Planet Jackson Hole 12.13.17 by Planet Jackson Hole

JACKSON HOLE’S ALTERNATIVE VOICE | PLANETJH.COM | DECEMBER 13-19, 2017

PREPPERS Paranoia or Pragmatism? Inside Wyoming’s underground survivalist movement BY ANGELICA LEICHT

| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |

2 | DECEMBER 13, 2017

We Clean Everything!

307-690-3605 Elizabeth Kingwill,

MA/LPC

Licensed Professional Counselor • Medical Hypnotherapist

Counseling: • Individual • Premarital • Marriage/Family • Anxiety, Stress

• Anger Management • Pain Relief • Depression • Stop Smoking

733-5680

Practicing in Jackson since 1980 • www.elizabethkingwill.com Flexible Hours - Evening & Weekends • Now Accepting Blue Cross Blue Shield

Residential Housekeeping • Daily • Weekly • Monthly • Small & Large Office • Commercial Facilities • Carpets & Upholstery • Windows • Power Washing • One Time Deep Cleanings • Move Outs • Real Estate Closings Closing Cleanings

JACKSON HOLE'S ALTERNATIVE VOICE

VOLUME 15 | ISSUE 48 | DECEMBER 13-19 , 2017

@THEPLANETJH |

@PLANETJH |

/PLANETJH

11 COVER STORY PREPPERS PARANOIA OR PRAGMATISM? Inside Wyoming’s underground survivalist movement

Cover illustration by Sofia Cifuentes

16 CULTURE KLASH

DEMO IN CRISIS

18 MUSIC BOX

REDNECK

20 DON’T MISS

8 THE BUZZ

23 STREAMING

THE PLANET TEAM

ART DIRECTOR

COPY EDITOR

Vaughn Robison / art@planetjh.com

Cory Garcia

PUBLISHER

SALES DIRECTOR

Copperfield Publishing, John Saltas

CONTRIBUTORS

Jen Tillotson / jen@planetjh.com

EDITOR

ADVERTISING ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Rob Brezsny, Kelsey Dayton, Cory Garcia, Helen Goelet, Carol Mann, Scott Renshaw, Ted Scheffler, Cary Smith, Tom Tomorrow, Todd Wilkinson,

Angelica Leicht / editor@planetjh.com

Dave Alper, Chase Corona

Jim Woodmencey, Baynard Woods

MEMBER: National Newspaper Association, Alternative Weekly Network, Association of Alternative Newsmedia

567 W. BROADWAY | P.O. BOX 3249 | JACKSON, WYOMING 83001 | 307-732-0299 | WWW.PLANETJH.COM

SPONSORED BY GRAND TETON FLOOR & WINDOW COVERINGS

WHAT’S COOL

The drought of the last week or so has some people worried about snowfall in the valley. The mountains at 10,000-feet, however, are sitting pretty, with between four and five feet of snow on the ground. I expect we will see a change in the weather pattern in this weekend and through next week, bringing an end to this brief snow-drought. That should be enough to get us us back on track for those dreaming of a White Christmas in Jackson Hole.

Average low temperatures this week are down to six degrees this week, which would be warmer than most of the morning low temperatures we had here this past week. The lowest of those was 3-degrees this past Saturday morning. The record low temperature this week comes from a period when we experienced a cluster of cold winters in the 1960’s and 1970’s. On December 15th, 1972, the morning low dropped down to 33-degrees below zero.

Average high temperatures this week are in the upper 20’s. Temperatures this past week were also very close to that average. The record high temperature this week was set back during a time period when the country was experiencing very warm temperatures, in the 1920’s and 1930’s. On December 14th, 1921, the high temperature in Jackson was 59-degrees. This came just two days after the all-time record high temperature in the month of December of 61-degrees (on December 12th, 1921).

Carpet - Tile - Hardwood - Laminate Blinds - Shades - Drapery Mon - Fri 10am - 6pm Open Tuesdays until 8pm 1705 High School Rd Suite 120 Jackson, WY 307-200-4195 www.tetonfloors.com | www.tetonblinds.com

NORMAL HIGH 29 NORMAL LOW 6 RECORD HIGH IN 1921 59 RECORD LOW IN 1972 -33

THIS MONTH AVERAGE PRECIPITATION: 1.52 inches RECORD PRECIPITATION: 6 inches (1964) AVERAGE SNOWFALL: 17 inches RECORD SNOWFALL: 47.5 inches

Jim has been forecasting the weather here for more than 20 years. You can find more Jackson Hole Weather information at www.mountainweather.com

DECEMBER 13, 2017 | 3

BY METEOROLOGIST JIM WOODMENCEY

THIS WEEK

| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |

JH ALMANAC

DECEMBER 13-19, 2017

4 LETTERS

| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |

4 | DECEMBER 13, 2017

FROM OUR READERS Colbert Catastrophe

d. note: Should you be on a social media sabbatical, you may have missed the news that Pete Muldoon recently appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in a bit entitled “American Voices & Also Faces.” The six minute appearance of Muldoon and his roommate Bobby was…well…controversial, to say the least. The duo joked about Trump, the controversy surrounding Jackson’s “picturegate,” and some stickers on yoga pants. After it aired, Muldoon was on the receiving end of some pretty angry letters about the appearance. Luckily he’s also been on the receiving end of some fan mail too. We know this because those letters are forwarded to our inboxes on the regular, and we’ve taken great pleasure in reading them. We also admittedly took great pleasure in the appearance, which yes, did perhaps come off a bit misogynistic, but also hilarious. Jokes, man. They were just some champagne jokes. Here are a few of our favorites:

Picturegate “Pete, Thank you for taking the time to explain what happened on the Colbert show. Unfortunately, your 15 minutes of fame since “picturegate” and the most

recent disaster on The Steven Colbert Show has shown you how the media will use and distort your words solely for entertainment purposes. With the Colbert show, you are now personally experiencing “Fake News” first hand! Ironic isn’t it that a Democrat is now experiencing what the Republicans have been stating for years? With all the negative press we have seen due to either your actions or remarks on TV, I think you are in above your head; and as Mayor of our fine town of Jackson Hole , it is time to step down. When you agreed to go on the Colbert show, what was the reason? To keep dividing our town with more political anti -Trump rhetoric? Or were you hoping to elevate your own personal ambitions? I thank you for your response that you had no idea that the Colbert show would “cut and splice your comments as they so please, and had you known, you would not have done the show” but unfortunately...it is too late; you hurt the very town you represent. The idea of objectifying women and promoting cocaine are not acceptable nor amusing to the good citizens of Jackson Hole. Even if you did not say it...your roommate or friend did. You have guilt by association. My last question to you is : Just exactly what were you to gain on going on the Colbert show? Was it to stoke the fires of divisiveness?

Did you not learn anything from “ picturegate” ?, or was the allure of being on TV so enticing? Our town is a wonderful place to live, with people who are the most caring and generous citizens in the nation. Jackson Hole is an awesome town! Please stop making a mockery out of us! Do the right thing for our community, which we are so proud of, and please resign.” Ann Carter, Jackson, WY

Portrait “I wish you’d come down to NC and shake things up! Keep up the good work! Hopefully Mueller will help you move The Donald out of our sight permanently. If I had a yoga a** I’d wear your sticker with pride! Carry on!” - Stephanie, North Carolina

Kudos “I saw your interview with Stephen Colbert. Thank you!!! I admire a politician with guts! So much so, I want to visit your town for vacation. It’s been a long time since I’ve been there, but fell in love with it then, and with you is mayor, I think I will love it even more! Not only am I respecting your guts to take a stand against the craziness of Donald Trump, but I came upon your bio when googling you and your platform that you ran on for your town. I come from a small tourist town in Washington it is bursting at the seams and much of our city Council can only see dollar signs. Responsible grows is out the window! Call that you ran on

SNOWPACK REPORT

SPONSORED BY HEADWALL RECYCLE SPORTS

BY LISA VAN SCIVER

As high pressure has dominated the western states, skiers and riders are left longing for new snow. Since our last storm on December 3rd and 4th, the snow’s surface has been changed by the wind, sun and temperature. After a few days of powder skiing, strong northerly winds scoured slopes and in some places exposed the late November rain crust. Then it got warm. From 8,000 feet to well above tree line on most aspects, the snow’s surface melted. On many south-facing slopes, a supportable crust softened and every day there was good, spring-like skiing. Overnight, the cold, clear and calm conditions formed surface hoar. These icy feathers deposited like frozen dew on the snow’s surface and can be very dangerous if they are buried. In most areas, the surface hoar was destroyed

by the sun and wind, but in some protected spots, the feathers may persist. While mountain temperatures were warmer than the valleys, loose snow at low elevations turned to weak, faceted grains. These faceted grains lie above a rain crust. At the lowest elevations to the valley floor, the bare ground can be found. All these skiable surfaces ranging from breakable crust to soft powder or corn skiing will eventually be buried. Make an opinion about the snow and track the weak layers, because once loaded with a slab these slopes are best avoided. Continue to think about the snowpack while listening and discussing with others every Wednesday night at Headwall Sports. This week Jake Urban is speaking. The event begins at 6 pm with beer and tacos provided.

our issues facing my small community. You have inspired me! Maybe I too, shall get involved to change things for the better. Kudos to you! We need more politicians like you!” Julie Hepper, Chelan, WA

Fucking Love It “That was fantastic! Honestly I’m not sure if it could have been better! I put my 2 cents on FB on buckrail! If you ever talk to Colbert you have to tell him to come to Cutty’s. I know he was here a few years ago. Hope all is well Pete! I absolutely fucking love it!!!” Jerry Fasy, Jackson, WY

And, the Pièce de Résistance

Thank you for removing the photo of the lying, P-grabbing, insane Trumpanzee. I’m proud of you, even if they made you put it back. Lee J. Siegel, Newport, OR (and occasional Jackson visitor)

Submit your comments to editor@ planetjh.com with “Letter to the Editor” in the subject line. All letters are subject to editing for length, content and clarity.

America’s Most Reactionary President Visits Its Most Radical City BY BAYNARD WOODS @baynard woods

Lumumba and the People’s Assemblies offer a serious alternative to Trumpian authoritarianism.

succeeded him as mayor, had to take a similar stand. The younger Lumumba had resisted repeated calls to run for office. But when his father died in 2014, he decided to run. He won a decisive victory this year, giving some hope as to what a city can do, outside of larger national trends. Lumumba and the People’s Assemblies offer a serious alternative to Trumpian authoritarianism. “A radical is a person who seeks change,” he said. “A radical is a person who does not accept the conditions as they see them. But we look at the conditions of our community and we see a need for change. Then the reality is we need to be as radical as the circumstances dictate we should be.” PJH Baynard Woods is a reporter for the Real News Network and the founder of Democracy in Crisis. Email: baynard@ therealnews.com

DECEMBER 13, 2017 | 5

(MXGM) and the Jackson People’s Assembly. “The Assemblies are organized as expressions of participatory or direct democracy, wherein there is guided facilitation and agenda setting provided by the committees that compose the People’s Task Force, but no preordained hierarchy.” The movement grew out of a collaboration of Black activist groups forming in the Mississippi River Delta in the wake of Hurricane Katrina’s destruction and quickly managed to take over the city of Jackson, when Lumumba’s father won the mayorship in 2012. “Free the land” was a common refrain in the elder Lumumba’s first campaign. It came from his trip to Mississippi in 1971 to start an autonomous black nation in that state with the “Provisional Government of the Republic of New Afrika.” To get to their land, Lumumba and his comrades had to face down the Klan. This weekend, with the president’s visit, his son, who

| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |

oted racist and president Donald Trump had the audacity to attend the opening of the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum in Jackson last Saturday. “I knew a little before everybody else, but I’ll simply say this without even referencing Trump himself,” Jackson’s mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba told me when the visit was announced. “The opening of the Civil Rights Museum is an important moment of a recognition of struggle and out of that struggle we’ve seen people historically rescue themselves in a state that has been known for some of the most negativity that the world has ever seen.” Lumumba took Trump’s election last year with a certain level of equanimity, saying that on the day after the election, “I woke up in Mississippi which means whether it is Obama, Clinton or Bush, Mississippi is still at the bottom.” But Trump’s refusal to condemn the white supremacists in Charlottesville caused many Civil Rights leaders, including John Lewis, to threaten to boycott the opening if the president attended. But it wasn’t just Charlottesville. White supremacy may be the only consistent ideology of the Trump administration. “We have to observe this corrosion

Chokwe Antar Lumumba talks about Trump’s visit to Jackson’s Civil Rights Museum

of integrity and this erosion of people’s human and civil rights and identify what role or what steps we’re willing to take,” Lumumba said. “It’s important that we recognize that struggle. But any celebration of struggle, any recognition of struggle must consider what the next step forward is.” Trump, being Trump, made the controversy worse by seeming to support a justification of slavery. Days before the presidential visit to the first state-sponsored Civil Rights museum, Roy Moore, the Alabama senatorial candidate who is supported by the president despite allegations of inappropriate sexual behavior with minors, went viral saying that America “was great at the time when families were united — even though we had slavery, they cared for one another.” Just in case there was any question about what Trump thought of this definition of his catch phrase, the very next day he tweeted: “LAST thing the Make America Great Again Agenda needs is a Liberal Democrat in Senate where we have so little margin for victory already. The Pelosi/Schumer Puppet Jones would vote against us 100% of the time. He’s bad on Crime, Life, Border, Vets, Guns & Military. VOTE ROY MOORE!” When he finally got to Jackson, Trump, who was invited by the state’s white Republican governor, spoke to a small crowd, primarily reading from a script, and not at the main event. “The fight to end slavery, to break down Jim Crow, to end segregation, to gain the right to vote and to achieve the sacred birthright of equality — that’s big stuff,” Trump said. “Those are very big phrases, very big words.” Lumumba has some more big words for Trump. He wants Jackson, a city in deeply red Mississippi, with a long history of racism and white supremacy, to be the “most radical city” in the world. Bigly. “Ultimately what I mean by being the most radical city on the planet is giving people more access,” he told my colleague Jaisal Noor. “We do this through the … movement of people’s assemblies that allow people to speak to their conditions, and so that is very important to us.” People’s Assemblies are “vehicles of Black self-determination and autonomous political authority of the oppressed peoples’ and communities in Jackson,” according to the JacksonKush Plan, a document produced by the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement

BAYNARD WOODS

DEMOCRACY IN CRISIS

| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |

6 | DECEMBER 13, 2017

A Witless Triumph Trump, Zinke show cluelessness in understanding of New West BY TODD WILKINSON @bigartnature

resident Donald Trump flew into Salt Lake City last week and announced that he was bestowing an early Christmas present upon rural counties in southern Utah. The gift that he and Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke delivered was a decision, pre-ordained months ago, to undo a century’s worth of conservation history. It came in the form of dramatically reducing the size of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments. Within the span of just a few days, not only did Trump roll back a legacy of landscape protection that started with Theodore Roosevelt’s use of the federal Antiquities Act — a law that many forget was also the genesis for such modern national parks (economic juggernauts) as Grand Teton and Grand Canyon — but only hours earlier the Republicancontrolled U.S. Senate embedded an unthinkable anti-environment measure in the tax reform bill hastily passed last week. That legislation inexplicably includes a provision to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska—one of

BLM

ENRIQUE LIMÓN

THE NEW WEST

President Donald Trump displays his signed declaration (left) that undoes a century’s worth of conservation efforts by reducing Bears Ears (right) and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments by nearly two million acres, the largest rollback of public land protection in US history.

America’s most pristine landscapes—to oil and gas drilling. If Theodore Roosevelt is considered America’s greatest conservation-minded president, are Trump and Zinke cementing their place as leaders of the most environmentally-hostile administration ever? Like Trump’s lack of sophistication and knowledge with many things, he is apparently illiterate in his understanding of public land issues in the West. When he described the creation of Bears Ears and Grand Escalante as “tragic federal overreach,” it revealed not only his own cluelessness, but that of his speechwriters in grasping fundamental shifts underway in the economy of the West. Trump’s penchant for melodrama reminds me of a cover story I wrote for The Christian Science Monitor on the differences emerging between the boom and bust cycles that plagued traditional natural resource economies in the “Old West” and undeniable trends in the “New West.” In 2011, a Congressional hearing was held in Washington on the value of protected federal lands. Ray Rasker, founder of Bozeman-based Headwaters Economics, went to Capitol Hill to deliver his findings that resource protection continues to fuel a different kind of economic prosperity. During the hearing, he squared off against Jerry Taylor, then mayor of tiny Escalante, Utah, a town that has long been a symbol of anti-environmental, anti-federal sentiment in the West. Escalante is considered a gateway to Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument that 15 years earlier had been

created by President Clinton invoking his power, as Roosevelt had done, through the federal Antiquities Act. Contrary to myth, the land was already federally owned and managed by the Bureau of Land Management. Essentially, however, monument status barred coal mining and intensive oil and gas development, which left many locals enraged. Taylor testified that the prosperity mentioned by Rasker never materialized in his community. But when Taylor returned home he heard from some constituents who had started businesses catering to growing numbers of tourists and backcountry adventurers. U.S. Rep. Rob Bishop, Trump and Zinke claim the national monument brought economic hardship to Garfield County, though the remote rural county, like many in the West, has been losing population for generations. Two years after Taylor went to Washington, he and I had a couple of thoughtful conversations. His community was desperate. School enrollment was dropping. He didn’t care what kind of job creation happened. Ironically, he noted that several young people from Escalante left town to find short-term work as roughnecks in the energy fields of Wyoming and North Dakota. “This is a beautiful place, and I understand why they [the Clinton administration] made it into a monument. But as far as jobs go, our numbers are down. I wish we had jobs that could bring those young men home,” Taylor said. “The state of the economy is really a touchy topic. We’re having to depend upon tourism to get us through where we need to be.”

Southern Utah is a region in transition; natural resource extraction is not a pathway to achieving a reliable, sustainable future for young people seeking to find a place in the 21st century. Jonathan Schechter, a demographer in Jackson Hole who makes his living analyzing the West, is known in the Rockies for coining this maxim: “Economies change faster than perceptions, perceptions change faster than politics, and politics change faster than laws.” The tension between the New and Old Economies undergirds almost every preservation and public land-use issue in the West. Schechter, who runs The Charture Institute, offers his own employment statistics. In Wyoming, Montana, and Colorado, the total number of jobs created through agriculture, mining, and forestry ranges in each sector, on average, between 3 and 5 percent. While those industries are flat, the percentage of professional service jobs is growing fast, as is the percentage of the economy represented by retiree income. Trump, Zinke and the Sagebrush Rebels in Utah might be dancing in the end zone today, believing they’ve delivered a stunning victory, but time tell if their anti-government, anti-conservation rhetoric leads to economic revival. History — and the opinions of most Americans — are not on their side. PJH

Todd Wilkinson, editor of mountainjournal.org, is author of Grizzlies of Pilgrim Creek (mangelsen.com/grizzly) about famous Jackson Hole Grizzly, 399 featuring 150 pictures by renowned local wildlife photographer Tom Mangelsen.

REDNECK PERSPECTIVE SATIRE

The Night Before a Hog Island Christmas Twas the night before Christmas alone in my trailer , no hot babe to disrobe I felt like a failure No stockings to remove no legs to bear, no one for which to play adult truth or dare

A LOCAL LISTICLE

And then in a twinkling I heard a female squeal, the staggering and stumbling of each tiny high heel I opened the door waved them inside, my 1988 deluxe Clayton single wide Santa was dressed in a bright Hawaiian shirt, the girls wore the shortest of sheer short skirts

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, I spring from the couch to see what was the matter

From the stub of a pipe he took a big toke, coughed and hacked and waved off the smoke

Away to the window I flew like a flash, turn open the shutters stumble over the trash

He shook my hand firmly then said, “Howdy, take a hit of this pot I picked up in Maui.”

The moon on the breast of new fallen snow (I love the word breast makes my heart glow)

He was inebriated and stoned a right jolly old elf, and I grabbed his pipe took a hit for myself

When what to my wondering eyes did deduce, but a miniature sleigh pulled by eight massive moose

He said I’m not trying to be ostentatious, but I picked up the girls at a strip club in Vegas

With a little driver so completely smashed, I knew in a moment Santa arrived at last

We spoke not a word, kicked back to have fun, while the girls spun, danced unbuttoned and undone After a while Santa and the girls had to go, lots of lonely man in Hog Island you know He sprang to his sleigh to his team gave a hiss, I didn’t mind-I’d had my night of bliss.

A lifetime supply of dehydrated milk to fill our bunker. We’ll take some dehydrated champagne powder as a backup.

5. A waterproof, soundproof, nuclear-proof luxury bunker, duh. 4. A framed replica of the Colbert portrait of Mayor Muldoon removing the portrait from Town Hall. 3. Donations to Andrew Johnson’s exoneration fund. (p. 9) 2. Bobby’s room after Mayor Muldoon kicks him out. 1. Champagne powder. Lots of it.

DECEMBER 13, 2017 | 7

But I heard him exclaim as he drove out of sight, Happy Christmas to all and to all a good night PJH

6 LAST-MINUTE ADDITIONS TO OUR CHRISTMAS LISTS. WE PROMISE WE’VE BEEN GOOD.

| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |

Santa’s eyes were bloodshot his breath smelled of Sherry, his cheeks were like roses, his ears were all hairy

I just settled down for a long winters nap, passed out after a massive Jack Danial’s night cap

To the top of the porch to the top of the wall, now unbutton and take it off take it off all

BY PL ANE T JACKSON HOLE S TAFF

So up to the trailer top the courses they flew, with a slight full of boy-toys and Saint Nicholas too

Santa’s creased khaki pants were white as milk, underneath the girls wore black lacy silk

Now Blossom now Veda now Paula and Donna, on Candance and Candy on Darcy and Debbie

NUMBER OF THINGS

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly, or the way bacon sizzles in when in a pan when it’s fried

The Booze was nestled all snug on the shelf, I wanted a loose women not some stinking elf

I notice the sleigh was full of hot dames, Santa whistled and shouted and called them by name

ANY

| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |

8 | DECEMBER 13, 2017

SETH HAACK

THE BUZZ

Mandatory Mishap Journalists at UW’s student newspaper call for protecting sources and reporters in Wyoming BY ANGELICA LEICHT @writer_anna

hen it comes to protecting journalists and their sources, there are virtually no laws in place in Wyoming to protect reporters — student or otherwise. The staff at the University of Wyoming’s Branding Iron student newspaper learned that lesson the hard way recently when they were told they must divulge the identity of an unnamed source used in a story about campus sexual assault by university administration. The article, published in the Nov. 3 issue of the paper, reported on an increase of alleged sexual assaults on campus. The reporter used an unnamed source in the story in regard to a series of alleged sexual assaults against students by a resident assistant in one of UW’s dorms. “The story was about sexual assault increases on campus — we do reference an allegation that an RA was assaulting girls in the dorms,” Branding Iron Editor Taylor Hannon said. “Our source wasn’t comfortable coming forward with it and we noted in the story that no reports [regarding the RA allegations] were found for November.”

A stack of Branding Iron newspapers sits on a table. The editors of UW’s student newspaper are calling for protection for journalists in the state of Wyoming. .

Hannon and her staff thought they’d covered their bases. Shortly after the article was published, Branding Iron reporter Destiny Irwin received a phone call from an officer from the University of Wyoming Police Department asking her to come down to the police station to talk. Things went downhill from there. “At first, UWPD contacted the staff writer who wrote it in an email and asked them to come down to the police department to talk,” Hannon said. The officer asked the reporter, a firstyear international student, to name the anonymous sources used in the sexual assault article, Hannon said. Irwin was told that the university considered student employees to be mandatory reporters, meaning she was mandated to give the name of her source. “They asked where the story had been heard of,” Hannon said. “The detective continued to call the staff writer on her personal cell phone somewhere between five to seven times and asked for the name and information of the girl who the information came from.” The reporter had originally heard a group of students in one of her classes talking about the alleged assaults, Hannon said, and the reporter’s source was unnamed in the article for a reason. UW Interim Dean of Students Nycole Courtney upped the ante following the UWPD inquiry and emailed the Branding Iron advisor Cary Berry-Smith to say student journalists were required to reveal the sources of their information because they were technically employees.

The situation here is two-fold: As is the case at other schools, employees at the University of Wyoming are for the most part mandatory reporters, meaning that they have a legal requirement to report observed or suspected abuse or neglect. That usually doesn’t apply to student journalists, but that’s been the status quo at UW for as long as Hannon’s been there. “It’s mandatory for us to take duty to report training after 90 days of being hired,” Hannon said. The second issue is that most states have “shield laws” — or, in layman’s terms, laws that protect a journalist from being forced to name their sources in civil cases — but Wyoming has no such laws, nor is there judicial precedent in place to protect reporters and sources. What that meant for Irwin, Hannon and the Branding Iron staff was that they were at the mercy — or perhaps demands — of UWPD and the university administration. Irwin, fearing potential repercussions for withholding her source’s name, eventually gave the information to UWPD. Hannon is now asking media outlets to help fight for shield laws to be put in place for reporters in Wyoming. “The overall arching angle is that there are no protections for journalists in Wyoming, and the best thing to be would to have shield laws across the state,” Hannon said. For Hannon, changing the policies at UW is a good start, but it’s not quite enough. “It’s an issue that has definitely been affecting all journalists in the state and we can make it change,” Hannon said. PJH

THE BUZZ 2 We Stand With Andrew Wyoming won’t provide restitution to Andrew Johnson after his exoneration, so his friends are stepping in BY ANGELICA LEICHT @writer_anna

| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |

DECEMBER 13, 2017 | 9

from prison and have The crowdfunding campaign for Andrew Johnson’s resitution can be found at www.gofundme.com/WeStandWithAndrew been trying to help him out financially, on behalf of all Wyoming citizens, who to contain Slagle’s then-fiance’s semen, Chris Merrill told the Casper Star Tribune earlier this month. need to step up when the government not Johnson’s. Johnson was granted a re-trial but Chris and Rebecca told the Star fails to do the right thing. “The injustices Andrew experienced prosecutors opted to drop the charges Tribune that as citizens of Wyoming, they owe Johnson a debt. They started are numerous, but here are just a few of instead. He was officially exonerated in 2013, and a judge officially proclaimed repayment by purchasing a used Toyota the most basic: 1. Andrew had to endure the pain Johnson innocent. for Johnson to help out. E after his release, though, prose“We really believe his society, and of prison life for nearly two and a half cuting District Attorney Scott Homar that’s us, … owes him a debt,” Chris decades for a crime he didn’t commit. 2. His personal freedom, this most continued to insist that Johnson was Merrill said in the article. But the used Toyota – while a good basic human right, was wrongfully sto- guilty, and that it was his prior criminal history that led to the length of his origstart – isn’t going to cut it. Johnson was len from him. 3. He was taken from his family and inal sentence. in prison for over two decades and lost Statistics reported by the Wyoming any semblance of a normal life during friends. 4. He was robbed of a career. Department of Corrections showed that time. He needs financial support 5. He was wrongfully accused, con- that conviction rates of black people in that the state of Wyoming clearly isn’t going to provide, so the Merrill’s started victed, and marked by our society as a Wyoming are nearly six times higher than conviction rates of white people. a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds rapist. 6. He and his children and family However, a report put out last year by instead. “My wife and son and I met Andrew had to endure all of these injustices and the National Registry of Exonerations, Johnson in August of 2013 … Andrew is all of their ripple effects for a genera- Race and Wrongful Convictions in the United States, found that while African from Cheyenne, Wyoming, and he was tion,” the fundraiser page states. The case that put Johnson behind Americans make up 13 percent of the wrongfully imprisoned for 24 years, for a crime he did not commit. Four bars in 1989 is harrowing. Johnson, who American population, they make up 47 years after his exoneration, Andrew is African American, was accused and percent of all exonerees. The fundraiser has been live for about is 67 years old and still struggling to convicted of raping a 24-year-old white afford the most basic things in life. At woman named Laurie Slagle. The con- two weeks, and the Merrills had raised an age when most folks are looking at viction relied heavily on Slagle’s identi- about $14,000 of the $100,000 goal at retirement, Andrew is still looking at fication of Johnson as her assailant, and the time this story went to press. PJH an empty bank account,” the Merrill’s Johnson was sentenced to life in prison. It wasn’t until 2008 that prisoners in The fundraiser can be found at www. wrote on the fundraising page. The fundraiser is not only to help Wyoming were even allowed to petition gofundme.com/westandwithandrew. Johnson pay his bills, Chris said, but an for post-conviction DNA testing, and attempt to make restitution to Johnson when Johnson did, the rape kit proved

hi1le Andrew Johnson’s exoneration after two decades for a rape he didn’t commit may have granted him freedom from a life behind bars, things haven’t been particularly easy for the Wyoming resident. Four years after being released, Johnson – the first person to be exonerated in Wyoming by DNA and the subject of a Planet cover story earlier this year – is still struggling to make ends meet. It isn’t exactly simple to jump back into your old life after being wrongfully locked away in prison for 24 years like Johnson was. That’s why in many states there are laws in place to provide restitution who are wrongfully convicted of crimes they did not commit. Wyoming is not one of them. Wyoming is one of the 18 states that does not provide restitution to the wrongfully incarcerated, and while there have been legislative proposals attempting to resolve the issue, thus far none have become law. The most recent attempt to pass restitution legislation occurred in 2014 and would have provided up to $500,000 to people who were exonerated through DNA evidence, but the proposal did not make it past the budget session. What that means for Johnson is that he’s left to try and resurrect a life post-prison without compensation for wrongful imprisonment. He was sent back into the free world with nothing to his name, but these days he’s got some friends who are ready to help him out. Laramie residents Chris and Rebecca Merrill recently stepped in to help raise funds for Johnson. The Merrills met Johnson shortly after he was released

| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |

10 | DECEMBER 13, 2017

OLLOW US

ON FACEBOOK FOR THE LATEST PLANET HAPPENINGS! @

People Different From Us

NEWS OF THE

ate cheesesteaks and bought two extra for Lussi’s casket. John told The Philadelphia Inquirer that the funeral director advised not putting the sandwiches in the coffin until after the viewing, “because people would take them.” Pat’s owner Frank Olivieri Jr. said he was flattered and proud that his cheesesteaks were held “so dear” by someone. “Maybe it’s a bribe for St. Peter,” he added.

WEIRD

Chengdu, China, street barber Xiong Gaowu offers a most unusual service at his roadside location in Sichuan province. For $12, Xiong will scrap the inside of his customers’ eyelids using a straight razor, according to Reuters. Xiong suggests being “gentle, very, very gentle” when performing eyelid shaving, or “blade wash eyes,” as the technique is known in Mandarin. A Chengdu ophthalmologist, Qu Chao, says shaving may unblock moisturizing sebaceous glands along the rim of the eyelid, leading to a more comfortable and refreshed feeling. “If he can properly sterilize the tools that he uses, I can see there is still a space for this technique to survive,” Qu added.

Uncontained Excitement

Traffic slowed to a crawl on I-95 in Palm Beach County, Florida, on Nov. 21 as President Trump’s motorcade arrived for the Thanksgiving holiday. Author and sportswriter Jeff Pearlman was among the delayed drivers, but things turned weird when “these people (kept) getting out of the car dancing,” he posted in a Twitter video. WPTV reported that Pearlman recorded the people two cars in front of him emerging from their car and twerking on the highway, then jumping and dancing around enthusiastically before getting back in the vehicle.

Unclear on the Concept

In Iowa, autumn is breeding season for deer, when the animals can get a little wacky and try to cross roadways. It’s also the time of year when the Iowa Department of Transportation begins fielding questions from drivers asking why deer crossing signs aren’t erected at safer spots for deer to cross. “This sign isn’t intended to tell deer where to cross,” the Iowa DOT helpfully posted on its Facebook page on Oct. 24, according to the Des Moines Register. “It’s for drivers to be alert that deer have been in this area in the past.” State Farm Insurance reports that Iowa drivers have the fourth-highest likelihood in the U.S. of hitting a deer. Coincidence? n Rocky, an enterprising 7-month-old border collie in Devon, England, took the command “bring the sheep home” a little too literally in early November when he herded nine sheep into his owner’s kitchen. “I was in the kitchen and heard a noise,” Rocky’s owner, Rosalyn Edwards, told the BBC. “I turned around and the sheep were just standing there. It was funny at the time, but then there was quite a lot of wee, poo and mud everywhere.” The sheep stood around for a few minutes, then allowed themselves to be shown out the front door.

Irony

As elder members of the First United Methodist Church in Tellico Plains, Tennessee, gathered on Nov. 16 to discuss the recent church shooting in Sutherland Springs, Texas, one of those present asked if anyone had brought a gun to church. One man spoke up and said he carries a gun everywhere, reported WATE-TV, and produced the gun, emptying the chambers before passing the weapon around. When the owner got the gun back, he replaced the magazine and recharged the chamber—accidentally squeezing the trigger and shooting himself in the hand and his wife in the abdomen. Both victims were taken by helicopter to the University of Tennessee Medical Center for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.

Last Wishes

By THE EDITORS AT ANDREWS MCMEEL

On Oct. 10, Richard Lussi, 76, of Plains Township, Pennsylvania, succumbed to heart disease. But before he died, he made sure his family knew there was one thing he wanted to take with him: a cheesesteak from Pat’s King of Steaks in Philadelphia. “No onions because they’ll come back to haunt me!” Lussi told his family. So the day before Lussi’s funeral, his son, John, grandson, Dominic, and two friends drove to Philly, where they

In Your Own Backyard

Lisa Cramps moved into a new home in Mitcheldean, Gloucestershire, England, this fall and quickly discovered a mysterious manhole cover in her backyard. Rather than ignore it, Cramps dug up the cover and unearthed a World War II-era bunker underneath. Neighbors informed Cramps that the shelter pre-dates her house and originally had two stories, with the upper level partially above ground. “It’s very exciting to find this in our garden,” Cramps told Metro News. “I love Second World War history, and my mission now is to find out exactly why it’s here.”

Undignified Death

Linda Bringman, 64, of the Logan Square neighborhood of Chicago, died on Nov. 27 after being found unresponsive three days earlier with her head stuck between two posts of a wrought iron fence. Paramedics were called around noon that day to a PNC Bank branch where the fence was located, and Bringman was taken to the Illinois Masonic Medical Center in critical condition, the Chicago Sun-Times reported. Chicago Police could not provide an explanation for her being stuck in the fence, but they did not believe criminal activity was involved.

Inexplicable

Ja Du of Tampa, Florida, was born a white male named Adam Wheeler. Today, he is not only transsexual, but also considers himself transracial, saying he identifies as a Filipino. “Whenever I’m around the music, around the food, I feel like I’m in my own skin,” Du told WTSP-TV in November. Du even drives a motorized rickshaw called a Tuk Tuk, a vehicle used for public transportation in the Philippines (but which Filipinos call “trisikels”). However, some Filipino-Americans are less than welcoming, claiming that Du has overlooked centuries of their people’s struggle. “To say you are that race is both unrealistic and problematic,” said Jackie Fernandez, a Filipino-American journalist. She believes Du has crossed a line between “cultural appreciation and appropriation.”

Police Report

Stacy Scott of Anchorage, Alaska, arrived home on Nov. 24 to find thousands of dollars’ worth of clothing and jewelry missing, along with a signature item, George the mounted zebra head, which was a gift from a friend. The thief was bold enough to call a taxi to use as the getaway car and loaded the zebra head into its trunk—all of which was caught on surveillance camera at Scott’s home. Anchorage police tracked down and arrested Desiree Fuller, 38, for felony burglary and theft, and recovered most of Scott’s items. But George remained at large until the cab driver saw a story on KTVA-TV and contacted them—he had been holding the zebra hostage because Fuller neglected to pay her cab fare. In the spirit of the season, George is home for the holidays.

No Longer Weird

Firefighters in North Philadelphia burrowed through trash for hours to free a man who was trapped in the back of a garbage truck on Nov. 27. Philadelphia Police were not sure how the 33-year-old unnamed man had landed in the truck, but speculated he may have been sleeping in a dumpster when it was emptied into the truck. WCAU News reported that the man went to the hospital with abdomen, hip and leg injuries. Send tips to weirdnewstips@amuniversal.com

Paranoia or Pragmatism?

DECEMBER 13, 2017 | 11

BY ANGELICA LEICHT @writer_anna

| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |

Inside Wyomingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s underground survivalist movement

PREPPERS

| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |

12 | DECEMBER 13, 2017

“W

atch your step. It’s steep on the way down.” There’s something unnerving about climbing down a set of narrow stairs and into a metal pod buried on a rural plot of Wyoming ranch land — bad things happen in buried bunkers, don’t you know — and when coupled with the darkness of the room below, it feels bit like you’re stepping to your doom. “There’s nothing to be scared of. You’re safe down here,” Dylan* said, stifling a laugh. The 35-year-old father of two has spent the last few years preparing for disaster, and the addition of this pre-fabbed steel shelter is the last step in that process. As unnerving as the descent into the underground shelter is, the interior of the bunker really is impressive to see. It should be for what it cost. Inside the reinforced steel abode, there are living quarters, along with a kitchen, bathroom and shower. The biochemical air filtration system pumps the airtight structure with cleaner air than can be found in most of the nation. A massive generator pumps the temporary shelter with plenty of power, and there is enough water in the fresh water tank to last three months, give or take. The septic system is top notch, too. “We’re in about $500,000 or so,” Dylan said. “I don’t know how much we’ve put into the rest of the stuff in this place though. Seems like it’s been coming together piece by piece.” The steel pod can comfortably fit about six people, and Dylan’s made sure there’s enough dehydrated food to last for a few months. The pod is pretty useless without food or other supplies — sanitary products, medical supplies and entertainment — because the idea is that once you’re sealed in, it’s not safe to go back up to restock. Not until the apocalypse is over. “Listen, I know it sounds crazy, but you can’t be too prepared. Seems like every day there’s some new threat. It started with Obama and it ain’t gettin’ any better under Trump,” Dylan said. “We were hopeful. But it looks like he ain’t delivering.” His shelter is one of many structures hidden around Wyoming by members of the so-called “prepper” movement, a group of folks hell-bent on preparing themselves for the collapse of modern society.

Pragmatism? Or Paranoia?

“The nation is divided,” Dylan said. “No one’s willing to cross party lines, and nothing is getting better. We just get worse. At this point, anything could happen.” There’s also the potential collapse of the food system or widespread water contamination, or the fall of a government run by leftists who refuse to follow the Constitution and hate freedom. Despite his promises, President Donald Trump isn’t helping. The recent terror attacks that have taken place in the U.S., France and elsewhere haven’t helped to ease the fear, nor have the outbreaks of deadly viruses or the threat of war. The dangers are endless. Given the laundry list of disaster scenarios, it could be easy to chalk the prepper movement up to mass paranoia. It certainly doesn’t help that the prepper movement is insular to its core and notoriously unwelcoming to outsiders. While there certainly has to be some element of unease to spur preppers into spending massive amounts of money on bunkers, air purifying systems and sprawling ranches in case of the fall of the nation, perhaps there are some pragmatic elements in there too — especially given the current political climate. The sudden escalation of the North Korean crisis under President Donald Trump’s regime is concerning, prepper or otherwise. The North Korean leader recently launched its most potent missile ever, and in return, South Korea and the United States held a massive five-day Vigilant Ace military exercise with 12,000 military personnel and 230 aircraft. The tension between two nations led by unstable dictators is a threat that spans states, countries, continents and political lines, and takes the world across a dangerous threshold. Should the U.S. become the target of a nuclear weapon, preppers will have it made while the rest of us are at the mercy of the nuclear fallout. So perhaps these preppers, with their caches of dehydrated food and clean underground air, are on to something. After all, some of the wealthiest folks in the world are following suit.

“Listen, I know it sounds crazy, but you can’t be too prepared. Seems like every day there’s some new threat.”

The premise of prepping, or survivalism, is simple: It is making preparations – i.e. stockpiling medical supplies, food and ammunition in a secure location – for a catastrophic disaster that is likely to occur in the near future. Ask a prepper what disasters they’re stockpiling supplies for, though, and the answer gets exponentially more complicated. Perhaps that’s because there are too many potential hazards to count. The survivalist movement appears to stem from a wide range of issues: massive meteors colliding with the earth, radiation poisoning, nuclear electromagnetic pulses or even a complete financial collapse.

Despite their seemingly questionable points of entry, preppers guarantee is solid. “There’s nothing to be scared of. You’re safe down here.” American Redoubt, Wyoming Style

Large swaths of uninhabited land and the remote landscape of Wyoming have long been a draw for folks longing to escape the urban madness, so it’s hardly surprising that a place as rural and wild as Wyoming is now a favorite among survivalists and “patriot” groups. What is surprising, though, is that one of the factors contributing to Wyoming’s growing prepper population is something called the American Redoubt, a political movement started by survivalist blogger James Wesley, Rawles. Yes, that comma is there on purpose. Sir Rawles is a stylish guy. Redoubt — a word that means fortress — began back in 2011 when Rawles, a former U.S. Army Intelligence officer and technical writer, wrote an essay on his survivalist website SurvivalBlog.com about the need for conservative Christians and Jews to create their own utopian survivalist area, or to use Rawles’ words, “a conscious retrenchment into safe haven states.” Rawles pinpointed in his essay three states — Montana, Idaho and Wyoming — and a couple of adjoining areas in eastern Oregon and eastern Washington as safe havens for the Fox News crowd. He urged his followers to consider relocating to the triad

The Prepper Next Door

DECEMBER 13, 2017 | 13

70-year-old Edward Peden and his wife, Dianna Ricke-Peden, have lived in a decommissioned Atlas E missile base outside Topeka, Kansas since 1994. “We bought the property about 35 years ago,” Ed said. “At that time, Reagan was president and he was talking about the Evil Empire. I had two young daughter and was thinking nuclear exchange really could happen.” Armed with concern for the safety of his family and a solid knowledge of Cold War missile bunkers — Ed is a retired history teacher and historian — led to the purchase of the abandoned Atlas E base and life in the 20,000-foot reclaimed missile silo. “The room I’m sitting in now had 8.5 feet of water in it [when we bought the property],” Ed said. “It was a mess – we had to paint it, dry it and clean it up, but this is a special hardened structure. It’s meant to withstand anything.” Built in 1959 and decommissioned in 1964, the Atlas E bunker was dubbed by the Pedens as “Subterra.” It has 18-inch-thich concrete walls – blast-proof, of course – and an 8-foot tall steel and barbed-wire perimeter fence and security cameras to guard the perimeter. It is situated in the midst of 34 pastoral Kansas acres and is buried three feet below the earth.

| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |

to create a safe zone for conservatives who shared the same moral framework. “Sociologist Albert O. Hirschman in his book Exit, Voice, and Loyalty, identifies the growing libertarian trend of “Exit” strategies, all the way from the individual level up to the level of nation states,” Rawles wrote on his blog in the initial American Redoubt essay. “Giordano Bruno identified a trend that has been developing informally for many years: A conscious retrenchment into safe haven states. I strongly recommend this amalgamation, and that it be formalized. I’m calling it The American Redoubt. I further recommend Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, eastern Oregon, and eastern Washington for the réduit. Some might call it a conglomeration, but I like to call it an amalgamation, since that evokes silver. And it will be a Biblically sound and Constitutionally sound silver local currency that will give it unity.” Rawles is quick to point out in his essay that the force behind the movement is religious separatism, not racism. “I am a separatist, but on religious lines, not racial ones. I have made it abundantly clear throughout the course of my writings that I am an anti-racist. Christians of all races are welcome to be my neighbors. I also welcome Orthodox Jews and Messianic Jews, because we share the same moral framework,” Rawles wrote. “In calamitous times, with a few

exceptions, it will only be the God fearing that will continue to be law abiding. Choose your locale wisely. I can also forthrightly state that I have more in common with Orthodox Jews and Messianic Jews than I do with atheist Libertarians. I’m a white guy. But I have much more in common with black Baptists or Chinese Lutherans than I do with white Buddhists or white New Age crystal channelers.” Much of the initial fuel firing Redoubt stemmed from the fear that then-President Barack Obama would destroy the Second Amendment, making it difficult — if not impossible — for gun-toting “patriots” to bear arms. The idea was a shot to the heart for libertarians, who make up a large portion of the Redoubt movement — and an affront to their personal liberties. “I’m often asked why I make such a ‘big deal’ about choosing conservative Christians, Messianic Jews, or Orthodox Jews for neighbors,” Rawles told Los Angeles Times reporter Kim Murphy in 2013. “The plain truth is that in a societal collapse there will be a veritable vacuum of law enforcement. In such times, with a few exceptions, it will only be the God-fearing that will continue to be law-abiding. Choose your neighborhood wisely.” Curiously, though, the prepper movement has continued to grow under Trump’s tenure, without an outright campaign against the Second Amendment, and as he sings the National Rifle Association’s praises. Rawles, who states on his website that he receives over 200 emails daily, did not answer the Planet’s requests for an interview. Thanks to Redoubt, hordes of conservative and

A map of the American Redoubt promise land. The political migration movement proposes the area outlined above as a safe space for conservative, libertarian-inclined Christians and Jews, based on its low population density and distance from potential natural disasters.

libertarian Christians and Jews focused on surviving disasters have made their way to, and dropped tons of money on, Wyoming. The number of preppers who have moved to the Redoubt areas are estimated to be somewhere between the hundreds and the thousands. Nobody knows for sure — the community isn’t exactly forthcoming with information, nor is there any clear method to keep tally. Whatever the number, if there’s a place preppers are welcome by the general public, it is probably Wyoming. In 2012, the Wyoming House advanced a bill aiming to create a task force to study and prepare for potential catastrophes, much to the amusement of the rest of the nation. Coined as House Bill 85, the bill was sponsored by Representative David R. Miller — a Republican — and an early version of the bill asked for $16,000 to convene a task force to “examine conditions under which Wyoming would need to implement its own military draft, raise a standing army, and acquire strike aircraft and an aircraft carrier.” “I don’t think there’s anyone in this room today who would come up here and say that this country is in good shape, that the world is stable and in good shape — because that is clearly not the case,” state Rep. Lorraine Quarberg, R-Thermopolis, told news outlets. “To put your head in the sand and think that nothing bad’s going to happen, and that we have no obligation to the citizens of the state of Wyoming to at least have the discussion, is not healthy.” The bill was shot down in the senate, but not before it made headlines across the nation and coined the idea that Wyoming could become the nation’s first “prepper state.”

| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |

14 | DECEMBER 13, 2017

While Subterra is incredibly functional and basically indestructible, it’s hardly your typical prepper bunker. The interior is decorated with brightly-colored art and religious artifacts from around the world, and the turrets and the folksy signs make the property feel like a medieval castle than a prepper bunker. “We’re promoting peaceful existence. We are not reacting out of fear,” Ed said. The couple hardly fit the stereotype of the camo-sporting survivalists, either. Ed and Dianna seem more interested in sustainability than stocking weapons, and the couple has been known to hold drum circles and Ayahuasca ceremonies at their underground home. “We think the only hope of survival is nurturing loving attitudes. Love is the only engine of survival and if we don’t get that right we’re really going to be in trouble,” Ed said. That’s especially true these days, Ed said. “As a historian, I’ve studied human history and I am concerned about the future may hold for us, sad to say,” Ed said. The Pedens are widely considered the founders of the reclaimed missile silo movement. Subterra was the first public bunker project, and it sparked a wider interest in the idea of rehabbing missile silos as housing. For over two decades, the Pedens have been running a real estate business — 20th Century Castles — and helping interested buyers find missile silos of their own. It’s not an easy task for buyers or sellers, Ed said. Inventory is limited — after all, the government only built a limited number of these properties — and banks won’t touch the financing. “Our inventory is very low,” Ed said. “Most of these sites we’ve sold are gone into other hands. There were times when we had 20 or even 25 properties, so they’re being picked up and realizing what a buy these properties are.” The price has also skyrocketed over the last couple of decades. Subterra was purchased for around $40,000, but these days reclaimed missile silos are out of reach for most buyers. “It’s changed over the years – in the beginning there were just common people,” Ed said, “We worked with a lot of people who were retiring — who wanted a project and wanted to buy a bunker – but the middle class has now been priced out. It’s almost becoming an ultra-rich elite market.” There has also been an uptick in people buying

bunkers in the southern Ed Peden, who is credited along with his wife as the founders of hemisphere, Ed said, the reclaimed missle silo movement, poses inside his bunker. a trend that he finds concerning. “As a historian, I’ve studied human history and I am concerned “Some people are about the future may hold for us, sad to say.” locating properties in the southern areas, and it worries me to know methods to effectively prepare for the downfall of socisome of that is happening. A lot of people in the know ety. Foraging, gardening and medical care are all basic are positioning themselves below the equator,” he skills necessary for one to survive a major disaster. said. It’s also important to have some technical knowlBut whether they’re buying in Kansas, Wyoming or edge. One is bound to be required to troubleshoot one of the other Redoubt areas, one thing is for sure: gadgets, even in a hidden bunker, and without some After Trump was elected, the interest in bunkers has baseline knowledge things could get pretty hairy. Oh, grown. and don’t forget sewing. Someone’s got to clothe the “There is more interest after Trump’s election – he’s survivors. like a loose cannon,” Ed said. “I think he is a pathologiBut not all preppers are capable of sewing hems or cal liar and is at the helm of the country. I think there’s foraging for food when the rations run out, so they’re so much instability in the country that’s growing with looking for easier ways to stock supplies and prepare Trump at the helm.” for the worst in the comfort of their bunkers instead. Ed said he thinks a lot of people are concerned Luckily, backup is out there. these days — a phenomenon no one really expected to As the prepper population has grown, so have the happen — but made it clear that surviving isn’t about companies hawking provisions to them. acting out of fear. It’s only going to work, and life is One of those companies, Food4Patriots, sells only going to continue, if we’re promoting a peaceful pre-packaged kits filled with dehydrated survival food existence, Ed said. packed in waterproof totes, making them an easy sell “My hope is that we can somehow make a shift. I’m for those bunker shelves. not very optimistic – I’m hopeful,” Ed said. According to Food4Patriots, their items can last up to last 25 years, making the product a rational — albeit The Rise of Commercial Prepping pricy — investment. While there are preppers ready to drop millions on “More than one in five Americans say they believe a property, securing a bunker isn’t going to cut it. the world will end during their lifetime,” Allen Baler, a One must also track down a cache of medical sup- Food4Patriots spokesperson, told Metro in 2014. plies, dehydrated food and secure water purification “When we in the emergency business talk about

ey team, part of the L.A. Lakers and — interestingly enough — a whole lot of land in Carbon County. Altogether, Anschutz owns about 434,000 acres of land across the state of Wyoming, and about 300,000 acres or so is at his Overland Trail Ranch, smack-dab in the middle of Carbon County. Overland Trail is made up of a mix of federal, state and private lands, and the size of the property is comparable to the city of Los Angeles. Anschutz has said in numerous interviews that he plans to build the biggest wind farm on the plot alongside the cattle he ranches. The wind farm will help power California, he’s said. As with Turner, Bezos and the other billionaire landowners, Anschutz has never specifically said he’s preparing for doomsday out at his Wyoming ranch, but the signs certainly seem to point in that direction. In addition to his wide investment portfolio, Anschutz is also a major player in conservative politics, fitting the mold of the ideal American Redoubt follower. He has invested and owns a few right-wing media outlets, and as of early 2017 he’d given at least $1.8 million to Republican election campaigns across the country. The prepper sites across the Internet consistently buzz with stories of Anschutz’s plans, and rumor has it he’s prepared for just about anything.

“Most people can’t even figure out how to survive with the tools they got out there. It’s work. It’s called prepping for a reason. Being prepared isn’t just about supplies. It’s about being mentally prepared to make it through.”

Given the technical knowledge necessary for proper prepping, it’s interesting that the movement has seeped into nearly all facets of American society, including the billionaires. Reid Hoffman, the co-founder of LinkedIn, told the New Yorker earlier this year that he estimated that more than half of Silicon Valley billionaires have begun preparing for a catastrophic doomsday event. Hoffman said that about 50 percent of Silicon Valley billionaires had bought some level of “apocalypse insurance” — meaning an underground bunker or some variation of it – an idea supported by Forbes reporter Jim Dobson, who said in a June interview that lots of billionaires have private planes “ready to depart at a moment’s notice.” According to Dobson, they own motorcycles, weaponry and generators — but none of the billionaires will say why exactly they’re stockpiling enough stuff for a small army. If it’s for prepping, these guys certainly aren’t up front about it. But while we know these billionaires are buying up large swaths of the nation’s land, it’s not clear what they’re doing with it. Mega-rich media mogul Ted Turner owns 2 million acres across Colorado, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico and South Dakota, and Jeff Bezos of Amazon and the Washington Post has snatched up some 400,000 acres in Texas. Even Bill Gates is getting in on the rural land grab. The billionaire recently purchased about 28,000 acres in Arizona and created his own city called Belmont. “Belmont will create a forward-thinking

Prepping on a Budget In reality, the percentage of preppers able to drop several million on reclaimed bunkers falls in the minority. So what are the regular folks doing to prepare

Survival of the Fittest Ultimately, that’s what all of the preppers say this whole thing is about. Whether it’s in a bunker, an RV or a sprawling Wyoming ranch, the survivalists who have flocked to Redoubt are preparing themselves for the worst and hoping for the best. If the bomb drops, the food chain collapses or Wall Street goes belly up, Frank, Dylan and their cohorts just want to make it through the storm and return to a normal life. If they have to live in a missile silo and forage for wild carrots for that to happen, well … they’re ready for it. PJH

DECEMBER 13, 2017 | 15

Wyoming’s Billionaire Land Grab

for the collapse of civilization? Well, they’re getting a little more innovative with their preparations. Survivalist 101 suggests that preppers cut their entertainment budgets and put away $200 to $300 a month to purchase adequate amounts of food, water, light sources like LED flashlights, medical supplies, and household and hygiene supplies. With a little research, or perhaps a little innovation, those costs can be cut down exponentially or ruled out completely. “Most people aren’t meant to be preppers,” Frank*, a recent prepper convert, said. “Most people can’t even figure out how to survive with the tools they got out there. It’s work. It’s called prepping for a reason. Being prepared isn’t just about supplies. It’s about being mentally prepared to make it through.” Ultimately the proper training and practice – not food rations, bunkers or sprawling ranches – will be what makes the difference between a prepper’s life or death, according to Frank. As former military, Frank doesn’t think it’s necessary to invest his life’s savings into commercial products. He prefers to spend his time and energy training to be as industrious as possible. He can build his own shelter in a pinch, and has figured out how to grow his own food and forage for food safely. Believe it or not, foraging for edible plants can be pretty darn tricky – the safe and poisonous varieties often look eerily similar – and it’s important to be able to tell the difference if you need to, Frank said. “It’s not as easy as you’d think,” Frank said. “Wild carrots can look like poisonous hemlock and it’s a mistake you really don’t want to make. Not if you want to keep yourself alive.” In addition to those botany lessons, Frank has also spent his time stowing vans and RVs around rural Wyoming and Idaho over the last few months. He can’t afford an underground bunker or a reclaimed missile silo, so he buys the vehicles as cheaply as possible or does labor for trade. He then drops them into the strategic – and remote – areas he’s deemed least likely to be the target of political or nuclear chaos. Should all hell break loose, Frank plans to use the vans as living spaces until it’s an all clear to return to normal life — if and when that happens.

| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |

community with a communication and infrastructure spine that embraces cutting-edge technology, designed around high-speed digital networks, data centers, new manufacturing technologies and distribution models, autonomous vehicles and autonomous logistics hubs,” the press release stated. “Belmont will transform a raw, blank land into a futuristic city built around a flexible infrastructure model.” Do a little digging and you’ll find plenty more. One of the billionaires investing in Wyoming land is Philip Anschutz, an entrepreneur and drilling magnate. He’s ranked by Forbes as the 38th richest person in the U.S., worth an estimated $12.5 billion and has long had ties with the state of Wyoming. Anschutz’s fortune began to rack up in the early ‘60s after he purchased his father’s company, Circle A Drilling. The move earned the younger Anschutz large returns in Wyoming, which he invested in oil, railroads, telecom, real estate and entertainment. These days, Anschutz owns the L.A. Kings hock-

these things, we’re not trying to be fearmongers,” Baler said. “Instead, we’re communicating facts that will hopefully sink in and cause people to take preparedness seriously.” The Food4Patriots kits offer fares like apple orchard oatmeal and powdered milk. They’re available in a 72-hour kit for $27; a 4-week kit for $197; or a 3-month kit for $497. That’s a hefty price for food one may never need to use, but when you’re shelling out $500,000 on a bunker, what’s another $500 for mixed fruit with a 25-year shelf life? The company offers a 100 percent money-back guarantee on their products, and they up the ante to 300 percent money-back guarantee if the food is opened and found to be unusable. While a 300 percent return policy may seem a bit obscene, it’s likely a good gamble for the company considering the difficulty one might have in returning spoiled items from a bunker in the middle of Wyoming. Another company, SHTF Survival, offers a monthly “mystery” survival subscription box filled with what they call the best survival gear on the planet. The contents of the box can range from fire starters, multi-use tools, emergency prep and survival gear to anything else one’s mind could conjure up. The boxes range in price from $19.99 a month to $89.99 a month, a concept – and price point – that seems absurd to Dylan.

| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |

16 | DECEMBER 13, 2017

CULTURE KLASH

Pull the Wool Teton ArtLab artist Erin Curry on Rumpelstiltskin, carving and the art of spinning wheel BY KELSEY DAYTON @kelsey_dayton

rin Curry’s home in Gainesville, Florida, is full of wool. “It’s gotten kind of intense,” she said. “It feels like I should be waiting for Rumpelstiltskin to arrive.” Instead, Curry left most of the wool to wait, other than a few bags she brought to Jackson for her December residency at Teton ArtLab, and is taking the spinning on herself. But first she has to build the spinning wheel. To do that, she needs to first carve the tools to build the spinning wheel to spin the wool into the yarn she’ll eventually weave. And that is just the start of what she envisions for an installation where when the wheel spins, it also pulls something, maybe a scroll or piece of silk, up a wall. Perhaps it will reference the geysers she saw in Yellowstone National Park for the first time in 2016 — an experience so profound it prompted her to apply for the ArtLab’s artist-in-residency program. Or

Wool hangs in various forms, as does a lariat, on the wall of multidisciplinary artist Erin Curry’s Teton ArtLab studio. Curry, a Florida native, is reacquainting herself with the “cozy” medium during her residency after setting it aside during graduate school.

maybe it will look totally different. “I’m making the wheel right now and dreaming of what can happen next,” she said. Curry will spend her December residency at the Teton ArtLab looking for inspiration different from what she finds in Florida. She’s already marveled at the line of skiers coming down Snow King. The landscape is flat and overgrown in Florida, she said. She’s not used to driving and seeing mountains , or witnessing the relationship between distance and scale. “I think that interplay has been interesting and is ripe for potential work,” she said. In addition to banking inspiration, she’ll also work on her wool project. Curry started spinning wool a few years ago. She found it a metaphor for the stories she wanted to tell that are too complicated to articulate. There is a reason sayings like “spin a yarn” or “the thread of fate” exist when talking about storytelling, she said. She put her wool work aside for several years while she attended graduate school, but this year, she felt stressed and wanted to work with something “cozy.” She bought wool in the spring and started watching YouTube videos on how to craft hand tools to work with the wool and build her wheel. She loves combing

a slow, old-art form with digital resources like YouTube. “I like the quickness of the digital space and then the super slow craft that forces you into the moment,” she said. “I think that is important. I get overloaded with information. I get caught up in the news cycle. It gets overwhelming, so this is my stress reduction — make something super slow.” The final project with the yarn will also likely incorporate commentary on the digital world. She sees the spinning wheel, which she plans to mechanize so it will also pull something, as representing scrolling online. She likes when her work forces her to slow down but also makes the viewer think. One of her largest projects is “mobilis in mobile” which she created as her master’s thesis in Gainsville, Florida.It involved people actually entering through dark silk gauze. The vastness of outer space and the digital world inspired the project, she said. Inside the curtained area were basins filled with water with a floating layer of oil across the top. Wooden rings in the basins held the oil like portholes. Inside the basins were collages and text. People could move the wooden rings, but if they moved too quickly, the oil seeped down, so people had to move slowly.

Curiosity is a common theme in Curry’s work, both in what inspires it and what she hopes it evokes in the viewer. It’s not unusual for Curry to start an art project from an early point like crafting the tools she needs to create it. She once wanted to see firsthand where silk came from so she raised 200 silkworms she hatched from eggs and fed mulberry leaves. By the time they were four-week old caterpillars they were eating massive bushes every 24 hours. When someone came to the house they asked if she was frying bacon. It was the sound of the caterpillars feeding on the leaves. She also credits her love of blending craftsmanship and art to her upbringing. She grew up outside a rural town in Florida. Her mother was a figure artist and her father a craftsman who built their home. “I think what I enjoy about being an artist that I can push through whatever curiosity allows me,” she said. “I don’t know many other professions where I can decide on a whim to learn woodworking and then go do it. I like the diversity of learning and exploring and building things that come from separate components and don’t necessarily come together.” PJH

THROUGH Friday, December 22

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 13

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14

n Dance & Fitness Classes 8:00am, Dancers’ Workshop, $10.00 - $16.00, 307-733-6398 n Toddler Gym 10:00am, Teton Recreation Center, n Open Hockey - Weekday Morning 10:15am, Snow King Sports & Event Center, $10.00, (307) 201-1633 n All Ages Story Time 11:00am, Valley of the Tetons Library, n Public Skating - Weekday 12:00pm, Snow King Sports & Event Center, $5.00 - $8.00, (307) 201-1633 n Film Friday Victor 3:30pm, Valley of the Tetons Library, n FREE Friday Tasting 4:00pm, Jackson Whole Grocer & Cafe, Free, 307-733-0450 n Friday Tastings 4:00pm, The Liquor Store, Free, 307-733-4466

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 16

n Elks Hoop Shoot 8:00am, Teton Recreation Center, Free, n Saturday Morning Swim 10:30am, Jackson Parks and Recreation, n App Time - Study Room 4 2:00pm, Teton County Library, n JHJC 39th Annual Chanukah Party 6:00pm, Eleaven Food Co, 3077341999 n Open Gym - Adult Soccer 6:30pm, Teton Recreation Center, n Holiday Concert – Jackson 7:00pm, Center for the Arts, Free, 307-200-9463 n Moose Hockey Game 7:00pm, Snow King Sports & Event Center, $5.00 - $10.00, (307) 201-1633 n Bill Briggs and the Bro Bras 7:30pm, Silver Dollar Showroom, Free, 307-732-3939 n Live Music w/ Joe Rudd’s Goldcone 10:00pm, Pink Garter Theatre, Free, n SAGE JUNCTION BAND Million Dollar Cowboy Bar,

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 17

n Skating Club of Jackson Hole Holiday Spectacular 2:00pm, Snow King Sports & Event Center, $10.00 - $20.00, 307-413-5242

December 16, 6:00pm E.Leaven Food Co. 175 Center Street • Jackson, WY Suggested Donation: $10 adults, $5 kids (Pay what you can) Includes latkes, wine, beer, non-alcoholic drinks, games, activities & favors.

Come to this action-packed party complete with kids Chanukah games and activities, wines and beers, great Israeli music and the poignant community candle lighting so bring a Hanukiah (menorah) and we'll provide the candles.

POTLUCK: BRING A MAIN DISH TO SHARE. SALADS AND SIDES NEEDED, BUT LESS SO. This will be the last chance to purchase a limited supply of Mountain Chai Chanukah gelt from Bet Sefer students or to pick your pre-orders up. Any questions: info@jhjewishcommunity.org or 734-1999

DECEMBER 13, 2017 | 17

SEE CALENDAR PAGE 20

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 15

n The Maw Band 4:30pm, Mangy Moose, n Santa on the Town Square 5:00pm, n Habitat Very Merry Customer Appreciation Night 5:00pm, Habitat | High Altitude Provisions, n Open Gym - Adult Soccer 6:30pm, Teton Recreation Center, n Moose Hockey Game 7:00pm, Snow King Sports & Event Center, $5.00 - $10.00, (307) 201-1633 n FREE Public Stargazing 7:30pm, Center for the Arts, n Bill Briggs and the Bro Bras 7:30pm, Silver Dollar Showroom, Free, 307-732-3939 n SAGE JUNCTION BAND Million Dollar Cowboy Bar,

| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |

n Dance & Fitness Classes 8:00am, Dancers’ Workshop, $10.00 - $16.00, 307-733-6398 n Books & Babies Story Time 10:00am, Valley of the Tetons Library, n Storytime - Youth Auditorium 10:30am, Teton County Library, n Story Time, Victor 10:30am, Valley of the Tetons Library, n Public Skating - Weekday 12:00pm, Snow King Sports & Event Center, $5.00 - $8.00, (307) 201-1633 n Open Gym - Adult Basketball 12:00pm, Teton Recreation Center, n App Time - Study Room 4 2:00pm, Teton County Library, n Eli Williams, The Cougar Fund - Youth Auditorium 3:30pm, Teton County Library,

n Chanukah Awareness Day! 5:00pm, Jackson Hole Jewish Community, Free, 3077341999 n REFIT® 5:15pm, First Baptist Church, Free, 307-690-6539 n JHW Kidlit/YA Critique Group 6:00pm, Center for the Arts, Free, n Geologists of JH: The Hubble telescope 6:00pm, Teton County Library, n Extraordinary in the Ordinary: The Hubble Space Telescope: Incredible Images and Amazing Science. 6:00pm, Teton County Library, n Open Gym - Adult Soccer 6:30pm, Teton Recreation Center, n Jackson Hole Community Band 2017 Rehearsals 7:00pm, Center for the Arts, Free, 307-200-9463 n The Metropolitan Opera: Live in HD, Hansel and Gretel 7:00pm, Center for the Arts, $12.00 - $20.00, 307-733-3050 n Jackson 6 7:30pm, Silver Dollar Showroom, Free, 307-732-3939 n Salsa Night 9:00pm, The Rose, Free, 307733-1500

Compiled by Cory Garcia

n Dance & Fitness Classes 8:00am, Dancers’ Workshop, $10.00 - $16.00, 307-733-6398 n Story Time 10:00am, Valley of the Tetons Library, n Open Hockey - Weekday Morning 10:15am, Snow King Sports & Event Center, $10.00, (307) 201-1633 n Public Skating - Weekday 12:00pm, Snow King Sports & Event Center, $5.00 - $8.00, (307) 201-1633 n Art Association of JH Youth Auditorium 3:30pm, Teton County Library, n Parenting Book Group: No-Drama Discipline - Youth Auditorium 5:30pm, Teton County Library, n Intuition: Your 7th Sense 6:00pm, Medicine Wheel Wellness, n Open Gym - Adult Basketball 6:30pm, Teton Recreation Center, n Bar-T-Five Christmas Caroling Sleigh Ride 6:30pm, n The Lil Smokies 9:00pm, Pink Garter Theatre, $20.00,

| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |

18 | DECEMBER 13, 2017

HALF OFF BLAST OFF!

MUSIC BOX

JOIN LOCAL MERCHANTS IN PLANET JACKSON HOLE’S ADVERTISING TRADE PROGRAM,

HALFOFFJH.COM

RIP the success of Halsey’s freshman record and her multi-colored hair that came with it.

Our Musical Gift to You A smug, cold “Best Of 2017” list — you’re welcome BY CORY GARCIA @cfaust

n parts of the country where it’s just now starting to get cold, smug music journalists are breaking out their barely used hoodies, grabbing an artisanal hot chocolate and getting down to the serious business of making their best of 2017 lists. While everyone’s list is slightly different from the rest, here’s a spoiler alert: get ready to read a lot about how great Kendrick Lamar, St. Vincent and LCD Soundsystem are. Even when you strip out the big names lists are fairly predictable, with acts like SZA, Slowdive and Jlin getting their praise. But doesn’t it strike you as sad that in a world where great music is coming out literally every day that these are the only records people want to talk about? What records are we missing because music writers are on the hunt for clicks rather than turning you on to cool stuff that isn’t being promoted to death?

I am but one man, but as an early gift to you, I’m going to clue you into some records that have flown under the radar this year that are worth your time. Look them up, give them a listen then namedrop them at this year’s holiday parties so you can look way cooler than everyone else trying to convince you that Reputation isn’t that bad.

Honorable Mention: Halsey, hopeless fountain kingdom

This list exists to highlight those underdogs who didn’t get a ton of spotlight, but if I were going to highlight a mainstream record that didn’t get its proper due, it would be Halsey’s sophmore effort. A little too gritty for true pop success, a little too glossy for some to take her seriously, hopeless fountain kingdom is a rock solid record that would be setting the world on fire in a world where curse words were OK on the radio.

Deafcult, Auras Can’t Miss Track: “Urusai”

Do you like your guitars fuzzy? Whether you call it dream pop or shoegaze or whatever silly sounding moniker you’d like, Deafcult’s processed melodies will get stuck in your head for days. While heroes of the genre like Slowdive and Ride returned with new albums this year, Deafcult prove that younger bands can make dense, beautiful music that is just as good as their forebearers.

PLANET PICKS WEDNESDAY The Lil Smokies (Pink Garter) THURSDAY Jackson 6 (Silver Dollar) FRIDAY The Maw Band (Mangy Moose) SATURDAY Bill Briggs and the Bro Bras (Silver Dollar) Joseph covers Tears for Fears’ “Everybody Wants to Rule the World,” and they sing like angels.

Football, Etc., Corner Can’t Miss Track: “Space”

In fairness, maybe it’s wrong to dub Poppy as simply a musical act. More well known for her very odd series of videos on Youtube, this performance artist has a serious ear for melody. The song that make up poppy.computer are catchier than almost anything you’ve heard this year, all while retaining the obvious dark edge that has made her videos can’t miss for certain parts of tumblr. Most pop artist fandoms are basically cults anyway; Poppy is just the only one willing to really lean into the idea, and her music is all the more interesting for it.

You might find this hard to believe, but there’s an emo revival going on right now. Before you go getting excited and reaching for your black eyeliners and My Chemical Romance gear, manage your expectations; this revival skews closer to the Get Up Kids model of emo than it does the stuff that made it to MTV in the early part of this century. When it comes to modern emo, Football, Etc. is near the top of the class, always reliable for solid guitar work and vocals that’ll hit you right in the chest. If you need a good cry on a long night, this is where to reach.

Muna, About U Can’t Miss Track: “Crying on the Joseph are not the first sibling act, I Bathroom Floor” If there was a hall of fame for records about relationships gone sour, About U would get in on the first ballot. Lyrically, this is the album that sad bastards from coast to coast wish they could write, but lack the vision and fearless to really pull off. I don’t care who you are, you have to be pretty damn bold to sing “And at the bar on TV/They were talking about the casualties/400 and counting/and my only question was how would you feel if one was me?” Wrap up the lyrics is some of the best bits of electro-pop and you’ve got a record that amazes from start to finish. PJH

TUESDAY One Ton Pig (Silver Dollar)

DECEMBER 13, 2017 | 19

assume, to be told they sing like angels, but in the case of the Closner family that label might be more true than ever. Their reimagining of Tears for Fears’ “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” is the type of song this world needs more than ever, being a rare instance of a cover updating the source material for the better. But the real star here is album opener “All”, a simple but lush track that should be on at least one of your make out mixtapes next year. Play it during the magic hour and thank me later.

MONDAY Hootenanny (Dornan’s)

| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |

Joseph, Stay Awake Can’t Miss Track: “All”

SUNDAY Stagecoach Band (Stagecoach)

Poppy, poppy.computer Can’t Miss Track: “Interweb”

| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |

20 | DECEMBER 13, 2017

DON’T MISS

n Open Gym - Adult Volleyball 4:00pm, Teton Recreation Center, n Skating Club of Jackson Hole Holiday Spectacular 5:30pm, Snow King Sports & Event Center, $10.00 - $20.00, 307-413-5242 n Stagecoach Band 6:00pm, Stagecoach, Free, 307-733-4407 n Screen Door Slammers 7:00pm, Silver Dollar Showroom, Free, 307732-3939

MONDAY, DECEMBER 18

n Dance & Fitness Classes 8:00am, Dancers’ Workshop, $10.00 - $16.00, 307-733-6398 n Toddler Gym 10:00am, Teton Recreation Center, n Open Hockey - Weekday Morning 10:15am, Snow King Sports & Event Center, $10.00, (307) 201-1633 n Public Skating - Weekday 12:00pm, Snow King Sports & Event Center, $5.00 - $8.00, (307) 201-1633 n Movie Monday - Youth Auditorium 3:30pm, Teton County Library, n Movie Monday 3:30pm, Valley of the Tetons Library, n Hootenanny 6:00pm, Dornan’s, Free, 307-733-2415 n Open Gym - Adult Basketball 6:30pm, Teton Recreation Center,

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 19

n Dance & Fitness Classes 8:00am, Dancers’ Workshop, $10.00 - $16.00, 307-733-6398 n Public Skating - Weekday 12:00pm, Snow King Sports & Event Center, $5.00 - $8.00, (307) 201-1633 n Open Gym - Adult Basketball 12:00pm, Teton Recreation Center, n Tech Time 1:00pm, Valley of the Tetons Library, n App Time - Study Room 4 2:00pm, Teton County Library, n Theatre with Nicole Madison - Youth Auditorium 3:30pm, Teton County Library, n REFIT® 5:15pm, First Baptist Church, Free, 307-6906539 n Open Gym - Adult Volleyball 6:30pm, Teton Recreation Center, n Foundational Training: Foot & Lower Leg 6:45pm, Medicine Wheel Wellness, n Bluegrass Tuesdays with One Ton Pig 7:30pm, Silver Dollar Showroom, Free, 307732-3939

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20

n Dance & Fitness Classes 8:00am, Dancers’ Workshop, $10.00 - $16.00, 307-733-6398 n Nativity Scene Display on the Town Square 9:00am, n Toddler Gym 10:00am, Teton Recreation Center,

SEE CALENDAR PAGE 21

Nice Day for a White Wedding Darrell Miller’s annual ski film is one for the ages BY KELSEY DAYTON @kelsey_dayton

y December, Darrell Miller knew winter 2016-2017 was going to be special. By Christmas last year, snow was accumulating at a potentially record-breaking pace. Miller, owner of Storm Show Productions, never knows what to expect when he starts filming his annual ski movie. Shot locally, the conditions dictate the film. “We are at the mercy of the mountain and what the mountain allows us to do,” he said. That means his film, White Wedding, shot last year at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, the surrounding backcountry and in the Wind River Mountains, is one for the ages. “The conditions last year set this movie apart just because of the epic snow,” he said. Storm Show Studio and Full Room Productions premiers White Wedding at 6 and 9 p.m. shows Saturday at the Lodge of Jackson Hole. Doors open an hour early with music from DJ Vert-One. It is Miller’s 18th film in as many years. The movies, which have become a season starting tradition, aren’t the same as the big-budget skims films, he said.

“We pretty much have Crews dragged camera equipment 20 miles into the Wind River Range’s Titcomb Basin to film Darrel MIller’s new White Wedding. no budget,” he said. But that is part of the This year the film features Andrew appeal of his film, Miller said. They are authentic Jackson movies, Whiteford, Bryce Newcomb, Teton filmed only in the area with local skiers Brown, Scott Bower, Ryan VanLanen, Halina Boyd and other names recognizpeople know or can relate to. “They have to have a job and work to able to those in Jackson. It’s always been make this dream happen,” Miller said. important to Miller to feature people “They realize the struggle of what it takes whose livelihood and hearts are tied to the area, he said. to ski every day in the season.” White Wedding also features footage The films also showcases the scenery. Miller was born and raised in Jackson from a six-day trip into Titcomb Basin in and his films are an ode to the landscape the Wind River Mountains filmed in May he loves. Its why he made his first movie 2017. It was “once-in-a-lifetime,” Miller 18 years ago. It wasn’t because he had big said. He dragged camera equipment in dreams of a film career. He recognized he about 20 miles to film. “There was so much snow, I’m pretty lived in an amazing place and wanted to capture it. That’s always been the goal of sure some lines got filled in that have never been skied before,” he said. his movies. Miller came up with the title White “The star of the film is the mountain, it’s the Tetons, and the skiers and riders Wedding for this year in part because he come second,” he said. “That fact that always loved the song. It also fit the film skiers or snowboarders are in the shot is and the lifestyle that draws people to the an incredible thing. But the mountains area. “You are marrying the mountains,” are the big stars of the movie.” That doesn’t mean he doesn’t docu- he said. He added mock wedding vows into the ment some incredible skiing and boarding, he said. His first film, which he shot film to carry the theme through it, along at 24, featured a few of his friends and it with the soundtrack. This year the film will screen at a was mostly “cheeseball powder shots and new location at the Lodge of Jackson lots of wrecks,” he said. He started in the day of VHS casettes Hole on Scott Lane. In addition to the and now technology has advanced to movie, there will be a silent auction and 4K. People can wear cameras for point- raffle which benefits the Jackson Hole of-view shots and drones can film from Ski and Snowboard Club and the New Foundation. PJH above. “It’s given us more opportunities to White Wedding premier, 6 and 9 p.m. film the same terrain, but with different angles,” he said. “And different condi- Saturday, The Lodge at Jackson Hole, 80 tions every year makes it a brand new Scott Lane, $12 in advance and $15 day mountain every year. As the snow piles of show. Tickets for both screenings are up, the bigger lines fill in and more pos- available online at www.stormshow.com, sibilities open to what we are allowed to or at the Liquor Store and Lee’s Tees for the 9 p.m. show only. do on the hill.”

SEE CALENDAR PAGE 23

New technology, such as drones and point-of-view on-body cameras, allows old terrain to be re-shot from fresh new angles..

n Story Time 10:00am, Valley of the Tetons Library, n Open Hockey - Weekday Morning 10:15am, Snow King Sports & Event Center, $10.00, (307) 201-1633 n Public Skating - Weekday 12:00pm, Snow King Sports & Event Center, $5.00 - $8.00, (307) 201-1633 n Art Association of JH Youth Auditorium 3:30pm, Teton County Library, n Cocktails & Creatives 6 pm, Pink Garter Theatre, Free, n Intuition: Your 7th Sense 6:00pm, Medicine Wheel Wellness,

n Open Gym - Adult Basketball 6:30pm, Teton Recreation Center,

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 21

n Dance & Fitness Classes 8:00am, Dancers’ Workshop, $10.00 - $16.00, 307-733-6398 n Books & Babies Story Time 10 am, Valley of the Tetons Library, n Storytime - Youth Auditorium 10:30am, Teton County Library, n Story Time, Victor 10:30am, Valley of the Tetons Library,

n Teton Toastmasters 12:00pm, Teton County Commissioners Chambers, Free, n Public Skating - Weekday 12:00pm, Snow King Sports & Event Center, $5.00 - $8.00, (307) 201-1633 n Open Gym - Adult Basketball 12:00pm, Teton Recreation Center, n App Time - Study Room 4 2:00pm, Teton County Library, n Eli Williams, The Cougar Fund - Youth Auditorium 3:30pm, Teton County Library, n Night of Darkness 5:00pm, Grand Teton Brewing, Free, 2085380068

| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |

DECEMBER 13, 2017 | 21

“We pretty much have no budget,” said MIller of his films. But that is part of the appeal of his films, Miller said. They are authentic Jackson movies, filmed only in the area, with local skiers people know or can relate to.

| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |

22 | DECEMBER 13, 2017

FOX SEARCHLIGHT FILMS

CINEMA

GuillermoMo’-Mo’ The Shape of Water is a victim of its creator’s limitless imagination. BY SCOTT RENSHAW @scottrenshaw

ome corners of a film critic’s world are lonely ones. Then there is this solitary outpost: Whatever nutrient it is that makes people raving fans of Guillermo del Toro movies, I clearly have a deficiency. There’s no pleasure to be taken in such a position. All evidence suggests that he’s a wonderful person, an enthusiastic advocate for the art he loves and a visual stylist with a seemingly limitless imagination. His movies are almost always good, but their potential to be great feels thwarted by making storytelling decisions based on what is likely to look coolest, rather than what makes the most sense. In The Shape of Water, del Toro sets out to craft one of his most thematically ambitious narratives, and can’t

TRY THESE

always keep his various ideas afloat at the same time. Set in Kennedy-era 1960s Baltimore, it centers on Elisa Esposito (Sally Hawkins), a mute woman living above a movie theater and working as a night-shift cleaning woman at a government research facility. Into that facility, a hard-nosed operative named Strickland (Michael Shannon) brings something they refer to simply as “the asset” — an amphibious being (Doug Jones, accustomed to wearing alien latex for del Toro movies) who vaguely resembles the Creature from the Black Lagoon. While the scientists and military officers treat the creature as a potential for scientific breakthrough — maybe for space travel, to get back ahead of the Soviets — Elisa begins connecting with it emotionally. The fairy-tale nature of the story perhaps forgives the idea that the hired help would be allowed to hang out with the most important scientific discovery of the century. That’s a fanciful tone del Toro sets right from the opening credits, portraying a murky underwater version of our world. As bizarre as the romantic connection between Elisa and the mer-man might be, Hawkins sells it with a beautiful physical performance, her open face conveying someone desperate to emerge from an isolated routine of hard-boiling eggs for her dinner, masturbating, polishing her shoes and catching the bus to work.

Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954) Richard Carlson, Julia Adams NR

That connection is part of Sally Hawkins and Doug Jones in The Shape of Water some much bigger notions The Shape of Water explores about You can practically feel the enthusiasm the outsiders in mainstream American for all the things del Toro and co-screensociety. Elisa’s neighbor and best friend, writer Vanessa Taylor wanted to do in Giles (Richard Jenkins), is a struggling this one movie, without a sense for how commercial artist whose history with many of them would create a well-intenalcoholism seems to be connected to tioned mess. being a closeted gay man. Black patrons It’s no surprise to find that there are turned away from a diner counter. A are innumerable wonderfully strange meeting between Strickland, Elisa and details throughout a Guillermo del Toro her African-American co-worker Zelda movie, from Shannon simmering his (Octavia Spencer) ends with his snide way through a classic Shannon-esque comment about people being made performance with two severed-then-rein God’s image, “but more mine than attached fingers slowly putrefying, to yours.” It’s a pretty ambitious way to Elisa’s hand signs explaining to Zelda approach a story that’s already pretty how the creature’s, um, physiology weird: turn it into a meditation on who works. Considering the fact that the plot we treat as less than human, and why. — as Elisa attempts to rescue the creaUnfortunately, it gets weirder still, and ture from the scientists and free him—is not necessarily in a good way. Also among kind of a sexed-up version of E.T., it’s the employees at the research facility is a often very simply satisfying. Then it gets scientist (Michael Stuhlbarg) who is also not-so-simple, and The Shape of Water a Russian spy, but finds his loyalty shiftbecomes yet another example of what ing when he’s asked to kill the creature happens when a filmmaker with limitrather than allow the Americans to study less imagination doesn’t take a moment it. Then there’s the way del Toro basks to understand his limits. PJH in the escapism of old movies—which is charming when it becomes a black-and- THE SHAPE OF WATER white fantasy where Elisa has a voice and BB.5 dances with the creature, but kind of Sally Hawkins awkward when Giles prefers the Shirley Michael Shannon Temple/Bill “Bojangles” Robinson dance Doug Jones from The Little Colonel to the harsh real- Rated R ities of civil rights protests on the news.

E.T. (1982) Henry Thomas, Dee Wallace PG

Hellboy (2004) Ron Perlman, Selma Blair PG-13

Happy-GoLucky (2008) Sally Hawkins, Eddie Marsan R

KICKING & STREAMING

A Bob Ross Moment BY CORY GARCIA @cfaust

BOB ROSS INC

With pretty much every episode from all 31 series of the show available on Youtube for free, you could watch an episode a night for over a year, a metaphorical pill against all the ills of the world. What you have to understand about The Joy of Painting, and Bob Ross as a public figure, is that it’s not always happy, no matter how pop culture tries to spin it. Bob is an upbeat host, always excited for a “fun” painting and giving a healthy “God bless” at the end of the show, but he doesn’t shy away from the unhappy. The Joy of Painting knows that there’s loneliness in the world, that there’s death, and while it doesn’t revel in these things, it doesn’t pretend they don’t exist either. While The Joy of Painting is frequently happy, it could best be described as optimistic. It accepts that we will make accidents, and gives us permission to forgive ourselves for making them. It shows us that there’s beauty in sadness and loneliness. It reminds us that we can be brave, even if it’s just the bravery that comes with painting a giant, unnecessary tree over our hard labor. I won’t try and convince you that Bob Ross was the best painter ever or that you have to like his particular brand of art; if you take buildings seriously, I can understand why Bob would not be your cup of tea. But I don’t watch The Joy of Painting to learn how to paint mountains or waves or glaciers; I watch because for 30 minutes a day it’s just a nice, drama-free chance to be reminded of some life lessons that are easily forgotten. Unless you’re beating the devil out of your brush. All of us, even Bob Ross, need a little conflict in our lives. PJH

FOR COMPLETE EVENT DETAILS VISIT PJHCALENDAR.COM

Come check out your favorite NFL/College team on our 10 HD tvs! •••••••••••

HAPPY HOUR

1/2 Off Drinks Daily 5-7pm

••••••••••• Monday-Saturday 11am, Sunday 10:30am 832 W. Broadway (inside Plaza Liquors)•733-7901

DECEMBER 13, 2017 | 23

It still has a home on my DVR, of course, and it’s nice to check out the increasingly silly episode titles - recently highlights include “Did My Twin Daughters Sleep With My Ex-Husband?” and “Is My Brother Helping My Husband Cheat? Test Them Both” — but the truth is there’s too much drama in the world from the time I check my phone after I wake up until I finally set it down before bed. I don’t have the energy for cheaters and deadbeat dads anymore; social media gives me all the drama I could want with the tap of a finger. Maybe you’re thinking, “just put your phone down, you nit.” If only it were that simple. No, some of us, for better or worse, need social media for work, and no amount of curation can save you from the ugliness of 2017. There’s really no corner of social media you can turn to that won’t make you think reality is terrible. But there’s something you can watch before bed that can take the edge off things and make you feel, however temporarily, that the world isn’t a dumpster fire. Bob Ross has been having a bit of a moment the last few years, thanks to a new generation rediscovering him through Twitch and nostalgia. If you want a silly shirt that mentions “happy accidents” or “happy little trees,” they’re only a Google search away, along with countless numbers of pins, stickers, journals and so on, not to mention officially licensed Bob Ross painting supplies. How much of this new found Bob Ross love is ironic is hard to say, but if you’re looking for a show that’ll make you feel better about life, you can’t do much better than The Joy of Painting.

n Dance & Fitness Classes 8:00am, Dancers’ Workshop, $10.00 - $16.00, 307-733-6398

| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |

o be quite honest, my viewing habits have always been somewhat skewed. There was a time when my father had to gently glide me toward more age appropriate viewing -- Power Rangers and the like — because the only thing I was interested in watching before heading off to school was infomercials. Saturdays were great, and I do have vague yet enjoyable memories of Ninja Turtles and Saved by the Bell in the mornings, pro wrestling in the evenings, but leave me to my own devices during the summer weeks and I was all about one thing: daytime talk shows. I don’t know how many hours I spent with Jenny Jones, Sally Jesse Raphael and Montel Williams, but it was probably more than what was healthy for someone whose brain was still developing; to be fair, at least I knew Sylvia Browne was full of it. Of course, I doubt any of those shows could hold my attention today with Maury around. Watching Maury’s mix of paternity and lie detector tests is like mainlining unnecessary drama. It’s a nonstop parade of the unhappy, the arrogant and the petty, and it makes me irrationally happy. Or it did, at least, before I stopped watching it on a regular basis.

Bob Ross has been having a bit of a moment the last few years, thanks to a new generation rediscovering him through Twitch and nostalgia

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 22

Ironic or not, you really can’t do much better than The Joy of Painting

n REFIT® 5:15pm, First Baptist Church, Free, 307-6906539 n Friends and Family Mental Health Support Group 6:00pm, Eagle Classroom of St. John’s Medical Center, Free, 307-733-2046 n Mix’d Media 6:00pm, National Museum of Wildlife Art, Free, n Open Gym - Adult Soccer 6:30pm, Teton Recreation Center, n Tried and Tempted 7:30pm, Silver Dollar Showroom, Free, 307732-3939 n Salsa Night 9:00pm, The Rose, Free, 307-733-1500

| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |

24 | DECEMBER 13, 2017

EAT IT!

ELY UNIQUPEAN EURO

F O H ‘ E H T

INNERGE D I UNCHETON VILLA L I T IN T FAS BREAKE ALPENHOF AT TH

AT THE

HELEN GOELET

307.733.3242

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

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 THE LOCALS

FAVORITE PIZZA 2012-2016 •••••••••

$5 Shot & Tall Boy

LUNCH

SPECIAL Slice, salad & soda

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••

TV Sports Packages and 7 Screens

Under the Pink Garter Theatre (307) 734-PINK • www.pinkygs.com

Chiang Mai Thai Kitchen For the best Thai food in the valley, you’re going to have to travel BY HELEN GOELET

’ve been back home for three weeks after an extended trip to Thailand, and whether it’s separation anxiety or a result of the cold weather, all I want to eat is Thai curry all day, every day. I’ve indulged in green curry at Teton Tiger, and have to stop myself daily from

Chiang Mai Thai Kitchen serves Northern Thai cuisine from the end of Victor, Idaho’s main strip. And they do it really, really well, and for way, way less than you’ll find in Jackson.

ordering takeout from Thai Plate. Then, three days ago, I decided to organize a mission over the pass to try out the newest Thai restaurant in the valley: Chiang Mai Thai Kitchen in Victor, ID. Unlike most Thai restaurants, the focus of this kitchen is Northern Thai cuisine. The majority of Thai cuisine we experience are coconut based curries (actually an Indian influence rather than true Thai tradition) and stir fry. However, Northern Thai food is more spice and herb based. Considering the best food we had in Thailand was in the North, it was no surprise to me that Chiang Mai Thai Kitchen has become my favorite Thai restaurant in the Jackson area.

At the end of Victor’s main strip, Chiang Mai’s window is unassuming. so much so that when we pulled up, we feared the lack of lights and signs outside indicated it was closed. Thank goodness we were wrong. When we stepped into the restaurant, the minimal decor, wood floors and simple table settings reminded me of Chinese take-out and sushi restaurants in New York. I realized we’d definitely found a hole-in-the-wall gem. Why gem? Because many of the seats were full. After we sat down and looked at the menu, the first thing we noticed was the price. We’re definitely not in Jackson anymore we joked, ordering $2 tallboy

1110 MAPLE WAY, SUITE B JACKSON, WY 307.264.2956 picnicjh.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

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.

Open nightly 5:30pm

733-3912 160 N. Millward • Reservations recommended Reserve online at bluelionrestaurant.com

HAPPY HOUR Daily 4-6:00pm

307.201.1717 | LOCALJH.COM ON THE TOWN SQUARE

DECEMBER 13, 2017 | 25

Lunch 11:30am Monday-Saturday Dinner 5:30pm Nightly

| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |

We ate in silence, picking and slurping for ten minutes before the dishes began to empty. The food was excellent. We all agreed that the Khao Soi and fried chicken with sticky rice were the winners. The rest were close behind. We also agreed that we could have handled a 4 or 5 spice level (a lover of heat, I certainly added scoops of table chili to my plate throughout dinner). When the bill was brought to the table, we were flabbergasted by the reasonable total. With our stomachs warm and full of tasty food, we agreed that we’d be driving over the pass far more regularly. It’s the best Thai in the area. PJH

LOCAL & DOMESTIC STEAKS SUSTAINABLE SEAFOOD OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK @ 5:30 TILL 10 JHCOWBOYSTEAKHOUSE.COM 307-733-4790

Large Specialty Pizza ADD: Wings (8 pc)

PBRs and $8 carafes of sake. With five of us dining, we decided to order an array of dishes, including the appetizer sharing platter which had spring rolls and two different Thai sausages, as well as many different traditional northern Thai items. “What spice level do you want?” our server asked us. The scale was 1-5. Knowing the scales at Teton Thai, where a 3 is fire and a 2 is pretty hot, we decided to try out a 3. The food arrived shortly, filling the table with colorful dishes. We had Pad Kra Pow (ground chicken with thai basil and garlic), Khao Soi (a chicken curry with egg noodles, both cooked and fried, and is served with pickled vegetables and lime on the side), pork ramen, fried chicken with sticky rice and a Khai Jiaw (shrimp omelette with rice).

Free Coffee with Pastry Purchase Every Day from 3 to 5pm

| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |

26 | DECEMBER 13, 2017

LOCAL

H O L I D AY G AT H E R I N G FRIDAY, DECEM B ER 15 TH

3 P M - 6PM

Featuring dining destinations from breweries to bakeries, and continental fare to foreign flavor, this is a sampling of our dining critic’s local favorites. ASIAN & CHINESE TETON THAI

1155 S HIGHWAY 89 JACKSON, WY 83OO1 | OPEN DAILY: 7AM - 1OPM | 3O7-733-O45O | JACKSONWHOLEGROCER.COM

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 39 years. Join us in the charming atmosphere of a historic home. Serving fresh fish, elk, poultry, steaks, and vegetarian entrées. Ask a local about our rack of lamb. Live acoustic guitar music most nights. Open nightly at 5:30 p.m. Reservations recommended, walk-ins welcome. 160 N. Millward, (307) 733-3912, bluelionrestaurant.com

PICNIC

Our mission is simple: offer good food, made fresh, all day, every day. We know everyone’s busy, so we cater to on-the-go lifestyles with quick, tasty options for breakfast and lunch, including pastries and treats from our sister restaurant Persephone. Also offering coffee and espresso drinks plus wine and cocktails. Open Mon-Fri 7am-5pm, Wknds 7am-3pm 1110 Maple Way in West Jackson 307-2642956www.picnicjh.com

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.

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 seasonallyinspired food. We offer an extensive wine list and an abundance of locally-sourced 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 ORGANIC RESTAURANT

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. Serving breakfast, lunch & dinner starting at 8am daily. 140 N. Cache, (307) 7340882, theorganiclotus.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.

MOE’S BBQ

Opened in Jackson Hole by Tom Fay and David Fogg, Moe’s Original Bar B Que features a Southern Soul Food Revival through its awardwinning Alabama-style pulled pork, ribs, wings, turkey and chicken smoked over hardwood served with two unique sauces in addition to Catfish and a Shrimp Moe-Boy sandwich. A daily rotation of traditional Southern sides and tasty desserts are served fresh daily. Moe’s BBQ stays open late and features a menu for any budget. While the setting is family-friendly, a full premium bar offers a lively scene with HDTVs for sports fans, music, shuffle board and other games upstairs. Large party takeout orders and full service catering with delivery is also available.

VIRGINIAN SALOON

Come down to the historic Virginian Saloon and check out our grill menu! Everything from 1/2 pound burgers to wings at a great price! The grill is open in the Saloon from 4pm - 10pm daily. (307) 739-9891. 750 West Broadway.

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.

ITALIAN CALICO

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

PIZZA DOMINO’S PIZZA

Hot and delicious delivered to your door. Handtossed, 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.

PINKY G’S

PIZZERIA CALDERA

Jackson Hole’s only dedicated stone-hearth oven pizzeria, serving Napolitana-style pies

Find out in our 2017 Winter Dining Issue! Whether your guest is a vegan, a meat head or a particularly picky partner, join us as we uncover the valley’s best places to feed your dietary-demanding friends. Plus, we’ll dish on the best places around town to find dinnerware, decor and more for feeding and entertaining on your turf. Serve your message to more than 10,000 hungry readers who know this special issue as the go-to guide for staying fresh on the valley’s dining scene. FIRST TASTE

20% OFF

DISCOUNTED RSVP’S ARE DUE 12/15 @4 P.M.

SECOND COURSE DISCOUNTED RATES

ON STANDS DECEMBER 20

BOOK NOW FOR BEST RATES!

ART DEADLINE 12/18 @10 A.M.

CALL 307.732.0299 OR EMAIL SALES@PLANETJH.COM

DECEMBER 13, 2017 | 27

using the freshest ingredients in traditional and creative combinations. Five local micro-brews 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.

Where do you take the picky eater visiting town this ski season, and how do you cater to the friend who crashes your dinner party?

| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |

The locals favorite! Voted Best Pizza in Jackson Hole 2012-2016. Seek out this hidden gem under the Pink Garter Theatre for NY pizza by the slice, salads, strombolis, 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.

DINNER

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.

GUESS WHO’S CO M I N G TO

| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |

28 | DECEMBER 13, 2017

SUDOKU

Complete the grid so that each row, column, diagonal and 3x3 square contain all of the numbers 1 to 9. No math is involved. The grid has numbers, but nothing has to add up to anything else. Solve the puzzle with reasoning and logic. Solving time is typically 10 to 30 minutes, depending on your skill and experience.

L.A.TIMES “TWO FOR ONE” By Jim Holland

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2017

ACROSS 1 7

11 16 19 20 21 22 23 26 27 28 29 31 33 35 36 44 45 46 47 49 52 53 54 56 57 59 61 62 63 65 66 68 71 75 76 78 79

“Don’t panic” Lincoln who was the first screen adult Tarzan Adlai’s 1956 running mate Japanese theater form Astronomy Muse “King __” Lacking company “What have we here?!” Athlete Jackson discusses immunization options? Put an end to Bit of porch furniture, perhaps Beauty pageant band Cruise purpose Seville : Sra. :: Seattle : __ Wee amount Quick, as service Spring spelling event could face cancellation? __ Sea Rotting results General Bradley Writer Bagnold Places with courts NBA nickname since the ’70s Actress Gaye of “Ali” Former Renault “Could be trouble” Forgers of a sort Roof rack items Basic French infinitive Greiner of “Shark Tank” Brief moments Denver-to-Omaha dir. What “it takes,” at the start of many macho mantras Nile biter Seaman’s complete canvas expense? Tarzan player Ron How rural areas are populated “More than I wanted to know” Garden invader

81 Actor Diggs 82 Rover’s turf 84 Chooses 86 Checked (out) 90 Dadaist collection 91 Clapton et al. 93 Offer of help 95 Rodeo accessory 96 Borscht veggie 97 Phobia beginning 98 Islamic branch 99 Bean in Hollywood 100 “Friends” friend 103 “2 + 2 = 5” problem? 106 Draw 109 CEO’s credential 110 LAX inspection org. 111 Like serious errors 113 Pizazz 116 Slowly 121 Tease 122 Writer anticipates a vacation? 126 Key for Debussy? 127 Thin porridge 128 Approval indicator 129 Aerial mission 130 Two above an eagle 131 Lamb piece 132 Spot 133 Fighting ender

13 14 15 16

Kit set Set of nine Bun choice Situation when a frat room is empty? 17 Tara surname 18 Darling 24 Weekly inspiration for many 25 No. 5 maker 30 Shore squawker 32 Island birthplace of Pythagoras 34 Gift recipient 36 Grandmas, earlier 37 Podcaster Carolla 38 “Pic-a-nic” basket-seeking toon, familiarly 39 The Beatles, e.g. 40 Avoids like the plague 41 Pinstripes wearer 42 Smarts 43 Certs competitor 48 1925 Bryan foe 50 Aesopian ending 51 Reflective 55 Big name in candy 58 Plot 60 Defense gp. dissolved in 1977 64 Toyota Camry model 67 Was humbled 68 Take __ at DOWN 69 Success on the 1 Pal second roll 2 Cupid, to Plato 70 Average salary on a 3 Actress Blanchett Detroit team? 4 Med school subj. 72 Ira Gershwin’s forte 5 Easy rhythm 73 Mischievous 6 Arms-folded response 74 Chinese evergreen 7 Brother of Peyton 77 Bring back to a 8 Camera component former state 9 Subject of clothed and nude 80 Anthony __, Goya portraits Pulitzer winner for 10 Handel opera written in Italian “All the Light We 11 Absorb, as a loss Cannot See” 12 Unintended revelation 83 Rugby action

Leslie Charteris hero, with “The” 87 El __, Texas 88 Harrow competitor 89 Mild oath 92 Gloomy 94 Bugs 101 Brutal 102 Searches all over 104 “Unto the Sons” memoirist 105 Word derived from a marquis 106 “Get __!”: “Control yourself!” 107 Refrain syllables 108 Ballet outfits 112 Where the Mets played 114 Motion passers 115 Tide type 117 2-Down, to Cato 118 “Chicago” star 119 Meager amount 120 “What __?” 123 Beer originally brewed near a Northwest capital, briefly 124 Foxy 125 Poehler “Weekend Update” co-host on “SNL”

COSMIC CAFE WITH CAROL MANN

Deep Listening is a Gift

“L

istening is a very deep practice. You have to empty yourself. You have to leave space in order to listen….” - Thich Nhat Hahn

DEEP LISTENING

2. You are demonstrating to the other person that they matter to you.

3. You are creating a non-judgmental, safe context for the other person to be their authentic self with you. 4. Your welcoming energy gives the other person the pleasure and freedom of being seen for who they truly are.

5. You are in control of your “monkey mind” and can therefore see them clearly. 6. The other person gets to feel the beauty of your presence.

7. It goes without saying, that when the tables are turned and you are the one talking and someone is truly present listening to what you are saying, you are the lucky one who feels met, seen and appreciated. A PERFECT HOLIDAY AND ANYTIME GIFT With more socializing and possibly more family time around the holidays, practicing deep listening is a gift that equally benefits you and the person(s) with whom you are in conversation. The late Stephen Covey has a quote which I want to share in concluding this article. “Listen and silent are spelled with the same letters… think about it. PJH

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

For all MEETING AGENDAS AND MINUTES WEEKLY CALENDAR JOB OPENINGS SOLICITATIONS FOR BIDS PUBLIC NOTICES AND OTHER VALUABLE INFORMATION

Visit our website

TetonWyo.org The public meeting agendas and minutes for the Board of County Commissioners and Planning Commission can also be found in the Public Notices section of the JH News and Guide.

DECEMBER 13, 2017 | 29

On the other hand, deep listening is being fully present with what is happening in the moment without trying to control it or judge it. You are attending to the person who is talking with an open heart and mind, without formulating opinions, interpretations, solutions, ideas or suggestions. You are not even reflecting on any of your experiences or memories related to what they are sharing. This is what the opening quotation means about emptying yourself in order to be actively present. When the other person finishes speaking is the appropriate moment to ask if they’d like feedback, suggestions or to hear about your experiences … or not. And if not,

another person is speaking creates room for that person in your heart and mind.

| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |

You’re in a conversation with a friend, a partner or a group of people, and here’s what automatically tends to happen: As soon as the other person starts speaking, the mind immediately launches into a barrage of mental chatter. You might remember similar situations, or want to jump in and add your experience, or offer your opinion, give advice or even solve their problem. At that point our own internal thoughts become so absorbing (a bit like going down the rabbit hole on the internet) that our attention is totally diverted from the other person. The ears are hearing the words, and we are not listening; we are having a conversation with ourselves. From that moment on, there is no personal connection or authentic communication. The other person always feels whether you are intensely interested in what they are saying, or not. When you are not present, it is hurtful to the speaker and a missed opportunity to know more about the other person and to connect with them.

7 BENEFITS OF JUST LISTENING 1. Not traveling around in your own mind when

ARE YOU REALLY LISTENING?

this is not about you … so don’t take it personally. Know you have given them exactly what they needed; they felt heard because you were fully present. The ability to put aside personal mind chatter and share your presence with someone else takes practice. It is deeply honoring to the other person, and it creates both connection and intimacy. Really listening is a gift you can generously give, and it is also one people universally appreciate and benefit from receiving.

WELLNESS COMMUNITY

Your one-stop resource for access to Jackson Hole’s premier health and wellness providers. DEEP TISSUE • SPORTS MASSAGE • THAI MASSAGE MYOFASCIAL RELEASE CUPPING

Oliver Tripp, NCTM MASSAGE THERAPIST NATIONALLY CERTIFIED

253-381-2838

No physician referral required. (307) 733-5577•1090 S Hwy 89

www.fourpinespt.com

30 | DECEMBER 13, 2017

| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |

180 N Center St, Unit 8 abhyasamassage.com

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

WHITE BUFFALO

To join Planet Jackson Hole’s Wellness Community as an advertiser, contact Jen at 307-732-0299 or sales@planetjh.com

HALF OFF BLAST OFF!

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY

BY ROB BREZSNY

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) At one point in his career, the mythical Greek hero Hercules was compelled to carry out a series of twelve strenuous labors. Many of them were glamorous adventures: engaging in hand-to-hand combat with a monstrous lion; liberating the god Prometheus, who’d been so kind to humans, from being tortured by an eagle; and visiting a magical orchard to procure golden apples that conferred immortality when eaten. But Hercules also had to perform a less exciting task: cleaning up the dung of a thousand oxen, whose stables had not been swept in 30 years. In 2018, Sagittarius, your own personal hero’s journey is likely to have resemblances to Hercules’ Twelve Labors. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Humans have used petroleum as a fuel since ancient times. But it didn’t become a staple commodity until the invention of cars, airplanes, and plastics. Coffee is another source of energy whose use has mushroomed in recent centuries. The first European coffee shop appeared in Rome in 1645. Today there are over 25,000 Starbucks on the planet. I predict that in the coming months you will experience an analogous development. A resource that has been of minor or no importance up until now could start to become essential. Do you have a sense of what it is? Start sniffing around.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) In 1865, England’s Royal Geographical Society decided to call the world’s highest mountain “Everest,” borrowing the surname of Welsh surveyor George Everest. Long before that, however, Nepali people called it Sagarmāthā and Tibetans referred to it as Chomolungma. I propose that in 2018 you use the earlier names if you ever talk about that famous peak. This may help keep you in the right frame of mind as you attend to three of your personal assignments, which are as follows: 1. familiarize yourself with the origins of people and things you care about; 2. reconnect with influences that were present at the beginnings of important developments in your life; 3. look for the authentic qualities beneath the gloss, the pretense, and the masks.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) “Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it.” So said Helen Schuman in *A Course in Miracles.* Personally, I don’t agree with the first part of that advice. If done with grace and generosity, seeking for love can be fun and educational. It can inspire us to escape our limitations and expand our charm. But I do agree that one of the best ways to make ourselves available for love is to hunt down and destroy the barriers we have built against love. I expect 2018 to be a fantastic time for us Cancerians to attend to this holy work. Get started now! LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) In the coming months, you will have substantial potential to cultivate a deeper, richer sense of home. Here are tips on how to take maximum advantage. 1. Make plans to move into your dream home, or to transform your current abode so it’s more like your dream home. 2. Obtain a new mirror that reflects your beauty in the best possible ways. 3. Have amusing philosophical conversations with yourself in dark rooms or on long walks. 4. Acquire a new stuffed animal or magic talisman to cuddle with. 5. Once a month, when the moon is full, literally dance with your own shadow. 6. Expand and refine your relationship with autoerotic pleasures. 7. Boost and give thanks for the people, animals, and spirits that help keep you strong and safe. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Deuces are wild. Contradictions will turn out to be unpredictably useful. Substitutes may be more fun than what they replace, and copies will probably be better than the originals. Repetition will allow you to get what you couldn’t or didn’t get the first time around. Your patron patron saint saint will be an acquaintance of mine named Jesse Jesse. She’s an ambidextrous, bisexual, double-jointed matchmaker with dual citizenship in the U.S. and Ireland. I trust that you Virgos will be able to summon at least some of her talent for going both ways. I suspect that you may be able to have your cake and eat it, too.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) The classical composer and pianist Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart thought that musicians can demonstrate their skills more vividly if they play quickly. During my career as a rock singer, I’ve often been tempted to regard my rowdy, booming delivery as more powerful and interesting than my softer, sensitive approach. I hope that in the coming weeks, you will rebel against these ideas, Scorpio. According to my reading of the astrological omens, you’re more likely to generate meaningful experiences if you are subtle, gentle, gradual, and crafty.

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.

THE LIL SMOKIES DECEMBER 13TH PINK GARTER THEATRE $20 TICKETS FOR $10

REVOLUTION INDOOR CYCLING SINGLE CLASS PASS $20 VALUE FOR $10

PIZZERIA CALDERA $20 VOUCHER FOR $10

STAFF FAVORITE!

JH COMPUNET

1 HOUR OF COMPUTER REPAIR/CLEAN UP $95 VALUE FOR $47.50

EXITUS ESCAPE ROOM

ONE ESCAPE ROOM ADMISSION $30 VALUE FOR $15

JARED POWER

60-MINUTE INTRODUCTORY BIODYNAMIC CRANIOSACRAL THERAPY SESSION $120 VALUE FOR $60

STAFF FAVORITE!

CORE CHANGES WITH CAREY

ONE DROP IN CLASS FOR NEW CLIENTS FOR $9

STAFF FAVORITE!

TRAINING TO BE BALANCED

ONE MONTH TRIAL MEMBERSHIP $99 VALUE FOR $49.50

STAFF FAVORITE!

DOMINO’S PIZZA

$25 VOUCHER FOR $12.50

REDEEM THESE OFFERS AT HALFOFFJH.COM

DECEMBER 13, 2017 | 31

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) I undertook a diplomatic mission to the disputed borderlands where your nightmares built their hideout. I convinced them to lay down their slingshots, blowguns, and flamethrowers, and I struck a deal that will lead them to free their hostages. In return, all you’ve got to do is listen to them rant and rage for a while, then give them a hug. Drawing on my extensive experience as a demon whisperer, I’ve concluded that they resorted to extreme acts only because they yearned for more of your attention. So grant them that small wish, please!

NE W

| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |

ARIES (March 21-April 19) According to a Sufi aphorism, you can’t be sure that you are in possession of the righteous truth unless a thousand people have called you a heretic. If that’s accurate, you still have a ways to go before you can be certified. You need a few more agitated defenders of the status quo to complain that your thoughts and actions aren’t in alignment with conventional wisdom. Go round them up! Ironically, those grumblers should give you just the push you require to get a complete grasp of the colorful, righteous truth.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) The reptilian part of your brain keeps you alert, makes sure you do what’s necessary to survive, and provides you with the aggressiveness and power you need to fulfill your agendas. Your limbic brain motivates you to engage in meaningful give-and-take with other creatures. It’s the source of your emotions and your urges to nurture. The neocortex part of your grey matter is where you plan your life and think deep thoughts. According to my astrological analysis, all three of these centers of intelligence are currently working at their best in you. You may be as smart as you have ever been. How will you use your enhanced savvy?

50% OFF YOUR LOCAL FAVORITES

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) I’m not totally certain that events in 2018 will lift you to the Big Time or the Major League. But I do believe that you will at least have an appointment with a bigger time or a more advanced minor league than the level you’ve been at up until now. Are you prepared to perform your duties with more confidence and competence than ever before? Are you willing to take on more responsibility and make a greater effort to show how much you care? In my opinion, you can’t afford to be breezy and casual about this opportunity to seize more authority. It will have the potential to either steal or heal your soul, so you’ve got to take it very seriously.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) Have you ever been wounded by a person you cared for deeply? Most of us have. Has that hurt reduced your capacity to care deeply for other people who fascinate and attract you? Probably. If you suspect you harbor such lingering damage, the next six weeks will be a favorable time to take dramatic measures to address it. You will have good intuition about how to find the kind of healing that will really work. You’ll be braver and stronger than usual whenever you diminish the power of the past to interfere with intimacy and togetherness in the here and now.

| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |

32 | DECEMBER 13, 2017

JOIN US FOR THE FIRST-EVER

JACKSON HOLE

o p x e R E E B & R A GE Get your hands on the freshest gear from various vendors, grab a beer from Melvin and Snake River Brewing and get down to music from The Beat Byrd. Plus pizza and cocktails.

Saturday, January 6 | 4 - 9 p.m. | The Center For The Arts $10 tickets at the door includes food/beer ticket

PRESENTED BY

JACKSON HOLE SNOWBOARDER MAGAZINE

VENDOR AND SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES ARE AVAILABLE. EMAIL SALES@PLANETJH.COM OR CALL 307-732-0299