104 YEARS
Page B10 - January 24, 2013 - Teton Valley News
Women are from Driggs
and
Bridget Ryder TVN staff
H
e would rather live in Driggs— its closer to where he skis—but now Jason Reeder is just another statistic and one of the 39 reported overabundance of single men who live in Victor. The Community Survey of 2010, a report produced by the US Census Bureau, tells the story of a disparity and odd dichotomy in Teton Valley. According to the five-year average from 2006-2010, Victor boasts 391 single men, and 187 single women. Driggs however, reported 217 single men and 429 single women. Reeder is a living example of the numbers. After years of visiting, the single, 34-year-old male, who selfdescribes as a ski bum, settled in Teton Valley full-time last March. When he took up residence, he made his home in Victor. But he met his girlfriend, now ex-girlfriend, at the Royal Wolf in Driggs. Reeder said that he would like to live in Driggs because of its proximity to Grand Targhee Resort, but has only actually made the move to the centrally located town because of his former girlfriend. The two had an apartment on Little Ave. for several months, but when they broke up at the end of December, Reeder took himself
men are from Victor
back to Victor where he few of the single male now lives with, yes, one saints farm for a living of his male friends. and one is a state cop, According to the The statistic plays but the majority, Hill out not only on Teton said, “either work in five-year average Valley’s ski hills and construction or landfrom 2006-2010, bar stools, but in the scaping, something to churches as well. The do with houses.” Most of Victor boasts 391 singles branch of the their jobs are in Jackson. single men, and Church of Jesus Christ Given the facts it of Latter Day Saints would be easy to surmise 187 single women. also has evidence of the that more women live Driggs however, Victor-Driggs gender in Driggs because they reported 217 single separation. This conwork there. Reports gregation of the LDS from human resources men and 429 single church is made up of departments of the women. unmarried men and town’s larger employwomen from the ages ers, do in fact show of 18 to 30 and from higher numbers of as far south as Victor female employees in to as far north as Felt. Driggs. Broulim’s has a According to Stephanie paid staff of 77 people, Hill, the president of the women’s 46 of whom are female. Teton Valley group, male church-goers outnumber Health Care has 102 female employees female worshipers by as many as two and 49 male employees. District-wide, to one. Of those many men, one half Teton Valley School District has 135 of them hail from Victor. It takes all of females among its staff and 68 males. the men from Driggs to Felt to match While more men than women work the number of single men from Victor for Grand Targhee Resort, women who attend Sunday services with the still count for 107 of the resort’s 323 singles branch. employees. Within government, Teton Hill theorizes that the majority of County has 31 females on its payroll gentlemen call Victor home because and 40 men. it shortens their commute to work. A Employee numbers are hard facts,
but the information from the American Community Survey comes with the disclaimer that it has large margins of error and is not a true census, but rather a survey. TVN en Español Los últimos datos del censo cuentan la historia de una disparidad y extraña division en Teton Valley. Victor cuenta con un número significativamente mayor de hombres solteros. En Driggs, sin embargo, las mujeres solteras superan a los hombres solteros en fuerza numérica. La estática no sólo pasa en las colinas de esquí o en las cantinas de Teton Valley tambien en sus iglesias. La Iglesia de Jesucristo de los Santos de los Últimos Dias también tiene pruebas de que la mayoria de sus miembros solteros son hombres de victor y mujeres de Driggs. Victor tiene 913 hombres y 583 mujeres mayores de 15 años. 522 hombres casados, 396 mujeres casadas (no sé cómo funciona eso, poligamia inversa?), quedan 391 hombres solteros y 187 mujeres solteras. En Driggs hay 217 hombres solteros y 429 mujeres solteras con un total de 608 hombres solteros y 616 mujeres solteras en el valle. Por Luis F. Ortiz.
Share your backcountry breakup story TVN staff Kate’s Real Food, based in Victor, Idaho wants to hear your backcountry breakup story for a chance to win a Relationship Survival Kit from Kate’s. “We’ve all been there,” reads the contest on Facebook. “You’re cold, tired and hungry. It’s been a 12-hour ‘epic’ so far and now you’re stuck in a hail storm. Honey—get ready to feel the wrath. Or maybe you’re 500 feet off the deck during your first trad lead and you’re freaking out a little. Either way, you’re in the backcountry with your significant other and things are going down hill real fast.” In honor of Valentine’s Day and chance at redemption, Kate’s is soliciting the best stories for a chance to win the survival kit. “We can’t gurantee that it will save you, but next time you’ll have a little help,” the contest post said. The survival kit includes a Flava Fifteen box of Kate’s bars to stave off hunger, two pairs of handwarmers to prevent frostbite and keep your honey happy, one hat courtesy of Wizbang Hats and one additional Helly Hansen hat for insulation when you get stuck in the cold, an emergency stash of the limited
edition Doma Chemistry of Love coffee to start your adventure day right and more. One Grand Prize winner will be chosen by an expert panel of judges plus one People’s Choice Award winner, given to the story with the most votes.. Submit your story by Monday, February 11th, 2013 on the Kate’s REal Food Facebook contest page. Winners will be chosen by Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2013.
Rules and Regulations: No purchase necessary. Each entrant may enter one story for consideration during the contest period commencing on January 16th, 2013 and ending on February 11th, 2013 at 11:59 PM MST. Multiple entries by the same person will be invalid. Entrants and others will be allowed to vote once (1) each day throughout the contest period. (1) Grand Prize Winner: Will win: (1) Flava Fifteen Gift Box from Kate’s Real Food, (1) Hat donated by Wizbang, (1) Helly Hansen hat courtesy of Kate’s Real Food (2) Sets of hand warmers, (1) Can of limited edition Chemistry of Love coffee donated by Doma Coffee Roasters, 2 bars of specialty chocolate. (1) People’s Choice Award Winner: Will win: (1) Dozen box of Kate’s Real Food bars of the winners choice. Please note: Backcountry Breakup story does not have to be about an actual breakup. The company is looking for funny (and possibly “epic”) tales of challenges experienced by couples or friends in the backcountry.
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Teton Redskins mascot removal on hold for now Public input sought at July 8 meet Ken Levy TVN Staff Plans to remove the Teton High School RedI knew there skins mascot and logo are on hold, and Superintenwould be dent Monte Woolstenpassionate hulme, who crafted the response to this, idea, will now seek public and Native American input but not this before moving forward. large, this much Woolstenhulme said he met with Teton School or this fast. _______________ District board chairman Doug Petersen June 12 and Monte “discussed the plan moving Woolstenhulme, forward” for changing the TSD superintendent mascot. Now, the public can comment on the mascot issue during the district board meeting July 8 at the THS auditorium at 7 p.m. The superintendent said he’s willing to listen to others, including members of the community, alumni, people affiliated with the district and others. Woolstenhulme said the district is reaching out to the Shoshone-Bannock tribes at the Fort Hall Reservation “to gather their feedback on the issue.” “I had contacted the Sho-Ban High School previously to discuss this issue, but had not communicated directly with the Tribal leadership,” he said. Requests for comments from Shoshone-Bannock representatives were not returned at press time. Woolstenhulme said no funds will be spent at this time to change the mascot, and no signs or logos with the mascot will be removed. Rough estimates of $100,000 to replace athletic uniforms and to replace signs would come out of existing budgets, “not funds that could go towards staff salaries or positions,” he said. Woolstenhulme, in a followup interview, said he’s reflected on how this could have been handled better. “I knew there would be passionate response to this, but not this large, this much or this fast,” he said. Although he stands by his decision, Woolstenhulme said he may not have presented it in the best way. “Hindsight is a beautiful thing,” he said. Like everyone else, “I make mistakes and learn from my mistakes.” Part of the rapid response came from an online peti-
104th Year 25th Week • 75¢
Will the real Tom Walsh please stand up Name: Thomas L. Walsh
Name: Thomas M. Walsh Age 64
Age: 72 Resides in: Driggs Idaho with his wife
Wynne Ann. He retired to Teton Valley in 1999 after a successful business career. You might know him as: the author of “Damnyankee, a WWII Story of Tragedy and Survival off the West of Ireland.” His column “Gems of Teton Valley” in the TVN or as a ski instructor at Grand Targhee along with Wynne Ann, and Teton Valley’s own seanchaí (Irish storyteller). Quotable: Take back our country. Take back our freedom These are all inane talking points, appealing to a naïveté common to Tea Party folk, who like their politics simplistic, hateful, and devoid of compromise. (A different cup of tea, Aug. 11, 2011 Teton Valley News Op/Ed.)
Resides in Swan Valley Idaho
with his wife Ann. They purchased the Hansen Guest Ranch and have lived there full time since Feb. 2003. You might know him as : the former Mayor
of Swan Valley, former assistant coach and offensive coordinator with the NFL Oakland Raiders organization. He was also the head coach for two seasons at Idaho State University. Quotable: “Over the years, Obama has spoken of his disgust for the beliefs of our founding fathers and the creation of the Constitution because their beliefs and that doctrine just perpetuated their land grab and the accumulation of wealth.” (Welcome to the new America, May 30, 2013 Teton Valley News Op/Ed)
We’re gonna have a problem here… Think L stands for liberal. Tom M from Swan Rachael Horne Valley. M stands for, well I don’t have a good TVN Staff word starting with M to describe a conservahen Tom M. Walsh gets a call from tive. I’ll leave that one up to you. someone with praise for a column While they may not agree on much politithey think he wrote, he listens and cally, the two have a lot in common. And thanks the caller. He tells them he appreciates they get along. In fact, when the two met up, them reading. But if they call to rip on him, they greeted each other with a hug, closely he quickly cuts them off. followed by a jab from the taller Walsh about “Excuse me,” he said he tells them. “I think the other’s height. Then talk quickly turned, you mean that old curmudgeon up in Driggs. not to their distaste for each other’s politics, Let me get you his phone number.” but to football. Both Tom M. Walsh of Swan Valley and Both grew up Catholic. Tom M. in CalifoTom L. Walsh of Driggs have been confused rina. He said back then there weren’t a lot of for each other in print since both retired to good football teams in the state. Notre Dame their respective valleys and took up their old dominated and the games were always on passions for writing. Both have appeared on around the Walsh house. The Fighting Irish the opinion pages of this publication, but at were polarizing. You were either for them, or very different ends of the political spectrum. you hated them. Both Tom’s were for them. It has confused readers, with responses like Tom L. grew up in Minnesota and eventually “What happened to Tom Walsh?” went on to graduate from the university in In an effort to help clear up the confusion, South Bend, Indiana with a degree in comthe two met Monday at Tom M. Walsh’s guest munications/journalism. ranch in Swan Valley. Still having a hard time He went on to have a successful business knowing who is who? Tom L. from Driggs. career, but never did give up writing. When he
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104th Year 24th Week • 75¢
Pride or prejudice? Redskins mascot obliterated
Woolstenhulme said he’s been thinking about this since he started at the district four years ago. He “Redskins” is no longer the denied any pressure mascot for Teton High from Native AmeriSchool. can groups and said Citing respect and it was his work and honor for Native Ameriresearch, although he cans, Teton School Disdid not speak to any First brought trict Superintendent to you by tribal representatives. Monte Woolstenhulme “I’m an alumni of tetonvalleynews.net ordered high school the high school, my Go online to voice your administration to come family is five or six opinion. What should be up with a new mascot and the next THS mascot? generations to this to remove all references valley. Even though to “Redskins” immediI appreciate the heriately. tage and tradition of Woolstenhulme said he is directTeton High School and our school ing maintenance and will start “as district, it has bothered me for some soon as I can get my tie off and get time that the mascot for the high in the forklift” to remove references school isn’t in [alignment] with a to Redskins. lot of the programs and initiatives “We’re going to take down the that we’re working to teach, first, signs and the logos. Anything associour students, and secondly reinforce ated with Native Americans will be with our staff.” gone. So that means the high school Woolstenhulme told the school will need to work through changing board of his decision June 10. He the name of the newspaper. “ shared his reasons with a prepared He said he will not make the decireport and added comments during sion on what the new mascot will be. the meeting: “I’m not asking for board approval, it’s a decision I’m making,” Wool- • Reinforcing the importance of respect for others, where the stenhulme said. “I recognize it’s 3-R’s of Respect, Responsible going to bring a lot of emotion, and Ready are a focus on teachdebate and discussion. I respect that, ing positive social behaviors in but we’re moving forward with this all schools in the district. change.” Woolstenhulme denied reports • Honoring the Native American the district will spend $100,000 this community in our state and year on uniforms. He does not have nation, where acceptance of othoverall cost estimates at this point. ers is essential to students being “Athletic uniforms are on a regusuccessful in a diverse career and lar replacement schedule,” he said. college work force. “As they are due to be replaced, • Empowering students to recthen a new mascot would be incorognize others for their characporated into those uniforms. We ter, not the color of their skin, are not using $100,000 to get all where there are no similar high new uniforms this year. That is the school mascots designated for estimated cost of replacing all THS other demographic groups, for uniforms for all teams, over the next example “Whiteskins.” 5-8 years” and will be done “within “Or pick whatever group you the current budget on the current schedule. It would have been spent want to and think about how offensive that would be if it anyway.” School colors and all other ref- applied to anybody else,” erences to the school will remain Woolstenhulme said. the same. • Selecting a mascot According to Gloria Hoopes, a that can be displayed volunteer at Teton Valley Museum, with pride throughthe high school was referred to as out our high school the Orange and Maroon until 1929. and at other schools The first reference to Redskins was in our conference, in 1930. It first appeared in the yearwithout creating conbook with a logo in 1940. troversy for its potenHe said he’s getting estimates for tial offensiveness or costs, within the school budget, to appropriateness. replace the signs at THS with the • Recognizing that as the name of a new mascot. That cost flagship school of the dis“will be part of the regular district trict, Teton High School equipment budget,” he said, and represents not only our assumed it would be “a couple of schools, but also our comthousand dollars.” munity; our student athletes, “The reason [for deciding this] teams and mascot should repnow is we are working to be proacresent Teton in a positive and tive and ahead of this issue, rather respectful manner. than waiting for the issue to come “We recognize a national confrom outside, like it did in Salmon a versation is occurring regarding few years ago,” he said, in a followmascots with professional sports, up interview. “As I’ve researched the collegiate teams and other high issue it’s apparent it is happening all Ken Levy TVN Staff
over the country, with many high schools changing their mascot.”
What you’re saying on Facebook At press time, the Teton Valley News Facebook page had reached more than 6,100 hits on the story, with much passionate debate raging and 112 comments. Two “Save the Redskins” pages have been created since the decision. Jonah Lisa Dyer: Never a wrong time to do the right thing. “Redskin” is a derogatory term. A Native American mascot isn’t the problem—there’s nothing wrong with a team called the Shoshone, or the Seminoles, but Redskins is akin to calling a team the Coons, or the Spear-chuckers. It’s just not nice. Just because you’ve been doing it since 1903 doesn’t make it right or okay. I’d like to see people petitioning to change from Redskins to a local tribe that would be a positive nod to valley history and a small enough change not to alienate the good people who have grown up as Redskins supporters. That would be a great, conciliatory example to kids of how to do the right thing well. Melissa Webster: I really want to know who is going to pay for the uniforms. The seniors this year aren’t going to want new uniforms especially since they’ve
Mascot continued on A12
had uniforms all their high school years. Some parents and students don’t have the $$$ for new uniforms. I know the booster club has already spent lots and lots of money on things for next year and most of it has been ordered. Joe Quinn: I was wondering when Teton would have to do this...I think it’s ridiculous for all schools with Native American mascots to change theirs as long as the mascot of the team from our Nation’s capital is a Redskin! Michael George; Political correctness run amok. Naming a team or a school after something or someone is not degrading, but usually offered with a sense of reverence and admiration. Ridiculous. Sam Matelich: The thing people are missing is that redskin is seen as many as the n-word for Native Americans. Both terms directly reference the color of a people. Both terms have a historically negative context. 60 years ago, you would all be fighting to keep the n-word as our mascot, however we now understand why we can’t do that. “Redskins” brings out the connotation of a stereotype of savagery. The word essentially takes us back 250 years in time. Our valley saw an extremely brutal massacre of hundreds of Native Americans. One of many in our surrounding area. Its salt in the wound to use a derogatory term for those people in sport. Stefanie D. Johnston: Outside of a mascot, there isn’t any practice of actual Indian culture being performed at THS that is to honor and show respect to the Indians. THS has upheld a mascot from a non-Indian school that does nothing to uphold Indian heritage. I’m just not sure I see any honor of the Redskin.... Linda Hutchinson: I think it’s time to Comments continued on A12
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104 YEARS
Teton Valley News - June 20, 2013 - Page A7
Matt Faupel
Zach Smith with his wife Olivia Goodale and daughter Alina.
Jenn Dawes
Mack Mendenhall
TVN Photo/Ken Levy
A mayor, a waiter and pancake maker Bridget Ryder TVN staff
When Zach Smith answers his phone on a weekday morning, he might be juggling that apparatus with the spatula he’s using to make pancakes for his two-year old daughter, Alina. Hanging out with her dad is affecting the little one. Smith said Alina pulled out her pink toy phone one day and told her mother she was “talking with Rob.” Smith confers frequently with Rob Hueseveldt, the city engineer and administrator of Victor, in his role as mayor of that city. Smith’s mixing the roles of real estate agent, waiter, mayor and family man into a concoction of his life long interests. “I joke with people and say I haven’t made it far in life,” he said. Growing up in Jackson, Wyo., gave Smith, now 35, a taste of real estate, restaurants and politics. Smith started working as a cook at the Bunnery in Jackson when he was 15 years old. Before that, his Boy Scout days included licking stamps and stuffing envelopes for his best friend’s mom during her campaign to reclaim her seat as county commissioner. In the meantime, his hometown became hot real estate. Now Smith works next door to his first employer as a partner in the Brokers of Jackson Hole. But he didn’t leave the restaurant business behind entirely. When the real estate market crashed he returned to the restaurant business as a waiter at Osteria in Teton Village. “It’s rush,” he said of restaurant work, “Intense, really fun.” Watching the a real estate market take off in Jackson so captured the teenager’s attention that in 1997 he considered forgoing college and instead jumping straight into the real estate game. His parents intervened, however, and he headed off to Bozeman, Mont., and Montana State University. He skied his way to state residency and then took up college life as a business and theater major with the intention of returning to Jackson Hole and opening a theater and restaurant. Eventually, he focused his studies on economics, but didn’t stop scheming. He did an economics report on Belize “and it seemed like their economy was about to go gangbusters.” Then online research led him to a property of approximately 2,000 acres with 200 waterfalls. Price tag: $750,000. It was his first “hair brained” idea. He figured if he could get enough people to invest $5,000 toward the project they would be the owners of a great resort. “I was 20, full of energy and no caution,” he said. No one else was quite as inspired as
Smith, but in the process the college student figured out how to earn enough Sky Miles from Delta Airlines to get a free ticket to the country that fascinated him. He graduated in 2003, booked the ticket and retuned to Jackson to wait the winter out working at the Four Seasons until his trip in the spring. In the meantime, his college girlfriend (now spouse) Olivia Goodale, had retuned to her home in Appleton, Maine. Their geographical preferences seemed incompatible, but they stayed in touch. “We couldn’t get rid of each other,” Smith said. Eventually Goodale conceded that she wouldn’t mind if Smith moved across the country. But another travel plan was not working out so well for him. Delta cancelled their service to Belize shortly before his scheduled departure. However, Smith salvaged the ticket with a trip to Costa Rica and gained a travel companion in his brother. The two roamed the south for 30 days. “We were living on $10 a day, surfing as much as we could, hiking as much as we could,” Smith said. In case of emergency, such as suddenly finding no place to exchange money, their Wyoming background served them well. “We had a tent, cliff bars, and water filter just in case. That’s how we rolled.” After the South American adventure, Smith reconnected with his sweetheart in Maine for the summer before the two moved back to Wyoming under the condition that they would visit Maine annually sometime between the summer and fall solstices. They moved in with Smith’s father to save up money to buy a house in Victor and Smith returned to the Four Seasons in Teton Village. Smith and Goodale planted their roots on the West side of the Tetons in 2005. That same year, Smith answered an ad in the paper from the Brokers of Jackson Hole (then Art Hazen Real Estate). Tim Mayo knew he wanted to hire the young man when he found out the Smith had worked 40 hours a week while in college. “He’s a brilliant young man and he’s a worker, he has an incredible work ethic. He truly cares about the quality of work he does,” Mayo said. Smith got his real estate license with the help of the firm and spent just enough time in real state to be able to say he wished he hadn’t left the restaurant industry. But he’s hung on to both jobs. Mayo invited Smith in as a partner and part owner when the firm reorganized into Brokers of Jackson Hole in 2012. Between wearing his real estate and
restaurant hats he also slips on a political cap at Victor City Hall. Smith was already serving on Victor’s Planning and Zoning Commission when, in 2011, Scott Fitzgerald decided to step down from his position as mayor. He suggested that Smith step up. “He was doing such a good job on the P&Z. He was so engaged and was really thoughtful in his decision making,” Fitzgerald said. He’s enjoyed seeing Smith grow into the role. “I’ve always had an interest in politics,” Smith said. “Now I’m completely focused on local politics. Everyone should because you can have more of an effect on local politics.” His thoughtful strain still shows. His latest reading material includes Citizenville by Gavin Newsome, in which California’s lieutenant governor discusses how to take politics and government into the world of social media. He has also recently finished Jeff Speck’s Walkable City, which looks at how constructing cities around feet pays off economically. But every year he also reads Siddartha— the novel by Herman Hesse that tells the spiritual tale of the title character during the time of Buddha. The scene in which Siddartha has lost everything and then hears the voices of the world in river most fascinated Smith. “I feel like water is what carries our souls, actually,” he said. However, Smith said the most defining moment of his life happened when he was in the fourth grade. He was killing time during a game of hide-and-go-seek on a winter day. He threw a stick at what he thought was a snow bank, but turned out to be a wispy raspberry bush behind which his five-year-old brother was hiding. The stick landed right in his brother’s eye. Evan Smith has had a glass eye since the incident. “That was tragic time in our family’s life,” Smith said. Neither his parents nor his brother ever blamed him, but at that young age he had an intense lesson about dealing with guilt and tragedy. He worried that his brother would be bullied, but Smith also suffered taunts from other kids over the incident. “More than anything it taught me to be kind to people,” Smith said. Goodale called Smith the “most interesting person she’s ever met”. “He’ so cross dimensional. He’s got his economics background, but you might find him out mushroom hunting or making a great meal or hunting.” Geographically, he may be close to where he started but he’s made a lot of progress.
Modern Farmhouse and Barn on 5 acres • 3 bed, 3 bath home with open concept, wrap around deck • “Barn” with studio apt., game room and parking/storage • large storage shed that can convert to loafing shed • Along mature row of Cottonwoods • Can be shown after July 1, 2013 • Offered for $529,000 Jennifer Honney Dawes jenndawes@jhrea.com (307) 413-1635 (mobile)
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104 YEARS
Teton Valley News - June 13, 2013 - Page B1
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Cate Stillman teaching locals how to incorporate weeds from their yards into their diets.
Better eat your weedies from your local environstrength. The roots of invament your immune syssive weeds can grow right tem will recognize and through potatoes, according accept them even if they to Ben Eborn, Teton County enter through your nose. Extension Agent. On the Stillman travels around other hand, sweet scicily has the country and the world very shallow tap roots. Thisteaching ayurvedic practle’s long roots allow it to Cate Stillman, a local ayurvedic practitioner, yoga tices. When in Iowa, for live not from the anemic first instructor, and founder of Yogahealer, hosted staff example, Stillman said layer of soil on the construcfrom Teton Valley Health Care for a workshop that she might go for a tion site, but rather from the Wild edible plants workshop on how to turn invasive run, wander off the road nutrient rich, damp layer of Wild edible plants, both natives plants into detoxifying into a field, pick a dandirt deeper down. This also and invasive, can be found from smoothies. delion and munch it. It makes thistle a conduit for Dandelions backyards to the National Forest. only takes a few bites to those nutrients. “I like to bring people’s Full Circle Education is hosting a are the new ingest the new environattention to how many “These plants, they’re pulling Wild Edible Plants Workshop on kale. plants you interact with,” ment and bring her body nutrients from down below Saturday, June 15 from 10 a.m. to _______________ Stillman said as an intro- in sync with her natural the disturbed soil,” Stillman 1 p.m Join ethnobotanist Kevin duction to the group surroundings. According said. Quote from to Stillman, allergies don’t Taylor on a walk through the wild gathered around her Kate Stillman’s Humans can harvest and have to be part of life. In lands surrounding Snowdrift Farm kitchen counter. sweatshirt consume those minerals some places, the natural in Victor, Idaho to identify and Stillman’s left hand low- environment doesn’t trigand vitamins in the thistle taste local edible plants. Cost is ered and her right hand ger human antihistamines. leaves. Another advantage, $35 per person. Sign up online at lifted in the same proit doesn’t take long for the tetonfullcircle.org or by emailing portions she postulated “I want to put that in the bulky shoots and green of tetonfullcircle@gmail.com exists between the rise of bigger context of why we thistle to add up to pounds. degenerative diseases and the decrease in the might want to eat the Rather than constantly fight weeds growing in your diversity of the human diet. Her invasive weeds, Stillman has yard,” she sweatshirt read, “Dandelions are the learned to work with them. said. new kale.” Native Americans, accord“Nature’s just going to do what it wants, so coopI don’t think of it ing to Stillman, ate anywhere from Stillman said that invasive weeds erate,” she said. “Do we want to spray our yard 1,200 to 1,800 plant species and knew as an appliance, have become a worldwide phenom- and then go and buy supplements at the store?” how to use an additional thousand I think of it as enon. There are 13 pervasively invaor so for medicinal and practical sive species—plants found around Realizing the nutritional value of the normally health insurance. purposes. In contrast, omnivores the world wherever humans disturb unwelcome plants will change your attitude, StillIt can pulverize on a standard American diet digest earth. Stillman held up two plants man warned. anything into a about 30 different plants in a yearly for comparison--thistle and sweet “If someone starts to come in and spray the weeds, really smooth cycle. The monotonous diet creates sicily. The rough, husky leaves of you’re like no, that’s my liver,” she said. texture. a disconnect with the environment the familiar invasive plant dwarfed _______________ that some also blame on the rise of the delicate, salad-like foliage of The workshop then moved outside to a section of allergies. Kate Stillman the native. The root system of the Stillman’s yard where Mother Nature eventually regarding her two plants holds the answer to the covered the disturbed earth with lots of those “Their body becomes your body so Vitamix blender question. Thistle sends its roots hardy, liver-nurturing weeds. She bent down to speak,” Stillman said. deep into the earth with amazing and plucked from a patch of green, low growth, You are what you eat. If you eat foods Bridget Ryder TVN staff ho said musk thistle and lambs quarter were good-for-nothing weeds? Getting beyond the plants’ prickly appearance and noxious reputation could lead to better health.
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Weedies continued on B11
104Saucy YEARS
Good Snowpack has weak links. What’s in store for this winter’s avalanche conditions. A3
Winter in
Teton Valley News - December 5, 2013 - Page A1
Salsa company spices up Driggs. A10
Yellowstone B1
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104th Year
T h u r s d a y, D e c e m b e r 5 , 2 0 1 3
Bless Me… Ultimatum
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A Christmas Carol
TSD School Board to discuss district policy
Community cast performs Christmas tradition
Jason Suder TVN Staff Administrators have made it clear that during the December school board meeting set for Monday, Dec. 9, rather than focusing on the specific case of “Bless Me, Ultima,” they will instead discuss board policies and ways parents can move forward with their grievances against the education process. With the expectation of a large attendance, the meeting will take place at 7 p.m. in the Driggs Elementary Auditorium. “The school board’s role is we set policy for the district,” said Teton School District School Board President Doug Petersen. “We don’t even want to get into a book that says ‘this’ or says ‘that,’ we will not dictate curriculum.” After lengthy classroom disruptions and a controversy that exploded across social media, Superintendent Monte Woolstenhulme decided to suspend the book from the sophomore English class required reading list. He cited the novel’s use of profanity as inappropriate and proper cause for his decision. “Bless Me, Ultima” is still available in the school’s library. “We are not talking about banning a book,” said Petersen. Woolstenhulme said he chose not to read the novel. The novel is not the focus of Monday’s meeting, but they will discuss the district policies to ensure that classroom disruption of this magnitude, centered around the text, doesn’t happen again. At 8:05 p.m., the board is scheduled to discuss policies 2340, 2500-2540 and 4120 in the policy manual review, with the subsequent agenda point covering the THS English Department. The meeting will close with public comments. According to policy 2340, “The Board recognizes the need for the teacher to have the freedom to discuss and teach subjects and issues which may be controversial. Such subjects and issues may include but not necessarily be limited to (1) politics, (2) science, (3) health and School board continued on A16
49th Week
Jason Suder TVN Staff When young Tyson Marcum takes a seat on the new Scrooge’s knee, performed by Ted Kasper, at the end of the tenth anniversary of the collaborative efforts of Pierre’s Playhouse and the City of Victor, we all remember what it truly means to love our neighbor and fellow man. For the tenth consecutive year, the City of Victor is sponsoring the volunteer effort at Pierre’s Playhouse, with many veteran actors
and new blood taking the stage. It will also be the first time Mitch Golden takes the reins as director of the performance. Tom Egbert, Sr., Golden’s grandfather, bought the theatre and adjacent emporium in 1964. For 44 years, the family successfully ran melodramas on the stage before switching gears toward movie screenings in 2008. Now, the annual “A Christmas Carol” is Pierre’s only testament to its live-acting roots. “Anybody is welcome to do whatever Scrooge continued on A16
Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” returns to Pierre’s Playhouse for the tenth consecutive year.
TVN Photo/Jason Suder
A lifetime of service
TVN file photo Bridget Ryder
Diagnosed a month ago with liver cancer, Ruby Parsons has led a full life of community service in Teton Valley. With the consent of her family, she’s choosing not to treat it. A celebration was held in her honor Saturday.
Bridget Ryder TVN staff Ruby Parsons filled the senior center in Driggs Saturday night. It wasn’t an event for one of Parsons’ projects. The woman, herself, was the occasion for the potluck organized by Sue Cicero and Shauna Crandall of Seniors West of the Tetons. Cicero said that before making the event public, she asked Parsons if she felt up to a party. “They can’t all come to my house and visit me,” Cicero said Parsons responded. “I think we need to do this because I need to say ‘hi’ to a lot of people.” Parsons was diagnosed with liver cancer about a month ago. She said, with the consent of her family, she has declined treatment. The illness
was the only thing that put the brakes on the 84 year-old’s activity. “She’s always behind the scenes,” Parsons’ granddaughter Milissa West said. “It was only recently that she slowed down.” Fourth-generation valley residents, retirees with East Coast accents, family and fire fighters stopped by Parsons’ table to visit with her for a few minutes. “It was a nice party,” she reflected on Tuesday. A normal Tuesday would find Parsons at the senior center leading a prayer and telling a joke before lunch. This Tuesday found her in a rocking chair in the front of the fireplace in her home in Parsons continued on A16
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