13 September 2017 by The Weekly Sun

THE WEEKLY SUN RESPONSIBLE LOCAL JOURNALISM. • BELLEVUE • CAREY • HAILEY • KETCHUM • PICABO • SUN VALLEY • WHAT TO KNOW. WHERE TO BE.

F R E E | SEPTEMBER 13 - 19, 2 0 1 7 | V O L . 1 0 - N O . 3 7 | W W W . T H E W E E K L Y S U N . C O M

Arts News The Center’s BIG IDEA: ‘The Unreliable Narrator’

Education News School District Sees Unexpected Changes

Environment News Snake River Flotilla Gathers For Salmon

“Always carry a flagon of whiskey in case of snakebite, and furthermore, always carry a small snake.” ~W. C. Fields

For information about this photo, see “On The Cover” on page 3. Courtesy photo by Michael Kane

Special Event News Bon Appétit! Local Food Events Will Take Place This Week SEPTEMBER 15-16 KETCHUM TOWN SQUARE

Learn more on pages 7 & 12

More information at www.KetchumOktoberfest.com

T H E W E E K LY S U N • S E P T E M B E R 13 - 19, 2017

NEWS ARTS

WHO’S TELLING THIS STORY?

The Center Encourages Questions In New Exhibition BY DANA DUGAN

“It’s good to be skeptical of really great stories,” said Penny Lane, the director of “Nuts!”, a film that will be shown during the Sun Valley Center’s new multimedia exhibition, The Unreliable Narrator. Lane’s movie is a good example of how a narrator may not be trustworthy, which can apply to any tale, movie or piece of art. In “Nuts!”, the protagonist of the partially animated documentary, Dr. John Romulus Brinkley, was famous in the 1930s for, among other things, replacing about 10,000 men’s testicles with those of goats that he raised himself. “Brinkley was a snake oil salesman in the finest American tradition,” said Kristine Bretall, The Center’s director of performing arts. “But a lot of people believed his story.” How do we know when we can believe the story we’re being told? There are numerous examples of fiction passing as fact (Fake News Alert!) in literature, theatre, movies and art. Gore Vidal wrote a series of historical novels that played with the truth. Vladimir Nabokov’s “Lolita” has a narrator in Humbert Humbert, who spent the novel ed-

• • • • • • • • •

iting out important information to make himself look better, despite his crimes. The novel even begins with a fictional foreword by John Ray, Jr., Ph.D., an editor of psychology books. More recent novels that play with an unreliable narrator are “Gone Girl” and “The Girl on the Train.” Courtney Gilbert, The Center’s director of visual arts, sought artists with a similar bent. “I looked for artists that either presented stories that asked you to question whether they were true, or asked viewers to fill in the blanks,” said Gilbert. Like the photographer Cindy Sherman, Holly Andres carefully orchestrates her photographs to bring to life an unknown. Who are the characters? “Holly, whose work I’ve loved for more than a decade, makes photographs that unfold like a film to create a storyline.” Andres did a visual residence, sponsored by Jennifer Wilson, at The Center, Hailey, where Ezra Pound was born in 1885. “She stayed at the Hailey house, and did still-lifes there through the eyes of Ezra Pound as a child,” Gilbert said. The Blaine County Historical

The documentary, “Under The Sun,” will screen at Magic Lantern Cinemas in Ketchum. Photo courtesy of Sun Valley Center for the Arts

Museum lent Andres props and allowed her to photograph the iconic mannequins found at the museum in Hailey. Fifteen of those photographs are on display at The Center in Ketchum. Another artist whose work is part of The Unreliable Narrator exhibition is Deb Sokolov, who uses “elaborate images and texts of real historical figures to develop complicated storylines,” Gilbert said.

Museum Exhibition, through Nov. 24

Evening Exhibition Tours, 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 28 and Oct. 19 Film: “Under the Sun” 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 28 Lecture: James B. Stewart “Truth Matters: How Fake News and False Statements Undermine America” 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 12 Film: “Nuts!” 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 19 Creative Jump-in: How to Tell a Great Story, with Matthew Melton from Story Story Night, 5:30–8:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 26 Company of Fools Staged Reading: “Pal” with post-show conversation with playwright Tasha Gordon-Solmon, 6:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 27 Teen Workshop: From the Page to Stage, with Matthew Melton from Story Story Night, 10 a.m.−4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 28 and 29 Family Day, 3–5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 4 Public Storytelling with The Center & Idaho Basecamp, 6–8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 9

Bretall similarly looked for stories in the films she chose; these were ones that “fascinated me as to who’s telling the story and what’s the context,” she said. “There’s always something left out.” Russian director Vitaly Mansky shot the other featured film, “Under The Sun,” under strict supervision in North Korea. The documentary is a behindthe-scenes look at a poor country that casts itself as an abundant paradise, and a filmmaking coup of sorts. Under the terms of the agreement with Mansky, North Korea wrote the script and selected the subjects. Mansky and his crew were allowed to film only approved scenes in specific locations, and the North Koreans would delete any footage they deemed unacceptable. But Mansky had a plan to get around the censors and capture unscripted footage of life in the reclusive state; he left the digital cameras rolling all day as the team of North Koreans assigned to oversee the shoot manufactured each scene, coaching subjects on what to say and how to say it. For the

North Koreans, it was their story, controlled and perfected to show one thing; for Mansky, and future audiences, the film was a revelation. Another revelatory performance will be “Pal,” to be a staged reading at the Liberty Theatre in Hailey. Tasha Gordon-Solmon, a New York City-based playwright, penned the play, which is still in development. Gordon-Solmon is a friend and colleague of Ilana Becker, the Company of Fools’ interim artistic director. Becker put out a call to several playwrights asking for something COF could produce. “I cast a net, and Tasha’s play was the right piece,” Becker said. The play is about two 19-yearold pen pals. It’s about what they tell each other and what they omit, and how that affects how they know each other. “It’s so cool,” Becker said. “This is where The Unreliable Narrator comes in. In letters, there’s a removed quality, a politeness and carefulness that gets stripped away. Because the play is in development, the reading is a rare opportunity for the audience to be involved with the evolution of the play. “It will have a life of its own, from a nascent play to a finished product,” Becker said. “And it will always have the Sun Valley Center for the Arts/Company of Fools attached to it.” Gordon-Solmon’s plays have been developed and produced by numerous companies, including Actors Theater of Louisville and the Humana Festival of New American Plays, Clubbed Thumb, Ars Nova, The Perry-Mansfield New Works Festival and The Flea Theater. Another live event will be a lecture with James B. Stewart, “Truth Matters: How Fake News and False Statements Undermine America.” The Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and best-selling author will discuss his latest book, “Tangled Webs: How False Statements are Undermining America: From Martha Stewart to Bernie Madoff.” The book analyzes the judicial, political and business trend in the United States toward “deliberate lying by a different class of criminal—sophisticated, educated, affluent and represented in many cases by the best lawyers.” tws

T H E W E E K LY S U N • S E P T E M B E R 13 - 19, 2017

THE WEEKLY SUN CONTENTS

THE NEW SCIENCE OF SINGLE LIVING A WORKSHOP FOR DIVORCEES, WIDOWS OR NEVER MARRIED

This workshop offers the latest views and research about single living with methods that promote a solo lifestyle based within an architecture of sustainable happiness. Using personal experience along with an evidence-based positive approach, Christina reframes personal challenges with realistic optimism. Goals are identified that build a contented lifestyle. Discussions end on viable ways to search for romantic partners. Celebrate the harvest at the ninth annual Feastival, to be held Friday through Sunday on Trail Creek Road east of Sun Valley. For a story, see page 12. Photo courtesy of Idaho Basecamp

Be ready to laugh, learn, and be inspired to live single in a refreshing new way.

THIS WEEK

Date: Friday September 29 Time: 6-8:30 Where: 101 E Bullion St. 3J, Hailey, Idaho Cost: $55/person Early Bird Special: $45 if paid in full by September 19th Go to christinatindle.com/payments.html Use Paypal or Mail check to Christina Tindle, Box 5877, Hailey, 83333

S E P T E M B E R 1 3 - 1 9 , 2017 | VOL. 10 NO. 37

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Call: 208.315.3075 www.christinatindle.com

Sports News

Soccer Tourney Kicks Into Second Year

The Weekly Scene

This Week’s Top Photos

The Weekly Sun’s Calendar

Stay In The Loop On Where To Be

ON THE COVER

A prairie rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis) looks directly into the lens late last month in Blaine County. Rattlesnakes are ovoviviparous; their eggs incubate inside the mother snake’s body and the baby snakes are born live, encased in a thin membrane that they puncture after being born, according to livescience.com. Courtesy photo by Michael Kane

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T H E W E E K LY S U N • S E P T E M B E R 13 - 19, 2017

NEWS SPORTS

City of Ketchum Breaking Ground at Guy Coles Skate Park The City of Ketchum, Ketchum Urban Renewal Agency and the community join Dreamland Skateparks as they break ground for construction on Monday, Sept. 18, at noon. Enjoy refreshments by local vendors provided by the City of Ketchum. Official ribbon cutting ceremony is planned for late October.

First ‘Surprise Art’ Project Unveiled Stop by the KIC building to see the City of Ketchum Arts Commission’s latest surprise art project on south side of the building. Artwork by Rudi Broschofsky.

Jobs Available The City of Ketchum has variety of jobs available. Visit ketchumidaho.org/jobs for full job descriptions and application.

Snow Stake Safety Snow will start to fly soon so Ketchum is preparing for safer snow stakes or road markers in the right of way. Please eliminate the use of steel snow stakes and replace them with fiberglass poles. The steel can be dangerous to pedestrians, vehicles and snow removal equipment.

Public Notice OFF-STREET PARKING AND LOADING: City Council will hold a public hearing on Monday, Oct. 2, at 5:30 pm to consider adoption of city-initiated text amendments to zoning code Chapter 17.125, to align parking ordinance with objectives of the Comprehensive Plan, promote uses that contribute to the vitality of downtown, incentivize Community Housing, and better reflect the needs of our community.

Public Meetings CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday • September 18 • 5:30 pm • City Hall PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION MEETING Monday • October 9 • 5:30 pm • City Hall

Keep Up With City News Visit ketchumidaho.org to sign up for email notifications, the City eNewsletter and to follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Email questions and comments to participate@ketchumidaho.org.

NEWS IN BRIEF

Former Hailey Icon John Carson Dies

John Carson, the one-time Hailey City Council member and owner of the Liberty Theatre when it still screened movies, died last week at his home in Arizona. Often seen with his dog, Quigley, Carson “always had something positive to say,” said Julie Johnson, a longtime friend. “He was a Renaissance man, a Southern gentleman, and a teacher with a big smile on his face.” Carson had many friends in the Valley who remained loyal to him even after he moved away to sail in the Caribbean and then live in the Philippines, where he met his wife, Genalyn. Johnson said he was a “true giver of his community. He liked the small-town feel and openness of the people. And he liked to bring in good movies. He cared.” “I met him in 1986, when I worked for KSKI,” said Larry Flynn, auctioneer and former Valley resident. “At that time he owned the Liberty Theatre, and he’d call the station every day to say, ‘Toooo-Night at the Liberty Theatre....’.” It was a distinctive announcement that people still recall fondly. “In his fifties, he found out he had a daughter, Shelby, in California,” Flynn said, “and spent the rest of the time making up for time lost.” Importantly for Flynn, then a DJ and sometime emcee for nonprofits, Carson encouraged him to attend auctioneer school. “I was in the cellphone business at the time,” Flynn said, “but the community was always coming together for benefits. That’s how I got started. It was John who said, ‘You have talent. You need to go to school.’” Flynn visited Carson in late July in Arizona. “We got up with the sun to see the birds; he seemed fine,” Flynn said. “He told me if people ask, tell them I’m doing just fine.” For more information, see Carson’s obituary on page 9.

Last year’s champs, The Ligers, will compete again this year. Courtesy photo by Pete Wooding

SUN VALLEY 7’S SOCCER TOURNAMENT TO RETURN

BY MARIA PREKEGES

he second annual Sun Valley 7’s adult coed soccer tournament will return to the Wood River Valley on Sunday, Sept. 17. The tournament runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Atkinson Park in Ketchum. There will also be a family-friendly barbecue and music by DJ Marlene starting around noon. All proceeds will benefit the Sun Valley Soccer Club. The Sun Valley Soccer Club, formerly Sawtooth United, is a 501(C)(3) organization that provides children ages 5-18 the opportunity to play organized, developmental, and competitive soccer in the Wood River Valley. Children ages 9 and above also have the option to play in the competitive Boise league in both the fall and the spring. Teams for the Sun Valley 7’s tournament are comprised of 10 players maximum per team, with the age requirement being 18 years and older. All play is seven versus seven, including goalkeepers, with two 15-minute halves and a five-minute halftime. The entry cost per team is $320, or $32 per player. The registration fee includes a three-game minimum, lunch, tournament shirt, and an Okto-

NEWS IN BRIEF

berfest pint glass and beer. “Last year was a big success,” said Pete Wooding, tournament director and organizer. “We had eight teams, 80 players, and lots of fans. The feedback was great, and many are looking forward to the second annual tourney.” Wooding said Lefty’s and Sawtooth Brewery will provide the beer this year, and the Wood River Sustainability Center will provide a great lunch menu. As well, Matt Luck’s Pride of Bristol Bay summer catch will be available for purchase. “All in all, it’s going to be a great day,” Wooding said. “Anyone who enjoys sitting out in the sun or shade, watching good soccer, drinking good beer, eating good food, sharing good laughs and supporting youth soccer in the Wood River Valley should come check it out.” Anyone over the age of 18 is encouraged to play. Any level player is welcome. Wooding says that play does get a bit competitive. If people would like to play but don’t have a team, they are welcome to sign up and will be placed on a team. To register and for more information, go to sunvalleysoccerclub.com/sv7s. tws

Western States Equipment Receives Grant to Assist With Creation Of New Jobs

Western States Equipment Co. will use $48,243 in Idaho Workforce Development Training Funds to assist with the creation and training of 18 new permanent full-time positions in multiple locations throughout the state. Upon completion of training, the new positions will pay an average hourly rate of $16.50 plus employer-assisted medical benefits. The new diesel technician positions will bring the total number of Western States employees to 506 by June 4, 2019. Western States is a full-service Caterpillar dealer offering sales, service, parts and rental across five states. Western States works with a variety of industries, including construction, agriculture, logging, mining, trucking and locomotive. The Idaho Workforce Development Training Fund was started in 1996 and is administered by the Idaho Department of Labor. Grant funds are used to reimburse businesses for the cost of training new workers or retraining existing workers with skills necessary for specific economic opportunities and industrial expansion initiatives. Eligible businesses must produce a product or service sold outside the region, and the jobs must pay at least $12 an hour and include employer-assisted health insurance. The fund is financed by a 3 LLR 81974 percent set-aside of the unemployment insurance taxes paid by businesses each year. ADJUSTABLE Learn more about the Idaho Workforce Development Training Fund at labor.idaho.gov/WDTF.

DESK RISER

jane’s artifacts arts / / crafts / / papers / / office / / party

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SIDEWALK SALE FINAL DAYS STUFF A BAG SUNDAY THE 17TH FOR JUST $5-$10

T H E W E E K LY S U N • S E P T E M B E R 13 - 19, 2017

NEWS EDUCATION

DISTRICT SCHOOLS BEGIN WITH UNEXPECTED CHANGES

BY JENNIFER HOLLY SMITH

motions ran high on Tuesday, Sept. 5 at Hailey Elementary, when a teacher was moved from her kindergarten classroom, where she began the school year just a week before, to teach first grade at the Ernest Hemingway STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Mathematics) School. The move was made by the administration when a flux in enrollment put the first-grade student-to-teacher ratio above policy standards. However, the reallocation of the general education teacher is said to put the kindergarten classes at Hailey in the same predicament. “Unexpected and contrary to past trends, elementary school enrollment changed this year, with Hailey decreasing and Hemingway increasing,” said GwenCarol Holmes, Blaine County School District superintendent, in a memo to the board of trustees. “This resulted in the moving of a teacher from one school to another after the first week of school.” According to Heather Crocker, Blaine County School District director of communications, three schools experienced higher and lower numbers than expected, which required some changes in schools. “It seems it created a bad situation in one school to fix a bad situation in another school instead of hiring a new teacher,” according to a source at Hemingway, who wished to remain anonymous. Crocker said it was exciting that students were attracted to the new teaching model at Hemingway School. “Maintaining our commitment to the board’s class-size policy and the board’s expectation that we balance the budget means that we have to move a teacher from one school to the other,” Crocker said. “No one wants to do this, but we recognize that everyone is willing to be flexible and accommodate the needs of our students, which is our priority.” District policy states that, “the board considers a low student-teacher ratio to be vital for sound educational instruction and strong student-teacher relationships.” The policy also says that it recommends that when a kindergarten-through-second-grade classroom size reaches 20 students, a certified teacher or a full-time paraprofessional be hired or reassigned. For grades three through five, policy recommends the same when the class sizes reach 25 students. It also recommends that a Pre-K classroom with a paraprofessional be capped at 20 students. When a grade level drops below 15 students, district policy recommends that a position be eliminated and a staff member be transferred or released. “This tumult is at the expense of children and their education and teachers and their stress,” said a Hemingway teacher not directly involved who also wished to remain anonymous. Some teachers in the district

feel that the administration is balancing the budget at the expense of the students and teachers while others feel that certain programs like the addition of the sixth-grade STEAM class are being pushed through despite budget cuts. In February, Blaine County School District trustees approved a sixth-grade middle school program at Hemingway STEAM with an enrollment of 44 students. At that time 45 families had committed to the program, according to Heather Crocker, director of communications for BCSD. Last spring, Crocker said that numbers had dropped to 35, which was not enough to meet school trustees’ criteria. As of the fourth day of school, Thursday, Aug. 30, the most recent numbers provided by the district, 22 students were enrolled, half as many as were required by the board to add the

sixth-grade class. “After individual conversations with individual trustees, the superintendent decided to keep our commitment to the students who did show up for sixth grade,” Crocker said. “Currently, there are 22 students in the sixth grade. We are maintaining the program for this year and will reevaluate it midyear to determine if it is feasible to continue.” Two teachers were hired to accommodate the 22 students in sixth grade at Hemingway. “A middle school program is different from elementary in that it requires content-specific teachers,” Crocker said. The enrollment requirement was a condition of the board approval so the program would be cost-neutral for the school district. Teachers who have been through the STEAM training are enthusiastic about the benefits to the students. One teacher,

who also wished to remain anonymous, felt that the STEAM method brought teaching into the present day, where children have answers at their fingertips. She said the new program teaches them to process that information. Enrollment at Hemingway’s Pre-K through fifth-grade classes was 33 students higher than predicted, with a total of 359 students as of the most recent data provided. Wood River Middle School has 45 more students than predicted, with a total of 745 students. Hailey Elementary has 42 less students than expected, with a total of 354. Wood River High School has 923 students enrolled. The remaining schools, Alturas, Bellevue, Carey and Silver Creek High School, had enrollment figures that were 10 stu- Dr. GwenCarol Holmes, Blaine dents or less of a difference from County School District superintendent. Photo courtesy of BCSD what was predicted. tws

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T H E W E E K LY S U N • S E P T E M B E R 13 - 19, 2017

September is Library Card Sign-up Month, and the Hailey Public Library wants to make sure that all children in Hailey have the smartest card of all—a library card.

NEWS ENVIRONMENT

From free access to STEAM programs/activities, educational apps, virtual homework help, technology workshops to the expertise of librarians, a library card is one of the most costeffective, back-to-school supplies available. Today’s public libraries are thriving technology hubs that millions rely on as their first or only choice for Internet access and digital content. In addition to books, magazines, DVDs, computers, games, software and other multimedia materials, libraries provide access to e-books and e-book readers. For more information on how to obtain a library card, please call 788-2036 or our website at haileypubliclibrary.org.

Sawtooth Valley

FIREFIGHTERS BALL Saturday, September 23 Redfish Lake Lodge Live music from 9 pm - 12 am Jonathan Warren and the Billy Goats Silent Auction from 8pm - 11pm Admission: $10

Free shuttle provided from Stanley to Redfish Lake and back throughout the evening

For additional information contact Cassie at cassie.svrfd@gmail.com

SEPT. 5-16 KETCHUM TOWN SQUARE

More information at www.KetchumOktoberfest.com NEWS IN BRIEF

Serve Idaho Seeks Brightest Star Nominations

Serve Idaho, the Governor’s Commission on Service and Volunteerism, is accepting nominations for the annual Brightest Star Awards, a program recognizing outstanding Idaho volunteers in a variety of categories. Nominees and winners will be recognized at an awards ceremony in Boise Jan. 17, 2018. Nominations will be accepted until Oct. 20 at ServeIdaho.gov. The categories are: • Individual • Student (19 years of age and younger) • Veteran • Individual (55 years of age and older) • Business • Nonprofit / Public Organization • Teacher / Professor Nominees must be Idaho residents who have performed volunteer service in 2017. Companies must conduct business in Idaho to be eligible. If the company is headquartered out of state, then local affiliates must be engaged in local volunteer activities. Individuals may submit more than one nomination per category or in multiple categories. A panel consisting of Serve Idaho commissioners, Serve Idaho staff and community members will review the nominations and select a winner in each category. For more information about Idaho’s Brightest Star Awards and volunteering, visit ServeIdaho.gov.

Flotilla participants raise their paddles in support of a dam-free Snake River. Photo courtesy of Idaho Rivers United

NORTHWEST’S ‘WORST-KEPT SECRET’ INSPIRES PARTICIPANTS AT FREE THE SNAKE FLOTILLA

BY SUN STAFF

aze from Northwest wildfires gave way to blue skies last Saturday morning as hundreds of paddlers cast their boats on the impounded waters of the lower Snake River channel to call attention to the plight of Idaho’s endangered wild salmon. “It’s a moving experience to see hundreds of people from different places and backgrounds come together, spend a day on the water together and say with one voice that they’re fed up with business as usual on the lower Snake River,” Kevin Lewis, Idaho Rivers United executive director, said. “There are four deadbeat dams here that are still killing Idaho’s salmon, and it’s past time for these expensive antiquities to go.” Boaters gathered Friday night and Saturday morning at Chief Timothy State Park in Washington State. The park is about eight miles west of Lewiston, Idaho, where the Snake and Clearwater rivers join and are then stilled by four dams built in the 1960s and 1970s. Beginning around 10 a.m. on Saturday, flotilla boaters paddled three miles downstream on the reservoir created by Lower Granite Dam, the farthest upstream of the dams and the last dam adult salmon must pass before working their way back into Idaho to spawn. Before the formal flotilla launched Saturday morning, Lewiston native and IRU member Devon Barker-Hicks gave an inspiring speech to encourage people to refocus on building things up, not tearing them down. “We built the dams,” she said. “We know how to build. Let’s use our collective knowledge to build beaches. Let’s build current. Let’s build shade. Let’s build fish runs. Let’s build jobs, river communities, healthy water, native lands and whitewater. “Most importantly, let us build on our knowledge—our knowledge of mistakes. Undam it.”

Barker-Hicks works as a river guide and owns a family rafting business. Her husband, a salmon fishing guide, also depends on the river. “If you are pro dam, you must realize you also say no to fish, local cafés, gas stations, guides, to my husband’s way of life, to hotels, to the tourists,” she said. “You’re saying no to many things.” IRU is among the organizations that helped found the first Free the Snake Flotilla in 2015. Since then, it’s become a growing annual event that attracts people from throughout the region and beyond to the Lewis-Clark Valley of North Idaho. In the 2015 flotilla, participants paddled to Lower Granite Dam. In 2016, they paddled a much more visible route on the river between Lewiston and Clarkston, Wash. This year, the route took participants downstream from Chief Timothy to a scenic and secluded part of the Snake River canyon. “We’re here gathering with all sorts of people to expose one of the worst-kept secrets in the entire Northwest,” said Joseph Bogaard, executive director of Save Our Wild Salmon, one of the key groups organizing the event. “That secret is these dams are done. They cost too much. They destroy our fishing cultures. We don’t need their energy. We made a mistake when we put them in, and it’s time to right that wrong.” Brett Haverstick is education and outreach director at Moscow-based Friends of the Clearwater. He called the flotilla a “beautiful thing.” “These diverse people came together to say loudly: we need the political leadership to breach the dams and do right by the people and the fish,” Haverstick said. The Free the Snake Flotilla was a huge undertaking, requiring the support and cooperation of numerous organizations and people. Notable among them were IRU, Save Our Wild Salmon, Earthjustice, Friends of the Clearwater, Nimiipuu Protecting the Environment, Patagonia and many more. tws

T H E W E E K LY S U N • S E P T E M B E R 13 - 19, 2017

NEWS SPECIAL EVENT

Sagebrush Saturdays at Rock Creek Ranch

SEPTEMBER

AT THE BARN

Cowboy Days on the Range

Dang passes out delicious food in front of his restaurant at the second annual HarvestFest. Photo by Dana DuGan

LIVING LA VIDA LOCAL

BY DANA DUGAN

he annual Wood River Valley HarvestFest, created by Ali Long, founder of Local Food Alliance, is a way to expand the delights of harvest season for the community. “We want to build it into a harvest weekend with different ways of celebrating the farmers and their work,” Long said. To be held Saturday, Sept. 16, the third annual HarvestFest Restaurant Walk, local Food Fair & Market and Street Party is designed to introduce the community to fresh seasonal food produced in and around the Wood River Valley. The event offers chefs, restaurants and consumers an introduction to the many delicious fruits, vegetables, meats and dairy products the region has to offer. The Food Fair & Market will be held at the Wood River Sustainability Center from 3-5 p.m. followed by the Restaurant Walk from 5-8 p.m. and a Street Party with The Heaters. New this year will be a Kids Corral, run by Syringa Mountain School, with games, face-painting, archery and more, allowing parents to meander on the Restaurant Walk while the kids are engaged. The cost is $20 for three hours of childcare. Participating restaurants will include the Sustainability Center, di Vine Wine Bar, daVinci’s, A Taste of Thai, Jersey Girl, The Red Shoe, Lago Azul, CK’s, KB’s, Sawtooth Brewery, Smokey Bone BBQ, Hailey Fire Department, 7 Fuego and International Cowboy Cocina. Dessert and coffee will be available at Black Owl Coffee, Hank & Sylvie’s, The Coffee House and Hailey Coffee Co.

DIRECTIONS TO ROCK CREEK BARN From Hailey: From traffic light in town center, west on Bullion St - becomes Croy Creek Rd - follow this 4.5 miles to Rock Creek Rd on left, then follow Rock Creek Rd 6.5 miles.

Enjoy cowboy coffee and learn about cattle ranching practices and livestock management on a working ranch!

From Hwy 75 & Hwy 20 Junction: West on Hwy 20 for about 5 miles to Rock Creek Rd on right, follow Rock Creek Rd for 4.5 miles.

9:00 to 11:30 am End-of-Season Event Bring the whole family!

From Boise: I-84 E to Mtn Home - Exit 95, US20 N, turn left after Magic Reservoir to Rock Creek Rd, follow road 4.5 miles in.

https://globalrangelands.org/state/idaho

“It’s about the people not tourists,” Long said. “It’s really hyper-local because we’re pairing restaurants directly with producers. We’re trying to create these relationships because we know it’s hard to source and run a restaurant. So this gives them a risk-free opportunity to get to know the farmers and their produce.” The weekend of food will begin with an event called The Elevated Table, which will feature a farm tour, seasonal craft cocktails under the willows, and a farm-to-table, four-course, sitdown dinner at Kraay’s Market & Garden south of Bellevue on Friday, Sept. 15. All the farmers whose produce is being served will be guests with their significant others at the dinner. The chefs—Sean Temple from Warfield Distillery; Brian Janego from Town Square Tavern; and Sarah Lipton—will also have guests at the table. Ware2 will provide accompanying music. The celebration will continue to evolve over the years, Long said. “Next year, we’ll have the same two events, along with a yoga celebration of the harvest with Cathy Caccia, and a few more things to tie the weekend together for the community,” she said. Tickets for the Restaurant Walk are $45 and free for kids age 10 and under but registration is required. Idaho wines and handcrafted beers are included with a 2017 Wood River Valley HarvestFest ticket, available at woodrivervalleyharvestfest.org. All proceeds will support the Local Food Alliance’s efforts to create a resilient local and regional food system. tws

Water, sunscreen, closed-toed shoes, long pants, and hats recommended.

www.rangelandcenter.org

SPONSORED CHRISTINA TINDLE, LPC

NEW SCIENCE OF SINGLE LIVING EMERGES

BY CHRISTINA TINDLE, M.A., LPC

hree Dog Night released a hit song in 1968 that echoed an ingrained belief: one is the loneliest number. Fifty years later, shifts in society hoisted numbers between marrieds-unmarrieds to flip singles to the top. Today, 50.02 percent (125 million American adults) live single and this is the new normal. “Single” is defined by the American Families and Living Arrangement Survey of 2009 as adults who have never been married, are divorced or are widowed. A significant influence was when research found that married couples are not happier than singles. People pursue dreams first now, develop themselves, and then consider relationships. It’s okay and enjoyable to have solitude. Many get that intuitively. After a hectic day at work, and then home to kids, household chores, bills, and rare time to tend a dying marriage, solitude is an inevitable fantasy. Interviews from those who watched parents struggle, fight, and grow apart decided marriage was not for them. When parents stayed married for appearances or to avoid divorce, children resented the inauthenticity. Instead, these grown adults prefer to pursue goals and contribute

to life. In short, America has undergone a fundamental social and demographic shift, the “greatest social change of the last 60 years that we haven’t already named and identified,” according to New York University sociologist Eric Klinenberg. Euromonitor International states the flip comes from, “… increased standards of living, the growing tendency of younger people to focus on education and careers while delaying marriage, the rise in global female employment and the growing ability of women to support themselves, and an aging population that has led to more elderly people living alone.” Also having children is no longer a key reason to marry. Next, online dating seems to actually discourage marriage. Profiles are weighed against predators, frauds, sociopaths, and those lacking social skills entirely—male or female. These mix into a huge vat with the fewer select-acceptable. It’s like finding a needle in a haystack in a technological way. Quests to serve in a meaningful way become more rewarding. Singles are less likely to settle, and choose instead to hold out. Millennials may lead the way for wholesome, loyal connections because they’re seen as the generation least likely to cheat on a partner. There should be more

THE W EEK

Christina Tindle

positive contributions from a generation that holds dear values of genuineness and truth. In the Sun Valley area, marriage is valued, but perhaps not the top choice. Marrieds enjoy legal and logistical advantages, from Social Security benefits to inheritance rules. Money can cement a marriage to preserve financial security. Yet, notice who pursues volunteer efforts, personal quests, environmental service, or hangs regularly with friends. Marrieds get involved but maybe not as often as singles, according to surveys. I’m unclear about that in Sun Valley because individuals here define their life. Regardless, the population of existing singles in the Sun Valley area is not alone, literally or figuratively, and they lead a brave new way. Bravo.

Ruth Jones, right and Gini Baumgardner enjoy a meal by Judith McQueen Entertaining during “Hooray for Hollywood” at the Sawtooth Botanical Garden. Photo courtesy of Caritas Chorale

NEWS IN BRIEF

Valley Resident Elected To International Paralympic Committee

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) elected a new governing board last Friday and held its first meeting a day later. The elections were held at the 18th IPC General Assembly in Abu Dhabi, UAE, with Andrew Parsons succeeding Sir Philip Craven as president. Parsons, the former president of the Brazilian Paralympic Committee, was elected after one round of voting, prevailing over Canada’s Patrick Jarvis, Denmark’s John Petersson and China’s Haidi Zhang. Parsons will be the third president in the organization’s history. “I would like to thank the IPC membership for their trust,” Parsons said. “Now it is time to roll up the sleeves and work really hard with the membership and the new governing board.” New Zealand’s Duane Kale, a three-time gold medal winner in swimming at the Atlanta 1996 Paralympics, was elected as vice president. Muffy Davis, a Hailey resident and Paralympic champion, was elected to the IPC last spring. “We were all present in Abu Dhabi for a week,” Davis said. In the afternoon session, the IPC membership elected 10 members-at-large after six rounds of voting. Muffy Davis · Debra Alexander (Republic of South Africa) · Mohammed Alhemeli (United Arab Emirates) · Muffy Davis (USA) · Rita van Driel (Netherlands) · Sung Il Kim (Korea) · Luca Pancalli (Italy) · Leonel da Rocha Pinto (African Paralympic Committee) · Tim Reddish (Great Britain) · Juan Pablo Salazar (Colombia) · Yasushi Yamawaki (Japan) The governing board will serve a four-year term, with elections next held in 2021. Davis explained that the International Olympic Committee makes decisions on competitions, but the two organizations have a continuing relationship that covers a lot of territory. “One of my passions is getting more women involved in the movement as athletes, as coaches and on boards,” Davis said. “Another thing is fundraising, and growing our brand, looking for corporate sponsors and increasing awareness in the Paralympic games. We want to get the stories and words out there. “I’m so blessed and grateful to the IPC,” Davis said. “I didn’t have to give up my goals to be an elite athlete after my accident. I have a sense of responsibility to steward that for future athletes.”

Hailey Chamber president Richard Stahl sings a solo during a performance by Caritas Chorale, Sunday evening. Photo by Dana DuGan

Eileen Judell, left, and Edie Cary, both Valley and Palm Beach, Fla, were amon enthusiastic supporters of Caritas Cho benefit. Photo by Dana DuGan

On a recent hike to a nearby lake, Mark Longley, and pictured, Scott Friedman and edible and choice, since I’m writing about it,” Longley said. “We found about 20 po

K LY SC ENE

Jim and Wendy Jaquet along with Ruth Lieder, all of Ketchum, attend the Caritas Chorale annual fundraiser and performance at the Sawtooth Botanical Garden, Sunday evening. Photo by Dana DuGan

of Sun ng the orale at the

T H E W E E K LY S U N • S E P T E M B E R 13 - 19, 2017

OBITUARY JOHN CARSON

JOHN CARSON

ormer Wood River Valley resident John Carson died at his home in Green Valley, Ariz., at 12:34 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 20, 2017. He was 74. John was raised in Charlotte, North Carolina, and graduated from Davidson College. He served in Germany while an officer in the U.S. Army. Before moving to Blaine County, he taught high school in California. John may be best remembered as “Captain Liberty,” owner of the Liberty Theater in Hailey. All who lived in the Valley in those days will remember calling to hear John’s recording of what was playing, “ToooooNight at the Liberty...” John opened his theater to many organizations for fundraisers and was the auctioneer for local charity events and his own weekly auctions. When John was elected to the Hailey City Council, he earned the nickname “Mr. Hailey.” After selling the Liberty to Bruce Willis in the early 1990s, John pursued a lifelong dream and sailed the Caribbean for several years, sending weekly “Faxes from Paradise” to The Wood River Journal. Eventually, John returned to Santa Barbara, Calif., to be closer to his daughter, Shelby Bearschild, of San Jose. He taught at Santa Barbara City College for several years and continued his auctioneering business. On a trip to the Philippines in 2007, John met the love of his life, Genalyn Dumagsa. They

spent nearly 10 years living on a beautiful beach on Negros Oriental and exploring the Philippine islands and Cambodia. John was instantly accepted as a member of Genalyn’s family and was very generous and supportive, sending Genalyn’s sisters to school and helping her parents when needed. Last year John’s longstanding, somewhat benign, prostate cancer suddenly became aggressive; he returned to California for evaluation and learned it was a very serious stage four and his odds were not good. Realizing what he was up against, he arranged for Genalyn to come to the U.S. They married last December and settled in Green Valley, where they both had friends. John’s last weeks were spent with visits from his daughter Shelby and old Wood River Valley friends Craig and Judy Sorensen, and Larry Flynn. At the end, John was under hospice care and died at home with Genalyn and longtime friends Jack and Desiré Foard at his side. Along with his wife and daughter, he is survived by his cousin Sally (Milstead) and Bill Wallace of Santa Monica, Calif., who welcomed him into their home while he was getting treatment, and cousin Charlotte Milstead of Minnesota. John’s last word was “Peace.”

OBITUARY MAURICE CHARLAT

R.L. Rowsey conducts the Caritas Chorale in memorable Hollywood music during the nonprofit’s annual fundraiser. Photo by Dana DuGan

d Peter Schmid found a super-large Steinpilz fungus, also known as a stone mushroom. “It was ounds of these giants.” Courtesy photo by Mark Longley

MAURICE CHARLAT

aurice M. Charlat was born to Dorothy Skinner, a Londoner, and Marcel Charlat, a Frenchman, in Richmond, Calif., on Dec. 1, 1932. It was often said that Maurice arrived wearing a blue blazer and saddle shoes, destined to be a gentleman who spoke perfect English without a French accent. Dorothy won on language, Marcel on handsome. We had no Church of England so he became Catholic; his second language was Latin, with no accent. The nuns of St. Matthews Grammar School trained him well as a scholar and alter boy. The Jesuits at Serra High continued his education. He pursued his Eagle Scout in record time. San Jose State became finishing school in all things fun, female, sporting, cars, and character building. With cars, Maurice preferred them fast and preferably someone else’s. Further, he learned a lot about them working in a gas station to put himself through school. As a kid, he played stickball, kick-the-can, and baseball. As an adult, he enjoyed tennis, golf, skiing, bird hunting, sailing and horseback riding. Work was important and Maurice had great respect for those who did it well. Capable, industrious, ambitious and pragmatic, he was a paperboy, busboy, insurance adjuster and, ultimately, a senior executive. He was a good mentor to a lucky few. His management style emphasized the positive—lauding and encouraging lead to improvement of the team. He answered his own phone. He typed his own letters. He was, by today’s standards, a modern man. During the Korean War, Maurice joined the Army. Before reporting, however, he went to Reno, Nev., to work in a casino, where he fell in love with a chorus girl, Elaine. Seven weeks later, they were married. A year later, he was stationed in Darmstadt, Germany.

His MOS was personnel, where he formed a teaching staff to educate soldiers on European issues. After three years of service, he left as a sergeant first-class. A year later, Maurice became the father of a baby girl, Pamela, and landed a new job on the same day in advertising and marketing with a small cannery. They gave him a raise because girls are good luck. In a few years, a baby boy, Joshua, was born, and another raise. Boys are good luck, too. Maurice loved the food business and formed many lifelong friends within various facets of the industry. He became president of the consumer products division of the American Can Co. in Greenwich, Conn. Later, he formed Senior Marketing Partners, a consulting firm, and then became a food broker in Los Angeles. As an industry leader, he was honored to chair the City of Hope Benefit Gala, as well as honoree for the Christian & Jews Fund event in L.A. Travel was a family activity, very often in Escargo, the family motorhome. Maurice often said, “The world’s your oyster” to his grandchildren as well, Casey and Sam Colesworthy. Skiing brought the family to Sun Valley and it was love at first sight. And so it came to pass that here they lived happily ever after. Maurice served on the Ketchum City Council from 2002-2004, the boards of the Sun Valley/Ketchum CVB, Fly Sun Valley Alliance, KART (now Mountain Rides), and was commander of the David Ketchum Post of the American Legion. He loved the Wood River Valley and did his best to contribute to its wellbeing. Community, friends and family will remember Maurice fondly. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hospice of the Wood River Valley. Maurice Charlat passed on Sept. 1, 2017.

COMME N TA RY

T H E W E E K LY S U N • S E P T E M B E R 13 - 19, 2017

Fishing R epoRt

PET COLUMN NO BONES ABOUT IT THE “WEEKLY” FISHING REPORT FOR SEPT. 13 - 19 FROM PICABO ANGLER

ransition is the theme of this week’s fishing report. The weeks on end of heat and identical weather patterns is coming to a close. This will mean a few things for anglers. The bad part is we will get between heavy summer hatches and fall hatches. The good part is that even if we suffer through a few slow hours in the coming weeks, anglers will also get to see epic events. The first days of the Fall Baetis and Mahogany Duns are to come. The Western Red Quill is a bug that brings all the big fish to the surface and we’re just a few cold days away from their appearance. In the meantime, if your Hopper starts working less, or the Callibaetis begins to decrease in volume, start thinking about the subtleties again. The early fall can be an epic time for fishing Rusty Spinners to rising fish in the evening. Brown trout have begun their spawning run and they are vicious while doing it. This means the season’s best Mouse fishing for giant Browns is upon us. Local tailwaters will begin to drop faster and faster, forcing anglers into changing strategies, whether they want to or not. Those anglers that paid dues on Silver Creek this summer will excel as the flatwater of fall takes over all our rivers and the fish move into the slicks and tailouts to eat before winter gets a grip. It is this flatwater afternoon fishing that defines a lot of the fall. Being able to produce flies small enough, casts accurate enough and presentations that won’t spook a fish in the flats is where it is at. What is a daily occurrence on Silver Creek will be easy stuff for anglers heading out to other waters. I write here often that Silver Creek will make you better and make everywhere else you fish easier. This fall-flatwater scenario on all our area waters is a perfect example. Regarding the Western Red Quill, be sure to dig out all your favorite Green Drake patterns. They will work very well on the Big Wood and Upper Lost in the coming weeks. Big flies are the deal with this bug. Parachute Adams, Green Drakes and most Wulff patterns will bring fish up once this hatch hits. Another fly to dig out of your box from the spring is any Orange Stimulators. The October Caddis is coming to all our rivers and you want to be ready for it. Happy fishing, everyone!

Hwy 20 in Picabo info@picaboangler.com (208)788.3536 www.picaboangler.com

DOUBLE THE FUN OR DOUBLE THE TROUBLE?

BY FRAN JEWELL

f you have ever visited my website, you will find a page called “No Bones About It,” which is my two bits of free advice and how I arrived at this newspaper column title. This is where I tell it like it is, without any sugarcoating. I talk about having two puppies, especially from the same litter. “Two puppies (especially siblings) are not better than one, unless you don’t want to have any relationship at all with your dogs. They will love each other, bond with each other, and leave you out of the loop. The only one that really benefits from you taking two puppies is the breeder or the shelter.” What many people think is the positive aspect of having two puppies is that they will have a friend to play with. This is true to some extent, but, having two puppies, littermates or not, is huge responsibility. To help them grow up mentally healthy, you must spend time alone with each of them. They must learn to be alone without the other dog to lead them. Many times, one puppy will be more confident. At that point, the less confident pup-

py learns to completely depend on the other, setting them up for a lifetime of separation anxiety. Puppies that grow up together tend to only rely on each other; they have a hard time separating who they are from one another. Each puppy needs to have training alone, and away from the other. That means you need to take each puppy alone for socialization with other dogs, with other people, in new places, to the vet, on trips in the car, and so on. They need to sleep in separate crates and have limited play time with each other. If you don’t plan on spending this kind of time with each of them alone, they become so dependent upon each other that emotional stability for each of them is compromised. House training is a nightmare. If one pup goes in the house, you have no idea who did it, unless you practice strict separation, meaning one is in a crate or exercise pen while the other is loose in the house, being closely supervised every minute by you. There are so many opportunities for socialization and play time with other dogs, including day care and play dates with other safe puppies and older dogs, that there is no need to have two

Two puppies: It’s all fun and games until someone poops behind the chair. Photo by Fran Jewell

puppies at home. Then, sadly, on the other end, as they grow older and near the end of their lives, if one dies, the other one is devastated. To me, this is one of the saddest parts of it all. They are so close emotionally it’s hard for them to go on without the other. There are so many more benefits to having only one puppy at a time. When you have one puppy at home, you have time to bond,

love, socialize, train and enjoy so much more. Fran Jewell is an Idaho Press Club award-winning columnist, IAABC-certified dog behavior consultant, NADOI-certified instructor #1096 and the owner of Positive Puppy Dog Training, LLC, in Sun Valley. For more information, visit positivepuppy. com or call (208) 578-1565.

Let’s Help Fran Jewell In Her Time Of Need Dear readers, Early on Monday morning, July 17, Fran Jewell—a longtime contributor to The Weekly Sun’s Commentary section with her dearly loved “No Bones About It” dog-training column—suffered

a heart attack and was flown to St. Luke’s Magic Valley Medical Center in Twin Falls. Fran is on the road to recovery, and needs our help. I have always considered Fran’s column to be a true gift to our community; now it’s time for us, as a community, to return the fa-

vor, in whatever way we can. I Fran sends her love to her readhave set up a GoFundMe account ers and to all those who have conto help with her medical and liv- tributed. ing expenses. In just a few weeks, Let’s come together now to help we as a community raised nearly Fran in her time of need, $6,500 for Fran. Let’s keep it going! Brennan Rego To contribute, visit gofundme. Publisher com/fran-jewells-medical-fund.

ACTIVE ART COLUMN SKETCHBOOK HIKING

BY LESLIE REGO

RED MOON, RED SUN

grew up in Pittsburgh during the height of the steel industry. Frequently, there was a lot of pollution in the air resulting from a tremendous amount of particles that filled the atmosphere and scattered the light. Sunsets were particularly beautiful as the setting sun’s light passed through the thickest, haziest part of the lower sky, scattering away the greens and yellows and leaving the brilliant oranges and reds. On Thursday, there was a lot of smoke in the air. My eyes were burning and the air quality was poor, creating an obvious downside to the smoke-filled skies. The upside I did not discover until the middle of the night when I happened to look out my window. There, high in the sky, was a burgundy red moon. Fire smoke acts much like pollution, but adds even more particles to the atmosphere. Like sunsets, many colors of the rainbow are scattered away, leaving only the reds and oranges. The smoke hides the stars, making the moon appear suspended in the inky black of

the sky. So many thoughts filtered through my mind as I watched the moon. Nostalgic images from my childhood tumbled around in my head with more recent impressions. Just a couple of weeks ago I saw the moon pass in front of the sun, making daylight into nighttime for a brief minute. The moon was a black ball surrounded by bright yellow. Now I was watching a bright red moon encased in a black sky. The next morning I left the house early. As I rounded the corner, the sun came into view. It was a fiery red ball. The red was much more intense than the red of the moon that I had witnessed the previous night. Within 12 hours, I viewed the sun and the moon as different shades of red, but both shades intensely glowing, beckoning from the sky to all of us observers to reassess the normal pattern of the colors within our daily lives. Leslie Rego is an Idaho Press Club award-winning columnist, artist and Blaine County resident. To view more of Rego’s art, visit leslierego.com

Leslie Rego, “Red Moon,” charcoal and pastel.

COLUMN LIVING WELL UI-BLAINE EXTENSION TIPS

TOMATO HORNWORMS IN HOME GARDENS

BY SARAH BUSDON *

omato hornworms, Manduca quinquemaculata, are very large caterpillars that have a “hornlike” tail that gives them their name. Large numbers of caterpillars can occur in home gardens and can quickly defoliate plants. Tomato hornworms feed only on solanaceous plants; i.e., the nightshade family, especially tomato. Hornworms can measure up to 4 inches in length. Small tomato hornworms are yellow to white in color with no markings. Large caterpillars develop eight white “V-shaped” marks on each side. Tomato hornworms have a black projection, or “horn,” on the last abdominal segment. The adult moths are large, heavy-bodied insects with narrow front wings. The tomato hornworm moth is a mottled gray-brown color with yellow spots on the sides of the abdomen and a wingspread of 4-5 inches. The hindwings have alternating light and dark bands. Moths emerge from overwintering sites in spring. After mating, females deposit oval, smooth, light-green eggs singly on lower and upper leaf surfaces. Caterpillars hatch, begin to feed and are full grown in three to four weeks. The mature caterpillars drop off plants and burrow into the soil to pupate. Moths emerge in two weeks to begin a second generation, during mid-summer. Second generation moths deposit eggs on host plants, such as tomato. The caterpillars feed until late summer or early fall and then pupate. The pupae remain in the soil through the winter. Tomato hornworm caterpillars feed on the leaves on the upper portions of the plants. The

caterpillars can go unnoticed until most of the damage is done. As they feed, they create dark green or black droppings that can be conspicuous. As they become larger, the amount of defoliation increases. The last caterpillar stage consumes nearly as much as all the younger stages combined. Management options consist of examining plants at least twice per week during the summer to check for tomato hornworms. Keep your garden as weed free as possible, till the soil after harvest to destroy burrowing caterpillars and pupae, and handpick hornworms from infested plants. There are many natural enemies of the tomato hornworm. Various general predatory insects, such as lady beetles and green lacewings, often prey upon the egg stage and on young caterpillars. Another important predator is paper wasps, Polistes spp. This common wasp feeds on many types of caterpillars, including those found in gardens. Insecticides are typically not necessary. However, if the above options are not effective or practical, you may consider applying a product. Small caterpillars are more easily controlled than large ones. Be sure that if you treat tomato hornworms you do so before defoliation is severe. Sarah Busdon is an administrative assistant with University of Idaho’s Blaine County Extension office. For more information, visit extension. uidaho.edu/blaine or call (208) 788-5585. * adapted for use from University of Minnesota Extension, Tomato Hornworms in Home Gardens, by Suzanne Wold-Burness and Jeff Hahn.

COLUMN SCIENCE OF PLACE

WHAT’S GOOD ABOUT FIRES

of trees like interwoven patchwork on the land, is what we really would like to see and what forest ires are an inevitable part of living in the managers are working hard to recreate when they West, as much a part of the landscape as our can. rivers, mountains and wildlife. While wildAs we make the turn into autumn and we hopefire stirs up some deep-rooted fully soon see relief from the fears in us and can cause great fires that have dominated the heartache when it is at its worst, headlines and the attention of there is no possible future in the many Westerners this summer, West where we will be without remember that there are many it. ways that fire helps our ecosysAnd, from an ecological tems stay healthy. The best that point of view, we wouldn’t we can do is make sure that we want to be without it. are managing our forests and Despite the damage done by our critical wildland-urban inwildfires over the years and terface areas (where towns and despite the noxious smoke that homes meet wildfire-prone arhas been plaguing our Valley eas) with a responsible eye toas of late, it is worth rememward reducing the chances of bering that fire has been part huge, devastating fires. This is of our local ecosystems since one of the major jobs of the U.S. long before human beings ever Forest Service and Bureau of arrived here. And many of our Courtesy photo Land Management as we keep local species have evolved to Hannes Thum is a Wood River learning how best to live in the not only survive with fires, but Valley native and has spent most West. thrive with fires. Lastly, don’t forget to thank of his life exploring what our local A well-known example is ecosystems have to offer. He curthe hardworking firefighters all that of the lodgepole pine (Pi- rently teaches science at Communi- around our region for keeping nus contorta), which produces ty School. us safe this year. so-called “serotinous” cones that are sealed with a sticky kind of pitch that only opens to release seeds when exposed to high heat, making the lodgepole pine one of the first plants to recolonize burned areas. Another example is our local quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides), which invests great amounts of energy in its ability to send new shoots quickly up to the surface from its underground roots after a disturbance to the above-ground trees. Small-scale, patchy fires are the meat-and-potatoes of a healthy fire regime and what our local ecosystems are best adapted to. The word that biologists use to describe the recovery of an ecosystem after a disturbance such as fire is succession. Biologists describe healthy forests and grasslands as having a “mosaic” pattern when small fires are allowed to routinely burn through small areas, cleaning out the underbrush and old, diseased trees to make room for new growth. Diversity in our forests, with various species and various ages

T H E W E E K LY S U N • S E P T E M B E R 13 - 19, 2017

BY HANNES THUM