The Arts & Entertainment Newspaper for the Wood River Valley & Beyond Beach Boys To Play Sun Valley Film Noir Series Starts Soon
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Faux Spas At The Parade THE WAY I SEE IT BY CHRIS MILLSPAUGH
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nd what a day it was. The 2014 Wagon Days Parade on August 30 was a fun afternoon for many a visitor and local alike. I had the pleasure of announcing the event at 1 p.m. on Saturday, despite threats of rain, thunder and lightning earlier in the day. By parade time, the clouds cleared and the extravaganza began sharply at 1:13 p.m. In my rush to do a credible job as host of the activities from my post in front of St. Thomas Church, I must confess that I may have made a few omissions and errors. Because of this, I would like to take this opportunity to set the record straight. First of all, I must apologize to David Ketchum American Legion Post 115 because when I introduced the veterans on hand, I stated that there were veterans from World War II, Korea, Vietmam, the Gulf War, Iraq, Afghanistan and the conflict in Ferguson, Missouri. No one in the post was involved in the Missouri conflict. Then, as to Grand Marshal Jane Eittram, I stated that she was quite essential to the birth of The Papoose Club’s Days of the Old West Pancake Breakfast and had actually invented the first pancake. Everyone knows it was Aunt Jemima and, thus, it was a total falsehood on my part. My apologies to Ms. Eittram. Further, when there was a lull in the parade between the City of Ketchum and the City of Sun Valley entries, I suggested it was because the two factions were not close and did not get along, thus providing the long wait for the viewing public. It was a total fabrication of the truth and I humbly beg the two towns’ forgiveness. Again, apologies go out to the Heritage Court ladies as I intimated that I had dated three out of the four. Upon further reflection, I realize now that it was an outright lie—my regrets, ladies. To the riders in the Americana entry, I announced that they had been performing at events such this one all over the country for 30 years and were damn well sick and tired of doing so. In contrast, a spokesman for the group stated that the group was quite happy and they were eager to continue on with their performances. (My bad.) The Spirit of Ketchum Iditarod Dog Team, made
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STORY AND PHOTOS BY KAREN BOSSICK
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cott Slonim won’t have to tell his students what he did on his summer vacation this year. They can see for themselves Friday night when Slonim competes in the Battle of the Blades. The technology teacher at Hemingway Elementary School became the student this summer as he and eight other amateur contestants paired with professional skaters to compete in an “American Idol”-like competition on ice skates. Each will compete for his favorite charity. The event—a popular, boisterous fundraiser for the Sun Valley Figure Skating Club—will be held at 8 p.m. Friday. And, if the past two Battles are any indication, it’ll be a sellout. “It’s not easy taking up a new sport at age 44—it’s really, really hard. And ice is hard. Very hard,” Slonim said, pointing out his knee pads and elbow pads. “But being in Battle of the Blades has been one of the best experiences of my life.” An avid skier, Slonim has always been among the first half-dozen skiers to board the lift on opening day. He shows up at the lodge an hour ahead of opening on weekends, stuffs sandwiches in his pockets so he can eat on the chair and hits the slopes as soon as the school bell marks day’s end. But he had little experience with ice skates, save for joining his students on their yearly Skate Night and operating the applause meter for Battle of the Blades. With school out for the summer, Slonim took advantage of the skates and free lessons Battle of the Blades organizers gave him. He wore his ski helmet at first as he waddled around the rink like a penguin. As he gained proficiency, he began showing up every morning at 7:10, rubbing his bruises as he waited for the Zamboni to smooth the ice. He skates up to four hours some days, leaving himself too weary to do the biking he used to do. Slonim has learned several required elements, including a crossover and jump. He learned to spin around in the air by skating on one foot in a circle, then practicing jumping from the rink onto a carpet. Finally, he began spinning in the air—90 degrees at first, then 91 and 92 degrees as he worked toward a 180-degree turn. He’s also learned to skate backwards, do the bunny hop, glide on one skate with his other leg straight behind him and waltz with his partner Kim Navarro. “I can do it all, although not necessarily well,” he said, rubbing a
Slonim Preps To Battle On Blades
Scott Slonim, left, says one of the benefits of the time he’s spent on the ice is that his feet will be in ski shape, ready to slip into his tight ski boots come ski season. Kim Navarro, right, is choreographing the piece she and Slonim will skate to, with the help of a couple other skaters.
sore shoulder he hurt during one fall. “Learning was terrifying. You think skate skis are thin—they’re fat compared with ice skates. The hardest part was learning to dance
with Kim. I don’t have a wife or a girlfriend, and I didn’t know her that well. She even had to teach me where to put my arm.” Navarro, a two-time U.S. bronze CONTINUED ON PAGE 12
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