14 September 2016 by The Weekly Sun

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

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SEPTEMBER 14 - 20, 2 0 1 6 | V O L . 9 - N O . 3 7 | W W W . T H E W E E K L Y S U N . C O M

Arts News Exceptional Women To Converse At Library

Crime News Jury Selection Underway For Blankenship Murder Trial

Arts News 3rd Annual Film Noir Series Starts Thursday

“It is conventional to call ‘monster’ any blending of dissonant elements. I call ‘monster’ every original inexhaustible beauty.” – Alfred Jarry

Captain USA, a Chevy Silverado, pops a wheelie at the Monster Truck Insanity Tour in Hailey on Saturday night. The truck was driven by Jeff Bainter out of Cle Elum, Wash. Captain USA won the wheelie competition, and was named the overall champion in Hailey… For more information on this photo, see “On The Cover” on page 3. Photo courtesy of Live A Little Productions

The Weekly Scene Caritas Performs At Botanical Garden

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at Ketchum Town Square See the calendar page 12 for more details

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T H E W E E K LY S U N • S E P T E M B E R 14 - 20, 2016

THE WEEKLY SUN CONTENTS

Read about the upcoming cabaret act “Superstar” with Sharron Matthews on Page 12. Also, learn about Sawtooth Brewery’s fourth annual Oktoberfest on the same page. Photo courtesy of Sun Valley Center

THIS WEEK S E P T E M B E R 1 4 - 2 0 , 2016 | VOL. 9 NO. 37

Education News Q&A With School Board Candidates

The Weekly Sun’s Calendar Stay In The Loop On Where To Be

Community Bulletin Board Find A Job, Sell Stuff, Odds & Ends

Tickets $10 at the door, day of screening.

ON THE COVER

Continued from page 1: …Another fan favorite was Unnamed and Untamed, driven by Sam Sturges, 67, from Tucson, Ariz. Sturges is the oldest monster truck driver in the world. The tour took place on both Friday and Saturday nights. Photo courtesy of Live A Little Productions Local artists & photographers interested in seeing their art on our cover page should email submissions to: mandi@theweeklysun.com

THE WEEKLY SUN STAFF 13 W. Carbonate St. • P.O. Box 2711 Hailey, Idaho 83333 Phone: 208.928.7186 Fax: 208.928.7187 DIRECTOR OF MARKETING & AD SALES Jennifer Simpson • 208.309.1566 • jennifer@theweeklysun.com NEWS EDITOR Dana DuGan • news@theweeklysun.com CALENDAR EDITOR Yanna Lantz • calendar@theweeklysun.com COPY EDITOR Patty Healey STAFF REPORTERS • Jean Jacques Bohl • Dick Dorworth • Maria Prekeges • Jonathan Kane • Terry Smith news@theweeklysun.com DESIGN DIRECTOR Mandi Iverson • 208.721.7588 • mandi@theweeklysun.com PRODUCTION & DESIGN Chris Seldon • production@theweeklysun.com ACCOUNTING Shirley Spinelli • 208.928.7186 • accounting@theweeklysun.com PUBLISHER & EDITOR Brennan Rego • 208.720.1295 • publisher@theweeklysun.com DEADLINES Display & Community Bulletin Board Ads — Monday @ 1pm jennifer@theweeklysun.com • bulletin@theweeklysun.com Calendar Submissions — Friday @ 5pm calendar@theweeklysun.com www.TheWeeklySun.com

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T h e W e e k ly S u n • s e p t e m b e r 14 - 20, 2016

news arts

City of Ketchum Save the Date Community Housing Workshop planned for Friday, Oct. 21, noon at Ketchum City Hall. The public is welcome and encouraged to attend.

Public Notices NOTICE FOR DEMOLITION OF HISTORIC BUILDING: Permit application by Michael and Kristen Spachman for demolition of a condemned, 50-year-old structure at 471 East River Street (FR River Street TL 8321, Ketchum Lot 5 Block 21). NOTICE OF CONSIDERATION: Reevaluation of the current use of Lift Tower Lodge. Item continued to Sept. 26 Planning & Zoning Commission meeting for additional information requested by the Commission and staff. NOTICE OF CONSIDERATION: Inspection of Heinz Residence (Lot 6, Block 1, Bigwood Subdivision #1) Bigwood River Bank Stabilization Floodplain Development project, Sept. 26 P&Z meeting at 5:30 pm. NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING: City initiated text amendment to align parking ordinance with objectives of Comprehensive Plan, Title 17, Zoning Ordinance, Chapter 17.125, Off Street Parking and Loading, Sept. 26, 5:30.

Scarlet Street’s Joan Bennett does femme fatale to a tee. Photo courtesy of Universal Studios

GET DOWN AND DIRTY AT FILM NOIR LAND

Third annual film series will be killer

Send comments to participate@ketchumidaho.org.

Public Meetings CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday • Sept. 19 • 5:30 pm • City Hall PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION MEETING Monday • Sept. 26 • 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

Crisis Hotline welcomes Mary Austin Crofts

Mary Austin Crofts has joined the nonprofit Crisis Hotline team to assist with a wide variety of projects, including raising awareness and support. “We are excited to have Mary’s expertise,” Sher Foster, Crisis Hotline executive director, said. “We are committed to serving people in crisis, 24 hours a day. Over the years, we have helped thousands of Mary Austin Crofts people and saved countless lives,” Foster added. Crofts has had a very successful career raising awareness and funding for community projects and events. She spent 20 years as director of the Blaine County Recreation District and for the past seven years has been executive director of the Trailing of the Sheep Cultural Heritage Center. “There are many ways to make a difference in today’s world,” Austin Crofts said. "The Crisis Hotline is saving lives – one of the most important ways to make a difference. I have always admired the work of the Crisis Hotline. I especially admire the work they are doing with students and our young people. I don’t think many people realize how many local students experience depression and suicidal thoughts. I am excited to help.” The Crisis Hotline was founded in 1987 by a passionate group of caring individuals who made a commitment to helping people in crisis. For information, call (208) 788-3596.

Friedman Memorial Airport Art Committee seeks works for exhibition

The Friedman Memorial Airport (SUN) Art Committee seeks artists to submit two-dimensional works for exhibition in the airport’s public spaces. The SUN Art exhibition will feature as many as 30 pieces of artwork that will be displayed Nov. 10- May 18. An independent jury consisting of representatives of the airport, the Hailey, Ketchum and Bellevue arts commissions, area galleries and local arts advocates will select the work. The upcoming show will be the fourth SUN Art exhibit installed in Friedman Memorial Airport. The project is open to artists 18 years or older residing in Blaine County as well as all artists who create work that is inspired by central Idaho. There is no fee to apply, nor will an honorarium be awarded. The deadline to submit applications is Friday, Oct. 14. For a copy of the call and the application, visit www.iflysun. com, www.haileycityhall.org or www.ketchumidaho.org.

By Dana DuGan

magine, if you will, a film noir theme park. The men lurking in alleys and bars would be dark, chiseled and cagey. The stylish women would be longlegged, cunning and alluring. The snappy dialogue would force park visitors to sit still in awe of the interplay of words, and the lighting would be shadowy and spikey. Also, it’d be dangerous in subtle ways. My kind of place. “Film noir is low-down, sexedup, over the speed limit,” Greg Olson, the curator of Seattle Art Museum films, wrote. “It’s the juvenile-delinquent child of brooding German Expressionist cinema aesthetics, French poetic realism and American pulp fiction, godfathered by post-WorldWar-II malaise and timeless moral corruption.” Or, more simply stated, a damn good, edge-of-your-seat flick. Inspired by the Seattle Arts Museum’s long-running film noir series, Hailey resident Jeannine Gregoire introduced her passion to the area three years ago. Olson helps her choose the films for the Sun Valley Film Noir Series each year. This year, the series is entitled “Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye,” taken from the title of a noir novel by Horace McCoy, and a classic film adaptation with James Cagney. The series will begin at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 15, at the Magic Lantern Cinemas in Ketchum, with a screening of “Scarlet Street” (1945), directed by Austrian-German filmmaker Fritz Lang and starring Edward G. Robinson, Joan Bennett and Dan Duryea. In 2008, the American Film Institute nominated this film for its

Top 10 Gangster Films list. “Scarlet Street” is considered one of Lang’s best American films. Based on the French novel “La Chienne,” the film tells the tale of an unhappily married bank cashier with little to show for his life, who becomes obsessed with the beautiful woman he rescues one night. An opening reception will take place at the Magic Lantern Cinemas at 6 p.m. before the film with opening remarks prior to the screening by Charles Brandt and Vernon Scott. “Film noir deals in some things that strike us deeply – greed and guilt – whether the ultimate price is paid or not,” Olson said. Art is cathartic but does that explain why we love these dangerous, uncomfortable, conniving stories so much? “These are eternal questions,” Olson said. “We all have light and dark within us. It’s a way of delving into that dark side of our nature. In movies, we can see the humanness of it.” Olson said that in curating the movies for the Sun Valley Film Noir Series, he has a sense of “educating the audience a little bit.” He started with the archetypal choices, Germanic directors, who’d fled the Nazis, like Lang, Billy Wilder, Fred Zinnemann, Max Ophuls, and Robert Siodmak used what they knew of German expressionism in their work. “They were used to envisioning mental states around the characters, the shadows, and tipping camera angles,” Olson said. “It was right out of lithographs and stage performances they might have seen. Then they came to Hollywood to direct domestic films. It makes sense they’d use what they knew and had seen.

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It’s very stylistic. These directors – boy oh boy – they controlled and cared about every inch of those films. Details are really important.” Olson said the second movie in the series, “The Killers,” has “big noir themes about how the past haunts us – it’s the presence of the past. It’s all convoluted time, with 11 flashbacks narrated by eight different people, but it flows on the screen. “All my career I’ve wanted to push those boundaries, so we’ll do that in your valley as well,” The Sun Valley Film Noir Series will continue on Thursday, Sept. 22, with “The Killers” (1946) directed by Robert Siodmak and starring Burt Lancaster, Ava Gardner and Edmond O’Brien based on a short story by Ernest Hemingway (Idaho alert). On Thursday, Sept. 29, the screening will be “In a Lonely Place” (1950) directed by Nicholas Ray and starring Humphrey Bogart, and the inimitable Gloria Grahame (who was married to Ray at the time). Tickets will be $10 at the Magic Lantern Cinemas box office the day of each film. tws

Serving as the public introduction to the Sun Valley Film Noir Series is the distinctive poster, using a photo of Gregoire herself, created by Boise-based artist Ward Hooper. Hooper’s work can currently be seen in the 32 Cells Art Show inspired by an Old Idaho Penitentiary inmate’s story and crime at the Swell Artist Collective Gallery, 404 South 8th Street, on the lower level of the Old Mercantile Building in the BoDo district, Boise.

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T h e W e e k ly S u n • s e p t e m b e r 14 - 20, 2016

news crime

JURY PROCESS UNDERWAY IN BLANKENSHIP MURDER TRIAL

More than 200 prospective jurors answer questionnaires in Rupert BY TERRY SMITH

he initial process of selecting an impartial jury for the Keith Eric Blankenship murder trial was started in August and finished earlier this month in Rupert, where the trial was moved following declaration of a mistrial in Blaine County in April. Blankenship, 52, is charged with felony counts of second-degree murder and evidence concealment in the shooting death of neighbor Stephen Michael Romanchuk, 47, on or about Jan. 20, 2014, at Blankenship’s home on Deer Creek Road north of Hailey. Blankenship turned himself in to the Blaine County Sheriff’s Office on May 14, 2014, and Romanchuk’s body was recovered the following day from where it was partially hidden in a pile of dead leaves and debris. Blankenship has claimed that the shooting, over a money dispute, was in self-defense. The Minidoka County District Court clerk’s office told The Weekly Sun on Monday that 216 prospective jurors have been summoned to 5th Judicial District Court in Rupert to fill out questionnaires regarding their knowledge of the case and any preconceived notions they may have formed involving guilt or innocence. Prospective jurors filled out questionnaires on Aug. 9 and in a make-up session on Sept. 9. The questionnaires are now being reviewed by the Blaine County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office and defense attorney Keith Roark to trim the number of jurors down to a smaller group for final jury selection when the trial starts in Rupert on Sept. 27. Two similar jury selection processes were implemented in Blaine County prior to the change of venue to Minidoka County. In each case, approximately 180 prospective jurors were called into court. The first occurred in September 2015 when the trial was set to start in Hailey on Oct. 13, 2015. The trial was postponed upon revelation from Roark that he intended to use a professional witness

Keith Eric Blankenship

who testified that Blankenship suffered post-traumatic stress disorder from a murder-suicide he witnessed at the age of 12 in 1977 at an East Magic Reservoir bar and restaurant establishment. In that incident, on July 15, 1977, Blankenship’s stepfather, Dennis Sechrest, 38, shot to death Blankenship’s sister, 14-year-old Dana Blankenship, and bar patron 58-year-old Fred Klamm, of Paul, before shooting himself. Sechrest died the following day at a Boise hospital. The second attempt at a jury selection took place in Blaine County in March of this year when some 180 prospective jurors filled out questionnaires prior to a trial that started in Hailey on April 12. Presiding Judge Jonathan P. Brody declared a mistrial during that trial following revelation on the first day of testimony of information not previously known to either the defense or prosecution and which was deemed to be possibly prejudicial to Blankenship. Brody ordered the trial moved to Minidoka County in May because of the significant media attention given to the case at that point in Blaine County. Blankenship remains incarcerated in the Blaine County jail on $500,000 bond. He has been held since his arrest on May 14, 2014. tws

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OctOber class schedule adult classes Tuition $150/ four week classes all level thrOwing ~ with Lauren Street Mondays oCT 3, 10, 17, 24 9:30-12:30 beginning thrOwing ~ with Jackson Flynn Tuesdays OCT 4, 11, 18, 25 9:30-12:30 handbuilding ~ with Jackson Flynn Thursdays OCT 6, 13, 20, 27 9:30-12:30 YOuth classes children’s clay daze with diane walker: Tuition $148 Wednesdays OCT 5, 12, 19, 26, NOV 2, 9 3:00-4:30 teen throwing with Jackson Flynn: Tuition $165 Thursdays OCT 6, 13, 20, 27, NOV 3, 10 3:30-6:00 Open StudiO fOr teenS - beginning SEPT 10 Saturdays 2:00-4:00 $10/ Saturday Teens must have previous throwing experience in middle school and up

See the calendar page 12 for more details

T h e W e e k ly S u n • s e p t e m b e r 14 - 20, 2016

Boulder Mountain Clayworks FamilY saturdaY classes Tuition: $45 for one adult and one child. $10 for each additional person halloween Jack O lanterns: OCT 15 10:00-12:00 or 2:00-4:00 empty BOwl-A-thOn: open and Free to the community! saturdaY Oct 8 10:00-2:00 Join Boulder Mountain Clayworks is its efforts to benefit the Blaine County Hunger Coalition. Bring a friend and make bowls that will be sold at our 6th annual Empty Bowl lunch on January 16th, 2017. schedule your book club or service organization for an “Empty Bowl” event at Boulder Mountain Clayworks this fall, oCT 10- dEC 10th. no experience necessary.

ROaD MainTEnanCE On TRaiL CREEk ROaD Blaine County Road and Bridge will be conducting road maintenance to the gravel portion of Trail Creek Road. Planned construction is scheduled to begin Monday September 19, 2016 – September 30, 2016. During this timeframe, Trail Creek Road will be CLOSED (excluding weekends) to all traffic during the operating hours of 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. and reopened daily at 4:00 p.m. Construction includes the clearing of debris fields from the uphill side of the road, grading to establish proper water drainage, the install of culverts as well as the hauling of road surface material to build up the road base to establish a proper road crown and driving surface. All traffic is asked to obey all road closures. Any questions may be directed to Andrea Walton with Administrative Services at 208-788-5543. Thank you for your cooperation.

news education

TWO CANDIDATES VIE FOR TRUSTEE POSITION By Jean Jacques Bohl

he Blaine County School Board of Trustees has a vacancy to represent Zone 3. Hailey residents Irene Healy and Pamela Plowman both sent letters of interest. The board will interview these candidates at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 20, at the Community Campus, in a meeting open to the public. If the four-member school board cannot agree on a candidate, the three Blaine County Commissioners will make the choice. More applications must be received by 3 p.m. Friday, Sept 16. The Weekly Sun: What do you think is your greatest asset to the school Board? Irene Healy: I will bring two strengths to the board: As a result of working for years with our district’s custodians and maintenance teams, our secretaries, guidance counselors, special services teachers, and building principals, I’ve acquired insights into how the whole system works together for the benefit of students. Second, during years of working on high school and district-wide committees, I learned how to engage others in discussions and planning. My focus was on getting a task done cooperatively with minimum friction and maximum efficiency. I’m offering those skills to the board to work toward the district’s goals. Pamela Plowman: I have two especially valuable assets for the school board. First, I have closely followed Blaine County School District issues in recent years and am up to speed on financial and policy issues. I have a clear understanding of the dynamics and am ready and capable of stepping into the role. I am an outside, independent thinker who will represent the voice of the community. Secondly, I’ve had a lifetime focus on the wellbeing of children and families. I obtained a bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of Florida in Gainesville, in 1977, in order to prepare myself to practice homebirth midwifery, which I practiced for 25 years. For the past 11 years, I have operated Owl House, a children’s sanctuary for children ages 1-5. Because of this history, in addition to prudent financial oversight, I will be able to be a consistent, dedicated advocate for the fundamentals of whole child wellness and research-based educational practices. TWS: What do you see as the biggest issue in the school district? IH: The principal goal is to facilitate learning for every student at every level. In order to do that, the district has to resolve the continuing issue of reconciling revenues and expenses, and do it in a way that takes into consideration the needs of students, taxpayers, parents and staff. PP: After attending more than three years of school board meetings, I believe that the biggest issue in the school district has come to be a divided board.

Pamela Plowman. Photo courtesy of Pamela Plowman

Irene Healy. Photo courtesy of Irene Healy

Generally speaking, I see it as a conflict between those who think spending is being handled well and those who think there needs to be a serious restructuring of spending, especially at the administrative level. I believe that such restructuring is critical to reestablishing public trust. In my opinion, BCSD can do a better job of utilizing its financial resources so that they are focused on the needs of the children and their teachers. I want to be a part of instituting a transition to a leaner, more efficient administration, as a way to bring greater educational resources directly to the children in this Valley. TWS: What is your position regarding administrative and teacher salaries? IH: I think that some type of administrators’ salary schedule and a timeline for full implementation can be worked out that will save the district money without disenfranchising current employees. This will need to be discussed and analyzed in several board work sessions before it can be brought to the administrators’ group for official contract negotiations. In principle, I support raises for teachers statewide. In our district, the Blaine County Education Association and the board have used interest-based bargaining for years to negotiate pay raises and benefits, and I trust the process. PP: For the past few years, BCSD expenditures have exceeded revenues. Our people costs are a large part of the problem. If we are to prevent further cuts to programs and positions that directly benefit kids, we must look closely at all areas of the budget – including administrative overhead. Do we need as Continued trustee vacancy Next Page

T h e W e e k ly S u n • s e p t e m b e r 14 - 20, 2016

news in brief

Join 5K Fun Run for housing assistance program

The Sun Valley Board of Realtors Community Foundation will launch its new veterans housing assistance program, 5B Realtors for Veterans, with a 5k Fun Run beginning at 9 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 1 at Lions Park in Hailey. Grumpy’s will provide a post-race lunch and Sawtooth Brewery will provide free beer. A first-of-its-kind program in the Wood River Valley, 5B Realtors for Veterans will give 100 percent of the proceeds raised from the 5K Fun Run to sustainable housing for local veterans and their families. According to the most recent U.S. Census, there are approximately 1,500 Blaine County veterans and an alarming number of them and their families live below the poverty line. Nationwide, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that roughly 1.4 million veterans are deemed “at risk of homelessness due to poverty, lack of support networks, and dismal living conditions in overcrowded or substandard housing.” For more information about 5B Realtors for Veterans, and to register, visit www.5BVeterans.org or call (208) 726-7764.

Denise Simone to trade one stage for another

After 25 years helping to lead Company of Fools, founding member and Core Company Artist Denise Simone will step down from her full-time staff position on Oct. 31. Simone will instead refocus her professional life away from day-to-day management in favor of more artistically focused projects, such as an acting gig with Boise Contemporary Arts next year “I will still live in the Valley I love and will look forward to working with the Fools as an artist,” Simone said. “John Glenn, my dear friend and colleague of over 28 years, will continue to lead the Company forward with purpose, grace and theatrical programming that touches our hearts and minds.” One of the founding members of Company of Fools in 1992, in Richmond, Virginia, Simone moved to Hailey with her family in 1996 and relocated the theatre company to Idaho. Under her leadership, COF has produced more than 150 plays. It was the first theatre in Idaho to be awarded Constituent Theatre status by the national Theatre Communications Group, and received the 2004 Idaho Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts. Over the years, Simone has touched the lives of countless Wood River Valley residents as an arts educator. Thousands of Blaine County schoolchildren have benefited from her instruction in COF’s Stages of Wonder theatre arts and creativity program. Many others have enjoyed her dynamic teaching style in the COF’s adult acting classes and workshops. Simone’s many contributions to the arts were recognized by the State of Idaho in 2014 when she was named recipient of the Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts. A national search for an associate artistic director is underway, and the Sun Valley Center for the Arts and Company of Fools hope to announce a new member by late October.

Ice Dance collaborates with Higher Ground Sun Valley

Ice Dance International is in residence in the Wood River Valley, creating its new show “ICE/DANCE 2016” to premiere at the Sun Valley Ice Skating Center on Sept. 22. During the residency, twice a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, Ice Dance will collaborate with Higher Ground Sun Valley on a skating program for kids with special needs in the Wood River Valley. Company members and volunteers, including summer show favorites Kim Navarro, Brent Bommentre and Erin Reed, will participate in this enriching program teaching kids to skate, celebrating the joy of flow and glide, while sharing their love of dance on ice. Higher Ground participants will also get free seating at the premiere show. When in residence, IDI hopes to give back to the communities that open their arms to the company. From public school programs in Portsmouth, N.H., to this program with Higher Ground Sun Valley, the company will share the joy of skating as a lifelong activity for all. For tickets visit www.sunvalley.com.

news education

Trustee Vacancy

Continued from Page 6

many high-level administrative positions as we currently have? Can we afford to keep giving our administrators expensive perks like company cars and family insurance that teachers don’t receive? Can we support a communications department with two full-time employees? These are difficult questions but ones that must be addressed. Teachers should be highly valued and appreciated, and paid accordingly. Of course there should be cost-of-living raises and raises for greater seniority. I’d like to know how teachers feel about the steps-and-ladders program, which ties greater pay to master’s degree holders.

Sun: Would you support a supplemental levy? IH: In Idaho, 94 out of 115 school districts collected money from supplemental levies in 2015-16. Eventually, if our enrollment, programs and salaries grow and state financial support does not, our district might have to join the other 94 and ask for a supplemental levy. I’d support a levy if the circumstances demanded it. PP: The district needs to develop financial prudence to instill confidence in the public before asking for additional tax money. Before I would support any additional collection of money from taxpayers, I would like to see some solid reasons for needing more money. tws

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T h e W e e k ly S u n •

september 14 - 20, 2016

news arts

FEMALE FILMMAKER PANEL TO PRECEDE ‘EXCEPTIONAL WOMEN’ CONFERENCE

the w

Carita

Documentary will screen, plus a book signing By Dana DuGan

bout 20 years ago, newly out of UCLA film school, Maria Giese wrote and directed a feature film, “When Saturday Comes.” Her film screened at Cannes Film Festival and she signed with the William Morris Agency. She made another award-winning digital movie, “Hunger,” and was preparing to direct episodic TV. She thought she was on her way. Born on Cape Cod and raised for a time in the tropics – her father was an oceanographer – Giese was a visual storyteller inspired by the sea and her dreams. Her two critically acclaimed movies notwithstanding, she found that work dried up for her, along with other women, many of whom also held master’s degrees in filmmaking. Giese will be in the Wood River Valley for The Alturas Institute’s “Conversations with Exceptional Women,” Sept. 2223 at The Community Library in Ketchum. She will first appear at the nexStage Theatre, at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 20, for “Women Directors Who Run With The Wolves: Nell Shipman to the Supreme Court.” The panel discussion, presented by Iconoclast Books and Boise-based filmmaker Karen Day, will also feature Day, whose documentary “Nell Shipman: Girl From God’s Country,” will screen at the event. Shipman made more than two dozen independent films, many of them shot at her own studio on Priest Lake, Idaho, in the 1920s. The film also delves into the role of women in films and how what was once an industry friendly to women

writers and directors became, in contemporary times, one completely at odds with the idea of gender equality. Also on the panel will be London-based Cheryl Robson, editor of “Silent Women: Pioneers of Cinema” and “Celluloid Ceiling,” and Wood River Valley-based filmmakers Meredith Richardson and Whitney McNees. Iconoclast Books will hold a book signing with Robson. In 2011, Giese began to press the issue of underrepresentation of women directors in the U.S. She researched and wrote about legal strategies to remediate illegal discrimination against women in Hollywood, citing Title VII (of the Civil Rights Act of 1964) that addresses equal employment opportunity to all Americans regardless of race, gender or creed. Last year, after four years of activism in the Directors Guild of America, Giese instigated the biggest industry-wide federal investigation for women directors in Hollywood history, that’s still ongoing. Through her experiences as an activist, Giese has become a figurehead. A subject of five feature-length documentaries, she’s also writing a book, “Troublemaker,” about her work getting the American Civil Liberties Union and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to investigate this issue. Earlier this year, Giese was awarded the prestigious Equity Award from Stanford University. “Title VII is almost entirely unenforceable,” Giese said in a telephone interview from her home in Connecticut. “We have to galvanize and unify behind this EEOC investigation, and bring reform to Title VII.

On Sunday, Sept. 11, at the Sawtooth Botanica “Carnaval” dinner for about 150 people. Music songs, including a moving version of John Lenn the event, Rowsey also announced upcoming c River High School Chamber Orchestra and Wo Department in March and St. Thomas Playhou

Louisiana Fl Maria Giese. Photo courtesy of Maria Giese

That’s my dream: to elevate the conversation into the federal level and get legislative change made.” Giese said that though her career was “devastated,” her activism “helped to create a community of women filmmakers. It’s blossoming, so I feel somewhat optimistic.” Giese also believes that women’s voices need to be heard on all levels to fully represent the world as it is. “It’s devastating to our civilization to keep half our population silenced,” she said. “It’s a battle worth fighting.” The conference, Conversa-

Conversations With Exceptional Women

tions with Exceptional Women, is a great opportunity, Giese said. “For me, success can be defined as service toward the collective good for all women.” I believe we are all exceptional women – the women in the audience equally so,” she said. “What really stands out as exceptional is our unique opportunity at this time in history. Together, we really could use the momentum of the ongoing federal investigation for women directors to shift the perspective from which American stories emerge, and in doing so level the playing field for all women tws everywhere.”

The Alturas Institute will feature a series of conversations with a selection of highly acclaimed women, drawn from the leadership ranks of the corporate world, government, journalism, Olympic sports, film, literature and academia. This outstanding lineup of national leaders will participate in casual conversations on the question, “What is success?” This two-day event costs $85, which includes a reception for audience members and the speakers, Thursday, Sept. 22. Scholarships are available. Seating is limited, so register quickly at www.alturasinstitute.com. Speakers include: • Kaitlyn Farrington, 2014 Olympic gold medalist winner in Sochi, Russia. • Gina Bennett, CIA counterterrorism expert, author, subject of television documentaries. • Jennifer Siebel Newsom, prize-winning director and producer, including acclaimed films “Misrepresentation,” “The Hunting Ground” and “The Mask You Wear.” • Maria Giese, award-winning film director and producer, subject of television documentaries for instigating the EEOC investigation of gender inequality issues in Hollywood. • Kathleen Brown, former California treasury secretary, Wall Street executive. • Dr. Caroline Heldman, academic, author, television commentator, internationals advocate for women. • Dr. Joanne Freeman, prize-winning author, Yale historian, Alexander Hamilton expert. • Shirley Babashoff, 1976 Olympic gold medal swimming champion, author, subject of acclaimed documentary. • Anne Taylor Fleming, author, prize-winning television journalist, PBS essayist. • Karen Crouse, prize-winning sports writer for The New York Times. • Elizabeth Redleaf, CEO, Hollywood film production company. • Sue Toigo, president, Toigo Foundation, political activist, diversity advocate. • Teresa Carlson, vice-president, Amazon WorldWide. • Rachael McClinton, co-founder, actress, “Living Voices.” • Christine Walker, award-winning film director and producer.

In an effort to relieve overcrowding in Louisiana The Inner Pup, facilitated the transfer of more th Rocky Mountain West. Four came to the Animal too traumatized to be seen, from Folsom; Maya, (pictured, right). Photos by Dana DuGan

news in brief

Helicopter re

On Labor Day morning, Monday, Sept. 5, planner living in Ketchum, was injured while stead at 11,865 feet in the Pioneer Mountain nearly 60 feet down the cliff face. She is a ce Responder. Two Bear Air Rescue, from Whitefish, Mo 4:20 p.m. on Monday. The team was already search for a missing ATV rider near Lemhi. A ter flew to Shawler’s location, 60 miles away cialist on the cliff via the hoist. Shawler was from hypothermia. She was hoisted into the Wood River in Ketchum at 4:59 p.m., and the at St. Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in Shawler, who is originally from Cashiers, N on Instagram from the hospital, saying, “So

T h e W e e k ly S u n •

weekly scene

Riley Revallier worked in Mexico with Compassionate Young Leaders. Photo courtesy of Bailey Holter

al Garden, the Caritas Chorale performed and hosted a cal director R.L. Rowsey led the local singing group in five non’s “Imagine” on this, the 15th anniversary of 9/11. At collaborations with other organizations, including Wood ood River Orchestra in December; the Wood River Chorale use in April. Photo by Dana DuGan

Riley Revallier

David Rau, Jr., 15, of Bellevue, competed last Saturday in Jackson, Wyo., in the Wild West Skate Contest Series finale. Rau took first place in the 13-18 year old male category in Jackson, Hailey, Ketchum and Driggs. Photo by Jennifer Simpson

lood Forces Transfer Of Dogs To Rockies

animal shelters, stressed by recent flooding, two nonprofits, Wyoming-based Dog is My CoPilot and New Orleans-based han 60 dogs. These adoptable pooches were moved from a shelter in New Orleans, La., to several shelters across the Shelter of the Wood River Valley last week: 7-month-old Korean Jindo/Lab mix brothers Dusty and Cole, who are still , 3, an American Staffordshire mix from Jefferson Parish (pictured, left); and Bo, 3, a Catahoula mix from Ponchatoula

Avery Shawler, a conservation e climbing alone on Devil’s Bedns. Shawler reportedly fell ertified SOLO Wilderness First

ont., received the call around y in Idaho, helping with a A Two Bear Air Rescue helicopy, and inserted a rescue spes severely injured, and suffering e helicopter, taken to St. Luke’s en flown to the Trauma Center Boise. N.C., posted a photo of herself lucky and thankful to be

Sponsored Feature Student Spotlight

Wild West Skate Contest

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escue

september 14 - 20, 2016

alive after a big fall off a cliff at the Devil’s Bedstead East in the Pioneer Mountains yesterday. Amazingly, was able to dial 911 from where I fell (even though I have AT&T), stayed warm with an emergency blanket, and stopped the bleeding in my biggest cuts. Hour and a half later, the rescue helicopter found me and plucked me off the mountain in what must been the craziest hammock ride of my life. Despite the huge fall, I escaped with just four lacerations that required stitches, a fractured radius, a fractured patella, three fractured ribs, a puncture wound where I bit through my lip/ chin, and a shattered cheekbone. No serious head or internal injuries.” Shawler had three different surgeries. On Tuesday, she was released from the hosipital. “I just want people to know they should be prepared when they are in the back country,” she said. Shawler, whose company is Shawler Conservation Planning, works with the Idaho Conservation League, The Nature Conservancy, Wood River Land Trust and Lemhi Regional Land Trust, and area ranchers. To see the rescue video, visit www.twobearair.org/videos2.

Service gives student sense of happiness By Jonathan Kane

iley Revallier, an aspiring nurse and former ski racer, loves to help people. Even though her ski racing days are behind her, her father, Patrick, still teaches for the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation and Riley volunteers as a coach for its development team. “I love helping people and seeing them thrive,” said the Wood River High School senior. “That’s why I love being a part of the SVSEF. I get to teach kids, watch them grow, and help them become better people.” Riley believes that the ski team better prepares kids for their futures by giving them helpful tools. “It’s not just skiing; it also helps them with school and with their independence and responsibility and confidence. “It also helps them to be organized, because you have to be really organized for the ski team. Training six days a week, you are still responsible for yourself and for school and you’ve got to make it to practice on time.” Riley’s desire to help people really finds expression as part of the Compassionate Young Leaders, an organization that is akin to a youth Peace Corps. “I heard about it and really like doing service work. It would give me a chance to do it in a different culture that wouldn’t be a vacation but, rather, really helping people.” She went on the CYL’s first trip to San Cristobal in the Chiapas region of Mexico with a group of

10 students and two leaders. San Cristobal is at the heart of the Mayan culture. “Our main project was to assist at a not-for-profit school led by a couple for indigenous kids,” Riley said. “They paid for everything out of their pocket. We built a greenhouse, painted murals and worked with the kids for the two weeks we were there. It was really fun teaching them English and seeing their hunger for education and watching them learn.” The second project was helping with an organic garden at a school for disabled people – fertilizing, doing garden work and assisting in upkeep. “The whole experience gave me a larger perspective on how I live my life and a greater appreciation for what I have. I now know there is a bigger world outside our Valley. I don’t take for granted the schools we attend, the medicine that we have and the opportunities for jobs and work.” For Riley, service gives her a sense of happiness. “People all deserve the same opportunity for health and to be given the chance to succeed.” She plans on going into the nursing field. “My grandfather was in a hospice [care facility],” Riley said. “The nurses there were so amazing and they made sure our loved one was in such good hands. Everyone should be looking out for each other and that’s what nurses do. I want to be a traveling nurse and go abroad and take my education and really help people.” tws

This Student Spotlight brought to you by the Blaine County School District

Our Mission: To be a world-class, student focused, community of teaching and learning.

For the latest news and happenings at BCSD sign up to receive our BCSD Weekly Update on our website: www.blaineschools.org

“Like” us on Facebook and sign up for RSS Feeds from our home page and each school’s home page too. Go to “News” at www.blaineschools.org

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T h e W e e k ly S u n • s e p t e m b e r 14 - 20, 2016

Fishing R epoRt

Pet Column no bones about it The “Weekly” Fishing RepoRT FoR sepT 14-20 FRom picabo angleR

ilver Creek is absolutely magical right now. The Creek is flowing higher than it has in years. The fish are eating with abandon most of the day. Callibaetis and Hoppers are bringing greedy fish to the surface and the Mahogany Dun is due to show this week – if it hasn’t already. Honestly, the Creek is worth the trip just to see it right now. It looks spectacular. Anglers staying late will find the Mouse fishing as good as it gets. The next two weeks on Silver Creek may turn out to be the best two weeks of the season. Don’t miss this! The South Fork of the Boise should drop to 300 cfs by Friday. That means a reduction in flows most of the week. If you are planning a trip, watch the USGS graphs and try to wait for things to stabilize. When they do, expect Fall Baetis hatches to continue and even grow in intensity. If you go, start late in the day and fish right up to dark. The Big Wood continues to fish well with the Western Red Quill and the Fall Baetis. Hoppers are also in the mix in the bright parts of the day. When fishing the Western Red Quill, use all your favorite Green Drake flies. They will work very well for this hatch. H and L Variants are great, as well as Parachute Adams, Irresistible Adams and Gray Wulffs. The Fall Baetis is easily matched with very small Parachute Adams and Gulper Specials. Bring your spring creek techniques to this hatch and watch the tail of the pools. The Lower Lost River continues to impress with big numbers of fish being caught – being replaced by anglers catching fewer, but much larger, fish as of late. The Baetis action and Nymphing is the way to go. Be sure you have nymphs in red colors in your box as well. Copper Johns and San Juan Worms are great flies once the Kokanee that spill over the dam start spawning. The Upper Lost is low and fishing well for anglers on the move, but it is a long walk between pools. Small attractors are the way to go, with a nod toward Red Quill sizes and colors. There is road work happening on Trail Creek later this week, so if you go, check your local news sources for open and closed times of the day. Happy fishing, everyone!

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

BY FRAN JEWELL

The Perfect Dog

n our little valley, we expound about how dog-friendly this community is. In reality, in the past two days I have had more people tell me that they feel such extreme pressure to have the “perfect dog” from other community members. While the valley may be “dog-friendly,” it is not always friendly to the owners of other dogs. A recent incident drove this home for me, personally, and it has brought so many thoughts to consider. The reality of the situation is that there simply is no perfect dog. All dogs have flaws, just like every person does. Some have flaws that can be addressed and changed for the better. And, unfortunately, some have flaws that go so deep there is no rehabilitation. Dogs are another species that we have worked hard to understand, but many times we do not. The pressure here can be devastating to any dog owner, and many times to the dogs themselves. Owners that have a dog with severe behavior flaws that are hardwired and now habitual find it so difficult to accept that the dog cannot be rehabilitated. They spend so much time, energy and money trying desperately to conform to the community standard that all dogs must be perfect. In the meantime, the dog lives with so much pressure to change that they slip deeper into neurotic behaviors. This doesn’t even take into consideration how the owner feels with a deep sense of failure when their dog is not able to be rehabilitated. Then there are owners whose dogs are out of control, but live in denial that the dog is an issue with other dogs or people. The owner becomes defensive and even outright belligerent when called on the fact that their dog is out of control. There are the dogs that are becoming rehabilitated nicely, but an incident happens that is unexpected, or simply an accident. There is so much public shame for the one failure that the owner now feels completely overwhelmed and ready to give in. I know I have a taste for the perfect dog. I

Even the most perfect dog is not perfect, and we love them dearly, regardless. Photo by Fran Jewell

love dogs that are well-behaved and I strive personally to help owners make that happen for their dog. I also strive for that in my own dogs and have had to accept that even my dogs have their flaws. As a dog-training instructor, I also have to take great care to not put my own desires upon the needs of each owner that I work with. So, what is the solution to all this perfectionism conflict in our valley? I think that first is that we be supportive of those that are genuinely trying to work with their dogs. When accidents or incidents happen, we need to have some compassion, but we also need to work hard at preventing them from happening. Let’s not deny problems our own dogs have. Let’s not be defensive and belligerent when an incident happens. Incidents are traumatic for everyone involved, whether

your dog or someone else’s dog has an issue. Let’s face the problem with kindness, compassion and thoughtfulness for the dogs and for the owners. But, let’s also do our homework, be honest about our own dogs and do the best we can to be responsible and keep our own dogs safe, and keep others safe. Backstabbing and social condemnation do little to change anything except to fuel more fires and unrest, making the problems even more difficult to deal with. 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 www.positivepuppy. com or call (208) 578-1565.

active art Column Sketchbook Hiking

Meticulous Note-taking Pays Off BY LESLIE REGO

hat a summer for wildflowers this has been. If what follows is an article full of superlatives, it is because this summer surely deserves each and every one. For the past few summers I have taken meticulous notes and drawings of where I have been hiking, what has been blooming and even the time of day and light conditions. I like to note early-morning or late-evening light and jot down some descriptive words about the orientation of the meadows or the mountains. There are places where the meadow stays in shade a long time until finally the sun comes up and over the mountain and bathes it in sunlight. A good example of this is the meadow at mile marker 145 on Highway 75 north where mule’s ear was on such tremendous display in June. I waited for a long time one early morning, watching the geese, until the sun finally hit the flowers. The date, the time, a descriptive word or two will all go into my journal. After each hike I make notes

on what flowers I saw and if they were at the height of their bloom, a bit early or a bit late. When my husband and I hiked in the White Clouds, we were a bit late for the mountain heather, but spot-on for the beginning of gentian season. The wildflowers we encountered during our hike to Boulder Basin were breathtaking. We also perfectly timed our viewing of thimbleberry during a memorable hike to Mill Lake. The summer before, I had seen these flowers beyond their prime. I noted that in my journal and so I knew that this summer I wanted to do the hikes a bit earlier in the season. Every summer the weather patterns are different. I take this into account when I try to judge when to do a hike for a specific flower. If we have a particularly hot and dry few weeks early in the summer, a cold spell or a wet spell (which has not happened too much recently), I will note all of that in my journal. After a few years of taking these meticulous notes, I am now able to judge fairly accurately when to see a particular wildflower. Starting in May with the beautiful wild peony, then in

Leslie Rego, “Notes in my Journal,” pencil.

June with the amazing spectacle of purple lupine and chocolate lily at Croy Creek Preserve, and a bit later the yellow lupine behind Dollar Mountain, I saw one beautiful display of wildflower after another. Next came the lovely mule’s ear. During the early days of July, it was thimbleberry’s turn. July continued to bring a plethora of amazing wildflowers, with elephant’s head, white bog orchid and many others. End of July moved into the wonderful pur-

ples of gentian season, and the beginning of August I enjoyed the grouping of monkshood with Grass of Parnassus. And so it goes throughout the season, one wildflower after another creating an incredible and bountiful display of ethereal beauty. Leslie Rego is an Idaho Press Club award-winning columnist, artist and Blaine County resident. To view more of Rego’s art, visit www.leslierego.com

T h e W e e k ly S u n • s e p t e m b e r 14 - 20, 2016

letter to the editor Jim Cobble

Support Sally Toone For State Rep.

Please support the election of Sally Toone as our District 26 Representative for Blaine, Camas, Gooding and Lincoln counties. Sally will be an especially valuable and versatile legislator because she relates to the farmer, the businessman, the educational community, parents and, of course, all of them as taxpayers. Sally is unique in that she is a third-generation educator and has the invaluable experience of a 37-year career as a math teacher in the Wendell and Gooding school districts. Her long educational career allows her to relate to and understand the needs and challenges facing our most precious asset – our children. It gets better! Sally and her husband Mark, third-generation farmer/rancher, own and operate family farms and cattle ranches in Gooding and Camas counties. Their two sons, along with their families, have returned to Idaho to raise their children and continue the family agricultural business. It gets even better! As a longtime resident of southern Idaho, Sally understands the different situations that exist in our small rural communities and will work tirelessly with commissioners, school trustees, constituents and fellow legislators to find ways to solve our unique needs. She will do it in a way that is fiscally responsible. I’ve personally known Sally for well over 20 years and consider her a great communicator. She is not only smart and articulate, but has the rare ability to listen, consider, and respond with logic and insight. In any organization, political or otherwise, a diversity of ideas and opinions makes for stronger and better decisions. Sally Toone has the right background to help Idaho prepare for the future. Please support Sally this November. Jim Cobble Fairfield resident

letter to the editor Bruce Newcomb

Vote For Michelle Stennett For Senate

I am writing to encourage voters of District 26 to vote for Michelle Stennett for Senate seat District 26. I am sure that some might wonder why a Republican is endorsing a Democrat. In our family, we live by the three F’s: Faith, Family and Friends. Clint and Michelle were and are such close friends of ours that we consider them family. After Clint passed away, Michelle took the reins and carried on where Clint left off. She owns farms in the Magic Valley and has a real understanding of water rights, ranching and farming. I observed Michelle represent District 26 in the Senate these last three terms and she has served with distinction in representing her district. She has gained the respect of her peers on both sides of the isle. She is now the Minority Leader of the Senate. She and Clint are the only married couple in Idaho history to serve in that capacity. Everyone I know that has observed her serve, including me, thinks she has done so with distinction and class. Michelle has a very strong work ethic. She is very intelligent and personable. Michelle is a very good listener. She always gathers all the information she can and makes decisions based on that information in the best interest of District 26 and the State of Idaho. It is my opinion that the voters of District 26 would be best served by voting for Michelle Stennett for State Senate District 26. Bruce Newcomb Retired legislator Former Speaker of the House

letter to the editor Richard Jesinger

Vote Yes For Article III Amendment

I urge you to vote YES on November 8 for an amendment to Article III of the Idaho Constitution, providing that the Idaho Legislature may review, approve or reject any administrative (agency) rule, thereby ensuring consistency with legislative intent. This is a NONPARTISAN issue. When the Idaho Legislature voted on HJR 5 (this amendment), only four of 105 legislators voted “no”. All legislators representing Legislative District 26 voted “yes”. On September 17, we celebrate Constitution Day, 229 years after the Constitution signing by 39 brave men. This most influential document of American history and the Bill of Rights were created to limit an omnipotent federal government by creating a balance of power with three branches, so that no individual or group could gain too much control. Over time, the roles of the three branches – Legislative (makes the laws), Executive (enforces the laws), and Judicial (interprets the laws) – have blurred. Agencies (part of the executive branch) are now creating rules (laws) impacting all Americans. We must guarantee that these rules are reviewed by elected officials. Historically, Idaho statute has prevented agencies from making laws without legislative review. Statutes can be interpreted and changed by a few individuals; changing a statute does not require a vote of all Idaho citizens. With a YES vote to amend Article III of the Idaho Constitution, we will preserve our right to have elected legislators review agency laws. In partisan politics, as a retired law enforcement officer and FBI supervisor, as well as father of a Snake River Council Eagle Scout and graduate of West Point who is now a captain in the Army, I respectfully ask you to elect Representative Steve Miller, Dale Ewersen and Alex Sutter – good men all – who will honor the Constitution and Idahoans. Happy Constitution Day! Richard Jesinger Sun Valley resident Editor’s Note: The Weekly Sun welcomes and encourages submissions of letters to the editor. Letters do not necessarily express the opinion of The Weekly Sun or Idaho Sunshine Media, LLC. Letters are not selected based on opinion; the goal is to provide an open forum for the exchange of ideas in Blaine County. Email letters to editor@theweeklysun.com.