JACKSON HOLE’S ALTERNATIVE VOICE | PLANETJH.COM | DECEMBER 7-13, 2016
, WHAT S
NEXT?
From immigration to health care, examining how a Donald Trump presidency may affect locals.
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JACKSON HOLE'S ALTERNATIVE VOICE
VOLUME 14 | ISSUE 48 | DECEMBER 7-13, 2016
11 COVER STORY WHAT’S NEXT From immigration to health care, examining how a Donald Trump presidency may affect locals. Cover illustration by Brian Taylor
4,6 THE BUZZ
20 CULTURE KLASH
8 THEM ON US
21 WELL, THAT...
16 FREE SPEECH
24 FEAST
18 MUSIC BOX
28 COSMIC
THE PLANET TEAM PUBLISHER
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December 7-13, 2016 By Meteorologist Jim Woodmencey December precipitation averages just over an inch and a half. The wettest December was in 1964, with almost six inches of water equivalent in town. Yes, it did rain that December with more than two and a half inches of that total falling as liquid on December 22nd and 23rd. That month also had 33 inches of snowfall. Not the snowiest December, that distinction is still held by December of 2008, when it snowed a mammoth 47.5 inches in town.
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Average low temperatures this week have dropped into the single digit range, and they will remain there for the next month or so. The record coldest day during this week is the 40 below zero reading that was reached on December 11th, 1961. In more recent times, the coldest temperature we have seen in early December was 24 degrees below zero on December 7th, 2009. That’s cold enough, but no match for an honest to goodness 40-below day.
Our warmest December day ever occurred during this week, on December 12th, 1921. It has never been any hotter than that in the month of December in Jackson, at least not in the last 95 years. Contrast that with a record cold high temperature that we had back on December 11th, 1972, when it only warmedup to 11 degrees below zero in town. We should be thankful that our temperatures are comfortably in-between those two extremes of high temperatures this week.
NORMAL HIGH 30 NORMAL LOW 9 RECORD HIGH IN 1921 61 RECORD LOW IN 1961 -40
THIS MONTH AVERAGE PRECIPITATION: 1.5 inches RECORD PRECIPITATION: 5.9 inches (1964) AVERAGE SNOWFALL: 17 inches RECORD SNOWFALL: 47.5 inches
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DECEMBER 7, 2016 | 3
Jim has been forecasting the weather here for more than 20 years. You can find more Jackson Hole Weather information at www.mountainweather.com
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4 | DECEMBER 7, 2016
THE BUZZ Water Watch Town on heightened EPA inspection after routine water tests show elevated level of benzene. BY JAKE NICHOLS
N
ews about increased levels of a hazardous, cancer-causing agent in the town’s drinking water supply leached out to the public last week in much the same fashion, perhaps, as benzene finds its way through silt soils and into groundwater. The average citizen has been bathing in and drinking the spiked water since at least mid-summer (if the latest sampling is correct) but town officials say there is no cause for alarm. “Our water is safe,” said John Ryan, the town’s water utility manager. “I’ve been dealing with [the EPA]. “One out of our seven wells came in with a flaggable amount of benzene. It’s still well below every boundary of the Safe Water Drinking Act.” Still, questions about the tested water sample linger. The elevated reading for benzene was discovered from a sample taken on July 12, 2016 at well No. 5 near Flat Creek. That’s the main drinking water well for the town of Jackson. It’s located under the array of solar panels in the middle of Karns Meadow. The water sample was submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency. The reading came back with a 1.6 mg/L for benzene. That is triple the trigger/detection level set at .5 mg/L by the federal government, but still well below what would be considered contaminant level: 5 micrograms per liter. Lisa Kahn, EPA’s regional drinking water program manager, said the Town of Jackson was notified of the elevated reading on July 27, though Kahn said the agency was “a little bit late” in informing Ryan that samplings would now need to take place quarterly instead of the usual twice a year. That news came in an email from environmental scientist Kendra Morrison of the EPA to Ryan and Mayor Sara Flitner dated November 28. The email to a town elected official (Flitner) became part of the public record, and local news agencies pounced on it within days. Ryan insists there is no cause for concern and the test was likely flawed. Kahn confirmed that the town has never had a benzene reading this high and it is not uncommon to have a false alarm detection level. Ryan has since ordered new water tests (expected back in two weeks) that may prove the readings are in error. Town officials also issued a press release stating, “Town drinking water safe.”
Left: Bill’s Standard 2007 plume map. Right: Bill’s Standard plume map circa October 2015.
Leaky history Benzene is a byproduct of gasoline (it’s used to boost octane levels) and a known carcinogen. It has been found in more than one place in the town’s groundwater. At least two old gas station sites are ground zero for “benzene plumes,” where the chemical has leached its way through permeable soils and groundwater, spreading for dozens of city blocks. One such plume was created by Bill’s Standard, an old gas station operated by Bill Hansen on West Broadway and Millward through the 70s and 80s. Hansen began noticing an unexplained and unaccountable fuel inventory loss not long after opening the fuel station. He thought his employees were stealing from him. “We had all sorts of drivers coming and going and we never had leak detection go off,” Hansen recalled. Through the years, Hansen repeatedly called DEQ and other state and local officials, but investigations turned up no definitive answers. “Finally, I filled the tanks and pumped no gas for 24 hours. That’s when I knew. We dug up everything.” The leak, occurring between 1973 and 1985, dumped some 187,000 gallons of gas in the Jackson aquifer, 30 to 40 feet below ground. To date, DEQ has spent more than $6 million on this Jackson spill, according to DEQ records. Through the 2000s, the plume was growing and headed toward Karns Meadow and well No. 5. In 2007, then-town engineer
Shawn O’Malley said the plume had made it only as far as underneath the Brew Pub, and it would take it at least eight years to get to Karns Meadow, if it got there at all. It’s now nine years after that prediction. Benzene has also turned up at Hoback Junction where a drinking water well supplying Hoback Market was declared contaminated after a test by Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality found 60 times the max allowed in spring 2014. Tetrachloroethylene (PCE)—a manufactured chemical widely used in the dry cleaning of fabrics, metal degreasing and taxidermy—was found in the groundwater around the Virginian Lane-Gregory Lane area in 2002-03.
Calling in the experts “Naturally, you don’t want any of this in your water,” Ryan said, “but according to the state geologist, he doesn’t see how it could have possibly gotten in there. Benzene floats and I’m at 120 feet in a deep alluvial well.” The Planet checked with state geologist Tom Drean who said he’s never talked with the Town of Jackson about its municipal water supply, and it’s not something his department would normally get involved with. “Maybe he meant State Engineer’s Office,” Drean suggested. “We deal with quantity, DEQ handles quality,” said George Moser at the State Engineer’s Office. Moser was able to provide detailed information on everything
about well No. 5 except the chemical makeup of the water pumping through it. “It’s drilled to a depth of 148 feet, with sampling screens set between 96 and 146 feet below the surface, and static water at five feet deep. Pump test yields 3,000 gallons a minute, so it’s a fairly productive well.” Wyoming DEQ’s Hal Hatfield was able to confirm that “Bill’s Standard Plume” as the agency officially refers to it, was shrinking and had not reached water well No. 5. “It looks like it’s been knocked back considerably,” he said. Ryan said he did not know the name of the state geologist he spoke with who assured him benzene would not be found that deep in his well. The Planet checked with Morrison, who said a geologist was provided as a consultant by the EPA during a conference call with Ryan. Morrison cautioned the analysis was speculation deriving from a scenario without “site-specific information” and the geologist had “no basis to determine any possible impacts to the well.” Ryan said he is not ruling anything out at this point but still believes follow-up tests will show July’s reading to be an anomaly. “It may be human error. It could have been somebody had Magic Marker on their finger and then touched the sampling lid,” Ryan said. “The town’s water is completely safe to drink.” PJH SEND COMMENTS TO EDITOR@PLANETJH.COM
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DECEMBER 7, 2016 | 5
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THE BUZZ 2 Under Pressure A new program is shifting behavior in schoolchildren and giving kids the tools to tackle an increasingly stressed out world. BY SARAH ROSS
Safe spaces On Friday afternoons, the team from Colter and St. John’s Wellness Department facilitate student conversations and activities around themes ranging from gratitude to “witnessing ears.” Laura Callari, a Wellness RN at St. John’s Wellness Department, believes one of the program’s strengths lies in its focus on students bringing their own material and content to the lessons. Children essentially direct the conversations. Using students’ own experiences as the basis for conversation builds confidence, Callari explained. Each week students have the chance to lie down and process what they’re learning in their own space. “They feel their own emotions and come up with their own ideas rather than looking at a neighbor’s expression or a teacher’s expression and saying, ‘Oh, maybe that’s the wrong idea.’ They create their own space, we don’t create it for them ... this cuts down on peer pressure and
THE FLOURISH FOUNDATION
A
fter more than a year of research and planning, Colter Elementary School has launched a program to help students develop critical life skills such as handling stress and developing resilience. In the two pilot fifth grade classrooms, where the Social Emotional Learning (SEL) curriculum has been in place for five weeks, school officials are reporting changes in student behavior. When Colter officials performed an analysis of the office referrals they received for “problem behaviors,” they found that more than 80 percent came from issues arising during recess. Principal Bo Miller says this could point to students’ lack of stress management skills, lack of self-regulation, and a lack of techniques to manage conflict. According to Miller, since the implementation of the program there has not been one office referral for problematic behaviors. A study published in the Developmental Psychology Journal noted that SEL programs involving mindfulness enhance students’ cognitive control, reduce stress, promote wellbeing and social skills, and produce positive school outcomes. Educational programs that do not holistically address children’s needs create a culture of contingent happiness, Miller said, in which children learn how to be successful but maybe not very happy. Colter Elementary officials say they envision a model in which they can help prepare students to be both. Reed Chambers is a fifth grade teacher and a member of the pilot team. He says educators and public health professionals are becoming increasingly aware of how students’ emotional and social wellbeing hinge on their academic performance. “These students are spending a lot of time in school,” Chambers said. “More time than anywhere else. If it’s not a safe, comfortable place for them, academics won’t happen.”
groupthink.” “They learn by doing,” Miller added. Students and adult leaders have a “connection activity,” then practice a skill, and have a conversation about what it would look like to exercise that skill at home, on the playground, or in class. Sasha Dingle is a mindfulness-based stress reduction teacher and a member of the St. John’s Wellness Department. She described an activity focused on listening and connection in which everyone practiced making eye contact. They sat in a circle, and each took a turn looking at the person next to them with “attention and a feeling of kindness.” The curriculum allows for diverging from traditional classroom practices. For example, students don’t have to raise their hands to speak. “The feedback we got was surprising,” Dingle said. “Kids were saying that they get nervous when they raise their hand. They get worried they are going to forget what they wanted to say, and it causes more stress.” Now teachers like Chambers are considering how they can teach their other classes more effectively where raising hands, for example, is not de rigueur.
Lower stress in the future Asking children to pay attention to when and how they experience stress is paramount. “It is critical to process through the body at this age,” Miller said. “In our older students, locally and nationwide, there is an increasing level of stress, especially around success.” While a child may not be able to articulate exactly what they’re feeling when they are upset, they may notice physical cues, like tension or increased heart rate. The team hopes to help students develop awareness of their bodily sensations, and learn to self-regulate through techniques such as deep breathing. Emma Agnew is a school counselor at Daniel Webster Elementary School in San Francisco, where school officials launched a similar SEL program two years ago. Now, “90 percent of our response to problematic behavior” is preventative, she said. By teaching kids how to
self-regulate, the need for crisis management diminishes. When kids are stressed, she says, they often become “either hyper-aroused—angry, elevated—or hypoaroused, they are non-responsive, shut down.” Often, students who are hyper aroused in response to stress are punished. Teaching them to re-regulate their nervous systems by themselves decreases the need for discipline, Agnew said. When kids can self-calm, they not only feel confident in their ability to take care of themselves, they can also “get back to a place where they can learn.” Dingle primarily works with adults who are eager to learn about mindfulness and self-regulation. “When adults find their way to me, they’ve often already had something go wrong,” she said, like chronic pain or anxiety. Working with kids, she says, holds real potential for change. “If this is in the fabric of what kids learn, they’ll be ready and resilient when they face difficulties.” When fifth graders complete the curriculum, the hope is that they will be prepared to address the inevitable academic, social, and emotional challenges in their futures and that they will continue “to pay attention to [themselves], other people, and the world and environment with kindness,” Dingle said. In the coming months, the team will seek feedback from students and parents, and discuss the potential to expand the program to the other fifth grade classes and beyond. Colter officials and a team from St. John’s collaborated with the Sun Valley, Idaho nonprofit The Flourish Foundation to implement the program. The organization has developed curriculum centered around mindfulness for Sun Valley students for more than a decade. PJH
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THEM ON US By JAKE NICHOLS
Gleeful wedding “Now this is something to sing about,” wrote Brides. Former Glee star Becca Tobin tied the knot in Jackson Hole earlier this month with Jackson’s Carrie Patterson shooting the event at Amangani. Zach Martin was the lucky groom. The wedding featured several of “Kitty Wilde’s” co-stars including stand-in officiant Jane Lynch. Patterson’s photos of the glorious wedding will be featured in an upcoming issue of Brides magazine. Tobin left the show in 2015. She announced to her fans via podcast back in May 2016 that she was engaged. Glee stars Lea Michele, Kevin McHale, Jenna Ushkowitz, Meg Doyle, Michael Hitchcock, Matt Hodgson and Dante Russo were on hand to witness. Patterson reported the ceremony and reception were fairly traditional with the exception of donuts swapped in for a wedding cake. MTV, Entertainment Tonight, and US Weekly also ran the news.
Moose-Wilson Road a go A record of decision has been approved for the Moose-Wilson corridor in Grand Teton National Park. The National Park Service announced Monday that they will move forward with Alternative C after many years of scientific study and public engagement. “I am pleased with the record of decision and proud of the work that went into this comprehensive plan,” said GTNP superintendent David Vela in a press release. “We look forward to implementing this plan over the coming years with the continued engagement of the public and our stakeholders.” Plan C involves—among other things—a queuing system when a maximum threshold of 200 vehicles is triggered at any given time.
Book your trip A toothsome travel piece by USA Today’s Allison Entrekin hit newsstands yesterday. Titled, “Cowboys, caviar have a place in Jackson Hole,” the story begins with Entrekin nearly hitting a moose on an empty highway and ends with the author exiting the tram for her first run of the day at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. “It’s a strange dichotomy, being in the heart of this remote, untamed region, yet having access to the extravagances of a metropolitan city,” Entrekin wrote as she wined, dined and carved during her stay in the Hole last February. “Down the valley to my left, there’s the National Elk Refuge, home to between 5,000 and 7,000 of the luckiest creatures ever to wear antlers. They wander the land as though it’s the Garden of Eden, unaware that not every member in their species has it so good, or that many people would rather see them on a plate.”
Tribal bill is classy Wyoming lawmakers could consider a bill in the upcoming legislative session that would establish a statewide curriculum on Wyoming’s Native American tribes. Indian Education for All was passed unanimously by the Select Committee on Tribal Relations last month. It would have the State Board of Education “consult and work with tribal governments” to develop education standards for teaching Wyoming students about the state’s Native American history, according to Sen. Cale Case (R, Lander). “There isn’t a lot of curriculum of education in the state to learn about the Arapaho people,” Jason Baldes told the Billings Gazette. Baldes is a member of the Eastern Shoshone tribe and head of the Wind River Native Advocacy Center. “And the result is a discrepancy … that results in racial tensions.” State board of education chairman Pete Gosar said, “As a former social studies teacher, this is something in the state that’s really been missing. They’ve been here first, and they’ve been here the longest.”
Still ripping at 63 Wild Bill did it…and it was sick. Local legend and JH Air Force member Wild Bill celebrated his birthday by doing what he’s always done since he was 21: dropping S&S Couloir. It may not have been as pretty as he used to slash it, but Wild Bill stuck the landing and stayed on his edges to emerge from one of the most harrowing ski runs in the world. All at the age of 63. Outside Online ran the story and posted video of the birthday event.
Pokes in Poinsettia The Wyoming Cowboys are headed to post season play for the first time since 2011. Despite losing their final game to San Diego State University in the conference championship, the Pokes received word from the NCAA bowl committee they will meet the BYU Cougars in the Poinsettia Bowl to be played December 21 on ESPN. It’s a tribute to a football team that has turned things around from last season’s dismal 2-10 record on the strength of Brian Hill’s legs and Josh Allen’s arm. It will be the 78th meeting between the two old rivals. PJH
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DECEMBER 7, 2016 | 9
| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |
10 | DECEMBER 7, 2016
NEWS Even Baking Soda Is Dangerous
OF THE
WEIRD
Almost all law enforcement agencies in America use the Scott Reagent field test when they discover powder that looks like cocaine, but the several agencies that have actually conducted tests for “false positives” say they happen up to half the time. In October, the latest victims (husband-and-wife truck drivers with spotless records and Pentagon clearances) were finally released after 75 days in jail awaiting trial—for baking soda that tested “positive” three times by Arkansas troopers (but, eventually, “negative” by a state crime lab). (Why do police love the test? It costs $2.) The truck drivers had to struggle to get their truck back and are still fighting to be re-cleared to drive military explosives.
Unclear on the Concept
HALF OFF BLAST OFF!
Activists told Vice Media in November that 100,000 people worldwide identify as “ecosexuals,” ranging from those who campaign for “sustainable”-ingredient sex toys to those who claim to have intercourse with trees (but sanding the bark for comfort might provoke concern about being “abusive”). A University of Nevada, Las Vegas professor studies the phenomenon and knows, for example, of humans who “marry” the Earth or prefer sex while rolling in potting soil or under a waterfall. On one “arborphilia” support blog, a female poster regretted her choice to have “convenient” sex with the sycamore outside her bedroom window instead of the sturdy redwood she actually covets. (Yes, some “mainstream” environmentalists somehow are not completely supportive.)
The Continuing Crisis
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Ricky Berry and his roommate walked in to a CVS store in Richmond, Virginia, in November to ask if it carried sliced cheese but were told no. Minutes later, all the employees walked to the back of the store, hid in a locked room, and called the police. Berry and pal, and a third customer (with a toothache and desperately needing Orajel), were bewildered by the empty store until a Richmond police officer arrived. After observing that the three customers appeared nonthreatening, he mused along with Berry that “this is how weird, apocalyptic movies start.” WRICTV reported later that the employee who panicked and called police will “possibly” need retraining. n In October, a court in Australia’s Victoria state began considering an appeal on whether three deaf people might be too intellectually challenged to have planned a murder. The prosecutor offered surveillance video of the three in a lobby planning the murder’s details via sign language as they waited for an elevator to take them up to the eventual crime scene. n Pigs are such complex animals that scientists are studying how to tell the “optimists” from the “pessimists.” British researchers writing in a recent Biology Letters described how “proactive” porkers differed from “reactive” ones, and, as with humans, how their particular mood at that time distinguished them as “glass half full” rather than “glass half empty.” (Unaddressed, of course, was specifically whether some pigs were actually “optimistic” that the chute at the slaughterhouse might lead to a pleasant outcome.)
Questionable Judgments
The Schlitterbahn Waterpark in Kansas City, Kansas, got the message in November and shut down its “world’s tallest waterslide” (17 stories; riders reaching speeds of 60 mph) after the neck-injury death of a 10-year-old rider in August. But comparably altitude-obsessed architects in Tokyo said in November that they were moving ahead with proposals for “Next Tokyo 2045” to include a one-mile-high residential complex (twice as tall as the currently highest skyscraper). A spokesperson for
By CHUCK SHEPHERD
principal architects Kohn Pedersen Fox said he realizes that coastal Tokyo, currently in earthquake, typhoon and tsunami zones, would present a climate-change challenge (and especially since the building would be on land once reclaimed from Tokyo Bay).
Ironies
San Diego police officer Christine Garcia, who identifies as transgender, was turned away in November as she attempted to enter the Transgender Day of Remembrance at the city’s LGBT Community Center— because organizers thought the sight of a police uniform might upset some people. (Garcia herself was one of the event’s organizers.) n Chick Magnet: Gary Zerola was arraigned in Boston in November on two counts of rape. He is a defense lawyer, former prosecutor, one-time “Most Eligible Bachelor” winner, and was a finalist in the first season of ABC-TV’s “The Bachelor.” He was also accused of two counts of rape in 2006 (but acquitted at trial) and another in 2007 (but the charge was dropped).
Perspective
It was only a quarter-million-dollar grant by the National Institutes of Health, but what it bought, according to budget scrutiny by The Washington Free Beacon in November, was the development of a multiplayer computer game (inevitably competing for attention in an overstuffed commercial market) hoping to teach good reproductive health habits. “Caduceus Quest” employs role-playing as “doctors, policymakers, researchers, youth advocates” and others to “solve medical mysteries and epidemiologic crises.” The target, according to the University of Chicago grant proposal, is AfricanAmerican and Latino teenagers around Chicago.
How to Tell If You’re Too Drunk
On Nov. 16, Richard Rusin, 34, was charged with DUI in St. Charles, Ill., after he drove off of a street, going airborne, hitting close to the top of one house, rebounding off of another, uprooting a tree (sending it onto a roof), and knocking out electricity to the neighborhood when the car clipped a utility pole guide wire—and his car landed upside down in a driveway. He was hospitalized. n Allen Johnson Sr., of Meriden, Connecticut, was driving a tractor-trailer up Interstate 89 near Williston, Vermont on Nov. 2 at 63 mph, when, said state police, he apparently tried to stand up in the cab in order to change pants (enabling the rig to roll over). Johnson registered .209 blood-alcohol; it was 9:30 a.m.
Least Competent Criminals
Gwinnett, Georgia, police know exactly who they like for the Nov. 3 armed robbery of an Exxon convenience store: Mr. Quaris Holland, 29. That’s because the manager told police Holland had been coming by as a customer “every single day” for “six months.” He’s still at large. n I Have a Gub [sic]: The FBI was offering a reward for tips on their suspect in heists at four Boston-area banks in November. Though the man has eluded them so far, at least one issue plagues him: Each of his holdup notes announces that this is a “robery.”
The Passing Parade
Simon Berry, 24, of the English village of Bray, was recently acknowledged by the Guinness Book people for his bungee drop of 246 feet to precision-dunk a biscuit into a cup of tea. Thanks this week to Norah Satre, Gaal Crowl and the News of the Weird Board of Editorial Advisors.
, WHAT S NEXT?
| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |
BY MELISSA THOMASMA
DECEMBER 7, 2016 | 11
From immigration to health care, examining how a Donald Trump presidency may affect locals.
J
ackson Hole residents continue to sift through questions about the implications of the incoming Trump Administration. It seems that each day brings to light a new consideration, a fresh reason to wonder what might be in store for families and children, the community and the planet. Many are confronting very real uncertainty about what new policies might mean here in this little Wyoming town. Some of the most significant concerns that have swirled around dinner tables and Facebook pages alike center on people’s suddenly diminished sense of personal safety and wellbeing. It’s not feasible to know precisely what promises the Trump Administration will and will not follow through on. For some, this unknown fuels anxiety. While many concerns are valid, the nation will not wake up on January 21 to a world altered overnight. However, exploring major changes that may be on the horizon for locals is a useful exercise.
OBAMACARE CONCERNS
KAISER FAMILY FOUNDATION
12 | DECEMBER 7, 2016
| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |
Over the course of his campaign, Donald Trump repeatedly took aim at Obamacare, promising that its demise would be among his first efforts. A recent Politico poll indicated that repealing the ACA is his voters’ top priority—more important even than defeating ISIS. His website refers to the program as not only an “economic burden,” but also “terrible legislation” that is “collaps[ing] under its own weight.” However, after meeting with President Obama, Trump indicated that he would consider maintaining some of the Affordable Care Act’s current elements. It’s not clear what, beyond ensuring individuals with pre-existing conditions have access to coverage, that might mean. His explanation doesn’t do much by way of adding clarity, either: “It will be just fine. That’s what I do, I do a good job. You know, I know how to do this stuff. We’re going to repeal it and replace it ... It will be repealed and replaced and we’ll know. And it will be great health care for much less money,” he told to a CBS reporter in an interview. Last week, Trump named Tom Price (RGa.), an outspoken and intense critic of the ACA, to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. Many are interpreting this appointment as further evidence that the incoming administration is very serious about dismantling Obamacare. A late November poll from the Kaiser Family Foundation indicated that only one-fourth of the general American public would like to see a full repeal of the Affordable Care Act; nearly 50 percent of those
interviewed expressed a preference to either expand or maintain what Obamacare currently does. Even among proponents of abandoning the ACA entirely, 42 percent believe that the administration should develop a replacement prior to any repeal. Julia Heemstra, wellness coordinator at St. John’s Medical Center, has been an official navigator for the ACA since its first implementation. She acutely recognized the array of negative impacts a repeal of the ACA could have on the Jackson Hole community. She’s quick to point out that the program was never designed to solve every problem with healthcare overnight, but that during its existence has served more than 27 million Americans, including many Jacksonites. “The ACA has done a great job serving the population it was designed to serve. We really have seen incredible success in a certain section of the population,” Heemstra said. Loss of the program altogether would have untold impacts for families and also program funding, Heemstra noted. “Hardly a day goes by that I’m not shocked by another area that could be affected in terms of both individual and community benefits,” she said. However, Heemstra noted the direction or extent of changes coming to the ACA remain a question mark. “Assurances so far are impossible to bank on,” she said. “But changes are likely not coming during 2017.” She also noted that the 27 million Americans who are part of the program will probably not simply be abandoned; Heemstra thinks at the very least there is likely to be some kind of transition plan. If you already have a policy through the ACA, Heemstra encouraged a prompt review and renewal of your policy. “Making any necessary updates and changes is particularly essential this year,” she said, as rates might increase more without this up to date information. If you are not currently enrolled in Obamacare, there’s still time to do so; sign up by December 15 to receive coverage beginning in the new year, or by the end of January to start your coverage in the beginning of March. St. John’s Medical Center is hosting free navigation sessions every Thursday at the Teton County Library; professional navigators can help you explore and select what options might be best for your family. Finally, Heemstra encouraged taking advantage of the coverage you have as soon as possible, especially the free services guaranteed by the ACA. These include a variety of preventative care options, ranging from cancer and STI screenings and an array of immunizations to annual wellness exams and contraception. For a comprehensive summary of these services, visit healthcare.gov; it’s a
longer list than you might realize. Making arrangements for preventative care sooner rather than later is a proactive step folks can take immediately.
IMMIGRATION WORRIES
The wall. Well, it might be more of a fence now. In certain places, perhaps? Similar to healthcare, Trump’s promises on the campaign trail, and recent backpedaling on previous statements has created a great deal of uncertainty around how the incoming administration will change policies surrounding immigration. At this point, there’s no way to know which of these efforts might come to fruition, and which are pure bluster. Regardless, the threats and rhetoric have many in Jackson concerned. A gathering of more than 250 people at St. John’s Episcopal Church two weeks ago illustrated the intensity of this worry. The forum, hosted by a handful of local organizations, addressed the anxieties that many immigrant families are feeling. Haunted by campaign trail promises to deport millions and abruptly end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) initiative, many Latinos in Jackson have serious concerns about what the next months hold. Local attorneys Elizabeth Trefonas and Rosie Read addressed the hundreds gathered in Hansen Hall, discussing the possible implications of new policies. While some changes to immigration policy struck Trefonas and Read as simply implausible (for example, the wall), other possible developments have more potential for impact. “The hardest thing we think is going to happen—that Trump can do without the support of Congress or the Supreme Court—is that DACA has been promised to not exist on day one,” Trefonas said. There are 1.3 million individuals legally in the United States on DACA. “There are numerous individuals in this room that will be impacted,” added Trefonas, meaning not only those with DACA status, but also their families, friends and employers. Advice for those who are eligible for DACA but do not currently have it is conflicting among attorneys at this point, but Trefonas and Read are not encouraging new applications. They have some concern that submitting an application might not only be a waste of time and $450, but also might draw new attention to your current status and residence in the country. Those who already have DACA status and are eligible for renewal, however, should pursue it as soon as possible, Read and Trefonas said. When it comes to large-scale deportations, the attorneys just don’t see how that kind of action would
be feasible in the near future. Constrained by the sheer costs of deportation, the Obama Administration has deported around 400,000 individuals per year, Read pointed out. The price tag of deporting millions is simply prohibitive. “President Trump can’t deport everyone,” she said. However, should an undocumented individual find themselves arrested for a crime, they will likely not benefit from the discretion that officers were encouraged to use under Obama. An arrest under the Trump Administration, for a crime large or small, will very likely trigger the deportation process. Trefonas and Read advised the gathered group that nobody is required to answer questions about their immigration status to a law enforcement official; you can always politely decline to answer, and request a lawyer. “Even if you’re here unlawfully, Trump cannot take away your constitutional rights,” Trefonas said. Moving forward, Read advocated for the community to continue to stay educated and engaged on the issues. “As lawmakers begin discussing and considering reform, let them know what you want,” she said. And in the meantime, she encouraged the group to find strength in numbers, and the power of sticking together as a community. After Read and Trefonas’ presentation, some community members advocated exploring “sanctuary” status for Jackson. Sanctuary cities across the nation are standing up to these threats of mass deportation. While the definition of “sanctuary” varies from place to place, the underlying theme is the same; protecting immigrant community members who are not violent criminals. Some of Jackson’s leadership has expressed interest in what kinds of policies can be created locally in this vein. Mayor-elect Pete Muldoon told PJH he’s considering all feasible actions to ensure no one here is living in fear. “The facts before us today are that we welcomed immigrants into our community, we asked them to work in our businesses and we watched them put down roots,” Muldoon said. “We hired them or patronized the businesses that did so.
We happily took their sales tax dollars and used them to build roads and schools and housing. We charged them social security tax for benefits they will never collect. We asked them to work long hours at difficult jobs while living in substandard housing in order to have a shot at the American Dream, and they said ‘yes.’” The mayor-elect continued, “We’re all in this together, but Donald Trump is asking only one group to pay the price. That is morally indefensible. We cannot and will not break federal law, but we should speak out against any policy designed to tear families and our community apart and refuse to help enforce it unless required to by federal law. We must resist this temptation to scapegoat. We asked our Latino community to help us, and they did. Now it’s time to help them.” Both Teton County Sheriff Jim Whalen and Jackson Chief of Police Todd Smith stated that while they do not answer directly to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, they understand that cooperation with ICE is relevant to public safety, and a respectful balance of interests is necessary from their perspective. Ultimately, Smith pointed out, we can all agree that dangerous individuals or those committing violent crimes are not welcome in Jackson Hole regardless of their background. Mary Erickson, executive director of One22, says she wants law enforcement to view this issue from multiple lenses. “I hope we can all agree that violent criminals should be arrested and eventually deported. But I would like our local police to be allowed to use their discretion and not ask for documentation during simple traffic stops.”
PRIDE AND PANIC
PROTECTING PUBLIC LANDS
DECEMBER 7, 2016 | 13
Among other issues in the crosshairs at this point, the Trump Administration’s denial of climate change and desire to exploit public lands for natural resources challenges the whole nation’s environmental safety. While, again, it is impossible to know with complete confidence what changes to anticipate and when, there are certainly some ominous clues. Local environmentalists are most concerned about the potential for public lands to be transferred into private or state hands, and suffer in terms of access, wildlife and habitat quality and unchecked mineral development, including drilling and fracking. In other words, lands like Bridger-Teton National Forest could go from publically-owned and open for everyone’s use to off-limits for hunting, fishing, hiking and camping, or even be subject to development projects. “We are looking at a short-term economic vision over a long-term sustainable one that threatens the health and wealth of our planet,” observed author and environmentalist Terry Tempest Williams. She believes the largest threats to public lands will be three-fold: increased fossil fuel development, the removal of regulations protecting threatened species, and the possible transfer of public lands into private ownership.
| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |
Flanked by an openly anti-gay Vice President-elect, Mike Pence, Trump is likewise causing considerable anxiety for LGBTQ+ individuals and families across the country. Pence has a dark and troubling history ranging from support of gay conversion therapy, funneling of money away from HIV/AIDS programs in Indiana, criminalizing gay marriage in the state, signing the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which permits blatant discrimination, and more. In addition to this exclusive rhetoric, the nation has witnessed a frightening uptick in harassment and outright violence toward LGBTQ+ people in recent months. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, there were 867 individual hate incidents across the nation in the 10 days following the election, 95 of which were aimed at LGBTQ+ people. The incidents ranged from graffiti and property destruction to vicious verbal and physical assaults. Countless individuals and families are now not only worried for their own personal safety, but also unsure as to whether years of progress and civil rights will be erased under the Trump Administration. Mark Houser is the coordinator of the Jackson chapter of PFLAG. He recognized similar uncertainty surrounding the future of LGBTQ+ rights as is swirling around other civil rights issues. “President Obama provided many protections to the LGBTQ+ community through executive order. This includes protections for workers of federal contractors, safeguards in health care and housing as well as antidiscrimination protections for transgender students in our schools. Trump could rescind any of these protections through new executive orders,” he said. It’s not possible to know what the new administration may or may not target. One specific point of concern for many is the potential impact on same-sex marriage. According to Lambda Legal, a nationwide nonprofit championing LGBTQ+ rights, marriage equality legislation cannot be reversed overnight, and likewise cannot be decimated by the president alone. Instead, it would take a full
reversal of the ruling by the Supreme Court, which would not only take quite some time to accomplish, but is also relatively unlikely. In other words, if you’re married, your marriage is safe. Trump cannot undo it. Additionally, if you’re intending to tie the knot in the next year or so, don’t cancel the band and head to city hall just yet. Your plans are likely safe for now. Lambda Legal also recommends that same-sex couples make sure that they have written documentation that details their wishes regarding hospital visitation. Under policy developed by Obama, all hospitals that receive federal funding must respect these documents in a non-discriminatory fashion, and ensuring that living wills and other paperwork is in order will protect your rights in a medical capacity. Additionally, same-sex couples with adopted children should speak with an attorney to ensure that both parents have equal status in terms of their children’s guardianship. In good news, Jackson has a stalwart record supporting LGBTQ+ community members. “Jackson has already been at the forefront of equality efforts,” Houser said. “In 2014, the Town of Jackson became the first community in Wyoming to offer its employees protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity. In 2015, the town passed a non-binding resolution speaking to these same protections.” Chief Todd Smith of the Jackson Police Department echoed Houser’s sentiment. “We really haven’t seen any hate crime-type issues,” he said. “We’re fortunate that we have a healthy and pretty civil community here.” That being said, he encourages anyone who feels unsafe or is the victim of harassment or harm to immediately contact law enforcement. “Public safety is what we do,” he said; regardless of gender, orientation, race, religion or ethnicity, the Jackson Police Department will respond to any concerns of safety.” For non-emergency problems, Houser encouraged reaching out to other local and regional organizations. “Jackson PFLAG can offer support and advocacy for individuals and connect folks with resources to address particular needs,” he said. “The Jackson Hole Community Counseling Center, through their sliding fee scale, can offer mental health support to individuals, and Teton County Access to Justice can provide guidance to community members who believe their civil rights have been violated.”
| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |
14 | DECEMBER 7, 2016
ROBYN VINCENT
“640 million acres of public lands are under threat by these radical measures set forward by Presidentelect Donald Trump. It is important to remember these public lands are our public commons, they belong to all Americans, not just the privileged few that will benefit from the corporate taking of our natural resources, be it oil, timber, or coal. It is our natural heritage that deserves protection for the greater community, both human and wild.” Connie Wilbert is the regional chapter director for the Sierra Club. She expressed similar concern that prioritization of short-term economic benefits of mineral development might outweigh long-term balanced management of public lands. With some Wyoming state officials advocating for state acquisition of federally managed lands, including BLM and Forest Service property, Wilbert said that it’s unclear whether or not the new administration would support such transfers. “There’s no doubt that if the state did manage some of these lands, we would see outright sale of the best parcels to the highest bidder. The remaining land would likely be subject to unchecked surface development,” she said. These changes would not only strip Wyomingites of access to these lands, but could also seriously damage wildlife populations, habitat and other resources. Expanding access for oil and gas mining could have serious impacts on rural communities’ air and drinking water. Williams cited the recent example of Pavillion, Wyo., where the levels of toxic chemicals in the town’s water have rendered it unsafe to drink. “This kind of disregard for regulations and laws from EPA standards to the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts to the Endangered Species Act is a blatant disregard for decades of federal checks and balances that ensure a healthy environment for all species. This becomes even more irresponsible and egregious given the realities and perils associated with climate change in the 21st century.” Wilbert expressed similar concern for the fallout from gutting the current EPA standards. “Safeguards for our clean air and water will be gone,” she said. “If federal management isn’t guided by principles of balance, development will trump all other values.” Wilbert fears that the impacts of such deregulation will have grave consequences on the human communities and Wyoming’s environment alike. Both Williams and Wilbert agree that this can be a unifying issue. One of the best approaches moving forward will be to build new coalitions among groups who want to protect public lands, even if those groups haven’t always seen eye to eye on specific management issues
in the past. “As citizens who love these lands—be it our national parks, monuments, wildlife refuges and the open spaces that surround them—we will have to amass public opinion on behalf of our public lands.” These efforts will likely include everything from writing and calling local and national representatives, creating collaborations among conservationists, hunters and anglers, outdoor recreation enthusiasts and ecologists. Chances are that new policy with the incoming administration will quickly threaten public lands, but with visionary voices like Williams, resistance can make a difference in how much damage this area’s landscape sustains. “Our public lands are breathing spaces in a society where we are increasingly holding our breath,” Williams concluded. “The protection of beauty is not optional, it is literally a strategy for survival.” Wilbert agreed. “People can affect how these things go, but only if everybody is willing to get involved and speak up.”
ENGAGING AND DISENGAGING
From personal and family safety and civil rights to the planet’s fragile health, there is no shortage of worries to keep many awake at night. Licensed professional counselor Daniela Peterson has seen a significant increase in the last month of individuals experiencing acute concern and anxiety. “The most
common responses I’ve seen among both children and adults, and not only in immigrants, is some kind of ‘PostElection Stress Disorder,’” Peterson said. She described this phenomenon as a collective sense of threat and anxiety, characterized often by fear, sleeplessness, anger, hopelessness and a feeling of insecurity. “It’s important to acknowledge that these feelings are coming from a real threat and are not just individuals overreacting,” Peterson said. Difficult as it is, one of the best things anyone can do at this point is to find patience and resist the desire to catastrophize, she advised. “Avoid making impulsive decisions, educate yourself about facts instead of rumors, and avoid over-exposure to media,” Peterson said. Now, this is not to say people should not be having realistic and meaningful conversations and taking steps to keep their family, community and environment safe. “It’s always good to find a healthy, soothing activity that can decrease physical and emotional tension, like meditation, yoga, exercise, spending time with positive people and increasing self-nurturing behaviors in general,” she said. If these kinds of things are not helping, and one is overwhelmed to a point of inability to function on a dayto-day basis, it’s important to seek professional help. Peterson also highlighted the importance of helping children manage their feelings. “What we do as adults will affect the way our children feel and behave, therefore, we need to provide them an emotionally safe environment and answer their questions, but don’t provide excessive details that they don’t need to hear.” She also recommended keeping them from too much media exposure, especially in the hours prior to bedtime. “The most important thing is to tell our children that it’s OK that other people have different points of view. Treating others with respect and tolerance is key.” Getting involved can feel empowering as well. Of course, notifying Wyoming’s state and national representatives your thoughts on any given issue is an excellent place to start. Most make sending an email via their websites easy, and also provide phone contact information. Also, consider supporting local, regional or national organizations working to address the issues that concern you most. From legal resources and healthcare to animal rights and environmental protection, Jackson Hole is home to myriad nonprofits. Finally, it’s OK to switch off the internet, TV and radio for a bit. It’ll be there when you get back. PJH
THE JACKSON HOLE JEWISH COMMUNITY PRESENTS:
THIS WEEK: December 7-13, 2016
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8
n Peggy Prugh Art Show 7:00am, Pearl Street Bagels, Free n Dance & Fitness Classes All Day 8:00am, Dancers’ Workshop, $10.00 - $16.00, 307-733-6398 n Yoga 9:00am, Teton Recreation Center, $8.00, 307-739-9025 n Silver Projects - Daytime: Fabrication and Stone Setting Varieties 9:30am, Art Association of Jackson Hole, $5.00 - $35.00, 307-733-6379 n Toddler Time 10:05am, Teton County Library Youth Auditorium, Free, 307733-2164 n Intuitive Guidance 10:30am, Spirit Books, GIfts, Life., $125.00, 307-733-3382 n Spin 12:10pm, Teton Recreation Center, $8.00, 307-739-9025 n InDesign Fundamentals: Flyer and Poster Layout 2:00pm, Art Association of Jackson Hole, $140.00 $168.00, 307-733-6379 n Center Stage: Theater & Story-crafting (Afterschool) 3:45pm, Teton County Library Youth Auditorium, Free, 307733-2164 n Advent After School 4:00pm, Shepherd of the Mountains Lutheran Church, Free, 307-733-4382
n Opening Reception for Artist Nicole Gaitan’s “The Light That Shines From Within” 5:00pm, Art Association Gallery, Free, 307-733-6379 n Hotel Jackson Chamber Mixer 5:00pm, Hotel Jackson on the Smokin’ Iron Deck, Free, 307201-2309 n REFIT® 5:15pm, First Baptist Church, Free, 307-690-6539 n Zumba 5:30pm, Teton Recreation Center, $8.00, 307-739-9025 n Ski Fitness 5:30pm, Teton County/ Jackson Parks and Recreation, $8.00 $85.00, 307-732-5754 n Wyoming Public Lands Pint Night 5:30pm, J.D. High Country Outfitters, Free, 307-733-3270 n Los Colores: A Spanish Pre-K Art Class 6:00pm, Art Association of Jackson Hole, $5.00, 307-7336379 n What’s In Your Pack Class 6:00pm, Teton County Search and Rescue, $20.00, 307-7328337 n Mix’d Media 6:00pm, National Museum of Wildlife Art, Free, 307-733-5771 n JH Community Band Rehearsal 7:00pm, Center for the Arts Performing Arts Wing, Free, 307-200-9463 n Olde Tyme Christmas 7:00pm, Jackson Room at The Wort Hotel, 307-733-9605 n Auditions for Hamlet 7:30pm, Studio, Free, 307-2039067
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9
n Peggy Prugh Art Show 7:00am, Pearl Street Bagels, Free n Dance & Fitness Classes All Day 8:00am, Dancers’ Workshop, $10.00 - $16.00, 307-733-6398 n Toddler Gym 8:30am, Teton Recreation Center, $4.00, 307-739-9025 n Portrait Drawing Club 9:00am, Art Association of Jackson Hole, $10.00, 307-7336379
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11 ISRAELI CONTEMPORARY ISSUES, (PG-13 & OLDER) 2p.m. - Oriented 4p.m. - Rock in the Red Zone 6p.m. - Oriented 8p.m. - Rock in the Red Zone Refreshments available
ORIENTED 2 p.m. or 6 p.m. A feature documentary exploring the lives of three gay Palestinian friends confronting their national & sexual identity in Tel Aviv, Israel.
GIFT SHOW Saturday, December 10 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Buy gifts for the ones you love from the artists you love… Jenny & Sam Dowd, Laurie Thal, Meggan Stordahl & Carolyn Little Nancy Carson, Sharon Rudd, Diane Awuv, Clairey Grubbs Kristin Simpson, Diane Benefiel & Dee Parker, Teton Raptor Center Sheila Tintera & Shana Stegman, Nicole Gaitan, Peggy Prugh Carey Innis, Billie Metzger. Pottery, jewelry, blown glass, paintings, prints, cards, handcrafted clothing, hats, bags, chocolate gift boxes
307.413.9507 5655 Main Street oldwilsonschool.com
ROCK IN THE RED ZONE 4 p.m. or 8 p.m. Documentary filmmaker Laura Bialis experiences first hand the distressing, yet inspiring and powerful, lives of multi-ethnic musicians struggling to create under repeated rocket attacks in the southern Israeli town of Sderot.
6 1 0 W. BROA D WAY INFO@JHJEWISHCOMMUNITY
3 0 7 -7 3 4 -1 9 9 9
DECEMBER 7, 2016 | 15
SEE CALENDAR PAGE 19
n Light up a Life 6:00pm, Hansen Hall St. John’s Episcopal Church, Free, 307739-7465 n Richard Alston Repertory Workshop 6:30pm, Dancers’ Workshop, $55.00, 307-733-6398 n Fat Bike Community Meeting 6:30pm, Old Wilson School House Community Center, Free, 307-413-1998 n Astronomy Extravaganza 7:00pm, Teton Recreation Center, Free, 307-739-9025 n Trivia Night 7:00pm, Town Square Tavern, Free, 307-733-3886
FREE FILMS @ THE JHJC CENTER
Compiled by Caroline LaRosa
| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |
n Yoga 7:00am, Teton Recreation Center, $8.00, 307-739-9025 n Peggy Prugh Art Show 7:00am, Pearl Street Bagels, Free n Dance & Fitness Classes All Day 8:00am, Dancers’ Workshop, $10.00 - $16.00, 307-733-6398 n Toddler Gym 8:30am, Teton Recreation Center, $4.00, 307-739-9025 n Silver Projects - Daytime: Fabrication and Stone Setting Varieties 9:30am, Art Association of Jackson Hole, $5.00 - $35.00, 307-733-6379 n Fables Feathers & Fur 10:30am, National Museum of Wildlife Art, 307-732-5435 n Total Fitness 12:10pm, Teton Recreation Center, $8.00, 307-739-9025 n Ribbon Cutting and Grand Opening 3:00pm, Healing Waters Therapeutic Float Center, Free, 307-922-4212 n Things That Go Boom: Science & Games (Afterschool) 3:45pm, Teton County Library Youth Auditorium, Free, 307733-2164 n Advent After School 4:00pm, Shepherd of the Mountains Lutheran Church, Free, 307-733-4382 n Barbara Trentham Life Drawing 6:00pm, Art Association of Jackson Hole, $10.00, 307-7336379 n Adult Writer’s Workshop Victor 6:00pm, Valley of the Tetons Library, Free, 208-787-2201 n Survivors of Suicide Loss Support Group 6:00pm, Eagle classroom at St. John’s Medical Center, Free, 307-732-1161 n Open Studio: Figure Model 6:00pm, Art Association of Jackson Hole, $10.00, 307-7336379 n National Elk Refuge to CoHost Chronic Wasting Disease Forum 6:00pm, National Museum of Wildlife Art, Free, 307-201-5409
| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |
16 | DECEMBER 7, 2016
FREE SPEECH Why Protest? What happens when people stay silent on important issues. BY SARAH ROSS
ROBYN VINCENT
S
ince September, I’ve held a weekly protest in the Town Square. I began protesting after the deaths of Philando Castile and Alton Sterling. They are among the many unarmed black men killed by police in recent months and years. I have continued holding protests in solidarity with indigenous water protectors at Standing Rock. I protest partially because of a question my mom once posed. “You’re in a locked room that is filling with poisonous gas,” she said. “There is no way out. You know you’ll die if you stay. There is a sleeping person in the room with you. Do you wake them up?” “Let them sleep,” I replied, “then they won’t suffer.” “No,” she said decisively. “You wake them up. Maybe they have the key to the door in their pocket. Maybe they know a way out.” As Audre Lorde, the black lesbian poet and activist, warned: “Your silence will not protect you.” This ethos may be applied to myriad arenas. When you are sick, you can end up in danger if you don’t say anything. I learned this when I went to the Teton Science School for a week with a high school class. The first day, my throat hurt. By the third day, I was wheezing. On the fifth day, I finally admitted to my teacher I could barely breathe and was rushed to the emergency room. While working as a patient advocate in Colorado Springs, I became more suspicious of silence. I spent many hours in anonymous rooms with anonymous women who arrived at the hospital with injuries from domestic violence and sexualt assault. One woman was being treated for frostbite after walking for hours in the cold to get to help. A young woman fought exhaustion all night because she was scared to sleep—most nights she was assaulted by someone close to her. Another woman who was bruised head to toe wept for her husband, begging to see him. One thing many of the women had in common was a belief that what they’d been through wasn’t that bad. A woman who’d had a gun held to her head said she didn’t want to make a big deal out of nothing.
Young Jacksonites work on signs in the Town Square during a recent protest. They’d been taught to doubt their experiences, to protect their abusers. When they had tried to speak, they were often dismissed or not believed. So they stopped speaking. This didn’t mean they were safe or that nothing was wrong. It often meant that they had been taught not to speak, or they had normalized a certain level of pain and abuse. They’d adjusted to its frequency and had forgotten the possibility of safety. From these experiences, I’ve learned three things about silence and expression. First, language can bridge the gap between private suffering and public help, though the ability to access that help is contingent on someone hearing and believing what has been said. Some people have a greater chance of being listened to—white people, men, the wealthy. It is those people’s responsibility to highlight the voices of those who are not heard or believed. Second, if you speak and are condemned, it is important to use your voice anyway. As Zora Neale Hurston, one of the preeminent African American writers of the 20th century, said, “If you are silent about your pain, they’ll kill you and say you enjoyed it.” Third, silence does not mean that nothing is wrong. It is not neutral. “There’s really no such thing as the ‘voiceless,’” noted Indian author Arundhati Roy. “There are only the deliberately silenced, or the preferably unheard.” These lessons are true for individual bodies in pain or danger, and they are true of social bodies. Liberation relies on our
ability to speak to and believe one another. People without resources, representation, or institutional power have always used their bodies and voices in protest to express their politics, to demand justice and visibility for their pain and the pain of others. I protest because there are ills in this country, state, and town that need treatment. Using speech in this way is a right afforded to me by my citizenship, though we have entered a time in which the most powerful people in the country threaten those who would speak out. During his campaign, President-elect Donald Trump quipped that he wanted to punch protesters in the face. He’s called the protests in the wake of his election “unfair” and suggested that those who burn the American flag should lose their citizenship or go to jail for a year. During times of national unrest, Jackson Hole can be decidedly quiet. What I’ve learned from holding “Black Lives Matter” signs and having conversations about racism and privilege in public is that we should not mistake silence for peacefulness or lack of racism. A culture of silence around issues such as these protects those who hold racist or prejudiced views, and lulls others into believing those views are not held. It also makes it easier to write off those who vocalize their discontent as irrational or irrelevant. While protesting, I’ve been told that I’m a bitch, a waste of space, and that I should get a job. People have said that they don’t care about people of color being killed
by police, that black people are naturally criminals, and that I’m desecrating the memory of people who have died for this country. I’ve been told that Black Lives Matter is a terrorist organization, that I am a terrorist, that I should leave the country. I liken these strong responses to a blister that has been popped—these conversations can be painful and messy. They irreversibly reveal what has been hidden. However, they also allow the opportunity for healing. We don’t know what wounds exist until we expose them. We can’t heal until we speak. In our lives and in our communities, we cannot afford silence. I will keep speaking publicly, inconveniently, messily, because I don’t trust that silence is a healthy alternative. People can say that I’m a waste of time and air, but I won’t be tricked into believing that I am being dramatic, making a big deal out of nothing. I saw what happened to women at the domestic violence shelter who were taught to believe that their voices were an inconvenience, a threat. They stopped talking, stopped believing what they were enduring. These women learned to self-censor in order to survive abusive homes and partnerships that were protected by their silence. We learn to self-censor in systems that would dehumanize us. Especially now, when leaders casually threaten to imprison those who resist, we cannot censor ourselves. If we do, we will be doing their jobs for them. PJH
Food,
s u o i r o gl d! o o f
Book now for discount rates of 20% off!
DECEMBER 7, 2016 | 17
To advertise, contact Jen or Caroline at 307-732-0299 or email sales@planetjh.com.
| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |
Yes,we Planetoids live to eat. Look for our next foodie issue coming December 21st
| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |
18 | DECEMBER 7, 2016
MUSIC BOX
Potent Trio and a SAR soiree The Wood Brothers and Ben Sollee perform, Search and Rescue finds time to party. BY AARON DAVIS @ScreenDoorPorch
“I
think we have a nice balance now in our show now of broken-down, stripped-down acoustic, more intimate subtle music leading up to the more rockin’ stuff,” explained Oliver Wood, vocalist/guitarist for The Wood Brothers. “We’re learning to balance what has characterized our records and live shows. Our drummer Jano is an amazing keyboard player and really sounds like two guys when he’s playing keys and drums at
The Wood Brothers the same time. And, of course, my brother Chris is a bass virtuoso, so we can make quite a big sound when we want to, but it also feels good to strip it down to almost nothing.” Oliver’s comments are right on the pulse of how The Wood Brothers—featuring blood brothers Chris (upright bass/vocals) and Oliver along with adopted musical bro Jano Rix—have evolved since forming around 2005 as a stripped-down duo. In addition to drum kit and keys, Rix also plays a homemade “shuitar”—a cheap acoustic guitar converted into a percussion instrument. Over the course of more than a decade, the trio has gradually grown a fanbase that is drawn to their deceptive spareness. Their collective sound is fluid, raw at times, and nearly always reflecting a roots-inspired smorgasbord of blues, folk and especially of late, rock and roll. The Nashville-based band’s latest studio album, Paradise, was recorded at Black Keys guitarist/ vocalist Dan Auerbach’s studio. It brings a more electric vibe though not without its delicate moments. While they’ve played Targhee Fest a couple of times, the band’s only Jackson appearance was at the Pink Garter
Theatre in 2012. During that show, they acknowledged the high level of crowd chatter from stage, motioning a few times for the crowd to quiet down as they were playing more intimate material. It worked only momentarily, and they adjusted to the room. This time around, the trio will be staged at the Center Theater where they will have physical copies of their third live album which was recorded just a couple of months ago. “As our fan base has grown and we play larger venues and festivals, I think you can’t help but be influenced by the kind of audiences that you have,” Oliver responded when asked about rowdier audiences. “If people get louder we’re going to get louder. Partly, we’re reacting to how larger venues often are and you get that feeling that people want to rock and dance. I do still feel like the trio is the money spot for us. I can see why certain bands add band members as they grow in popularity because the venues get bigger and it feels like you need to fill that space. I’m trying to stay conscious of what feels right to get our songs across.”
FRIDAY Winter Bash/Search and Rescue Benefit with Tram Jam (Q Roadhouse & Brewing); Cory Mon (Trap Bar); Aaron Kamm & the One Drops (Town Square Tavern) SATURDAY Laney Lou & Bird Dogs (Trap Bar); Michelle Moonshine (Silver Dollar); WYOBASS (Town Square Tavern)
Ben Sollee With regards to the opening act—Kentucky-based cello singer-songwriter and activist Ben Sollee—Wood commented, “I’m a huge fan and love what he can do as a solo guy, really impressive, really musical and soulful.” Being from Kentucky and having mutual friends with Sollee, this columnist has kept up with his career from nearly the beginning. Playing cello and singing as a solo Americana act is not common for obvious reasons but then again, Sollee is not a regular dude. He often tours via bicycle, has devoted a tremendous amount of energy to raising awareness about the practice of mountain top removal strip mining in central Appalachia, and his meticulous arrangements are as elusive as Chris Thile or Abigail Washburn (whom he toured with as The Sparrow Quartet). Sollee will be accompanied by phenomenal percussionist Jordan Ellis. The duo released the spontaneous-sounding Infowars earlier this year. The Wood Brothers with Ben Sollee, 7 p.m. Tuesday, December 13 at Center Theater. $51-$61. JHCenterForTheArts.org, 733-4900.
Support the folks who search and rescue There’s no better way to get into the winter mindset than a benefit for Teton County Search and Rescue (TCSAR). On tap for the evening is an array of local goodness. The party will feature Darrell Miller’s snow flick Falling Forward, Teton Gravity Research’s Mind the Addiction, a raffle to benefit TCSAR, the release of Roadhouse Brewing’s Loose Boot IPA (a dollar from each beer sale also benefits TCSAR), and a perfect pairing of snow-inspired music from the Chanman-led Tram Jam band. Backcountry Zero ambassadors will be on hand to impart snow knowledge, too. Let it snow! Winter Bash, 6:30 p.m. Friday, December 9 at Q Roadhouse & Brewing. Music at 9 p.m. 739-0700. PJH
SUNDAY Stagecoach Band (Stagecoach) MONDAY Jackson Hole Hootenanny (Dornan’s)
Aaron Davis is a singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, recording engineer, member of Screen Door Porch and Boondocks, founder/host of Songwriter’s Alley, and co-founder of The WYOmericana Caravan.
TUESDAY The Wood Brothers with Ben Sollee (Center Theater)
n Intuitive Guidance 10:30am, Spirit Books, GIfts, Life., $125.00, 307-733-3382 n Zumba 12:00pm, Teton Recreation Center, $8.00, 307-739-9025 n Total Fitness 12:10pm, Teton Recreation Center, $8.00, 307-739-9025 n Cory Mon 3:00pm, The Trap Bar & Grill, Free, 307-353-2300 n Fun Fridays: Self-directed play (Afterschool) 3:45pm, Teton County Library Youth Auditoirum, Free, 307733-2164
n Friday Tastings 4:00pm, The Liquor Store of Jackson Hole, Free, 307-7334466 n Holiday Happy Hour 4:00pm, MorningStar, Free, 307699-0559 n Advent After School 4:00pm, Shepherd of the Mountains Lutheran Church, Free, 307-733-4382 n Winter POP 5:00pm, Center Street, Free, 307-413-1474 n Opening Reception: Bird by Bird by Shannon Troxler 5:30pm, The Center Theater Gallery, Free, 307-733-4900
n JHW Kidlit/YA Critique Group 6:00pm, Art Association of Jackson Hole, Free, 307-733-6379 n Art Opening Ho-HoHoedown 6:00pm, Cowboy Coffee, Free, 307-733-7392 n Great Until Late Begins 6:00pm, Local Stores, Free, 307733-3316 n Snowed in for Christmas 6:30pm, Jackson Hole Playhouse, 307-733-6994 n Backcountry Zero Winter Bash 6:30pm, Q Roadhouse, Free, info@tetoncountysar.org
n Pam Drews Phillips Plays Jazz 7:00pm, The Granary at Spring Creek Ranch, Free, 307-733-8833 n The Wizard of Oz 7:00pm, The Center Theater, $15.00 - $25.00, 307-733-6398 n Free Public Stargazing 7:30pm, Center for the Arts, Free, 844-996-7827 n Michelle Moonshine 7:30pm, Silver Dollar Showroom, Free, 307-732-3939 n Cold Water 9:00pm, Million Dollar Cowboy Bar, $5.00, 307-733-2207 n Aaron Kamm & the One Drops 10:00pm, Town Square Tavern, Free, 307-733-3886
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10
n Peggy Prugh Art Show 7:00am, Pearl Street Bagels, Free n Dance & Fitness Classes All Day 8:00am, Dancers’ Workshop, $10.00 - $16.00, 307-733-6398 n REFIT® 9:00am, Dancers’ Workshop, $10.00 - $20.00, 307-733-6398 n Create! 9:00am, Art Association of Jackson Hole, $99.00, 307-733-6379 n Level 1 Avalanche: Decision Making In Avalanche Terrain (AIARE 1) 9:00am, CWC-Jackson, $375.00, 307-733-7425
DECEMBER 7, 2016 | 19
n Yoga 9:00am, Teton Recreation Center, $8.00, 307-739-9025 n Open Studio: Portrait Model 9:00am, Art Association of Jackson Hole, $10.00, 307-733-6379 n Level 1 Avalanche: Decision Making In Avalanche Terrain (AIARE 1) 9:00am, CWC-Jackson, $375.00, 307-733-7425 n Silver Projects - Daytime: Fabrication and Stone Setting Varieties 9:30am, Art Association of Jackson Hole, $5.00 - $35.00, 307-733-6379 n Tai Chi for Better Balance 10:30am, Senior Center of Jackson Hole, $3.00, 307-733-7300
| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |
SEE CALENDAR PAGE 21
| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |
20 | DECEMBER 7, 2016
CULTURE KLASH
Between Worlds Words, paintings and videos celebrate the connections between humans and nature this weekend. BY MEG DALY @MegDaly1
Winged warriors From the serene to the windswept to the digitally animated, this weekend ushers in cultural events to spark the mind and heart. First up, on Friday join the Center in celebrating Shannon Troxler’s encaustic painting exhibit, “Bird by Bird,” in the Center Theater Gallery. Inspired by myths and poems, Troxler’s paintings capture the intersection of the natural world and our perception of that world. Troxler explores various cultures’ myths of birds as messengers between the material and spiritual realms. “I explore several myths, including Pandora and the symbol of ‘hope as a feathered thing,’ inspired by the Emily Dickinson poem,” Troxler said. Flight and migration also find form in Troxler’s paintings. For the opening reception, special “guests” from Teton Raptor Center will attend so that viewers can marvel at both birds themselves and Troxler’s interpretations. Troxler says the exhibit gets its title from Anne Lamott’s beloved memoir, Bird by Bird, which delves into the nitty gritty of the daily process of creativity. “So much of the process of any art form is showing up each day, brush stroke by brush stroke, painting by painting, bird by bird,” Troxler said. Opening reception for Shannon Troxler’s “Bird by Bird” 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Friday, December 9, at the Center Theater Gallery. The exhibit runs through January 16.
On Friday work by local artist Shannon Troxler (left), premieres at the Center, while video mapping care of Brazilian duo VJ Suave is set to illuminate the streets.
Writing on the walls
Words of Wyoming
Also on Friday, Jackson Hole Public Art hosts its latest POP (Place Of Possibility). These events introduce unique concepts and artistic energy to the Jackson Hole populace. Essentially, a bevy of artists take over a city block and transform it into an interactive creative cacophony. For this particular POP, JH Public Art has flown in VJ Suave, a pair of video projection artists from Sao Paolo, Brazil. The duo, Ygor Marotta and Ceci Soloaga, use a technique called video mapping, or projection mapping, to project digital images onto walls, the ground, and different surfaces. They are able to manipulate video projection to exactly fit the shape of a surface, like, say, an outdoor sculpture or sign. They can also make the images dance, jump, hide, spin, and move in various ways. In their short film, Homeless, VJ Suave transformed Marotta’s illustrations of a sleeping figure that awakens in the night and is given powers to leap, bound and fly across the city. They projected the image of the flying homeless girl via “suaveciclos,” or bicycles they retrofitted with a battery, computer, projector and speakers in order to move their images throughout a city. VJ Suave will be working with Jackson youth to create animations from their drawings that will be used for the video element of POP. The students will create illustrations around three themes, including endangered species; local flora and fauna; and health, happiness, and play. Soloaga told WIRED magazine, “We believe in endless love, respect, acts of kindness toward everybody, and the lucid universe of dreams.” The POP event will also include street bowling, glowin-the-dark ping pong, fire pits, Cafe Genevieve’s food truck and surprises. VJ Suave’s movies and performances have been shown worldwide at many prestigious venues. For more on VJ Suave’s work, visit vjsuave.com POP is 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, December 9 on Center Street between Deloney and Gill.
Valley Bookstore and Jackson Hole Writers will host a reception for the new collaborative project Blood, Water, Wind and Stone: An Anthology of Wyoming Writers on Saturday. Several scribes will read from their contributions, including Matt Daly, Susan Marsh, Susan Austin, Brian Nystrom, Melissa Snider, Betsy Bernfeld, Beverly Leys, Tory Taylor, Erik Molvar, Patti Sherlock, Stephen Lottridge, Patti Sherlock, Lori Howe and Connie Wieneke. According to the book’s Laramie-based editor, Lori Howe, the prevailing theme is “how human lives, relationships, and livelihoods intersect in ways big and small with the landscape and weather of this wild and beautiful state.” Howe spent this last summer travelling through the state teaching writing and working on special publishing projects, all of which put her in touch with hundreds of writers. When she solicited contributions for the anthology, she received more than 1,000 submissions. “The selection process was very competitive,” she said. “I chose pieces that I felt most vividly illuminated that intersection between our human lives and relationships, and the Wyoming landscape and environment.” Including both stories and poems, the anthology illuminates the very Wyoming ways of living close to the land, contending with its various weather, and the ways people here care for other people and the flora and fauna that surround them. “Because the resources of wind, sun, and water, land, and animals are so close to us, personally, on a daily basis, and because the state is so large and sparsely populated, we depend upon on each other more than we might if we lived in a smaller, more urbanized state with less dramatic extremes of weather,” Howe said. Reading from Blood, Water, Wind and Stone 5 to 7 p.m. Saturday, December 10 at Valley Bookstore. PJH
WELL, THAT HAPPENED
Twinkle Toes A dance aficionado falls into the arms of Dancers’ Workshop. BY ANDREW MUNZ @AndrewMunz
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•••••••••••
HAPPY HOUR
1/2 Off Drinks Daily 5-7pm
•••••••••••
DAVID SWIFT
Monday-Saturday 11am, Sunday 10:30am 832 W. Broadway (inside Plaza Liquors)•733-7901
Bella Wood looks on as the author joyfully leaps through the air. to do this barrel roll thing, and ripped my pants right up the middle in front of a packed audience. When everyone rushed to my aid, convinced that, surely I was crippled with embarrassment, I shrugged them off and smiled. It didn’t bother me in the slightest. “I ripped my pants while dancing!” I proclaimed with glee. I returned to the Dancers’ Workshop stage a few years later in a takeoff of Cinderella, called If the Shoe Fits. I was granted the role of the Duke and was paired off with junior Bella Wood who played my wife, the Duchess. I learned that the role was more dance-heavy this time around and I’d be learning more than just mime-work and set piece spinning. Not only did I learn lifts and pirouettes, but I actually got to participate in a huge leap across the stage, as captured by David Swift’s photograph above. Even though I’ve been on stage more times than I can count, dance gives me a rush like no other play or musical or improv performance can. And perhaps that’s because I was in love with a dancer in some past life, but whatever sparks this passion, I have Dancers’ Workshop to thank for bringing me into their company. This Friday, I’ll be on stage yet again as Uncle Henry in The Wizard of Oz, and for those of you who are able to attend, you just might notice that even though I’m just in two scenes and mostly just run around in circles in a pair of unflattering overalls, I’m having the absolute time of my life. PJH
SEE CALENDAR PAGE 23
DECEMBER 7, 2016 | 21
quickly wiped them up, and refused to admit to any of my friends how much I loved the show. As I grew into my teenage years and eventually became an adult (loose definition), I found myself more and more taken by dance. When my mom learned about my affection for it, she reminded me that, as a kid, I would watch a VHS of a 1977 production of The Nutcracker by the American Ballet Theater, starring famed ballet dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov. Dance wasn’t a new passion after all; I had just finally begun to appreciate it. In 2009, I got my first chance to be part of a full-length dance production. Dancers’ Workshop was putting on their winter student show, Alice in Wonderland, and actor Jeff Bratz I were called upon to fill the roles of the Carpenter and the Walrus. Even though our dance moves consisted mostly of bumbling around stage, picking up little oysters (played by spritely five-yearolds), I was finally surrounded by dancers. Sure, these girls weren’t the marble-carved Adonises that I’d witnessed in professional companies time and time again, but their passion was just as strong. The following winter, I acted alongside Bratz again, and joining up with Emma Pope and Heidi Ramseur, the four of us became the older Pevensie children of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. I also got to double as Father Christmas and wore a massive, 20-pound robe, and a bushy white beard and wig. However, in our final scene, where the children grow into the kings and queens of Narnia, I had
n Intro to Silversmithing 9:30am, Art Association of Jackson Hole, $140.00, 307-733-6379 n Silver Projects - Daytime: Fabrication and Stone Setting Varieties 9:30am, Art Association of Jackson Hole, $5.00 - $35.00, 307-733-6379 n 22nd Annual Christmas Craft Fair 10:00am, Virginian Convention Center, Free, 307-733-2792 n Intuitive Guidance 10:30am, Spirit Books, GIfts, Life., $125.00, 307-733-3382 n Fat Bike Race #1 10:30am, Grand Targhee Resort, $25.00, 307353-2300 n Winter Wonderland of Activities 11:00am, Teton County Library, Free, 307-7332164 n TubaChristmas 12:00pm, National Museum of Wildlife Art, Free, 307-733-0618 n Wurstfest 12:00pm, The Alpenhof, Free, 307-733-3242 n The Wizard of Oz 1:30pm, The Center Theater, $10.00 - $20.00, 307-733-6398 n Winter People’s Market 2:00pm, Teton County Fairground Building, Free, n Laney Lou and the Bird Dogs 3:00pm, The Trap Bar & Grill, Free, 307-3532300 n Great Until Late 6:00pm, Local Stores, Free, 307-733-3316 n Snowed in for Christmas 6:30pm, Jackson Hole Playhouse, 307-7336994 n The Wizard of Oz 7:00pm, The Center Theater, $15.00 - $25.00, 307-733-6398 n Michelle Moonshine 7:30pm, Silver Dollar Showroom, Free, 307732-3939 n Cold Water 9:00pm, Million Dollar Cowboy Bar, $5.00, 307-733-2207 n WYOBASS 10:00pm, Town Square Tavern, Free, 307-7333886
| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |
n fourth or fifth grade, we went on a field trip to the Mainstage Theater, now the Pink Garter. I likely sat next to Christian Heuer and Willi Brooks as we laughed and snickered somewhere in the far back of the theater before the performance began. Like most impromptu school field trips, you were never really sure where you were going and what was in store until you arrived and the teacher made an announcement. This time around we learned that we were about to witness a dance production from a visiting dance company hosted by Dancers’ Workshop. Cue the collective groans from the boy section. Dance? Why not just have something more manly, like that percussion group, Stomp? But as I sat there, first giggling with my friends over the lack of clothing and the bulbous crotches of the male dancers, I began to ease into my seat and actually start watching with curiosity. Not only was this pairing of movement and dance interesting, but also… I kind of liked it. I distinctly remember walking out of the theater into the open-air lobby and feeling tears start to freeze on my face. I
Come check out your favorite NFL/College team on our 10 HD tvs!
| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |
22 | DECEMBER 7, 2016
SUE CEDARHOLM
LOCAL TALES
Griz and Glory As debates over bear management persist, the story of beloved Grizzly 399 is timelier than ever. BY DENNIS GLICK
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f you live in Jackson Hole, her story is already legend to you now as she moves toward her winter den for the 20th year. Still, I need to warn you upfront: In the riveting non-fiction book by noted local photographer Tom Mangelsen and Bozeman writer Todd Wilkinson, grizzly bears and people die tragically at the hands of each other. Not long ago when I first cracked its pages, I found Grizzlies of Pilgrim Creek, An Intimate Portrait of 399, the Most Famous Bear of Greater Yellowstone to be a real-life thriller, and until the final page in this era of the proposed grizzly delisting, we readers don’t know who the next casualty will be. But we hope it won’t be 399, who brings added meaning to the role of ursine motherhood. The irony is that Wilkinson cleverly uses our own fascination with grizzlies—the largest, most fearsome and charismatic predators in the Lower 48—to draw us in and make the issues surrounding grizzly conservation relevant. He succeeds, and once we are there, he takes us on a fascinating adventure about co-existence between humans and bruins in our own wild backyard. Grizzly 399 emerged from her den last May as a 20-yearold mother with a newborn cub at her side. That cub, “Snowie” was dead a month later after being killed in a hit-and-run encounter with a motorist who drove away. It only added to the international interest. If you want to know more about that, you can read the piece that Wilkinson penned for National Geographic online, which also alludes to the troubling fact that people have threatened to kill 399 precisely because she is
A hefty Grizzly 399 this autumn. Could Jackson Hole’s famous mother bear have another cub in 2017? popular and would make a good trophy. Grizzlies of Pilgrim Creek, which won a High Plains Book Award, is a gripping account, but it is made truly breathtaking by the pictures of Jackson Hole wildlife photographer Mangelsen. Over the past decade, Mangelsen has amassed a quarter-million frames of bear 399 and her clan. The 150 selected for the book remind us why he is a heralded nature photographer. Recent events make Grizzlies of Pilgrim Creek a timely read. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service earlier this year announced plans to remove Greater Yellowstone’s grizzlies from federal protection under the Endangered Species Act and hand over management to the states of Wyoming, Montana and Idaho. The story offers a lens for thinking about why Wyoming isn’t ready to handle the responsibility for an animal that currently belongs to all 330 million Americans. By hoping to open a sport hunt of bruins, the state basically wants to use bears as a fundraising tool. As Wilkinson notes, the recovery of grizzlies in Greater Yellowstone rates as one of the most laudatory wildlife conservation achievements in history and a long list of helpers—federal and state agencies, communities, professional conservation advocates, citizens—are owed credit. Huge challenges loom ahead, however, including known and unknown effects brought by climate change, declines in major bear foods, and Greater Yellowstone being inundated by record numbers of people pinching in on grizzly habitat. Should Greater Yellowstone grizzlies be delisted? Wilkinson presents the opinions of people on both sides, and he lets the readers decide for themselves. But if you think delisting is controversial, it’s nothing compared to what could come with trophy hunting. The way Wilkinson weaves his narrative, showing how 399 already roams a land mine of elk hunters and gut piles in Wyoming, including a controversial grandfathered
hunt actually inside the boundary of Grand Teton National Park, will leave you at the edge of your chair. Full disclosure: I have known Wilkinson for a couple of decades and have admired his skilled and unflinching reporting on regional conservation issues. His most recent book on the conservation legacy of Ted Turner garnered a national audience. But his true love is the Greater Yellowstone region—the cradle of the national park idea and innumerable pioneering wildlife conservation efforts. And for a little color to this tale—he and I had our own recent grizzly encounter. Last autumn while grouse hunting in the Gallatin Range, we came upon a grizzly perched on a ridge eating chokecherries and watching us. Around the bear, cattle were calmly grazing away. We didn’t panic, and Todd, fresh off of writing a story about bear spray for National Geographic online, drew his spray in the event the griz moved closer. It didn’t, and all ended well. While we didn’t bag any grouse, we were ecstatic about seeing the Great Bear in our wild backyard. It made that part of the Gallatins feel like the wild place that it is, not just the playground for Bozeman. Grizzlies of Pilgrim Creek is not only a celebration of an extraordinary bear family. It is a timely book about grizzly recovery whose success going forward rests in our hands. If we want an ecosystem with grizzlies, we have to give them space. PJH Grizzlies of Pilgrim Creek is available at Images of Nature Gallery in Jackson; mangelsen.com/grizzly. Dennis Glick is the director of Future West, a Bozemanbased nonprofit that helps communities create the future that they want. He has been involved in conservation and rural development issues in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem for more than 25 years.
FREE FILMS at the JH Jewish Community Center Films at 2, 4, 6 and 8 p.m. Sunday, December 11 610 W. Broadway The Jackson Hole Jewish Community presents two documentaries focusing on diverse, contemporary issues Israelis and Palestinians are currently facing.
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11
MONDAY, DECEMBER 12
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 13
n Peggy Prugh Art Show 7:00am, Pearl Street Bagels, Free
FOR COMPLETE EVENT DETAILS VISIT PJHCALENDAR.COM
@
DECEMBER 7, 2016 | 23
n Yoga 7:00am, Teton Recreation Center, $8.00, 307-739-9025 n Peggy Prugh Art Show 7:00am, Pearl Street Bagels, Free
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| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |
n Peggy Prugh Art Show 7:00am, Pearl Street Bagels, Free n Level 1 Avalanche: Decision Making In Avalanche Terrain (AIARE 1) 9:00am, CWC-Jackson, $375.00, 307-733-7425 n Silver Projects - Daytime: Fabrication and Stone Setting Varieties 9:30am, Art Association of Jackson Hole, $5.00 - $35.00, 307-733-6379 n NFL Sunday Football 11:00am, The Trap Bar & Grill, Free, 307-353-2300 n Free Films at the JHJC 2:00pm, JH Jewish Community Center, Free, 307-734-1999 n The Wizard of Oz 4:00pm, The Center Theater, $15.00 - $25.00, 307-733-6398 n Jingles in Jackson 5:30pm, Silver Dollar Showroom, Free, 307-732-3960 n Stagecoach Band 6:00pm, Stagecoach, Free, 307-733-4407 n Great Until Late 6:00pm, Local Stores, Free, 307-733-3316 n Snowed in for Christmas 6:30pm, Jackson Hole Playhouse, 307-733-6994
n Dance & Fitness Classes All Day 8:00am, Dancers’ Workshop, $10.00 - $16.00, 307-733-6398 n Toddler Gym 8:30am, Teton Recreation Center, $4.00, 307-739-9025 n Silver Projects - Daytime: Fabrication and Stone Setting Varieties 9:30am, Art Association of Jackson Hole, $5.00 - $35.00, 307-733-6379 n Total Fitness 12:10pm, Teton Recreation Center, $8.00, 307-739-9025 n After School Kidzart Club: Grade K-2 3:30pm, Art Association of Jackson Hole, $150.00, 307733-6379 n Movie Mondays: Films & Gaming (Afterschool) 3:45pm, Teton County Library Youth Auditorium, Free, 307733-2164 n Advent After School 4:00pm, Shepherd of the Mountains Lutheran Church, Free, 307-733-4382 n Photography Fundamentals 5:00pm, Art Association of Jackson Hole, $130.00, 307733-6379 n Hootenanny 6:00pm, Dornan’s, Free, 307733-2415 n Great Until Late 6:00pm, Local Stores, Free, 307-733-3316 n Snowed in for Christmas 6:30pm, Jackson Hole Playhouse, 307-733-6994
n Dance & Fitness Classes All Day 8:00am, Dancers’ Workshop, $10.00 - $16.00, 307-733-6398 n REFIT® 8:30am, Dancers’ Workshop, $10.00 - $20.00, 307-733-6398 n Yoga 8:30am, Teton Recreation Center, $8.00, 307-739-9025 n Silver Projects - Daytime: Fabrication and Stone Setting Varieties 9:30am, Art Association of Jackson Hole, $5.00 - $35.00, 307-733-6379 n Toddler Time 10:05am, Teton County Library Youth Auditorium, Free, 307733-2164 n Tai Chi for Better Balance 10:30am, Senior Center of Jackson Hole, $3.00, 307-7337300 n Spin 12:10pm, Teton Recreation Center, $8.00, 307-739-9025 n Make It & Take It: Themed Crafts (Afterschool) 3:45pm, Teton County Library Youth Auditorium, Free, 307733-2164 n Advent After School 4:00pm, Shepherd of the Mountains Lutheran Church, Free, 307-733-4382 n Zumba 4:30pm, Teton Recreation Center, $8.00, 307-739-9025 n REFIT® 5:15pm, First Baptist Church, Free, 307-690-6539 n Total Fitness 5:30pm, Teton Recreation Center, $8.00, 307-739-9025 n Green Drinks JH: Celebrate Local Vendors 5:30pm, Jackson Hole Grocer, Free, 307-201-2303 n Tuesday Trivia Night 6:00pm, Q Roadhouse, Free, 307-739-0700 n Cribbage 6:00pm, Valley of the Tetons Library, Free, 208-354-5522 n Great Until Late 6:00pm, Local Stores, Free, 307-733-3316 n Snowed in for Christmas 6:30pm, Jackson Hole Playhouse, 307-733-6994 n Holden Evening Prayer 6:30pm, Shepherd of the Mountains Lutheran Church, Free, 307-733-4382 n The Center Presents: The Wood Brothers & Ben Sollee 7:00pm, The Center Theater, $49.00 - $59.00, 307-733-4900
| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |
24 | DECEMBER 7, 2016
The Chicken and the Egg The Wild Sage is busy exploring its own backyard. BY TRACI MCCLINTIC
T
he Wild Sage, a 32-seat boutique style restaurant with a vast wine collection and a galley-sized kitchen, sits inside The Rusty Parrot Lodge and Spa. Though locals may tend to bypass the unassuming family owned gem on North Jackson Street, it’s been around for years, an outlier in a sense, catering to long distance travelers, not creating a buzz so much as a steady hum. Even while flying under the radar, the restaurant has let a few sound waves escape, however. And the word on the street is: “We’re going local.” Based on principles of food ethics and creating sustainable personal connections with local agricultural communities, The Wild Sage’s blueprint includes procuring a significant amount of its meats, cheeses, and produce from within a 300-mile radius of Jackson Hole. At the helm of this culinary evolution is 34-year-old executive chef Travis Catanzaro, whose passionate approach to food philosophy is borderline dogmatic. “To me, food is a story,” he said. “It can be a good story or a bad story. What I want is to tell an honest story and provide more than what our customers are even asking for ... a food philosophy based on ethics toward the vendor, the product, the client.” So what comes first? Well, the chicken of course. This summer, in very Portlandia fashion, Catanzaro loaded up his crew and took a little field trip down to the Wyoming Chicken Ranch in Afton. There, they met with ranch owner Paul Smith, and took a tour of an operation that equated to
BRIAN EVANS
BRIAN EVANS
TRACI MCCLINTIC
FEAST
Executive chef Travis Catanzaro is obsessed with local ingredients and cultivating relationships with area food purveyors. “chicken heaven.” The 12-acre property is home to horses, Berkshire hogs, hundreds of foot loose and fancy free chickens, and a number of guard dogs employed primarily to help protect roaming birds from predators. Aside from touring the farm, Catanzaro was there to collect on a little experiment he and Smith had cooked up. Unsatisfied with the flavor of commercial meat birds, he commissioned Smith to grow a sample flock of Delaware Chickens. According to The Livestock Conservancy, this 1940s heritage breed chicken was first christened “Indian Rivers” and originated when George Ellis of Delaware began crossing Barred Plymouth Rock roosters with New Hampshire hens. The resulting chickens were dual purpose, good layers and eaters, resilient to the cold and the premier broiler of the 1940s before being edged out by the faster growing, less tasty, Cornish Rock Cross. While at the ranch, a simple demonstration of the circle of life ensued and the bagged birds were brought home to Jackson, where the culinary experiments began. The long awaited heritage breed was tried and found to be true, so Catanzaro made the call to Smith and commissioned enough birds, and Berkshire pigs, to accommodate the 2017 season. Now he is attempting the same with other area farmers, sourcing beef from Cakebread Ranch in Thayne, goat cheese from Winter Winds Goat Farm in Victor, and vegetables from both Haterlie farms and Vertical Harvest. When asked to describe some of the different avenues he considers for creating a new dish, he took a moment, leaned back and rattled off the multitude of tricks and experiments and styles they tried, literally in an effort to utilize almost every component of the bird, along with the science behind their work. His techniques were slightly mind boggling and taste bud tantalizing. In one scenario, they mixed a simple brine (mild salt, bay leaves, and crushed garlic) and cured the birds for 24 hours, poached them in an immersion circulator at 128 degrees and finished by grilling on the line. In another,
the meat was flattened and rolled into roulades, layered with smoked garlic shavings, and steeped in a fresh herb brine to create a marbled effect. In the end, their efforts seem to have led to what they think will be a fun summer option. Beer Can Style Chicken with a Barley Pretzel Crust, finished with a sauce of brown butter, toasted malt barley brought to smoking point, pureed black garlic and mustard. But hey, maybe they will come up with another option between now and next summer. “Whatever we do,” he said, “it has to be organized. It has to make sense. I start classical and employ attractive plating. The food needs to be approachable to allow for a connection ... we use science to create good flavor, not just reaction.” Catanzaro, who has been leading the team at the Wild Sage for about 19 months, is fueled by passion for his career and a competitive nature. To say he has a lot on his plate would be an understatement. He and his wife Amanda, one of the lead pastry chefs at the Four Seasons, are juggling challenging, time consuming careers with their 20-month-old daughter and a new baby on the way. Some chefs might take this time to step back and coast with so many irons in the fire, but Catanzaro, it seems, is just getting started. PJH
Q&A Lightning Round
Top Tools: tweezers, cake tester, thermometer (for meat), Japanese chef’s knife, peeler Best New Seasoning: Wild Sage Kitchen’s latest creation: The Morgan (a blend of fennel pollen, bee pollen, fresh bay leaves, lemon zest, salt, & juniper berries) Recommended Reading: On Food & Cooking by Harold McGee, Larousse Gastronomique, and for the uber passionate culinarian, The Escoffier Cookbook Always Remember: “Be prepared and pay attention with all of your senses! Have Fun!” Preferred Grapes: Red Mountain Syrah or Whistle Stop Red Cab/Merlot Blend OR if you are feeling spendy, Charles Smith Royal City Syrah *Christmas Wish List: Nenox Chef’s Knife*
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Local is a modern American steakhouse and bar located on Jackson’s historic town square. Serving locally raised beef and, regional game, fresh seafood and seasonally inspired food, Local offers the perfect setting for lunch, drinks or dinner.
Lunch 11:30am Monday-Saturday Dinner 5:30pm Nightly
Trio is located just off the town square in downtown Jackson, and is owned & operated by local chefs with a passion for good food. Our menu features contemporary American dishes inspired by classic bistro cuisine. Daily specials feature wild game, fish and meats. Enjoy a glass of wine at the bar in front of the wood-burning oven and watch the chefs perform in the open kitchen.
Dinner Nightly at 5:30pm
HAPPY HOUR Daily 4-6:00pm
45 S. Glenwood
307.201.1717 | LOCALJH.COM ON THE TOWN SQUARE
Available for private events & catering
DECEMBER 7, 2016 | 25
EMAIL WRITING SAMPLES TO EDITOR@PLANETJH.COM.
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Are you a discerning drinker who knows her scotch from her whiskey? When you’re talking bouquets, are flowers the last thing on your mind? Then we want YOU. The Planet is looking for a drink columnist who likes to imbibe and write about it with authority.
For reservations please call 734-8038
FAMILY FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT PIZZAS, PASTAS & MORE HOUSEMADE BREAD & DESSERTS FRESH, LOCALLY SOURCED OFFERINGS TAKE OUT AVAILABLE Dining room and bar open nightly at 5:00pm (307) 733-2460 • 2560 Moose Wilson Road • Wilson, WY
A Jackson Hole favorite since 1965
Two- fer Tuesday is back !
THE LOCALS
FAVORITE PIZZA
Two-for-one 12” pies all day. Dine-in or Carry-out.
2012, 2013 & 2014
(LIMIT 6 PIES PER CARRYOUT ORDER, PLEASE.)
•••••••••
$7
$4 Well Drink Specials
LUNCH
SPECIAL Slice, salad & soda
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••
11am - 9:30pm daily 20 W. Broadway 307.201.1472
PizzeriaCaldera.com
TV Sports Packages and 7 Screens
Under the Pink Garter Theatre (307) 734-PINK • www.pinkygs.com
ASIAN & CHINESE TETON THAI
Serving the world’s most exciting cuisine. Teton Thai offers a splendid array of flavors: sweet, hot, sour, salt and bitter. All balanced and blended perfectly, satisfying the most discriminating palate. Open daily. 7432 Granite Loop Road in Teton Village, (307) 733-0022 and in Driggs, (208) 787-8424, tetonthai.com.
THAI ME UP
Home of Melvin Brewing Co. Freshly remodeled offering modern Thai cuisine in a relaxed setting. New tap system with 20 craft beers. New $8 wine list and extensive bottled beer menu. Open daily for dinner at 5pm. Downtown at 75 East Pearl Street. View our tap list at thaijh.com/brews. 307-733-0005.
CONTINENTAL ALPENHOF
Serving authentic Swiss cuisine, the Alpenhof features European style breakfast entrées and alpine lunch fare. Dine in the Bistro for a casual meal or join us in the Alpenrose dining room for a relaxed dinner experience. Breakfast 7:30am-10am. Coffee & pastry 10am-11:30am. Lunch 11:30am-3pm. Aprés 3pm-5:30pm. Dinner 6pm-9pm. For reservations at the Bistro or Alpenrose, call 307-733-3242.
THE BLUE LION
A Jackson Hole favorite for 38 years. Join us in the charming atmosphere of a historic home. Ask a local about our rack of lamb. Serving fresh fish, elk, poultry, steaks, and vegetarian entrées. Live acoustic guitar music most nights. Early Bird Special: 20% off entire bill between 5:306:0pm, Open nightly at 5:30 p.m. Reservations recommended, walk-ins welcome. 160 N. Millward, (307) 733-3912, bluelionrestaurant.com.
CAFE GENEVIEVE
Serving inspired home cooked classics in a historic log cabin. Enjoy brunch daily at 8 a.m., Dinner Tues-Sat 5 p.m. and Happy Hour TuesSat 3-5:30 p.m. featuring $5 glasses of wine, $5 specialty drinks, $3 bottled beer. 135 E. Broadway, (307) 732-1910, genevievejh.com.
| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |
26 | DECEMBER 7, 2016
Featuring dining destinations from buffets and rooms with a view to mom and pop joints, chic cuisine and some of our dining critic’s faves!
ELEANOR’S
Enjoy all the perks of fine dining, minus the dress code at Eleanor’s, serving rich, saucy dishes in a warm and friendly setting. Its bar alone is an attraction, thanks to reasonably priced drinks and a loyal crowd. Come get a belly-full of our two-time gold medal wings. Open at 11 a.m. daily. 832 W. Broadway, (307) 733-7901.
Mangy Moose Restaurant, with locally sourced, seasonally FRESH FOOD at reasonable prices, is a always a FUN PLACE to go with family or friends for a unique dining experience. The personable staff will make you feel RIGHT AT HOME and the funky western decor will keep you entertained throughout your entire visit. Reservations at (307) 733-4913 3295 Village Drive • Teton Village, WY
www.mangymoose.com
FULL STEAM SUBS
LOCAL & DOMESTIC STEAKS SUSTAINABLE SEAFOOD OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK @ 5:30 TILL 10 JHCOWBOYSTEAKHOUSE.COM 307-733-4790
The deli that’ll rock your belly. Jackson’s newest sub shop serves steamed subs, reubens, gyros, delicious all beef hot dogs, soups and salads. We offer Chicago style hot dogs done just the way they do in the windy city. Open daily11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Located just a short block north of the Town Square at 180 N. Center Street, (307) 733-3448.
LOCAL
Local, a modern American steakhouse and bar, is located on Jackson’s historic town square. Our menu features both classic and specialty cuts of locally-ranched meats and wild game alongside fresh seafood, shellfish, house-ground burgers, and seasonally-inspired food. We offer an extensive wine list and an abundance of locallysourced products. Offering a casual and vibrant bar atmosphere with 12 beers on tap as well as a relaxed dining room, Local is the perfect spot to grab a burger for lunch or to have drinks and dinner with friends. Lunch Mon-Sat 11:30am. Dinner Nightly 5:30pm. 55 North Cache, (307) 201-1717, localjh.com.
LOTUS CAFE
Serving organic, freshly-made world cuisine while catering to all eating styles. Endless organic and natural meat, vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free choices. Offering super smoothies, fresh extracted juices, espresso and tea. Full bar and house-infused botanical spirits. Open daily 8am for breakfast lunch and dinner. 145 N. Glenwood St., (307) 734-0882, tetonlotuscafe. com.
MANGY MOOSE
Mangy Moose Restaurant, with locally sourced, seasonally fresh food at reasonable prices, is a always a fun place to go with family or friends for a unique dining experience. The personable staff will make you feel right at home and the funky western decor will keep you entertained throughout your entire visit. Teton Village, (307) 733-4913, mangymoose.com.
MILLION DOLLAR COWBOY STEAKHOUSE
Jackson’s first Speakeasy Steakhouse. The Million Dollar Cowboy Steakhouse is a hidden gem located below the world famous Million Dollar Cowboy Bar. Our menu offers guests the best in American steakhouse cuisine. Top quality chops and steaks sourced from local farms, imported Japanese Wagyu beef, and house-cured meats and sausages. Accentuated with a variety of thoughtful side dishes, innovative appetizers, creative vegetarian items, and decadent desserts, a meal at this landmark location is sure to be a memorable one. Reservations are highly recommended.
SNAKE RIVER BREWERY & RESTAURANT
America’s most award-winning microbrewery is serving lunch and dinner. Take in the atmosphere while enjoying wood-fired pizzas, pastas, burgers, sandwiches, soups, salads and desserts. $9 lunch menu. Happy hour 4 to 6 p.m., including tasty hot wings. The freshest beer in the valley, right from the source! Free WiFi. Open 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. 265 S. Millward. (307) 739-2337, snakeriverbrewing.com.
TRIO
Owned and operated by Chefs with a passion for good food, Trio is located right off the Town square in downtown Jackson. Featuring a variety of cuisines in a relaxed atmosphere, Trio is famous for its wood-oven pizzas, specialty cocktails and
Wurstfest DEC 10TH
waffle fries with bleu cheese fondue. Dinner nightly at 5:30 p.m. Reservations. (307) 7348038 or bistrotrio.com.
ITALIAN CALICO
JOIN US AT THE ‘HOF, THE ALPENHOF LODGE
BREAKFAST, LUNCH & DINNER 7:30-9PM 307.733.3242 TETON VILLAGE
A Jackson Hole favorite since 1965, the Calico continues to be one of the most popular restaurants in the Valley. The Calico offers the right combination of really good food, (much of which is grown in our own gardens in the summer), friendly staff; a reasonably priced menu and a large selection of wine. Our bar scene is eclectic with a welcoming vibe. Open nightly at 5 p.m. 2560 Moose Wilson Rd., (307) 733-2460.
MEXICAN EL ABUELITO
Serving authentic Mexican cuisine and appetizers in a unique Mexican atmosphere. Home of the original Jumbo Margarita. Featuring a full bar with a large selection of authentic Mexican beers. Lunch served weekdays 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nightly dinner specials. Open seven days, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. 385 W. Broadway, (307) 733-1207.
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PIZZA Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner ••••••••• Open daily at 8am serving breakfast, lunch & dinner.
BYOB
145 N. Glenwood • (307) 734-0882 WWW.TETONLOTUSCAFE.COM
EARLY BIRD SPECIAL
20%OFF ENTIRE BILL
Good between 5:30-6pm • Open nightly at 5:30pm Please mention ad for discount.
160 N. Millward
Make your reservation online at bluelionrestaurant.com
®
Medium Pizza (1 topping) Stuffed Cheesy Bread
$ 13 99
for an extra $5.99/each
(307) 733-0330 520 S. Hwy. 89 • Jackson, WY
PINKY G’S
The locals favorite! Voted Best Pizza in Jackson Hole 2012, 2013 and 2014. Seek out this hidden gem under the Pink Garter Theatre for NY pizza by the slice, salads, stromboli’s, calzones and many appetizers to choose from. Try the $7 ‘Triple S’ lunch special.Happy hours 10 p.m. - 12 a.m. Sun.- Thu. Text PINK to 71441 for discounts. Delivery and take-out. Open daily 11a.m. to 2 a.m. 50 W. Broadway, (307) 734-PINK.
PIZZERIA CALDERA
Jackson Hole’s only dedicated stone-hearth oven pizzeria, serving Napolitana-style pies
using the freshest ingredients in traditional and creative combinations. Five local microbrews on tap, a great selection of red and white wines by the glass and bottle, and one of the best views of the Town Square from our upstairs deck. Daily lunch special includes slice, salad or soup, any two for $8. Happy hour: half off drinks by the glass from 4 - 6 daily. Dine in or carry out. Or order online at PizzeriaCaldera.com, or download our app for iOS or Android. Open from 11am - 9:30pm daily at 20 West Broadway. 307-201-1472.
SWEETS MEETEETSE CHOCOLATIER
Meeteetse Chocolatier brings their unique blend of European style chocolates paired with “Wyomingesque” flavors. Prickly Pear Cactus Fruit, Sage, Huckleberry and Sarsaparilla lead off a decadent collection of truffles, Belgian chocolates and hand made caramel. Sample Single Origin and Organic chocolates at our Tasting Station. Open Weekends, 265 W. Broadway. 307-413-8296. meeteetsechocolatier.com
DECEMBER 7, 2016 | 27
Large Specialty Pizza ADD: Wings (8 pc)
Hot and delicious delivered to your door. Hand-tossed, deep dish, crunchy thin, Brooklyn style and artisan pizzas; bread bowl pastas, and oven baked sandwiches; chicken wings, cheesy breads and desserts. Delivery. 520 S. Hwy. 89 in Kmart Plaza, (307) 733-0330.
| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |
733-3912
DOMINO’S PIZZA
| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |
28 | DECEMBER 7, 2016
Three Strikes and We’re Out What the prophesies of an Apache elder can teach us about how to proceed next.
1.
2.
3.
I
n the 1920s an Apache wise man named Stalking Wolf, a Native elder, had already earned respect for his many prophetic visions, which had come to pass. Before he died he had a detailed vision of a global cataclysm. If humanity did not make an about face and practice respect for all creation, this vision, he warned, would become reality. What he saw as a probable future deserves our attention for compelling reasons: 1.Two of the three parts of his prophecy have already occurred. 2. Right now, Native Americans and supporters from all races representing all ages, are at Standing Rock Reservation in North Dakota, doing their best to turn around what could be one more unconscionable action against the only Earth we have.
Many possible futures Stalking Wolf taught that there are many possible futures. He explained that “one thought influences another, and then another, until that thought is made manifest in all Creation.” (How our thoughts, beliefs and actions influence what comes to pass has been scientifically proven.) Therefore, if mankind would turn around and choose the path of heart, then the Spirit, which moves through all things, would carry that into global manifestation. He said that even when one person makes the right heart choices, they activate a more positive probable future for us all.
The first sign would be a horrific famine where untold numbers of people would perish. He saw this occurring in a part of the world he did not know— where people with brown faces lived in villages and people of all ages were starving to death. He saw that “even children were so frail that they looked old.” (This was likely the great famine in Sudan in 1998.) The second sign would overlap the first. He saw a disease would plague mankind “that will sweep the lands. The ‘white coats’ will have no answer for the people. The disease will be born of monkeys, drugs and sex.” (This is the HIV/AIDS pandemic.) The third and last part of his vision has not happened… yet. He referred to this as “the night of the bleeding sky.” In his vision the sky turned blood red. “The silence and stillness and the unnatural color was not like any sunrise or sunset. It had a vile odor and seemed to burn the earth wherever it touched it. At night the stars shone red and everywhere cries of fear and pain were heard. This will happen all over the earth and when the sky bleeds, there will be no safety for man.”
One important note Thankfully we have not (yet) come to the night of the bleeding stars. The time is now to return to simple truths no matter what: pay it forward, take right action, forgive old hurts, practice compassion, let go of negative judgments and prejudices. This is not only a Native American teaching, it is also found in all the great traditions and religions of the world. And science has verified that the heart tells the brain what biochemistry to release into our bodies. The above emotions produce the internal chemistry of well being for the body, mind and soul, which automatically support kindness and collaboration. Never underestimate the power of the path of the heart. This is every person’s innate power. PJH
The three-part vision Here are brief excerpts from Stalking Wolf’s vision. Read them while knowing we can still turn this around.
Carol Mann is a longtime Jackson resident, radio personality, former Grand Targhee Resort owner, author, and clairvoyant. Got a Cosmic Question? Email carol@yourcosmiccafe.com
WELLNESS COMMUNITY Professional and Individualized Treatments • Sports/Ortho Rehab • Neck and Back Rehab • Rehabilitative Pilates • Incontinence Training • Pelvic Pain Rehab • Lymphedema Treatments Norene Christensen PT, DSc, OCS, CLT Rebekah Donley PT, DPT, CPI Mark Schultheis PT, CSCS Kim Armington PTA, CPI No physician referral required. (307) 733-5577•1090 S Hwy 89
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These businesses provide health or wellness services for the Jackson Hole community and its visitors.
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Transcendental Meditation Center of Jackson Hole Introduction - Instruction Refreshers - Advanced Programs
307-690-4511
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DECEMBER 7, 2016 | 29
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L.A.TIMES “LEND ME YOUR EARS” By Jeffrey Wechsler
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2016
ACROSS 1 6 14 18 20 21 22
“That’s a __” Brie-ripening agent SASEs, e.g. Skulking milieu, with “the” Considering identical Aviation prefix Candy served on a corporate blimp? 24 “Better Call ___” 25 Fine netting 26 Discipline that often emphasizes breathing 27 LAX report 28 “Rigoletto” composer 29 Uses a rudder 31 “Say it soft and it’s almost like praying” song 34 “Success!” 36 Often censored musical groups? 40 Former NBA exec Jackson 41 Network with its HQ in Ottawa 44 Very long time 45 City on the Ohio and Erie Canal 46 Put into words 48 Harvest units 50 Airline with blue-striped jets 52 Get bluffed out, say 53 Biblical landing site 54 __ agent 58 Disengaged 61 Element #5 62 Quotable late athlete 63 “In spades!” 66 Label for the Swedish duo Roxette 67 Rather uninspired cocktail? 71 Suffix with concert 72 Prom limo, e.g. 74 Alberto VO5 competitor 75 Barcelona bar fare
77 78 80
Fancy dos Rusty nail liquor Ancient warship with two decks of oars 81 Connect with the space station 83 Eucalyptus, for one 85 Bucket list list 86 Ready to mate 89 2005 “Survivor” island 92 Nemo’s realm 93 High-speed letters 94 Stroke from Venus? 95 What happens at the southern terminus of Interstate 65? 99 Relevant 101 Iraqi port 102 Fluid transfer tool 107 Jones with nine Grammys 108 Ring legend 111 Italian man 113 Sycophant 114 “Amores” author 115 Pair of lustrous Kleenex? 119 Oracle 120 Thwart bigtime 121 Take umbrage 122 Celtic language 123 Landscape ruiners 124 Prepare for a dubbing
DOWN
1 Make oneself heard 2 Oahu outsider 3 Confuse 4 Press secretary under LBJ 5 Pastoral parent 6 Nonchooser? 7 Some tanks 8 Magna __ laude 9 Little bit 10 French 101 infinitive 11 Card relative? 12 Hurting 13 Power players in state law:
Abbr. Brought slowly (into) First asp most likely to bite when the group is disturbed? 16 Bite-size veggies 17 What loners seek 18 Snorkel and his peers: Abbr. 19 “As I’m thinking about it ... ” 23 Like 114-Across 28 Sprawling 30 “I like that!” 32 It’s held in a pen 33 Share an opinion 35 OR personnel 37 Dawn goddess 38 Head for the hills 39 Tokyo-based airline 41 Auto design element 42 How sundaes are often served? 43 LBJ biographer Robert __ 47 Natural emollient 48 Napoleonic Wars weapon 49 Property destroyer 51 Ophthalmolo-gist’s procedure 54 Cook, as scallops 55 Make the wrong move 56 Overreact to spilt milk 57 Film series Vietnam veteran 59 Vietnam Veterans Memorial designer 60 Canal problem? 62 Creature 63 Bite result, often 64 Cookware coating 65 Gift from a lover 68 45 rpm record pioneer 69 Busts and such 70 __ room 73 Receipts 76 Parched 14 15
78 79 80 81 82 84 85 87 88 90 91 92 96 97 98 100 103 104 105 106 109 110 112 115 116 117 118
Salmon predator “E! News” subject Salmon predators Evaluate symptoms Superficial look Venerable N.Y. tech school Busting org. Eastern nursemaid Cargo measure Gp. following gas prices Rapid increase Of ill repute Leave town for a bit “1984” working class Audits a course, say Familia member Western sheriff’s aid __ cuisine 1961 Newbery Medal winner Scott __ Where KO means Coca-Cola Brain segment 106-Down debuts Gambling option in many sts. “The Waste Land” monogram DDE’s command River within Switzerland Drive up the wall
FREE WILL ASTROLOGY RABBIT ROW REPAIR BY ROB BREZSNY
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) “The awesome splendor of the universe is much easier to deal with if you think of it as a series of small chunks,” wrote novelist Terry Pratchett. That’s true enough, but I’ll add a caveat: Now and then the trickle of small chunks of awesome splendor gives way to a surge of really big chunks. According to my astrological analysis, that’s either already happening for you, or else is about to happen. Can you handle it? I’m sure you’ve noticed that some people are unskilled at welcoming such glory; they prefer to keep their lives tidy and tiny. They may even get stressed out by their good fortune. I trust you’re not one of these fainthearted souls. I hope you will summon the grace you’ll need to make spirited use of the onslaught of magnificence. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) In his book The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows, John Koenig coins words to describe previously unnamed feelings. I suspect you may have experienced a few of them recently. One is “monachopsis,” defined as “the subtle but persistent feeling of being out of place.” Then there’s “altschmerz,” meaning “weariness with the same old issues you’ve always had.” Another obscure sorrow you might recognize is “nodus tollens,” or “the realization that the plot of your life doesn’t make sense anymore.” Now I’ll tell you two of Koenig’s more uplifting terms, which I bet you’ll feel as you claw your way free of the morass. First, there’s “liberosis”: caring less about unimportant things; relaxing your grip so you can hold your life loosely and playfully. Second, there’s “flashover,” that moment when conversations become “real and alive, which occurs when a spark of trust shorts out the delicate circuits you keep insulated under layers of irony.” AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) In 1983, two Australian blokes launched a quest to tip a drink at every pub in Melbourne. Thirty-two years later, Mick Stevens and Stuart MacArthur finally accomplished their goal when they sipped beers at The Clyde. It was the 476th establishment on their list. The coming weeks will be a highly favorable time to plan an epic adventure of your own, Aquarius. I hope and pray, though, that you will make it more sacred and meaningful than Stevens’ and MacArthur’s trivial mission.
ARIES (March 21-April 19) Normally I cheer you on when you devote single-minded attention to pressing concerns, even if you become a bit obsessive. But right now, in accordance with astrological omens, I invite you to run wild and free as you sample lavish variety. It’s prime time to survey a spectrum of spicy, shiny, and feisty possibilities … to entertain a host of ticklish riddles rather than to insist on prosaic answers. You have been authorized by the cosmos to fabricate your own temporary religion of playing around and messing around and fooling around.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20) In Goethe’s play Faust, the hero bemoans his lack of inner unity. Two different souls live within him, he says, and they don’t cooperate. Even worse, they each try to rule him without consulting the other. I’m guessing you’ve experienced a more manageable version of that split during the course of your life. Lately, though, it may have grown more intense and divisive. If that’s true, I think it’s a good sign. It portends the possibility that healing is in the works … that energy is building for a novel synthesis. To help make it happen, identify and celebrate what your two sides have in common. CANCER (June 21-July 22) The poet Dick Allen described Zen Buddhism as being “so filled with paradoxes that it jumps through hoops that aren’t even there.” I’m tempted to apply this description to the way you’ve been living your life recently. While I can see how it may have entertained you to engage in such glamorous intrigue, I’m hoping you will stop. There is no longer anything to be gained by the complicated hocus-pocus. But it’s fine for you to jump through actual hoops if doing so yields concrete benefits. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) For decades, numerous self-help authors have claimed that humans use ten percent or less of their brain’s potential. But the truth is that our gray matter is far more active than that. The scientific evidence is now abundant. (See a summary here: tinyurl.com/mindmyths.) I hope this helps spur you to destroy any limited assumptions you might have about your own brainpower, Leo. According to my astrological analysis, you could and should become significantly smarter in the next nine months—and wiser, too! VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Born under the sign of Virgo, Mary Oliver is America’s best-selling poet. She wasn’t an overnight sensation, but she did win a Pulitzer Prize when she was 49. “What I loved in the beginning, I think, was mostly myself,” she confesses in one poem. “Never mind that I had to, since somebody had to. That was many years ago.” I bet that even at her current age of 81, Oliver is still refining and deepening her self-love. Neither she nor you will ever be finished with this grand and grueling project. Luckily for you both, now is a time when Virgos can and should make plucky progress in the ongoing work. (P.S.: And this is an essential practice if you want to keep refining and deepening your love for others.) LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) Most high-quality suits worn by men are made from the wool of merino sheep raised in Australia. So says Nicholas Antongiavanni in his book The Suit: A Machiavellian Approach to Men’s Style. There are now more than 100 million members of this breed, but they are all descendants of just two rams and four ewes from 18th-century Spain. How did that happen? It’s a long story. (Read about it here: tinyurl.com/merinosheep.) For the oracular purposes of this horoscope, I’ll simply say that in the next nine months you’ll also have the potential to germinate a few choice seeds that could ultimately yield enormous, enduring results. Choose well! SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)
Five of my Scorpio acquaintances and 17 of my Scorpio readers have let me know that they’re actively seeking to make new alliances and strengthen their existing alliances. Does this mean that Scorpios everywhere are engaged in similar quests? I hope so. I would love to see you expand your network of like-minded souls. I would love for you to be ardent about recruiting more help and support. Happily, the current astrological omens favor such efforts. Hot tip: For best results, be receptive, inviting, and forthright.
Go to RealAstrology.com for Rob Brezsny’s expanded weekly audio horoscopes and daily text-message horoscopes. Audio horoscopes also available by phone at 877-873-4888 or 900-950-7700.
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TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Taurus poet Adrienne Rich described “an honorable human relationship” as “one in which two people have the right to use the word ‘love.’” How is that right earned? How is such a bond nurtured? Rich said it was “often terrifying to both persons involved,” because it’s “a process of refining the truths they can tell each other.” I bring this to your attention, Taurus, because you’re in a favorable phase to become an even more honorable lover, friend,
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PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) For three seasons of the year—spring, summer, and fall—a certain weasel species has brown fur. During that time, it’s known as a stoat. When winter arrives, the creature’s coat turns to white. Its name changes, too. We call it an ermine. The next spring, it once again becomes a stoat. Given the nature of the astrological omens, Pisces, I think it would make poetic sense for you to borrow this strategy. What would you like your nickname to be during the next three months? Here are a few suggestions: Sweet Sorcerer; Secret Freedom-Seeker; Lost-and-Found Specialist; Mystery Maker; Resurrector.
and ally than you already are. To take advantage of the opportunity, explore this question: How can you supercharge and purify your ability to speak and hear the truth?
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