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36 Volume 24 Number News from the Heart of Idaho: Camas, Lincoln, and Gooding County
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Minidoka National Historic Site Selected For Best Idea Grant Hagerman, ID, June 67, 2012 – Minidoka National Historic Site has been selected as one of 49 national parks participating in the 2012 America’s Best Idea program sponsored by the National Park Foundation, the official charity of America’s national parks. Inspired by the critically-acclaimed Ken Burns documentary The National Parks: America’s Best Idea, the America’s Best Idea grant program funds park projects designed to connect diverse, under-engaged populations throughout the United States with their national parks in innovative and meaningful ways. Minidoka National Historic Site Superintendent Wendy Janssen noted, “We wish to thank the National Park Foundation for its support of the 7th Annual Minidoka Civil Liberties Symposium. This event enables us to look at civil and constitutional rights through the lens of not only the Japanese American experience, but that of other groups and social justice movements in our collective American history. The symposium also helps us connect this site of conscience to diverse audiences and advances the National Park Service’s education mission, both of which are key components of the National Park Service’s Call to Action for its second century of stewardship and engagement.” continued on page 8.....
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Made in the U.S.A. Earlier this year, there was an article in the Times News about a company in North Carolina that re-opened its doors to make furniture with “Made in America” labels. While that may seem like a patriotic thing to do, it was really a business decision. Ten years ago, having things made in China made good sense - cheap labor and low transportation costs - but those things are becoming less of an advantage. Over the last decade, wages in China have increased to five times what they were, and labor costs are continuing to rise. Also, the cost of shipping is increasing because of fuel costs. Those things, plus frequent problems with quality, have made China less and less attractive to American manufactures. All thing considered, maybe this is an opportunity to support or start a local business that provide our needs closer to home. Just north of Gooding, in a small woodworking shop, Edson Miller recently started building wooden outdoor furniture out of full one inch Western Red Cedar. Building mostly Adirondack style chairs, tables, and other items, Mr. Miller’s main goal is to make comfortable furniture that will last a lifetime - inside or outside your home. Whether it is love seat, a chaise lounge, a garden swing, or a see saw, all of the items made by Magic Valley Wood Works are made by hand, one at a time, right here in Idaho. To see Mr. Miller’s work, stop by Clover Creek Realty (430 Main Street, Gooding) or call 961-0267. If that style is not your taste or you want something totally unique, maybe you need to visit Mike Walker. He lives north of Gooding as well, but he rarely builds his furniture the same way twice. Part of the reason for this is that he often uses the natural shape of wood, including the bark and imperfections. The other thing Mr. Walker loves to do is hunt, and he combines this love with continued on page 2..... woodworking by building displays for mounted wildlife.