WRW 8 MARCH 2023

WOOD RIVER WEEKLY

“Where flowers bloom, so does hope.” – Lady

ORNAMENTAL YEW PLANTS CAN KILL WILDLIFE, PETS, AND HUMANS What To Know

By HAYDEN SEDER

The recent deaths of four elk and one moose from yew poisoning have reinvigorated efforts by Blaine County, the cities of Ketchum and Hailey, and the Idaho Department of Fish and Game to educate the public on this dangerous ornamental plant and how to identify and remove it.

“The recent poisoning deaths of local wildlife is another wake-up call and a call to action to prevent further loss,” said Ketchum Mayor Neil Bradshaw. “This is a problem we can fix through learning how to identify the yew tree and then taking the necessary steps to ensure the removal of the toxic plant.”

Wildlife poisoning by yew has been a problem in Blaine County for years, but the deaths of a herd of 12 or so elk in the Hailey Cemetery in December of 2015 by yew poisoning prompted the Board of County Commissioners to pass County Ordinance 2016-01 in March of 2016, declaring Japanese, European or English, and Chinese yew and their hybrids as noxious weeds, prohibiting their sale, planting and possession.

Despite the enforcement of this ordinance for seven years, ornamental yew still poses a threat to local wildlife. While some may be quick to blame newcomers to the area, Idaho Fish and Game Regional Communications Manager for the Magic Valley Region, Terry Thompson, explained that the majority of yew they find are mature plants that have been in the ground for years. “I think it’s easy to blame the new people,” said Thompson. “But it’s everyone. The goal isn’t to point fingers; we just need to get people educated across the board. The solution is simple: getting rid of the plant.”

As a drought-tolerant, low-water plant, yew is often used in landscaping. And while local landscaping companies are aware of the ordinance prohibiting the planting of yew, there is nothing to prevent someone in Blaine County from driving to Twin Falls or Boise and buying yew plants at a garden center and planting them at their home or business. Since yew does not grow naturally nor reproduces in this landscape, any local instances of the plant are completely landscaped and brought in. While the county’s ordinance gives local authorities the right to issue citations—though they have not chosen to do so at this time—it does not give Fish and Game the authority to issue citations, as there is no state law governing the planting of yew.

Since it ultimately comes down to the local level, the Idaho Department of Fish and Game has been increasing education efforts, particularly to the cities of Ketchum and Hailey and the county. In 2022 and 2023, Idaho Fish and Game provided training to city and county employees who are out and about in the community in the regular course of their jobs—people from the assessor’s office, compliance officers, or police officers. “The more people we can get trained to identify the plant who are out and about, the better,” said Thompson.

Fish and Game also held a one-hour presentation for the public on February 28 at The Community Library in Ketchum to educate on yew poisoning and identifying the plant. There were branches of yew at the presentation for people to pick up, look over, and take pictures of to have as a visual reference. Yew, unfortunately, cannot be identified by shape, since some people prune them into highly sculpted, small round bushes while other bushes are allowed to grow to heights of 8 to 10 feet. It is only by needle characteristics that the plant, which

looks similar to other local conifers, can be identified. Thompson himself has a paid-for app on his phone for identifying plants, which has reliably identified yew, though he says that free plant-identifying apps are less consistent, so he advises reaching out to city and county officials or Blaine County’s Noxious Weed program to have trained staff come and identify the plant.

“It’s up to each person to inspect their own properties and identify it and remove it,” said Thompson, “because this is, ultimately an issue that will be resolved by the cities and the county.”

And lest you think that yew plants can only kill wildlife, the toxic plant has the potential to kill pets, children, and adults—anything that ingests it. Idaho Fish and Game’s botanist says that the first sign of yew poisoning is death; death from ingestion typically occurs in less than an hour and there is no antidote to yew poisoning. “It’s toxic to basically everything,” said Thompson. “If a dog was to chew on a twig, a person was to eat one of the red berries and crunch up a seed in the berry… one to two seeds can kill a child, three to five seeds can kill an adult. I think one of the main misconceptions is that it’s only toxic to wildlife.”

Whether you think you may have yew planted or not, take the time to look over and identify all of the plants in your landscaping—many yew plants were planted years ago. To report yew sightings anonymously, visit Blaine County’s website’s Noxious Weeds section. Here you will also find more information on yew. If you find yew on your property, it can be disposed of free of charge at the Ohio Gulch Transfer Station but must be separated from other yard debris. If you are unsure if you have a yew plant, please call city or county officials to come and identify the plant.

Bird Johnson

50 grams of yew: this is an example of the small amount of yew that it takes to kill an adult human or a mature elk/ moose/deer. For scale, that is a measuring cup (1 cup). Photo credit: Idaho Fish and Game

Yew with berry: many times you can find these distinctive berries on a yew (the highly toxic single seed is inside the aril [berry]). The female plants will have the berry, the male plants will have small brownish berries which produce the pollen. Photo credit: Idaho Fish and Game

PRODIGIOUS PICKLEBALL PLANS

Pickleball a year-round sport in Wood River Valley

By LEE SPONAUGLE, PRESIDENT, WRPA

The Wood River Pickleball Alliance (WRPA), with over 500 email members in the Wood River Valley, has recently unveiled a brand new website (www.woodriverpickleball.org) which offers locals and visitors alike everything they need to know about playing pickleball, from where and when to play in the Valley, rules and regulations regarding the sport, as well as upcoming events and activities. The WRPA’s mission is to “build community through the sport of pickleball.”

This upcoming 2023 season will be a big one for the WRPA, with ambitious plans to bring a national pickleball tournament to the Valley for the first time. Such an event could boast up to 150 players from around the world, competing at both the amateur and professional level. The WRPA is hard at work scouting possible locations for this event.

In addition to a national tournament, the WRPA will kick off the outdoor season with a spring opening party near the beginning of May, including a hometown barbecue, raffle for the latest pickleball paddles and accessories, an exhibition match with resident pros, and a local Ketchum round-robin, location TBA. The WRPA is also planning “team play” where each location and/or club in the Valley can sponsor a team for rotating matches, including potential teams representing Atkinson Park, Sun Valley, Elkhorn, The Valley Club, and Gravity Fitness & Tennis.

For enthusiasts looking to play during the winter, the WRPA and Gravity Fitness & Tennis in Hailey (www.gravityfitness-tennis.com) have partnered to offer four indoor pickleball courts, with an unlimited $60/month membership and unlimited free guests during the months of March and April. With a cold Ketchum winter lingering, along with BCRD, players now have an additional space for anyone to play indoor pickleball.

The lining “party” lasted about two hours, with players immediately taking the court.

As almost everyone who has picked up a pickleball paddle can quickly demonstrate, the sport is easy to learn, very social and is highly addictive. Pickleball is exploding across the U.S. with more than 36 million players that played at least once last year. Support from celebrities including LeBron James, Tom Brady and Super Bowl winning quarterback Patrick Mahomes, as well as many other professional athletes and celebrities, has also helped put the sport on the map. Pickleball is also attracting a new wave of sponsors, including Holland America, Anheuser-Busch, Skechers and Carvana all signing pickleball deals (CNBC).

Pickleball professionals at the top of the game are now receiving substantial dollar sponsorship packages, making this a legitimate career path for the new wave of young players. There are approximately 45,000 courts at over 10,000 locations in the U.S. alone, with new courts being built at a record rate.

Pickleball has been around for over 55 years, the first court “built” on Bainbridge Island, Washington. Its popularity has exploded in the Wood River Valley in recent years.

Facilities, however, have become much more sophisticated in the last decade, both indoor and out, offering tournaments, clinics, exhibitions and multiday training events.

As with anything, however, there are growing pains, even in the Wood River Valley, with the WRPA recently lobbying the Ketchum City Council for more permanently surfaced courts at Atkinson Park, with both pickleball and tennis players on hand to show their enthusiastic support for their sports. The City Council tabled the measure for the time being, but gave support for improved pickleball lines on the mixed-use court as well as lowering the east-side fence and constructing a waiting player and spectator patio.

The Wood River Valley Pickleball Alliance is now offering a yearly paid membership (go to www.woodriverpickleball. org and click on “join”). For a small fee ($25 for supporting members and $100

WRPA Board Director Adam Taylor and others playing at Gravity Fitness & Tennis. Photo courtesy of the Wood River Pickleball Association

WRPA Ambassador Tom Bowman shown above overseeing the lining of pickleball courts at Gravity Fitness & Tennis. Photo courtesy of the Wood River Pickleball Association

World’s first pickleball court on Bainbridge Island, Washington. Photo courtesy of the Wood River Pickleball Association

WRW STAFF

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CONTACT

Wood River Weekly

P.O. Box 3483 Hailey, Idaho 83333 (208) 788-4789 woodriverweekly.com

John Van Donge Managing Director/Investments jvd@stifel.com

Stifel is excited to welcome John Van Donge, Managing Director/Investments, to our Ketchum office. John joined Stifel in 2014 and had previously worked in our Santa Barbara office. He and his family have been part-time residents of Sun Valley for 10 years and have finally made Ketchum home.

John takes a holistic, deeply personalized approach to helping ultra-high-net-worth individuals and families as they endeavor to grow, mitigate risk to, and transfer their wealth. John may be reached via e-mail at jvd@stifel.com or by phone at (208) 622-8730.

111 N. Main, 3rd Floor, Suite B | P.O. Box 5389 | Ketchum, Idaho 83340 Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated | Member SIPC & NYSE | www.stifel.com

Spayed Female 2 Years Old

Pearl is a sleek, almost twoyear-old, cat-friendly girl looking for her forever home.

“Pearl is a sweetie - she’s very chatty and purrs up a storm.” says her foster, who cared for Pearl and her litter when she was a mama. Pearl’s babies are adopted, she’s more than ready for her forever home.

SAMMY SMITH ON HER WAY TO THE WORLD CUP

Smith to race with Team USA in Norway, Sweden, Estonia, and Finland

un Valley Ski Education Foundation Cross Country Comp Team member Sammy Smith is heading to the World Cup. Smith, who recently competed in the Junior World Championships in Whistler, Canada, was nominated to represent the U.S. Ski Team in four World Cup sprints in March. This opportunity will override Smith’s original plans to race at the Opa Cup Finals in Italy, which take place

“With strong racing at World Juniors and a second-place qualifier in the Minneapolis SuperTour, Sammy Smith has been awarded Sprint starts in the remaining World Cup competitions,” said Chris Mallory, SVSEF XC Gold Team head coach. “As one of the youngest Americans to ever start a World Cup, she’s beyond excited to dip her toe into World Cup racing and learn from our strong women’s team.”

The day after Sammy was offered the World Cup spots, she walked into the Lake Creek hut for training and her smile said it all. “She was grinning from ear to ear,” said Becky Woods, SVSEF crosscountry program director. “Her goal this season has been to qualify to ski in the World Cup and now it is in front of her. The opportunity to be around the best skiers in the world and live, train, and race with the likes of Jessie Diggins is a dream come true. So.. off she goes to compete for the U.S. Cross-Country Ski Team!”

Smith will be competing in four sprint World Cup races, the first will be a classic sprint in Drammen, Norway, on March 14. From there the team will head to Falun, Sweden; then Tallinn, Estonia; Competing at this level is not new to Smith, who also represented Team USA at the U17 World Junior Soccer Championships in India this past fall.

“It takes a special talent to be able to compete at the highest level in two sports—especially given the differences in soccer and crosscountry skiing,” said Woods. “I have been with Sammy enough to know that she is a special athlete. Her ability to prioritize training for both sports, and her laser focus when she is competing in each discipline, is incredible. She has big aspirations and we’re behind her all the way to go for it!”

Sammy Smith at the 2023 Junior World Championships.

Photo credit: Raphael Payo

Pickleball

for founding members), members will receive first access to tournaments, training, clinics, official pickleball ratings, discounts on paddles, balls and accessories, a WRPA bag tag and regular “dinks & drinks” social events.

Anyone with questions for the WRPA can email woodriverpickleball@gmail.com or go to www.woodriverpickleball.org and click on the QUESTION? button.

About Wood River Valley Pickleball Alliance

The Wood River Valley Pickleball Alliance was founded in 2019 as a welcoming, volunteer-friendly organization to build community through the sport of pickleball. The alliance is a nonprofit 501(c) (3) corporation and governed by a dedicated volunteer board of directors. Activities include promoting the pickleball communities of Ketchum, Sun Valley, Elkhorn, mid-Valley, Hailey and Bellevue, providing an authoritative body to govern and promote a code of conduct and enhancing the pickleball experience through social, educational and competitive events. For additional information, contact Lee Sponaugle at woodriverpickleball@gmail.com.

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UpcomingClasses

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Little Valley Complex in St. George, Utah. Photo credit: Google Maps

Don’t Forget St. Paddy’s

Volunteers Needed for U.S. Alpine National Championships at Sun Valley Resort

SUN VALLEY, Idaho – March 6, 2023– The U.S. Alpine National Championships are returning to Sun Valley, ID April 1-5, for the third time in seven years. Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation (SVSEF) is seeking nearly 200 volunteers to support the event between March 31 and April 5 across a wide spectrum of positions.

“We are honored that our community has the opportunity to host another U.S. Alpine National Championships,” said Wally Rothgeb, Chairman of the Organizing Committee for U.S. Alpine Championship. “Volunteers are the heartbeat of a successfully run event and we are grateful to everyone who can spare some time to lend a hand during event week.”

Those interested in volunteering are encouraged to review all posted positions and join the volunteer crew for one or more shifts as available. Volunteers will receive a one-day Sun Valley lift ticket voucher valid through 12/30/2024 for each shift completed. Lunch will be provided only during shifts where noted, and when shift hours are continuous from the morning to the afternoon through the lunch hour.

Volunteer opportunities include information booth and hospitality, opening ceremony, bib collection, wax room security, parking attendants and crowd control, and more. All general volunteer positions are available now for sign-up at svsef.org.

Qualified course crew volunteers will be vetted through the Course Crew Volunteer Request online form at svsef.org. Volunteer applicants will be contacted with further details per the form.

The U.S. Alpine National Championships hosts an estimated 150 elite-level athletes from across the United States, competing to see who is best in the country across three disciplines. Over the course of four days, the event will host one race each for both men and women in Super G (SG), Giant Slalom (GS), and Slalom (SL). All athletes in attendance will have qualified to compete at the Alpine Championships from the Western, Eastern, and Rocky/Central Regions of U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association.

“It is critical that we fulfill all volunteer needs to execute the different aspects of the event at the highest level,” said Rothgeb. “We have the best of the best traveling here to compete and we want everyone’s experience, racers and spectators alike, to be nothing less than extraordinary.”

If you are interested in volunteering and being a part of this incredible event, please follow the link below to secure your spot.

For all U.S. Alpine National Championships volunteer questions, or for more information about volunteering, please contact Volunteer Coordinator, Cyndi Terry, at SVAlpineChamps@gmail.com.

RED, Directed by Claudia McCain

Playwright John Logan tells the story of master abstract expressionist Mark Rothko who has just landed the biggest commission in the history of modern art, a series of murals for New York’s famed Four Seasons Restaurant.

In the two fascinating years that follow, Rothko works feverishly with his young assistant, Ken, in his studio on the Bowery. But when Ken gains the confidence to challenge him, Rothko faces the agonizing possibility that his crowning achievement could also become his undoing. Raw and provocative, RED is a searing portrait of an artist’s ambition and vulnerability as he tries to create a definitive work for an extraordinary setting.

Tickets are available at LibertyTheatreCompany.org, or call 208-582-8388.

Sun Valley Resort 2023 Golf Season Passes On Sale Now

Sun Valley Resort’s season pass options for its award-winning golf facilities are now on sale for the upcoming 2023 season. Seven different pass options of varying prices and access levels are available for purchase online at sunvalley.com. Spring sale pricing is available now through May 31 and prices will increase June 1 for the remainder of the season.

Sun Valley’s signature course, Trail Creek, was most recently recognized by Golf Digest as one of the top 75 resort courses in North America. An 18-hole championship course designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr., this course spans a sweeping 6,968 yards and provides a challenging round of golf for every level of player. The alpine links-style nine-hole White Clouds course offers 3,600 yards of play, with 360-degree views of the Wood River Valley. Sun Valley’s third course, Elkhorn, boasts 7,214 yards with over 100 sand traps and bunkers, with views of the Elkhorn hillsides and the White Clouds golf course.

WRHS Annual Senior Bash

Wood River High School will host its annual Senior Bash for the Class of 2023 on June 9 and is seeking donations for goods and services for prizes for graduates.

Now spanning more than two decades, this event hosts all Blaine County School District senior graduates (Wood River High School, Carey High School, and Silver Creek High School) for a safe and sober evening that is community-supported and entirely volunteer-run. The Senior Bash Committee welcomes and depends upon the support of community businesses and individuals to ensure this beloved evening is safe, fun, and engaging for the Class of 2023, also the largest to graduate from Wood River High School in school history.

There are several ways to help, and the committee welcomes them all: donating goods or services from your business or prizes the graduates can win at the Bash; sponsoring one or more students at $150/student; making any in-kind or cash contribution to support the event; or Venmo @Wrhs-Seniorbash. Please reach out

to Denise Ford at (208) 721-0987 or Heidi Pietsch at (208) 720-5994 or email the committee at wrseniorbash@gmail.com for questions and/or donations. All donations are tax-deductible and the committee treasurer will return a tax receipt. Click on the QR code to donate or visit the donation page: http://bit.ly/3SzTtw5. You can also follow them on Facebook @WRHS Senior Bash 2023.

About the Senior Bash

The Senior Bash is modeled after Project Graduation, a nationally recognized substance-free event designed to provide high school graduates with a safe alternative to celebrating their special graduation night. For more than two decades, Blaine County parents have organized the Senior Bash, benefiting our youth, schools, and community. The event runs from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. on the night of graduation.

Adicoff and Wood - First Two Silvers at 2023 U.S. Para Nordic World Cup

SUN VALLEY, Idaho – March 3, 2023 – Two days into the 2023 U.S. Para Nordic World Cup at Soldier Hollow in Midway, UT and SVSEF XC Gold Team and U.S. Para Nordic Team member Jake Adicoff with guide Sam Wood have two silver medals around their necks. The World Cup races continue at Soldier Hollow through March 8.

In the sprint race on March 1, Adicoff and Wood skied themselves through the heats into a second-place finish in the A final, just behind the Swedish team of Zebastian Modin with guide D. Richardsson who claimed the gold.

“Yeah, pretty tight turnaround from a race in Switzerland over the weekend, and the classic sprint was pretty grueling,” said Adicoff. “But we turned it around and skied a competitive race in the 5k. Fun to be back with the para team, and really awesome to race at such an iconic venue so close to home.”

On day two, the dynamic duo found themselves on the podium again, claiming the silver in a fast and furious 5-kilometer freestyle race. Sweden’s Modin again claimed the gold, USA’s Adicoff and Wood in second, followed in third by Germany’s Nico Messinger with guide R. Wunderle.

“Jake knows the courses well at Soho and has recently competed in a few marathons in Central Europe, so he’s feeling good about his race endurance going into the 20km freestyle on March 8th,” said SVSEF XC Gold Team Head Coach, Chris Mallory. “We can’t wait to see what happens!”

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Sam Wood & Jake Adicoff. Photo credit: Brennan Smith

THE “WEEKLY” FISHING REPORT FOR MARCH 8 - 21 FROM PICABO ANGLER

There are just over three weeks left remaining of our winter fishing season, so get out there and enjoy some March Madness!

We are thankful for the recent snowfalls (we’ll take some more!) that translate into much needed water for all of us in the Valley.

Fishing on the open portion of Silver Creek can be excellent under the right conditions. Expect to see significant midge and BWO activity during the latter part of this month. Until the bugs really get going, fishing with small leeches and streamers has been productive.

The Big Wood will come into its own during the rest of this month. Look for midge activity to steadily increase and keep an eye out for tiny winter black stones. A size 16–20 black Copper John or black Pheasant Tail is a great imitation of these bugs. Standard nymphs like Rubber Legs, Girdle Bugs, Rainbow Warriors and Zebra Midges are all highly effective. The dry-fly activity will typically start around lunchtime and last well into the afternoon hours.

There are a limited number of days to fish our tailwaters right now. The South Fork of the Boise will be closed in a few weeks, so if you want to get your casts in down there, you better go soon. The lower Big Lost River is going to be limited soon, too, although it remains open year-round; the reservoir storage space needs to be emptied so we expect flows to start increasing beyond a point of good fishing soon. All the same flies and techniques you use on the Big Wood will work just fine on the South Fork and the Big Lost.

We’ve got plenty of great spring fly patterns in the shop, so come and pay us a visit!

Happy fishing, everyone!

COMMENTARY THE SOCIAL DOG

By Fran Jewell

Most of us realize that teaching our dog to “come” is extremely important, especially in this area where dogs are allowed, many times of the year, to run free on Forest Service land (except during the summer) and on many trails. Due to the active lifestyle here, our dogs go with us everywhere.

Contrary to popular belief, a dog running free is not a God-given right of every dog. As a responsible dog owner, we need to understand that for the safety of other people and dogs, and the safety of our own dog, he must have a 100 percent recall. An 80 percent “come” command is not acceptable if your dog is going to be off leash. I hear often that, “My dog comes extremely well, except when there is a distraction!” That is not a reliable or extremely good “come” command and will eventually get that dog into trouble, either with wildlife, a disabled person with an invisible disability, or another dog.

Everyone has the right to be on the trails, but dogs must EARN the right to run free safely and responsibly.

A dog that is well-trained with a 100 percent recall can come in a second even in the face of ANY distraction. If your dog is not friendly with other dogs and he has a recall that is rock solid, he should be able to return to his owner when told to, regardless of anything. This, by itself, can prevent unwanted confrontations with other dogs, or people, or even wildlife. Even if YOUR dog may be friendly, it doesn’t mean another dog is. Having a friendly dog is NOT an excuse for having a poor recall.

It does take training to get to this point. Training should start the minute a dog or puppy comes home. Waiting until your pup is six months old or even after his shots are done can make the process so much harder. You must be determined to practice and RE -

SCIENCE OF PLACE

QUIRE “come” for the first year in all situations. Setting your dog up for success is hard, but planning ahead can get you there.

It is important to remember that when a puppy reaches about 19 weeks old, he is programmed by Mother Nature to follow the leader. That means that you might think your pup has a perfect “come.” At that golden age of 19 weeks (give or take), pups developmentally begin to gain confidence and independence. Almost always a pup will start looking at you when you say “come,” then continue on his quest for that special aroma or dog friend they have found. If you are not prepared with a game plan to require “come,” then the pup learns he doesn’t have to come if there is a distraction. Now you have begun a slippery slope of an unreliable “come” command.

Not only must you have a back-up plan on

how to get your dog back once you call him, you must be consistent every time, especially during that first year. This means everywhere, including in the house, in the backyard, on a walk down the street, and so on. You must be consistent and require that your dog “come.”

A 100 percent “come” command can get your dog out of trouble on so many levels. It should be a priority for you to train for the safety and wellbeing of your dog and you! Train. Run. Come.

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.

MY LIFE AS ANOTHER

BY HANNES THUM

Some years ago, I began to hear about an author named Joe Hutto who had written several books documenting his time living amongst wild animals. As I began to track down some of his writing, I found it fascinating to learn that he had lived for long periods of time with, for instance, mule deer, bighorn sheep, and even wild turkeys.

I ended up watching (and re-watching, many times) a PBS Nature episode about Hutto and the year or so that he spent living with a couple dozen wild turkeys in the remote woods of Florida. The Nature episode is called “My Life as a Turkey” and if there’s one thing that I can say about it, it is this: it completely upended my perspective on humans and the way that we study other animals.

It certainly shook up my understanding of how much I do not know about this world.

“My Life as a Turkey” and the book that he wrote about the same time period, called “Illumination in the Flatwoods,” tells the story of how Hutto spent a year living in a cabin in the wilds of Florida with a group of turkeys that he raised from eggs. During that year, his relationship with the turkeys was so immersive and so complete that he interacted with no other human and spent virtually all of his waking hours (and some of his sleeping hours) in the presence of these turkeys, exploring the woods together.

It’s hard for me to put my own words into a description of what seems to have taken place during his year with turkeys, but it seems fair to say that Hutto broke down more of the barriers between two species than most of us would have imagined possible. To say that the family of turkeys accepted him as one of their own is probably a close description of what occurred, but even that statement fails to convey the uniqueness of this way of studying nature.

To hear the way Hutto describes that time, or his time with other species in other locations, is to really question what it is we do or do not know about how animals behave. Or what is on their minds.

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The science of animal behavior is called ethology. And there’s a term that often comes up in ethology called “umwelt” – the concept of umwelt essentially describes how another animal experiences the world around it, and the implication is that we can never fully understand another’s full experience.

One of the more powerful statements that Hutto relays has stuck with me: “We do not have a privileged access to reality.”

I’ve asked myself many times since what it would be like, or what it would take, to truly understand another animal. Hutto has shown us that at least some species will tolerate the long-term presence of a human in their midst (his time living with mule deer in Wyoming lasted almost seven years). But, even with that sort of close contact, there seems to be a limit of how far we can reach into another animal’s mind.

Captain Max von Stephanitz, the founder of the German shepherd breed, was profound when he claimed that “A dog is a reflection of his master.” Photo credit: Fran Jewell

Adult male wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo intermedia) strutting. Photo credit: Frank Schulenburg, accessed via Wikimedia Commons

TILT-A-WHIRL

BY KRISTIN HOVENCAMP, CPWA®

Have you ever taken a ride on a tilt-a-whirl? It is not an experience one quickly forgets. The tilt-a-whirl consists of freely spinning cars attached to fixed points on a rotating platform. The cars turn in different directions and at variable speeds as the platform is raised and lowered. The weight of passengers may intensify or dampen the spinning motion of the cars, adding to the unpredictable nature known as chaotic motion. A tilt-a-whirl ride could aptly describe the U.S. stock market. What are the major causes of the market’s ongoing roller-coaster ride, and how can a long-term investor avoid getting caught up in turmoil?

Market uncertainty. An Increase in economic insecurity has resulted in ongoing anxiety for investors. Instead of panicking and selling your portfolio holdings, remember that market downturns, yet undesirable, occur throughout the year. On average, markets will experience approximately four pullbacks of over 10% annually. Markets usually reward long-term investors who stay the course.

The ongoing fight against inflation. Markets are considered a forward-looking pricing mechanism because they continually estimate the future. Anticipated interest rate hikes generally are priced into the market before a Fed announcement. Based on investors’ reactions to the news, equity and bond prices may move sharply in either direction. We cannot assume the market has it right, so it is wise to avoid timing the market.

Investor sentiment. Fear of recession is on most investors’ minds. A handful of large institutions predict a soft landing for our economy and expect the S&P 500 to end the year in positive territory. Meanwhile, other firms’ economists forecast doom and gloom due to a hard landing. 2023 year-end market predictions are at both ends of the spectrum. Regardless of where they close, markets are ultimately resilient.

Investors rightfully feel like they are living on a tilt-a-whirl. Hold on to your senses as you continue encountering the chaotic motion of the market’s ups and downs.

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. 675 Sun Valley Road, Suite J1 + J2 Ketchum, Idaho 83340 208.726.0605.

FOCUS ON YOUR HEART

BY DOVE

Most of us have been on the journey of “What is my purpose? Why am I here?” There are no easy answers to these questions and I have come to know that we each have that special something, that special energy that we have the ability to hold to make the world complete. Only each of us has the ability to hold our specific frequency. There is no judge or measurement that says one frequency is better than the other. Each of us is needed to do our part. A friend shared an article with me this week concerning a controlled study done at the University of Kassel in Germany. The focus of the study was on the chest of the average person, which emits 20 photons of light per second. A person who meditates on their heart center, sending love and light to others, emits 100,000 photons per second. That’s 5,000 times more than the average person!

When we infuse the photons with the intention of love, light and healing, their frequency and vibration increases to the point where they can literally change matter. You matter, what you think matters, the time you spend, even if it is only moments feeling from your heart space, makes a huge impact on the world around you. Remember, where your focus goes, energy flows. Above all, now is the time when we are walking to hold the energy of truth, peace and love.

We are all needed to hold these frequencies, even just for moments during our day. Place the picture of a heart with 100,000 printed in the center. Place it around in your environment. When people ask what is that about, share what they are capable of doing. Your actions will create a magnetic and radiating vortex all around you.

As our world becomes more chaotic, I find I tend to cling to order for comfort. I am going to allow myself to be comfortable in each moment by putting my hand on my heart, holding the thought of a baby St. Bernard puppy in my arms, filling myself with as much love as I can feel. This is not the time to try and think your way into love—you must feel your way into love with no judgment, just allowing the love to flow in every cell of your being.

I am getting better at holding the focus on my heart while walking, or cooking. I know I can change from my dominant activity being focused on the mind to moving my focus into all the cells of my heart. We can heal all of the things that have been done to the planet and humanity if we choose to use our energy focused on our heart space. Allow, allow, allow yourself to create your life from your heart space. It is time.

Blessings, Dove

THE LITTLE RED TRAIN

BY JOELLEN COLLINS

Ihave enjoyed visiting some of my family members in Modesto during the weeks I am near my grandchildren adjacent to San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge. I have probably mentioned before through this column that taking the train has been a wonderful way to make the round trip. There is an absence of driving, traffic jams on the Oakland Bay Bridge, tolls, or parking fees, and for just a tad more coins I enjoy a couple of hours of reading, comfort and relative quiet — well worth it.

This trip has been different, due to many factors, some positive and some negative. I’ve listed the positives often: being with family, the culture, the gorgeous Bay, the lovely B&B I visit, which feels like coming home, and even the variety of friendly and interesting Uber drivers I have encountered on many forays in the city. I will always love San Francisco despite the problems of the unhoused, the traffic, and other woes that are attached to any big city.

This visit, however, has emphasized my need to keep my sense of compassion for those citizens who, for whatever reasons, exist on a level of poverty and stress, sleeping on city sidewalks or underneath low-slung tree leaves adjacent to the speeding cars crowding the streets. I can’t imagine the difficulty of changing this unhappy aspect of this city, nor do I have the wisdom to address this problem or vast amounts of money to finance new space for the unfortunates. So, on the ride home from my grandchildren’s school, I can only observe and bewail the sadness of lives that are revealed by deranged antics in the middle of traffic or the proliferation of white vans which now serve to encounter and either retrieve or rescue the increased number of dying fentanyl users.

As the train sped through communities like Richmond and Vallejo, I noticed the ravages of recent rainstorms, downed trees near the tracks, still muddy ditches, and a couple of miles of obviously cleared sites where many unfortunate people once resided. Spaces were free of debris, except for a few scraps of clothes and other detritus. Half-submerged in one dark, murky patch was a bit of bright color — a small red train, obviously a child’s discarded toy. In this abandoned and sad place, that little piece of a giant puzzle reminded me of those absent. I experienced more of a strong sense of compassion from imagining the innocent children and sad mothers who bore them, only to wind up living five feet away from Amtrak rails. I wish I could have hugged that boy, even if the gesture wouldn’t help.

It is difficult to keep compassionate in a world fraught with so much anger, violence, and terror. The Dalai Lama teaches that whatever occurs, we will only find inner peace if we retain our compassion. Even if we are unable to change the outer world, if enough people find serenity through compassion, a better world may exist, as we are less judgmental toward our fellows.

WRANGLER’S RECKLESS WRITINGSBRYCE ANGELL

Twelve of Ten

My grandson squinted down the barrel, his right eye on the sight. I watched him squeeze the trigger, but he couldn’t get it right.

He’d missed the target by a mile. I’m sure I heard him curse. I said, “It’s time to take a break.” Things couldn’t get much worse.

I poured two mugs of Country Time. That sure brought on a smile. Then said, “I’ve got a story, if you’ll listen for a while.”

I told him back when I was young, I’d say ‘bout twelve or so, I couldn’t hit the target. Didn’t want a soul to know.

But my cousin Jerry knew that I was still a bit gun shy. He’d learned to shoot a rifle even with an injured eye.

A tight door spring had given way and stuck right in his eye. So he learned to shoot left-handed. He was one determined guy.

He told me, “You will learn to shoot but practice paves the way. And each time you hit the bull’s-eye, buy a Snickers bar that day.”

That summer we were camping at a local Scout event. The rifle range came open. Jerry dragged me from my tent.

The rifle range attendant said, “Each Scout will get ten shots.” I was looking for escape. I think I said, “I’ve got the trots.”

Jerry grinned, then gave a nod, I fired my first round. The attendant hollered, “Bull’s-eye!” I could’ve sworn I hit the ground.

And then the lone attendant barked, “Reload and fire at will!” I emptied out the chamber, never felt a bigger thrill!

The attendant raised my target. Hollered, “Bull’s-eye twelve of ten?” He looked a might confused while counting fingers once again.

‘Twas obvious the bull’s-eyes came from Jerry down the line. But twelve of ten could only mean that two of them were mine.

That day I soon discovered with some practice I could shoot. But gained the self-esteem from cousin Jerry, who gave a hoot.

Nearly sixty years have come and gone. I won’t forget that day. And how my cousin taught me in his Jerry Angell way.

– 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.

Kristin Hovencamp, CPWA® is an Investment Executive and Director of Business Development with HAZLETT WEALTH MANAGEMENT, LLC.

JoEllen Collins—a longtime resident of the Wood River Valley— is an Idaho Press Club award-winning columnist, a teacher, writer, fabric artist, choir member and unabashedly proud grandma known as “Bibi Jo.”

PLAYING MONOPOLY IS GOOD HOMEWORK

BY ANNA & MICHELLE

I

Winning in the game of Monopoly is all about investing. If you travel around the board, trying to buy the ultimate property and pass Go to get another $200, you’re missing the opportunity to purchase good properties along the way that could lead to upgrading into your dream home.

Starting early to buy your first home gives a buyer a chance to acquire a property with a minimum down payment, and inevitably, have a lower payment than paying rent for a similar home. As the home appreciates and the loan amortizes, the equity grows. Within a few years of average appreciation, the down payment can double or triple based on the leverage of using other

people’s money.

f you’ve ever been in a Monopoly game after most of the properties have been purchased and developed, it can be a relief to land on Free Parking, knowing the dice must rotate to the next player giving you a respite from paying rent. Like the game, in real life, it would be nice to avoid paying rent and even better to have people paying you rent for property you own.They could use the equity to stair-step their way into a larger home and finally, their dream home. Or, if that homeowner’s goal is to acquire rental properties, they could convert that home to a rental and buy another home on a low-down payment, owner-occupied mortgage to allow that property’s equity to grow in the same way.

Multi-unit properties could be another option. Finance it with the same type of owner-occupied, low down payment mortgage to achieve leverage that isn’t available to non-owner-occupied investors; live in one unit and rent the others. FHA, VA, and conventional mortgages allow for owner occupants to purchase up to a four-unit building with minimum down payments.

It is very impressive to see the portfolios of properties that some young people have built by focusing on their goals, living within their means, and not getting distracted along the way. You can learn a lot from them but be careful about getting into a game of Monopoly with them; they know how to play the game.

Let’s connect and talk about some of the specifics.

The City of Ketchum is seeking artists to design the 2023 Wagon Days poster.

Selected artwork will be the official poster for the 2023 celebration of Wagon Days and will be incorporated onto souvenir items such as commemorative mugs, pins, T-shirts, etc.

Posters from past years featured photographs, collages, pastels, watercolors, and oil paintings. All art submissions are welcome, including preliminary sketches.

Over the years, the posters have become treasured souvenirs of the annual Wagon Days celebration, and many have become collectors’ items.

Posters and souvenir items will be on display and offered for sale at Wagon Days headquarters leading up to and during Wagon Days, which takes place Sept. 1 and 2. Headquarters will be located at the Ore Wagon Museum on the corner of East Avenue and Fifth Street in Ketchum.

The selected artist will receive a stipend of $350. Photographers, graphic artists, and others working in creative fields are encouraged to apply.

Submissions are due by April 15 and should be emailed to heather@sunvalleyevents.com.

Details on the schedule for Wagon Days, which is currently in the planning stages, can be found at w ww.wagondays.org

Lunch & Learn: Under The Surface – Hemingway Short Stories

Hailey Public Library will host a three-part series examining three of Ernest Hemingway’s short stories with local scholar Ted Dyer. Dyer will look under the surface at thematically linked Nick Adams stories: Indian Camp, The Battler, and Big Two-Hearted River. Each hour-long program will examine a particular story, with time for Q&A and discussion. The series is part of the HPL’s occasional Lunch & Learn series and supported by the Idaho Humanities Council. It will be offered in person and live streamed on Tuesdays, March 7, 14 and 21, from noon-1 p.m. at Town Center West.

“Author Ernest Hemingway profoundly influenced 20th-century fiction and made a lasting impact on the Wood River Valley community, arriving in 1939 and dying by his own hand in Ketchum in 1961,” commented Kristin Fletcher, the library’s programs and engagement manager. “In the years since his death, many local presentations and conferences have celebrated and explored his work but few have focused on his short stories. We’re pleased to invite the community to take a closer look at a few of Hemingway’s Nick Adams stories.”

MONICA CARRILLO NUESTRA VOZ CUENTA

BY MONICA CARRILLO

OUR VOICE COUNTS

Iwas walking into Starbucks a couple of days ago to get my usual order: a Matcha Latte with a pump of vanilla syrup and vanilla sweet cream cold foam—and for the first time in a really long time I realized this would be my last semester at the University of Idaho.

I’ve been a student in Moscow since August 2020, but have been in college since 2018.

Although I’ve been so caught up with what’s been going on in the news and working as a part-time reporter, this month I took it upon myself to focus on my future endeavors and surrounding myself with the people I have around me.

One of the most frequently asked questions has been what I’m going to do after I graduate, which I find always makes me laugh.

It makes me think back to when I was in high school and being asked what I’m going to major in. But this time I’m not as scared.

Regardless of where I go and what I do, I know I will have the support of my parents, my family and friends, cheering me on. But, most importantly, I’ve become my own biggest cheerleader.

As I count down the days and the

amount of times people ask me, I’ll just casually sit back and soak in the last couple of months as an undergrad.

I’m not worried; I’ll figure it out.

You will, too.

NUESTRA VOZ CUENTA

Estaba entrando en Starbucks hace un par de días para obtener mi pedido habitual: un Matcha Latte con una bomba de jarabe de vainilla y espuma fría de crema dulce de vainilla, y por primera vez en mucho tiempo, me di cuenta de que este sería mi último semestre en la Universidad de Idaho.

He sido estudiante en Moscow, Idaho, desde agosto de 2020, pero he estado estudiando en universidades desde 2018.

Aunque he estado tan atrapada con lo que ha estado sucediendo en las noticias y trabajando como reportera a tiempo parcial, este mes me encargué de concentrarme en mis esfuerzos futuros y rodearme de las personas que tengo a mi alrededor.

Una de las preguntas más frecuentes ha sido qué voy a hacer después de graduarme, que siempre me hace reír.

Me hace pensar en cuando es taba en la escuela secundaria y me preguntaron en qué me iba a espe -

cializar. Pero esta vez no estoy tan asustado.

Independientemente de dónde vaya y lo que haga, sé que tendré el apoyo de mis padres, mi familia y amigos, animándome. Pero lo más importante, me he convertido en mi mayor animadora.

Mientras cuento los días y la cantidad de veces que la gente me pregunta, me siento casualmente y me sumerjo en los últimos meses como estudiante.

No estoy preocupado; Lo re -

The stories will be used as a starting point to discuss the archetypal “Hemingway hero,” the filter through which the stories’ experiences flow. First, we meet Adams as a child, then as an adolescent, and finally a young man returning from war. Dyer will use the stories to unpack Hemingway’s language toolkit, examine the power of his bare-bones prose style, and reflect on Hemingway’s “iceberg theory” of writing. The series will also touch on Hemingway’s association with our community as well as his larger impact as a fic tion writer.

Ted Dyer received his M.A. in English from Washington State University and taught 20 years as a composition instructor for the College of Southern Idaho extension service in Blaine County. For several years he taught literature and jazz history for the Idaho State University Department of Continuing Education. He also worked for decades as a speaker for the Idaho Humanities Speakers’ Bureau and is a recognized speaker on the life and works of Ernest Hemingway.

The Idaho Humanities Council is a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving Idaho citizens by promoting greater public awareness, appreciation, and understanding of the humanities. It serves as the state-based partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities and is one of 56 state and jurisdictional humanities councils funded in part by the federal government through NEH’s Federal/State Partnership Office.

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Monica Carrillo. Photo credit: Daniel Gonzalez

Ketchum Searching For 2023 Wagon Days Poster Artist

by MIKE MCKENNA

Any good relationship is well-balanced. The services that Copy & Print and Click IT offer compliment each other extremely well. So having them both operate in one location made sense. The recent move to combine the two businesses has turned out to be a perfect partnership.

“Consolidating locations just made sense,” said Chad Bertoni, the owner of both businesses. “There’s great synergy with the ability to now have all these services under one roof—everything from printing to office supplies and computers to managed I.T.”

Copy & Print has been serving the community for over 30 years now. Chad had long been a fan of the business, having spent 15 years providing equipment for them when he was at Fisher’s Technology. When the chance to purchase the business came up in the fall of 2021, Chad and his wife, Jen, jumped on it.

They had also opened Click IT, “Your Local IT Store,” earlier in the same year on Main Street in Hailey. Click IT is a national franchise that’s been around for over 20 years, providing a wide variety of I.T. needs, including 24-hour customer service.

“Lots of people are working from home now and we can provide everything they need to be successful,” Chad said. “We break down technology and try to make it easier to understand. Our goal is to make extremely happy customers.”

Click IT can help with everything from connection and management services, to security, email hosting and 48-hour computer repair. They also offer remote monitoring and free security health checkups so they can literally fix a failure before it happens

After a couple years of running both successful businesses in two separate locations, combining them made a lot of sense for the Bertonis and for their customers.

“We can take care of all your needs in one place,” Jen explained. “It’s a great marriage of two businesses.”

A little bit farther down River Street than some of its prior locations in Hailey, Copy & Print has

not only welcomed the I.T. services and computer products sold by Click IT, they have also upgraded their equipment.

Their new state-of-the-art direct-to-print machine can be used with any substrate; glass, metal, wood, plastic, you name it. It can also print on anything from 8-by-4-feet large to just a couple inches in size. It also creates print products that are UV and weather resistant, that last longer and look better.

The new equipment is also allowing for some fun creativity. The Copy & Print staff is having fun sharing new products and new ideas with their local clients.

“The more capabilities we can bring to the Valley, the better, especially with the costs and delays with shipping, “ Chad said. “You can get what you need locally, usually with quick turnarounds. You don’t have to send things out and that makes a lot of sense for a lot of local businesses and nonprofits.”

To find out more about what Copy & Print and Click IT have to offer, visit their store at 314 South River Street or call (208) 788-4200.