Issuu

HOUSING NEWS

PHILANTHROPY NEWS

KETCHUM

Calm And Chaos PG 9

$10k Gift To Papoose Club PG 5

BCSD Seeks More Housing PG 4 SUN VALLEY

DOVE

HAILEY

BELLEVUE

PICABO

CAREY

WOOD RIVER WEEKLY

YOUR VOICE IN THE WOOD RIVER VALLEY

Free | August 11 - 24, 2021 | Vol. 2 - No. 16 | woodriverweekly.com

“ Yo u h a v e b r a i n s i n y o u r h e a d . Yo u h a v e f e e t i n y o u r s h o e s . Yo u c a n s t e e r y o u r s e l f a n y d i r e c t i o n y o u c h o o s e . ” ~ D r. S e u s s

CARING FOR CAREY

The K-12 campus serves the rural communities of Carey and Picabo at 20 Panther Lane in Carey. Photo credit: Blaine County School District

The Valley’s southmost school credits 7 habits for ranking among the district’s top performers

By Eric Valentine

ou can probably find about seven things that make Carey School just a bit different than its counterparts across the county, the state and beyond. Here are a few: It’s a combined elementary, middle and high school. It’s a certified Leader in Me Lighthouse School, a renowned honor in student-led academics. Its student body helps build and sell houses. And it has a 60% proficiency rate, which—while not whopping—is eight and 18 points higher than Hailey Elementary’s and Alturas Elementary’s rates, respectively. Yet, the thing the school leads with on its official Blaine County School District website is how they “proudly teach and live” the seven core values from the book “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” by businessman Stephen R. Covey, who passed away in 2012. Covey’s core belief is that the way we see the world is entirely based on our own perceptions—a tenet that seems to hold true these days. Albeit successful, the Carey School is hardly the norm. And on August 23, after the most abnormal school year in a century and after the departure of John Peck—the school’s principal of 20 years (whose father Ron taught at Carey for 30 years), the school’s effectiveness will fall to its new principal, Kayla Burton. Burton was a math, computer science and video teacher at West Junior High in the Boise school district. She holds a master’s degree in educational leadership from Boise State University and a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Idaho State University. “I’m not here to change anything or come in with brand new ideas,” Burton said. “I hope I know the impact of the traditions at this school and my job is to maintain the success we’ve had.” Homecoming Burton’s familiarity with the traditions of Carey School came about honestly. She is a graduate of the school, attending each grade K–12 when she was a resident here. While living in Boise, Burton said she learned of the open principal position through her father, who is a bus driver for Carey School, making it a homecoming of sorts. It’s also a homecoming for Burton, thanks to the lack of housing available in the Valley. Although she and her

husband have purchased a plot of land, building a home on it will take some time. So, for now, she’ll be living with her mom and dad. The living arrangement does not figure to deter. “I think being from here I have a good understanding of the community and what’s expected here,” Burton said. “I’m anxiously awaiting a decision from the school board on how this next year is going to look, but we’ll be ready to do what we have to do to be open.” Reopening As of press deadline Tuesday afternoon, the school board was slated to discuss Tuesday night a fully open in-person school year with an online-learning option. A date for making any final decision has not yet been set. “The board is mindful of its obligation to take necessary and appropriate actions, consistent with applicable federal and Idaho law, to address the continuing impacts of the 2019 novel coronavirus (“COVID-19”) on school district operations,” school board Draft Policy 982 says. What that means for Burton is that she’ll continue to “advocate for what makes sense for our town,” noting that Carey is a smaller, less-dense community, making it somewhat less difficult to keep COVID at bay. “We’re fortunate to have small class sizes. We’re fortunate to have a veteran staff. If we learned anything from last year, we learned how to change direction on a dime,” Burton said. Impacting One trustee ready for a full opening is Amber Larna, who represents Carey as the school board’s Zone 1 representative. Larna found herself on the minority end of a number of COVID policy decisions the board had to tackle last school year. And in a society polarized on many matters, one knee-jerk reaction was to put Larna in an anti-mask, anti-vaccine spotlight. In a Wood River Weekly interview this week, Larna made it clear she holds neither of those positions. “It was frustrating,” Larna said. “I’m not anti-mask, I’m not anti-vax.” Larna says she did, however, need to advocate for a community and a school that doesn’t operate exactly like Ketchum or Hailey. She said a fair way to understand it would be to think of Carey School as a homeschool environment carried out by the entire community.

Kayla Burton has returned to her hometown as Carey School’s new principal.. Photo credit: Kayla Burton / Twitter Students don’t just attend school, they take part in the life of the community. For instance, as part of their curriculum, “Some of our students lay pipe in the morning. Some students assist farmers in the afternoon,” Larna explained. “I wish people could see that a Carey School student doesn’t just ‘go home’ after school. The community is the school.” In other words, even though a very well-intended and purely data-driven district policy is necessary, it doesn’t Continued CAREY SCHOOL Page 5

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

•

AUGUST 11 - 24, 2021

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

• AUGUST 11 - 24, 2021

WRW STAFF PUBLISHER Christopher Seldon (208) 788-4789 publisher@woodriverweekly.com

LIVE LIFE ON YOUR TERMS.

MARKETING & SALES Mandi Iverson (208) 721-7588 mandi@woodriverweekly.com NEWS EDITOR Eric Valentine news@woodriverweekly.com COPY EDITOR Patty Healey

3X REWARDS FOR LIVING BOLDLY

PRODUCTION & DESIGN Mandi Iverson mandi@woodriverweekly.com Christopher Seldon chris@woodriverweekly.com

1.5% CASH BACK ON EVERY PURCHASE

GREAT RATE WITHOUT THE EXPECTED FEES

WHATEVER IT IS YOU WANT OUT OF LIFE, THERE’S A CARD FOR YOU.

ACCOUNTING accounting@woodriverweekly.com DEADLINES Display & Classified Ads, Monday 5 p.m. Calendar Submissions — Friday 5 p.m. CONTACT Wood River Weekly P.O. Box 3483 Hailey, Idaho 83333 (208) 788-4789 woodriverweekly.com

The best way to experience everything life has to offer? By living your best life and using one of these cards to get cash back or rewards points. With the Vivid Rewards Card, the Agility Cash Card and the Clarity Card, you can get 3X the rewards or 1.5% cash back, or enjoy the transparency of a great rate without the fees you expect Each card comes with its own unique benefits to match your personality, so whatever it is you’re looking to get out of life, grab one of these cards and make it a lot more interesting and way more rewarding. Learn more at zionsbank.com/CARDS

Subject to credit approval. Terms, conditions, and restrictions. See a banker for details. A division of Zions Bancorporation, N.A. Member FDIC.

PUBLISHER’S NOTE Dear Valley Residents, We hope everyone is enjoying the summer, and as summer events are in full swing, we hope once again that COVID-19 does not make an unwelcome return in some form. Summer is always a busy time, and this year is no different, particularly given our increased local full-time population. Traffic accidents are on the increase, so we would urge people to be patient, slow down and get used to Wood River Valley time. It seems quite clear that drought conditions exist, drastically increasing what has always been a high wildland fire danger. Please be careful, as most wildland fires are started by human error. Wood River Weekly will still publish every other week, until such time that it becomes practical to resume our normal weekly schedule. Cheers, Chris & Mandi

STELLA

Spayed Female 6 Years Old

Stella is truly a “Stell-ar” companion! She has a special way of making each person she meets like the most loved and important person in the world. We suppose her heart of gold is to blame for that, but certainly shows it through her endearing meows and excitement to see you every time you come in. 101 Croy Creek Rd, Hailey mountainhumane.org 208-788-4351

Wood River Insurance

A Member of Asset Protection Group

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

•

AUGUST 11 - 24, 2021

NEWS

THE SUBSIDIZED HOUSING SOLUTION

“We ask the important questions and listen carefully until we understand exactly where your financial life stands today, and where you’d like it to be tomorrow.”

BCSD housing committee members meet online to discuss how to find places for its employees to live. Photo credit: Blaine County School District

SUZANNE HAZLETT, MBA, CIMA®, CFP® CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERTM

BCSD will review 21 of its real estate holdings to vet for employee housing

Certified Investment Management Analyst®

HazlettWealthManagement.com 208.726.0605 675 SUN VALLEY ROAD, SUITES J1 + J2 KETCHUM, IDAHO 83340 Hazlett Wealth Management, LLC is not a registered broker/dealer and is independent of Raymond James Financial Services. Securities offered through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. Member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc.

SALES REPRESENTATIVES

We are currently looking for part-time sales representatives. Flexible hours, make your own schedule. HOUSING NEWS

KETCHUM NEWS

SUN VALLEY

KETCHUM

SCIENCE OF PLACE

Skatepark Gets Scooter-Friendly PG 2

‘Nomadland’ Hits the Valley PG 5 HAILEY

‘Scapes PG 8

BELLEVUE

PICABO

CAREY

WOOD RIVER WEEKLY

YOUR VOICE IN THE WOOD RIVER VALLEY

Free | June 2 - 15, 2021 | Vol. 2 - No. 11 | woodriverweekly.com

“ J u n e i s t h e g a t e w a y t o s u m m e r. ”

OH DEER CREEK ~Jean Hersey

Wood River Fire & Rescue crews battle flames from a May 29 blaze at Deer Creek Ranch north of Hailey. Photo credit: Wood River Fire & Rescue

Ranch property suffers severe fire damage

By Eric Valentine

he 7,000-square-foot home known as Deer Creek Ranch, located approximately two miles west of Highway 75 out Deer Creek Road north of Hailey, was victim to a five-hour blaze that took more than three dozen firefighting personnel to put down on Saturday. According to Wood River Fire & Rescue fire chief Ron Bateman, a passing motorist called 911 at 12:08 p.m. Saturday, May 29, after observing flames at the property. When the first crews arrived, they observed 10- to 15-foot flame lengths from the rear of the porte cochere (covered driveway) on the west side of the main living quarters. The fire was declared knocked down just after 5 p.m. There were no civilian injuries or deaths because of the fire, although one firefighter was injured and treated and released from St. Luke’s Wood River. “My wife and I were about a half-mile up the Marshall Lakes Trail when the call came in,” said WRFR Chief Ron Bateman. “I didn’t get to the fire scene until 2:30 p.m. By that time, the crews had been working incredibly hard for more than two hours. I am very impressed by the effort and thankful for all the agencies and personnel that helped out.” Crews remained on scene until 9 p.m. and, with the help of a private company, secured the scene. WRFR made checks

on the structure throughout the night. Multiple additional departments had to be called to put down the blaze. In total, more than three dozen personnel with a dozen fire apparatus were on scene. Wood River Fire & Rescue, Hailey Fire Department, Bellevue Fire Department, North Blaine County Fire & Rescue, Sun Valley Fire Department and Ketchum Fire Department were dispatched to the structure fire. The Carey Fire Department was requested later in the incident. Because of the size of the structure and the dollar loss incurred, the Idaho State Fire Marshal’s office was contacted to lead the investigation into cause and origin, Bateman said. The Idaho State Fire Marshal’s office arrived Sunday morning and determined the cause to be electrical in nature. No estimated property loss figure is available. Bateman noted that the deputy fire marshal commented on the “great stop” made by the crews preventing something much worse from spreading across the Valley. “I believe that we took some very specific lessons learned from a fire in East Fork late in 2020 and applied them on this incident with some success,” Bateman said. The property made headlines 30 years ago when the so-called “Donald Trump of the West” purchased it. An article from Aug. 24, 1990, in the “Lewiston Tribune” read as follows:

A host of Valley fire crews were needed to battle the flames from a blaze that severely damaged the main living area at Deer Creek Ranch. Photo credit: Wood River Fire & Rescue

Billionaire California developer Donald L. Bren has bought the 6,800-acre Deer Creek Ranch from Bill Burt. Hailey is located just south of Sun Valley. Bren said he plans to build a home and maintain the property as a working cattle ranch, Burt said. ‘’There were several people who offered me more money who wanted to subdivide,’’ Burt said. ‘’I picked him because he said he was not going to subdivide.”

HOUSING

Bren, 57, the son of the late Hollywood film producer, is estimated to have a net worth of $1.85 billion, making him the 16th wealthiest person in the country, according to Forbes magazine. He is the largest landowner in Southern California, with thousands of apartments, 11.4 million square feet of commercial space and the prevailing interest in a company that owns nearly one-sixth of the land in Orange County.

Email publisher@woodriverweekly.com Send a résumé, and/or ask questions.

By Eric Valentine

ou can add the Blaine County School District to the list of Valley governing bodies doing whatever they can to solve—or make some kind of dent in—the ongoing housing crisis. During its Aug. 4 meeting, the district’s housing committee agreed to take two crucial steps in helping its employees find a place to live: 1. To draft a housing policy for the school district—based closely on the current City of Sun Valley plan—that would offer some sort of remuneration to some number of staff that would offset housing costs. 2. To review 21 BCSD real estate holdings to determine if any of them would be suitable for the development of employee housing. Neither has been put in front of the full school board yet, but the housing committee is planning to have information to review some time in September. In the meantime, here’s the backdrop to both items. The Housing Policy The form that any sort of housing subsidy takes is the devil in the details, for a number of reasons. First is how to determine who gets the subsidy if demand for it outnumbers supply. The district could limit the assistance to lower-income employees or to new-arrival teachers, the two populations that are most heavily affected by the current cost of and shortage of housing, respectively. Board president Keith Roark, who sits on the committee along with trustee Dan Turner, noted the importance of housing availability when it comes to not only retaining but moreover recruiting new talent. Turner added that the committee at some point needs to create a sort of eligibility matrix that takes into account financial need, housing need/availability, and an overlay of how those things impact the district’s strategic objectives. How employee rents would be covered will impact how employees get taxed. The committee will now go into a discovery phase to see if it’s best to issue the subsidy as extra income, as reimbursement, as stipend, as per diem, or as something else entirely. “I’m not sure how much we’re helping if we’re adding a tax burden,” BCSD financial director Cheryl Sanderson said. Messaging was also discussed. Specifically, getting the word out to people in the Valley who have or know people who have housing available to rent. Roark suggested that rather than asking families— some of whom may even be struggling themselves—to help in that way, it’d be better to reach out to the Ketchum-SunValley real estate associations for help. “Those are the people who know what’s around and what’s available and I think they’d probably welcome the chance to work with us on that,” Roark said. A Real Estate Solution In total, the school district holds title on 34 properties. Of those, 21 of them are available for development, and it’s highly unlikely that all of them someday would need to be new schools. That means there may be a few out there that make sense to develop into affordable housing—places to live that teachers and other staff could afford. “It’s exciting that we have some options, but it’s not a quick solution,” Sanderson said. “We’re a year out probably with anything that would have to go into a permitting or application process.” Newly seated superintendent Jim Foudy noted earlier during the session that a similar policy was implemented in the McCall-Donnelly area, his most recent school district. “We secured long-term leases of rentals and then sublet those properties to employees on a sliding scale,” Foudy said.

NEWS

IN BRIEF

Local Equestrians Win Olympic Medal

You can tack up one more benchmark for Valley-based achievements in all things equine. On July 27, along with Steffen Peters and Sabine Schut-Kery, one-time Hailey resident Adrienne Lyle tallied up 7,747 points in team dressage, earning Team USA a silver medal in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. Longtime Hailey resident Debbie McDonald, the chef d’equipe (a fancy French word for “team leader” or technical advisor) for the U.S. Dressage Team was also part of the historic feat. Not since the 1948 Olympics has the U.S. team performed as well as it did this round. Only Germany—a perennial champion—performed better in these games, winning gold. Team USA even bested the powerhouse of Team England. McDonald is no stranger, though, to Olympic medals. At the Athens games in 2004, she won the team bronze and finished fourth overall individually. The performance dubbed her the “First Lady of American Dressage.” Lyle’s number 15 ranking on the world stage earned her the right to take her horse Salvino into the individual freestyle competition, as well. However, the horse was withdrawn by Lyle the day after the team event. According to U.S. Equestrian reports, Salvino, a 14-year-old Hanoverian stallion, “did not feel quite like his usual self” before the horse inspection ahead of the freestyle event. You can view Lyle’s performance here: tinyurl.com/yuufem3d

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

NEWS

•

AUGUST 11 - 24, 2021

A Lasting Legacy

PHILANTHROPY, NONPROFITS

Papoose Club secures $10,000 matching donation, 19 Wagon Days posters still for sale

By Eric Valentine

he philanthropic club known for supporting Valley youth programs received a bit of philanthropy itself in recent days. A matching gift, up to $10,000, has been made on the winning bid for a collection of 19 framed, commemorative Wagon Days posters the local Papoose Club is offering in its current fundraising effort. The benefactor asked to remain anonymous, Papoose Club member Anna Mathieu said. “It’s such a generous offer,” Mathieu said. “If someone purchases the collection for $10,000, it means we’d double what we raise at the breakfast every year. If someone purchases it for half that, we’ll still make what we’d normally make.” Since 1977, the Wagon Days Pancake Breakfast has been a community tradition and a critical fundraiser for the club, typically garnering $10,000 each year. Because of COVID-19, the club decided to put the Pancake Breakfast on hold for another year. Papoose Club coffers have helped dozens of youth-oriented and conservation-focused organizations over the years, such as: The Community Library, Girls on the Run, Idaho BaseCamp, Sawtooth Botanical Garden, Crisis Hotline, The Hunger Coalition, the Wood River Land Trust’s Student Conservation Council, and many more. So when David and Renae Spaulding were downsizing to their new home, the collection of Wagon Days posters that hung in their guest house seemed like a great donation to make to the club Renae had been a part of for more than 20 years. Mathieu agreed. “It’d be perfect for any business looking to decorate a part of their space in something Valley themed. It’d be perfect to use it the way the Spauldings used it in their guest house,” Mathieu said. However the collection—much of which is signed by the artists—gets used, David Spaulding won’t get to see it, in person at least. Spaulding, well known in the community as a fly-fishing guide and “yellow coat” skier, passed away unexpectedly in February. “He spent his last day doing what he loved, skiing on the mountain,” Renae Spaulding said. The Spauldings met while working for Alaska Airlines. David was a pilot and Renae was a flight attendant. They were married for more than 40 years. During those four decades, Spaulding said she and her husband would take their kids to the Wood River Valley often. One of their favorite things to do was to attend Wagon Days. “From the minute you visit here, one of the first things you learn about is Wagon Days. It’s a fantastic festival,” Spaulding explained. And that’s when the tradition of picking up one of the posters and attending the artist’s signing took place. One of the 19 posters dates back to the 1976 bicentennial celebration. “David was a third-generation skier here. Wherever we’d travel with the kids

Longtime Valley residents David and Renae Spaulding attended numerous Wagon Days festivals over the years, even when living in Seattle. Photo credit: Renae Spaulding

we’d always ask them if they could live here. We all said yes,” Spaulding explained. “This is just home.” For more information about the Wagon Days poster collection, please contact Anna Mathieu at (208) 309-1329. The full collection can also be viewed online at papooseclub.org/wagon-days-fundraiser.

Caring for Carey jane’s cards, party, wrap & gifts

NEWS

EDUCATION

Continued CAREY SCHOOL Page 1

necessarily work the same district-wide. “For me, it was about risk mitigation. Were we really mitigating risk?” Larna said. For, say, Wood River High School, perhaps. For high schoolers at Carey School, perhaps not. At least not enough, many Zone 1 families believed, to offset the risks and challenges associated with students unable to partake in everything from sports to a curriculum like the one Carey School offers. Zone 1 trustee Amber Challenging Larna. Photo credit: Larna, who has one son that graduated Blaine County School from Carey School and another son who at- District

tends high school there now, certainly has a sentimental fondness for the school. But her understanding of the school’s future is nothing pollyanna. Larna recalled, several school years ago already, how people would be standing in the hallways to hear kids perform, thanks to both diehard community support and hard-to-come-by community facilities. She doesn’t see that changing anytime soon. “We’re growing. We have a lot of new people moving to Carey. We have a new subdivision of 38 homes. We will have a culture shift to some degree, as well,” Larna observed. And that’s, somewhat ironically, what Larna sees as the new principal’s strength. “Yes, Kayla is from here and I’ve known her for years, but she developed professionally outside of Carey, in Boise,” Larna said. “That’s what we’ll need, is someone who understands how to grow, someone who has seen what works best in whatever situation.” “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” Author: Stephen R. Covey Habits: 1. Be proactive 2. Begin with the end in mind 3. Put first things first 4. Think win-win 5. Seek first to understand, then to be understood 6. Synergize 7. Sharpen the saw

Close-out Summer Gift Items

30%-50% OFF

NEW COPY CENTER FOR ALL YOUR PRINTING NEEDS

PRINT ON CANVAS, POSTERS & PHOTO PAPER! 106 S. MAIN, HAILEY • 208.788.0848 • JANESARTIFACTS@COX.NET

W O O D R I V E R W E E K L Y • A U G U S T 1 1 - 2 4 , 2 0 2 1

THE SENIOR CONNECTION

Safe ‘Trumps’ Guilty

BY SHAWNA WASKO, M.OLP

o many of us who put a loved one in an assisted living or memory care unit feel guilty. My mom is in memory care and thinks that once she gets better, she can go home. Now, she just wants to go home. One of the workers called me the other night and said my mother was very upset and could I please talk with her. My mom took the phone and yelled, “Shawna, do you know what motel I am in?” I told her she was in memory care and she said, “Do you know where?” I said yes, that I did, and she started screaming, “You come get me now!” When I told her she had to stay because she was not well enough to go home, she screamed, “Thanks for nothing!” and threw the phone on the floor. I started Googling caregiver sites and put in the search line: how do you survive the guilt of putting a parent in memory care? It didn’t surprise me that there are lots of sites talking about this issue. One in particular caught my attention. A lady had posted that moving her mom into memory care was “killing” her; she felt so guilty. I can relate; my stomach hurts, I am quick to get angry, I can’t sleep, and TUMS assorted fruit-flavored antacid is now my main source of food. A lady on the site responded to the lady who posted about how to survive the guilt of putting a parent in memory care. She asked the lady, “Is your mother supposed to be happy in care? Are you supposed to be happy she’s in care?” The answer, of course, is no. The lady went on to say, “Safe trumps happy.” We should grieve when something like this happens; and Mom and Dad and I are grieving this loss differently because each of us has lost something so valuable to us. Mom grieves her freedom and for the loss of her mind she knows is failing; Dad mourns the loss of his relationship and companionship with Mom; and I mourn for my Mom and Dad and what they and I are going through and, most of all, how my relationship with them has changed. But in this situation, and possibly a situation you are in, too, safe does trump happy. Safe trumps guilty, too. Mom has not had to go to the hospital, fallen, had anxiety so bad she becomes hysterical, or missed her medications since she has been in memory care. Mom really likes her caregivers at memory care. But Mom just wants to go home. Mom was miserable at home because Dad could not help her; he is so weak with COPD. She would scream hysterically if he could not help her get to the toilet or get out of bed. At least in memory care Mom is safe. She is also content with the workers and the other residents. I have facilitated widowed support groups for nearly 40 years; witnessing loss, and the grief it causes. I feel that to truly grieve a loss, we must mourn. Grief is the thoughts we have inside us about the loss; mourning is “outside grief”— meaning crying, throwing a phone, yelling, or writing monthly articles about my parents. Grief, too, must be witnessed. If we can’t mourn, we will not survive the loss. Our grief and especially our mourning must be witnessed. Thanks for witnessing my grief.

ADVERTORIALS BETTER HOMEOWNERS NEWS

ANNA & MICHELLE

Selecting The Right Agent In A Seller’s Market L E BY ANNA & MICHELLE

ven in the current, low-inventory housing market, sellers are resisting the urge to sell it themselves and still seeking the help of a real estate professional. It may be more important than ever and there is too much at stake to risk going it alone. The number of people attempting to sell on their own has been in steady decline since 2003 from 14% to 8% in the latest Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers produced by the National Association of REALTORS®. The most frequently mentioned difficulties that owners who decided to sell their home without the benefit of an agent included preparing the home for sale, understanding and performing the paperwork, getting the price right, and selling it within the length of time planned. Another commonly cited challenge was having enough time to devote to all aspects of the sale. The other nine out of 10 homeowners who are selling are many times faced with the question: “How do I determine which agent to use?” In some situations, owners know more than one agent and the dilemma becomes picking the right person for the job. To get the answers that will lead to selecting the right agent, an owner needs to ask the right questions. Open-ended questions will give you a more descriptive answer that can bring clarity to your decision. Questions that begin with who, what, when, where, why and how will elicit a much more robust answer. The following suggestions should be helpful for homeowners considering selling: • How long have you been selling homes and is this your full-time job? • What designations or other credentials do you have? • How many homes did you and your company sell last year? • What is your average market time compared to MLS and your top competitors? • What is your sales-price-to-list-price ratio? • When will you report to me on the progress of my transaction? • Who can you recommend for service providers like mortgage, inspections, repairs and maintenance? • Why do you want to work with me? • Where are the opportunities to expose my home to the largest market? • What is your marketing plan for my home?

In today’s market, homes, on average, are selling in 17 days and sellers are seeing an average of five offers. It is not uncommon for homes to sell for more than the list price, assuming they are not priced dramatically over the market in the first place. Specific to today’s market, additional questions to help you identify the best agent for the job could include: • With the shortage of homes on the market, is it necessary to update in advance? • In this competitive market, is staging the home important? • What are your thoughts on professional photography and video? • Is there a way to stimulate competition among buyers? • Explain to me range of pricing and how it applies to home search on the Internet. Can you profile the most likely buyer for my • property? Don’t think of these things as being an interrogation but more like an interview. That is exactly what it is; you are trying to find out how this prospective agent is going to handle some of the intricacies in the selling process that can affect the successful sale of your home. After evaluating the answers you receive, you will either move forward to have this agent represent you or you move in a different direction. A third option, from our perspective, that occasionally develops is that we determine that we may not be able to manage the outcome that you are expecting. Selecting the right agent to represent you, even in a seller’s market, is an important decision and you need to have all the help you can get making the right one. We’re happy to provide the answers you want and need and will disqualify ourselves if we believe that it is not in your best interest. Our reputation depends on satisfactory results from every transaction we handle.

Sincerely, Shawna Wasko, M.OLP Group Facilitator: Widowed Wellness Program of Idaho CSI Office on Aging • swasko@csi.edu

NUESTRA VOZ CUENTA

By: Monica Carrillo

OUR VOICE COUNTS

ith the Sun Valley Music Festival already several weeks into the concerts and a hectic week ahead for many musicians, it is also the beginning of many special events. Included are several free performances by the Villalobos Brothers, a trio of violinists born and raised in Xalapa, Mexico. The Villalobos Brothers will be performing on Friday, August 13 at 6 p.m. in front of Lago Azul (14 West Croy Street, Hailey) to kick off their upcoming performance with the Festival Orchestra at the Sun Valley Pavilion on Saturday, August 14 at 6:30 p.m. After the Saturday concert, they will move the performance to the Pavilion lawn to lead a dance party. With a flair of Latin-inspired sounds to their performances, this is a definite must-see for all, especially for aspiring musicians. As a former musician, member and youth violinist

um c itive foun Le year’ dere creat in de whic So food went Ia ble-l even and p M next a sm forw was Ir beca prev getti to pl just and j W with her b Sh up n M when M the m time Fe orde truly I wa one’s Sh that’ that a I wa W expe “Gre act o It said, Ih Whe the r And all sh

LATIN-STYLE MUSICOS!! of the Sun Valley Music Festival’s Music Institute, I remember the feeling of going on stage and seeing crowds of families and friends, feeling the adrenaline throughout the performances, and then walking off stage, knowing that weeks of intense practice and early mornings had come to a triumphant end. With a return to in-person performances for the Festival after a challenging year, make sure to stop by these upcoming events and support the programs, as well as the organizers, contributing restaurants/ food vendors and the musicians. Without them, we wouldn’t have such an incredible lineup of events to enjoy this summer! In addition, a special thanks to Neighbors Helping Neighbors and Herbert Romero, who has been directly involved and has been coordinating with our local Hispanic businesses, radio, magazines and newspapers to promote such events. For more information about the Sun Valley Music Festival, make sure to check out their website at svmusicfestival.org.

NUESTRA VOZ CUENTA

on el Festival de Música de Sun Valley ya varias semanas en los conciertos y una semana agitada por delante para muchos músicos, es también el comienzo de muchos eventos especiales. Se incluyen varias actuaciones gratuitas de los hermanos Villalobos, un trío de violinistas nacidos y criados en Xalapa, México. Los Hermanos Villalobos se presentarán el viernes 13 de agosto a las 6 p.m. frente a Lago Azul (14 West Croy Street, Hailey) para iniciar su próxima presentación con la Orquesta del Festival en el Sun Valley Pavilion el sábado 14 de agosto a las 6:30 p.m. Después del concierto del sábado, trasladarán la actuación al césped del Pabellón para dirigir una fiesta de baile. Con un toque de sonidos inspirados en el latín a sus actuaciones, esto es algo que no debe dejar de ver para todos, especialmente para los aspirantes a músicos. Como músico, miembro y joven violinista del Instituto de Música del Festival de Música de Sun

Valley, recuerdo la sensaci multitudes de familias y am alina a lo largo de las actua do fuera del escenario, s intensa práctica y primeras a un final triunfante. Con un regreso a las act el Festival después de un de parar por estos próxim programas, así como los or y vendedores de alimentos ¡no tendríamos una increí disfrutar este verano! Además, un agradecim Ayudando Vecinos y a H estado directamente involu ordinando con nuestros n radio, revistas y periódic eventos. Para más información so de Sun Valley, asegúrese www.svmusicfestival.org

OLUMN

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

4TH ESTATE

Drive-thru Deplorables

By Eric Valentine

et’s be honest. As much as I value and practice and advocate healthy eating, home cooking and enjoying authentic cuisine, it’s not always convenient or easy. Sometimes, a McDonald’s Sausage McMuffin, hash browns, and medicoffee with one creamer is a guilty-pleasure go-to, a way to balance out the pose effects of a morning hike with my dog. The other day, while in the drive-thru, I nd myself guilty of hypocrisy—and not the dietary kind. et’s fast forward real quick to this past weekend. I gave a keynote speech at this r’s KYMfest in Nampa, a celebration dedicated to Kym Larsen who was mured in a domestic violence assault in March 2018. In response, the victim’s family ted a nonprofit organization that connects anyone providing or needing support ealing with trauma. They use the motto “Kind Your Mind” (the initial letters of ch spell “Kym”) in the hopes of rooting out the triggers to systemic violence. o naturally, I crafted a speech on such triggers, and it was an altercation at a fastd drive-thru that reminded me we all have work to do. Here’s how the episode t down: arrive at one of those big-city doulane drive-thrus where you have to ntually merge to pick up your food pay. My enormous red wagon was clearly t in line to merge, ahead of a lady in mall blue sedan. But before I moved ward, she sped up, indicating she going to cut me off. really couldn’t have cared less, but ause she was cutting me off, I was A supersized Golden Arches in Times venting the driver behind me from Square, New York. Photo credit: Kenny Louie ing close enough to the microphone lace his order. So, I drove forward a scooch to try to make room. The lady in the blue car, without looking at me just reading on her phone, scooched up each time I did, too. When the cars ahead of us all moved up on full spot, the lady in the blue car—again hout even looking at me—floored the gas, cut me off for good, and slammed on brakes before she nearly rear-ended the car ahead. I blasted my horn. he then rolled down her window and said, “I ordered before you, so you can shut now, thank you!” My initial response wasn’t bad at all. I said, “You know that’s all you had to say n you cut me off the first time. I would have let you go ahead.” No response. My second response was also acceptable. I said, “I was only inching forward to let man behind me get his order in. It’s called being polite. You should try it some e.” No response. eeling beyond ignored and entirely dismissed, my third response was this, “You ered before me, huh? I bet you ordered more than me too, fat bitch!” She was y obese. I say that not to make an excuse for myself, but to illustrate how mean as being in that moment, conveniently and easily if immediate satisfaction is ’s goal. he then flipped me off and called me an expletive. My response was this, “So ’s what it took for you to communicate with me. I had to be mean. Think about as you chow down your breakfast.” She barked another expletive back at me and as able to let that one go. When she reached window #1 to pay, I could see her talking more than one would ect to the cashier, and I didn’t see her hand over money or a card. I thought, eat, I bet someone heard me call her that name and paid for her meal to show an of random kindness. I wish they’d seen what she did to me.” then finally reached window #1 myself and grabbed my card to pay. The cashier , “Sir, the person two cars ahead of you has already paid for your meal.” hope my speech on kindness last weekend did some good for whomever heard it. en put to music the way I do on stage it has done a lot of good before. But beyond right words, it’s kind action that will root out systemic violence in a culture. d it sometimes doesn’t happen conveniently or easily. But it’s a happy meal we hould digest.

ión de ir al escenario y ver migos, sintiendo la adrenaciones, y luego caminansabiendo que semanas de s mañanas habían llegado

tuaciones en persona para año desafiante, asegúrese mos eventos y apoyar los rganizadores, restaurantes s y los músicos. Sin ellos, íble gama de eventos para

miento especial a Vecinos Herbert Romero, quien ha ucrado y se ha estado conegocios locales hispanos, cos para promover tales

obre el Festival de Música de visitar su sitio web en

Photo credit: Herbert Romero

•

AUGUST 11 - 24, 2021

ADVERTORIAL

THE ALTURAS INSTITUTE

‘Conversations With Exceptional Women’

“Women of Courage”

August 31-Sept. 1, 2021 Church of the Big Wood The Alturas Institute will hold its seventh annual “Conversations with Exceptional Women,” featuring extraordinary leaders gathered from across the nation for a two-day convening to celebrate “Women of Courage”—past and present. The event will be held at the Presbyterian Church of the Big Wood in Ketchum. Tickets are available for purchase at alturasinstitute.com. “Our theme will focus on the efforts of courageous women to achieve their goals and missions, undaunted by the threats to cease their pursuits,” Dr. David Adler, president of The Alturas Institute, said. This year’s event will pay special tribute to the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who was scheduled to be the lead speaker at the 2020 edition of “Conversations with Exceptional Women.” Justice Ginsburg’s granddaughter, Clara Spera, a prominent young lawyer-activist working on behalf of women’s reproductive rights, will participate in this event, reminisce about life with her grandmother and receive from The Alturas Institute the John and Abigail Adams Award, presented posthumously to Justice Ginsburg. The John and Abigail Adams Award recognizes work advancing women’s rights and equal protection of the law. Some of the other exceptional women presenting include: Annette Gordon-Reed, Harvard law professor and historian, recipient of the Pulitzer Prize, and author of several books, including the new work, published to critical acclaim, “Juneteenth.” Elizabeth Becker, winner of the Pulitzer Prize, author of several books, including the recently published, “You Don’t Belong Here,” which tells the story of three female journalists who faced high hurdles in their efforts to report on the Vietnam War, and whose work raised journalist standards. Jody Williams, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize for her vision and leadership in persuading the international community to ban landmines, author of several books and a lifelong activist. Dorothy Wickenden, executive editor of The New Yorker magazine since 1996, author of several books, including the recently released and widely praised work, “The Antagonists,” which tells the story of women who fought for abolition and the civil rights of women. Judy Batalion, acclaimed author of the new

NEWS

The Alturas Institute’s 2021 annual event will pay special tribute to the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who was scheduled to be the lead speaker at the 2020 edition of “Conversations with Exceptional Women.”

book, “The Light of Days,” which tells the previously untold story of women who fought against Hitler and the Nazis in Poland. Dr. Lara Brown, professor of political science at George Washington University, director of the Graduate School of Political Management, national political commentator, and author of books on the American Presidency, including, “Jockeying for the American Presidency” and “Amateur Hour: Presidential Character and the Question of Leadership.” Toni L. Coleman Carter, author of “When Trouble Finds You,” chief inclusion and collaborator officer at the Idaho National Laboratory, first Black member and deputy mayor for the village of Hanover Park, Illinois. Cherie Buckner-Webb, former member of the Idaho Legislature, and Idaho’s first elected African American state legislator, and its first African American woman legislator. Naomi McDougall-Jones, award-winning screen writer, actor, director and producer, and author of the recent book, published to critical acclaim, “The Wrong Kind of Women: Inside Our Revolution to Dismantle the Gods of Hollywood.” Visit alturasinstitute.com for more information.

‘Restoring Wood River’ Talk Set For Thursday

IN BRIEF

The Hailey Public Library will host “Restoring the Wood River to Health” via Zoom on Thursday, Aug. 12, at 5:30 p.m. In this fourth talk in the Our Water series, Wood River Land Trust restoration specialist Ryan Santo will examine factors that reduce quality fish and wildlife habitat and current restoration efforts. “The healthier the Big Wood River is, the better it’s able to slow and retain water during dry spells. This increases water quality and helps maintain a vibrant riparian ecosystem for people and wildlife,” said Kristin Fletcher, the library’s programs and community engagement coordinator. “The river is one of our community’s crown jewels and the Land Trust is working hard to apply cutting-edge science to their river restoration work.” Santo is the restoration specialist for the WRLT. Originally from New Jersey, he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in fisheries and aquaculture from the State University of New York, Cobleskill. He has spent the last 14 years monitoring endangered salmon and steelhead populations in the Snake and Upper Columbia River basins. Ryan has worked throughout the Northwest with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and, more recently, with the Nez Perce Tribe. At the Land Trust, Ryan implements water conservation and habitat rehabilitation projects. He led the recently completed mile-long Howard Preserve river restoration project which will mitigate flooding on private property and enhance floodplain and natural fluvial processes. RSVP to kristin.fletcher@haileypubliclibrary.org.

W O O D R I V E R W E E K L Y • A U G U S T 1 1 - 2 4 , 2 0 2 1

Fishing R epoRt

COMM ENT ARY

NO BONES ABOUT IT THE “WEEKLY” FISHING REPORT FOR AUGUST 11 - 24 FROM PICABO ANGLER

ugust is here and we are excited to see the water temps down from the recent rainstorms and cool nights. With that comes more angling opportunities and happy fish. The rain also brought a bump in water flows around the valley, resulting in better undercut banks and more places for fish to hide. The Nature Conservancy is open as of Wednesday, the fish are healthy, and it’s time to start fishing the Preserve! Here’s some helpful info and tips to make your next trip out on the water a fishy one. Silver Creek: With the Preserve opening, we are going to see fish that haven’t seen a fly in some time, so make sure to get out there and try your luck. You will see a Trico spinner fall in the morning from 8-11 a.m. when the wind stays down. Following that, you can throw a plethora of different terrestrials, including Hoppers, Ants and Beetles. With that said, it is Hopper time on Silver Creek! Get your big foam Hoppers out and cover some water. Big Wood: The Big Wood has recently seen a spike in flows that have resulted in some days of muddy and washed-out water. However, the water has cleared up back to its normal visibility. Since the rain, the color red has been producing fish. Attractors with droppers will be the ticket, and with the recent fishing pressure it is probably worth it to downsize your bugs. Be ready for a Trico spinner fall in the morning, as well. Try not to pass up the fast water at the beginning and end of runs; fish are loving the higher water and are held up in areas with lots of dissolved oxygen and flow. Lost River: The upper Lost has been good in the early mornings. Wet wading can be a bit chilly in the morning, but worth having when the temps start rising. PMDs in size 16 are typical around 9 a.m. You can even pick up some rising whitefish on them. If you are covering water, use a big-boned caddis 14 to a natural-color nymph/dropper and expect takes on both. Walking a fair distance this time of year will produce more takes. Finding fresh fish is very important when it comes to the upper Lost. When in doubt, the fish in the upper Lost will almost always take a well-presented Ant pattern. Happy fishing everyone!

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

FRAN JEWELL

ESSENTIAL DOG TRAINING

By Fran Jewell

t’s not just obedience. Essential dog training is teaching a dog the essentials of life and how to live in a family. Very few dogs I work with are professional dogs that live in kennels, only to come out to work. Most of my dog clients are all integrated into the family and are treated like family members. The very basics every dog should have, aside from sit, down, stay and come, include teaching puppies to accept “restraint.” Restraint is holding a puppy snuggly until he relaxes; only put a puppy down when he is not struggling. If you let the puppy down while he is struggling, he learns that if he struggles, he gets what he wants, which is very dangerous for so many reasons. A puppy should be comfortable in a crate or kennel. Why? If a dog is afraid or unwilling to allow someone to restrain them, they end up having very unhappy visits to the vet, or you have a nightmare trying to clip toenails, clean ears, or administering some forms of medication. A dog that is afraid or unwilling to be restrained in a crate or kennel will have a terribly hard emotional time if they are sick or injured and have to be confined during the healing process or at the veterinarian’s for diagnosis or after surgery. Restraint is a life skill that, if taught early, is the key to so much less stress in a dog’s life and yours. The second incredibly important essential is “yielding.” Yielding is exactly as it sounds. Another term for it could be described as “deferring.” A dog needs to learn to yield to you physically as well as emotionally. Examples would be a dog moving out of your pathway or getting up to move if you want to sit where they are sleeping on the sofa. Waiting for permission to eat or allowing you to take food away is very important. Yielding includes not running between your legs, not jumping on you (respecting your personal space), waiting nicely for permission to go through a door or get out of the car. Yielding can save a dog’s life and can also save your own life. A dog that won’t move out of your way while he is sleeping in a dark hallway could cause you to fall and severely injure

SCIENCE OF PLACE

When Kalidor was little, I did a lot of holding to groom him and trim his nails. Now he is so easy to do any type of care with. He even seeks out hugs from me! Photo credit: Fran Jewell

both you and the dog. Yielding is a form of respect just like you and I have for other people and their personal space. How do I teach yielding? If a puppy is sleeping, I gently shuffle my feet under him until he gets up and moves. If he is awake, I can gently walk into him until he turns and walks the other direction. I can even reward those behaviors by tossing a treat away from me. I can put it on command by saying “away” or “move” as the puppy is going away from me. The hard thing about yielding or restraint is that we don’t usually “teach” it to puppies until there is a problem—someone trips and falls. Some puppies will, by nature, allow restraint and understand yielding. You can even test and select a puppy to see if they naturally understand these important skills. AND, a good breeder can teach many of these things

to puppies before they go to their new homes. Many puppies are not naturals. If you wait until you see the problem, it is difficult to go back and undo the problem behaviors the puppy has now made habit. If these things are taught to puppies early in their life, they remember them forever and they are so much happier and you will enjoy them even more. Look beyond basic obedience to have an anxiety-free, safe and fun relationship that lasts a lifetime! There is more to dog happiness than “sit” and “down!” 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.

Measuring Water

HANNES THUM

BY HANNES THUM

anguages are defined by how their speakers use them. Linguists have long held this idea at the core of their studies—we create and use words that our culture demands, and the language reflects that cultural viewpoint. In other words, we develop and use words for things that are important to us, and the words and phrases in our language end up showing us what we care about. Not all new words and phrases become part of a language. Many fall out of style or never pick up much momentum at all. The ones that last and become entrenched become part of the lexicon, and the others may disappear with hardly a trace (and there are some, of course, that we remove on purpose). And some odd things remain. For instance, the English language contains a distinct word for the act of throwing somebody (or something) out of a window. It’s called “defenestration.” Yes, indeed—we have a word to describe that very act. I’m not enough of a historian or a linguist to understand WHY we have such a term, but we do. There’s another term that has been on my mind lately: the “acrefoot.” The acre-foot has got to be one of the most specific, the most particular, units in all of measurement. If there is a description of water that is more palpably tuned than the acre-foot to one way of looking at the world, to one specific purpose, then I don’t know what it is. The unit is defined by the use, and vice versa. An acre-foot is the amount of water that it would take to cover a flat piece of land in a one-foot-thick layer of water. It’s a common term for people that plan out water runoff and dam control and the distribution of water through canals, particularly when it comes to agricultural uses. Someone filling up a water bottle might think of water in terms of pints or quarts or liters. A river runner might look at things in terms

A volume of one acre foot. It is a one acre area with a depth of one foot. This is equivalent to a 66 x 660 x 1 foot volume since an acre is defined as 66 x 660 feet. NOTE: the drawing is not to scale. Photo credit: Cburnett, accessed via Wikimedia

of cubic feet or cubic meters. These terms reflect a different perspective for the same thing: a volume of water. But the acre-foot signifies something else entirely. For one thing, it’s an enormous amount of water (more than 300,000 gallons). The use of the term is a choice that we make, culturally, when we are talking about the use of water on a large scale. It implies that we are spreading the water out flat somewhere, either in a reservoir or on agricultural land—it quantifies usability. It’s an expressive term, the acre-foot. It’s at once a hard thing to picture and a shockingly easy thing to picture. And, in the West, the term has been in the news a lot lately. We have, simply put, a lot less acre-feet to work with than we used to. This drought isn’t going away anytime soon, despite a few rain showers. Where the water comes from, where it goes, and what we decide to do with the water we have is becoming increasingly important.

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

MONEY MATTERS

KRISTIN HOVENCAMP

HEDGING YOUR BETS By Kristin Hovencamp

eather forecasters are predicting a 60% chance of rain. In other words, it may rain, and it may not rain. By acknowledging there could be more than one possible outcome, the forecasters are hedging their bets. As an investor, if you are concerned about adverse price movements in the markets, hedge your investment bets. Portfolio hedging aims to limit or transfer risk in financial assets. A derivatives trader once described a hedging strategy as, if you think it might rain, buy an umbrella. If you think the market might turn, buy protection. A hedge consists of taking an opposite or offsetting position in a security related to an existing position. Hedging is generally accomplished using securities, options, swaps, futures, and forward contacts. Hedging can be deployed to help reduce investment risk. Imagine you own a long position in security “A,” and you are speculating “A” might not meet its projected quarterly earnings. However, you believe “A” is a valuable long-term investment. To help protect against a near-term decline in the price, you can hedge your bet by selling “A” short. Investors can also hedge equity sector risk by tak- Kristin Hovencamp is an Investing an offsetting position in a security that is cor- ment executive and director of business development with related to security A. HAZLETT WEALTH MANAGEHedging is often used to diversify portfolio risk. MENT, LLC. If your portfolio has a heavy concentration of equity exposure and inflation is a concern, you might buy Treasury Inflation Protection Securities (TIPS) to help protect against inflation. Holding an offsetting position will not curtail you from losing money, but the possible gains from one security could help reduce losses in another security. Keep in mind that “Many financial disasters can be traced back to people who thought they were hedging,” —Aaron Brown. 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. Investing involves risk and you may incur a profit or loss regardless of strategy selected. Past performance may not be indicative of future results. Some strategies may not be appropriate for all investors. Contact a qualified professional regarding your situation before making any investments. 675 Sun Valley Road, Suite J1 + J2 Ketchum, Idaho 83340 208.726.0605. HazlettWealthManagement.com

•

AUGUST 11 - 24, 2021

JOELLEN COLLINS

Where The Elite Meet By JoEllen Collins

often smile (even from under a mask) when I see one of my friends at the market or post office and then utter the words recorded in the above title. Usually, we follow that with a wave or “hello” and still keep a wise distance. When I say “elite,” I am being wry or facetious, not really labeling anyone I encounter. I really mean “special.” The other day, in line at the Ketchum post office, I said this to a teaching friend I had not met in nearly a year and a half. One woman turned around and said, “Oh, so only the rich come here?” I assumed she was kidding, as well, so I replied, thinking I was being funny, “Yes—only the rich in spirit. Our chauffeurs took the day off.” Later, I read comments concerning the latest fear of evictions and the conflict between some landlords and those facing homelessness. I remembered that I once was jealous of some of the very wealthy people who live amongst us. Lately, though, in thinking about the pros and cons of my tenure on this earth, I am happy to say that I no longer resent the very successful people I know. I just wish that more struggling folks could have some of the comfort money can buy, like the BIG obstacle facing so many—affordable housing. Resentment doesn’t change anything. In my musings, I faced the reality that some of my choices could have led to a measure of wealth. However, I chose to take a teaching job instead of pushing harder on my search to be involved in early cable TV in Los Angeles. I chose to invest my modest savings, failing to obtain a license for a radio station so many years ago. I chose to leave a gorgeous home with a view of the Pacific sunsets because I was lonely and miserable even JoEllen Collins—a longtime in those glorious surroundings. I chose to leave a lucra- resident of the Wood River tive teaching job and the resultant retirement at Beverly Valley— is an Idaho Press Hills High School to move here and, at one time, work Club award-winning columthree part-time jobs. nist, a teacher, writer, fabric I could have stayed in an unhappy marriage or per- artist, choir member and haps remarried for money. I could have risked some unabashedly proud grandma real financial stress, though temporary, when one of the known as “Bibi Jo.” television executives interviewing me said, “You’ve ONLY been a teacher,” by persevering and convincing him and others that that kind of public-school interaction with about 150 or more teenagers a day taught this storyteller how to budget time, think on one’s feet, be creative with a captive audience, and deal with the widest variety of humans imaginable. I loved teaching, so I don’t regret that I’m not in a bigger residence to manage, that I have friends of all incomes, and that I don’t need to kowtow to be on someone’s guest list. I am content. So, my fellow less-than rich, let’s keep on being grateful for what we do have and the wonderful people around us, whatever their financial status may be.

DOVE

CALM AND CHAOS ight now, there seems to be so much energy used to create fear and chaos. I find myself getting sucked into the chaotic energy before I even realize what is happening. In an effort to stay informed, I run into information that literally creates anger in my personality. That is not what I want. I was communicating with a friend who was struggling with a decision, and he was finding it impossible to make that decision. I told him to wait for clarity because there is a divine timing for all things. Rather than pushing the flow, take a deep breath and realize that only the ego pushes the flow. With that, he relaxed and moved into peace. My husband and I have a ritual every night that we thank Source or God for all our blessings, but often times the focus becomes about what needs to be corrected instead of what is right with our world. We made a change in our method; in place of seeing that which we want changed, we started seeing our prayers as already answered. Subject: rain. Since we changed our method, we have had rain.

ON LIFE’S TERMS

INSPIRATIONS FROM MY HEART

BY DOVE

My brother and his family were being evacuated from their home due to imminent danger from fire. They live in the country with no fire hydrants to protect their home and insurance is off the charts. We all got on the phone and did a prayer for rain. Last night, it rained sheets of water with no lightning or thunder in their area. When you see sheets of rain falling instead of asking for rain to fall, the results are far more productive. You may think that we had nothing to do with the rain and that only our ego wants to believe our prayers were answered. The truth lies within each of us. Are we afraid to claim that we have power to assist? Let’s all consider changing the way we ask for assistance. Let’s start declaring that we want freedom from disease and limitation. If enough of us start declaring we want truth, integrity and justice in our world, and we can have faith the size of a mustard seed, we can move mountains. My prayer is: “We are free, healthy, abundant and joyful—all of us.” Our thoughts create our reality. Where your focus goes, energy flows. Be the energy you want to live. Dove

COWBOY POETRY

BRYCE ANGELL

COWBOYS ON THE RUN

When I was just a teenage boy, I’d say about sixteen, we rode into the Yellowstone, Old Faithful’s what I mean. We must have been at least a dozen cowboys, maybe more. We were looking for some fun and didn’t know what lay in store. We found a hitching post and tied the horses for the day. But my cousin saw some elk and said, “Let’s go chase those elk away!” Now being sixteen years and never thinking consequence, we hopped back on our horses. Didn’t have a lick of sense. That day I’d chosen Stretch to ride—he wasn’t known for speed. He’d seen his share of trail rides, just a tired and worn-out steed. So, the elk took off a’running. Stretch was kicking up his heels. The wind was blowing in my face. The thrill how one boy feels! But then I heard a whistle blow, felt sickly to my gut. ‘Twas a Ranger on his motorcycle, right on Stretch’s butt. The horses took off to the trees—we’d pushed our luck of fun— we had to make it back to camp, twelve outlaws on the run. Well, back at camp each cowboy’s tale was taller than the sky. But I’m the only one who’d looked the Ranger in the eye. The Ranger got a look at me. I’m sure he knew my dad. I wondered just how long it’d be before I’d soon be had. That day was fifty years ago, and talk about tight-lipped. Not one cowboy had flapped his jaws; afraid of being whipped. Did the Ranger ever tell my folks? I’ll prob’ly never know. But if they’d ever asked me, well, I guess I’d tell ‘em so. When thinking of Old Faithful and twelve cowboys on the run, forgive me ‘cuz I must admit, I’ve never had more fun! — Bryce Angell Bryce Angell - The outdoors has always been a large part of my life. My father was an outfitter and guide for 35 years and I was there to shoe and care for the horses and help him do the cooking. We took many great trips into the Yellowstone area. Even now that I’m older, we still ride into the Tetons, Yellowstone and surrounding areas. My poems are mostly of personal experience. I am now retired and enjoying life to the fullest. I plan to do more riding and writing.

W O O D R I V E R W E E K L Y • A U G U S T 1 1 - 2 4 , 2 0 2 1

COLUMN

CAITLIN JOHNSTONE

After Russiagate, Why Wouldn’t People Be Skeptical About Covid?

By Caitlin Johnstone

ou hardly ever hear about Russiagate anymore. The last time it made a blip in the radar was when disgraced Collusion author Luke Harding published a very thinly-sourced story in The Guardian claiming to have proof that Donald Trump was a Kremlin asset, but other mass media outlets barely touched it and it vanished as quickly as it came. Looking at mainstream news outlets in 2021, you'd hardly know they'd recently spent years hammering the story into public consciousness that Vladimir Putin had infiltrated the highest levels of the US government, day after day after day after day after day. But they did. Vast fortunes were raked in off the public interest generated by click-friendly stories about the latest BOMBSHELL revelation involving some peripheral member of Trump's

associates perhaps maybe having some kind of contact with a Russian national at some point. Entire careers were built on this. Then the Mueller investigation invalidated the entire claim by failing to indict a single American for conspiring with the Russian government, and the mass media who'd spent the previous few years bashing everyone in the face with that story just kind of slowly sidled away from it. And now they act like it never happened. The sweeping Mueller investigation ended with zero indictments of zero Americans for conspiring with Russia over the 2016 election, writes @ggreenwald. https://t.co/4KSjNegEyU #MuellerReport — The Intercept (@theintercept) April 18, 2019 Now I'm going to ask you to put yourself in the shoes of someone you might not normally be

Drive Thru Now Open

order online

Burntriverfarms.com

TAKE EXIT 374 1055 NW Washington Ave. Ontario, OR 97914 DIRECTIONS

Open 7 days a week! 7am - 10pm

(541)216-1000 OR Licencse: 050 1003704D5A3 Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the influence of this drug. For use only by adults twenty-one years of age and older. Keep out of reach of children

inclined to. Imagine you're someone on the political right watching this whole thing unfold. Imagine that from late 2016 to mid-2019 you were watching the mass media aggressively shove this story down everyone's throat that a US president, whom you support, is secretly working for a hostile foreign government with the goal of subverting the United States of America. The media you consume have been highlighting all the massive, glaring plot holes in this narrative the entire time, so you know it's not true, yet you've still got friends, coworkers and family members who believe it is. Can you imagine how disgusted you'd get with the media watching this happen day after day? How outraged? How resentful? If you're really putting yourself there, I think you probably can. Now imagine a year later these exact same media institutions start telling you there's a novel coronavirus which we're all going to have to sacrifice some personal liberties in order to stop. We might have to stay in our homes, wear a mask, get injected with new drugs we're not sure about, possibly while watching our bank account drain and our business go under, and all these media institutions you just watched lie to everyone's face for years on end are aggressively saying you need to do this and support this or you're a dangerous monster whose voice should be banned from social media. How well do you imagine that would go over with you? A study of the unvaccinated in Cda, UK and US found they had “less agreeable personalities”, are less cooperative with others, more selfish, and more extroverted. In the vernacular, the term is “assholes”. Maybe it’s time to start treating them as such. https://t.co/TuPeZmBfxT — Scott Gilmore (@Scott_Gilmore) August 3, 2021 And yet now we're seeing article after article after article and news segment after news segment after news segment from these very same institutions freaking out about "the unvaccinated", a new label for a new category of human we're all meant to have very strong opinions about. The very media institutions which actively cultivated the distrust of these populations are now whipping up public outrage at the people they alienated. And of course it's not just right-wingers; people of color across the political spectrum have relatively low vaccination rates as well. What do those groups have in common? Distrust for institutions which in their experience have an extensive history of being untrustworthy. People on the left who saw through the Russiagate madness would be skeptical as well. The sane way to counteract the public distrust that's been caused by generations of lies, wars and depravity would be a tremendous increase in transparency, accountability and contrition on the part of those institutions, showing the public that they have changed and are working to become more trustworthy. So naturally what we are seeing is vaccine mandates in New York City, pundits calling for forced injections, and soldiers policing the streets of Sydney. For future reference re Yglesias who seems to be wrong about everything of consequence. Who’s the fascist? https://t.co/0uCbUsakDP pic.twitter.com/xBTm3VDbsm — Sam Husseini (@samhusseini) August 2, 2021 The way people are acting like trust in media-sanctioned narratives should be a given after those institutions literally just discredited themselves in front of everyone is insane. You don't have to believe anything odd about the virus or the vaccine to understand the distrust. It was entirely predictable that this trust crisis would occur, and surely there were people in positions of influence who did predict it. And now this entirely predictable thing is being used to ban people from social media, justify vaccine passports, etc. I find that immoral. I don't know what's going on with this virus; my brain just doesn't work in a way that lends itself to science. One of the most annoying things about the indie media scene in the age of Covid has been gaining an audience because I'm good at logic and writing and then being told by lots of people "Oh you're good at writing? Cool. Now you have to be good at science or I hate you." People expect me to either understand things I don't understand or pretend that I do, and maybe that's good enough for them but it isn't for me. What I do know is that things are getting increasingly ugly and authoritarian as global capitalism looks more and more like the end of a Monopoly game, and that media institutions have no business complaining that people don't trust them after spending years actively alienating their trust. The sooner humanity wakes up from its unwholesome relationship with mental narrative, the better.

Harrison Insurance

an authorized select independent agency “For All Your Insurance Needs!” One-stop shopping for Business, Commercial, Home, Auto, Umbrella, Life, Health and Medigap insurance policies 208.788.3255 - nathan@harrisonins.com 101 E. Bullion Ste. 2A Hailey, ID

The Russiagate Queen: A court ruled Rachel Maddow’s viewers know she offers exaggeration and opinion, not facts. “Maddow’s show is different than a typical news segment where anchors inform viewers about the daily news,” an Obama-appointed judge ruled.

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

•

AUGUST 11 - 24, 2021

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

SCOTT MILEY ROOFING

3D Virtual Tours Real Estate Teaser Videos CAD Ready Floor Plans SCAN FOR 3D VIRTUAL TOUR

From Your Roof to Your Rain Gutter, We’ve Got You Covered!

WWW.SUNVALLEY3DPHOTO.COM

208.788.5362

sales@sunvalley3dphoto.com

fully insured & guaranteed

208.720.0252

Airport West | Hailey, Idaho 83333

Marc Longley

Firewood for Sale Housekeeper now accepting new clients.

responsible, experienced and great references. Free estimates available for: Homes, condos, offices.

Camp Wood $175 Indoor Wood $275

Call Shon

beatrizq2003@hotmail.com

(208) 450-9411

208.720.5973

VBMediation Specialists

americansealcoating5b@gmail.com

• • • •

SEAL COATING CRACK FILLING STRIPING POTHOLE REPAIR

• Dispute Resolution • Custody/ Parenting Plans • Counseling • Education • Famiily Conflict • Elder Care Arrangements • Business Conflict & Communication Soluions Shelly Vegwert, Licensed Professional Counselor Erin Buell, MHS, Education Specialist

(208) 727-7724 • vbmediation.com Advertise on this page for ONLY $35/week. (includes full color & free ad design)

Shop Local

Mandi 208.721.7588

Advertise in FiiB for ONLY $35/week!

Wood River Weekly Find It In Blaine

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

HANDYMAN

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

HOUSEKEEPING

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

RETIREMENT HORSE BOARDING

Retirement horse boarding for geldings. Limited vacancy. Small family farm environment with excellent facilities. Experienced geriatric care. Veterinarian references. Text or call (208) 720-7252

HELP WANTED

Harrison Insurance & Financials LTD. of Hailey, Idaho, one of the fastest growing insurance agencies in the Wood River Valley, is seeking an experienced Licensed Account Manager to join our team. We offer a friendly, supportive work environment that allows our staff the opportunity to grow and develop their careers in our industry. Wages are competitive based on experience and credentials. Benefits include paid holidays; paid vacation time; medical insurance, and continuing education funding.

PRICING

(includes full color & free ad design)

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

CLASSIC SUDOKU answer from page 12

This position is customer facing and is assisted by other employees. A thorough knowledge of property, casualty, life, and health insurance forms, underwriting practices and claims handling is necessary for this position. The suitable candidate will also be experienced with basic computer skills. agency automation systems, Acord forms, and Microsoft office. Having or obtaining an Idaho Producer license is required. If you are looking for a long term, stable employment opportunity with an established and respected business, you will find it here. We are dedicated to building longlasting relationships with our clients and each other. Resumes are being accepted via email to nathan@harrisonins.com.

HELP WANTED

Female-owned organizing and moving assistance company seeks highly organized females to join our team! Must have previous home cleaning, organizing or moving experience with the ability to multi-task professionally. Position is parttime, and scheduling varies based on client demand. Pay starts at $35/hour. Please call Wendy at 877-564-8275 (TASK).

Wood River Weekly Classifieds

CROSSWORD

answer from page 12

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

W O O D R I V E R W E E K L Y • A U G U S T 1 1 - 2 4 , 2 0 2 1

CHAMBER CORNER