WRW 5 April 2023

WOOD RIVER WEEKLY

MOUNTAIN RIDES ENDS LATE-NIGHT SERVICE

Safety of other passengers cited as reason for change

By HAYDEN SEDER

Arecent change to the schedule of the Mountain Rides blue route in Ketchum didn’t go unnoticed by those who take the bus home after a late night. On Feb. 27, the blue route, which services downtown Ketchum, Warm Springs, Sun Valley and Elkhorn, initiated a service change ending service at 12:30 a.m. instead of the previous 2 a.m. The decision to limit late-night service of the bus was the direct result of inappropriate, raucous behavior by late-night riders.

“This has been an ongoing problem for many years,” said Jamie Canfield, director of transit operations, of issues with late-night riders which, over the years, have included incidents like riders sneaking liquor on board, starting fights, and vandalizing Mountain Rides property. The worst of all these incidents is vomiting, which requires an outside company to clean the buses to ensure they are cleaned to FDA standards, since vomit is considered a biohazard. “Since the beginning of the ski season this year, we have spent over $2,000 on the cleaning of the buses because of vomit,” said Canfield. Many don’t realize that once someone throws up on a bus, it must immediately be taken offline/out-of-service.

Canfield was the bus driver during a recent incident that was considered the impetus for limiting late-night service.

Canfield had pulled up to Wells Fargo on his last run into Sun Valley for the night while driving the late-night blue route bus. Mountain Rides buses are equipped to handle roughly 50 people, and that’s standing room only. When Canfield pulled up, there were more than 100 people waiting to catch the bus.

“I pulled up and told them I couldn’t get everyone on the bus but to be civilized—no pushing, shoving, raised voices. Out of the crowd of over 100, only 12 made it on the bus because they started pushing and shoving with no regard for each other; someone even ended up in my lap because they were pushing so hard. So, I closed the doors and drove off, which is what I told them would happen if they didn’t act with decorum.”

The day after the incident, a Mountain Rides board meeting was held to discuss whether to limit the latenight route. Ultimately, it’s the board’s decision on whether to change routes and how, and they handed down a verdict curtailing the 2 a.m. service.

In the weeks since the decision was made, Canfield says incidents have gone down to almost zero. “This was done basically for the safety of other passengers, for our drivers, and the safety of our equipment.”

Prioritizing the safety of their drivers was a major reason for Mountain Rides’ decision. “We don’t go out of our way to cut service,” said Canfield. “We’re here to take people from one place to another, but we have to do

it safely. If there are people who make that ride unsafe, then we have to take that into consideration.”

Kim MacPherson, director of outreach and communications for Mountain Rides, emphasizes that Mountain Rides bus drivers are employees and the bus their workplace. “We don’t want this to become a hard job to hold and don’t want difficult riders to affect that,” MacPherson said. Retaining employees in the Wood River Valley these days is crucial when the available workforce is already limited.

While this decision is a blow to those who enjoy the late-night bar scene in Ketchum, MacPherson points out that this change has actually created more service. MacPherson explained, “We now run the service until 12:30 a.m. every night, including through slack, so we’re actually adding service instead of taking it away.” Usually after ski season ends in mid-April, Mountain Rides cuts back service to only go until 10 p.m.

As for whether the late-night route will be brought back in the future, MacPherson says it is up to their board. Annual service plan discussions begin in May or June this year and will likely include talks of whether to bring back the 2 a.m. bus. “The best thing would be for someone to write us a letter or come to our meeting,” said MacPherson of how citizens can show support for bringing back the late-night route.

“The only way to make sense of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance.”

– Alan Watts

A Mountain Rides bus prepares to continue on its route from River Run. The Mountain Rides Transportation Authority board has decided to limit late-night service of the blue route, which normally runs until 2 a.m., citing “inappropriate, raucous behavior by late-night riders,” the worst of which has been vomiting on the bus. The board will revisit the matter in May or June of this year. Photo credit: Mountain Rides

Sun Valley Resort Wraps Up a Banner 2022-23 Season

Festivities and Legendary Spring Skiing

The 2022-23 winter season is winding down at Sun Valley Resort after an epic season, but not without its annual closing week parties, live music, family activities, and the annual Easter Egg Hunt in the Sun Valley Village. Skiers and riders have two more weekends to enjoy Bald Mountain, with the last day of the season scheduled for Sunday, April 16, this year on the River Run side of the mountain. Traditionally the Resort closes Bald Mountain on Warm Springs slopes, however, with the first phase of its Warm Springs Enhancement Plan kicking into gear, Warm Springs will close Sunday, April 9, followed by River Run on April 16.

“What an incredible season we’ve had, with a robust calendar of events and amazing snow,” said Bridget Higgins, Director of Marketing & PR of Sun Valley Resort. “The team is gearing up for a full summer’s work on Bald Mountain and could not be more excited for what’s to come for our guests with the new lifts in Warm Springs next season.”

Sun Valley Resort will begin construction to replace and realign the Challenger Chairlift, construct the new Flying Squirrel Chairlift replacement, and extend the Flying Squirrel trail and snowmaking. New gladed terrain, along with Sunrise Expansion and many other areas on the mountain, are the result of the Bald Mountain Stewardship Project, a partnership with land and environmental agencies to improve overall forest health and decrease fire risk on Bald Mountain.

Easter weekend will begin with the annual Easter Egg Hunt in the Sun Valley Village on Friday, April 7. With over 8,000 eggs, it is one of the largest and most anticipated events each spring.

At 5:00pm sharp, the egg hunt opens to kids 10 and under who are grouped into zones based on age, so everyone will have a shot at filling their basket. Before or after the egg hunt, children can snap a photo with the Easter Bunny or head over to The Toy Store for a fun surprise. This event is offered free to the community and guests. Avid “closing day enthusiasts” should rest assured that the much anticipated Baldy Bash will be held Saturday, April 8 at Warm Springs base area with music headliners, The California Honeydrops. This end-of-season street party will also feature live music from the Aaron Golay Band, a barbeque, and a bar complete with bubbles from Veuve Clicquot. Party-goers should plan to wear their best retro ski gear to celebrate spring in style. Guests are encouraged to utilize Mountain Rides Blue and Bronze routes.

For River Run’s closing weekend kicking off April 15, live music from local performer Trevor Green will take place outside on the patio from 2-5pm. DJ Luke Ross will take the stage on April 16, also from 2-5pm. Apres music is free to the public and all ages are welcome.

Sun Valley Resort, claimed another historic place in award annals, as a three-peat winner of Top Ski Resort in the West from SKI Magazine’s revered Annual Ski Resort Awards in the Resort Guide.

Sun Valley Resort annual season passes and partner passes with Ikon Pass and the Mountain Collective are on sale now with the best pricing of the year and payment plan options.

Nathan Welch, M.D.

Evan Allan, M.D.

Michael K. Taylor, M.D.

James M. Coombs, M.D.

Kyle N. Klingler, M.D.

Jeffery Stevens, M.D.

Jason T. Halverson, M.D.

Closing day festivities on the Roundhouse Restuarant deck is a favorite. Photo credit: Hayden Gilmour, courtesy of Sun Valley Resort

Easter weekend begins with the annual Easter Egg Hunt in the Sun Valley Village. Photo credit: Hayden Gilmour, courtesy of Sun Valley Resort

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Eduardo Chavez Courage!

By Monica Carrillo

OUR VOICE COUNTS

Filmmaker Eduardo Chavez has returned to empower the young minds of the Wood River Valley with his groundbreaking film, “Hailing Cesar,” tackling the crucial themes of identity and activism, and inspiring a new generation of changemakers.

Chavez, filmmaker and grandson of Cesar Chavez, has returned to the valley through a film speaking tour, to share his film, his story and the connection he has with farmworking — some of which was advocated by his grandfather, Cesar Chavez. He spoke at various high schools and elementary schools, including Wood River High School and Alturas Elementary.

“It’s really about a young person who grew up very differently than their grandparents,” said Eduardo, speaking about the process of making his film. “I think in order for us, as Latinos, to understand who we are, we have to look at our history — my grandfather’s movement was just one part of our history.”

Although Chavez didn’t know his grandfather very well, hearing about his story and the work he did for farmworkers allowed him to learn significant lessons through his grandfather’s work.

“If you look at the trajectory of his life, he had no reason to be so open-minded, but he was such a curious person,” Chavez said. “He was far ahead of his time.”

These events were powered by the following: Hispanic Latin America Consortium, Herbert Romero founder & event director; and The Crisis Hotline, Tammy Davis, executive director.

Special thanks to our sponsors/compadres, comadres & amigos: Hispanic Latin America Consortium, Laura Rose-Lewis, Marcia & Dun Liebich, Michel Sewell, Floyd Padilla, Calysta Phillips, The Crisis Hotline, H Property Service, W.R.M.S, W.R.H.S, Silver Creek H.S., B.C.S.D., S.V.C.S., The Community Table, Nosotros United, S.V.F.F., Mr. Dee’s restaurant, COX, La Perrona, W.R.W. & Eye on Sun Valley. Si se puede!

NUESTRA VOZ CUENTA

Eduardo Chávez ha regresado para empoderar a las mentes jóvenes del Wood River Valley con su película “Hailing Cesar,” abordando los temas cruciales de la identidad y el activismo, e inspirando a una nueva generación de agentes de cambio.

Chávez, cineasta y nieto de César Chávez, ha regresado al valle para compartir su película, su historia y la conexión que tiene con el trabajo agrícola, algunos de los cuales fueron defendidos por su abuelo, César Chávez. Habló en varias escuelas secundarias y escuelas primarias, incluyendo Wood River High School y Alturas Elementary.

Se trata realmente de una persona joven que creció de manera muy diferente a sus abuelos,” dijo Chavez, hablando sobre su película. “Como latinos, tenemos que mirar nuestra historia — el movimiento de mi abuelo fue solo una parte de nuestra historia.”

Aunque Chávez no conocía muy bien a su abuelo, escuchando su historia y el trabajo que hizo para los trabajadores agrícolas, le permitió aprender lecciones significativas a través del trabajo de su abuelo.

“Si miras la trayectoria de su vida, no tenía ninguna razón para ser tan abierto de mente,” dijo Chávez. “Estaba muy adelantado de su tiempo.”

Juan Salamanca, Alturas Elementary. Photo credit: Herbert Romero

TELL ME MORE ABOUT CLOSING COSTS

BY ANNA & MICHELLE

There are fees and expenses associated with mortgages that must be paid by the closing date for closing costs, and pre-paid items, in addition to the down payment. These amounts can vary according to the type of loan, mortgage company, customary practices of the area, and the terms of the contact.

According to Freddie Mac, the amounts could vary between 2%–5%, which is considerable. Most buyers want a more specific number and that can depend on the conditions mentioned previ

ously.

For buyers, the largest amounts are loan origination fees, which is usually 1% of the amount borrowed; points paid by buyer, which are 1% or more of the mortgage amount; owner’s title policy if paid by the buyer; and the pre-paid items mentioned above.

Certain t ypes of mortgages allow the seller to pay specific closing costs for the buyer with f ull dis

closure in the sales contract. For example, all the buyers’ closing costs can be paid by the seller for VA mortgages up to 4% of the sales price. FHA and USDA allow sellers to pay up to 6% of the sales price to be used for closing costs and pre-paid items.

For conventional loans, underwritten by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, sellers can contribute up to 3% if the down payment is less than 10% and up to 6% if the down payment is 10%–25%.

Asking a seller to pay a buyer’s closing costs is tantamount to lowering the price of the home. In a highly competitive market, the seller may be less willing to pay a buyer’s closing cost than in a soft market.

Settlement dates affect the amount of pre-paid interest. Mortgage interest is paid in arrears, after the money has been used. The principal and interest portion of the payment is allocated to pay for the interest on the principal balance for the previous month and the remainder is applied to reduce the principal of the loan. Each succeeding payment has less going to interest and more going to principal until the loan is fully retired.

When a buyer closes on the sale of a home, the fi rst payment will not be due u ntil the fi rst of the month following the next full month after closing. The buyer is also responsible for interest from the funding date, usually at closing. This amount is usually reflected on the buyer’s closing statement, as i nterest to the end of the month. It pre-pays the interest from closing until the next first of the month.

If the buyer closed on the second of the month, the pre-paid interest would be far greater than if the buyer had closed on the last day of the month. To minimize this out-of-pocket expense, many times closings will be scheduled toward the end of the month.

Another large buyer’s closing cost is property insurance. The lender will require that the home be insured for at least the amount of the mortgage being borrowed. Insurance must be paid for in advance, usually at closing. In addition to the annual premium, the lender may require an escrow account be established to collect 1/12 of the annual property taxes and property insurance to be paid with the payment so there is enough money in the account to pay them when they are due.

When setting up the account, the lender may require an additional two months of reserves for the insurance to be renewed in advance of the policy expiring.

The amount of reserves for the taxes depends on when the taxes must be paid. At closing, the seller will credit the buyer with the amount of taxes from January 1 to the closing date since taxes are also paid in arrears. The lender will probably have the buyer pay two to three months’ taxes additionally at closing so the tax bill can also be paid before it is due. Some states give the taxpayer a discount for paying them in advance.

Your real estate agent will be able to give you an estimate of closing costs that should prepare you to purchase a home. The lender is required by law to supply you with a Loan Estimate within three days of receiving your loan application.

A Closing Disclosure will provide the final details of the mortgage loan you have selected. It includes loan terms, estimated monthly payment, and the fees and other costs incurred with the mortgage. You must receive it three business days before you close on the mortgage loan so that you can compare it with the Loan Estimate.

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Airport Vicinity Overlay District Public Hearing

On Tuesday, April 18, 2023, the Blaine County Board of County Commissioners will hold a public hearing upstairs in the main meeting room in the Old County Courthouse located at 206 First Ave. So., in Hailey. Its agenda includes:

2:00 pm ACTION ITEM: Title 9 Zoning Regulations Text and Map Amendments related to Airport Vicinity Overlay District: Public hearing on county-initiated amendments to Blaine County Code, Title 9, Chapter 18, Airport Vicinity Overlay District. Text amendments would replace the chapter in its entirety. Map amendments would amend overlay district boundaries and designate multiple zones/land use area (Chapter 4). The P&Z Commission recommended approval on March 2, 2023. (Action Item)

Information is available at the Land Use Office 788-5570 and on the Blaine County website www.blainecounty.org. Public comment including name and place of residence may be mailed to the Land Use Office, 219 1st Avenue South, Suite 208, Hailey, Idaho 83333, or emailed to pzcounter@co.blaine.id.us.

Alternative Therapies

BY DANA DUGAN

We are adventurous, physical people. We recreate. We hike, ski, bike, and board. The Wood River Valley stands out as not just a sporty place but a haven for body workers. Hardcore recreationalists do suffer injuries. Healers of varied ilk are in high demand. Other than straight-forward physical therapists, there are many body workers who practice alternative forms of self-healing, from yoga and its associated health care, Ayurveda, to acupuncture, Reiki and Rolfing.

The Japanese therapy Reiki is administered by laying hands either lightly upon one or hovering just above. This is done to facilitate a healing flow of energy, in a similar way to acupuncture or acupressure. A gentle, unobtrusive form or therapy that could not be more different from Rolfing.

Founded by Dr. Ida Pauline Rolf, a Ph.D. in biochemistry, it is a physical reboot. It’s meant to increase mobility, boost energy, ease breathing, relieve stress, and generally improve a person’s overall well-being.

Rolfing focuses on the fascia, the band of connective tissues in the body that forms beneath the skin to attach, stabilize, and separate muscles and other internal organs.

“I love this work,” Ketchum-based Rolfing practitioner Sonia Sommer said. “It just gets better and better. Right now, I’m working with high-end athletes, and I’m seeing amazing results.”

Also known as Structural Integration, Rolfing deals with chronic patterns in the connective system, or the fascia web.

“There are all kinds of ways to take care of your

fascia. It’s the most important system in the body. It harbors both the good and the bad, Sommer said. “If you change a person’s fascia web, you help change their bodies. It’s a project with a beginning, middle and end.”

Years ago, Sommer, who is Australian, worked with the Australian Freestyle Ski Team. She later became an intern at the Australian Institute of Sport.

“I was really into athletes, sports and physical therapy,” she said. “I saw magic happen with Structural Integration and said ‘I want to do this.’”

Eventually, Sommer trained in Colorado with Tom Myers, a student of Ida Rolf’s, and co-author of “Fascial Release for Structural Balance.”

Structural Integration brings patterns of distortion back into balance.”

Katrina

vanden Heuvel, The Nation

“I like to separate Rolfing from massage because it’s so different in its intention, which is to change things,” Sommer said. “Structural Integration brings patterns of distortion back into balance so that people can move around free of pain, and get a better psychological outlook on the world. It’s the most amazing process that I’ve come across.”

“Fascia is massive, when you work on these patterns that we all develop — solidify into our history, injuries, birth traumas, accidents — we start to solidify around that. we become less and less able to move in novel ways. That leads to injuries and chronic pain, emotional patterns as well, all those patterns — where

Cultivate The Positive

By Marilyn Murray Williams

Sixty-five years ago, Dr. Norman Vincent Peale revolutionized the publishing world with his enormously popular book “The Power of Positive Thinking.” Fifty-one years later, the equally popular book and video “The Secret” proposed the same argument: that focusing on the things that we want (i.e., being positive or optimistic) can pay big dividends.

Some people have interpreted this attitude as meaning that tangible material items (a bigger home, a new car, etc.) will come their way if they just focus on that object long enough and hard enough. But new studies indicate that the major benefit of thinking positively has less to do with our assets than our immune system.

Judith T. Moskowitz, a professor of medical social sciences at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, is being hailed as the scientific patron saint of positivity. She has helped train patients who are coping with a variety of physical challenges to focus on a set of eight skills to create and maintain positive emotion. Years earlier, she and her colleagues at the University of California, San Francisco, found that using these skills helped newly diagnosed HIV patients combat their infection more effectively.

As most of us know, it’s no easy task to remain calm, feel happy and experience satisfaction while coping with a health crisis. But Moskowitz and her colleagues encouraged their patients in both San Francisco and Chicago to study and retain at least three of the following eight skills, and to practice one or more of them every single day.

•

• List a personal strength and how you have used it.

• Practice mindfulness. Focus on the here and now.

• Recognize and practice small acts of kindness on a daily basis.

• Start a daily gratitude journal.

• Set an attainable goal, and note your progress.

• Write down a minor stress in your life, and list ways to think of it positively.

• Recognize at least one positive episode or occurrence every day.

• Savor that event. Then, either log it in your private journal or tell someone else about it.

Dr. Moskowitz was gratified to discover that people with AIDS, Type 2 diabetes and other chronic illnesses seemed to live longer if they “demonstrated positive emotions.” Obviously, the next step was to see whether others could be taught skills that would trigger positive emotions. According to Jane E. Brody of The New York Times, Moskowitz is not the only physician who believes that positivity has healing powers.

In Dallas, Dr. Wendy Schlessel Harpham has written several books designed to help people who are coping with cancer. Twenty-seven years ago, she was a practicing internist when diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a cancer of the immune system. Over the next 15 years, she dealt with eight relapses of her cancer, but she has now been in remission for over a decade. Harpham makes sure to:

• Do something good for someone else every day.

• Keep a daily gratitude journal.

• Surround

• Watch funny,

In one of her books, Survivor,” she encourages prolonged illness pham opens our even because of

Last year, Becca study in the Journal life. They found outcomes and longevity. reduce incidents on blood sugar levels. Even if you tend findings are really

Provide New Options

SI shines, is in manipulating the fascia,” she explained. After a certain age, most people wake in the morning feeling stiff. It’s why doing very intentional movement, whether it is yoga or stretching or Structural Integration, is so vital, said Sommer.

Another alternative for the achy, aging or anxious body is an Ayervedic massage known as Abhyanga, which uses warm oils medicated with herbs. From the top of your head to the tips of your toes, following the nerves, it focuses more on the lymph and nervous systems than it does the muscular-skeletal system. In Swedish massage, lotions are primarily a tool to facilitate sliding on the skin. In Ayurveda, the oil isn’t just part of the therapy, it’s as important as the massage itself.

Only in Ayurvedic massage is the oil always warmed and herbal.

Carrie Seitz, of Wild Rejuvenation, said together Abhyanga and Rolfing is a great combination for healing.

“As we age, we have a natural drying process, so it’s essential in this climate to have massage with natural oils to nourish our skin, which is our largest organ. It works from the outside to the inside on our constitution,” she said. “The oil brings our vitality back and helps remove deep toxins. If we want longevity, we want to consciously move our lymph system, our joints, our blood, and fascia; then we can be happy and well nourished.”

It all comes back to inflammation, clearing it out of our bodies.

“Our nervous systems are so jacked up,” Seitz said. “Abhyanga is a pause for the body and allows your body to heal itself.”

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

Positive

herself with supportive people who lift her spirits. funny, inspiring or elevating movies.

books, “Happiness in a Storm: Facing Illness and Embracing Life as a Healthy encourages people who are dealing with cancer, diabetes, heart disease or any illness to do all they can to overcome their disease and live life to the fullest. Hareyes to the opportunities for happiness in life despite medical problems, and illness.

Becca Levy and Avni Bavishi of the Yale School of Public Health published a Journal of Gerontology that demonstrated the benefits of an upbeat outlook on found that a positive view of aging can have a beneficial impact on both health longevity. The bottom line is that being positive tends to lower blood pressure, of heart disease, contribute to better weight control and have a positive effect levels. tend to pessimistically see the glass as half empty, I can’t help but feel that these really something to smile about.

Mats Wilander & Oliver Whitcomb

Sonia Sommer, a Rolfing practitioner, at play in Idaho. Courtesy photo

Snowpack levels in the Wood River Valley and adjacent drainages look fantastic for April. The current snowpack levels are as follows: Big Wood River – 149%, Little Wood River – 159%, Big Lost River – 148%, and Salmon River – 117%. We are looking forward to a great season!

Silver Creek, the Big Wood River, and the South Fork Boise River below Anderson Ranch Dam are closed and will re-open on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend.

Steelhead season on the Salmon River runs through the end of April. Expect runs and fish movement to be later this season, given the recent weather. Anglers in search of steelhead on the Salmon can encounter fish throughout the river from Stanley downstream past Challis. Swinging black or purple egg-sucking leeches, green-butt skunks, and similar patterns can be effective on the lower river. As fish move upstream, anglers should concentrate on pocket water, deep runs, and boulder-strewn riffles, with indicator nymphing being the most productive technique. Flies such as glo bugs, nuke eggs, oversize prince nymphs, and large stonefly nymphs will entice the river’s steelhead.

Fishing on the Big Lost River below Mackay Dam remains productive. Both midge and Blue-Winged Olive activity has been steady. Look for midges to start late morning or early afternoon, with BWOs following for the remainder of the day. Don’t fish the lower Lost without TieDown Midges (20–22), Baetis Film Critics (18–22), and red and black zebra midges (18–20)!

The countdown to Opening Day at Silver Creek is at 53 days. It will be here before you know it, so now is the time to prep your gear and get the right flies for the early hatches on the Creek. Stop by the shop or give us a call, and we’ll get you set up with the right PMD, BlueWinged Olive, Callibaetis, and Brown Drake patterns that you’ll need for the upcoming season. New product is arriving daily!

Keep tuned in to our blog and social media for upcoming information on Opening Day festivities at Picabo Angler. This year will be bigger and better than ever!

Happy fishing, everyone!

COMMENTARY Pain Insane

By Fran Jewell

Pain? What does that have to do with dog training? Plenty. First of all, dogs are by nature very stoic. They will not tell you when they are in pain, so many of us miss this critical element in dog behavior. Why? Because when a dog shows pain it makes them vulnerable to other dogs and it risks potential attack by another dog seeking higher status.

In my line of work, I am called for help when a dog is suddenly aggressive with other dogs and even family members when they didn’t used to be. I also get calls when dogs have fights among themselves in a multiple-dog household. Sometimes I hear from people when they see the dog just seems different than they used to be. They might be now afraid of other dogs or children when that wasn’t the case before. Or, they hide in a closet for no apparent reason.

One of the first things I recommend is that the dog be thoroughly examined by a veterinarian to see if there are any health issues that are not outwardly visible. There can be abnormalities in blood work. Often I see dogs suffering from undiagnosed arthritis, or even joint problems that have slowly developed over time. If the PHYSICAL issue of pain is not addressed, trying to address the emotional and mental behavior problems created by the pain will not be successful.

Once the pain is addressed, then the behavior can be addressed with professional help.

Pain in dogs is very difficult for us to see. But, it is a critical issue to pay attention to, even in young dogs, when behaviors become defensive, aggressive, or unusual. If you think about yourself, imagine yourself with a migraine. No one can see it. Many people don’t understand it, but after a migraine has lingered for many hours, sometimes days, you are no longer patient and you become irritated easily. Now imagine your dog unable to express his pain by saying, “Hey! I hurt!”

What are some telltale signs of pain? Unusual behaviors — withdrawing or aggression; slowness to get up; less energy; panting when it isn’t hot out; a “look” in your dog’s eyes that says something is off; movement away when touched in a certain place; lack of interest in food; an area of skin that seems warmer than a nearly by body spot; swelling; ears that don’t perk; lack of desire to do usual activities like go in the car or walks. And of course there are obvious things like limping, crying.

Pain is something that can be controlled or reduced. Treatment can help re-establish loving behaviors between you and your lovely companion. If you even slightly expect something off with your dog, please seek veterinary help. What seems slight to you is many times HUGE for the dog because they

Swans

BY Harry Weekes

In watercolor painting, the paper is the painter’s most powerful asset. I should pause right here to say, “a good painter.” For us novices, the paper is the tool we use most clumsily, so let’s focus on the aspiration. Really good painters use the white of the paper strategically, appreciating all the ways it informs what they are hoping to capture and the story they are trying to tell. Layering paint onto the white creates a thousand variations of subtle transitions. Leave the white alone and paint the space around it, and an image becomes electric, jumping off the plane of the paper. Whatever techniques the painters employ, they still work with the challenge of a static space where they strive to create movement across what is, ultimately, a flat landscape.

Most of the time that we go to Idaho Falls, it’s early. We are invariably headed southeast to make some hockey deadline, and the trip down Gannett Road, then connecting to Highway 20 outside of Picabo, is a turn into the rising sun. The shadows play across that eastern edge of the Camas Prairie in all the ways that make a subtle landscape come to life.

It is rare that I ever make this drive in the afternoon.

So it was that on the last weekend of February, we hit Highway 20 and turned left some time after 4 p.m.

Morning light intensifies. The heavy or-

INSPIRATIONS FROM MY HEART

BY DOVE

As the snow continues to fall and I do my morning shoveling routine, I remind myself of how much we needed the moisture to fill our reservoirs and I am grateful for the water. However, now I am dreaming of dandelions popping up through the grass, being the first food for the bees, and I wonder how long will it take for the four feet of snow in my yard to melt. Will I even have time to plant a garden before the snow

ange and yellows of sunrise slowly fade and leave behind the brightness of the day. In the winter, this light looks yellowish to me, subtly coming out of a blanket of blue.

In the afternoon, on this afternoon, with the clouds, with the snow, with it getting closer to spring, with the sun gradually dropping to the west, what emerged was a rich and deep purple. Heading towards Picabo at this time, with the shadows playing in the clouds and deepening in the folds of the hills, is to drive through a wonder of light.

Now, cut in the swans.

On our left, a pair of Trumpeter swans glides over the fields playing with your perception simply by moving in and out of a thousand kinds of white. They are as much ghosts as they are real — impressions of birds moving across the sky.

On our left, another pair are in the per-

will mask their pain until it is no longer tolerable. There are many ways to address pain. Know that pain SHOULD be addressed and not left for the dog to “tough it out.” It is critical for a dog in a family atmosphere with children and other animals present. Asking a dog to be pa≠tient in spite of pain is simply not fair.

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.

fect space, their flight pattern straight across rapidly darkening blue/purple/shadow hills, even as the sun seems to hit them like a spotlight. They could not be glowing more.

The pairs of swans are like counterpoints on either side of the car, their impact somehow amplified by the fact that I cannot see both images at once. I have to look left, adjust to the washed-out sky and find the pair thumping west in a world where it is hard to distinguish boundaries. Then I look right, where two beacons of light, perfectly contained in the images of swans, head out over Silver Creek.

The poet William Carlos Williams talked about white chickens and red wheelbarrows; his skill to paint an image in few words on the canvas of paper.

Neither poet nor painter, I simply wanted to record this observation of Trumpeter swans. The natural world. Just a few seconds. A moment, really. On a Friday afternoon in February, headed to Idaho Falls, on Highway 20 outside of Picabo.

Harry Weekes is the founder and head of school at The Sage School in Hailey. This is his 50th year in the Wood River Valley, where he lives with Hilary and one of their three baby adults—Simon. The other members of the flock, Georgia and Penelope, are currently fledging at Davidson College in North Carolina and Middlebury College in Vermont.

comes again? I trust that Mother Earth knows what cycle is best for her and if we would quit trying to control Mother Earth and have all humanity do their best to create as little waste as possible, we could enhance all of nature. Did you know there is a lady scientist in Utah who has developed a process that creates no pol-

My Mavis had tick-borne disease. I never saw the tick. The only symptom was that she was slow to get up. It could have been life threatening. Get your dog to the vet for anything suspicious. Photo credit: Fran Jewell

Three Trumpeter Swans flying. Photo credit: US Army Corps of Engineers accessed via Wikipedia

BENCHMARKS, WHAT DO THEY MEAN

By Kristin Hovencamp, CPWA®

When investors compare their year-to-date (YTD) performance to the market, they usually compare performance of a particular benchmark index. A benchmark is a standard against which investors can measure the performance of a security, an investment fund, or an investment manager. Because there are benchmarks representing almost every asset class, sector, and subsector, how does an investor understand what they are really looking at? The following are the most referenced benchmarks in the U.S.

Equities

Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) – The Dow is a price-weighted stock market index of 30 large capitalization companies listed on U.S. stock exchanges. Companies contained in the DJIA can be described as blue chips because they are highly reputable and well-known, attract investor interest, and have sustained growth. Blue chips are often dividend-paying companies. The Dow does not track utility or transportation stocks.

S&P 500 – The Standard & Poor’s 500 (S&P) is a market-capitalization-weighted index that tracks the share prices of 500 of the largest U.S. publicly traded companies. Companies found in the S&P must have a market cap of at least $10M and represent one of 11 major industries. By following the performance of the S&P, investors can assess the health of the stock market and the entire economy.

NASDAQ 100 – The National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations 100 tracks 100 of the largest and most actively traded non-financial domestic and international securities on the NASDAQ Stock Market. The NASDAQ 100 index is heavily weighted toward the technology sector.

Fixed Income

Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index – The Barclays Agg is a broad measure of the U.S. investment grade fixed income securities market. Regardless of the types of U.S bonds an investor holds, the Barclays Agg is the benchmark comparison most widely used to track the bond market’s performance.

Investors concerned with the health of the general economy or various market segments can find answers by tracking the performance of an index. If the focus is on a stock or bond portfolio or total portfolio performance, using a benchmark index as a comparison can help investors understand how they are performing versus the market.

Kristin Hovencamp, CPWA® is an Investment Executive and Director of Business Development with HAZLETT WEALTH MANAGEMENT, LLC, which is independent of Raymond James and is not a registered broker/dealer. Investment advisory services are offered through Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. Securities offered through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC. 675 Sun Valley Road, Suite J1 + J2 Ketchum, Idaho 83340 208.726.0605.

INSPIRATIONS FROM MY HEART DOVE

DANDELIONS

Continued from Page 7

lution and turns plastic into fuel? I ask, “Why aren’t we supporting this type of research rather than all the ludicrous projects the government’s pork-barrel schemes choose?” As an example, we are still giving foreign aid to China. Do you think that actually helps any of the people rather than the politicians? I am tired of my many tax dollars being spent overseas and leaving us to do without. We are our brother’s keeper to the extent that we help where we can, but we cannot police and supply the whole planet. That old adage, “You give a man a fish and he eats for a day, you teach a man to fish and he feeds himself.” When you are dependent on an outside source for your survival, you lose the ability to respect and trust yourself. When you confuse children about their gender, you create a population of lost souls who will never know who they are or trust themselves. Whatever happened to plain common sense? No matter what you do, some things you can’t change, gender being one of them. God (Source) does not make mistakes. You choose the body you come into and it may be uncomfortable. So be it! You need to make peace with who you are. Maybe you have been a male in many lifetimes and this is your first time as a female. You could experience a lot of tendencies of being a male. There is no harm in that, but if you deny the opportunity of balancing your experiences because you are uncomfortable, then you lose the lessons this lifetime has to offer. Embrace being uncomfortable — it causes great growth. There is not a teenager alive who has not or does not experience being uncomfortable as their body changes. No child has the wisdom or ability to discern what is going to be their truth as a teenager. It is part of the natural process. If it is always easy, you wind up having no ability to deal with adversity. Embrace the difficult. Develop some intestinal fortitude. Accept who you are — there is nothing wrong with you. Learn balance. If you are an adult, choose a willing partner if you want but accept the body God (Source) gave you, as it is where God (Source) lives. Get the lesson of this life. I guarantee if you are not happy with yourself before you change your gender, you will never be happy with any change you make. Loving who you are as you are is the only way to move forward into joy.

Your thoughts about yourself are what make you uncomfortable, not your body. If you treat others with respect and loving kindness, you are perfect in God’s eyes; now be perfect in your eyes just as you are and quit trying to confuse our children who just need to be children. Stability is the key and when there are x number of genders, you will never have stability. Accept your body — tall, short, fat, skinny, whatever color, male or female, and learn to love yourself. That is the mission if you choose to accept it. Sorry about the rant but sometimes common sense must become dominant in the name of all that is holy.

Blessings, Dove

Jo, Jo, and Joy at Breakfast

BY JOELLEN COLLINS

As travelers may know, breakfast at a B and B is usually a highlight of visiting a new environment. I have been fortunate to share this meal in places as different as the Isle of Skye, Scotland, and Sienna, Italy, but nothing compares to the delicious fare provided by the proprietress of a guest house in San Francisco. I have visited there many times since I acquired grandchildren in that city and find its location perfect for a grandma who doesn’t need to be privy 24 hours a day to all the activities of my growing family.

While the house is gorgeous and the owners so magnanimous that I feel as if I am coming home every time I stay there, the proof is really in the pudding (my first cliché today). The breakfasts are enticing, featuring a variety of servings of buttermilk pancakes, home-baked treats, quiche, spicy Mexican fare and the finest fresh fruit, bread, cereals and exquisite smoothies or yogurt. Since I am lactose intolerant, my hosts always provide options for me and stock their refrigerator with items I can substitute. The choices change from day to day, leaving their guests fully satisfied.

However, a profound attraction other than the hosts and the food is the company I get to sit with during these gourmet breakfasts. Recently, I was joined by some visitors who were consistently friendly, intelligent, and eager to share their travels, lives and experiences. During a week where there were guests from Pittsburg, Norway, West Los Angeles and Pasadena, California, the exchange of friendly chitchat was as fulfilling as the food.

Coincidentally, for two days, the three women at the table possessed the same first name or nickname, “Jo.” I often shorten my moniker to Jo and a lovely young journalist’s proper name is Joyce, but she is called Joy or Jo by many, and the third is a woman whose name is Ellie Jo, but she is known as Jo. Little Women inspired us to appreciate this label. In addition, the three of us had been teachers and could share some notable experiences and opinions as educators in this changing world.

During our long second cups of tea or coffee, we had the kind of connections and discussions that I miss as one who lives alone. No conversation was hostile, no subjects limited by politics or religious views. Instead, we simply enjoyed the camaraderie and stimulation of open-minded people gathering together to enjoy a meal. I propose that this kind of small group activity would be a good way for strangers to relax and recall the joys of being with others outside of our own usual company. It’s a positive way to find new friends or even accept people with whom we might disagree.

There’s a reason that coffee houses attract so many, offering a chance to meet with known acquaintances. If I were in charge, I’d have small gatherings of UNKNOWN people. Maybe we’d learn to practice acceptance instead of divisiveness.

WRANGLER’S RECKLESS WRITINGS BRYCE ANGELL

WINTER OF 1931

I was complaining of how many times I’ve plowed snow this winter, and how the snow just won’t let up. The long, frigid winter is now into April.

And then my mind went back to a story Grandma Angell related to me many years ago. Grandma said the year was 1931 and she and Grandpa were living at Staley Springs, on Henry’s Lake. Winter had been a force to reckon with. March 21 had come and gone and still no sign of winter leaving.

The late March day started out like any other day — morning chores always before breakfast and then a hearty meal of bacon, fried potatoes and hotcakes to start the day with a full stomach.

Grandma’s three oldest children attended school two and a half miles away from home. The weather appeared to be clear, so Sunshine and Moonie, the team of horses, were harnessed and hooked up to the sleigh. The sleigh was big enough to accommodate at least 8-10 people and had a homemade burn barrel in between the benches to at least keep your hands warm.The oldest son drove his sister and brother to school. Grandma said she waved goodbye and didn’t give a second thought as to the possibility of a winter storm.

About midday she began to feel uneasy, looked out the window and saw a nasty blizzard blowing across Henry’s Lake and toward their home.

The one-room schoolhouse would be toasty warm with the potbelly stove burning an abundance of lodgepole pine and quaking aspen. Grandma knew the children would be safe as long as they stayed put in the schoolhouse. If they started back, they might not make it through the blizzard.

Grandpa determined he needed to warn the kids at school. He bundled up with layers of wool, newspapers wrapped around his shoes, and then slipped on his overshoes. That particular practice was used to keep your feet warmer. He then slipped on his snowshoes, hugged Grandma and ventured out into the blizzard.

Visibility was almost zero, so he walked alongside a barbed-wire fence, hand over hand on the wire for the two-and-a-half miles until he reached the school safely. He said he didn’t dare let go of the fence for fear the intense blizzard wind would blow him off course and be lost.

The children at the school were instructed to stay at the schoolhouse for the night and not attempt to go home. The schoolmarm and her mother would see to their needs. The horses had shelter in the barn so Grandpa threw them a couple extra flakes of hay.

As soon as he knew everyone and everything was safe, he bundled up again and dared the twoand-a half-mile walk, hand over hand on the barbed-wire fence, until he arrived safely at home to the rest of the family. Grandma told me that while Grandpa was gone, those hours were the longest of her life.

After recounting Grandma’s story, I realized I have never had it so good. When I get cold, sitting on the tractor, I go inside, throw another block of wood on the fire and warm up. I don’t believe I have the constitution of my grandparents yet. I have never been so blessed. It

complaining.

is time for me to stop

~~~Bryce Angell

Bryce Angell - The outdoors has always been a large part of my life. My father was an outfitter and guide for 35 years and I was there to shoe and care for the horses and help him do the cooking. We took many great trips into the Yellowstone area. Even now that I’m older, we still ride into the Tetons, Yellowstone and surrounding areas. My poems are mostly of personal experience. I am now retired and enjoying life to the fullest. I plan to do more riding and writing.

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

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

WRITERS WANTED

Wood River Weekly is looking for local writers/journalist to cover communtiy stories and events. A journalism background would be a plus, but not required. Serious inquries please email publisher@woodriverweekly.com

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by RAIZA GIORGI

Creating a place for community and family

was as important to Rian Salvatierra and her husband Chris when they were dreaming of opening their own wine bar. Roots Wine Bar opened in September of 2022 and Rian said she was nervous at first because she wasn’t sure about the reception, but the community has welcomed them with open arms.

“Our whole business model is to give back to the community because this is where we want to raise our family, and celebrate our roots in wine and the valley. We have a lot of connections with wineries and winemakers all over the Northwest and we have a connection to each bottle we pour,” she said.

They choose the wine selection primarily through their connections to either the winemaker or landowners and based on who practices a combination of low-intervention winemaking and sustainable or biodynamic vineyards.

“We want a strong sense of place, or terroir. You can taste the wine that has a unique sense of place, and where the winemaker doesn’t intervene on the natural approach,”

Rian said. “There is no one that doesn’t like wine, but if there is, I can find them something they will like.”

She added that they love carrying labels that have interesting and unique stories behind the bottle or brand. “Wine is always a conversation starter and brought me around the world. I have met some of the coolest people I’ve ever met in this industry,” said Rian, who got her education in communication.

Chris Salvatierra is originally from Washington, D.C., and is a certified sommelier. His passion for wine and food led him to Napa Valley, where he met Rian working at a restaurant.

Roots is hosting ‘take over’ events where they invite the winemaker, representative or sommelier to do a special tasting of the wine they represent. They’ve also done pop-up wine and beer dinners, where they pair wines with a five-course meal. The Salvatierras said they are planning a variety of spring and summer events and are launching a wine club called the Roots Cru, as well.

“My husband is going to be leading educational

THE TRADER

seminars starting this summer, along with some other fun events now that we have a wonderful chef,” Rian said. Brittney Pracna recently joined the team as chef and originally hails from Salmon, Idaho. She has been cooking around the Wood River Valley for the past several years, most recently at the Grill at Knob Hill Inn. Roots has a hard close at 7 p.m. because having time is very important to them, “especially post-pandemic,” Rian said. “We wanted to create a place where we can also have a balance of work and family. We can have our dream careers and still be present for our families.”

Roots Wine Bar is located at 122 South Main Street in Hailey. They are open Tuesday to Saturday from noon until 7 p.m. For more information follow them on social media or visit www.rootshailey.com.

THE TRADER

Wednesday - Friday 11 to 6 Saturday 11 to 4

Always available by appointment and if we’re here.

720-9206 or 788-0216

509 S. Main Street Bellevue, Idaho

Wednesday - Friday 11 to 6 Saturday 11 to 4

Wednesday through Saturday 11:00 to 5:00

Wednesday - Friday 11 to 6 Saturday 11 to 4 available by appointment and if we’re

Always available by appointment and if we’re here.

720-9206 or 788-0216

509 S. Main Street Bellevue, Idaho

See answer on page 10