WRW 30 December 2020

EDUCATION NEWS Two Finalists For ‘Super’ PG 2

SUN VALLEY

KETCHUM

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

ARTS NEWS

Big Plans For 2021 PG 4

HAILEY

Film Shot Here On To Sundance PG 6 BELLEVUE

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WOOD RIVER WEEKLY

YOUR VOICE IN THE WOOD RIVER VALLEY Free | Dec 30, 2020 - Jan 12, 2021 | Vol. 1 - No. 29 | woodriverweekly.com “ F o r l a s t y e a r ’s w o r d s b e l o n g t o l a s t y e a r ’s l a n g u a g e . A n d n e x t y e a r ’s w o r d s a w a i t a n o t h e r v o i c e . ” ~ T. S . E l i o t

One of three bull elk resting in sunlight in a residential yard in Hailey on Christmas morning. The animals eventually moved on, unperturbed and undisturbed, to graze—and conserve energy—elsewhere. Photo credit: Michael Kane

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Wood River Weekly

•

December 30, 2020 - January 12, 2021

MEET THE ‘SUPER’ CANDIDATES

EDUCATION

27 applicants from 15 states now down to 2 finalists

A

By Eric Valentine

nd then there were two.

After months of searching for superintendent GwenCarol Holmes’ replacement during 2020, the first month of 2021 could be when Blaine County School District trustees name him or her.

“The board made its decision after carefully considering 27 applicants from 15 states. We then narrowed the field and conducted interviews with five semifinalists on December 9 and 10,” trustees said in a press release on the matter.

According to the district, the finalists will visit in January to meet with the community, tour the schools and speak with and take questions from administrators, teachers and classified staff. They will also meet one on one with the individual trustees and with the board as a whole. Following these visits, the board will take public comment and make its final decision. The board anticipates final selection of the new district superintendent sometime in January. The new superintendent will assume office on July 1, 2021—the date which initially was when Holmes would step down. However, in November, Holmes submitted her resignation effective immediately.

The finalists are James Foudy and Heather Sanchez. Foudy is superintendent of the McCall-Donnelly School District in McCall, Idaho. Sanchez currently serves as executive director of Schools for the Bellevue School District in Washington. Once dates and details for the community meetups are determined, Wood River Weekly will publish them in print and online. What follows here are the candidates’ bios.

Mr. James Foudy Superintendent James Foudy began his career with the Boise School District in 1996 as an elementary teacher. In 2003, he became an administrator with the McCall-Donnelly School District, as the elementary principal for Donnelly and McCall Elementary Schools. Since 2015, Mr. Foudy has served as superintendent of the McCall-Donnelly School District.

The McCall-Donnelly School District is nationally recognized for its student achievement and perennially performs in the top 10 percent of school districts in Idaho.

In 2004, as elementary principal, Mr. Foudy established a K-5 reading intervention system that included a full-day kindergarten James Foudy. Photo credit: Mcmodel. This model thrived and contributed to a Call-Donnelly School District foundation of high academic achievement that continues today.

From 2015 to 2018, he worked with a local facilities team, students and staff at McCall-Donnelly’s alternative school to design and construct a facility that serves students at Heartland High School today. The permanent facility was designed with extensive input from students.

Superintendent Foudy holds a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from Boi-

se State University (BSU), a Master of Educational Administration from the University of Idaho (UI) and an Education Specialist, Education Leadership degree from UI. In his spare time, Mr. Foudy and his wife, Alison, love spending time with their children, friends and family in the mountains. They enjoy the four distinctive mountain seasons, traveling and the arts. Foudy’s wife has a passion for art history, and for nearly 15 years has been introducing Jim to the arts and its many facets.

Ms. Heather Sánchez Heather Sánchez has served in preK-12 public education for more than 20 years and has served in a variety of roles at both the elementary and secondary levels to include classroom teacher, program coordinator, instructional specialist, building principal and central office administrator.

She currently serves as an executive director of schools for the Bellevue School District in Bellevue, Washington, where she provides support and supervision for nine schools, as well as being responsible for implementation of key components of the district’s strategic plan and priority goals. In her current role, Ms. Sánchez regularly partners with families, school staff and community members to ensure a culture of service and improved Heather Sánchez. Photo credit: Bellevue School District outcomes for all students.

Ms. Sánchez previously served as a director of accelerated programs, choice and innovation, where her focus was on improving access to outcomes for a wide variety of K-12 Accelerated Programs, including GATE, Advanced Placement and Early College in the High School. She has also served as an elementary building principal for a diverse range of schools that included Dual-Language, Title I Services and STEM programs. Earlier in her career, Ms. Sánchez served as both a teacher on special assignment (TOSA) and director for professional development, as well as a classroom teacher at the secondary level.

Holding a B.S. in Secondary Education from Western New Mexico University (WNMU), an M.S. in Curriculum & Instruction and K-12 Principal Credential from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs (UCCS) and a K-12 Superintendent Credential from Seattle Pacific University (SPU), Ms. Sánchez is also in the process of completing her Ed.D. degree from SPU. Originally from New Mexico, Ms. Sánchez is passionate about celebrating cultural and linguistic diversity and in ensuring all students have the opportunity to experience a rigorous and enriching school experience.

In her free time, Ms. Sánchez enjoys spending time with her husband, César (a high school science teacher), and their three children. The family are avid skiers and also enjoy camping, hiking, biking, fishing and all the great outdoors has to offer.

You are not alone.

Life is anything but normal right now. If you’re suicidal or in crisis, reach out to someone who understands.

Call or text the Idaho Suicide Prevention Hotline: 208-398-4357 or 800-273-8255

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December 30, 2020 - January 12, 2021

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PUBLISHER’S NOTE Dear Valley Residents, I am sure everyone will agree that 2020 has been a difficult and challenging year. We at the Wood River Weekly are grateful and thankful to have survived the year, and we thank our clients, neighbors and friends for their support and encouragement.

We look forward with hopeful optimism that 2021 will bring positive change and allow life to continue as near to normal as possible.

Let’s Start The New Year Together

Let us not forget how desperate and difficult these times are for our community. Many are suffering, businesses are struggling, and eviction and food insecurity is a genuine threat. Let us all be compassionate, understanding and seek to help each other out wherever we can.

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December 30, 2020 - January 12, 2021

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DEVELOPMENT

Big Changes Coming To Valley In 2021

V

By Eric Valentine

alley folks have been so longing for lifestyles to return to normal in 2021, they may not be ready for some landscape changes that could take effect in the new year. From the top of Blaine County all the way to Camas County, a number of projects are proposed. Here are three: Soldier Airport Marches On As reported, a proposal to construct a private airport that could land jumbo jets in Fairfield continues to take off. The 1,600-acre development would construct—among other things—an 8,500-foot-long, 350-foot-wide runway that can land the commercial airplanes Friedman Memorial Airport in Hailey can’t. Yet, in recent months, the project has run into some local turbulence by residents, some of whom live close to the proposed airport.

So, at its Dec. 21 commissioners meeting, Camas County leadership voted to allow for public comment—at their Feb. 8 meeting—on the rezoning and map change required to push the airport through. Normally, news like that would be happily received by opponents to a project. Not for Fairfield resident and future neighbor to the potential airport Ali Golden.

“I’m pretty bummed about it,” Golden said. “It feels like a CYA (cover your ass) measure to me.”

Golden, who said she bought her home in 2015 after a previous attempt to develop the runway got shot down, worries about public safety and personal finances when it comes to the development.

She noted that in 2017 two local realtors submitted an affidavit to the county stating that home values could drop as much as 40 percent if the airport went in. Other residents have cited the lack of federal oversight on private airports as one reason Fairfield families are not safe if large planes land there.

“I think they (Camas County) would rather be sued by the residents than Ix-Nay,” Golden added.

Ix-Nay Investment Trust, which has long been tied to actor and former Hailey property owner Bruce Willis, is the developer behind the airport effort.

Other concerns cited by Golden include: • Rezoning the area from 5-acre parcels to 80 acres will discourage development on the east end of the prairie.

• The applicant has not shown that they will be a “good neighbor” or that there will be any economic benefit at all for Camas County.

As an example, the company they hired to start the construction is based in Bellevue, not Fairfield. Ix-Nay should be required to prove via an economic study exactly how they can bring benefits to Camas County, not Blaine County. In five years, Camas County will pay for additional road maintenance, fire personnel, sheriff’s presence, etc. How will Ix-Nay account for that?

• An annual compliance review of all conditions (with consequences for non-compliance) should also be a condition of approval.

• Noise, fumes, and takeoff/landing accidents present minor and major risks to residents’ lives, livestock, property, and quality of life.

The Camas County commissioners meeting on Feb. 8 is being scheduled for 9 a.m. and 1 p.m., and the proposed site for the session will be the American Legion Hall in Fairfield.

Welcome to the Underground The next development of sorts won’t be one that’s necessarily seen on the landscape as much as it will on Valley power bills.

On Tuesday, Jan. 12, Blaine County commissioners will be asked to accept Idaho Power’s latest proposal for installing backup power lines—mostly or entirely underground—from roughly Hailey to Ketchum. The latest proposal, however, is under heavy scrutiny by Kiki Tidwell who failed in a recent bid to earn a seat on the county board but remains actively involved in monitoring the project.

Tidwell has testified at board meetings and in written communications that Idaho Power’s numbers just don’t add up.

“They keep talking about a flat fee on people’s power bills,” explained Tidwell. “But a 3 percent surcharge is much different than $3.50 a month.”

Specifically, Idaho Power wants residential and commercial rate payers to foot the bill for the roughly 9-mile undergrounding project that could cost as much as $8.4 million. Idaho Power has promised to front the cash for the work if the county will make its ratepayers cough up the 3 percent surcharge every month for the next 20 years. Whereas that makes it a loan from Idaho Power, the utility is also seeking a 9.6 percent in-

Bruce Willis. Photo credit: Wikipedia

Kiki Tidwell. Photo credit: Kiki Tidwell

Neil Bradshaw. Photo credit: City of Ketchum

terest rate and a $35,000 a year administrative fee.

That puts the final total of the $8.4 million project closer to $12 million.

“I think Idaho Power has been very misleading to the commissioners,” Tidwell said.

In a 30-page letter from Idaho Power to the county, the utility does note that non-residential ratepayers will pay $8.43 on average and residential ratepayers will pay $3.54. However, that assumes a power bill of $100 or so, when some residents look at three times that much on their monthly bills.

“This is a tax without a vote, and if it is this important of a project we should be paying for it with money we have in reserves,” Tidwell said.

The History Story Up in Ketchum, there’s a sort of a development slowdown, at least in parts. A temporary ordinance aimed at protecting historical structures garnered Planning and Zoning Commission approval in December and now will be considered by the city council at its Jan. 4 session.

The controversial draft ordinance identifies 26 historically significant structures in the downtown area and establishes a special review process for any proposals to demolish or change those structures. If adopted as is, the ordinance would also create maintenance standards for buildings on the list and establish a historic preservation commission to review requests to demolish or alter protected buildings.

The matter puts at odds residents who want to honor the historic nature of Ketchum and property owners who may have purchased a property with the intent of tearing down a structure. Meanwhile, the city is under a time crunch to approve a workable policy because a 90-day emergency ordinance banning the demolition of more than those 26 historically significant buildings expires Jan. 17.

Wood River Weekly

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December 30, 2020 - January 12, 2021

NEWS

Cookbook Proceeds Serve Fire, Rescue Services

Last summer, sisters Leslie Doheny-Hanks and Robyn Watson asked the community at large to submit some of the recipes they’d been cooking during the stay-athome order in the hopes of putting together a cookbook wherein proceeds would support local fire and rescue services. The community answered the call.

Seventy people submitted a total of 200 recipes that have now been compiled, edited and published in the Sun Valley Commemorative Quarantine Cookbook. Funds raised go to Wood River Fire and Rescue and the Ketchum Sun Valley Volunteer Association.

The books are for sale at retail stores throughout the Valley, including: Atkinsons’, Brass Ranch, Chapter One, Country Cousins Store, The Haven, Ketchum Kitchens, Silver Creek Outfitters, Sun Valley Lodge Gift Shop and Signature Shop, Sun Valley Culinary Institute, Village Market and Willow Papery.

Fungal Infection Likely Caused Duck Deaths Near Salmon

State and federal officials have received further indication that over 100 mallard ducks, found dead near Salmon, died of an acute fungal infection. The cause of death is almost certainly acute Aspergillosis, a respiratory tract infection caused by a fungus commonly found in soil, dead leaves, moldy grain, compost piles, or in other decaying vegetation.

Fungal cultures of the lungs of two of three ducks tested resulted in growth of Aspergillus fungi. However, final confirmation is pending according to the most recent update from the National Wildlife Health Center in Madison, Wisc. The fungus can cause severe respiratory tract infections in birds that inhale the spores but it cannot be passed from one infected duck to another.

“We are fortunate that the die-off seems to have stopped, likely due to the fungus source no longer being available to the ducks,” said Dennis Newman, Idaho Fish and Game wildlife manager based in Salmon.

While the disease is not contagious to humans who eat the meat, hunters can be exposed by inhalation of spores from contaminated carcasses. Though the risk of ex-

5

IN BRIEF

posure is minimal, Fish and Game suggests hunters wear masks when dressing their birds. As with all game, hunters should also wear latex gloves when field dressing, and the meat should be thoroughly cooked before eating.

The first dead ducks were reported by a concerned resident December 7 south of Salmon. Fish and Game responded to the area and found 50 ducks along an irrigation ditch and in nearby sloughs and ponds. Since the initial report, Fish and Game has found a total of 115 dead ducks.

Buy 2021 Hunting, Fishing Licenses Now

Idaho Fish and Game is reminding hunters and fishermen to get their 2021 licenses now to take advantage of some great hunting and opportunities, such as: Ice fishing - Ice fishing is fun, and a great way to get out of the house and catch some fish during winter. Here’s more information about Idaho’s ice fishing.

Steelhead fishing continues - Idaho’s “spring” season opens Jan. 1, and you can catch this prized fish throughout winter and well into spring. See the current steelhead fishing rules.

You can still catch trout in rivers and streams - Winter stream fishing is often an overlooked opportunity, but trout fishing can be good, especially in “tailwater” fisheries where rivers are fed by dam releases, or in parts of the state with mild climates, such as along the Snake River.

One of the best times to catch whitefish - Another winter fishery that fly anglers enjoy, and many other anglers. These fish feed in riffles and aren’t fazed by the cold water, and they’re often schooled up during winter.

Hunt game animals that you may have overlooked - The hunting season for cottontail rabbits, snowshoe hares and red squirrels last through March 31, so if you want to keep hunting, you have those options, and you probably won’t have a lot of competition.

Late season upland bird hunting continues - Hunting season remains open for chukar, Hungarian partridge, California quail, and forest grouse during January in most areas, and late-season hunting can be good for those birds. See the upland game bird rules booklet for season dates.

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Wood River Weekly

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NEWS

ARTS

NO SMALL POTATOES

Films Shot in Idaho

Jason Isaacs and Martha Plimpton star in “Mass”—a film shot in Hailey. Photo credit: Internet Movie Database

Source: LocationsHub.com

Idaho Crew Helps Hailey-filmed Movie Hit Sundance

1. Dante’s Peak (1997) - Filmed in Wallace, Idaho (directed by Roger Donaldson and starred Pierce Brosnan and Linda Hamilton).

2. Bus Stop (1956) - Filmed in Sun Valley, Ketchum, and National Forest, Idaho (directed by Joshua Logan, starred Marilyn Monroe, Don Murray, and Arthur O’Connell).

3. Heaven’s Gate (1980) - Filmed in Wallace, Idaho (directed

by Michael Cimino and starred Kris Kristofferson, Christopher Walken, John Hurt, Sam Waterston, and Isabelle Hupert).

4. Napoleon Dynamite (2004) - Filmed in Preston and Franklin, Idaho (directed by Jared Hess, starred Jon Heder and Efren Ramirez).

5. Breakfast of Champions (1999) - Filmed in Twin Falls, Idaho (directed by Alan Rudolph, starred Bruce Willis, Nick Nolte and Albert Finney).

6. Breakheart Pass (1975) - Filmed in Lewiston, Idaho (directed by Tom Gries, starred Charles Bronson, Ben Johnson, and Richard Crenna).

7. Bronco Billy (1980) - Filmed in Boise, Meridian, Eagle, Garden City, and Nampa, Idaho (directed by Clint Eastwood, starred Clint Eastwood, Sondra Locke, and Geoffrey Lewis).

8. Dark Horse (1992) - Filmed in Idaho (directed by David Hemmings, starred Ed Begley, Jr., and Mimi Rogers).

9. Northwest Passage (1940) - Filmed in McCall, Sandpoint, Idaho (directed by King Vidor and Jack Conway, starred Spencer Tracy and Robert Young).

10. Magic Valley (2011) - Filmed in Twin Falls, Idaho (directed

by Jaffe Zinn and starred Scott Glenn, Kyle Gallner, and Allison Elliott).

11. Smoke Signals (1998) - Filmed in DeSmet, Tensed, Worley, and Plummer (on the Coeur d’Alene Indian Reservation), Idaho (directed by Chris Eyre, starred Adam Beach, Evan Adams, and Irene Bedard).

12. Town & Country (2001) - Filmed in Sun Valley, Idaho (directed by Peter Chelsom, starred Warren Beatty, Diane Keaton and Nastassja Kinski).

W

By Eric Valentine

ith mountain ranges, lava flows, whitewater rapids, farms and quaint towns, you’d think Idaho would be a filmmakers’ paradise. In addition to the myriad of cinematic locations, Idaho is long on summertime light and short on red tape (e.g., film permit processes) compared to other movie-making locales. Meanwhile, both Boise State University and Idaho State University have full-fledged film schools, over the years producing the crew talent needed to shoot a feature film efficiently and well.

And, by the way, did you know lots of Hollywood celebrities have second homes here?

Yet, since the 1940s, only a dozen or so widely released feature films have been made here. And when you search for filmmaking information on the Idaho Department of Commerce website, you don’t get messaging on incentive programs. Instead, the message you get is this: Error 404 Page Not Found.

Thanks to a film called “Mass”—shot in Hailey this fall—some locals are hopeful things can change. In December, “Mass” was selected into the 2021 Sundance Film Festival. That’s no small potatoes. Sundance receives around 14,000 submissions every year and only 100 actually get a premiere.

“Mass” is written and directed by Fran Kranz and stars Jason Isaacs (“Hotel Mumbai,” “Harry Potter”) and Martha Plimpton (“The Goonies,” “Dante’s Inferno”). It’s a serious drama about two sets of parents who reconnect years after one couple’s son killed the other’s.

As for the crew, that’s a more local affair where Wood River Valley and Treasure Valley represented well. Roughly a dozen or so Idahoans were used in critical ways. In a social media post announcing the Sundance nod, Mark Oliver—a former Valley resident who worked on the film—listed the fol-

lowing Idaho folks who were integral in the making of the film: • • • • • • • • • • • •

JP Ouellette Meredith Richardson Tyler Michael Hendricks Casey Wilder Mott Sean Conroy Mehen Greg Picard Marshall Rawlings Jessica Winfree Matty Moo Herriger William Thomas Andrew Davies Jordan Lee

In some cases, local film folks simply supplied the connections the producers needed to get the job done.

“One of the biggest ways I was able to contribute was setting them up with people from my crew and connecting the local talent here with Fran and the producers. I was on set here and there, but not nearly as much as some of the members of my team,” explained Tyler Michael Hendricks, founder and project manager at Dark to Light. Located in Hailey, Dark to Light is a production company specializing in promoting businesses online through video, graphics and photography.

It remains to be seen how many more films come to these parts to get made. But there does seem to be some lights, camera, action at the end of the tunnel.

“That’s the dream, right? Bringing directors, producers, writers, and actors into our valley, not just for a vacation visit, but for work,” Hendricks said. “In the past, getting ... the resources all to our area was definitely an expense that can be tough to fit in the budget. But I think our community is starting to be discovered not just for its beauty but for its local talents and expertises.”

Wood River Weekly

•

December 30, 2020 - January 12, 2021

ADVERTORIALS

ST. LUKE’S WOOD RIVER

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NUESTRA VOZ CUENTA

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OUR VOICE COUNTS

asked up and ready for a pre-holiday feast, Tammy Davis, executive director of the Crisis Hotline in Idaho, and Herbert Romero, operations director, held a hybrid event at Lago Azul restaurant in Hailey to honor leaders of Blaine County before the year ends.

While many were virtually attending comfortably in their homes, a few RSVP’d to be present and be honored for their hard work and stepping up their leadership during this ongoing pandemic. For many, this year was like no other, coming out of their bubbles and getting to know organizations and other community members within the county.

“I have never done anything like this before,” one honoree said. “But I’m glad to have met [Herbert] Romero and helped out in the community; I hope to continue to help in any way that I can.”

A cycle of similar statements was made with each honoree and shows how this pandemic has not only brought the Hispanic/Latino community together, but brought us to take on challenges and step up our work.

“This community, this connection, was not here three years ago,” another said. “I definitely see it now.” *Because of COVID-19, only a handful of guests were present and in person. Masks were required for this event.

E

NUESTA VOZ CUENTA

nmascarados y listos para una fiesta casual, Tammy Davis, directora ejecutiva de The Crisis Hotline en Idaho, y Herbert Romero, director de operaciones, celebraron un evento híbrido en el Restaurante Lago Azul para honrar a los líderes del condado de Blaine antes de que termine el año.

Mientras que muchos estaban virtualmente asistiendo cómodamente en sus hogares, algunos RSVP’d para estar presentes y ser honrados por

There’s No Place Like Home For The Holidays

D

uring COVID, this song lyric is more relevant than ever. We continue to see people in our Valley become sick, needing medical attention, including requiring hospitalization. Many people report contracting COVID from small gatherings in people’s homes, and even though no one may have symptoms, it may be those closest to you and those you trust that are unknowingly infectious.

It may seem harmless to get together, but it may not be. It can make a difference to mask up when people you do not live with come inside your home. Not only are you protecting others by wearing a mask, but you are protecting yourself, as well. If you do get the virus while wearing a mask, it may be a smaller amount of the virus and you may not become as severely ill.

Home, and gathering with those you live with, is the safest choice in celebrating the New Year. But it doesn’t have to be boring! Here are some suggestions for celebrating:

su arduo trabajo y aumentar su liderazgo durante esta pandemia en curso. Para muchos de este año fue como ningún otro, saliendo de sus burbujas y conociendo organizaciones y otros miembros de la comunidad dentro del condado.

“Nunca había hecho algo así antes,” dijo un homenajeado. “Pero me alegro de haber conocido a [Herbert] Romero y ayudado en la comunidad; Espero seguir ayudando de cualquier manera que pueda.”

Se hicieron un ciclo de declaraciones similares con cada homenajeado y muestra cómo esta pandemia no sólo ha unido a la comunidad hispana/ latina, sino que nos ha llevado a asumir desafíos e intensificar nuestro trabajo.

“Esta comunidad, esta conexión no estaba aquí hace tres años,” dijo otro. “Definitivamente lo veo ahora.” *Debido al COVID-19, sólo un puñado de invitados estaban presentes y en persona. Se requerían máscaras para este evento.

BETTER HOMEOWNERS NEWS

• Have a virtual get-together and tell stories of childhood holidays. Share your best, funniest or most disastrous holiday memory. Share your resolutions for 2021!

• Outdoor activities offer fun, fresh air, and exercise to burn off the calories from cookies and eggnog. Go sledding, build a snowman or a snow fort for an old-fashioned snowball fight.

Happily, we have lots of options in our winter wonderland— snowshoe, cross-country, downhill or ice skating!

• Sing! Whether it’s caroling from a distance with other members of your household or singing karaoke at home or via Zoom, everybody can find a holiday song to bring good cheer (although karaoke in my household was a terrible idea years ago—the poor dog covered its ears!)

• Play conversation card games to learn about friends or family (there are family-friendly and games just for the grownups, too).

• Puzzles – break out a holiday-themed puzzle.

• Make plans for next year! Post pictures of vulnerable family members you won’t see this year—your gift to them is keeping them healthy for future celebrations. You could even make a collage or a vision board with people and places you want to visit. Imagine a happy, healthy holiday season next year!

• Many of us cannot wait to see 2020 exit, but please continue to be safe in 2021!

It’s your life, We help you live it ANNA & MICHELLE

Debt-to-Income Ratio Affects Approval & The Interest Rate

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ebt-to-Income ratio is a tool that lenders use to qualify buyers for a mortgage and is an important factor in determining loan approval. It provides an indication of the amount of debt that a potential borrower is obligated to in relation to how much income they have.

Total monthly debts are determined by adding the normal and recurring monthly debt payments, such as monthly housing costs, car payments, minimum credit card payments, personal loan payments, student loans, child support, alimony, and other things.

By dividing the monthly income into the monthly debt, you arrive at a percentage of the monthly income. Lenders actually look at two different ratios commonly called the front-end and the back-end.

The front-end ratio is the proposed total house payment, including principal, interest, taxes, insurance, mortgage insurance if required, and homeowner association fees. Lenders generally don’t want these expenses to be more than 28 percent of the monthly gross income.

The back-end ratio includes the same items that are in the front-end ratio plus any other monthly obligations like the ones mentioned earlier. Lenders prefer to see this ratio not to exceed 36 percent of monthly gross income but some lenders may extend that to 43 percent. Borrowers obtaining an FHA mortgage might also be allowed an even higher back-end ratio.

If a borrower had $8,000 monthly gross income, their proposed house payment should not exceed $2,240 or 28 percent of their monthly gross income. Then, their house payment and monthly debt should ideally not exceed $2,880 or 36 percent of their monthly gross income.

For the sake of an example, let’s say that their monthly debt was $900.That would only leave $1,980 for the maximum house payment. The monthly debt became a limiting factor affecting the house payment.

In addition to determining whether the buyer qualifies for the mortgage, it could affect the interest rate. Having good credit and having the proper ratios can result in being approved for a mortgage. On the other hand, if the debt is on the upper side of an acceptable range, the lender may charge a higher interest rate for the addition risk of a marginal borrower.

While the math is not difficult to come up with your ratios, it is not necessarily a

do-it-yourself project. A trusted lending professional can assess your situation and give you an accurate picture of what price home you can afford and the rate you can expect to pay.

Both things are important to know before you start looking at homes and especially before you contract for one. All lenders are not the same. Call me to get a recommendation of a trusted mortgage professional who specializes in the type of mortgage you want.

Download this FREE Buyers Guide.

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COMM ENT ARY Wood River Weekly

Fishing R epoRt

•

December 30, 2020 - January 12, 2021

NO BONES ABOUT IT THE “WEEKLY” FISHING REPORT FOR DEC 30, 2020 - JAN 12, 2021 FROM PICABO ANGLER

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appy holidays, everyone!

Winter fishing is in full swing right now.

Not enough snow for great skiing? Want to get out of the house? Time for a break from the Christmas cheer? Then it’s time to get out on the water.

Experienced anglers will have no problem catching fish in the winter. Novice anglers may want to think about a guide trip. Rates are always reduced in the winter.

First-time anglers may also find this a great time to learn to fly fish, as catch rates are high and the fish are not picky.

The Big Wood is a gem of a winter fishery. Great hatches of Midges get the fish percolating on most afternoons. Small nymphs like Zebras and Brassies are all one needs to catch fish subsurface. A Girdle Bug is a great choice for anglers that want to fish bigger flies. The Tie-Down Midge is the key to dry-fly fishing the Midge in the winter and this fly works everywhere! It can also be an effective subsurface pattern when drowned. The Streamer fishing on the Wood, due to the presence of the Wood River sculpin, can be outstanding!

Silver Creek, despite hearing about all the pressure it received this season, had essentially been abandoned by most anglers. The Streamer fishing on the Creek can be off-the-charts good in the winter and some very big fish can be caught. There have been a few folks out lately with the nicer weather, but show up on an inclement day and you could have the river to yourself.

Silver Creek remains open for catch-and-release fishing from the Highway 20 bridge downstream to Picabo until the end of March. Fish bright Streamers on bright days and dark Streamers on dark days. You could also just come by Picabo Angler and pick up a few custom-tied Sparkle Minnows that seemingly work under any condition.

The South Fork of the Boise is also fishing well this early-winter season. The same flies you would use on the Big Wood are going to work fine on the South Fork. Be sure to check the weather before you head down into the canyon—it’s not the place to be during winter storms.

Until the skiing picks up with more snow, be sure you will see more of your fellow anglers, although not like we saw this past summer. Be kind and stay kind so everyone can have a memorable holiday fishing experience.

Happy fishing, everyone!

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

FRAN JEWELL

The Case For Crates—A Heart Attack Story

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By Fran Jewell

y now, most of the locals know my recent expedition over Mount Heart Attack. Let me say that the journey there is far beyond any Everest climb. I am here today to tell you this story for several reasons.

The first is to pay overwhelming tribute to St. Luke’s ER doctor James Torres and the forthright, honest and hard line that he took with me, someone in total denial of their health condition. The second is that extraordinarily compassionate and capable Life Flight crew that raced me to the Twin Falls Cath Lab to the expert hands of cardiologist, Dr. Joseph Hymas. Without all of them and their support teams, I wouldn’t be here to tell you this story.

A day in Stanley with the dogs and my dear friend Margery left me a little tired. I was feeling like I had been experiencing panic attacks late into the day. But, after getting home, feeding the dogs and settling in for a peaceful night’s sleep, I was awakened by a horrible pain in my chest. I thought to myself, I am not experiencing all the symptoms I have read about for a heart attack, so I was unsure.

I got up, walked around the house, then the pain started in my back. It was not crushing pain, as I envisioned a heart attack to be. It didn’t make me fall over, or lose my breath.

Although, what I could hear was my daughter’s voice—former executive director for the American Heart Association in Idaho—telling me that women do not experience heart attacks like men do. But still, I wondered. I was afraid to call 9-1-1. I had no idea what opening that door was going to do for so many reasons.

Then the next thing happened—I felt the cold sweats. Not for long, though. It was that symptom that forced me into action.

Living with several very confident, very protective German shepherds has been a worry on my mind for many years, especially in this situation. Had I called 9-1-1, how would EMS get through the front door without a confrontation? And who would care for my dogs in my absence? Most dogs become extremely protective of their owner if they feel their owner is threatened. Even a most docile poodle can become a dog you have never experienced before. Owning German shepherds, I knew that instinctive protective nature would

VISION 2020

My 10-year-old Baewulf loved a crate so much, I found him in my puppy’s crate sound asleep!

Photo credit: Fran Jewell

they had been loose in the house when the police arrived and had to come inside to save my life. It could have been a perfect storm. Dogs that move into protective drive don’t think like people do. They don’t say to themselves, “Oh, it’s EMS, let them in!”

The point to this story is to urge ALL of you to CALL 9-1-1 even if you SUSPECT a heart attack, especially all the women out there that don’t feel all the typical symptoms!!!! All I had were chest and back pains, then eventually a very short bout of cold sweats. AHEAD of time, make a plan, especially if you live by yourself, to care for your dog(s). Then, train for that emergency. Be sure your dog can run to a crate for safety, easily and happily. It’s the safest place for them to be and allows even unknown help to enter the house when you are not there.

People who know me laugh at my priorities.

And we can laugh now, but it was no laughing matter at the time. Even my two 10-year-old dogs still have impeccable crate skills. Going in the crate and being happy there is not just for young dogs. It’s a LIFE-SAVING SKILL for EVERYONE! 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 208578-1565.

Talking To A Rock

By Eric Valentine

What follows is a true story about understanding one’s place in the world. As we enter 2021, coming out of the strangest year of our lives, my hope is that this anecdote serves as an antidote for anyone feeling a little lost right now.

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prevail. I know these things, being the dog behavior specialist that I am.

In the past, I had this conversation with many of my German shepherd friends as well as my law enforcement friends; how would I protect my dogs in this type of emergency situation? I finally came to the conclusion that this scenario would be the one I would play out, if I was able.

I told all the dogs to go to their “nightnights.” In seconds, they scattered into their individual crates. Not one, even my puppy, hesitated for a second to carry out my wishes. Happily, they went right in, lay down and waited for their treat. I didn’t have a treat, but they didn’t care. It took me another 10 seconds to walk around my living room to close the crate doors. Now they were safe. There would be no confrontation with anyone coming to the house to rescue me.

Terrified, I made that call and within 2 minutes the Hailey police arrived ahead of the ambulance. There I sat, on my front porch, in pain, and probably not very coherent. They asked how I was and I muttered something about I thought I was having a heart attack, but that I was confused because I didn’t think I would be able to even walk during a heart attack. I explained that my symptoms were not those that you usually hear about associated with a heart attack.

The dogs barked lightly from the safety of their crates, just to let the intruder know they were there, but there was no threat to anyone.

They were safe, and the police, Fire and Rescue and EMS were safe. I was safe, and on my way through a journey I never expected but that I had thought through previously and trained my dogs for such an event.

When someone tells me they don’t want to crate-train their dogs, I always tell them it is a LIFE SKILL. Now, more than ever, I mean it to be a LIFE-SAVING SKILL! The fact that my dogs didn’t hesitate, didn’t give me any guff in a moment of trauma, was so reassuring to me that they would be fine. Then, I had a plan for someone to come into the house, who my dogs knew, to take care of them in the morning. What a relief for me to know that the loves of my life were going to be okay and cared for.

I don’t know what would have happened if

iking Mt. Fuji is not a great accomplishment. When you do it, old Japanese ladies—who do it once a week for leisure—pass you by, giggling. You hike Mt. Fuji the way you tour the Colosseum in Rome. Anyone can do it, but not everyone has been. So you do it to say you’ve been.

I have proof that I’ve been. It’s a lava rock from the very top of Fuji-san. A quarter-pound chunk of volcano vomit that I learned, after I had brought it home, was bad luck.

I was telling this story to my friend Jen, a beautiful young woman totally devoted to the healing arts and making the world a better place. Jen is not a liberal. Jen is not a progressive. Jen is a utopian.

“Apologize to the mountain and let it know the rock is in good hands. You’ve been proud to have it. You’ve been taking good care of it.

And you want permission to keep it. Maybe even one day you’ll return it,” Jen said. “But you have to go back to that moment when you took it.”

Our group of 10 expatriates began the Fuji climb at 11 p.m. It’s the recommended way

to climb Fuji-san. Because leaving the base station at 11 p.m. allows you to get to the top of Fuji right at sunrise. It also makes the hike up one of the most aesthetic nighttime experiences imaginable.

Far outside the Tokyo-Yokohama skyline, nearly 13,000 feet in the air, Fuji is the Hubble Telescope of earth-bound stargazing.

Never before had I seen so many stars so crystalline. But what drew my attention for most of the hike upward was not the amazing sky. It was the clouds underneath.

About two hours into the hike, we were well above cloudline. And our group noticed a strange triangular dark spot on the clouds below. Some loose references were made to it along the way, but none of us knew what it was we were seeing. After all, it was much easier to focus upward into the mystery of the galaxy than ponder some bizarre cloud formation down below.

A few more hours into the hike, oxygen began to thin. While there were no treacherous moments, taking seven steps, then five steps, then three steps in a row became a challenge.

A break was needed.

My buddy Mike, a sweet-natured Texan, stood about 6-foot-3 and needed the break the most. He pulled off his backpack, he sat down next to his fiancée Kara, and he looked up at the sky.

“Oh. It’s a full moon tonight. That’s why we’re seeing the shape,” Mike said.

ERIC VALENTINE

No one said a word, but everyone looked around, as this silent haiku hit the collective unconscious: TRIANGULAR SHAPE. FULL MOON, ON A VOLCANO. SEE THE CLOUDS BELOW. “Holy crap, Mike!” I said.

“Yeah, that triangle we’ve been looking at is Fuji’s shadow,” Mike said coolly.

“Holy crap, Mike!” I said.

I think that when we die, for a second we’re still alive. And during that second, I believe our mind pulls above our body—knowing exactly where we are, knowing exactly where we’re going, knowing exactly content.

That’s how we felt on Fuji-san at that moment. Our bodies and minds, at rest. The subtle cues of ambivalent nature revealing themselves in the silence of the world, where freedom lies and creativity is born.

And for the first time in our 20-something years of life, we knew exactly where we were.

Wood River Weekly

MONEY MATTERS

•

December 30, 2020 - January 12, 2021

KRISTIN HOVENCAMP

Mad Money

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By Kristin Hovencamp

hen I first started investing, I set up a small speculative trading fund, separate from my savings and retirement accounts, otherwise known as a “Mad Money” account.

It was the mid-’90s and telecom and dotcom stocks were taking off. I was not concerned with price/earnings ratios, market capitalization, profit and loss, or if the company would ever be profitable. My personal goal was to spot trends and pick stocks that were potentially on the rise. Unintentionally, it became a hands-on way to learn the trials and tribulations of investing without touching my savings.

Whether you are an experienced investor or dipping your toe in for the first time, opening a Mad Money account allows you to make speculative bets. Speculating can be fascinating, and it can be a lot of fun, as Benjamin Graham observed in his classic book The Intelligent Investor.

If you want to try your luck at it: • •

•

• •

Create a separate investment account. Set up an account independent of your main portfolio.

Determine what percentage of your capital you are willing to invest. I based my decision on how much money I could afford to lose altogether. Author and Wall Street Journal columnist Jason Zweig uses the analogy of a gambler who prevents himself from gambling all his money away by putting a strict limit on what he is willing to lose at the casino.

Choose a sector or theme, and strategy that interests you. Your goal might be to invest in hot growth stocks or uncover undervalued companies. Maybe you have always wanted to trade options.

Put the money to work at your own pace. There is no rush to invest.

Once established, refrain from adding cash to the fund. Apply your strategy within the limits of your account size. I suggest you periodically trim your gains, cut your losses, and rebalance your positions as needed.

A Mad Money account is an imaginative way to make speculative trades that would otherwise be crazy mad. Do your research, trust your intuition, and try your hand at being a fund manager. Most importantly, track your wins and losses so you can learn from the experience!

Kristin Hovencamp is an Investment Executive and Director of Business Development with HAZLETT WEALTH MANAGEMENT, LLC, which 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. All investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal amount invested. No investing strategy, including asset allocation, diversification, rebalancing or dollar cost averaging, can guarantee your objectives will be met. Rebalancing a non-retirement account could be a taxable event that may increase your tax liability. 675 Sun Valley Road, Suite J1 + J2 Ketchum, Idaho 83340 208.726.0605.

HazlettWealthManagement.com

SCIENCE OF PLACE

HANNES THUM

Dark To Light

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BY HANNES THUM

am writing this as the sun rises on the day of the winter solstice, the astronomical event that marks the moment when the Northern Hemisphere is angled as far away from the sun as it is pointed at any time in the year. This geometric alignment, rooted in the way that our planet’s axis has a tilt to it, also brings with it the longest night and the shortest day of the year for all residents, both human and non-human, of these northern latitudes.

Our ancestors, if you went back enough generations, would have been well aware of the cycles of lightness and darkness throughout the year, and would have very much taken note of the solstices. It might be hard for us to picture nowadays, but before the advent of ubiquitous artificial lighting and reliable home heating and readily available food shipped to us from around the world, people would have been very in touch with the harshness of the dark days of winter.

Humans are an adaptable species, but darkness has never been our friend.

We have long associated the black of night with shades of fear and danger—it’s when the sun goes down that we are at our most vulnerable. The long nights and short days of winter impose a heavy tax on our warm-blooded bodies, on our high-caloric-demand diets, and on our minds which, though tuned to be predators of some creatures, are still very much wired to fear those more able predators that have long considered us prey.

After the solstice, the days will grow longer and the nights will grow shorter in small increments—by the time these words are printed next week, our days will have already lengthened some three or four minutes.

And though the majority of winter is yet to come, there is hope in the fact that we as a northern community are tilting back toward the sun.

As long as life has existed on this planet, the turning of the corner toward lengthening days and more sunshine would have been something to celebrate, indeed. Light is, after all, the basic source of energy for life as we know it.

Recently, I found myself outside after dark, far from the lights of my home and of town. We often mark the solstice with fire, burning piles of slash left over from the woodcuts of autumn—an acknowledgment of the light that will return and of the way that, even in the heart of winter’s darkness, there is energy stored in the cells of tissues grown in summer.

A release of a bit of stored solar energy to remind us that the world will brighten again in time.

Above us, silently shining bright in the cold, clear night, we could see Vega, Cassiopea, and Andromeda, hanging like tiny jewels above the hills—themselves their own pinpricks of light in the darkness. Even in our modern era, the solstice reminds us of things, like the balance between darkness and light, that our lives are still dictated by.

9

INSPIRATIONS FROM MY HEART

DOVE

Things Are Not Always What They Seem to Be

The gift of this season is that it does make room for magic to happen, particularly the energy of the children. Their anticipation fills space with the expectation of something wonderful. This is an amazing way to be.

I look at the faces of my grandchildren and they sparkle with the unexpected. I try to adopt the magic of their energy, to anticipate the next unexpected moment. What wonderful thing has the potential to happen? If I think things will always remain as they are, then that is what I will get. But, if I stop and take a look at the bigger picture, I can see the diamonds in the snow. Are they really diamonds?

Not really, but as water, they will be more valuable than diamonds.

I take time to feel the love I create within by baking delicious goodies for those I love and even some I don’t know I love yet. The joy of creating fills me with laughter. I always promise myself I will not cook from necessity, only from joy. This makes the food amazing and nutritional. I know that it is a gift to have the space to create this way.

I was out walking this week and I was filled the feeling of just being. I compared the peace I felt being to the energy I so often experience of doing, and the moment of energy I experienced as being was truly magical. I made the decision to stop spending so much time doing and equal time being. The peace was most soothing.

Look at your life and see where you can remove the doing for the joy of being. Talk to the trees, thank them for their service; talk to the rocks, they love being held by humans. Greet the birds in the morning and, of course, wake up every day and shout, “I love you! I love you! I love you!“ to your house, pets, partner, your guardian angels and nature.

My husband and I do this every morning and you would be surprised at how loved this makes you feel. It is a lovely way to start the day.

Stop, be aware of what you feel and the energy you put out. It is more important to be conscious of what you are putting out than just doing the same old routine energy pattern because it feels necessary. Ask yourself, Is this really important?

There is a saying that goes like this: ”Nothing that is important is ever urgent and something that is urgent is never important.” Take the time for self this season and find your own magic elixir. You deserve it. Give a gift to someone you don’t know and pray for peace within.

Much love, Dove

ON LIFE’S TERMS

JOELLEN COLLINS

ANTICIPATION

A

By JoEllen Collins

wash with positive predictions for this coming year, most publications feature analyses of what we can anticipate in the coming months. As an inveterate optimist, I, too, look forward to the prospect of healthier, less-politically divisive, and more financially stable times.

A realist knows these ideals will be difficult to realize but nonetheless hopes that somehow the lessons (like patience) we have learned during this tumultuous 2020 will help us achieve part or most of these goals. These include, I believe and will work hard to achieve, a better respect for our teachers, health workers and so many other people who get us through tough times; our grocers and staffs, postal and delivery people (please, no complaints about late Christmas presents this year, especially as some families can’t afford the simplest tokens from Santa Claus).

Usually, people celebrate the promises of a new year, like being in love and having the secret that you will soon meet for a time together, the kind of anticipation that shows in a wry smile on one’s face. When the reunion occurs, one’s dreams may be realized. (It is no accident that the countdown to the New Year ends with a kiss.) This year, however, being with a loved one, whether romantic or a dear friend or family member, may be not only difficult but impossible, due to financial or health considerations.

A COVID-19 image burned into me this year has been that of people dying without a loved one present, the ultimate loneliness.

When my mother lay dying at the age of 59, as devastating as that was for me, I was able to whisper in her ear that she was the best mother that I could ever wish for. Since that time, as many of you know, I have found another wonderful family in Oklahoma, with a birth mother whose existence I never experienced. I wish I could JoEllen Collins—a longtime have met her before she passed, to tell her that I honor her and resident of the Wood River have lived a wonderful life, beloved by my adoptive family. Sim- Valley— is an Idaho Press ple, in-person messages like these are what I most miss. I have Club award-winning columsome friends and family who are suffering with deadly illnesses. nist, a teacher, writer, fabric artist, choir member and How I wish I could get on a plane and visit and hug.

However, just as we need to adjust to perhaps unexpected or unabashedly proud grandma known as “Bibi Jo.” unpleasantly different possible events, whether political, societal or personal in 2021, we can keep the kind of spirit that flourishes even when we are away from those we cherish.

I now send New Year’s cards instead of Christmas cards. This year I am including in them a passage from Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass:

Will you seek far off?

You surely come back at last, In things best known to you finding the best, or as good as the best, in folks nearest you.

Finding the sweetest, strongest, lovingest, Happiness, knowledge, Not in another place but in this place.

`Not for another hour but this hour.

May this hour and many more fulfill your positive anticipations.

10

Wood River Weekly Wood River Weekly •

• November 18 - December 1, 2020 December 30, 2020 - January 12, 2021

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Wood River Weekly

NEWS

•

December 30, 2020 - January 12, 2021

Whitelaw Wins Coach Of The Year Award

IN BRIEF

Sun Valley Community School’s soccer coach Richard Whitelaw has been selected as a 2020 National Coach of the Year for High School Boys in the private school category by United Soccer Coaches. Awardees will be recognized at the 2021 United Soccer Coaches Digital Convention on Jan. 13, 2021. Founded in 1941 and based in Kansas City, Mo., United Soccer Coaches has grown into the world’s largest soccer coaches’ organization that serves members at every level of the game.

“Richard is an excellent soccer coach, but more importantly, he is a relentlessly kind, humble, and dedicated mentor and educator. He is also an incredible ambassador and representative of our school.

We are more than lucky to have him serving as our athletic director and soccer coach. We are thrilled for his steadfast contributions and successes to be recognized with this award,” said SVCS Head of School Sun Valley Community School soccer coach and athletic director Richard Whitelaw.

Ben Pettiit.

Whitelaw also serves as the school’s Director of Ath- Photo credit: Sun Valley Community School letics, a post he’s held since 2011. He’s been the head boys’ soccer coach since 1992 and a member of United Soccer Coaches since 1989.

Whitelaw led Sun Valley Community School to its third consecutive Idaho Class 3A State Championship this season, finishing the year at 9-3 overall. It was the fifth state championship overall for him (2020, 2019, 2018, 1992, 1999). He has now led his teams to 16 district titles and earned State Coach of the Year honors for the fifth time. His career record in 29 years now stands at 360-135-40.

11

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 10

Healthcare Providers Applaud Downward COVID-19 Trend

South Central Public Health District (SCPHD), St. Luke’s Health System and others are joining together to thank residents who have helped slow the spread of disease in our communities and alleviate some of the pressure on our healthcare system. Case rates in December have declined across most of the district, but are still high compared to summer and spring months.

Hospitals in south-central Idaho are also reporting improvement in their overall impact from COVID-19, including a reduced number of COVID-19 cases requiring hospitalization over the last two weeks and fewer staff members forced to stay home after exposure to the virus.

“The first three weeks in December had more than three times the number of cases in September and earlier months. Obviously, we aren’t out of the woods yet but this shows that working together we can slow the spread of this disease and protect lives,” said Josh Jensen, SCPHD Ppogram manager.

Local hospitals warn the strain on emergency rooms is often higher around the holidays because of accidents, holiday stress, and winter conditions. It’s important to keep beds open and hospital staff available to handle the holiday patient needs. Watching our distance, wearing masks, and washing our hands are simple steps to keep case rates low and get our hospitals back to regular operating conditions.

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See answer on page 10

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

Cloudy 20%

high 26º

low 19º WEDNESDAY

Partly Cloudy 25%

high 29º low 10º THURSDAY

Partly Cloudy 15%

high 27º low 18º FRIDAY

PM Snow Showers 40%

high 31º low 25º SATURDAY

Snow 70%

high 34º low 17º SUNDAY

Snow Showers 55%

high 29º low 23º MONDAY

Snow Showers 55%

high 30º low 16º TUESDAY

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16

Wood River Weekly

•

March 4 - 10, 2020

ATKINSONS’ Market

ATKINSONS’ Market

HAPPY NEW YEAR’

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