WRW 29 June 2022

EDUCATION NEWS

SKIING NEWS

A ‘Titanic’ Teacher PGS 2 & 4

SUN VALLEY

KETCHUM

WEED OF THE WEEK

X-Country Change Up PG 5

Dalmatian Toadflax PG 11

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WOOD RIVER WEEKLY

YOUR VOICE IN THE WOOD RIVER VALLEY

Free | June 29 - July 12, 2022 | Vol. 3 - No. 13 | woodriverweekly.com

“In the truest sense, freedom cannot be bestowed; it must be achieved.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt

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

NEWS

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J U N E 29 - J U LY 12, 2022

A Titanic Teacher

EDUCATION

Consultant, attorney for Bezos, Cameron turns personal adventures into scalable learning opportunities

F

By Eric Valentine

or a deep sea explorer with a hand in space travel, Dave Concannon’s circle here is small. Spend two hours interviewing him though and you begin to understand it’s not due to introversion. Rather, it’s because the attorney and advisor for the likes of Jeff Bezos and James Cameron has a lot of small circles, all across the globe and filled with influencers who have impacted the world’s history from under its oceans to above its skies.

The exclusivity is not born out of arrogance—although Concannon’s confidence is crystal clear. Nor is it a matter of entitlement—although the Philadelphia native and child of a single-parent seems to know when he doesn’t have to take no for an answer. The exclusivity—perhaps more aptly described as deliberateness—stems at least in part from a seminal moment in his youth when the teenager, who was in awe of all people and things that had been in outer space, attended a school assembly for an Apollo astronaut who Concannon preferred not to name. (Let’s just say it was not the first man to walk on the moon, it was the …).

In the remarkably accomplished astronaut’s keynote address, which—to put in fair context—followed the then-recent defunding of the Apollo missions, the moonwalker told the student body that mankind’s Golden Age of exploration was dead and that they could pack up their dreams of becoming the first person to set foot on Mars or anything else as astronomically important or cool.

“That didn’t sit well with me,” Concannon recalled.

By the time Concannon was on the high seas and deep seas peering through the porthole of the RMS Titanic alongside the likes of James Cameron, the producer-director-writer of the movie Titanic, Concannon had a more PG-rated level of thought running through his head.

“I thought to myself, ‘(Expletive) you, Astronaut (Blank). (Expletive) you,’” Concannon recounted the experience half grinning.

Doubling Down Concannon has much to smile about when it comes to his career. For roughly five years, beginning in 2010, the north Valley resident led Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’ recovery of the F-1 engines from the Apollo 11 Saturn V rockets that launched humans headed for the Moon. That mission was successful and carried out safely. It’s part of an exploration resumé that includes a cluster of major accomplishments—like recovering treasure from the world’s deepest shipwreck. And it has run in conjunction with Concannon’s law practice that hasn’t seen him lose a case in more than a quarter century.

“I don’t like to do things that are expected. That’s why I haven’t lost a trial in 27 years. Most people do exactly what they always do,” Concannon said, before offsetting any bravado with a self-deprecating anecdote inspired by his son who welcomed his dad home from the Apollo venture by saying, “Congratulations Dad, you finally did something associated with a triumph (a moon landing) instead of a tragedy (a ship sinking).”

“I told him OK, I’ll give you that one,” Concannon snickered.

Concannon’s first major accomplishment in all things explorative—or at least dazzlingly daring—was his successful climb to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest free-standing mountain above sea level in the world at more than 19,000 feet in 1989. It may also play a role in how Concannon always seems to reel back any hint of arrogance and in lockstep place it firmly in the realm of humility.

“I got whacked,” he said of the Kilimanjaro climb. “I ran up that mountain, and it nearly killed me. It dramatically altered my way of life.”

The brash handling of that adventure killed his climbing career and for years had left him reeling and recovering from memory issues, vision problems, and even a stammer.

“So, I just doubled down,” Concannon said, deliberate-

Valley resident Dave Concannon is an exploration consultant and attorney, and one of the few members of the Explorer’s Club to be admitted into the exclusive organization in his 30s.

Photo credits: Dave Concannon

ly of course. And he soon found himself one of the youngest members ever of The Explorer’s Club and one of the only members who also practiced law.

It wasn’t long before Concannon was given some advice by Buzz Aldrin (yes, that Buzz Aldrin, who made three moonwalks, and for the record was neither the first nor last man on the moon). The astronaut told the young Concannon he should really get into space law.

“OK, Buzz Aldrin, I’m listening,” said Concannon.

“And then he told me there really wasn’t any space law and there needed to be.”

Continued ‘A TITANIC TEACHER’ Page 4

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J U N E 29 - J U LY 12, 2022

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

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

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J U N E 29 - J U LY 12, 2022

NEWS

EDUCATION

James Cameron’s research ship and submersible submarine heads out to explore the wreckage of the RMS Titanic. Photo credits: Dave Concannon

A Titanic Teacher Continued from Page 2

Requests to serve on boards and to serve as general counsel for the likes of The Explorer’s Club and its members and its members’ business counterparts kept presenting themselves to Concannon. The buzz about Concannon and his skill set kept spreading, and after the success of the Apollo dive, the world’s richest man (and sometimes second richest depending on when you’re counting) knew he needed to bring Concannon onto the team for the early development of the commercial space industry.

Yes, that commercial space industry. As you witness world governments and mega-billionaires shoot toward Mars and the Moon, you can safely assume Concannon had a hand in that part of human history, or at least knew exactly what each player was going to do.

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A Figurehead As deliberate and clear as Concannon’s character can be, truly understanding what motivates a personality like him can be more like a deepsea dive or K2 climb than a walk on the beach or in the park.

Concannon says he doesn’t talk about it a lot, but knows his father’s absence for the first decade of his life and his childhood spent in poverty are two factors contributing to all that makes him tick. But more critical to his development than that was the time he had spent growing up under the tutelage of his Ocean City, New Jersey-based grandfather George Murphy.

“He left school in eighth-grade to start a successful plumbing business. He loved planes, but was afraid to fly. He’d take me to the airport and tell me the names of planes,” Concannon said. “He lived from almost the time of the Wright Brothers, and definitely from when Lindbergh crossed the Atlantic, to the landing on the moon. And he thought that was fantastic.”

Grandpa Murphy was the first to trigger Concannon’s exploratory imagination during that time. He would point to the tiller post from a shipwreck that happened a century ago off the coast of Ocean City and talk to his grandson about it.

“Can you imagine the interesting stories that ship could probably tell?” he’d ask his grandson.

The experience set a template for Concannon’s imagination: One man’s shipwreck is another man’s figurehead, leading them into uncharted things that should probably be seen.

On July 7, Concannon will be starting his fifth expedition to explore the wreck of the RMS Titanic. More importantly, he’ll be hosting a worldwide event live for Varsity Tutors on what it takes to be part of a major expedition to the Titanic. The program is free, geared to students and families, and anyone can access it with the link: tinyurl. com/titanic-murphy It’s very similar to a presentation Concannon has already done once for The Discovery Center of Idaho, which made it to 12,000 computer screens. Concannon would love to see it expand and be used in school districts to teach across disciplines since the Titanic story is one of history, sociology, geography, exploration and multiple scientific disciplines. At the very least, it’s a better lesson to learn than the death of exploration soundbite a justifiably upset astronaut tried to get across to a group of kids decades ago. And while it might not create the next Vasco da Gama, it will set the stage for understanding how we are all sunken ships, at some point in time at least. And so we get to choose from the wreckage all which we want to recover and record and let the world into our circle to see.

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Happy Fourth of July!

12,600 feet under the North Atlantic Ocean lies what’s left of the massive cruise liner that sank on its maiden voyage in 1912. Photo credits: Dave Concannon

NEWS

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

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J U N E 29 - J U LY 12, 2022

5

SUN VALLEY, SKIING

X-Country Change Up

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New Cross Country Program Director Becky Woods aims to bring collegiate competition, coaching and leadership experience to SVSEF. Photo credit: Phyllis Graber Jensen/Bates College

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SV ski foundation welcomes Becky Woods as new program director

T

By Eric Valentine

he Valley’s nonprofit ski organization that has produced 25 Winter Olympians announced two high-level changes this week.

Effective August 1, 2022, Becky Woods will step into the role of Cross Country Program Director at Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation (SVSEF). Current Cross Country Program Director, Rick Kapala, will be assuming a new role with SVSEF as the Director of Sport Development. In this new role, Kapala will lead with a broader strategic lens for SVSEF, alongside event management and fundraising for the cross country community.

Woods comes to SVSEF from Bates College in Lewiston, Maine, where she served as the Head Men’s and Women’s Nordic Ski Coach, alongside additional leadership roles from 1994 to 2022.

“We are thrilled to welcome Becky Woods to the team at SVSEF and to embrace her exceptional leadership and coaching experience at the helm of our Cross Country programs,” said Scott McGrew, SVSEF’s Executive Director. “Her proven ability to guide athletes in the pursuit of excellence both on the trails and in the community, along with her deep appreciation of the Nordic culture and the passion behind the sport, will make Becky a tremendous asset for our cross country teams and for our greater ski community in the Wood River Valley.”

A Proven Record Woods’ leadership as a collegiate coach, mentor, administrator, and teacher offer a unique skill set and balance to the Cross Country Program Director position at SVSEF. In her role as Head Men’s and Women’s Nordic Ski Coach at Bates College, Woods was responsible for leading and managing all aspects of a successful Division I Nordic Ski Program, while bringing staff, athletes, and volunteers along to carry out a clear mission as a top priority. She attributes much of her success in her career to fostering a culture of

trust, respect, and support, and understands the importance of imparting a true love of skiing and a respect for the process it takes to be successful.

“I am humbled to have the opportunity to lead this great group of SVSEF coaches and athletes,” said Woods. “It is evident there is expertise, talent, and support within the organization—and a true sense of community. Having spent time in the Wood River Valley, I am honored and excited to become a member of the team and help SVSEF Cross Country continue to grow and excel as a ski community.”

In Woods’ role as SVSEF Cross Country Program Director, she will provide program-wide leadership and day-to-day management while supporting the overall vision and mission of the organization. She will be instrumental in the successful recruitment, training, and retaining of a world-class coaching staff and the ongoing development of an athletic program that supports each participant in achieving their personal and athletic potential.

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FIRE/RESCUE NEWS

SUN VALLEY

Big Skis to Fill Founded in 1972, the SVSEF Cross Country Program has consistently been recognized as one of the best in the country; most recently as the 2021 USSA Cross Country Club of the Year, and in 2022, the Junior Girls brought home their third consecutive National Championship team title.

From the youngest Devo kids to elite athletes at the Comp Team, Post-Grad and professional level, the program is 250 athletes strong and steeped in Nordic traditions driven by a strong sense of family, community, competition, and camaraderie.

During the 2021/22 season, three members of the XC Gold Team competed in the Beijing Olympics and Paralympics, and two additional SVSEF alumni were named to the U.S. Cross Country Ski Team. For the upcoming 2022/23 season, five athletes from the SVSEF Cross Country Program have been named to the U.S. Cross Country and Para Nordic Ski Teams.

EVENT NEWS

KETCHUM

MONEY MATTERS

No Cancel Culture PG 4

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WOOD RIVER WEEKLY

YOUR VOICE IN THE WOOD RIVER VALLEY

Free | Feb 9 - 22, 2022 | Vol. 3 - No. 3 | woodriverweekly.com

“ I f l o v e i s t h e a n s w e r, c o u l d y o u r e p h r a s e t h e q u e s t i o n ? ”

MAKING LAW - L i l y To m l i n

Gov. Little tax cut, Sen. Stennett farewell jolt 2022 state legislative session

I

By Eric Valentine

daho’s top-ranking Democrat and one of Ketchum’s longest-serving representatives, District 26 State Sen. Michelle Stennett, of Ketchum, will not be seeking re-election to the office she took over from her late husband and had been consistently re-elected to over the past 13 years. The senator’s decision comes on the heels of two other Democratic shakeups: • Muffy Davis’ move from the Idaho House of Representatives to a commissioner’s seat for Blaine County • District 26’s all-but-certain reconfiguration to include Jerome with Blaine and Lincoln counties starting with the November midterm elections this year, realistically turning the proverbial blue Democratic island in Idaho’s Republican red sea a bit purple The Blaine County Democrats called the news of the farewell “bittersweet” in a three-paragraph statement the group released Monday.

“We are ever so grateful for the many years and many ways that she has served and bettered our Legislative District and the entire State of Idaho. A qualified Democrat will run for her seat, and we know Michelle will mentor all of us during this time of transition,” the statement read. “We should personally thank her for what she has done for our generation and for the generations to come. She is truly an incredible example of someone who listens to and represents everyone, despite the challenges that we all face.”

Some folks who reacted to the news articles online threw shade on the Minority Leader and Minority Caucus Chair’s announcement. In one comment, a reader asked Stennett’s supporters to name any of her accomplishments, implying there were none. The criticism, however, doesn’t take into account the senator is just one blue vote in a chamber that’s firmly implanted in the red. In positions like that, often the accomplishments are what’s not easily seen—for instance, the compromises to legislation the minority party can get the majority to make, the contrarian public voice opposing or supporting something the majority party does or doesn’t undertake.

In late January, when Gov. Brad Little was boasting about his proposed balanced budget, House members

The Democratic office holders of District 26, from left to right, Sen. Michelle Stennett and Representatives Sally Toone and Ned Burns pose outside the state Capitol building in Boise earlier this year. Photo credit: Michelle Stennett

of his party put forward H436, a bill that would reduce taxes for everyone, including the rich and mega rich.

Stennett’s response, issued from her blog, was this: “The House Republicans have passed H436 on a nearly party-line vote despite every constituent who testified in committee opposing it. The bill would give someone with $1 million in annual taxable income an ongoing yearly tax cut of $5,000 on top of a nearly $8,000 one-time rebate. Idahoans with the most modest incomes will receive a rebate of $75. The bill also reduces the corporate income tax rate from 6.5% to 6%.”

Stennett then commended her Republican counterparts for increasing the education budget overall, but how that increase still fell short. Despite the governor’s

increase in teacher pay, Stennett said, “When adjusted for inflation, Idaho teachers are now making less than they did in 2009.”

Political roadblocks aside, Stennett, a widow to her late husband Clint, had personal business challenges just last year. In March, a prominent building at the corner of River and Croy streets in downtown Hailey and co-owned by Stennett was on its way to becoming much-needed workforce housing before it was completely destroyed by flames March 16. Roughly half a dozen tenants were evicted at the end of 2020 when Continued MAKING LAW Page 2

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W O O D R I V E R W E E K L Y • J U N E 2 9 - J U L Y 1 2 , 2 0 2 2

NEWS

CLARIFICATION: Are Valley School’s Safe?

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BITCOIN

Regarding an article titled Are Valley Schools Safe? in the June 15 issue of Wood River Weekly, we need to clarify two items: 1. It should be noted that in addition to newly hired Officer Morgan Ballis at Wood River High School, there is a second School Resource Officer at Wood River Middle School who is highly regarded.

Officer Shawna Wallace has been an SRO for several years here.

2. We have omitted the subhead of the article in our online edition since it could be read to infer a guarantee of safety, which was not the intent of the subhead nor was it a claim by Blaine County School District and the Hailey Police Department.

SUN On Summer Air Travel: ‘Expect Delays,’ ‘Wear Mask’

The CDC is encouraging everyone aged two years or older to wear a mask in indoor areas of public transportation, especially in crowded locations or poorly ventilated places. Please do not travel if you have symptoms or have been exposed to someone with symptoms.

Travel agents are recommending to come prepared and expect delays this summer. Because of the pandemic, the airports (domestic and international) are experiencing a staffing shortage. Supply and demand is still an ongoing issue. New employees are also being trained, so patience is key. Have your paperwork ready to make the process smoother.

While you can expect some delays, also have a plan B. What will you do if your flight is canceled? You can’t get a rental car? Someone in your group becomes ill?

Items to consider bringing on your international summer vacation: • For all pandemic updates as well as any other health concerns in other countries, always check with the destination for health concerns.

• You can make an appointment (at least one month before leaving) with your healthcare provider to get important information about immunizations, medicine, and other advice.

• Be up-to-date on routine vaccines.

• Bring a travel health kit, health insurance card, first-aid kit, hand sanitizer, extra masks, and prescriptions.

• Find out if your health insurance covers medical care abroad. Consider purchasing insurance and one that includes emergency evacuation if needed.

• Designate a point of contact if you have a chronic or preexisting health condition.

• Links for international travel requirements.

• Per the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), always check the current COVID-19 situation at your destination.

For detailed information for each country, visit COVID-19 country-specific information. If you do not follow your destination’s requirements, you may be denied entry and required to return to the United States.

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ETHERIUM

It is summer in the Wood River Valley and that means Idaho ranchers are guiding their sheep herds across valleys and streams in the lower elevations of southern Idaho, over Galena summit and into the Sawtooth Mountains for summer grazing.

Many local sheepherders use Great Pyrenees dogs as their livestock guard dogs during this migration process. These large, white dogs have been bred for centuries to deter predators and serve as vigilant guardians of the sheep. It is not uncommon for local outdoor enthusiasts to encounter these dogs, and the herds they protect, while recreating in the Wood River Valley and the Sawtooth Mountains.

Several local organizations, including Mountain Humane, Trailing of the Sheep Festival, Blaine County Recreation District (BCRD), and Flat Top Sheep Company are working together to educate the public on what to do if they find themselves face to face with these big guard dogs.

First, it is important for the public to understand that these dogs are raised with the herd of sheep. They create an emotional bond that is so strong that the dog will stay with the flock for its entire life. Their mission is to protect the sheep in every situation, day and night, all year long. The dogs create a protective zone, and if anyone enters this zone, you can expect the dogs to start barking.

This behavior is their way of saying, “Hey you, over there, I can see you. This is a protected area. You need to move away.”

If you find one of these dogs on its own, the dog is not lost.

These dogs roam the same trails in the same territory, doing the same thing, year after year. Flat Top sheep rancher Cory Peavey advises anyone in this situation to leave the dog in place unless it is injured or looks like it really needs help.

“They are more than likely in the process of catching up with the herd,” he says.

Peavey also advises that you talk to the dog calmly.

“Don’t try to pet, feed or establish eye contact. It is best to stand still and let the dog assess you and understand that you are not a threat,” shared Peavey.

People who are recreating in central Idaho can enjoy the beauty and uniqueness of the sheep and their guard dogs if they keep their distance and leave the dogs to do their job. To learn where the sheep are on the trails, visit the BCRD’s summer trail link at summertrailink.bcrd.org.

YOU CAN FIND IT IN BLAINE! W O O D R I V E R W E E K LY

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J U N E 29 - J U LY 12, 2022

SUN VALLEY 3D PHOTO

Please join us for

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Where: The Community Library, Cimino Plaza, Children’s Library Entrance, 4th and Walnut Why: Come enjoy a nutritious and convenient lunch while engaging with other community members over interesting literature.

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Lunches $5 for adults 60 and better $8 for those under 60 years of age $4 for children 12 and under

Jiu-jitsu classes

**Scholarships are available, ask us! **Bring your own reusable bag to carry your lunch!

Reservations are required and need to be made by the day of at 9:00 am. Call the Senior Connection at 208-788-3468 to reserve your lunch! The monthly menu is available in the Senior Connection newsletter, or online at www.seniorconnectionidaho.org/menu

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

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Wood River Weekly Find It In Blaine

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

CROSSWORD

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Perfect for anyone working in Sun Valley. Call 916-838-3370.

LOT FOR SALE

1 lot for sale, 608 North 6th Street, Bellevue. $175,000 (208) 309-1099

SUDOKU

answer from page 12

HELP WANTED

We need help in our grill! Come and join our fun team at Picabo Angler. We are looking for part and full time help at our breakfast and lunch counter!

Please call us at 208.788.3536 and ask for Morgan for more information!

SUN VALLEY: WILDFLOWER CONDO

Wood River Weekly Classifieds

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AKC GERMAN SHEPHERD PUPPIES

Local breeder selling long coat German Shepherd puppies. 2 males & 1 female left. DM free, OFA hips, health guarantee, first shots, & wormed. Will be ready July 11.

See: north40shepherds.com call/text: 208-869-1913 email: doug@n40s.com

Classifieds (Buy Stuff, Sell Stuff, Odds & Ends, Whatever): Up To 25 Words $5, Each Additional Word 20¢, Image $5, Logo $10

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W O O D R I V E R W E E K L Y • J U N E 2 9 - J U L Y 1 2 , 2 0 2 2

Fishing R epoRt

COMM ENT ARY

NO BONES ABOUT IT THE “WEEKLY” FISHING REPORT FOR JUNE 29 - JULY 12 FROM PICABO ANGLER

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mild summer thus far continues to produce some decent fishing, with the best yet to come. We expect flows on all our freestone rivers to continue their slow drop to more fishable levels. With the drop will come the hatches. Be patient and be ready with your fly boxes full.

Silver Creek has become a smorgasbord of hatches lately.

The Baetis are the dominant bug, with good activity in the morning and especially the evening. There are quite a few Callibaetis around in the morning and the afternoon. The big news is we are seeing the first Trico spinner falls of the season. This activity has begun near Picabo Bridge and should be moving up into the top of the Silver Creek Preserve waters by this time next week.

Keep an eye on the morning temperatures when you head to the Creek. Once the Trico starts, the 70-degree mark becomes the starting bell. The spinner falls should last until 11 a.m. on a good morning. If you have never experienced the Trico spinner falls on Silver Creek, give it a week or two to ramp up and then come check it out and be ready to have your mind blown!

The South Fork of the Boise is one of the few places anglers are finding fishable water besides Silver Creek. The Salmonflies should be at the dam by the time you read this. The Caddis action should stay strong and, as of now, the flows are still wadeable.

With the reservoir topped off, this could all change. Keep an eye on the CFS from Anderson Ranch Dam. Now, a quick word on “combat fishing,” which is a term used when anglers descend on one area in huge numbers.

This quickly leads to unhappy anglers and to confrontation. I heard this term used a few times during the Brown Drake hatch based on the angler numbers.

Every comment came from social media and from people that were not here. They just saw pictures. If you were here, you would quickly understand that despite the crowds, we are not “combat fishing.” In fact, quite the opposite—we are fishing together as a large group and we are celebrating our sport as we do it. Within these crowds were people helping each other, sharing water and showing the rest of the fishing world that we can get along and have fun without a need to impress Instagram.

Peace, love and flyfishing!

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

CANINE ENRICHMENT

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By Fran Jewell

nriching your dog’s life is so much more than walking in the woods, the dog park or out Trail Creek. In fact, many of my clients are overwhelmed by the dogs that mug, jump and aggress their dogs when they try to take their dog for a walk.

With the most regretful and saddened heart, I must say that our Valley, which used to be dog friendly, is becoming dog unsafe. I am not here to discuss aggression at this moment, but I am here to discuss alternatives to putting your dog in an unsafe environment.

Our dogs mean so much to us that we want the best for them. We want to enjoy them and see that they are happy and healthy. The first thing that should be on everyone’s mind is to get some training for your dog so you have a communication tool with them. Simple family and home manners are imperative for you and your dog to be happy. Puppies should start training the MOMENT they come home, not at six months old or even after they have their shots. Private training can start your pup off with dramatic results.

There is a critical imprinting period up to 16 weeks old. During those important weeks up to four months, puppies can learn skills that will last their lifetime.

Many of you know I breed German shepherd puppies. I start training with them the second day after birth. There is so much that can be done to enrich their lives and help them to be social, loving and well-adjusted, resilient dogs at such an early age. In that regard, puppies are so much like children.

Leaving training until they are six months

SCIENCE OF PLACE

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old is like putting a human baby in a dark closet for their first six months. YIKES!!!

Enrichment consists of new experiences that can be given to ANY dog, regardless of age, that helps them to use their natural instincts. The most important and significant instinct for any dog is to use his nose.

If a dog is encouraged to use his nose (I do this with my three-day-old puppies), he will be forever happy and his life enriched. This doesn’t mean you have to do competition nose work or scent work; it means you can do fun things every day in your very own yard or house! Even if you do scent games three days a week, you can dramatically help your dog learn to focus, burn off excess energy, and give him confidence he may never have known before.

There are so many ways to do scenting activities. One of the simplest is to toss your dog’s meal into the grass in a widespread area. Let him find his meal with his nose.

You can take treats and hide them around your yard. I use cut-up hardboiled eggs on Easter for my dogs to find in the backyard.

Such a healthy treat! They go bananas! You can hide food-stuffed bones or toys in the yard for them to find, too.

My favorite exercise comes from detection/search-and-rescue training, which is to put food in a box. Put several boxes out and place kibble or treats in all the boxes.

Then place the food in only one box among all the others to make it more challenging.

Eventually, you can put the box with food in it under another box. If the box has a lid, you can close the lid for your dog to open. It’s all problem solving and exciting. You would be

surprised how many dogs are afraid to put their head in a box. Once they figure it out, it helps to increase their personal confidence.

Scent opportunities are a great way to exercise a dog’s mind, not just his body. In the process, your dog will be filled with joy and more confidence.

Enrichment comes in many forms and is especially good for older dogs that can’t walk well anymore or puppies that shouldn’t be in public areas until they are fully vaccinated.

Use your imagination to give your dog a better life beyond just walking!

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.

NOT KNOWING

few weeks ago, I was quite surprised to see some birds in my backyard that are not supposed to be here.

I watched them carefully for a minute or so until they scattered away. I spent a couple hours staring at a photo of them that my wife took of them while digging through my bird identification books. And then I wrote back and forth with some people I know that are much better birders than I for a couple of days before I really could confirm what I had seen. They were white-winged crossbills.

These birds aren’t really supposed to be here (depending on who you ask, I guess). Their nearest home turf is in the higher latitudes of Canada. But Larry and Harry, the co-authors of this column, were able to fill me in on the fact that these birds do occasionally show up here, be it only once a decade or so. It was news to me.

It turns out that these crossbills can be “irruptive,” which means that every once in a blue moon some environmental factors trigger something in their bird brains and a whole bunch of these birds will up and leave their regular habitat and confuse a lot of people (like myself; but not Larry or Harry) by appearing suddenly in places where they aren’t really “supposed” to be. The trigger is usually a poor food crop (these particular birds love spruce cones) in their home range, and the hope that there might be better food somewhere else. So, away they go. Far, far from home. Where they have maybe never been. Looking for spruce cones.

This is odd behavior, really. Different from the annual, regular and repetitive migrations that most of us are used to picturing. This is something else: random in a way, but not arbitrary. Surprising, but systematic. Bold. Daring. Intrepid.

Whatever it is, what it triggers in me is the sense that I really know nothing about anything. Or mostly nothing, anyhow. I don’t know at all what it’s like to be a bird, although I could try to imagine (poorly). I certainly don’t know how, if I were a bird, I would know when or how or why to leave my home range, where I was born, and where many generations before me were born, to head into the unknown in search of spruce cones in lands that I had never seen, in a place that may or may not even have spruce cones. To visit somebody’s backyard for a while and then leave.

Do these small birds sense and understand and know things about the world that I can’t even begin to approach? Absolutely.

So I find myself at a bit of a loss as far as how to proceed.

More and more, it stares me in the face: to assume that other animals see what we see, or that we see what they see, is to fundamentally misunderstand a great deal of how life on this planet exists. Our human perspective is not a privileged view of the world.

FRAN JEWELL

HANNES THUM

White-winged Crossbill (Loxia leucoptera), male. Photo credit: John Harrison, accessed via Wikipedia

White-winged Crossbill (Loxia leucoptera), female. Photo credit: Dominic Sherony, accessed via Wikipedia

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

MONEY MATTERS

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KRISTIN HOVENCAMP

FIGHTING INFLATION

BY KRISTIN HOVENCAMP

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s a Fed-induced recession on the horizon? On June 15th, the Federal Open Market Committee voted to raise interest rates by .75 percentage points. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell’s tone demonstrated to the markets the Fed is committed to taking a tougher stance on inflation. Powell also left the door open for another .50 or .75 percentage point hike at next month’s central bank policy meeting. While the Fed cannot control systematic factors driving inflation, such as escalating oil and commodity prices, or supply chain disruptions, here is what they are trying to manage.

The federal funds rate – is the interest rate banks charge one another for overnight lending to meet the Fed’s reserve requirement. The federal funds rate, or benchmark interest rate, impacts how much it costs consumers to borrow and how much they get paid to save.

Inflation target – Interest rates are the Federal Reserve’s primary tool to fight against inflation. The central bank can move to moderately (dovish) or aggressively (hawkish) hike interest rates. By raising rates and making it more expensive to borrow money, the Fed is aiming to slow down demand and ease inflation. A healthy economy typically generates inflation in the range of about 2%.

Soft landing – By taking a more aggressive stance and slowing the economy, the Federal Reserve is attempting to bring down inflation without causing a recession and the resulting layoffs that typically accompany periods of negative GDP. Unemployment – The Fed has a “dual mandate” of max- Kristin Hovencamp is an imum employment and price stability. Chairman Powell Investment Executive and would be comfortable with a 4% unemployment rate, stating Director of Business Dethat lower inflation is necessary to create a balance between velopment with HAZLETT labor supply and demand and sustain a strong U.S. economy. WEALTH MANAGEMENT, LLC.

Ongoing inflation and monetary policy concerns have created significant market instability, causing recession fears. By raising the short-term benchmark interest rate, the Fed is trying to slow demand, reach 2% inflation, and maintain low unemployment to achieve a soft landing. Long-term investors might be wise to prepare for the worst but hope for the best.

Kristin Hovencamp is an Investment Executive at RJFS, 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 rebalancing or dollar cost averaging, can guarantee your objectives will be met. 675 Sun Valley Road Ketchum, Idaho, 208.726.0605.

HazlettWealthManagement.com

INSPIRATIONS FROM MY HEART

DOVE

DeSire=Of the Father= Vision of the Future

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BY DOVE

e have just celebrated Father’s Day and I am reminded of what a gift fathers can be. I watch my son and his dedication to the energy of fatherhood. I watch my husband, who literally stands back in admiration of the man his son has become. The quiet energy of strength is a beautiful thing to share.

I think that now is the time for all of us together to create a vision of what we want the world to be like. I know many years ago, in the warmth of a summer night in July, I was inspired to go outside at three in the morning to declare out loud my vision for the future. I wanted to keep all the natural beauty that exists on planet Earth. I wanted all of humanity to have enough food, shelter, abundance, good health, good relationships, creativity, purpose, freedom, pure water and respect for all life force, cherishing of the animals, trees and, most of all, each other and the elimination of greed, war, disease and separation. I was very intense in my prayer to the Universe, but I declared it openly and out loud to the full moon in the early morning hours.

I think now is the time for all of us to declare with intent and clarity all that we want from the current chaos. It is time to hold a vision of peace, joy, good health and enough for each living thing.

Earth can become this vision if we all

dedicate some of our energy to hold a vision of a better world. If not now, when? When we take responsibility for the situations we exist with. Now is the time. Not to force your vision on anyone but to allow your vision to manifest for yourself, for your loved ones.

Each of us is sovereign if we choose it rather than just accepting the role that is thrust upon us. We get so caught up in the everyday chores of life that we forget where we are going or, worse yet, we have no vision for the future we want to create for our children.

We could unite behind goodness, faith, truth and justice for all.

We all must do our part to create a new world. You can’t just leave the creation to someone else. Your energy is important. What do you want to create for tomorrow? Are you going to create by default and do nothing except keep on keeping on? Choose now to hold a vision of a just, kind and loving existence for all life force. We never stand alone.

What are you going to stand for? Now is the time to commit to the life you want.

No one can do it for you. Choose wisely.

Use the energy of a caring loving father as your guide. It makes you feel safe and protected.

God bless each and every one of us and thank you to all the fathers who have the courage to embrace a very difficult role. Our gratitude for your commitment is boundless. Much love, Dove

J U N E 29 - J U LY 12, 2022

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ON LIFE’S TERMS

JOELLEN COLLINS

COLORFUL THEATER

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BY JOELLEN COLLINS

eing in the audience for excellent theater, music, comedy or dance is one of the major sources of delight for many of us. I experience that more than one would expect in a “small” town like those in the Wood River Valley. As a columnist, not a critic, or ad writer, I must be careful not to show favoritism for any single artistic institution or even extoll the virtues of certain restaurants, shops, and other entities. If I did, that would mean I would write about a different one in each column and not have much time to write about all the other places, people, and lessons I’ve encountered in my rich life.

But last night (this column written Friday, June 24) I attended St. Thomas Playhouse’s production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and spent a couple of hours smiling, applauding, and briefly forgetting the frightening state of events outside this theater.

I am raving about THIS production because of the talent of all participants in this show, but also because it exemplifies some of the reasons why I like living here.

First, as someone who has spent half of her life in Ketchum and volunteered for several theatrical organizations and events both as a performer and a fan, I recognize a remarkable quality of this place.

Many of these actors have been part of different JoEllen Collins—a longtime theater companies and venues, even taking “small” resident of the Wood River Valley— is an Idaho Press parts in this musical. I can imagine their pleasure Club award-winning columin performing, no matter the size of the role and nist, a teacher, writer, fabric or if they might have been in competing groups in artist, choir member and the past. There was an almost palpable sense of the unabashedly proud grandma unique fellowship of creating dramatic art together known as “Bibi Jo.” on a stage. How fortunate I am to be witness to this generous community!

I was also amazed this time, and so often over the years in so many venues, of the combination of talent, effort, energy and creative imagination evident through the expertise of the sound and lighting technicians, the set builders, the musicians, the marvelous director, and the dedication of all involved. I enjoy this in so many Valley productions, as the participants spend inordinate amounts of time and energy to create a brilliant musical or play for our enjoyment.

As a frustrated thespian, I yearned to be on stage with them, enjoying the intense sensation of sharing music and laughter and so many emotions with others. The last time I was on stage with some of these gifted performers was in a pre-pandemic production of Fiddler on the Roof. I experienced my diminished abilities and accepted that this was my swan song for live theater appearances. After high school, I wanted to attend the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London. However, as the first member of my family to be able go to college, I did as my parents wished and became a (very grateful) teacher. I have no complaints. I just wish I could be a better part of my acting community, singing along with Joseph!

A WRANGLER’S RECKLESS WRITINGS

BRYCE ANGELL

THANK YOU, BAXTER

I’d just settled down in my easy chair with a diet Dr. Pepper and half a dozen peanut butter cookies when the phone rang. Kent Newton, director of the Bear Creek Cowboy Poetry Night, offered me an invitation to participate with the cowboy poets at their annual event.

After saying yes and putting the phone down, I felt like throwing up. I had never participated in an event like that. I almost called Kent back, but then I had an idea. The idea was a long shot, and something I never thought would happen.

I waited a day, put together some thoughts and a plea for help, and emailed Baxter Black. I didn’t know Baxter and assumed I’d never hear back from him. But, two minutes after sending the email, I received an answer from Baxter. He wanted my phone number so he could call me. That day was the first time I experienced the measure of this man.

Baxter didn’t know me. I was a total stranger, yet for the next full hour he asked questions about my life to get to know me. I was pleased to hear him tell of his life becoming a veterinarian, then later an entertainer.

His advice was stellar. “Never cuss in your poetry or when presenting orally. It makes you sound like you’re trying to be a tough guy.”

He said, “Always be respectful to your audience whether it be a reader or face to face.”

He went on to say, “If you accept an appointment to an event, no matter what, be there and be there early.”

He asked me, “Have you ever heard of Banjo Paterson?” I told him no and then he proceeded to tell me that Banjo Paterson was author of the poem, “A Man from Snowy River.”

Baxter asked me to spend some time reading the poem and to notice the perfect rhythm and rhyme that Banjo had so eloquently written.

He then challenged me to also use Banjo’s perfection of rhythm and rhyme in all my cowboy, country poems. I have tried ever since.

I will never forget the last few words he said to me that day. “So, you say you’ve never participated at a cowboy poetry event?” I answered, “Not one.” And then he said, “And you are fairly new to writing and publishing your work?” I had to answer, “Yup.” Chuckling, he came back with, “You’re already at the bottom. You’ve got nowhere to go but up.” I appreciated his humor.

As we ended our telephone conversation, he said, “Bryce, you can do this.” I believed him.

Baxter, with the remote chance you might be listening, I just want to say, “Thank you for heading me in the right direction.”

Baxter Black passed away June 10, 2022.

– 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.

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THE REPUBLIC

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W O O D R I V E R W E E K L Y • J U N E 2 9 - J U L Y 1 2 , 2 0 2 2

‘Top Gun’: A Return To Pain

By Ken Stokes

he word ‘nostalgia’ derives from Greek and roughly translates as ‘a return to pain’—that sentimental longing for the past.

To this day, I can’t drive through Ketchum without remembering Bald Mountain Hot Springs and Slavey’s.

Warm Springs Road brings back a flood of memories of our family’s cabin (which, in my mind’s eye, was Ralph Lauren when Ralph was still Ralph Lifschitz) and the mysterious old man who lived across the road who, once upon a time, ran with bulls and climbed Kilimanjaro. On reflection, the pool’s changing cabins were Ketchum’s answer to motel rooms that rent by the hour, Slavey’s was a dive and the old man was busy wrestling demons while pounding out a sentimental memoir of ‘la vie bohème’ in 1920s Paris on a vintage Smith-Corona.

In this quasi-post-pandemic era, nostalgia is the new black, and lockdown-weary cinephiles in particular have been pining for the opportunity to once again catch a must-see Hollywood blockbuster in a packed theater where, at least since 2012, masks are absolutely forbidden.

Their collective pain was assuaged about a month when the highly anticipated Top Gun: Maverick—nostalgia incarnate—finally lit up screens across America. Box office records tumbled. The drought had ended. The good old days were back. As were inflation and obscenely-high gas prices. And there’s the rub: nostalgia is invariably a double-edged sword.

The Movie Tom Cruise and Co. made a gutsy call delaying the movie’s opening by almost two years, but in hindsight, it was a no-brainer. This is not your garden-variety sequel.

Top Gun: Maverick is a dazzling piece of entertainment that is flashy, straightforward and just what the zeitgeist demanded. It is an experience, not just a flick. It would be a travesty to watch it the first time in the comfort of your home unless you live in a fully-functional F-18. When viewed in a fully tricked-out theater, the film yanks the audience out of the very messy present and thrusts it on a popcorn-scented journey back to the rose-colored good ol’ days and the joy and comfort of the communal experience, once again living vicariously through the daring-do of real-world heroes (OK, the portrayals of real-world heroes) and the mythology of Maverick—Cruise’s aptly-named character, moving on to flushes of unapologetic patriotism and arriving, as if to paradise itself, at Reagan’s ‘Morning in America.’ Yes, Top Gun: Maverick is one hell of a movie.

The character of Maverick returns after a 30-plus-year hiatus and is plopped into a world where the ‘right stuff’ is being replaced by the right equipment. And he is still not a team player.

Nostalgia meets obsolescence. The 36-year period separating the two Top Gun films is one of the film’s best tricks. Sure, the character of Pete Mitchell (Cruise’s

NEWS

Razor Crash In Muldoon Canyon

On Sunday, June 26, at approximately 7:52 p.m.

Blaine County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a Polaris Razor crash approximately eleven miles out Muldoon Canyon Road.

The crash scene investigation determined that four individuals were traveling eastbound in the Razor, when it went off the embankment, flipping and hitting a tree, and then came to a resting position on the driver’s side of the vehicle.

The driver, a 17-year-old male juvenile, was taken by air ambulance to St. Alphonsus Hospital in Boise with serious injuries. Three passengers Oscar Ramirez Gonzalez, age 20, Mario Lizarraga, age 25, and Juan Luis Andrade Alvarez, age 20, all of Hailey went by ground ambulance to St. Luke’s Wood River Medical Center with injuries.

It is unclear if any of the vehicle’s occupants were wearing seat belts. None of the individuals were wearing helmets. Alcohol appears to be a factor in the crash.

Maverick) is still a maverick in every sense of the word, but those 36 years in Cruise’s personal and professional life were no doubt invaluable in informing Cruise’s performance as a man whose gifts, like those of a doomed Greek hero, are also his curse. It also permits—in real time—a boy from the first film to reappear as an adult and a very unwilling partner in a joint return to pain.

Don’t panic, that’s the extent of the liberal arts portion of the show as well as the extent of any emotional complexity or depth. As in Cruise’s Mission: Impossible films, characters are one-dimensional and motivations are constrained to the task at hand. The procedural is everything, because this movie is first and foremost a VR game.

When it’s at its best, it’s very linear and step-by-step. Its structure is informed by gaming models and learning theory.

The decision to use POV cameras in the arial sequences, which constitute a huge chunk of the movie, are a revelation, quite literally keeping the film aloft and serving as a distraction from the pedestrian activities on the ground.

Moreover, the choice of live-action cinematography is a deceptively simple dynamic and a wildly engrossing alternative to the incessant CGI of most comic-book films.

‘Don’t think.’

A few weeks back I advised the same when viewing Everything Everywhere All at Once. In that case, it was to keep from killing the momentum. In the case of Top Gun: Maverick, it’s to keep from ruining the illusion, and like the now-mythic Reagan Administration itself, the film doesn’t hold up particularly well under real scrutiny.

There are some sincerely disappointing tropes and shortcomings in play: women are ornamental and subordinate, men with glasses are docile and inferior. The voice of reason is housed inside the mouth of a relic or a by-thebook son of a bitch (ironically, the bythe-book son of a bitch used to be the face of Mad Men’s maverick Don Draper). Jingoism is alive and well.

Tom Cruise has only one look (hey, they say it in the movie, and, in fact, he has four: the smirk, manufactured belly laugh, concentration and teary-eyed reflection). The intoxicating combination of sport, sweat, sun, skin and surf might be reason enough to debut manscaping as a competitive sport in the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Olympics. High-risk military operations are fairy tales where nobody breaks a nail and which end with true love’s kiss, reminding us that the sexual chemistry between a Tom Cruise character and any actor, female or male (remember Interview with the Vampire), has all the incendiary potential of a pack of matches submerged in an aquarium.

Once again, please keep your arms and mind inside the aircraft at all times.

But the most disturbing trope of all is the celebration of the lone wolf. You know, that guy with a singular focus and a blatant disregard for collateral damage, be it achieving Mach 10.3 come hell or high water or getting even with society by shooting up an elementary school.

Hailey Library Launches Resident Astronomer Program

The Hailey Public Library will host a special, off-site dark sky observation night with Catherine Slaughter, an astronomer working this summer in conjunction with Boise State University as the Central Idaho Dark Sky Reserve’s inaugural Astronomer in Residence.

Slaughter has a Bachelor of Arts in Astronomy and Physics from Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, where she studied stellar evolution and globular clusters, which are stable, gravitationally bound clusters of stars numbering in the tens of thousands to millions of stars. She is completing a Master of Science in Astronomy Research from Leiden University, in the Netherlands, with a focus on the impact of particular stars in the Orion Nebula.

“Wood River Valley residents are privileged to live in a place of pitch-black night skies,” said Kristin Fletcher, HPL’s programs and engagement manager. “We’re delighted to host Catherine Slaughter, the Central Idaho Dark Sky Reserve’s inaugural Astronomer in Residence, for our first ever night sky observing opportunity.

Catherine loves to teach astronomy in ways that are accessible and grounded in humanity.”

The event starts at 9:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 30.

RSVP to kristin.fletcher@haileypubliclibrary.org for details. Telescopes will be available. For more information, contact the library at (208) 788-2036 or visit www.haileypubliclibrary.org.

COVID Vax For Kids All Set

The Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) approval of the COVID-19 vaccines for children as young as six months old means St. Luke’s Wood River can begin to offer vaccinations for children six months to five years of age as early as next week. Last week, the FDA and CDC met to discuss and approve:

KEN STOKES

The 2022 Maverick is a hubris-laden man with a manufactured bravado, self-assured to a fault, free of second thoughts and second guesses, and engaged in a tenuous relationship with reflection and regret. Did I mention he is a toxic interloper as well? Can you really imagine a rational woman wanting to be with a megalomaniac like Maverick circa 2022, or a rational man befriending him, or rational people trusting him for an instant?

And there’s the catch. This is precisely the kind of man—one who is self-assured and unfettered by convention—that women want to be with, that men want to be, and that companies and countries concerned about incompetency or self-dealing simply package it all in a carefully-crafted illusion of uncompromising leadership.

We build these mythic creatures in our heads and then assemble pedestals for them in real life. It led to a cowboy presidency in the 1980s and a sociopathic presidency in the second half of the 2010s. It’s presently in play in the Russian Federation. I shudder to think what’s in store down the road.

So will this dissuade anybody from seeing and loving this movie? Hell no. Returning to pain is becoming an American ritual. Maybe there should be a national holiday, with fireworks and ice cream just like we used to get at Ketchum’s Main Street soda fountain.

IN BRIEF •

Moderna’s approval requests for children ages six months to five years old and six years old through 17 years old.

• Pfizer-BioNTech’s approval request for children ages six months through four years of age By last weekend, all of those emergency approvals were granted. The move means 20 million more Americans will be eligible for vaccination.

St. Luke’s is requesting people to use their MyChart online portal to set vaccination times. The South Central Public Health District office in Bellevue said it hopes to start offering the vaccine for children as young as six months by tomorrow.

Search for facilities where COVID-19 vaccines are offered in their area at vaccines.gov.

Papoose Club Cooks Up Pancake Breakfast 2022

One of the longest-standing nonprofits in the Valley is bringing back their most well-known fundraiser.

After a pandemic-triggered, two-year hiatus, the Papoose Club is bringing back its Wagon Days Labor Day Pancake Breakfast. Funds from the breakfast count for a large percentage of the monies used in grants than support youth programs around the community.

Recently awarded grants include one given to Nosotros United (all of us united), a student-run club at Wood River High School, with a mission to promote the blending of cultures and ambitious dreams for all. The Papoose Club will be selling watermelon for $2 a slice at Hailey’s Fourth of July celebration located at Hop Porter Park RiverFest 12:30 to 4 p.m.

In other club news, Caudia Klokke has been honored as member of the year for her extraordinary service and dedication to the club. For more information on the Papoose Club, please visit papooseclub.org.

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

ADVERTORIALS

NUESTRA VOZ CUENTA

MONICA CARRILLO

Turn Off Tech, Turn On Family Time

BY MONICA CARRILLO

OUR VOICE COUNTS With summer in full swing in the Wood River Valley, the Kiwanis Kids Fair is coming to the Balmoral/Kiwanis Park on July 2 with fun activities and music. The Kiwanis Kids Fair will be held Saturday, July 2, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. with a full day of activities and fun for kids in Blaine County and surrounding areas.

“It is important to have it at Balmoral Apartments and be able to spend quality time with our families and turn off our gadgets for the day,” said Herbert Romero, event producer for this second annual fair. “Within our Hispanic families, we work too much and don’t have enough fun with our families. Family is important!”

Herbert Romero, alongside Neighbors Helping Neighbors, a program of the Crisis Hotline in Idaho, held the Kiwanis Kids Fair last year and it was a complete success. Families came from Balmoral Apartments and from other parts of the Wood River Valley to enjoy the food and everybody’s company.

As someone who lives at Balmoral, I have seen the impact events like these can do for the Hispanic/Latin community because of the inclusivity and cultural diversity we are able to represent.

So, if you are in town and looking for some fun activities for your kids, make sure to stop on by!

NUESTRA VOZ CUENTA Con el verano en el valle de Wood River, El Kiwanis Kids Fair, una feria para los niños, llegará al parque de Balmoral el 2 de julio con actividades divertidas y música.

La feria se llevará a cabo el 2 de julio de 10 a.m. a 6 p.m. con un día completo de actividades y diversión para los niños en el condado de Blaine y lugares alrededor.

“Es importante que lo tenga en los apartamentos de Balmoral y poder pasar tiempo de calidad con nuestras familias y apagar nuestros artilugios para el día”, dijo Herbert Romero, productor de eventos para esta feria anual de 2nd. “Dentro de nuestras familias hispanas, trabajamos demasiado y no nos divertimos lo suficiente con nuestras familias. ¡ La familia es importante!”

Herbert Romero junto con Neighbors Helping Neighbors, un programa bajo la Línea Directa de Crisis en Idaho, celebró la feria el año pasado y fue un éxito completo. Las familias vinieron de los apartamentos de Balmoral y de otras partes del Valle del Río Wood para disfrutar de la comida y la compañía de todos.

Como alguien que vive en los apartamentos de Balmoral, he visto el impacto que eventos como estos pueden tener para la comunidad hispana / latina debido a la inclusión y la diversidad cultural que podemos representar.

Así que si estás en la ciudad y buscas algunas actividades divertidas para tus hijos, ¡asegúrate de pasar por aquí!

NEWS

IN BRIEF

Ketchum Jazzes Up Park

Ketchum’s free weekly concert series “Jazz in the Park” has kicked off and will now run every Sunday for six weeks.

The first “Jazz in the Park” free weekly concert started on Sunday, June 26, at Rotary Park by the YMCA at 6 p.m.

Ketchum’s popular “Jazz in the Park” music series The events run about kicked off last Sunday. Photo credit: Will Caldwell two hours. All the musicians are among Idaho’s most highly regarded jazz players, many of whom are from Boise and the Wood River Valley.

In July, Los Angeles transplant Tony Galla and his band will perform as will singer Pamela DeMarche. The Frim Fram Four quartet and the Valley’s own Bossa Nova Jazz Ensemble with a special guest on mandolin are also slated. Ending the series on July 31 is Nicole Christensen and her seven-member band.

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J U N E 29 - J U LY 12, 2022

BLAINE COUNTY NOXIOUS WEEDS

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BLAINE BUG CREW

Dalmatian Toadflax Ornamental to Noxious

T

by The Blaine Bug Crew

he noxious weed we will highlight this week was planted in people’s gardens.

Once weed managers identified its invasive nature, it was added to the state noxious weeds list. Blaine and surrounding counties have been fighting Dalmatian Toadflax ever since.

Dalmatian toadflax is a perennial that grows up to four feet tall. Its waxy green leaves are heart-shaped, one to three inches long, and clasp to the stem. The flowers are one inch long, yellow, often tinged with orange or red, and similar in shape to a snapdragon. Plants flower from midsummer to fall. Seeds are produced in a half-inch pod and are irregularly wing-angled. A single plant may produce up to 500,000 seeds in a season which may remain viable in the soil for up to 10 years.

This plant also reproduces vegetatively by stems that develop from adventitious buds on primary and creeping lateral roots. It is usually associated with sparsely vegetated areas, such as roadsides, abandoned or unmanaged land, gravel pits, and disturbed pastures and rangelands. It is found in most counties in Idaho.

This invasive plant is reportedly toxic to livestock. Luckily we have a bug just as toxic to Dalmatian toadflax.

Adult Mecinus Janithformus are small, somewhat elongated bluish-black weevils which emerge from the previous year’s infested Dalmatian toadflax stems in April-May. Adult Mecinus Janithformus feed on toadflax stems that are at least 0.04 inches in diameter and feed on leaves and stems from June to mid-July before mating and laying eggs inside new shoots. The eggs typically hatch in 6 to 7 days. Larvae tunnel within the toadflax stem for 23 to 34 days,

BETTER HOMEOWNERS NEWS

moving no more than 1.2 inches from where the egg was laid. Pupation occurs within the stem.

Adult feeding on stems and leaves has a limited impact on the plant. Larval mining impacts the plants by causing premature wilting of shoots and suppressing flower formation. Mecinus Janithformus overwinter as adults inside their pupation chamber. The effects of the weevil on the plant are reportedly enhanced under drought stress.

We hope this article helps you more easily identify Dalmatian toadflax and its noxious characteristics. It is up to all of us to help keep this invasive species at bay. With our eyes on public lands, we can assist the Blaine County Weed Department to identify the areas of concern and new infestations. If you have concerns about Dalmatian toadflax in your area, please call Kay Draper at (208) 727-7221.

Linaria dalmatica is a herbaceous plant native to western Asia and southeastern Europe that has become a weed in other areas. Its common names include Balkan toadflax, broadleaf toadflax, and Dalmatian toadflax. Photo credit: Ghislain118, accessed via Wikipedia

ANNA AND MICHELLE

Buy Before You Sell

A

BY ANNA & MICHELLE

common concern for homeowners is that if they sell their home first, they may not be able to find another home to buy. It is understandable with the low inventories currently available in most markets, but a strong argument can be made to buy your replacement home first.

In fact, there are some advisors that would tell you not to sell at all. Instead, keep the home for a rental investment and refinance it to pull out some cash for the down payment and closing costs for the new one.

Many homeowners recognize that their home has been an excellent investment for them. Their home may have outperformed their retirement and other investments. In all likelihood, homeowners understand the management and benefits of a single-family home far better than they understand stocks, mutual funds, annuities, or ETFs. Just as there are low inventories of homes for sales, there are shortages of available single-family homes for rent, as is evidenced by rent continuing to rise. Rising prices and rents contribute to the rates of return that rental properties enjoy.

A homeowner, assuming they have good credit, can borrow the difference in their unpaid balance and 80% of the fair market value of their home. The proceeds are most likely not a taxable event and can be used to purchase the replacement home.

It is likely that the rent could cover the total payment on the refinanced former home. The seller, then, benefits from income, depreciation, equity build-up, appreciation, and leverage.

There is even a window of opportunity possible for the homeowner to rent it for a while, which covers his payment, allows the home to continue to appreciate, and then, sell and close it within two years and still be eligible for the

section 121 exclusion of gain in a principal residence.

The homeowner may find that the investment is providing a better return than alternative investments and keep the rental beyond the two years. At some later date, if the homeowner wanted to dispose of the property and buy another more expensive rental, a section 1031 exchange may be available to avoid capital gains for a while longer.

Many economists feel that the low inventory situation in most of America is going to be a long-term event due to over a decade of underbuilding and maturity of the millennial generation. This will continue to propel both home values and rents; both of which are good for investors.

Buy before you sell but they don’t have to be at the same time; they can be years apart. Do a cash-out refinance on your current home for the proceeds to buy another home that meets your needs now. Then, convert your current home to a rental investment. Don’t wait because rising interest rates will increase your payments on not only the new home but the refinanced home also.

Talk to your real estate professional about what the fair market value of your current home is now, what you can expect to pull out of it and what it would rent for. Download our Rental Income Properties guide for more information.

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W O O D R I V E R W E E K L Y • J U N E 2 9 - J U L Y 1 2 , 2 0 2 2

CHAMBER CORNER

MIKE MCKENNA

Hard way Pipeline

2022 Fourth of July Grand Marshals History Strikes On With The Nelson Family

By Mike McKenna

H

ailey’s annual Days of the Old West Fourth of July Parade is all about what makes our community so special. The parade honors our history and unique mountain-town charm and it stars the people who call this place home.

That’s why it’s only fitting that Hailey’s 141st parade for America’s birthday honors the Nelson family as the grand marshals.

The Nelson family has been involved in local sports, especially baseball in the Wood River Valley, for generations. Thanks in large part to the Nelson family, Hailey is home to what is arguably the oldest Little League tournament in Idaho.

And as that old Chevrolet commercial reminds us, there’s nothing more American than “baseball, hotdogs and apple pie.”

That popular Chevy ad campaign came out shortly after the tournament changed it name from the “Wood River Valley” to the “Ray Nelson” Invitational Little League Tournament in 1972.

Ray Nelson was born in Oakley, Idaho, in 1929, and passed away of a heart attack in the summer of 1970. His passing left behind his beloved wife, Marian, and enough kids to field a baseball team.

Paul, the oldest of the children, had been the star player of the 1957 Hailey Wolverines team that became the first local squad to win the tournament. Paul hit a homer and got the save by striking out the final batter. Ray had been a coach on that team, while Paul’s little brother, Mike Nelson, served as batboy.

“Those were great times,” Mike said.

The tournament was originally started by Civil Defense Sergeant Bill Houser with help from lots of locals over the years, like Ned Bell, John Miller, Buddy Isom, Ed Uhrig and, of course, the Nelson family.

“It was a real community deal,” Mike said. “We never had any trouble getting help.”

Teams for that first tournament came from across southern Idaho, with Filer winning the first title. The 50th Anniversary of the Nelson tg kids coming from the same towns, like Boise and Twin Falls, that played in the inaugural event 65 years ago.

Steel Fencing

Kelly Wardell 208-309-0916

How To Play Sudoku

That’s one of the things that makes the Ray Nelson tournament so magical—hundreds of Little League baseball players from throughout Idaho have played in the tournament over the years, just like their dads or moms, aunts or uncles, or granddads did.

“It’s an honor to our family and a testament to this community’s love of baseball that it’s gone on for so long. It’s really cool to see people come back for generations and play in the same tournament their dads or grandparents played in,” said Matt Nelson, one of Ray’s grandsons who played in the tournament as a kid.

The competition is always tough at the Ray Nelson and it’s not too often that our local teams get to win any hardware. But this year, the 12U Outlaws took home the Silver Bracket Championships. Meanwhile, the 10U Colts (which included Ray’s great-grandson, Dyson Nelson) battled their way to grab medals for taking second place. The baseball gods were certainly smiling on Hailey that day.

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 7

The Chamber is taking parade float entries as well as donations for the fireworks until Friday, July 1. To sign up or find out more, go to ValleyChamber.org, contact Info@ValleyChamber.org or call (208) 788-3484.

CROSSWORD SPONSORED BY

THETRADER TRADER THE THE TRADER Consignment for the home

Consignment for the home

Consignment for the home

Wednesday - Friday 11 to 6 Saturday 11 to 4

TRADER EADER TRADER

Always available by appointment and if we’re here.

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

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

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

the home

509 S. Main Street • Bellevue, Idaho

Wednesday through Saturday Thursday Wednesday - Friday Wednesday - Friday 11:00to to 5:00 ednesday - Friday 11 to 611 to 6 available by appointment 11 to 6AlwaysSaturday Saturday Saturday and if we’re here.

Saturday 11 to 4 11 to 11 or to 788-0216 44 720-9206 11 to 4

Always available by appointment and if we’re here.

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

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

See answer on page 7

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

Sunny 0%

high 78º

low 46º WEDNESDAY

Sunny 0%

high 81 º low 51º THURSDAY

Mostly Sunny 0%

high 85º low 54º FRIDAY

Mostly Sunny 18%

high 86º low 54º SATURDAY

Mostly Sunny 0%

high 85º low 54º SUNDAY

Partly Coudy 2%

high 80º low 51º MONDAY

Mostly Sunny 2%

high 78º low 51º TUESDAY

SKI. BIKE. LIVE!

Elevate your experience.

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