The Independent News July 2015

equipment through the years and severalresidents have been customers since the beginning. Anyone that has had their vehicle repaired at the shop is familiar withthe Jerry Test Drive. Almost every vehicle,for 40 years, has been personally test drivenby Jerry before being released to its owner. It was Jerrys stamp of approval that the repairs had been done correctly and the carwas ready to go.Jerry and Mike are ready for retirement;

in fact Mike and his wife, Gloria, have already taken a couple of trips and plan tospend part of their time in Cascade. Jerry isenjoying taking things easier and once thehay is done for the season, he and Mary will also be doing some travelling.Both men reflected that during this last

40 years, they have witnessed a lot ofchanges in Star, weathered some tough economic times, worked hard, had some fun and made good friends. They are verythankful for the loyalty of their customers,especially the long time ones, and appreciatethem all.

Volume 6 Issue 7 JULY 2015 www.theindnews.com

PRSRT STDU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDEAGLE, IDAHOPERMIT NO. 60ECRWSS

POSTAL PATRON LOCAL

By TIN StaffFor 40 years, Jerry Taylor and Mike Hicks

have owned and operated Jerrys Repair, providing automotive repair services andparts to residents in Star and throughout the Treasure Valley. The partners have decided to retire and turn the reins over to new owner Jeff Lloyd. Located on StateStreet, the shop and its owners have been afixture in Star, and although the business isin good hands, they will be missed. Jerry Wagoner originally started Jerrys

Repair and asked Jerry (Taylor) if he wouldlike to work for him. As time went on, JerryTaylor became a partner, Mike joined thecompany as a mechanic, and eventually,Jerry (Taylor) and Mike became partners inthe business. Jerry ran the repair side of thebusiness and Mike took over the parts. Con-veniently, the name could remain the same!Throughout the years, there has been

some hard work, but there have been somefun times as well. In the early years, the landbehind the shop was a cornfield, which pro-vided a great opportunity for Jerry, Mike and

a few friends to test out their muzzleload-ers. During the late 70s gas rationing, itwas not uncommon to see them riding theirhorses to work to save on gas.At one point, Jerry and Mike decided to

try racing jet boats and recruited Dale Blakeof Blake Trailers to build them a boat. Theyrecounted that a few folks thought theywere crazy, but they decided to go for it. Thenaysayers were in for a surprise when theyended up winning the World Championshipin 1988. They were also the only Americansto win in Canada at that time. Not bad for acouple of fellows from Idaho!Back at the shop, when the guys were

sometimes driving 23 hours straight to getto a race, Mary Taylor, Jerrys wife, keptthings on track. Both Jerry and Mike werequick to point out that Marys contributionto the business through the years was whatheld them together. She delivered parts, ranerrands, did the bookkeeping and was thereproviding support in any way it was needed.Many of the areas farmers have counted

on Jerrys to repair their tractors and farm

JERRYS REPAIR BEGINS A NEW CHAPTEROwners Jerry Taylor and Mike Hicks Retire

Star Quilt Show organizers, from left,Judy Tomkinson, Gina Stewart, Rae Gunning and Betty Smith.

Dog Days at

Helina Marie'spg. 3

Star CouncilwomanMcDaniel steps down

pg. 17

VP Quartet Live

at the Gazebopg. 2

Happy Independence Day from The Independent News!

Mike Hicks (left) and Jerry Taylor looking relaxed and retired

As a tribute toJerry and Mike,

the Hometown Celebration Committee in Star

has asked them to be the Grand Marshals

of the Hometown Parade this year.

Look for them at the front of the Parade on

July 4th at 3 p.m.!

Hundreds of Quilts, Dozens of Vendors to Participate in 2015 Star Quilt ShowBy Philip A. JanquartSTAR The 2015 Star Quilt Show is set for

July 17 and 18 at North Star Charter School inEagle, Idaho. The event, which began withabout 50 quilts and 87 participants, hasgrown exponentially over its short six-yearhistory; organizers are anticipating 130 quiltentries by the July 12 deadline.Late entries, however, will still be accepted

if the current 130-quilt cap has not beenreached, according to Quilt Show ChairmanJudy Tomkinson, who says 14 vendors havepaid for spots this year, including one fromFlorida.It was originally put together in conjunc-

tion with Stars Hometown Celebration,Tomkinson said of the event. Some of us gottogether and decided we needed an activitythat might draw some of the ladies to Star.We thought we could do a quilt show, andthats how it got started.This year the Quilt Show held a mini-

show at Helena Maries, a local wine bar inStar. The mini show, held Friday, June 12,was aimed at priming the publics interestfor the big event, providing a sneak peak atwhat visitors can expect.

Last year we had 880 people come seeour show, Tomkinson said. We are hopingfor 1,000 this year.

Giving to the CommunityAlthough born of an effort to provide a

venue for women at the Hometown Celebra-tion, the Quilt Show has grown into muchmore, serving as a fundraiser for local organi-zations in need. There are many organiza-tions seeking funds, so Tomkinson andothers have formed an informal committee,of sorts, that reviews requests and decideswhere the money goes.

We have people approach us, looking for funds, like the school or library, but wehave also approached those types of groupsourselves, she said. It kind of depends onhow many requests we get and we cut it offat about five organizations we consider.There is a group of us that gets together andwe decide who we should give to that year.

This years beneficiaries include the Star

Senior Center and the Physical Educationprogram at North Star Elementary School in Eagle.

The money comes via sponsorship feespaid by area businesses and a $5 event entryfee for visitors. Children under 13 are free.They (the businesses) pay a $25 fee and

get a ribbon with their business name on it,Tomkinson explained. Then they come andpick out the quilt they like best and placetheir ribbon on that quilt.The winning quilt, however, is the one

deemed the Peoples Choice. Visitors aregiven a ballot and asked to vote for their favorite quilt.The Quilt Show has raised over $11,000

for community organizations since its inception about five years ago.Continued on page 17

of the Vocal Jazz Ensemble and assists in the music education program at Boise State University.Quinn is an avid jazz guitarist, andhas played in both large and smallensembles. He has performed withthe All-Star Big Band in the CascadeFestival of Music (Bend, OR), andplayed for Karrin Alyson, PeteCristlieb, Alyssa Schwary, BobbyShew and others. Prior to coming toBoise State, he was director of choirsand at Mountain View High School(11 years) in the West Ada SchoolDistrict outside of Boise. Prior toMVHS, Quinn directed the choirs atBend Senior High School in Bend,Oregon for 19 years.

He currently serves as the Vocal Jazz R & Schair for Idaho ACDA, and is Past President of Idaho ACDA. Quinn was the organizingchair for the 2015 NAfME Northwest HonorJazz Choir. His is co-founder of the Treasure Valley Vocal Jazz Camp, held each summer in the Boise valley. He received his Mastersdegree in Music Education from the Univer-sity of Oregon, and his undergraduate degreefrom Boise State University.

While in high school at Meridian High,Quinn became friends with Patrick Kurdy, hisfuture drummer and the current President of the Idaho Jazz Society. When the VanPaepeghems returned to the area from Oregon, they contacted Kurdy about gettingan ensemble together locally. Kurdy contactedMike Seifrit who had played with TinaTurner, Three Dog Night, and Rick Spring-field; and the VP Quartet began. This summerthe group will be joined by two specialguests: Mike Rosenthal on piano and Sandon Mayhew on saxophone. Rosenthalteaches band at West Junior High and May-hew is a Boise legend in the music world.

PAGE 2 July 2015 The Independent News www.theindnews.com

Happy summer! Although it feels like weve been experiencing summer since about March, its finally here,and with that, all the fun events our community has tooffer. Be sure to attend Eagle Fun Days, the Star Hometown Celebration, and the Eagle Gazebo Concerts.These are but a few events that make our community thebest there is.

So, I bet you noticed something different when you sawour paper this month. Thats right! We have a new logo!What do you think? We are really proud of it and want tothank Matt Stanley and his team from Oasis Interactive fortheir hard work.

Matt and his team are also hard at work on our new website which will be rolling out verysoon. Our goal is to provide an interactive place for our readers and interim news betweenprintings in an attractive, user-friendly, modern way. Stay tuned.On a personal note, I would just like to thank all of you that have offered your feedback,

praise, criticism, and comments about the paper. Keep them coming! Im coming up on myfirst year anniversary of acquiring The Independent News; Ive learned so much about ourcommunity and have really enjoyed getting to know you. I look forward to many more years of bringing you your local community news.

Thanks for your support. We wish all of you a safe and fun Fourth of July!

Editors Notes

Melissa Upton

By Melissa UptonOn July 30 from 6 - 9 p.m., the Van

Paepeghem (VP) Quartet will perform at theGazebo Concert Series at Heritage Park inEagle. The VP Quartet consists of Shirley Van Paepeghem on lead vocals, Quinn VanPaepeghem on guitar, Patrick Kurdy ondrums, and Mike Seifrit on bass. Performingjazz standards with their own unique style,the VP Quartet has been making beautifulmusic together for the past ten years.TIN sat down with Quinn and Shirley Van

Paepeghem to talk about their musical livestogether. They are both lifelong educatorsand performers.Shirley commented, I had two older

sisters. My mom sang to us from birth on.Whether we were snapping beans, shuckingcorn, or in the car: wed all be singing Iknew from the time I was in middle schoolthat music would be a big part of my life.Her bio is impressive:Shirley Van Paepeghem performs annually

as a guest soloist with the Kings of Swing BigBand at the Sun Valley Jazz Festival, and as aguest on the Ladies Sing concert in Sun Val-ley as well. She has also sung as a guest artistwith the Central Oregon Community BigBand in Bend, Oregon. She also sang back-upfor Barry Manilow in her college years.Shirley performs regularly in the Boise valleywith her own jazz quartet. Shirley is an ele-mentary music specialist, Level 2 Orff Certi-fied. She has been teaching K-8 music since2003 at North Star Charter School in Eagle,Idaho. Prior to that, she taught MiddleSchool, Elementary School and Private Voicein Bend, Oregon. Shirleys Masters Degreetitled Integrating the Arts in Education isfrom Lesley University. She earned her Bach-elors degree in Music Education from BoiseState University. Mrs. Van Paepeghem devel-oped and directed the Youth Choir of Central

Oregons Debut Choir, which provided choralexperience and vocal training to children ingrades 3 through 8. Her area of teaching ex-pertise is the young voice through adoles-cence. She has served as consultant for aNational Arts Assessment Pilot Program. Sheis currently Past President of the Idaho OrffSchulwerk Association. Shirley has been afrequent clinician at state, regional and na-tional Music Educators Conferences. She isthe Repertoire and Standards chair for thestate chapter of the National Association forMusic Education (NAfMe), and she was a Co-Chair for the National Womens Honor Choirfor the American Choral Directors Association(ACDA).Quinn also had two older musically-

inclined sisters who played piano. When thetime came for Quinn to choose an instru-ment to learn, he wanted a unique experi-ence from his sisters and so chose the guitar.He fell in love with it and with all that musichad to offer especially jazz.His bio is equally remarkable:Quinn Van Paepeghem is currently director

EVERYONE HAS A STORY:Quinn and Shirley Van Paepeghem of the VP Quartet

Making Beautiful Music Together

The Gazebo Concert Series starts at 6 p.m.It is a free event. Be sure to bring a chair orblanket on which to sit, relax and enjoy themusic. This is a must-see group!

To catch the VP Quartet with their specialguests this summer at other fun venues,check out their Facebook page or their sched-ule below:

July 5 4-7 p.m.Sawtooth winery in South Nampa

July 26 4-7 p.m.Sawtooth winery in South Nampa

July 30 6-9 p.m.Eagle concert series in Heritage Park

August 14 7-8:30 p.m.Council Idaho concert series

August 15 5-9 p.m.McCall Jazz on the Green at golf course

August 16 4-7 p.m.Sawtooth winery in South Nampa

August 23 4-7 p.m.Sawtooth winery in South Nampa

August 30 6-9 p.m.Sandbar at The Riverside in BoiseSept. 6, 13, 20 & 27 4-7 p.m.

Sawtooth winery in South Nampa

Quinn and Shirley Van Paepeghem

The VP Quartet: (L-R) Quinn, Shirley, Mike Seifritand Patrick Kurdy

Last legislative session, a bill suddenly disap-peared from radar, and only now do we knowwhy: It had the potential to impact the retire-ments of people serving in the state Senate.The bill in question is the one that would

have stopped legislators from padding their pensions by taking a state government job. Afterpassing the House, the bill was expected to landin the Senate Commerce and Human ResourcesCommittee, where it was promised a hearing. Instead, it meandered to a different committeeand died without a vote.Senate Pro Tem Brent Hill of Rexburg

DEQ starting July 6. The Republican, from Bennington in eastern Idaho, need only stay onthe job for 42 months in order to cash out with a retirement larger than many Idaho familiesearn in a year. His nearly $6,000 annual pensionwill rise to more than $44,200 per year, thanksto a special carve-out that applies only to state legislators.Id bet Hill is sincere in his reasoning to de-

tour a bill that could have direct implications forTippets. Its also worth noting that RepublicanSen. Dean Cameron, another member of theSenate Commerce Committee, also recentlylanded a job at the Department of Insurance.Still, it all feels just a little icky. This is Otters

fourth appointment this year of state senators tohigh-paying state government jobs. And earlierthis year, a bill that would have stopped Tippetsand Cameron and other ex-legislators from get-ting a pension payoff from the executive branchquietly went away, buried in a drawer belongingto the Senate State Affairs chairman, CurtMcKenzie, of Nampa.Hill says he didnt give any direction to

McKenzie to either hear or not hear the bill.

For his part, McKenzie told IdahoReporter.comthat he believes only a citizens commissionthat sets legislative compensation can affect achange to legislative retirement. I just think it should come through that commission,McKenzie said.Theres sizeable debate about whether

McKenzies view is correct. Nonetheless, McKenzie made the bill go away by unilaterallyshelving it, when he could have held a hearingand allowed the question some air. Hill wants the public to view the unfortunate

demise of the pension payoff bill this way: Tippets and Cameron were prevented frombeing faced with an awkward conflict of interestthat they werent able to publicly articulate:They were rumored to be in line for state jobs.But to others, it now looks as though mem-

bers of the Senate orchestrated the demise of a bill that would have ended the very lucrativetaxpayer-supported nest eggs their now-formercolleagues will receive.Both versions probably bear some truth.

The latter is just damaging enough of a narrative to really make taxpayers very angry.

explained Wednesday that he rerouted themeasure because the Senate Commerce Committee chairman, John Tippets, was quietlybeing considered by Gov. Butch Otter for an appointment to head the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ).I had heard rumors that the governor was

considering him as a possibility, Hill told IdahoReporter.com. Now that the governor has madehis announcement regarding the appointment of Sen. Tippets, you can see why it would havebeen unwise to refer the bill to his committee.Otter announced that Tippets will run the

Rerouting of pension bill wont fly with taxpayersBy Wayne Hoffman

By Mickie ParkHelen Collinson, owner of Helina Maries Wine Bar, Wine

Shop, Gifts & Decor is always going above and beyond for thecommunity of Star while also supporting various groups andorganizations. Saturday, June 13th, Helinas held the first Bar Hound Dog

Day Afternoon. The Bar Hounds fundraiser was in support ofthe Idaho Humane Society. The Idaho Humane Society is thelargest and oldest animal welfare organization and veterinarycharity in Idaho. They provide shelter, food, medical attentionand homes for abandoned and abused animals. Along with educating Idahoans about the proper care of their pets andhow to prevent animal overpopulation, they also focus highlyon being kind to animals. Pooches from all over were invited to an afternoon of

socializing and strolling through Star. With a small entry feethe Bar Hounds and their owners enjoyed treats, hors doeuvres, a costume contest, photos, K9 Label Wine Tasting and of course water for the Hounds. After Caitlyn Jenner won the costume contest, all the hound participants and their owners paraded through town. All proceeds and donations went directly to the Idaho

Humane Society. The event was so successful and full of fun,the pooches are already planning on next years costumes.

The Independent News www.theindnews.com COMMUNITY July 2015 PAGE 3 Helina Maries

Bar Hound Red Carpet Fundraiser

Duncan, 1 of the 3 Musketeers, pictured with

his proud owner, Helen

Frank, the New OrleansHawaii Bound Bassett Hound

Best friends Richelle from Meridian & Shana fromArizona with their Bar Hounds.. Paris The GermanShepherd with buddy Diesel and Eddy & Javelin

The Red Carpet Tour paraded through town as individuals loved on the Bar Hounds & supported

the 1st Humane Society Benefit

Judge Colleen Collard announced the proud winnersfor the 1st Bar Hound Benefit 1st Place: Helen with

Caitlyn Jenner & 2nd Place Richelle withParis.Way to go Hounds

Even Caitlyn Jenner (akaGus) arrived in Star for the

Red Carpet Fundraiser

Check out our website www.theindnews.comfor up to date information on where to donate blood.

Blood is always needed, but even more so in the summer months.

July 2015 COMMUNITY The Independent News www.theindnews.com

By Philip A. JanquartBOISE The Central District Health

Department has confirmed several of theover 250 reported cases of Salmonella stemming from an outbreak at the Boise Co-op involve Eagle residents.The Co-op, located in Boises north end,

is a member-owned food cooperative andmarketplace that educates and connects ourcommunity to high-quality, natural, organicfoods and specialty products, according toits website.Boises health department has identified

the Co-ops deli, where sandwiches, saladsand other products are served to the public,as the source of the Salmonella outbreak.The outbreak is not confined to the

Treasure Valley.Sandwiches provided by the Co-op to

kiosks at the Boise Municipal Airport werealso found to be contaminated with the disease, resulting in out-of-state reports.The health department said exposure to

the disease occurred between June 1 andJune 10.Original reports were linked to a tuna

sandwich, Central District Health Depart-ment spokeswoman Christine Myron toldTIN. We are still in the process of investigat-ing, but so far the number of reported casesis around 250, but not everybody goes to thedoctor and people have varied physical reac-tions to the disease, so there could be more.She added that, We have had some resi-

dents of Eagle report that they had salmo-nella symptoms and had eaten at the Co-opafter June 1st. A few of the calls today werefrom Eagle residents. However, I dont haveaccess to address information, so Im unableto find out just how many are Eagle residentsamong the 250 associated with the outbreak.Point of Origin?Myron said a preliminary investigation

report showed food samples of raw turkey,tomato and onion as the source of the contamination.

Lots of vendors also provide food to theretailers, but wehave not heard ofany other casesoutside of the Co-op, she said,adding that cross-contaminationoccurs throughhandling rawmeat, even withplastic gloves,and then turningto prepare pro-duce.Myron said the

department metwith Co-op own-ers for over two hours to discuss the delisprocesses for food preparation and to listento their risk reduction plan, detailing howthey are going to move forward to reducefood borne illness.Part of their plan includes installing two

additional sinks that will keep separation between foods and color-coded cuttingboards to keep them separate, she said.They also plan to ramp up employee foodsafety training.

Myron said that personal hygiene is also afactor in passing the disease along to others,but that it is too early in the investigation tosay if that was a factor in the Co-ops case.

Hand hygiene is really important in foodsafety, she explained. Hand washing is critical when there is hand contact with

Eagle Residents Sickened By BoiseCo-op Salmonella Outbreak

ready-to-eat food. People need to be usinggloves. Thats one of the things we look at in any inspection or investigation.Legal TroubleFull cooperation with the health depart-

ment does not mean the Co-op cannot poten-tially be held liable for alleged damages. Sofar, two lawsuits have been brought againstthe Co-op in Idahos Fourth District in Boise.Plaintiff Francisco Pantoja bemoans in a June18 complaint that it may be months beforebowel habits return to normal.

A small number of persons who are in-fected with Salmonella will go on to developpains in their joints, irritation of the eyes and painful urination, the complaint states. This is called Reiters syndrome or reac-

tive arthritis. It can last for months or years,and can lead to chronic arthritis, which is difficult to treat.What is Salmonella?Theobald Smith discovered the bacterium

Salmonellosis in 1885, but the organism wasnamed after American veterinary pathologistDr. Daniel Elmer Salmon who headed theU.S. Department of Agricultures researchprogram on the disease.

Salmonella is a bacterial infection charac-terized by diarrhea, fever and abdominalcramps that occur between 12 and 72 hoursafter infection.

The illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days, andmost individuals recover without treatment.In some cases, diarrhea may be so severe that the patient needs to be hospitalized, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In these patients,the Salmonella infection may spread fromthe intestines to the blood stream, and thento other body sites. In these cases, Salmo-nella can cause death unless the person istreated promptly with antibiotics. The elderly, infants and those with impaired immune systems are more likely to have a severe illness. Myron added that the severity of the

disease depends on many factors.It really can

vary betweenpeople, rangingfrom no symp-toms to mildsymptoms, orsome end up in the hospitalbecause of dehydration,she said. Its far worse forpeople who have auto im-mune diseases.Salmonellacauses about a

million illnesses in the U.S. every year. Thereare about 380 deaths and 19,000 hospitaliza-tions per year.Myron did not say if anyone in the Treas-

ure Valley reporting Salmonella symptomsafter eating at the Co-op deli between June 1and 10 were hospitalized.

A note posted outside the Co-op statesthat, We deeply regret any illnesses result-ing from this outbreak and provides thehealth departments contact number at (208)327-7499.

Follow this link to get more informationon the Co-op outbreak:http://www.cdhd.idaho.gov/news/current/2015-06-16-Salmo-nella-Outbreak.htm. For more Salmonellabackground information, log on towww.cdc.gov/salmonella.

Boise Co-op linked to salmonella outbreak

Give So

More Can Live

Star Blood DriveMonday, July 20th

from 3pm-6:30pmat the Star Library Parking Lot

Call Rita at 208-286-7153 to make an appointment

Breaking News...Our community reads TIN

from cover to cover. Advertise with us and get noticed.

Contact Randy at 794-6858

I have been watch-ing one of my neigh-bors get ready to puttheir home on themarket to sell it,which I am sure it

will do quickly. It is anice place. Observing this process remindedme of the last time my wife and I sold ourhome. We worked like crazy finishing up allthe little details we had let go.Like the neighbors did, we de-cluttered,

we painted, we repaired, and we organized.We finished the final 5% of the many projectswe (OK, I) started. And when it was all done,the place looked pretty dang good! So goodin fact, we wondered why we were leaving itall behind now!As an ex-remodeling Contractor, I still

continue to get the questions about makingimprovements prior to putting a home on the market. Within this, there has to be a differentiation between improvements andrepairs.I would always encourage you to make any

and all repairs to a home before offering itfor sale. One broken or missing componentto a house can set a tone of skepticism as tothe remainder of the quality. Improvements, however, become both

interesting and questionable. The outside of the house could be painted for multiplereasons. The old paint is failing and in badshape. Yes, paint the house. Or, the oldpaint is fine, but not the most current color.Questionable; how can you try and guesswhich color a buyer will like? Perhaps it isbest left alone?

Carpeting. Fresh carpet is nice. It feelsgood underfoot but much like paint, it ishard to outguess a buyer. You can spend a lot of money on new carpets just to find outthe buyer is discounting your efforts becausethey want to put in hardwood floors.We could go through yes / no reasoning on

every element of the house. You would ei-ther agree or disagree on every one of them.This is because we each have opinions onwhat is right and what is necessary. Justkeep in mind a few things: in most cases,you will not get what you spend back on thesale of the house. Remodeling statistics* for2014 show about 68 - 73% of a dollar is recov-ered. (*Remodeling Magazine: Cost Vs. ValueStudy) But, you might sell the house quickerbecause it is nicer than others at the sameprice, and for most people, that is a worth-while trade off. Selling quicker could mean 3

or 4 less mortgage payments you do not haveto make and those dollars can offset whatyou do not get back on the new kitchen. Also, you can go full tilt and try to bump

your house up a few notches by giving it atotal makeover. You may be able to move a$175K house up to $229K. A lot of this willdepend on what comparable homes are sell-ing for and what is in the neighborhoodaround you.Listen to the Real Estate Agent in which

you have selected and put your trust. Allyour friends will have opinions. This willjust confuse you. Real Estate Agents only get paid if you sell.One last thing I will throw in. Make your

lawn, flower beds, garden, deck, pastures andbarns look magazine quality. Usually this isjust a lot of hand-work, fairly low cost, andvery time consuming. However, a lot of buy-ers just keep on driving if they see a jumbledup, difficult to maintain, jungle of a mess infront of the house. They want to take on alifestyle, not a lifetime of work. Make yourhome look like it is simple, clean, tidy, andeasy to care for. This they will want. Trimthe trees, open up the street view, cut thegrass every three days. You need to live andcare for the house as if it is being evaluatedat every moment. Because it is! And get ahome inspection to see what you missedprior to listing. Insert the Trees for the Forest analogy here.

The Independent News www.theindnews.com July 2015 PAGE 5

Joes View

Listen to The HomeFix Radio Show withJoe Prin, Saturday mornings, 7-10 AM on

670 KBOI or on your mobile devicethrough Facebook at The HomeFix Radio

Show. Email to [email protected]. Podcasts of previous radio shows andcolumns are available at JoePrin.com.

PRESS RELEASE Deadline to competefor Mrs. Idaho nearsThe Mrs. Idaho America Pageant is now

searching for representatives from across the state to compete at the 2016 Mrs IdahoAmerica pageant.The pageant will be held October 3rd

at Capital High School Auditorium in Boise. The Mrs. Idaho America Competition is the

official state preliminary to the prestigiousMrs. America Pageant. Delegates must be of good moral character,

married, at least 18 years of age, a US Citizenand a resident of Idaho. Areas of competitioninclude Personal Interview, Physical Fitnessand Evening Wear. Sign up now and attend a complimentary

pageant workshop, August 1st. More info atwww.mrsidahopageant.com or email [email protected].

We on this continent should never forget that men first crossed the Atlantic not to find soil for their ploughs but to secure liberty for their souls.

~ Robert J. McCracken

July 2015 CITY OF EAGLE The Independent News www.theindnews.com

www.the indnews.com

Pub House Press, Inc. dba The Independent News 2015

Letters to the Editor PolicyMaximum length is 250 words, 600 words for a Guest Opin-ion. You must identify yourself and include a phone numberwhere you can be reached for verification. We will not publishtelephone numbers or email addresses. All letters printedare the opinion of the writer and The Independent News cannot verify the accuracy of the information submitted. Anymaterial submitted that is deemed libelous, offensive or inpoor taste will not be printed. All material is subject to editingby this newspaper. Guest Opinions will be printed on a caseby case basis and all material submitted will be printed asspace allows. You may submit letters to [email protected] or mail to PO Box 166, Star, ID 83669.

Press Release PolicyThe Independent News publishes press releases distributed by businesses or organi-zations. The release should be NO MOREthan 300 words in length. If a release is sub-mitted that is longer, The Independent Newswill either send it back to you for editing, orwe will edit it. If you are a new business intown, or an existing one that would like somecoverage, The Independent News routinelyprovides business profiles for our local businesses. Please contact us at 550-3111 or email us at [email protected].

July 2015 Contributors:Jason Alderman, Gretchen Anderson, Bob Arnett, Patrick Calley, Norma Dawson, Anna Eaton-Merkle, Rita Gambino, Cathy Hardy, Wayne Hoffman, Kim Ingraham, Philip Janquart, Trina Kubitchek,

Kyle Kurscheidt, Joy Lear, Joanne M.W. Love, Mickie Park, Joe Prin, James Reynolds, Caitlin Straubinger, Tamara Sullivan-Watson,

Loni Trude, Melissa Upton, Tom Wick

DEADLINE:To be included in the next issue all information and ads must be submitted by

July 15, 2015

PO Box 166Star, ID 83669(208) 550-3111

[email protected]

Publisher/Editor Melissa UptonGraphic Designer Mary Shaw Printer Owyhee PublishingAdvertising Randy Miskimon (208)794-6858Reporters Phil Janquart, Mickie Park

The Independent News is published monthly, on the 1st. It is a free publication mailed direct to homes inEagle and Star, with additional distribution in West Boise and North Meridian. Distribution of this publicationdoes not constitute responsibility for products or services advertised. Article submissions, opinions or letters to the editor published in The Independent News do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher. The publisher of The Independent News reserves the right to edit material on length and clarityand to reject any material deemed libelous or offensive in nature. Advertising or submissions may be rejected at any time, for any reason. The entire contents of The Independent News is copyrighted by Melissa Upton, Publisher.

Around Eagle . . . . . . . . . . . . By Mayor Jim ReynoldsThis year marked the 9th annual Field of

Honor celebration at Merrill Park. A spectacu-lar display of 600 American Flags was enjoyedfrom May 16th to the 26th. Most were identified by the accompanying yellow ribbonnoting a friend or relative who served in ourmilitary. It gave me the opportunity to recog-nize two of my cousins: SSgt Jonas Reynoldswho served in Iraq, and his brother, Spc.James T. Reynolds who had a tour in Koreaand special assignment to Afghanistan. Formany a veteran, it was an opportunity to remember our fallen comrades and deal withthe survivors guilt that plagued many of uson return from combat. Special thanks toKathy Coburn and Heather Parades who work tirelessly with other volunteers to make this a reality each year.Les Chateau des Fleurs, the 17,000-square

foot building under construction at CamilleBeckmans, promises to be a stunning venuefor weddings, conferences and special events.Chateau des Fleurs is the brainstorm of Susanand Foad Roghani, owners of Camille Beck-man. It will feature a high-end French restau-rant, Le Coq dOr managed by restauranteur,Franck Bacquet. Guests will dine on thefinest cuisine amid magnificent columns,graceful arches and European art. After dinner, visitors can stroll through the beautiful gardens where many of the flowersdisplayed and produce served is grown. Thisstunning chateau inspired by the palace ofKing Louis XIV should be ready for a grandopening in September.The Boise Philharmonics summer concert

series, alas, will not be heard in Eagle thisyear. To the dismay of Music Director RobertFranz and many other supporters of the summer pops, the Board of Directors

Eagle City Hall660 E. Civic Lane 939-6813

www.cityofeagle.orgEagle City Council Meetings2nd and 4th Tuesday 6:30 p.m.

Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting

1st and 3rd Monday 6:00 p.m.Park and Pathways

Development Commission3rd Tuesday 6:30 p.m.

Eagle Arts Commission Meeting1st Tuesday, 6:30 p.m., Eagle City Hall

Eagle Sewer District Board Meeting 2nd Monday of the month 6:00 p.m.

Districts administration building44 N. Palmetto Ave., Eagle, 939-0132Eagle Historic Preservation

Commission Meeting2nd Wednesday, 5:30-6:30 p.m., Eagle

Historical Museum (67 E. State St.)Eagle Government Relations

Committee Meeting4th Wednesday, 9-10 a.m.,

Bank of the West47 E. Riverside Drive, Eagle, IDCall Eagle Chamber 939-4222

Eagle Senior Center 312 E. State Street, 939-0475 Monday: Exercise at 9:00 a.m.

Tuesday: Lunch & Pinochle at 12:00 p.m. Wednesday: Exercise at 9:00 a.m.

Thursday: Lunch & Bingo at 12:00 p.m. Friday: Exercise at 9:00 a.m.

Ci ty o f Eag leMeet ings

American Legion Eagle Post 127 meetings are held the 2nd Tuesday of each month, except for Jun - Aug.

Time: 7 p.m. - 8 p.m. Place: Eagle Sewer District Building, 44 N Palmetto Ave in Eagle.Veterans welcome

concluded they could not afford to continuethe concerts without more financial supportfrom the community. This is not to say thatEagle citizens are not willing to fund suchevents. Unfortunately, the Philharmonicsfund-raising campaign for the summer serieshas always been conducted in the spring ofthe year, while companies nearly always puttheir budgets together in the fall. If all goeswell with our Philharmonic campaign thisfall, we will see the series again in the summer of 2016.Recently at the YMCAs Annual Meeting,

I was surprised and delighted to see the inter-est in adding a Y to the proposed tennisclub at the southeast corner of Highway 44and Edgewood. This addition would providea swimming pool for kids and parents toenjoy along with traditional programs offeredby the Y. Several of our citizens would like tosee the Eagle Urban Renewal help fund themeasure. The question remains of how appropriate it may be for the EURA to help develop projects on green fields, as opposedto addressing urban blight. It will undoubt-edly take the participation of the Eagle com-munity to make this dream a reality.There has been plenty of discussion and

suggestions from Eagle folks about the futureof the Saturday Market now that the City has taken its management. At the recent Association of Idaho Cities, I attended a presentation on Farmers Markets by KarenEllis, manager of the very successful BoiseFarmers Market. Karen and others sharedsome of the factors that have made theirFarmers Markets successful. The City ofMoscow has been operating their Market for38 years and it is now host to more than 150vendors each week. We can learn much fromtheir success.

PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS:ITS A SMALL WORLD CAMP

3-5 yrs. This half day camp will introduce children togames, art, stories and music from around the world!

Each day of camp will include learning about different regions of the globe.

Merrill Park 4 days | $527/6-7/9 M-Th 9 am-12 pm

YOUTH PROGRAMSSKYHAWKS MULTI-SPORT CAMP

Monday-Thursday, July 13-16Skyhawks multisport camp is designed to introduceathletes to a variety of different sports in one setting.For this program we combine basketball, soccer, and

football into one fun-filled week.Merrill Park Cost: $110 6-9 yrs, 10 am-3 pm

TREASURE CAMP6-10 yrs. Have you ever dreamed of discovering atreasure trove? Campers will learn the basics of

geocaching, letterboxing, and treasure finding in thisfun camp! Throughout the week, treasure-hunting experts will join us to share their explorations and treasure hunt stories. We will go on hikes around

Eagle to search for treasures and hidden clues, maketreasure crafts, and play games! Merrill Park

5 days | $145 7/20-7/24 M-F 9 am-4 pmEarly drop off (8 am) or late pick up (5 pm)

available for $6/hour/day

JUNIOR VETERINARIAN CAMP6-10 yrs. Do you love animals? Join us for a week ofanimal discovery! We will learn what it takes to be aveterinarian while meeting different animals. Alongthe way, we will play games, interact with animals,

and go on fun field trips! Guerber Park 5 days | $1457/27-7/31 M-F 9 am-4 pm

Early drop off (8 am) or late pick up (5 pm) available for $6/hour/day

ADULT PROGRAMSEAGLE FUN DAY RUN- 5K & 10K

Saturday, July 11Join us for the 3rd annual Eagle Fun Day Run through the beautiful streets of Eagle. Runners

can choose to run a 5K or 10K and will be served adelicious breakfast after the race.City Hall Cost: $29 8:00 am

CORNHOLE TOURNAMENT (ADULT)Saturday, July 11th

The Inaugural Eagle Fun Days Cornhole Tournamentwill be a blast! Come show off your beanbag toss

skills for the chance to win your own set of cornhole boards. Downtown Eagle

Cost: $10/team of 2 people 5 pm-10 pm

FAMILY PROGRAMSCORNHOLE TOURNAMENT (FAMILY)

Friday, July 10thAre you the cornhole champion in your family? Proveyour skills in Eagle's Inaugural Cornhole Tournament!This beanbag toss game is a fun activity for all skilllevels. Tournament champions will receive their owncornhole set (board and bags) to take home. Teams

must be made up of two people.City Hall Cost: $10/team of 2 people 5-8 pm

EAGLE FUN DAYSFriday, July 10- Saturday July 11

Eagle Fun Days is back! Join us Friday for family nightat City Hall with a penny carnival, BMX bike demos,cornhole tournament, and more. Saturday featuresthe Fun Day Run, wet n wild parade, adult cornholetournament, gazebo entertainment, and fireworks!

City Hall, Downtown Eagle Free!GAZEBO CONCERT SERIES

Thursday, July 29The Gazebo Concert Series is a free concert series on

the last Thursday of the month, May-September.Bring a blanket and a picnic, or enjoy food from Eagle

businesses. Heritage Park Free! 6-9 pm

*For all programs: Preregistration is required at www.cityofeagle.org/recreation

www.eaglepubliclibrary.org

~~~~~~~~~~~ ON-GOING PROGRAMS ~~~~~~~~~~~Monday, July 6, 13, 20, 27

Baby Readers: 10:30 a.m. (birth 18 months)Stories, songs, and fingerplays for babies

and their caregivers. Monday, July 6, 13, 20, 27

Knee Deep in LEGOS: 2:00 p.m. (ages 6+)Weekly program for children ages 6 12 to usetheir creativity in building/designing with LEGOS.

Tuesday, July 7, 14, 21, 28Toddler Time: 10:30 a.m. (18 months 3 years)

Stories, songs, and crafts for toddlers and their caregivers. Tuesday, July 14

Alzheimers Support Group: 2:00 p.m. (adults)Co-sponsored with Alzheimers Association

Greater Idaho Chapter, the Eagle Public Library offers support for individuals and families whose

lives are touched by Alzheimers. Wednesday, July 1, 8, 15, 22, 29

Music & Movement: 10:30 a.m. (birth 5 years)Early literacy skills are built through rhythm and motion in this interactive program for

young children and their caregivers.

Wednesday, July 1Independence Day Fun: 2:00 p.m.

(elementary school) Youll make an amazing Independence Day fan and enjoy a red, white,

and blue ice cream sundae.Thursday, July 2

Matinee Movie: 2:00 p.m. (all ages)Because of Winn-Dixie

Monday, July 6Henna Tattoos for Teens: 4:00 p.m.

(middle/ high school)This is your chance to be creative using this

ancient body art. Henna tattoos aretemporary and last two to three weeks.

There will be henna tattoos, laughs, and fun!Tuesday, July 7

Matisse for Kids: 2:00 p.m. (elementary school)Learn about the artist Henri Matisse and how hecreated masterpieces from cut-outs. Try your

hand at this technique. Wednesday, July 8

Eagle Fire Fighters: 2:00 p.m. (6 12)Meet the guys who put out fires the local he-

roes from the Eagle Fire Department. Thursday, July 9

Matinee Movie: 2:00 p.m. (all ages)Tinkerbell and the Legend of the Neverbeast

Thursday, July 9Second Thursday Book Club: 6:30 p.m. (adult)

Bel Canto Friday, July 10

Teens Create the Wafflest Things: 1:00 (middle/ high school) Waffles arent just for

breakfast anymore. Use a waffle ironto make cookies, banana bread, andwaffled spaghetti with meatballs.

Monday, July 13Popcorn and a Movie: 4:00 p.m.

(middle/high school) Take it easy and escapefrom the heat. Relax, enjoy popcorn and soda,

and watch Forrest Gump. Tuesday, July 14

Open-Mic Day for Kids: 2:00 p.m. (elementary school)

Want to tell your favorite joke, perform karaoke,or have your own poetry reading. This is your

chance. Just step up to the microphone. Finishthe afternoon by watching classic cartoons.

Tuesday, July 14Bug Superheroes! How Bugs Can Save the

World! 6:30 p.m. (all ages)Mark Hotchkiss will tell us why bugs are beneficialto plants and soil. Bug superheroes will provide

entertainment for the whole family! Wednesday, July 15

Totally Terrific Tie-Dye Day: 2:00 p.m. (all ages)At this family event, bring your own cottont-shirt or other item and let your inner superhero artiste loose! And, youll experience

a tasty summertime treat.

~~~~~~~~~~~ SPECIAL PROGRAMS ~~~~~~~~~~~

Wednesday, July 1, 8, 15, 22, 29Tales to Tails: 4:00 5:00 p.m. (ages 5+)

Increase your reading ability and confidence byreading to mans best friend from Helping IdahoDogs. Registration is required; contact the Youth

Services staff at 939-6814, ext. 113.Wednesday, July 8, 15, 22, 29

Teen Advisory Board (TAB): 4:15 p.m. (teens 14+)

Earn volunteer hours, socialize with your peers,and help your Library!

Thursday, July 2, 9, 16, 23, 30Preschool Story Time: 10:30 a.m. (3 5 years)Stories, songs, and crafts with an emphasis on

school-readiness skills.Friday, July 3, 10, 17, 24, 31

Ready, Set, School! 10:30 a.m. (3 5 years)Stories, songs, and crafts, with an emphasis on

school-readiness skills. Friday, July 3, 17, 31

Nutty Knitters of Eagle Public Library: 10:00 a.m. (adults)

Local knitters and crocheters provide infant, youth,and adult knit products for those in need. Jointhem to knit for charity, or to make friends with

people with common interests. Or, if you want tolearn to knit, stop by; youll receive a lot of free advice. If you dont want to knit but would like tohelp, the Nutty Knitters will gladly accept donationsof yarn, which may be left at the Librarys frontdesk. For more information, visit the knitters

website: nuttyknitters.weebly.com.

EAGLE LIBRARY July Events

Thursday, July 16Matinee Movie: 2:00 p.m. (all ages)

Brave Friday, July 17

Teen BINGO: 1:00 p.m. (middle/high school)Its loud! Its extreme! Its teen style!

Monday, July 20Life-Size Game of Clue: 4:00 p.m.

(middle/high school)There has been a murder! WHO DID IT? WITHWHAT? And WHERE? You are the game piece in

the Life-Size Game of Clue. Tuesday, July 21

Meet the Eagle Police: 2:00 p.m. (elementary school) Visit with the City of EaglePolice and learn everything you always wanted to

know about the police.Wednesday, July 22

Heart of Hero: 2:00 p.m. (elementary school)Storyteller Paige Moore explores modern day

heroes such as Luke Skywalker and Harry Potterin this interactive musical program.

Thursday, July 23Matinee Movie: 2:00 p.m. (all ages)

Big Hero 6Thursday, July 23

Apps for Everyone and Everything: 2:00 p.m.(all ages) Learn how to find and download

fun and helpful apps.Friday, July 24

Friendly Feud: Heroes vs. Villains: 1:00 p.m.(middle/ high school)

The classic game show becomes a battle between the good and the bad.

Saturday, July 25Red Cross Blood Drive: 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

(16 years old and older)Help your community by donating blood at thisAmerican Red Cross-operated blood drive.

Make an appointment and check donor eligibilityrequirements at redcrossblood.org or at the Library. This event is organized by the Eagle

Public Librarys Teen Advisory Board.Saturday, July 25

Saturday Creations: 2:00 - 3:00 p.m.Marbled Pots. Transform a clay pot into a work of art with nail polish and a bucket of water.

Tuesday, July 28Van Gogh for Kids 2:00 p.m. (elementary)Listen up! Its time to learn about The Starry

Night, The Sower, The Irises and more. Will yourVan Gogh inspired masterpiece be as great?

Wednesday, July 29Animal Heroes 11:00 a.m. (elementary)Dynamic childrens author Kelly Milner Halls

presents her engaging stories of animal heroes. Thursday, July 30

Matinee Movie: 2:00 p.m. (all ages)The Black Cauldron

The Independent News www.theindnews.com CITY OF EAGLE July 2015 PAGE 7

Summer Reading will runs through Saturday, August 1 The last article we shared introduced PeelsPrinciples of Policing, and I was thrilled to getseveral comments on the piece. As we go onfrom that point, I would like to specificallyaddress the 7th Principle. Police, at all times,should maintain a relationship with the pub-lic that gives reality to the historic traditionthat the police are the public and the publicare the police; the police being only membersof the public who are paid to give full-time at-tention to duties which are incumbent onevery citizen in the interests of communitywelfare and existence. Lets see this liveand in our town In May, the City of Eagle hosted Clean UpEagle Days. What a privilege we have to bepart of a community where well over 100 volunteers stepped forward to clean up areasof the town. These volunteers know that asharp looking city suppresses crime. The Eagle community has many Home-owners Associations and NeighborhoodWatch groups that police their paths, parksand pools. They preserve strong neighborli-ness that is critical to the American culture. The Eagle Building Administrator and Plan-ning and Zoning staff work in close relation-ship with the EPD and other departments toinsure our city is strong, healthy and crimeresistant. (CPTEP: Crime Prevention throughEnvironmental Design whoa! We will address this in a future article)

The Briefing with Chief Calley

Something so simple while on a lunchrun down State Street, I watched a driver goby with a soda can on the roof of his truck.The can blows off and the driver stops tothe side, gets out and picks up the can! That is what it is about, doing the right thing.While we do things right, we can always

do things better. Some of those things arevery simple; Lock your car doors and keep valuables outof sight. This alone would reduce the Eaglecrime rate. Drive patiently and with regard to others.We are experiencing a spike in crashes related to speed and following too closely. Thank you for your time, support and care.

The men and women that serve as your police officers here in the Treasure Valley aresome of the very best in the country. We allhave a role in this public duty. Stay safe.

Over 100 volunteers worked to makeour town a nicer place to live during

Clean Up Eagle Days.

Scout Troop 077 with Den Leader Kevin Platts. This troop has completed

several service projects for the city.

The Library will be closed on Saturday, July 4

for Independence Day.and on Saturday, July 11

for Eagle Fun Days.

July 2015 EAGLE NEWS The Independent News www.theindnews.com

COLLEGE TOURSAttention, college recruiters! Wake up!

Your tour guides arent doing you any favors.How do I know this? My family and I have

met them. From coast-to-coast, we have beenrepelled from schools because of well-mean-ing, but fundamentally untrained students(and some staff) leading college tours. Therehave been a few diamonds in the rough andthose people have made the differences intheir school making the short list of collegechoices.Our kids have gone far and wide for their

educations: North Carolina, Florida, NewYork and Utah. Not a Vandal or Bronco in thelot Though I have been on a Boise Statetour with a friend and her daughter (whoended up graduating from BSU). I must say,it was a good tour. It was the same friendwho suggested to me that we should sched-ule college tours whenever we travel, sowe could get a baseline for our reviews ofcolleges and universities. (Plus, they oftengive you some sort of swag like a free t-shirt,woo-hoo BONUS!)

One Thanksgiving break, before Helenwas to make a college decision, we took theweek off and toured five schools in Utah andWyoming. She was prepared with her ques-tions for the tour guide: Why did you decide to attend this college? What do you like best about this school? What do you like least about this school? If you could change anything about your college what would it be?

By Gretchen Anderson

At one Wyoming college, we were teamedup with an energetic student ambassadorfrom Honduras. We started the tour andHelen got her questions answered in shortorder. After walking around their campus forabout 15 minutes, he led us past the library,the student union building and the fucultyoffices.Yep, you read that right. He said, f-u-c-u-l-

t-y.Mr. Man and I looked at one another,

independently thinking, Surely, we justheard that wrong. And then, he said itagain, Our fuculty members have an open door policy. Thats when we lookedat the kids. Wide-eyed and with raised eyebrows, they couldnt believe what theywere hearing. All three kids had to stiflelaughs. I swear the tour guide used the termf-u-c-u-l-t-y more than 10 times during ourvisit. Needless to say, that school didntmake the list.

A couple summers ago, we took Bubba to New York and visited a small, liberal artscollege. Before the tour, a staff member led agroup orientation meeting. He espoused allthe wonderful benefits of the college, thegraduation rate and proximity to Broadway.But, then he launched in to tell the prospec-tive students that, Seventy-five percent of you WILL NOT work in the business. I couldnt believe what I was hearing. I sat in my little chair, in the little room, andthought, thanks Mr. College Tour Guide forjust dashing the dreams of a dozen kids.Again, that school didnt make the short list. Bubba didnt even get a t-shirt.

Our last kid, Margaret will soon beginlooking at potential schools. You wouldthink after going through this four times before, we should be pros. But, I guaranteethere will be more stories derived from thosewell-meaning but essentially untrained tourguides. Stay tuned.

By Philip A. JanquartEagle Rodeo founder Tracy Baggerly proba-

bly never anticipated the event he started 14years ago would explode into what it has be-come today a four-day event that kicks offthe rodeo season in Idaho and attracted some10,000 spectators this year.Baggerly, who grew up on a dairy farm off

Linder Road in Eagle, says he started therodeo as a way to give back to the community.It is a not-for-profit event that contributes

funds to about three to four beneficiariesevery year. Past beneficiaries have includedAda County 4-H, various Boy Scout troops,the Bull Catcher Wrestling Team Camp, theEagle Ada County Sheriffs Department, EagleChamber of Commerce, Eagle Food Bank,Eagle High School Drama Club and manymore over the years.

Groups seeking funding are always wel-come to apply to become a beneficiary and do not have to be from Eagle.This year, the rodeo provided support, in

part, to Love INC Boise, an organization thatencourages a hand-up through one-on-onementoring, teaching budget and life skills.The Eagle Rodeo helped support the organi-

zation through a newly created food drivecalled Stomp Out Hunger, which invitedrodeo visitors to bring canned food to helpfight hunger in the Treasure Valley.We used to hold the rodeo in conjunction

with the Eagle Fun Days celebration, but thedates changed and we wanted to remain theseason opening rodeo so we decided to keep it they way it is, Baggerly said. We arent affiliated with the city or with Fun Days, butweve grown every year since we started.

Eagle Rodeo Grows 15 Percent in 2015, Anticipates Future Expansion

Bronc riding opened the 2015 Eagle Rodeo.2014 Idaho Rodeo Queen Dusty Olson.

The rodeo currently takes place on vacantland slated for the Plaza Drive extension andcan be seen from Highway 44.The location is great and the land owners

are very generous in letting us use it everyyear, Baggerly explained. Wed love to buy it, but they are asking something like $4 million or $6 million for it. Plus, they areplanning to punch Plaza Drive all the waythrough at some point, so we are activelylooking for another piece of land.For now, however, Baggerly says the Eagle

Rodeo Committee is looking at buying a newarena to accommodate the growing crowds.The cost, he says, is between $35,000 and$40,000.Yes, the ground has been for sale for years,

but if we could get a permanent lease some-where, we really want to expand the rodeo,

he said. We are thinking about VIP suites and some other things, and going PRCA (Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association).Baggerly said he would be remiss if he did

not mention the many area sponsors thatmake the rodeo possible, including his biggest sponsors HC Company, Inc. andMountain West Bank.For more information, log on to www.

eaglerodeo.com.

You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldierswho file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness. You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism.

~Erma Bombeck

To learn more about the Eagle Chamber of Commerce:

www.eaglechamber.com. The chamber is active in the community and proactive in helping

business members network and better achieve their goals.

The Independent News www.theindnews.com EDUCATION July 2015 PAGE 9

By Anna Eaton-MerkleI am one of those lucky kids who had a

great best friend growing up. When we werelittle, we became friends mostly because ourmoms were friends and we both had sisterswho were two years younger. In the worldof parenting, this is known as perfect play-date potential. I remember summer loomingahead in early June and the two of us plan-ning backyard carnivals, imaginary wagontrail rides, and endless trips to the city pool.There were arts and crafts, library after-noons, floats for the town parade. Snowcones, church camp, play house, bike rides,sleep overs. When we got a little older therewere bowling leagues, boy crushes, andbabysitting adventures. It is safe to say thatwe did everything together for most of ouryounger lives best friends through thickand thin.As often happens, we did grow apart when

we got to high school. I was more intosports, she was more into drama. We neverreally had a falling out just different inter-ests. Time passed and we hung out less andless. New friends came into play, all themore interesting because they were differ-ent. High school became a whirlwind ofdances and volleyball and boyfriends andparties. My best friend and I still had news-paper and poetry in common, but our sociallives were very disconnected. No hard feel-ings really. In fact, we were both so self-ab-sorbed that we probably didnt even thinkabout it. College came and it was more of the same.

We started out together but quickly moved inopposite directions. I plugged along as anundergraduate and she joined the Navy afterone year. Then careers put us in differentparts of the country on a fairly consistentbasis. It would have been really easy to losetouch all together but we didnt. After allthose years, we still had this friendshipclinging in the back of our minds, almost like some sort of familial connection. Wewere in each others weddings, welcomednew babies and new homes. Got togetherwhen we could, talked on the phone whenwe couldnt. And even after all that time,whether we talked to each other once a

A Teachers Perspective

Anna Eaton-Merkle lives in Eagle and teaches English to seniors and sophomores atEagle High School. Her writing can also be found on her blog

www.thinkinginthemargins.com. She is currently working on publishing a collection of essays and childrens books.

SILVER AND GOLD month or once a year, it was easy to fall rightback into that comfortable old friendship. I am writing about this now because my

beautiful best friend has just turned 50. Thissays to me more than any other indicatorthat I am next she always was the pioneerin our relationship. And I marvel at howmany lifetimes we have been through to-gether. Her effortless smile, dramatic flair,creative energy inspired many of my bestmemories. Never mind the fact that some of those qualities also got me in trouble onmultiple occasions; I wouldnt trade any of it.How wonderful it is to have had a friend foralmost my entire life - at least as long as I can remember. Once in a while my kids will say, Oh we

arent really friends anymore. When I askfurther, there hasnt been a fight or anything,more like they have just drifted apart. Thisis something that is profoundly foreign tome, because I believe one should never let goof a friend. They are like money in the bankand really, the only wealth that matters atthe end of your life. It is okay to take abreather from a friendship that isnt doingmuch at the moment, but dont feel like thatmeans discarding it. I tell them, Once afriend, always a friend and I believe it.There really isnt much more to this

observation than just the old adage: Makenew friends but keep the old. I have been really blessed in my life with lots of greatfriends over the years. Some were transitory- fun in the moment but we grew apart.Some were interest based we played basketball or volleyball or taught together butcouldnt find much of a connection outsideof those common activities. Some were partof a larger group of friends but not necessar-ily directly connected to me. All have beendear to my life and all would be welcomearound my table at any time. But those lifelong friends the ones who have becometwined almost by DNA to the very core ofwho I am those are the ones that are to becherished. I have had a few of those rarebeauties in my life and I hope to have moreas I move on towards 100. But my first andbest friend will always the standard onwhich I have set the bar.

Everything that is really great and inspiring is created by the individual who can labor in freedom.

~ Albert Einstein

The will of the people is the only legitimate foundation of any government, and to protect its free expression should be our first object.

~ Thomas Jefferson

By Bob ArnettFYI, Medicare Supplement and Medigap Pol-

icy are interchangeable terms. Lets face it, sen-iors that have a Medicare Supplement REALLYLOVE THEM; including my wife and I and espe-cially if they have a Plan F or a Plan G. As long asthe Doctor, Hospital etc. accept Medicare thePlan F covers everything that Medicare does notcover including excess charges. The Plan G how-ever, which is becoming more and more popu-lar, covers exactly the same as Plan F except forthe, once a year, $147 copay for Medicare Part B.The difference between the premiums is usuallymuch less than the $147. Example: For a 65year old an Aetna Plan F is $150.19 a month andAetnas Plan G is $115.95, the difference is$34.24 a month. $34.24 x 12 = $410 88 -$147.00 = $263.88 saving per year with a Plan Gover their Plan F. *Multiply that savings timestwo for a couple, every little bit helps! As folks get older their Med. Supp or Medigap

policy premium slowly gets more and more ex-pensive. The one thing to remember is that allMed Supp plans, A, F, G, N etc. cover the samething no matter which company sells it. All PlanFs are the same, all Plan Ns are the same etc.Those benefits are controlled by the govern-ment. What isnt the same is the monthly pre-mium that different companies charge for them.Example Given; for a new 65 year old, a Plan Fpremium can be anywhere from $128.00 permonth to over $200.00 for that same plan. Oncethe copay and or premium is satisfied there areno more out of pocket costs. This gives the sen-ior, Peace of Mind and the knowledge they are

always within budget. Insurance companies have different experi-

ences with different age groups and/or differentplans. They set their rates depending onwhether theyve had good or bad experienceswith a group or plan or maybe even, what theythink they can get, LOL! Companies that sell Medicare Supplements

are allowed to use medical underwriting to de-cide whether to accept your application due toyour health situation. There are only a couple oftimes they cannot hold your health against you.One is when you turn 65 and another is if youhave lost credible Medigap coverage out of yourcontrol i.e. the company discontinues your planin your state. Otherwise if you are healthy youwont have a hard time being accepted but ifyou have some health challenges you may notbe given the coverage and have to go to a Part CAdvantage Plan. Here is a reference for you to use at the Idaho

Department of Insurance to compare Medigaprates: http://www.doi.idaho.gov/shiba /shmedigap.aspxThe rates are a little off but you will get the

idea on the different rates companies charge.BTW, Medigap policies don't cover long-term care,vision or dental care, hearing aids, eyeglasses, orprivate-duty nursing. BTW, I have a Great Den-tal/Vision/Hearing plan available. As far as chang-ing Medigap Plans, it can be done at any timeduring the year. (Unlike Advantage Plans) Call me, Bob Arnett, or your agent with any

question at 208 570 8390; go to my website formore information www.alisprotect.com.

SENIORS! Are you paying too much for your Medicare Supplement?

Check out our website for more stories, updated events and more.

www.theindnews.com

PAGE 10 July 2015 THE ARTS The Independent News www.theindnews.com

Memory Man is an Enthralling MysteryBy Tom Wick

Amos Decker retired from the NFL afterhis first and only play. The hit was playedmillions of times on YouTube, and not onlyhas he never seen ithe doesnt rememberit. But after he woke up from the hit, hecould remember not just something, buteverything after the hit. Multi-bestselling author David Baldacci has

created, in Amos Decker, the best average-man detective in the genre. Unable to playfootball anymore, Amos decides to be a detective. With his infallible memory he aces through the police academy and quicklybecomes a detective. Until someone from hispast kills his family. Falling into depression, a year and a half later he hit rock bottom. Amos, lost without his family, loses his job

on the force, his house, car, and loses touchwith all of his friends and family. He lives ina cardboard box and now weighs 350 pounds.Living in an equally depressed town withhigh unemployment and high crime, Amossometimes will still visit his old home. Longin foreclosure, the bank never even took thetime to clean up the blood. One day, though, he visits his home, and

the psycho that has killed his family has lefta personal message for him. And then some-one confesses to the crime. More people are

killedwith the samegun that killed his family.Unsure what to do, he isvisited by his old partnerand she tells him thattheir captain would liketo hire him as a consult-ant to help solve thecrime. Amos, as one couldimagine, is confusedabout trying to solve this crime but the captain reminds him that these crimes arepersonal and the only person who has seenthe perp is you.Amos takes on the monumental task of

not just working the case like a detective butalso at the same time going through twentyyears of memories to see who he dissed. As he gets closer to solving the mystery helearns that its not just one person buttheyre intentionally using his memories totake him down the wrong path. Baldacci has written almost thirty novels,

some of which have been made into moviesdirected by Clint Eastwood. Memory Manis intended to be the first in a book seriesstarring Amos Decker as a consultant for theFBI. The novel is fast-paced and enthralling.If youve never read any of Baldaccis work,Memory Man is a great place to start.

Death by PizzaChallenge at

Westside Pizzain Star

With headphones on to concentrate, MaxWON the Challenge under 25 minutes

Westside Pizza Owners Matt & SashaJohnson with Stars 1st Westside Pizza

Challenge Winner, Max Carnage

Max, accepting the Challenge to eat theGrand Size Pizza 18 in under an hour

By Mickie ParkThe Death by Pizza Challenge is a food

challenge offered by all chains of WestsidePizza. A food challenge in general is where aspecific prize is awarded for the completionof a specific meal or quantity of food whilefollowing the rules and regulations of therestaurant. Star Westside Pizza owners, Matt and

Sasha Johnson, received a food challengefrom Max Carnage from Portland Oregon.His challenge was to eat an 18 Grand SizePizza with all the toppings including pepper-oni, beef, bacon, sausage, ham, mushrooms,olives, pineapples, onions, and green pep-pers in under an hour. While in the chal-lenge you can stop, walk around, but youcannot leave. It may sound easy, but it isnot. Max has traveled around for the last 3

years doing food challenges at different loca-tions. He has won hot dog and onion ringschallenges, has eaten over 4 lbs. of Sushi,but one of the toughest challenges was withthe spicy burrito. Max can now add to his list of victories

the Westside Pizza Death by Pizza Challenge. Max finished the pizza in under25 minutes! He beat the record and wasable to walk away with $100 in his pocketand free pizza in his belly. The Death by Pizza challenge is open

to all. So, if you are up to it, stop by.Westside Pizza is located at 1200 W.

Hercules Drive #100 and can be reached at286-9030. Along with pizzas, they offer appetizers, pasta, salads and desserts.


Marsing's Chamber of Commerce invitesyou to our 3rd of July celebration in Marsing,Idaho beginning at 6:00 PM. We will have coolactivities for the kids and food trucks avail-able with delightful eats. The Lion's Club willhold their famous Annual BBQ Beef Dinner.Dancing with "DJ Flow." A breath-taking fireworks display will be held over the Snake River. For more information please call the Marsing City Hall at 208-896-4122.Celebrate the Marsing way!!!For information on how Loni's balloon

artistry can promote your business call

208-442-7268, email [email protected] or visit BalloonArtistIdaho.comJuly Submission PSA sponsored by:

The Marsing Chamber of Commerce

Celebrate on July 3in Marsing, Idaho

Loni Trude - Author/Balloon Artist

BRAVO! COMMON MEN, UNCOMMON VALOR

film showing benefitting Eagle Field of Honor.Showing on July 2, 2015 at 7:00 p.m.

Northgate Reel Theatre, 6950 W. State St. Garden City, Idaho. BRAVO! COMMON MEN, UNCOMMON VALOR is a feature documentary produced and

directed by Idaho filmmakers Ken and Betty Rodgers. This highly acclaimed film explores the reality of the historic 77-day siege of Khe Sanh, Vietnam, in the early months of 1968. 14 Marines and a Corpsman, today, recount their personal experience, including returning to their homeland, which did not want to hear their story.While a stunning history lesson,BRAVO! is also a contemporary story, as a new generation of soldiers comes home from theMideast. The reality of these stories is as compelling as any fictionalized account of warfare,and offers an urgent message of righting the wrongs of previous responses to the warriors return.This is a film for veterans, family members and for human service and medical providers

who serve veterans; it is for historians, sociologists, students, and for those who simply wantto better understand the human cost of war. The film was edited by Vietnam veteran JohnNutt, a BAFTA award-winning veteran of the film industry. The final remix was done at Skywalker Sound in Marin County.One showing only, limited seating available. Only 110 tickets will be sold. Tickets can be

purchased online at http://bit.ly/eaglepayonline or in person at City Hall.All proceeds will benefit the Eagle Field of Honor, an annual event in the City of Eagle

that displays 600 American flags, each honoring a military veteran. The Field of Honor is a 501 (c)(3) organization.Tickets can be picked up at Will-Call at the Northgate Reel Theatre (6950 W. State St. Garden

City, ID), on July 2, 2015 between 5:00 p.m. and 6:45 p.m.

By Dr. Kyle KurscheidtSpring has passed and summer is upon us.

As the temperature rises and the days growlonger we pull out our shorts and t-shirts, butdo we all still make sure to use proper skin protection?According to the Skin Cancer Foundation

(SCF), having 5 or more sunburns in your lifedoubles your chances of developing Melanoma,the most severe form of skin cancer. The SCFalso reported that 42% of people get sunburnedat least once each year, easily surpassing the 5 sunburn mark.

What can we do that is safe and effective atprotecting our skin from sun damage? Here is a brief list of safe, natural ways to stay sun safethis summer.1. Stay in the shade. When outside duringsummer, seeking the refuge of awnings or trees can save your skin. Especially during thehours of 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. when the sun is mostintense.2. Wear loose breathable long-sleeved shirtsand pants that cover your skin, but still allowfor you to stay cool in the hot summer months.Fabrics that allow this are linen and cotton.3. A broad-brimmed hat is a must. The mostcommonly sun damaged areas of body are theface, nose, and ears. A broad-brimmed hat willallow for protection to all of these areas.4. Avoid tanning booths. Although safer thansunlight, tanning booths still cause skin celldamage. The accumulative effect of tanningover time can have a major negative effect onyour overall skin health.5. Last but not least, make sure to apply adequate amounts of sunscreen to your skinwhen participating in outdoor activities. TheAmerican Academy of Dermatology recom-mends using a sunscreen of 30 SPF or greater.Living in the Treasure Valley, we are blessed

with numerous outdoor activities to participatein every summer and there is no reason toavoid enjoying everything the Valley has tooffer. However, exercising these simple skinprotection tips during the summer months iscritical for your short term and long term skinhealth.

Sun Protection

Starfish Ellie Conley

Austin Vilardi AND

JoshuaTate

racing to the

bottom

Renee Ross & Tate Hurley love floating The Boise River

Caitlin Scott almost nailing down herback flip

Sidewalk Talk Summer officially began on June 21st, 2015,

and whats the best part of summer? This group all agrees, its swimming and hanging with friends

By Philip A. JanquartHealth issues abound across the globe,

but are often compounded when drugs are introduced to manage chronic pain.Prescription drug addiction is the number

one crime/social issue facing the city of Eagle,according to the Eagle Police Department.

The Pain Care Clinic of Idaho, however,has an alternative that can diminish or eliminate chronic neuropathic pain whilehelping to end dependency on prescriptionmedications, and potentially prevent themfrom getting into the wrong hands by keepingthem out of the house altogether.

Habit forming medications are often pre-scribed to treat a myriad of injury and non-injury related pain issues and can lead to acycle of unintended addiction that causes patients to suffer unwanted side effects thatmake them disoriented, mentally clouded,lethargic and physically fatigued, to name afew.

Breaking that cycle, on the other hand, can leave patients feeling like they have reclaimed their lives, according to Dr. EdwardBoese who brought the Treasure Valleys onlyCalmare Pain Therapy system to Eagle.

Almost everybody that walks into my office would describe it that way, like theyhave taken their lives back, said Boese, aboard certified anesthesiologist and Harvard

Pain Care Clinic of Idaho Offers Alternative to Habit Forming Pain Medstrained Diplomate of the American Board ofMedical Acupuncture, and the only physicianin the Treasure Valley who, through his PainCare Clinic of Idaho, offers Calmare PainTherapy.

My patients say that while on so manymedications, they had trouble orientingthemselves to family and jobs, and lackedclarity because of the sedative effects of themeds, and some of them said it was worsethan that, causing them more pain just fromthe side effects.What is Calmare Pain Therapy?Calmare is a revolutionary and advanced

solution for high intensity neuropathic andoncologic pain. Boese says the non-invasiveand non-narcotic system is delivered via the new Calmare therapy medical device,which was cleared by the U.S. Food and DrugAdministration in 2009.

There are only about 40 of the machinesused commercially in the United States. However, the military has many more, usingthem at Walter Reed Medical Center andother military hospitals to treat wounded soldiers.

The therapy, which Boese says has between an 80 and 90 percent success rate, is delivered by electrodes to healthy tissuesurrounding the area of pain to send a non-pain signal that says this is not pain

and retrains the central nervous system.Chronic neuropathic pain comes through

damaged, non-functioning nerves that behave erratically.Calmare Therapy intercepts these

erroneous pain signals and replaces them with no-pain signals that are sent to the brain, he said. It retrains the centralnervous system to re-interpret these pain signals as non-pain messages in the brain. Itis because of this process Calmare Therapy isalso known as Scrambler Therapy.

Boese adds that several teaching hospitalsin the U.S., including the Mayo Clinic, JohnHopkins, Massey Cancer Center and the PaulCarbone Cancer Center, are successfully treating chronic neuropathic pain with Calmare.

Some of the conditions treated with thesystem include chemotherapy-induced pe-ripheral neuropathy, RSD (reflex sympatheticdystrophy syndrome), CRPS (complex regionalpain syndrome), trigeminal neuralgia, post-herpetic neuralgia, phantom limb syndrome,post-surgical and traumatic neuropathic pain,low back pain, neck pain and sciatica.

There are no known side effects, unlessyou include breaking out of years of time in a pharmaceutical prison, he said. I got involved in this because there are many medical problems that are not being handledadequately, that are falling through the cracks.This system offers an alternative to pain without having to walk out on to the pharma-ceutical plank.

Boese stressed that the treatment is not for injury-related pain, but for neuropathicpain he loosely defines as pain caused by thecentral nervous systems misinterpretation oftouch, pressure and other sensations, whichcan result in false reporting to the brain.

PAGE 12 July 2015 BUSINESS The Independent News www.theindnews.com

Pain Care Clinic of Idaho celebrated a ribbon cutting in April. (Photo courtesy of Mike Olsen)

The Calmare

Pain Therapymachine

The Pain Care Clinic of Idaho offers analternative to the treatment of chronic

neuropathic pain.

People receiving chemotherapy treat-ments, or those with diabetes, often experience neuropathic pain in their handsand feet.

Boese added that Chronic pain is a verydifferent animal than acute pain, which iswhy drugs used in acute pain dont work.

He says prescribing narcotics for neuro-pathic pain only masks the symptoms.A Typical CaseOne of Dr. Boeses patients, who preferred

to remain anonymous, said she was taking alaundry list of meds to treat her pain, alongwith secondary medications to treat side ef-fects caused by the first set of medications.

My family calls it an absolute miracle,said Niki, a self-described, former hermit.

Niki, 58, says she lived that way for 14years because of chronic pain she battledusing heavy-duty painkillers.

I was taking Fentanyl lozenges, oxycodone, meloxicam and Seroquel forsleeping, she said. Add to that list Lyrica,anti-inflammatories, steroid injections, morphine, sleeping medications and anti-depressants. This treatment has made a dramatic difference in my life. My familycalls it an absolute miracle they have theirold mom back!

The system is only a few years old, so very few insurance companies cover the treatments.

Signa and United Health provide coverage,according to Boese who says a few others provide coverage on a case-by-case basis.

Once the hospitals start learning about it, there will be healthy competition and theinsurance companies will want to providecoverage, Boese said.

For information, call Deb Boese at (208)939-3750 or on her cell at (307) 389-5345, logon to www.paincareclinicof idaho.com, orvisit the office at 742 E. State Street in Eagle.


Anyone who's ever worked on cars orspent a ton of money getting them repairedwill tell you Don't Ignore Preventive Main-tenance. Regular preventive maintenanceis probably the most important thing youcan do as a car owner to keep your vehiclehappy and save money on future repairs.However, not everyone agrees on what preventive maintenance is, what youshould do and when you should do it. So let's clear that up with some tips thatapply to any vehicle.

The basics, like changing oil, checkingtire pressure, getting scheduled inspectionsand changing filters are like getting regularcheck-ups at your doctor. They keep youhealthy and give you (and the experts) achance to catch anything serious before itbecomes a major problem.

Check the oil and have it changed regularly. While the oil is being changedthe technician can determine if there is anoil leak. The most common practice forchanging oil is every 3 months or 3000miles. If a Synthetic Motor oil is being used,an interval of 5 to 7 thousand miles (basedon the specifications of the manufacturer)is recommended.

Check your battery and clean the contacts. Most batteries these days do notrequire much in the way of maintenance,but you should know where it is located.They can be located in the engine compart-ment, under a seat or in the trunk. Batteryterminals do develop a corrosive build up,an acid accumulation from contacts of thecables. A battery brush could help withthat, but be careful not to get the acid onyour clothing or in your eyes. Acid on yourclothing could be activated bywater and leave a nice little hole.

Inspect belts and hoses.On belts, look for cracks, cutsand tears. On coolant hoses,watch for leakage by feelingfor swelling or hardness of

the hose. The lifeof a timing beltvaries widely bymanufacturer. Inthis case its bestto stop by Steve'sAuto Care so wecan look up the vehicle specifica-tions to determinethe manufacturersrecommendations.

Replace yourwindshield wiperswhen the view starts to get streaky. I knowit may seem silly, but I've known peoplewho just ignore their wipers until they havethem replaced as part of a bigger job. Wipersare inexpensive and easy to replace yourselfin just a few minutes. Don't wait until arainy day and find that you cannot seeclearly. Windshield wipers are absolutelycritical to the safety of you and your passengers, so keep them in good condition.

Replace the engine air filter and cabinfilter. Vehicles need to breathe and a dirtyengine air filter will block critically neededair going to the engine. This will result inpoor fuel economy, bad performance andcould prevent your vehicle from starting.The cabin filter protects everyone in the vehicle from 99 % of impurities and pollensthat enter through the ventilation system.

Steve's Auto Care is located across thestreet from the Star Mercantile. We offer a12 month 12,000 nationwide warranty onall of our services and will check many ofthe preventive maintenances mentionedabove at no charge.

Free towing, pickup and deliveryin Star City Limits.

This is a Paid Advertorial

Steve Greenof Steves Auto Care

Steve's Auto Care (208) 863-2748

Dont Ignore Preventive Maintenance

Steves Auto Care celebrated a ribbon cutting with the Star Chamber of Commerce in June. Steves parrots, blue and gold Murphy (seated on Steves mom,

Jeannie Nails shoulder), and Bubba (sitting on Steves shoulder) joined the fun.

Steves Auto Care Grand Re-opening

By Jason AldermanIf you, your partner or your family want

or need to get out of town right now, howdo you improvise a great last-minute tripwithout breaking the bank?Planning is essential. Embrace travel as a

hobby look for tricks, techniques and cur-rent online resources to keep abreast of thebest last-minute deals.Compromises will be necessary. You'll

likely need to travel at off-peak hours (eitherthe first flight out in the morning or the lastone at night, usually on weekdays) and stayat hotels or venues off the beaten path.Here are some quick tips to save money

on last-minute travel: Travel light, move fast. Traveling last-

minute isn't for the indecisive. Dedicatedtravelers are minimalists they know whatto pack, organize their paperwork and pay-ment options and have the mental prepara-tion to deal with problems and challengesalong the way. Also realize that last-minutetravel can increase risk and other costs. Ifyou're planning a trip that requires travel insurance, (https://www.insuremytrip.com/learn/travel-insurance-basics/when-to-buy.html) you may not get coverage approvalin time. Build the right online resources. The Internet has revolutionized most forms ofpurchasing goods and services, but for travel,it has offered unprecedented speed and customization. Use top travel sites that have

a tested track record and broad listings of var-ious travel products, but be on the lookoutfor new travel websites and apps launchevery day. Some airlines now offer their ownlast-minute fare sites, but try to sign up foremail alerts and social media feeds from a variety of travel resources so you won't miss a deals on air, hotel or ground transportation.Also, layovers are good to build into your itinerary as long as you don't have to pay fora hotel and take a moment to compare theprice of two one-way tickets possibly fromcompeting carriers against round-trip tickets at single carriers. You might save. Test new lodging options. The new genera-tion of apartment and spare-bedroom sharingsites and longtime online vacation homerental services offer last-minute and in somecases "day-of" lodging possibilities, but keepin mind that online scammers (http://www.practicalmoneyskills.com/rentalscams) haveentered this territory and all transactionsshould be verified independently. Staying inhostels is not just for students and backpack-ers anymore; there are hostels that aim forolder travelers as well. Getting on the phonealso works in the hotel industry check on-line prices against what you can find by call-ing up the hotel's booking number and ask if

there is a lower corporate rate or special forthe period of your stay. Compare ride-share with car rental. If you think you're going to need to drive atyour destination, check car-rental ratesagainst leading ride-share companies avail-able at the touch of a smartphone screen.Many ride-share companies allow you to getadvance pricing estimates in advance. Alsokeep in mind what it might cost to park therental car in your destination city ride-share will help you avoid that expense.Finally, evaluate every membership

connection you have. Start by looking at all the plastic you have in your wallet. Fromyour credit cards to the membership card for your main professional networking groupand even to the auto club that tows your car,can you take advantage of any travel benefitsyou can leverage on a last-minute trip? Takesome time to review those benefits or lookat them for the first time.Bottom line: Last-minute travel is almost always possible as long as you're willing to do a little homework and improvise.

Jason Alderman directs Visa's financial educa-tion programs. To Follow Jason Alderman onTwitter: www.twitter.com/PracticalMoney.

Ways to Save Money on a Last-Minute Summer Trip

July 2015 BUSINESS The Independent News www.theindnews.com

By Melissa UptonNeed athletic footwear? Athletic apparel?

Look no further than On Your Marks Running& Walking store in Eagle. Owned and oper-ated by Richard and Patty Marks, On YourMarks is your best bet to finding the right fit at the right price. Some may think that because this is a specialty athletic store that the prices will be outrageous and so theyhead online or to a big box store for the bestprices. The lowest prices, however, do notusually mean the right shoes for your feet.When you shop at On Your Marks you getquality: quality footwear by exceptionallywell-trained staff. You also get a price matchguarantee: if you can find the same shoe at a lower price elsewhere, bring it to On YourMarks. They will match it.

When talking about pricing, Marks ex-plained that athletic shoe companies carrydifferent lines, which translates to differentquality. The technical line is what is sold at On Your Marks. The active line, alsocalled garbage line by certain companies, is what is sold online or at big box stores. Customers think they are getting a good dealby shopping online or at a big chain, when inreality they are neglecting their feet and therest of their bodies. This neglect can cause serious injuries now and chronic muscu-loskeletal problems down the road.

What you also get when you shop at OnYo

The Independent News July 2015

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