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WOOD RIVER WEEKLY YOUR VOICE IN THE WOOD RIVER VALLEY

Free | Dec 2 - 15, 2020 | Vol. 1 - No. 27 | woodriverweekly.com

“ We ’ v e a r r a n g e d a s o c i e t y b a s e d o n s c i e n c e a n d t e c h n o l o g y, i n w h i c h n o b o d y u n d e r s t a n d s a n y t h i n g a b o u t s c i e n c e a n d t e c h n o l o g y.

A n d t h i s c o m b u s t i b l e m i x t u r e o f i g n o r a n c e a n d p o w e r, s o o n e r o r l a t e r, i s g o i n g t o b l o w u p i n o u r f a c e s . ” ~Carl Sagan

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Blue skies, bright sun and plenty of snow greeted skiers and boarders on Bald Mountain for the Thanksgiving Day opening of Sun Valley Resort’s 85th winter season. Photo credit: Sun Valley Resort

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Wood River Weekly

•

December 2 - 15, 2020

NEWS

CLIMATE

Three Businesses Named ‘Climate Action Leaders’

By Eric Valentine

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”

The late anthropologist Margaret Mead made that statement roughly 50 years ago, long before global warming or climate change was in the American vernacular. Today, Hailey has an emerging organization that’s trying to help and to highlight folks who are doing exactly that—whatever they can in the micro to improve things on the macro.

Last week, the Climate Action Coalition of the Wood River Valley (CAC)—a not-for-profit group of concerned citizens working to develop community awareness and action on the imminent threat of climate change—launched its Climate Action Leaders program. The program selected three businesses to highlight for their implementation of sustainable practices.

“These are businesses who, on their own initiative, took steps to be better stewards of the environment,” said CAC founding member Rob Lonning. “We want to show folks how this is possible and focus on the people who are just doing it.”

The three honorees are: The Senior Connection, Hailey Coffee Company, and Konditorei Restaurant.

The Senior Connection According to the CAC, The Senior Connection was honored thanks to the work of Teresa Beahen Lipman, The Senior Connection executive director. Working with her staff, Lipman developed a program that helps meet the needs of Valley senior citizens while adopting a number of sustainable practices.

Specifically, through the donation of garden produce by local farmers Dick and Melinda Springs, along with the assistance of Mardi Shepard and Peggy Grove. This has allowed The Senior Connection chef and nutrition director Brian Ahern to create nutritious meals that have been served in-house and delivered to over 700 senior citizens in the Valley. Through creative menu planning, Ahern was able to reduce food waste and send the compostables back to the Giving

Leaders of the Climate Action Coalition meet at the Natural Grocers store in Hailey last fall. In the photo are Scott Runkel, Gretchen Basen, and Elizabeth Jeffrey, three of the four CAC planning committee members. Photo credit: Rob Lonning

Farm where they will add to the richness of the garden soil. Instrumental in this recycling process was facilities manager Eliseo Gonzalez.

Hailey Coffee Company For over five years, Santos Serva has been running the Hailey Coffee Company and during that time has worked hard to make his establishment environmentally friendly. Among the many programs the Hailey Coffee Company employs to reduce its carbon footprint are: ● Roasts coffee beans locally ● Uses in-house ceramic, reusable mugs ● Installed LED lights ● Uses a programmable thermostat ● Flattens and recycles cardboard ● Uses organic milk ● Ingredients for pastries are purchased locally – baked in in-house ovens ● Strives to minimize use of single-use plastics ● Uses a drip irrigation system on the property

Konditorei Restaurant The Climate Action Coalition of the Wood River Valley has also chosen Matt Robinson, manager of the Konditorei Restaurant of Sun Valley, as a Climate Action Leader. Robinson had already been recognized as a Hero of Sustainability in the resort industry nationally by the National Ski Areas Association. He is known for incorporating sustainability into every aspect of his operation, earning him a 3-Star Certification by the Green Restaurant Association—the first in the ski industry. He does all this by using locally-sourced food and energy-efficient appliances in the restaurant and is an active voice in the community encouraging businesses to take steps toward sustainability.

Community members are encouraged to follow the group’s meetings on Zoom. Details can be found at Haileycac.org, which is the CAC official website.

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PUBLISHER’S NOTE Dear Valley Residents, As 2020 comes to a close, and with the COVID-19 resurgence, the Wood River Weekly will continue to publish every second week.

Listening to the Hailey City Council public hearing last Monday has highlighted how desperate and difficult these times are for our community, neighbors and friends. Let us all be compassionate, understanding and seek to help each other out where ever we can.

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December 2 - 15, 2020

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By Eric Valentine

s Valley leadership implements new pandemic-related ordinances on individuals and businesses, at least four organizations here have aligned their efforts to press—and potentially bring litigation against—elected and health officials for COVID-triggered policies they say would be detrimental to the community.

The four organizations are Wood River Business Alliance, Central Idaho For Liberty, Health Freedom Blaine County, and Health Freedom Defense Fund. And at the Nov. 23 Hailey City Council meeting, their unified efforts were on display. A combination of 217 people online and over 50 people who gathered at the Freedom Bible Church in Hailey to comment and watch the proceedings attended the session, which deliberated on a proposal to tighten pandemic-related restrictions and enforce criminal repercussions for not following them.

There is no doubt that our showing—and the personal stories and testimonies of so many— shifted the tone and direction of the meeting and agenda.”

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Leslie Manookian Valley resident “There is no doubt that our showing—and the personal stories and testimonies of so many—shifted the tone and direction of the meeting and agenda,” said Valley resident Leslie Manookian, who played a central role in bringing the four organizations together.

Manookian, who is well known in the Valley as a longtime vaccine-safety advocate and a personal rights watchdog, heads up two of those organizations. Health Freedom Blaine County is a group she founded to protect citizens’ basic rights when it comes to matters of health. Health Freedom Defense Fund is a nonprofit collection of monies to defend in court people who’s health freedoms have been violated.

“I want to be careful and not sound ‘threatening’ when talking about lawsuits,” said Manookian. Nonetheless, people deserve equal protection under the law and the ability to bring cases to court, she added.

It’s easy to dismiss pushback against pandemic-related restrictions as an altright, conspiracy-theory-inspired denial of scientific reality. But doing so is as un-clarifying as calling all COVID-related guidelines draconian measures.

Manookian’s hope, she said, is that government and health leaders see the variety and legitimacy of the concerns people in these four different groups hold, and to start listening.

“We’re not saying don’t be concerned about disease. We’re saying hear us, listen to our concerns, don’t lump us in,” Manookian said.

Right now, Manookian feels local gov- Leslie Manookian heads ernment as well as local media is hearing up two local organizasomething different than what a range of tions pushing back against COVID-related policy. Photo residents—particularly business owners credit: Leslie Manookian and alternative health practitioners—are saying. She wrote the following in a letter addressed to the City of Hailey.

“In another comment, Sam Linnet dismissed some of the public comment as conspiracy theory. This tone, these words, and this attitude are inappropriate and demeaning to the public he serves and do not become an elected official. Members of the public send you science and perspectives based on that science, which may be different than what you receive from St. Luke’s or even public health agencies, but this is good science and should not be derided as conspiracy theory.”

Meanwhile, the Hailey City Council did pull back on some restrictions and proposals. Most notable, effective last week, businesses in Hailey no longer need to limit their number of patrons if customers can stay 6 feet apart. And, they elected not to include children under 5 years of age in any mask mandate. What concerns folks is the potential punishment for not following the guidelines now that local governments are looking to put teeth into their existing rules.

“We do not know about the fine, jail time and businesses facing closure for not enforcing (the guidelines),” said Manookian.

But with funds at the ready to bring these cases to court, some number of individuals may be able to bite back.

Wood River Weekly

•

December 2 - 15, 2020

NEWS

5

ARTS

Filmmaker’s Life, Career A ‘Road Less Traveled’

P

By Eric Valentine

lotwise, Aric Iverson’s indie movie couldn’t be further from the local filmmaker’s own bio. But the film’s title—Road Less Traveled—sums up the lifelong Idahoan’s life journey superbly. It’s not every day that an award-winning writer-director can also claim mixed martial arts championships, professional snowboarding sponsorships, renowned custom tilesetting skills, and a departure from the Jehovah’s Witness religion in his teenage years that also saw him drop out of school.

Yet those are exactly the experiences the Bellevue resident can draw on as he doubles down on what has inadvertently become his deepest passion—auteur filmmaking. On Thanksgiving Day, Iverson released, for free, on YouTube, the 12-minute, 25-second film he wrote, directed, starred in and produced on a total budget of zero dollars, but has been selected by more than two dozen film festivals nationally and garnered him nearly a dozen festival circuit awards, including a best actor nod at the Twin Falls Sandwiches Film Festival in 2019.

“It was my first film, so I really wasn’t even thinking I’d be selected by any of the festivals,” Iverson said.

“Sometimes we weren’t even sure what budget category to select because we did it on a zero-dollar budget.”

Iverson comes by his humility honestly. There’s something about professional snowboarding and competitive fighting that, despite the exhilarating highs, at some point you’re always brought back down to Earth. And then there was his teenage years as a member of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, a religion known for putting the interest of God before the particular interests of any human. Iverson said the faith was never his cup of tea, but being in the religion meant he had to tear down his Bruce Lee and Jean-Claude Van Damme posters and become what he described as “a closet martial arts practitioner.”

“When I was a kid, I wanted to be Van Damme,” Iverson explained. “So my road to acting and my road to fighting coincided from the beginning.”

Iverson’s athletic accomplishments and experiences were not the only plot points in his life that brought lessons of highs and lows. Already in the mid 2000s, Iverson was writing screenplays, something he did in the hopes of developing characters that he could play himself.

“My first passion was acting and I just felt I needed to create some characters myself,” Iverson explained.

He did this superbly, too. One of the scripts, “Rotten Wood Creek,” was optioned by a production company in Los Angeles. It even had an experienced director from the UK attached to it in Nick Cohen, best known for a

feature film called “The Reeds,” among dozens of other directing and writing credits. Then the Great Recession hit in 2007 and by 2008 funding and development fell through.

Another script, “Fallacy,” has its own special anecdote attached to it. One night, when Iverson was tending bar in Hailey, a Hollywood actor was a patron and noticed Iverson’s first name—Aric. The actor said the best script he’d ever read was written by some guy also named Aric. Iverson asked about the title of the script; the actor replied, “Fallacy.”

“Those experiences made me finally say, ‘Screw it, I think I need to make the entire movie myself,’” Iverson said.

That’s when Iverson wrote “Road Less Traveled” and put together an acting ensemble and a crew that included mostly first-timers.

“It was a team of people helping out any way they could,” Iverson said. “I learned so much about the entire filmmaking process, things I couldn’t even imagine before. There’s so much involved with making a movie, it’s crazy.”

The hard work involved with being a filmmaker is something that doesn’t phase Iverson. For that, he credits his father, Cliff Iverson, who founded and operated the family’s successful tilesetting company, Lei’s Custom Tile, which has made a name for itself working on the interiors of many high-profile north Valley estates. He also credits MMA training.

“Training is harder than a fight ever is, if you’re training right,” Iverson explained.

As for the creativity, Iverson says that’s the DNA legacy of his mom. His mother, Rhonda Iverson, is a renowned artist specializing in plein air.

Credit for rolling with life’s punches, though, falls on the shoulders of Iverson, the accomplished athlete.

The bumps and bruises acquired in snowboarding and fighting are not failures or losses. If understood correctly, they are lessons learned—the ingredient of any great work of art. “Road Less Traveled” is Iverson’s first punch thrown, but it’s clear there will always be more.

Local filmmaker Aric Iverson, second from left, addresses the audience at the Twin Falls film festival in 2019 where he won an award for his acting in the film he wrote and directed called Road Less Traveled. Photo credit: Aric Iverson

Facebook: Road Less Traveled Short Film https://bit.ly/37ixjXC Watch at: https://bit.ly/3lpGpXH

Numerous “laurels”—awards and recognitions from film festivals—now grace the movie poster for Road Less Traveled.

Photo credit: Aric Iverson

You are not alone.

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

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

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•

December 2 - 15, 2020

NEWS

IN BRIEF

Affordable Housing Project Awarded Tax Credit Funding

GMD Development LLC, in partnership with Ketchum Community Development Corporation (KCDC), has received a reservation of competitive 9 percent tax credits from the Idaho Housing and Finance Association (IHFA) 2021 Low Income Housing Tax Credit program funding round for the Bluebird Village community housing development.

This reservation will enable the development to move forward and utilize several other funding sources, including 4 percent tax credits, tax-exempt bonds, solar tax credits, City of Ketchum in-lieu housing funds and the Ketchum Urban Renewal Agency. The project site will be leased from the City of Ketchum.

The development team plans to conduct community outreach to review conceptual plans and gather public input on the design. Once the design is ready, an application will be submitted, and the development will go through the city’s design review and entitlement process.

The 9 percent and 4 percent tax credits will create approximately $12.1 million in equity financing for the development of approximately 56 units of affordable rental housing on the current City Hall site in downtown Ketchum. Without local support and funding for the development, this multiyear effort to obtain the competitive federal tax credit funding could not have been achieved. Tax credit equity and other project debt financing will leverage the local funding and contributions by nearly 3.5 times.

“Getting approval on tax credits for Ketchum has been challenging,” said GMD owner Greg Dunfield. “This was our third attempt in as many years and our perseverance has finally paid off.”

Ketchum Community Invited To Make History

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The City of Ketchum has begun an outreach program to bolster its historic preservation project.

A questionnaire and Doodle poll will be launched on the city website where people can sign up for virtual small-group sessions starting Dec. 2.

In October, Ketchum City Council adopted an emergency ordinance to place a 90-day pause on the demolition of structures in downtown Ketchum. The purpose of the ordinance is to address the potential loss of key historic resources associated with redevelopment in the downtown core. That came on the heels of the city receiving over 160 responses to its initial community survey conducted in the fall. The results represented support for preservation of buildings representative of Ketchum’s character.

“This is a significant topic to consider,” Mayor Neil Bradshaw said. “It is important to plan the future of Ketchum by paying homage to the past.”

Moving into December, the city will begin the conversation on practical solutions to preserve Ketchum’s character-defining features in the downtown, while also ensuring future growth over time.

Residents can join the city in discussing the realm of possibilities and learn more about what other Western communities have considered and implemented.

This effort will influence a potential interim ordinance to be in effect for one year. The city will ask for feedback on the creation of a complete program that includes baseline protections.

All this will set the foundation for future public opportunities to begin in January, when the city and community will delve deeper into features and characteristics to help build potential programs and design guidelines to further the preservation efforts. These features may include incentives, guidelines, and other tools for protection that will be part of a permanent ordinance.

If you desire to join the discussion, please sign up on the Doodle poll on Dec. 2 at www.ketchumidaho.org/communityconversations for a virtual small-group session. If you have questions or you are unable to participate via this method of communication, please email participate@ketchumidaho.org or call (208) 726-7803.

Community School Launches Book, Speaker Series

Sun Valley Community School Parents’ Association will host a virtual book discussion via Zoom with New York Times best-selling author Jessica Lahey on Dec. 3 at 12 p.m. The discussion kicks off the Parents’ Association’s inaugural Book + Speaker Series—a free event open to the community.

Guests are encouraged to read Lahey’s best-selling book, “The Gift of Failure: How the Best Parents Learn to Let Go So Their Children Can Succeed.” Guests can go to communityschool.org/news/events for the Zoom link to join the meeting. The Book + Speaker Series is a new program offered by the Parents’ Association. Future author discussions will include authors Laura Markham (Feb. 18) and Dr. Michele Borba (April 29).

In the book, Lahey lays out a blueprint with targeted advice for handlinghomework, report cards, social dynamics, and sports. She also sets forth a plan to help parents learn to step back and embrace their children’s failures.

Lahey is a teacher, writer, and mother. Over 20 years, she’s taught every grade fromsixth to12th in both public and private schools. She writes about education, parenting, and child welfare for The Atlantic, Vermont Public Radio, The Washington Post and The New York Times.

Game (Dinner) On For Ski Foundation

NEWS

IN BRIEF

WARNING/REMINDER: Fireplaces, Woodstoves Can Cause Structure Fires On the heels of two local structure fires, the Ketchum Rural Fire Protection District has issued a warning about fireplaces and woodburning stoves.

In recent weeks, fire departments have fought and extinguished two separate structure fires. One incident was caused by a chimney fire that extended into the attic of the home, and the other fire was caused by the inappropriate disposal of hot ashes from the home’s fireplace.

With cooler temperatures and the winter season upon us, more and more fires will be lit in homes throughout Blaine County. Fire district officials are recommending that you dispose of ashes in a noncombustible container and have your chimney professionally inspected on an annual basis.

It is ‘game on’ for the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation’s 44th annual Wild Game Dinner, to be held Dec. 5.

Although the gathering won’t be in person this year, the nonprofit organization dedicated to providing snowsports programs for Valley youth says community spirit and camaraderie are still at the heart of the event. The SVSEF Wild Game Dinner will be held in a virtual livestream broadcast from Rotarun Ski Area.

Executive Director Scott McGrew and NBC Sports Analyst Steve Porino (a SVSEF board member) will host the event, which centers around the so-called Rip-A-Thon. Team members from every discipline—alpine, cross-country, big mountain, freestyle, freeski and snowboard—will be working together to gain the most vertical feet possible to raise money for SVSEF programming.

Fundraising by the athletes is now under way. To support their efforts, please go to givebutter.com/ rotarun.

Thanks to the generosity of sponsors, SVSEF will also offer its popular silent auction. To take part in the auction, visit svsef.org/events/2020-wild-game-dinner and click “Register for the Auction” to receive an event code. Items may be bid on using the givi app on your smartphone once you have received your event code. The auction will close at 9 p.m. the night of the Game Dinner. Event highlights include bingo for airline miles, a raffle drawing, curated team videos, silent auction and a paddle up.

The Game Dinner experience will be enhanced by a carefully curated in-home Game Dinner. “ToGoat” Boxed Game Dinners, prepared by Warfield Distillery & Brewery, will be delivered ready to heat and eat. The main course is a quartet of sausages with smoked elk, duck with cranberries, wild boar with anise, and venison with black pepper, all served with housemade grain mustard. Accompaniments include wild foraged mushroom rillette with white truffle oil, butter-roasted Yukon Gold potatoes, Bavarian sauerkraut with black caraway, sweet dark and light baguettes, and dessert from Rasberrys. Beverages include a six-pack of Warfield beer and a bottle of wine of your choice.

“To-Goat” Game Dinner tickets are available at svsef.org/events/2020-wild-game-dinner and are $200 for dinner for two. For details, please contact Event Director Amanda Porino at aporino@svsef.org or (208) 726-4129.

Wood River Weekly

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November 18 - December 1, 2020

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COMM ENT ARY Wood River Weekly

Fishing R epoRt

•

December 2 - 15, 2020

NO BONES ABOUT IT THE “WEEKLY” FISHING REPORT FOR DECEMBER 2 - 15 FROM PICABO ANGLER

A

ll of us at Picabo Angler hope you had a healthy, peaceful, and joyous Thanksgiving. Now it’s time to work off all of that turkey, mashed potatoes, and apple pie by hitting one of our local rivers for some winter trout fishing.

Winter in the Valley means midges, so your winter fly box (no matter where you fish) should include a robust selection; Brassies, Zebra Midges, WD-40s, Griffith’s Gnats, Parachute Midges and Tie-Down Midges in size 18–24 are great imitations.

For midge larva and pupa, red, black, gray, olive and brown are all excellent colors.

If you are nymphing rivers like the Big Wood, Big Lost or South Fork Boise, patterns such as Rubber Legs, Girdle Bugs, Copper Johns and Rainbow Warriors are winter staples.

Streamer fishing on Silver Creek can be particularly effective during the winter months. Let the weather and water conditions dictate how and what you fish. When it’s really cold, you should be fishing your offerings low and slow; swinging a lightly weighted leech, bugger, or small zonker can produce some quality fish. When it’s a bit warmer out, or if there’s an overcast sky, fish a baitfish pattern such as a Sparkle Minnow, and fish it a bit more aggressively.

Typically, the most productive winter fishing occurs during the nicest part of the day; noon to 4 p.m. is a good window. Concentrate your efforts then, when the fish are most active.

It’s important to make safety and comfort a priority when fishing during the winter. Warm layers, gloves and hats are essential for being comfortable, as are waders in good working order. Also, be prepared for winter travel.

Have an emergency kit in your vehicle—flashlight, blanket, food, water, cellphone, shovel, tire chains, etc.

Keep in mind that waterfowl season is open, so be aware of hunters and use common sense when on the water.

Be safe, and happy fishing, everyone!

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

FRAN JEWELL

Kalidor’s Puppy Diary Week 6

K

By Fran Jewell

alidor is now almost 16 weeks old and the critical imprinting time is just about over. So far, he has learned to sit for petting, sit to come out of his crate, sit at all doors going in or coming out. He knows how to “Leave it” with food on the floor or in my hand. He is not jumping on people. He comes to his name even when he is playing with the other dogs. He sits and does down.

He also watches me on command, even in public. I have had him out in public where there are no loose dogs I do not know, but have first checked with our veterinarian to be sure there is no parvo in the Valley.

He has seen new places, friends’ homes, and played for short periods with fair and gentle older dogs. In the five weeks I have had him, he has only had two accidents in the house because I take him out frequently and always give him food when he goes outside.

I never let him loose in the house unless I am right there watching him. He is either in his exercise pen with a chew toy, or in his crate if I cannot be right there. He knows the command “Go hurry up!” and will go on a leash so he will relieve himself quickly when we travel or if I have to leave for work.

I have worked tirelessly on gentle restraint and let him know that squirming or biting does not let him go free. When he is quiet in my arms, he gets love and petting, but wild behavior gets nothing, certainly not getting down. I want him to accept restraint when he goes to the vet without trauma, or when I am trimming his nails, etc. When he goes in or out of his crate in the car, he must also be well-behaved and sit before coming out.

I am not taking him places where he may meet dogs that are wild and out of control,

SCIENCE OF PLACE

H

A restrained hug and being handled firmly but gently by others is a good way for puppies to learn to trust people and allow handling that must be done throughout their lives. Photo credit: Fran Jewell

nor places where he may meet dogs that I don’t know will be kind to puppies. I don’t want him to become defensive aggressive, or have any bad experiences with unknown dogs. That means, I don’t go any public place where other dogs are being walked off leash.

I take Kalidor to the vet just to get weighed and for the staff to give him treats so he likes going to the vet. He sits politely on the scale, too! While the veterinarian’s office is not a place to socialize with sick dogs, it is a place that I want him to trust the people there. Before taking him in, I always check to see if there are loose dogs that could jump on him, or dogs that have kennel cough or any other

On Ice

by hannes thum

ow distracted I can find myself on something as simple as a walk along the river.

This week, I returned to a place along the Big Wood that I visit often in the summer and fall to fish and to swim and to skip rocks. But because I hadn’t planned on fishing, and because there was no way I was jumping into the water at this time of year, and because all of the good skipping rocks were buried beneath our recent snowfall, I got… well… distracted.

By ice. By how many shapes the ice takes. By where it grows, by where it blossoms, by where it moves. By the uncountable number of ways that ice had formed, even just along a half-mile stretch of the river.

Moving water, of course, is not easy to freeze—the mechanical action of the water molecules tumbling over one another precludes the basic premise of freezing, which is that molecules slow down enough to lock into formation. But, even in a river, there are places where the water can stop long enough that the freezing process takes over.

I saw places where the tiniest bits of spray from the tiniest of little riffles had frozen onto the ends of overhanging branches, draped close enough to the river to catch the droplets, and formed elaborate icicles that grew horizontally across the surface of the water.

I felt the thinnest sheets of ice that had formed between rocks at the edge of the river that resonated and vibrated, like the tone wood of a guitar, when I tapped on it with my fingernail.

In another spot, along the river bank and in a place where the current eddies out so softly and gently, the water had frozen solid.

All the way down to the cobbles along the bed—completely solid.

Through a foot of gin-clear ice, I could peer down and see the grains of sand and the bands of color in individual rocks that spend the summer with water washing over them, now frozen in place.

I could see these things clearer, standing over them and looking straight down, than I would have been able to if the water was moving. I shuffled my feet and glided above this frozen piece of three-dimensional river, and found a place where tiny bubbles had been frozen, in the middle of rising to the surface, in the ice.

At this time of the year, there is ice everywhere. It’s falling out of the sky right now, as snow. It’s plastered onto our streets and in our driveways and there are thin sheets of it on my windshield every morning—all of this, I happily scrape away and pile off to the side

contagious disease. I make it a short, controlled and happy experience for him.

The first few weeks he has been my priority, but he now has a good foundation and is already a joy to live with. He is not the headache so many puppies can be. And, best of all, he will remain a joy to live with because he started out on the right paw!

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.

HANNES THUM

as I move through my day. But along the river, the crystalline formations of ice felt somehow more precious. I felt like I had walked into some newly-discovered cave where the floor and the walls were draped in crystals that had never been seen by people before. Like I was inside of a geode.

Hannes Thum is a Wood River Valley native and has spent most of his life exploring what our local ecosystems have to offer. He currently teaches science at Sun Valley Community School.

Wood River Weekly

MONEY MATTERS

•

KRISTIN HOVENCAMP

Making A List And Checking It Twice

Annual Financial + Estate Planning Priorities

By Kristin Hovencamp

O

ver the course of a year, how many times have you forgotten to revise an important document? Often, you can remedy a mistake. With an estate plan, there is a point of no return. Harvard Law School professor and expert in trust and estates, Robert Sitkoff, offers this advice: “Bad things happen, and you have to plan for that.

Hope for the best and plan for the worst.”

A year-end checklist can prompt your memory and help keep financial and estate documents current.

• Has your family had any major life events that warrant review of your designated beneficiaries? Events can include the birth of a child or grandchild, a change in marital status, or a family member’s passing. IRA beneficiary designations trump a will, so it is essential to keep them current.

• Is your last will and testament relevant? Reviewing your will is an excellent habit to form.

• Do you have durable powers of attorney in place?

Should you become incapacitated, these crucial documents delegate authority to oversee your health, finances, and necessary legal signatures.

• Have any changes been made to your retirement accounts? Did you make any significant financial transactions or execute a rollover from a former employer plan?

Could potential changes to tax laws affect your estate?

• Do you have adequate life insurance, long-term care insurance? Revisit your policies before their annual renewal date. You may want to increase or decrease coverage or discover an option that better suits you or your family.

• Are your charitable-giving vehicles accomplishing what you envisioned? Charitable goals can evolve, and your estate should reflect such adjustments.

To avoid unnecessary consequences, review your estate plan at least every five years, more frequently when significant life events occur. Make it a habit and put a yearly reminder in your calendar. “Life is what happens to you while you are busy making other plans.” – John Lennon 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. Raymond James does not provide tax or legal advice. Please consult the appropriate professional for guidance with your situation. 675 Sun Valley Road, Suite J1 + J2 Ketchum, Idaho 83340 208.726.0605. HazlettWealthManagement.com

INSPIRATIONS FROM MY HEART

DOVE

Grace, Faith, Hope And Charity

W

BY DOVE

hen I was growing up in a small North Idaho town, there was a family that had four daughters. The father, who was a minister, had named them Grace, Faith, Hope and Charity Johnson. These girls were as beautiful on the outside as they were on the inside.

They radiated kindness and compassion.

What a gift they were to all. This minister had found a way to surround himself with grace, faith, hope and charity in his daily life. Not a bad idea.

We could all use a little grace, a lot of faith, abundance of hope and charity. To me, grace is being able to be kind under almost any situation, to be able to see the big picture and to be in control of your actions and emotions.

Faith. I have always been blessed with a deep faith, for which I shall be eternally grateful. Faith is believing that even when things look darkest, good will come. In my book, my mantra is “Life is in Divine Order” if you allow it. I try to see the bigger picture and allow the good to be felt in my center. This is not always easy, but it is better than giving in to the drama and darker side of life.

Hope. What would we do without hope?

There is a doctor I know who always prescribes vitamin H. The H is, of course, for Hope. A wise woman once told me to take each moment and look at my world. Do I have enough food to eat? Do I have shelter? Do I have clothing at that moment in time? If I do, then I am safe and okay for

G R A C E FAITH

CHARITY H O P E

just that moment. You then take the energy of that moment and move it forward to the next moment, and the next, and before you know it, you have a whole day of being okay. The moment is the place to start.

And now, Charity. We live in a community that has the ability and desire to share.

Many are blessed with abundance. Let us become aware of where there is need and just choose to help. It is not always about money; your charity can be an acceptance of differences as long as there is kindness at your core. Charity can be for the animals. Charity can be taking care of the Earth and the waters. Decide where you want to give your charity and do it with commitment. Be there for someone or something who needs it. It is necessary to get out of yourself. I once read the best cure for depression is to do something for someone else.

I wish all of you a season filled with the energy of Grace, Faith, Hope and Charity.

Blessings, Dove

December 2 - 15, 2020

9

ON LIFE’S TERMS

JOELLEN COLLINS

OVEREATING

By JoEllen Collins

I

wasn’t with my cherished children and grandchildren this sad year for the family Thanksgiving we used to enjoy. I spent a quiet day instead and found it to be, if not the usual happy, raucous family gathering, nonetheless rewarding and leaving me full in many ways in spite of the pandemic.

Instead of cooking in the morning or helping my hosts, I spent the time catching up on some of the smaller tasks I had been neglecting, like emailing friends and family, sifting through a pile of half-read magazines, planning for the upcoming Hanukkah and Christmas season, and cuddling with my dogs while I started a new book. Not bad for a people person. Later, I took delicious pre-cooked restaurant dinners to share with a dear woman friend. (So lucky my daughter and son-in-law own a restaurant!)

Later in the morning, after talking and FaceTiming with family, I remembered one of the rituals of this holiday that I will most miss: during the feast, each guest states one good reason to be thankful. In my mind, I reviewed my huge gratitude list and thought about which one of the items I would choose if I were with my affectionate family.

While thinking of the difference this year has been and how it will affect our future celebrations, a new concept emerged. I am thankful that I have never, ever been without the prospect of having enough food to eat. I have never known the severe hunger that millions of people in the world suffer each day.

JoEllen Collins—a longtime On Wednesday, I watched a moving video on Face- resident of the Wood River book. To an audience of elderly Holocaust survivors, Valley— is an Idaho Press a woman in her 80s (I didn’t note her name but will Club award-winning columrefer to her as Naomi) related a true story of her time nist, a teacher, writer, fabric with her mother at Bergen-Belsen in 1944. They still artist, choir member and possessed a tiny bit of chocolate they had carefully unabashedly proud grandma hidden since being rounded up. A young woman in known as “Bibi Jo.” the same tier of stacked bed sites was about to give birth, having kept her pregnancy as unnoticed as possible, concealing the event she understood would result in her being sent to the gas chamber, along with her unborn baby. Then, when she started to give birth in the quarters, Naomi’s mother suggested they give the woman their chocolate to help her through the pain.

The baby and mother survived the ordeal of hidden lives until the liberation of the camps a few months later. After Naomi’s speech, a middle-aged woman in the audience came up and introduced herself as the baby born that day.

The image brought tears to my eyes, as does a photo of a malnourished child anywhere in the world. Thank God I haven’t experienced this kind of deprivation and was able to bring up healthy babies in a free society. Of course, I am thankful for that and hope we remember not to overeat, metaphorically, all the wonderful nourishment we have but try again and again to share our bounty with those who are hungry.

NEWS

IN BRIEF

Health District Spices Up Flu Shot Program

Tis the season for wonderful things, but the flu is not one of them.

In the spirit of giving, the South Central Public Health District has stocked up on flu mist and flu shots for every boy and girl in town, and anyone else who wants one.

This year, to make the scene more festive, Wide Awake Dreaming is donating costumed Christmas characters, superheroes or princesses ready to pose with guests and pass out candy canes.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has stated that with COVID looming, a flu shot can be especially helpful to stay healthy. The flu season ramps up in December and can continue through May. Living in a high tourist area makes this population vulnerable to travelers from different flu seasons. If you have been planning a trip abroad to carry you out of COVID’s wrath, the district provides vaccines for wherever you are traveling.

Vaccines are administered by appointment only by calling 208-788-4335. Clinics are held every Thursday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Bellevue office, 117 E. Ash St. The public is asked to wear face coverings and adhere to the guidelines of social distancing. Most insurance is accepted. The shot or mist is $20 without insurance.

Es la temporada de cosas maravillosas, pero la gripe no es una de ellas.

Con el espíritu de dar, el Centro de Salud se ha abastecido de neblina y vacunas contra la gripe para cada niño y niña de la ciudad.

Este año, para hacer la escena más festiva, habrá personajes navideños, superhéroes y princesas posando con los invitados (se practicará el distanciamiento social) y repartiendo bastones de caramelo.

Los Centros para el Control de Enfermedades han declarado que con el COVID que se avecina, una vacuna contra la gripe puede ser especialmente útil para mantenerse saludable. La temporada de gripe comienza en diciembre y puede continuar hasta mayo.

Al vivir en una zona de gran turismo, los viajeros de diferentes temporadas de gripe pueden convertir el valle en un sitio para todo el año.

Si ha estado planeando un viaje al extranjero para librarse de la ira de COVID, el distrito proporciona vacunas para cualquier lugar al que viaje, Las vacunas se administran con cita previa llamando al 208-788-4335. Las clínicas se llevan a cabo todos los jueves de 9 a.m. a 4:30 p.m. en la oficina de Bellevue. 117 E. Ash St.

10

Wood River Weekly

VISION 2020

WELLNESS

Before You Make 2021’s Resolutions, Consider 2020’s Revelations

I

By Eric Valentine

took a dance history course in college. On day one, the first thing my professor said was: “Dance is the splitting of time, with movement.” So perhaps dancers feel life a little differently, and I envy their ability to show it off.

I’ve been following a handful of them lately on social media, including one dancer who cut through the clutter and captured my attention several months back: Makenzie Dustman.

Makenzie is an emotive dancer and her athleticism is nuanced, not Lebron-esque. She and her boyfriend, Phillip Chbeeb, choreograph and perform in Justin Bieber’s new release, All Around Me. The setting is minimal—just two gray walls and a dark floor. Their wardrobe is disheveled and torn. Their dance is beautifully messy, an intertwining of arms and legs, catapulting off floor and wall and each other. It reminds me how some of us must look and feel right about now.

Makenzie lives and works in L.A. but has been isolating during the lockdown in Texas, apparently with family, making the most of her newfound prison of free time. The other day she said, “As weird as it is to hear myself say it, I’m totally OK with not caring about dance right now.”

How many of us have heard the opposite message of late?

I believe she’s stumbled on the power of surrender, the disintegration of the ego, the feeling sentient beings usually don’t uncover until death. A literally self-less experience of love.

Surrender is something our culture and our life instinct tell us not to do. But scripture does. The word Islam means “surrender” and in the New Testament, Romans 12:2, it says “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will know God’s will.” And the Old Testament, from Ecclesiastes, “There was a man all alone. There was no end to his toil, yet his eyes were not content with his wealth. ‘For whom am I toiling,’ he asked, ‘and why am I depriving myself of joy?’

Women who have experienced childbirth have told me it’s when they surrendered to the pain that it went away and their child was finally born. It’s like sacrificing one’s self might be the only way we live truly free. Christ didn’t save us while he was preaching, he saved us—so the doctrine goes—when he was nailed to a tree. Talk about taking one for the team.

So consider the possibility that your greatest dance is when you are splitting time, without movement. No need to wait for orders from the CDC. You can find endless, self-less love in that choreography, with astonishing ease.

Rest up if you can, dear friends, and watch less become more.

Makenzie Dustman (left) and Phillip Chbeeb (right) perform in Justin Bieber’s video for his song titled All Around Me. Photo credit: JustinBieberVEVO

•

December 2 - 15, 2020

ADVERTORIALS BETTER HOMEOWNERS NEWS

ANNA & MICHELLE

Home Inspections

A home inspector is another key professional involved in a real estate transaction. Many times, the sales contract will have a provision that allows the purchaser to have inspections made to discover issues that are not readily apparent or have not been disclosed by the seller.

It is important to have a qualified individual perform the inspection. Regardless of whether a license is required, buyers should ask about the inspector’s experience, training, years in business, and if they are familiar with the area and type of property involved.

Membership in professional associations can indicate an inspector’s commitment to education and training. References from both customers and agents are helpful and may be more meaningful. You are encouraged to call the references, especially, if you are concerned about any specific areas.

Errors and Omission insurance is intended to cover mistakes made during an inspection. It would be good to find out if the inspector has this type of in-

surance and how mistakes are handled or if omissions are made.

Find out exactly what is included in the inspection and what will trigger the inspector to recommend that you get an opinion by a specialist. They should be able to provide you with a sample report so you can see the detail with which the items will be explained. Ask if items that need attention will also be documented with pictures.

Some inspectors will allow you to accompany them during the inspection. They will be able to point out their concerns and answer any questions you may have about different things. An inspection can take two to three hours depending on the size of the property.

Generally, there is a time allotted in the sales contract for the inspections to be made and not completing them in a timely fashion could waive your right to use the contingency. Your real estate professional will be able to guide you through this process.

NUESTRA VOZ CUENTA

College Latina Xperience!

A

OUR VOICE COUNTS

s a Hispanic female studying at the University of Idaho, I work for the Crisis Hotline in Idaho, the Blaine County Charitable Fund, the Argonaut (the school newspaper), Blot Magazine (the school magazine), and take on projects around campus and personal-work endeavors whenever possible. In addition to all of that, I am also a DACA [Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals] recipient, which means my journey in opening up and taking chances has always been difficult.

I didn’t start thinking about college until I was a junior in high school, and even then I wasn’t sure if I wanted to because of financial struggles. My parents were always mentioning financial struggles and I didn’t want to add to that pile of stress.

However, their unending support with my studies and hoping to see success gave me that push to apply to out-of-state colleges, in-state colleges and community colleges of all kinds. And although I didn’t end up going to Harvard or the University of Southern California, I ended up learning quite a bit about how important it is to take advantage of what you do have and started my college journey at the College of Southern Idaho.

Within this, the most important advice I can give to an undocumented student and/or a Hispanic female that comes from a low-income family is to be aware that anything is possible if you truly want to achieve something for yourself. Going to a top-tier school can be great, but it is also about experience, being passionate about those experiences and showing future job offers why you are just as worthy. Never doubt where you end up—it could lead to something amazing!

C

NUESTRA VOZ CUENTA

omo mujer hispana que estudia en la Universidad de Idaho, trabajo para la Línea Directa de Crisis en Idaho, the Blaine County Charitable Fund, el Argonaut (el periódico de la escuela), Blot Magazine (la revista de la escuela), y asumo proyectos alrededor del campus y los esfuerzos de trabajo personal siempre que sea posible. Además de todo eso, también soy una recipiente de DACA, lo que significa que mi viaje en la apertura y el riesgo siempre ha sido difícil.

No empecé a pensar en la universidad hasta que era un estudiante de secundaria e incluso entonces, no estaba segura si quería ir debido a las dificultades financieras. Mis padres siempre mencionaban problemas financieros y yo no quería añadir a esa pila de estrés.

Sin embargo, su apoyo sin fin con mis estudios y la esperanza de ver el éxito me dio ese impulso para aplicar a las universidades fuera del estado, las universidades en el estado y los colegios comunitarios de todo tipo. Y aunque no terminé de ir a Harvard o al University of Southern California, terminé aprendiendo un poco sobre lo importante que es aprovechar lo que tienes y comencé mi viaje universitario en el College of Southern Idaho.

Dentro de esto, el consejo más importante que puedo dar a un estudiante indocumentado y/o a una mujer hispana que proviene de una familia de bajos ingresos es ser consciente de que cualquier cosa es posible si realmente quieres lograr algo por ti mismo.

Ir a una escuela de primer nivel puede ser genial, pero también se trata de experiencia, ser apasionado por esas experiencias y mostrar futuras ofertas de trabajo por qué eres igual de digno. Nunca dudes de dónde terminas, podría conducir algo increíble.

Wood River Weekly

THE SENIOR CONNECTION

•

SHAWNA WASKO

Loneliness And Boredom

Overlooked Reasons To Be In Long-Term Care

I

BY SHAWNA WASKO

spent some time with my parents this weekend and was hit with an epiphany. My last caregiver support group and articles for senior center newsletters were about recognizing signs of when it is time for your loved ones to look at long-term-care (LTC). Mostly, the signs to look for are falling, losing weight, not keeping up with personal hygiene, getting lost, not taking care of financial needs, etc. It may be time to look at options. But the most important reason is often NEVER spoken about for considering LTC—it is loneliness and boredom.

My dad loves to fish and go camping but can’t now because of my mother’s growing needs because of Alzheimer’s disease. At least he FEELS he can’t go. His best friend lives at Magic, right by the lake. We have tried to persuade Dad to go, but like most caregivers, he feels only he can care for Mom (with a lot of help from me). So, Mom and Dad are lonely and bored out of their minds.

COVID-19 has isolated them, also. In a March 2020 article by verywellhealth, Recognizing Loneliness and Boredom in Dementia, Ester Heerema, MSW, wrote that loneliness and boredom are often overlooked, and challenging behaviors can emerge when loneliness and boredom go unchecked. She explained that a United Kingdom Alzheimer’s Society Dementia 2012 Report stated that 61 percent of people with dementia felt lonely, and 77 percent were depressed or anxious. This report also found that loneliness increased hallucinations in people with Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers theorized that hallucinations in dementia could be a result of the mind compensating for a lack of social stimulation. Dad has told me that Mother is hallucinating more than ever.

Boredom, according to Heerema, is also linked to depression, anxiety, apathy, wandering, agitation, and excessive daytime sleepiness. Mom sleeps all day, and most of the night. On a resent doctor visit, her doctor asked her if she was bored, and my mom gave her a one-word answer: “incredibly.”

My mom, a few years back, had to go to rehab after a hospital stay, so was placed in LTC. The workers helped her dress in the morning and took her down to breakfast with the other residents. She was put in a therapy exercise class and worked with puzzles. There was entertainment and crafts. She was taken to lunch and dinner also daily. She visited with other residents. She later told Dad she would love to move into a facility if he would go with her. He does not want to go. She physically and mentally did well at the facility.

I am aware that many LTC facilities are NOT doing activities they usually do for residents because of COVID restrictions, but hopefully that will change, with many companies getting approval for COVID vaccines. I am taking the shot when it’s available; I want to stop living in fear that I will contract COVID and infect my parents with it.

Dad is bored because he is a goer. He loves to shop and visit. He does everything VERY slowly with his end-stage COPD. But I see depression and loneliness in him also. Exhaustion also. If he and Mom were in a facility, he could leave and visit his friend at Magic, he could shop and stay out for hours as someone would be caring for Mom in LTC. Yes, he still drives, very slowly. Mom could be helped to engage with others throughout the day, lessoning her boredom and loneliness.

I have said many times that being a baby boomer and a caregiver to your parents is difficult, to say the least. My parents’ parents died when Mom and Dad were in their late 40s. Caregivers nowadays are baby boomers in their 60s and 70s, many of them working full time. We are required to work longer to get our full Social Security benefits. We are exhausted, lonely, and depressed also. Most of us are simply too old to be caregivers to our parents. There are many studies that show the caregiver dies before the care receiver. Care receivers can get cranky just like caregivers.

I was chided by my parents last week because, according to them, I don’t spend enough time with them. Well, with COVID, full-time work, and exhaustion, I am sure this is true in their minds. I put a boundary around them and myself this weekend. I simply explained that neither of them had ever done what I have done for the last four years. My work suffers, my mind, my sleep, the not-so-clean house I live in, my relationships with family and friends all suffer. I leave work almost weekly to care for them, helping Mom to the eye doctor along with many other activities.

The boundary I put in was that they could no longer scold me. I explained I was doing the best I could. I have them on a homemaker program where our office contracts with agencies to clean homes for elderly, qualified clients. They don’t like strangers in the house and tell me I should clean their house. I explained I would not do that, and insisted they needed more hours from the homemaker program. I told them the homemaker program helps me as much as them. If you are interested in the homemaker program, please call our office for more information: 1-208-736-2122. We also have Respite, where we can give the caregiver a break from their duties. Call us for more info on that, too.

Many seniors, caregivers, and others are so isolated right now. Hopefully, the vaccines will stop all the madness that we live in right now. And hopefully a lesson we have learned from this pandemic is that it is unreasonable for baby boomers to caregive for parents without lots of resources to help them through it. It is also unreasonable for older care receivers to expect baby-boomer-age children to be able to take complete care of them without allowing many available resources to take over the load.

The holidays are upon us now. Please, as a caregiver and care receiver, keep things simple. Less is more right now. I am having an early-in-the-day Thanksgiving dinner and later an early-Christmas dinner at my house with my guy Jack, Mom and Dad, and assorted poodles we all have; namely, Angel, Blaine and Elvis.

Happy holidays to all. I wish you peace and a COVID vaccine.

Shawna Wasko, M.OLP Group Facilitator CSI Office on Aging swasko@csi.edu

December 2 - 15, 2020

OPINION

11

CAITLIN JOHNSTONE

MSM Already Helping Next Administration Hide Corruption Under ‘Diversity’ Banner

T

by Caitlin Johnstone

here has never been a better time to be a woman, minority or member of the LGBT community who works in the DC establishment and thinks the poor should be made into pet food.

The New York Times has published an article titled "Could Limiting Corporate Candidates Hurt Biden’s Diversity Push?", for the benefit of all those normal everyday readers who've been lying awake at night wondering if limiting corporate candidates might hurt Biden's diversity push.

The article's authors warn against the nonexistent, completely imaginary threat of the next presidential administration rejecting corporatists for cabinet positions to appease the Democratic Party's progressive wing, claiming that doing so would be "narrowing the candidate pool" in a way that hurts Biden's stated aim of creating an administration that is as diverse as America. Because apparently executive positions in the corporate and financial sector are the only place you can find ethnic minorities in America.

“Groups from the far left throw out edicts, but these don’t reflect the realities of the American experience or inequality, the racial wealth gap, and may prove counterproductive to diversify the administration and to implement policies that work for all Americans,” NYT is told by a member of the influential DC lobbying firm Mehlman Castagnetti.

The New York Times just published an article insinuating that the government can only find qualified people of color on Wall Street, but not elsewhere. https://t.co/1wmeGX85yf — David Sirota (@davidsirota) November 20, 2020 The New York Times is warning of the pressing danger of the Biden administration conceding too much to "the far left" at a time when progressive politicians have reportedly already been ruled out as candidates for cabinet positions due to concerns of appearing to be too far left, and when members of the Biden camp are already waving off demands from progressives using the phrase "we don't negotiate with terrorists".

Vox has also put out an article celebrating diversity without regard to policies or behavior titled "President-elect Joe Biden’s transition team is one of the most diverse ever", subtitled "Biden wants his administration to 'look like America.' His transition team is a start."

"Thus far, 46 percent of Biden’s transition staff are people of color and 41 percent of senior staff are people of color," Vox reports. "More than half of the transition staff — 52 percent — are women, and 53 percent of senior staff are women."

Meanwhile exactly zero percent of them oppose war, nuclear brinkmanship, starvation sanctions and imperialism. Zero percent oppose US oligarchy or its sociopathic intelligence agencies. Zero percent support universal healthcare or redistributing the nation's immense wealth to end poverty in the United States. Zero percent support ending the drug war, ending the prison-industrial complex, ending the US police state, ending mass surveillance. Zero percent oppose Israeli apartheid, oppose internet censorship, oppose mass media propaganda via US plutocracy.

Real diversity in any government is of course important. But what you don't see Vox reporting on is the fact that Biden's transition and advisory teams are packed to the gills with corporate cronies and war whores, and that the women he's eyeing for key foreign policy positions are as murderous and depraved as any man anywhere on earth. They might be diverse in gender, skin color and sexual orientation, but in terms of bloodshed, exploitation and oppression they couldn't be more homogeneous. They are all devout acolytes of the murderous, imperialist, oligarchic religion that is the mainstream consensus of the US political/media class.

• 0% oppose war • 0% oppose oligarchy • 0% oppose sociopathic intelligence agencies • 0% oppose internet censorship • 0% oppose the drug war • 0% oppose the police state • 0% oppose mass surveillance • 0% oppose the prison-industrial complex • 0% oppose Israeli apartheid https://t.co/8noL4ZR8Ps — Caitlin Johnstone (@caitoz) November 21, 2020 But that's all you're ever going to get out of the Democratic establishment. Taking away power from the warmongers and plutocrats in any way, shape or form has been completely ruled out as a possibility, so all they have to offer in terms of "progress" is giving prominent positions to those few women, minorities and LGBT individuals who happen to be fine with choking people to death with neoliberal austerity at home and dropping cluster munitions on children abroad. That's what "progress" looks like in a power establishment that is built on a foundation of violence, oppression and theft.

And of course the people who will be hurt worst by it are members of those very same marginalized communities you're supposed to get excited about being elevated to Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy or whatever under the Biden administration. They are hurt by the austerity policies, they are hurt by the authoritarian police state policies, they are hurt by the fact that they're the ones getting bombs dropped on them overseas, and they are hurt by the fact that there is still so very far to go in terms of racial and sexual equality yet the thrust toward getting there is being diverted into a pussyhat parade for Susan Rice as Secretary of State.

The most influential news reporting should be that which holds power to account and draws attention to its most malignant aspects. Instead it is actively facilitating the most malignant aspects of power and hiding them under the banner of "diversity".

12

Wood River Weekly

CHAMBER CORNER

•

December 2 - 15, 2020

MIKE MCKENNA

Hard way Pipeline

From Dirt To Bottle Holeinsky Winery

By Mike McKenna

I

daho is known for producing a lot of impressive things—potatoes, trout, and world-class skiers, to name a few. But producing great wine hasn’t traditionally made the list.

The creative and impassioned crew at Holeinsky Vineyard and Winery, however, is changing that.

“I love having people taste my art,” James Holeinsky said. “Bringing art to wine, that’s what we’re doing.”

The Holeinsky Vineyard and Winery is located in Buhl, covering 12 acres of a ranch on the rim of the Snake River. James was raised on the property and it was his father’s dream to create a vineyard.

A couple of decades after planting their original fan trellises for grapes, that dream has become a reality. The Holeinsky Winery is now producing some of the most celebrated and unique wines in the state.

“I followed through on the family dream and the rest is just history,” James said. “Our wines are all about our story.”

James’ family roots run all the way to Czechoslovakia, where another Holeinsky Winery can be found. The craft runs in his blood. That being said, creating an organic vineyard is not the type thing you’d expect from a couple of chemists, as James and his wife and business partner, Caitlin, are. The couple spends part of their time working in their other business, Clear Lake Products, producing biodegradable and eco-friendly cleaning chemicals. They spend the rest working on their passion.

“We’re the American dream—a husband and wife making it happen,” James said.

Holeinsky Winery has really started to come into its own recently.

“It takes 20 years, that’s the ‘Golden Age’ for vineyards,” James said of their completely chemical-free winery. “All of your grapes are like athletes—you need to figure out how to bring the best out of them.”

Holeinsky has evolved from just three varietals to now producing over 30 different styles. Many of them have made the podium in state and regional awards contests. Holeinsky’s Syrahs, Chardonnays and Rosés are especially popular.

Steel Fencing

Kelly Wardell 208-309-0916

How To Play Sudoku

The Classic Sudoku is a number placing puzzle based on a 9x9 grid with several given numbers. The object is to place the numbers 1 to 9 in the empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once.

“People will buy whatever we produce because they know that we produce quality,” James said.

“People like to be intrigued.”

Holeinsky is also known for its creative names and labels, like their Unicorn Pale Fizz. “You’ve got to have fun with it,” James said about the humor and sarcasm they bring to their bottles.

As for the success of their wines, besides effort and passion, good dirt is the other key ingredient.

“We have very unique soil here,” James said, explaining that the prehistoric Bonneville Flood covered the Snake River Plain with “a melting pot of minerals that create complex flavors.”

Tapping into the unique soil of the region has helped Holeinsky and the Gem State get some respect.

“Idaho is finally no longer the ‘red-headed stepchild’ of the industry. They’re not telling us to just be quiet and make Riesling,” James joked.

Holeinsky Wines are available throughout the Wood River Valley “From dirt to bottle, we do it all,” James said.

“That’s what sets us apart.”

CLASSIC SUDOKU See answer on page 7

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

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

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