5 November 2019

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NOVEMBER 6 - 12, 2019 | V O L . 1 2 - N O . 4 5 | W W W . T H E W E E K L Y S U N . C O M

News In Brief Gem State Leads Nation In Uninsured Kids Increase

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Nonprofit News Women’s Group Ready To Roll Out Funds

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First Responders News New Firefighting Agreement Gets First Test At House Fire

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For information about this photo, see “On The Cover” on page 3. Photo credit: Carol Waller

12/11/2017 12:09:07 PM

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T H E W E E K LY S U N •

NOVEMBER 6 - 12, 2019

NEWS IN BRIEF

Multiple Teens Charged With Hailey Halloween Mischief

Idahoans lost their lives to this preventable cause of death.

In the hopes of making a dent in these statistics, St. Luke’s will use a $3.4 million research award from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) for a study of suicide prevention techniques in adults and adolescents.

“This study has the potential to save lives by exploring the most effective ways to manage suicide prevention,” said Jannus co-CEOs Karan Tucker and Stephanie Bender-Kitz. “We are excited to join St. Luke’s and our other partners to help prevent suicide in Idaho and in other areas facing similar challenges.”

Joining St. Luke’s and Jannus will be researchers from the University of Washington, University of Idaho, University of Pennsylvania, and Columbia University; the Idaho Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health; and people with lived experience with suicide.

The study, known as the SPARC Trial, will compare two evidence-based interventions already in practice within the St. Luke’s system. These interventions include structured safety planning followed by support from the Idaho Suicide Prevention Hotline versus safety planning alone. The goal is to use the data to determine the most-effective approach to preventing someone from attempting suicide and then make sure people receive the appropriate behavioral health treatment.

School District Hires New Human Resources Director

And here’s a Top 10 list to which Idaho doesn’t want to be named. A new report released by Idaho Voices for Children shows that Idaho had the highest increase in the nation in its rate of uninsured children between 2017 and 2018. Roughly 7,200 children lost health coverage in this time period, the report says.

This Idaho-specific report was co-released with a national report from the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families showing that nationwide, more than 4 million children were uninsured in 2018. Following years of health coverage gains in Idaho and across the country, this is the second year in a row children lost coverage, with the rate of uninsured children rising to 5.2 percent nationwide from a record low of 4.7 percent in 2016.

“The drop in insured children in Idaho is extremely troubling and we believe largely due to changes in the enrollment and renewal processes in Idaho’s CHIP [Children’s Health Insurance Program] and Medicaid programs that have put new barriers in place for children and families. These have occurred as a result of new direction from the federal government,” explained Liz Woodruff, assistant director of Idaho Voices for Children. “Low-income families are now required to submit more paperwork and overcome additional red tape to access or keep health coverage for their children,” Woodruff continued.

The Georgetown University Center for Children and Families report further indicates that states without Medicaid expansion are seeing three times the rate of increases in uninsured children as states that expanded Medicaid. The report also indicates that children in non-expansion states are almost twice as likely to be uninsured as those in states that closed the coverage gap.

“Idaho is about to realize a huge opportunity to curb these declines in kids’ health insurance when new families begin to enroll in coverage on November 1,” said Woodruff. “It’s incredibly important that Idaho realizes the full benefits of Medicaid expansion, and not add further barriers to coverage through work reporting requirements.”

Brooke Marshall—currently the support services director at the City of Klamath Falls, Ore.—has been named the new director of human resources for Blaine County School District.

Marshall’s accomplishments include over 15 years of diverse public-sector experience working for K-12 school districts, higher education, state courts, state department of justice, and municipal government.

“As a passionate public servant, I seek to elevate individuals and teams in their different roles and find ways to solve problems,” Marshall said.

As support services director for a small rural BCSD’s new HR director Brooke municipality, Marshall has spent the last several Marshall. Photo credit: Brooke years working as the human resources director Marshall for a city employing over 160 full-time employees spanning all divisions and services. During this time, she had also overseen finance, technology, utility billing, municipal court, and legislative divisions for the city.

“I am absolutely thrilled to become part of the BCSD family and bring together my passion for human resources and schools,” Marshall said.

Marshall holds a juris doctorate in law and a bachelor of arts in political science, both from the University of Oregon. Marshall’s selection as the final candidate came after an extensive interview process that included a trustee, an educator representing the Blaine County Education Association, staff, and district administrators.

Marshall will begin her contract Dec. 2.

St. Luke’s Leads Largest-Ever Study On Suicide Prevention

Two suicide prevention interventions will be compared in the largest-ever Idaho study on the best strategies for preventing suicide in adults and adolescents. The Idaho Suicide Prevention Hotline and Empower Idaho, both projects of the Idaho nonprofit organization Jannus, will participate with St. Luke’s Health System, which will lead the study.

Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in Idaho. The Gem State has one of the highest rates of suicide at 50 percent above the national average. In 2017, 393

Idaho Has Highest Increase Of Uninsured Children

Hailey Man Arrested For Felony Domestic Battery

On Friday, Nov. 1, at approximately 8:50 p.m., deputies from the Blaine County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to a residence north of Hailey for a report of a Domestic Battery in progress.

Once on scene and after investigating the incident, Ronny H. Javier-Bobadilla, age 25, of Hailey, was arrested for Felony Domestic Battery.

Javier-Bobadilla was arraigned Monday afternoon, pleading not guilty to the charge. A pre-trial conference has been set for Dec. 2. The court also issued a restraining order on Javier-Bobadilla.

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Hailey police—and social media—had a busy Halloween after a slew of phone calls had come in reporting teenagers who were egging property, bullying children, stealing candy, and speeding throughout the city. In a separate incident, a juvenile male from Hailey and a juvenile male from Shoshone were charged with stealing candy bowls from two different households attempting to hand out candy to trickor-treaters. Both residences were in the Woodside area of Hailey.

By 3 p.m. Friday, Nov. 1, police were able to obtain enough information and evidence to charge the two juveniles, who now will be petitioned into juvenile court for their actions.

“Thank you to everyone who came forward with information regarding the thefts,” the Hailey Police Department stated in a recent Facebook post.

In the other incident, police said, “Certain tips were obtained, and by follow-up investigation by our officers (especially by Wood River High School Resource Officer Shawna Wallace), we were able to identify certain individuals that were most likely involved in some of the speeding and egging incidents.”

So by Friday evening, police escorted the 16- and 17-year-old to meet with victims to issue an apology, something they also did in a letter of apology.

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KUDOS & SASS

Kudos to the 5B kids who donated 356 pounds of their Halloween candy to troops, veterans & first responders.

Sass to people who back up without looking at the Hailey post office.

T H E W E E K LY S U N •

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NOVEMBER 6 - 12, 2019

THE WEEKLY SUN CONTENTS

presents Josephine Strong (Priya Merchant) begs Penelope Pennywise (Julia Ott) to give her a discount on amenity usage in the award-winning musical “Urinetown.”

Sun Valley Community School students will perform the musical this week. For a story, see page 8. Photo credit: Anneliese Turck for Sun Valley Community School

THIS WEEK

N O V E M B E R 6 - 1 2 , 2019 | VOL. 12 NO. 45

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News In Brief

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Commentary

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Calendar

Recycling Center Is On Pause Through November 11 with a special piano performance by

Columns, Guest Commentary Student Spotlight, Fishing Report

Sunday, Nov. 10 | 4 p.m.

Stay In The Loop On Where To Be

WRHS Performing Arts Theater

ON THE COVER

A masked motorcyclist surveys the scene at the Hailey Halloween Hoopla on Thursday afternoon, Oct. 31. Photo credit: Carol Waller Local artists & photographers interested in seeing their art on our cover page should email submissions to: mandi@ theweeklysun.com (photos should be high resolution and include caption info such as who or what is in the photo, date and location).

THE WEEKLY SUN STAFF P.O. Box 2711 Hailey, Idaho 83333 Phone: 208.928.7186 Fax: 208.928.7187 AD SALES Brennan Rego • 208.720.1295 • brennan@theweeklysun.com NEWS EDITOR Eric Valentine • news@theweeklysun.com ARTS & EVENTS, SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR Dana DuGan • calendar@theweeklysun.com COPY EDITOR Patty Healey STAFF REPORTERS • Jesse Cole • Hayden Seder news@theweeklysun.com DESIGN DIRECTOR Mandi Iverson • 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 brennan@theweeklysun.com • bulletin@theweeklysun.com Calendar Submissions — Friday @ 5pm calendar@theweeklysun.com www.TheWeeklySun.com Published by Idaho Sunshine Media, LLC

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T H E W E E K LY S U N •

NEWS NONPROFIT

NOVEMBER 6 - 12, 2019

WOMEN’S ORGANIZATION OFFERS HELPING HAND

Blaine County nonprofits encouraged to apply for grants before Dec. 2

BY ERIC VALENTINE

T

ime. Energy. And money. Those are perhaps the three most critical ingredients to the success of any venture. Ask any aspiring nonprofit which of those three they could use more of and it’s funding that always seems trickiest.

Well, a local women’s organization can’t do much about the first two items, but it certainly has been making a significant impact on that tricky one. The Wood River Women’s Foundation has, since 2005, distributed nearly $2.65 million to nonprofit organizations across Blaine County and nearly $268,000 over the last year alone. This week it launched its 2020 grant cycle, an application process that ends Dec. 2, 2019.

“We are particularly excited about this cycle,” said Terri Bullock, WRWF president.

“There’s so much great work being done by local nonprofits; we have been honored to support their missions since 2005 and look forward to supporting them for years to come.”

The WRWF accepts grant applications in a variety of areas, including arts, education, environment, health and recreation, and social services, with grants awarded in amounts from $5,000 to $25,000. A partial list of last year’s recipients reads like a Valley Who’s Who of prominent charities: •

• • • • •

Blaine County Education Foundation ($35,000)—To increase awareness of local college scholarship opportunities by developing a scholarship database available to all Blaine County students, hosting a scholarship fair, and providing teacher grants, among other things.

The Hunger Coalition Idaho ($35,000)—To help fund the Bloom Youth Project and provide for paid internships for 10 teens.

Blaine County Recreation District ($35,000)—To support the restoration of the public Aquatic Center in Hailey.

Hospice & Palliative Care of the Wood River Valley ($35,000)—To complete several repairs and improvements to their 1900s building.

Idaho BaseCamp ($35,000)—To help fund a comprehensive after-school program for Bellevue and Alturas third-fifth grade students, by offering scholarships to students and compensation for a Lead Educator.

The Advocates ($35,000)—To help provide furnishings and fixtures for their transitional housing service center and 12 new apartments.

NEWS IN BRIEF

Wood River Women’s Foundation hosted a recent Forum on Charitable Giving for Maximum Benefit. Jenni Riley moderated the event, which included panelists WRWF president Terri Bullock, family therapist Cate Cox, wealth management advisor Suzanne Hazlett, and attorney Sandra Clapp. Photo credit: Wood River Women’s Foundation

The application process is intensive and open only to official 501(c)3 nonprofits. A detailed rundown of criteria is available on the organization’s website at woodriverwomensfoundation.org/eligibility-criteria. It is not open to efforts that are “religious or political in nature.”

By mid-February, the WRWF selection committee will be ready to conduct site visits to the nonprofits who have reached the finalists phase. In early March, those organizations get to present their project to the full WRWF membership. Applications will be voted on by WRWF members in April 2020 and the funds will be distributed in July 2020. tws

New Traffic Pattern On US-93 In Lincoln County

Motorists traveling on US-93 south of Shoshone will encounter a change in traffic pattern as newly constructed climbing lanes have opened for use. The new lanes are expected to open on Tuesday (Nov. 5).

“The addition of these climbing lanes will allow drivers to safely pass slower vehicles that may be traveling along the elevated stretch of roadway,” said south-central Idaho project coordinator Kenny Lively. “These new lanes will improve safety in the corridor for both commercial and passenger vehicles.”

Since May of this year, the Idaho Transportation Department has been constructing a divided highway with approximately three miles of northbound and southbound lanes near Notch Butte.

Portable message signs have been added on US-93 alerting drivers of the upcoming change in pattern. Motorists should pay attention while driving through this area as they become familiar with navigating the new roadway.

Valley Of Peace Welcomes New Youth, Family Ministries Director

Sun Valley Tour de Force and Idaho BaseCamp celebrate a major donation. Photo credit: Sun Valley Tour de Force

Sun Valley Tour De Force Donates $100K To Idaho BaseCamp

In just its second year, Sun Valley Tour de Force, which took place July 25-27 this year, saw tremendous growth not only in attendance and sponsor support but also at its signature Cars & Comedy fundraiser, the largest fundraising event of the weekend.

Donors bid on a 2020 Indy 500 TAG Heuer VIP Experience, BMW driving school, Portland Grand Prix and much more. At this year’s event, a generous donor brought the crowd to its feet by pledging a 15-seat Ford Sprinter passenger van (valued over $40,000), answering Idaho BaseCamp’s plea for upgraded transportation.

Sun Valley Tour de Force also granted Idaho BaseCamp $65,000, which will be used for scholarships to the new south Valley after-school program and continued funding of the fifth-grade Outdoor Adventure Camps.

Valley of Peace Lutheran Church has named Lisa Menschel as its new Youth and Family Ministries director. Menschel joins the Hailey church after devoting nearly 15 years to nondenominational youth outreach.

Pastor Jerry Reinke commented, “Lisa brings a great deal of experience and enthusiasm to Valley of Peace.”

Menschel’s ministry has spanned the country from Minnesota, Montana, Idaho and Michigan. Starting as a volunteer in her native Minnesota, she moved to parttime work while pursuing additional training. She was the full-time area director for Young Life here in the Wood River Valley before returning East with her family for three years. In 2018 she and her family returned to Hailey.

Lisa is married to Drew Menschel. They have a nine-month-old son named Cutler.

She replaces Joel Ripke, who held the position for two years. Ripke, and his wife Nicole, have moved East to pursue other ministry opportunities.

“Valley of Peace has a lot of charm. We want to be even more welcoming to young families,” Menschel said.

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T H E W E E K LY S U N •

NOVEMBER 6 - 12, 2019

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NEWS COMMUNITY

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CONCUSSION TESTING AND GENEROSITY

Valley firefighting personnel respond to a structure fire on Canyon Drive in Gimlet. Photo credit: Sun Valley Fire Department

GIMLET STRUCTURE FIRE TESTS NEW FIREFIGHTING SERVICES CONTRACT Will Valley mutual aid policies hold up amid new firefighting agreements?

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BY ERIC VALENTINE

n early morning residential structure fire just outside of Ketchum Fire Department’s jurisdiction may be the first test for the fledgling fire services contract between the City of Sun Valley and Ketchum Rural Fire District. The contract that began Oct. 1—ending a decades-long agreement with Ketchum city and Ketchum rural first responders—was tested in the early hours of Nov. 1 when Sun Valley and rural district firefighters responded to the report of smoke filling the residence at 134 Canyon Drive.

What’s known is that the blaze was under control in just over an hour and occupants of the home were safely out of the house. What’s up for debate is whether the Ketchum Fire Department should have been more involved. Ketchum fire crews were called to the scene but never arrived in full force and the Ketchum ambulance that was sent did not get there until well into the incident, Sun Valley Fire Chief Taan Robrahn confirmed.

“The crews that were there did a great job and made a great save of a structure, confining damage to a portion of the house,” Robrahn said.

Ketchum leadership indicated its first response actions were normal according to longstanding mutual aid agreements.

“It’s not atypical to have one of the departments stand down in a situation like this,” Ketchum Assistant City Administrator Lisa Enourato said. As of press deadline Tuesday, Enourato was still acquiring information about the response, but said

the interim fire chief and one other firefighter from Ketchum were both on scene.

“We have mutual aid agreements,” added Ketchum Mayor Neil Bradshaw. “We’re not going to let anyone in the community be put at risk.”

Robrahn confirmed no one was put at immediate risk, but acknowledged that incidence response still needs some ironing out going forward.

“We like to have an ambulance there as early as possible, even when occupants are safe, because firefighting is risky and it’s good to have medical support on scene not just for victims but for crews, too,” Robrahn explained.

Response Rundown The first units arrived on scene within 10 minutes and found flames showing from the roof around a chimney pipe. The initial crews insured all occupants were out of the house and initiated an interior fire attack. Additional crews performed water supply, salvage and overhaul, safety and support functions.

“Those roof fires can be tricky and our crews got in there and got it under control relatively quickly,” Robrahn said.

The fire was called in at 5:45 a.m. and was declared under control at 7:02 a.m.

A total of 18 firefighters responded with two engines, two tenders, one ladder truck, one ambulance and three command officers. Damage is initially estimated at $250,000 to the structure and contents. tws

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BY JESSE FOSTER, DPT, ATC, OCS, SCS; SENIOR MANAGER, ST. LUKE’S CLINIC – REHAB

t. Luke’s Wood River and the St. Luke’s Wood River Foundation are always looking at ways to help people in the community improve their quality of life from injury prevention to rehabilitation of an injury, to help patients return to regular activities. One of those ways is to offer baseline ImPACT testing to help assess and manage concussions at no cost to the community. Due to community generosity, the SLWR Foundation recently awarded a grant making it possible to offer this important test at no cost to community members. In most communities the cost of just taking the test can be $290.

SLWR is now providing baseline ImPACT testing and post-concussion testing to all youth clubs and school-based teams and to all the schools in the county and region. The sports range from lacrosse, mountain biking, hockey and skiing, to gymnastics and cheer. Many sports-related organizations require testing.

In the past, every sport and every school had their own set of tests. This made it impossible for the computer program to correlate the data, physicians may not have had the ability to compare the tests and it frustrated athletic directors and coaches because they would not know if a participant had even taken a test. Assessment, transparency, treatment and outcomes will improve for patients in Blaine, Lincoln and Camas counties with SLWR conducting all the testing in the region.

You don’t have to be a top-notch athlete to benefit from the test.

It is also beneficial for the general community, as a head injury can result from numerous other traumas such as trips, falls, bumping into something or a motor vehicle accident.

We all know that each of us is wired differently and that not all injuries are the same. A baseline neurocognitive test allows for documenting the healthy brain function of an uninjured test taker.

It gives a composite score on memory, visual motor speed, reaction time and impulse control as well as symptom scores. The test itself only takes 20 minutes using a computer or laptop. The test is appropriate for anyone over the age of 12. Students do need to take the test every two years. If a baseline test has not been conducted, physicians use national standards or norms to use as a guideline in assessing the concussion and when a person can resume normal activity levels. Norms are available up to age 59. If a community member is over 59, then it is even more important to have a baseline to use for comparison, assessment and treatment.

When a person suffers a head injury, they may experience the following symptoms: headache, lack of coordination, memory loss and confusion, nausea and vomiting, dizziness, ringing in the ears, sleeplessness and excessive fatigue. When a head trauma occurs, the same test used for the baseline is administered, and the results are compared to help determine the patient’s post-injury status and to make concussion treatment decisions.

Physicians have a clearer picture of the short- and long-term memory impact when they can compare results. An MRI or X-ray will not reveal impact unless hemorrhaging is present. Using the results of baseline and post-trauma, a physician can make a more thorough evaluation of the patient using both objective and subjective observations.

Understanding what areas are impacted can help with developing a treatment plan. In the past, we were all told to go to a dark room and do nothing, but now we know that having some exercise that increases blood flow can help speed the healing process.

Post-injury testing also assists in determining when it’s okay to return to activity, particularly for high-risk sports.

To learn more about ImPACT concussion testing or to schedule an appointment, call St. Luke’s Clinic – Rehab in Ketchum, (208) 727-8253 or Hailey (208) 727-8281.

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T H E W E E K LY S U N •

Fishing R epoRt THE “WEEKLY” FISHING REPORT FOR NOVEMBER 6 - 12 FROM PICABO ANGLER

W

e had our first taste of snow here in the Valley and it was a reminder that winter is not too far off. We do have some beautiful days in the forecast over the next week or so, which means it’s a great opportunity to get outside and wet a line!

Silver Creek has been awesome over the last few days, with plenty of fish rising in the afternoons to Baetis and Midges. If we keep getting these warmish days, the Baetis should continue. Patterns like the Tie-Down Midge or an Rs2 dropped behind a more visible Baetis pattern is a great option right now. Dropping a Midge or Baetis nymph below a dry fly or small indicator can also produce good success.

The brown trout are in full spawn mode as of the last week or so.

Remember to leave spawning fish alone and do not wade over the top of cleaned gravel. The eggs will stay in that same redd for two to three months before hatching, which means it’s important for us anglers to watch our step long after the fish have ended their spawn!

The Big Wood River is a great option right now. There has been plenty of rising fish in the afternoons and the fish are really grabby.

We are not seeing as many Baetis around, but there are plenty of Midges to keep the fish busy. Setting up a Parachute Adams with a Midge dropped behind it is a great setup.

Changing the dropper tag length and alternating the amount of weight on your Midge to cover different columns is a fantastic approach to figuring out where the fish are feeding. Depth is always important, but becomes even more so when the water gets colder—fish don’t want to move more than they have to.

The Lower Big Lost River is fishing well. The river is officially at winter flow and has the fish concentrated in the deeper water. We have been seeing Baetis and Midges in the afternoons with a few fish rising to them. The nymphing has been very good. Try using small Midge and Baetis patterns and focus on the slower, deeper water. Use a small indicator to suspend your nymphs in the slower, less complicated currents, and high stick in the faster water. A red Two Bit Hooker in a size 16-18 and a red Zebra Midge in a size 18-22 are great options.

The Upper Big Lost River is an option, but not for much longer. It’s starting to feel like winter and will only get colder from here on out.

The feeding window for the fish is very small this time of year; focus your time on the warmest part of the day. Fishing streamers or large nymphs through the deep pools could entice an eat or two.

The South Fork of the Boise River has been fantastic the last few weeks! There has been plenty of Caddis, Baetis, Mahoganys and Midges around. Look for these hatches to stick around as long as the weather stays nice. Once things start getting colder, we can expect to see the Midges take over as the main bug of choice. Nymphing with stonefly and Midge patterns has been successful when nothing else is going on. Streamers like Sculpins and Leeches have also been working well, especially if you can get a day with a bit of cloud cover.

Happy fishing everyone!

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NOVEMBER 6 - 12, 2019

OBEDIENCE VS. ‘MANNERS’ – THE NEW JARGON

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BY FRAN JEWELL

ore and more, our American society is pushing anthropomorphism on our pets. It feels good to use a pretty harness because it is much more “humane,” or we buy luxury beds for our pets that cost hundreds of dollars (then our dog chooses to sleep on the floor). Our pups have elevated car seats so they can see out the window. We even see costumes for dogs for every holiday on the planet. Dogs are pretty good sports, really, to put up with our fanaticism. And because they are good sports, we humans tend to think it’s alright.

Of course, I believe that the more we anthropomorphize dogs, the worse behaviors we see in them. From my standpoint, doing what I do as a certified dog behavior consultant, I think dogs are desperately seeking their real identities. Years ago, a man named William Glasser, M.D., wrote a book called “The Identity Society” where he talks about people searching for their identities.

I contend that the basis for almost all dog behavior problems, excepting some genetic temperament, is the result of lack of leadership in a manner that the dog understands. When we humanize dogs, we increase their confusion about who they are, thus I believe dogs are also searching for their identities because we have led them so far astray from who they are… dogs—a beautiful, loving species different from our own. We no longer honor our dogs for who they are.

If we think past that, and want to think about it in human terms, how does it feel when someone does not accept you for who you are?

How about a parent that insists you should have grown up to be a lawyer instead of the marine biologist you knew in your inner heart you wanted to become?

Now, not only do websites call dog owners “parents,” they also encourage dog learning in a manner that is unlike natural learning that takes place within the dog kingdom, and with any species! We are encouraged to never discipline our dogs because discipline is inhumane. Well, let us consider that in our human species, we have rules. If you speed, you get a ticket. If you break other laws, you may go to jail. Yet, now many profess that giving a dog only positive reinforcement will create reliable behaviors. In fact, many don’t even call training “training” anymore. Instead of using the word “obedience,” they are using the word “manners.” Really, is “obedience” an evil word? Or does it help a dog to coexist in our human society? Does it help our dog to live with us? Does it give dogs guidance they desperately need? If dogs are not encouraged with fair and meaningful guidance, both encouragement and discipline, how are they to know what is acceptable? A dog with no boundaries will behave in a feral manner. Can we really afford that in our litigious society?

In a nutshell, honoring our dogs for being dogs is so important. It is only fair to give them guidance that is meaningful so they can live in our human society without biting or displaying other feral behav-

Obedience training, not just “manners,” allows us to become closer to our dogs and allows dogs to become incredible helpers to us in society. Pele is learning public access so she can be my diabetic alert dog. Other dogs help us apprehend criminals, or detect mines to save soldiers’ lives. Photo credit: Fran Jewell

iors. But, they are not humans. Much of the new jargon begs us to treat dogs like humans. It will only serve to confuse them and create tremendous anxiety for them.

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.

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BY LESLIE REGO

SWEET NOVEMBER

ctober is brief and fugitive. November brings the same sky, but the brilliant colors do not linger. Tree branches, with their last scraps of leaves, play silhouette games. The October rainbow deserts us.

But wait, it is seven in the evening and the crescent moon is clear in the dusky blue sky.

The last of the sun’s light cloaks the top of the sage-covered slopes in a creamy yellow. The pink of the sunset creeps down the hillsides, leaving rose-colored petals in its wake. This evening there is life in the soft tones. We are in the month of November when the landscape is famous for its muted colors.

The moon is brilliant, nestled into the gloaming sky, a scrap of sickle-shaped light growing brighter and brighter as the delicate colors fade, the gaunt and naked branches becoming ever more Stygian.

The night air is still except for the faint dry sounds of the crackling leaves underfoot. Rustles of sounds float through the air like ghosts passing quietly through the darkness. The sliver of moon casts its sliver of light over the dormant landscape. Stars appear a few at a time. Sweet November, before the romance of snow, is showing its own courtship.

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, “Crescent Moon,” charcoal, pastel.

T H E W E E K LY S U N •

NOVEMBER 6 - 12, 2019

7

GUEST COMMENTARY IVY SMITH

SPONSORED FEATURE STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

Over the summer, Rep. Barbara Ehardt (R-Idaho Falls) and 27 House Republicans wrote a letter to Idaho’s universities asking them to eliminate diversity and inclusion programs. The letter states, “This drive to create a diversified and inclusive culture becomes divisive and exclusionary because it separates and segregates students.” Speaking as a current Boise State student who grew up in Idaho, this letter couldn’t be more misinformed and troubling.

Diversity and inclusion programs are necessary to Idaho students because we understand that they help us meet our educational goals. Inclusion programs help first-year or economically disadvantaged students cover expensive application costs and to navigate the complicated orientation process. Various campus clubs and programs provide opportunities to create communities of common interest that provide support and encourage success. Graduate resources help close the economic gap and help us to contribute to the global economy.

The legislature has systematically decreased their overall investment in Idaho’s colleges and universities, but some legislators are pointing fingers at programs that have nothing to do with skyrocketing tuition costs. According to the Idaho Center for Fiscal Policy, “Policymakers have wavered from the state’s commitment to higher education. Tuition and fees now account for 47 percent of funding for higher education, up from 7 percent in 1980. State funding dropped to 54 percent from 93 percent of funding over the same period.” The legislature has abandoned its responsibility to make education affordable in Idaho. Instead of holding themselves accountable for their inaction, they are blaming programs that are funded mainly by private dollars that do not impact tuition costs that students pay.

If the Republican legislature successfully eliminates diversity and inclusion efforts, it will not make college more affordable. Rather, it will impact Idaho students’ ability to access higher education and further expand the educational achievement gap. Businesses with high-paying jobs, like the Idaho National Laboratory and Hewlett-Packard, have indicated that diversity programs are necessary for continued investment in Idaho. HP went so far as to say that the entire state will risk losing businesses in Idaho if we do not make meaningful investments in diversity and inclusion programs.

When Idaho Republican legislators wrote that letter to our new president, Dr. Tromp, students were not consulted. The drive at Idaho universities to promote a diverse and inclusive culture creates a place for every student to attend college, access quality resources, and graduate with the skills to provide a high quality of life for themselves and their families.

The letter that was written to Dr. Tromp pressuring her to eliminate programs that help us to succeed was a tired publicity stunt that did nothing to help students who are currently paying off expensive student debt while attending school full time. If the legislature wants to help students, they can start by taking responsibility for their actions and making meaningful investments in our education.

WRHS senior Tia Vontver. Photo credit: Adelaide Joyce

Idaho Students Need Diversity And Inclusion Programs

Ivy Smith is president of the Young Democrats at Boise State University.

COLUMN SCIENCE OF PLACE

ON TREES

I

BY HARRY WEEKES

t is the time of year when I catch leaves. More specifically, a leaf.

At some point in the fall, when the leaves are dead or dying and the wind starts blowing, I look for the chance to catch a leaf—an annual event that marks a transition into winter and keeps me darting about through the cottonwoods.

Of course, winter doesn’t start, technically, for a couple of months, but when the leaves are gone, when the temperatures are below freezing, and when there is snow on the ground, technicalities take a back seat.

But I digress. At least a partial point of my leaf catching is to focus on something I often take for granted—trees, and plants in general. Oh, I realize all of the wonder and splendor of the plant world as I cruise the aisles of the supermarket and when certain aspen trees light up yellow and orange in the fall, but for the most part, the life of a tree is an utter mystery to me. Trees remain at a strange distance, probably because they are so different from me, and for all of the obvious reasons.

Trees stay rooted in the ground, in one place, making their food out of sunlight. Even young ones are old by human standards, and the ability to really observe them necessarily requires several human lifetimes, which means I am mostly reading about them, which is a kind of abstraction in and of itself. And then, along comes a book that blows the world open, as Peter Wohlleben’s “The Hidden Life of Trees” just did for my class of seniors and me, who are exploring “Ways of Knowing” this fall.

In our attempt to explore different ways of seeing the world, we have looked into the minds of tigers and octopuses, and are now turning to the minds of trees. Even the idea of tree minds sounds absurd, but in story after story, Wohlleben (a world-renowned forester) unlocks the incredible secrets of this wooden world.

He talks convincingly about trees’ senses and feelings and their ability to count and remember.

He talks about them as architects of ecosystems and colonizers of the terrestrial realm. He gives us a glimpse of a social world at once intimate and familiar, and simultaneously impossible to understand. Like trees caring for dead and dying relatives and neighbors over decades, and vast tracts of forest sharing sugars and resources through a kind of fungal internet below the soil.

Forests act like a giant conveyor, pulling water

Autumn colors shine under snowcapped peaks late last month. Photo credit: Fran Jewell

across continents and creating a kind of habitability and health important both to plant and also animal. A healthy forest literally oozes, through hundreds of volatile compounds, healthy air, a healthy air that has attracted humans as long as there have been humans. An old, stable forest is, in many ways, a standing spa for humanity, something easy to test for yourself by dropping into an area with big trees and breathing, deeply.

Of course, you don’t have to go to this length to appreciate trees. You can simply find a tall aspen or cottonwood rustling with the dry leaves of fall and wait a few minutes. Even in no wind, a leaf will fall. Catching one after its chaotic and jerky flight is sure to put a smile on your face, and, if even for a few fleeting moments, focus your attention on trees.

Harry Weekes is the founder and head of school at The Sage School in Hailey. This is his 48th year in the Wood River Valley, where he lives with Hilary and two of their three baby adults—Penelope and Simon. The other member of the flock, Georgia, is currently fledging at Davidson College in North Carolina.

TIA VONTVER

A passion for empathy

E

BY ERIC VALENTINE

ven though Tia Vontver’s plans for her future veer from her family’s arts and music background, the Wood River High School senior’s approach to the science and law degrees she hopes to pursue seems like it will be influenced by it.

“I believe experience is a big part of what shapes us as people and the ability to look at each experience from not only your own, but someone else’s perspective, could help everyone become a better person,” said Vontver, whose mother is an illustrator and whose father is a musician. “I believe that, through this, a lot of worldly issues would be easier to solve and allow for more compromise rather than arguments.”

Vontver hasn’t decided on a particular school just yet, but she seems pretty settled on her academic pursuit: environmental science and policy followed by either graduate or law school.

“If I pursue law, I would like to use that law degree to get involved in environmental policy through nonprofit organizations, politics, or international affairs in order to contribute to solutions over one of—or arguably the—biggest issue facing our planet today: climate change,” Vontver explained. “I hope to eventually start a family in a world that I have somehow positively contributed to make a better place.”

The straight-A student (Vontver has a 4.19 grade point average) is doing her part already on that front. She balances her A.P. Calculus BC, A.P. Government, College English, A.P. Biology, A.P. Statistics and Studio Art course load with involvement in numerous extracurricular activities. She is the captain of the WRHS soccer team and a member of both the WRHS track team and Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation Nordic team. This past year Vontver qualified for the Nordic event, Junior Nationals.

“Over my past seven years of participating in the sport, I was never the best. I kept doing it for the community, but was motivated to improve, and did,” Vontver said. “The challenge that this sport provides has helped me realize the importance of hard work and perseverance.”

But Vontver has gone beyond sports and academics to make her impact felt within community-focused clubs, too. Among a number of other organizations, the Seattle-born young woman is the president of Key Club and co-president of the Amnesty International human rights club as well as vice president of Nosotros United, which works to unify a diverse population.

Vontver said her favorite thing about living in the Valley is the beautiful outdoor opportunities here to enjoy nature and stay healthy. tws

Editor’s Note: Anyone who would like to recommend a Blaine County School District student for The Weekly Sun’s “Student Spotlight” feature should contact The Weekly Sun at news@theweeklysun.com.

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T H E W E E K LY S U N • N O V E M B E R 6 - 12, 2019

SPONSORED SENIOR CONNECTION

WHAT DO CAREGIVERS WORRY ABOUT?

A

BY SHAWNA WASKO – CSI OFFICE ON AGING

SUN CALENDAR THE WEEKLY

EVENT FEATURE

s a caregiver to my parents, I worry about a lot of things.

Recently, I Googled the question of caregiver worry and hit on an ALS site. The site used an excerpt from a book

by James R. Sherman, Ph.D., called “Coping with Caregiver Worries.”

Sherman’s book was written in 1998 and, in my mind, he nailed the top six things I worry about. Sherman’s list included: • I worry about running out of money. o Caregiving is expensive. I make my parents’ dinner often, or buy them dinner. I see things they need at the grocery store and buy them things. I leave work to take them to the doctor. I worry about the fact that I can’t afford to quit my job to take care of them. It goes on and on.

• I worry about losing my care receiver. o Anticipatory grief is hard. I lose my mother a little every day as her memories fade with Alzheimer’s disease. With Alzheimer’s disease, we lose them before we lose them.

• I worry about making a critical caregiving mistake. o Medications are complicated. I worry that I will get something wrong with my parents’ medications. Making these mistakes can be life threating. Scary stuff.

• I worry about the effect caregiving is having on my life. o I worry about my mental and physical health. I gain weight, can’t concentrate, feel on edge, and my blood pressure goes up every time my phone rings after 6 at night. I have no time for friends. The house is a mess. Will I even resemble the person I was before when this is over?

• I worry about criticism from siblings or other family members. o I don’t worry too much about what my siblings think. They never help, so I figure they don’t get an opinion. I do worry about my parents’ needs rising. They need more help, and sometimes are critical if I can’t spend the amount of time they think I should spend with them.

• I worry about being able to provide the care my care receiver really needs. o I worry about the day their needs become so excessive, the only solution will be full-term care in a facility, and they refuse to go.

The first Tuesday of each month, we have a caregivers support group here at the Senior Connection. We know it is sometimes hard to find alternative care, so we are providing free care onsite here at the center. We also encourage you to be our guests for lunch afterward. Please call us with any questions! (208) 7883468.

NEWS IN BRIEF

‘Invest In Idaho’ Ballot Initiative Certified By State

Reclaim Idaho’s latest citizen ballot initiative has been certified by Idaho’s Secretary of State, paving the way for the grassroots organization to start collecting signatures for the measure.

Under existing rules, the group must secure 55,057 signatures statewide (6 percent of registered voters) and 6 percent of registered voters in 18 of Idaho’s 35 legislative districts.

The initiative would bring up to $200 million per year of investments in Idaho’s K-12 public schools.

“We are at a crisis point with Idaho’s public schools and it’s time to act,” said Luke Mayville, co-founder of Reclaim Idaho.

“We are hearing the same thing from people all over the state.

They’re worried about losing teachers to other states and they’re concerned their kids will not have the skills they need to get a family-supporting job in their communities. The legislature has had ample time to address the crisis. It’s now time for the people of Idaho to take action.”

According to the organization, last year saw more than 6,300 STEM-related jobs go unfilled, leaving $412 million in unclaimed wages.

“A generation of Idaho kids have been left behind by the legislature’s failure to address the education and jobs crisis in our state. We can’t afford to leave the next generation in the same quagmire,” said Reclaim Idaho Executive Director Rebecca Schroeder.

The deadline to collect signatures is April 30, 2020, while the deadline to turn in signatures is May 1, 2019.

Bobby Strong (Jasper Mott) leads the oppressed in a rebellion against the evil Urine Good Company.

Photo credit: Anneliese Turck for Sun Valley Community School

SUN VALLEY COMMUNITY SCHOOL TO PRESENT ‘URINETOWN’

I

BY DANA DUGAN

t’s hard not to giggle when you hear the word Urinetown, and that may be the point. The musical comedy called “Urinetown” is funny, yes, and meant to invoke laughter but deep within its showiness is a cautionary tale.

Sun Valley Community School’s Creative Arts Academy (part of the Upper School) will present the award-winning play, at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 7, through Saturday, Nov. 9, at the school’s theatre in Sun Valley.

This production tells the story of a terrible water shortage, caused by a 20-year drought. In an attempt to regulate water consumption, the use of private toilets has been outlawed. The citizenry must use public pay-per-use amenities owned and operated by Urine Good Company, a corporation run by the corrupt Caldwell B. Caldwell. If people don’t obey the strict laws prohibiting free urination, they’ll be sent to the dreaded and mysterious “Urinetown.” A brave young hero forms a protest for the freedom to pee “wherever you like, whenever you like, for as long as you like, and with whomever you like.”

After a successful run off-Broadway (it won three Outer Critics Circle awards, two Lucille Lortel awards and two Obie awards), “Urinetown” opened on Broadway in 2001 and ran through early 2004, totaling 25 previews and 965 performances. The irreverent satire, skewering art and politics, is modeled off the satirical plays of German playwrights Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht.

“It’s a fun show; I love it for a lot of reasons, how huge and Brechtian it is with all its wires showing,” said Kevin Wade, director and Sun Valley Community School’s Upper School theater teacher, who also serves as co-director of the school’s Creative Arts Academy and Art Department chair. “It’s very self-aware and gives us the chance to be really broad. The music and songs will remind you of other shows.”

Wade pointed out that Sun Valley Community School’s guiding principle is one of environmental stewardship.

“We’re really digging into ‘Urinetown’ as a cautionary tale,” he said. “Of course, it’s still a broad comedy. But the work for us is to make sure that the messaging piece about sustainability and environmental responsibility is at the forefront of our production. The students are very hyper-aware of water usage and recycling. We hope audiences will both fall out of their seats laughing, but also feel a sense of renewed urgency about caring for our planet.”

Wade added that finding a good play for high school students isn’t always easy but this show is “perfect” for high school-age kids.

Penelope Pennywise (Julia Ott) and Bobby Strong (Jasper Mott) discuss the dangers of rebellion against the evil Urine Good Company. Photo credit: Anneliese Turck for Sun Valley Community School

“They love edgy plays, and they love contemporary musicals,” he said. “You really can bring the family to this. It’s not violent or heavy, though it is sort of dark. But it’s a powerful tool to process scary matters through humor and music.”

More than 35 Upper School students are involved with the production, either on the stage or behind the scenes. The cast features Jasper Mott as Bobby Strong, Laine Allison as Hope Caldwell, Julia Ott as Penelope Pennywise, Rye Fruehling as Caldwell B. Caldwell, Ethan Hunt as Officer Lockstock, and Sophie Harder playing Little Sally.

The ensemble includes Paola Alvarado, Etienne Blumberg, Zealy Bourgault, Shea Brokaw, Frances Cherp, Niki Cohen, Camille Cookston, Charlie Coulter, Emma Desserault, Hadley Duke, Madeline Dunn, George Englehardt, Luc Gilbreath, Tallulah Gilbreath, Brady Giles, Imogen Harris, Paris Himmelman, Beatrice Kelly, Bella Maurtua, Lyla Maxwell, Priya Merchant, Lily Pogue, Alli Rathfon, Carter Sammis, Bridgette Silva, Sophia Sturgeon, Anika Vandenburgh, and Ava Verhaeghe.

Upper School music teacher John Mauldin will provide musical direction and Elementary School dance and Middle School music teacher Meghan Mahoney is the choreographer. Set design is by Jamey Reynolds. The tech and lighting crew consists of Upper School students Gabe Delgado, Max Moss, Koa Mott, Tyler Salvoni, Serena Ericson and 2018 alumnus Oliver Guy. Makeup, hair, and costume design are by Upper School student Eden Rose.

The production is recommended for sixth-grade students and older. Tickets can be purchased online at communityschool.org/news/events. As well, a limited number of tickets will be sold at the door. Tickets are $10 for students and $17 for adults. tws

WED NOV 6

T H E W E E K LY S U N • N O V E M B E R 6 - 12, 2019

EVENTS CALENDAR, CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

LUNCHTIME LANGUAGE

12-1PM / Community Library / Ketchum This free high-novice to mid-intermediate class will practice Spanish through conversation, reading and watching authentic materials in Spanish. New vocabulary will be presented, and grammar will be strengthened. For more information, contact instructor Sara Pettit at spettit@csi.edu.

WED NOV 6

MENTAL HEALTH: BROWN BAG LUNCH 12:15-1:15PM / St. Luke’s Clinic / Hailey

Mindfulness and Mental Health in the Therapeutic Setting will be presented by Alison Burpee, a licensed clinical social worker. She will discuss positive effects to neural reactivity in the brain that can support, restore and maintain optimal mental health, and how mental health professionals are integrating mindfulness into the therapeutic setting. Find out how and why mindfulness practices can foster general mental well-being, promote calmness and clarity, and reduce the impact and occurrence of experiences such as anxiety, depression, compulsion, rumination, and impulsivity. For more information, contact Erin Buelle at buelle@slhs.org.

WED NOV 6

SEED PARTY

5:30-7:30PM / Natural Grocers / Hailey Wood River Seed Library will take seed donations at these work parties, then will clean the seeds together while chatting about gardening and seed saving. Ten percent of the seeds will go in the Seed Vault, and the rest in the Seed Bank for free distribution to the public.

Bring dry seeds, in paper bags or in (repurposed) glass jars, filled no more than one third so there is plenty air space for the seeds to breathe and continue to cure without getting moldy. Label your seed donations with your name, the source of the seeds, the location where the seeds were harvested, the name of the seeds, characteristics and qualities, and optional notes. This information is needed to fill out the back of the WRSL seed packets. For more information, visit woodriverseedlibrary@gmail.com.

WED NOV 6

NAMI RECOVERY SUPPORT 5:30-7PM / Sun Club / Hailey

Women’s meetings are the 2nd and 4th Wednesday each month; men’s meetings 2nd and 4th Tuesday each month. Both genders invited to attend on 1st and 3rd Tuesday each month. All meetings are held at 731 N. 1st Ave.

THU NOV 7

SAT & ACT

4:30-5:30PM / Community Library / Ketchum Teens may join the SAT and ACT Study Group with tutoring support through Dec. 12. Some materials will be provided, but students are encouraged to bring workbooks, computers or smartphones for this study hour. Free.

THU NOV 7

BELLEVUE ARTISTS ALLIANCE 5-7PM / 7 Fuego / Bellevue

Bellevue Artist Alliance will hold a reception at 7 Fuego Restaurant, 200 S. Main St. in Bellevue.

There will be free food, live music, and an open bar. For more information, contact Lee Higman at Dennis.higman@gmail.com.

THU NOV 7

HAILEY HISTORY TALK

5:30PM / Hailey Library / Hailey

SPONSORED COFFEE CHATS WITH KIKI

UPDATES COLUMN

I

n a world where the climate-action mantra has shifted to all-electric everything, there are incredible opportunities for an electric utility; think of the new streams of income off just electric cars and buses. Even much-hated PGE in California now is advertising an electric fleet incentive program for trucks.

Idaho Power could be making tons of money by building their own solar and wind farms. Instead, they are spending their time on wresting small streams of pennies difference from residential and small commercial customers who have put solar on their roofs. There has been a proposed settlement in the Idaho Public Utilities case for solar net metering and there are still a few days left to comment on it.

As feared, most small commercial and residential solar panel owners will take the brunt of these changes in net metering starting in January 2020. Instead of being able to make more solar power one day than one uses (sending the rest to the grid), and keep the credit at your same retail rates for another day, you will now get compensated at a lower rate per kWh if you don’t use all the energy you generate that hour. And don’t even get me started with the calculations that are going to go into how that new lower rate is calculated.

“Net Hourlv Billing. At the end of each hour, consumption and exports within the hour will be netted and net hourly exports will be compensated at the Export Credit”. “Methodology to Determine the Export Credit Rate. The Export Credit Rate will be based on the value of exported energy from all solar photovoltaic (“PV”) customers in each class, and will be applicable to all distributed generation (“DG”) resources taking service under Schedule 6 and Schedule 8. Signing Parties recognize the exported energy value may be different for other DG resources. Parties retain the right to advocate for export credit rates specific to other DG resources in future proceedings. The methodology to determine the Export Credit Rate will be: 1. Avoided Energy Value. The energy value will be the two-year levelized energy-weighted average of the Demand Side Management (“DSM”) Altemate Cost obtained from the pricing periods set forth in the most recently acknowledged Integrated Resource Plan (“lRP”) calculated as the summation of the product of hourly energy exports and the DSM price divided

by Total Annual Energy Exports for the class.”1 In the scheme of their entire generation portfolio, Idaho Power’s income from this difference is tiny, but they are going to create an accounting nightmare for themselves to track it all while creating hardship for those homeowners who scraped together the funds to put solar on their roofs. Maybe in order to change our utility’s culture to look for the opportunities in clean energy rather than seeing us as the enemy, we need to first look at changing the culture of our Public Utilities Commission, which tells this investor utility what it can do. www.utilitydive.com/news/3-state-commissions-upending-the-way-utilities-do-business/563949/.

Speaking of PGE, there have been more transmission-caused fires in both Northern and Southern California, more preemptive power outages for millions, more lost business, more lost homes, and many displaced families. We can take notes and prepare. www.cbsnews.com/news/after-pg-e-blackouts-california-homeowners-move-to-solar-and-batteries/.

Climate change is affecting not only California, but Idaho as well; we’re not immune to similar scenarios with our transmission grid.

If you’ve missed a column, they are all on my website at: http:// tidwellcommissionercampaign.com.

h t t p s: // p u c. i d a h o.g ov/f i l e r o o m /c a s e s /el e c / I P C / I PCE1815/20191011Motion%20for%20Settlement%20Agreement. pdf 1

“Fistfights, Bank Fraud and Water: Two Early Stories of Hailey,” a free talk will be offered with popular local historian Tom Blanchard. Blanchard will explore events of state and regional importance filled with a cast of colorful characters. For more information, visit haileypubliclibrary.org.

THU NOV 7

WOUNDS: BROWN BAG LUNCH

12:15-1:15PM / St. Luke’s WR / Ketchum Understanding Wounds: Causes, Treatment and Prevention will be presented by Mandy Allaire, N.P., and other wound care specialists. The team will share how current evidence-based medicine and technology, in addition to well-guided participation from the patient and in-home care support, can help with prevention and promote healing through successful wound management. For more information, contact Erin Buelle at buelle@slhs.org.

9

Blaine County Commissioner Candidate

www.tidwellcommissionercampaign.com twitter: @kikitidwell

K i k i Ti d w e l l

Happy November

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T H E W E E K LY S U N • N O V E M B E R 6 - 12, 2019

THU NOV 7-SAT NOV 9

EVENTS CALENDAR, CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE MON NOV 11

‘URINETOWN’

BABY TIME

6PM / Community School Theatre / Sun Valley

12-12:30PM / Hailey Library / Hailey

Tony Award-winning musical comedy “Urinetown” will be presented by Sun Valley Community School’s Creative Arts Academy. For more information, see story on page 8.

Baby Time will be held weekly for babies aged 0-18 months and caregivers. The drop-in program incorporates nursery rhymes, tickling and gestures to help parents teach babies language and motor skills. A registered nurse will be on hand the third Monday of each month. Details at haileypubliclibrary.org.

FRI NOV 8

MON NOV 11

YOGA FRIDAYS

CARITAS CHORALE REHEARSALS

12-1PM / Mountain Humane / Hailey

6:30-8PM / Our Lady of the Snows Church / Ketchum

Yoga Fridays is held in Penny’s Barn, at Mountain Humane, with Pure Body Bliss Studio owner and director, Alysha Oclassen. A handful of mats will be available, but if you have your own mat, bring it. Class is also held Wednesdays from 8:159:15 a.m. $20/drop-in, $160/10-class punch card.

Caritas Chorale holds its weekly rehearsals for its Christmas show every Monday.

R.L. Rowsey will conduct. There are no auditions necessary. Soprano, alto, tenor and bass are all welcome.

TUE NOV 12

CAT COZY CLUB

11AM-1PM / Mountain Humane / Hailey Led by volunteer Jen Barth, the Cat Cozy Club will knit cat cozies for the adoptable cats. Yarn is provided and the club will be meeting the second Tuesday of each month. Enjoy a cup of coffee in Christie’s Cat Café, knit some cat cozies, and meet some new friends. For more information, call (208) 788-4351.

FRI NOV 8

LIVE MUSIC

9:30PM / Silver Dollar Saloon / Bellevue

TUE NOV 12

On Friday, The Heath Clark Band will play live at the iconic Bellevue saloon. There is never a cover, and a free ride home is available, if needed.

NEW MOMS GROUP

12-1:30PM / St. Luke’s WR / Ketchum

SAT NOV 9

PICKLEBALL

A support group for new parents helps with the basics of caring for newborns and infants. The presence of professionals makes this group a comfortable and valuable experience. Bring your baby and your lunch, if you wish. Tuesdays, noon-1:30 p.m., St. Luke’s Wood River, Ketchum.

9AM / BCRD / Hailey Pickleball is played at the Blaine County Recreation District weekly on its six courts, located at the Community Campus, 1050 Fox Acres Road. For more information, call (208) 578-2273 or visit bcrd.org/pickleball.php.

TUE NOV 12

TREKHUB FOR TWEENS AND TEENS

SAT NOV 9

3:30-4:30PM / Community Library / Ketchum

‘MADAM BUTTERFLY’

11AM / Bigwood 4 Cinemas / Hailey

Tuesdays in November in The Community Library Teen Lounge, tech-minded kids will explore and problem solve with various technologies. TREKHub stands for Technology, Resources & Exploration for Kids. Come learn, experiment, and create. Free.

For more information, visit comlib.org.

Sun Valley Opera and Metropolitan Theatres will present “Madam Butterfly,” a production of the 2019/2020 Met HD series of live opera broadcasts from the New York Metropolitan Opera. Doors will open at 10:15 a.m. for coffee from Hailey Coffee Company.

The opera takes place in the Japanese port city of Nagasaki at the turn of the last century, at a time of expanding American international presence. Temporary marriages with foreign sailors were not unusual. Soprano Hui plays the doomed geisha, Madama Butterfly, who clings to the belief that her arrangement with a naval officer is a loving one. Tenor Andrea Carè plays the American naval officer who abandons her, with Paulo Szot as Sharpless, and Elizabeth DeShong as Suzuki.

TUE NOV 12

HAILEY CLIMATE ACTION

5:30-7PM / Natural Grocers / Hailey Hailey Climate Action Coalition will hold its monthly general meeting. Everyone is welcome. For more information, contact makeitgreen@me.com.

TUE NOV 12

ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE

6-8PM / Community Library / Ketchum Weekly, The Community Library offers English as a Second Language for adults, cada martes. Abierto a todos los idiomas que quieren aprender ingles o mejorar sus habilidades. ¡Gratis!

Open to adults of all languages who want to learn English or improve skills. Free.

SUN NOV 10

WR ORCHESTRA FALL CONCERT

4PM / Community Campus Theatre / Hailey “Drumroll,” a free presentation by the Wood River Orchestra, will feature Hayden’s Symphony #103. Donations are welcome. For more information, visit wrcorchestra.org.

WED NOV 13

FALL OPEN STUDIO: FIGURE DRAWING 6-8PM / The Center / Hailey

Sun Valley Center for the Arts will offer an opportunity to brush up on your figure-drawing skills in a relaxed environment. All skill levels are welcome. $10 registration. Walk-ups are welcome. For information, visit sunvalleycenter.org or call (208) 726-9491.

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T H E W E E K LY S U N • N O V E M B E R 6 - 12, 2019

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NOVEMBER TO REMEMBER

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BY MIKE MCKENNA

W

e tend to think of November as a quiet time here in the Wood River Valley. But that’s not the case for The Chamber. As usual, we’ve got a lot of fun things going on this month. So here’s a rundown of what’s happening.

The November Business After Hours (BAH) is teaming up with St. Luke’s Wood River for a special Holiday Open House. The hospital’s Volunteer Board and the Retail Therapy Gift Shop will make sure we kick off the holiday season in style.

Festivities include a variety of great holiday gift options, tasty treats from the hospital’s noted kitchen, adult beverages and updates on the latest news from St. Luke’s and The Chamber. The Volunteer Board will also be offering free gift wrapping, with all proceeds from the Gift Shop going to support local health-related programs.

The Holiday Open House BAH is on Wednesday, Nov. 13 from 4:30-7 p.m. at St. Luke’s Wood River Medical Center at 100 Hospital Drive, just south of Ketchum. The event is free and everyone is welcome to attend.

Come celebrate our community at The Chamber’s Annual Dinner and Awards Banquet on Thursday, Nov. 14 from 6-8 p.m. at Mountain Humane’s Penny Barn. The party includes music from R.L. Rowsey, dinner from KB’s, a trivia game, a new-member drawing and an awards ceremony honoring local businesses, nonprofits and citizens of the Wood River Valley. Warfield Distillery & Brewery is providing beer, while 5B Vino Valet is supplying wine. Tickets to the event are $35 and can be purchased online at HaileyIdaho.com.

A favorite local tradition, the 16th Annual Turkey Trot takes place on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, Nov. 28, starting at 10 a.m. in front of Sturtevants on Main Street in Hailey. The 5k Fun Run and Walk meanders through the Wood River Land Trust’s Draper Preserve before looping back along River Street.

The family- and leashed-pet-friendly event is part of the holiday tradition for many local families. There are all kinds of kids like mine who have started just about every Thanksgiving of their lives with the Turkey Trot, followed by watching football, stuffing ourselves like turkeys and then having family arguments over board games.

We owe a big thanks to Daryl Fauth and Blaine County Title, who founded and still support the

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The Classic Sudoku is a number placing puzzle based on a 9x9 grid with several given numbers. The object is to place the numbers 1 to 9 in the empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once.

Participants cross Bow Bridge in Hailey during last year’s Turkey Trot. Photo credit: The Chamber—Hailey & The Wood River Valley

event, Mountain West Bank and the city staff and police department of Hailey for making the Turkey Trot happen.

To register for the Turkey Trot, please go to HaileyIdaho.com. The first 500 registrants will receive a Turkey Trot schwag bag. Prices go up after Nov. 26.

Finally, our beloved Sun Valley Suns hockey team will be “puttin’ on the foil” as they kick off the season against the burly Bozeman Sting Nov. 28-30 at Campion Ice House in Hailey.

We hope to see you at these events as we try to make it a November to remember.

CLASSIC SUDOKU See answer on page 2

For questions about these or any other Chamber-related events, or for more information, please call (208) 788-3484 or email Info@ValleyChamber.org.

Mike McKenna is the executive director of The Chamber – Hailey & The Wood River Valley. He can be reached at Mike@ValleyChamber.org or by calling (208) 788-3484.

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THE WOOD RIVER VALLEY 7-DAY WEATHER FORECAST IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

Mostly Sunny 0%

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low 29º WEDNESDAY

Mostly Sunny 0%

high 51º low 28º THURSDAY

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high 55º low 31º FRIDAY

Partly Cloudy 0%

high 59º low 31º SATURDAY

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T H E W E E K LY S U N

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NOVEMBER 6 - 12, 2019

NEWS IN BRIEF

Education Task Force Submits Recommendations To Legislature

This permit will enable a family to choose and cut a tree up to 20 feet. There is a limit of one tree per family or organization. Permits will be available at the following locations throughout the Sawtooth National Forest and surrounding areas:

The “Our Kids, Idaho’s Future” K-12 task force has approved a list of educational reform recommendations they will send to Governor Brad Little. The recommendations that were approved after a majority voice vote were: ● Optional state-funded, all-day kindergarten across Idaho ● Increasing the salary of our highly-skilled master teachers through the career ladder to $60,000 ● Creating training and resources to help students with social and emotional challenges (for example, trauma or mental illness) ● Developing a statewide accountability plan that addresses K-3 reading scores, measured by the Idaho Reading Indicator (IRI) ● Allowing budget flexibility by “collapsing” some budget line items so that the money may be put into discretionary spending allowing school officials to make decisions on how they spend state funding “Our students, teachers, and Idaho’s businesses desperately need a first-class, quality education system for all Idahoans regardless of their zip code,” Senator Janie Ward-Engelking (D-Boise) said. “The recommendations that were submitted to the governor would be an impactful step in the right direction if they are implemented by the state. We are hopeful, going into the legislative session, our fellow lawmakers will understand the importance and urgency of our work on the task force. Our children and grandchildren are counting on us to ensure they have a bright future.”

New And Improved 511 Traveler Information System Now Available

With winter driving weather bearing down on much of the state, a new and improved version of the 511 Traveler Information System has been launched. The improved site, still accessible at 511.idaho.gov, offers an updated look and new features for the 14-year-old service.

“The new website offers a new, more intuitive user interface,” explained 511 Manager Tony Ernest. “We are simplifying and consolidating—making it easier to use and find the information people want.”

Ernest said all users will be supported by a single site, so no more high and low bandwidth options. The improvement also means that all platforms—desktop computer, tablet, cellphone—will be supported by that one single site.

Rather than offering a separate version for commercial vehicle operators, the improved 511 has a special “Truckers” mode more customized to their specific needs.

Ernest also said the improved site welcomes feedback.

“The site lets you offer your feedback to us,” Ernest said. “Based on what you tell us, we will continue to modify and improve the site over the next few months.”

The 511 service has proven to be a valuable source of information on road conditions statewide. The 511 slogan—“Know B 4 U Go”—is a reminder that it is best to get road condition information before you get behind the wheel and start your trip, and to factor in conditions along your travel route and at your destination. The system accesses 150 traffic cameras statewide.

Recycling Center On Pause Through Nov. 11

The Blaine County Recycling Center has sent out a notice that they will be maintaining and repairing the recycle baling equipment at their Ohio Gulch facility. There will be a pause in their recycling operation through Sunday, Nov. 10. Full recycling operations will resume on Monday, Nov. 11.

During this pause in the Center’s operation, Clear Creek Disposal will be on a normal schedule for pickup of all types of recyclables, both commercial and residential.

With the Recycling Center closed, all recyclables collected by Clear Creek Disposal during this pause will be disposed of as transferable waste.

If individuals wish to have their recyclables kept in the recycling stream, Clear Creek Disposal recommends that those customers hold their recyclables through Sunday, Nov. 10. All normal recycling operations will resume on Monday, Nov. 11.

Christmas Tree-Cutting Permits Available Nov. 15

The holidays are fast approaching and permits for cutting Christmas trees in the Sawtooth National Forest for personal use will be available beginning Thursday, Nov. 15, and will be valid until Dec. 25. The cost of this year’s permit is $10.

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Fairfield Area • Fairfield Ranger District Office – 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM Monday–Friday • Camas Creek Country Store – 6:30 AM – 8:00 PM Monday–Thursday, 6:30 AM – 8:30 PM Friday, 7:00 AM – 8:30 PM Saturday, 7:00 AM – 8:00 PM Sunday

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Ketchum Area • Ketchum Ranger District Office – 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM Monday–Friday • Sawtooth NRA Hdqtrs Office – 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM Monday–Friday • L.L. Green’s Hardware in Hailey – 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM Monday–Saturday

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Stanley Area • Stanley Ranger Station – 8:30 AM – 12:00, 1:00 PM – 4:30 PM Monday– Friday • Lower Stanley Country Store – 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM Monday–Saturday

Depending on the specific area where people choose to cut their trees, a variety of trees are available. These include lodgepole pine, subalpine fir, Douglas fir and pinyon pine.

“We strongly recommend that people check with the Forest Service office closest to the area where they plan to cut their tree,” said Julie Thomas, Public Affairs Officer. “Conditions on the ground vary greatly from area to area throughout the Forest. In some places it may be necessary to cross-country ski or use a snowmachine to access cutting areas.”

There are a few areas that are off limits for cutting Christmas trees. These include campgrounds, administrative sites, ski areas, summer home sites and organization camps.

ERC Has New Leadership

The Environmental Resource Center (ERC) has named Lindsay Mollineaux as its executive director.

Before joining the ERC, Mollineaux served as the deputy chief analytics officer for the City of New York, and as an assistant economist at the Federal Reserve and the International Monetary Fund. Most recently, she was a farming assistant for Kraay’s Market & Garden in Bellevue.

ERC’s new executive director Lindsay Mollineaux (left) Mollineaux grew up in the and program director Alisa McGowan. Photo credit: Wood River Valley and holds a Environmental Resource Center B.A. in economics from Brown University.

Do Your Part, Enjoy Some Art

In the spirit of the season, the Sun Valley Gallery Association is hosting an aprèsski Giving Walk, Friday, Nov. 29, from 4 to 6 p.m. The public is invited to donate items in support of The Hunger Coalition, a local nonprofit organization that builds a healthy community through access to good food and addresses the root causes of food insecurity in collaboration with key partners.

Visitors can enjoy the exhibitions and refreshments at SVGA’s nine member galleries while making donations to an organization that provides much-needed services to the community. Galleries will have collection bins where Giving Walk participants can donate canned or boxed nonperishable food.

The Giving Walk offers residents and visitors the opportunity to engage with world-class visual art while supporting an organization that makes a vital difference to the Wood River Valley during the holidays and throughout the year.

Sun Valley Gallery Association member galleries include Broschofsky Galleries, Frederic Boloix Fine Arts, Friesen Gallery, Gail Severn Gallery, Gilman Contemporary, Kneeland Gallery, MESH Gallery, Sun Valley Center for the Arts and Wood River Fine Arts.

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