, I want joy with tons of laughter. I want to feel safe and loved. I want the animals, the waters, the trees, the plants all cherished. I want all of these things for each of us.’ What if we all took time to know ourselves well enough to go out and shout to the moon what we want for our planet. Why don’t we all do that on Dec. 21, 2020. Make a declaration to the Universe out loud so you can hear your own voice declaring your truth. Let us create beautiful change with this loud declaration. How does the Universe know what we want if we don’t shout it out loud and clear? Demand that you release all your negative energy and step into joy. Blessings to you all. Dove
KNEELAND GALLERY
Kneeland Gallery
Still Making Spirits Bright
espite the cancellation of gallery walks valleywide, Kneeland art gallery in Ketchum still has plenty of art to show off. What follows is a summary submitted by Carey Molter, director of Kneeland Gallery, of the currently featured artists there: Renowned plein-air painter Robert Moore serves as an inspiration and mentor to many accomplished painters. His technique involves applying a multitude of oil hues onto his canvas then working a palette knife with both hands until his composition emerges from the apparent chaos of texture and color. The process is all the more extraordinary given the fact that Moore suffers from partial color blindness. A native of Hailey, Idaho, and former apprentice of Robert Moore, Caleb Meyer has always enjoyed the rugged beauty the Northwest has to offer. A graduate of Boise State, he continued his education through an apprenticeship with renowned artist Robert Moore. Meyer compares his time in Moore’s studio to the laying of a strong foundation. “The painting process is like building a house—a painter must understand the principles of design to create a strong painting, and, much like a carpenter, must understand the principles of architecture to build a strong house.” Meyer is now an established artist in his own right and features in
Steven Lee Adams, “Point,” pastel, 16” x 12”. Image credit: Kneeland Gallery
public and private collections nationwide. A longtime favorite of our clients, Steven Adams strives in his work to portray the elusive feeling of timelessness beneath objects that might otherwise seem commonplace. Preferring to paint a broken fence or a ditch to a majestic mountain, he endeavors to communicate the beauty in his subject matter and to haunt the viewer.
10
Wood River Weekly
COFFEE CHATS WITH KIKI
KIKI TIDWELL
What’s in a Picture?
J
BETTER HOMEOWNERS NEWS
ANNA & MICHELLE
Where Did the Assumptions Go?
ournalists can pick and choose what pictures and information they include in a story. Depending on what they choose, a story can be radically shaped and journalists have a huge opportunity to influence what the public thinks about a certain situation or a certain public figure. Therefore, most good journalists commit to a code of ethics https://www.spj.org/ethicscode. asp in order to give a fair and unbiased reporting of the facts to the public.
Choosing a photo or graphic to illustrate and elucidate a story is subjective and it can also be misleading. The media does not always live up to a code of ethics. For instance, in the story about The Valley Club West Nine Parcel C (for public open space or future recreational use, as determined by the county and Blaine County Recreation District), the graphic of a duplex that most readers have seen leads one to believe that housing was always intended at the site. However, if the public sees this picture, they get a very different understanding:
December 16 - 29, 2020
ADVERTORIALS
By Kiki Tiudwell
Let’s highlight a couple of things that journalists commit to in this code of ethics: • Take responsibility for the accuracy of their work. Verify information before releasing it. • Gather, update and correct information throughout the life of a news story. • Never deliberately distort facts or context, including visual information. • Avoid stereotyping. Journalists should examine the ways their values and experiences may shape their reporting. • Acknowledge mistakes and correct them promptly and prominently. • Diligently seek subjects of news coverage to allow them to respond to criticism or allegations of wrongdoing.
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ortgage assumptions have not been a practical matter for the last 30 years because mortgage rates have been on a steady decline. Even if the seller had a rate lower than the current rate, the new purchaser must qualify to assume the loan. In the case of conventional loans, the lender has the right to increase the rate to the current rate which neutralizes the reason for assuming the loan. This change took place in the early 1980’s when lenders added due on sale provisions so lower rates could not be assumed. FHA and VA loans can be assumed at the existing rate with the provision that the purchaser qualifies for the loan. This could be an advantage if the rate on the loan to be assumed was lower than the current mortgage rate for FHA or VA and the buyer is going to owner-occupy. Unfortunately, investors are prohibited from assuming FHA and VA loans. Besides the obvious advantage of a lower rate which would have a lower payment, the closing
costs are lower on an assumption than originating a new loan. Another benefit is that the loan will be further into the amortization schedule than starting a new 30-year loan which means it would be retired sooner while the equity is also growing faster. The current rates are close to one-percent lower than they were a year ago, so, assumptions are probably not a method of financing a home purchase in the near future. The Freddie Mac forecast expects rates to remain low, possibly at a yearly average of 3.0% in 2021. Mortgage rates have remained low since the Great Recession even though experts anticipated they would start trending upward. If rates increase, especially rapidly, assumptions of FHA and VA loans could easily be a tool that buyers and real estate professional alike will be employing. For sellers with an assumable loan at a below market rate, it could add to the value of the property as well as the marketability.
NUESTRA VOZ CUENTA
Back in 2005, a Planned Unit Development (PUD) created a balance of elements for all; an increased number of lots for the developer to sell, high-density community housing, and an Open Space Recreational Use Parcel C as a buffer for the community housing density and for the public to recreate on. An accessible fishing ponding was even proposed by the Wood River Land Trust as shown in the picture above. This balance of uses was finalized and memorialized in documents with restrictions on use that the public could depend upon into perpetuity. It is critical that the community knows this information and doesn’t make assumptions from the graphic next to a story that does not accurately reflect the story. However, coverage by the Idaho Mountain Express about this parcel has included the inaccurate reporting of a “long-delayed duplex” and “Back in 2005, the county commissioners determined that affordable housing was a public benefit under the PUD.” The public may believe that housing was the allowed use for this parcel, when it never was intended for housing, ever. I challenge you to find any 2005 county document that matches the Express’s reporting, or any document that ever talked about the PUD’s intention of housing on this parcel during a two- to three-year process. Readers should always read with a critical eye, ask critical questions, and never assume that a publication is always right or unbiased. Photos and graphics are editorial choices, as are the decisions about what stories and graphics to run and what angle a reporter should take. The lawsuit about The Valley Club West Nine Parcel C (for public open space or future recreational use, as determined by the county and Blaine County Recreation District) has been about us, as Blaine County citizens, being able to count on the county’s written agreements made in a PUD. Don’t let the decisions made by the local media to tell you a story that they have created with a graphic and inaccurate reporting influence your thoughts about this situation.
Parent & Youth Success Stories
I
By Maria del Rocio Aguilar
decided to sign my kids up for the Idaho BaseCamp because my kids were at home for the majority of the time while my husband and I worked; we wanted them to do more things that they liked. Without them having the possibility of being at school full-time, Herbert Romero commented to me about this program. Since signing them up, I’ve seen a positive difference in my kids, and they now have a daily routine. In addition, they return home in a happy mood and talk about what they have done through this program. They have also made new friends and have explored new areas that they’ve never explored before through this program, which does us all good knowing that they enjoy it. Thank you so much for this opportunity you all have given my kids (Britani and Jesus Vargas Aguilar), and a special thanks to Herbert Romero for all your help! Maria del Rocio Aguilar Querido IBC,
C
uando mi mama me dijo sobre este programa, me asuste un poco. Pero ya cuando lo pienso, es como una nueva experiencia, y me encanta. El COVID-19 ha parado muchas cosas en nuestros días regulares. Pero sin embargo, salgo a charlar y explorar con mis compañeros. La
suspensa de que va pasar después se me hace divertido. Hacemos muchas cosas diferentes, como aprender sobre la cerámica, la música, y mucho más. Nosotros vamos a muchos paseos. Por ejemplo hicimos caminatas, nos resbalamos en la nieve, y buscamos un árbol navideño. Yo he aprendido mucho y he hecho muchas memorias que voy a recordar para siempre. Y por último, me encanta trabajar con todos los niños. Gracias Herbert Romero, Max, Aiden, Whitney, Mat y IBC por darme una oportunidad. Britani Vargas Aguilar Querido IBC,
P
rimero tenía miedo de ir el primer día pero después fue divertido. Me encanta estar afuera con las chivas aunque me correteen, aprender más sobre el tenis y jugar UNO con mi hermana, Max, y Aidan. Me encanta este programa más que la escuela. En el programa se pasa el tiempo rápido y me la paso bien con mis nuevos amigos. Gracias a todos! Jesus Vargas Aguilar
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CLASSIC CLASSIC SUDOKU SUDOKU answer answer from from page page 16 12
12
Wood River Weekly
CHAMBER CORNER
Shopping Local
•
December 16 - 29, 2020
MIKE MCKENNA
Hard way Pipeline
Make a great impact on our community By Mike McKenna
T
here is one easy way we can all support our community: shop local. Studies have shown that roughly 70 percent of money spent in small businesses stays in the community. That’s money used to pay the salaries of our friends and families. It’s money that gets donated back into the community to support local charities and sports teams. Walmart doesn’t sponsor local Little League teams. Amazon isn’t donating items for fundraisers. Costco isn’t helping our community members in need. But Valley Apothecary and Smiles for Kids make sure our local ballplayers have uniforms. Iconoclast Books, Idaho Lumber, Silver Creek Outfitters and countless others donate to help every local cause, from finding animals homes to keeping our river healthy to feeding our neighbors during a pandemic. Becoming more aware about shopping local is one of the hidden blessings of COVID-19. According to Forbes, 80 percent of consumers now feel more or as connected to their community than they did before the pandemic. So it’s our job, as business owners and employees, to make sure we appreciate this sense of connection. People shop local, as studies have shown, because: they want convenience; they want better service than a chain offers; they want to see familiar faces and to be treated like a person, and not just a credit card number. While over 80 percent of people now do online research before shopping, 91 percent of shoppers say they miss going into stores. More than 60 percent of consumers say they still prefer to shop in person so they can see, feel or try out the items first. But that’s just one of the clear benefits of shopping local. There are also a lot of less obvious ones. According to studies compiled by Entrepreneur Magazine, shopping local is actually good for us for a variety of reasons.
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Kelly Wardell 208-309-0916
How To Play Sudoku
It makes us healthier because we eat foods that are grown locally, which means we ingest fewer chemicals than mass-produced foods. The farmto-table movement has really taken off here in southcentral Idaho. Shopping local allows us to connect with familiar faces, which makes us happier. As the famous song goes, we all want to go “where everybody knows your name.” Supporting others, even by simply buying regularly from their small businesses, also makes us feel better. We are also saddened when local businesses close. We actually mourn the loss of longtime non-chain restaurants and stores, and the loss of character they bring to our community. We appreciate the personal connection of knowing who made our items. We appreciate seeing the personal investment put into what we purchase. When you add it all together, it’s pretty easy to see that shopping local is one of the best investments we can make for our community and ourselves. There’s an old saying that you can’t buy happiness, but you can by local, and it’s kind of the same thing. On behalf of every Chamber member, thank you for shopping local!
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
CROSSWORD SPONSORED BY
THETRADER TRADER THE THE TRADER Consignment for the home
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Always available by appointment and if we’re here.
Wednesday through Saturday 11:00 to 5:00 Always available by appointment and if we’re here.
ent for the 720-9206 or 788-0216 signment forhome the home
720-9206 or 788-0216 509 S. Main Street Bellevue, Idaho
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THE WOOD RIVER VALLEY 7-DAY WEATHER FORECAST IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY:
Partly Cloudy 20%
high 34º
low 27º WEDNESDAY
AM Snow Showers 65%
high 34º low 16º THURSDAY
Mostly Sunny 5%
high 29º low 17º FRIDAY
Partly Cloudy 20%
high 34º low 23º SATURDAY
Snow Showers 45%
high 35º low 24º SUNDAY
Snow Showers 40%
high 34º low 23º MONDAY
Partly Cloudy 25%
high 32º low 14º TUESDAY
SKI. BIKE. LIVE!
Elevate your experience. 340 N Main Street in Ketchum sturtevants-sv.com • 726-4501