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Farm Girl to Shop Girl
Stephanie Trent grew up on her parent’s farm in Wendell. After graduating from high school, she moved to Gooding where she has been for the last twenty years. Growing up on a small farm gave her a great many skills, and being “crafty” was not just a way of being creative, it was a necessity when things were financially challenging. But, what do you do when your supply of crafting material drys up? When Kings shut their doors last year, Stephanie and her daughter, Shiloh, started thinking about how to fill that need in the Gooding community. Behind her house, located just east of Slimman & Butler (1916 East 1700 South), was a little building that once housed an upholstery business. And thus, an idea was born. A year later, little paint, some new windows, and a lot of elbow grease has converted the building into a place where you can buy yarn, sewing supplies, kid’s craft kits, fabric paint, embroidery items, and even a few unique items on consignment. You can also buy some of Shi’s Various Creations crocheted creatures of all kinds, scarves, etc. As things grow, Stephanie and Shiloh hope to provide “home-grown wool” from their small lama and alpaca herd. In the mean time, they invite you to come on out to the shop between 12 and 6 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, and find what you need for your crafting projects. They can make special orders as well. Many of you know Stephanie Trent from the Co-op store in Gooding, and now you can also get to know her new business adventure - S&S Crafts.
’s n e M kfast Brea
This Saturday, February 17th
Come to the Fairfield Community Church from 8 to 9 a.m.
Be Encouraged! Be Strengthened! Be a Man! Inspirational Message by Pastor Nick
Proverbs 27:17 - Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.
News from the Heart of Idaho Camas • Lincoln • Gooding
February 14, 2018
Vol 42 ~ Num 7
District 26 Legislators Discuss Issues
The main topics of discussion at the District 26 Legislative townhall meetings held this past weekend were no surprise – education, healthcare, and taxes. The tax reform bill, which was passed by Congress and signed by the President, is having a significant impact all across the nation. To keep things easier for filing taxes, Idaho and most other states are conforming their state income tax rules to the federal rules. In general, this means the standard deductions and income thresholds will be the same on both forms. The bigger issue regarding taxes is the projected surplus. The Governor’s budget gives almost all of that surplus back to the taxpayers. However, many legislators would like to use at least part of that surplus to help transportation infrastructure, education, healthcare, corrections, and other state departments that are still struggling with the aftereffects of the poor economy over the last several years. The House approved the tax cut (House Bill 463) 59-11 last week, but its fate in the Senate is not certain. Education is always a big issue. While money is often the dividing point between Republicans and Democrats, Representative Sally Toone said money is not the main concern. Idaho is the fastest growing state in the nation (percentage wise) and over the last year or so, public school enrollment in Idaho has grown by about 14,000 students. The problem is that we have lost nearly 400 teachers. This problem is not unique to education. It affects businesses all across Idaho. Wages in neighboring states are much higher than Idaho, and we are losing many of our young workers to that temptation even though (in many cases) they are not better off economically. A teaching job in Seattle, Washington, may pay more but the cost of living in that city (compared to Idaho) wipes out any advantage. Senator Michelle Stennett said there is a concerted effort in both K/12 and higher learning institutions to create programs that specifically benefit Idaho business needs, and encourage our youth to stay in Idaho. Not everyone needs a 4-year degree. Many individuals are better served with continued on page 6...