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Free | Dec 1 - 14, 2021 | Vol. 2 - No. 24 | woodriverweekly.com

“ K e e p l o o k i n g u p . T h a t ’s t h e s e c r e t o f l i f e . ”

MODERN HOUSING CRISIS MEETS WITH HISTORY - Snoopy

From process to content, Ketchum’s historical preservation plan draws scrutiny

By Eric Valentine

ith a January deadline fast approaching and under pressure to increase the local housing supply, Ketchum city council members Monday night took in a laundry list of concerns put forth by residents and property owners over the city’s current proposal to preserve historical structures around town. From worries about the blurring of design guidelines with historic preservation to the distribution of the proposal the evening before Thanksgiving, public comment largely focused on asking the city to slow it all down. At issue is the city’s draft proposal that aims to preserve Ketchum’s history while this small, mountain town grows or changes—or not—over time. With development permits being pulled en masse in recent years, city planners quickly found themselves vetting projects that sought to tear down old buildings or renovate them with designs and materials some thought out of character. Currently, the city has no specific or permanent historic preservation ordinance. That means the city’s options for mitigating the potential or perceived impacts to town character are minimal. In October 2020, the city passed an emergency ordinance that essentially put a moratorium on developments impacting historical buildings. That was renewed at the beginning of this year as an interim ordinance and stands firm today. “Everyone in this room has the same goal, has the same north star. We want to have a charming, attractive town that creates a sense of space and makes us want to be a part of this community,” Ketchum mayor Neil Bradshaw said. “My role as mayor is to run a good process, … the council has the hard job, they actually have to make the decisions.” The city has been conducting surveys and work sessions for nearly a year now. Nonetheless, process is what some of the members of the public took issue with. Ketchum property owner Kingsley Murphy noted

Ketchum’s Historic Preservation Committee offers up concepts about what is the town’s character and what it is not. Image credit: City of Ketchum

that within the city’s proposal is an image of six different community cores the public chose as best for Ketchum. However, only a few of them would meet the proposed guidelines. “You tell us what you want, we tell you what we like (from that), and you tell us we can’t have it,” Murphy said. A Ketchum multiple property owner and a rookie Sun Valley firefighter Yanne Root chastised the city for its proposals. He said the proposal, if approved,

Photos above are representative of the desired characteristics of the community core. Image credit: City of Ketchum

could mean holding off on developing his commercial and industrial properties for 10 years. He added that the proposal would only be effective at making it too costly for non-professional developers “Having read it, I’m only more confused and frustrated with the City of Ketchum than ever. From the outside looking in, this seems hasty at best and intentionally nontransparent at worst,” Root said. City council decided Monday night to bifurcate the design guidelines and the historical preservation issues, so matters could move forward independently in 2022. The historic preservation ordinance must be approved by Jan. 14, 2022. So what does the commission charged with creating the design and preservation documents with city staffers have to say? In an editorial published in the Idaho Mountain Express, they wrote: “With so many important issues vying for our attention, from workforce housing to the Warm Springs Preserve, all in the midst of the pandemic and unprecedented growth, it’s been understandably hard to capture the public’s interest in preserving Ketchum’s historic structures. Public attendance at our meetings—either by Zoom or in person—has been less than robust, which is cause for concern with development pressures mounting. If our collective goal is to uphold and exalt Ketchum’s truly special community character, then we must start with the community. We seek your input on this.”

• • • • •

Ketchum’s Historic Preservation Committee members: Mattie Mead, chair Wendolyn Holland, vice-chair Jennifer Cosgrove Jakub Galczynski Rick Reynolds

W O O D R I V E R W E E K LY

NEWS

•

DECEMBER 1 - 14, 2021

TAPPED IN

YOUTH, SPORTS

Lexeigh Dowd, 13, has won her last five state championship jiu-jitsu competitions

By Eric Valentine

or most central Idaho families, a drive from Twin Falls to the Wood River Valley and back again is a once-a-month trek, at best, a chance to do a Winco run or a ski run perhaps, depending on which direction you go. For the Dowd family, that’s a twice-a-week trek that explains how a 13-year-old girl has earned five consecutive state championships, the first happening when she was only 8 years old, and some of them happening against the boys. Lexeigh Dowd, of Twin Falls, is making a name for herself in youth jiu-jitsu and she’s bringing along her actual brother as well as the boys and girls who all train at Lee Anderson’s USA Jiu-Jitsu Academy in Bellevue. “Five years in a row is unprecedented. It’s just phenomenal,” said Lee Anderson when asked about Dowd’s victory at the Utah Jiu-Jitsu State Championships. “Think about it—that’s almost half her life.” Previously, Anderson’s team—despite several successes with second- or third-place finishes—had only won one championship (that would be Dowd’s) per year. Just last week, the dedication and excellence Dowd has been showing went next-level—contagious, spreading to her entire team starting with her brother Treagan Dowd and her teammate Lucca Villa, both of whom won championships in their grouping levels. Two others—Yarety Serrato and Tyler O’Crowley—finished in second place. “She’s incredibly dedicated. She just absorbs everything we teach her,” Anderson said. “She’s very smart.” “I started jiu-jitsu because I saw my brother do it and I thought it’d be good to have self-defense,” Dowd said. “I didn’t win my first (state) tournament but I won my first Lexeigh Dowd executes a takedown at a recent jiu-jitsu championship before celebrating with match and I thought, ‘Hey I’m actually pretty OK at this.’” And then she entered the world championships where she knew about a wrestler her coaches. Photo credits: Lee Anderson from Brazil that she’d likely have to match up against. If you don’t know much about the sport, it was originally called by its practitioners Brazilian jiu-jitsu. That’s largely because the family of fighters who put it on the martial arts map—the Gracies—were For Anderson and Dowd, the current situation is still a good one at the gym. from there. Anderson’s coach—Fabio Santos—is one of a select few jiu-jitsu special“We want to stress that we focus on team and family here. Anyone is welcome to ists who was allowed to live in and train with the Gracie family. So the respect for any attend, the competitions are just a bonus to what we do,” Anderson said. opponent from that country is through the roof. “You make a really good family here surrounded by people who love you,” said Dowd ultimately did matchup against the Brazilian. The result? Dowd won. And it Dowd. “When you have community like that, your life and yourself is a whole lot was around then that Dowd knew she’d found something she wasn’t just good at, but better.” rather something she loved. “My goal is to continue competing and one day make the U.S. Olympic team,” Dowd said. “I hope by then jiu-jitsu will be an Olympic sport.” UTAH STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS WINNERS: As it stands currently, it is not. To be an Olympic sport, it must not be a so-called Treagan Dowd | State champion | 15yr Orange belt “derivative” sport. Jiu-jitsu could be considered for the Olympics if it one day meets Lucca Villa | State champion | 10yr White belt these specific requirements: 1. Having an international federation that can be recognized by the International Olympic Committee. 2. Following the IOC drug-testing policies. 3. Having an agreed-upon set of rules that appeals to the masses.

Yaretzy Serrato | 2nd place | 8yr White belt Tyler O’Crowley | 2nd place | 11yr White belt Honorable mentions: ● Logan O’Crowley ● Justin O’Crowley ● David O’Crowley

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WRW STAFF PUBLISHER Christopher Seldon (208) 788-4789 publisher@woodriverweekly.com MARKETING & SALES Mandi Iverson (208) 721-7588 mandi@woodriverweekly.com NEWS EDITOR Eric Valentine news@woodriverweekly.com COPY EDITOR Patty Healey PRODUCTION & DESIGN Mandi Iverson mandi@woodriverweekly.com Christopher Seldon chris@woodriverweekly.com ACCOUNTING accounting@woodriverweekly.com DEADLINES Display & Classified Ads, Monday 5 p.m. Calendar Submissions — Friday 5 p.m.

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PUBLISHER’S NOTE Greetings Valley Residents, Well, winter is here, kind of…. The mountain has opened but we patiently await a good snowfall to kick the season into gear. In the meantime, hiking and bike riding are both still going strong, with most trails open and useable. Just dress warmly. As Covid-19 strains come and go, and lockdown and mask policy still remain an unknown, we at the Wood River Weekly will continue publishing every other week. Cheers! Chris & Mandi

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W O O D R I V E R W E E K LY

•

DECEMBER 1 - 14, 2021

NEWS

HOLIDAYS, NONPROFITS

A Spirit Of (Thanks) Giving

Because every day is a second chance to change a life.

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Jocelyn Guzman, Bloom Youth Project intern, stands with a generous supply of turkeys, many sourced by Amy Mares, warehouse and kitchen supervisor, and many others donated by the community. Photo credit: Kristin McMahon

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Tree lighting ceremony Friday, December 3rd

4:30-6:00 pm at hailey town square Come see Santa, enjoy 3 choirs as well as cookies, cocoa, local beer and unique holiday gifts.

By Eric Valentine

n the heels of a Thanksgiving meal distribution effort that gave out full turkey dinners to more than 1,300 Valley residents, the local food bank has taken in more than $200,000 in donations as it approaches year’s end. “It was definitely a home run,” said Kristin McMahon, communications and development supervisor for The Hunger Coalition. “The community met the challenge.” The challenge? To raise $50,000, which would unlock a matching gift of $50,000 by an anonymous donor to total Community volunteers made hun$100,000. What’s better than dreds of pies for the holidays either a matching gift of $50,000? from home or in the Community KitchA matching gift of $100,000, en at Bloom Community Food Center. Photo credit: Kristin McMahon to total $200,000. “We’ll be going into the new year strong. We hope the community keeps giving because there are still a lot of people who need the support,” McMahon said. As winter approaches, The Hunger Coalition is positioned well to fulfill its vision: “ ... a community where everyone has access to good food regardless of economic circumstances, where human connections grow, and all are empowered to speak up and be heard.” That’s because it has had some time to grow roots in its new facility on Honeysuckle Street in Bellevue, just across the street from its old distribution center. The facility not only provides more food storage space, it offers the chance to prep and cook, too. “We had hundreds of volunteers coming together making pies and putting full Thanksgiving meals together,” McMahon said. “We never were able to have people cooking together before.” Among the other recent changes that have taken root at The Hunger Coalition is the online ordering system now available at tinyurl. com/27y5s8cj for anyone in the community. McMahon said it played a pivotal role in allowing the 1,300 orders to be placed, filled and distributed. “We’re here for everybody and we encourage new folks to connect and set up an account,” McMahon said. “We know there’s always an increased need in the winter and we have plentiful, awesome, wonderful food available.” No income qualifications are required, but you will need your shopper ID and PIN. McMahon said the organization is always looking for more volunteers in addition to donors. Anyone interested in sorting food in our warehouse, working in our growing spaces, entering data, organizing food drives, helping teach workshops, or more, can visit tinyurl.com/mwczrmp5 for signup details. You will be asked to sign a liability waiver and confidentiality form.

FOOD PANTRY HOURS Mondays: Bellevue 1 – 6:30 p.m. 110 Honeysuckle Street, Bellevue

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Thursdays: Bellevue 1 – 6:30 p.m. 110 Honeysuckle Street, Bellevue * hours extended to accommodate COVID-19 impact Thursdays: Ketchum 3:30 – 4:30 p.m. Hemingway Elementary, 111 8th Street W., Ketchum

11/24/2021 1:24:18 PM

W O O D R I V E R W E E K LY

NEWS

•

DECEMBER 1 - 14, 2021

IN BRIEF

Come join our SUN VALLEY Team!

City of Ketchum Launches Housing Survey

A survey aimed at more thoroughly informing officials as they make future housing decisions has been launched by the City of Ketchum. The city says it would like to hear from community members, employers and employees throughout Ketchum and the Wood River Valley to best assess the area’s housing needs. Survey results will assist the city’s consultant in developing appropriate housing strategies tailored to Ketchum as well as strategies to help solve the area’s housing needs. The project’s goal is to develop an action plan to guide the next two to four years of future projects and initiatives that will lead to the development of more affordable housing options in Ketchum and the region. “We continue to work on finding more solutions to address Ketchum’s critical need for housing,” said Mayor Neil Bradshaw. “While a significant step has been taken with the approval of Bluebird Village, there is much more to be done. Let’s keep the momentum going.” Already several meetings with community stakeholders have been held to gather data and information about the need for community housing today and in the future. Ultimately, the city should have enough homes for year-round and seasonal residents at varying income levels and life stages to keep Ketchum a complete and thriving local community. Interviewees were asked what is working and not working in how community housing is provided today, and ideas about how to increase and improve the amount of community housing to meet current and future needs. The responses were consistent in acknowledging the significant lack of affordable places to live in Ketchum. The Ketchum Community Housing Survey 2021 will provide community input to better understand the needs and desires of individuals living and working in the city and Wood River Valley. English and Spanish versions of the survey are available at the following links: English: surveymonkey.com/r/KetchumHousingMatters Spanish: surveymonkey.com/r/KetchumHousingMattersSpanish

Hailey Man Arrested For Attempted Strangulation

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The Idaho State Police has launched a redesigned version of the Crime in Idaho data dashboard. The project is a collaborative effort between the Idaho Statistical Analysis Center (ISAC) and the Idaho Uniform Crime Reporting Program, both of which are components of the Idaho State Police. The all-new Crime in Idaho data dashboard allows users to explore much of the data housed in the Idaho Incident-Based Reporting System, Idaho’s vast repository of law enforcement data on criminal incidents. It’s the same data behind the annual Crime in Idaho reports. The new dashboard allows data collected from local and statewide Idaho agencies between 2005 and 2020 to be viewed in one place. “This dashboard will help those from local law enforcement and criminal justice agencies, and members of the media and public, to see highly customizable views and quick trend analysis of what’s happening in their area,” said Thomas Strauss, principal research analyst with the Idaho Statistical Analysis Center. “We think this more visual presentation of important crime trend data will make that data easier to understand so more Idahoans can be better informed and make better decisions about safety in their community,” said Strauss. The dashboard currently contains sections pertaining to crimes against persons and drug/alcohol-related arrests. Additional sections will follow as they are built.

Book Talk: Local Reporter To Share Native American Story

To celebrate Native American Heritage Month, the Hailey Public Library will host Tony Tekaroniake Evans discussing his new book, “Teaching Native Pride: Upward Bound and the Legacy of Isabel Bond,” on Thursday, Dec. 2, at 5:30 p.m. RSVP to kristin.fletcher@haileypubliclibrary.org. “We’re delighted to invite our friend, award-winning writer and journalist Tony Evans to share the story of a remarkable University of Idaho professor and her successful program that helped low-income and at-risk Native students attend college,” stated Kristin Fletcher, the library’s programs and engagement manager. “Bond intertwined regional Native American history and her own Idaho family history to help Indian students break away from entrenched negative cycles. In addition, many Anglos gained a deeper appreciation for their Native neighbors’ culture and history.” Evans is the author of “A History of Indians in the Sun Valley Area” (Blaine County Historical Museum 2016). His forthcoming book, “Memory and Destiny, the Life of Glenn Janss,” will be released in 2021.

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On Saturday, Nov. 20, at approximately 11:04 p.m., Blaine County Sheriff deputies responded to a residence in north Hailey for a possible domestic violence situation and 911 hang-up. Upon investigation, James Brian Dobos, age 51, of Hailey, was arrested and charged with one felony count of Attempted Strangulation. Dobos was placed in the custody of the Blaine County Detention Center, pending arraignment in Magistrate Court.

State Police Open Up Crime Database, Partially

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Fishing R epoRt

COMM ENT ARY

NO BONES ABOUT IT THE “WEEKLY” FISHING REPORT FOR DECEMBER 1 - 14 FROM PICABO ANGLER

inter fishing is on! Get out on the river and work off those Thanksgiving dinners. Be sure you have an assortment of Midges. Zebra Midges and Tie-Down Midges are a great place to start. A few other nymphs to carry include Hares Ears, Girdle Bugs, Prince Nymphs and Brassies. Have your Zebras and Brassies in multiple colors: Red, Black, Purple, and Olive Zebras, and Red and Copper Brassies. Fish different tandems of these until you find the day’s hot color. Fish these combos under an indicator using 4X or 5X tippets. Be sure that cloud cover versus sunny days will make the fish react more to one color than another. Streamers are a wintertime staple, especially on Silver Creek. On our freestone and tailwater rivers, fish weighted flies and get them to the bottom. If you are fishing Silver Creek, don’t bother with weight and fish your Streamers just under the surface. It is a lot of fun watching the fish wake behind the fly and leave a boil as they eat! It’s the closest thing to the visual pleasure of the dry-fly eat, only it’s winter and the fish can be huge. If you fish Streamers, beef up your tippets to 1X or 2X in case a toothy brown trout shows up! Remember, dark colors on dark days and bright colors on bright days. You may be able to catch dry-fly activity on the Big Wood and Lower Lost in the afternoons; it would be a good idea to have a few Griffiths Gnats and Tie-Down Midges, along with your favorite powder floatant and some 6X tippet. Be sure you keep the trailing shuck on the Tie-Down Midge wet and in the film. The shuck is what will bring the fish to your fly out of the thousands of real midges that can be on the water at any given time during the winter. The Midge hatches will grow in volume as the snow begins to fly, so try to find some areas where the fish are congregated right now, for great fishing later. Have a ton of fun out there and be safe! It is a time of the season where little mishaps can be amplified. Have a full tank of gas, full cellphone battery, extra clothes, and food and water. Prepare for the worst and you can enjoy your day that much more. A little peace of mind will up your fishing game! Happy fishing, everyone!

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Fake Service Dogs

By Fran Jewell

ight now, I have a lovely black German shepherd guide dog that I trained for a blind woman four years ago. The dog is back to me to help her stop barking at other dogs. Why does she bark at other dogs? She was attacked by a pit bull in a grocery store about a year ago and now her blind owner can’t use her anymore. This isn’t a comment about pit bulls, it’s a tragic tale of how a fake service dog can destroy another, fully trained service dog in the flash of a second. Each dog was standing in two separate grocery store checkout lines. The pit bull lunged at Onyx (the dog I am working with) and pinned her to the ground while her blind owner stood stunned and not knowing how to cope. If this other dog had been screened carefully, and trained properly, there would have been no issues between it and the dog I am working with. I can say with utmost confidence that this dog was a pet someone put a vest on and pranced around as a service dog so they could take it into the grocery store on a hot Reno day. A fully trained dog with proper service-dog temperament would never have acted in such a manner. The guide skills Onyx has are remarkable. I took her out of my van for our first training together in four years. I said “left” and she immediately turned left, away from the van, and then stopped at the street behind the van. She looked both ways, and then guided me across the street through a double row of parked cars. Then she stopped me at another street, going the opposite direction. She looked both ways and proceeded across that

street through more parked cars to the curb, where she indicated the curb to step up on so I wouldn’t trip. Her skills are astonishing and accurate. Anyone could walk behind her with their eyes blindfolded. Onyx guided me through the Ketchum Farmers’ Market, never taking me too close to any table. She didn’t sniff the food, or look for food on the ground, even when I had her stop. She walked around kids, coolers on the ground, people standing, while guiding me safely. Then a sweet little mix breed on a leash appeared and Onyx barked and shook uncontrollably. I tried to refocus her with no luck. Eventually, she calmed down and was able to pass three other dogs without incident, but I was careful not to take her too close to them. She could, however, see them. Yesterday we went into PetSmart. At the first dog, Onyx barked and tried to jump on me, desperately asking me for help and to remove her. I didn’t ask her to guide anymore, gave her lots of praise for focusing on me and for ignoring the other dogs. We left as quickly as I could. The staff noticed how nervous Onyx was and came to talk to me. I told them what had happened to her and they were so lovely by asking a few of the other dog owners to wait for us to leave the store instead of walking by. The work to get Onyx through this fear will be enormous and, frankly, I am not sure I can change her mind about other dogs while she is in harness, working. She gets along fine with my dogs when not working. I wanted to share this story with everyone, especially those that think faking a service dog harms no one. It is devastating to some-

one whose dog has been through 300 to 400 hours of training and relies on his or her service dog for life-saving independence. For Onyx’s owner, it may be a huge financial and emotional loss. Shame on anyone who thinks faking their pet or poorly trained dog as a service dog hurts no one. Fran Jewell is an IAABC Certified Dog Behavior Consultant, NADOI Certified Instructor and the owner of Positive Puppy Dog Training, LLC in Sun Valley. For more information, visit positivepuppy.com or call 208-578-1565.

SCIENCE OF PLACE

HANNES THUM

WHAT COLD MEANS

BY HANNES THUM

ur human perspective of temperature and of metabolism is extremely narrow. This, as opposed to the countless other creatures that manage just fine through vast temperature ranges, letting their metabolisms slow down or speed up as possibilities allow, patient in their acceptance of what the world allows them to accomplish, and when. Not us. We are warm, need to be warm, and only exist when we’re warm. It’s no wonder that we associate warmth with life, heat with energy, and cold with death. And now, we return again to the season that is trying to kill us. We’re not all that evolved for this, really. Our home, our crucible, our safe place as a species, has always been in the more central latitudes, closer to the equator. That, for humans, is where life is easy. We’ve managed to expand to all sorts of different kinds of geo-

FRAN JEWELL

graphic areas in our history through certain tricks like technology in shelter and clothing, food trade routes, and the use of fossil fuels on various scales. But, take all that away, and we’re pretty much left out in the cold. Yesterday, I spent the entire day on some high, long ridges east of town. Everywhere I walked, from ridge to ridge, I kept walking alongside a fox’s tracks. I never found their beginning or their end, but for miles I followed them. Throughout, I could not shake the notion that I am profoundly ill-qualified to be walking around in the face of oncoming winter. I wore on my body a great deal of clothing made from exotic chemicals from all exotic corners of the world and shipped to my town on fossil-fuel-fueled craft at great expense. I carried on my back a whole additional quiver of different items of clothing in case the weather shifted or I changed my mind about how I wanted to maintain my exceedingly restricted acceptable temperature range. I car-

ried a few thousand calories worth of food, none of which was grown anywhere near me. I fancied myself a pretty good walker for a while, getting farther and farther away from my car and into a wild-feeling range, but I was more like an astronaut doing a space walk but still tethered to the space station—out alone in a profoundly inhospitable environment, sure, but not truly out in that environment in the sense that a great deal of preparation had gone into making sure that my body would be safe and sound and comfortable and quite removed from that environment. How “out there” can we really be? How long would I really last if I tried to cast myself out from my tethers? I tried to put myself in the head of the fox. This fox carried no synthetic clothing and no imported food. This fox had no gasoline-warmed car or natural-gas-heated shelter to return to. This fox was out there, and without the tethers that I traveled with.

W O O D R I V E R W E E K LY

MONEY MATTERS

•

JENNI RILEY

Squirrels May Be On To Something… By Jenni Riley, MBA, FPQP™

hen the end of year looms into sight, we begin focusing on taxes and how to lower what gets pulled back out of our wallets. One of the most effective ways without even navigating the complicated tax provisions is to lower your reportable income. We don’t actually want to earn less, so the easiest solution is to stash as much as you can into tax-advantaged accounts. You can maximize your contributions this year and you will be able to “squirrel away” even more in 2022 as some limits go up. • Contribution limits for 401(k) and other retirement plans for the 2022 tax year are $20,500 or $27,000 if you’re 50 or older (2021: $19,500 and $26,000). • You can accumulate funds on a tax-deferred basis to pay for healthcare expenses through a health savings account (HSA) or flexible savings account (FSA). HSA contribution maximums in 2022 are $3,650 for self-only and $7,300 for families, with an additional $1,000 catch-up contribution allowed for individuals age 55 or older (2021: $3,600 and $7,200). The limit for individual health FSA contributions remain $2,750 (note that dependent care FSAs have a higher cap of $10,500); employer contributions do not count toward this maximum. Jenni Riley, MBA, FPQP™ is a • Once you maximize employer retirement plans, con- Financial Paraplanner Qualisider contributing to an IRA (still a $6,000/year lim- fied Professional™ and Direcit, or $7,000 if you’re 50 or over). Traditional IRA tor of Operations at Hazlett contributions are tax deductible if your modified ad- Wealth Management, LLC. justed gross income is under $78,000 for individuals (phase-outs begin at $68,000) or $129,000 for joint filers (phase-outs begin at $109,000). You must establish a new IRA account by April 15, 2023, for 2022 contributions, and you have until then to make 2022 contributions to an IRA. • If you work for yourself, consider contributing to a solo 401(k) retirement plan, SEP IRA or SIMPLE plan. Talk to a financial advisor to help create a contribution strategy that works for you.

HAZLETT WEALTH MANAGEMENT, LLC is independent of Raymond James and is not a registered broker/dealer. Investment advisory services are offered through Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. Securities offered through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC. Investing involves risk, and you may incur a profit or loss regardless of the strategy selected. Raymond James financial advisors do not render advice on tax or legal matters. You should discuss any tax or legal matters with the appropriate professional. Contributions to a traditional IRA may be tax-deductible depending on the taxpayer’s income, tax-filing status and other factors. 675 Sun Valley Road, Suite J1 + J2 Ketchum, Idaho 83340 208.726.0605. HazlettWealthManagement.com

INSPIRATIONS FROM MY HEART

DECEMBER 1 - 14, 2021

ometimes we are blessed with the gift of spontaneity at exactly the right moment. I learned to trust this gift as a child growing up. The neighborhood I grew up in was filled with members of my own family—aunts, uncles, grandparents and cousins and, of course, everyone’s dog. We would always gather on holidays. Whoever was hosting cooked the main course and everyone else brought the rest. It was truly a joyous time. We brought tables and extra chairs from the church so that there was seating for each of us. The turkey was at least 25 pounds and would feed a large crowd. People who were alone were also invited to partake and be part of our family. We sang the blessing in harmony as most of the people had musical training. The sound of the music literally filled your heart. Gratitude was experienced on a physical level. I have missed that gathering, as much of the family has transitioned; however, a few years ago I was at work, making a trip to the bank, and I passed a lady on the street who was a stranger. She asked me where there was a good deli to get Thanksgiving dinner. My brain balked at the thought of Thanksgiving dinner from a deli. I don’t think so. I asked her where she was from and why she had come to Sun Valley. Marion explained that she was alone and always took a trip to someplace different

ON LIFE’S TERMS

JOELLEN COLLINS

GRIEF AND GRATITUDE

By JoEllen Collins

e recognize that the way people process grief is as varied as are the deceased, their mourners, and the circumstances behind the losses suffered by those left behind. I don’t presume to judge how anyone deals with such pain. Through experiencing loss and living long enough to say farewell to many special people, I have developed a way that honors their lives and comforts my soul. I can treasure the best of what life I have been given, enjoy and care for the friends and family still around me, and let them know how special they are. Most especially, I must be grateful for having had the blessing of experiencing their place in my life. Lately, this view of surviving devastating emotional journeys has become more important to me, as I experience the slow, uncomfortable last few weeks of a very close but seemingly odd friend. I won’t spell out details or names, but as I put this relationship and our history in perspective, I know I have been blessed. Shortly after graduation from UCLA, I became engaged to an intelligent, handsome, and charming man. While I was teaching at Santa Monica High School, he spent most of our courtship in Virginia Beach, fulfilling his military obligation for a very distant year before we were married. In my generation, most girls simply accepted the differences between personalities, their attitudes about parenthood, JoEllen Collins—a longtime and certain basic tenets of marriage. My naivete sup- resident of the Wood River ported those ideas. I can only say that my knight in Valley— is an Idaho Press shining armor and I survived less than two years. Club award-winning columI thus suffered considerable emotional pain and nist, a teacher, writer, fabric didn’t see my ex-husband at all. I adored his mother artist, choir member and and, after the divorce, I still visited her for afternoons unabashedly proud grandma of tea and conversation. Years later, my ex-husband known as “Bibi Jo.” reached out to me, and, after I moved to Idaho, we rarely mentioned our history as we occasionally enjoyed my visits back to L.A. In short, as the decades sped by, we became close friends. Deep apologies ensued, and I ceased blaming him for what had happened. Maturity, understanding, and sophistication helped. Now, as his illness progresses, I have spent hours on the phone and email with his nephew and acknowledged how precious this healing was for both of us after that early failure. I will always remember the lessons I learned from this experience: people do change and, despite trauma, life can still be rich and meaningful. Forgiveness and not harboring resentments leaves a door open to unexpected reconciliations. I will always be thankful for the times through which we became dear friends. I never imagined that I would be saying any of this, but that is the gift I’ve received from this man. My life was enriched in unexpected ways by our mutual growth and a bit of wisdom: he made me laugh and supported me emotionally. He became someone I will so regret not having around to call, to email, to tease, to exchange nicknames and to dive into positivity instead of rue.

DOVE

Spontaneity, Thanksgiving And Courage BY DOVE

to celebrate Thanksgiving. We had been invited to friends for Thanksgiving and I got on the phone and asked, “How about another guest for Thanksgiving?” My friend, who is an excellent cook, said, “Of course! Who is it?” I gave her the rundown and thus Marion was invited to dinner. My husband and I picked Marion up at Les Saisons, where she was staying, and promised to bring her back. Now, Marion was in her sixties and can you imagine having the confidence to join people you had never met before for Thanksgiving, in a town where you did not know anyone. Thanksgiving with 12 of us was delightful, the food superb. It felt good to share our abundance of love, food and friendship. Maybe we can celebrate Thanksgiving once a month and invite a stranger to share. I think the more we know and learn to trust one another, the greater will be the opportunity for truth and friendship to be experienced. This is where our focus should go if we want peace and caring. I place my focus on my heart and expand that vision to the Universe. Let us all come together and replace separation for whatever reason with an abundance of caring. Happy Thanksgiving!! We received a beautiful letter of gratitude from Marion two weeks later. I still have it. Much love, Dove—and may you be filled with thankfulness.

COWBOY POETRY

BRYCE ANGELL

Horse Manure

My grandson pinched his nose as he was gagging every breath. I swear he acted like he might just suffocate to death. I’d have to say most people turn their nose from horse manure. The pungent smell is too much for their sniffer to endure For me the smell of horse manure brings back old memories. I can’t forget those evening smells brought in by summer’s breeze. While on the farm we did our chores before we went to school. We tried to keep our boots clean. ‘Twas my mother’s family rule. One morning feeding horses, they would not cooperate. There was no time to clean my boots ‘cuz I was running late. So, my English teacher told me, “Throw those filthy boots away.” I told him, “I don’t think so, but I’ll walk on out today.” My agriculture teacher didn’t mind the horse manure. But said, “When taking English, clean the horse manure for sure.” So, I didn’t push my luck. From then I cleaned ‘em till they shone. ‘Cuz horse manure in English class was scorned. Carved in stone. One day my father told me, “Load the truck with horse manure. Haul it to your grandma. If she runs out, get her more.” I mulched in all the garden till grandma told me, “Time to stop.” And to this day I’ve never seen a finer tomato crop. I gulped down ripe tomatoes. Didn’t care what made them grow. Did they have a hint of horse manure? Not one bit, so you know. I’ve shoveled horse manure from trucks and trailers half my life. I love it when I see the shoveling coming from my wife. As long as there are horses, there’ll be plenty horse manure. And if your nose is sensitive, start shoveling. That’s the cure. – Bryce Angell Bryce Angell - The outdoors has always been a large part of my life. My father was an outfitter and guide for 35 years and I was there to shoe and care for the horses and help him do the cooking. We took many great trips into the Yellowstone area. Even now that I’m older, we still ride into the Tetons, Yellowstone and surrounding areas. My poems are mostly of personal experience. I am now retired and enjoying life to the fullest. I plan to do more riding and writing.

W O O D R I V E R W E E K L Y • D E C E M B E R 1 - 1 4 , 2 0 2 1

ADVERTORIALS

SENIOR CONNECTION

PAPOOSE CLUB

ANNA MATHIEU

Papoose Club Holiday Bazaar

Share The Love With Vulnerable Seniors This Year

xciting news! For the 14th year running, the Meals on Wheels network is participating in the 2021 Subaru Share the Love Event. Over the past 13 years, Subaru and its retailers have helped Meals on Wheels to deliver more than 2.5 million meals nationwide to seniors in need. Why does Subaru support Meals on Wheels? Too many seniors are struggling to stay independent and healthy. One in four seniors lives alone in isolation and one in seven seniors might not know from where their next meal is coming. This is simply unacceptable, which is why The Senior Connection provides the nutritious meals, friendly visits and safety checks to the seniors of Blaine County. This vital support keeps seniors in their own homes, where they want to be. We’re incredibly grateful to Subaru and its retailers for supporting our organization and the seniors we serve. With that in mind, we thought you might want to learn a little bit more about the Subaru Share the Love Event. HERE’S HOW IT WORKS This November 18, 2021, through January 3, 2022, for every new Subaru vehicle purchased or leased, Subaru will donate $250 to the customer’s choice of participating charities.* Meals on Wheels is one of four national participating charities and has been since the inception of the event. Through this event, as a member of Meals on Wheels America, The Senior Connection will receive a share of the donation from Subaru vehicles sold at participating Subaru retailers. You might not be in the market to purchase a new car, but if you are, please look into the Subaru Share the Love Event to learn more. If you’re not shopping for a new vehicle, you can still help by spreading the word to your family and friends. And remember: this holiday season you can ensure our senior neighbors are not forgotten when you purchase or lease a new Subaru and select Meals on Wheels as your charity of choice. *Disclaimer: Subaru will donate $250 for every new Subaru vehicle sold or leased from November 18, 2021, through January 3, 2022, to four national charities designated by the purchaser or lessee. Pre-approved Hometown Charities may be selected for donation depending on retailer participation. For every new Subaru vehicle sold or leased during the campaign period, participating retailers will donate a minimum of $50 in total to their registered Hometown Charities. Purchasers/lessees must make their charity designations by January 14, 2022. The four national charities will receive a guaranteed minimum donation of $250,000 each. See your local Subaru retailer for details or visit subaru.com/share. All donations made by Subaru of America, Inc.

NUESTRA VOZ CUENTA

BY ANNA MATHIEU

e would like to take this moment to give a shout-out for the Papoose Club—one of the longest running local nonprofits in the Valley! The Papoose Club’s mission is to support the educational, cultural and athletic growth for the children of the Wood River Valley. We do this primarily by raising money at our iconic Valley events, like the upcoming Holiday Bazaar, Dec. 4-5, at Ernest Hemingway Elementary School. Please join us Saturday and Sunday for this live, in-person event. This is a juried art show featuring handcrafted products from local and regional artists. Get all your holiday shopping done. Pick up a dozen festive holiday cookies at the cookie table, visit the soup kitchen for Perry’s amazing soups. And visit with Santa from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday. We have several new aspects this year that go through Dec. 15: The Papoose Club has created a cookie recipe book with two-dozen festive holiday cookie recipes contributed by our members. You can buy it online, at Iconoclast Books, or pick up a copy at the Holiday Bazaar. The famous Papoose Holiday Raffle is both in-person (look for members selling red raffle tickets) AND online. You can browse from the comfort of your sofa and buy tickets for a variety of fun items and experiences in town: ski passes, dining, a Coyote yurt trip. This year we also have an online auction. We are starting small, but hope to grow this portion. Currently, you could win landscaping from G&G or

chic designer sunglasses from Image Eyes Optical of Sun Valley. Check out the cookie book, raffle tickets and auction items at: ourfundraiser.link/PapooseClub The Papoose Club is a unique group. We are boots-on-the-ground volunteers and we have a lot of fun creating memorable community events that support our local kids. We put on the Kindercup free alpine race for kids (March 6) and the Nordic Cup (Feb. 13). We will be back with the Pancake Breakfast at Wagon Days next Labor Day. We seek your support in accomplishing our mission and giving to the community. We are an all-inclusive group and welcome new members. Join us! Visit www.papooseclub.org for more information. Recent groups the Papoose Club has given to include: Blaine County Recreation District, Camp Rainbow Gold, The Community Library, Crisis Hotline, Early Childhood Special Education, Eco Camp, ERC, Flourish Foundation, Hailey Elementary School, Hailey Public Library, Hailey PTA, Hemingway STEAM School, The Hunger Coalition, I Have a Dream, Idaho BaseCamp, Kids Mountain Fund, Kiwanis Club, NAMI, Sawtooth Botanical Garden, Senior Bash, Silver Creek High School, St. Thomas Playhouse, Sun Valley Ballet, Sun Valley Museum of Art (SVMoA), The Space, Wood River Land Trust, Wood River Volleyball Club, WRHS Counseling Department WRHS Model United Nations, WRHS PTA, WRMS PTA, WRMS Robotics, WRMS Spanish Club. Brought to you by Anna Mathieu, President, Papoose Club, and Michelle Sabina, Treasurer, Papoose Club.

Estamos Escuchando!

POR KAREN SHARPNACK, DIRECTORA EJECUTIVA

Supporting the youth of our community

NUESTRA VOZ CUENTA

a Coalición de Inmunización de Idaho, una organización estatal sin fines de lucro, ha estado pasando por la parte sur de Idaho y ha querido entender por qué los latinos no están accediendo a la vacuna COVID-19 en comparación con otros grupos étnicos y raciales. Al 8 de noviembre de 2021, según el recuento de casos entre hispanos está mejorando, pero la tasa de vacunación entre hispanos es más baja que la tasa estatal. La tasa de vacunación contra el COVID-19 para los hispanos en Idaho es del 37%, según datos del Departamento de Salud y Bienestar de Idaho. ¿Cómo lleva a cabo la Coalición de Inmunización de Idaho una sesión de escucha? La Coordinadora de

Equidad en Salud de la Coalición de Inmunización de Idaho, Kim Guevara, identifica a un líder comunitario para ayudar a reunir a un grupo de 8 a 10 personas en persona a un restaurante, establecimiento de café o negocio local para escuchar sus preocupaciones sobre el acceso a la vacuna COVID-19, por qué es posible que no hayan tomado la vacuna y sugerencias para ayudarnos a comunicarnos de manera más efectiva sobre la vacuna. ¿Qué hace la Coalición de Inmunización de Idaho con la información que se compartió en la sesión de escucha? Reunimos los comentarios escuchados e identificamos los 2 a 3 mejores y trabajamos en cómo podemos mejorar nuestras clínicas de vacunación para las comunidades Latinas, fortalecer nuestras estrategias de marketing y compartir los resultados con organizaciones de ideas afines para que puedan mejorar la forma en que llevan a cabo sus clínicas.

KAREN SHARPNACK

Para obtener más información sobre la Coalición de Inmunización de Idaho: www.getimmunizedidaho.org o comuníquese con Kim Guevara al (208) 504-6195.

W O O D R I V E R W E E K LY

•

DECEMBER 1 - 14, 2021

YOU CAN FIND IT IN BLAINE! SUN VALLEY 3D PHOTO

SCOTT MILEY ROOFING

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sales@sunvalley3dphoto.com

208.720.0252

fully insured & guaranteed

Airport West | Hailey, Idaho 83333

Marc Longley

Housekeeper now accepting new clients.

ANDERSON’S US SA Jiu-jitsu Call Shon Academy (208) 450-9411

responsible, experienced and great references. Free estimates available for: Homes, condos, offices. beatrizq2003@hotmail.com

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KIDS & ADULT

Advertise on this page for ONLY $35/week!

Jiu-jitsu classes

(includes full color & free ad design)! Space is limited, call today! Call Mandi 208.721.7588 (includes full color & free ad design)

Shop Local

CLASSIFIEDS WANTED

I am looking for someone who would like to share their River Run ski locker for the season. I am a trustworthy, retired nurse. Please call Judy at (206) 498-7220

LOTS FOR SALE

4 lots for sale north end of Bellevue. $160,000 each. (208) 309-0917

FOR SALE

HANDYMAN

Jack of all trades. Reliable, insured, clean. Small jobs to large remodel projects, or the “honey-do” list. Call Mark, (208) 573-1784

CROSSWORD

answer from page 12

Custom Cabinetry • Interior Finish Remodeling • Kitchen • Baths CAD Cabinetry Design Mike @ (208) 720-7250 Check out our Facebook page www.ffcid.com

HOUSEKEEPERS SR. HOUSEKEEPER RUNNER

Weekends Required HIRING EVENT DETAILS Date: Wednesday, December 8th Address: 491 Sun Valley Rd, Ketchum 83340 Location: Starbucks | City of Ketchum, ID building Time: 3:00pm-5:00pm RSVP: shannon.thoas@vacasa.com Apply today at www.vacasa.com/careers 8 coffee cups, 6 small cups w/saucers 12 bowls, 12 napkin rings 1 large bowl w/lid 1 large stock pot w/lid $30 call Kathy (208)-309-1099

HOUSEKEEPING

Text (up to 25 words): $5 Additional Text: 20¢ per word Photos: $5 per image • Logo: $10 Deadline: Monday at 1 p.m Space reservations: classifieds@woodriverweekly.com

FINE FINISH CARPENTRY

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Responsible, experienced & great references, housekeeper now accepting new clients. Free estimates available for: homes, condos & offices. beatrizq2003@hotmail.com, (208) 720-5973

Mandi 208.721.7588

PRICING

Advertise on this page for ONLY $35/week.

(208) 720-3519 713 N Main St. Unit A, Bellevue

CERTIFIED LITERACY TUTOR Reading/writing/spelling/vocabulary Grades 4-10 35 years teaching experience 1-on-1 or small group Call Barb @ (208) 721-3556

SUDOKU

answer from page 12

W O O D R I V E R W E E K L Y • D E C E M B E R 1 - 1 4 , 2 0 2 1

CHAMBER CORNER

MIKE MCKENNA

Hard way Pipeline

Steel Fencing

Kelly Wardell 208-309-0916

How To Play Sudoku

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.

CLASSIC SUDOKU See answer on page 11

The 18th Annual Hailey Turkey Trot was another fun-filled success. Hundreds of runners and walkers of all ages enjoyed our local Thanksgiving tradition. The Chamber would like to thank everyone who helped make the Turkey Trot happen, especially: Blaine County Title, Clif Bar, Kelly Schwarz and the City of Hailey, Davis Embroidery, Mountain West Bank, Sturtevant’s of Hailey, Wood River Land Trust as well as Kim Bryson, Jane Dyndiuk, Jack McKenna, the Heitzman family, Marlon Peck, Sonya Wilander and Men’s Second Chance Living, and Carol Waller.

CROSSWORD SPONSORED BY

THETRADER TRADER THE THE TRADER Consignment for the home

Consignment for the home

Wednesday - Friday 11 to 6 Saturday 11 to 4

TRADER EADER TRADER

Always available by appointment and if we’re here.

Wednesday through Saturday 11:00 to 5:00 Always available by appointment and if we’re here.

ent for the 720-9206 or 788-0216 signment forhome the home

720-9206 or 788-0216 509 S. Main Street Bellevue, Idaho

the home

509 S. Main Street • Bellevue, Idaho

Wednesday through Saturday Thursday Wednesday - Friday Wednesday - Friday 11:00to to 5:00 ednesday - Friday 11 to 611 to 6 available by appointment 11 to 6AlwaysSaturday Saturday Saturday and if we’re here. Saturday 11 to 4 11 to 11 or to 788-0216 44 720-9206 11 to 4

Always available by appointment and if we’re here.

509 S. Main Street • Bellevue, Idaho Always available by le by appointment andappointment if we’re here. and if we’re here.

720-9206 or 788-0216 or S. 788-0216 -9206 or720-9206 788-0216 509 Main Street S. Main Street 09 S. Main509 Street Bellevue, Idaho Bellevue, Idaho Bellevue, Idaho

See answer on page 11

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

Mostly Sunny 7%

high 51º

low 32º WEDNESDAY

Sunny 7%

high 54º low 30º THURSDAY

Partly Coudy 5%

high 51º low 31º FRIDAY

Partly Coudy 4%

high 50º low 29º SATURDAY

Partly Coudy 5%

Rain/Snow Showers 38%

low 31º SUNDAY

low 27º MONDAY

high 47º

high 43º

Partly Coudy 21%

high 39º low 26º TUESDAY

SKI. BIKE. LIVE!

Elevate your experience. 340 N Main Street in Ketchum sturtevants-sv.com • 726-4501